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Terran Chronicles #1
First Contact
The adventure you’re about to embark upon is one of discovery and hope, as humanity comes to terms with its ‘First Contact’. When a fleet of spaceships arrives in orbit, it raises a number of compelling questions. What brings them here? Are they friendly? What will happen to us? The visitors from space do not behave exactly how we expected them to. But then, what did we really expect to happen? With the intentions of our visitors not being fully known or understood, we are powerless to do more than become bystanders to our own fate. As the series unfolds we discover that many answers simply raise even more questions.
Earth's history is replete with examples of what happens when a powerful civilization meets a technologically inferior culture. The less advanced culture never comes away unaffected, at best they survive.
‘First Contact’ follows events around the world as we get to learn a little about the individuals that eventually form an intrepid core group. Through design and luck, these varied individuals find themselves working together. Some are military, some civilian, others we are not so sure what their roles are, just yet. Some of these people work with these alien visitors, others against, as is our way when faced with uncertainties.
The Terran Chronicles saga, with its twists and turns reveals humanity’s fate one step at a time. I do hope these words provoke your interest, as you take that first step with me and explore 'First Contact'.
Earth's history is replete with examples of what happens when a powerful civilization meets a technologically inferior culture. The less advanced culture never comes away unaffected, at best they survive.
‘First Contact’ follows events around the world as we get to learn a little about the individuals that eventually form an intrepid core group. Through design and luck, these varied individuals find themselves working together. Some are military, some civilian, others we are not so sure what their roles are, just yet. Some of these people work with these alien visitors, others against, as is our way when faced with uncertainties.
The Terran Chronicles saga, with its twists and turns reveals humanity’s fate one step at a time. I do hope these words provoke your interest, as you take that first step with me and explore 'First Contact'.
- GenresScience Fiction
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2012
8 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
James Jackson
14 books15 followersG'day Mates,
I am an 'Aussie' that has lived in Michigan, USA since 2001. The winter months are great for writing :)
The summer months are great for motor bike riding.
When not writing or riding, my time is spent playing a variety of PC games, usually, RTS or MMO's. :) Am starting to get to old and slow for first person shooters. The younguns have faster reflexes :(
I could rave on for a long time, but will restrain myself! See you on a forum or two :)
James
I am an 'Aussie' that has lived in Michigan, USA since 2001. The winter months are great for writing :)
The summer months are great for motor bike riding.
When not writing or riding, my time is spent playing a variety of PC games, usually, RTS or MMO's. :) Am starting to get to old and slow for first person shooters. The younguns have faster reflexes :(
I could rave on for a long time, but will restrain myself! See you on a forum or two :)
James
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 15, 2012
I managed to make it through 14% of this book before abandoning it. I found myself skimming on the second page as the worst description of a space battle I have ever seen just kept going and going. The writing was laughable when it wasn't atrocious. The author has absolutely no idea of grammar rules and doesn't know the difference between grizzly and grisly.
I always buy books without reading the sample first but that was certainly a mistake in this case. I am appalled that I gave this author $3.99 and I am taking my Kindle out to dinner to apologize for having infected it with this "book".
I always buy books without reading the sample first but that was certainly a mistake in this case. I am appalled that I gave this author $3.99 and I am taking my Kindle out to dinner to apologize for having infected it with this "book".
January 12, 2012
I finished the book and I really enjoyed it! The story is written from the view of muliple characters around the globe. This gives you a really interesting take on everything (politics, military, citizens, aliens ) that takes place. It was really hard to put down with all the questions swirling in my head. Eagerly awaiting book two!
If you pick up this book, and don't enjoy the first chapter, DO NOT STOP. You won't regret reading on.
If you pick up this book, and don't enjoy the first chapter, DO NOT STOP. You won't regret reading on.
May 29, 2024
An interesting take on the Alien Invasion/First Contact genre - badly in use of editing.
This is not the usual alien invasion story.... yes the aliens do arrive and kill all our satellites and a couple of cities, but then they start helping and educate the people and more or less leave us alone, where after they just leave without any explanation,
The rest of the story is concentrated on the humans trying to understand their technology, more or less a Big Dump Object (BDO) story like Rendevous With Rama
True to the title the story is told as a historic recollection, so even though we often get a 1. person view from some of the key persons, it's mostly told with historic distance to the events and often with vague comments that points to future complications, which are not always obvious.
The political implications and interaction between countries of earth is described very crude and naive and are cleary the weakes part of the book.
This is not the usual alien invasion story.... yes the aliens do arrive and kill all our satellites and a couple of cities, but then they start helping and educate the people and more or less leave us alone, where after they just leave without any explanation,
The rest of the story is concentrated on the humans trying to understand their technology, more or less a Big Dump Object (BDO) story like Rendevous With Rama
True to the title the story is told as a historic recollection, so even though we often get a 1. person view from some of the key persons, it's mostly told with historic distance to the events and often with vague comments that points to future complications, which are not always obvious.
The political implications and interaction between countries of earth is described very crude and naive and are cleary the weakes part of the book.
February 23, 2012
I must admit that I picked this book at random while browsing Amazon for a read......one of the best decisions I have made this year! A great story, told in a way that keeps you hanging on for more. Roll on book two!
April 12, 2012
Good story, kept me engaged, but the ending did not work for me. I liked jumping around to the different stories in different places through the short sub chapters, and found the writing style seemed to match that as well, kind of a staccato effect. However, the book could do with a really good edit - you can tell it is self published (get affect and effect straight please!)
It was a refreshingly different take on first contact, and modestly plausible (apart from the size of the spaceships!) I will likely read the sequel.
It was a refreshingly different take on first contact, and modestly plausible (apart from the size of the spaceships!) I will likely read the sequel.
May 15, 2012
It starts off with an author's introduction telling the reader how important this book is. The writing and story, however, do not match up even closely with that hype. It's written in present tense (like this review), which usually feels like a trick to create tension when an author is otherwise incapable of doing so. Together, this leaves me leaving a one-star review for a book I gave up on after the Kindle sample: not something I normally do, but I feel it needs some more realistic ratings here.
February 9, 2018
Fantastic storyline! I kept turning the pages and didn't want to stop. Got to the end and wanted more. Can't wait for the next book in the series!
August 28, 2015
A science-fiction wholly concerned with humanity’s first encounter with an alien race, First Contact is an interesting study into the human psychological response. The author uses a plot-driven story that spans numerous countries, environments, and people, while constructing a believable and yet mystifying alien race: the Gamin.
Numerous asteroids in space are soon suspected of being an alien attack and Earth finds itself paralysed and without response. Leaders of governments, motivated by self-interest, are in no cohesive shape to tackle the perceived threat…
First Contact starts with a detailed space battle, which was well-described and exciting; I felt I was really there, seeing the ships blast one another into submission using different tactics. The main narrative involved George Stanton, his wife and son. When George’s city is met with devastation, his family is left with nothing, until the Gamin aliens arrive with a massive spaceship, and then oddly start “recruiting” human workers. Wanting answers about the destruction of his city, George and his wife Lisa choose to work for the Gamin, whose alien ability to construct basic infrastructure is efficient. Through George, the reader sees Sharz, a Gamin, first hand. Sharz resembles George and Lisa in many ways, being kind, compassionate, and understanding. The Gamin relay messages through televisions to contact the human race directly. George’s perspective was what I liked most about First Contact because it focused purely on relations between humans and the Gamin.
First Contact is written in the present tense, and it took me a bit to get used to liking the style. It simplified some scenes and situations too much. However, further reading led me to conclude the tense wasn’t really the problem; it depended on the character and the focus of the plot. My enjoyment of First Contact was not consistent. There was a lot of explaining and many action scenes left my attention span wavering, especially with sub-characters Hayato and Radclyf. A lot of questions are posed about the Gamin, but few of them are answered. Most of the time, the reader is left with characters’ assumptions about Gamin motives, since they are not overtly hostile, social or co-operative.
When I had read 75% I realised that First Contact was extremely addictive and easy to read. The subject matter was very interesting, especially the ideas. Based on this fact, and my expectation that the sequel will be even better, I would certainly consider reading more from this author.
Numerous asteroids in space are soon suspected of being an alien attack and Earth finds itself paralysed and without response. Leaders of governments, motivated by self-interest, are in no cohesive shape to tackle the perceived threat…
First Contact starts with a detailed space battle, which was well-described and exciting; I felt I was really there, seeing the ships blast one another into submission using different tactics. The main narrative involved George Stanton, his wife and son. When George’s city is met with devastation, his family is left with nothing, until the Gamin aliens arrive with a massive spaceship, and then oddly start “recruiting” human workers. Wanting answers about the destruction of his city, George and his wife Lisa choose to work for the Gamin, whose alien ability to construct basic infrastructure is efficient. Through George, the reader sees Sharz, a Gamin, first hand. Sharz resembles George and Lisa in many ways, being kind, compassionate, and understanding. The Gamin relay messages through televisions to contact the human race directly. George’s perspective was what I liked most about First Contact because it focused purely on relations between humans and the Gamin.
First Contact is written in the present tense, and it took me a bit to get used to liking the style. It simplified some scenes and situations too much. However, further reading led me to conclude the tense wasn’t really the problem; it depended on the character and the focus of the plot. My enjoyment of First Contact was not consistent. There was a lot of explaining and many action scenes left my attention span wavering, especially with sub-characters Hayato and Radclyf. A lot of questions are posed about the Gamin, but few of them are answered. Most of the time, the reader is left with characters’ assumptions about Gamin motives, since they are not overtly hostile, social or co-operative.
When I had read 75% I realised that First Contact was extremely addictive and easy to read. The subject matter was very interesting, especially the ideas. Based on this fact, and my expectation that the sequel will be even better, I would certainly consider reading more from this author.
March 20, 2014
How would we handle it if aliens finally visited us and were not the friendliest of creatres? The Gamin have found Earth and are a far superior race than anything humans have yet to encounter. There are secrets, which we never discover in this first of a series, and then there are politics, which happen everywhere. Some humans rebel, some avoid, and some try to make the best of the situation.
James Jackson has done a fine job of creating a realistic story with endearing characters. George Stanton is my favorite by far and I find myself rooting for him throughout the entire novel and wishing more people were like him. The Gamin, Sharz, is also someone to keep an eye out for as he doesn't seem to be your typical alien. I love how Jackson does not use leaders name for the world's government, just titles, leaving the story to be able to assumed to be at anytime in our history.
Overall a great story and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
James Jackson has done a fine job of creating a realistic story with endearing characters. George Stanton is my favorite by far and I find myself rooting for him throughout the entire novel and wishing more people were like him. The Gamin, Sharz, is also someone to keep an eye out for as he doesn't seem to be your typical alien. I love how Jackson does not use leaders name for the world's government, just titles, leaving the story to be able to assumed to be at anytime in our history.
Overall a great story and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
January 6, 2013
When I finished reading this book I couldn't wait for the next one. I found it to be "INTRIGUING" to put it in one word. Every page leaves you eager for the next, and every answer brings more questions. This is a book you just can't put down! I highly recommend it to anyone, not just sci-fi fans but to anyone who likes an engaging, and captivating story!
May 23, 2012
I gave up trying to force myself to finish it. Enough said.
April 28, 2013
Picked this book at random cause it was a good deal and I wasn't disappointed. Loved the story enough that I bought the next book and I think that one is even better.
April 10, 2014
This book surprised me in how quickly and enjoyable it was to read. I definitely recommend it to all who are fans of sci-fi.
October 7, 2015
Awesome plot
Writing is a bit pedantic but awesome terrific plot. Wish he'd write like we talk everyday and describe stuff. But still the speed of story is great and a page turner.
Writing is a bit pedantic but awesome terrific plot. Wish he'd write like we talk everyday and describe stuff. But still the speed of story is great and a page turner.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews