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The Lost Fleet #1

Galactic Search

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USA Today Best Selling Author

The battle at the galactic center had been a great victory for the Federation and the Alliance. But it had tremendous costs. The Battleship Avenger and her fleets had vanished being drawn into a great white vortex at the moment of victory. For over four years, the mystery of what had happened to the Avenger had haunted the Federation.

The last two survivors of the Special Five have built a powerful exploration cruiser to go off in search of the lost fleets. They are convinced that the fleets have survived and are trapped in another galaxy. What they find in their search will be a threat to the Federation far greater than the AIs and the Hocklyns had ever been. The fate of thousands of worlds will depend on the Distant Horizon finding those that were lost and stopping this new and dangerous menace.

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2015

392 people are currently reading
450 people want to read

About the author

Raymond L. Weil

93 books339 followers
USA Today Best Selling Author

I live in Clinton Oklahoma with my wife of 40 years and our cat. I attended college at SWOSU in Weatherford Oklahoma, majoring in Math with minors in Creative Writing and History.

My hobbies include watching soccer, reading, camping, and of course writing. I coached youth soccer for twelve years before moving on and becoming a high school soccer coach for thirteen more. I also enjoy playing with my five grandchildren. I have a very vivid imagination, which sometimes worries my friends. They never know what I am going to say or what I am going to do.

I am an avid reader and have a science fiction / fantasy collection of over two thousand paperbacks. The space program has always fascinated me and I've followed it since its inception. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be an astronaut. Now, I just write about it.

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5 stars
586 (44%)
4 stars
475 (36%)
3 stars
166 (12%)
2 stars
56 (4%)
1 star
26 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
1 review3 followers
April 8, 2016
This is definitely worst written book I've ever read. So many repeatation, annoyingly used expressions. It's a really bad copy of Battlestar Galactica and Stargate.

Those 2 AI characters couldn't have imagined worse than the author did. Building the biggest space ship ever for a critical one way mission and the first thing your AI says: "you know I can take the control of the ship". Must be joking.

1 star for his marketing skills. Apparently he's sold a lot of copies.
Profile Image for Don Viecelli.
Author 28 books28 followers
December 14, 2015
My Review Number 108:

This review is on The Lost Fleet: Galactic Search, which is Book 1 of The Lost Fleet Series, A Slaver Wars Novel by Raymond L. Weil. I have read the first five books in the Slaver Wars series and decided to give this series a try.

The story starts with Admiral Tolsen on the Federation ship, Warhawk, which is under enemy fire from the Borzon who were part of the Hocklyn Slave Empire. The Borzon are trying to take advantage of the power vacuum left when the Hocklyns were defeated. The Federation is constantly tested by the Borzon and must be taught a lesson.

The real story begins with a reference to Admiral Strong, commander of the Avenger, another warship that was part of the Fourth Fleet and the Carethian Fleet that disappeared four years ago trying to destroy the Hypertranslation Station built by an unknown Master race. No one knows what happened to the fleet or the AI fleet they were chasing. Some think the fleet was destroyed. Others think the fleet survived and was transported to another galaxy.

Two survivors of the Special Five apparently have been working with the Altons on a rescue mission. They build a massive new starship called the Distant Horizon. The rescue team plans to build another Hypertranslation Station and try to find the lost fleet. It could be a one-way mission or everyone may die in the attempt.

The rest of the story describes what happens during the rescue mission. There are many space battles scenes and a new race is discovered that helps explains how the AI’s became so hateful of all organic races. The problem will be how to stop the new enemy race from exterminating everyone else in the universe.

I give this book Four Stars because the story is entertaining and the writing is good. The characters are well developed, the battle scenes are well fought and the science is plausible. There are a lot of characters in this new series and most are interesting. Book 1 ends in a good place and prepares well for the beginning of the next one. I look forward to reading Book 2 in the series.
Profile Image for Zeb.
30 reviews23 followers
August 13, 2017
This is a sci fi guilty pleasure book. The writing is not great imho, but the story is fun + geeky + smart. If I wasn't a sucker for good sci fi, I'd give 3 stars. But it's an easy and fun one well worth the read if you love the genre!
Profile Image for Scott S..
1,424 reviews29 followers
February 17, 2016
More of the same, but that's okay because it's good. Moving straight to the next book in this follow-up trilogy.

Great narration, though he does get a little quiet with some of his breathy voices.
Profile Image for Sgt Maj.
216 reviews11 followers
February 13, 2017
Breezer, YA Tale

Breezer? The author introduced so many things, characters, aliens, sub-plots, universes, etc. that this Slaver Tale Series is a 'Jack of all trades,Master of none'. Combine that with main characters who think , act like teens and desire that ultimate dream of happily ever after and , I at least, can't take any of it seriously.

Caught a cold, needed something light, tried this series twice before and now actually finished a few of these 'tales'. I found myself taking nothing too seriously nor finding much credibility anywhere. I 'Breezed' through, not trying hard to keep everything straight. The author couldn't do it either -- lot of inconsistency throughout.

Author changes characters names from last to first often, and often mentions wrong first name during POV changes. Military ? Shields, beams and bigger is badder. No strategy nor tactics to speak of, briefly mentioned but when it comes time , it's just force on force and a throw of the dice to who survives. And yes, fairly predictable on who lives or dies.

Even in my weakened state I noticed marines don't do squat. But Sgt Stryker lives on. Action on a scale n scope that defies logic.

Last, being a poor , humble Earth born Human myself, the author follows genre w Earth. Over thousands of years of violence and war in our genes, amateurs run the show in a universe gone amok. Author couldn't even give us credit for that. Ahhh, but there's the noble Bears.

If you're looking for credible, this is not it. Soapy YA Opera. Yes, I'm KU and would never have bought beyond the first purchase.
7 reviews
April 8, 2020
This book felt very tired. As the first in a set I would expect more background information on the characters. As a reader there was no indication that I should have read the author’s previous books to understand. There was also very little explanation or character development. When Katie and Kelsey chose to mutiny with the ship’s AI, the captain shrugged it off understanding. That is a huge plot point that should have added something to the story. Other species and races were oversimplified without exploration of their motivations. Too many characters were introduced such that I couldn’t keep track. All in all very disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1 review1 follower
April 29, 2020
First of all, a confession, I bought this series in error, I thought I was buying the Jack Campbell series with the same name but decided I'd give it ago anyway.

So far, I've only read the first few chapters and I have to say it reads like very poor fan fiction. One dimensional characters, bad dialog and poor exposition. Overall, a very corny and trite piece of work. I think this is the worst piece of science fiction I've ever read - taking that personal accolade from Ben Bova's Mars.

Judging by the overall rating for this first book (4.6 stars at the time of writing), I'm clearly in the minority so, kudos to Mr Weil for bringing enjoyment to a lot of people.
15 reviews
December 17, 2016
Great book and story line.

Very well written book, I like the twist of former enemies creating an alliance to protect the other worlds and the lesser worlds that cannot protect themselves. The second book by Raymond L. Well and I have not been disappointed. A must read for anyone who enjoys this genre.
383 reviews
July 5, 2017
This book was really enjoyable. I don't have much to say about it, but I do want to mention that you should read the Slaver Wars books before you start the Lost Fleet series. The characters in this book along with the situation that the book starts out with are from the end of the Slaver Wars series. I would recommend reading this book though. It is a really fun read.
Profile Image for Joe Alt.
98 reviews2 followers
April 9, 2018
I really enjoyed the book. I love the world Weil is building. What kept this from being 5 stars is I thought there could have been a better explanation of who the special five was at the beginning and I felt like some of the setup was a bit corny. When I say corny I am referencing the parts about where everyone believed they would all find the lost fleet.
171 reviews
January 11, 2020
A good start to a new adventure for the Federation's and Alliance's Heroes, the "Special Five" stranded in another Universe!

Admiral Jeremy Strong saved his own Galaxy from the death of all organic lifeforms by AIs from his own Galaxy, can he do same for the entire universe threatened by a new alien species in another Galaxy?
Profile Image for Warren W..
Author 5 books1 follower
April 20, 2020
The saga continues- thank goodness!

The first series was fantastic! But I did t realize until the end that there was more to come. I was excited. You get so involved with the characters, that when so,etching happens- good or bad- it affects you personally.

Exciting story, and I wonder how it will all work out. Thank you. Mr. Weil for exciting reading. It means a lot to me...
75 reviews
December 7, 2017
A new beginning and a continuation

This book is a beginning of a new story and a continuation of the “Slaver Wars” series. YES!!!!! I was hoping for just that very thing. Okay now, it’s on to the next book!
16 reviews
May 13, 2020
This is what you get for free. It makes no sense. They never explain why there are these humans who are NOT on Earth, or conversely, why the humans on earth are so far behind the space ones. Just badly written.
95 reviews1 follower
October 3, 2021
a good story continues

This is a thoughtful and interesting continuation of a very good story. I missed this episode when I first read the series and really enjoyed seeing the pieces come together.
2 reviews
July 6, 2023
Another Great Start to a Series

I was thrilled to see a continuation of the Slaver Wars novel series. The writing and story lines are captivating. This book was a great bridge from the Slaver Wars to the Lost Fleet.
13 reviews
May 18, 2018
I realized that this is part of an earlier series. For teens.
Profile Image for Simon.
Author 7 books3 followers
April 28, 2019
Couldn't read it past 10%. Flat stereotypical characters, poor dialogue, unoriginal world building. Yawn.
More corn than a tin of Jolly Green Giant niblets.
1 review
May 4, 2020
This book is a very interesting and captures your attention very quickly. Science fiction books are always either very good or not good at all. This one is definitely pretty good!
242 reviews
September 29, 2021
An ok story, but quite simplistic, really poor character development to the point they're all just about anonymous and blend together.
Profile Image for Mark Baller.
614 reviews2 followers
April 2, 2023
Pretty exciting Read

I'm still getting used to it so I'm not very sure whether I really like it or not but I'm probably gonna take a look at the next book.
Profile Image for Jim.
1,235 reviews50 followers
July 17, 2015
In the last book, three of our heroes were just blasted through a black hole. Along with them was two very large Alliance Fleets and a large contingent of AI ships. No one knows for sure if they survived the galactic vortex expulsion which must have happened on the other side of the black hole. They know where they think the Lost Fleets went, but there’s nothing to tell anyone what exactly happened once they reached another galaxy. If they did survive, what about the surviving AIs?

Our heroes are of course Jeremy, Kevin, Angela, Kelsey, and Kate. They are known throughout the galaxy as the Special Five and if you want to know why, then start reading the series from the beginning. I don’t really understand what’s so special about these five other than they seem to always be in some kind of trouble. Jeremy must be very special since he and only he has been promoted all the way from lowly Cadet to an Admiral in a very short time. Why the other Special Five haven’t been treated this way is unknown. Kevin is still a communication guy manning a console in the Command Center usually on Jeremy’s Starship. Angela, Kate and Kelsey are all Lieutenants or so it seems and have been Lieutenants since the series started. Admiral Barnes, their current Commanding Officer continually thinks about promoting Kate and Kelsey but never seems to get around to do it.

Anyway, Kate and Kelsey, who happen to be married to Jeremy and Kevin, have gone on the war path to get a rescue mission started to get their husbands back and oh, yeah, the rest of the Lost Fleets. They constantly hammer at the Altons, the Care Bares, and the Admiralty until something is actually done. With everyone’s help and lots of money, the Distant Horizon is built and sets off to try and re-create the same event that push/pulled the Lost Fleet through the black hole. They have to make a few stops on the way to the galactic center picking up some knowledge from the Altons home world that wasn’t known before and to get an ominous warning from former Fleet Admiral Streth.

Then, using one of the only remaining AI power cells not destroyed in the last book, they drive their starship Distant Horizon, the mightiest starship every built, through the black hole. They are hoping to come out somewhere close to the vicinity of the Lost Fleet and then be able to meet up with Jeremy and his people. Unfortunately, their calculated route must be exact or they could wind up thousands of light-years from the Lost Fleet. Additionally, they have a suspicion that another threat exists in this new galaxy, but they don’t know to what extent.

Just as they enter the black hole, a piece of space junk strikes the Distant Horizon throws her off course by centimeters. Over three thousand light years, that error adds up. Who knows where they will end up now.

And now starts the new drama in a new galaxy. Will the Distant Horizon ever meet up with the Lost Fleet? What is the new threat that Fleet Admiral Streth warned them about. He said it was worse than the AIs.

And worst of all, Kevin with Jeremy’s fleet is almost out of hamburgers! He might not survive long enough to be rescued! Read the book and eat a hamburger for Kevin!

This is pure space opera at it’s fighting. The author does a very good job of keeping you interested in what’s going on since it’s not all about the “Special Five” all the time. There are other story-lines going on that helps keep you interested. This particular book kind of dwells on the feels of the Special Five and their feeling of being separated for almost four years now. I think it could have been toned down just a little, but of course my Wife says I have no heart anyway! Enjoy the book!
Profile Image for Online Eccentric Librarian.
3,400 reviews5 followers
March 25, 2016
More reviews at the Online Eccentric Librarian http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I picked this up at an Audible sale recently, always looking for new and interesting sci fi series. Unfortunately, I could not get into this first book in a new series (and part of a larger collective). The writing is fairly simplistic, with the usual gender bias so rampant in this genre (men are men but woman are 'girls', girls cry a lot or spend time in front of mirrors making sure they are still trim and fit for when their men return from space). Sadly, this was coupled with an audio narration that only exacerbated uninspired writing - warning signs go up when a captain switches from sounding like William Shatner in full Star Trek glory to an effette British noble. Let's not get into the girly-girl voices.

Story: while Earth puts together a rescue mission to find the Lost Fleet, the individuals in the Lost Fleet themselves find themselves in an uncharted part of space - with a very new and hostile alien threat. The AIs and humans will have to forge an uneasy alliance if they hope to survive this new threat.

This is the type of writing that makes my teeth hurt from grinding them. Most characters say really stupid things just to begin an exposition of the situation. It's so silly because someone in that situation isn't going to state the obvious over and over again just so that someone else can start 'discussing' the plot. Take this example: the woman chosen to lead the rescue mission is a Rear Admiral in her own right and highly skilled. So her father, also an admiral, comes to her to say in concern, "Catherine, this will be a dangerous mission." (Thank you, Admiral obvious!). And then adding in helpful points such as, "you may never return." Because, yes, when a crew volunteers to go on a mission into unknown territory where a whole other fleet has disappeared, it's important to remind someone of these points, last minute, right before they leave, and after HE assigned her the mission. I know it's meant to show paternal love - but ugh.

There is a lot of old fashioned sexism in here - I don't believe the author even realized it, though. The 'girls' are always on the verge of tears when thinking about their missing husbands - I defy you to find one guy mourning his wife in the same way. And the 'girls' tend to get clumped together, always seeming to be attached at the hips. Because, yes, women cluck and cluster like hens whereas men are lone wolves in their determination and resolve.

There were several plot and character issues I just couldn't get past to enjoy the story. The unfortunate narration didn't help matters, either. The narrator has a great voice but the acting skills were painful and accents/dialogue either cliched or derisive.

At heart, this is a story about good people trying to survive in a harsh modern milieu. The characters are likable in their everyman simplicity and I am sure they will appeal to many. For me, I always look for a science fiction that feels like the future - and not like a 2010s version of the future as written by someone who grew up in the 1960s.
Profile Image for Per Gunnar.
1,318 reviews75 followers
April 2, 2015
Raymond L. Weil starts a new story arc in The Slaver Wars universe with this book and it is a good start indeed. The book starts off four years after the events in Endgame (Slaver Wars #7) or immediately after it depending on how you see it. There are two separate threads, one from the perspective of the Alliance in our home galaxy and one from the survivors in the other Galaxy. The two threads do slowly merge together but the first one starts four years later than the other one which starts right after the defeat of the AIs.

As usual with a book that starts a new story arc this one is a bit of a stage setter. It introduces the new threat to our good guys, and in general sets up the new scenario. That does not mean it is slow though. The book do of course already have a lot going for it in that the basic universe is already there. What is new is the new enemy, the new galaxy and the new twist the plot is taking.

As always with this author there is plenty of nice combat, especially fleet action. There are also preparations, research and of course the actual search for “the lost fleet”. Actually it is fleet(s). I am sure that no one will consider it a spoiler if I write that the fleets did indeed survive the traversal through the vortex. After all, there would not be much of a book if they did not would there? However, the Alliance fleets were of course not the only fleets around at the time of the events in the last book so not only do they find themselves trapped in another galaxy but with some nice friendly (maybe ?) AIs as their fellow intergalactic travelling companions.

The book also ties together a few knots concerning the events in the previous Slaver Wars books. In particular as to why the AIs took the course of action that they did. Unfortunately these revelations also brings with them the understanding that the AIs was perhaps not the biggest, “baddest” nastiness around.

And thus the stage is set for a new good book series from Raymond L. Weil. As usual the book is well written with plausible science fiction, well done action and the same bunch of likable characters as in the previous books.

The only small despicable snake that managed to sneak into my science fiction paradise was the usual nonsense in the form of clueless politicians that managed to stick their ugly head above ground and start to advocate pulling resources from the military. Luckily this was really only mentioned almost in passing and took a very small part of the book but still. All life in the Galaxy was almost made extinct, three of the four of the AI’s proxy races are still out there and these idiots wants to declare the danger over so that they can grab the money? Politicians are like Sauropods, lots of bulk but small heads and I do not like them in books unless they get a well deserved spanking.

Anyway, I am already looking forward to the next instalment in this new series.
Profile Image for The Ropers.
29 reviews
February 14, 2017
The saga continues

Admiral Strong leads the lost fleet in the Triangulum Galaxy and keeps the hope of rescue alive in his command.
Profile Image for Jim Kratzok.
1,070 reviews3 followers
September 11, 2016
Back into the breach

The Lost Fleet series looks like it will be a lot of fun if the first book is any indication.
291 reviews7 followers
December 6, 2015
I Lost sleep reading this, unable to put it down before the last page.

I Lost sleep reading this, The first book in The Lost Fleet series, a sub series in The Slaver Wars. I've already bought the next book in the series. Raymond Weil is one of the best. I think all those who love space opera will enjoy this book, will enjoy all of Weil's books. Read the series in order to follow the attack on the humans in their struggle for survival in a dangerous and brutal war. As Admiral Jeremy Strong finds his fleet stranded in a galaxy under attack by an alien race that allows no other life in what they consider 'their galaxy'. A ship attempts to find 'The lost fleet and bring them home.'
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

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