Hard Lessons

A Learning Experience, Book 2

By: Christopher G. Nuttall

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Fifty years after Steve Stuart and his friends captured an alien starship, the Solar Union is a thriving interstellar power while Earth is increasingly backward and falling into barbarism. For two youngsters from Earth, the Solar Union offers the only chance they will ever have to make something of their lives.

But humanity's involvement in Galactic affairs has not gone unnoticed. The enigmatic masters of the universe have put together a fleet to crush the upstart humans before they can threaten the precarious balance of power. Pushed to the limits, the Solar Union must fight to defend its freedom - and the existence of the human race.

©2014 Christopher G. Nuttall (P)2016 Podium Publishing

Great story, good telling of political situations.

This book is a good story about human emergence in the galaxy. The parallel story about the stupidity of earth politics is also a good parallel to actual political situation and the "age of entitlement" so pervasive in western culture.
Excellent narration too.
Waiting for the next chapter!!

Inconsistencys galore and overall daft.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I do not think anyone who pays more then cursory attention to this book while listening to it will enjoy it overly much.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

There where so many small mistakes that made absolutely no sense. It was as if the author wanted to knock the listener/reader out of the moment on purpose on a rather regular basis. There where also some big whoopers that caused me to press pause so I could let my irritation peter out. I will not note any of the instances for to do so would be bad form but I must say I am severely tempted to populate this review with a nice spoiler list of all the bloopers.

So to the question... I would in the authors place have actually re-read and corrected as many "mistakes" (read: idiocies) in this book as humanly possible before letting it be published.

Which scene was your favorite?

None come to mind to be absolutely honest.

Also why this question is in the form is beyond me as it would need a spoiler alert and some way to be blanked out.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The concept and the universe it is set in plus the narrator, more then that.. well I guess I'd have to torture myself by listening to it a few more times to come up with any more.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Nuttall really needs to shape up because this was hands down the worst book of his that I have ever read/listened to.

Now we have Space Opera!

Second book is better than the first. We get much more personable characters that learn and grow as they go through the world. Also we finally get Space Battles with Space Marines that last for more than a paragraph. the Author has achieved Space Opera.

I also enjoyed the nods to various other authors in the genre. Maple syrup as a worthless commodity is funny (nod to Ringo), Engage! I am looking forward to the next book.

A fun space opera

This is book two in “The Learning Experience Series”. This book opens fifty years after the end of book one. In book one Steve Stuart and friend captured an alien starship. They decided to keep it and create their own nation rather than turn it over to the government. They built on the moon and asteroids. The Stuart brothers are active in key roles in the Solar Union but Steve is no longer involved in the running of the Solar Union.

The book follows two new recruits to the Solar Union military from earth. Yolanda is a smart mixed-race girl that applies to the space navy and becomes a navigator/helmsman and Martin, a young black man from the ghetto, joins the Marines. We follow them from boot camp to seasoned officers. The Solar Union comes to the attention of the Tokomak Empire who decided that Earth needed to be destroyed not realizing the Solar Union is not located on earth. The Tokomak are the oldest and largest Empire but have failed to keep up with the advances and changes in the universe; they have relied on their enormous size to keep everyone under control.

The book is well written and fast paced. Nuttall provides some exciting battles on land and in space. The action and suspense will keep the reader on the edge of their seats. Christian Rummel does an excellent job narration the story. Rummel is an award winning audiobook narrator.

I thought this series had the potential to be his best

And I believe that is still the case. This is a great series and I cannot wait for the next book!

worst book to get..

If you like to listen to racist and far right views, poorly disguised as scifi. Then this book is for you

Read before buying!

This was a big disappointment! I thought for sure the second book would be at least or if not better than the first. WRONG! It just had too much talk and not enough action. I mean isn’t that way we get this type of book? I bet you could fit all the action in one half of a chapter in this book. I understand you can’t have all action but come on... I tell you what, if Christian Rummel didn’t do his magic.... I would have never made it through the whole book. That’s a fact jack!

STAR TREK MEETS WEST WING

War. Outer space galaxies military!
Oh great topics for our galactic entertainment.

Pretty good story! I am attempting to read the series now, very excited. Very entertained. Sincerely Noel Westerlind vote Hillary Clinton for jail 2016

Enjoyable Political Hyperbole

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Probably not. This book and the entire series are speaking (I think) to a very specific audience. A lot of people are turned off by this books 'preach-y-ness' and dont get to see past that to the way its also pointing out flaws in a hyper libertarian vision of the future.

Could you see Hard Lessons being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I could see this being made in a similar way to starship troopers... for the same reasons that movie was made.

Any additional comments?

I think for me the reason I enjoy these books is that its making fun of both progressives and libertarians. Its drawing out very fundamental ideas and their issues when being executed purely without reason on both sides. This in a reductio ad absurdum story, and it's fun read knowing that

The fact that most of the victories and revelations that the protagonists make is due to luck chance or incompetence of selves and others. further that problems are brought up then dismissed trivially. Skipping over basic logistical or logical progressions..... the book is a big "what if every thing went the way we thought it would go" day dream.

That's interesting to read more for what is obviously omitted rather than what is actually there at times.

Awful political diatribe. Huge disappointment!

Sub par for a former favorite author. “Quickie” love scenes. Lackluster opposition. I finally used the audiobook to put me to sleep at night. Unimaginative.