This military sci-fi story is multi-threaded but focused on Col. David Cohen. Airship Commander. Thera are other threads are – an intergalactic war between perceived “good and evil” forces; religion; a dormant love affair; and the roles of other characters; but these seem to be the grist on which the David Cohen grows and develops.
The ‘good’ is the Terran Coalition of planets occupied by people who had fled Earth to a planet they called Canaan. The ‘evil’ is the League of Sol, a super-national entity that controlled Earth and wish to conquer the Terran Coalition. The League of Sol came out of the World Society whose goals included stamping out religious beliefs and institute a communist system of government. We have some familiar place names pulled across our brows; one also recognizes that the Coalition form of government mirrors that of the USA.
Colonel David Cohen dominates the book, and eventually he commands the two largest airships of the Coalition Defense Forces, one of the military arms of the Terran Coalition. There are a few issues that are paramount in David’s (and the Coalition’s) success or failure.
First, David is Orthodox Jew quite ready to tell anyone about his faith, and to include them in his prayers. He had planned to be a rabbi after leaving the military. Inwardly, David is very strong on his practice, but opportunities are likely to arise when his religious beliefs are challenged. He seems to hide his own contradictions in the recesses of his mind.
David is also laden with guilt from the demands of being a soldier to kill, and the demands of his religion which said that killing was wrong. These conflicts affected his deeper relationships because they affected him deeply. He blames himself for the deaths of the enemy as much as he blames himself for death of his fighting crew. He is deeply wounded by the loss of his childhood friend on his watch, and teeters on the brink of psychological collapse.
David exhibits and is seen by his seniors as having quality command skills. He turns out to be an excellent Commander. He seeks out and gains the respect of his subordinates, because he himself pays them respect. But he needs to disregard his religion and recognize that in war you kill or be killed; and that decisive actions are called for by the current situation. He is guided by the goal to save the lives of his crew and of civilians and strives to accept that individual sacrifice may be necessary for the ‘greater good’.
While dealing with his demons, David engages two battles against the League of Sol, ‘fighting the good fight’ against the League. His results get him promotions and awards – based on his first command, he is promoted to command the largest ship of the Coalition Defense Force – the Lion of Judah. If anything, one might wonder how he seems to get everything right, and at the right time.
David’s crew defeats the attack of the League, driving them out of Canaan. But his experience to date must prepare him for the new strategy – with additional affiliations to drive the League back to Earth and force its submission. On to Book 2.
I loved reading this book. It is very well written, and comfortably accommodates a mixture of (among other things) commands, protocol, grief and depression, and religious issues. Amidst his doubts, David is impressive in his knowledge of his ships, and in commanding them, eliciting successful responses from his officers and staff. I liked the snappy commands and the protocol, and I could feel the culture they generated and the order they supported. I liked that on David’s ships, there was something of a ‘new beginning’ with religious toleration supported by accommodations for different religions. None of this seemed to get in the way of meeting the common enemy. And I liked the excitement of the battles and the dedication of the soldiers and civilians.
At the end, David recognizes that ‘knowing’ confidence. He reminisces on his doubts about himself, his decisions, feelings, and abilities: ” But tonight, …….. he realized that those doubts had been replaced by a quiet confidence that required no boasting, ego, or validation. A confidence that he was able, by the grace and help of God, to meet whatever the League threw at him, to lead his crew into battle, and bring as many as possible home safe and sound. That was his calling and his duty, and for the first time in many years, perhaps even in his entire life, David was completely ready, committed, and confident.
This is a “good feel” book; well and snappily written, and throughout, holds the reader to its bosom.
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From the Publisher
Corporal David Cohen thought he’d left war behind.
He was wrong.
The Terran Coalition faces repeated and brutal attacks from the repressive League of Sol. To defend his home planet, David trades his dream of becoming a rabbi for a battlefront in the far reaches of space. When particle beams fly, his courage under fire brings quick promotion. But in the lulls between battles when he must confront his soul, David finds a different enemy: the ghosts of those killed under his command.
Yet in war, it’s kill or be killed—and the enemy shows no mercy.
David must square the tenets of his faith against his responsibility to crew and country. If he fails in his command, billions face enslavement by a ruthless regime. Now it’s an all-out fight for the galaxy’s freedom.
Because a man’s greatest foe lies within.
Three more action-packed series are set in the Terran Diaspora Universe:
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Battlegroup ZAfter thirty-five years of peace, one vicious attack destroys it all. An unexpected enemy emerges with an overwhelming force designed to obliterate the Terran Coalition. Reservist Lieutenant Justin Spencer straps into the cockpit, determined to save his home from a vicious foe. Even outnumbered and outgunned, Justin is never out of the fight. |
Deception Fleet SeriesThe treaty is signed. The war is over. Or is it? In the wake of the bitter galactic conflict, a cauldron of desperate refugees is rife with rival cartels and flooded with weapons. In this pocket of lawlessness, old enemies are fighting a new war by proxy. Captain Jackson Adams of the Coalition Defense Force is tasked with gathering a ragtag crew for a black ops mission—infiltrate the cartels and discover the enemy’s ultimate scheme. But what they uncover is more horrifying than anyone ever anticipated. |
Breach of Faith SeriesEverything is on the table when survival's at stake. After they learn a missing operative is still alive, Captain James Henry and his crew are hired to extract her. But multiple galactic forces are scheming, and Captain Henry will have to move carefully if he wants his team to survive… |
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Reviews with images
Exciting and uplifting
“Fight the Good Fight“ is full of edge of your seat combat scenes with characters that are believable, likable and with strong convictions. I can’t wait to read all of Daniel’s books!
Top reviews from other countries
James Wilson
Worth reading. Character oriented.
Reviewed in Canada on November 16, 2019