Unbreakable

A Novel

By: W.C. Bauers

Narrated by: Andi Arndt

Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

The colonists of the planet Montana are accustomed to being ignored. Situated in the buffer zone between two rival human empires, their world is a backwater: remote, provincial, independently minded. Even as a provisional member of the Republic of Aligned Worlds, Montana merits little consideration - until it becomes the flashpoint in an impending interstellar war. When pirate raids threaten to destabilize the region, the RAW deploys its mechanized armored infantry to deal with the situation. Leading the assault is Marine Corps Lieutenant and Montanan expatriate Promise Paen of Victor Company. Years earlier, Promise was driven to join the Marines after her father was killed by such a raid. Payback is sweet, but it comes at a tremendous and devastating cost. And Promise is in no way happy to be back on her birthworld, not even when she is hailed as a hero by the planet's populace, including its colorful president. Making matters even worse: Promise is persistently haunted by the voice of her dead mother. Meanwhile, the RAW's most bitter rival, the Lusitanian Empire, has been watching events unfold in the Montana system with interest. Their forces have been awaiting the right moment to gain a beachhead in Republic territory, and with Promise's Marines decimated, they believe the time to strike is now. Unbreakable by W.C. Bauers is character driven, military science fiction at its best.

©2014 William C. Bauers (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

Really Good Story!

This is a classic. It follows all of the classical themes of great space opera fiction. Young female sergeant in the RAW Marines is thrust into unwanted command with a small force against insuperable odds and wins. The story hits all the right buttons for me, just like Weber did with the Honor Harrington stories and Weber and Ringo did decades ago with the We Few series. Some might critique this as cliche, but I like it. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes great space opera/military sci-fi.

Great read!

Great writer. Could not put it down had to keep on reading . Can not wait for the next installment.

Ours is not to reason why.

In the fine tradition of the notable heroes of fact and fiction rises the new star Lt. Promise Paen. Part Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, Honor Harrington, Kristine Longknife and Horatio Hornblower and undoubtedly all her own.

Promise Paen has left her life and her home world behind her in a gamble to gain the expertise necessary wreak bloody vengeance. Instead she finds a home and family in her brother's and sisters in the R.A.W. Marines. No one can run forever, and Lt. Paen has just been called to duty on the one rock in all the 'verse she never wanted to see again.

A dark shadow has come calling upon her home world and Paen must wage a war both conventional and insurgent to save a world and people she never expected to again lay eyes on. She is headed home. Duty and honor will make her confront all her demons face on.

W.C. Bauers is not afraid to cut a swath of blood and bodies through his creation like he made a personal bet with George R.R. Martin over body count. Not one death is over done. Every drop of blood sweat and tears draws the story forward to the plot's climax.

Much like Slim Pickens in Doctor Strangelove I know I am in for the ride of my life, while the sultry tones of Mae West whisper in my ear “Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride”.

The Narrator, Andi Arndt does a brilliant job bringing the characters to life.

Why are you still reading this review and not listening to the book already?

Space Marines, Cowboy planet, what is not to love?

I really enjoyed this book. It hits all the sci fi military must haves, which could just make it cliche, but the author does well to make it all work. I am a huge fan of (current generation small arms) archaic weapons in military future sci fi, so that hooked me when I read to preview. I was glad to find the book turned out to be pretty good. The military is very much based on the US Navy and Marine Corps, which after sixteen years of service, I am familiar with both. The author doesn't religiously stick to accuracy, but makes it his own where needed and it doesn't distract even the veteran in me. It is familiar enough to make me feel I already know it, but with enough twist and difference to keep it interesting and fresh.

The Republic of Aligned Worlds Marine Corps (RAWMC) is very much a mix of our current day USMC with some Starship Troopers mech suit action going. The lead character is a strong, mostly competent female lead, which I enjoy. Too often it seems female leads are drowning in self doubt in these type of stories, that isn't the case here. They deploy to a fringe world planet called Montana, which is what you'd get if you made an entire planet out of the state of Montana. The population are hard core, independent, gun toting, gun loving, constitutionalists.

The planet is in a buffer area that is also wanted by the galaxy's other superpower the Empire of Lusitania, which is strongly modeled on the British Empire. There are equal parts politics, space battles, ground battles and interesting characters. There isn't much to dislike if military sci fi appeals to you.

I do have a few grips though. The RAW MC constantly give a better equipped and manned opponent verbal chances to surrender, and it costs them every time. There is also a chapter were the author keeps referring to the Sailors on the Republic ships and 'Navys' as in 'the Marines and Navys'. He later fixes that and refers from them from then out to Sailors, but it really grated on my nerves. The book takes a lot of proven elements from other stories and worlds, but does well in making it work. My biggest let down though is the ending. It not only feels rushed, but leaves out what I'd think important closure. I won't go into it as to not create a spoiler, but the ended really need more between 'climactic battle' and 'epilogue'.

Not the SciFi I hoped

OK look, it was a good book, but more of a political strategy story than a SciFi futuristic battle that I hoped it would be. If you're into the political strategy behind the war, then this book is for you (at some points, it felt like the author was trying to prove his knowledge of political chess). If you're into futuristic technology and action packed battle, look elsewhere

Good Book

I like trying a writer's first work and at least as far as audible this was the first. I think it was a very good first attempt. There are plot problems like the hero getting a promotion over others that were about seven steps above what she was. You will have to ignore those and it will be enjoyable.

A fine debut for fans of MilSciFi.

Many writers try to be as good as their own favorite authors and genres, but W.C Bauers has succeeded. Fans of Weber, Ringo, Larson, Kratman and so many more will discover that a great new voice has exploded into our midst like a happiness grenade. The only criticism I will mention is that the naval scenes need more detail, but I can easily tell that the author has what it takes to do just that, and more, if he desires. Kudos to you Mr. Bauers!

I hope Andi Arndt narrates the next book too!

And I hope to see Book 2 in the Audible catalog soon . It appears that Unbreakable has been around since 2015…. hopefully the next book will be recorded soon. This one hits right in my personal sweet spot. Honorable heroine, military science fiction, underdogs, adversity to success….the whole shebang!

Solid military SF

While this will never be a classic, it is a solid, if predictable entry into the field. After not finishing a number of well reviewed self-published novels it is a relief to finally find a book that wasn't just silly, that played fair with physics, that didn't have crazy packed asteroid fields.

The plot played fair. No miracles saving everyone when all seemed hopeless. Characters we're decently fleshed out for this type of novel.

The narrator did an excellent job. Recommended.

Equal parts Firefly and Star Ship Troopers

Enjoyable but not exceptional space opera. I quite like some of the concepts but they strain credulity. The book is more Fiction than Science.

The book also contains some Christian undertones (not all that surprising given the author's other works). That's pretty unusual in Science Fiction and I think he could have done a better job using the tension between her nascent faith and how it conflicts with her role to greater effect. Maybe that conflict obvious for practicing Christian's but it isn't fully explored.