Chain of Command
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4.5 • 65 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Lieutenant Sam Bitka, U.S. Naval Reserve, is getting used to civilian life when he is called back to active duty. Tensions between Earth and the alien Varoki are on the rise, and Sam is assiged as tactical officer aboard the deep space destroyer USS Puebla. Dispatched to the distant world of K'tok to protect human colonists, he wants nothing more than to serve out his active duty time and get back to his civilian life.
But when the Varoki launch a crippling surprise attack against the Earth coalition fleet, Sam finds himself suddenly in command of the USS Puebla, a job he is far from certain he can discharge successfully. What’s more, mounting evidence points to a much larger and more sinister alien plan.
Now, Sam must deal with faltering leadership in the human task force and an alien enemy who always seems one step ahead of them. Time for Sam to step up and rise to the challenge of command.
At the publisher’s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Military game designer Chadwick returns to his 22nd-century galaxy, where humans uncomfortably share the stars with the multiple races of the alien Varoki, with an excellent standalone set aboard a human-crewed spacefaring destroyer. Sam Bitka, previously comfortable in his life of civilian corporate employment, has been recalled to duty as a reserve tactical officer on the USS Puebla after rogue Varoki launch a surprise war against humankind. Once circumstances force Sam into the captain's chair, he must figure out the moves and motives of the Varoki's overwhelming forces ahead of time, all while bucking the old boy network and infighting within his own military. Chadwick's heavy hitter succeeds at teeth-gritting action scenes, deep psychological portraits of diverse characters and societies, and abundant puzzles and mysteries. All are mixed in seamlessly with the vivid tragedies of war and balanced with dark humor. This story, modeled on the history of the Solomon Islands campaign of WWII, goes far above and beyond standard military SF and should appeal to all speculative fiction readers.
Customer Reviews
Engaging story
I actually enjoyed the story and characters. The background on “why are we fighting?” was held for most of the story, which kept me intrigued. The main character had an interesting personality, often second guessing and analyzing his every move. Much like many of our leaders do. I would definitely recommend this story to Sci-Fi enthusiasts.