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Ruins of the Earth #1
Ruins of the Earth
A secret buried in the Antarctic.
A puzzle unsolved for thousands of years. And a Brooklyn-born Master Gunnery Sergeant who's royally pissed that he has to babysit the researchers sent to figure it all out.
Patrick "Wic" Finnegan's last op as a Marine Raider before retirement sends him to the frozen Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands. The only reason he's here? He owes a favor to an old friend—but that doesn't mean he has to like it. When Wic finally sees what the team has uncovered, he can't believe his eyes, nor is he prepared for the violence to come.
Soon, the portal opens and unleashes a storm of unbridled fury upon humanity. From the Antarctic tundra to the streets of Manhattan, Wic and his team will be pushed to their limits as they fight to hold back Earth's ultimate threat.
The odds are against them. Governments are toppling. And the Earth is falling into ruin.
A puzzle unsolved for thousands of years. And a Brooklyn-born Master Gunnery Sergeant who's royally pissed that he has to babysit the researchers sent to figure it all out.
Patrick "Wic" Finnegan's last op as a Marine Raider before retirement sends him to the frozen Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands. The only reason he's here? He owes a favor to an old friend—but that doesn't mean he has to like it. When Wic finally sees what the team has uncovered, he can't believe his eyes, nor is he prepared for the violence to come.
Soon, the portal opens and unleashes a storm of unbridled fury upon humanity. From the Antarctic tundra to the streets of Manhattan, Wic and his team will be pushed to their limits as they fight to hold back Earth's ultimate threat.
The odds are against them. Governments are toppling. And the Earth is falling into ruin.
650 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2020
2146 people are currently reading
2808 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Hopper
46 books226 followersChristopher Hopper is an American novelist, creator and co-author of the best-selling mil-scifi series Ruins of the Galaxy with J.N. Chaney.
His other series include Resonant Sun, The Sky Riders, The White Lion Chronicles, and The Berinfell Prophecies.
Christopher lives with his wife and four children in the 1000 Islands of northern New York. He loves flying FPV race wings and RC planes, performing music with his wife, and traveling to distant lands—physical and fictional.
He's had breakfast with Winnie Mandella, canoed with dolphins in Southern California, kite-surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived on 19th-century shipwrecks in the 1000 Islands, sailed a yacht in St. Martin, posed with white rhinos in the wilds of South Africa, spoken on national television in Mexico City, performed a concert on a Dutch beach, and climbed the Great Wall of China.
For more on Christopher, visit his blog at christopherhopper.com.
His other series include Resonant Sun, The Sky Riders, The White Lion Chronicles, and The Berinfell Prophecies.
Christopher lives with his wife and four children in the 1000 Islands of northern New York. He loves flying FPV race wings and RC planes, performing music with his wife, and traveling to distant lands—physical and fictional.
He's had breakfast with Winnie Mandella, canoed with dolphins in Southern California, kite-surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived on 19th-century shipwrecks in the 1000 Islands, sailed a yacht in St. Martin, posed with white rhinos in the wilds of South Africa, spoken on national television in Mexico City, performed a concert on a Dutch beach, and climbed the Great Wall of China.
For more on Christopher, visit his blog at christopherhopper.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
September 22, 2020
Why shootemup?
Why do so many American sci fi books degenerate into repeated gunfights, with concomitant details of all the weaponry deployed? This could have been an interesting book but, like many others of its type quickly degenerated into tedious descriptions of plucky little humans with oversized guns - described in great detail.
Why do so many American sci fi books degenerate into repeated gunfights, with concomitant details of all the weaponry deployed? This could have been an interesting book but, like many others of its type quickly degenerated into tedious descriptions of plucky little humans with oversized guns - described in great detail.
August 16, 2025
Note to myself: "a light stock of 3000 rounds of ammunition" is ALWAYS useful to have when the electronics in your cozy cabin go out suddenly. Also a sentient sarcastic alien gun in a backpack might make the end of the world "slightly" less dramatic.
September 15, 2020
"Thicker than blood, through fire and mud, let everyone fear, us Musketeers."
What an excellent, original and phenomenal start to a new series! An action-packed military sci-fi thriller.The tempo building from the beginning rises up notches, bit by bit, ending with a resounding crescendo, dragging you with it, pulling you in, with a loud and strepitous vibration of tensión, nail biting moments throughout the whole premise. It Got my heart beating like a drum! The Discovery is in itself imindblowing. It is character driven, with a great world building, with stupendous characters, I already love Wic, the main protagonist.
We take the soldiers for granted to take care we sleep soundly at night, while they sacrifice their lives for us, not only lives but the mental disruptions so many go through when they come back from the front lines, sometimes so mentally disabled, their psyches can't react to confront the daily life when they retire. My upmost respect, admiration and gratitude to them.
The comparisons made with films and shows from our present Day by the MC and his team while talking is funny and entertaining, bringing bits of humour to otherwise dire situations. If not for these moments it would have been grittier, grim and dark. A quasi post apocalyptic scenario.
Although I don’t have any knowledge of miitary ordnance,military tech, or military tactics, jargon..which sometimes just goes above my head or results in it being strenous, in this case the authors have made it all very comprehensive and easy to grasp, even entertaining, and for that I am grateful because it was a pleasure to read this story.
Chapeau to Christopher Hopper and JN Chaney! A fabulous beginning to a fantastic series! A hard to put down book. Looking forward to reading Gods and Men #2! Needless to say, I highly recommend this installment.
What an excellent, original and phenomenal start to a new series! An action-packed military sci-fi thriller.The tempo building from the beginning rises up notches, bit by bit, ending with a resounding crescendo, dragging you with it, pulling you in, with a loud and strepitous vibration of tensión, nail biting moments throughout the whole premise. It Got my heart beating like a drum! The Discovery is in itself imindblowing. It is character driven, with a great world building, with stupendous characters, I already love Wic, the main protagonist.
We take the soldiers for granted to take care we sleep soundly at night, while they sacrifice their lives for us, not only lives but the mental disruptions so many go through when they come back from the front lines, sometimes so mentally disabled, their psyches can't react to confront the daily life when they retire. My upmost respect, admiration and gratitude to them.
The comparisons made with films and shows from our present Day by the MC and his team while talking is funny and entertaining, bringing bits of humour to otherwise dire situations. If not for these moments it would have been grittier, grim and dark. A quasi post apocalyptic scenario.
Although I don’t have any knowledge of miitary ordnance,military tech, or military tactics, jargon..which sometimes just goes above my head or results in it being strenous, in this case the authors have made it all very comprehensive and easy to grasp, even entertaining, and for that I am grateful because it was a pleasure to read this story.
Chapeau to Christopher Hopper and JN Chaney! A fabulous beginning to a fantastic series! A hard to put down book. Looking forward to reading Gods and Men #2! Needless to say, I highly recommend this installment.
October 20, 2023
October 2023
Re-reading the series because I started the 4th book and had no idea what was going on. Enjoying it all over again!
December 2021
I re-read this to jog my memory before starting book 2, Gods and Men I'm so glad I did because I really like these characters and the humor.
May 2021
Finally! I've found something that compares to Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson. This is a little too reminiscent of that series for my liking, but hey, I'll still take it. The plot is well done and I love the characters. And of course RC Bray makes it happen brilliantly.
Re-reading the series because I started the 4th book and had no idea what was going on. Enjoying it all over again!
December 2021
I re-read this to jog my memory before starting book 2, Gods and Men I'm so glad I did because I really like these characters and the humor.
May 2021
Finally! I've found something that compares to Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson. This is a little too reminiscent of that series for my liking, but hey, I'll still take it. The plot is well done and I love the characters. And of course RC Bray makes it happen brilliantly.
November 8, 2020
Mediocre Reboot of a Reboot of a Reboot of a Reboot Where Others Have Gone for Franchising Purposes
“Ruins of the Earth” started well for this reader, showing great potential. Seemed on a trajectory for 4 stars or maybe even a rare 5 stars. Then the wheels fell off.
The authors cherrypicked previous plots and storylines from innumerable authors going back to H.G. Wells through the present, and grafted them together in a mishmash of silliness.
Contemporary Marine Raider ‘WIC,’ pairs up with an alien AI super-gun that he picks up, names him Sir Charles as the AI selects Monty Python’s John Cleese as his ‘personality,’ and along with an ad hoc team of a half-dozen retired and active U.S. Special Operators go to battle with invading alien slavers in NYC. They are subsequently reinforced & kitted out by hordes of Russian mafia from Brooklyn.
It’s focus group tested writing enterprise pushing all the shallow, common denominator buttons for a strategized financial success.
Could have been so much, much more than what it ended up being. The bones were there.
All said, it is a fast-paced, mainly mindless shoot & blow ‘em up kinda ride, and gets 3 stars.
Read via Kindle Unlimited.
“Ruins of the Earth” started well for this reader, showing great potential. Seemed on a trajectory for 4 stars or maybe even a rare 5 stars. Then the wheels fell off.
The authors cherrypicked previous plots and storylines from innumerable authors going back to H.G. Wells through the present, and grafted them together in a mishmash of silliness.
Contemporary Marine Raider ‘WIC,’ pairs up with an alien AI super-gun that he picks up, names him Sir Charles as the AI selects Monty Python’s John Cleese as his ‘personality,’ and along with an ad hoc team of a half-dozen retired and active U.S. Special Operators go to battle with invading alien slavers in NYC. They are subsequently reinforced & kitted out by hordes of Russian mafia from Brooklyn.
It’s focus group tested writing enterprise pushing all the shallow, common denominator buttons for a strategized financial success.
Could have been so much, much more than what it ended up being. The bones were there.
All said, it is a fast-paced, mainly mindless shoot & blow ‘em up kinda ride, and gets 3 stars.
Read via Kindle Unlimited.
April 22, 2021
The guy approaches another armed group and there is tension... but then he says "semper fi".. so its all cool. Nuf said.
The characters are ridiculous caricatures, the science is absurd, as are the aliens, their motivations and methods. Ah yes... and there is an alien gun talking like John Cleese.
Definitely not reading another in this series.
The characters are ridiculous caricatures, the science is absurd, as are the aliens, their motivations and methods. Ah yes... and there is an alien gun talking like John Cleese.
Definitely not reading another in this series.
September 21, 2020
I had high hopes for this series unfortunately for me it got bogged down in mundane details. For example, a page or more of description about packing the car, what food he was thinking about taking etc. The dialogue was ok but did grow tiresome as well as his continual internal assessments of people and their comments. I skipped thru many pages and did not apparently miss much. Go potential story and concept but too much detail and not for me.
October 26, 2025
El cruce entre Stargate y Independence Day que nunca habíamos buscado pero ahora tenemos.
Una invasión alienígena y un montón de referencias populares (La princesa prometida, John Wick, Jurasic Park, Regreso al futuro, etc...), me encanta.
Encuentran unas ruinas, un circulo de piedra, datadas en la época del pleistoceno, (200.000 mil años de antigüedad), hechas de un material nunca antes visto.
Que resulta ser un portal a otra dimensión.
Vic, sargento jefe de artillería, se ve inmerso en todo el meollo, rejunta una tropa chupi y a por los malos, porque No nos para ni el fuego, ni el barro ni el hambre.
Lo que mas me ha gustado:
La acción militar, (yo lo lllamo Army Porn), todas esas jergas y procedimientos.
Lord Francis. Cuando aparece, pensé que no me gustaría. Pero sí, me troncho.
El encuentro con los rusos, (Vlad hablando de Los vigilantes de la Playa, ¡que risas!)
Las referencias populares (¡claro!)
Lo que no me ha gustado:
Lo que tarda Vic en aceptar quién es el enemigo. Nene, abre los ojos.
El principio, con los militares y los científicos. Vaya una panda de inútiles tomando todas las decisiones equivocadas.
Algunos párrafos enrevesados y llenos de paja. Hay mejores formas de llegar al mismo sitio con menos palabras.
Muchos resultados inverosímiles, después de encontronazos varios, va con el territorio del género, lo sé. Pero pocas bajas para tanta acción.
Seguiré con la saga.
Una invasión alienígena y un montón de referencias populares (La princesa prometida, John Wick, Jurasic Park, Regreso al futuro, etc...), me encanta.
Encuentran unas ruinas, un circulo de piedra, datadas en la época del pleistoceno, (200.000 mil años de antigüedad), hechas de un material nunca antes visto.
Que resulta ser un portal a otra dimensión.
Vic, sargento jefe de artillería, se ve inmerso en todo el meollo, rejunta una tropa chupi y a por los malos, porque No nos para ni el fuego, ni el barro ni el hambre.
Lo que mas me ha gustado:
La acción militar, (yo lo lllamo Army Porn), todas esas jergas y procedimientos.
Lord Francis. Cuando aparece, pensé que no me gustaría. Pero sí, me troncho.
El encuentro con los rusos, (Vlad hablando de Los vigilantes de la Playa, ¡que risas!)
Las referencias populares (¡claro!)
Lo que no me ha gustado:
Lo que tarda Vic en aceptar quién es el enemigo. Nene, abre los ojos.
El principio, con los militares y los científicos. Vaya una panda de inútiles tomando todas las decisiones equivocadas.
Algunos párrafos enrevesados y llenos de paja. Hay mejores formas de llegar al mismo sitio con menos palabras.
Muchos resultados inverosímiles, después de encontronazos varios, va con el territorio del género, lo sé. Pero pocas bajas para tanta acción.
Seguiré con la saga.
February 10, 2021
I tried. To be honest I was really enjoying the book until the alien gun started talking and even that wasn’t to bad, until it took on a British personality. The gun was laughing and telling jokes and taking deep sighs between laughs. Enough!!!! I am done! The book went from good to garbage. Sorry Mr Author, but that is just to over the top.
December 8, 2023
Si alguien necesita una descripción rápida de este libro, sería que es la versión literaria de Independence Day y de todas las pelis palomiteras de invasiones extraterrestres que ha parido Hollywood desde hace décadas.
En lo bueno, que los autores lo saben. Así que no se esfuerzan ni lo más mínimo en intentar ser originales y en ningún momento ocultan su intención de cumplir con todos los tópicos y clichés de este subgénero.
En lo malo, que lo de cumplir con los tópicos es algo literal. No se saltan ni uno, desde el patrioterismo más estomagante hasta los rusos siendo rusos según Hollywood. Los personajes no son tales, son meras fotocopias de los personajes unidimensionales y arquetípicos de este tipo de narraciones. Los diálogos son terribles, y las charlas motivadoras del protagonista dan vergüenza ajena.
Y a pesar de todo lo negativo, no es un desastre. ¿Por qué? Por dos razones, Chaney y Hopper, como ya dije, se lo toman bastante a cachondeo. Los propios personajes están todo el rato haciendo bromas con los clásicos del género, como Stargate.
Y la otra razón es que este tipo de pelis, digo de libros, son muy malos pero muy entretenidos. Tiroteos, explosiones, fantasmadas sin control, salidas imposibles de situaciones insalvables... Si aceptas que esto no hay por donde cogerlo te lo pasas pipa mientras los todopoderosos invasores alienígenas van cayendo una y otra vez ante la audaz valentía yanqui de los protas.
En resumen, si buscas un buen libro huye de éste. Si te gusta el placer culpable de ver/leer pelis/libros de entretenimiento descerebrado puede que le saques provecho. Y si lo haces, te aviso que esta es la primera entrega de una saga que promete diversión y vergüenza ajena a partes iguales.
En lo bueno, que los autores lo saben. Así que no se esfuerzan ni lo más mínimo en intentar ser originales y en ningún momento ocultan su intención de cumplir con todos los tópicos y clichés de este subgénero.
En lo malo, que lo de cumplir con los tópicos es algo literal. No se saltan ni uno, desde el patrioterismo más estomagante hasta los rusos siendo rusos según Hollywood. Los personajes no son tales, son meras fotocopias de los personajes unidimensionales y arquetípicos de este tipo de narraciones. Los diálogos son terribles, y las charlas motivadoras del protagonista dan vergüenza ajena.
Y a pesar de todo lo negativo, no es un desastre. ¿Por qué? Por dos razones, Chaney y Hopper, como ya dije, se lo toman bastante a cachondeo. Los propios personajes están todo el rato haciendo bromas con los clásicos del género, como Stargate.
Y la otra razón es que este tipo de pelis, digo de libros, son muy malos pero muy entretenidos. Tiroteos, explosiones, fantasmadas sin control, salidas imposibles de situaciones insalvables... Si aceptas que esto no hay por donde cogerlo te lo pasas pipa mientras los todopoderosos invasores alienígenas van cayendo una y otra vez ante la audaz valentía yanqui de los protas.
En resumen, si buscas un buen libro huye de éste. Si te gusta el placer culpable de ver/leer pelis/libros de entretenimiento descerebrado puede que le saques provecho. Y si lo haces, te aviso que esta es la primera entrega de una saga que promete diversión y vergüenza ajena a partes iguales.
December 10, 2021
Ripoff of stargate and the expeditionary forces except it's an alien gun that talks instead of a beer can. Maybe you'll find it interesting if hearing about gun specs and pretending to know about chess gives you boners. Gets boring pretty quick and lacks creativity.
December 25, 2021
I have never abandoned a book 50% in
but my god. Did it go stupid fast
but my god. Did it go stupid fast
November 4, 2025
We all have that friend in our circle, who is a little loud, brash, struggles to read the room and can really get you in stitches but at times, struggles to find their off botton? Yeah... basically, the American in the room... well, that's this book. But you do like that friend, they are harmless enough, just a little self absorbed and struggle to remember there is a world out there that isn't revolving around them... I enjoyed the ride, glad it was mostly happening in New York and was like reading every sci-fi film you have ever watched. Which, I think the author meant to happen, my god, they referenced films/pop culture enough times!
Was a jolly enough read, had me chuckling at times, was good company, but I am also pleased to of finished so I can recover from such a chaotic few days of reading a stretched plot 😂 This book would be gobbled up by Uncle Sam and his covenanted patriots/cultists 👌 tongue in cheek and was ok, but my journey ends here.
Was a jolly enough read, had me chuckling at times, was good company, but I am also pleased to of finished so I can recover from such a chaotic few days of reading a stretched plot 😂 This book would be gobbled up by Uncle Sam and his covenanted patriots/cultists 👌 tongue in cheek and was ok, but my journey ends here.
May 15, 2021
Readers gave this an overall 4+ Score?? Unbelievable!
Tired plot that was poor the first 10 or 15 times. Two dimensional characters. Lots of mindless violence. And.... killer robots....just like old Saturday morning TV. Cannot even guess how this got published? My copy was free on Amazon Prime Reading. Smart move as I would be even more unhappy if I had paid anything for such childish rubbish.
Tired plot that was poor the first 10 or 15 times. Two dimensional characters. Lots of mindless violence. And.... killer robots....just like old Saturday morning TV. Cannot even guess how this got published? My copy was free on Amazon Prime Reading. Smart move as I would be even more unhappy if I had paid anything for such childish rubbish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2021
Great start. Very believable character. Unfortunately, all went down south with the second half of the book. As soon as the main character finds his new toy.
Way too much slapstick and stupid banter. All characters suddenly act like idiots, which is highly disappointing since the first half was very believable and all characters acted convincingly.
I stopped reading when the main character risked everyone of his team by joking around and not giving a f*** about the severity of the situation. Not thinking, not listening to anyone and being an idiot by not asking the simplest of questions.
Sadly, this behaviour got worse and worse and the dialogues were annoying to the point of mw skipping whole passages.
All in all, a disappointment.
Way too much slapstick and stupid banter. All characters suddenly act like idiots, which is highly disappointing since the first half was very believable and all characters acted convincingly.
I stopped reading when the main character risked everyone of his team by joking around and not giving a f*** about the severity of the situation. Not thinking, not listening to anyone and being an idiot by not asking the simplest of questions.
Sadly, this behaviour got worse and worse and the dialogues were annoying to the point of mw skipping whole passages.
All in all, a disappointment.
April 5, 2021
It could have been awesome. Off to a great start. Then he had to give the gun a personality. It was all down hill after that.
I'm mad at the author. He got me so excited for a great series, I was hooked, then jerked the rug out from under me.
I'm mad at the author. He got me so excited for a great series, I was hooked, then jerked the rug out from under me.
October 5, 2020
An excavation in Antarctica uncovers an ancient stone and metal construction covered in strange hieroglyphic style markings.
Shades of Stargate SG1! An ancient portal is uncovered in Antarctica buried deep beneath the ice. So naturally, the eggheads decide to activate it and see where it goes! Sheesh! Doesn't anyone watch tv anymore? Of course, angry robots come flying out and tear everything up. Just happens, there's a wargame being conducted on the site by Russian, British and American forces. The combined might of two superpowers and a contingent of Brits are hard pressed, but successful in turning back the incursion of alien forces streaming out of the giant gateway. All's quiet on the southern front.
Shortly after their first intergalactic war, American forces are rushed to New York to investigate a new portal suddenly appearing beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. A huge glowing dome appears over the structure, covering several square miles. The dome begins to shrink, passing through buildings and constructs, but pushing people before it, squeezing them toward the center of the dome. The portal opens and the screaming population of NYC and environs are forced through the portal, destination unknown, purpose unknown.
Master Gunnery Sergeant Patrick Finnegan, nicknamed Wic - short for White Irish Catholic - as the Brooklyn born Marine had been called since basic training, and a mixed group of Marines, Seals and even some Russians bring the fight to the alien slavers. The action is non-stop and brutal. WIC and his mixed-bag troops fight against this alien invasion.
This storyline looks more like squiggles than lines, but for all the twists and turns, direct the story to its ultimate goal. WIC and his troops are consummate artists in their fighting skills, but are hard pressed to stand against the alien weaponry. Great characters play their roles perfectly. A few surprises bring the story humor where it's sorely needed. This is a great read!
Shades of Stargate SG1! An ancient portal is uncovered in Antarctica buried deep beneath the ice. So naturally, the eggheads decide to activate it and see where it goes! Sheesh! Doesn't anyone watch tv anymore? Of course, angry robots come flying out and tear everything up. Just happens, there's a wargame being conducted on the site by Russian, British and American forces. The combined might of two superpowers and a contingent of Brits are hard pressed, but successful in turning back the incursion of alien forces streaming out of the giant gateway. All's quiet on the southern front.
Shortly after their first intergalactic war, American forces are rushed to New York to investigate a new portal suddenly appearing beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. A huge glowing dome appears over the structure, covering several square miles. The dome begins to shrink, passing through buildings and constructs, but pushing people before it, squeezing them toward the center of the dome. The portal opens and the screaming population of NYC and environs are forced through the portal, destination unknown, purpose unknown.
Master Gunnery Sergeant Patrick Finnegan, nicknamed Wic - short for White Irish Catholic - as the Brooklyn born Marine had been called since basic training, and a mixed group of Marines, Seals and even some Russians bring the fight to the alien slavers. The action is non-stop and brutal. WIC and his mixed-bag troops fight against this alien invasion.
This storyline looks more like squiggles than lines, but for all the twists and turns, direct the story to its ultimate goal. WIC and his troops are consummate artists in their fighting skills, but are hard pressed to stand against the alien weaponry. Great characters play their roles perfectly. A few surprises bring the story humor where it's sorely needed. This is a great read!
October 21, 2021
Definitely a book to pass up
Reading this book is like nails on a chalk board .the authors make their main characters as dumb as possible the whole time you are reading this book you just keep thinking no one is that stupid plus the other problems with the book .like when you retire from the military you don't get to keep your weapons at least not automatic ones.
Reading this book is like nails on a chalk board .the authors make their main characters as dumb as possible the whole time you are reading this book you just keep thinking no one is that stupid plus the other problems with the book .like when you retire from the military you don't get to keep your weapons at least not automatic ones.
November 16, 2024
Absolutely glacial pace, this just reads like military fiction with a coat of sci-fi paint to make it look shiny. I could barely care enough to finish it, I only did because I love the narrator of the audiobook.
June 2, 2023
"I’ve gotta do what Marines get paid for: walk through the front gates of hell and kick the devil in the balls."
I'd describe this as a bit like Stargate meets Independence Day meets Avengers (without superheroes).
Just before Wic, a marine, retires he does one more tour, a training mission to Antarctica. But the mission is really to defend an archeological dig that's uncovered an alien artifact. The mission goes sour and Wic is sent home to his retirement. But just as Wic is putting it all behind him, convincing himself he didn't see what he thought he saw, the aliens attack Earth. Are they here to destroy us or save us? Should Wic stay retired or run off to defend New York?
This was an all action book, like a good action disaster movie. Our hero is thrown into midst of one fight after another, but all he wants is to retire. It plays on every action scifi trope in the book along with a surprising number of Monty Python jokes. And, like every military fiction I've ever read, there are lists of gear and tactical lingo and lots of things blow up. All around a fun action read.
I'd describe this as a bit like Stargate meets Independence Day meets Avengers (without superheroes).
Just before Wic, a marine, retires he does one more tour, a training mission to Antarctica. But the mission is really to defend an archeological dig that's uncovered an alien artifact. The mission goes sour and Wic is sent home to his retirement. But just as Wic is putting it all behind him, convincing himself he didn't see what he thought he saw, the aliens attack Earth. Are they here to destroy us or save us? Should Wic stay retired or run off to defend New York?
This was an all action book, like a good action disaster movie. Our hero is thrown into midst of one fight after another, but all he wants is to retire. It plays on every action scifi trope in the book along with a surprising number of Monty Python jokes. And, like every military fiction I've ever read, there are lists of gear and tactical lingo and lots of things blow up. All around a fun action read.
January 6, 2025
What a disappointment. The Author needs to pay royalties for all of the story lines and plot elements that he borrowed from so many other better sci-fi stories. I found almost nothing original in this story before giving up and putting it down for good.
First you get a heaping of Stargate... Then comes a weaker version of "Skippy the beer can" from Craig Alanson's "Expeditionary Force" series... Then unmistakable tones of Stephen King's "The Dome". That's when I threw in the towel and shelved it. Who knows how many other stories, that I'm not familiar with, were pillaged to paste together this less sharp, unoriginal copy.
I had made the unfortunate choice of purchasing the Audible version, in addition to the Kindle version, because R.C. Bray was the voice actor. So not only did we get the Alien Gun AI imitating "Skippy" from Expeditionary Force we got the exact same voice, accent and intonation (R.C. Bray also voice acted Expeditionary Force). I can't imagine why he consented to do this book with the pilfered character he had already performed.
There's nothing original to be found here.
First you get a heaping of Stargate... Then comes a weaker version of "Skippy the beer can" from Craig Alanson's "Expeditionary Force" series... Then unmistakable tones of Stephen King's "The Dome". That's when I threw in the towel and shelved it. Who knows how many other stories, that I'm not familiar with, were pillaged to paste together this less sharp, unoriginal copy.
I had made the unfortunate choice of purchasing the Audible version, in addition to the Kindle version, because R.C. Bray was the voice actor. So not only did we get the Alien Gun AI imitating "Skippy" from Expeditionary Force we got the exact same voice, accent and intonation (R.C. Bray also voice acted Expeditionary Force). I can't imagine why he consented to do this book with the pilfered character he had already performed.
There's nothing original to be found here.
June 5, 2021
I picked this up with relatively high expectations, especially because it was science fiction and because of the rating. But I did not enjoy reading this book.
This is a book that helped me understand my tastes a bit more. I don't like long winded descriptions of weaponry and fights. There were so many abbreviations in this book that I couldn't keep track of what they meant. Also, I prefer the book to be narrated in simple English and not have slang unless it's in the dialogue.
By the end, the one thought I had in my mind was '600 pages and there's hardly any world building.' The entire book was a series of fights.
Overall, this was a disappointing read and based on the reviews for the next book, it is more of the same. So I probably won't be reading that.
This is a book that helped me understand my tastes a bit more. I don't like long winded descriptions of weaponry and fights. There were so many abbreviations in this book that I couldn't keep track of what they meant. Also, I prefer the book to be narrated in simple English and not have slang unless it's in the dialogue.
By the end, the one thought I had in my mind was '600 pages and there's hardly any world building.' The entire book was a series of fights.
Overall, this was a disappointing read and based on the reviews for the next book, it is more of the same. So I probably won't be reading that.
April 28, 2022
After reviewing all of the positive reviews, I was very disappointed with the start and pace of the story... and have been trying to listen to this book for a couple of months. The setup in the beginning is very cliche -- the (same old) self-assured military/ex-military guy who's seen and done it all (confident that he's the smartest and most awesome -- yet his military rank is fairly low...).
I made it through to the 1/3 point, and, after trying to go further a number of times, gave up on this disappointing listen. Perhaps will try this book again in a couple of months -- and try to go back to it with fresh, "open" ears and mind. If my opinion changes, will definitely revise this review.
I made it through to the 1/3 point, and, after trying to go further a number of times, gave up on this disappointing listen. Perhaps will try this book again in a couple of months -- and try to go back to it with fresh, "open" ears and mind. If my opinion changes, will definitely revise this review.
September 15, 2020
Good book but why make Patrick seem like an idiot.
Very good book, fast paced plenty of action from start to finish very enjoyable. I wish I could give it a five but Patrick’s interaction with the alien rifle made him seem like an idiot. There is no Maureen that’s stupid, that they would not recognize a rifle with an alien computer inside. Nobody would sit there and think that there’s a man sitting in North Korea talking to them, that’s the only part that threw me out of the story. It frustrated me as a reader because I am saying to myself there’s nobody that stupid. Besides that it was a good book. Going to read the next one
Very good book, fast paced plenty of action from start to finish very enjoyable. I wish I could give it a five but Patrick’s interaction with the alien rifle made him seem like an idiot. There is no Maureen that’s stupid, that they would not recognize a rifle with an alien computer inside. Nobody would sit there and think that there’s a man sitting in North Korea talking to them, that’s the only part that threw me out of the story. It frustrated me as a reader because I am saying to myself there’s nobody that stupid. Besides that it was a good book. Going to read the next one
February 8, 2022
Definitely a fun book! It feels like Skippy the Magnificent moved from his beer can into a rifle. Especially since RC Bray also showed up, to lend his talents to this series too. As others have noted, Ruins of the Earth is looking to be very similar to the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson. If you liked this book, but haven't read Alanson's work yet, you should definitely check that out.
September 30, 2020
Now That Was Fun!
What a romp! There is no letting up of action from the first page to the last. Surprisingly, there is almost no confusion of the many characters, which is a difficult task in itself. Add in some humor and you've gone viral! (Maybe not the best analogy in this time of Covid.). Anyway, I had a great time.
What a romp! There is no letting up of action from the first page to the last. Surprisingly, there is almost no confusion of the many characters, which is a difficult task in itself. Add in some humor and you've gone viral! (Maybe not the best analogy in this time of Covid.). Anyway, I had a great time.
May 17, 2021
All the stereo types.
I don't know if this guy has read Craig Alanson or if the smarter, benevolent alien tech is just a common stereotype. Fred Flintstone and George Jetson had Kazu and a million other example. Alanson was at least a better story teller, and funnier.
I don't know if this guy has read Craig Alanson or if the smarter, benevolent alien tech is just a common stereotype. Fred Flintstone and George Jetson had Kazu and a million other example. Alanson was at least a better story teller, and funnier.
February 14, 2025
Loved it.
September 9, 2021
Well, I don't know. I think I stumbled upon my first military sci-fi satire book! Yeah, this one is kind of different. I'm not sure I liked it to begin with, but, I will say it turned out OK at the end.
This story is a comedy. I don't know if the authors intended it to be that way, but surely they did because the dialogue wasn't done just haphazardly. I usually like my military sci-fi to be serious stuff unless I'm reading something say the "Undying Mercenaries series" by B. V. Larson which I know has a lot of humor in its stories. I guess I just wasn't expecting so much humor in what could have been a very serious book. I also know that J. N. Chaney writes mostly serious sci-fi stuff, so Mr. Hopper must be the new author and I'm not sure I like his contribution, but I admit, I did finish the book.
Let's start off with the main character. He's a Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) of the US Marine Crops. He's been in for 24 years and as an E-9 he knows what he's doing or at least he should know. In the Prologue, he'll start out as a young Marine Private First Class as they all do, but he survives Iraq after watching on of his best friends die. So, starting in Part One of this book, he's battle hardened and you'd think a classic stoic military person of great wisdom now being a MGySgt of Marines. They usually don't make them any tougher or wiser, or at least that's my thoughts when starting to read this book.
So, after 23 years of good, honest service to the Marines and Country, MGySgt Patrick "Wic" Finnegan has decided it's time to hang up his duty belt and go find a cabin in the woods near Brooklyn, NY, his home town. But first, he has one favor to pay off and that is to accompany his other friend, Dr. Aron Campbell, on an Antarctica archeological dig. So why would they need a Marine in such a place? Well, this happens to be a multi-national site and the Brits and Russians have chosen to send "security" detachments so the Americans have to follow suit. Dr. Campbell requested Wic's presence and the Marine Corps said, "Why not!", so he's now freezing in the Antarctica doing a whole lot of nothing!
That's a good start to the book. The MGySgt has control of the security for the site although the actual dig area is deep beneath the ice and he and his military types aren't cleared for that area. Oh, he can get to it and all, but as long as nothings happen top-side then the site should be pretty secure. Then of course, it's not, but the threat comes from within the dig. No, this isn't about dinosaurs! But it is a take on "Stargate SG-1" the TV show. Yeah, Dr. Aaron Campbell had uncovered a giant "ring" deep beneath the Antarctic ice. He brings in MGySgt "Wic" because he wants him see what he's found and he plans to turn the "ring" on! Now, Wic doesn't seem to get the idea that this ring isn't something that humans have built. Yet, he's experienced enough to know that once this thing gets turned on it could very well be a portal coming from somewhere that something might come through. So, he wants to put maximum security forces behind fortification before anything gets turned on. Dr. Campbell doesn't believe the precautions are that necessary, but he relents and gets ready to turn on the giant ring.
Well, it is a portal and something comes through it and then all hell breaks loose! Wic and all the troops wind up fighting for their lives with most of them ending up dead. Yet, they do mange to get the portal shut down Wic's had enough of whatever it is so he heads back to near Booklyn, NY and his cabin in the woods. Wic apparently isn't smart enough to understand that what he saw wasn't manmade. He left Antarctica thinking that the CIA or some other spook agency is probably on both ends of this portal and they are just demoing some new DARPA weapons. He's not very bright for a MGySgt.
He wakes up one morning in his cabin and looks out to the horizon and sees something that wasn't there the other day. There's what appears to be a huge blue dome over New York city. So, he loads up his personal vehicle and he's down to what the sees as the edge of this dome thing. Turns out this his the where his nightmares really come to life. Apparently, the spooks back in Antarctica left that ring on and now another one has shown up in New York, but this one has a huge dome over it. The ring and the dome appear to be centered right over and through the Brooklyn Bridge!
Wic gets involved again in a very deep way. He meets up with some other like-minded military personnel, most cut off from their parent unit, but all very capable people. There's even a Navy Seal in this group. They can fight as he watches and finds out. They even take on a group of robots coming at them in a armored hover car. In the ensuing fight, Wic manages to take down a "death angle" robot and take his weapon. Come to find out, these "death angles" are extremely hard to kill and humans can't use these robot weapons. Well, most humans can't. For some reason, Wic can. And then the group convinces Wic that they are dealing with not just robots, but real aliens. He's told to look one in the face, which he does, but then this Master Gunnery Sergeant of Marines passes out!
Now here's were it starts getting weird. Master Gunnery Sergeants just don't pass out, no matter what! That's just not real. Then we find out that the alien rifle he picked up can talk! Now we're in the realm of ridiculous! Still, it seems this rifle has a tiny ASIK which is the same as an AI but more intelligent. All kinds of conversations start between Wic and his rifle and most of these conversations sound like they are coming from a comedy team. It's hard to accept that a rifle can talk even if it's alien to begin with, but with our talking computers and other stuff in 2021, why wouldn't an alien rifle be able to talk? So, now the story continues with our band of military going against the alien bad guys. I didn't mind the action. It was well written, but some things happen that just happened too easily. And the Russian mafia living underground in New York City? Yeah, sure.
I don't know if I'll read the next book in this series. I might just to see what happens. It's a different kind of book, that's for sure. Stargate SG-1 had a little humor to it, but this story has just too much.
This story is a comedy. I don't know if the authors intended it to be that way, but surely they did because the dialogue wasn't done just haphazardly. I usually like my military sci-fi to be serious stuff unless I'm reading something say the "Undying Mercenaries series" by B. V. Larson which I know has a lot of humor in its stories. I guess I just wasn't expecting so much humor in what could have been a very serious book. I also know that J. N. Chaney writes mostly serious sci-fi stuff, so Mr. Hopper must be the new author and I'm not sure I like his contribution, but I admit, I did finish the book.
Let's start off with the main character. He's a Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) of the US Marine Crops. He's been in for 24 years and as an E-9 he knows what he's doing or at least he should know. In the Prologue, he'll start out as a young Marine Private First Class as they all do, but he survives Iraq after watching on of his best friends die. So, starting in Part One of this book, he's battle hardened and you'd think a classic stoic military person of great wisdom now being a MGySgt of Marines. They usually don't make them any tougher or wiser, or at least that's my thoughts when starting to read this book.
So, after 23 years of good, honest service to the Marines and Country, MGySgt Patrick "Wic" Finnegan has decided it's time to hang up his duty belt and go find a cabin in the woods near Brooklyn, NY, his home town. But first, he has one favor to pay off and that is to accompany his other friend, Dr. Aron Campbell, on an Antarctica archeological dig. So why would they need a Marine in such a place? Well, this happens to be a multi-national site and the Brits and Russians have chosen to send "security" detachments so the Americans have to follow suit. Dr. Campbell requested Wic's presence and the Marine Corps said, "Why not!", so he's now freezing in the Antarctica doing a whole lot of nothing!
That's a good start to the book. The MGySgt has control of the security for the site although the actual dig area is deep beneath the ice and he and his military types aren't cleared for that area. Oh, he can get to it and all, but as long as nothings happen top-side then the site should be pretty secure. Then of course, it's not, but the threat comes from within the dig. No, this isn't about dinosaurs! But it is a take on "Stargate SG-1" the TV show. Yeah, Dr. Aaron Campbell had uncovered a giant "ring" deep beneath the Antarctic ice. He brings in MGySgt "Wic" because he wants him see what he's found and he plans to turn the "ring" on! Now, Wic doesn't seem to get the idea that this ring isn't something that humans have built. Yet, he's experienced enough to know that once this thing gets turned on it could very well be a portal coming from somewhere that something might come through. So, he wants to put maximum security forces behind fortification before anything gets turned on. Dr. Campbell doesn't believe the precautions are that necessary, but he relents and gets ready to turn on the giant ring.
Well, it is a portal and something comes through it and then all hell breaks loose! Wic and all the troops wind up fighting for their lives with most of them ending up dead. Yet, they do mange to get the portal shut down Wic's had enough of whatever it is so he heads back to near Booklyn, NY and his cabin in the woods. Wic apparently isn't smart enough to understand that what he saw wasn't manmade. He left Antarctica thinking that the CIA or some other spook agency is probably on both ends of this portal and they are just demoing some new DARPA weapons. He's not very bright for a MGySgt.
He wakes up one morning in his cabin and looks out to the horizon and sees something that wasn't there the other day. There's what appears to be a huge blue dome over New York city. So, he loads up his personal vehicle and he's down to what the sees as the edge of this dome thing. Turns out this his the where his nightmares really come to life. Apparently, the spooks back in Antarctica left that ring on and now another one has shown up in New York, but this one has a huge dome over it. The ring and the dome appear to be centered right over and through the Brooklyn Bridge!
Wic gets involved again in a very deep way. He meets up with some other like-minded military personnel, most cut off from their parent unit, but all very capable people. There's even a Navy Seal in this group. They can fight as he watches and finds out. They even take on a group of robots coming at them in a armored hover car. In the ensuing fight, Wic manages to take down a "death angle" robot and take his weapon. Come to find out, these "death angles" are extremely hard to kill and humans can't use these robot weapons. Well, most humans can't. For some reason, Wic can. And then the group convinces Wic that they are dealing with not just robots, but real aliens. He's told to look one in the face, which he does, but then this Master Gunnery Sergeant of Marines passes out!
Now here's were it starts getting weird. Master Gunnery Sergeants just don't pass out, no matter what! That's just not real. Then we find out that the alien rifle he picked up can talk! Now we're in the realm of ridiculous! Still, it seems this rifle has a tiny ASIK which is the same as an AI but more intelligent. All kinds of conversations start between Wic and his rifle and most of these conversations sound like they are coming from a comedy team. It's hard to accept that a rifle can talk even if it's alien to begin with, but with our talking computers and other stuff in 2021, why wouldn't an alien rifle be able to talk? So, now the story continues with our band of military going against the alien bad guys. I didn't mind the action. It was well written, but some things happen that just happened too easily. And the Russian mafia living underground in New York City? Yeah, sure.
I don't know if I'll read the next book in this series. I might just to see what happens. It's a different kind of book, that's for sure. Stargate SG-1 had a little humor to it, but this story has just too much.
November 25, 2022
Lo he leído en audible y la verdad ha sido una grandiosa experiencia. Gran historia mejor contada
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