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Crimson Worlds Successors #3
The Black Flag
The Stunning Conclusion to the Crimson Worlds Successors Trilogy…
Over 900,000 Crimson World books sold!
The Black Flag
The Triumvirate. Three clones of Gavin Stark who survived their evil master’s destruction. Now they have cheated death again, downloading their minds into an alien intelligence, a relic of the First Imperium. For three decades they have worked, silently, diligently, preparing their forces for the day that would launch the final assault.
Vali, a secret planet, home of the Triumvirate. A hidden and haunted world covered entirely with factories and fortifications, worked by legions of slaves, the kidnapped and forgotten of a thousand worlds.
Erik Cain, the legendary hero of the Marines Corps, the man who killed the real Stark. For years he was a prisoner of the triumvirate’s minions, held in brutal captivity on a dark world. Now he is free, battered by his long nightmare but never bowed, ready for the final struggle.
Darius Cain, Erik’s son, dread warrior and commander of the feared Black Eagles, the greatest of the mercenary Companies. Darius and his forces freed Erik Cain, and together with his father and his long-estranged twin brother, he is ready to rally the free forces of human space.
Augustus Garret. A legendary admiral, the victor of more battles than are easily counted. Garret is long retired. But within him still beats the same heart of old, and he will stand with Erik Cain and his sons, fight alongside his old ally one last time.
From the barren ruins of shattered Earth to the farthest reaches of human habitation in the galaxy, the final battle has begun. The Cains and their comrades are outnumbered, but the blood of warriors flows in their veins, and they will never stop, no matter what the cost…not until the battle is won.
Massive fleets are on the move, armies fight great battles. Worlds burn, and the cataclysmic struggle for the future of mankind reaches its terrifying climax.
Crimson World Successors Trilogy Reading Order
Book 1: MERCS
Book 2: The Prisoner of Eldaron
Book 3: The Black Flag
Over 900,000 Crimson World books sold!
The Black Flag
The Triumvirate. Three clones of Gavin Stark who survived their evil master’s destruction. Now they have cheated death again, downloading their minds into an alien intelligence, a relic of the First Imperium. For three decades they have worked, silently, diligently, preparing their forces for the day that would launch the final assault.
Vali, a secret planet, home of the Triumvirate. A hidden and haunted world covered entirely with factories and fortifications, worked by legions of slaves, the kidnapped and forgotten of a thousand worlds.
Erik Cain, the legendary hero of the Marines Corps, the man who killed the real Stark. For years he was a prisoner of the triumvirate’s minions, held in brutal captivity on a dark world. Now he is free, battered by his long nightmare but never bowed, ready for the final struggle.
Darius Cain, Erik’s son, dread warrior and commander of the feared Black Eagles, the greatest of the mercenary Companies. Darius and his forces freed Erik Cain, and together with his father and his long-estranged twin brother, he is ready to rally the free forces of human space.
Augustus Garret. A legendary admiral, the victor of more battles than are easily counted. Garret is long retired. But within him still beats the same heart of old, and he will stand with Erik Cain and his sons, fight alongside his old ally one last time.
From the barren ruins of shattered Earth to the farthest reaches of human habitation in the galaxy, the final battle has begun. The Cains and their comrades are outnumbered, but the blood of warriors flows in their veins, and they will never stop, no matter what the cost…not until the battle is won.
Massive fleets are on the move, armies fight great battles. Worlds burn, and the cataclysmic struggle for the future of mankind reaches its terrifying climax.
Crimson World Successors Trilogy Reading Order
Book 1: MERCS
Book 2: The Prisoner of Eldaron
Book 3: The Black Flag
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 29, 2017
351 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 22, 2021
Nice ending to this 2nd series in the main storyline. Fast paced and action filled this is a good military SiFi read. Recommended
February 23, 2018
This book was a continuation of the series. We had a few expected twists, but a good read. Jay Allan has many story lines available for future development with this cast of characters; I hoping that he gives us a future update.
August 12, 2018
Another great military science fiction story from Jay Allan.
Battles with forces that seem to come out of nowhere and yet fight like robots.
The story ends but has it ?
Great read
Battles with forces that seem to come out of nowhere and yet fight like robots.
The story ends but has it ?
Great read
February 7, 2018
This wasn't as memorable for me compared to the stories from the original Crimson Worlds series. The enemy just seemed like a repeat of Gavin Stark and the shadow legions. I liked the fact that Erik Cain's sons played big roles in this series, but it would have been nice for them to have had a genuinely new and unique enemy to fight. The writing in Successors is much more polished than the original Crimson Worlds series, I just didn't find it as exciting.
April 18, 2018
So all the major players are back and in agreement that something is going on that is going to destroy the Occupied Space worlds. The new enemy is known as The Black Flag and it is making small, but meaningful progress towards dominating all the worlds that it touches. Some worlds have become so corrupt that they won’t know the difference. Their governments have already descended into dictatorships and the people are no more than slaves. Most of this happened when the Black Flag established agents on their planet with the money to buy off just about anyone. Those that couldn’t be bought were simply eliminated. Those politicians who were in power and wanted to stay that way, didn’t object to these dark and behind the scenes because they just didn’t want to lose what they had.
Now, the Black Flag is going to openly begin it’s conquest of the Occupied Space worlds. Corrupt politicians in high offices soon found themselves the target of assassins. They died in droves and were replaced by the Black Flag agents that had corrupted them and their governments in the first place. Since most of these worlds were not very rich, they couldn’t and didn’t provide much in the way of protection for their own citizens and definitely not for the protection of their planet. Now, the meager resources they did produce were going to support Black Flag operations and it’s military conquest of all Occupied Space.
Yet, our heroes, Vane Jackson of Mars, the Cain Family (Erik, Sarah, Elias and Darius) and Fleet Admiral Augustus Garret and then later, Jarrod Tyler of Columbia, joined together to oppose the Black Flag with as much resolve as necessary. But, first they had to find out where the Black Flag headquarters was located and attempt to cut the head off the snake. Fighting piecemeal battles over various Occupied Space worlds wasn’t going to get the job done.
Unfortunately, the Black Flag had plans of their own and set them off way in advance of any moves made by the Occupied Space defenders. General Darius Cain and his Black Eagles found their “Nest” suddenly attacked by a huge Black Flag fleet. While the Black Eagles had never been defeated on the ground or in space, it looked like this might be the first time for that to happen. There were just too many Black Flag ships. At the same time, General Jarrod Tyler an assassination attempt was made against General Jarrod Tyler on Columbia. What support that planet could give to the Eagles Nest was now in chaos.
Meanwhile, the Marines or what few of them that were left on Armstrong were busy recruiting and training to build up their numbers for the coming battles. They knew the Black Flag soldiers were trained, didn’t seem to fear anything, and fought to the death in every fight. These new Marines weren’t the veterans of previous wars that General Erik Cain had led, but they were still Marines. Then the Black Flag fleet showed up above Armstrong and these new Marines were going to have to fight, ready or not.
With both of the major war-fighting assets of the Occupied Space coming under attack, it looked like the Black Flag was trying to knock out it’s biggest threats to total domination in one fell swoop. And, it seems they were going to be very successful. Could this mean then end of all these people we have read about? Have the Black Eagles taken on an enemy they cannot defeat and are their just too few Marines to fight back the hoards of Black Flag soldiers?
As this appears to be the end of the Crimson Worlds Successors, don’t be surprised to read about some of our heroes dying. Yeah, it’s going to happen, but in most cases, it’s the way they would have wanted to go. I guess when you kill off a bunch of your main characters, it is time to end the series, right?
Now, the Black Flag is going to openly begin it’s conquest of the Occupied Space worlds. Corrupt politicians in high offices soon found themselves the target of assassins. They died in droves and were replaced by the Black Flag agents that had corrupted them and their governments in the first place. Since most of these worlds were not very rich, they couldn’t and didn’t provide much in the way of protection for their own citizens and definitely not for the protection of their planet. Now, the meager resources they did produce were going to support Black Flag operations and it’s military conquest of all Occupied Space.
Yet, our heroes, Vane Jackson of Mars, the Cain Family (Erik, Sarah, Elias and Darius) and Fleet Admiral Augustus Garret and then later, Jarrod Tyler of Columbia, joined together to oppose the Black Flag with as much resolve as necessary. But, first they had to find out where the Black Flag headquarters was located and attempt to cut the head off the snake. Fighting piecemeal battles over various Occupied Space worlds wasn’t going to get the job done.
Unfortunately, the Black Flag had plans of their own and set them off way in advance of any moves made by the Occupied Space defenders. General Darius Cain and his Black Eagles found their “Nest” suddenly attacked by a huge Black Flag fleet. While the Black Eagles had never been defeated on the ground or in space, it looked like this might be the first time for that to happen. There were just too many Black Flag ships. At the same time, General Jarrod Tyler an assassination attempt was made against General Jarrod Tyler on Columbia. What support that planet could give to the Eagles Nest was now in chaos.
Meanwhile, the Marines or what few of them that were left on Armstrong were busy recruiting and training to build up their numbers for the coming battles. They knew the Black Flag soldiers were trained, didn’t seem to fear anything, and fought to the death in every fight. These new Marines weren’t the veterans of previous wars that General Erik Cain had led, but they were still Marines. Then the Black Flag fleet showed up above Armstrong and these new Marines were going to have to fight, ready or not.
With both of the major war-fighting assets of the Occupied Space coming under attack, it looked like the Black Flag was trying to knock out it’s biggest threats to total domination in one fell swoop. And, it seems they were going to be very successful. Could this mean then end of all these people we have read about? Have the Black Eagles taken on an enemy they cannot defeat and are their just too few Marines to fight back the hoards of Black Flag soldiers?
As this appears to be the end of the Crimson Worlds Successors, don’t be surprised to read about some of our heroes dying. Yeah, it’s going to happen, but in most cases, it’s the way they would have wanted to go. I guess when you kill off a bunch of your main characters, it is time to end the series, right?
May 5, 2018
A galactic conclusion to an epic war with multiple leading characters.
(an audiobook review)
Another action packed, war paced, space tale about conquest and human survival. Overall this story was good. I love the idea of the Black Eagles and we continue to get reminded how much of a staggering force they are in the known area of space. The Black Flag is a pot of many different characters with similar goals. Most of them survival or power, depending on if they stand against or for the Black Flag. If you love action and the struggle of a real war. Check this out. The one great thing about this series is that you don't feel there will always be a nice ending for everyone. In fact, I didn't really care for the ending of this one. It wasn't bad, but I just didn't like how it ended. Maybe because it seems like a realistic ending? Perhaps.
Either way, I can recommend this story. Its great.
(an audiobook review)
Another action packed, war paced, space tale about conquest and human survival. Overall this story was good. I love the idea of the Black Eagles and we continue to get reminded how much of a staggering force they are in the known area of space. The Black Flag is a pot of many different characters with similar goals. Most of them survival or power, depending on if they stand against or for the Black Flag. If you love action and the struggle of a real war. Check this out. The one great thing about this series is that you don't feel there will always be a nice ending for everyone. In fact, I didn't really care for the ending of this one. It wasn't bad, but I just didn't like how it ended. Maybe because it seems like a realistic ending? Perhaps.
Either way, I can recommend this story. Its great.
April 11, 2020
Great story
I really enjoyed this series. The author did a fantastic job of transitioning from the Crimson Worlds series, to this trilogy. The underlying twists and turns maintaining the overall story plot of how man is basically corrupt and desires money and power, sends such a powerful message. The cycles of generations perpetually stuck in this vicious way of thinking is true even in this life we live. Yet this author allowed his readers to see into and get to know how a handful of characters deal, many into death. His characters are very complex and well written. I am starting with the next series written by the author. Simply due to the fact that he left some plotlines open, even though assumptions of those plot twists are concluded.
I really enjoyed this series. The author did a fantastic job of transitioning from the Crimson Worlds series, to this trilogy. The underlying twists and turns maintaining the overall story plot of how man is basically corrupt and desires money and power, sends such a powerful message. The cycles of generations perpetually stuck in this vicious way of thinking is true even in this life we live. Yet this author allowed his readers to see into and get to know how a handful of characters deal, many into death. His characters are very complex and well written. I am starting with the next series written by the author. Simply due to the fact that he left some plotlines open, even though assumptions of those plot twists are concluded.
July 2, 2022
Great conclusion to this series. I just wish it hadn't ended. Loved the Cain family and was glad they all survived, although Elias's life was questionable for a minute.
The final battle against the Triumvirate was epic. So many died, including some main characters that I'd grown to love. BUT I was so glad to see those 3 vicious pricks erased. It left The Intelligence alone but even that sophisticated AI didn't last long after a conversation with Darius Cain.
No romance and the F-bomb was used 1 time.
As for the narration: Mark Boyett is absolutely fabulous! His voices for the characters was awesome and his emotions when he read was great.
The final battle against the Triumvirate was epic. So many died, including some main characters that I'd grown to love. BUT I was so glad to see those 3 vicious pricks erased. It left The Intelligence alone but even that sophisticated AI didn't last long after a conversation with Darius Cain.
No romance and the F-bomb was used 1 time.
As for the narration: Mark Boyett is absolutely fabulous! His voices for the characters was awesome and his emotions when he read was great.
December 12, 2017
Augustus finally dies
I did not like the death of Augustus-they could put him in deep freeze for future siblings! Overall, was a nice ending to the series!
I liked the brothers continued lives an over all a great series which I rated 5 stars! Why would anyone not give it a high rating? Glad to see that the Stark trio dead and gone! Other Sci Fy persons should like the end of the series—but on to more excellent write good tales!
I did not like the death of Augustus-they could put him in deep freeze for future siblings! Overall, was a nice ending to the series!
I liked the brothers continued lives an over all a great series which I rated 5 stars! Why would anyone not give it a high rating? Glad to see that the Stark trio dead and gone! Other Sci Fy persons should like the end of the series—but on to more excellent write good tales!
February 18, 2018
Epic!
I started reading this series because I was waiting for a book by another author and I am really glad that I did. The characters are very well written and and have so much depth to them. From the first book I was completely drawn in and couldn't wait to find out what happens next. I guess I'll start the Crimson World series and find out how it all started. 😊
I started reading this series because I was waiting for a book by another author and I am really glad that I did. The characters are very well written and and have so much depth to them. From the first book I was completely drawn in and couldn't wait to find out what happens next. I guess I'll start the Crimson World series and find out how it all started. 😊
March 23, 2019
Darius Cain and his Black Eagle mercenaries lead a massive free world expedition against the "Triumvirate", three clones of a former dictator. Massive battles are fought in space and on the surface of a far distant planet, with the fate of humankind at stake. Lots of action in Book 3 of a three book series.
June 16, 2019
I bought this in a box set. Book 3 was fun to read and had errors throughout. I enjoyed the overall plot and development of this series. The information could have been lessened in information already given. The characters developed well and it will be interesting to see if Jay Allen will develop Darius and Elius in another series.
December 31, 2017
Superb
Another great book by Jay Allan. This universe has spawned so many incredible battles and characters over the years and this is another book that does not disappoint in any way.
Another great book by Jay Allan. This universe has spawned so many incredible battles and characters over the years and this is another book that does not disappoint in any way.
April 19, 2019
A worthy conclusion to this series
I have read just about all of Jay Allen’s series and this was as entertaining as any I have read I always enjoy the rich characters and I appreciate the mix of space and ground battles
I have read just about all of Jay Allen’s series and this was as entertaining as any I have read I always enjoy the rich characters and I appreciate the mix of space and ground battles
February 19, 2020
Great Finale
Superb final installment of this brilliant space opera. Darius and his friends battle impossible odds to save mankind from slavery. Epic space and ground battles are fought to decide man's future.
Definitely recommend this series
Superb final installment of this brilliant space opera. Darius and his friends battle impossible odds to save mankind from slavery. Epic space and ground battles are fought to decide man's future.
Definitely recommend this series
June 7, 2021
Awesome
Fitting conclusion to an awesome series!? Jay Allan loves his Marines! Hard decisions, impossible struggles, traitors, cowards, surprises, and humanities struggle to survive is expertly choreographed to the thrilling conclusion of this series. Great series Jay!
Fitting conclusion to an awesome series!? Jay Allan loves his Marines! Hard decisions, impossible struggles, traitors, cowards, surprises, and humanities struggle to survive is expertly choreographed to the thrilling conclusion of this series. Great series Jay!
April 10, 2022
And so it ends. Peace has finally come but how long will it last?
Nice wrap up to mankind's arch villain Gavin Stark. It was a costly fight claiming almost all of our remaining heroes.
Nice wrap up to mankind's arch villain Gavin Stark. It was a costly fight claiming almost all of our remaining heroes.
December 11, 2017
Great finish to the series.
December 29, 2017
Solid end?
Classic Allen and all the old heroes are together again. A bit more character pontifacation than in past books in the series but worth it!
Classic Allen and all the old heroes are together again. A bit more character pontifacation than in past books in the series but worth it!
January 12, 2018
Very entertaining
I have read the entire series. The Gains are a great set of characters. Vance is a great leader. The plot is full of action.
I have read the entire series. The Gains are a great set of characters. Vance is a great leader. The plot is full of action.
January 17, 2018
Great 👍series
I really enjoyed the entire series although I'm less than happy to see the 'Eric Cane' saga end. The series of books was very well written
I really enjoyed the entire series although I'm less than happy to see the 'Eric Cane' saga end. The series of books was very well written
June 16, 2018
Another Good Story
I appreciated the family dynamics in this series. This book had a pretty good mix of land and space battles.
I appreciated the family dynamics in this series. This book had a pretty good mix of land and space battles.
June 20, 2018
Enjoyment
Complete enjoyment to follow this group of characters to the expectations and losses. Thanks for a good story line and a great lead to the future of these novels.
Complete enjoyment to follow this group of characters to the expectations and losses. Thanks for a good story line and a great lead to the future of these novels.
July 12, 2018
9
Crimson World
It was an interesting twisting and intriguing read. I enjoy Jay Allan books and have read him extensively.
Crimson World
It was an interesting twisting and intriguing read. I enjoy Jay Allan books and have read him extensively.
August 19, 2018
Not one of Jay's finest. It seemed like a filler it carried the store along but it didn't seem to go anywhere.
October 18, 2018
Black flag
Another great read. I can't day enough about this author to do justice to his outstanding writing. Highly recommended reading.
Another great read. I can't day enough about this author to do justice to his outstanding writing. Highly recommended reading.
November 25, 2018
These 3 books were a great read.
September 13, 2019
Great Conclusion!
Excellent ending that tied up all the loose ends in this area. It was great to see all the Cain’s in action.
Excellent ending that tied up all the loose ends in this area. It was great to see all the Cain’s in action.
July 2, 2020
Great Read
Another great read from a very talented author. Well Artist.
Without doubt Jay Allan is one of the best writers I have had the pleasure to come across.
Another great read from a very talented author. Well Artist.
Without doubt Jay Allan is one of the best writers I have had the pleasure to come across.
July 5, 2021
Just a wonderful book
Very well written he should read exciting I think that anybody that likes exciting military sci-fi will love this series and this book.
Very well written he should read exciting I think that anybody that likes exciting military sci-fi will love this series and this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews