Legacy

Event Group Thriller #6

by David L. Golemon

The New York Times bestselling author of Leviathan and Primeval is back at full throttle with an adrenaline-pumping addition to the Event Group Thriller Series.

The United States is ready to make a triumphant return to the moon, striking out boldly into the solar system in an attempt to regain the confidence of the heady days of the Apollo program. The first of what are to be many missions to the lunar surface was designed to find the frozen water needed to prepare to build a base to launch an assault on Mars.

But a shocking discovery at Shackleton Crater brings the first Prometheus mission to an abrupt halt. Remote robots uncover human skeletal remains and a base that had been destroyed countless millennia ago. The information is sent back to earth where forensic analysis at NASA reveals the corpse to be over seven hundred million years old.

A secret this devastating cannot be kept forever, and the news is leaked to the world. Soon nations are thrown into a head-long collision, pitting governments against their own citizens as the flames of fundamentalism start a conflagration that threatens to engulf the world as a race to return the moon is on.

The Event Group is tasked to unravel the mystery and to offer something that can either explain our ancient visitor or, at least, keep the world from descending into chaos. Colonel Jack Collins once again leads a team of the world's greatest scientists and philosophers on a journey that will take the Event Group to the airless world of space. But while a battle rages over the truth of our heritage, the Event Group realizes that this may not be humanity's war alone. Could something else—someone else—be coming to finish a war that they started almost a billion years ago?

Genres: Thriller, Science Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Action, Mystery, Military Fiction

624 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2011

About the author

David L. Golemon (a.k.a. David Lynn Golemon ) is the author of the Event Group Thrillers, including Event, Ancients, Leviathan and Primeval. Legend, the second book in the series, was nominated for a RITA award for paranormal fiction.

Golemon learned an early love of reading from his father, who told him that the written word, unlike other forms, allows readers to use their own minds, the greatest special effects machines of all—an idea Golemon still believes. The only thing he loves more than writing is research, especially historical research, and he sees the subtext of his Event novels as being that understanding history allows us to create a better future. Golemon grew up in Chino, California, and now makes his home in New York.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly the best book I have read so far this year. A killer read! Just amazing!!!

Even if you have not read the earlier Event Group book, you have to check this one out. I have enjoyed every book in the series. But this one is a monumental work of fiction.

[Jonathan Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It just keeps getting better and boarder in scope. Best book in the series so far.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting installment of the Event Group series. This time around, the group must work with the numerous world powers to reach for recent discoveries on the moon. However, there are nefarious forces at work to prevent the extraction of these "alien" discoveries. But the moon is not the only source of information on the ancient items and it is up Colonel Collins and the Event Group personnel and friends to uncover a secret hidden away in South America. Alien technology might be more than they can image.

I look forward to the next installment.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy is the sixth novel in David L. Golemon's popular Event Group series. In this novel, as in his others, there is a whole lot going on at the beginning that will all be tied together in the end. Legacy is really a sequel to the first Events Group novel, Event, and there will certainly be a third in this story arc. The description will give you an idea of the direction of the story.

I was anticipating reading this novel, and, while it certainly is action-packed, in some ways all the gun-fight and battles overwhelmed the science fiction elements that actually captured my interest. But, all in all, it is another strong addition to the series by Golemon. The mass market paperback edition also featured an excerpt from Ripper.

This is one of those books that you are going to eventually read if you're following the series. If you aren't a fan yet, you could always wait for the third book that will end the story arc continued here. Highly recommended for fans
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/

[R.K. King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great instalment of the exciting Event series.
Legacy is the first book in the series to act as a sequel. Not to the previous book, Primeval, though. Instead, it is continuing the story that was set up in the very first book, Event. For those who read that one, this book ties into Matchstick, and the implications of the greater galaxy out there.
While I found myself not as invested in the South America scenes of the book (except for what involved Garrison Lee), I was very much into the scenes that took place on the moon!
I haven't had the pleasure of reading many books that include battle scenes on the moon, and this book will be the bar example I'll always compare to.
Really looking forward to where the series goes from here.
My like order of the series so far;
1. Event
2. Legacy
3. Primeval
4. Ancients
5. Legend
6. Leviathan
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes

[Dee Haddrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally read 16/10/2011. Listened via Audible 14/04/2015 (listening made the ending even more emotional for me. I cannot say how much I love this series!)

Another excellent installment in the Event Group series. This time, the alien threat is back and it's up to the Event Group to save the planet again!! The story is always action-packed and fast-paced, but the best part for me is the interaction between the characters. The banter is funny and you can see that the characters genuinely caring for each other more and more. The romantic part of me would have liked a little more quality time for Jack and Sarah, but there was enough to show that the relationship is still going strong and moving forward. CAN. NOT. WAIT for the next book!!!

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I have read all of the series and this is one of the best. Once again I was almost in tears. I cried when I thought Jack died and in this one I cried when I thought Will was going to die. Can't wait for the next. This is a Must read series.

[Charis Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, interesting premise once I got over the unlikely bit about the guy surviving WWII and living that long, but it didn't grab me enough to run out and get more by this author or to read the rest in the series.

[Mailmanr5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the premise of humans being around a long, long time. Just suspend reality for a while & enjoy this adventure. After all-it IS fiction.

[Judith Trail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a totally fun premise and theory about how life began on Earth, involving a different configuration of our solar system, life on Mars and ancient humanoid ancestors. Lots of fun science, lots of military action, lots of delightfully improbable bad guys and familiar, likeable protagonists. I love a good speculative book on how life began, and the kind of science and technology that pre-existed human knowledge. We have a discovery on the moon of signs of prior advanced life and technology and a race to recover the artifacts left millions of years before. Various political agendas surface, and there is cooperation and discord over obtaining control over the artifacts both on the moon and deep in the Ecuadorian jungle, where similar evidence has been found. I am not sure how the protagonists travel all over the world, engage in physically demanding confrontations, receiving wounds and emotional shocks, and never seem to eat or sleep or otherwise stop the constant stress. Nevertheless, the book moves with a fantastic pace and Goleman keeps great teasers coming about the moon mysteries to keep you glued to the book. Very energizing and engaging read.

[Tom Mahan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy, I had such high hopes for this one. The premise of the story was gangbusters. An unmanned expedition to the moon uncovers ancient human remains! What a fantastic start, you can imagine all the plot lines from there. Unfortunately the book descends into the usual pulp props, starting of course with NAZIS, I can just see everyone from the authors agent to his editor saying you have to have nazis in there somehow, just make it work. Try tying human remains hundreds of thousands of years old and on the moon by the way to nazis. And then there is the terrorist who carries out attacks all over the globe one day after another. Can you just imagine his frequent flier miles? Such a great start, only to turn to the usual pulp suspects, and lose sight of what could have been a great story.

[Charlie Moses · Rating 2 out of 5]

Non-stop action? check. Suspense galore? check. Nazi plots? check. Improbable science? check. Murderous plotters? check. super-fuel rocks from the moon? check. Evil televangelists? check. Plus trips to the moon, and a whole lot of other improbable stuff. This is Golemon's stock in trade. And while it's thriller schlock, his characters are a couple of steps better than the cardboard characters you'll find in some other thriller series.

[Jessica Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy stepping into David L Golemon’s Event Group world. His books are always action packed and filled with rich imagination. I gave Legacy 4 out of 5 stars because I had a harder time getting invested in the story than normal. I think it was because I am more drawn to his books that have ties to myth or lore than the sci-fi element. That being said, the storyline was well paced and at times knuckle biting.

[Akina Blaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exhilarating ride that intertwines action, Sci-Fi, and mystery. Set in the future with an array of characters and side stories, with lots of historical events tied in. This one starts out a little slow but soon builds on everything leading to exciting ending. This is definitely plot based and not character driven. My first Event Group Thriller, would certainly be interested in reading the others.

[Mark Garn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Golemon never fails to deliver a fast paced thriller filled with likeable good guys, and bad guys who get what they deserve. The science is current and completely believable, and the action is over the top. I have all his books on my kindle, I read a couple books, then reward myself with one of his wonderful stories. I think the next one is "Ripper", I'm already tingling!

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to keep saying the same thing, this author is really good at getting your attention and keeping it throughout his book. Must read for anyone who likes authors like James Patterson, Preston/Child and Clive Cussler. Great work, different twist.

[Logan Weatherly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the worst of the event group books for me. It was slow paced and kind of boring. I’ve liked them all up to this one. Maybe the next one will be better. It also took me so long to read because I couldn’t get Into it and I’ve been working weird hours lately.

[Anjela Hendrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun as always

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one HECK of a great story! I haven’t enjoyed a book quite this much in a while! Highly recommended 😎👍🏼

[Michael Kott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non stop action but ... There's a thing as too much. Review to come.

[Gary S · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved the book...for me a bit to wordy

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of this series that I love but still, it was entertaining. This one actually ties up, apparently, with the next books so don't pass it up, read it so you can continue with the rest!

[Britt K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t get through it. I truly tried. Not bad but turns into so much action it’s difficult to go on.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was in a series of books and it follows the other book called Event. It was just as good as the other book. Definitely worth reading this writers books.

[Kimberly Houle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great adventure. I can't share to much with out giving spoilers but interesting way to bring in different parts of history to a story.

[Pat Pierce · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK for entertainment, horrible for science.

I see so many 5 star reviews for this book, and I can only guess that a) the publisher, author, and friends are seeding the reviews, or b) the fans of this author don't know much or care much about science.

I had fun reading it, but kept choking on the "science" fiction I was being asked to swallow.

For example, on the trip to the moon, the US spacecraft is described as moving at 34,000 miles per hour, and described as following in the same path as a European spacecraft that had gone to the moon a day or so earlier. This ESU spacecraft had sustained damage and was shedding parts which were hitting the US spacecraft, "Dugan never knew what hit him as the rubberized pad slammed into him at over 34,000 miles per hour." How many things are wrong with this? First, if you follow another ship in its orbit exactly, you are not going to end up on the moon, you'll end up at an empty spot in the moons orbit where the moon used to be when that other ship got there. If you travel to the moon a day after someone else, your orbit HAS to be completely different than theirs in order to end up where the moon will be when you get there. Second, if a ship in orbit sheds parts, the parts will float along side that ship and not stop dead, there is no possible way for the debris to stop dead so that the following ship would hit the debris at "34,000 miles per hour". Unless that ship is under power, and at a point in the orbit where you are going 34,000 mph, you would be probably slowing down to match speeds for the orbit around the moon where you wanted to stop, so the parts would go flying ahead of the damaged ship. Regardless, one ship following another to the moon a day later is not going to get pummeled by space junk from the first ship at a high relative velocity.

There were also contradictions within the bad science itself. For example, it is discovered in the novel, that a long time ago the Earth had three moons orbiting it, one is Mars, one is Luna, and the other blew up (became the asteroid belt, presumably). Then exactly two pages later, in an ancient DVD (don't even ask), "the Earth's largest moon appeared - Mars, almost opposite the Earth on the far side of the sun, but in exactly the same orbit." The definition of moon is a body that orbits its primary, so that would mean Mars was not a moon of Earth. Three paragraphs later, "the two moons appeared. The larger one looked to be about 300,000 miles from the rotating sphere of Mars and maybe 600,000 miles from the Earth and the moon they all new." The Earth orbits about 93 MILLION miles from the sun, if Mars is opposite in the same orbit, it would be about 186 million miles from Earth.

If you like fun/bad movies with exciting action and explosions, this book can be fun. I read it all the way through and may pick up another Event Group novel (this was my first, and the characters were developed enough I'd like to read more about them). I just hope the author can read some of these reviews, learn from his mistakes and do the research next time he wants to write this kind of stuff.

[Priscilla Del Gesso · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story, writing a little slow, not as smooth as i like. i like his books

[Daniel Rudge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another strong mix of action, adventure and (I hate to use the term) soft core science fiction in the Event group series. While the characters remain underdeveloped they are consistent with the rest of their characters in other books of the series. What makes Legacy so appealing is the premise, the skeletal remains of an astronaut found via video feed from automated rovers on the Moon's surface. While searching near the astronaut an unknown mineral is found and is remotely tested by one of the rovers. When water is poured on the surface of the rock and then blown dry by an oxygen blast from the rover, massive energy spikes are detected. Within seconds there is a blinding flash and when communication with one of the rovers is finally returned the scene reveals that a massive explosion has occurred and the remains of an underground city are discovered. This sets off a wild race between multiple countries to reach the Moon's surface and obtain the mineral for creating the ultimate weapon and controlling the world, or so it seems. There is also an old Nazi mine in Ecuador that may contain or may have at one time, some of the same material. As the military portion of the Event group tries to unravel the Nazi mystery, the science group is preparing to reach the surface of the moon. While you will have to suspend belief at times, Golemon does a great job of keeping the real reason for the race to the moon and the storming of the mine site is so important until the very end. Recommended for action/adventure lovers and those that enjoy a good thriller. Science fiction buffs should stay away as they will be disappointed by the lack of real science.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow start, but as with all of these Event Group thrillers, if you just hang in there the tension ramps up several notches and gallops to the finish. Good fun.

[Terry · Rating 1 out of 5]

A ludicrous premise (700 million year window) that required a sustained suspension of belief. I read the entire book but...I just can't buy an underground martian base surviving the break up of the ancient super continent and the ensuing tectonic and volcanic upheavals, not to mention the incredible length of time involved and just plain erosion. It's an interesting idea but deifies credibility. A few aeons; even 4 or 5 millennium might be believable but not this preposterous period of time. This might work for Stan Lee but it's too childish for literature.

I've never been a fan of the "Dirk Pitt" type of protagonist. Too cartoon-like for me. I like my heroes to be flawed like everyone else; battling through adversity both personal and in the story line.People with such amazing attributes do not exist in real life; at least in my 60+ years of experience.We all like our heroes but the current 24/7/365 media microscope has managed to defame or destroy most everyone with any potential aspirations to hero worship in the public eye.

The star (Colonel Jack Collins etc.)members of the Event Group are close to falling into this category. Sorry Mr Golemon. Not this time.