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Tarantula
It’s 2555—twenty years before the First Swarm War. A ship full of Fleet Academy trainees is on maneuvers in the Asteroid Belt of the Sol System. They find a Russian scout ship, Tarantula, crash landed on the dwarf-planet Ceres. Investigating the wreck turns a training cruise into a deadly fight to stay alive. And surviving depends on two fourth-year midshipmen, Addison Halsey and Samantha Avery, commanding the mission.
42 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2017
About the author
Chris Pourteau
49 books65 followersChris Pourteau is the bestselling author of the sci-fi thriller novels of the SynCorp Saga (co-authored with David Bruns), the post-apocalyptic Serenity Strain novels, and the military sci-fi collection Tales of B-Company. His first novel, Shadows Burned In, earned the 2015 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal for Literary Fiction. The Lazarus Protocol, the first novel in the SynCorp Saga, placed in the Top Ten in Read Freely's 2018 50 Best Indie Book of the Year contest; it was the highest-rated Sci-Fi novel in the contest.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded.
His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum. Chris Pourteau is the bestselling author of the sci-fi thriller novels of the SynCorp Saga (co-authored with David Bruns), the post-apocalyptic Serenity Strain novels, and the military sci-fi collection Tales of B-Company. His first novel, Shadows Burned In, earned the 2015 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal for Literary Fiction. The Lazarus Protocol, the first novel in the SynCorp Saga, placed in the Top Ten in Read Freely's 2018 50 Best Indie Book of the Year contest; it was the highest-rated Sci-Fi novel in the contest.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded. His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum.
When he’s not writing, editing, or working the dayjob, Chris loves exercising regularly, watching shows like Star Trek and Stranger Things, and reading his favorite authors. Those include Bernard Cornwell, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Max Collins. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and two dogs. (He’s a HUGE dog person, by the way.)
Find out more about Chris and his writing through his newsletter. Sign up and get free stuff at https://chrispourteau.com/newsletter.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded.
His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum. Chris Pourteau is the bestselling author of the sci-fi thriller novels of the SynCorp Saga (co-authored with David Bruns), the post-apocalyptic Serenity Strain novels, and the military sci-fi collection Tales of B-Company. His first novel, Shadows Burned In, earned the 2015 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal for Literary Fiction. The Lazarus Protocol, the first novel in the SynCorp Saga, placed in the Top Ten in Read Freely's 2018 50 Best Indie Book of the Year contest; it was the highest-rated Sci-Fi novel in the contest.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded. His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum.
When he’s not writing, editing, or working the dayjob, Chris loves exercising regularly, watching shows like Star Trek and Stranger Things, and reading his favorite authors. Those include Bernard Cornwell, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Max Collins. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and two dogs. (He’s a HUGE dog person, by the way.)
Find out more about Chris and his writing through his newsletter. Sign up and get free stuff at https://chrispourteau.com/newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 8, 2017
Addison Halsey and Sam Avery didn't begin as heroic captains; twenty years ago the UEF spaceships they trained on had Russian and Chinese enemies. Both women were midshipmen in command roles on a monitored mission. The Swarm was yet unknown (although it had already won its first unheralded battle with Mankind).
For Addison Halsey, the thrill of taking command on a routine survey run is a natural outgrowth of her Academy studies. According to her friend Sam, she's a natural leader. As long as the mission is counting space rocks, she's comfortable.
When the ship intercepts an SOS in Russian from a ship crashed on the surface of Ceres, the midshipmen assume it's part of the training exercise at first. Then Halsey realizes their monitor, Commander Vickers, while still assessing their performance, is no longer relaxed.
This was not in the script; it's a real crash. Possibly with real Russian enemies aboard. Russians who had no business anywhere near UEF-controlled Ceres.
Her acting XO, Sam Avery, takes an away team to the surface to rescue or recover whatever they can from the scout-ship RK Tarantula. And now, natural leader or not, the implications of her command decisions crash in on Halsey:
This prequel novella is best read after Books 1 and 2, since reading it first may confuse you, offer major spoilers, or both. Fortunately I was forewarned by a college chum of the author. When read after Book 2, however, it is a satisfying flash of back-story for the ladies who command in the full novels.
And I'm still waiting for the other shoe I noted from the previous novel Avenger to drop.
Liner Note: At the time of this review, the novella was available only in ebook format.
For Addison Halsey, the thrill of taking command on a routine survey run is a natural outgrowth of her Academy studies. According to her friend Sam, she's a natural leader. As long as the mission is counting space rocks, she's comfortable.
When the ship intercepts an SOS in Russian from a ship crashed on the surface of Ceres, the midshipmen assume it's part of the training exercise at first. Then Halsey realizes their monitor, Commander Vickers, while still assessing their performance, is no longer relaxed.
This was not in the script; it's a real crash. Possibly with real Russian enemies aboard. Russians who had no business anywhere near UEF-controlled Ceres.
Her acting XO, Sam Avery, takes an away team to the surface to rescue or recover whatever they can from the scout-ship RK Tarantula. And now, natural leader or not, the implications of her command decisions crash in on Halsey:
Having all those lives in her hands … for the first time, Halsey understood the phrase weight of command.
This prequel novella is best read after Books 1 and 2, since reading it first may confuse you, offer major spoilers, or both. Fortunately I was forewarned by a college chum of the author. When read after Book 2, however, it is a satisfying flash of back-story for the ladies who command in the full novels.
And I'm still waiting for the other shoe I noted from the previous novel Avenger to drop.
Liner Note: At the time of this review, the novella was available only in ebook format.
July 30, 2017
Learning
Repression is the key, to learning all thing's in life to schooling, jobs .but this story is to short . End
Repression is the key, to learning all thing's in life to schooling, jobs .but this story is to short . End
September 6, 2017
Worth the money and time!
Thank you Chris Pourteau for a book worth my money and time. Set in a series that I enjoyed. A fan.
Thank you Chris Pourteau for a book worth my money and time. Set in a series that I enjoyed. A fan.
November 5, 2017
Tarantula in space
Well written & exciting with good characterization & a moving plot. Recommended to all science fiction fans. Short but worth it.
Well written & exciting with good characterization & a moving plot. Recommended to all science fiction fans. Short but worth it.
January 17, 2020
I love Military Sci-fi. Enjoyed this VERY short story. Looking forward to the actual series.
April 12, 2017
A very enjoyable romp in the Legacy Fleet world with the young Addison Halsey and Samantha Avery as Midshipmen, and their first adventure. Adds depth to the characters I first met in the swarm wars when they were older. The story line was both exciting and helps to explain the depth of the feelings between countries that we see during the swarm wars. It kept my interest until I finished it, and it ended way too soon. Never enough of the great stories from Chris. Looking forward to more from Chris, both in and out of the Legacy Fleet world.
April 13, 2017
Addictive.
Addie and Sam are two strong women who go on to be heroines in the Swarm war. This is a fabulous look at their time in the academy and you get to see them as vulnerable and unsure, yet with hints at the steel they will develop.
The Legacy Fleet as a whole is addictive reading and this book is a great example of the depth of the universe in which these books are written, as well as the seamless way the stories are inserted into the timeline.
Loved it.
Addie and Sam are two strong women who go on to be heroines in the Swarm war. This is a fabulous look at their time in the academy and you get to see them as vulnerable and unsure, yet with hints at the steel they will develop.
The Legacy Fleet as a whole is addictive reading and this book is a great example of the depth of the universe in which these books are written, as well as the seamless way the stories are inserted into the timeline.
Loved it.
April 13, 2017
Great tableware!!
I have recently been looking for a good sci fi story, I found it. Although this is short, it has everything you need to have in a sci first short. It made me go out and get some of the other books. Try this one I guarantee it will have you begging for more
I have recently been looking for a good sci fi story, I found it. Although this is short, it has everything you need to have in a sci first short. It made me go out and get some of the other books. Try this one I guarantee it will have you begging for more
April 13, 2017
I enjoyed this novellas foray into the early years of some of the Swarm Wars strong female characters.Yet this could easily be enjoyed as a stand alone story for those unfamiliar with the earlier books. The author has a talent for world building and creating well developed characters that I connect with.I can't wait to find out what the author has planned for the future of this series.
April 14, 2017
Tarantula is a Legacy Fleet Series short story that introduces us to Sam Avery and Addison Halsey, main characters from the Novel length stories Invincible and Avenger.
Tarantula is set twenty years before the First Swarm War, with Avery and Halsey in the Fleet Academy.
The short story sees the two of them in command of an Academy starship on a routine Academy exercise that is until they come across what appears to be a Russian ship, crashed into an asteroid. The Russian ship is not what it appears, is not where it should be, and has technology that it should not have.
Initially, Addison believes that her Fleet Supervisor, Vickers, is playing an elaborate trick on her, until life signs are detected on-board the enemy ship. Without giving too much away, this is where the story really picks up, as Pourteau creates a thrilling and suspenseful tale as an away team goes to investigate the crash site.
The character writing is excellent, especially between Avery and her away team. As the situation unfolds, the interactions between the crew are incredibly well written, making you feel like you are a present in an episode of some mixture of Sci-Fi/Horror show as the plot slowly unfolds in front of you, both for the away team, and even worse for the Command team on the bridge who have a limited understanding of what is going on, but not the brutal severity of it.
This is a really clever story, giving us a further insight into not just the characters of Avery and Halsey, but also the Russians and the Political/Military situation out on the border. Pourteau has really evolved the Legacy Universe further with this short story, giving us even more insight into the complex interplay between the Nation States that are linked not only in the first swarm war, but in the second as well.
For those that love the Legacy Fleet series, this is definitely worth the read, and if you are fans of the Invincible/Avenger series, then this a must read as it gives an excellent back story for Avery and Halsey as well as grows the Legacy Universe.
Tarantula is set twenty years before the First Swarm War, with Avery and Halsey in the Fleet Academy.
The short story sees the two of them in command of an Academy starship on a routine Academy exercise that is until they come across what appears to be a Russian ship, crashed into an asteroid. The Russian ship is not what it appears, is not where it should be, and has technology that it should not have.
Initially, Addison believes that her Fleet Supervisor, Vickers, is playing an elaborate trick on her, until life signs are detected on-board the enemy ship. Without giving too much away, this is where the story really picks up, as Pourteau creates a thrilling and suspenseful tale as an away team goes to investigate the crash site.
The character writing is excellent, especially between Avery and her away team. As the situation unfolds, the interactions between the crew are incredibly well written, making you feel like you are a present in an episode of some mixture of Sci-Fi/Horror show as the plot slowly unfolds in front of you, both for the away team, and even worse for the Command team on the bridge who have a limited understanding of what is going on, but not the brutal severity of it.
This is a really clever story, giving us a further insight into not just the characters of Avery and Halsey, but also the Russians and the Political/Military situation out on the border. Pourteau has really evolved the Legacy Universe further with this short story, giving us even more insight into the complex interplay between the Nation States that are linked not only in the first swarm war, but in the second as well.
For those that love the Legacy Fleet series, this is definitely worth the read, and if you are fans of the Invincible/Avenger series, then this a must read as it gives an excellent back story for Avery and Halsey as well as grows the Legacy Universe.
April 15, 2017
Riveting
After I first stumbled onto Chris's work in Avenger I became hooked and have read everything of his I could get my hands on since. Chris wraps you up in a world, gives you reason to truly care for his main characters, or cause to despise his villains. It's VERY hard for me to put down one of his books. Tarantula is no different. My only complaint is that it's only a novella and consequently far, far too short.
After I first stumbled onto Chris's work in Avenger I became hooked and have read everything of his I could get my hands on since. Chris wraps you up in a world, gives you reason to truly care for his main characters, or cause to despise his villains. It's VERY hard for me to put down one of his books. Tarantula is no different. My only complaint is that it's only a novella and consequently far, far too short.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews