The Lost Fleet: Dauntless

Jack Campbell is a fine author whose work calls back to his time in the US Navy. The Lost Fleet series is a long-running series of books that never fails to impress, but it is in the open salvo in the series that made a gigantic splash. Black Jack, John Geary, is one of those heroes who legend is so much greater than the reality of his situation called for, and once he’s rescued from suspended animation and brought in for what’s supposed to be a decisive battle, things get really interesting. With Black Jack in charge, leading through a world he really doesn’t understand, it’s one of those MilSciFi works that is unputdownable. Not too long into the work you’ll come across stuff that will call many other science fiction legends to mind, from Firefly to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but not too many pages after that, you’ll find yourself in uncharted waters, with everything feeling fresh and new. It takes a great writer to make the familiar seem brand new, and that’s what Campbell has managed. By the end of the novel, you’re already salivating for more! Why it’s on the list Black Jack is one of those amazing and unforgettable characters!