The Hunters of Vermin

By: H. Paul Honsinger

Narrated by: Lawrence Alexander

Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

On his first solo mission and deep behind enemy lines, young reconnaissance-fighter pilot, Ensign Max Robichaux, Union Space Navy, finds himself prisoner of not the Krag, humanity's enemy in its decades-long interstellar war for survival but of the Vaaach, an incredibly advanced race of aliens legendary for their secretive and territorial ferocity. For reasons Max barely understands, the Vaaach decide that they have an obligation to train him to be a Vaaach warrior, or at least as close as a puny, fruit-eating human can come.

Max finds himself on a strange, unknown world, under the tutelage of a nine-foot-tall, carnivorous Vaaach drill instructor, learning an alien way of fighting and stalking and making war. Not only is the training like nothing Max has ever imagined, there's the small matter of the final exam: a real mission involving real combat against real Krag with the life or death of an entire Union naval task force hanging in the balance. Max is going to have to find resources of cunning, creativity, strength, endurance, and courage far beyond his years if he's going to survive and save thousands of his comrades who - unknown to them - are depending on the slender thread of the young officer's abilities for their very survival.

The Hunters of Vermin is a short novel (just over 62,500 words, slightly longer than such classic novels as Lord of the Flies and All Quiet on the Western Front), that can be listened to as a stand-alone adventure or as a part of the longer series of Max Robichaux space tales.

©2017 H. Paul Honsinger (P)2018 H. Paul Honsinger

Heartbroken

Enjoyed so much the Robichaux series. As a devotee of the Aubrey/Machurin books by Patrick O’Brien, I was very pleased with the deft homage H. Paul Honsinger brought to space. With the “Deadly/Hunters” pair of books, it makes you wonder how O’Brien would’ve treated a flashback book in Jack Aubrey’s life. Spoiler alert: there is a “deus ex machina” element to these last two books brought about by the Vaaach species, but the action is compelling and the story is interesting. I thought Mr. Alexander’s narration was good, but didn’t think it necessary to voice a 16 year old man who had been at war for 8 years as though he was a “squeaker.”
It crushed me to hear of Honsinger’s passing. I’m not sure anyone else will be able to repeat what he has accomplished in the genre.

A good yarn

A good yarn that I am allowing my old teen nephews to enjoy. It feels a little like young adult literature despite some of the language.

loved it. hard to stop. sorry it's done. can't wai

t for the sequel. unpainted is a favorite. will always be interested in any further works.

enjoyable

One of the few books I love listening several times. The depiction of events and characters never gets boring, always fresh and interesting every time.

Tragically ironic

That H. Paul Honsinger was killed by the Corona virus just a few months before Pfiser announced a vaccine that was developed by their partner BioNtech which was founded by a person with the same name as one of his beloved characters Dr Ugur Sahin and his wife Özlem Türeci.

We’re going to miss you Paul.

BTW, this is an excellent prequel to the Man of War series.

This book is a golden nugget among this genre

This novella is just a delight to read (or listen) because I bought the two formats. Don't be fooled by the first chapters, they are helpful to frame the competence later showen by the character in later books (remember this is a prequel). I couldn't put it down after I was through the second half. It grabs you like a "Tractor beam" to the head and doesn't let go until you reach the end! Honsinger does it again with his prose!

Ok, but could be better.

Ok story but too much profane language and somewhat contradict the other books set in the same universe. Also I feel the main character's traits deviates from earlier books.