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The Maxwell Saga #4
Stand Against The Storm
When duty and honor collide...
An emergency recall to his ship short-circuits Senior Lieutenant Steve Maxwell’s plan to get rid of a long-standing personal burden. Instead, he finds himself dumped into a war zone on a peacekeeping mission hundreds of light years away. He doesn’t have enough people, equipment or information. Left in the dark, he has to rely on uncertain allies with their own agenda.
Even worse, it's not the Fleet's war, so he's not allowed to shoot back – much less shoot first. Neither side is observing civilized rules of engagement. The bodies are piling up.
Steve's been ordered not to act... but there are times when cold, hard reality trumps orders.
An emergency recall to his ship short-circuits Senior Lieutenant Steve Maxwell’s plan to get rid of a long-standing personal burden. Instead, he finds himself dumped into a war zone on a peacekeeping mission hundreds of light years away. He doesn’t have enough people, equipment or information. Left in the dark, he has to rely on uncertain allies with their own agenda.
Even worse, it's not the Fleet's war, so he's not allowed to shoot back – much less shoot first. Neither side is observing civilized rules of engagement. The bodies are piling up.
Steve's been ordered not to act... but there are times when cold, hard reality trumps orders.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2015
44 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Peter Grant
17 books60 followersPeter Grant was born in South Africa in 1958. The state censor board did not allow television until 1973, and his parents didn't get one until 1974. So he grew up with books. Lots of books. He started out after school as a military man, moved into commercial information technology, and assisted with humanitarian work during South Africa's prolonged civil unrest that led to the end of apartheid in 1994.
After having been all over Africa, he emigrated to the USA in 1997, where there were far more English-language books, and more access to the internet. He married a pilot from Alaska and settled in Tennessee.
After having been all over Africa, he emigrated to the USA in 1997, where there were far more English-language books, and more access to the internet. He married a pilot from Alaska and settled in Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 12, 2015
I like all the books
Great stories liked all 4
Steve is great example of how to treat others
Can't wait to hear more from grant
Great stories liked all 4
Steve is great example of how to treat others
Can't wait to hear more from grant
September 13, 2017
Best so far!
I really enjoyed all 4 books, but the author's writing talent and ability to convey ideas shines through in this better than the others . I couldn't put it down! I'm disappointed there is only one more in the series after this one.
I really enjoyed all 4 books, but the author's writing talent and ability to convey ideas shines through in this better than the others . I couldn't put it down! I'm disappointed there is only one more in the series after this one.
April 7, 2020
Love it, pirates.
September 29, 2020
Way too many convenient coincidences, and too many pre-cooked situations. I think I shall stop reading this series now.
October 17, 2020
Excellent!
Good story! Peter Grant does an amazing job of hanging words together to form an interesting book. These "books" are actually just chapters in one big book.
Good story! Peter Grant does an amazing job of hanging words together to form an interesting book. These "books" are actually just chapters in one big book.
May 16, 2021
Good story!
Good characters, good action. People are depicted as true to life except Steve, he's too good. It would be difficult to be such a Saint.
Good characters, good action. People are depicted as true to life except Steve, he's too good. It would be difficult to be such a Saint.
April 9, 2015
Steve Maxwell saves the day again! (Would we expect any less of him?)
An emergency posting to a planet that has been devastated by a recent insurgency interrupts his attempt to return the artifact he's been holding onto for the length of the series. He ends up manning a depot without personnel, equipment, or resources that he needs and has to innovate his way through the challenges. In the midst of doing so, he makes even deeper connections to the Dragon Tong and learns a little more about how their society operates.
There are, of course, some serious challenges to overcome, including a group of bad guys who are plotting their revenge against the powers-that-be, and an overly officious by-the-books commander who takes umbrage at Maxwell's usual get-things-done approach (since it wasn't really "by the books").
An enjoyable installment that shows some growth in the main character, and rounds him out somewhat as a character. I liked that the loose end of the jade dagger was finally tied up (or so we suppose), and will be interested to see where Steve's military career and further adventures will take him. I'm glad that he's finally getting old enough for some real command opportunities -- reading about the challenges facing a young officer has been nearly as frustrating as being a young officer was. One wants him to be in a position to actually MAKE DECISIONS ALREADY, since so many of his "superiors" are obviously incompetent.
An emergency posting to a planet that has been devastated by a recent insurgency interrupts his attempt to return the artifact he's been holding onto for the length of the series. He ends up manning a depot without personnel, equipment, or resources that he needs and has to innovate his way through the challenges. In the midst of doing so, he makes even deeper connections to the Dragon Tong and learns a little more about how their society operates.
There are, of course, some serious challenges to overcome, including a group of bad guys who are plotting their revenge against the powers-that-be, and an overly officious by-the-books commander who takes umbrage at Maxwell's usual get-things-done approach (since it wasn't really "by the books").
An enjoyable installment that shows some growth in the main character, and rounds him out somewhat as a character. I liked that the loose end of the jade dagger was finally tied up (or so we suppose), and will be interested to see where Steve's military career and further adventures will take him. I'm glad that he's finally getting old enough for some real command opportunities -- reading about the challenges facing a young officer has been nearly as frustrating as being a young officer was. One wants him to be in a position to actually MAKE DECISIONS ALREADY, since so many of his "superiors" are obviously incompetent.
February 17, 2017
In the tradition of horsepower.
I have always liked military fiction from John Paul Jones to leyte gulf or Caesar to Hannibal the attention to detail made it very enjoyable
I have always liked military fiction from John Paul Jones to leyte gulf or Caesar to Hannibal the attention to detail made it very enjoyable
November 3, 2020
Just as Steve Maxwell finally has a plan to return the jade knife artifact to the tong, he is unexpectedly called away to serve a term of duty on a peacekeeping mission on a backwater planet, with all of the usual B.S. that sort of mission involves, given the types of limitations that politicians and diplomats love to impose on the peacekeepers.
Hampered by restrictive rules of engagement, Maxwell must use initiative to accomplish his mission and, for the most part, keep his superiors happy. The planet has served as a penal colony for generations, and one of its most recent cohorts of prisoners includes the crew of a Dragon Tong ship which was caught smuggling. Steve seizes the opportunity to employ skilled workers of the crew and to make use of his tong connections, getting them released to his supervision by the planetary government, so he can get his strongpoint constructed quickly.
A great story.
Hampered by restrictive rules of engagement, Maxwell must use initiative to accomplish his mission and, for the most part, keep his superiors happy. The planet has served as a penal colony for generations, and one of its most recent cohorts of prisoners includes the crew of a Dragon Tong ship which was caught smuggling. Steve seizes the opportunity to employ skilled workers of the crew and to make use of his tong connections, getting them released to his supervision by the planetary government, so he can get his strongpoint constructed quickly.
A great story.
April 24, 2015
Adequate but not outstanding
Story lines are predictable and okay but the moral lessons are repeatedly pounded into the reader. Main character is a superman saint. There were many opportunities in the plot that I thought the author could have expanded on. That said it's an easy read.
Story lines are predictable and okay but the moral lessons are repeatedly pounded into the reader. Main character is a superman saint. There were many opportunities in the plot that I thought the author could have expanded on. That said it's an easy read.
November 5, 2016
Great Space Opera
Recommended to fans of well written sci-fi. Has well rounded characters and a good story-line. A very good read, and its worth while reading all the books in the series.
Recommended to fans of well written sci-fi. Has well rounded characters and a good story-line. A very good read, and its worth while reading all the books in the series.
February 26, 2015
Wonderful exciting space opera with a truly intelligent heroic main character. Highly recommended though the other books in the series should be read first
March 14, 2015
I enjoyed this read. It was a little bit of a formula story but enjoyable anyway.
May 11, 2015
Four books wow .what a story.
You take a story put it into four or more books, that entrances you, not to put them down. You have a great writer. A story teller.
You take a story put it into four or more books, that entrances you, not to put them down. You have a great writer. A story teller.
June 30, 2015
A great 4th book in an ongoing series. Mil-Space Opera with adventure and a maturing character over several books.
July 4, 2015
Another enjoyable installment in the Maxwell saga.
January 7, 2016
This chapter in Maxwell's story is a good look at administratively-correct versus ethically-correct in a hostile military environment.
March 2, 2016
Great
Are there any more in this series? I am very interested for gaining the complete series and further books by this author.
Are there any more in this series? I am very interested for gaining the complete series and further books by this author.
April 5, 2017
Enjoying series so far.
Enjoying the series so far. It's not an all out action fest , but more a fleshed out military space adventure.
Enjoying the series so far. It's not an all out action fest , but more a fleshed out military space adventure.
January 28, 2019
Space opera, military SF. Much better IMO than the first three books in the series, and there is enough backstory scattered where needed that you can skip the first three books if you like. Almost all the action takes place on planet, with bad guys being rebellious convicts on a prison planet and a few rule bound bureaucratic jerks. Main character has very high morals, which confuses many of the other characters. Recommended.
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January 9, 2018Really enjoyed this book. In my opinion the author redeemed himself with this book compare to the last book in this series. Yes I recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews