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The First Protectors: A Novel
The last thing Ben Shepherd wanted was another war. But sometimes the universe won’t take no for an answer. His body and spirit mangled by a lifetime of combat, Shepherd, a retired Navy SEAL, has retreated to the desolate desert of New Mexico to heal his wounds and dodge his demons. All he wants now is peace and quiet. Both are shattered one starry night, when an alien ship crashes nearby. Out of the ship crawls the last, dying member of a conquered civilization. It’s been shot down by an extraterrestrial enemy, the vanguard of a ravenous force hunting for a new homeland. With its last gasp, the wounded alien injects Shepherd with a high-tech serum that gives him near superhuman powers. Now, with a new body but a soul as fractured as ever, Shepherd becomes the reluctant leader of the human resistance against the coming invasion. With enemies on all sides, the man who couldn’t bear the guilt of seeing one more friend die in battle now finds himself charged with protecting the entire planet.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2018
192 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 11, 2018
This was a gem hiding behind an enticing cover that, I must say, is so pleasing to the eye. And its writing and story will certainly pleasing to readers who like something different now and then. The novel is a concoction of space opera and military sci-fi, but leaning more towards the shooter and action sequences that will remind you of The Forever War and Old Man’s War, if not more phantasmagorical in many ways.
The premise ... A retired Navy Seal happens to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He witnesses a fight between two UFOs, one of which crashes somewhere in New Mexico. The only survivor from the crash site injects our hero, Ben Shepherd, with some mysterious serum of nano tech. Next thing you know, Ben has killed his first alien, flattened a desert (even more) and ruined his truck. But he wasn't in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had he not been stargazing and "finding himself" in the desert when the event happened, he wouldn't have been the Earth's only hope against an incoming alien threat.
In many aspects, it's very similar to the Forever War and Old Man's War (high-tech soldier kicking alien derriere), though the way it's put together gives it its own distinct presence. For instance, although the book centres mostly around Ben Shepherd and several of his Navy Seal chums (those who survive a SpecOps mission), it flips between smaller characters and feeds in some of their backstory, whether they're on US soil or some oblast region of Russia. One could question their importance, especially when it comes to the Russian continent and its erratic players, but when you get to the end of the book you understand that the attention they get is well-deserved. You might have to look at it realistically: it's war!!! War has many faces. Presidents. Secret agents. Victims. Innocents. Soldiers. Tyrants. Factory workers. War (an alien invasion, to be precise) affects everybody, so it seems sensible to grab a handful and show you how they deal with the possibility of extinction at the mercy of an advanced civilisation, or from internal rifts that tear entire nations apart. The propaganda and political developments added a layer of grit to this story, bestowing upon it a realistic feel.
The writing wasn't in short bursts, like you'd get with Old Man's War, but it was more detailed, even in the action sequences, where I felt they sometimes needed to be more spartan. Not always. Just in some instances. There was so much going on in a single scene that, although I was being blown away by the unfolding chaos and the impactful writing (and I did get that a lot because of how immersed I was in the action scenes) I needed to stay in that flow and state of mind, and the descriptions weighed it down sometimes. Not a major criticism, because Godinez really showed off his creative flair and so I can't fault someone for being great at something I like (and I DO like beautiful descriptions), but some paragraphs were a bit lengthy at times. Dialogue flowed nicely, and I did find myself chuckling at some of the conversations between the characters, which reminded me a bit of Scalzi's wit.
I still feel the need to emphasise what an exhilarating read this was. As I read it on the train, during my commute to work, it really got the blood pumping with some serious action scenes a la Schwarzenegger (just without the biceps and cheesy lines). The underdogs vs heavy-hitting aliens that had wiped out entire planets. Earth was on their list of galactic real estate, but a coalition of human forces, with Ben Shepherd and his two compadres going against all odds to save their planet.
I'm suspecting there's a sequel, seeing as how the story ended, so I'll sit tight until then and hope I get to see Ben Shepherd return. Remember the name Victor Godinez.
The premise ... A retired Navy Seal happens to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He witnesses a fight between two UFOs, one of which crashes somewhere in New Mexico. The only survivor from the crash site injects our hero, Ben Shepherd, with some mysterious serum of nano tech. Next thing you know, Ben has killed his first alien, flattened a desert (even more) and ruined his truck. But he wasn't in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had he not been stargazing and "finding himself" in the desert when the event happened, he wouldn't have been the Earth's only hope against an incoming alien threat.
In many aspects, it's very similar to the Forever War and Old Man's War (high-tech soldier kicking alien derriere), though the way it's put together gives it its own distinct presence. For instance, although the book centres mostly around Ben Shepherd and several of his Navy Seal chums (those who survive a SpecOps mission), it flips between smaller characters and feeds in some of their backstory, whether they're on US soil or some oblast region of Russia. One could question their importance, especially when it comes to the Russian continent and its erratic players, but when you get to the end of the book you understand that the attention they get is well-deserved. You might have to look at it realistically: it's war!!! War has many faces. Presidents. Secret agents. Victims. Innocents. Soldiers. Tyrants. Factory workers. War (an alien invasion, to be precise) affects everybody, so it seems sensible to grab a handful and show you how they deal with the possibility of extinction at the mercy of an advanced civilisation, or from internal rifts that tear entire nations apart. The propaganda and political developments added a layer of grit to this story, bestowing upon it a realistic feel.
The writing wasn't in short bursts, like you'd get with Old Man's War, but it was more detailed, even in the action sequences, where I felt they sometimes needed to be more spartan. Not always. Just in some instances. There was so much going on in a single scene that, although I was being blown away by the unfolding chaos and the impactful writing (and I did get that a lot because of how immersed I was in the action scenes) I needed to stay in that flow and state of mind, and the descriptions weighed it down sometimes. Not a major criticism, because Godinez really showed off his creative flair and so I can't fault someone for being great at something I like (and I DO like beautiful descriptions), but some paragraphs were a bit lengthy at times. Dialogue flowed nicely, and I did find myself chuckling at some of the conversations between the characters, which reminded me a bit of Scalzi's wit.
I still feel the need to emphasise what an exhilarating read this was. As I read it on the train, during my commute to work, it really got the blood pumping with some serious action scenes a la Schwarzenegger (just without the biceps and cheesy lines). The underdogs vs heavy-hitting aliens that had wiped out entire planets. Earth was on their list of galactic real estate, but a coalition of human forces, with Ben Shepherd and his two compadres going against all odds to save their planet.
I'm suspecting there's a sequel, seeing as how the story ended, so I'll sit tight until then and hope I get to see Ben Shepherd return. Remember the name Victor Godinez.
December 18, 2020
Premise was definitely intriguing. Characters were interesting but not remarkable. First contact with aliens is a trope that interests me, but this book has led me to realize that a book that focuses on the military/weaponry/war tactics of first contact with aliens probably isn't for me.
I expected there to be some talk of fighting the war with the aliens /obviously/, considering that's what the book is about, but I would say the book was about 95% military/soldiers/weapons talk and 5% aliens; which is why I'm giving it two stars.
Some parts of the book were interesting to read and some parts of the book were excessively boring.
I expected there to be some talk of fighting the war with the aliens /obviously/, considering that's what the book is about, but I would say the book was about 95% military/soldiers/weapons talk and 5% aliens; which is why I'm giving it two stars.
Some parts of the book were interesting to read and some parts of the book were excessively boring.
April 21, 2019
Everything from the cover art to the blurb made me want to give The First Protectors: A Novel a try. It's safe to say that Victor Godinez has earned himself a new fan. This was a blast from start to finish!
The Plot
Ben Shepherd has been forced into retirement. His latest mission took a heavy toll on his body, as well as his mind, and he would rather be left to his own devices the rest of his days than have to deal with other people. All that is thrown out the window when an alien ship crash lands nearby. The alien inside is the last member of a conquered civilization, and with the conquerors hot on its tail, uses the last of its life to give Shepherd an injection; one that gives him superhuman abilities. The conquerors have followed the alien to Earth, looking for new prey, and it's up to Shepherd to lead the fight against the monsters at their door.
If that doesn't sound fun to you, then this book is probably not for you. It rang a lot of similarities with Green Lantern, how a dying alien gives it powers to Hal Jordan in the middle of a desert. Likewise, Shepherd gets bestowed with this skin-greying gift, and it's up to him how he uses it.
I really liked the Sci-Fi aspect behind everything in this book. The serum that was injected contained nanobots that help the human body function at 1000% its capacity. Every scene has everything explained in a very neat way that I loved. It was all understandable though, never too jargon-y.
But what I loved most were the ACTION SCENES! The action was amazing. I wish this book would be made into a movie, with a high budget at that coz these action scenes warrant it. There was realism mixed with just the right amount of epic and I loved it.
The Writing
I wouldn't guess this to be Godinez's first book. The writing was very well done, the Sci-Fi elements mixed seamlessly with the rest of it. I really liked how it wasn't just action, that there was also the personal conflict with Shepherd and the morality of everything. There was also how the world would react as a whole when faced with an extraterrestrial enemy, if they'd band together or use the opportunity to push their personal agendas. Solid stuff.
The Characters
Ben Shepherd has got to be one of the better characters I've read recently. He shares the name with one of my favourite game characters of all time (Looking at you Commander Shepherd), and there were a lot of similarities between them that I'm curious if Godinez got some inspiration from the game. He's got his own personal demons, and also has the responsibility of a whole race on his shoulders. The few scenes where we get flashbacks were also well done.
He takes centre-stage but I also thought the other characters were all unique and well rounded.
Verdict
If you like Sci-Fi, The First Protectors: A Novel is a must-read. I can't really find anything I didn't like about it and hope the sequel (if written) will come out soon!
The Plot
Ben Shepherd has been forced into retirement. His latest mission took a heavy toll on his body, as well as his mind, and he would rather be left to his own devices the rest of his days than have to deal with other people. All that is thrown out the window when an alien ship crash lands nearby. The alien inside is the last member of a conquered civilization, and with the conquerors hot on its tail, uses the last of its life to give Shepherd an injection; one that gives him superhuman abilities. The conquerors have followed the alien to Earth, looking for new prey, and it's up to Shepherd to lead the fight against the monsters at their door.
If that doesn't sound fun to you, then this book is probably not for you. It rang a lot of similarities with Green Lantern, how a dying alien gives it powers to Hal Jordan in the middle of a desert. Likewise, Shepherd gets bestowed with this skin-greying gift, and it's up to him how he uses it.
I really liked the Sci-Fi aspect behind everything in this book. The serum that was injected contained nanobots that help the human body function at 1000% its capacity. Every scene has everything explained in a very neat way that I loved. It was all understandable though, never too jargon-y.
But what I loved most were the ACTION SCENES! The action was amazing. I wish this book would be made into a movie, with a high budget at that coz these action scenes warrant it. There was realism mixed with just the right amount of epic and I loved it.
The Writing
I wouldn't guess this to be Godinez's first book. The writing was very well done, the Sci-Fi elements mixed seamlessly with the rest of it. I really liked how it wasn't just action, that there was also the personal conflict with Shepherd and the morality of everything. There was also how the world would react as a whole when faced with an extraterrestrial enemy, if they'd band together or use the opportunity to push their personal agendas. Solid stuff.
The Characters
Ben Shepherd has got to be one of the better characters I've read recently. He shares the name with one of my favourite game characters of all time (Looking at you Commander Shepherd), and there were a lot of similarities between them that I'm curious if Godinez got some inspiration from the game. He's got his own personal demons, and also has the responsibility of a whole race on his shoulders. The few scenes where we get flashbacks were also well done.
He takes centre-stage but I also thought the other characters were all unique and well rounded.
Verdict
If you like Sci-Fi, The First Protectors: A Novel is a must-read. I can't really find anything I didn't like about it and hope the sequel (if written) will come out soon!
July 12, 2019
The First Protectors is an action packed science fiction novel that reads like a Hollywood blockbuster. It’s a popcorn movie in book form: not overly sophisticated but fun and fast.
January 28, 2019
From my very first look at this, I was determined to get hold of it, as were a number of other like-minded readers whom I know. It sounds great, a worn-out soldier receiving a dose of something from a dying alien which will help him to lead the human race in a desperate defence of our beautiful blue planet from another more advanced alien species bent on taking it for themselves. In this book, which is obviously the beginning of a planned series, we’re promised a fast-paced and action-filled caper which blasts us across Earth and Earth-space and that's what we get, pure and simple, a fun military flavoured sci-fi adventure that makes up with pure entertainment for what it lacks in detail and description.
It's well written and from a pure entertainment standpoint, is hard to fault, to be honest, and I devoured it easily. I just wish that the information level had been lifted slightly above the point of where it currently sits, that is I wanted a bit more detail of the greater story picture rather than being focused on us down here a so much. But for the kind of entertainment that it is, and what the author no doubt was trying to achieve, it's pretty good.
It would've probably have been 5 stars had I been disappointed with the lack of detail about the aliens, etc. As it sits, it's not too bad at all and I will be watching for Godinez with great interest. He's yet another fresh new name to appear in the science fiction field in recent years and hopefully destined for great things. I just hope that he doesn't rush into the next book but rather takes the time to give us a little more "flesh and blood", even if it's at the expense of a few technical details or deafening explosions.
There's a slightly more detailed review on my blog HERE.
It's well written and from a pure entertainment standpoint, is hard to fault, to be honest, and I devoured it easily. I just wish that the information level had been lifted slightly above the point of where it currently sits, that is I wanted a bit more detail of the greater story picture rather than being focused on us down here a so much. But for the kind of entertainment that it is, and what the author no doubt was trying to achieve, it's pretty good.
It would've probably have been 5 stars had I been disappointed with the lack of detail about the aliens, etc. As it sits, it's not too bad at all and I will be watching for Godinez with great interest. He's yet another fresh new name to appear in the science fiction field in recent years and hopefully destined for great things. I just hope that he doesn't rush into the next book but rather takes the time to give us a little more "flesh and blood", even if it's at the expense of a few technical details or deafening explosions.
There's a slightly more detailed review on my blog HERE.
January 22, 2019
Oh my, what a pity. The First Protectors headed for a full five star review. Great character development, unique plot on an alien invasion and fantastic battle decriptions. And even multiple plotlines from different angles. I was so content with the pace, the atmosphere, the imposed threat and even the first wave. The writing was very good and just technical enough. Happy me.
And then Independence Day happened. Well, Independence Day: Resurgence actually, the real bad one. I think Victor Godinez overwrote his boss fight at the end. Too many surprises (surprise, here is the alien mothershup. Surprise, here is the blinking super rocket. Surprise, here are 20 drones, no 550 drones, and surprise, if we blow up one of our ships we win; well, develop a remote ship that blows up. Also known as a guided missile...
How great would it have been if the fate of the Bert Goldberg was developed to show the pressure. If we would have seen more glimpses of the alien consipracy, the role of teh Chinese etc. All that in exchange for the over the top "aliens want to conquer the White House" plot at the end.
The last part of the book brought it back from 5 stars to 3.5-4. So yeah, if someone wants to read a perfect first half of a military sci-fi, this is it. I am still shaking my head about the missed opportunity to make this book a real modern example of the perfect debute novel. Still, well done; I would really like to read more of Victor Godinez, as long as the battles are kept as small and as personal as possible and without any of Americas fine battle machines (F16, A22, C130, A1A, and B2s amongst others) detailed. Still 4 stars.
And then Independence Day happened. Well, Independence Day: Resurgence actually, the real bad one. I think Victor Godinez overwrote his boss fight at the end. Too many surprises (surprise, here is the alien mothershup. Surprise, here is the blinking super rocket. Surprise, here are 20 drones, no 550 drones, and surprise, if we blow up one of our ships we win; well, develop a remote ship that blows up. Also known as a guided missile...
How great would it have been if the fate of the Bert Goldberg was developed to show the pressure. If we would have seen more glimpses of the alien consipracy, the role of teh Chinese etc. All that in exchange for the over the top "aliens want to conquer the White House" plot at the end.
The last part of the book brought it back from 5 stars to 3.5-4. So yeah, if someone wants to read a perfect first half of a military sci-fi, this is it. I am still shaking my head about the missed opportunity to make this book a real modern example of the perfect debute novel. Still, well done; I would really like to read more of Victor Godinez, as long as the battles are kept as small and as personal as possible and without any of Americas fine battle machines (F16, A22, C130, A1A, and B2s amongst others) detailed. Still 4 stars.
June 26, 2025
Pass by on this one.
February 18, 2019
Too ‘Boys Own’ for me.
Amazing. America, with a brief nod to China, saves the world again! Amazingly, the alien invaders ignored the rest of the world while they attacked Washington. The earth, through one man, is given advanced alien tech. They share it with the rest of the world but only China takes notice. Russia doesn’t. I can’t see Putin allowing anything getting out of his control! Europe,of course, doesn’t even get a mention. And what about Canada? At least Australia was considered able to look after itself!
Then you have the hero who always seems to get wounded severely on his right side.
The sad thing is that it holds so much promise! It could have been excellent. I really rate it at 2 1/2 stars but am rounding it up for effort. One aside: one character thought the following at one point. ‘Eddie reflected that this was probably the most sought-after weapon in all of human history: the ability to send men to battle who would obey any order, advance on any position, and throw themselves against any defense, regardless of the cost.’
The author should study the Peninsular War! Those British soldiers did just that! When they attacked a fortified town, such as Ciudad Rodriguez, they were climbing over their own dead and wounded to reach it!
Amazing. America, with a brief nod to China, saves the world again! Amazingly, the alien invaders ignored the rest of the world while they attacked Washington. The earth, through one man, is given advanced alien tech. They share it with the rest of the world but only China takes notice. Russia doesn’t. I can’t see Putin allowing anything getting out of his control! Europe,of course, doesn’t even get a mention. And what about Canada? At least Australia was considered able to look after itself!
Then you have the hero who always seems to get wounded severely on his right side.
The sad thing is that it holds so much promise! It could have been excellent. I really rate it at 2 1/2 stars but am rounding it up for effort. One aside: one character thought the following at one point. ‘Eddie reflected that this was probably the most sought-after weapon in all of human history: the ability to send men to battle who would obey any order, advance on any position, and throw themselves against any defense, regardless of the cost.’
The author should study the Peninsular War! Those British soldiers did just that! When they attacked a fortified town, such as Ciudad Rodriguez, they were climbing over their own dead and wounded to reach it!
September 13, 2021
Recently I've grown a little tired of the end of the world, alien invasion, military sci-fi which seems commonplace these days, and I have to say this book has many of the tropes of the genre. Totally relentless alien invaders who we literally learn nothing about. The last survivor of their prior victims managing to bring enough advanced technology to Earth to give us a fighting chance. The burned-out military man who comes in contact with the dying alien and gains access to the new technology. The US-centric view is that their military is the only one capable of fighting the good fight while the rest of the world panics and self implodes.
So what saved it for me then. It's bloody well done, well written, well researched and with characters that are all too human, and you can empathise with. I got the impression the author had put more than a touch of his own experiences into the characters, but if it's all made up is done very very well.
To say I enjoyed the book is not truly correct, it is pretty dark in places, lots of people die, cities are destroyed, indications of humans working for the aliens (not Americans of course) and ends not with a victory but with Earth just winning the first skirmish of the war by a hair. There is enough left open for a sequel or series of books, but there is no indication given if this will occur and to be fair I'm not sure I'd follow a series anyway.
A book I couldn't put down, but hard to say I enjoyed it.
So what saved it for me then. It's bloody well done, well written, well researched and with characters that are all too human, and you can empathise with. I got the impression the author had put more than a touch of his own experiences into the characters, but if it's all made up is done very very well.
To say I enjoyed the book is not truly correct, it is pretty dark in places, lots of people die, cities are destroyed, indications of humans working for the aliens (not Americans of course) and ends not with a victory but with Earth just winning the first skirmish of the war by a hair. There is enough left open for a sequel or series of books, but there is no indication given if this will occur and to be fair I'm not sure I'd follow a series anyway.
A book I couldn't put down, but hard to say I enjoyed it.
March 27, 2023
I liked the idea of the main character, a retired Navy Seal who encounters an alien race and becomes a superhuman. I really liked Ben's character but often got pulled out of the story when a random other character's part of the story was told. I sometimes thought that one of those minor characters would end up playing a bit role, but then you never hear from them again.
Even though the consequences of war and the losses someone in the military suffers, are discussed regularly, it sometimes felt that the military was also somewhat glorified. There were POVs from American and Russian soldiers and China also plays a part. I don't often get bothered by it (the big powers, the almost glorification of those), but it made something feel a bit off at times. However, that did not mean that Ben and his friends didn't hit all my buttons, I actually had tears in my eyes on more than one occasion.
The end was OK but is left so open, that there is a lot of room for a sequel, which I fear won't come. I wouldn't mind to read more about Ben and how earth deals with what happened and will need to be done.
Another audio-book I discovered on Scribd, which I hadn't seen before. Read by Stephen Bowlby, whose voice I found oddly charming.
Even though the consequences of war and the losses someone in the military suffers, are discussed regularly, it sometimes felt that the military was also somewhat glorified. There were POVs from American and Russian soldiers and China also plays a part. I don't often get bothered by it (the big powers, the almost glorification of those), but it made something feel a bit off at times. However, that did not mean that Ben and his friends didn't hit all my buttons, I actually had tears in my eyes on more than one occasion.
The end was OK but is left so open, that there is a lot of room for a sequel, which I fear won't come. I wouldn't mind to read more about Ben and how earth deals with what happened and will need to be done.
Another audio-book I discovered on Scribd, which I hadn't seen before. Read by Stephen Bowlby, whose voice I found oddly charming.
October 28, 2025
DNF 43%. Not a well rounded story.
There are elements of this book that I admired. The military jargon seemed perfect and the writing style seemed to aspire to hights beyond this humble genre. (Although little effort was made to match the emotional tone of his occasional purple-prose to the situation.)
Sadly, there were no characters. The protagonist, Ben Shepherd, is a caricature of a military guy. We know nothing about him beyond a brief career flashback. That's it. Aside from Ben, faceless people wander on and off stage with no permanence or inter-connections. This gaping hole prevented me from being drawn in to the story.
Even as an alpha-male power fantasy it fails to work. Ben is granted super-powers but we don't get to see him save a kitten from a tree or give some bar-room bully his comeuppance. The author barely leverages the value of this premise.
There are elements of this book that I admired. The military jargon seemed perfect and the writing style seemed to aspire to hights beyond this humble genre. (Although little effort was made to match the emotional tone of his occasional purple-prose to the situation.)
Sadly, there were no characters. The protagonist, Ben Shepherd, is a caricature of a military guy. We know nothing about him beyond a brief career flashback. That's it. Aside from Ben, faceless people wander on and off stage with no permanence or inter-connections. This gaping hole prevented me from being drawn in to the story.
Even as an alpha-male power fantasy it fails to work. Ben is granted super-powers but we don't get to see him save a kitten from a tree or give some bar-room bully his comeuppance. The author barely leverages the value of this premise.
August 17, 2019
The First Protectors by Victor Godinez
Ben is a medically discharged Seal with a boat load of guilt. A load of guilt that regardless of the source is crushing his spirit. Ben finds himself the unwitting and unwilling recipient of an alien gift and suddenly discovers he is once again a warrior.
Warrior and soldier have different meanings and Ben is a warrior and a protector. Aliens have destroyed another race and possibly other races. They have turned their targeting systems toward Earth and Ben is the only one who can stop them.
This book is action and then more action.
It highlights self-sacrifice and personal courage as well as loyalty and duty.
It was a hard to put down and can’t wait for the next one book.
I recommend it.
Ben is a medically discharged Seal with a boat load of guilt. A load of guilt that regardless of the source is crushing his spirit. Ben finds himself the unwitting and unwilling recipient of an alien gift and suddenly discovers he is once again a warrior.
Warrior and soldier have different meanings and Ben is a warrior and a protector. Aliens have destroyed another race and possibly other races. They have turned their targeting systems toward Earth and Ben is the only one who can stop them.
This book is action and then more action.
It highlights self-sacrifice and personal courage as well as loyalty and duty.
It was a hard to put down and can’t wait for the next one book.
I recommend it.
December 18, 2020
Strong throughout, though I do wish the ending had more detail. I wasn't rushed, I just wanted more.
If there is a second novel, I see many difficulties surpassing this first installment. So much is revealed. How can that sense of awe and mystery be sustained? That is not for me to figure out. Well done Victor.
The thump, thump, thump, of an AC-130, is amazing at two in the morning near Eglin Air Force Base, FL, especially when you're trying to get your newborn to go back to sleep. An excellent job of describing the visceral nature of one of those monsters.
The flashbacks are done well. At no time do you feel the current story is left behind to make an unrelated point. Thank you for an entertaining read. That I am a military Brat, only made it better.
If there is a second novel, I see many difficulties surpassing this first installment. So much is revealed. How can that sense of awe and mystery be sustained? That is not for me to figure out. Well done Victor.
The thump, thump, thump, of an AC-130, is amazing at two in the morning near Eglin Air Force Base, FL, especially when you're trying to get your newborn to go back to sleep. An excellent job of describing the visceral nature of one of those monsters.
The flashbacks are done well. At no time do you feel the current story is left behind to make an unrelated point. Thank you for an entertaining read. That I am a military Brat, only made it better.
September 21, 2021
Lost interest at 58%; protagonist went AWOL
The initial story is very cool and engaging. When the protagonist battles the alien scouts, is when I put the book down the first time as it was getting too intense and I needed a breather. Then the author sets up the protagonist to be fallible, but there’s not a solid enough connection to root for him when he starts making mistakes. After this, his military buddies get in the picture, and the graphic and violent death of a character was too much so I started skimming. When the chapters focus on the mayhem and violence in different parts of the world, with loooong paragraphs of political maneuvering as well as new characters, with no protagonist in sight, and I gave up on finishing the story.
The initial story is very cool and engaging. When the protagonist battles the alien scouts, is when I put the book down the first time as it was getting too intense and I needed a breather. Then the author sets up the protagonist to be fallible, but there’s not a solid enough connection to root for him when he starts making mistakes. After this, his military buddies get in the picture, and the graphic and violent death of a character was too much so I started skimming. When the chapters focus on the mayhem and violence in different parts of the world, with loooong paragraphs of political maneuvering as well as new characters, with no protagonist in sight, and I gave up on finishing the story.
January 29, 2019
Ugh. Well, I finished it. Nothing was surprising about this, and it was blatantly trope-y. Hugely so. I skimmed a lot of the last bit. It was "1 each (space battle)", and predictable. Idk give it a try if you need a _very_ mindless read (I did, so ok I guess).
The annoying part was that, at root, there was a faint skeleton of a decent story, I thought. Yes, the main driving plot was still trope-y, but there were almost some ideas here that could have coalesced into something better than just mediocre. And I wanted that to happen, but it very much didn't, at least not for me.
The annoying part was that, at root, there was a faint skeleton of a decent story, I thought. Yes, the main driving plot was still trope-y, but there were almost some ideas here that could have coalesced into something better than just mediocre. And I wanted that to happen, but it very much didn't, at least not for me.
September 19, 2019
The book is very well written. I enjoyed it for the most part, however it was just too unbelievable. Sure its Alien technology and all, but there is a limit to what is possible. I would say this novel is more Science Fantasy than Science Fiction. It reads more like a Marvel Superhero plot than a plausible Science Fiction. If you like Transformers, Avengers, Ironman or any of the other Comic Book Superheroes, you might like this story. Its just not my cup of tea. I won't be reading any others of this series
January 11, 2021
Light shoot 'em up novel. The hero an emotionally and physically scarred soldier, is involuntarily drafted as earths defence against an alien invasion bent on the eradication of mankind.
The ultimate victory in the battle is not unexpectedly bought at a price of sacrifice and sets a clear stage for a sequel.
The action is fast and furious, the details not onerous on the reader but to buy in you might have to suspend some cynicism and just enjoy the story.
Good holiday read and I am likely to read the sequel
The ultimate victory in the battle is not unexpectedly bought at a price of sacrifice and sets a clear stage for a sequel.
The action is fast and furious, the details not onerous on the reader but to buy in you might have to suspend some cynicism and just enjoy the story.
Good holiday read and I am likely to read the sequel
February 26, 2022
I liked the premise of a near future invasion of earth with a good solid protagonist. What I could not get past, was the constant reflections during the frequent action scenes. The author either has, or is fascinated by, PTSD. Exciting sequences were constantly interrupted by long winded flashbacks or agonizing moral dilemmas. *Spoiler Alert* The inclusion of nanobots usually works for me in stories. In this case they were a bit over done, Superman would be jealous of this guy.
The book was well edited with few errors, none that distracted me anyway.
The book was well edited with few errors, none that distracted me anyway.
November 1, 2019
Oh my this is awful.
The battle scenes totally don't work. In particular, most of the enemy has made it to low earth orbit. By that point the battle is already lost.
The author clearly has no clue about the physics in space....
The only tech that seems to be being used is in weapons. All the satellites are being launched, apparently, on old tech rockets. Really?
There's anti-grav and fusion power, and none of that kind of stuff is used to upgrade launchers?
The battle scenes totally don't work. In particular, most of the enemy has made it to low earth orbit. By that point the battle is already lost.
The author clearly has no clue about the physics in space....
The only tech that seems to be being used is in weapons. All the satellites are being launched, apparently, on old tech rockets. Really?
There's anti-grav and fusion power, and none of that kind of stuff is used to upgrade launchers?
January 8, 2019
3.5 stars knocked down to 3 because man the weapon jargon was way overdone. There was lots of action, fighting, emotional moments and acts of heroism and betrayal. I also wanted some description of the aliens. The bad aliens were never really described at all beyond humanoid and grey. Uh, that's clear as mud. I'm waffling if I will read book two. We'll see.
November 13, 2024
Interesting concept and very well written, but I couldn't help but feel like the story was told way too fast. I wanted this to be stretched out through two or three books where you could really begin to understand the characters and develop relationships with them. Not to mention the compressed and over-simplified geopolitical thread. Ah, what could have been...
November 14, 2018
Excellent
Whan an excellent story. It was everything I expected of a good science fiction book, action, suspense, tears, betrayal, gadgets etc. Hopefully this is the first book of many.
Whan an excellent story. It was everything I expected of a good science fiction book, action, suspense, tears, betrayal, gadgets etc. Hopefully this is the first book of many.
January 26, 2019
I literally just finished this and it was definitely worth the read. I agree with the other reviewers that this would have been 5 stars, if it had been less battle, more background. Victor Godinex can certainly write and I look forward to his next book.
September 11, 2019
Very Good
The book was filled with action, however, it seems as if it was unnecessarily wordy in some chapters for no apparent reason. The additional verbiage added little to the book.
The book was filled with action, however, it seems as if it was unnecessarily wordy in some chapters for no apparent reason. The additional verbiage added little to the book.
December 24, 2020
The underlying storyline was decent but too many pages were dedicated to the description to military weapons and their function and deployment. The intensity of the confrontations with the aliens was dulled by this fact. I did like the main character and the alien involvement is his "upgrade".
December 28, 2020
Thoroughly entertaining
It’s been a while for me to be absorbed in the reading of a story and finish it in a couple of days. Although I was expecting this to be a one off, I’m glad there is something more to look forward to from this author.
It’s been a while for me to be absorbed in the reading of a story and finish it in a couple of days. Although I was expecting this to be a one off, I’m glad there is something more to look forward to from this author.
July 3, 2022
If you like military sci-fi, this book is for you. Well-written and tremendously violent. (What else can you expect from an alien invasion?) There's too much action for much character development, but that's what you can expect from this kind of novel.
July 15, 2022
Could have ended better but otherwise LOVED IT! Original sci fi concept though book not newly published and author seems to have given up on a sequel. I think the ending caused that; it's like the author got tired and moved on before finishing. This caused a star loss.
June 22, 2018
Can a sequel be far behind?
February 21, 2019
Very exciting book. So much action, had to put it down at times. I really liked it. Great characters.
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