An exciting new entry in the universe of the Fallen Empire. started by The Irish Brigade and continued in Overrun!
When the Empire rises, it's glory and fame for the soldier, but when it falls and you're on the long end of a failing supply chain, you have to wonder what all the dying is for. Terran Union Marine Dave Hernandez fights in the last bitter actions of the Succession Wars, living in the mud and blood as incoming fire decimates his squad, the men he called brothers.
After the inevitable drawdown he finds himself as the crewman of a tramp freighter, running between the worlds of the Demilitarized Zone. The DMZ is a place where not a lot of questions are asked and maybe a veteran can find some peace among the stars. Sure, the ship is war surplus, but so is Hernandez. The fact that there's a group of Private Military Contractors protecting the ship means little to him until Illyrian pirates attack and board the vessel, overwhelming the security detail and forcing the Former Marine to bring back old skills that hadn't died as much as he had thought.
With his competence for war noted and his ship wrecked Hernandez signs on with a mercenary company. Far above his head corporate machinations are aiming to make a killing, playing both sides and sacrificing the men with guns for an immense profit, and lives mean nothing compared to money for the ultra rich. Betrayal follows betrayal and the plan descends into bloodshed and mayhem.
Excellent, well developed and gripping military story telling. Not a single part of this book was out of place. Copy editing was spot on, and at no time was I ever tossed out of the story by a plot hole or inconsistent phrase. Well done, sir!
Also, considering the authors' backgrounds, its no surprise that all the military tactics and procedures were perfectly executed.
Secret plots, ambush and betrayal is what this is all about. Dave is a mechanic on board a freighter doing his business until the freighter gets attacked and the Mercenary squad protecting it was almost wiped out. Dave saved the day and repelled the boarders. This earned him a high paying mercenary gig since he was a former marine and had seen years of combat. After numerous targeted attacks the Jacks commander and staff figured out they were being set up by the people they worked for. Jacks get even and get some. Dave helped settle the score with his squad. Thrilling read worth the time.
The action is almost too realistic, the story us well-paced, and the plot is wonderfully complex. A great addition to the Fallen Empire series- I want more!
"Battle Drills", the 3rd book of the Fall Empire series started off slow (for me) but came together and ended on a high. I hope the next book is as good.