THE LOST FLEET - DAUNTLESS

An ACE Book/published by arrangement with the author

Written by John G. Hemry writing as Jack Campbell

Copyright 2006 by John G. Hemry writing as Jack Campbell

Cover art by Pat Turner
Cover design by Annette Fiore
Interior text design by Kristin del Rosario

In Jack Campbell's Dauntless, the first book of The Lost Fleet series - John "Black Jack" Geary is a space navy hero who, after being rescued from suspended animation in an escape pod for a hundred years after being in an historical battle in which he was made into a hero, is reluctantly given command of an Alliance space fleet after a peace accord betrayal with the Syndicate Worlds - and goes on the run from the Syndics in the middle of enemy Syndic territory.

After a supposedly "last stand" against a Syndic fleet in the early days of the war and his disappearance, Captain John "Black Jack" Geary feels very uncomfortable with the reverence that the Alliance fleet has for him since he was revived after being discovered in suspended animation in his escape pod. With the Alliance being at war for so long, Geary discovers the officers do not have the experience or honor that the Alliance had at the beginning of the hundred years war with the Syndics at the time of Geary's disappearance. Geary conducts naval maneuvers and codes of conduct against the Syndics that alienates some of the officers of the fleet - which goes against all that they believed from "Black Jack's" exploits. As the fleet try to make their roundabout way back home to the Alliance with a Syndic "hypernet key" - which will allow them to attack the Syndic homeworld - the Syndics send all their military might to search for them.

What is sad is that Geary's grandnephew is very upset with him and his reputation as Geary's grandnephew had to grow up in the shadow of Geary's reputation, and had to live up to those high standards while his grandfather - Geary's brother - lived in the glow of "Black Jack" Geary. Geary, of course, is just a man and does not feel that his grand flawless reputation is deserved.

The scientific realities of space battles are very believable as they deal with the the various intricacies of how far light travels and tracking the positions of various ships from their light signatures. As the fleet raids Syndic worlds for supplies.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.