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Union Earth Privateers #1
Vick's Vultures
In the far future, alien technology captured by the Union Earth Privateers has fueled Earth's tenuous expansion from a single planet to a handful of systems across the Orion Spur.
Victoria Marin, captain of the U.E. Condor, and her crew of Vultures have been running dry for months. In danger of losing her command and her credibility if she can't locate fresh salvage, she locks onto the distress signal of an alien ship in hopes of valuable cargo. What she finds instead is First Prince Tavram, the heir apparent to one of the largest empires in known space. Tavram's ship has been crippled after narrowly escaping an ambush and his would-be assasin is coming to finish the job.
The Vultures launch a high risk mission to rescue the prince and recover every last scrap of xenotech they can before the hunter catches up to his prey. But there are more dangers than notorious interstellar assassins when it comes to ferrying an alien prince across the stars, and Victoria must contend with dangerous alliances, old grudges, and even her own government if she means to bring her crew home alive. Whether she succeeds or fails, the consequences of her choices will affect the path of all humanity.
Victoria Marin, captain of the U.E. Condor, and her crew of Vultures have been running dry for months. In danger of losing her command and her credibility if she can't locate fresh salvage, she locks onto the distress signal of an alien ship in hopes of valuable cargo. What she finds instead is First Prince Tavram, the heir apparent to one of the largest empires in known space. Tavram's ship has been crippled after narrowly escaping an ambush and his would-be assasin is coming to finish the job.
The Vultures launch a high risk mission to rescue the prince and recover every last scrap of xenotech they can before the hunter catches up to his prey. But there are more dangers than notorious interstellar assassins when it comes to ferrying an alien prince across the stars, and Victoria must contend with dangerous alliances, old grudges, and even her own government if she means to bring her crew home alive. Whether she succeeds or fails, the consequences of her choices will affect the path of all humanity.
223 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 18, 2016
I received this from Netgalley and Parvus Press in exchange for an honest review.
Outstanding space battle/sci-fi that made my "favorites" shelf.
This one had some definite "Star Trek/Capt Kirk" vibe to it, especially like the old battles with the Klingons and the Romulans. I was reminded a lot of Star Trek VI: Undiscovered Country. Lots of plot twists, surprises (and the expected "surprises", too!).
The writing was very good, and drew me in almost instantly. Very quick read, and very entertaining.
The ending leaves it wide open for a sequel (or sequels). Hope they come quickly!
Outstanding space battle/sci-fi that made my "favorites" shelf.
This one had some definite "Star Trek/Capt Kirk" vibe to it, especially like the old battles with the Klingons and the Romulans. I was reminded a lot of Star Trek VI: Undiscovered Country. Lots of plot twists, surprises (and the expected "surprises", too!).
The writing was very good, and drew me in almost instantly. Very quick read, and very entertaining.
The ending leaves it wide open for a sequel (or sequels). Hope they come quickly!
October 7, 2016
A neat twist on Earth's entry into a larger universe.
November 28, 2016
Not bad, I look forward to the next book.
September 30, 2016
I received this book from Parvus Press, in exchange for an honest review.
Just a few days ago I was reading a fellow blogger’s reasons for not accepting submissions from indie authors any longer, and I could sympathize with those reasons: more often than not, the writing and editing quality of these books is not exactly stellar, or the premise and promise of the stories don’t hold up against closer scrutiny. And that not even taking into account personal reading preferences and biases. My own experience is that only one book in ten doesn’t end in the DNF pile, if I’m lucky, so I appreciate why some would choose to concentrate on more tested and tried offerings – I’ve held that thought myself several times, especially after a particularly disheartening encounter.
Then I “meet” books like this one, and I understand the reason why I have not given up yet: because otherwise I would miss out on exciting discoveries. Vick’s Vultures is precisely the example of the kind of potential that could get lost in the huge crowd of emerging authors struggling for recognition, if it couldn’t get under a helpful spotlight: it’s a good, solid, entertaining story, and even if it’s not a world-changing reading experience, it’s an enormously enjoyable book, and sometimes that’s all we look for.
The best feature of Vick’s Vultures is its premise: once humanity ventures beyond the Solar System it discovers that the Galaxy is peopled by a great number of alien races, all of them far more advanced and far more belligerent and dangerous than Earthers. Starting out with such a handicap, humanity chooses to keep a low profile, forging alliances with lesser civilizations, while trying to acquire technological improvements in the most unobtrusive way. This is the origin of the privateers, to all intents and purposes scavenger crews who gather scraps of alien tech in the wake of the endless conflicts between the major races: retro-engineering this alien technology, Earth is able to further its own advancement while staying out of sight of the big guys – and out of harm’s way - as much as possible.
The Condor, under the command of Captain Victoria Marin, is one of these privateers: as the novel opens, Vick is worried by the lack of valuable finds that has plagued her crew in recent times – she needs a sizable profit, something truly outstanding, to keep her ship afloat both financially and morale-wise. Fate brings the Condor across the wreck of a Malagath ship, drifting in space after a battle with their arch-enemies the Dirregaunt: the salvaged materials alone could be a dream come true for Vick and her people, but the real bonus comes with the Malagath survivors she finds on board, because one of them is First Prince Tavram, the heir to the throne. Taking him home will be a great coup, and coupled with what the Condor will bring back in alien tech, it will mean a great deal for the Vultures and their captain' future as privateers.
Trouble is, the Dirregaunt – in accordance with their wolf-like appearance and predatory nature – are not ready to give up on their quarry, and this starts a dangerous hunt for the prince and the ship that rescued him, a hide-and-seek chase through interstellar space that will take its toll on the already stressed Condor and its crew, pitting Captain Marin’s willpower and cunning against that of a very determined, very savage enemy.
This premise results in a fast-paced, at times breathless story that makes for a compelling reading while laying the background for the author’s vision of the future, one that is quite believable in its lack of glamorous technological advancement for Earth, whose people try to carve their own niche in the grander scheme of things, despite the obvious disadvantages they started out with. You will not find exotic and hard-to-believe (or comprehend…) technobabble here: Earth ships all but forge on through makeshift repairs, inventive use of purloined technology and a good dose of human stubborn resourcefulness, which make it quite easy to root for the characters.
Captain Marin is a good example of this: a strong, determined woman who cares deeply about her ship and crew – and shows it through action rather than words, which is a very welcome change. A woman who has learned the hard way how to survive in the doubly hostile milieu of space, where environment and people lie in wait for that single moment of distraction which will mean one’s death. Vick knows what she wants, and knows how to take it, be it precious salvage, a tactical opportunity or a moment of passion to make her forget the heavy demands of her position. As far as female characters go in this genre, she’s sound and believable, and does not need to be beautiful and alluring, or dark and tormented (or one of the possible permutations…) to stand out: she’s a capable, reliable professional, and she has charisma – it’s more than enough.
This novel is not immune from a few problems, however, but they are indeed minor and do not detract from the overall experience of the book: the background information, for example, is pared down to the essentials but at times it intrudes on the narrative flow in such a way as to prove mildly distracting. While I understand the need to flesh out the author’s vision and to offer useful details on this imagined future, there are times when the didactic nature of this information feels a little too much – at least for me. Then there is the characterization, that is not explored in great depth, although the adventurous nature of the story requires a tighter focus on action, rather than introspection. And again there is a thread about two Earth marines playing infiltrators where the suspension of disbelief is stretched somewhat thinly. Still, these are considerations that did not spoil my enjoyment of the story or took me out of the narrative “bubble”, and are quite superseded by some intriguing, unusual details that make a difference: for example the fact that the few colonies Earth managed to establish are largely ignored by alien expansion because the oxygen atmosphere humans need is not in great demand with other species. It’s a small thing, but to me it speaks of an active imagination capable of intriguing lateral thinking.
Vick’s Vultures will be available from October 4th: if you feel the need for an engaging, adventure-filled story and the beginning to what could turn out to be a good series, you need look no further.
Originally posted at SPACE and SORCERY Blog
Just a few days ago I was reading a fellow blogger’s reasons for not accepting submissions from indie authors any longer, and I could sympathize with those reasons: more often than not, the writing and editing quality of these books is not exactly stellar, or the premise and promise of the stories don’t hold up against closer scrutiny. And that not even taking into account personal reading preferences and biases. My own experience is that only one book in ten doesn’t end in the DNF pile, if I’m lucky, so I appreciate why some would choose to concentrate on more tested and tried offerings – I’ve held that thought myself several times, especially after a particularly disheartening encounter.
Then I “meet” books like this one, and I understand the reason why I have not given up yet: because otherwise I would miss out on exciting discoveries. Vick’s Vultures is precisely the example of the kind of potential that could get lost in the huge crowd of emerging authors struggling for recognition, if it couldn’t get under a helpful spotlight: it’s a good, solid, entertaining story, and even if it’s not a world-changing reading experience, it’s an enormously enjoyable book, and sometimes that’s all we look for.
The best feature of Vick’s Vultures is its premise: once humanity ventures beyond the Solar System it discovers that the Galaxy is peopled by a great number of alien races, all of them far more advanced and far more belligerent and dangerous than Earthers. Starting out with such a handicap, humanity chooses to keep a low profile, forging alliances with lesser civilizations, while trying to acquire technological improvements in the most unobtrusive way. This is the origin of the privateers, to all intents and purposes scavenger crews who gather scraps of alien tech in the wake of the endless conflicts between the major races: retro-engineering this alien technology, Earth is able to further its own advancement while staying out of sight of the big guys – and out of harm’s way - as much as possible.
The Condor, under the command of Captain Victoria Marin, is one of these privateers: as the novel opens, Vick is worried by the lack of valuable finds that has plagued her crew in recent times – she needs a sizable profit, something truly outstanding, to keep her ship afloat both financially and morale-wise. Fate brings the Condor across the wreck of a Malagath ship, drifting in space after a battle with their arch-enemies the Dirregaunt: the salvaged materials alone could be a dream come true for Vick and her people, but the real bonus comes with the Malagath survivors she finds on board, because one of them is First Prince Tavram, the heir to the throne. Taking him home will be a great coup, and coupled with what the Condor will bring back in alien tech, it will mean a great deal for the Vultures and their captain' future as privateers.
Trouble is, the Dirregaunt – in accordance with their wolf-like appearance and predatory nature – are not ready to give up on their quarry, and this starts a dangerous hunt for the prince and the ship that rescued him, a hide-and-seek chase through interstellar space that will take its toll on the already stressed Condor and its crew, pitting Captain Marin’s willpower and cunning against that of a very determined, very savage enemy.
This premise results in a fast-paced, at times breathless story that makes for a compelling reading while laying the background for the author’s vision of the future, one that is quite believable in its lack of glamorous technological advancement for Earth, whose people try to carve their own niche in the grander scheme of things, despite the obvious disadvantages they started out with. You will not find exotic and hard-to-believe (or comprehend…) technobabble here: Earth ships all but forge on through makeshift repairs, inventive use of purloined technology and a good dose of human stubborn resourcefulness, which make it quite easy to root for the characters.
Captain Marin is a good example of this: a strong, determined woman who cares deeply about her ship and crew – and shows it through action rather than words, which is a very welcome change. A woman who has learned the hard way how to survive in the doubly hostile milieu of space, where environment and people lie in wait for that single moment of distraction which will mean one’s death. Vick knows what she wants, and knows how to take it, be it precious salvage, a tactical opportunity or a moment of passion to make her forget the heavy demands of her position. As far as female characters go in this genre, she’s sound and believable, and does not need to be beautiful and alluring, or dark and tormented (or one of the possible permutations…) to stand out: she’s a capable, reliable professional, and she has charisma – it’s more than enough.
This novel is not immune from a few problems, however, but they are indeed minor and do not detract from the overall experience of the book: the background information, for example, is pared down to the essentials but at times it intrudes on the narrative flow in such a way as to prove mildly distracting. While I understand the need to flesh out the author’s vision and to offer useful details on this imagined future, there are times when the didactic nature of this information feels a little too much – at least for me. Then there is the characterization, that is not explored in great depth, although the adventurous nature of the story requires a tighter focus on action, rather than introspection. And again there is a thread about two Earth marines playing infiltrators where the suspension of disbelief is stretched somewhat thinly. Still, these are considerations that did not spoil my enjoyment of the story or took me out of the narrative “bubble”, and are quite superseded by some intriguing, unusual details that make a difference: for example the fact that the few colonies Earth managed to establish are largely ignored by alien expansion because the oxygen atmosphere humans need is not in great demand with other species. It’s a small thing, but to me it speaks of an active imagination capable of intriguing lateral thinking.
Vick’s Vultures will be available from October 4th: if you feel the need for an engaging, adventure-filled story and the beginning to what could turn out to be a good series, you need look no further.
Originally posted at SPACE and SORCERY Blog
February 3, 2017
Innovative space opera.
Humans have reached the stars,but it seems we were never all that alone. With 1500 other alien races about humanity isn't just the underdog, we're the bug you accidentally swatt in passing. Thus Victoria Martin and her ship The Vulture are on a scavenging mission for earth. Searching and scavenging for any peace of Xenotech they can find to make some money and reduce the enormous technology gap between us and all the rest.
Things are just a bit complicated when a distress signal brings them to a crippled ship carrying the crown prince of one of the most powerful races about. And now they have to get him back home, with a his would be assassins in hot pursuit.
On the whole this was a very enjoyable book. Though the story and the world look familiar at first glance, it soon becomes obvious that this isn't quite true. This novel twists the common tropes just enough to have some fun with it, without ever becoming obvious until after you're looking back at it all. The characters are perfect for what they need to be and the story just pulpy to pull of the story.
In short: An interesting twist on common 'humanity as underdog' ending in an satisfying sci-fy novel.
Merged review:
Innovative space opera.
Humans have reached the stars,but it seems we were never all that alone. With 1500 other alien races about humanity isn't just the underdog, we're the bug you accidentally swatt in passing. Thus Victoria Martin and her ship The Vulture are on a scavenging mission for earth. Searching and scavenging for any peace of Xenotech they can find to make some money and reduce the enormous technology gap between us and all the rest.
Things are just a bit complicated when a distress signal brings them to a crippled ship carrying the crown prince of one of the most powerful races about. And now they have to get him back home, with a his would be assassins in hot pursuit.
On the whole this was a very enjoyable book. Though the story and the world look familiar at first glance, it soon becomes obvious that this isn't quite true. This novel twists the common tropes just enough to have some fun with it, without ever becoming obvious until after you're looking back at it all. The characters are perfect for what they need to be and the story just pulpy to pull of the story.
In short: An interesting twist on common 'humanity as underdog' ending in an satisfying sci-fy novel.
Humans have reached the stars,but it seems we were never all that alone. With 1500 other alien races about humanity isn't just the underdog, we're the bug you accidentally swatt in passing. Thus Victoria Martin and her ship The Vulture are on a scavenging mission for earth. Searching and scavenging for any peace of Xenotech they can find to make some money and reduce the enormous technology gap between us and all the rest.
Things are just a bit complicated when a distress signal brings them to a crippled ship carrying the crown prince of one of the most powerful races about. And now they have to get him back home, with a his would be assassins in hot pursuit.
On the whole this was a very enjoyable book. Though the story and the world look familiar at first glance, it soon becomes obvious that this isn't quite true. This novel twists the common tropes just enough to have some fun with it, without ever becoming obvious until after you're looking back at it all. The characters are perfect for what they need to be and the story just pulpy to pull of the story.
In short: An interesting twist on common 'humanity as underdog' ending in an satisfying sci-fy novel.
Merged review:
Innovative space opera.
Humans have reached the stars,but it seems we were never all that alone. With 1500 other alien races about humanity isn't just the underdog, we're the bug you accidentally swatt in passing. Thus Victoria Martin and her ship The Vulture are on a scavenging mission for earth. Searching and scavenging for any peace of Xenotech they can find to make some money and reduce the enormous technology gap between us and all the rest.
Things are just a bit complicated when a distress signal brings them to a crippled ship carrying the crown prince of one of the most powerful races about. And now they have to get him back home, with a his would be assassins in hot pursuit.
On the whole this was a very enjoyable book. Though the story and the world look familiar at first glance, it soon becomes obvious that this isn't quite true. This novel twists the common tropes just enough to have some fun with it, without ever becoming obvious until after you're looking back at it all. The characters are perfect for what they need to be and the story just pulpy to pull of the story.
In short: An interesting twist on common 'humanity as underdog' ending in an satisfying sci-fy novel.
September 3, 2017
This military science fiction novel crossed my review desk ages ago. The publisher requested that I review it saying it had “pioneer spirit and the wisecracking tone of Firefly combined with the action and taut pacing of Mad Max: Fury Road.”
At the mention of Firefly I was hooked. How could I resist?
Vick’s Vultures is set in a future where Earth, far behind the rest of the universe in terms of technology, runs a privateering fleet of spaceships whose crews scavenge alien tech from wrecks. This enables earth to gradually expand its reach into universe and slowly cultivate tenuous alliances while aiming to keep Earth’s location off everyone’s radar.
The story emphasises the position of Earth as being at the bottom of the universal dung heap with a government that walks a fine line between keeping Earth’s location secret because they’re hopelessly outgunned and slowly acquiring power / tech so they can one day defend themselves in a universe full of more advanced and often predatory species.
Victoria Marin is the Captain of the U.E. Condor and on one of her scavenging missions, she and her crew stumble upon an alien prince in need of rescuing, then find themselves firmly in the middle of an age old war between two of the most advanced civilisations in the universe.
Vick's Vultures is fast paced from beginning to end and the action sequences are excellent. The story arcs, tension and world building thoroughly engaging.
The character of Victoria and the obsessive Dirregaunt Commander, who is the villain of this piece, are a little stereotyped but none the less fun to read. I found some of the secondary characters more interesting than the main ones. I felt like the end needed a couple of extra scenes rather than an epilogue that summed everything up. I would like to have read the unfolding of the final events after the big battle finale.
However, what I particularly enjoyed were the various alien civilisations that Warren constructed. I found them unique, enjoyed the different cultural / social customs and loved the backstory of intricate politics and betrayal.
The whole feel is rather like Firefly crossed with Star Trek. It’s space opera done very well. I became hooked on reading it and abandoned my afternoon plans to finish it. It was rollicking good fun.
I’m definitely going to read the next one and check out the rest of Scott Warren’s books.
Four Stars!
At the mention of Firefly I was hooked. How could I resist?
Vick’s Vultures is set in a future where Earth, far behind the rest of the universe in terms of technology, runs a privateering fleet of spaceships whose crews scavenge alien tech from wrecks. This enables earth to gradually expand its reach into universe and slowly cultivate tenuous alliances while aiming to keep Earth’s location off everyone’s radar.
The story emphasises the position of Earth as being at the bottom of the universal dung heap with a government that walks a fine line between keeping Earth’s location secret because they’re hopelessly outgunned and slowly acquiring power / tech so they can one day defend themselves in a universe full of more advanced and often predatory species.
Victoria Marin is the Captain of the U.E. Condor and on one of her scavenging missions, she and her crew stumble upon an alien prince in need of rescuing, then find themselves firmly in the middle of an age old war between two of the most advanced civilisations in the universe.
Vick's Vultures is fast paced from beginning to end and the action sequences are excellent. The story arcs, tension and world building thoroughly engaging.
The character of Victoria and the obsessive Dirregaunt Commander, who is the villain of this piece, are a little stereotyped but none the less fun to read. I found some of the secondary characters more interesting than the main ones. I felt like the end needed a couple of extra scenes rather than an epilogue that summed everything up. I would like to have read the unfolding of the final events after the big battle finale.
However, what I particularly enjoyed were the various alien civilisations that Warren constructed. I found them unique, enjoyed the different cultural / social customs and loved the backstory of intricate politics and betrayal.
The whole feel is rather like Firefly crossed with Star Trek. It’s space opera done very well. I became hooked on reading it and abandoned my afternoon plans to finish it. It was rollicking good fun.
I’m definitely going to read the next one and check out the rest of Scott Warren’s books.
Four Stars!
July 28, 2016
Really good escapist fun, I enjoyed Vick's Vultures it some ways it brought back happy memories of reading Horatio Hornblower albeit space battles instead of on the high seas, also a touch of Firefly that fabulous TV series that showed that Science Fiction could be real fun.
A lovely number of twists and turns, also a nice mix of characters, its not all about Victoria. Look forward very much to some sequels.
A lovely number of twists and turns, also a nice mix of characters, its not all about Victoria. Look forward very much to some sequels.
June 26, 2019
An entertaining, albeit short, sci-fi adventure story. Warren has set up an interesting vision of the universe with humanity (and host of other aliens) mere flies on the wall to three great alien empires currently at war. Humanity survives, and advances, by scavenging the wrecks of other more-advanced races and maintains a tenuous neutrality by ferrying survivors back to their home systems.
October 5, 2016
I had some high expectations for Vick’s Vultures after reading the blurb. It seemed like the scope promised was just too big for 223 pages. I’m happy to report that relative newcomer Scott Warren rose to the hype. This is a really good sci-fi read in a market flooded with the paranormal. It embraces the traditional space opera, but brings fresh ideas to the future Warren has imagined. The writing is not only tight, it is consistent and approachable. Warren assumes an intelligent reader, not bothering to identify common sci-fi nomenclature like FTL (faster than light) upfront, but writes in such a way that everything makes sense eventually. He is good at showing us the story rather than telling it. Blessedly, he stays away from information dumps and like flaws of other sci-fi writers. Most significantly, it’s plausible—a desperately important factor if you’re going to make Earthlings your heroes.
We love an underdog and Warren plays to that by making Earth the unlikely victors in a galaxy of far superior aliens with empires that span thousands of worlds. Those aliens have been in space for millennia and developed technology we can’t even dream about—which is why Captain Victoria Marin is trying to steal, or “salvage,” as much alien tech as she can and bring it back to Earth for reverse engineering.
Even though Warren is a male author, he’s made his captain a woman. Kudos. She is also old enough to wear her authority well without playing into stereotypes of age. Double kudos. Warren mixes races and genders in the seamless style of Star Trek. It’s just not a thing. Thank you for that. All that authority and experience are called upon when Vick responds to a distress signal, hoping to salvage new tech. She gets way more than she bargained for in the rescue of First Prince Tavram. She’s now thrown in the political landscape of the “big three” alien races who consider the “lesser empires” to be beneath their notice. Before the end of the book, at least one of these races will acknowledge the lesser human race.
The book’s strength is watching humans overcome incredible odds, take advantage of opportunity, and make noble sacrifices. My single criticism is that Warren was too repetitive in stating the fact that they were underdogs outright. We get it. Let us witness it. That part the author did well. He didn’t need to continue beating us over the head with his premise. Other than that minor note, I was impressed. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
Read this and other reviews at That's What I'm Talking About: http://twimom227.com/2016/10/review-v...
We love an underdog and Warren plays to that by making Earth the unlikely victors in a galaxy of far superior aliens with empires that span thousands of worlds. Those aliens have been in space for millennia and developed technology we can’t even dream about—which is why Captain Victoria Marin is trying to steal, or “salvage,” as much alien tech as she can and bring it back to Earth for reverse engineering.
Even though Warren is a male author, he’s made his captain a woman. Kudos. She is also old enough to wear her authority well without playing into stereotypes of age. Double kudos. Warren mixes races and genders in the seamless style of Star Trek. It’s just not a thing. Thank you for that. All that authority and experience are called upon when Vick responds to a distress signal, hoping to salvage new tech. She gets way more than she bargained for in the rescue of First Prince Tavram. She’s now thrown in the political landscape of the “big three” alien races who consider the “lesser empires” to be beneath their notice. Before the end of the book, at least one of these races will acknowledge the lesser human race.
The book’s strength is watching humans overcome incredible odds, take advantage of opportunity, and make noble sacrifices. My single criticism is that Warren was too repetitive in stating the fact that they were underdogs outright. We get it. Let us witness it. That part the author did well. He didn’t need to continue beating us over the head with his premise. Other than that minor note, I was impressed. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
Read this and other reviews at That's What I'm Talking About: http://twimom227.com/2016/10/review-v...
December 19, 2017
Well, that was a waste of time. As far as sci-fi goes, there was nothing truly original to be found here. I've come across every sci-fi concept before and in each case, it was done better somewhere else. I found it boring, cheesy and stupid all at the same time. The best thing you can say about it is that it's short.
It's quite clear that the author was going for that Firefly feel that a lot of people seem to enjoy. However, it never quite sets up the universe well enough for you to know what the stakes are or what the consequences might be. It also tries too hard to bring in some unexpected characteristics for the alien races, while making them still very human-like in order to be able to follow things from their point of view. All this resulted in completely unbelievable alien species that felt uninspired and convenient to the plot.
The characters were just as much of a mess. They were simply completely flat and boring, giving you no reason to want to root for them other than the fact they were human. I couldn't bring myself to care about anything that happened to them, especially since you can tell from quite early on how things are going to play out. The scenes from the alien's perspective were also completely unnecessary. All they did was muddle the already stupid plot and made the supposedly super advanced alien species seem very petty and very human.
The writing was completely amateurish. The dialogue was awful, made even worse by the narrator in the audiobook version. So many things lacked proper descriptions, leaving the reader to fill in a lot of the blanks. But then in some cases, we get some details towards the end of the book, meaning you have to fix the vague mental models you already had in your mind. The pacing is way too fast as well, with the author trying to fit a simple plot into half it's required length. Everything about the writing and story was more frustrating than entertaining.
I wouldn't be able to recommend this book to anyone. It's not awful, but it's so pointless and unoriginal, that despite its meagre 200-odd pages, it's still a waste of time.
It's quite clear that the author was going for that Firefly feel that a lot of people seem to enjoy. However, it never quite sets up the universe well enough for you to know what the stakes are or what the consequences might be. It also tries too hard to bring in some unexpected characteristics for the alien races, while making them still very human-like in order to be able to follow things from their point of view. All this resulted in completely unbelievable alien species that felt uninspired and convenient to the plot.
The characters were just as much of a mess. They were simply completely flat and boring, giving you no reason to want to root for them other than the fact they were human. I couldn't bring myself to care about anything that happened to them, especially since you can tell from quite early on how things are going to play out. The scenes from the alien's perspective were also completely unnecessary. All they did was muddle the already stupid plot and made the supposedly super advanced alien species seem very petty and very human.
The writing was completely amateurish. The dialogue was awful, made even worse by the narrator in the audiobook version. So many things lacked proper descriptions, leaving the reader to fill in a lot of the blanks. But then in some cases, we get some details towards the end of the book, meaning you have to fix the vague mental models you already had in your mind. The pacing is way too fast as well, with the author trying to fit a simple plot into half it's required length. Everything about the writing and story was more frustrating than entertaining.
I wouldn't be able to recommend this book to anyone. It's not awful, but it's so pointless and unoriginal, that despite its meagre 200-odd pages, it's still a waste of time.
February 2, 2017
A good story about humans as scavengers because we are late to the space race game. I enjoyed the story arc, characters, and the outcome. Ill look for more in this series.
September 21, 2017
What a ride! Engrossing, interesting, funny. I definitely want to know more about all those different galactic empires and cultures, roll on the next installment.
October 2, 2021
A strong start of the series and in this Mil Sci-Fi/Space Opera/Privateer novel we follow Earth's campaign as a very weak power trying to stay alive(and "procuring" some high Tech from the big Powers shipwrecks) while the mighty Gigants wage war in our Universe.
I really hope that books 2 and 3 keep this promise of Ringo/Kratman/Weber-esque joy because don´t we all need some escapism in this pseudo-dystopia that we have going nowadays?
I really hope that books 2 and 3 keep this promise of Ringo/Kratman/Weber-esque joy because don´t we all need some escapism in this pseudo-dystopia that we have going nowadays?
August 30, 2018
Great start to a new series
I picked this book up on a whim. I had not really heard about the author or book before but it looked interesting. As I got into it, I found the setting, the characters, and the story all interesting and exciting.
I picked this book up on a whim. I had not really heard about the author or book before but it looked interesting. As I got into it, I found the setting, the characters, and the story all interesting and exciting.
April 24, 2018
Rating
Review
*** This review originally appeared on Out of this World Reviews. ***
Vick’s Vultures by Scott Warren was a book I really wanted to like. The premise sounds great:
Looking back, the story really is as good as it sounds. But where Vick’s Vultures fails miserably in its execution. The writing is ridiculously confusing. The characters are flat pieces of cardboard with minimal personality and little to no background or motivation whatsoever. The aliens are…odd, which is ok because, hey, they’re aliens and should be different from humans. But their personalities are as flat as the crew members of the Vulture. Toss in enough characters with no distinctiveness into a melee of confusing writing and you’ve got a recipe for a very quick DNF. I considered dropping this one at several points, but, for reasons unknown, I slogged through it. This is the kind of book that really drains you as a reader, and that’s just kind of sad.
Vick’s Vultures is the first in the Union Earth Privateers series. It is followed by To Fall Among Vultures, which I have already attempted to read at the time of this review. Stay tuned for my thoughts on that one. As for Vick’s Vultures, I just don’t have a lot of good things to say about it. It’s somewhat enjoyable, but you really aren’t missing anything by skipping it.
Review
*** This review originally appeared on Out of this World Reviews. ***
Vick’s Vultures by Scott Warren was a book I really wanted to like. The premise sounds great:
Victoria Marin, captain of the U.E. Condor, and her crew of Vultures have been running dry for months. In danger of losing her command and her credibility if she can’t locate fresh salvage, she locks onto the distress signal of an alien ship in hopes of valuable cargo. What she finds instead is First Prince Tavram, the heir apparent to one of the largest empires in known space. Tavram’s ship has been crippled after narrowly escaping an ambush and his would-be assassin is coming to finish the job.
Looking back, the story really is as good as it sounds. But where Vick’s Vultures fails miserably in its execution. The writing is ridiculously confusing. The characters are flat pieces of cardboard with minimal personality and little to no background or motivation whatsoever. The aliens are…odd, which is ok because, hey, they’re aliens and should be different from humans. But their personalities are as flat as the crew members of the Vulture. Toss in enough characters with no distinctiveness into a melee of confusing writing and you’ve got a recipe for a very quick DNF. I considered dropping this one at several points, but, for reasons unknown, I slogged through it. This is the kind of book that really drains you as a reader, and that’s just kind of sad.
Vick’s Vultures is the first in the Union Earth Privateers series. It is followed by To Fall Among Vultures, which I have already attempted to read at the time of this review. Stay tuned for my thoughts on that one. As for Vick’s Vultures, I just don’t have a lot of good things to say about it. It’s somewhat enjoyable, but you really aren’t missing anything by skipping it.
October 19, 2016
Original Review Here
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am more of a fantasy girl than science fiction, but I thought I would give Vick’s Vultures a go. It was the first book set in space that that gripped me from the start. The pacing and tension kept me engaged, the characters made me laugh and the whole premise was engaging from the first page. A thoroughly enjoyable book!
After picking up a distress signal, Vick takes her Vultures to salvage parts from one of the Big Three. But instead of technology, they find survivors, one of whom is First Prince Tavram. Her mission to get him home is lined with danger – another of the Big Three wants him dead and Vick’s own enemies are closing in. She will need all her wit about her.
Victoria instantly caught my attention. An excellent captain but with normal human vices – such needing whisky (and lots of it) to sleep. She was flawed, bold and stubborn as anything when it came to getting what she wanted. Best Wishes was an imposing opponent for the majority of the novel, but lost his touch towards the end. I expected Tav to be obnoxious, but his character remained mainly in the background. Tessa was awesome: a marine who sneaks aboard the enemy ship and single-handed causes absolute chaos!
The language really added to the novel. I’ve read too many set in space where it was all nice and polite. Not where Vick is involved – if she doesn’t like something, you will know. Given the circumstances, it injected humour and added a sense of reality to the situation. You would be swearing if you were about to be blown out of the sky and your defences were offline!
The novel had a steady pace and a lot of tension throughout, keeping me completely engaged. The enemy ship remained close enough – with plenty of skirmishes – throughout you could never tell if they would make it through or not. While some of the “space-talk” did lose me a little, it was never enough to disconnect from the novel.
I would definitely recommend Vick’s Vultures! Engaging, humorous and a classic tale of smaller guy versus bigger one. Great fun!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am more of a fantasy girl than science fiction, but I thought I would give Vick’s Vultures a go. It was the first book set in space that that gripped me from the start. The pacing and tension kept me engaged, the characters made me laugh and the whole premise was engaging from the first page. A thoroughly enjoyable book!
After picking up a distress signal, Vick takes her Vultures to salvage parts from one of the Big Three. But instead of technology, they find survivors, one of whom is First Prince Tavram. Her mission to get him home is lined with danger – another of the Big Three wants him dead and Vick’s own enemies are closing in. She will need all her wit about her.
Victoria instantly caught my attention. An excellent captain but with normal human vices – such needing whisky (and lots of it) to sleep. She was flawed, bold and stubborn as anything when it came to getting what she wanted. Best Wishes was an imposing opponent for the majority of the novel, but lost his touch towards the end. I expected Tav to be obnoxious, but his character remained mainly in the background. Tessa was awesome: a marine who sneaks aboard the enemy ship and single-handed causes absolute chaos!
The language really added to the novel. I’ve read too many set in space where it was all nice and polite. Not where Vick is involved – if she doesn’t like something, you will know. Given the circumstances, it injected humour and added a sense of reality to the situation. You would be swearing if you were about to be blown out of the sky and your defences were offline!
The novel had a steady pace and a lot of tension throughout, keeping me completely engaged. The enemy ship remained close enough – with plenty of skirmishes – throughout you could never tell if they would make it through or not. While some of the “space-talk” did lose me a little, it was never enough to disconnect from the novel.
I would definitely recommend Vick’s Vultures! Engaging, humorous and a classic tale of smaller guy versus bigger one. Great fun!
October 20, 2016
Have I flown with Vick? Well, see right there, you're starting off with the wrong sort of question. ‘Course, I ain't faulting you none, I'd’ve asked the same to someone else before I knowed Vick. I've flown with lots of folks, some level-headed characters from epic space operas, the legends of all the classics, a few complicated and conflicted souls in the odd fantasy universe. But Vick, now, she's kinda in this special class of her own.
When I first boarded, things were already moving pretty quick. Usually, that's not my favorite way to start off on a new ship, what with the author throwing names of alien races you never seen before, names of the aliens themselves, names of all the worlds they've conquered, their cousins’ names… you get the idea. Then I had to figure out who all the good guys were and what they were up to. It was a bit much to take in all of a sudden, and I almost bailed out early. But I stuck around to see where the fun was, and that was that, as they say.
Granted, I had to take a few breaks now and then. But each time I set the book aside, I couldn't stay away from Vick’s ship long. See, Vick runs a tough crew, and she don't let up for nobody. It's a crazy hairy whirlwind of a ride, but if you can make it a couple chapters with her, you'll find out she's got you hooked good. Her author, that Warren fella, he might’ve had something to do with that, so points to that guy.
So I got to warn you, Vic isn't what you might call an angel. Not even one that's just rough around the edges. No, she's rough all the way through. But to be the heroine of a hard and fast book, I guess it takes more than just quick wits and a pretty face to keep a crew in one piece. Well, mostly in one piece.
So to answer your question. As I come to find out, you don't just fly with Vick, like you can in some novels with one character or another. You have to get in there, grab a gun or get busy flying or jury-rig some busted up alien tech or something, or the action will leave you off at some backwater port faster than you can spell Alpha Centauri. By the turn of the last page, you'll be part of the ship. One of Vick’s crew. Vick’s Vultures.
(This reviewer received a copy of the book from the publisher for review via NetGalley.)
When I first boarded, things were already moving pretty quick. Usually, that's not my favorite way to start off on a new ship, what with the author throwing names of alien races you never seen before, names of the aliens themselves, names of all the worlds they've conquered, their cousins’ names… you get the idea. Then I had to figure out who all the good guys were and what they were up to. It was a bit much to take in all of a sudden, and I almost bailed out early. But I stuck around to see where the fun was, and that was that, as they say.
Granted, I had to take a few breaks now and then. But each time I set the book aside, I couldn't stay away from Vick’s ship long. See, Vick runs a tough crew, and she don't let up for nobody. It's a crazy hairy whirlwind of a ride, but if you can make it a couple chapters with her, you'll find out she's got you hooked good. Her author, that Warren fella, he might’ve had something to do with that, so points to that guy.
So I got to warn you, Vic isn't what you might call an angel. Not even one that's just rough around the edges. No, she's rough all the way through. But to be the heroine of a hard and fast book, I guess it takes more than just quick wits and a pretty face to keep a crew in one piece. Well, mostly in one piece.
So to answer your question. As I come to find out, you don't just fly with Vick, like you can in some novels with one character or another. You have to get in there, grab a gun or get busy flying or jury-rig some busted up alien tech or something, or the action will leave you off at some backwater port faster than you can spell Alpha Centauri. By the turn of the last page, you'll be part of the ship. One of Vick’s crew. Vick’s Vultures.
(This reviewer received a copy of the book from the publisher for review via NetGalley.)
October 5, 2016
3.5 stars
I struggled with the beginning of this book, because there were a lot of technological descriptions that took me a while to get through. After a while I got used to it and my reading experience got a lot better. One of the major ideas in this book is that humans are a minor species. In the universe this story is set in, there are many empires that are more powerful than the humans. I loved the fact that humans were the underdogs. It really made me root for them eventhough I did not connect with any particular character.
In this story we get introduced to a bunch of alien species. We get some clues to their appearance, but I felt like they were never described in enough detail for me to clearly envision them. Only in the last few chapters could I picture one of the alien races. One of the alien species is actually one enitity that inhabits multiple bodies which communiate telepatically, which I thought was extremely interesting. Other alien species seemed to have fascinating societal structures. I just wish that I was given more details. Most of the descriptions in this book relate to the action. It was written in a good way, but one of the things that I love in science fiction is exploring new worlds/species and that was missing a bit in this book.
If you prefer a plot driven story over a character driven story than you might really enjoy this. I personally would have liked to see the characters fleshed out a bit more. While I had a clear idea of the captain of the ship the Condor, the other characters seemed quite flat to me. One thing that did annoy me a little was the amount of times the female caption admires male bodies. I think hardly any (human) male character was introduced without her stating how hot he was. After a while that just starting to seem a bit much.
I struggled with the beginning of this book, because there were a lot of technological descriptions that took me a while to get through. After a while I got used to it and my reading experience got a lot better. One of the major ideas in this book is that humans are a minor species. In the universe this story is set in, there are many empires that are more powerful than the humans. I loved the fact that humans were the underdogs. It really made me root for them eventhough I did not connect with any particular character.
In this story we get introduced to a bunch of alien species. We get some clues to their appearance, but I felt like they were never described in enough detail for me to clearly envision them. Only in the last few chapters could I picture one of the alien races. One of the alien species is actually one enitity that inhabits multiple bodies which communiate telepatically, which I thought was extremely interesting. Other alien species seemed to have fascinating societal structures. I just wish that I was given more details. Most of the descriptions in this book relate to the action. It was written in a good way, but one of the things that I love in science fiction is exploring new worlds/species and that was missing a bit in this book.
If you prefer a plot driven story over a character driven story than you might really enjoy this. I personally would have liked to see the characters fleshed out a bit more. While I had a clear idea of the captain of the ship the Condor, the other characters seemed quite flat to me. One thing that did annoy me a little was the amount of times the female caption admires male bodies. I think hardly any (human) male character was introduced without her stating how hot he was. After a while that just starting to seem a bit much.
October 13, 2016
Offering up insights into alien points of view, Scott Warren wields a mighty pen to create this electrifying tale of humanity's role as a "lesser empire" in the whole of the galaxy - lesser in size and technology but not in gumption.
For the most part, other races of the galaxy don't even know humankind exists, let alone feel threatened by them. Those races aware of humanity know they are a force to be reckoned with; they will fight for survival when the need arises but are just as eager to make alliances as it suits them.
Scavenging tech from the wrecks of alien battles, Captain Victoria Marin and her crew known as "the Vultures" are in the business of bringing home anything and everything for human scientists to study and attempt to reverse engineer. Humans are hundreds of years behind in most technology needed for space flight. In their favor, however, they are ahead in computer security and infiltration - other species don't rely on computers to make important calculations - and they are experts at infantry combat, something other space-faring races have long forgotten.
Each chapter brings and exciting new twist to the story and delves deeper into the personalities of the characters, not alien and human.
For the most part, other races of the galaxy don't even know humankind exists, let alone feel threatened by them. Those races aware of humanity know they are a force to be reckoned with; they will fight for survival when the need arises but are just as eager to make alliances as it suits them.
Scavenging tech from the wrecks of alien battles, Captain Victoria Marin and her crew known as "the Vultures" are in the business of bringing home anything and everything for human scientists to study and attempt to reverse engineer. Humans are hundreds of years behind in most technology needed for space flight. In their favor, however, they are ahead in computer security and infiltration - other species don't rely on computers to make important calculations - and they are experts at infantry combat, something other space-faring races have long forgotten.
Each chapter brings and exciting new twist to the story and delves deeper into the personalities of the characters, not alien and human.
August 8, 2016
REFRESHINGLY ORIGINAL The “official” synopsis of this work is online. Just let me say that once I began to read I unwillingly put it down, even for biological breaks; and eagerly await any (or all) sequels. The idea of humankind as stellar scavengers among more advanced, widespread, and most often belligerent races is new. Victoria Marin captains the Condor, a ship of the Union Earth Privateers (Earth’s military forces are no match for many of even the lesser empires and are used solely for defense of human habited planets) and her reputation hinges on captured alien/xeno technology to fuel humankind’s expansion. Needless to say, there is a gripping story here as she and her crew encounter two of the big three nonhuman species (first contact, as it turns out) who have been warring for over 5000 years. Vick’s actions in rescuing survivors of an ambush force her to have thereby taken sides (not a difficult choice under the resulting circumstances) in this interspecies war. Can you not imagine that who and what we are as humans might rub off on both sides? It does, likely to the advantage of our species among the stars. GIVE ME MORE!
December 1, 2017
Vick's Vultures was a complete surprise. I wasn't 100% sure what to expect when I started it, but I'll assure you it wasn't gripping writing, fun characters, an interesting universe (or two) inhabited by a slew of differing alien creatures and cultures, all of it fitting together almost seamlessly. And it darned sure wasn't a kick-butt female captain that wonderfully walked the line in which she was definitely a woman, but that never eclipsed her being a captain, nor did the author feel the need to butch her up so much she just became a dreaded man with boobs. Thank you Scott Warren for that! Characters really can be female and professional, who knew?
I did think Best Wish's loss of control toward the end a little too convenient to believe and I occasionally had a little trouble understanding the techno-speak. But all in all, this was a fabulous read.
I did think Best Wish's loss of control toward the end a little too convenient to believe and I occasionally had a little trouble understanding the techno-speak. But all in all, this was a fabulous read.
July 12, 2020
Une très bonne introduction dans un univers où l'humain n'est pas vraiment à son avantage ! où l'on fait connaissance avec l'équipage du Condor ; de sa capitaine Vick et tout un tas d'alien plus ou moins décidés à se débarrasser de ses ennuyeux parasites que sont les humains qui interfèrent - bien involontairement- dans leurs trames politiques !
J'ai lu d'une traite !
Même si ce n'est pas de la grande SF c'est tout de même de la bonne science fiction militaire avec des belles scènes de combats spatiaux et d'actes héroïques L'auteur ne sacrifiant pas l'action à des explications sur l'univers, on le découvre petit à petit avec délectation (d'où le 4 étoiles)
Un univers qui intrigue et où on se demande ce que vont devenir les humains parmi les 3 grandes puissances qui jusqu'ici les ignoraient comme insignifiants
J'attends la suite avec impatience
J'ai lu d'une traite !
Même si ce n'est pas de la grande SF c'est tout de même de la bonne science fiction militaire avec des belles scènes de combats spatiaux et d'actes héroïques L'auteur ne sacrifiant pas l'action à des explications sur l'univers, on le découvre petit à petit avec délectation (d'où le 4 étoiles)
Un univers qui intrigue et où on se demande ce que vont devenir les humains parmi les 3 grandes puissances qui jusqu'ici les ignoraient comme insignifiants
J'attends la suite avec impatience
August 4, 2016
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this space opera adventure with plenty of action from the beginning.
There is an interesting mix of characters which gave a good feel to the story.
I cannot wait to read the next in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this space opera adventure with plenty of action from the beginning.
There is an interesting mix of characters which gave a good feel to the story.
I cannot wait to read the next in the series.
January 13, 2018
Innovative space opera.
Humans have reached the stars,but it seems we were never all that alone. With 1500 other alien races about humanity isn't just the underdog, we're the bug you accidentally swatt in passing. Thus Victoria Martin and her ship The Vulture are on a scavenging mission for earth. Searching and scavenging for any peace of Xenotech they can find to make some money and reduce the enormous technology gap between us and all the rest.
Things are just a bit complicated when a distress signal brings them to a crippled ship carrying the crown prince of one of the most powerful races about. And now they have to get him back home, with a his would be assassins in hot pursuit.
On the whole this was a very enjoyable book. Though the story and the world look familiar at first glance, it soon becomes obvious that this isn't quite true. This novel twists the common tropes just enough to have some fun with it, without ever becoming obvious until after you're looking back at it all. The characters are perfect for what they need to be and the story just pulpy to pull of the story.
In short: An interesting twist on common 'humanity as underdog' ending in an satisfying sci-fy novel.
Humans have reached the stars,but it seems we were never all that alone. With 1500 other alien races about humanity isn't just the underdog, we're the bug you accidentally swatt in passing. Thus Victoria Martin and her ship The Vulture are on a scavenging mission for earth. Searching and scavenging for any peace of Xenotech they can find to make some money and reduce the enormous technology gap between us and all the rest.
Things are just a bit complicated when a distress signal brings them to a crippled ship carrying the crown prince of one of the most powerful races about. And now they have to get him back home, with a his would be assassins in hot pursuit.
On the whole this was a very enjoyable book. Though the story and the world look familiar at first glance, it soon becomes obvious that this isn't quite true. This novel twists the common tropes just enough to have some fun with it, without ever becoming obvious until after you're looking back at it all. The characters are perfect for what they need to be and the story just pulpy to pull of the story.
In short: An interesting twist on common 'humanity as underdog' ending in an satisfying sci-fy novel.
May 24, 2017
Potential for a good series
Action military space drama. Captain Victoria is commander of a privateer ship from Earth. They have been picking up salvage from battles fought by the three huge space empires and reverse engineering the components to boost Earth's technology. Was especially creative in alien diversity. The idea of locating a salvage vessel with survivors which included the First Prince of the Malagath Empire was good. This was a fun space romp.
Areas for improvement would include expanding the role of the Prince, who was very interesting but nothing was really done with him till the end. More interchange that would reveal more of both him and the Captain's inner workings would greatly add to this book. The Captain also was totally behaving as a male, with no distinction whatsoever. Even getting drunk and chasing married men. A woman could do this, but it would come off differently, not so blatant. I liked Vick, but it didn't quite ring true. Was nice to see a strong female in charge, but then she really wasn't very female. Her reactions to crew deaths was another indicator of this.
Action military space drama. Captain Victoria is commander of a privateer ship from Earth. They have been picking up salvage from battles fought by the three huge space empires and reverse engineering the components to boost Earth's technology. Was especially creative in alien diversity. The idea of locating a salvage vessel with survivors which included the First Prince of the Malagath Empire was good. This was a fun space romp.
Areas for improvement would include expanding the role of the Prince, who was very interesting but nothing was really done with him till the end. More interchange that would reveal more of both him and the Captain's inner workings would greatly add to this book. The Captain also was totally behaving as a male, with no distinction whatsoever. Even getting drunk and chasing married men. A woman could do this, but it would come off differently, not so blatant. I liked Vick, but it didn't quite ring true. Was nice to see a strong female in charge, but then she really wasn't very female. Her reactions to crew deaths was another indicator of this.
January 25, 2021
Yes Really Worth Reading
In the now-vast universe of military sci-fi, most of which is perhaps not so wonderful as one might hope, Vick’s Vultures stands out as well written, well plotted and well composed.
In spite of a title implying non-stop battle scenes of “marines at war,” it is actually a classic sci-fi adventure with carefully constructed believable technology, way better than usual aliens, varying points of view—why, it might almost be literature! Oh, and incidentally some really good mostly believable space battles and boots on the ground action.
As a bonus, instead of the usual incompetently edited digital OCR producing a minimum of three or four compositional “anomalies“ per page, I only noticed one or two in the entire book. Thank you so much!
Certainly worth my time and money. Now I’m off to buy (and read) the next one in line.
In the now-vast universe of military sci-fi, most of which is perhaps not so wonderful as one might hope, Vick’s Vultures stands out as well written, well plotted and well composed.
In spite of a title implying non-stop battle scenes of “marines at war,” it is actually a classic sci-fi adventure with carefully constructed believable technology, way better than usual aliens, varying points of view—why, it might almost be literature! Oh, and incidentally some really good mostly believable space battles and boots on the ground action.
As a bonus, instead of the usual incompetently edited digital OCR producing a minimum of three or four compositional “anomalies“ per page, I only noticed one or two in the entire book. Thank you so much!
Certainly worth my time and money. Now I’m off to buy (and read) the next one in line.
October 4, 2024
I'm not usually overly pedantic about grammar, but this book contains the most comma splices I've ever seen. It felt like about 1/3rd of sentences had at least one (some multiple!). I'm not hyperbolizing. That's actually my best offhand estimate. That's how rampant they were.
Part of the "Humans Fuck Yeah" (HFY) genre (humans join an interstellar culture and find out that although we think we're average, we're actually amazingly above-average in at least some aspects) and it did a reasonable job of making humans scrappy but not overly amazing, which is a fine line to tread in the genre.
However, the plot and characterization was fairly weak. All we know about the captain is that she's coarse and likes to drink and have sex, which is mentioned several times throughout the book. None of the characters have much differentiation.
Part of the "Humans Fuck Yeah" (HFY) genre (humans join an interstellar culture and find out that although we think we're average, we're actually amazingly above-average in at least some aspects) and it did a reasonable job of making humans scrappy but not overly amazing, which is a fine line to tread in the genre.
However, the plot and characterization was fairly weak. All we know about the captain is that she's coarse and likes to drink and have sex, which is mentioned several times throughout the book. None of the characters have much differentiation.
September 28, 2017
This was a fun sci-fi book where humans are lowly scavengers in space because there are hundreds of alien races that have more advanced technology and more worlds occupied. The greatest prize for human privateers to find is ship parts and designs they can salvage from derelict alien spaceships. Three alien races in particular are the top dogs of all as they have thousands of colonized worlds. When two of them get into a conflict a human ship ends up getting inadvertently involved and has to pull out all their tricks to make it out alive. The humans here are scrappy, gritty, and they felt real. Not a long book and it was a fast read. This is the start of a series but this book can easily be treated as a standalone story. The next book in the series comes out soon and I will read it.
May 27, 2018
60,0000 words it's just right!
I have a dislike of short stories. They mostly just seem to act as teasers. I hated that as a teenager and I was reading Sci-fi at age 7 in 1956 so I would have just thought they were incomplete. Most happily I can recommend this book. Readers if David Brin will find a choir here as well as mankind must again battle to catch up. People, this is very good reading. My word on it. A review of the insides will not tell you just what a pleasant read it was. I now seek book two in this series despite budget constraints!!
I have a dislike of short stories. They mostly just seem to act as teasers. I hated that as a teenager and I was reading Sci-fi at age 7 in 1956 so I would have just thought they were incomplete. Most happily I can recommend this book. Readers if David Brin will find a choir here as well as mankind must again battle to catch up. People, this is very good reading. My word on it. A review of the insides will not tell you just what a pleasant read it was. I now seek book two in this series despite budget constraints!!
January 15, 2017
Buy it
Great space opera. Refuse to call any book with as much heart as this one military sf. Reminds me of the warm feeling that the first books by CJ Cherryh gave me. Only got 4 stars because it has all the typos you expect in electronic books. Standards are standards. My reaction at the end was disbelief that the second volume of the series wasn't out yet. Yeah, I know, totally unfair to Scott. I'll just have to see if his fantasies are as good.
Great space opera. Refuse to call any book with as much heart as this one military sf. Reminds me of the warm feeling that the first books by CJ Cherryh gave me. Only got 4 stars because it has all the typos you expect in electronic books. Standards are standards. My reaction at the end was disbelief that the second volume of the series wasn't out yet. Yeah, I know, totally unfair to Scott. I'll just have to see if his fantasies are as good.
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