Test of Magnitude

Torian Reclamation #1

by Andy Kasch

“Revenge is only justice when it can be administered without hatred.” The spectacular Cardinal-4 space station overlooks Amulen and Banor, twin worlds sharing the same orbit. It is the pinnacle of Torian achievement and a wonder of the Erobian Sphere. But not all foreign visitors are arriving with pure intent. A Torian half-breed suspected of being the first prophet in 300 years warns of an evil infection in the galaxy. It comes in the form of a game. He also pushes the radical agenda of reviving a primitive group of aliens from a planet outside the sphere known as Earth. Brandon Foss, an unhappily married Virginian, awakens to discover he has been kept in cryonic preservation on Amulen for two decades along with hundreds of others. Though humans are physically frail, Brandon’s quick reflexes and ingenuity during a surprise interstellar attack result in the Earth abductees drawing attention from an additional the Torian military, when planning their retaliation. Book 1 of The Torian Reclamation is the beginning of a 39-year misadventure for Brandon Foss. Along the way he finds he has not only become the hope of an alien military force, but also a generation of humans who can only dream of one day returning to their ancestral home world.

Genres: Science Fiction, Ebooks

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 16, 2013

About the author

I’ve enjoyed creative writing from an early age. In grade school, I remember turning in ten-pages for those “complete the story” tasks. Then there were the “use each of this week’s spelling words in a sentence” assignments, which I relished, usually seizing the opportunity to zing my classmates in the sentences. That kind of thing began backfiring after a while, as I found myself forced to read them in front of the class and having fewer and fewer friends.

I now find myself a happily married middle-aged man. They say I’m middle-aged, at least. I’d be more comfortable with that label if I happened to know a few more 100-year old people. When I’m not writing, I prefer to be sitting in my kayak fly-fishing the local bays or sitting on a barstool tasting new craft beers.

I hoped you like my story. I had a lot of fun writing it. To be honest, the characters became self-aware at some point, reducing me to the role of an observer. I was really just watching them and reporting what they did after that. So if you didn’t like it, I’m sorry—but it’s not really my fault. Blame them.

Tulros.

Reviews

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an pleasant enough sci-fi read. It was readable without being especially memorable. It actually felt a lot like watching an episode of Star Trek.

Brandon Foss, an unhappily married Virginian in his early thirties, awakes from a strange dream to discover he has been abducted from Earth and kept in cryogenic preservation on Amulen for two decades! Amulen is one of the twin worlds, along with Banor, that make up the Torian society. The Torians are part of the galactic Erob Coalition. There has been no war within the Erob Coalition for over 2000 years. The time of peace is coming to an end and a noted Torian prophet proclaims that a time of war is coming and that for the Torians to survive they will need the help of the humans they have stored in cryogenic stasis. The Torians decide to revive two humans to begin with and assess what sort of help they can be and how they acclimatize to Torian society. Brandon, the last human abducted in 2012, and Derek, the first human who was abducted in 1968 are chosen. If the humans want the chance of going home or having their fellow abductees revived they have to prove their worth!

The story was OK. It was a light sci-fi space opera/adventure story. The characters were likeable and there was enough action and humour to keep the story moving along at a decent pace. Brandon was a likeable enough lead character and the sci-fi world created by Andy Kasch was a moderately interesting one. The sci-fi elements of the story were not delved into in any great detail and a few of the sci-fi gadgets just seemed to work like magic. The lizard-like Torians turned out to be a decent bunch, barring a few notable exceptions. They were not proud of snatching the humans, but did it in the belief that they were helping them.

All in all this was a pleasant read that did not blow me away.

Rating: 3 stars.

Audio Note: James Killavey did an OK job with the audio. He seemed into the story, but his cadence was a bit weird and took a bit of getting used to.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so NOT Star Trek!

I want to begin by saying that when I opt for sci-fi, I tend to head toward science fantasy. No, to be totally honest, I head for the fantasy and look toward things like Jim Butcher’s DRESDEN FILES, or Kat Richardson's GREYWALKER series. That said, Andy Kasch’s TEST OF MAGNITUDE is a really nice change of pace.

We all know that sometimes things “just happen,” and Kasch starts with a wife-sabotaged New Year’s Eve celebration and the abduction of Earth-born Brandon. But like I said, that’s just the beginning. In the writing and the reading, TEST OF MAGNITUDE opens a very large can of worms.

Beginning with alien abduction, answers to the question of life “out there among the stars,” and suggestions of cryogenic survival, TEST OF MAGNITUDE also looks at questions of racial injustice, political intrigue and dynastic support, pro and con military government, and religion. And there is a wonderful crew of imaginative and memorable characters inhabiting this story, bringing the causes and scheming to life.

Oh, yeah, and then there is a highly addictive game in the mix… Whew, that’s a lot! But what’s very interesting is that Kasch manages to make his observations and characters mesh nicely in an entertaining and thought provoking story of intergalactic intrigue. I find it difficult to be more specific without delivering a bunch of spoilers, so you will have to read for yourself.

While not a perfectly written story, TEST OF MAGNITUDE could easily be called “rollicking” because it is definitely fun, enjoyable, and full of energy.

[Viking Jam · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/12/15...

Publisher: Andy Kasch

Publishing Date: September 2014

ISBN: 9781492761785

Genre: SciFi

Rating: 4.8/5

Publisher Description: Welcome to the Tora star system, home of the spectacular Cardinal-4 space station overlooking Amulen and Banor, twin worlds that share the same orbit. One visit and you’ll understand why this station is the pinnacle of Torian achievement and a wonder of the Erobian Sphere. Brandon Foss, an unhappily married Virginian in his early thirties, awakes from a strange dream to discover he has been abducted from Earth and kept in cryonic preservation on Amulen for two decades. One other resuscitated human is with him, a knucklehead who almost seems as alien to Brandon as their reptilian captors. A friendship of convenience forms as the two Earthlings soon become unwittingly intertwined in Torian politics and military affairs–at a time, it turns out, when the Torians desperately need just such intertwining.

Review: Are you fugging kidding me? This was so good I almost cried when it ended. I hate the author for making such a fantastic Scifi novel that I yearn for the next installment. The only thing lacking was some alien on human “relations” which is always good for the show. There are sequels titled Flash Move and then Test of Fortitude.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting premise for mostly a straight-forward piece of military space opera. The story centers around two men abducted from earth from different generations who find them selves called up to help their captors. There is a bit of an odd couple interplay as these two men hold very different world views when it comes to the use of force. This aspect plays partly in the story and both men's views are challenged during the course of the story. There are also other interesting aspects regarding their working with the aliens including some more familiar in a Fantasy adventure.

Mostly I enjoyed this book. There are some rough patches in the start of the book as there is a lot of information to catch up on before the story really starts to develop.

[William Breen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick moving and entertaining story. An advanced civilization that has experienced centuries of peace and prosperity is suddenly threatened with interstellar war. They are assisted by a group of earthlings who were abducted over some forty years and held in cryonic suspension for two decades. An exploration of wisdom vs. folly, justice vs. vengance, and forgiveness of others and oneself. Looking forward to the next book.

[Bob Snook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorry this book ended

A good space yarn, starts good and stays good to the end. SF is getting some very good authors and Andy is one of them.

[Scotts Kindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed this immensely. It offered an interesting concept with interesting characters. It was a quick read. Which was disappointing.

[Gerard E. Trigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent premise. Excellent character development. Thought provoking. Action and philosophical considerations.

[Reginald Aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really wonderful book, an unusual premise humans abducted by aliens settling into alien society.
It a book with no flaws in the story no explicit violence or sex.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, I just want to be clear that this feedback is coming from the point of view of a mid-twenties female who’s mostly a fan of contemporary romance as well as some paranormal/supernatural fantasy stories on the side. I have read some sci-fi novels but definitely not as in-depth and as detailed as this one. But surprisingly, I still ended up liking this one even though I did have some reservations at first.

Admittedly, it did take a lot of pure concentration on my part when I started reading this. I guess jumping from new adult novels to this hardcore sci-fi world didn't seat well with my imagination at the moment. As what I expected, the first few chapters were very slow paced and I was introduced to a lot of names, terms, background stories, etc. that really made my head spin. At some point, it helped that I tried borrowing images from the latest Star Trek movie in order to build the world depicted in this story inside my mind.

After getting through the first few chapters, the story did manage to pick up especially during the second half. I really don't want to spoil anything major but the basic premise is there are two main human male characters who found themselves living in an alien world faraway from Earth. The thing is, they're not exactly alone but the rest of their human companions are still somewhat in comatose and have yet to be awakened by the alien race. The thing is, this alien race--the Torians--are finding themselves in the brink of war after a very long time of peace in their realm. Surprisingly, these humans became very valuable allies and help in winning all the fighting and battles and that's when these alien race really started embracing the human males as part of their world.

Needless to say, I really loved the second half of the story. Aside from being more action-packed and less concentrated on minute details, human emotion was very much present as well especially with how the human beings formed a strong partnership and sense of camaraderie with the Torians... basically disregarding the fact that they're two completely different races. There were also some very notable life lessons that I felt were very profound because it not only applied to the alien world in this book but with what's happening right now in politics and the society.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"The key to achieving balance is to purposefully live a balanced life in the first place, day by day, decision by decision. Not to be obsessed with one particular pursuit to the point of ignoring other important aspects of life. Work, play, and rest must all be balanced, yes--but one must balance their work with different functions, their play with different hobbies, and even their rest with different relaxation techniques."

"The law neither lapses nor weakens, but the untethered heart tends to, especially when swayed by an unbalanced mind."

"Believe in your visions and follow them, but lead a balanced life, always. Make wisdom your constant companion. Strive to understand the difference between your true instincts and contrived impulses. Do that and there can be no regrets, come what may."

"Venom. It destroys, but can also provide insight. Invasive destruction is a venomous act. Venom breeds venom, and destruction... destruction. The victims of venom are prone to turn and commit venomous acts, and so the infection spreads."

"For it is not the display of talent, skill, or knowledge which profits a man; it is faring well when one's character is tested. Words and even actions are cheap, but making difficult decisions in life, specifically ones with moral and ethical implications, is meaningful. These are the decisions which have magnitude. Such tests await us all. They are the true measure of our worth?"

I admit this review would've been much clearer and elaborate had I been a guy who loves hardcore sci-fi stories but the fact that I am not and still loved this book, speaks so much about how this story can relate to a very wide audience. Tulros!

***ARC received from author in exchange for honest review.***

[Cameron James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Test of Magnitude is an interesting science fiction read. Brandon, captured from our timeframe, and Derek, the other human in the blurb who was captured in the sixties, form an interesting pair of friends and allies as they enter into this alien world and are quickly caught up in its politics and secrets.

Kasch utilizes some common science fiction tropes, but generally subverts them and makes them unique in how they play out. The first is obviously alien abduction, but rather than having them wake up on an examination table with lights and sinister devices above them, the captured subjects are kept in cryonic preservation and largely forgotten about for decades. The second is the messiah trope; lots of science fiction features messiah-like or visionary characters who speak great wisdom and foretell the future (for example: Dune). When Brandon is bitten by a serpent, he generates these abilities — but rather than having him lead people to freedom, like is common in a lot of science fiction, Kasch has him almost unknowingly babbling wisdom. Brandon doesn’t develop the messiah-like leadership qualities that the trope usually expects. And the third quite common trope is that the main character comes from essentially nothing and then must fight to save an entire world. Normally, I’d roll my eyes — how come an alien world can’t protect itself? And how come a human who’s never flown a spaceship before is suddenly expected and able to save this world? Well, Kasch does an interesting job of developing the alien society such that not only does Brandon fighting to save a world make logical sense, but it also doesn’t come off as Mary-Sue-ish. The development of this plot line is quite believable.

Read the rest of the review on my blog:
http://camerondjames.wordpress.com/20...

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Test of Magnitude” was published in 2014 and was written by Andy Kasch. Mr. Kasch has written three novels, this is the first of his “Torian Reclamation” series.

I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this Science Fiction novel as ‘R’ as there are instances of Violence. The novel is set in contemporary times, but in a universe that is full of alien races.

The primary character, Brandon Foss, becomes one of several earthlings to be taken by the Torians on visits to Earth. All Brandon remembers are some strangely dressed characters that he followed into a park. He is woken up to find himself with another human who seems to be from the 60s of Earth. They soon find that they are the first and last of earthlings to have been abducted by the Torians.

They have been woken up from deep sleep after a few decades because of the request of Arkan9, a Sheen living on Banor. Bangor is one of the two worlds that make up the Tor system. Akron9 is thought to be the first prophet in many years, and his predictions are dire.

Brandon soon finds himself involved in a political struggle within the Tor system, and before long involved in the first space war in hundreds of years. Even though the Torians kidnapped him, Brandon finds himself in the position of helping protect their planets and culture. He also sees his assistance as a way to setting the remaining humans free.

I spent about 6 hours with this novel and found it to be enjoyable. The major plot lines of this novel were wrapped up, but certainly there is plenty left for the follow on novels in the series. I liked the characters created for the novel, they were all unique. I also felt that the plot kept me engaged. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Iola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alien abduction, addiction, a far-off galaxy, space battles, and a mysterious race … what more could any sci-fi reader want?

Mip7 is a guide on Cardinal-4, the spectacular new space station in the Torian system, one of many systems under Erob law. A briefing with the Azaarian ambassador leads to unexpected summons to meet with the governor of the station, where he receives an unusual assignment from a prophet: to revive the Earthlings who have been kept in suspended animation, as they will be needed in the impending interstellar war.

Brandon is one of two Earthlings who are revived. He’s the newest, taken twenty years earlier, and the other is the oldest, and turns out to be a hippie. It’s a complex plot, incorporating several races and dozens of characters (perhaps too many?), but it all draws together well as Mip7 and Brandon have to work together to find the source of the infection and bring the worlds together to defeat the enemy.

It’s always a little hard reading the first of a science fiction series, as the author has the difficult task of introducing the reader to the world he has created without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary detail. Test of Magnitude manages this reasonably well, and I’m sure the second book in the series (Flash Move) will be better as the reader will have the basic understanding of the Erob worlds.

While Test of Magnitude isn’t specifically Christian fiction (which is what I normally review), there is an underlying spiritual theme, and there is no sex or gratuitous violence. While it’s perhaps not to my personal reading taste, Test of Magnitude is an enjoyable read for science fiction and space opera fans.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

[Wyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sci-fi read. Even though it contained all the grisly aspects of war, abduction, and weird aliens and alien worlds it was easy to read, not overwhelming, nor gory. The two humans who were reactivated; although the same age, where from different decades and their differing reactions to the situations where consistent with their original decade without being overdone. Since I lived through the 60's and 2012 I could understand their problems easily and was quite impressed with how everything was handled. I found myself thinking occasionally throughout the book of similar situations that had happened in Star Trek, Star Wars, and Galaxy. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me during the story so I found myself flowing with it rather than stopping to analyze it which really helped to make it enjoyable.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

People are abducted by aliens over a forty-year period and put into cryonic suspension. Two are released and introduced to the alien worlds as a first case in considering taking all of the Earthlings out. Brandon and Derek are the last and first ones abducted and become involved in a war between the Torians and the Azaarians. Believe it or not, an addicting game becomes a major factor in these societies and in the war.

The plot is good, and the relationships between the Earthlings and aliens is warm and well-developed. There is a lot of action that moves the story quickly. It was very hard for me to stop reading until I had finished the story.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a superb beginning science fiction novel that held me in it's grip till the end. The 2 earth men abducted and revived from a cryogenic sleep enter into a very well thought out alien civilization. They both grow, mature and begin to absorb the alien beliefs which turn out to be quite Yoda like, and profound. Has aliens, battles, space travel, philosophy, hero's and villains. Absolutely great. Now need part two.

[Heather Toothman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read

While this book doesn't exactly make strides for feminism, it is a look into where our society is going in terms of technology influencing our every day lives, decisions, and concentrations. I wish the author would have had Brandon fight for women to be revived by saying that they were just as capable as men to fight and defend as well as men. Nevertheless I recommend picking it up and learning how new cultures aren't a threat to any society or race.

[Lyza Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked this book...the story was great! I am giving a three star rating because it was a little heavy on the dialogue. The book could have been maybe one third the length that it was. Some situations were a little absurd, but it's science fiction, it's meant to be absurd in a way. If you are looking for soul searching or life changing this is probably not the book for you. If you want a quick, entertaining read then I would recommend.

[Katie Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book. The two male Earthlings made for a unique odd couple coming from different generations. Their opposed view points on ethics and politics was fascinating to watch them work through. A truly interesting book that I think most people would enjoy. It’s fast paced and exciting. Interesting and engaging. Great fun. Loved it and will look for more.

[Teresa Carrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Space opera. Readable if you can stand the glaring holes in physics, biology, and human nature. Oh and the only females being very minor characters in the first chapter and the last 10% of the book. But it was hard to put down, despite all that, and I'm going to try the free sample of the sequel.

[Susan E. Newell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good, some just okay

I read sci-fi to see an author's creative imagination. this story had a few elements I liked - the binary world, the disappeared race, the ship propulsion system - but I felt the story itself was weak, and the alien lifeforms unimaginative. He did a good job on building characters, though.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing style a little stilted but a good story. I will read the next in the siries.

[Jack Landfather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

I could not put this book down. The story has been put together very well. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good scfi read.

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit long winded in places but I like the whole premise

[Timothy P. Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding premise!

A truly origInal idea. There is action, battles, aliens, space ships, romance, and, philosophy. A new approach to space opera. Loved it