Koban: Conflict and Empire

Koban #6

by Stephen W. Bennett

Koban Book 6: Conflict and Empire The Galactic Federation is confronted by the vast and implacable Thandol Empire, which has coveted the former Krall region of space for eons. A region of space now occupied and claimed by the upstart Kobani. Outnumbered, they face an opponent who possesses new and deadly weapons. An enemy that had thousands of years to develop the means to take on the Krall Empire, and now present the supermen with a weapon that turns their greatest genetic asset into their greatest weakness. The new Federation must find a way to survive the most powerful threat yet to their existence. Once again, the Kobani are between a rock and a hard place, poised on the brink of death and destruction. Book 1 - Koban, Book 2 - The Mark of Koban, Book 3 - Rise of the Kobani, Book 4 - Shattered Worlds, Book 5 - A Federation Forged in Fire

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Military Fiction, Aliens, Military Science Fiction, Space, Audiobook

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2016

About the author

I was born in 1942, so I'm an autumn rather than a spring chicken. I live outside of Tampa, Florida with my fabulous wife Anita, and one son in college, Montana. I have three older boys, Mark, Gary, and Anthony, all of whom have married and presented us with terrific grandchildren.

My education gravitated to science, starting out as a physics major and my depression era folks told me I'd never make a living as a theoretical physicist (probably right, and Cosmology wasn't a career field then), so I moved to Electronics Engineering. I devoted (was drafted into) service for the US Army, and caring not a whit for my electronics background, they offered this draftee a job as an Air Traffic Controller. Cool new career field. Retired, I now work as a consultant for the FAA, supporting software I helped create.

I decided to try my hand at writing what I loved to read, Science Fiction. The Koban Series has established my unusually successful entry into SciFi as an indie author. 11 books at last count, and at least two more in my mind.

Reviews

[Stephen Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the author, so I'm biased.

[Judy Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still a fan.

Love the way the action develops. I am looking forward to the next book. So, what do the Truth and the Thack Delos look like?

[Kamal Syed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read, but must shorter than his previous works. I'm eagerly awaiting his next volume, this has been an Audible journey for me so far and I enjoy the narrator.

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

great fun

[Sean Bai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel bad for the Thandol Emperor:)

There is a new enemy species introduced in this book. There isn't much to say that hasn't been said already in my reviews of the first books, but there's still good descriptions of tactics and combat.

[Clbeam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the Six Book Of Koban: Conflict and Empire a little disappointing. For a four hundred page book I find it lacking in plot. Much of the can be split into a couple of things. Recap, Description of new and old tech, physical description of battle, Some Banter. There is little plot and development of characters. All our old characters have not really change, we had a death of a minor named character, a small argument of morals with every one agreeing on what to do. The Empire Super weapon is not so super any more but they don't know that. I was hoping for a scene or to from the Empire of how the court works and a few of them having an o shit moment. The best we get in this regard is from the perspective of a crusher captain mid battle. non of these will be nonrecurring characters and we don't really see the empires character or uniqueness from a general evil empire. I still like the book, I enjoy scifi but I enjoy the science and intrigue more than action and new Toys. This is what drew me to the koban series the science of genetic engineering and what could be done with it. unfortunately Stephen when for a new villain than exploring this concept. I was hoping we would see the olt'k that the empire had prisoner but they where not mentioned. All in all this is feeling a little like the power rangers. But it's not like I can find any better non-military scifi that does not feel dated. I am looking at you Asimov. It was still a good read.

[Jim Kratzok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please keep cranking these stories out!

Several times I paused while reading this book to muse on what I'd just read. My typical response to such musing was "Damn, this is good stuff!"

I am beginning to see the formula though. Mr. Bennett provides an amazing conflict, the Kobani find a way out of it, pat themselves on the back for sidestepping the puddle on the sidewalk when along comes a truck and splashes them down with water in the street. Keeping with the analogy, they come up with a better rainsuit and an umbrella but by then it's snowing and the solution doesn't quite apply. No worries, it turns out the umbrella, developed by one of their friendly alien allies can turn a snowstorm into lovely ice sculptures. And so on and so forth.

None of the above actually happens in the story because then it would be about weather and not inter-galactic conquest and survival but I hope you get my drift.

Great books! When is the next one coming? I have to schedule my life around reading it.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find myself thinking this book was a prolongment of the series. it still is a great book but it was just a small back and fourth, between the empire and federation. if you think about it that is the precursor to any major war in history. But I have to say that I don't like the strategy of the federation to just break up the empire into separate warring states. I hope that the next book is more of a federation fighting the empire than breaking it up the empire. To me it would be more interesting than the book we have here than trying to break the empire up to fight itself. Other than that it was still a great book and I hope that we don't have to wait to long for the next. Thank you to Stephen W. Bennett for another great book.

[Kristoffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After taking a bit of a break from reading the Koban series, I was very pleased to get back into it with this book. This book maintains the quality of the series and did a really good job of getting into the lives of the Kobani as they prepare and start to deal with a new threat. I wish that the book was a bit longer, but that is just because I love the series and felt like things were really heating up near the end. I am really glad that this series exists and can't wait for more.

[christopher kishel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic series

This is the reason I love kindle unlimited. Series like Koban and the undying mercinary series are action packed and fun. However, the Koban series brings in science, politics, strategy and all sorts of fun and interesting developments. Pick this story up and give it a read!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this series, but for whatever reason this 6th volume of the series was not as engaging and fun as the previous 5. I think what makes this series so much fun are the personal confrontations involving the KobanI, the KobanI being very unique people. I think this book did not portray those conflicts as compellingly as the have been in the previous books.

[Paulie G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good installment in the Koban series... but it was so short! I was so thoroughly enjoying the Thandol and Ragnar storyline, only to have the author cut it off with a cliffhanger!

Eagerly looking forward to book 7...

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always enjoyable

Looking forward to book 7. Kinda missed the action that is normal for these books, but I understand you need to set the plot for the next arc. I highly recommend this series to lovers of true epic space opera.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book series! I tend to review after reading all available in series. One or Two of the books tend to struggle and drag on but over all its a great series. Its not really much for in depth character development. However if you like Scifi and action at all. You Will like this series.

[David Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

This is a story with never a dull moment that you just try to read pass. The author keeps you on edge during the entire book. Can't wait for book seven.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

One awesome series

I love the Koban series, one of my favorite new voices in science fiction. Make sure you read all of them!

[Spencer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

The Koranic books are a solid, technology developing story about struggling to survive and growth. Fun books and I recommend them.

[Aaron Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love this absolutely ridiculous space opera/alien invasion series. So much of it is patently ridiculous, but still soooo fun.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series. Premise was novel and I enjoyed the characters. I wish there were more books to the series

[GaiusPrimus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series continues to be entertaining, but I think that it lacks direction.

For the last few books we keep getting these cliffhangers and the plot seems to meander. Nonetheless, I'll probably continue to read the series but might wait until more come out so there's a sense of advancement to the story.

I'm glad to see that the editing has become way better and some of the weird measuring systems by each alien race is just mentioned and then returns to what we are accustomed to.

[Bosseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book as always and cannot wait for the next one!

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stuff. Much better than the last book. It ended too early.