Destroyer (The Void Wraith Saga Book 1)

The author definitely is a Wing Commander fan, but that's a good thing. Some of the Tigris names were a little corny, but over all the book was a fast paced enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the second book. If you get a chance, sign up for his mailing list and get a free copy of the prequel novella.

I really enjoyed this story. The plot could have been developed a bit more, but the characters were were done pretty well. I read while working out on the elliptical and treadmill and I found myself going past my normal times as the book kept me so well engaged. I'm always on the hunt for new authors. I like authors who's characters display some measure of intelligence. Can't stand main characters who only "react" after the fact. This author did not disappoint. I will be placing him on my list of authors to track for new works.

Excellent start to series. One of the most enjoyable books I have read in many months. Exciting, great storyline, complex characters, situation, leaves you wanting more --- Now !! Virtually no typos or grammar issues/errors. A FUN read!! You will not be disappointed - aliens, good ones, bad ones, spies, traitors, space battles, mysteries......all highly entertaining!

Chris Fox really hit a home run with Destroyer. There are so many military / alien sci-fi trilogies out there and I have read lots of them. There is something different and refreshing about Fox's style that made me love it. I really liked the characters / races in the book and how their relationships evolved as the story was told. So many books paint the aliens as pure enemies who will never listen to reason regardless of the consequences and I think Fox's characters are much more believable.
Can't wait for Void Wraith to come out!!

Was a awesome book. The character development and plot where thought out and full of surprises. I went through this book in one sitting and can not wait to finish the series. If the rest of the series is anything like this book then i see me downing them very fast. You will not be disappointed with this series and highly recommend this to family and friends.

I picked this up two days ago, started reading later that day. Very good story, characters and plot developed at a steady pace, which made it an easy and enjoyable read for those who like space battles backed by intelligence and risk. I very much like storys with space battles, fleets, marines, aliens, and high tech, but not possible tech.

This is a good science fiction story with plenty of action and fearsome races from across the galaxy to face. The reactions of the two races when they met were well done and reasonable. For his first science fiction book, Chris Fox did a great job. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Richard Ruppel

Chris is fast becoming one of my favorite Authors!!
It had characters that are very likeable
and keeps You wanting to read more . By that I mean I just can't put them (All of His Books) down . I find myself Reading into the wee hours.
Problem is I finish them to fast.
If he doesn't get some more books out there I might have to read his " how to write books"! However I don't think I will enjoy those as much as all his others.. Na.

Thanks Chris

I really enjoyed this book quite a bit. The story is very engaging and fun--a lot of fun. I really liked the characters and all the various parts of the story that came together near the end. I love that this is the first book in a series as I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

I was lucky enough to witness the creation of this book and enjoyed every minute of it.
Chris Fox is a great storyteller military sci-fi. The characters are believable (who thought cats could be aliens..), the plot is fast-paced and entertaining, and the suspense kept me up until I completed the book.
Looking forward to the next book.

The story started strong and just kept going. I was surprised at how quickly the new universe pulled me in. For a first foray into sci-fi, the plot was amazingly well developed. The only negative thing I can say it's that a few grammatical errors made it through the editing process. That being said, I can't wait for the sequel!

Behind the scenes clandestine activities. Career sacrificed for another and a galaxy chasing one lone destroyer. For a first space book, it's good. Now waiting for the next one to see who is left standing for the next battle.

The story line is bits and pieces of many stories, but it is a fast read with a lot of action. Absolutely terrible editing, especially at the end where you are left wondering how could such an obvious mistake go uncorrected.

Notes on Destroyer

I must say, I was invested in this novel from the get-go due to the remarkable way the book was written. I looked over the shoulder (virtually) of Chris Fox every day he was writing this via his video series - the 21 day challenge. That blistering time schedule included editing and releasing the book. So I pre-ordered a copy and devoured it upon publication.

Chris Fox is a personable author. This comes across in his videos and gets us emotionally invested in him as well as his characters. In Destroyer, he has invented a setting that has some familiar tropes, but also some fresh twists that make the story very different to your usual fare. There are several races woven into the story: humans (of course), the Primo civilisation, the Tigris (a feline race) and the dread 'Void Wraith.' There's some great world-building in there, including a different projection for space travel called 'Helios gates.' This makes a refreshing change from cryo-sleep inventions or hyperspace. There's an integrity to the fictional technology, from the Tigris methods of space combat to VI chips that can bridge the gap between organic forms of life and ship computers. I also liked the way that the history of the different civilisations was drip-fed into the story so that the reader isn't swamped with info-dump at the beginning.

The Void-Wraith and their army of 'Judicators' are antagonists to strike fear into every heart. They are suitably strange and threatening, with a pseudo-predator mode of cloaking their visibility. As such, they gave a horror element to the tale, which is always music to the ears of yours truly.

The characters are more than cardboard cut-outs too. The MC, Nolan is well-rounded and doesn't come across as an invincible Han Solo-esque superhero. He has his weaknesses and flaws, making him a worthy vehicle to invest in over the coming volumes in this trilogy. There is, of course, a love interest in the form of Katherine, daughter of the federation's head honcho and she plays a pivotal role in the political intrigue that builds through the chapters.

It strengthened the character base having several strong female characters such as
Hannan and Juliard - combatant and bridge personnel respectively. They act with agency along with a truly original supporting Tigris character - Lena, who belongs to the female of the species. I also loved Mills the sniper, who was an understated enigma. These personalities were fleshed out well with their quirks and foibles. Again, the author gave us insights into how he outlined and developed his characters in the 21 day challenge videos he produced (well worth checking out on YouTube btw.)

Destroyer is an easy read in the best sense of the word. The pace is set to max with short, gripping chapters, very much akin to the author, James Patterson's approach. As if the plot isn't rich enough, you also get a 'whodunnit' flavour re. the Void Wraith, as initially we don't know who or what is devastating whole colonies of Tigris and humans.

For me, the story had a YA feel to it so there's no profanity or overtly sexual references. There's also undertones of Star Wars and Star Trek, but not in a plagiaristic way - more like nods to a favourite genre. The combat scenes are well written and make the reader feel they're in the scene and that the outcome is genuinely uncertain.

The Tigris as a race grow on you. There are different sub-species from lion types to tigers to snow leopards. It makes me wonder if they might have evolved in a similar fashion to the ship's cat on Red Dwarf! There may be other authors who have used the feline ethos, but none I've read that mixed it with science fiction.

So the strengths of Fox's book are the plot, characterisation and readability. The author is economical with words and there was no occasion where I felt lost with the flow of the story or the plot. If I have a criticism, then it is that sometimes the nitty gritty of the battle scenes could be slimmed down on the technical detail. There's a tendency to over-explain which puts the odd speed bump in the reading towards the end, together with a smattering of 'on the nose' dialogue. But these are minor gripes and possibly represent a slight compromise resulting from the speed with which the novel was written.

My overall verdict is that this is a thoroughly entertaining read, and punches well above its weight for a novel that's round about the 65,000 word mark. I believe the next volume in the series is out in a few weeks time and I'll certainly be snapping up a copy.

I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, so I sometimes take chances on books. Given the unusually large number of high ratings on this novel I figured it was probably a safe bet. Welp, I was wrong. I gave up a third of the way through. Ratings aren’t perfect, but this was just not good military sci-fi...at all. Writing a novel is tough, so I hate to dig hard on an author's efforts, but this had problems on several levels. The basic science was awful. Harpooning and reeling in ships in space while combat maneuvering at likely tens of thousands of mph or even a sizable chunk of light speed? That's just one of several plot details that are just silly. The writing came across as juvenile, and the characters are pretty cliche. There are other elements that might have been intended as a nod to other classic sci-fi authors, but instead came across as a weak copy. In particular, the feline race, the Tigeris, are pretty much a rip off of Larry Niven's Kzinti from his Man-Kzin Wars series. There are so many other better reading options out there!

Captain Dryker of the UFC Johnston is certain that fleet command is ignoring and dismissing a credible and destructive threat to all of mankind. Instead of following orders, Dryker leads his ship into hostile territory for answers, ultimately forming an unlikely alliance to save humanity.

Destroyer reminds me of the Star Trek Universe, but without the Prime Directive. All of the elements are there: non-human, intelligent species that have the potential to destroy humanity, previously unexplored areas of the universe, a captain torn between allegiance and self preservation, and a steadfast crew ready to die for their captain and their country.

I received an Audible audio version of Destroyer by the author, Chris Fox, in exchange for an honest review. I was thrown off a bit by some of the narration, as the voice to one of the characters said "human" in the same way that Quark did on Deep Space Nine. Regardless of that fact, this audiobook placed me right into the story and gave me a very visual representation of the book as I was listening. Not too technical, Destroyer gave me just enough science fiction to keep me interested. There was just enough of the military aspects of the story to not get bogged down, allowing the plot to move along at a quick pace. Well balanced with a great plot and main characters that were complete, I would recommend Destroyer to readers who enjoy science fiction similar to Star Trek.

The legendary Captain Dryker, hero of the Tigris War, has been sent to find out what happened to the colonists on Mar Kona. In doing so they discover the debris of a Tigris research vessel and suddenly find themselves facing their old enemy. Dryker sends a team planetside and suddenly the game changes as a new enemy arises out of the ashes of legend, the mythical Void Wraith.

Having rescued a Tigris anthropologist from the planet, Dryker and his crew of misfits head into hostile territory to find out what’s going on. Fleet Command refuses to confirm anything that Dryker and his crew has uncovered and the Tigris are keeping tightlipped about the whole thing. Something is going on and Dryker and his second in command, Commander Nolan, are going to find out what and why. In doing so they become wanted criminals by both forces. It’s a race against time as Dryker and crew travers space searching for clues.

Chris Fox has put together an exciting space adventure story that is fast paced. Fox’s word painting will implant clever imagery upon the reader’s imagination. Make sure you put this on your must read list because this is truly a grand adventure of the highest caliber. — Steven Macon, editor

Fast Paced action with great character development. Despite not having a great deal of time before the action commences, Fox does in exceptional job getting right into the meat of conflict but still manages to create characters that are believable in that universe for which you instantly vest in emotionally. But Fox doesn't get bogged down in explaining every nuance of tech. He assumes you are already reasonably adept at understanding basic sci-fi concepts and ideas that have been in the genre for years. A great story that has me looking for the next installment.

Although I read the future stories first, quite by accident, this stands alone. Chris says this is his first, but it is not typical of a first book, it's amazing. Even with knowledge of the outcome from reading the future series first, I was completely invested emotionally in the book. Knowing the characters, maybe had influence but believe it's the authors style, he makes it personal. If you have never read a space battle, alien book before, or experienced feline warriors, dive in now! Get hooked and enjoy.

I like science fiction and it is my favorite form of reading for pleasure. It is always exciting to be introduced to a new author. As a first novel in science fiction, this is a great way to start. The characters are well done. I like them and want to watch them succeed. The plot presents a new twist on space opera. There are lots of new ideas about alien interactions and interstellar war. I'm glad it's a trilogy. It's going to be hard to wait for the rest of the story.

Sci-Fi comes in many favors. I prefer so-called "hard" sci-if, which attempts to be "realistic" with of course various assumptions of technology we don't possess and maybe never will, but seem plausible. This book is of that type. I think it could use a little more character development, but it's a pretty good balance of complex story and action. Considering this is his first book, it is quite well written, and I enjoyed it.

You can tell the author had fun writing this, and I had fun reading it. Mr. Fox keeps things moving. If you're looking for great literature, this may not be the book for you. But if you want an enjoyable 'popcorn' space opera adventure that's hard to put down, you can't go wrong with "Destroyer."

A pretty simple and down-right exciting space warfare and adventure story. We find ourselves assigned to an old destroyer that’s definitely seen better days. Our starship has been through the last war with the Tigris and, while it survived, it didn’t do so gracefully. We’ve also got a Captain that has some how pissed off a lot of people at Command. Captain Dryer is old, about as old as his ship. He’s a war hero, though, and knows his ship and what it can and can’t do. But, one thing he doesn’t know is what his new XO is made of. Commander Nolan (apparently no first name), has just been assigned to the UFC Johnston. He’s been on-board for three-days and now finds himself in CIC with his Captain. They are viewing the ruble from a Tigris vessel thought to be a science ship. How it came to be destroyed, they don’t know.

Then, another Tigris war ship emerges from the sun’s corona on an intercept course. The Captain and his XO figure that it looks bad for them since they believe the Tigris will blame them for the destruction of their science vessel. The must do something and quick. They are definitely out gunned and out classed by the Tigris war ship. So, the Captain of the UFC Johnston does the unexpected. He tells Commander Nolan that he has the bridge and says he’s going to go get breakfast! At first Nolan doesn’t understand what the Captain actually means. Then it dawns on him that he’s now in charge of the ship and it’s crew and it’s up to him to find a way out of this situation. Of course, he first protest this action by his Captain, but the Captain reminds Nolan that he is a UFC officer who excelled in tactics and strategy, so he wants him to put that knowledge to work. The the Captain leaves the bridge to go find breakfast!

So, here you are on your first star ship. You’ve been an Intel Officer all your career and have never been assigned to a ship in any command position. Intel guys just provide information, they don’t normally have to act on it. But, this time is different. You are on the spot and you better do something right now. So, Commander Nolan starts giving orders to the bridge/CIC personnel even though he doesn’t know any of their names or ranks. They follow orders as they should without question up to a point. They don’t know this new officer and from the situation they are in, he could very well get them all killed.

This is just the very start of the book. I don’t think I’ve gotten out of chapter one yet! I think you get the idea that this book doesn’t slow down much. One thing after another happens with Commander Nolan usually at the forefront. Fortunately, he’s a good, no exceptional officer who has ran afoul of an Admiral back at Command. That Admiral has taken out some revenge on Nolan by assigning him to this dead-end ship effectively ending his career unless something like another war breaks out. Commander Nolan and the UFC Johnston survive this encounter though some highly smart thinking on Commander Nolan’s part. Then the ship arrives at a UFC colony site to find out what happened to the people there.

They search the small colony site and find no UFC people, bodies or anything. It appears they are all just gone. During their search, they come into contact with another alien detachment that is practically invisible. They have to fight these new aliens and find that their weapons are far superior to what the UFC has fielded. Still, they manage to cause enough trouble for the new aliens that they take off in their ship which itself cloaks immediately after picking up it’s detachment. So, now are they going to have to go to war with another alien species that is apparently kidnapping humans? They also find out that the Tigris are also losing colonist to these same aliens. Is an alliance about to happen between two former enemies so they can face a much deadlier foe? Read the book to find out.

For a first time writer, this is a pretty darn good book. I wish the second episode were already published. I’d certainly latch on to it.

This is a very interesting story line involving multiple very different alien races (including a race of cat warriors) jockeying for position in the universe using gateways within the stars of all things for travel and star ship troop movement. A very ancient mysterious race predating all known history makes an appearance by ravaging colonies and entire worlds not leaving a trace of evidence. Very easy reading and it's hard to put the book down, so looking forward to the remaining series in the trilogy. The author offers a free prequel if you join his mailing list so you might want to do that before reading this first book.

Alien ruins, artifacts, space & ground combat, likeable characters, mystery and intrigue. Interesting plot with the right amount of action and suspense to keep the pages turning. After finishing Destroyer and the Exiled prequel, I'm eager to find out what happens next.

Fast paced, gripping, non-stop action with kick-ass good guys and scary aliens. What more could you want in a science fiction book? I loved it. I found myself hurrying to finish up whatever I was doing so I could get back to it. Fans of Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5 etc. will enjoy this story - I know I did.The action starts on the very first page and doesn't let up right until the end. The characters are believable and the sub-plots of intrigue, politics and a little bit of romance add depth to the main sinister-aliens-wiping-out-mankind-plot. Great read and I'll definitely be getting the second book.

Captain Dryker, hero of the Tigris War and commander of the Earth fleet's aging space destroyer, the Johnston, and Ltd. Commander Nolan, Office of Fleet Intelligence prodigy and top graduate of Fleet Officer Tactics school now assigned as XO on the Johnston, both find themselves exiled to Fleet 14. Unusual occurrences and conflicting facts raise questions in both officers minds to the possibility that things are very wrong at the command levels of the human world, Earth and home world's of the two other known space faring races, the Tigris and the Primo. Things are further complicated when an unknown hostile force begins destroying the colonized worlds of the three races and removing the inhabitants to use in their nefarious plans.

If you've played mass effect, or even really heard anything about it, you'll recognize where this novel drew it's inspiration from.

That's a positive and a negative, really - on the one hand it removes a lot of the potential for twists, but on the other hand it's comfortable and familiar territory. It is well written though, and sets the scene for the next book in the series nicely.

I’ve just finished reading Destroyer, book 1 of the Void Wraith trilogy by Chris Fox. Every once in awhile, a book like this comes about that is simply fascinating Military Space Sci-fi. I’ve also rarely encountered one that has contained such a sophisticated level of well defined espionage machinations. The character development is spot on, even those of the alien races. It’s very well written and extremely fast paced. The chapters are short and each ends with you wanting to continue reading. I did and finished in one sitting. BTW, I also read the downloadable free prequel, Exiled, which certainly enhanced this story’s beginning arc. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment.