Books like 'Defender'
Readers who enjoyed Defender by Mike Shepherd also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
sc-fi space action / adventure military, war & conflict space-opera war military aliens space-travel female-mc
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A Rock and a Hard Place by Ryk Brown, Jeffrey Kafer
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTwo worlds preparing their defenses . . . A ship struggling to get back in the fight . . . An enemy continuing its relentless attack . . . A former enemy that could hold the answer . . . With the fate of billions in his hands, Captain Scott is offered a way to save them all and end the bloodshed, but if it backfires, he could lose everything. Sometimes, there is no good choice... -
![Retaliation by Ryk Brown]()
Retaliation by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 10 A ship unable to defend itself… A captain determined to revive her… Worlds dependent on them both to survive… An enemy bent on their destruction… With the Aurora unable to fight, the Karuzari Alliance must find a way to not only repair their flagship, but to make the enemy pay dearly. Sometimes, you just have to make do with what you've got... -
![Retribution by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole]()
Retribution by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsVICTORY is at hand. With the galaxy in tatters, Chhun and Wraith lead Kill Team Victory and the remnants of the Legion in a clandestine final effort to bring about Article Nineteen... -
![A Price Too High by Ryk Brown]()
A Price Too High by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsPart 2: Episode 12 …An enemy in retreat …A new world to protect …A new potential ally on the horizon …A new chance to go on the offensive The Dusahn have taken a massive blow, and with the Aurora’s improved jump range, Captain Scott and the Karuzari Alliance can finally keep them at arms length... -
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![I Am Justice by Ryk Brown]()
I Am Justice by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsPart 2: Episode 9 A chance to gain resources… A need to prepare a defense… A trap about to be sprung… An opportunity for justice… As his sister faces a critical moment, Captain Scott must chase his friends to regions he has yet to travel. Sometimes, you just have to take risks for those you care about. Sometimes, quite often... -
![Secrets in the Stars by Mackey Chandler]()
Secrets in the Stars by Mackey Chandler
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Lee Anderson and her parents discovered a new world teeming with life, it was the dream of every explorer: they were rich beyond their imaginations. But tragedy struck when a herd of creatures overran their camp and killed her parents. The only other adult in her life had been their partner Gordon, who adopted her as parent. Which didn’t turn out to be easy, because he wasn’t human... -
![That Which Other Men Cannot Do by Ryk Brown]()
That Which Other Men Cannot Do by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsEpisode 15 New forces grow… Old friends are lost… New alliances are forged… Old weapons are made new… With political unrest growing, the Alliance must rush to rebuild their fleet and expand their 'sphere of influence' before their support runs out. But when the Jung up the ante, the Alliance must turn up the heat... -
![The Service of Mars by Glynn Stewart]()
The Service of Mars by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsSecrets and warships combined to turn the tide of the Siege of Legatus, delivering the capital of the Republic of Faith and Reason into the hands of their enemies. With Damien Montgomery called away to lead the entire Protectorate of Mars, fighting the war falls to Mage-Admiral Jane Alexander and Mage-Lieutenant Roslyn Chambers... -
![Delphi Diversion by Bob Blanton]()
Delphi Diversion by Bob Blanton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCatie is on her way back to Earth after having settled the Fazulan slaves when the wormhole her ship is traveling in collapses. They are diverted to another system where big chunks are flying around. They rescue a ship and find themselves in the middle of a series of mysteries...Categorized as:
aliens exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure audiobook book -
![Duchess of Terra by Glynn Stewart]()
Duchess of Terra by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWhen Terra knelt to an alien Imperium They guaranteed our safety and our future But now their enemies are coming for us To preserve humanity’s survival and freedom in a hostile galaxy, Annette Bond tied her world to the A!Tol Imperium, taking on the mantle of Duchess of Terra to rule humanity in the Imperium’s name... -
![Distant Horizon by J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert]()
Distant Horizon by J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe Universe is a bloody mess. Time to put on your cleaning gloves.During a routine arrest, Van discovers a stolen spacecraft, its importance far greater than it first appears. Fast, sleek, and beautiful, the ship is a cultural relic from Linulla’s people, and returning their property will set off a chain of events that reveals a new adversary... -
![Balance by Ryk Brown]()
Balance by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsPart 2: Episode 5 An entire sector in turmoil... Neighbors who appear unconcerned... A favor asked of an old friend... Sacrifices made for the good of humanity... Before they can challenge the Dusahn and prevent them from expanding their empire further, the Karuzari must first gather much needed resources. But doing so could be more difficult than anticipated... -
![Terra and Imperium by Glynn Stewart]()
Terra and Imperium by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsSecrets both ancient and new. Powers great and greater— With Terra caught in the middle Humanity’s first colony is a project neither the Duchy of Terra nor the A!Tol Imperium can allow to fail. The planet Hope in the Alpha Centauri system has been lavished with resources and attention—but when an unknown alien force attacks the system, all of that is in danger... -
![The Legend of ZERO: Forgotten by Sara King]()
The Legend of ZERO: Forgotten by Sara King
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's been 819 years since Congress abandoned humanity to a Stone Age fate on an Earth infested with man-eating monsters, and now the galactic government, in all its benevolence, has come back to force humanity back into citizen status in its great collective......Except this time, thanks to Prime Commander Dobbs, humanity has a surprise for our alien conquerors... -
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![The Terran Privateer by Glynn Stewart]()
The Terran Privateer by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsEarth is conquered. Sol is lost. One ship is tasked to free them. One Captain to save them all. When an alien armada destroys the United Earth Space Force and takes control of the human homeworld, newly reinstated Captain Annette Bond must take her experimental hyperspace cruiser Tornado into exile as Terra’s only interstellar privateer... -
![Junkyard Spaceship by Jamie McFarlane]()
Junkyard Spaceship by Jamie McFarlane
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsWhen aliens threaten his country, one grumpy old vet will take the fight to the stars.Albert Jenkins would like nothing more than to putter around his junkyard, selling parts and working on old cars. When an alien spacecraft is shot down by US Air Defense and crash lands on his newly rebuilt home, he’s dragged back into the fight of his life...Categorized as:
aliens exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult audiobook -
![Prisoners of Darkness by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole]()
Prisoners of Darkness by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThe galaxy is spiraling into all-out war. The Battle of Tarrago was just the beginning. Following Goth Sullus's ruthless onslaughts against the Republic, a desperate House of Reason searches for scapegoats—and finds one, deserving or not, in Commander Ellek Owens. His sentence is cruel, unjust—and final. Unless Victory Squad has anything to say about it... -
![Fields of Fire by Marko Kloos]()
Fields of Fire by Marko Kloos
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsThe time has come to take the fight to the Lankies.Mars has been under Lanky control for more than a year. Since then, the depleted forces of Earth's alliances have rebuilt their fleets, staffing old warships with freshly trained troops. Torn between the need to beat the Lankies to the punch and taking enough time to put together an effective fighting force, command has decided to strike now... -
![All in Good Time by Mackey Chandler]()
All in Good Time by Mackey Chandler
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLiving by bad neighbors is hard. Especially when there is a whole mob of them. Needing to do business with them makes it harder. Imagine nine billion noisy disrespectful neighbors who can’t keep their word and would be just as happy to see you dead...Categorized as:
aliens dystopia exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult -
![Liberation by Ryk Brown]()
Liberation by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsEpisode 10 Heartfelt reunions with friends… Desperate plans to gain advantage… Opportunities that cannot be ignored… Discovery of family once thought lost… The time has come for Captain Scott to fight for that which was taken… the very freedom of the world he was sworn to protect. “Liberation” is a 108,000 word novel, and is the 10th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
![Crusade by Glynn Stewart]()
Crusade by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA newborn Alliance, forged to stop the destroyers of worldsA potential ally, with secrets hidden by a thousand liesA long-doomed star, whose ruins hold a vital answer... -
![The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet by Mackey Chandler]()
The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet by Mackey Chandler
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the first book of this series "Family Law", Lee's parents and their business partner Gordon found a class A habitable planet. They thought their quest as explorers was over and they'd live a life of ease. But before they could return and register their claim Lee's parents died doing a survey of the surface... -
![The Weak and the Innocent by Ryk Brown]()
The Weak and the Innocent by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEpisode 14 A ship in the hands of their enemy… A liberation gone wrong… A chance to double their ranks… A bold and daring plan… Their support from the Pentaurus cluster dwindling fast, the Alliance faces new and unpleasant realities in the Sol sector. But untoward changes also bring unexpected opportunities… The 'trick' is in how you use them... -
![Artifact Space by Miles Cameron]()
Artifact Space by Miles Cameron
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsOut in the darkness of space, something is targeting the Greatships.With their vast cargo holds and a crew that could fill a city, the Greatships are the lifeblood of human occupied space, transporting an unimaginable volume - and value - of goods from City, the greatest human orbital, all the way to Tradepoint at the other, to trade for xenoglas with an unknowable alien species... -
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![Governor by David Weber, Richard Fox]()
Governor by David Weber, Richard Fox
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA NEW MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION SERIES FROM NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND CREATOR OF THE HONOR HARRINGTON SERIES DAVID WEBER AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR RICHARD FOXSix Billion Dead—And One Man Intent on Putting a Stop to the Killing For more than fifty years, the Terran Republic and the Terran League have been killing one another... -
![Stowaway by Z.D. Dean]()
Stowaway by Z.D. Dean
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLt Zade, on his last days of his last deployment to Afghanistan, still couldn’t find the excitement he so desperately needed. A chance encounter, on his last mission, sends him hurtling through space on the Unity exploration ship XES01. Surrounded by aliens, Zade must quickly learn to interact with the non-soldiers on the crew... -
![Border Wars by Evan Currie]()
Border Wars by Evan Currie
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe mission continues as Sorilla, the Green Berets of the Fifth, and the Lucian Sentinels take their investigation to the colony world claimed by Islamic separatists during the very earliest of Earth's Diaspora period... -
![Spinward Fringe Broadcast 8: Renegades by Randolph Lalonde]()
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 8: Renegades by Randolph Lalonde
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt has been months since the Siege of Port Rush. The Warlord, under the command of Jacob Valent, has been travelling to ports across the sector to gather intelligence, capturing ships and cargo as they go. Manpower and funds are still in short supply, but the Captain is winning the support of the British Alliance, and his crew suspects he has a long term plan that will lead to bigger prizes... -
![Born of the Ashes by Ryk Brown]()
Born of the Ashes by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEpisode 11 A world in chaos… An eager new ally… A newly acquired ship… An even greater threat on its way… Captain Nathan Scott must decide whether to stand and fight to the end, or live to fight another day… even if it means the end of his world. “Born of the Ashes” is a 122,000 word novel, and is the 11th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
![Resistance by Ryk Brown]()
Resistance by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEpisode nine of The Frontiers Saga...A chance to gain much needed resources… A group of highly trained, merciless soldiers… A half-completed ship on a trajectory to nowhere… A lone operative on familiar yet dangerous ground… Captain Scott and the crew of the Aurora have a chance to get everything they need to liberate their home world, but they may have to fight someone else's war first... -
![Exile by Glynn Stewart]()
Exile by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA shackled Earth, ruled by an unstoppable tyrantAn exiled son, and a one-way trip across the galaxyA perfect world, their last hope for survivalVice Admiral Isaac Gallant is the heir apparent to the First Admiral, the dictator of the Confederacy of Humanity. Unwilling to let his mother's tyranny stand, he joins the rebellion and leads his ships into war against the might of his own nation... -
![Spinward Fringe Broadcast 6: Fragments by Randolph Lalonde]()
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 6: Fragments by Randolph Lalonde
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe crew of the Triton continue their misadventure near Ossimi Ring Station. They are forced down different paths and a fight for freedom that will cost them dearly begins. New opportunities, dangers and experiences await them all, as the Order of Eden stirs, advancing their own agenda... -
![De Oppresso Liber by Evan Currie]()
De Oppresso Liber by Evan Currie
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe war may be over, but the fighting continues as SOLCOM learns of an excursion by the Ross'El against an unaffiliated pre-space civilization in the no man's land between Earth and the Alien Alliance. With always more questions than answers, SOLCOM dispatches a ship to quietly survey the situation and determine what, if any, course of action is best... -
![Escalation by Ryk Brown]()
Escalation by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA cease-fire that has lasted seven years… Worlds half-destroyed that have been rebuilt anew… Friends and crewmates scattered light-years apart… New leaders that would be kings… The Jung threat has been renewed, in ways not imagined. It will take a new savior to inspire the masses, and once again lead those willing to fight against oppression... -
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![Open Arms by Evan Currie]()
Open Arms by Evan Currie
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWith the war officially over, and years of fighting weighing on her, Sorilla has officially put in her papers and called in every chit she's owed. It's time to hang up her power armor, lay down her rifle, and try to build something for herself rather than for other people. The War, however, is only over when the powers that be say it is... -
![Emergence by Ken Lozito, Scott Aiello]()
Emergence by Ken Lozito, Scott Aiello
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAs the colony grapples with the realization that New Earth is not as uninhabited as they’d once thought, tensions between the colonial settlements rise to new heights, and the Colonial Defense Force finds itself caught in the middle. When Connor uncovers evidence of a militant colonial faction secretly exploiting the NEIIS, he has to investigate... -
![Rise of the Alliance by Ryk Brown]()
Rise of the Alliance by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsEpisode 12A new ally providing aid…An old ally joining the fight…Their resources growing with each passing day…Their homeworld finally on the road to recovery…Things finally seem to be coming together for Captain Scott and the Alliance, as he takes his forces on the offensive. However, the Jung may in turn give him more trouble than he bargained for... -
![Homeworld by Evan Currie]()
Homeworld by Evan Currie
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWar comes home to the Sol system when the Drasin track a human ship back to Earth, with devastating consequences. Facing massive force of invading alien ships wielding terrible power, the crew of the NAC spacecraft, their allies, and the people of Earth must mount a desperate effort to stop them... -
![Rise of the Corinari by Ryk Brown]()
Rise of the Corinari by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA time to recover…A chance to make a new ally…A brief respite to repair and rearm…An opportunity for a people to regain their honor…For every civilization there comes a moment when a stand must be made against tyranny.The time has come for the Alliance to draw a line in the sand... -
![A Show of Force by Ryk Brown]()
A Show of Force by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEpisode 13 The liberation old worlds… The addition of new allies… The fall of a regime… The death of a trusted friend… The Aurora begins clearing a 20 light year sphere of safety around Earth, taking out Jung forces as they liberate the core systems. However, Captain Scott and the Alliance quickly discover that not every world wants to be liberated, and the Jung have a few surprises of their own... -
![Star Force: Temple Wars by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Temple Wars by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingshe bell has been rung, and the Return of the Reignor has come...Categorized as:
aliens dystopia exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult -
![Corruption by Sarah Noffke, Michael Anderle]()
Corruption by Sarah Noffke, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA new evil lurks in the darkness. After an explosion, the crew of a battlecruiser mysteriously disappears.Bailey and Lewis, complete strangers, find themselves suddenly onboard the damaged ship. Lewis hasn’t worked a case in years, not since the final one broke his spirit and his bank account. The last thing Bailey remembers is preparing to take down a fugitive on Onyx Station...Categorized as:
aliens cyberpunk exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure book -
![Head of the Dragon by Ryk Brown]()
Head of the Dragon by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsTime is running out…An ally has all but fallen…Resources are running low…The time for attack has come...The Alliance must strike deep into the heart of the empire.This time, the Aurora will be going home, or going to her grave.“Head of the Dragon” is a 133,000 word novel, and is the 6th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
![Kill Team by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole]()
Kill Team by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAlways make 'em pay. In the aftermath of the Battle of Kublar—and the destruction of the battleship Chiasm—Legion Dark Ops recruits Chhun, Wraith, and the survivors of Victory Company to form an elite Kill Team of legionnaires. Their secret mission is as clear as it is deadly: find and eliminate those responsible for the Kublar disaster... -
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![The Expanse by Ryk Brown]()
The Expanse by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEpisode 7A newly repaired ship…A willing and eager crew…A host of new technologies…A long anticipated return home…The crew of the UES Aurora finally has the chance to fulfill their mission, but first they must complete a long and dangerous journey across a thousand light years of unexplored space.“The Expanse” is a 104,000 word novel, and is the 7th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
![Corvus by Marko Kloos]()
Corvus by Marko Kloos
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen the aliens evolve, so does the threat against humanity in this thrilling sequel to Scorpio that finds Alex Archer in an epic battle of survival against the odds and the alien invaders.Alex Archer is a soldier now, the only civilian survivor from Scorpio to join the NAC Defense Corps... -
![The Prisoner of Eldaron by Jay Allan, Mark Boyett]()
The Prisoner of Eldaron by Jay Allan, Mark Boyett
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Search for Erik Cain...The Superpowers of Earth have fought their final war, leaving Earth a devastated ruin, populated only by scattered groups of survivors living in primitive squalor. Out in space, however, humanity moves forward, and the former colonies of Earth's dead nations are now free from the yoke of the despotic governments that had long ruled over them... -
![Star Force: Ysalamir by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Ysalamir by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsV'kit'no'sat and Star Force must unite for a special project in order to find a better way to fight the Hadarak... -
![The Dark Between by J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert]()
The Dark Between by J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Messenger must prepare for war. With the Archetype damaged, Dash and his crew will need more than a quick fix to prepare for what’s coming. A secret facility known only as the Forge lies in cold sleep, built by the Unseen for the greatest war in history. Dash has no idea what awaits him there, but he hopes to find some kind of advantage in the war that is to come...Categorized as:
cyberpunk exploration military space-opera space-travel war action-adventure audiobook -
![Resurgence by Z.D. Dean]()
Resurgence by Z.D. Dean
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRe-edit as of 31MAR2021Exiled from Unity core space and bent to get back to Earth, Zade starts his journey in the derelict ship provided by the chancellor. After a lucky bout of clumsiness, he learns that the ship he was given is much more than meets the eyes...
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