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Golden Age of the Solar Clipper #1-3
The Lois McKendrick Omnibus: Trader's Tales 1-3
The Golden Age of Sail has Returned -- in the Year 2352When his mother dies in a flitter crash, eighteen-year-old Ishmael Horatio Wang must find a job with the planet company or leave the system--and NerisCo isn't hiring. With credits running low, and prospects limited, he has just one hope...to enlist for two years with a deep space commercial freighter. Ishmael, who only rarely visited the Neris Orbital, and has never been off-planet alone before, finds himself part of an eclectic crew sailing a deep space leviathan between the stars.Join the crew of the SC Lois McKendrick, a Manchester built solar clipper, as she sets solar sails in search of profit for her company and a crew each entitled to a share equal to their rating.If you've heard about the series but are daunted by the thought of going back to the beginning, here's your chance to get all three of the Lois McKendrick stories one handy bundle. Welcome aboard.
736 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2018
181 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Lowell
46 books1,678 followersNathan Lowell has been a writer for more than forty years, and first entered the literary world by podcasting his novels. His sci-fi series, The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper grew from his long time fascination with space opera and his own experiences shipboard in the United States Coast Guard. Unlike most works which focus on a larger-than-life hero (prophesized savior, charismatic captain, or exiled prince), Nathan centers on the people behind the scenes--ordinary men and women trying to make a living in the depths of space. In his novels, there are no bug-eyed monsters, or galactic space battles, instead he paints a richly vivid and realistic world where the "hero" uses hard work and his own innate talents to improve his station and the lives of those of his community.
Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.
Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.
Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
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April 13, 202013 April 2020: $0.00 FREE on Kindle
April 9, 2020
Great series from a great writer. If you like a good story, well written, with characters you feel you know, then give this a try. He is an author I have notifications on for so I can get new stories as they are published. A couple years ago my husband was in hospital for his last days. I had this group of stories on Audible and listened to them to take my mind off the whole ordeal as I crocheted slippers for patients. They are interesting and soothing in some way; maybe they are also perfect for these troubled times.
October 18, 2020
This is a well-written, but incredibly slow space opera. Volume 3 brings some action, but there are no battles, missile firings throughout the entire series. I read books 4 and 5 as well. Book 5 picks up the pace, but not in space with lasers but on space stations with knives.
I think this author went to Wharton Business School, and is only secondarily an SF.
I think this author went to Wharton Business School, and is only secondarily an SF.
February 6, 2019
Great story
What a great read. Nothing dramatic, no space battles or exploding planets but when a story is this good who the hell needs all that. I now feel I know the characters so well I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
What a great read. Nothing dramatic, no space battles or exploding planets but when a story is this good who the hell needs all that. I now feel I know the characters so well I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
May 19, 2020
Smooth Sailing
Nathan Lowell kindly put up this trilogy in the midst of the opening days of the pandemic. I found great pleasure in reading these books. I have always complained that in real life, the bridge officers would not go jaunting off on adventures. These novels are exactly what I think should happen on space adventure, sans bug eyed monsters and first contact. They were engrossing and an easy read, just what I needed. Ishmael Wang is a smart, self-effacing lad, who verges on too perfect, but his youth and outlook save him from a saccharine sweet toothache. An excellent adventure for this or anytime!
Nathan Lowell kindly put up this trilogy in the midst of the opening days of the pandemic. I found great pleasure in reading these books. I have always complained that in real life, the bridge officers would not go jaunting off on adventures. These novels are exactly what I think should happen on space adventure, sans bug eyed monsters and first contact. They were engrossing and an easy read, just what I needed. Ishmael Wang is a smart, self-effacing lad, who verges on too perfect, but his youth and outlook save him from a saccharine sweet toothache. An excellent adventure for this or anytime!
May 6, 2020
Books one two and three
Mistakes: Extremely well edited. No problems found.
Plot: This is a coming of age story spread over multiple books.
You have an early death, a mugging, and an abused woman at different points. Lots of good reading.
Characters: The growth of the characters is the something special in these books. I enjoyed every minute.
9/10
Mistakes: Extremely well edited. No problems found.
Plot: This is a coming of age story spread over multiple books.
You have an early death, a mugging, and an abused woman at different points. Lots of good reading.
Characters: The growth of the characters is the something special in these books. I enjoyed every minute.
9/10
November 16, 2020
I love omnibus books
It is so easy to just keep reading. Yeah sometimes the start of one book has some recapping, like in book 3 but if done well you either don’t mind or notice, sadly not the case here. Still I really enjoyed the stories and I was surprised that although not much happened it still was entertaining.
It is so easy to just keep reading. Yeah sometimes the start of one book has some recapping, like in book 3 but if done well you either don’t mind or notice, sadly not the case here. Still I really enjoyed the stories and I was surprised that although not much happened it still was entertaining.
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November 25, 2024Real Science Fiction
At last an Amazon SF author with real and original talent. It is such a pleasure to read books with original and well thought out texts.
This is the third time I have read these books, and yet the storyline and characters are both addictive and refreshing.
Thank you for not waving the flags and for leaving the marines at home.
At last an Amazon SF author with real and original talent. It is such a pleasure to read books with original and well thought out texts.
This is the third time I have read these books, and yet the storyline and characters are both addictive and refreshing.
Thank you for not waving the flags and for leaving the marines at home.
January 28, 2025
Hornblowed and Melville updated
I love this series! One of the few I read repeatedly. I first encountered this on the old Podiobooks website.
The story is part coming of age and part fish out of water. Our young protagonist learns how to run a solar clipper and gains friends for the first time.
If you have the time, read this book!
I love this series! One of the few I read repeatedly. I first encountered this on the old Podiobooks website.
The story is part coming of age and part fish out of water. Our young protagonist learns how to run a solar clipper and gains friends for the first time.
If you have the time, read this book!
March 9, 2020
Good sailing!
This is a great read of a young mans journey an a trading space ship. There is a lot of good character development and realistic situations. You can really see the authors nautical background. I great read!
This is a great read of a young mans journey an a trading space ship. There is a lot of good character development and realistic situations. You can really see the authors nautical background. I great read!
June 24, 2020
Trader’s Tales - The Lois McKendrick
This is a totally fascinating trio of Stories telling the tale of a young man growing up in the spacefaring service of the Merchant Traders. I highly recommend it to all who enjoy spacefaring.
This is a totally fascinating trio of Stories telling the tale of a young man growing up in the spacefaring service of the Merchant Traders. I highly recommend it to all who enjoy spacefaring.
July 9, 2021
I enjoyed all 3 books tremendously.
Nathan Lowell did a great job of building really good characters. The stories interesting and funny. These books had everything, love,loss,and great friends.
Nathan Lowell did a great job of building really good characters. The stories interesting and funny. These books had everything, love,loss,and great friends.
April 26, 2019
I can't get enough of the Trader's Tales series. The first books will always have a special place in my heart and my library.
April 12, 2020
Sailing in space
I really enjoyed this book. Easy to read, got a little technical but I like that, even if I don't quite get it (math, bleh). Great coming of age story.
I really enjoyed this book. Easy to read, got a little technical but I like that, even if I don't quite get it (math, bleh). Great coming of age story.
April 29, 2020
Lovely. Reading
Reading that flows along with action, terrific characters who are strong and believable, both men and women that grow and change throughout the series.
Reading that flows along with action, terrific characters who are strong and believable, both men and women that grow and change throughout the series.
January 3, 2021
Nathan Lowell is a brilliant storyteller. Listened to these when they first came out on Podiobooks, bought this and the rest of the books from the same universe.
May 23, 2023
good story and a light read
This is a good story and an enjoyable easy read. Not hard core, hard science fiction. I look forward to other titles by this author.
This is a good story and an enjoyable easy read. Not hard core, hard science fiction. I look forward to other titles by this author.
April 21, 2024
From the moment I embarked on the journey with Ishmael, I know I was in for an adventure that was both unique and heartstrings. Spanning six books,this series took me through the life of Ishmael,from a green recruit to a seasoned spacer,and every step felt as real and as vivid as the stars themselves
November 17, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed the first trilogy in this series, though I have to say that it got a little much in the middle. It's a sandwich of trading+work -> harem -> trading+work. The main character never goes back to being a sexpot and everyone for the most part never speaks of it again. Like, seriously, FOUR women suddenly lose it because he's going to visit a high-end tailor. Maybe this is based on something that happened to the author, but if so, that's one whale of a couture overture.
Otherwise it was a good start on a well rounded character's story, and a fun excursion. I liked the lack of any big plot going on in the background; it made the story about the people rather than the events.
Otherwise it was a good start on a well rounded character's story, and a fun excursion. I liked the lack of any big plot going on in the background; it made the story about the people rather than the events.
May 15, 2020
A most excellent series
Nathan Lowell is a rare gem of an author. I had a hard time putting this book down. I wanted to read the whole thing at once, but I had to sleep, eat, etc. I really enjoyed it.
Nathan Lowell is a rare gem of an author. I had a hard time putting this book down. I wanted to read the whole thing at once, but I had to sleep, eat, etc. I really enjoyed it.
September 4, 2023
I'm glad I was able to get this omnibus edition. I really like this series. Having the first three books together is very convenient for when I re-read (as I already have done). Ish and Pip are quite amusing together, and there are some great lines in these books. Lots of character development.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews