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The Contingency War #4
Earth's Last War
We’re finally ready to take the war back to the Hedalt.
But they’re coming for us first, and in force. Yet the Hedalt Armada, led by High Provost Kagan, is far from our only problem.
I am Captain Taylor Ray. On the eve of war, a new commander threatens to derail everything that Commander Sarah Sonner and I have fought for. While Sonner becomes locked in an internal power struggle, my unique crew and I must go rogue and take out the source of the Hedalt’s supremacy – the mysterious Nexus.
The destruction of the Nexus is our only chance of victory against the vastly superior Hedalt Armada, but not even the combined might of the Nimrod Fleet could take it down.
Luckily, I know a way.
With my aging, battered ship, and some inside help, my crew and I must put our lives on the line one last time to give Earth Fleet a chance to succeed.
But a disgraced Provost Adra, and her unquenched thirst for revenge, still stand between me and the completion of my vital mission. She’s out for blood and will stop at nothing to get it.
No more running. No more hiding. Win or lose, this will be Earth’s Last War.
- GenresScience Fiction
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2019
101 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
G.J. Ogden
82 books121 followersG J Ogden is a proud recipient of the Kindle Storyteller Award and has written over 50 books that have garnered over 15,000 5-star ratings. When he’s not writing, G J Ogden is usually getting whooped in games of Warhammer 40K by his son. Unless he’s playing Adepta Sororitas, then he wins.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 20, 2019
“No-one comes in peace. Every being in the galaxy wants something, and is willing to take it by force...”
I can say that Ogden weaves a tale that is more than possible as we expand into the vastness beyond the cradle of humanity. He does a good job of threading backstory throughout rather than dumping it all at once. The writing is excellent, the detail and the descriptions deftly done, his characters whole and believable. A well constructed plot, with an amazing world building, it has both exciting and terrifying battle scenes, with fun and witty dialogue. The simulants team have captured my heart. I’m really going to miss them! I was wanting to slow down, savour it more before it was over! I hope Ogden can continue expanding this universe, especially with the simulants!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
I can say that Ogden weaves a tale that is more than possible as we expand into the vastness beyond the cradle of humanity. He does a good job of threading backstory throughout rather than dumping it all at once. The writing is excellent, the detail and the descriptions deftly done, his characters whole and believable. A well constructed plot, with an amazing world building, it has both exciting and terrifying battle scenes, with fun and witty dialogue. The simulants team have captured my heart. I’m really going to miss them! I was wanting to slow down, savour it more before it was over! I hope Ogden can continue expanding this universe, especially with the simulants!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
October 15, 2021
This review covers the entire “G. J. Ogden’s ‘Contingency War’ Series.” And I am not making this up.
I’ve always had insomnia. When I was a kid, a read the latest Heinlein or Azimov strip from the SF magazines, with a flashlight, under my blanket. (This may have been the reason I did not read much fantasy growing up: scary stuff won’t put you to sleep.) Later, I read military (particularly naval) history books. But well-written non-fiction books also keep you awake.
Over the years, I’ve tried other remedies. Drugs—OTC and prescription. All of them. Sometimes in dangerous combinations. The idea is to knock me out with a wham without making me a morning zombie. The problem is not so much addiction, but getting used to it, so needing ever increasing doses. Nicht so gut.
I’ve tried Transcendental Meditation—took the course in the early 1970s with money earned from working as a cashier. Paid what I think was $25: a lot back then. It was a six-week course, yet I only remember the last day when we were assigned our personal mantras. One-by-one, we went to the guru, who whispered in our ear some meaningless phonemes , followed by a warning to keep all mantras secret. Sixty years later, I never have told anyone my three-syllable mantra. Yet doesn’t everyone think there might be only one mantra given to everyone, then placed under double-secret probation? Anyway, the point is TM is helps if I want to meditate during the day. But it doesn’t get me to sleep.
I also have tried similar phycological gimmicks. Basically, they are designed to slow your thoughts, wipe out daily or long-term concerns, and leave you with nothing but blackness. Blackness matters, to be sure, and if I can get to a fully black environment, I usually sleep. Unfortunately, that is the rare event.
I still read before I sleep, as I’m sure everyone here does. And, at this point—if you’ve made it to this point—you must be saying, “What does this have to do with G. J. Ogden?” Before I answer that, I’ll say that whenever I read a SF, Fantasy, or Techno-thriller written by an author using initials instead of a name, I assume it’s written by a woman. In this case, I’m too lazy to look it up, but I’ll use the feminine pronoun not because I’m Woke, but because I suspect it’s accurate.
Anyway, to continue not to talk about the books, my doctor suggested I might have sleep apnea. And if you’ve ever had that diagnosis, you know what it entails: two nights of sleeping at the basement of some suburban shopping mall with 47/11 wires hooked up to every part of your body. Thinking about peeing is difficult. But if you do, the helpful staff will rush in, unhook you (briefly) from the master control box) and allow some privacy away from the cameras. Sounds, and is awful.
Your reward for all this diagnosis of profound sleep apnea (how did we not notice those brain cells disappearing before?) is a life sentence to a sleep machine. These machines ensure that enough we breathe through our nose, not mouth, so sufficient Oxygen circulates to keep us alive until there is still less social security. But both at the sleep test and afterward at home, with my machine, any woman would think I look like an alien. I was told “do everything you normally do.” So I did.
Now the wonderful KateBlue recommended the Contingency War Series, and I downloaded all four books the day before my first sleep test. I am astonished to find universal 4 and 5 star ratings for the series. Because my reaction was quite different.
Ms Ogden’s prose is so stilted that she cured my insomnia. Really. At least when reading her books. At the cost of a Kindle. You see, after completing all my ablutions, when I finally lay down in the darkness and started reading any of the four “Contingency War” books (2: The Way Station Gambit; 3: Rise of Nimrod’s Fleet; 4: Earth’s Last War), my eyes would close on their own command. Then I would fall asleep. Then the Kindle would fall out of my right hand and take a hard bounce off the concrete or hardwood floor. So much so that I had to return to my prior Kindle, with its iffy power cord connection.
Ms. Ogden cannot write. Her characters were cardboard—and yes, I know four of them were intended to be cardboard. Yet simply nothing in his series made any sense or was the least bit interesting. I am tempted to buy another of her series and see if it’s similarly bad. But I thought putting this review on-line might guide my path.
Stay away.
I’ve always had insomnia. When I was a kid, a read the latest Heinlein or Azimov strip from the SF magazines, with a flashlight, under my blanket. (This may have been the reason I did not read much fantasy growing up: scary stuff won’t put you to sleep.) Later, I read military (particularly naval) history books. But well-written non-fiction books also keep you awake.
Over the years, I’ve tried other remedies. Drugs—OTC and prescription. All of them. Sometimes in dangerous combinations. The idea is to knock me out with a wham without making me a morning zombie. The problem is not so much addiction, but getting used to it, so needing ever increasing doses. Nicht so gut.
I’ve tried Transcendental Meditation—took the course in the early 1970s with money earned from working as a cashier. Paid what I think was $25: a lot back then. It was a six-week course, yet I only remember the last day when we were assigned our personal mantras. One-by-one, we went to the guru, who whispered in our ear some meaningless phonemes , followed by a warning to keep all mantras secret. Sixty years later, I never have told anyone my three-syllable mantra. Yet doesn’t everyone think there might be only one mantra given to everyone, then placed under double-secret probation? Anyway, the point is TM is helps if I want to meditate during the day. But it doesn’t get me to sleep.
I also have tried similar phycological gimmicks. Basically, they are designed to slow your thoughts, wipe out daily or long-term concerns, and leave you with nothing but blackness. Blackness matters, to be sure, and if I can get to a fully black environment, I usually sleep. Unfortunately, that is the rare event.
I still read before I sleep, as I’m sure everyone here does. And, at this point—if you’ve made it to this point—you must be saying, “What does this have to do with G. J. Ogden?” Before I answer that, I’ll say that whenever I read a SF, Fantasy, or Techno-thriller written by an author using initials instead of a name, I assume it’s written by a woman. In this case, I’m too lazy to look it up, but I’ll use the feminine pronoun not because I’m Woke, but because I suspect it’s accurate.
Anyway, to continue not to talk about the books, my doctor suggested I might have sleep apnea. And if you’ve ever had that diagnosis, you know what it entails: two nights of sleeping at the basement of some suburban shopping mall with 47/11 wires hooked up to every part of your body. Thinking about peeing is difficult. But if you do, the helpful staff will rush in, unhook you (briefly) from the master control box) and allow some privacy away from the cameras. Sounds, and is awful.
Your reward for all this diagnosis of profound sleep apnea (how did we not notice those brain cells disappearing before?) is a life sentence to a sleep machine. These machines ensure that enough we breathe through our nose, not mouth, so sufficient Oxygen circulates to keep us alive until there is still less social security. But both at the sleep test and afterward at home, with my machine, any woman would think I look like an alien. I was told “do everything you normally do.” So I did.
Now the wonderful KateBlue recommended the Contingency War Series, and I downloaded all four books the day before my first sleep test. I am astonished to find universal 4 and 5 star ratings for the series. Because my reaction was quite different.
Ms Ogden’s prose is so stilted that she cured my insomnia. Really. At least when reading her books. At the cost of a Kindle. You see, after completing all my ablutions, when I finally lay down in the darkness and started reading any of the four “Contingency War” books (2: The Way Station Gambit; 3: Rise of Nimrod’s Fleet; 4: Earth’s Last War), my eyes would close on their own command. Then I would fall asleep. Then the Kindle would fall out of my right hand and take a hard bounce off the concrete or hardwood floor. So much so that I had to return to my prior Kindle, with its iffy power cord connection.
Ms. Ogden cannot write. Her characters were cardboard—and yes, I know four of them were intended to be cardboard. Yet simply nothing in his series made any sense or was the least bit interesting. I am tempted to buy another of her series and see if it’s similarly bad. But I thought putting this review on-line might guide my path.
Stay away.
November 24, 2019
Finding The Nexus💫
Running Interference around the Colonel.
The "awoke" crew of the "Contingency One"🚀 have information on the actual location of the moon sized node that controls the nexus💫. The nexus💫 controls all of the android simulant crew members on the Hedalt👺 ships🚀!
If the humans can destroy the node💫, the Hedalt👺 simulants will die or become inert, and the Hedalt ships🚀 will be dead in space! They rely almost entirely on simulant crews for their ships. Two Hedalt👺, the normal number on their ships🚀, will be unable to fly their huge battleships🚀 and engage the human ships🚀 effectively in battle at the same time.
Very few Hedalt👺 can even withstand the jumps required to move quickly through space. The more those few Hedalt👺 that can withstand the jumps, keep jumping, the worse the after effects are and eventually they go crazy or die.
Taylor🐺 and his small crew of "awoke" simulants with human brains, will have to disobey the regimented and inane Colonel's orders and jump away from the human fleet🚀 to go find and destroy the nexus💫 on their own!
ARC Received from Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook with KU.
This is a wonderful, unique, and interesting series about the tenacity and ingenuity of mankind in the face of terrible odds! The books are meant to be read in order. Every book is easy to read and understand and is also a real page turner. Recommend to readers of the sci-fi genre!
Running Interference around the Colonel.
The "awoke" crew of the "Contingency One"🚀 have information on the actual location of the moon sized node that controls the nexus💫. The nexus💫 controls all of the android simulant crew members on the Hedalt👺 ships🚀!
If the humans can destroy the node💫, the Hedalt👺 simulants will die or become inert, and the Hedalt ships🚀 will be dead in space! They rely almost entirely on simulant crews for their ships. Two Hedalt👺, the normal number on their ships🚀, will be unable to fly their huge battleships🚀 and engage the human ships🚀 effectively in battle at the same time.
Very few Hedalt👺 can even withstand the jumps required to move quickly through space. The more those few Hedalt👺 that can withstand the jumps, keep jumping, the worse the after effects are and eventually they go crazy or die.
Taylor🐺 and his small crew of "awoke" simulants with human brains, will have to disobey the regimented and inane Colonel's orders and jump away from the human fleet🚀 to go find and destroy the nexus💫 on their own!
ARC Received from Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook with KU.
This is a wonderful, unique, and interesting series about the tenacity and ingenuity of mankind in the face of terrible odds! The books are meant to be read in order. Every book is easy to read and understand and is also a real page turner. Recommend to readers of the sci-fi genre!
November 3, 2019
Gripping , Riveting , Fine end to the series .
An excellent read . In case you cannot tell , I liked it , A-lot .
Just like the first 3 , I started reading and could not stop
These stories flow right along from the first page of " The Contingency " to the final page of " Earths Last War"
Mr. Ogden has written a new plot line into the " space opera " genre . I highly Recommend These books .
An excellent read . In case you cannot tell , I liked it , A-lot .
Just like the first 3 , I started reading and could not stop
These stories flow right along from the first page of " The Contingency " to the final page of " Earths Last War"
Mr. Ogden has written a new plot line into the " space opera " genre . I highly Recommend These books .
June 14, 2023
Excellent character development
Occasionally I found the story a bit irritating, using old and well worn tropes. But mostly those tropes are what keep drawing me back to compulsive habitual and addictive sci-fi reading. The special sauce here in Ogden's story is the use of tangible character elements - a ring or a mint or other aspects of their personality - to help the 4 crew members -- who we meet and get to like -- through bewildering changes. So they remain true to themselves and each other to the end. Very satisfying.
Occasionally I found the story a bit irritating, using old and well worn tropes. But mostly those tropes are what keep drawing me back to compulsive habitual and addictive sci-fi reading. The special sauce here in Ogden's story is the use of tangible character elements - a ring or a mint or other aspects of their personality - to help the 4 crew members -- who we meet and get to like -- through bewildering changes. So they remain true to themselves and each other to the end. Very satisfying.
August 11, 2025
Great Premise, Great Series
As is my habit, I review the first and last books, of a series, assuming it kept my interest enough to finish it. And this, one definitely did.
Mr Ogden writes a story as compelling as any I've read by Mr. Partlow, Mr. Kloos, or Mr. Cheney, but the premise here was unique.
So unique that it took me a while to wrap my brain around, it. And fortunately, Mr. Ogden does, everything required to get us there.
So if you love space wars, underdogs, and a wee bit of tech magic, you'll love this saga!
Don't miss out!!
As is my habit, I review the first and last books, of a series, assuming it kept my interest enough to finish it. And this, one definitely did.
Mr Ogden writes a story as compelling as any I've read by Mr. Partlow, Mr. Kloos, or Mr. Cheney, but the premise here was unique.
So unique that it took me a while to wrap my brain around, it. And fortunately, Mr. Ogden does, everything required to get us there.
So if you love space wars, underdogs, and a wee bit of tech magic, you'll love this saga!
Don't miss out!!
April 26, 2020
This was an enjoyable series that pulls you through all four books. It included the requisite excitement and more important for me highlighted the elements of humanity throughout. Definitely recommend it.
PF Walsh. Author of The Council of Hhearn.
PF Walsh. Author of The Council of Hhearn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2020
A great ending, or perhaps a new beginning.
The fourth book in the series starts a bit slow, and has a couple of stereotypes as characters but picks up steam pretty quickly. A great read.
The fourth book in the series starts a bit slow, and has a couple of stereotypes as characters but picks up steam pretty quickly. A great read.
April 20, 2020
Entertaining Read
Not a bad ending, but getting there was slow. The first 3 books were fairly quick reads. This last book felt too long
Not a bad ending, but getting there was slow. The first 3 books were fairly quick reads. This last book felt too long
May 23, 2020
Great story. Glad it all ended well for the crew. Hopefully they will find some peace traveling the universe
May 27, 2023
Outstanding series.
An outstanding series. Enjoyed the entire story from the start to finish. Not to long of a read just right to me
An outstanding series. Enjoyed the entire story from the start to finish. Not to long of a read just right to me
June 5, 2023
Best of the series!
February 7, 2025
Excellent
This was a great set of 4 books,interspersed with lots snatches of humour ,ending was good but,coul ha ve been a little more exiting but great story.
This was a great set of 4 books,interspersed with lots snatches of humour ,ending was good but,coul ha ve been a little more exiting but great story.
March 1, 2020
The last book is even worse than the 2 before. It's more like a jung adult read. Very simple and dull.
February 19, 2020
I read this series straight through. It is a solid military sci-fi series. It is a little basic the characters are very 2 dimensional, but it is entertaining. The author has some great ideas. If you need a filler read between other reads this is a quick easy series to read.
February 12, 2020
This is really a single novel in 4 parts.
Refreshing take on the earth invasion genre. I enjoyed the characters and the constant banter. Would definitely recommend to any one liking a slightly lighter space opera.
Refreshing take on the earth invasion genre. I enjoyed the characters and the constant banter. Would definitely recommend to any one liking a slightly lighter space opera.
September 13, 2020
An exciting and satisfying conclusion to a thrilling saga
As the story builds to the impending last stand, various conflicts within the factions continue to develop, sometimes in unexpected ways. Yet another aspect of Hedalt society is revealed providing a new perspective on possible ramifications of this war.
This book did an excellent job of pulling together all the various loose ends from the previous installments. There was some interesting character growth as well. The dynamic fun personalities help balance out the serious ones and what could be a heavy book.
This is the conclusion of a 4 book series that builds heavily on the previous books. Read the series in order, this is a fast paced engrossing series you will want to binge.
As the story builds to the impending last stand, various conflicts within the factions continue to develop, sometimes in unexpected ways. Yet another aspect of Hedalt society is revealed providing a new perspective on possible ramifications of this war.
This book did an excellent job of pulling together all the various loose ends from the previous installments. There was some interesting character growth as well. The dynamic fun personalities help balance out the serious ones and what could be a heavy book.
This is the conclusion of a 4 book series that builds heavily on the previous books. Read the series in order, this is a fast paced engrossing series you will want to binge.
November 22, 2019
From the first page of this book (and previous books in this series), I have been hooked on this series and I cannot put the book down! I love the fast action, characters, Captain Taylor and Commander Sarah are awesome! I recommend the entire series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 26, 2019
Earth's last war overview
I enjoyed the entire series. I liked the characterizations. Maybe a little more action would have been "fun.". Please keep your imagination alive and best wishes for successful New projects. I read a great deal of military science fiction and your style is enjoyable. Thank you G. J./DA Perry/Lake Tahoe
I enjoyed the entire series. I liked the characterizations. Maybe a little more action would have been "fun.". Please keep your imagination alive and best wishes for successful New projects. I read a great deal of military science fiction and your style is enjoyable. Thank you G. J./DA Perry/Lake Tahoe
December 2, 2019
Good series
Well worth reading. The characters are so well done. Great imagination with this one. Plenty of action but the characters interaction makes this one a really great read
Well worth reading. The characters are so well done. Great imagination with this one. Plenty of action but the characters interaction makes this one a really great read
December 28, 2019
Cool series
Ok it has human cyborgs and an evil race of bad guys,the last of the human race, battles across the universe. It’s a fun series reads fast and has many great twists.
Ok it has human cyborgs and an evil race of bad guys,the last of the human race, battles across the universe. It’s a fun series reads fast and has many great twists.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews