The Saga of the Seven Suns: Veiled Alliances by Kevin J. Anderson

Book Description: Based on the legendary science-fiction series by acclaimed novelist Kevin J. Anderson, THE SAGA OF SEVEN SUNS: VEILED ALLIANCES acts as a revelatory prequel to the Saga novels Hidden Empire and A Forest of Stars. In this fantastical volume, the human race begins its expansion into outer space only to discover that for centuries a multitude of other planets have been interacting on a cosmic scale. Now as Earth attempts to become a player in this new arena, her ambassadors are thrust into a foreign world of alien life forms, backstabbing politics, lustful relationship, bitter feuds, family rivalries, and a deadly quest to become the supreme force in the universe.



Review 4 of 5 Stars:

The Saga of the Seven Suns series is a favorite in my household. So, when I saw that the prequel was out, the book I was had been reading was abandoned to the nightstand and I dove into one of my favorite universes. As a follower of the series I was pleased with Veiled Alliances and consider it an excellent addition to the story as a whole. For a new reader to the series, I would suggest starting at book one, Hidden Empire, as Veiled Alliances did have some spoilers for what comes in the series. The original series was a fantastic journey of exploration and I would definitely read the original books before going back to the prequel. However, I consider it a must have for the collection if you enjoyed the series. All in all it was a great read and a pleasant trip back to one of my favorite places.

Containment by Christian Cantrell

Book Blurb: As the Earth's ability to support human life begins to diminish at an alarming rate, the Global Space Agency is formed with a single mandate: protect humanity from extinction by colonizing the solar system as quickly as possible. Venus, being almost the same mass as Earth, is chosen over Mars as humanity’s first permanent steppingstone into the universe.

Arik Ockley is part of the first generation to be born and raised off-Earth. After a puzzling accident, Arik wakes up to find that his wife is almost three months pregnant. Since the colony’s environmental systems cannot safely support any increases in population, Arik immediately resumes his work on AP, or artificial photosynthesis, in order to save the life of his unborn child. Arik’s new and frantic research uncovers startling truths about the planet, and about the distorted reality the founders of the colony have constructed for Arik’s entire generation. Everything Arik has ever known is called into question, and he must figure out the right path for himself, his wife, and his unborn daughter.


Review 5 of 5 Stars:
Wow! Let me start by saying that I know I'm a science geek. My greatest challenge in writing this review is not to gush on what I've just finished reading and give it away with spoilers. So, I'm going to try to keep it simple. The main character was easy to relate to, the science was intriguing, and I loved the problem-solving aspect of the book as a whole. It was witty, had twists, mystery, deception and intrigue all wrapped into a great story. About 3/4 of the way through the book, I was hoping that my assumptions were correct about what was really happening as I sped forward to the conclusion. I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I tapped the screen the last time and there were no more pages. I tapped it twice more just to make sure. All in all this was a great read if you enjoy science fiction that is really based on science.

Serengeti by Peter Cawdron

 
Blurb: Serengeti is the first of three novellas exploring alternatives to the Rare Earth Hypothesis in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The Serengeti is a generation star-ship, venturing out above the Milky Way, searching for signs of alien intelligence. The crew discover far more about the nature of sentient life than they imagined possible.  

Review - 4 of 5 Stars:
I'd previously read Anomaly and had really enjoyed it. So, I was excited to read Serengeti. As I had hoped, Peter Cawdron did a good job writing Serengeti and it caught my interest right away. It suited me fine that it was heavy on science as it explored whether man should search for other life in the universe, among other things. I very much enjoy stories that make me think so the fact that it wasn't an action story did not bother me in the least. I especially liked that in addition to the scientific question being explored, it explored the reactions and feelings of the characters as they were faced with the reality of their small part in this ongoing project. There was plenty to think about. I'm also a sucker for a science fiction love story, even a heavily cerebral one. I read the whole thing in about two hours. I realize this novella is the first of the series, but it seemed as if it could have benefited from being expanded a bit more. I'm hoping that Mr. Cawdron will give us a little more story in the next one. I'm intrigued by what might have happened next. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed what I read and look forward to seeing the next one in the series.

The Fringe Worlds (The Human Chronicles - Book One) by T.R. Harris

Book Blurb: Adam Cain is an alien with an Attitude!

After all, how would you feel if you were abducted by aliens and transported into a strange, new universe away from your home, your family -- everything familiar to you? Would it make you happy? Not likely!

Now imagine you're stronger, faster and more coordinated than every alien you encounter. Would you start kicking some ass? Of course you would!

This is the story of Human superiority in the galaxy, a gritty, realistic profile of a young Navy SEAL who doesn't like aliens very much -- and he makes them pay for disrupting his happy life back on Earth!

Review - 4 of 5 Stars:
An interesting romp through the galaxy.

All in all this wasn't bad for light reading. It moved along at a pretty good clip for a book that was trying to set up for future books. The writing was good, the characters were interesting enough and it did offer a little different viewpoint of humans out in the universe. At times, though, it seemed like the author had watched a little too much Farscape during the writing process. Since that thought kept running through my head while I was reading it, I'm mentioning it here. I'm not going to go into why self-published authors should pay close attention to the editing process since it doesn't really affect the storyline. Having said that, there's every possibility that I'll read the next one just to find out what happened. I basically liked it, but have other books to finish before I get back to the series.

Tabloid Reporter to the Stars by Eric James Stone

Book Blurb: Lawrence Jensen is a disgraced science reporter forced to earn a living working for a tabloid. Then he wins the lottery to pick the journalist who will go on mankind's first interstellar mission. It's his shot at redemption -- but can he ever overcome his past?

Review - 3.5 of 5 Stars:
As you can probably tell from the title this wasn't a masterpiece of modern fiction to be passed down through the years, but it was fun. The writing was pretty good and all things considered I was not sorry that I had read it. It was fairly cheesy, but made me smile on more than one occasion and I did manage to make it all the way to the end.

Assault and Pepper by Tamar Myers

Book Blurb: It's a five-alarm frenzy as Magdalena Yoder and the rest of the congregation of the Beechy Grove Mennonite Church get ready for the annual chili supper cook-off. But just when the devout diners sit down to eat, beloved Reverend Schrock falls facedown into a pot of the savory stew. It seems someone slipped some peanut butter into the chili - knowing full well that the good reverend was deathly allergic to peanuts.

Review - 5 of 5 Stars:
Magdalena Yoder is a true mystery heroine that will keep you laughing...

I'm a murder mystery enthusiast to say the least. I actually read this book a couple of years ago, but I love the series and wanted to share it.

A friend gave me my first book about Magdelana Yoder, Mennonite bed and breakfast owner and part-time sleuth. It sat in the house for about a week before I picked it up. After I read the first one, I had to have the rest and Assault and Pepper did not disappoint. These books are quirky and laugh out loud funny (not stupid funny, but very smart humor), in addition to satisfying the mystery enthusiast's desire for a sleuth to catch the bad guy. Magdalena Yoder does it like no one else as she investigates a multitude of crimes in the Amish / Mennonite community of Hernia, PA. The characters are wonderful, peculiar, familiar...I can't even begin to explain it. You really have to read one for yourself. I've read tons of mysteries, but Tamar Myers' books are like a vacation. They are truly original and her sense of humor is spot on. I can only hope someone buys you one and that you too come to love these books as I have.

The Stolen Gospels by Brian Herbert

Book Blurb: Lori Vale, a rebellious teenager, is thrust into the middle of a violent religious conflict when her mother is murdered, and the girl is taken to a heavily guarded fortress in an ancient Greek monastery. There, a group of radical women is creating an earthshaking religious text, the Holy Women’s Bible. The new sacred book will include the Old Testament and the New Testament, edited to alter gospels that are detrimental to the interests of women, such as passages asserting that they should obey their husbands, remain silent in churches, and suffer the burden of Eve’s sins. 

A third section of the Holy Women’s Bible is the biggest bombshell, the Testament of the She-Apostles. It asserts that Jesus Christ had 24 apostles, not 12, and half were women called “she-apostles.” Eleven she-apostles have been reincarnated in modern times as female children, and are revealing new female-oriented gospels about the life of Jesus, stories they say were omitted from the Bible by male church authorities who decided what to include in the Bible and what to leave out of it, in order to assert the power and dominance of men over women.

The radical women have dangerous enemies, and Lori’s life is in grave peril, along with the lives of the remarkable female apostles of Jesus. . . .


Review - 5 of 5 Stars:
I just finished reading The Stolen Gospels by Brian Herbert and am just starting on The Lost Apostles. Brian Herbert has become a really good writer over the years and to-date I've enjoyed the majority of his books that I've read. I truly think it's a shame that Mr. Herbert was unable to publish this book through the conventional channels due to its controversial nature; however, I'm thrilled that he decided to e-publish it. It was a great read and I'm looking forward to finishing the second book in the series. I love the premise of this book and the way the subject matter was handled. The characters are varied and well thought out.

I live for socio-political books and this one definitely qualifies. I read the Race for God several years back and was happy to see Mr. Herbert's exploration of yet another touchy subject. I like thought-provoking fiction and thoroughly recommend this book.

Anomaly by Peter Cawdron

Book Blurb: Anomaly examines the prospect of an alien intelligence discovering life on Earth. The technological gulf between mankind and the alien species is measured in terms of millions of years. The only way to communicate is using science, but not everyone is so patient.

Mankind's first contact with an alien intelligence is far more radical than anyone has ever dared imagine. With a technological gap of millions of years, mankind is barely able to recognise the arrival of an alien space craft outside the gates of the United Nations in New York.


Review - 5 of 5 Stars:

I found Anomaly randomly when I was looking for something to read at lunch one day and consider it a fantastic purchase. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I'm currently reading Serengeti, another book by Peter Cawdron that I'm sure I'll be reviewing here when I've finished. The characters and hero of the book were vibrant, every day people, which greatly added to its charm and interest level in my opinion.

Anomaly was a great science fiction book. I loved that it was so different from other books I've read. It was truly original and fresh. The writing was tight and compact and I was especially intrigued by how the world as a whole reacted to the discovery of Earth by an alien intelligence that was patient enough to wait for us to learn about it. It was a smart book, rather than an action novel and I found it really difficult to put down. If you enjoy intelligent, fresh, speculative science fiction that makes you think, this book is for you!

I read to be entertained. If you share that view, then Peter Cawdron is definitely an author to watch for in the future.