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Star Nomad: Fallen Empire, Book 1 Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 5,736 ratings

The Alliance has toppled the tyrannical empire. It should be a time for celebration, but not for fighter pilot Captain Alisa Marchenko. After barely surviving a crash in the final battle for freedom, she's stranded on a dustball of a planet, billions of miles from her young daughter. She has no money or resources, and there are no transports heading to Perun, her former home and the last imperial stronghold.

But she has a plan.

Steal a dilapidated and malfunctioning freighter from a junkyard full of lawless savages. Slightly suicidal, but she believes she can do it. Her plan, however, does not account for the elite cyborg soldier squatting in the freighter, intending to use it for his own purposes. As an imperial soldier, he has no love for Alliance pilots. In fact, he's quite fond of killing them.

Alisa has more problems than she can count, but she can't let cyborgs, savages, or ancient malfunctioning ships stand in her way. If she does, she’ll never see her daughter again.

Fans of Firefly and Star Wars should enjoy this fun, fast-paced new series from USA Today best-selling author, Lindsay Buroker.
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01FWOW72W
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (May 26, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 229 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 5,736 ratings

About the author

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Lindsay Buroker
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Lindsay is a full-time independent fantasy and science fiction author who loves travel, hiking, tennis, and vizslas. She's written over ninety novels, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list, and has twice been nominated for a Goodreads Readers' Choice Award.

She lives in the Seattle area and is currently working on the next book.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
5,736 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this science fiction book for its top-notch storytelling, fast-paced narrative, and entertaining dialogue between characters. The book features a feisty female main character with amazing humor, particularly from the main character Alisa, and customers find it a fun, hard-core sci-fi read that keeps them engaged throughout. They appreciate the writing quality and consider it an excellent start to the Fallen Empire series.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

484 customers mention "Readability"460 positive24 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with engaging storytelling and exciting action sequences that draw readers in.

"...'s main character, Alisa Marchenko, to be wonderfully flawed and believable in a way that male writers just can't seem to either capture or get away..." Read more

"...I also thought the world was interesting with how the story takes place after the fall of the empire and we see a bit of how the world is doing now...." Read more

"...This story has plenty of action, some good role models and provides good old fashioned entertainment. I recommend it." Read more

"...The novel had it all - strong plot, terrific story-telling, wonderful dialogue, great characters, humor, and for the hard core sci-fi fan, tech..." Read more

274 customers mention "Character development"263 positive11 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly noting the feisty female main character and the easy interaction between characters.

"...In summary, good plot, great main character, interesting supporting characters, excellent price point, VERY ENTERTAINING." Read more

"...Nomad just was perfect for my current reading mood, the characters are great to read about, but there is little drama...." Read more

"...This story has plenty of action, some good role models and provides good old fashioned entertainment. I recommend it." Read more

"...it all - strong plot, terrific story-telling, wonderful dialogue, great characters, humor, and for the hard core sci-fi fan, tech..." Read more

198 customers mention "Enjoyment"191 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy this sci-fi book, finding it entertaining with good banter and humor throughout.

"I found this novel to be quite entertaining. I didn't read it straight through, but it kept my interest throughout...." Read more

"...Star Nomad was a very entertaining read. It's a science fiction book with non stop action, a fast paced plot and likable characters...." Read more

"...has plenty of action, some good role models and provides good old fashioned entertainment. I recommend it." Read more

"...The novel had it all - strong plot, terrific story-telling, wonderful dialogue, great characters, humor, and for the hard core sci-fi fan, tech..." Read more

117 customers mention "Writing quality"107 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, finding it well-crafted with good action scenes, and one customer notes the author's skill at putting scenes together.

"...Buroker has an easy to read style that draws you into the story...." Read more

"...She's a great author, with a great narrative tone and an ability to make her characters and situations believable, plausible, and honestly come to..." Read more

"...The Cyborg’s doleful and serious demeanor. Kate is an expert at narrating and brings each of the characters to life by how she alters their dialects..." Read more

"...It's great that Ms. Buroker can write likable, relatable characters, whose actions can surprise you. It's like real life - for better or worse...." Read more

88 customers mention "Pacing"75 positive13 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, describing it as fast and brisk, with one customer noting how quickly they became engrossed in the story.

"...The story was fast paced, but not rushed and there was a lot going on and a lot of action throughout the book...." Read more

"...I love that the author took care with the pace of the story (neither too rushed, nor too slow), and crafted a world that was interesting...." Read more

"...Alisa had a sharp sense of humor and the banter between Alisa and her sidekick Mica was fun...." Read more

"...I also liked the heroine Alisa, but it wouldn't have hurt one bit to know more about her other than the fact that her dearly loved husband is dead..." Read more

82 customers mention "Series quality"77 positive5 negative

Customers praise this book as an excellent start to the Fallen Empire series.

"...This was a wonderful beginning to this series, and I can’t wait to read more...." Read more

"...The premise of the series is good, but as a SF author myself, it was apparent that SF isn't Buroker's genre of choice -- as she admits in her..." Read more

"This was an interesting start to a new series. The characters and world are interesting...." Read more

"...This was a great start to the Fallen Empire series and I’ve already grabbed the next book Honor’s Flight, so I can find out what happens to Alisa..." Read more

56 customers mention "Humor"56 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, particularly noting the amazing humor from the main character and the snarky captain, with one customer mentioning that it had them chuckling throughout.

"...The quirky support cast provides both humor and depth to the story...." Read more

"...plot, terrific story-telling, wonderful dialogue, great characters, humor, and for the hard core sci-fi fan, tech (ships, weapons, etc.)...." Read more

"...A tough and honorable captain who is a former rebel, a talented but not overly brave ship's engineer, a doctor with a mysterious past, a space-cadet..." Read more

"...I like the heroine, she's a smartass and makes jokes when she's nervous - which I can relate to...." Read more

28 customers mention "Interest"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and intelligent, with one customer noting its clever solutions to difficult situations.

"...I didn't read it straight through, but it kept my interest throughout...." Read more

"...in, I found the book as a whole still have a very hopeful and uplifting vibe...." Read more

"...the start of a long series of adventures and mis-adventures with highly complex and well drawn out characters...." Read more

"...But those books turn me off. I like the respectful, intelligent type...." Read more

Space opera lite with a feisty woman protagonist
4 out of 5 stars
Space opera lite with a feisty woman protagonist
“Star Nomad” (Fallen Empires #1) Lindsay Buroker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Space Opera Lite. Location: Outer Space. Time: Future. The war between the Empire and the Alliance is over-and the Alliance won. But life has not returned to normal for soldiers or civilians. Former Alliance pilot Alisa Marchenko is stranded on a desert planet. Her husband is dead, her 8-year-old daughter billions of miles away. Alisa and her friend Mika reclaim Alissa’s old spaceship so they can leave the planet and find her daughter. The old Star Nomad spaceship now has a motley crew: * Captain and pilot Alisa has snarky humor outbursts at the worst possible times, but can pilot the heck out of the ship. * Engineer Mika, former Alliance soldier, can fix a ship or make a bomb. * Security crew Beck, former Alliance soldier, is on the run from the mafia. Then there are the passengers: * Leonidas, cyborg, former Imperial soldier determined to find his creator. His massive presence scares the heck out of Alisa and Mika. * Dr Alejandro Dominguez, on a secret mission he says impacts the entire galaxy. * Yumi Moon, traveling science teacher, and her live chickens. Well, at least the crew and passengers will have fresh eggs every day. They’ll get to know each other while fighting space pirates and giant bears across space. Author Buroker keeps it light and fun-this is not hardcore SciFi. Go with the flow, don’t question the science, and you’ll have a rollicking good time. Her characters are likable, and I expect we’ll learn more about them as the series progresses. Buroker credits Star Trek, Star Wars, and Firefly as influences, so if you liked those, you’ll like this easy-to-read story of a feisty woman pilot determined to get home to her daughter. It’s 4 stars from this Firefly fan 🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2017
    I found this novel to be quite entertaining. I didn't read it straight through, but it kept my interest throughout. I don't typically look at the author's name when I'm browsing for a new read. I tend to let the title and the description catch my attention, so I didn't know but suspected that the author was female. I'm not saying this as a dig or inferring in any way that a female author is inferior. Quite the opposite, in fact. I found Ms. Buroker's main character, Alisa Marchenko, to be wonderfully flawed and believable in a way that male writers just can't seem to either capture or get away with trying to capture. For example, David Weber couldn't write a weak woman if his life depended on it, and if he did, he'd be tarred and feathered for doing so. Alisa, though, acknowledges that she is physically weaker than a man, that she fears being caught by a male enemy, and her fear is very real. She's also a wonderfully brave character in that she faces her fear, works through it, and gets the job done.

    As far as where the story may or may not fall down, the antagonists were a little flat, but they were basically what amounted to the NPCs one would battle in a random encounter from a tabletop roleplaying game. They were, generally speaking, mooks. Faceless minions. Mostly tropes used straight, no chaser or filler. Even the story's "big bad" was basically just another NPC. Granted, he was a bad motherlover of an NPC, but still pretty much a cardboard cut-out. On the other hand, this story wasn't about the bad guys. The bad guys were just an inconvenience to the protagonists in their ultimate goal of getting from point A to point B, and the good guys are the story's strongest element. There's an air of mystery around many of them. None of them felt flat or like the author was just filling space. I would like to get to know these people. Also, they're very distinctive from one another. They really remind me of the crew of the Serenity from Firefly without being expies OF the crew of the Serenity. Call it a subtle homage or at the very least an obvious influence.

    In my humble opinion, Ms. Buroker is a fine storyteller. The story doesn't get bogged down very often, if at all (and that may have been a matter of MY personal ADD acting up rather than the author's plotting). The tale fairly flies by as you're reading. I read most of it while on the treadmill at the gym, so that was a blessed and wonderful break from the tedium of just walking in place for 40-50 minutes trying to decide whether to increase or decrease the incline, go faster or slower, but I digress. I will be purchasing the other two books in the series so far. At $3.99 a pop, that ain't bad, even for an el-cheapo like myself.

    In summary, good plot, great main character, interesting supporting characters, excellent price point, VERY ENTERTAINING.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2019
    It's so satisfying when you can figure out exactly what type of book you want to read and then be able to read that exact type of book. That was what happened when I picked up Star Nomad. After reading the novella Bearadise Lodge by this author I knew I wanted to read more by this author as it fit my reading mood. So I decided to start the Fallen Empire series. Star Nomad was a very entertaining read. It's a science fiction book with non stop action, a fast paced plot and likable characters.

    Something about Star Nomad just was perfect for my current reading mood, the characters are great to read about, but there is little drama. The story was fast paced, but not rushed and there was a lot going on and a lot of action throughout the book. It made for a very exciting and engaging read. And even with all the trouble the characters found themselves in, I found the book as a whole still have a very hopeful and uplifting vibe. The blurb describes it as for fans of Firefly and Star wars and in a sense I think that sums it up pretty well. It had the quirky cast of characters like Firefly and the action packed plot lines like in Star wars.

    The story follows Captain Alisa Marchenko, who got stranded on a desolate planet after the Alliance won the war against the empire. Now that she's recovered from her injuries she wants to make her way back to her daughter who is on another planet. To do this she returns to the ship she sold before she joined the war. And that's where the trouble starts. She ends up with some crew and passengers. And they grow into the main cast of characters for this book. I loved learning about the characters and their quirks.

    I think Alisa made for a great main character. With how she has this drive to return to her daughter, which gave her a clear mission, but she also was willing to make some detours for her passengers along the way. Then there is her belief in the alliance their mission, her love for flying and also how she returns to the ship she didn't want to ever see again. She has her own brand of humor and I liked how she is optimistic and capable. She also seemed pretty open minded. And she quickly grows to care about the passengers and crew she takes on and quite willing to help other people.

    Then there are the side character like Mica, Yumi, Beck, Leonidas and Alejandro mainly. Mica is the pessimistic, but capable engineer and friend of Alisa's. I liked how her pessimism contrasted with Alisa's optimistic outlook. Yumi is a passenger with her own quirks and I thought she was quite likable. Beck is the person they hire for security and he knows how to fight, but has other dreams too, which I thought was a fun twist. Leonidas stays a bit of a mystery, but we get some hints about his character and I am intrigued to learn more. Alejandro is still a bit of a mystery too and I am curious about that object and mission of his. There is a hint of a possible romance, but that's all it is for now.

    I found the world building quite interesting. we see a galaxy right after the fall of a big empire. People are stepping into the void, but there also is more unrest and chaos than before. Through dialogue and the main characters inner musings we get a bit of a feel of what the empire was like too, but it still mainly is limited to some big lines. I kinda like world like this that are set after a big event as you can get a feel of the big event and also how the world is adapting after it. Besides that the world building is still pretty limited. There are a few planets we hear about and some other factions and people. It's obvious there is much more to this world, but we will discover that in later books probably.

    To summarize: I had a great time reading this book. It was action packed, fast paced and had a fun cast of characters. Everything that can go wrong goes wrong, there is a ton of trouble they run into, lots of action and danger, but at the same time the tone is still hopeful. Which is exactly the type of story I wanted. I liked main character Alisa, with her own brand of humor, how she was capable and optimistic and her love for flying. The side characters were interesting too and they all had their own quirks and personalities. They made for an interesting group of characters and I look forward to get to know them better. I also thought the world was interesting with how the story takes place after the fall of the empire and we see a bit of how the world is doing now. I hope to see more of the world in future books. All in all this was a thoroughly entertaining read and I had a great time reading it. I hope to continue with book 2 soon.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2018
    Star Nomad:Fallen Empire, Book 1 by Lindsay Buroker

    For those of you who read my reviews, you are already aware that I really like butt kicking female protagonists. If you haven’t read my reviews (or any of my Charlotte series picture books) then take note, I really like strong female protagonists. I am mystified as to the number of closet misogynists who are unable to understand that strong female characters are essential in helping young women to reach their potential. Or, maybe they are aware and are terrified of the result. Digression is part of my nature, while a teacher some of the best class reactions came from going down an unexpected path and discovering new and wondrous things. However this book is about a down and almost out fighter pilot after an interstellar war. Her goal is to retrieve her daughter but she needs a star ship to get there. Along the way she gathers a motley mixed crew and faces dire circumstances.

    Buroker has an easy to read style that draws you into the story. She provides a hard core fighter pilot with a crusty shell who has a strongly developed conscience and a reluctantly open mind. The quirky support cast provides both humor and depth to the story. Beck is the first armored warrior I’ve encounters who is also a grill master.

    This story has plenty of action, some good role models and provides good old fashioned entertainment.

    I recommend it.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Star Platinum
    5.0 out of 5 stars Space adventure and all the good stuff
    Reviewed in Australia on May 29, 2016
    This is a great start to another series by Lindsay Buroker. Like all other Lindsay Buroker heroines in the Dragon Blood, Emperor's Edge and Flash Gold series, former Alliance pilot Captain Alisa Marchenko is clever, resourceful and mouthy. With her engineer, Mica Coppervein, she embarks on getting back her old ship that was now sitting in a junkyard. With the Alliance defeating the Imperials in the war, soldiers from both sides are now unemployed which was why she wanted to go back to Perun where her daughter was. She had an unwanted guest on the ship though, an imperial Cyborg named Leonidas. Alisa and Mica take on passengers and a security officer Tommy Beck on their space adventure-filled trip. I grew up with Star Wars, Star Trek, Space 1999, Battlestar Galactica, V and Buck Rogers and this is definitely reminiscent of the much-loved TV series I used to watch when I was a kid. Lindsay's trademark sense of humor and snark are very much present in the characters' banter. Some of the scenes are just hilarious and Alisa's sense of humor pops out when she gets into nail-biting situations.

    The book is not too sci-fi for my taste. It focuses more on the story, the adventures and the interaction among characters. This series guarantees more action, explosions, gun battles in and out space. I am truly looking forward to the next installment.
  • Kumar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book...
    Reviewed in India on May 23, 2018
    This is an excellent space opera series. I simply enjoyed reading this.
    The characters are very well described so that readers can relate to them.

    The narrative is awesome...
    Not giving any spoilers, but every sci-fi fan will love it.
  • easyreader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and well written sci fi adventure!
    Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2017
    Started this first book a few days ago and worked my way through the remaining seven with barely a pause. A well written, engaging sci fi series that I'd recommend to anyone. Not terribly technical, but with enough familiar blended with other worldly descriptions that gave one the sense of an adventure/quest in space. A great list of complimentary characters with a wonderful heroine and a great hero who took their sweet time working out their differences but in a witty, interesting manner. And who knew that chickens could be so endearing? Not sure if the dangling thread at the end of "End Game" will be addressed in any of the author's other works or in an offshoot of the series but I hope so. I'd be interested in knowing the Prince's future. My only complaint was the use of names beginning with the letter 'A', particularly two of the male characters. I wasn't always certain who was front and centre and it disturbed the flow of the read from time to time as I had to check to see which name it was as they were similar. I plan to move on to the rest of the books in the author's repertoire.
  • sjhigbee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Feisty heroine and mysterious cyber-soldier - what could go wrong?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2018
    I love it that the reason driving our gutsy heroine is a desperate drive to be reunited to her daughter, now living with her sister-in-law. Once more I’m enjoying that it is family relationships pushing the plot forward in this space opera adventure. It immediately made me sympathetic to her mission, especially in that fabulous opening sequence in the feral scrapyard, inhabited by all sorts of nasty critters – including rats the size of small dogs, as well as the more unpleasant two-legged scavengers.

    Alisa isn’t alone, though. Her partner is fellow soldier and brilliant engineer, Mica – and next to Alisa, Mica is my favourite sidekick. Her snarky, deadpan take on the world is both funny and insightful – while being unswervingly loyal to Alisa, even though she often doesn’t agree with some of Alisa’s riskier moves. Because one of Alisa’s early decisions in this book is to throw her luck in with the cyber-soldier who has taken up residence in the abandoned spacecraft, where she left it after her mother’s death.

    Leonidas, the name the cyber-soldier eventually gives Alisa, was part on a lethal, elite unit who fought for the Empire, against Alisa and the Alliance. He clearly still isn’t happy to have been on the losing side and Alisa regrets having him on board as a passenger. You won’t be shocked to learn that their travel plans don’t work out. The research laboratory where Leonidas wants to be dropped off presents some unexpected, unwelcome surprises and the action was well-handled to the extent that I couldn’t put this one down. I haven’t read anything by Buroker before, but obviously I’ve heard of this prolific writer – and I now know why she is so popular.

    I’ve been reading a shedload of sci fi, space opera during the last few weeks, but this one stands out for all the right reasons and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next one in this series. Very highly recommended for those who love good quality, character-led space opera adventure with plenty of humour.
  • Andrew Shortall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Start to the Series
    Reviewed in France on August 29, 2018
    I have always been a big fan of science fiction including space opera such as Star Trek and Star Wars. This would be closer to the latter, but is every bit as gripping and enthralling as both.

    Captain Alisa Marchenko has just recently recovered from a horrific fighter crash at the end of the war. Stuck on a dustball of a planet, she needs to find a way to get home to her young daughter. Billions of miles from home and family, and with no money or resources, Alisa must resort to stealing a decrepit old freighter. One that looks oddly familiar! There’s only one thing in her way. An elite, cyborg soldier bent on completing his own personal mission. And the fact that they were on opposing sides during the war!

    Aided by her new friend and genius engineer, Mica, and a rag-tag crew of passengers and potential future employees, Alisa must repair the decades old Star Nomad and fly to Perrun, her former home.
    From the opening paragraphs, it’s easy to love this book. The writing is clean, easy to read and inspires you to turn the pages quickly. There’s plenty of action too, right from the first chapter. There’s a great blend of great characters, world building and believable stories. There’s also a nice injection of dry humour throughout the story, which is nice to see. You don’t often get that in science fiction.

    There are seven more books in the series, and I am looking forward to reading every single one. And then venturing into the writer’s other works. Highly recommended!

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