What do you think?
Rate this book
SSG Vanhorn #4
Conquest
Things are dire for the survivors on Leonis B
The Orrkasi army is focused on only one thing…
Finding and killing Staff Sergeant Eli Vanhorn.
Since being stranded on the planet Leonis B, Staff Sergeant Eli “Van” Vanhorn has worked tirelessly to protect the people he cares about. But his attacks on the Orrkasi aliens who are working to exploit the planet’s resources have forced his hand. The only real hope for the survivors of the Rihla is the arrival of Fleet, and it’s up to Staff Sergeant Vanhorn to keep his people alive until until help can reach them.
In the most action packed book of the series, Conquest is a high octane military sci-fi adventure that you won’t be able to put down. With all the ups and downs you’ve come to expect from this bestselling series, Conquest is the book you’ve been waiting for. From the mind of master storyteller Toby Neighbors, comes the Staff Sergeant’s biggest adventure yet. If you loved First Blood, Ender’s Game, and the Frontline series, you’ll love Conquest.
The Orrkasi army is focused on only one thing…
Finding and killing Staff Sergeant Eli Vanhorn.
Since being stranded on the planet Leonis B, Staff Sergeant Eli “Van” Vanhorn has worked tirelessly to protect the people he cares about. But his attacks on the Orrkasi aliens who are working to exploit the planet’s resources have forced his hand. The only real hope for the survivors of the Rihla is the arrival of Fleet, and it’s up to Staff Sergeant Vanhorn to keep his people alive until until help can reach them.
In the most action packed book of the series, Conquest is a high octane military sci-fi adventure that you won’t be able to put down. With all the ups and downs you’ve come to expect from this bestselling series, Conquest is the book you’ve been waiting for. From the mind of master storyteller Toby Neighbors, comes the Staff Sergeant’s biggest adventure yet. If you loved First Blood, Ender’s Game, and the Frontline series, you’ll love Conquest.
- GenresScience Fiction
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2021
81 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 16, 2021
The battle rages on
Enjoyed The Adventures of Van. Thought at first it was like hey only aliens get killed. No so. The ending was a bit of a surprise but actually it had to end this way. My fave character is Mook, of course. My biggest disappointment is -Havvar was run over by orc’s. Yet we have a new strange machine starting to send out signals. No where will this lead. More questions than answers. So have to read the next book
Enjoyed The Adventures of Van. Thought at first it was like hey only aliens get killed. No so. The ending was a bit of a surprise but actually it had to end this way. My fave character is Mook, of course. My biggest disappointment is -Havvar was run over by orc’s. Yet we have a new strange machine starting to send out signals. No where will this lead. More questions than answers. So have to read the next book
October 3, 2021
This book is a continuation of the other three, but now SSG Vanhorn seems to have everything under control and all the troops with him are working towards the same goal. And that goal is to get some communications up and trying to contact the Fleet. They have Trip building the comm equipment needed to do just that. SSG Vanhorn is going to take a team out to find different locations from which to transmit their signal and then move on. They know the Orcs can detect the signal when it goes out so they can't turn the comm equipment on inside Havvar.
So, the three Marines, SSG Vanhorn, Sgt Baker and Private Trix, were out setting up the comm gear and now being chased by the Orcs. To their displeasure, they soon found out that the Orcs had adapted the recovered human laser rifles to their use and now had the same kind of range as the Marines. That was going to complicate things. SSG Vanhorn didn't know the range of the Orcs lasers, but he had to assume they were just as good as what he had. So a big advantage he formerly had was now go. The other problem was that the Orcs were modifying their tactics somewhat. Instead of charging directly for his team, they were holding back and just trailing the humans in hopes of following them all the way back to Havvar. That wasn't going to happen. SSG Vanhorn would die before he lead the Orcs back to what would be a slaughter of his friends in the underground city.
They finally get some good news for a change. The Fleet has actually arrived in the system and has contacted the survivors. They indicate that there are three Orc starships orbiting the planet that the survivors are on, so it will take awhile before a rescue effort can be made. SSG Vanhorn and all the Rhila survivors now have some thing to really fight for. Yet, the Orcs seem to also know that time is getting short for them to capture and kill these pesky humans. They are throwing everything they have at the effort and SSG Vanhorn is seeing thousands of Orcs now swarming in the mountains. He knows with a lot of certainty that he can't kill them all and he hopes that he can just keep Trix and Baker alive for now.
Then, after all the great news about the Fleet, they get the news from the Fleet Admiral that they have taken heavy damages and can't manage a rescue mission right now or in the foreseeable future. He tells the Rhila survivors they must continue the fight as well as they can. SSG Vanhorn's troubles are now just beginning. While they have been careful not to transmit from the underground city, the alien machine that built all the facilities comes to life and is transmitting and the survivors can't shut it down. The Orcs know where they are hiding and are coming for them.
Great story and good writing. Gets really suspenseful and tragic at times. SSG Vanhorn's skills are amazing and his body is holding up remarkably well. This story continues with book 5, "Occupation".
So, the three Marines, SSG Vanhorn, Sgt Baker and Private Trix, were out setting up the comm gear and now being chased by the Orcs. To their displeasure, they soon found out that the Orcs had adapted the recovered human laser rifles to their use and now had the same kind of range as the Marines. That was going to complicate things. SSG Vanhorn didn't know the range of the Orcs lasers, but he had to assume they were just as good as what he had. So a big advantage he formerly had was now go. The other problem was that the Orcs were modifying their tactics somewhat. Instead of charging directly for his team, they were holding back and just trailing the humans in hopes of following them all the way back to Havvar. That wasn't going to happen. SSG Vanhorn would die before he lead the Orcs back to what would be a slaughter of his friends in the underground city.
They finally get some good news for a change. The Fleet has actually arrived in the system and has contacted the survivors. They indicate that there are three Orc starships orbiting the planet that the survivors are on, so it will take awhile before a rescue effort can be made. SSG Vanhorn and all the Rhila survivors now have some thing to really fight for. Yet, the Orcs seem to also know that time is getting short for them to capture and kill these pesky humans. They are throwing everything they have at the effort and SSG Vanhorn is seeing thousands of Orcs now swarming in the mountains. He knows with a lot of certainty that he can't kill them all and he hopes that he can just keep Trix and Baker alive for now.
Then, after all the great news about the Fleet, they get the news from the Fleet Admiral that they have taken heavy damages and can't manage a rescue mission right now or in the foreseeable future. He tells the Rhila survivors they must continue the fight as well as they can. SSG Vanhorn's troubles are now just beginning. While they have been careful not to transmit from the underground city, the alien machine that built all the facilities comes to life and is transmitting and the survivors can't shut it down. The Orcs know where they are hiding and are coming for them.
Great story and good writing. Gets really suspenseful and tragic at times. SSG Vanhorn's skills are amazing and his body is holding up remarkably well. This story continues with book 5, "Occupation".
July 8, 2021
Book 4 is the extension past what was planned (I think) to be a 3 part series, except the series is doing so well that it made sense to extend it out to five or six books.
I don't have a problem with that. Except...
What Eli does in book 4 is at least as much as he did in the first three books. He takes down multiple transport and gun ships, he faces 2000 orkassi and comes away mostly unharmed, and he leads the comms team that brings the fleet back to the system.
All in one book. In the first three, Eli was a stealth fighter for the most part, and it worked really well. It's what made the series interesting and worth reading, but this is too much.
Like another reviewer said, it's like he's Rambo now. Yes, he does have help along the way, but it's too much.
As for the ending, i won't spoil it, but I was disappointed. Yes, it means there will be a book five, but I thought it was unnecessary to be honest.
I'm still giving this book a 5/5* because I did enjoy it, even as the level of incredulity increased. This is my favorite series so far from the author, but we'll see if that changes with book five.
5/5*
I don't have a problem with that. Except...
What Eli does in book 4 is at least as much as he did in the first three books. He takes down multiple transport and gun ships, he faces 2000 orkassi and comes away mostly unharmed, and he leads the comms team that brings the fleet back to the system.
All in one book. In the first three, Eli was a stealth fighter for the most part, and it worked really well. It's what made the series interesting and worth reading, but this is too much.
Like another reviewer said, it's like he's Rambo now. Yes, he does have help along the way, but it's too much.
As for the ending, i won't spoil it, but I was disappointed. Yes, it means there will be a book five, but I thought it was unnecessary to be honest.
I'm still giving this book a 5/5* because I did enjoy it, even as the level of incredulity increased. This is my favorite series so far from the author, but we'll see if that changes with book five.
5/5*
May 13, 2023
I started this book thinking the author was just dragging this out, much of the action is basically the same, fighting against overwhelming odds and surviving only by the ‘skin of their teeth’. Even the discussions before each action seemed the same.
Eventually the Fleet turns up, but apparently, according to the author these battleships are incapable of attacking troops on the ground, so we have yet another battle with ‘Vanhorn’ against overwhelming odds.
I gave the first book in this series four stars, but my ratings have steadily dropped until I gave just one star for this book. The author just takes too many liberties to keep the story going in the way that he wants and in the end the numerous irritations finally got to me.
I find it totally unbelievable that three battleships are incapable of providing any assistance against idiot grunts on the ground.
The admiral even watched as the Orcs lost all their gunships and hundreds of troops to just three marines, but still did nothing. This decision has just labelled the Admiral an incompetent coward.
Eventually the Fleet turns up, but apparently, according to the author these battleships are incapable of attacking troops on the ground, so we have yet another battle with ‘Vanhorn’ against overwhelming odds.
I gave the first book in this series four stars, but my ratings have steadily dropped until I gave just one star for this book. The author just takes too many liberties to keep the story going in the way that he wants and in the end the numerous irritations finally got to me.
I find it totally unbelievable that three battleships are incapable of providing any assistance against idiot grunts on the ground.
The admiral even watched as the Orcs lost all their gunships and hundreds of troops to just three marines, but still did nothing. This decision has just labelled the Admiral an incompetent coward.
July 5, 2021
This can’t be the end of the story if so somewhat disappointing.
I must admit after reading this book it was a good page turner. I just didn’t like the fact that it’s been left open ended. There was so much to finish that the author didn’t do in this abbreviated book.
The world this book takes place and it’s worth revisiting possibly with different characters what about the city? Whom was the drone signaling? Will the fleet come back and take the planet? These are all answers that need to be resolved. Hopefully they’ll be another book. My personal opinion is I don’t like open ended books or cliffhangers.
I must admit after reading this book it was a good page turner. I just didn’t like the fact that it’s been left open ended. There was so much to finish that the author didn’t do in this abbreviated book.
The world this book takes place and it’s worth revisiting possibly with different characters what about the city? Whom was the drone signaling? Will the fleet come back and take the planet? These are all answers that need to be resolved. Hopefully they’ll be another book. My personal opinion is I don’t like open ended books or cliffhangers.
July 23, 2021
This is the last book in the series and it's the best!!!
Without a doubt, this book has become my favorite in a very long list of military sci-fi, and with good reason. The world is alive and full of action and is a bit like watching the movie Die Hard for the first time. You think you see where the book is going, and you start to feel every hit and ache as the hero that is a veteran maintains his ideology in the face of some dire consequences. He is a Marine and he has a mission and it was an utter joy to follow him on.
Without a doubt, this book has become my favorite in a very long list of military sci-fi, and with good reason. The world is alive and full of action and is a bit like watching the movie Die Hard for the first time. You think you see where the book is going, and you start to feel every hit and ache as the hero that is a veteran maintains his ideology in the face of some dire consequences. He is a Marine and he has a mission and it was an utter joy to follow him on.
September 2, 2021
Review for all four books
Staff Sgt Vanhorn has to be the luckiest man alive. He is a no nonsence TAC Marine who overcomes the odds with shear willpower.
The books are well written, for military scifi of course, with some great and some very bad characters. The story is decent, the plot is okay, nothing much new or special.
But it all comes down to what my drill sgt told me WAY BACK in 1965 when I graduated from boot camp. "Congratulations, you are now MEAN GREEN KILLING MACHINES".
Semper fi
Staff Sgt Vanhorn has to be the luckiest man alive. He is a no nonsence TAC Marine who overcomes the odds with shear willpower.
The books are well written, for military scifi of course, with some great and some very bad characters. The story is decent, the plot is okay, nothing much new or special.
But it all comes down to what my drill sgt told me WAY BACK in 1965 when I graduated from boot camp. "Congratulations, you are now MEAN GREEN KILLING MACHINES".
Semper fi
July 2, 2021
Difficult to rate
In many ways a really good book but in some ways it felt like reading Rambo. I personally would not give good odds to one person versus 2,000 but that is what you have here. If one can get past the Rambo characterization plot it reads good. The book sets up for a next book without leaving too many incomplete plots. I will be reading the next one in the series
In many ways a really good book but in some ways it felt like reading Rambo. I personally would not give good odds to one person versus 2,000 but that is what you have here. If one can get past the Rambo characterization plot it reads good. The book sets up for a next book without leaving too many incomplete plots. I will be reading the next one in the series
December 16, 2021
Soon got gripped
Soon got gripped into vans story and couldn't put it down. It was great how van managed to ahh there I go again running my fingers off i should know better. Stick to facts without story, it's a good book you want to read cover to cover without a break. If you a fast reader and single then maybe try it but if you like me got a other half set a timer or expect a clip for ignoring them lol. Read and enjoy
Soon got gripped into vans story and couldn't put it down. It was great how van managed to ahh there I go again running my fingers off i should know better. Stick to facts without story, it's a good book you want to read cover to cover without a break. If you a fast reader and single then maybe try it but if you like me got a other half set a timer or expect a clip for ignoring them lol. Read and enjoy
July 10, 2021
Disappointed
I gave the book 4 stars because it doesn't feel complete. Does Vanhorn survive to be rescued? What about the relationship with Holly? To much left unanswered but that didn't mean I hated the story just the ending. Keep up the good work and don't leave hanging again. Lol
I gave the book 4 stars because it doesn't feel complete. Does Vanhorn survive to be rescued? What about the relationship with Holly? To much left unanswered but that didn't mean I hated the story just the ending. Keep up the good work and don't leave hanging again. Lol
September 11, 2021
Adapt, improvise and overcome!
Semper Fi SSG Vanhorn! Van displays the true ethos of both a Marine and a warrior as he continues to find ways to disrupt the enemy trying to wipe out their small band of survivors. He refuses to give up despite huge amounts of pain on his part while driving on with the mission.
Semper Fi SSG Vanhorn! Van displays the true ethos of both a Marine and a warrior as he continues to find ways to disrupt the enemy trying to wipe out their small band of survivors. He refuses to give up despite huge amounts of pain on his part while driving on with the mission.
January 25, 2022
entertaining
It seems like I can’t read for 10 minutes without some kind of action. Sometimes it is frustrating that things go so wrong, but like super heroes, there’s always a way. The scenarios push the limits of believing. I do believe the entire collection will be read… I’ll have to mix some other reading, just so I can get some rest.
It seems like I can’t read for 10 minutes without some kind of action. Sometimes it is frustrating that things go so wrong, but like super heroes, there’s always a way. The scenarios push the limits of believing. I do believe the entire collection will be read… I’ll have to mix some other reading, just so I can get some rest.
January 29, 2023
welllll… technically and tactically inept… but I’ve read 3 so far.
It’s a lotta era era; and slightly annoying to have 20th century technology and medicine, in the 24th 25th century,… and the book starts with the invincible orcs, but they’ve got the worst weapons, chips, armor training, tactics, motivation,. It’s a shit show of a race, they sure have kicked the humans butts.
It’s a lotta era era; and slightly annoying to have 20th century technology and medicine, in the 24th 25th century,… and the book starts with the invincible orcs, but they’ve got the worst weapons, chips, armor training, tactics, motivation,. It’s a shit show of a race, they sure have kicked the humans butts.
June 26, 2021
I found this book to be a disappointing conclusion to a drawn out series. Book three ended with a promise of wrapping up the story arc. Instead it ends with out resolving many of the questions the first three books setup. Why were the Orc's on the planet, what about the new element they found, potential love interests etc... all go unanswered.
June 27, 2021
Great Story
I have enjoyed this story line Vanhorn a really good character his spirit and his purpose sacrifice for others. I believe when other people get to reading this series they will enjoy it as well looking forward to the next book
I have enjoyed this story line Vanhorn a really good character his spirit and his purpose sacrifice for others. I believe when other people get to reading this series they will enjoy it as well looking forward to the next book
June 27, 2021
The end of series?
Disappointing end of this series? We follow the progress of our protagonist through many “challenges” and are left with his isolation on a planet still full of the “opposition” who are trying to kill him?
Disappointing end of this series? We follow the progress of our protagonist through many “challenges” and are left with his isolation on a planet still full of the “opposition” who are trying to kill him?
August 13, 2021
SSG Van Horn Getting Back Up
This is a resurrection story of a Marine who is counted out, but isn’t done yet. Fast paced, good characters, and a story of winning against all odds repeatedly. All four books were great stories.
This is a resurrection story of a Marine who is counted out, but isn’t done yet. Fast paced, good characters, and a story of winning against all odds repeatedly. All four books were great stories.
January 1, 2022
Great Read
Book 4 just keeps moving along as it cotinues the story of SSG Vanhorn as he continues his one man war on the Orks With help from fellow survivors and new allies they finally hear from the fleet but are far from being rescued as the fight continues.
Book 4 just keeps moving along as it cotinues the story of SSG Vanhorn as he continues his one man war on the Orks With help from fellow survivors and new allies they finally hear from the fleet but are far from being rescued as the fight continues.
April 15, 2022
This is the best yet!
Even better action with plot twists and characters showing their true metal! I couldn't put this story down, reading it wherever or however I had the chance! I'm sure you will find it difficult also!
Even better action with plot twists and characters showing their true metal! I couldn't put this story down, reading it wherever or however I had the chance! I'm sure you will find it difficult also!
October 18, 2023
Looking for more
Tha action never stops.Always looking for the next scene I got so caught up with the story I couldn't put the book down.Cant wait to read the next book in the series.
Tha action never stops.Always looking for the next scene I got so caught up with the story I couldn't put the book down.Cant wait to read the next book in the series.
June 29, 2021
Say van is my hero
All or toby,s books are first class. I.hope
He continues adding new books and continuance of these series. Go go ssg van.
All or toby,s books are first class. I.hope
He continues adding new books and continuance of these series. Go go ssg van.
July 6, 2021
Great series!
I've read all 4 books so far in the series and can't wait for the next one to be released. This is a good writer!
I've read all 4 books so far in the series and can't wait for the next one to be released. This is a good writer!
December 13, 2025
Great action writing
Loving the series, I'm devouring the books. Looking forward to reading the next in the series then checking 9ut the author's other work.
Loving the series, I'm devouring the books. Looking forward to reading the next in the series then checking 9ut the author's other work.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews