Off Midway Station is a military sci-fi novel by Marc Alan Edelheit. This is the first book in his Guardians of the Dark series. It was first published in September 2024 by Second Sky. This review is intended to be free of spoilers, but none of us are perfect. Consider yourself warned! A review copy was provided by the publisher. There are affiliate links at the end of this review.
Blurb:
Humanity is on the brink of annihilation. Only one man can turn the tide.
For centuries, we explored the stars and settled new worlds. But a mysterious alien threat emerged, launching devastating attacks and seizing entire star systems. Every fifty years they come, silent and relentless, before disappearing again into the dark. And as they close in on humanity’s home worlds, one more defeat could mean total extinction.
Captain Jim Garrett joined the navy to fight back. But when a delicate mission ends in madness and mutiny, Garrett takes the blame and his career is left in ruins.
Now, the only thing he commands is a construction site. The CNS Surprise is an experimental warship, half built in the dockyards of Midway Station. Garrett knows the ship inside out, but the navy brass would never let him take the helm, let alone lead her in battle.
But when the aliens strike early, with unexpected ferocity, it’s clear that every ship in the fleet will be needed. And the Surprise could be the only hope of slowing the enemy onslaught.
Garrett is thrust into command for the first time, launching straight into combat. He must unite a maverick crew and master new technologies, as he leads a desperate counterstrike that will decide mankind’s future.
Review:
Off Midway Station is a military science fiction novel with a ton of exciting action. Written by Marc Alan Edelheit, this book is the first in his Guardians of the Dark series.
The story follows Captain Jim Garrett, a naval officer whose career is left in ruins after a mission gone wrong. Now left to command a construction site and pilot half-finished ships, Garrett finds himself in charge of the CNS Surprise. This is an experimental warship that is, of course, only half-built when an unexpected alien attack forces him, and it, into action. With humanity on the brink of annihilation, Garrett must pull himself together, marshall his ragtag crew, and go and save everyone.
Edelheit’s world-building is okay in regards to the station and the ship, but is lacking in wider context, stopping short of creating a believable and detailed universe. I do really like that the novel offers a look into the construction and launch of a spaceship, something rarely explored in sci-fi literature. The slow-burn beginning does build up towards an action-packed climax where I feel that Edelheit, as an author, manages to stick the landing.
When it comes to character development, Captain Jim Garrett is a compelling protagonist. He’s driven by a sense of duty and a desire to redeem himself; not a bad motivation. His interactions with the crew and his journey from disgrace to heroism can be read as inspiring. I didn’t find the crew especially engaging, but they work as plot points to demonstrate the evolution of Garrett. Let’s just put aside the writing of one of the female characters, which came across as a little odd and male gaze-y.
The novel explores themes of courage, innovation, redemption, and survival. It takes a wee look at some of the moral complexities of leadership and the sacrifices that Garrett needs to make to protect humanity. It’s also a bit exposition-heavy, though. I’m spending a lot of time just now with some of my students trying to hammer home the message, “show, don’t tell.” Just sayin’…
Off Midway Station is a fun journey of courage and survival. It’s a good read for fans of military sci-fi. It definitely picks up steam in the second half of the novel, which might be why it didn’t click with me when I first sat down with it. When I returned to it, and took a longer run at it, I got more into it, and the ending works well. The action is good, and I suppose I’d follow Garrett into battle. Yeah, worth a read; it’s fun. I don’t think I’ll be reading on with the series, though.
Rating: 1.5/5
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