The Recruitment Rise of the Free Fleet

By: Michael Chatfield

Narrated by: Dan Bittner

Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

They called it The Recruitment. Thousands were kidnapped and trained to fight. One fought back.  

James Cook was a gamer headed for the biggest gaming match on Earth. Instead the Planetary Defense Force kidnapped him, his team and 20,000 others.  

Their alien trainers don't care how many of them survive, they only care that they can fight.   

James Cook was a gamer, but his avatar Salchar, he was a fighter, a leader, and the man the recruits need. James must put his doubts about himself aside, there's no guide to this, no strategy and it's definitely not a game. He will need to become Salchar, with one goal, to protect his people.  

This is the story of Salchar, his recruits, and the Rise of their Free Fleet.

©2015 Michael Chatfield Publications Inc. (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

A worthwhile series and an imaginative author

Having read and listened to books one through five I find far less concerned with the series's impact on my primary and tertiary education than it's entertainment values. If considering the purchase for the first time I would disregard "helpful" negative reviews with no substance. Labeling such as "helpful" is admitting that a person's vague negative impression is enough to turn one's interest. On to the subject at hand...

As with all sci-fi there is an expectation that we need to suspend our beliefs. When telling such a story you can try explaining the technology or you can simply say "this is fact". As a reader it helps to remember that the author created the world and thus things are just as they say. As mankind does tend to attribute the creators of universes. We can enjoy the tale of struggles and triumphs in an harsh galaxy where trust, loyalty and candor are the rarest and most precious of resources.

This series revolves around a group of characters that are under constant threat in a sector so brutalized that altruism has been all but abolished. It is a harsh environment of tragedy, betrayal(a bit too much of both for my taste without a greater reckoning), and controversy. Bad things happen, perhaps too many. Evil gains power. Selfishness prevails. Even those some consider great falter. The heroes have a long dark road to traverse. So be warned.

What makes it worth the price of a credit or the addition of narration to the kindle editions is the overall story. Suspend belief, ignore the few holes and pretend you are not the ultimate armchair tactician or the illegitimate heir to Stephen Hawking's research and enjoy being told as tale. These are the type of books that hold their value in their concepts. Said value measured in the number of times you think the word "cool".

In summary, the author is flawed(as we all are) and still growing as a writer but ultimately imaginative and willing to share the interesting entertaining worlds he creates. The work is, as I've said before, a look into the lives of the characters not a simple telling of a series of entertaining events. Verbose, yes, but I hope you find it helpful.

Painful

Terrible writing. Clearly does not understand show don’t tell. Desperate need of at least one rewrite and and editor. An interesting story and I wanted to like it but I can’t. The main character is a whiny bitch whose stupidity is almost as large as his sense of inadequacy. I won’t be reading the rest of the series.

Skip this one

As said below this might be a good idea, but the writing needs help. I gave it about 45 minutes before I had to give up.

Could not finish.

I was most of the way through when I decided I didn't need to waste anymore time with it.

Awful. Truly awful.

The story was trite and uninspired. That's the kindest thing I can say about this drivel.

Painful to listen to.

I decided after reading other reviews and checking reviews on the sequels that I would give this a try. My mistake, I should have saved the credit. There is no believably in the writing and only gets confusing in some places. The main character is a gamer with God like fame telling adults and children he will lead them. At the same he has a Air Force reservist who thinks guard is a MOS and ripping steel out of a wound and slapping a bandage on it is good enough for government work. The book is a teenager dream written down on paper.

Only finished because I was bored

This wasn’t that great. I thought it might be better because of the ten realms series the author wrote. It just lacked imagination and kinda seemed similar to how people talk about why they don’t like Superman with nothing can really hurt him. It’s just not what I expected and I won’t be reading any more in the series.

Ridiculously Good

Quite enjoyable; not really a space combat (ship to ship); more boarding party insurgency stuff.

Fun read

I really liked this book, in depth story building good character development and story that had a few twists.

Solid

Solid story..An interesting concept of gamers conscripted to be an alien spices mercs/slaves...not an original idea but the author does a good job with the story, kept me entertained and half way thru the 1st book it was good enough that I bought the rest of the series. Just finishe book 1 and will start book 2 tomorrow...looking forward to the next one

childish and incoherent

Honestly thought it was a YA story until the random swear words were shovelled subtly in to the story. Puerile and basic with enormous plot holes and inconsistencies. I finished it because I absolutely hate not finishing a book, but I'll be getting a refund for the credit wasted. narrator was decent without being noteworthy, apart from the normal narrator error of trying to do convincing female voices, with all female characters sounding like Victorian era caricatures.

WOW again

I don't know how he does it but HE did it, another great start to a new series and this time I won't have to wait for months for the next book and in the meantime forget most of what happened in the past book.

I like the story, the characters and the bond they share, I didn't lose interest in any section of the book, I felt the pace was great filled with twists and turn to keep readers interested and engaged. James and his companions are a good leader, embodying the qualities of honor, courage, self-sacrifice, and they don't favor one nation or species but work to free all life and build a connection. I don't wanna hype it up too much and jinx it but I will read all 6 books in this series within a week, I think.

Worth the money

Easy to listen to a story filled with laughs and crys, can't wait to get the next book..

Pro gamer meet's real warfare.

I'll start by saying it's a good book story. It's simple action plot that carry's it self quit well. The characters did help me to enjoy the book more. Nothing blow me away but the whole story and further books to lead on nicely.