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The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier #1
Dreadnaught
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2011)The Alliance woke Captain John "Black Jack" Geary from cryogenic sleep to take command of the fleet in the century-long conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Fleet Admiral Geary's victory has earned him the adoration of the people-and the enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very inconvenient thing.
Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government question his loyalty to the Alliance and fear his staging a coup-so he can't help but wonder if the newly christened First Fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.
Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government question his loyalty to the Alliance and fear his staging a coup-so he can't help but wonder if the newly christened First Fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.
356 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2011
398 people are currently reading
4845 people want to read
About the author
Jack Campbell
108 books3,013 followersJack Campbell is a pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews
March 21, 2015
Geary and the Fleet are back. With the War between the Syndicate and the Alliance finally over (thanks to Geary), our hero is hoping that he can finally catch some R&R. Unfortunately, forces are at work that are pushing him back into the far reaches of space. True, the war between the two human states is over, but the Syndicate worlds are descending into chaos with many star systems proclaiming their independence and Syndicate central government trying to maintain control. And, not to be overlooked, the Enigma race is still out there, lurking, just beyond the reach of human civilization.
These books capture the menace of the Enigma race very well. They are secretive, hidden, and possessing of technology beyond that of human understanding. That's exactly what I like to see in science fiction. An ominous mystery that needs to be unwrapped. What is the Enigma race? What happened to the humans who fell under Enigma control? How much of a threat are they? To answer these questions, Geary takes the fleet beyond the frontier of human space.
And the Enigma race really is done well. The author does not simply project human rationalizations on them. They are not Klingons or Vulcans. They are an alien race with an entirely different way of looking at things. This feels really authentic to me.
Finally, with these books I feel like a broken record. I like the mystery of the Enigma race. To be frank, I started the Beyond the Frontier books simply to find out who they are. I also like the inevitable space battles. The author has nailed combat at relativistic speeds. Of course, there are also things I don't like. The card board characters. The cheesy relationship between Geary and his Captain. These are really, really starting to get to me.
Three broadsides out of five.
These books capture the menace of the Enigma race very well. They are secretive, hidden, and possessing of technology beyond that of human understanding. That's exactly what I like to see in science fiction. An ominous mystery that needs to be unwrapped. What is the Enigma race? What happened to the humans who fell under Enigma control? How much of a threat are they? To answer these questions, Geary takes the fleet beyond the frontier of human space.
And the Enigma race really is done well. The author does not simply project human rationalizations on them. They are not Klingons or Vulcans. They are an alien race with an entirely different way of looking at things. This feels really authentic to me.
Finally, with these books I feel like a broken record. I like the mystery of the Enigma race. To be frank, I started the Beyond the Frontier books simply to find out who they are. I also like the inevitable space battles. The author has nailed combat at relativistic speeds. Of course, there are also things I don't like. The card board characters. The cheesy relationship between Geary and his Captain. These are really, really starting to get to me.
Three broadsides out of five.
January 11, 2013
This is an excellent read. I read a few who said that the "Beyond the Frontier" series wasn't as good as the "Lost Fleet" series. Well, that may be true in some ways I suppose. It probably depends on what you come to the book looking for.
It's true that there isn't so much action here as we saw in the first series. The great battles involving fleets of ships aren't so common here (though we do have some conflict with the "alien" race mostly in the last third of the book). I think I'm interested enough in the Geary character that I moved right over into these without a problem. So, if it's not a book that hinges so much on space battles what is it?
Our heroes (Captain Black Jack [don't call me Black Jack] John Geary and the captain of his flag ship [Captain Tanya Desjani] have brought the fleet back largely in tact. They have fought a battle on the Alliance's door step and won it. Geary has not only ended but won the century long war. He's revamped the Fleet and turned it into a well disciplined efficient fighting force. He's earned the complete loyalty of all the men and women serving in the fleet.
And the politicians are scared to death of him. After having reduced his rank back to Captain as they'd agreed (from Fleet Admiral) they immediately promoted him to Admiral...though not before he managed to grant himself leave and marry his captain. (Sadly when they got back she was again under his command and they must (again) deal with each other in a completely "professional" way.
The politicians running the Alliance however have a great plan. Admiral Geary will take all "his fleet" (all the ships that have been trying to get back home with him) and go learn about the aliens...swell huh???? Now why would they send him and all the fleet personal loyal to him away??? And why would they do a lot of other "stuff" we'll find out about????
Well I know the conclusion I've come to. This is a great book and while I originally gave the book 4 stars I reconsidered and went to 5. It may not be at the top of my 5 star list but it must I think make that list. I like it and now "kind'a" want to go back and reread the entire Lost Fleet series.
Highly recommended brain candy, space opera, military science fiction.
It's true that there isn't so much action here as we saw in the first series. The great battles involving fleets of ships aren't so common here (though we do have some conflict with the "alien" race mostly in the last third of the book). I think I'm interested enough in the Geary character that I moved right over into these without a problem. So, if it's not a book that hinges so much on space battles what is it?
Our heroes (Captain Black Jack [don't call me Black Jack] John Geary and the captain of his flag ship [Captain Tanya Desjani] have brought the fleet back largely in tact. They have fought a battle on the Alliance's door step and won it. Geary has not only ended but won the century long war. He's revamped the Fleet and turned it into a well disciplined efficient fighting force. He's earned the complete loyalty of all the men and women serving in the fleet.
And the politicians are scared to death of him. After having reduced his rank back to Captain as they'd agreed (from Fleet Admiral) they immediately promoted him to Admiral...though not before he managed to grant himself leave and marry his captain. (Sadly when they got back she was again under his command and they must (again) deal with each other in a completely "professional" way.
The politicians running the Alliance however have a great plan. Admiral Geary will take all "his fleet" (all the ships that have been trying to get back home with him) and go learn about the aliens...swell huh???? Now why would they send him and all the fleet personal loyal to him away??? And why would they do a lot of other "stuff" we'll find out about????
Well I know the conclusion I've come to. This is a great book and while I originally gave the book 4 stars I reconsidered and went to 5. It may not be at the top of my 5 star list but it must I think make that list. I like it and now "kind'a" want to go back and reread the entire Lost Fleet series.
Highly recommended brain candy, space opera, military science fiction.
September 5, 2013
Originally published at Fantasy Literature:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Warning: Contains spoilers for Jack Campbell’s original LOST FLEET series.
Dreadnaught is the first book in Jack Campbell’s LOST FLEET: BEYOND THE FRONTIER series which is a spin-off of his LOST FLEET series, but really Dreadnaught is just book seven in the LOST FLEET series. You don’t need to read the previous six books, but it would help. Dreadnaught follows the same characters and begins shortly after the events of Victorious, book six in the original series.
Admiral Black Jack Geary and Captain Tanya Desjani are now married. Thanks to their actions during the war, the Alliance and Syndic Worlds have finally come to a peace agreement, but things are still tense and Geary is seen as a threat to many of the Alliance politicians. And so they send him away again, this time to gather information about the unknown alien race that may eventually threaten both the Alliance and the Syndics, and to pick up any POWs they may find. Since the “sailors” of the fleet are also risky for the politicians (they might back Geary in a coup attempt), they are all sent back to space, too, and since some civilian experts would be handy for learning about, communicating with, and possibly negotiating with the aliens, Victoria Rione (Geary’s former lover) is also on board.
Many fans of Campbell’s LOST FLEET series will be pleased just to spend some more time with Black Jack Geary — a likeable reluctant hero — but others are likely see Dreadnaught as just another bloated LOST FLEET installment that barely advances the plot and doesn’t do much that’s new. We’ve got the same characters in nearly the same situations as before — meetings with senators and ship captains, rescues of POWs, threats of mutiny, reckless spaceship captains, software worms, failing equipment, fear of collapsing hypernet gates, and finally (finally!) a spaceship battle. You’d think now that Jack and Tanya are married that we could finally ditch the contrived sexual tension and the love triangle, but no, that’s still here, too, because Jack and Tanya are not allowed to act as if they’re married while they’re on board and Tanya is still beating herself up for her inappropriate feelings for Jack before they were married. (Come on, Tanya, get over it!) To ratchet up the tension further, this time the love triangle is expanded into a rectangle.
Christian Rummel continues to narrate the audio versions of this series and he’s terrific. Brilliance Audio has been sending them to me and I’ll continue to listen to them so I can review them, but I really hope the next book, Invincible, does something new.
Update: Invincible is notably better than Dreadnaught.
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Warning: Contains spoilers for Jack Campbell’s original LOST FLEET series.
Dreadnaught is the first book in Jack Campbell’s LOST FLEET: BEYOND THE FRONTIER series which is a spin-off of his LOST FLEET series, but really Dreadnaught is just book seven in the LOST FLEET series. You don’t need to read the previous six books, but it would help. Dreadnaught follows the same characters and begins shortly after the events of Victorious, book six in the original series.
Admiral Black Jack Geary and Captain Tanya Desjani are now married. Thanks to their actions during the war, the Alliance and Syndic Worlds have finally come to a peace agreement, but things are still tense and Geary is seen as a threat to many of the Alliance politicians. And so they send him away again, this time to gather information about the unknown alien race that may eventually threaten both the Alliance and the Syndics, and to pick up any POWs they may find. Since the “sailors” of the fleet are also risky for the politicians (they might back Geary in a coup attempt), they are all sent back to space, too, and since some civilian experts would be handy for learning about, communicating with, and possibly negotiating with the aliens, Victoria Rione (Geary’s former lover) is also on board.
Many fans of Campbell’s LOST FLEET series will be pleased just to spend some more time with Black Jack Geary — a likeable reluctant hero — but others are likely see Dreadnaught as just another bloated LOST FLEET installment that barely advances the plot and doesn’t do much that’s new. We’ve got the same characters in nearly the same situations as before — meetings with senators and ship captains, rescues of POWs, threats of mutiny, reckless spaceship captains, software worms, failing equipment, fear of collapsing hypernet gates, and finally (finally!) a spaceship battle. You’d think now that Jack and Tanya are married that we could finally ditch the contrived sexual tension and the love triangle, but no, that’s still here, too, because Jack and Tanya are not allowed to act as if they’re married while they’re on board and Tanya is still beating herself up for her inappropriate feelings for Jack before they were married. (Come on, Tanya, get over it!) To ratchet up the tension further, this time the love triangle is expanded into a rectangle.
Christian Rummel continues to narrate the audio versions of this series and he’s terrific. Brilliance Audio has been sending them to me and I’ll continue to listen to them so I can review them, but I really hope the next book, Invincible, does something new.
Update: Invincible is notably better than Dreadnaught.
May 21, 2024
It’s hard to believe that more than a decade has passed since I read the original Lost Fleet series. I can’t say for certain why I didn’t start with the Beyond The Frontier sequence sooner, but anyway, here we are.
Dreadnaught is the first in a new, clearly defined sequence. It’s a bit of a departure from the previous novels, at first glance. No surprise really, considering that the original arc pretty much dumps the reader in the middle of full-scale war from the very first and never really lets up. It’s not improbable that new readers will get on board here, and the author takes the safe route of repeating a lot of what went before (notably the inner conflict of the protagonist, and his discomfort with living up to the legend of “Black Jack” Geary). Expect some déjà vu in this respect.
Dreadnaught is also much more politically focused. For some factions, Geary is a political problem of the Alliance’s own creation, for others he is a figurehead that can be used for political gain, and for some he is a bona fide hero figure returning from myth to save the Alliance from themselves now that the Syndicate worlds have been defeated.
Despite the lack of action in the first two thirds of the book, it feels like a more mature read than the earlier entries. The novel initially deals with everything from dealings with petty politicians to the logistics involved in running a space fleet.
In the end, though, it is still a Jack Geary book, and it just feels really comfortable to read. It won’t be winning a Nebula award any time soon, but as far as Military Science Fiction is concerned, this series is as accessible as they come.
The action only really picks up in the latter chapters of the book (there is a breathtaking sequence dealing with the rescue of prisoners of war), but there is a lot of promise as to where this can go from here (remember those aliens introduced in the earlier arc?).
The cliffhanger ending is pretty consistent with the way the author approached the original Lost Fleet sequence (you basically had to read the six books back-to-back, since the whole thing takes place over the course of a few months).
3.5 stars
Next: Invincible
Dreadnaught is the first in a new, clearly defined sequence. It’s a bit of a departure from the previous novels, at first glance. No surprise really, considering that the original arc pretty much dumps the reader in the middle of full-scale war from the very first and never really lets up. It’s not improbable that new readers will get on board here, and the author takes the safe route of repeating a lot of what went before (notably the inner conflict of the protagonist, and his discomfort with living up to the legend of “Black Jack” Geary). Expect some déjà vu in this respect.
Dreadnaught is also much more politically focused. For some factions, Geary is a political problem of the Alliance’s own creation, for others he is a figurehead that can be used for political gain, and for some he is a bona fide hero figure returning from myth to save the Alliance from themselves now that the Syndicate worlds have been defeated.
Despite the lack of action in the first two thirds of the book, it feels like a more mature read than the earlier entries. The novel initially deals with everything from dealings with petty politicians to the logistics involved in running a space fleet.
In the end, though, it is still a Jack Geary book, and it just feels really comfortable to read. It won’t be winning a Nebula award any time soon, but as far as Military Science Fiction is concerned, this series is as accessible as they come.
The action only really picks up in the latter chapters of the book (there is a breathtaking sequence dealing with the rescue of prisoners of war), but there is a lot of promise as to where this can go from here (remember those aliens introduced in the earlier arc?).
The cliffhanger ending is pretty consistent with the way the author approached the original Lost Fleet sequence (you basically had to read the six books back-to-back, since the whole thing takes place over the course of a few months).
3.5 stars
Next: Invincible
September 20, 2012
This book had way too much talking for a military sci-fi action novel. I think some showing could have done the same thing to advance the plot. The ending was exciting, so it pushed my rating up. I'm actually looking forward to the next book in the series now.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
October 23, 2023
The first half is not very interesting with lots of political maneuvering within and without the fleet. Once the new First Fleet is on the move, much better. I still like Campbell's adherence to real physics and not using magic (except the jump points). Communications work at light speed. Stuff breaks. Way too much talking and interpersonal baloney and not enough tactics and military jargon. 3 Stars
December 14, 2022
Number One of the "Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier" series. Unfortunately, the ending is rather abrupt without a resolution to the crisis. I hate that.
The story begins about a month after the ending of The Lost Fleet series. Admiral Geary is now a brand spanking new husband to Captain Desjani, but they don't get the time to enjoy marital bliss before he's called up before the Alliance Grand Council. The politicians have a fresh assignment for Geary and his loyal fleet, and it's not looking good for the Home Team. They are sending him out on short notice, and with ships that are in dire need of refitting, to infiltrate the star systems of the hostile aliens known as the Enigma Race. Nothing like being ordered to stir the pot with a bunch of homicidal aliens! But the orders are basically, "Scram! And don't let the door hit you on your butt on the way out!". But it appears as if the politicians have ulterior motives. And I'm sure that this must be a shocking thought :)
Along for the ride is a slew of good supporting characters. Some are very likeable and some are obnoxious. Rione is back aboard the Dauntless, and she's more secretive than ever. There are Syndicate CEOs to deal with, the former Alliance enemies from the Syndicate Worlds. There are the mysterious killer aliens. There are ships starting to fall apart like an old Buick...lots of things happening. To make matters worse, the number of idiotic and undisciplined leaders and/or commanders has increased tenfold. The MC has his hands full!
The story begins about a month after the ending of The Lost Fleet series. Admiral Geary is now a brand spanking new husband to Captain Desjani, but they don't get the time to enjoy marital bliss before he's called up before the Alliance Grand Council. The politicians have a fresh assignment for Geary and his loyal fleet, and it's not looking good for the Home Team. They are sending him out on short notice, and with ships that are in dire need of refitting, to infiltrate the star systems of the hostile aliens known as the Enigma Race. Nothing like being ordered to stir the pot with a bunch of homicidal aliens! But the orders are basically, "Scram! And don't let the door hit you on your butt on the way out!". But it appears as if the politicians have ulterior motives. And I'm sure that this must be a shocking thought :)
Along for the ride is a slew of good supporting characters. Some are very likeable and some are obnoxious. Rione is back aboard the Dauntless, and she's more secretive than ever. There are Syndicate CEOs to deal with, the former Alliance enemies from the Syndicate Worlds. There are the mysterious killer aliens. There are ships starting to fall apart like an old Buick...lots of things happening. To make matters worse, the number of idiotic and undisciplined leaders and/or commanders has increased tenfold. The MC has his hands full!
September 25, 2012
I fell in love with Jack Campbell's series "The Lost Fleet" and knew at its conclusion that I would have to read "The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier" when it was published. I did not get the chance to start reading the series until just last week.
As was the case with his previous series, once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. This series is SciFi Military reading candy at it best.
So, what do I like about it? Well, besides interesting characters, an intriguing mystery and well-written battles (not to mention lots of well thought out studies on human responses to emprisonment) it doesn't have much to recommend it. :)
If you haven't read anything about this series, it follows "Black Jack" Geary as he is once again sent into the breach, this time commanding the Alliance Fleet (by order, this time). Their mission? To go into alien space and learn everything they can about "The Enigma" race.
That is interesting enough, but Jack Campbell does a wonderful job putting that human element into his story. There are plots going on in the background, enemy CEO's to deal with, and POW's to deal with not to mention Fleet intrigues. It makes for a wonderful story.
I highly recommend this series to anyone. My only suggestion to you, if you haven't already read any of the previous series, is to get out there right now and start at the very beginning. That will give you all of the rich background and pull you in as deeply as I have been.
As was the case with his previous series, once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. This series is SciFi Military reading candy at it best.
So, what do I like about it? Well, besides interesting characters, an intriguing mystery and well-written battles (not to mention lots of well thought out studies on human responses to emprisonment) it doesn't have much to recommend it. :)
If you haven't read anything about this series, it follows "Black Jack" Geary as he is once again sent into the breach, this time commanding the Alliance Fleet (by order, this time). Their mission? To go into alien space and learn everything they can about "The Enigma" race.
That is interesting enough, but Jack Campbell does a wonderful job putting that human element into his story. There are plots going on in the background, enemy CEO's to deal with, and POW's to deal with not to mention Fleet intrigues. It makes for a wonderful story.
I highly recommend this series to anyone. My only suggestion to you, if you haven't already read any of the previous series, is to get out there right now and start at the very beginning. That will give you all of the rich background and pull you in as deeply as I have been.
February 18, 2019
Blackjack Geary has successfully defeated the Syndic forces and brought an end to a hundred year war through a combination of wits, good tactics, strategic planning, and some dumb luck. However, in the process he's managed to make an enemy of the civilian government. They're so worried about the possibility of a military coup that they have zeroed in on Blackjack as a threat to their power. Their solution? After determining that arresting him would result in the very coup they were worried on, they send him out to investigate the alien races they've since discovered are real. This is a very enjoyable opening to a series I am glad the author made a sequel to. There's new threats, new ideas, and plenty more military engagements. We also get some genuinely alien aliens.
9/10
9/10
June 10, 2011
OK, I know I skipped the last three volumes of the Lost Fleet series. Maybe I’ll go back and post some lengthier reviews but right now I will press onwards. If you haven’t read the first Lost Fleet series be aware that there will be some spoilers for that series in this review. That there is a second series is likely, on some level a spoiler, in and of itself. So, if you’ve just started to read The Lost Fleet or if you intend to read The Lost Fleet: be warned!
So at the end Victorious, and likely as many readers suspected, “Blackjack” Geary has delivered the titular fleet home breaking the back of the Syndicate worlds over the course of his long journey home. Geary has managed to find some romance in the process dodging Alliance authority and marrying his Flag Captain, Tanya Desjani. Dreadnaught (first book in The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier) opens up bare months after this event as Admiral Geary and his new wife are called back to duty. The Alliance, and the military brass, are up to their old tricks again scrambling and squabbling to undermine Geary’s popular approval amongst the populace and amongst the Fleet. Assigned a new mission, a diplomatic mission to the alien race (now referred to as The Enigmas), he has obstacles thrown at him from superiors left and right not to mention a mountain of unforeseen dangers lurking around every corner.
Rest assured this is military science fiction pure and simple. Notions of a duty and honor, though sometimes conflicting amongst generations, play a central roll in the novel (as in previous Lost Fleet novels). Of course with a series subtitle like “Beyond the Frontier” I’m all on board for this series. The subplot of the alien pressence in the original Lost Fleet novel’s was one my favorite aspects and the internal complications of the Alliance government juxtaposed with overt manipulation by unseen intelligences (across a potentially greater context even more alien species) is fascinating. That contrast lends a certain amount of sad comedy to the fleet’s situation this time out. Bureaucrats fearing for their power and those fearing the alien threat seem to be at opposite ends of event’s in Dreadnaught. Sure, they think (rightly) that Geary is the perfect candidate to suss out the alien presence near home but at the same time they do their level best to hinder his work at all times. That last bit is perhaps the most frustrating: the threat of the Enigmas pose doesn’t serve so much as a catalyst for human unity but just as another tool in the constant struggle for more power.
Dreadnaught build’s directly on the events of the previous series. This is not a book for newcomers and there is very little hand-holding when it comes to characters and relationships. While a new reader might easily grasp what is going on it is long-time readers who will benefit most while reading this book. Several shifts in personality of some key characters over the span between the series lend an air of personal drama and I found myself almost as interested in the catalysts for these changes as I was in the copious amounts of action and military engagements that occur throughout the novel. Rest assured that Campbell isn’t really breaking new ground here but that is less of a complaint than you might think. This well-trod ground is comfortable and entertaining. It is not without surprises and the notion of humanity on the cusp of a wider multi-species cosmic community is something that is always exciting. I look forward to seeing where this series will go and am excited to see how good old Blackjack tackles the mountain of challenges that lay ahead.
So at the end Victorious, and likely as many readers suspected, “Blackjack” Geary has delivered the titular fleet home breaking the back of the Syndicate worlds over the course of his long journey home. Geary has managed to find some romance in the process dodging Alliance authority and marrying his Flag Captain, Tanya Desjani. Dreadnaught (first book in The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier) opens up bare months after this event as Admiral Geary and his new wife are called back to duty. The Alliance, and the military brass, are up to their old tricks again scrambling and squabbling to undermine Geary’s popular approval amongst the populace and amongst the Fleet. Assigned a new mission, a diplomatic mission to the alien race (now referred to as The Enigmas), he has obstacles thrown at him from superiors left and right not to mention a mountain of unforeseen dangers lurking around every corner.
Rest assured this is military science fiction pure and simple. Notions of a duty and honor, though sometimes conflicting amongst generations, play a central roll in the novel (as in previous Lost Fleet novels). Of course with a series subtitle like “Beyond the Frontier” I’m all on board for this series. The subplot of the alien pressence in the original Lost Fleet novel’s was one my favorite aspects and the internal complications of the Alliance government juxtaposed with overt manipulation by unseen intelligences (across a potentially greater context even more alien species) is fascinating. That contrast lends a certain amount of sad comedy to the fleet’s situation this time out. Bureaucrats fearing for their power and those fearing the alien threat seem to be at opposite ends of event’s in Dreadnaught. Sure, they think (rightly) that Geary is the perfect candidate to suss out the alien presence near home but at the same time they do their level best to hinder his work at all times. That last bit is perhaps the most frustrating: the threat of the Enigmas pose doesn’t serve so much as a catalyst for human unity but just as another tool in the constant struggle for more power.
Dreadnaught build’s directly on the events of the previous series. This is not a book for newcomers and there is very little hand-holding when it comes to characters and relationships. While a new reader might easily grasp what is going on it is long-time readers who will benefit most while reading this book. Several shifts in personality of some key characters over the span between the series lend an air of personal drama and I found myself almost as interested in the catalysts for these changes as I was in the copious amounts of action and military engagements that occur throughout the novel. Rest assured that Campbell isn’t really breaking new ground here but that is less of a complaint than you might think. This well-trod ground is comfortable and entertaining. It is not without surprises and the notion of humanity on the cusp of a wider multi-species cosmic community is something that is always exciting. I look forward to seeing where this series will go and am excited to see how good old Blackjack tackles the mountain of challenges that lay ahead.
December 17, 2011
I always enjoy book 7 in a 6 part series. This series needed this book as Black Jack Geary had rescued the Alliance Fleet, kicked the Syndics butt, discover an alien race called the enigma who were just sitting by and watching the Syndic and Alliance forces destroy each other so they could move in and take over the neighbourhood.
Having returned to Earth the politicians had to do something with Black Jack Geary because he was just too powerful after this triumphant return with what remained of the alliance fleet.
What better way then to give him back the fleet and ask him to explore the limits of Enigma space and while there please negotiate a truce with the Enigma. Well the Enigma are in no mood for that and even worse they are so paranoid that as soon as the Alliance fleet gets close enough to any of their population or star ships they blow themselves up leaving Black Jack with nothing but dust.
At the end of the book there is a cliff hanger, and a potentail new enemy, that of course will lead to the next book in this series.
All the books in the Lost Fleet series are highly developed military science fiction and highly recommended
Having returned to Earth the politicians had to do something with Black Jack Geary because he was just too powerful after this triumphant return with what remained of the alliance fleet.
What better way then to give him back the fleet and ask him to explore the limits of Enigma space and while there please negotiate a truce with the Enigma. Well the Enigma are in no mood for that and even worse they are so paranoid that as soon as the Alliance fleet gets close enough to any of their population or star ships they blow themselves up leaving Black Jack with nothing but dust.
At the end of the book there is a cliff hanger, and a potentail new enemy, that of course will lead to the next book in this series.
All the books in the Lost Fleet series are highly developed military science fiction and highly recommended
April 20, 2023
The first 2/3s of the book is setting up the plot and politics. Well done, much better and deeper in motives than earlier.
Rione is such a cool character. Annoying, intelligent, competent, hard, untrustworthy and, yet, always on point anyway.
The aliens are also cool so far, though, we know so little.
Rione is such a cool character. Annoying, intelligent, competent, hard, untrustworthy and, yet, always on point anyway.
The aliens are also cool so far, though, we know so little.
June 17, 2011
It's a good setup for the rest of this series, but it all seemed a bit too formulaic, which in someways was a trademark of the previous series. I guess it comes down to, if you enjoyed the last series, this is very much more of the same.
April 20, 2020
This was such an amazing series that I lost myself in it. So much so that I had to write my review of the whole rather the individual parts. My thoughts don't fit in this block, so read my entire review here.
https://jrhandley.com/2020/04/19/book...
Okay, let’s get into the weeds on this one! I’ve organized my overall assessment by putting the stuff I didn’t like first so we can end on a high note. I also want to be clear that I really loved this series overall, it’s why I plowed through the audiobooks so quickly that I had to write a series review instead of an individual one for each of the six novels that make up The Lost Fleet Series. And the entirety of this series got better as the author continued to expand and grow the universe.
Alright, let’s rip off the band-aide and dive in. There were many parts that I wasn’t thrilled with in this series. There were a lot of places in the series that felt repetitive, re-treading the same events. This often happened between books, which I knew was to refresh the memory of the readers. This was specifically important given the four-year window that existed between the start if this series and when the last book was completed. However, this also manifested with tiresome references to whether or not John Geary was a man of myth and legend. I understand that that part of the story was necessary, but the author was a bit ham-fisted with it.
As well as the repetitive details of the myths, I also felt there were too many secondary characters. I never connected with them, we never really learned anything about them, which made them feel one-dimensional. There were so many officers zooming on and off the stage that I felt like I was going to catch a cold from the breeze. I realize that this was done to add depth to the series, but it just rubs me the wrong way. This could just be an issue of taste, so your mileage may vary.
While I loved the audio narration, I did have one complaint about the production decisions. During several periods where they were trying to set the mood, to ramp up the tension, they added dramatic music to the audiobook. This was done at a volume just below the narrator’s voice, so it created a layered effect that allowed you to still hear Christian Rummel’s dictation. For whatever reason, it annoyed me and I briefly considered putting the audiobook down. I’m glad I didn’t because once I tuned that out, this audiobook became a rollicking good adventure!
Finally, let’s look at one more area that was a little disappointing was the combat scene between the fleets. It was really hard to picture the battles; I knew they were massive, but I never really knew how many forces were in the Alliance Fleet at the start of the campaign into Syndicate space. Without that sense of scope at the beginning, everything was just a list of random ship names and combat maneuver formations. I wanted to see it in my head, but I couldn’t visualize it. That was frustrating because military science fiction is my jam and I want to get to know all of the characters. However, this wasn’t enough to make me put down the series despite having run several times.
Right, now we get to talk about the good things! First, I loved the basic premise of this series. The concept of a long retreating action in space was a lot of fun to see played out, especially given that the technology in most science fiction negates this as a possibility. The way Jack Campbell pulled this off was nothing short of amazing. The tension was high the entire time, and I often wondered if he would live. I forced myself not to acknowledge that the follow-on books existed so that I could experience the tension of their dire situation.
If it wasn’t clear, I really liked this space odyssey. It felt like a modern adaptation of the classic Horatio Hornblower saga, which I’m a huge fan of. If you didn’t know this was set in space – you could almost imagine the smell of salt in the sea and the creaking of the wooden boats. This, when combined with the undercurrent of the Arthurian mythos, made this a highly memorable universe. I really felt like the two concepts merged well together, and I really wish I’d thought of it first!
Next, I’d like to say that this series was a lot harder on the physics than what I’d typically read. However, the focus on the laws of relativity was dumbed down enough that even I could understand them. I didn’t check his math, but it came off as extremely believable. I would probably never try writing a series that wasn’t vetted by professors at Handwavium University, but the author made it work!
Another area where the military culture it was spot on. There was even that rivalry between the fleet and her marine compliment! This was just what I’d expect from a naval officer and ship handling veteran. That’s right, Jack Campbell served in the U.S. Navy, and it showed in his understanding of the culture of the swabbie! Because of this, the author made it clear that his world was flushed out and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci-fi did. The sailors run out of bombs and power cores for their cannons, dumb luck happens, and good sailors still die. It was everything you want from the space fleet subgenre of military science fiction. The battle scenes were believable, gripping, and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Well, at least with the parts that I could visualize. Such a detailed portrayal of fleet tactics is rare, so it was nice to add another universe to the list!
Am I gushing too much yet? Because another way that this universe shined brighter than a nova was in the multiple distinct political groups that the author created. There were at least four main polities, and every single one was slightly different, giving some depth to the universe. I really wanted to know more about all of them, to explore the nooks and crannies of life in the worlds that Jack Campbell’s imagination spewed for us to read. I think that you’ll feel the same, so let’s pressure the author to keep writing and giving us more to love!
Okay, have I hinted that I enjoyed this universe yet? Good, I want it to be obvious! So, to wrap this bad boy up, I loved this series. Each one of these novels was at least 90,000 words long, about what you expect from the genre. Despite the length, each book felt like a quick read. If you didn’t know how long each novel was, you could almost imagine them as short stories. This is because they were so engrossing that the reader loses track of time, while they temporarily live in the story. The author definitely made me want more from this universe, and I’ll definitely be reading the follow-on series that are already available. Seriously, any offer that can make me read their books multiple times is doing something right. This is at least the fourth time I’ve read through these books, and I never felt like I was wasting my time in coming back to this familiar stomping ground.
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the author definitely raised the bar for space fleet military science fiction authors everywhere. I was hooked from the first page/minute! Jack Campbell wove the action into the onboard drama among the fleet in such a compelling way that you wanted to sign up in the Alliance Fleet, despite the stench of their sailory ways! Basically, Campbell had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole series. These are books that I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy these novels! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give these books a 4 out of 5 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out! You won’t regret it! Well, unless it keeps you up all night and you’re late to work… and then your boss fires you because you became a book addict and a rabid Jack Campbell fan. And then you track him down and climb into his window in your skivvies, and he shoots you with his phasers set to kill. Okay, the fanboy/fangirl syndrome MIGHT kill you. Be warned, but enjoy the high!
https://jrhandley.com/2020/04/19/book...
Okay, let’s get into the weeds on this one! I’ve organized my overall assessment by putting the stuff I didn’t like first so we can end on a high note. I also want to be clear that I really loved this series overall, it’s why I plowed through the audiobooks so quickly that I had to write a series review instead of an individual one for each of the six novels that make up The Lost Fleet Series. And the entirety of this series got better as the author continued to expand and grow the universe.
Alright, let’s rip off the band-aide and dive in. There were many parts that I wasn’t thrilled with in this series. There were a lot of places in the series that felt repetitive, re-treading the same events. This often happened between books, which I knew was to refresh the memory of the readers. This was specifically important given the four-year window that existed between the start if this series and when the last book was completed. However, this also manifested with tiresome references to whether or not John Geary was a man of myth and legend. I understand that that part of the story was necessary, but the author was a bit ham-fisted with it.
As well as the repetitive details of the myths, I also felt there were too many secondary characters. I never connected with them, we never really learned anything about them, which made them feel one-dimensional. There were so many officers zooming on and off the stage that I felt like I was going to catch a cold from the breeze. I realize that this was done to add depth to the series, but it just rubs me the wrong way. This could just be an issue of taste, so your mileage may vary.
While I loved the audio narration, I did have one complaint about the production decisions. During several periods where they were trying to set the mood, to ramp up the tension, they added dramatic music to the audiobook. This was done at a volume just below the narrator’s voice, so it created a layered effect that allowed you to still hear Christian Rummel’s dictation. For whatever reason, it annoyed me and I briefly considered putting the audiobook down. I’m glad I didn’t because once I tuned that out, this audiobook became a rollicking good adventure!
Finally, let’s look at one more area that was a little disappointing was the combat scene between the fleets. It was really hard to picture the battles; I knew they were massive, but I never really knew how many forces were in the Alliance Fleet at the start of the campaign into Syndicate space. Without that sense of scope at the beginning, everything was just a list of random ship names and combat maneuver formations. I wanted to see it in my head, but I couldn’t visualize it. That was frustrating because military science fiction is my jam and I want to get to know all of the characters. However, this wasn’t enough to make me put down the series despite having run several times.
Right, now we get to talk about the good things! First, I loved the basic premise of this series. The concept of a long retreating action in space was a lot of fun to see played out, especially given that the technology in most science fiction negates this as a possibility. The way Jack Campbell pulled this off was nothing short of amazing. The tension was high the entire time, and I often wondered if he would live. I forced myself not to acknowledge that the follow-on books existed so that I could experience the tension of their dire situation.
If it wasn’t clear, I really liked this space odyssey. It felt like a modern adaptation of the classic Horatio Hornblower saga, which I’m a huge fan of. If you didn’t know this was set in space – you could almost imagine the smell of salt in the sea and the creaking of the wooden boats. This, when combined with the undercurrent of the Arthurian mythos, made this a highly memorable universe. I really felt like the two concepts merged well together, and I really wish I’d thought of it first!
Next, I’d like to say that this series was a lot harder on the physics than what I’d typically read. However, the focus on the laws of relativity was dumbed down enough that even I could understand them. I didn’t check his math, but it came off as extremely believable. I would probably never try writing a series that wasn’t vetted by professors at Handwavium University, but the author made it work!
Another area where the military culture it was spot on. There was even that rivalry between the fleet and her marine compliment! This was just what I’d expect from a naval officer and ship handling veteran. That’s right, Jack Campbell served in the U.S. Navy, and it showed in his understanding of the culture of the swabbie! Because of this, the author made it clear that his world was flushed out and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci-fi did. The sailors run out of bombs and power cores for their cannons, dumb luck happens, and good sailors still die. It was everything you want from the space fleet subgenre of military science fiction. The battle scenes were believable, gripping, and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Well, at least with the parts that I could visualize. Such a detailed portrayal of fleet tactics is rare, so it was nice to add another universe to the list!
Am I gushing too much yet? Because another way that this universe shined brighter than a nova was in the multiple distinct political groups that the author created. There were at least four main polities, and every single one was slightly different, giving some depth to the universe. I really wanted to know more about all of them, to explore the nooks and crannies of life in the worlds that Jack Campbell’s imagination spewed for us to read. I think that you’ll feel the same, so let’s pressure the author to keep writing and giving us more to love!
Okay, have I hinted that I enjoyed this universe yet? Good, I want it to be obvious! So, to wrap this bad boy up, I loved this series. Each one of these novels was at least 90,000 words long, about what you expect from the genre. Despite the length, each book felt like a quick read. If you didn’t know how long each novel was, you could almost imagine them as short stories. This is because they were so engrossing that the reader loses track of time, while they temporarily live in the story. The author definitely made me want more from this universe, and I’ll definitely be reading the follow-on series that are already available. Seriously, any offer that can make me read their books multiple times is doing something right. This is at least the fourth time I’ve read through these books, and I never felt like I was wasting my time in coming back to this familiar stomping ground.
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the author definitely raised the bar for space fleet military science fiction authors everywhere. I was hooked from the first page/minute! Jack Campbell wove the action into the onboard drama among the fleet in such a compelling way that you wanted to sign up in the Alliance Fleet, despite the stench of their sailory ways! Basically, Campbell had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole series. These are books that I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy these novels! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give these books a 4 out of 5 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out! You won’t regret it! Well, unless it keeps you up all night and you’re late to work… and then your boss fires you because you became a book addict and a rabid Jack Campbell fan. And then you track him down and climb into his window in your skivvies, and he shoots you with his phasers set to kill. Okay, the fanboy/fangirl syndrome MIGHT kill you. Be warned, but enjoy the high!
June 13, 2024
Done! This one takes the first half of the book to get things going but I enjoyed it more than I initially thought. Interesting to learn more regarding the alien race and how they operate. Looking forward to continuing with the series.
December 7, 2012
What my stars mean:
5 Stars--the book had a profound impact on me. It touched me on some special level and lingered with me long after I'd finished reading it.
4 Stars--I loved this book. If I don't own it, I will buy it so I can read it again and again.
3 Stars--I enjoyed the book but may have had an issue or two with it.
2 Stars--I had more than a few issues with it.
1 Stars--I hated it.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
The Alliance woke Captain John "Black Jack" Geary from cryogenic sleep to take command of the fleet in the century-long conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Fleet Admiral Geary's victory has earned him the adoration of the people-and the enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very inconvenient thing.
Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government question his loyalty to the Alliance and fear his staging a coup-so he can't help but wonder if the newly christened First Fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.
MY TAKE:
I wish I could give half stars. This book is well written and entertaining. Campbell does a good job weaving some of the backstory from the previous series into this one, so someone like me who hasn't read those won't be lost. In fact, he did a good enough job that it made me want to go back and read the other books.
My issues relate to three items, and I can't say too much without spoiling. One is the title of the book. One of the ships in his fleet is called Dreadnaught, and I kept waiting for a storyline to come up relating to that ship and its captain that was important enough to name the whole book after it. It didn't.
My second issue is spoilerish, so I will only say that a final confrontation at the end should not have been a surprise to the main characters. It had been screaming at me since the middle of the book. If I knew enough to wonder--and I'm no authority on alien life or even human anthropology--they should have considered it. It made smart people seem dumbed down.
My last issue was really just where Campbell chose to end the story. It's rather abrupt as though this book just got too long and it had to be broken up, so the author just stopped it. Very unsatisfying place to drop the story.
But, in spite of those items, the action is entertaining and the characters engaging. If you're a SciFi fan, it's worth the read. You just might want to wait and see if there's another one coming out soon. lol
5 Stars--the book had a profound impact on me. It touched me on some special level and lingered with me long after I'd finished reading it.
4 Stars--I loved this book. If I don't own it, I will buy it so I can read it again and again.
3 Stars--I enjoyed the book but may have had an issue or two with it.
2 Stars--I had more than a few issues with it.
1 Stars--I hated it.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
The Alliance woke Captain John "Black Jack" Geary from cryogenic sleep to take command of the fleet in the century-long conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Fleet Admiral Geary's victory has earned him the adoration of the people-and the enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very inconvenient thing.
Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government question his loyalty to the Alliance and fear his staging a coup-so he can't help but wonder if the newly christened First Fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.
MY TAKE:
I wish I could give half stars. This book is well written and entertaining. Campbell does a good job weaving some of the backstory from the previous series into this one, so someone like me who hasn't read those won't be lost. In fact, he did a good enough job that it made me want to go back and read the other books.
My issues relate to three items, and I can't say too much without spoiling. One is the title of the book. One of the ships in his fleet is called Dreadnaught, and I kept waiting for a storyline to come up relating to that ship and its captain that was important enough to name the whole book after it. It didn't.
My second issue is spoilerish, so I will only say that a final confrontation at the end should not have been a surprise to the main characters. It had been screaming at me since the middle of the book. If I knew enough to wonder--and I'm no authority on alien life or even human anthropology--they should have considered it. It made smart people seem dumbed down.
My last issue was really just where Campbell chose to end the story. It's rather abrupt as though this book just got too long and it had to be broken up, so the author just stopped it. Very unsatisfying place to drop the story.
But, in spite of those items, the action is entertaining and the characters engaging. If you're a SciFi fan, it's worth the read. You just might want to wait and see if there's another one coming out soon. lol
November 28, 2012
NOTE: Possible spoilers
Dreadnought is a book I would describe as being basically slightly disappointing. Now the copy I read was lent to me by a friend and to be honest I would probably take an even less favorable view if I'd actually forked over money for it.
The original series I found to have a few problems (at least one book too long in my opinion) but basically enjoyable. Dreadnought picks up right where the Lost Fleet left off and opens very well. The Alliance is victorious in a generations long interstellar war but is now faced with the threat of an over-sized and deeply politicized military, which feels a greater sense of loyalty to it commander (the main character) than its civilian leaders.
The writer does a good job of exploring the difficulties of such a situation and the related consequences of events of the first series. Unfortunately as thing go long the book starts to become less interesting with the characters dispatched to investigate a possible new threat to the Alliance. So by the end I really felt the book might as well have ended with the line:
THE OLD GANG IS OFF ON ANOTHER WACKY ADVENTURE!!!!!!!!!
Which sums up my problem with the book. It doesn't feel that story in its own right - it's a sequel in the Hollywood sense, pulling together all of the same characters in a barely reheated plot and launching them off again. Certainly I can appreciate that writing is a hard way to earn an honest Buck but given the writer had to create an entire universe for the first series I feel it is a pity he seems to have gone for a tired (but creatively safe) retread rather than exploring somewhere new with fresh characters.
So I will conclude by saying ultimately Dreadnought (The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier) is compared to The Lost Fleet more of the same and that either appeals to you or it doesn't.
Dreadnought is a book I would describe as being basically slightly disappointing. Now the copy I read was lent to me by a friend and to be honest I would probably take an even less favorable view if I'd actually forked over money for it.
The original series I found to have a few problems (at least one book too long in my opinion) but basically enjoyable. Dreadnought picks up right where the Lost Fleet left off and opens very well. The Alliance is victorious in a generations long interstellar war but is now faced with the threat of an over-sized and deeply politicized military, which feels a greater sense of loyalty to it commander (the main character) than its civilian leaders.
The writer does a good job of exploring the difficulties of such a situation and the related consequences of events of the first series. Unfortunately as thing go long the book starts to become less interesting with the characters dispatched to investigate a possible new threat to the Alliance. So by the end I really felt the book might as well have ended with the line:
THE OLD GANG IS OFF ON ANOTHER WACKY ADVENTURE!!!!!!!!!
Which sums up my problem with the book. It doesn't feel that story in its own right - it's a sequel in the Hollywood sense, pulling together all of the same characters in a barely reheated plot and launching them off again. Certainly I can appreciate that writing is a hard way to earn an honest Buck but given the writer had to create an entire universe for the first series I feel it is a pity he seems to have gone for a tired (but creatively safe) retread rather than exploring somewhere new with fresh characters.
So I will conclude by saying ultimately Dreadnought (The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier) is compared to The Lost Fleet more of the same and that either appeals to you or it doesn't.
February 6, 2014
I'm not sure if my opinion of this book is colored by the thought I wasn't really in the mood to read a space opera or if is because this book was just plain dull. Probably a combination of both.
Our hero is now married and is sent off to the far reaches of Alien space by the Alliance as a way to get him out of the picture in a pure political move. Admiral Geary's is given an impossible mission, which is to survey and make contact with the alien race they call the enigmas. And oh, on your way out would he please stop by Syndic space and pick up these prisoners of war, which all happen to be high ranking fleet officers. All of our original cast is back: Captain Desjani (his new wife), Captain Duellos, ex-Co-President Rione, and several others.
This book plodded along and after a while I couldn't bring myself to really care what happened next - Rione was still being obtuse and difficult, Tanya was still questioning her honor for her feelings about Geary, the rescued officers wanted to rebel, the Fleet flew from spot to spot and fought a battle and nobody could figure out the aliens and their motives. Ultimately, I couldn't care enough about the characters or plot to finish and ended up skimming.
I've read reviews that Beyond the Frontier #2 is better, but whoo, it's going to take a lot for me to overcome my apathy to pick it up. Recommended with significant reservations.
Our hero is now married and is sent off to the far reaches of Alien space by the Alliance as a way to get him out of the picture in a pure political move. Admiral Geary's is given an impossible mission, which is to survey and make contact with the alien race they call the enigmas. And oh, on your way out would he please stop by Syndic space and pick up these prisoners of war, which all happen to be high ranking fleet officers. All of our original cast is back: Captain Desjani (his new wife), Captain Duellos, ex-Co-President Rione, and several others.
This book plodded along and after a while I couldn't bring myself to really care what happened next - Rione was still being obtuse and difficult, Tanya was still questioning her honor for her feelings about Geary, the rescued officers wanted to rebel, the Fleet flew from spot to spot and fought a battle and nobody could figure out the aliens and their motives. Ultimately, I couldn't care enough about the characters or plot to finish and ended up skimming.
I've read reviews that Beyond the Frontier #2 is better, but whoo, it's going to take a lot for me to overcome my apathy to pick it up. Recommended with significant reservations.
January 16, 2014
This was fun! If I could, I'd slap a 3.5 on this and put it to bed. But I can't, so I'll throw 4-stars at it and see if it sticks.
I was hesitant to give this a go since the earlier series fell into a predictable rut. While the first half is a bit dull (political maneuvering), the second half picks up the pace and delivers a fun military SF romp. The writing is solid for the most part, and if you don't examine things with a critical eye, you won't see the cracks. "Enjoy it for what it is," I say.
Jack Campbell (pseudonym), err, John G. Hendry, writes in such a way that the reader is quickly brought up to speed with past events. I think it works in this genre and makes it easy for new readers to feel confident in gaining an understanding without having to start at the beginning.
But seriously, what's with the covers? I know, I know, they sell books. Still, it would be nice if the cover could at least be related to the content. I mean the main character never touches a weapon and yet just looking at the cover would suggest otherwise. I guess I should be happy dude has a shirt on at least.
I was hesitant to give this a go since the earlier series fell into a predictable rut. While the first half is a bit dull (political maneuvering), the second half picks up the pace and delivers a fun military SF romp. The writing is solid for the most part, and if you don't examine things with a critical eye, you won't see the cracks. "Enjoy it for what it is," I say.
Jack Campbell (pseudonym), err, John G. Hendry, writes in such a way that the reader is quickly brought up to speed with past events. I think it works in this genre and makes it easy for new readers to feel confident in gaining an understanding without having to start at the beginning.
But seriously, what's with the covers? I know, I know, they sell books. Still, it would be nice if the cover could at least be related to the content. I mean the main character never touches a weapon and yet just looking at the cover would suggest otherwise. I guess I should be happy dude has a shirt on at least.
June 1, 2011
I'm a huge fan of the Jack Campbell "Dauntless" series and this book was at least as good as the first book in the last series. Many of the same characters make their return with a few new bit players, and the action is no longer centered around a human threat, but the extraterrestrial threat of the mysterious race from the previous book. Lurking in the background, however, is the growing suspicion that Black Jack has been sent with his fleet on a one way trip he's not supposed to come home from.
I eagerly await the next book in this new series.
I eagerly await the next book in this new series.
June 8, 2019
This was my first Jack Campbell story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite the hard sciecnce fiction, which can sometimes across in some books as cerebral and perhaps not "immersive," I was never lost and I was right there with the characters. A clean, compelling read. Now, I want to go back and meet Blackjack before he became the legend that he is in Dreadnaught.
May 5, 2021
Good start. A bit to much recap but I understand why. The end was good.
July 3, 2022
Victory doesn't mean peace, and after coming home a hero, Black Jack Geary has just enough time to get married to Captain Tanya Desjani before being promoted to Admiral and handed the fleet again, with a new mission to cross Syndicate space, make contact with the Engima race from the last book, and establish peaceful relations, or at least figure what the hell is going on.
The fleet has old problems with morale and new problems with reliability. Because of the expected heavy losses from the war, and Geary's miraculous journey home, most of the ships are beyond their "use-by" date and experiencing systematic failures, in the same way that a T-34 gearbox could be expected to drive from Moscow to Berlin and not one kilometer more.
But the bigger problem are the Enigmas, a species paranoid beyond belief. Their ships and installations self destruct before human ships can get close. The communicate via digital avatars of humans. And they say nothing except "leave or die". The Enigma are a frustrating mystery, but beyond their territory are yet more hostile aliens.
This is more classic space opera, a journey of exploration than a journey of kicking ass (though plenty of ass is kicked), and if you're this far in, you probably know what you like a these books. That said, I do wish the relationship between Geary and Desjani had gone a little differently. Both decide that the honor and efficiency of the fleet require that they remain nothing more than Admiral and Captain, but I would have liked to see one date night.
The fleet has old problems with morale and new problems with reliability. Because of the expected heavy losses from the war, and Geary's miraculous journey home, most of the ships are beyond their "use-by" date and experiencing systematic failures, in the same way that a T-34 gearbox could be expected to drive from Moscow to Berlin and not one kilometer more.
But the bigger problem are the Enigmas, a species paranoid beyond belief. Their ships and installations self destruct before human ships can get close. The communicate via digital avatars of humans. And they say nothing except "leave or die". The Enigma are a frustrating mystery, but beyond their territory are yet more hostile aliens.
This is more classic space opera, a journey of exploration than a journey of kicking ass (though plenty of ass is kicked), and if you're this far in, you probably know what you like a these books. That said, I do wish the relationship between Geary and Desjani had gone a little differently. Both decide that the honor and efficiency of the fleet require that they remain nothing more than Admiral and Captain, but I would have liked to see one date night.
January 22, 2018
The war against the Syndics is won, but the alien threat on the far border of Syndic space remains. Newly re-promoted to the rank of Admiral and placed in command of the newly designated First Fleet, Jack Geary is tasked with taking his ships to explore the alien race and the space they control and, if at all possible, engage in peaceful contact. Of course, that doesn't turn out to be nearly as simple as it might sound - and as usual, the first problems already show up long before the fleet even makes it to their destination.
A promising start into the Lost Fleet sequel series, hopefully building towards more action and large scale battles in the following books. Now if only my least favourite "can we throw this bloody annoying woman out of an airlock already" character weren't along for the ride again...
A promising start into the Lost Fleet sequel series, hopefully building towards more action and large scale battles in the following books. Now if only my least favourite "can we throw this bloody annoying woman out of an airlock already" character weren't along for the ride again...
June 4, 2025
The first book of the second series in the Lost Fleet universe. Having enjoyed the main Lost Fleet series I picked up several of these books from my local second hand bookstore to fill in the gaps of what I already had.
As expected the story picks up shortly after the conclusion of the original Lost Fleet story. This time Admiral Geary and his fleet are tasked with finding out more about the mysterious Enigma alien race. Most of this first book felt a lot like a setup for a bigger story. Lot's of political wrangling, logistic and personal problems that gave me the feeling that the fleet was being setup to fail. But of that were the case then there would not be much left to defend the Alliance.
Looking forward to see where this story goes.
As expected the story picks up shortly after the conclusion of the original Lost Fleet story. This time Admiral Geary and his fleet are tasked with finding out more about the mysterious Enigma alien race. Most of this first book felt a lot like a setup for a bigger story. Lot's of political wrangling, logistic and personal problems that gave me the feeling that the fleet was being setup to fail. But of that were the case then there would not be much left to defend the Alliance.
Looking forward to see where this story goes.
August 29, 2021
If you read the entire Lost Fleet series, this is more of the same. Which, in my opinion, is a good thing. It's more of the same great space combat, politics, and mystery, and also a tiny bit of the not-so-great cringe-inducing romance.
February 6, 2025
Got off to a slower start but well done. My favorite in the series so far
January 23, 2018
The lost fleet made it back and now what do they do? Go out again. Not the most exciting book but a good quick read with intriguing new lands to explore.
October 22, 2019
Dreadnaught is another entertaining story from Jack Campbell (a.k.a. John Hemry) that picks up right where the first six Lost Fleet books left off. A little slow to get rolling, the book’s action rapidly increases toward the conclusion, and it ends on a cliffhanger that gets resolved in the following installment of Beyond the Frontier.
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