#BookReview: Order of the Centurion
When people think about the military, and more specifically, military science fiction, they think of those heroic tales. Let’s face it; we wouldn’t sit through a book about the twelfth staff meeting of the day and the infamous ‘Death by PowerPoint.” Those of us who served hated it when we were in, and now, we’d hate to experience it on the pages of the books we read to escape.
However, we read innumerable tales of battlefield heroics. We salivate at the chance to see another common man doing the impossible with uncommon valor. It’s wish fulfillment, allowing us to visualize what we hope are the best parts of ourselves. And for those of us who’ve been there and maybe got stuck with some survivor’s guilt... it allows us to replay those events with hopefully better outcomes.
Despite all of that, very few books are dedicated to one man’s path to earning the highest awards for valor for their intergalactic nation-state until the Order of the Centurion Series by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole. This is a series of stand-alone tales, regaling us with how individual legionnaires do impossible deeds, despite the odds. We experience them earning their award, the in-universe equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Order of the Centurion.
The first novel in this series was written by the co-creators of the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, Jason Anspach, and Nick Cole. Those of us who are fans of their work jokingly call this dynamic duo our ‘Co-Emperors’ and have built a thriving fan community around this universe. Together they’ve fixed everything that was broken by the fools ruining the Star Wars Franchise. With Jason’s skill-turning prose and Nick’s time spent in the US Army, they get the details right and build a compelling story that will surely become one of the classics of science fiction literature in the years to come.
The Story
“The Order of the Centurion is the highest award that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in, or with, the Legion. When such an individual displays exceptional valor in action against an enemy force and uncommon loyalty and devotion to the Legion and its legionnaires, refusing to abandon post, mission, or brothers, even unto death, the Legion dutifully recognizes such courage with this award.”
Tired of sitting out the war on Psydon in a mobile office hab, Legion Lieutenant Washam agrees to undertake a covert and unsanctioned mission with a band of Republic Recon Marines. Inserted deep behind enemy lines, the strike force uncovers a surprise key to ending a bitter war. Now they must navigate a hostile jungle teeming with murderous alien rebels, pushing themselves to the limits of their abilities, to get this vital intel to Legion Command – if they can survive that long.
The Order of the Centurion is the first novel in an all-new series of stand-alone military science fiction thrillers set in the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, ranging from the early days of the Savage Wars to the arrival of the Black Fleet and the shenanigans that occurred around the execution of Article 13. Each of these books features the legendary heroes of the Legion who forgot nothing in their earning of the Legion's highest honor.
If you like epic space opera with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant continuation of the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything that George Lucas and company broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison. Something like, “If you enjoyed Book X, buy this book,” but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. Other books followed their example, but theirs was the first in this new round of authors and sci-fi fans fixing the broken properties of their youths. The two have revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, bringing most of us into the science fiction genre! There are new series popping up that follow this vibe; I’ve heard of them... but until I read them, I can’t recommend them. So, until then, I will stick with the belief that there are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!
Now that I’ve shown you the world let’s talk about the writing itself. One thing that I love about the Galaxy’s Edge Universe is how difficult it is to tell where one author begins and the other ends. Their voices flow seamlessly, one into the other, culminating in an enjoyable read. The Order of the Centurion was written with equal parts workmen's prose and literary pageantry. That isn't a bad thing either; it allowed the Dynamic Duo to paint a compelling picture in my head. When I read their stories, I can envision the adventure playing out as a movie in my head, and I love it!
I have to give it to the authors, this novel was chock-full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. They described things across the sensory spectrum; sights, sounds, smells, and even how the world felt. This is extremely important when you’re writing and/or reading military science fiction. Combat can’t just be seen; it must be experienced, and Anspach and Cole brought that to you. I could almost smell the burnt ozone from the blaster fire and feel the tension in the air from the marines who went on patrol with Major Berlin and Lieutenant Washam. This is how it’s done, and I hope to get that good someday.
While I could visualize all of the characters, I would still love it if the authors shared an artist’s renderings for all of the things. It’s beyond time that this universe gets its own bestiary for the various alien races! I feel like an addict saying that, but meh… I like it when we have the visuals to go along with my novels. While the authors did a great job of describing, they didn’t describe every blade of grass. Instead, they gave you the building blocks you needed to see for yourself. One huge plus for me was Nick Cole and Jason Anspach’s descriptive use of language. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible, and I enjoyed it. The author’s description of their universe was evocative and enough to please rookies and uber fans alike! This is similar to what I said in the previous books, but their descriptive game has been superb throughout the series, and I can’t think of a place I’d like to improve it.
Another part of this book that I absolutely loved was the premise for this universe. The author set out to take the kind of Star Wars stories we used to love, strip out all of the modern political messaging, and tell tales for the sheer enjoyment of it. The whole point was escapism and enjoyment under the banner of intergalactic science fiction. This book launches a new series set in the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, telling the stories of legionnaires who won the Order of the Centurion. It’s the highest award for valor that can be earned by a leej and is highly coveted. This series, like the main novels, fit squarely within the scope of the military fiction that I love to read. It’s an action-packed novel with a defined plot. It was easy to follow, and it never really felt like the story lagged behind or became dull. There was never a point in the novel where I couldn’t follow what was going on, so in this aspect of the story; it was a hit!
We get to see a war fought by the Legion’s first point officers against the Doros, a humanoid doglike race nicknamed the Dobies. The plot was darkly fun, so much so that I had to sit on this for a few days before I could write this review. Seriously, the ending was just that emotional. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first sentence. They built on what came before this novel, allowing the universe to grow and expand, hooking me on their special brand of leej crack!
Further, the plot was compelling and emotional and hit ya in the feels. I really loved the premise, but in full disclosure, I do have a novel written later in this series. I won’t be reviewing a novel I wrote, but that was probably a given. Back to the plot of this novel, I enjoyed how the execution. It was especially fun to get some of the backstories of a major character from the main series. In this book, Jason and Nick did it again, the pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. There was never a point where the plot was confusing or that I couldn’t figure out what was going on. A map of the terrain would definitely help, but I could still picture things in my head. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a compelling premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing!
The Characters
In this novel, we follow a small group of characters, which is what I like about this universe. We meet a young Lieutenant Washam, Major D’lay Berlin, Sergeant Shotton, Specialist Alistair, and Sergeant Major Subs. All of these characters were a lot of fun to spend time with again and made me want the book to never end (hint, hint)!
Lieutenant Washam (Wash): He’s a rich kid from a prominent family on Spilursa who becomes one of the Legion’s first ‘point (appointed) officers. He was genuinely dedicated to the ideals of the Republic, the House of Reason, and the Legion. Unlike his fellow points, he earned his commission the hard way, and his peers hated him for it. The rest of the Legion? They hated him, too, never giving him a chance. Instead, they relegate him to some backwater supply depot doing work normally reserved for lowly corporals. When the opportunity comes to go on a mission led by Major Berlin, seeking to hunt down the guns terrorizing the Republic forces on Psydon, he reluctantly rises to the situation. He becomes the living embodiment of the Legion mantra, KTF. He kills them first, showing the Legion and the Dobies that he is a force to be reckoned with. He felt real and not one of those stereotypical military killers. He was badass, a consummate professional, and a genuinely good officer for his troops. He’s the kind of guy you’d want on your side in a firefight, despite having essentially bribed his way into the Legion. He was my favorite character in this novel; I enjoyed following him! Overall, I really liked him and felt like there was so much more to come from him! I can’t wait to see where his arc concludes in Retribution!
Major D’lay Berlin: He’s a rich kid from a prominent family on Spilursa who becomes one of the Legion’s first ‘point officers. He was genuinely dedicated to the ideals of the Republic and the House of Reason, though he was an unashamedly spoiled rotten brat. He takes a lot for granted, learning the true meaning of service… and he does it the hard way. In the end, he proves his mettle under fire during operations on Psydon. I both hated and loved this character throughout the course of the novel, but in the end, he won me over.
Sergeant Major Boyd (Subs): He’s a Dark Ops Legionnaire who’s on temporary duty at Republic Army Firebase Hitchcock. He was severely wounded on his last Dark Ops mission and was stuck out in the boonies to ride out the last of his service time before he could retire. He was a motivated, gung-ho type of leej who knew how to get things done and passed those skills on to the Repub Army soldiers he was stationed with. When a rogue mission into the Psydon jungle runs into trouble, Subs rushes off towards the sound of the guns to help his fellow legionnaires. I really loved this character and wanted more from him. He was the sort of operator who had plenty of stories left to his name, stories that deserved to be told.
Specialist Alistair: He’s a Repub Army “basic” who’s the radio operator for Republic Army Firebase Hitchcock. He’s befriended Dark Ops Legionnaire Sergeant Major Boyd (Subs), whom he sees as his mentor. When Subs makes his way into the woods for an impromptu rescue operation, Alistair heeds the call of duty and proves his worth. I really liked this character and wanted to see what happened to him after the events that took place in The Order of the Centurion.
Sergeant Shotton: He’s a Repub marine sergeant who was in charge of the marine detachment that went on the patrol with Major Berlin and Lieutenant Washam. He was a grizzled old NCO, but no-nonsense kind of guy every rookie wants on their side in a firefight. He was a consummate warfighter, one who showed everyone that the Legion aren’t the only bubbas who can KTF! I really enjoyed this character and wouldn’t mind seeing more from him. Seriously, I would love to know what happened to him after the SLIC pulled him out of the jungles!
Doros (aka Dobies): These are a doglike race of humanoids that look similar to an Earthlike Doberman, hence their nickname of Dobie. They were a fierce species with a pack mentality and were capable warriors. They are from the planet Psydon and were ultimately forced into the fold of the Republic by the Legion during a period of fierce struggle. These were the enemies from Tin Man and the Order of the Centurion. I love these aliens and want more from them. I bet they would be fun aliens to explore from their own perspective. (Hint, hint, hint.)
Overall, it was fun to meet one of the important characters from the main series. I liked learning Wash’s backstory and how he achieved the peaks he climbed. I can’t wait to see where the author takes Wash in the last Galaxy’s Edge novel, Retribution.
The World
This is one of the many spin-off novels in the Galaxy’s Edge Series. There were nine books in the main series, with about the same number of novels in the other series set in this universe. After all of those books, I still absolutely loved it. Each novel keeps getting better, and I’m more hooked than ever. Can I say that enough? Okay, back to the nitty-gritty of the review. This novel had a very fleshed-out world that was consistent, made sense, and sucked you in. Some of the details that seemed inconsequential in the first eight novels from the main storyline are clarified and proven to be critically important. This novel served to add even more depth to the world at the edge of the galaxy.
While this could be read as a stand-alone novel, without having read any of the other books, it built onto the bedrock that Tin Man created about the conflict on Psydon and the brave men and women who fought there for The Republic. I could picture every setting described, easily envisioning myself fighting the Dobies in the Psydon jungles. They described the world with plenty of details, and there wasn’t a scene where I couldn’t imagine what Anspach and Cole described. By choosing to have the main character fighting in his fatigues, these two authors were able to up their game by adding more sensory input to the mix; sights, sounds, smells, and feelings. There was no climate-controlled leej armor to hide behind, just the legionnaire and his relentless foe. They didn’t reinvent the wheel and built on the existing tropes of science fiction. They just made it sexier! Overall, the world-building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Nick Cole and Jason Anspach created. Like most of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun, which is why I read it in the first place.
Politics
This novel was apolitical in the sense that it didn't deal with any real-world politics. Instead, it was written in such a way that you could forget the real world and immerse yourself in this novelized one. With that being said, we did see some political struggles from the political parties in this world. The very way that the main character received his commission was a political move, appointing politically connected men and women into roles without training. This is done so that those new officers can check the box on this phase of life before entering the more lucrative private sector as “heroes” of the Republic. In that sense, this novel gave off some Vietnam nostalgia without getting into the politics of our world.
Content Warning
This is a war novel, so there is plenty of violent kinetic action. The violence isn't gratuitous; this isn't ‘war porn™.’ However, the violence and danger are there, so do with that what you will. I would suggest using a PG-13 rating guideline for your younger readers. There is also some cussing in this novel but with expletives unique to this universe. I would say that this makes it a relative non-issue, at least in my family. Finally, there are some references to a higher power. In this world, “God” becomes “Oba,” so if that is an issue for you... you've been warned!
Narration
I’ve listened to over a hundred hours of stories since becoming a fan of audiobooks. I’ve had these sweep adventures read to me by awesome narrators like RC Bray, Luke Daniels, Mark Boyett, and Veronica Giguere. I’m confident in what I enjoy and what I dislike. I know that I hate accents that seem too cheesy and despise narrators that sound like robots. With those pesky caveats, I will review the narration quality of this novel. The audiobook was well done, and the accents were consistent. I liked what Mark Boyett did with this novel; his audiobooks are always quality productions. I’ve listened to several books by this narrator, and I’ll keep buying more because he’s just that good. I felt like he was the perfect fit to tell Wash’s story. He also did an outstanding job with the secondary characters; he had me crying for the tragedy that was the life of Sergeant Major Boyd. I loved how he portrayed Major Berlin, though it left me conflicted. I wasn’t sure whether to love him or hate him. I listened to this novel exclusively and only referenced the e-book while writing this review. I don’t feel like there is any part of the story I didn’t understand, which can sometimes happen when listening rather than reading a novel. His performance didn’t feel robotic, like a machine was reading the novel to me. You’ll often see that from me because it’ll drag me out of a book so fast that I can’t listen to it anymore. With Mark Boyett, it felt like I was listening to one of those old-time radio dramas. He did a great job with the various characterizations, and his voices were consistent.
Who is it for?
This novel, and the rest of the books in this universe, are for those who’ve ever loved the early Star Wars books and hated when they murdered the franchise. It’s for fans of military science fiction who want their stories told with a slice of realism. If you want compelling three-dimensional characters without sacrificing the action, this is your book. This book allows you to be a kid again, playing in the dirt with those action figures as you save the galaxy single-handedly.
Why buy it
This novel has everything you love about military science fiction. The combat was gritty and visceral, sucking you in through the pages and into another world... except someone else has to embrace the suck this time! The Dynamic Duo of Jason Anspach and Nick Cole never took their foot off the gas or let up on the action during this romp through Psydon, and I loved it!
If this review doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will! But, just in case, here is the link to buy the book! Click the link already!