He took a breath. “I’m expected to report onboard Formidable within two weeks,” he said. “By then, the diplomatic headaches should have been sorted out and we’ll know where the borders actually are. I’d prefer you gave me an answer by the end of the week and, until then, you are more than welcome to stay here.”
Percy rose to his feet. “Thank you, sir,” he said. He was certainly trying to be formal. “We will discuss it amongst ourselves and let you know.”
James nodded, then watched as they filed out of the room. They’d do well whatever they chose, he was sure. And the aristocracy had thrived when it had finally started integrating talented commoners. Kurt Schneider had died a hero. His children would be sought after for marriages, if they chose to stay. And if they didn’t…
He shook his head, then tapped the computer terminal. Uncle Winchester had sent him a detailed set of diagrams for the planned next generation carrier, one built after the lessons of the First Interstellar War were analysed and integrated into the design. She would look like the Old Lady, he knew, although she was also smoother in places, despite the ever-present weapons and sensor blisters. He smiled, then swallowed hard when he saw the nametag on the top of the diagram. HMS Theodore Smith.
It was, he decided, precisely what humanity’s first interstellar naval hero deserved.
Afterword
Wow. Just wow.
I posted Ark Royal on 15th January 2014. By the end of the month, I had sold over 10’000 copies, a success that left me absolutely stunned. I wrote The Nelson Touch — Book II — in March and sold 6000 copies in eight days. As of writing, Ark Royal has over 1000 reviews and has sold upwards of 65’000 copies. I am astonished and delighted and very — very — proud.
And, when I asked readers to vote for Book III or a spin-off, the majority vote was for Book III. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
When I started to plot out this series, I fixed on two things. First, that I would leave the background history — future history — a little vague. I’ve seen books suffer from having a detailed history that later proved incorrect or was treated as terrifying by some readers. The Troubles, in particular, were left undefined. I may go back to that era and write a book set there and then, but it will be very different from Ark Royal — and intensely political.
The second thing was that I would remember that the officers and crew of Ark Royal were human.
Times of stress bring out the best in some people and the worst in others. War is very stressful. We can see acts of astonishing heroism like a man throwing himself on a grenade to ensure his comrades survive, mixed with disciplinary problems, prisoner abuse, and an indifferent attitude to local civilians. I wanted to show the crew suffering from stress, fighting to overcome (or not) their demons and, in the end, being human. Soldiers, sailors and airmen are not machines. They can and do break under the pressures of war — or make stupid decisions that come back to haunt them.
And now a word about the future.
Ark Royal’s story is concluded, along with the war, but there will be many stories to tell set in the post-war universe. I intend to write a second trilogy following a smaller ship patrolling the borders or fighting a minor war with other humans, as well as the planned spin-off covering the Battle of Earth. Please let me know what you would like to see next.
As always, you can follow my work on my blog, post on my forum or simply sign up to my mailing lists for future announcements.
Thank you for reading. If you liked this book, please don’t hesitate to leave a review, share the link and tell your friends <grin>.
Christopher G. Nuttall
BARBARIANS AT THE GATES
(Sample)
The Federation has endured for hundreds of years, but now it is dying, killed by the corruption and decadence of the Senate and the rising power of military warlords. The shipping lanes are coming apart, the colonists are revolting and outside forces are pressing against undefended borders. Now, as one warlord makes a bid for supreme power, the entire edifice is on the verge of falling apart. Two officers, bearers of a proud military tradition, may be all that stands between the Federation and total destruction.
Admiral Marius Drake has fought for years to defend the Federation against the enigmatic outsiders. Now, he is charged with putting down a rogue warlord who has risen against the Senate and challenged its authority. If he fails, the schism will eventually rip the Federation apart. But with shadowy figures moving in the background, he knows it will not be easy to save the Federation from itself.
Lieutenant Roman Garibaldi, newly-graduated from the Naval Academy, knows no other cause than the Federation. Human unity is a cause worth fighting for. But as he faces the grim reality of interstellar civil war, and the exploitation of humans and aliens underlying the Senate’s vast power, he comes to realise that the price of the Federation’s survival may be more than anyone can pay.
But with the Senate suspicious of any competent commanding officers, purging the navy on the slightest excuse, their success may condemn them to an inglorious death.
Read the free sample below, then purchase the ebook from the links on this page.
Chapter One
The Luna Academy is the sole source of officers for the Federation Navy. Every year, five thousand young men and women enter the academy; five years later, the survivors are allowed to start the long climb towards command. The rewards are great, but so is the pressure. It is no surprise that the Academy rarely graduates more than a thousand new officers every year.
Luna Academy, Sol System, 4092
“Cadet Garibaldi,” Professor Kratman said, walking through the desks until he was standing right in front of his chosen victim, “I wish you to consider something for the benefit of your fellows. What do the First Battle of Zion, the Battle of Spider Bite and the Battle of Athens all have in common?”
Roman Garibaldi fought hard to keep his expression under control. Professor Kratman wasn’t known for suffering fools gladly and the obvious answer—all three battles had been fought in space—was almost certainly not the right one. But then, there might not be a right answer; Kratman was hardly above throwing an unanswerable question at the class. The professor—his face was badly scarred by radiation burns, leading to much speculation outside class—was waiting patiently. Disappointing him was not an option.
Roman considered it briefly, thinking hard. All three battles had been studied extensively during Second Year, right before the cadets had passed their first tests. The three battles were significant—two had marked the start of a war; the third had effectively ended one—but there were hundreds of other such significant battles in the Federation’s two thousand year history. He ran his hand through his blond hair and smiled as the answer came to him.