Bright Horizons

Bright Horizons #1

by Wilson Harp

Earth has made first contact with an alien race. At the historic first meeting, an ambush was launched that put peace for humanity out of reach. Colonel Kyle Martin was there that day. It was his leadership and the bravery of his marines that saved what little hope mankind had. When Earth was threatened with invasion, Martin again felt the weight of war pressing down on him.

Known as the Butcher of Hyderabad for his decisions in the Indian War, Martin seemed a poor choice to guard the peace but the perfect man to organize the forces of Earth to defend itself from the coming alien scourge.

With a select team of humans and a few allies among the alien races, Martin is tasked with not only defeating the invading armada, but with making sure that Earth is kept free from any alien domination.

Faced with impossible odds against an overwhelming foe with advanced technology, it is only a secret about Earth itself that gives Martin the glimmer of hope to succeed.

With his “lucky charm” Ramirez, his go-to girl Kitch, and an unshakable Sergeant Major, Martin rolls the die time after time in audacious gambles with the stakes being nothing less than the survival of the human race. Face-paced action awaits in this military sci-fi adventure.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Aliens, Ebooks, Amazon, Fantasy

274 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2012

About the author

Wilson Harp is a writer based out of the American Midwest. As a military brat, he traveled and met people from many cultures and backgrounds. Exposure to so many different views has led him to an appreciation of an eclectic collection of music, film and literature.

His sense of wonder at stories and folklore started young and continues to this day, often affecting the themes and ideas in his writing. In his works you will find the old fashioned ideas of virtue and honor as the lifeline that pulls many of his characters through the situations they often find themselves.

When he isn't writing, you can often find him trying to perfect the cooking of meat over an open flame.

You can visit his webpage at www.wilsonharpbooks.com

Reviews

[Наталья · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 50%

Все, надоело.

Вроде бы интересный сюжет, даже сойдет для голливудского блокбастера. Потому что:

- Американский шаттл был уничтожен инопланетными пиратами;
- Американцам вышла на первый контакт другая инопланетная раса;
- Американцы в тайне от всех полетели устанавливать дипломатические связи с дружественной расой чужих;
- Американцы оказались крайними в навязывании войны с агрессивной расой чужих;
- Американские военные возглавили контратаку и т.д.

Но во многом такой бред. Ладно, сначала умолчали о первом и втором контактах. Но потом молчать целый ГОД, пока петух не клюнул??? Да не может такого быть! Давно бы Штаты нахвастались перед планетой.

И когда объявлена война всему человечеству, остальные нации просто на подхвате??? Ну не могу такое читать..

[Midu Hadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for free, in exchange of an honest review, from Making Connections. Get your copy here.

the story was fast paced.

loved the sci-fi-ish parts, as much as the rest of it.

even though, the MC (Martin) was too smart, I still liked him.

the twist brought upon by the hidden weapon was really nicely done.

liked learning about the different alien races & their quirks.

Overall, a nice light sci-fi book for when you're in the mood for something different.

Also reviewed at:
Amazon
B&N
Shelfari

[G.G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first read the blurb, I thought it'd be something I'd love. I was so enthusiastic about it that I bought the first three books of the series. (I don't know if there are more.) However, after a while (more than a third in), I put the book aside. I didn't think I could finish it. Yet, I returned, but I found myself skimming fights, skipping descriptions, just to reach further. I hoped things would change, as I was still curious about how everything would end.

The thing is the book feels like a recap or like someone being debriefed. I liked the beginning where I could feel the stress from the humans meeting up with aliens for the first time. I was hoping to learn more about Lon and his species, but after that, everything felt rushed. Events were told with huge gaps in between and I lost any connection I might have had with some of the characters. From there, the book lost my interest. I mean, I still wanted to know, yet I wasn't sure it was worth the time.

One might think that the story was too fast pace for me, but I wouldn't go as far as to call it that. Detached might be more appropriate to describe how it made me feel. The idea of the story was great. I just didn't like the way it was delivered. My problem was that I found it hard to care for any of the characters. Still, I finished reading the story. I was too curious to stop. Since I already have the two other books, I might continue, but I'll need a break before I do (if I do).

I can only recommend this book to fans of military and maybe hard science fiction or someone who doesn't care too much about character development. Others might be very disappointed.

[Jenn Lile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the technical writing would have liked more of the chacters

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those that has been on my Kindle’s electronic “to be read” pile for about four years but I never got around to reading it; I wish I had, because it was a good weekend read. It’s not too over-the-top from a technology standpoint, and the author does a good job of having you feel as if you are part of the story. While there are two more books in the series, this one came to a logical conclusion and could stand on its own – and I will check out the next one in the series. I picked this up for free during a Kindle promotion vs. its regular price of $4.99 and felt like I received more than $4.99 worth of entertainment value out of it. If you like science fiction, I would recommend giving this one a try.

[K O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent sci-fi epic, highly recommend

I don’t want to give too many details in the review because this book has a great many surprises and interesting twists and aspects to it that are most enjoyed when discovered by the reader firsthand. Suffice it to say that if you like grand space adventures like Star Wars, Enders Game, Dune, etc., then you will enjoy this series. Great characters, fantastic aliens, multiple species, first contact situation, just a very enjoyable read.

[Stefanie]

Poor formatting and poor editing, assuming this was self-published. I was really trying to let the lackluster writing slide and just enjoy the adventure, but my ability to suspend disbelief ends when humans meet an alien race who has superior space travel but doesn't understand how a gun with bullets works and is blown away by the technology. Gave up on page 58.

[Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book

This was quite an interesting story and had me looking forward to what next. My only complaint was a little too much jargon about the military aspects of his story line.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The characters, the plot, everything. It reminded me a little of Stargate SG-1. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. Nicely done Mr Harp!

[Ray Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never a dull moment

Fast gripping action from start to finish.

Good to see that it is the start of a series. Another author to add to my list.

[Jerry Ricker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Interesting characters and plot. Great delivery of a good story. Story kind of short for a full novel but works

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very simple

Nice action, but simplistic situations and conclusions. More like a high schooler's basic English project than serious book. Quick read.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word: Mind bogglingly awesome. If you haven't read it, you have no idea what you missed.


Wow, I am honored to have read this power punch combo of sci-fi + adventure + action + bravery.
I am satisfied. I completed in 2 days. This is really great. It has everything in it. The main protagonist. Mr. Martin is like Adrian Tarn of the Tarn series. These kind of character are really rare to find in real life. SOmeone so focused.
Though I didn't like the partial story of Indian war and their plot to nuke U.S. with 342 Nuclear warheads. I'm from India, so I can definitely say this fact was disturbing.
And I hoped that General Martin could have been promoted as Admiral of Earth Fleet, cause the most sacrificed and lost and dedicated of them all was only him. But anyways all's well that ends well, He got the most important position any earthling could hope for in the end.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series; Eclipse.

I'm a hardcore sci-fi fanatic, and this was like a treat for me. Thank you for have written this.
I loved this book. Please read it to believe me. I'm at a loss of words to express my excitement, waiting for the next book.

[Georgina Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa!

A seriously detailed, very involved, highly advanced view of a future that is completely possible, easy to understand and a pleasure to digest with lots of action, theory, philosophy and perfectly placed "Wow" and "Awwww" moments. If you like Star Trek even a tiny bit, you will truly enjoy this book and keep wanting more even though the first one is so completely satisfying in and of itsself. Don't miss out!

[Antara · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Rating: 2.5/5
First Lines: It was a few minutes before 1500 when Colonel Kyle Martin strode into the outer office.

Review:
The story is set in 2042 and follows Colonel Kyle Martin and his team as they negotiate and deal with aliens.
It wasn't a bad book per se, but I didn't really enjoy it. While the concept was interesting, the approach didn't really appeal to me.
The book focused more on the events that followed and the military strategies taken rather than the exploration of the alien races (although the latter was present).

A bunch of scientific discoveries/inventions were made but known of them were explained in as much detail as I would have liked (even if the explanation was wacky pseudo science).

There were just too many things going on at once. They make contact with an alien race, start a war with another race, then the other race starts to attack Earth and then they (humans) wage a war on the other race...GAH. And then we find out that another alien race has been living on Earth all along. So.

An India-(America? America+Other People?) War was mentioned, from where Kyle got the 'Butcher of Hyderabad' nickname, but it seemed to have no other significance and was never explained in full detail.

To sum it up, it wasn't a bad book, the story was interesting and I didn't have to struggle to the end, but it just didn't tick any personal check-boxes.

[Raymond Crownover · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the style of classic science fiction

Bright Horizons reminded me most of some of the science fiction of the 1920s-40s in which humans were superior to all the technologically advanced aliens due to traits such as ingenuity, adaptability and courage. As a result the hostile aliens quickly fall before the earth forces (with some vital help from interstellar arms merchants in this case). Bright Horizons is military science fiction with a twist---almost all the battles occur "off stage" in the background of the story. As such it is military only in that the main character is a Marine Corps general, and the war serves as the environmental background against which we get to know him. I am not sure why I enjoyed this book so much. Solutions to problems were too easy, there is never any sense of real danger after the first few chapters, and a few events stretch the credibility of the reader (like the general missing the final battle of the war to personally go on a rescue mission to recover kidnapped humans). However, I did thoroughly enjoy reading it and couldn't wait to get back to it when I had to put it down. I will probably be buying the next installment, Eclipse (depending on how much it costs).

[Andrew Ferrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

First contact is made and the aliens have requested Earth to sign a treaty. In comes Colonel Kyle Martin, the "Butcher of Hyderabad", to head up the Marine led diplomatic mission. Building his team of the best of the best of the best (intentional repetition there) is not going to be easy, since his 'lucky charm' is serving 50 years in Leavenworth.

Once Kyle has assembled his team he embarks on a space mission every astronaut dreams of, to meet the first alien race. The meeting with the Hedali does not go fully as planned and suddenly Earth is thrust into a galactic world that had previously deemed humans not worth invading and subjugating.

Twists, turns, and a lot of science fiction technology staples abound in this fast paced adventure story. The problem for me was plausibility in some of the scenes. I was no military child, but even a laymen knows some of the procedures and protocol seem off. Chalk it up to aliens but everyone is a little too perfect. Character growth seems minimal at best.

Wilson Harp's Bright Horizons has a lot going for it my Gentle Readers. If you can put aside any preconceived thoughts on how the military worked, you can find things to enjoy in this book.

[Gary Clippinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

In the year 2042 aliens make contact with the Earth. A ship of marines and diplomats fly out to sign a treaty. Before it gets signed another alien race comes in firing weapons. A war-like race that has already taken over a dozen other worlds becomes our enemy and plans to invade our planet.

This is a good, fairly short story. It contains a bit of a new concept in chemistry that turns out to be an advantage that Earth needs to exploit. I would have liked to see the story filled out more and turned into a longer book. It is currently just over 200 pages and written almost in short bursts where a scene happens then we jump forward a ways in time for the next scene. The writing was very good and I would like to see more of it and have it flow together more.

[Timothy Bateson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The future has a Bright Horizon

The first of the Bright Horizon series is a fast paced read that draws you onward to the very end.
The government has been keeping secrets again, and one of them is that they have the means to reach other planets in the solar system within hours instead of months. When Colonel Martin Kyle, of the U.S. Marines, the infamous Butcher of Hyderabad, learns of this he has a choice to make, sign on for a mission into space, or finish out his prison sentence...
What follows on from this is a fast paced story that moves from first encounter with an alien race, and into defending them from an attack by another alien race. Questions are raised, new players are revealed, and the mysterious Mosar will play a factor in the rise, or fall of the human forces... But what is it? And why is it so important to the future?

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for agreeing to provide an honest review.

.It is March 31st 2042 and Colonel Kyle Martin, a United States Marine is called into a meeting and receives a new assignment that is truly shocking. There is life on other planets and it is his job to escort a diplomat to meet with them. Things do not go as planned.

I was fully prepared to hate this book. It seemed so far fetched. BUT BOY WAS I WRONG. I LOVED IT!!!
It became very real and I was drawn into it immediately. I was completely enthralled. I loved the characters, both human and most of the aliens. I read it in one sitting. I enjoyed the subtle jokes. I honestly can't say anything but read it.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that I had on my Kindle for nearly 2 years. I kept putting it off because I'm not a huge sci-fi fan, and needed to be "in the mood" for it. I am so glad that I finally read it. I don't give 4 stars sparingly, so this says a lot about the story here. This is the first in a series, and while I'm not yet ready to commit to the entire set, this book was very good. It introduces us to a point in the future when Earth meets its first alien race. The story is well told and clips along at a good pace. There really aren't any slow points. The characters are well defined and it's as believable as it can be on the topic of alien treaties, accords, and wars. The technology is even good enough to suspend disbelief. Overall, a nice, easy, enjoyable read. Even if it is sci-fi

[Caddy Rowland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I don't often read science fiction, but when I do I always hope that the story isn't so science nerdy detailed that I find it a struggle to read. I wasn't disappointed here. The story moves briskly and the plot got my attention.

When I realized that the characters were military I wondered if they would all be cut of the same cloth, but you know what? There was enough of that to make them believable military characters BUT they each had their own unique personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Excellent characters.

I read this every morning while riding my exercise bike and looked forward to each session. I would not hesitate to recommend this book.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feeling good.

You want to feel great, get pumped up, feel some adrenalin....read this book. Well edited and well written. This author has a certain touch, one that is sorely missing in technical SciFi. The characters are heroes, things go amazingly well, but you don't get that sappy feeling that you are being cheated with having to suspend disbelief every other paragraph. You just feel good. I'm glad I stumbled across this book and you will be too.

[Vic Falconer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harp has a winner here

From the Space Shuttle to wrap drive in only a few years, with the help of our new alien friends. And Earth kicks ass in it's first foray into the greater galaxy as it takes on the local bully. A good story that is well paced with strong characters and interesting developments as mankind takes it's first steps onto the galactic stage. Well worth a look for any Sci-fi fans out there.

[Sandra Megyesi-hallas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read.

This is a quick but enjoyable book which starts with humanities first contact with other sentients in the galaxy. More of a light Star Wars adventure which I enjoyed. If you are looking for a deep intense story, this is not the book. If you want a fun read at a young adult level, this is worth your time and a few dollars of your money. I plan to buy the next book and see how this new galaxy shapes up.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was hesitant, i am a Doctor Who fan, but not much else. When i read, it is only books from church that my small group is doing, or a good mystery. This however, took my for a loop. after the first chapter i literally carried the book everywhere and coulsnt put it down. i am not a fast reader and i sometimes get the words mixed up, but i finished this in 8 days. that is my fastest time yet. Wilson Hapr is phenominal and you should get your hands on all his books. you wont regret you did.

[Debbie Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT SCI-FI

For a first novel, this is certainly one you can be proud of. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves action packed sci-fi. This shows the indomitable spirit that the earth has in defending theirs and other ways of life. Also you do not interrupt the storyline with technology explanations. Thank you for a great book, Danny Scott.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing First Contact story with twists.

Watch out Universe Humanity is coming and we're deadly. Follow through first contact to shared research to War due to arrogance of the aliens. A very intriguing story with a lot going on and more to come. Can't wait to read more in next book.

[Avi-Gil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got book for free on Kindle via BookBub.
Characters could be developed more and differentiated from one another. Some important plot points are skipped and only recounted in retrospect. Everything works out too well. Reads like a draft that could use some more work. I don't plan on reading the sequels.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was OK. It moved right along. The story concept was good.

On the other side of this, I found the writing rather flat. The story seemed rushed, as if I was looking at a bunch of photographs with little detail to flesh them out. There were gaps in the narrative that annoyed me, the continuity suffered for this (IMO).

This would probably have worked well as a graphic novel.