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Battlegroup Z #4

Bandits Engaged

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War’s cost is a bitter pill.

Eleven months of non-stop combat have transformed Captain Justin Spencer from a cocky reservist into a battle-hardened veteran. While new recruits rotate in to replace once familiar faces, nothing mitigates the sting that haunts Justin with each loss. Or silences the doubts that keep him from taking a complete leap of faith.

News from the battlefront remains grim even after the CSV Zvika Greengold’s daring strike against the League of Sol’s home turf. Despite technological superiority, overwhelming numbers of League battleships continue to outgun the Coalition Defense Force, leaving their superiors to draw a chilling conclusion.

The war is unwinnable.

The Terran Coalition’s saving grace has been independent merchants, transporting materials from outlying mining colonies to Coalition shipyards, keeping the CDF in the fight – until pirates with high-grade weaponry start picking off the freighters one-by-one. Instead of trading valuable cargo for innocent lives, however, the pirates have only one horrifying goal: leave no survivors.

Justin and the crew of the CSV Zvika Greengold are thrust into unfamiliar territory against a ruthless enemy willing to go to any lengths to avoid capture.

And pay any price to protect its secrets.

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2021

169 people are currently reading
33 people want to read

About the author

Daniel Gibbs

56 books476 followers

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5 stars
216 (51%)
4 stars
156 (37%)
3 stars
39 (9%)
2 stars
8 (1%)
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2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Delphia  Von Heeder .
1,732 reviews50 followers
June 2, 2021
Bandits Engaged Battlegroup Z book 4 by Daniel Gibbs. The opening Prologue was so exciting. A trade ship was attached by an unknown “Pirates”. Bandits Engaged never slowed down. The CSV Zvika Greengold was sent to get a handle on the Pirate attacks. One of the things I like best about a Daniel Gibbs book is his knowledge of military engagement. He understands the strategy used in fight sequences in both the battleships as well as the planes.
Mr. Gibbs’ writing brings the characters to life. The “Pirates” just might overpower the Greengold this time. Colonel Tehrano and Captain Spencer just might have to pull the rabbit out of the hat this time! I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
1,920 reviews18 followers
May 25, 2021
And the faith journey continues. Justin Spencer just keeps flailing through the quagmire of faith and ethics and doing the right thing when the realities of war seem to push him hard toward expediency. The non-stop action really brings home the emotional cost of war both to the fighters and to their families. I sympathize with Captain Spencer as he keeps doing his duty as best as he can while avoiding the less-than-sterling though effective example of Agent Grant. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment in the growth of Justin Spencer.

I received this ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
54 reviews
May 27, 2021
WOW, Daniel has come into his own as a writer. He vividly paints wonderful pictures for his readers while keeping us on the edge of our seats in his stories of outer space battles. His unique characters each live and battle their consciouns' to be morally accountable to their understanding of life and even religion. I especially appreciate Daniel not using crude and profane language as so many writers today do. Thank you Daniel Gibbs for your wonderful stories and the way you tell tell them. You are becoming a GREAT writer! and I am proud for you as it takes true work become good at anything, let alone great.
224 reviews2 followers
May 7, 2022
Enjoyable series continues

Yes, it is a space opera.

Yes, it is capitalists vs communists, quantity vs quality, individualists vs groupthink.
But it has interesting characters, adds faith back into war, of members finding faith as the war continues, and celebrates a multi-faith community seriously accepting and honoring those of different faiths, and no snide, belittling comments about the other.
It is not perfect, but you do lose people, you see the crisis and resolution, but even if sometimes it seems a little rote, he has kept my interest throughout.
I want to see the resolution to this series.
Profile Image for Kath Ibbotson.
23 reviews
June 21, 2021
Very much enjoying this new series

I particularly like the way the author brings in the viewpoint from different faiths within his adventures in an uncritical way. Many authors seems to dodge this in their writing. It’s good to find a writer that recognises that in the most dire of situations a basic human response is to call out to a higher power. It has always been that will - and in the future I find it hard to credit that this will change.
Profile Image for Linda Thomas.
842 reviews8 followers
July 23, 2022
Battle Group Z is on patrol again. All ships and planes are at the maximum force allowed and they are armed and ready

Justin, Whatley, Tehrani, Nolan have all changed in one way or another. But the CDL has pulled together and is doing their best to fight back against the League of Sol. Now the Greengold has been sent to chase the pirates that seem to be better supplied than they are. But they will do their best it is what they are trained to do.
Profile Image for Neale.
12 reviews2 followers
October 8, 2022
Waaay too much religion.

Sorry Dan

You lost me. Tried manfully to separate the wheat from the chaff, but your persistence in having religion literally dragged in with every time there's a break in the action is genuinely wrecking my enjoyment of what could've been a wonderfully entertaining series but it's getting worse and more intrusive. I didn't even make it to chapter one.

Will not recommend.
640 reviews1 follower
March 13, 2025
Good read.

This book was a very interesting read . The book had plenty of action mostly in space battles in some instances they were out numbered with three to one odds if not more but they pulled it off by the skin of their teeth . They are in bad need of some support because they keep getting ships shot out from around them . It was a good battle and I'm on to the next one.
263 reviews3 followers
June 5, 2021
Another solid entry

The world is expanding and getting more detailed. The characters are getting more depth. The big bad are actually terrifying in light of the current party in power.
937 reviews8 followers
September 6, 2021
Another spectacular addition to the series

Intergalactic warfare at it's best. I'm enjoying this journey through this universe.
Great characters with realistic situations and lots of action.
I look forward to the next one 😀
406 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2022
One Ignores Religious Terms

This book is just as good as the trilogy leading up it. The space intership fight is well up there with popular games and make fair reading. I'm ordering book five now.
Profile Image for Robert Lewter.
944 reviews5 followers
June 26, 2024
Great series

Another great installment to this wonderful series. This is definitely one of the better ones that I have gotten into. If you like space and combat ,you should read it.
Profile Image for Ronald Rader.
33 reviews
June 7, 2021
Very well written loved the increasing reference of God no matter the church.
61 reviews
Read
June 15, 2021
It doesn't disappoint.

Another great installment in this series. As you get to know the characters better, you become more involved. Non stop action continues. A marathon read.
301 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2021
Excellent

Another great book in this series. I characters are well written and easy to emphasize with. The action is fast pace and fascinating.
7 reviews
September 27, 2021
Great read!

I like the action, and am pleasantly surprised by the growing faith of the characters. The Author seems to be aware of the need for faith in “the trenches”.
35 reviews
October 14, 2021
Fantastic series.

As Justin grows in his confidence so does the the stress of losing friends . Great story progressing and gaining momentum.
Profile Image for David Harcourt.
259 reviews5 followers
November 19, 2021
A great adventure

I continue to be surprised by the fact that each book keeps getting better then the first. I will now begin book five , and I can't wait to start it.
2 reviews1 follower
December 8, 2021
Failed author!

If you want to preach religion find a church it doesn't belong in science fiction I won't read any more of your books!
431 reviews3 followers
June 17, 2023
Great

Another Great Book in The Battlegroup Z Series. I found it to be an exciting read that is easy to follow d hard to put down.
5 reviews
February 6, 2025
A great read

Thus series is not what I'd expected. The mixture of the three major religions is tastefully done. I marvel at the sensitivity shown by Mr. Gibbs
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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