Echoes of Gravity

Tapache’s Promise Trilogy #1

by James Murdo

Ancient machine intelligences. Resurrected species with no memories of the past. Creatures composed of gravity strings. What is hidden in the void between galaxies?

Tapache, a machine intelligence with great power, has revived the Roranian people from their derelict remains. It has gifted them the Great Ship to voyage through space and given them a to discover the truth about a weapon capable of unthinkable devastation.

An unexpected attack, followed by hundreds of years in stasis, scuppers those plans. Hope seems lost for a small group of Roranian survivors, until something far greater draws them a megastructure beyond comprehension.

The megastructure is far from safe. There are incumbent species that already lay their claim, all with secrets of their own, and a strangely smart information network that exists where it has no right.

Was Tapache lying?

BOOK 1 OF THE TAPACHE'S PROMISE TRILOGY, SET IN THE WANDERER UNIVERSE.

Cerebral Sci-Fi with an emphasis on the 'Sci'. If you enjoy Hard Sci-Fi, complex Space Opera, and authors such as Iain M. Banks, Alastair Reynolds and Dan Simmons, then this is for you.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera

381 pages, Paperback

Published June 29, 2021

About the author

James Murdo was born and raised in London, where he still lives. He graduated from university with a Masters degree in Physics, which added fuel to his early love of science fiction. All of James' books are set in the Wanderer Universe.

James also created the Glossary Generator (software that quickly combs author manuscripts to help identify key terms that may be useful to include in glossaries). It can be found and used for free on James' website.

TAPACHE'S PROMISE TRILOGY
Echoes of Gravity (Book 1)
Echoes of Time (Book 2)
Echoes of Foundation (Book 3)

STANDALONES
Siouca Remembers
Long Paradise
Fractured Carapace

WANDERERS SERIES
Gil’s World (Book 1)
Searching the Void (Book 2)
Infinite Eyes (Book 3)

Instagram: @JamMurdo
Twitter: @JamMurdo

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I'm going to leave this review as spoiler free as I can, because honestly if you are into science fiction or stories with adventure definitely pick this book up.

First off I was given a copy of Echoes of Gravity by the publisher and was a part of the bookstagram tour and for Echoes of Gravity in advance for my honest review.

What initially worried me was that Echoes of Gravity is marketed as a "Cerebral Sci-Fi with an emphasis in the sci" yet it is really accessible to a mostly Space Opera science fiction reader. I like my science fiction to have interpersonal drama and you are definitely getting that with this book. I was nervous for no reason at all.

This is a story set in space, deep space, and I really enjoyed Murdo's world building here. The first book in any series has the task of setting that world up for a reader and sometimes that can be huge walls of information dumps but Murdo effortlessly weaves that information in without overwhelming the reader and I respect that so much.

We follow our protagonist Diyan who has just woken up from stasis and is thrown into a conflict between factions. He starts to question all that he has thought to be true while he tries to save his friends as he is so confused. Kera has to be hands down my favorite character, I really enjoyed her. Some of the side characters came off as a little flat but that really didn't take anything away from the novel itself.

One thing I really enjoyed which you don't see as often as I would like are the chapter names in the book. A really nice touch.

The novel picked up so much steam and I was on such a journey. I didn't realize that I read through it so quickly and I want more. Well that is a lie, I know that it ended because there is such a cliffhanger!! I need to know what happened! The drawback of reading a series is having to wait for the next book to come out. There is so much I need to know about and the second novel can't drop soon enough.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of Gravity is a brilliant example of an accessible, modern, sci-fi adventure/mystery story. As the first book in the Tapache’s Promise trilogy and a new entry in the Wanderer Universe, this book offered an intriguing introduction to a new sci-fi world and saga.

The main highlight of this book was the superb worldbuilding. I can tell that a lot of research has gone into constructing this Universe as there were references to the laws and theories of physics such as string theory. The unique creatures/species & the social structure are explored in detail, but simply, so there is no confusion.

Echoes of Gravity is written in the third person, mainly following the point of view of Diyan (a male Roranian), with some sections of Kera’s POV. The main characters were relatable, different and well-developed, however, some of the side characters felt a little flat.

The pacing of the story begins fairly slowly as we are introduced to the world. It then picks up considerably (when things start to go wrong) and doesn’t slow down from there. James Murdo’s writing is descriptive enough to paint a clear picture of each scene whilst not being weighed down with jargon. The writing in the opening chapter did feel quite repetitive, but I think it was intentional as this was the only section of the text that felt this way.

This book ended on such a great cliffhanger! It left me questioning everything. I love when books end this way and am so excited to read book two in this trilogy!

I utterly enjoyed reading Echoes of Gravity. The adventure I was taken on was captivating & I am very excited to read the sequel! This book would be enjoyable as an introduction to sci-fi, or for fans of the genre, looking for a modern, space-opera/mystery adventure.

Thank you Cranthorpe Millner Publishers & James Murdo for Providing me with an Echoes of Gravity ebook for the Instagram tour in exchange for an honest review & promotion.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Murdo’s spectacularly complex world-building is epic space fantasy. The story is a fast-paced adventure, told mainly from the perspective of Diyan, a young male Rorarian, who is blasted out of his relatively quiet life on the Great Ship after an attack by unknown forces and survives centuries of stasis, only to find himself stranded in a mysterious place and immediately thrust into the center of a political war he is just barely beginning to comprehend.

This book has complicated physics-y stuff that I zero percent understand and unique species and social structures and political intrigue and mysterious messages and relationship drama — it’s wild!

I consider myself a sci-fi fan, but I tend to read more of the Andy Weir, Joe Haldeman, and John Scalzi style of sci-fi — with robots and spaceships and aliens and time travel and whatnot, but generally contained within a recognizably human framework.

Echoes of Gravity is something else entirely. It took me a while (and an embarrassing number of times consulting the included glossary) to understand what was happening and grasp the terminology so I could get fully sucked into the plot, but once I was in, I was IN.

This is the first book in the Tapache’s Promise trilogy, and I’m excited to read book two and find out what happens next!

// Thank you Cranthorpe Millner and James Murdo for the gifted copy of Echoes of Gravity

[Angel Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning descriptions!
James Murdo has an exceptional gift for describing his worlds so well that you can visualize them without difficulty. The incredible journey these 4 friends were on is amazing! The twists and turns had me turning the pages and not wanting to put it down! And that ending was a heart stopper! Brilliant work!

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the beginning there are teaser that nothing is as it seems but the more you read, the more complex it gets and patterns that seem to be forming just don't add up. Complex read for sure with lots of interesting tech and alien species. Parts seem a bit repetitious, the dialog at the beginning for sure, but there is a purpose to it which made more sense as the book progressed. Took a bit to get into, but once it picks up it is fast paced. There is a very helpful glossary in the back.

There is a ton of world building in this book - and primarily from a third person limited POV. The reader is figuring out what is going on right along side of Diyan, a male Roranian, whose reality changes dramatically as he has to come to grips with who and what he is, what his purpose is, the new place he finds himself in, the societal pressures shaping this place and the larger conflict driving it all.

This book has some superficial similarities to Ringworld but is an amazingly different story. In places it almost felt like a similar premise or alien race, but completely different technology, history, and purpose. I've commented that on some of Murdo's other books as well, you can see the influence of the old masters but it is fully his take.

This is the first book in a series and while it takes place in the Wanderer's universe, can be read independently of Murdo's other books. This book ends rather abruptly with a huge reveal which I both liked and didn't as I was worried there would be an abrupt resolution to a certain issue which there wasn't....but there was a cliff hanger. Which means I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for book 2!

[Maria Beltrami · Rating 3 out of 5]

A race, one would say humanoid, travels in a large spaceship across the galaxy. It is not the biological creatures, however, who command the ship. In command are advanced sentient machines, each serving a creature, part baby sitter, part counsellor, part teacher, because the creatures, born on the ship, must grow and learn to complete their mission, at the end of which, as a reward, they will learn what happened to their ancestors, from whose remains they were brought back to life. Things, however, do not go as they were told they would, and the few survivors of an attack find themselves inside a strange structure they do not understand, together with their fellow creatures who have come before them and other races apparently invested, at different times, with the same mission, and at the centre of a power struggle that divides and absorbs them.
A novel that could be described as belonging to the hard sci-fi genre, it reads with pleasure, even if some passages, some cause-effect relationships, remain obscure. The author has probably thought of leaving a bit of mystery for the subsequent volumes in the series, without, in my opinion, having made the right choice in this respect, which sometimes irritates the reader a little.

[Kavita Favelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled with this book and, were it not a review copy for which I'd promised feedback, it's one I probably would have dropped without finishing.

Whilst the universe created here could be fascinating, and it is usually good storytelling to reveal things bit by bit, there's far too much that makes no sense at all, all at once, for it to be an enjoyable read.

I was fully 50% or more through the book by the time I actually started feeling it might be worth continuing.

Worst of all, the book ended without any actual resolution to any part of the story. I'm all for series of books that are read together as a whole, but really feel that each book within such a series should have a complete story arc within it that gives some answers and satisfaction to the reader, even while leaving overarching story arcs unfinished. Here, we just end, boom, not a clue, no real ending at all. Deeply unsatisfying.

[A.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publishers in exchange for a review.

ECHOES is the first in a new scifi trilogy set in deep space. We follow Diyan, a member of a humanoid alien race, after he wakes up from stasis in an unfamiliar world and becomes caught between warring political factions. As he tries to save his friends, he soon begins to question everything he ever thought true.

The scope of the world-building is impressive. Murdo tantalises you with sentient machines, resurrected alien races, gravity strings, augmentation, and more - but leaves you with more questions than answers, and ends on a killer cliffhanger right before a big reveal. While it works well to set up the trilogy, I would have loved for the plot to have more substance as a standalone, with a clearer narrative arc.

Diyan is an everyman protagonist, struggling to understand right from wrong. He spends a large part of the novel confused, asking those around him many questions but rarely receiving a straight answer - which understandably frustrates him, and as a result frustrates the reader too! For that reason, I was more drawn to the characters around him, especially smart, fearless Kera who I'd have loved to spend more time with.

The nebulous villain, the Administration, gave me Matrix vibes - the way it controls an entire city through a short range Internet seems to have a lot of potential. I expect its true power will be explored in the sequel.

Overall, a pacey scifi that sets up an interesting premise for the rest of the trilogy, but perhaps doesn't quite deliver as a standalone.

I'd also be curious to see if the sequels have more diversity of representation within each alien race - especially on the LGBTQIA+ front, but perhaps also exploring racism or other within-species tensions - as I think modern scifi should be exploring these subjects.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very exciting and fast paced. The characters are great and the world building is really good. The writing is very clean and good for preteen readers.
I'd have liked a bit more description of the Ringscape and I appreciated the glossary in the back of the book. I did not appreciate the CLIFFHANGER ending.
Overall, this is worth a read if you enjoy light scifi. I don't feel compelled to purchase the next book because I feel like this story should have been resolved in one book.

[Mick Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read, and an interesting start to a new series of books. It is set in the Wanderers Universe. It is part Space Opera, part Space Exploration SF with a Machine intellect. It was a fun read.

I got this book free in exchange for this honest review. It truly is worth the read.

[Allyn Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent new tale in Murdo's beautifully constructed universe. One of my favourite things about the author is the attention to detail that is put into the alien races. EOG has a solid plot, fantastic characters and no padding. It's pure plot from the outset and a very handy reference guide at the end of the book incase you want to delve a little deeper into the lore. Sharp, well planned and expertly executed sci-fi.

[Gavin Lightfoot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read 120 pages, just not getting sucked into this one, lots of ideas pushed together with some really wooden characters, feels like poorly written young adult material.

[Connie Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read. Whether you have read earlier books in Wanderers Universe or not, this one is independent of some of the earlier series. It is a new series in that universe. It is part action, part space opera( not military) with several species on a ringed planet where the scrap of untold technologies has crashed. Whoever and whatever has crashed/ retrieved/ rescued is stuck there. Lots of action, espionage, bad vs. good guys, amazing things that species can do and questions about the sensespace. I liked it. It is a great adventure.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

To get right to the point, this book is phenomenal!

I was 2/3 of the way through Dune when I started reading Echoes of Gravity, so it had an uphill battle from the start. And it totally delivered!

Murdo's writing doesn't just paint a world, it paints an entire universe. I could picture each ship, city, and gravitational anomaly so clearly.

You know that this is the start of a trilogy from the cover, and it easily sold me on the rest of the story. Not only am I excited to see where this trilogy goes, I want to read everything else set in the Wanderer Universe! If it's anywhere near as gripping, imaginative, and thrilling as Echoes I know I won't be disappointed.

Come for the sci-fi and stay for the intrigue. There is so much packed into this story. Twists, turns, and escalations that made me keep turning the pages. I need to know what happens next!

I would recommend this to sci-fi veterans and newcomers alike!

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not receive a copy in a exchange for an "honest review" - I bought the book based on the amount of 5 star reviews raving about it.
I realize now you have to wait until the "honest" review period is over to get honest reviews. This, honestly, was the worst book I've read in maybe 20+ years. It had no flow, uninteresting characters, bizarre sequences that just happened. You never find out why things are happening or what the motivation is, it's almost like it was written by a group of people who took turns.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come soon (great, sprawling, intricate and interesting sci-fi)

[GG · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Also reviewed on Storylace)
This was such a unique and surprisingly great sci-fi book. I say surprisingly because this is an indie book and is not well known at all it has like 54 ratings on goodreads at the time I'm writing this review. So I had no idea what to expect when I bought it. But it gave me exactly what I'm looking for in a sci-fi story: aliens that don't just look like another version of humans but instead have distinctive looks and culture, robots and fascinating planets that I'd love to visit. It also was a very intriguing story because at the heart of it is a mystery about sth called the Source and it kept me constantly wanting to learn more.

I've seen some reviews saying this was a confusing and difficult book to read but I kinda disagree. Sure it is a hard sci-fi so it has some difficult concepts but overall the language was very simple to the point that I'd personally consider it one of its weaknesses. Imo, if you're a regular sci-fi reader, this book won't be too hard for you maybe even the opposite. Another weakness is that it contains a lot of info dump where basically the character has no idea what's going on and keeps getting information about the world from other characters. I know it's pet pieve for some people but it personally didn't bother me because it was not like a textbook or someone lecturing you but more interactive. Also because I just loved learning about this world which consequently meant finding more about the mystery of the book.

Another small criticism is that almost every female character is described by how beautiful they were, when the protagonist meets them. They were still badass women and I personally didn't see other type of sexism so that's why it didn't bother me that much but I still wanted to mention it.

Overall, would highly recommend!

I can't wait to read the second book and will definitely check out more books by this author.

[Robyn (Bookends and Biscuits) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a big story - machine intellects, political factions, multiple alien races.

The main character Diyan and several others wake up from status on an alien world. A world with multiple different races and waring political factions.

Diyan is struggling to understand whats occurring in this new place and who's friend and who's foe, and spends a lot of the story trying to understand what is actually going on and how someone he previously knew 'Kira' can have change so much from the beginning of their journey.

You are whisked place to place take by one faction escape onto the next. This book is full of action and intrigue every now and then I did feel a bit overwhelmed and found it a little hard to follow but it didn't take me long to pick up the thread again. The main characters are well developed and interesting however, it would have been nice to get to know some of the periphery characters a little more - I'm hoping this may be the case in the follow up books.

The one ends in a cliff hanger which was so frustrating but I am really looking forward to seeing what comes next in the Wanderer Universe and learning how this story resolves.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this intricate and fast paced scifi.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and I can truly say that it is was a worthwhile read. While devoid of any significant dialog from and between machinelect characters which admittedly I miss (hint, hint), this story does not disappoint. It is another great story set in the Wanderer's Universe which takes place on a megastructure described as “beyond comprehension". Billed as "Cerebral Sci-Fi with an emphasis on Sci" I found it to be a very readable hard sci-fi adventure with surprising plot twists, multiple races and interesting and imaginative tech. The main characters are well developed. The adventure begins when the somewhat naïve yet likable protagonist finds his reality shaken. Having been sent on a quest by Tapache, a machinelect, to discover what is killing its species, he finds himself caught up in the tumultuous current events of the megastructure on which he and his fellow hirelings arrive. Previous books in the Wanderers Universe are not required but recommended as they are excellent and imaginative as well. I am looking forward to next book in the series.

[Soscha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of Gravity, the first installment in James Murdo's Tapache's Promise Trilogy, proves to be an outstanding addition to the author's intricately crafted universe. One notable aspect that shines through is Murdo's meticulous attention to detail when it comes to depicting the diverse alien races. In EOG, readers are treated to a solid and engaging plot, accompanied by a cast of fantastic characters, all presented without unnecessary filler content. From beginning to end, the narrative remains focused on advancing the storyline, making it a compelling read.

Furthermore, the inclusion of a helpful reference guide at the conclusion of the book allows those interested to delve deeper into the lore of this captivating world. The overall execution of the sci-fi elements in Echoes of Gravity is sharp, well-planned, and expertly delivered. Murdo's proficiency in storytelling is evident, making this novel a standout in the genre.

[John Purvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Murdo https://www.jamesmurdo.com is the author of seven novels. Echoes of Gravity was published in 2021. This is the first book in Murdo’s Tapache’s Promise Trilogy.

I received an ARC of this book through a promotion on StoryOrigin with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as PG.

Tapache is a powerful machine intelligence. It has sent the Great Ship to investigate a powerful weapon. The ship is crewed by Roranians who Tapache has raised from the edge of extinction.

I enjoyed the 8 hours I spent reading this 263-page science fiction novel. I thought the story was a bit odd. It also ended abruptly. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Anna Ostberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of Gravity (Tapache's Promise Trilogy Book 1) - James Murdo
A complex and intriguing world where Machines and Biologicals search for answers
Love this Wanderer Universe! I have read all the other Wanderer universe books and am a fan. Echoes of Gravity is a well written and engrossing tale of mystery. Tapache, a machinelect, sends biological constructs into a danger zone where it dare not go, searching for answers. No spoilers, but this book ends in a cliff hanger. Inevitable I guess as this is a trilogy, but most frustrating. I hope there's not too long to wait for the sequel. The Wanderer universe is similar to Ian M Banks Culture series, but unique.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is part Space Opera, part Space Exploration SF with a Machine intellect. A unique premise along with crisp dialogue without unnecessary fluff or filler. The novel contains three dimensional characters that come to life on the pages and create a believable storyline which made for a quick, entertaining read. I gave this honest, voluntary review after being given a free copy of the book with no monetary compensation.

[Christian Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very immersive new story set in the Wanderer’s universe.
Don’t expect to learn too much about the Wanderer themselves, as they are clearly not the focus of the story; however that just goes to show the depth of the universe…
The story itself, first of a trilogy, is built with more layers than an onion; keeping track of everything is half the fun!

As recommended as James Murdo's other works.

[Frank Geimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Novel is fast paced and is a good story-line. I enjoyed reading it however I didn't realize that it was a cliffhanger. I guess I will have to wait until the next installment comes out to get the rest of the story!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant sci fi story that kept me involved, trying to figure out what happens and how it ends. Enjoyable for everyone even if you’re new to this genre.

[Samuel (Still Reading Sam) M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
Full review to come

[Goblin Nordheim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed sci-fi, loads of technical info

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that is really New. I Recommend this book! Keep up the great work. 👍 👍

[Jimbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read I will recommend to my friends.