Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Impulse | 2014 | Dave Bara | Buy |
| 2 | Starbound | 2016 | Dave Bara | Buy |
| 3 | Defiant | 2017 | Dave Bara | Buy |
The Lightship Chronicles is Dave Bara’s debut trilogy, published by DAW Books. Impulse (2014) introduces Peter Cochrane, a young officer aboard one of the Lightships that form humanity’s first line of defense in deep space. Starbound (2016) and Defiant (2017) continue the story as political tensions and alien threats escalate.
The series takes place in a future where humanity has spread across multiple star systems, and Lightships are advanced vessels that can travel between them. Cochrane is the son of a prominent military family, and his rise through the ranks puts him at the center of conflicts that could destroy the fragile alliances between human worlds. The books have a military structure, with chain-of-command dynamics and space battles featured prominently.
Bara’s background in science and technology shows in the ship designs and faster-than-light mechanics. The trilogy wraps up its main arc in Defiant, though the universe has room for more stories. Readers who enjoy authors like Jack Campbell or David Weber will find familiar territory in the Lightship Chronicles.