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Galaxy's Edge #2
Galactic Outlaws
A threat looms at the edge of the galaxy… Years have passed since the battle of Kublar, and Wraith is in deep cover for Legion Dark Ops, living a second life on the edge as an irreverent smuggler and bounty hunter under the alias of Captain Keel. As he fights off pirates and double-crossing rebels, Keel comes to realize that the old lines between right and wrong have blurred as the Legion sinks further under the corrupting influence of the House of Reason and its points.
When a lucrative night market contract is offered directly to Wraith to hunt down an enigmatic warlord, the former legionnaire winds up on a galactic-wide search that brings him face to face with the galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunter, a living legend known as Tyrus Rechs. The pair soon discover that the man they both hunt is more powerful than either imagined… and is poised to overthrow the Republic.
With a cloud of darkness growing and a planet pitched in war, Wraith must choose whether his true allegiances lie with himself… or with his brothers still in the Legion.
Military sci-fi meets space opera in this world-spanning adventure. Start reading now to see how expansive Galaxy’s Edge is with this brief interlude in the ongoing story of the legionnaires of Victory Company! Available in audiobook format performed by R.C. Bray as Galaxy's Edge Part
When a lucrative night market contract is offered directly to Wraith to hunt down an enigmatic warlord, the former legionnaire winds up on a galactic-wide search that brings him face to face with the galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunter, a living legend known as Tyrus Rechs. The pair soon discover that the man they both hunt is more powerful than either imagined… and is poised to overthrow the Republic.
With a cloud of darkness growing and a planet pitched in war, Wraith must choose whether his true allegiances lie with himself… or with his brothers still in the Legion.
Military sci-fi meets space opera in this world-spanning adventure. Start reading now to see how expansive Galaxy’s Edge is with this brief interlude in the ongoing story of the legionnaires of Victory Company! Available in audiobook format performed by R.C. Bray as Galaxy's Edge Part
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2017
1862 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Jason Anspach
186 books839 followersJASON ANSPACH is the author of Galaxy's Edge, Wayward Galaxy, Forgotten Ruin. and more.
He lives in Puyallup, WA with his wife and their seven (not a typo) children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
July 15, 2017
A space opera that unapologetically draws information from Star Wars and the Clone Wars storylines, as Star Wars itself began with pulp science fiction, Japanese movies and serials. The authors drink from that same well, and readers will immediately see the archetypes of Han Solo, Boba Fett, smugglers, bounty hunters, lost princesses, colorful robot and IA servants, a rebellion and an army controlled by an evil overlord, but the authors go their own way with their own spin.
The story is set a long time in the future at the edge of this galaxy, and the action kicks off on the first page with a Legionnaire intervention on a planet, coinciding with a girl and her robot seeking to hire a bounty hunter to avenge her murdered father. Meanwhile a smuggler and wheeler-dealer seeks to turn a profit from the chaos and gets caught up in a plot with bigger implications.
But the star of the show is Tyrus Rechs, an old soldier turned bounty hunter, a renegade from a government he can no longer serve, who finds himself taking up the girl’s cause of vengeance and justice. The journey will take him from one strange and dangerous den of outlaws to another, usually sites of prior battlefields where Rechs himself played a role in his bloody past. Along the way, Rechs will find a mystery tied up with his own past, one that threatens the future of an unprepared civilization.
If the galaxy is to be saved, it'll be up to those who operate outside the law.
Highly recommended for fans of old-school Star Wars and similar stories. I must also mention there were several moments where the authors poked fun at the franchise’s later missteps, but never to the point where it diverted from the story.
The story is set a long time in the future at the edge of this galaxy, and the action kicks off on the first page with a Legionnaire intervention on a planet, coinciding with a girl and her robot seeking to hire a bounty hunter to avenge her murdered father. Meanwhile a smuggler and wheeler-dealer seeks to turn a profit from the chaos and gets caught up in a plot with bigger implications.
But the star of the show is Tyrus Rechs, an old soldier turned bounty hunter, a renegade from a government he can no longer serve, who finds himself taking up the girl’s cause of vengeance and justice. The journey will take him from one strange and dangerous den of outlaws to another, usually sites of prior battlefields where Rechs himself played a role in his bloody past. Along the way, Rechs will find a mystery tied up with his own past, one that threatens the future of an unprepared civilization.
If the galaxy is to be saved, it'll be up to those who operate outside the law.
Highly recommended for fans of old-school Star Wars and similar stories. I must also mention there were several moments where the authors poked fun at the franchise’s later missteps, but never to the point where it diverted from the story.
August 8, 2017
Frenetic, Hobbled-Together, Larcenous "Star Wars" Fan Fiction
Compiled by two (2) authors, Mr. Nick Cole, and Mr. Jason Anspach, "Galactic Outlaws (Galaxy's Edge Book 2)," is a frenetic, hobbled-together, larcenous "Star Wars" fan fiction commercial enterprise. The two (2) authors, do not apparently work in concert and/or collaboratively, as the book is uneven, disjointed, crudely sewn together, with plot lines, narratives, timelines, all a jumble of inconsistencies and contradictions.
The "story" takes place far in the future, where the Republic Galactic Empire, is eroding away, failing due to its great mass of bureaucratic elitism, undemocratic governance, and corruption. The "rebel" groups are a thinly aligned, self-serving "Mid Core Rebels (MRC)," who seem more about themselves than freedom. An ex-Republic Legionnaire general, who is apparently over a thousand-years-old, is a self-appointed, vigilante/bounty hunter, who maintains surveillance on the galaxy's frontier edge, watching for some threat he cannot remember. He takes on an assignment to kill a nebulous character, from a precocious, young girl, whose "daddy" (word appears A LOT), a Republic envoy, who was murdered by the target and his ex-legionnaire mercs. Meanwhile, another ex-legionnaire bounty hunter, takes on a contract to find the girl and her new protector.
There are parts of the book that are written relatively well and entertain. One of the authors seems to know what he is doing. The pairing of the authors, not working in concert, makes the book's ending fail. The thinly veiled purloining of intellectual property of the "Star Wars" franchise is startling and pervasive: Both bounty hunters' ships seem too much like the "Millenium Falcon." A reprogrammed war-bot, assigned to the girl, is an effete copy of "CP3O." A psycho merc leader has a bot, beeping and whistling, described to closely resemble "R2D2." A feline alien pilot, wears bandoliers of ammo, speaks alien lingo only to the young bounty hunter, mimicking "Chewbacca." Both bounty hunters wear armor, closely described, resembling bounty hunter gear from "Star Wars." Republic Legionnaires are just a knockoff of the "Empire's Storm Troopers." Even some of the dialogue mirrors the movies, very much "Hans Solo" style. An sentient AI "Ravi," wearing an "azure turban...," talks like a combination of the "Steve from customer service...," character from "South Park," and "Apu," proprietor of the "Quickie Mart" on "The Simpsons." If this book and the series were a satire, it might fly. As a commercially, published enterprise, not so much. It is hypocritical that the authors warn of misuse of their intellectual property, yet they freely take from others.
"Galaxy's Edge," is a prime example of the worse of hobbyist, indie authorship, which takes amateurish fan fiction, and improperly places it in the commercial sphere.
The book is NOT recommended and was fully read via Kindle Unlimited.
Compiled by two (2) authors, Mr. Nick Cole, and Mr. Jason Anspach, "Galactic Outlaws (Galaxy's Edge Book 2)," is a frenetic, hobbled-together, larcenous "Star Wars" fan fiction commercial enterprise. The two (2) authors, do not apparently work in concert and/or collaboratively, as the book is uneven, disjointed, crudely sewn together, with plot lines, narratives, timelines, all a jumble of inconsistencies and contradictions.
The "story" takes place far in the future, where the Republic Galactic Empire, is eroding away, failing due to its great mass of bureaucratic elitism, undemocratic governance, and corruption. The "rebel" groups are a thinly aligned, self-serving "Mid Core Rebels (MRC)," who seem more about themselves than freedom. An ex-Republic Legionnaire general, who is apparently over a thousand-years-old, is a self-appointed, vigilante/bounty hunter, who maintains surveillance on the galaxy's frontier edge, watching for some threat he cannot remember. He takes on an assignment to kill a nebulous character, from a precocious, young girl, whose "daddy" (word appears A LOT), a Republic envoy, who was murdered by the target and his ex-legionnaire mercs. Meanwhile, another ex-legionnaire bounty hunter, takes on a contract to find the girl and her new protector.
There are parts of the book that are written relatively well and entertain. One of the authors seems to know what he is doing. The pairing of the authors, not working in concert, makes the book's ending fail. The thinly veiled purloining of intellectual property of the "Star Wars" franchise is startling and pervasive: Both bounty hunters' ships seem too much like the "Millenium Falcon." A reprogrammed war-bot, assigned to the girl, is an effete copy of "CP3O." A psycho merc leader has a bot, beeping and whistling, described to closely resemble "R2D2." A feline alien pilot, wears bandoliers of ammo, speaks alien lingo only to the young bounty hunter, mimicking "Chewbacca." Both bounty hunters wear armor, closely described, resembling bounty hunter gear from "Star Wars." Republic Legionnaires are just a knockoff of the "Empire's Storm Troopers." Even some of the dialogue mirrors the movies, very much "Hans Solo" style. An sentient AI "Ravi," wearing an "azure turban...," talks like a combination of the "Steve from customer service...," character from "South Park," and "Apu," proprietor of the "Quickie Mart" on "The Simpsons." If this book and the series were a satire, it might fly. As a commercially, published enterprise, not so much. It is hypocritical that the authors warn of misuse of their intellectual property, yet they freely take from others.
"Galaxy's Edge," is a prime example of the worse of hobbyist, indie authorship, which takes amateurish fan fiction, and improperly places it in the commercial sphere.
The book is NOT recommended and was fully read via Kindle Unlimited.
September 22, 2017
Summary:
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since most of the books I read have kick butt descriptions (aka blurbs). If the blurb doesn’t catch my eye, then I tend to skip the book unless a friend recommends it. Generally speaking, my goal is to provide a spoiler-free review, so here goes nothing!here
This novel, Galactic Outlaws, is the second in the Galaxy’s Edge series. This book takes place seven years after the Battle of Kublar, the topic of the first novel, Legionnaire. If you haven’t read the first book, click here, where I’ve reviewed it! In the follow-on to the hit Legionnaire, we meet a young girl who’s searching the crime-ridden gutters of seedy starports for a hero. She wants to hire someone to help her avenge her father’s murder. Her mantra, justice delayed is justice denied. A short jump away from Prisma Maydoon, a double-dealing legionnaire-turned-smuggler navigates a treacherous course past Republic lackeys. He manages to sneak past wanton space pirates. All in search of an epic payday. And somewhere deeper into the galaxy’s edge, a mysterious bounty hunter waits for them both… for redemption? Or revenge? The voices in his head won’t say which.
In a nutshell, this book has it all: sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
If you like epic space opera, with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant introduction to the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything George Lucas broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed Book 1, buy this book but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. They’ve revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, that brought most of us to the science fiction genre! There are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!
Characters:
In this novel, we meet a small cast of characters, all of whom we meet in their first-person point of view. Instead of a cluster of legionnaires, we have a space pirate, a bounty hunter, and a young girl/woman out for vengeance. Sadly, we don’t get to meet Legionnaire Sergeant Cohen Chhun in this book. I liked him, and hope they bring him back! In this book, the new characters feel like real people, who you could relate to. When they cried, I cried. When they laughed, I laughed. Everything you want from your fictional characters! But let’s move past the platitudes and talk specifics. There were several main characters in this novel, so I’ll break them down for you.
Aeson Keel: He’s a grizzled bounty hunter, who is perfectly willing to do business with the Mid-Core Rebellion and the Republic. He’ll double cross both, if the monies right, and not lose a nights sleep over it. He’s a quick draw and a crack shot, as befits someone who works closely with the infamous ex-leej, Wraith. We met Wraith in Legionnaire, and Keel helps him fulfill his contracts. He’s the kind of guy you wouldn’t gamble with or trust with your daughter, but you’d want him on your side in a pinch. There is a lot I could say about Keel, but I promised a spoiler free review.
Tyrus Rex: He’s an enigmatic warrior monk, who uses his bounty hunter status to rid criminals from the galaxy’s edge. He’s seeking to fight the slow fade out of his dotage, and the vague wisps of memory fragments. With his Mark 1 Legionnaire Armor and a bevy of durable weapons from the Golden Age of the Republic, he kicks ass and takes names. He’s a scarred veteran of numerous campaigns, who felt real and flushed out. Don’t get me wrong, he had the allure of mystery about him. But it never came across as hollow or lacking depth. I never felt like he was just one of those stereotypical military killers. He was badass, whose mere visage populates the nightmares of many ne’er do wells.
Prisma Maydoon: She’s a young woman-child who watched her father gunned down by bad guys in scary black legionnaire armor. She vows revenge against the man in the black cape who led them. She’s adopted the mantra that justice delayed is justice denied and seeks to hire the best bounty hunter that money can buy. Prisma once told her dad that she’s “almost a woman,” but the rest of the cast of characters refer to her as an innocent child. I never could pin down her age, but I think she’s around 12 years old.
Goth Sullus: Your prototypical bad guy, who we don’t really meet, except through the lens of the main characters. He’s dark and scary, someone who drives the plot and makes the second Galaxy’s Edge novel resonate emotionally with you.
In conclusion, I think that these characters were well fleshed out and three-dimensional. They all added to what is clearly a vast and expansive universe. All of the characters were a lot of fun to get to know and made me feel countless emotions. I felt like I could relate to them as people, and I would love to hang out and drink a beer with them. Except for Prisma, she’s too young to drink. We’ll leave her on the ship and drink her rum ration too! I’ll give these characters 5 out of 5 Grenades. I can’t wait to see where the author takes them all throughout this new series!
Plot:
Like most of the military fiction, I love to read, this was an action-packed novel. The story is set in a galaxy far, far away in a Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars Universe. The grand premise for this series was to take the kind of Star Wars stories we used to love, strip out all of the political messaging, and just tell fun tales. Escapism and enjoyment, under the banner of intergalactic science fiction. We again get to see the world through a first-person point-of-view, which didn’t even bother me this time around. And we see the world from multiple points of view. Like in the previous novel, you feel the chaos and confusion that combat and intergalactic intrigue brings. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first sentence. The plot grew and expanded from where we left it in Legionnire, and I can only imagine even bigger things coming from the Galaxy’s Edge world. The author balanced the action, with the exposition and world-building, so the story never felt flat. Unlike the first book, I never felt confused by the universe, as the world felt intuitive and you cohereuld so easily immerse yourself in the book. This book answered any remaining questions from book one in regards to world building, and it did this without negatively impacting the plot. I think that I’ve become conditioned to these large expansive worlds because of the copious amounts of space opera that I read. I only remind you of that, to point out that your mileage may vary on some of the ways I adapted to this story. With the fast pacing, this action-packed adventure story never slowed down and left you wanting more. I’m seriously concerned about the withdrawal symptoms I’ll experience when I catch up and finish the 4th book.
As you can tell by the gushing, I’m still addicted to this universe. I couldn’t put it down, the plot was that compelling. I really loved the premise, and more importantly, I enjoyed how the execution. The pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a unique premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing! I again give Cole/Anspach 5 out of 5 Grenades!
World Building:
This is the second book in the Galaxy’s Edge Series, and I absolutely loved it. It was even better than the first book, which I also loved. Can I say that enough? Okay, back to the nitty-gritty of the review. This novel had a very fleshed out world that was consistent, made sense and sucked you in. The authors kept everything that was awesome about book one and kicked it up a notch. I loved the way they handled inserting new tidbits about the larger universe and history in such a way that you didn’t even notice. Okay, I noticed because I was looking for it but their insertion of the world building was subtle. I took a few notes for my own series that I’ve had floating around in my head for the last five years or so. While there were still new and unexplored corners of Anspach and Cole’s massive and immersive universe that were grayed out or as yet unexplored, you never felt like you were missing anything important. Some parts weren’t there, but rather than detract from the world building, it made the universe feel that much larger. For example, there’s a lot of historical reference to the Savage Wars. You know it happened, and we continually learn how brutal it was. But having the picture of it resting on the mantel, versus an info dump in this series, makes the universe feel massive. Don’t get me wrong, I want books on that time period, but this style of world-building works. It definitely made me want to become part of the larger world. Seriously, can I buy some Galaxy’s Edge swag? Well, yes I could if I clicked here and snuck the credit card out of my wife’s cold dead hands! LOL! Okay, she’s not THAT tight-fisted… but she’s close!
Okay, back to the world building! What else can be said? I was hooked already, but Anspach and Cole set the hook deeper and dragged me out into deeper waters! I’m more convinced than ever that there’s room for CosPlay and a fandom for this world, and can’t wait for my own Legionnaire armor! Think they come in XXXL? The co-authors described the world with plenty of details, and there wasn’t a scene where I couldn’t picture it. Everything that was good about the first book remained, and they’d just added on for extra credit! They didn’t reinvent the wheel and built on the existing tropes of science fiction. They just made it fun again! The last book focused on the Legionnaire’s, but this one was more of a Han Solo, Not Han Solo action adventure. And yeah, we all know Han shot first! Even Anspach and Cole couldn’t mess this up! But they took the good from that hack Lucas and made it better! Who needs Star Wars anyway, we have Galaxy’s Edge! Overall, the world building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Cole/Anspach created. I’ve already started the third novel and pre-ordered the fourth! Oh, and I’ve gotten my wife interested in reading this one! Like before, this was a fun ride that made me long for a spaceship of my own to command… which is the goal of action/adventure authors! Like most of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun which is why I read in the first place. I give the world building 5 out of 5 Grenades.
Description:
I have to give it to the authors, this novel was chalk full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. He described things across the sensory spectrum; sights, sounds, smells and even how the world felt. This was done with perfection that only comes from seasoned writers and includes some solid editing. He continued with what worked from book one and kicked it up by a factor of five. This is how it’s done, and I hope to get that good someday. While I could visualize all of the worlds, I would still love it if the authors shared artists renderings from this immersive world! The world was just so awesome that I wanted to SEE it as the authors envisioned it. If it’s only a tenth as cool as what I pictured in my head, it would be worth every penny. Last time I mentioned that this writing duo went lite on the details on how everyone looked, but this time they did better. The balance of descriptive exposition and info dumping was perfectly executed. The spaceships that we meet in this book were excellently described, and you could easily envision yourself strolling their passageways. They improved upon the descriptions for the legionnaires and their kit. This section was even better than the last book. To be honest, I’m not sure how they get better in book three. Another huge plus for me was Nick Cole and Jason Anspach’s descriptive use of language. They balanced the explanation of this new world with the need to move a story along and then kicked the excellence up a notch. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible and I enjoyed it. You could almost smell the ionized ozone from the epic space battles as the dilithium crystals went supernova. The author’s description of their universe was evocative, and kept my uber-fan status for another round!! The only slight drawback of how descriptive they were, it was was a little bit distracting. Seriously, it made you wanna take a moment and explore every nook and cranny, but that’s a sign of an amazingly built universe. And a little birdy told me that they DO intend to explore those nooks and crannies! I’m hoping to learn more about T-Rex and the Savage Wars! In summary, I didn’t find any issues with the descriptions and was impressed by the literary skills of the authors. The action was gripping, and the story was fun. If you want the action, the adventure, and the PEW PEW, then this is the book for you! Nick Cole and Jason Anspach brought it, they were definitely their A game. I give them 5 out of 5 grenades in this category.
Overall:
I really loved this book, it was a lot of fun to read. It brought back the epic space romps I read and loved as a kid. No deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun. I even found myself hiding in the bathroom so I could read this book while I was supposed to be editing my own book! Shh, don’t tell Boss Man! I’ve gotten my wife hooked, now she wants to read the series with me! Think I can get her to make some Leej armor with me? I mean, if we make our own then I can make it Quad XL! Hell, if it helps convince you, I’ll admit that I started a Galaxy’s Edge Fan Club on Facebook. I liked it that much! If you want to talk shop with his, pop on over and say hi! Click here and apply to join! Come one, come all, seriously!
The story was compelling and made me want to fly my own spaceship. If I hide the ship from my wife, can I still be the captain? Let’s be real, my fighting days are over, and any semblance of command authority left when I hung up my stripes. Sigh, think the wife will at least let me be the first officer? But hey, I could forget that while I read this book and pretend I was still my own man! I could be young and spry again, capable of chewing lead, spitting out bullets and walking through fire. Definitely gave me a case of the feels, and I found myself wanting to be a part of it all. I couldn’t afford to be a paying member of the Galactic Legion, but at least I could serve in an auxiliary role by starting the fan club! Think I can be the next Porkins?
I don’t want to come on too strong, but I loved this book. It’s right up there with Terry Mixon’s Empire of Bones series. Maybe there’s just something about a few old Army guys telling stories that I love? When I read this book, I mourned the loss of the brave warriors killed in battle. And with this much action, well there were a lot of corpses laying around. But that’s just your average day around Tyrus Rex, galactic badass. I raised my micro-brewed beer, toasting in their honor! This was my second Nick Cole and Jason Anspach novel, and I’m sold. Bought book three and the pre-order for four! I think I’ll be hanging one of their book covers on the wall of my man cave if my wife lets me have one!
The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic cover, it was amazingly compelling. Seriously, if I weren’t colorblind and art dumb, I’d add a section to the book review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I know I said this about Scott Bartlett’s cover too, but the caliber of covers is certainly improving, and this book just kicks Awesome up a notch! They reminded me of the fun comic images I loved, or movie posters from the action adventures I read when I was supposed to be studying. When I finally have a dedicated office or man cave, I’m decorating it with these covers! I’ll hide it on the back of the door, so she can’t see it! Better to beg for forgiveness and all!
So, onto the book itself. The military culture shown was spot on, just what I’d expect from an Army veteran. The corruption of big governments seemed like what you’d expect, especially if you’re a student of human nature. The irreverence of the ex-leej characters fit with many of the disillusioned veterans you’d meet in hundreds of VA waiting rooms. Nick and Jason made it clear that their world was flushed out, and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci-fi did. The troops run out of ammo, dumb luck happens, and good soldiers still die. Sometimes the good guys do bad things, and there are emotional consequences for their actions. Nothing happens in a vacuum in this universe, and it makes the story that much better for it! Moving right along, the ground combat described was primal, and immersive. It was everything you want from the genre. The space battles were believable, gripping and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Lots of dodging, banking and all the other big science words I’m too dumb to understand! I just kept thinking, “whirlybird go pew pew,” as I read along. Luckily Nick is a nice guy, who handed me some crayons and drew me a few visual aids to speed along my comprehension! If you ask nicely, maybe he’ll draw you one too! This book was textbook KTF, the mantra of the Legionnaire! And some ZOOM ZOOM for the spacers out there reading this! Such a detailed portrayal of the tactics is rare, and this second novel in the universe didn’t disappoint. It was nice to add another universe to the list of ones I can read over and over again!
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the authors have definitely raised the bar for military science fiction authors everywhere. I was hooked from the first page! They wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into a Preyhunter and fly off into the icy blackness of the void! Basically, they had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades! If it weren’t cheating, I’d give it 6 grenades!
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since most of the books I read have kick butt descriptions (aka blurbs). If the blurb doesn’t catch my eye, then I tend to skip the book unless a friend recommends it. Generally speaking, my goal is to provide a spoiler-free review, so here goes nothing!here
This novel, Galactic Outlaws, is the second in the Galaxy’s Edge series. This book takes place seven years after the Battle of Kublar, the topic of the first novel, Legionnaire. If you haven’t read the first book, click here, where I’ve reviewed it! In the follow-on to the hit Legionnaire, we meet a young girl who’s searching the crime-ridden gutters of seedy starports for a hero. She wants to hire someone to help her avenge her father’s murder. Her mantra, justice delayed is justice denied. A short jump away from Prisma Maydoon, a double-dealing legionnaire-turned-smuggler navigates a treacherous course past Republic lackeys. He manages to sneak past wanton space pirates. All in search of an epic payday. And somewhere deeper into the galaxy’s edge, a mysterious bounty hunter waits for them both… for redemption? Or revenge? The voices in his head won’t say which.
In a nutshell, this book has it all: sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
If you like epic space opera, with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant introduction to the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything George Lucas broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed Book 1, buy this book but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. They’ve revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, that brought most of us to the science fiction genre! There are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!
Characters:
In this novel, we meet a small cast of characters, all of whom we meet in their first-person point of view. Instead of a cluster of legionnaires, we have a space pirate, a bounty hunter, and a young girl/woman out for vengeance. Sadly, we don’t get to meet Legionnaire Sergeant Cohen Chhun in this book. I liked him, and hope they bring him back! In this book, the new characters feel like real people, who you could relate to. When they cried, I cried. When they laughed, I laughed. Everything you want from your fictional characters! But let’s move past the platitudes and talk specifics. There were several main characters in this novel, so I’ll break them down for you.
Aeson Keel: He’s a grizzled bounty hunter, who is perfectly willing to do business with the Mid-Core Rebellion and the Republic. He’ll double cross both, if the monies right, and not lose a nights sleep over it. He’s a quick draw and a crack shot, as befits someone who works closely with the infamous ex-leej, Wraith. We met Wraith in Legionnaire, and Keel helps him fulfill his contracts. He’s the kind of guy you wouldn’t gamble with or trust with your daughter, but you’d want him on your side in a pinch. There is a lot I could say about Keel, but I promised a spoiler free review.
Tyrus Rex: He’s an enigmatic warrior monk, who uses his bounty hunter status to rid criminals from the galaxy’s edge. He’s seeking to fight the slow fade out of his dotage, and the vague wisps of memory fragments. With his Mark 1 Legionnaire Armor and a bevy of durable weapons from the Golden Age of the Republic, he kicks ass and takes names. He’s a scarred veteran of numerous campaigns, who felt real and flushed out. Don’t get me wrong, he had the allure of mystery about him. But it never came across as hollow or lacking depth. I never felt like he was just one of those stereotypical military killers. He was badass, whose mere visage populates the nightmares of many ne’er do wells.
Prisma Maydoon: She’s a young woman-child who watched her father gunned down by bad guys in scary black legionnaire armor. She vows revenge against the man in the black cape who led them. She’s adopted the mantra that justice delayed is justice denied and seeks to hire the best bounty hunter that money can buy. Prisma once told her dad that she’s “almost a woman,” but the rest of the cast of characters refer to her as an innocent child. I never could pin down her age, but I think she’s around 12 years old.
Goth Sullus: Your prototypical bad guy, who we don’t really meet, except through the lens of the main characters. He’s dark and scary, someone who drives the plot and makes the second Galaxy’s Edge novel resonate emotionally with you.
In conclusion, I think that these characters were well fleshed out and three-dimensional. They all added to what is clearly a vast and expansive universe. All of the characters were a lot of fun to get to know and made me feel countless emotions. I felt like I could relate to them as people, and I would love to hang out and drink a beer with them. Except for Prisma, she’s too young to drink. We’ll leave her on the ship and drink her rum ration too! I’ll give these characters 5 out of 5 Grenades. I can’t wait to see where the author takes them all throughout this new series!
Plot:
Like most of the military fiction, I love to read, this was an action-packed novel. The story is set in a galaxy far, far away in a Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars Universe. The grand premise for this series was to take the kind of Star Wars stories we used to love, strip out all of the political messaging, and just tell fun tales. Escapism and enjoyment, under the banner of intergalactic science fiction. We again get to see the world through a first-person point-of-view, which didn’t even bother me this time around. And we see the world from multiple points of view. Like in the previous novel, you feel the chaos and confusion that combat and intergalactic intrigue brings. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first sentence. The plot grew and expanded from where we left it in Legionnire, and I can only imagine even bigger things coming from the Galaxy’s Edge world. The author balanced the action, with the exposition and world-building, so the story never felt flat. Unlike the first book, I never felt confused by the universe, as the world felt intuitive and you cohereuld so easily immerse yourself in the book. This book answered any remaining questions from book one in regards to world building, and it did this without negatively impacting the plot. I think that I’ve become conditioned to these large expansive worlds because of the copious amounts of space opera that I read. I only remind you of that, to point out that your mileage may vary on some of the ways I adapted to this story. With the fast pacing, this action-packed adventure story never slowed down and left you wanting more. I’m seriously concerned about the withdrawal symptoms I’ll experience when I catch up and finish the 4th book.
As you can tell by the gushing, I’m still addicted to this universe. I couldn’t put it down, the plot was that compelling. I really loved the premise, and more importantly, I enjoyed how the execution. The pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a unique premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing! I again give Cole/Anspach 5 out of 5 Grenades!
World Building:
This is the second book in the Galaxy’s Edge Series, and I absolutely loved it. It was even better than the first book, which I also loved. Can I say that enough? Okay, back to the nitty-gritty of the review. This novel had a very fleshed out world that was consistent, made sense and sucked you in. The authors kept everything that was awesome about book one and kicked it up a notch. I loved the way they handled inserting new tidbits about the larger universe and history in such a way that you didn’t even notice. Okay, I noticed because I was looking for it but their insertion of the world building was subtle. I took a few notes for my own series that I’ve had floating around in my head for the last five years or so. While there were still new and unexplored corners of Anspach and Cole’s massive and immersive universe that were grayed out or as yet unexplored, you never felt like you were missing anything important. Some parts weren’t there, but rather than detract from the world building, it made the universe feel that much larger. For example, there’s a lot of historical reference to the Savage Wars. You know it happened, and we continually learn how brutal it was. But having the picture of it resting on the mantel, versus an info dump in this series, makes the universe feel massive. Don’t get me wrong, I want books on that time period, but this style of world-building works. It definitely made me want to become part of the larger world. Seriously, can I buy some Galaxy’s Edge swag? Well, yes I could if I clicked here and snuck the credit card out of my wife’s cold dead hands! LOL! Okay, she’s not THAT tight-fisted… but she’s close!
Okay, back to the world building! What else can be said? I was hooked already, but Anspach and Cole set the hook deeper and dragged me out into deeper waters! I’m more convinced than ever that there’s room for CosPlay and a fandom for this world, and can’t wait for my own Legionnaire armor! Think they come in XXXL? The co-authors described the world with plenty of details, and there wasn’t a scene where I couldn’t picture it. Everything that was good about the first book remained, and they’d just added on for extra credit! They didn’t reinvent the wheel and built on the existing tropes of science fiction. They just made it fun again! The last book focused on the Legionnaire’s, but this one was more of a Han Solo, Not Han Solo action adventure. And yeah, we all know Han shot first! Even Anspach and Cole couldn’t mess this up! But they took the good from that hack Lucas and made it better! Who needs Star Wars anyway, we have Galaxy’s Edge! Overall, the world building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Cole/Anspach created. I’ve already started the third novel and pre-ordered the fourth! Oh, and I’ve gotten my wife interested in reading this one! Like before, this was a fun ride that made me long for a spaceship of my own to command… which is the goal of action/adventure authors! Like most of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun which is why I read in the first place. I give the world building 5 out of 5 Grenades.
Description:
I have to give it to the authors, this novel was chalk full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. He described things across the sensory spectrum; sights, sounds, smells and even how the world felt. This was done with perfection that only comes from seasoned writers and includes some solid editing. He continued with what worked from book one and kicked it up by a factor of five. This is how it’s done, and I hope to get that good someday. While I could visualize all of the worlds, I would still love it if the authors shared artists renderings from this immersive world! The world was just so awesome that I wanted to SEE it as the authors envisioned it. If it’s only a tenth as cool as what I pictured in my head, it would be worth every penny. Last time I mentioned that this writing duo went lite on the details on how everyone looked, but this time they did better. The balance of descriptive exposition and info dumping was perfectly executed. The spaceships that we meet in this book were excellently described, and you could easily envision yourself strolling their passageways. They improved upon the descriptions for the legionnaires and their kit. This section was even better than the last book. To be honest, I’m not sure how they get better in book three. Another huge plus for me was Nick Cole and Jason Anspach’s descriptive use of language. They balanced the explanation of this new world with the need to move a story along and then kicked the excellence up a notch. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible and I enjoyed it. You could almost smell the ionized ozone from the epic space battles as the dilithium crystals went supernova. The author’s description of their universe was evocative, and kept my uber-fan status for another round!! The only slight drawback of how descriptive they were, it was was a little bit distracting. Seriously, it made you wanna take a moment and explore every nook and cranny, but that’s a sign of an amazingly built universe. And a little birdy told me that they DO intend to explore those nooks and crannies! I’m hoping to learn more about T-Rex and the Savage Wars! In summary, I didn’t find any issues with the descriptions and was impressed by the literary skills of the authors. The action was gripping, and the story was fun. If you want the action, the adventure, and the PEW PEW, then this is the book for you! Nick Cole and Jason Anspach brought it, they were definitely their A game. I give them 5 out of 5 grenades in this category.
Overall:
I really loved this book, it was a lot of fun to read. It brought back the epic space romps I read and loved as a kid. No deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun. I even found myself hiding in the bathroom so I could read this book while I was supposed to be editing my own book! Shh, don’t tell Boss Man! I’ve gotten my wife hooked, now she wants to read the series with me! Think I can get her to make some Leej armor with me? I mean, if we make our own then I can make it Quad XL! Hell, if it helps convince you, I’ll admit that I started a Galaxy’s Edge Fan Club on Facebook. I liked it that much! If you want to talk shop with his, pop on over and say hi! Click here and apply to join! Come one, come all, seriously!
The story was compelling and made me want to fly my own spaceship. If I hide the ship from my wife, can I still be the captain? Let’s be real, my fighting days are over, and any semblance of command authority left when I hung up my stripes. Sigh, think the wife will at least let me be the first officer? But hey, I could forget that while I read this book and pretend I was still my own man! I could be young and spry again, capable of chewing lead, spitting out bullets and walking through fire. Definitely gave me a case of the feels, and I found myself wanting to be a part of it all. I couldn’t afford to be a paying member of the Galactic Legion, but at least I could serve in an auxiliary role by starting the fan club! Think I can be the next Porkins?
I don’t want to come on too strong, but I loved this book. It’s right up there with Terry Mixon’s Empire of Bones series. Maybe there’s just something about a few old Army guys telling stories that I love? When I read this book, I mourned the loss of the brave warriors killed in battle. And with this much action, well there were a lot of corpses laying around. But that’s just your average day around Tyrus Rex, galactic badass. I raised my micro-brewed beer, toasting in their honor! This was my second Nick Cole and Jason Anspach novel, and I’m sold. Bought book three and the pre-order for four! I think I’ll be hanging one of their book covers on the wall of my man cave if my wife lets me have one!
The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic cover, it was amazingly compelling. Seriously, if I weren’t colorblind and art dumb, I’d add a section to the book review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I know I said this about Scott Bartlett’s cover too, but the caliber of covers is certainly improving, and this book just kicks Awesome up a notch! They reminded me of the fun comic images I loved, or movie posters from the action adventures I read when I was supposed to be studying. When I finally have a dedicated office or man cave, I’m decorating it with these covers! I’ll hide it on the back of the door, so she can’t see it! Better to beg for forgiveness and all!
So, onto the book itself. The military culture shown was spot on, just what I’d expect from an Army veteran. The corruption of big governments seemed like what you’d expect, especially if you’re a student of human nature. The irreverence of the ex-leej characters fit with many of the disillusioned veterans you’d meet in hundreds of VA waiting rooms. Nick and Jason made it clear that their world was flushed out, and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci-fi did. The troops run out of ammo, dumb luck happens, and good soldiers still die. Sometimes the good guys do bad things, and there are emotional consequences for their actions. Nothing happens in a vacuum in this universe, and it makes the story that much better for it! Moving right along, the ground combat described was primal, and immersive. It was everything you want from the genre. The space battles were believable, gripping and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Lots of dodging, banking and all the other big science words I’m too dumb to understand! I just kept thinking, “whirlybird go pew pew,” as I read along. Luckily Nick is a nice guy, who handed me some crayons and drew me a few visual aids to speed along my comprehension! If you ask nicely, maybe he’ll draw you one too! This book was textbook KTF, the mantra of the Legionnaire! And some ZOOM ZOOM for the spacers out there reading this! Such a detailed portrayal of the tactics is rare, and this second novel in the universe didn’t disappoint. It was nice to add another universe to the list of ones I can read over and over again!
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the authors have definitely raised the bar for military science fiction authors everywhere. I was hooked from the first page! They wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into a Preyhunter and fly off into the icy blackness of the void! Basically, they had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades! If it weren’t cheating, I’d give it 6 grenades!
March 3, 2018
I did it again! ggrrrr 😡 I fell into the trap that I swore never to fall into. As with Adair's 'Freedom Series', I didn't check before beginning and therefore broke my cardinal rule. Never ever start a series unless it is completed!! Obviously it isn't and now I have to wait two weeks for book #3. I cant do it, I tell ya. I can't wait that long! 😖
Book 2 of Galaxy's Edge begins on a confusing note. It's 7 years after the Battle of Kublar and it seems an entirely new cast of characters is being introduced. Trust me. Wait for it....enjoy the new stories, memories shared, characters introduced....just wait for it because at an astonishing pace it all comes together, though on a somewhat sad note, but come together it does. Wow, serendipity and all that....BUT I STILL HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS! And OMG! What if there's another one? It takes me a day to read a book...then I may have to wait a whole month! 😱 See children...see what happens when you don't follow the rules?! Total break down.
Book 2 of Galaxy's Edge begins on a confusing note. It's 7 years after the Battle of Kublar and it seems an entirely new cast of characters is being introduced. Trust me. Wait for it....enjoy the new stories, memories shared, characters introduced....just wait for it because at an astonishing pace it all comes together, though on a somewhat sad note, but come together it does. Wow, serendipity and all that....BUT I STILL HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS! And OMG! What if there's another one? It takes me a day to read a book...then I may have to wait a whole month! 😱 See children...see what happens when you don't follow the rules?! Total break down.
March 7, 2019
Well, this was...interesting.
First of all, this is so different from the first book that it is a mystery to me why they didn't just start a different series altogether. Not only does it have nothing to do with the first book, but it is a completely different type of story. The first was a military sci-fi and this is a space opera adventure.
Second, you can really tell that this was written by two people. The writing styles, writing ability, and plots vary so much that it quickly becomes distracting. If you want to know what it's like to read two different books from two different people at the exact same time, this book gives you that chance. Let's just say it's confusing and frustrating.
Finally, this is a shameless (and I mean SHAMELESS) Star Wars ripoff. The writers aren't even trying to hide it (it even starts with a "galaxy far away"-type line). You get Boba Fett, Han Solo, a Wookie, a princess, Twi'leks, droids, force powers, etc. etc. but with different (but sometimes painfully similar) names.
As I was reading this, I just couldn't stop wondering why I didn't just read an actual Star Wars novel instead.
First of all, this is so different from the first book that it is a mystery to me why they didn't just start a different series altogether. Not only does it have nothing to do with the first book, but it is a completely different type of story. The first was a military sci-fi and this is a space opera adventure.
Second, you can really tell that this was written by two people. The writing styles, writing ability, and plots vary so much that it quickly becomes distracting. If you want to know what it's like to read two different books from two different people at the exact same time, this book gives you that chance. Let's just say it's confusing and frustrating.
Finally, this is a shameless (and I mean SHAMELESS) Star Wars ripoff. The writers aren't even trying to hide it (it even starts with a "galaxy far away"-type line). You get Boba Fett, Han Solo, a Wookie, a princess, Twi'leks, droids, force powers, etc. etc. but with different (but sometimes painfully similar) names.
As I was reading this, I just couldn't stop wondering why I didn't just read an actual Star Wars novel instead.
July 15, 2017
Taking place 7 years after the first book, the characters, as diverse as they are find themselves on a collision course with each other. One a young girl who watched her father killed who was looking for someone to avenger her fathers death. Another a man for hire, a bounty hunter and very old with a secret of his own, and a younger bounty hunter just looking for a big payday. By the end of the book, the twists and turn will have taken you a roller coaster ride that will not let you go.
And it maintained what I liked in the original book, a technically light but fast paced military sci-fi that drags you in and makes you want more.
And it maintained what I liked in the original book, a technically light but fast paced military sci-fi that drags you in and makes you want more.
February 25, 2018
I enjoyed this book, not as much as the first, but it still made me want to find out more, so I'll continue with the rest of the series.
July 20, 2017
Oh, man, this was a fantastic story! Best story I've read in a long time, no question. The story really kept me hooked all the way to the end, and is almost constant and gripping action from the get go. The authors are doing a great job with this series, and I really liked the first book, but this one was even better. It is good solid military sci-fi like the first book, with plenty of ground based combat, but this one breaks out into the category of space opera where you get a much larger view of the galaxy and overarching story the authors are building.
The characterization is also great. The authors did particularly well with Tyrus in this book, and I found a few of the moments with him to be quite emotionally moving, which isn't something I have experienced in a long, long time, and that with a lot of years of reading many books.
There are similarities to the Star Wars universe, but this is grittier, deeper, and all around better (and that is from a big fan of Star Wars). You will have some deja-vu moments in the story as you notice that some of the characters share similarities to some of the Star Wars characters (a few remind me in ways of Han Solo, for example), and some of the details of the galaxy and rough history definitely have some nods to Star Wars, but this is also its own thing and more realistic and, as I mentioned, grittier.
Despite the realism and grittiness, there is none of the sex or foul language that is so common in books these days, so if that matters to you, then know that you can safely recommend it to your teens without having to worry about them wading through a bunch of garbage just to experience a good story. Note: If the authors happen to read this, please don't change that with future books in this series, as it is so rare to find books that are clean nowadays and you have a real opportunity to fill a niche by simply continuing what you have been doing here. Thank you and well done!
I am most definitely looking forward to the next one. If you like military sci-fi, or space opera, or Star Wars (as long as you are ok with it being its own quite different take on what Star Wars maybe could have been), then you really need to give this series a shot. You may find that it is what you have been waiting for for a long time without knowing it. It has been that for me.
The characterization is also great. The authors did particularly well with Tyrus in this book, and I found a few of the moments with him to be quite emotionally moving, which isn't something I have experienced in a long, long time, and that with a lot of years of reading many books.
There are similarities to the Star Wars universe, but this is grittier, deeper, and all around better (and that is from a big fan of Star Wars). You will have some deja-vu moments in the story as you notice that some of the characters share similarities to some of the Star Wars characters (a few remind me in ways of Han Solo, for example), and some of the details of the galaxy and rough history definitely have some nods to Star Wars, but this is also its own thing and more realistic and, as I mentioned, grittier.
Despite the realism and grittiness, there is none of the sex or foul language that is so common in books these days, so if that matters to you, then know that you can safely recommend it to your teens without having to worry about them wading through a bunch of garbage just to experience a good story. Note: If the authors happen to read this, please don't change that with future books in this series, as it is so rare to find books that are clean nowadays and you have a real opportunity to fill a niche by simply continuing what you have been doing here. Thank you and well done!
I am most definitely looking forward to the next one. If you like military sci-fi, or space opera, or Star Wars (as long as you are ok with it being its own quite different take on what Star Wars maybe could have been), then you really need to give this series a shot. You may find that it is what you have been waiting for for a long time without knowing it. It has been that for me.
November 16, 2019
Wow. This thing just fell off the rails. The first book in the series was a run of the mill, military sci-fi with a little cheese--think a decent version of Hammer's Slammers meets Starship Troopers. This second book though, is like a fifth grader's attempt at a Star Wars imitation. It just went off in a completely different direction.
There is of course the poor writing, "it was this immobility that concerned all the murderous murders." Murderous murderers? Okay. There are the numerous Star Wars imitation scenes, name knock-offs (Daeth Hunda, Goth Sullus), and use of the Force "with nothing more than a gesture of his index finger and thumb, Goth Sullus broke Tyrus Rechs's neck from a distance." Yes, that was Tyrus Rechs, as in T-Rechs, which is how he's referred to quite often in the book. Throw in some pig latin (no kidding) and you start questioning whether this is meant to be a parody.
In case your wondering, the plot line will not allow you to suspend disbelief. In fact, the event at the center of the whole book is predicated on an idea that actually makes no sense whatsoever. If you want to protect data then you put all of the data, I mean all of it, in one physical data cube, give it to one guy, and send him to an outpost with no protection. THAT is the security plan?
Characters are not only flat, but Wraith from the first book appears in this book and has a completely different personality than he did in the first book. Why? How? This was so disappointing after a moderately decent first book.
Don't bother with this one--leave it on the shelf.
There is of course the poor writing, "it was this immobility that concerned all the murderous murders." Murderous murderers? Okay. There are the numerous Star Wars imitation scenes, name knock-offs (Daeth Hunda, Goth Sullus), and use of the Force "with nothing more than a gesture of his index finger and thumb, Goth Sullus broke Tyrus Rechs's neck from a distance." Yes, that was Tyrus Rechs, as in T-Rechs, which is how he's referred to quite often in the book. Throw in some pig latin (no kidding) and you start questioning whether this is meant to be a parody.
In case your wondering, the plot line will not allow you to suspend disbelief. In fact, the event at the center of the whole book is predicated on an idea that actually makes no sense whatsoever. If you want to protect data then you put all of the data, I mean all of it, in one physical data cube, give it to one guy, and send him to an outpost with no protection. THAT is the security plan?
Characters are not only flat, but Wraith from the first book appears in this book and has a completely different personality than he did in the first book. Why? How? This was so disappointing after a moderately decent first book.
Don't bother with this one--leave it on the shelf.
September 30, 2017
Having enjoyed the first book in the Galaxy's Edge series as a well-executed but straight forward military sci-fi adventure, I cracked open Galactic Outlaws expecting more of the same.
Expectations did not meet reality. What is this? A rogue captain of a pieced-together freighter who's only in it for the money and doesn't think it's his fault? An animal-like humanoid (resembling a cat, in this case) who understands Galactic Standard but speaks only in his native Wobanki? A dark-robed Big Bad space wizard? Princess Leenah???
What the heck... is this just a cheap Star Wars ripoff?
No. No it is not. I should have had more confidence in Nick Cole, who has never once let me down when I've trusted him to tell me an entertaining story (Jason Anspach is new to me, but if Mr. Cole is working with him, he must also be a quality storyteller).
If Hollywood had any sense at all, Galactic Outlaws would be a big budget, square one reboot of the Star Wars universe. This is not a cheap ripoff of Star Wars, this is a MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT over where Star Wars is going.
I could praise it in more detail, but that would take valuable time which you could better spend reading the book, and I could better spend starting book 3, Kill Team.
So let's both do that instead.
Expectations did not meet reality. What is this? A rogue captain of a pieced-together freighter who's only in it for the money and doesn't think it's his fault? An animal-like humanoid (resembling a cat, in this case) who understands Galactic Standard but speaks only in his native Wobanki? A dark-robed Big Bad space wizard? Princess Leenah???
What the heck... is this just a cheap Star Wars ripoff?
No. No it is not. I should have had more confidence in Nick Cole, who has never once let me down when I've trusted him to tell me an entertaining story (Jason Anspach is new to me, but if Mr. Cole is working with him, he must also be a quality storyteller).
If Hollywood had any sense at all, Galactic Outlaws would be a big budget, square one reboot of the Star Wars universe. This is not a cheap ripoff of Star Wars, this is a MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT over where Star Wars is going.
I could praise it in more detail, but that would take valuable time which you could better spend reading the book, and I could better spend starting book 3, Kill Team.
So let's both do that instead.
September 11, 2017
I'm going to make this quick, because I'm eager to start the next book in the series.
These authors move effortlessly between intense action and heartbreaking pathos. The quality of writing is utterly masterful. You will care about the characters. You will enjoy this story.
Now get out of my way, I'm starting the next book.
These authors move effortlessly between intense action and heartbreaking pathos. The quality of writing is utterly masterful. You will care about the characters. You will enjoy this story.
Now get out of my way, I'm starting the next book.
August 30, 2021
Having been a fan of Nick Cole for years, I was excited to see what his team-up with Jason Anspach would lead to. The answer is Galaxy’s Edge, the wildly popular military sci-fi series starting with Legionnaire, and continuing with today’s review book, Galactic Outlaws. Picking up several years after the events of the first book, we are introduced to some new characters in a galaxy in turmoil, as well as seeing what one of the key characters from that book is up to.
This is where a chief strength of this book come in, the characters. We are introduced to the mysterious bounty hunter Tyrus Rechs, a guy who makes Boba Fett and the Mandalorian look like amateurs. When a young girl approaches him to help her get revenge on the people who killed her family, he is dragged into a conspiracy he could never have imagined. He helps the girl in spite of himself, especially dangerous as he has become a wanted man by the Legion, and even his knowledge and skills might not be up to the task. As the story progresses, you discover that Rechs has secrets that would be hard to imagine, and a tie to the villain that comes out of nowhere, but in a good way.
We also get to meet Captain Keel, a kind of roguish space captain who is reminiscent of a certain smuggler in another franchise in a galaxy far, far away. We do discover later that he is not exactly who he seems, and he is the character carried over from the previous book. He is dealing with threats from the Legion and criminals himself, and his crew of misfits and neer-do wells are the perfect compliment to him. As the story progresses, and the two threads of story come crashing together, we see that even with all the character’s abilities used to the fullest, it might not be enough to stop the threat that may just be bigger than all of them.
This leads into the world building, which I was hooked on in the first book, and am impressed on how much more was added this time around. The universe it’s set in, with a fading republic beset by rebellion could be a tired trope, but its handled so well. As the authors said in the story, the universe is a dumpster fire, and as in any fading empire, the cracks are evident and are being exploited. The added element of an unknown outside threat only adds to the confusion of the characters, but really helps draw the reader in. It’s a high tech universe, but the fading of the republic has caused some regression in technology and systems, and it’s interesting to see how this helps the story play out.
The narration is handled flawlessly by the super talented R.C. Bray. If you are unfamiliar with him, he narrated the original production of Andy Weir’s The Martian, and like that one, he is absolutely killing it on this one. He does such a good job bringing each individual character to life, and he really just draws you into the story. His narrative pacing is spot on, and it’s a real pleasure to just let the story roll into your mind.
With its action packed plot, fun cast of characters and creative world building, this is a story that will appeal to a broad range of fans. It’s space opera in the best sense, and will just draw the reader in and keep them enthralled right up to the shocking action packed ending. It’s the kind of book you’d be upset waiting for the next book in the series, but luckily, there are a lot of books following it ready for you to read. I highly recommend doing so.
This is where a chief strength of this book come in, the characters. We are introduced to the mysterious bounty hunter Tyrus Rechs, a guy who makes Boba Fett and the Mandalorian look like amateurs. When a young girl approaches him to help her get revenge on the people who killed her family, he is dragged into a conspiracy he could never have imagined. He helps the girl in spite of himself, especially dangerous as he has become a wanted man by the Legion, and even his knowledge and skills might not be up to the task. As the story progresses, you discover that Rechs has secrets that would be hard to imagine, and a tie to the villain that comes out of nowhere, but in a good way.
We also get to meet Captain Keel, a kind of roguish space captain who is reminiscent of a certain smuggler in another franchise in a galaxy far, far away. We do discover later that he is not exactly who he seems, and he is the character carried over from the previous book. He is dealing with threats from the Legion and criminals himself, and his crew of misfits and neer-do wells are the perfect compliment to him. As the story progresses, and the two threads of story come crashing together, we see that even with all the character’s abilities used to the fullest, it might not be enough to stop the threat that may just be bigger than all of them.
This leads into the world building, which I was hooked on in the first book, and am impressed on how much more was added this time around. The universe it’s set in, with a fading republic beset by rebellion could be a tired trope, but its handled so well. As the authors said in the story, the universe is a dumpster fire, and as in any fading empire, the cracks are evident and are being exploited. The added element of an unknown outside threat only adds to the confusion of the characters, but really helps draw the reader in. It’s a high tech universe, but the fading of the republic has caused some regression in technology and systems, and it’s interesting to see how this helps the story play out.
The narration is handled flawlessly by the super talented R.C. Bray. If you are unfamiliar with him, he narrated the original production of Andy Weir’s The Martian, and like that one, he is absolutely killing it on this one. He does such a good job bringing each individual character to life, and he really just draws you into the story. His narrative pacing is spot on, and it’s a real pleasure to just let the story roll into your mind.
With its action packed plot, fun cast of characters and creative world building, this is a story that will appeal to a broad range of fans. It’s space opera in the best sense, and will just draw the reader in and keep them enthralled right up to the shocking action packed ending. It’s the kind of book you’d be upset waiting for the next book in the series, but luckily, there are a lot of books following it ready for you to read. I highly recommend doing so.
September 17, 2021
So close to 4 stars. If only the long coveted half stars existed. Sigh.
This was another fun, action filled sci-fi adventure. The authors made an interesting choice, taking the story several years forward with a plot that only loosely connected to the first book. The tone was also very different, shifting from all action space marines to a space western adventure. For the most part it worked. We got to see more of the galaxy, and what I’ve seen has been great with atmospheric locations and some interesting variety. We also got to spend more time with several characters, allowing more emotional investment than in the first book.
Several people have said it already, but there are some HEAVY Star Wars vibes from these books. Which I’m totally fine with. I grew up loving the original Star Wars trilogy, even if recent movies have been……shall we say less inspiring.
Not everything has been fully explained in the books, and I’m not entirely sure it’s all made complete sense, but the series has been a lot of fun so far and I’m looking forward to reading more.
This was another fun, action filled sci-fi adventure. The authors made an interesting choice, taking the story several years forward with a plot that only loosely connected to the first book. The tone was also very different, shifting from all action space marines to a space western adventure. For the most part it worked. We got to see more of the galaxy, and what I’ve seen has been great with atmospheric locations and some interesting variety. We also got to spend more time with several characters, allowing more emotional investment than in the first book.
Several people have said it already, but there are some HEAVY Star Wars vibes from these books. Which I’m totally fine with. I grew up loving the original Star Wars trilogy, even if recent movies have been……shall we say less inspiring.
Not everything has been fully explained in the books, and I’m not entirely sure it’s all made complete sense, but the series has been a lot of fun so far and I’m looking forward to reading more.
September 5, 2017
Goddamn! I'm lost for words. Jason and Nick have written a book that surpasses the first one. Tyrus Rechs (T-Rex) and Anson Keel are two bounty hunters that you want to see succeed throughout the story, even when doing terrible and despicable deeds. Prisma Maydoon wants Rechs to kill the man who killed her fater. Goth Sullus is planning a revolution to destroy the Republic, and he needed information Prisma's father had. Keel, (who was once known as Wraith from Legionnaire) just wants to get rich. He's not concerned how he does that, and the bounty on Prisma and Rechs might just do it. Rechs makes him a better offer, which means if he can pull it off, he'll get paid twice.
The ending.. wow! Evil has returned to the Republic, and the next book (book 4 in the timeline) will be amazing. Now I have to go back to Book 3 Kill Team and learn how Wraith became Keel.
The ending.. wow! Evil has returned to the Republic, and the next book (book 4 in the timeline) will be amazing. Now I have to go back to Book 3 Kill Team and learn how Wraith became Keel.
March 20, 2018
Similarities to Star Wars
By Charles van Buren on March 20, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
This novel has some obvious similarities to Star Wars. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Unlike Star Wars, the novel did not reach a real ending. Instead there is a major cliff hanger. I know that this is a series but David Drake, David Weber and Bernard Cornwell, just to name three, manage to write series with each volume having a satisfactory conclusion. I do not enjoy having to read more and more volumes to get to an ending. I hope that this book 2 is an anomaly and that other volumes do have endings. The writing is pretty good in a sort of B movie serial style so I may try another volume. If it too ends in a major cliff hanger, I'm done.
By Charles van Buren on March 20, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
This novel has some obvious similarities to Star Wars. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Unlike Star Wars, the novel did not reach a real ending. Instead there is a major cliff hanger. I know that this is a series but David Drake, David Weber and Bernard Cornwell, just to name three, manage to write series with each volume having a satisfactory conclusion. I do not enjoy having to read more and more volumes to get to an ending. I hope that this book 2 is an anomaly and that other volumes do have endings. The writing is pretty good in a sort of B movie serial style so I may try another volume. If it too ends in a major cliff hanger, I'm done.
August 17, 2017
The second book in the Galaxy's Edge series is phenomenal -- but it's also very different than the first book. And I loved both books, for different reasons.
While the first book focused on following a group of elite space soldiers, or legionnaires, and focused in on the realities of war, this second book follows a group of characters through their adventures at the Galaxy's edge.
I couldn't put this book down. It's got a great universe, great characters, and I just can't get enough.
Looking forward to #3.
While the first book focused on following a group of elite space soldiers, or legionnaires, and focused in on the realities of war, this second book follows a group of characters through their adventures at the Galaxy's edge.
I couldn't put this book down. It's got a great universe, great characters, and I just can't get enough.
Looking forward to #3.
August 8, 2018
Very disappointing after the first book. This is just a star wars knock-off. The focus is entirely different from the first book and the sympathy displayed for the legion there. The "band of brothers" ethos seems to have entirely vanished. The legion are now people simply to be knocked down by the protagonists at an improbable rate. I wonder if the zetas inspired the black legionnaires, at least that wouldn't be taken straight from star wars... There are rather two many sci-fi cliches all over here I'm afraid for this to be an enjoyable read. A shame.
July 15, 2017
The dumpster fire is burning brighter and so is this series.
Set 7 years after the previous book, it involves several of the previous characters but also introduces new ones. The story is expanding at a rapid pace and I was hooked from the start. I read it in one sitting as it captures the imagination and refuses to let go.
* I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, my opinions are my own *
Set 7 years after the previous book, it involves several of the previous characters but also introduces new ones. The story is expanding at a rapid pace and I was hooked from the start. I read it in one sitting as it captures the imagination and refuses to let go.
* I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, my opinions are my own *
January 14, 2018
Such a good book! Way better than the first, so much so that it wasn't even in the same league. It was great sci-fi action, with a great story and a great world built up around it. It wasn't perfect, and had some pacing issues near the end, but the excitement and story made up for it. Can't wait to move on to number 3.
April 16, 2021
This was a really fun book, but a change of pace from the last book. I was expecting military sci-fi. Space marine type stuff. Instead, this is a western set in space. Bounty Hunters and Outlaws. All that fun stuff. Still, it was fun, it was interesting, and it sets the stage for a much bigger story. Will be exciting to see where the series goes from here.
August 13, 2017
Amazing action filled sci fi
I love the Galaxy's Edge. The characters are well developed realistic people. This book brings back the giddy feeling of classic scifi that is lost in most of today's science fiction and fantasy.
I love the Galaxy's Edge. The characters are well developed realistic people. This book brings back the giddy feeling of classic scifi that is lost in most of today's science fiction and fantasy.
November 16, 2017
Wow. Even better than the first
Sequels can be iffy.not in this case, not at all. I found this title to be even better than the first book in the series. Excellent. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
Sequels can be iffy.not in this case, not at all. I found this title to be even better than the first book in the series. Excellent. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
December 18, 2018
The way star wars should be told.
Extremely entertaining and a quick read. Although there are very few new story lines out there how the story is told and how the characters interact us what makes this series great.
Extremely entertaining and a quick read. Although there are very few new story lines out there how the story is told and how the characters interact us what makes this series great.
July 18, 2017
Interesting characters
The first book was very good. Book two story and characters became more interesting and compelling in unexpected ways. I look forward to book three.
The first book was very good. Book two story and characters became more interesting and compelling in unexpected ways. I look forward to book three.
July 31, 2017
Very good book can't wait for the next installment.
August 2, 2017
I like it
None stop action. Some good stuff. Hard to put down. Interesting story line that bounces back and forth. Keep me coming.
None stop action. Some good stuff. Hard to put down. Interesting story line that bounces back and forth. Keep me coming.
August 9, 2017
Hell yes. This is my new star wars.
September 27, 2017
LOVED the book, sad with the ending, but won't include spoilers. While setting up different parts of the future books, still builds a wonderful story itself and pulls you in. I... want... MORE!!!
October 11, 2017
El primer libro de esta serie era sencillo, repleto de tópicos pero entretenido y fácil de leer. Éste también es sencillo y repleto de tópicos pero resulta muchísimo menos entretenido y no tan fácil de leer.
En lugar de seguir la historia de los legionarios que protagonizaban el primero, aquí damos un salto de siete años que parecen siete siete siglos. La situación política de la galaxia ha cambiado totalmente y lo mismo sucede con lo que se nos cuenta en el libro. Es space-opera pura y dura, pero sin ningún rastro de originalidad, una especie de mezcla entre Star Wars y Firefly protagonizada por dos personajes que son una suerte de superhombres del futuro capaces de enfrentarse a cualquier amenaza sin pasar ni un apuro.
Todo suena a visto, la historia tarda páginas y páginas en arrancar mientras leemos tiroteos y combates especiales que buscan ser emocionantes pero resultan pesados. Sólo al final intuimos lo que se quería contar, lo que lleva al lector a preguntarse si hacía falta meter 300 páginas para que todo se resumiera en un par de capítulos finales un poco esclarecedores.
No me ha entretenido especialmente, y hablamos de space-opera, lo que es casi un crimen para el género.
Además la relación con lo que se cuenta en el primer libro (lo poco que se molesta en aclarar el autor) es casi anecdótica. Y todo es bastante confuso, muy en la linea de estirar la narración en futuras entregas. Futuras entregas que, de momento, no creo que vaya a leer...
En lugar de seguir la historia de los legionarios que protagonizaban el primero, aquí damos un salto de siete años que parecen siete siete siglos. La situación política de la galaxia ha cambiado totalmente y lo mismo sucede con lo que se nos cuenta en el libro. Es space-opera pura y dura, pero sin ningún rastro de originalidad, una especie de mezcla entre Star Wars y Firefly protagonizada por dos personajes que son una suerte de superhombres del futuro capaces de enfrentarse a cualquier amenaza sin pasar ni un apuro.
Todo suena a visto, la historia tarda páginas y páginas en arrancar mientras leemos tiroteos y combates especiales que buscan ser emocionantes pero resultan pesados. Sólo al final intuimos lo que se quería contar, lo que lleva al lector a preguntarse si hacía falta meter 300 páginas para que todo se resumiera en un par de capítulos finales un poco esclarecedores.
No me ha entretenido especialmente, y hablamos de space-opera, lo que es casi un crimen para el género.
Además la relación con lo que se cuenta en el primer libro (lo poco que se molesta en aclarar el autor) es casi anecdótica. Y todo es bastante confuso, muy en la linea de estirar la narración en futuras entregas. Futuras entregas que, de momento, no creo que vaya a leer...
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