What do you think?
Rate this book
The Token #1
Echoes From the Moon
The last living astronaut to walk on the Moon has been murdered…
Silas visits his estranged grandfather’s lakehouse, in the aftermath of the deadly home invasion. What he discovers hidden below the floorboards triggers a mystery buried since the final trip to the Moon, over fifty years earlier.
Rory returns to her family home in Vermont to write her second novel, but fate has a different story in mind. Her reunion is shattered when she’s thrust into danger revolving around the same tokens.
Special Agent Waylen Brooks exposes a covert operation linked to the death of a retired astronaut. He soon finds out he’s not the only one searching for answers, and willing to kill for the truth.
The unlikely trio find themselves denying the odds, with no one to trust but each other.
Can they find the tokens before someone else does?
Where do these artifacts lead?
And what secrets should remain hidden?
Echoes From the Moon is a tale of lineage and secrets by Nathan Hystad, the best-selling author of The Other Place, Below Us, and Lost Contact.
Silas visits his estranged grandfather’s lakehouse, in the aftermath of the deadly home invasion. What he discovers hidden below the floorboards triggers a mystery buried since the final trip to the Moon, over fifty years earlier.
Rory returns to her family home in Vermont to write her second novel, but fate has a different story in mind. Her reunion is shattered when she’s thrust into danger revolving around the same tokens.
Special Agent Waylen Brooks exposes a covert operation linked to the death of a retired astronaut. He soon finds out he’s not the only one searching for answers, and willing to kill for the truth.
The unlikely trio find themselves denying the odds, with no one to trust but each other.
Can they find the tokens before someone else does?
Where do these artifacts lead?
And what secrets should remain hidden?
Echoes From the Moon is a tale of lineage and secrets by Nathan Hystad, the best-selling author of The Other Place, Below Us, and Lost Contact.
427 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2024
606 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 21, 2024
Not Sci fi
This is more of a detective story than sci fi. The writing is good but it's misleading labeled in science fiction, feel slightly betrayed. I did not finish this book, and it takes a lot for me too not finish a book.
This is more of a detective story than sci fi. The writing is good but it's misleading labeled in science fiction, feel slightly betrayed. I did not finish this book, and it takes a lot for me too not finish a book.
May 16, 2024
When using Goodreads ratings, it's not just the score that counts; the more reviews that exist, the more likely that the score hasn't been significantly inflated by an author's superfans, or perhaps in this case, the author's parents and friends.
I'm reminding myself of this after barely making it through the 4.5+ star-rated Echoes from the Moon, one of the most egregious examples of a book whose characters are forced to act like idiots to fit the lazy plot.
Science fiction requires a suspension of disbelief, but not a suspension of logic. Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hystad; your son's book sucks.
I'm reminding myself of this after barely making it through the 4.5+ star-rated Echoes from the Moon, one of the most egregious examples of a book whose characters are forced to act like idiots to fit the lazy plot.
Science fiction requires a suspension of disbelief, but not a suspension of logic. Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hystad; your son's book sucks.
March 30, 2024
Great story, but honestly, the smarmy, silver-spoon characters were nauseating. Impossible to relate to them, and often felt let down when they weren’t killed off. 🤷🏼♀️
September 7, 2024
This was an exciting book. I’ve not read one of Mr. Hystad’s books in a while, but I’m very glad I picked this one up and finished it just this morning. This is kind of a murder mystery and science fiction story all rolled into one. We’re mostly going to read about the Granddaughter and Grandson of two very famous astronauts although these are definitely not from our history of space travel.
Helios 15 was the last mission to the moon. It carried three astronauts, Commander Peter Gunn, Colin Swanson and Fred Trell, with the latter remaining in orbit while the two former walked on the Moon. But this was all fifty years ago and ancient history to some not born until after it happened. That’s where Silas Gunn and Kory Valentine (Swanson) come into the story.
Kory has just fled a very difficult marriage. She’s divorced her husband who was very immature and dangerous. Now she’s back home trying to write her second book. She’s already published one book but her idiot husband spent all the money she made from that writing. She doesn’t actually need the money, her parents have already offered to buy her a condo if she wants, but what she wants is to find some peace and quiet to write. That might not happen any time soon.
Silas is the CFO of his father’s furniture business which has been quite successful. His parents live very comfortably and so has Silas for most of his life. He’s not had much adversity come into his life and he knows he’s lucky in that way. Well he was until someone killed his Grandfather, Peter Gunn!
Silas and his Father have found out that his Grandfather, the famous astronaut who had become something of a recluse later in his life, had apparently been murdered right in his own home on the edge of Loon Lake. Both had travelled to the lakeside home to see what the police were doing to catch the murderer. Who would want to kill an old man that didn’t have that long to live anyway?
Silas decides to stay at his Grandfather’s house after the police did their thing. They dusted for prints and did the normal investigative stuff, but even thought the place had been ransacked, they didn’t find many clues. This was a small town police department so they weren’t all that experienced in murders in this community, so they did what they could and told Silas he could stay in the house if he wanted.
Silas began putting the place back together hoping this would help him learn more about his Grandfather which he hardly knew. It seemed that his Peter Gunn had changed when he came back from the Moon. In fact, all three of the astronauts had changed. They went from being strong advocates to exploring the Moon, to trying everything they could to dissuade further Moon explorations or landing. NASA had finally decided that the Moon wouldn’t turn a profit so they started putting their money elsewhere. Silas wondered, as did his Dad, what had changed these men so much after their trip to the Moon.
While going to papers scattered all over Peter’s desk, Silas felt the board beneath his chair squeak as though they were loose. So he knelt down and remove the rug and found a trapdoor. He opened it only to find a safe. This is where his Grandfather must have kept his most secret items. Silas used the electronic door combination that had got him entry into the house and it was the same combination that opened this safe. Inside he found a bag of about $2,000. He wondered why his Grandfather would just leave something like that in plane sight in the safe. Then he looked further in the safe and noticed had a false bottom. He pried that open only to find a bag with a whisky label and something hard inside it. This is where all the trouble begins.
The three astronauts found something on the Moon and they all agreed to never tell anyone about them. They each had a piece of something, but that something was very alien and they thought dangerous. So, these pieces had been divided up with each taking one and putting them away so no one would ever find them. Except Silas now had one. He made the mistake of opening the bag and dropping out the piece of metal on the desk and then he touched it.
This story brings Silas and Kory together along with an FBI Special Agent Waylen Brooks. There will be more killings and there will be more evidence of additional pieces of whatever the astronauts brought back from the Moon. Someone wants all three pieces and is going to get them by any means possible. After their first encounter with the alien objects, Silas and Kory only wish they had never found them.
This exciting story continues in book two, “Shadows of the Earth”.
Helios 15 was the last mission to the moon. It carried three astronauts, Commander Peter Gunn, Colin Swanson and Fred Trell, with the latter remaining in orbit while the two former walked on the Moon. But this was all fifty years ago and ancient history to some not born until after it happened. That’s where Silas Gunn and Kory Valentine (Swanson) come into the story.
Kory has just fled a very difficult marriage. She’s divorced her husband who was very immature and dangerous. Now she’s back home trying to write her second book. She’s already published one book but her idiot husband spent all the money she made from that writing. She doesn’t actually need the money, her parents have already offered to buy her a condo if she wants, but what she wants is to find some peace and quiet to write. That might not happen any time soon.
Silas is the CFO of his father’s furniture business which has been quite successful. His parents live very comfortably and so has Silas for most of his life. He’s not had much adversity come into his life and he knows he’s lucky in that way. Well he was until someone killed his Grandfather, Peter Gunn!
Silas and his Father have found out that his Grandfather, the famous astronaut who had become something of a recluse later in his life, had apparently been murdered right in his own home on the edge of Loon Lake. Both had travelled to the lakeside home to see what the police were doing to catch the murderer. Who would want to kill an old man that didn’t have that long to live anyway?
Silas decides to stay at his Grandfather’s house after the police did their thing. They dusted for prints and did the normal investigative stuff, but even thought the place had been ransacked, they didn’t find many clues. This was a small town police department so they weren’t all that experienced in murders in this community, so they did what they could and told Silas he could stay in the house if he wanted.
Silas began putting the place back together hoping this would help him learn more about his Grandfather which he hardly knew. It seemed that his Peter Gunn had changed when he came back from the Moon. In fact, all three of the astronauts had changed. They went from being strong advocates to exploring the Moon, to trying everything they could to dissuade further Moon explorations or landing. NASA had finally decided that the Moon wouldn’t turn a profit so they started putting their money elsewhere. Silas wondered, as did his Dad, what had changed these men so much after their trip to the Moon.
While going to papers scattered all over Peter’s desk, Silas felt the board beneath his chair squeak as though they were loose. So he knelt down and remove the rug and found a trapdoor. He opened it only to find a safe. This is where his Grandfather must have kept his most secret items. Silas used the electronic door combination that had got him entry into the house and it was the same combination that opened this safe. Inside he found a bag of about $2,000. He wondered why his Grandfather would just leave something like that in plane sight in the safe. Then he looked further in the safe and noticed had a false bottom. He pried that open only to find a bag with a whisky label and something hard inside it. This is where all the trouble begins.
The three astronauts found something on the Moon and they all agreed to never tell anyone about them. They each had a piece of something, but that something was very alien and they thought dangerous. So, these pieces had been divided up with each taking one and putting them away so no one would ever find them. Except Silas now had one. He made the mistake of opening the bag and dropping out the piece of metal on the desk and then he touched it.
This story brings Silas and Kory together along with an FBI Special Agent Waylen Brooks. There will be more killings and there will be more evidence of additional pieces of whatever the astronauts brought back from the Moon. Someone wants all three pieces and is going to get them by any means possible. After their first encounter with the alien objects, Silas and Kory only wish they had never found them.
This exciting story continues in book two, “Shadows of the Earth”.
April 10, 2024
Release February 6, 2024
I rely on prolific Speculative Fiction author Nathan Hystad to bring his A-game in every single title, and he never disappoints. When I say "Speculative Fiction," I mean he goes well beyond traditional-trope SciFi, and imagines the most seemingly outlandish concepts; then makes these believable to readers.
In THE TOKEN Series (of which ECHOES FROM THE MOON is Book One), he tweaks mundane History a little, giving us a timeline where the last Moon landing was by "Helios 15," a trio of astronauts of whom two made the landing. After their unspoken "encounter," and a secretive pact among the three, their return to Earth preceded the inexplicable closure of NASA's Moon Launch program. Fifty years later, a sudden flurry of break-ins, home invasions, killings, and attempted killings catch the attention of an intrepid FBI financial crimes agent, who begins to discover these events by synchronicity. Slowly he, and two adult grandchildren of the two Astronauts who had walked on the Moon, begin to learn that those two men had an unaccountable experience--and returned to Earth with evidence, which they never disclosed to NASA. Fifty years after their return, someone knows....and stops at nothing to recover the three pieces of evidence the astronauts concealed. The power of this device will literally change the course of humanity.
I rely on prolific Speculative Fiction author Nathan Hystad to bring his A-game in every single title, and he never disappoints. When I say "Speculative Fiction," I mean he goes well beyond traditional-trope SciFi, and imagines the most seemingly outlandish concepts; then makes these believable to readers.
In THE TOKEN Series (of which ECHOES FROM THE MOON is Book One), he tweaks mundane History a little, giving us a timeline where the last Moon landing was by "Helios 15," a trio of astronauts of whom two made the landing. After their unspoken "encounter," and a secretive pact among the three, their return to Earth preceded the inexplicable closure of NASA's Moon Launch program. Fifty years later, a sudden flurry of break-ins, home invasions, killings, and attempted killings catch the attention of an intrepid FBI financial crimes agent, who begins to discover these events by synchronicity. Slowly he, and two adult grandchildren of the two Astronauts who had walked on the Moon, begin to learn that those two men had an unaccountable experience--and returned to Earth with evidence, which they never disclosed to NASA. Fifty years after their return, someone knows....and stops at nothing to recover the three pieces of evidence the astronauts concealed. The power of this device will literally change the course of humanity.
June 8, 2024
There is a brilliant story here that could have been teased out into something memorable... but I really struggled with a couple of things:
-Characters are surface level and I couldn't connect deeply with any of them
-Sitcom vibes, this could be a series from America in the 90s.
-Dialogue where the conversations and commentary were cringe or eye roll worthy.
This book feels targeted towards a certain audience, and unfortunately I am not in that group. (Female mid 30s from Australia)
Note: This is my first Nathan Hystad book.
-Characters are surface level and I couldn't connect deeply with any of them
-Sitcom vibes, this could be a series from America in the 90s.
-Dialogue where the conversations and commentary were cringe or eye roll worthy.
This book feels targeted towards a certain audience, and unfortunately I am not in that group. (Female mid 30s from Australia)
Note: This is my first Nathan Hystad book.
March 10, 2024
Wow! This was an exciting book. I’ve not read one of Mr. Hystad’s books in a while, but I’m very glad I picked this one up and finished it just this morning. This is kind of a murder mystery and science fiction story all rolled into one. We’re mostly going to read about the Granddaughter and Grandson of two very famous astronauts although these are definitely not from our history of space travel.
Helios 15 was the last mission to the moon. It carried three astronauts, Commander Peter Gunn, Colin Swanson and Fred Trell, with the latter remaining in orbit while the two former walked on the Moon. But this was all fifty years ago and ancient history to some not born until after it happened. That’s where Silas Gunn and Kory Valentine (Swanson) come into the story.
Kory has just fled a very difficult marriage. She’s divorced her husband who was very immature and dangerous. Now she’s back home trying to write her second book. She’s already published one book but her idiot husband spent all the money she made from that writing. She doesn’t actually need the money, her parents have already offered to buy her a condo if she wants, but what she wants is to find some peace and quiet to write. That might not happen any time soon.
Silas is the CFO of his father’s furniture business which has been quite successful. His parents live very comfortably and so has Silas for most of his life. He’s not had much adversity come into his life and he knows he’s lucky in that way. Well he was until someone killed his Grandfather, Peter Gunn!
Silas and his Father have found out that his Grandfather, the famous astronaut who had become something of a recluse later in his life, had apparently been murdered right in his own home on the edge of Loon Lake. Both had traveled to the lakeside home to see what the police were doing to catch the murderer. Who would want to kill an old man that didn’t have that long to live anyway?
Silas decides to stay at his Grandfather’s house after the police did their thing. They dusted for prints and did the normal investigative stuff, but even thought the place had been ransacked, they didn’t find many clues. This was a small town police department so they weren’t all that experienced in murders in this community, so they did what they could and told Silas he could stay in the house if he wanted.
Silas began putting the place back together hoping this would help him learn more about his Grandfather which he hardly knew. It seemed that his Peter Gunn had changed when he came back from the Moon. In fact, all three of the astronauts had changed. They went from being strong advocates to exploring the Moon, to trying everything they could to dissuade further Moon explorations or landing. NASA had finally decided that the Moon wouldn’t turn a profit so they started putting their money elsewhere. Silas wondered, as did his Dad, what had changed these men so much after their trip to the Moon.
While going to papers scattered all over Peter’s desk, Silas felt the board beneath his chair squeak as though they were loose. So he knelt down and remove the rug and found a trapdoor. He opened it only to find a safe. This is where his Grandfather must have kept his most secret items. Silas used the electronic door combination that had got him entry into the house and it was the same combination that opened this safe. Inside he found a bag of about $2,000. He wondered why his Grandfather would just leave something like that in plane sight in the safe. Then he looked further in the safe and noticed had a false bottom. He pried that open only to find a bag with a whisky label and something hard inside it. This is where all the trouble begins.
The three astronauts found something on the Moon and they all agreed to never tell anyone about them. They each had a piece of something, but that something was very alien and they thought dangerous. So, these pieces had been divided up with each taking one and putting them away so no one would ever find them. Except Silas now had one. He made the mistake of opening the bag and dropping out the piece of metal on the desk and then he touched it.
This story brings Silas and Kory together along with an FBI Special Agent Waylen Brooks. There will be more killings and there will be more evidence of additional pieces of whatever the astronauts brought back from the Moon. Someone wants all three pieces and is going to get them by any means possible. After their first encounter with the alien objects, Silas and Kory only wish they had never found them.
This exciting story continues in book two, “Shadows of the Earth” available for pre-order on Amazon. It’s should be available on 9 April 2024.
Helios 15 was the last mission to the moon. It carried three astronauts, Commander Peter Gunn, Colin Swanson and Fred Trell, with the latter remaining in orbit while the two former walked on the Moon. But this was all fifty years ago and ancient history to some not born until after it happened. That’s where Silas Gunn and Kory Valentine (Swanson) come into the story.
Kory has just fled a very difficult marriage. She’s divorced her husband who was very immature and dangerous. Now she’s back home trying to write her second book. She’s already published one book but her idiot husband spent all the money she made from that writing. She doesn’t actually need the money, her parents have already offered to buy her a condo if she wants, but what she wants is to find some peace and quiet to write. That might not happen any time soon.
Silas is the CFO of his father’s furniture business which has been quite successful. His parents live very comfortably and so has Silas for most of his life. He’s not had much adversity come into his life and he knows he’s lucky in that way. Well he was until someone killed his Grandfather, Peter Gunn!
Silas and his Father have found out that his Grandfather, the famous astronaut who had become something of a recluse later in his life, had apparently been murdered right in his own home on the edge of Loon Lake. Both had traveled to the lakeside home to see what the police were doing to catch the murderer. Who would want to kill an old man that didn’t have that long to live anyway?
Silas decides to stay at his Grandfather’s house after the police did their thing. They dusted for prints and did the normal investigative stuff, but even thought the place had been ransacked, they didn’t find many clues. This was a small town police department so they weren’t all that experienced in murders in this community, so they did what they could and told Silas he could stay in the house if he wanted.
Silas began putting the place back together hoping this would help him learn more about his Grandfather which he hardly knew. It seemed that his Peter Gunn had changed when he came back from the Moon. In fact, all three of the astronauts had changed. They went from being strong advocates to exploring the Moon, to trying everything they could to dissuade further Moon explorations or landing. NASA had finally decided that the Moon wouldn’t turn a profit so they started putting their money elsewhere. Silas wondered, as did his Dad, what had changed these men so much after their trip to the Moon.
While going to papers scattered all over Peter’s desk, Silas felt the board beneath his chair squeak as though they were loose. So he knelt down and remove the rug and found a trapdoor. He opened it only to find a safe. This is where his Grandfather must have kept his most secret items. Silas used the electronic door combination that had got him entry into the house and it was the same combination that opened this safe. Inside he found a bag of about $2,000. He wondered why his Grandfather would just leave something like that in plane sight in the safe. Then he looked further in the safe and noticed had a false bottom. He pried that open only to find a bag with a whisky label and something hard inside it. This is where all the trouble begins.
The three astronauts found something on the Moon and they all agreed to never tell anyone about them. They each had a piece of something, but that something was very alien and they thought dangerous. So, these pieces had been divided up with each taking one and putting them away so no one would ever find them. Except Silas now had one. He made the mistake of opening the bag and dropping out the piece of metal on the desk and then he touched it.
This story brings Silas and Kory together along with an FBI Special Agent Waylen Brooks. There will be more killings and there will be more evidence of additional pieces of whatever the astronauts brought back from the Moon. Someone wants all three pieces and is going to get them by any means possible. After their first encounter with the alien objects, Silas and Kory only wish they had never found them.
This exciting story continues in book two, “Shadows of the Earth” available for pre-order on Amazon. It’s should be available on 9 April 2024.
May 25, 2024
When Commander Peter Gunn, former astronaut, and the Commander of the last mission to set foot on the moon is shot and killed in his home, his grandson Silas goes to his house at Loon Lake to find out what happened and sort out the estate. But Silas gets more than he bargains for, when he discovers that Peter Gunn has been hiding something for the last 50yrs. Silas uncovers a token, a piece of alien metal, that when you touch it, it gives you echoes of memories of being on the moon, memories of the Helios 15 mission his grandfather was Commander of.
As Silas is trying to work out what this strange token means, Rory Swanson, the Author also known as Rory Valentine, and granddaughter of Colin Swanson, who was one of the other astronauts on the mission, has fled Boston to her parents home in Woodstock. She has left an abusive rel ationship, coming home to write a new book. But when she gets there, she is inadvertently drawn into this mystery about the tokens as well, through some nefarious people.
Meanwhile, Special Agent Waylen Brooks has just finished a major case, when he gets some information about a break-in at a storage unit belonging to Fred Trell, who happens to be the third astronaut on the Helios 15 mission.
Waylen starts to follow up on the break-in, which leads him to both Silas and Rory.
With no real idea what the token means, or why Peter hid it from everyone, and now, why there seems to be people hunting and willing to kill for it, Waylen starts to follow leads, helped initially by Silas, and then Rory.
The three soon realise that they can’t really trust anyone but each other, and an alliance between two old family acquaintances and an FBI agent leads on an intriguing, gritty and enthralling mystery.
Hystad is exceptional at writing powerful, character driven stories, and Echoes of the Moon is another masterclass in multi-faceted, intelligent storytelling. Each of the main characters are brilliant, Waylen is this driven FBI agent, with a lack of personal life due to the work he does. He has sacrificed having a romantic life as he travels so much, his relationships never work, but he loves his job. However, recently, things have become a little complicated with his current partner Sanchez after a few drinks one night.
Silas is intelligent, but has been trapped in the family business, even though he doesn’t really want to be there. Recent events with Peter Gunn have made him realise just how much he needs a change in life.
Rory Swanson is a gifted author, but her personal life with an abusive partner has crushed her creative spirit, and she has just recently fled to her parents, looking to start over. However, the past is still interfering with her creative side, as well as an overbearing Mother.
There are numerous other outstanding characters that bring this story to life, without listing all of them.
Hystad leaves you guessing, as the mystery moves from one location to the next, and new things unfold, with thrilling action as well as some creative and clever sci-fi aspects.
The descriptive work is stunning, when someone touches a token, and gets an echo of the moon mission, you feel like you are there with them on the moon, looking back at the earth. The imagery of parts of the US is beautiful, such as Loon Lake, where Peter Gunn lived, and some other aspects (no spoilers), are somewhat terrifying.
This is Hystad at his absolute finest, a sensational sci-fi mystery thriller that just shouldn’t be missed, as it is easily one of best series he has written!
As Silas is trying to work out what this strange token means, Rory Swanson, the Author also known as Rory Valentine, and granddaughter of Colin Swanson, who was one of the other astronauts on the mission, has fled Boston to her parents home in Woodstock. She has left an abusive rel ationship, coming home to write a new book. But when she gets there, she is inadvertently drawn into this mystery about the tokens as well, through some nefarious people.
Meanwhile, Special Agent Waylen Brooks has just finished a major case, when he gets some information about a break-in at a storage unit belonging to Fred Trell, who happens to be the third astronaut on the Helios 15 mission.
Waylen starts to follow up on the break-in, which leads him to both Silas and Rory.
With no real idea what the token means, or why Peter hid it from everyone, and now, why there seems to be people hunting and willing to kill for it, Waylen starts to follow leads, helped initially by Silas, and then Rory.
The three soon realise that they can’t really trust anyone but each other, and an alliance between two old family acquaintances and an FBI agent leads on an intriguing, gritty and enthralling mystery.
Hystad is exceptional at writing powerful, character driven stories, and Echoes of the Moon is another masterclass in multi-faceted, intelligent storytelling. Each of the main characters are brilliant, Waylen is this driven FBI agent, with a lack of personal life due to the work he does. He has sacrificed having a romantic life as he travels so much, his relationships never work, but he loves his job. However, recently, things have become a little complicated with his current partner Sanchez after a few drinks one night.
Silas is intelligent, but has been trapped in the family business, even though he doesn’t really want to be there. Recent events with Peter Gunn have made him realise just how much he needs a change in life.
Rory Swanson is a gifted author, but her personal life with an abusive partner has crushed her creative spirit, and she has just recently fled to her parents, looking to start over. However, the past is still interfering with her creative side, as well as an overbearing Mother.
There are numerous other outstanding characters that bring this story to life, without listing all of them.
Hystad leaves you guessing, as the mystery moves from one location to the next, and new things unfold, with thrilling action as well as some creative and clever sci-fi aspects.
The descriptive work is stunning, when someone touches a token, and gets an echo of the moon mission, you feel like you are there with them on the moon, looking back at the earth. The imagery of parts of the US is beautiful, such as Loon Lake, where Peter Gunn lived, and some other aspects (no spoilers), are somewhat terrifying.
This is Hystad at his absolute finest, a sensational sci-fi mystery thriller that just shouldn’t be missed, as it is easily one of best series he has written!
February 7, 2024
Nathan Hystad has previously proven his mastery in several genres, from horror to techno-thriller to alien invasion, hard sci-fi, and mysteries. He is a master of suspense and engagement. This book would be a great start for anyone not familiar with Mr. Hystad's work.
In Echoes from the Moon, we are immediately sucked into the story of Commander Peter Gunn, retired, who landed on the moon with his 2 crewmates 50 years ago. And there was a 2-hour comms blackout... and now, 50 years later, there is a secret. Except one of Gunn's deceased crewmates couldn't keep the secret.
Now, Gunn's estranged grandson Silas, CFO for a furniture company, Rory, a writer with writer's block, and Waylan Brooks, an FBI agent, are all trying to figure out why he was murdered and connect the dots to the killers and robbers. What was brought back from the moon, and mostly kept a secret? What are these strange tokens? What are the robbers and killers after?
This book sucks you in from the preface and doesn't let you go. With real, flawed, in some ways quirky, but utterly real true-to-life characters, and gripping suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat and turning pages, this is another fabulous success from Nathan Hystad. I am a hard man to impress, and when I stop reading other books and solely focus on this one - that's the sign of a good book and author for me.
I am always thrilled when Hystad produces a really strong offering in the first book of a series and Echoes from the Moon will definitely leave you wanting more... fortunately, the next offering in the Token series will be coming very soon. It is rare indeed when an author can do such a strong job in a blend of genres, and keep me as a reader glued to the book and turning pages. And getting sleep-deprived.
Kudos to an author who can not only make you believe in and care about the characters, but the plot and the story itself are very believable as well. The mystery aspects of this story will keep you trying to figure it out.
I highly recommend this book and series. Fair warning: when you start reading Nathan Hystad's books, you will want to read a lot more of them. I know I do, and the wonderful thing is that he continuously improves as an author.
In Echoes from the Moon, we are immediately sucked into the story of Commander Peter Gunn, retired, who landed on the moon with his 2 crewmates 50 years ago. And there was a 2-hour comms blackout... and now, 50 years later, there is a secret. Except one of Gunn's deceased crewmates couldn't keep the secret.
Now, Gunn's estranged grandson Silas, CFO for a furniture company, Rory, a writer with writer's block, and Waylan Brooks, an FBI agent, are all trying to figure out why he was murdered and connect the dots to the killers and robbers. What was brought back from the moon, and mostly kept a secret? What are these strange tokens? What are the robbers and killers after?
This book sucks you in from the preface and doesn't let you go. With real, flawed, in some ways quirky, but utterly real true-to-life characters, and gripping suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat and turning pages, this is another fabulous success from Nathan Hystad. I am a hard man to impress, and when I stop reading other books and solely focus on this one - that's the sign of a good book and author for me.
I am always thrilled when Hystad produces a really strong offering in the first book of a series and Echoes from the Moon will definitely leave you wanting more... fortunately, the next offering in the Token series will be coming very soon. It is rare indeed when an author can do such a strong job in a blend of genres, and keep me as a reader glued to the book and turning pages. And getting sleep-deprived.
Kudos to an author who can not only make you believe in and care about the characters, but the plot and the story itself are very believable as well. The mystery aspects of this story will keep you trying to figure it out.
I highly recommend this book and series. Fair warning: when you start reading Nathan Hystad's books, you will want to read a lot more of them. I know I do, and the wonderful thing is that he continuously improves as an author.
May 16, 2024
As one character in the novel admits, the idea on which it is based (a space portal) is not new, but the circumstances surrounding the object’s discovery are interesting, and the mystery following the discovery adds tension. Unfortunately, the successful characterization and the reader’s knowledge that there are two more novels in the series lessens the suspense leading to the conclusion; it can too easily be guessed.
The characters, even the minor ones, are well drawn and fairly easy to tell apart. The principals are likable and three-dimensional.
The proofreading is unusually good, but there has been no noticeable stylistic editing:
Diction
When people in the novel die, they nearly always “pass” (once “pass away”), and when they run, they “sprint.” When they decide, choose, order food, or take a table or a booth, they nearly always “opt for.”
The word “incumbent” is used for “successor.”
A character calls being mugged “a travesty.”
A character lost a “decent” amount of blood.
Shoes that might be noisy are called “disruptive.”
SECOND-GUESSING for RECONSIDERING
CONTRASTING SILAS for CONTRASTING WITH SILAS
“As INCREDULOUS as it sounded, Waylen believed it.” (for INCREDIBLE)
“. . . didn’t look in any POSITION to be traveling.” (for CONDITION)
“PAWN them off” for “PALM them off”
“. . . they BOTH accepted coffees from a different server.” (for EACH)
“She . . . RELISHED IN THE FEELING it gave her afterward.” (for REVELED IN THE FEELING or RELISHED THE FEELING)
“But this was beyond anything he’d justly EXONERATE.” (You can excuse or forgive either a person or an action, but you exonerate only a person.)
Confusion
“I will never—ever—set foot in the same room as you, let alone the same city.”
. . . as equally impressive as . . . (degrees of equality?)
Danglers
“the musty smell lingering after sitting empty for years”
“The area was far different upon returning.”
Redundancy
Obviously visible
WHILE IT WAS IMPROVING, it remained treacherous out, THOUGH IT WAS MUCH BETTER THAN TWENTY MINUTES AGO.
The characters, even the minor ones, are well drawn and fairly easy to tell apart. The principals are likable and three-dimensional.
The proofreading is unusually good, but there has been no noticeable stylistic editing:
Diction
When people in the novel die, they nearly always “pass” (once “pass away”), and when they run, they “sprint.” When they decide, choose, order food, or take a table or a booth, they nearly always “opt for.”
The word “incumbent” is used for “successor.”
A character calls being mugged “a travesty.”
A character lost a “decent” amount of blood.
Shoes that might be noisy are called “disruptive.”
SECOND-GUESSING for RECONSIDERING
CONTRASTING SILAS for CONTRASTING WITH SILAS
“As INCREDULOUS as it sounded, Waylen believed it.” (for INCREDIBLE)
“. . . didn’t look in any POSITION to be traveling.” (for CONDITION)
“PAWN them off” for “PALM them off”
“. . . they BOTH accepted coffees from a different server.” (for EACH)
“She . . . RELISHED IN THE FEELING it gave her afterward.” (for REVELED IN THE FEELING or RELISHED THE FEELING)
“But this was beyond anything he’d justly EXONERATE.” (You can excuse or forgive either a person or an action, but you exonerate only a person.)
Confusion
“I will never—ever—set foot in the same room as you, let alone the same city.”
. . . as equally impressive as . . . (degrees of equality?)
Danglers
“the musty smell lingering after sitting empty for years”
“The area was far different upon returning.”
Redundancy
Obviously visible
WHILE IT WAS IMPROVING, it remained treacherous out, THOUGH IT WAS MUCH BETTER THAN TWENTY MINUTES AGO.
February 25, 2024
An absolutely impossible idea!
Metal pieces the size and shape of a bookmark, fit together like a triangle forming a gate to the stars! The individual pieces holding a vision, A memory? An echo! of the surface of the moon. With the three pieces together they called a delta. The delta is assumed to be a gateway to the stars and beyond. Totally, impossibly, alien in design and function! Think of it - no expensive spacecraft needed. A transport to the impossible, possibly!
Of all the characters I like Silas and Rory the best. Inquisitive minds, wanting to know what the delta was for, who made it and why? Could it really be the mechanics to reach other worlds? What could be found? Friendly partners to help the Earth become home to a spacefaring humanity? Or aliens wanting Earth's resources? Surely not!
I guess we'll find out in the next chapter! I can't wait! Great characters and an intriguing storyline by an incredible artistic author. This is a great read!
Metal pieces the size and shape of a bookmark, fit together like a triangle forming a gate to the stars! The individual pieces holding a vision, A memory? An echo! of the surface of the moon. With the three pieces together they called a delta. The delta is assumed to be a gateway to the stars and beyond. Totally, impossibly, alien in design and function! Think of it - no expensive spacecraft needed. A transport to the impossible, possibly!
Of all the characters I like Silas and Rory the best. Inquisitive minds, wanting to know what the delta was for, who made it and why? Could it really be the mechanics to reach other worlds? What could be found? Friendly partners to help the Earth become home to a spacefaring humanity? Or aliens wanting Earth's resources? Surely not!
I guess we'll find out in the next chapter! I can't wait! Great characters and an intriguing storyline by an incredible artistic author. This is a great read!
December 27, 2024
TL;DR - Book one is phenomenal. The rest of the series are lazy at best.
I love Hystad's work. I am constantly on the look out for new books from him. But this series...such a monstrous disappointment. Echoes From the Moon is an amazing entry and starting condition...but Hystad pissed it away with lazy tropes.
Everyone survives. People who you think are dead, are not. Grand conspiracy. Wheels within wheels. There isn't a single character I cared about. The ones who died had only been introduced a paragraph before. There was no consequence or weight to any of the actions.
Classically the book starts out about some insecure person who turns out to be the savior because they developed will and fortitude over the span of a few pages in the last book after spending the first two wildly insecure. And just in the nick of time, they come up with the plan to unravel centuries old plans. Oh, and the mild-mannered innocuous friend ends up being super man.
I love Hystad's work. I am constantly on the look out for new books from him. But this series...such a monstrous disappointment. Echoes From the Moon is an amazing entry and starting condition...but Hystad pissed it away with lazy tropes.
Everyone survives. People who you think are dead, are not. Grand conspiracy. Wheels within wheels. There isn't a single character I cared about. The ones who died had only been introduced a paragraph before. There was no consequence or weight to any of the actions.
Classically the book starts out about some insecure person who turns out to be the savior because they developed will and fortitude over the span of a few pages in the last book after spending the first two wildly insecure. And just in the nick of time, they come up with the plan to unravel centuries old plans. Oh, and the mild-mannered innocuous friend ends up being super man.
February 7, 2024
I'm blown away by this story. Nathan Hystad, as far as I'm concerned, you've hit it out of the park again. The idea of three men going to the moon in 1972 and finding something that they split up and never talk about to each other nor to NASA. Oh, what a web we weave, etc. Now with the passing of two of the astronauts and the killing of the third, events are about to get really interesting. Watch how Silas, Rory, Cody and Weylan, the FBI agent, follow the clues and all the trouble that comes with that. Nathan has woven an intricate tale of how the three families' lives interweave amongst all the chaos. I loved it. Thank you, Nathan Hystad, for another great story and am really looking forward to the next book in what is going to be a great series.
February 11, 2024
Every so often you read a book that is almost impossible to put down once you’ve begun reading it. This book is one of those nearly magical reads. I mostly read science fiction but Echoes from the Moon is walks the line between sci-fi and action books. In fact I believe it belongs in mainstream action book category. The characters have good depth while allowing room for growth. Some characters pay for their short time with swift deaths that have a great impact on the tale. The author has rewarded us with a great story which houses a great take on the “60s space race”. I recommend this tale to all readers who enjoy a good novel with great action.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 6, 2024
Grandad’s secret
My favorite topic, the moon. 3 astronauts make it to the moon and happen upon a 2 hour loss of communication. Was it just do to technology or something that could change the world. Two of the astronauts passed away with a secret that should’ve been taken to the grave except someone couldn’t keep the secret essentially causing the murder of living legend Peter Gunn, the last surviving member of the Helios 15 mission. Peter’s family and extended Helios 15 family are now left to pick up the pieces if they survive.
My favorite topic, the moon. 3 astronauts make it to the moon and happen upon a 2 hour loss of communication. Was it just do to technology or something that could change the world. Two of the astronauts passed away with a secret that should’ve been taken to the grave except someone couldn’t keep the secret essentially causing the murder of living legend Peter Gunn, the last surviving member of the Helios 15 mission. Peter’s family and extended Helios 15 family are now left to pick up the pieces if they survive.
December 25, 2024
Well, it is clear that Roswell and Area 51 gained a new contemporary interest of alien contact, albeit in the most unusual way. This time the place of interest is called...the moon!
The death of an old astronaut, Gunn, who once enthralled the world when he and two others visited the moon, sparks new interest as to the what is going on as murder and assault is clearly but the start of a massive manhunt and search for some alien artifacts brought secretly from the moon.
Hats off to the author, Nathan Hystad, for a very interesting plot and some well defined characters
Enjoy.
The death of an old astronaut, Gunn, who once enthralled the world when he and two others visited the moon, sparks new interest as to the what is going on as murder and assault is clearly but the start of a massive manhunt and search for some alien artifacts brought secretly from the moon.
Hats off to the author, Nathan Hystad, for a very interesting plot and some well defined characters
Enjoy.
February 21, 2024
Mr. Hystad takes a mystery plot, adds a splash of sci-fi, a touch of romance and mixes in several twists and turns to produce another thrilling adventure. This book is well-written with strong characters and a story that pulled me in at once and kept me turning pages, trying to figure out whodunit, right up to the reveal. Another winner for Mr. Hystad! I am eager to read the rest of this series.
February 2, 2025
Intriguing enough I'll keep my eye out for the sequel.
The only thing I found annoying was that a main character was named Peter Gunn, like the TV series (or theme song). Maybe the author could have chosen a different first name.
Also, I was a bit slow because I thought this was a story set in the future after another set of moon missions. Nope. It took the Apollo-era missions and renamed them. The apathy toward more missions like that is unfortunately spot-on.
The only thing I found annoying was that a main character was named Peter Gunn, like the TV series (or theme song). Maybe the author could have chosen a different first name.
Also, I was a bit slow because I thought this was a story set in the future after another set of moon missions. Nope. It took the Apollo-era missions and renamed them. The apathy toward more missions like that is unfortunately spot-on.
February 6, 2024
Great start to the series.
I loved this book. Not your usual science fiction. Quite unique and entertaining.
Lots of interesting and believable characters that are fully developed by a great storyteller.
A wonderful story and so well told. A bit of a cliffhanger, so I am sure looking forward to the second instalment.
I loved this book. Not your usual science fiction. Quite unique and entertaining.
Lots of interesting and believable characters that are fully developed by a great storyteller.
A wonderful story and so well told. A bit of a cliffhanger, so I am sure looking forward to the second instalment.
September 6, 2024
I enjoyed listening to this book - while a novel idea it was a bit formulaic but I still enjoyed listening to the story. The main characters are interesting and help the story. This book, while it stands on its own, is very much part of a trilogy or series. I will move on to book 2 closer to the release of book 3.
January 22, 2024
RECOMMENDED
I was provided a free copy by the author for my opinion.
And in my opinion the book does a good job for setting the stage for a possible great series. It hits all of the boxes and leaves you wanting to know what happens next.
I was provided a free copy by the author for my opinion.
And in my opinion the book does a good job for setting the stage for a possible great series. It hits all of the boxes and leaves you wanting to know what happens next.
March 6, 2024
An enjoyable read
I stumbled across this book on Kindle just looking for a book to pass some time. I truly enjoyed the story, and the characters are great. If you enjoy science fiction and intrigue, you'll enjoy this story.
I stumbled across this book on Kindle just looking for a book to pass some time. I truly enjoyed the story, and the characters are great. If you enjoy science fiction and intrigue, you'll enjoy this story.
July 18, 2024
A mystery framed as SF
This could as well been framed as a “Murder on the XXX”. Generally well-written, if too encumbered with the frequent use of “countless” as an adjective.
Nothing is truly countless.
This could as well been framed as a “Murder on the XXX”. Generally well-written, if too encumbered with the frequent use of “countless” as an adjective.
Nothing is truly countless.
August 13, 2024
Another good read from Nathan.
Good characters, good plot, good tempo. A solid premise, good twists and turns, fantastic yet believable, carries you along and leaves you eager for the next page, and now the next book. Bravo.
Good characters, good plot, good tempo. A solid premise, good twists and turns, fantastic yet believable, carries you along and leaves you eager for the next page, and now the next book. Bravo.
September 23, 2024
Not bad per se but def not my thing. It’s more murder mystery than scifi. Flat characters, predictable etc.
1/3 oh good they finally mentioned the moon. I love the moon, let’s see where this baby goes
2/3 waiting for it to get interesting
3/3 still waiting for it to get interesting
1/3 oh good they finally mentioned the moon. I love the moon, let’s see where this baby goes
2/3 waiting for it to get interesting
3/3 still waiting for it to get interesting
September 24, 2024
This Science Fiction thriller takes place entirely on the Earth, well sort of. Mysterious deaths, unbreakable artifacts, government agents, endless thugs. Great adventure awaits. This is the beginning of what might be an exceptional series.
March 4, 2025
Shadowed for Real
Minimal reviews are back.
I loved this book. No matter where the next book(s) go, this has been a great.
The grandchildren of astronauts are good guys, trying to survive their legacy.
Minimal reviews are back.
I loved this book. No matter where the next book(s) go, this has been a great.
The grandchildren of astronauts are good guys, trying to survive their legacy.
August 18, 2025
Finished the book. Rather good read. Cliffhanger at the end.
Sci-fi elements are in this book. Book 2 will [probably] have more.
Will say that the females are wishy-washy. Perhaps in the next book, they'll have a touch more grit, backbone.
Short answer, its worth it.
Sci-fi elements are in this book. Book 2 will [probably] have more.
Will say that the females are wishy-washy. Perhaps in the next book, they'll have a touch more grit, backbone.
Short answer, its worth it.
December 18, 2025
This book is a combination mystery, sci-fi, and action adventure. The last astronauts that walked on the moon decades earlier had brought something back with them, and now others are willing to kill to get it/them. But what does it do? Looking forward to the sequel.
February 15, 2024
Well worth the read.
I generally don't care for thrillers with a side story of sci fi, but this one was excellent. Murder, sex, a villain and scifi! What more can you ask for?
I generally don't care for thrillers with a side story of sci fi, but this one was excellent. Murder, sex, a villain and scifi! What more can you ask for?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews