Customer Reviews

Courageous (The Lost Fleet Series)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The first and second installments of this plot line were incredible, but the latest chapter in the Lost Fleet series seemed to drag along like a dying bovine. Captain Geary is still submerged in the political warfare and logistical nightmare of being stranded behind enemy lines. And to make matters worse, the Syndicate, enemies of Black Jack Geary's Alliance, has wizened from the rag-tag group he initially encountered, and are quickly relearning the lessons of wars past.

The possibility of a third party operating behind the scenes was what had me eager for this volume, but that is addressed in only the most passing sense. The plot is essentially a rehash of the first volume, and has many if not nearly all the elements from both volume 1 and 2. While certain new threads are introduced, this entry did little more than move pieces around a board, rather than have any actual play.

I enjoyed the first two books; they were enjoyable space operas with well-designed space battles that combined real-world physics with engagingly written strategy. Unfortunately this third installment shows a pattern of formula that is becoming increasingly predictable.

The only two fleet clashes have the 2-dimensional Syndics being routed yet again; what little tension there is centers around dwindling resources. And enough with Rione, who went from an interesting character to a bi-polar shrew in one book flat; enough with "Ooooh, you're becoming The Great Black Jack Geary" nagging already. The hint of the triangle between Geary, Rione and Desjani has also fizzled into a gossip-fest; is this a war fleet or a junior high school?

The writing has also suffered; the dialogue between Rione and Geary was so mechanical I had to speed-read through it just to stay awake. And the revalation of Desjani wanting to be a book publisher and the slam on literary agents was a nerdy and downright embarrassing "inside joke" that detracted badly from the story.

Even the cover art went down a notch; did the artist even look at the previous covers? Geary went from looking like Lou Diamond Phillips to a crudely drawn Captain Reynolds from Firefly; what's up with that? (We all know Black Jack Geary looks like Hugh Jackman anyway. Or is it just me?).

The first two books are good enough to entice me into giving Book 4 a chance, and the "cliffhanger" ending of Book 3 gives some promise of this series getting back into gear, but one more "filler" book like #3 and I'm done.

Get it in gear, Black Jack Campbell! You owe me $5.

Courageous is another enjoyable addition to Jack Campbell's Space Opera series and you won't be disappointed. Jack Campbell's (John Hemry) writing style improves and solidifies with each book and his storytelling remains consistently strong. As far as the technical knowledge and military expertise wrapped into his novels, Campbell/Hemry is one of the best!

I continue to enjoy the way he mixes his expertise in military tactics with the problems and challenges of military leadership. He obviously draws from his own past experiences in the military, but adroitly adapts these "lessons-learned" to the unique universe he has created with the war between the Syndics and the Alliance.

The aspect of this current installment that has improved the most (in my opinion) is the way Campbell discusses the personal lives and relationships of his Officers. The writing style dealing with personal issues in this current novel is much more fluid and woven more tightly into the overall novel.

As always, I now look forward to the NEXT installment! Get busy and publish the next one Jack!!

I do like to read these books. However how many space battles do we need to have... it's getting tedious. Further, how many more commander conferences will we have to endure. That's basically almost all the book has to offer except for some minor interpersonal relationships.

The author needs to get to the point - I will not ruin the plotline for people but there is one out there that I'm looking foward to getting more information about. But I don't want to read 4 more novels of space battles to get there..

Pity poor Jack Campbell.

He writes two military sci fi books in a market chocabloc full of similar books and both score consistently high ratings, which is why I bought and read the first two books in this series. The second ends on a precipice and many readers, like myself, are sitting on the edge of seats waiting to pick up the third.

Alas, the third comes and goes, and I cant help but feel my good mate jack has let me down. Just more of the same. More running, another internal Captain raises their head to spite ol' Black Jack Geary, and there's still the tantalising hint of aliens in the background pulling Humanity's strings.

I heartily recommend this "Lost Fleet" series, but as a stand alone book, this third installment is rather bland.

I guess even the more talented authors out there run out of puff from time to time. But never fear, for I shall be there for the next book.

I notice most of the "we found this review useful" ratings are for those who rated the book highly and those who gave 3 stars or lower arent rated at all.

Dudes, this is not a popularity contest.

Spoilers ahead.

It isn't so much of a slip, really, more that the enemy starts to outguess him. It was inevitable, I suppose, that the Syndics would eventually manage to get ahead of him and his fleet. With mounting damage to his various ships, both from his own operations and the mutinous actions of some of his captains, the massive momentum he'd had since the original retreat (tactical redeployment, sorry) from the Syndic home system is starting to ebb. The space battles still manage to be top notch, as well as the realistic feel that the author uses with the science of his world (with relative speeds, sensor limitations, etc). I'm as always, impressed with this series.

Many interpersonal relationships are strengthened in his book, as well, if not in perhaps the most positive way. And I am also liking the way that the officers under Geary's command are not the "evolved" human beings that we've come to see in so much of sci-fi nowadays. They're just human beings who have been caught in a hundred years of endless war. They're unwilling to make changes, even beneficial ones, they're reluctant to better themselves as people and as officers just because a legendary hero comes back from the dead and tells them to, leading by example.

I was even surprised to see Captain Falco again. Though I thought he was a bit of a weak adversary for John Geary, he certainly played his role well.

I anxiously await the next book, though I know I have many months before that comes.

I enjoyed the first book of this series, but by the third was ready for it to be over. When I discovered there were three more waiting for me I was dismayed, having little appetite for more. Campbell's writing is serviceable, and the plot is imaginative, but neither are up to the task of carrying this story for 6 volumes without it becoming stale.

I enjoy a good solid sci-fi story with straight forward stories & good tech added. I'm finding that each on of the lost fleet novels is fitting my need greatly. I just about can't put the book down till i've read it from cover to cover & I'm looking forward to the next one. To me that what it's all about.

Bring on the rest of the story!!

This book, third in the series, seems a little forced. The relationships between Geary, Rione and Desjani are starting to get a little tedious, and some of the dialogue made me want to pull my hair out. I kept waiting for some new plot element to emerge, but I was disappointed until the very end of the book when we get a hint about the mysterious aliens.

I'll read the fourth book when it comes out, but if it's like this one, I'll be done with Captain "Black Jack" Geary.

Courageous (2008) is the third naval SF novel in the Lost Fleet series, following Fearless. The initial work in this sequence is Dauntless.

In the previous volume, thirty-nine ships left the fleet in Strabo and jumped elsewhere. Thirteen surviving ships were retrieved in Ilion. Falco had slipped into insanity. Geary promoted Cresida to Captain. Rione became Geary's lover for a few weeks.

In this novel, Jack Geary is the designated acting commander of the fleet survivors. He is the most senior captain within the Alliance due to his century long stasis is an escape pod. Unfortunately, he is also trapped within his own legend.

Tanya Desjani is an Alliance Captain, commanding the Dauntless. She is Geary's Flag Captain. She is younger than Geary expects of a battle cruiser commander, but the attrition rate in the Alliance navy has resulted in young ship captains.

Victoria Rione is the Co-president of the Callas Republic and a member of the Alliance Senate. She is the only civilian within the fleet.

Roberto Duellos is an Alliance Captain, commanding the battlecruiser Courageous. He is an advisor to Geary.

Tyrosian is an Alliance Captain, commanding the fast fleet auxiliary Witch. She was promoted to commander of the fleet auxiliary division after Geary transferred Captain Gundel to other duties.

Tulev is an Alliance Captain, commanding the battlecruiser Leviathan. He is an advisor to Geary.

Jaylen Cresida is an Alliance Captain, commanding the battlecruiser Furious. She is an advisor to Geary.

Badaya is an Alliance Captain, commanding the battlecruiser Illustrious.

Casia is an Alliance Captain, commanding the battleship Conqueror. His ship in the Third Battleship Division, formerly commanded by Numos.

Gaes is an Alliance Commander, commanding the heavy cruiser Lorica.

Jin is an Alliance Commander, commanding the battleship Orion. She replaced Numos.

Carabali is an Alliance Colonel. She is the senior officer among the remaining Marines of the fleet.

Numos is an Alliance Captain, formerly commanding the battleship Orion and the Third Battleship Division. Now he is under arrest and awaiting a courtmartial back in Alliance space.

Faresa is an Alliance Captain, formerly commanding the battleship Majestic within the Third Battleship Division. Now she is under arrest and awaiting a courtmartial.

In this story, the fleet exits the jump point in the Baldur system. Everything looks good except for some critical shortages in the fleet auxiliaries. They need to replenish trace elements used to manufacture fuel cells and other expendables. Geary is somewhat peeved at Tyrosian for the problem, but she still seems the best choice to head the fleet auxiliaries.

Geary is worried about Syndic sabotage of stockpiles, so he plans a quick raid on some mining ventures. He puts Colonel in charge of planning the raid. Then he sets up a conference to brief his ship commanders.

Numos and Faresa are under arrest and cannot attend, but Jin and Casia voice similar objections. Duellos, Tulev, and Desjani counter their arguments. Even Commander Gaes speaks in favor of the fleet commander.

The fleet cruises past various Syndic installations, taking out crucial facilities with hell-lance fire. When they near the mining facility, the ships launch shuttles loaded with Marines to secure the site. Then the engineers go down to supervise the loading of the minerals on their shuttles.

After retrieving the shuttles, Geary has another conference of his ship commanders. Badaya mentions the effects of destroying the hypernet gate at Sancere and wonders if it such effects could be used against the Syndics. Cressida, Tulev and Duellos provide several reasons why that would be a bad idea.

Geary then announces a change in route. Casia complains again and Geary's supporters counter his objections. After the meeting is over, Duellos stays behind to discuss plans. Geary finally learns why the battleship commanders are not as bright as battlecruiser skippers.

This tale takes the fleet to Sendai, a system containing not much more than a black hole. The singularity has devoured most of its system. It gives the Alliance crews the creeps.

The fleet is eager to jump to Daiquon. The next installment in this series is Valiant.

Highly recommended for Campbell fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of naval strategy, fleet battles, and living legends. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin