Astra: The Reckoning

by Lisa Eskra

A year ago, Magnius Zoleki struggled with a life of boredom and an unhappy marriage. These days, he'd take those problems in a heartbeat. After fleeing New England, Magnius and Amii arrive on Barnard a decaying trade outpost on the edge of oblivion. One misstep sends them hiding in places vagrants refuse to tread, all while they plot to rescue her father from the alien mothership. Her plan is nothing short of audacious—if they manage to stay under the radar long enough to execute it. To add to their troubles, the crisis with Xur reaches critical proportions. The Allied Confederacy refuses their demand for unconditional surrender, plunging them into a brand of warfare Astra has never experienced. Magnius and Amii try to stay neutral but get caught between the two sides and swept into the struggle. It's the beginning of a war that might kill everyone he holds most dear. The last place he wants to be is on the wrong side, and if that doesn't tear apart what remains of his sanity, Amii Martin will. The Reckoning is the second novel in the Astra saga, a story that follows in the epic tradition of Cyteen and Dune.

Genres: Science Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2011

About the author

Lisa Eskra graduated from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology with a master’s degree in Chemistry. Science fiction has inspired her imagination since childhood, cultivating a life-long fascination with the universe. She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs near Chicago — at least until an outpost is constructed on Mars.

ASTRA is an exciting sci-fi thriller that blends high-stakes drama with political intrigue in a white-knuckled ride through the known galaxy in 2310. Astra: Synchronicity, the first book in the Astra trilogy, is FREE for download at Amazon.com. Book two, Astra: The Reckoning, was released March 25th, followed by book three Astra: The Harrowing September 4th.

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Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story picks up where the last book left off and immediately launches you into the action. The plot is fast-paced and exciting, with many twists and turns. There were some twists in this book that left me breathless with surprise but at the same time made me go "ah ha! that all makes sense now!" I think it's great when an author can throw a twist into a story that is utterly unexpected and yet makes complete sense. It's even better when you didn't realize you were missing a part of the picture until the picture has become complete. It shows great finesse and shows that Eskra's plots are well-designed and her writing absolutely solid.

The characters, who were first introduced in Astra: Synchronicity, become even more real and grow in various ways. No one is static in this book and the characters are clearly being put to the test through this entire book. Each of the main characters has their own story arc that is connected to the main story, yet separate and individual at the same time. And don't think these changes are simple nor easy. There are many "growing pains" through this book and still obviously more to come. The main story arc is not complete and neither are the character arcs.

I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series! I can't wait to see where she takes these characters and this story next.