Fearless (The Lost Fleet, Book 2) by Jack Campbell
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Book Reviews of Fearless (The Lost Fleet, Book 2)
Book Review: Space Opera Xenophon
Summary: 5 Stars
DAUNTLESS set us up with the situation. A fleet is cut off deep on enemy territory due to treachery. It faces a long voyage home and possible annihilation at every step. The fleet is commanded by a hero who has no desire to be a hero. He had been presumed dead for a century but found alive in a stasis pod. This reluctant hero must hold things together and keep his subordinates from doing anything stupid or obvious.
In this installment, the fleet is on its way. It is handicapped by the rescue of another hero from a POW planet. This guy is a primadonna who needlessly wastes lives and who wants to be in command. For him, the frontal assault is the answer to everything. When that does not work, he plots his own little coup with disaffected elements of the fleet.
The hero wants to get his people home but is not adverse to causing some mayhem for the enemy along the way. The way, though, is the LONG way home, where the enemy does not expect him. This makes his subordinates even more fearful of their chances.
It is a compelling story reminiscent of Xenophon's 10,000 and the ANABASIS.
Book Review: Book 2 - A great expansion on Book 1
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone whos a nitpicker for Hollywood space physics will instantly love the action of Campbells space battles. The lag between communication and observation, the reletavistic effects on firing and navigation, not to mention the nail-biting atmosphere of "Are we dead but just haven't gotten the memo yet?"
And the drama fan will love the chracters. While a sparse handful are a bit cookie-cutter: The blowhard eltist antaganistic ship captain, the cold, calculating bueracrat, the characters in Fearless do what very few sci-fi characters mangage nowadays, and seem like real people. They grow, evolve, and learn.
Last but not least, the odd Horatio fan will love the main character. Although his flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants style starts to get a bit grating, especially since he's managing to do almost anything but, Captain Jack Black's intelligence and wit, not to mention his sense of (gasp!) morals and ethical rules of war, would find a welcome home in fans of almost any genre
Book Review: Quite enjoyable reading
Summary: 5 Stars
"Fearless" is an excellent sequel. In addition to creating a compelling page-turner, Campbell has used the first two books in the series to illustrate the importance of ethical conduct and discipline in military conflict. Although the theme is repeated throughout both novels, you do not feel like he is beating you over the head with his point. He has integrated this theme quite well within his text and it's a logical extension of his plot and character development. As military science fiction, it is interesting that he is not fixated on technology, but sticks primarily to tactics and strategy. The technologies he posits are advanced, but they don't detract from the story line. A good seafaring story set in space. Bottom line is that the author spins a compelling space yarn w/o burdening the novel with gimmicks. Character development has a few rough edges, but the story is solid and worth reading. I am looking forward to the third book in the series!Book Review: Space Opera at its BEST
Summary: 5 Stars
I truly have become a fan of Jack Campbell. I'm a long-time reader of hard Sci-Fi and this has hit the mark dead-on. I don't go into some of the other reviewers depth when reading a book. I drop any preconceptions of what I expect of a book and just READ it. If the story makes me happy, its a good book. This is a GOOD BOOK. The first book set up the story line and the second fleshed it out a bit and set me up for the third. I, like another reviewer here, despair at the wait between books, but I can't change that.
If you like well thought out space battle sequences with believable technology, these books are for you. If you like the military point of view on ethics and morals, these books are for you. If you like good old shoot-em-ups, these books are for you.
Don't over think your Sci-Fi, just read it. I whole-heartedly endorse this series and truly believe they would be enjoyed by most Sci-Fi readers.
Book Review: Excellent followup to Lost Fleet: Dauntless
Summary: 5 Stars
I liked Dauntless ever-so-slightly better, but this was still a solid read and highly recommended if you like space operas ala David Weber. Great premise and action packed. A little predictable at times as you are told "something didn't look right" and you knew there would be something that wasn't right and that Black Jack Geary would figure it out and win, but this is fun sci-fi - not Old English Literature - so it accomplishes its goal.
My biggest complaint about this book is the early exposition which is to bring you up to speed if you haven't read the first book in the series (Dauntless) or if you haven't read it in a while I guess. That is tedious and it pops up from time to time in the book. But I suppose that is one of the challenges to writing a series.
I'm definitely pre-ordering Courageous (Book 3) and Valiant when possible. Highly recommended if you like space operas.