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Brothers in Arms #1
First Strike
Joining the fight for the Galaxy isn't required. It's a choice.
The United Galactic Government is mired in a decade-long war for control of a key planet. Weakened by overextension and political intrigue, they could lose everything.
When a child of privilege gives up everything to enlist and fight for what is right, he learns what it means to become part of a team. He encounters refugees, aliens he never expected to empathize with, and the loss of comrades. In the end he must develop the courage to stand up, not only to aliens and governments, but his own family.
The United Galactic Government is mired in a decade-long war for control of a key planet. Weakened by overextension and political intrigue, they could lose everything.
When a child of privilege gives up everything to enlist and fight for what is right, he learns what it means to become part of a team. He encounters refugees, aliens he never expected to empathize with, and the loss of comrades. In the end he must develop the courage to stand up, not only to aliens and governments, but his own family.
- GenresScience Fiction
Audible Audio
Published October 27, 2020
282 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Scott Moon
152 books214 followersScott Moon loves audio books, especially the works of George R.R. Martin, Patrick O'Brian, and Michael Connelly. He has been writing fantasy, science fiction, and urban fantasy thrillers most of his life and aims to read or listen to 100 books a year. Currently, he is a commissioned police officer serving in a street level counter drug and gang unit. Some of his most rewarding and heartbreaking work was as a detective in the Exploited Missing Child Unit. His favorite assignment is SWAT, primarily for the eighty pounds of tactical gear he gets to wear in the blazing summer heat. In 2005, he helped arrest a serial killer who had been at large for over thirty years.
Follow Scott Moon on Twitter @Scottmoonwriter or visit www.scottmoonwriter.com to view his author page.
Follow Scott Moon on Twitter @Scottmoonwriter or visit www.scottmoonwriter.com to view his author page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 4, 2020
There is no need to compare Scott Moon with other authors, he clearly leaves his own individual trail! A project he has worked on for years finally gave it fruit...
Sensational...Masterful... ! The action never wanes. Scott Moon nails reader's attention till the end, wanting for more. I was instantly pulled into the story! A riveting story..oh, what a story it is: grisly, surprising, and page-turningly suspenseful.
It captures the readers' attention from the opening scene...creates a story that is hard to tear away from once a reader is hooked.
Dark, gritty, fast-paced, and haunting. The action and war tactics are a reminiscence of WWs and other equally series of disastrous and useless wars, where the civilians and the soldiers are the only ones harmed, while the high ranking officials do what they do, only give orders without caring about the consequences and continue with their lives as if there was no war, as if they were not sending thousands of women and men-so young- to their inevitable deaths. The writing quality achieved with the trenches battles is magnificent. This instalment really touched all my emotional threads.
Raw, tough, and heartbreaking, but also uplifting at the end, First Strike is a tale of faith, trust and second chances that will appeal to any military SciFi lover out there! An accurate series title! Looking forward to reading 13 Mercs #2! I highly recommend this series!
Sensational...Masterful... ! The action never wanes. Scott Moon nails reader's attention till the end, wanting for more. I was instantly pulled into the story! A riveting story..oh, what a story it is: grisly, surprising, and page-turningly suspenseful.
It captures the readers' attention from the opening scene...creates a story that is hard to tear away from once a reader is hooked.
Dark, gritty, fast-paced, and haunting. The action and war tactics are a reminiscence of WWs and other equally series of disastrous and useless wars, where the civilians and the soldiers are the only ones harmed, while the high ranking officials do what they do, only give orders without caring about the consequences and continue with their lives as if there was no war, as if they were not sending thousands of women and men-so young- to their inevitable deaths. The writing quality achieved with the trenches battles is magnificent. This instalment really touched all my emotional threads.
Raw, tough, and heartbreaking, but also uplifting at the end, First Strike is a tale of faith, trust and second chances that will appeal to any military SciFi lover out there! An accurate series title! Looking forward to reading 13 Mercs #2! I highly recommend this series!
December 1, 2020
This is a soldiers book. It’s about a young soldier that goes through intense fighting like no real soldier will ever see, thank God! It’s obviously in the far future where warfighting is between humans and aliens. On this particular planet, Volger’s World, the fighting is very, very intense and the enemy is called “the Skulls”. Lots of soldiers of the United Galactic Government (UGG) and the 9th Expeditionary Battalion will die, lots and lots of them!
Corporal Michael Priam shouldn’t be here. He’s got connections through his family which should have gotten him an appointment to the College of Professional Officers (CPO)! What a novel idea. A college where people go to become officers. Must be something like West Point, the Air Force Academy, or Annapolis. Anyway, he’s probably a lot smarter than the average Expeditionary soldier and most of those around him know that. Still, he doesn’t want to be known as the guy who should go to CPO even if his best friend, Corporal Peter Vanderbilt, keeps reminding of that missed opportunity. The more fighting Corporal Priam gets exposed to, the more he realizes that made he did make a mistake in not going the other route.
On the “Slog”, which is the soldiers name for Volger’s World, he’s exposed to some very, very incompetent officers, mostly of higher rank, but fortunately he has some very able immediate officers who know how to take care of their troops. Still, that doesn’t prevent soldiers from getting killed. The fighting is very intense and continuous for the most part. These soldiers are at peak physical fitness and they pride themselves of that. Otherwise they would be quickly dead. Corporal Priam is learning how to fight and he’s doing relatively well. He soon realizes that his world consist of living from one fight to the next and he now knows that he’s fighting for his best friend, the guy beside him in the foxhole and that’s all that matters.
There is this string going on in the book where Priam’s family ties keep getting involved. The Priam family has lots of very rich government contracts. The Priam corporations supply a lot of the CGG’s military equipment and they are always trying to find ways to see how that equipment is working. While his Father and Brother don’t understand his enlisting in the army, it’s his Uncle Bartholomew who wants to turn Michael’s experience into field trial reports on one particular new equipment, the Assaulter. That equipment is not what’s needed on the Slog. It’s too lightweight for the extreme fighting they are doing. Yet, his Uncle and his Father’s corporation has long arms. They know there are officers who want to make an impression on them for future career purposes. So, the troops are going to use this equipment or die trying!
That brings up another problem Corporal Priam faces. He’s always looked at by mostly officers as someone to influence so they can look forward to another career possibly with a cushy position in one of the Priam corporations. Michael is not here for that. He’s here to do the job of being a soldier and he will even if it kills him. The fighting is intense throughout the book, but well written about. It is written a lot less bloody than it could be, but the experiences that Corporal Priam and his fellow soldiers go through are bad enough.
I like this story, until the end. I’m not sure why it ended this way and if it’s the beginning of a series, I’m not sure how it continues. I will read the next book, “Brothers in Arms, Book 2: 13 Mercs” just to see how the authors continues the story.
Corporal Michael Priam shouldn’t be here. He’s got connections through his family which should have gotten him an appointment to the College of Professional Officers (CPO)! What a novel idea. A college where people go to become officers. Must be something like West Point, the Air Force Academy, or Annapolis. Anyway, he’s probably a lot smarter than the average Expeditionary soldier and most of those around him know that. Still, he doesn’t want to be known as the guy who should go to CPO even if his best friend, Corporal Peter Vanderbilt, keeps reminding of that missed opportunity. The more fighting Corporal Priam gets exposed to, the more he realizes that made he did make a mistake in not going the other route.
On the “Slog”, which is the soldiers name for Volger’s World, he’s exposed to some very, very incompetent officers, mostly of higher rank, but fortunately he has some very able immediate officers who know how to take care of their troops. Still, that doesn’t prevent soldiers from getting killed. The fighting is very intense and continuous for the most part. These soldiers are at peak physical fitness and they pride themselves of that. Otherwise they would be quickly dead. Corporal Priam is learning how to fight and he’s doing relatively well. He soon realizes that his world consist of living from one fight to the next and he now knows that he’s fighting for his best friend, the guy beside him in the foxhole and that’s all that matters.
There is this string going on in the book where Priam’s family ties keep getting involved. The Priam family has lots of very rich government contracts. The Priam corporations supply a lot of the CGG’s military equipment and they are always trying to find ways to see how that equipment is working. While his Father and Brother don’t understand his enlisting in the army, it’s his Uncle Bartholomew who wants to turn Michael’s experience into field trial reports on one particular new equipment, the Assaulter. That equipment is not what’s needed on the Slog. It’s too lightweight for the extreme fighting they are doing. Yet, his Uncle and his Father’s corporation has long arms. They know there are officers who want to make an impression on them for future career purposes. So, the troops are going to use this equipment or die trying!
That brings up another problem Corporal Priam faces. He’s always looked at by mostly officers as someone to influence so they can look forward to another career possibly with a cushy position in one of the Priam corporations. Michael is not here for that. He’s here to do the job of being a soldier and he will even if it kills him. The fighting is intense throughout the book, but well written about. It is written a lot less bloody than it could be, but the experiences that Corporal Priam and his fellow soldiers go through are bad enough.
I like this story, until the end. I’m not sure why it ended this way and if it’s the beginning of a series, I’m not sure how it continues. I will read the next book, “Brothers in Arms, Book 2: 13 Mercs” just to see how the authors continues the story.
January 15, 2021
For me this book was a bit of a mixed bag. Scott Moon's writing certainly did an excellent job of capturing the grisly horrors of combat; the alternation of stretches of boredom and inactivity with periods of incredible excitement, stress, and sheer terror; the loss of comrades; and the disconnect between military leadership and front-line forces. In other words, as military fiction, it succeeds widly.
Another plus was the solid narration by Peter Berkrot. He performed it well, imparting a level of drama that never seemed excessive or took me out of the story.
On the other hand, from a science-fiction standpoint, this book is pretty much a failure. Much of this book centers around prolonged trench warfare and battles of massed infantry, which makes no sense in the context of an interstellar war between two belligerents which each span many star systems. On top of that, the big military technology that's going to change the whole outcome of the war is...an infantry fighting vehicle? This book would have worked much better as either historical fiction or an alternate history.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Another plus was the solid narration by Peter Berkrot. He performed it well, imparting a level of drama that never seemed excessive or took me out of the story.
On the other hand, from a science-fiction standpoint, this book is pretty much a failure. Much of this book centers around prolonged trench warfare and battles of massed infantry, which makes no sense in the context of an interstellar war between two belligerents which each span many star systems. On top of that, the big military technology that's going to change the whole outcome of the war is...an infantry fighting vehicle? This book would have worked much better as either historical fiction or an alternate history.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
April 6, 2021
Duty, honor,devotion
It's depressing to think that, as a species, we might be able to move through galaxies but not be capable of doing it peaceably. Yes, we are warlike, and we do it well. But this book isn't about the esoteric causes of our warrior nature, Rather, its about the brotherhood of the common soldier. Respect and devotion for each member of a team. No sport team of any kind comes anywhere close to the comrade ship of combat soldiers. This book brings the true face of war, w
ith many of it's ugly images. It also covers, to me at least, those virtues we all admire so ardently! Honesty, duty, respect, devotion, and most of all Honor. Among themselves and for themselves. A good book, well written, a great read and for combat veterans a spirit of Deja vu. I liked it.
It's depressing to think that, as a species, we might be able to move through galaxies but not be capable of doing it peaceably. Yes, we are warlike, and we do it well. But this book isn't about the esoteric causes of our warrior nature, Rather, its about the brotherhood of the common soldier. Respect and devotion for each member of a team. No sport team of any kind comes anywhere close to the comrade ship of combat soldiers. This book brings the true face of war, w
ith many of it's ugly images. It also covers, to me at least, those virtues we all admire so ardently! Honesty, duty, respect, devotion, and most of all Honor. Among themselves and for themselves. A good book, well written, a great read and for combat veterans a spirit of Deja vu. I liked it.
November 2, 2020
First Strike has everything I like in a good military sci-fi novel. Battles on planets where we shouldn't even be, political/familial intrigue, and actual honest-to-goodness character development.
Peter Berkot is well suited for the narration chores. When the narration is off a book about war/battles can feel tedious. This was clearly not the case. Berkot's pacing and range moved the story along nicely.
If you like Robert Heinlein, Jack Campbell, John Ringo, and/or David Weber then chances are you will enjoy Scott Moon's First Strike. I even enjoyed this more than John Scalzi's recent Interdependency series (and I am a big Scalzi fan).
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
Peter Berkot is well suited for the narration chores. When the narration is off a book about war/battles can feel tedious. This was clearly not the case. Berkot's pacing and range moved the story along nicely.
If you like Robert Heinlein, Jack Campbell, John Ringo, and/or David Weber then chances are you will enjoy Scott Moon's First Strike. I even enjoyed this more than John Scalzi's recent Interdependency series (and I am a big Scalzi fan).
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
December 25, 2020
A lot of action, good character development, interesting.
This book was very interesting to me because it took place on one planet. There wasn’t a heavy emphasis on world building so the action could take place immediately. Not sure of the main protagonist Michael, not sure if I am really into his character or not. The antagonism between the mainline troops and the officers was very interesting. It put a backstory and A little intrigue into the story. The technology was interesting and I enjoy the fact that the soldiers could take a lot of punishment. I will go on and read the next book in the series and probably have a more definitive impression of Michael. This first book is well worth the read.
This book was very interesting to me because it took place on one planet. There wasn’t a heavy emphasis on world building so the action could take place immediately. Not sure of the main protagonist Michael, not sure if I am really into his character or not. The antagonism between the mainline troops and the officers was very interesting. It put a backstory and A little intrigue into the story. The technology was interesting and I enjoy the fact that the soldiers could take a lot of punishment. I will go on and read the next book in the series and probably have a more definitive impression of Michael. This first book is well worth the read.
November 27, 2020
*Wunderkind Scion of a Poor Man’s “Dune”-esque Goes All Ranger In A Far, Far Future*
“First Strike...Brothers in Arms Book 1,” is a poor man’s “Dune”-esque version of the wunderkind scion of the House Priam in a far, far future who goes all Ranger fighting an alien species in steampunk trench warfare.
Michael Priam is a ‘Mary Sue,’ who always survives and succeeds as he broods over heritage.
The bonding with comrades in combat rings true, as does much of the tactical viewpoints, while the ‘Poor Little Rich Boy’ theme is shallow and contrived.
Very much a mixed bag.
Read fully via Kindle Unlimited.
“First Strike...Brothers in Arms Book 1,” is a poor man’s “Dune”-esque version of the wunderkind scion of the House Priam in a far, far future who goes all Ranger fighting an alien species in steampunk trench warfare.
Michael Priam is a ‘Mary Sue,’ who always survives and succeeds as he broods over heritage.
The bonding with comrades in combat rings true, as does much of the tactical viewpoints, while the ‘Poor Little Rich Boy’ theme is shallow and contrived.
Very much a mixed bag.
Read fully via Kindle Unlimited.
November 11, 2020
In the end, I was not satisfied. I did not find the characters' development engaging. The senseless eternal corporate-driven war was all too familiar. Nothing new in the book. The family connections have been done before in other space style novels. The technology was not explained (not a requirement but for a nerdy engineer like me, I like that).
What I liked, easy reading, battles were well written, engaging but repetitive. The soldier comradery was well done but typical of this style. The end was not typical which I liked.
What I liked, easy reading, battles were well written, engaging but repetitive. The soldier comradery was well done but typical of this style. The end was not typical which I liked.
November 24, 2020
This book is certainly crammed with considerable action. Never a dull moment. However, on the down side, it stretches credulity beyond the breaking point both in presenting an alien race that appears via generation ship with virtually unending numbers and in the numbers of them that the main character and his compatriots manage to take out. Other elements of the story are also far-fetched, including the background of the main character. If you enjoy action, fine. If you expect some level of coherent believably, not so fine.
December 14, 2020
An intense ground war tale with some great detail and a good military series of writing and comradeship. Found it quite slow to start and maybe about half way through before it properly got my interest although im not sure if the detail or the narration was partially the issue. The last half picked up and although im a but unsure about the ending this was left with some good remains for further stories. Shall have a look at the 2nd in the series to see if this will pick up but liked this enough to move into 4 stars.
December 10, 2020
A Marine veteran turned science fiction author gets caught up in the very thing he writes about. The human race of Earth is contacted by aliens with futuristic technology for help in fighting off another race that is invading them. Who will the Humans be asked to fight? The shocking answer is...the Humans. Full of great concepts, characters and lots of action, this book promises a fun new series and shouldn’t be missed!
January 19, 2021
Slugfest
This book has all the dark drama than anyone could want. It could have been written in World War 1and all the characters based on that time or maybe even World War II. Question is the author has this whole opportunity to demonstrate technology and science fiction to help in this war and he doesn't. I was just appointed I hate to have books in on a on a bad note. But for those who like this kind of dark drama it might be a good read.
This book has all the dark drama than anyone could want. It could have been written in World War 1and all the characters based on that time or maybe even World War II. Question is the author has this whole opportunity to demonstrate technology and science fiction to help in this war and he doesn't. I was just appointed I hate to have books in on a on a bad note. But for those who like this kind of dark drama it might be a good read.
February 9, 2021
Damn good book!
I'm an Army Infantry Veteran and the level of realism and accuracy in this tale is very VERY good. The characters are like people I've served with, which I think is high praise. Sone if the situations are familiar and relatable. The storyline got a tad confusing but, overall, kept my interest late into the night (which may be why the confusion happened.)
I strongly recommend this book for ground Vets and civilians who can also learn from the tale.
I'm an Army Infantry Veteran and the level of realism and accuracy in this tale is very VERY good. The characters are like people I've served with, which I think is high praise. Sone if the situations are familiar and relatable. The storyline got a tad confusing but, overall, kept my interest late into the night (which may be why the confusion happened.)
I strongly recommend this book for ground Vets and civilians who can also learn from the tale.
October 3, 2021
An interesting beginning
I'm a fan of the genre, when the author understands that esprit de Corps and the drive to be the best combined with the concept that honor and loyalty actually means something. While set in a future situation the soldiers have each other to depend on and especially that they don't have to wonder if their comrades will "have their backs". We'll see how the series goes. But a good start!
I'm a fan of the genre, when the author understands that esprit de Corps and the drive to be the best combined with the concept that honor and loyalty actually means something. While set in a future situation the soldiers have each other to depend on and especially that they don't have to wonder if their comrades will "have their backs". We'll see how the series goes. But a good start!
May 27, 2022
I didn't really connect with the first few chapters. It felt like it had quite the slog to get through the first section then after that the action started and it was an enjoyable read although since I read the audiobook it felt a bit disjointed when the various letters were being exchanged. I'm going to read the next book in the series to see if now that I've learned about some of the characters and politics that fill the world I can enjoy the story more.
November 8, 2020
Exceptional military sci-fi
This book takes off running and. Ever slows down. With memorable, multi-dimensional characters and heart-pounding battle scenes, I found it almost impossible to put down. Now that it’s done, perhaps I’ll get a good night’s sleep, but I’m also soy too se it end. Can’t wait to get my hands on the next one!
This book takes off running and. Ever slows down. With memorable, multi-dimensional characters and heart-pounding battle scenes, I found it almost impossible to put down. Now that it’s done, perhaps I’ll get a good night’s sleep, but I’m also soy too se it end. Can’t wait to get my hands on the next one!
November 8, 2020
This book was interesting. The majority is pretty standard oorah army bros fighting back waves of generic enemies in space stuff, but then some very intriguing family stuff and the story takes a dark, depressing turn in the last quarter. The end was fairly shocking, and had me revising my opinion of the book as a whole. Very interested to see where the plot is going in a second book
December 3, 2020
Here is a story that draws one in. The characters were realistic enough to identify with them, to feel their pain, uncertainties, friendships, dedication. They had foibles but were admirable. They were in a gruesome war yet retained a core of their humanity. There was enough there for me to imagine my life in their situation and wonder how I could have coped. Recommended.
January 14, 2021
In the trench’s
This is a good story, well written. Battles remind me of the trenches in WW1 stories. Yet, this is so much more with futuristic battles. The interpersonal relationships are real, the lost, anger, hopeless, and gleamer that there not all is lost in the end. Thought this was the end but in a few sentences must go on to book two.
This is a good story, well written. Battles remind me of the trenches in WW1 stories. Yet, this is so much more with futuristic battles. The interpersonal relationships are real, the lost, anger, hopeless, and gleamer that there not all is lost in the end. Thought this was the end but in a few sentences must go on to book two.
November 8, 2020
Fantastic
Well that was a fantastic storyline.. I thought I was going to struggle with this but no once the action started I could not put it down.. I am assuming that is not the end for Cpl M Priam...
Well that was a fantastic storyline.. I thought I was going to struggle with this but no once the action started I could not put it down.. I am assuming that is not the end for Cpl M Priam...
November 11, 2020
An intriguing book
This book has it all. Lots of action and suspense as well as intriguing characters. This is the story of a man that leaves the life of a powerful family to enlist in the military. Refusing his privileges to become a regular trooper.
This book has it all. Lots of action and suspense as well as intriguing characters. This is the story of a man that leaves the life of a powerful family to enlist in the military. Refusing his privileges to become a regular trooper.
December 2, 2020
Incomprehensible
I have to admit I only read 20% of this book before I reviewed it but it is almost impossible to make sense of what's going on. I feel like there is another book I should have read before starting this one. A complete mess
I have to admit I only read 20% of this book before I reviewed it but it is almost impossible to make sense of what's going on. I feel like there is another book I should have read before starting this one. A complete mess
January 7, 2021
Great Adventure
This book is non stop action and adventure that will leave you numb. From page one until the last, the fast pace of this storyline grabs you and won't let you go. I really like this book and I highly recommend it.
This book is non stop action and adventure that will leave you numb. From page one until the last, the fast pace of this storyline grabs you and won't let you go. I really like this book and I highly recommend it.
January 11, 2021
Robert's Review and Comments
Riveting, intense and outstanding, glimpses of WW I with the Technology of Star Trek. The ending bites, but details an uncomprimising last stand. Thanks for a GoodRead.
Riveting, intense and outstanding, glimpses of WW I with the Technology of Star Trek. The ending bites, but details an uncomprimising last stand. Thanks for a GoodRead.
November 6, 2020
A great combat story
The story was engaging and kept me reading till I finished. Loved the dark humour, as a soldier myself, I found it very engaging.
The story was engaging and kept me reading till I finished. Loved the dark humour, as a soldier myself, I found it very engaging.
November 8, 2020
One of a kind
It's been a long time since I have read I story like this. I very much looking forward to your next story.
It's been a long time since I have read I story like this. I very much looking forward to your next story.
December 1, 2020
The smell of trench warfare never chañges
The sights and equipment maybe different.The politics will be expressed in ways which sound new but the business of war remains the same.
The sights and equipment maybe different.The politics will be expressed in ways which sound new but the business of war remains the same.
December 4, 2020
Good effort but lacks clarity of battle situations and very confusing. Stopped reading the middle of second book.
December 7, 2020
Good read
Thoroughly enjoyed reading First Strike. Good character development and great story line. I look forward to reading more books in the series.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading First Strike. Good character development and great story line. I look forward to reading more books in the series.
January 13, 2021
War is hell
This book is about one guy who becomes a hero in protecting his brothers in arms. Almost to vivid to read in comfort!
This book is about one guy who becomes a hero in protecting his brothers in arms. Almost to vivid to read in comfort!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews