Uncommon Purpose - The Hope Island Chronicles, #1

Nearly 500 reviews/ratings on Amazon, Audible and Goodreads."This novel is really a coming of age story about a traumatized young boy. The story follows him as he grows up on a colony planet with a new family and friends, goes to school, and then goes to the military academy. A large number of characters all seemed to have their own voice and personality, which is difficult to achieve. " -  Audiobook Reviewer."Uncommon Purpose is a great science fiction that blends a sort of political and military setting readers are familiar with in such novels as David Weber's Honor Harrington series." - JL Dobias"Extremely well written, highly enjoyable. I would recommend this book to anybody science-fiction fan or not." - William KulhanekFollowing the bloody war between the Athenian Republic and the Pruessen Empire, an uneasy peace has settled over the region of space known as The Tunguska Fault.
The Telford family's independent trading vessel, the Belinda is captured by Pruessen slavers and the crew forced into a life of brutal servitude. Their desperate bid for freedom succeeds but a tragic price is paid. Years pass and Nathan Telford, fighting the nightmares of his past and yearning for revenge, joins the Athenian Navy. His first posting is aboard the warship Truculent, patrolling the northern quarantine zone beyond which lurks the Empire. Answering a distress call from a beleaguered freighter, the routine mission becomes a desperate fight for survival.
The Pruessans are once again testing the defenses of the Republic and this time they have technology far in advance of the last war. It is left to Nathan, three untried middies and a disgruntled petty officer to try and avert a looming disaster. With their high tech weapons rendered useless and facing overwhelming odds, Nathan risks everything on a brave, hastily conceived gamble.