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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Victorious is the conclusion of the Lost Fleet series, and as a climax, it slightly underperforms. To be honest, I'm doing it a disservice. Victorious is consistent with the quality of the last three novels, delivering a great deal of clever action, easy-to-love protagonists, and plenty of plot advancement (something missing earlier in the series). From this perspective, fans will not be disappointed and there is no drop in quality.
However, this is the conclusion of five previous novels and that means I expect build up to a fantastic climax. Yet the same weakness that's been present throughout the series weakens Victorious: a lack of foreshadowing before major action scenes. As a reader, you just don't know enough for there to be suspense, as all narration is from Geary's highly competent viewpoint. Surprises are just challenges to be overcome for our main character, but that means the reader never experiences tension.
Victorious has many clever elements, expansion of the setting, and the fleet combat was actually some of the best throughout the series, but ultimately it didn't feel like a satisfying conclusion. It's just more of the same, and that's not enough for a finale.
Recommended with reservations.
I think other viewpoints need to be introduced, so that you can see plans shape to defeat Geary. Some of the plans have been exceptionally clever -- the Syndic home system was fantastic and the Alliance Grand Council is the true enigma. Other viewpoints would be confident in Geary's death, which allows the reader to worry. After all, Geary is not that worried for himself.
And finally... it was fairly obvious that the Aliens were a problem that was surmountable, given the placement of the scene (end of the series) and the plot armour surrounding Geary. I had personally guessed at sensor deception, though the exact mechanism was more clever than I surmised. Regardless, it's stuff like that that weakens this series.
A 'fun read' is the easiest way to describe Victorious, but I want more out of my 4-5 star books.
Series Overall Spoiler-Free Thoughts
★★★☆☆ Dauntless (The Lost Fleet, #1)
★★★☆☆ Fearless (The Lost Fleet, #2)
★★★★☆ Courageous (The Lost Fleet, #3)
★★★★☆ Valiant (The Lost Fleet, #4)
★★★★☆ Relentless (The Lost Fleet, #5)
★★★☆☆ Victorious (The Lost Fleet, #6)
The Lost Fleet irons out its minor flaws with every successive book, and its military credentials are never in doubt. It never corrects the major problem having badly characterized villains though, and so failed to ever become exceptional. If you enjoyed the first book, then you should find it an entertaining series that consistently delivers.
★★★☆☆ - Recommended as a consistent military sci-fi tale.
However, this is the conclusion of five previous novels and that means I expect build up to a fantastic climax. Yet the same weakness that's been present throughout the series weakens Victorious: a lack of foreshadowing before major action scenes. As a reader, you just don't know enough for there to be suspense, as all narration is from Geary's highly competent viewpoint. Surprises are just challenges to be overcome for our main character, but that means the reader never experiences tension.
Victorious has many clever elements, expansion of the setting, and the fleet combat was actually some of the best throughout the series, but ultimately it didn't feel like a satisfying conclusion. It's just more of the same, and that's not enough for a finale.
Recommended with reservations.
Spoiler
Within spoiler tags, I think others will argue that the aliens had been foreshadowed. That's not my complaint: the issue is that fleet battles never grow tense, and you're never really concerned for the survival of the Alliance fleet. This is hugely impacted by Geary's highly competent narration; always looking at setbacks as mere challenges to be overcome. But this is also due to the structure of the story: we enter the Syndic home system, and then we are told what the problems are, at which point Geary is a few pages away from solving it all. Rinse and repeat for the Alien battle. Rinse and repeat for his experience with the Alliance Grand Council.I think other viewpoints need to be introduced, so that you can see plans shape to defeat Geary. Some of the plans have been exceptionally clever -- the Syndic home system was fantastic and the Alliance Grand Council is the true enigma. Other viewpoints would be confident in Geary's death, which allows the reader to worry. After all, Geary is not that worried for himself.
And finally... it was fairly obvious that the Aliens were a problem that was surmountable, given the placement of the scene (end of the series) and the plot armour surrounding Geary. I had personally guessed at sensor deception, though the exact mechanism was more clever than I surmised. Regardless, it's stuff like that that weakens this series.
A 'fun read' is the easiest way to describe Victorious, but I want more out of my 4-5 star books.
Series Overall Spoiler-Free Thoughts
★★★☆☆ Dauntless (The Lost Fleet, #1)
★★★☆☆ Fearless (The Lost Fleet, #2)
★★★★☆ Courageous (The Lost Fleet, #3)
★★★★☆ Valiant (The Lost Fleet, #4)
★★★★☆ Relentless (The Lost Fleet, #5)
★★★☆☆ Victorious (The Lost Fleet, #6)
The Lost Fleet irons out its minor flaws with every successive book, and its military credentials are never in doubt. It never corrects the major problem having badly characterized villains though, and so failed to ever become exceptional. If you enjoyed the first book, then you should find it an entertaining series that consistently delivers.
★★★☆☆ - Recommended as a consistent military sci-fi tale.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
These books were quite entertaining, but got a little repetitive. If all of that action could have been condensed into 3 books I would have given it 10 stars.
This last book seemed a little rushed compared to the last several. Which is not a bad thing, because the last several seemed drawn out with the endless teenage-like angst. And that leads me to my big reason for not giving this book more stars; the so-called romance plot line. Could have done without it, didn't really add anything to the stories.
A worthwhile, if somewhat disappointing end to the series. Having demolished most of the Syndic fleet, Black Jack Geary returns to his enemy's home system for one final battle. Unfortunately, there's not much to the fight -- having gutted the Syndics in his earlier encounters, there's only a token force left to protect their home world. The ensuing battle is underwhelming compared to the rest of the series -- I'd been hoping for something a bit more epic.
The first confrontation with the mysterious aliens (whom earlier books revealed have been manipulating humanity for the last hundred years ago) could have been that battle, but Campbell cuts to the chase too quickly by having Geary see the alien tactics for what they are. I'd rather have seen some close-quarters combat, with things getting a bit desperate for the "Lost Fleet" than the 1-2-3 engagement we saw.
Having said that, Campell nicely ties up the character storylines, including big one involving Geary and his love interest, Captain Desjani of the Dauntless. It's not a bad place to leave the series, and it sets ups a potential sequel series dealing with the aliens and the Syndic successor states.
The first confrontation with the mysterious aliens (whom earlier books revealed have been manipulating humanity for the last hundred years ago) could have been that battle, but Campbell cuts to the chase too quickly by having Geary see the alien tactics for what they are. I'd rather have seen some close-quarters combat, with things getting a bit desperate for the "Lost Fleet" than the 1-2-3 engagement we saw.
Having said that, Campell nicely ties up the character storylines, including big one involving Geary and his love interest, Captain Desjani of the Dauntless. It's not a bad place to leave the series, and it sets ups a potential sequel series dealing with the aliens and the Syndic successor states.
The last part of this series. This time they fleet is no longer running, but instead is on the attack. However, it is roughly the same that has gone before - large battles in space.
I did enjoy the happy ending, after the type of stories that had been told before this was seriously needed.
I do have another series by Jack Campbell to read, but i think i will pause a little and read some other authors first.
I did enjoy the happy ending, after the type of stories that had been told before this was seriously needed.
I do have another series by Jack Campbell to read, but i think i will pause a little and read some other authors first.