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Expansion Wars Trilogy #3
Destroyer
A relentless enemy…
An old wolf's last hunt…
The future of two species hanging in the balance…
The Darshik war machine is flagging, but the war is far from over. Even as an exhausted Federation military tenses up for a counterattack after repelling the last Darshik invasion, reports are coming in of a new, more powerful class of ship that's striking deep into Terran space.
Captain Jackson Wolfe has been given the fleet's newest, most advanced destroyer and tasked with eliminating this new threat before it can claim any more human lives. What he finds, however, is immeasurably more dangerous than just some new class of starship … it's a horror that could lead to the destruction of both their species if it isn't stopped.
Destroyer is the third book in the Expansion Wars Trilogy and part of the #1 bestselling Black Fleet Saga.
An old wolf's last hunt…
The future of two species hanging in the balance…
The Darshik war machine is flagging, but the war is far from over. Even as an exhausted Federation military tenses up for a counterattack after repelling the last Darshik invasion, reports are coming in of a new, more powerful class of ship that's striking deep into Terran space.
Captain Jackson Wolfe has been given the fleet's newest, most advanced destroyer and tasked with eliminating this new threat before it can claim any more human lives. What he finds, however, is immeasurably more dangerous than just some new class of starship … it's a horror that could lead to the destruction of both their species if it isn't stopped.
Destroyer is the third book in the Expansion Wars Trilogy and part of the #1 bestselling Black Fleet Saga.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2017
765 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
March 20, 2020
Notes:
Narrator was great. I'll definitely try out his other work. This trilogy felt like a transition piece to setup the next big stage for the story world. Fun but not as engaging as Black Fleet Trilogy.
Narrator was great. I'll definitely try out his other work. This trilogy felt like a transition piece to setup the next big stage for the story world. Fun but not as engaging as Black Fleet Trilogy.
October 19, 2017
Four and a half stars. It is a rare thing in this age of independent authors cranking out trilogy after trilogy, or endless series of books to find a third book on a trilogy that can stand on its own. Is the story better for having read the first tow books, definitely, but you don't nee to have read them to understand and enjoy what is going on.
Dalzelle does a terrific job of filling in details from the earlier portions of the storyline without going into pages of repetition. It seems this has become a lost art with todays authors.
The story is a good blend of drama and action. There is development of the existing characters and new characters to fill out the "next generation". Old enemies become new again and the fields of battle (both literal and political) change drastically. A great finish to the career of Captain Jackson Wolfe.
Dalzelle does a terrific job of filling in details from the earlier portions of the storyline without going into pages of repetition. It seems this has become a lost art with todays authors.
The story is a good blend of drama and action. There is development of the existing characters and new characters to fill out the "next generation". Old enemies become new again and the fields of battle (both literal and political) change drastically. A great finish to the career of Captain Jackson Wolfe.
June 8, 2018
Too Many Faceless Villains
Throughout this trilogy, the protagonists are well written and I enjoyed the main characters. I cared about the captain and thought he really improvised some great strategies. The author never loses track of war in space constrained by the limits of light speed.
What I didn't like was...well, just don't expect any fleshing out of the alien enemies. Never once described in any detail. Even when they sent assault troops to the surface of a planet they invaded. Just the broadest description of suited beings. Headshot knocking helmets off all over the place, gas escaping, but never a look as to what's inside. You hear about the motivations of this rogue alien terrorist only second hand. He/she/its race, the race they splintered off of, their society, never described. What the symbols on the rogue faction's ships meant, why they looked unfinished, never more than speculated at. I kept reading the books in the trilogy hoping for explanations. But in the words of the Dread Pirate Wesley, "Get used to being disappointed.".
Throughout this trilogy, the protagonists are well written and I enjoyed the main characters. I cared about the captain and thought he really improvised some great strategies. The author never loses track of war in space constrained by the limits of light speed.
What I didn't like was...well, just don't expect any fleshing out of the alien enemies. Never once described in any detail. Even when they sent assault troops to the surface of a planet they invaded. Just the broadest description of suited beings. Headshot knocking helmets off all over the place, gas escaping, but never a look as to what's inside. You hear about the motivations of this rogue alien terrorist only second hand. He/she/its race, the race they splintered off of, their society, never described. What the symbols on the rogue faction's ships meant, why they looked unfinished, never more than speculated at. I kept reading the books in the trilogy hoping for explanations. But in the words of the Dread Pirate Wesley, "Get used to being disappointed.".
May 15, 2023
Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me
Formulatic and unsurprising, Destroyer is an entertaining novel that feels very familiar. Joshua Dalzelle excels at focusing on a single spaceship and her captain, telling a well-paced tale that goes by so quickly that one can ignore its faults. Nothing is outright bad, but the low page count means that everything aside from the tituar destroyer is little more than a name. A case of bark being worse than its bite, big claims like a Darkshik ‘war machine’ and ‘future of two species hanging in the balance’ never live up to the story that’s actually told.
The Black Fleet Saga has always been about a single spaceship facing the enemy on its own, and Destroyer does not deviate from this formula. Wolfe returns once more, completely unsupported and facing uncharacterized alien antagonists who threaten humanity. If this sounds like Warship, Counterstrike and Iron & Blood, that’s because it is. Once again surrounded by bigotry, held back from doing the right thing by political circumstance, Wolfe channels the rebel within all of us and comes out decorated with honours. It’s an invigorating combination, but leaves you feeling empty of substance.
The worldbuilding is a total mess. The Darshik overall strategy is non-existent when analyzed across the entire trilogy, and has never lived up to the title of Expansion Wars. Alien motivations were analyzed to great fanfare in Iron & Blood, yet was an unsolved mystery that was entirely forgotten in this concluding chapter. The human political situation only exists to setup speed bumps for Wolfe. Everything about the worldbuilding feels ad-hoc — written on the fly in order to prop up a plot twist — instead of being something imagined since the beginning.
This leaves me with my primary complaint with the series: a mismatch between the claimed stakes and the actual story being told. The author wants to write about a vendetta between two ship captains, but resorts to threats to society or humanity in order to build tension. Such galactic perils require a much larger solution, and I find myself rolling my eyes when inevitably, some ill-foreshadowed plot twist will result in Wolfe once again facing the enemy on his own. It’s predictable, entertaining, but in retrospect, terribly written.
For fans that have made it through five previous novels, Destroyer is a fine entertainment. For those on the cusp like me, you’ll tire of the superficial universe, cardboard characters, and worse, the realization that the author shows no signs of being interested in improving his craft. He’s found a formula and will execute on that for all its worth.
Not recommended with reservations.
Series Overall Spoiler-Free Thoughts
★★★★☆ New Frontiers (Expansion Wars Trilogy, #1)
★★★☆☆ Iron & Blood (Expansion Wars Trilogy, #2)
★★☆☆☆ Destroyer (Expansion Wars Trilogy, #3)
The is the second trilogy that started off well but ran out of steam. I find myself always wishing there was more: more substance, more consequences, more variety. While Joshua Dalzelle is excellent at setting things up, he’s just unable to deliver.
★★☆☆☆ - Not Recommended with reservations. This is more re-make than it is a sequel, and only true fans will stick with it.
Formulatic and unsurprising, Destroyer is an entertaining novel that feels very familiar. Joshua Dalzelle excels at focusing on a single spaceship and her captain, telling a well-paced tale that goes by so quickly that one can ignore its faults. Nothing is outright bad, but the low page count means that everything aside from the tituar destroyer is little more than a name. A case of bark being worse than its bite, big claims like a Darkshik ‘war machine’ and ‘future of two species hanging in the balance’ never live up to the story that’s actually told.
The Black Fleet Saga has always been about a single spaceship facing the enemy on its own, and Destroyer does not deviate from this formula. Wolfe returns once more, completely unsupported and facing uncharacterized alien antagonists who threaten humanity. If this sounds like Warship, Counterstrike and Iron & Blood, that’s because it is. Once again surrounded by bigotry, held back from doing the right thing by political circumstance, Wolfe channels the rebel within all of us and comes out decorated with honours. It’s an invigorating combination, but leaves you feeling empty of substance.
The worldbuilding is a total mess. The Darshik overall strategy is non-existent when analyzed across the entire trilogy, and has never lived up to the title of Expansion Wars. Alien motivations were analyzed to great fanfare in Iron & Blood, yet was an unsolved mystery that was entirely forgotten in this concluding chapter. The human political situation only exists to setup speed bumps for Wolfe. Everything about the worldbuilding feels ad-hoc — written on the fly in order to prop up a plot twist — instead of being something imagined since the beginning.
This leaves me with my primary complaint with the series: a mismatch between the claimed stakes and the actual story being told. The author wants to write about a vendetta between two ship captains, but resorts to threats to society or humanity in order to build tension. Such galactic perils require a much larger solution, and I find myself rolling my eyes when inevitably, some ill-foreshadowed plot twist will result in Wolfe once again facing the enemy on his own. It’s predictable, entertaining, but in retrospect, terribly written.
For fans that have made it through five previous novels, Destroyer is a fine entertainment. For those on the cusp like me, you’ll tire of the superficial universe, cardboard characters, and worse, the realization that the author shows no signs of being interested in improving his craft. He’s found a formula and will execute on that for all its worth.
Not recommended with reservations.
Series Overall Spoiler-Free Thoughts
★★★★☆ New Frontiers (Expansion Wars Trilogy, #1)
★★★☆☆ Iron & Blood (Expansion Wars Trilogy, #2)
★★☆☆☆ Destroyer (Expansion Wars Trilogy, #3)
The is the second trilogy that started off well but ran out of steam. I find myself always wishing there was more: more substance, more consequences, more variety. While Joshua Dalzelle is excellent at setting things up, he’s just unable to deliver.
★★☆☆☆ - Not Recommended with reservations. This is more re-make than it is a sequel, and only true fans will stick with it.
November 13, 2018
Another brilliant story in this saga against an opponent they can't see.
Space battles. Heroics. LOTS of action. Book 3 of a trilogy and all books in the series well worth the read.
Highly recommended author and series
Space battles. Heroics. LOTS of action. Book 3 of a trilogy and all books in the series well worth the read.
Highly recommended author and series
March 7, 2019
More fun and exciting military sci-fi
The final book of the trilogy didn’t disappoint. Fast action and an enigmatic, elusive enemy combine with good storytelling leads to an exciting end to this great series. Can’t wait for the final trilogy.
The final book of the trilogy didn’t disappoint. Fast action and an enigmatic, elusive enemy combine with good storytelling leads to an exciting end to this great series. Can’t wait for the final trilogy.
September 14, 2018
Fell flat, and rushed.
A disappointing end to a series that started out ok, but didnt quite match up to the previous trilogies and fell flat. It was all over the place with scenes and characters . And for some reason I noticed this trend through out the trilogies the better the ship Jackson had the worse his performance as a captain was. He over performed when he had BJ destroyer and the carrier. I think he had a out as much kills in the carrier in the last book as he did in the destroyer in the fights. And underperformed in the new top of the line ships.
A disappointing end to a series that started out ok, but didnt quite match up to the previous trilogies and fell flat. It was all over the place with scenes and characters . And for some reason I noticed this trend through out the trilogies the better the ship Jackson had the worse his performance as a captain was. He over performed when he had BJ destroyer and the carrier. I think he had a out as much kills in the carrier in the last book as he did in the destroyer in the fights. And underperformed in the new top of the line ships.
October 9, 2024
Enjoy this book, same as all the others. Nice if sudden end to the Second Trilogy of The Black Fleet Saga. Looking forward to reading the next trilogy.
April 7, 2019
Jackson Wolfe has again survived, pulling off yet another miracle, although he wouldn’t have done so without the help of Captain Wright, landing troops onto the surface of the planet that the Darshik had blockaded, and in the process, breaking the blockade. However, the battle has uncovered an even more dangerous foe, a ship with the ability to jump in system, with possible cloaking technology, incredible firepower and manoeuvrability. The ship, designated as ‘Spectre’ is a renegade Darshik captain, and he appears to be one step ahead of the crew at every opportunity, taking out research stations, manufacturing and other vital resources that they cannot afford to lose.
With no other options left, and before they can be stopped by a weak government, Wolfe is unleashed with the newest class of Destroyer to seek and destroy this threat permanently.
This is a brilliant story, of a Captain, returning to the chair of a Warship, surrounded by crew that are not just loyal to him, but idolise him. Wolfe has grown so much through these stories, from the alcoholic misfit old Captain, bitter at his career and life, and distrusted and hated. Now he is the hero of Starfleet, revered amongst his peers, and thought of as one of their best strategical and tactical hopes against the enemy.
One of the reasons that make Dalzelle’s books such a standout in this genre is his grasp and use of concepts such as orbital mechanics, astrophysics, starship combat and the list goes on. He uses these concepts to bring his stories to life, but give the reader the feeling that they are actually immersed in a real-time simulation, sitting with the crew as they have to wait the hours to drop down or climb up the well of a star-system, move to a hyperspace point etc, giving his books such a feel of realism, but not bogging them down in pages and pages of explanations so that the reader wants to throw themselves out the nearest airlock.
The combination of exceptional characters and a skilful use of realism, added to an outstanding storyline, makes this one of the best reads in the genre.
Destroyer is the culmination of not just the Expansion War Trilogy, but also the Black Fleet Trilogy, showing us how far Wolfe and Wright have developed in their careers, from the grumpy old drunk on the outer rim and the eager young officer, too eager to please and too shiny around the edges, as they are now, 2 of the finest Officers in the fleet with more combat experience than the rest of the fleet combined. The other character that has grown, and continues to grow on you (kind of like mould in a bathroom sink), is Pike. Pike’s character is still one of the best in this book, not just for his antics and amusing commentary, but the way he shows that no government or military can operate without an efficient spy organisation. His character provided some unique story arcs, but also gave some interesting side views into what might happen behind closed doors.
This is another outstanding Sci-Fi thriller, and I can only hope that Dalzelle will continue to develop the series and give us another trilogy. This is a must read for any fan of Sci-Fi – Dalzelle is just brilliant.
With no other options left, and before they can be stopped by a weak government, Wolfe is unleashed with the newest class of Destroyer to seek and destroy this threat permanently.
This is a brilliant story, of a Captain, returning to the chair of a Warship, surrounded by crew that are not just loyal to him, but idolise him. Wolfe has grown so much through these stories, from the alcoholic misfit old Captain, bitter at his career and life, and distrusted and hated. Now he is the hero of Starfleet, revered amongst his peers, and thought of as one of their best strategical and tactical hopes against the enemy.
One of the reasons that make Dalzelle’s books such a standout in this genre is his grasp and use of concepts such as orbital mechanics, astrophysics, starship combat and the list goes on. He uses these concepts to bring his stories to life, but give the reader the feeling that they are actually immersed in a real-time simulation, sitting with the crew as they have to wait the hours to drop down or climb up the well of a star-system, move to a hyperspace point etc, giving his books such a feel of realism, but not bogging them down in pages and pages of explanations so that the reader wants to throw themselves out the nearest airlock.
The combination of exceptional characters and a skilful use of realism, added to an outstanding storyline, makes this one of the best reads in the genre.
Destroyer is the culmination of not just the Expansion War Trilogy, but also the Black Fleet Trilogy, showing us how far Wolfe and Wright have developed in their careers, from the grumpy old drunk on the outer rim and the eager young officer, too eager to please and too shiny around the edges, as they are now, 2 of the finest Officers in the fleet with more combat experience than the rest of the fleet combined. The other character that has grown, and continues to grow on you (kind of like mould in a bathroom sink), is Pike. Pike’s character is still one of the best in this book, not just for his antics and amusing commentary, but the way he shows that no government or military can operate without an efficient spy organisation. His character provided some unique story arcs, but also gave some interesting side views into what might happen behind closed doors.
This is another outstanding Sci-Fi thriller, and I can only hope that Dalzelle will continue to develop the series and give us another trilogy. This is a must read for any fan of Sci-Fi – Dalzelle is just brilliant.
April 7, 2019
Jackson Wolfe has again survived, pulling off yet another miracle, although he wouldn’t have done so without the help of Captain Wright, landing troops onto the surface of the planet that the Darshik had blockaded, and in the process, breaking the blockade. However, the battle has uncovered an even more dangerous foe, a ship with the ability to jump in system, with possible cloaking technology, incredible firepower and manoeuvrability. The ship, designated as ‘Spectre’ is a renegade Darshik captain, and he appears to be one step ahead of the crew at every opportunity, taking out research stations, manufacturing and other vital resources that they cannot afford to lose.
With no other options left, and before they can be stopped by a weak government, Wolfe is unleashed with the newest class of Destroyer to seek and destroy this threat permanently.
This is a brilliant story, of a Captain, returning to the chair of a Warship, surrounded by crew that are not just loyal to him, but idolise him. Wolfe has grown so much through these stories, from the alcoholic misfit old Captain, bitter at his career and life, and distrusted and hated. Now he is the hero of Starfleet, revered amongst his peers, and thought of as one of their best strategical and tactical hopes against the enemy.
One of the reasons that make Dalzelle’s books such a standout in this genre is his grasp and use of concepts such as orbital mechanics, astrophysics, starship combat and the list goes on. He uses these concepts to bring his stories to life, but give the reader the feeling that they are actually immersed in a real-time simulation, sitting with the crew as they have to wait the hours to drop down or climb up the well of a star-system, move to a hyperspace point etc, giving his books such a feel of realism, but not bogging them down in pages and pages of explanations so that the reader wants to throw themselves out the nearest airlock.
The combination of exceptional characters and a skilful use of realism, added to an outstanding storyline, makes this one of the best reads in the genre.
Destroyer is the culmination of not just the Expansion War Trilogy, but also the Black Fleet Trilogy, showing us how far Wolfe and Wright have developed in their careers, from the grumpy old drunk on the outer rim and the eager young officer, too eager to please and too shiny around the edges, as they are now, 2 of the finest Officers in the fleet with more combat experience than the rest of the fleet combined. The other character that has grown, and continues to grow on you (kind of like mould in a bathroom sink), is Pike. Pike’s character is still one of the best in this book, not just for his antics and amusing commentary, but the way he shows that no government or military can operate without an efficient spy organisation. His character provided some unique story arcs, but also gave some interesting side views into what might happen behind closed doors.
This is another outstanding Sci-Fi thriller, and I can only hope that Dalzelle will continue to develop the series and give us another trilogy. This is a must read for any fan of Sci-Fi – Dalzelle is just brilliant.
With no other options left, and before they can be stopped by a weak government, Wolfe is unleashed with the newest class of Destroyer to seek and destroy this threat permanently.
This is a brilliant story, of a Captain, returning to the chair of a Warship, surrounded by crew that are not just loyal to him, but idolise him. Wolfe has grown so much through these stories, from the alcoholic misfit old Captain, bitter at his career and life, and distrusted and hated. Now he is the hero of Starfleet, revered amongst his peers, and thought of as one of their best strategical and tactical hopes against the enemy.
One of the reasons that make Dalzelle’s books such a standout in this genre is his grasp and use of concepts such as orbital mechanics, astrophysics, starship combat and the list goes on. He uses these concepts to bring his stories to life, but give the reader the feeling that they are actually immersed in a real-time simulation, sitting with the crew as they have to wait the hours to drop down or climb up the well of a star-system, move to a hyperspace point etc, giving his books such a feel of realism, but not bogging them down in pages and pages of explanations so that the reader wants to throw themselves out the nearest airlock.
The combination of exceptional characters and a skilful use of realism, added to an outstanding storyline, makes this one of the best reads in the genre.
Destroyer is the culmination of not just the Expansion War Trilogy, but also the Black Fleet Trilogy, showing us how far Wolfe and Wright have developed in their careers, from the grumpy old drunk on the outer rim and the eager young officer, too eager to please and too shiny around the edges, as they are now, 2 of the finest Officers in the fleet with more combat experience than the rest of the fleet combined. The other character that has grown, and continues to grow on you (kind of like mould in a bathroom sink), is Pike. Pike’s character is still one of the best in this book, not just for his antics and amusing commentary, but the way he shows that no government or military can operate without an efficient spy organisation. His character provided some unique story arcs, but also gave some interesting side views into what might happen behind closed doors.
This is another outstanding Sci-Fi thriller, and I can only hope that Dalzelle will continue to develop the series and give us another trilogy. This is a must read for any fan of Sci-Fi – Dalzelle is just brilliant.
November 25, 2019
The Fatigue of War is setting in, but the menace isn't gone. With the help of the Captain Wright, and Captain Wolf, the Ussian's have the Darchik on the ropes, but one warlord won't stand down.
The enemy continues to advance at a rate that matches the human advances, but how this one warrior is able to do so is a mystery. Successive generations of ships keep appearing, each bigger, faster, and more powerful then the last. Captain Wolf, and his new ship Nemisis have been let of the chain at last, and now plan a mission to seek out this strange new alien, and destroy him in anyway possible.
But once again politics are in play, a new president has come to power and the new Centcom Chief isn't as eager to play war games as Markum once was.
Determined to tow the line and ride out his time, Wolf stands down, but not everyone is happy about.
A proper climax to the trilogy that in it's whole has delivered me hours of pleasure. I will, for the first time, offer a five star rating. Not because it is the best writing I have ever seen, but because it is consistently enjoyable, and because Joshua has made me a fan.
The enemy continues to advance at a rate that matches the human advances, but how this one warrior is able to do so is a mystery. Successive generations of ships keep appearing, each bigger, faster, and more powerful then the last. Captain Wolf, and his new ship Nemisis have been let of the chain at last, and now plan a mission to seek out this strange new alien, and destroy him in anyway possible.
But once again politics are in play, a new president has come to power and the new Centcom Chief isn't as eager to play war games as Markum once was.
Determined to tow the line and ride out his time, Wolf stands down, but not everyone is happy about.
A proper climax to the trilogy that in it's whole has delivered me hours of pleasure. I will, for the first time, offer a five star rating. Not because it is the best writing I have ever seen, but because it is consistently enjoyable, and because Joshua has made me a fan.
December 24, 2022
Destroyer wraps up The Expansion Wars Trilogy, which is a continuation of the Black Fleet Trilogy by the same author, and I recommend reading that series first. Captain Wolf has been supplied with his best and most capable starship yet – the Nemesis. His goal is to hunt down the Darshik ship ‘the Specter’ and kill it. This book has more political wrangling, tense space battles and some unexpected twists and turns. I enjoyed the scene of boarding an opposing space vessel, but I thought it was too short. Of the tree in the series, this was my least favorite but still enjoyable, nonetheless. I was particularly disappointed with the ending. In my estimation, it almost seemed like the author got tired of the book and just wanted it to end. There is a continuing series after this one which I do plan on reading.
★★★★★ Great book! Can’t wait to read it again (and I will).
★★★★☆ Good book. I am glad I read this.
★★★☆☆ OK book. Nothing special but not bad.
★★☆☆☆ Not good. Why did I waste my time?
★☆☆☆☆ Lousy. I didn’t finish.
If for whatever reason, I go back and reread a good book, I will change the rating to five-star because I read it again.
★★★★★ Great book! Can’t wait to read it again (and I will).
★★★★☆ Good book. I am glad I read this.
★★★☆☆ OK book. Nothing special but not bad.
★★☆☆☆ Not good. Why did I waste my time?
★☆☆☆☆ Lousy. I didn’t finish.
If for whatever reason, I go back and reread a good book, I will change the rating to five-star because I read it again.
February 27, 2024
New Challenges ahead
This book does a decent job of tying together some of the various story arcs that comprise the six books so far while keeping continuity with the existing saga yet giving us a clear path towards both finishing the remaining characters without forcing the new aspects to feel contrived or less believable.
Jackson Wolfe is commanding a newly launched Destroyer of significantly improved capabilities well beyond his Starwolf class and massively improved over the assault shuttle carrier from the last book. Unfortunately this time the Specter he fought before was not only given a major upgrade of his own, but has a support fleet and is somehow getting significant amounts of information on where the Federation is most vulnerable… Jackson’s sense of duty, honor and responsibility won’t allow him to give up despite the long odds because lives are at stake.
Dalzelle keeps us guessing right up to the very end, not being formulaic or predictable other than the obvious fact that he is incapable of doing less than his utmost to finish the mission!
This book does a decent job of tying together some of the various story arcs that comprise the six books so far while keeping continuity with the existing saga yet giving us a clear path towards both finishing the remaining characters without forcing the new aspects to feel contrived or less believable.
Jackson Wolfe is commanding a newly launched Destroyer of significantly improved capabilities well beyond his Starwolf class and massively improved over the assault shuttle carrier from the last book. Unfortunately this time the Specter he fought before was not only given a major upgrade of his own, but has a support fleet and is somehow getting significant amounts of information on where the Federation is most vulnerable… Jackson’s sense of duty, honor and responsibility won’t allow him to give up despite the long odds because lives are at stake.
Dalzelle keeps us guessing right up to the very end, not being formulaic or predictable other than the obvious fact that he is incapable of doing less than his utmost to finish the mission!
September 8, 2018
Please note this is the third book of an offshoot of the author’s Black Fleet trilogy. You will need to have read that trilogy in order first, then the first title of this offshoot series, or the characters and background won’t make much sense to you.
This installment of the series continues the story of Captain Wolfe, Celeste Wright, Agent Pike and others and I enjoyed it. Without having a spoiler, if you enjoyed the Black Fleet series I am sure you will enjoy this one, also. While this is the final installment of this trilogy, the door was left open to continue the story of the characters in another series: if it happens, I would read it. I read this with my Kindle Unlimited subscription vs. paying the full price of $3.99 and certainly received more than $3.99 worth of entertainment value.
This installment of the series continues the story of Captain Wolfe, Celeste Wright, Agent Pike and others and I enjoyed it. Without having a spoiler, if you enjoyed the Black Fleet series I am sure you will enjoy this one, also. While this is the final installment of this trilogy, the door was left open to continue the story of the characters in another series: if it happens, I would read it. I read this with my Kindle Unlimited subscription vs. paying the full price of $3.99 and certainly received more than $3.99 worth of entertainment value.
February 15, 2018
Certainly a good book and a good series, but I found I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others. Some of the political intrigue in the beginning seemed like filler. Old characters were re-introduced with not much to do. Other things were just needlessly confusing. For example, Wolf's mission was on, and then it was off, but then it was on, and then it was off. I had trouble keeping track of whether it was on or off and why and if it really mattered, as the status of the mission didn't seem to change Wolf's actions other than some personal reflection and contemplation about being the type of person who ingores orders. The story comes together in the end, but seemed to have quite a few tangents.
February 25, 2019
Well done, Josh
As I had mentioned earlier, my first introduction to Dalzell was Omega Rising. With that series Joshua became one of my favorite authors. On a whim, because how much I liked Jason Burke, I decided to read the Black Fleet. I was kind of disappointed with book 4 but it turned out better than I thought it would and I finished the 3rd trilogy. Really enjoyed it. Now I’m trying to decide if I want to read the rest of the books because I think I’d miss Jackson Wolf too much, but damn, Josh tells such a good tale that I doubt I’ll be able to resist. Anyway I need something to read while waiting fo Jason and his son to show back up. Good job Josh
As I had mentioned earlier, my first introduction to Dalzell was Omega Rising. With that series Joshua became one of my favorite authors. On a whim, because how much I liked Jason Burke, I decided to read the Black Fleet. I was kind of disappointed with book 4 but it turned out better than I thought it would and I finished the 3rd trilogy. Really enjoyed it. Now I’m trying to decide if I want to read the rest of the books because I think I’d miss Jackson Wolf too much, but damn, Josh tells such a good tale that I doubt I’ll be able to resist. Anyway I need something to read while waiting fo Jason and his son to show back up. Good job Josh
June 15, 2022
Ship vs Ship
Senior Captain Jackson Wolfe has been recalled to service. Initially to be Administrator of a top secret research project. Then as Captain of the TFS Nemesis the newest, fastest, baddest destroyer in star fleet.
The alien ship Specter has continued on it race of destruction through Terran Federation space, ultimately destroying a space station with over 400,000 lives lost. Captain Wolfe is tasked with seeking out and destroying Specter.
Read on and enjoy this marvelous continuation of the Black Fleet Saga.
Senior Captain Jackson Wolfe has been recalled to service. Initially to be Administrator of a top secret research project. Then as Captain of the TFS Nemesis the newest, fastest, baddest destroyer in star fleet.
The alien ship Specter has continued on it race of destruction through Terran Federation space, ultimately destroying a space station with over 400,000 lives lost. Captain Wolfe is tasked with seeking out and destroying Specter.
Read on and enjoy this marvelous continuation of the Black Fleet Saga.
July 17, 2020
Josh makes it real. I loved the tactics, the adrenalin rush, the relationship of the characters.lot of thought and care went into the development and management of this series. This is a quality works and not just another impossible space adventure. This had foundation and framework. Just a great job.
See the tile for my comments. It's a good read and not a waste of time or money. Thanks Josh.
See the tile for my comments. It's a good read and not a waste of time or money. Thanks Josh.
October 30, 2017
The conclusion to the expansion wars trilogy, see's Jackson Wolfe taking on the Darshik ship codenamed Spector. In a battle of wits, Spector always seems to be one step ahead, leading to the final showdown. Wolfe is a very good character and this is a fitting end to his storyline, the story moves at a nice pace and although Wolfe is the lead, the series always develops new characters.
December 20, 2017
Twists Turns Intrigue
I liked this third book as much as the first, and that is saying quite a bit. I liked the direction, the plot twists and the feel of the book and the directions Josh took us.
In my mind I picture Wolfe played by Sam Elliott. A random thought but if you read this series I think you will see what I mean.
Looking forward to the next one.
I liked this third book as much as the first, and that is saying quite a bit. I liked the direction, the plot twists and the feel of the book and the directions Josh took us.
In my mind I picture Wolfe played by Sam Elliott. A random thought but if you read this series I think you will see what I mean.
Looking forward to the next one.
January 21, 2018
A great ending to the series
Sometimes, when authors decide to produce a trilogy, they cut corners, usually padding out subsequent books, or trimming plot lines to spread out the story. And typically one of the books is weaker than the the other two. I was gladdened to see non of that here. Each book stood on its own, with very interesting plots & characters. Nice job.
Sometimes, when authors decide to produce a trilogy, they cut corners, usually padding out subsequent books, or trimming plot lines to spread out the story. And typically one of the books is weaker than the the other two. I was gladdened to see non of that here. Each book stood on its own, with very interesting plots & characters. Nice job.
November 15, 2018
Great three part series that really tied the events of the first series together. Fast read and I enjoy that the military stuff is based on something like the real world. Also the physics of space travel are accurate enough. With engagments taking hours instead of minutes.
If you enjoy Military Sci-Fi, this is a great choice.
If you enjoy Military Sci-Fi, this is a great choice.
November 27, 2018
I loved the series and highly recommend it to anyone who likes space combat. I read a lot of these type of books but this was particularly well written and had some interesting plot twists. It was not nearly as predictable as some other similar series, where the third book was pretty much the same as the first. Anxious for Dalzelle’s next trilogy in the series.
November 21, 2019
A fitting end
I enjoyed the ending of this series. As a whole it was a little up and down, although this tale has a strong ending in this book. So after a weak start book 2 ramped up and book 3 gave me what I wanted. Will I continue in the ongoing series? Unlikely and like our hero will move onto other things (at least for now).
I enjoyed the ending of this series. As a whole it was a little up and down, although this tale has a strong ending in this book. So after a weak start book 2 ramped up and book 3 gave me what I wanted. Will I continue in the ongoing series? Unlikely and like our hero will move onto other things (at least for now).
December 2, 2020
A great conclusion to the Saga seemingly set on being a bridge to a continuation. The plot was surprising if only in the lack of ambition, I honestly felt it was in line for a clever reversal when it ultimately decided to go with a rather underwhelming, and too rapid, conclusion. Nonetheless it remained thoroughly enjoyable.
May 25, 2021
Satisfying
Familiar characters doing their best in trying circumstances. A truly evil villain with horrific ambitions and seemingly the upper hand. Intermittent loss and gain. Those are great ingredients for a very satisfying read. And that is exactly what this book was. No wonder I remain hooked.
Familiar characters doing their best in trying circumstances. A truly evil villain with horrific ambitions and seemingly the upper hand. Intermittent loss and gain. Those are great ingredients for a very satisfying read. And that is exactly what this book was. No wonder I remain hooked.
October 22, 2022
This was a really really good story until the end when the author once again had to give the hero "plot armor" to survive the final battle: Captain Wolfe's ship is damaged and the bad guys give them plenty of time to make repairs before continuing the fight. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would have given 5 stars up until that point.
October 20, 2017
Great reading
Joshua, has again given us a another great read. We see Captain Wolfe set out to fight with a enemy who will make his own list of dead grow. But he knows that his new ship and crew are the best.
Joshua, has again given us a another great read. We see Captain Wolfe set out to fight with a enemy who will make his own list of dead grow. But he knows that his new ship and crew are the best.
November 4, 2017
One day off and on but i managed to read it and this is fast for me. I enjoyed this book as much as his other books. It was filed with drama, suspense, action and character development.
It was a pleasure to read and i recommend it to all space series fans.
It was a pleasure to read and i recommend it to all space series fans.
January 19, 2018
Another great installment
Captain Wolfe continuous to evolve as a character. What I love about this character is the he makes mistakes and pays for them.
Looking forward to what comes next.
Captain Wolfe continuous to evolve as a character. What I love about this character is the he makes mistakes and pays for them.
Looking forward to what comes next.
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