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Beyond #2

Two Suns

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They were coming. It wasn't so much the sound that revealed them. It was the subtle vibration of the ground beneath his feet, like the percussion of a distant explosion. It was their march. The dead tread of stone against sand. A ghostly gait of menace.

Alone in a desert world...a world he once called home, Zak is now a damaged man. Reckless in his battle against the creatures that destroyed his family, he roams under the glare of the two suns, seeing phantoms--seeing Aimee.

Five years had passed since Aimee Patterson left the man she loved. For five long years she traveled the path of life, always waiting--always looking to the stars, knowing, hoping, that one day he would return for her.

And today was that day...

347 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2013

21 people are currently reading
504 people want to read

About the author

Maureen A. Miller

32 books1,277 followers
USA TODAY bestselling author Maureen A. Miller worked in the software industry for fifteen years. She crawled around plant floors in a hard hat and safety glasses, hooking up computers to behemoth manufacturing machines. The job required extensive travel. The best form of escapism during those lengthy airport layovers became writing.

Maureen’s first novel, Widow's TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. After that, she became hooked on the genre. As hooked as she was, childhood fantasies still danced around in her head––little voices calling for her to write the young adult science fiction BEYOND series. To her, it was still romantic suspense…just on another planet!

Maureen is a wife. A mother of a crazy Corgi. A lover of mozzarella. And she truly believes there is a portal to outer space somewhere in her house.

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5 stars
129 (42%)
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111 (36%)
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59 (19%)
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6 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Amy R.
592 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2013
Typically I am not a science fiction reader. It is not something that really interests me all that much, however, as I continue to learn, it is all about the story. I love Maureen A. Miller's romantic suspense books and her writing in general so I thought I would give her Beyond series a shot. I loved Beyond. It was so fascinating to me how she could come up with such a world in outer space and the ending to the story left me ready for more.

In Beyond: Two Suns, we find Aimee and Zak wanting nothing more than to get back to one another. Fives years has gone by and a lot has happened. When Aimee boards the Horus ship again anticipating quite the reunion with Zak, the love of her life, she is in for a surprise. He isn't there. It is now her mission to rescue him from his home planet. No one thought she could do it. She is a girl after all and other Warriors had already tried and failed. Well, when a woman is in love, not much stops her!

Maureen did a great job with the transition of the previous story and characters into this one. Aimee is in her late 20's now and isn't the innocent girl she once was. She knows the power she has to make things happen and uses that. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for that reunion between Aimee and Zak and I was not disappointed when it finally happened. I loved watching the two of them navigate through their current situation with absolute support of one another, no questions asked. There is a lot going on in Beyond: Two Suns and all the wonderful descriptions that Maureen provides has you hanging on every word. Even the battle scenes will have your eyes wide because you don't want to miss a thing, as it moves quickly. The sweet romantic parts are some of the best.

While reading this book I felt a wide range of emotions for Aimee, Zak and several others. There is a heartwarming, emotional reunion in the story that is simply awesome. You get to watch a group of people who have been kicked out of their homeland stand firm together to fight the enemy with nothing but their sheer will and determination. You get to watch love between two people that does not fade over time but just grow stronger. If you are looking for a captivating fantasy romance that takes you away from the realities of Earth, I highly recommend Beyond: Two Suns!
28 reviews
May 29, 2013
I was fortunate enough to receive this book through Goodreads First Reads and I am so glad I did. I had never heard of Maureen Miller or read any of her books before. I am now hooked. After finishing Beyond I immediately started Beyond: Two Suns and couldn't stop until I had finished it. I never really thought I would enjoy books about space but this book changed that.

Beyond: Two Suns continues the story of Aimee Patterson although this book is told through the perspective of both Aimee and Zak. After waiting five years, Aimee is back on the Horus. She has spent those five years doing everything she promised Zak she would do until the day finally comes for her to go back to where she was first picked up by the Horus. When she arrives back on the Horus, though, she is in for a big shock. We follow the journeys that both Zak and Aimee go through before they are finally reunited.

While there are some definite errors in this book (for example, the repeated use of lie instead of lay) they weren't so bad that they detracted from the book itself. In fact, the more immersed I got with the book, the less I noticed the errors. There were also a few times when it would be confusing about whose point of view we were getting because it would jump back and forth so much. Other than those two things, the book was an enjoyable read. The plot was original and unpredictable. You never knew what was going to happen next and it kept you on the edge of your seat wanting to know more. If you have not yet started reading Maureen Miller's Beyond series, I very highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Debra Martin.
Author 28 books250 followers
May 7, 2013
Aimee and Zak - two people from different worlds, but with a love that spans the galaxy. It's been five long years since Aimee last saw Zak. He'd insisted that she go back to Earth and explain to her parents where she had been and, only then, would he return for her. She did as he asked and waited in the woods looking for the beam to lift her to the space ship Horus. Finally, it appeared, but Aimee got the shock of her young life. Zak wasn't on board and he was feared dead. Not believing that Zak was dead, she began to plan his rescue with a ragtag band of rejects aboard the Horus.

I've eagerly awaited this sequel and it was well worth it! Two Suns is a captivating and engrossing story of two people who would do anything to find each other including risking their own lives. They were incomplete shells alone. The author does a fantastic job of letting the reader feel Aimee and Zak's most inner thoughts and their determination not only to survive, but to heal their fractured hearts. The secondary characters add much to the story. I loved JOH--his declarations made me laugh. If you've ever suffered the pain and joy of a love so all-consuming that you could hardly breathe, you'll absolutely love the story of Aimee and Zak. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for J.P. Lane.
Author 2 books100 followers
December 11, 2014
Not being a young adult, a YA novel isn’t the first book I’d grab from the shelf. I downloaded this one through curiosity and curiosity eventuality made me open it and start reading. I had a very pleasant surprise. I loved this book.

Maureen Miller’s story of a young couple from different planets who fall in love takes you to the stars with detailed descriptions of an alien spaceship of unimaginable proportions cruising through the universe at mind-boggling speed. The survivors of a planet wiped out by disease live on this giant craft onto which Aimee Patterson has been beamed up from her home on Earth by a rogue scientist.

I won’t get into more detail about the story except to say Ms. Miller doesn’t fall into the cliché trap with her aliens. They’re an attractive humanoid race. And they’re considerate and hospitable. Yes, their enemies are your usual scary looking bad guy aliens, but this story isn’t so much about planetary wars as about how love can bridge even the differences between planets. If you’re looking for a well written sci-fi romance, I recommend Beyond.
Profile Image for Kea Alwang.
Author 6 books176 followers
May 23, 2013
For me, the mark of a good book is one that has the characters popping into your head long after you've read it. After reading Beyond, I found myself thinking about Aimee and Zak and their unique chemistry. So I couldn't wait for Beyond Two Suns to see them back together again. But Maureen Miller made me wait! She had some other scenarios and character relationships to set up and revisit first, and she did so via her flair for adding humor to the story and the development of Aimee's strong sense of self. Even though I was chomping at the bit to see Aimee and Zak together again, I enjoyed seeing how other characters had matured and developed. And when Aimee and Zak were brought back together, they did not disappoint! The best part about how the author crafted their relationship, is that in addition to their physical attraction to each other, Aimee and Zak's love for each other comes from so much more than that.
Profile Image for Amanda.
163 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2013
A wonderful follow-up to Beyond, this book takes the reader on an exciting, yet emotional journey as you follow more of Zak and Aimee's search for each other on a planet in ruins. I was roped in from the beginning and thoroughly enjoyed seeing where Ms. Miller took their story. This series is a must read for those who like a serving of romance with their sci-fi as Maureen never disappoints in either department.
Profile Image for Teri Heyer.
Author 4 books53 followers
May 19, 2013
'BEYOND: TWO SUNS' continues the out-of-this-world love and adventure sci-fi story of Aimee and Zak. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next book in the BEYOND series. This is a fast-paced, entertaining read. For the record, you'll enjoy Maureen A. Miller's other books too.
Profile Image for Maria Fledgling Author  Park.
972 reviews52 followers
February 18, 2022
Back to Ziritak

Aimee Patterson finishes her agreed upon five years back on Earth. She is now a mature woman with a degree in engineering. But she is determined to rendezvous with the Horus and see her beloved Zak again.

As she awaits the ship at the pickup spot in the woods, Aimee juggles the sadness of leaving her parents with her apprehension of seeing Zak again. As the time for the pickup goes past by a half hour, Aimee begins to panic.

Slowly, as Aimee's arms and feet go numb and she is drawn up to the Horus, hope is rekindled until she sees the faces of her old friends and finds out that Zak's ship went down on Ziritak and no rescue teams have been able to find him.

Beyond: Two Suns fills in more details about the people of Ziritak. And the epic battle they have and are fighting for the survival of their world.

Aimee's old friends, Raja and Gordeelum and a few new ones conspire to get her to Zak and try to rescue him. What an up and down, scary and joyful journey they make.

I've already purchased book three, I'm so invested in the lives of this group of warriors, I can't wait to see what's next for them!
199 reviews1 follower
September 30, 2018
A very good continuation of the story the sequel was just as good as the first one

The second novel opens up where the first one left off and five years time it's a very can good continuation of the first novel The Plot was completely predictable and carried out in a very good manner the story is good enough to buy and I'm looking forward to this third issue,
Profile Image for Kathy Locke.
380 reviews6 followers
May 12, 2021
Fantastic journey

I enjoyed the journey to Zak's home planet. He and his comrades along with two additional soon to be warriors help defeat the rock creatures. This story took on the adventure and comraderie of a group working together for a common purpose. It also included the true love story of Aimee and Zak battling alongside each other.
Profile Image for Lu.
251 reviews
October 21, 2017
Meh!
1. Awful cover! Seriously I dont understand who comes with this kind of covers. It is not that hard to create a cover that doesnt look like it was a cheap and last minute thing.
2. I really enjoy romantic stories but at times I felt that this was too much, slightly cheesy.
Profile Image for Jeanne Pocius Dorismond.
136 reviews2 followers
October 14, 2018
Aimee, Unbounded

Our heroine, Aimee, has graduated with her engineering degree and returns to the Horus to find Zak missing. The tale that ensues is eminently satisfying, with surprises and triumphs. Another A+. BRAVO!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
481 reviews8 followers
July 29, 2021
Rushed

This felt rushed to me in some places and it dragged in others. Their goodbyes were nonexistent and their homecoming barely mentioned, except the bad guy’s two cents which just felt random and unnecessary. Actually his whole existence in this sequel was unnecessary.
321 reviews3 followers
April 11, 2018
Great story

Good story with great characters, clean content, clean language and a unique plot. This is my second time to read it. I will read it again.
Profile Image for Erica Hernandez.
263 reviews5 followers
July 25, 2020
Genuine characters in sci fi splendor

Continues the story of Beyond with constant tension and beautiful imagery. From author (Evasion, Erica Hernández) to author - well done!
Profile Image for Melissa Frye.
Author 3 books53 followers
January 6, 2015
When I read Beyond last year I fell in love with the characters and the world Maureen A. Miller created. I was thrilled to receive a copy of the sequel, Beyond: Two Suns.

Synopsis taken from Goodreads: They were coming. It wasn't so much the sound that revealed them. It was the subtle vibration of the ground beneath his feet, like the percussion of a distant explosion. It was their march. The dead tread of stone against sand. A ghostly gait of menace.

Alone in a desert world...a world he once called home, Zak is now a damaged man. Reckless in his battle against the creatures that destroyed his family, he roams under the glare of the two suns, seeing phantoms--seeing Aimee.

Five years had passed since Aimee Patterson left the man she loved. For five long years she traveled the path of life, always waiting--always looking to the stars, knowing, hoping, that one day he would return for her.

And today was that day...


Miller again brings a fictional world to life in which the reader can easily become lost. All of the elements that I loved in the first book are there, however some of the charm is missing. As the bulk of the story doesn’t take place on the Horus, but rather on Zak’s home planet, I missed some of the subtleties.

The characters are older and more seasoned. Their obstacles are broader because they are on a planet and not confined to a space ship. New characters are introduced and again they have striking personalities. I’ve decided Miller is a master at creating characters.

While I can’t say I enjoyed reading Beyond: Two Suns as much as I did Beyond, it is a very good book and well worth reading. She’s also left an opening for another sequel. Should one be released, I’ll be among the first in line to read it.
Profile Image for Kathryn Svendsen.
468 reviews12 followers
March 25, 2015
Five years have passed and Aimee is picked up at the same spot where she was taken aboard the spaceship originally. Greeted by Vodu and Raja, she is bewildered because Zak is not there as he was supposed to be. Raja informs her later that Zak made her promise that if he did not return from his planet in time to be there when the Horus returned to Earth, that he wanted Raja to make sure to bring Aimee aboard the ship. Now that Aimee knows that Zak has not returned from his planet Ziratak, she intends to go there herself and rescue him since it seems that everyone else thinks he is dead even though they say they will send out another search party.

Beyond: Two Suns is the second book in this science fiction/romance trilogy. In this book we meet again some of the characters we got to know from the first book. Gordeelum, now a teenager, becomes Aimee's partner in the rescue attempt on Ziratak. The problem is that Aimee and Gordy do not have approval from Vodu to travel to Ziratak, or the Warrior skills necessary to fight off the Zirtakian enemies, the Korons.

Aimee's resourcefulness and charm comes to the forefront to help her get what she wants as the plot twists and we view the story from the narrator's viewpoint watching Aimee and then switching to Zak so we know what is happening in both places.

There are a couple of delightful surprises in the plot that I wasn't expecting but that is all I will tell you about them or I'll spoil the story for you. It does make me wonder however what might happen in the future (meaning book 3).

I find myself drawn to the character of Raja for some reason that I can't pinpoint. She is so quiet and helpful, producing medications and serums that are so useful. She has been such a faithful friend to Aimee; I would like to get to know her better.

I did find this episode of the trilogy to drag a little during some of the preparations for the voyage to Ziratak, but other than that, the pacing was very good.

Though there is some swearing in this novel, the romance is clean and I would consider this novel to be suitable for young adults and up. I gave Beyond:Two Suns 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...
Profile Image for Kimberly.
56 reviews3 followers
June 27, 2013
I read both Beyond and Beyond Two Suns. I enjoyed both books. I found them both to be page turners. I loved the characters and wanted to find out what happened to them. The second book is definitely better written than the first, most errors are grammar, etc. The only plot error in the first book is the passage of time. It feels like a couple of days but it is suppose to be much longer. I would recommend the books to anyone who enjoys young adult science fiction.
Profile Image for Fiorela.
776 reviews19 followers
September 5, 2016
Very nice read, this second book was really nice, a great sequel.

I like that Aimee is a very determined girl, she is back to the Horus and in search for a way to reach Zak and yeah there are lots of adventures here and more POV from Zak which is really nice, these two are a great couple.
Profile Image for Jess.
189 reviews14 followers
July 10, 2016
The author isn't a bad writer... but the conversations (for me) always read too cheesy and unrealistic. But I still enjoyed it for the most part. It's kinda ridiculous but I kinda like it. Easy/Breezy thing to read. :)
Profile Image for Desiree.
139 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2017
Ready for the next book

I just love the sappy romance of this YA Sci fi novel. It would make a good movie. Besides the romance, there is plenty of suspense and action that kept me on the edge and unable to stop reading.
Profile Image for T..
Author 13 books573 followers
August 28, 2014
I love this writer! The Beyond series is well written, fast paced, and contains great characters in a well constructed plot. I can't wait to get to the next book!
Profile Image for Samantha.
90 reviews7 followers
August 21, 2014
Book two of Zak and Aimee's story is wonderful! Thank you so much. Next onto book three!
Profile Image for Cristine.
169 reviews
September 1, 2014
3.5 Stars. Cheesier and not as exciting as thr first book, but worth the read. probably won't read the third book, though.
Profile Image for Marie.
202 reviews7 followers
December 2, 2015
A great way to spend an afternoon reading. Will definitely read Book 2 in the series.
Profile Image for Donna Roye.
40 reviews
January 15, 2017
Good Fast Read

An easy quick read for adults. Predictable ending, but a good story nevertheless. Looking forward to book 3 and Aimee and Zak's visit to earth.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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