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Aurora Conspiracy: The Story Didn't End with a Crash ... the Epic Journey Began!

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The clock ticks down for 19-year-old Jesse Proctor as she embarks on a quest to discover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance into a windmill 10 years before--the very windmill conspiracy theorists believe an alien met fate with in 1897 in Aurora, Texas. Desperate to find answers, she uncovers an enigma--a dimension portal, which opens the doorway to some of the most mysterious places in the universe the Bermuda Triangle, the Pyramids of Giza and Atlantis. Could it also lead her to the love of her life?
After Jesse meets Aurelius, an alien from Planet Erebus, she discovers a secret that will throw her into the middle of an age-old war with the Celphians, who desires to extinguish the hybrid-infested human race. Danger and mayhem await them at every turn. To make matters worse, her mother is being held captive on Planet Celphi.
Or is she?
Quest of the Hybrid is the first book in the Aurora Conspiracy Trilogy .
Formerly titled Aurora The Story Didn’t End with a Crash…The Epic Journey Began! We listened to our readers and have refreshed the entire novel with new cover and title, more polish and all new scenes.
If you like Quest of the Hybrid, read the Aurora Conspiracy Prequel Series!

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2013

1 person is currently reading
334 people want to read

About the author

Ginger Gelsheimer

12 books61 followers
Ginger Gelsheimer (1973-) became part of the surf & ski writing team in 2009, when the Aurora Conspiracy franchise came to life over a great bottle of vino. What if he lived? And Aurelius was born.

With writing partner Christina Keats, she took a leap of faith and embarked on her own adventure of a lifetime with the Aurora Conspiracy trilogy, kicking her corporate job to the curb. Together, this surf and ski team has explored the outer limits of where life could actually take them. The freedom and boundary-less adventure in Aurora Conspiracy has truly become a reflection of the freedom they have demanded and achieved in their lives.

Ginger lives in Tampa, Florida where the ocean inspires imagination. She lives with her daughter and a house full of black furry animals and four huge fish in the pond.

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Ginger Gelsheimer.
Author 12 books61 followers
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August 17, 2013
I hope you have as much fun reading these characters as I did writing them. Who is your favorite? Mine in Marcus! I love him!
1,148 reviews39 followers
November 11, 2013
A spectacular sci-fi adventure that interweaves classic futuristic films and extraterrestrial stories

If you are a fan of science fiction such as Doctor Who, Stargate Atlantis and other book and movie franchises (namely Indiana Jones and the x-files), then you will find this novel incredibly exciting. As I plunged strait into the story I found myself lost within a world of alien invasion, apocalypse action and scarily scintillating adventure. This book is extremely fast-paced and so it did not take me long (merely a few hours) to read from page one to the end. I found the conspiracy theories and original locations utterly fascinating, hence I am intrigued as to where this story will go in the next instalment and sequel.

The Aurora conspiracy contains a colourful cast of characters, most memorable of which is Jesse, who’s a descendant from an alien that crashed into her family’s windmill in 1897. Jesse embarks on a journey to find her mother who disappeared into the same windmill ten years ago. After she discovers the key to reopen the portal, she travels through some of the most mysterious places in the universe including: the Bermuda Triangle, the Pyramids of Giza, Planet Erebus and Atlantis ... and time.

I loved how the author merges together elements of steampunk, fantasy fiction and sci-fi so as to produce something totally unique and like nothing I don’t think you would find upon a bookshelf to quite equal it. Well-written, exciting and dynamic the roller coaster of a ride that this novel takes you on is one that will delight a wide-range of reader.

*The only negative was that there was little description and background history to the characters and events within the book, therefore making it much shorter than I feelt the story could have been. It needs ‘fleshing out a bit’ so as to make you feel even more a part of the bigger picture, whereas when I read I felt it somewhat rushed in introductions to characters and brief encounters with other worlds. The author could have taken a tip from classic high/epic fantasy and explored about stretching the storyline even further, so that it was not such a quick read.*

Fans of Doctor Who and one of my favourite films National Treasure will simply love this story! Anyone looking to take a trip to infinity and beyond should definitely not hesitate in picking this book off the shelf.

*I won a copy of Ginger Gelsheimer’s novel “The Aurora Conspiracy: the story that didn’t end with a crash…the epic journey began!” through a Goodreads, first-read giveaway*

4.5 stars

Profile Image for Grampy.
869 reviews48 followers
September 23, 2013
Reviewed for Readers' Favorite by Lee Ashford.

Episode 1, “Crash Landing” of the “Aurora Conspiracy” series, is an ideal example of an authentic attention grabber for the first episode of any type of series, be it written, televised, or on the movie screen.

In “Crash Landing” an unidentified cigar-shaped metallic object, flying through the air, crashes into the windmill belonging to Judge Proctor. Quickly grabbing his rifle, the Judge ran to the scene of the accident, while instructing his daughter, Emily, to go fetch the doctor. Lying on the ground near the burning wreck was the body of a man… or at least something very similar to a man.

For 1897, this was a very unusual and unexpected event, which soon drew gawkers from miles around to the Judge’s farm. With the Doc’s arrival, he and the Judge quickly decided to hide the “man”, who still exhibited vital signs indicating he was alive. He wasn’t conscious yet, but at least he was alive. He came to just long enough to tell them his name was Aurelius.

Under orders from President McKinley, the Army arrived on the scene to confiscate all the wreckage “for national security” (that sounds familiar). They expected to find a pilot’s body, but the Judge and the Doc told them the body just burned up and disintegrated, pointing to a small pile of ash which purportedly was the final remains of the pilot.

Meanwhile, the Judge’s 19-year-old daughter, Emily, volunteered to care for and tend to the strange pilot, whom she had nick-named, Reli. An inter-species love affair was developing between the two, when suddenly the Army reappeared once more, very early in the morning, with orders to take the man-like being into custody, again “for national security”. As Reli was locked into a carriage, he promised Emily he would return for her. Thus ends Episode 1.

Gelsheimer and Keats have devised a compelling story of a spacecraft crash landing on a farm in the year 1897. The utter curiosity of the citizenry in general comes across as being extremely believable. The government’s interference likewise seems a foregone conclusion. These two authors have created the start of something that I personally hope will continue for some time to come. “Aurora Conspiracy” includes all the elements of a very engaging series; one which I believe will be followed by many fans.
Profile Image for Abby Vandiver.
Author 35 books291 followers
October 30, 2013
Oh, what a ride! And it's a ride in every way imaginable. Planes, spaceships, time travel, and adventure after spine tingling adventure. This is National Treasure, Indiana Jones, My Favorite Martian and Stargate all rolled up into one.

Aurora Conspiracy: The Story Didn't End with a Crash, is action packed and fast paced from the word go. There's a lot of excitement in this book and it doesn't slow down, not even when you get to the end. Scientific laboratories experimenting on people, and who knows what else, aliens, jungles filled with poisonous fruit, and a cast of characters and events right out of our history books. And to add to the intrigue, a few mysteries are woven in, Area 51, Atlantis, and the Bermuda Triangle, just to name a few. Jesse, the heroine, is smart, intuitive and curious. And that curiosity is the catalyst for the adventure. Gelsheimer and Keats have quite the imagination and it shines in this installment to the Aurora Conspiracy Series.

Jesse's parts are written in first person and the other characters’ are written in third, however, the separation of the two is sometimes blurred. The authors are in everyone's head in a single scene, putting together first person POV Jesse with the 3rd person POV of other characters in consecutive paragraphs making it at times, difficult to follow and implausible (not knowing how one person could know what the other person is doing.) There's also a lot of telling and not much showing, as the authors, using too many beats, don't leave much to the reader's imagination, describing each emotion, thought, action, and reason for reaction of the characters.

The book was enjoyable, and I recommend it. And, now off to read Aurora Conspiracy the Series: Crash Landing.
2 reviews
January 15, 2015
I received this book through GoodReads First Reads. It was a very quick read and I managed it in only a few hours. This book is a conglomeration of many other book/movie franchises, namely anything with aliens ever, The Hunger Games, Indiana Jones. It blames every conspiracy on aliens, feeling very X-Files.

The book is very fast paced and at the end, so much had happened and it was so all over the place location-wise that I couldn't even say what really happened. The characters could have used a lot more developing. They are all very one dimensional and it was hard to care what happens to them. There were so many people in authority positions that they were hard to sort out. One character seems to be completely forgotten about until the ending. The book could have been, and probably should have been, a lot longer in order to develop the characters and slow down the pace so the reader actually processes the action.

It was worth reading just to see what other locations and conspiracies would appear. This book is the first in a series. Since it was a fast read, I am willing to read the rest to see where the conspiracy goes.
Profile Image for John Scott.
10 reviews2 followers
January 14, 2014
Jesse lives on a farm in Aurora, Texas with her older brother James, who has looked after her since their mother disappeared ten years ago. The windmill on their farm is also alleged to have been the site of an alien crash over a century earlier. When Jesse and friend Marcus disappear in their plane, they find themselves lost on a mysterious island, and must find a way to survive. Meanwhile, back home in Aurora, James has problems of his own. Their adventures involve aliens, pyramids, the Bermuda Triangle, and a conspiracy bigger than human existence itself.

The first part of a trilogy, this story is very well written, if a little heavy on similes and metaphor in places. Some of the scenes aboard the alien ships are a little hard to follow at times, and needed to be reread, however, the overall story was enjoyable and paced well. The characters are well-rounded, leaving me wanting to read part two just so I can find out what happens to them next. I look forward to seeing further works from Gelsheimer and Keats.
Profile Image for C.S. Johnson.
Author 107 books631 followers
September 26, 2013
This book reminded me a lot of the alien series starring Dakota Fanning, where aliens were trying to make hybrid breeds with humans. As a history buff, I enjoyed how the authors tied all the historical events and conspiracies together. It was very enjoyable to read and made some very good talking points about the idea of what had really happened at Area 51 as well as the idea of life on other planets or other civilizations.

Overall I thought the characterization of Jesse was very well done. The shifting perspectives allowed for the audience to know more about the background of the story, which I appreciated even though it cut into Jesse's voice a little. The shifting historical pattern was a little hard to grasp too, at first, but once the relationships between people and events became clear it was very entertaining and cathartically satisfying.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in extraterrestrial sciences or science fiction!
Profile Image for Jada Ryker.
Author 29 books51 followers
October 12, 2013
A Conspiracy to Enthrall Readers ;)

The Aurora Conspiracy, by Ginger Gelsheimer and Christina Keats, is a great book. It’s difficult to give it the review it deserves, while at the same time avoiding spoilers. Giving away the book’s plots and twists would be like snatching presents away from the readers, rather than allowing them to open all the delicious surprises in this book.

Jesse and James Proctor, brother and sister, inherit the legacy of the Proctor Curse. Their best friend is Marcus, who also taught Jesse to fly. When Jesse and Marcus fly off to follow clues in their quest to solve the mystery, they leave James behind. As James ignores the evidence of his own eyes to find Jesse and Marcus, the plot thickens.

The characters are well-developed, and I found myself liking and cheering for the protagonists. As the story progresses, they learn the value of friendship, love, and never giving up on a goal.

I strongly recommend the book.
Profile Image for Nicolas Wilson.
Author 38 books95 followers
August 1, 2013
There were a lot of things I enjoyed in this book, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. To be honest, I didn't care for the extent of the main character's abilities, though. It felt like they were a crutch, in places, to move the plot along, rather than allowing the characters to grow into it organically. The characters engaged me less because of it, although I did enjoy the overall story and settings. The setting was fun, mixing elements of steampunk, classic fantasy, and high science fiction. It was pretty well written, although as I mentioned, the plot didn't feel entirely organic to the characters, in some places. Still, I enjoyed it, and will be keeping an eye on the rest of the series' (I hate reading series' that haven't been completely written, and waiting for the next book to come out.)
Profile Image for Scott Collins.
Author 5 books120 followers
July 31, 2013
It took me a little while to really get into this book. I can't pinpoint the cause, but I did find myself much more engaged in the story during the second half of the book. Maybe it's because that's when we started being exposed to the other worlds, I don't know. I do know that I enjoyed the different scenes and planets created by the authors, especially Area 51 (which according to the story isn't even in Nevada). I found the characters to be well developed, the plot cracked along, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the sequel. Appropriate for adults and teens, though there are some scenes that might be too violent for the middle grade crowd and lower.
Profile Image for Maxine.
1,291 reviews10 followers
November 19, 2013
I received this book as part of a goodreads giveaway.
When I first got the book, I opened it up to see what it was about and when I put it down I was on chapter 10!

Once I had finished the book I was already reading I couldn't wait to pick it up again.

I absolutely loved this book.It took a series of major unexplained events and conspiracies and linked them as though it was the most logical thing in the world. The book was nteresting, different and really readable,I loved the characters and I now want to.go and live in a strange city in a south american volcano! I hope there is another one for me to read soon.

Completely brilliant.
Profile Image for Julie Brown.
Author 7 books20 followers
August 27, 2013
Jess had witnessed her mothers disappearance and has been plagued by nightmares of the event ever since. She is on a mission to find out what really happened to her, while her brother remains skeptical of her reasons. This story unfolds beautifully and the characters are easy to relate to and its easy to feel that they are real. This author writes a great story with each event leading flawlessly to the next.There are many things I want to say, but cannot due to being afraid I will reveal too much! This is a must read and I look forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Sonya Dodd.
Author 24 books46 followers
October 15, 2013
This story is an amazing adventure and I am so excited that there are others in the series.
Based around the idea of time travel and descendants of time travellers being able to pass through a portal, this tale is both exciting and heart-stopping.
The narrative is engaging and fast-paced, sweeping the reader into a wonderful fantasy world.
Profile Image for Katie.
7 reviews
November 8, 2013
First off, I want to say that as a person who loves history, I am excited to see where this series goes from here.
This book was very fast-paced, and although I really enjoyed it, I would have liked to see a little more character development. Other than that, without giving any spoilers, I highly recommend this book. I think it will appeal to a wide range of readers.
Profile Image for Debbie Carnes.
244 reviews184 followers
November 13, 2013
I was so excited to read this book. I had seen a show on TV about this event and was looking forward to see this book would turn out.

I really enjoyed Aurora Conspiracy, it was a very fast read. Yes it is a SCI-FI but with some truth which makes it a great thriller

Profile Image for C.B. Pratt.
Author 11 books51 followers
July 31, 2013
A fast-paced science fiction novel that intriguingly links UFO's and historical events. The characters are appealing.
5 reviews
June 9, 2014
I was fortunate enough to acquire this book through another party recently (it was pretty fortuitous) and I enjoyed it. The plot is eventful and keeps you turning the pages - which is what any good book should do. I am a very quick reader who can bore easily, and this book was not boring. The writing is clear and lucid and the impressive thing is that the work really deals in huge concepts and in historical settings. I don't want to create any spoilers for those who haven't read the book, but I think you will find the ending very satisfying. It's worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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