Decent premise, wouldn't recommend

A less good version of Starshiptroopers. Pacing is bizarre with odd inconsistent unexplained jumps forward in time. Writing is only ok. MC doesn't always make sense, an odd mix of self-aware and idiot. It's ok, nothing more.

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Felt very rushed.

the story had a good concept but the character development and story line were really rushed so the overall book was mediocre. wouldn't recommend.

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Magic and sci-fi always awesome

An interesting start to a new magic in space epic. Magic does seem to take the front seat in this sci-if tale and I hope to see tech balance it out a little. The voice acting is superb with well defined variety in characterization.

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Average

It’s an okay listen. Plot could use some work. The characters are acceptable. Im hoping it will get more fleshed out in the next talking book. The Narrator has a great range of voice, male characters sound male, females sound female. The great part is he actually makes the Aliens sound really different, not normal at all. You get the feeling they actually do think differently from us and he’s using our spoken language to do it. Oh thanks is given to Audible for making all the rest of the series not included so in addition to paying fees I have to shell out more if I want to listen to the other five talking books. Nice one,……..

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Eh

Narrator was good. The story makes me bash my head because the main character is one of a kind and is the most powerful man in the world cuz he can make a light with his hands when he was a kid. He’s such a great leader because he decides to bond with his peers by getting drunk once with them and now they best of friends. The leaders and trainers are superior beings and act like butt holes and can even hanged cadets if they screw up? Come on, humans should have evolved better than that. Parts of the story come on too strong and then results to nothing. Go read ender’s game.

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Comparisons To 'Starship Troopers' Are Legit

Not the Robert Heinlein novel, mind you.. but the 1997 Paul Verhoeven film treatment. 'Thorn Sellers' is a one-time War Orphan & current blue collar worker identified as having magic powers and drafted into the human military - currently losing an interstellar war against the psychic-enhanced 'Nyctus' (bent on Genocide) - Yes, exactly like Johnny Rico & his squadmates training and then shipping out to space to fight the "Bugs".
Thorn - along with a team of similarly - albeit less powerfully - gifted Recruits trains to become a "Starcaster": more or less a "Ship's Mage" that genre diehards would find familiar.
J.N. Chaney and Terry Maggert take that paradigm (Magic & Technology empowering a futuristic Space Navy) and put it into a "training-a-supersavior-to-end-the-War" tale that made me think of 'Ender's Game'. The book is well-written, well-plotted, and extremely entertaining. Unfortunately, it's also awkwardly-paced and overuses some plot devices (bedside vigils in the hospital after near-fatal training injuries to establish teambuilding, for example). It's a fun book, but unspectacular (it won't blow you away).

Reader Tom Taylorson tries his best to improve the situation by turning in some of the best voice-acting that I have heard in some time - but also fails to inject enough emotion into battle scenes. His overall narration is well above-average but imperfect.

Altogether, Podium Audio Inc. generated a quality listening product - one worthy of 8 stars out of 10. I feel most fortunate to have found this book as a 'Plus' option.. because it merits a Credit.

[Note: I personally won't be continuing the series, but you wouldn't be crazy to do so. This book could very well captivate you]

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Great premis

I really enjoyed the mix of magic and space aspects but the story felt clunky in stages. Also a very sudden ending. Lots of potential but feels like it needs to be tidied up.

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excellent listen

this is a good book and the story line and characters are well done.

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Bravo!

Reminds me of the great’Asimov’ FOUNDATION SERIES, bravo! Bravo! Bravo! I’m gonna read Im all.

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