🚀 Book Review: Lucky Thirteen (Frontlines #2.1) by Marko Kloos (Kindle Edition)
A compact, action-packed military sci-fi short that delivers grit, tension, and a surprising emotional punch—perfect for fans of the Frontlines universe or newcomers looking for a quick taste of combat fiction.
🧠 Overview
Published in April 2013, Lucky Thirteen is a 17-page short story set in Marko Kloos’s Frontlines universe, nestled between Terms of Enlistment and Lines of Departure. It follows Lieutenant Halley, a rookie dropship pilot, as she takes command of the oldest, most battle-worn ship in the hangar—Lucky Thirteen. What begins as a routine mission quickly turns into a test of skill, nerve, and fate.
This story is a standalone vignette, but it adds texture to the broader Frontlines series by spotlighting a side character and offering a ground-level view of military life in space.
✨ Key Themes & Highlights
- 🛸 Military realism in sci-fi: Kloos’s own military background lends authenticity to the combat procedures and chain-of-command dynamics
- 🎯 Luck vs. skill: Halley’s journey explores whether survival in war is about talent, superstition, or sheer randomness
- 💥 Tense action sequences: The story features a high-stakes drop into hostile territory, with vivid descriptions of aerial maneuvers and enemy fire
- 🧍♀️ Female protagonist: Halley is competent, cool-headed, and refreshingly understated—a strong lead in a genre often dominated by male heroes
💬 Reader Reception
- ⭐ Goodreads rating: 4.14/5 from over 3,600 readers
- 📖 Readers praise the story’s tight pacing, realistic tone, and emotional resonance
- 🧾 Many consider it a great entry point into the Frontlines universe or a satisfying side story for existing fans
- 💬 “Short, fun, and full of action… $0.99 well spent.” — Brent Colby review
⚠️ Considerations
- 📄 Very short format: At 17 pages, it’s a quick read with limited character development
- 📚 Best read in context: While it works as a standalone, it’s more rewarding if you’ve read Terms of Enlistment
- 🧾 Minimal world-building: Focuses on one mission rather than expanding the universe
🏁 Final Verdict
Lucky Thirteen is a lean, well-crafted military sci-fi short that showcases Marko Kloos’s talent for blending realism with suspense. Whether you’re a die-hard Frontlines fan or just dipping your toes into the genre, this Kindle edition offers a satisfying burst of action and character in a compact package.
