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Eden M51
Eden exists, tucked away in a remote corner of the universe.
In the year 2083, overpopulation, resource depletion, and climate change have pushed global civilization to the brink of collapse. Colonies on the moon and beneath the oceans, despite years of development, are struggling to survive. As international tensions escalate, and humanity faces an impending crisis for subsistence, a new race has quietly begun, one to find a habitable planet for human expansion outside the solar system. Thus far, however, every expedition sent has resulted in monumental disappointment, and occasionally, tragedy.
But all is not lost.
A U.S. interstellar probe, launched decades earlier, unexpectedly transmits a burst of tantalizing figures on a remote alien world in the M51 galaxy, yielding the first promising data scientists have seen in years. In response, an international team of experts is hastily assembled to investigate the prospective planet over thirty million light years away. Each with their own set of hopes and agendas, what they discover upon arrival is more than any of them imagined – something that forces them to confront the shadows of their past and to reevaluate their choices for Man’s future.
Commander Nathaniel Hawke, a renowned pilot in the United States Department of Space Defense, is selected to lead the mission. Seven years after the controversial death of his best friend, he views the expedition to M51 as one last opportunity for redemption. But in the end, will the journey offer the salvation he seeks, or cast him further into despair?
In the year 2083, overpopulation, resource depletion, and climate change have pushed global civilization to the brink of collapse. Colonies on the moon and beneath the oceans, despite years of development, are struggling to survive. As international tensions escalate, and humanity faces an impending crisis for subsistence, a new race has quietly begun, one to find a habitable planet for human expansion outside the solar system. Thus far, however, every expedition sent has resulted in monumental disappointment, and occasionally, tragedy.
But all is not lost.
A U.S. interstellar probe, launched decades earlier, unexpectedly transmits a burst of tantalizing figures on a remote alien world in the M51 galaxy, yielding the first promising data scientists have seen in years. In response, an international team of experts is hastily assembled to investigate the prospective planet over thirty million light years away. Each with their own set of hopes and agendas, what they discover upon arrival is more than any of them imagined – something that forces them to confront the shadows of their past and to reevaluate their choices for Man’s future.
Commander Nathaniel Hawke, a renowned pilot in the United States Department of Space Defense, is selected to lead the mission. Seven years after the controversial death of his best friend, he views the expedition to M51 as one last opportunity for redemption. But in the end, will the journey offer the salvation he seeks, or cast him further into despair?
- GenresScience Fiction
476 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2012
3 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Paskoff
4 books23 followersBy day I am a mechanical/ biomedical engineer. But that's just to pay my bills. I've always been a creative person and have been sketching since a young age. Later on I became fascinated by graphic design and taught myself to use Photoshop and Illustrator. But becoming a writer wasn't something I had considered until I had a story idea in my head and it just wouldn't go away. I didn't know when I started where this adventure would take me but it's certainly been an entertaining ride. If you like what you read, be sure to check my website for updates, writing progress, and even examples of my art. And please, if you enjoyed my work feel free to leave me a review...here, and/or on Amazon. Thanks.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 7, 2015
"Nothing is without limits, and all things require effort, Nathaniel Oliver, even those which seem effortless."
-Ah'n-Ben
Rating: 4 1/2
I received this book through a GoodReads giveaway and would like to say a huge thank you to G. R. Paskoff for a copy of his book.
Humanity is on the brink of destruction. Natural resources are depleted, oceans are almost void of all sea life, and the capacity for housing on Earth's surface is practically nonexistent. For this reason, people have now inhabited the moon and even live underwater. However, these places are obviously not ideal for normal people to live comfortably in. For this reason, a search for a planet with the same qualities as Earth has begun. Of course, this is not an easy task, and there have been false alarms, but when one finally has been found, promising data creates a stir around the world. Every country wants to be one of the first to reach the planet and explore it, striking a stronghold for their nation to be front and center for colonization. However, it was mutually decided that every country would work together to assemble a research team to collect further data to ensure this promised land is really worth moving to. The scientists and flight crew members range from Americans all the way to the Chinese, but things will definitely not go as planned despite the purposeful action of assembling mixed individuals on the mission for the chance of equality when it comes to saving the whole world.
Nathaniel Hawke has been placed as the pilot during this mission, given the very important task of getting everyone to the planet's coordinates and back to Earth safely. The M51 mission will be tougher than anticipated, though. Despite all of the preparations and careful planning, dangerous things have been going on aboard the space craft. A traitor is in their midst and a murderer lurks in the shadows. How can humanity's salvation take place if no one is willing to cooperate? No one knows who to trust. Hawke is trying to keep things under control but when lives are on the line, dread and anticipation both take over all at once. With Eden so close that the crew can almost touch it, people's dreams seem to becoming true, but will it all come crashing down around them? Will the planet be all that they hoped for? What will they find there? Can everyone's salvation be acquired by the M51 mission, and what happens when a life form similar to us is found on Eden? Read Eden M51 to find out!
"You're chasing shadows, if you ask me."-Hawke
"A big part of my job is to chase shadows, you know. Chase them long enough and you might just catch something of substance." -Bishop
Warning: Slight spoilers may be brought forth when I express my thoughts on the book.
Recently, I feel as though I'm finding really great books, and I've honestly been really surprised by a lot of what I'm reading. Sometimes you found gems when you're not even looking. Recently I've read 97 by V. L. Holt and just started reading The Silent Deal by Levi Stack, two extraordinary novels, and Eden M51 is yet another amazing story to rival today's modern literature. It was equally part suspenseful, part mysterious, and part thought provoking. Everything anyone could love about science fiction was put into this story, and one of the reasons that I enjoyed this book so much was because of the strong characters. They showed the reader all of the aspects of what it means to be human. The good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, it was all there. It perfectly portrayed that in the end, while we may be flawed, some of us will fight for what's right and not back down. Out of all of the characters, Hawke was obviously my favorite. His troubled past yet strong perseverance at the end showed just how much his character must have grown through his life. Plus, his character developments and story were definitely well done. Then on the other hand, we have Max Snelling. This character was an antagonist who you just had to despise. I always say that when an author makes you feel something besides indifference or total annoyance towards their story and especially their characters, then they did a job well done. As a reader, I want to feel something towards a character because of how they are written or for what they stand for, and Paskoff did a wonderful job with this, especially with Hawke and Snelling. All of his characters were expertly portrayed through their thorough emotions, actions, and thoughts.
Eden M51 may be considered a larger book, but it never drags along at an agonizing pace. It basically encompasses a broad range of time that include the period before Hawke goes into space with his crew, the time he is in space, the landing on the planet, and their stay, followed by the inevitable repercussions of human beings and their visit. If I had to choose a favorite part, I would hands down say the moments when they were in space heading towards the promised planet. The reasoning behind this decision is because of the frequent action and deception that takes place during this time. Once they reach the planet, these aspects in the story slow down a tad bit. However, the details and beautiful descriptions of the planet that is so similar to Earth is breathtaking and easily replaces what is left out.
The aspect of God, or in this case the people on this planet call him Ah'n-Ben, was a profound part of Paskoff's writing. He put a twist on the common religious views of God, making him a creator that left Earth long ago. I was definitely intrigued when Hawke got to have his conversations with him because they spread over quite a large range of topics. I definitely found it sad to hear how the Creator left our home planet in this book to create a better one and an even better one after that until he decided he liked this one, but it was such an enriching element to the story.
The only thing that was a little hard to follow in this book was this time period's lingo. However, there was a glossary in the back for all of the abbreviations if you wanted to go back and find out what they meant again. Also, there was this one scene in the book that I won't go into very much detail out of fear of giving too much away, but I just want to point out that it was written so expertly. Just when you thought the newly found planet was perfect, you're proven dead wrong. I was stopped dead in my tracks when reading about the individuals who deviated from society's norms. The impact of those scenes pertaining to this moment were just shocking and ultimately hard hitting when it came to the story line. My heart couldn't take the injustice that I felt. It just took my breath away. Hats off to G. R. Paskoff!
Overall, I was deeply impressed with Eden M51 and loved it more than I thought I ever would. The ending left things wide open for further developments. After finishing the book, I went onto G. R. Paskoff's website (http://www.grpaskoff.com/) and was absolutely excited to find out that there's going to be a sequel! Now I am eagerly awaiting a synopsis on it. Also I totally believe that Morgan Freeman would be an excellent actor choice if this book was ever made into a movie. :) You'll just have to read the book to find out what I mean!
You can see reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
-Ah'n-Ben
Rating: 4 1/2
I received this book through a GoodReads giveaway and would like to say a huge thank you to G. R. Paskoff for a copy of his book.
Humanity is on the brink of destruction. Natural resources are depleted, oceans are almost void of all sea life, and the capacity for housing on Earth's surface is practically nonexistent. For this reason, people have now inhabited the moon and even live underwater. However, these places are obviously not ideal for normal people to live comfortably in. For this reason, a search for a planet with the same qualities as Earth has begun. Of course, this is not an easy task, and there have been false alarms, but when one finally has been found, promising data creates a stir around the world. Every country wants to be one of the first to reach the planet and explore it, striking a stronghold for their nation to be front and center for colonization. However, it was mutually decided that every country would work together to assemble a research team to collect further data to ensure this promised land is really worth moving to. The scientists and flight crew members range from Americans all the way to the Chinese, but things will definitely not go as planned despite the purposeful action of assembling mixed individuals on the mission for the chance of equality when it comes to saving the whole world.
Nathaniel Hawke has been placed as the pilot during this mission, given the very important task of getting everyone to the planet's coordinates and back to Earth safely. The M51 mission will be tougher than anticipated, though. Despite all of the preparations and careful planning, dangerous things have been going on aboard the space craft. A traitor is in their midst and a murderer lurks in the shadows. How can humanity's salvation take place if no one is willing to cooperate? No one knows who to trust. Hawke is trying to keep things under control but when lives are on the line, dread and anticipation both take over all at once. With Eden so close that the crew can almost touch it, people's dreams seem to becoming true, but will it all come crashing down around them? Will the planet be all that they hoped for? What will they find there? Can everyone's salvation be acquired by the M51 mission, and what happens when a life form similar to us is found on Eden? Read Eden M51 to find out!
"You're chasing shadows, if you ask me."-Hawke
"A big part of my job is to chase shadows, you know. Chase them long enough and you might just catch something of substance." -Bishop
Warning: Slight spoilers may be brought forth when I express my thoughts on the book.
Recently, I feel as though I'm finding really great books, and I've honestly been really surprised by a lot of what I'm reading. Sometimes you found gems when you're not even looking. Recently I've read 97 by V. L. Holt and just started reading The Silent Deal by Levi Stack, two extraordinary novels, and Eden M51 is yet another amazing story to rival today's modern literature. It was equally part suspenseful, part mysterious, and part thought provoking. Everything anyone could love about science fiction was put into this story, and one of the reasons that I enjoyed this book so much was because of the strong characters. They showed the reader all of the aspects of what it means to be human. The good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, it was all there. It perfectly portrayed that in the end, while we may be flawed, some of us will fight for what's right and not back down. Out of all of the characters, Hawke was obviously my favorite. His troubled past yet strong perseverance at the end showed just how much his character must have grown through his life. Plus, his character developments and story were definitely well done. Then on the other hand, we have Max Snelling. This character was an antagonist who you just had to despise. I always say that when an author makes you feel something besides indifference or total annoyance towards their story and especially their characters, then they did a job well done. As a reader, I want to feel something towards a character because of how they are written or for what they stand for, and Paskoff did a wonderful job with this, especially with Hawke and Snelling. All of his characters were expertly portrayed through their thorough emotions, actions, and thoughts.
Eden M51 may be considered a larger book, but it never drags along at an agonizing pace. It basically encompasses a broad range of time that include the period before Hawke goes into space with his crew, the time he is in space, the landing on the planet, and their stay, followed by the inevitable repercussions of human beings and their visit. If I had to choose a favorite part, I would hands down say the moments when they were in space heading towards the promised planet. The reasoning behind this decision is because of the frequent action and deception that takes place during this time. Once they reach the planet, these aspects in the story slow down a tad bit. However, the details and beautiful descriptions of the planet that is so similar to Earth is breathtaking and easily replaces what is left out.
The aspect of God, or in this case the people on this planet call him Ah'n-Ben, was a profound part of Paskoff's writing. He put a twist on the common religious views of God, making him a creator that left Earth long ago. I was definitely intrigued when Hawke got to have his conversations with him because they spread over quite a large range of topics. I definitely found it sad to hear how the Creator left our home planet in this book to create a better one and an even better one after that until he decided he liked this one, but it was such an enriching element to the story.
The only thing that was a little hard to follow in this book was this time period's lingo. However, there was a glossary in the back for all of the abbreviations if you wanted to go back and find out what they meant again. Also, there was this one scene in the book that I won't go into very much detail out of fear of giving too much away, but I just want to point out that it was written so expertly. Just when you thought the newly found planet was perfect, you're proven dead wrong. I was stopped dead in my tracks when reading about the individuals who deviated from society's norms. The impact of those scenes pertaining to this moment were just shocking and ultimately hard hitting when it came to the story line. My heart couldn't take the injustice that I felt. It just took my breath away. Hats off to G. R. Paskoff!
Overall, I was deeply impressed with Eden M51 and loved it more than I thought I ever would. The ending left things wide open for further developments. After finishing the book, I went onto G. R. Paskoff's website (http://www.grpaskoff.com/) and was absolutely excited to find out that there's going to be a sequel! Now I am eagerly awaiting a synopsis on it. Also I totally believe that Morgan Freeman would be an excellent actor choice if this book was ever made into a movie. :) You'll just have to read the book to find out what I mean!
You can see reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
March 5, 2017
This was very different from what I thought it would be, but that's not a bad thing. I decided now would be a good time to read a book like this, given current events, and it definitely resonated with me on a deeper level because of that.
I hate to do it. But I'm gonna. This was kind of like a really long episode of Star Trek. One time, our main character even says, "Make it so." It made me smile.
What this book illustrates perfectly is that a lot of humans suck. We are greedy, selfish, corrupt, and unsympathetic, and we'll destroy anything to get what we want. This may be science fiction, but it's mostly just truth. If one day, the events in this book take place, if mankind is forced to search the cosmos for a new home because we have destroyed earth, and I have no doubt we will, I have a feeling things would play out much the same as they did in this book.
The author did a great job of combining technical aspects with philosophical, religious, and moral elements. The first half of the book is definitely the technical half. It was so technical, in fact, that it felt cold. But things pick up around 40% with a nice, little mystery unfolding, and things really take off. Literally.
I consider myself a curious, open minded agnostic, so having God show up as a character didn't bother me, although I was apprehensive at first. If you're a more traditional religious type, you might not be happy. But who knows? It might make you think a little. If not about God, then at least the world around us and what kind of future we're steering it toward.
What we get from this is a timely message that, unfortunately, will probably go unheard. If cold, hard facts can't convince the masses of imminent danger, what can a science fiction book do, right?
I hate to do it. But I'm gonna. This was kind of like a really long episode of Star Trek. One time, our main character even says, "Make it so." It made me smile.
What this book illustrates perfectly is that a lot of humans suck. We are greedy, selfish, corrupt, and unsympathetic, and we'll destroy anything to get what we want. This may be science fiction, but it's mostly just truth. If one day, the events in this book take place, if mankind is forced to search the cosmos for a new home because we have destroyed earth, and I have no doubt we will, I have a feeling things would play out much the same as they did in this book.
The author did a great job of combining technical aspects with philosophical, religious, and moral elements. The first half of the book is definitely the technical half. It was so technical, in fact, that it felt cold. But things pick up around 40% with a nice, little mystery unfolding, and things really take off. Literally.
I consider myself a curious, open minded agnostic, so having God show up as a character didn't bother me, although I was apprehensive at first. If you're a more traditional religious type, you might not be happy. But who knows? It might make you think a little. If not about God, then at least the world around us and what kind of future we're steering it toward.
What we get from this is a timely message that, unfortunately, will probably go unheard. If cold, hard facts can't convince the masses of imminent danger, what can a science fiction book do, right?
August 27, 2021
I was immediately impressed and entertained by the great opening lines even if the prologue and characters therein weren't necessarily vital to the story. It was still a really good hook. We also see an insufferable wife and a scheming ex-wife in the first few pages, which sort of sets the tone for a lot of the female characters in the story. Only one or two of them actually get to the end with integrity and body intact. I don't think it's malicious, though - and there are great characters in here, male and female and hero and villain alike. It's well worth a look, so you can make up your own mind.
We are introduced to Commander Nathaniel 'Nate' Hawke, a good solid sci-fi action protagonist, and shown a nice slice of Earth and its culture and technology as he assembles his team (special shout-out to Dead Meat from Hot Shots!, who was never going to make it through this story alive but bless him) and prepares for the historic trip to the M51 galaxy and the potentially human-habitable world of Eden. They also take a whole bunch of people who are probably spies, a vile political lobbyist bureaucrat to represent humanity in any First Contact situations (this actually makes sense because if aliens see this cunt and still decide we're okay, it's all gravy from then on), and of course some army guys because you've got to have army guys. Also enough ammo to start an intergalactic war, although to be fair humans don't need much fucking ammo to start an intergalactic war. Usually they just need the bureaucrat guy.
I am concerned that people will read almost half of this book thinking it is one thing, and either not make it through because they don't like the thing, or be thrown for a loop when it turns out to be another thing (that they may or may not like). I noticed several reviews, not to mention the author's note at the start of the book explaining why this was a new edition with some of those comments addressed, that confirmed this assessment. But given that I was pretty okay with Thing One, and very much okay with Thing Two, I was pretty happy throughout.
My first belly-laugh, in contrast to the appreciative chortle I got from the prologue, was Admiral Langolier. I just can't get past langolier being a Stephen King thing and I kept expecting the Admiral to open his mouth to reveal row upon eternal whickering row of sharp, reality-devouring teeth. Anyway, that didn't happen. Sorry. The story was still good but not as good as it might have been if Admiral Langolier had been an actual langolier. But look, you can say that about just about any story.
The future history of the Earth and solar system Paskoff writes of is at once gritty and dystopian, and filled with downright wondrous scientific advances. This is probably not far from the truth of how it will go. I just hope that if we do invent quantum tunnelling probes, teleportation hubs and the ability to fly thirty million light years in six months, we make use of it a little more effectively. But we're humans, so I'm not holding my breath in the wait for us to miraculously not be shit. I mean, God gave up so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Some of the exposition about the world of the 23rd Century is a bit clumsy. Why did the boat skipper tell Hawke all that stuff about the climate collapse? It was valuable to the reader, and it was interesting that the skipper's lived experience didn't match what was taught in schools, but that fact was almost glossed over when it could have been an important plot point about Earthly politics and delusion. It might have risked further bloating and sidetracking of the narrative, though, so I do see the value in moving on. The Mars holocaust, in contrast, is tantalisingly mentioned and then later expanded on in a way that fits the story better, without becoming a big chunk of wait-what-I-want-to-know-more-about-that-come-back-skipper-come-baaaaaack for the reader to trip on.
My second belly-laugh was when I read about 'chewbacco'. That was great. That was exactly where I thought Chewbacca got his name when I was a kid.
The political intrigue, murders and sabotage were all done really nicely, lending a sense of menace and stakes to the pre-launch and mid-flight plot. The characters were all distinctive and memorable. The story itself was solid old school space adventure on the way to and exploring a strange alien wossname, reminiscent of the Bowl of Heaven series by Niven and Benford. Only that had more interesting alien infrastructure, and this has more interesting humans. The plan for human colonisation as laid out by Snelling is instantly and catastrophically depressing, and it only gets worse. Don't expect to come out of this feeling good about being a human. And if you felt good before now, you weren't paying attention.
My third belly-laugh came when the aliens only wanted to talk to Hawke, and for a second it looked like it was because they were racist (or hair-and-eye-colour-ist). It was just such a fun and funny idea and scene, and although there turned out to be much more to it, I was left with a grin on my face. The aliens themselves, pacifist innocent-native communists of the most wonderful kind, were reminiscent (to my mind'e eye) of the Pearls of Mül, from Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
All of this adds up to a good, if troubling read.
Sex-o-meter
Hawke goes full Kirk really fast the second he sees a naked alien chick. And for some unfathomable reason, the first mission to Eden manages to sign on a man who straight-up tries to rape an alien child. This is solid true-to-form coloniser shit, but fuck if it isn't depressing. Aside from that, and some shipboard romance and a lot of (literal) Frank banter, there's little in the way of sex. Three slowly-opening dewy alien flowers out of a possible Pink Floyd music video.
Gore-o-meter
We get a bit of violence but it is large-scale and not very gory. We get a couple of excellent assassinations on Earth and some murders on the ship en route to Eden, but the latter at least are relatively clinical. Still, a solid body count. Three-and-a-half flesh-gobbets out of a possible five for Eden M51.
WTF-o-meter
I don't understand how humanity has the technology to cross 30 million light years in six months, and this was the closest planet they could find. Aren't there any in the Milky Way? Some lampshading about how hard it was to find one that was just right might have been good. Also, naturally, the big mid-to-two-thirds reveal was a huge and highly enjoyable WTF, but I was waiting for the connection to be drawn between ah'n-Ben and the mysterious power field around the planet. Maybe I just missed it? Was it implied? Was the power field even mentioned after they landed? Let's award this one a 2001: A Space Odyssey out of a possible Star Trek V: The Final Frontier on the WTF-o-meter.
My Final Verdict
A really interesting take on higher powers and a harrowing look at colonialism and the general shittiness of humans. Four stars on the Goodreads / Amazon scale - I guess it would have been three-and-a-half since it was dragged down a little by some elements, but it was elevated by the philosophy of the second half. Excellent stuff!
We are introduced to Commander Nathaniel 'Nate' Hawke, a good solid sci-fi action protagonist, and shown a nice slice of Earth and its culture and technology as he assembles his team (special shout-out to Dead Meat from Hot Shots!, who was never going to make it through this story alive but bless him) and prepares for the historic trip to the M51 galaxy and the potentially human-habitable world of Eden. They also take a whole bunch of people who are probably spies, a vile political lobbyist bureaucrat to represent humanity in any First Contact situations (this actually makes sense because if aliens see this cunt and still decide we're okay, it's all gravy from then on), and of course some army guys because you've got to have army guys. Also enough ammo to start an intergalactic war, although to be fair humans don't need much fucking ammo to start an intergalactic war. Usually they just need the bureaucrat guy.
I am concerned that people will read almost half of this book thinking it is one thing, and either not make it through because they don't like the thing, or be thrown for a loop when it turns out to be another thing (that they may or may not like). I noticed several reviews, not to mention the author's note at the start of the book explaining why this was a new edition with some of those comments addressed, that confirmed this assessment. But given that I was pretty okay with Thing One, and very much okay with Thing Two, I was pretty happy throughout.
My first belly-laugh, in contrast to the appreciative chortle I got from the prologue, was Admiral Langolier. I just can't get past langolier being a Stephen King thing and I kept expecting the Admiral to open his mouth to reveal row upon eternal whickering row of sharp, reality-devouring teeth. Anyway, that didn't happen. Sorry. The story was still good but not as good as it might have been if Admiral Langolier had been an actual langolier. But look, you can say that about just about any story.
The future history of the Earth and solar system Paskoff writes of is at once gritty and dystopian, and filled with downright wondrous scientific advances. This is probably not far from the truth of how it will go. I just hope that if we do invent quantum tunnelling probes, teleportation hubs and the ability to fly thirty million light years in six months, we make use of it a little more effectively. But we're humans, so I'm not holding my breath in the wait for us to miraculously not be shit. I mean, God gave up so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Some of the exposition about the world of the 23rd Century is a bit clumsy. Why did the boat skipper tell Hawke all that stuff about the climate collapse? It was valuable to the reader, and it was interesting that the skipper's lived experience didn't match what was taught in schools, but that fact was almost glossed over when it could have been an important plot point about Earthly politics and delusion. It might have risked further bloating and sidetracking of the narrative, though, so I do see the value in moving on. The Mars holocaust, in contrast, is tantalisingly mentioned and then later expanded on in a way that fits the story better, without becoming a big chunk of wait-what-I-want-to-know-more-about-that-come-back-skipper-come-baaaaaack for the reader to trip on.
My second belly-laugh was when I read about 'chewbacco'. That was great. That was exactly where I thought Chewbacca got his name when I was a kid.
The political intrigue, murders and sabotage were all done really nicely, lending a sense of menace and stakes to the pre-launch and mid-flight plot. The characters were all distinctive and memorable. The story itself was solid old school space adventure on the way to and exploring a strange alien wossname, reminiscent of the Bowl of Heaven series by Niven and Benford. Only that had more interesting alien infrastructure, and this has more interesting humans. The plan for human colonisation as laid out by Snelling is instantly and catastrophically depressing, and it only gets worse. Don't expect to come out of this feeling good about being a human. And if you felt good before now, you weren't paying attention.
My third belly-laugh came when the aliens only wanted to talk to Hawke, and for a second it looked like it was because they were racist (or hair-and-eye-colour-ist). It was just such a fun and funny idea and scene, and although there turned out to be much more to it, I was left with a grin on my face. The aliens themselves, pacifist innocent-native communists of the most wonderful kind, were reminiscent (to my mind'e eye) of the Pearls of Mül, from Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
All of this adds up to a good, if troubling read.
Sex-o-meter
Hawke goes full Kirk really fast the second he sees a naked alien chick. And for some unfathomable reason, the first mission to Eden manages to sign on a man who straight-up tries to rape an alien child. This is solid true-to-form coloniser shit, but fuck if it isn't depressing. Aside from that, and some shipboard romance and a lot of (literal) Frank banter, there's little in the way of sex. Three slowly-opening dewy alien flowers out of a possible Pink Floyd music video.
Gore-o-meter
We get a bit of violence but it is large-scale and not very gory. We get a couple of excellent assassinations on Earth and some murders on the ship en route to Eden, but the latter at least are relatively clinical. Still, a solid body count. Three-and-a-half flesh-gobbets out of a possible five for Eden M51.
WTF-o-meter
I don't understand how humanity has the technology to cross 30 million light years in six months, and this was the closest planet they could find. Aren't there any in the Milky Way? Some lampshading about how hard it was to find one that was just right might have been good. Also, naturally, the big mid-to-two-thirds reveal was a huge and highly enjoyable WTF, but I was waiting for the connection to be drawn between ah'n-Ben and the mysterious power field around the planet. Maybe I just missed it? Was it implied? Was the power field even mentioned after they landed? Let's award this one a 2001: A Space Odyssey out of a possible Star Trek V: The Final Frontier on the WTF-o-meter.
My Final Verdict
A really interesting take on higher powers and a harrowing look at colonialism and the general shittiness of humans. Four stars on the Goodreads / Amazon scale - I guess it would have been three-and-a-half since it was dragged down a little by some elements, but it was elevated by the philosophy of the second half. Excellent stuff!
July 31, 2014
Eden M51 touched me in every which way possible. Stunningly suspenseful and equally mysterious, it keeps you transfixed and thinking until the very end. The saga follows the lives of people on a critical mission to save the future of humanity, with truly unexpected twists and turns. The similarities between the problems facing humanity in 2083 are eerily similar to the ones already on the horizon today, and this piece of writing could not come at a better time. The universe depicted is simultaneously beautiful and horrifying, leaving room for literary enjoyment by both pragmatists and idealists. The author is truly gifted with the ability to tell a story through the eyes of many different souls, without the slightest bit of confusion. I will refrain from saying more, but simply say that I'm looking forward to reading more from G.R. Paskoff in the future.
October 2, 2021
Synopsis:
Humanity has been on the brink of destruction for years. Species have steadily gone extinct and overpopulation has driven Earth’s inhabitants to find sanctuary on the Moon, Mars, and other inadequate shelters. Time is running out for the home world until a discovery of new, habitable planet, Eden M51, sparks a new hope for humanity’s survival. What follows is a tale of perseverance, espionage, and questions of morality as a scout team of scientists and military personnel attempt to cross the great expanse of space while navigating the national ties and ulterior motives that bind them to this mission.
Pros:
-Excellent science. You can appreciate the effort involved to make the future tech believably extrapolated from our current knowledge base.
-Writing is fast-paced and highly exciting. Felt compelled to read until very end and even then I wanted more.
-Dialogue/banter is witty and fun
-Unique plot twist halfway through that elevates entire story
Cons:
-The main antagonist is clear from almost the moment the character is first introduced. I wish the author built a friendly, or at least more neutral relationship to the main character initially before inevitably allowing the antagonist to assume the villainous role.
-Definitely have seen some of these characters before in movies/literature. Wish a few more stereotypes had been challenged.
Overall:
Eden M51 starts out as a typical SF thriller. Indeed, many characters can be imagined as having been inspired by notable heroes from the genre; pop-culture references abound throughout the novel. But while the initial story holds it own amongst other syfy greats, it sets itself apart with a unique twist halfway through that turns everything on its head and elevates the entire novel. Extremely well done and unexpected.
All told, this is a story where the good far outweighs its minor flaws and should be a must read for any science fiction / fantasy buff who enjoys pondering the deeper existential questions of the universe.
5/5 Highly recommend.
Humanity has been on the brink of destruction for years. Species have steadily gone extinct and overpopulation has driven Earth’s inhabitants to find sanctuary on the Moon, Mars, and other inadequate shelters. Time is running out for the home world until a discovery of new, habitable planet, Eden M51, sparks a new hope for humanity’s survival. What follows is a tale of perseverance, espionage, and questions of morality as a scout team of scientists and military personnel attempt to cross the great expanse of space while navigating the national ties and ulterior motives that bind them to this mission.
Pros:
-Excellent science. You can appreciate the effort involved to make the future tech believably extrapolated from our current knowledge base.
-Writing is fast-paced and highly exciting. Felt compelled to read until very end and even then I wanted more.
-Dialogue/banter is witty and fun
-Unique plot twist halfway through that elevates entire story
Cons:
-The main antagonist is clear from almost the moment the character is first introduced. I wish the author built a friendly, or at least more neutral relationship to the main character initially before inevitably allowing the antagonist to assume the villainous role.
-Definitely have seen some of these characters before in movies/literature. Wish a few more stereotypes had been challenged.
Overall:
Eden M51 starts out as a typical SF thriller. Indeed, many characters can be imagined as having been inspired by notable heroes from the genre; pop-culture references abound throughout the novel. But while the initial story holds it own amongst other syfy greats, it sets itself apart with a unique twist halfway through that turns everything on its head and elevates the entire novel. Extremely well done and unexpected.
All told, this is a story where the good far outweighs its minor flaws and should be a must read for any science fiction / fantasy buff who enjoys pondering the deeper existential questions of the universe.
5/5 Highly recommend.
January 14, 2022
The premise of EDEN 51 is pretty interesting: what happens when Earth discovers a new, inhabited planet and humans become the aliens? Written in 3rd person, past tense, multi-POV, this book is a classic space opera with a metaphysical edge, providing readers with a lot to think about.
The plot of EDEN 51 was well developed, as were the characters who were thoroughly described…to a fault. Even minor characters who appeared once in the book, never to materialize again, are given full physical descriptions and backstories, which bogged down the first 1/4 of the book.
Good news though: the pace picked up considerably around the 35% mark, and the story became very interesting and enjoyable! Great worldbuilding on Eden. If the story had started around chapter eight, minus the sporadic info-drops, this book would have been a solid first contact story.
If you like metaphysical space operas, first contact stories, political subterfuge, and hefty descriptions, then you will love EDEN M51!
The plot of EDEN 51 was well developed, as were the characters who were thoroughly described…to a fault. Even minor characters who appeared once in the book, never to materialize again, are given full physical descriptions and backstories, which bogged down the first 1/4 of the book.
Good news though: the pace picked up considerably around the 35% mark, and the story became very interesting and enjoyable! Great worldbuilding on Eden. If the story had started around chapter eight, minus the sporadic info-drops, this book would have been a solid first contact story.
If you like metaphysical space operas, first contact stories, political subterfuge, and hefty descriptions, then you will love EDEN M51!
December 2, 2019
This indie story of space colonization starts off like many others as mankind searches for a new home. There is enough intrigue and danger and murder to keep things moving along. Several cool sci-fi technologies too. It reminded me a bit of a Star Trek episode put into words, light, but entertaining. I kept wondering why it was called Eden M51. I did not see the answer coming. When it did, it seemed silly at first, then more interesting and confusing, and finally quite disturbing. Definitely not something I had read before.
November 27, 2017
I recieved this book in exchange for a review (I think - I can't remember, but I know it was something I either got for review or as a free prime read-ahead book)
This book combined a few things I enjoy: space sci-fi, religion, first contact, and thriller mysteries. Overall the combination works well. Paskoff does a good job nesting the mysteries so that the reader is still discovering new truths about the plot at the 95% mark. I also appreciate that Paskoff knows his strengths and weaknesses and so does fade to black sex scenes rather than subjecting us to potential entries to the awkward sex scenes article the guardian puts out every year.
There is a plot point that appears to borrow from a CS Lewis series and I like the way Paskoff rolls with it.
Since it's a mystery, I don't want to get into too many plot points. But I will mention that I think Paskoff did a good job of building up even many of the smaller characters. The reader does end up feeling strongly about what happens to them.
This book combined a few things I enjoy: space sci-fi, religion, first contact, and thriller mysteries. Overall the combination works well. Paskoff does a good job nesting the mysteries so that the reader is still discovering new truths about the plot at the 95% mark. I also appreciate that Paskoff knows his strengths and weaknesses and so does fade to black sex scenes rather than subjecting us to potential entries to the awkward sex scenes article the guardian puts out every year.
There is a plot point that appears to borrow from a CS Lewis series and I like the way Paskoff rolls with it.
Since it's a mystery, I don't want to get into too many plot points. But I will mention that I think Paskoff did a good job of building up even many of the smaller characters. The reader does end up feeling strongly about what happens to them.
April 26, 2013
Book Blurb:
Eden exists, tucked away in a remote corner of the universe.
In the year 2083, overpopulation, resource depletion, and climate change have pushed global civilization to the brink of collapse. Colonies on the moon and beneath the oceans, despite years of development, are struggling to survive. As international tensions escalate, and humanity faces an impending crisis for subsistence, a new race has quietly begun, one to find a habitable planet for human expansion outside the solar system. Thus far, however, every expedition sent has resulted in monumental disappointment, and occasionally, tragedy.
But all is not lost.
A U.S. interstellar probe, launched decades earlier, unexpectedly transmits a burst of tantalizing figures on a remote alien world in the M51 galaxy, yielding the first promising data scientists have seen in years. In response, an international team of experts is hastily assembled to investigate the prospective planet over thirty million light years away. Each with their own set of hopes and agendas, what they discover upon arrival is more than any of them imagined – something that forces them to confront the shadows of their past and to re-evaluate their choices for Man’s future.
Commander Nathaniel Hawke, a renowned pilot in the United States Department of Space Defense, is selected to lead the mission. Approaching middle age and driven by inner demons, he views the expedition to M51 as one last opportunity for redemption. But in the end, will the journey offer the salvation he seeks, or cast him further into despair?
Cover Page: 10/20
What I find disappointing about the front cover is that when I compare it to other space operas, it is bland and boring. Then I look down the category in which this book sits in on Amazon and compared to other books, it just doesn’t stand out. And that is the true shame about this novel because it truly deserves a great cover.
Character (and their development): 19/20
The characters come off very well. Like a lot of space operas there are several dozen characters to keep your head stuffed full of names, backgrounds and characteristics. And the way in which every single one of them interact with each other makes this story such a fun read. I especially love the character of Nathaniel Hawke; despite being the polar opposite of a role model officer, he is a character that is both likable and at the same time scary. If I was to compose a top 25 list of my favourite science fiction characters from books he would be in there.
Storyline: 19/20
It is probably unfortunate that at the same time that I started reading this novel I was also pushed into watching the Television series Terra Nova. Both of which have the same view of what is going to happen if we carry on our wasteful ways. It didn’t help either that the commander to save the human race in both are called “Commander Nathaniel [surname]” and that in both some secret organisation is trying to sabotage the mission.
However what was interesting was the differences in the get out clause they both took on how humanity fought for survival. While one used a time fracture to seed the past, the other, and the best in my opinion, was to send a ship to a distant galaxy to look at a planet which can sustain life.
The build up to the mission was excellently played out and was such a crucial part to the story. The actual mission was fraught with good action and drama and there were a couple of times I wondered if the story was going to turn into a “lost in space”. But I was pleasantly surprised that the novel took on a unique and refreshing path.
Style: 15/20
I have sometimes questioned that the Space Opera books which are out at the moment are very much the same. There is little difference here in this e-book, except that another author might have combined a few chapters together to make them longer. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the style and it has served the literary world well for so long, but it is nothing new either.
Spelling and Grammar: 19/20
Spelling and grammar were good for the most part. I found one mistake in the book, but lost where it was. What I think needed to have done was not using words which are not so much in use in everyday. There were some words which I had to look up just to get the meaning. I can imagine some readers having to do the same.
Conclusion: 82/100
If you are an avid science fiction fan or a casual science fiction fan then you will love this book. It is full of drama that is often missing from other science fiction space operas with characters that are both real and fluid to the situation. I truly recommend this book.
Eden exists, tucked away in a remote corner of the universe.
In the year 2083, overpopulation, resource depletion, and climate change have pushed global civilization to the brink of collapse. Colonies on the moon and beneath the oceans, despite years of development, are struggling to survive. As international tensions escalate, and humanity faces an impending crisis for subsistence, a new race has quietly begun, one to find a habitable planet for human expansion outside the solar system. Thus far, however, every expedition sent has resulted in monumental disappointment, and occasionally, tragedy.
But all is not lost.
A U.S. interstellar probe, launched decades earlier, unexpectedly transmits a burst of tantalizing figures on a remote alien world in the M51 galaxy, yielding the first promising data scientists have seen in years. In response, an international team of experts is hastily assembled to investigate the prospective planet over thirty million light years away. Each with their own set of hopes and agendas, what they discover upon arrival is more than any of them imagined – something that forces them to confront the shadows of their past and to re-evaluate their choices for Man’s future.
Commander Nathaniel Hawke, a renowned pilot in the United States Department of Space Defense, is selected to lead the mission. Approaching middle age and driven by inner demons, he views the expedition to M51 as one last opportunity for redemption. But in the end, will the journey offer the salvation he seeks, or cast him further into despair?
Cover Page: 10/20
What I find disappointing about the front cover is that when I compare it to other space operas, it is bland and boring. Then I look down the category in which this book sits in on Amazon and compared to other books, it just doesn’t stand out. And that is the true shame about this novel because it truly deserves a great cover.
Character (and their development): 19/20
The characters come off very well. Like a lot of space operas there are several dozen characters to keep your head stuffed full of names, backgrounds and characteristics. And the way in which every single one of them interact with each other makes this story such a fun read. I especially love the character of Nathaniel Hawke; despite being the polar opposite of a role model officer, he is a character that is both likable and at the same time scary. If I was to compose a top 25 list of my favourite science fiction characters from books he would be in there.
Storyline: 19/20
It is probably unfortunate that at the same time that I started reading this novel I was also pushed into watching the Television series Terra Nova. Both of which have the same view of what is going to happen if we carry on our wasteful ways. It didn’t help either that the commander to save the human race in both are called “Commander Nathaniel [surname]” and that in both some secret organisation is trying to sabotage the mission.
However what was interesting was the differences in the get out clause they both took on how humanity fought for survival. While one used a time fracture to seed the past, the other, and the best in my opinion, was to send a ship to a distant galaxy to look at a planet which can sustain life.
The build up to the mission was excellently played out and was such a crucial part to the story. The actual mission was fraught with good action and drama and there were a couple of times I wondered if the story was going to turn into a “lost in space”. But I was pleasantly surprised that the novel took on a unique and refreshing path.
Style: 15/20
I have sometimes questioned that the Space Opera books which are out at the moment are very much the same. There is little difference here in this e-book, except that another author might have combined a few chapters together to make them longer. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the style and it has served the literary world well for so long, but it is nothing new either.
Spelling and Grammar: 19/20
Spelling and grammar were good for the most part. I found one mistake in the book, but lost where it was. What I think needed to have done was not using words which are not so much in use in everyday. There were some words which I had to look up just to get the meaning. I can imagine some readers having to do the same.
Conclusion: 82/100
If you are an avid science fiction fan or a casual science fiction fan then you will love this book. It is full of drama that is often missing from other science fiction space operas with characters that are both real and fluid to the situation. I truly recommend this book.
August 19, 2014
If man walked into the garden of Eden today, would he stuff it up? It’s a good question, and G. R. Paskoff’s fictional exploration of the idea exposes the characteristics of mankind that make this extremely likely.
Eden M51 is a classic science fiction tale with a social comment and a metaphysical element appearing at the end. The story begins in the year 2083 with the discovery of a planet in another galaxy that might be habitable. With the earth failing, problems with health in the colonies on the moon and the failure of the Mars colony, the human race desperately needs something more hospitable to colonise. The United States spearheads a mission to the planet for scientific study. The idea being to arrange for colonists to follow as soon as possible if the planet fulfils expectations.
The central character is the captain of the ship, a likeable man of strong moral fibre, and the conflict comes from the attempts of unknown parties to sabotage the ship. The first two thirds of the books is very well done. It kept me reading into the night with just the right amount of mystery and tension. The characters are well-drawn and the plot takes a couple of unexpected turns.
When we get to the planet, however, the tone of the book changes. With the saboteur threat apparently under control and the natives of the planet being very nice, the tension ramps down. It’s a credit to the author that he held my attention just with the descriptions of the beautiful planet and the inhabitants’ peaceful way of life. One angry human character skulked around a bit and did surprise me with the outrageousness of his action, but essentially the content turned from suspense to theological questions when the Captain gets to talk to God, who has been residing on Eden M51 since he left earth in disgust at what he’d created in man. This time, he’s got it perfect, but now man has arrived to stuff it all up.
There is conflict amongst the human travellers when they realise that bringing humans to the planet will destroy the inhabitants ways of life and most likely the planet itself. They will ravage it as they have ravaged earth. The question is, can they stop it and how?
Some may find the ending a little of a let-down after the previous suspense, but I still found it interesting. My biggest issue was the character of Snelling. He was too obviously the bad guy and had no redeeming features. He needed more subtlety and more complexity.
He seemed excessively rude for someone supposedly trained as a negotiator, and his final act was too crazy. It would have been stronger had he started off as a nice guy on the surface, had his nastiness only appeared as the voyage went on, and had his instability appeared only after he was sidelined from negotiations on the planet.
I think he should have made some effort to entice the populace with ‘trinkets’, surely he would have some of the personal entertainment technology that he hoped to lure them with on the ship. He could have demonstrated their capabilities and the populous not been interested. That would be very powerful and would be incomprehensible to him. His shock and desperation at the base of his power being completely undermined by beings without desire would have, to some extent, driven him crazy.
However, even as it is, it is a good read and generally well done.
I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
Eden M51 is a classic science fiction tale with a social comment and a metaphysical element appearing at the end. The story begins in the year 2083 with the discovery of a planet in another galaxy that might be habitable. With the earth failing, problems with health in the colonies on the moon and the failure of the Mars colony, the human race desperately needs something more hospitable to colonise. The United States spearheads a mission to the planet for scientific study. The idea being to arrange for colonists to follow as soon as possible if the planet fulfils expectations.
The central character is the captain of the ship, a likeable man of strong moral fibre, and the conflict comes from the attempts of unknown parties to sabotage the ship. The first two thirds of the books is very well done. It kept me reading into the night with just the right amount of mystery and tension. The characters are well-drawn and the plot takes a couple of unexpected turns.
When we get to the planet, however, the tone of the book changes. With the saboteur threat apparently under control and the natives of the planet being very nice, the tension ramps down. It’s a credit to the author that he held my attention just with the descriptions of the beautiful planet and the inhabitants’ peaceful way of life. One angry human character skulked around a bit and did surprise me with the outrageousness of his action, but essentially the content turned from suspense to theological questions when the Captain gets to talk to God, who has been residing on Eden M51 since he left earth in disgust at what he’d created in man. This time, he’s got it perfect, but now man has arrived to stuff it all up.
There is conflict amongst the human travellers when they realise that bringing humans to the planet will destroy the inhabitants ways of life and most likely the planet itself. They will ravage it as they have ravaged earth. The question is, can they stop it and how?
Some may find the ending a little of a let-down after the previous suspense, but I still found it interesting. My biggest issue was the character of Snelling. He was too obviously the bad guy and had no redeeming features. He needed more subtlety and more complexity.
He seemed excessively rude for someone supposedly trained as a negotiator, and his final act was too crazy. It would have been stronger had he started off as a nice guy on the surface, had his nastiness only appeared as the voyage went on, and had his instability appeared only after he was sidelined from negotiations on the planet.
I think he should have made some effort to entice the populace with ‘trinkets’, surely he would have some of the personal entertainment technology that he hoped to lure them with on the ship. He could have demonstrated their capabilities and the populous not been interested. That would be very powerful and would be incomprehensible to him. His shock and desperation at the base of his power being completely undermined by beings without desire would have, to some extent, driven him crazy.
However, even as it is, it is a good read and generally well done.
I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
January 7, 2014
(Reviewed by Paul Lappen - Kindle Book Review)
Set a few decades from now, this science fiction novel is about an Earth that has seen better days. A potentially Earth-like planet is found. . .in another galaxy.
The climate of mid-21st Century Earth has pretty much fallen apart. The polar ice caps are gone, leading to a big rise in sea levels. This has forced the creation of cities like New Orlando, and a new Washington DC. That is because the old cities are under water. Common animals like cows and horses are extinct; the situation is no better in the oceans. Earth's population has risen to over 20 billion. Very long range space probes have found an Earth-like planet, in the M51 galaxy.
America would prefer to keep the news to itself, but that becomes not possible, so an international expedition sets off for a trip that takes six months each way (intergalactic travel in only six months?!). Led by Captain Nathan Hawke, some small bits of sabotage are discovered. It's nothing obvious like a bomb found in an inaccessible spot, but someone does not want the expedition to succeed.
The planet Eden really does live up to its name. It has a breathable atmosphere, crystal clear water, abundant plant and animal life, and friendly humanoid natives called the Myng'h. They knew the humans were coming, because Ahn-Ben, their god, told them. Each of the humans has a private conversation with Ahn-Ben. He finds the secret spots in their souls that they don't like to talk about. He also knows a lot about humans.
There are those among the humans who think of the Myng'h as little more than animals to be rounded up and confined to some barren part of Eden. The flood of colonists and corporations would spell the end of the Myng'h culture. Ahn-Ben is not interested in doing anything about it. Can the human expedition keep Eden for the Myng'h?
This novel gets four stars. While parts of it may be a little predictable, the author does a very good job throughout, especially with the society-building (of Earth and Eden). Yes, it's well worth reading.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book in exchange for an independent, fair and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
Set a few decades from now, this science fiction novel is about an Earth that has seen better days. A potentially Earth-like planet is found. . .in another galaxy.
The climate of mid-21st Century Earth has pretty much fallen apart. The polar ice caps are gone, leading to a big rise in sea levels. This has forced the creation of cities like New Orlando, and a new Washington DC. That is because the old cities are under water. Common animals like cows and horses are extinct; the situation is no better in the oceans. Earth's population has risen to over 20 billion. Very long range space probes have found an Earth-like planet, in the M51 galaxy.
America would prefer to keep the news to itself, but that becomes not possible, so an international expedition sets off for a trip that takes six months each way (intergalactic travel in only six months?!). Led by Captain Nathan Hawke, some small bits of sabotage are discovered. It's nothing obvious like a bomb found in an inaccessible spot, but someone does not want the expedition to succeed.
The planet Eden really does live up to its name. It has a breathable atmosphere, crystal clear water, abundant plant and animal life, and friendly humanoid natives called the Myng'h. They knew the humans were coming, because Ahn-Ben, their god, told them. Each of the humans has a private conversation with Ahn-Ben. He finds the secret spots in their souls that they don't like to talk about. He also knows a lot about humans.
There are those among the humans who think of the Myng'h as little more than animals to be rounded up and confined to some barren part of Eden. The flood of colonists and corporations would spell the end of the Myng'h culture. Ahn-Ben is not interested in doing anything about it. Can the human expedition keep Eden for the Myng'h?
This novel gets four stars. While parts of it may be a little predictable, the author does a very good job throughout, especially with the society-building (of Earth and Eden). Yes, it's well worth reading.
(The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book in exchange for an independent, fair and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.)
June 9, 2014
*Originally reviewed on Indies R Us*
Rating: Yay
Genre: Space Opera (Sci-Fi)
Fair warning this book is not for those seeking a quick read. Eden M51 is rather daunting at 468 pages and I admit to wondering how the pacing would hold up or if this would be one of those books laden with enough infodump to make me skim the pages. Surprisingly pacing was good, it lacked in a few areas but would quickly correct any mishaps and return to the smooth ride. Infodump is sparse and details tend to assist in building a better understanding of the characters.
There is some limited head hopping, with the majority of the story being told from the anti-hero, Commander Nathan Hawke, perspective. The head hopping from Hawke to other characters is actually interesting, as most of the other character’s that we do have the pleasure of residing in typically get less-than-happy-endings. This book has several suspense elements and a bit of thriller feel with spies, subterfuge, and some extremism.
Ever present is man’s competitive nature and desire to conquer the unknown, with the main plot being based on the idea that Earth’s inhabitants may have found a planet to colonize. Of course we’re still a planet with separate nation’s ever in competition instead of working together. The book can be broke down into three parts, before, during, and after the journey to Eden M51. I found myself interested in every part. From the selection of the crew to man the mission, the journey’s fraught with some mishaps and surprises, and the discovery of a planet much like our own but so very different.
Finally, there is some religious overtones in this story and Paskoff presents an interesting theory behind the creator of the universe. If you’re the type to dissect stories believing in some ulterior motive or push of a belief system then you may want to stay away from Eden M51. I honestly took the book for what it was- a story. After reading I truly believe that the story was written based on how the characters would act versus providing a story that readers would want.
Overall, I liked it. I look forward to future works from Paskoff. I’m also interested to see if he continues to explore the universe he’s created in Eden M51 or if new projects will be in his future.
Rating: Yay
Genre: Space Opera (Sci-Fi)
Fair warning this book is not for those seeking a quick read. Eden M51 is rather daunting at 468 pages and I admit to wondering how the pacing would hold up or if this would be one of those books laden with enough infodump to make me skim the pages. Surprisingly pacing was good, it lacked in a few areas but would quickly correct any mishaps and return to the smooth ride. Infodump is sparse and details tend to assist in building a better understanding of the characters.
There is some limited head hopping, with the majority of the story being told from the anti-hero, Commander Nathan Hawke, perspective. The head hopping from Hawke to other characters is actually interesting, as most of the other character’s that we do have the pleasure of residing in typically get less-than-happy-endings. This book has several suspense elements and a bit of thriller feel with spies, subterfuge, and some extremism.
Ever present is man’s competitive nature and desire to conquer the unknown, with the main plot being based on the idea that Earth’s inhabitants may have found a planet to colonize. Of course we’re still a planet with separate nation’s ever in competition instead of working together. The book can be broke down into three parts, before, during, and after the journey to Eden M51. I found myself interested in every part. From the selection of the crew to man the mission, the journey’s fraught with some mishaps and surprises, and the discovery of a planet much like our own but so very different.
Finally, there is some religious overtones in this story and Paskoff presents an interesting theory behind the creator of the universe. If you’re the type to dissect stories believing in some ulterior motive or push of a belief system then you may want to stay away from Eden M51. I honestly took the book for what it was- a story. After reading I truly believe that the story was written based on how the characters would act versus providing a story that readers would want.
Overall, I liked it. I look forward to future works from Paskoff. I’m also interested to see if he continues to explore the universe he’s created in Eden M51 or if new projects will be in his future.
April 17, 2015
Eden M51, or: BUREACRACY...IN...SPAAAAAACE
I am kind of in awe at how a perfectly good short story concept was drawn out into this Captain Kirk Mary-Sueing novel-length space opera. Well, more of a space high school musical.
The characters are very forgettable. Each is basically a walking, talking stereotype of their nation. Except maybe the New Zealander, because the author just didn't even know enough about New Zealand to stereotype her. The Brit talks like the hares in Redwall. I expected him to just end sentences with "bally-flippin'wot?"
The main character, to whom I think of as alternately Captain Not-Kirk or Commander Manpain, actually slept with the blue alien. That happens. That happens Because Reasons.
I think my main problem here is that the whole thing reads like a really boring documentary about political issues in the year 2080. And not like, a hipster "documentary-style" sitcom, it's just a man explaining to us some political and socioeconomical concerns he has about the future, often with characters kicking the 4th wall in to ensure we're all informed. Characters should not specify "because cows are extinct" to explain why they are eating a soy-based burger (every time they have a burger) ((to everyone and no one)). They know. Everyone knows. This would be a strange thing to say.
But this book has 2 stars instead of 1 because somewhere towards the end, it got to The Point. The Point is that humanity is pretty much destroying itself with pure greed and that we're on a trajectory towards wiping ourselves out, and yet we're still too busy getting our panties in a twist over things like rules and laws and property to really care about that, and sharing is kind of fundamentally outside our nature and if it weren't maybe things wouldn't be so fucked?
Fair point, sir. Fair point.
...but COMMANDER MAINPAIN THO
I am kind of in awe at how a perfectly good short story concept was drawn out into this Captain Kirk Mary-Sueing novel-length space opera. Well, more of a space high school musical.
The characters are very forgettable. Each is basically a walking, talking stereotype of their nation. Except maybe the New Zealander, because the author just didn't even know enough about New Zealand to stereotype her. The Brit talks like the hares in Redwall. I expected him to just end sentences with "bally-flippin'wot?"
The main character, to whom I think of as alternately Captain Not-Kirk or Commander Manpain, actually slept with the blue alien. That happens. That happens Because Reasons.
I think my main problem here is that the whole thing reads like a really boring documentary about political issues in the year 2080. And not like, a hipster "documentary-style" sitcom, it's just a man explaining to us some political and socioeconomical concerns he has about the future, often with characters kicking the 4th wall in to ensure we're all informed. Characters should not specify "because cows are extinct" to explain why they are eating a soy-based burger (every time they have a burger) ((to everyone and no one)). They know. Everyone knows. This would be a strange thing to say.
But this book has 2 stars instead of 1 because somewhere towards the end, it got to The Point. The Point is that humanity is pretty much destroying itself with pure greed and that we're on a trajectory towards wiping ourselves out, and yet we're still too busy getting our panties in a twist over things like rules and laws and property to really care about that, and sharing is kind of fundamentally outside our nature and if it weren't maybe things wouldn't be so fucked?
Fair point, sir. Fair point.
...but COMMANDER MAINPAIN THO
January 20, 2015
Eden M51 is one of the better science fiction novels I've read in the past few years. The science is all plausible and the story interesting. Basically Earth is ruined and overcrowded and man is looking for a new home. The story involves a mission to explore a planet some six months away which looks very promising and hopefully begin a colonization.
The book moves along quite nicely with lot's of political intrigue, but it's when they get to M51 that the story really took off for me. It morphed smoothly into a thought provoking tale, which will have me thinking and probably influencing my own writing for a long time. On the planet the explorers encounter some twists you'll never see coming that make it even more enjoyable.
That's not to say there aren't some flaws and the characters are the biggest ones. Many of them are tired stereotypes and could have been more interesting. The worst were the ship's commander and the 'protocol officer' appointed by the President of the United States (which of course has hogged the mission) to negotiate with natives if found. The Commander is portrayed as a Captain America, 'Maverick type' who while acting high and mighty makes sure he gets his own way. The protocol officer is a mirror image 'Ugly American' who is overbearing, rude, pretentious, and evil. I kind of doubt even a bad President would have appointed either one of these to lead such an important mission. If these two at least were toned down and their actions more subtle the book would easily garner five stars.
I can't say much about what they find on Eden M51 (other than it lives up to its name) without giving some important plot points away, but I enjoyed it more than enough to overlook the minor flaws.
The book moves along quite nicely with lot's of political intrigue, but it's when they get to M51 that the story really took off for me. It morphed smoothly into a thought provoking tale, which will have me thinking and probably influencing my own writing for a long time. On the planet the explorers encounter some twists you'll never see coming that make it even more enjoyable.
That's not to say there aren't some flaws and the characters are the biggest ones. Many of them are tired stereotypes and could have been more interesting. The worst were the ship's commander and the 'protocol officer' appointed by the President of the United States (which of course has hogged the mission) to negotiate with natives if found. The Commander is portrayed as a Captain America, 'Maverick type' who while acting high and mighty makes sure he gets his own way. The protocol officer is a mirror image 'Ugly American' who is overbearing, rude, pretentious, and evil. I kind of doubt even a bad President would have appointed either one of these to lead such an important mission. If these two at least were toned down and their actions more subtle the book would easily garner five stars.
I can't say much about what they find on Eden M51 (other than it lives up to its name) without giving some important plot points away, but I enjoyed it more than enough to overlook the minor flaws.
March 24, 2019
I got this book for free on amazon some time ago and it has sat in my kindle waiting to be read. I finally decided to give it a go. Even though I had some small issues with it, I'm still giving it 5 stars because the overall story was really, really good. I'm not a fast reader but I spent nearly all of my free time reading this to the end, and would usually think about it while at work or running errands.
One of the issues I had is that I felt there was way too much corruption with the team. I understand that antagonists make a story more compelling, but by the end, there were hardly any good people left. A team selected to go on a mission that important would have been better scrutinized, but it seems that even the people picking the team were shady. And the main villain, Snelling, was a bit over the top. Another issue is that when reading, sometimes it was hard to know who was doing the talking.
But overall it was a great story. I highly recommend it.
One of the issues I had is that I felt there was way too much corruption with the team. I understand that antagonists make a story more compelling, but by the end, there were hardly any good people left. A team selected to go on a mission that important would have been better scrutinized, but it seems that even the people picking the team were shady. And the main villain, Snelling, was a bit over the top. Another issue is that when reading, sometimes it was hard to know who was doing the talking.
But overall it was a great story. I highly recommend it.
July 3, 2014
Paskoff has penned a solid Space Opera with a spiritual twist I didn't see coming. The fact that the 'diatribe' didn't phase me or put me off was refreshing. Like many SOs- Man has jacked our planet and we take to the stars for resources and the quest for something better. We find Eden and an alien race that isn't technologically advanced...and prime for resource redistribution. Enjoy the story and ponder the ramifications of humanity.
I look forward to reading future Paskoff works.
I look forward to reading future Paskoff works.
February 7, 2015
I found this book to be highly facinating and did not want to put it down. Author G. R. Paskoff has done a brilliant job. It is set in the year 2083 and as expected the earth is severly over populated. Even with colonies of people living under oceans and on the moon, there is no space. The answer? Is life possible on another planet? Read this book to find out!
September 24, 2018
Spoiler Alert, although an interesting yarn, as a Christian (full disclosure), I found the premise of finding God, nothing short of sacrilegious, and almost a cheap take off from Star Trek 5, The Final Frontier. If you're just a Sci Fi fan, you may enjoy it. If a Christian reader, be warned, it gently attacks the faith on so many levels starting with a less than all powerful God.
November 4, 2024
Well mixing of sci-fi, religion and romance
This saga was well thought out mixing sci-fi, religion and romance. Human expansion has ruined planet earth for human kind. The search for another planet for humans to survive. After they arrive only to find their location already filled by another intelligent life form who welcome them with open arms. Well done.
This saga was well thought out mixing sci-fi, religion and romance. Human expansion has ruined planet earth for human kind. The search for another planet for humans to survive. After they arrive only to find their location already filled by another intelligent life form who welcome them with open arms. Well done.
July 29, 2015
TracingTheStars.com was given a copy and asked to write an honest review.
I want to start this review by saying that while it only reached 3 stars for me, I believe that it could be a 4 or 5 star book for certain readers. The overall book is good. The overall writing is good. The dialogue, characters, plot, adventure aspect and pacing are also good. It just hit a few roadblocks for me that kept me from really enjoying it.
I think the first roadblock that threw me is the timeline. The events in this book happen in the last quarter of the 21st century. This made some of the technology and other aspects hard to swallow. We are asked to believe that, even though in 2014 we haven't even been to Mars, by the last quarter of this century, we will have survived a global sea-rising disaster, built a moon colony, invented teleporation technology (being used as mass transit, no less) and can build spaceships capable of travelling to other galaxies (using teleportation engines). I'm all for the suspension of belief, but not tossing it completely out of the window. I think if Paskoff had simply pushed the timeline up another century, I would have been more comfortable with what I was asked to accept.
Paskoff does explain the technology, and I actually enjoyed reading his ideas on using teleportation as a means of mass transit and as a way of propelling a ship through space. Unfortunately, these explanations were also part of a series of info dumps littered throughout the novel. While the writing around these dumps was good and enjoyable, the dumps had me skimming pages, wading through mindless facts as I tried to find my way back to the story.
The next roadblock for me was the cast. While the characters were well written in that they had emotions, life and growth, the character types used all felt a little too cookie-cutter. It's a very male, very stereotyped cast.
The anti-hero, Hawke, is a mid-life crisis, single, rough around the edges, right-stuff pilot who gets introduced to the reader via a bar-brawl to show how macho-cool he is against a pair of drunk locals who call him a gringo. Just about every guy in the book has an ex-wife or a wife they loath, and many of the women mentioned in passing aren't done so in a good light. Up until we meet Ben and then Jim's wife at around 25%, the book was giving me an uncomfortable misogynistic vibe. That was cleared away, but then then in stepped the main cast of ladies. The pretty blond girl is the ship's flirty doctor (who, of course, flirts with Hawke). There's a butch military major who's head of security, and an intellectual Chinese woman who heads one of the research labs.
Completing the cast is a sniveling, government lackey to look over Hawke's shoulder, a shy geeky software engineer and a bearded Indian geologist. There were some funny moments of dialogue between all these walking sterotypes, but I kept waiting for someone original to walk through the door. I think the most refreshing character was the Admiral, who was adamant that the newly discovered planet be something for all of humanity and not for pillaging by corporations. I also really enjoyed both Jim and Ben's characters.
The book, plot and cast all have the makings for a scifi-adventure blockbuster popcorn movie, like Armageddon, Pacific Rim or Battleship. It's also got a very heavy-handed pro-American, gun-ho action-film vibe. You know, the kind where America must be the best and beat China or Russia to the punch line (well, in M51, it's China and India). I could actually picture this book being made into a movie, and I think that's what kept me turning pages to find out what happened, which is why I think the 3 star rating from me may be higher for other readers.
I want to start this review by saying that while it only reached 3 stars for me, I believe that it could be a 4 or 5 star book for certain readers. The overall book is good. The overall writing is good. The dialogue, characters, plot, adventure aspect and pacing are also good. It just hit a few roadblocks for me that kept me from really enjoying it.
I think the first roadblock that threw me is the timeline. The events in this book happen in the last quarter of the 21st century. This made some of the technology and other aspects hard to swallow. We are asked to believe that, even though in 2014 we haven't even been to Mars, by the last quarter of this century, we will have survived a global sea-rising disaster, built a moon colony, invented teleporation technology (being used as mass transit, no less) and can build spaceships capable of travelling to other galaxies (using teleportation engines). I'm all for the suspension of belief, but not tossing it completely out of the window. I think if Paskoff had simply pushed the timeline up another century, I would have been more comfortable with what I was asked to accept.
Paskoff does explain the technology, and I actually enjoyed reading his ideas on using teleportation as a means of mass transit and as a way of propelling a ship through space. Unfortunately, these explanations were also part of a series of info dumps littered throughout the novel. While the writing around these dumps was good and enjoyable, the dumps had me skimming pages, wading through mindless facts as I tried to find my way back to the story.
The next roadblock for me was the cast. While the characters were well written in that they had emotions, life and growth, the character types used all felt a little too cookie-cutter. It's a very male, very stereotyped cast.
The anti-hero, Hawke, is a mid-life crisis, single, rough around the edges, right-stuff pilot who gets introduced to the reader via a bar-brawl to show how macho-cool he is against a pair of drunk locals who call him a gringo. Just about every guy in the book has an ex-wife or a wife they loath, and many of the women mentioned in passing aren't done so in a good light. Up until we meet Ben and then Jim's wife at around 25%, the book was giving me an uncomfortable misogynistic vibe. That was cleared away, but then then in stepped the main cast of ladies. The pretty blond girl is the ship's flirty doctor (who, of course, flirts with Hawke). There's a butch military major who's head of security, and an intellectual Chinese woman who heads one of the research labs.
Completing the cast is a sniveling, government lackey to look over Hawke's shoulder, a shy geeky software engineer and a bearded Indian geologist. There were some funny moments of dialogue between all these walking sterotypes, but I kept waiting for someone original to walk through the door. I think the most refreshing character was the Admiral, who was adamant that the newly discovered planet be something for all of humanity and not for pillaging by corporations. I also really enjoyed both Jim and Ben's characters.
The book, plot and cast all have the makings for a scifi-adventure blockbuster popcorn movie, like Armageddon, Pacific Rim or Battleship. It's also got a very heavy-handed pro-American, gun-ho action-film vibe. You know, the kind where America must be the best and beat China or Russia to the punch line (well, in M51, it's China and India). I could actually picture this book being made into a movie, and I think that's what kept me turning pages to find out what happened, which is why I think the 3 star rating from me may be higher for other readers.
December 20, 2015
Excellent story, surprise character near the end
Very interesting story with lots of action. It drew me in despite the many grammatical errors, mostly commas with coordinating conjunctions, though the dialogue could also use some cleanup as well. There were many places where one person's dialogue is interrupted by another person's action, and it is difficult to tell who is actually talking. Also, many chapters start with talking heads in a dark room. There's no scene setting, and we don't necessarily know who is doing the talking.
Also, with so many characters, it would be easier to keep them straight if only one name is consistently used. In some paragraphs Fred does one thing, Mr. Smith does something else, and the lieutenant does a third thing, but it's all the same person: Lt. Fred Smith. Fortunately I was able to search the book each time I came across a confusing name to find their original introduction and figure out who they were.
Also a bit confusing was the continual use of acronyms. The first time a new acronym is used, it should be defined right there on the spot. As I got done reading I discovered there was a glossary that listed many of the acronyms, though not all of them. If the author really wanted the reader to use the glossary for the acronyms, the very first one should have been footnoted with "go look in the glossary" to let the reader know that there was one available.
The errors of construction and flow could easily have been fixed if he had had a critique group or an editor, but as I said, in spite of the errors it was an excellent story. My only issue with the story itself was that it seemed end too soon. Over half the book is spent in getting us from Earth to M51, but the story ends on M51 without ever returning to Earth.
I must say the introduction of such a powerful character three quarters of the way in was a bit surprising but very well done. I won't say more, so I won't spoil the story for you, but it is an added bonus that is well handled. Look forward to this new character.
Very interesting story with lots of action. It drew me in despite the many grammatical errors, mostly commas with coordinating conjunctions, though the dialogue could also use some cleanup as well. There were many places where one person's dialogue is interrupted by another person's action, and it is difficult to tell who is actually talking. Also, many chapters start with talking heads in a dark room. There's no scene setting, and we don't necessarily know who is doing the talking.
Also, with so many characters, it would be easier to keep them straight if only one name is consistently used. In some paragraphs Fred does one thing, Mr. Smith does something else, and the lieutenant does a third thing, but it's all the same person: Lt. Fred Smith. Fortunately I was able to search the book each time I came across a confusing name to find their original introduction and figure out who they were.
Also a bit confusing was the continual use of acronyms. The first time a new acronym is used, it should be defined right there on the spot. As I got done reading I discovered there was a glossary that listed many of the acronyms, though not all of them. If the author really wanted the reader to use the glossary for the acronyms, the very first one should have been footnoted with "go look in the glossary" to let the reader know that there was one available.
The errors of construction and flow could easily have been fixed if he had had a critique group or an editor, but as I said, in spite of the errors it was an excellent story. My only issue with the story itself was that it seemed end too soon. Over half the book is spent in getting us from Earth to M51, but the story ends on M51 without ever returning to Earth.
I must say the introduction of such a powerful character three quarters of the way in was a bit surprising but very well done. I won't say more, so I won't spoil the story for you, but it is an added bonus that is well handled. Look forward to this new character.
December 24, 2013
Eden exists, tucked away in a remote corner of the universe.
In the year 2083, overpopulation, resource depletion, and climate change have pushed global civilization to the brink of collapse. Colonies on the moon and beneath the oceans, despite years of development, are struggling to survive. As international tensions escalate, and humanity faces an impending crisis for subsistence, a new race has quietly begun, one to find a habitable planet for human expansion outside the solar system. Thus far, however, every expedition sent has resulted in monumental disappointment, and occasionally, tragedy.
But all is not lost.
A U.S. interstellar probe, launched decades earlier, unexpectedly transmits a burst of tantalizing figures on a remote alien world in the M51 galaxy, yielding the first promising data scientists have seen in years. In response, an international team of experts is hastily assembled to investigate the prospective planet over thirty million light years away. Each with their own set of hopes and agendas, what they discover upon arrival is more than any of them imagined – something that forces them to confront the shadows of their past and to reevaluate their choices for Man’s future.
Commander Nathaniel Hawke, a renowned pilot in the United States Department of Space Defense, is selected to lead the mission. Seven years following the controversial death of his best friend, he views the expedition to M51 as one last opportunity for redemption. But in the end, will the journey offer the salvation he seeks, or cast him further into despair?
In the year 2083, overpopulation, resource depletion, and climate change have pushed global civilization to the brink of collapse. Colonies on the moon and beneath the oceans, despite years of development, are struggling to survive. As international tensions escalate, and humanity faces an impending crisis for subsistence, a new race has quietly begun, one to find a habitable planet for human expansion outside the solar system. Thus far, however, every expedition sent has resulted in monumental disappointment, and occasionally, tragedy.
But all is not lost.
A U.S. interstellar probe, launched decades earlier, unexpectedly transmits a burst of tantalizing figures on a remote alien world in the M51 galaxy, yielding the first promising data scientists have seen in years. In response, an international team of experts is hastily assembled to investigate the prospective planet over thirty million light years away. Each with their own set of hopes and agendas, what they discover upon arrival is more than any of them imagined – something that forces them to confront the shadows of their past and to reevaluate their choices for Man’s future.
Commander Nathaniel Hawke, a renowned pilot in the United States Department of Space Defense, is selected to lead the mission. Seven years following the controversial death of his best friend, he views the expedition to M51 as one last opportunity for redemption. But in the end, will the journey offer the salvation he seeks, or cast him further into despair?
January 28, 2016
This is a science fiction book. It's the future, and of course, the Earth is overcrowded, most animals and food plants are extinct, people live underwater and on the moon, and we've ruined trying to live on Mars. Suddenly, a new habitable planet is discovered and an expedition is sent out to see if it's viable. I really enjoyed the main character, and all the events leading up to getting to the planet, getting ready to leave, being on the ship for six months. Future Earth and the characters were interesting and there was the mystery of who was trying to sabotage the mission. Once they arrived at the planet, it wasn't as good, and then the ending was strange. There is also a very religious, mostly Christian, element to this book. I did enjoy it a lot, and it was science fiction-y enough to be interesting, but not overboard to be too technical and turn me off. The way they described this ship made me imagine Enterprise in my head. I recommend this.
Read
June 23, 2013Well-written, but not to my taste. A broken-down, alienated protagonist in a collapsing world. I know that's the setup for something different, but I'm not loving it enough to persevere.
Want to read
July 8, 2015kindle
June 28, 2015
Well written. Good but not great characters. Interesting story line.
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