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Richard Turner
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First Strike (The Kurgan War Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Richard Turner (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 4,766 ratings
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When war comes after a century of peace, it is sudden and brutal. Taken by surprise Earth's far-flung colonies are in danger.

The only son of an admiral, Second Lieutenant Michael Sheridan finds himself thrust into a desperate conflict that he and the untried soldiers under his command are not ready for. Focusing on the people struggling to survive the onslaught, First Strike is a novel that propels the reader to the furthest limits of space. Fighting a ruthless and determined enemy, Sheridan soon learns the brutal lessons of war and that his enemy may not be what it appears to be.
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  1. Book 1 of 10
    The Kurgan War
  2. Print length
    355 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 7, 2015
  6. File size
    1970 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The Ryan Mitchell Thrillers-The Kurgan War - Horror Stories-Project Gauntlet -

About the Author

Richard Turner proudly served in the Armed Forces for more than thirty years. He considers himself fortunate to have had numerous overseas deployments throughout the world, including: Germany, Cyprus, Croatia, Sierra Leone, Bosnia, Egypt, Israel and finally two tours of Afghanistan. Wanting to try something new, he now spends his time writing.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00S09WMWM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (January 7, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 7, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1970 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 355 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 4,766 ratings

About the author

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Richard Turner

Richard Turner

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Richard Turner proudly served his country for more than thirty years, all across the globe.

He wanted to try something new and now spends his time writing.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
4,766 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Vermont Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read for 2016 and beyond
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
First Strike (The Kurgan War Book 1) by Richard Truner is a wonderful sci-fi space war book that plots the Kurgan race against the humans. Over a century ago the Kurgans battled in space and captured humans. Find out what happened to them and how the Kurgan race plans to use them.
Richard Turner has become one of my favorite authors. His writing is crisp and has imagination to keep the story compelling. His characters are true to life and keep you wanting to turn the page. I look forward to reading more by this talented author. The main character Michael Sheridan has many more adventures in the future I'm sure. I look forward to reading book 2 in the series.
8 people found this helpful
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Crypto Charpie
4.0 out of 5 stars A fun read - some violence and other stuff, but nothing majorly bad
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2016
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If you have any violence triggers, stay away from this book, but probably the whole sci-fi genre. Otherwise, it's a good read. Not amazingly original, but a fresh take on a common theme. There were probably half a dozen typos - extra or missing words - just a little awkward. They didn't affect the story, but they interrupted the rhythm of reading.

The plot is pretty straightforward, with a third person omniscient perspective, focused mostly on just a couple characters, so you don't get the broader, universal perspective of the story, but you know more than the main character would know from their perspective.

It was an enjoyable and compelling read. There wasn't any graphic or explicit sexual content but there was an attempted rape and some innuendo - the attempted rapist was captured or killed so that solved that before it got started, but stayed true to the horrors of war.

Originality: 3 out of 5
Family friendliness: 3 out of 5 - I wouldn't suggest my son read it until high school - too many themes that don't need to be dwelt on, especially by younger minds that worry and fret like my children
Enjoyable read: 5 out of 5
Grammar/writing quality: 4 out of 5

If you found this review helpful - please click the "Yes" button below this review indicating so - thanks!
2 people found this helpful
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Jim Rice
5.0 out of 5 stars The Next Movie
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2016
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Michael Sheridan is the son of the very accomplished Admiral Sheridan. When Michael graduates top of the military academy he expects to be assigned to the most prestigious fleet First Fleet. He feels robbed when that doesn't happen. This small thing becomes the major turning point in his life. To say much more would steal to much from this fantastic story. As I was reading the book I kept getting images of what this would be as a movie. And I have to say it was a very enjoyable viewing.

Now for my opinions on the book itself. Just like any indie author, it needs some editing, but I never felt that this need took away from the enjoyment. The characters were not particularly deep, meaning that even though I was rooting for them, if they had died as part of the story, which I actually kept expecting to happen, I wouldn't have felt much other than the sudden shock of the death. I thought the author did a fantastic job of bring back over and over the thorn in Sheridan's side. Over all I feel that this was a very enjoyable story and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
5 people found this helpful
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Honeybee
3.0 out of 5 stars Sci-fi novel that smacks of anti-Muslim sentiment
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2016
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I chose this eBook, because it was offered for free on Amazon, and I love science fiction. This was the first time I have read anything by this author. While the novel held my attention from start to finish, it had some issues that make me unlikely to continue the series or look for other books by the same person.

First, the author had way too many point-of-view characters. The main characters in the book were Michael Sheridan and his girlfriend, Tarina--both recent graduates from Space Academy--and Sargent Cole, a veteran Marine assigned to Sheridan. However, the author got into the heads of several other characters, including Sheridan's dad, some "expendable crew-members" who were killed off at various stages of the story, etc. It was a little distracting and frequently confusing that he kept switching back-and-forth without much warning.

The story line of this novel is that a reptilian race, called the Kurgans, suddenly attacks a human supply fleet without provocation, instigating a war for the first time in several years. It becomes evident that they have prepared for this war ever since the end of previous hostilities that ended in a treaty and the creation of a "Disputed Zone" between the Kurgan Empire and Federation territory. The Kurgans have planted sleeper agents in strategic locations of the human defense system and employ converts to their cause as soldiers in the battle for an important frontier planet they invade and attempt to conquer. The invaders sound a lot like Muslims with their devotion to an unnamed god, their violence, fanaticism and disregard for the lives of their enemies and their own soldiers. This made me feel like it was a thinly veiled attempt to dehumanize followers of the Islamic religion and justify killing its adherents.

Although this is a military-themed novel, I appreciated that the author did not rely on graphic violence to tell his story. There was also no sex or profanity to speak of. Parts of the book seemed realistic; others contrived. It was sad to see some of the more likeable characters die. The author definitely conveys the sentiment that "War is hell," and full of heartbreak. He also does a good job of showing the value of good leadership and loyalty in a Marine attachment.

Even though this book was interesting, I don't think I will purchase the other books in the series (It looks like there are four more), for the reasons mentioned above. However, if you are a person (guys especially) who likes military and sci-fi books, then this may be right up your alley.
8 people found this helpful
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Nancy J. Cohen
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Action/Adventure in Space
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2016
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Second Lieutenant Michael Sheridan finds himself as a green soldier on the front lines of a space battle with a technically superior race. His assignment takes him to a planet under siege. Here he leads the men under his command behind enemy lines and carries out strategic missions that test his mettle. Well-written action scenes, enough intrigue to make for a strong plot, and a likeable hero make this a pleasant read. Some viewpoint switches could have been handled better, but overall this is a fast-paced read if you enjoy space opera. Hopefully, the characters will develop further as the series progresses.
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steve kemp
5.0 out of 5 stars Sci-fi Warfare
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2023
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Excellent book on sci-fi ground warfare. Well written with good character development. Wish some of the characters had lasted longer.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Romário Marques
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Reviewed in Brazil on July 27, 2023
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Muito bom
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars First Strike
Reviewed in Canada on May 17, 2020
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I found the ook to be well written and didn't get the sense the author just wanted this free be to be done. The characters were pretty believable how ever this war could have been anywhere at anytime. Just remove spaceships and put in today's navy ships and nothing changes. But still enjoyed it.
One person found this helpful
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aussie bob
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read
Reviewed in Australia on February 18, 2018
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Rarely do I get to read a SciFi book about conflict Bergen disparate sentient beings as well written. A good knowledge of history and a feel for the psychology of marines and their combat tactics I’d say. It even gives one a glimpse into how civilians might feel & react after an invasion. This book is the right mixture of realism and optimism. Can’t wait to read more.
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Lesley H
5.0 out of 5 stars Action packed military thriller set in space
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2015
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I read another book by Richard Turner a few months ago, and I really enjoyed it. I was surprised, and pleased to see that he had now turned his hand to writing science fiction (quite a departure!). This book, like the other one I read previously, has all the elements of a great military thriller but is set in space. This very fact, for me, demonstrated that this author is extremely adaptable and also has a fantastic imagination!

Richard Turner writes competently and confidently. The characters are very believable and the story shoots along at a fantastic pace. If you like your science fiction to be action packed, well written, with an engaging storyline then look no further. I for one, hope that this foray into science fiction will not be Mr Turner's last!
7 people found this helpful
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Mark Jefferys
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good
Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2018
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Sci-fi. Alien wars, traitors, intrigue what more do you need.
Enjoyed it now to start the next in the series 8 out of 10.
One person found this helpful
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