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Hayden's World #6-7
Hayden's World: Volume 2
First contact with hostile aliens, maiden voyages of Earth's first starship, and interstellar adventures await in this hard science fiction collection of the sixth and seventh stories from the Hayden’s World series:
Janus 2:
In Erebus, James Hayden sacrificed the world’s first near-light-speed Riggs ship to make a remarkable discovery on the icy moon of Janus. Now, amidst mounting concerns about that discovery’s implications, he must assemble a crew to repair his crashed ship and fly it back to Saturn’s Cassini Station. But Janus still has secrets to discover, and the alien probe’s mission may not be finished.
The crew of Gossamer Goose returns for a new interstellar adventure in this hard science fiction novella set in the Hayden's World universe. The story is a 30,000 word novella (2 - 3 hours to read) and is the perfect size for reading on the go.
Bernard's Promise:
In Janus 2, the crew of Gossamer Goose made disastrous first contact with the Silver Stars, costing them Earth's first starship. Now, with the Centauri probe revealing a world with a breathable atmosphere and possible life, James Hayden must build the ship capable of taking them to the stars. But the Centauri worlds have their own dangers and mysteries, and not everything they find is what it seems.
The crew of Gossamer Goose returns for a planet-hopping interstellar adventure in the first full-length hard science fiction novel set in the Hayden's World universe. Join James, Ananke, Hitoshi, Isaac, Julian, Ava, Beckman and new shipmate Willow as James's dream finally becomes reality.
- GenresScience Fiction
370 pages, Audible Audio
Published January 5, 2024
45 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Falchetti
11 books24 followersI wrote my first story at the age of eighteen. A Monte Carlo, gas station, and small town were nearly destroyed to keep anyone from reading it. I'm giving it another whirl.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 23, 2023
"Hayden's World: Vol 2" by S.D. Falchetti is the followup to Vol 1 and a worthy followup it is.
Volume 2 consist of 2 stories that are as good (if not better) than the first volume. Both stories are so well written they can be enjoyed by readers of any age, Sci-fi fans or otherwise.
With excellent action scenes that the author does a great job of describing he makes it very easy to picture what is going on.
The characters as well as the world building are well done, a trade mark of the author I am learning to appreciate. His writing skill is lyrical, which makes the reading fun and easy going. Building on his imagination and research Mr Falchetti gives us a world where the science is believable, the action entertaining and the story engaging, the trifecta of story telling.
The characters rise above the pages of the book, each imbued with depth and layers to they characteristic creating people the reader will enjoy following and feeling invested in their outcome.
The pacing is terrific, smooth moving from page to page so that the reader will find themselves flying through the story and barely noticing it.
The ending scenes are spectacular (to say the least), making for a feeling of fulfillment by the reader seldom felt in current Sci-fi.
All in all a great read, with enough non-stop action, intriguing story and terrific characters to keep the most jaded reader entertained. Both Volumes belong on the shelf of readers of good writing and should sit right next to volume 3 (hint hint to the author from this reader.
Volume 2 consist of 2 stories that are as good (if not better) than the first volume. Both stories are so well written they can be enjoyed by readers of any age, Sci-fi fans or otherwise.
With excellent action scenes that the author does a great job of describing he makes it very easy to picture what is going on.
The characters as well as the world building are well done, a trade mark of the author I am learning to appreciate. His writing skill is lyrical, which makes the reading fun and easy going. Building on his imagination and research Mr Falchetti gives us a world where the science is believable, the action entertaining and the story engaging, the trifecta of story telling.
The characters rise above the pages of the book, each imbued with depth and layers to they characteristic creating people the reader will enjoy following and feeling invested in their outcome.
The pacing is terrific, smooth moving from page to page so that the reader will find themselves flying through the story and barely noticing it.
The ending scenes are spectacular (to say the least), making for a feeling of fulfillment by the reader seldom felt in current Sci-fi.
All in all a great read, with enough non-stop action, intriguing story and terrific characters to keep the most jaded reader entertained. Both Volumes belong on the shelf of readers of good writing and should sit right next to volume 3 (hint hint to the author from this reader.
January 28, 2024
Excellent “Old School” Sci-Fi
4.5 out of 5 stars
Just like the first book in this series – this is a collection of stories. Only this time it’s two longer stories, probably both between short novel and novella length. I like that we’re getting more into the “meat and potatoes” with these stories, characters, and overarching story.
Janus 2 instantly sucked me, I mean within a few moments I knew that I was going to enjoy the heck out of it. It revolves around going to find and repair a crashed ship on the icy moon of Janus. And of course, Janus has things that are hidden that won’t come to light until they’re there again. Flachetti’s pacing is excellent slowing down and picking up depending on what’s going on. Each action scene flies off of the page, and the build-up before and the cool-down after both feel ideal to me personally.
I can tell that Falchetti was influenced by some older/classic Sci-Fi and it really shines in both stories. It gave me the feeling of picking up an Arthur C. Clarke at the library as a teen mixed with some of the new hard science fiction hard-hitters like Andy Weir and Peter Cawdron (two of my favorites). I’ll be adding Falchetti to that list and hope that he continues to write stories like this.
Then we dive into the world of Bernard’s Promise – a story about the after-effects of the first short story Janus 2. I won’t go too deep into what happens here since it sort of spoils what happens in Janus 2, but it was a blast. According to the description, this is the first full-length story within the Hayden’s World universe and that makes sense. It takes up most of the Volume 2 collection here and was easily the most comprehensive story that Falchetti has told yet.
I loved everything about it and really enjoyed Casey’s narration throughout. He helps set that excellent pacing I talked about earlier along with just bringing these stories to life in the best way possible.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Just like the first book in this series – this is a collection of stories. Only this time it’s two longer stories, probably both between short novel and novella length. I like that we’re getting more into the “meat and potatoes” with these stories, characters, and overarching story.
Janus 2 instantly sucked me, I mean within a few moments I knew that I was going to enjoy the heck out of it. It revolves around going to find and repair a crashed ship on the icy moon of Janus. And of course, Janus has things that are hidden that won’t come to light until they’re there again. Flachetti’s pacing is excellent slowing down and picking up depending on what’s going on. Each action scene flies off of the page, and the build-up before and the cool-down after both feel ideal to me personally.
I can tell that Falchetti was influenced by some older/classic Sci-Fi and it really shines in both stories. It gave me the feeling of picking up an Arthur C. Clarke at the library as a teen mixed with some of the new hard science fiction hard-hitters like Andy Weir and Peter Cawdron (two of my favorites). I’ll be adding Falchetti to that list and hope that he continues to write stories like this.
Then we dive into the world of Bernard’s Promise – a story about the after-effects of the first short story Janus 2. I won’t go too deep into what happens here since it sort of spoils what happens in Janus 2, but it was a blast. According to the description, this is the first full-length story within the Hayden’s World universe and that makes sense. It takes up most of the Volume 2 collection here and was easily the most comprehensive story that Falchetti has told yet.
I loved everything about it and really enjoyed Casey’s narration throughout. He helps set that excellent pacing I talked about earlier along with just bringing these stories to life in the best way possible.
March 6, 2020
Another home run!
Volume 2 is every bit as good as Volume 1. Solid science is artfully, clearly, and unobtrusively explicated. No small feat. Falchetti’s lyric descriptions and moving characterization are truly a delight. He also provides one of the most original answers to Fermi’s Paradox that I’ve ever heard. A great read!
Volume 2 is every bit as good as Volume 1. Solid science is artfully, clearly, and unobtrusively explicated. No small feat. Falchetti’s lyric descriptions and moving characterization are truly a delight. He also provides one of the most original answers to Fermi’s Paradox that I’ve ever heard. A great read!
January 30, 2021
Solid for the genre, well established tropes, nothing surprising but absolutely entertaining. A not a bad way to spend 8 hours reading.
February 15, 2024
Hayden’s World volume 2 was a bit of a surprise for me. I very much enjoyed the first volume and found the second to be level with or a bit higher than the first. This is a pure science fiction audiobook, and you can eaisly tell that the author was greatly influenced by the classics during his childhood. When the audiobook stories are complete, I have to say, do not skip the final chapter. Here the author gives the listener insight into why he wrote the stories and his inspiration. For me, chapters such as these bring value by helping me understand the author in a way I may never have. This audiobook contains two different stories that come out of the Hayden’s World series. Both were exceptionally written by S.D. Falchetti and the audio narration was superbly performed by Shamaan Casey. If you are one who enjoys a deep and fundamental science fiction tale (or two), I would recommend you give these thirteen hours of audiobook entertainment a listen.
I enjoyed the opening chapter to this volume of stories before the author dropped us into Hayden’s world. Once Janus 2 began, I found the open chapter of this story interesting because of my prior experience as a private pilot. It is nice when one can relate to a characteristic of those in the story. The individuals in this story were big dreamers and they did everything they could to get everyone properly trained for the mission. Things were not easy; nor did the characters sit around and wait for things to just happen. Instead, we see they worked hard to achieve the skills necessary to succeed. Something that is often lacking in our more modern science fiction tales. I found the flashbacks were interesting and helped the listener to better understand the characters. Another thing that often is lacking in modern sci fi is the difficulty and vastness of space itself. Just how much it wants to kill you around every corner, and that space travel most times is monotonous at best. I felt that the author did a good job getting these ideas across in this story. We also see the implication of actions taken earlier in one’s life play out later on. Yet, with all these difficulties, there is a sense of wonder and excitement when someone discovery possible new life, alien life.
The second story felt a bit longer and complex, but I’m not sure that was the case. The story jumped right in without any fanfare or explanation. With the new AI and characters, this felt a bit of the movie Interstellar blended with some early Star Trek elements. And, again based on the authors opening and closing chapters, this would not be a surprise. Even in the year 2071, we still see the many issues that plague our modern society. Not that I wanted the sterile environment like that found in Star Trek, but I was hoping that some of the modern issue would have been solved by this time. As disappointed as I was with it, I would say that it does reflect human nature. This story had a bit more mystery and a feeling of the movie “The Sphere”. Many situations and issues arose also with what to do once alien life was engaged and what to do if it was not friendly. A rather complex tale told in a way that was interesting and made the listener think of how they would react if put in the same position. I find the aspects around the AI and programming enjoyable without getting deeply into the weeds as well. Lastly we see just how much things can change while one is away on a mission in space. Here the author also did a good job of combining the complexities of time-space and how this impacts both parties at home and on the ship.
I found both stories enjoyable and well-written (and narrated). It was not purely entertainment, but often made me think, so I would not recommend listening when you are engaged in other activities. Take the time needed to listen and enjoy both tales equally, I do not think you would regret listening to them either.
About the audiobook’s narration, Shamaan Casey does a wonderful job performing the characters and seems to have a good grasp of the material itself. His use of inflection and pace helps the story progress. Again, he had a smooth and deep voice that fits the darkness of space quite well. I do not recall any issues with the audio such as pops, clicks, patches, or compression. It was clean and clear from start to finish. A real professional in the narration process.
For parents and younger listeners, I did not note anything that stood out as mature or adult in nature while listening. I did not notice any profanity, graphic violence or other items that would exclude younger listeners from enjoying it. However, I would say that the subject matter and some of the concepts of space travel and time may be a bit more difficult for a younger listener to truly comprehend.
In summary, this is a solid science fiction story with great narration. There are complexities around relationships, space travel, and discovery that kept the tale engaging. If you like your science fiction to be though provoking, I would say that both volumes one and two did this for me.
I enjoyed the opening chapter to this volume of stories before the author dropped us into Hayden’s world. Once Janus 2 began, I found the open chapter of this story interesting because of my prior experience as a private pilot. It is nice when one can relate to a characteristic of those in the story. The individuals in this story were big dreamers and they did everything they could to get everyone properly trained for the mission. Things were not easy; nor did the characters sit around and wait for things to just happen. Instead, we see they worked hard to achieve the skills necessary to succeed. Something that is often lacking in our more modern science fiction tales. I found the flashbacks were interesting and helped the listener to better understand the characters. Another thing that often is lacking in modern sci fi is the difficulty and vastness of space itself. Just how much it wants to kill you around every corner, and that space travel most times is monotonous at best. I felt that the author did a good job getting these ideas across in this story. We also see the implication of actions taken earlier in one’s life play out later on. Yet, with all these difficulties, there is a sense of wonder and excitement when someone discovery possible new life, alien life.
The second story felt a bit longer and complex, but I’m not sure that was the case. The story jumped right in without any fanfare or explanation. With the new AI and characters, this felt a bit of the movie Interstellar blended with some early Star Trek elements. And, again based on the authors opening and closing chapters, this would not be a surprise. Even in the year 2071, we still see the many issues that plague our modern society. Not that I wanted the sterile environment like that found in Star Trek, but I was hoping that some of the modern issue would have been solved by this time. As disappointed as I was with it, I would say that it does reflect human nature. This story had a bit more mystery and a feeling of the movie “The Sphere”. Many situations and issues arose also with what to do once alien life was engaged and what to do if it was not friendly. A rather complex tale told in a way that was interesting and made the listener think of how they would react if put in the same position. I find the aspects around the AI and programming enjoyable without getting deeply into the weeds as well. Lastly we see just how much things can change while one is away on a mission in space. Here the author also did a good job of combining the complexities of time-space and how this impacts both parties at home and on the ship.
I found both stories enjoyable and well-written (and narrated). It was not purely entertainment, but often made me think, so I would not recommend listening when you are engaged in other activities. Take the time needed to listen and enjoy both tales equally, I do not think you would regret listening to them either.
About the audiobook’s narration, Shamaan Casey does a wonderful job performing the characters and seems to have a good grasp of the material itself. His use of inflection and pace helps the story progress. Again, he had a smooth and deep voice that fits the darkness of space quite well. I do not recall any issues with the audio such as pops, clicks, patches, or compression. It was clean and clear from start to finish. A real professional in the narration process.
For parents and younger listeners, I did not note anything that stood out as mature or adult in nature while listening. I did not notice any profanity, graphic violence or other items that would exclude younger listeners from enjoying it. However, I would say that the subject matter and some of the concepts of space travel and time may be a bit more difficult for a younger listener to truly comprehend.
In summary, this is a solid science fiction story with great narration. There are complexities around relationships, space travel, and discovery that kept the tale engaging. If you like your science fiction to be though provoking, I would say that both volumes one and two did this for me.
January 17, 2024
Janus 2: ***
Bernard’s Promise: ****
This is the second collection of of hard science shorts in the James Hayden Universe and it looks at First Contact. Over all it was better than Vol 1 with each story having more room to develop and become interesting (both novellas were slow starting up). It is obvious that a lot of thought went into the science for these stories and for the most part the author came across as knowledgable … but that also means that some of the extensive descriptions and explanations slowed down the narrative a bit and I am sure that experts in these science and tech fields could find plenty wrong with the details, but for the casual reader it was an entertaining mind exercise that I enjoyed.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#HaydendWorldVol2 #FreeAudiobookCodes #KindleUnlimited
Bernard’s Promise: ****
This is the second collection of of hard science shorts in the James Hayden Universe and it looks at First Contact. Over all it was better than Vol 1 with each story having more room to develop and become interesting (both novellas were slow starting up). It is obvious that a lot of thought went into the science for these stories and for the most part the author came across as knowledgable … but that also means that some of the extensive descriptions and explanations slowed down the narrative a bit and I am sure that experts in these science and tech fields could find plenty wrong with the details, but for the casual reader it was an entertaining mind exercise that I enjoyed.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#HaydendWorldVol2 #FreeAudiobookCodes #KindleUnlimited
January 19, 2024
Better then ever.
The author S. D. Falchetti does it again and better in it.
Excellent science fiction series which keeps getting better in time just like a good bottle of wine.
What’s great about this series is that the science makes sense and is easy to understand, not forgetting a great story behind it all.
Beautiful narration by Shamaan Casey for each of the characters of this creation.
My absolute
recommendations !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
The author S. D. Falchetti does it again and better in it.
Excellent science fiction series which keeps getting better in time just like a good bottle of wine.
What’s great about this series is that the science makes sense and is easy to understand, not forgetting a great story behind it all.
Beautiful narration by Shamaan Casey for each of the characters of this creation.
My absolute
recommendations !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
December 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this 2nd book and highly recommend it. The things that the characters go through would make most people quit, but tge fortitude and strength they show is a testament to science and curiosity people have. Narrator does a Great job with the various characters voices and the entire storyline.
December 30, 2025
excellent hard sci-fi
An introduction to some of the minor issues of faster than light travels. Deciding how to communicate where you are on the timeline is just a mote compared to the physical act, but this book communicates it well.
The descriptive prose is excellent and enjoyable, bringing new worlds into sharp focus without forgetting about human nature. Off the read more….
An introduction to some of the minor issues of faster than light travels. Deciding how to communicate where you are on the timeline is just a mote compared to the physical act, but this book communicates it well.
The descriptive prose is excellent and enjoyable, bringing new worlds into sharp focus without forgetting about human nature. Off the read more….
May 11, 2020
Loved it!
Very imaginative. I especially liked that it had hard science underlying the leaps of imagination. Very "Hard Science". Asimov and Heinlein would be proud.
Very imaginative. I especially liked that it had hard science underlying the leaps of imagination. Very "Hard Science". Asimov and Heinlein would be proud.
February 7, 2020
Travel to the stars!
Great premise of what actual star travel would be like with strongly defined characters and combative aliens. Part of a series with good logicial progression.
Great premise of what actual star travel would be like with strongly defined characters and combative aliens. Part of a series with good logicial progression.
February 6, 2020
Imaginative
A good, well thought out story. Unfortunately, even the'action' scenes, in fact the entire book, reads with all the excitement of a phone book.
A good, well thought out story. Unfortunately, even the'action' scenes, in fact the entire book, reads with all the excitement of a phone book.
November 3, 2019
Excellent scifi
The characters really make the multiple storylines work so well. The interaction is great and the imagination of the writer really makes this a great read
The characters really make the multiple storylines work so well. The interaction is great and the imagination of the writer really makes this a great read
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews