Uncommon Purpose (The Hope Island Chronicles #1)

Uncommon Purpose by P.J. Strebor

Uncommon Purpose is a great science fiction that blends a sort of political and military setting readers are familiar with in such novels as David Webers Honor Harrington series. Development of characters recalled for this reader the feel of many of his favorite Heinlein characters. P.J. Strebor brings to the table his own blend of elements such as family honor, redemption and revenge along with his own twist on a few tropes.

It starts in a universe with an uneasy peace, after a great Franco Pruessen war that led to the Pruessen’s unleashing a terrible bio-weapon that was designed to save them, only to have it backfire in a devastating way; leaving the League little choice but to quarantine one whole area of space; all leading to the formation of the Prussen Empire; and the present situation where Prussen headhunters make occasional raids across the quarantine borders to obtain slave labor from the League worlds.

The story seems to start slow, but that’s because there are the equivalent of fifty pages that encompass world building and introduction of the main character: Nathan Telford. The first five chapters could easily read as a short story that introduces us to the universe of Nathan Telford and acts as a means of showing the tragic beginning of the main character of the story; while pacing of conflict and tension make this stand well alone. The Telford ship Bellinda is overtaken by Pruessen headhunters and despite the best laid plans, the self destruct meant to save them all from slavery is disrupted. We have the quick thinking of Jasper to thank. I say that because without his actions there’d be no story for us; but I’ll leave it there for the next reader find. It’s the story of how they endure and escape.

The real story begins in chapter 6 when the Navy Monitor boat Impudent detects a crashed ship on a plague ridden world that has been quarantined for several years due to the terminal nature of the Pruessen plague. Further examination proves that there is one life sign and that the ship is Belinda, which now has been missing for over six years. We meet the brave and possibly foolhardy Ensign Ellen Gabreski for a small time and I do hope we see more of her down the road, but this isn’t her story. Nathan is only 14 years old at this time and will have to learn a lot before he might begin the path to revenge. The reader will eventually find out everything that happened to Nathan in those six years. Yet we learn only a small amount about Nathan beyond the scant amount already seen in the first fifty pages; and in part I think this is because Nathan harbors a deep and dreadful secret about his life after escape from the Pruessen’s and the reader will have to wait for a majority of the book to learn what that is.

One important thing we do learn is that Nathan has an odd talent he calls Prep; which he seems to have acquired while on the plague world of Delos.

Before getting on with his life, Nathan will have to deal with a forced gag order to tell no one about what’s happened to him. There are good reasons, but those take us too close to spoiler area.

When Nathan finally arrives on Kastoria to live with the Penkovskys the reader begins to find out more about him. Most of this is done quite well from other character’s point of view, with less focus from Nathans point of view and I think thats again because of his secret and getting too close to his thoughts might reveal too much too early.

The novel dips deep into a trope area at this point, but P.J. Strebor uses it well. We have the typical male, Nathan; and his female friend, Moe, who decides to turn him into her project. As can be expected; if there is ever anything more than friendship desired here, it is doomed to tragedy. More importantly theres the thread about the agreements between parties to keep the past a secret that predictably leads to danger for everyone close to Nathan.

This quickly becomes a novel about Nathan balancing his training toward the proper way to wage war and his desire for immediate revenge for his family and the inevitable mess caused by his need to keep his past a secret.

I recommend this to all fans of the Military-Procedural-Political Science Fiction. It has a well rounded science base that lends well to the suspension of disbelief. For me: Uncommon Purpose stands as a superbly well done first novel from an author with a lot of promise.

J.L. Dobias

I would really like to give this author more of my money. I really enjoyed this book, read it in one sitting and finished about 1 in the morning. It is in the tradition of C. S. Forrester and the Hornblower series, much like the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. Although there are a couple of very minor nits to pick, use of “quiet” instead of “quite”, for example, this is the start of what I hope will be a long running series as we follow the development of the main character.

PJ Strebor must be a naval veteran or perhaps naval historian. His wonderfully detailed use of naval jargon and the vivid universe he has created in Uncommon Purpose are very impressive. Nathan Telford, the protagonist, is much in the tradition of the wounded hero, and the trials he endures are nearly too much to bear. But bear it he does, and as a result should be added to the Mount Rushmore of overcoming literary figures.
An interesting sidelight has to do with the names of the various civilizations in this universe and the allusions to earthly nations therein. I found it both interesting and amusing.
The third act is very intense, emotionally affecting, and ultimately rewarding. PJ Strebor is a writer of great skill and intellect. Ok, not everyone likes this kind of intense sci fi space epic, but everyone enjoys great writing, so do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this fine sample of Mr. Strebors work.

A Review by, Cathbad

Uncommon Purpose

This novel gives a lesson on how to write well-defined characters.

The tale opens as an extended family, three generations running a space freighter, comes under attack. The Bellinda is captured by the enemy, and its crew/family are pressed into the enemys service. Although they eventually escape, their ship is badly damaged. They sit down/crash on an unmanned planet; but unbeknownst to them, the planet is home to a virulent plague. The family all die.

All save one.

Now the story becomes the tale of Nathan Telford who, out of all his family, survives the plague. He is eventually rescued, and there begins his voyage of discovery and revenge.

The characters in this story are real. They are complete. I am truly impressed by Strebors ability to create living, breathing characters who live within the pages of this novel.

Though the story is at times a bit difficult to follow in the early going, it grows and solidifies as the story progresses. The novel starts off strong and intriguing. After the Bellinda is captured, the action slows down a bit; but dont give up on it! The excitement level increases as we get deeper into the story, and we begin to care for these well written characters.

Then comes an epic battle, and our hero well, youll have to read the book and see for yourself. I can tell you that it is well worth the read!

I give this novel a rating of 8 out of 10.

As the youngest child of a family formed in and by space travel Nathan is cunning beyond his years and devoted to his family,
But nothing could have prepared him for the life of a slave of the Preussians. Four years of abuse, brutality and abasement pass before the family creates a wildly suicidal chance to escape. At the end of that flight he is the only survivor. Eventual rescue leads to his finding a new home and family, but in the depths of his heart and mind he is preparing the meal he had promised his dying father he would have with the Preussians- Revenge. A great “coming of age” story. Or at least the beginning of one…

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