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False Start: A Miltary Sci-Fi Series
A NEW LEGION. A DIRTY WAR. A CHOICE THAT COULD DESTROY THEM ALL.
Colonel Jack Busker has done the he’s rebuilt the Mephisto Legion from the ashes of its destruction. Now, he just needs to keep it alive.
The Legion’s first official contract under the Mercenary Bonding Commission seems like a textbook assignment. The water world of Gutteron is being strangled by an insurgency that threatens its rare pharmaceutical exports. For a new regiment looking to earn its stripes and a coveted “A” rating, securing the supply lines should be easy money.
But on Gutteron, the truth is buried deep beneath the surface.
As Jack’s elite Specter pilots and scouts deploy their Penetrators and Arcus IFVs, they find a world of murky shadows. The "terrorists" they were hired to hunt are actually desperate independent harvesters, and the government they’re protecting is a web of corruption, abduction, and cold-blooded murder.
When a brutal militia commander turns his guns on innocent civilians, Jack faces a choice that will define the Legion’s follow the contract and become a regime’s hitmen, or invoke the "war crimes" clause and turn their rotary cannons on their own employers.
In the business of war, there are no clean getaways. To save Gutteron, Jack must risk the Legion’s reputation, its legal standing, and the lives of every trooper under his command in a high-stakes gamble to overthrow a tyrant.
The mission was supposed to be a fresh beginning. It turned into a fight for the Legion’s soul.
False Start is the explosive second installment in The Mephisto Legion series. Perfect for fans of Rick Partlow, JN Chaney, and military science fiction featuring high-tech power armor, gritty tactical combat, and heroes who know exactly where to draw the line.
Colonel Jack Busker has done the he’s rebuilt the Mephisto Legion from the ashes of its destruction. Now, he just needs to keep it alive.
The Legion’s first official contract under the Mercenary Bonding Commission seems like a textbook assignment. The water world of Gutteron is being strangled by an insurgency that threatens its rare pharmaceutical exports. For a new regiment looking to earn its stripes and a coveted “A” rating, securing the supply lines should be easy money.
But on Gutteron, the truth is buried deep beneath the surface.
As Jack’s elite Specter pilots and scouts deploy their Penetrators and Arcus IFVs, they find a world of murky shadows. The "terrorists" they were hired to hunt are actually desperate independent harvesters, and the government they’re protecting is a web of corruption, abduction, and cold-blooded murder.
When a brutal militia commander turns his guns on innocent civilians, Jack faces a choice that will define the Legion’s follow the contract and become a regime’s hitmen, or invoke the "war crimes" clause and turn their rotary cannons on their own employers.
In the business of war, there are no clean getaways. To save Gutteron, Jack must risk the Legion’s reputation, its legal standing, and the lives of every trooper under his command in a high-stakes gamble to overthrow a tyrant.
The mission was supposed to be a fresh beginning. It turned into a fight for the Legion’s soul.
False Start is the explosive second installment in The Mephisto Legion series. Perfect for fans of Rick Partlow, JN Chaney, and military science fiction featuring high-tech power armor, gritty tactical combat, and heroes who know exactly where to draw the line.
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 8, 2026
Wow
What a good writer.The story line keeps one waiting what the next page will bring. So much action with a great story line. Looking forward to the next book.
What a good writer.The story line keeps one waiting what the next page will bring. So much action with a great story line. Looking forward to the next book.
July 29, 2026
Very good story
Excellent character development and throughly believable bad guys. Several well thought out plot twists and a good ending. Not quite as much action as I expected and thin technical details but overall well worth reading. I am looking forward to the next book.
Excellent character development and throughly believable bad guys. Several well thought out plot twists and a good ending. Not quite as much action as I expected and thin technical details but overall well worth reading. I am looking forward to the next book.
August 6, 2026
A Good Tale
I enjoyed reading this book. Characters were believable, the story line was clear and uncluttered and the dialogue was interesting. Using so many quotes from William Tecumseh Sherman - may his soul rest in Hell - was the reason for only 4 stars.
I enjoyed reading this book. Characters were believable, the story line was clear and uncluttered and the dialogue was interesting. Using so many quotes from William Tecumseh Sherman - may his soul rest in Hell - was the reason for only 4 stars.
September 12, 2026
A logical continuation of the first novel, dinged for having a far to identical plot to it's predecessor. Also, what editor allowed Kurtz to name two characters Andre and Dandre? The similarity is...frustrating. Also the name of the planet Gutteron. Every. Single. Time. My brain wants to put a T in there. Gutterton. So much better with the T.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews