Spading up the same turf over, and over, and over

I've never been in the military, but I have to wonder, does EVERY officer spend EVERY waking moment, and weigh EVERY decision in terms of how it will affect his or her career; and ponder EVERY situation in the context of their public school or academy experience like the officers in this (and the previous book in the series) seem to? It becomes tiresome after a while.

The storyline is interestingly enough, but the repetition makes it unlikely I'm going to sign up for any more books in the series.

6 people found this helpful

A Good Space Opera

I first started reading the Ark Royal Series in 2014. I read Vanguard #7 in the series in May of 2016. For some reason I stopped or got side tracked from the series. I am glad I started reading the series again.

The book is well written. Nuttall writes a good military science fiction story. In this book we have two strong key women characters that have evolved from incidences in the prior book. There are Captain Susan Orinara, who is the newly appointed Captain of the battleship HMS Vanguard, and Midshipwoman Georgina Fitzwilliam, who is the newly appointed First Midshipman or First Middy on the Vanguard. Both women are in difficult situations from things that occurred in the prior book. The world is now at war after being attacked by an unknown alien race. The story goes back and forth between the Captain’s problems and that of the First Middy. The characters are interesting, the plot twists and there are lots of space battles. Overall a good space opera story.

The book is thirteen hours and sixteen minutes. Ralph Lister does a good job narrating the book. He has narrated all the Ark Royal Series. Lister is a British actor, voice artist and award-winning audiobook narrator.

2 people found this helpful

A Return to What Made this Series Great

As the eighth in a series (if you haven't read the earlier ones you should obviously not start here) the question is: Has the series lost its Oommphh -- or should it continue? So I write this for those of you who have gotten this far, and would like an answer.

First, this book feels like a return to the first two installments which I enjoyed greatly. (if you did not read the original Ark Royal, do so!) More of the nuts and bolts of the ship, the people and the fleet actions. A couple of fine running battles as well. The narration, as always, is great. While there is no ultimate resolution (as befits a series) it did feel just a little like the setup for the next volume. But the expansion of known character and the introduction of new technologies was fun. I am again looking forward to the next book !

2 people found this helpful

Nuttall does it AGAIN!

Christopher G. Nuttall CONSISTENTLY brings fantastic works of Science Fiction to his fans! Ark Royal Lives on!

It's cool seeing stories like this played out from a British point of view... Usually it's "we Americans" that feature in Science Fiction, while other cultures are nonexistent, or "Enemies".... Nuttal routinely brings characters from other "Earth Countries", and even "Whole Countries" into his stories, without belittling them.. Nuttal often has "The Americans" as British Allies during battles, with a tip of his hat to 'American Technological ingenuity/inventions', and his characters even note that they are using the technology that they are SURE "The American's" wouldn't like others to know about, but "The American's" don't complain when the characters use/expose those technologies to defeat a foe when needed.

I am always left with the feeling that Nuttal, himself, admires his 'American Cousins' at least as strongly as Americans admire our British Cousins... It seems that even though America and Britain have our minor differences from time to time (as does every family), we know, without doubt, that we can depend on each other to always watch each others backs!

I DO wish that Nuttal would add more of his personal Commentary on world politics to the ends of more of his books, as he did in "The Barbarian Bride". I ALWAYS like listening to someone who KNOWS what they are talking about, and that can make uncanny logical deductions about future events "In Reality, affecting us Right Now"

1 person found this helpful

Another awesome book!

I truly enjoy this series, Mr Nuttall is quickly becoming one of my favorite Military Sci Fi writers!

I like the addition of more ground combat action, I would like to see more dynamic and interactions between US and UK forces and even the other powers.

I'd like to hear more about the other great powers military units, compare the British ships to American, French and Chinese.

I know it's hard for Mr Lister to do other accents but I would like to see more Americans, Chinese and French.

1 person found this helpful

I Wish I Would Stop Listening!

What did you like best about Fear God and Dread Naught? What did you like least?

I so enjoyed the first Ark Royals that I "have to listen" to the new books. But each time I'm reminded that it's a foolish decision.

Would you ever listen to anything by Christopher G. Nuttall again?

I hope not, but I will probably keep hoping for the best.

2 people found this helpful

Once more into the breach...

Fear God and Dread Naught, Christopher G Nuttall's 2nd installment of Vanguard, the 3rd trilogy in the Ark Royal universe, delivers the goods in terms of intrigue, space battles, and personnel predicaments. After narrowingly avoiding a court martial over her successful mutiny in the first installment, the captain take her ship and crew back into battle against the new alien menace which is some sort of biological dynamic duo. At the same time, middi Fitzwilliam has her hands full with new crewman and ends up ground-side with the marines for the duration after a tactical career error.

The sci-fi elements are in line with earlier installments. There is a bit more focus on the two new alien races with some additional biological features, but mostly speculation on origins, functions, and culture. Geopolitical stereotypes dominate the international flavor of the space armada. While the the captain seems secure in her leadership position, we get a glimpse of the concern within the senior military leadership with a bit of a "spook" streak in the First Space Lord. Middi Fitzwilliam is left with a choice on her future military career that may offer a new angle for what should be the last Vanguard.

The narration is rendered in line with past performances and is simply outstanding with an excellence range of voices, including the aliens.

2 people found this helpful

Grimly

He needs an editor. He used the word "grimly" several hundred times throughout the book. It was distracting. Still a good book in this series, but the author's nutty right wing politics eke out now and then. Still Nuttall's only good series. Hope he sticks to writing these more often.

2 people found this helpful

Good Story

Am hooked on general Ark Royal series, but as with all the series there is a LOT of needless repetition. Have heard “If only we could talk to them!” So many times in various books that I cringe now when it comes up.

The war heats up...

The first engagement of the war is now over and both Susan Onarina and Georgina Fitzwilliam find themselves in very different situations based on their decisions during that conflict. Vanguard barely survived to make it home under Susan's leadership and upon return to Earth she finds herself taken into custody for relieving Vanguard's former commander. Although she is quite certain that he was unfit for duty, Susan knew at the time that taking such a drastic step would have consequences and now is the time to find out just what those consequences are. On the other hand, Georgina is now in the uncomfortable role of being first middy in charge of four new midshipmen and she is not certain that she is ready for this new responsibility.

As both lead characters face their new challenges head on, humanity must sort out what role it is going to play in the new war. The two new enemy species are much closer to tadpole space than they are to human space so many governments feel that we should hold back resources and worry about ourselves first. Of course, we do have a treaty that obligates us to fight alongside the tadpoles and if they are unable to defend their space then we would be next anyway, so the military leadership stresses that doing our part now is really in our best interest. Humans being humans is always annoying.

Being the middle book of a trilogy, little is resolved by the end of this one but the story does advance for both the main characters and the story arc. I am certainly enjoying this more than the second trilogy and would say it is on par with the original, although that one was still a little better just because the stakes were higher. Ralph Lister continues to narrate and his many British accents remain a solid choice, although as is usual his performance is good but not great.