Some people don’t want to be heroes. Some people just want to serve. Following his heroic actions on his last ship, Captain Cordell Greene’s name has become synonymous with valor, selflessness and the epitome of what a Coalition soldier should be. Not that he sees it that way. To him, he was just doing his job, trying to save as many people as possible. He never wanted to be in the spotlight.
But now, after he’s been handed his first commission, he finds himself at the center of not only a public relations circus, but a series of orders that don’t make sense. He thought the Coalition was a force for good, but it seems once you become a captain in the SCAS, the curtain is pulled away to reveal what is really underneath.
Now Captain Greene finds himself choosing between what is expected of him, and what he knows is right. And the worst part of it is an archivist has come aboard to get it all on camera for the masses, which means every move he makes is being scrutinized from five different angles. Fate, it seems, has some interesting plans for him.
Fate’s Arrow: Greene is the third novella in the Infinity's End Legacy series, a group of one-shot stories about the characters from Infinity's End.
Bestselling author Eric Warren has loved stories all his life. And despite writing from a young age, it took him a few years to realize being an author was what he wanted to do for a living. Today, he is the author of over twenty novels, including the highly successful INFINITY'S END series. Never one to shy away from what he loves, he plans to continue writing for another century, depending on the viability of life-extending technology.
This is the 3rd part in the Fate’s Arrow series, and follows Captain Cordell Greene. This is a bit of a different story though in that it is not told from the point of view of Greene. Instead we are introduced to an Archivist, Oz Xavier, who has been sent aboard to capture the inaugural flight of Captain Greene. An Archivist is like a journalist, a cameraman a historian and a librarian all rolled into one. An Archivist has a camera build into their heads, some just into their eye, the good ones have it hidden in the upper parts of their skull, and a back up in their eye, with a drive both in their brains, and a redundancy drive set up elsewhere in case of failures. Xavier has been placed onto Greene’s ship with the ability to snoop at various things, and from his point of view, we get to see the story unfold. This is Greene’s first ship as Captain, having been just promoted after an impressive career so far, but capped off with having taking command of his last ship when the ship was damaged, his Captain incapacitated, and the lives of the ships crew and others in serious danger. Having proven himself to be the model Coalition Officer, he finds himself in the Captain’s chair, and sent on an aid mission, under scrutiny of the Archivist, for his first mission, with the whole Coalition watching this now famous Captain, and current news item. Without giving to much away, it becomes clear to Greene though very quickly that the Coalition is not all it is made out to be, when he is pulled from the aid mission, one that is to supply a Coalition member with desperately needed medical aid, and sent to investigate some strange signal. It goes against everything Greene believes in, and works for, and although he tries to help those in need, he is denied permission. This is where the story gets really interesting, and we get to learn a lot about Greene, and his character. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I will let you read what happens next, but what does follow is a fascinating game of intrigue, one in which Greene tries to both follow not just his orders, but also his strong ethical and morale code. As the story unfolds, we not only get to see an early Greene, and for those who have read the Infinity’s End Saga, this will make for some fascinating reading, for those who haven’t, it is still a really great short standalone story, as it is utterly engaging. We also get to learn about the crew of Greene’s ship, who truly follows him, and who is just a part of the Coalition. As such, we get to meet some other exceptional characters in this story. There is the over enthusiastic Lt Zemke, the younger S’gash, and his loyal First Officer Sul-Yul. The story is told primarily from the point of view of Xavier, as he is recording the entire thing, and this provides a sort ‘overhead’ view of how things play out, as Xavier uses the ships internal sensors to spy on the crew, and cameras etc, to watch and listen to everything that is happening and being said. From this, we get to try and piece together what is happening, as we only have various aspects of the story, and this is a veritable jigsaw puzzle. The story is totally captivating, and the more you read, the more engaged you get, having to find out what is happening, and how this will play out. It is just fascinating watching Greene in these early years, as he tries to deal with this complex dilemma, keeping both he and his crew not only alive, but trying to achieve several goals as well. Xavier’s character is just as compelling as Greene, as the dedicated Archivist, working for the Coalition to capture historical records, and making sure that everything is captured perfectly. Of course, in his efforts to make sure he gets everything, and understands exactly what is going on, he uncovers a lot more than he expected (or probably wanted to!!). And this leads to some engaging and very interesting ethical questions for him. Xavier’s character is masterfully done, he is so realistic, with a credibility to him that makes him seem so real and so believable. There are several other exceptional characters in this book, but I am not going to mention them to avoid spoilers. Warren has done an exceptional job of creating these stunning backdrops in which to tell the story, the world (galaxy?) building is just stunning, with meticulous detail, and incredible depth. It really adds this whole additional layer to the story, and allows you to get fully immersed into what is already an extraordinary story. Overall all, Warren has created yet another wonderful short story in his Infinity’s End Saga, and one that gives us some fascinating insight to a character that everyone admires, but we know so little about. He was brilliant in the main series, and continues to be equally outstanding in this book. If you are a fan of the Infinity’s End Saga, you will love this. Otherwise, if you haven’t read the main series (What are you waiting for???), it is not needed to be able to read and enjoy this short story, it can easily be read as a standalone story for those who just love a good Character driven Sci-Fi story!!
Excellent short story, A newly promoted Captain Greene becomes embroiled in a conspiracy. Told from the point of view of an archivist this is a super story full of intrigue, divided loyalties and treachery. I always enjoy Eric's stories he has created a entertaining reality with memorable characters, it is nice to meet some of them previous to the original series. I look forward to reading the next instalment. I received a complimentary copy from the author and am leaving a honest voluntary review.
Great plot fast paced. Lots of action and hard to know what will happen next. Real hero's and good against evil. What more do you want in a sci-fi get it while its steaming hot.
Received as an ARC, this is an honest review. Cordell Greene never wanted to be a hero... all he wanted was to serve the Coalition the best way he could. But his heroic actions aboard the USCS Sims alters not only Greene's trajectory within the Coalition but just what kind of Captain he'll become. Embroiled in moral crisis that has its citizens questioning the Coalition's military tactics; leaving the Command leaders desperate for a better narrative to make the Coalition shine. Enter Cordell Greene: celebrated hero and newly- minted Captain leading the crew of the USCS Eos, heading out on their first mission to Cretaak to deliver crucial medical aid- all of it to be shadowed and recorded by the archivist Oz Xavier. What starts as an easy mission suddenly is turned on its head when Fleet Admiral Winterhall orders Greene and his crew to head to Epsilon Lyre and find the source of a bizarre alien signal the Coalition has become obsessed with; accompanied by the USCS Vale headed by Captain Traice. While Greene is determined to complete his original stated mission... he finds himself, his crew and the archivist caught up in labyrinth of dark Coalition secrets that will lead to an snowballs affect of consequences. The truth behind the alien signal will bring Greene and Xavier to ponder their personal futures within the Coalition... both shaping its fate in profound ways, highly recommended.
Spectacular "prequel" to the Infinity Series. These novellas touch upon the earlier lives of key characters in the series. If you're like me, and I know I am, I would recommend the series first - they are fast-paced, well written, and a fantastic ride with unexpected twists and turns. Moreover, the characters are greatly developed - they either experience tremendous growth, or are just well defined.
Greene, much like the speed of light, is a constant: a formidable rock that is key to the dynamics in the other characters. This book will ceryainly reassert the respect (and love) anyone familiar with Captain Greene already had. He's the kind of leader you follow into battle without a second thought, or to anywhere in the universe.
Eric Warren has a distinctive voice that lures you out into space where there is no going back.
This is the third book in the series. Each book can be read as a stand alone. I love this story. The lead character is a reporter/journalist/archivist. He is reporting on a new captain who is not quite trusted by the higher ups. There is a lot of action, espionage, and subterfuge in this story. I loved it. The characters were great. I think Eric Warren is one of my new favorite authors. I think you will not be disappointed in this book. I know I wasn't and I recommend it.
Well, wow, talk about giving a good back history and throw up a whole new set of rabbit trails to go adventuring into... I'm really starting to wonder if Eric can write a Fate's Arrow that I can't chew through in one sitting? I'm just dying to read Fate's Arrow: Box - my brain is just short circuiting thinking of all the different ways that can go!
The third in the series about character background from the 'Infinity's End' books.
Oh, this tale is an absolute stotter, as we say in Scotland. Captain Cordell Greene. Calm, contented and confident, outwardly every inch the ultimate Coalition soldier. Inspiring awe from everyone. Inwardly, unsure of himself and nervous. Will he live up to others' expectations? Will he live up to his own moral standards? Who can he trust?
If you know the character, you will adore this. It is the BEST 'Infinity's End Legacy' story... so far. It really is fantastic. Honestly. An easy five stars.
I expected a story told from Greene's POV but instead it's told from the POV of Oz Xavier, a Coalition Archivist/Journalist. It's not only a story about Greene but also about the corruption in the Coalition. I get now why Greene was willing to believe in Caspian. It's because Greene knew very well how bad the corruption in the Coalition was and what some higher-ups were capable of doing.
I loved this - it's fun to take a deeper dive into the incorruptible Captain Greene! An easy read and a treat to read, as always! I can't wait to read how the story continues in "Fate's Arrow: Box!"
This new novella in Eric Warrne’s Infinity’s End Legacy series is all about Captain Cordell Greene and basically backs up what we’ve learned about him so far in the Infinity’s End series—he’s the real deal. Total bad ass, stand-up guy, super good to the core. It takes you back to his first assignment as captain in the Coalition. This book is written from the perspective of archivist Oz Xavier, who is hired by the Coalition to document Greene’s first mission with his new crew and ship. So you learn about Greene from interviews with his crew and his observed actions by the archivist. It’s a very interesting point of view and different from any of the other books in these series.
Like all the books in both of these series, this novella was very fast-paced, fun, and entertaining.