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Empire of Bones Saga #7

Behind Enemy Lines

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Cut off from home, Princess Kelsey Bandar needs a place to hide from the vengeful Rebel Empire.

The secrets she stole give her people a fighting chance in the war that brought down the original Terran Empire. If she gets them home. If her prisoners cooperate.

Should that prove impossible, she must then convince a long-hidden people to help her. After she finds them, of course.

If you love military science fiction and grand adventure on a galaxy-spanning scale, grab “Behind Enemy Lines” and the rest of The Empire of Bones Saga today!

339 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 21, 2017

482 people are currently reading
81 people want to read

About the author

Terry Mixon

85 books298 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.

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5 stars
499 (48%)
4 stars
343 (33%)
3 stars
151 (14%)
2 stars
26 (2%)
1 star
11 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Tony Hisgett.
2,977 reviews37 followers
January 20, 2018
I was quite enjoying the story until just over a third of the way through and then Castille made his bid for freedom. This was so unbelievable that I almost just gave up.

I’m not sure why the author would have us believe that the prisoners weren’t monitored, that they couldn’t be trace by their implants or that the cutter could just disappear. The explanation that it could have gone underwater so they can’t detect it anymore is just ridiculous, even today’s technology could find it.
Also Castille had kidnapped the ex-empress and several of their crew, but they didn’t seem in any rush to recover them. When it turned out that he was also a multiple murderer they still didn’t seem to care.

At one point the author writes This type of convenient escape only happened in fiction. Only in bad fiction!

My problem is that once I begin to doubt the author’s credibility, then I begin to have concerns about the whole story. After reading the previous 6 books I wanted to keep going but the story just went downhill.
831 reviews9 followers
April 27, 2017
Series for 2017 reading list.

Book 8 will out on August of this year. I will preorder when possible. Thank you Terry Mixon. A fan.
Profile Image for Mick Bird.
812 reviews11 followers
May 11, 2017
What a ride

Princess Kelsey and her small fleet, have escaped with what she hopes will be a way to fight the rebel empire. But in doing so has left them way behind the lines, and in unknown systems. Can she return home safely?
Profile Image for John Piper.
1,055 reviews18 followers
April 26, 2017
I am a huge fan of this series! Each book only keeps better! The storyline is so awesome and the author keeps throwing in twists you never see coming! The dialog and characters are aesome and so well developed! I can't wait for the next book already! I very highly recommend this series!!
1,420 reviews1 follower
December 25, 2017
Sad work

I was unable to get past about ten pages. The first four or five pages are devoted to the irritation of a main character (warship captain, head commando, imperial heir), when she discovers that her mother (the ex-empress) has hidden away for two weeks on the daughter's warship. This happened during a naval deployment and big fleet battle. The reason: daughter hasn't returned her calls. I wish that I exaggerated but not so.

I didn't deal with this in my last review but now I must. The former empress had eighteen or more lovers without her husband knowing. Princess X, discovers this secret and stops talking to mom. Mom will not be ignored and is also miffed that she wasn't invited to daughter's wedding.

Ridiculous, poorly written, hard to even describe, a weird view of women, a meld of sitcom and Lifetime characters with third rate military story.

I hope that the writer moves to the paranormal or fantasy or anything nonmilitary. He has no clue, except that it's the feelings and thoughts of the people involved that make the story. It's really not about the size of your gun, ships, whatever.

I doubt that I'll read this author again, except as co-author which he's done. I won't read him again ever.

I just went over my reading list and found another book of his "Liberty Station". I was unable to finish it because of the number of racist comments he worked into the first few pages. It explains his all Anglo future humanity and added to his demonstrated lack of understanding of all things military, history of economics, he's special. I have to call him (as the Australians would say) a Keeper.
126 reviews
October 2, 2017
Great next chapter in this must read adventure!!


Great series. Reminiscent of David Webers Armageddon inheritance! The new faces are a welcome addition. I love the blend of humor with the technical!
Profile Image for Shane.
631 reviews19 followers
May 24, 2020
This has been my least favorite book in the series so far. What a tragedy of errors. After a good start in an unusual move to continue the story without Admiral Mertz this tale quickly falls flat. After spending most of Book 6 building and developing the charter of Commander Levy, he is almost completely absent here. That is unfortunate, because his skill set would have gone a long way stopping the Coup (oh, I mean escape). In fact the series of incompetentcies during the escape extends almost to the incomprehensible.

The other huge flaw in the story is what the heck happened to the 'Flip Map' created by Omega in Book 5? Kelsey Bandar spends entirely too much time looking for 'the Ghosts' and exploring 'Pandora' when she should have been looking for a system that might tie them into a path towards home. Granted, the Terran Empire could use all the allies it can get but what ever happened to operational priorities?
Profile Image for Keith.
2,103 reviews6 followers
September 23, 2020
Mostly Disappointing
This series should have finished with book 6 so it could have retained the reality it had created to that point. This 7th book only serves to degrade the series by forcing previously competent and skilled characters into positions which portray them as idiotic and unbelievably stupid reflections of their former selves. Every basic plot point in this book is brought into play by someone's stupid or mindless action. I'm not sure why Terry thought this was a good move, but for me it nearly ended the series. I decided to give him one more chance and moved on to book 8 before I wrote this review hoping it would reveal a better future and master plan to move forward. It does not and after reading 40% of book 8 I have realized that the series is dead as far as I am concerned.

My advice: If you have not yet purchased this book, do not. If you can borrow it via KU, then perhaps give it a shot. At least with KU you will only lose the time it takes to read it.
500 reviews8 followers
August 15, 2017
Happy to See the Story Continue

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL BOOK AND AS DYNASTIC/EXPLORATION/MILITARY SPACE OPERA SERIES!!!

I am happy and thankful that this epic tale will continue for at least two more books. I have enjoyed this entire series, but it actually keeps getting better...each book better than the one before. Terry Mixon is a great space opera craftsman, and this series is one of the best I have ever read. Although I am interested in the conclusion, I enjoy the characters and plot so far, to a point that I would happily keep reading them for months! Very good work!
Profile Image for Christian.
82 reviews
January 16, 2018
[My review is for the Audible audiobook format.]

I enjoyed this installment of the Empire of Bones Saga just as much as those that came before it. While there may not have been as much action as some of its predecessors, there was a lot of new information and further development of the overarching storyline. Just as well written as books 1-6, and just as much fun to listen to. Veronica Giguere continues giving us a lovely narrative performance. Looking forward to reading/hearing the other books in this series!

I was provided a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review. Many thanks for this opportunity!
9 reviews
July 17, 2025
Unoriginal garbage. I have finally given up on this series. Mixon frequently writes himself into a corner so just changes plot elements. Multiple people needed to unlock a computer. Then three, Then two. Then one with some help. Sticks a secret base inside a volcano - I don't know if he ripped off Verne or Austin Powers for that. I think he writes so fast and with so many series he forgets where he is and loses the plotlines. Plotlines are taken wholesale from Asimov, Saberhagen, Heinlein and many others - but he has a lot less skill and understanding of the genre. It's obvious this is a love of a business model - write many, write fast - and not a love of actual good writing.
Profile Image for A.F. Grappin.
Author 18 books4 followers
December 29, 2017
This book was well in keeping with the Empire of Bones series, remaining true to the tension of the world and the current situation. While the conflicts were solid, I feel like the last third of the book or so sort of dragged. I am, as always, eager to continue with the series when book 8 comes out, but the last bit was kind of a slog. To be fair, it wasn't quite as much of a drag as the second half of book 3, but this one was a little weaker than the others of the series.

Still, Mixon has my attention quite strongly in his grasp. I'm ready for the next installment.
891 reviews4 followers
September 13, 2020
Excellent, as usual

Good story, enjoyed it. The main "jar" was at the front when someone walked in on a busy Carl, the resident genius. Carl told him he was busy( probably doing something to make the universe better) but then took time to catch the reader up on what has happened so far. If I had a resident genius, no way would I let people bother him with minor stuff. Feed him, keep him happy and laid, (He finally got that taken care of with a Marine woman who can tear his arms off) and let him invent neat stuff to win that big prize again next year.
37 reviews
June 19, 2017
Yeah, the tradition continues, meaning that if this is the future humanity intelligence level than maybe we do deserve to be controlled by an AI.
A prime example of trying to fit the narrative that doesn't make sense in the context of the series in one book, just to have something out.
If you have time to burn and don't really care about the universe in the story then go ahead, the book for you.
63 reviews3 followers
July 5, 2017
A Great Sequel

Again I was not ready for this book to end. Terry doe a fantastic job keeping the stories pace moving. Bringing new characters in and blending into the story smoothly is great. As usual, the book moves at a quick pace. The only downside is that I now have to wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Melissa Hayden.
971 reviews119 followers
February 6, 2018
This book has your action, as we see in previous books. There is a lot happening for Kelsey and her limited number of crew and ships to handle. Kelsey does a great job of bring things into order, and still trouble finds her. We also learn a lot of information here. Things are going to get even more dicey in the next book with how things work out here. Can't wait!

****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****
Profile Image for Reed.
89 reviews
October 15, 2018
Action packed and exciting, but less character development

I gave it 3 stars because of how the story seems to keep dragging on. Like the author is just adding more books and events to make more money from people like me who have to know what happens next. I still enjoyed the book though.
Profile Image for Harvey Dick.
118 reviews3 followers
November 16, 2017
The story gets stranger by the minute.

Terry is very good at hooking me into the story. In this book things are happening all thru the book. Kelsey's mother shows up. They find several occupied systems aliens. Great book with a great story plot.
Profile Image for Liana.
276 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2020
I enjoyed this complex story quite a bit, with one exception. The ex-Empress freely gave a lot of useful information to the enemy, which could have had terrible repercussions. I felt like at the very least she should have been charged with treason, I don't care whose mother she is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
9 reviews1 follower
October 17, 2017
Honor Harrington meet Princess Kelsey!

If you love the Honor Harrington series by David Weber you are going to ABSOLUTELY love this series! Give us more Terry!
589 reviews4 followers
June 13, 2021
Good

I wondered if the bad guys would get the upperhand. Well carefull planning usually works. One for the bad guys and now lets see what the good responce is.
Profile Image for J.R. Handley.
Author 52 books261 followers
March 18, 2021
First, this is the fifth time I've listened to this series and I still love every second of it. This novel is another winner from Terry Mixon and Veronica Giguere! This series one I love and revisit like an old friend, if you haven't checked it out, you're missing out! I can't wait to read the next book in this series, Terry is one of my auto-buy authors and he could be yours too if you give him a chance! Hopefully the author can give up sleeping and eating so I can read the next one! It has a lot of action, and adventure and some cool plot twists I didn't see coming!
41 reviews
Read
April 25, 2017
Good Reading

The book was very entertaining however, I prefer those books that have both Jarred and princess Bandar as main characters. I EAGERLY Await the next book even though August 2017 is a long way off.
20 reviews1 follower
May 1, 2017
Another good one

I've really enjoyed this series and I'm looking forward to the next book. I hate writing reviews but I like to give good ratings the series that hope to see continue.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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