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What if you could change history?
What if someone else already had?
Grounded after a rescue attempt in Earth orbit goes bad, Commander Martin Atkins of the Confederation Navy is approached by the Interscission Project, a consortium of civilian corporations on the verge of perfecting the technology to travel to another star. Despite his misgivings, the chance to get back in the pilot’s seat is too much to pass up, and he convinces his best friend and crewmate, Charles Davenport, to leave the military temporarily and join him as part of the crew of the Zenith, humanity’s first starship.
Edward Harlen is a brilliant young engineer, and a key player in the construction of the Zenith to take advantage of the untested technology of foldspace drive. But Edward has his own agenda in joining the project, and a bitterly personal score to settle with his boss, Trevor Sutton, a vendetta of which Trevor is entirely ignorant. When Edward’s sister Stella enters the picture and manages to secure a position on the project, all of Edward’s careful plotting is upset, and she might spell the downfall not only of his plans for revenge, but of the entire Zenith mission.
The spark of attraction between Edward and Martin is a complication that Edward can’t afford, but of which he can’t let go. For Edward knows the secret at the heart of the Interscission Project, the hidden potential of the technology that in the wrong hands could become the ultimate assassin’s weapon: the ability to rewrite history, not just once, but many times. As an unseen enemy moves to destroy them, and the body count multiplies in their wake, Martin and Edward must choose whether they will allow the possibility of love to challenge their destinies, or will they instead take up arms in a war to control the most ancient and terrible power in the universe.
Time, itself.
What if someone else already had?
Grounded after a rescue attempt in Earth orbit goes bad, Commander Martin Atkins of the Confederation Navy is approached by the Interscission Project, a consortium of civilian corporations on the verge of perfecting the technology to travel to another star. Despite his misgivings, the chance to get back in the pilot’s seat is too much to pass up, and he convinces his best friend and crewmate, Charles Davenport, to leave the military temporarily and join him as part of the crew of the Zenith, humanity’s first starship.
Edward Harlen is a brilliant young engineer, and a key player in the construction of the Zenith to take advantage of the untested technology of foldspace drive. But Edward has his own agenda in joining the project, and a bitterly personal score to settle with his boss, Trevor Sutton, a vendetta of which Trevor is entirely ignorant. When Edward’s sister Stella enters the picture and manages to secure a position on the project, all of Edward’s careful plotting is upset, and she might spell the downfall not only of his plans for revenge, but of the entire Zenith mission.
The spark of attraction between Edward and Martin is a complication that Edward can’t afford, but of which he can’t let go. For Edward knows the secret at the heart of the Interscission Project, the hidden potential of the technology that in the wrong hands could become the ultimate assassin’s weapon: the ability to rewrite history, not just once, but many times. As an unseen enemy moves to destroy them, and the body count multiplies in their wake, Martin and Edward must choose whether they will allow the possibility of love to challenge their destinies, or will they instead take up arms in a war to control the most ancient and terrible power in the universe.
Time, itself.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2014
45 people are currently reading
911 people want to read
About the author
Arshad Ahsanuddin
67 books208 followersBy profession, I am a hematopathologist, a laboratory physician who specializes in diagnosis of diseases of blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes, such as leukemia and lymphoma. In my off time, I write LGBT Fantasy and Scifi books. Yes, I realize the irony that I write about vampires. ;)
Note: I do not guarantee a happy ending to any individual book within each series.
Note: I do not guarantee a happy ending to any individual book within each series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 24, 2021
Reread March 2021: Audiobook
= ***5 as-friggin'-awesome-as-the-rest Stars***
******************************
Original review December 2016:
This was friggin' awesome!!!
Welcome to the world of spaceships, wormholes, gravity shields and time travel...
... but also to a bittersweet love story.
Well, technically there are two, but that is something I will come back to later.
This story is hard to beat for complexity. I always thought I had a vivid imagination, but hell no... This is what I call a vivid imagination! The story is so believable and brilliantly written, and with all the twists and turns in it, it kept my eyes glued to my Kindle and I just wanted to inhale the book.
Well, I won't even pretend that I understood all the technical stuff. Neither do I have a doctor's degree in astrophysics, did ever engineer a spaceship nor am I the commander of the starfleet, but it is the same with the Star Trek movies and I love them, nonetheless. I consoled myself with the fact that Martin, one of the MC's and captain of a spaceship after all, was sometimes as clueless as I and preferred getting everything explained in three syllables. ;-)
Not only the story is sophisticated, but also the characters have so many layers, some of them kept me guessing the whole time what their game is and who is an ally and who is a foe.
Martin Atkins, a Navy Commander on administrative leave after a rescue mission gone wrong, accepts the offer of a private contractor to take command of the Zenith, a spaceship designed to test a new form of spacecraft technology, which means not a test on a new method of propulsion, but on an alternate method of travel. He gets to work with his best friend Charles Davenport, for whom he feels more than just friendship, but was turned down years ago for the sake of said friendship. At first, he is still not ready to accept the fact that there will never be more between the two of them...
... until he meets Edward Harlen, a young engineer, responsible for some modifications on the ship. Slowly but surely Edward worms his way into Martin's heart and they are both absolutely adorable together.
But is Edward who he claims to be? And what about his sister, Stella, and the other coworkers? Are they harmless or do they have an agenda? Do they maybe just act in their best interest? Of course, I won't tell you, because this would take away all the fun, but I can promise you that you never know if it is the truth or just another reality and this fact alone will keep you on the edge of your seat.
When it soon becomes apparent that somebody tries to sabotage the whole project and everything ends in a close call, Martin has to make his choice between his own happiness, his responsibility for his crew and the life of his lover.
At the end I was really happy that I can start with the sequel right away, because I desperately need to know how the story of Martin and Edward will go on.
"You have to leave. Otherwise, you'll die here. "I know," whispered Edward. "I wish... I just wish I could promise I'll remember you." Martin pulled his hands free, and Edward heard the clink of a metal chain, felt it, still warm from Martin's skin, as he slipped it over Edward's head. "Do you love me, Eddie?". "Yes." Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. "So much." Martin clasped Edward's hands in his, wrapping them around a couple of flat metal wafers that hung from the chain around Edward's neck. He leaned forward until his forehead touched Edward's. "Then remember. And when you do, come back to me."
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
= ***5 as-friggin'-awesome-as-the-rest Stars***
******************************
Original review December 2016:
This was friggin' awesome!!!
Welcome to the world of spaceships, wormholes, gravity shields and time travel...
... but also to a bittersweet love story.
Well, technically there are two, but that is something I will come back to later.
This story is hard to beat for complexity. I always thought I had a vivid imagination, but hell no... This is what I call a vivid imagination! The story is so believable and brilliantly written, and with all the twists and turns in it, it kept my eyes glued to my Kindle and I just wanted to inhale the book.
Well, I won't even pretend that I understood all the technical stuff. Neither do I have a doctor's degree in astrophysics, did ever engineer a spaceship nor am I the commander of the starfleet, but it is the same with the Star Trek movies and I love them, nonetheless. I consoled myself with the fact that Martin, one of the MC's and captain of a spaceship after all, was sometimes as clueless as I and preferred getting everything explained in three syllables. ;-)
Not only the story is sophisticated, but also the characters have so many layers, some of them kept me guessing the whole time what their game is and who is an ally and who is a foe.
Martin Atkins, a Navy Commander on administrative leave after a rescue mission gone wrong, accepts the offer of a private contractor to take command of the Zenith, a spaceship designed to test a new form of spacecraft technology, which means not a test on a new method of propulsion, but on an alternate method of travel. He gets to work with his best friend Charles Davenport, for whom he feels more than just friendship, but was turned down years ago for the sake of said friendship. At first, he is still not ready to accept the fact that there will never be more between the two of them...
For the rest of what remained of Martin's life, he would pinpoint this exact instant as the moment he let Charles break his heart the second time, standing alone in the Chief Engineer's office on board his first command, as it drifted through space, crippled and so far from home, where no one would ever find it. The instant Martin gave up and let Charles Davenport go.
... until he meets Edward Harlen, a young engineer, responsible for some modifications on the ship. Slowly but surely Edward worms his way into Martin's heart and they are both absolutely adorable together.
But is Edward who he claims to be? And what about his sister, Stella, and the other coworkers? Are they harmless or do they have an agenda? Do they maybe just act in their best interest? Of course, I won't tell you, because this would take away all the fun, but I can promise you that you never know if it is the truth or just another reality and this fact alone will keep you on the edge of your seat.
When it soon becomes apparent that somebody tries to sabotage the whole project and everything ends in a close call, Martin has to make his choice between his own happiness, his responsibility for his crew and the life of his lover.
At the end I was really happy that I can start with the sequel right away, because I desperately need to know how the story of Martin and Edward will go on.
"You have to leave. Otherwise, you'll die here. "I know," whispered Edward. "I wish... I just wish I could promise I'll remember you." Martin pulled his hands free, and Edward heard the clink of a metal chain, felt it, still warm from Martin's skin, as he slipped it over Edward's head. "Do you love me, Eddie?". "Yes." Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. "So much." Martin clasped Edward's hands in his, wrapping them around a couple of flat metal wafers that hung from the chain around Edward's neck. He leaned forward until his forehead touched Edward's. "Then remember. And when you do, come back to me."
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
December 31, 2019
Hear ye, hear ye! Now in audio narrated by Greg Tremblay!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®
Ok, ok, ok, this book, this story, thisssssss is the kind of science fiction that gives the genre its name in every sense, PLUS characters drawn to levels of complexity that get me excited. Excited. Add in authentically surprising twists and we have a genuine trifecta of reading experience awesomeness.
”Interscission?”
“The word means ‘to cut between’ or ‘subdivide’. In this context, it refers to the creation of a localized gravitic distortion sufficient to pierce two manifolds of space-time and for a temporary bridge between them, allowing instantaneous travel between two widely separated locations in the universe.”
Y’all, we’re talkin’ time travel, bending time and space, and multiple timelines of existence, along with the impact they have on all of these characters and their relationships. I know, I know, the passage above and these ingredients might make this read feel daunting, yeah? Difficult to keep straight and make sense of it all. But see, Ahsanuddin’s prose is brilliantly down to earth and places everything in context, making the science as gleefully enjoyable as the fiction. It feels easy going, smooth, lending accessibility to the more technical language. The complexity of the characters is a thrilling companion to everything that surrounds and confounds them, attempting to complicate their lives.
Well, ok, most of them do a pretty good job of that all on their own.
The plotting and the characterizations, the way everything unfolds in this story from the first page and all through the entire book, had me feeling things like enthralled, surprised, connected, wanting to shout from the rooftops about how freakin’ fantabulous this all is, except I would have had to stop reading to do that. Wudn’t gonna happen! By the end of chapter one, the level of my curiosity was high, both about the project and these people involved in it, or trying to stop it, or thinking they knew what was going on and what their plan was, only to find out neither was the case. Goodness, this is a well-crafted yarn.
The two officers stared at each other, neither making any effort to leave or even to turn away. The frozen tableau held for almost a full minute, perfectly still, the walls echoing soundlessly with indescribable grief.
Possibly my favorite passage. I remember pausing after reading it, just letting it sit there.
Martin is a bit of a maverick (more than a bit), intelligent, a tough and talented captain, and carrying around some feelings that might never be reciprocated. He doesn’t sit around waiting or necessarily drowning in sorrow or self-pity, but there is a constant companion of resigned sadness. His sarcasm and zest for adventure don’t necessarily hide this fact but they make up for some of it.
Charles is a chief engineer, fellow crewman to Martin, who is also his closest friend. It’s a two-way street, this deeply held kinship. The quiet scenes between them are some of the most emotional in this story. Yes, that’s right, truth in emotion in a science fiction novel. It can be done (Star Wars, anyone? Why do you think it was so successful. Part of the reason was the characters and how much we all fell in love with them, and their imperfections, no matter how frustrating - we loved them even more for that.) and it’s done here confident consistency and care. Yes, that’s it: it’s so easy to feel how much Ahsanuddin cares about these people. It comes through in waves. Respite is but a temporary thing in this book.
One of my favorite things about any great story is when I waver back and forth about a character, or more, and whether they’re a villain or not. If they are, why? What motivates them? If not, why do they appear to be so? Or am I just assuming they are given my knowledge of them in this moment? All of these questions, they also tell you this story will make you think, which is another favorite of mine. I want the storyteller to make me work for my experiences while reading. I don’t want to be spoon-fed. No worries about that happening here.
Every character, great and small in terms of page time, demonstrates their importance. None feel superfluous or simply around to serve as a cheap plot device or foil. When a supporting character gets my mind to wandering, wondering what the rest of their life looks like, what all I don’t know about them, that’s a big time bonus in my book. I mean, what’s up with Henry, why is he like he is? What is really going on with Edward, and his sister? I think there’s more to Dr Wu, there has to be and I hope to find out. And what about Jake, Martin’s brother? And Knox? I want to experience their stories, too.
Reading this story is a fully engaging experience. I was guessing, enjoying the mere act of guessing about what might happen next. Humor, friendship, familial connections, loss, pain, revenge - both successful and aborted - and love in multiple forms are alive and working their brands of magic up in this joint.
The dialogue is natural and constantly works to build on the knowledge we’ve gained up to that point. Or to confuse and cause doubt. I love that.
She glared at him. “Correct. Quite beyond the ability of the average human mind to encompass unassisted.” Her tone made it obvious whose mind she was referring to.
[internal 1st POV] No escape this time. Interruptions at this point only tended to prolong the agony. And God help me if I ask for clarification. Smiling and nodding sometimes helped speed things along, but not always.
Not for the first time, Martin wished he could sleep with his eyes open. He settled in, resigned to riding out the rest of the monologue. “You were saying?”
Cheeky Martin.
As you can see, I have so much I want to share about this story and these characters. I’ve already gone on… and on, but I cannae help it, not when stuff is this good at feeding my soul. Effective, nitty gritty human emotion, and the bending of space and time: YES.
As soon as I finished this, I started book two, “Azimuth”. I plan on reviewing that, too. Stay tuned… ;)
ETA: November 2016 Recommended Read on PBA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®
Ok, ok, ok, this book, this story, thisssssss is the kind of science fiction that gives the genre its name in every sense, PLUS characters drawn to levels of complexity that get me excited. Excited. Add in authentically surprising twists and we have a genuine trifecta of reading experience awesomeness.
”Interscission?”
“The word means ‘to cut between’ or ‘subdivide’. In this context, it refers to the creation of a localized gravitic distortion sufficient to pierce two manifolds of space-time and for a temporary bridge between them, allowing instantaneous travel between two widely separated locations in the universe.”
Y’all, we’re talkin’ time travel, bending time and space, and multiple timelines of existence, along with the impact they have on all of these characters and their relationships. I know, I know, the passage above and these ingredients might make this read feel daunting, yeah? Difficult to keep straight and make sense of it all. But see, Ahsanuddin’s prose is brilliantly down to earth and places everything in context, making the science as gleefully enjoyable as the fiction. It feels easy going, smooth, lending accessibility to the more technical language. The complexity of the characters is a thrilling companion to everything that surrounds and confounds them, attempting to complicate their lives.
Well, ok, most of them do a pretty good job of that all on their own.
The plotting and the characterizations, the way everything unfolds in this story from the first page and all through the entire book, had me feeling things like enthralled, surprised, connected, wanting to shout from the rooftops about how freakin’ fantabulous this all is, except I would have had to stop reading to do that. Wudn’t gonna happen! By the end of chapter one, the level of my curiosity was high, both about the project and these people involved in it, or trying to stop it, or thinking they knew what was going on and what their plan was, only to find out neither was the case. Goodness, this is a well-crafted yarn.
The two officers stared at each other, neither making any effort to leave or even to turn away. The frozen tableau held for almost a full minute, perfectly still, the walls echoing soundlessly with indescribable grief.
Possibly my favorite passage. I remember pausing after reading it, just letting it sit there.
Martin is a bit of a maverick (more than a bit), intelligent, a tough and talented captain, and carrying around some feelings that might never be reciprocated. He doesn’t sit around waiting or necessarily drowning in sorrow or self-pity, but there is a constant companion of resigned sadness. His sarcasm and zest for adventure don’t necessarily hide this fact but they make up for some of it.
Charles is a chief engineer, fellow crewman to Martin, who is also his closest friend. It’s a two-way street, this deeply held kinship. The quiet scenes between them are some of the most emotional in this story. Yes, that’s right, truth in emotion in a science fiction novel. It can be done (Star Wars, anyone? Why do you think it was so successful. Part of the reason was the characters and how much we all fell in love with them, and their imperfections, no matter how frustrating - we loved them even more for that.) and it’s done here confident consistency and care. Yes, that’s it: it’s so easy to feel how much Ahsanuddin cares about these people. It comes through in waves. Respite is but a temporary thing in this book.
One of my favorite things about any great story is when I waver back and forth about a character, or more, and whether they’re a villain or not. If they are, why? What motivates them? If not, why do they appear to be so? Or am I just assuming they are given my knowledge of them in this moment? All of these questions, they also tell you this story will make you think, which is another favorite of mine. I want the storyteller to make me work for my experiences while reading. I don’t want to be spoon-fed. No worries about that happening here.
Every character, great and small in terms of page time, demonstrates their importance. None feel superfluous or simply around to serve as a cheap plot device or foil. When a supporting character gets my mind to wandering, wondering what the rest of their life looks like, what all I don’t know about them, that’s a big time bonus in my book. I mean, what’s up with Henry, why is he like he is? What is really going on with Edward, and his sister? I think there’s more to Dr Wu, there has to be and I hope to find out. And what about Jake, Martin’s brother? And Knox? I want to experience their stories, too.
Reading this story is a fully engaging experience. I was guessing, enjoying the mere act of guessing about what might happen next. Humor, friendship, familial connections, loss, pain, revenge - both successful and aborted - and love in multiple forms are alive and working their brands of magic up in this joint.
The dialogue is natural and constantly works to build on the knowledge we’ve gained up to that point. Or to confuse and cause doubt. I love that.
She glared at him. “Correct. Quite beyond the ability of the average human mind to encompass unassisted.” Her tone made it obvious whose mind she was referring to.
[internal 1st POV] No escape this time. Interruptions at this point only tended to prolong the agony. And God help me if I ask for clarification. Smiling and nodding sometimes helped speed things along, but not always.
Not for the first time, Martin wished he could sleep with his eyes open. He settled in, resigned to riding out the rest of the monologue. “You were saying?”
Cheeky Martin.
As you can see, I have so much I want to share about this story and these characters. I’ve already gone on… and on, but I cannae help it, not when stuff is this good at feeding my soul. Effective, nitty gritty human emotion, and the bending of space and time: YES.
As soon as I finished this, I started book two, “Azimuth”. I plan on reviewing that, too. Stay tuned… ;)
ETA: November 2016 Recommended Read on PBA
January 16, 2015
Sci Fi appeals to me but I need intelligent Sci-fi and this author gives it. This was a page turner!! A must read!
Read
April 15, 2018Sci fi with m/m romance and time travel plot. Marty is a pilot working in the company developing interstellar travel, long and hopelessly in love with his best friend Charles, starts falling for Edward, a brilliant young scientist. There is a lot of sciencey/wibbly time stuff that I just go along with and damn the plausibility, and the crew seem more preoccupied with their seething love affairs than you might think likely, but it's great fun. Highly readable pulp, and that is something I value. First of a series, with no resolutions to the romances, especially since the future is constantly changing because of time travel type villainy, and a fun diverse cast with bi rep and lots of forceful women.
dnf
December 2, 2018Wow, I'm just not feeling it. I guess that's the downside of having read 3 very good books in the last 3 weeks -- I'm less inclined to settle for something that doesn't impress me. Characters, world-building, pacing -- I'd only need one of those to hook me and get me invested in the story. But nada. So, DNF @ 15%.
November 4, 2018
Stunning!
I couldn’t stop reading this book! (Actually, I couldn’t stop listening to it-the the narration was nearly impeccable).
This is a sci-fi novel first an foremost. It just so happens that one of the MCs is attracted to men (and women). The issue of sexuality is never really brought up in the year 2176. I would hope that by this point in the future issues of sexual orientation would be moot. There is some sex and some romance, but it definitely takes a backseat to the intricate plot, action, and character development.
This is one of those books that you can imagine as a movie. It’s one of. Those books that you want to know what happens next. You’re itching to know, dying to know, and damning everything to hell when you get interrupted in the middle of a fight or risky maneuver. It’s one of those books that you want to stop writing a review for so you can get on to the second one that you’ve already one-clicked with the audiobook add-on.
So, I’m off.
Truly, this book was simply stunning both in style and execution. And it’s free on Amazon! Get it!
I couldn’t stop reading this book! (Actually, I couldn’t stop listening to it-the the narration was nearly impeccable).
This is a sci-fi novel first an foremost. It just so happens that one of the MCs is attracted to men (and women). The issue of sexuality is never really brought up in the year 2176. I would hope that by this point in the future issues of sexual orientation would be moot. There is some sex and some romance, but it definitely takes a backseat to the intricate plot, action, and character development.
This is one of those books that you can imagine as a movie. It’s one of. Those books that you want to know what happens next. You’re itching to know, dying to know, and damning everything to hell when you get interrupted in the middle of a fight or risky maneuver. It’s one of those books that you want to stop writing a review for so you can get on to the second one that you’ve already one-clicked with the audiobook add-on.
So, I’m off.
Truly, this book was simply stunning both in style and execution. And it’s free on Amazon! Get it!
January 21, 2020
This is a fascinating take on a future Earth, where local space travel within the solar system is well-established, but the stars are out of reach. Or were, until the Intercission Project discovered a way to fold and cut through space-time, to travel a great distance quickly. In theory.
So far, all it is is theory. But with Zenith, the project has a ship almost ready to launch. Unfortunately the chosen pilot died in a meteor collision with his transport. The Project is looking for new expertise fast, and Martin Atkins and Charles Davenport, on leave from the Navy during an investigation, are offered a chance to make history.
But it won't be as simple as just testing out the science. Whenever great leaps are made, some people feel left behind, or passed over, or believe we shouldn't go there. Now, someone is trying to interfere with the success of the ship Zenith and her crew. Martin and Charles have their work cut out to survive and keep the mission afloat.
And as Charles falls for Jennifer, his boss's longtime crush, and Martin meets Edward, a brilliant and odd young scientist, there isn't much time to fit romance in between the press of events. Moreover, not everyone in their small group is who they seem to be, or shares the same goals.
I really enjoyed the plot of this story, and was able to follow some convolutions without difficulty. There is romance here, but it works in around the plot, and the ending is far from even an HFN. This will be a series you have to complete, to reach a solid ending. I liked the characters, although they still have mysteries at the end of the book. I had one quibble with the romance. (Big spoiler)
For the most part, I liked the range of characters. Martin is perhaps my favorite, a man who honors the wishes of people he cares about, even to his own detriment. Edward is fascinating, young, vulnerable and yet powerful, gradually revealed through the story. I also liked the tentative bond between Martin's brother and one of his ship officers, although telling a straight man "what you like in bed doesn't necessarily have anything to do with who you can love" in urging him toward a same-sex relationship feels a bit blithe, like telling a gay man that he could love and marry a woman without a problem. The lack of societal issues with homophobia is a positive for the future, but this is a bit like disrespecting someone's identity.
Still, one of my favorite recent SciFi reads. I finished the book very curious about both the ongoing plot and the hope for the romances, and immediately bought the next one.
So far, all it is is theory. But with Zenith, the project has a ship almost ready to launch. Unfortunately the chosen pilot died in a meteor collision with his transport. The Project is looking for new expertise fast, and Martin Atkins and Charles Davenport, on leave from the Navy during an investigation, are offered a chance to make history.
But it won't be as simple as just testing out the science. Whenever great leaps are made, some people feel left behind, or passed over, or believe we shouldn't go there. Now, someone is trying to interfere with the success of the ship Zenith and her crew. Martin and Charles have their work cut out to survive and keep the mission afloat.
And as Charles falls for Jennifer, his boss's longtime crush, and Martin meets Edward, a brilliant and odd young scientist, there isn't much time to fit romance in between the press of events. Moreover, not everyone in their small group is who they seem to be, or shares the same goals.
I really enjoyed the plot of this story, and was able to follow some convolutions without difficulty. There is romance here, but it works in around the plot, and the ending is far from even an HFN. This will be a series you have to complete, to reach a solid ending. I liked the characters, although they still have mysteries at the end of the book. I had one quibble with the romance. (Big spoiler)
For the most part, I liked the range of characters. Martin is perhaps my favorite, a man who honors the wishes of people he cares about, even to his own detriment. Edward is fascinating, young, vulnerable and yet powerful, gradually revealed through the story. I also liked the tentative bond between Martin's brother and one of his ship officers, although telling a straight man "what you like in bed doesn't necessarily have anything to do with who you can love" in urging him toward a same-sex relationship feels a bit blithe, like telling a gay man that he could love and marry a woman without a problem. The lack of societal issues with homophobia is a positive for the future, but this is a bit like disrespecting someone's identity.
Still, one of my favorite recent SciFi reads. I finished the book very curious about both the ongoing plot and the hope for the romances, and immediately bought the next one.
March 31, 2015
Why I chose to read this:
I’d like to think I am Arshad’s #1 fan so I eagerly devour anything and everything he publishes. I was fortunate enough to have been able to read this story as it was being written and edited into its final form and I have to say it was amazing to witness Arshad’s process for writing and revising. I have developed even more of an appreciation for his talent. Once the final version was published, I jumped at the opportunity to read it again; like all of Arshad’s stories this book gets better with every read.
My Review:
Arshad Ahsanuddin is making me a liar. Again. I do not like sci-fi books, honestly, I don’t. I have no interest in space exploration, time travel, fancy spaceships full of the coolest technology…I could go on but I think you get the idea. And yet, this series is definitely full of sci-fi goodness but I LOVED it! Arshad is so skilled at world building and character development that he pulls an emotional investment out of me that no other sci-fi writer has been able to accomplish.
From the very first page, I was enamored with Martin. The reader is first introduced to him at a low point in his life and his career. Worried that he may be grounded indefinitely and feeling misplaced guilt about the disaster he could not prevent, you’d be hard pressed not to feel empathy for Martin. When he is given the opportunity to fly again, for a private organization looking to test some new technology instead of in his official capacity in the Confederation Navy, he jumps at the opportunity and drags his best friend Charles along. The relationship between these two is solid, they can both trust in the support and honesty of the other. This partnership changes form throughout the story and it is both heartbreaking and reaffirming in its progression.
Enter the mysterious Edward, the amazingly smart engineer with the unusual glasses. He has a definite agenda for Project Zenith and he is unwilling to compromise. Edward will let nothing get in his way, including his extreme dislike for his boss Dr. Trevor Sutton. Falling under Martin’s spell was definitely not part of Edward’s plan but he’s helpless to avoid it. Still refusing to compromise on his agenda, he has to find a way to shuffle them both without losing either.
From the blurb, we are left to believe that Zenith is Martin and Edward’s story but it’s so much more. Don’t get me wrong, these two characters are definitely the central focus but the supporting characters all play such a substantial role in the story I find it almost insulting to call them secondary characters. There’s Edward’s sister Stella with her desire for revenge, Trevor’s best friend Jennifer who has eyes for Charles, Martin’s brother Jacob who is on the outside of the project but still looking out for his twin, and finally the forever brave Lieutenant Thomas Knox, without whom there would be no future for any of this crew. Each of these “secondary” characters is so well-developed and so necessary to the plot that the story wouldn’t work without them. That is what I am most impressed with: Arshad’s ability to tell a story that is so dynamic, so full of depth of both plot and character. Honestly, I cannot think of another author who does it better. (See…told you I was his #1 fan!)
Zenith is chock full of action, mystery, suspense and yes, romance! Though most of the sex happens off page, I was not left feeling its absence. There is so much emotion, suspense, and adventure built into the story there isn’t much time to miss the hot sex, though there is a nice scene for that as well. ;) Overall, this story is well-rounded and amazingly written; I plan to recommend it to everyone I know, whether they are sci-fi fans or not. I bet this series can have them rethink the genre…
Special Note: There is a book zero for this series, Nadir, which can be read either before or after Zenith. I recommend reading it both before AND after. It is a short read, only 41 pages, but so much of the story is set up/revealed in Nadir that I believe the reader will gain valuable insight into Zenith and the subsequent books of this series by reading it twice. Just my two cents!
See original review posting on Rainbow Gold Reviews.
I’d like to think I am Arshad’s #1 fan so I eagerly devour anything and everything he publishes. I was fortunate enough to have been able to read this story as it was being written and edited into its final form and I have to say it was amazing to witness Arshad’s process for writing and revising. I have developed even more of an appreciation for his talent. Once the final version was published, I jumped at the opportunity to read it again; like all of Arshad’s stories this book gets better with every read.
My Review:
Arshad Ahsanuddin is making me a liar. Again. I do not like sci-fi books, honestly, I don’t. I have no interest in space exploration, time travel, fancy spaceships full of the coolest technology…I could go on but I think you get the idea. And yet, this series is definitely full of sci-fi goodness but I LOVED it! Arshad is so skilled at world building and character development that he pulls an emotional investment out of me that no other sci-fi writer has been able to accomplish.
From the very first page, I was enamored with Martin. The reader is first introduced to him at a low point in his life and his career. Worried that he may be grounded indefinitely and feeling misplaced guilt about the disaster he could not prevent, you’d be hard pressed not to feel empathy for Martin. When he is given the opportunity to fly again, for a private organization looking to test some new technology instead of in his official capacity in the Confederation Navy, he jumps at the opportunity and drags his best friend Charles along. The relationship between these two is solid, they can both trust in the support and honesty of the other. This partnership changes form throughout the story and it is both heartbreaking and reaffirming in its progression.
Enter the mysterious Edward, the amazingly smart engineer with the unusual glasses. He has a definite agenda for Project Zenith and he is unwilling to compromise. Edward will let nothing get in his way, including his extreme dislike for his boss Dr. Trevor Sutton. Falling under Martin’s spell was definitely not part of Edward’s plan but he’s helpless to avoid it. Still refusing to compromise on his agenda, he has to find a way to shuffle them both without losing either.
From the blurb, we are left to believe that Zenith is Martin and Edward’s story but it’s so much more. Don’t get me wrong, these two characters are definitely the central focus but the supporting characters all play such a substantial role in the story I find it almost insulting to call them secondary characters. There’s Edward’s sister Stella with her desire for revenge, Trevor’s best friend Jennifer who has eyes for Charles, Martin’s brother Jacob who is on the outside of the project but still looking out for his twin, and finally the forever brave Lieutenant Thomas Knox, without whom there would be no future for any of this crew. Each of these “secondary” characters is so well-developed and so necessary to the plot that the story wouldn’t work without them. That is what I am most impressed with: Arshad’s ability to tell a story that is so dynamic, so full of depth of both plot and character. Honestly, I cannot think of another author who does it better. (See…told you I was his #1 fan!)
Zenith is chock full of action, mystery, suspense and yes, romance! Though most of the sex happens off page, I was not left feeling its absence. There is so much emotion, suspense, and adventure built into the story there isn’t much time to miss the hot sex, though there is a nice scene for that as well. ;) Overall, this story is well-rounded and amazingly written; I plan to recommend it to everyone I know, whether they are sci-fi fans or not. I bet this series can have them rethink the genre…
Special Note: There is a book zero for this series, Nadir, which can be read either before or after Zenith. I recommend reading it both before AND after. It is a short read, only 41 pages, but so much of the story is set up/revealed in Nadir that I believe the reader will gain valuable insight into Zenith and the subsequent books of this series by reading it twice. Just my two cents!
See original review posting on Rainbow Gold Reviews.
May 6, 2014
A very smoothly written story with more hardcore sci-fi than I usually go for. There was a small amount of m/m romance but not enough to call it a romance. The story was very well plotted but had enough twists and turns in the plot that the reader has to truly pay attention. Missing one little bit of information and possibly have the reader not understanding the wild ending. This story is a must read for sci-fi devotees.
November 6, 2017
I listened to the audiobook version of this story and loved it. While I have quite a few other audiobooks queued up, I had to buy, download and start the next in the series directly after finishing book one. If you love audiobooks, you will know that the right narrator is key. I did not know the narrator from this audiobook before starting it, but while a great narrator I love can attract me to an audiobook and make me more likely to buy it, a narrator I do not know does not make me less likely to buy the audiobook. Before buying a new audiobook, you can listen to the audio sample and determine if the narration seems like a good fit. That is why I never listened to the old audiobooks of the author’s ‘Pact Arcanum’ series (the narration did not call to me), but was happy to get this one. The narrator does a fantastic job with this book and the entire series. Thankfully, Greg Tremblay has been hired to create a new version of the Pact Arcanum series and it sounds fantastic, so I will have to check those out soon as well!
There is a lot of cool technology to marvel about in this book. It is clear the author has done a lot of research and/or has a lot of knowledge in this field and has used it to create mindbending ideas that seem realistic, even as they challenge our view of the world. The union of Science and Fiction is the very core of the scifi genre and is done brilliantly here.
I must admit, it took me a bit to get into the story, as the cast is quite big and it felt hard in the beginning to dfferentiate between the characters. That does not mean that the narrator does not differentiate between the characters well; I always knew which person spoke, just not what their relationship to the other characters was. It took me a while to understand who everyone was, but as soon as it made click for me, everything fell into place and I was hopelessly captivated. The characters are very interesting and well-crafted and once I understood the connections between them, the exchanges between the characters became far more enlightening and intriguing. I soon started to really care for the wonderful ensemble of characters the author has created and loved all the twists and turns the story had in store for them.
The story is full of suspense and wonder and I loved the complex characters that brought the story to life on page. It was also great that in this author’s vision of the future, gay relationships are as ‘normal’ as they should be. There is a certain fluidity to the MCs’ sexuality and a wonderfully casual acceptance of same-sex attraction.
While romance certainly is not the main focus of this story, there IS romance and it is a very important aspect of the book. The book is non-explicit.
I love well-written science fiction stories and this is one of the best I have read in quite a while; I can highly recommend this story. The sequel is even better, though, and I must forewarn you that you will not be able to stop after just this first book. You will need to get the entire story and what the author has in store for you is a wild and wonderful ride 😉
My Rating:
9/10 Pots of Gold (90% Recommended) – Compares to 4.5/5 Stars
There is a lot of cool technology to marvel about in this book. It is clear the author has done a lot of research and/or has a lot of knowledge in this field and has used it to create mindbending ideas that seem realistic, even as they challenge our view of the world. The union of Science and Fiction is the very core of the scifi genre and is done brilliantly here.
I must admit, it took me a bit to get into the story, as the cast is quite big and it felt hard in the beginning to dfferentiate between the characters. That does not mean that the narrator does not differentiate between the characters well; I always knew which person spoke, just not what their relationship to the other characters was. It took me a while to understand who everyone was, but as soon as it made click for me, everything fell into place and I was hopelessly captivated. The characters are very interesting and well-crafted and once I understood the connections between them, the exchanges between the characters became far more enlightening and intriguing. I soon started to really care for the wonderful ensemble of characters the author has created and loved all the twists and turns the story had in store for them.
The story is full of suspense and wonder and I loved the complex characters that brought the story to life on page. It was also great that in this author’s vision of the future, gay relationships are as ‘normal’ as they should be. There is a certain fluidity to the MCs’ sexuality and a wonderfully casual acceptance of same-sex attraction.
While romance certainly is not the main focus of this story, there IS romance and it is a very important aspect of the book. The book is non-explicit.
I love well-written science fiction stories and this is one of the best I have read in quite a while; I can highly recommend this story. The sequel is even better, though, and I must forewarn you that you will not be able to stop after just this first book. You will need to get the entire story and what the author has in store for you is a wild and wonderful ride 😉
My Rating:
9/10 Pots of Gold (90% Recommended) – Compares to 4.5/5 Stars
December 11, 2016
This is a new author to me, but I felt compelled to give it a try. After all, there isn't as much in the way of gay science fiction that has impressed me as of late (or ever, in fact). I was very pleasantly surprised with what Zenith had to offer.
First and foremost, this book is science fiction above all else. Romance is present, but it takes time to develop into the plot and always played secondary. And what a plot - full of very geeky, sciency stuff involving space and time, and gravity and...oh boy. Let me wipe off the drool.
The book also contains many characters and the beginning of the book felt disorienting as you try to figure out key players. The narrative is split among these different characters, so you never really feel settled until halfway into the book. And perhaps it was also this very reason that it was difficult for me to distinguish who was who if conversations involved three or more people - the characters weren't distinct enough for me to really tell the difference based on personality. It probably took about the whole length of the book before I felt a bit more development with several key players (but that's kind of stretching it).
And the romance? Well, it felt very sudden. But then again, the quick pacing of things and time lapses probably didn't help. But I was very invested by the end if that helps.
The plot itself was paced very quickly - there really isn't down time. Is this a bad thing? Not for me! It kept things interesting and me on the edge of my seat. And despite all the techno-babble, the plot was easy enough to follow along.
Over all, I was very impressed with Zenith. A good science fiction novel that is well paced, with somewhat bland characters that feel a bit more fleshed out towards the end. And also the heaping of an interesting romantic plot that can only be pulled off in science fiction.
First and foremost, this book is science fiction above all else. Romance is present, but it takes time to develop into the plot and always played secondary. And what a plot - full of very geeky, sciency stuff involving space and time, and gravity and...oh boy. Let me wipe off the drool.
The book also contains many characters and the beginning of the book felt disorienting as you try to figure out key players. The narrative is split among these different characters, so you never really feel settled until halfway into the book. And perhaps it was also this very reason that it was difficult for me to distinguish who was who if conversations involved three or more people - the characters weren't distinct enough for me to really tell the difference based on personality. It probably took about the whole length of the book before I felt a bit more development with several key players (but that's kind of stretching it).
And the romance? Well, it felt very sudden. But then again, the quick pacing of things and time lapses probably didn't help. But I was very invested by the end if that helps.
The plot itself was paced very quickly - there really isn't down time. Is this a bad thing? Not for me! It kept things interesting and me on the edge of my seat. And despite all the techno-babble, the plot was easy enough to follow along.
Over all, I was very impressed with Zenith. A good science fiction novel that is well paced, with somewhat bland characters that feel a bit more fleshed out towards the end. And also the heaping of an interesting romantic plot that can only be pulled off in science fiction.
August 4, 2017
COMMANDER MARTIN Atkins of the Confederation Navy is grounded after an Earth orbit rescue attempt goes bad. As he’s sitting around, cooling his heels, he’s approached by a civilian entrepreneur about a secret mission to create a starship, and travel to Alpha Centauri. Who could say no to that? Certainly not a pilot and explorer like Atkins.
Edward Harlen and his sister have their own reasons for joining the project, but as the days get closer to launch, everyone begins to wonder about the super siblings’ motives. The lines are drawn when people start to die, but Edward and Martin are inexplicably pulled closer together. Both men say that they are willing to risk love for the good of humanity… but are they?
When I finished this book, I put it down, and did a dance—seriously—it was that awesome. My first impressions were that this novel had a Star Trek feel to it. It’s the twenty-second century, and humanity is just starting to explore space and the stars, but unlike in the world of Star Trek, major corporations are leading the way.
The novel is divided into five or so parts, which felt like episodes of a TV series. The plot played out almost as a mystery, with layers being peeled back after each “episode”. I was also impressed by the scientific discussion—most science fiction doesn’t give this level of attention to technical details. For example, oftentimes I can become irritated with the theory of paradoxes, but Ahsanuddin approached the matter frankly and concisely, and didn’t sacrifice the science for the story. That level of respect for the reader quickly soothed me of my normal reaction.
Besides the fantastic plot and worldbuilding, each character was unique, complex, and had a slew of motivations, which made them feel so real I could reach out and touch them. I labeled this work “bisexual”, because Martin, our Riker-esque character, is authentically bi, and even though we don’t see any girl parts in this novel, I didn’t want to mislabel him as gay and be responsible for bi-erasure. I can’t even express how thankful I am of authentic bisexual characters in gay fiction. Yes, they do exist. One of these days I wouldn’t be surprised if bisexual identities surpassed those of heterosexual or homosexual identities. The fact that this story is set in the future—I felt—payed that theory some credit.
This book was pretty much everything I wanted in a novel, or a Star Trek series, growing up. If I had seen works like this, I can only imagine how that would have helped my self-esteem and identity struggles. Reading this novel now is sort of bittersweet. On one hand I am so grateful I can recommend stories like these, and you can bet your bottom dollar I will be recommending Zenith for years to come, to all science fiction fans, everywhere. On the other hand, I am disappointed that we didn’t have works like these sooner. Recently I read an article on how much science fiction has been censored of gay characters throughout the years. What I wouldn’t have given to see characters like Riker, representing truer versions of themselves. I feel the loss for those past characters, and the loss for us by their absence.
Thank you, Martin. Thank you, Ahsanuddin—for your authenticity, and your message of hope for the future. To boldly go.
Edward Harlen and his sister have their own reasons for joining the project, but as the days get closer to launch, everyone begins to wonder about the super siblings’ motives. The lines are drawn when people start to die, but Edward and Martin are inexplicably pulled closer together. Both men say that they are willing to risk love for the good of humanity… but are they?
When I finished this book, I put it down, and did a dance—seriously—it was that awesome. My first impressions were that this novel had a Star Trek feel to it. It’s the twenty-second century, and humanity is just starting to explore space and the stars, but unlike in the world of Star Trek, major corporations are leading the way.
The novel is divided into five or so parts, which felt like episodes of a TV series. The plot played out almost as a mystery, with layers being peeled back after each “episode”. I was also impressed by the scientific discussion—most science fiction doesn’t give this level of attention to technical details. For example, oftentimes I can become irritated with the theory of paradoxes, but Ahsanuddin approached the matter frankly and concisely, and didn’t sacrifice the science for the story. That level of respect for the reader quickly soothed me of my normal reaction.
Besides the fantastic plot and worldbuilding, each character was unique, complex, and had a slew of motivations, which made them feel so real I could reach out and touch them. I labeled this work “bisexual”, because Martin, our Riker-esque character, is authentically bi, and even though we don’t see any girl parts in this novel, I didn’t want to mislabel him as gay and be responsible for bi-erasure. I can’t even express how thankful I am of authentic bisexual characters in gay fiction. Yes, they do exist. One of these days I wouldn’t be surprised if bisexual identities surpassed those of heterosexual or homosexual identities. The fact that this story is set in the future—I felt—payed that theory some credit.
This book was pretty much everything I wanted in a novel, or a Star Trek series, growing up. If I had seen works like this, I can only imagine how that would have helped my self-esteem and identity struggles. Reading this novel now is sort of bittersweet. On one hand I am so grateful I can recommend stories like these, and you can bet your bottom dollar I will be recommending Zenith for years to come, to all science fiction fans, everywhere. On the other hand, I am disappointed that we didn’t have works like these sooner. Recently I read an article on how much science fiction has been censored of gay characters throughout the years. What I wouldn’t have given to see characters like Riker, representing truer versions of themselves. I feel the loss for those past characters, and the loss for us by their absence.
Thank you, Martin. Thank you, Ahsanuddin—for your authenticity, and your message of hope for the future. To boldly go.
April 12, 2014
A riveting tale that successfully straddles the fence between science fiction and romance.
Where "space opera" was once viewed as an insult to science fiction, it now holds a special place in today's science fiction world as a legitimate subgenre. I'm a fan of space opera because it's usually where the more lighthearted, character-centric stories of science fiction reside.
Zenith is a celebration of space opera and romance at its finest. Fantastic space adventures, love and action. All of those skillfully woven into a compelling story featuring a fascinating cast of characters whose lives revolve around the Interscission Project, a new kind of space travel technology that, as we go deeper into the story, clearly has a staggering impact on the world.
Once I got to know each of the characters, I was drawn into the story. There is definitely a soap opera in space feel because there are some complicated, layered character histories that intersect in occasionally disturbing ways.
I was especially fascinated by Edward and Stella's mysterious background. About midway through the book, most readers should have a good idea about who they are. When their history was revealed, I was pleased to find that there were surprises in store for me.
At first, I was not sure who to root for as Martin's love interest but I was soon won over by Edward's openness and vulnerability.
Martin and Edward were not the only characters to catch my attention. Each major character in this book had a story to tell. Unlike some science fiction and fantasy series, I did not feel the urge to skip chapters just to get to my favourite characters because I was interested to know more about each person in Zenith.
The fact that this book clearly crosses genres without hesitation may put off readers who prefer their genres clearly separated. Romance fans who prefer romance with light sci-fi elements may find the concepts in this book to be a little heavy for their tastes, while science fiction fans might be put off by the clearly romantic vein that runs through this story.
Nevertheless, this book's greatest strength is that it gives equal attention to both the science fiction and romance elements and the story is all the better for it.
I can't wait for the next book of this series to find out more. The suspense is killing me!
*Note: I received this book as a free copy.
Where "space opera" was once viewed as an insult to science fiction, it now holds a special place in today's science fiction world as a legitimate subgenre. I'm a fan of space opera because it's usually where the more lighthearted, character-centric stories of science fiction reside.
Zenith is a celebration of space opera and romance at its finest. Fantastic space adventures, love and action. All of those skillfully woven into a compelling story featuring a fascinating cast of characters whose lives revolve around the Interscission Project, a new kind of space travel technology that, as we go deeper into the story, clearly has a staggering impact on the world.
Once I got to know each of the characters, I was drawn into the story. There is definitely a soap opera in space feel because there are some complicated, layered character histories that intersect in occasionally disturbing ways.
I was especially fascinated by Edward and Stella's mysterious background. About midway through the book, most readers should have a good idea about who they are. When their history was revealed, I was pleased to find that there were surprises in store for me.
At first, I was not sure who to root for as Martin's love interest but I was soon won over by Edward's openness and vulnerability.
Martin and Edward were not the only characters to catch my attention. Each major character in this book had a story to tell. Unlike some science fiction and fantasy series, I did not feel the urge to skip chapters just to get to my favourite characters because I was interested to know more about each person in Zenith.
The fact that this book clearly crosses genres without hesitation may put off readers who prefer their genres clearly separated. Romance fans who prefer romance with light sci-fi elements may find the concepts in this book to be a little heavy for their tastes, while science fiction fans might be put off by the clearly romantic vein that runs through this story.
Nevertheless, this book's greatest strength is that it gives equal attention to both the science fiction and romance elements and the story is all the better for it.
I can't wait for the next book of this series to find out more. The suspense is killing me!
*Note: I received this book as a free copy.
November 15, 2016
5 STARS (AUDIOBOOK ? STARS)
This is a great sci fi/mystery-thriller/drama and who the hell done it, all rolled into one story and it is so well done. It's main players are all great characters as it's too hard to place two MC's. One MC yes but it's more complex than that. It's an extremely well written book that's crafted rather masterfully. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to all sci-fi fans. It has more twists than a packet of twisties (savoury Aussie cheesy things :)
This book is also under MM Romance on GR's but I don't like that classification for this book. In this futuristic world that Arshad Ahsanuddin has created, love between people, regardless of sexual orientation is the way the majority of the population choose whom to be with. Sure quite a few are only attracted to the opposite sex but the vast majority of the population (not everyone) see love for love's sake not what bits they were born with and I love this concept. I've read other novel's were this is the same but with this book it's not a major topic and it's that subtly that I found appealing on top of just being an excellent novel in the first place.
Now for the Audiobook Initially I nearly switched it off and was going to go back to text-to-speech as it was so overly dramatic that the narrator sounded like he was a cast member from, "Day's Of Our Lives!" There were even those dramatic pauses at the end of a scene where you can see the actor either gasp at a revelation, glare in silent shock or stare into the distance and it started making it sound like a space opera, then I began to find it funny and by the middle I thought it was HILARIOUS but the story is so good and had sucked me in so much that I didn't hear it anymore. If you have bought the Audiobook and stopped listening to this marvellous story then return it and get the e-book because you're missing a great story.
This is a great sci fi/mystery-thriller/drama and who the hell done it, all rolled into one story and it is so well done. It's main players are all great characters as it's too hard to place two MC's. One MC yes but it's more complex than that. It's an extremely well written book that's crafted rather masterfully. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to all sci-fi fans. It has more twists than a packet of twisties (savoury Aussie cheesy things :)
This book is also under MM Romance on GR's but I don't like that classification for this book. In this futuristic world that Arshad Ahsanuddin has created, love between people, regardless of sexual orientation is the way the majority of the population choose whom to be with. Sure quite a few are only attracted to the opposite sex but the vast majority of the population (not everyone) see love for love's sake not what bits they were born with and I love this concept. I've read other novel's were this is the same but with this book it's not a major topic and it's that subtly that I found appealing on top of just being an excellent novel in the first place.
Now for the Audiobook Initially I nearly switched it off and was going to go back to text-to-speech as it was so overly dramatic that the narrator sounded like he was a cast member from, "Day's Of Our Lives!" There were even those dramatic pauses at the end of a scene where you can see the actor either gasp at a revelation, glare in silent shock or stare into the distance and it started making it sound like a space opera, then I began to find it funny and by the middle I thought it was HILARIOUS but the story is so good and had sucked me in so much that I didn't hear it anymore. If you have bought the Audiobook and stopped listening to this marvellous story then return it and get the e-book because you're missing a great story.
zz-dnf
May 28, 2020DNF @ 50%
I tried. I really, really tried. I loved this author's Sunset so much, and I picked this one up because I was in desperate need of All The Plot, Please God after my last near plot-less book, but it was a real struggle for me just to get through the setup in this one. Nothing really happens until 34% or so, but I pushed on because I was determined to get to the good stuff.
Only by 50%, when we're finally in the middle of some pretty high stakes action, I realized I still had ZERO emotional investment in any of these characters. And there are a lot of them -- seven POVs, I think, by this point, which didn't bother me in his other book, but that one drops you deep into the action by Page 2. This one was just repeatedly killing its own momentum with all the POV jumps. Major bummer, but I've got to call time of death :(
I tried. I really, really tried. I loved this author's Sunset so much, and I picked this one up because I was in desperate need of All The Plot, Please God after my last near plot-less book, but it was a real struggle for me just to get through the setup in this one. Nothing really happens until 34% or so, but I pushed on because I was determined to get to the good stuff.
Only by 50%, when we're finally in the middle of some pretty high stakes action, I realized I still had ZERO emotional investment in any of these characters. And there are a lot of them -- seven POVs, I think, by this point, which didn't bother me in his other book, but that one drops you deep into the action by Page 2. This one was just repeatedly killing its own momentum with all the POV jumps. Major bummer, but I've got to call time of death :(
November 13, 2018
Zenith is the first instalment of a sci-fi series that focuses primarily on the technological proper aspect of the future as applied to space exploration and time travel. To these core, genre defining elements, there is a homosexual romance between a genius engineer and a maverick pilot along with a vengeance subplot of sorts.
As a coherent piece of fiction and Zenith is greatly flawed. It adheres to a 'hard' sci-fi approach, which is to say that the advancements in technology and science are excruciatingly detailed to the point that it soon devolves into techno-babble. The dialogue in particular is heavily saturated with lingo, which could be appropriate given the entire cast is involved in highly advanced technological endeavors, but given that the narrator does not frame it for the reader it ends up doing more to clog the story then to give it the realistic tone it requires.
This focus on technology almost to the detriment of everything else also impoverishes the world building. High tier science fiction knows how to pace itself so as to bring to the front not so much the science aspect itself as the social, psychological and even existential repercussions such science accrues. For example, a work like Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep is more concerned with blurring the lines betwen 'human' and 'robot' then to detail the circuitry that goes into building the stunningly life-like androids. The comparison may be unfair since The Interscission Project is not half as ambitious but it goes to show how much potential the genre holds and how little of it this particular franchise has tackled.
The setting is very generalistic with the action taking place roughly one century into the future and again, apart from the fact that humanity is beginning to colonize space, we know precious little about the state of affairs at large. The novel is either very vague or completely silent about the daily life of the average citizen in Earth of the 22nd century. Issues such as class race, economic opportunities and even political regime are almost entirely absent and can barely be inferred. The fact that virtually every character has a military and/or science background and given how little attention is given to anyone other than the actual cast gives us a very skewed perception of the alternate reality in question.
On the subject of the characters, here too the novel overreaches and mostly does not work all that well. Instead of coming across as distinct individuals, the characters tend to act oddly alike in such a way that makes it clear they are the product of the same author. For example, on several occasions characters will warn others not to harm their close relatives in the many budding relationships that the novel tries to introduce, and if said warning is not to be heeded a threat to 'kill' them is issues. The fact that the people involved are both adults and highly intelligent at that makes this kind of attitude silly and even if it is somewhat tongue in cheek it still grinds at the notion that these are actual distinct characters as opposed to mouth-pieces. There is also the fact that this great intelligence on display in ways that would seriously backfire. For example, at one point two characters need to exchange words in the presence of others that are carefully watching them and must not find out the content of what is being said. The two characters proceed to alternate speaking in a dozen of different languages, which is superfically intelligent in that it takes a lot of skill and effort to learn them, but is ultimately not all that clever given the context since it makes it blatantly obvious to the onlookers that they are indeed being secretative. A few signs agreed in advance would have solved the problem in a simpler and much more effective manner.
As for the relationships themselves, one of the novel's biggest flaws is how it rushes these. The main romantic entanglement between Marty and Edward takes place almost entirely outside the narrative proper. By skipping the initial stages of this relationship, the reader's interest becomes somewhat compromised as it is difficult to become invested on a personal interaction without tracing its evolution.
With all this said, not all is amiss. The action scenes are fine despite not being particularly original and that the novel tried to make the technology actually workable in real life as opposed to stepping into pure fantasy is praiseworthy. The main thrust of the plot is interesting enough and Zenith ramps up at the end by ending by hooking the reader's attention for the sequels.
As a coherent piece of fiction and Zenith is greatly flawed. It adheres to a 'hard' sci-fi approach, which is to say that the advancements in technology and science are excruciatingly detailed to the point that it soon devolves into techno-babble. The dialogue in particular is heavily saturated with lingo, which could be appropriate given the entire cast is involved in highly advanced technological endeavors, but given that the narrator does not frame it for the reader it ends up doing more to clog the story then to give it the realistic tone it requires.
This focus on technology almost to the detriment of everything else also impoverishes the world building. High tier science fiction knows how to pace itself so as to bring to the front not so much the science aspect itself as the social, psychological and even existential repercussions such science accrues. For example, a work like Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep is more concerned with blurring the lines betwen 'human' and 'robot' then to detail the circuitry that goes into building the stunningly life-like androids. The comparison may be unfair since The Interscission Project is not half as ambitious but it goes to show how much potential the genre holds and how little of it this particular franchise has tackled.
The setting is very generalistic with the action taking place roughly one century into the future and again, apart from the fact that humanity is beginning to colonize space, we know precious little about the state of affairs at large. The novel is either very vague or completely silent about the daily life of the average citizen in Earth of the 22nd century. Issues such as class race, economic opportunities and even political regime are almost entirely absent and can barely be inferred. The fact that virtually every character has a military and/or science background and given how little attention is given to anyone other than the actual cast gives us a very skewed perception of the alternate reality in question.
On the subject of the characters, here too the novel overreaches and mostly does not work all that well. Instead of coming across as distinct individuals, the characters tend to act oddly alike in such a way that makes it clear they are the product of the same author. For example, on several occasions characters will warn others not to harm their close relatives in the many budding relationships that the novel tries to introduce, and if said warning is not to be heeded a threat to 'kill' them is issues. The fact that the people involved are both adults and highly intelligent at that makes this kind of attitude silly and even if it is somewhat tongue in cheek it still grinds at the notion that these are actual distinct characters as opposed to mouth-pieces. There is also the fact that this great intelligence on display in ways that would seriously backfire. For example, at one point two characters need to exchange words in the presence of others that are carefully watching them and must not find out the content of what is being said. The two characters proceed to alternate speaking in a dozen of different languages, which is superfically intelligent in that it takes a lot of skill and effort to learn them, but is ultimately not all that clever given the context since it makes it blatantly obvious to the onlookers that they are indeed being secretative. A few signs agreed in advance would have solved the problem in a simpler and much more effective manner.
As for the relationships themselves, one of the novel's biggest flaws is how it rushes these. The main romantic entanglement between Marty and Edward takes place almost entirely outside the narrative proper. By skipping the initial stages of this relationship, the reader's interest becomes somewhat compromised as it is difficult to become invested on a personal interaction without tracing its evolution.
With all this said, not all is amiss. The action scenes are fine despite not being particularly original and that the novel tried to make the technology actually workable in real life as opposed to stepping into pure fantasy is praiseworthy. The main thrust of the plot is interesting enough and Zenith ramps up at the end by ending by hooking the reader's attention for the sequels.
August 18, 2015
4.5 Heart Review by Dan
This book was a total surprise to me. To be honest, the cover said sci-fi to me, but as any of you who follow my reviews knows, I never read a blurb before I read a book. Some have too many spoilers.
Well the surprise came in when I read the first chapter and was hooked! I had insomnia last night and spent the night working my way through this first installment of the series. The story takes place in the late 22nd Century, and involves time travel, the first journey outside our solar system (to Alpha Centauri), murder, sabotage, some brilliant scientists, and a space pilot named Martin.
Martin Atkins is a Confederation Navy officer who was part of a crew that failed to rescue a commercial sub-orbital plane that hit space debris. They tried hard to hook on to the plane and pull it up into a higher orbit so it wouldn’t burn up and crash, but they were unsuccessful. He was the one who insisted they release the one grapple they had on the plane and let it go before it pulled their ship down as well. Now he and the rest of the crew from his ship are on administrative leave until the inquest into the events is finalized.
When a stranger approaches him at a funeral, the man offers Martin a job working on a super-secret space program and ship, run completely by a private corporation. (I pictured Virgin Galactic, but in the future and much bigger.) When Martin accepts the position, his adventure has only begun.
What is up with the brilliant Edward and Stella Harlen? What is up with the corporation that Martin has signed on with? Will they make it to Alpha Centauri, or will sabotage bring them to a finish far before they reach it? What about the sparks flying between Martin and Edward?
I really liked this story. It is what I would consider Light Sci-Fi, not overburdening the reader with a lot of hard science details. There was a slight oddity in my mind involving the speed quoted for the sub-orbital plane which crashes. I think the meters per second are probably supposed to be kilometers per second, but other than those speed numbers, I liked everything else in the story and look forward to starting book two immediately!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
This book was a total surprise to me. To be honest, the cover said sci-fi to me, but as any of you who follow my reviews knows, I never read a blurb before I read a book. Some have too many spoilers.
Well the surprise came in when I read the first chapter and was hooked! I had insomnia last night and spent the night working my way through this first installment of the series. The story takes place in the late 22nd Century, and involves time travel, the first journey outside our solar system (to Alpha Centauri), murder, sabotage, some brilliant scientists, and a space pilot named Martin.
Martin Atkins is a Confederation Navy officer who was part of a crew that failed to rescue a commercial sub-orbital plane that hit space debris. They tried hard to hook on to the plane and pull it up into a higher orbit so it wouldn’t burn up and crash, but they were unsuccessful. He was the one who insisted they release the one grapple they had on the plane and let it go before it pulled their ship down as well. Now he and the rest of the crew from his ship are on administrative leave until the inquest into the events is finalized.
When a stranger approaches him at a funeral, the man offers Martin a job working on a super-secret space program and ship, run completely by a private corporation. (I pictured Virgin Galactic, but in the future and much bigger.) When Martin accepts the position, his adventure has only begun.
What is up with the brilliant Edward and Stella Harlen? What is up with the corporation that Martin has signed on with? Will they make it to Alpha Centauri, or will sabotage bring them to a finish far before they reach it? What about the sparks flying between Martin and Edward?
I really liked this story. It is what I would consider Light Sci-Fi, not overburdening the reader with a lot of hard science details. There was a slight oddity in my mind involving the speed quoted for the sub-orbital plane which crashes. I think the meters per second are probably supposed to be kilometers per second, but other than those speed numbers, I liked everything else in the story and look forward to starting book two immediately!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
July 7, 2014
I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review through the DBML program of the M/M Romance group at goodreads.
I have to say that I really love everything I have read by this author before considering that most of those book weere set in a slightly futuristic setting and had Vampires and Magic, I was expecting more of the same. While it is set in the future and there are spaceships there end the similarities. Zenith is the first book int the Intercission Project and while this book is 350 pages long most of the book reads so fast you tend not to notice that. The plot is complicated and the Many characters that are not extras are well thought out. For those who like there M/M reads to be pure there is a secondary romance that is M/F that we see the romance happenning from the eyes of one of the main Characters As the M in the M/F romance is his best friend. This futuristic setting is set agog with the breakthrough that allow point to point travel immeditely through making a break in the time space continuim. there is also time travel and the dealing with the paradoxes of time travel. Marty and Edward are the main characters.
Edward come from the future and he is the son or Martin's best friend Charles. The Zenith crew gets involved in a plot to save the current timeline from another time traveler who want his revenge for reasons never fully developed. Great book.
I have to say that I really love everything I have read by this author before considering that most of those book weere set in a slightly futuristic setting and had Vampires and Magic, I was expecting more of the same. While it is set in the future and there are spaceships there end the similarities. Zenith is the first book int the Intercission Project and while this book is 350 pages long most of the book reads so fast you tend not to notice that. The plot is complicated and the Many characters that are not extras are well thought out. For those who like there M/M reads to be pure there is a secondary romance that is M/F that we see the romance happenning from the eyes of one of the main Characters As the M in the M/F romance is his best friend. This futuristic setting is set agog with the breakthrough that allow point to point travel immeditely through making a break in the time space continuim. there is also time travel and the dealing with the paradoxes of time travel. Marty and Edward are the main characters.
Edward come from the future and he is the son or Martin's best friend Charles. The Zenith crew gets involved in a plot to save the current timeline from another time traveler who want his revenge for reasons never fully developed. Great book.
January 27, 2015
Real science fiction. Great piece of Gay Protagonist Space Scify, Was a bit slow to get going, but keep with it, the last two thirds is worth it,
July 19, 2014
(I received a copy of this book for free in return for an honest review.)
I knew going into this book that I would be in for a ride. I'd better pay attention, watch for clues and see where it all falls out. What a ride it was. I got a little lost along the way, there is a lot of technical sci-fi dialogue (at times a foreign language to me), but I muddled through it, understanding just enough of it to keep going without giving up. There is one part in the story where MC Martin is being lectured to and he thinks, Step one, Step two, Oh one of those lecturers that require audience participation. Totally priceless and so, so true.
I throughly enjoyed the dynamic between MC's Martin Atkins and Charles Davenport The twist and the mystery was well-written. The romance of the MC's to their respective others was glossed over, which was a little bit of a disappoinment, but not enough for me to knock any stars off.
All of the secondary characters were fully-developed and integral to the story. You knew each one's position, strengths and weaknesses.
In fact,the only thing I didn't like was that this was only book one. Looks like their will be an Interscission Project #2 in my future.
I knew going into this book that I would be in for a ride. I'd better pay attention, watch for clues and see where it all falls out. What a ride it was. I got a little lost along the way, there is a lot of technical sci-fi dialogue (at times a foreign language to me), but I muddled through it, understanding just enough of it to keep going without giving up. There is one part in the story where MC Martin is being lectured to and he thinks, Step one, Step two, Oh one of those lecturers that require audience participation. Totally priceless and so, so true.
I throughly enjoyed the dynamic between MC's Martin Atkins and Charles Davenport The twist and the mystery was well-written. The romance of the MC's to their respective others was glossed over, which was a little bit of a disappoinment, but not enough for me to knock any stars off.
All of the secondary characters were fully-developed and integral to the story. You knew each one's position, strengths and weaknesses.
In fact,the only thing I didn't like was that this was only book one. Looks like their will be an Interscission Project #2 in my future.
Want to read
November 29, 2016Currently free at Amazon!
December 16, 2022
Disclaimer - I received a free copy of this book to review for the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC).
Let me start with a totally back-handed compliment. I dislike, and generally avoid, time travel science fiction stories yet Zenith; The Interscission Project is the most interesting, engaging, and believable time travel book I’ve ever read.
The author, Arshad Ahsanuddin, is a laboratory physician who specializes in the diagnosis of diseases of blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes so this is probably the first book I’ve read by a hematopathologist. Just as his “day job” focuses on solving mysteries and looking for hidden “villains”, in Zenith we have lots going on beneath the surface. The storyline is full of plots and subplots and that is just in the interpersonal relationships.
Speaking of relationships, Ahsanuddin has several major gay and bisexual characters. Gay romance is not often a topic in science fiction and, when it does appear, it is often one dimensional. Ahsanuddin does an excellent job with the gay romances in this book weaving them into the storyline as a significant issue rather than a “tossed in for effect” ploy.
Zenith is the first of this five book series. It is built around the concept of folded space travel which would allow spacecraft to travel to places light years away nearly instantaneously. As a private organization builds this new type of rocket in secret, there are many conflicts getting in the way of a successful launch. The many players, personalities, technical issues, and political wrangling work together to keep the reader engaged. While there is a “cliff hanger” ending, you can definitely read this book as a standalone.
Let me start with a totally back-handed compliment. I dislike, and generally avoid, time travel science fiction stories yet Zenith; The Interscission Project is the most interesting, engaging, and believable time travel book I’ve ever read.
The author, Arshad Ahsanuddin, is a laboratory physician who specializes in the diagnosis of diseases of blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes so this is probably the first book I’ve read by a hematopathologist. Just as his “day job” focuses on solving mysteries and looking for hidden “villains”, in Zenith we have lots going on beneath the surface. The storyline is full of plots and subplots and that is just in the interpersonal relationships.
Speaking of relationships, Ahsanuddin has several major gay and bisexual characters. Gay romance is not often a topic in science fiction and, when it does appear, it is often one dimensional. Ahsanuddin does an excellent job with the gay romances in this book weaving them into the storyline as a significant issue rather than a “tossed in for effect” ploy.
Zenith is the first of this five book series. It is built around the concept of folded space travel which would allow spacecraft to travel to places light years away nearly instantaneously. As a private organization builds this new type of rocket in secret, there are many conflicts getting in the way of a successful launch. The many players, personalities, technical issues, and political wrangling work together to keep the reader engaged. While there is a “cliff hanger” ending, you can definitely read this book as a standalone.
December 23, 2018
4 stars for time travel.
However, check out Nocturnalux's Review HERE. I agree with every word and the rating.
Final score 3.5 stars.
However, check out Nocturnalux's Review HERE. I agree with every word and the rating.
Final score 3.5 stars.
July 17, 2015
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Story is told in multiple POV perspective, changing from character to character. Readers are given a chance to know each character their reactions and emotions and if they have ulterior motives for doing their jobs.
The Interscission Project is looking for a pilots (and other potential employees) to add to their team and aid in their project of space travel that will hopefully eventually pave the way for a sustainable colony ship. Martin is recruited and manages to convince his best friend Charles to join him. Martin and Charles are survivors of CCS Heracles, a ship that failed in a rescue attempt that put the crew in danger. Being survivors of that fiasco, they both have a bit of survivor guilt. Charles was the Chief Engineer for the Heracles and Martin the commander navigator. Aided by a crew of intellectual individuals, both set out to do what they are paid to do, but they fall into situation on their journey that suggests someone is out to sabotage their entire mission regardless of who may be caught in the crossfire.
I loved the flashbacks. The opportunity the author gave us to pick up the pieces of martin and Charles friendship and their past and piece their story together and how things went wrong with the CCS Heracles. I loved the banter in the story among the characters. Marty was most definitely my favorite character. I loved that he was so at ease and flirty with everyone. His suaveness was sexy and I really like how easily he got a date with Edward. He was a charmer who knew how to get his way and it added to his appeal. His easy calm manner in a crisis was something to admire.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next book.
Story is told in multiple POV perspective, changing from character to character. Readers are given a chance to know each character their reactions and emotions and if they have ulterior motives for doing their jobs.
The Interscission Project is looking for a pilots (and other potential employees) to add to their team and aid in their project of space travel that will hopefully eventually pave the way for a sustainable colony ship. Martin is recruited and manages to convince his best friend Charles to join him. Martin and Charles are survivors of CCS Heracles, a ship that failed in a rescue attempt that put the crew in danger. Being survivors of that fiasco, they both have a bit of survivor guilt. Charles was the Chief Engineer for the Heracles and Martin the commander navigator. Aided by a crew of intellectual individuals, both set out to do what they are paid to do, but they fall into situation on their journey that suggests someone is out to sabotage their entire mission regardless of who may be caught in the crossfire.
I loved the flashbacks. The opportunity the author gave us to pick up the pieces of martin and Charles friendship and their past and piece their story together and how things went wrong with the CCS Heracles. I loved the banter in the story among the characters. Marty was most definitely my favorite character. I loved that he was so at ease and flirty with everyone. His suaveness was sexy and I really like how easily he got a date with Edward. He was a charmer who knew how to get his way and it added to his appeal. His easy calm manner in a crisis was something to admire.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next book.
October 4, 2016
Holy crap, this book is GREAT! Any fan of science fiction will drool over this story. It has conspiracy, sabotage, space travel, time travel, advance technology and a little touch of romance. Mr. Ahsanuddin created a story that takes you on a roller coaster of intrigue. It’s full of twists and turns and you are left not knowing who to trust.
The book begins with Commander Martin Atkins confronted at a funeral by Starfire Technology Group. They present Martin and his fellow crew members a temporary opportunity to work on a secret project that would change mankind. Martin and his best friend Charles Davenport have always longed to reach the stars agree to join the crew of Zenith, the first starship that can travel to distant galaxies.
Someone knows about the project though, and does everything in their power to make sure the mission fails. Martin, Charles and other members of the Starfire Technology Group do everything in their power to protect Zenith and to ensure the mission is a success. What they eventually realize is that their opponent has more of an advantage than they first thought. How can they keep Zenith and its crew safe if the cards are stacked against them?
This book has a lot of technical terms in it. For someone like me, who did everything in their power not to taking a physics class, your head will spin but Mr. Ahsanuddin did a fantastic job about explaining these concepts without taking away from the story. The romance portion of the story was underdeveloped. Yes, people fall in love but it was brushed over. I wasn’t upset about this fact because the story in general was exciting and very enjoyable.
Though Martin and Charles play key roles in the story, there are many other prominent characters. The reader gets to know a lot about these characters, but it is not information overload. The story is written smart enough and with a beautiful flow that information is delivered smoothly. Beware, this book is a To Be Continued. Don’t let that stop you from reading it though. I’ll be waiting on pins and needles for the next installment.
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
The book begins with Commander Martin Atkins confronted at a funeral by Starfire Technology Group. They present Martin and his fellow crew members a temporary opportunity to work on a secret project that would change mankind. Martin and his best friend Charles Davenport have always longed to reach the stars agree to join the crew of Zenith, the first starship that can travel to distant galaxies.
Someone knows about the project though, and does everything in their power to make sure the mission fails. Martin, Charles and other members of the Starfire Technology Group do everything in their power to protect Zenith and to ensure the mission is a success. What they eventually realize is that their opponent has more of an advantage than they first thought. How can they keep Zenith and its crew safe if the cards are stacked against them?
This book has a lot of technical terms in it. For someone like me, who did everything in their power not to taking a physics class, your head will spin but Mr. Ahsanuddin did a fantastic job about explaining these concepts without taking away from the story. The romance portion of the story was underdeveloped. Yes, people fall in love but it was brushed over. I wasn’t upset about this fact because the story in general was exciting and very enjoyable.
Though Martin and Charles play key roles in the story, there are many other prominent characters. The reader gets to know a lot about these characters, but it is not information overload. The story is written smart enough and with a beautiful flow that information is delivered smoothly. Beware, this book is a To Be Continued. Don’t let that stop you from reading it though. I’ll be waiting on pins and needles for the next installment.
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2015
I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of those books that is, in a word, perfect. The blurb for Zenith grabbed my attention but the novel itself sucked me in fairly quickly and didn't let me go until the end. There are several main characters in this book, and the point of view changes quite a few times throughout the story but its all woven together extremely well and the changing perspectives actually worked in the book's favor, I think.
Zenith starts out by introducing us to several characters that are essential to the rest of the book; Martin, Charles, Trevor and Jennifer. Other main characters are introduced a little later including Edward and his sister Stella. My opinions of the characters changed a few times throughout the storyline and I was pleasantly surprised by this; I love books and characters that evolve as time goes on. This is first and foremost a science fiction book set in the future; while there is romance, both m/f and m/m, that aspect of the book takes a back seat to the overall story and what's happening to the Zenith and her crew. While I love a good romance I have to admit that I think the book worked better without it being the focus. My attention was caught and held by the story itself and the amazing job the author did with the writing. Zenith ends perfectly set up to go into the next book which makes me both happy and aggravated at the same time because I can't seem to get past the overwhelming desire to know what happens next.
My only complaint is that I now have to wait an undetermined amount of time for the sequel. I could cry over that fact, I really could.
This is one of those books that is, in a word, perfect. The blurb for Zenith grabbed my attention but the novel itself sucked me in fairly quickly and didn't let me go until the end. There are several main characters in this book, and the point of view changes quite a few times throughout the story but its all woven together extremely well and the changing perspectives actually worked in the book's favor, I think.
Zenith starts out by introducing us to several characters that are essential to the rest of the book; Martin, Charles, Trevor and Jennifer. Other main characters are introduced a little later including Edward and his sister Stella. My opinions of the characters changed a few times throughout the storyline and I was pleasantly surprised by this; I love books and characters that evolve as time goes on. This is first and foremost a science fiction book set in the future; while there is romance, both m/f and m/m, that aspect of the book takes a back seat to the overall story and what's happening to the Zenith and her crew. While I love a good romance I have to admit that I think the book worked better without it being the focus. My attention was caught and held by the story itself and the amazing job the author did with the writing. Zenith ends perfectly set up to go into the next book which makes me both happy and aggravated at the same time because I can't seem to get past the overwhelming desire to know what happens next.
My only complaint is that I now have to wait an undetermined amount of time for the sequel. I could cry over that fact, I really could.
July 22, 2014
I received my copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review through the "Don't Buy My Love" event hosted by the M/M Romance Group on Goodreads.
World building: I was feeling a bit lost in the beginning of this book, but once I got past the first few chapters, I was completely caught up in the story. This is a true science fiction book, and I will totally admit to skimming when it got to the science parts, but the science really does sell the world building.
Main Characters: I love Martin. I love his personality, I love his attitude, and I love his interactions with the other characters. There were certainly times where I wanted to smack him, but usually even he knew when he was being an idiot (even if it take a reminder). Edward is a bit harder for me to get a feel for.
Side/Secondary Characters: I wish there was more of Jacob, he was an interesting counter-point to Martin. I really liked Knox and I hope he plays a part in the next book. As for the rest of the characters, I can't really say I cared much about them. I know especially Jennifer, Charles, and Trevor play such important roles in the story, but I just didn't care much about them except how they affected the MCs.
Warning: Can we say cliffhanger?!? Totally need the next book NOW!
World building: I was feeling a bit lost in the beginning of this book, but once I got past the first few chapters, I was completely caught up in the story. This is a true science fiction book, and I will totally admit to skimming when it got to the science parts, but the science really does sell the world building.
Main Characters: I love Martin. I love his personality, I love his attitude, and I love his interactions with the other characters. There were certainly times where I wanted to smack him, but usually even he knew when he was being an idiot (even if it take a reminder). Edward is a bit harder for me to get a feel for.
Side/Secondary Characters: I wish there was more of Jacob, he was an interesting counter-point to Martin. I really liked Knox and I hope he plays a part in the next book. As for the rest of the characters, I can't really say I cared much about them. I know especially Jennifer, Charles, and Trevor play such important roles in the story, but I just didn't care much about them except how they affected the MCs.
Warning: Can we say cliffhanger?!? Totally need the next book NOW!
September 13, 2016
A free copy of this book was generously provided to me by the author via the MMRG DBML program in exchange for an honest review
This book has an overall rating of 4.05, and boy is it deserved!
I'm just going to discuss my opinion of the book and not try to summarize it's content.
The author,
*Arshad Ahsanuddin* didn't fool around with a slow start. The book grabbed me right at the beginning and didn't let me go until the very end. There was always something happening, lots of action--no lulls between events/action with "slow" parts or time-wasting filler.
This was for me a very fast and engaging read--I couldn't put it down because the plot was outstanding and interesting.
I was very impressed with the author's simple, straight forward writing style. I'm a little intimidated by the science aspect of the scifi genre because I'm afraid I won't understand it (the scientific/technology aspect). The author has a knack for making scientific concepts understandable to me, a reader with a weakness in science as an area of knowledge. I was able to follow the discussions of technology and science between the characters. No problem.
The author had a rather large cast of supporting characters and they were very well-done. Although these characters were support roles for the main story, they had their own story lines that made it easy to keep up with them, made them interesting, and not confuse this reader. These characters could in no way be called flat.
In terms of editing, I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors.
I highly recommend this book and it was a really great read for me, and I can't wait to start the next book in the series!
This book has an overall rating of 4.05, and boy is it deserved!
I'm just going to discuss my opinion of the book and not try to summarize it's content.
The author,
*Arshad Ahsanuddin* didn't fool around with a slow start. The book grabbed me right at the beginning and didn't let me go until the very end. There was always something happening, lots of action--no lulls between events/action with "slow" parts or time-wasting filler.
This was for me a very fast and engaging read--I couldn't put it down because the plot was outstanding and interesting.
I was very impressed with the author's simple, straight forward writing style. I'm a little intimidated by the science aspect of the scifi genre because I'm afraid I won't understand it (the scientific/technology aspect). The author has a knack for making scientific concepts understandable to me, a reader with a weakness in science as an area of knowledge. I was able to follow the discussions of technology and science between the characters. No problem.
The author had a rather large cast of supporting characters and they were very well-done. Although these characters were support roles for the main story, they had their own story lines that made it easy to keep up with them, made them interesting, and not confuse this reader. These characters could in no way be called flat.
In terms of editing, I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors.
I highly recommend this book and it was a really great read for me, and I can't wait to start the next book in the series!
July 21, 2014
A sci-fy adventure that blew me away. I'm still confused and befuddled as I try and wrap my mind around the time traveling aspect but that's because time travel is simply mind blowing not that the story was poorly written. Because that is not the case at all.
The beginning of the book switches POVs around six or so different characters and no one character really took more head space than the other. We got to know the characters quickly which is important as they all have important parts to play in the story. Friendships and relationships form and lines drawn just as the mission is sabotaged. The Zenith is an experimental ship that can space jump and the mission faces disaster after disaster. The crew attempts to fight off an enemy who can travel through time and and when the the truth comes out it's as shocking as it is headache inducing. The ending just kills me, not a cliffhanger, but things do not end like you think they would so a book 2 better be coming!
Just love the story and can't wait for the next one.
I received a copy of story as part of the M/M Group DBML program
The beginning of the book switches POVs around six or so different characters and no one character really took more head space than the other. We got to know the characters quickly which is important as they all have important parts to play in the story. Friendships and relationships form and lines drawn just as the mission is sabotaged. The Zenith is an experimental ship that can space jump and the mission faces disaster after disaster. The crew attempts to fight off an enemy who can travel through time and and when the the truth comes out it's as shocking as it is headache inducing. The ending just kills me, not a cliffhanger, but things do not end like you think they would so a book 2 better be coming!
Just love the story and can't wait for the next one.
I received a copy of story as part of the M/M Group DBML program
July 13, 2016
Super cool! I really liked this smart sci-fi time travel adventure. The plot is fantastic and full of thrills and ulterior motives and sabotage and deceptions and heroic derring-do and time travel and neat spaceship stuff and there are a few really good twists. There are several romantic subplots, but they're definitely more of a background thing and maybe a little lacking in development at this stage. I liked that one of the main characters is a bi dude. I liked that this had a big cast (including several queer folk) and that we got so many different POVs. I would have liked a little more character depth. It took me a little while to get into it, but once it got going and I had the hang of things, it was pretty riveting. There's a fair bit of technical talk that went right over my head, but I'm glad the maths and science stuff is there even if I don't really understand it. The writing is lively and smooth and it's all quite fast-paced and entertaining. This was exciting and smart and engaging and I really enjoyed reading it. The ending is cool and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.
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