Books like 'Hell Heart'
Readers who enjoyed Hell Heart by Robert E. Vardeman also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
sc-fi action / adventure space military, war & conflict space-travel exploration military
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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... -
![Into the Serpent's Lair by Ryk Brown]()
Into the Serpent's Lair by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.76 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsEmpires at the brink of war…A galactic alliance on the horizon…Worlds on the verge of destruction…Comrades taking up arms against one another…Nathan Scott must use all his cunning to save not only his own world, but the worlds of his friends and his enemies. But to do so, he must make a deal with the devil, and risk everything on a fight no one believes he can win... -
![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... -
![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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![Resurrection by Ryk Brown]()
Resurrection by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsPart 2: Episode 3 The enemy tightens its grip... Friends suffer a terrible blow... Difficult decisions must be made... Old comrades find a way to come together... Captain Tuplo must finally make the decision that has been haunting him since he learned the truth about his origins only a week ago. The fact that billions of lives may hang in the balance isn't making it any easier... -
![Who Takes No Risk by Ryk Brown]()
Who Takes No Risk by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsPart 2: Episode 7 Old allies go dark… New worlds join the fight… A rescue from an enemy held world… A lone operative with a dangerous plan… The Karuzari finally have the support of an industrialized system, but they need time to build their forces. Unfortunately, time is the one thing they may not have... -
![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... -
![Blockade: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle]()
Blockade: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series by Craig Martelle, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHumanity’s greatest export – Justice. Space is a dangerous place, even for the wary, especially for the unprepared. The aliens have no idea. Here comes the Bad Company. When the Bad Company learns of a human colony blockaded by aliens, they take the upgraded War Axe into battle. Once again, nothing is as it seems, but this time, they find a single enemy, evil to its core... -
![The Price of Liberty by D.J. Holmes]()
The Price of Liberty by D.J. Holmes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWar has been declared. The Indian Star Republic has landed ground troops on the newly discovered colony of Haven as they seek to seize access to the alien worlds of Vestar and Kulthar. The British Star Kingdom has reacted. A battle fleet has been formed with orders to drive off the Indians and retake Haven... -
![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... -
![Sanctuary by Ryk Brown]()
Sanctuary by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsPart 2: Episode 8 A family nearly destroyed… A loved one in need of help… A fleet in need of a home port… An Alliance struggling to be reborn… Captain Scott has lost his entire family, save his sister, who needs better medical care than the Aurora can provide... -
![Nua'll by S.H. Jucha]()
Nua'll by S.H. Jucha
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Omnian expeditionary fleet sails for the faraway place they call “the wall.” The worlds of humankind have consolidated their resources to create a powerful armada to confront the alien federation.During the Omnians’ previous encounter with an alien fleet at the wall, the Nua’ll comm sphere spoke to them in multiple languages... -
![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... -
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![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... -
![Return of the Corinari by Ryk Brown]()
Return of the Corinari by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPart 2: Episode 13 A host of new allies… A plethora of advanced technologies… A daring gamble to advance their forces… A chance to retake lost worlds once and for all… The Dusahn have been backed into a corner, barely able to hold the worlds of the Pentaurus cluster, let alone the entire sector. Forced to dig in, they may have to resort to drastic measures to save their fledgling empire... -
![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... -
![Lunar Crisis: Age of Expansion by Tom Dublin, Michael Anderle]()
Lunar Crisis: Age of Expansion by Tom Dublin, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Shadows have been blooded and survived. There was no time for celebration as their next mission came upon them like a gangster in the night. Or missiles out of the blue.Captain Jack Marber, the Yollin Tc’aarlat, and Adina Choudhury take the ICS Fortitude to the moons of Taglen... -
![Buccaneers by Jamie McFarlane]()
Buccaneers by Jamie McFarlane
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThe crew of the Hotspur just happens to be looking for a new home. If Nick James is right, and he usually is, the Tipperary solar system is about to become the busiest trading hub in the galaxy. To sweeten the pot, the cloud-city of Lèger Nuage is offering free warehouse space to qualified traders. It's a deal that seems too good to pass up. Of course, nothing's as simple as it seems... -
![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 by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Origin Series 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... -
![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... -
![Rescue by Ryk Brown]()
Rescue by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA leader left behind... An Alliance falling apart... Friends stranded on an enemy-held world... A chance to rediscover long forgotten truths... The new threat will require an immediate response. But first, Jessica and the Ghatazhak must execute a daring rescue in order to secure their future. But to do so, they need the one man they have been trying to protect. The question is.. -
![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... -
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![Survivors by Toby Neighbors]()
Survivors by Toby Neighbors
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNothing in the Corps is guaranteed!Staff Sergeant Eli Vanhorn isn’t the man he used to be. Once a proud member of the Fleet Marine Corps’ elite Terrestrial Advance Combat teams, the battle on colony planet Luyten C left him broken and scarred. But after a year of surgeries and physical therapy, he’s ready to complete his enlistment as Master of Arms on the exploration vessel Rihla... -
![Bane of Worlds by Anthony James]()
Bane of Worlds by Anthony James
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFollowing his successful mission to recover the missing warship ESS Crimson, Captain John Duggan finds himself unredeemed in the eyes of his superiors. His duties resume and this time he’s given something easy - escort a cargo ship to a distant planet and bring it home safely. But war is never so predictable and a straightforward mission becomes something much more important... -
![Galactar by Anthony James]()
Galactar by Anthony James
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFollowing decades of war and the recent catastrophic loss of an entire planet, the Human Planetary Alliance is riven by internal disputes and rivalries. The military’s old guard fights for power against those who see a chance to turn things around.After a series of hard-fought victories, Captain Carl Recker is becoming recognized as a man who gets results - a man who knows how to beat the Daklan... -
![Star Force: Origin Series by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Origin Series by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 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... -
![Fulcrum Gun by Anthony James]()
Fulcrum Gun by Anthony James
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLost in hostile space and pursued by the most powerful warship in the known universe, Captain Carl Recker is losing hope and running out of options. His battleship Fulcrum is no match for this enemy and the Meklon aliens who might have helped him are dead, killed by the Galactar’s murderous weaponry.Somehow, Recker must find a way to succeed where the might of an alien empire already failed... -
![Laws of Ancidium by Anthony James]()
Laws of Ancidium by Anthony James
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHaving fought his hardest battle, Captain Carl Recker returns to planet Lustre, bringing the alien battleship Fulcrum with him.Recker is under no illusions that he’ll be offered backdated shore leave, but his feet don’t even touch the ground before trouble shows up. A heavily armed fifty-thousand-metre Meklon interstellar drops out of lightspeed near the planet... -
![Return to Haven by D.J. Holmes]()
Return to Haven by D.J. Holmes
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe revelation that the human race is not alone has sent shockwaves throughout Earth’s naval powers. Suddenly all eyes have turned to Haven and the trade routes to the Vestarian and Kulrean homeworlds. Thinking he has nothing to lose, Haven’s First Councilor puts into motion a plan that threatens to turn star empire against star empire...Categorized as:
exploration military space-travel action-adventure adult audiobook book colonization -
![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... -
![Refuge by Glynn Stewart]()
Refuge by Glynn Stewart
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA dying world, shattered by a broken machineA desperate flight, their only hope for refugeA robotic race, ally and destroyer alikeThe Republic of Exilium has grown in strength and confidence at the far end of the galaxy from the rest of mankind, sending out scout ships to survey the worlds around them as they try to learn more about the mysterious Construction Matrix AIs... -
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![Omnia by S.H. Jucha]()
Omnia by S.H. Jucha
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAlex Racine, who led an elite group of humans and SADEs (self-ware digital entities), left the newly discovered planet of Celus-5 under difficult circumstances. Few of the Harakens with Alex thought there was little he could do to bring peace to the embroiled planet... -
![Celus-5 by S.H. Jucha]()
Celus-5 by S.H. Jucha
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFor the Sojourn’s initial mission, the Haraken explorer ship undertakes the investigation of Celus-5, a world identified by Willem, a SADE (self-aware digital entity), and his team of scientists, as the best prospect for a new colony.What should be a routine survey mission becomes a disaster. To the Harakens’ surprise, they discover, not one, but two alien species engaged in conflict... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![A Line in the Sand by Ryk Brown]()
A Line in the Sand by Ryk Brown
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPart 2: Episode 14An enemy lashing out in desperation…An alliance poised to expand…A new fleet of ships to help them…A covert mission to get answers…The Dusahn Empire has been contained for the moment. But there is much work to be done in order to keep them from reasserting their dominance over the Pentaurus sector... -
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![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... -
![Maelstrom Strand by Rick Partlow]()
Maelstrom Strand by Rick Partlow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSome enemies don’t get mad. They get even. Logan Conner and Wholesale Slaughter won the day on Revelation, but the Starkad Supremacy doesn’t like failure. If they can’t beat Sparta on the battlefield, they’ll make them fold from within...Categorized as:
exploration military space-travel action-adventure adult audiobook book colonization -
![Judas Kiss by Rick Partlow]()
Judas Kiss by Rick Partlow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe battle for Sparta has begun. Logan Brannigan has taken back his father’s name and now he and Wholesale Slaughter fight to reclaim his father’s throne. But deposing the traitor, Rhianna Hale, without bringing all of Sparta into a bloody and divisive civil war won't be easy. And while the Spartans fight among themselves, vultures circle, waiting for their chance to claim what’s left... -
![Star Force: Phoenix by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Phoenix by Aer-ki Jyr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCal-com's journey is not at an end. In fact, it's just beginning.. -
![Refuge 9 by Anthony James]()
Refuge 9 by Anthony James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWar is never easy. For the human Unity League, this is a truth to be stamped on the barrel of every gun and painted on the side of every warship. The Sekar aliens have already killed billions and nobody knows where they came from or how to defeat them. The enemy’s only weakness is tharniol – the rarest substance in the known universe...
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