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Conscripts: The first book of The Off World Trilogy
Alternate cover edition for asin #B00I5KPIRC.
Jacob Young thought he knew exactly what he wanted in life, down to the last detail. He had finished his education, found the right girl, and was now just waiting on that ideal job that would launch him towards his perfectly-planned-out future. Instead, he awakes to find himself forced onto a different path—as a human conscript in an alien war—far from everything he knows and loves.
Propelled into danger against his will, he will soon realize that his only choice—and that of his new comrades—is to rise to the occasion, to endure unimaginable difficulties and help each other beat the odds and make it home. Unbeknownst to Jacob, not only is he in a struggle for his life, but one that will impact humanity itself and the balance of his planet.
Back on Earth, when a mass disappearance of people across the globe calls for governmental investigations it is quietly dismissed as an unsolved and strange coincidence, like the flocks of birds that drop dead from the sky. With so little information, even the 24-hour news cycle soon abandons its coverage. The only ones that appear unable to move on are the loved ones that the missing left behind. Luckily for Jacob, his family refuses to give up on him.
In this survival story, science-fiction writer Patrick Locke transports us to new worlds and epic battles filled with unfair circumstances, tough decisions, fumbles and despair, victories and betrayal, courage and hope, but most of all heart.
Jacob Young thought he knew exactly what he wanted in life, down to the last detail. He had finished his education, found the right girl, and was now just waiting on that ideal job that would launch him towards his perfectly-planned-out future. Instead, he awakes to find himself forced onto a different path—as a human conscript in an alien war—far from everything he knows and loves.
Propelled into danger against his will, he will soon realize that his only choice—and that of his new comrades—is to rise to the occasion, to endure unimaginable difficulties and help each other beat the odds and make it home. Unbeknownst to Jacob, not only is he in a struggle for his life, but one that will impact humanity itself and the balance of his planet.
Back on Earth, when a mass disappearance of people across the globe calls for governmental investigations it is quietly dismissed as an unsolved and strange coincidence, like the flocks of birds that drop dead from the sky. With so little information, even the 24-hour news cycle soon abandons its coverage. The only ones that appear unable to move on are the loved ones that the missing left behind. Luckily for Jacob, his family refuses to give up on him.
In this survival story, science-fiction writer Patrick Locke transports us to new worlds and epic battles filled with unfair circumstances, tough decisions, fumbles and despair, victories and betrayal, courage and hope, but most of all heart.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 24, 2014
1 person is currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Locke
2 books2 followersPatrick Locke is the author of Conscripts: The first book of The Off World Trilogy. A Marine Corp veteran and former behaviorist, his story captures the strength of the human spirit, courage in the face of adversity, and working together for a common goal.
Raised near a remote Pacific Northwest town close to the Canadian border, he was more at home outside than in. With his closest neighbor miles away, he entertained himself with stories—from books and an overactive imagination—cultivating his love of all-night reading, putting music soundtracks to the stories in his head, as well as developing a good case of insomnia.
His diverse education, career and travels have taken him far from his sleepy hometown to many different countries, the first Gulf War, and teaching English in Spain. As a behaviorist and MBA grad, he’s also worked with mentally- and behaviorally-challenged teenagers, taught language arts and mathematics in a behavioral school, and managed technology projects for Fortune 500 companies.
But his love of the outdoors has remained his constant—hiking, climbing and skiing his way through life, from the Pyrenees in France to the rivers and mountains of Colorado to his beloved backcountry of the Pacific Northwest.
His stories are often centered around his love of nature, a belief in the equality of all individuals—with honorable, driven male characters and strong, intelligent female ones—and personal responsibility in respecting and protecting our planet and its inhabitants. He strives to deliver engaging stories based on an underlying theme that we all want to be a part of something meaningful, something exciting, and something out of the ordinary.
Patrick currently resides in Washington State with his 20-year partner-in-crime Laurie. His mind, on the other hand, continues to travel to and roam the distant worlds he creates in his head. Find out more about his fiction at http://www.AuthorPatrickLocke.com.
Raised near a remote Pacific Northwest town close to the Canadian border, he was more at home outside than in. With his closest neighbor miles away, he entertained himself with stories—from books and an overactive imagination—cultivating his love of all-night reading, putting music soundtracks to the stories in his head, as well as developing a good case of insomnia.
His diverse education, career and travels have taken him far from his sleepy hometown to many different countries, the first Gulf War, and teaching English in Spain. As a behaviorist and MBA grad, he’s also worked with mentally- and behaviorally-challenged teenagers, taught language arts and mathematics in a behavioral school, and managed technology projects for Fortune 500 companies.
But his love of the outdoors has remained his constant—hiking, climbing and skiing his way through life, from the Pyrenees in France to the rivers and mountains of Colorado to his beloved backcountry of the Pacific Northwest.
His stories are often centered around his love of nature, a belief in the equality of all individuals—with honorable, driven male characters and strong, intelligent female ones—and personal responsibility in respecting and protecting our planet and its inhabitants. He strives to deliver engaging stories based on an underlying theme that we all want to be a part of something meaningful, something exciting, and something out of the ordinary.
Patrick currently resides in Washington State with his 20-year partner-in-crime Laurie. His mind, on the other hand, continues to travel to and roam the distant worlds he creates in his head. Find out more about his fiction at http://www.AuthorPatrickLocke.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 18, 2015
This plot has been done before and done better, by David Weber in The Excalibur Alternative. Read that one instead of this one, or after, just for comparison.
Under attack from physically superior foes, aliens abduct 400 Earthlings and enhance them physically and mentally. While also installing a pain device. Only 196 survive the process. Those that are left are expected to take out the invaders. And then, they're promised, they'll get to go home.
The battles they face are small and they win, only to be betrayed. And there the book ends. While the book is long enough and the action engrossing enough to be a real book, the ending is a cliffhanger, no doubt about it.
The book starts off very slowly, with individual histories for a few of the characters. I think they were unnecessary and dull, but as they're all that's keeping the characters from being cardboard cutouts, I suppose it works.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Under attack from physically superior foes, aliens abduct 400 Earthlings and enhance them physically and mentally. While also installing a pain device. Only 196 survive the process. Those that are left are expected to take out the invaders. And then, they're promised, they'll get to go home.
The battles they face are small and they win, only to be betrayed. And there the book ends. While the book is long enough and the action engrossing enough to be a real book, the ending is a cliffhanger, no doubt about it.
The book starts off very slowly, with individual histories for a few of the characters. I think they were unnecessary and dull, but as they're all that's keeping the characters from being cardboard cutouts, I suppose it works.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2014
I really enjoyed this book.
For a new author Patrick Locke really has a grasp on his storyline. It's descriptive, exciting, thought provoking, it draws you into an adventure beyond yourself, into a hope that something could happen that would change your life.
I haven't read SIFI in years but I'm looking forward to the second book in the trilogy. You should give it a read
For a new author Patrick Locke really has a grasp on his storyline. It's descriptive, exciting, thought provoking, it draws you into an adventure beyond yourself, into a hope that something could happen that would change your life.
I haven't read SIFI in years but I'm looking forward to the second book in the trilogy. You should give it a read
November 10, 2014
A good read and hard to put down. Read in one setting. Waiting for the next segment. Well written and easy to read. Kept your interest. Characters that were believable. I will add Mr Locke to the list of Sci-Fi writers I want to keep reading.
November 22, 2014
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads giveaway program.
A compelling premise and a quick-moving storyline made this an easy read for me -- I was able to finish it in about five hours. The plot itself mixes elements of Ender's game and the Hunger Games, with the kidnapping of a number of humans to fight against their will for one alien race against another. It also touched on issues of what it means to be "human" and the conflict between social values and politics in wartime.
Technically, the writing was relatively well done, especially for a self-published work. I would have suggested slightly tighter editing for word choice and superfluous modifying phrases, but the narrative voice was consistent and these minor stylistic issues did not distract/detract from the overall flow of the storyline.
Mr. Locke's strengths are in building a physical description of the story world in which the events of the novel take place--including the holding/training facility where the human conscripts are housed, to the surrounding city scape, and the battle locations (a mountain wilderness and a burning desert world--and painting battle scenes involving tactical action sequences.
A weakness, which may resolve itself in further editions of this novel, existed in the development of the characters and their relationships with each other. The main character remained a bit flat despite being almost exclusively followed for most of the book -- a flawless, all-american, vanilla hero who took a little too easily to his role and did not face difficulties or challenges in establishing his leadership of the captive humans and organizing them into a deadly fighting force. Some of his issues -- anxiety concerning the responsibilities of leadership and potentially being punished for the actions of his subordinates, never bore narrative fruit, and he was never subject to sin or real internal conflict; there was no hubris or crisis of conscience on his part.
His lieutenants, an Australian "bad" girl and a English soccer player, as well as various and sundry other human captives, made appearances, but also were little developed in terms of physical descriptions, personalities, motives and behavior, serving mostly as props for the main character's actions. Attractions and bonding were hinted at, but not fleshed out strongly, which made brief glimpses of emotion seem a little disjointed and mysterious without resolution.
Altogether, this was a fun novel that could be made much better by stronger character development and additional time and consideration spent on the emotional/relationship components of the story that would serve to draw readers into this world.
A compelling premise and a quick-moving storyline made this an easy read for me -- I was able to finish it in about five hours. The plot itself mixes elements of Ender's game and the Hunger Games, with the kidnapping of a number of humans to fight against their will for one alien race against another. It also touched on issues of what it means to be "human" and the conflict between social values and politics in wartime.
Technically, the writing was relatively well done, especially for a self-published work. I would have suggested slightly tighter editing for word choice and superfluous modifying phrases, but the narrative voice was consistent and these minor stylistic issues did not distract/detract from the overall flow of the storyline.
Mr. Locke's strengths are in building a physical description of the story world in which the events of the novel take place--including the holding/training facility where the human conscripts are housed, to the surrounding city scape, and the battle locations (a mountain wilderness and a burning desert world--and painting battle scenes involving tactical action sequences.
A weakness, which may resolve itself in further editions of this novel, existed in the development of the characters and their relationships with each other. The main character remained a bit flat despite being almost exclusively followed for most of the book -- a flawless, all-american, vanilla hero who took a little too easily to his role and did not face difficulties or challenges in establishing his leadership of the captive humans and organizing them into a deadly fighting force. Some of his issues -- anxiety concerning the responsibilities of leadership and potentially being punished for the actions of his subordinates, never bore narrative fruit, and he was never subject to sin or real internal conflict; there was no hubris or crisis of conscience on his part.
His lieutenants, an Australian "bad" girl and a English soccer player, as well as various and sundry other human captives, made appearances, but also were little developed in terms of physical descriptions, personalities, motives and behavior, serving mostly as props for the main character's actions. Attractions and bonding were hinted at, but not fleshed out strongly, which made brief glimpses of emotion seem a little disjointed and mysterious without resolution.
Altogether, this was a fun novel that could be made much better by stronger character development and additional time and consideration spent on the emotional/relationship components of the story that would serve to draw readers into this world.
December 26, 2014
An action-packed story with engaging emotional dilemmas to appeal to all readers!
I received this book as a First Read from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I found it a little slow in the beginning, where there seemed a lot of background before much happened. Overall, though, I enjoyed the book once it got off the ground. The premise was interesting and kept me engaged.
Conscripts tells the story of young people from Earth who are kidnapped and conscripted to fight in an interplanetary war that is not our own. While the characters are initially disengaged from their function as high-power warriors, they come to realize that success in this role is their only hope for getting home, as long as they can trust the alien race who abducted them in the first place....
3.5 Stars
I received this book as a First Read from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I found it a little slow in the beginning, where there seemed a lot of background before much happened. Overall, though, I enjoyed the book once it got off the ground. The premise was interesting and kept me engaged.
Conscripts tells the story of young people from Earth who are kidnapped and conscripted to fight in an interplanetary war that is not our own. While the characters are initially disengaged from their function as high-power warriors, they come to realize that success in this role is their only hope for getting home, as long as they can trust the alien race who abducted them in the first place....
3.5 Stars
March 14, 2015
I received Conscripts for free in exchange for a review from Goodreads first reader giveaway. This book held a lot of potential. The plot is great! I gave it three stars however, because I just found it hard to really get into. I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters, and I found it hard to really submerse myself into the story. The beginning is at first really slow, picking up around the middle of the book, in which the action starts. Though I am hardly surprised by Commander Sauks actions at the end, I can say it made me very angry. And that is possible the only emotion I felt during the whole book.
This story line however is fantastic, and if this book series become really popular, I absolutely hope they make a tv show; because I will totally watch it!!
This story line however is fantastic, and if this book series become really popular, I absolutely hope they make a tv show; because I will totally watch it!!
October 11, 2014
This book keeps your imagination going. It has a strong well thought out storyline that keeps you from putting the book down. The characters are strong, likeable and they bring you into a whole different world. I certainly cannot wait for the next book in this trilogy.
June 8, 2015
I won this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a pretty good book. Not the type I usually go for but enjoyable non the less. Nice writing and great characters.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews