The story opens with Lieutenant Jacob T. Grimm, a young officer aboard the light cruiser Orion, who makes a split-second decision to return fire on hostile vessels during a patrol mission. He does everything by the book and wins the engagement, but the aftermath is devastating. The destroyed ships were filled with children… Branded “The Butcher of Pascal,” Grimm’s promising career is derailed by media backlash and political scapegoating. Rather than discharge him, Naval Intelligence assigns Grimm to command the USS Interceptor, an outdated and nearly inoperable destroyer in the backwater Zuckabar system. The ship’s former captain is dead, its crew is unmotivated, and its systems are failing. It’s a setup! But Grimm restores discipline, repairs the ship, and begins rooting out the corruption, piracy, and human trafficking plaguing the region.
What makes this novel shine isn’t just the sharp prose or thrilling space battles, it’s Grimm himself. Jeff Haskell, coming from writing Superhero novels, has crafted a MilSF protagonist who’s both deeply principled and deeply wounded. Grimm’s arc is a story of redemption, not revenge, and that makes his victories feel earned. Watching him transform a ragtag crew into a functioning naval unit is one of the most satisfying elements of the book. The space combat is another high point! Tactically grounded, intense, and vividly written. Readers get a strong sense of the stakes in every engagement, from missile salvos and gravity failures to hull breaches and last-ditch evasive maneuvers. It leans more toward submarine warfare in space than fast-paced shoot out, and that’s a good thing. However, the book isn’t without flaws. The early chapters throw readers into a storm of military jargon, acronyms, and proper nouns that might be overwhelming for newcomers. Some subplots feel a little undercooked or positioned mostly to set up future installments. Additionally, the worldbuilding leans heavily on familiar real-world analogues (Islamic extremists, Russians) which may feel a bit on-the-nose for some.
