Mercenary Salvage Company

By: James Haddock

Narrated by: Daniel Wisniewski

Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

First countries, then worlds no longer kept large standing armies. They preferred to hire mercenaries, spending their citizens’ money rather than their citizens’ lives. Governments found it more cost-effective to keep their populations working, continuing to pay taxes rather than dying on some battlefield. War became a business. As in times of old, owning a mercenary company became a way for the ordinary man to become wealthy...if he survived.

Dad and I own the Cain Salvage Company. Some call us carrion living off the carcass of war. Buzzards picking the bones of the war machines left behind on cold battlefields. I suppose that’s one way to look at it, but they still bought our salvage.
No one is immune to the effects of war. Except maybe the rich or corrupt, who often are the same people. Liquid fuel is expensive and hard to get, so local farmers contracted us to salvage a nuclear-pellet-powered electric vehicle that would run for years before needing to be refueled. It was a good deal. Rather than cash, we’d receive a percentage of the farmer’s crops for ten years to sell or eat as we needed.

Nowhere is completely safe, especially around the battlefield, cold or not. I felt the proof as I wiped the sweat from my face, starting the wound to bleed again. I’d already been blown up once today, and didn’t feel like repeating it again.

Dad called that “gallows humor.” I started to smile, but my smile faded remembering the fresh grave not 20 feet away. I had sealed dad’s body in a body bag and buried him.

I’d wanted to cry, but I’d had no tears left. In the last five years, I’d buried my mother, then my sister, and now my father. This war had taken all my tears. You’d think an 18-year-old would have had more. This was supposed to be an easy salvage job, but in the business of war, nothing is ever easy.

I knew I’d have to fight through hyenas, people who steal and scavenge from other people, to fulfill the contract with the farmers. I looked over the battlefield and saw in my mind’s eye a vision of my future. I would start a mercenary salvage company. I had no problem killing hyenas or anyone else who got in my way. This battlefield had left me weapons, ammunition, and equipment to get the job done, with plenty left over to start my company.

©2022 James Haddock (P)2022 James Haddock

this is hard to rate

it's like groundhog day

just keeps happening

but it is well written so maybe book 2 will have a different twist

Good read

I liked this book and hope there will be more. The story line was great and the ending was perfect.

A Haddock story with no real cliffhanger.

Wisniewski again with an absolutely sterling performance.
Overall good Sci-Fi tale with seemingly plausible science. A very enjoyable Audible book.

The best book ever

I disliked nothing and the story was perfect and manly not the shitty books that’s out right now

He Did It Again

Another classic created and as usual the story will not continue. Mr. Haddock is in my top 3 are a author, but i can not take the pain of the series ending prematurely anymore. Well i say that now, but i will purchase the next book per usual. Keep the classics coming.

Please write the next books for all the titles.

I love Mr. Haddock’s writing, and, of course, looking forward to the continuing expansion on the books

Really liked this

I love this author and narrator! A little too much technical stuff for me, but I liked the story! I liked the space part a lot!

The story is a great one and the performance the best

Not only the best but I love the characters all fun as well as believable great story line enjoy it and hope you continue the journey.

I enjoyed it

The premise of the story was great. The MC was very likeable. The action well written. The narrator was great. The plot was not clear and the final goal seemed to be missing. I admit that I enjoyed the book but felt like I needed more meaning to the actives beyond surviving the day, life, and bad corporations. It was like the "pulp fiction" movie. MC needed to have a few more meaningful connections also less about equipment tallies.

The pacing is fast, it's alot happening in one book. I still want more though 🥹.

This could have easily been three books, and by the end you'll probably find yourself wishing it was. TBH I'm righting this review because I realy wish James Haddock would write a follow-up book.
He probably wont, but it's worth a try.
The book is just the right blend of military-science fiction, space opera & action to enjoyable pass the time.