A warlike alien race. A stranded platoon. One man's fight to save his brothers - and humanity itself - from total annihilation.
Rade Galaal and his elite team are dispatched to the farthest reaches of known space to investigate the disappearance of a classified new supercarrier.
Equipped with Hoplites, powerful battle suits laden with enough firepower to raze a small city, Rade and his team explore the barren world where the starship issued its final transmission.
But shortly after they land, things start to go very wrong.
Cut off from the fleet, stranded on an unforgiving planet, and surrounded by hostiles, Rade and his men find themselves fighting for their very lives against a seemingly unstoppable foe. Even the awesome firepower of the Hoplites might not be enough.
Can Rade overcome his demons in time to save the platoon, or will his team become the first casualty of the coming alien war?
Book one of a military science fiction trilogy, Hoplite ends in a cliffhanger. Book two, Zeus, is available now. For fans of Starship Troopers, Armor, and Old Man's War.
Isaac Hooke is the best-selling author of the Ethan Galaal series of thriller novels, as well as the SF-themed ATLAS trilogy. When Isaac isn't writing, publishing, and blogging, he's busy cycling and taking pictures in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He has a degree in Engineering Physics.
Again the readers have been given a great start to yet another excellent series by Isaac Hooke. We see a team of moths deployed to a planet looking for any survivors from a missing warship. But they are attacked by a alien forces of which they have never seen before.
Man, I really like this author. I just recently found Isaac Hooke by reading his “A Captain’s Crucible” series, which I hope hasn’t ended yet. There were three books in that series and each was excellent. There was even one minor character, Rade Galaal, who was identified as a MOTH (MQbile Tactical Human) [How’s that for making up something!] and he had a few important scenes in that series. Now, I’ve found two series completely about the MOTHs and specifically following Rade Galaal. In the “Atlas” series, another 3 books, Rade Galaal becomes a MOTH through some rather extreme training very similar to SEAL training. He also goes on some very hairy missions and even comes back alive! Now, we’re back with RAGE, as that’s his callsign and what he goes by while a MOTH, in a new series, “ Alien War Trilogy”.
These books are not short, but that are so fast paced that they seem to fly by when I’m reading them. I think I started this first book the day before yesterday and finished it last night. I’m already into book two, “Zeus”. That’s another great thing about this author; he publishes his books almost all at once. If it’s a three book trilogy, then all three books are available almost at the same time. I think that’s great and very amazing. I hate waiting for the next book in a good series.
So, RAGE has moved on from this last “Atlas” book and is now the LPO (Leading Petty Officer) for MOTH Team Seven. Now, I was in the Navy for four years, and I never heard of an LPO, so I don’t know if it’s something new to the Navy or something the author made up, but I guess it fits in that RAGE is now a First Class Petty Officer (E-6) which would usually make him a section leader or in-charge of a detail of others. Yeah, even the MOTHs are part of the Navy.
RAGE was always destined to be a leader as you’ll come to understand as you read through these books. He’s not perfect, far from it, but so far he’s much better suited to lead a bunch of mean and highly irregular MOTH team into battle than most of the other MOTHs on the team. They trust him which is all that can be said of a good leader doing what they do. In this book, MOTH Team Seven is dropped up a planet to act as a tactical reserve platoon in case the Marines encounter something unexpected. Well, it seems like the unexpected always happens when the MOTHs are around. They soon find themselves pinned against a steep rock wall with thousands of alien creatures resembling Hammerhead sharks pouring out of a dense jungle, all coming their way. Doesn’t look like RAGE and this MOTH Team will make it into the next book! Well, maybe some how.
Great read. Get all three books and you won’t regret it. If you love military science fiction, these are the books to buy.
Start of the second series involving Rade and the Moth's. As expected it's definitely imaginative and well written. On the other hand there's a lot reminding you of the Atlas series as well...once they're fighting their way through an alien ship it's extremely reminiscent of Atlas 3 where they were, amongst other things, fighting their way through an alien ship. Also a few more "Hunh?" moments that involving the whole "Back Seat" issue on 9 foot tall mechs being large enough to protect a rider from harm in battle, when they're not enclosed...just don't do the math and don't think about it is probably the way to go on that one... Probably worth noting the disagreements between Rade and Tahoe actually get pretty juvenile, apparently they both are aging backwards emotionally or something.
Still, quibbles aside, it's not a bad book. It very well written and a good story. The characters are 90% enjoyable. The enemies are pretty badass. Giving it a four star but the arguments and behaviors between Tahoe and Rade definitely tempted me to give it Less.
This was a great read with fun and engaging characters, this book was the first volume in a trilogy and I read it in one sitting, it is fast paced and the characters are exactly that. I found myself laughing at them and at times with them. I could also find the main character one Leading Petty Officer Raade Galaal very real and easy to connect with so that you found yourself empathizing with him frequently as he led a squad of mech-warriors into battle, I actually kept reading just to make sure they come out of it okay in the end. I won't spoil the book for you, you will have to read it and decide for yourself if they came out of it okay or not, I recommend this book.
It's been awhile since I read one of Isaac Hooke's novels because Ive been working through a backlog of other books that had built up.... I forgot how much I enjoy his stories! Hoplite is the first book in a trilogy about a MOTH team and the various battles they find themselves in. As usual it's technology that makes sense and lots of action. I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
This is a super great book, I love the whole concept of ATLASES and Hoplites and soon as I get the next book Zeuses. If you like sci-fi books this is a great choice to read!!
I actually started reading Mr Hooke further down the line,which encouraged me to buy this trilogy as I knew I wouldn't be disappointed and I was right. If you've already started in another thread,don't sorry your enjoyment will not suffer
There are so many war machine books out there I wasn't sure when I opened this. It's a great read, reflects what men in combat feel for each other are women in combat feel for each other. A team bills a team lives a team dies together
I hope there is a back story out there for me to read. I'd like to see more of Rage and his friends. I'm not so sure about moths but whatever works. Overall, the story works well.
Ok, story more about the characters & short skirmishes than an overarching plot. Hard to get into because the big picture is missing, and the fight is against AIs, not natural beings.
Book One of a new military sci fi trilogy. Very action packed. The series shows promise. Reminded me of Starship Troopers, maybe on steroids. Good stuff. Recommended.
I was stunned to find a continuation of the atlas series as I had loved the first trilogy. If you enjoyed the first you might enjoy this one as well. It will bring you in and build you up to the strange new forces that await the MOTH's. I would definitely recommend this if you've already read ATLAS
"I'll be strong." But those were just words. The first of a new trilogy by the talented Mr.Hooke. His books are always different, exciting and very well executed - in fact, real treats. This is no exception. The hoplite is a suit worn by elite soldiers which gives then fighting strength and the mobility of a small craft. And the MOTHs are definitely the elites. A small force, led by recently promoted Rade Galaal, is sent to investigate the unexpected destruction of one of our spaceships and see if there are survivors. What they find is unexpected... This first story is complete in itself but leads on to what promises to be an ongoing, suspenseful real humdinger of a military science fiction mystery. Part two is out already so I can only recommend you get this terrific book immediately - and get part two at the same time. I'm just about to start reading my copy now
I would agree that the book is in the spirit of Starship Troopers, Armor and Old Man’s War. I just don’t agree it was presented as well as the other books were. There was plenty of action–maybe too much action, if that’s possible–and the author seemed to know his way around the technology. The biggest issue I found with Hoplite was that the characters were cardboard cutouts. I didn’t find myself caring about them at all. The team was a futuristic version of Navy Seals, and one would expect a degree of machismo to exist in such a setting. But the testosterone flows deep and wide and this story, and woe be to anyone who shows any weakness in this kind of situation. I am sure that there are many who read this kind of book who will love it, simply because it provides so much action and little else, but I need to care what happens to the characters. Sorry.
This was the first book of the Alien War Trilogy and trust me when I say you will love it. Isaac has made LPO Rade 'Rage' Galaal and Alpha Platoon about as wild as ever and fighting against some bad a** aliens that learn a lot faster then they are given credit for at first. The gang soon learns that they are not the type to be taken lightly and from there things start to go downhill fast. This was a real page turner and full of action. Great job Mr Hooke.
DNF, luckily this was free because the writing was terrible. Space based SEAL type soldiers named MOTHs for some reason. Stupid call names like Facehoppper made me laugh. The main characters name is Rade and his call name is Rage, so confusing, I don't think the author even remembers what to call everyone. Everyone and everything is machismo maximum, I like space military type stories but this sucks.
I didn't know what to expect with this one. It almost no holds barred action throughout with a generous dash of humor and brief peek into the human aspect of military life. That said there's enough "technical jargon" that I found my eyes glazing and having skim through those sections. I'm glad I persevered though because this has quietly become a very engaging trilogy that is now getting placed at front of the queue on my reading list.
I'm not normally a Sci-Fic reader, but I'm a character reader and Isaac Hooke really gets into character development. The book gets its hooks into you in the opening lines and before you know it you're already invested in the characters and the story line. Futuristically, believably written this is a very good book and a must read for those who have read his first novels. No spoilers here though, buy the books, read the books, get into a very good author I have!