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Waking Late #3
Like a Continental Soldier
The starship Valerie Hall failed to reach the terraformed world of its original destination. Instead, it found a habitable substitute where the settlers split into two factions. First Landing devolved into a rude replica of medieval despotism. Seccon might promise more.
Or so hope Gilead Tan and his companions.
Gilead spent three centuries in cold sleep, held there by a First Landing custom that decreed only one sleeper could be awakened every fifty years. Once awake, Gilead freed two dozen of his fellows—all soldiers like himself—and led them into the wilderness.
Close to two hundred civilians still lie trapped in the decaying cryo-cells of First Landing. Their captive slumber haunts him.
But despite its vaunted freedom, Seccon has one rule. No one goes back to First Landing.
Or so hope Gilead Tan and his companions.
Gilead spent three centuries in cold sleep, held there by a First Landing custom that decreed only one sleeper could be awakened every fifty years. Once awake, Gilead freed two dozen of his fellows—all soldiers like himself—and led them into the wilderness.
Close to two hundred civilians still lie trapped in the decaying cryo-cells of First Landing. Their captive slumber haunts him.
But despite its vaunted freedom, Seccon has one rule. No one goes back to First Landing.
- GenresScience Fiction
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2018
55 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 22, 2024
Pretty good.
November 19, 2022
Awesome Connecticut Yankee in Future King's Court
Totally fascinating premise and great characters and camaraderie. Really hope there are more of these books! Unlimited possibilities for their future.
Totally fascinating premise and great characters and camaraderie. Really hope there are more of these books! Unlimited possibilities for their future.
February 1, 2024
I think this was probably the best of the series. I was happy to see Gilead starting to mature as a character. You still want to slap him. This one was definitely a gut wrenching finally. What happened to JJ couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. It would be fun to see what happens to the Tans after this, but I don’t know if I could take the roller coaster ride. Still, it left you in a good spot and I enjoyed the ride. Maybe Ms Montgomery will tell us more tails from Nwwwlf.
December 18, 2018
My extended and expanded review on my blog may be found by clicking here. The blog post went up first; my Amazon review was shot down because I included a picture of a chicken with the review, and Amazon review reviewers couldn't make the connection, but they didn't tell me that.
However, when I asked the review reviewers to review their decision, they did divulge the reason was the unfathomable nature of the picture of the chicken. So, I deleted it.
However, my routine was glitched, and I forgot to post on Goodreads. Until today.
From the Amazon review:
Eat eggs, or die! Technology LIBERATES!
December 2, 2018
I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program, back in the summer, and was thrown off of my regular reviewing routine. Alas, that's just the way it went.
A quick summing up: Humans crashed on the planet, and the first guys took charge, and became ruthless monarchs. Almost everybody is a serf or a slave. Sleepers are revived one at a time, and are required to support the monarchy. The soil is missing elements needed to feed humans; therefore, people are skinny and weak, and require a chicken egg every so often or they die. The bodies of humans, buried in the ground, make it possible for human sustaining food to grow. Most technology is suppressed, because slave revolts are feared if they get powerful. And Gilead, a soldier who escaped, would like to end it all, and live in the SECOND Community, in peace.
Lots of stuff to love in the book. My favorite part was standing back from the story, and seeing how clearly evident it is that slave labor is required to keep despotic and parasitic kings in power. How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've seen...electricity, steam, internal combustion, smokeless powder, repeating firearms, good medical care?
One of my FAVORITE things about the book was the careful attention that the author gave to the refinement of firearms. Some of the developments may seem ridiculously simple to us, BUT they weren't so apparent to people without the ability to measure high pressure powder detonation, and thus create a barrel and breech mechanism that wouldn't kill the operator. Small reveal here: during the American Civil War, the rebels were armed mostly with smoothbore muskets and some rifled muzzle-loaders (and shotguns, in some cases), while some of the Northern units had the cutting edge technology: the Spencer Rifle. Confederate troops complained that the Yankees could 'load it on Sunday, and shoot it all week long." That wasn't PRECISELY true, but the Spencer did hold a tube of seven cartridges, which could be fired as fast as the lever action could be worked. Muzzle loaders, on the other hand, whether rifled or smoothbore, could at best yield 2-3 rounds per minute in the hands of an expert (and calm) soldier. The difference in effectiveness was remarkable, and Montgomery deserves high praise for having done her research. I understand she is a lawyer, dealing with satellite technology, and not a firearms expert. Nonetheless, she did her homework well, and the resulting work, though fiction, is highly plausible. I hate it when a writer talks about engaging the safety on a Glock (they don't have one) or cocking the hammer of a 1911 (it cocks itself when a round is chambered). This was good work, and I appreciate it!
However, when I asked the review reviewers to review their decision, they did divulge the reason was the unfathomable nature of the picture of the chicken. So, I deleted it.
However, my routine was glitched, and I forgot to post on Goodreads. Until today.
From the Amazon review:
Eat eggs, or die! Technology LIBERATES!
December 2, 2018
I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program, back in the summer, and was thrown off of my regular reviewing routine. Alas, that's just the way it went.
A quick summing up: Humans crashed on the planet, and the first guys took charge, and became ruthless monarchs. Almost everybody is a serf or a slave. Sleepers are revived one at a time, and are required to support the monarchy. The soil is missing elements needed to feed humans; therefore, people are skinny and weak, and require a chicken egg every so often or they die. The bodies of humans, buried in the ground, make it possible for human sustaining food to grow. Most technology is suppressed, because slave revolts are feared if they get powerful. And Gilead, a soldier who escaped, would like to end it all, and live in the SECOND Community, in peace.
Lots of stuff to love in the book. My favorite part was standing back from the story, and seeing how clearly evident it is that slave labor is required to keep despotic and parasitic kings in power. How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've seen...electricity, steam, internal combustion, smokeless powder, repeating firearms, good medical care?
One of my FAVORITE things about the book was the careful attention that the author gave to the refinement of firearms. Some of the developments may seem ridiculously simple to us, BUT they weren't so apparent to people without the ability to measure high pressure powder detonation, and thus create a barrel and breech mechanism that wouldn't kill the operator. Small reveal here: during the American Civil War, the rebels were armed mostly with smoothbore muskets and some rifled muzzle-loaders (and shotguns, in some cases), while some of the Northern units had the cutting edge technology: the Spencer Rifle. Confederate troops complained that the Yankees could 'load it on Sunday, and shoot it all week long." That wasn't PRECISELY true, but the Spencer did hold a tube of seven cartridges, which could be fired as fast as the lever action could be worked. Muzzle loaders, on the other hand, whether rifled or smoothbore, could at best yield 2-3 rounds per minute in the hands of an expert (and calm) soldier. The difference in effectiveness was remarkable, and Montgomery deserves high praise for having done her research. I understand she is a lawyer, dealing with satellite technology, and not a firearms expert. Nonetheless, she did her homework well, and the resulting work, though fiction, is highly plausible. I hate it when a writer talks about engaging the safety on a Glock (they don't have one) or cocking the hammer of a 1911 (it cocks itself when a round is chambered). This was good work, and I appreciate it!
August 1, 2025
"It was a cautious welcome committee."
Gilead promised himself he would rescue his fellow sleepers... now is when he finds out if he is truly one to keep his promises, or if he can be swayed, or tempted from them.
This is a fascinating universe, and while aspects of this story left me feeling it was not the strongest of the trilogy, I did reach the end of the book wanting to explore more.
A story about starting a new life, learning from past mistakes, learning to forgive ourselves and others, and striving to be the best we can be plays out on an alien world that is not particularly welcoming to humans.
Theo is a character we have gotten to know on the sidelines of the story, and he really comes in to his own here, much as Arran did in previous books. These two are perhaps the best positive representatives of First Landing.
Gilead promised himself he would rescue his fellow sleepers... now is when he finds out if he is truly one to keep his promises, or if he can be swayed, or tempted from them.
This is a fascinating universe, and while aspects of this story left me feeling it was not the strongest of the trilogy, I did reach the end of the book wanting to explore more.
A story about starting a new life, learning from past mistakes, learning to forgive ourselves and others, and striving to be the best we can be plays out on an alien world that is not particularly welcoming to humans.
Theo is a character we have gotten to know on the sidelines of the story, and he really comes in to his own here, much as Arran did in previous books. These two are perhaps the best positive representatives of First Landing.
January 20, 2020
Great reading
Love this author's writing. This series has great characters and a unique planet setting. The storytelling will capture your imagination and keep you spellbound as you read this series. Please continue this series. I want to know what happens next in their lives.
Love this author's writing. This series has great characters and a unique planet setting. The storytelling will capture your imagination and keep you spellbound as you read this series. Please continue this series. I want to know what happens next in their lives.
May 28, 2020
Decent
Marvelous action, well written. You do words in a row well. If I did a book, it would sound like a book report. I marvel that writers can fill in between the action and make it all interesting.
Marvelous action, well written. You do words in a row well. If I did a book, it would sound like a book report. I marvel that writers can fill in between the action and make it all interesting.
January 23, 2025
No one can stop freedom
This is an excellent adventure with thrilling battles. Good and evil characters play a game of war for freedom from tyranny. I hope to find more from this author. There is loads of excitement!
This is an excellent adventure with thrilling battles. Good and evil characters play a game of war for freedom from tyranny. I hope to find more from this author. There is loads of excitement!
April 4, 2025
A fine and well written conclusion to this trilogy
This is an excellent conclusion to the series. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author. Once again I have come across an author who writes the best story at the end of the series.
This is an excellent conclusion to the series. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author. Once again I have come across an author who writes the best story at the end of the series.
January 31, 2020
Very good
Need more. Not a good place to leave the book. Ten more words required to leave a review .ridiculous requirement
Need more. Not a good place to leave the book. Ten more words required to leave a review .ridiculous requirement
July 12, 2020
Was nice to conclude the series to see how it ended.
January 17, 2025
brilliant
I’m not a sci fi fan but these three books are a brilliant. Story just sad there are only three
Well done want more
I’m not a sci fi fan but these three books are a brilliant. Story just sad there are only three
Well done want more
March 15, 2024
Nice story, but the ending leaves so many loose ends it actually spoiled the trillogy....
A fourth book to make things right would be appreciated!
4 stars for he story, minus 2 for the writer taking an easy shortcut to end the series....
A fourth book to make things right would be appreciated!
4 stars for he story, minus 2 for the writer taking an easy shortcut to end the series....
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews