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Necrospace #2
Dead Worlds
It is the Age of The Corporation.
The common man toils under the watchful eye of the elite and their enforcers. The rules of law have long been replaced by the politics of profit. The dark ages of feudalism have returned with capitalistic ferocity. There is no peace among the stars of mapped space and business is booming.
The Reapers of Tango Platoon have gone up against everything from space pirates and resistance fighters to savage mutants and the heavily armed elite troopers of Helion Corporation. By all accounts they are some of the most battle-hardened veterans in the fleet and experts at hostile salvage operations, though when Samuel Hyst considers his bank statement and his new medical debt, he does not see the glory. Despite his years of grueling duty as a salvage marine he and his family are no closer to achieving their freedom, so when the Reapers are pulled off a low risk contract and placed at the vanguard of several planetary scale conflicts promising vast rewards, the marine is ready to raise his rifle and risk everything.
The common man toils under the watchful eye of the elite and their enforcers. The rules of law have long been replaced by the politics of profit. The dark ages of feudalism have returned with capitalistic ferocity. There is no peace among the stars of mapped space and business is booming.
The Reapers of Tango Platoon have gone up against everything from space pirates and resistance fighters to savage mutants and the heavily armed elite troopers of Helion Corporation. By all accounts they are some of the most battle-hardened veterans in the fleet and experts at hostile salvage operations, though when Samuel Hyst considers his bank statement and his new medical debt, he does not see the glory. Despite his years of grueling duty as a salvage marine he and his family are no closer to achieving their freedom, so when the Reapers are pulled off a low risk contract and placed at the vanguard of several planetary scale conflicts promising vast rewards, the marine is ready to raise his rifle and risk everything.
- GenresScience Fiction
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2015
71 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Sean-Michael Argo
65 books43 followersSean-Michael Argo is an author and independent film producer from the backwood swamps of Arkansas. He writes the kinds of books he likes to read and makes the kinds of movies he likes to watch, so his expanding body of work is a testament to his love of gritty urban fantasy, epic tales of swords & sorcery, horror movies, and the post-apocalyptic wasteland. His films are available on Amazon and presented by Dark Roast Releasing. He spends his time traveling the country for work, making art, and raising his son.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 4, 2025
Samuel Hyst has survived his last mission, barely. But it has cost him something terribly and we’re not even talking about the pain and suffering he went through. His spine had been extensive damaged so much so that he was looking forward to a life paralyzed from the neck down. He didn’t really know any of this until he woke up in the hospital and was told what had happened to him over the past two months. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Samuel’s Tango Platoon Commander Wynn Marsters had ordered that Samuel be give a very much upgraded Augur cybernetic spinal unit. Samuel would no be able to walk and eventually get back to his former physical self. The alternative would have been for him to have became a drain on Grotto Corporations profits and they would have probably terminated him. But, instead of being paralyzed and/or dead, he was now in much greater debt to the corporation since his new spinal unit was covered by the Standard Reaper Health and Wellness Plan!
So his idea that he and Sura might be able to get out of debt and even pay off the life-bond of their newborn son, Orion, was dashed to pieces. He was going to have to stay a Reaper Salvage Marine for the next foreseeable future and there was nothing he could do about it. So, he was just hoping that he and his unit would been sent out on some high priority missions that just might help him pay off his debts faster. Yet, he did realize that if he was killed, then Sura and his child would get his death benefits, but they still would be stuck working for the Grotto Corporation! What a life he and everyone else had. Working, even as a Marine, was nothing more than making money for a corporation and the more you worked the more profit they made since you definitely weren’t being paid that much.
So, this next mission finally came up and if Samual was lucky, it might pay off big time, and there might also not be that much combat! Or so they thought. Another corporation, Vorhold Ventures Corporation, had invested in a planet and that investment didn’t turn out. They had build some really big infrastructure to include these tall spire cities that went up into the clouds forever, but also went down below sea level forever too. And just like any place else, the more money you had the higher you got to live. Well, most of the higher ups had pulled up stakes and left the planet a long time ago. They took most everything with them so the Grotto Corporation was only looking a salvaging the city itself. Most all the Vorhold spires were made of metal and that had scrap value.
The reason the Salvage Marines were brought in was to go down to the sub-levels and get rid of anyone or anything still living down there. And of course, Grotto Corporation knew that something or somethings were very much alive in the depths below. They figure using their Salvage Marines could quickly get the job done and wouldn’t cost them what it would have if they had to hire mercenaries.
Samuel has a new squad Boss named Aiken. He was from a different fleet and did things a little differently, but Samuel figured he could work with him, no problem. But his platoon and his squad were definitely going downspire to find what was down there and deal with it. They were going to run into a lot of nasty gangs that had ran the sub-levels to these spire cities for a long time and they weren’t about to give them up now. Down below was also where all the waste of the city had accumulated over several years. There were things growing down there that hadn’t seen the light of day, ever! So, this was going to be a very nasty, dirty job with all likelihood that a lot of Salvage Marines wouldn’t be coming home.
Oh, this was going to be easiest of the two missions in this book!
Samuel does survive the Vorhold spires and was rewarded with another mission, only this one came with some pretty substantial bonuses. Surprisingly, Samuel had made enough money over the last six years to pay off his and Sura’s life-bonds, but they still owed for Orion and then had to have something to live on if they left the Corporation planet of Baen 6, which they did plan to do. So, Samuel knew he had more soldiering to do and that’s what he was ready for after 35 days at home with his wife and child.
Orders finally came in for Samuel to report for an in-brief on the new mission. This mission also included hazard pay and a bonus of a substantial amount. The Corporation was only taking the most experienced Salvage Marines and they were going to be augmented with a five-thousand person Penal Legion 223. That, in itself was startling to Samuel. But, then they were told where they were going and it was definitely far out in space, in fact it was so far that no one have ever ventured out far and returned to tell about it!
Samuel seems to be doing pretty good if he can survive this final mission and that’s a big IF. Still, something is still going on because book 3, “Trade War”, now available on Amazon.
==[Note: As of 12/03/2023, this will not be published on Amazon since I have been banned from posting reviews for some unknown reason. Once the ban is lifted, assuming it does get lifted, I’ll go back and post this to Amazon.]==
So his idea that he and Sura might be able to get out of debt and even pay off the life-bond of their newborn son, Orion, was dashed to pieces. He was going to have to stay a Reaper Salvage Marine for the next foreseeable future and there was nothing he could do about it. So, he was just hoping that he and his unit would been sent out on some high priority missions that just might help him pay off his debts faster. Yet, he did realize that if he was killed, then Sura and his child would get his death benefits, but they still would be stuck working for the Grotto Corporation! What a life he and everyone else had. Working, even as a Marine, was nothing more than making money for a corporation and the more you worked the more profit they made since you definitely weren’t being paid that much.
So, this next mission finally came up and if Samual was lucky, it might pay off big time, and there might also not be that much combat! Or so they thought. Another corporation, Vorhold Ventures Corporation, had invested in a planet and that investment didn’t turn out. They had build some really big infrastructure to include these tall spire cities that went up into the clouds forever, but also went down below sea level forever too. And just like any place else, the more money you had the higher you got to live. Well, most of the higher ups had pulled up stakes and left the planet a long time ago. They took most everything with them so the Grotto Corporation was only looking a salvaging the city itself. Most all the Vorhold spires were made of metal and that had scrap value.
The reason the Salvage Marines were brought in was to go down to the sub-levels and get rid of anyone or anything still living down there. And of course, Grotto Corporation knew that something or somethings were very much alive in the depths below. They figure using their Salvage Marines could quickly get the job done and wouldn’t cost them what it would have if they had to hire mercenaries.
Samuel has a new squad Boss named Aiken. He was from a different fleet and did things a little differently, but Samuel figured he could work with him, no problem. But his platoon and his squad were definitely going downspire to find what was down there and deal with it. They were going to run into a lot of nasty gangs that had ran the sub-levels to these spire cities for a long time and they weren’t about to give them up now. Down below was also where all the waste of the city had accumulated over several years. There were things growing down there that hadn’t seen the light of day, ever! So, this was going to be a very nasty, dirty job with all likelihood that a lot of Salvage Marines wouldn’t be coming home.
Oh, this was going to be easiest of the two missions in this book!
Samuel does survive the Vorhold spires and was rewarded with another mission, only this one came with some pretty substantial bonuses. Surprisingly, Samuel had made enough money over the last six years to pay off his and Sura’s life-bonds, but they still owed for Orion and then had to have something to live on if they left the Corporation planet of Baen 6, which they did plan to do. So, Samuel knew he had more soldiering to do and that’s what he was ready for after 35 days at home with his wife and child.
Orders finally came in for Samuel to report for an in-brief on the new mission. This mission also included hazard pay and a bonus of a substantial amount. The Corporation was only taking the most experienced Salvage Marines and they were going to be augmented with a five-thousand person Penal Legion 223. That, in itself was startling to Samuel. But, then they were told where they were going and it was definitely far out in space, in fact it was so far that no one have ever ventured out far and returned to tell about it!
Samuel seems to be doing pretty good if he can survive this final mission and that’s a big IF. Still, something is still going on because book 3, “Trade War”, now available on Amazon.
==[Note: As of 12/03/2023, this will not be published on Amazon since I have been banned from posting reviews for some unknown reason. Once the ban is lifted, assuming it does get lifted, I’ll go back and post this to Amazon.]==
February 28, 2017
This is the 2nd in the Necrospace series and follows on from the first, although it is several years later. Samuel Hyst is again the main character and the story follows him as he continues on as a Space Marine, one of ‘The Reapers’, trying to earn enough money to pay back the debt that he and his family owe to the Corporation.
As with the first book, Sam is still with his unit, trying to survive, again with Ben.
At the start of this book, the characters talk over a few of their past missions, and we also learn that Sam has had some medical care that has not only replaced his spine through injury, but earned him a lot of extra debt.
This is a really fast paced, action packed book, with brilliant descriptions and dialogue of the combat scenes in this story.
Eventually the Marines are sent to an Up and Down Spire, a Massive City that used to be full of the upper class, before it fell to the lower class and other assorted creatures. Without giving too much away, this is where the book gets exceptional in action that the Marines are put through, the combat scenes, and the descriptions of the overall impact that this combat has on Samuel and his combat team, not just physically, but psychologically. Argo really tries to give us an understanding of how it feels in the underhives of the city, the raw emotions of the Marines, and the brutality of Marine combat.
This is an excellent and well-crafted story, totally enthralling that once you start, you won’t be putting down.
Can’t wait to read the third in the series!
As with the first book, Sam is still with his unit, trying to survive, again with Ben.
At the start of this book, the characters talk over a few of their past missions, and we also learn that Sam has had some medical care that has not only replaced his spine through injury, but earned him a lot of extra debt.
This is a really fast paced, action packed book, with brilliant descriptions and dialogue of the combat scenes in this story.
Eventually the Marines are sent to an Up and Down Spire, a Massive City that used to be full of the upper class, before it fell to the lower class and other assorted creatures. Without giving too much away, this is where the book gets exceptional in action that the Marines are put through, the combat scenes, and the descriptions of the overall impact that this combat has on Samuel and his combat team, not just physically, but psychologically. Argo really tries to give us an understanding of how it feels in the underhives of the city, the raw emotions of the Marines, and the brutality of Marine combat.
This is an excellent and well-crafted story, totally enthralling that once you start, you won’t be putting down.
Can’t wait to read the third in the series!
December 6, 2020
Mr Argo's first book - Salvage Marines was a good read but it didn't stand out to me, HOWEVER his follow up, ramps up the action and excitement and also builds upon the characters you met in the first book, no longer are they faceless marines that you don't care about, you become invested in their fates - which I'm coming to realise is very dangerous in this series as pretty much anyone is fair game and if they don't die horribly then they're not coming out in one piece!
Tango Platoon become a solid unit, led by Boss Marsters and Boss Ulanti, Prybar and his fellow Marines, Biance Kade, George Tuck, Holland, Jada Sek, Veronica Tillman, Harold Marr, Spencer Green, Patrick Baen and Ben Takeda travel into the depths of hell, well downspire and face off against human and not so human enemies.
This was a thrill ride and one I loved so much, I straight away dived into the third book. I'm going to go back and read the first again now that I know and care about the characters. This is one of these series I'm very glad I stuck with. Great work Mr Argo - but where is the TV series?
Tango Platoon become a solid unit, led by Boss Marsters and Boss Ulanti, Prybar and his fellow Marines, Biance Kade, George Tuck, Holland, Jada Sek, Veronica Tillman, Harold Marr, Spencer Green, Patrick Baen and Ben Takeda travel into the depths of hell, well downspire and face off against human and not so human enemies.
This was a thrill ride and one I loved so much, I straight away dived into the third book. I'm going to go back and read the first again now that I know and care about the characters. This is one of these series I'm very glad I stuck with. Great work Mr Argo - but where is the TV series?
February 10, 2018
Good stuff. I like the way that the criticism of this galactic societal endgame with capitalism is interleaved with the real on the ground considerations and experiences of someone in the military, and how they are expressed as entangled in a way that they cannot truly be removed from one another. Great plot. Builds on the themes of the previous book and leaves off in such a way that makes the reader want to pick up the next book (and the next, and the next, and the next). Also, bar-none, best depictions of interesting aliens and interesting paths of divergent human evolution and adaptation. This is seriously amazing stuff and it's all sort of an afterthought to the main story. Very rich universe.
June 26, 2017
This has been a very good series, with some heart-wrenching twists. After a career in the military, I can sympathize with what Hyst and his family has gone through. Some great action, and good twists with some wrenching losses.
June 7, 2017
Good book, interesting take on the Galaxy being run by corporate entities. Lots of action, well written. Entertaining story line, I really enjoyed reading.
April 9, 2025
What an improvement over book 1! The characters are sharply defined, the action is excellent, and the writing is improved dramatically. A great action novel, if a little short.
June 28, 2018
2nd book in the series. Follows the same course of action as the first book. This time you get a look into the lives of the main character's family. There is plenty of action and the book keeps you from getting bored.
February 28, 2017
Loved it!!!!!!!!!
It had everything you could want in a SciFi military book. Could not put it down for a second. Just great!
It had everything you could want in a SciFi military book. Could not put it down for a second. Just great!
July 2, 2016
Quick Reading, No Frills, Basic Barebones Lowbrow SciFi
"Necrospace Book 2-Dead Worlds," continues a quick reading, barebones, lowbrow SciFi action series. It's pretty much Space Seabees, enslaved by indentured servitude, running from job to job throughout the universe, shooting things up and salvaging remaining assets for their Corporate Overlords.
The writing moves the story fast, proofreading in mediocre, and editing is once again, lazy-too much needless repetition and allows inconsistencies to flourish.
Overall the eBook is painlessly entertaining-think SciFi "fast food," little substance as it fills a void.
"Necrospace Book 2-Dead Worlds," continues a quick reading, barebones, lowbrow SciFi action series. It's pretty much Space Seabees, enslaved by indentured servitude, running from job to job throughout the universe, shooting things up and salvaging remaining assets for their Corporate Overlords.
The writing moves the story fast, proofreading in mediocre, and editing is once again, lazy-too much needless repetition and allows inconsistencies to flourish.
Overall the eBook is painlessly entertaining-think SciFi "fast food," little substance as it fills a void.
July 20, 2016
Great book
I loved this book. It was action packed and very entertaining. I will get started on the 3rd book ASAP. Great series so far
I loved this book. It was action packed and very entertaining. I will get started on the 3rd book ASAP. Great series so far
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews