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Deadmen's War #2
Dreadnaught
The race to control a newly discovered ancient alien technology threatens to tear civilization apart.
Master Sergeant Cole Shaw and his team of mech operators are on the frontlines of the new war. But instead of mechs, they pilot bioengineered beasts called Sentinels. Only they can stop the Imperial Alliance from unleashing a devastating alien weapon with unparalleled power.
Shaw’s team is sent to a colony planet where rebels clash with government forces, intergalactic empires vie for influence in the shadows, and monstrous feral creatures wreak havoc in forests as deadly as they are beautiful. Amid the chaos, Shaw must make tenuous alliances with untrustworthy forces and face impossible decisions with catastrophic consequences. If he doesn’t succeed, then it’s not just his team’s lives at stake—it’s all of mankind.
Master Sergeant Cole Shaw and his team of mech operators are on the frontlines of the new war. But instead of mechs, they pilot bioengineered beasts called Sentinels. Only they can stop the Imperial Alliance from unleashing a devastating alien weapon with unparalleled power.
Shaw’s team is sent to a colony planet where rebels clash with government forces, intergalactic empires vie for influence in the shadows, and monstrous feral creatures wreak havoc in forests as deadly as they are beautiful. Amid the chaos, Shaw must make tenuous alliances with untrustworthy forces and face impossible decisions with catastrophic consequences. If he doesn’t succeed, then it’s not just his team’s lives at stake—it’s all of mankind.
- GenresAudiobookScience Fiction
493 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2021
131 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Anthony J. Melchiorri
107 books361 followersAnthony J Melchiorri is a scientist with a PhD in bioengineering. Originally from the Midwest, he now lives in Texas. By day, he develops cellular therapies and 3D-printable artificial organs. By night, he writes apocalyptic, medical, and science-fiction thrillers that blend real-world research with other-worldly possibility. When he isn't in the lab or at the keyboard, he spends his time running, reading, hiking, and traveling in search of new story ideas.
Read more at http://anthonyjmelchiorri.com and sign up for his mailing list at http://bit.ly/ajmlist to hear about his latest releases and news.
Read more at http://anthonyjmelchiorri.com and sign up for his mailing list at http://bit.ly/ajmlist to hear about his latest releases and news.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 15, 2023
Phenomenal
This is an amazing continuation of the story. Introduction of some new characters while still following the old. AJM is great at world building. I have no issues with this book whatsoever. Great character development, great overall plot, great descriptions of battle scenes. I'm so excited to see where the story goes. This is in my top 5 favorite series so far
This is an amazing continuation of the story. Introduction of some new characters while still following the old. AJM is great at world building. I have no issues with this book whatsoever. Great character development, great overall plot, great descriptions of battle scenes. I'm so excited to see where the story goes. This is in my top 5 favorite series so far
February 17, 2025
4.25
The Deadmen... This book was far heavier than book one. Took me a by surprise because I was not expecting the darkness that came through. The action scenes in this story felt more manageable to me than the first book, although still intense and captivating, not overwhelming. The crew has been through some shit in book one but this one takes it to another level with the psychological destruction everyone of them faced in a different way. Starting to feel a real part of the team and enjoying the interaction between them as they work through their problems together to become a more cohesive unit. Cool plot with well done sci-fi themes and the world building is incredible, the planets he builds are just plain awesome! Great author so far and I'll definitely continue this series and look forward to more from Anthony!
The Deadmen... This book was far heavier than book one. Took me a by surprise because I was not expecting the darkness that came through. The action scenes in this story felt more manageable to me than the first book, although still intense and captivating, not overwhelming. The crew has been through some shit in book one but this one takes it to another level with the psychological destruction everyone of them faced in a different way. Starting to feel a real part of the team and enjoying the interaction between them as they work through their problems together to become a more cohesive unit. Cool plot with well done sci-fi themes and the world building is incredible, the planets he builds are just plain awesome! Great author so far and I'll definitely continue this series and look forward to more from Anthony!
January 17, 2022
Great follow up to the first book. Non-stop action from beginning to end. The author creates vivid alien worlds and creatures and the battle sequences are epic. Cannot wait to read the third book in the series.
November 5, 2021
4 stars. I debated actually ranking this book lower - no, not because it's "worse" than what is listed here - simply because I didn't enjoy this chapter as much as the last one, which if anything, I may have UNDERvalued. "Deadmen's War 2" is definitely not as breakneck in terms of pacing as the last book but still definitely an intriquing and addictive story. I think if anything it's more a reflection of how much I enjoyed book 1 and this one didn't quite take me where I wanted or expected to go.
Again, "Dreadnaught" starts off appreciably slower than its predecessor, as it involves a rather long (several months) and really somewhat ordinary-feeling transfer of our team from the dreadful ice planet of Ferrous. Even with Rune gates, apparently space travel is still not all that quick and we definitely feel that along with the crew and its hodgepodge of weird passengers. Still, we do get a good bit of old-fashioned scifi operatic action along the way:
"A million ways to die in the Farspace Legion, and in a matter of a month, I was getting a firsthand look at all of them."
And that's just the first third of the book because Shaw and Co. are about to find out that they haven't seen anything yet. Melchiorri still has a lot in store for the team after they - finally - manage to avoid death in space and get to a new planet and their new mission... which during the first sequences they seem woefully unprepared for. Along the way, despite seemingly upping their chances for survival, the treatment of the "Deadmen" almost becomes sadistic as they go through so much in such a short amount of time in the second half of the book.
I did enjoy that this Book 2 deals a lot more with the complexity of the entire "Space Wars" that involve not just two main players, but what we learn are at least three now, along with a "troublesome" independent, planet-side faction. This makes the dynamics a lot more interesting and also benefits the players we've been following all along, who(m) I feel Melchiorri handles much better this time. For example, I think he does a brilliant job of integrating the "wild-card" Garcia - even if she's not integrated as well by the team themselves (Shaw's words, not mine!) - who acts like a real wrench in the mechanics of the Banshees a lot of the time. We spend a lot of time with everyone at each other's throats, sometimes all in good fun but mostly in severely pissed off and tense situations. Not knowing if the team is going to be attacked and even killed by the enemy is one aspect, sure. But not knowing if they're going to wind up killing each other is another entirely as the level of trust with all 5 of the team is not very high and even signs of insubordination begin to rise! Again, how this all plays out is from a character standpoint very interesting and even complimented by Shaw's frequent "near-death" flashbacks! And there are several opportunities for those!
By the end, it's clear though to the reader that the story centers on one key factor - much like the Tide series - namely there is a doomsday weapon or weapons at play where the stakes are at their highest because of different players' ideas of what the Universe should or should not be like! Everyone wants things for themselves and no amount of decency is too much in terms of throwing it out the window in order obtain these weapons and/or keep others from doing the same. Despite this added complexity, the problem for me with the "construction" of this book is that we alternate almost like clockwork between "down times" - again some stretching for months, others for mere but agonizing moments - with truly brutal sequences, even if these are quite often put into the context of scintillating battle scenes.
Yes, I appreciate that some of this is obviously necessary - and even expected - particularly as Team Banshee negotiate their mission from within their Sentinel "hosts" and continually get the absolute sh*t kicked out of them along with way. Melchiorri provides more than enough detail about what it's like to be inside - and suffer along with these Prog constructs - and doesn't hold back on the gore, pain and worse in this regard. But that's only the tip of the iceberg as what happens to so, so many people in this story. To be honest, it all really approaches a kind of limit as to what I would normally WANT to be reading and the cold-bloodedness we face is without doubt horrific in both scope and execution. And there are enough executions to last for a long time here!
Again, though, the two stories together are quite an adventure. It will be very interesting to see where the next chapter(s) takes us! Even the Tide had, well pardon the pun, some highs and lows to it, but it all wound up being better than the sum of its parts by the time we were all happily sipping drinks on the beach! And I am confident we'll be looking back at the end of this series thinking the same!
Again, "Dreadnaught" starts off appreciably slower than its predecessor, as it involves a rather long (several months) and really somewhat ordinary-feeling transfer of our team from the dreadful ice planet of Ferrous. Even with Rune gates, apparently space travel is still not all that quick and we definitely feel that along with the crew and its hodgepodge of weird passengers. Still, we do get a good bit of old-fashioned scifi operatic action along the way:
"A million ways to die in the Farspace Legion, and in a matter of a month, I was getting a firsthand look at all of them."
And that's just the first third of the book because Shaw and Co. are about to find out that they haven't seen anything yet. Melchiorri still has a lot in store for the team after they - finally - manage to avoid death in space and get to a new planet and their new mission... which during the first sequences they seem woefully unprepared for. Along the way, despite seemingly upping their chances for survival, the treatment of the "Deadmen" almost becomes sadistic as they go through so much in such a short amount of time in the second half of the book.
I did enjoy that this Book 2 deals a lot more with the complexity of the entire "Space Wars" that involve not just two main players, but what we learn are at least three now, along with a "troublesome" independent, planet-side faction. This makes the dynamics a lot more interesting and also benefits the players we've been following all along, who(m) I feel Melchiorri handles much better this time. For example, I think he does a brilliant job of integrating the "wild-card" Garcia - even if she's not integrated as well by the team themselves (Shaw's words, not mine!) - who acts like a real wrench in the mechanics of the Banshees a lot of the time. We spend a lot of time with everyone at each other's throats, sometimes all in good fun but mostly in severely pissed off and tense situations. Not knowing if the team is going to be attacked and even killed by the enemy is one aspect, sure. But not knowing if they're going to wind up killing each other is another entirely as the level of trust with all 5 of the team is not very high and even signs of insubordination begin to rise! Again, how this all plays out is from a character standpoint very interesting and even complimented by Shaw's frequent "near-death" flashbacks! And there are several opportunities for those!
By the end, it's clear though to the reader that the story centers on one key factor - much like the Tide series - namely there is a doomsday weapon or weapons at play where the stakes are at their highest because of different players' ideas of what the Universe should or should not be like! Everyone wants things for themselves and no amount of decency is too much in terms of throwing it out the window in order obtain these weapons and/or keep others from doing the same. Despite this added complexity, the problem for me with the "construction" of this book is that we alternate almost like clockwork between "down times" - again some stretching for months, others for mere but agonizing moments - with truly brutal sequences, even if these are quite often put into the context of scintillating battle scenes.
Yes, I appreciate that some of this is obviously necessary - and even expected - particularly as Team Banshee negotiate their mission from within their Sentinel "hosts" and continually get the absolute sh*t kicked out of them along with way. Melchiorri provides more than enough detail about what it's like to be inside - and suffer along with these Prog constructs - and doesn't hold back on the gore, pain and worse in this regard. But that's only the tip of the iceberg as what happens to so, so many people in this story. To be honest, it all really approaches a kind of limit as to what I would normally WANT to be reading and the cold-bloodedness we face is without doubt horrific in both scope and execution. And there are enough executions to last for a long time here!
Again, though, the two stories together are quite an adventure. It will be very interesting to see where the next chapter(s) takes us! Even the Tide had, well pardon the pun, some highs and lows to it, but it all wound up being better than the sum of its parts by the time we were all happily sipping drinks on the beach! And I am confident we'll be looking back at the end of this series thinking the same!
October 26, 2021
Lots of humans die
The first book spends more time on battles with alien creatures, but this second book involves more execution-style killing (like James Bond action sequences) of humans who get in the way. While our band of heroes are not the most (frequent) cold-blooded murderers, they are losing their humanity quickly. The action scenes in space and planet-side are intense but feel repetitive toward the end, more attrition than strategy-based.
There are more political factions vying for the ultimate weapon, and betrayal and honor seem to be chosen in equal parts…or determined by the roll of the dice/fate.
The jungle/rain forest setting has some fantastic details and imagery, and the alien creatures are quite fantastical. However, this second book treats the alien sentient “casings” as totally disposable with no regard for their welfare. Our heroes are also treated as less than human, so I suppose it’s par for the course that human and animal rights are disregarded. There are glossed over plot holes where the sentient critters can smell and sense intruders through their connection with the vegetation, but our heroes manage to elude them? Not sure I’m buying this. And there’s also the exposure to space, but the critters still function? They are missing limbs, but they keep running just fine at times?
I would have preferred some additional quiet moments between main characters where they remind each other of their humanness and of the “quality” of life having value…without moments like these, the book reads more like a video game plot with endless shoot-outs rather than as a hero journey. The main character demonstrates some growth in terms of figuring things out faster, is dealing with his mortality, and he is still a military-hero-boy-next-door kind of guy, but he lacks personal stakes—like saving his home planet, family, girlfriend, favorite pet, regaining his missing limbs, fathering children, etc.—he is rather two-dimensional/flat as a loyal grunt just going through the motions trying to avoid dying, keeping his team functioning.
I’m not sure I’m going to read the next book in the series as I feel like it’s going to be too much like a violent video game again but just on a different planet.
The first book spends more time on battles with alien creatures, but this second book involves more execution-style killing (like James Bond action sequences) of humans who get in the way. While our band of heroes are not the most (frequent) cold-blooded murderers, they are losing their humanity quickly. The action scenes in space and planet-side are intense but feel repetitive toward the end, more attrition than strategy-based.
There are more political factions vying for the ultimate weapon, and betrayal and honor seem to be chosen in equal parts…or determined by the roll of the dice/fate.
The jungle/rain forest setting has some fantastic details and imagery, and the alien creatures are quite fantastical. However, this second book treats the alien sentient “casings” as totally disposable with no regard for their welfare. Our heroes are also treated as less than human, so I suppose it’s par for the course that human and animal rights are disregarded. There are glossed over plot holes where the sentient critters can smell and sense intruders through their connection with the vegetation, but our heroes manage to elude them? Not sure I’m buying this. And there’s also the exposure to space, but the critters still function? They are missing limbs, but they keep running just fine at times?
I would have preferred some additional quiet moments between main characters where they remind each other of their humanness and of the “quality” of life having value…without moments like these, the book reads more like a video game plot with endless shoot-outs rather than as a hero journey. The main character demonstrates some growth in terms of figuring things out faster, is dealing with his mortality, and he is still a military-hero-boy-next-door kind of guy, but he lacks personal stakes—like saving his home planet, family, girlfriend, favorite pet, regaining his missing limbs, fathering children, etc.—he is rather two-dimensional/flat as a loyal grunt just going through the motions trying to avoid dying, keeping his team functioning.
I’m not sure I’m going to read the next book in the series as I feel like it’s going to be too much like a violent video game again but just on a different planet.
January 23, 2022
Wow! The battles in this book, and really, the 1st book too, it was fascinating how Shaw, Tanaka, Kross, Ricci and Garcia took over the bodies of the Sentinels but there was not one battle that the heroes didn't get the shit beat out of them, almost killing them. I could see that once in a while but I don't like Shaw and his team almost dying every time they went out. Plus, after they spent 2 months being held captive and beaten and starved, then managed to escape they had to get back in their Sentinels and go fight in the biggest battle ever! I don't ever expect scifi to ever be realistic but, c'mon, the heroes have to rest and heal after what they had been through. They're HUMAN not superheroes!
Anyway, it looks like the Principality may have gotten away after all, so the battles continue in the next book. I can't see myself read any further. It will be the same: they will get the shit beat out of them but will be asked to keep fighting. Yeah, I can't read that again and again.
No romance and the F-bomb was used 88 times.
As for the narration: R.C. Bray is simply fabulous.
Anyway, it looks like the Principality may have gotten away after all, so the battles continue in the next book. I can't see myself read any further. It will be the same: they will get the shit beat out of them but will be asked to keep fighting. Yeah, I can't read that again and again.
No romance and the F-bomb was used 88 times.
As for the narration: R.C. Bray is simply fabulous.
October 22, 2021
The Deadmen fight new Sentinels on the planet Ezekial
Hail! Hail! The gang's all here! All four factions in this war are on the same planet seeking the meaning of the cylinders dug from the bodies of the Sentinels. The Alliance, the Union, the Principality and the NWR all seek the solution to the Sentinels and the Progenitors on Ezekiel. From the first page, the action has been fast and furious and I don't mean Dominic Torretto! Page by page, the action is deeper, harder and more bloody. Team Banshee has its hands (and arms and pockets) full trying to stay functioning and keep each other alive.
Pure unadulterated bloody action on every page. Great characters leading the action, but the storyline is canted toward action. Hard to put down, this book kept me up late a couple nights. Well worth it though! This is a great read! I can't await for part 3, Scourge!
Hail! Hail! The gang's all here! All four factions in this war are on the same planet seeking the meaning of the cylinders dug from the bodies of the Sentinels. The Alliance, the Union, the Principality and the NWR all seek the solution to the Sentinels and the Progenitors on Ezekiel. From the first page, the action has been fast and furious and I don't mean Dominic Torretto! Page by page, the action is deeper, harder and more bloody. Team Banshee has its hands (and arms and pockets) full trying to stay functioning and keep each other alive.
Pure unadulterated bloody action on every page. Great characters leading the action, but the storyline is canted toward action. Hard to put down, this book kept me up late a couple nights. Well worth it though! This is a great read! I can't await for part 3, Scourge!
April 21, 2024
The series is starting to flesh out it's universe, bit by bit by bit, we see more Sentinels, these are my favorite parts, the introduction of the each planet's native Sentinel, which are different from planet to planet.
Another part are the human empire/government/factions going to war against each other, the new one Principality of Seven, by the description, gives off a Japanese impression.
It feels like a mecha versus Kaiju sort of story, but the single most exciting part Kaiju's that you can control, with unique abilities, also it's own danger...........
I would recommend this one to readers that like mecha and Kaiju.........
Third Book here we come.......
Another part are the human empire/government/factions going to war against each other, the new one Principality of Seven, by the description, gives off a Japanese impression.
It feels like a mecha versus Kaiju sort of story, but the single most exciting part Kaiju's that you can control, with unique abilities, also it's own danger...........
I would recommend this one to readers that like mecha and Kaiju.........
Third Book here we come.......
September 26, 2024
"Dreadnaught" is an excellent second book in the series! Having several books continue the quality and fun is challenging, but Anthony J. Melchiorri has it right. The story continues with the first one's thrills and scares (and death). I recommend you start with book one, and I hope you enjoy these as much as I have.
November 2, 2021
great job!
what I really like, beside the story line, is the fact that it was an ongoing narrative,, no jumping ideas between chapters. .He writes all his books this way. I truly love the way he writes.
what I really like, beside the story line, is the fact that it was an ongoing narrative,, no jumping ideas between chapters. .He writes all his books this way. I truly love the way he writes.
November 5, 2021
Book 2 of Deadmans Wat, Dreadnought, has not disappointed. Once again you are in the fight with Shaw and his team. Exciting and riveting story from the beginning to the end. Mr Melchiorri really knows how to keep you enthralled. Brilliant. !
January 24, 2022
Just keeps getting better! Excellent read!
The scourge is an interesting concept and the author is doing a great job evolving it. Keeps you tied to each page with wondering enjoyment
The scourge is an interesting concept and the author is doing a great job evolving it. Keeps you tied to each page with wondering enjoyment
July 22, 2023
Great take on Sci Fi Mech Warfare
Anthony J,. Melchiorri has written a series that has a refreshing take on mech warfare set in the far future.
It’s a sip of cold water on a hot day. This series is a page turner, so be prepared to devour this series ravenously.
Anthony J,. Melchiorri has written a series that has a refreshing take on mech warfare set in the far future.
It’s a sip of cold water on a hot day. This series is a page turner, so be prepared to devour this series ravenously.
April 28, 2025
Battles and battles
Battles with impossible odds. Bodies torn and failing. The end just out of reach. The heroes giving their all. Will it be enough? How can it possibly get worse? Keep reading.
Battles with impossible odds. Bodies torn and failing. The end just out of reach. The heroes giving their all. Will it be enough? How can it possibly get worse? Keep reading.
November 9, 2021
Great series so far.
Great series, took some getting used to at first but worth it. Waiting for book three with a “worm on my tongue” ie bated breathe.
Great series, took some getting used to at first but worth it. Waiting for book three with a “worm on my tongue” ie bated breathe.
December 6, 2021
Great book, fantastic continuation of the series
February 25, 2022
A journey into choas
Heart pounding action that transports you into the choas.
Great characters with realistic situations and lots of action.
I look forward to the next one 😀
Heart pounding action that transports you into the choas.
Great characters with realistic situations and lots of action.
I look forward to the next one 😀
March 7, 2022
Amazing story!
Had a lot of fun reading this story. Had a hard time putting down. Looking forward to reading book 3 in this compelling series.
Had a lot of fun reading this story. Had a hard time putting down. Looking forward to reading book 3 in this compelling series.
March 26, 2022
recommended
This is the best series I’ve read all year. It’s awesome! The action is cool, the aliens are neat, and the worlds are fun to read about
This is the best series I’ve read all year. It’s awesome! The action is cool, the aliens are neat, and the worlds are fun to read about
May 31, 2022
Good view of the mechs and sentinals. Liked the improvisation of using available resources. Looking forward to the next one, since this one clearly indicates there's more to come.
December 29, 2022
Onward to dawn
The " deadmen" never give up the fight. Neither Mechs, monsters, not hostile plant life keep them from their objective. Oh, but the cost!
The " deadmen" never give up the fight. Neither Mechs, monsters, not hostile plant life keep them from their objective. Oh, but the cost!
December 21, 2023
Not the ending I expected
Wow, constant twists and turns. You never know what is coming next. Reading this series in a matter if days
Wow, constant twists and turns. You never know what is coming next. Reading this series in a matter if days
July 21, 2024
solid read
I do like this series and Melchiorri keeps developing the most interesting storylines and concepts. I’ll be reading the next in the series asap!
I do like this series and Melchiorri keeps developing the most interesting storylines and concepts. I’ll be reading the next in the series asap!
September 15, 2024
Weaving people cultures and technology
Key characters are well described as to their situational morality. The technology and motivations of the progenitors need more explaning.
Key characters are well described as to their situational morality. The technology and motivations of the progenitors need more explaning.
September 30, 2024
Twists that Turn
Aliens left weapons and bio diseases behind. Who gets to them first? Who will control them? What will be the cost?
Aliens left weapons and bio diseases behind. Who gets to them first? Who will control them? What will be the cost?
October 10, 2024
Whew!!!!
I love this series. After only reading the first two books, I am hooked.
I need to download some more.
You should too!
I love this series. After only reading the first two books, I am hooked.
I need to download some more.
You should too!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews