Imperial Deserter

Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire, Book 1

Kill a man and you're a murderer. Kill a million and you're a statesman. Dirk should have killed more people.

Dirriken Friedel used his aristocratic connections to rescue his troops. He didn't plan on starting a war or killing them himself. Now he spends his days in jail, waiting for an assassin sent by his dead officers families to end his misery.

When he's broken out by off-duty marines he has a chance to start over, if he's worthy. During his ramshackle escape he collects a broken-down trading ship, a bitter former army officer, a genetically altered religious fanatic, a runaway ingenue, a sham engineer, and a murderous femme fatale. Pursed by a fanatical imperial tribune bent on bloody justice, can he keep the crew from killing each other, the ship from exploding, and himself from the bottom of a bottle. Or would it be easier just to give up?

If you like Galactic Empires, honorable enemies, and snappy dialog, this one's for you.

©2022 Andrew Moriarty (P)2023 Tantor

DR:Realistic ensamble cast compromising

Five individuals each of whom on their own wish to escape their present circumstances, most of whom have found themselves on the run from law enforcement of some kind find themselves marooned on a space ship together. Expressing the best of humanity, calm minds and rational thinking to different degree based on the character agree that they have greater chances of achieving each their own individual goals if they work together at least for the time being. And so a star ship with a crew that's teetering on the edge of mutually assured demise through some teeth grinding compromises launches off into space.

Whilst the obvious conclusion would be that the story's main character is the pilot, each of the protagonists feels real, i.e. having their individual interests, opinion and history. Simultaneously not detracting from the protagonists on the run, plot A, the dutiful and loyal to the Emperor imperial tribune on the fringe, plot B, does his duty for the Empire. Ever more coming to realize (being directed to by the good men and women of his crew) the inevitable Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire, hence the series title.

Conclusion: 4/5. Listened on Audible included in plus catalogue. Narrated by: Christopher Grove. At this point, personally, lacking imagination to predict what direction will the story go. Protagonists on the run, having been driven together by fate and misfortune, each have their own past which is not yet revealed for most of them. Eagerly looking towards reading the next book as to learn how will their stories tie together with the tribune's story and the series' title. Bad value for the length of the book, buying it with USD- 1.48 $/hour (17.19 $ / 11 hrs 37 mins ).

Values:
Terrible: >1.66 $/hour
Bad: 1 - 1.66 $/hour
Good: <1 $/hour
Dream: 0.4 - 0.27 $/hour

Stars:
1 - Not worth the resources to reproduce/preserve this title.
2 -Bad
3 -Good
4 - Personally, love it
5 - Recommended to everyone

Just short

Seemed a bit lacking in the ability to engage the reader in what could be a pretty good story line

Good character development

The book was a little slow to get started but I am happy that I stayed with it to the end.

Do you like fun, scifi & great stories? Read this!

These books will be future classics for folks who like fun, unique space stories. Great characters and a true page turner.

Enjoyable characters and banter

This might be better read instead of listened to. The reader made it frustrating. The use of references to body parts of the emperor as curses made no sense and was annoying. I will continue the series because of the story and characters.