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Rick Partlow
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Wholesale Slaughter: (Wholesale Slaughter Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Rick Partlow (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,630 ratings
A king can't defeat an army of lawless pirates. But a mercenary can.

Logan Conner is the son of a king, the heir to the largest of the five star-dominions, and the best mech pilot in the galaxy. His people are plagued by pirates and raiders, surrounded by enemies, and not even his father can fight them all.

Logan gives up his position, his rank, even his name, and becomes Jonathan Slaughter, leader of a rough-and-ready band of mercenary mech-jocks, bent on taking the battle to the enemy on their own terms.

They’re Wholesale Slaughter. Kicking ass is what they do.

Get book one in this thrilling and unpredictable Military Sci-Fi Adventure Today! It's perfect for fans of JN Chaney, Jay Allan, and Joshua Dalzelle.

Also available on Audible, narrated by the award-winning Marc Vietor.
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  1. Book 1 of 6
    Wholesale Slaughter
  2. Print length
    262 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    May 21, 2019
  6. File size
    3.8 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 6 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rick Partlow is that rarest of species, a native Floridian. Born in Tampa, he attended Florida Southern College and graduated with a degree in History and a commission in the US Army as an Infantry officer.
His lifelong love of science fiction began with Have Space Suit---Will Travel and the other Heinlein juveniles and traveled through Clifford Simak, Asimov, Clarke and on to William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams and Peter F Hamilton. And somewhere, submerged in the worlds of others, Rick began to create his own worlds.
He has written 19 books in five different series, and his short stories have been included in nine different anthologies.
He is working on a sixth, new series for Aethon books, a six-volume military SF saga about a mercenary unit called Wholesale Slaughter. The first three books should be out this summer.

He currently lives in central Florida with his wife, two children and a willful mutt of a dog. Besides writing and reading science fiction and fantasy, he enjoys outdoor photography, hiking and camping.

A suggested reading order for his Birthright universe books is as follows:

Glory Boy
The Birthright trilogy
The Recon series
Last Flight of the Acheron
The Tales of the Acheron trilogy
The Psi War trilogy

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07R95YZYB
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Aethon Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 21, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.8 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 262 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 6 ‏ : ‎ Wholesale Slaughter
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,630 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Rick Partlow

Rick Partlow

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Rick Partlow is that rarest of species, a native Floridian. Born in Tampa, he attended Florida Southern College and graduated with a degree in History and a commission in the US Army as an Infantry officer.

His lifelong love of science fiction began with Have Space Suit---Will Travel and the other Heinlein juveniles and traveled through Clifford Simak, Asimov, Clarke and on to William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams and Peter F Hamilton. And somewhere, submerged in the worlds of others, Rick began to create his own worlds.

He has written over 60 books in a dozen different series, and his short stories have been included in twelve different anthologies.

He is currently writing the best-selling Drop Trooper series for Aethon Books, a mil-SF alien invasion series, as well as the Taken to the Stars series for Variant Publishing.

He lives in northern Wyoming with his wife and a goofy blackmouth cur. Besides writing and reading science fiction and fantasy, he enjoys outdoor photography, hiking and camping.

The following are the series in Partlow's Birthright universe with a suggested series reading order:

Holy War

Drop Trooper

Birthright

Recon

Acheron

Psi War

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,630 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this science fiction novel engaging with plenty of action and plot, describing it as a great change of pace in military science fiction. The book features well-developed characters and intelligent writing style that makes it easy to read, while maintaining a fast pace. They appreciate the relationships in the story and consider it an awesome start to a series.

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Action storyReadabilityCharacter developmentWriting stylePacingStart to seriesRelationship quality
70 customers mention "Action story"64 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the action story of this military science fiction novel, praising its well-developed progression, plot twists, and fresh approach to the genre.

"...Read crowd: Wholesale Slaughter is an excellent addition to the genre of military adventure science fiction, I'm happy I purchased the novel, and I..." Read more

"...Thank you Mr. Partlow for this rich Military Sci-fi genre that has completing captivated me!!" Read more

"...etc. THAT SAID....the execution is great; the story compelling; the characters likeable; the prose enjoyable.....I am on book 6...." Read more

"Lots of action and adventure for the reader. I thought the author did a good job of keeping it interesting for me...." Read more

51 customers mention "Readability"51 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with several mentioning they thoroughly enjoyed it and finished it in one sitting.

"...Iain Banks's work, Partlow's prose is quick, to the point, and very entertaining. This is a decent romp, and well worth your time...." Read more

"...Great book!" Read more

"...In book 1, I found the ending mostly satisfying and fun...." Read more

"...Sadly, the movie was a disappointment, but that book was awesome. So is this series...." Read more

41 customers mention "Character development"41 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer particularly noting the good mix of female and male protagonists.

"...is not a book of big ideas, though there are frustrations well voiced by the characters that perhaps mirror the feelings of participants in that GWOT..." Read more

"...Not only was there wonderful character development, which was clear and concise but also the wittiness of Asimov's tongue in cheek style of sarcasm..." Read more

"Logan is a young and talented warrior. He's also the elder of two sons of the leader of one of five dominions build on the carcass of an old empire...." Read more

"Plenty but some wrapped up in mumbo jumbo. Characters present. Story arc introduced...." Read more

27 customers mention "Writing style"27 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it concise without being terse and easy to read, with one customer noting how it feeds information in manageable bits.

"...Plus, there's Mecha fights! Rendered in loving detail, and indeed, the protagonist of Wholesale Slaughter is the young, hot-blooded pilot of..." Read more

"...The setting the author has created is interesting and he feeds information to the reader in manageable bits and avoids any dreadful info dumps...." Read more

"...only was there wonderful character development, which was clear and concise but also the wittiness of Asimov's tongue in cheek style of sarcasm and..." Read more

"...It's science, not magic and the author can get all technical and explain how many multiples of one gravity a human can stand...." Read more

18 customers mention "Pacing"13 positive5 negative

Customers find the book fast-paced and easy to read.

"...or motivations in the late Iain Banks's work, Partlow's prose is quick, to the point, and very entertaining...." Read more

"...of the great things about ScitFy may well be that no one understands Faster-Than-Light travel or interstellar jump nodes...." Read more

"...Overall, it just felt rushed all the way through. I've pretty much decided to stop with this series here...." Read more

"...Fast moving sci-fi that was so descriptive it made you feel like you were piloting a mech or laying down suppressing fire with a 25mm chain gun in..." Read more

18 customers mention "Start to series"18 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book as an awesome start to a great series, with one customer noting how well it sets up the narrative.

"...etc. THAT SAID....the execution is great; the story compelling; the characters likeable; the prose enjoyable.....I am on book 6...." Read more

"...The idea is cool and the execution is flawless. Pulse-pounding book with a lot of really compelling characters. Very highly recommended...." Read more

"Good beginning to a new series by a proven author...." Read more

"...First book did a very good job of setting up a series, the main character is interesting, likeable and believable...." Read more

5 customers mention "Relationship quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the relationships in the book, with one mentioning how characters learn to trust each other, and another noting the little romance.

"...growth, as much as you can fit in an action novel, and a little romance. I recommend this highly. Bought the sequel right away myself..." Read more

"...of morality vs pragmatism and necessity are present as are interpersonal relationships...." Read more

"...a thoughtful balance between character development, plot, personal relationships and people who learn to trust one another...." Read more

"...Lots of action good plot lines.the characters feel real and their interactions good." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • frequent buyer
    5.0 out of 5 stars It's the CoDominium, with mecha!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    For the Too Long; Didn't Read crowd: Wholesale Slaughter is an excellent addition to the genre of military adventure science fiction, I'm happy I purchased the novel, and I look forward to reading more adventures from Mr. Partlow set in this universe.

    Rick Partlow's newest military sci-fi thriller, "Wholesale Slaughter," is a rip-raring yarn that is action-packed, and goes down cooler than liquid helium. Set in a universe where Earth is a distant millennia-old legend, with humanity's diaspora throughout the galaxy a thousand years in the past, the story looks in many ways like Jerry Pournelle's old Empire of Man series. The main planet of the protagonists is named Sparta, humanity is divided into multiple warring factions, with vicious pirates and bandits festering among the boundaries, and faster than light travel is by means of a serial-numbers-sanded-off Alderson Drive. Plus, there's Mecha fights! Rendered in loving detail, and indeed, the protagonist of Wholesale Slaughter is the young, hot-blooded pilot of one.

    Shortly after we're introduced to him, we learn of a radio transmission from the ancient forebears of the current political situation, which hints at a treasure trove of superior technology. Including perhaps a true anypoint to anypoint FTL drive. To find it, our protagonist, the child of Sparta's current leader, (a decent expy of either Prince Harry or William of England's experiences in the Global War on Terror) must adopt a disguise as the leader of a mercenary company named, "Wholesale Slaughter." Because his last name is Slaughter. It's that kind of book.

    The action is fast though, and concise without being terse. The lurid descriptions of the fighting perhaps evoke comparisons to another of Pournelle's novels, "The Mercenary," though unlike that book, it doesn't have much space for explaining why the violence is necessary. The characters are ultimately practical people, doing what they have to do, in a line of work that doesn't allow for much introspection. Which is fine; that just slows down the action anyway. That said, I liked the characterization in Wholesale Slaughter, and thought it was done with more depth than in Mr. Partlow's first novel of his Duty, Honor, Planet series.

    Wholesale Slaughter is not a book of big ideas, though there are frustrations well voiced by the characters that perhaps mirror the feelings of participants in that GWOT. It's a difficult job to write as economically and smoothly as Partlow does here. While there aren't the surrealistic flourishes of a Charlie Stross, the exotic physics of Alastair Reynolds, or the elaborate plotting or motivations in the late Iain Banks's work, Partlow's prose is quick, to the point, and very entertaining.

    This is a decent romp, and well worth your time. I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Nader
    4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Cheesy Action
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book is exactly what I wanted, an action filled sci-fi book with a lot of very detailed battle scenes.
    The setting the author has created is interesting and he feeds information to the reader in manageable bits and avoids any dreadful info dumps.
    My only real complaint was that the dialogue felt a bit 2 dimensional at times and sometimes the events were somewhat predictable but that didn’t take away too much from the story.

    Great book!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Atreuyu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Don't blink, you'll miss something!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I have read books, Specifically sci-fi books for over 50 years. Cutting my teeth on Heinlen, Asimov, Keyes-Moran, and Scott-Card. Then a new genre, the litrp books started coming out and I enjoyed them, although I missed the traditional sci-fi genre of clear, defined character creation. When I first found Rick Partlow I was lamenting the fact that I was kind of stuck in a place where most of what I read was good, but not classic. Then I found the drop trooper series and was blown away.
    Not only was there wonderful character development, which was clear and concise but also the wittiness of Asimov's tongue in cheek style of sarcasm and banter.
    Rick writes incredibly intelligent and precise, yet it feels like those old Heinlen books of yesteryear where you can not put it down.
    I have read over 30+ of his books since my discovery of Mr. Partlow in 2020, and as long as he keeps writing, I'll read them!
    Thank you Mr. Partlow for this rich Military Sci-fi genre that has completing captivated me!!
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  • Mvargus
    3.0 out of 5 stars Just not up to the standard of book #1
    Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    These books are frighteningly short in many ways. At least this and the first book have felt short. It's like watching a three-act play, but it ends after act 2. There are narrative steps that feel missing as the storyline trucks on to the action scenes and the ending.

    In book 1, I found the ending mostly satisfying and fun. It was the first book in a new series and it felt like it was moving along in presenting the long overarching plot threads and challenges for the main character and his friends.

    Book 2 seemed to decide to throw out most of what I expected to be the middle of this story to cut off one of the plot threads short. The build up towards this resolution was abrupt and largely incomplete, with more than a few potential threads just left untouched. The villain became suddenly competent and then equally and disastrously incompetent as needed by the tale.

    And in the end I felt that the conclusion was very unsatisfying. I don't want to spoil it, so I can't say more about it here.

    Overall, it just felt rushed all the way through. I've pretty much decided to stop with this series here. People who like high action stories will probably ignore the flaws that annoyed me, but those looking for good character development and a dependable narrative will find those missing in the rush to the action.
    14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Mark C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Butchers Bill....
    Reviewed in Canada on July 12, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Good read ..will be interesting to see if our hero expands his band of mercs...the whole premise of a merc company is to expand to improve your tech and personnel...
    Report
  • Stuart R
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nice romp in space opera
    Reviewed in Australia on June 12, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Intially a little bit slow, but story grew on me. Pretty decent characters, nice mix with the mechs. Good basis of a universe as well. Looking forward to seeing where this Author takes the story next.
    Report
  • Paul Hunter
    4.0 out of 5 stars what is luck
    Reviewed in Spain on October 1, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Talk about lucky this guy must live a charmed life the amount of times he barely escapes death he should have died a dozen times lol but in all the book was a good read
    Report
  • Kindle Customer Baz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting start
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A totally unique military Sci-Fi first in series,a brilliant storyline,relatable characters extremely well written action scenes,twists and turns to keep you turning pages this book has it all.Highly recommended a must read,Baz
    Report
  • Ron Wright
    4.0 out of 5 stars Wholesale Slaughter Great Potential
    Reviewed in Canada on November 14, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Just finished the first book in this series. It seems to have great potential with an interesting premise. Clearly this story can be drawn out for an extensive period of time without feeling contrived. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
    Report

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