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Drop Trooper #11
Tango Down
Listening time 6 hours 42 minutes
The end is near...
Cameron Alvarez and the crew of the Orion are hot on the trail of the Seekers, following the Predecessor faction on their quest to find the source of the Skrela infestation. But the crew is close to the breaking point, and their commander, Colonel Hachette, is long past it. The death of Sgt-Major Campbell has left him devastated and unable to lead.
And the only one left capable and willing to take command… is Cam.
Cam leads them on the hunt for the legendary Womb, the world where the Skrela are created…and learns the horrible secret of who created them. A secret that might not just spell the end of their mission, but the end of everything.
The end is near...
Cameron Alvarez and the crew of the Orion are hot on the trail of the Seekers, following the Predecessor faction on their quest to find the source of the Skrela infestation. But the crew is close to the breaking point, and their commander, Colonel Hachette, is long past it. The death of Sgt-Major Campbell has left him devastated and unable to lead.
And the only one left capable and willing to take command… is Cam.
Cam leads them on the hunt for the legendary Womb, the world where the Skrela are created…and learns the horrible secret of who created them. A secret that might not just spell the end of their mission, but the end of everything.
Audiobook
First published March 21, 2023
293 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Rick Partlow
202 books369 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 7, 2024
I would say this is a very solid series and Tango Down did not disappoint with the constant amount of action scenes we have come to love in Rick Partlow’s Drop Troopers series. Here are (4) reasons you should pick it up and maybe (1) that might bother you a little.
Pros:
Decent Action Scenes
I think you will find that most of the numerous action scenes in this book are exceptionally graphic and detailed oriented. In previous books in this series there were some scenes that felt too numb or Cam was just going through the motions of the battles. Like I said it’s not all of the Drop Trooper books just a few. This one stayed focused, engaged more than one character, had impactful deaths, and way more carnage in terms of gore and number of Marine casualties. I’m not saying I enjoy reading death, I am just saying in some of these battles you have to have some realistic quantity in casualties.
Dexterous SCI-FI
I use the word dexterous becuase neat sounded too boring. In any case, all the space opera content in this book was on point and I very much enjoyed all the details in Mr. Partlow’s world. All of it actually made sense for the most part. You will find collapsed dormant red dwarf stars that are in some way creating nanoid managed alien monsters, interstellar alien made gateways that act like portals, deceiving AI’s with to much sass and personal issues, and my favorite the indestructible armored super suit known as the vigilantes (now upgraded with alien tech). There are more aspects that I talked about in other reviews on this series but Tango Down did not disappoint in the SCI-FI feels.
Love Where The Book is Going
I am not going to give the book away but just know the chase to find a way back home finally ends in this one. Or I think it does…. In any case I believe it ends. It looks like they will be trying to get back home now but with a new twist. Something’s up with the AI Dwight….
Protagonist Hero Writing
Throughout the whole series I love how the author makes Cam Alvarez a notorious and emotionally complicated hero figure. I know that is sopppsed to be the case for most books but sometimes authors can really give a bad impression on there main characters. While in some books this gives texture and culture to the characters I sometimes just want to be transfixed on a good old fashioned wholesome protagonist. Captain Alvarez does not disappoint and continues to be the big anchor in reading this series.
Con:
Overly Motivated Dialogue
As a Marine I can appreciate some of the Rah Rah motivation talk but I feel like it was over played quite a bit in this book. Yes, I know I am being petty but believe me when I say some of the time he made Marine slang feel very corny and out of place. Other Marines reading this book might like all Semper Fi jargon, but for me I just want explosions and fight scenes. Oprah has a time and place, sometimes it kills the drive if it’s used in an unrealistically amount of times.
Thanks for reading,
-Alex
Pros:
Decent Action Scenes
I think you will find that most of the numerous action scenes in this book are exceptionally graphic and detailed oriented. In previous books in this series there were some scenes that felt too numb or Cam was just going through the motions of the battles. Like I said it’s not all of the Drop Trooper books just a few. This one stayed focused, engaged more than one character, had impactful deaths, and way more carnage in terms of gore and number of Marine casualties. I’m not saying I enjoy reading death, I am just saying in some of these battles you have to have some realistic quantity in casualties.
Dexterous SCI-FI
I use the word dexterous becuase neat sounded too boring. In any case, all the space opera content in this book was on point and I very much enjoyed all the details in Mr. Partlow’s world. All of it actually made sense for the most part. You will find collapsed dormant red dwarf stars that are in some way creating nanoid managed alien monsters, interstellar alien made gateways that act like portals, deceiving AI’s with to much sass and personal issues, and my favorite the indestructible armored super suit known as the vigilantes (now upgraded with alien tech). There are more aspects that I talked about in other reviews on this series but Tango Down did not disappoint in the SCI-FI feels.
Love Where The Book is Going
I am not going to give the book away but just know the chase to find a way back home finally ends in this one. Or I think it does…. In any case I believe it ends. It looks like they will be trying to get back home now but with a new twist. Something’s up with the AI Dwight….
Protagonist Hero Writing
Throughout the whole series I love how the author makes Cam Alvarez a notorious and emotionally complicated hero figure. I know that is sopppsed to be the case for most books but sometimes authors can really give a bad impression on there main characters. While in some books this gives texture and culture to the characters I sometimes just want to be transfixed on a good old fashioned wholesome protagonist. Captain Alvarez does not disappoint and continues to be the big anchor in reading this series.
Con:
Overly Motivated Dialogue
As a Marine I can appreciate some of the Rah Rah motivation talk but I feel like it was over played quite a bit in this book. Yes, I know I am being petty but believe me when I say some of the time he made Marine slang feel very corny and out of place. Other Marines reading this book might like all Semper Fi jargon, but for me I just want explosions and fight scenes. Oprah has a time and place, sometimes it kills the drive if it’s used in an unrealistically amount of times.
Thanks for reading,
-Alex
January 24, 2023
Very pleased with this SF military series. The protagonist, story, plot, world-building, and overall narrative are strong.
I look forward to book 12!
I look forward to book 12!
March 6, 2023
Tango Down another great episode in the Drop Trooper Saga
Another great read and I am eager to see if Dwight is defeated, and if Cam and his wife go home!
Another great read and I am eager to see if Dwight is defeated, and if Cam and his wife go home!
March 26, 2023
Yet more losses
Cam, Vicky and the rest of the crew are fighting for their lives over and over as they search for the Seekers. The loss of their long time mentor in losing Sgt-Major Campbell is especially devastating for them. The bigger shocks are still to come as they learn more about the origins of the Skrela.
Cam, Vicky and the rest of the crew are fighting for their lives over and over as they search for the Seekers. The loss of their long time mentor in losing Sgt-Major Campbell is especially devastating for them. The bigger shocks are still to come as they learn more about the origins of the Skrela.
May 5, 2023
Excellent Story
This is just as good as the previous ten books in the series. The action is almost nonstop. This book is full of action and suspense with just the right amount of mystery to spice up the story. Well worth reading.
This is just as good as the previous ten books in the series. The action is almost nonstop. This book is full of action and suspense with just the right amount of mystery to spice up the story. Well worth reading.
March 20, 2023
This was a pretty straight-forward book with a difficult, but simple mission for the Commonwealth Marines, the Tahni, and the lone Resscharr aboard the starship Orion. The mission was lead by Colonel Marcus Hachette, a Commonwealth Intelligence Agent. The ship was commanded by Captain Nance, but he deferred to Colonel Hachette for most operations. They had just left a system that had strange aliens that were a combination of Tahni, Resscharr and humans although the Tahni considered themselves the masters of all. They did find out there was a place to go next called the Cauldron of Creation which could have some information as to the whereabouts of the Seekers.
That's the mission, to find the Seekers and determine if they can stop the Skrela at their point of origin so humanity and the Tahni wouldn't have to constantly fight them. The Skrela were bent on exterminating all other life within the galaxy and had to be stopped. So, Colonel Hachette believed that could and would stop them at their home planet if they could find it. The Seekers were thought to have been an advanced race that had made the Skrela. These Skrela outgrew their masters and started attacking them so the Seekers had fled the galaxy leaving the Skrela behind. They had made the Tahni to fight the Skrela and expected them to take over the galaxy once they had wiped out the Skrela. That didn't happen when the Tahni met up with the humans from Earth. Humanity was supposed to have been a failed creation of the Seekers. They figured the humans were no match for the Tahni and would be easily wiped out in time. Of course we know humanity won the human-Tahni war.
Captain Cameron (Cam) Alvarez was the commander of the Marine contingent with Captain Vicky Sandoval as his XO. They were also married and had been living a quiet, comfortable life as farmers until Col. Hachette showed up and put them back in the Marine Corps. Now Colonel Hatchette was using Cam as his go-between to settle difference aboard ship between the humans, the Tahni and the single Resscharr. That the Tahni even were there was something of a surprise. But, they had volunteered a platoon lead by Captain Lan-Min-Gen to accompany this expedition so as not to be left out on any discoveries. More importantly, the Resscharr had an advanced civilization although they were few in number and they had given the humans some advance weapons capabilities that the Tahni also wanted. So, any future advance technology, if any were found, were going to have to be equally shared.
Cam was going slightly crazy on the ship since the humans and the Tahni didn't get along very well without a lot of trying. They had limited space aboard the starship so that was another problem. Even eating was an issue because the Tahni didn't like the smell of human food and the humans just didn't like the Tahni no matter what. But, periodically, they had to team up to go to the surface of a planetoid or moon to investigate a possible lead on the Seekers whereabouts. Now, it was known that the Seekers had left the galaxy almost six-thousand years ago, so there was a strong feeling among many of the troops that they were on a wild goose-chase that was doing nothing but getting them killed.
Additionally, Colonel Hachette was something of an arrogant bastard that seemed to care little for the Marines or the Tahni. When the had to preform a memorial for lost comrades after one particular battle, Colonel Hachette didn't even show up for the services. He said nothing to anyone except Captain Alvarez and expected him to explain his requirements for the mission to all. Except Cam and others were beginning to not see any reason to be doing what they were doing. And, that specifically was stopping at every system to see if they could find any evidence the Seekers had come through when they could tell there wasn't anything to be found. All their stopping did was to get people, Marines and Tahni killed. So, everyone was on edge and sooner or later, something was going to have to be done about Colonel Hachette's insane mission requirements.
And that's what this book is about. Can they keep the expedition together long enough to find the Seekers or are the Seekers long gone and this expedition will just go further and further out into unknown space until they are all killed? You'll need to read the book to find out, of course. They are kind of being directed by an AI named Dwight aboard the Orion. He was an Resscharr AI so he's highly advanced, almost sentient, but just who or what is he trying to get them to do?
I think a lot of answers will come in book 12, "Blue Force" shown as available for pre-order by 18 April 2023. I think I'll be adding it to my reading list around that date.
That's the mission, to find the Seekers and determine if they can stop the Skrela at their point of origin so humanity and the Tahni wouldn't have to constantly fight them. The Skrela were bent on exterminating all other life within the galaxy and had to be stopped. So, Colonel Hachette believed that could and would stop them at their home planet if they could find it. The Seekers were thought to have been an advanced race that had made the Skrela. These Skrela outgrew their masters and started attacking them so the Seekers had fled the galaxy leaving the Skrela behind. They had made the Tahni to fight the Skrela and expected them to take over the galaxy once they had wiped out the Skrela. That didn't happen when the Tahni met up with the humans from Earth. Humanity was supposed to have been a failed creation of the Seekers. They figured the humans were no match for the Tahni and would be easily wiped out in time. Of course we know humanity won the human-Tahni war.
Captain Cameron (Cam) Alvarez was the commander of the Marine contingent with Captain Vicky Sandoval as his XO. They were also married and had been living a quiet, comfortable life as farmers until Col. Hachette showed up and put them back in the Marine Corps. Now Colonel Hatchette was using Cam as his go-between to settle difference aboard ship between the humans, the Tahni and the single Resscharr. That the Tahni even were there was something of a surprise. But, they had volunteered a platoon lead by Captain Lan-Min-Gen to accompany this expedition so as not to be left out on any discoveries. More importantly, the Resscharr had an advanced civilization although they were few in number and they had given the humans some advance weapons capabilities that the Tahni also wanted. So, any future advance technology, if any were found, were going to have to be equally shared.
Cam was going slightly crazy on the ship since the humans and the Tahni didn't get along very well without a lot of trying. They had limited space aboard the starship so that was another problem. Even eating was an issue because the Tahni didn't like the smell of human food and the humans just didn't like the Tahni no matter what. But, periodically, they had to team up to go to the surface of a planetoid or moon to investigate a possible lead on the Seekers whereabouts. Now, it was known that the Seekers had left the galaxy almost six-thousand years ago, so there was a strong feeling among many of the troops that they were on a wild goose-chase that was doing nothing but getting them killed.
Additionally, Colonel Hachette was something of an arrogant bastard that seemed to care little for the Marines or the Tahni. When the had to preform a memorial for lost comrades after one particular battle, Colonel Hachette didn't even show up for the services. He said nothing to anyone except Captain Alvarez and expected him to explain his requirements for the mission to all. Except Cam and others were beginning to not see any reason to be doing what they were doing. And, that specifically was stopping at every system to see if they could find any evidence the Seekers had come through when they could tell there wasn't anything to be found. All their stopping did was to get people, Marines and Tahni killed. So, everyone was on edge and sooner or later, something was going to have to be done about Colonel Hachette's insane mission requirements.
And that's what this book is about. Can they keep the expedition together long enough to find the Seekers or are the Seekers long gone and this expedition will just go further and further out into unknown space until they are all killed? You'll need to read the book to find out, of course. They are kind of being directed by an AI named Dwight aboard the Orion. He was an Resscharr AI so he's highly advanced, almost sentient, but just who or what is he trying to get them to do?
I think a lot of answers will come in book 12, "Blue Force" shown as available for pre-order by 18 April 2023. I think I'll be adding it to my reading list around that date.
January 26, 2023
Another great entry in the Drop Trooper series. Drop Trooper was the first book of Rick's that I read. I look forward to each book with great anticipation. Of course then I devour the book and have to wait for the next. Not sure how I feel about the next book being the last. Rick writes very believable characters for anyone who has served in the military. The right combination of courage, gallows humor, and BS that just occurs.
I have not read a bad Rick book, and I don't expect that I will. This book wraps up one huge antagonist and sets up a finale that has bigger stakes for the people we have grown to love. Blue Force is going to be an epic conclusion.
I have not read a bad Rick book, and I don't expect that I will. This book wraps up one huge antagonist and sets up a finale that has bigger stakes for the people we have grown to love. Blue Force is going to be an epic conclusion.
August 11, 2023
I took a long time off this series, waiting for Partlow to write the next couple books. Meanwhile I spoiled this one a little bit by reading the Ember War series, which was just incredible.
As a result it took a little while to get back into a first person, psychological sci fi rather than a third person, sociological one. And I was going to give the book four stars because I couldn't get used to it agian. But then the ending happened and I forgot just how darn good Partlow is at twists. The Ember War was a straight forward slog, epic is scope. This series, you can never tell where it's going, and I love it.
Highly recommend Drop Trooper series to sci fi fans!
As a result it took a little while to get back into a first person, psychological sci fi rather than a third person, sociological one. And I was going to give the book four stars because I couldn't get used to it agian. But then the ending happened and I forgot just how darn good Partlow is at twists. The Ember War was a straight forward slog, epic is scope. This series, you can never tell where it's going, and I love it.
Highly recommend Drop Trooper series to sci fi fans!
July 23, 2024
As the search for home continues, Cam and Vicky discover the shocking truth about their enemies. Another fast-paced entry in the series with some intense battles and the tragic death of a fellow protagonist.
February 3, 2023
Excellent
As always, Rick delivers!! Action packed,kept me riveted the whole time. Can barely wait to read what happens next. G
As always, Rick delivers!! Action packed,kept me riveted the whole time. Can barely wait to read what happens next. G
November 4, 2023
I enjoyed this one!
Another good book in the series. I hope you are all ready for a wild ride because it's going to get even more exciting from here. Keep it up!
Another good book in the series. I hope you are all ready for a wild ride because it's going to get even more exciting from here. Keep it up!
January 19, 2024
Enjoyed
Another good read ! Partlow spins another winner . Keep the series going. I have the series and look forward.to more additions.
Another good read ! Partlow spins another winner . Keep the series going. I have the series and look forward.to more additions.
February 1, 2024
Another very good read.
Cam and Vicky find themselves still wearing born the gateway back. No spoilers but the suspense and action are constant.
Cam and Vicky find themselves still wearing born the gateway back. No spoilers but the suspense and action are constant.
August 14, 2024
awesome
awesome story telling with great action. well developed characters and some funny dialog. fast and easy to read just like all the other books
awesome story telling with great action. well developed characters and some funny dialog. fast and easy to read just like all the other books
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews