Andy Bundy

A fast paced narrative but lacking depth

I've just finished reading this, the second book in the series. Sadly I reached the end far before I expected to. In my mind, the series so far could do with an update. I would commend to the author to both fix a number of typos and contextual errors which stand out in places, but also to build and deepen the scope of the characters that have made the stories the success they are already.

What I feel is missing is more on Gallant's thoughts, how he perceives his relationships with others, thus making more of his unique abilities. I feel we're maybe missing out also on the character of Neumann, as well as the senior - junior theme running through the books.

This is perhaps element so far, to me raising the thought of the Sith in Star Wars - not in a negative way - but more along the lines of how such partnerships build, and how the influence each other...

Keep it up! I've great hopes

An interesting take on a real question

I have just completed this book for a second time and enjoyed it possibly More than the first time. While the discovery of the ‘databases' of knowledge from our alleged benefactors the author describes a universe maybe a little too easy to believe, with technology easily adapted to the existing state of the art,.and allies maybe too easily .

Overall though an easily accessible read which enough excitement to bring you back for more.

Another teenager makes good story, with dragons!

Don't think from the title. That I have a problem this sub-genre, even though I'm not quite sure which genre of is sub from, maybe urban, fantasy?

But indeed the boy made good, despite being turned into an Elite, though whether a vampire or werewolf he is, presuming there are not another types.

More please???

Like my first long trip in a powered wheelchair

Again, the author has continued to focus almost solely on characters and story. Yes, a few new gadgets such as the fancy dropships, but we focus all the way through on how the earth has actually improved itself with the local militias, to the desperation of the newly trained infantry as they ready themselves for a suicidal return to Mars.

I don't believe the author is into politics in his work, but while the British tradition has followed through from Churchill, I can easily see a certain current US President flying off on Space Force One.

One criticism I missed before is that the author needs to read up on is the theoretical work by Miguelle Alcubiere... With the best will in the world, shifting 30 light years or more in 27 mins or even 12 hours is very unlikely. Not is there any need for ‘chutes' or launchers. You simply need to pile on the G and when you get to relatively and gravitionally flat space, engage the drive field. Again you can drop out when you are.ready.

That being said, the technology supports the story, but why not use a different name?

Love trying a new author and discovering a new form of excitement

I'm stuck with peripheral neuropathy which is messing with my hands so this will be short. Firstly I love the slow burn build up leading to the separation and then the mothering great battle with the earth shattering kaboom!

I felt some synergy with Evan Currie's work, the use of NACS and the on going battle with Sino-Russians but then divergence starts no more than half way through his first book, but I don't know who got there first, and the over population model depicted here is found in many bools.

Either way... Excellent character building, good story-telling and quite believable.

Thankfully my wife permits me Kindle Unlimited!

Bring it on!!!

Who who have thought?

The curse perhaps of having the ability to explore a massive, and effectively free library is of getting addicted to particular genres, coming to hate others that you once liked (omg not another global who nightmare causing everyone to change into zombies, or vampires or whatever).

Some series can spin off into myriad directions, recycling characters in different scenarios (Queen Bitch and Michael anderle and gang, I salute you).

But what about this book I hear you scream? Well, I've dabbled with some of Max Carver's books in the past with differing results. Ironically, like me, Max takes a long time to get up to speed, which back in the older days of the earlier pre-Kindle days meant a lot of shopping around, exchanging of DRM keys, etc.

But, as to this I stuck with it, and the story leapt from walking pace, to interplanetary, then onto Jumpgates, to steal from the nearest tech description as found in B5. Indeed there are so many overlaps, from the gate operators here to the telepath's of JMS universe.

I'm off hunting down a sequel. There really really needs to be one of I'm gonna really upset my nearest Echo demanding that Alexa give me the answers!

If you like slow and steady character development with matching universe and history telling, this will not disappoint. If I find the sequel quickly, I'll be back to bump this to 5*

These spinoffs just keep getting better

I've never known a single book series spawn so many different spin-off threads as have the Kurtherian series. That there is an almost supernatural consistency tying all the different stories coherently, more or less, into the same larger picture is beyond belief.

Personally, as much as we all love BA, I'm really glad to see TH and the extended pack so the honourable thing in letting the earth go its own way after 150 years of TLC, and more so that they've so quickly found a niche for their unique skills and teamwork out in the galaxy at large.

Finally, despite my dear of Baba Yaga, let Pepsi drinkers unite, though maybe updating to Pepsi Max might help the team work harder???

Please (repeat x 50) can we have more?

On wow! Me Stewart never fails to delivera

It takes a lot to get me to review a book, and generally speaking even special offers or advanced copies won't do the job. However, I've just finished this 3rd instalment of what is currently a trilogy with little time taken for a break and despite the length and breadth of the universe that has been woven here, little has bored me.

Even with longer chunks of writing over the books, there is little time wasted on catching up readers as to who is whom, and I just love the effort that has gone into building then alien races.

Glynn Stewart has bought us a wide range range of fiction, from space opera, to supernatural police SWAT teams to who knows what else.

If you, like me, tend to shy away from the “earth invaded, one ship has to save the human race” type genre, this series should be given a try. It's well worth the effort!!!

Thanks, and being on more of this and ONSET. I can't wait.

What can I say about Deathlands? While possibly the greatest example of literal pulp fiction, it does kind of grow on you after a while, and if you've not made the effort to (shock horror) listen to a few versions from the Graphic Audio range, then you've missed a treat.

I don't think the collection of authors writing under the James Axler house-name are ever expecting any type of awards, if you like your fiction to be something you can read around the pool (and not mind if it gets wet), or to listen to in the car or on a plane, then its for you.

It is even quite well thought out on occasion, though this depends on the particular author, and even given the multi-author writing, and often mini-series style publications, everything generally ties together and I've only ever had the odd WTF moment, ie ‘how the heck did they get there?' between adjoining titles.

Perhaps the most endearing quality is the almost secret language which has grown up around the series, for example ‘chill' instead of kill, and guns are ALWAYS ‘blasters' irrespective of the make - and while there is occasionally an excessive (Ahern-esque) fascination with the merits of different weapons - this is quite rare.

Better still - Deathlands it self spawned a spin-off series set yet another 100 years in the future, and somehow they've (just) managed to maintain continuity between the series.

If you want to take your mind off the hook occasionally - you can't go wrong in the Deathlands

Is it wrong to be looking forwards always to the epilogue?

Before I get jumped upon, my arm torn off and beaten with the soggy end (how weird is it that this happens often in this series which was always, for me, a humorous childhood threat of I was naughty!) I mean that the books, the characters, and yes, OMG, the girlie discussions, get better each book, the afternotes, where Michael explains his thinking, methods and future plans are something I always enjoy in any book, but here they are elevated to an artform.

Keep it coming. As for funding Kindled for our boys, bearing in mind I am British, why not simply produce a one-off special story and sell it via crowd funding? This would open to all readers of countries with soldiers in harm's way. Just a thought.

Back to the escapism fun of my youth

I've got to admit that I've read through a number of hard-sci-fi genre books recently, from space operas to ‘re-listening to the fully completed BBC radio 4 version of Hitchhikers Guide.

I recently tripped over the pair of ONSET books written but one of my recent space opera authors, and realised I had been missing the whole vampire and were scene for a long term. After all, you can only believe so many zombie books.

MIchael, both of them, the author and initial character both chose an excellent character, backing her up with an unexpected alien sidekick and an ever growing posse of devoted warriors.

Yes, it has the odd typo, the author uses a MacBook after all, but they are rarely obvious, likely caused by poor keyboards, predictive typing or speech recognition, and subtracts nothing from the story.

5 stars, all the way

The book which spawned a series covering centuries, wherein he extended and rather confusing, if brave and full of derring-do, so their best to survive the end of the world in the form of WW3, then again in the form of some unexplained but scientifically obvious burning out of the atmosphere, and finally, if this was not enough, a general lack of popularity forcing them back into suspended animation for another while.

Find out how it all started, and how a series of thirty plus books spanning centuries began. Meet John Rourke, All American super soldier, spy, doctor and expert on everything, and his trusty sidekick.

If reading fails to tickle your fancy, the main story arc as originally written has been recorded and distributed by Graphic Audio in a multi character dramatic set of audio dramas.