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Orbs #1
Orbs
They have come for our most important resource...
The year is 2061, and the planet is dying. Cataclysmic solar storms have forced leaders from around the world to finally put aside their differences and agree on one thing—to jump ship. The human race is headed to Mars.
Dr. Sophie Winston is hired by New Tech Corporation to test a biosphere deep within the heart of Cheyenne Mountain; a mission she believes will help prepare NTC for the three-year flight to the red planet. But, just days into the assignment, things start to go wrong. When the blast doors hiss open, Winton's team finds a changed world outside. Humans are gone, vanished without a trace, and they aren't the only thing missing. The planet's water is gone, too.
As the team explores their surroundings, they find thousands of luminous blue orbs lining the streets. It isn't until they uncover what's inside that they realize the nightmare that lies ahead.
The year is 2061, and the planet is dying. Cataclysmic solar storms have forced leaders from around the world to finally put aside their differences and agree on one thing—to jump ship. The human race is headed to Mars.
Dr. Sophie Winston is hired by New Tech Corporation to test a biosphere deep within the heart of Cheyenne Mountain; a mission she believes will help prepare NTC for the three-year flight to the red planet. But, just days into the assignment, things start to go wrong. When the blast doors hiss open, Winton's team finds a changed world outside. Humans are gone, vanished without a trace, and they aren't the only thing missing. The planet's water is gone, too.
As the team explores their surroundings, they find thousands of luminous blue orbs lining the streets. It isn't until they uncover what's inside that they realize the nightmare that lies ahead.
328 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2013
1265 people are currently reading
2654 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
103 books2,379 followersNicholas Sansbury Smith is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels with two million copies sold. Before his writing career, he served at Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a background that inspired many of his story concepts. A two time Ironman triathlete, he enjoys running, biking, and hiking. Nicholas also loves traveling, especially to his cabin in Northern Minnesota where he weaves his tales. He lives in Iowa with his wonderful wife and their son and daughter.
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Note: Nicholas is no longer an active user on Goodreads and does not use the platform. If you want to connect with him on social media here are some links. He would love to hear from you.
Facebook Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSSFa...
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/nicholassans...
Website: nicholassansburysmith.com
Instagram: instagram.com/author_sansbury/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 457 reviews
January 9, 2014
Where to start? The science in this book is appalling. Just why is a particle physicist needed in a study on running a biome? Just why is the biome built deep underground, shielding it from radiation, when its ultimate purpose is for a flight to Mars during which it will be subjected to more radiation than it would be on the surface of Earth? When you are on a planet bombarded by radiation so bad that it cuts through the magnetic field why would your escape plan be to travel to a planet with no magnetic field to protect it? A planet with no breathable atmosphere and no natural ability to grow foods? For that matter why do you need a working biome on the spaceship for a six month voyage? Why not sent it all in storage and have a crew living off preserved foods then build the biome on Mars? These are the questions I found myself asking in the first couple of chapters and the list has got longer. There have been no answers from the book.
The novel's plot is an old one, aliens come to steal our water. It might've worked in the fifties b-movies but we know a lot more about the solar system now. Why they didn't instead mine the ice around the solar system or visit Europa (one of Jupiter's moons) thought to have twice as much water as Earth?
The characters are bland stereotypes, the main character is (we are told but never shown) incredibly intelligent, a woman who has put aside thoughts of a family to further her career but is now starting to wonder if that was a mistake. Luckily she's in the biome with the man she loves. He isn't a stereotype, he's barely anything at all, precious little personality to mention. Also in the biome is the nerdy computer hacker who keeps annoying people and doesn't know when to shut his mouth, the young, out of her depth psychologist who alternates between freaking out and trying prevent the others freaking out. Throw in a grizzled old soldier who hates women, children and robots but who you know will turn out to be a protector with a soft spot for them all, a couple of kids (who managed to hide because they were small and therefore had less water in them and were harder for the aliens to detect, not that that has stopped the aliens killing almost all the wildlife on the planet) and a couple of other blank slate characters and you've got pretty much the standard post-apocalyptic tropes. All that is missing is a black guy and a racist.
The plot ticks along at a fair pace, I'll give the book that, it isn't dull. The plot has a few glitches along the way, just why is Sophie twisting the key in a humvee another character hot-wired for her? It has moments that make you go “man what?”, Sophie, genius particle physicist, is able to pick up and figure out how to use a rocket launcher in seconds and manages to score a direct hit with it. Another of the scientists, luckily, had spent a month's salary on a week training on the world's most advanced rifle a year ago so he knew what to do when he found one.
I'm giving up just over half way through the book. I've had fun reading it so far but in a laughing at you not laughing with you way. One of the other reviews described this book as “hard science fiction”, I can only imagine he meant that science is hard therefore lets not worry about it. I will be recommending this book to a couple of friends, but only because I know they get a kick out of reading badly written fiction and will howl with laughter at the science.
The novel's plot is an old one, aliens come to steal our water. It might've worked in the fifties b-movies but we know a lot more about the solar system now. Why they didn't instead mine the ice around the solar system or visit Europa (one of Jupiter's moons) thought to have twice as much water as Earth?
The characters are bland stereotypes, the main character is (we are told but never shown) incredibly intelligent, a woman who has put aside thoughts of a family to further her career but is now starting to wonder if that was a mistake. Luckily she's in the biome with the man she loves. He isn't a stereotype, he's barely anything at all, precious little personality to mention. Also in the biome is the nerdy computer hacker who keeps annoying people and doesn't know when to shut his mouth, the young, out of her depth psychologist who alternates between freaking out and trying prevent the others freaking out. Throw in a grizzled old soldier who hates women, children and robots but who you know will turn out to be a protector with a soft spot for them all, a couple of kids (who managed to hide because they were small and therefore had less water in them and were harder for the aliens to detect, not that that has stopped the aliens killing almost all the wildlife on the planet) and a couple of other blank slate characters and you've got pretty much the standard post-apocalyptic tropes. All that is missing is a black guy and a racist.
The plot ticks along at a fair pace, I'll give the book that, it isn't dull. The plot has a few glitches along the way, just why is Sophie twisting the key in a humvee another character hot-wired for her? It has moments that make you go “man what?”, Sophie, genius particle physicist, is able to pick up and figure out how to use a rocket launcher in seconds and manages to score a direct hit with it. Another of the scientists, luckily, had spent a month's salary on a week training on the world's most advanced rifle a year ago so he knew what to do when he found one.
I'm giving up just over half way through the book. I've had fun reading it so far but in a laughing at you not laughing with you way. One of the other reviews described this book as “hard science fiction”, I can only imagine he meant that science is hard therefore lets not worry about it. I will be recommending this book to a couple of friends, but only because I know they get a kick out of reading badly written fiction and will howl with laughter at the science.
November 16, 2013
It is rare for me to disagree so dramatically with other reviewers and it is extremely rare for me not to finish a book, but both are the case here. It isn't unusual for sci fi books to be more about a fascinating and thought-provoking plot than about character development, but in this case, I didn't even find the plot compelling. I found the storyline to be extremely choppy with incident after incident that seemed extraneous to the story and distracting. I didn't gain any understanding of the characters or their motivations. The only positives that I can give this book are that the proofreading is pretty good (I only saw one or two mistakes)and it was a deal from Amazon Kindle so I paid very little for it. I read 80% of it thinking that it had to get better, but it didn't.
November 5, 2013
"ORBS" by Nicholas Sansbury Smith is an excellently written and fascinating science fiction story set in the near future of 2061, six years after a solar storm has rendered Earth almost inhabitable.
Scientist Dr. Sophie Winston is on a mission in Cheyenne Mountain when suddenly the connection to the outside world is cut off. When she and her team venture into the outside they find the world full of luminous orbs and unknown creatures.
The book has a very realistic and detailed apocalyptic setting that in itself surpasses stories of a similar nature. The addition of the unknown creatures and the why and how of it adds to the suspense element and the eerieness of the situation for our scientists. There is also a flashback to the time of the solar storm of 2055 and a bit of background to Sophie's character which makes her more than just a scientist.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed the story and how well the parts worked together. I only occasionally read science fiction but books like ORBS make me want to do so more often. The book has a somewhat open ending since it is the first in a series. Smith has a winning combination at his hands with his strong characters and plotlines. Highly recommended.
Scientist Dr. Sophie Winston is on a mission in Cheyenne Mountain when suddenly the connection to the outside world is cut off. When she and her team venture into the outside they find the world full of luminous orbs and unknown creatures.
The book has a very realistic and detailed apocalyptic setting that in itself surpasses stories of a similar nature. The addition of the unknown creatures and the why and how of it adds to the suspense element and the eerieness of the situation for our scientists. There is also a flashback to the time of the solar storm of 2055 and a bit of background to Sophie's character which makes her more than just a scientist.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed the story and how well the parts worked together. I only occasionally read science fiction but books like ORBS make me want to do so more often. The book has a somewhat open ending since it is the first in a series. Smith has a winning combination at his hands with his strong characters and plotlines. Highly recommended.
December 31, 2013
I honestly cannot understand all the good reviews. Regardless of genre this is simply not a good book. the characters are badly defined, stereotypical and completely uninteresting. The science is flawed, not just oversimplified or unrealistic, but simply wrong.
The premise is unbelievable in many respect, and so many elements of the book are unbelievable or forced that you cannot use your imagination to fill in the blanks. There is simply no logical foundation to expand upon.
Quite frankly there are too many things to list that makes this a bad book. I would not normally leave such a bad review but I am baffled that so many people seem to have no issues with this book when they are so obvious.
The premise is unbelievable in many respect, and so many elements of the book are unbelievable or forced that you cannot use your imagination to fill in the blanks. There is simply no logical foundation to expand upon.
Quite frankly there are too many things to list that makes this a bad book. I would not normally leave such a bad review but I am baffled that so many people seem to have no issues with this book when they are so obvious.
December 10, 2013
To be honest this book is barely passable as a bad book. However some clever things the author has done to make it seem like a much better book. Like paying what seems to be a marketing company to make dozens of fake reviews. This book on a good day would be a 2 or a 3 out of 5. Its poorly written and he has a habit of pulling dues ex machinas out of his ass every 30 pages. Or just completely glossing over the problems all together.
I saw it through is social media campaign and i have no problem with paying people to advertize your book. But when you pay people to write you glorious 5 star reviews( even if this book was a 5 star book) you deserve a 1.
If that.
I saw it through is social media campaign and i have no problem with paying people to advertize your book. But when you pay people to write you glorious 5 star reviews( even if this book was a 5 star book) you deserve a 1.
If that.
November 12, 2013
I was incredibly relieved by how good this is. Straight, hard sci-fi can be really rough these days, but this was very well-written, smart, suspenseful, and action-packed. The military tone was proper “guy sci-fi” but with the interesting use of a female protagonist, who thank goodness was well-characterized and only fell and dropped her gun once (that I can remember). All of the characters are well-used, unique, and complex. The plot moves along quickly and smoothly, action scenes keep things tense, and there are also great bits of dialogue as the characters ponder the significance of all that is going on around them. The aliens and orbs are creepy and oddly believable, and the author does a great job of revealing what's going on - you only know what the characters know, as they learn and see more and more.
Definitely worth a read if you like stories with military action, science, and alien invasion.
Looking forward to the sequel!
Definitely worth a read if you like stories with military action, science, and alien invasion.
Looking forward to the sequel!
December 18, 2016
Orbs is a fascinating fantasy/sci-fi book about a team going into a Biosphere for a test to see if humans could populate Mars. Some odd and terrifying things happen while in the dome. The animals all start dying of fright. Something outside the dome is scaring them to death. It is decided to put on hazmat suits and see what is out there. What they find, or don't find, is shocking and then the excitement really starts! I can't tell more, just that there are aliens, non-stop action, great plot, well developed characters, and a great imagination at work. I read it in one sitting, I couldn't stop. Realistic action scenes, play by play, blow by blow but it flows fast on paper as if it is in real time. The author has a real gift. Loved this book. He has two more out so I will have to read those also. I received this book for a honest review from NetGalley and it in no way effected my rating or content of this review.
July 8, 2017
So, it's a 3 solid star read for me.
I love the sense of humor of the author. However, I find there are somethings wrong with this book.
Firstly is the change between characters. So many POV's. I kinda think it was too much. I realize that to tell this story it was needed, but meh. Not too happy about that.
Another one is there's no concept of time which is confusing and annoying as hell. You really need to look for it and it pissed me off. I thought that only a day went by, but oh no, I was wrong, at the end of the book you realize it was weeks..
Anyway, I liked this book enough to continue reading, so I'm starting the book one. I'm not ready to give up yet.
Also, the plot idea is really great, so I hope this gets better :)
Peace,
A.
I love the sense of humor of the author. However, I find there are somethings wrong with this book.
Firstly is the change between characters. So many POV's. I kinda think it was too much. I realize that to tell this story it was needed, but meh. Not too happy about that.
Another one is there's no concept of time which is confusing and annoying as hell. You really need to look for it and it pissed me off. I thought that only a day went by, but oh no, I was wrong, at the end of the book you realize it was weeks..
Anyway, I liked this book enough to continue reading, so I'm starting the book one. I'm not ready to give up yet.
Also, the plot idea is really great, so I hope this gets better :)
Peace,
A.
December 21, 2019
My review is for The audio book version.
The book was a disappointment. What I thought would be a straight science fiction first contact story turned out to be an alien invasion horror saga with questionable science content. Even my kids couldn't keep from commenting. "If you suck all the water out of the atmosphere what happens when a guy tries to smoke a cigarette?" and " Hey, what about all the ground water? Is that still there? " If it hadn't been for the fantastic, as always, narration by Bronson Pinchot I would not have bothered with it.
The book was a disappointment. What I thought would be a straight science fiction first contact story turned out to be an alien invasion horror saga with questionable science content. Even my kids couldn't keep from commenting. "If you suck all the water out of the atmosphere what happens when a guy tries to smoke a cigarette?" and " Hey, what about all the ground water? Is that still there? " If it hadn't been for the fantastic, as always, narration by Bronson Pinchot I would not have bothered with it.
June 3, 2021
I'm a sucker for anything in the science fiction genre that includes aliens. Especially if those aliens are blue, bioluminescent monsters with unique designs and an even more unique method of harvesting the water from our little blue planet. I've seen many sci-fi movies where extraterrestrial beings come down seeking to steal humanity's most important resource, but the way these "Organics" go about it is much more terrifying and gut-wrenching than anything I've seen, or rather read, before.
ORBS, while it does have a few faults here and there as many books do, is a wonderfully written piece of fiction that provides a reasonably fast-paced, easy read that will grip you from the very start. There was even a few changes in point-of-view and tense during one characters time in the spotlight -- from third-person past-tense to first-person present-tense -- and it did not yank me out of the story even a little bit. It fit surprisingly well considering the change, and I give props to Nicholas for being able to pull that off flawlessly.
Speaking of characters, Nicholas' cast are enjoyable and well-developed bunch, though perhaps not as diverse as I would have liked. However, I was glad to see their individuality starting to show much more near the end of the book. And if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be Sophie. She reminds me very much of one of my own characters -- Headstrong, doesn't take shit from anybody, and is very confident in her talents. Coming close in second would be Ash Overton. Admittedly, when he first appeared I was worried he would become one of these stereo-typical soldiers you see often encounter in science fiction, but he quickly erased all of my worries.
To round off my review, I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie -- even more so after being given the chance by Nicholas to create some illustrations related to it. I really do hope to see it on the big screen some day, because I'm confident it would be a massive hit!
ORBS, while it does have a few faults here and there as many books do, is a wonderfully written piece of fiction that provides a reasonably fast-paced, easy read that will grip you from the very start. There was even a few changes in point-of-view and tense during one characters time in the spotlight -- from third-person past-tense to first-person present-tense -- and it did not yank me out of the story even a little bit. It fit surprisingly well considering the change, and I give props to Nicholas for being able to pull that off flawlessly.
Speaking of characters, Nicholas' cast are enjoyable and well-developed bunch, though perhaps not as diverse as I would have liked. However, I was glad to see their individuality starting to show much more near the end of the book. And if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be Sophie. She reminds me very much of one of my own characters -- Headstrong, doesn't take shit from anybody, and is very confident in her talents. Coming close in second would be Ash Overton. Admittedly, when he first appeared I was worried he would become one of these stereo-typical soldiers you see often encounter in science fiction, but he quickly erased all of my worries.
To round off my review, I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie -- even more so after being given the chance by Nicholas to create some illustrations related to it. I really do hope to see it on the big screen some day, because I'm confident it would be a massive hit!
March 11, 2015
This is the first book that I have had the rare experience of being a beta reader for. It was an interesting experience as well - reading drafts, offering your views and having them taken seriously by the author, reading the re-writes, offering more opinions and then finally reading the edited and published version. The only downside is offering up your final review to the public. It's hard to do when you have read through so many things that have changed. This is my third, and final, review after having taken some time to really think about the story.
I liked it, I really did. I looked forward to each draft that I knew was coming so I could find out more about what was happening. The story was smooth and easy to read. It was written vividly - it was as though I was watching a movie play out in my mind. The story contained several elements that would appeal to a variety of readers: Science fiction, aliens, post-apocalyptic Earth, and military. It is the first book in a series but I do not know if it is a trilogy. I'm very interested to see where the author takes the next book. This one didn't end with a hopeful outlook for humanity, or the planet for that matter.
I liked it, I really did. I looked forward to each draft that I knew was coming so I could find out more about what was happening. The story was smooth and easy to read. It was written vividly - it was as though I was watching a movie play out in my mind. The story contained several elements that would appeal to a variety of readers: Science fiction, aliens, post-apocalyptic Earth, and military. It is the first book in a series but I do not know if it is a trilogy. I'm very interested to see where the author takes the next book. This one didn't end with a hopeful outlook for humanity, or the planet for that matter.
March 24, 2014
There is a potentially good story in here but the writing was pretty bad. I could hardly stand it, made it to 39%, and had to call it quits. The story was progressively getting better but the abysmal writing was too distracting.
February 5, 2014
Earth is dying and humans are set to head for space. Mars to be specific.
Sophie and her team are selected to test out a Biosphere facility that can sustain life and vegetation. However, their research doesn't last long as aliens arrive and start consuming everything in their path to get the resource they need; water. All of it.
What starts out as a experimental mission becomes the real thing as the team fights to stay alive against a horde of aliens that want every last drop, even the water in human bodies.
The story starts out with Sophie meeting up with her team to get instructions on the Bioshere and what is to be expected of them. I didn't connect with Sophie right away and her relationship with her team didn't give me any insight into what type of person she was.
During the first half of the story the reader gets to know the day-to-day workings which really slowed the pacing of the plot down. Lots of talking and not much progression. This was really a big thing because the second half of the book picked up the pace with action and dialogue that kept you wanting to read. It also reinforced the idea that the beginning build-up was too much due to the fact that, in the end, it didn't add to the story.
The characters were decent. I could have used a little more back-story on each of them since most of them were prominent characters. The only one I will point out for being flawed was Overton. He kept things going and added some spice to the story, but at the same time he was over-the-top. That whole Timothy situation was a little much. He was like Bruce Willis in Die Hard. Yippee ki yay!
The author was very vague on the aliens, the timeline, and a few other things. For example, Sophie and Overton were driving to the train and it was 750 miles away. I didn't realize this until it was said later. It was as if one moment they were driving and she, if I can recall correctly, went to sleep, and the next moment they were there. It was a little confusing at times. Maybe chapters should have had dates and times? Dunno.
The action kept me tense and flipping the later pages. I did enjoy the descriptions of the aliens and how they collected the water. From Emmanuel's research, I assume we will learn more about them in the next book.
The cliff-hanger or no resolution ending didn't bother me because I knew what I was getting into.
Will the aliens be back? And will Sophie and the survivors be prepared? Will they ever make it to Mars?
This read was very creative and I look forward to reading book 2 to see if Mr. Smith has sharpened his skills.
**I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review**
Sophie and her team are selected to test out a Biosphere facility that can sustain life and vegetation. However, their research doesn't last long as aliens arrive and start consuming everything in their path to get the resource they need; water. All of it.
What starts out as a experimental mission becomes the real thing as the team fights to stay alive against a horde of aliens that want every last drop, even the water in human bodies.
The story starts out with Sophie meeting up with her team to get instructions on the Bioshere and what is to be expected of them. I didn't connect with Sophie right away and her relationship with her team didn't give me any insight into what type of person she was.
During the first half of the story the reader gets to know the day-to-day workings which really slowed the pacing of the plot down. Lots of talking and not much progression. This was really a big thing because the second half of the book picked up the pace with action and dialogue that kept you wanting to read. It also reinforced the idea that the beginning build-up was too much due to the fact that, in the end, it didn't add to the story.
The characters were decent. I could have used a little more back-story on each of them since most of them were prominent characters. The only one I will point out for being flawed was Overton. He kept things going and added some spice to the story, but at the same time he was over-the-top. That whole Timothy situation was a little much. He was like Bruce Willis in Die Hard. Yippee ki yay!
The author was very vague on the aliens, the timeline, and a few other things. For example, Sophie and Overton were driving to the train and it was 750 miles away. I didn't realize this until it was said later. It was as if one moment they were driving and she, if I can recall correctly, went to sleep, and the next moment they were there. It was a little confusing at times. Maybe chapters should have had dates and times? Dunno.
The action kept me tense and flipping the later pages. I did enjoy the descriptions of the aliens and how they collected the water. From Emmanuel's research, I assume we will learn more about them in the next book.
The cliff-hanger or no resolution ending didn't bother me because I knew what I was getting into.
Will the aliens be back? And will Sophie and the survivors be prepared? Will they ever make it to Mars?
This read was very creative and I look forward to reading book 2 to see if Mr. Smith has sharpened his skills.
**I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review**
November 8, 2013
ORBS is a wonderfully refreshing hard science fiction novel that I found myself completely absorbed in as soon as I started reading it. I found the idea absolutely brilliant and where I truly do prefer my sci-fi to be firmly planted in science fact, this book did not disappoint.
I will advise that I was not expecting a series out of this book so I went into the read expecting it to be a standalone. That is definitely not the fault of the author, but the fault of the reader, so there is no way I can remove any stars for that. The story is compelling and therefore I will have no problem picking up the next book in this series. I actually think this book could be a standalone anyway. Even though 100% of the questions aren't answered, that's life, we'll never have all the answers so I'm perfectly good with the way this book ended that I wouldn't feel the need to have a sequel. However, I am glad there is one since there a few things I'll be excited to see fleshed out and explained further.
*Likes: Alexia, Overton, a different kind of alien, science fiction based in science fact, a freakishly gruesome invasion!
*Difficult to Deal With: What at first appears to be paranormal dreaming, Timothy, unexpected changes in POV (not bad just unexpected sometimes), not knowing how Mars and the solar storms are related exactly.
*Creepy: invasion of the water snatchers, suicidal chickens, luminescent spiders!! need I say more?
*Looking Forward To: Further Mars explanations, Mother Ship, evolution of the characters, Secundo Casu's experience and whereabouts.
I will advise that I was not expecting a series out of this book so I went into the read expecting it to be a standalone. That is definitely not the fault of the author, but the fault of the reader, so there is no way I can remove any stars for that. The story is compelling and therefore I will have no problem picking up the next book in this series. I actually think this book could be a standalone anyway. Even though 100% of the questions aren't answered, that's life, we'll never have all the answers so I'm perfectly good with the way this book ended that I wouldn't feel the need to have a sequel. However, I am glad there is one since there a few things I'll be excited to see fleshed out and explained further.
*Likes: Alexia, Overton, a different kind of alien, science fiction based in science fact, a freakishly gruesome invasion!
*Difficult to Deal With: What at first appears to be paranormal dreaming, Timothy, unexpected changes in POV (not bad just unexpected sometimes), not knowing how Mars and the solar storms are related exactly.
*Creepy: invasion of the water snatchers, suicidal chickens, luminescent spiders!! need I say more?
*Looking Forward To: Further Mars explanations, Mother Ship, evolution of the characters, Secundo Casu's experience and whereabouts.
January 6, 2014
I didn't really read this. I had to stop after a chapter and a half because the writing is just so bad.
So very bad.
Example: "Sophie jumped out of the chopper's belly, ignoring the hand of one of the soldiers. She didn't have time for formalities."
Okay, maybe I can let this slide. (Okay, I can't) But then, just a few pages later, she's lagging behind her escort, "just admiring the view" because the "place brings back memories." This woman has a really bad case of ADHD, I think. Or mania.
Maybe you're thinking, that's not so bad, I mean really, just get on to the plot. But then you run into this sentence (and this is where I stopped):
"She rubbed her back, acknowledging that the aches were better than the alternative of perishing in a fiery wreck."
Yes, I always think to myself, "Wow, my arm hurts, but it sure is better then the alternative of perishing in a fiery wreck!" Doesn't everyone think like that?
(Of course, she didn't seem all that worried when the helicopter - excuse me, "bird" - is in actual danger of crashing since she has time to study the pilot's eye color.)
Here's my question: How does this get the author 4/5 stars???? Not just here, but on Amazon as well???
My theory: the author pays all his friends to write 5 star reviews, but some of them, even with their friend's money burning a hole in their pocket, could only give it 1 star and so brought down the average.
The good news! I got it from Amazon's library, so it did not cost me anything.
And back it goes . . . .
So very bad.
Example: "Sophie jumped out of the chopper's belly, ignoring the hand of one of the soldiers. She didn't have time for formalities."
Okay, maybe I can let this slide. (Okay, I can't) But then, just a few pages later, she's lagging behind her escort, "just admiring the view" because the "place brings back memories." This woman has a really bad case of ADHD, I think. Or mania.
Maybe you're thinking, that's not so bad, I mean really, just get on to the plot. But then you run into this sentence (and this is where I stopped):
"She rubbed her back, acknowledging that the aches were better than the alternative of perishing in a fiery wreck."
Yes, I always think to myself, "Wow, my arm hurts, but it sure is better then the alternative of perishing in a fiery wreck!" Doesn't everyone think like that?
(Of course, she didn't seem all that worried when the helicopter - excuse me, "bird" - is in actual danger of crashing since she has time to study the pilot's eye color.)
Here's my question: How does this get the author 4/5 stars???? Not just here, but on Amazon as well???
My theory: the author pays all his friends to write 5 star reviews, but some of them, even with their friend's money burning a hole in their pocket, could only give it 1 star and so brought down the average.
The good news! I got it from Amazon's library, so it did not cost me anything.
And back it goes . . . .
May 18, 2018
Wow. Really? "They came for our water"? That is one of the worst alien invasion cliches ever. (I'm not spoiler tagging it because it's "revealed" pretty quickly.) Why would a race with interstellar travel bother coming down here to get water when there are thousands — maybe even millions — of icy bodies in the Kuyper Belt and Oort Cloud? Where you can collect all the water you want without the bother of descending into a gravity well or dealing with the locals. And why do they need our water in the first place? There's really no water left in their own system? Or in any other system between theirs and ours? Uh, uh. "They came for our water" is just bad writing.
I almost quit reading right there, but I persevered because I was hoping maybe that wasn't the real motivation. Until a single .45 caliber round "severed [a] hand at the wrist". Really? One bullet? Took the hand clean off? Now, I'll admit I'm not an expert, but I do know a little bit about guns, and a .45 in the wrist will definitely mangle it, maybe even mess it up so bad you have to amputate the hand, but I just don't think it could take it off completely.
And if I'm wrong, if that is possible, well, it's too bad, because that was strike three (strike one was the sound of a supersonic craft arriving *before* the craft), and that's where I quit reading.
So if the aliens are here for something other than our water, it doesn't matter, because that, the bullet, and the irritating, cliched characters make this a waste of time.
I almost quit reading right there, but I persevered because I was hoping maybe that wasn't the real motivation. Until a single .45 caliber round "severed [a] hand at the wrist". Really? One bullet? Took the hand clean off? Now, I'll admit I'm not an expert, but I do know a little bit about guns, and a .45 in the wrist will definitely mangle it, maybe even mess it up so bad you have to amputate the hand, but I just don't think it could take it off completely.
And if I'm wrong, if that is possible, well, it's too bad, because that was strike three (strike one was the sound of a supersonic craft arriving *before* the craft), and that's where I quit reading.
So if the aliens are here for something other than our water, it doesn't matter, because that, the bullet, and the irritating, cliched characters make this a waste of time.
January 22, 2014
“ORBS” by Nicholas Sansbury Smith is a superbly written and brilliantly conceived tale of a small team of scientists who enter a self-contained biosphere in an effort to preempt unforeseen difficulties which could arise when their biosphere is reproduced on Mars.
Much of Earth has been a radioactive wasteland following massive, unprecedented solar flares, that sliced through the atmosphere like a hot knife through butter several years previously. However, is that the real reason for locking them in a vault secured deep within the Earth? Or might Dr. Hoffman, in charge of the project, have ulterior motives in mind?
Within hours of locking in the team, all communication with Earth’s surface has ceased, including access to Dr. Hoffman himself. Furthermore, the team felt a strong tremor while the few livestock they had with them literally were driven mad by… something. I could go into great detail discussing the many and varied “situations” the team found itself in, but that would spoil your reading pleasure.
There is a sequel in the works, but NOT because he left you hanging in the middle of the story. “ORBS” is a complete, unique stand-alone novel written by a consummate professional. “ORBS” is also one of the most enthralling and captivating stories I have read in a long, long time.
I am at a bit of a loss categorizing this exceptional work. It includes elements of Sci-Fi, Horror, a dystopian not-so-distant future, and even a utopian future beyond that! I have no difficulty at all, however, classifying it as extremely good fiction.
As I read this book, I kept wondering how Nicholas came by his ideas. He seemed to have an awareness of things that most of us don’t really have access to, or awareness of. I’m not talking about ‘top secret’ classified documents, but I am talking about how things work, alternative ways they could work, and potential threats which could make them stop working. In his bio Nicholas indicates for whom he works; I believe his profession is what has inculcated a general degree of awareness of his surroundings, which he then incorporates into his story.
Some of the lower ranking reviews have commented that the "science" isn't legitimate. That's because it's science FICTION. Were Darth Vader's light sabers real? Did the Starship Enterprise feature legitimate "warp speeds" and "cloaking shields"? In science fiction the science doesn't have to be actually possible. Books where the science is real are called textbooks. You buy them when you take a science class in college.
If you are looking for a “bullets-boobs-‘n’-beer” space opera, keep looking. If you want to read an intriguing, fascinating and intelligent story worthy of your time, read “ORBS” by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. You can thank me later!
Much of Earth has been a radioactive wasteland following massive, unprecedented solar flares, that sliced through the atmosphere like a hot knife through butter several years previously. However, is that the real reason for locking them in a vault secured deep within the Earth? Or might Dr. Hoffman, in charge of the project, have ulterior motives in mind?
Within hours of locking in the team, all communication with Earth’s surface has ceased, including access to Dr. Hoffman himself. Furthermore, the team felt a strong tremor while the few livestock they had with them literally were driven mad by… something. I could go into great detail discussing the many and varied “situations” the team found itself in, but that would spoil your reading pleasure.
There is a sequel in the works, but NOT because he left you hanging in the middle of the story. “ORBS” is a complete, unique stand-alone novel written by a consummate professional. “ORBS” is also one of the most enthralling and captivating stories I have read in a long, long time.
I am at a bit of a loss categorizing this exceptional work. It includes elements of Sci-Fi, Horror, a dystopian not-so-distant future, and even a utopian future beyond that! I have no difficulty at all, however, classifying it as extremely good fiction.
As I read this book, I kept wondering how Nicholas came by his ideas. He seemed to have an awareness of things that most of us don’t really have access to, or awareness of. I’m not talking about ‘top secret’ classified documents, but I am talking about how things work, alternative ways they could work, and potential threats which could make them stop working. In his bio Nicholas indicates for whom he works; I believe his profession is what has inculcated a general degree of awareness of his surroundings, which he then incorporates into his story.
Some of the lower ranking reviews have commented that the "science" isn't legitimate. That's because it's science FICTION. Were Darth Vader's light sabers real? Did the Starship Enterprise feature legitimate "warp speeds" and "cloaking shields"? In science fiction the science doesn't have to be actually possible. Books where the science is real are called textbooks. You buy them when you take a science class in college.
If you are looking for a “bullets-boobs-‘n’-beer” space opera, keep looking. If you want to read an intriguing, fascinating and intelligent story worthy of your time, read “ORBS” by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. You can thank me later!
May 9, 2017
Review of ORBS (ORBS #1)
by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
I found the work of Nicholas Sansbury Smith through reading TRACKERS and TRACKERS 2: THE HUNTED and was so enrapt that I committed to reading all his titles. ORBS is the first of a series which deftly combines apocalypse and science fiction (though I think everything here could potentially occur). One of the apocalypse scenarios that doesn't receive sufficient conjecture and analysis is danger from the Sun: solar flares; solar storms; Coronal Mass Ejections (CME). For decades scientists have mostly insisted that the Earth's atmosphere is sufficiently dense to block dangerous rays; but with a century plus of ozone depletion, that may no longer be the case. In ORBS, a solar storm in 2055 erupts in a massive CME, which irradiates much of Earth, causing serious population decline and collapse of the infrastructure.
In 2061, remaining scientists are tasked to operate a Biosphere, constructed by NTC, the private corporation contracted by the U.S. Federal Government for security and technology issues. Once in the Biosphere, the five scientists quickly discover that their mission to prepare for a voyage to Mars, in order to preserve the human species, is much more urgent than already assumed.
Author Nicholas Sansbury Smith has a true gift for narrative of apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and science fiction. He vivifies the narrative landscape, and drawing on his own extensive research and decade in disaster management, he brings forth settings which are realistic, despite the fact that no human has ever actually experienced these events—yet.
ORBS is a story I could not put aside, and cannot forget. It impels me to think critically about the present—and the potential future, not only for me, but for my progeny.
by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
I found the work of Nicholas Sansbury Smith through reading TRACKERS and TRACKERS 2: THE HUNTED and was so enrapt that I committed to reading all his titles. ORBS is the first of a series which deftly combines apocalypse and science fiction (though I think everything here could potentially occur). One of the apocalypse scenarios that doesn't receive sufficient conjecture and analysis is danger from the Sun: solar flares; solar storms; Coronal Mass Ejections (CME). For decades scientists have mostly insisted that the Earth's atmosphere is sufficiently dense to block dangerous rays; but with a century plus of ozone depletion, that may no longer be the case. In ORBS, a solar storm in 2055 erupts in a massive CME, which irradiates much of Earth, causing serious population decline and collapse of the infrastructure.
In 2061, remaining scientists are tasked to operate a Biosphere, constructed by NTC, the private corporation contracted by the U.S. Federal Government for security and technology issues. Once in the Biosphere, the five scientists quickly discover that their mission to prepare for a voyage to Mars, in order to preserve the human species, is much more urgent than already assumed.
Author Nicholas Sansbury Smith has a true gift for narrative of apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and science fiction. He vivifies the narrative landscape, and drawing on his own extensive research and decade in disaster management, he brings forth settings which are realistic, despite the fact that no human has ever actually experienced these events—yet.
ORBS is a story I could not put aside, and cannot forget. It impels me to think critically about the present—and the potential future, not only for me, but for my progeny.
April 14, 2020
Ok, had to delete the review for this as it was unnecessarily asshole-y. I'm reading back through some of my old posts and I just don't like the tone I used here. Apologies to the author.
September 24, 2020
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
- Most of Smith's books on AP are getting removed from the catalog at the end of September. I figured I should check out the other series while I can.
- Book could be an entertaining action movie. As a story, it falls short.
- Narration was great but that can't save a poorly constructed story.
Currently on Audible Plus
- Most of Smith's books on AP are getting removed from the catalog at the end of September. I figured I should check out the other series while I can.
- Book could be an entertaining action movie. As a story, it falls short.
- Narration was great but that can't save a poorly constructed story.
April 26, 2020
The premise of Orbs by Nicholas S. Smith is relatively interesting, but there are several things that, honestly, just ruined the book for me.
One problem is the constant jump in viewpoints, sometimes several times within the same scene! It makes it a quite jarring and confusing. Also, half the time I’m left wondering why the jump happened. Can’t the main character notice the tension in her ex-lover and thus relate to the reader his state of mind? Do we have to jump to his view point for a single paragraph just to find it out? And then, jump back to the main character, not even knowing if she has noticed it?
Another problem is over-explaining and including irrelevant information. The first AI chapter is a perfect example. Before the chapter, there is an odd event that happens and the characters are trying to figure it out, there is a sense of mystery and creeping doom, since if they are correct in their guesses, things are bad – very bad. Then we get the AI chapter, which (obnoxiously) recaps everything that just happened and confirms the worst fears of the characters. In the very next chapter, the AI reveals this information to the characters. Now, why couldn’t I learn this information with the characters? Why couldn’t I experience the emotional impact together with the characters? I actually have no good answers for these questions.
It completely undermined the tension and the interest I had in the story.
Another problem is that the book insists on telling us detailed backstories that are better left to the imagination. We find out early that two of the characters previously hooked up. Instead of exploring that relationship in real time through glances, off-the cuff comments to each other, or other nuanced ways, we get a flashback and a straight up explanation of their relationship. Yay. That was fascinating to read. (That was sarcasm, by the way).
Now that I write it all out, I realize that this book’s main problem, out of which the others stem, is underestimating the reader. We’re not stupid, we get it. If a character start to focus on someone’s lips, that probably means they’re interested. We don’t need a paragraph explaining it to us. It completely halts the pacing of the story and makes it difficult to care about what happens next.
How deadly are these flaws? I couldn’t finish LISTENING to the book. And I have 1 hour every single night, while I try to put my baby to sleep to listen to something, anything. And I often would just sit there in silence while my baby tossed and turned in bed.
So, yea Skip it!
One problem is the constant jump in viewpoints, sometimes several times within the same scene! It makes it a quite jarring and confusing. Also, half the time I’m left wondering why the jump happened. Can’t the main character notice the tension in her ex-lover and thus relate to the reader his state of mind? Do we have to jump to his view point for a single paragraph just to find it out? And then, jump back to the main character, not even knowing if she has noticed it?
Another problem is over-explaining and including irrelevant information. The first AI chapter is a perfect example. Before the chapter, there is an odd event that happens and the characters are trying to figure it out, there is a sense of mystery and creeping doom, since if they are correct in their guesses, things are bad – very bad. Then we get the AI chapter, which (obnoxiously) recaps everything that just happened and confirms the worst fears of the characters. In the very next chapter, the AI reveals this information to the characters. Now, why couldn’t I learn this information with the characters? Why couldn’t I experience the emotional impact together with the characters? I actually have no good answers for these questions.
It completely undermined the tension and the interest I had in the story.
Another problem is that the book insists on telling us detailed backstories that are better left to the imagination. We find out early that two of the characters previously hooked up. Instead of exploring that relationship in real time through glances, off-the cuff comments to each other, or other nuanced ways, we get a flashback and a straight up explanation of their relationship. Yay. That was fascinating to read. (That was sarcasm, by the way).
Now that I write it all out, I realize that this book’s main problem, out of which the others stem, is underestimating the reader. We’re not stupid, we get it. If a character start to focus on someone’s lips, that probably means they’re interested. We don’t need a paragraph explaining it to us. It completely halts the pacing of the story and makes it difficult to care about what happens next.
How deadly are these flaws? I couldn’t finish LISTENING to the book. And I have 1 hour every single night, while I try to put my baby to sleep to listen to something, anything. And I often would just sit there in silence while my baby tossed and turned in bed.
So, yea Skip it!
August 23, 2016
Apocalyptic Invasion...
Even though I've really liked all of the other books I've read by Smith, when I first saw the cover of this book, I was thinking I probably wouldn't like it very much because I didn't like the cover at all, but you know what- I absolutely loved it! That's a perfect example of why you should never judge a book by its cover!
Of course after I finished reading it, I saw online that Simon & Schuster has given this series a complete makeover and the covers are gorgeous! Honestly, if I would have seen the new covers before I read the book, I wouldn't have hesitated one second to read the story. But hey that's reality, we do it everyday with books, products, people etc.
So I guess the moral of this review/rant is: this is a fantastic post-apocalyptic book so don't let the (old) covers fool you! The characters in this one could have been fleshed out a little more but other then that, if you like a good action-packed, apocalyptic invasion, then you can't go wrong with this series. Really, you can't go wrong with any of Smith's books. Hell Divers is my ultimate favorite but Orbs is a close second behind it!
*I received this ARC from NetGalley & Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Even though I've really liked all of the other books I've read by Smith, when I first saw the cover of this book, I was thinking I probably wouldn't like it very much because I didn't like the cover at all, but you know what- I absolutely loved it! That's a perfect example of why you should never judge a book by its cover!
Of course after I finished reading it, I saw online that Simon & Schuster has given this series a complete makeover and the covers are gorgeous! Honestly, if I would have seen the new covers before I read the book, I wouldn't have hesitated one second to read the story. But hey that's reality, we do it everyday with books, products, people etc.
So I guess the moral of this review/rant is: this is a fantastic post-apocalyptic book so don't let the (old) covers fool you! The characters in this one could have been fleshed out a little more but other then that, if you like a good action-packed, apocalyptic invasion, then you can't go wrong with this series. Really, you can't go wrong with any of Smith's books. Hell Divers is my ultimate favorite but Orbs is a close second behind it!
*I received this ARC from NetGalley & Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
January 18, 2024
DNF 17%
For anyone with a passing familiarity with scientists, this book will be irritating in the extreme. The author is trying so hard to set up the central situation that realism is abandoned. There are just too many problems:-
- A helo pilot that thinks flying THROUGH a super tornado is the best solution.
- A CEO that brings in the world's best scientific experts to run a critical project and then makes a special point of not listening to anything they say, going so far as to threaten them in order to silence them
- These same scientists don't object to the above, nor to finding out that an unfamiliar A.I. will kill them all if it thinks the project is contaminated. No consultation, just kill them all.
- All the chickens die and the immediate and only theory is that the chickens' well-known psychic abilities warned them of something terrible... WHAT? None of the other scientists blink at this proposal and even the A.I. supports it. Despite the fact that a new technology, using sound waves, is in place to keep the animals in designated areas. That would have been my guess.
- The A.I. fails to wake anyone while the above is going on. Why have the chickens if they weren't needed? If they were needed, why not try to preserve them?
It's all too contrived and none of the characters act like human beings, with the possible exception of the A.I. who seems to have a very human desire to exceed and dominate its creators. I don't have time to wade through this much chaff to get to the wheat.
For anyone with a passing familiarity with scientists, this book will be irritating in the extreme. The author is trying so hard to set up the central situation that realism is abandoned. There are just too many problems:-
- A helo pilot that thinks flying THROUGH a super tornado is the best solution.
- A CEO that brings in the world's best scientific experts to run a critical project and then makes a special point of not listening to anything they say, going so far as to threaten them in order to silence them
- These same scientists don't object to the above, nor to finding out that an unfamiliar A.I. will kill them all if it thinks the project is contaminated. No consultation, just kill them all.
- All the chickens die and the immediate and only theory is that the chickens' well-known psychic abilities warned them of something terrible... WHAT? None of the other scientists blink at this proposal and even the A.I. supports it. Despite the fact that a new technology, using sound waves, is in place to keep the animals in designated areas. That would have been my guess.
- The A.I. fails to wake anyone while the above is going on. Why have the chickens if they weren't needed? If they were needed, why not try to preserve them?
It's all too contrived and none of the characters act like human beings, with the possible exception of the A.I. who seems to have a very human desire to exceed and dominate its creators. I don't have time to wade through this much chaff to get to the wheat.
December 4, 2013
I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
Oh My Sweet Lord!!! This book was awesome-sauce. I loved, loved, and loved it!!! Sophie is my now most favourite female protagonist and I love her no matter what maybe because I can never be like her, she is confident, robust, smart, straight-forward, great leader, has higher intellectual, can take on-the-spot decisions!!! Well that’s a lot of qualities but she has them all!!!
I’m speechless regarding the horror that the author made the readers feel, it gave me Goosebumps. The mystery is thick and exciting and I kept on reading and reading till the end, I just couldn’t put it down.
Rocking read which will win hearts and the sci-fi fans will go crazy, literally!!! I’m so lucky to have the chance of reviewing this fabulous book and I’m going to cherish this experience for a longer time. This is one of my favourite reads now and it will be yours too so go and get your copy and enjoy!!!
Firstly I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
Oh My Sweet Lord!!! This book was awesome-sauce. I loved, loved, and loved it!!! Sophie is my now most favourite female protagonist and I love her no matter what maybe because I can never be like her, she is confident, robust, smart, straight-forward, great leader, has higher intellectual, can take on-the-spot decisions!!! Well that’s a lot of qualities but she has them all!!!
I’m speechless regarding the horror that the author made the readers feel, it gave me Goosebumps. The mystery is thick and exciting and I kept on reading and reading till the end, I just couldn’t put it down.
Rocking read which will win hearts and the sci-fi fans will go crazy, literally!!! I’m so lucky to have the chance of reviewing this fabulous book and I’m going to cherish this experience for a longer time. This is one of my favourite reads now and it will be yours too so go and get your copy and enjoy!!!
May 1, 2019
I was rather dissapointed. First off, I did not finish the book. I liked the concept and was ready for an epic scifi adventure, and while it started promising, I quickly lost interest. What bothered me most was the authors excessive use of fowl language. I understand its a part of literature and widely used, but I don't like it. And in the case of Orbs, it's like the author is trying to prove something by throwing it in everywhere, for no reason. It added nothing and tanked the book in my opinion. Sorry Nicholas, the Orbs series is not for me.
July 8, 2018
The writing is juvenile at best, the science is just.... wrong. The characters are one-dimensional.
This book was badly in need of an editor. Grammar mistakes throughout and a simplistic, cliche-ridden writing style made this book almost painful to slog through.
I bailed at the halfway point. Couldn’t take the contrived and childish story structure any more.
This book was badly in need of an editor. Grammar mistakes throughout and a simplistic, cliche-ridden writing style made this book almost painful to slog through.
I bailed at the halfway point. Couldn’t take the contrived and childish story structure any more.
January 5, 2014
Really, I shouldn't put any star. I didn't manage to read it all. Scf O, characters are dull as it can get, plot: null. It is the last time I don't read all the reviews before buying a book!
February 28, 2016
I loved the this author's other series, but this one just didn't work for me.
January 3, 2017
Apocalyptic alien-invasion story. Book 1 in a series. OK, but nothing new here. A quick read.
June 5, 2019
Wenn es den Film »Independence Day« als Buch gibt, dann ist es wohl »Orbs« von Nicholas Sansbury Smith. Und ich hätte darauf verzichten können.
Der Roman ist definitiv sehr amerikanisch und der Vergleich mit »Independence Day« kommt ebenfalls nicht von ungefähr. Es gibt eine Menge Geballer und toughe, coole Sprüche. (An »Yipie yah yei, Schweinebacke!« kommt aber keiner heran.) Eben genau das, was man aus einem amerikanischen Hollywood Action-Blockbuster so kennt. Hinzu kommt eine sehr U.S.-amerikanische Einstellung zum Militär und zu Waffen. Für eine Alieninvasion besteht die Erde nun mal grundsätzlich nur aus Nordamerika.
Kurzum: Das ist Popcornkino in Buchform. So etwas schaue ich mir nicht wegen der tiefgründigen Storys an, sondern wegen der coolen Actionszenen. In diesem Fall also wegen der Aliens.
Leider waren die mal so gar nicht cool. Oder zumindest nicht genug, um diesen Roman in irgendeiner Weise über die fehlende Story hinweg zu tragen.
Die Hauptfrage, die sich mir stellte, lautet: Wie stellen die sich vor, das zu überleben? Das sind ne Handvoll Marines und Wissenschaftler und zwei nervige Kinder obendrauf! Wie?! Die Invasion umfasst die gesamte Erde, es gibt so gut wie keine Überlebenden schon wenige Tage nach dem Angriff. Das ganze Setting wirkt für mich ehrlich gesagt ziemlich lächerlich.
Der erste Band, um den es sich hier handelt, ist eher ein Setup, der zur eigentlichen Handlung hinzuführen scheint. Mir wird hier aber nichts gegeben, anhand dessen ich sehen kann, dass die Protagonisten auch nur einen Hauch von Chance haben, auch nur noch eine weitere Woche zu überleben. Früher oder später werden sie überrannt, zumal immer wieder angedeutet wurde, dass sie bisher nur die Vorhut der Alienarmee gesehen haben. Und schon gegen die waren sie hoffnungslos unterlegen.
Hinzu kommen einzelne Szenen, von denen ich vermute, dass sie Horrorelemente und billige Jumpscares sein sollen. Nur dass Jumpscares auf literarischer Ebene nicht so funktionieren können wie in einem Film. Allerdings ist hier sehr vieles eher filmisch aufgezogen. Hat sich da jemand im Medium geirrt? Jedenfalls konnte ich bei diesen Szenen nur müde gähnen.
Augenfällig sind des Weiteren die häufigen Erzählerwechsel, teilweise noch auf derselben Seite und kurz hintereinander. Wir haben keinen wirklichen allwissenden Erzähler, sondern durchaus einen personellen, der jedoch sehr schnell zwischen den Figuren hin und her springt. Mich hat das häufig sehr irritiert, wenn ich plötzlich die Szenerie schon wieder aus einem anderen Blickwinkel betrachtete. Etwas mehr Konsistenz und damit Ruhe hätte der Erzählung hier gut getan.
Die Aliens selbst hätten noch einmal einen spannenden Aspekt hinzufügen können. Allerdings hat mich das Setting, dass sie auf die Erde kommen und alles Wasser auf dem Planeten aufsaugen, überhaupt nicht gepackt. Wenn schon Erstkontakt-Geschichten, dann doch eher Cixin Lius »Remembrance of Earth’s Past«-Reihe, das ist wesentlich faszinierender aufgezogen.
Des Weiteren fand ich bereits den Ausgangspunkt der Erzählung unlogisch. Den Forschern wurde erzählt, dass sie sich in den völlig autarken Untergrund-Bunker begeben, um dort die isolierten Bedingungen auf der Reise zum Mars zu simulieren. Was ich mich jedoch frage: Macht das überhaupt Sinn? Stehen Raummissionen nicht grundsätzlich im Kontakt zur Erde? Klar, der Übertragungsweg von Mars zu Erde ist weit und nicht unmittelbar. Somit wäre eine völlige Isolation von der Erde aber dennoch nur ein Extremfall. Wäre gesagt worden, dass hier ein solcher Extremfall geprobt werden sollte, hätte ich es glaubhafter gefunden. Am Ende steckt eh mehr dahinter, aber die Erklärung für den Bunker erscheint mir dennoch ungenügend.
Der Vergleich mit dem Film »Independence Day« liegt bei »Orbs« sehr nahe. Wer den Film mochte, findet vielleicht seine Popcorn-Freuden an diesem Buch. Für mich schwächelt der Roman jedoch inhaltlich zu sehr und bietet mir auch auf der Action-Seite zu wenig, als das ich mich unterhalten gefühlt hätte.
Ich danke dem Verlag für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplares.
Mögliche Trigger
- Gewalt gegen Menschen
- Blut und Wunden
- Tod und Leichen
Der Roman ist definitiv sehr amerikanisch und der Vergleich mit »Independence Day« kommt ebenfalls nicht von ungefähr. Es gibt eine Menge Geballer und toughe, coole Sprüche. (An »Yipie yah yei, Schweinebacke!« kommt aber keiner heran.) Eben genau das, was man aus einem amerikanischen Hollywood Action-Blockbuster so kennt. Hinzu kommt eine sehr U.S.-amerikanische Einstellung zum Militär und zu Waffen. Für eine Alieninvasion besteht die Erde nun mal grundsätzlich nur aus Nordamerika.
Kurzum: Das ist Popcornkino in Buchform. So etwas schaue ich mir nicht wegen der tiefgründigen Storys an, sondern wegen der coolen Actionszenen. In diesem Fall also wegen der Aliens.
Leider waren die mal so gar nicht cool. Oder zumindest nicht genug, um diesen Roman in irgendeiner Weise über die fehlende Story hinweg zu tragen.
Die Hauptfrage, die sich mir stellte, lautet: Wie stellen die sich vor, das zu überleben? Das sind ne Handvoll Marines und Wissenschaftler und zwei nervige Kinder obendrauf! Wie?! Die Invasion umfasst die gesamte Erde, es gibt so gut wie keine Überlebenden schon wenige Tage nach dem Angriff. Das ganze Setting wirkt für mich ehrlich gesagt ziemlich lächerlich.
Der erste Band, um den es sich hier handelt, ist eher ein Setup, der zur eigentlichen Handlung hinzuführen scheint. Mir wird hier aber nichts gegeben, anhand dessen ich sehen kann, dass die Protagonisten auch nur einen Hauch von Chance haben, auch nur noch eine weitere Woche zu überleben. Früher oder später werden sie überrannt, zumal immer wieder angedeutet wurde, dass sie bisher nur die Vorhut der Alienarmee gesehen haben. Und schon gegen die waren sie hoffnungslos unterlegen.
Hinzu kommen einzelne Szenen, von denen ich vermute, dass sie Horrorelemente und billige Jumpscares sein sollen. Nur dass Jumpscares auf literarischer Ebene nicht so funktionieren können wie in einem Film. Allerdings ist hier sehr vieles eher filmisch aufgezogen. Hat sich da jemand im Medium geirrt? Jedenfalls konnte ich bei diesen Szenen nur müde gähnen.
Augenfällig sind des Weiteren die häufigen Erzählerwechsel, teilweise noch auf derselben Seite und kurz hintereinander. Wir haben keinen wirklichen allwissenden Erzähler, sondern durchaus einen personellen, der jedoch sehr schnell zwischen den Figuren hin und her springt. Mich hat das häufig sehr irritiert, wenn ich plötzlich die Szenerie schon wieder aus einem anderen Blickwinkel betrachtete. Etwas mehr Konsistenz und damit Ruhe hätte der Erzählung hier gut getan.
Die Aliens selbst hätten noch einmal einen spannenden Aspekt hinzufügen können. Allerdings hat mich das Setting, dass sie auf die Erde kommen und alles Wasser auf dem Planeten aufsaugen, überhaupt nicht gepackt. Wenn schon Erstkontakt-Geschichten, dann doch eher Cixin Lius »Remembrance of Earth’s Past«-Reihe, das ist wesentlich faszinierender aufgezogen.
Des Weiteren fand ich bereits den Ausgangspunkt der Erzählung unlogisch. Den Forschern wurde erzählt, dass sie sich in den völlig autarken Untergrund-Bunker begeben, um dort die isolierten Bedingungen auf der Reise zum Mars zu simulieren. Was ich mich jedoch frage: Macht das überhaupt Sinn? Stehen Raummissionen nicht grundsätzlich im Kontakt zur Erde? Klar, der Übertragungsweg von Mars zu Erde ist weit und nicht unmittelbar. Somit wäre eine völlige Isolation von der Erde aber dennoch nur ein Extremfall. Wäre gesagt worden, dass hier ein solcher Extremfall geprobt werden sollte, hätte ich es glaubhafter gefunden. Am Ende steckt eh mehr dahinter, aber die Erklärung für den Bunker erscheint mir dennoch ungenügend.
Der Vergleich mit dem Film »Independence Day« liegt bei »Orbs« sehr nahe. Wer den Film mochte, findet vielleicht seine Popcorn-Freuden an diesem Buch. Für mich schwächelt der Roman jedoch inhaltlich zu sehr und bietet mir auch auf der Action-Seite zu wenig, als das ich mich unterhalten gefühlt hätte.
Ich danke dem Verlag für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplares.
Mögliche Trigger
- Gewalt gegen Menschen
- Blut und Wunden
- Tod und Leichen
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