Dalzelle, Joshua. Call to Arms. Kindle, 2015. Black Fleet Trilogy 2.
The second books of a trilogy often suffer from a type of middle-child syndrome. The first volume did most of the exposition and provided enough action to hook the readers. The third volume is going to provide the big bang climax. The middle book stirs the plot and complicates the relationships. Ho hum. In Warship, we met our hero, Jackson Wolfe, and sent him into battle against some tough aliens. In the second book, he fights with the brass, gets a new ship, and fights with some more tough aliens. It is all readable but predictable. On to book 3. 3.5 stars. ( )

These books remind me of [a:Elizabeth Moon|10518|Elizabeth Moon|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1199059504p2/10518.jpg] with their romantic view of military life. A life where everything is simple, black and white and all you do is care about your squad mates. Not knowing Dalzelle I guess he has a similar background to Moon.

The book is a continuation of the war against the Phage with some politics thrown in. Since I did mention Moon, I should also mention that Moon's books are a step better that these. More believable stories and more interesting characters. Actually, they do have characters, the character descriptions in Dalzelle's book are thin, very thin.

So this it the book for someone that likes action with as little humans as possible. Apart from some politics.

I did read it in a short intense sessions so it was able to hold my attention fairly well. The ending though. It's absolutely terrible. Sorry if I spoiled something, but if you read this, keep your expectations down. ( )

This series continues to be lively and very entertaining. Captain Jackson continues to irritate senior staff by his distain for orthodoxy and his success. Commanding the newest and most capable ship in humanity's arsenal, he finds treachery abounds on Haven and their commitment to beating back the Phage is specious and self serving. Creating new strategies and tactics on the fly, he takes on the latest incursion with some but not sufficient success. The current force of allies is not enough to stem the Phage invasion. But, when all is at its bleakest an array hope appears in the arrival of some really ancient Earthers. ( )

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Title: Warship
Series: Black Fleet
Author: Joshua Dalzelle
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 349
Format: Kindle









Synopsis: Now that humanity is aware of how powerful, and deadly, the phage are, they come together, forgetting all their political problems. HA! While Captain Wolfe is beating the drum to save humanity, a core of politicians are building a safe retreat in a hidden zone. At the same time, said politicians are obfuscating the news about the phage, encouraging divisive policy among various factions and generally doing everything they can to sacrifice humanity so as to hide their presence and possibly survive. Now the phage have appeared at 2 rim worlds and only Wolfe is willing to fight to save them. My Thoughts: This was good. Seeing Wolfe do what needs to be done, regardless of the consequences to his career, was encouraging. I like reading about characters who have, and show, courage. Also, with the Presidential race currently going on here in the United States, the story line about the politicians sacrificing humanity for their own gain rang truer than ever. It seems that career politicians are like food. They start out good but the longer they are in the center, ie, the stomach, the rottener they get. Until they are nothing but crap. Now the ending. Oh my goodness! After Wolfe sacrifices so much, to have the phage turn out to be so tricksy was unexpected and rather devastating. It was balanced out nicely by the appearance of a third group of aliens who have been working with some humans from the first FTL ship that just disappeared years ago. I've got the next book already and I can't wait! " ( )

The Phage are moving again. They are congregating in the frontier in the Xi’an system and their presence threatens the destruction of the outlying colonies. Captain Jackson Wolfe, the only fleet Captain with actual combat experience against the Phage is now in commend of the latest and greatest terran destroyer, the Ares. At the side is his Executive Officer, Celesta Wright who will soon assume command of the destroyer Icarus. The Ares the first of the new Star Wolfe class of destroyers that now comprises the 9th Fleet.

But something has changed. The Phage have introduced a new weapon that can further change a confrontation that is out of control. Elements of the government have decided that fighting the Phage is hopeless and that the best way to survive is to hide. Captain Wolfe must fight and survive through deception and a the greatest risk to his life and career so far to confirm the plot and fight a withering no-win battle against the Phage. But in doing so, he shines light on a government conspiracy and finds unexpected help from the most unlikely source.

The ending is surprising and a little far-fetched, but then this science fiction. Like Warship before it, Call to Arms is a tale of never ending action, conspiracies and edge of the seat excitement that should appeal to all science fiction fans. Clabe Polk ( )