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Woe to the Victor
Earth’s been destroyed, but the fight’s not over! Nathan H. Green, author of The Galileo, and Treason’s Temple, brings his degree in aerospace engineering to space combat in this action packed, hard science-fiction thriller.
It’s Earth’s last day and Captain Lewis Black drifts though space, watching it burn.
The pilots under his command are dead. The war with the Maaravi is lost. Air hisses into space from around the stump of his severed arm.
In the distance a Maaravi ship approaches. Whether to torture him for information, capture him as a prisoner, or take him as a trophy, he’ll have one last chance to hurt them.
Natasha Palmer, lead engineer on the failed Reaper missile program, knows humanity’s last, desperate, plan won’t work. She’s got one chance to change that, but it will mean a leap of faith beyond all others.
Humanity is vanquished, but some battles bring only woe to the victor.
It’s Earth’s last day and Captain Lewis Black drifts though space, watching it burn.
The pilots under his command are dead. The war with the Maaravi is lost. Air hisses into space from around the stump of his severed arm.
In the distance a Maaravi ship approaches. Whether to torture him for information, capture him as a prisoner, or take him as a trophy, he’ll have one last chance to hurt them.
Natasha Palmer, lead engineer on the failed Reaper missile program, knows humanity’s last, desperate, plan won’t work. She’s got one chance to change that, but it will mean a leap of faith beyond all others.
Humanity is vanquished, but some battles bring only woe to the victor.
- GenresScience Fiction
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2022
About the author
Nathan H. Green
4 books81 followersNathan H. Green is a corporate lawyer who left his law firm job of nearly a decade to pursue writing. He has an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering, is a pilot, and lives in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 5, 2024
3.0 Stars
This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up so I'm not the target audience.
For the subgenre, I thought it was fairly well done and generally delivers what it promises. The writing and subsequent dialogue is quite casual, which is not my personal preference. I would have preferred a more complex futuristic execution of these ideas. That being said, I think this book will satisfy readers who don't share my reading tastes.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC.
This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up so I'm not the target audience.
For the subgenre, I thought it was fairly well done and generally delivers what it promises. The writing and subsequent dialogue is quite casual, which is not my personal preference. I would have preferred a more complex futuristic execution of these ideas. That being said, I think this book will satisfy readers who don't share my reading tastes.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC.
May 19, 2024
I read this book as a judge on the Wayward Stars team in the SPSFC3 (third annual, self-published science-fiction competition), in the semi-finals round. This is my own personal review and does not represent the views of the team or any other individuals other than myself.
The book blurb for this one definitely caught my attention. It starts with "It’s Earth’s last day and Captain Lewis Black drifts though space, watching it burn." and ends with "Humanity is vanquished, but some battles bring only woe to the victor." I immediately had the same reaction to this as I did to the pre-battle scene in the movie Independance Day! I was certainly pumped up.
And really, this book did not let me down. It was fast-paced and filled with action, the kind of miliary space marines action that I tend to enjoy. The storyline is a good one with interesting characters and believable scenes as well.
My overall rating is 4.25/5.0 stars. I really enjoyed it for what it was, and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
The book blurb for this one definitely caught my attention. It starts with "It’s Earth’s last day and Captain Lewis Black drifts though space, watching it burn." and ends with "Humanity is vanquished, but some battles bring only woe to the victor." I immediately had the same reaction to this as I did to the pre-battle scene in the movie Independance Day! I was certainly pumped up.
And really, this book did not let me down. It was fast-paced and filled with action, the kind of miliary space marines action that I tend to enjoy. The storyline is a good one with interesting characters and believable scenes as well.
My overall rating is 4.25/5.0 stars. I really enjoyed it for what it was, and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
November 9, 2022
I received this as an ebook from Book Sirens in exchange for a fair review.
Woe to the Victor is an engrossing, hard sci-fi, galactic war novel with quick-paced and exciting action scenes, relatable characters, and realistic science.
First of all, that cover. Gorgeous!
If you love space opera that leans heavily into hard sci-fi, this is your book. The author has a background in aerospace engineering, and it’s clear this played a role in how the space and technical aspects played out. While I had absolutely no idea how accurate this stuff was (as I am not an engineer by any means), it seemed believable to me, as a lot of attention was placed on the constrictions of space and how to overcome these challenges. Yet, it also wasn’t too much a hard sci-fi that it got bogged down with a bunch of tech terms or descriptions of how engines work. It was a great balance of science and fiction.
When it comes to the plot, in truth I’ve seen this before. In fact, Armada, We All Died at Breakaway Station, and even In the Orbit of Sirens to some extent, all of which I read this year, are all variations of the same premise, but that doesn’t mean this book is generic. A light premise/plot can be overweighted by great characters and action, which is just what this book does. If you’re a fan of alien invasion stories, this is a great variation.
In terms of the characters, the main character, Lewis Black, wasn’t my favourite, though I did appreciate his moral dilemma and his motivations and actions made sense. Natasha, the engineer, was a bit of a tagalong until the end, but that was also part of her growth. Sophie, the little girl stowaway, was written realistically for a kid that age and I loved that her cat’s name was Reginald. The AI was fun and also realistically depicted, and the more villainous characters amongst the humans weren’t stereotypical or hyperbolic, with actions that made sense to their personas.
I will say though, that while I loved the number of female characters in the novel, the gendered language (manned, mankind, man’s last stand, etc) was a bit distracting. It wasn’t like one or two times, but persistent. I realize not everyone has the background in language studies that I do, and that’s fine, but the editor should have changed them to gender-neutral terms. I don’t dock stars or even my opinion of a book because of this (at least not when the female characters are so well-done as in this novel) but I do bring it up when I see it because if we just accept something we can’t change anything.
Anyway, the space battles and other action scenes were engrossing and exciting, and plentiful, but one thing I found lacking was the aliens themselves. Alien culture is my favourite aspect of sci-fi so I was hoping for some really cool alien culture stuff to tie into the badass action scenes, but while the Maraavi look cool, they, as a people, fell flat. They are very human-like (I’m assuming convergent evolution, but it's not explained) to the extent that the only differences appear to be on the surface, and even then it’s minimal. Of course, had they been extremely different - gelatinous blobs, gigantic mechs, insects, even lizards - certain aspects of the story wouldn’t likely have worked. As such, the human-like aliens were not a problem, as this is not an alien culture novel. So, if aliens are your jam, you might not like this book as much as others like Tanya Huff's Confederation series or A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. But if cool space battles, unique ships, sentient AI, realistic space mechanics, and fun characters are your jam, you will be just jellified over this one.
Highly recommended. Thank you again to Book Sirens for the e-book!
Woe to the Victor is an engrossing, hard sci-fi, galactic war novel with quick-paced and exciting action scenes, relatable characters, and realistic science.
First of all, that cover. Gorgeous!
If you love space opera that leans heavily into hard sci-fi, this is your book. The author has a background in aerospace engineering, and it’s clear this played a role in how the space and technical aspects played out. While I had absolutely no idea how accurate this stuff was (as I am not an engineer by any means), it seemed believable to me, as a lot of attention was placed on the constrictions of space and how to overcome these challenges. Yet, it also wasn’t too much a hard sci-fi that it got bogged down with a bunch of tech terms or descriptions of how engines work. It was a great balance of science and fiction.
When it comes to the plot, in truth I’ve seen this before. In fact, Armada, We All Died at Breakaway Station, and even In the Orbit of Sirens to some extent, all of which I read this year, are all variations of the same premise, but that doesn’t mean this book is generic. A light premise/plot can be overweighted by great characters and action, which is just what this book does. If you’re a fan of alien invasion stories, this is a great variation.
In terms of the characters, the main character, Lewis Black, wasn’t my favourite, though I did appreciate his moral dilemma and his motivations and actions made sense. Natasha, the engineer, was a bit of a tagalong until the end, but that was also part of her growth. Sophie, the little girl stowaway, was written realistically for a kid that age and I loved that her cat’s name was Reginald. The AI was fun and also realistically depicted, and the more villainous characters amongst the humans weren’t stereotypical or hyperbolic, with actions that made sense to their personas.
I will say though, that while I loved the number of female characters in the novel, the gendered language (manned, mankind, man’s last stand, etc) was a bit distracting. It wasn’t like one or two times, but persistent. I realize not everyone has the background in language studies that I do, and that’s fine, but the editor should have changed them to gender-neutral terms. I don’t dock stars or even my opinion of a book because of this (at least not when the female characters are so well-done as in this novel) but I do bring it up when I see it because if we just accept something we can’t change anything.
Anyway, the space battles and other action scenes were engrossing and exciting, and plentiful, but one thing I found lacking was the aliens themselves. Alien culture is my favourite aspect of sci-fi so I was hoping for some really cool alien culture stuff to tie into the badass action scenes, but while the Maraavi look cool, they, as a people, fell flat. They are very human-like (I’m assuming convergent evolution, but it's not explained) to the extent that the only differences appear to be on the surface, and even then it’s minimal. Of course, had they been extremely different - gelatinous blobs, gigantic mechs, insects, even lizards - certain aspects of the story wouldn’t likely have worked. As such, the human-like aliens were not a problem, as this is not an alien culture novel. So, if aliens are your jam, you might not like this book as much as others like Tanya Huff's Confederation series or A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. But if cool space battles, unique ships, sentient AI, realistic space mechanics, and fun characters are your jam, you will be just jellified over this one.
Highly recommended. Thank you again to Book Sirens for the e-book!
November 14, 2022
Woe to the Victor review
First thanks to the author for sending me a copy to review.
Nathan Green has produced ( again ) an exciting story. Got hooked right away!
The author background is aerospace engineering.
So Woe of the Victor is Hard Sci-Fi Space opera if you are into it, this is your book.
Strong plot.
Destruction of the earth by a mysterious alien race.
Description of the action in space very believable.
The space battles and other action were exciting and plentiful.
Tensions, drama, humour throughout the story.
Suspense about the outcome.
And in the middle of it all, a cat.
To me he has the potential to become one of the top modern science fiction writers, his books so readable and yet so comprehensive in terms of the science, can’t wait for his next work.
In summary, this is a rare breed, thoroughly imaginative, scientifically sound, and emotionally stirring. Green has written a fantastic tale, bravo!
Nathan Green you got me has a fan.
And what a beautiful cover!
I highly recommend it!
You need to read this book!
First thanks to the author for sending me a copy to review.
Nathan Green has produced ( again ) an exciting story. Got hooked right away!
The author background is aerospace engineering.
So Woe of the Victor is Hard Sci-Fi Space opera if you are into it, this is your book.
Strong plot.
Destruction of the earth by a mysterious alien race.
Description of the action in space very believable.
The space battles and other action were exciting and plentiful.
Tensions, drama, humour throughout the story.
Suspense about the outcome.
And in the middle of it all, a cat.
To me he has the potential to become one of the top modern science fiction writers, his books so readable and yet so comprehensive in terms of the science, can’t wait for his next work.
In summary, this is a rare breed, thoroughly imaginative, scientifically sound, and emotionally stirring. Green has written a fantastic tale, bravo!
Nathan Green you got me has a fan.
And what a beautiful cover!
I highly recommend it!
You need to read this book!
November 10, 2022
Woe to the Victor Review
I received a free review copy of this book in return for an honest review. Woe to the Victor by Nathan H. Green delivered. The work features accomplished writing and story development. Excellent details about the Navy and other elements of the armed forces really jumped from the page.
These well-chosen details aptly illustrated each character’s driving forces. The lore and military turns of phrase breathed life into the values of the organizations in the world of the book.
Green knows much, and researched well. His aerospace engineering degree leant a confidence and assuredness in the technical realm to Natasha and other characters.
Green paints pictures with his words. The images of planets from space were magical. The scene at the beginning of Chapter One with the earth burning was poetic, if tragic. In Chapter 15 the shark analogy for the hunting adversaries is apt, and the menacing view of Earth under attack is equally mesmerizing.
The description of the attachment of the prosthetic arm is like a scene from the Saw franchise. Also, The comparison of Anzio’s jerry-rigged rail gun to a sawed-off shot gun is great fun.
Excellent work by a busy professional with a demanding career and excellent academic qualifications. The book is so enjoyable. The characters are engaging and encourage a curiosity to learn more about them.
There is so much to explore in the rich world Green is building. Perhaps there might be a series in the works. Green has a fan in me.
I received a free review copy of this book in return for an honest review. Woe to the Victor by Nathan H. Green delivered. The work features accomplished writing and story development. Excellent details about the Navy and other elements of the armed forces really jumped from the page.
These well-chosen details aptly illustrated each character’s driving forces. The lore and military turns of phrase breathed life into the values of the organizations in the world of the book.
Green knows much, and researched well. His aerospace engineering degree leant a confidence and assuredness in the technical realm to Natasha and other characters.
Green paints pictures with his words. The images of planets from space were magical. The scene at the beginning of Chapter One with the earth burning was poetic, if tragic. In Chapter 15 the shark analogy for the hunting adversaries is apt, and the menacing view of Earth under attack is equally mesmerizing.
The description of the attachment of the prosthetic arm is like a scene from the Saw franchise. Also, The comparison of Anzio’s jerry-rigged rail gun to a sawed-off shot gun is great fun.
Excellent work by a busy professional with a demanding career and excellent academic qualifications. The book is so enjoyable. The characters are engaging and encourage a curiosity to learn more about them.
There is so much to explore in the rich world Green is building. Perhaps there might be a series in the works. Green has a fan in me.
December 9, 2022
Actual Rating : 4.5
First thanks to the author for sending me a copy for review!
So Woe to the Victor is hard science fiction novel, set during and after the destruction of earth by an alien race. The book is set mostly on this battle and it is definitely intense.If you like hard sci fi this book is also for you, using his degree to the fullest Nathan Green has incredible descriptions of the action in space that feels incredibly believable.
The plot was one of the strongest part of it, especially at the beginning where you can feel the tension of the destruction about to happen and how humanity can't do anything about it. I would say that the only con that I have with Woe to the Victor is that i feel we are set on the action without too much background on the war, so empathising with the story and characters at first is harder, since you don't care about it yet. It has a similar feeling as the Gardens of the Moon when you don't know what is going on, but there's a battle coming.
We also follow several characters with character arcs that end up complete in a great way. Specially our engineer. Her parts ended up being on of my favorites. AND WE ALSO HAVE A CAT. Along with a great amount of IAs, which discussion I actually really really loved.
Overall I now have another scifi favorite (it's been a while), that I think anyone would enjoy and that I would love to see on screen honestly.
First thanks to the author for sending me a copy for review!
So Woe to the Victor is hard science fiction novel, set during and after the destruction of earth by an alien race. The book is set mostly on this battle and it is definitely intense.If you like hard sci fi this book is also for you, using his degree to the fullest Nathan Green has incredible descriptions of the action in space that feels incredibly believable.
The plot was one of the strongest part of it, especially at the beginning where you can feel the tension of the destruction about to happen and how humanity can't do anything about it. I would say that the only con that I have with Woe to the Victor is that i feel we are set on the action without too much background on the war, so empathising with the story and characters at first is harder, since you don't care about it yet. It has a similar feeling as the Gardens of the Moon when you don't know what is going on, but there's a battle coming.
We also follow several characters with character arcs that end up complete in a great way. Specially our engineer. Her parts ended up being on of my favorites. AND WE ALSO HAVE A CAT. Along with a great amount of IAs, which discussion I actually really really loved.
Overall I now have another scifi favorite (it's been a while), that I think anyone would enjoy and that I would love to see on screen honestly.
November 6, 2022
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
Lewis Black is floating in space watching Earth burn, his Talon fighter destroyed, slowly losing air from his space suit where his arm used to be while an enemy ship moves gradually closer and closer.
This book had me hooked from the start. Gritty, dark and desperate; I could smell the burning planet and feel the sweat and stress of the characters while my nerves got stretched tauter and tauter like over-tuned guitar strings. I particularly enjoyed the believable and realistic science, physics and technology especially the Talon fight sequences although I spent far too much time trying to work out how to pronounce the name of a certain AI.
The small number of main characters are well-developed and even the side characters have good depth although all of them are lacking a little in physical descriptions. The aliens and their motivations were fairly mysterious until the latter part of the book, and I have to admit feeling some empathy for them when their story became clearer.
There are a few typos and punctuation errors, mostly toward the last third of the book, but not enough to detract from an excellent read. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Lewis Black is floating in space watching Earth burn, his Talon fighter destroyed, slowly losing air from his space suit where his arm used to be while an enemy ship moves gradually closer and closer.
This book had me hooked from the start. Gritty, dark and desperate; I could smell the burning planet and feel the sweat and stress of the characters while my nerves got stretched tauter and tauter like over-tuned guitar strings. I particularly enjoyed the believable and realistic science, physics and technology especially the Talon fight sequences although I spent far too much time trying to work out how to pronounce the name of a certain AI.
The small number of main characters are well-developed and even the side characters have good depth although all of them are lacking a little in physical descriptions. The aliens and their motivations were fairly mysterious until the latter part of the book, and I have to admit feeling some empathy for them when their story became clearer.
There are a few typos and punctuation errors, mostly toward the last third of the book, but not enough to detract from an excellent read. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Read
November 17, 2022This story is a non-stop adventure that you'll hate to put down. Earth battles against a formiddable foe, for reasons known only to the enemy. Captain Lewis Black fends off the attackers as best he can, while Earth launches colony ships in a desperate effort to save what's left of humanity.
December 10, 2022
Great little sci fi novel. Fast paced, likeable characters, interesting concepts.
November 15, 2022
Totally , enjoyable story and characters . The future ,yet not. I recommend this to all sci-fi , space opera readers . Excellent writing .
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Want to read
December 1, 2022Sounds interesting, but I have to admit I'm mostly adding it for the cover art.
October 26, 2022
A free book from Voracious Readers thank you
Earth, having been destroyed by humans, is now being obliterated by another race simply because humans are so destructive to all life.
The ensuring war leaves millions dead and few left to fight in space.
Those left must come up with a plan for peace if humans are to survive.
Some truth in this science fiction story. An entertaining read
Earth, having been destroyed by humans, is now being obliterated by another race simply because humans are so destructive to all life.
The ensuring war leaves millions dead and few left to fight in space.
Those left must come up with a plan for peace if humans are to survive.
Some truth in this science fiction story. An entertaining read
December 28, 2022
I would like to thank Voracious Readers Only and the author Nathan H Green for sending me an ARC of "Woe to the Victor", which was released earlier this month on 1st December.
I need you to bear with me here, because this review will be a mess. This was one of the books I chose to apply for because I wanted to try something outside of my comfort genre: Fantasy.
Id give it a 3.79 to 4 star rating
So keeping in mind that I am not used to the genre, here is my review:
So I had both things I liked, and disliked about the book. But the things I disliked (which ill get into in just a second) are mostly attributed to my unfamiliarity with Sci Fi. I can say, without a doubt, that someone who likes sci Fi would rate this novel a solid 4.5 to 5 stars.
Things I loved:
I fell in love with Black's personality, and how he unintentionally made funny and sarcastic remarks. I found myself relating to his personality. And towards the ending, the amount of character growth and development we witnessed was amazing.
I loved the strong female characters (yay feminism). In fact, all the characters were well thought out, and it wasn't like they were there to simply fulfill a quota- all of them had their own roles to play, even the AI personalities were completely thought out. I loved all the the unique personalities and their little quirks that set the characters apart from each other
Although I didn't understand most of the details of the story in the end, I did like the concept of it all. Sure, it was the classic "earth ending" concept, but it was executed in a unique way.
Suprisingly, I'm pretty sure this became my most annotated novel. I found myself frequently highlighting many of the clever descriptions and metaphors. I also tabbed the little plot twists, because trust me, there were many.
There were many moments where I was confused where the whole novel was going, but at the same time, there were moments where I laughed and cried and enjoyed the story.
I will say this, the book definitely picked up in the past few chapters. Like my experience with the rest of the book, I didn't understand much of the action, but the story line was getting way more interesting. The drama, the plot twists, the tears (both happy and sad) made the book worth it for me.
Now, for the things that I didn't love:
I kept getting lost in the descriptions. For me, they were a tiny bit too wordy. But, when I did spend the extra minute decoding them, they painted quite a vivid picture.
Maybe it's just me being new to the genre, but I do wish some of the vocabulary was explained a bit more, as there were many tech-y terms that I was unfamiliar to and confused by.
The perspectives were also a bit confusing. It switched between Natasha and Black, plus a few side characters often, but it wouldve helped if, in the beginning of every chapter, the pov was named.
I need you to bear with me here, because this review will be a mess. This was one of the books I chose to apply for because I wanted to try something outside of my comfort genre: Fantasy.
Id give it a 3.79 to 4 star rating
So keeping in mind that I am not used to the genre, here is my review:
So I had both things I liked, and disliked about the book. But the things I disliked (which ill get into in just a second) are mostly attributed to my unfamiliarity with Sci Fi. I can say, without a doubt, that someone who likes sci Fi would rate this novel a solid 4.5 to 5 stars.
Things I loved:
I fell in love with Black's personality, and how he unintentionally made funny and sarcastic remarks. I found myself relating to his personality. And towards the ending, the amount of character growth and development we witnessed was amazing.
I loved the strong female characters (yay feminism). In fact, all the characters were well thought out, and it wasn't like they were there to simply fulfill a quota- all of them had their own roles to play, even the AI personalities were completely thought out. I loved all the the unique personalities and their little quirks that set the characters apart from each other
Although I didn't understand most of the details of the story in the end, I did like the concept of it all. Sure, it was the classic "earth ending" concept, but it was executed in a unique way.
Suprisingly, I'm pretty sure this became my most annotated novel. I found myself frequently highlighting many of the clever descriptions and metaphors. I also tabbed the little plot twists, because trust me, there were many.
There were many moments where I was confused where the whole novel was going, but at the same time, there were moments where I laughed and cried and enjoyed the story.
I will say this, the book definitely picked up in the past few chapters. Like my experience with the rest of the book, I didn't understand much of the action, but the story line was getting way more interesting. The drama, the plot twists, the tears (both happy and sad) made the book worth it for me.
Now, for the things that I didn't love:
I kept getting lost in the descriptions. For me, they were a tiny bit too wordy. But, when I did spend the extra minute decoding them, they painted quite a vivid picture.
Maybe it's just me being new to the genre, but I do wish some of the vocabulary was explained a bit more, as there were many tech-y terms that I was unfamiliar to and confused by.
The perspectives were also a bit confusing. It switched between Natasha and Black, plus a few side characters often, but it wouldve helped if, in the beginning of every chapter, the pov was named.
Read
May 26, 2024I’m a sucker for cats on a cover so this one drew me in right away. Thanks to a good deal on the paperback, I was able to read this in print, which was really nice too and a good change of pace for my SPSFC reads. The description of it sounded quite dramatic so I was ready for some action!
The beginning of the book promised a lot of drama as well with an interesting setup! I liked how the POVs were switching back and forth since some of them were a bit more exciting than others at this point. It took a good bit of the story for them to converge later on, which I enjoyed as well. It felt well done and natural in that sense. the POV characters were picked well and brought a good variety of personalities. Whether it was the great sense of humor or the realistic-feeling sense of fear when things got scary. It felt well done in that aspect. I also really liked the AI characters in this book. Those are always a joy for me to read about and were a highlight for me here as well.
I did think that the death and destruction promised in the first chapter wasn’t very convincingly done later throughout the book. Yes, there was war and I’m sure many people died. But the sense of doom and the potential loss of a whole world wasn’t carried through the way it was needed for the missions to feel as all-or-nothing as they should’ve.
There were also other aspects of the book, from research and mission believability to alien information where I would’ve liked more details. While some areas of the book felt like they had good depth, others felt like we were missing information that would’ve made the story feel more well-rounded and developed. I did like how the space travel and fighting aspect felt though. I don’t know anything about that myself but it felt both realistic and dramatic in equal measures.
I think one of my favorite parts of the book was having a child as a POV character. Not having the same life experiences as the adults around here allowed her to approach each situation in a way that provided very different views of them than if it had been the adults in her situation. I liked how that made me think differently about things.
As tends to be the case for many of my reads lately, this book had things that I really enjoyed but also some things that didn’t quite work for me. Overall, I had a good time reading this though and am excited to see what my friend thinks of it as well.
The beginning of the book promised a lot of drama as well with an interesting setup! I liked how the POVs were switching back and forth since some of them were a bit more exciting than others at this point. It took a good bit of the story for them to converge later on, which I enjoyed as well. It felt well done and natural in that sense. the POV characters were picked well and brought a good variety of personalities. Whether it was the great sense of humor or the realistic-feeling sense of fear when things got scary. It felt well done in that aspect. I also really liked the AI characters in this book. Those are always a joy for me to read about and were a highlight for me here as well.
I did think that the death and destruction promised in the first chapter wasn’t very convincingly done later throughout the book. Yes, there was war and I’m sure many people died. But the sense of doom and the potential loss of a whole world wasn’t carried through the way it was needed for the missions to feel as all-or-nothing as they should’ve.
There were also other aspects of the book, from research and mission believability to alien information where I would’ve liked more details. While some areas of the book felt like they had good depth, others felt like we were missing information that would’ve made the story feel more well-rounded and developed. I did like how the space travel and fighting aspect felt though. I don’t know anything about that myself but it felt both realistic and dramatic in equal measures.
I think one of my favorite parts of the book was having a child as a POV character. Not having the same life experiences as the adults around here allowed her to approach each situation in a way that provided very different views of them than if it had been the adults in her situation. I liked how that made me think differently about things.
As tends to be the case for many of my reads lately, this book had things that I really enjoyed but also some things that didn’t quite work for me. Overall, I had a good time reading this though and am excited to see what my friend thinks of it as well.
January 3, 2023
While in the near future, the hard sci-fi tones and technology reminds me a lot of The Expanse series and the book is near-as enticing as some of better novels in the nine-book series. Humanity is in the last stages of losing a galactic war that brings together several interesting characters from all walks of life who make decisions that impact them throughout the book (and beyond). Written as something that the author could come back to, but stands alone as well. The reasoning for the war, when finally explained is a bit thin and how it all wraps up in the end might turn off some off, but it was a brisk, rewarding read and something different to start off the new year.
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October 25, 2022This was a Voracious Readers book. So I don't like war books, avoid them like the plague but I love sci-fi and this book is awesome. Earth is being destroyed and we need to save the human race...exactly the type of book I love. It moves fast and keeps you involved with the various characters, Sofia is my personal favorite, some you love and some you hate and some you just can't settle on one. It's an excellent story that I really enjoyed. Basically it's a really good book and I would highly recommend it. You need to read this book!
November 14, 2022
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
Solid sci-fi read. Science and technology are neat but it isn't too far future to wrap your head around. The alien race is super awesome. The slow reveals you get of them and their logic is really neat. The characters he chose for the POVs are an interesting choice. You get to see and experience a few different sides of a battle. Overall it's a fun read.
Solid sci-fi read. Science and technology are neat but it isn't too far future to wrap your head around. The alien race is super awesome. The slow reveals you get of them and their logic is really neat. The characters he chose for the POVs are an interesting choice. You get to see and experience a few different sides of a battle. Overall it's a fun read.
November 29, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy.
Coming into this saga blind opened a myriad of feelings and thoughts - ending in excitement.
I really don't want to spoil this book for anyone but shall simply say:
A fantastic read, great characters, dialogue and story.
Will we get an answer to that cliffhanger?
Coming into this saga blind opened a myriad of feelings and thoughts - ending in excitement.
I really don't want to spoil this book for anyone but shall simply say:
A fantastic read, great characters, dialogue and story.
Will we get an answer to that cliffhanger?
January 1, 2023
I like hard science fiction, especially when it comes with a good story. Not every twist was expected, Not all outcomes predivined. I enjoyed a plot that thickened and thinned in unpredictable directions, and a story that took account of some actual directions that the characters might have taken. Bravo.
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March 5, 2024Rtc
September 19, 2022
I recently received an ARC of this book, and finished reading it on the weekend. Dramatic space battles, edge-of-your-seat desperate struggles for survival with the future of humanity at stake, and, in the middle of it all, a cat named Reginald - who could ask for a more thoroughly entertaining read?
Nathan Green has produced an exciting and thoughtful story of a future in which humanity finds itself in an existential battle with an enigmatic alien race that seeks, for unknown reasons, to destroy the human race. The writer did a superb job capturing the hopelessness and grim determination of the main characters as they prepare for humanity's last stand - with a Hail-Mary plan in the wings.
The author nicely balances tension, drama, and humour throughout the story, and keeps the reader guessing about the outcome right to the very end. And underlying the story is a cautionary message about humanity's role as stewards of this planet. I would definitely recommend giving it a read!
Nathan Green has produced an exciting and thoughtful story of a future in which humanity finds itself in an existential battle with an enigmatic alien race that seeks, for unknown reasons, to destroy the human race. The writer did a superb job capturing the hopelessness and grim determination of the main characters as they prepare for humanity's last stand - with a Hail-Mary plan in the wings.
The author nicely balances tension, drama, and humour throughout the story, and keeps the reader guessing about the outcome right to the very end. And underlying the story is a cautionary message about humanity's role as stewards of this planet. I would definitely recommend giving it a read!
December 11, 2023
DISCLAIMER - I received a free copy of this book to review for the 2023 Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC).
Nathan Green’s book is an all encompassing space opera as the theme is the future existence of not only the entire planet but the entire human species.
Green does not keep the reader in suspense as to what the book is about as the opening line is short and to the point; “Earth burned.” As Captain Black floats helplessly in space, he sees that the Maaravi have set into motion the total annihilation of the human race, leaving the planet as a burning ember. Thus begins the adventure and the many questions; can any humans escape the holocaust, why are the Maaravi set on our annihilation, and exactly what does the title, Woe To The Victor, signify?
Zipping back and forth in time, Green lays out the battle for human existence through the eyes and actions of a small but significant cast including; spacecraft pilots, a civilian munitions expert, a Maaravi prisoner of war, a young girl, an AI, and a cat. Green has used his significant writing abilities to weave a believable, though a bit scientifically improbable, storyline out of this diverse cast.
Woe To The Victor is a gripping story with lots of action, believable and interesting characters, and quite a few philosophical and moral questions. It is possible that Green has drawn some of his inspiration from; Lost In Space, Forbidden Planet, Battlestar Galactica, and 2001 as all of these topics have been done before. However, Green’s novel is definitely not a rehash but a fresh look at the question; are human beings moral enough to deserve further existence?
This is definitely one of the best science fiction books I have read this year.
Nathan Green’s book is an all encompassing space opera as the theme is the future existence of not only the entire planet but the entire human species.
Green does not keep the reader in suspense as to what the book is about as the opening line is short and to the point; “Earth burned.” As Captain Black floats helplessly in space, he sees that the Maaravi have set into motion the total annihilation of the human race, leaving the planet as a burning ember. Thus begins the adventure and the many questions; can any humans escape the holocaust, why are the Maaravi set on our annihilation, and exactly what does the title, Woe To The Victor, signify?
Zipping back and forth in time, Green lays out the battle for human existence through the eyes and actions of a small but significant cast including; spacecraft pilots, a civilian munitions expert, a Maaravi prisoner of war, a young girl, an AI, and a cat. Green has used his significant writing abilities to weave a believable, though a bit scientifically improbable, storyline out of this diverse cast.
Woe To The Victor is a gripping story with lots of action, believable and interesting characters, and quite a few philosophical and moral questions. It is possible that Green has drawn some of his inspiration from; Lost In Space, Forbidden Planet, Battlestar Galactica, and 2001 as all of these topics have been done before. However, Green’s novel is definitely not a rehash but a fresh look at the question; are human beings moral enough to deserve further existence?
This is definitely one of the best science fiction books I have read this year.
November 29, 2022
I received a complementary copy of this book in order to provide a fair review. Thank you, Mr. Green.
Woe to the Victor is an intense sci-fi themed novel that had me in its grips from the beginning.
The main characters were superlative and quite relatable. The tale revolves around a destructive attack on Earth by an alien species, and mankind trying to save themselves by racing towards a new planet. What I find so fascinating is that an exact date of when these events occur hasn’t been specified. So how far into our future does it actually occur? 10 years? Hundreds? Thousands? Do we already have the technology - or the beginnings of said technology?
Mr. Green utilizes his undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering and his experience as a pilot to describe the events in space in layman’s terms without gumming up the flow and pace of the novel with words and terms that would slow the average reader down.
There are plenty of battles to keep the reader engrossed, interspersed with the various characters moral dilemmas. There is also a good dose of humor (especially from the girl and her cat - wait, cat? - and the AI) that help relieve the pressures of space battle so the reader doesn’t explode like a, well, Reaper.
Mr. Green has created such a vibrant world for me. I’ve finished reading the novel, but haven’t finished wondering about the people or worlds described. Give me more, Mr. Green!
This is not the author’s first novel, and undoubtedly not the last. Do yourself a favor…add the novel to your list of must reads, and Nathan H Green to the top of your favorite authors to watch. I’m off to get copies of his other works. Enjoy!
Woe to the Victor is an intense sci-fi themed novel that had me in its grips from the beginning.
The main characters were superlative and quite relatable. The tale revolves around a destructive attack on Earth by an alien species, and mankind trying to save themselves by racing towards a new planet. What I find so fascinating is that an exact date of when these events occur hasn’t been specified. So how far into our future does it actually occur? 10 years? Hundreds? Thousands? Do we already have the technology - or the beginnings of said technology?
Mr. Green utilizes his undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering and his experience as a pilot to describe the events in space in layman’s terms without gumming up the flow and pace of the novel with words and terms that would slow the average reader down.
There are plenty of battles to keep the reader engrossed, interspersed with the various characters moral dilemmas. There is also a good dose of humor (especially from the girl and her cat - wait, cat? - and the AI) that help relieve the pressures of space battle so the reader doesn’t explode like a, well, Reaper.
Mr. Green has created such a vibrant world for me. I’ve finished reading the novel, but haven’t finished wondering about the people or worlds described. Give me more, Mr. Green!
This is not the author’s first novel, and undoubtedly not the last. Do yourself a favor…add the novel to your list of must reads, and Nathan H Green to the top of your favorite authors to watch. I’m off to get copies of his other works. Enjoy!
January 17, 2024
DISCLAIMER - I received a free copy of this book to review for the 2023 Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC).
This book starts as the earth is being invaded. We're at war with the Maaravi and are losing. The Maaravi are another humanoid race, sufficiently advanced from us technically that we can't keep up. In desperation, we launch a final offensive, not to win the war, but to allow colony ships to escape the battlefield, never to return. The goal is to seed other planets and keep humanity from becoming extinct.
Captain Lewis Black leads a flight squadron escorting one of these colony ships. His journey frames the story, but it feels like an ensemble piece. The cast of characters includes pilots, engineers, a kid, and artificial intelligence, all fighting for their survival, humanity's future at stake. In a refreshing take, I think the various artificial intelligences were my favorite characters.
When I first started reading this story, I thought the writing was well done but I found the plot to be a bit depressing. I kept at it and came to enjoy the resolve of the people the story focuses on. Things don't always go as planned, but everyone keeps fighting and finding ways to move forward. This kind of story, with everything going against the protagonist(s), often ends up with the "exploits villain's fatal flaw" ending. This refreshingly was not that. Does the story have a happy ending? I'm not going to say, but I really liked it.
I recommend this story for people who like space operas that have a sense of adventure but also a dose of realism (relative to it being a space opera, of course). Stories where the protagonists survive by being smart, taking chances, and continuing to fight regardless of the odds.
This book starts as the earth is being invaded. We're at war with the Maaravi and are losing. The Maaravi are another humanoid race, sufficiently advanced from us technically that we can't keep up. In desperation, we launch a final offensive, not to win the war, but to allow colony ships to escape the battlefield, never to return. The goal is to seed other planets and keep humanity from becoming extinct.
Captain Lewis Black leads a flight squadron escorting one of these colony ships. His journey frames the story, but it feels like an ensemble piece. The cast of characters includes pilots, engineers, a kid, and artificial intelligence, all fighting for their survival, humanity's future at stake. In a refreshing take, I think the various artificial intelligences were my favorite characters.
When I first started reading this story, I thought the writing was well done but I found the plot to be a bit depressing. I kept at it and came to enjoy the resolve of the people the story focuses on. Things don't always go as planned, but everyone keeps fighting and finding ways to move forward. This kind of story, with everything going against the protagonist(s), often ends up with the "exploits villain's fatal flaw" ending. This refreshingly was not that. Does the story have a happy ending? I'm not going to say, but I really liked it.
I recommend this story for people who like space operas that have a sense of adventure but also a dose of realism (relative to it being a space opera, of course). Stories where the protagonists survive by being smart, taking chances, and continuing to fight regardless of the odds.
January 16, 2024
SPSFC3 Judge
Stars 4.5 (Rounds to 5)
My Rating 9.2
Action-packed military space opera with moral dilemmas, competing goals, and exciting battle scenes.
In Woe to the Victor, Captain Lewis Black, Lead Engineer on the failed Reaper missile program Natasha Palmer, and Lt. Allie Perez fight to prevent the end of the world. They know their deaths will buy the colonists fleeing the planet only minutes, and yet they are each determined to make those minutes count. They've accepted their fate, and they won't go down without a fight. Little do the invading Maaravi know, humanity isn't going down without a fight. And then at the end, you question whether humanity even deserves to be saved. Some of the questions reminded me of those explored in "The 100's" final season.
The choices, struggles, and mentality of those on Earth facing certain death is thought-provoking. There are poignant nods to WWII warfare and other conflicts where only death was certain, and yet, brave warriors cling to ideas and values greater than themselves. There is a determination and strength constantly present in the atmosphere even in the bleak circumstances. I also loved the AI's personalities (which reminded me somewhat of Defiant), the environmental questions, and motivations of the Maaravi. The tech is interesting and believable. The worldbuilding in the conflict sets a completed backdrop for the greater questions of humanity, resolve, and sacrifice. The prose flowed well, and it was enjoyable to read.
Stars 4.5 (Rounds to 5)
My Rating 9.2
Action-packed military space opera with moral dilemmas, competing goals, and exciting battle scenes.
In Woe to the Victor, Captain Lewis Black, Lead Engineer on the failed Reaper missile program Natasha Palmer, and Lt. Allie Perez fight to prevent the end of the world. They know their deaths will buy the colonists fleeing the planet only minutes, and yet they are each determined to make those minutes count. They've accepted their fate, and they won't go down without a fight. Little do the invading Maaravi know, humanity isn't going down without a fight. And then at the end, you question whether humanity even deserves to be saved. Some of the questions reminded me of those explored in "The 100's" final season.
The choices, struggles, and mentality of those on Earth facing certain death is thought-provoking. There are poignant nods to WWII warfare and other conflicts where only death was certain, and yet, brave warriors cling to ideas and values greater than themselves. There is a determination and strength constantly present in the atmosphere even in the bleak circumstances. I also loved the AI's personalities (which reminded me somewhat of Defiant), the environmental questions, and motivations of the Maaravi. The tech is interesting and believable. The worldbuilding in the conflict sets a completed backdrop for the greater questions of humanity, resolve, and sacrifice. The prose flowed well, and it was enjoyable to read.
December 12, 2023
The book begins with a bang and follows through on that promise. Awesome space battles that make sense, where you can picture the tactics and logic of battle progression. The plot has typical tropes, but they are well done. The beginning of the book with a pilot adrift in space, seemingly hopeless, pulls you in and makes you want to know why and if/how he gets out of his predicament. Cue overwhelming alien fleet with murky motives. Cue the last ditch defense of Earth. Cue humanity's last hope of survival as they flee Earth.
The plot progresses mostly similar to other books like this, but the details and characterization still kept me reading. The mixture of military sci-fi, hard sci-fi, and humanity's last hope were a nice combination. The author's background in aerospace engineering really comes through and adds much realism to physics involved. The characters were mostly well-done, though I did not find much sympathy with Lewis at first and the depiction of women, although better than many books of this type, still felt a bit stilted. The gendered language bugged me. But the cat… THE CAT! Yes, please. The alien civilization could have been better developed; motives, descriptions, etc left more questions than answers. I found myself not fully satisfied.
Overall, this book was worth the read and I look forward to more from this author.
I received this book for free for honest feedback from BookSirens.
The plot progresses mostly similar to other books like this, but the details and characterization still kept me reading. The mixture of military sci-fi, hard sci-fi, and humanity's last hope were a nice combination. The author's background in aerospace engineering really comes through and adds much realism to physics involved. The characters were mostly well-done, though I did not find much sympathy with Lewis at first and the depiction of women, although better than many books of this type, still felt a bit stilted. The gendered language bugged me. But the cat… THE CAT! Yes, please. The alien civilization could have been better developed; motives, descriptions, etc left more questions than answers. I found myself not fully satisfied.
Overall, this book was worth the read and I look forward to more from this author.
I received this book for free for honest feedback from BookSirens.
October 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters have depth to them, not just one-dimensional. The pacing is good and the writing is clear. I didn't notice any grammar or spelling errors. There was quite a bit of action but it wasn't overwhelming or mired in the tiny details. Interesting concepts such as AIs developing attachments to people, the aftermath of taking revenge, and push-button war vs face-to-face encounters were woven into the story. I would be very interested to read other book by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
December 1, 2022
I was interested in this book because the story sounded right up my alley. And it was with lots of action and alien battles, and whatnot. What I did not expect was how over-the-top and unbelievable the action would be. This was Superhero level action that distracted from the rest of the book which felt very grounded otherwise.
That said, I did like the characters, and other than the unlikelihood of their survival were pretty convincing. Now that I know what to expect, I can enjoy a follow-up book that expands this story (even though this is not part of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
That said, I did like the characters, and other than the unlikelihood of their survival were pretty convincing. Now that I know what to expect, I can enjoy a follow-up book that expands this story (even though this is not part of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 1, 2022
I thought this book was brilliant. I enjoyed the concept that humans already lost the war. It is fast moving story that kept me wanting more. It also had the best action scenes that I haven’t read in a long while. Thanks Nathan Green for giving me a copy to review and great job on a great sci fi story.
November 20, 2022
Really enjoyable read. I'm not a big reader of sci fi usually but the story is compelling and well-paced, and kept me turning the pages long after I should have switched off...always a sign of a good book!
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