Vanguard Strike

Paragon Space, Book 1

De: Jarom Strong

Narrado por: Jeff Harding

An action-packed military space opera

A vast battlecruiser moves silently through space—a ghost ship, abandoned decades ago. There could be treasure inside… or monsters.

I’m the sucker who’s going to find out.

Once I was a hero. An elite soldier fighting for the Paragon military. Now the Paragon’s wars are won and I’m nobody—a gun for hire, working illegal salvage operations.

There’s money to be made out in the dark. Ships filled with valuable tech, left to drift between the stars. A smart salvage crew can get rich. Or at least die trying.

Because there’s a damn good reason these ships are abandoned. Rippers. Crafted in Paragon labs, rippers are living weapons—terrifying creatures with steel claws that tear into any human they see. They can clear a ship in minutes. And a planet in a week.

I’ve fought rippers before. I’ve got the scars and the nightmares to prove it. But this mission is different…

When an old friend and his beautiful, deadly new boss break me out of prison and ask me to join their crew, I know right away there has to be a catch.

They’re searching for a lost warship that contains a priceless secret. But this is a fully armed Paragon battlecruiser, a maze of passageways and advanced defence systems, all of it infested with rippers. It’s a suicide mission. Impossible. But if it could be done…

Whoever raids that ship will hold the fate of the galaxy in their hands.

An absolutely thrilling science-fiction adventure of tension, intrigue and hard-hitting action, Vanguard Strike is perfect for fans of James S.A. Corey, Marko Kloos and Craig Alanson.

©2025 Jarom Strong (P)2025 Second Sky, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Compelling and vivid… A high-powered, electric story… will keep military SF fans reading!” Jeremy Szal, author of Stormblood

A Sci-Fi Journey Worth Taking

This book completely drew me in from the start. The author did such a wonderful job building the world and letting readers step right into it. What really stood out to me was how much depth the main character had. Reading from his perspective gave such an honest look at how he thinks, struggles, and makes decisions. His flaws, vulnerabilities, and moments of strength made him so real and relatable. I especially loved the flashbacks to his past missions with his old crew, and how those experiences shaped the choices he faced in the present.

I’ll be honest, I don’t usually read military sci-fi or space opera, but I am so glad I gave this book a chance. It was captivating, exciting, and so well-written that I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it, even if you don’t typically gravitate toward this genre…you may be as surprised as I was at how much you enjoy it. I’ll definitely be continuing with the series!

Thrilling sci fi adventure

This was a great listen. Both the book and the narration were excellent. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Intriguing and fun!

I love it! Great narrator and fun story. The main character has a lot of personal growth to overcome the traumas of his past. I am buying the next book in the series to see where the characters go!!

StarCraft/Space Marine Vulture Story

Great story - feels like if you were looking through the eyes of a StarCraft Marine after the main war had finished. What do you do next? The story is engaging and has tons of unexpected twists that keep you coming back for more. I would recommend this book to everyone!

Cinema-like action! What a ride!

The book is AMAZING but FYI the narrator takes getting used to.

I am often apprehensive about 'Rough around the Edges' characters due to how stereotypical or flat they are. But the author masterfully balanced grit with vulnerability, crafting a main character who’s both powerful and deeply human.

While not a romance, the story offers beautifully written glimpses of fighting alongside those you love. This book has something for everyone. 10/10.

Amazing

Great performance and exciting space heist that turns into so much more. Very entertaining. Looking forward to getting ahold of the the next book.

Man, that was fun!

From the get go, this book started out on a high note. Military action, mech suits, war drugs, so inventive, so unique. The writing is sooooo much better than the narrator makes it sound (it took me a minute to get used to him) and I want so much to buy this book in hard back so I can read Jarom’s prose in their pure form. This book is a knock out! Read it!

This book is less red light and more green light.

Great start to a series from a new author! Looking forward to the next book.

I generally don't give out much information about a book because I don't want to potentially spoil anything. But so you have an idea of what the story is... I would say it's a mix of Firefly, Starship Troopers, and.. maybe a dash of the Maltese Falcon.

May not be a good description. :) But it is a good story! I definitely recommend to any sci fi, space opera readers and listeners.

Thoroughly Enjoyed

I absolutely loved this book. The writing is excellent. The plot is super engaging-- you will be guessing and rethinking the whole way through. The characters are not just fun but compelling and relatable, each with their share of internal and external conflicts and vulnerabilities. The narrator for the audiobook is fantastic. I'm very picky when it comes to narrators and Jeff Harding does an incredible job. Paired with Strong's fast-paced narrative, it felt like I was watching a movie every time I listened.
I can't recommend this series enough.

Engaging story that keeps you hooked

I went in knowing nothing and was intrigued from the very start. I enjoyed seeing how the characters, world and history all came together to create an engaging narrative.