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Shoot the Humans First #1
Shoot the Humans First
On Earth, everyone is a soldier. Like all humans Jadeth was trained from birth to kill. Humans are the best soldiers in the galaxy and they fight for whoever pays the most. With no family, no country, no tribe, their lives and their loyalty belong to High Command. But when Jadeth meets Ilyan, a man they call The Prophet, he learns he’s been lied to all his life.
Brilliant intelligence analyst, Ilyan, is certain humanity and Earth itself is in imminent danger. High Command refuses to believe it, forcing Ilyan to go on the run, desperate to spread the truth. If he can’t make High Command believe in the threat, then he will take his message to the soldiers on the ground.
Infantryman Jadeth is one of those soldiers. He doesn’t know if it’s accident or fate that has brought him to Ilyan, but he knows he has only one mission now. He must protect Ilyan and his small band of followers as they travel through hostile territory, spreading the truth. High Command has betrayed humanity, and Jadeth has nothing left to believe in—except The Prophet. Ilyan is determined to reach Earth’s mercenary army, scattered across the galaxy fighting other people’s wars. His new guardian Jadeth must keep him safe from agents of High Command determined to silence him. If Jadeth fails he will have nothing left. If that happens Earth will to learn how far a man can go when everything he believed in is lost.
Brilliant intelligence analyst, Ilyan, is certain humanity and Earth itself is in imminent danger. High Command refuses to believe it, forcing Ilyan to go on the run, desperate to spread the truth. If he can’t make High Command believe in the threat, then he will take his message to the soldiers on the ground.
Infantryman Jadeth is one of those soldiers. He doesn’t know if it’s accident or fate that has brought him to Ilyan, but he knows he has only one mission now. He must protect Ilyan and his small band of followers as they travel through hostile territory, spreading the truth. High Command has betrayed humanity, and Jadeth has nothing left to believe in—except The Prophet. Ilyan is determined to reach Earth’s mercenary army, scattered across the galaxy fighting other people’s wars. His new guardian Jadeth must keep him safe from agents of High Command determined to silence him. If Jadeth fails he will have nothing left. If that happens Earth will to learn how far a man can go when everything he believed in is lost.
219 pages, ebook
First published June 15, 2013
7 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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January 9, 2016For readers of my erotic romances - this is not a romance or erotic. It's purely science fiction. It's a book from before I started writing my erotic romances. It's available free at Smashwords and Amazon and many others. 60,000 words long. If you enjoy it check out the sequel
The Battle of Hollow Jimmy
If you find it not free at Amazon, you can get it from Smashwords, or report a lower price and it should go free again quickly. Price matching is a constant battle!
If you find it not free at Amazon, you can get it from Smashwords, or report a lower price and it should go free again quickly. Price matching is a constant battle!
February 17, 2019
A book I love & re-read as often as possible (& it’s free! Go get yourself a copy!). Reminds me of the film version of Starship Troopers, though I don’t know why (possibly the level of tech?), and also other sci-fi from my teenage years (Dorsai trilogy anyone?).
It’s both hopeful & world-weary all at the same time, with an ending I think is pure brilliance.
It’s both hopeful & world-weary all at the same time, with an ending I think is pure brilliance.
October 30, 2017
While it felt a little predictable, it really wasn't. Spoiler: what you think is going to happen, doesn't. I've said too much as it is, so I won't say any more on the subject. Just read and enjoy... and be surprised.
October 15, 2018
Derivative, predictable space opera
Followed a predictable path No character development and a bit two dimensional. Most of the dialogue was too obvious to be believable and allow a suspension of disbelief.
Followed a predictable path No character development and a bit two dimensional. Most of the dialogue was too obvious to be believable and allow a suspension of disbelief.
October 12, 2017
This is a great story. It twists around and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen and I did not see that ending coming. WOW! I can’t wait to read book two.
February 21, 2018
"Shoot the Humans First" is a little strange,
as a few other reviewer have said.
I am hoping Book 2 is better.
as a few other reviewer have said.
I am hoping Book 2 is better.
July 16, 2023
I really liked it.
July 19, 2013
4 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
The human race are now a race of soldiers sent out to fight wars for other races, as long as the price is right of course. Intelligence analyst Ilyan has predicted that those races are about to turn on Earth but High Command refuse to listen. Ilyan is forced to run and he is desperate to spread the truth so he goes to those who are on the ground, the soldiers who blindly follow orders of those that have betrayed humanity. Jadeth is one of those soldiers. Jadeth joins up with Ilyan and his small band when the unit he is with is caught up in shell fire, discovering Ilyan’s story he can’t believe the group of nutters are traveling in hostile territories spreading such an outlandish tale, until he remembers an exchange he saw years earlier. Now Jadeth is Ilyan’s guardian keeping the man safe so he can spread the story, but with High Command assassins chasing them they both know that survival means keeping one foot ahead.
While this story isn’t M/M or a romance it does have a kinda bromance feel to it as Jadeth gets to know Ilyan. Earth has produced soldiers for other races war for hundreds of years, churning out soldiers is humanities only commodity and they exploit it to the fullest. Ilyan has predicted where war will break out for years, always directing the High Command so they can negotiate a price but when he predicts war will be coming to Earth High Command doesn’t want to know, and Ilyan finds himself on the run spreading the word and dodging the assassins sent after him. Jadeth is just a simple grunt and when he runs across Ilyan’s group he decides to stick with them when he realises what Ilyan says makes sense, protecting Ilyan becomes his mission and if High Command succeeds then humanity might just be in grave danger.
This is a brilliant science fiction story that has humans doing what they do best, fighting in wars. The storyline is very simple, intelligence agents predict where war will break out, High Command sends out its soldiers to fight for the side who will pay the most, but High Command has a secret which Ilyan wants to tell everyone so they will believe when he tells them war is coming to Earth. Jadeth finds himself drawn to and protective of Ilyan, both men are straight but there is an undercurrent of admiration. This story carries you across worlds as they spread the truth, avoiding assassins and the High Command and dealing with petty jealousies but betrayal is heading their way and humanity will pay the price.
I recommend this if you love science fiction, futuristic, great characters, a brilliant story and an ending that will blow you away.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
The human race are now a race of soldiers sent out to fight wars for other races, as long as the price is right of course. Intelligence analyst Ilyan has predicted that those races are about to turn on Earth but High Command refuse to listen. Ilyan is forced to run and he is desperate to spread the truth so he goes to those who are on the ground, the soldiers who blindly follow orders of those that have betrayed humanity. Jadeth is one of those soldiers. Jadeth joins up with Ilyan and his small band when the unit he is with is caught up in shell fire, discovering Ilyan’s story he can’t believe the group of nutters are traveling in hostile territories spreading such an outlandish tale, until he remembers an exchange he saw years earlier. Now Jadeth is Ilyan’s guardian keeping the man safe so he can spread the story, but with High Command assassins chasing them they both know that survival means keeping one foot ahead.
While this story isn’t M/M or a romance it does have a kinda bromance feel to it as Jadeth gets to know Ilyan. Earth has produced soldiers for other races war for hundreds of years, churning out soldiers is humanities only commodity and they exploit it to the fullest. Ilyan has predicted where war will break out for years, always directing the High Command so they can negotiate a price but when he predicts war will be coming to Earth High Command doesn’t want to know, and Ilyan finds himself on the run spreading the word and dodging the assassins sent after him. Jadeth is just a simple grunt and when he runs across Ilyan’s group he decides to stick with them when he realises what Ilyan says makes sense, protecting Ilyan becomes his mission and if High Command succeeds then humanity might just be in grave danger.
This is a brilliant science fiction story that has humans doing what they do best, fighting in wars. The storyline is very simple, intelligence agents predict where war will break out, High Command sends out its soldiers to fight for the side who will pay the most, but High Command has a secret which Ilyan wants to tell everyone so they will believe when he tells them war is coming to Earth. Jadeth finds himself drawn to and protective of Ilyan, both men are straight but there is an undercurrent of admiration. This story carries you across worlds as they spread the truth, avoiding assassins and the High Command and dealing with petty jealousies but betrayal is heading their way and humanity will pay the price.
I recommend this if you love science fiction, futuristic, great characters, a brilliant story and an ending that will blow you away.
February 1, 2014
This was such a pleasant surprise to me. I only started reading it because the title had something funny about it and reminded me of another title "Shoot the women first" by Eileen MacDonald.
What I was expecting was an easy sf shoot-m-up with very little depth, however, as the story unfolded I was astounded by the level of detail in the building of the world. Interestingly within the genre, the writer concentrates mostly on the human-culture and the aliens are only briefly sketched out.
The focus is squarely on how humanity has changed in this setting. What it means to be human in this world. I found that fascinating.
The story has an excellent pace and holds the tension very well.
The protagonist has a very strong, but subtly unfolding, arc. The other characters are consistently described from the protagonist's POV and yet the feeling that there is more to the scenario than immediately visible, is executed very well.
Definitely a good read
What I was expecting was an easy sf shoot-m-up with very little depth, however, as the story unfolded I was astounded by the level of detail in the building of the world. Interestingly within the genre, the writer concentrates mostly on the human-culture and the aliens are only briefly sketched out.
The focus is squarely on how humanity has changed in this setting. What it means to be human in this world. I found that fascinating.
The story has an excellent pace and holds the tension very well.
The protagonist has a very strong, but subtly unfolding, arc. The other characters are consistently described from the protagonist's POV and yet the feeling that there is more to the scenario than immediately visible, is executed very well.
Definitely a good read
July 21, 2013
An interesting concept for this story and I enjoyed reading it, even though it was a little bit 'bromancey' for a Science Fiction story. I was totally surprised at the ending as it wasn't quite what I expected it to be, yet somehow, after the fact, it made a lot of sense to me too. If you enjoy good Characters, an action and intrigue story with surprise endings then this is for you.
March 11, 2015
Get ready for the ending
This book was well written and a good read. I read a lot of sci fi and enjoyed this book. Although there wasn't a lot of aliens involved in the story the premise and situations were believable. Watch out for the ending. Its been a long time since I have been surprised by an ending and I was with this story. I would recommend this book.
This book was well written and a good read. I read a lot of sci fi and enjoyed this book. Although there wasn't a lot of aliens involved in the story the premise and situations were believable. Watch out for the ending. Its been a long time since I have been surprised by an ending and I was with this story. I would recommend this book.
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April 9, 2014Although I liked the way it's written and some of the characters, somewhere along the way the story took turn down a path that I decidedly didn't like. It kind of leaves me angry at the MC. Which is unfortunate.
Or maybe that means the book is just this good that it evokes an emotional reaction.
Or maybe that means the book is just this good that it evokes an emotional reaction.
Want to read
November 28, 2014Freebie, thanks
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews