The Mantiz Gambit

Disunion: Book One

By: John Whitman

Narrated by: Price Waldman

Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

The Union of Earth maintains a tenuous hold on its colonies. When the planet Acadia threatens to secede, Ex Fleet commander Matt Ryder is forced to choose sides. Meanwhile, a young bureaucrat named Amanda Chester is sure that alien forces are behind the rebellion. Amanda guides a small group of operators, including a reluctant Matt Ryder, on a mission that will either stop the war…or start a larger one.

Replete with space naval battles and hand-to-hand combat in the vacuum and on the ground, Disunion: Book One - The Mantiz Gambit, tells the story of brave men and women fighting to hold a fragile human network together.

©2023 John Whitman (P)2023 John Whitman

Disunion

I don’t write a lot of reviews, but I truly enjoyed this. The story writing style I thought was wonderful. It left a lot to the imagination so the reader could fill in a lot of the blanks. So what it treated the reader like an adult. As well as the physics involved in science fiction. Also, what are things I thought was very cool was the description of the alien races that was told as you needed it you know it wasn’t like oh here’s the alien. It looks like blah blah blah. It was the aliens looked like this as you needed it, and I was beautiful in the storytelling, the storytelling just rocked you know it treated you like an adult as you were reading it and it was such a breath of fresh air. You know was a swashbuckling yarn, but I couldn’t recommend it more if I wrote it myself although it just rocked, so I’ll brush your Fresh Air in the science fiction genre Also I’m dictating this throughout my reading glasses on, so if it’s disjointed, it just kind of roll with it.

Best Sci-Fi Book I've read in years!

This book is easily one of the best I've read in years. As an avid reader for over 30 years, I sometimes feel like I've read it all, especially when it comes to sci-fi. However, this book is a refreshing departure from the same rushed "military sci-fi" formula that seems to dominate the genre. From the very beginning, the story is captivating with a well-thought-out space battle that is reminiscent of The Expanse.

The author skillfully combines real scientific laws and theories with original and creative concepts that remind me of classic sci-fi novels without becoming tedious or overly complicated. The book is filled with large-scale, realistic space battles, thought-provoking technology, intriguing alien species, and well-developed characters that you can truly understand and empathize with.

The only downside to this book is that it ended and I will have to wait for the sequel. The universe that the author created is incredible, and I can't wait to see where the story goes next. If you're looking for an exciting and original sci-fi book, this one has it all.

Excellent.

Good, smart hard sci-fi. The characters have depth and their motivations and relationships are refreshingly real and convincingly complex; not all good, not all bad. Admirably handles themes that are relevant in the current national and global zeitgeist…but good, hard sci-fi first and foremost.

The Expanse meets the Hunt for Red October

I loved this hard military sci fi novel! I listened to the whole thing in a day and a half!

Realistic space naval battles, special ops tactical firefights, alien intrigue, and a villain I can really hate? Yes, please!

Price Waksman does an excellent job of performing this book. His voicing of the characters makes it easy to follow the plot, and he’s entertaining!

Only downside is having to wait for the next book in the series. Definite worth a credit!