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Kris Longknife #0.5
Boot Recruit
Everyone has known since Kris Longknife – Mutineer that Kris ran off to join the Navy after graduating college much to her parents’ dismay. However, the story has never been told of how that came to pass. Worse, how does a scion of the Longknife clan survive that massive drop in social levels, plummeting from the Prime Minister’s brat to a lowly Boot Recruit. Here, at last, is the story in all it’s fuss and feathers still on this rare bird. Enjoy.
93 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2021
20 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Mike Shepherd
78 books563 followersA pseudonym used by Mike Moscoe.
Mike was born in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital -- and left that town at the age of three days for reasons he does not presently recall. But they had to draft him to get him back there. He missed very little of the rest of the country. Growing up Navy, he lived about everywhere you could park an aircraft carrier.
Mike was one of those college students who didn't have to worry about finding a job after graduation. In 1968, his Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Two days into boot camp, the Army was wondering if they might not have been a bit hasty. Mike ended the day in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Army hospital. Despite most of Mike’s personal war stories being limited to "How I flunked boot camp," he can still write a rollicking good military SF yarns.
Mike didn’t survive all that long as a cab driver (he got lost) or bartender (he made the drinks too strong) but he figured he could at least work for the Navy Department as a budget analyst. Until he spent the whole day trying to balance the barracks accounts for paint. Finally, about quitting time, a grinning senior analyst took him aside and let him in on the secret. They'd hidden the money for refitting a battleship in that little account. Slowly it dawned on Mike that there were a few things about the Navy that even a kid who grew up in it would never understand.
Over the next twenty years, Mike branched out into other genres, including instruction memos, policies, performance standards and even a few labor contracts. All of those, you may notice, lack a certain something. Dialogue ... those things in quotes. In `87, Mike’s big break came. He landed on a two year special project to build a digital map showing where the trees, rivers, roads, Spotted Owls and other critters were in western Oregon. The list went on and on with no end in sight and two years became ten.
Since there was no writing involved in his new day job, Mike had to do something to get the words out. He signed up for a writing class at Clark Community College and proudly turned in a story ... Star Wars shoots down the second coming of Christ.
Two years later, Analog bought "Summer Hopes, Winter Dreams" for the March, 1991 issue. Four years later he sold his first novel. In the ten years since then, Mike’s turned in twelve novels and is researching the next three.
Mike's love for Science Fiction started when he picked up "Rocket Ship Galileo" in the fifth grade, and then proceeded to read every book in the library with a rocket sticker on its spine.
Mike digs for his stories among people and change. Through his interest in history, he has traces the transformations that make us what we are today. Science launches us forward into an ever changing universe. Once upon a time, the only changes in peoples lives came with the turning of the seasons and the growing wrinkles on their brows. Today, science drives most of the changes in our daily lives. Still, we can't avoid the pressure of our own awakening hormones or hardening arteries. Mike is happiest when his stories are speeding across thin ice, balanced on the edge of two sharp blades, one anciently human, the other as new as tomorrow's research.
Trained in International Relations and history, salary administration and bargaining, theology and counseling, Mike is having a ball writing about Kris Longknife ... coming of age while the world her grand parents built threatens to crash down around her ears. These are books I think you’ll love ... and my granddaughter and grandsons too!
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, his mother-in-law and any visiting grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, watching grand-children for story ideas and upgrading his computer -- all are never ending.
Mike was born in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital -- and left that town at the age of three days for reasons he does not presently recall. But they had to draft him to get him back there. He missed very little of the rest of the country. Growing up Navy, he lived about everywhere you could park an aircraft carrier.
Mike was one of those college students who didn't have to worry about finding a job after graduation. In 1968, his Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Two days into boot camp, the Army was wondering if they might not have been a bit hasty. Mike ended the day in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Army hospital. Despite most of Mike’s personal war stories being limited to "How I flunked boot camp," he can still write a rollicking good military SF yarns.
Mike didn’t survive all that long as a cab driver (he got lost) or bartender (he made the drinks too strong) but he figured he could at least work for the Navy Department as a budget analyst. Until he spent the whole day trying to balance the barracks accounts for paint. Finally, about quitting time, a grinning senior analyst took him aside and let him in on the secret. They'd hidden the money for refitting a battleship in that little account. Slowly it dawned on Mike that there were a few things about the Navy that even a kid who grew up in it would never understand.
Over the next twenty years, Mike branched out into other genres, including instruction memos, policies, performance standards and even a few labor contracts. All of those, you may notice, lack a certain something. Dialogue ... those things in quotes. In `87, Mike’s big break came. He landed on a two year special project to build a digital map showing where the trees, rivers, roads, Spotted Owls and other critters were in western Oregon. The list went on and on with no end in sight and two years became ten.
Since there was no writing involved in his new day job, Mike had to do something to get the words out. He signed up for a writing class at Clark Community College and proudly turned in a story ... Star Wars shoots down the second coming of Christ.
Two years later, Analog bought "Summer Hopes, Winter Dreams" for the March, 1991 issue. Four years later he sold his first novel. In the ten years since then, Mike’s turned in twelve novels and is researching the next three.
Mike's love for Science Fiction started when he picked up "Rocket Ship Galileo" in the fifth grade, and then proceeded to read every book in the library with a rocket sticker on its spine.
Mike digs for his stories among people and change. Through his interest in history, he has traces the transformations that make us what we are today. Science launches us forward into an ever changing universe. Once upon a time, the only changes in peoples lives came with the turning of the seasons and the growing wrinkles on their brows. Today, science drives most of the changes in our daily lives. Still, we can't avoid the pressure of our own awakening hormones or hardening arteries. Mike is happiest when his stories are speeding across thin ice, balanced on the edge of two sharp blades, one anciently human, the other as new as tomorrow's research.
Trained in International Relations and history, salary administration and bargaining, theology and counseling, Mike is having a ball writing about Kris Longknife ... coming of age while the world her grand parents built threatens to crash down around her ears. These are books I think you’ll love ... and my granddaughter and grandsons too!
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, his mother-in-law and any visiting grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, watching grand-children for story ideas and upgrading his computer -- all are never ending.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 24, 2022
Author Mike Shepherd brings us the tale of how Kris Longknife got into the Navy in the first place and becomes a prequel to the opening book in her saga Mutineer. Kris has just graduated from college and her grandparents both Trouble had come to her graduation while her parents where too busy running the planet. While she was having lunch with her grandparents they asked her what plans she had now that college was over and she had replied that she could be her brother's campaign officer. But as they talked Kris wondered how her parents would feel about her possibly joining one of the armed forces in this case the Navy. It was at the dinner that she had with them that made the choice for her to join. They weren't happy about it at all but she joined and went through the boot camp. This is a great novella and I highly recommend it for all Kris Longknife fans and all science fiction fans too.
February 6, 2025
A nice surprise! I am reading an excellent anthology of Space Opera stories from 26 skilled authors called Infinite Stars Dark Frontiers (which I will review later) where I came across this novella from a series that I initially read long before I learned about the decimal point E-books existing as a concept. I knew novellas were something that I would occasionally find in anthologies but had no way to search for them.
In this story we meet “one of those damn Longknifes” before she ever contemplated joining the Navy. While not earth shattering, we get a glimpse of her life before the Navy & some of the thoughts that inspired her to choose a very different life than her powerful politically motivated family wanted her to live. Since I read the series decades ago it never occurred to me that I should seek out novellas from it. Of course now I have to search for the rest of them! 😁
In this story we meet “one of those damn Longknifes” before she ever contemplated joining the Navy. While not earth shattering, we get a glimpse of her life before the Navy & some of the thoughts that inspired her to choose a very different life than her powerful politically motivated family wanted her to live. Since I read the series decades ago it never occurred to me that I should seek out novellas from it. Of course now I have to search for the rest of them! 😁
December 4, 2022
I was hoping to give a second try at Kris Longknife Series (I gave up on the first book some years ago), so I tried this short story, didn't worked out. The writing is below average (all those "yep").
This was supposed to be set 400 or more years in the future, humanity colonized other planets but we have the main character giving a 100 dollar bill to a janitor who was smoking a cigar and then goes out driving a normal nowadays car. The final scene at the boot camp was kind of pathetic. Will stop here. Knowing this was written after the 20+ books of the main series of Kris Longknife, I'm not touching them.
This was supposed to be set 400 or more years in the future, humanity colonized other planets but we have the main character giving a 100 dollar bill to a janitor who was smoking a cigar and then goes out driving a normal nowadays car. The final scene at the boot camp was kind of pathetic. Will stop here. Knowing this was written after the 20+ books of the main series of Kris Longknife, I'm not touching them.
March 13, 2024
For the most part it's ok. I always wish that inside baseball old school navy stuff was better explain in the series. But since that might be in his orginal first series. Id rather not get the backstory. I tried reading it. It POV hops and moves around so much you can't really get invested with the characters. So, I just packed it in. I saw a great big world build the excution is better in this daughter longknife then in the jump series i think it's called or something.
July 26, 2021
Nice background for Kris Long knife fans
Could have been longer with more details on training. The training such as it was was very lightweight. The book did add some insight to the personality of Kris Long knife.
Could have been longer with more details on training. The training such as it was was very lightweight. The book did add some insight to the personality of Kris Long knife.
August 27, 2021
A good background on what drives Kris
I liked that this filled in some of the holes or questions I had for the past almost twenty years, 18 to be correct. This is probably the shortest book of the series and deals with the least amount of politics.
I liked that this filled in some of the holes or questions I had for the past almost twenty years, 18 to be correct. This is probably the shortest book of the series and deals with the least amount of politics.
October 5, 2021
Welcome back Kris!
Ya, It's been way to many years, and what to many books. But this short, fun read is worth it. I don't like "pre-quills". Think Star Wars. Mostly because I know the story already. Not this one. Mike Shepard tossed in enough tidbits to surprise me. Good job!
Ya, It's been way to many years, and what to many books. But this short, fun read is worth it. I don't like "pre-quills". Think Star Wars. Mostly because I know the story already. Not this one. Mike Shepard tossed in enough tidbits to surprise me. Good job!
February 22, 2022
Short Science Ficition book introducing Kris Longknife as she left life as a politician's daughter and joined the military. Looks like there are about 20 books in this series with a couple of half numbered books. I will get book #1.
January 11, 2024
Short, fast and highly enjoyable look at the chaos a Longknife both attempting to help and attempting to escape the family pressure can cause. Chaos and humour mixed with situations that no-one would expect mixed into one. All because a political princess wants to change her life.
June 23, 2025
Good Read
If there is anything wrong with this book it is the fact that it could have longer.
I would have liked to read more about the fusion of Kris and Tommy’s friendship during their training and more detail of their classroom education.
If there is anything wrong with this book it is the fact that it could have longer.
I would have liked to read more about the fusion of Kris and Tommy’s friendship during their training and more detail of their classroom education.
July 20, 2021
Great origin story
Love the Kris Long knife series and this tells you how Kris joined the Navy and why. Great read, highly recommend.
Love the Kris Long knife series and this tells you how Kris joined the Navy and why. Great read, highly recommend.
July 31, 2021
Fun throwaway
Any Kris Longknife story is worth your time. Even one as short as this one. Nice setup for the series.
Any Kris Longknife story is worth your time. Even one as short as this one. Nice setup for the series.
October 21, 2021
An interesting read that fills in a little bit about how Kris joined the navy. The main problem is that just as it starts to get really interesting it ends.
Read
December 6, 2021I enjoyed this preview. It largely reviewed Kris Longknife Vol 1.
February 24, 2022
Another Great Read
Mike Shepard continues to deliver on stories in this great series. I have yet to be disappointed. It is continues to be one of my favorite series .
Mike Shepard continues to deliver on stories in this great series. I have yet to be disappointed. It is continues to be one of my favorite series .
March 20, 2022
Boot recruit
Good introduction to the Kris Longknife series. Well written introduction to many of the characters who will populate later stories.
Good introduction to the Kris Longknife series. Well written introduction to many of the characters who will populate later stories.
May 24, 2023
Short Story of Kris Longknife's entry into the Navy.
January 11, 2024
Great start to the Longknife saga.
This would be a great first read for someone starting the Longknife saga. It is also a good look at what goes on when one enters the military.
This would be a great first read for someone starting the Longknife saga. It is also a good look at what goes on when one enters the military.
March 28, 2024
Boot Recruit details how Kris went from a socialite to a Navy Ensign. I liked the story.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews