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Drop Trooper #1
Contact Front: Drop Trooper, Book 1
Go to war or go to jail.
For small-time street hustler Cam Alvarez, the choice is simple. He has no family, no friends, no place in the world…nothing to lose. When his latest con results in the death of a cartel hitman, Cam opts to join the Marines and leave Earth to fight a vicious alien enemy.
Drafted into the Marine Drop-Troopers, Cam discovers there’s one thing he’s even better at than running street-con games, and that’s killing the enemy. Wrapped in an armored battlesuit, Cam finds purpose amidst the horror and destruction of the war, and the opportunity for a new sort of friends and family…if he can break the habits of a life spent alone, trusting no one.
And, if he can survive...
Rick Partlow returns with another kickass Military Sci-Fi epic. It's perfect for fans of Jay Allan, Jasper T. Scott, and Scott Bartlett.
For small-time street hustler Cam Alvarez, the choice is simple. He has no family, no friends, no place in the world…nothing to lose. When his latest con results in the death of a cartel hitman, Cam opts to join the Marines and leave Earth to fight a vicious alien enemy.
Drafted into the Marine Drop-Troopers, Cam discovers there’s one thing he’s even better at than running street-con games, and that’s killing the enemy. Wrapped in an armored battlesuit, Cam finds purpose amidst the horror and destruction of the war, and the opportunity for a new sort of friends and family…if he can break the habits of a life spent alone, trusting no one.
And, if he can survive...
Rick Partlow returns with another kickass Military Sci-Fi epic. It's perfect for fans of Jay Allan, Jasper T. Scott, and Scott Bartlett.
294 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2020
1994 people are currently reading
1657 people want to read
About the author
Rick Partlow
212 books372 followersRick Partlow is that rarest of species, a native Floridian. Born in Tampa, he attended Florida Southern College and graduated with a degree in History and a commission in the US Army as an Infantry officer.
His lifelong love of science fiction began with Have Space Suit---Will Travel and the other Heinlein juveniles and traveled through Clifford Simak, Asimov, Clarke and on to William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams and Peter F Hamilton. And somewhere, submerged in the worlds of others, Rick began to create his own worlds.
He has written over 70 books in over a dozen different series, and his short stories have been included in many different anthologies.
He currently lives in norther Wyoming with his wife and their dog. Besides writing and reading science fiction and fantasy, he enjoys outdoor photography, hiking and camping.
His lifelong love of science fiction began with Have Space Suit---Will Travel and the other Heinlein juveniles and traveled through Clifford Simak, Asimov, Clarke and on to William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams and Peter F Hamilton. And somewhere, submerged in the worlds of others, Rick began to create his own worlds.
He has written over 70 books in over a dozen different series, and his short stories have been included in many different anthologies.
He currently lives in norther Wyoming with his wife and their dog. Besides writing and reading science fiction and fantasy, he enjoys outdoor photography, hiking and camping.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
June 13, 2022
"I ran. Knowing I might trip at any second, knowing I might fall right into the ditch before I saw it, but I ran anyway. The distant roar of wind had become thunder rolling across the plain. And something else was coming with it, something even more frightening. Dawn. It was just a line of lighter grey on the horizon right now, just a slight brightening of the darkness, but it was coming. The safety of the darkness might have been illusory, but it was all I had."
“Cam” Alvarez is a small urban mammal who has honed his techniques of survival in the future megalopolis. He is often poor and hungry and his choices are limited. The “powers that be” have been watching him (as they apparently can do) and the millions like him. His enterprising nature takes him too far over the line and he is given the choice of joining the military as they battle a “give no quarter” enemy or spending the best part of his life in confinement. Lucky for our author, Cam chooses the former.
"“We need warm bodies, and as good as you are in a suit, we’d take you if you were a narcoleptic necrophiliac. But if you ever want to be more, Cameron, if you ever want to be great, either as a Marine or as a man, then you’re going to have to be more than just a talented killer. You’re going to have to become a leader. You’re going to have to decide you’re in the Corps for more than just a ticket out of the Underground, or to avoid prosecution for one crime or another.”"
So we are up and running with a story that rarely pauses to catch its breath.
"“Welcome to Delta, Alvarez. I usually try to have a meeting with every new recruit eventually, but I’m afraid we won’t have the time before we head out.”
“It seems like I got here just in time, sir.” I laughed softly, despite the man’s intimidating presence. It was just too funny not to. “Another couple days, and I’d have missed the boat.” There was something predatory about Covington’s return smile.
“Which might have been our loss, Private, but perhaps your gain.” “No, sir,” I assured him. “I knew I was going to see combat when I joined up. It’s just as well it starts now.”
“Like I always say, son,” he told me, tossing a wave as he walked away, “you only live once…might as well get it over with.
If you like stories about the future space military, you will note that Partlow gets the “vibe” right. There are a lot of facets to being part of a group of fighters and most of those are included:
"Tonight, I heard your squad leaders, your platoon leader, and a platoon sergeant yelling orders, and no one was listening.” He shrugged, hopping down off the rock platform and pacing through the sand. “Maybe they weren’t the best orders, maybe they were stupid orders, but part of the oath you swore when you signed up was to carry out the lawful orders of your superiors. Not just the convenient ones, not just the ones you think you’ll get in trouble if you ignore, but all the lawful orders. So, before any of you start blaming the leaders we appointed for this mission, think about what you did and whether you did everything you could to support them.”"
And
"Coffee is your friend, chow will be meal packets eaten while you work, and sleep will be a rumor. If you’re going to complain, complain to God, or the Commonwealth Space Fleet, whichever you think is likelier to respond.”"
This is the start of Cam Alvarez’s career and it’s a good start. I certainly won’t object to reading another chapter.
“Cam” Alvarez is a small urban mammal who has honed his techniques of survival in the future megalopolis. He is often poor and hungry and his choices are limited. The “powers that be” have been watching him (as they apparently can do) and the millions like him. His enterprising nature takes him too far over the line and he is given the choice of joining the military as they battle a “give no quarter” enemy or spending the best part of his life in confinement. Lucky for our author, Cam chooses the former.
"“We need warm bodies, and as good as you are in a suit, we’d take you if you were a narcoleptic necrophiliac. But if you ever want to be more, Cameron, if you ever want to be great, either as a Marine or as a man, then you’re going to have to be more than just a talented killer. You’re going to have to become a leader. You’re going to have to decide you’re in the Corps for more than just a ticket out of the Underground, or to avoid prosecution for one crime or another.”"
So we are up and running with a story that rarely pauses to catch its breath.
"“Welcome to Delta, Alvarez. I usually try to have a meeting with every new recruit eventually, but I’m afraid we won’t have the time before we head out.”
“It seems like I got here just in time, sir.” I laughed softly, despite the man’s intimidating presence. It was just too funny not to. “Another couple days, and I’d have missed the boat.” There was something predatory about Covington’s return smile.
“Which might have been our loss, Private, but perhaps your gain.” “No, sir,” I assured him. “I knew I was going to see combat when I joined up. It’s just as well it starts now.”
“Like I always say, son,” he told me, tossing a wave as he walked away, “you only live once…might as well get it over with.
If you like stories about the future space military, you will note that Partlow gets the “vibe” right. There are a lot of facets to being part of a group of fighters and most of those are included:
"Tonight, I heard your squad leaders, your platoon leader, and a platoon sergeant yelling orders, and no one was listening.” He shrugged, hopping down off the rock platform and pacing through the sand. “Maybe they weren’t the best orders, maybe they were stupid orders, but part of the oath you swore when you signed up was to carry out the lawful orders of your superiors. Not just the convenient ones, not just the ones you think you’ll get in trouble if you ignore, but all the lawful orders. So, before any of you start blaming the leaders we appointed for this mission, think about what you did and whether you did everything you could to support them.”"
And
"Coffee is your friend, chow will be meal packets eaten while you work, and sleep will be a rumor. If you’re going to complain, complain to God, or the Commonwealth Space Fleet, whichever you think is likelier to respond.”"
This is the start of Cam Alvarez’s career and it’s a good start. I certainly won’t object to reading another chapter.
October 17, 2020
Well, we've got another good military sci/fi book...and this may tell you something about me as the book's plot, opening and so on follow a line that's in other books I've liked. Here we have (another) young person (young man in this case) who grew up poor, hardscrabble, hand to mouth, and constantly close to getting killed in the future. This is (another) future where most all the people of Earth live in giant cities. The very poor live in the "underground" never seeing the sun or sky...
Cam Alvarez is not only poor and living in the underground, sleeping where he can, eating what he can get, living by his wits...and a certain amount of crime. He manages just after he becomes a "legal adult" to fall afoul of the law in a way that can get him "frozen" in involuntary hibernation, from which he may never be awakened even after his sentenced time as sometimes the politicians like to please the populace and that can mean not waking up the convicts... or he can testify against his "accomplice" (ex-girlfriend. He haddn't been aware she was his ex until she left him holding the illegal bag so to speak). Cam chose not to do that so, he could look forward to becoming a popsicle.
Or he could enlist in the Marines and fight the war with the aliens who were closing in on Earth and killing an alarming number of humans, colonists and military.
Oh heck as a famous sergeant is believed to have said, "do you want to live forever?"
Cam Alvarez is not only poor and living in the underground, sleeping where he can, eating what he can get, living by his wits...and a certain amount of crime. He manages just after he becomes a "legal adult" to fall afoul of the law in a way that can get him "frozen" in involuntary hibernation, from which he may never be awakened even after his sentenced time as sometimes the politicians like to please the populace and that can mean not waking up the convicts... or he can testify against his "accomplice" (ex-girlfriend. He haddn't been aware she was his ex until she left him holding the illegal bag so to speak). Cam chose not to do that so, he could look forward to becoming a popsicle.
Or he could enlist in the Marines and fight the war with the aliens who were closing in on Earth and killing an alarming number of humans, colonists and military.
Oh heck as a famous sergeant is believed to have said, "do you want to live forever?"
April 28, 2020
“There’ll come a time when you have to move beyond what you were, or what you think you still are, and become a Marine.”
“But you can’t fight the world by yourself. The world is bigger and it will always win.”
Go to war or go to jail. A no-choice decision for a teenager. This premise is an excellent introduction of the protagonist’s life, a brilliant description of his training as a marine. The flashbacks of his tormenting past are revealing and a good point of view to understand the psychological reactions of the protagonist. Terrifying childhood memories, provoking heart wrenching moments with vivid lump in throat scenes. The introspections of the main character are impressive, with a language well engaged to a person his age and denomination, full of laid out expressions and sarcastic overtures. It has a quick yet steady progression so that it feels neither thin nor thick. A superbly crafted, riveting page-turner of a read! Looking forward to reading Kinetic Strike #2!
“But you can’t fight the world by yourself. The world is bigger and it will always win.”
Go to war or go to jail. A no-choice decision for a teenager. This premise is an excellent introduction of the protagonist’s life, a brilliant description of his training as a marine. The flashbacks of his tormenting past are revealing and a good point of view to understand the psychological reactions of the protagonist. Terrifying childhood memories, provoking heart wrenching moments with vivid lump in throat scenes. The introspections of the main character are impressive, with a language well engaged to a person his age and denomination, full of laid out expressions and sarcastic overtures. It has a quick yet steady progression so that it feels neither thin nor thick. A superbly crafted, riveting page-turner of a read! Looking forward to reading Kinetic Strike #2!
June 23, 2020
Rick Partlow, the best selling writer of Glory Boy and Recon novels, returns to this universe of military sf stories with a new series, Drop Trooper. Contact Front combines a bit of military mech and space marine ops with heart pumping action and thrilling adventure. Yet Partlow maintains a strong character driven story as he recounts the tale of new recruit, Cam Alvarez, on his first series of missions. This combination of strong, believable characters in tough, demanding situations (while avoiding a lot of unnecessary space tech jargon) is one of the author's strengths. Recommended for fans of the genre and for those just getting into military sf adventure like I am.
March 24, 2021
*Low Brow & Mediocre Writing ‘Shampoo’ SciFi Series — Shampoo, Rinse, Repeat*
“Contact Front,” Book 1 of a 7-Part “Drop Trooper” Series at the date of this review, is a low brow, ‘Shampoo’ SciFi Series - shampoo, rinse, repeat - with mediocre and highly flawed writing.
Lots of repetition in Book 1 (and it only gets worse through Book 6), with worn out, lackluster, formulaic storylines seen all too often before from a myriad of other authors, and rampant ‘cut and paste’ from one book to the next by Mr. Partlow. Additionally, a SJW feminist mindset, liberal ‘borrowing’ from others’ works, the lack of internal continuity, and the poor writing basic skill set adds to the annoying slog of a read.
Book 1 (and Books 2-6) read fully via Kindle Unlimited.
“Contact Front,” Book 1 of a 7-Part “Drop Trooper” Series at the date of this review, is a low brow, ‘Shampoo’ SciFi Series - shampoo, rinse, repeat - with mediocre and highly flawed writing.
Lots of repetition in Book 1 (and it only gets worse through Book 6), with worn out, lackluster, formulaic storylines seen all too often before from a myriad of other authors, and rampant ‘cut and paste’ from one book to the next by Mr. Partlow. Additionally, a SJW feminist mindset, liberal ‘borrowing’ from others’ works, the lack of internal continuity, and the poor writing basic skill set adds to the annoying slog of a read.
Book 1 (and Books 2-6) read fully via Kindle Unlimited.
August 2, 2023
This is the first book in a 13 volume series (so far). I enjoyed it, but there wasn’t much new here and the book read like so many other recent science fiction novels. I would grade this effort as a three and a half, but lowered it rather than raised it to a four because it lacks novelty. I’ll be reading more in this series as this book shows promise.
April 13, 2021
Very good military sci-fi, it hit all my right buttons. Salty language warning for those who do not like the "F" word sprinkled around liberally.
Cam, the main character lives in one of the mega-cities of over-populated Earth. Each person, unless they are rich, lives in a cubicle sized "apartment". Cam is an orphan and bounces around from foster home to juvie back to foster home, etc. until he runs away and lives in the tunnels stealing and doing whatever he can to make a buck to stay alive. While trying to steal some drugs he is caught by the police and instead of just hauled off to prison he is offered a deal to become a marine because the military is in desparate need of warm bodies. He takes the offer and goes to boot camp.
His early experiences in the military are told in vignettes, a bit of boot camp, then he's in training to use the giant mecha (they are called something else in the book but I always think of them as mecha because the idea of them originates from Japanese manga and anime) machines. Cam has an edge on some of the other recruits in that he does not freak out in enclosed spaces, on the contrary he feels at peace and at home closed in the darkness. But when they go outside on the planet (not Earth, some military training planet) surface to train he sees an open plain an the horizon stretching out and freaks out. Because he's lived his whole life in enclosed spaces he is afraid of open spaces. That is something he has to deal with along with learning how to use his mecha and get alone with his fellow marines. There is one guy who is the token mean bully and he and Cam have a few run-ins. But keep reading because the ending is spectacular. I won't spoil it.
The story is told first person from Cam's POV. THe writing is good, no issues there. The plot runs smoothly, no points of boredom. Altogether a solid military sci-fi book. And I'm going to look into more of this author's work.
Cam, the main character lives in one of the mega-cities of over-populated Earth. Each person, unless they are rich, lives in a cubicle sized "apartment". Cam is an orphan and bounces around from foster home to juvie back to foster home, etc. until he runs away and lives in the tunnels stealing and doing whatever he can to make a buck to stay alive. While trying to steal some drugs he is caught by the police and instead of just hauled off to prison he is offered a deal to become a marine because the military is in desparate need of warm bodies. He takes the offer and goes to boot camp.
His early experiences in the military are told in vignettes, a bit of boot camp, then he's in training to use the giant mecha (they are called something else in the book but I always think of them as mecha because the idea of them originates from Japanese manga and anime) machines. Cam has an edge on some of the other recruits in that he does not freak out in enclosed spaces, on the contrary he feels at peace and at home closed in the darkness. But when they go outside on the planet (not Earth, some military training planet) surface to train he sees an open plain an the horizon stretching out and freaks out. Because he's lived his whole life in enclosed spaces he is afraid of open spaces. That is something he has to deal with along with learning how to use his mecha and get alone with his fellow marines. There is one guy who is the token mean bully and he and Cam have a few run-ins. But keep reading because the ending is spectacular. I won't spoil it.
The story is told first person from Cam's POV. THe writing is good, no issues there. The plot runs smoothly, no points of boredom. Altogether a solid military sci-fi book. And I'm going to look into more of this author's work.
April 17, 2020
Great start to this new series. Following Cam Alvarez as he joins the Marines to fight an alien race that are attacking the colonies. Plenty of action with humour along the way. Would definitely recommend this book.
May 27, 2023
8/10
I really liked this! Not as cheesy as I thought it would be and the writing was pretty good. I do love me a good military sci-fi. Pretty tropey, I will say that but we love tropes so its all good. I will say, the author seems pretty religious because he sneaks it in a few times in dialogue and descriptions so thats why its an 8/10 and not a 10/10. Hopefully he f’s off with that in the other books. Also the romantic bit seemed a little forced, so also stay away from that pls. Not every book needs romance, give me more mech battles against aliens thanksss.
I really liked this! Not as cheesy as I thought it would be and the writing was pretty good. I do love me a good military sci-fi. Pretty tropey, I will say that but we love tropes so its all good. I will say, the author seems pretty religious because he sneaks it in a few times in dialogue and descriptions so thats why its an 8/10 and not a 10/10. Hopefully he f’s off with that in the other books. Also the romantic bit seemed a little forced, so also stay away from that pls. Not every book needs romance, give me more mech battles against aliens thanksss.
February 2, 2021
I picked this one up on a whim. I honestly was searching the Amazon catalogs in the Sci-Fi section and came across this one. I couldn't be more impressed by the story that has been created. I had a blast reading about the main character jumping out of ships with his drop Trooper suit on, ready to face the enemy. It's kind of refreshing to not get deep political intrigue involved in a Sci-Fi or a fantasy story. this was very well written story and I am surprised I hadn't heard of this author till recently. In The narrative We get to follow Cam as he embarks on this great journey that so far will span five novels. Cam is a criminal on Earth, when he gets caught with the drug of choice he is arrested and given the opportunity to join the Marines or go to jail. Cam decides to go to basic training for the Marines and is sent almost instantly on missions. That ending was hard to read, great job by the author. I will keep the rest spoiler free definitely recommend checking out this series and I will be picking up the next one today.
Video Review
https://youtu.be/oCpd1q_fTes
Video Review
https://youtu.be/oCpd1q_fTes
May 7, 2020
Excellent start to this mil/sci-fi series. Alvarez is a good character to watch grow into the role being forced on him and the Drop Trooper suits make for fun combat scenes.
April 20, 2022
Review for the nine book series, which starts out a bit awkwardly. It builds around two characters—Alvarez and Sandoval—in a future Earth Marines fighting aliens. The two take time—not much—to get married and quit halfway through, but the war scoops them back in.
June 15, 2020
Good military SF
At first, I thought this was a clone of Starship Troopers.
And I mean that in a good way!
Well, Partlow doesn't preach his politics as much..
But there is Lots Of Action....
I was reading this on my treadmill and I went a mile further than I intended to.
At first, I thought this was a clone of Starship Troopers.
And I mean that in a good way!
Well, Partlow doesn't preach his politics as much..
But there is Lots Of Action....
I was reading this on my treadmill and I went a mile further than I intended to.
February 28, 2021
Yes, I admit the power armor on the cover is what caught my attention. So few military sci-fi books incorporate power armor even when the focus is on empires that span the stars. Plus I’m always on the lookout for a worthy successor to _Armor_.
Here, we get the usual tale of small time criminal who is given the choice of “jail” or serve in the Marines. Jail here is being frozen for a few decades. Kind of like Demolition Man. So our narrator, Cam, joins the Marines to learn to be a drop trooper. Fortunately the author doesn’t go through pages and pages of bootcamp plot like other books. We are treated to snapshots, which helps move things along.
Of course, Cam is super good at wearing armor. Of course he is also hot tempered and not disciplined. He doesn’t want to be a leader, but ends up in the role. Of course there is a bully that sets him off. So standard plot points.
It seemed to be moving along, though most characters do not stick around for one reason or another. Do not expect a lot of depth. We barely know about the aliens other than their religion causes them to not use drones in warfare.
One gripe: The author doesn’t understand the concept of terminal velocity when falling in an atmosphere.
Overall, the book serves as an introduction into the world of Marines that deploy in power armor. I’ll pick up the second book to see if there is action and fun now that Cam’s world has been laid out.
Here, we get the usual tale of small time criminal who is given the choice of “jail” or serve in the Marines. Jail here is being frozen for a few decades. Kind of like Demolition Man. So our narrator, Cam, joins the Marines to learn to be a drop trooper. Fortunately the author doesn’t go through pages and pages of bootcamp plot like other books. We are treated to snapshots, which helps move things along.
Of course, Cam is super good at wearing armor. Of course he is also hot tempered and not disciplined. He doesn’t want to be a leader, but ends up in the role. Of course there is a bully that sets him off. So standard plot points.
It seemed to be moving along, though most characters do not stick around for one reason or another. Do not expect a lot of depth. We barely know about the aliens other than their religion causes them to not use drones in warfare.
One gripe: The author doesn’t understand the concept of terminal velocity when falling in an atmosphere.
Overall, the book serves as an introduction into the world of Marines that deploy in power armor. I’ll pick up the second book to see if there is action and fun now that Cam’s world has been laid out.
July 15, 2020
classique histoire d'enrôlement et de formation (soldat dans des armures robots façon jeux video)
pour une série B (ce qui explique mes généreuses 3 étoiles) c'est plutôt bien écrit et lisible mais sans réelle surprise Les aliens constituent l'ennemi mais sont très "absents" et peu à la hauteur malgré qu'ils soient les dominants de cette guerre spaciale
c'est aussi une leçon de morale, visant à prouver que l'armée peut malgré un départ difficile dans la vie, vous transformer en un bon soldat prêt à défendre sa patrie et ses camarades
Vite lu et certainement vite oublié mais je lirai les suites pour une lecture de plage où je n'ai pas besoin de concentration !
classic enrollment and training story (soldier in robot armor like video games)
for a serie B (which explains my generous 3 stars) it is rather well written and readable but without real surprise The aliens constitute the enemy but are very "absent" and not up to par despite they are the dominants in this space war
it is also a moral lesson proving that even with a bad and difficult start the army helps you to become a good soldier who will defend his homeland and his comrades in combat
pour une série B (ce qui explique mes généreuses 3 étoiles) c'est plutôt bien écrit et lisible mais sans réelle surprise Les aliens constituent l'ennemi mais sont très "absents" et peu à la hauteur malgré qu'ils soient les dominants de cette guerre spaciale
c'est aussi une leçon de morale, visant à prouver que l'armée peut malgré un départ difficile dans la vie, vous transformer en un bon soldat prêt à défendre sa patrie et ses camarades
Vite lu et certainement vite oublié mais je lirai les suites pour une lecture de plage où je n'ai pas besoin de concentration !
classic enrollment and training story (soldier in robot armor like video games)
for a serie B (which explains my generous 3 stars) it is rather well written and readable but without real surprise The aliens constitute the enemy but are very "absent" and not up to par despite they are the dominants in this space war
it is also a moral lesson proving that even with a bad and difficult start the army helps you to become a good soldier who will defend his homeland and his comrades in combat
May 10, 2020
Really disappointed to realise towards the end that this is basically a rehash of the Recon series. The only difference is that the central character is a poor kid from the underground of the big earth cities rather than one of the richest kids on earth. If course I knew it was the same universe, but the ending really is ridiculously similar, and hence a huge let down. I was really keen to read more in the same universe but I wanted new stories, not the same one rehashed.
April 18, 2023
Partlow held a master-class on creating a sympathetic protagonist in the first few chapters of this book. His portrayal of future military engagements was better than most, if still too strongly similar to modern-day tactics. The world-building, while unoriginal, is believable and integral to the story.
So, five stars for the character of Cam Alvarez and 3.5 stars for the rest. I want to see where this goes.
So, five stars for the character of Cam Alvarez and 3.5 stars for the rest. I want to see where this goes.
June 15, 2020
Great read. I enjoy these type of future near apocalypse bad scenarios. I spent 6 years in the Army, and this is close to what I would expect the military in the future.
I enjoyed the pacing and the story. I thought some parts were a little flat, but I understood it for the sake of pacing. The book worked for me on multiple levels.
I enjoyed the pacing and the story. I thought some parts were a little flat, but I understood it for the sake of pacing. The book worked for me on multiple levels.
February 19, 2022
Admittedly, this first part does not shine with its originality, but it is quality entertainment: the main character is thick, the universe is quite consistent, and it is very easy to read.
Some ellipses in the story are a little brutal, the fights are a little too quickly dispatched, but it's promising.
Some ellipses in the story are a little brutal, the fights are a little too quickly dispatched, but it's promising.
April 9, 2025
Rick Partlow is, as far as I can tell, one of the most prolific self-pub authors out there; I think he just recently published his 80th book! Given his output, I assume Contact Front was written over the course of just a month or two... and for that reason I'm kind of amazed at how good it is.
This is straight up military sci-fi. A kid on the street (a Cam Alvarez) gets arrested on mostly unjust charges, is pushed into military service to avoid jail time, and becomes a space marine. Fairly straightforward from a plot perspective. What makes it really good, though, is that said kid is a really likable, well-executed character. His backstory is sprinkled throughout the book, with a handful of judiciously brief flashbacks, and there's enough there to show that he's a rough kid made that way by rough circumstances, but underneath that he has a noble desire to protect others. Others in the military see promise in him, and push him toward a leadership role despite his discomfort with the idea.
The pacing is, in a word, efficient. Every scene moves quick, with a determined focus to accomplish its purpose and reach a conclusion without overstaying its welcome. Characters are introduced and defined in as tight a space as possible without feeling especially glossed-over. The genre requisite boot camp scenes only go for a small handful of chapters, showing how Cam struggles through tough training and other trainees doing their best to bully him. Then the actual battles happen, culminating with a finale that, while not especially spectacular, provides a sense of real accomplishment for his character and his role in the military.
There are some issues here and there, mostly a result of the pacing sometimes getting a bit too fast for its own good. My own biggest complaint was an extremely brief romance arc that felt uninteresting, completely unearned, and a little uncomfortable. There were also quite a few typos, at least in my hardcover edition (hopefully the ebook has seen a few fixes), and while they weren't too bad by indie standards I did find the very occasional accidental switch from first to third person ("he" instead of "I") to be a little distracting. However, none of those issues were enough to ruin what was, overall, a really enjoyable reading experience.
I'll definitely be checking out the sequels to this book, though I don't know yet if I'll make it through all 15 of them! This is a great start for sure, and I hope the rest of the series maintains the same level of quality.
This is straight up military sci-fi. A kid on the street (a Cam Alvarez) gets arrested on mostly unjust charges, is pushed into military service to avoid jail time, and becomes a space marine. Fairly straightforward from a plot perspective. What makes it really good, though, is that said kid is a really likable, well-executed character. His backstory is sprinkled throughout the book, with a handful of judiciously brief flashbacks, and there's enough there to show that he's a rough kid made that way by rough circumstances, but underneath that he has a noble desire to protect others. Others in the military see promise in him, and push him toward a leadership role despite his discomfort with the idea.
The pacing is, in a word, efficient. Every scene moves quick, with a determined focus to accomplish its purpose and reach a conclusion without overstaying its welcome. Characters are introduced and defined in as tight a space as possible without feeling especially glossed-over. The genre requisite boot camp scenes only go for a small handful of chapters, showing how Cam struggles through tough training and other trainees doing their best to bully him. Then the actual battles happen, culminating with a finale that, while not especially spectacular, provides a sense of real accomplishment for his character and his role in the military.
There are some issues here and there, mostly a result of the pacing sometimes getting a bit too fast for its own good. My own biggest complaint was an extremely brief romance arc that felt uninteresting, completely unearned, and a little uncomfortable. There were also quite a few typos, at least in my hardcover edition (hopefully the ebook has seen a few fixes), and while they weren't too bad by indie standards I did find the very occasional accidental switch from first to third person ("he" instead of "I") to be a little distracting. However, none of those issues were enough to ruin what was, overall, a really enjoyable reading experience.
I'll definitely be checking out the sequels to this book, though I don't know yet if I'll make it through all 15 of them! This is a great start for sure, and I hope the rest of the series maintains the same level of quality.
February 11, 2023
Welcome to the Marines!
Cameron Alvarez was born into a life of gangs, violence and death under the skyscrapers of Tran Angeles. Cam was caught up in the life until he was caught by the authorities and sentenced to 100 years flash frozen in a rehab facility . . . or join the Marines to fight, and likely die, in the war against the Tahni. When mankind escaped the bounds of Earth and made it to the stars, we met the enemy - the Tahni. From planet to planet, the Marines fought to keep the colonies safe. With a huge suit of armor, called a Vigilante, Cam learned to fight, and kill, the enemy.
Well written, the storyline leaps through furious combat sequences, believable encounters with a believable enemy, and spats in bar fights. The characters are believable also. They jump from the pages in full armor, fighting for their lives and the lives of their fellow Marines. This is a good read!
Cameron Alvarez was born into a life of gangs, violence and death under the skyscrapers of Tran Angeles. Cam was caught up in the life until he was caught by the authorities and sentenced to 100 years flash frozen in a rehab facility . . . or join the Marines to fight, and likely die, in the war against the Tahni. When mankind escaped the bounds of Earth and made it to the stars, we met the enemy - the Tahni. From planet to planet, the Marines fought to keep the colonies safe. With a huge suit of armor, called a Vigilante, Cam learned to fight, and kill, the enemy.
Well written, the storyline leaps through furious combat sequences, believable encounters with a believable enemy, and spats in bar fights. The characters are believable also. They jump from the pages in full armor, fighting for their lives and the lives of their fellow Marines. This is a good read!
July 19, 2020
First-person narration is a tough writing approach, especially when trying to convey an epic scope of world-building and interplanetary war. But it really worked well in this mecha-trooper actioner. I took away one star because the articulate narration voice clashed with the clumsy dialogue voice of the character, but the overall package succeeded for me:
1. The action and technology were understandable, easy to follow, and didn't get sidetracked by boring info-dumps.
2. The plot-driven story kept a high tempo. It was difficult to put these books down (I devoured the first three books in 3 days).
3. The characters were likeable for me, so the emotional stakes were high. Yeah, kid-from-the-slums-earns -self-respect-and-saves-the-brigade is a trope we've all seen before, but Cam Alvarez and his platoon mates are textured enough that cheering for them felt natural. I particularly enjoyed the father-son relationship between the unit CO and young Alvarez.
4. This story was more than just shoot-em-up mil-SF; there were great snippets of philosophy and insightful social commentary woven in. The author's infantry background definitely showed through.
5. The protagonist's meteoric rise through the ranks was believable to me.
Recommendation: if you liked Marko Kloos's 'Frontlines' series, or Elliot Kay's 'Poor Man's Fight' series, then you will like this Drop Trooper series.
I look forward to Rick Partlow's book 4 later this month!
4. Emotional stakes
1. The action and technology were understandable, easy to follow, and didn't get sidetracked by boring info-dumps.
2. The plot-driven story kept a high tempo. It was difficult to put these books down (I devoured the first three books in 3 days).
3. The characters were likeable for me, so the emotional stakes were high. Yeah, kid-from-the-slums-earns -self-respect-and-saves-the-brigade is a trope we've all seen before, but Cam Alvarez and his platoon mates are textured enough that cheering for them felt natural. I particularly enjoyed the father-son relationship between the unit CO and young Alvarez.
4. This story was more than just shoot-em-up mil-SF; there were great snippets of philosophy and insightful social commentary woven in. The author's infantry background definitely showed through.
5. The protagonist's meteoric rise through the ranks was believable to me.
Recommendation: if you liked Marko Kloos's 'Frontlines' series, or Elliot Kay's 'Poor Man's Fight' series, then you will like this Drop Trooper series.
I look forward to Rick Partlow's book 4 later this month!
4. Emotional stakes
December 30, 2021
Great military sf series. Book 9 will be out in January 2022. If the five star review wasn't enough to tell you, I have read all 8 books and pre-ordered Book 9.
The series starts with Cameron Alvarez, a street punk from the Underground of Trans-Angeles. He is involved in a crime that gives him the option of a 100 years of cryosuspension or joining the military. Those begins his adventure in the Drop Troopers. Its a wild ride.
Give it a go!!
The series starts with Cameron Alvarez, a street punk from the Underground of Trans-Angeles. He is involved in a crime that gives him the option of a 100 years of cryosuspension or joining the military. Those begins his adventure in the Drop Troopers. Its a wild ride.
Give it a go!!
March 21, 2023
Really enjoyed Contact Front! The writing style was compelling and I couldn’t put it down. I was enjoying the book, but about halfway thru I thought I knew where it was going. Thankfully, the author surprised me and took a left turn! I love it when a book’s direction surprises me in a way that pays off. Highly recommended and will read the next volume!
January 24, 2022
Pretty good. As others have said, a tendency to use words that don't mean what he thinks they mean takes the shine off this. But. It's a LOT of fun. Great pace and an interesting universe/reality. And ... I mean ... pew pew. Lots of pew pew. Great fun.
April 16, 2024
Simple story with good dialogue. Easy reading without the hard science. Good military story.
January 6, 2023
חמוד, סבבה לגמרי
June 7, 2020
Pretty well written
Slow to start but it picks up. A little heavy on the explanation of military jargon...but I know they speak their own language in the services. All in all a very nice read.
Slow to start but it picks up. A little heavy on the explanation of military jargon...but I know they speak their own language in the services. All in all a very nice read.
June 22, 2020
Lock and Load
If you had to draw a comparison it would be to Starship Troopers by Heinlein, though this isnt as good as that its still worthy of praise and is an enjoyabe read!
If you had to draw a comparison it would be to Starship Troopers by Heinlein, though this isnt as good as that its still worthy of praise and is an enjoyabe read!
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