Did not realise this was a sequel and wish I had read it before reading this - either way really enjoyed, narration was well executed and despite me not having the context from the prior book I got through this book very quickly.

Really like this book. Fast- paced and keeps you on the end of your seat. Always think I know where things are going or what’s going to happen next and then boom wrong. Highly recommend.

The Frontline series by Marko Kloos has been my favorite sci-fi series since I first started reading it about a decade ago. I was disappointed when it came to an end, but then thrilled again when Marko returned to it again in the form of Frontline Evolution. And while the first book was interesting, it still didn’t live up to the original series. But with Corvus, we see a return to what made the original series so great…and not just because Andrew Grayson make a cameo appearance. Alex Archer is back. You’d think after barely escaping the Lankies, she have had enough with war. But now she enlisted and is now a member of infantry in the NAC. And wouldn’t you know, she’s barely into her first posting when she is thrown back into danger, stranded with a few of her squad mates upon a world crawling with Lankies. But these aren’t your standard Lankies. Earth most deadly is changing. While the original series remains my favorite, Corvus is a fantastic new entry to the Frontline legacy. The audio version is narrated by Arielle DeLisle and she does a fantastic job. No matter how you choose to enjoy this one, reading or listening, you can’t go wrong. I’d like to thank 47North for allowing me access to an eARC and Brilliance Audio for the audio ARC.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1Q6SUK6LGZO4J/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Five dazzling stars for Corvus!

I don't gush often about a book, but it's not easy to hold back while talking about this one. I hadn't read Scorpio, the first in the Frontlines: Evolution series, when I got my hands on a copy of Corvus, so I read them back to back. Scorpio was great, and if I'd read it before, I certainly would have been searching for Corvus to come out.

As it turns out, I didn't need to read Scorpio first, as there was enough explanation and background to allow it as a standalone, but who would want to miss the full experience? Getting to know Alex, as her adventurous character grows and matures into the brave warrior against humanity's biggest enemy, the Lankies, has been both exciting and humbling for this earthbound human.

Did you enjoy Starship Troopers? (the unnerving military book, not the campy movie) If so, you will probably like this young adult version of a "citizen" doing her part to combat intergalactic colonial pests, which happen to be the size of a dinosaur, practically unkillable, and smart as hell.

I have to say, Corvus is actually better than Scorpio. Alex's character growth is phenomenal, and I was glad to see some things hinted at in Scorpio come to fruition.

I had not read any books by Mark Kloos (pronounced like "close", who knew?) before, but a casual look through Goodreads shows there's plenty more where this came from. Having been in a bit of a book slump, this news has me thinking this coming winter is going to be ALL SCI-FI, ALL DAY.

Corvus (Frontlines: Evolution, #2) by Marko Kloos, Narrated by Arielle DeLisle
(Brilliance Publishing, Audiobook)

3.75 rounded up to 4 🔮🔮🔮🔮 orbs

Alex Archer is a survivor. While most would be impressed, she comes into the military as a bit of an outcast. Her experiences on Scorpio have proven invaluable, although some of the more jealous persuasion might see her as a bit of a know-it-all.

In my first experience in Marko Kloos' frontline series, I left impressed. I have read various space operas and decided to try my hand at a military SF novel instead. For those in the same position, I can highly recommend it. Kloos, while using normal military jargon, never fills us “civilians” with too much. My lack of military knowledge didn’t detract from a fun and lively experience. Perhaps the enemies, Lankies as they are known, gave me those vibes from when I first watched Starship Troopers. No, they aren’t spiders, but what they are is an immovable object hellbent on destroying humans in their wake. Enormous home wreckers in every sense of the word.

This is a situation where a woman escaped the Lankies in her homeland of Scorpio. Devastated by the loss of most of the colony of Scorpio, she enlists in the NAC. Compelled to make a difference, the reader is quick to admire Archer’s leadership skills. Alpha Corvi is in peril, and Archer is sent out along with her unit to investigate. Lo and behold, the Lankies are back, or perhaps they never left. Needless to say, they are stronger than ever.

Since this was the audiobook version narrated by Arielle DeLisle, I must say that the narration was terrific. I felt like I was part of the military practices, getting ready to embark on the unknown. I found this an excellent way to enjoy Kloos's latest work.

I will definitely be diving more into tales from the Frontline series. For me, Kloos has a style of writing that I connect with. I am not sure that I felt as if this reinvented the SF wheel, but what it does, it does extremely well. The story leaves your stomach in knots, as well as giving you that sense of futuristic gumbo that I crave. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the ending of this particular adventure. Kloos paints a scenario that blew my mind.

Recommended!

Many thanks to Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.