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USS Hamilton #4
USS Jefferson: Charge of the Symbios
"McGinnis has pulled another rip-roaring page-turner out of his hat," Ben Strat
After the recent near-destruction of the USS Hamilton, Captain Galvin Quintos has been lying low, getting the USS Jefferson ready for service. In the midst of refurbishing the vessel, he gets a call for help from his former XO, new starship captain Gail Pristy. The Varapin have lured the 9th Fleet into a devious trap, and it’s not long before Quintos has his orders to hurry to the rescue. But the Varapin have a colossal new warship—one that puts anything the US Space-Navy has to shame. Even after Quintos assembles a crew, he’ll still need to pull a few rabbits, along with a few Symbio Poths, out of a hat to have any chance of surviving the coming battle. And Quintos’ one last hope—reuniting with a past enemy—may prove as dangerous as fighting the Varapin themselves.
After the recent near-destruction of the USS Hamilton, Captain Galvin Quintos has been lying low, getting the USS Jefferson ready for service. In the midst of refurbishing the vessel, he gets a call for help from his former XO, new starship captain Gail Pristy. The Varapin have lured the 9th Fleet into a devious trap, and it’s not long before Quintos has his orders to hurry to the rescue. But the Varapin have a colossal new warship—one that puts anything the US Space-Navy has to shame. Even after Quintos assembles a crew, he’ll still need to pull a few rabbits, along with a few Symbio Poths, out of a hat to have any chance of surviving the coming battle. And Quintos’ one last hope—reuniting with a past enemy—may prove as dangerous as fighting the Varapin themselves.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2021
496 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 3, 2022
I started this series when I was looking for a book that requires no thinking. I found this series did that and was also entertaining.
The story moves along fairly fast particularly from the middle to the end of the book. The author did manage to surprise me and take the story in an unexpected direction. It is always fun to be surprised. I am looking forward to the next installment.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and thirty-five minutes. James Patrick Cronin does a good job narrating the book.
The story moves along fairly fast particularly from the middle to the end of the book. The author did manage to surprise me and take the story in an unexpected direction. It is always fun to be surprised. I am looking forward to the next installment.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and thirty-five minutes. James Patrick Cronin does a good job narrating the book.
March 24, 2024
Military Space Opera🚀💥💫
Captain Quintos'🐺💪🗡🔫Ship🚀, The Hamilton, Is basically destroyed by an alien super weapon. His new ship is the USS Jefferson🚀. Its imperative they capture a enormous alien ship with the weapon intact.
Ends in a cliffhanger. This book is part of a continuing series that is designed to be read in order.
I got this e-book from Amazon📚 with Kindle unlimited.
Captain Quintos'🐺💪🗡🔫Ship🚀, The Hamilton, Is basically destroyed by an alien super weapon. His new ship is the USS Jefferson🚀. Its imperative they capture a enormous alien ship with the weapon intact.
Ends in a cliffhanger. This book is part of a continuing series that is designed to be read in order.
I got this e-book from Amazon📚 with Kindle unlimited.
June 19, 2021
Another excellent installment in the series.
I really enjoyed the science-fiction aspects of this book. The book also has good character development and growth. There is plenty of action, humor, and enough twist interns to keep the reader interested. As far as the growth of the characters is concerned there is an interplay between them that you want to see develop. I personally like anything to do with transported technology that’s why I’ve always enjoyed reading Mr. McGinnis says books. Spaceships, artificial lifeforms, dragons, how much more could you ask for. Great book, great series.
I really enjoyed the science-fiction aspects of this book. The book also has good character development and growth. There is plenty of action, humor, and enough twist interns to keep the reader interested. As far as the growth of the characters is concerned there is an interplay between them that you want to see develop. I personally like anything to do with transported technology that’s why I’ve always enjoyed reading Mr. McGinnis says books. Spaceships, artificial lifeforms, dragons, how much more could you ask for. Great book, great series.
June 25, 2021
Science Fiction's New Golden Age is Now
Mark Wayne McGinnis has outdone himself with this series. I couldn't stop reading all of the Hamilton/Jefferson books, and I have always been left wanting more. The entire spectrum of human emotion can be found in these characters, who are flawed and struggling, but ultimately indomitable. Thank you, Mr. McGinnis, for all that you do. I owe you more reviews, this much is certain.
Mark Wayne McGinnis has outdone himself with this series. I couldn't stop reading all of the Hamilton/Jefferson books, and I have always been left wanting more. The entire spectrum of human emotion can be found in these characters, who are flawed and struggling, but ultimately indomitable. Thank you, Mr. McGinnis, for all that you do. I owe you more reviews, this much is certain.
June 20, 2021
Not really buying it. Spoilers
Take the fight to the enemy. I get that!
The enemy just decided to quit and give up? Ending and capture was really..., really..., disappointing.
I was actually expecting a combat sym or gassing the crew after capturing engineering. This is disappointing
Take the fight to the enemy. I get that!
The enemy just decided to quit and give up? Ending and capture was really..., really..., disappointing.
I was actually expecting a combat sym or gassing the crew after capturing engineering. This is disappointing
July 5, 2021
Just...DAMN!
What an excellent thrill tide of a series! Come on Mr. McGinnis! You can't stop this great series now! It has taken a new life of its ow. Just imagine all the unrestrained crap Galvin and the crew can get into now!keep them coming! I will be your biggest fan!
Series now!
What an excellent thrill tide of a series! Come on Mr. McGinnis! You can't stop this great series now! It has taken a new life of its ow. Just imagine all the unrestrained crap Galvin and the crew can get into now!keep them coming! I will be your biggest fan!
Series now!
June 15, 2021
I love mark Wayne McGinnis
He did again, another fun chapter in what I call the presidential saga of super ships...Mr. McGinnis, always leaves me wanting more, more action, more of the characters, more story and more books. The series is a great read.
He did again, another fun chapter in what I call the presidential saga of super ships...Mr. McGinnis, always leaves me wanting more, more action, more of the characters, more story and more books. The series is a great read.
June 16, 2021
Great read as the journey contiunes for Galvin and his now motley crew of pirates!
Read the others and by far this one is the best. Captainn Quintos has cast his lot with the Pylors and thrown the UNUF to winds. Look forward to the next book.
Read the others and by far this one is the best. Captainn Quintos has cast his lot with the Pylors and thrown the UNUF to winds. Look forward to the next book.
June 16, 2021
Love the series
Like the characters, the story, and the world building. It’s quite the romp and does not take itself to seriously. Above all, entertaining, and that is what a good book should be. Read em in order though.
Like the characters, the story, and the world building. It’s quite the romp and does not take itself to seriously. Above all, entertaining, and that is what a good book should be. Read em in order though.
June 30, 2021
Best book of the series and I hope there are more to come.
Like the author and some of his other material but this is my favorite of his work some editing mistakes but still well done.
Like the author and some of his other material but this is my favorite of his work some editing mistakes but still well done.
January 10, 2025
Dungeons and Dragons” and space battles, oh my!
“USS Jefferson: Charge of the Symbios”, fourth in the 'USS Hamilton' series, sees Captain Galvin Quintos taking command of another restored warship following the final battle of the Hamilton.
The Pledians, as is their wont, didn't just restore and improve the ageing ship, they also included a vast medieval D&D simulator (using the almost-human Symbios).
The 9th Fleet has been halted in its tracked and faces imminent destruction by a vastly technologically superior Varapin armada.
The Jefferson is matched (or outmatched?) by the Varadian behemoth Oblivion.
Lurking in the background of the battle is the pirate Pylor fleet, commanded by the memorable Captain Cardinal Thunderballs.
There are no prizes for guessing where Captain Quintos goes – all that remains is what he does when he gets there.
Everything, almost from the start, leads to a startling and climactic final third and an ending which though not a cliffhanger is a single step away from one.
I've always had a fondness for Space Opera, the bigger the better, and this novel really scratched my itch.
I read it in a single sitting and, surprisingly, didn't spot the typos which have marred the series to date.
4 Stars.
“USS Jefferson: Charge of the Symbios”, fourth in the 'USS Hamilton' series, sees Captain Galvin Quintos taking command of another restored warship following the final battle of the Hamilton.
The Pledians, as is their wont, didn't just restore and improve the ageing ship, they also included a vast medieval D&D simulator (using the almost-human Symbios).
The 9th Fleet has been halted in its tracked and faces imminent destruction by a vastly technologically superior Varapin armada.
The Jefferson is matched (or outmatched?) by the Varadian behemoth Oblivion.
Lurking in the background of the battle is the pirate Pylor fleet, commanded by the memorable Captain Cardinal Thunderballs.
There are no prizes for guessing where Captain Quintos goes – all that remains is what he does when he gets there.
Everything, almost from the start, leads to a startling and climactic final third and an ending which though not a cliffhanger is a single step away from one.
I've always had a fondness for Space Opera, the bigger the better, and this novel really scratched my itch.
I read it in a single sitting and, surprisingly, didn't spot the typos which have marred the series to date.
4 Stars.
November 21, 2021
Nope, the series has not improved and I'm starting to think that we're meant to read this series with our minds in neutral - or better yet to wipe our minds before we start reading the novels. I'll be frank, it is hard to overlook the many issues with the story and how everyone is an idiot except the main character, and even this character is more fantasy than fiction.
The dialog is the only feature of this novel, as the interaction between the characters is a highlight.
Having a brother (the psychiatrist) pass a Captain fit for duty in the middle of a war (or at any time) is surely one straw to many, the camel has collapsed under the weight of the effort to get the reader to ignore reality and take this fantasy seriously.
Thankfully the author has addressed the issue of why nuclear weapons can't be deployed, but this does not answer questions about why objects (good old explosives) are not transported into the engines, climate control, etc.
As the coincidences keep piling up and the crew spends time hunting dragons, the knowledge that the last chapter is all that we need to read to stay up to date is helpful. I wonder what happens next?
The dialog is the only feature of this novel, as the interaction between the characters is a highlight.
Having a brother (the psychiatrist) pass a Captain fit for duty in the middle of a war (or at any time) is surely one straw to many, the camel has collapsed under the weight of the effort to get the reader to ignore reality and take this fantasy seriously.
Thankfully the author has addressed the issue of why nuclear weapons can't be deployed, but this does not answer questions about why objects (good old explosives) are not transported into the engines, climate control, etc.
As the coincidences keep piling up and the crew spends time hunting dragons, the knowledge that the last chapter is all that we need to read to stay up to date is helpful. I wonder what happens next?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2022
Rebel at heart!
I like those that operate by their own set of rules. Unconventional tactics are what allowed the colonists to defeat the Redcoats!
What I don't like is the "ghouls" weakness of being susceptible to high temperature was discovered in the first book but the Captain failed to utilize it as a tactic until dragons were utilized in taking the ghouls flagship. Napalm, Molotov cocktails, flame throwers and simply using environmental controls to raise the temperature on sections of allied ships that are being boarded were simple tactics that would have been effective weapons against the "ghouls". Perhaps it's time for that fact to be utilized in future scenarios?
I like those that operate by their own set of rules. Unconventional tactics are what allowed the colonists to defeat the Redcoats!
What I don't like is the "ghouls" weakness of being susceptible to high temperature was discovered in the first book but the Captain failed to utilize it as a tactic until dragons were utilized in taking the ghouls flagship. Napalm, Molotov cocktails, flame throwers and simply using environmental controls to raise the temperature on sections of allied ships that are being boarded were simple tactics that would have been effective weapons against the "ghouls". Perhaps it's time for that fact to be utilized in future scenarios?
September 25, 2022
It gets dafter by the chapter
How do you beat a ship that's 60% bigger than anything you have with technology 200 yrs more advanced than yours
Well first you break all the rules and secondly, you teleport peasants, pirates, knights and dragons on to it and let them defeat the crew
It's daft, totally bonkers, but entertaining. In the end you wonder if the author wanted to write a fantasy book instead, but it kind of works
The last few chapters tidy things up and the end result is something that should lead to an interesting book 5, I just hope for less dragons
How do you beat a ship that's 60% bigger than anything you have with technology 200 yrs more advanced than yours
Well first you break all the rules and secondly, you teleport peasants, pirates, knights and dragons on to it and let them defeat the crew
It's daft, totally bonkers, but entertaining. In the end you wonder if the author wanted to write a fantasy book instead, but it kind of works
The last few chapters tidy things up and the end result is something that should lead to an interesting book 5, I just hope for less dragons
June 15, 2021
Crazy Page Turner
Wow. This is so.fabulous, I just could not put it down . what a great group of characters. Gotta.love the new 2-deck play "house" game.compliments of the.Empress. You learn more a out Hardy this time around. then there's the battle with the Ghouls and the.pirates. You'll.even find fairies and dragons in this book! Great fantasy.space.thriller! LOVE LOVE LOVED.IT!
Wow. This is so.fabulous, I just could not put it down . what a great group of characters. Gotta.love the new 2-deck play "house" game.compliments of the.Empress. You learn more a out Hardy this time around. then there's the battle with the Ghouls and the.pirates. You'll.even find fairies and dragons in this book! Great fantasy.space.thriller! LOVE LOVE LOVED.IT!
August 8, 2021
Hmmm, where to start
Some interesting characters and the overall concept of the series is interesting. Huge plot hole upon plot hole coupled with somewhat painful "captain does everything except actually captain the ship" and I've given up on this series now despite the reasonable price point. Pained me to read sections of this one. Read this far.... not really sure why. Maybe for the same reason some people can't look away from a car wreck.
Some interesting characters and the overall concept of the series is interesting. Huge plot hole upon plot hole coupled with somewhat painful "captain does everything except actually captain the ship" and I've given up on this series now despite the reasonable price point. Pained me to read sections of this one. Read this far.... not really sure why. Maybe for the same reason some people can't look away from a car wreck.
January 6, 2022
The tech is OK.
The plot is thin, requires a bizarre set of events to happen to get them into a situation, and a massive amount of luck to get them back out.
The main character is extremely unbelievable & would get kicked out of ANY military.
The supporting characters are just caricatures.
The first book would have gotten 2 stars, but having read all 4 books of this series, the more unlikable it got. The 1 star rating is based on the whole series.
The plot is thin, requires a bizarre set of events to happen to get them into a situation, and a massive amount of luck to get them back out.
The main character is extremely unbelievable & would get kicked out of ANY military.
The supporting characters are just caricatures.
The first book would have gotten 2 stars, but having read all 4 books of this series, the more unlikable it got. The 1 star rating is based on the whole series.
November 2, 2025
Book 4: this one was interesting. Nice complicated dynamic added by Gavin's brother Eric. The whole issue of PTSD is a good one, because it humanizes the superheroes. The flashbacks are insightful.
I cannot believe I'm reading a love triangle in a scifi book about space battles. Go figure.
I think the ending surprised me here, but it makes sense. And it's a whole lotta fun.
Thanks JPCronin for making it really fun.
I cannot believe I'm reading a love triangle in a scifi book about space battles. Go figure.
I think the ending surprised me here, but it makes sense. And it's a whole lotta fun.
Thanks JPCronin for making it really fun.
December 25, 2021
Not the biggest fan of this series, but I've gotten this far so I might as well finish it out. The books have gotten a bit better the more I've read and I can see the appeal it has to others. To me there are too many discordant elements that just pop up when needed, but if you can suspend your disbelief for awhile, you might enjoy it.
October 17, 2022
loved meeting the dragons
Great fun and idea to utilize the Symbios to help with such a deadly fight with our enemies. When an entire military contingent gets snared in a trap by the enemy you definitely need to think outside the box. Exciting ride and looking forward to the next book
Great fun and idea to utilize the Symbios to help with such a deadly fight with our enemies. When an entire military contingent gets snared in a trap by the enemy you definitely need to think outside the box. Exciting ride and looking forward to the next book
August 8, 2024
Okay, another wacky “inset” for lack of a better word. Kinda ridiculous and unnecessary. One flaw - it’s already been determined in previous books to kill a Varapin you must use projectile ammunition. They are energy beings yet here we find ourselves using shredders which aren’t projectile. One point deduction.
June 26, 2021
Classic space opera with a twist
Falcon Quinton makes Jim Kirk look like a sissy! He may not get all the alien women, but he sure does the battle scenes well. Thanks for another great read, Mr. McGinnis.
Falcon Quinton makes Jim Kirk look like a sissy! He may not get all the alien women, but he sure does the battle scenes well. Thanks for another great read, Mr. McGinnis.
July 25, 2021
Good story!!
But there needs to be another one, what happens next? Lots of action and good combat in this story. But having a huge park in a ship is an amazing leap. It's more exciting than new whoopdedo engines.
But there needs to be another one, what happens next? Lots of action and good combat in this story. But having a huge park in a ship is an amazing leap. It's more exciting than new whoopdedo engines.
July 26, 2021
Indomitable
High-tension action allthetime!
With real characters.
Needs a bit of willing suspension of disbelief when one man and his buddies off gazillions of enemies, but wtf, they’re evil aliens aren’t they?
High-tension action allthetime!
With real characters.
Needs a bit of willing suspension of disbelief when one man and his buddies off gazillions of enemies, but wtf, they’re evil aliens aren’t they?
August 4, 2021
Good si-fi lite
Not quite up to the high standards I have come to expect from this excellent author. This is an outstanding book for young adults and down. A little on the disjointed side and lie on smooth flow for this old guy.
Not quite up to the high standards I have come to expect from this excellent author. This is an outstanding book for young adults and down. A little on the disjointed side and lie on smooth flow for this old guy.
August 29, 2021
Great story
Well did not expect that it maybe I should have done lol. What a great storyline with more twists and turns and plenty of blood and guts. Looking forward to the next episode
Well did not expect that it maybe I should have done lol. What a great storyline with more twists and turns and plenty of blood and guts. Looking forward to the next episode
September 15, 2021
I love this set of books
To all of you lovers of space opera this is a great set ..Mark has done and outstanding job. It has a great story line with lots Action and will keep you excited to the end of the book.
To all of you lovers of space opera this is a great set ..Mark has done and outstanding job. It has a great story line with lots Action and will keep you excited to the end of the book.
December 24, 2021
Good read, but a couple of bugs!
In previous book energy weapons were ineffective against the enemy, only solid projectiles like shotguns. In this book Energy weapons were effective, how'd that happen? Also how were repairs to Hardy possible with His advanced makeup?
In previous book energy weapons were ineffective against the enemy, only solid projectiles like shotguns. In this book Energy weapons were effective, how'd that happen? Also how were repairs to Hardy possible with His advanced makeup?
April 21, 2022
I loved it
Such a fun exciting story. I found myself laughing out loud more than once , and cheering the crew on other times. I would highly recommend this book and the others I read by Mr McGinnis to all my friends.
Such a fun exciting story. I found myself laughing out loud more than once , and cheering the crew on other times. I would highly recommend this book and the others I read by Mr McGinnis to all my friends.
April 27, 2022
Outstanding Series! Definitive MWM style storytelling, a movie unfolding in your mind (to borrow a phrase). Listened to the whole series so far through March and looking forward to the next installments, so Mark, please keep e'm coming!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews