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Lokians #1
Beyond the End of the World
Book 1 Beyond the End of the World Your neighborhood exterminator can't handle these cockroaches...call Earth Navy. Captain O'Hara leads a special operations team aboard an alien ship. Thewls informed Earth Navy the monstrous Lokians, a race of alien roaches, are on the prowl. They ravage the galaxy in search of new technology with which they integrate to enhance their own abilities. Will the Human crew be enough to stop the alien threat? Why do the Thewls hold fast in their belief that Humans have met their benefactors, the travelers? Captain O'Hara charges across worlds unknown to save the galaxy.
- GenresScience Fiction
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2012
433 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Dennis
45 books144 followersDennis has been writing for 8 years and has accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. Apart from writing and creating some wonderful stories, he learned editing from working with Chuck Sambuchino. His creative skills are easily recognized in books like War and Glory where scifi and horror are mixed, or books like Cayneian, where fantasy and horror are mixed, but he also portrays a great many psychological and philosophical issues throughout his writing.
Producers can check his list of titles at his Kirkus proconnect page.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/author/...
Producers can check his list of titles at his Kirkus proconnect page.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/author/...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 10, 2017
I saw on Goodreads that Lokians 2 had just been re-released and the cover was super cool, so I went looking for the first title, Beyond the end of the World, Lokians 1. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was quite impressed. Beyond the End of the World reads like a Mass Effect video game, and being a gamer girl, I loved every minute of it, from the smexy Riley O'Hara to the gruesome, drool dripping Lokians, I was hooked.
There's a ton of action, and at times there's a ton of dialogue and exploration. It's the kind of balance you want in a book. From frozen, inhospitable, alien planets to sterile ships with freaky aliens, everything in the book was balanced.
In short, the Navy discovers some alien beacons. Then, they make contact with a race known as Thewls. The Thewls tell the Humans that there are dangerous aliens called Lokians, and the Thewls want to help the Humans in case of an impending Lokian attack, only thing is, the Thewls want something from earth.
They think that their old benefactors have something to do with Humans, but O'Hara and the crew talks the Thewls into searching elsewhere, and what they find is something both amazing and astonishing. If you like scifi, or if you just like to read period, I recommend Beyond the End of the World, Lokians 1. Awesome.
There's a ton of action, and at times there's a ton of dialogue and exploration. It's the kind of balance you want in a book. From frozen, inhospitable, alien planets to sterile ships with freaky aliens, everything in the book was balanced.
In short, the Navy discovers some alien beacons. Then, they make contact with a race known as Thewls. The Thewls tell the Humans that there are dangerous aliens called Lokians, and the Thewls want to help the Humans in case of an impending Lokian attack, only thing is, the Thewls want something from earth.
They think that their old benefactors have something to do with Humans, but O'Hara and the crew talks the Thewls into searching elsewhere, and what they find is something both amazing and astonishing. If you like scifi, or if you just like to read period, I recommend Beyond the End of the World, Lokians 1. Awesome.
October 20, 2014
4.0 of 5 stars – An Exciting Sci-Fi Military Thriller
(I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks, Aaron!)
This has everything you want in a good sci-fi: good and bad aliens, a fight for survival, friends and values, a little hung-over romantic tension, a young captain learning his command, some imaginative science and tech, and a fast-moving plot with some good battle scenes.
I particularly liked how Aaron Dennis crafted and described his sci-fi worlds – the locations, races, technology, scientific theories, plot. All believable, described just enough without overdoing it for the those of us without a science background, but I’m thinking probably enough to keep those latter folks engaged as well.
I liked the interaction between the two main races of humans and Thewls, and the alliance worked for me and made feel good. I do think the friendly and enemy aliens were a bit too standard – human-like beings and scary bugs. And I will say that there were quite a few characters on the human and Thewl teams to keep track of, which made for a nice variety in personalities but may have prevented a little more chance to develop the few key characters more. To Dennis’ credit, although I didn’t realize until I got there, at the end there were a glossary, dossier and other listings that would have helped.
Aaron Dennis’ style is straightforward, fast paced, and detailed where it needs to be. In the beginning, I thought the writing was a bit methodical and matter of fact, without much flair. As such, it was a bit slow at the start to develop the storyline, but picked up later as the book went into the action scenes, etc., so it was fine and I didn’t notice that as much. In fact, the plot developed nicely in an ebb and flow from action scene to action scene with pauses in between to catch your, and the characters to catch their, breaths.
All in all, an exciting and traditional sci-fi story, which was great for me.
(I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks, Aaron!)
This has everything you want in a good sci-fi: good and bad aliens, a fight for survival, friends and values, a little hung-over romantic tension, a young captain learning his command, some imaginative science and tech, and a fast-moving plot with some good battle scenes.
I particularly liked how Aaron Dennis crafted and described his sci-fi worlds – the locations, races, technology, scientific theories, plot. All believable, described just enough without overdoing it for the those of us without a science background, but I’m thinking probably enough to keep those latter folks engaged as well.
I liked the interaction between the two main races of humans and Thewls, and the alliance worked for me and made feel good. I do think the friendly and enemy aliens were a bit too standard – human-like beings and scary bugs. And I will say that there were quite a few characters on the human and Thewl teams to keep track of, which made for a nice variety in personalities but may have prevented a little more chance to develop the few key characters more. To Dennis’ credit, although I didn’t realize until I got there, at the end there were a glossary, dossier and other listings that would have helped.
Aaron Dennis’ style is straightforward, fast paced, and detailed where it needs to be. In the beginning, I thought the writing was a bit methodical and matter of fact, without much flair. As such, it was a bit slow at the start to develop the storyline, but picked up later as the book went into the action scenes, etc., so it was fine and I didn’t notice that as much. In fact, the plot developed nicely in an ebb and flow from action scene to action scene with pauses in between to catch your, and the characters to catch their, breaths.
All in all, an exciting and traditional sci-fi story, which was great for me.
August 11, 2012
Lokians: Beyond The End Of The World was an incredible read. This isn't the sort of book I would normally pick up for an entertaining read. I admit I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, particularly where aliens are involved. I liked the Star Wars movies, but beyond that I'm more of a history, fantasy or humor type of gal. Despite this fact, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Aaron Dennis creates a science fiction world that is both amazingly creative, yet believable at the same time. His cast of characters are absolutely believable, as are the series of events that lead up to this adventure. Even if you aren't a huge fan of science fiction, I think you will enjoy this book. It is deeply involved, the sort of story that makes you hope for more in the near future. I can't wait to read his next book.
January 10, 2013
Impossible to put down, the author has created a fascinating world of science fiction and fantasy. The characters are made up of different races, each having their own unique quirks. Although most of the characters are of a non-human species, their personalities and emotions are very human, which makes each and every one of them easily relatable. The story itself is an amazing adventure, making it fun, exciting and full of wonder and suspense. Rivaling any of the classic Star Wars or Star Trek journeys, this first in a very promising series will have readers of all genres falling in love from page one.
I was provided a copy of the book by BTS eMag for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review – all conclusions are my own responsibility.
I was provided a copy of the book by BTS eMag for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review – all conclusions are my own responsibility.
August 13, 2012
great book when I started reading it I could not put it down
March 17, 2015
It was an interesting world, nice description, good action.
September 10, 2012
The Lokians by Aaron Dennis
Reviewed by Dina Rae
The Lokians is a classic sci-fi adventure primarily focusing on four different races within the universe. First, there are the humans who currently travel through space and check out planets for research and colonization such as Eon. Then there are the Thewls, a race of red aliens with purple transparent veins. They can change colors based on their moods-especially if sexually attracted to another Thewl. Then there are the Lokian villains, giant roach-like conquerors who seem almost indestructible. Last, but certainly not least, are the time travelers. This race is the most mysterious. They obviously travel through time, but the author suggests they might have been responsible for creating humans. The story sets up an alliance between the humans and Thewls who plan on stopping the evil Lokians from taking over. A time traveler inadvertently gets involved. Without spoiling anything, the book has several battle scenes, military tactics, and even a budding romance for the main character, Captain O’Hara.
My Thoughts:
This is not the kind of book that I normally read. Certain scientific concepts tend to scare me off. Mr. Dennis has the acute ability to breakdown complex space and time theories into manageable comprehension for the scientifically challenged without breaking style or leading the reader into a ‘Sci-fi for Dummies’ novel. I loved how he included string theory, a concept that I at least think I now kind of understand. I appreciated the reference to Nibiru, a planet that might really exist. He also talks of magnetic fields, intricate space ships and colonies, elements, hydraulic pressure, worm holes, Gemini system, wavicles, space navigation, and much more with the ease of a veteran physics teacher. The excitement level never lets up as the Lokians keep coming back. As a bonus, the author sets up the end of the book as a glossary and character dossier. Clever! The author satisfies with complete resolution to the story while tipping his hat to New World Order and Bohemian Grove. (Now that’s more my language!) If you like Star Trek and space odyssey themed stories, this is the book for you! I loved it and was thoroughly entertained and even educated. 5/5 stars
Reviewed by Dina Rae
The Lokians is a classic sci-fi adventure primarily focusing on four different races within the universe. First, there are the humans who currently travel through space and check out planets for research and colonization such as Eon. Then there are the Thewls, a race of red aliens with purple transparent veins. They can change colors based on their moods-especially if sexually attracted to another Thewl. Then there are the Lokian villains, giant roach-like conquerors who seem almost indestructible. Last, but certainly not least, are the time travelers. This race is the most mysterious. They obviously travel through time, but the author suggests they might have been responsible for creating humans. The story sets up an alliance between the humans and Thewls who plan on stopping the evil Lokians from taking over. A time traveler inadvertently gets involved. Without spoiling anything, the book has several battle scenes, military tactics, and even a budding romance for the main character, Captain O’Hara.
My Thoughts:
This is not the kind of book that I normally read. Certain scientific concepts tend to scare me off. Mr. Dennis has the acute ability to breakdown complex space and time theories into manageable comprehension for the scientifically challenged without breaking style or leading the reader into a ‘Sci-fi for Dummies’ novel. I loved how he included string theory, a concept that I at least think I now kind of understand. I appreciated the reference to Nibiru, a planet that might really exist. He also talks of magnetic fields, intricate space ships and colonies, elements, hydraulic pressure, worm holes, Gemini system, wavicles, space navigation, and much more with the ease of a veteran physics teacher. The excitement level never lets up as the Lokians keep coming back. As a bonus, the author sets up the end of the book as a glossary and character dossier. Clever! The author satisfies with complete resolution to the story while tipping his hat to New World Order and Bohemian Grove. (Now that’s more my language!) If you like Star Trek and space odyssey themed stories, this is the book for you! I loved it and was thoroughly entertained and even educated. 5/5 stars
February 19, 2017
This was a Goodreads giveaway win.
I am not a great proofreader, but even I found more Editor’s proofreading oversights than I expected. They don't detract too much from the story, but I am not sure that is a blessing.
I think the story presentation would improve if the “Glossary”, “Dossier”, and perhaps a few other items at the back of the book were moved to the front of the story. It would have made getting used to the characters a bit easier and I might have related to them better. No, you don't get that sudden immersion into a new world feeling, but in his case it did not work for me anyway.
I found some of the references out of place. One hundred years from now, who would know anything about our thirty year old or so technology (DOS or the DeLorean)? And some of the word usage in the future was puzzling. I can't imagine someone wanting to be discrete about a fact as wanting to keep it on the “down low” one hundred years from now.
I found it hard to relate to the characters and their motivations. Okay, the Lokians are the bad guys, but why are they so bad and why do I care? Yes, they threaten the universe(s), but is that all? Why are the other species not able to figure it out on their own, without the help of a technologically backwards group like the Earthlings. There is that nonsense about the “Grays” that helped Earth, but I found that awfully weak.
The worst part is that this read too much like a sci fy movie. The action was uninspired. There was no logic or realism in the science or the weapons. I know some movies are better if you check your brain at the door when you take your seat, but books are not the same (for me). Attention to detail is why I enjoy reading.
This is intended to be Book 1 of a series. Perhaps the story writing will get better, but I don't think I will be following along.
Go out and have a Goodreads, just reserve this book for our “I got nothing else better to read” stack.
I am not a great proofreader, but even I found more Editor’s proofreading oversights than I expected. They don't detract too much from the story, but I am not sure that is a blessing.
I think the story presentation would improve if the “Glossary”, “Dossier”, and perhaps a few other items at the back of the book were moved to the front of the story. It would have made getting used to the characters a bit easier and I might have related to them better. No, you don't get that sudden immersion into a new world feeling, but in his case it did not work for me anyway.
I found some of the references out of place. One hundred years from now, who would know anything about our thirty year old or so technology (DOS or the DeLorean)? And some of the word usage in the future was puzzling. I can't imagine someone wanting to be discrete about a fact as wanting to keep it on the “down low” one hundred years from now.
I found it hard to relate to the characters and their motivations. Okay, the Lokians are the bad guys, but why are they so bad and why do I care? Yes, they threaten the universe(s), but is that all? Why are the other species not able to figure it out on their own, without the help of a technologically backwards group like the Earthlings. There is that nonsense about the “Grays” that helped Earth, but I found that awfully weak.
The worst part is that this read too much like a sci fy movie. The action was uninspired. There was no logic or realism in the science or the weapons. I know some movies are better if you check your brain at the door when you take your seat, but books are not the same (for me). Attention to detail is why I enjoy reading.
This is intended to be Book 1 of a series. Perhaps the story writing will get better, but I don't think I will be following along.
Go out and have a Goodreads, just reserve this book for our “I got nothing else better to read” stack.
January 23, 2017
Let my start off by saying that I already read and reviewd a Lokians story, but now that story makes more sense. Apparently there's a Lokians novel, which should probably be read first.
Captain O'Hara of Earth Navy leads a team to a planet, an alien planet the military wants to colonize. First the crew finds some old alien tech. The tech leads them to make first contact with a race called Thewls, which are unlike any aliens I've ever heard of. Really good job there.
Then these guys from The Bureau show up, which I guess they're supposed to be the MIB? Anyway, O'Hara and the crew team up with the Thewls because the humans are scared the Lokians, the Star Ship Trooper type aliens, are going to attack, and the Thewls want some help in finding a race called the travelers, which reminded my of Star Trek. So everyone gets together and when they search for the travelers on planet which happens to be in Earth's solar system, think Nibiru or PLanetX, they find something, but they run into the Lokians, which aren't just big nasty bugs, they're also spliced with other alien tech, so they like obliterate any opposition.
So, O'Hara and crew manage to kill off some of the Lokians, recover some alien tech that points to where the travelers went, and off they go again in search of the travelers.
Basically, it's a lot of run and gun type action. If you played Mass Effect, I think you'll like Lokians. It was really well written, and one thing I've noticed since reading books by Dennis is that all of his characters are completely different people, it's like they have their own mannerisms and ways of speaking. This isn't something I;ve run across too much before, which leads me to question why this book was self published.
Anyway, loved it, looking forward to the next, and I'll be going back to check out some of the other Lokian short stories.
Captain O'Hara of Earth Navy leads a team to a planet, an alien planet the military wants to colonize. First the crew finds some old alien tech. The tech leads them to make first contact with a race called Thewls, which are unlike any aliens I've ever heard of. Really good job there.
Then these guys from The Bureau show up, which I guess they're supposed to be the MIB? Anyway, O'Hara and the crew team up with the Thewls because the humans are scared the Lokians, the Star Ship Trooper type aliens, are going to attack, and the Thewls want some help in finding a race called the travelers, which reminded my of Star Trek. So everyone gets together and when they search for the travelers on planet which happens to be in Earth's solar system, think Nibiru or PLanetX, they find something, but they run into the Lokians, which aren't just big nasty bugs, they're also spliced with other alien tech, so they like obliterate any opposition.
So, O'Hara and crew manage to kill off some of the Lokians, recover some alien tech that points to where the travelers went, and off they go again in search of the travelers.
Basically, it's a lot of run and gun type action. If you played Mass Effect, I think you'll like Lokians. It was really well written, and one thing I've noticed since reading books by Dennis is that all of his characters are completely different people, it's like they have their own mannerisms and ways of speaking. This isn't something I;ve run across too much before, which leads me to question why this book was self published.
Anyway, loved it, looking forward to the next, and I'll be going back to check out some of the other Lokian short stories.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews