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The Doomed Earth #2
Destiny's Way
Lieutenant Selene Genji is hurled into the past to try and save a world that doesn’t want her in this action-packed adventure from New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell.
Earth was destroyed on June 12, 2180. Lieutenant Selene Genji watched it happen. And only she can prevent it.
Thrown forty years into the past, into a time before the Universal War began, Genji can only guess what to do to change the events that led to the death of all humanity. She has no way of knowing the long-term impacts of her actions and can only depend on her instincts.
But many of the people Genji’s trying to save want her dead. Her creation was an a fusing of human and alien DNA. To them, she’s a monster who can’t be trusted, a tool of the aliens who have just made first contact.
Fortunately, she has an unshakable ally in Lieutenant Kayl Owen, who has risked everything to help her mission. Declared a traitor to humanity by Earth Guard, Owen is determined to help Genji save the Earth.
Even if he dies trying.
Earth was destroyed on June 12, 2180. Lieutenant Selene Genji watched it happen. And only she can prevent it.
Thrown forty years into the past, into a time before the Universal War began, Genji can only guess what to do to change the events that led to the death of all humanity. She has no way of knowing the long-term impacts of her actions and can only depend on her instincts.
But many of the people Genji’s trying to save want her dead. Her creation was an a fusing of human and alien DNA. To them, she’s a monster who can’t be trusted, a tool of the aliens who have just made first contact.
Fortunately, she has an unshakable ally in Lieutenant Kayl Owen, who has risked everything to help her mission. Declared a traitor to humanity by Earth Guard, Owen is determined to help Genji save the Earth.
Even if he dies trying.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2025
33 people are currently reading
2480 people want to read
About the author
Jack Campbell
115 books3,030 followersJack Campbell is a pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 9, 2025
3.5 Stars
This was an entertaining sequel to the first book in this space opera series. I felt this one added on the first, continuing to grow the stakes. As a duology it felt refreshing to avoid the middle book slump. It was a good conclusion in a solid science fiction service.
While not a new favourite, I am always thrilled to find a good new science fiction release. Sometimes I just want a good story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was an entertaining sequel to the first book in this space opera series. I felt this one added on the first, continuing to grow the stakes. As a duology it felt refreshing to avoid the middle book slump. It was a good conclusion in a solid science fiction service.
While not a new favourite, I am always thrilled to find a good new science fiction release. Sometimes I just want a good story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 1, 2025
The 2 books should have been one and edited down. I got tired of "but they all hate me! No, they don't because we changed the future!" I ended up skipping a couple of pages to get past the same dialogue/sentiment several times.
July 12, 2025
Fairly enjoyable, rather idealistic, definitely YA. In both books, which are, btw, just one long story, the main female character constantly frets over disappearing, is often surprised at most people around her treating her normally. After a couple of such expressions of fret and surprise, they became quite annoying to me. I almost took off another star or even two just for that.
April 6, 2025
Ok thank god for this book what a palette cleanser!! I loved this hopeful story and I’m so sad it’s a not a trilogy!!!
February 27, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I've really loved the Lost Fleet and spin off series by this author. They have action with military battle, along with military politics and the morality decisions of battles. The Doomed Earth series has the military and politics with its fast paced action but also a romance. It's not a romance novel more a sideline plot with aliens, and inexplicable time travel. I could say many of the same things I did from the In Our Stars review to lessen spoilers.
Selene is an alloy from about 40 years in the future. An alloy has some alien DNA but is mostly human appearing. Kayl Owen is part of the team who goes to find any survivors when her ship appears. She came from 2180 when Earth disintegrates in bombing attacks. Selene is trying to save Earth by changing the catalysts for the attack between now - 2140- and 2180. The reason is prejudice and misunderstanding about aliens or various classes of human, along with the typical greed of politics.
Kayl joins Selene in her mission to influenceattitudes and events. Kayl joins her in the mission. They knew it would be dangerous but the Earth Guard fleet tries to kill them from the start. As they begin trying to have effects on big events, they become attached and attracted, even though Selene is unwilling to hope. She knows that changing things may mean she might not exist in the future.
I enjoyed the fast paced action and strategy. The relationship seemed a little hokey, a bit immature somehow. That could be that Selene and Kayl both have limited experience with serious relationships. Destiny's Way makes serious progress in the issues. I enjoy alien interactions and I don't mean Selene; I mean the Tramontines. Since Selene speaks and understands them, the First Contact goes better than it did in Selene's history.
The key aspect here is the moral choice of what is personhood and how to treat people fairly and honestly. A LOT of people try to kill them but they are prepared and gradually things improve.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I've really loved the Lost Fleet and spin off series by this author. They have action with military battle, along with military politics and the morality decisions of battles. The Doomed Earth series has the military and politics with its fast paced action but also a romance. It's not a romance novel more a sideline plot with aliens, and inexplicable time travel. I could say many of the same things I did from the In Our Stars review to lessen spoilers.
Selene is an alloy from about 40 years in the future. An alloy has some alien DNA but is mostly human appearing. Kayl Owen is part of the team who goes to find any survivors when her ship appears. She came from 2180 when Earth disintegrates in bombing attacks. Selene is trying to save Earth by changing the catalysts for the attack between now - 2140- and 2180. The reason is prejudice and misunderstanding about aliens or various classes of human, along with the typical greed of politics.
Kayl joins Selene in her mission to influenceattitudes and events. Kayl joins her in the mission. They knew it would be dangerous but the Earth Guard fleet tries to kill them from the start. As they begin trying to have effects on big events, they become attached and attracted, even though Selene is unwilling to hope. She knows that changing things may mean she might not exist in the future.
I enjoyed the fast paced action and strategy. The relationship seemed a little hokey, a bit immature somehow. That could be that Selene and Kayl both have limited experience with serious relationships. Destiny's Way makes serious progress in the issues. I enjoy alien interactions and I don't mean Selene; I mean the Tramontines. Since Selene speaks and understands them, the First Contact goes better than it did in Selene's history.
The key aspect here is the moral choice of what is personhood and how to treat people fairly and honestly. A LOT of people try to kill them but they are prepared and gradually things improve.
April 6, 2025
This is a direct sequel to Jack Campbell's earlier In Our Stars, picking up almost directly where that finished with Lieutenant Selene Genji and Lieutenant Kayl Owen making their way back to Earth, still on a mission to stop the destructio of Earth 40 years into the future on June 12, 2180, which Selene Genji witnessed happen and was somehow thrust back in time.
From the future in which she comes, she is what is known as a Alloy: a human with alien DNA. In that future, they are feared and mistrusted.
And so do certain section of the Earth Guard, the forerunner to the Unified Fleet for which Selene works, who are doing their best to hunt down and kill Genji, believing her to be the monstrous spearhead of an alien invasion (with said First Contact happening towards the end of the previous novel).
With the way this novel ends, I think it's unlikely there will be any more in this series. Or, if there are, that it will concentrate on the same two characters.
Sometimes it's nice ending on a hopeful high note (think how much better the Terminator series would have been if it had ended with T2: Judgment Day, for example).
From the future in which she comes, she is what is known as a Alloy: a human with alien DNA. In that future, they are feared and mistrusted.
And so do certain section of the Earth Guard, the forerunner to the Unified Fleet for which Selene works, who are doing their best to hunt down and kill Genji, believing her to be the monstrous spearhead of an alien invasion (with said First Contact happening towards the end of the previous novel).
With the way this novel ends, I think it's unlikely there will be any more in this series. Or, if there are, that it will concentrate on the same two characters.
Sometimes it's nice ending on a hopeful high note (think how much better the Terminator series would have been if it had ended with T2: Judgment Day, for example).
February 25, 2025
Thanks for the free book @AceBooksPub. #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram
The Doomed Earth duolgy is a thoughtful, almost philosophical sci-fi thriller that at its core is about acceptance, tolerance, and basic respect among humans. In 2180, Lieutenant Selene Gengi watched the Earth explode, which somehow blasted her back in time to 2140. She realized she had a chance to change the timeline and save Earth. The problem is she’s a genetically engineered human with alien DNA, which makes her eyes and skin different from full humans. This makes her a “freak” and something to be feared. How can she change minds to change the timeline when all they want to do is kill the alien?
In the first book of the duology, In Our Stars, we learn of the explosion and Selene’s first experiences in 2140. In this second book, Destiny’s Way, she sets off to finish what she started. It’s exciting to see the impact she makes just by doing what’s right and protecting the very humans who want to kill her. One by one, people see her for who she really is and what she’s trying to accomplish.
Overall I thought this series was both exciting and enlightening. I highly recommend it. Destiny’s Way was the better of the two books since you get the satisfaction of an ending to this epic adventure, but it’s definitely worth reading both books to get the full story.
The Doomed Earth duolgy is a thoughtful, almost philosophical sci-fi thriller that at its core is about acceptance, tolerance, and basic respect among humans. In 2180, Lieutenant Selene Gengi watched the Earth explode, which somehow blasted her back in time to 2140. She realized she had a chance to change the timeline and save Earth. The problem is she’s a genetically engineered human with alien DNA, which makes her eyes and skin different from full humans. This makes her a “freak” and something to be feared. How can she change minds to change the timeline when all they want to do is kill the alien?
In the first book of the duology, In Our Stars, we learn of the explosion and Selene’s first experiences in 2140. In this second book, Destiny’s Way, she sets off to finish what she started. It’s exciting to see the impact she makes just by doing what’s right and protecting the very humans who want to kill her. One by one, people see her for who she really is and what she’s trying to accomplish.
Overall I thought this series was both exciting and enlightening. I highly recommend it. Destiny’s Way was the better of the two books since you get the satisfaction of an ending to this epic adventure, but it’s definitely worth reading both books to get the full story.
March 24, 2025
That was an enjoyable book, with lots of the action and arousing calls to heroism you expect in military SF, and a reasonable conclusion to the series.
But, but, but...man, was that repetitive. Lots of explaining and re-explaining of why some people might want to help them, and lots of half-baked discussions of time travel. Speaking of which, the theory of time travel was only slightly better than what we got out of Back to the Future. Campbell put some thought into it, but a lot of it revolves around consciousness -- not really something you want to drive how physics works.
On the other hand, he's trying to somewhat subtly drive home some points; points about hate, and institutional integrity, and serving the good rather than using power for your own ends. Nice idea, but a bit too late....
But, but, but...man, was that repetitive. Lots of explaining and re-explaining of why some people might want to help them, and lots of half-baked discussions of time travel. Speaking of which, the theory of time travel was only slightly better than what we got out of Back to the Future. Campbell put some thought into it, but a lot of it revolves around consciousness -- not really something you want to drive how physics works.
On the other hand, he's trying to somewhat subtly drive home some points; points about hate, and institutional integrity, and serving the good rather than using power for your own ends. Nice idea, but a bit too late....
March 9, 2025
Every time I read a Jack Campbell book I conclude that it will be impossible for him to top it.... and then he does!!! Boy! Did he ever!
This duology is on one level a simple throwback.... A sort of reverse Terminator story. If you were to leave it at that it would still be worthy of praise. Mr. Hemry/Campbell crafts absolutely human heroes and this book is no different.
However, on a different level, it is a meditation on humanity and of certain political and cultural events that currently challenge us all, and on that level it is damn near perfect.
I don't actually know Mr. Henry but I suspect this may be one of his most personal works since Stark's War.
I think I will miss Selene and Kayl
This duology is on one level a simple throwback.... A sort of reverse Terminator story. If you were to leave it at that it would still be worthy of praise. Mr. Hemry/Campbell crafts absolutely human heroes and this book is no different.
However, on a different level, it is a meditation on humanity and of certain political and cultural events that currently challenge us all, and on that level it is damn near perfect.
I don't actually know Mr. Henry but I suspect this may be one of his most personal works since Stark's War.
I think I will miss Selene and Kayl
July 12, 2025
This was a nice sequel but with quite a bit less tension and danger than that in book one. There was still danger, but much more relationship development and some good philosophy. If you’ve gone into the past and prevented circumstances that may have contributed to your own birth, can you still exist in that past? Does the universe have a greater plan for us than we suspect? The story answers the first question, but doesn’t pretend to know the reply to the second. It gives nice examples of how kindness and compassion can go much further and achieve more good than can anger and violence. While not as compelling as most of Campbell’s other work, this duology is fully worth reading.
February 19, 2025
I enjoyed the second book of the duology just a bit more than the first. Lieutenant Genji and Lieutenant Owen have less action moments but spend more time figuring out what the future may hold. There is a lot of talking about what decisions they need to make. I loved the growth of Lieutenant Genji as she slowly comes to accept the world around her and her new place in it. I don't know if this is the last book in the series, but I would love to see this couple navigate the new world that they have brought about.
ARC from netgalley
ARC from netgalley
September 2, 2025
The problem with this book is that it predominantly focuses on just the two protagonists and their attempts to outwit the authorities, so there's a lot of downtime. Campbell has ways of writing dialogue between romantic couples that feels excessively heavy-handed. He had the same issue in the lost fleet series. That series remained engaging however with detailed descriptions of massive fleet battles. Here you just get two leads who have known each other for a short time declaring their love for each other REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN with minimal action in the interim.
February 17, 2025
This is the concluding story of Kayl and Selene’s story to save the earth from total destruction. It is again a lesson on diversity, equity and inclusion with a positive slant on what we can learn from each other if we only give people who are different a chance. It also cautions about those having too much power and how far they will go to keep that power. It is a series very appropriate for our time.
Read
March 29, 2025I just couldn't finish this, despite being the second and final entry in this series. It was just too damn earnest, and in a way that felt lazy rather than heartfelt. I gave up around 33%, when she saved that boy's father from a burning vehicle...her whole reaction around him praising her actions just made me realize I couldn't keep reading a book that wasn't able to make believable characters with realistic reactions to humans being human. Too much "humanity is so beautiful" for me...
June 3, 2025
I feel like this book is entertaining, but any time Genji and Kayle ran into trouble, they got out of it without breaking a sweat, with Genji's expertise in hand combat and Kayle's manner of just standing by his girl. There were times I also grew tired of Genji trying to accept that she had changed things for the better. All in all, it's an entertaining read and a good follow up to In Our Stars, but the characters are lacking some depth and the obstacles they faced weren't daunting enough.
June 21, 2025
The villains/bad guys of the series are really one-dimensional. Motivated only by their fear of 'other'. With other characters, including the main ones, sounding a lot like broken records, regularly repeating themselves in ways that grow annoying and being highly resistant in accepting they might be wrong about some things.
Annoying traits like these plague other Jack Campbell books like the Pillars of Reality and make enjoying them much harder.
Annoying traits like these plague other Jack Campbell books like the Pillars of Reality and make enjoying them much harder.
October 3, 2025
DESTINY’S WAY is the sequel to IN OUR STARS, the first of the Doomed Earth series that is about a beautiful part-alien girl who goes back in time (involuntarily) to prevent the destruction of the world. From there, she deals with serious self-esteem issues and her budding romance with the only Earth officer who isn’t a complete jerk. This story wraps up what I think could have been a much longer story arc but one I nevertheless appreciate in its brevity.
March 2, 2025
Doom Defeated
This is a fine story of the power of love to overcome hatred. The timeline in which Earth is destroyed by humans trying to keep the human race pure, is averted by a time traveler. The fanaticism was a little hard to believe, but today’s fascist hatemongering is all too much proof of people’s ability to cause atrocities.
This is a fine story of the power of love to overcome hatred. The timeline in which Earth is destroyed by humans trying to keep the human race pure, is averted by a time traveler. The fanaticism was a little hard to believe, but today’s fascist hatemongering is all too much proof of people’s ability to cause atrocities.
July 29, 2025
Duet review
I highly recommend these 2 books by jack Campbell there are excellent story and this is very poignant for the time we live in. I'm poor,read every day through the public library. But I would purchase each of these two books as I could afford it. Excellent story! Bravo!!
I highly recommend these 2 books by jack Campbell there are excellent story and this is very poignant for the time we live in. I'm poor,read every day through the public library. But I would purchase each of these two books as I could afford it. Excellent story! Bravo!!
August 28, 2025
This series could have been one book with some fat trimmed.
At times I’m pumping my first understanding the social justice topics the author is commenting on in our current society and the next im like okay this dialog is getting old move on.
A lot of obvious things to learn about racism and immigrants in this book.
Overall, it was an easy read for both books with a satisfying ending.
At times I’m pumping my first understanding the social justice topics the author is commenting on in our current society and the next im like okay this dialog is getting old move on.
A lot of obvious things to learn about racism and immigrants in this book.
Overall, it was an easy read for both books with a satisfying ending.
March 2, 2025
A solid conclusion to the series. Given the characters, and the environment, Campbell could certainly write a third book in the series, but this second book provides a sufficiently logical conclusion to the story. Very well done.
April 4, 2025
Oof, this was rough. I was trying to talk myself into a 3 star review because I did like the first book, but this was really lacking. The dialogue was repetitive and corny. Over explaining every thing from multiple POVs, slow moving through the plot, and a very anticlimactic conclusion.
April 15, 2025
Again, if you look at the illustration on the cover, you pretty much know what you’re getting. It’s an acceptable novel, but feels “ thin.” The character development is sketchy. I don’t regret reading it, but it won’t be on my re-read list.
Read
May 28, 2025A fun and exciting romp through time and the effects of actions on the future. Could have used a little more editing when it came to the author's message - mentioned for the umpteenth time but otherwise a good conclusion to, Book 1, The Doomed Earth.
June 8, 2025
kind of cheesy, predictable sci-fi
I love the Lost Fleet series, so these books by Jack Campbell seemed like no brainers. I was not impressed. They are predictable and kind of cheesy. The dialogue is stilted. I forced myself through them, but probably wouldn’t read them again.
I love the Lost Fleet series, so these books by Jack Campbell seemed like no brainers. I was not impressed. They are predictable and kind of cheesy. The dialogue is stilted. I forced myself through them, but probably wouldn’t read them again.
August 29, 2025
Excellent book 2
Excellent conclusion to the series. I appreciate the discussion of aliens, government malfeasance and military/civilian relations. Sci-fi is always a good way to look at various social issues to get better understanding.
Excellent conclusion to the series. I appreciate the discussion of aliens, government malfeasance and military/civilian relations. Sci-fi is always a good way to look at various social issues to get better understanding.
October 31, 2025
I'm hoping this is maybe the doomed book two in a series that's always a bit weaker than book one.
This was... OK. The dialogue wasn't the best and honestly the whole thing with Christa was a little weird in the end. Will I read book three? Likely. Will I prioritize it, unlikely.
This was... OK. The dialogue wasn't the best and honestly the whole thing with Christa was a little weird in the end. Will I read book three? Likely. Will I prioritize it, unlikely.
March 4, 2025
While I have a vastly different view of who made the universe, and how, I don't ever find myself dreading pages as the author dives into details. He is a great writer and storyteller.
March 14, 2025
Campbell combines action, romance, political philosophy, and time travel in the compelling conclusion to his two-part sci-fi epic. Well worth reading!
April 3, 2025
A little slow and repetitious overall, reads more like a YA story compared to many others by Jack Campbell. Good philosophy though
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews