Rebel’s Strike

The Space Trooper Series, Book 3

By: Jamie McFarlane, Rachel Aukes

Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

When a tyrannical corporation seizes control, two young patriots will risk everything to liberate humanity.

With the system engulfed in a corporate war, Jai and Peyton are yanked in different directions. Jai has joined the rebellion while Peyton is amassing a pirate fleet. But when an old friend brings the twins back together, they learn of Zona’s sinister plan to quell the rebellion and institute an iron grip over the entire solar system.

Peyton has found her calling as a pirate captain. She’s building a fleet with ships she’s stolen and people she’s saved. But when both the Zona fleet and other pirate clans come at Peyton from every angle, it’ll take every ounce of skill - and a whole lot of luck - to stay in the game.

Jai’s computer skills are among the best in the system. His work is crucial to the rebellion, but when he’s infected with deadly nanites, he finds himself in a race against time to save himself from becoming a cyber-zombie.

The epic finale of the Space Troopers series is here in a no-holds-barred adventure where the fate of the solar system is dependent on the twins. To win, an inexperienced pirate captain must face a battle-hardened general, and an injured computer hacker must take on the galaxy’s most advanced AI. If either fails, Zona wins.

©2022 Jamie McFarlane and Rachel Aukes (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Excellent Characters

Great story and very much about most bestest narration. As soon as the next story in this series is available, I'm first in line to get it.

Best book in the series

I personally really liked this book, it was equally as good, if not better than the first. The series I started listening to just to pass time, but I have come to really like them.

Worth every second

My feelings towards towards this title reflects the entire trilogy.
I binged all 3 books. There wasn't a moment I felt board listening. I got super pumped listening to the battles. I'm sad it's over. Highly recommend The Space Trooper series.

Aukes and McFarlane have outdone themselves!!!

Rebel Strike picks up from book 2, with Peyton still acting as ‘Trooper’ the Pirate captain of the Ching Shih moving through the system, leading ‘Rat Troop’ and taking out Zona shipping interests as she can working as a rebel.
The other storyline running through the book follows Jai Riggs aboard the Dirty Diablo. Jai is actually the twin sister of Peyton, but they were separated at birth, Peyton was adopted by a rich family, and wanted for nothing, as long as she performed. Jai was sent to a series of foster homes and in this universe, if you are in the foster system, your last name becomes Foster. Both end up at a prestigious military academy, Peyton through connections, Jai through his skills.
This is a very intriguing universe, one in which Corporate Greed has reached a whole new level, and corporations have taken over, they run everything, every job, your lives, you have to pay a corporation for your home, food, clothes, even the air if you are not on a planet with a breathable atmosphere. Lose your job, and you are out on the street and too bad.
Peyton and Jai learn not only that they are twins, but also that the academy is killing people, including their friends, to maintain numbers within ‘Corporate Guidelines’, and rebel, leaving the academy. Jai joins the Dirty Diablo, Peyton ends up as a pirate on the Ching Shih. Currently two of the major corporations, Setteri and Zona are at war. But Zona is huge, and will easily crush Setteri, absorbing them And when that happens, as with all monopolies, things will become horrendous for the customer or user.
However, things are far worse than this, as underlying all of this is an insidious AI that is trying to take over the galaxy, and all of humanity as well through nanite tech, allowing the AI to actually dominate and control humans as well. DIDO as the AI is known is using humans already controlled to infect others with nanites, so that slowly, they are taking over not only every computer system and ship in the galaxy, but also all of the ‘sentient’ life as well.
The only thing standing in its path are Jai and Peyton, along with a desperate selection of rebels who are fighting with everything they have to not only stand against Zona, but this diabolical AI that is intent on crushing everything in its path.
There are some wonderful characters in this book. The crew of the Dirty Diablo are just brilliant, from the ex-SCOT (a special forces solider), Bode Riggs, the Captain of the Diablo, who adopts Jai to be his ‘Son’, so that he can be not only an official part of the crew, but it also gives them all sorts of other rights to. Then there are the married couple that make up the muscle and the engineer on the ship, Theun Wolt (the muscle) and his wife Dru (the Engineer), who are not only this hilarious couple with exceptional dialogue that makes you laugh constantly, but they have such an intense love for each other that you can feel through the words. The character writing is both realistic and intense, and really brings these characters too life.
The crew of the Ching Shih, Peyton’s ship, is just as outstanding. With Alli, Peyton’s second, who has been through hell, and should be broken, but draws on Peyton’s strength and charisma so she can be strong. You can really see their relationship, feel that connection between the two of them, it is incredibly powerful at times. Alli is an amazing character. There are so many brilliant characters on the crew, Tran, T-Ball, Naki, I could list so many more. There are some I can’t list as I don’t want to give away spoilers either.
With both storylines there are some incredible characters that are extraordinary, so much detail and so in-depth, the really bring so much to the story. I just don’t want to introduce spoilers.
Added to this is the captivating world-building that is in every aspect of this story, from the characters, to the starships, to the planetary backgrounds and the weapons they use. Everything has been described in intricate deal. This is a series in which there is such a wonderful concept, with gritty realistic characters that have dialogue that is meaningful and engaging. The characters are such an exceptional part of this story, and really bring it to life.
This is a story of intrigue, betrayal, and at the same time, compassion and loyalty, friendship, as well as intense corporate greed that leads to war and the creation of an AI that is intent on the destruction of Humanity.
This is Mil Sci-Fi at its best and not to be missed!!!
This book has one of the best Narrating teams EVER in Scott Aiello and Emily Woo Zeller. Aiello is just brilliant, with a clear, concise voice that you can listen to for years without ever getting tired of it, and he does such masterful voices of both male and female characters. Zeller is just exceptional, one of my favourite Narrators, with the voice of an angel, you can listen to her forever, and she does an amazing job of creating male and female voices that you can easily understand. Both of these Narrators also understand the importance of generating the emotions of their characters, so you can really understand what the character is feeling, and truly immerse yourself into the story.
This is such a stunning Audiobook, with two of the best Narrators in the Audiobook market today, and it is one that is an absolute MUST listen to – it is just so good!!

Surprisingly good tale!

More in-depth than expected and raises valid concerns about a not too unlikely dystopian future run by corporations. Corporate interests have already overtaken our democracy and politicians have most citizens tied up with religious squabbling instead of the secular governance intended by our founding fathers as a necessary cornerstone of a free country… so this story is not too far of a reach.

the progression of the series main characters

this series kept you wanting the next book, hopefully there are additional books from the authors

Great Space Opera

I loved this trilogy! I tried the first book on a whim and was instantly hooked.

awesome

great story and narration. Very exciting and heart warming and mean. worth a listen. many books to go

really good series

a great trilogy with a satisfying ending. looking forward to more from this author. apparently there may be another book in this series in the future.

disappointed

the book could have easily been split into different books. there were wide gaps like 6 months passed. 1 year passed. etc. I want to know everything. not just the author trying to rush the series to end. it was disappointing compared to the other books