What do you think?
The Ember War Saga #1
The Ember War
Librarian note: Alternative cover editions for this ISBN can be found here and here.
A dire warning. An impending alien invasion. Only one chance for survival.
In the near future, an alien probe arrives on Earth with a pivotal mission—determine if humanity has what it takes to survive the impending invasion by a merciless armada.
The probe discovers Marc Ibarra, a young inventor, who holds the key to a daring gambit that could save a fraction of Earth's population. Humanity's only chance lies with Ibarra's ability to keep a terrible secret and engineer the planet down the narrow path to survival.
Earth will need a fleet. One with a hidden purpose. One strong enough to fight a battle against annihilation.
The Ember War is the first installment in an epic military sci-fi series. If you like A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo and The Last Starship by Vaughn Heppner, then you'll love this explosive adventure with constant thrills and high stakes from cover to cover.
A dire warning. An impending alien invasion. Only one chance for survival.
In the near future, an alien probe arrives on Earth with a pivotal mission—determine if humanity has what it takes to survive the impending invasion by a merciless armada.
The probe discovers Marc Ibarra, a young inventor, who holds the key to a daring gambit that could save a fraction of Earth's population. Humanity's only chance lies with Ibarra's ability to keep a terrible secret and engineer the planet down the narrow path to survival.
Earth will need a fleet. One with a hidden purpose. One strong enough to fight a battle against annihilation.
The Ember War is the first installment in an epic military sci-fi series. If you like A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo and The Last Starship by Vaughn Heppner, then you'll love this explosive adventure with constant thrills and high stakes from cover to cover.
424 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2015
About the author
Richard Fox
161 books624 followersRichard Fox is a Nebula Award nominated author, and winner of the 2017 Dragon Award for Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy novel, author of The Ember War Saga, a military science fiction and space opera series, and other novels in the military history, thriller and space opera genres.
He lives in fabulous Las Vegas with his incredible wife and three boys, amazing children bent on anarchy.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) much to his surprise and spent ten years on active duty in the United States Army. He deployed on two combat tours to Iraq and received the Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation.
The Ember War Saga:
1. The Ember War
2. The Ruins of Anthalas
3. Blood of Heroes
4. Earth Defiant
5. The Gardens of Nibiru
6. Battle of the Void
7. The Siege of Earth
8. The Crucible
9. The Xaros Reckoning
Terran Armored Corps
1. Iron Dragoons
2. The Ibarra Sanction
3. The True Measure
4. A House Divided
5. The Last Aeon
6. Ferrum Corde
Terran Strike Marines
1. The Dotari Salvation
2. Rage of Winter
3. Valdar's Hammer
4. The Beast of Eridu
5. Gott Mit Uns
The Exiled Fleet:
1. Albion Lost
2. The Long March
3. Finest Hour
4. Point of Honor
The Terra Nova Chronicles
1. Terra Nova
2. Bloodlines
3. Wings of Redemption
4. Hale's War
Subscribe to Richard's spam free email list and get free short stories set during the Ember War Saga (and more as they become available) at: http://eepurl.com/bLj1gf
Like him on Facebook (best place to reach him): https://www.facebook.com/Richard-Fox-...
Website: www.richardfoxauthor.com
He lives in fabulous Las Vegas with his incredible wife and three boys, amazing children bent on anarchy.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) much to his surprise and spent ten years on active duty in the United States Army. He deployed on two combat tours to Iraq and received the Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation.
The Ember War Saga:
1. The Ember War
2. The Ruins of Anthalas
3. Blood of Heroes
4. Earth Defiant
5. The Gardens of Nibiru
6. Battle of the Void
7. The Siege of Earth
8. The Crucible
9. The Xaros Reckoning
Terran Armored Corps
1. Iron Dragoons
2. The Ibarra Sanction
3. The True Measure
4. A House Divided
5. The Last Aeon
6. Ferrum Corde
Terran Strike Marines
1. The Dotari Salvation
2. Rage of Winter
3. Valdar's Hammer
4. The Beast of Eridu
5. Gott Mit Uns
The Exiled Fleet:
1. Albion Lost
2. The Long March
3. Finest Hour
4. Point of Honor
The Terra Nova Chronicles
1. Terra Nova
2. Bloodlines
3. Wings of Redemption
4. Hale's War
Subscribe to Richard's spam free email list and get free short stories set during the Ember War Saga (and more as they become available) at: http://eepurl.com/bLj1gf
Like him on Facebook (best place to reach him): https://www.facebook.com/Richard-Fox-...
Website: www.richardfoxauthor.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
April 21, 2016
“They saved him, fed him and showed him what strength really is. And they were all volunteers, every last one of them.No one had to order an American to save the oppressed. It’s part of their nature to see others live free, even at the sacrifice of their own lives.''
he wrote that ,the fucker actually wrote that
that is why you shouldn't read random books from your goodreads feed .
he wrote that ,the fucker actually wrote that
that is why you shouldn't read random books from your goodreads feed .
August 8, 2016
Oh boy, This is one of the worst Sci-Fi books I have ever read. This book ticks all the right boxes if it was written solely for the amusement of white supremacist members.
Stinking Indian - Tick
Evil Chinamen - Tick
Zealot Muslims on a christian enslavement bender - Double Tick
This book is not about the survival of humanity facing the imminent threat of extinction, but about advertising American exceptionalism and its desire to rekindle America after the destruction of planet America.
Stinking Indian - Tick
Evil Chinamen - Tick
Zealot Muslims on a christian enslavement bender - Double Tick
This book is not about the survival of humanity facing the imminent threat of extinction, but about advertising American exceptionalism and its desire to rekindle America after the destruction of planet America.
July 9, 2015
Interesting
Story. I am an avid reader of military sci-fi, and we have found a new author to follow. While the end of humanity plotline is common amongst this genre, how Mr Fox goes about setting the story is different from many of the other novels I have read. He has created a new galaxy to play in, and I have a feeling, this book is only the beginning. This book has excellent pace, and a perfect blend of space battles and ground battles throughout the book. The characters aren't deeply developed, but you get a decent background on them. I wouldn't say this book ends on a cliffhanger, but when you finish a book that leaves the plot open, it makes you crave the next book. Editing could be better, but this is typical for new authors. I found only a few mistakes, and I am not the best writer, as this review is evident, so it is possible I missed some too. Overall I'd give the book 4 1/2 stars. Give this book a read, you will enjoy it.
Story. I am an avid reader of military sci-fi, and we have found a new author to follow. While the end of humanity plotline is common amongst this genre, how Mr Fox goes about setting the story is different from many of the other novels I have read. He has created a new galaxy to play in, and I have a feeling, this book is only the beginning. This book has excellent pace, and a perfect blend of space battles and ground battles throughout the book. The characters aren't deeply developed, but you get a decent background on them. I wouldn't say this book ends on a cliffhanger, but when you finish a book that leaves the plot open, it makes you crave the next book. Editing could be better, but this is typical for new authors. I found only a few mistakes, and I am not the best writer, as this review is evident, so it is possible I missed some too. Overall I'd give the book 4 1/2 stars. Give this book a read, you will enjoy it.
May 25, 2017
Started good, but the prologue doesn't jive with the rest of the book, so I felt let down by that. Also, I couldn't understand the pro-America patriotic slant this book took, given that aliens attack and we should be thinking about unity and trust on a global scale.
June 4, 2016
A thoroughly adequate and by the numbers military sci-fi book that doesn't really bring anything new to the table, stretch any bounds, clear any hurdles, or really do anything that I haven't read in a dozen and one military sci-fi books I can name just off the top of my head right now. Not bad, just kind of generic. If you really want me to sing your praises, you've got to do something a bit more original with the genre than this. I felt like I was reading a novelization of the first episode of the Battlestar Galactica remake through most of the book. So, uh, instead of reading this book, go Netflix Battlestar Galactica, because that series was awesome, despite it's non-ending. This one, eh, I'll give it another book to get its act together and pull itself out of Mehsville. Audible is selling both books as a single audiobook atm, so I might as well.
May 21, 2017
A book that really can't get out of it's own way.
The idea behind the story is actually pretty good. The characters and writing, unfortunately, I found to be problematic. The perspectives are Mr. Space Captain, Mr. Space Marine, Mrs. Fighter Pilot, and Mrs. Moronic Chosen One. None of them are bad, except for the incredibly annoying Mrs. Moronic Chosen One, but each perspective has significant weaknesses.
For Mr. Space Captain the character seems fine but the inability to write the space battles with sufficient clarity about what is actually going on in the bigger picture is an issue.
For Mr. Space Marine it's more of a character problem. For a marine he spend a lot of time dwelling introspectively on his emotions. In a role that demands a fearless grizzled badass you get a guy who can come across as a little... sensitive.
Mrs. Fighter pilot is the best of the bunch. An actual badass but fairly underdeveloped as a character and the most limited page time of the all of them.
Then there is Mrs. Moronic Chosen One. What to even say about her. She's a self absorbed idiot whose only real redeeming value is that she's a chosen one. So, not ideal.
Overall, the strength of the idea makes it an ok book if you can overlook it's flaws but it's not something I'd ever recommend to anybody.
The idea behind the story is actually pretty good. The characters and writing, unfortunately, I found to be problematic. The perspectives are Mr. Space Captain, Mr. Space Marine, Mrs. Fighter Pilot, and Mrs. Moronic Chosen One. None of them are bad, except for the incredibly annoying Mrs. Moronic Chosen One, but each perspective has significant weaknesses.
For Mr. Space Captain the character seems fine but the inability to write the space battles with sufficient clarity about what is actually going on in the bigger picture is an issue.
For Mr. Space Marine it's more of a character problem. For a marine he spend a lot of time dwelling introspectively on his emotions. In a role that demands a fearless grizzled badass you get a guy who can come across as a little... sensitive.
Mrs. Fighter pilot is the best of the bunch. An actual badass but fairly underdeveloped as a character and the most limited page time of the all of them.
Then there is Mrs. Moronic Chosen One. What to even say about her. She's a self absorbed idiot whose only real redeeming value is that she's a chosen one. So, not ideal.
Overall, the strength of the idea makes it an ok book if you can overlook it's flaws but it's not something I'd ever recommend to anybody.
July 19, 2015
A great read...
For the most part, a well written, edited story, that kept me engaged the entire time. I wish it had been longer, but I am definitely looking for more. Keep the story rolling!
For the most part, a well written, edited story, that kept me engaged the entire time. I wish it had been longer, but I am definitely looking for more. Keep the story rolling!
May 30, 2017
While this is an extremely cheesy military scifi book with a interesting story. The horrible pro American / pro western civilization nonsense is pretty damn insulting. i cannot give this more than two stars.
March 26, 2016
Droids! Humanity's last stand! Alien friends and foes! All and more are just a page away in The Ember War-first in an exciting series by Richard Fox. Fox's story starts out with Marc Ibarra, a B- student at an Arizona college who's cell phone won't stop ringing. His answer puts him in contact with an alien probe sent to warn mankind about their impending doom.
The book jumps to 60 years out. Marc and the alien intelligence have helped prepare humanity from the deadly Xaros droids who have so far eradicated all life forms they have encountered. We join a squad of space marines as they make initial contact with the Xaros horde.
The Ember War is a wild ride that details how humanity battles a menacing and intelligent foe. I'd call it hard military science fiction, but without some of the usual drawbacks. Sometimes the characters suffer in military science fiction, but not so here. Our protagonist, Ken Hale, is a very real person who leads an ever-shrinking team against almost impossible odds. The technology is awesome and interesting, but not too heavy. I didn't get lost in it-as can be the case in this genre.
I've read some critical reviews of the ending, but it worked for me. You have to close a book somehow, and the introduction of a new species (friend or foe) left me thirsting for more. Well done, Richard Fox!
I received an ARC copy of The Ember War in exchange for my honest review.
The book jumps to 60 years out. Marc and the alien intelligence have helped prepare humanity from the deadly Xaros droids who have so far eradicated all life forms they have encountered. We join a squad of space marines as they make initial contact with the Xaros horde.
The Ember War is a wild ride that details how humanity battles a menacing and intelligent foe. I'd call it hard military science fiction, but without some of the usual drawbacks. Sometimes the characters suffer in military science fiction, but not so here. Our protagonist, Ken Hale, is a very real person who leads an ever-shrinking team against almost impossible odds. The technology is awesome and interesting, but not too heavy. I didn't get lost in it-as can be the case in this genre.
I've read some critical reviews of the ending, but it worked for me. You have to close a book somehow, and the introduction of a new species (friend or foe) left me thirsting for more. Well done, Richard Fox!
I received an ARC copy of The Ember War in exchange for my honest review.
July 30, 2024
This is an interesting spin on the hostile first contact genre.
The way the book was written makes it hard to distinguish a main character. Multiple groups of people get a decently equal share of page time. I don't think this is a bad thing, it's an interesting way to write a story.
This definitely has a "pro american" vibe, even though the Atlantic Union is an aliance of countries from Europe, North and South America. And it has a few cringy quotes to go along with that "pro american" vibe.
“No one had to order an American to save the oppressed. It’s part of their nature to see others live free, even at the sacrifice of their own lives."
Is a good example of that.
Also purposely modeling the America marines on the Knights Templar and calling their fight against "Muslim Extreamists" a crusade was definitely not a good idea.
“When he was a boy, my grandfather lived in Stockholm. He and his family were there when the Muslims declared the city theirs. They were poor, and didn’t have the money to pay the non-believer tax and wouldn’t convert to Islam, so the Muslims enslaved them all. They murdered my great-grandfather. My great-grandmother didn’t last much longer.
“He was in rags, starving, when the crusade came. He told me stories about the American soldiers, how they looked like knights in their body armor and the red Templar cross on their shoulder. They killed the Islamists, sent the rest of them back to their sand dunes in the Middle East. They saved him, fed him and showed him what strength really is. And they were all volunteers, every last one of of them."
I don't know why this conversation was a part of this book. And I really think it affected it negatively.
I've noticed in other reviews people calling the characters "flat" and I don't think that's fair. The book covers a very small time frame and and very specific set of events. I think it would be unrealistic to see dramatic change in a character so quickly after being introduced to them. This is a 9 or 10 book series after all.
The way the book was written makes it hard to distinguish a main character. Multiple groups of people get a decently equal share of page time. I don't think this is a bad thing, it's an interesting way to write a story.
This definitely has a "pro american" vibe, even though the Atlantic Union is an aliance of countries from Europe, North and South America. And it has a few cringy quotes to go along with that "pro american" vibe.
“No one had to order an American to save the oppressed. It’s part of their nature to see others live free, even at the sacrifice of their own lives."
Is a good example of that.
Also purposely modeling the America marines on the Knights Templar and calling their fight against "Muslim Extreamists" a crusade was definitely not a good idea.
“When he was a boy, my grandfather lived in Stockholm. He and his family were there when the Muslims declared the city theirs. They were poor, and didn’t have the money to pay the non-believer tax and wouldn’t convert to Islam, so the Muslims enslaved them all. They murdered my great-grandfather. My great-grandmother didn’t last much longer.
“He was in rags, starving, when the crusade came. He told me stories about the American soldiers, how they looked like knights in their body armor and the red Templar cross on their shoulder. They killed the Islamists, sent the rest of them back to their sand dunes in the Middle East. They saved him, fed him and showed him what strength really is. And they were all volunteers, every last one of of them."
I don't know why this conversation was a part of this book. And I really think it affected it negatively.
I've noticed in other reviews people calling the characters "flat" and I don't think that's fair. The book covers a very small time frame and and very specific set of events. I think it would be unrealistic to see dramatic change in a character so quickly after being introduced to them. This is a 9 or 10 book series after all.
July 15, 2015
A good opening book into a new sci-fi world. Set in the near future, the plot moves along nicely with enough anticipation and tension to keep the pages turning and wanting to see what would happen. Perhaps just a bit too straight forward of a plot with no real twists or failures by the protagonists. However, with the number of developed characters you could tell this book was setting up the potential to develop a much deeper world and stories as the war with the Xaros continues on. Definitely recommend for a good read!
August 27, 2015
This is quite a good start of a new series in the alien invasion/human survival science fiction genre. It has a certain originality, it is fairly well written and has a decent pace.
I have to say that, based on the book blurb, I did expect a slightly different story. Obviously I cannot reveal anything about the story without spoiling parts of the book but I quite liked how the author has created a somewhat original story on a not so original basic theme.
The book is generally well written as I wrote although the characters are perhaps a bit superficially handled most of the time. It did not disturb me a lot, I rather have somewhat superficial characters than endless monologues, dialogues and introspection, but it also made me feel that there was no character that stood out as the main character, the hero, that you felt like following. Perhaps some of this feeling comes from the fact that although Marc Ibarra should have been the big hero, and technically he is, he is actually not present for most of the book.
The pace of the book is reasonably fast paced and for most of the part it suited me just fine. However I also feel that some parts that I wanted to read about was left out. Specifically, there is a place where the author makes a fast forward over several decennia and that leaves a lot of the story untold. I can understand why the author did it since it made it possible to have more of a surprise effect later in the book but it still feels like a bit of the book was missing.
The authors solution to the “small” problem of a somewhat hostile race with an armada that blots out the sun and the incompatibility of this with the survival of the human race was a bit of a surprise to me. I quite enjoyed his solution. Since this is supposed to be the first book in a series it is hardly a spoiler when I write that the human race, at least some of it, did survive…for now.
The last chapters of the book sets the stage for the books to come and although it would be fair to say that the book does not end in a blatant cliffhanger it does indeed leave quite a few loose ends and questions. It was definitely an enjoyable book for me. Maybe a bit simple and not very deep reading at times but a good adventure with a refreshing originality. I am most certainly going to pick up the next one when it comes out.
I have to say that, based on the book blurb, I did expect a slightly different story. Obviously I cannot reveal anything about the story without spoiling parts of the book but I quite liked how the author has created a somewhat original story on a not so original basic theme.
The book is generally well written as I wrote although the characters are perhaps a bit superficially handled most of the time. It did not disturb me a lot, I rather have somewhat superficial characters than endless monologues, dialogues and introspection, but it also made me feel that there was no character that stood out as the main character, the hero, that you felt like following. Perhaps some of this feeling comes from the fact that although Marc Ibarra should have been the big hero, and technically he is, he is actually not present for most of the book.
The pace of the book is reasonably fast paced and for most of the part it suited me just fine. However I also feel that some parts that I wanted to read about was left out. Specifically, there is a place where the author makes a fast forward over several decennia and that leaves a lot of the story untold. I can understand why the author did it since it made it possible to have more of a surprise effect later in the book but it still feels like a bit of the book was missing.
The authors solution to the “small” problem of a somewhat hostile race with an armada that blots out the sun and the incompatibility of this with the survival of the human race was a bit of a surprise to me. I quite enjoyed his solution. Since this is supposed to be the first book in a series it is hardly a spoiler when I write that the human race, at least some of it, did survive…for now.
The last chapters of the book sets the stage for the books to come and although it would be fair to say that the book does not end in a blatant cliffhanger it does indeed leave quite a few loose ends and questions. It was definitely an enjoyable book for me. Maybe a bit simple and not very deep reading at times but a good adventure with a refreshing originality. I am most certainly going to pick up the next one when it comes out.
August 31, 2021
The Ember War by Richard Fox is the first book in the Ember War Saga. This book is first-rate military science fiction.
In this one most of humankind has been destroyed by a malevolent alien intelligence. Because another alien has previously come to Earth and prepared us, a small portion of the military and a group of colonists are saved and have been brought back to earth to fight the aliens and then to prepare to fight them on a galaxy-wide scale.
This book is action-packed with many space battles as well as Marines in one on one combat with the aliens. It has a few twists and turns that you will not really see coming. It is a great read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Note: I won this book in the "Five Authors - Five Books August give-a-way. It is signed by the author. I really appreciate being chosen as a winner for this month's drawing. :)
In this one most of humankind has been destroyed by a malevolent alien intelligence. Because another alien has previously come to Earth and prepared us, a small portion of the military and a group of colonists are saved and have been brought back to earth to fight the aliens and then to prepare to fight them on a galaxy-wide scale.
This book is action-packed with many space battles as well as Marines in one on one combat with the aliens. It has a few twists and turns that you will not really see coming. It is a great read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Note: I won this book in the "Five Authors - Five Books August give-a-way. It is signed by the author. I really appreciate being chosen as a winner for this month's drawing. :)
January 7, 2019
Quite well written, some good worldbuilding and good ideas, lacking somewhat in character development but all in all a solid 3.
Except that there are some truly appaling views being presented, the whole world is coming to an end and the main character chooses to devise a plan to save a few thousands and chooses only americans based on what most probably is the writers own opinions. Take this quote...
“They saved him, fed him and showed him what strength really is. And they were all volunteers, every last one of them. No one had to order an American to save the oppressed. It’s part of their nature to see others live free, even at the sacrifice of their own lives.''
I mean 'cmon. And I have not even mentioned the muslim takeover in Sweden.
Except that there are some truly appaling views being presented, the whole world is coming to an end and the main character chooses to devise a plan to save a few thousands and chooses only americans based on what most probably is the writers own opinions. Take this quote...
“They saved him, fed him and showed him what strength really is. And they were all volunteers, every last one of them. No one had to order an American to save the oppressed. It’s part of their nature to see others live free, even at the sacrifice of their own lives.''
I mean 'cmon. And I have not even mentioned the muslim takeover in Sweden.
August 12, 2015
In the not too distant future an alien probe lands on Earth with a warning for Humanity. This probe is not just a machine but has a very sophisticated AI, one that allows it to decide what it should do in pursuit of its mission. Earth is in the cross hairs of an alien invasion – one that has decimated civilizations throughout the Galaxy and they only have a limited time before this swarm attacks. The probe chooses a struggling student as its messiah of change ... its a slim hope, but the only one that humanity has!
Read my full review here. Really well written and thought out. Definitely one that I recommend.
Read my full review here. Really well written and thought out. Definitely one that I recommend.
June 7, 2017
Great opening novel.
Marc Ibarra is awakened by a strange call. The result of this call will change his life and quite possibly save humanity. 60 years later mankind will face an enemy like it has never faced before. Ember War is well written with a fast paced story. The characters are enjoyable and the story is intriguing. I really enjoyed this volume and as soon as this review is over I will be downloading the next.
Marc Ibarra is awakened by a strange call. The result of this call will change his life and quite possibly save humanity. 60 years later mankind will face an enemy like it has never faced before. Ember War is well written with a fast paced story. The characters are enjoyable and the story is intriguing. I really enjoyed this volume and as soon as this review is over I will be downloading the next.
November 24, 2015
This is my first time reading Richard Fox.
I enjoyed the book, plenty of action with a strong story line. I bought the next book in the series, The Ruins of Anthalas, so I know what happens next!
I enjoyed the book, plenty of action with a strong story line. I bought the next book in the series, The Ruins of Anthalas, so I know what happens next!
July 17, 2016
Fantastic read!!!
This is one of the best books I have read. It keeps you turning pages, and or emersion reading, even when you know you have other plans.
This is one of the best books I have read. It keeps you turning pages, and or emersion reading, even when you know you have other plans.
March 4, 2018
Awesome book, cant wait to read the next one!
Did Not Finish
July 3, 2020I feel like I should start vetting my authors better....
March 23, 2021
This book was filled with problems that did not make for an enjoyable reading experience. The characters were very thin without any development and completely missing depth. I don’t know what it says that the most compelling characters in the book are the three encased in mech suits that we hardly get any time with.
This story comes from a deeply western centric mentality with the Americans being the perfect heroes saving the day with the Western Europeans riding their coattails against the “Islamic aggressors” who are “driven back to their sand dunes” and the extremely one note and almost rabid seeming portrayal of the Chinese it’s almost a relief when the genocidal aliens show up just to stop that shit. I mean the author briefly talks about a Crusade to free Europe from the enslaving Muslim invasion with damn templar crosses on American Marines. What the literal fuck?
The aliens are fine if rather cookie cutter high tech drone tech. The actually plot seems fine if nothing really exciting or engaging with it being the whole “something about humanity gives hope to the universe that we are the best hope to save everything from the rampaging aliens”. You know despite us being centuries behind the tech curve and over 99% of the world population dead half way through the book.
As you can guess I won’t be finishing the series.
This story comes from a deeply western centric mentality with the Americans being the perfect heroes saving the day with the Western Europeans riding their coattails against the “Islamic aggressors” who are “driven back to their sand dunes” and the extremely one note and almost rabid seeming portrayal of the Chinese it’s almost a relief when the genocidal aliens show up just to stop that shit. I mean the author briefly talks about a Crusade to free Europe from the enslaving Muslim invasion with damn templar crosses on American Marines. What the literal fuck?
The aliens are fine if rather cookie cutter high tech drone tech. The actually plot seems fine if nothing really exciting or engaging with it being the whole “something about humanity gives hope to the universe that we are the best hope to save everything from the rampaging aliens”. You know despite us being centuries behind the tech curve and over 99% of the world population dead half way through the book.
As you can guess I won’t be finishing the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2021
It's a great storyline but the xenophobia was not needed
I really liked the premise and the storyline, but Hated the xenophobia. There was also a paragraph on Muslims taking over a city in Canada till they were freed by us forces- was very strange and had nothing to do with the story at all.
I really liked the premise and the storyline, but Hated the xenophobia. There was also a paragraph on Muslims taking over a city in Canada till they were freed by us forces- was very strange and had nothing to do with the story at all.
March 29, 2021
Multiple other reviews have already mentioned the white supremacist overtones, so please see other 1-star reviews, but some highlights include explicitly stating how americans are the ultimate heroes because they are the ones who self sacrificed to save other european nations from the evil evil Muslims who are trying to take it over. The Chinese also being super evil, and the only ones with whose faces are contorted into "rictus" of hate. The harmful stereotypes for every nationality. How women are the only ones physically described in detail.
Plus, the writing is pretty sub-par & confusing, and the plot seems to mostly ape what you'd expect from bad sci-fi movie special effects.
Since I just came from another military sci-fi series with many white supremacist overtones that somewhat redeemed itself later, I'll give book two a try. We'll see.
Plus, the writing is pretty sub-par & confusing, and the plot seems to mostly ape what you'd expect from bad sci-fi movie special effects.
Since I just came from another military sci-fi series with many white supremacist overtones that somewhat redeemed itself later, I'll give book two a try. We'll see.
June 22, 2016
This was an exciting read, with some sparks of brilliance in between. Some of the action sequences are thrilling and edge-of-the-seat stuff. Richard Fox is a self-published author and hence it was difficult to find references in Google. I believe there is no entry in Wikipedia for him. Seems a shame. I guess publicity will come slowly as word of mouth.
An enjoyable read and I have started on the second installment of the series.
An enjoyable read and I have started on the second installment of the series.
September 20, 2017
Great sci-fi story of a different post-apocalyptic earth and the future of humanity. Well written and thought through with good characterization. I did find some of the technical details confusing in some of the dynamic experiences, but they didn't slow down the pacing or drama enough to hinder the reading experience. The futuristic science fiction technology elements were great.
All together a great read for sci-fi fans.
All together a great read for sci-fi fans.
October 19, 2017
I am very sorry that I didn't leave a review, don't know what came over me! To the book! This book was fast paced and held my attention. What a concept? Yeah, it was a "the earth is doomed to complete destruction" type. But, it is very well done. I liked that it kept me guessing and the end wasn't too bad for the 1st of a series. The characters seemed to be people you know, and you cheer or cry for them. I will follow this series.
June 8, 2016
Pretty good and compelling, can't describe why. But it made me want to read the sequal, to find out more about the Xaros
March 25, 2017
Summary:
This book shares the story of Marc Ibarra, an alien probe, Marine Lieutenant Hale, Captain Valdar, and the star cruiser Breitenfeld. The alien probe arrives to help Marc Ibarra prepare Earth for the coming invasion. A series of events and political assignations end with two super powers fighting for dominance and an arms race. Ultimately this prepares the Naval forces for what was to come when they fight this mysterious enemy force. The survivors of humanity had been tasked to escort a colony mission, but disappeared, only reappearing where they’d left. Only, it wasn’t the same year they’d left. They’d returned 60 years into the future, with Earth wiped out and an alien invasion. If you want to know more, read the book!
Characters:
There were three main characters in this novel; the star cruiser Breitenfeld, Captain Isaac Valdar, Lieutenant Hale, Marc Ibarra and the alien probe. Like most novels with multiple POVs, each one served a unique purpose in the evolution of the plot. Each of these characters were well written, and you could feel enough depth to make them believable.
Breitenfeld: While the ship didn’t have any personality, per say, she was such an integral part of the story that she began to have agency and personhood. I was never a sailor, but I understand our swabbie friends have said similar things about current naval vessels. Like all good weapons of war, human and machine, she begins to show her age as she progresses through the plot. Scars, however, show her character as she bleeds oil and vents atmosphere to protect her crew. The way Richard Fox describes the ship, you could almost believe it was a sentient being!
Captain Isaac Valdar: This character allowed you to see the naval action of the story, always at the tip of the spear in the war against the Xaros alien probes. His position as the ships commander make it extremely plausible for him to be in any action that directly involved the Breitenfeld. He was a troubled man, who’d lost his entire world when Earth was wiped out. I could feel his pain, and it became my pain as I read his story. As an author, if you can make your audience emotionally invested in your characters, you won. Richard Fox did his job, and this character was extremely well flushed out.
Lieutenant Hale: This character allowed you to see the action of the story, always at the tip of the spear in the war against the Xaros alien probes. His position as one of the junior Marine officers, and a member of a special forces wing of the Marine Corps makes it extremely plausible for him to be everywhere when the Gauss Rifles start firing. He was a bit too ‘gung ho’ and competent for a junior officer but otherwise he was flushed out. Admittedly he had a competent senior NCO at his side, but I would’ve preferred to see the LT make a few mistakes so we knew he was, in fact, actually still an LT! I’ll honestly admit, I was an enlisted NCO and the author was an Army officer so some of this is merely a matter of perspective. That aside, the character was likeable and well thought out. I felt he was believable and he showcased the authors own time in the US Army. Overall, an extremely well flushed out character.
Marc Ibarra/Alien Probe: We meet the unnamed alien probe and a young Marc Ibarra at the beginning of this story, and while they don’t get a whole lot of face time they’re both so integral to the story that I feel like they’re defacto main characters. They were flushed out, with just enough information to be believable and yet vague enough we could picture them as embodiments of character archetypes we know and love. They were just the sort of shady that keeps you up at night, and conspiracy theorists spinning circles at the possibilities.
Plot:
This plot moved along at a steady pace, I never felt like it slowed down, which I loved. I loved the detail and precision that Richard Fox payed to the military technology. Further, I liked that he didn’t get bogged down in the science of space travel. He didn’t ignore it, but rather he didn’t get bogged down in it like hard science fiction stories do. As a reader, I don’t care how the space flight works, just that the author had a reason that it did. This novel was heavier on the ground operations than the space combat, but none of it felt lacking. While this novel changed POVs several times, it never felt jarring and the shifts were easy to follow. I read this novel as an eBook, and listened to it as an audiobook via the Whisper Sync feature via Amazon’s pairing with Audible. The plotting was definitely five out of five grenades for me.
World Building:
The world building of this novel was expertly done, and it never felt like it was done as an “info dump.” I felt like the world building in this novel was solid, there was just enough to understand everything. I could picture most of what he described, though it started in “modern” America, which helped me a lot. However, with regards to the space technology, it was persuasively written, believable and fun to imagine myself joining. Now I want my own Gauss Rifle! There were some parts where I felt it was lacking details, but as a lover of stories I recognized them as hooks for what I expect to happen in later novels. I can’t really say anything else here without spoiling it for people who haven’t read the stories, but the world building was a solid five out of five grenades.
Description:
Much like the world building, the detailed descriptions were solidly done. I could envision what he wrote, and I can’t wait for the graphic novel out of this universe! Hint, hint Richard! I definitely feel like the descriptions of this book set the standard, balance the not enough against the too much. In regards to description, this was a success for the author. I’d give this section four point five out of five grenades. There was room to make the descriptions really pop, but it didn’t hurt the overall story for me.
Audio Quality:
I received the audiobook free as a proof of concept from Podium Publishing while in we were in negotiation for my own series. In fact, the quality of this production was why I pushed Boss Man to agree to the contract. The only real complaint the accents of the various characters made them slightly difficult to understand. Because of this, I couldn't tell you a single call sign for the pilots in this novel. Full disclosure, I lost some of my hearing while in the service, so this might just be my own issue. Besides, if this is my only complaint, I call it a win! Five out of five grenades.
Overall:
In spite of my issues with the accents from the narrator, I really enjoyed this novel. The story kept me hooked, and made me want to read the rest of the series. I’ve bought book two and three already! This wasn’t a novel to revolutionize the world, but that isn’t why I read military science fiction. I want explosions, gun fights and cool stories. A few cool aliens wouldn’t hurt, and in every regard Richard Fox delivers! I would even recommend that you buy the novel in the digital AND audio format! Some novel’s I’ve only like enough to check out from the library, but this one you’ll want to buy for your reading pleasure and keep to read again. This was a solid 5 grenades.
This book shares the story of Marc Ibarra, an alien probe, Marine Lieutenant Hale, Captain Valdar, and the star cruiser Breitenfeld. The alien probe arrives to help Marc Ibarra prepare Earth for the coming invasion. A series of events and political assignations end with two super powers fighting for dominance and an arms race. Ultimately this prepares the Naval forces for what was to come when they fight this mysterious enemy force. The survivors of humanity had been tasked to escort a colony mission, but disappeared, only reappearing where they’d left. Only, it wasn’t the same year they’d left. They’d returned 60 years into the future, with Earth wiped out and an alien invasion. If you want to know more, read the book!
Characters:
There were three main characters in this novel; the star cruiser Breitenfeld, Captain Isaac Valdar, Lieutenant Hale, Marc Ibarra and the alien probe. Like most novels with multiple POVs, each one served a unique purpose in the evolution of the plot. Each of these characters were well written, and you could feel enough depth to make them believable.
Breitenfeld: While the ship didn’t have any personality, per say, she was such an integral part of the story that she began to have agency and personhood. I was never a sailor, but I understand our swabbie friends have said similar things about current naval vessels. Like all good weapons of war, human and machine, she begins to show her age as she progresses through the plot. Scars, however, show her character as she bleeds oil and vents atmosphere to protect her crew. The way Richard Fox describes the ship, you could almost believe it was a sentient being!
Captain Isaac Valdar: This character allowed you to see the naval action of the story, always at the tip of the spear in the war against the Xaros alien probes. His position as the ships commander make it extremely plausible for him to be in any action that directly involved the Breitenfeld. He was a troubled man, who’d lost his entire world when Earth was wiped out. I could feel his pain, and it became my pain as I read his story. As an author, if you can make your audience emotionally invested in your characters, you won. Richard Fox did his job, and this character was extremely well flushed out.
Lieutenant Hale: This character allowed you to see the action of the story, always at the tip of the spear in the war against the Xaros alien probes. His position as one of the junior Marine officers, and a member of a special forces wing of the Marine Corps makes it extremely plausible for him to be everywhere when the Gauss Rifles start firing. He was a bit too ‘gung ho’ and competent for a junior officer but otherwise he was flushed out. Admittedly he had a competent senior NCO at his side, but I would’ve preferred to see the LT make a few mistakes so we knew he was, in fact, actually still an LT! I’ll honestly admit, I was an enlisted NCO and the author was an Army officer so some of this is merely a matter of perspective. That aside, the character was likeable and well thought out. I felt he was believable and he showcased the authors own time in the US Army. Overall, an extremely well flushed out character.
Marc Ibarra/Alien Probe: We meet the unnamed alien probe and a young Marc Ibarra at the beginning of this story, and while they don’t get a whole lot of face time they’re both so integral to the story that I feel like they’re defacto main characters. They were flushed out, with just enough information to be believable and yet vague enough we could picture them as embodiments of character archetypes we know and love. They were just the sort of shady that keeps you up at night, and conspiracy theorists spinning circles at the possibilities.
Plot:
This plot moved along at a steady pace, I never felt like it slowed down, which I loved. I loved the detail and precision that Richard Fox payed to the military technology. Further, I liked that he didn’t get bogged down in the science of space travel. He didn’t ignore it, but rather he didn’t get bogged down in it like hard science fiction stories do. As a reader, I don’t care how the space flight works, just that the author had a reason that it did. This novel was heavier on the ground operations than the space combat, but none of it felt lacking. While this novel changed POVs several times, it never felt jarring and the shifts were easy to follow. I read this novel as an eBook, and listened to it as an audiobook via the Whisper Sync feature via Amazon’s pairing with Audible. The plotting was definitely five out of five grenades for me.
World Building:
The world building of this novel was expertly done, and it never felt like it was done as an “info dump.” I felt like the world building in this novel was solid, there was just enough to understand everything. I could picture most of what he described, though it started in “modern” America, which helped me a lot. However, with regards to the space technology, it was persuasively written, believable and fun to imagine myself joining. Now I want my own Gauss Rifle! There were some parts where I felt it was lacking details, but as a lover of stories I recognized them as hooks for what I expect to happen in later novels. I can’t really say anything else here without spoiling it for people who haven’t read the stories, but the world building was a solid five out of five grenades.
Description:
Much like the world building, the detailed descriptions were solidly done. I could envision what he wrote, and I can’t wait for the graphic novel out of this universe! Hint, hint Richard! I definitely feel like the descriptions of this book set the standard, balance the not enough against the too much. In regards to description, this was a success for the author. I’d give this section four point five out of five grenades. There was room to make the descriptions really pop, but it didn’t hurt the overall story for me.
Audio Quality:
I received the audiobook free as a proof of concept from Podium Publishing while in we were in negotiation for my own series. In fact, the quality of this production was why I pushed Boss Man to agree to the contract. The only real complaint the accents of the various characters made them slightly difficult to understand. Because of this, I couldn't tell you a single call sign for the pilots in this novel. Full disclosure, I lost some of my hearing while in the service, so this might just be my own issue. Besides, if this is my only complaint, I call it a win! Five out of five grenades.
Overall:
In spite of my issues with the accents from the narrator, I really enjoyed this novel. The story kept me hooked, and made me want to read the rest of the series. I’ve bought book two and three already! This wasn’t a novel to revolutionize the world, but that isn’t why I read military science fiction. I want explosions, gun fights and cool stories. A few cool aliens wouldn’t hurt, and in every regard Richard Fox delivers! I would even recommend that you buy the novel in the digital AND audio format! Some novel’s I’ve only like enough to check out from the library, but this one you’ll want to buy for your reading pleasure and keep to read again. This was a solid 5 grenades.
January 2, 2024
I'm glad I stumbled into Iron Dragoons first, this book was pretty good and I'm glad I get to learn the lore of the Ironhearts as fabled in Iron Dragoons, but I'm itching to catch up and read the rest of the Terran Armor Corp series
July 20, 2018
Fairly straightforward mil sf. Yes there are some Battlestar Galactica (2004 version) similarities but certainly not so many as to be a retread, unlike what a few other mil sf series on my to read list, that may be.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews