Robert Stadnik

Competently written and edited book. This is the story of a crew who stole the most advanced spaceship of their world and set out to explore and find the homeworld of the aliens holding them hostage on Earth. They fight and meet other races who become allies and return home, not as savior's but treated like dirt. Jacob becomes the new executive officer on another ship and is treated with contempt by all but a few. The captain tried to get rid of him but fails. This hated man has to take over the ship and somehow get them home after a surprise attack kills the captain.
I received this book from the author and thank him for an enjoyable read. I chose to review it.… (mais)

A couple of competent space ship officers who happen to also be political misfits are assigned to a ship destined to investigate an interstellar jump gateway leading to an unknown solar system. Most of the crew loathe them, but a few give the new Executive Officer and Senior Communications Officer the benefit of the doubt and befriend them. The long-termed Captain of this vessel, a fellow being pushed out of the service, decides to make a name for himself by transversing the jump gate even though he was specifically ordered not to by his superiors. This exposes the ship and crew to an enslaving alien race bent on capturing every new interstellar species they come across in order to steal their technology. Severely damaged, the Terran ship is rescued by a friendly allied race and returned to their own star system just ahead of the attacking new race. They destroy the jump gate as they enter it so that their pursuit is ended. However, as we learn later, this isn’t the end as this new race is relentless, especially after now knowing the Terran’s exist.

This is more a story about being wrongfully judged and ultimate acceptance and less about space battles. While there is action, it comes in the second half of the book. The majority of this story is about the ultimate acceptance of the Executive Officer and his ship’s Senior Communications Officer. The story is entertaining and kept me reading long after my bedtime when I should have quit for the evening.… (mais)