Review: Writing at its Royal best.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 1, 2014
WHAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KNOW BEFORE I BOUGHT THIS BOOK (No spoilers)1. Is this an action book?  Yes. This is a space opera from beginning to end. The only extensive non-action moments were in the first 30 percent of the book. The rest of the book is dedicated to action in different forms: military, confrontational, or personal.2. What is the story about in general?  The story is about the almost scrapped ship, the Ark Royal (named after the ship that sunk the Bismarck) space carrier, its ad-hoc crew, an invading alien force and personal realities of military deployments.3. Are the characters likable? How do they mesh to the story?  I find all the characters in the story likable, even those I disagree with. I really like how all the `heroes' in this story are not pretty and clean. Every single one of them is flawed in some way. That is EXCELLENT. I am very happy to see humanizing fallible qualities on characters. One of the main characters lacks depth, but I think the book packed enough character development, through other characters, to gloss it over. I hope the next book has more on that main character. The characters have static roles but are NOT one dimensional themselves. It is some of the better character development I've read in a while; simple but real.4. Is the story believable? Did you have to `suspend disbelieve'? The story kept within the scope of the created world. I did not need to suspend disbelief at all. Understand that I have a limited understanding of Naval protocol. That means that someone with said understanding might have to suspend disbelief. I wouldn't know.5. Does the story keep its pacing? For the most part, yes. The story flows quite well. I only glossed about 2 times and that was less than a page each time. There are a few, pretty obvious, spelling errors but nothing to be worried about. Great job on this.6. What is the target audience? I think the target audience is male. I am sure some ladies might find the book interesting, but the point of view seems more guy oriented.7. Is the price tag worth it?  Heck yes. For $3 bucks you'll have a pretty good experience. I had so much fun with this read I ate it in but a few hours. I am simply sorry there wasn't more to read!In conclusion: A fast paced, rip roaring epic conflict between humanity and alien foes that does not completely forsake character development. The characters are mostly believable in their personal conflicts if static in their assigned roles. Keep in mind that I am well within the target audience of this book. I give this story very close to a perfect rating.4.5  stars.