Tag Archives: Science Fiction

Review

Starhold

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I read this book a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. I liked the set up with an abandoned Earth being colonized by somebody else. Field does that irritating thing of putting a prologue on, naming it chapter 1, and then ignoring it for the rest of the book. Once you get that bit behind you, it’s a ripping yarn.

Again, it’s the characters — Frank Carr and Etta Sanchez — that kept me going. The plot unfolds nicely and the war-fleet adds just enough tension. Can they finish their mission in time?

I just noticed that there are two more books in the series and I’ve grabbed a sample of book 2 because I want to see what happens next. Perhaps you might grab a sample of book 1 to see what happened first.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Implied Spaces

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You know that thing when people put their fingers together at their temples and make a little explosion sound and the hand gesture? Yeah. That one. Walter Jon Williams is that guy. He’s an old school (a year younger than I am) and been publishing his stuff since the 80s. He’s one of The Names to conjure with and I haven’t read anything like enough of his stuff. Now that he’s publishing it on his own, a lot more of his work is available to me.

Implied Spaces is a trip. It starts in a desert that reminds me a lot of Robert E. Howard and progresses … well … let’s just say it progresses from there. I’ll leave it to you to discover where it goes, but suffice it to say, you’re probably not going to guess from the first few paragraphs. Even after you meet his cat.

So, grab a sample and find a solid seat. This one is going to take you for a ride. Don’t believe me? Grab a sample and see for yourself.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Mercenary Instinct

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I stumbled on this title back at the end of 2014. I’ve been reading Ruby Lionsdrake ever since. She has a deft touch with characters and plot as well as an engaging style that pulls me into the story and on to the end without fail.

This first book in the five book Mandrake Company sets the stage when Viktor Mandrake – mercenary captain meets – and eventually captures – Ankari Markovich. While there’s enough military SF happening to keep the pew-pew in me satisfied, there’s enough story in it to keep my brain engaged. Oh, as a bonus, this is actually a darn fine example of SF/R (the R is for Romance) and Lionsdrake does it better than most.

There’s a risk when an author mashes up two seeming disparate genres. The result has the potential to alienate two audiences instead of just one. Lately the SF/R community has been growing from the likes of Susan Grant, Linnea Sinclair, and Ann Aguirre, and Catherine Asaro (some of my favorites). Ruby Lionsdrake is one of the major players in this space.

But – as always – don’t take my word for it. Why not give this one a chance? Grab a sample and see what you think.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

The Sculpted Ship

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Somebody over at the Space Opera FB group recommended this, I think. I grabbed it a few weeks ago and I loved it.

The plot starts with Anailu Xindar getting bumped from her job and forced to find alternate employ. She finds the ship of her dreams in the back lot of a used space ship yard — a ship she’s dreamed of her whole life. The problem? It’s dead or at least appears that way until Ana starts poking about under the hood. She manages to strike a deal … and anything else would probably be a spoiler.

The many characters are sometimes a bit cardboardy. The plot doesn’t run straight through, but takes a number of turns as it leads from first page to last. Ana seems a little Mary Sue-ish at times but none of those things diminished my enjoyment of the story. The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that the next book isn’t available yet.

If you’re looking for a feel-good read, K.M. O’Brien’s Sculpted Ship is worth sampling to see whether or not it’s something you’d like.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

The Terran Privateer

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I’ve been following Glynn’s work since I got turned on by Space Carrier Avalon and Starship Mage. We were going to be in a box this month, until Amazon’s decided that wasn’t going to happen. I admire Glynn’s work and his ability to turn out great stories.

The Terran Privateer is a military sf with a good dollop of intrigue stirred into the action. When Earth is conquered, Annette Bond is left in command of the only warship left and her mission seems impossible. Glynn spins out a yarn where things are seldom what they seem and where the story changes dramatically with each new reveal. I enjoyed it so much I was disappointed when the sequel wasn’t available.

I’ve heard a rumor that book two might be coming out soon, which would make this a good time to grab a sample of The Terran Privateer and see what you think.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Suave Rob’s Double-X Derring Do

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Dan’s a friend and colleague. He does my covers and we’re negotiating on having him produce some audio for me. In spite of that, I’m going to review this book. He’ll laugh because he knows I hate it.

Yeah. You read that correctly. I hate this book. More precisely I hate Rob. Rob’s a jerk. Ego-centric. Stupidly self-absorbed. Dan calls Rob a magnificent bastard. I just call him aggravating. Complete and total schmuck.

To be clear, I read the whole book – not just because Dan’s a friend – but because I wanted to see what stupidity would result from this twerp’s efforts at being a post modern, deep-space Evil Knieval. I read it all the way through, detesting this character and the problems he brought on himself. I still think about this book, years later.

And that’s why I’m reviewing it. Dan’s a master. He set out to make a thoroughly unlikable character as protagonist of an engaging story. He succeeded. There’s a lesson there and maybe I’m just not the right audience for this kind of anti-hero. Maybe there’s an audience for something this aggravating.

So, grab a sample and see if you hate it as much as I do.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Vick’s Vultures

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I don’t know where I got this book. It was a recent purchase and, while I like a good military sf, I wasn’t prepared for this universe.

Captain Victoria Marin finds herself trying to keep her privateer flying by scavenging the wrecks of the power players in the galaxy. Humans aren’t one of the power players, but rather find themselves as the pre-historic shrews among galactic dinosaurs. When a distress call takes her to a “hot wreck,” she finds herself being hunted among the stars by the alpha predator. She’s left to fend for herself to keep her people alive and fulfill her mission. Pretty normal pew-pew stuff really.

But it’s the characters. It’s always the characters. From the captain to the pilot, from the crazed engineer to the xeno prince, they’re all compelling. The plot unfolded with precision but the characters – and an interesting universe – kept me turning the pages.

That’s the good news. The bad news is book two isn’t available.

I’ll be watching Scott Warren’s releases for the next volume, but in the meantime, maybe grab a sample and see what you think.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

The Rookie

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Sigler is a friend of mine. We’ve known each other online since I started ten years ago and I’ve met him in person a couple of times. He’s a good guy but that’s not why I’m reviewing The Rookie.

Every so often a book comes along that just reaches out and grabs your interest. A lot of my fans already know about Sigler, Quentin Barnes, and the Galactic Football League. If you’ve not met them yet, now’s your chance. The Rookie begins the saga of rookie quarterback Quentin Barnes (yes, QB the QB). Even if you don’t like sports or football – or maybe especially if you don’t like sports or football – this isn’t a book about sport or football. Sure there’s football in there, but the story is about Barnes, his growth as a team player and captain of the Ionath Krakens. It’s more about the characters – I can’t really call them people, because a lot of them aren’t human. These characters reached out and grabbed me by the nose and dragged me through the seasons.

I can’t recommend this series highly enough. The Rookie is a 99cent investment, but maybe grab a sample and see what you think. Ready? On three!

PS: If you’d rather stick it in your ear, the book is available in audio for free at Podiobooks.com.

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]

Review

Torchship

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Torchship is a mix of civilian and military space opera, leaning mostly on the civilian side. The background of the universe is that Earth and some of its original colonies have been lost to the nightmare combination of out-of-control Artificial Intelligence and grey-goo nanotech. That has left Earth’s remaining colonies in two factions, divided over their varying levels of AI paranoia, and it has also left a lot of spaceships doing navigation with sextants and pencil-and-paper math. Out protagonist Michigan Long is one of those navigators, and she flies on the Fives Full under the command of Captain Schwartzenberger, though there are strong hints that she has her own agenda.

We see an interesting mix of various freight and tourism missions before they have a chance at the brass ring. A client wants to recover his family’s long-lost treasure trove of ancient Earth artifacts hidden on a comet in AI-controlled space. Meanwhile a crazed group of pilgrims want to charter a mission to Earth itself to be uplifted/absorbed into what they are convinced is still a well-meaning AI group-consciousness. It’s a dangerous mission to be sure, but the reward is potentially great.

I really enjoyed the mix of characters as well as seeing some of the old tropes of space opera shown in a new and interesting light. There’s a sequel out already, so I look forward to checking it out as well.

About the reviewer:

dan_thompsonDan Thompson started writing fiction at the age of ten. Luckily for the world, all copies of that early Star Wars rip-off have been lost to time and Sith retaliation. Moving on from that six-page handwritten epic, he has self-published two books with more on the way – honest!

He lives near Austin with his wife and three children, drives old police cars, wears kilts when the weather permits, and is generally considered to be the weirdo next door. Fortunately, the neighbors don’t know how weird he really is.

Find out more about Dan at http://www.danthompsonwrites.com

Review

Ships Of My Fathers

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Dan Thompson and I have been trading online comms for a couple of years now, ever since he floated this cover for Ships Of My Fathers. I thought it was a confusing title, but it works. I read the story as soon as it came out and I’ve been waiting for the sequel ever since. The good news: He says it’ll be any day now. The bad news: It’s not today.

I’ve a soft spot in my heart for any SF novel with a trading ship background. When Malcolm Fletcher dies, he places his son Michael in a difficult situation. He’s inherited the ship but can’t fly it, but that’s the easy part. After that it gets dicey.

As always, I liked the characters. Dan sets up a universe filled with mystery and mayhem with a healthy dose of double-cross and skulduggery to keep things moving along. If you grab a sample now, maybe he’ll have the sequel out before you’ve finished.

It could happen…

About the reviewer:

NathanLowell_150x150Nathan Lowell has been writing science fiction and fantasy most of his life. He started publishing in 2007 and has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Learn more about Nathan Lowell and his works at http://nathanlowell.com

[Note: You’re seeing more reviews from me because fellow authors aren’t sending reviews of the books they like. If you’re an author, consider the submitting a review about an indie book you loved. The submission guidelines link is at the top of this page.]