Baldwin’s Legacy Boxed Set

Baldwin's Legacy Series, Books 1-6

By: Nathan Hystad

Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

Length: 53 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

The complete Baldwin's Legacy series.

Confrontation: Thomas Baldwin has been appointed captain of the state-of-the-art cruise ship Constantine, named after his heroic grandfather. When their first diplomatic mission turns deadly, all signs point to the return of a former adversary, one the Concord claims to have defeated five decades earlier.

Unification: The Concord is in shambles after the return of the Statu, but under the guidance of the Zilph'i, trust is slowly being rebuilt.

Culmination: Captain Thomas Baldwin and the crew of Constantine have saved the Concord from the Assembly and are tasked with bringing them to prison.

Hierarchy: Captain Thomas Baldwin has made a name for himself in a short period of time. The Statu have finally been defeated, and the Concord has Tom and his crew to thank for the victory.

Lineage: Thomas Baldwin transfers to Ridele, the capital of Nolix, and the center of the Concord political arena. He must navigate the new role, while his former crew sets off on an important mission without him.

Legacy: Admiral Thomas Baldwin has more to live for after the recent news. All eyes are on him as the biggest war in Concord Space history begins in earnest.

©2019, 2020 Nathan Hystad (P)2021 Tantor

Ok

Some parts seemed to repeat other sci-fi shows, but was pretty much a good thing

Great Storytelling

Keep me posted on other stories . Yes this one was the best,, I have read my n
Book but this one was awesome

Good in general, but just good, nothing great.

Starts as a Space Sci-Fi, a bit dull at the beginning, then changes to the Republic fighting the drugged-out Siths by the end. It's ok. Probably would've not finished it if it weren't 6 books in 1. Very little character development and a lot of things are glossed over.

Amazing series!

I love it when I stumble on these collections of a whole series. It’s like when I show drops all episodes at once instead of weekly. This series was great and had me hooked from the start. The characters were well written, the story had some twists and turns, and the narration was pretty good as well. I didn’t know this author when I started, but am definitely willing to read some of their other work after this!

A VERY Enjoyable Series

So, at the outset just to nip in the bud any hasty remarks by any editor of these reviews or easily-offended Karens given to trying to post their hysterical responses to reviews (and we all know who you are)—everything that follows A. goes directly to the purpose of evaluating this series, B. is not gratuitous, and C. provides the needed context of the greater world of recorded books and those who read them. Besides, I’m a paying customer, have been so for years, buy significantly more product than my monthly credit, and have well over four decades listening to recorded books, so what I have to say really is important for those who produce such books to hear.

There are three important things to note about anyone telling a story:

1. There are some authors whose ability with the English language is excellent but whose ability in creating a really satisfying story completely sucks.

2. There are a number of authors whose ability with the English language is excellent and whose storytelling ability is commensurate with that.

3. There are some authors whose storytelling ability is excellent, who can create entirely believable worlds and easily suspend the eff out of my disbelief, who can create characters with distinct personalities, and who can create characters the reader genuinely cares about, whether deeply loving or thoroughly detesting them, but whose abilities with certain basics of the English language leave room for improvement. There are two remedies for this; they are overlapping and both indispensable: A. Continued experience with the English language and B. A good editor.

The author of this series belongs to the third category and the publishing company has let him down by failing to provide a good editor.

The level of clunkiness was not extreme, diminished over the course of the series, and mostly consisted of things like this: “…he took a deep inhale…he released his exhale…” or “…he hovered a finger over…” or the use of “ground” to refer to the floor of a building or vehicle, and other things of this nature. The actual sentence structure was generally very good and seldom any problems with disparity between subject and verb with respect to number other than the typical use of “they” to refer to a single individual and probably done out of habit arising from absurd fear of using “he” or “she” and related pronouns, too often seen nowadays among either the pronoun paranoid or the pronoun pathological who have been working like busy little beavers to instill in the former the aversion to the realities of languages with pronouns that refer to both gender and number. There are other ways around most of them and a good editor could have suggested them. As for the rest, take a stand. If a character is female, use “she” and “her” and if male, have the balls or at least respect for the English language to use “he,” “his,” and “him” and strike a blow against the abuse of literature by these political linguistic terrorists.

That said, I will gladly spend more money on other books by this author because his storytelling ability is strong and will only continue to grow at the same time the number of verbal clunkers will decrease.

The narrator is always important and either enhances (such as Frank Muller, Oliver Wyman, or Barbara Rosenblat, to mention a few of the greats) or ruins a story (such Stephen King or Balki. I refer to an actor from Beverly Hills Cop by a character name from his TV series. His narration (sometimes extremely good—basic qualities of voice and characterization are always good, other times extremely bad—the narration equivalent of purple prose; for example, the phrase “he heard the claws scraping across the floor” adequately conveys what’s going on; no one needs to hear the slow, exaggerated pronunciation of the word “scraaaaaping”) is so inconsistent that I will never risk another credit on it—and I buy a LARGE number of extra credits every month). This narrator does a very good job, with no over-acting, and will only get better; and he has many years to go before he reaches the age of George Guidall.

I recommended the audio recording of this series and look forward to others by this author and narrator. I will purchase the next in the series as soon as I hit submit (but, please, anybody at Audible that can get the word to Balki to knock it the hell off so I can purchase books he narrates and enjoy rather than endure them, I’d appreciate it.

nice story

having the whole set was the best choice. i get to hear the whole story rather than pieces. very well written and produced. the story has so many unexpected twists and turns which kept me excited to know what happened next... all in all a very good story line.

Hystad is a true Master of Sci-Fi!

Following is a shortened version of my individual reviews from each of the Baldwin Legacy Series, collected for this Series, see the individual books for the full reviews.
This series is outstanding, and I continue to listen to it whenever I want a good Sci-Fi series to listen to. Hystad’s work is just brilliant, and once you start, you won’t be able to put it down. Enjoy!!
Confrontation #1 - This is an Epic Space Opera that captures all the best things we know and love from all the different versions of Star Trek, and more recently The Orville, and just about every one of our favourite written ‘Starship Adventure’ Series’ . There is a brand-new Starship, named after a famous Admiral (The Constantine), with a rising star for a Captain, who just happens to be the Grandson of the Admiral the ship was named for. The Constantine is part of a United Group of Planets and Systems throughout the Galaxy, brought together by the “Founders”, to create “The Concord”, to protect those within its borders, establish trade that is mutually beneficial, all the usual stuff.
Thomas Baldwin, or Tom, is the Captain, a man from a distinguished lineage, but with a troubled past, having lost both his parents at a young age, and been raised by the aforementioned Grandfather, the great Constantine Baldwin.
Baldwin has a very eclectic, but extraordinarily remarkable crew. There are the Tekol twins, brother and sister Reeve and Brax Daak, Reeve the highly intelligent engineer, and Brax the intense and elite security officer. Ven, is a rare type of the Zilphi species called Ugna, you can read why! The Dr is a Kwant, and is, again, fascinating – you’ll find out why.
One of the other characters is the A.I., normally not a full capture of the personality of the former person, but just their tactical and strategic mind to help the Senior Crew – each ship is fitted with the ship’s namesake as a holographic A.I. In this case, it is Baldwin’s Grandfather, Constantine, one of the Concords greatest Captains.
Treena Starlings is one perhaps one of the most fascinating characters in the book, having had a very horrific past, and this has left her with a very troubled future. Hystad has written a deeply emotional and powerful character that is truly fascinating, and you can’t help but be drawn to. His portrayal of the emotional and psychological damage, as well as the physical damage to Starling is masterful, and he conveys so much brutal honesty as he tells her story.
It is not just the characters that are masterful though, as Hystad has also done an extraordinary job with the world-building, unfolding his universe so that we get to learn about it, its races, cultures, the Concord, and some incredible technology. This is one series that leaves you wanting more.
Unification #2 - Unification picks up not long the events of book 1 in the series, and sees the once united and powerful Coalition in disarray, with the Statu having returned, and Council members having been implicated in all sorts of serious accusations including hiding how the Statu managed to move around so easily in the previous war, and that they used those that they captured as mindless ‘Soldier Drones’ in their own armies in the war, somehow taking control of their prisoners minds, putting them in Statu Uniforms, and then dropping them back on the battlefield as brainwashed Soldiers, allowing them to use them as cannon fodder against opponents and never risk their own forces.
Baldwin and his crew are still recovering from their harrowing experiences including the loss of some crew, and the revelation of Treena Starling being an Android.
At the start of Unification, Baldwin has been called to answer for his actions, whilst Starling is back trapped in her own body in her room. Tarlen has joined the crew as a trainee (his Sister is in Medical with the Dr), and Reeve and Brax try to work out what they should be doing to support their Captain.
We quickly learn that the Concord is in trouble, that the Zilph’i are threatening to pull out of the Concord due to recent events, and, as founding members, their leaving will cause multiple others to leave, not to mention that their members make up a large amount of key positions in the Concord. This includes the elusive Ugna, the Psionics that are capable of so many incredible things (not to mention they have their own fleet).
Instability has already seen several planets pulling out of the Concord, and Baldwin and his crew have been tasked with going to Zilph’i to convince them to stay, at any cost, as the Concord cannot afford to lose the Zilph’i, as one of the founding members leaving the Concord would shatter faith in the Concord and tear it apart, right at a time when it is needed most with the apparent resurgence of the Statu.
This is a very interesting book, somewhat different to the first, as although it is another Star Trek, Orville type ‘Episode’, in this particular book, the focus on the characters is a lot different. Treena Starling is restricted to the shell of her former broken body, her android body having been destroyed in Book 1, and a replacement being a slow consideration for the Concord. As such, she is battling with not just her own self-worth, but her position in the crew, and her worth to the ship.
Reeve and Brax make for a fascinating pair, the twins not only understanding each other, but also having an intense determination towards the success of the Constantine and her mission, as well as supporting the Captain.
Baldwin continues to grow and we find out more about this extraordinary character in this book.
One of the other really fascinating characters is the Ugna, Ven. We get to learn a huge amount about the Ugna and their culture in this book, a lot more than you think you will. (No Spoilers). It makes for a really interesting read.
As the book barrels forward at an intense pace, and you realise that there is a lot more going on than originally assumed, especially when ‘the Assembly’ become involved (again, no spoilers), the book turns into a full-on thriller, mystery, and is totally action-packed.
Culmination #3 – In this the 3rd part of the series, we have become accustomed the characters, especially that of the main character Thomas Baldwin. Baldwin and the crew of the Constantine have created an impressive legacy in a short time. However, at the start of this book, they are still coming to terms with both the loss of so many, and the thought of so many being traitors. On top of this, is the miraculous survival of Ven, returned from the dead due to his Ugna abilities. The events of Unification have not only left the crew shattered, but also looking for answers.
As this is happening, news of a completed wormhole generator comes through on Greblok, allowing them to get to the Statu.
No one knows what they are going to meet on the other side, as it has been sometime, and the Statu can be dangerous enemies.
Treena Starling has a new body again in this book, making her more mobile again, but it is fascinating how she is a lot more cautious in this book with her new body, whilst she realises that she is still in a robot body, and therefore can’t die as such, she has a new lease on life, and does not want to be trapped in her broken shell, especially for months on end, waiting for a replacement, and she is terrified that one day they might say no, and not give her one. (Although you get the impression Reeve would just make her one then!)
All of the crew are a little more cautious in this book. Brax, having been so badly injured in Unification is a bit more wary of things in this book, but as always, is ready to leap into things – however, it is Reeve who is telling him to be more careful as she is worried about him.
And it is not just the physical aspects either, but the psychological aspect of things as well. The command crew are all hit hard by the betrayal of Zare, feeling an array of emotional responses to her deceptions, and that none of them saw it coming, especially Brax.
This is a wonderful story, full of mystery, political intrigue, dangerous enemies, different twists and turns, fascinating technology, and amazing starships, with exceptional Characters, some that are new, some Legends, that have been captured as A.I.’s to allow for access to their strategy and tactics (and maybe more!), it is a book full of extraordinary people and places, and once you start, you won’t be able to put it down.
Hierarchy #4 – Hierarchy is a fascinating 4th book in the Baldwin Legacy Series which sees the crew of the Constantine once again at the forefront of the political shaping of the Concord. They have been tasked with taking a small delegation of the Ugna to their new homeworld, Druin F49, a newly terraformed world that the Concord have put aside for the Ugna as a new planet for them to settle and become a separate member of the Concord from their sister species, the Zilph’i.
Elder Fayle is leading her people to this new homeworld, and is being particularly domineering of the Constantine crew, when an emergency is detected amongst both the Seeli and Minon people.
The Seeli and Minon are slowly dying, both of their different species, with a very similar genetic heritage due to how they came to be (I’ll let you read that, and not spoil it). They are no longer able create offspring, and their races are slowly dying off as a result. On top of this, the Minon have been attacked by an unknown race, a station destroyed and a potential cure lost.
Tom Baldwin is faced with the difficult decision of continuing with his mission for the Ugna, or helping these people, Concord Members, so ones he is bound by Concord charter to help, that are desperate for help.
This is a really engaging story of political intrigue, as we see chess pieces being moved around the board in a variety of different ways each trying to gain power and prestige for not just themselves, but their organisation.
The only ones not taking advantage of this, seem to be those aboard the Constantine, who have the opportunity, and have earned it through their recent actions. Tom Baldwin has been offered the role of Admiral (Given there are now so few of them), and as a result of this, Starling has been offered the role of Captain. But does either one want it?
Tom would lose his access to his Grandfathers A.I., Treena is terrified of what it could mean with having to interact with the crew.
But Tom is also looking at a future that his Grandfather never did, connections he has always wanted, such as with the beguiling Aimie Gaad.
Overall, Hierarchy really steps the story up a notch, gone are the, young, junior, level crew, thrust into situations and trying to cope, now there are these experienced officers, pondering their futures in the Concord as well as facing some incredible situations. This is the series to read (or listen to), as it is just Extraordinary, and Hierarchy is the best in the series by far.
Lineage #5 – This is a really interesting book in the series, as for the first time, Thomas Baldwin is not a Captain at the helm of a starship, but an Admiral at Nolix. He quickly learns though, that the life of an Admiral is not behind a desk like he thought, as he has to go with Elder Fayle to Callalay to try and prevent the Concord from dissolving due to a spate of recent attacks.
With Baldwin gone, Starling takes the Captains role, however, she finds herself struggling quickly, when she learns that she has been the target of a medical trial, and she never had to stay in the android body, and there is hope for her crippled body yet.
Hystad takes us on a powerful and gritty journey in this book, through the emotional, psychological and physical battles that Starling has to fight as she takes her broken and damaged body, one that she was told would never do anything again, and with the help of Aimie Gaad, who has turned whistleblower, slowly reverses the damage done in the explosion that killed her old crew. We get to see this powerful and intense struggle, that is incredibly realistic and brutality honest, as Hystad strips back the layers of Treena Starlings soul and delves into the inner depths of her character. Starlings character is the definition of courage in this book, and Hystad’s character work is just masterful.
Lineage is such an apt title, as so many of the Characters are not only looking into their own histories, and this is done beautifully with some epic world building by Hystad again, capturing not only the storylines of the characters in the previous books, but also building on them as we move into the final parts of this epic series.
The world building overall is just outstanding in Lineage, with so many aspects of the book, from the opening chapter on Mars, to the descriptions of Treena Starlings rehabilitation, to the various aspects of the Ugna culture, the way they live, their ships, and of course their abilities.
This is an epic game of chess as we see all the pieces of the puzzle being moved around the board by the various players, leaders of the Ugna mainly, with a few from the Concord, either unwitting allies, or working with the Ugna, as well as some old enemies. The fascinating thing in this series is the constant thorn that is Baldwin, even when everyone is so confident in all their plans, and has everything meticulously planned and judged, Baldwin somehow changes things in his favour.
Legacy #6 - Legacy is the final book in the series, and sees the end game of High Elder Wylen’s plans, bringing together decades of careful planning to bring down the Concord, and place himself and the Ugna as the leaders of the 40+ worlds of the Concord and its people.
As with the other books, Baldwin’s brilliance is in his ability to cause chaos, through his capacity to bring out the best in those around him, and turn situations that should be utter defeats, into glorious victories that no one could imagine possible – he is the true wild card in any battle. Supported by some of the best people in the Concord, not only on his own ship, Baldwin again at the helm of the aptly named ‘Legacy’, but with the crews of the ‘Constantine’ and the ‘Shu’ to support him. The other extraordinary character, (and surprise), is Constantine, Tom’s Grandfather, who is actually dead, but his memories, and to some extent, his essence, has been captured in a computer and reproduced as a ‘holographic’ representation of him. Whilst the character is meant to be a dumbed down version, it isn’t, actually being more like the real person, and thus the interactions between him, and his Grandson, as well as the crew, are both fascinating, and enthralling. Constantine is easily one of my favourites, and his story is just riveting.
One of the things I have really loved in this book, and this series has been Hystad’s use of imagery and symbolism to bring his story alive. No matter where his characters are standing, there is always this breathtaking and stunning image painted for us, so that we are transported to the location that the characters are in, so that you are really immersed in the story. Hystad’s world building has reached whole new levels with things like ‘The Code’, the guiding principles of the Concord, in which Hystad has gone and written dozens of very powerful and meaningful symbolic ideological values that were originally created by the four founding members of the Concord. It is this depth of world-building that really elevates this story so far above the standard space opera, and lets you really engage with the story, to a degree that this could easily be compared to the Star Trek Universe, and hold its own.
Legacy is such a fitting name for this book, as I previously stated, it is perfect for the Baldwin story, as well as other characters (Such as the inspired story of Treena Starling!), but it is also about the Legacy of the Concord, the Ugna, and this series. Legacy is such a fitting name, as this series is going to be a Legacy of Hystad’s work as it is just such a masterful piece of Mil Sci-Fi/Space Opera. From the moment you start reading or listening, Hystad takes hold of you, and doesn’t let go.
James Patrick Cronin is absolutely amazing as the Narrator of the Baldwin Legacy, really capturing the essence of each character and bringing them to life. As the overall Narrator, he is exceptional, providing a clear and concise narration that is easy to understand and listen to, with fantastic voices for every character (voices you can easily distinguish for each character, regardless of gender, race, species etc), making it easy to know who is talking without having to be told. But what Cronin has really done so well in this series, is bring the characters to life, providing stunning insight into their emotional states, and letting us really know and understand how each character is feeling at a particular moment in the story through his voice, so that we can understand if they are angry, sad, scared, happy, elated, surprised, joyful – something that is quite difficult at times with just your voice, but which Cronin does with such ease. This is one of those books, in which you will get so much more out of listening to it than reading it, as James Patrick Cronin has created a true masterpiece with his work, this is an absolute Must Listen!! Thank You!

A fun space saga

Good story, good writing, good narration…If you enjoy The Dominion war from Star Trek deep space nine for the space battles from expeditionary force you’ll enjoy this series.

continuity of the books

a good listen with few lags some problems identifying maie and female characters it took a while to tell who was who

top 3 series!

This has been a fantastic listen! Easily Easily my top three if not top five or ten ever to hit audible! great character development, amazing story and the twists and turns bring it all together