Review: The Glory by Mister JMI

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The first in a new series, The Glory is a fun, funny and exciting character-driven sci-fi adventure that follows Adam Whitlock, a young, brilliant, fiercely determined boy who gives up everything to join the United States Space Force in hopes of becoming captain of the fabled and prestigious warship, The Glory.

On his rise to the top, Whitlock gains a great friend and ally in Nathaniel Oaks, as well as a bitter rival in Omar Baptist. Despite his extraordinary talent and dedication, Adam Whitlock’s path is riddled with opposition from naysayers and nonbelievers.

Meanwhile, Admiral Douglas C. Calhoun is tasked with quelling the rising tensions between mankind and the Kelzmisians, a group of alien races, as their long-standing Cold War is about to turn hot.

Stargaze. Trail Blaze. THE GLORY.

 

 

My Rating

 

3.5

 

 

My Review

 

The Glory is an excellent beginning to a series, and a wonderful work of science fiction. There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about the novel, and had a lot of trouble putting it down. With only a few slow moments, it was an enjoyable ride all the way to the end - which will leave readers eager for the next installment.

 

What I loved the most about The Glory was the characters. It's easy for sci-fi novels to get so lost in the concept that realistic characters can be overlooked. But the characters of The Glory are reason enough to give this novel a chance. The protagonist, Adam Whitlock, stole my heart from the very first time in which he added a name to the rapidly growing list of people he needs to prove wrong (an idea that I may just have to borrow). Despite his talent and drive, Adam's character has a bit of an underdog feel, given everyone who thinks he's crazy. Most of us have dreams that seem just as unlikely, so he's very easy to relate to and impossible not to root for. But, unlike most "underdog" characters, he's got a real firecracker personality. He's hot-headed, passionate, and sure of himself. It's fantastic. 

 

Just as much as it was enjoyable to read about him, it was enjoyable to see his friendship evolve with Nate. There's nothing better than great friendship in literature, and the relationship between Nate and Adam is one of my favorites. In addition, Omar Baptist may not be a good person, but he's a good character. Any antagonist that can make the readers hate them and want to cry for them is a good antagonist in my book. I can't think of a character that wasn't well developed or enjoyable to read about. Throughout the novel, the voice in dialogue was on-par.

 

On the flip side, I would have liked to see a little more world-building in this new era. A lot of information was tossed out in the beginning, which is an interesting style, but a lot to take in at once. Some of the relations between earth and other alien races seemed to be barely brushed over within the actual story, while they are a fairly major part of the concept. There also wasn't too much about the Glory itself once the plot really got kicking - although I can't complain too much, since the plot did get very engaging, despite a few disjointed scenes.

 

That being said, I loved the description and setting of the Academy, and not just because I'm partial to stories that take place in my home-state of Ohio. It's an interesting place, and handled beautifully. While reading, I really felt like I was growing up and moving through the Space Academy with the characters, but not in a way that dragged. It was interesting to see the growth in both characters and plot, and how everyone changed over time.

 

All in all, The Glory has plenty of action, a lot of fun, and unforgettable characters. It's a great read, and I look forward to getting my hands on the second book of the series.