Book 1, Star Nomad: Fallen Empire

Lindsay does such a great job of developing her characters and making you fall in love with them. I loved the humor and action all throughout the book. I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the rest of the series.

Fun story, but I like SciFi so maybe I'm biased. On a more personal note I don't need to write a review to rate a book so I'll tell you now that I liked books 1 to 4 but I won't go and rate them. I think you should read them

I enjoyed the diversity of the characters, ranging from the loopy to the surly to the stoic and serious. I do like the interaction between them. I can definitely see the Firefly and Star Wars influence.

Lindsay does such a great job of developing her characters and making you fall in love with them. I loved the humor and action all throughout the book. I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the rest of the series.

Fun story, but I like SciFi so maybe I'm biased. On a more personal note I don't need to write a review to rate a book so I'll tell you now that I liked books 1 to 4 but I won't go and rate them. I think you should read them

I enjoyed the diversity of the characters, ranging from the loopy to the surly to the stoic and serious. I do like the interaction between them. I can definitely see the Firefly and Star Wars influence.

This book was rated as fast paced and fun. Dont waste your time. I only made it half way and that was forcing myself to continue reading this piece of fluff. In reality it is slow moving with flat characters. Glad this one was free.

This book was rated as fast paced and fun. Dont waste your time. I only made it half way and that was forcing myself to continue reading this piece of fluff. In reality it is slow moving with flat characters. Glad this one was free.

After reading (with a vengeance) The Frontiers Saga (I and II) from Ryk Brown and The Scrapyard Ship/Star Watch series by Mark Wayne McGinnis, Star Nomad was a bit of a let down. That said, I'm about to read Book 3 (Starseers) as the characters have been built up to the point where I'm interested in seeing how things develop from here. If you like science fiction and space-based sagas, you'll enjoy following the trials and tribulations of Captain Alisa Marchenko and her "passengers".

While not exactly what I was looking for, it was an enjoyable read. I do like this author and I am interested in reading more of this series. I found the characters interesting, but I'm not really sure about where the story is going.

But, this book is very, very good. Good character and believable development. A writer that knows how to write (grammar and spelling) And, unfortunately doesn't seem to know to enough physics. I assume that will get better.

This review applies to Book 1, Book 1.5, and Book 2:

Oh wow, I thought. Lyndsay Buroker doing science fiction? Awesome.

Well, it could have been awesome. Instead of science fiction, we got The Emperor's Edge in New Clothes, in outer space. We have the gutsy irreverent heroine, with sad memories and regrets locked up inside of her. In place of of the sexy renegade assassin, Sicarius, we have the sexy renegade cyborg, Leonidas. And then we also have the heroine's sidekick, the clever engineer, Mica, who is apparently McGyver in drag. And these people run around getting themselves into improbable messes, and getting themselves out of said messes with improbable solutions. Just like Emperor's Edge, but less well-written. Ms. Buroker seems to think that having the characters hide out in an old spaceship instead of an old warehouse makes this a science fiction story.

What I really objected to was the fact that these books have only the flimsiest of resolutions, and we are supposed to race to buy the next installment to find out What Happens Next. Except, from the way things are going,I have no faith that we will find out what happens until about maybe book 6 or 7, if then. I guess I'll never find out if the heroine finds her kidnapped daughter, because by the end of book 2 I simply didn't care anymore. Doubt if I will be buying any more Buroker books.

I really enjoyed the Emperors Edge series in a beach-novel-i can't-put-down sort of way. This series seems to be a much watered-down re-hash of the story structure and characters. I wanted to like it, but the series goes on and on slowly, similar to a soap opera. There is lots of filler and the same verbal exchanges re-used between main and support characters throughout books 1-7. This could have been fewer books with more time spent on the writing and development. I'll finish the series because I am 7 books in and I like the story and the characters in a shallow way, but it will involve skimming.

Same personalities as in the Emperor's Edge series, different setting. Little character or plot development, mixed in with endless pages of fight sequences, battles, and escapes. BORING! Sorry Lindsay, I have loved most of your other books but this is far from the best.

First let me say what I liked about Star Nomad: I liked that the main character Alisa had a sharp sense of humor and the banter between Alisa and her sidekick Mica was fun. The premise of the series is good, but as a SF author myself, it was apparent that SF isn't Buroker's genre of choice -- as she admits in her lengthy acknowledgements section.
Now the things I didn't like: The secondary characters felt one-dimensional. Though Buroker has ample opportunity to give us some satisfying back story, she rushes us from one misadventure to the next, leaving lots of loose ends and Alisa nowhere closer to her goal. Many of these adventures felt borrowed from every SF movie I've ever watched. The ending felt rushed, as if the author was eager to get Han, Luke, and Leia off the Death Star -- sorry, I meant get Alisa back to her beloved Star Nomad. In some places where dialogue would have been the expected, Buroker describes an exchange or conversation, which just feels awkward. Liberal use of profanity, particularly unnecessary use of the f-word, was unwelcome. The author also uses a lot of current-day slang, which is a no-no in SF, and the main reason why this came across as a non-SF author just writing on a lark to see if she could pull it off. Finally, Alisa suffers multiple injuries as she races from one dilemma to the next, yet she just shakes them off and keeps going.
If it weren't for the profanity and near-rape scene, I think this would be appropriate for YA readers. As an adult SF reader, however, I wasn't impressed. The secondary characters, who hold all the loose ends for the sequel, need a lot more development for me to care about them.
I'd say: read Star Nomad for the humor and adventure, but don't have high expectations if SF is your genre of choice.

It's a fun science fiction read, but it lacks impact. I need the space drama or epic scale of the universe hanging in the balance... These stories are brief subplots missing the major arc that would keep readers engaged.

I read through the sample and bought the rest. Almost immediately, I regretted it. The writing definitely took a turn for the worse - but perhaps I was just fatigued with the continued monotone - where everything taken with ironic, sarcastic black humor. If I could, I'd give it 2.5 stars, but since it has gotten so many 5 stars (for no reason I can understand), I rounded down rather than up. Here are two examples of what Buroker considers dialog: ...he was more interested in studying her breasts. 'Done all *kinds* of work for women' he said. 'I'm sure I can keep you pleased." This "gem" occurs right after the speaker accuses another job applicant of brown-nosing - DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. Here's the other:"No, she growled to herself as he rammed against her, his oversexed cock already hard in his pants." For me this awful narration (and terrible dialog) just isn't funny. I *think* she's trying to be farcical, but it comes across lifeless. (If she was trying to make a rape scene farcical.) It quickly becomes tiresome. No one talks like the characters do here, especially the author's poor attempt at a main character. But since there are 9 books in this series, I must be not the target demographic. My guess as to the target demographic? 17 year old girls who are having trouble deciding between beauty school and having to study or take that job at McDonalds, hoping to meet Prince Charming. The one thing I did appreciate is that there was an underlying current of fun. It wasn't, imho, well developed, but I bought it expecting it to be a "fun" romp. The dialog quickly became just too implausible and so much the opposite of "smart" writing, that I skimmed large chunks of (pointless, as far as I could see) narration. I should also mention the several mentions of the distances between planets being "billions" of miles. One light-year is over 6 trillion miles. This kind of sloppiness (authorial and editorial) indicates the care the author seems to have used with this work. Fun? I'd rate it a 5/10, maybe 6. Funny? I'd rate it a 1/10. Is the writing smart? Not even close. I'd rate it 3/10. It mostly reads like a book that should have been about 90 pages that's been inflated to 250 and suffered because of it.

This is a fast read with fun characters. At times a slightly forced story, but it doesn't detract from the fun read.

At first I thought that I had inadvertently bought another cyborg chicklit but the story kept going strong.

It could use a bit more tech though.

basically was written with a first-person perspective which didn't seem particularly well done - too obvious where the setup was going, too many "I am so conflicted over the same stuff still right now," etc.

The main female characters are talking about their fear of being raped repeatedly throughout the book (personally I cannot understand why some authors think that they must throw in "fear of rape" all the time. Do they seriously think that it makes the book more interesting to read?). For sensitive viewers I must warn that there are an actually scene in the book where one of the men tries to rape one of the women.

But even if I were to ignoring that I still found all the characters uninteresting and undeveloped. I liked the main character (Alisa) but I didn't care at all about the others. The story was predictable and slow. How this book got so many great reviews (??) puzzles me.

I received an ARC of this book prior to publication, but these are my own views.

I was excited to learn that Lindsay Buroker was launching a new SF series, and this book did not disappoint. Set largely in space, the story draws you in from the first few lines and doesn’t let go until the end. Firefly fans will see a resemblance to that world, and readers of her previous books will be happy to see strong, interesting characters like those that have driven all her stories, as well as the flashes of humor that make her books fun. The story is pretty well described in the summary. At the conclusion of a war between the Alliance and Empire, a wounded but now recovered Alliance pilot seeks to return to her daughter and home world. With the help of an engineer friend, she steals the now-abandoned ship she grew up on, establishes an uneasy alliance with a former enemy cyborg who proves to be more human than machine, takes on crew and passengers with their own secrets, and must deal with enemies both old and new. Ms. Buroker weaves a tapestry of plot, character, and lots of action. The world she creates is believable and easy to visualize. Her writing is crisp, clear, and easy to follow. Her characters are well drawn -- people that you come to care about-- with real strengths and failings revealed over the course of the story. This is a complete story --no unsatisfying cliffhanger ending in this book -- but one that leaves you waiting for the next installment. If you’ve not read Ms. Buroker before, this is a perfect place to start, and I’ll bet that this book prompts you to read her other series. If you’re already a fan, you’ll find this new series a great way to reconnect with this talented author.

Sorry, but I don't think any book deserves more than one star if the author can't manage to complete the story in one book, no matter how will written.
I don't watch soap operas; I don't read serials.

I read this book as part of the omnibus collection and have decided to review each entry as I finish it. The Fallen Empire series starts with a whimper. It’s full of cliches and tropes. As I read it, I was constantly reminded of a CW TV series, meaning being attractive was more important than being good. The characters were mostly annoying, Leonidas and Mica were the only exceptions, but the latter was only tolerable because she was a pessimist. The crew had no business surviving a pirate raid unscathed. The biggest issue I had was the author’s decision to constantly throw rape around as a threat. Not less than three characters are moments from being violated and all three escape the fate. They don’t even have PTSD afterwards. They simply hold on to their plucky attitudes and continue the mission. Rape shouldn’t be used to build tension without examining the aftermath. I consider it lazy and cheating when an author uses a cheap gimic like was done in this book. I’m going to finish this omnibus (two more books), but I highly doubt they’ll get better. Knowing the full story stretches to at least nine books is surprising. If you like fan fiction, Firefly, Star Wars, and CW shows, this is right up your alley. If any of these things bother you, run away screaming and flailing your arms.

This rating doesn't apply to the book, which I haven't read or listened to, but to the fact that I specifically picked it from a list that was supposed to allow audio listening. I purchased the book, along of course with Audible narration, but there is no way to download the audio track on my Android device. The icon just won't appear. All other books work perfectly. Please fix this!

Audible had a sale on this book and I certainly love a good space opera. The book had some really good parts: nice snark, amusing interactions, and some good battles. But the writing style is oddly like a romance writer's (though i don't believe the author has written romance?) and so that threw me off a bit. As well, I didn't necessarily believe a lot of what was going on. (EVERY single character has a secret that will aid the protagonist?) I did stay entertained, though, and base the rating on that success.

Story: Alisa is stranded at an off world, injured in battles that led a successful rebellion against the empire. She has one goal; get back to her daughter on a distant world and start her life again now that the war is done. To do so, she'll have to recruit an engineer, get her ship working again out of the scrap heap, and then find passengers to pay for the trip off world. All seems fine until she finds a dreaded cyborg warrior (enemies of her rebellion) squatting on her ship and with a requirement she will have to fulfill first. And let's not forget the quirky passengers who end up hiring her services.

Star Nomad feels very much like a first novel - a way for the author to introduce the key characters in preparation for the main plot in further books. That doesn't mean it is bad, necessarily, but in putting all her eggs in one basket, we have to get all the key characters together at the same time. And of course, they will all be diverse but have key skills that will affect later plot points. Doctor, warrior, engineer, pilot, scientist - everything you need for a crew just drops into Alisa's lucky lap.

The dialogue is snappy but I admit to 'romance novel' fatigue of snarky female and brooding alpha male. She admires his muscles, he admires her rudeness. All the bad guys just want to jump her, sexism is rampant, the leads have several intimate moments, etc. etc. This is written better than most sci fi romances but at the same time, the influences are definitely there and somewhat distracting. I wanted more grit, determination, and drive than admiring glances, sexy pecs, and male quirking mouths. It's yet another case where the seemingly powerful male finds the rude female's constant nastiness entrancing rather than loathsome. At least the author tries to explain it away as a personality quirk (she gets mouthy when she's scared/nervous) rather than the usual romance cliche of trying to show that the female has 'personality' and is 'strong.'

The adventure parts are will written and fun. Admittedly, most will have figured out the 'secrets' of the passengers well in advance and know how they will affect the outcomes in the dramatic scenes. But that's ok - the side characters are well written and with wonderfully distinct personalities.

I would characterize Star Nomad as sci fi lite. An enjoyable adventure that worked very well in the narrated version. Of note, the Audible narrator did a good job.

I have to say I did enjoy this book, it was light, entertaining, and just a bit of plain old fashioned fun. If you're looking for hard sci-fi then look elsewhere, this is definitely more of a space opera,. There's nothing to get you tech heads into a lather ... well maybe the lack of tech talk or pure science perhaps. On the bright side, at last we have a couple of strong woman (with weird senses of humor) who don't have to rely on anyone to get themselves out of a bind, they're fully prepared to do what needs to be done themselves -but will welcome any help given of course. My only gripe ---and I took a half a star off for it because it's a big one -- was that the book was quite short. I usually like longer books. Books I can sink my teeth into, this one ended with just a small gnawing around the edges. Still apart from the length of the book I still thought it was fun, mind you it could have been set anywhere at anytime. Will I buy anymore in this series - I really don't know because although I enjoyed it, it's HALF the size of a normal book. For me $3.99 is as far as I'd pay for a Novella usually - it's 4:99 in Aus-- rotten, crappy exchange rate :(.
Still it is fun, and considering how much an editor stings an author for their expertise (which is why self published authors rarely hire these exotic creatures of myth and legend - until they've had a little success). I might buy the next couple and see if they continue to amuse --after all the first book is UBER CHEAP. :D

Captain Alisia Marchenko, a former rebel Alliance pilot has been injured in their war against the evil Empire, in this space adventure by Lindsay Buroker.

A mature, yet still attractive woman, she's been cybernetically enhanced and though authoritarian when needed, she uses humour to mask her fears. Alisia also shows her softer, kind-hearted human side when seeking to return to her daughter, whom she left in safety on the planet Perun, under the protection of her aunt.
The eponymous Star Nomad is Alisia's ship, originally sold for scrap metal after her mother's death, then stolen back and restored. It now has a motley crew and passengers of alien and human origin, that include Beck, the resident security guard, pessimistic engineer Mica, mysterious doctor-cum-priest cyborg Leonides Alejandro and wild-child teacher Yumi. all of whom develop throughout the book.The overall fast pace of the storyline is interspersed with slower interludes that make time for this to happen. The sudden cliff-hanger ending whets the appetite for the next episode, in this 7 book series, Honor's Flight. Get them all - they're worth it!

I'm a big-time fan of this series. This story starts out a little less than great, given the hero maneuvers about some serious obstacles with unbelievable ease, but it soon takes off with well-developed, likable characters-- the antagonists as well as the good guys. Once hooked, I drank of this book and the rest of the series like a parched person emerging from a desert. I say this because I've missed the stories of those I consider the masters of sci fi: Azimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlien, Pohl, and the like. I discovered the genre through them, and it's been a long dry spell since their passng. Don't get me wrong, I read many others and enjoy their works, but every installment of Buroker's Fallen Empire delighted me like a young child on Christmas morning, and left me eager for the next in the series. (Currently, I'm about halfway through Cyborg Legacy, an addition to the series that I'd hazard to guess the author penned in response to overwhelming fan clamor for more.) So, if you love sci fi, I've no doubt you'll enjoy Star Nomad and the rest of the Fallen Empire series.

This is a fast-paced and addictive series with a complicated romance, humor, conspiracies, mystery, paranormal interest, and lots of action. I've read all the books in the series with the exception of the short stories. I'm not always good about seeking out short stories, and I noticed there were some references made in the main books to the plot points in at least one of them. If you like complete information I recommend finding a reading order for the series. Be aware that if you are looking for Niven, Clarke or Asimov, then this is not your stop. While the setting is space, I would say this series has more in common with paranormal/urban fantasy stories in tone. Also, sometimes the dialogue is awkward, particularly in the first book. Language is casual and so is scientific fact. I'm not sure why all the references to Firefly. There are some obvious parallels-the story revolves around an older ship with mismatched passengers and crew, one of the crew members is a cleric type, the captain served in a rebel war just prior to the start of the series, the captain needs jobs in order to stay in the sky. You might see a Star Wars parallel or even a Babylon 5 parallel or two there as well. If you read this series looking for Firefly though I think it will come up short. Better to take it on it's own merits and enjoy it. That said, it IS enjoyable and there is humor and space cowboy action throughout the series. It is light and entertaining, and for me the characters really come into their own some time in book 3 with the addition of the Starseers. Having read this series I am definitely going to look for other books by the author.

Lindsay Buroker has crafted an excellent story. The characters are memorable. I will be reading the entire series. Star Nomad is science fiction with a grillmaster. The Science Fiction & Fantasy Marketing Podcast was my introduction to author Lindsay Buroker. An episode of the podcast I was listening to mentioned she also wrote Science Fiction as well as Fantasy. I headed to the store to explore her science fiction books.

I did a quick reading of the first four paragraphs of chapter one of Star Nomad: Fallen Empire, Book 1 in the Emperor’s Edge series. I then purchased the book using the beautiful “buy with 1-click” the store command button.

I am now a fanboy of Lindsay Buroker’s science fiction writing.

The author has a great story. The memorable characters greeted me immediately. There is the Star Nomad’s captain, Alisa Marchenko. She has her engineering friend Mica who is also a heck of a mechanic. They find Alisa’s mother’s old ship to get off the desert planet they were stranded on after the war ended.

We learn that Alisa and Mica fought on the side of the Alliance. They soon meet an Imperial cyborg living in and guarding the Star Nomad. They negotiate with him to reach their common goal of getting off the planet and back to Alisa’s home world of Perun and civilization.

We learn the consequences of what happens when an evil empire is overthrown without having a strong new government plan in order.

Additional players in the book are the previous Emperor, the Starseers, the Alliance, and the Mafia. The book cover the characters’ quest to Perun. It lays down a solid foundation for the remaining journey and possible future conflict between characters.

I have read book 2 and will review it soon. I am currently reading book 3 in the series. It looks like there are 8-books to date in the series.

Star Nomad is fun reading. It will make even give you the desire to do some grilling of bear meat. So yes, there are female science-fiction authors. Lindsay Buroker is of the top ten female science fiction writers of modern times according to World’s Edge Tavern.

Lyndsay Buroker has a new science fiction series, Fallen Empire, that has been released on the store, and is free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. I haven’t read a true science fiction novel in a little while, but when I read this synopsis I thought it had all of the traits of some of my favorite genres. A strong female lead character, a conflict between two alien races, a lot of action adventure, and the promise of either a great male-female friendship or love affair. I was not disappointed!

Alisa Marchenko was a captain in the Alliance, but stranded on a world far from home. She wants to steal her mother’s old, dilapidated spaceship, but finds a cyborg squatting onboard. The conflict between these two is based upon the war that was fought between their two races. Each harbors resentment towards a war that was hard fought, and hard won. They agree to live on this spaceship together if she’ll run an errand, dropping him off on a space port before moving on to Perun, her former home. I loved that their relationship was based on what happened in the war, and even though Alisa had some prejudice against a cyborg race that was part mechanical implants, after she got to know him she no longer saw their differences, but Leonides honor and strength of character.

The crew she had gathered were kind of nutty, which made for a great storyline. Their journey through space was not without conflict and the fact that they all came together and made a great team, even though they were all so different made me want to immediately pick up the next book in their journey! There are seven books that were immediately released on Kindle Unlimited so if you love the first, you don’t have to wait! I love instant gratification, don’t you?!

Kindle unlimited!
Definitely falls in the firefly genre. It's good. I prefer dialogue to internal monologues. There were a lot of pages with only one or two SHORT lines of dialogue. The rest of the page would have the MC discussing/contemplating things. If more of these thoughts were spoken in conversations, I would have given it 4 stars. If that doesn't bother you, and you enjoy this genre, you will probably love it. I will be reading the next book.

This story is touted as a space opera but it is more like a stagecoach western.
We have a spacecraft with an oddball crew and a bunch of weird passengers who all very clearly have something to hide. The spacecraft is on a journey from one wolrd to another and the crew and passengers must cope with outlaws who try to waylay them en route and then they are captured by the outlaws and must free themselves and the other folks being held by the bad guys.
You almost expect to find Jimmy Stewart on shotgun and Lee Van Cleef as the passenger with the dark past who eventually comes good.
If that is your expectation then you will not be let down because that is pretty much what you get. The ship's captain is pretty much Annie Get Your Gun too.
So how is this as a story? Seen as cheap Kindle fiction, it is actually rather good. The characters are interesting and you can find yourself caring about them and rooting for good outcomes. The pacing is good with enough suspense to keep you turning the page. Compared to a master of the genre such as Peter Hamilton, this is clearly in a league below but there is a lot of fiction out there that is far worse.
If I had pair the full price for the print edition, I would have felt short changed and I would have given 3 stars. As it is, I did not have to pay as this is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. I have now downloaded the second book in this series which is also a Kindle Umlimited edition. I would likely have given it a miss if I had to pay the regular Kindle price.

Since I enjoyed another series by this author I was eager to start reading another one. I could not get into this story no matter how hard I tried. The heroine for one, annoying, and couldn't seem to decide on being fearless or a waif. I did like the witty banter between the main character and her engineer Mica.. There also seemed to be too much action throughout this short book that didn't give me enough information to feel like I was getting to know the characters. I wasn't sure who to root for and couldn't have cared less if anyone of them died.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

So, I honestly admit to loving it!

Alisa, the main character, is a complex woman: spacecraft pilot, warrior, mother, widow (not necessarily in that order); honorable, brave, smart, compasionate, determined, sensible, loyal - and surviving with a very nice sense of humor.

In the process of trying desperately to reach her daughter she is slowly meeting interesting people , gradualy building a crew of talented, nice , special people, who will probably ultimately prove to be loyal as well.

There's no predictability to this book, people, I really really enjoyed it and I can't wait for the next books in the series!

This was an amazingly great read. Having searched to find e-pubbed books at Kindle Unlimited (because let's be honest, no actual publishers are participating in KU) that I could love and found some good, but not great reads I was exited to find this book. This is pure, awesome space adventure at it's finest. The Fallen Empire series is by far the funnest, most action packed scifi series I've ever read. It's got the big story, space opera of Star Wars along with the character driven plots and involved, 3D character dynamics of Firefly. Even if you don't have KU, these books are only .99! Take heed, the blurb doesn't do the book justice. Trust me. I almost didn't get it because the blurb was meh.

This author has real chops and the technical aspects (editing, flow) of the read are well done. While most might not even notice, the book is short on science. The descriptions and plot do not work with or around the limitations of space travel and the science behind addressing these concerns. Finally, the book's discussion of sex, rape or the longing stares at one's chest were cliche and did not advance the story. If you are looking for hard or social science fiction, fleet or ground pounding action this is not your cup of tea. If you are in the mood for a very well written book about an adventure through what might as well be never-never land--you'll enjoy the book.

I loved this book. It wasn't intro male lead and fall into bed, it wasn't girl needing to be rescued- ok it was a little bit- but in a hilarious way and with her bitter acknowledgement of the situation. It was a duo of female characters with a healthy adult relationship able to interact with other women without turning into an episode of jerry springer. (I'm talking to you YA books) it was funny! And I'll be real honest- with the bazillion indie books on market- if it doesn't have some everyday situational humor, I just can't give it 5 stars. I am so excited for next novel. And I learned a new word. You will have to read it for yourself, if for no other reason, to build your vocab.

~3.5 stars~

This was an action packed space adventure. Constant battles, etc. The characters were intriguing, but I found myself wanting to know a lot more about the hero. He barely talked throughout this entire read. I wanted more interaction from him. No romance in this read and the heroines journey that she set out to concur was never accomplished. I suppose that’s to be expected in a series but I found it to be a bit disappointing. Since this was offered as a kindleunlimited, I'll go ahead and read the next book in the series and I hope that the numerous questions and loose ends will be addressed in that read.

In some ways a return sform for Buroker, this is the beginning of a series that focuses on a ragtag group assembled by a woman on a mission. But the tone is less light-hearted than Buroker's Dragon Blood series, more like the gallows humor of the show "Firefly," from which she clearly drew inspiration. Captain Alisa Marchenko has to cross a galaxy to get back to her daughter, while learning that she must check her assumptions about nearly everything. The monk may not be holy, the chivalrous hired help may be a bigot, and the cyborg from her former enemy empire may be the most honorable person on board.

Great story with engaging characters and exciting story line. I was rooting for the heroine almost from the first page. The story was well written with a background that was an interesting take on an old idea. Lindsay looks beyond the happy ever after to what happens after the good guys win and they are not prepared for the aftermath of their victory. The core characters are all intriguing and I am eager to see where their continuing adventures take them.

This book is fun and entertaining. There is the witty humor of Firefly and plenty of well written action. While it's science fiction it's not "science" fiction so you won't get bogged down with the how but will have to take some things as they are presented. Some authors don't handle that sort of thing well but this one does. The author promised romance in future books but there isn't any in this one. I've already downloaded the other 4 books in the series and plan to start on them ASAP and you should start on this one. It's good, really good, and deserves a read!

This was the best book I've read from the Prime Reading Library so far! So glad I took a chance on it. It has action, humor, suspense, and a little romance. It was the perfect blend and I enjoyed it so much I had to seek out the rest of the series. I'm usually not a big fan of long series and this one has 8 books altogether, but this series is so fast paced I didn't even notice I was so engrossed in Alisa's and Leonidas' story I couldn't put it down. Please try this book you will not be disappointed!

Not only was it fun, funny and fast paced - it also had amazing characters, and a simple yet engrossing plot line.

I was very impressed by the main protagonist's characterisation. There is a common theme in this sort of sci-fi to make all the females quite masculine, forgetting all feminine qualities. However Buroker does a fantastic job of showing all dimensions, in her female and male characters - even the minor parts are quite three dimensional.

It's a fantastic start to the series! I think fans of Firefly would love it!

I had been looking for a science fiction series to read but was having trouble finding something that interested me because I don't like the ones that focus on space battles. Unfortunately for me, that seems to be the most popular type right now. Anyway, I eventually ran across Star Nomad and the premise sounded interesting, so I gave it a shot. I was so glad I did. The author has said she wanted to write a series that is character-focused, and the ones in Star Nomad are wonderful, but the plot hooked me in as well. Think a thriller/adventure in space. I will definitely read the rest of this series!

A great new beginning for a new line for Me. Buroker in SiFi and an enchanting series to start it out with. From recovering her starship from a junk yard full of cannonball thieves,chopping a tail off a large dog size tattoo save her mechanic/engineer too facing down a cyborg, and this is just the start!!

This is a factoring full lengthy book you will. Not want to pit dpwm. An exciting story from beginning to end. I loved it!!

I think I've read most of the author's books, and have enjoyed all of them. This was no exception. The characters quickly become real to the reader, and have well-developed and engaging personalities. The plot is detailed enough to keep you interested, and to make you want to know what happens next. What I like most about Ms. Buroker's writing is the humorous tone of voice; it makes the dialog fun to read, and just adds a bit of sparkle to the whole story. I have read all three books available in this series, and am looking forward to the fourth.

I admit it - I am a fan of Ms. Buroker. I started reading her Emperor's Edge stories and I was hooked. I also enjoyed her Dragon Blood series as well. I had my doubts about this series after reading the sample, but I decided to go ahead and read it. I am SO glad that I did! It was good - solid Buroker. There were jokes interjected with all the action, just like my favorites of hers. Read other reviews if you want a synopsis. But if you want a good read, read the book and the others. I am on book 4 now and I can't wait to see how the story ends up.

I love Lindsay Buroker's sense of humour. But while it's been a great start to a new series, I found the story to not be as engaging as her previous Blood Dragon series. Perhaps because Leonidas is a bit more uptight here.

Please do note I finished reading all 3 currently out books in the series before I wrote this review so believe me when I say, the banter I adore so much does make itself known in the next books. So please, keep on reading!

I suppose the fact that the characters grow in the story is a sign of an awesome author =]]

I found this book and author by accident and quickly became an avid fan! I've never stopped reading even through my career in the military and am on my 3rd Kindle..OK..one was crushed when it slid off the dash and onto the on-ramp...and quickly burned thru this book and then the entire series in a matter of weeks.
I thoroughly enjoy the wit and charm that brings each character to life. It was easy to become immersed in their lives and adventures and I'm looking forward to reading more of Lindsay's work!

This is the first book by this author I have read and it is not going to be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and look forward to the next book. The characters are very engaging, witty, mysterious and believable. The book is not overly techie which in my opinion needs to be improved upon but not to the point where quantum mechanics need explained as I get disinterested after the first paragraph. Looking forward to the back stories of the characters as the series progresses.

This SF novel was fast-paced and the character development was such that the reader begins to care for the main characters. I really enjoyed reading it and have started on the second book of this series. I liked the way that the characters were not all good or evil, there was some good in all of them, and they were worth caring about. The author keeps one in suspense about one of the main characters (Leonidas, the cyborg) throughout the first book, and so far into the second. I would not say this was a hard - science science fiction story, such as in Arthur C. Clark or Ben Bova, but the story hangs together quite well. If you want technology in this story that is forseeable (if not currently possible) and predictable, then this is not the SF for you. I hope this helps without giving away too much. Try it, you'll enjoy it!

I am very excited about this new series. Yes, I do see similarities between this and Lindsay's Emperor's Edge series, but I loved the characters and the stories in EE, so I am thrilled to do it all again in space. I finished the book wishing that the next was available. It is that good. The characters are fun and I see a possible slow-burning romance! I love slow-burning romances! The action was great and the mix of tropes just what I have come to expect from one of my favourite authors.

I loved this book! This was a different genre than Buroker normally writes, but it is a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed having a female character, Alisa, that displays humor at it inappropriate times, but tough enough to stand up for what she believes in. I loved the development of Leonidas from a perceived cold-blooded murderer to an honorable man willing to sacrifice himself to save innocent people. If you love spaceships, cyborgs, explosions, and even man-eating bears, then you will love this book. Buroker has her classic wit, humor, and adventure intertwined throughout this story. I can't wait to read the second book!

I'm a huge fan of this author's series on the Mandrake company (written under another name), so I thought I'd try this out for free using kindle unlimited. In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't buy it. The book has so many twists - there's so much action, I felt it wasn't very satisfying. All your energy goes into keeping track of what conundrum they are currently in, and how the heck are they going to get out of it, and then suddenly they are in a new conundrum, and that one also seems impossible to get out of, and on and on. While I thought there'd be some romance, there wasn't. There is groundwork for romance, but that's not the same. In addition, she never got her 8 year old! I have an 8 year old and I would be thinking about her A LOT more than the heroine does. Basically, I feel like the book was just marching through all sorts of impossible situations that the heroine had to get out of, and so much time was spent on that, the book never got to the good bits - eg, reuniting with her daughter and possibly getting together with the hero.

I can't recall the last time I gave a book 3 stars - it has been years. I was really disappointed and don't think I"m going to read the second book.

Edit: I have just finished Buroker's Emperor's Edge series, which was mind blowing. MIND. BLOWING. So feeling needy for some more amazing writing, I have returned to this book in hopes that it was better than I remembered. Nope. Can't finish it the second time around.

I just finished this book as well as the next two in the series, and it's truly a great SF read. I am anxiously waiting for more (much more) from the author of this series. This was the first time I had read this author - probably because it's the first time she's done SF instead of Fantasy - and I am truly impressed with her writing. Great characters, a little different plot, lots of stuff going on behind the scenes, and just overall very entertaining.

If you start this story, be prepared to invest in purchasing the next 7 books! This is the classic hook and it will be set by page 10. I read all 8 before I wrote this review and I read them all in a row - It is a space opera with a satisfying conclusion. I am now starting on Burokers next series - she is a really talented story teller.

The start of a wonderful adventure. I love Lindsay's characters, Leonidas, Alisa, Mica, Beck, the Star Nomad, all of them with their fine attributes as well as their flaws, just like real life! If you start reading this one, you'll be hooked on reading the other 6 (so far...)

I highly recommend this story to all those who like space opera, this is a fine tale in the style of Assimov...

Hahahaha, I HAD to write a review after reading this awesome book! Reading it made me laugh out loud, which almost never happens to me when I read a book. It also made me sad, and aroused, and angry, and many other emotions! All from a silly book! Well I must say I LOVE this author and will continue to read her books. They are just amazing. Any book that can evoke feelings inside my is a GOOD BOOK indeed. AAA+++

*Bought on the store France*

A fun fast paced space adventure with a sarcastic female lead, a pessimistic female mechanic and a cyborg who belonged to the other side in the war.
It's a very good start to the series!

Loved it - I'll be reading the rest of the series. Funny leading lady, well developed characters, great quirks from the characters, just a really fun read. It's lighthearted (despite many dead people) and very fast paced. You can tell the author is a fan of Firefly, this story has the same misfit camaraderie of that series with characters who will feel very familiar to fans of the show.

Great new series! I love this writer already, but am not as strong a fan of sci-fi as I am of fantasy; however, this included so much action and adventure and fun characters that it really didn't matter which genre it was. Again, I'm not a fan of war stories either, and this could almost be considered that, since it features two war veterans, but it's not really fair to label this book anything but good!

Lots of action, good narrative, interesting story, mysteries that aren't completely obvious or cliche, characters with character if you know what i mean, and a romance you want to happen and you feel is going to happen but it's hardly a thing at this point (the next book is probably going to increase that particular part). I found it a good enough read to buy the second book, even though i reallyyyyyy like romance to be evident, it had enough grab that i wasn't disappointed in the change from my preference.

Well, using this scale - [...] - this is a 3. Good writing, I enjoyed it, like a fantasy genre book set in space, with no groundbreaking ideas to think about. That makes it a solid 3.

But well enough done that I'll give the next book in the series.

The book is OK. I am enjoying it. Great, pure, scifi. I, however, would have purchased the audible portion for no other reason that Kate Reading is the reader.

I have listened to Robert Jordan's WOT works for years (on my 3rd "complete" go round) and Kate (may I call you Kate?) have become great friends.

Not much new here. Heavy on fighting and explosions but light on any kind of character development. Lots of witty dialog but it just wasn't that witty. Lots of plot lines left dangling for future stories but the author never really set the hook. If I get bored I might try the next one.

Great character development and humor, in a space-travel world turned lawless after the fall of the empire. Not much science, but, you know -- space ships and cyborgs, rather than wizards or "the force".

It was a fun read. A few scenes get a bit too raw for kids, but for myself, I can't wait to read the next book.

Many times the first book in the series is great, than by book four nothing is new. Lindsay Buroker does a great job keeping things moving, engaging and at times funny, all the way through book 8.

Note: There is no graphic sex in this book, but there are significant references to it. So I would not recommend to young teens.

I've been a fan of Lindsay Buroker for some time. Couldn't wait for this new series and it didn't fail to please. Love the bickering between the characters and love to see how she builds each characters personality.
If you were of fan of her Dragon Blood series then this is a must read. I am anxious to read the second in this series.

I enjoyed Emperor's Edge by Buroker. This Fallen Stars series is a continuation of that same fiercely imaginative storytelling. The characters are round and relateable. The development of the story is enthralling: a touch of mystery, humor, romantic tension. I gobble her stories up even when I don't have much time. So worth it.

A truly fun series to read. I just finished Book 5 and am eagerly waiting for the next. This series has made Lindsay Buroker either my favorite or second favorite author. Don't ask me to decide.

The protagonist's reliance on "inappropriate humor" is what I like the most. I have found myself laughing out loud quite a few times.

I'm always thrilled to find another author that writes great stories about people that I would love to get to know better. This book hits all the bullet points; great story line check, interesting and believable characters check, and perhaps the most important one of all, this book left me curious about what would be happening next.

I recently discovered this author and was so surprised at her storytelling, vocabulary and world-building that I purchased her books.... Unusual for me unless it is an established and beloved author. And the books were worth every penny - especially if it keeps Lindsay's output high and tight?

It sort of reminded me of TV show Firefly. Different plot, different characters but it had that sort of feel. The characters are well written. I enjoy the humor of the main character along with the developing relationships between all the crew mates.
Lindsay I think you have made the transition from Fantasy across very well!

It's an interesting spin on girl meets boy, or girl meets cyborg. It doesn't have a space soap opera feel since there's not much in the way of tech discussions or space combat. I liked the story line and will come back for part 2, if only to see how the character expansion progresses.

Good read and a quite unusual story. It is nicely written in a way to keep the interest of the reader. The characters are presented in a timely manner to fit into the story. Very few editing mistakes. Normally I prefer a lot of hot action I didn't miss it at all. Looking for more, thank you.

This is a the kind of book that I love to find, a great story and two more books still to read. I think the story is fun without loading a bunch of techno babble to extend the story. You'll find like ability in all the good guys and plenty of badness from bad guys. Enjoy this entertaining first sci-fi.

Star Nomad fits my image of what a great sci-fi book is like: fast-paced, jam-packed with good and believable action, and understandable characters with whom I can empathize. It was over way too soon, and I can hardly wait to get my hands on the next installment! Nice job!!!

Enjoyable romp Lindsay Buroker style, complete with lippy heroine and a handsome hunk with waggling eyebrows! Not a lot of science, which is fine. Good character develop and plausible narrative as to how they extricate themselves from impossible situations. Fun, worth reading. I'm going for #2 now.

This is told from a woman's perspective and I find it well done. There is great character development and continuity. The story flows well and is easy to read. This is the 1st I have read of Buroker and I really like her style. Definitely want to read more of this series!

I love this author's work and own all of her current works. I am happily looking forward to more excellent tales. The characters are well developed and are not your ordinary type of heroes and heroines. I liked them a lot. I'm enjoying following the story as it unfolds.

I received an advance copy of the book.
Star Nomad has a strong woman leader, other varied and interesting main characters, space pirates and lots of action. It's a great start to a new series. I enjoy reading Lindsay Buroker's books and am looking forward to reading more of this series.

Lindsay has created an awesome universe. I love the characters and development and as soon as I finished book 1, I ordered 3 more of her books. Theres action, interesting plot and I can't get enough of them.

This sci-fi adventure is good but having spent many days reading Ms Buroker's fantasy books it's a bit hard for me to transition to science fiction. With that said, the book held my interest and I look forward to following Alisa Marchenko on her adventure.

I really enjoyed this book. There are few books I've read recently that were difficult for me to put down--this is one of them. I could definitely see the inspiration of Firefly in the story. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

This was a super fun book to read! If you enjoy books set in outer space, lots of action, and just a little romantic tension, you will love Star Nomad! And when you finish, check out her Emperor's Edge series (still my favorite series out of the hundreds of books I've read!).

Star Nomad is soft science fiction at it's best. It’s a quick, well-paced read. Funny, not overly dark. Highly character-focused. I can see why fans of Firefly would enjoy this. Each member of the crew has their own desires and missions that entangle in ways that are interesting and leave you wanting to know more. I will definitely be continuing on to read the second book, Honor’s Flight, to see how the series plays out and what happens to the characters, especially Alisa and Leonidas!

Yeah, your first taste is free - WARNING addiction will probably be a side effect of reading this, at least it was for me. Liked the world building and relationships, definitely will continue the series.

A great beginning to a SF series. It's not hardcore science but it is very entertaining. We miss out on the war between the Empire and the Alliance, but then the aftermath is so times not much different from war. Looking forward to next book.

The plot and character development are a little thin in places compared to many epic series, but overall it's a pleasant read. Probably not something I'd read multiple times through, but I was definitely engaged and wanted to pick up the next book in the series after each read.

Really wanted to find out how this ends.... Story was capivating initially; Mother, soldier, fighter pilot. Injured and stranded after war, trying to get home to her daughter.

6 books later, nothing has happened. Well, a lot happened, but nothing has changed.

If I had to sum up this series, I would ask you to imagine the part of Star Wars where Han, Luke and Obi wan infiltrate the Death Star. Somehow, against all odds, they manage to rescue princess Leia, disable the tractor beam and escape against impossible odds.

Repeat that scenario 4-5 times, per book. Repeat for every book. After the 30th or 40th impossible escape against all odds, I finally peeked ahead and discovered book six is not the end, and finally gave up on this series.

I have always enjoyed this authors ability to bring her characters to life and this newest book doesn't disappoint. The main character is charming, witty and a darned good pilot and I look forward to many more stories about her.

Lots of action, good narrative, interesting story, mysteries that aren't completely obvious or cliche, characters with character if you know what i mean, and a romance you want to happen and you feel is going to happen but it's hardly a thing at this point (the next book is probably going to increase that particular part). I found it a good enough read to buy the second book, even though i reallyyyyyy like romance to be evident, it had enough grab that i wasn't disappointed in the change from my preference.

Well, using this scale - [...] - this is a 3. Good writing, I enjoyed it, like a fantasy genre book set in space, with no groundbreaking ideas to think about. That makes it a solid 3.

But well enough done that I'll give the next book in the series.

The book is OK. I am enjoying it. Great, pure, scifi. I, however, would have purchased the audible portion for no other reason that Kate Reading is the reader.

I have listened to Robert Jordan's WOT works for years (on my 3rd "complete" go round) and Kate (may I call you Kate?) have become great friends.

Lindsay is mostly a very good author, easy writing flow, surprisingly few typos, and interesting plots, but she is obviously much more at home in fantasy. I have thoroughly enjoyed a number of her books, but the science in this story is more fi than sci. Thrusters for power? Really?? Thrusters are steering rockets, not propulsion units, and space ships don't fly like airplanes.
Also, I'd love to see a 'fifty year old' tramp freighter that can fly down canyons and stop on a dime and land by reversing 'thrusters'. If her writing was not so good (and the story line is kind of interesting, if you can get past the magical 'science'), I'd give this one one star.
********* Later *******
Well, darn it, after finishing the book, I find myself looking forward to the sequel. Ms. Buroker is a good enough writer and delineator of interesting characters that I'm forced to enjoy this book in spite of my misgivings. I'm raising my rating to 4 stars and hoping she makes just a little more effort in keeping the 'sci' part a bit more realistic. Now, where is that next episode?

Not much new here. Heavy on fighting and explosions but light on any kind of character development. Lots of witty dialog but it just wasn't that witty. Lots of plot lines left dangling for future stories but the author never really set the hook. If I get bored I might try the next one.

Great character development and humor, in a space-travel world turned lawless after the fall of the empire. Not much science, but, you know -- space ships and cyborgs, rather than wizards or "the force".

It was a fun read. A few scenes get a bit too raw for kids, but for myself, I can't wait to read the next book.

Many times the first book in the series is great, than by book four nothing is new. Lindsay Buroker does a great job keeping things moving, engaging and at times funny, all the way through book 8.

Note: There is no graphic sex in this book, but there are significant references to it. So I would not recommend to young teens.

I've been a fan of Lindsay Buroker for some time. Couldn't wait for this new series and it didn't fail to please. Love the bickering between the characters and love to see how she builds each characters personality.
If you were of fan of her Dragon Blood series then this is a must read. I am anxious to read the second in this series.

I enjoyed Emperor's Edge by Buroker. This Fallen Stars series is a continuation of that same fiercely imaginative storytelling. The characters are round and relateable. The development of the story is enthralling: a touch of mystery, humor, romantic tension. I gobble her stories up even when I don't have much time. So worth it.

A truly fun series to read. I just finished Book 5 and am eagerly waiting for the next. This series has made Lindsay Buroker either my favorite or second favorite author. Don't ask me to decide.

The protagonist's reliance on "inappropriate humor" is what I like the most. I have found myself laughing out loud quite a few times.

I'm always thrilled to find another author that writes great stories about people that I would love to get to know better. This book hits all the bullet points; great story line check, interesting and believable characters check, and perhaps the most important one of all, this book left me curious about what would be happening next.

I recently discovered this author and was so surprised at her storytelling, vocabulary and world-building that I purchased her books.... Unusual for me unless it is an established and beloved author. And the books were worth every penny - especially if it keeps Lindsay's output high and tight?

It sort of reminded me of TV show Firefly. Different plot, different characters but it had that sort of feel. The characters are well written. I enjoy the humor of the main character along with the developing relationships between all the crew mates.
Lindsay I think you have made the transition from Fantasy across very well!

It's an interesting spin on girl meets boy, or girl meets cyborg. It doesn't have a space soap opera feel since there's not much in the way of tech discussions or space combat. I liked the story line and will come back for part 2, if only to see how the character expansion progresses.

Good read and a quite unusual story. It is nicely written in a way to keep the interest of the reader. The characters are presented in a timely manner to fit into the story. Very few editing mistakes. Normally I prefer a lot of hot action I didn't miss it at all. Looking for more, thank you.

This is a the kind of book that I love to find, a great story and two more books still to read. I think the story is fun without loading a bunch of techno babble to extend the story. You'll find like ability in all the good guys and plenty of badness from bad guys. Enjoy this entertaining first sci-fi.

Star Nomad fits my image of what a great sci-fi book is like: fast-paced, jam-packed with good and believable action, and understandable characters with whom I can empathize. It was over way too soon, and I can hardly wait to get my hands on the next installment! Nice job!!!

Enjoyable romp Lindsay Buroker style, complete with lippy heroine and a handsome hunk with waggling eyebrows! Not a lot of science, which is fine. Good character develop and plausible narrative as to how they extricate themselves from impossible situations. Fun, worth reading. I'm going for #2 now.

This is told from a woman's perspective and I find it well done. There is great character development and continuity. The story flows well and is easy to read. This is the 1st I have read of Buroker and I really like her style. Definitely want to read more of this series!

I love this author's work and own all of her current works. I am happily looking forward to more excellent tales. The characters are well developed and are not your ordinary type of heroes and heroines. I liked them a lot. I'm enjoying following the story as it unfolds.

If you liked Firefly and Star Wars, this book is for you. Not hard sci-fi,, more character driven. It's a fun read and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and to being more immersed in the galaxy the author has created.

I was skeptical about this book at first, but I'm really glad I got over that and gave it a read. After a chapter or two I was hooked, and I have since devoured the entire series. It's a ton of fun, and very well written! I enjoy the writing so much I have now moved on to other books by the same author.

Reading a Lindsay Buroker novel is like streaming a wonderful new series, binge-watching a season at a time; except that each book is one season!

Her writing is captivating. She moves seamlessly from one book to the next.

What an awesome find!!!!

Lindsay buroker is always awesome and this book is no exception. I don't normally live sci fi but Lindsay's great plotting, interesting characters, and comedic undertone make this a very enjoyable read.

The first book of a series I will read in its entirety, since I'm a relative of yours. Born in Bonners Ferry and grandson of Harold M. Buroker. Good to see a writer in the family with so much success. I will be reading more now that you've evolved into science fiction. Thanks for a "firefly like" feeling from cover to cover.

If you're a Firefly fan, you must read this book! I loved it (and Firefly). Alisa and her crew fly from one exciting misadventure into another. Lindsay, I'm so glad you've written and released 3 books together. However, I am greedy and want more. Also my thanks to your excellent editor! The lack of grammatical errors increased my enjoyment factor tenfold. You rock!

This is a very entertaining book. Like Lindsay Buroker's other series the heroine and her crew are kept busy avoiding capture, rescuing comrades, and blowing things up from cover to cover. I really enjoy the witty dialog and believable character interactions in Buroker's books that are missing from so many popular series.

Great story with nice character driven narative. Specially with all the jokes and conversation that captain is producing. I didn't think in first chapter abou liking the book that much. But soon enough I looked at the page counter and found my self 80% in to the book wondering how I got there so fast. Since I enjoyed it, it was reading it self.

Loved the characters and the plot. Great fast paced book with an interesting and captivating plot. Downloaded the other free books and purchased her new one. Can't wait to get started on the next novel.

I really enjoyed her fantasy series so was excited to see this series. I like her writing style and plucky female heroines. This book didn't disappoint and I'll be reading the 2nd book in a few minutes!

If you liked Firefly and Star Wars, this book is for you. Not hard sci-fi,, more character driven. It's a fun read and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and to being more immersed in the galaxy the author has created.

I was skeptical about this book at first, but I'm really glad I got over that and gave it a read. After a chapter or two I was hooked, and I have since devoured the entire series. It's a ton of fun, and very well written! I enjoy the writing so much I have now moved on to other books by the same author.

Reading a Lindsay Buroker novel is like streaming a wonderful new series, binge-watching a season at a time; except that each book is one season!

Her writing is captivating. She moves seamlessly from one book to the next.

What an awesome find!!!!

Great space, futuristic world story. Fantastic main character who is smart and sarcastic. Love the way the relationships build between all characters. Has a touch of romance which makes the book more interesting.

Lindsay buroker is always awesome and this book is no exception. I don't normally live sci fi but Lindsay's great plotting, interesting characters, and comedic undertone make this a very enjoyable read.

Great story with engaging characters and exciting story line. I was rooting for the heroine almost from the first page. The story was well written with a background that was an interesting take on an old idea. Lindsay looks beyond the happy ever after to what happens after the good guys win and they are not prepared for the aftermath of their victory. The core characters are all intriguing and I am eager to see where their continuing adventures take them.

I think this is my first book by Ms. Brokers and I must say for her first time writing science fiction it is fantastic. It's super character driven which I love but has enough action that I couldn't put it down until I finished and then immediately downloaded book two because I couldn't wait to see what happens next.

I don't typically take the time to write reviews on books I've enjoyed. I tend to hit the star rating and move on. However, over the last three weeks, I have been devouring all books and short stories by Lindsay Buroker. I've even spent money on most of them, and I don't regret it. My attachment to Lindsay's work began with this Fallen Empire series. The action scenes are splendidly choreographed, the banter is (as always) witty, snarky and fun. The characters are ones you can connect with on various levels. They all feel very human - even the inhuman ones. These are traits found throughout all of Linday's work. Fans of previous novels may be thrown off at the sci-fi feel of the Fallen Empire series, but these books do not disappoint anyone looking for a solid good time. I read all four in one weekend and eagerly anticipate the release of book five. To tide me over until that happy day, I have been devouring everything in the Emperor's Edge series, which is highly recommended.

This is the third series of Lindsay's that I have gotten caught up in.
What she excels at is the characters in all of her books. These people are quirky funny (think Firefly TV series) and you love these people.
One great example is "Beck". He was an alliance soldier but now helps our main character with security on her ship. But what he truly wants to be is a great chef and continually tries to market his sauces even in the middle of tense situations.

I have just finished Book 6 and am waiting on the next one.
This would make an excellent TV series.

As a major fan of Firefly, and Stargate and all the different series that follow it, I have to say that by the 2nd chapter of Star Nomad,I was completely hooked. I quickly learned about the various characters involved and felt that I could 'see' them as real and interesting people. And Cyborgs, of course. By the end of the book I was hoping there would be more adventures to follow, and trying to figure out how I would be able to get them on the pitifully meager amount of money the government expects nursing home residents to "live on". I always love to see new (to me) authors come along, especially when they can pull me away from the authors I already follow with books that speak to me the way old favorites do. I'm already sure that Ms Buroker's books will be within my favorites column for a long time. I also have to confess that I have a thing for Leonidas - being a history major, I caught the reference immediately and I have to say that I think it is a perfect call sign for him!

This is such a great series. The advertising line about it being a cross between Star Wars and Firefly could not be closer to the truth. There were so many elements of Firefly, that anyone that is a fan of the show will instantly be drawn to the series. The similarity to Star Wars as well, with the Empire and the Alliance was very interesting, easy to see, but not so much as to be straight replicas. This is a much grittier series, not as light as Star Wars.
Something that was really good to read though was that the Author has considered both sides of the Empire/Alliance argument and this was brought up during the books by the characters. The Empire although providing safe shipping lanes and a stable Government, was dominating and ruled by fear, making people disappear or killing people if you didn’t fall into line. The Alliance though simply removed them with no thought to what they would do after, and has left a Galaxy in ruins, with Piracy, Warlords and many people wanting to cause chaos.
There was a lot of fascinating concepts that run throughout this book that made it that much more interesting. She has gone to a lot of effort to generate an incredible Universe and backstory to tell the tales of her Main Characters. There is a lot of detail, and it is beautifully designed and utterly fascinating.
Buroker writes exceptional Characters as well. Her main Character is a smart lipped woman called Alisa, an ex-Alliance pilot, just recovered from horrific injuries, trying to get home to find her daughter. And this is basically the plot of this story (without giving spoilers away). It just happens that the Universe seems to be plotting against her, which makes for a lot of fun reading. This introduces us to some other characters (in a kind of Firefly way), as she needs passengers for money. And this is where the ‘fun’ really begins.
As I said, I don’t want to give away spoilers, so I won’t go into the other characters here as it would give away too much, but needless to say, Alisa gets more than she bargained for, and there is a lot of combat, antics, and so many sarcastic comments that it is not safe to drink whilst reading this as you will probably spray your choice of reading device/book as you laugh. There are a multitude of other characters, some major, some minor. The other major characters are all very creative, exceptionally well done and make you feel like you are part of the story.
There was a lot of disappointment when Firefly was cancelled, but this is easily a great replacement, so anyone who loved the series should read this, and hope someone makes it into a TV series soon as well. In the meantime, this was so good I have already bought the other books, and signed up for the Author’s newsletter, as you get a couple of free short stories that tell some back story for the Main Characters.
This is a fantastic and fun read, and shouldn’t be missed by anyone who likes Sci-Fi, who liked Firefly, or just likes a good bit of escapism.

Captain Alisia Marchenko, former pilot for the Alliance in the recent war with the Empire, is stranded on a backwater planet after the final battle. She is recovering from her injuries in that battle. She and her recently hired engineer, Mica Coppervein, are attacked while searching a salvage yard for her mother's freighter, the Star Nomad, where Alisa grew up, in order to get off planet to recover her daughter from their former home planet, since Alisa has received word her husband was killed in a bombing raid. They receive help from a former Imperial Cybog, Leonidas. Alisia assembles a crew and a few passengers and agrees to a detour for Leonidas.

Excellent character driven space opera beginning a promising series.

Good space faring book set in a new world though much like Star Trek, which I like very much, and I look forward to reading the rest.
This was also my first book of Lindsay's and I like her style, good character introductions and development. There is the idea of a history in some of them and enough revealed that you would like to see what she is thinking in the next part.

I really enjoyed this book. It's the start of a new series, and I've already started Book 2. It's a fun read with lots of adventure and story, new tech and space ships, and a great cast of characters. I love books that have a solid story and also really good characters. I also like that the characters are unfolding a bit here and there, so we discover bits about them over time.

I wish this book were on audio also. With so many distinct characters, I think it would make a great listen with a good narrator who is good with voices and accents.

This is the first book of what looks like a interesting series. The alliance forces have won the war, but they don't seem to have won many friends. When they leave a wounded pilot on a planet way from home, she has to make her own way back. But it never as easy as she hoped. Looking forward to the next book.

I read this book some time ago and didn't leave a review. I find that I recommend this book and series often enough that I should say thank you to Lindsay Buroker for the many hours I have spent reading and sharing this story.

Wow! For a first effort into sci-fi, I think you hit all the right buttons. I enjoyed your story very much and am glad to see more of this series. There is no problem with a romance in sci-fi, even Superman had a girl-friend. I received this book free from instaFreebies in exchange for an honest review. DS

I read this, and all the followups, while having the flu. They were adequately entertaining, not too deep, and although a little bit formulaic, still interesting enough to pass my time without my having to think too deeply.