The Defenders

Description

While the Empire crumbles under the blitzkrieg assault of the League of Dark Stars, Helmsman Wilf Brim rallies the surviving Imperial Starfuries for a desperate last-ditch effort to save the core of the Empire at Avalon.

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Customer Reviews

POOR, POOR, POOR
I waited to start this series until I had the first 7 books. I thought I had something after reading the first one. Not so. Brim was a great character to start with but goes down hill after book 1 I guess Baldwin turns him into what Baldwin secretly wants too be, a Lothario who gets all the beautiful, big breasted women including wives plus the action becomes very predictable and unvaried. Brim flies, fights, takes a lot of damage, kills a lot of bad guys and a lot of his crews.
Very uneven, poor continuity, terrible morals. I will not be buying the new book coming out this year.

2010-05-04 (santee, Ca) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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I rather enjoyed it.
Although others seem bothered with the way this story was told, I feel that it follows with the rest of the series quite well. From what I can tell, the entire series is based around world war 2, and there are many good transitions in the series from history to story. I don't read Baldwin's books looking for any deep insight, I read them to be entertained. I thought that this book met that expectation quite well.

1999-12-27 (Maine) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 5

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Disappointing plagarist waste of time
Baldwin takes the battle of Britain and rehashes it in space with "Starfuries" replacing Spitfires. The empire replaces the British empire, etc. etc.
The thing that made me throw the book down in disgust was when "emperor" plagiarizes the famous Churchill speech. Enough Already!

And although I really liked the others in the series before this, I'll never buy another Bill Baldwin book again.

1998-01-23 | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 1

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The Fifth Helmsman book carries on the traditions!
The fifth Helmsman book finds Wilf Brim as commander of the space port over the capital planet Avalon. As in the past book, Brim finds many adventures to get into with the help of his friends, the Emperor Onrad, and his enemies in the 'League'.

As part of the continuing series, I felt this one was the weakest. As a thinly plotted remake of "the Battle for Britan" the rescues and adventures are somewhat tired and predictable. As an author, Baldwin has succumbed to the hazards of writting a series. However, that does not mean that it fails to carry the plot to a conclusion that leaves room for the next book in the series.

This book is predicatable to anyone who has read the series. But it does carry the story of the Helmsman on to the next with Baldwin's usual mix of technical and piloting skills. Perhaps more interface with politics and the Emperor could have spiced the story line up a bit

1997-05-03 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC SPACE OPERA, A GREAT READ.
I HAVE READ THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE HELMSMAN SERIES AND FOUND THE DEFENDERS TO BE AS FINE A READ AS THE PRECEEDING BOOKS. THIS IS NOT "HARD" SCIENCE FICTION, BUT A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE CLASSIC "SPACE OPERA". THIS BOOK IS FUN TO READ! THE ONLY SAD THING ABOUT THIS OR OTHER BALDWIN BOOKS IS THAT FOR WHAT EVER REASON YOU CAN ALMOST NEVER FIND THEM IN YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE. IF YOU ARE NEW TO SCIENCE FICTION OR JUST LIKE A GOOD STORY WITH GOOD PLOT GIVE THE DEFENDERS A TRY

1996-12-26 | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 4

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The Siege (Questar Science Fiction)

Description

Rear Admiral Wilf Brim and his old comrade General Ursis must rally Sodeskaya's archaic ships in order to repel Triannic's vast star fleet and overcome overwhelming odds. By the author of The Defenders.

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Customer Reviews

POOR, POOR, POOR
I waited to start this series until I had the first 7 books. I thought I had something after reading the first one. Not so. Brim was a great character to start with but goes down hill after book 1 I guess Baldwin turns him into what Baldwin secretly wants too be, a Lothario who gets all the beautiful, big breasted women including wives plus the action becomes very predictable and unvaried. Brim flies, fights, takes a lot of damage, kills a lot of bad guys and a lot of his crews.
Very uneven, poor continuity, terrible morals. I will not be buying the new book coming out this year.

2010-05-04 (santee, Ca) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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Admiral Brim battles at the front for life and freedom!
The sixth book of the Helmsman continues to follow Wilf Brim, Admiral of the Imperial Fleet in the same vein as C.S. Forrester classical works. Life and death in the Imperial Fleet is center stage upon which Baldwin builds the continuing career of Brim.

As a middle book in the series, it is prone to all of the shortcuts and assumptions a leading book does not have. But to fans of the Helmsman series this provides more of the same excitement and facination of the originals. Though some of the descriptions have now been used at least six times previously, one can skim over them and continue to watch as Wilf Brim fights for right, and his daughter.

A good progression of the Helmsman series with some mature descriptions of Wilf's love life. Probably a pretty boring book for anyone not already familiar and anxious to see how Wilf Brim lives his live 'In Harms Way"

1997-05-03 | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 3

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The Defiance (Helmsman Series , No 7)

Description

Admiral Wolf Brim's new assignment to secure the space lanes between Hador-Haelic and the Pentad asteroids of Gontor will enable the Empire to launch Operation Spark, a massive invasion to free Occupied Fluvanna, thus ensuring the Empire's remaining source of faster-than-light travel fuel.

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Customer Reviews

POOR, POOR, POOR
I waited to start this series until I had the first 7 books. I thought I had something after reading the first one. Not so. Brim was a great character to start with but goes down hill after book 1 I guess Baldwin turns him into what Baldwin secretly wants too be, a Lothario who gets all the beautiful, big breasted women including wives plus the action becomes very predictable and unvaried. Brim flies, fights, takes a lot of damage, kills a lot of bad guys and a lot of his crews.
Very uneven, poor continuity, terrible morals. I will not be buying the new book coming out this year.

2010-05-04 (santee, Ca) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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Helmsman Series , No 7
I was thoroughly disappointed with this book.

First, the switch from 3rd person to 1st person was annoying. It broke the continuity and made it feel like I was starting a new series.

Second, while this started in the earlier books, Wilf completed his transformation from a John Waynish hero-type into a guy who has no problem sleeping with married women. He's not likable anymore. Having his brain "hanging between his legs" was amusing when the character was in his twenties. Now that he's supposed to be in his forties and still can't control himself paints a picture of depravity. In addition, he never seems to get any wiser to the world around him.

Overall, I got the impression that Baldwin was sick of writing these stories and tried to wrap it up quickly and with as much sex as possible. Characters that Brim "loved" at the end of one book were never heard from again in the next and the conclusions to subplots were disappointing at best.

Were it not for the fact that Brim slept with practically every female in the series, I'd at least say that the first half of the series was entertaining enough for teenage space opera, but not much else.

2005-09-28 (Vermont) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 2

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a future cover of WW1 and 2
I don't want to say I was disappointed, I thought that maybe, just maybe Wilf would catch a break, but in the end he loses. I am not sure I want the series to go on because he never catches a break. The series was interesting as it followed the end of WW1, the time in between and into WW2 with future weapons the bears as the russians,the empire as germany with there own SS in controllers,the imperials as the British Starfuries being spitfires, it goes on and on. I can't be the only one who could see it that way.

2004-12-10 | history buff (Kalamazoo Mi) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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New Book
Like many of you, i have despaired being able to continue the tales of Wilf Brim. I have read these 7 books repeatedly, and basically haunted Bill Baldwin's website to get moe news. Recently, it was announced in his website that Timberwolf Press will be releasing the next book, Turning Tide, as well as re-releasing the earlier 7 books again. I cannot wait for it to be available here.

2003-02-26 (Seremban, Malaysia) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 4

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another great book in the series
Bill Baldwin keeps getting better. I really enjoy this series: I've read every one of the books many times. The books keep growing on me: each time I re-read them I find more details that I missed the previous times through. The publisher is insane not to be encouraging Baldwin to write the next six books in the series. Hopefully enough fan support will cause them to rethink this foolish decision. This series is great Space Opera: far better then the vast majority of the military sci-fi that gets published.
Other readers have complained about the change in writing style: I get so engrossed in the story that I don't even notice.
The change of technologies over the course of the stories has been particularly interesting: as a military history buff and particularly a navy buff I really enjoy this aspect of the books. I like the fact that while the big ships are no longer dominant the smaller units are still much more substantial than mere fighters: there is no carrier dominance in this universe.
I like the way Baldwin set up the character for more adventures: he's dealing with the same problem David Weber is starting to have with Honor Harrington (too much rank!) in a creative way.
I'd really like to see a Role Playing Game supplement for this universe with pictures of the ships and equipment (and maps): I've thought of running my own campaign in this universe since there's such a tremendous amount of detail in these books, but more information can't hurt (hint,hint)!

2001-11-05 | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 5

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THE ENIGMA STRATEGY

Description

In early 1942, Italian Partisans steal the Nazi Enigma Machine. The British must obtain it from a North Italian Lake. A cruiser carries a Racing Seaplane to Naples Bay. The pilot flies to the lake, gets the Machine, but finds the cruiser sunk and can't return. He must get Enigma home or be captured. How?

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Customer Reviews

Shades of Dave Dawson
"The Enigma Straegy" could be factual. If this book had been written as a non-fiction book, it is believable. There are a little too many coincedences required to make the plot work, but who's to say they couldn't have happened. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, as I have with all of Bill Baldwin's books

2009-03-04 | Readsalot (Lyles, TN USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Similar to The Helmsman series
This book is very similar to the Wilf Brim series entitled The Helmsman, it just takes place on earth in 1940 during WWII. Our hero, an American fighter pilot with the RAF, gets in trouble and is courtmartialed. An Ian Fleming type character comes up with the idea on how to steal and Enigma machine in Italy from the Germans; the problem is how to get it out of Italy. Simple, just find a person crazy enough to fly the predicessor to the Spitfire in order to smuggle out the captured machine! That is the basis of the book. A very pleasant and enjoyable read, no need to worry about lots of history or knowledge of geography, just sit back with a pleasant drink and start to relax and enjoy yourself! I got a kick out of the actions of the Mafia, the local Police and their action with the Germans. I recommend this book to fans of Bill Baldwin!

2009-02-27 (Arkansas, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Another good read from Mr. Baldwin
Nice fun read. A few minor technical glitches, if you don't know about the Schneider cup, you'll never catch them

2009-02-16 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Wow
Hard to believe the author could improve on his last series - but somehow he found a way! Let him take you on an adventure.

2008-12-28 | Loves Perfume (Raleigh, NC) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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The Helmsman (The Helmsman, 1)

Description

Book # 2 in the best selling Helmsman saga! Ursis nodded soberly out the Hyperscreens toward the merchant ships, then turned to Brim. "Out there, Wilf Ansor," he brooded, "are real heroes of war. To fight from behind disruptors of warship is something anyone can do. One can always count on lucky shooting to save him from disaster—or heavy armor plate at least. But to face enemy with only black void and thin sheet of hullmetal separating you from disruptors—and then stay in formation—that is kind of bravery we Sodeskayans record in Great Books."

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Customer Reviews

Not bad
First in a series, I thought it was pretty good. The main character is a standard poor boy from the sticks who makes good against all odds, that was the good part. Then he turns into a Lothario getting only beautiful, big breasted women including other mens wives. Then I read the next six books.The rest of the books just go down hill with bad continuity, terrible lack of morals, and way too many unbelievable escapes and such by the amoral sex fiend of a main character.
I WILL NOT BE BUYING ANYMORE OF THIS SERIES.

2010-05-04 (santee, Ca) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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The Helmsman
An excellent introduction to the Helmsman series.
Be certain to get the Director's cuts of this
series when they are available.

2009-03-02 | N5EI (Plainfield, NH) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Loved this book!
Really enjoyed this book and am trying to get the rest of them in hardback. Baldwin does a superb job of writing of the order of Heinlein, Zahn and Laumer (my other favorites). His technology descriptions make you think these anti-gravity and hyperspace things really work! Please write more!

2008-08-12 | StanL6580 (Washington, DC United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Classic Space Opera
The Helmsman is a great start to an excellent series of books that revolve around the main character, Wilf Brim, and his adventures in space. While the basic story line, lowly peon advances to fame and riches while gaining love of beauteous princess, is predictable it is done with a style and class that make the reader ignore that aspect. Also, the gritty reality and attention to details help to make Wilf Brim's universe real in the readers mind. Overall this book is an outstanding read alone or beginning to a series.

If I had to make a complaint about this book I would have to say that the author does not give enough information on Wilf's background. While there are repeated references to his past and his family there is never any detail given. While this is not a terrible thing, flash backs can sometimes be annoying, the author references back to them too much to leave unexplained.

2008-01-15 (Wichita, Kansas United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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A great sci-fi tale
I was a bit hesitant, after reading most of the first chapter, because it seemed like there was a ton of really "heavy" description of stuff, and it was starting to bog down.

But I continued reading, and I was glad I did. Though the "heavy" descriptions may not get any lighter, the pace definitely picks up to a good level. This book is an excellent sci-fi tale, with interesting (not to mention fun) characters, a terrific plot (except for at least one point which I'll bring up later), and an ending which makes you want to read the next book in the series (which I want to).

There was a slight disturbance for me with the relationship between the main character (Wilf Brim) and his love interest. The fact that she decides to continue on with her arranged marriage to another man, and keep Brim around `on the side' seemed to rub me the wrong way. The marriage didn't happen in this book, though, so there's always hope things will turn out for the best.

Plenty of action, a little romance thrown in, and plenty of cool technologies to marvel over make this book a good one in my opinion. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I believe you will too.

2003-11-18 (Wichita, KS) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Galactic Convoy (The Helmsman, 2)

Description

Book # 2 in the best selling Helmsman saga!

Ursis nodded soberly out the Hyperscreens toward the merchant ships, then turned to Brim. "Out there, Wilf Ansor," he brooded, "are real heroes of war. To fight from behind disruptors of warship is something anyone can do. One can always count on lucky shooting to save him from disaster—or heavy armor plate at least. But to face enemy with only black void and thin sheet of hullmetal separating you from disruptors—and then stay in formation—that is kind of bravery we Sodeskayans record in Great Books."

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Customer Reviews

hooray for bill baldwin
I think that Bill has a great dramatic sense in writing for thios series...I heard it on XM and loved the first book and bought the second...I'll get the 3rd and beyond soon...

2007-12-21 | btexpress (portland, me) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Great Book !!
Ohhhh I want more of this series!! I finished it in about 15 hours of reading(about 3 days and an all nighter) Could not put it down..

2007-02-26 | Just this Guy.. You Know? (Tulsa, Ok USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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An upbeat, galaxy-spanning adventure
The second novel in Bill Baldwin's heady sci-fi "Helmsman Saga", Galactic Convoy is an action-packed saga filled from cover to cover with intrigue, deadly spaceship battles, and abiding bonds of friendship forged through troubled times. An upbeat, galaxy-spanning adventure, as thrilling as the futuristic cover art by Hugo Award winning author/artist Ron Miller, Galactic Convoy documents Bill Baldwin as a master of the science fiction action/adventure genre and a welcome read for any and all sci-fi enthusiasts!

2004-03-07 (Oregon, WI USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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New and updated
As of November, 2003 this book has been published in a new directors cut edition, in hardback. The original book was one of my favorite of all time, and this time Bill Baldwin has greatly imporved the story, cleaning up a few loose ends and fleshing out some of the other parts of the story. I have always felt this was the best book of the series and this version is even better! In this book, Wilf, and his comrades Uris, Barbousse and the rest are in a new starship, helping to guard convoys bringing needed suppies to a giant base in another part of the universe, and both the convoys and the base are under constant attack by Nergol Triannic's evil forces. It strikes me as if based on the British convoys to beleagured Malta in the Med in WWII. An exciting story, lots of combat, a new romantic interest, new shipmates, just a dang good entertaining fantasy/scifi novel!

2003-11-24 (Arkansas, USA) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 5

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An old favorite
This was my first Baldwin book, and because of that, probably one of my favorites. I paid 99cents for this book, and it quickly prompted me to find and buy the other books in the series.

Baldwin continues to develop the character of Wilf Brim, as well as the universe in which he lives. This development stage quickly levels off in the series, but in Galactic Convoy it's done very well both with the characters and the technology.

This book (as would others in the series) does very well as a stand-alone as well. You need not have read the first book to know what was going on. This a great contrast from writers such as Robert Jordan who write one long story. With Baldwin you can pick up any book in the series and it's a whole story, and while you may not get some of the references, it's still an enjoyable read.

1999-12-27 (Maine) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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