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The Messenger #4
The Silent Fleet
Recruit. Fight. Build.
As Dash and his team begin expanding the Forge, they must focus on Dark Metal as the one thing that can give them an advantage in the coming war.
Using drones and a map from an ancient library, Dash and Leira must seek out the source of a transmission coming from far away.
That source, however, is something far more valuable than they could have hoped: a fleet of ancient Unseen ships, waiting to be salvaged.
With the Golden forces closing in, Dash will need to enlist more help as he prepares to engage the enemy.
He must choose his next battleground, all while the Forge works to arm his team with new weapons that could turn the tide once and for all.
As Dash and his team begin expanding the Forge, they must focus on Dark Metal as the one thing that can give them an advantage in the coming war.
Using drones and a map from an ancient library, Dash and Leira must seek out the source of a transmission coming from far away.
That source, however, is something far more valuable than they could have hoped: a fleet of ancient Unseen ships, waiting to be salvaged.
With the Golden forces closing in, Dash will need to enlist more help as he prepares to engage the enemy.
He must choose his next battleground, all while the Forge works to arm his team with new weapons that could turn the tide once and for all.
- GenresScience Fiction
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2019
437 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
J.N. Chaney
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 26, 2020
Review to come soon.
January 26, 2022
-22 degrees Kelvin.
Just let that sink in. No, the author isn't commenting on a stable, but inverted, Boltzmann distribution of atoms. He's talking about the temperature of the far side of the Archetype spacecraft (that facing away from the Sun). You can't have -22K, 0 is absolute zero; zero energy, zero entropy, zero. The temperature of space is between 2 and 3 Kelvin, the temperature the author was describing, might be -22 degrees Celsius, or Fahrenheit (really depends just how far from the star - the temperature at the 'surface' of the Sun is approaching 6,000K), but it absolutely isn't -22K!
Why am I singling out this pedantic bit of unimportant trivia? Well because it's just one example, it's indicative of the lazy, inconsistent and nonsensical rubbish that permeates the writing. There is no way this was ever proofread.
Do the characters live in a universe largely devoid of modern-day aliens, or are they commonplace? It depends on the mood of the author from one minute to the next, it's rarely clear.
Is the protagonist a hot-headed young jock or an inspirational leader? Well, actually, he's just annoying inconsistent.
And pirates? Really? Talk about shoehorning that one in there with the least believable motivation ever.
Overall, a hugely disappointing mess that could have been so much more with a bit of effort. I mean does he not have access to Google?
Just let that sink in. No, the author isn't commenting on a stable, but inverted, Boltzmann distribution of atoms. He's talking about the temperature of the far side of the Archetype spacecraft (that facing away from the Sun). You can't have -22K, 0 is absolute zero; zero energy, zero entropy, zero. The temperature of space is between 2 and 3 Kelvin, the temperature the author was describing, might be -22 degrees Celsius, or Fahrenheit (really depends just how far from the star - the temperature at the 'surface' of the Sun is approaching 6,000K), but it absolutely isn't -22K!
Why am I singling out this pedantic bit of unimportant trivia? Well because it's just one example, it's indicative of the lazy, inconsistent and nonsensical rubbish that permeates the writing. There is no way this was ever proofread.
Do the characters live in a universe largely devoid of modern-day aliens, or are they commonplace? It depends on the mood of the author from one minute to the next, it's rarely clear.
Is the protagonist a hot-headed young jock or an inspirational leader? Well, actually, he's just annoying inconsistent.
And pirates? Really? Talk about shoehorning that one in there with the least believable motivation ever.
Overall, a hugely disappointing mess that could have been so much more with a bit of effort. I mean does he not have access to Google?
January 12, 2020
Review to come soon.
June 12, 2020
While I was originally critical of this series, it's got better as I read more books. Now up to the fourth book, the story does continue in a very interesting way. While we initially had only one supersized mech, now we have two.
Most of the group gathered by "Dash" a.k.a. Newton Sawyer, were at the Forge trying to figure out how to gather more dark metal which was used by both the Unseen and the Golden in building their fantastic weapons and other things. From the last book, Dash's group was gathering enough dark metal to build a second "Archetype" with this one being called the "Swift". Leira was to be the pilot. As both she and Dash were former courier pilots, they were well versed in flying things in space, even if they were now flying gigantic mechas.
They found a partial solution to their dark metal problem and got that going pretty early in the book. Then Dash decided that he needed to grow his group much larger for the coming battle with the Golden. He was looking for starship pilots after he found some information about a fleet of Unseen ships parked in a desolate and unobserved star system. He needed to get those ships back to the Forge, so he needed pilots. He was given one source and that was to recruit pirates!
So, is Dash going to actually use pirates to defend humanity. Why would they want to get involved? Yet, when he actually confronts these pirates, he finds a group of people far different than what he thought he would find. Of course you'll have to read the book to figure that out.
This is a good continuation of the story. So far, everything seems to be working out for Dash and his friends. Some of the stuff he has to do just seems too easy. I wonder if that's going to change sometime in the next books. I'll just have to read them and see.
Most of the group gathered by "Dash" a.k.a. Newton Sawyer, were at the Forge trying to figure out how to gather more dark metal which was used by both the Unseen and the Golden in building their fantastic weapons and other things. From the last book, Dash's group was gathering enough dark metal to build a second "Archetype" with this one being called the "Swift". Leira was to be the pilot. As both she and Dash were former courier pilots, they were well versed in flying things in space, even if they were now flying gigantic mechas.
They found a partial solution to their dark metal problem and got that going pretty early in the book. Then Dash decided that he needed to grow his group much larger for the coming battle with the Golden. He was looking for starship pilots after he found some information about a fleet of Unseen ships parked in a desolate and unobserved star system. He needed to get those ships back to the Forge, so he needed pilots. He was given one source and that was to recruit pirates!
So, is Dash going to actually use pirates to defend humanity. Why would they want to get involved? Yet, when he actually confronts these pirates, he finds a group of people far different than what he thought he would find. Of course you'll have to read the book to figure that out.
This is a good continuation of the story. So far, everything seems to be working out for Dash and his friends. Some of the stuff he has to do just seems too easy. I wonder if that's going to change sometime in the next books. I'll just have to read them and see.
January 1, 2022
The fifth entry of J.N. Chaney and Terry Maggert’s The Messenger series focuses on protagonist Newton “Dash” Sawyer and his crewmembers continuing to expand the capabilities of the space station Forge, with Dash himself practicing the disability of a Golden missile through his giant mech, the Archetype. The remnants of the projectile he brings aboard the Forge, with one of his allies, the monk Kai, discovering things about the ancient race, the Unseen. When Dash and company seek to go on an excursion, they leave Leira behind to hone her skills, and they visit the planet Orsino, where they enter a pillar-shaped structure and see Unseen print.
Dash eventually receives information about an antediluvian armada, the eponymous Silent Fleet, which could turn the tide of their war against the antagonistic aliens, the Golden, although they need a significant crew to pilot the vessels. The company thus seeks assistance from a group of pirates known as the Gentle Friends, ironically named due to their piratical disposition, spearheaded by Benzel, although they do ultimately agree to help. Shortly afterward, other antagonists called the Bright, led by the Purity Council, attack, and they send calls to the Golden, with a climactic battle against them concluding the fourth entry.
The book is definitely an enjoyable piece of contemporary science-fiction, with plentiful action and development, although there are occasional issues such as errors like the monk Kai called Kay at one point in the story, not to mention similarities to other sci-fi media such as the videogame Xenogears and its spiritual predecessors the Xenosaga trilogy. Regardless, the narrative is definitely a fun, well-paced diversion from the standard norm of the sci-fi genre, given its well-described battles and background, with the conclusion leaving plenty more to come, and I would definitely recommend it to like-minded readers of such literature.
Dash eventually receives information about an antediluvian armada, the eponymous Silent Fleet, which could turn the tide of their war against the antagonistic aliens, the Golden, although they need a significant crew to pilot the vessels. The company thus seeks assistance from a group of pirates known as the Gentle Friends, ironically named due to their piratical disposition, spearheaded by Benzel, although they do ultimately agree to help. Shortly afterward, other antagonists called the Bright, led by the Purity Council, attack, and they send calls to the Golden, with a climactic battle against them concluding the fourth entry.
The book is definitely an enjoyable piece of contemporary science-fiction, with plentiful action and development, although there are occasional issues such as errors like the monk Kai called Kay at one point in the story, not to mention similarities to other sci-fi media such as the videogame Xenogears and its spiritual predecessors the Xenosaga trilogy. Regardless, the narrative is definitely a fun, well-paced diversion from the standard norm of the sci-fi genre, given its well-described battles and background, with the conclusion leaving plenty more to come, and I would definitely recommend it to like-minded readers of such literature.
December 30, 2019
More
I fully expected more in this fourth instalment. Is there really any need to fully explain the build up to gearing up the forge and so on. You only had some real action in the last few pages. I fully understand the intent and the build up to battle readiness, but again, I found myself skipping pages to get to parts of the story which were less mundane. This is my opinion and analysis of this particular book and why I only gave it a four star rating. Perhaps Dash should seriously consider collecting more allies in this fight against the Golden. After all there are bound to be a shit load of Golden coming into the fight. Not the paltry few seen and fought against so far. You only have to see the damage caused by just those few that came in the end of this story.
I fully expected more in this fourth instalment. Is there really any need to fully explain the build up to gearing up the forge and so on. You only had some real action in the last few pages. I fully understand the intent and the build up to battle readiness, but again, I found myself skipping pages to get to parts of the story which were less mundane. This is my opinion and analysis of this particular book and why I only gave it a four star rating. Perhaps Dash should seriously consider collecting more allies in this fight against the Golden. After all there are bound to be a shit load of Golden coming into the fight. Not the paltry few seen and fought against so far. You only have to see the damage caused by just those few that came in the end of this story.
January 15, 2020
More enemies.
Dash, Leira and company learn about a new data source of Unseen technology but, when they get to the site there is a mining group at work close by. This time Dash confronts them and tells them all about himself, as the Messenger, and the danger facing humanity. The miners believe him and join the
crew. Working from some of the data they discover that there is an Unseen fleet, that has lain dormant for thousands of years, not too far away. The problem is, where will they find enough pilots and crews to bring them back to the Forge? As it turns out Harolyn, the mining crew manager, has the answer!
Once again we have a real space opera with new enemies and good space battles.
Dash, Leira and company learn about a new data source of Unseen technology but, when they get to the site there is a mining group at work close by. This time Dash confronts them and tells them all about himself, as the Messenger, and the danger facing humanity. The miners believe him and join the
crew. Working from some of the data they discover that there is an Unseen fleet, that has lain dormant for thousands of years, not too far away. The problem is, where will they find enough pilots and crews to bring them back to the Forge? As it turns out Harolyn, the mining crew manager, has the answer!
Once again we have a real space opera with new enemies and good space battles.
October 8, 2021
I really enjoy "The Messenger" series. Dash is starting to become family. So lets go. Dash and the gang are in a race to collect as much Dark Metal as they can in order to provide material for the Forge. It is imperative to be faster than the Golden. But they are not making it easy. As they go out to explore and discover more Dark Metal they bump onto a different group that profess never-ending glory if their way of life is followed. A clan that gives the gang the creeps. The Bright turn out to be another Golden faction and more battle come a calling at the Forge. Lots of action which is great and more planning for all.
November 8, 2020
The Silent Fleet. J.N. Chaney. Terry Maggert
The battle continues. Dash and his crew have joined forces with a large group of Pirates. Extremely capable fighters, but can they be trusted? Dash quickly learns their word and a handshake is their bond. The pirates are also referred to as "Gentle Friends." After their first initial contact with the arch enemy the Golden, the pirates suffered heavy losses. But, they won. the fight. Dash, his crew and the pirates are now a closely bonded crew. They trust each other. Non stop action!!! An excellent read!!
The battle continues. Dash and his crew have joined forces with a large group of Pirates. Extremely capable fighters, but can they be trusted? Dash quickly learns their word and a handshake is their bond. The pirates are also referred to as "Gentle Friends." After their first initial contact with the arch enemy the Golden, the pirates suffered heavy losses. But, they won. the fight. Dash, his crew and the pirates are now a closely bonded crew. They trust each other. Non stop action!!! An excellent read!!
July 19, 2022
This series is getting better with each instalment
As the title says, only recently started this series.
Finished Blackest Ocean yesterday and read this today.
Dash and the team are developing more each book, obviously I guess. The addition of Benzel and his team, Tybalt and his humour and Amy are making this grow on me.
I've now got 4 weeks until the next Backyard Starship release which should be enough time to dent the remaining books in this series.
Great work Mssrs Chaney and Maggert.
As the title says, only recently started this series.
Finished Blackest Ocean yesterday and read this today.
Dash and the team are developing more each book, obviously I guess. The addition of Benzel and his team, Tybalt and his humour and Amy are making this grow on me.
I've now got 4 weeks until the next Backyard Starship release which should be enough time to dent the remaining books in this series.
Great work Mssrs Chaney and Maggert.
December 31, 2019
The Messenger is a fun series
I am a fan of both authors and together they do not disappoint. The Messenger series is a ride and a half. True space opera at it's best, enough hard science fiction and military fiction to keep it interesting and plenty of action to hold it all together.
I am a fan of both authors and together they do not disappoint. The Messenger series is a ride and a half. True space opera at it's best, enough hard science fiction and military fiction to keep it interesting and plenty of action to hold it all together.
April 29, 2020
In favourable aliens and space battles galore
Another excellent installment in the series.
Great characters with realistic situations and lots of action and adventure.
Travel the stars hunting for aliens power modules and for dark metal scrap.
I look forward to more from this series 😁
Another excellent installment in the series.
Great characters with realistic situations and lots of action and adventure.
Travel the stars hunting for aliens power modules and for dark metal scrap.
I look forward to more from this series 😁
December 25, 2019
Great one
As a rule I don’t ordinarily read mech books, but this is on a completely different level. Chaney is a fantastic author who knows how to spin a great tale and this is just another example. Hurry with the next book.
As a rule I don’t ordinarily read mech books, but this is on a completely different level. Chaney is a fantastic author who knows how to spin a great tale and this is just another example. Hurry with the next book.
December 26, 2019
Robert's Review and Comments
Great book, I am ready to go after the Golden myself. Sounds like a bunch of machine minded punks who think biologicals are not worthy of life, liberty and the pursuit of more Sci-Fy... Thanks for a GoodRead.
Great book, I am ready to go after the Golden myself. Sounds like a bunch of machine minded punks who think biologicals are not worthy of life, liberty and the pursuit of more Sci-Fy... Thanks for a GoodRead.
December 26, 2019
The Messenger’s Outstanding adventures continue!
Unplug from the reality around you, bring snacks and a drink or two as you will not be able to leave the Forge until you’re through this marvelous addition to the tale Of Dash and Liera’s struggles with the Golden
Unplug from the reality around you, bring snacks and a drink or two as you will not be able to leave the Forge until you’re through this marvelous addition to the tale Of Dash and Liera’s struggles with the Golden
January 14, 2020
Each book gets better and better
I thoroughly enjoyed this Book.Thoroughly enjoyed the fight scenes with the rest of the new crew;new associates trying to beat the golden.I can’t wait for the next book to come out,so I can enjoy the excellent writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Book.Thoroughly enjoyed the fight scenes with the rest of the new crew;new associates trying to beat the golden.I can’t wait for the next book to come out,so I can enjoy the excellent writing.
May 10, 2020
New Weapons
Each book in this series has kept up the pace of action and activity and this one is no exception. New tech is introduced in each book, countered but never quite exceeded by similar advances in the antagonists arsenal. Well paced, and still intriguing to read.
Each book in this series has kept up the pace of action and activity and this one is no exception. New tech is introduced in each book, countered but never quite exceeded by similar advances in the antagonists arsenal. Well paced, and still intriguing to read.
May 9, 2020
Just read it
Just read it and put it down if you can. I bet you can pick it up and start to read but putting it down ha now that's a different story all together. If you like Dash and his cohorts then read on and enjoy.
Just read it and put it down if you can. I bet you can pick it up and start to read but putting it down ha now that's a different story all together. If you like Dash and his cohorts then read on and enjoy.
July 7, 2021
Dash and his cadre kick so here
So I I can hardly read them fast enough. Converting your enemies into friends is the way to go. Some small back story of the killed in battle would be weapy.
So I I can hardly read them fast enough. Converting your enemies into friends is the way to go. Some small back story of the killed in battle would be weapy.
February 28, 2022
Story was okay, but finally got sick of the cliffhanger-ish endings. For me it was like the author turned each chapter into a whole book, a lot of pages to get one "surprise" quest finished and ready for the next.
February 23, 2025
Great sweeping scifi adventure with comedic genius added in
Can't say enough about the team of JN Chaney and Terry Maggert. They create epic sci-fi and maggerts unique comedy make these books come alive. You feel like your a member of the crew watching this all unfold.
Can't say enough about the team of JN Chaney and Terry Maggert. They create epic sci-fi and maggerts unique comedy make these books come alive. You feel like your a member of the crew watching this all unfold.
January 2, 2020
Great Story
Wow another great story totally enjoyed it. Especially with the pirates then they show their worth. Looking forward to the next book in the series
Wow another great story totally enjoyed it. Especially with the pirates then they show their worth. Looking forward to the next book in the series
January 7, 2020
This series keeps on getting better!
This may have been the most enjoyable book so far. I had mixed emotions about Dash but he developing very nicely.
This may have been the most enjoyable book so far. I had mixed emotions about Dash but he developing very nicely.
January 16, 2020
Awesome
My hat is off to the author. Another great series!! Can’t wait for the next book. You are my favorite author!!!
My hat is off to the author. Another great series!! Can’t wait for the next book. You are my favorite author!!!
January 26, 2020
Excellent series.
Great characters, great storyline. I look forward to the next installment. (Without a great deal of patience, I might add!)
Great characters, great storyline. I look forward to the next installment. (Without a great deal of patience, I might add!)
February 12, 2020
The Universe versus the Golden steps up a level!
Another great addition to the story with new partners, with a dubious past. Will Dash and the others manage to work together?
Another great addition to the story with new partners, with a dubious past. Will Dash and the others manage to work together?
February 17, 2020
Another great story
Love the new characters. A few edge of your seat moments from the book. Great going guys. Just about to download the next episode
Love the new characters. A few edge of your seat moments from the book. Great going guys. Just about to download the next episode
July 30, 2020
Good story line
Great read I have enjoyed this serious so far . The story is well written and the characters are developed very well.
Great read I have enjoyed this serious so far . The story is well written and the characters are developed very well.
October 8, 2020
Real good read, I have already read the next one.
February 18, 2021
The books in the series Are very short 6 hours I'm used to 11 to 15 hour books
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews