The Recruitment Rise of the Free Fleet

By: Michael Chatfield

Narrated by: Dan Bittner

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.

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

Ridiculously Good

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

Fantastic but-

Fantastic narration and great paceing. I love almost all the characters all except Yaso. Yaso is probably the most self centered ego centric piece of trash of a character. I hate every time she comes into chapter. Its always about her and she makes no attempt to see things from others perspective. every time she shows up I hope she is killed or left somewhere. she has assaulted him multiple times and nearly killed him all because she is so extremely selfish and self centered. Probably to much rant but I almost skipped every chapter with her in it. other that Yaso the book was great and you opinion of her might differ so I definitely recommend this audiobook.

A great surprise

Fantastic book and narration my only complaint is is the relationship between the two mc i know it’s that way because story I just know a simple conversation could fix the problems