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First Light Chronicles #1
Freeground
The first book in the First Light Chronicles Series. Large enough to support an entire civilization, one of the last free ports all alone in the dark, Freeground Station is about to come under siege. Able to fight off periodical assaults and attempted takeovers in the past, they are losing ground technologically, and with no nearby allies they find themselves resorting to the unorthodox to improve their situation. Jonas Valent, a former engineer with the Freeground Fleet has reduced his professional life as a trade and supply agent, a not so glorified port traffic director. In his spare time he and his friends engage in anonymous combat with anyone who opposes them in station wide simulations. Their success rate and original thinking have earned them the attention of Freeground Fleet Command who have plans for the unsuspecting anonymous team. This book is about how it all began for Jonas and his friends. How they came together and took their first steps out into the galaxy. This is the first installment in the First Light Chronicles Series and can also be found in the First Light Chronicles Omnibus.
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2008
3 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
About the author
Randolph Lalonde
45 books498 followersBorn in 1974, Randolph Lalonde has worked in customer service, sales, played drums for several heavy metal bands you've never heard of, dealt blackjack in a traveling casino, and serviced countless computers. He's also owned businesses in the design, printing, collectible and custom computer fields.
He completed writing his first novel in the fantasy adventure genre at the age of fifteen and has been writing ever since.
He self published his first novel;
Fate Cycle: Sins of the Past in 2004 and after taking a break has begun to release his work again starting with the First Light Chronicles series.
Randolph Lalonde has sold thousands of eBooks to date, enough to keep writing full-time for fifteen years so far. He is deeply grateful for his following of readers and strives to improve his skills to entertain them better. The Spinward Fringe Space Opera series has proven to be his most popular offering.
He currently resides in Sudbury Ontario and manages a chapter a day writing habit.
In his diminishing spare time he reads voraciously, tinkers with design, video editing and reviews the occasional film or television show. A science fiction and fantasy fan, he often comments on the state of the entertainment industry on his website, www.randolphlalonde.com.
He completed writing his first novel in the fantasy adventure genre at the age of fifteen and has been writing ever since.
He self published his first novel;
Fate Cycle: Sins of the Past in 2004 and after taking a break has begun to release his work again starting with the First Light Chronicles series.
Randolph Lalonde has sold thousands of eBooks to date, enough to keep writing full-time for fifteen years so far. He is deeply grateful for his following of readers and strives to improve his skills to entertain them better. The Spinward Fringe Space Opera series has proven to be his most popular offering.
He currently resides in Sudbury Ontario and manages a chapter a day writing habit.
In his diminishing spare time he reads voraciously, tinkers with design, video editing and reviews the occasional film or television show. A science fiction and fantasy fan, he often comments on the state of the entertainment industry on his website, www.randolphlalonde.com.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 30, 2024
Being a fan of Space Opera type adventure, I jumped into this first in the long-running Spinward Fringe series by author Randolph Lalonde without much background. I wanted pew-pew lasers and dramatic adventure.
And mostly got that.
The plot is a little bit of Ender's Game and The Last Starfighter by way of Star Trek, and though I normally hate to make comparisons to other creations in my reviews, Freeground wears its inspiration on its sleeve, its collar, its chest, and any other visible location. That's not a knock against it, but a very clear observation.
The basic plot is that a former member of the space military is goofing around with his buddies in virtual combat sims, the sort they download illegally from the space military because they are hard as heck, and they win so well that the space military decides to draft these layabouts for real.
There's a little more to it, but the backstory is brief. We don't learn much about Freeground Station, the neutral space port that our character inhabit and which is constantly under siege from what seems to be mega corporations who rule entire star systems. The details of the universe are super vague and not wholly unique. It feels like many of the Space Opera settings popular since the 1980s.
One unique facet is that this entire story is first-person. I was not expecting that. We are locked into the view of Captain Jonas Valent for the entire story and there were a lot of other characters I would have loved to get some insight on. His best friend and fighter pilot extraordinaire Minh, his first-officer Oz, survivor of a doomed mission and daughter of a space Admiral, Ayan, any one of these characters would be worth a chapter or two. They are cool and potentially very interesting.
I'm also a little cold on the romantic relationships forced onto us in this initial story. It feels distracting and a little out of place to me, but I realize that others might not feel that way.
So it sounds like I'm whining. Why the positive review?
The action scenes for one! There aren't a lot, but they are frantic and remind me of the best of Star Trek! A siege on the starport is one big highlight and some of the space combat is fun, if a little light.
I also liked the concept of their mission going forward, which is very Voyager-esque and promises greater adventure in future installments.
It's not the best introduction in my mind, but it's solid enough to make me want more. And more is a good thing!
And mostly got that.
The plot is a little bit of Ender's Game and The Last Starfighter by way of Star Trek, and though I normally hate to make comparisons to other creations in my reviews, Freeground wears its inspiration on its sleeve, its collar, its chest, and any other visible location. That's not a knock against it, but a very clear observation.
The basic plot is that a former member of the space military is goofing around with his buddies in virtual combat sims, the sort they download illegally from the space military because they are hard as heck, and they win so well that the space military decides to draft these layabouts for real.
There's a little more to it, but the backstory is brief. We don't learn much about Freeground Station, the neutral space port that our character inhabit and which is constantly under siege from what seems to be mega corporations who rule entire star systems. The details of the universe are super vague and not wholly unique. It feels like many of the Space Opera settings popular since the 1980s.
One unique facet is that this entire story is first-person. I was not expecting that. We are locked into the view of Captain Jonas Valent for the entire story and there were a lot of other characters I would have loved to get some insight on. His best friend and fighter pilot extraordinaire Minh, his first-officer Oz, survivor of a doomed mission and daughter of a space Admiral, Ayan, any one of these characters would be worth a chapter or two. They are cool and potentially very interesting.
I'm also a little cold on the romantic relationships forced onto us in this initial story. It feels distracting and a little out of place to me, but I realize that others might not feel that way.
So it sounds like I'm whining. Why the positive review?
The action scenes for one! There aren't a lot, but they are frantic and remind me of the best of Star Trek! A siege on the starport is one big highlight and some of the space combat is fun, if a little light.
I also liked the concept of their mission going forward, which is very Voyager-esque and promises greater adventure in future installments.
It's not the best introduction in my mind, but it's solid enough to make me want more. And more is a good thing!
February 15, 2020
First in series. Kids playing in video games get pulled by government because they were actually playing real pilots and winning. (In the future). They do so well they are given a star ship and sent on a mission. I said kids but it’s actually 20 somethings.
November 22, 2017
A good start to a space adventure. Good 3/5
March 29, 2019
Excellent military SF.
July 17, 2019
I enjoyed the story, the plot was intriguing although I'm not sure if this is a "war" story or a love story in space.
I have books 2 & 3 so will read them and see how it pans out.
I have books 2 & 3 so will read them and see how it pans out.
November 27, 2019
I have enjoyed this so far, the characters are interesting and developed well, to the point I care what happens to them already. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
May 9, 2016
I think I may have found my next addiction. This space opera has all the shiny stuff I like... high-tech gadgetry, deep space habitats, spaceships with lots of lasers and missiles, really cool characters that may be related to Mary Sue, but you like them anyway because the personality works.
Jonas Scott Valant is just not motivated to excel. In fact, the only thing he pursues with any gusto is his space combat simulations. He and his group of network friends have become so good that they just can't settle for the 'simple' simulations anymore, but instead crack into the Freeground military simulations to test their skills there. Unfortunately, they are so good, they bring too much attention to themselves. Now, Valant, and his friends are stuck with a choice, face charges for espionage, or prove their worth to the fleet admiralty by passing a test, one where fail means jail! How's that for motivation!
This one is just the beginning, and quite short, but I was hooked from page one. I'll be moving on to the next immediately. This one was an four star for me, and I call it an Engaging Read.
Read as part of the Spinward Fringe: Broadcast 0: Origins Omnibus edition.
Jonas Scott Valant is just not motivated to excel. In fact, the only thing he pursues with any gusto is his space combat simulations. He and his group of network friends have become so good that they just can't settle for the 'simple' simulations anymore, but instead crack into the Freeground military simulations to test their skills there. Unfortunately, they are so good, they bring too much attention to themselves. Now, Valant, and his friends are stuck with a choice, face charges for espionage, or prove their worth to the fleet admiralty by passing a test, one where fail means jail! How's that for motivation!
This one is just the beginning, and quite short, but I was hooked from page one. I'll be moving on to the next immediately. This one was an four star for me, and I call it an Engaging Read.
Read as part of the Spinward Fringe: Broadcast 0: Origins Omnibus edition.
August 31, 2024
3.5*
I enjoyed this first volume in the First Light Chronicles more than I anticipated. Military science fiction varies for me; I enjoy some, but others are way too focused on the weaponry and the battles than I care for. This one has those things, but there's also some character development and a story about the people on the ship, too. This is a short work (I read as part of an omnibus edition), but seemed to draw me in so that I would be ready to read the continuation of the story. After this series, the author continued with a follow-up Spinward Fringe series.
The book begins with a group that has hacked into military simulations and consistently bests all opponents. The military takes an interest and makes them offers they can't refuse (or they may be charged with various cybercrimes); then there's more... which I won't spoil.
While reading, I was reminded by various aspects of the story, of parts of the following books, TV series, and movies. If you liked these, you might find parts of this work of interest, too. Ender's Game (more the book), The Last Starfighter, WarGames, Star Trek: TOS, and others of the most popular TV series of the past. That shows some of my own reading/viewing tastes over the years.
I enjoyed this first volume in the First Light Chronicles more than I anticipated. Military science fiction varies for me; I enjoy some, but others are way too focused on the weaponry and the battles than I care for. This one has those things, but there's also some character development and a story about the people on the ship, too. This is a short work (I read as part of an omnibus edition), but seemed to draw me in so that I would be ready to read the continuation of the story. After this series, the author continued with a follow-up Spinward Fringe series.
The book begins with a group that has hacked into military simulations and consistently bests all opponents. The military takes an interest and makes them offers they can't refuse (or they may be charged with various cybercrimes); then there's more... which I won't spoil.
While reading, I was reminded by various aspects of the story, of parts of the following books, TV series, and movies. If you liked these, you might find parts of this work of interest, too. Ender's Game (more the book), The Last Starfighter, WarGames, Star Trek: TOS, and others of the most popular TV series of the past. That shows some of my own reading/viewing tastes over the years.
January 27, 2013
I thought i would give this book a shot. I understand the book has been self published and could probably do with a skilled editor (though the book is free of spelling and grammatical errors which is better than most).
Some of the characters and interactions are linear and simple. A science fiction book also presumes some understanding of science, even if it is twisted with a bit of imagination to make at least seem plausible. A non-dirty nuclear weapon, which Lalonde names a super nuke, seems just a tad unimaginative and not particularly plausible, especially when you consider later in the story the talk of a two hundred year old ship capable of regenerating internal structure, along with weapons systems which automatically replenish there own weapon stores. Why not invent / describe something new or at least keep tech levels plausibly comparable.
The story is certainly interesting and it will be interesting to see where it leads. I certainly give him points for getting on and doing what he loves, it is also a great idea if you self publish to provide the first book in the series for free, it is a very good hook.
Some of the characters and interactions are linear and simple. A science fiction book also presumes some understanding of science, even if it is twisted with a bit of imagination to make at least seem plausible. A non-dirty nuclear weapon, which Lalonde names a super nuke, seems just a tad unimaginative and not particularly plausible, especially when you consider later in the story the talk of a two hundred year old ship capable of regenerating internal structure, along with weapons systems which automatically replenish there own weapon stores. Why not invent / describe something new or at least keep tech levels plausibly comparable.
The story is certainly interesting and it will be interesting to see where it leads. I certainly give him points for getting on and doing what he loves, it is also a great idea if you self publish to provide the first book in the series for free, it is a very good hook.
December 12, 2016
Wow! I think I have been waiting years for a series like this to come around.
Not only have I read it, but I have read the series... from the first book to the newest, each time a new book comes out!
I love 89% of the characters, and hate the rest.
Wait, that's not a baad thing! Some of the characters are truly worthy of disdain, dislike and rooting for their demise! (In my humble opinion, anyway.)
If you are not familiar with this author, or with this series, do yourself a favor and start NOW! You may find that you, too, want to reread these many times in the future, just to be close to your favorite characters.
Not only have I read it, but I have read the series... from the first book to the newest, each time a new book comes out!
I love 89% of the characters, and hate the rest.
Wait, that's not a baad thing! Some of the characters are truly worthy of disdain, dislike and rooting for their demise! (In my humble opinion, anyway.)
If you are not familiar with this author, or with this series, do yourself a favor and start NOW! You may find that you, too, want to reread these many times in the future, just to be close to your favorite characters.
October 3, 2012
I picked this book up for free on my Kindle app, with no idea what it was. From the very first paragraph, Lalonde had me hooked. I was immediately thrown into the action, and I loved it. The book evoked just the right amount of emotional response, just the right amount of anxiousness for the future storyline, and did a glorious job of making me fall in love with the characters. I was delighted to find that it was part of a series, and I very much look forward to reading the rest! A fabulous read!
May 19, 2010
Picked this up free (ebook) from a site called smashwords. It immediately set its pace from the first page and was a great read. I have managed to read through all three in this novella series in about 2 days. The story is tight, the characters believable, many ways he could have expanded plots and subplots, but it didn't matter the story kept me interested til the last page.
June 17, 2013
This is my all time FAVORITE scifi series, possibly my favorite of any genre. The only problem is i get hacked off every time I read it cause it isnt long enough, short books, is actually pretty frustrating ;).
December 28, 2014
Interesting enough to keep reading but at no point does this book every touch anything serious or challenging. The best description I can give is that it's a great snack, you're going to enjoy it but it's not going to benefit, overwhelm you or make you emotional in any way.
July 16, 2013
really enjoyed the book. this book really reminded me of star trek. being awesome, since I absolutely love star trek. awesome quick read.
March 18, 2017
The story line was interesting enough to make we want to read more books in the series.
July 14, 2016
Loved the book and want to read more in the series
September 24, 2012
Good story, even with a few grammatical & plausibility issues. Enjoyable characters.
May 11, 2013
You can find this for free - quick read space opera. Enjoyable
March 10, 2014
Definitely drew me into the series. Looking forward to seeing where it goes.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews