Reviews

Gregg Bradley, author of Red Star

A Wam--Bang -Action--Packed Space Adventure!

This book starts off on Earth near the end of the 22nd century. The 4th world war has devastated the planet. The author has an outstanding definition of how the 4th world war started. Colony ships, at the last minute, are sent out as humanity's last hope. One of these ships eventually winds up colonizing the far distant Pegasus star system.

The story then takes place three hundred years later, when the descendants of those same colonists form a military unit called the Galactic Star Force. The Star Force has been at war for fifty years with their next-door neighbor, known as the BrakNar when an even far more deadlier fleet of warships suddenly comes out of space. The result is that the survivors of the Galactic Star Force find themselves in a pitched running battle from this newest threat known as the Krang.

This book has to be one of the best in going into vivid detail on space combat, as large galactic fleets pulverize each other. The writing describes ingenious tactical maneuvers and a well-written narrative on missiles, fusion bombs, laser batteries, and fighter-bomber squadrons in a hostile space environment.

I read this book in 4 days, and I must say it is one of the best sci-fi books I ever read. The drawings and stats of his starships, in the book, were also good eye candy. I can't wait to see his next book, 'Surviving Behind Enemy Lines.' Highly recommend this one for anyone who likes to read stories about massive starship battles.

Review by Mohr Reviews

Exciting read by Clayton L. McNally

It’s never easy to create a space saga. I mean, think about it-what can an author say that hasn’t been told by hundreds of authors over many decades, not to even mention trying to come up with something when you have to compete with Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, Space 1999 and a ton of other movie and television proprieties? Imagine my surprise then to come across such an enjoyable and exciting read as Galactic Star Force – Battle Fleet To The Stars by Clayton L. McNally. Due to the ravages of yet another war to end all wars, mankind has begun to colonize the stars, starting with the far off Pegasus system. Flash forward a couple of centuries, and these same colonists have formed a military organization called the Galactic Star Force since apparently, it doesn’t matter where mankind goes, war follows. The Force has been in battle for fifty years with a race known as the BrakNar-some, not very nice characters to say the least. However, with victory comes a high price for the fleet in terms of both lives and the strength of their numbers. But there is no time for celebration since they are soon under the attack of the Krang-who wish to use the colonists for food. Two young cadets, hardly seasoned battle veterans, find themselves the last line of defense against an enemy that has them outmanned and outgunned. Things look bleak for the colonists until they discover a secret weapon that will turn the battle around-if they can use them in time.

This story screams to be a movie. The writing is so compelling, the descriptions so vivid that I could see the scenes play out in my mind. In fact, I could see it as not only a movie but also an entire cottage industry- video games, comics, a TV series, a collectible card game, action figures, you name it. Author McNally has managed to create believable characters in unlikely circumstances, causing them to rise to the challenges-just like life. Their interaction with each other and their situations are fresh and make you feel for and about each one. I would be amiss if I did not also mention the detail he placed not only in the battles but also in the hardware and the starships, especially in the opening pages where diagrams and power levels are provided as a key to what lies ahead-a brilliant idea. Another wise move is to include a teaser for the second book-just enough to let you know that there will be one-a good thing-but now you have to wait, and that is not fair.

As I have said many times in the past and it bears repeating again, just because I book does not come out by a major publishing house does not make it any less in quality- Galactic Star Force is a testament to that.

Pick up a copy of To The Stars (first in the Galactic Star Force – Battle Fleet series) by Clayton L. McNally and see what Science Fiction still can be when it stems from a fertile imagination of a gifted writer. There should be some big things ahead for this book and its author-get in on the ground floor now.

Review by SciFiGuys.com

The publishing industry is a closed shop. There are plenty of energetic, exciting, and talented writers that will never get an opportunity because the access is mostly through institutional publishers that few people can get to even listen to their ideas, let alone read a manuscript. I sympathize with these writers. So, when I get an email from a small publisher asking for a review, I'll take a look at the book and give it as honest a read as I would any other book.

The plot, at least at the beginning of the novel, is classic 80's style "cold war" sci-fi. The world is divided between the right and freedom-loving Confederation, and the evil and oppressive Eastern Block. As the Block launches a world-ending attack, humanity reaches for the stars in a couple of colony ships. From there, McNally moves the reader through centuries as the starships travel to Alpha Centauri, battle aliens, fall through wormholes, meet good aliens, found new civilizations, and battle more evil aliens.

This novel is clearly a passion for the author as there are levels of detail on combat ships and close descriptions of the battles that go on, providing vivid images to the mind. McNally shows promise as a writer, and the book is undoubtedly an entertaining read.

There is certainly enough here to keep fans of galactic spanning, Starship Troopers style, fiction entertained. You get lasers, torpedoes, fusion bombs, and some delicate tactical maneuvering from the often outnumbered, but never outclassed, human, Galactic Star Force. There's enough to make me interested in a sequel, and that takes some talent

Bob Allen

A confession from a FORMER non-science fiction reader. I usually read books blending history, philosophy, religion, and shy away from science fiction. Recently, I was urged to read "To the Stars." Instead of finding a story too far-fetched and lacking realistic character development for my liking, I found something very different. I found a book that nicely blended a plausible transition of society as we know it, to a space-based culture of the future. This story was fun to read.

Clayton has artfully blended character interaction, with specific outer-space geography and lively imagination. Also, history has taught us, no matter how "educated and civilized" we become, we will always find people enamored with power (want to rule over people), acquisitiveness (want what others have), and pride (big fat ego). When we evaluate any caustic human action on any level from interpersonal on up to international with this three basis of evaluation, we see the bottom line cause of bellicose actions. When I discovered that realism in a book, I am happy. I found it in "To the Stars."

I look forward to his book 2.

Heidi Wolfe age 14

Really engaging! You can really relate to the characters ad the action never slows down! A definite must-read for SciFi adventure lovers!

Terry and Rich Abrahamson

I was at Barnes and Noble in Enfield Ct. I purchased the book Galactic Star Force for my husband Rich, and that was the best thing I did that day. Rich read the book, and here is what he said extremely interesting, could not put the book down, the facts and the research you did really shows can't wait for the next book. Please let us know when it is ready for the book store.