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Lunar Free State #4
In the Service of Luna
On-the-job training can be hazardous to your health…
Lorna Greenwood hopes the Lunar Free State’s Fleet Academy will prepare her to follow in her grandmother’s legendary footsteps. Her roommate Nova Sakura has already spent time in the LFS Marines and wants to move up to the officer ranks.
First, though, they have to survive four years of training. Military service gets real for Lorna when the assault carrier Omaha Beach comes under fire during her first year training cruise. Nova’s first year cruise aboard the light cruiser Hydra seems pretty routine, until she’s called upon to take charge of a squad of Marines boarding a ship full of murderous pirates.
And nothing prepares them for the challenges they face after graduation, when they’re both assigned to the same ship and find themselves facing an alien enemy in a distant star system, in what could be the start of another interstellar war.
Two young women put their lives on the line in the service of Luna…even if that means leaving family, friends, and their hearts behind.
Lorna Greenwood hopes the Lunar Free State’s Fleet Academy will prepare her to follow in her grandmother’s legendary footsteps. Her roommate Nova Sakura has already spent time in the LFS Marines and wants to move up to the officer ranks.
First, though, they have to survive four years of training. Military service gets real for Lorna when the assault carrier Omaha Beach comes under fire during her first year training cruise. Nova’s first year cruise aboard the light cruiser Hydra seems pretty routine, until she’s called upon to take charge of a squad of Marines boarding a ship full of murderous pirates.
And nothing prepares them for the challenges they face after graduation, when they’re both assigned to the same ship and find themselves facing an alien enemy in a distant star system, in what could be the start of another interstellar war.
Two young women put their lives on the line in the service of Luna…even if that means leaving family, friends, and their hearts behind.
484 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2018
94 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
John E. Siers
37 books35 followersJohn Siers is an Air Force veteran, currently retired from his old job as a software developer. He spends his time writing, and operates a little gunsmith business on the side.
John lives near Memphis, Tennessee with his wife, youngest son, dog, and two cats. Hobbies include astronomy, woodworking, hunting, and shooting sports. He has been writing Science Fiction for over twenty years, and published his first full-length novel, The Moon and Beyond in 2012. His second novel Someday the Stars was published in May,2013 and won the 2014 Darrell Award for Best SF Novel by a Midsouth Author.
John has since published four more novels in his Lunar Free State series and has also contributed two novels and several short stories to universes developed by other authors. He is currently working on the seventh Lunar Free State novel, and the series is now being translated into German for release on Amazon.de and is also being put out in audio book form on Audible.
John lives near Memphis, Tennessee with his wife, youngest son, dog, and two cats. Hobbies include astronomy, woodworking, hunting, and shooting sports. He has been writing Science Fiction for over twenty years, and published his first full-length novel, The Moon and Beyond in 2012. His second novel Someday the Stars was published in May,2013 and won the 2014 Darrell Award for Best SF Novel by a Midsouth Author.
John has since published four more novels in his Lunar Free State series and has also contributed two novels and several short stories to universes developed by other authors. He is currently working on the seventh Lunar Free State novel, and the series is now being translated into German for release on Amazon.de and is also being put out in audio book form on Audible.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 24, 2022
Really good!
April 20, 2025
Author Siers adds a fourth installment here to a multi-generational SF saga he started in The Moon and Beyond (2012). The Lunar Free State is an upstart Solar system superpower, established by a brilliant cabal of technocrats on the moon to deliberately distance themselves from politically unpalatable, surveillance-state governments of Earth.
So successful is the LFS that, by this era, the "moonies" have achieved alien first-contact, fought and won deep-space wars, and now pursue evidence of other human civilizations mysteriously scattered throughout the cosmos (left behind in ancient time by the enigmatic "Progenitors"). Lorna Greenwood is a rising LFS Navy enlistee, determined to prove herself despite the baggage of being the namesake granddaughter of a legendary Lunar admiral dubbed "the Iron Maiden." Along with her nervy Marine buddy Nova Sakura, Lorna is aboard a Lunar expedition that discovers a remote planet of feudal-era humans forced to mine silica by the Ay'uskanar, an insular empire of giant insects. The ultra-logical "Bugs" are not intentionally cruel or sadistic, but their hive-mindset is such that they react violently to any perceived potential threat. And humans in ships more advanced than than the Bugs ever believed possible qualifies as a threat.
Readers of military science-fiction - especially those who are avid fans of the female-fronted, battle-heavy galactic adventures of Elizabeth Moon and David Weber's Honor Harrington universe, will want to add this series to the armory. Siers earns medals for action, strong storytelling and conceits potent enough to appeal to longtime followers as well as fresh-recruit genre buffs who could LZ in even at this point and find things comfortably in Starfleet/Starship Troopers order (though mild but unapologetic inferences of lesbianism might have rattled even Heinlein's Roughnecks). Ending promises further followups and mayhem-filled missions.
So successful is the LFS that, by this era, the "moonies" have achieved alien first-contact, fought and won deep-space wars, and now pursue evidence of other human civilizations mysteriously scattered throughout the cosmos (left behind in ancient time by the enigmatic "Progenitors"). Lorna Greenwood is a rising LFS Navy enlistee, determined to prove herself despite the baggage of being the namesake granddaughter of a legendary Lunar admiral dubbed "the Iron Maiden." Along with her nervy Marine buddy Nova Sakura, Lorna is aboard a Lunar expedition that discovers a remote planet of feudal-era humans forced to mine silica by the Ay'uskanar, an insular empire of giant insects. The ultra-logical "Bugs" are not intentionally cruel or sadistic, but their hive-mindset is such that they react violently to any perceived potential threat. And humans in ships more advanced than than the Bugs ever believed possible qualifies as a threat.
Readers of military science-fiction - especially those who are avid fans of the female-fronted, battle-heavy galactic adventures of Elizabeth Moon and David Weber's Honor Harrington universe, will want to add this series to the armory. Siers earns medals for action, strong storytelling and conceits potent enough to appeal to longtime followers as well as fresh-recruit genre buffs who could LZ in even at this point and find things comfortably in Starfleet/Starship Troopers order (though mild but unapologetic inferences of lesbianism might have rattled even Heinlein's Roughnecks). Ending promises further followups and mayhem-filled missions.
April 23, 2024
It's Star Trek Jim, But Not as You Know It.
This series just keeps getting better and better. Siers does a few things right, adding new characters to carry the story forward without getting into the rut one hero can create, and moving the story model forward ea h time as well.
This time Lorna Greenwood, granddaughter of her namesake and one of the original cast, takes center stage. She starts out at the lounge academy, where she teams up with Nova, a female Marine, and then they both go on to be assigned to the first Star Trek style mission aboard the e location ship Lewis and Clark. Like good old NCC 1701, the ship is both a science and military vessel out to see what's out there.
What's out there turns out to be another world populated by humans (don't freak, I'm pretty sure by this point the author knows what he is doing) and exploited by big buglike aliens. If the humans discovered in the last book were probably native Americans, these folks are medieval brits or Japanese or both.
Lots of fun for both space combat and ground pounding occurs, but all things considered they probably really should have just dropped a rock b on the problem.
This series just keeps getting better and better. Siers does a few things right, adding new characters to carry the story forward without getting into the rut one hero can create, and moving the story model forward ea h time as well.
This time Lorna Greenwood, granddaughter of her namesake and one of the original cast, takes center stage. She starts out at the lounge academy, where she teams up with Nova, a female Marine, and then they both go on to be assigned to the first Star Trek style mission aboard the e location ship Lewis and Clark. Like good old NCC 1701, the ship is both a science and military vessel out to see what's out there.
What's out there turns out to be another world populated by humans (don't freak, I'm pretty sure by this point the author knows what he is doing) and exploited by big buglike aliens. If the humans discovered in the last book were probably native Americans, these folks are medieval brits or Japanese or both.
Lots of fun for both space combat and ground pounding occurs, but all things considered they probably really should have just dropped a rock b on the problem.
November 15, 2021
Excellent!
A very strong tale focusing around two young ladies in the service of Luna. Tight writing, good characterization, very good pace.
A new generation comes to the fore, another Greenwood (yes, the granddaughter of THAT Greenwood).
I had a blast reading the book and can't wait for the next installment, as the story of the events on a certain planet isn't finished, even though the book is self-contained.
A very strong tale focusing around two young ladies in the service of Luna. Tight writing, good characterization, very good pace.
A new generation comes to the fore, another Greenwood (yes, the granddaughter of THAT Greenwood).
I had a blast reading the book and can't wait for the next installment, as the story of the events on a certain planet isn't finished, even though the book is self-contained.
October 25, 2022
good world building, good camaraderie
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I did the last one. I did not feel the last book was very interesting, because I did not find a egg head cosmologist very interesting. I felt that Lorna and nova had better chemistry and hope to see them both in the next installment. Plenty of world building plenty of action. Great characters. A real slice of life going on to read the next book. much better book than the last.
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I did the last one. I did not feel the last book was very interesting, because I did not find a egg head cosmologist very interesting. I felt that Lorna and nova had better chemistry and hope to see them both in the next installment. Plenty of world building plenty of action. Great characters. A real slice of life going on to read the next book. much better book than the last.
June 28, 2024
Portions are getting repetitive.
Parts of this book were new characters being run through battle scenes like a series of car washes. By the end of the book, things began getting interesting again. The ending certainly opened the door for the next book to be interesting. But the middle of this book was too much like the previous books.
Parts of this book were new characters being run through battle scenes like a series of car washes. By the end of the book, things began getting interesting again. The ending certainly opened the door for the next book to be interesting. But the middle of this book was too much like the previous books.
June 22, 2022
Another generation arises.
The work of the Free Lunar State continues. We find yet another space traveling beings doing wrong to humans. We all what we think about that. Good plot, great new personalities and fast actions. On to 5.
,
The work of the Free Lunar State continues. We find yet another space traveling beings doing wrong to humans. We all what we think about that. Good plot, great new personalities and fast actions. On to 5.
,
August 8, 2022
Hard to put down.
Good character development, easy to follow, the storyline is no to far out as to maybe someday this could be real now off to Amazon to get the next one in the series.
Good character development, easy to follow, the storyline is no to far out as to maybe someday this could be real now off to Amazon to get the next one in the series.
March 20, 2023
Gate meets Trek
Series continues to move forward and keeps excellent stories and writing. Character evolution is outstanding, and in story timeline moves forward to keep from bogging down.
Series continues to move forward and keeps excellent stories and writing. Character evolution is outstanding, and in story timeline moves forward to keep from bogging down.
March 25, 2023
A great series
Military sci-fi requires more than massive phew phew every other page. This series more than fulfills that requirement. The characters are alive with all failings and hopes and dreams. I like the multi generational aspect of the series
Military sci-fi requires more than massive phew phew every other page. This series more than fulfills that requirement. The characters are alive with all failings and hopes and dreams. I like the multi generational aspect of the series
May 30, 2024
And the story continues...
I have been finding this future history very interesting...as it unfolds, I am enjoying the unexpected series of events...as they seem realistic...but not always the developments that I might have thought was coming.
I have been finding this future history very interesting...as it unfolds, I am enjoying the unexpected series of events...as they seem realistic...but not always the developments that I might have thought was coming.
January 4, 2026
Book 4 in the series
Lorna and the rest of the crew explore another star system to see what they can find. Things don’t go as expected and they encounter several problems. A great story.
Lorna and the rest of the crew explore another star system to see what they can find. Things don’t go as expected and they encounter several problems. A great story.
November 16, 2021
Fourth book in the series and each one just gets better,the story is self contained but it's worth reading the other books in order as each one continues the story by advancing about 50 years
December 6, 2021
Compelling Story
Good fast moving story with people that came alive and that you wanted to follow to the end of the story,
Good fast moving story with people that came alive and that you wanted to follow to the end of the story,
Read
December 31, 2021Great series!
Great series! I never read books in series consecutively, this series I did, well written, sometimes too detailed, but just skip a page or two and get caught up.
Great series! I never read books in series consecutively, this series I did, well written, sometimes too detailed, but just skip a page or two and get caught up.
April 27, 2022
Another great read!
Hooked more then ever! Wonder what's coming next! Can't stop reading I'm going to see how far this saga goes!
Hooked more then ever! Wonder what's coming next! Can't stop reading I'm going to see how far this saga goes!
May 24, 2022
Enjoyed it from cover to cover
A thoroughly enjoyable yarn, with lots of action, and tension throughout. The characters as interesting as the plot. Looking forward to the sequel.
A thoroughly enjoyable yarn, with lots of action, and tension throughout. The characters as interesting as the plot. Looking forward to the sequel.
September 20, 2022
Nice read
This is the first book of this series that I have read, and think that I will need to get the other books of this series.
This is the first book of this series that I have read, and think that I will need to get the other books of this series.
September 28, 2022
great series
Very enjoyable series that runs over generations of characters, good space marine space navy fiction, always an action filled story
Very enjoyable series that runs over generations of characters, good space marine space navy fiction, always an action filled story
December 7, 2022
Mr. Siers does an excellent job of rotating in new characters while keeping you totally engrossed with the story!
Loving it!
Loving it!
June 22, 2023
Damm you!!
I can’t get any sleep!! I keep reading!!
Why did you make these books so captivating and easy to read??
I can’t get any sleep!! I keep reading!!
Why did you make these books so captivating and easy to read??
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews