Captain

Dirigent Mercenary Corps, Book 3

De: Rick Shelley

Narrado por: Mark Delgado

The year is AD 2804. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace - and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

Serving with the Dirigent Mercenary Corps wasn’t Lieutenant Lon Nolan’s first choice - it was his only choice. After he was expelled from the North American Military Academy, there was nowhere else to go. He’s finally made a place for himself with the DMC when a girl has to go and throw a wrench in his plans. Sara Pines is beautiful and brilliant, and he’s sure she’s the one.

Unfortunately, Lon’s shipped out to quell a civil war on a distant planet before he has a chance to marry the woman he loves. And now that he’s arrived on Aldrin, it’s becoming increasingly clear that he might never make it home....

The Dirigent Mercenary Corps books are classics of military science fiction. Rick Shelley was himself a veteran of the U.S. Army, and his experience and knowledge shine through on every page.

©1999 Rick Shelley (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Solid MilSF

Lt. Nolan's company is contracted for defense duty on a long-divided planet.

This book does a much better job with character work than the previous two, with a romance for the protagonist and a better insight into his thoughts and emotions.

The plot is a bit implausible. <spoiler>The idea that a contracted mercenary unit would support the enemies of their employer strains credulity for me. There are reasons adduced in the text, but this seems unlikely.</spoiler>

That aside, the military action (though still not particularly MilSF) is done well and Shelley builds tension well.

Note that the title here is misleading. Nolan is a Lieutenant through the full story presented.

Overall, this is the best book so far in the series, and gets a much stronger recommendation from me.