Conscript

Space Opera Adventure (Star Defenders, Book 1)

By: Pamela Stewart

Narrated by: Brenda Scott Wlazlo

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Conscripted and forced to fight for her life.

Seventeen-year-old Vega Volante was almost done with her mandatory service to the Axis government. Everyone had told her it would be easy - in and out.

Then, the hostile aliens invaded.

Now, she slaves away training and retooling a mining ship for war as part of the Star Defenders. All Vega wants is to get home to her family. So, when a chance at officers training opens up, she jumps at the opportunity for more freedom. But there are only five slots, and Vega must use all her planet-born skill to fight for her place.

As if that wasn't enough, the ship's condition continues to worsen. "Accidents" may not be accidents. The lines between friends and enemies blur, and Vega realizes there's a lot more at stake than her chance at freedom.

Fans of Aurora Rising, Ender's Game, and Brandon Sanderson's Skyward will devour this story of adventure, mystery, and friendship.

©2019 Pamela Stewart (P)2020 Pamela Stewart

The sci-fi you've been looking for!

Join Vega and her new friends aboard the Lazarus. An old retooled space mining rig filled with failing systems and a green crew.
A wonderful story with a female protagonist. A nice mix of character development, mystery and action. I look forward to continuing the adventure.

new

a new to me author, this book held my attention better then most sci-fi ones have as of late. all I'm going to say without spoilers is nothing goes plan.

Off planet YA Adventure

Seventeen-year-old Vega Volante was almost done with her mandatory service to the Axis government when she finds herself in deep space on a mining craft that is being converted to a warship after hostile aliens invade the galaxy.

She and other cadets are being trained as they help convert the ship. Vega is planet born and had hoped to return home to help her parents on their farm. Five positions at the officers’ training academy might be her ticket home. She will need to prove herself however she has already raised the ire of her commanding officer.

When a series of accidents occur, Vega sets out to prove its sabotage, but first she’ll need to save her teammates.

Stewart offered a well paced, developed storyline with characters that kept me engaged. She offered a motley crew of trainees that needed to work together from the nerd, to the kid from the wrong side of the tracks.

I enjoyed Vega from her inner dialogue to the awkward moments with the cute boy. I found myself caught up as she tried to navigate a difficult roomie, a commanding officer who seems to despise her and a fellow cadet who has it out for her. Vega felt genuine, and her growth was realistic.

We learn just enough of the world to engage us as the author weaved in tidbits along the way. This allowed for a fast-paced adventure. The story offered twists and tested each of the characters.

I am hoping for a prequel about the alien sighting and world. Meanwhile, Stewart wrapped up this first story while setting up the next in series.

Brenda Scott Wlazlo offered a stellar narration from tone to unique voices for each character. While the POV belongs to Vega, she added depth and made listening a pleasure.

Exhilarating

Wow! What a great adventure, I loved seeing the MC deal with her inner struggles and watching her overcome obstacles. This story was amazing & non stop action. I can’t wait for the next book!

WHY HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS BEFORE?!!!

Vega Volante was almost done with her mandatory service to the Axis government. Until her squad was attacked by aliens. Only...she is the only survivor, and many don't believe her story.

The attack on her squad caused the government to extend all of the active military contracts, including her conscription. Now she's stuck on a far out post training for war when she should be helping her family with the harvest.

As if most of the other soldiers disbelief of her story didn't make her enough of a pariah, she's also a "grounder," someone who was born on a world instead of in space. She's shorter and stronger than her space born counterparts.

So when an accident on her first day at her new post results in her saving the life of a fellow cadet with her strength should have given her some credit, instead she finds suspicion aimed at her, not only from her fellow soldiers but also from command.

Not to mention the fact that she knows she didn't make up the story about the aliens. And she knows how little good their human weapons are against them.

WOW WOW WOW.

Do you ever read a book and get mad that it isn't more popular, that you've never heard of it? Well, here I am, pissed off that people know about Brian Sanderson's Skyward series but they've never heard of Pamela Stewart. As an avid sci-fi fan I'm always excited to see women writing the non-romance version of sci-fi, something I so rarely see. That's why I picked it up.

But I didn't expect it to be THIS good. If it was THIS good why haven't I heard of it? Maybe because it's independently published, maybe because the author is female. Either way I intend to rectify this situation by telling every sci-fi reader I know about this series and this author.

Vega is just the right amount of vulnerable and just the right amount of strong. She makes a few bad choices - it is YA after all and she's only 17 - to further the plot without being annoying. Her new squad is full of misfits like her, people who don't fit the mold, and they are all so interesting and fun. I've got such a "thing" for a squad of misfits. What can I say, it's a trope I love!

The only criticism I have of this book is that I want MORE. I wanted it to be longer, I wanted more everything - more world building, more training, more mystery and people acting weird and not knowing why - twists and turns and the unpredictability! Yes yes yes, I want more!

5 Stars, I can't wait to read the second book! (And if you're wondering - yes, I did follow Pamela Stewart on Amazon so that I can binge read everything she's published! She's an indie writer to watch folks!)

Great Sci-fi Adventure!!

Conscript by Pamela Stewart
Couldn't put it down! Vega is a great, tough as nails character and the storyline had me hooked from the beginning. I listened to the audio version and the narration was well done!
Great sci-fi adventure!

Meh

I struggled to finish this YA coming of age story. The heroine is TSTL She solves too many situations with great strength.