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United Star Systems #1
Border Worlds
A good crew and a good ship is all any captain wishes for.
Commander Aaron Rayne of the United Star Systems Fleet is young, fearless and loyal but there are those within the Fleet who question his suitability to command.
His fateful encounter along the frontier, triggers a series of events which threatens to unravel the fragile peace between two human interstellar powers: The Baridian Empire and the United Star Systems.
A separatist movement along the frontier threatens the security of the United Systems. Ships from either side are disappearing without a trace. The Empire and United Star Systems point fingers at each other. The last war they fought brought both sides to their knees.
Now Commander Rayne must re-unite with his crew, take command of a prototype starship and lead them on a mission to the frontier. His new ally is shady, they are hunted by unknown operatives and the only hope at preventing a 'war to end all wars' is to win the trust of a sworn enemy: Quintus Scipio-Lord Commander of the Imperial Navy.
A science fiction action adventure novel told through the eyes of a young captain and his crew. Journey through this fast-paced novel as it explores the ideals of loyalty, honor and sacrifice. It is a unique bond, that kinship, which is formed in the face of adversity.
Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ASIN B074GVJMRJ here.
Commander Aaron Rayne of the United Star Systems Fleet is young, fearless and loyal but there are those within the Fleet who question his suitability to command.
His fateful encounter along the frontier, triggers a series of events which threatens to unravel the fragile peace between two human interstellar powers: The Baridian Empire and the United Star Systems.
A separatist movement along the frontier threatens the security of the United Systems. Ships from either side are disappearing without a trace. The Empire and United Star Systems point fingers at each other. The last war they fought brought both sides to their knees.
Now Commander Rayne must re-unite with his crew, take command of a prototype starship and lead them on a mission to the frontier. His new ally is shady, they are hunted by unknown operatives and the only hope at preventing a 'war to end all wars' is to win the trust of a sworn enemy: Quintus Scipio-Lord Commander of the Imperial Navy.
A science fiction action adventure novel told through the eyes of a young captain and his crew. Journey through this fast-paced novel as it explores the ideals of loyalty, honor and sacrifice. It is a unique bond, that kinship, which is formed in the face of adversity.
Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ASIN B074GVJMRJ here.
- GenresScience Fiction
394 pages, ebook
Published August 1, 2017
99 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
J. Malcolm Patrick
4 books5 followersJ Malcolm Patrick was raised on a healthy dose of science fiction. Everything from Star Trek to Star Wars, Stargate to Firefly, Space Above and Beyond to Farscape. During his spare time he enjoys reading many independently published fiction novels, from the Man of War series to The Lost Starship and Black Fleet to The Expanse.
His ultimate goal with science fiction is to create endearing characters who are loyal to each other and whose bonds of friendship no adversity could ever break. When your friend is in trouble, there's no space too far, no wall too high, or obstacle too dangerous to save them.
His ultimate goal with science fiction is to create endearing characters who are loyal to each other and whose bonds of friendship no adversity could ever break. When your friend is in trouble, there's no space too far, no wall too high, or obstacle too dangerous to save them.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 16, 2019
Someone is trying to get a war started by attacking ships from both the Empire and the USS. Commander Aaron Rayne is out to find out who it is without getting killed.
Soon friends turn out to be enemies, and enemies turn out to be friends. Lots of action on land and in space sets the stage for this three volume saga. And a huge twist at the end
RECOMMENDED
Soon friends turn out to be enemies, and enemies turn out to be friends. Lots of action on land and in space sets the stage for this three volume saga. And a huge twist at the end
RECOMMENDED
September 17, 2017
EXCELLENT MILITARY/DIPLOMACY SPACE OPERA
J. Malcolm Patrick has created a wonderful, if duplicitous galaxy where opposing militaries scheme together to create a false war that will expand military power at the expense of darn near everything else in either society. Hits a little close to the present...
THIS IS THE BEST FIRST NOVEL I HAVE READ. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!
J. Malcolm Patrick has created a wonderful, if duplicitous galaxy where opposing militaries scheme together to create a false war that will expand military power at the expense of darn near everything else in either society. Hits a little close to the present...
THIS IS THE BEST FIRST NOVEL I HAVE READ. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!
December 15, 2019
Border Worlds is a lot like a Star Trek season starring Ryan Reynolds. Fans of Star Fleet Battles or Traveler RPGs will enjoy the starship combat sequences, especially with the references to numeric technology levels. The fistfights reminded me of “Dark Matter.” Reading and profanity levels were both at eighth-grade level. After an interesting undercover set up, the novel showed great promise. The problem for me was that I had to stop almost every chapter because of large numbers of grammar/spelling errors, multi-page info-dump lectures, or repetition that would pull me out of my state of suspended disbelief. Some of the problems were as simple as all the names being so similar like Lee/Vee or Phalanx/Phoenix. Others involved science flaws like a bionic arm lifting a thousand pounds, which would crush a human’s spinal column. Or a fleet-wide martial-arts master who gets his butt handed to him by a merchant he was attacking two-on-one. Because of this, I could only manage three chapters a day. I gave up entirely halfway through the book. It has enormous potential, but it really needs editing.
August 22, 2017
Star Trek clone
Pretty good rip off of Star Trek. Kirk and McCoy copies. Rest of the crew are bits and pieces of various other crew members and of the show Enterprise. Way too complex in it's machinations.
Pretty good rip off of Star Trek. Kirk and McCoy copies. Rest of the crew are bits and pieces of various other crew members and of the show Enterprise. Way too complex in it's machinations.
December 6, 2017
Home run Pally Boy! A must read!
Well...I can only repeat, well done. Good storyline, great character development, yup, all covered. And who can argue with someone who lists Stargate and Firefly as an Inspiration. You have a new fan. Keep up the good work.
Well...I can only repeat, well done. Good storyline, great character development, yup, all covered. And who can argue with someone who lists Stargate and Firefly as an Inspiration. You have a new fan. Keep up the good work.
November 26, 2017
Good action, well done.
I liked the action and humor in this book. The aurhor was creative and able to spin a story that was interesting as well as filled with action.
I liked the action and humor in this book. The aurhor was creative and able to spin a story that was interesting as well as filled with action.
January 29, 2018
Preachy
Everybody in this book has multiple soliloquys and the self preaching stalls all the action and never advances the plot or developes the characters.
Everybody in this book has multiple soliloquys and the self preaching stalls all the action and never advances the plot or developes the characters.
December 23, 2017
Weird
I was ready for an interstellar war, interstellar intrigue and hard fought battles but I only got through maybe a dozen pages. The book may have been interesting but I'll never find out. The main character draws an almost equivalency between wage dependence and outright slavery.
My family was doomed to a truncated family history, generations of poverty despite unrelenting work and limited opportunity to develop high order skills (read university admittance) or inherited wealth passed down by white GED holders through home ownership at least. My ethnicity has a lower average income for college graduates than white high school graduates. For that privilege we are accused of preferential hiring, "natural incompetence", and genetically inherited character deficiencies.
All this while denying that racism ever existed, slavery is being written out of public school textbooks and well paid experts claim that we don't suffer the effects of four hundred years of treatment as animals. Slavery is no more than denial of the very humanity of the slave. Slaves are never well treated and provided with amenities. Slaves are property to be disposed as desired by their owner.
Their is no slave family because slaves can't be married, their children are also property and of course can be destroyed at the owners whim. Before an author decides to add slavery to a story he or she might have enough honesty to portray it as the horrible status that it is and historically always has been. Else find another plot device or background detail.
Shame on you!
I was ready for an interstellar war, interstellar intrigue and hard fought battles but I only got through maybe a dozen pages. The book may have been interesting but I'll never find out. The main character draws an almost equivalency between wage dependence and outright slavery.
My family was doomed to a truncated family history, generations of poverty despite unrelenting work and limited opportunity to develop high order skills (read university admittance) or inherited wealth passed down by white GED holders through home ownership at least. My ethnicity has a lower average income for college graduates than white high school graduates. For that privilege we are accused of preferential hiring, "natural incompetence", and genetically inherited character deficiencies.
All this while denying that racism ever existed, slavery is being written out of public school textbooks and well paid experts claim that we don't suffer the effects of four hundred years of treatment as animals. Slavery is no more than denial of the very humanity of the slave. Slaves are never well treated and provided with amenities. Slaves are property to be disposed as desired by their owner.
Their is no slave family because slaves can't be married, their children are also property and of course can be destroyed at the owners whim. Before an author decides to add slavery to a story he or she might have enough honesty to portray it as the horrible status that it is and historically always has been. Else find another plot device or background detail.
Shame on you!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews