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Freedom's Fire #1
Freedom's Fire
War in the Heavens for Freedom on Earth
The first interstellar war, a generation ago, left humanity enslaved. Now humans fight in the armies of their masters to save themselves from annihilation.
At least, that's what the propaganda insists is true. What the layers of lies keep hidden, is how badly the new war is going for the people of earth.
Now it's Dylan Kane's turn to blast into the heavens and join the battle, but what his masters don't know, is that by putting a weapon in his hands, they're giving him the key to unlocking his hopes of freedom.
When the railgun slugs are tearing through his ship, and the vacuum is sucking the life out of his wounded friends, will Dylan's years of repressed rage turn into enough bravery to make his dream come true?
The Freedom's Fire Series
book 1 - Freedom's Fire
book 2 - Freedom's Fury
book 3 - Freedom's Fray
The first interstellar war, a generation ago, left humanity enslaved. Now humans fight in the armies of their masters to save themselves from annihilation.
At least, that's what the propaganda insists is true. What the layers of lies keep hidden, is how badly the new war is going for the people of earth.
Now it's Dylan Kane's turn to blast into the heavens and join the battle, but what his masters don't know, is that by putting a weapon in his hands, they're giving him the key to unlocking his hopes of freedom.
When the railgun slugs are tearing through his ship, and the vacuum is sucking the life out of his wounded friends, will Dylan's years of repressed rage turn into enough bravery to make his dream come true?
The Freedom's Fire Series
book 1 - Freedom's Fire
book 2 - Freedom's Fury
book 3 - Freedom's Fray
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2017
772 people are currently reading
1073 people want to read
About the author
Bobby Adair
71 books696 followersA bio is a weird thing to write.
Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?
When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.
It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.
Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.
And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.
On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.
I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.
Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.
I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.
I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.
I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.
Find out more:
http://www.bobbyadair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAu...
Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?
When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.
It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.
Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.
And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.
On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.
I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.
Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.
I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.
I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.
I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.
Find out more:
http://www.bobbyadair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAu...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
February 20, 2018
I received this book thru a Goodreads giveaway and I would like to thank the author and publishing company.
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This is the first book of a series. In this one, the human race has been conquered by aliens. These aliens are in a war with another race of aliens and the subjugated humans are essentially slaves that are forced into being cannon fodder in this war between two alien races.
This book is an example of why I like the giveaways on this website. I probably wouldn't of picked up this book on my own but by me winning a giveaway, I am introduced to a new author and a new series which I enjoyed the first book. Right away, the atmosphere of this book impressed me as it is dreary and bleak as it should be since the human race has little hope. One small group of humans has some hope and they go for it. I really liked how this played out as the author does an excellent job with the battles and I had no problem imagining how these battles were being fought. The only flaw in this book was some of the characters. Some side characters were two dimensional as the author concentrated on our heroes and their fight instead of fleshing out all of the characters.
I was immediately invested into the plight of the humans and I really liked the tone of this book. I would classify this book as sci-fi mixed with military ops. I am definitely going to continue with this series as this book was just about the first step for our heroes and I am interested if they succeed in their mission.
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This is the first book of a series. In this one, the human race has been conquered by aliens. These aliens are in a war with another race of aliens and the subjugated humans are essentially slaves that are forced into being cannon fodder in this war between two alien races.
This book is an example of why I like the giveaways on this website. I probably wouldn't of picked up this book on my own but by me winning a giveaway, I am introduced to a new author and a new series which I enjoyed the first book. Right away, the atmosphere of this book impressed me as it is dreary and bleak as it should be since the human race has little hope. One small group of humans has some hope and they go for it. I really liked how this played out as the author does an excellent job with the battles and I had no problem imagining how these battles were being fought. The only flaw in this book was some of the characters. Some side characters were two dimensional as the author concentrated on our heroes and their fight instead of fleshing out all of the characters.
I was immediately invested into the plight of the humans and I really liked the tone of this book. I would classify this book as sci-fi mixed with military ops. I am definitely going to continue with this series as this book was just about the first step for our heroes and I am interested if they succeed in their mission.
October 5, 2017
As a huge fan of Bobby Adair's 'Zombie' fiction I have to say I was disappointed by this generic and bland expansion into the sci-fi military genre. It really adds nothing to 'Starship Troopers', 'The Forever War', the Eden Plague saga, 'Old Man's War' and so many, many others...
As a 99p buy it's worth picking up though - and I'll be getting the sequels when they get to be that price, but not before. Hopefully the hackneyed story will have improved by then...
PS The 'science' is as execrable as the ludicrous tactics employed by the cannon-fodder marines (who have no personality other than two-dimensional cliches that are quite frankly, insulting to the reader IMO).
As a 99p buy it's worth picking up though - and I'll be getting the sequels when they get to be that price, but not before. Hopefully the hackneyed story will have improved by then...
PS The 'science' is as execrable as the ludicrous tactics employed by the cannon-fodder marines (who have no personality other than two-dimensional cliches that are quite frankly, insulting to the reader IMO).
June 25, 2019
I think I like the idea of military science fiction more than the actual execution of it. Because almost everything I've read in the genre is just sort of...fine. And this is no exception.
August 15, 2017
I found a new to me author and a new series. I think it’s going to be a pretty good series, especially with three books already published. I like to just read every book one at a time so the story has great continuity for me.
Once again, Earth and humanity has been conquered! Man, I get so tired of reading that. Somebody needs to write a book that say humanity has kicked some butt in the galaxy and everyone is staying away from us. I know there are some series like that, but I haven’t found one in awhile. But, I digress, so back to this story. We don’t find out the name of our main character until about half way through Chapter 4, so you’re probably going to be thinking, “Who is this guy?” as he explains the world situation in detail for the first three and a half chapters. It’s all in first person (I) so he’s telling you his version of things and it’s pretty bad. His name is Dylan Kane, gravity factory worker who has a alien implant in his head. At first, you think I might not like this guy, but he lets you know early on that he’s hiding something.
Our aliens conquerers are the Grays. Yeah, the big headed, big black eyes and skinny bodies we’ve all seen in those sci-fi movies. They seem to have some pretty good weapons on their starships, but they aren’t all that technologically advanced. But, when Earth is basically defenseless from high orbit, it’s not that hard to subdue everyone with some pretty heavy orbital bombardment! And, to top it all off, the Greys are telepathic to an extent. That’s the way they communicate with each other, like a hive mind, and they have been able to get into the minds of some humans so it’s difficult to hide much from them.
Except, Dylan Kane, has been hiding quite a lot lately. He and his fellow patriots are plotting a revolution. And that’s where the fun begins. The Grays are in a war with the Trogs. Now, I’m not all that clear on who the Trogs are exactly, but they seem to be star-faring neanderthals! Of course, that doesn’t make sense, but let’s just say, they are winning their war with the Grays. So much so, that Earth was conquered just to give the Grays a slave manpower pool to fight the war and build the resources they require. Except, the Grays don’t know how to fight a war and don’t know how to build good warfighting equipment and hardware. They don’t even use computers and won’t allow humanity to use them except in rare circumstances.
Now that the war has really gone badly, almost every human that can stand on their own two feet have been or will be drafted into the fight. Dylan Kane is just about ready to report to his induction center. He’s done all the required simulator training while also doing his job at the gravity plate factory, but none of these current “draftees” have ever received any kind of actual military training. So, it appears they are just cannon fodder to go and die for the Grays. Dylan is soon to be come Major Commissar Dylan Kane. He has and is also part of the Ministry of State Security (MSS) which are those humans who have supposedly sided with the Grays against humanity. When the Grays first arrived on the Moon, it was made pretty obvious of their intentions since they build huge rail guns designed to send devastating slugs to Earth. After wiping out most of the major population centers, a contingent of North Koreans managed to get to the Moon and arranged to surrender to them if they were given a significant role in running the conquered Earth. So now, the North Koreans are in charge of most everything on the planet backed up by their alien friends, the Grays.
Still, Dylan Kane as a Major Commissar is going to be in position to greatly influence what little war that might be left with the Trogs. He and about a division of soldiers like him are being loaded on space ships which will be launched into orbit to protect Earth. All of these troops will be armed. They will all soon become revolutionaries! Good stuff.
I’ve already got the second book, “Freedom’s Fury” and the third and fourth book, “Freedom’s Fray” and “Freedom’s Fist” are also available. I’ll be getting both pretty soon.
Once again, Earth and humanity has been conquered! Man, I get so tired of reading that. Somebody needs to write a book that say humanity has kicked some butt in the galaxy and everyone is staying away from us. I know there are some series like that, but I haven’t found one in awhile. But, I digress, so back to this story. We don’t find out the name of our main character until about half way through Chapter 4, so you’re probably going to be thinking, “Who is this guy?” as he explains the world situation in detail for the first three and a half chapters. It’s all in first person (I) so he’s telling you his version of things and it’s pretty bad. His name is Dylan Kane, gravity factory worker who has a alien implant in his head. At first, you think I might not like this guy, but he lets you know early on that he’s hiding something.
Our aliens conquerers are the Grays. Yeah, the big headed, big black eyes and skinny bodies we’ve all seen in those sci-fi movies. They seem to have some pretty good weapons on their starships, but they aren’t all that technologically advanced. But, when Earth is basically defenseless from high orbit, it’s not that hard to subdue everyone with some pretty heavy orbital bombardment! And, to top it all off, the Greys are telepathic to an extent. That’s the way they communicate with each other, like a hive mind, and they have been able to get into the minds of some humans so it’s difficult to hide much from them.
Except, Dylan Kane, has been hiding quite a lot lately. He and his fellow patriots are plotting a revolution. And that’s where the fun begins. The Grays are in a war with the Trogs. Now, I’m not all that clear on who the Trogs are exactly, but they seem to be star-faring neanderthals! Of course, that doesn’t make sense, but let’s just say, they are winning their war with the Grays. So much so, that Earth was conquered just to give the Grays a slave manpower pool to fight the war and build the resources they require. Except, the Grays don’t know how to fight a war and don’t know how to build good warfighting equipment and hardware. They don’t even use computers and won’t allow humanity to use them except in rare circumstances.
Now that the war has really gone badly, almost every human that can stand on their own two feet have been or will be drafted into the fight. Dylan Kane is just about ready to report to his induction center. He’s done all the required simulator training while also doing his job at the gravity plate factory, but none of these current “draftees” have ever received any kind of actual military training. So, it appears they are just cannon fodder to go and die for the Grays. Dylan is soon to be come Major Commissar Dylan Kane. He has and is also part of the Ministry of State Security (MSS) which are those humans who have supposedly sided with the Grays against humanity. When the Grays first arrived on the Moon, it was made pretty obvious of their intentions since they build huge rail guns designed to send devastating slugs to Earth. After wiping out most of the major population centers, a contingent of North Koreans managed to get to the Moon and arranged to surrender to them if they were given a significant role in running the conquered Earth. So now, the North Koreans are in charge of most everything on the planet backed up by their alien friends, the Grays.
Still, Dylan Kane as a Major Commissar is going to be in position to greatly influence what little war that might be left with the Trogs. He and about a division of soldiers like him are being loaded on space ships which will be launched into orbit to protect Earth. All of these troops will be armed. They will all soon become revolutionaries! Good stuff.
I’ve already got the second book, “Freedom’s Fury” and the third and fourth book, “Freedom’s Fray” and “Freedom’s Fist” are also available. I’ll be getting both pretty soon.
April 16, 2019
Gritty, raw and militaristic sci-fi, where the paranoia and claustrophobic depression of the narrator puts you right in the thick of an accelerating drama. The frantic pace masks an underlying mystery that promises surprising revelations, but little is revealed in this first instalment and the jury needs to wait for the closing remarks to decide if the slog through the unrelenting, cloying, narcissism of the unintentionally, unsympathetic and unlikeable protagonist is worth the heavy investment.
It feels like the opening bars of “Lost” or the “Sopranos” - I’m in for a wild ride or crushing disappointment. I’ve got my fingers crossed and thinking I may have stumbled on a rare gem; but am I really that lucky?
It feels like the opening bars of “Lost” or the “Sopranos” - I’m in for a wild ride or crushing disappointment. I’ve got my fingers crossed and thinking I may have stumbled on a rare gem; but am I really that lucky?
August 22, 2025
As someone new to the military sci-fi genre, I found this book to be a surprisingly enjoyable entry point. The concept is compelling, and there’s a palpable sense of weariness that sets in from the very first pages—it really drew me in.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator absolutely nailed it. Great pacing, solid character voices, and an engaging tone throughout.
The science itself is a bit shaky, but honestly, it didn’t take much away from the experience. If you’re in the mood for a short, read (or listen) that you can knock out in half a day, this one’s worth checking out
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator absolutely nailed it. Great pacing, solid character voices, and an engaging tone throughout.
The science itself is a bit shaky, but honestly, it didn’t take much away from the experience. If you’re in the mood for a short, read (or listen) that you can knock out in half a day, this one’s worth checking out
February 26, 2018
Great writing style. I got sucked in just through curiosity after the first few minutes of very well expressed hate and disgust. I mean...negative emotions are usually boring to read, but this was written in a way that...somehow made me want to know more. I like the extra strong and resourceful character and the storyline itself could get pretty interesting. Especially with the fact that if humans will be given a chance, they will grow overpowered very quickly, I think :)
August 18, 2024
This was a fun space opera set in an interesting dystopian universe.
The characters were reasonable, the action was compelling, and it was altogether enjoyable.
There were some aspects of the social structure that seemed a bit of a stretch, but nothing to dramatic.
The characters were reasonable, the action was compelling, and it was altogether enjoyable.
There were some aspects of the social structure that seemed a bit of a stretch, but nothing to dramatic.
September 16, 2019
I have the omnibus edition of this series but wanted to say that book one is a little on the overload side with info but it's certainly action-packed.
The characters are evolving nicely, whilst back story to the alien predicament is slowly revealed.
The writing style is similar to Slow Burn and Survivors, which is great, although sometimes it felt a little bogged down with tech stuff (yes, I know probably necessary but I did skip through some of it).
Enjoyable and entertaining and a recommended read.
The characters are evolving nicely, whilst back story to the alien predicament is slowly revealed.
The writing style is similar to Slow Burn and Survivors, which is great, although sometimes it felt a little bogged down with tech stuff (yes, I know probably necessary but I did skip through some of it).
Enjoyable and entertaining and a recommended read.
May 16, 2023
Definitely a solidly entertaining military science fiction story. I knew it was a shorter read but it really seemed like it went so fast! If this was more along the epic type of reads book one would have been maybe the first 200 pages of setting up our story for sure.
A couple of items I wanted to point on from my initial experience was this story begins with showing us a lot of prejudices based on race (earth or alien) as well as cultural/country. I'm really interested to see how these progress and ultimately turn out with this story.
There is plenty of political/military power intrigue with book one. So much so, I don't really know who to trust throughout most of the first book! I made a note that I wasn't even sure if we could trust our protagonist at one point. Things were seeming that shady!
I'm intrigued enough to keep going with this series as time permits.
A couple of items I wanted to point on from my initial experience was this story begins with showing us a lot of prejudices based on race (earth or alien) as well as cultural/country. I'm really interested to see how these progress and ultimately turn out with this story.
There is plenty of political/military power intrigue with book one. So much so, I don't really know who to trust throughout most of the first book! I made a note that I wasn't even sure if we could trust our protagonist at one point. Things were seeming that shady!
I'm intrigued enough to keep going with this series as time permits.
May 19, 2017
This probably one of the most depressing opening chapters of a book I have read in quite a while. In fact the whole book is written in a sort of ‘book noir’ style. Once I got used to this, I found I quite liked the bleak greyness of everything and in the end it wasn’t a bad read.
There were a few minor irritations, at times the author falls into the trap of many science fiction writers of being seduced by their own technical ingenuity and devoting too many pages to describing how all the technology works.
Also by the end of the book the only person I knew anything about is Kane, the rest of the characters are very much treated like cannon fodder, I hope this doesn’t mean the author is just going to keep killing off everybody.
There were a few minor irritations, at times the author falls into the trap of many science fiction writers of being seduced by their own technical ingenuity and devoting too many pages to describing how all the technology works.
Also by the end of the book the only person I knew anything about is Kane, the rest of the characters are very much treated like cannon fodder, I hope this doesn’t mean the author is just going to keep killing off everybody.
February 25, 2018
***THIS BOOK WAS RECEIVED FROM A GOODREADS GIVEAWAY***
I find it somewhat refreshing to read a dystopian book where the dystopia has already happened. There are far too many that detail the onset of a dystopia, and a scant few that actually deal with the realities of the dystopia. While this does lead Freedom’s Fire to have a cynical and depressing tone, at least there is a growing hope as the story progresses. At the very least, this book was a quick read, helped along by its pacing and action-packed sequences. On a personal note, I also liked the fact that it was set in Colorado, as I could easily connect with the locations and lingo.
While Freedom’s Fire was an enjoyable read, it did have a few minor flaws. As I read, I mostly understood the vague goals of the main character and his crew, at least in simplistic terms. Get off Earth. Join the Resistance. It was the in-between waypoints between these broad goals that were never really clear. Furthermore, the start of the book was a little slow as the author took some time for worldbuilding. At least, this expositional section still moved the story along and wasn’t completely obvious as an exposition dump. Finally, as an author myself, I understand the need for “reader involvement.” Even though the final section of the book was somewhat amusing and a different way to ask the reader for help, it mostly came off as desperate.
The aforementioned flaws are practically negligible when it comes to the strengths of Freedom’s Fire. There were certainly elements of HALO, Ender’s Game , and Starship Troopers (1997) to this book that worked well together. Perhaps the most important strength of this book was the situational awareness used by the main character. From his ability to take out enemy starships to his ingenious use of the smaller size of asteroids, the action sequences benefitted from these unique tactics. Or, at least they seem to be unique when compared to the “shoot ‘em up” brute-force approach.
A well-written and almost “pulpy” military sci-fi book, I give Freedom’s Fire 4.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
I find it somewhat refreshing to read a dystopian book where the dystopia has already happened. There are far too many that detail the onset of a dystopia, and a scant few that actually deal with the realities of the dystopia. While this does lead Freedom’s Fire to have a cynical and depressing tone, at least there is a growing hope as the story progresses. At the very least, this book was a quick read, helped along by its pacing and action-packed sequences. On a personal note, I also liked the fact that it was set in Colorado, as I could easily connect with the locations and lingo.
While Freedom’s Fire was an enjoyable read, it did have a few minor flaws. As I read, I mostly understood the vague goals of the main character and his crew, at least in simplistic terms. Get off Earth. Join the Resistance. It was the in-between waypoints between these broad goals that were never really clear. Furthermore, the start of the book was a little slow as the author took some time for worldbuilding. At least, this expositional section still moved the story along and wasn’t completely obvious as an exposition dump. Finally, as an author myself, I understand the need for “reader involvement.” Even though the final section of the book was somewhat amusing and a different way to ask the reader for help, it mostly came off as desperate.
The aforementioned flaws are practically negligible when it comes to the strengths of Freedom’s Fire. There were certainly elements of HALO, Ender’s Game , and Starship Troopers (1997) to this book that worked well together. Perhaps the most important strength of this book was the situational awareness used by the main character. From his ability to take out enemy starships to his ingenious use of the smaller size of asteroids, the action sequences benefitted from these unique tactics. Or, at least they seem to be unique when compared to the “shoot ‘em up” brute-force approach.
A well-written and almost “pulpy” military sci-fi book, I give Freedom’s Fire 4.5 stars out of 5.
1/2 For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
February 19, 2018
For 3 decades Grays’ have dominated the earth.
They allow little manufacturing time for things humans need to help survive.
Breckenridge ski resort, Frisco, Dillon, & Silverthorne, no longer exists.
Phil etches paper-thin, ceramic composite plates.
There is a branch of North Koreans who are the Ministry of State Security (MSS).
South Korea & China remained about the same.
Colonel Blair (f) ask Major Commissar Dylan Kane (33, husband, narrator, telepathy, Solar Defense Force Heavy Assault Division 743, 3rd battalion, 6,736th Regiment, Charlie Company),
if he had completed the online training.
Claire Kane (33, Sydney’s twin sister/Phil’s wife) is PG with a Gray hatchling.
Major Commissar Kane was assigned to Captain Milliken Assault Ship Alpha Delta Kilo 7, 8, 9 Tango, 3, 1st Platoon.
Penny Reed (pilot), Phil Barber, Lieutenant Holt, Sergeant Brice, Jablonsky (soldier), Andrea, Hastings, Mostyn, Silva, & Sergeant Lenox are also on the team.
The mission is to ram Trog cruisers in space.
Penny mentions Station 13C is looming ahead.
Later, a squadron of Trog ships was attacking an orbital battle station.
Captain Milliken come on the screen & claims there is a Trog spy aboard.
Lieutenant Holt figures out who it is, BANG!
Penny informs everyone Juji Station is coming up off our port side.
The space shuttle began to plummet & then smashed into the cruiser’s central hangar bay.
Later the Trogs had the crew pinned down.
What were Dylan & Phil arguing about?
They soon found another space ship The Rusty Turd.
Will the crew be able to get back to their original destination?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written outer space book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great outer space movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. Not my normal read, it was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Beezle Media, LLC.; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
They allow little manufacturing time for things humans need to help survive.
Breckenridge ski resort, Frisco, Dillon, & Silverthorne, no longer exists.
Phil etches paper-thin, ceramic composite plates.
There is a branch of North Koreans who are the Ministry of State Security (MSS).
South Korea & China remained about the same.
Colonel Blair (f) ask Major Commissar Dylan Kane (33, husband, narrator, telepathy, Solar Defense Force Heavy Assault Division 743, 3rd battalion, 6,736th Regiment, Charlie Company),
if he had completed the online training.
Claire Kane (33, Sydney’s twin sister/Phil’s wife) is PG with a Gray hatchling.
Major Commissar Kane was assigned to Captain Milliken Assault Ship Alpha Delta Kilo 7, 8, 9 Tango, 3, 1st Platoon.
Penny Reed (pilot), Phil Barber, Lieutenant Holt, Sergeant Brice, Jablonsky (soldier), Andrea, Hastings, Mostyn, Silva, & Sergeant Lenox are also on the team.
The mission is to ram Trog cruisers in space.
Penny mentions Station 13C is looming ahead.
Later, a squadron of Trog ships was attacking an orbital battle station.
Captain Milliken come on the screen & claims there is a Trog spy aboard.
Lieutenant Holt figures out who it is, BANG!
Penny informs everyone Juji Station is coming up off our port side.
The space shuttle began to plummet & then smashed into the cruiser’s central hangar bay.
Later the Trogs had the crew pinned down.
What were Dylan & Phil arguing about?
They soon found another space ship The Rusty Turd.
Will the crew be able to get back to their original destination?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written outer space book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great outer space movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. Not my normal read, it was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Beezle Media, LLC.; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
January 13, 2019
I have to begin this with a slightly unrelated fact: Bobby Adair is the author of my all-time favorite post-apocalyptic series, Slow Burn. Which is the main reason I decided to read Freedom's Fire.
Now, on to my personal opinion of the book you are actually wanting to know more about. I truly didn't think it could even begin to compare with Slow Burn, but I took a chance. And I am so glad I did. Adair has proven to me that he can write space opera (still Apoc/dystopian, hurray!) as well as he can post-Apoc. It just goes to show he is an incredibly talented author in multiple genres. When you get this book, please don't skip the very last bit after the end of the story. I know sometimes you might think, "oh, it's just the author thanking people and I don't have the time". I promise, if you like this book half as much as I did, you will love the last part. Now, stop wasting your valuable reading time, go get this book. I'm going to get book 2 in this series, right now.
Now, on to my personal opinion of the book you are actually wanting to know more about. I truly didn't think it could even begin to compare with Slow Burn, but I took a chance. And I am so glad I did. Adair has proven to me that he can write space opera (still Apoc/dystopian, hurray!) as well as he can post-Apoc. It just goes to show he is an incredibly talented author in multiple genres. When you get this book, please don't skip the very last bit after the end of the story. I know sometimes you might think, "oh, it's just the author thanking people and I don't have the time". I promise, if you like this book half as much as I did, you will love the last part. Now, stop wasting your valuable reading time, go get this book. I'm going to get book 2 in this series, right now.
January 30, 2019
I'm not a sci-fi reader normally--certainly not the "bug hunt" genre--but "Freedom's Fire" was the first book (thanks to the author's surname) in the table of contents of a fundraising compilation called "25-for-1". I gave it ten minutes and ended up hooked. It's been a long time since I read a book that delayed turning the lights out at night. I love non-stop action and this story grabbed me from the start. An ordinary factory worker (OK, he has an alien implant at the top of his spinal column) turns into a leader of the resistance once he reaches space. Adair does a nice job (to this non-sci-fi reader) explaining how beyond-light speed travel is plausible, and spends adequate time talking about the various technologies deployed. But basically this is a Space Western with a few Good Guys blasting the Outlaws.
I was, however, disappointed to be left hanging on an asteroid near-ish to Jupiter and that cost the book a star.
I was, however, disappointed to be left hanging on an asteroid near-ish to Jupiter and that cost the book a star.
January 26, 2022
Meh. Just meh. I give it 3 stars because the box set is excellent audiobook while driving material, but for the very reasons why I didn't care much for it.
Very little developed theme, don't go looking for deep insights here. The first person narrative is a lazy author's way out; it can be done very well, but in this case its not applied creatively as any first person narrative should. Character development seems to have been an after thought, as if he forgot and went back to add it last second.
As for the story, its like a B-rated action movie- all combat, which is fought in a war for freedom from an anathema slaver of humanity, for no reason other than freedom. It's very 'Ammuricuh'. No real mystery to solve, no real clear theme behind the military story like you would find in Starship Troopers or Forever War. Anything not combat seems forced and inorganic.
But hey, i didn't have to pay attention much while listening to it, so there's that.
Very little developed theme, don't go looking for deep insights here. The first person narrative is a lazy author's way out; it can be done very well, but in this case its not applied creatively as any first person narrative should. Character development seems to have been an after thought, as if he forgot and went back to add it last second.
As for the story, its like a B-rated action movie- all combat, which is fought in a war for freedom from an anathema slaver of humanity, for no reason other than freedom. It's very 'Ammuricuh'. No real mystery to solve, no real clear theme behind the military story like you would find in Starship Troopers or Forever War. Anything not combat seems forced and inorganic.
But hey, i didn't have to pay attention much while listening to it, so there's that.
November 13, 2017
First off I did enjoy the book, but it was a close call! The begging was slow and to be fair setting out a good reason to feel the way people did. But it was bleak and maybe a tad long, but once passed that the story picked up the pace and did a better job of filling you in on some people's past as moments of distraction of thoughts at times in the story where some authors would fly past and not acknowledge probably what would happen to you or I in that place!.
I also enjoyed Bryce at the end of the book after you Finnish reading, there's a cool bit about drinking hobo coffee! So I'm here keeping everyone alive. I kinda feel bad that I've finished the book, this must be what guilt feels like.
I would add that if I had known bobby was a Zombie book author I would have skipped this book so I'm glad I only found out after. There are no zombies thankfully!
I also enjoyed Bryce at the end of the book after you Finnish reading, there's a cool bit about drinking hobo coffee! So I'm here keeping everyone alive. I kinda feel bad that I've finished the book, this must be what guilt feels like.
I would add that if I had known bobby was a Zombie book author I would have skipped this book so I'm glad I only found out after. There are no zombies thankfully!
January 30, 2018
I read this as part of the Kindle version of 25 for One, the book bundle benefiting hurricane victims. It was the first book in the bundle and grabbed me from the first page. I was all-in with Adair's bleak view of alien invasion and human subjugation, and cheering for the rebels to prevail. Unfortunately, the book's ending was too abrupt for me. I was just feeling like I really knew and liked the characters and was waiting for their next challenge when things ended with an "until next time..." type of closing. I've read plenty of other series openers that left me feeling more satisfied at the conclusion. That being said, the book was well written, and I might get over my disappointment enough to continue the series.
February 13, 2018
Fantastic science fiction! It has action, adventure, mystery and does a fairly awesome job of explaining the science behind the technological advances.
I will start off by saying this book is not appropriate for some younger readers but high school age should be ok. The adult relations are kept brief but do contain some graphic material.
I loved the flow of this book and how it was fast-paced with some intermissions in the action where the protagonist would take a step back. The concept of this book is very original and I like the twist that is being hinted at so far.
The dynamic characterization is great and really adds some depth to the book and sets it apart from science-fiction where space ships just explode the whole time.
I'm definitely picking up the sequel for this one!
I will start off by saying this book is not appropriate for some younger readers but high school age should be ok. The adult relations are kept brief but do contain some graphic material.
I loved the flow of this book and how it was fast-paced with some intermissions in the action where the protagonist would take a step back. The concept of this book is very original and I like the twist that is being hinted at so far.
The dynamic characterization is great and really adds some depth to the book and sets it apart from science-fiction where space ships just explode the whole time.
I'm definitely picking up the sequel for this one!
September 16, 2019
7/10: Good solid read, something to get your teeth into.
I mouth the words in silent syllables. I think them loud and feel them hard.
From the very first page, this one had me. A very unique and frightening world. Also a sad statement on humanity's pathetic place on the intergalactic stage. Hint: not a good one.
I liked the main character, Dylan Kane. I empathised with him immediately. And before long, I was rooting for him because he was badass but still had a moral compass.
My desire to kill is giving me visions of genocidal slaughter.
This is fast-paced and action-packed. I'm hoping for a little more happy for Dylan, but we'll just have to see. The humour and deadpan delivery kept me entertained, so I'll be back for more.
Onto the next...
I mouth the words in silent syllables. I think them loud and feel them hard.
From the very first page, this one had me. A very unique and frightening world. Also a sad statement on humanity's pathetic place on the intergalactic stage. Hint: not a good one.
I liked the main character, Dylan Kane. I empathised with him immediately. And before long, I was rooting for him because he was badass but still had a moral compass.
My desire to kill is giving me visions of genocidal slaughter.
This is fast-paced and action-packed. I'm hoping for a little more happy for Dylan, but we'll just have to see. The humour and deadpan delivery kept me entertained, so I'll be back for more.
Onto the next...
May 15, 2017
Always loved Booby Adair's zombie books.. had some misgivings when he informed his faithful fans that he was moving to sci-fi but it really works. The aliens invade earth (Grays, LOL - a touch of the zombie there) then other aliens attack them and, of course, the earthlings rebel and there the story starts to get interesting. Love his characters, the good and the not-so-good.. can see some similarities to the Slow Burn peeps there too.
Read a preview (Freedom's Seige) that is available as a freebie to people on his mailing list and there is a link to it at the end of this book. Well worth the read! Straight away bought 1 and Book 2 and pre-ordered Book 3.
Read a preview (Freedom's Seige) that is available as a freebie to people on his mailing list and there is a link to it at the end of this book. Well worth the read! Straight away bought 1 and Book 2 and pre-ordered Book 3.
August 25, 2018
Intense and fast moving military sci-fi from an author who knows how to get you hooked. If you’ve read his zombie books, then this is similarly paced and plotted, with a fairly ordinary group of characters taken from factories and offices and plunged into interstellar war on a junkyard ship. Narrow time scale makes everything absolutely hectic and as addictive as crack cocaine or cheezels
Before you ask, I’ve never had crack or cocaine. They’re illegal. But I have polished off a few boxes of cheezels in my time.
If you’re not Australian and you don’t know what cheezels are, Google is your friend.
Ok I’m off to buy the next book in the series!
Before you ask, I’ve never had crack or cocaine. They’re illegal. But I have polished off a few boxes of cheezels in my time.
If you’re not Australian and you don’t know what cheezels are, Google is your friend.
Ok I’m off to buy the next book in the series!
October 26, 2025
I am a fan of author, Bobby Adair’s post apocalyptic zombie books and so when I saw he had a sci-fi 6-book space series on sale for 6$ and the audiobook for a similar price I grabbed this bargain prices set.
Freedom’s Fire ★★★ is the beginning of a space opera with humans or what is left of them trying to fight back to gain their freedom again. It wasn’t as good as I hoped but it wasn’t bad. It had a little less science than I like but the characters grow on you. The first book in the series was a shorter easy read. For the price of about 1$ per book it is well worth giving it a chance.
291 pages on kindle accompanied by audible.
Freedom’s Fire ★★★ is the beginning of a space opera with humans or what is left of them trying to fight back to gain their freedom again. It wasn’t as good as I hoped but it wasn’t bad. It had a little less science than I like but the characters grow on you. The first book in the series was a shorter easy read. For the price of about 1$ per book it is well worth giving it a chance.
291 pages on kindle accompanied by audible.
May 17, 2017
Well done sci-fi
After starting three series and copping out on the first book in each one I was very eager to find something decent. This is right up my alley. Good story, good setting, great action, interesting characters, and the most important "underdog earthlings battle superior aliens" theme. If you like the type of military sci-fi that focuses on "getting back at those damn aliens" then this book will work for you. Not overly techie or cerebral... just plain old sci-fi action. Can't wait to start book number two.
After starting three series and copping out on the first book in each one I was very eager to find something decent. This is right up my alley. Good story, good setting, great action, interesting characters, and the most important "underdog earthlings battle superior aliens" theme. If you like the type of military sci-fi that focuses on "getting back at those damn aliens" then this book will work for you. Not overly techie or cerebral... just plain old sci-fi action. Can't wait to start book number two.
October 17, 2017
Tense action
Most realistic near future infantry action that I've ever read. The backstory for this universe is logical, clear, and as dark as real life. I've been disappointed by other series when they start out interesting but I really doubt this series will let you down.
These may not be the heroes that you expected but they seem to be the ones humanity definite!y needs. Quoting shamelessly from "Nobility" and apologize (I sort of got carried away). You will like this book.
Most realistic near future infantry action that I've ever read. The backstory for this universe is logical, clear, and as dark as real life. I've been disappointed by other series when they start out interesting but I really doubt this series will let you down.
These may not be the heroes that you expected but they seem to be the ones humanity definite!y needs. Quoting shamelessly from "Nobility" and apologize (I sort of got carried away). You will like this book.
January 16, 2019
This was a quick,fun, and interesting read for me. It involves the planet Earth in the distant future being over run, conquered, and it's people generally being made slaves. This works well for the conquerors until the populace gets fed up. An unlucky crew gets drafted, set into space to fight and die, but along the way, they bond, refuse to die, and then turn on their conquerors. This is where the fun starts because the author fully makes the battles believable, the interactions between the characters real, and the s scenarios functional within the storyline. A very very good book to read.
November 12, 2020
A great read! A few minor editing mistakes that stuck with me for some bizarre reason, but definitely not enough to make me ding my rating! Got off to a slow start as the author set the stage for the story, but it picked up quickly and never stopped after that! I really like the main characters. They are normal people (for the world they were raised in) thrown into extraordinary circumstances. The comradery is realistic and even includes a little dissention between friends. All in all, this was a fast-paced, traditional science fiction book and I'm anxious to read the rest of the series!
January 11, 2021
As I mentioned in my review of book 3, I started this series out of order and was abit lost (in a good way) as to what was taking place. But that lead me to want to read the series in order and I'm glad I'm doing so. The story so far is great. The way Bobby Adair writes is different from the way other people write especially with regards to military sci-fi. His writing style helps the characters come alive and not just focus on the fighting. I'm looking forward to listening to the rest of this story.
August 22, 2023
Engaging military sf where we hit the ground running in the middle of an enslaved humanity under the Greys fighting another aliens. Situation FUBAR and we get only the really necessary information, which I love as a stylistic choice. I love the characters and the whole logic of the narrative. It's such a fun ride and I'm super happy it's just the first installment of at least 6 volumes. Basically this is what I expected Warhammer 40k to be like, but it was far from it. Read Bobby Adair instead. Fun, witty, engaging, mysterious, action-driven, ambitious, well written.
January 6, 2025
Maybe I dont read space operas enough. Maybe I dont have a conoseeurs eyes for story, but man. This right here is pure simple straight to the point action, spaceships and aliens. They never try to do too much by making some super large overarching plot or doing twists that arent needed. Just a man with a crew he never chose on a mission he had no choice but to complete. Absolutelt loved it and that 3.87 at the time of writing this should be like a 4.2 avg in my honest opinion. Solid 5 outta 5 from me drined the entire series in a weekend so what can I really say.
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