Wizard scouts were once the elite, deep-recon forces of the Intergalactic Empire. But now they are a dying breed. Or are they?
A black dreadnaught has been raiding star lanes near the outer fringes of the Empire. Is it just another pirate ship? Or is it the key to reviving the wizard scout corps? And what about the discovery of a mysterious anomaly reportedly found by cantankerous asteroid miners? Does it have something to do with the black dreadnaught?
Wizard Scout Richard Shepard, the last of the legendary wizard scouts, is sent to investigate. Aided by the crew of the recon ship, Defiant, Richard must circumvent an increasingly convoluted political landscape in his search for the truth. But what is truth? And can Richard handle the truth - if he finds it?
Faced with a decision which could mean the life or death of millions of helpless innocents, Richard must make a choice. What his choice will be, no one knows; least of all, Richard.
Rodney Hartman is a retired US Army veteran with over twenty years of experience in military operations ranging from Infantry Private in the paratroops to Chief Warrant Officer flying helicopters during the Persian Gulf War. Mr. Hartman worked for many years as a computer programmer before retiring and pursuing a career as a fulltime writer. Mr. Hartman lives in North Carolina with his wife and family along with their cat, McKenzie.
Just continues to maintain the high level of this series. Still keeps you guessing about how things are going to progress. It is best to start this from the beginning.
I thought there were only 4 volumes in this series! This epic is vying with The Wheel of Time series as my all-time favorite.
Once at a book signing an elderly woman is said to have told Robert Jordan to hurry up because she wanted to know the ending before she died. I wonder if it happened.
Well, I'm only 74 and health is good --- keep writing Hartman!
Another pretty sold book, I liked it and if you liked the others I am sure you will like this one. I look forward to the remaining books in this series.
The reason I ask is that Rick is told by both his parents that they will see him again yet that did not happen! There are several other disconnected issues unresolved. Otherwise it is still a great read.
For me, it is the perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy, character driven and plot driven storylines. Each book can be read as a standalone but as a whole, they combine to a complex and rich tapestry that I love. I relate to the personalities, wish I had some of the abilities, and love having these shared adventures. I have recommended this series to my family and they have enjoyed them also.
I have read and enjoyed all off these books , and this one has been excellent.
The story grabs you and keeps pulling you through to the end, where it tells you just enough to make the wait for the last book unbearable ! Lol! Really , do your self a great service and read, and really enjoy this book. ,
This most recent installment in the wizard scout series does not disappoint. The characters show growth in their power s and personalities without getting stale and the story flows. The best praise I can give it is that it has convinced me to buy the next installment when it becomes available.
I remember reading the first of these, was not expecting much, the blurb sounded mildly interesting, but each and every book in this series has exceeded my expectations. Sort of a mix of space opera and fantasy, the two things I read the most of, well done, good characters, engaging storyline, has a little of everything, all good, look forward to the next one.
Good pace, complete single story with good progress in overall arc. I love the team Rick is getting put together. As long as Mr. Hartman keeps finding intelligent villains and difficult situations and avoiding the protagonist suddenly losing IQ we should have a few more to look forward to reading. Keep up the great work Mr. Hartman.
The story started as an interesting twist on magic and science fiction and as developed into a well thought out universe. The first books were a little shallow on character development while being high on the action but this book shows a good balance of both. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I liked this well put together series. I can't help rooting for a MC that gets kicked around a lot and keeps getting up. Oh yes, there were explosions! By the end of this one I felt satisfied while at the same time was own for more. Very much worth the read.
I like the world model and the space magic. The only glaring blemish is the writer's over use of "said". I look forward to reading more. Thank you for sharing this with me.
This was a very entertaining fast paced action packed series that I really enjoyed reading. It mixes technology and magic but is seperated somewhat by different realms. Cannot wait for the next installment.