Galaxies Collide

by Aaron L. Bratcher

What do you do when Earth's natural resources are critically low? You use a new technology to create a wormhole to a new world, of course!

Seventeen-year-old Fanar joins his father and many others on Niton to establish a colony and regularly send much needed water and other resources back to Earth.But when equipment is sabotaged, his father goes missing, and people get sick and die, what was thought to be a virgin world without intelligent life is revealed to have a secret.

Fanar must find his father and save everyone from an unexpected danger that threatens not only the colony, but also the people back on Earth...

284 pages, Paperback

Published May 10, 2024

About the author

Aaron L. Bratcher is a multi-genre author best known for the Galaxies Collide series, a fast-paced, first-contact YA science fiction adventure that readers are comparing to the golden age joy of Tom Swift, Heinlein, and Asimov, reimagined for a new generation.
By day, Aaron is a Senior iOS Developer at JP Morgan Chase, where he builds the kind of complex, precision-driven systems that demand both technical mastery and creative problem-solving. That same disciplined imagination fuels every page of his fiction - from the wormhole mechanics of Niton's colony to the mysterious mind-link that threatens to dissolve the boundary between his protagonist Fanar and the alien species known as the Trociabk.
Aaron lives in northern Georgia with his wife, dogs, and fish. When he is not writing, he leads a local writing critique group, volunteers at his church, travels with family, and finds joy in playing games. He is also the author of A Ghost Story, Last Dance, and Creating iOS Apps with Xcode.
His storytelling has been called "a widespread imagination that results in ideas that make you wonder how he came up with them", and whether you are a lifelong science fiction fan or someone picking up their very first space adventure, Aaron's books have a way of making you forget to put them down.
📚 Galaxies Collide (Book 1) — Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook on Spotify

📚 Galaxies Collide: Song of the Boshag (Book 2) — Available in paperback and ebook

🌐 Visit: www.AaronLBratcher.com

📱 Follow: @AaronLBratcher on Facebook, Instagram, and X

Reviews

[Jill Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very captivating and imaginative read! It reminded me of some of the strange dreams I have had before and you wonder "Where did that come from?" I say this because the author has that widespread imagination that results in ideas that make you wonder how he came up with them. I mean this in the most positive way (notice my 5 star rating)! I found myself in suspense at times and I did not come close to guessing what transpired near the end of the book. This is usually not my chosen genre, but it was very enjoyable to read and I will be interested to read more from this series as it continues!

[Sofia Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. Honest. But the pacing killed me, the first 100 pages are just people walking and fixing pipes. Then the final 50 pages cram in two betrayals, a death, and a cliffhanger. The “intelligent life” secret is actually clever, just introduced too late to matter. Fanar never earns his hero status; he just stumbles into solutions. The dad is found in an almost comically easy way. For a book called Galaxies Collide, very little colliding happens. Disappointing but not awful.

[Tammy A. Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wormhole creation scene is genuinely cool, Bratcher nails the dangerous science vibe. Then the book settles into a rhythm of walking, worrying, and waiting. Fanar’s internal monologue repeats “I have to find my father” so often it becomes a drinking game hazard. The alien world’s secret is introduced via a diary entry found in a cave lazy exposition. Sickness disappears as a plot point for 80 pages, then returns for a rushed cure. Read for the setup, not the payoff.

[Beatrice M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll say this- the colony feels real. The mud, the failing machines, the cramped quarters, Bratcher gets atmosphere right. But characters? Paper thin. The “skeptical scientist” is just rude, not intelligent. The loyal friend has no personality besides agreeing with Fanar. The villain’s motive is revenge for a past wrong you’re told about, not shown. The final action sequence is good, but getting there is a slog. A weak 6/10.

[Cynthia C. Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book commits the sin of telling, not showing. “Fanar felt afraid” okay, but describe it. “The colony was in chaos” show me broken things and panicked faces. The sabotage is solved when Fanar literally trips over a clue. The father, when found, has learned nothing and contributes nothing. The cliffhanger for Book 2 is a single line: “Then they saw the ships.” That’s not an ending; that’s a cheat. Frustratingly mediocre.

[Sophie Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best for readers aged 12 to14 who haven’t read much sci fi yet. For anyone older, the plot holes are glaring: why send teenagers on dangerous expeditions? How does water transport through a wormhole without vaporizing? The “intelligent life” secret is actually undercooked they’re barely characters, just obstacles. Fanar never fails at anything that matters. Every problem has a solution within two chapters. Zero tension, zero sweat. Pass unless you’re babysitting.

[Hannah Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s talk about the ending, because it’s bad. The main threat is resolved off screen by a side character with a magic button. Then a new, bigger threat appears in the last paragraph sequel bait so obvious it’s insulting. Before that, the middle dragged with three identical “search party gets lost” sequences. The water shipping premise is abandoned entirely after page 50. Bratcher has good ideas but no discipline to develop them. Disappointing.

[Mary John · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s not boring, but it’s not exciting either. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a TV episode with a stretched budget. The sabotage mystery is solved by the dumbest character accidentally confessing. The sickness turns out to be space allergies really. Fanar’s dad gives a speech about being proud, then immediately falls asleep and does nothing else. The world’s secret? A hive mind that says “leave” and then does nothing when they don’t. Weak antagonist. 5/10.

[Noah Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What surprised me most the first 50 pages are solid. Good colony setup, real desperation. Then the book forgets Earth exists. No messages back, no concern about the billions dying just Fanar’s daddy issues. The wormhole tech is never explained beyond “magnets and math.” The romance is two characters looking at each other once, then suddenly being in love. The secret alien civilization has one scene and zero culture. Feels like half a novel stretched to full length.

[Jon Palermo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate that Bratcher tries to include science oxygen levels, soil toxicity, water filtration. But he gets basic physics wrong sound in vacuum, gravity on a ship. Fanar is supposed to be 17 but thinks and talks like a 30 year old engineer. The sabotage reveal is the guy who smiled too much in chapter 3. The “unexpected danger” is expected by page 40. It’s a competent first draft that needed a brutal editor. Not recommended for adults.

[Kevin Frei Frei · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best character dies halfway through, and the book never recovers. After that, Fanar just monologues about grief while doing nothing interesting. The colony’s secret a buried alien machine is lifted directly from Prometheus but less scary. The sickness subplot ends with “we found an herb.” That’s it. An herb. I laughed out loud. If you want smart colony sci fi, read Children of Time. This is a good fast food in book form.

[Tommy C Wofford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t hate it, but I can’t respect it. It checks every YA sci fi box without excelling at any. Diverse cast? Yes, but stereotypes. Moral lesson? Trust yourself. Romance? Clean and boring. Action? PG rated. The book is afraid to kill anyone important, afraid to make Fanar truly wrong, afraid to leave a single question unanswered until the forced cliffhanger. Safe, sterile, and sadly forgettable.

[Bethan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Credit where it's due; the world building is above average. Niton feels like a real, dangerous place with its own ecosystem. Bratcher also avoids info dumps, which I appreciate. However, the dialogue is stiff everyone speaks in complete, heroic sentences. The father son emotional beats land well in one chapter, then get ignored. The sabotage reveal is logical but telegraphed from mile one. I'd recommend this to a young teen, not to an adult. Promising author, shaky execution.

[Deborah Sjögren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me praise the pacing of the final third, once the secret world is revealed, the book becomes gripping. Bratcher can write action. Unfortunately, the first half is a slog of supply runs and worried conversations. Fanar is likeable but never challenged morally. The sickness plot point is resolved with a convenient plant; lazy, but at least it's quick. I admire the ambition of a two book arc, but this first volume feels like setup with little payoff. Worth a library borrow.

[Douglas M. Carmona · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best part of this book is the atmosphere: cold, lonely, and tense. Bratcher nails the feeling of being stranded on an alien world. The worst part? The mystery is too easy to solve. I guessed the saboteur and the "secret" by chapter five. Still, the author writes believable friendships, and the resource scarcity logistics are well thought out. Fanar's father, when finally found, is underwhelming all that buildup for a shrug. A mixed bag, but not a waste of time.

[Hazel J. Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron L. Bratcher clearly loves classic sci fi, and that warmth shines through. The book never feels cynical or mean. Unfortunately, it also never feels dangerous. No main character dies. No plan truly fails. The sabotage is reversed off screen. The sickness is cured with zero sacrifice. I wanted higher stakes. Still, the prose is smooth, the editing is clean, and the wormhole sequences are thrilling. A gentle, safe read for a rainy day. Not bad, just not brave.

[Brandon Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bratcher writes great visual moments, a solar flare, a cave collapse, a first contact scene. You can picture everything clearly. Negative: the characters are indistinguishable. The loyal friend, the skeptical girl, the greedy official all speak the same way. The sickness plot is dropped for so long I forgot about it. That said, the book is never boring, and the pace picks up nicely at the end. A decent debut that needed one more draft. I'd read Book 2 out of curiosity.

[mark james · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked icked this up looking for a quick sci-fi escape and it didn't disappoint. The world-building on Niton is gorgeous the descriptions of the plum-colored grass and the landscape really made me feel like I was there. Fanar is a really likable protagonist; you can't help but root for him as he tries to find his dad and navigate all the chaos of a new colony. It definitely has some Ender's Game vibes with the younger cast taking on massive stakes. Looking forward to book 2!"

[Aric Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much creativity packed into this book. The concept of using a wormhole to solve an Earth-wide water crisis is a great hook, and the execution of the colony life on Niton feels very realistic. I wish we got a bit more backstory on the political tension back home, but the focus on Fanar’s survival and leadership role kept me completely hooked. Looking forward to seeing where the author takes this next."

[Bernice D. Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly? The author can write action scenes well tight, visual, quick. Too bad the connective tissue is weak. Conversations sound like exposition robots talking. The romance subplot yes, there’s one feels stapled on. The “people get sick and die” threat from the synopsis is barely a threat; it’s cured with a convenient off screen solution. The ending cliffhanger for Book 2 is shameless, not earned. If you start this, know you’re committing to a sequel that better work harder. This volume coasts on premise alone.

[Rebecca Mullens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me be positive first: the world’s secret is a creative biological twist. Bratcher deserves credit there. Now the rest: Fanar is a cardboard cutout of a protagonist. The father is missing for so long you assume he’s dead, then he’s found alive by sheer luck. The sabotage culprit is the most obvious character introduced. Earth’s resource crisis is narratively forgotten for entire chapters. It reads like a first draft of a better book. Not a waste of time, but close. 6/10, rounded up for effort

[Franziska Baecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final verdict, Galaxies Collide is the literary equivalent of a network TV sci-fi pilot functional, familiar, and forgettable. Teens will probably enjoy it. Adults will list plot holes (why not send robots? why a 17-year-old leader? how does gravity work through a wormhole?). The “unexpected danger” is unexpected only if you’ve never read sci fi before. That said, it’s not mean spirited or badly written. It’s just safe. Too safe. If you’re desperate for a light colony thriller, sure. Otherwise, keep scrolling

[Katie J. Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron L. Bratcher knows how to write a clean, readable sentence no grammar complaints here. Unfortunately, the characters are functional at best, forgettable at worst. Fanar’s father is more a plot device than a person, and the villain’s reveal feels borrowed from three other books. The wormhole and watershipping logistics are never explained enough to feel real. It’s a quick read, but also a quickly forgettable one. Good for a rainy afternoon; bad for anyone tired of teen saves the colony tropes

[George M. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me be blunt: the synopsis promises more than the book delivers. The “unexpected danger” is guessable by chapter four, and the colony’s secret isn’t shocking. Fanar solves problems less through wit and more because adults are inexplicably useless. The sickness subplot starts strong but gets abandoned for action sequences that feel video gamey. Earth’s resource crisis is mentioned, then ignored for most of the middle. It’s not terrible, just aggressively average. I’d call it a 5/10 with a kind heart

[Leslie Beauty.C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s the good, it’s a fast read, cleanly edited, and never boring. The bad: it’s never gripping either. Think of a burger that’s fine but has no sauce. The sickness plot is dropped, then picked back up as a convenience. The wormhole tech has no rules it works exactly when the plot needs it to. Fanar’s friendships feel written by checklist “loyal best friend,” “skeptical girl,” “greedy official” I’ve seen this exact book three times before under different titles. If you love YA sci fi, go ahead. Otherwise, pass.

[Thomas Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, the mystery element is what kept me turning the pages. I expected a straightforward colonizing story, but the moment things started getting sabotaged and people started getting sick, it turned into a total thriller. The invisible creatures gave me actual chills. Highly recommend if you like your space exploration with a side of survival suspense."

[Harry Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I loved most about this book was the heart at the center of it. Yeah, the wormhole generator and the concept of saving Earth's water crisis are cool, but Fanar’s driving motivation to find his missing mother (and then his father) is what grounds the whole thing. It’s a great YA sci-fi that adults can enjoy too. 5 stars."

[Lydia Ashford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me right from the introduction of the wormhole tech and didn't let go. Watching Fanar step up when everything goes sideways on Niton felt incredibly earned. The author does a fantastic job making the alien environment feel both beautiful and incredibly dangerous. If you love stories about first contact, survival, and family bonds, you'll love this."

[lynn thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the pacing of this! The jump through the wormhole to Niton happens early on, and from there, it’s just a non-stop ride. The blend of high-concept sci-fi tech with an old-school survival mystery worked perfectly. The author writes the tension really well you can feel the desperation of the colonists as things start to fall apart. Definitely recommending this to my book club."

[Anderson Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The planet Niton is beautifully realized, and the author does a great job creating a sense of wonder mixed with constant danger. The pacing is quick, maybe a little too quick in some parts where I wanted the characters to just breathe and talk more, but the plot keeps you hooked. Fanar's friend group has a great dynamic. Solid 5 stars, will definitely check out the sequel."