The Alliance fleet hangs in space, decimated and defeated, stranded deep in Syndics territory. Having failed to destroy their home world, instead finding themselves trapped facing annihilation, their only hope rests in a hero from a hundred years ago who steps forward to try and get the fleet back home. But first, Captain “Black Jack” Geary has to gain control of officers who, after a hundred years of war, know nothing other than fighting and dying...

Lost Fleet: Fearless (2007) is the second of the Lost Fleet books, written by Jack Campbell. Campbell has gained a good reputation as an excellent writer of militaristic science fiction. Campbell’s own experiences in the navy inform the depth to which he goes to ensure that his ships obey the laws of physics.

In a way I am revisiting the series having read them all a couple of years ago and what strikes me most is how much like Star Trek the books are. Not in the sense that they exist in the same, or even a similar universe, but in the way the books almost solely concentrate on the character of Geary and his closest officers. Others are introduced, usually to perish, although Campbell does not mention of they all wore red shirts. It’s not really a problem as the main thrust of the books is the battles, the military procedure and Geary himself.

Having gained control of the fleet Geary is still trying to get the other captains to work as a team and not revert to their old behaviour of rushing headlong at the enemy, a tactic which only guarantees mutual destruction. Alongside this Geary has to contend with the hero worship which has grown up around his own name. The only person who does not feel this way about him is Co-President Rion, whose main job appears to be popping up every so often to pose moral conundrums, or asking for clarification, like a Doctor Who companion.

In Fearless the fleet almost instantly loses ships after engaging in the old style of combat, direct assault. Geary knows that this will only hasten the end of the fleet unless he can get the captains to understand different ways of fighting. This is not easy for a fleet which has fought in the same way for generations and even some of Geary’s own men mistake good tactics for cowardice, a problem further compounded when another hero of the fleet, Captain Falco, is rescued from a prison camp and decides that he is the man to lead the battle.

There is some padding in the narrative, but on the whole Fearless is a surprisingly good read. Once past the naval mumbo-jumbo, Campbell sets up an intriguing scenario, places a few interesting characters and lets the interaction play out.

As a continuation of the series the book works well and will certainly appeal to lovers of military science fiction. Campbell’s writing style is lean and terse, but he knows his way around engagements enough to choreograph them well.

7

Charles Packer