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Starship Blackbeard #3
Dreadnought
A renegade from the Royal Navy, Captain Drake is desperate to free his family from unjust imprisonment at the hands of the lord admiral. Drake must avoid a hostile alien navy and the warships of his old comrades as he leads a pirate fleet to assault the lord admiral’s forces in orbit around the home world of Albion.
Facing Drake and his crew is the mightiest warship in the fleet, Lord Malthorne’s own Dreadnought, a massive battleship that has never tasted defeat.
Book #3 of the Starship Blackbeard Series.
Facing Drake and his crew is the mightiest warship in the fleet, Lord Malthorne’s own Dreadnought, a massive battleship that has never tasted defeat.
Book #3 of the Starship Blackbeard Series.
238 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2015
60 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Michael Wallace
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Michael also welcomes email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 11, 2019
Good action packed story!
October 1, 2018
The universe according to an entitled white male...So so. Short books.
September 6, 2017
Blackbeard and her crew have the cure for the sugar eaters, but they are now enemy number one. Malthorne has started all out war with the Hroom Empire, so that he can set in motion events to gain more power for himself.
Drakes former best friend Rutherford has been sent to capture or kill Drake and end his Rebellion, but as he is chasing down Drake, he is attacked by a strange ship of unknown origin. In desperate need of help, he calls for aid, and Drake answers this call, and together, they defeat this threat. They discover that this threat is known as ‘The Apex’, and that they have been ravaging the Hroom Empire for some time.
It now appears that the galaxy is in turmoil, with humanity at odds between Drake and Malthorne, and now learning of the Hroom and the Apex.
In the meantime, Drake meets with a General of the Hroom and gives him the cure for the sugar addiction that is destroying the Hroom, unknown if he will use it.
All of this uncovers an another enemy, a Hroom Death Cult, set on destroying Albion at any cost, even at the loss of their own ships and lives. They have a fleet, and multiple heavy weapons and are aimed straight at Albion to destroy humanity once and for all.
This leads to a thrilling series of events, Dreadnought is just a fantastic read. The continued portrayal of everything in the old style as very ‘Formal’ British Officers of the Royal Navy with all the cannons and weaponry, as well as the Elite nature of the aristocracy. It makes for a really fascinating and fun read, the dialogue between Drake and the Pirates is very humorous. Malthorne makes a great baddy in his complete drive to just destroy Drake, and cause what appears to be war.
Whilst this is a fantastic book, my only complaint would be that it does lack a little depth with some of the back story for some of the characters. The actual characters are really good, but we know little about their actual back stories, such as why Malthorne has it in so desperately for Drake, the relationship between Rutherford and Drake is not really explained that well. They are long time friends, but Rutherford is at different times trying to kill Drake, plotting to help him, secretly working with him, at other times working with Malthorne’s fleet, but as a double agent for Drake, but none of it is ever really explained.
We know that Drake has a family, but we never learn anything about them, even though they seem to be such a driving motivation for a lot of his actions. The same goes for Nyb Pim, Drakes pilot, he has a background with Drake, but we have no idea why? And the Hroom overall – there has been this long standing history and war, but there is very little detail about this either.
Again, these are fairly minor points, it depends on how much depth you want to go into, because at the end of the day, the actual story itself is wonderfully well written, the battles are exceptionally well described, and this is what all good books should be – a lot of fun.
This is well worth the read – it just keeps getting better and better as more of the story unfolds around the Hroom, and the Apex. Can’t wait for Book 4.
Drakes former best friend Rutherford has been sent to capture or kill Drake and end his Rebellion, but as he is chasing down Drake, he is attacked by a strange ship of unknown origin. In desperate need of help, he calls for aid, and Drake answers this call, and together, they defeat this threat. They discover that this threat is known as ‘The Apex’, and that they have been ravaging the Hroom Empire for some time.
It now appears that the galaxy is in turmoil, with humanity at odds between Drake and Malthorne, and now learning of the Hroom and the Apex.
In the meantime, Drake meets with a General of the Hroom and gives him the cure for the sugar addiction that is destroying the Hroom, unknown if he will use it.
All of this uncovers an another enemy, a Hroom Death Cult, set on destroying Albion at any cost, even at the loss of their own ships and lives. They have a fleet, and multiple heavy weapons and are aimed straight at Albion to destroy humanity once and for all.
This leads to a thrilling series of events, Dreadnought is just a fantastic read. The continued portrayal of everything in the old style as very ‘Formal’ British Officers of the Royal Navy with all the cannons and weaponry, as well as the Elite nature of the aristocracy. It makes for a really fascinating and fun read, the dialogue between Drake and the Pirates is very humorous. Malthorne makes a great baddy in his complete drive to just destroy Drake, and cause what appears to be war.
Whilst this is a fantastic book, my only complaint would be that it does lack a little depth with some of the back story for some of the characters. The actual characters are really good, but we know little about their actual back stories, such as why Malthorne has it in so desperately for Drake, the relationship between Rutherford and Drake is not really explained that well. They are long time friends, but Rutherford is at different times trying to kill Drake, plotting to help him, secretly working with him, at other times working with Malthorne’s fleet, but as a double agent for Drake, but none of it is ever really explained.
We know that Drake has a family, but we never learn anything about them, even though they seem to be such a driving motivation for a lot of his actions. The same goes for Nyb Pim, Drakes pilot, he has a background with Drake, but we have no idea why? And the Hroom overall – there has been this long standing history and war, but there is very little detail about this either.
Again, these are fairly minor points, it depends on how much depth you want to go into, because at the end of the day, the actual story itself is wonderfully well written, the battles are exceptionally well described, and this is what all good books should be – a lot of fun.
This is well worth the read – it just keeps getting better and better as more of the story unfolds around the Hroom, and the Apex. Can’t wait for Book 4.
May 24, 2022
Vice Admiral Thomas Lord Malthorne, the typically British wrong 'un at the heart of the "Starship Blackbeard" series, is hell bent on destroying Captain Drake. It is the nature of Space Opera that Malthorne will not succeed. I cannot wait for him, facing ruination, to echo Kenneth Williams:- "Infamy ... Infamy ... they've all got it in for me!"
But that is yet to come.
In the meantime it is all hands to the pump to protect Albion from the Hroom suicide attacks. And Drake gets a once in a lifetime chance to regain his Royal Fleet career, but there are conditions to be fulfilled first.
The best part of "Dreadnought" is the final third when the serious fighting begins - some of the earlier chapters read like filler material.
The weakest element of the series is the author's attempt to import the 19th century British Empire and, in particular, Navy into the future.
At the end it is all nicely set up for a rollicking fourth and final adventure.
3 Stars.
But that is yet to come.
In the meantime it is all hands to the pump to protect Albion from the Hroom suicide attacks. And Drake gets a once in a lifetime chance to regain his Royal Fleet career, but there are conditions to be fulfilled first.
The best part of "Dreadnought" is the final third when the serious fighting begins - some of the earlier chapters read like filler material.
The weakest element of the series is the author's attempt to import the 19th century British Empire and, in particular, Navy into the future.
At the end it is all nicely set up for a rollicking fourth and final adventure.
3 Stars.
June 10, 2017
Recent space-opera writing, of very high quality.
June 14, 2017
Good series.
September 11, 2019
Tired of this series and the noble snobbery.
February 22, 2022
The story continues. Onward to the fourth.
November 14, 2022
Bit slow to start with but ends well
June 9, 2015
Commander Drake might have been forced from the navy but that’s still where his heart is. So when he discovers a suicide fleet on its way to destroy the Monarchy, He builds his own fleet to stop it, never mind the fact that his enemy Lord Malthorne will do everything in his power to destroy him along the way. There is some resolution to Drake’s inner conflict by the end of the book and the set up for the way forward is well laid. I’m looking forward to the continuing adventures of the Starship Blackbeard.
March 11, 2016
Adventure, treachery, disaster and hope.
Enjoyable continuation of Captain Drake's travails. Can he rescue his parents? Save Albion? The twists and turns are satisfying, and unpredictable. I continue to appreciate how Wallace cherry picks aspects of high seas adventures (pirates!) and history (the triangle trade, colonies and a kingdom) but weave a new story that doesn't repeat history.
Enjoyable continuation of Captain Drake's travails. Can he rescue his parents? Save Albion? The twists and turns are satisfying, and unpredictable. I continue to appreciate how Wallace cherry picks aspects of high seas adventures (pirates!) and history (the triangle trade, colonies and a kingdom) but weave a new story that doesn't repeat history.
February 14, 2016
This series, to me, has started to read as a tactic of war for the British navy. It is all well and good but I really would expect that space battles and interplanetary exploration would have been a little more advanced at this point. The characters are starting to be stilted because they are being forced to display characteristics of individuals from that time frame.
August 21, 2015
A lot better book
This was a book that kept your interest from start to finish, with you sitting on pins and needles waiting for book four. Waiting for the romance between the two main characters to develop.
This was a book that kept your interest from start to finish, with you sitting on pins and needles waiting for book four. Waiting for the romance between the two main characters to develop.
April 30, 2015
I found this book fun to read. it was an easy read, but the author made the story interesting. I pre ordered the next one.
June 27, 2015
This 3rd book in the series is the best yet and rates a 3.5 since the action has started while the story is more involved. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series.
July 23, 2015
I find pretty much all that Michael Wallace has written to be top-notch and enjoyable. Another good entry into his Starship Blackbeard series.
February 25, 2016
Really good space opera with guns and bombs flashing. Excellent multi ship battled
May 20, 2016
Great read
Great read, action packed from beginning to end. I recommend this book to read to anyone who loves military space action.
Great read, action packed from beginning to end. I recommend this book to read to anyone who loves military space action.
September 28, 2016
Outstanding
As usual. Fast action lots of surprises and the dabble of sexual innuendo. Looking forward to have all this continue in the next book
As usual. Fast action lots of surprises and the dabble of sexual innuendo. Looking forward to have all this continue in the next book
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews