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Have you ever thought “just my luck!” after dropping your communication device for the third time in a week?
Cadet Nida Harper, a recruit to the United Galactic Coalition Academy, has – and worse. So imagine her surprise when she is detailed for a mission to the dark and mysterious planet Remus 12. Strange things are afoot on Remus 12, a dust-bowl which according to legend bursts to life once every five thousand years – with deadly consequences for the galaxy.
So join Nida as she deals, using all her accustomed style and flair, with the presence of a strange and uninvited guest in her own head, a commander who is convinced she’s the Coalition’s worst recruit in one thousand years, and an uncomfortably handsome Lieutenant Carson Blake.
Cadet Nida Harper, a recruit to the United Galactic Coalition Academy, has – and worse. So imagine her surprise when she is detailed for a mission to the dark and mysterious planet Remus 12. Strange things are afoot on Remus 12, a dust-bowl which according to legend bursts to life once every five thousand years – with deadly consequences for the galaxy.
So join Nida as she deals, using all her accustomed style and flair, with the presence of a strange and uninvited guest in her own head, a commander who is convinced she’s the Coalition’s worst recruit in one thousand years, and an uncomfortably handsome Lieutenant Carson Blake.
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First published April 24, 2014
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About the author
Odette C. Bell
622 books226 followersOdette C. Bell has authored over 50 books, in genres ranging from sci-fi adventure to urban fantasy.
Odette started off on FictionPress many moons ago. Her original name was Muscularkevin. Her first work was Gladys the Guard. She later became Scrabblecat before finally publishing in 2011/2012.
previous pen names include J.C. Luck, Monica Shepherd, Sarah Good, and Jilly McQueen
Odette started off on FictionPress many moons ago. Her original name was Muscularkevin. Her first work was Gladys the Guard. She later became Scrabblecat before finally publishing in 2011/2012.
previous pen names include J.C. Luck, Monica Shepherd, Sarah Good, and Jilly McQueen
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 23, 2023
Pretty good although predictable
Back with a novel from Odette C. Bell. Two things came right out as I remembered another series of hers I finished some time back:
- her characters sucking their lips... Still weird, still can't figure out why mentioning it adds up to the story
- the spoilers... Oh the spoilers... Her urge to tell you in advance at the end of a chapter how everything she was describing/lining up until now was not meant to be is jarring to say the least. It throws off her whole narrative and that's the reason behind this 3 star rating. Maybe the rest of the series will be better, we'll see.
Otherwise pretty all right on the plot front. There's here again the classic female main character that for whatever reason is not as strong as one should be in her situation and her white knight in (not so) shining armor. She seems to stick to that one for some reason. A little predictable but I'll let it slide.
Back with a novel from Odette C. Bell. Two things came right out as I remembered another series of hers I finished some time back:
- her characters sucking their lips... Still weird, still can't figure out why mentioning it adds up to the story
- the spoilers... Oh the spoilers... Her urge to tell you in advance at the end of a chapter how everything she was describing/lining up until now was not meant to be is jarring to say the least. It throws off her whole narrative and that's the reason behind this 3 star rating. Maybe the rest of the series will be better, we'll see.
Otherwise pretty all right on the plot front. There's here again the classic female main character that for whatever reason is not as strong as one should be in her situation and her white knight in (not so) shining armor. She seems to stick to that one for some reason. A little predictable but I'll let it slide.
March 13, 2021
Well, I did at least finish it.
Ill agree with another reviewer, it was entirely too wordy. Now, while I do not prefer novellas, this book should have been one and it would have made reading it a whole lot btr as well as easier to bare.
I was intrigued enough to finish it, but not enough to purchase the next book which just so happens to be THE ENTIRE SERIES! Maybe later down the line in time I will buy it but the price has to drop significantly. I'd luv to know how it all turns out for our poor Nida. Just not right now.
Ill agree with another reviewer, it was entirely too wordy. Now, while I do not prefer novellas, this book should have been one and it would have made reading it a whole lot btr as well as easier to bare.
I was intrigued enough to finish it, but not enough to purchase the next book which just so happens to be THE ENTIRE SERIES! Maybe later down the line in time I will buy it but the price has to drop significantly. I'd luv to know how it all turns out for our poor Nida. Just not right now.
March 31, 2021
Opus
A refreshing Science Fiction story. The characters are great. The book is based on a Training Program for Space Travels.
The unlikely cadet picks up a power that drives the story.
A refreshing Science Fiction story. The characters are great. The book is based on a Training Program for Space Travels.
The unlikely cadet picks up a power that drives the story.
April 1, 2021
1.5 stars (I'll round up as I tend to reserve 1 star for books I couldn't finish)
Concept was pretty standard for a sci/Fi. Follows Cadet Nida Harper and her love interest? Carson Blake.
As other reviewers mentioned, I think there couldn't been a lot of editing done. There were a lot of repeated sentences (worst cadet in 1000 years for example. As a reader I am quite good at remembering what I read three seconds ago.
That being said, I think the author has potential with their writing and it's always impressive to see people producing novels. I think getting a good editor and having maybe a solid beta reader test group that will be honest in helping omit unnecessary parts will do wonders.
This is the first book in a series and I'm sure the author has written much more and has probably improved. Good luck! : )
Concept was pretty standard for a sci/Fi. Follows Cadet Nida Harper and her love interest? Carson Blake.
As other reviewers mentioned, I think there couldn't been a lot of editing done. There were a lot of repeated sentences (worst cadet in 1000 years for example. As a reader I am quite good at remembering what I read three seconds ago.
That being said, I think the author has potential with their writing and it's always impressive to see people producing novels. I think getting a good editor and having maybe a solid beta reader test group that will be honest in helping omit unnecessary parts will do wonders.
This is the first book in a series and I'm sure the author has written much more and has probably improved. Good luck! : )
March 18, 2021
Mary Sue rides again.
This book reads like one giant Mary Sue story. Protagonist Nida shows all the common signs of being an author-insert. She's a one-dimensional character whose flaws are clumsiness and bad luck. The most desirable guy in the universe becomes captivated by her for no reason. The writing quality is low. Poor grammar abounds. The prose lacks style or competence. The author swaps POV frequently, which is a Writing 101 mistake. The author tells rather than showing. The antagonists and obstacles lack depth, urgency, and a sense of attached consequences. Pass on this.
This book reads like one giant Mary Sue story. Protagonist Nida shows all the common signs of being an author-insert. She's a one-dimensional character whose flaws are clumsiness and bad luck. The most desirable guy in the universe becomes captivated by her for no reason. The writing quality is low. Poor grammar abounds. The prose lacks style or competence. The author swaps POV frequently, which is a Writing 101 mistake. The author tells rather than showing. The antagonists and obstacles lack depth, urgency, and a sense of attached consequences. Pass on this.
August 15, 2021
Good book bad ending
A very well written story with dynamic characters, interesting plot, and…..a cliffhanger. In the absolute middle of a fight… it ends. I hate writers that do this, it’s just a ploy to get you to buy more. I would love to find out what happens next as I am invested in the characters and their story but I refuse to buy the next book that most likely ends the same way as there are four books. Author should be ashamed as there are many ways to complete a story and still leave the reader wanting to buy the next book to continue on but instead a cliffhanger in the middle of an action scene. Nope, pass.
A very well written story with dynamic characters, interesting plot, and…..a cliffhanger. In the absolute middle of a fight… it ends. I hate writers that do this, it’s just a ploy to get you to buy more. I would love to find out what happens next as I am invested in the characters and their story but I refuse to buy the next book that most likely ends the same way as there are four books. Author should be ashamed as there are many ways to complete a story and still leave the reader wanting to buy the next book to continue on but instead a cliffhanger in the middle of an action scene. Nope, pass.
April 20, 2021
The Worst.Cadet
Being labeled the worst.cadet in 1,000 years is pretty sad the poor thing is a klutz and stumbling, literally, to finish.one last year at.the academy. After an off world trip to.Remix 12, a "fall" with broken ribs, a severe concussion and a sprained ankle she is transported back to the academy. And that is when she finds that a blue energy entity has invaded her body. Great plot and you'll just have to.read it for yourself. Great storyline. Great.characters.
Being labeled the worst.cadet in 1,000 years is pretty sad the poor thing is a klutz and stumbling, literally, to finish.one last year at.the academy. After an off world trip to.Remix 12, a "fall" with broken ribs, a severe concussion and a sprained ankle she is transported back to the academy. And that is when she finds that a blue energy entity has invaded her body. Great plot and you'll just have to.read it for yourself. Great storyline. Great.characters.
November 2, 2023
cliffhanger ahead
You’ve been warned. Not my favorite way to end an episode (book). One might say crude but effective but if your “episode one” is essentially an introduction of the characters followed by a cliffhanger “ending” well, as enjoyable as it may have been, you only get a “maybe” rating from me. And you also earn a black mark that will lower the likelihood that I will bother to start another series for fear of a similar anticlimactic episode ending.
You’ve been warned. Not my favorite way to end an episode (book). One might say crude but effective but if your “episode one” is essentially an introduction of the characters followed by a cliffhanger “ending” well, as enjoyable as it may have been, you only get a “maybe” rating from me. And you also earn a black mark that will lower the likelihood that I will bother to start another series for fear of a similar anticlimactic episode ending.
January 14, 2023
Cadet Nida is a klutz. She trips over regularly and injures herself and breaks tools.
While on an alien planet, an Entity takes (shared) possession of her. The Entity isn't aggressive but has unfortunate affects.
The book is a segment of a bigger story but does reach a reasonable ending. I liked Nida
While on an alien planet, an Entity takes (shared) possession of her. The Entity isn't aggressive but has unfortunate affects.
The book is a segment of a bigger story but does reach a reasonable ending. I liked Nida
November 9, 2018
I love sci-fi and rom. sci-fi but I really couldn't get into this series. Finishing the 1st books was a chore. I don't know if it is the style of writing and not giving a hoot about the characters, I just had to stop at the first book.
September 28, 2021
action packed
Great story. My problem with this and many other series is that they are not true series. It is actually one story told in five books. Don’t start unless you want to read all five.
Great story. My problem with this and many other series is that they are not true series. It is actually one story told in five books. Don’t start unless you want to read all five.
June 13, 2023
Enthralling!
It's been a long time since a book has impressed me this much. Excellent characters. Good pacing. I was drawn in completely and found myself pulling for the characters and their mission.
It's been a long time since a book has impressed me this much. Excellent characters. Good pacing. I was drawn in completely and found myself pulling for the characters and their mission.
February 4, 2018
Dry reading
Getting through the book was an effort at times it seemed as if text was put in be sure of a minimum number of words required rule in high school.
Getting through the book was an effort at times it seemed as if text was put in be sure of a minimum number of words required rule in high school.
March 1, 2021
Good space opera
This book has what a lot of e-published books don’t: good editing!! Good story. The characters are somewhat flat. I was entertained.
This book has what a lot of e-published books don’t: good editing!! Good story. The characters are somewhat flat. I was entertained.
March 3, 2021
How she didn't get kicked out of the academy I'll never figure but the story is well worth sticking with to find out what happens. The entity could nave picked a better host though.
March 15, 2021
Good story! Felt kinda bad for the heroine at the beginning when she knew she was the worst cadet ever. Felt worse when things started going badly. Interesting story, though!
dnf-not-for-me
March 23, 20211/10: Couldn't get past the first few chapters; not for me.
April 6, 2021
This was what?
Could not relate to anything happening here. Dull, not engaging, unbelievable. Did finish out of principle. But d+@mn what a farce.
Could not relate to anything happening here. Dull, not engaging, unbelievable. Did finish out of principle. But d+@mn what a farce.
November 30, 2021
You've got my interest
I like the story development but find the two lead characters a bit one dimensional. Where are the normal people?
I like the story development but find the two lead characters a bit one dimensional. Where are the normal people?
Read
March 19, 2017Coming of Age, in Multiple Ages
Bell has written an enjoyable story of a Space Cadet, "The worst cadet in a thousand years" -- but that is because she is pretty clumsy and gets injured repeatedly as she tries again and again to complete her courses to become an intetstellarinterstellar explorer.
There is the hint of possible romance with "The best cadet graduate ever". However our reluctant heroine has to resolve her problem: she is currently possessed by an alien entity. The entity is from a different space-time...
Pretty good story, if somewhat predictable. However the story does not find a conclusion in this volume.
Bell has written an enjoyable story of a Space Cadet, "The worst cadet in a thousand years" -- but that is because she is pretty clumsy and gets injured repeatedly as she tries again and again to complete her courses to become an intetstellarinterstellar explorer.
There is the hint of possible romance with "The best cadet graduate ever". However our reluctant heroine has to resolve her problem: she is currently possessed by an alien entity. The entity is from a different space-time...
Pretty good story, if somewhat predictable. However the story does not find a conclusion in this volume.
November 18, 2023
With very juvenile writing, and an alien possession storyline that moves glacially along, I couldn’t finish this book fast enough. The writing felt like the dictation of an immature teen in a lot of places, but managed to use fancy words and flowery phrases in other parts of the book, as if the author had a bunch of them waiting to be inserted into the text. It takes so long to get anywhere, as the same emotions or thoughts are repeated endlessly for pages, often in the same way. We learn nothing new by the end of each chapter. Most of the book takes place before the possession gains hold, and where we learn over and over and over again that Nida is clumsy and inept and everyone considers her the worst cadet ever. Yet somehow she continues to pass and advance. Then we have Carson Blake, who is following her around like a puppy dog, worrying over her, chastising himself for doing nothing, but continuing to do nothing. I think that although he’s the darling of the Coalition forces, he is another candidate for worst soldier ever. As an aside, he’s many years older than Nida or Alycia, yet still agrees to go out on a date with these cadets? It seems inappropriate. Once the possession takes hold of Nida, the story starts moving a little faster, which isn’t saying much. Neither Nida nor Blake actually do anything, just reacting to either the alien entity (the author feels the need to tell us “they were now calling it the entity”) or the alien pirates. It seems to me that while the entity didn’t want to hurt the humans, it became corrupted by engaging the pirates, and so failed at its desired outcome. I’m not sure what the point of this story was. I think it could have used a good editor, and more of a firm hand to get the writing up to a good standard. The author had some decent ideas, like the implant that guides suitably energized materials, the inertia-warping countermeasures, which at least gives it some science. But the fiction needs a lot of work, and a lot fewer words, to make it readable.
May 22, 2021
The first "episode" (note even the author does not claim it is a full-length book) was a freebie, but the other 3, sold only as a set on Amazon, cost $9.99. Even the cliffhanger ending (an annoying tactic) wouldn't make me pay that much for less than 700 pages. The writing is simplistic and has a lot to nitpick, such as "he spun on his foot" - not unless he's wearing ice skates. The female lead is just basically along for the ride, her personality has little impact. The male lead keeps repeating the same phrases over and over, so he doesn't come across as intelligent. Pass on the rest.
August 19, 2014
Managed to get halfway through this e-book but just couldn't get into it, it was dragging far too much.
November 2, 2014
Interesting
Beginning book getting to know characters and problem/s. Likeable clumsy main character and a hero to save her. Energy and time travel introduced. Will read next book.
Beginning book getting to know characters and problem/s. Likeable clumsy main character and a hero to save her. Energy and time travel introduced. Will read next book.
January 16, 2022
A good book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews