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ISC Fleet #5
Alert Status One
The People of Traenah faced a terrible disaster. The comet was coming. It would certainly strike at a predictable time and place. There could be no question about that. The immutable laws of the universe demanded it.
The approaching cataclysm silenced wars and joined bitter enemies together to find a way out. A way to somewhere else. Anywhere, else, where they could survive.
Amid this crisis, hard science and mystical religion battled for the soul of a modern society. Some chose to escape certain death, others to embrace it as a moment of supernatural transformation.
The sudden appearance of a strange alien offering rescue only served to harden their resistance.
Xenophobic, and warlike, they would prove an unusual challenge for the Fleet.
And David Powell's first cruise in command of Onizuka would not go at all as he had planned.
The approaching cataclysm silenced wars and joined bitter enemies together to find a way out. A way to somewhere else. Anywhere, else, where they could survive.
Amid this crisis, hard science and mystical religion battled for the soul of a modern society. Some chose to escape certain death, others to embrace it as a moment of supernatural transformation.
The sudden appearance of a strange alien offering rescue only served to harden their resistance.
Xenophobic, and warlike, they would prove an unusual challenge for the Fleet.
And David Powell's first cruise in command of Onizuka would not go at all as he had planned.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2022
112 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Rock Whitehouse
13 books19 followersRock grew up in Westlake, Ohio, a far-western suburb of Cleveland, back when it was mostly farms and grape vineyards. He and other kids his age picked grapes in the summer. There were plenty of open fields and woods to explore and Rock and his friends spent much of their 'idle' time outside getting dirty.
After Westlake High School, he joined the US Air Force where he was assigned to technical intelligence work at NSA/Fort Meade, MD, Shemya AFB (now Eareckson Air Station), and SAC HQ at Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska.
After service he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biology, studying first at Lorain County Community College and then Cleveland State University, under the GI Bill. Rock has always praised the education he got, calling it the best cheap education anyone could ask for.
He started in the hospital lab as an ASCP-registered Medical Technologist, but soon transitioned to managing the lab information system, and eventually set off as a contractor to develop an Anatomic Pathology System for 3M. This was one of the first significant lab products founded on Unix, a window-based user interface, and a commercial relational database. Some years later he was a senior software engineer on the ALS->HBO&Co->McKesson->Allscripts Horizon Lab system. (M&A is such fun for the employees, right?)
In a way, he's always been a writer, He wrote sci-fi stories in long hand on notebook paper in middle school. (Thankfully those are all lost to posterity) Even at NSA he was known for the ability to write clear, accurate daily reports and this continued into his IT days, where documentation and explanation was (and still is) so important. He's always wanted to write 'for real' and with his retirement he's run out of excuses.
Of course, he's never been all work and no play so together with his long-suffering (like, 43 years long) wife Carey, he has two wonderful daughters, an equal number of exceptional sons-in-law, and five just-as-wonderful grandchildren. Together they are the glue of his life and a constant source of enjoyment.
Otherwise, Rock is an instrument rated private pilot and has owned two airplanes. The first was a beautiful 1968 Beech Musketeer, the second a 1964 Cessna 210D. He is currently planeless.
Rock is a member of SFWA.
After Westlake High School, he joined the US Air Force where he was assigned to technical intelligence work at NSA/Fort Meade, MD, Shemya AFB (now Eareckson Air Station), and SAC HQ at Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska.
After service he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biology, studying first at Lorain County Community College and then Cleveland State University, under the GI Bill. Rock has always praised the education he got, calling it the best cheap education anyone could ask for.
He started in the hospital lab as an ASCP-registered Medical Technologist, but soon transitioned to managing the lab information system, and eventually set off as a contractor to develop an Anatomic Pathology System for 3M. This was one of the first significant lab products founded on Unix, a window-based user interface, and a commercial relational database. Some years later he was a senior software engineer on the ALS->HBO&Co->McKesson->Allscripts Horizon Lab system. (M&A is such fun for the employees, right?)
In a way, he's always been a writer, He wrote sci-fi stories in long hand on notebook paper in middle school. (Thankfully those are all lost to posterity) Even at NSA he was known for the ability to write clear, accurate daily reports and this continued into his IT days, where documentation and explanation was (and still is) so important. He's always wanted to write 'for real' and with his retirement he's run out of excuses.
Of course, he's never been all work and no play so together with his long-suffering (like, 43 years long) wife Carey, he has two wonderful daughters, an equal number of exceptional sons-in-law, and five just-as-wonderful grandchildren. Together they are the glue of his life and a constant source of enjoyment.
Otherwise, Rock is an instrument rated private pilot and has owned two airplanes. The first was a beautiful 1968 Beech Musketeer, the second a 1964 Cessna 210D. He is currently planeless.
Rock is a member of SFWA.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 15, 2023
Honestly, a great AND thoughtful read
Just finished all 5 and really enjoyed each one and the set. Each story tracked with the overall storyline, there were no incomplete thoughts or dead-end character links. "T's" crossed and "i's" dotted. I've written one book that sold 27 whole copies. THIS is how I want to be able to write someday. Clean, consistent, with characters who grow and progress, and a storyline that holds your interest through 5 books!
Give it a shot. Alot of fun and some deep thoughts in there as well. Particularly liked the leadership philosophy, being a retired Army NCO/officer. Well done all around! This will be a repete read for me in about a year.
Just finished all 5 and really enjoyed each one and the set. Each story tracked with the overall storyline, there were no incomplete thoughts or dead-end character links. "T's" crossed and "i's" dotted. I've written one book that sold 27 whole copies. THIS is how I want to be able to write someday. Clean, consistent, with characters who grow and progress, and a storyline that holds your interest through 5 books!
Give it a shot. Alot of fun and some deep thoughts in there as well. Particularly liked the leadership philosophy, being a retired Army NCO/officer. Well done all around! This will be a repete read for me in about a year.
February 4, 2024
I like this author
I started the first book and occasionally skipped a few paragraphs here and there. Later I found myself still reading and enjoying the book very much. He puts many elements of himself - how could he not - into the writing which i am also attuned to. Needless to say, check the series out and enjoy!
I started the first book and occasionally skipped a few paragraphs here and there. Later I found myself still reading and enjoying the book very much. He puts many elements of himself - how could he not - into the writing which i am also attuned to. Needless to say, check the series out and enjoy!
August 24, 2022
I must say I really enjoyed this latest addition to the series. Happy to see some of the same characters from the original trilogy and follow their latest exploits. But there were some really interesting new characters too!
August 6, 2023
The idc fleet novel review
Really a good story. I read all 5 books without stopping. You don't get to read many books where the author is so good at communicating both story and empathy. I just hope he keeps on writing.
Really a good story. I read all 5 books without stopping. You don't get to read many books where the author is so good at communicating both story and empathy. I just hope he keeps on writing.
October 27, 2023
Another great ISC fleet story
Good first contact story, and a fresh take too. Lots of time spent with the alien characters and society made it even more intriguing. Look forward to spending more time in Whitehouse’s universe.
Good first contact story, and a fresh take too. Lots of time spent with the alien characters and society made it even more intriguing. Look forward to spending more time in Whitehouse’s universe.
September 2, 2024
Very great series
I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that he never stops writing. His books are some of the best Entertainment I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that he never stops writing. His books are some of the best Entertainment I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
August 26, 2023
yes, another fun story
I have really enjoyed reading this series and especially this book. I love the way the conflict was handled. Well done. Highly recommended.
I have really enjoyed reading this series and especially this book. I love the way the conflict was handled. Well done. Highly recommended.
September 30, 2023
Another good sequel.
Another worthy sequel in theb ISC Fleet series. Great characters, enough action to hold your interest. I'm enjoying this series.
Another worthy sequel in theb ISC Fleet series. Great characters, enough action to hold your interest. I'm enjoying this series.
November 29, 2023
Good story. This could be called #5 in the Preeminent War series, but the humans have won that war. However the Preems are still causing problems.
January 16, 2024
Alert Status One
An other great read please give us more of The ISC Fleet Series the story line just makes you want more and more
An other great read please give us more of The ISC Fleet Series the story line just makes you want more and more
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews