Overall, I enjoyed the read. I felt it was a bit long in spots. When reading, I couldn't help but envision Resident Evil with Alice and mutants - getting larger and larger as the various battles ensue. You have the inescapable, common theme of Reluctant Hero, played by Adcox, as he develops into a capable Marine. Hawke, aka the Black guard, is an enigma and overall butt-kicking strategist with larger-than-life abilities. There are some tells in the book, which means there aren't any major surprises as the reader digests the story. As you can tell by the book description, this is Book 1 in the Legend of the Black Guard series. You will get a satisfying conclusion, with more story to unfold. One of my complaints about this book, and pretty much any High Fantasy, is dialogue. The Horaxians all do Yoda-Speak. There are only a couple passages where sentence structure was Horaxian, but should have been human. I noted one completely disjointed, fragmented sentence and one or two wrong words -- the kind spell-check won't catch. It needs a light pass on editing to correct these bits. So. We are not alone! Humans and Horaxians have some ancient ties. However, we end up embattled with our alien cousins and both races suffer greatly. Unfortunately, there is a new threat to all living organisms and these suckers are powerful. The bulk of the book is a mission within a battle for life. 3.7 of 5 Stars - ARC provided.
From the Publisher:
Tragic events that lead to the death of billions have fractured the bond between mankind and the Horaxians, turning interstellar allies into bitter enemies. Now, Adcox, a young marine officer, is caught in a savage war that has lasted longer than he’s been alive. One that has broken the human condition, and flung a boy into a man’s world.
With the arrival of the greatest horror either race has ever witnessed, the inescapability of extinction forces humanity and their hated adversary to forge an unwanted alliance. Adcox and his team are tasked on a covert mission, where survival of all life hinges on them finding just one man…a knight of the deadly and mysterious Black Guard. He’s a man that none trusts, few believe is alive, but all agree that he is the most dangerous man in the universe.
The Black Guard takes you on an epic science fiction adventure of a young man’s battle against the enemy external and within, and his struggle to place his faith in a powerful warrior whose past is shrouded with both virtue and villainy. Sci-fi fans will delight in this Starship Troopers meets The Lord of the Rings military science fantasy tale. The legend of the Black Guard…begins.