Oath of Vengeance

Vigilante #2

by Glynn Stewart, Terry Mixon

A mercenary with a secret past
A pirate leader with a secret mission
A clash that will shake planets

Mercenary Captain Brad Madrid has spent years building the resources to go after the man who murdered his family. His new career has benefits—but also duties and responsibilities he cannot lightly brush aside.

A new mission brings him once again into conflict with the Terror, however, and as friends and lovers alike perish around him, he realizes that responsibility and vengeance align. Neither the man he was nor the man he is can suffer the Terror to live.

Aided by allies across the planets and a familiar shadowy spy, Brad will hunt his enemy across the Solar System, chasing down a final confrontation that will shake the foundations of humanity…and fulfil his Oath of Vengeance.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Audiobook, Military Science Fiction

262 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2017

About the author

Glynn Stewart is the author of over 60 books, including Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible–but only because of magic.

Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.

Reviews

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book started well and I began to hope that this story wasn’t going to have some of the problems that spoilt the previous one, when the author just seemed to be trying too hard.
Unfortunately the book soon became unbelievable e.g. The pirate leader had just lost nearly all his 10,000 troops (how does a pirate have 10,000 disposable troops?), he has lost his objective and the navy are on the way to destroy his fleet, but he can stop and fight a duel !
Then as he finally flees it turns out he has captured Brad’s girlfriend (what a coincidence), so what does he do? He gives Brad six months to try to find her!
At this point I just gave up.

[Gregoire · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring and unbelievable

j'avais espoir que l'histoire s'étoffe, que les auteurs donnent un peu plus de champs aux autres personnages, que ce monde futur prenne un peu plus de consistance, mais même les descriptions des stations spatiales sont plates et peu convaincantes.
On reste sur le même schéma tout du long : comment Brad devine et déjoue tous les pièges, comment il tue tous les ennemis (ex p 184 its seems the only heavily armed defenders had been where Brad had come in *** bien voyons ! ) comment tout le monde meurt (les méchants surtout, faut pas pousser !) sauf lui etc etc
Le premier tome avait un peu d'actions crédibles Le deuxième efface cette impression

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty meh. So in general, I found Glynn Stewart because I was looking for more Nathan Lowell and he's a bit like the methadone version. There's a ton of content out there, but while it kinda tastes the same ultimately the substance isn't there.

This arc, which apparently ISN'T the end of this series despite that my cover says "duology" (it's definitely where I get off), is super dependent on a few plot shortcuts that feel dated and work against my enjoyment. Too many kidnapped and raped damsels to be rescued as the only way to advance the plot. The villain is pretty faceless pun not intended and completely lacks character, while Brad is a stand-in for every effortlessly-competent space vigilante you've ever seen.

The monoblades are kinda cool, but not as cool as the Razors from Red Rising. I can see why audible keeps producing these with the fabulous Jeffrey Kafer though, they're the ultimate cookie-cutter popcorn space adventure stuff. I think I just land on the less-action more character side of this spectrum, so I'll stick with the Solar Clipper universe, thanks.

[Suz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

I like Glynn Stewart's space opera. I can't say this bit of revenge porn was particularly gripping, but Stewart has a way of making me care about the characters. I'll definitely read the next. Right now, actually.

[Henriette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really want to like this series, but for some reason I still didn’t warm up to it. It’s not so much the plot as Brad‘s quest for vengeance that leads to the discovery of quite a few conspiracies inside the government is actually quite compelling.

I think my main problem is that everything goes so smoothly, which is actually quite unusual for me as I am actually not the kind of reader who enjoys tales were every single character has a depressing backstory and then continues to suffer for the duration of the book. Quite the contrary in fact.

But in the first book Brad turns from teenager who worked on his uncle‘s freighter into a master swordsman and strategic genius with his own ship in a matter of weeks. Between the first and the second he not only managed to found his own mercenary company, but achieved platinum status and gained multiple awards. All without loosing a single person under his command until the plot of the second book demands it to make him even more of a tragic hero and underline his resolution to destroy the Cadre.

While the synopsis talks about him losing friends and lovers alike, in the end not even his losses are as bad as it seems, because most of the dead were basically guys in red shirts. The guy just had his arm cut off, but still manages to be the sole survivor in a series of attacks.

Another point of contention is that the other characters remain bland. I was hoping that they would get more to do in the second book, but they are so interchangeable. When one of them dies, I didn’t even care. And apparently neither did Brad except with a brief spot of anger at the Terror, because that character‘s fate was barely worth a few sentences. Again, I don’t like long drawn out death scenes followed by endless pages of the character waffling between morning his loss and feeling sorry for himself either, but this book just feels kind of indifferent.

There is, however, still a chance that I will read the last one, if only to get the conclusion the mystery why Brad‘s ship was targeted in the first place, though the Terror provided Brad with a clue, which he totally missed, so the Doctor was nice enough to extrapolate on it. Chances are good that I‘ll just borrow the book via Amazon Prime to read the last page as I‘m not sure I can make it through another book.

[Per Gunnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oath of Vengeance do, not surprisingly, take off after the ending in the first book but it does fast forward a couple of years. Brad is now firmly in his role as a mercenary captain and has advanced his company, The Vikings, to be a “platinum” mercenary company. At the start of the book he is on a mission to kick some pirate arse.

I liked this book as much as the first one. It is roller coaster ride of not only well done action by also plot development and character development. Brad continues to grow both his company and himself. He and his friends are indeed very likable kick-ass characters.

As the plot thickens Brad encounters his nemesis, the Terror, again but it also becomes clear that there is more going on than just bunch of pirates and the Terror is just one part of the puzzle.
Even though the combat action is well done these books are more action and adventure books than pure military science fiction. As such the story, and the hero in particular, does get away with some Indiana Jones style actions and strategy that could be considered somewhat unrealistic. If you take the book for what it is it probably will not bother you. At least it did not bother me.

I am definitely looking forward to read the next one/

[Michael Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Episode of a Wonderful Military/Pirate Space Opera Epic

Outstanding storyline from two of my favorite space opera authors, but luckily, not the conclusion, so we have more enjoyable stories to look forward to! In this second volume, set three years after the first, Brad and his Vikings mercenary force continue to search for both the slavers and the Cadre gang. After a while, there seem to be indications that powerful individuals have been protecting both gangs. Great action, both fleet and close combat, make this hard to put down.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL BOOK AND AS A SERIES

[Zad · Rating 3 out of 5]

As fast paced and action packed as the first one. However, a lot of sketchy and rushed scenes, especially in the first half of the book. Could have been worse though, it came together nicely at the end.

[Veljko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre. Writing is okay even though there were too much tell don't show at times. Main character was nicely developed even if he is a walking cliche. Secondary characters were poor. Author did not spend too much time developing them, they were mostly like any other sci fi novel cliched character. Romance is awful, poorly done and underdeveloped, going form zero to hundred in no time.
Generally I would recommend skipping this series, but in this time of covid19 when we all have some extra time, you give it a shot.

[Vero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nah. I nearly DNFed.
 
This was incredibly boring. I started to dislike the protag as well.
 
Again: leave the romance out - that is not helping the story! This is not something those authors do well at all.
 
Brad Madrid's journey for revenge is losing its appeal. It felt lackluster and boring, I skipped a lot in the end and was glad when it was over.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oath of Vengeance is the sequel to the also excellent Heart of Vengeance. while one could jump into the story here, I STRONGLY advise that you read Heart of Vengeance first in order to have familiarity with the world that Brad Madrid and the Vikings live in and to have the background of characters who were developed earlier and play minor roles here in Oath of Vengeance. I didn't put up a review of book 1, but I would give it a solid 4 1/2 stars if I had.

Oath of Vengeance is a solid continuation to the series and is book 2 in the Vigilante series which started with Heart of Vengeance. Oath of Vengeance takes up the story of Brad Madrid and the Vikings 3 years after the conclusion of Heart of Vengeance. Brad has moved forward and built the Vikings into a platinum level merc company and come to terms with the rage that threatened to make him into a monster but he hasn't forgotten about The Terror and the Cadre - quite the opposite in fact.

Oath of Vengeance opens with Brad and the Vikings engaged in an anti-piracy mission that shows signs of the Cadre might be upping their game abd making a new move against thevouter system. This causes Brad to reach out to old friends like Falcone and Greer. From there events bring Brad new allies, new challenges, and new opportunity as Brad is forced to again overcome long odds and risk everything to face The Terror blade on blade and fulfill his Oath of Vengeance - no matter the cost.

Oath of Vengeance opens with action and is filled with combat and intrigue. Brads crew fight through hard battles not just against the Cadre and theie new capabilities but also in themselves as they deal with the aftermath. Fast paced throughout this book is a dream for the action junky but it also has more. Our heroes grow as do their characters and capabilities. Oath of Vengeance has the feel of a cold war spy thriller but doesn't get lost in the intrigue.

[Smoke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up three years after the first, but with the same instant action as Heart of Vengeance. Right away we are thrown into conflict, and that is really appreciated. Good action like that gets us in the story and involved right away.

This book continues with the same vengeance storyline as the first, and leaves us with enough at the end to want to read the third. I appreciate how some characters make a second appearance here too. They might not be the most important, but their presence is enjoyable nevertheless. Nothing drops off with this book, if nothing else it is expanded on with character development and how they deal with their internal and external conflicts. I know these types of books aren't for everyone, but they are just what I like. There are times for a deep read, and times for a good story. This is one of those books you can just enjoy without any fear of external motivations by the author. Just what I'm looking for right now.

The narrator took about a book and a half for me to get use to, but now that I am I like him. I think some of the issues I had with dialog in the first book and somewhat in this book is just his reading style. The inflections seem a bit off, but once I understood that it is better.

Overall these are a great example of light military science fiction and well worth reading if you are into that sort of thing. A military based science fiction story with a lot of elements borrowed from the western genre.

[Red Tide · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun

I was looking forward to more character depth but that didnt happen. The story wasn't bad but it was the story of a mercenary company, not the story of the individuals. The characters became flatter as the action heated up.

The mercenary story has a lot going for it. It does dwell on the reason for the company's existence, not just the equipment that it acquires (though there is a lot of talk about guns, ships and knives). It is still focused on the mystery of the system wide conspiracy. There was even a hint that this might be a precursor series to the Martian Empire series.

The downside was the characters' surprise that the fleet is so corrupt. The conspiracy is too big and touched too many organizations for the surprise to be genuine. The amount of wealth needed to fund it should have pointed to wealthy sponsors. I was surprised that fleet didn't do a total house cleaning, unless the highest command and civilian government are preventing it.
Dramatic musical flourish with sinister overtones and hints of horror accompanying belated insights - insert here.

The story avoids most of the mercenary mystique and with some serious character development, it would have been more entertaining. Was fun and will read the next.

[Terje Fokstuen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced space opera with a good plot and action. Brad is the leader of a mercenary group, the Vikings, and is the go to guy for the government when they need someone to chase after pirates, kidnappers, and terrorists. In this book, Brad pursues "The Terror" the lead of the scourge like Cadre, a terrorist criminal band. It's a personal battle, as Brad's family was murdered by the Terror early in book one of the series.
This is a lot of fun. The pace is taut and there is a continual supply of action. The good guys are believably (ish) heroic, and the bad guys suitably villainous. Recommended.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent and exciting space opera. Full of action and adventure. A tremendous read. It occurred to me as I read, that this book like other space operas was almost western like. Oh, the locals and space ships made things different, but they carried, but a knife, even a vibroknife is still an edged weapon handguns, automatic shotguns and knives and used them en mass and singly. Of course the weapons were well updated and their horses were spaceships, but though a vibroknife could cut a man in half it was still a sheathed weapon.
I really hope this is only book two of more, there are loose ends to secure and more violence to enjoy

[Jefferson Selvy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much ready for more

The combat is well written. Exhilarating and easy to envision without getting too technical. An extremely difficult feat to achieve when writing about blade combat.
The inner aspects are rendered with feeling. The protagonist is refreshingly human, neither Galahad not scum.
This series is quite well done and urge you, the reader to enjoy it and prod the authors for the next release.

[Patrick Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a good tale of revenge

As a huge fan of The Count if Monte Cristo and comic/TV sagas such as Marvel's The Punisher, Oath of Vengeance is just my flavor. It picks up where Heart of Vengeance left off and continues the wild ride. I'm not normally one to go for deep space adventure or nautical jaunts but this series is well executed in this niche and plays to it well. I recommend this series, it was fun.

[Frank Bertino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Held My Attention

Brad is building his organization with the purpose of seeking vengeance against the pirate that caused his first sweetheart to die and took his family. The Terror is the penultimate villain. The characters are strong and easy to identity with. I like the action strategy, and humor. The action scenes were gripping and held my undivided attention to their conclusion. I look forward to another book.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

This was a fun read. It closes up the plot started in the first book, but leaves the for open for more action in the series if the authors decide to continue.

Speaking of the authors, they both put in some subtle references to their other work. The Jupiter storm divers make an appearance as well as some mysterious Martian runes.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collaboration

A great book two in the vengeance series. Will there be a 3rd I sure hope so. With all of the planets in the solar system visited by space probes, we have an accurate picture the stellar system to tell this story. It is easy to visualize the spaces to imagine things in.

[Roh Bawt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stretched my incredulity until it snapped. This of course isnt always a problem but the over all entertainment value wasn't strong enough to make it worth ignoring. MC is pretty much walking 80s action hero one liners with no other substance. And the rest of the books are even less developed. Action isnt bad but I need more than that from a read.

[Jimmy Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story!

Read it last night, ran out of power, enthusiasm and willingness to do anything about the same time. One comment though. Brad knew he would be dueling what's his name again, but there was no mention of extra practice to make up for the loss of his left hand. Or just to get better at it. I would have called in an expert to fine tune my skills. There ought to be a word, "I'm waiting for this to happen in a story because it is reasonable and needed."

[David Rencher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good follow up to the first book

I'm happy to say that while I had issues with the writing in the first book this was much better. The characters felt a bit more realistic although still somewhat shallow.

None the less, this was a great little space opera?

[Jonathan Reskof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oath

A highly complex and very compelling book that held me captive until its conclusion. Extremely well thought out and written. I highly recommend it especially if you enjoy this genre.

[Bill S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story of vengeance

A fantastic continuation of the vigilante series. Vengeance is delivered and is clear will continue in book 3.

The story continues a few years after book 1 ends. Non-stop action and lots of surprises. If you liked book 1. You will love this one.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old School Sci-Fi

I found these books to be very enjoyable. Reminiscent of some of the great old science fiction of my childhood! I hope these two authors decide to continue the saga I for one can't wait.

[Davidl Campbell'Sr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and Beautiful!!!!

I Love a story that's highly entertaining and exciting lots of action plus enjoyable plot with the Hero winning the duel. A New book out let's hope the adventure continues!!! 👌

[Ann Zdunczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Lots of action and new secrets!! Brad and company go after the Terror and Mader!! Lots of fighting in different areas. Dr Duval thanks she can regenerate Brads arm but it will take time. Read it to find out what happens in this one!!

[Dan Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readable but not engrossing

A little forced. Shallow characters and quite predictable. When author writes himself into a corner he waves a magic wand and amazingly enough a solution appears with no development.

[Virginia Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plrnty of war tp go around.

The cost of revenge is high. But Brad is prepared to exact and pay it. Great action. Inteteresting character development. The science in sci-fi. Enjoying the series.