Koban: The Mark of Koban, Volume 2

By: Stephen W. Bennett

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

Length: 22 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Book 2 of the Koban Series

Already faster and more powerful than the last 17 species that they have destroyed or subjugated, the Krall have set their sights on humankind. Aftertesting humans on their future home world of Koban and finding them worthy opponents, the Krall start a war of slow extermination with the rest of humanity. The war is intended to last generations as they apply their own version of "natural selection" to cull their weaker warriors in combat, purifying the Krall gene pool with their finest warriors for breeding. Why? The Krall desire to rule the galaxy someday, from their future home world of Koban, where the impossibly fast and powerful animals have proven to be too fast and strong for them to match. Only through the attrition of war will the Krall perfect their bloodline to become the masters of Koban. When the Krall departed Koban to start their war with humanity, they destroyed the protections that kept their prisoners safe. They left the human test subjects to fall victim to high gravity, and the deadly predators. Big mistake. The bio scientist left behind enhanced the human genome with Koban genes, forming the next generations of humans. They are becoming what the Krall sought to be. The fastest, most powerful species in the galaxy. The men and women trapped on Koban, locked in a struggle for their own survival for twenty years, return to the stars to help defend Human Space. The Krall have had their way with human worlds, killing when and where they wish. Outnumbered, the new Kobani will now take the war to the Krall.

©2013 Stephen W Bennett (P)2014 Stephen W Bennett

Much better listen!

Now, the audio production and narration match the excellence of the story. I look forward to picking up the next audio book in the series.

Very Good Space Saga

Any additional comments?

The author needs to work on his characters banter it seems to always degrade into teenage level potty or sexual jokes. Not sure what the authors age is, but this could use a little work. Otherwise the plot and details are original and well constructed.

Good Sequel

Would you listen to Koban: The Mark of Koban, Book 2 again? Why?

Yes
It's a good follow-up to Koban.

What did you like best about this story?

My favorite parts were with the people who were marooned on Koban in the 1st book. Learning about the 1st generation born on that world was interesting.

Which character – as performed by Eric Michael Summerer – was your favorite?

Captain Mirikami & the kids were my favorites.
However, Summerer was not as Freeman (the 1st book) at making the voices distinctive enough. With Freeman, I never had trouble telling which character was speaking. I got confused a few times with Summerer. Summerer was good at making it interesting, but most of his characters sound the same.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Watching the kids grow was occasionally funny. Bennett has obviously spent time around smart, hyperactive children.

Any additional comments?

My only complaint is that Audible doesn't have more books in this series yet. I want to know what happens next, & I want to know now!

FANTASTIC SERIES

Having read the first book and found it innovative, descriptive, and totally being hooked, I proceeded to Book 2. This was even better. If any of you have read Space Pirates, written in the 50's, you will be absolutely hooked on this series. It has everything a SiFi fan would love, plus even those who aren't into SiFi, will thoroughly enjoy this book. Although Audible/Amazon has only put two of Stephen Bennett's books on audio, you can get Book #3 to read. Hopefully, soon, Audible will have #3 on audio. Please do yourself a favor and purchase these books. They are will worth the money.

Great Book Stellar Narrator

I bought the 1st book because I liked the story but hated the Narrator. That has been fixed in book 2. thanks.

Well defined characters, relationships, story ...

I enjoyed the cultural dichotomy, tactical. & SciFic applied science .... twenty words are required, but why

Excellent second book

Second book is great. Children have definite characteristics and funny. I did not like the differences in the narrators. It would not have been so bad if the narrators and character voices had not been so different.

Great series

Love this series of books, fun stuff, Lots of interesting characters. On to the next one

Super awesome book koban!!!!!

It was so awesome that the krall left and I can't wait for book 3 maybe the krall may come back...?🤔

Everything that crawls, flies or grows on a bush!

I LOVE this series -- but, I haven't reviewed all the books! Why you may ask . . .

Because I'm too busy listening to them!

Every summer I re-listening to this series, and once I start, I’m hooked until the last word is spoken — and I don’t touch any another books during that time. Why would I? It’s Koban all day, every day, until I’m done. Nothing else compares to the gorgeous mind movies these books create for me. NOTHING.

This year marks my 4th listen, and Book Six is out on Kindle, and will be released on audio in time for Xmas! (Oh, rapturous joy!) Having just finished The Mark, again, I decided to check out my review for it — only I never reviewed it!

The problem is, I hate to give spoilers when I review a book I love, so reviewing this series is very hard for me to do. Books are a journey, yada yada -- and I don't want to spoil anyone's trip — but I can’t keep this great series to myself! You deserve to know!

So . . .

Spoiler Alert——- Spoiler Alert ——-Spoiler Alert ——- Spoiler Alert——-Spoiler Alert


Book Two: The Mark of Koban

In 600 years, humans have colonized over 700 worlds in the Milky Way Galaxy, and they’ve never met an alien race in all that time. They also haven’t had a war in 300 years. They’re peace-loving, civilized, and very, very polite.

But now the Krall have left Koban, and their gunning for humanity.

The humans have no idea that a completely savage, technologically advanced, 7 ft tall, 600 lb reptile analogue ARMY is coming for them, so when the Krall start attacking the unprotected and minimally populated outer Rim worlds, it’s a slaughter. Fortunately, humans don’t taste good to the Krall, or they’d eat us as well as fight us. (Yea us! We’re ‘bland!’)

Unfortunately --- the only thing most humans know about fighting a war is what they’ve see in old war movies. (Doh!) The Krall know this, so they decide to go slow, attacking a few human worlds just to get the humans started in re-learning their lost skills. And they do.

Meanwhile, back on Koban: The human captives are in a struggle to survive the harsh and dangerous planet’s heavy gravity, deadly insects, giant predators, and 20 lb killer bats -- just to name a few. It’s going to take a miracle for them to survive on Koban, because everything that crawls, flies or grows on a bush can and WILL eat them.

They do survive, of course, but it’s HOW they survive that makes the series so amazing and compelling to read. So, I’ll say it again:

DO NOT MISS THIS SERIES. If this is the ONLY Sci fi book you ever read, START WITH BOOK ONE! I guarantee you're going to love it, and this book, Book Two, is even better, with a better narrator!

I envy you the journey because you can only ever read a great book for the first time, once -- but even the 4th time with this series is FANTASTIC!