Books like 'The Hard Way Up'
Readers who enjoyed The Hard Way Up by A. Bertram Chandler 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 military psychics galactic-empire aliens invasion
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She is the Principle: A Kurtherian Gambit Series by Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA teenage boy with a terminal condition, a group of school bullies, and an incognito Empress with a short temper…Kirian Larsen knows he won’t live to see adulthood. Dex and his gang only care that he’s a human living on “their” planet.Their determination to make his life harder bothers Kirian less than their efforts to do the same for their other victims... -
![Command Authority by J.N. Chaney, Terry Mixon]()
Command Authority by J.N. Chaney, Terry Mixon
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsVictory snatched from the jaws of defeat.Commodore Jack Romanoff and his ragtag crew have repaired their ancient battleship, scatteredtheir adversaries at New Copenhagen, and discovered what was really behind the invasion. Nowthey must make the enemy bleed and start liberating the cluster.Betrayal from the shadows... -
![The Enemy Revealed by J.N. Chaney, Terry Mixon]()
The Enemy Revealed by J.N. Chaney, Terry Mixon
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsVictory, but at what cost?Commodore Jack Romanoff and his crew won the battle for New Copenhagen but lost their quantum drive in the fight. Now they must free the human prisoners and strengthen their defenses before the Locusts trap them.If it’s not already too late.Only the alien hyperdrive they recovered offers a chance to get a new quantum drive and more missiles before time runs out... -
![Dispute by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle]()
Dispute by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo races. One war. Perpetual hatred. And the Magistrate crash lands right in the middle of it.Rivka and her crew take a much-deserved vacation, but find themselves on a jungle planet, cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Part by design, but mostly not. Isn’t that what a good vacation is supposed to be, disconnected from the rigors of everyday life? Until no one can hear your calls for help... -
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![Acheron Inheritance by Ken Lozito]()
Acheron Inheritance by Ken Lozito
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFirst, the Federation Wars toppled the galactic order.On a dying world along the galactic fringe, Quinton Aldren awakens in the body of an archaic android that’s barely operational. He has only vague memories of who he was and no idea what has happened...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Forged in Flame by Michael R. Hicks]()
Forged in Flame by Michael R. Hicks
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis is the second book of the First Empress saga, following From Chaos Born.Keel-Tath, the child who would unite her people as foretold by an ancient prophecy, has grown to be a young warrior in the confines of the Desh-Ka temple, where she has been sheltered by her old friend and mentor Ayan-Dar from the clutches of Syr-Nagath, the Dark Queen...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Ships of the Line by J.N. Chaney, Terry Mixon]()
Ships of the Line by J.N. Chaney, Terry Mixon
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsVictory belongs to the strong and cunning warrior.Admiral Jack Romanoff and his crew have turned two enemies against one another via misdirection and timing. That gives them the breathing room to get back to their feet, but as any savvy commander knows, the footing on any battlefield is treacherous. One misstep could cost a warrior everything.Blood is the only coin that can buy victory... -
![Delphi Alliance by Bob Blanton]()
Delphi Alliance by Bob Blanton
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe McCormacks have their floating city growing in the South Pacific, and their space station well underway. As they continue their quest to unite Earth and bring her into the modern age of space travel and repair her environment before it’s too late, they have to fight with the major powers that aren’t too sure they want to change the status quo... -
![Race Rivalry by S.H. Jucha]()
Race Rivalry by S.H. Jucha
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe sisters’ leader, Miriamal, and three mining chairpersons investigate an unexplored wormhole for possible economic expansion. Aboard the Dominance, they exit the wormhole and are stunned to find the nearby system inhabited. More troubling, technologically advanced warships hold station above the system’s exoplanet... -
![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... -
![Star Force: Origin Series Box Set (97-100) by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Origin Series Box Set (97-100) by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Origin Series is empire building at its finest, with 100 episodes and over 2.5 million words in the military science fiction serial detailing the rise of Star Force from corporate entity into an interstellar empire over the course of more than a millennium... -
![Star Force: Rift by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Rift by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe temporary truce between Star Force and the V'kit'no'sat sends shockwaves throughout the galaxy. No one has ever defied the V'kit'no'sat and lived, but now Star Force has and many races are taking notice...including one that no one expects, on either side... -
![The Academy by Nathan Hystad]()
The Academy by Nathan Hystad
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Academy is a galaxy-class school, created to train the next generation of Gatekeepers. Jules Parker is attending the Academy, alongside her best friend Patty. When the Kold threaten everything her father and his friends have spent years building, she must reveal that her Iskios abilities are stronger than ever... -
![Excalibur Lost: a Space Opera Novella by Glynn Stewart]()
Excalibur Lost: a Space Opera Novella by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA broken speciesA broken manA lost legend…Only dreams and stories remain of the worlds humanity once called home, but scattered refugees live in the corners of the empire of their conquerors, the Sacred Council of Races...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
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![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...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Family Law by Mackey Chandler]()
Family Law by Mackey Chandler
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPeople love easily. Look at most of your relatives or coworkers. How lovable are they? Really? Yet most have mates and children. The vast majority are still invited to family gatherings and their relatives will speak to them. Many have pets to which they are devoted. Some even call them their fur-babies... -
![Rise of the Kobani by Stephen W. Bennett]()
Rise of the Kobani by Stephen W. Bennett
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Kobani use captured Krall ships to return to Human Space. They seek expert training for their genetically modified fighters, modern weapons and new medical technology. There’s a possible block to this help, in the form of death penalty laws of the Planetary Union, prohibiting gene modifications of humans. A holdover from the Gene War, which nearly extinguished humanity...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military psychics space-opera action-adventure -
![The Art of Smuggling by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle]()
The Art of Smuggling by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhy would anyone steal art? Who can you sell it to? The High Chancellor puts Rivka on the trail of serial art thieves. Dismantle the ring. Recover the art. Put the thieves behind bars, thieves who stay one step ahead.Insiders? Or maybe outsiders with inside knowledge? No suspects. No clues... -
![Shout of Honor by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller]()
Shout of Honor by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCommander Vepal is a Hero. He is also the Yxtrang ambassador to the greater universe. These two facts do not make Vepal's life easy. But they do make it interesting... -
![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 first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure book -
![The Dragonback Series Books 4–6: Dragon and Herdsman, Dragon and Judge, Dragon and Liberator by Timothy Zahn]()
The Dragonback Series Books 4–6: Dragon and Herdsman, Dragon and Judge, Dragon and Liberator by Timothy Zahn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe final three novels in the Dragonback sci-fi saga from the #1 New York Times–bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author of Star Wars: Thrawn—“Enthralling” (Science Fiction Chronicle). Young fugitive Jack Morgan and alien K’da warrior Draycos are inseparable—quite literally. They’ve been together since a desperate Draycos was forced to bond with Jack as his host in order to survive... -
![Acheron Redemption by Ken Lozito]()
Acheron Redemption by Ken Lozito
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSentinel warships were the answer to the Federation Wars. They brought peace and stability....or so they thought.The Sentinels are a menace, terrorizing spacers across the galaxy in their hunt. But change is coming, and spacers across the galaxy will have to choose whether to fight for their future or not...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Star Force: Dawn of the Apocalypse by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Dawn of the Apocalypse by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe onslaught has begun and the galaxy must cope with a very slow moving certainty of its eventual destruction... -
![Star Force: Reclaimers by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Reclaimers by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDoes Star Force have enough races in it yet? No...not even close... -
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![Harbinger by Charles R. Case]()
Harbinger by Charles R. Case
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA dangerous alien race. A killer robot army. But who is the real enemy? Some secrets are too important to share with just anyone. Especially during wartime. Sara needs to find someone she can trust back at headquarters. They’ve been sent on a mission to get them out of the way. And now, things are looking bleak. They are fighting for their lives. Their starship is barely intact...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Odysseus Awakening by Evan Currie]()
Odysseus Awakening by Evan Currie
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsDefy the inevitable. Such is the stance of Confederation captain Eric Weston and the crew of the starship Odysseus, patrolling the outer limits of Priminae space, anticipating the Empire’s next attacks. Connected with the Terran FTL tech—the transition drive—humanity might stand a chance against the overwhelming forces. Until the entire planetary system goes dark...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Junkyard Raiders by Jamie McFarlane]()
Junkyard Raiders by Jamie McFarlane
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDumped on a backwater planet, heroic old vets will risk everything to take a stand against vicious alien invaders.On the pastoral, backwater planet of Fimil Alpha, something or someone is eradicating the tribespeople of the Gauder Plains. Back on Earth, Albert Jenkins and his crew are enjoying the short-lived fame that accompanied their last adventure...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![War Eternal, Books 1-3 by M.R. Forbes]()
War Eternal, Books 1-3 by M.R. Forbes
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings3 books. 1000+ pages. Over 100,000 unbundled copies sold. Book 1: Starship Eternal A lost starship... A dire warning from futures past... A desperate search for salvation… Captain Mitchell “Ares” Williams is a Space Marine and the hero of the Battle for Liberty, whose Shot Heard ‘Round the Universe saved the planet from a nearly unstoppable war machine...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Void Horizon by J.N. Chaney, Christopher Hopper]()
Void Horizon by J.N. Chaney, Christopher Hopper
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn enemy with otherworldly powers. A war fueled by insatiable bloodlust. No one will be spared. Following their first victory against a rogue unit of Repub Marines, Magnus finds his newly trained gladias pinned down by a squadron of Talons...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![The Long-Range War by Christopher G. Nuttall]()
The Long-Range War by Christopher G. Nuttall
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe gloves have finally come off ... The Tokomak, the unquestioned masters of the galaxy, have dispatched a massive fleet to crush the Solar Union - and the fledgling Galactic Alliance - before the human race and its alien allies can tear the galactic order asunder. Hundreds of thousands of starships under the command of an alien tactical genius, bent on exterminating the entire human race .. -
![Fratricide by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle]()
Fratricide by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSafety takes a back seat to profit. Until it crosses the line. Shipyard deaths. Labor complaints. Fear. Intimidation. Rivka gets called in to sort things out, investigate the safety issues, mediate the dispute.What she finds isn’t a negotiation at all. She puts on her Magistrate hat and gets to work sorting out crimes made to look like accidents... -
![Intruder by C.J. Cherryh]()
Intruder by C.J. Cherryh
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe civil war among the alien atevi has ended. Tabini-aiji, powerful ruler of the Western Association, along with Cajeiri his son and heir, and his human paidhi, Bren Cameron, have returned to the Bujavid, their seat of power.But factions that remain loyal to the opposition are still present, and the danger these rebels pose is far from over... -
![Formation (Forgotten Space Book 2) by M.R. Forbes]()
Formation (Forgotten Space Book 2) by M.R. Forbes
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter narrowly escaping destruction, Nicholas and his crew find themselves flung far across the universe with no way home. When a distress call from a nearby planet catches their attention, they decide to investigate with the hope the signal is somehow connected to their arrival.It isn’t long before the truth of Foresight’s mission comes into clearer focus, and Nicholas doesn’t like what he sees...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Adventures of the Starship Satori: Book 1-6 Complete Library by Kevin McLaughlin]()
Adventures of the Starship Satori: Book 1-6 Complete Library by Kevin McLaughlin
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCollected together for the first time, read the opening six-book arc of USA Today Bestseller Kevin McLaughlin's epic starship Satori series! Dan Wynn thought he was grounded forever, but was given one last shot at the stars. Beth Wynn figured she'd never see her ex-husband again, until the adventure of a lifetime brought them back together... -
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![The Never Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack]()
The Never Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsContinuing the post-television Deep Space Nine saga, this original novel shows the fall of the Cardassian empire as seen through the eyes of a young man with a foot in two worlds. Rugal is an orphaned Cardassian who has been raised by the people his race once conquered, the Bajorans...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact invasion military space-opera 21st-century action-adventure adult -
![Void Drifter by J.N. Chaney, Jason Anspach]()
Void Drifter by J.N. Chaney, Jason Anspach
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Amazon Rainforest holds a world-changing secret. A ship lost to time from another world.College student Will Kaufman unearthed the biggest archaeological discovery in human history… he just needs to find a way back to Earth to tell people about it.Four thousand years ago, a Federation bounty hunter Void ship crashed on a remote and primitive planet... -
![Your Life Is Forfeit by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle]()
Your Life Is Forfeit by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsRed has a price on his head. Rivka is determined to find those who put it there. Criminals commit crimes. Career criminals do it in secret. They are good at hiding.Rivka’s latest case has her hunting fugitives. Red is on a mission to find them and make them pay for what they’ve done.Her search leads her through dark warrens of political intrigue and ecological disasters...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion space-opera action-adventure audiobook book -
![Legend of the Sword by Michael R. Hicks]()
Legend of the Sword by Michael R. Hicks
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSix months after the alien Kreelan Empire launched its invasion of human space, the Confederation of Humanity is rapidly growing. The planet of Saint Petersburg, however, would rather see the Confederation destroyed. With a secretly built navy, they have lured the Confederation fleet into a trap, even as the Kreelans prepare another devastating attack...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Serial Killer by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle]()
Serial Killer by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAlien ambassadors are dying. The locals are in over their heads. Or are they turning a blind eye?The Magistrates band together to learn about the law, each other, and even themselves. They still need outside help to solve the case. Who do they call? And Barnabas stops by to refuel and spin a tale. More training for the Magistrates. But duty takes them away...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion space-opera action-adventure audiobook book -
![Interstellar War by G.P. Hudson]()
Interstellar War by G.P. Hudson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA homeland in ashes. A merciless ancient enemy. A vicious new foe. A galaxy convulsing with war. With humanity on the brink of annihilation, only one option remains, Interstellar War. Can Jon Pike achieve victory, and revenge, for himself and humanity? Find out in Interstellar War, Book 5 of The Pike Chronicles...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Star Force: Scorpion by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Scorpion by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKara's fate is determined along with the revelation of the Zak'de'ron's true nature, forcing Star Force to list the Dragons as a future enemy while pretending all is normal in the present...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure book -
![Starship Waking by C. Gockel]()
Starship Waking by C. Gockel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOn an icy, barren world, a starship dreams of doom… Throughout the galaxy, the reclusive alien race known as The One are incapacitated by terror. On the planet Luddeccea, wolf-human hybrid Volka harbors a terrible secret…a secret that must explain her nightmares...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Star Trek: The Fall: A Ceremony of Losses by David Mack]()
Star Trek: The Fall: A Ceremony of Losses by David Mack
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTHE NEEDS OF THE MANYDespite heroic efforts by Thirishar ch’Thane, the Andorian species is headed for extinction. Its slow march toward oblivion has reached a tipping point, one from which there will be no hope of return.THE NEEDS OF THE FEWWith countless lives at stake, the leaders of Andor, the Federation, and the Typhon Pact all scheme to twist the crisis to their political gain—at any price... -
![The Eternal Tide by Kirsten Beyer]()
The Eternal Tide by Kirsten Beyer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAs the Voyager fleet continues its exploration of the Delta Quadrant, investigating the current status of sectors formerly controlled by the Borg becomes a key priority. Two of the fleet's special mission vessels, the U.S.S. Galen and U.S.S...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult anthologies -
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![Star Force: Uriti Strike by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Uriti Strike by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsChanges with the Uriti alter the dynamics of the war against the V'kit'no'sat...and send shockwaves from the galactic rim to Itaru... -
![Star Force: Return to Earth by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Return to Earth by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBoth Mak'to'ran and Star Force return to the Sol/Terraxis System, setting up a summit meeting that will irrevocably alter both civilizations going forward... -
![Star Force: Fracture by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Fracture by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Rim Consortium brings many surprises to the V'kit'no'sat as their border colonies come under sudden, coordinated attack... -
![Star Force: Vargemma by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Vargemma by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDeath averted, mysteries revealed, and an entirely different challenge to face for the kings and queens of troubleshooting... -
![Star Force: First Contact Fallout by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: First Contact Fallout by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEldorat's attack and death in Itaru have affected the flow of galactic events in a way no one anticipated, and the fallout from that first contact is now crushing both the V'kit'no'sat and the Zak'de'ron all the while the Hadarak begin to encroach on their territory with little resistance...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact galactic-empire invasion military space-opera action-adventure adult -
![Rise Like Lions by David Mack]()
Rise Like Lions by David Mack
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIN THE MIRROR UNIVERSE . . . Miles “Smiley” O’Brien struggles to hold together his weary band of freedom fighters in their war against the overwhelming might of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Each day pushes the rebels on Terok Nor one step closer to defeat, but with nowhere left to run, the time has come to make their last stand...
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