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Station Breaker #1
Station Breaker
If space doesn't kill David Dixon, Earth will.
Astronaut David Dixon's first mission to space goes horribly awry when a gun fight breaks out on a Russian space station. He finds himself making an emergency landing from orbit and becomes the most wanted man on Earth.
Desperate to unravel the plot he’s found himself in, he takes his pursuers on a wild chase from space to the backstreets of Rio and beyond. Dixon’s survival relies on his skills as a pilot and willingness to do whatever it takes, from crashing a passenger jet into the Mexican desert to pulling off an incredible heist in Low Earth Orbit.
10 hrs 45 mins.
Astronaut David Dixon's first mission to space goes horribly awry when a gun fight breaks out on a Russian space station. He finds himself making an emergency landing from orbit and becomes the most wanted man on Earth.
Desperate to unravel the plot he’s found himself in, he takes his pursuers on a wild chase from space to the backstreets of Rio and beyond. Dixon’s survival relies on his skills as a pilot and willingness to do whatever it takes, from crashing a passenger jet into the Mexican desert to pulling off an incredible heist in Low Earth Orbit.
10 hrs 45 mins.
Audiobook
First published February 17, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
June 15, 2022
Lots of action
This is a fun, action packed, space thriller with spies, Russians, black ops and nuclear weapons. The plot is original and refreshing but there is a lot of action for the main character. Not alot of character depth but a good action thriller. Highly recommend.
This is a fun, action packed, space thriller with spies, Russians, black ops and nuclear weapons. The plot is original and refreshing but there is a lot of action for the main character. Not alot of character depth but a good action thriller. Highly recommend.
September 29, 2017
I like thrillers, but more along the lines of Ludlum, Clancy, and even Cussler. However, if you like your protagonists to speak in nearly constant one-liners and have the maturity level of 12-year old boys, this is the book for you. Additionally, the writing style was often as immature as the book's hero.
Actual quotes from the book:
"BANG!"
"BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!"
"BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!"
"BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP"
"BANG!!! BANG!!! BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP"
"BOOM!"
I declared DNF at about 40%.
Actual quotes from the book:
"BANG!"
"BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!"
"BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!"
"BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP"
"BANG!!! BANG!!! BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP"
"BOOM!"
I declared DNF at about 40%.
July 23, 2018
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/07/22/...
Recently, my family went on a road trip and my husband and I needed a good audiobook to listen to for the 8-hour drive. This was no small challenge. First, it would have to suit both our tastes, and my husband can be really picky. Second, anyone who’s ever driven long distances knows how monotonous it can be. Doesn’t matter how much coffee you load up on, those long stretches of highway offering little to no variety when it comes to scenery can really sap your energy, especially when you’re driving at night or stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. When searching for the perfect road trip book, I knew I needed to look for something exciting, something guaranteed to suck you in and make the time pass much quicker.
And so, I give you Station Breaker by Andrew Mayne. I’m already a big fan of the author from his Naturalist series, and not long ago, I discovered that before those books, he had also written a near-future sci-fi duology described as a space disaster meets manhunt thriller. Having seen what Mayne is capable of, I had a really good feeling about this one.
As the story opens, we are introduced to astronaut David Dixon who is feeling excited but also a little nervous about his first mission. His employer, a private American aerospace and transport company, had called him in last minute to replace another astronaut who had to bow out because of an injury. His whole life, David has always dreamed about going to space. After waiting in the wings for so long, he’d started to think this day would never come. So understandably, he is a little hesitant to say anything to jeopardize his chances when he notices the mission commander slip a gun into their spacesuit.
Being the rookie though, David decides to trust his superiors. Unfortunately, that decision ultimately winds up with shots fired on a Russian space station, and multiple deaths. David is forced to make an emergency landing from orbit by himself, plunging into the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The whole world now thinks he is a terrorist, but David has something that would prove his innocence and expose the real culprits behind an international conspiracy. But first, he’ll have to make it back to the United States. The problem is, with enemies hidden in the upper echelons of the government, David doesn’t know who he can trust. He can only rely on his own wits and knowledge to get himself home, all the while dodging the shadowy forces who will do anything to get their hands on the evidence he has in his possession.
By now, I’ve come to expect certain things from Andrew Mayne, like his addictive writing style, his hilariously snarky sense of humor, and his ability to pull me in with fascinating science. And of course, who can forget his over-the-top plot twists? This book was completely insane. We’re talking levels of insanity where characters jump out of space capsules during reentry, partake in car chase shoot-outs in a football stadium while driving an ambulance, or commit grand theft airplane by attempting to make off with a passenger jetliner. And here I thought The Naturalist was farfetched at times, but that book has nothing on Station Breaker.
Thing is though, I didn’t mind at all. This book was funny and packed to the gills with action, and the story’s over-the-top nature gave it a summer blockbuster feel, which is intended as a high compliment. When you’re stuck on the interstate with nothing to look at but miles of fallow farmland or industrial parks as far as the eye can see, these breathtaking adrenaline-pumping scenes get you revved up far better than a regular old shot of caffeine. Time and distance flew right on by as we listened to this audiobook, and there were quite a few laughs along the way too. David Dixon is a likeable character, and the fact that he is not your typical action hero makes it even easier to root for him. His narrative voice is full of humor and good flow, and his unconventional path to becoming an astronaut also means he often has a different perspective on problems and creative ways of solving them.
Bottom line, Station Breaker was a great choice for our purposes. I was completely engrossed in the story. Sure, the plot can get a little far-fetched and extreme at times, but if there’s one thing you can’t accuse this book of, it’s being boring. My one major criticism is that it ends on a very blatant and very annoying “to be continued”, so my suggestion would be to have the next book ready. All in all, I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a high-octane and non-stop action thrill ride. I’ve already picked up and devoured the sequel.
Recently, my family went on a road trip and my husband and I needed a good audiobook to listen to for the 8-hour drive. This was no small challenge. First, it would have to suit both our tastes, and my husband can be really picky. Second, anyone who’s ever driven long distances knows how monotonous it can be. Doesn’t matter how much coffee you load up on, those long stretches of highway offering little to no variety when it comes to scenery can really sap your energy, especially when you’re driving at night or stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. When searching for the perfect road trip book, I knew I needed to look for something exciting, something guaranteed to suck you in and make the time pass much quicker.
And so, I give you Station Breaker by Andrew Mayne. I’m already a big fan of the author from his Naturalist series, and not long ago, I discovered that before those books, he had also written a near-future sci-fi duology described as a space disaster meets manhunt thriller. Having seen what Mayne is capable of, I had a really good feeling about this one.
As the story opens, we are introduced to astronaut David Dixon who is feeling excited but also a little nervous about his first mission. His employer, a private American aerospace and transport company, had called him in last minute to replace another astronaut who had to bow out because of an injury. His whole life, David has always dreamed about going to space. After waiting in the wings for so long, he’d started to think this day would never come. So understandably, he is a little hesitant to say anything to jeopardize his chances when he notices the mission commander slip a gun into their spacesuit.
Being the rookie though, David decides to trust his superiors. Unfortunately, that decision ultimately winds up with shots fired on a Russian space station, and multiple deaths. David is forced to make an emergency landing from orbit by himself, plunging into the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The whole world now thinks he is a terrorist, but David has something that would prove his innocence and expose the real culprits behind an international conspiracy. But first, he’ll have to make it back to the United States. The problem is, with enemies hidden in the upper echelons of the government, David doesn’t know who he can trust. He can only rely on his own wits and knowledge to get himself home, all the while dodging the shadowy forces who will do anything to get their hands on the evidence he has in his possession.
By now, I’ve come to expect certain things from Andrew Mayne, like his addictive writing style, his hilariously snarky sense of humor, and his ability to pull me in with fascinating science. And of course, who can forget his over-the-top plot twists? This book was completely insane. We’re talking levels of insanity where characters jump out of space capsules during reentry, partake in car chase shoot-outs in a football stadium while driving an ambulance, or commit grand theft airplane by attempting to make off with a passenger jetliner. And here I thought The Naturalist was farfetched at times, but that book has nothing on Station Breaker.
Thing is though, I didn’t mind at all. This book was funny and packed to the gills with action, and the story’s over-the-top nature gave it a summer blockbuster feel, which is intended as a high compliment. When you’re stuck on the interstate with nothing to look at but miles of fallow farmland or industrial parks as far as the eye can see, these breathtaking adrenaline-pumping scenes get you revved up far better than a regular old shot of caffeine. Time and distance flew right on by as we listened to this audiobook, and there were quite a few laughs along the way too. David Dixon is a likeable character, and the fact that he is not your typical action hero makes it even easier to root for him. His narrative voice is full of humor and good flow, and his unconventional path to becoming an astronaut also means he often has a different perspective on problems and creative ways of solving them.
Bottom line, Station Breaker was a great choice for our purposes. I was completely engrossed in the story. Sure, the plot can get a little far-fetched and extreme at times, but if there’s one thing you can’t accuse this book of, it’s being boring. My one major criticism is that it ends on a very blatant and very annoying “to be continued”, so my suggestion would be to have the next book ready. All in all, I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a high-octane and non-stop action thrill ride. I’ve already picked up and devoured the sequel.
October 18, 2017
Gawd-awful...
I generally try to give authors the benefit of the doubt in reviewing a book. I know it takes time, effort and dedication to produce a novel of any sort. Therefore just having made the effort deserves a certain amount of credit.
No credit is due here. None. Zero. Zip. Nada. This book is just plain stupid!
So... do we blame the author or the editor or the agent or... well... ME for having read 42% before just giving up? I'll admit to my part; it was (remotely) possible that a gold nugget could have emerged from the dross. But... No.
The author? Well... it WAS a story that had a plot - sort of. But the genesis of the plot seems to have been from a universe with different realities than ours. You know... like different physics and chemistry and a vastly altered definition of "intelligent life."
Hauling a side-arm into space... stupid.
Parachutes on a spacecraft... stupid
Lack of airlock safety interlocks... stupid.
TWO PERSON plot against Russians... stupid.
Exiting capsule during re-entry... stupid.
Sat-phone orders from interloper... stupid.
Domestic aircrew offering a "ride"... stupid.
"Stealing" a 777... totally stupid.
Flying it, alone, from Brazil to LAX... stupid.
Crossing C. America @ ~100 ft... stupid.
In a storm... triple stupid.
And on, and on, and on.
So the author is, likely, the victim of a bad trip on LSD. But someone -SOMEONE- edited this disaster and pronounced it "publishable."
Wow!
I do NOT recommend this book as a thriller, or as Science Fiction, or as Fantasy or, even, as an example of writing from a high school sophomore. Indeed, I feel I should be compensated for having been duped into spending a couple of hours reading this drivel.
It wasn't even funny-bad. It was sad-bad.
Drop me an email, I'll send you my REAL opinion upon request.
I generally try to give authors the benefit of the doubt in reviewing a book. I know it takes time, effort and dedication to produce a novel of any sort. Therefore just having made the effort deserves a certain amount of credit.
No credit is due here. None. Zero. Zip. Nada. This book is just plain stupid!
So... do we blame the author or the editor or the agent or... well... ME for having read 42% before just giving up? I'll admit to my part; it was (remotely) possible that a gold nugget could have emerged from the dross. But... No.
The author? Well... it WAS a story that had a plot - sort of. But the genesis of the plot seems to have been from a universe with different realities than ours. You know... like different physics and chemistry and a vastly altered definition of "intelligent life."
Hauling a side-arm into space... stupid.
Parachutes on a spacecraft... stupid
Lack of airlock safety interlocks... stupid.
TWO PERSON plot against Russians... stupid.
Exiting capsule during re-entry... stupid.
Sat-phone orders from interloper... stupid.
Domestic aircrew offering a "ride"... stupid.
"Stealing" a 777... totally stupid.
Flying it, alone, from Brazil to LAX... stupid.
Crossing C. America @ ~100 ft... stupid.
In a storm... triple stupid.
And on, and on, and on.
So the author is, likely, the victim of a bad trip on LSD. But someone -SOMEONE- edited this disaster and pronounced it "publishable."
Wow!
I do NOT recommend this book as a thriller, or as Science Fiction, or as Fantasy or, even, as an example of writing from a high school sophomore. Indeed, I feel I should be compensated for having been duped into spending a couple of hours reading this drivel.
It wasn't even funny-bad. It was sad-bad.
Drop me an email, I'll send you my REAL opinion upon request.
July 25, 2018
Looking at the other reviews, it's clear you're likely to love this book, or hate it...for the same reason. The Mayne Style is distinctive. I mean, the guy had a TV show, "Don't Trust Andrew Mayne." The folks you distrust tend to fall in two camps: the ones you don't trust but love anyway, and the ones you don't trust and avoid like the plague. I'm in the former camp.
Andrew Mayne knows how to dribble.
So many books - so many - these days are hamstrung by stilted dialog and writing generally in need of a tough-love edit. Mayne's books read clean - the dialog pops, and the scenes flow well. Mayne is a heck of a storyteller. His books Angel Killer and the Naturalist are also gripping reads, and Station Breaker is another book that leaves me bleary-eyed from reading into the wee hours, and leaping toward the next in the series.
Without giving too much away, this is a first-person narrative of a pilot for a SpaceX-style company, led by a Musk-like CEO, on his first trip into space. He's a last-minute replacement on a trip that includes two legends in American space travel. The mission goes awry and the capsule ends up making an emergency docking at a Russian space station.
To paraphrase the book, some "next-level Jason Bourne sh*t" ensues.
Picture astronaut Wandrey from Andy Weir's The Martian. Now add a global manhunt. Dixon, the out-of-his-league pilot on his first mission to space, possesses superhuman levels of luck, years of training, and the right set of friends. He'll need them all.
Suspension of disbelief is stressed to the limits in this day-after-tomorrow tale. Much of the tech doesn't seem that far away, just a step or two past what's currently being used and/or tested by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in their own battle-of-the-billionaires space race. Everything is plausible, just a lot of .... "oh, come ON!" It helps that this is Dixon's response as well. Incredulity is fine, as long as you keep moving.
This is a fast-paced, nail-biting adventure, with a lot of humor and a metric buttload of f-bombs. The characters are distinct and fleshed out well, and I cared about even minor characters. This book was straight-up fun, and I'm hopping immediately to the sequel (Orbital).
When a book causes me to reshuffle my to-read stack, it's a winner.
Andrew Mayne knows how to dribble.
So many books - so many - these days are hamstrung by stilted dialog and writing generally in need of a tough-love edit. Mayne's books read clean - the dialog pops, and the scenes flow well. Mayne is a heck of a storyteller. His books Angel Killer and the Naturalist are also gripping reads, and Station Breaker is another book that leaves me bleary-eyed from reading into the wee hours, and leaping toward the next in the series.
Without giving too much away, this is a first-person narrative of a pilot for a SpaceX-style company, led by a Musk-like CEO, on his first trip into space. He's a last-minute replacement on a trip that includes two legends in American space travel. The mission goes awry and the capsule ends up making an emergency docking at a Russian space station.
To paraphrase the book, some "next-level Jason Bourne sh*t" ensues.
Picture astronaut Wandrey from Andy Weir's The Martian. Now add a global manhunt. Dixon, the out-of-his-league pilot on his first mission to space, possesses superhuman levels of luck, years of training, and the right set of friends. He'll need them all.
Suspension of disbelief is stressed to the limits in this day-after-tomorrow tale. Much of the tech doesn't seem that far away, just a step or two past what's currently being used and/or tested by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in their own battle-of-the-billionaires space race. Everything is plausible, just a lot of .... "oh, come ON!" It helps that this is Dixon's response as well. Incredulity is fine, as long as you keep moving.
This is a fast-paced, nail-biting adventure, with a lot of humor and a metric buttload of f-bombs. The characters are distinct and fleshed out well, and I cared about even minor characters. This book was straight-up fun, and I'm hopping immediately to the sequel (Orbital).
When a book causes me to reshuffle my to-read stack, it's a winner.
July 20, 2017
Let me start off with the only thing that bothered me. Our protagonist, David Dixon, is so genre savvy that he knows he's in a thriller novel. Not on a 4th wall breaking sort of way, but I'm his inner monologue he knows all the tropes to avoid. He even refers to the McGuffin as the McGuffin. But for the plot to kick off, he has to hold the idiot ball for the first couple chapters, ignoring sign after sign that something is up. The inconsistency threatened to take me out of the story for the first bit.
But I was able to get past that because Andrew Mayne is great at writing thrillers. It also is in the same mold as The Martian: highly technical with a sarcastic protagonist. Although I'm not the space nerd I once was, I still have a love of space and the tech needed to get up there.
What else is great about this book? It subverts a few thriller tropes. The main female does not have sex with our man. She's never in need of rescue and she's incredibly smart. There are lots of great scenes where things go wrong in realistic ways.
When I first published the review yesterday I forgot to mention that Mayne's short chapter structure is "devastating" for someone like me who suffers from "one more page", "until the end of the chapter", etc. It means I often ended up reading for hours when I meant to read for minutes. Because there was always a cliffhanger only a couple pages away it was way too hard to stop.
I bought this book because I got the second book in the series free. I'm very happy I did -this was a blast and would probably make a good movie or premium cable mini-series.
But I was able to get past that because Andrew Mayne is great at writing thrillers. It also is in the same mold as The Martian: highly technical with a sarcastic protagonist. Although I'm not the space nerd I once was, I still have a love of space and the tech needed to get up there.
What else is great about this book? It subverts a few thriller tropes. The main female does not have sex with our man. She's never in need of rescue and she's incredibly smart. There are lots of great scenes where things go wrong in realistic ways.
When I first published the review yesterday I forgot to mention that Mayne's short chapter structure is "devastating" for someone like me who suffers from "one more page", "until the end of the chapter", etc. It means I often ended up reading for hours when I meant to read for minutes. Because there was always a cliffhanger only a couple pages away it was way too hard to stop.
I bought this book because I got the second book in the series free. I'm very happy I did -this was a blast and would probably make a good movie or premium cable mini-series.
August 6, 2018
I feel bad giving this only 3 stars, but I don't want to give it quite 4 either. We're still waiting for those half stars, Goodreads! Anyway, I'm not even sure exactly what genre this is, because it really is a little bit of everything. It was non-stop action from the very beginning, and while I did enjoy that, this book needed a bit more heart, in my opinion.
David was a great protagonist with a sarcastic sense of humor I loved, and I enjoyed my time with him, but I'm not invested enough to read the next book. I will, however, read more Andrew Mayne, because this man is a stellar writer, my friends.
David was a great protagonist with a sarcastic sense of humor I loved, and I enjoyed my time with him, but I'm not invested enough to read the next book. I will, however, read more Andrew Mayne, because this man is a stellar writer, my friends.
April 26, 2018
Mayne’s books are either quite good or incredibly terrible. My impression is that he writes a lot of junk books to make money — quantity over quality. The way kindle unlimited encourages writers to produce whether the writing is good or not. Writers are paid on the percentage of the book you read... not whether the book was good or enjoyable.
A lot of this story is filler with brief flashes of action. The action is often unwarranted and boring because it lacks context or intrigue. The writing is juvenile and lacks depth. It’s obvious he used a formulaic method. I just kept hoping it would improve.
Mayne really is a decent author. I love one of his books. I’m not sure why he wastes time writing garbage like this.
A lot of this story is filler with brief flashes of action. The action is often unwarranted and boring because it lacks context or intrigue. The writing is juvenile and lacks depth. It’s obvious he used a formulaic method. I just kept hoping it would improve.
Mayne really is a decent author. I love one of his books. I’m not sure why he wastes time writing garbage like this.
March 21, 2016
Another fast paced FUN ride by Andrew Mayne. Man, its difficult for me to put his books down once I start. If I had a few hours together I think thats how I would prefer to read them. All at once! On top of the fast paced cat and mouse intrigue that kept me sucked in, I really enjoyed all the detail around space, space travel, the space program, and the not too distant future space industry.
March 10, 2024
Billed as The Martian meets Jason Bourne, and that's not wrong. A touch of Bond in there too. Ends in a cliff hanger so starting Book 2 shortly. Funny, crazy, clever and a great read.
January 30, 2019
3,5/5
September 2, 2019
A rough and tumble adventure with a constant threat against our hero and moments of levity. Our hero manages to rise to the occasion when events get out of hand.
Ends with a cliff hanger prompting you to get the next book in the series which I will be getting.
Recommended
Ends with a cliff hanger prompting you to get the next book in the series which I will be getting.
Recommended
November 30, 2017
My original Station Breaker audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Station Breaker, written by Andrew Mayne, is the first book in the “Space Ops” Series; which is getting some attention due to the high customer ratings and reviews. At this time, the first two books are currently available in audiobook format on Audible. It is unclear if the series will become a trilogy or something much larger. I guess we will have to wait and see. The book was well narrated by Andrew Mayne who has over sixty books narrated at the time of this review. If you are looking for a fast-paced action-packed science fiction spy thriller, like a SciFi version of “The Fast and the Furious”, blended with pieces from “The Abyss”, and parts from “The Right Stuff” you will want to have a listen to this audiobook. There are times you will be required to suspend belief as this book is not a true story. However, the author reminds the listener at the beginning of the book that all the space technology covered actually exists today giving a very authentic feel.
From its beginning, the book draws the listener quickly into the story through a few of the initial character’s mysterious and suspicious actions. There is a last-minute change to the crew due to illness; as many know, this is never a good thing. Then, quite surprisingly, the spacecraft is required to divert to an orbiting Russian space station due to an unusual system failure while initiating its orbital procedure. If all that seems quite strange, things quickly spin out of control and get even more complicated for our main character after this. One quickly learns who their friends are from those attempting to kill them, and at times this line is blurred. From the book’s start to its finish, it keeps the listener on the edge of their seat wondering who and what is behind all this clandestine activity, and thankfully I was able to listen to most of it during a long car trip.
Even though at times the book felt predictable in places, I thought the author did a good job of keeping my interest. The characters were given depth and life by way of background details, often in flashback sequences, helping the listener know why they act a certain way. There were quite a few unexpected events that I felt outweighed the predictable ones. I also felt the author did a good job of showing the decline in the United States space program and that there is still the competition between the US and its Russian counterparts. There were some welcomed discussions around Elon Musk and his SpaceX program, along with a few other commercial space programs. In my opinion, the book really is a spy thriller wrapped in a space theme. Again, this is not a bad thing, just be aware if you are expecting a deep and heavy science fiction space story. These are a few of the reasons I’m recommending the book. However, that is not to say that the book does not have its issues.
I found the action sequences to often be rushed and much shorter than I would have expected. When there was a good amount of tension and action throughout the book and I would have liked to have had more detail focusing on the event occurring than the author provided. A story often follows the standard build up, climax, and release stages allowing the listener to have some time to comprehend what just took place. However, with this book, action events build and climax then move right into the next action scene. I felt there was little time given to the listener by means of release, I wanted to have more time between action events allowing me to come up for air before being thrown into the next scenario. I also felt the use of internal dialogue to be overly used. I know such dialogue is important when the main character is the only person in the scene; like with the move “Cast Away”, but I would have liked to have less internal dialogue and more narration. This also goes for the character’s internal communication consisting of both wit and sarcasm, I’m hoping for a little less in the second book as this one seemed to be over the top for me.
As I listen to a book I’m going to review, I often take notes to help remind me of items or issues observed along the way. As I look back on my notes relating to the narrator, there were very few; which is a good thing. I thought Mr. McCarley did an exceptional job narrating the multiple characters and even the many accents including Russian and Portuguese. A few of the female parts were rough at times, but I understand a male character properly narrating a female character can be difficult. I do not recall any issues with volume inconsistencies or any other audio artifacts such as swallowing, page turns, or background noise. I was also glad to see that the second book in the series is performed by the same narrator.
For parents and younger readers, be aware this book has a fair amount of vulgar language. Four letter words flow quite freely and are not the words one expects coming from highly trained astronauts. The book includes some discussion and references to topics involving sex along with sexual innuendos. There are also a few scenes that may not be appropriate for younger readers due to the amount of intense or graphic violence. For those easily offended by the above, I recommend you find a different series.
In summary, the book is a great first entry in to what appears to be quite an action-packed space series. The author did a great job researching the many topics and technology covered, but I would have liked to have had more information or details around some of these items. I’m all for action and adventure, yet it is important to understand the technology used and why. There is a fine line where an author can be overly descriptive, but I feel this author went a bit farther to the other side of the line. I would still recommend this book to others even with a few of its faults, and I’m excited to hear what comes next in book two.
Audiobook was purchased for review by ABR.
Station Breaker, written by Andrew Mayne, is the first book in the “Space Ops” Series; which is getting some attention due to the high customer ratings and reviews. At this time, the first two books are currently available in audiobook format on Audible. It is unclear if the series will become a trilogy or something much larger. I guess we will have to wait and see. The book was well narrated by Andrew Mayne who has over sixty books narrated at the time of this review. If you are looking for a fast-paced action-packed science fiction spy thriller, like a SciFi version of “The Fast and the Furious”, blended with pieces from “The Abyss”, and parts from “The Right Stuff” you will want to have a listen to this audiobook. There are times you will be required to suspend belief as this book is not a true story. However, the author reminds the listener at the beginning of the book that all the space technology covered actually exists today giving a very authentic feel.
From its beginning, the book draws the listener quickly into the story through a few of the initial character’s mysterious and suspicious actions. There is a last-minute change to the crew due to illness; as many know, this is never a good thing. Then, quite surprisingly, the spacecraft is required to divert to an orbiting Russian space station due to an unusual system failure while initiating its orbital procedure. If all that seems quite strange, things quickly spin out of control and get even more complicated for our main character after this. One quickly learns who their friends are from those attempting to kill them, and at times this line is blurred. From the book’s start to its finish, it keeps the listener on the edge of their seat wondering who and what is behind all this clandestine activity, and thankfully I was able to listen to most of it during a long car trip.
Even though at times the book felt predictable in places, I thought the author did a good job of keeping my interest. The characters were given depth and life by way of background details, often in flashback sequences, helping the listener know why they act a certain way. There were quite a few unexpected events that I felt outweighed the predictable ones. I also felt the author did a good job of showing the decline in the United States space program and that there is still the competition between the US and its Russian counterparts. There were some welcomed discussions around Elon Musk and his SpaceX program, along with a few other commercial space programs. In my opinion, the book really is a spy thriller wrapped in a space theme. Again, this is not a bad thing, just be aware if you are expecting a deep and heavy science fiction space story. These are a few of the reasons I’m recommending the book. However, that is not to say that the book does not have its issues.
I found the action sequences to often be rushed and much shorter than I would have expected. When there was a good amount of tension and action throughout the book and I would have liked to have had more detail focusing on the event occurring than the author provided. A story often follows the standard build up, climax, and release stages allowing the listener to have some time to comprehend what just took place. However, with this book, action events build and climax then move right into the next action scene. I felt there was little time given to the listener by means of release, I wanted to have more time between action events allowing me to come up for air before being thrown into the next scenario. I also felt the use of internal dialogue to be overly used. I know such dialogue is important when the main character is the only person in the scene; like with the move “Cast Away”, but I would have liked to have less internal dialogue and more narration. This also goes for the character’s internal communication consisting of both wit and sarcasm, I’m hoping for a little less in the second book as this one seemed to be over the top for me.
As I listen to a book I’m going to review, I often take notes to help remind me of items or issues observed along the way. As I look back on my notes relating to the narrator, there were very few; which is a good thing. I thought Mr. McCarley did an exceptional job narrating the multiple characters and even the many accents including Russian and Portuguese. A few of the female parts were rough at times, but I understand a male character properly narrating a female character can be difficult. I do not recall any issues with volume inconsistencies or any other audio artifacts such as swallowing, page turns, or background noise. I was also glad to see that the second book in the series is performed by the same narrator.
For parents and younger readers, be aware this book has a fair amount of vulgar language. Four letter words flow quite freely and are not the words one expects coming from highly trained astronauts. The book includes some discussion and references to topics involving sex along with sexual innuendos. There are also a few scenes that may not be appropriate for younger readers due to the amount of intense or graphic violence. For those easily offended by the above, I recommend you find a different series.
In summary, the book is a great first entry in to what appears to be quite an action-packed space series. The author did a great job researching the many topics and technology covered, but I would have liked to have had more information or details around some of these items. I’m all for action and adventure, yet it is important to understand the technology used and why. There is a fine line where an author can be overly descriptive, but I feel this author went a bit farther to the other side of the line. I would still recommend this book to others even with a few of its faults, and I’m excited to hear what comes next in book two.
Audiobook was purchased for review by ABR.
December 1, 2018
Unrealistic
While I get that SCIFI is supposed to push the boundaries of what is possible, there are too many issues with the science and training to be believable even with the help of future technology. Playing on a video game as a kid, even the best simulator does not prepare you for flying a 777 low to the ground. Is the main character a nerd or Superman? One of the characters is introduced as a former Navy Seal, Navy Pilot and Astronaut. Because this plot is set in the near future, it comes with too many inconsistencies with reality to make any sense. While I typically like a sarcastic protagonist, the main character in this book comes across as simply annoying. The book ends in a place to encourage you to buy the sequel. I managed to get through this one and will bail on the story here
While I get that SCIFI is supposed to push the boundaries of what is possible, there are too many issues with the science and training to be believable even with the help of future technology. Playing on a video game as a kid, even the best simulator does not prepare you for flying a 777 low to the ground. Is the main character a nerd or Superman? One of the characters is introduced as a former Navy Seal, Navy Pilot and Astronaut. Because this plot is set in the near future, it comes with too many inconsistencies with reality to make any sense. While I typically like a sarcastic protagonist, the main character in this book comes across as simply annoying. The book ends in a place to encourage you to buy the sequel. I managed to get through this one and will bail on the story here
October 14, 2018
How does this book have a 4+ rating? This book is terrible. It's basically a narration of a video game or brainless action movie. Just uninteresting nonsense. Like watching a CGI-heavy action sequence, BFD. Oh, and the main character is a smarmy little shit that I was hoping would die in every chapter.
Actual Quote:
"BANG! BANG! BANG-BANG-BANG!"
That's when I threw this book into the DNF graveyard. People should have higher standards. If you gave this book 4 or 5 stars you really have no idea what makes books a richer medium over movies.
Actual Quote:
"BANG! BANG! BANG-BANG-BANG!"
That's when I threw this book into the DNF graveyard. People should have higher standards. If you gave this book 4 or 5 stars you really have no idea what makes books a richer medium over movies.
January 12, 2018
Fun read. Improbable but very entertaining. Will read more of your books. I found it curious that the main character always feels his decisions are a poor choice to the point it becomes predictable.
Fun read. Improbable but very entertaining. Will read more of your books. I found it curious that the main character always feels his decisions are a poor choice to the point it becomes predictable.
Fun read. Improbable but very entertaining. Will read more of your books. I found it curious that the main character always feels his decisions are a poor choice to the point it becomes predictable.
July 8, 2025
An over the top thriller that reads like a Michael Bay action movie, which is fine because sometimes you just need a popcorn read/listen. I found the narrator to be fine. According to Reddit and Google, Kyle McCarley is a voice actor for animes and it shows in how he read Station Breaker. It was fine for the most part, but during the intense action scenes, he'd make the main character sound like an anime character and I found that distracting.
My only chief complaint with the book overall was the ending in that there isn't one and instead Station Breaker is set up so that it leads directly into the second book in the series, Orbital. Not giving this book a proper ending for the sake of trying to get readers to jump to the next book is the reason why Station Breaker only gets three stars from me.
My only chief complaint with the book overall was the ending in that there isn't one and instead Station Breaker is set up so that it leads directly into the second book in the series, Orbital. Not giving this book a proper ending for the sake of trying to get readers to jump to the next book is the reason why Station Breaker only gets three stars from me.
December 6, 2019
This was very entertaining. This would be a perfect book to recommend to people who loved The Martian. Like The Martian, it is near future sci fi with a likable protagonist who is a great problem solver. I’m already well into book 2.
October 7, 2019
Fun story with engaging characters. Not too serious a read.
April 19, 2020
As good as all others!
Don’t try to peg him with one genre! Everything I read of his is fantastic and grips you from the start. I look forward to every book he writes!
Don’t try to peg him with one genre! Everything I read of his is fantastic and grips you from the start. I look forward to every book he writes!
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May 30, 2020I love Andrew Mayne's Naturalist series, but I gave up on this one about half way through. Just too improbable with short jerky chapters that jump from 'action scene!' to 'action scene!'
June 14, 2025
Fun, mind candy to the extreme
September 15, 2020
Ha! Almost got me towards the end there... Love Laney and so pissed at what you did, needless to say I am now reading book 2. Please let there be a book 3. Please
August 3, 2018
I love this author!
I have read several books by Andrew Mayne; "The Naturalist", and it's sequel "Looking Glass", and now this book, "Station Breaker". This book was exciting to the point of keeping me up at night. Espionage, space, danger... this book is great! What amazes me about this author, is how he doesn't stick to one genre in his writing, and his knowledge about the subjects he writes about (in this case, space) seems so great.
I have read several books by Andrew Mayne; "The Naturalist", and it's sequel "Looking Glass", and now this book, "Station Breaker". This book was exciting to the point of keeping me up at night. Espionage, space, danger... this book is great! What amazes me about this author, is how he doesn't stick to one genre in his writing, and his knowledge about the subjects he writes about (in this case, space) seems so great.
April 19, 2018
Enjoyable read. I assume the technical bits are correct, since I know near to absolutely nothing about spacecraft and what not (my point being it’s believable). Not ecstatic about the intentional open ending, but only because I want to read more (which I suppose is the point). The pacing and dialogue are both excellent. The writing style reminds me of Hemingway’s—concise, but leaves a lot of the unspoken exposition up to the reader to flesh out (if they so choose; I like working for a story when it’s worth it and in this case, it is). There’s a lot of action going on continuously, but it’s nicely balanced out with less intense parts (jokes, sarcasm, etc). The protagonist is pretty well mapped out, but the reason for my 4/5 stars is due to the late introduction of a few other seemingly major characters. I realize this may be intentional due to having follow-up books, but I rather like/admire the Laney character and would have been really impressed to have gotten to know her sooner. I connect with nerdy female characters (Laney so reminds me of a character Joss Whedon would create) and believe the story would have been richer to have had her in it and a bit more established prior to her rather late introduction. She also seems like the type of person who would never be late to anything, ever.
I don’t recall any grammatical errors popping out at me, which is always a huge plus. I mentioned the pacing, but I also want to point out the flow of the language. There’s an overall tone that’s just the right amount of sardonic (at least for me) which parallels with the main character so nicely. It’s smart, but not in a condescendingly manner... it’s my kind of astute writing. I believe Andrew Mayne must have enjoyed writing this story, it’s just downright fun. I’ll be sure to check out some more of his works.
I don’t recall any grammatical errors popping out at me, which is always a huge plus. I mentioned the pacing, but I also want to point out the flow of the language. There’s an overall tone that’s just the right amount of sardonic (at least for me) which parallels with the main character so nicely. It’s smart, but not in a condescendingly manner... it’s my kind of astute writing. I believe Andrew Mayne must have enjoyed writing this story, it’s just downright fun. I’ll be sure to check out some more of his works.
June 18, 2024
Wow, hate to be an asshole, but this was a 2x DNF for me. Just not my cup of tea, I guess.
I first started to read it during a very distracted, upsetting time. I thought I must just be in a bad mood. The narrator’s voice is so flippant and comical and try-hard and sophomoric. Geez, Laura, lighten up. Read it again when you’re in a better mood.
Then I read it again and had the exact same thought process. “Am I really cranky? Or is every single character in this book, and especially the narrator, just impossibly caricaturistic?” He reads like a middle-schooler’s idea of a cool guy. Kind of a dweeb, but also kicks ass, even as he stumbles into every insane scenario. The whole book is really just incredibly cheesy and campy. So yeah, fodder for a middle schooler.
Even though I gave up on it both times (the first, about 1/4 of the way through, the second, about 1/3 of the way), I’m giving it a 3 star rating, if that counts for anything. It’s not badly written. Just reads like a screenplay that you’d roll your eyes at the whole time the movie runs. The 4th wall breaking narration, the robot voice giving instructions into the hidden telephone, the Russians, the crash landings, outrageous scene after outrageous scene of the hero-dweeb-protagonist getting away by the skin on his teeth.
If you want a very light action thriller that champions every storytelling trope ever invented, this is your book. If you’re in a bad mood, don’t pick it up.
I first started to read it during a very distracted, upsetting time. I thought I must just be in a bad mood. The narrator’s voice is so flippant and comical and try-hard and sophomoric. Geez, Laura, lighten up. Read it again when you’re in a better mood.
Then I read it again and had the exact same thought process. “Am I really cranky? Or is every single character in this book, and especially the narrator, just impossibly caricaturistic?” He reads like a middle-schooler’s idea of a cool guy. Kind of a dweeb, but also kicks ass, even as he stumbles into every insane scenario. The whole book is really just incredibly cheesy and campy. So yeah, fodder for a middle schooler.
Even though I gave up on it both times (the first, about 1/4 of the way through, the second, about 1/3 of the way), I’m giving it a 3 star rating, if that counts for anything. It’s not badly written. Just reads like a screenplay that you’d roll your eyes at the whole time the movie runs. The 4th wall breaking narration, the robot voice giving instructions into the hidden telephone, the Russians, the crash landings, outrageous scene after outrageous scene of the hero-dweeb-protagonist getting away by the skin on his teeth.
If you want a very light action thriller that champions every storytelling trope ever invented, this is your book. If you’re in a bad mood, don’t pick it up.
August 5, 2020
The premise of how an astronaut can come back from space and be the most hunted man in the world when he lands... was the hook that got me to read this book.
The answer had me on a ride that was so fantastical and absurd. I know it's science fiction, but really? The main character’s one liners were at first amusing then just out of place with the situations he found himself in. I know this is a kind of tongue in cheek book... but it didn’t work for me. And the audiobook’s narrator was overacting soo much,that it was distracting. And why did the author have to write in the sound of every gunshot? Hearing bang bang bang 20 times in a row multiple times is not entertaining. I’ll skip the sequel.
The answer had me on a ride that was so fantastical and absurd. I know it's science fiction, but really? The main character’s one liners were at first amusing then just out of place with the situations he found himself in. I know this is a kind of tongue in cheek book... but it didn’t work for me. And the audiobook’s narrator was overacting soo much,that it was distracting. And why did the author have to write in the sound of every gunshot? Hearing bang bang bang 20 times in a row multiple times is not entertaining. I’ll skip the sequel.
January 26, 2022
This is one of those over-the-top novels that is so lousy and poorly written, that I won’t disagree with anyone giving it only one star and not finishing it.
However the fact that it is SO exaggerated and clumsy and full of military nonsense kept my attention, and even entertained me for bits.
The book has a few racist stereotype comments, so that’s kinda awful.
The author is a MAGICIAN though… so do not expect ANYTHING from the book, anything at all other than it is such a light read, that will get you out of boredom’s way if you have absolutely nothing else to do.
However the fact that it is SO exaggerated and clumsy and full of military nonsense kept my attention, and even entertained me for bits.
The book has a few racist stereotype comments, so that’s kinda awful.
The author is a MAGICIAN though… so do not expect ANYTHING from the book, anything at all other than it is such a light read, that will get you out of boredom’s way if you have absolutely nothing else to do.
July 6, 2024
If it weren't for the way the book ends, this would be an easy 4 stars, but the ending is deeply frustrating.
This book feels like a strange crossbreed of a Heinlein juvenile and a Ludlum thriller. The science is done pretty well (and the EOD is excellent), the plot is quite entertaining, even though it rather stretches credulity, and the characters are quite sympathetic.
While this isn't much like other Mayne novels I've read, it's surprisingly good.
Except for the ending, this is recommended.
This book feels like a strange crossbreed of a Heinlein juvenile and a Ludlum thriller. The science is done pretty well (and the EOD is excellent), the plot is quite entertaining, even though it rather stretches credulity, and the characters are quite sympathetic.
While this isn't much like other Mayne novels I've read, it's surprisingly good.
Except for the ending, this is recommended.
April 17, 2017
Holy crap! Read this book! Non-stop action from beginning to end. David Dixon is a.combination of Kip Russell, Jason Bourne, Malcom Reynolds and Jim Holden.
There was one "isn't that convenient" coincidence near the end of the book, but other than that the only thing that's hard to swallow is how resourceful David is as he moves from one disaster to another. I give him an AFI of about 2000.
The ending is a little abrupt, but there's at least one sequel. Gonna download that from Amazon now.
There was one "isn't that convenient" coincidence near the end of the book, but other than that the only thing that's hard to swallow is how resourceful David is as he moves from one disaster to another. I give him an AFI of about 2000.
The ending is a little abrupt, but there's at least one sequel. Gonna download that from Amazon now.
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