Spacers

By: Scott Bartlett

Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

March 15th, Earth Year 2290

The day the aliens returned.

The memories are still fresh.
Of colonies burning.
Of millions dying in agony.

Fifty years later, we’ve built up our strength.
Using a wormhole, we colonized both sides of the galaxy.

It was the worst mistake we could have made.
Our enemy has returned and the wormhole has collapsed.

Commander Thatcher finds himself on the wrong side of the divide.
Separated from his pregnant wife by countless light years.

He’s just been given command of a light armored cruiser.

His first command.

If he ever wants to see his wife again, he’ll need to do the impossible.
To defeat this enemy, he will need to reinvent space warfare.

So that’s just what he’s going to do.

Spacers contains First Command through to the end of Free Space.

©2019 Scott Bartlett (P)2019 Scott Bartlett

Boring

Well, it’s boring. I waited and waited and it never happened. Ok as background noise.

after further review...slight downgrade, but ok

update: after finishing this audiobook, not merely a 2 hour-in review (see below for reference for the early 2 hour take I had), I have to sadly downgrade this to a 4 star book. here are my reasons:

1. as you'll see below, my early glowing review was mainly from 2 major reasons: super sale (paid half a credit) & solid storyline with NO SWEARING. Sadly, the swearing started shortly after my 2-3 hours in review below. granted, it wasn't "a lot"...no f bombs, but a bunch of shittake mushrooms began peppering the story ironically after i left the early review below. go figure! I like audiobooks without the swearing usually, a personal preference, so I can share the audiobooks with my kids. Sadly they will have to miss this one as such.

2. the story itself got better and also got worse. often the action was hard to follow and for epic space battles, usually it was over before realizing it was done and they achieved some great victory. it felt a bit anticlimactic often times and it didn't grip me like other space operas have. not bad, but not 5 star worthy imho.

3. I'm not as Gung ho now about going to the next installment. sure I'm interested to see what happens. but not "can't wait ecstatic" like I have been for others. I'm not even sure I will spring for another Scott Bartlett book unless I dont have anything better to spend a credit on.

final verdict overall: 4 stars.

ps. on a plus side? mark boyett did get a little better through the story...so I bump him to 4.5 stars. can't really record that on audible review scoring above, but still not at the 5 star level. so leaving it 4 stars across the board as such.

original 2 hour-in review:

well well well...another audible super sale strikes gold again! this book is currently being offered in their 2 for 1 special spring sale 2021. if you're on the edge trying to decide, this is what my review is for, for those trying to decide if this book is worth it...

verdict? if the first 2 hours are any indication then thats a resounding HECK YEAH from me. and here are my early thoughts (would have loved to have some kind of review as I was trying to decide whether to go for 2 books or 4...ended up going for 4 books for 2 credits and figured if it sucked then I would do the ol' refund option...and I think all 4 books I selected have struck gold...in addition to this book I selected wayward galaxy which is a no brainer due to RC Bray being the narrator, and instead of listening to that one first, I've saved that one for last since I'm 99.9% sure that one will be good! I also got battleborne, and RPGlit, my first one I've ever tried, and it quickly became my top 5 fav of all time audiobook, devoured that book in 2 days...so thats 2 for 2! I also got another one that is escaping my memory right now but it won some audiobook award and its a fantasy/Japanese book of some kind that I got to complete the 4 book selection along with this one, Spacers)...

1. I have been hesitant to try Scott Bartlett books bc frankly I want to be picky with my credits...I have dozens of books on my wishlist and usually wait for sales or in special cases like the expeditionary series by Craig Alanson & aforementioned rc Bray for narrator, I protect my credits and I'm stingy with them. no use in getting lots of books and never listening! but here was one such book on sale in a 2 for 1 deal and I've been intrigued to try a Scott bartlett book...so I took the plunge. and thus far? it ticks off all of the sci-fi space opera things I look for. is it the best ever? no...but its solid. and I'm only 2 hours in. that's usually how much time I give a book before giving up if it doesn't hook me. several I've gone longer and in the end it was merely mehhhh. if this book only gets better then bonus dude! if you're on the fence, I say go for it, even if you've never listened to a bartlett book before, like me...especially with the sale!

2. there is zero swearing [edit: see above...this didn't hold up for very long after I wrote this]. for some thats a negative. for many its a positive. I usually am in the camp for the latter...as such I can also let my kids listen! bonus dude again! I appreciate authors that use more descriptive words than f bombs and shittake mushrooms...so far the only swear word has been b*astard and thats really nothing. so an extra star from 4 to 5 for me...4 stars is what I would rate the book thus far simply because I'm only 2 hours in. subject to final review of course!

3. narration is pretty good. again not the best I've heard but I want to say I may have heard Mark boyett in another book (maybe a bv Larson book?) not 100%. but said book by bv Larson book did not catch my attention. I ended up returning that one after slogging thru 2 hours. either way Mark boyett thus far as been solid...not 5 star spectacular, but subject to final review later. 4 to 4.5 stars thus far. I had to increase listening speed to 1.05x as his cadence was a little slow. ive had to do that for others and is why I would dock a 0.5 star right now.

all in all this is well worth the sale price and I've already added book 2 for spacers and added a few other 3 box sets from bartlett...will await a sale or may take the plunge for a full credit since those are 3 box sets for 1 credit, when I've finished my back log of books. will give final thoughts added below once I finish this book for any other epiphanies! right now this is 2 thumbs up!

A Recognizable, yet Unique Sci-Fi Tale

Spacers has all the plot elements one would recognize from traditional sci-fi: An unbeatable space commander, an alien threat, and a young space crew with much to prove. Yet, author Scott Bartlett shows that he can take these traditional elements and take them in a direction uniquely his own. I would recommend Spacers to anyone, but especially to fans of sci-fi who are looking for something "new." This series is exciting and gripping, moving at a pace that feels natural and deliberate.

Without revealing any spoilers, I'll go into the plot a little for those readers who are still on the fence. In Spacers, planetary defense of fringe planets is contracted out to corporations, who compete against each other for government contracts. Commander Thatcher, our main character, retires from military service and joins one of these corporations, bringing with him his extensive military experience and acumen. When the wormhole connecting the fringe planets with the core planets collapses unexpectedly, Commander Thatcher finds himself in the middle of a corporation war that has broken out in response to the central government's inability to regulate the outer system following the wormhole collapse. Add to this a re-emerging alien threat and you've got yourself an epic tale.

Finally, where Bartlett really shines is in his appreciation for innovative war-fighting tactics. His characters are continually having to come up with new ways to defeat adversaries who are just as seasoned and have just as great of a desire to win. As the audiobook played, it was fun to ask myself again and again how his characters would fight what seemed like insurmountable odds. The war-fighting tactics employed by Bartlett remind me of those used in Legend of the Galactic Heroes, a space opera anime from the 1980's. The attention to war tactics in Spacers makes this series truly delightful.

Good book!

It's a good book great characters interesting enemy. The technology and combat tatics are interesting and refreshing. Scott did a great job creating a universe I want to spend more time in. Can't wait for more!

EVE Online but with aliens

I am a recovering EVE Online player and this felt very much like a story written in that universe except with aliens. A lot of fun and a good balance of action and world-building. I look forward to future books.

Heinlein would like a word...

If you take Honor Harrington and remove all physics and stick that over Starship Troopers, you get this. It's fun, but nothing Earth shattering.

Exceptional Mil Sci-Fi/Space Opera!!

Spacers is a really fun read. This book is an introduction to the series, and really sets up the Characters and the story for the rest of the saga.
At the start of this book, we get a quick insight into what life is like in the Dawn Cluster, before we move back to the Sol System, and meet our main character, Tad Thatcher, currently the XO of the USS Hepburn.
Thatcher works for the U.S. Space Fleet Forces in the near future, with the dream of Captaining his own ship one day, he is a good candidate for it, but there is little chance of it currently.
However, things are a bit different in the future, and ‘Corporations’ have evolved to a whole new level, with ‘The Corps’ having actually built their own fleets, and started to explore space, marking off sectors of space as belonging to that particular Corporation.
The other major thing that has happened is the discovery of a stable wormhole, that allows for travel to a sector of space known as the Dawn Cluster. The Cluster has several gates itself that allow for travel between various sectors.
Each of these sectors is now run by one of the Corporations.
At the start of the book, Thatcher is approached by one of these Corporations, Frontier Security, and is offered the job of Captain, aboard the New Jersey, a Light Cruiser, in the Dawn Cluster, to come and work for the CEO Veronica Rose. Initially Thatcher is worried about his decision, as it means leaving his pregnant Wife on Earth, and going through the wormhole, but after talking with her, they decide it is the best course of action.
And so Thatcher takes up his role as Captain aboard the New Jersey.
This is where the story gets really interesting, as a multitude of things happen (without giving away any spoilers!).
First off, not long after Thatcher passes through the massive wormhole into the Dawn Cluster, which has been open for ever, and never had any issues before, it suddenly shuts down, closing off all travel and communication with Earth.
The other thing that happens, is that there is both an increase in Pirate activity, and fellow Corporation activity as far as the Territory and Shipping of the Frontier Security Company.
Just before it shuts though, as they are moving through the wormhole, news reaches Thatcher that the Xanthic, an alien race that had attacked Earth over 50yrs ago, has attacked Earth again, in a very mysterious way (I won’t give away spoilers). Thatcher of course, is torn, between his job and his Wife and unborn child.
It is up to New Jersey and Thatcher and his Crew to stop these ‘Incursions”, and protect Frontier Security Territory and Assets. Early on Thatcher is called to a semi-siege like incident in the Oasis Sector, and rescues the CEO of Frontier Security, and as a result, she ends up on his ship, commandeering one of his cargo bays to set up an office.
The Character interactions between Thatcher and Rose are a fascinating, and rather amusing part of this series, as both of them are incredibly head strong people, used to getting their own way, both thinking that they are right and know what is best for a situation. It makes for some highly emotive, and rather entertaining sections of the book as the two of them have to constantly navigate around each other.
Thatcher’s Character is one that is intriguing as well as just fascinating from the start, Bartlett has gone to great lengths to make him an incredibly enthralling Character, one that you find instantly engaging, as he is not only highly intelligent, with a brilliant sense of tactics and strategy, but he is also very sensitive to those around him.
Veronica Rose is a headstrong and highly intellectual person, brought up to try and respect and understand those around her, but also with a keen sense of business. She is a very clever character.
There are numerous other exceptional Characters, the entire bridge and CIC crew, other members of the various Corporations, all lend to a really creative, and masterful set of characters that you get lost in, something that Bartlett does with every one of his books. The Character Driven Storyline was one of the true highlights of his Ixan Saga, and it is again a highlight of this series.
The story is not just about the Corporations though, threading through this constant intrigue, and political interplay of the Dawn Cluster, there is a much more insidious threat at play. The same threat that has plagued humanity in the Sol Region, that they had to fight off 50yrs ago, and are now fighting again, is in the Dawn Cluster – the Xanthic.
It was actually Thatcher’s Grandfather, Edward Thatcher, that defeated the Xanthic all those years ago, and it is Edward that has not only inspired Tad, but mentored him along the way. Without Edward Thatcher, Tad would not be the Captain he is today, as he is constantly remembering the voice of Edward Thatcher, and the useful bits of advice he gave him. It makes for some very interesting reading.
It is clear to see early on in this series that one aspect of this book will be the tech and the starships, as there some stunning examples of not just technology for both the Marines, and the Corporations, but the intricate detail that goes into describing the ships and weapons, as well as the battle-scenes is outstanding, and for fans of Mil Sci-Fi and Space Opera etc, it makes for a wonderful read. Bartlett puts so much time and effort into making sure that every aspect of his battle scenes, both on the ground and in space, are meticulously described, so you feel like you are in the power-armour, mech suit, CIC or cockpit, and it just adds so much intensity to the story.
Overall, this is a great introduction to what is a fantastic series (I am up to part 4 already, and it just gets better with every part). This opening book, not only gives you a good look at each of the Characters, but enlightens you to affairs within the Dawn Cluster, how everything operates, and more importantly, it gives you a look at how Tad Thatcher and the crew of the Veronica Rose standup against the old enemy of humanity – the Xanthic.
If you have read any of Scott Bartlett before, you will love this series, and if not, but love a good Mil Sci-Fi, or Space Opera, you are in for a treat!!
Mark Boyett is just outstanding as the Narrator for these books, creating this incredible audiobooks that flow with such ease, but telling us the story with so much passion, so much emotion in his characters. He is perfect as the voice of the main character Thatcher.
He does a remarkable voice for each of the main characters, male, female, alien or human, they are just so clear, so concise, you can tell each character apart he does them so well. It is not just that though, you can tell how they feel, as he is able to create emotions for each of these characters, within the scope of their situation, whether they are excited by a social event, terrified by an attack on the ship or angry at the Captain for some politically charged reason. He is a truly masterful Narrator, and one that is an easy one to recommend, and, one that you should absolutely listen to, rather than read, as you will get so much more out of the audiobook!!

The way I like books.

I found it to be a little so for me. I do like Scott's writing.

Spacers...worth it

totally enjoyed listening to this book and hope the next series is just as good

Interesting story!

Like most military sci-fi books it has a familiar feel. At first it can seem almost sterile. However you do get drawn in, and become close to the characters. You start to care about them, and their survival. The story is an interesting one, and it does pull you in. The performer in this case is top notch, Mark Boyett is always top notch. I really do hope that this story continue on. I want to find out what happens next!