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Murphy's Lawless #2
Obligations
Taken from their planet and their century, they are…the Lost Soldiers.
The hijacked Twentieth Century troops known as Murphy’s Lawless have made planetfall on the planet R’Bak and accomplished their first main objective. Led by Lieutenant Harold Tapper and some of the Lost Soldiers, a clan of proudly independent nomads successfully attacked a unit of the J’Stull Satrapy and made off with a number of much-needed combat vehicles. But the J’Stull won’t—can’t—let that defeat go unanswered. They are the servitors of the overlords of Kulsis: outsystem autocrats whose forces shall soon return to take whatever resources—and vengeance—they wish. And the J’Stull can’t afford to be the objects of their wrath.
Captain Bo Moorfield—a dishonored US mechanized cavalry officer before waking up in this strange future—now has to shepherd the convoy of armored cars, APCs, and other all-terrain vehicles—back to the Lost Soldier’s base high in the forbidding desert terrain. Unfortunately, the stolen vehicles aren’t at the peak of performance, and Lieutenant Tapper is barely able to keep ahead of the J’Stull force racing after him.
But Moorfield has two things the J’Stull don’t: training as a professional cavalry officer and a force of half-trained troopers mounted on whinnies. If he’s able to get his own forces into the right position, maybe—just maybe—he will be able to snatch victory from the jaws of almost-certain defeat. If not, the J’Stull will roll up Moorefield’s small unit and push straight on through to the Lost Soldiers’ makeshift base, killing them all.
And if that happens, the future for the rest of Murphy’s Lawless isn’t merely bleak: it’s nonexistent.
The hijacked Twentieth Century troops known as Murphy’s Lawless have made planetfall on the planet R’Bak and accomplished their first main objective. Led by Lieutenant Harold Tapper and some of the Lost Soldiers, a clan of proudly independent nomads successfully attacked a unit of the J’Stull Satrapy and made off with a number of much-needed combat vehicles. But the J’Stull won’t—can’t—let that defeat go unanswered. They are the servitors of the overlords of Kulsis: outsystem autocrats whose forces shall soon return to take whatever resources—and vengeance—they wish. And the J’Stull can’t afford to be the objects of their wrath.
Captain Bo Moorfield—a dishonored US mechanized cavalry officer before waking up in this strange future—now has to shepherd the convoy of armored cars, APCs, and other all-terrain vehicles—back to the Lost Soldier’s base high in the forbidding desert terrain. Unfortunately, the stolen vehicles aren’t at the peak of performance, and Lieutenant Tapper is barely able to keep ahead of the J’Stull force racing after him.
But Moorfield has two things the J’Stull don’t: training as a professional cavalry officer and a force of half-trained troopers mounted on whinnies. If he’s able to get his own forces into the right position, maybe—just maybe—he will be able to snatch victory from the jaws of almost-certain defeat. If not, the J’Stull will roll up Moorefield’s small unit and push straight on through to the Lost Soldiers’ makeshift base, killing them all.
And if that happens, the future for the rest of Murphy’s Lawless isn’t merely bleak: it’s nonexistent.
117 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2020
99 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Ikenberry
121 books110 followersKevin’s head has been in the clouds since he was old enough to read. Ask him and he’ll tell you that he still wants to be an astronaut. Kevin has a diverse background in space and space science education. As an adult, he's managed the world-renowned U.S. Space Camp program and operated two Challenger Learning Centers. A retired Army officer, Kevin continues to work with space every day.
Kevin is the author of the science fiction novel SLEEPER PROTOCOL (2016) which Publisher's Weekly called "an emotionally powerful debut." His military science fiction novel RUNS IN THE FAMILY (2016) has gained a growing legion of fans. He continues to work on sequels for both novels as well as short fiction and an alternate history novel.
Kevin is the author of the science fiction novel SLEEPER PROTOCOL (2016) which Publisher's Weekly called "an emotionally powerful debut." His military science fiction novel RUNS IN THE FAMILY (2016) has gained a growing legion of fans. He continues to work on sequels for both novels as well as short fiction and an alternate history novel.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 1, 2020
More soldiers, fighting a war in a time unknown to them.
I did enjoy the cavalry-centric focus of this tale.
I did enjoy the cavalry-centric focus of this tale.
September 13, 2021
The Murphy's Lawless series is very much like the old-time serials. That is, each book seems to be the next chapter in the overall, continuing story.
Yes, each book has a beginning (with a long and getting longer recap of The Story Thus Far), a middle, and an ending, with a slightly different cast on the alien planet in question (R'Bak). [The through-line is that the mission is overall under Major Murphy but each book has a different cast as different units under Major Murphy do their best to carry out their assigned tasks.
I guess my complaint (if I even have one) is that each book does not advance the action very much and, of course, is heavily dependent on the success of the actions taken in the previous book.
On the plus side, I do like military sf and I do like the world/Caine Riordan universe. And each book is a fast read.
The other thing which bugs me is that SOMEWHERE (I have not yet figured out where yet) I have already read the overall plot (at least for the last two books). But the endings surprised me. I would really like to get to the point where the whole book seems new to me.
Anyway, that said, I do recommend the Murphy's Lawless series. The protagonists are the "Lost Soldiers", so-called because they were abducted by aliens (the Ktor) during earlier periods of Earth's history right before their certain deaths.
They wake up and it is 150 years later, their families and the world they knew are gone, they are still at war, and they have an uphill battle on their hands, to say the least. I am enjoying seeing them "make a way out of no way" through grit and sheer determination.
Recommended for longtime Charles E. Gannon Caine Universe fans, military sf buffs, and those who enjoy rooting for the underdog!
Yes, each book has a beginning (with a long and getting longer recap of The Story Thus Far), a middle, and an ending, with a slightly different cast on the alien planet in question (R'Bak). [The through-line is that the mission is overall under Major Murphy but each book has a different cast as different units under Major Murphy do their best to carry out their assigned tasks.
I guess my complaint (if I even have one) is that each book does not advance the action very much and, of course, is heavily dependent on the success of the actions taken in the previous book.
On the plus side, I do like military sf and I do like the world/Caine Riordan universe. And each book is a fast read.
The other thing which bugs me is that SOMEWHERE (I have not yet figured out where yet) I have already read the overall plot (at least for the last two books). But the endings surprised me. I would really like to get to the point where the whole book seems new to me.
Anyway, that said, I do recommend the Murphy's Lawless series. The protagonists are the "Lost Soldiers", so-called because they were abducted by aliens (the Ktor) during earlier periods of Earth's history right before their certain deaths.
They wake up and it is 150 years later, their families and the world they knew are gone, they are still at war, and they have an uphill battle on their hands, to say the least. I am enjoying seeing them "make a way out of no way" through grit and sheer determination.
Recommended for longtime Charles E. Gannon Caine Universe fans, military sf buffs, and those who enjoy rooting for the underdog!
August 12, 2020
The title says it all, your obligations are to buy and read the book! Ah, and share the love!
I have had a blast reading this title. It helps to have read Shakes before Obligations but the story stands on its own!
As I mentioned in my review of Shakes, you do not need to have read the whole Caineverse before reading Obligations (but I encourage you to do it anyway!).
What we have with Obligations is a colorful tapesty of characters literally kidnapped at the moment of their death who wake up a couple of centuries later, on a spaceship, about to go on a planet to defend it against an invasion of the bad guys...
And those characters are drawn from everywhen: a survivor of the death camps, vietnam vets, a somali vet...
Add to the mix some weird alien "horses" or local equivalent, an enemy force in overwhelming numbers approaching faster than expected and you have all the hallmarks of a classical cavalry mission!
and like every good cavalry mission, at some point, we will have a charge! And that leads me to my only complain in the book: WHERE WAS THE BUGLE TO SOUND THE CHARGE!!!! Besides that, top notch!!!
Good characters, interesting story, top-notch universe. An author who knows what he is talking about when it comes to cavalry operations as he used to belong to the US Cavalry... It sounds authentic, it feels authentic, it is a great addition to the Caineverse!
I have had a blast reading this title. It helps to have read Shakes before Obligations but the story stands on its own!
As I mentioned in my review of Shakes, you do not need to have read the whole Caineverse before reading Obligations (but I encourage you to do it anyway!).
What we have with Obligations is a colorful tapesty of characters literally kidnapped at the moment of their death who wake up a couple of centuries later, on a spaceship, about to go on a planet to defend it against an invasion of the bad guys...
And those characters are drawn from everywhen: a survivor of the death camps, vietnam vets, a somali vet...
Add to the mix some weird alien "horses" or local equivalent, an enemy force in overwhelming numbers approaching faster than expected and you have all the hallmarks of a classical cavalry mission!
and like every good cavalry mission, at some point, we will have a charge! And that leads me to my only complain in the book: WHERE WAS THE BUGLE TO SOUND THE CHARGE!!!! Besides that, top notch!!!
Good characters, interesting story, top-notch universe. An author who knows what he is talking about when it comes to cavalry operations as he used to belong to the US Cavalry... It sounds authentic, it feels authentic, it is a great addition to the Caineverse!
May 23, 2024
Less time travel, more action
This time round, it's all about a mission and very little about the situation they are in and for that, it's better than book 1
As with the first book the story concentrates on the officer in charge Captain Bo. The decisions he makes, the team he builds around him and the woman he ends up with. Exactly like book 1
It's well detailed and the action sequences well thought out. An interesting development regarding the animal life on the planet and what might be an unknown sentient lifeform has potential for later books
This time round, it's all about a mission and very little about the situation they are in and for that, it's better than book 1
As with the first book the story concentrates on the officer in charge Captain Bo. The decisions he makes, the team he builds around him and the woman he ends up with. Exactly like book 1
It's well detailed and the action sequences well thought out. An interesting development regarding the animal life on the planet and what might be an unknown sentient lifeform has potential for later books
May 8, 2020
I was reading along and enjoying it. It was a little strange but hey, it's Si-Fi and then they all jumped onto big lizards that were like horses somehow and THAT was enough for me... About 20% was all I could do.
Read
March 23, 2021Ok
Decent combat story. The intelligent horse lizards were interesting, but don't species need hands or some way to modify their environment? Outside of that, I would like to read more.
Decent combat story. The intelligent horse lizards were interesting, but don't species need hands or some way to modify their environment? Outside of that, I would like to read more.
May 8, 2020
An interesting series
This series has an intriguing storyline as well as interesting characters. A nice short interesting book with lots of action and intrigue
This series has an intriguing storyline as well as interesting characters. A nice short interesting book with lots of action and intrigue
May 10, 2020
Ikenberry always delivers a good story. The cavalry has arrived for the Lost Soldiers.
June 14, 2020
Great Novella!
Great story that is full of action, as well as mysteries revealed. Great Mil Sci Fi. Very enjoyable read. Sheridan reference was excellent!
Great story that is full of action, as well as mysteries revealed. Great Mil Sci Fi. Very enjoyable read. Sheridan reference was excellent!
July 10, 2021
Great story
These are short and quick and so far well linked. I am enjoying them and will pick up more to read.
These are short and quick and so far well linked. I am enjoying them and will pick up more to read.
July 20, 2025
I liked it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews