Off Javelin Station

Guardians of the Dark #2

by Marc Alan Edelheit

Alien starships smashed our defences in a storm of missiles and laser fire… but a small human fleet escaped into space. Battle scarred but determined to fight on, they could be our last hope.

Captain Jim Garrett thought his navy career was over. But when aliens attacked, he took the helm of an experimental warship, leading her into battle for the first time.

Now, he commands a ragged fleet of ships that survived the alien onslaught. Their crews are inexperienced and exhausted but there’s no time to rest. Garrett must shape them into a lethal fighting force.

His deadliest enemies may come from within. A rival captain threatens mutiny, furious that Garrett is now his superior. And alien infiltrators, disguised as ordinary humans, are hidden aboard every ship, with orders to destroy them no matter the cost.

As a vast enemy force descends on Javelin Station, one of the last strongholds resisting the alien attack, can Garrett seize control of his fleet and strike back? Or will the station, and the freedom of humanity, be swept away by the alien tide?

Off Javelin Station is an epic story of battle and adventure, packed with hard-hitting action and shocking twists. It’s perfect for fans of Jack Campbell, David Weber, and Marko Kloos.

See why readers love Marc Alan Edelheit’s thrilling military

“I realized that I wasn’t going to get any sleep. (Just one more page… Just one more page)… I’m not just reading words on a page, I’m there… A hell of a ride.” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Cutting edge… A wild ride that ended in truly epic fashion… I absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish… AMAZING.” FanFiAddict ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Wow!… fast-paced… action packed adventure! Wild, exciting, gripping!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Holy cow!… awesome… A page turner… I stayed up way too late reading this.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Absolutely epic… gripping… I thoroughly recommend this!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Your adrenaline will be pumping… Your blood pressure will rise… you will find hard to put down.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Edelheit belongs amongst the elite… It is difficult to put the book down… By the end, it is nearly impossible… You need to pick up a copy!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Outstanding! I couldn't put it down. Intense action.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A must-read… clear your calendar and hold on for the ride!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

423 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2025

About the author

Bestselling author Marc Edelheit has traveled the world, from Asia to Europe, at one point crossing the border at Check Point Charlie in Berlin toward the end of the Cold War.

Marc is the ultimate history fan and incorporates much of that passion into his work to bring greater realism to his fans. He is also an avid reader, devouring several books per week, ranging from history to science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read.

Off Javelin Station by Marc Alan Edelheit.
Guardians of the Dark Book 2.
This was a really good read. I got into this book straight away even though it is book 2. I haven't read book 1. I loved the cover of this book. This is the second book I've read by this author. I wasn't sure how I felt about the characters. I had to get used to the writing style. It had action. It took me a few days to read it. I will be reading book 1.

[Jamedi]

Rtc

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the battle at Midway Station, Captain Jim Garrett—now Commodore Garrett—finds himself in charge of not only the cutting-edge battleship Surprise but also a motley fleet of ships, soldiers, and civilians rescued from Midway. They’re now heading to Javelin Station, one of the last fortresses standing between humanity and the alien invaders. He’s got unusual orders from Fleet, a highly experimental device that’s never been tested but that could make a real difference against the enemy, and a short time to get his green civilians and battle-weary soldiers formed into some kind of fighting force. Just another Tuesday in the deep dark, right?

Once again, Marc Alan Edelheit has written an absolutely compelling space opera. I don’t know how he does it. He crams the pages full of tension even in waiting, he works in all the military jargon without it coming across as unwieldy or hard to understand, and he puts his characters in the most perilous of positions and lets things unfold.

We see events unfold from three viewpoints: Commodore Garrett, his Marine commandant Stroud, and the fighter pilot commander Tabby. Tabby gives us the human perspective, the toll of battle and the challenges of fighting on even as they mourn the loss of comrades and friends. Stroud is the front line, the first to spot trouble that may require Garrett’s attention. And Garrett is smart enough to listen when Stroud speaks. And Garrett himself illustrates the hard decisions that must be made in war, the moves that must be made knowing you’re putting people under your command in harm’s way to stop a great evil. There are moments of levity, of softness, in the story, because that’s how life is. You find those little jewels once in a while, and you store them away for later, because you’ve got to keep pushing back the dark. And so Garrett does.

Infiltrated by the enemy, authority challenged by a rival captain, facing a war against what seems to be extreme religious fanaticism, and barely a minute to rest after the onslaught—what will happen next? I can’t wait to find out, and Edelheit has cemented his place on my list of must-read authors.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Second Sky for an advance copy. I wasn’t required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

[M. K. French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Garrett is still in charge of a ragtag crew of survivors from Midway Station, and now he must create a lethal fighting force out of them. Alien forces aren't the only problem. A rival captain can't stand that Garrett is in charge and threatens mutiny. Alien infiltrators disguised as ordinary humans are on every ship with orders to destroy them. Javelin Station is resisting the alien attack, but can Garrett continue to save humanity?

This is the second book in the series, following Off Midway Station. It picks up soon after that novel, so you absolutely have to read it in order. The survivors are now within one carrier ship, and there are growing concerns and risks. Garrett has a small group of trustworthy people, but now there are so many more to contend with. He's low on resources and time, increasing the pressure on the crew. We feel it along with the crew; the different POVs show us how the tension and threats to humanity affect not just command, but the fighter pilots and the civilians volunteering to do medical training. The threat of a different kind of war is raised as they learn about the infiltrators and thwart attacks on the ship and command.

The second half of the book is all battle strategy and tactics as Garrett and his team race toward their objective. They have an experimental device, rare weapons, and their sheer size in their favor. The enemy is numerous and doesn't care how many of them are sacrificed. It's war, and battles are won by those with better tactics and more ruthlessness. The chapters run quickly, and the ending comes as a sudden stop. The overall mission isn't done yet, and the war isn't over. We're going to see more books outlining the war, with new concern regarding the infiltrators and the hidden enemy. This continues in the same vein as the first, with huge space battles and military tactics for those who enjoy the genre.

[Joe McGowan · Rating 2 out of 5]

To many issues to list

I reread book 1, it lost a star in the reread it’s now a 2 but more 1.25 stars.

One would ask, why read the next book, well to see how it went and the issues I could find.


The author credits a management firm with getting this book going, it was like the list of a credit out at the end of the movie.

Several descriptive passages are C&P’ed from previous sections of the book. The author also goes into deep detail of the living accommodations of certain characters, it really did not add to the story, the attempt to flesh out the characters failed.

And there is no backstory, big references to a race long gone, but the technology still works. I always have trouble with that scenario.

One word seems to come up well then I would think but in retrospect it makes sense. The word is propaganda.

The ONLY likable character is Tabby, aka Mom in the ENTIRE 2 books.

The science jumps around, this is basically a WW2 war movie on a giant starship. The military justice and actions of leaders and commanders is unprofessional, but then I look at the news in 2025, and shrug. The reliance on this MASSIVE military for labor and resources must be staggering on a society. The fact they used a hose with fire suppression foam raging to fight a fire on a starship is a far cry from a fire on WW2 battleship.


The captain might refer to himself as “a stone cold killer, always have been” so here you go. Read at your own frustrating level.

I’ve read the books so you don’t have to.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding sequel to Off Midway Station - no quiet moment really, all action from page 1 till the very good tbc end - finishing the particular storyline of this novel and continuing the larger storyline - energetic and impossible to put down.

Same three pov's from Off Midway Station, each with their own areas - the fighter pilot commander Tabby gives us a perspective of both space individual combat and the general ship board life, scuttlebutt, and the views of the rank and file; the marine commandant Stroud gives us the view of the security issues and the first insight into the larger issues at stake - who is the enemy, what does it want etc and of course the ship captain, Garrett now a brevet commodore, who is responsible for both the naval action and the strategic decisions but also the more general what now stuff in view of the striking revelations of the novel, not speaking that as a former "job" officer (in charge of bulding warships and preparing them for action but not a "real fighting" captain in the view of many) Garrett has to prove himself to all the new officers attached to his command.

Quite a few new interesting characters in the mix too, and the first inklings of what is all about, so Off Javelin Station exceeds the promise of the first series novel and takes the series to a different level altogether.

Overall, Off Javelin Station is an excellent novel, raising the level of the series to mil-space opera of the first class and highly recommended.

[Edwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick, fun read, and a case of the sequel being better than the initial offering. Off Midway Station tended to drag with excessive dialogue and worldbuilding. Off Javelin Station was much more action-focused and benefited from that authorial decision. While the three POV characters don't receive equal page time, there is good exploration of each of their backstories and inner monologues. My biggest criticism is that the ending felt abrupt and didn't resolve some unanswered questions from the last few chapters (i.e., what happened to certain characters or plot lines after the climactic battle). I understand the view that leaving readers with a cliffhanger of sorts means they'll want to read the next sequel, but if your writing and story are good enough then one short chapter of "The Aftermath" isn't going to drive me away from your next offering. Also, it struck me as trite to give the MC another romantic interest just a few chapters after he's mourned the apparent end of a previous romantic relationship.

[Philip Roessels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Perfect

I will admit that the story is gripping. Lots of action, drama. But it’s a typical space opera, with emphasis on opera. Many of the authors responsible for these works seem to push equity and gender equality. In this case, most of the strongest characters are women. The CAG, for example. All that she is missing is the unlit cigar in her mouth to compliment the scar on her face. She was written as a tough, no nonsense male character, then switched to female.
The commodore. Has a romantic entanglement go sour on him then starts banging one of the scientists assigned to the ship. Really? Professional ethics anyone?
If the next installment wasn’t nearly a year away, I might have been persuaded to continue the story. I doubt I’ll remember.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the aftermath of book one’s last throw of the dice big space battle the Sci-fi series continues.

Now preparations are underway at short notice to continue the fight against the Alien invaders. Jim Garrett has found himself in charge of the small rag-tag fleet of space ships, along his own experimental battleship.

As he prepares the fleet for a vital mission, challenge raises its head in his own command structure and from alien controlled human infiltrators who are trying to kill him and sabotage the ships.

There is plenty more space war action to come in this entertaining series.

Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Natasha (The Bookbasket) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book delivers on the action and adventure in space. Picking up almost right where we left off in the first book, we follow Commodore Garret as he tries to traverse through the hardships of being the leader of such a big spaceship. I did enjoy the explanations the writer goes into because, as someone who does not read a lot of sci-fi, I need various visual cues to understand how things look.
I did find a lot of the characters one-dimensional, though. There's so much happening that the characters do not grow "on screen". Our one character goes through an array of motions because she lost most of her crew, but her grief and anger are only mentioned in two to three chapters. But I can also assume this book is more plot-driven and not character-driven, which is perfectly understandable.
I liked the action scenes, though; they did keep me invested and on the edge of my seat, so I am interested in what the next book entails.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC for my honest review.

[Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute beauty

Another fantastic sci-fi entry from Marc. Well paced with the tension continually being ratcheted up. The combat feels realistic, a big failing in many other series.
Having to wait 6 months for the next entry will be painful. We need to get Marc to drop fantasy and commit to SciFi only

[Marshall Clowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain (now Commodore) Garrett has made their escape from Midway Station, and with an assortment of ships assigned to his task force, has to lick their wounds before getting back into the fight. The Surprise had taken a few lumps herself, so there're repairs and inspections to be made. On top of that, their enemy has some "surprises" of their own.
Some hard decisions have to be made; on the bridge, in the wardroom, in the passageways, and in the cold vacuum of space...

Lots of good space-opera combat to be had off Javelin Station.

[Barbara S. Fetty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of Sci fi.

Love, love this series. Every book is so unputdownable. Could not stop reading once I started. Cooking, errands, and phone ignored. If I could, I would rate 10 stars.

[John T Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding !

This was a book I had waiting Ito be published. Mr. Edelheit once agian you have outline yourself. This was worth the wait, now begins the tedious wait once more. That final battle was a nail bitter. Fine work , Sir.

[Stubbyjedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book and the series, only complaint is time between each book. But overall the books are very entertaining and the characters are well developed. All characters have depth of emotions that enhance the overall story.

[Sally Tingley-walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

A thrilling 2nd part to the Guardians of the Dark series. Looking forward to the next book & seeing what's in store for Garrett and the Surprise.
MAE, as always knocking it out of space.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relentless

Relentless triumphs of righteousness in battles relentlessly chronicled in dramatic detail.

The battle calculus that relentlessly dogs the warrior commander laid bare, including the pressures only some can bear.

Outstanding read!

[Mike Outten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one incredible novel. Full of action. The story line was fantastic. Character development was excellent. I turned the pages into the early morning light. Could not put it down. Highly recommend.

[Anthony Philosophos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Marc Alan Edelheit. He consistently writes action packed space war epics. I become totally engrossed in his battles. Anyone who likes space operas should delve into his portfolio of books.

[kathryn oddis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addictive Read

Excellent, fast paced read. It keeps your interest from beginning to the end. A great second addition to this series.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book should be called almost made it to javelin station, as they don't get there. slow plot