This was a fun installment in the Spaceside series! I enjoyed how Carl and members of his old team were brought together to investigate a new missing person, and the driving factor behind that. But most interestingly, the events of the last books have an impact on this one and really add layers to the entanglements and motivations of the characters. I enjoyed how it felt like Carl had truly learned from the past, and how his relationship and trust with the team grew. All in all, a quick, fun addition to the series!

This was a strong fourth book in the Planetside series, it had that element that I wanted and enjoyed the overall concept. It had that world feel that I was looking for and thought the characters had that feel based on the previous books. Michael Mammay wrote this perfectly and enjoyed getting to read this.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Darkside the fourth installment in the Planetside Series. Having read all of Mammay’s books except Generational Ship, I was thrilled to be able to read this advance copy.

The beginning of the novel summarizes the first 3 installments. The 4th book picks up where the 3rd one left. Our hero, Carl Butler is asked by a little girl to find her father, Jorge Ramiro. Butler who is an expert a finding missing person can’t resist and agrees reluctantly to do it.
Along with his sidekick Mac, Ganos, “C” and Barnes they are off to the moon to investigate.
When they landed on the moon it’s here the met Jacob Whiteman. Whiteman holds the key to finding Ramiro. While on the moon, Butler again is tasked with battling his old nemesis Omicron and Caliber. When Omicron and Caliber gets a wind of Butler, they know he brings nothing but bad news. While on their missing, Butler’s crew found out they are going up against the deadliest assassin on the planet.

While trying to locate Whiteman, Butler insists Ganos stay behind to try and locate the assassin. The rest of the crew is on a mission to locate Whiteman when they are ambush. When the dust clears, Butler’s crew was able to apprehend the enemies. While trying to decide if the enemies work for Omicron or Caliber, they enemies deny being hired by either company. Butler arrests their leader Alexander and try to use her against the company.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. While the mystery of who killed Ramiro is easy to figure out it did not take the enjoyment away from the story. It contains some nice actions and it’s easy to root for Ganos and Mac and becoming easier to root for Butler as he is becoming less of jerk with each series. There’s also a nice twist in there I won’t spoil for the reader which I didn’t see coming.

Thanks to Net Galley, Harper Collins for allowing me to read an advance copy. Darkside will be released on September 24, 2024.

These opinions are my own. If you haven’t read the Planetside series, do yourself a favor and read them. I recommend reading them in order.

Darkside by Michael Mammay(Planetside #4)- Colonel Carl Butler is back with another wild Space Opera. Butler, now retired, wants nothing to do with another adventure. Until a runaway twelve-year old girl asks him to find her missing father. The stage is set again and Butler goes in feet first to a new set of dangers and hostile action. Mammay lets Butler do most of the talking and away we go! Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I received this ARC from netgalley.

There's something about these books that confounds belief. The protagonist isn't a superhero and doesn't have an uber intellect for deduction, but there's something engaging about a rational person doing rational things in strange circumstances. This book is no different. Butler is older, not necessarily wiser, but he goes up against massively powerful villains and wins the day through bloody-mindedness, grit and sheer will.

A good read, nothing earthshattering or genre defining, but definitely a good book to settle into enjoy some solid storytelling.