Publication Date:June 24, 2008 Shipping:Eligible for Super Saver Shipping Promotion:Buy 4 eligible items in the 4-for-3 promotion offered by Amazon.com and get 1 of them free.Terms and Conditions Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
Pleasant diversionJune 28, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
These books have been a pleasant diversion. The battle scenes are well thought out. The science and general operations of the ships seem plausible and the author has done a wonderful job of closing out each novel so each book can stand on its own merits.
The first novel introduces us to the Alliance's struggle against the Syndicates with Captain Geary as the unwilling hero and main protagonist. Captain Geary needs to lead the fleet safely home and somehow re-teach his fleet captains forgotten ways of fighting from another nobler era. When the captains obey Geary's commands they win battles. When the captains fail to follow Geary's orders they lose their ships.
It is a classic us-against-them story line. The Alliance against the Syndicates and Geary against his recalcitrant captains. The idea worked for the first novel but the story has barely progressed beyond those confines and it shows in this last installment.
The weakness of the series is the character development. The good guys lack any depth beyond supporting or conniving against Captain Geary. The bad guys are limited to sterotypes. There might be good Syndicates but most are bad (and misled). All Syndicate CEO's are bad. The faceless and unknown aliens are bad and so on. Even the good guys are not exactly hero material. Who would like to see more of Rione? After a fourth novel it would be nice to see some progression.
Out of the four novels, this one was the best. I would normally agree that this should have been kept as a trilogy and ranted that the editor should have trimmed up the story but I still want to read more. I think the author will be very challenged to wrap up the story in the next two novels but I think it is possible and the way this book ended really creates some exciting possibilities. Overall, this was a fun read and I am looking forward for the next volume.
fine military science fictionJune 28, 2008 2 out of 8 found this review helpful
Captain John "Black Jack" Geary knows his Alliance fleet is in deep trouble as they struggle to return to home base. He knows his numerous enemies from within Alliance want him to fail as his heroism and that of his unit allowed others to escape a death trap, which made him a legend embellished by his return from the grave generations after his peers and family died out. However, his predicament is that supplies are extremely low and an external foe is preparing to attack.
Desperate Geary chooses a Hail Mary strategy that he prays will get his force safely into the Alliance sector. His feint gambit works and it seems he has bought the time needed to escape. However, someone apparently wants Geary dead and collateral damage by destroying several vessels and their crew is acceptable.
This military science fiction tale will grip the audience as realism in terms of the vastness of space as communications and maneuvers take time and can be countered leading to the loss of ships and lives; this concept is critical to the story line. Black Jack is a fascinating hero; mindful especially in his decision making of Honor Harrington as both accept death as real outcome. His family's descendants detest him as much as his jealous Alliance fleet leaders; several who choose betrayal to eliminate him. Fans will appreciate the fourth Lost Fleet tale, but to better comprehend how many light years Black Jack has traversed, this reviewer suggests reading the previous entries first (see THE LOST FLEET: DAUNTLESS, THE LOST FLEET: FEARLESS, and THE LOST FLEET: COURAGEOUS).
Harriet Klausner
There *is* still good "space opera"...June 27, 2008 8 out of 10 found this review helpful
Parts of this review copied from forum posts...
There's something about the "Lost Fleet" series that just draws me in, and I can't quite put my finger on it. I was thinking about it the other day, and about my first steps in SF - I think it was Heinlein in a school library, but some of my major early purchases were second hand copies of "Doc" Smith novels, and a lot of Edmund Cooper if anyone remembers him. Oh and a lot of JT Edson Westerns. So I guess I get a lot out of good old basic "good guy vs bad guy" stuff, with "good guy gets the girl" thrown in. Hmm - doesn't that describe 90% of SF?
I was *going* to say that "Valiant" seems to slow down the seeming breakneck pace of the Lost Fleet through Syndic space, but a quick review tells me that isn't really true (four systems if my count is correct).
What is true is that the first two thirds of the book (more or less) deal with the return of the fleet to the Lakota system, and what they encounter there after so recently fleeing from it. What we see here is a great example of Jack Campbell's ability to bring naval battles in space to life for us. Some of my earliest reading in SF was "Doc" Smith, and although this is a little more "realistic", it made me nostalgic. (Nobody uses the word "ravening" any more. Why?!)
What we also see in this first section, and even more so later in the book, is excellent development of existing characters and plot elements and some exciting new twists. I won't discuss them in any length for fear of spoiling the fun, but hint at treason and possible new allies in unexpected places.
I am becoming thoroughly engrossed as the series progresses, and I think the story is developing a depth to match.
I must say, the thing that has me wondering now is whether or not the series will end in a triumphant return to Alliance space, or if the return will be a mere prelude to even more shenanigans. The way it is being set up, I think there are going to be many more questions and plot elements to resolve once the fleet gets home, and I hope the author is planning to answer them.
The Lost Editor...er...Fleet saga continuesJune 27, 2008 44 out of 51 found this review helpful
I've enjoyed the Lost Fleet series, and I continued to enjoy it through book 4, despite its flaws. That said, the book fails the basic sequel test: if this had been the first book in the series, would I still be reading the series? At this point, my answer is "probably not".
What's still good? The military battles are still well-described. There are better writers of speculative military fiction (Charles Stross, John Scalzi) in term of what can generally be described as "thinking up cool, futuristic stuff". Campbell excels in the telling of battles in enjoyable tactical detail in a plausible, futuristic setting. His ability to factor in time distortions, relativistic changes, simple momentum, leadership, motivation, and even navigation was what originally drew me to the series. This talent is still on display in the battle scenes of this book.
What's not so good? It would be a stretch to say "everything else", but there are some flaws that appear to be worsening over the course of the series.
CAPT John Geary, the fleet's commander, is still the only character who seems fully fleshed out. We spend the books inside his head, and by book 4 much of the Geary internal monologue about honor, duty, ancestors, etc., is a bit repetitive. Still, Geary remains a likable, honorably motivated leader without becoming a caricature. For the rest, not so much.
Victoria Rione, is, to judge by reader comments, almost universally annoying. What's more, while her motivations initially seemed congruent with her actions, that no longer seems the case. She vacillates between insightful advisor and shrewish harridan, and I actually LIKED her character initially. Now I find myself in the camp saying "Please, someone slap her".
CAPT Desjani, the loyal subordinate and captain of the fleet flagship, still seems too 2-dimensional to function as Geary's love interest. Way too many "Rione spoke while Desjani gritted her teeth" sequences. The book has too much of this interplay. I'd bet Geary wishes Campbell would write a holo-deck into book 5 to get him out of this.
I could go on, but you get the idea.
So, if you really have enjoyed the battle sequences, as I have, then the book will probably be worth it. If you struggled through the 3rd book thinking "please don't have so much cat-fighting in the 4th", well, consider yourself warned. If you are new to the series, I can unreservedly recommend the first book, Dauntless.
I don't want to come off as too harsh. I enjoyed this book and plan to buy the 5th. I think fans of the series will generally still enjoy this entry. Still, I do think it's fair to point out what I see as areas to improve in the concluding books.
3.5 stars.
Great Action, Great Premise but FlawedJune 27, 2008 4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The plot of this book is bookended with two rousing, action-packed battle scenes, one at the beginning, one at the end. The hero is a high-minded military man of unimpeachable honor who exhibits both excellent strategic thinking and the ability to see beyond the narrow limits of the war he is fighting. He faces and overcomes his miliary opponents, his critics within his command, sabotage by computer worms and his own temptation to act autocratically.
In additon the plot includes a dramatic rescue of an enemy civilian population abandoned by its own leaders. Why doesn't all this add up to a higher rating?
This is the fourth book of the series and the structural flaws of the series are hurting the execution of what should be riveting science fiction. The action sequences can no longer carry the reader over the preposterous personal life of "Black Jack" Geary.
In this book, the awkward character of Senator Rione becomes even more awkward. This civilian character whose presence on this miliary vessel is incredible to begin with never has rung true. As the series has progressed, she starts as the competent political observer, becomes Geary's lover and suffers a crisis of conscience when she learns that her husband might be a living prisoner instead of killed in action. In this book, she seems to have morphed into a one-note jealous shrew even though she refuses to enjoy Geary's favors. She all but pushes Geary at his female flagship captain to whom Geary is attracted and with whom he has a lot in common. This love triangle could have been an asset to the series but because it is handled so clumsily all the noble sentiments flying around somehow detract from Black Jack's character instead of add luster to him. Rione is so one-dimensional that none of her changes of face seem credible. Geary comes off as incrediably passive in his interactions with the women.
Unlike previous books in this series, I found this one easy to put down. That's very sad as I love the space battle scenes and the main character. This projected six-book series should be a sweeping epic but the way each book unfolds multiples the weaknesses while minimizing the strengths. For example, after one of the battles Geary reviews certain personnel files that give background information on various officers that have been prominent in this series. However the way he does so is a bit confusing as if these officers are casualties of the preceeding battle although no mention has been made of in the battle scenes themselves. By much paging around, I'm guessing these folks are still alive although the placement of the background information like this at the end of the book deflates suspense and confuses the reader. Am I supposed to remember this for book five?
