First Command

By: Michael Simon

Narrated by: Ryan Kennard Burke

An alien attack leaves them adrift in space.

Survive, rebuild, and rejoin the war.

Fresh out of the Academy, Ensign Cole Jackson’s first posting to Freedom couldn’t have come at a worse time. All over the Alliance, planets and colonies are suddenly under attack by the vicious Coven Empire.

Freedom and her sister ship, Hood, are ambushed by alien warships, leaving Hood drifting dead in the void.

Cole is ordered to salvage parts from the powerless Hood, but when he arrives on the unpowered hulk, Freedom is called away, marooning him and a group of malcontent techs in deep space.

With the timer on survival ticking down, Cole must find the confidence to take control, whip his tiny crew into shape, bring Hood back to life–repairing communications, propulsion and even weapons.

He's got one chance to transform the derelict ship into a combat-ready vessel. One he can take into battle and alter the course of the war.

Don't miss the start of this science fiction thrill ride about a crew of young soldiers mustering the courage to fight back against both a vicious alien enemy, and the terrifying void of being stranded in space. It's perfect for fans of Daniel Gibbs, J.N. Chaney, and Vaughn Heppner!

©2025 Aethon Books (P)2025 Aethon Audio

Shallow characters speaking in cliches.

Overall premise of the book was decent and hard sci fi story was enjoyable. Not sure if it was the way they were narrated or written but the characters seemed shallow and the interplay was juvenile.

Purchased 2 & 3 just before 1 ended.

If you like "On Basilisk Station" by David Weber, you will like this. Purchased 2 & 3 just before 1 ended.

Very shallow SCI Fi.

Liked the characters, hated the writing. Even tried to return the title.Not sure how this got so many good reviews.

very well done characters

This story rides a very thin line between thrilling and punishing. Explosions and gore that are entertaining and visiral. Yet it's a story that presses you every step of the way.

Somewhere between Star Trek fan fic and a 2 star action movie.

The story used hard scifi terms in ways that showed the author did not have the rules of their universe well defined. These ill defined rules left blatant holes in descriptions where the same event could yeild different results based on the drama of the moment.

The captain is a rookie savant that seems to run a. entire ship on his own, with the crew being lackeys who turn wrenches to meet his secret design.

I just could not buy into it.