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Empire of Bones Saga #5
Paying the Price
No good deed goes unpunished…
Admiral Jared Mertz and Princess Kelsey Bandar saved billions of lives and staved off an invasion of the Terran Empire, but not everyone is cheering their success. Their triumphant return sets off a chain of events that threaten not only their lives, but everyone they hold dear.
Crown Prince Ethan Bandar, heir to the Imperial Throne, will stop at nothing to claim his birthright. He won’t allow anyone to stand between him and ultimate power. Not his sister. Not his half-brother. Not even his father.
Kelsey, Jared, and their battle-hardened allies must fight to survive his insidious attacks and race to stop a looming civil war. With the future of humanity on the line, can they save the world they love from blood and fire?
Admiral Jared Mertz and Princess Kelsey Bandar saved billions of lives and staved off an invasion of the Terran Empire, but not everyone is cheering their success. Their triumphant return sets off a chain of events that threaten not only their lives, but everyone they hold dear.
Crown Prince Ethan Bandar, heir to the Imperial Throne, will stop at nothing to claim his birthright. He won’t allow anyone to stand between him and ultimate power. Not his sister. Not his half-brother. Not even his father.
Kelsey, Jared, and their battle-hardened allies must fight to survive his insidious attacks and race to stop a looming civil war. With the future of humanity on the line, can they save the world they love from blood and fire?
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 11, 2016
478 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Terry Mixon
88 books299 followers#1 Bestselling Military Science Fiction author Terry Mixon served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army 101st Airborne Division. He later worked alongside the flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at the NASA Johnson Space Center supporting the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and other human spaceflight projects.
He now writes full time while living in Texas with his lovely wife and a pounce of cats.
He now writes full time while living in Texas with his lovely wife and a pounce of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 14, 2018
I love how each book builds on the previous events yet it is its own story. This is not a repeat of what we've already read, it's more. This is what keeps me thirsty for this series, along with the amazing characters and writing.
****FULL REVIEW****
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Veronica is a favorite narrator for me. She speaks clear with possession of each word. She voices each character with different tones, sounds, and even accents to differentiate each one for us. This is a blessing in audio with a larger cast of characters. Even to give an AI feel to some voices is an addition to the many talents Veronica has. Veronica breaths life into these character with each word she speaks.
It's been a little while since I finished the previous book. The beginning chapter was to get us caught back up with who's who and what the "plan" is to work towards. It seemed to happen quick with reacquainting myself with the names of characters, ships, and worlds or stations. I just made notes and went for the ride, I'd get them all back in line as we go because I trust Terry's writing. He's organized in a fashion that makes it easy to keep this large cast in order. I was correct to follow Terry. Terry ironed any questions I had quickly and people fell into place for me.
Was I to be making notes while listening for a review?!? Um... That's one thing with Terry's writing and world here, I get sucked into the beautiful universe and forget to breathe. Seriously, the things these character live through are amazing.
So, I got drawn in when we found a station orbiting a black hole. When a few of our characters find their way in, it gets worrisome on whether they will get out. Lets put that worry on the back burner for a moment because I love what we find here! Though, if you are this far in the series, you know Jared and his crew members are not going to wait and see with their friends locked in this station, so you can't forget about that worry. Then there's the project that Carl Owlet was working on before this happens. Totally cool! It's like Thor's hammer, all done with technology. Goodness is this cool! It's also more than a powerful weapon.
Oh you just have to read/listen to this story to get it!
I love that while the characters get tripped up on a few stones as they are readying to venture home, the thread of the ultimate goal of the day is not lost. There is a character that is not involved in the current dilemma that is working for the next - when Jared returns home and Crown Prince Ethan Bandar is approached. Yeah, that's not going to go over well...
When we return home, it's exciting to see the responses from all parties. We also get brief reminders of what's happened to everyone, what they've lived through, and what can be coming their way. Being the 5th book in the series, I think this was a great way to remind us of what we've seen. Though, Terry does NOT repeat everything by word. We are reminded of major events and it all comes rushing back in our minds.
I love how each book builds on the previous events yet it is its own story. This is not a repeat of what we've already read, it's more. This is what keeps me thirsty for this series, along with the amazing characters and writing.
If you haven't guessed, I'm TOTALLY ready for the next book and will gladly continue with this series until the end.
****FULL REVIEW****
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Veronica is a favorite narrator for me. She speaks clear with possession of each word. She voices each character with different tones, sounds, and even accents to differentiate each one for us. This is a blessing in audio with a larger cast of characters. Even to give an AI feel to some voices is an addition to the many talents Veronica has. Veronica breaths life into these character with each word she speaks.
It's been a little while since I finished the previous book. The beginning chapter was to get us caught back up with who's who and what the "plan" is to work towards. It seemed to happen quick with reacquainting myself with the names of characters, ships, and worlds or stations. I just made notes and went for the ride, I'd get them all back in line as we go because I trust Terry's writing. He's organized in a fashion that makes it easy to keep this large cast in order. I was correct to follow Terry. Terry ironed any questions I had quickly and people fell into place for me.
Was I to be making notes while listening for a review?!? Um... That's one thing with Terry's writing and world here, I get sucked into the beautiful universe and forget to breathe. Seriously, the things these character live through are amazing.
So, I got drawn in when we found a station orbiting a black hole. When a few of our characters find their way in, it gets worrisome on whether they will get out. Lets put that worry on the back burner for a moment because I love what we find here! Though, if you are this far in the series, you know Jared and his crew members are not going to wait and see with their friends locked in this station, so you can't forget about that worry. Then there's the project that Carl Owlet was working on before this happens. Totally cool! It's like Thor's hammer, all done with technology. Goodness is this cool! It's also more than a powerful weapon.
Oh you just have to read/listen to this story to get it!
I love that while the characters get tripped up on a few stones as they are readying to venture home, the thread of the ultimate goal of the day is not lost. There is a character that is not involved in the current dilemma that is working for the next - when Jared returns home and Crown Prince Ethan Bandar is approached. Yeah, that's not going to go over well...
When we return home, it's exciting to see the responses from all parties. We also get brief reminders of what's happened to everyone, what they've lived through, and what can be coming their way. Being the 5th book in the series, I think this was a great way to remind us of what we've seen. Though, Terry does NOT repeat everything by word. We are reminded of major events and it all comes rushing back in our minds.
I love how each book builds on the previous events yet it is its own story. This is not a repeat of what we've already read, it's more. This is what keeps me thirsty for this series, along with the amazing characters and writing.
If you haven't guessed, I'm TOTALLY ready for the next book and will gladly continue with this series until the end.
March 18, 2021
Due to character limitations, my full review would not fit. You can read my thoughts in their entirety on my website.
https://jrhandley.com/2019/10/22/book...
Overall:
I really loved this book, though it wasn’t my favorite novel in this series. It was a lot of fun to read, which is what I love about this universe. It is worth mentioning again, I’ve read these novels multiple times and never once felt like it was a waste of time. They brought back the era of pulp science fiction that started the genre we know and love. This novel harkened back to what I loved about space opera and followed the first novel in this series. The vibe of this story was amazing, and I loved seeing where the adventurers would end up. I wanted to know what happened to the Terran Empire, and how they lost so quickly to the rebels that broke an intergalactic empire in several weeks. There were no deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun.
Like the other novels in this universe, the first thing that caught my eye was the cover. Okay, covers are the first thing that grabs us about any universe, but I digress. The spaceship on the cover is growing on me, and they’re well branded as a part of the same universe. The ship engaged in some sort of firefight over a planet, with lasers shooting down incoming rounds, really sings for me. It isn’t as flashy as the newest trend in science fiction book covers, but it has a charm all its own that harkens back to the pulp era prose which Terry Mixon writes. While I still prefer the ship from book three, Command Decisions, this ship is growing on me. Overall, the covers on this series are a better fit for the space opera market, but this one also managed to hit the space fleet subgenre of military science fiction genre as well. This isn’t a flaw of the series since the books fit into both genres, just an observation. Keep in mind, I’m colorblind, so your mileage may vary. Check them out, share your thoughts in the comments.
Since we’re talking about the production side of things, let’s talk about the audiobook quality. I listened to the book this time around, and Veronica Giguere did a great job. She nailed it again, she’s an auditory phenom to watch because this lady is going places! The audiobook was well done, and the accents were consistent. She didn’t bore you, or make you zone out because of her monotone or vocal fry. Her performance didn’t feel robotic like a machine was reading the novel to me. You’ll often see that from me because it’ll drag me out of a book so fast that I can’t listen to it anymore. With Veronica Giguere, it felt like a friend was sitting with me reading an amazing story that she couldn’t put down. I’m not sure how else to say how awesome her performance was so we’ll move onto the book itself!
Okay, so let’s knock my biggest complaint about this novel out in the first salvo. This book felt like a bridge novel, like a book whose sole purpose was to get from book 4 (Ghosts of Empire) to book 6 (Reconnaissance in Force). Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this book and love the series, but this one was definitely not my favorite in the series. It introduced some cool stuff that pays off in later books, but as its own entity, it felt like two novellas mushed together to cross the distance between to points on the map. However, despite this complaint, it’s telling that Terry Mixon can make a bridge novel entertaining.
Right, so on to the positive stuff… let me show you why I gave this book a solid four grenades. This novel created an awesome adventure inside a cool space station. I’d love to dive into the nitty-gritty with you but then I’d cross the line into spoiler territory. The setting was flushed out, and everything was explained in a way that made sense. The universe was consistent, even while the mystery was intentionally inconsistent enough to make the story entertaining. There was just enough of the mundane facets of life thrown in the world that it felt grounded in this reality Granted, a handwavium reality, but reality all the same. Everything made sense and sucked you into the story. Some of the details seemed inconsequential, but those hooks just make me think that the larger universe will continue to grow and expand. This is, and has been, one of Terry Mixon’s literary strengths.
Okay, on to the action side of this little shindig! There was combat of the close quarters variety in the second half of the book. It was a bit low on the descriptions, which made it hard to envision. The action was fluid, but I’m not sure how that would translate to someone without the training I received in the infantry. This combat scene was good, if you compare it broadly to science fiction but it’s not Terry’s best. If this was my first exposure to the author, I probably would’ve been impressed but I know he’s capable of doing better. This could’ve been improved by adding in more setting details here, spending the words to help me envision the action, but I preach that gospel often enough I’ll move on! My more general complaint from this book was how ungrounded in the setting the combat felt. It was well within the boundaries for the space opera subgenre but missed the mark from a military science fiction perspective. To summarize my thoughts on this one, I’ll say that it doesn’t rise to the standard Terry has set but it was a solid 4 out of 5 grenades.
One place where this book shines for me was where we get to see the space fleets in action. The ship’s onboard enlisted crew take charge when necessary, much like you expect if that situation happened in today’s modern military. The few enlisted sailors we see aren’t cardboard cutouts, living tropes or cartoonish in any way. They’re real men and women, despite being mostly secondary characters who only exist on the periphery. If I would make that suggestion for Terry, it would be to see more from his petty officers and junior sailors. Even when these people being largely faceless, you felt for them when they fought against impossible odds to protect the country they swore to protect. Maybe I’m projecting… being a combat veteran too, but Terry made you care about these sailors.
Just so we don’t dwell on the negative, let me point out one area where Terry Mixon excels. This was a fun adventure story, with lots of action but doesn’t weigh you down with chapters of boring meetings. You know that the logistics happen in the background, that the engines are powered with handwavium, and that’s okay because the story is fun. With each book, we’re left hanging and wanting more from this immersive universe. He draws you into the story so much, that I sometimes struggle to remember the details for these reviews. Without a bad thing, it’s exactly what you want when you’re reading to escape. These books are unashamedly literary popcorn that doesn’t weigh you down with modern-day politics. I love that about Terry’s books. I read to escape, and he doesn’t preach at you, sermonize, or do any of the stuff that keeps you grounded in the here and now.
Another place where Terry Mixon shines brighter than a nova is how he handles the logistical side of his adventure stories. One of the things that enjoyed about this novel was that logistics were considered. We don’t dwell on them, but the characters did seem to run out of supplies and personnel. In fact, this was a central plot point for their journey back to New Terran Empire space. Terry doesn’t dwell on it, but several casual mentions that they’d packed for a journey of several years was enough. Further, he has the sailors worried when they’re low on consumable military tech; missiles and bullets, etc. One place where I feel like he could’ve done more was with regards to the staffing of his vessels. The New Terran Fleet ends up with a critical lack of personnel for the vessels captured in combat. This was briefly addressed with them borrowing sailors from Harrison’s World and Pentagar, but then these facts are never really mentioned again. I believe we should of had more face time with the lower enlisted from the various parties to address this. Otherwise, no logistical detail was forgotten or taken for granted. It cemented that little attention to detail, making me love this series even more.
Another place where this novel shined was with the pacing. The political maneuverings were intense and believable. The characters responded as you’d expect in those circumstances. Terry kept the story moving along, constantly introducing new complications just when they’d come to some sort of resolution to the old one. I scratched my head trying to figure out how to explain this better, but I couldn’t find a solution that didn’t go into spoiler territory. In this novel, Terry kept the story moving along, illustrating the political chaos with combat going on in the background. This worked for me, so hats off to the author.
Finally, I didn’t really find any grammatical or technical issues with this book. In fairness, I listened to this one on this round. But I’ve read the book and listened to the audiobook several times and never noticed any serious issues. This production values for this book were well done and the story was compelling. Terry’s one of the shining stars of science fiction authors everywhere, you should check it out. This book was leaps and bounds above most of what’s out there! I was hooked from the first page because he wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into the page and join the party. Some of that was because I’m already invested in this world, but if you’ve been following me, you already know that. Basically, this novel had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 4 out of 5 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out, you won’t regret it! Well, unless you decide to join Commander Jared Mertz as he jumps through the flip points into the unknown. And you after you enlist or take a commission, get kitted up, you realize that the god of your world is a dick. He’s an evil jerk that likes to send men with guns after you. In a rush to stand a fighting chance, you decide to try some old empire implants. But you clicked the wrong button and added a computer virus into your brainpan. What could possibly go wrong? Well yeah, I guess this could be bad for you. Or maybe you’ll be okay? I mean, you could be the first sailor to make it out of Terry’s insane world alive? On second thought, be warned, fanboy/fangirl syndrome just MIGHT kill you. Be wary, you were warned and if you have to go out like that at least enjoy the view from the end times!
https://jrhandley.com/2019/10/22/book...
Overall:
I really loved this book, though it wasn’t my favorite novel in this series. It was a lot of fun to read, which is what I love about this universe. It is worth mentioning again, I’ve read these novels multiple times and never once felt like it was a waste of time. They brought back the era of pulp science fiction that started the genre we know and love. This novel harkened back to what I loved about space opera and followed the first novel in this series. The vibe of this story was amazing, and I loved seeing where the adventurers would end up. I wanted to know what happened to the Terran Empire, and how they lost so quickly to the rebels that broke an intergalactic empire in several weeks. There were no deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun.
Like the other novels in this universe, the first thing that caught my eye was the cover. Okay, covers are the first thing that grabs us about any universe, but I digress. The spaceship on the cover is growing on me, and they’re well branded as a part of the same universe. The ship engaged in some sort of firefight over a planet, with lasers shooting down incoming rounds, really sings for me. It isn’t as flashy as the newest trend in science fiction book covers, but it has a charm all its own that harkens back to the pulp era prose which Terry Mixon writes. While I still prefer the ship from book three, Command Decisions, this ship is growing on me. Overall, the covers on this series are a better fit for the space opera market, but this one also managed to hit the space fleet subgenre of military science fiction genre as well. This isn’t a flaw of the series since the books fit into both genres, just an observation. Keep in mind, I’m colorblind, so your mileage may vary. Check them out, share your thoughts in the comments.
Since we’re talking about the production side of things, let’s talk about the audiobook quality. I listened to the book this time around, and Veronica Giguere did a great job. She nailed it again, she’s an auditory phenom to watch because this lady is going places! The audiobook was well done, and the accents were consistent. She didn’t bore you, or make you zone out because of her monotone or vocal fry. Her performance didn’t feel robotic like a machine was reading the novel to me. You’ll often see that from me because it’ll drag me out of a book so fast that I can’t listen to it anymore. With Veronica Giguere, it felt like a friend was sitting with me reading an amazing story that she couldn’t put down. I’m not sure how else to say how awesome her performance was so we’ll move onto the book itself!
Okay, so let’s knock my biggest complaint about this novel out in the first salvo. This book felt like a bridge novel, like a book whose sole purpose was to get from book 4 (Ghosts of Empire) to book 6 (Reconnaissance in Force). Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this book and love the series, but this one was definitely not my favorite in the series. It introduced some cool stuff that pays off in later books, but as its own entity, it felt like two novellas mushed together to cross the distance between to points on the map. However, despite this complaint, it’s telling that Terry Mixon can make a bridge novel entertaining.
Right, so on to the positive stuff… let me show you why I gave this book a solid four grenades. This novel created an awesome adventure inside a cool space station. I’d love to dive into the nitty-gritty with you but then I’d cross the line into spoiler territory. The setting was flushed out, and everything was explained in a way that made sense. The universe was consistent, even while the mystery was intentionally inconsistent enough to make the story entertaining. There was just enough of the mundane facets of life thrown in the world that it felt grounded in this reality Granted, a handwavium reality, but reality all the same. Everything made sense and sucked you into the story. Some of the details seemed inconsequential, but those hooks just make me think that the larger universe will continue to grow and expand. This is, and has been, one of Terry Mixon’s literary strengths.
Okay, on to the action side of this little shindig! There was combat of the close quarters variety in the second half of the book. It was a bit low on the descriptions, which made it hard to envision. The action was fluid, but I’m not sure how that would translate to someone without the training I received in the infantry. This combat scene was good, if you compare it broadly to science fiction but it’s not Terry’s best. If this was my first exposure to the author, I probably would’ve been impressed but I know he’s capable of doing better. This could’ve been improved by adding in more setting details here, spending the words to help me envision the action, but I preach that gospel often enough I’ll move on! My more general complaint from this book was how ungrounded in the setting the combat felt. It was well within the boundaries for the space opera subgenre but missed the mark from a military science fiction perspective. To summarize my thoughts on this one, I’ll say that it doesn’t rise to the standard Terry has set but it was a solid 4 out of 5 grenades.
One place where this book shines for me was where we get to see the space fleets in action. The ship’s onboard enlisted crew take charge when necessary, much like you expect if that situation happened in today’s modern military. The few enlisted sailors we see aren’t cardboard cutouts, living tropes or cartoonish in any way. They’re real men and women, despite being mostly secondary characters who only exist on the periphery. If I would make that suggestion for Terry, it would be to see more from his petty officers and junior sailors. Even when these people being largely faceless, you felt for them when they fought against impossible odds to protect the country they swore to protect. Maybe I’m projecting… being a combat veteran too, but Terry made you care about these sailors.
Just so we don’t dwell on the negative, let me point out one area where Terry Mixon excels. This was a fun adventure story, with lots of action but doesn’t weigh you down with chapters of boring meetings. You know that the logistics happen in the background, that the engines are powered with handwavium, and that’s okay because the story is fun. With each book, we’re left hanging and wanting more from this immersive universe. He draws you into the story so much, that I sometimes struggle to remember the details for these reviews. Without a bad thing, it’s exactly what you want when you’re reading to escape. These books are unashamedly literary popcorn that doesn’t weigh you down with modern-day politics. I love that about Terry’s books. I read to escape, and he doesn’t preach at you, sermonize, or do any of the stuff that keeps you grounded in the here and now.
Another place where Terry Mixon shines brighter than a nova is how he handles the logistical side of his adventure stories. One of the things that enjoyed about this novel was that logistics were considered. We don’t dwell on them, but the characters did seem to run out of supplies and personnel. In fact, this was a central plot point for their journey back to New Terran Empire space. Terry doesn’t dwell on it, but several casual mentions that they’d packed for a journey of several years was enough. Further, he has the sailors worried when they’re low on consumable military tech; missiles and bullets, etc. One place where I feel like he could’ve done more was with regards to the staffing of his vessels. The New Terran Fleet ends up with a critical lack of personnel for the vessels captured in combat. This was briefly addressed with them borrowing sailors from Harrison’s World and Pentagar, but then these facts are never really mentioned again. I believe we should of had more face time with the lower enlisted from the various parties to address this. Otherwise, no logistical detail was forgotten or taken for granted. It cemented that little attention to detail, making me love this series even more.
Another place where this novel shined was with the pacing. The political maneuverings were intense and believable. The characters responded as you’d expect in those circumstances. Terry kept the story moving along, constantly introducing new complications just when they’d come to some sort of resolution to the old one. I scratched my head trying to figure out how to explain this better, but I couldn’t find a solution that didn’t go into spoiler territory. In this novel, Terry kept the story moving along, illustrating the political chaos with combat going on in the background. This worked for me, so hats off to the author.
Finally, I didn’t really find any grammatical or technical issues with this book. In fairness, I listened to this one on this round. But I’ve read the book and listened to the audiobook several times and never noticed any serious issues. This production values for this book were well done and the story was compelling. Terry’s one of the shining stars of science fiction authors everywhere, you should check it out. This book was leaps and bounds above most of what’s out there! I was hooked from the first page because he wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into the page and join the party. Some of that was because I’m already invested in this world, but if you’ve been following me, you already know that. Basically, this novel had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 4 out of 5 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out, you won’t regret it! Well, unless you decide to join Commander Jared Mertz as he jumps through the flip points into the unknown. And you after you enlist or take a commission, get kitted up, you realize that the god of your world is a dick. He’s an evil jerk that likes to send men with guns after you. In a rush to stand a fighting chance, you decide to try some old empire implants. But you clicked the wrong button and added a computer virus into your brainpan. What could possibly go wrong? Well yeah, I guess this could be bad for you. Or maybe you’ll be okay? I mean, you could be the first sailor to make it out of Terry’s insane world alive? On second thought, be warned, fanboy/fangirl syndrome just MIGHT kill you. Be wary, you were warned and if you have to go out like that at least enjoy the view from the end times!
March 16, 2022
"Paying the Price", fifth book in the "Empire of Bones" series, is the best to date.
I'm a Space Opera fan so I've read this far because it was OK, not great. "Ghosts of Empire" is not great either, but it is very close to it (it's hampered by the nature of the plot and lack of depth).
If you're looking for a rollicking SF read you need look no further
Admiral Jared Mertz and Princess Kelsey Bandar have brought the Fleet home only to face intrigue and threats on several fronts. Prince Ethan, Jared's half-brother, fills the role of mad villain admirably.
With the Emperor on his death bed it comes down to a nail biting fight to the finish for both the Fleet and the Empire.
For some reason the editing got worse as the action escalated - maybe Terry Mixon was just having too much fun writing to waste time of clearing up the mess.
More so than the previous books this one has a proper ending - the series could have ended with the additional of an Epilogue but, thankfully, it continues on!
It was great fun
4 Stars.
I'm a Space Opera fan so I've read this far because it was OK, not great. "Ghosts of Empire" is not great either, but it is very close to it (it's hampered by the nature of the plot and lack of depth).
If you're looking for a rollicking SF read you need look no further
Admiral Jared Mertz and Princess Kelsey Bandar have brought the Fleet home only to face intrigue and threats on several fronts. Prince Ethan, Jared's half-brother, fills the role of mad villain admirably.
With the Emperor on his death bed it comes down to a nail biting fight to the finish for both the Fleet and the Empire.
For some reason the editing got worse as the action escalated - maybe Terry Mixon was just having too much fun writing to waste time of clearing up the mess.
More so than the previous books this one has a proper ending - the series could have ended with the additional of an Epilogue but, thankfully, it continues on!
It was great fun
4 Stars.
May 25, 2017
Dishonor and Death to all Assholes
Great resolution for the heirs to the throne! Ethan got his just desserts, although a little more pain and humiliation at the hands of Kelsey would have been appropriate. I'm glad Emperor Karl Bandar survived and will still be around. Good guys deserve to win sometimes. Plus it frees up Kelsey to indulge her badass Ranger persona. Go Carl and Angela! Nerds should get all Amazons!
Great resolution for the heirs to the throne! Ethan got his just desserts, although a little more pain and humiliation at the hands of Kelsey would have been appropriate. I'm glad Emperor Karl Bandar survived and will still be around. Good guys deserve to win sometimes. Plus it frees up Kelsey to indulge her badass Ranger persona. Go Carl and Angela! Nerds should get all Amazons!
December 2, 2017
The villains are very villainous... Until they are just pathetic.
And in one case basically mentally unhinged. I still can't fathom how anyone would support someone who obviously lost touch with reality, but ok.
The family/relationship part was not exactly thrilling unfortunately.
That is not where the author's strength lie.
But enough action and space to make up for it :)
And in one case basically mentally unhinged. I still can't fathom how anyone would support someone who obviously lost touch with reality, but ok.
The family/relationship part was not exactly thrilling unfortunately.
That is not where the author's strength lie.
But enough action and space to make up for it :)
October 23, 2017
Home coming gone totally wrong.
I Love to read! Terry Mixon makes it so easy. He grabs your interest with a great story and you better hold on to your seat, its a great read. Our travelers return to the home planet and all hell breaks lose. Terry covers all the bases. Intrigue, Action and a new love interest grows. A great Book to read.
I Love to read! Terry Mixon makes it so easy. He grabs your interest with a great story and you better hold on to your seat, its a great read. Our travelers return to the home planet and all hell breaks lose. Terry covers all the bases. Intrigue, Action and a new love interest grows. A great Book to read.
December 14, 2017
By far my favorite Empire of Bones novel so far! This book paid off some of the things I've been looking forward to from book 1, and it delivered in a big way. I was pleased to see some of the secondary and tertiary characters we've seen come closer to the forefront in this book, and just... wow. The ending was awesome!
I am pumped for book 6!
I am pumped for book 6!
September 21, 2020
Engaging Characters
I’m enjoying the consistency in the characters and storyline as the series moves forward. Elements presented in previous books are carried through reliably well. That said, the extreme paranoia of Ethan seems extreme considering how those close to him have ignored the symptoms.
I’m enjoying the consistency in the characters and storyline as the series moves forward. Elements presented in previous books are carried through reliably well. That said, the extreme paranoia of Ethan seems extreme considering how those close to him have ignored the symptoms.
April 17, 2021
The return home doesn't spark joy for many, like a paranoid heir who isn't happy that his bastard brother came back victorious with a large fleet that outguns anything New Empire has .... hilarity ensues. I can't say it's original, it hasn't been since the beginning but it's enjoyable. Hyper-competent siblings will solve this problem as well.
April 1, 2020
Paying the Price
Admiral Jared and the fleet make it back home and Princess Kelsey finds that her twin brother Ethan had plotted to take over the Emperor y poisoning him and blaming it on Jared and her but in the end everyone finds out the truth!
Admiral Jared and the fleet make it back home and Princess Kelsey finds that her twin brother Ethan had plotted to take over the Emperor y poisoning him and blaming it on Jared and her but in the end everyone finds out the truth!
May 20, 2017
Great story
This series continues to ramp up the action and keep the story flowing. Great read. Looking forward to reading the next one.
This series continues to ramp up the action and keep the story flowing. Great read. Looking forward to reading the next one.
September 26, 2017
Fantastic
While there are less space battles and more politics than the books before this I would say this is the best book of the series so far. Can't wait to read the rest.
While there are less space battles and more politics than the books before this I would say this is the best book of the series so far. Can't wait to read the rest.
September 30, 2018
3 stars. This series may have jumped the shark. Pointless story-line and harder and harder to suspend disbelief regarding every bizarre "plot-twist"
November 9, 2019
The best book so far in the series.
December 13, 2019
Great Series
September 12, 2020
Excellent
Good words in a row, excitement, neat technology, the relationship between Carl and the Major is funny because they are so different.
Good words in a row, excitement, neat technology, the relationship between Carl and the Major is funny because they are so different.
January 25, 2021
Another good book in this series, solid military scyfy novel.
June 11, 2021
Wow Wow
What a ending! I did not see that comming. Very good with lots of action and adventure. With more to come.
What a ending! I did not see that comming. Very good with lots of action and adventure. With more to come.
October 17, 2021
Fun and interesting read
Just finished this book, I have to say I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next book in the series,hopefully it will be as good as this one.
Just finished this book, I have to say I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next book in the series,hopefully it will be as good as this one.
December 5, 2021
Endgame
The best in space opera. Slightly flawed Heroes. Horribly flawed bad guys. Great storyline. Nice warm finish to the tale.
The best in space opera. Slightly flawed Heroes. Horribly flawed bad guys. Great storyline. Nice warm finish to the tale.
January 27, 2017
In this, the fifth, installment of The Empire of Bones saga Jared, Kelsey & Co finally finds their way back home. It is a mixed homecoming though. Although this book sees a bit of a lull in the fight against the AIs Jared and Kelsey are forced to fight against internal enemies instead.
One could say that this book is more about political power plays, vendettas and subterfuge than the other books. Normally I am not too keen on those kind of stories. In this book however, there are enough “good stuff” to make me enjoy it despite the internal strife.
One thing that I like are the surprise moments starting right at the moment when Jared and Kelsey arrives in their supercharged new (or should I say old since it is Old Terran ships) fleet which dwarfs, outruns and outguns everything anyone at home has seen until now. Kelsey of course creates a few dropped jaws but the rest of the crew gets their 15 minutes of fame as well. I quite liked Carl’s show down with professor Bedford (who turned out to be quite likable) for instance.
The snake in the garden is of course Crown Prince Ethan Bandar. Unfortunately the characterization of Ethan is almost over the top just as with Captain Breckenridge (who makes a brief return in this book by the way). Ethan is not as stupid as Breckenridge but his fanatical paranoia which makes him convinced that everyone is conspiring to grab the throne from him and his continuous monologues where he convinces him of this very “fact” and that his actions are justified are a wee bit tiring.
Naturally Nathan manages to screw up more than a few things and the book mostly revolves around our friends trying to unravel his betrayals and scheming to grab the throne even if it tears the Empire apart. However, even though it probably counts as a bit of a spoiler (be warned), I have to say that one of the things that I like in these books is that the bad guys generally gets what they deserve and this goes for this book as well.
Again Terry Mixon has woven together and fun to read, fairly fast paced adventure story. I quite enjoyed it.
One could say that this book is more about political power plays, vendettas and subterfuge than the other books. Normally I am not too keen on those kind of stories. In this book however, there are enough “good stuff” to make me enjoy it despite the internal strife.
One thing that I like are the surprise moments starting right at the moment when Jared and Kelsey arrives in their supercharged new (or should I say old since it is Old Terran ships) fleet which dwarfs, outruns and outguns everything anyone at home has seen until now. Kelsey of course creates a few dropped jaws but the rest of the crew gets their 15 minutes of fame as well. I quite liked Carl’s show down with professor Bedford (who turned out to be quite likable) for instance.
The snake in the garden is of course Crown Prince Ethan Bandar. Unfortunately the characterization of Ethan is almost over the top just as with Captain Breckenridge (who makes a brief return in this book by the way). Ethan is not as stupid as Breckenridge but his fanatical paranoia which makes him convinced that everyone is conspiring to grab the throne from him and his continuous monologues where he convinces him of this very “fact” and that his actions are justified are a wee bit tiring.
Naturally Nathan manages to screw up more than a few things and the book mostly revolves around our friends trying to unravel his betrayals and scheming to grab the throne even if it tears the Empire apart. However, even though it probably counts as a bit of a spoiler (be warned), I have to say that one of the things that I like in these books is that the bad guys generally gets what they deserve and this goes for this book as well.
Again Terry Mixon has woven together and fun to read, fairly fast paced adventure story. I quite enjoyed it.
October 25, 2016
Admiral Jared Mertz is finally ready to head home, after over a year of being sent on his exploration mission. Not to mention the fact that he isn't returning in the same ship he left with. He's bringing a few new ones with him. Right before they leave to head home they make a a breakthrough discovery. Getting home was made easier and faster. But how will they be received? Princess Kelsey is now basically Wonder Woman, and so many ships and people were lost in their fight against the Rebel Empire. Not to mention that Kelsey's brother, the crown prince and heir to the thrown, hates Jared with a passion. He sees Jared as an usurper trying to steal his throne. Admiral Jared is the half brother of Prince Ethan and Princess Kelsey, but he wants nothing to do with ruling the Empire. Will he be able to convince Ethan of his sincerity, or will Ethan go beserk and try to start a civil war?
Definitely the best book in the series so far! The storyline is heading in an awesome direction, and I can't wait to see where it goes. The author has created an awesome universe in this series. The writing and dialog are top notch. I highly recommend reading this series. It's by far one of the best I've read in a long time!
Definitely the best book in the series so far! The storyline is heading in an awesome direction, and I can't wait to see where it goes. The author has created an awesome universe in this series. The writing and dialog are top notch. I highly recommend reading this series. It's by far one of the best I've read in a long time!
December 25, 2017
Interesting, not
Finally the mentally ill heir to throne makes a grab for same, which was a shock to me about three books ago. Imperial guard disloyal to the king, say it ain't so, joe. This is the same imperial guard that covered up the decades long sexcapades of the former empress. This is the imperial guard that failed to cover up the emperor's one fling.
Still it was fun to watch it play out. If only the real world was that neat.
If you've read the earlier books, warning, it gets more stupid and maudlin by the page . What passes for real emotion, seems like the internal dialogue of a Lifetime heroine. If you haven't, you won't understand what is happening or why. If you expected a clean naval story of adventure and desperate battles, you can go back to the first book but know that it gets worse with each additional volume.
I just looked at my book list and found another of his books "Liberty Station". I couldn't finish it because of the number of racist comments he worked into the dialogue in the first few pages. This explains a lot about his future humanity and combined with his demonstrated ignorance of all things military, history, economics or politics, he's special. I'd call him (as the Australians say), a Keeper.
Finally the mentally ill heir to throne makes a grab for same, which was a shock to me about three books ago. Imperial guard disloyal to the king, say it ain't so, joe. This is the same imperial guard that covered up the decades long sexcapades of the former empress. This is the imperial guard that failed to cover up the emperor's one fling.
Still it was fun to watch it play out. If only the real world was that neat.
If you've read the earlier books, warning, it gets more stupid and maudlin by the page . What passes for real emotion, seems like the internal dialogue of a Lifetime heroine. If you haven't, you won't understand what is happening or why. If you expected a clean naval story of adventure and desperate battles, you can go back to the first book but know that it gets worse with each additional volume.
I just looked at my book list and found another of his books "Liberty Station". I couldn't finish it because of the number of racist comments he worked into the dialogue in the first few pages. This explains a lot about his future humanity and combined with his demonstrated ignorance of all things military, history, economics or politics, he's special. I'd call him (as the Australians say), a Keeper.
October 19, 2016
Bag of Bones Saga Not Worth Reading Effort
After just completing the fifth book of the series, and having read the prior four, it has been pretty much a waste of time.
The author, Mr. Mixon, took a somewhat interesting core storyline, twisted it, complicated it, and generally ruined it by incompetence and ineptitude. The basic writing is analogous to paint by numbers-rote, hackneyed, anemic color palate, roughly filling in blank page, and delivering what should be an embarrassment to any adult.
The list of errors, faults, flaws is lengthy, but candidly, I don't care to enumerate. I started with Book 1 to highlight some, continued through to the conclusion of this eBook, Book 5, and realized how dumb I am. Why waste time trying to make a better reading product? Mr. Mixon apparently doesn't care, as evidenced by the number of pages he has commercially published. Why should I?
The eBook, the series, and due to the lack of pride in workmanship exhibited by the author, Mr. Mixon, all are not recommended.
After just completing the fifth book of the series, and having read the prior four, it has been pretty much a waste of time.
The author, Mr. Mixon, took a somewhat interesting core storyline, twisted it, complicated it, and generally ruined it by incompetence and ineptitude. The basic writing is analogous to paint by numbers-rote, hackneyed, anemic color palate, roughly filling in blank page, and delivering what should be an embarrassment to any adult.
The list of errors, faults, flaws is lengthy, but candidly, I don't care to enumerate. I started with Book 1 to highlight some, continued through to the conclusion of this eBook, Book 5, and realized how dumb I am. Why waste time trying to make a better reading product? Mr. Mixon apparently doesn't care, as evidenced by the number of pages he has commercially published. Why should I?
The eBook, the series, and due to the lack of pride in workmanship exhibited by the author, Mr. Mixon, all are not recommended.
June 15, 2016
What a great read
Well what can one say, but what a great follow up book. Book 5 of this series of books continues where book four ended. We see Jared, plus Princess Kelsey and their crew's start the journey back to Avalon. But they find that not everyone is going to welcome them back. The crown Prince totally loses his mind and see into action some serious problems for all. I am sure that you the reader will find it very hard to stop reading when you start. Terry it's a long time to the next book, but I will be looking forward to reading it.
Well what can one say, but what a great follow up book. Book 5 of this series of books continues where book four ended. We see Jared, plus Princess Kelsey and their crew's start the journey back to Avalon. But they find that not everyone is going to welcome them back. The crown Prince totally loses his mind and see into action some serious problems for all. I am sure that you the reader will find it very hard to stop reading when you start. Terry it's a long time to the next book, but I will be looking forward to reading it.
June 14, 2016
Back on track
The last book was missing a little something. Energy, speed, not sure, but it was a bit lacking. This book has the missing element however, and it was great.
Make sure you read the entire series in order. And if you like the authors work, as I do, pay for it.
I think the thing I like the most is the frantic pace and improvised actions as they work to solve an issue. Reminds me of escaping the Death Star or breaking into Sulvi Point Last Exits. And good read, well worth your time (and money).
The last book was missing a little something. Energy, speed, not sure, but it was a bit lacking. This book has the missing element however, and it was great.
Make sure you read the entire series in order. And if you like the authors work, as I do, pay for it.
I think the thing I like the most is the frantic pace and improvised actions as they work to solve an issue. Reminds me of escaping the Death Star or breaking into Sulvi Point Last Exits. And good read, well worth your time (and money).
June 18, 2016
The Saga Continues
This is space opera at its finest. I have been enjoying every entry in the Empire of Bones so far and this is no exception. Without a doubt, Terry Mixon has an incredibly fun story going, and I am happily along for the ride.
This is space opera at its finest. I have been enjoying every entry in the Empire of Bones so far and this is no exception. Without a doubt, Terry Mixon has an incredibly fun story going, and I am happily along for the ride.
November 6, 2025
Terry has done it again!!! As Jacob Carter in Stargate SG-1 said HOLY HANNA!!!! WHAT A RUSH!!!!!!!!!!
Jared Mertz and Princess Kelsey Bandar are into all sorts of trouble going home to the New Terran Empire.
Jared Mertz and Princess Kelsey Bandar are into all sorts of trouble going home to the New Terran Empire.
June 16, 2016
In need of lots of editing...
However, even with annoying typos and grammatical errors, this story is quite excellent. In fact, the entire series is very good. Keep them coming!!!!!
However, even with annoying typos and grammatical errors, this story is quite excellent. In fact, the entire series is very good. Keep them coming!!!!!
August 26, 2016
The must read volume in the series! The long awaited return to Avalon and the confrontation with the Heir to the Empire, Ethan Bandar! Great ending to the five book arc, but, there is a sixth book coming to take Jared out of the system for more adventures!
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