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Lucky's Marines #1–4

Lucky's Marines: Book 1-4

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Over 1,000 pages of nonstop action! "Like Starship Troopers on CRACK!" -Goodreads reviewer Ambushed behind enemy lines and left for dead along with a handful of privates so green they actually respect his authority, Lance Cpl. Lucky Lee Savage has to master his inner demons, manage the ambitions of his foul-mouthed AI, and figure out what is tearing a hole in the fabric of space-time before everything goes tits up. Lucky wouldn’t bet on the universe. One thing he will bet Somewhere, somehow, somebody is going to pay for all this. And he is going to be right there to pull the trigger. Includes the first 4 books in the Lucky's Marines Lucky Universe Lucky Legacy Lucky Empire Lucky Forever

1119 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2019

826 people are currently reading
74 people want to read

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Joshua James

165 books194 followers

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5 stars
146 (43%)
4 stars
112 (33%)
3 stars
50 (15%)
2 stars
16 (4%)
1 star
8 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Jim.
1,228 reviews50 followers
April 24, 2019
Well, this is another 4 in 1 book. I’m not really a fan of cramming four books into one; it doesn’t seem like you’re getting your monies worth when you read them like this. I’d prefer single books so I could finish one and then write a review for it and then read the next one or some other book. But, since I’ve got this one started, I’ll just review them as I finish them. Hopefully they’ll be short reviews!

Lucky Universe

This is a strange book. There wasn’t much introduction to the story even though there was a Prologue at the beginning. Lance Corporal Lucky Lee Savage is our main character. He’s an Empire Frontier Marine doing what he’s told as any good Marine should. Yet, I don’t think you could qualify Lucky as a “good” Marine. he’s been in way too much trouble for that label to stick. He’s also been in a lot of hypersleep cycles which is how Frontier Marines get from one mission to the next. Only Lucky was not long ago in hypersleep for some fifty-one years! That was extraordinarily too long and should not have happened. It’s a miracle that he survived and is also the reason for his first name “Lucky”.

He and the squad of Frontier Marines have landed on a small moon owed by the Union. The Empire and the Union have a semi-peace going on, but for some unknown reason, all the Union planets have gone silent. It is hoped that Lucky and his squad of Marines can find out why. His problems start out right away in that a peaceful landing on this moon didn’t go as planned. It seems there is something going on with the few Union soldiers and Miners stationed here. They seem to have been taken over by something and they also have weapons much more advanced that those of the Empire. These weapons are deadly. They can slice through about anything including dropping Frontier Marines. While Lucky manages to get himself safely down, his Sergeant didn’t make it and now Lance Corproal Lucky Savage is in charge. That’s a job he doesn’t want considering he comes face to face with the same things that captured him before.

Lucky’s Legacy

Well, the story doesn’t really get much better for the Marines. You’d think that after their first mission, they’d be given some time off for rest and relaxation, but not in the Empires’ Marine Corps! Lucky and his squad, now lead by Sergeant Adria Nuchik, they were assigned to maintain order on a planet that was about to be torn apart due to its proximity to the Great Corridor. Now this wasn’t just some ordinary home world; no it was the home world of the Empire’s former enemy, the Union.

So why was a squad of Empire Marines sent down to this planet to maintain order. Well, I don’t really know. Let’s just say that they did because that’s what happens in this book. Once on the ground, the inevitable happens; they get attacked not by the Union but apparently by the Da’hune wearing Union uniforms. These were actually genetically altered Union soldiers using Da’hune genes and now equipped with powerful Da’hune weapons. Lucky’s Empire Marines were no match for them.

They fell back to the Evacuation Center which was a very large structure protected by a force field dome. Still, the Da’hune cannon firing at them wasn’t having any kind of problem with the force field. Also, for some reason, all the Union soldiers have just up and left. Upon exploring the Evac Center, they discovered a secret cavern deep at the bottom of the building. Inside were thousands of stasis pods apparently incubating Union super-soldiers infected with Da’hune genes. If they woke up, it was going to be serious trouble for Lucky’s Marines.

Of course they did, but fortunately there was also a small Corridor leading to some Empire laboratory which orbited about the Emperors moon. Yes, instead of residing on the home world of the Empire, the Emperor lived on a small moon that was well guarded or at least it was supposed to be. Anyway, the story has Lucky’s Marines trying to save the Emperor and still defeat the Da’hune created army. They weren’t exactly all that successful.

This story is still hard to understand. I don’t know what makes me say that, but there’s something about these stories that just don’t work for me. I think I’ve finished reading all I’m going to in this series. I hope you have a better time of it, but these stories are just not interesting enough for me.
223 reviews3 followers
March 16, 2020
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
James has done his readers a solid.
He's released "Lucky's Marines Book 1 - 4" a boxset so we can binge read Lucky's adventures.
I've put my individual book reviews below.
I confess that I read "Lucky At Last: ( Lucky's Marines | Book Nine )" first. I loved it so much that I decided to go back to the start of the series and read them in chronological order.
"Lucky Universe: ( Lucky's Marines | Book One )" is a non stop rollercoaster of a ride as Lucky and krew go from one mishap to another. As per usual James does a superb job of world building and character development while balancing action and exposition on a razor's edge. Speaking of rollercoasters, the author builds up the tension and danger until it hits a tipping point and Lucky prevails.

"Lucky Legacy: ( Lucky's Marines | Book Two )" is another rip snorter of a story. It was pure fun to read this book. James continues his superb world building and character development in this entertaining page turner. We learn more of Lucky's personal history in between hair raising events. I plan on reading Book Three as soon as I have a chance.
Q; How much of the craziness is down to the Empire making backroom deals with the Union, and by extension the Dahune?
Q: Who are Lucky's new "friends"?
A: Grab this book, or the boxset and find out!!
I recommend this book. Now, if you want to binge read Lucky's adventures James has issued a boxset containing Book One to Four.

I LOVED reading "Lucky Empire: ( Lucky's Marines | Book Three )"!! James has a deft touch with his world building and character development as the story races from one seemingly fatal incident to the next. The action is, as always, non-stop! We even get introduced to Hector, April's Dad. Hector proves the ancient adage "Once A Marine, ALWAYS A Marine".
Q: Can Lucky and krew save the Sol system?
A: Grab this book and find out.
At the time of my reading this installment, James has released a boxset containing Books One through Four, perhaps consider snagging that instead and binge-read the first four books. I'm jumping into Book four as soon as I finish posting this review.
I highly recommend this book series to anyone that loves Military Science Fiction and and Space Opera.
This review is my own honest opinion.

"Lucky Forever: ( Lucky's Marines | Book Four )" is yet another wild, but fun ride on the rollercoaster that is Lee "Lucky" Savage's life.
James, as usual, shows his deft touch at world building and character development as the Emperor, April, sends Lucky's team on a seemingly suicidal mission. The twists come as heavily as the action in this wild romp as Lucky and krew come face to face with a race that terrify the ever living tar 'n nicotine out of the Da'Hune. They also discover that the old adage of "The enemy of my enemy is perforce my friend" is not true in the case of the Dalmuk. I recommend this whole series and James has a boxset out now with books One to Four in it. Why not grab the boxset and binge read?
This review is my own honest opinion.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2,508 reviews6 followers
August 8, 2022
SO FAR, 3+ Stars.
Prequel: LUCKY’S SHOT 3 stars
The protagonist is an inexperienced, cocky, rebellious jerk of an augmented space Marine with zero redeeming qualities. If I had read this prequel before reading Lucky Universe (Book 1), I would have abandoned the series. The writing was excellent, but who wants to hate the hero?
LUCKY UNIVERSE 5 stars
If you like military sci fi with non-stop action, limited cursing, no gratuitous sex, a futuristic plot, and great characters with AIs in their heads, you’ll like this book.
LUCKY LEGACY. 3 stars.
Non-stop action but the constant “blood and guts” was too much and too vividly descriptive for me. Lots of twists and turns that keep you turning the pages. Interesting, well developed characters with lots of snark.
LUCKY EMPIRE 4 stars
If you like space Marine tales with non-stop action, you’ll like this book. Very entertaining series.
LUCKY FOREVER 3 stars
Non-stop action but most of it was Marines getting chewed up and almost instantly getting healed/regenerated. The plot wasn’t clear. If you like Oorah! you’ll like this. I’m ready for something with less blood & guts and more plot.

LUCKY INVASION
LUCKY REVENGE
LUCKY JUSTICE
LUCKY BASTARD
LUCKY AT LAST
23 reviews
November 20, 2019
There are a number of "marines trying to survive the day so they can be assigned their next mission" books out there, so the competition is high. That I must admit.
And maybe I'm too demanding on quality; that could be my problem, too.
But here, in addition to being confusing, I found the story unconvincing. Sometimes I was so confused that I had to flip back and try to understand what in the world the author was trying to describe.
Then, I think that the gullibility of the reader can be stretched so much, and here we are way beyond that threshold.
Replacing a torn limb is as easy as slapping a bio-mush bag onto the bleeding stump.
Then, our happy marines can travel from one universe to the next at the snap of the fingers. It seems that Joshua James does not understand the difference between a galaxy and a universe. Actually I wondered if he knew the difference between the local star group and the entire universe.
So, I managed to reach the end of the first book, and I was stupid, or masochistic enough to buy the second.... which I discarded after a couple of chapters. No matter how much I tried, I just couldn't continue reading.
117 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2019
Hang On Tight

“Lucky” Savage is a Frontier Marine, one of many very tough hombres. Between the nanotechnology in his body and his onboard AI, Rocky, which was modified with alien tech, he’s very hard to kill... and about as unlucky as any grunt could get as he and his team is thrown into the shredder at every turn and, oh, yeah, he even manages to actually get killed once or twice.

The action is wild and the banter between Lucky and Rocky is just hilariously delicious and worth the time it’ll take to read all four books in this set.

And you should read them.
Profile Image for Frances Law.
1,123 reviews14 followers
July 28, 2019
Unlucky reader!

The MC in this book is called Lucky. He happens to be the anti hero of anti heroes. I can’t stand this kind of book and I find it difficult to understand anyone who could like it. There’s far too much angst and it makes me think of a swirling modern art painting in reds and blacks. I made it part way into book two before I gave up. I found nothing at all redeeming in ‘Lucky’.
36 reviews
August 23, 2019
Stuff happens

You'll need to read this boxed set in order from one to four. Each successive book is based on the book before it. My three stars rating is partly based on the repetitive nature of Lucky and his team being shot and regenerated at every turn. The characters never seem to learn from their mistakes. There is plenty of action to justify my previous statements. This is a reasonably quick read, so enjoy.
Profile Image for W H Nicholls.
330 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2019
Not a book I could recommend, I found it very hard to get into at first but it did pick up a little after a while. Most books I find hard to put down but this one I found hard to pick up as it did not keep my interest, the story line I found was predictable. The only reason I gave I two stars was because I got it free from the library on my Kindle and it was 99p if you bought the four books. I doubt very much if I will read the other two in the series. Shame really because Joshua writes some good books but not this one
65 reviews1 follower
June 7, 2019
Improves with time

The books start out rough, both in language and in content. However, they improve as characterization and plot begin to matter more than the crude comments. The pace of action is breakneck throughout. If you can handle the barracks talk you may enjoy the ride.
937 reviews8 followers
May 13, 2019
A quartet of military sci-fi goodness

Loved these set of books from the start to the finish. The empires marines should be sponsored by Sekonda because they take a lickin and keep on ticking.
A great military sci-fi action series and I look forward to more.
2 reviews
June 30, 2019
Great book

Great book! Love the characters and the sub plots throughout the book. I think the characters should be a bit more diversified to truly represent the future but great nonetheless. I also like fallibility of the characters which makes unique.
Profile Image for Ben Stack.
68 reviews2 followers
July 12, 2019
Great fun to read!

I really liked the works building with internal AIs, locust, drones and the augmentation of the frontier marines. It was well thought out. My only persistent question was where do the nano bots get their materials for repairs?
5 reviews
August 16, 2019
Too confusing

Changing loyalties, ridiculous healing bodies, miraculously surviving battles, everybody with their own AI. Not even close to believable si-fi. Gave up about half way through. First half wasn’t bad but it went off the deep end after that.
124 reviews2 followers
March 22, 2020
Gotta love Lucky!

I really enjoyed this set and encourage all of you space opera fans to get a slice of Lucky's mayhem into your lives. There is no moss growing on Lucky - lots of action and great characters!
205 reviews
May 14, 2020
Great Stories, unbelievable incidents that Lucky turns believeble

Happenings in space that an unluckyMarines turns from unbelief to believable based on his minds AI controlling robots, drones, robot med techs, and med injections all contained within Luckies Space Suit.
16 reviews
June 4, 2019
Very enjoyable

A very good collection of stories which I thoroughly enjoyed strip characters that make things happen
Will continue reading these books
23 reviews
June 17, 2019
Very good book

Very good book first 4 were very good kept you reading battles and aliens and other weird stuff to keep you interested
Profile Image for Bob Snook.
34 reviews
June 28, 2019
Lucky is lucky

Good book, lots of action. Pictures a good team of Marines, working together or not they get the job done.
9 reviews
July 8, 2019
Great books

Lucky just stumbles from chaos to catastrophe but always emerges from the end battered but undefeated cannot wait for next episode
Profile Image for fos.
1 review
February 5, 2020
Rating

A x c b n m h j g f r t I find it given by b d r
2 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2020
Decent

Decent. Storyline starts great but lags as the books go on
By book 4 I was ready to move on to something else and not read the next couple of books
13 reviews
December 2, 2020
Get this and get lucky

a fun read about another patron of Murphy if you will this book was fun
Get this and Catch the lucky bug
28 reviews
January 24, 2021
What a great premise

This was a great introduction to the series. I look forward to reading more in this series. Well written with a compelling story line.
Profile Image for Philip R Elvidge.
60 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2022
I found the hole thing to be very boring and repetitive, I do don't like leaving bad reviews, I'm sure other people find the story good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
4 reviews
October 22, 2024
not a good book

I did not enjoy these books they go on forever and ever on many little storylines sounded completely boring I would not recommend this to anybody
Profile Image for Tony Brooks.
Author 4 books
October 14, 2025
Lucky’s Marines hits like a punch and keeps swinging. Joshua James writes fast, loud, and unapologetically military—full of grit, dark humor, and nonstop action. It’s pulpy, chaotic, and surprisingly sharp about loyalty and survival. Once you start, you’re in for the whole series. Raw, fast, and full of fire—Lucky’s Marines delivers old-school military sci-fi with modern bite. Explosions, attitude, and heart in equal measure.
Profile Image for Raymond.
30 reviews1 follower
August 30, 2020
Lucky is as Lucky does... NOT! Silly and juvenile. Worth the read if trapped on a cross-country bus trip and it the only thing to read. The first and second installments are entertaining, then it gets repetitive with no point in continuing. One star for the first two episodes then the miracle body repairs run out.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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