The Thirteenth Man

By: J. L. Doty

Narrated by: Austin Rising

From the author of the Treasons Cycle, the Gods Within, and the Dead Among Us series comes a standalone science fiction novel for fans of David Weber, Pierce Brown, Lois McMaster Bujold, and more! Spanning the galaxy, The Thirteenth Man blends the best traditions of space opera and military sci-fi into a nonstop adventure that's as much Patrick O'Brien as it is John Scalzi.

When Commander Charlie Cass, the bastard son of the Duke de Maris, returns from five years in a squalid Syndonese POW camp, he finds that little has changed in the Realm. As always, the King and the nine Dukes are conspiring against each other, but now some of them are plotting with Charlie's old enemy. And as interstellar war looms, they certainly don't need Charlie Cass messing up their delicate plans.

Unfortunately for them, that's what he's best at.

With ingenuity, tactical innovations, and just a little bit of luck, Cass might be able to not only save the Realm, but perhaps even change it for the better.

Which, of course, means he'll likely face the headsman's axe.

©2016 J. L. Doty (P)2020 Tantor

Great story interrupted by teenage romance!

The Thirteenth Man is a great story with political and military intrigue.

The women in this particular book, though, are poorly written and the relationship between the MC & the princess comes across like two teenagers awkwardly fumbling about. Making some parts hard to listen to!

About time!!

I’ve been hounding Mr.Doty for at least two years to have this made into an audiobook. Needless to say Austin nailed it. This is one of my favorite books. You won’t be disappointed.

Treason against the Treason Cycle

I bought this book because I thoroughly enjoyed Doty's series ‘The Treason Cycle’ I have repeatedly gone back to relistening to those books. I love York Ballin and his exploits.

So if you were a fan of the 'Treason Cycle' do not buy this book. If you are a fan of clever protagonists who use their wits to best their stronger, better supplied enemies while facing overwhelming odds, do not buy this book. If you enjoy complex characters with interesting motivations amidst complicated political environments, do not buy this book.

The formula that made Ballin such an interesting and enjoying character was purified and refined, taking all the bad out leaving a lukewarm, mildly pleasant, bland character that is Charlie Cass. York was a flawed but talented character, Charlie is perfect and has everything given to him. There are clear, and probably deliberate parallels between the two, Charlie is a pod gunner, like York, he serves in different positions on different ships, like York, he has trusted friends like York. However, these all seem superficial. He has such a idealized outlook on the world that cannot have come from the brutal hard life of a sailor that he allegedly has.

Even judging his book independently of the Treason Cycle, even if it is set in the same universe, it is still a poor book. Charlie seems to have an inherent a fragile plot full of Deus Ex Machinas that drop success into his lap, almost all exclusively coming from his Father.

From here on out, I do discuss spoilers in regards to the many varied plot holes and weaknesses. please not, I had to cut some of my comments to meet the 5k character cap.

Charlie’s father, the old Duke Cesare, Father set him up for success, inherently and implicitly trusting 3 people, assuming they wouldn't die or become corrupt, or have their respective industrial sector collapse or their politics be forced to change. On top of that, Cesare counted both of his bodyguards/Soldiers, a dangerous profession, not dying and being present with Charlie unlock the powers of his Title. Cesare even put a mental block, using the man who eventually killed him on one of these trusted people. Though why is never explained.
All of these contacts just wait for him to reach out to them even after his appointment to duke is massive news across the galaxy

Other things that stood out to me, is that Charlie seemed to known how to read and operate equipment and even code inside of a Syndonese warship, despite them having a different language that he was only conversationally fluent in and no experience in their computer code.

Following that, Charlie manages to land an escape pod near the only city on a planet. What luck.

Charlie wants to help a rebel gorilla movement which needs of arms and weapons. Charlie later finds out he own weapon manufacturing company, and meets up with the rebel group's head political figurehead and fails to coordinated the transfer of the materiel. He also invents a new class of warship. He could send one of these to the rebels with complete deniability and test their effectiveness on the battlefield. His effectiveness is astounding

The original Duke, Cesare suffered from shrapnel wounds that sounds like a med-pod could have fixed, but he never recovers from due to his doctor slowly posioning him. Why didn’t this arouse suspicion in a universe were body parts can be cloned or fast healing exists? He surrounded himself with implicitly trusted advisors lawyers bodyguards and Friends....except his personal doctor

Why would Charlie test his hunter killer ships out in a real world environment when he has access to both enemy military hardware and software and commercial equipment through his businesses.

The Sudanese president is comically over the top evil. Allegedly his guards interrogated and tortured one of their own citizens, but the prisoner didn't even know the information they wanted? How can you both be interrogated and not know what information they were asking for?

The Occupying/annexing force on Agerbon is struggling containing the existing resistance, so they open up a new front on Fin Alsa?

Too much narration. We are told Galactic events instead of learning them through Charlie. We are simply told what happens instead of him getting a brief or a hearing it over the news

Charlie is a terrible leader, incapable of delegation. There is almost no task that he doesn’t personally do, despite having trusted and excellent advisors and friends.

During the confrontation between Theo and Charlie, Theo and his mother couldn't hear 34 heavily armed heavily armored Marines into a room and take fairly complex maneuvers to surround them?

And, as an audiobook, the pronunciation of the Pirate Port is different between this book and the Treason Cycles.

I was very disappointed in this book. I will be hesitant to read or listen to any other books in this series.