Sos
Lord of Altera
Now, I life Sci-fi as a genre. But I'm always hesitant when it comes to books as I find i have no idea what determines the mechanics as it were. but lets get the Important stuff out the way.
Lost Fleet jack Campbell (John G. Hemry) is the standard issue Military science fiction according to some reviews, However I beg to differ. the story is introduced by the character Jack 'Black Jack' Geary, who has recently awoken from a cryogenic stasis lasting one hundred years. nothing new but bare with me, Hes then called up to be given command of the single largest fleet that has ever been assembled by the alliance, not a day from waking up, under the guise that hes a supernatural man from legend destined to bring his people to victory and glory.
Still with me, good cos this is where the plot picks up the pace about half way thought the first chapter. it appears the Admiral that gave command to some half drugged up frozen corpse also applied the fool proof logic to everything he does, like charge said fleet head long into an even larger fleet of cartoon super-villains called the syndics.
This is what Campbell does brilliantly. where most sci-fi authors I've read that has ships and fleet and all that nonsense, this is the point where they go into the statistics of each weapon of the ship (*cough* David Weber *cough*).
I would like it known that I don't really have that much experience with sci-fi, but the lost fleet does capture the sense of 'what the hell is going on? why am I here? and why are they pointing guns?' with contrivances and/or long explanations kept to a minimum.
But from here it get fantastic as he sneaks a fleet, somehow pulling it off, through a rather decent portion of enemy space, get involved in conspiracies and makes a few relationships along the way.
The whole series presents that feeling 'what over the next hill?' by keeping you on your toes all the time, with rather genius FTL mechanics that make communication rather difficult.
But I would recommend the books over all, there are nitpicks like how he portrays orbiting is a bit off, and a few systems about the weapons I must have missed some where and way too many 'kiss her you fool!' moments questionably close to ordering orbiting bombardments for my liking , for example.
But defiantly a recommendation.