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Ark Royal #7
Vanguard
The third trilogy in the hit ‘Ark Royal’ series begins now!
HMS Vanguard is the most powerful battleship ever to be commissioned by the Royal Navy, but she is not a happy ship. Her commanding officer is eccentric, rarely seen on the bridge; her former XO has deserted his post and her first middy is resentful because he hasn't been promoted as he deserves...
But when a first contact mission goes badly wrong, HMS Vanguard and her crew are plunged into an interstellar war against a new and deadly alien threat.
And if they don’t make it back to friendly space in time, they will merely be the first to die in a new interstellar war.
HMS Vanguard is the most powerful battleship ever to be commissioned by the Royal Navy, but she is not a happy ship. Her commanding officer is eccentric, rarely seen on the bridge; her former XO has deserted his post and her first middy is resentful because he hasn't been promoted as he deserves...
But when a first contact mission goes badly wrong, HMS Vanguard and her crew are plunged into an interstellar war against a new and deadly alien threat.
And if they don’t make it back to friendly space in time, they will merely be the first to die in a new interstellar war.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2016
230 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 16, 2016
Vanguard starts a third story arc (or trilogy if you so prefer) in the Ark Royal series. The Ark Royal series is one of my favourite book series and this book gives me no reason to change my mind. Vanguard is a good piece of military science fiction with some of the classical ingredients that I happen to like quite a lot like a strong hero, a set of mysterious alien invaders and plenty of space action.
As usual our hero have more things to fight than “just” the big bad aliens. For instance an incompetent commanding officer and a few stereotypes about military bureaucracy and the you-cannot-touch-your-commanding-office-no-matter-how-much-damage-he-causes mentality among the upper echelons.
Apart from the introduction of the characters and setting up of the scenario the book pretty much takes off with a first contact scenario. I always like those. If you read the book blurb you know that this first contact does develop a few issues, as in things getting seriously fucked up, interstellar war kind of fucked up, and this time the old enemies, the Tadpoles, are on the same wrong end of the stick as the humans.
One thing, of many, that I liked with this book was that the ship our hero is stationed on is not a small stealthy one or a exploration ship or some other ship which can do little but sneak around. This time we are talking about the biggest and “baddest” piece of military hardware that the humans have produced so far. Ark Royal with all the new toys that the humans have developed. It is clobber time! Of course it would not be much of a start of a new story arc if the bad guys did not have some nasty toys themselves so both sides got to do some clobbering.
As usual with a book by Christopher Nuttall, there are plenty of interesting characters, the setup is quite good and it is a well done story in general. I do like our new hero and quite a few of the other characters around here. There were not really that many unlikable characters except for the incompetent commander of course.
The new aliens are, so far, quite a bit of a mystery which adds a bit to the suspense in the book. Needless to say they are somewhat prone to diplomacy by violence though.
The book ends in quite a bit of a cliffhanger. That is the part of the book that I was not overly thrilled about. Our hero has pretty much saved the day, or at least prevented a total disaster but of course the useless “politicians” and career seekers in the upper echelons of the military do not see it that way. I cannot say that it was much of a surprise cliffhanger though. The story pretty much built itself up to this part. Still, it gave a bit of an aaaarrrggghhh feeling.
Cliffhanger or no cliffhanger, this is a good story and the book has set the stage for what I hope will be another enjoyable story arc from Christopher Nuttall. I do hope that the nonsense in the cliffhanger ending gets sorted expediently early on in the next book so that we can get on with the “real” story.
As usual our hero have more things to fight than “just” the big bad aliens. For instance an incompetent commanding officer and a few stereotypes about military bureaucracy and the you-cannot-touch-your-commanding-office-no-matter-how-much-damage-he-causes mentality among the upper echelons.
Apart from the introduction of the characters and setting up of the scenario the book pretty much takes off with a first contact scenario. I always like those. If you read the book blurb you know that this first contact does develop a few issues, as in things getting seriously fucked up, interstellar war kind of fucked up, and this time the old enemies, the Tadpoles, are on the same wrong end of the stick as the humans.
One thing, of many, that I liked with this book was that the ship our hero is stationed on is not a small stealthy one or a exploration ship or some other ship which can do little but sneak around. This time we are talking about the biggest and “baddest” piece of military hardware that the humans have produced so far. Ark Royal with all the new toys that the humans have developed. It is clobber time! Of course it would not be much of a start of a new story arc if the bad guys did not have some nasty toys themselves so both sides got to do some clobbering.
As usual with a book by Christopher Nuttall, there are plenty of interesting characters, the setup is quite good and it is a well done story in general. I do like our new hero and quite a few of the other characters around here. There were not really that many unlikable characters except for the incompetent commander of course.
The new aliens are, so far, quite a bit of a mystery which adds a bit to the suspense in the book. Needless to say they are somewhat prone to diplomacy by violence though.
The book ends in quite a bit of a cliffhanger. That is the part of the book that I was not overly thrilled about. Our hero has pretty much saved the day, or at least prevented a total disaster but of course the useless “politicians” and career seekers in the upper echelons of the military do not see it that way. I cannot say that it was much of a surprise cliffhanger though. The story pretty much built itself up to this part. Still, it gave a bit of an aaaarrrggghhh feeling.
Cliffhanger or no cliffhanger, this is a good story and the book has set the stage for what I hope will be another enjoyable story arc from Christopher Nuttall. I do hope that the nonsense in the cliffhanger ending gets sorted expediently early on in the next book so that we can get on with the “real” story.
May 30, 2016
This is book seven in the Ark Royal Series. HMS Vanguard is the most powerful battleship build by the Royal Navy. Each of the books in this series features a ship starting with the old obsolete ship HMS Arch Royal. The last book featured HMS Warspite; the Navy has taken lessons learned and built the mighty HMS Vanguard. As in the other books there is a problem with the commanding officer and an unhappy crew. The Captain has mental problems, the XO went AWOL and our hero, Susan, is the newly assigned XO. As Susan is trying to figure out what is wrong with the ship and what to do, a new alien species is discovered and Vanguard is sent as part of the fleet to attempt to meet the aliens. Vanguard suddenly finds herself at war with the new alien species; thankfully the Tadpoles are allies in this war.
Nuttall usually has some interesting characters in his books and this story is no exception. The author has managed to keep information about the new aliens limited and that helps build more suspense. This is the first book in this series to feature a black woman in the leading role. Nuttall has always featured strong, competent women in his books. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Ralph Lister does an adequate job narrating the story.
Nuttall usually has some interesting characters in his books and this story is no exception. The author has managed to keep information about the new aliens limited and that helps build more suspense. This is the first book in this series to feature a black woman in the leading role. Nuttall has always featured strong, competent women in his books. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Ralph Lister does an adequate job narrating the story.
June 28, 2017
It is 10yrs since the events at Vesy, and the war between the British and the Indians. As a result of this conflict, and the successful testing of the Warspite platform, the Royal Navy decided to embark on the Vanguard program. This was to be the building of a new class of warship to protect British and potentially Human interests in the face of continued threats from both Aliens and after the Indian affair internal threats as well.
In this book, the Vanguard has been completed, and she is a massive battleship, no real fighter capability, as there seems to be discussion about the relevance of fighters anymore, but with so much firepower and armour that she can destroy most other ships with a single shot, and hold her own against nearly anything.
Even though the story has moved 10yrs on, it is still clear that this series has become in part, a story following the Fitzwilliam family. In this particular book, we meet George, a young Midshipwoman, who has joined the Navy at the earliest possible age and after graduating with her friend, is posted to the Vanguard. George, which is actually short for Georgina, but she hates the name, is James Fitzwilliam’s niece, and Percy and Penny’s cousin.
It is one of the really clever aspects, one of the really human sides of this story, in which Nuttall has made us a part of the Fitzwilliam family, continuing to care for the welfare of the members of the family and having an interest in what happens with each generation of the family through successive years.
The other great aspect of iterating through various members of the family is that we have also experienced the roles that they have had close up. Through James we saw the command, CIC and Bridge operations, through Percy, we have seen the role of the Marine and Special Forces and through Penny, we have seen the life of the Reporter and a Civilian in the times of war. Now through George, we get to see what the junior ranks have to suffer with as they start out.
The Characters are exceptional, from the aspiring XO, the freaky Captain, through to the midshipwoman struggling to cope with her new role. His characters are incredibly well thought out, well designed, with strong dialogue to keep us, the reader entertained, but to also keep the story real.
Nuttall has obviously done some research on what it is like on real Navy vessels to give some real feel and believability to his characters as these elements of the story were exceptionally well written.
The other main character in this book is Susan, the new XO of the ship. With little time to prepare for her new posting given the unusual circumstances of how she is brought onto the Vanguard, she soon finds that the ship is not all she was told, or is even remotely ready for.
To make matters even worse for her, not far out into her first cruise, the Vanguard is re-deployed after a message is received that a new alien race has been found.
And from there, the story evolves into one of Christopher Nuttall’s true masterpieces.
There is lots of action, and the Vanguard gets to be tested. Nuttall writes the most incredible battle scenes, so intense and so detailed that you feel that you are sitting either on the bridge or in the cockpit of a fighter.
The one thing I really like about his writing is that he doesn’t drag out the combat scenes into massive big battles for chapters.
As with the other books, Vanguard continues to have a strong political focus, bringing an extra level of interest to the stories. There are multiple plots running through these stories, with the command crew, some secondary crew and then the political intrigues that are running as well. It adds so much depth to the story, making it so much more interesting.
The Ark Royal series continues to be one of the best Military Sci-Fi series out there today, and if you want a good series to read, this is the one. This is book 7, and the series is only getting stronger, that’s how good it is.
In this book, the Vanguard has been completed, and she is a massive battleship, no real fighter capability, as there seems to be discussion about the relevance of fighters anymore, but with so much firepower and armour that she can destroy most other ships with a single shot, and hold her own against nearly anything.
Even though the story has moved 10yrs on, it is still clear that this series has become in part, a story following the Fitzwilliam family. In this particular book, we meet George, a young Midshipwoman, who has joined the Navy at the earliest possible age and after graduating with her friend, is posted to the Vanguard. George, which is actually short for Georgina, but she hates the name, is James Fitzwilliam’s niece, and Percy and Penny’s cousin.
It is one of the really clever aspects, one of the really human sides of this story, in which Nuttall has made us a part of the Fitzwilliam family, continuing to care for the welfare of the members of the family and having an interest in what happens with each generation of the family through successive years.
The other great aspect of iterating through various members of the family is that we have also experienced the roles that they have had close up. Through James we saw the command, CIC and Bridge operations, through Percy, we have seen the role of the Marine and Special Forces and through Penny, we have seen the life of the Reporter and a Civilian in the times of war. Now through George, we get to see what the junior ranks have to suffer with as they start out.
The Characters are exceptional, from the aspiring XO, the freaky Captain, through to the midshipwoman struggling to cope with her new role. His characters are incredibly well thought out, well designed, with strong dialogue to keep us, the reader entertained, but to also keep the story real.
Nuttall has obviously done some research on what it is like on real Navy vessels to give some real feel and believability to his characters as these elements of the story were exceptionally well written.
The other main character in this book is Susan, the new XO of the ship. With little time to prepare for her new posting given the unusual circumstances of how she is brought onto the Vanguard, she soon finds that the ship is not all she was told, or is even remotely ready for.
To make matters even worse for her, not far out into her first cruise, the Vanguard is re-deployed after a message is received that a new alien race has been found.
And from there, the story evolves into one of Christopher Nuttall’s true masterpieces.
There is lots of action, and the Vanguard gets to be tested. Nuttall writes the most incredible battle scenes, so intense and so detailed that you feel that you are sitting either on the bridge or in the cockpit of a fighter.
The one thing I really like about his writing is that he doesn’t drag out the combat scenes into massive big battles for chapters.
As with the other books, Vanguard continues to have a strong political focus, bringing an extra level of interest to the stories. There are multiple plots running through these stories, with the command crew, some secondary crew and then the political intrigues that are running as well. It adds so much depth to the story, making it so much more interesting.
The Ark Royal series continues to be one of the best Military Sci-Fi series out there today, and if you want a good series to read, this is the one. This is book 7, and the series is only getting stronger, that’s how good it is.
September 1, 2020
It's been a while since I read #6 but it didn't take long to get back up to speed. The series takes up the story 7 years after #6 so there are very few common characters from either of the first 2 trilogies, and those that remain are well enough fleshed out that you don't need to have read the previous books to get a feel for who they are.
The storyline is the same but different to the first trilogy - alien first contact that goes horribly wrong. This time though, the enemy isn't quite as different to the original adversaries (who are now allies and also get their bottoms kicked) and the battle hardware is better adapted for more varied eventualities. There's also a number of political intrigues and below-decks stories to provide variation from the main plot line. Overall another good book from CGN, but it also suffers from the same repetitive niggles as the previous trilogies....
The thing that annoys me the most is the formatting. Paragraphs don't just start on a new line, they have a blank line between them so it feels like each new paragraph is actually a change of subject (like when you flick to another character elsewhere). It's very confusing and takes some adjusting to. Actual subject changes within a chapter are separated by a line of asterisks so there is clarity there, but a slight change to the formatting would make the book that much more readable.
Another annoyance is the over-reliance on office politics and old boys networks. Much is made of people losing their careers if they make the slightest mistake - relieving the captain of command is seen as a career-ender no matter how legitimate the reasoning. If you stay as a midshipman for more than X amount of years, you'll never get promoted. If you don't have the right friends and connections, no amount of ability will get you to the top and likewise, the right friends and connections will make sure the inept make it to the top. Whilst it adds a layer of drama to the personal storylines, it's so unbelievable that the armed forces 100 years from now will have reverted to the way ranks were given out up until the early 1800's, where privilege meant more than experience.
The storyline is the same but different to the first trilogy - alien first contact that goes horribly wrong. This time though, the enemy isn't quite as different to the original adversaries (who are now allies and also get their bottoms kicked) and the battle hardware is better adapted for more varied eventualities. There's also a number of political intrigues and below-decks stories to provide variation from the main plot line. Overall another good book from CGN, but it also suffers from the same repetitive niggles as the previous trilogies....
The thing that annoys me the most is the formatting. Paragraphs don't just start on a new line, they have a blank line between them so it feels like each new paragraph is actually a change of subject (like when you flick to another character elsewhere). It's very confusing and takes some adjusting to. Actual subject changes within a chapter are separated by a line of asterisks so there is clarity there, but a slight change to the formatting would make the book that much more readable.
Another annoyance is the over-reliance on office politics and old boys networks. Much is made of people losing their careers if they make the slightest mistake - relieving the captain of command is seen as a career-ender no matter how legitimate the reasoning. If you stay as a midshipman for more than X amount of years, you'll never get promoted. If you don't have the right friends and connections, no amount of ability will get you to the top and likewise, the right friends and connections will make sure the inept make it to the top. Whilst it adds a layer of drama to the personal storylines, it's so unbelievable that the armed forces 100 years from now will have reverted to the way ranks were given out up until the early 1800's, where privilege meant more than experience.
March 30, 2023
Average
This will contain spoilers for the series
Honestly, this feels just like a rehash of the last 2 trilogies. We follow mostly brand new characters with all of the ones we came to care about let to the wayside like they never existed. It made sense after the first trilogy when the majority of the main characters died, but there was no reason why we couldn't follow the characters from the warspite trilogy.
At this point we are just rehashing the same story that was told when they first encountered the tadpoles, except *gasp* there's two at once.
Space battles that should be dramatic feel extremely hollow, the characters are dreadful, and the plot doesn't make any tactical sense.
This is definitely a few steps backwards when compared to the previous trilogies, I hope the next book is better
This will contain spoilers for the series
Honestly, this feels just like a rehash of the last 2 trilogies. We follow mostly brand new characters with all of the ones we came to care about let to the wayside like they never existed. It made sense after the first trilogy when the majority of the main characters died, but there was no reason why we couldn't follow the characters from the warspite trilogy.
At this point we are just rehashing the same story that was told when they first encountered the tadpoles, except *gasp* there's two at once.
Space battles that should be dramatic feel extremely hollow, the characters are dreadful, and the plot doesn't make any tactical sense.
This is definitely a few steps backwards when compared to the previous trilogies, I hope the next book is better
August 5, 2022
This was a typical naval story, albeit one set in space. It was the usual mix of new ship, problematic captain, and XO/First officer who is put in an unenviable position and probably can't do right for doing wrong.
Pulled from war games early the Vanguard is sent off to join the Tadpoles on a first contact mission after a survey ship discovers a system with what seems to be space travelling capable inhabitants. Whilst there is nothing overtly new in the book and the story moves along what might be considered somewhat predictable lines it is still a good addition to the Ark Royal series and I am certainly looking forward to the next instalment to hear how the crew fair in the aftermath.
Pulled from war games early the Vanguard is sent off to join the Tadpoles on a first contact mission after a survey ship discovers a system with what seems to be space travelling capable inhabitants. Whilst there is nothing overtly new in the book and the story moves along what might be considered somewhat predictable lines it is still a good addition to the Ark Royal series and I am certainly looking forward to the next instalment to hear how the crew fair in the aftermath.
October 26, 2018
Another fast paced adventure!!
I liked this book better than the last one because there seemed to be a lot more action. There will probably be more books coming out about Vanguard and her crew. I also liked the conflict between the first midshipman and Fitzwilliam. Who will be the Captain of Vanguard when she goes back into action??
I liked this book better than the last one because there seemed to be a lot more action. There will probably be more books coming out about Vanguard and her crew. I also liked the conflict between the first midshipman and Fitzwilliam. Who will be the Captain of Vanguard when she goes back into action??
January 9, 2022
Military SciFi within the British Navy tradition. Begs the question, is mutiny ever justified to save the ship, protect the fleet, and win the battle? The social burdens of both outsiders and hereditary privilege are explored. Some pursue social climbing while others seek success on personal merit. But do the meritorious always win? Christopher Nuttall is a favorite author. Always worth the read.
August 15, 2023
I can’t believe this is the same author. This writing is reminiscent of recent Paramount or Disney. The previous books had competent, hard nosed crew in a brutal era. This one had whiny snowflakes that triumphed over the inexplicably incompetent patriarchy. The story also lacked originality and believability.
I’m hoping it’s some sort of experiment or private joke and that the author returns to his previous style.
I’m hoping it’s some sort of experiment or private joke and that the author returns to his previous style.
September 22, 2017
Great addition
The practical reality of civilizations meeting and descending to war is believable on its merit alone. Vanguard's experiences in this story feel real. A Damn good story. I'll be launching into the sequel as soon as I finish this review.
The practical reality of civilizations meeting and descending to war is believable on its merit alone. Vanguard's experiences in this story feel real. A Damn good story. I'll be launching into the sequel as soon as I finish this review.
December 1, 2018
This book is enjoyable
This book is on par with book wot the Ark Royal trilogy. If you liked Ark Royal, I believe you will like this one just as much. As with Ark Royal, the setup is extensive but necessary with a good pay off.
This book is on par with book wot the Ark Royal trilogy. If you liked Ark Royal, I believe you will like this one just as much. As with Ark Royal, the setup is extensive but necessary with a good pay off.
May 31, 2023
Very good overall
Except when the politics starts, of course we all have to deal with politicians, but at my age I
Choose to ignore the mostly lies for their own advancement. No mater what the cost. As for the rest,
very good reading. engaging characters.
Except when the politics starts, of course we all have to deal with politicians, but at my age I
Choose to ignore the mostly lies for their own advancement. No mater what the cost. As for the rest,
very good reading. engaging characters.
July 13, 2017
Great read
This is shaping up to be the best trilogy yet of the Ark Royal series, I hope there's lots more to come
This is shaping up to be the best trilogy yet of the Ark Royal series, I hope there's lots more to come
October 3, 2018
Thought this series couldn't get better. It does!
February 11, 2019
Excellent
Get me to book 8 quick. This book was so good I don't even want to take the time to write a formal review.
Get me to book 8 quick. This book was so good I don't even want to take the time to write a formal review.
May 31, 2018
I liked these books. They're not awesome, but they're enjoyable and inclusive. It's British, not American, and that's nice. Proud and rooted in it's culture, but without the comic book, jingoistic overtones.
September 16, 2016
Review of Vanguard
I have liked the Ark Royal from the beginning. Admiral Smith had some tough times on the old Ark Royal and with himself but came out a hero and forced the Tadpoles to the table. The first 3 books were great.
I didn't like the second 3 books as much but in many ways I blame myself, as an American, for not fully understanding the Indian vs English issues. It can be said that there are deep rooted issues today, and likely into the future between these two cultures. Not taking sides....just saying.
The Vanguard books are more like the original Ark Royal ones. Mankind is faced with a new alien threat but these new aliens are much more aggressive than the Tadpoles. This first book was great and I am already on the second one. It was good to be reacquainted with old friends, like Prince Henry, Georgina Fitzwillams, and Susan Ocarina. I liked the side story of Georgina and the First Middy. As a former military person, it can take a lot of effort to earn the respect of your peers. A good read.
I have liked the Ark Royal from the beginning. Admiral Smith had some tough times on the old Ark Royal and with himself but came out a hero and forced the Tadpoles to the table. The first 3 books were great.
I didn't like the second 3 books as much but in many ways I blame myself, as an American, for not fully understanding the Indian vs English issues. It can be said that there are deep rooted issues today, and likely into the future between these two cultures. Not taking sides....just saying.
The Vanguard books are more like the original Ark Royal ones. Mankind is faced with a new alien threat but these new aliens are much more aggressive than the Tadpoles. This first book was great and I am already on the second one. It was good to be reacquainted with old friends, like Prince Henry, Georgina Fitzwillams, and Susan Ocarina. I liked the side story of Georgina and the First Middy. As a former military person, it can take a lot of effort to earn the respect of your peers. A good read.
January 14, 2017
This review will be posted with each book in the Ark Royal series with separate ratings for the individual books as I found them.
Christopher Nuttal is one of my favourite authors. I enjoy his plots and characters equally and, with the exception of his fantasy novels, I read whatever I can find. And he is prolific.
Ark Royal is the first book in a great series. So far, it goes on for 9 books in three separate trilogies. The first and last trilogy are the best but the other three are worth reading. For the most part, the stories contain a number of characters that are well developed with heroic aspects as well as the fatal flaws. The reader gets to know them well. The action is fast paced and contains a healthy dose of space opera and military on-the-ground action.
You often end up with a sense of loss but with the feeling that it is all worthwhile.
Christopher Nuttal is one of my favourite authors. I enjoy his plots and characters equally and, with the exception of his fantasy novels, I read whatever I can find. And he is prolific.
Ark Royal is the first book in a great series. So far, it goes on for 9 books in three separate trilogies. The first and last trilogy are the best but the other three are worth reading. For the most part, the stories contain a number of characters that are well developed with heroic aspects as well as the fatal flaws. The reader gets to know them well. The action is fast paced and contains a healthy dose of space opera and military on-the-ground action.
You often end up with a sense of loss but with the feeling that it is all worthwhile.
May 24, 2016
Can I have some more, please ??
Book 7 in the Ark Royal universe gets off to a slow start, as is typical of a first book of a new trilogy. The story centers around humanity's first true interstellar battleship, her new XO, and several kiddies. We're ten years after the "Warspite" trilogy, so there's new ground to explore the changes.
And then the speed picks up and just keeps accelerating from there. The only familiar faces are Prince Henry and his wife Janelle, who we met in the first trilogy, and Admiral Fitzwilliam, who is off-stage. There are several unsolved mysteries, and, of course, Nuttall has left us with one of his trademark "Chrishangers".....
Looking forward to the next volume....
Book 7 in the Ark Royal universe gets off to a slow start, as is typical of a first book of a new trilogy. The story centers around humanity's first true interstellar battleship, her new XO, and several kiddies. We're ten years after the "Warspite" trilogy, so there's new ground to explore the changes.
And then the speed picks up and just keeps accelerating from there. The only familiar faces are Prince Henry and his wife Janelle, who we met in the first trilogy, and Admiral Fitzwilliam, who is off-stage. There are several unsolved mysteries, and, of course, Nuttall has left us with one of his trademark "Chrishangers".....
Looking forward to the next volume....
February 3, 2016
Excellent read
Nuttall writes very well much of the time, and this is one of those times. Not quite to the standard of Empire Corps (which I think is some of his best writing), but up there. Better in my mind than the other books in the Ark Royal series, tighter writing and good character development. Reminded me at times of Weber's Harrington series, as well as of some of Drake's work.
I'll be looking forward to the next installment.
Nuttall writes very well much of the time, and this is one of those times. Not quite to the standard of Empire Corps (which I think is some of his best writing), but up there. Better in my mind than the other books in the Ark Royal series, tighter writing and good character development. Reminded me at times of Weber's Harrington series, as well as of some of Drake's work.
I'll be looking forward to the next installment.
February 15, 2016
This book takes place in the Arc Royal universe, but it does largely stand alone. There are more interesting characters. They aren't all fully developed, but there is a strong foundation built for most of them to grow upon.
The pacing and action are brisk although I was a little disappointed with the end (no spoilers). Overall another solid entry from Nuttall and again he has me waiting for another.
The pacing and action are brisk although I was a little disappointed with the end (no spoilers). Overall another solid entry from Nuttall and again he has me waiting for another.
March 22, 2016
Good continuation
If you like neat books that end. Than his is not the right series for you. Habit seeing as how this is book 7 then you should already know.
This book was entertaining. It has big wholes in plot or at least story development. But they don't detract to much from the fun.
A good addition to what is worthy series.
Enjoy
If you like neat books that end. Than his is not the right series for you. Habit seeing as how this is book 7 then you should already know.
This book was entertaining. It has big wholes in plot or at least story development. But they don't detract to much from the fun.
A good addition to what is worthy series.
Enjoy
February 9, 2016
First book in a new trilogy - slow start but it builds up so you cant wait until the next installment!
Ive always enjoyed this universe of a British Military SciFi... this is book no. 7 !
roll on the next installment!!
Ive always enjoyed this universe of a British Military SciFi... this is book no. 7 !
roll on the next installment!!
May 12, 2016
What a start
This book has given us the readers a great follow up in the Ark Royal series. Yes we have a new ship and crew, but non the lest it's a great start. I very much hope that we will see more of the crew as earth and her allies take on the new enemy at the door.
This book has given us the readers a great follow up in the Ark Royal series. Yes we have a new ship and crew, but non the lest it's a great start. I very much hope that we will see more of the crew as earth and her allies take on the new enemy at the door.
March 7, 2016
Enjoyable
Unfortunately, Ark Royal is the only book prior to this that I have been able to read but Christopher Nuttal is an excellent author.
Unfortunately, Ark Royal is the only book prior to this that I have been able to read but Christopher Nuttal is an excellent author.
Read
August 9, 2016Great continuation. On to the next one.
August 5, 2016
A good edition to the Ark Royal universe with a mostly new set of characters, sure this sort of story has been done to death but you can't beat a bit of space opera.
August 22, 2016
Well written and enjoyable as always. My only real problem with the book is a plot point that I won't spoil but I just did not buy and it made me dislike one of the main characters.
January 7, 2017
Nuttal knows navy. Vanguard is more than alien encounters and space battles; it's perfectly describes the essence of life in the Navy. Brilliant story, love the series.
April 24, 2017
I have enjoyed all of Christopher Nuttall's stories so far, I am not over fond of some of his particular writing quirks, cliched 'Britishness' and strangely old fashioned notions of race and gender but the overall stories are always interesting and he writes at such a prolific rate you never seem to have to wait long for a sequel.
I think this book is one of the stronger in the series.
I think this book is one of the stronger in the series.
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