Book Review: “The Promise”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Maxx Powr published the novel “The Promise” in 2019. This is the first novel in the “Piecer Chronicles” series and his first publication.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence, mature language, and mature situations. The story is set in 2173. The primary character is twenty-two-year-old Chase 523.

The alien species, the Klix, had tried to conquer Earth years before but they had been beaten off. Suddenly when most everyone thinks it is safe they are back. Chase 523 has just graduated from Piecer Academy. He would be in the last graduating class. The Piecer Corp was being disbanded. When the Klix first attacked Earth the only way Earth could respond was with genetically engineered soldiers. Chase was in batch 523.

The graduation ceremony hadn’t even ended when the Klix attack came. It was devastating. The Klix targeted Piecer facilities, families, and homes. Many died in the attack and the survivors took what refuge they could.

Chase joined with a few other Piecer Cadet survivors. They steal space vessels that had been placed in museums. They agree to meet at a remote location in the Solar System. The Piecers gather new allies and eventually bring the fight back to the Klix.

Along the way, Chase encounters Sheen, an android Courtesan, and becomes her Commander. He also encounters Max 325. Max has been genetically engineered to be a ‘fixer’. He is a master of all things mechanical and electronic. Chase also encounters Eve again. She had been the love of his life while he was at the Academy.

All does not go well for the Piecers and their allies. They find that a human traitor has been behind the Klix attack. Their struggle against the Klix puts them all at risk more than once.

I enjoyed the 8+ hours I spent reading this 280-page science fiction novel. There were a lot of ‘details’ that were ignored in this novel. That said, I enjoyed it. It was a fun read. It reminded me of the kind of science fiction written in the 50s and 60s. The plot wasn’t complex and the action kept the story moving along. The cover art isn’t the greatest, but it is OK. I give this novel a 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “The Saints of Salvation”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Peter F. Hamilton published the novel “The Saints of Salvation” in 2020. He has published more than 20 novels. This is the third novel in his “The Salvation Sequence” series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence and mature language. The story is set in the far future. The Olyix have attacked Earth and several other worlds. They have a religious mission. They want to bring all sentient life to its God at the End of Time.

There are several characters that play an important role in this novel. The time span covers many years. A very secret spy mission takes some of the characters deep into the Olyix domain. They are part of the key to defeating the Olyix, providing a signal for humanity to follow.

Humanity has gathered a fleet like no other. They are about to attack the Olyix. If they fail, humanity, if it survives, will be relegated to the dark spaces between the stars.

I enjoyed the 16+ hours I spent reading this 516-page science fiction novel. The novel seemed to have a slow start. it did get much better after the first 25%. I found it a little hard to read as it jumped around in time. It definitely makes far more sense if you have read the prior books. I, fortunately, have read book 2 “Salvation Lost”. I like the cover art, though it doesn’t relate to the story. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Archangel One”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Evan Currie (http://evancurrie.ca) published the novel “Archangel Rising” in 2020. Mr. Currie has published nearly 20 novels. This is the second novel in his “Archangel One” series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the far future. This is the continuing story of the Archangel Squadron.

This mission is different for the Archangels. Captain Steph Michaels and his crew take the role of privateers. They have established themselves in the Free Star systems. His latest task is to seize an enemy outpost rich in precious minerals. The simple mission turns more difficult when he realized thousands of hostages are held at the outpost. Michaels’ decision makes the Archangels more vulnerable to the Free Star forces. It also brings unwanted attention from the Empire.

I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 281-page science fiction novel. I have read several of Currie’s other novels and they are all very enjoyable. While Michaels is the primary character, several other characters are significant. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Secret Frontier”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Tom Dyne (https://tomdyne.com) published the novel “Secret Frontier” in 2019. This is his first novel.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the not too distant future. The primary characters are Darin Armacite and Tera Arkwright.
Armacite died on Earth from suicide. At least that is what his friends and family believe. Instead, he has been clandestinely transported to a secret Moon colony. Armacite meets Arkwright a brilliant young engineer and inventor. She becomes his only real friend. He also finds remnants of a distant relative in the form of an AI.

Everyone in the colony is to contribute to the good of the colony. Armacite tries to do his bit by joining the LDF (Lunar Defense Force). The missions he and the LDF are sent on do not make sense to Armacite. There seems to be a hidden agenda behind them. Armacite finds himself in danger more than once and must in the end take action to save Arkwright.

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 338-page science fiction novel. This story was a little on the weird side. I was tempted to call a Rule of 50 on it, but I did complete it. It was like there was a bit of tongue-in-cheek to it just below the surface. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Instrumental Music on YouTube: The Mandalorian

(See my other Music and Star Wars related posts) – I enjoyed season one of The Mandalorian and my wife and I are now viewing season two. If you have not heard of this Disney+ channel production, here is the synopsis per IMDB:

The travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.

If you like Star Wars you will enjoy this very well done live action series. It enjoys a 8.7/10 rating on IMDB. This piece of music, The Mandalorian was uploaded to YouTube in November 2019 by Ludwig Göransson. He is the composer.

Book Review: “Scornful Stars”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Richard Baker (https://richardbakerauthor.com/) published the novel “Scornful Stars” in 2019. He has published a dozen novels and this is the third in his “Breaker of Empires” series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and some Mature Situations. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is Captain Sikander Singh North. He commands the Aquilan Commonwealth destroyer Decisive.

The Decisive is cruising the Zerzura sector. It is known for pirate activity. With the Decisive and her sister vessels now on patrol, the hope is that commercial vessels will be protected. Pasha Marid al-Zahabi is the governor of the Zerzura sector. The Aquilan Commonwealth and the Empire of Dremark are seeking cooperation from him.

The Decisive is successful in the pursuit of pirates. Their success seems to come in-part from their deviation from the planned cruise. Somewhere a spy is revealing their itinerary.

North becomes involved with the diplomatic mission to Pasha Marid. He also meets young and beautiful Elena Pavon. Pavon’s family owns the Pegasus-Pavon international shipping line. Pegasus-Pavon ships have suffered from piracy in the sector. Also appearing is Dremark spy Otto Bleindel. Before long North must weave a careful path. Not only must he avoid diplomatic incidents, but he must contend with the pirates.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 13.5 hours I spent reading this 457-page science fiction novel. I have been fortunate to read both of the previous novels (Valiant Dust and Restless Lightning) in this series. All three have been very enjoyable. Most of the ‘supporting characters’ differ between the novels. North stays as the main character. I like his character. At one point in the novel, he thinks to himself “Leadership is about taking responsibility and setting examples”. I wish all our real leaders adhered to that philosophy. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Ancestral Night”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Elizabeth Bear (https://www.elizabethbear.com) published the novel “Ancestral Night” in 2019. This is book one of her “White Space” series. She has published more than 15 novels.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set well into the 24th century. The primary character is spacecraft engineer Haimey Dz.

Dz is one-third of a salvage crew. She, pilot Connla Kurucz, and the ship AI Singer make up the full crew. They look for human or alien relics which they sell to scratch out an existence. Their preferred hunting ground is a scar left by an unsuccessful ‘White Transition’.

While trying for that one ‘big score’ they make a surprising discovery. While Dz is exploring their find, a ‘pirate’ vessel attacks. She ends up marooned with pirate Zanya Farweather. Dz is attracted to the other woman but does not trust her.

Dz wonders if she will end up the prisoner or worse of the pirates. Dz and Farweather spend many days alone, but trust never comes.

I enjoyed the 17+ hours I spent reading this 493-page science fiction novel. I thought that the novel was a little odd. Most of it was slow and the character Dz spent much of the time chatting with herself. It was not very clear where the plot was headed. More time seemed to be spent on Dz thinking about her feeling and her life than on a plot. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Eve 2.0: The Ultimate Gaming Experience”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Winter Lawrence (https://www.winterlawrence.com/) published the novel “Eve 2.0: The Ultimate Gaming Experience” in 2019. Ms. Lawrence has published two novels. This is the first in her “The Gamer” series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains some scenes of Violence. The story is a combination of science fiction, romance, and action.

The primary character is High School student Guinevere “Gwen” or “Teddy” Nielson. Gwen is an avid gamer. Something she has in common with her boyfriend Pete Sampson. She isn’t quite sure if he is really her boyfriend as they live hundreds of miles apart. They also have never met face-to-face.

Next door to Gwen lives Ryan, her ex-boyfriend, along with his eight-year-old brother Ben. Gwen tries to avoid Ryan, but she likes the rest of the family. Things become very tangled when all four of the kids end up inside a Virtual Reality game. The game company Pete’s father owns developed it for the Department of Defense. Once inside, they go through many trials and tribulations as they attempt to survive. Meanwhile, their bodies have slipped into a deep coma.

I enjoyed the 8 hours I spent reading this 340-page young adult science fiction novel. The plot includes a little romance as well as factors that I don’t want to give away as spoilers. While there is action, it is pretty light-hearted and veery much in line with a young adult novel. The Middle School or High School student who is also a gamer would find this book of interest. There is already a second novel to the series in development. I do like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “The Jumpgate”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Robert Stadnik published the novel “The Jumpgate” in 2019. Mr. Stadnik has published 8 novels. This novel is set in the author’s “Exodus Universe”.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains some Mature Language. The story is set 120 years in the future.

In the author’s “Exodus” series rebels commandeer an experimental starship, the Phoenix. They are able to form the Alliance and free the human race from oppressive aliens.

Young Commander Jacob Diego was a member of that crew. He is one of the few who requested a transfer off of the Phoenix. Now he is the new Executive Officer for the Solara. It is 25 years old, yet the newest ship in the fleet.

The regular space force all look down on the crew of the Phoenix. Yes, they freed humanity, but they broke all the rules to accomplish that. Diego is faced with a major challenge to win the crew and officers of the Solara over.

A Jumpgate was discovered by the Phoenix on her way into deep space. The Solara along with a handful of Alliance ships are sent to investigate it. Captain Dewis of the Solara is seeing his time in command rapidly coming to an end. He is willing to put his ship and crew at risk to achieve acclaim. Will the crew of the Solara overcome their animosity and follow Diego as he attempts to bring them home?

I enjoyed the 7.5+ hours I spent reading this 237-page science fiction ‘space opera’ novel. While the plot isn’t unique it is engaging. I will look forward to other novels by Stadnik and may try to go back and read his previous works. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Annihilation Aria: Book One of the Space Operas”

(See all my Book Reviews and author Interviews) – Author Michael R. Underwood (http://michaelrunderwood.com) published the novel “Annihilation Aria: Book One of the Space Operas” in 2020. Mr. Underwood has published seven novels.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the far future. The primary characters are Earthling Max Walker and his alien wife Lahra Kevain.

Walker and Kevain, along with pilot Wheel, tavel in the ship Kettle looking for artifacts. Put simply, they are treasure hunters. They are desperately trying to stay solvent. Walker is trying to find his way home to Earth while Kevain is searching for the heir to her people’s throne.

While searching for their next ‘treasure’, they are involved in a rebellion. The Vsenk Empire controls most of the galaxy. The ancient artifact the couple find could be the weapon that devastates the Empire. Or it could be a ‘hammer’ that smashes all resistance if it falls into Empire hands.
The Empire will stop at little to posses the artifact.

I enjoyed the 9.5 hours I spent reading this 414-page science fiction novel. I liked the plot with a slightly different approach to Empire and rebelion. This is the second book by Mr. Underwood I have read (the other was Attack of the Geek). His writing style is a little different, but I have enjoyed both of the novels. The cover art is OK, but not the best. I give this novel a 4.2 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).