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Terra Ascending
The Sol System is a powder keg waiting for a spark.
Corporal James Aurelius didn’t sign up for this. Fancy hotels, powerful politicians, and… guard duty. Two years into his enlistment and the young marine has yet to see combat, while all his buddies from boot camp have done at least one tour in the war that raged with the Caliphate back on Terra.
During a routine security mission in a cloud city on Venus, Aurelius is thrust into the center of a high stakes espionage mission gone wrong that threatens to upset the balance of power in the Sol System. In over his head and on the run, will Aurelius rise to the occasion or falter when he’s needed most?
Back on Terra, the United Republic and its allies prepare to knock the Caliphate out of the war for good, but a nasty battlefield surprise throws a wrench into their plans. As the battle grows more desperate and loyalties are tested, Aurelius and teams from across the UR military cross paths at a critical moment that could mean the end of everything… again.
Join the marines, soldiers, and sailors of the UR as they struggle for survival against enemies within and without as the Sol System stands on the precipice of system-wide war in the thrilling debut by United States Marine Corps combat veteran, J.R. Wise.
Corporal James Aurelius didn’t sign up for this. Fancy hotels, powerful politicians, and… guard duty. Two years into his enlistment and the young marine has yet to see combat, while all his buddies from boot camp have done at least one tour in the war that raged with the Caliphate back on Terra.
During a routine security mission in a cloud city on Venus, Aurelius is thrust into the center of a high stakes espionage mission gone wrong that threatens to upset the balance of power in the Sol System. In over his head and on the run, will Aurelius rise to the occasion or falter when he’s needed most?
Back on Terra, the United Republic and its allies prepare to knock the Caliphate out of the war for good, but a nasty battlefield surprise throws a wrench into their plans. As the battle grows more desperate and loyalties are tested, Aurelius and teams from across the UR military cross paths at a critical moment that could mean the end of everything… again.
Join the marines, soldiers, and sailors of the UR as they struggle for survival against enemies within and without as the Sol System stands on the precipice of system-wide war in the thrilling debut by United States Marine Corps combat veteran, J.R. Wise.
- GenresScience Fiction
225 pages, ebook
Published July 5, 2024
14 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 30, 2024
Much like Starship Troopers, Terra Ascending is clearly written by a military veteran that understands warfare and and how people behave in combat. Wise did a great job crafting his world by showing rather than telling how the different factions and sub factions exist in this world. I wouldn't consider this "hard sci-fi," but its not far from it terms of the technology and science aspect of the sci-fi. The miliary part of this mil sci-fi is expertly done. I don't want to write any spoilers, but Wise's use of 1st or 3rd person perspective really adds to the story telling element of the various characters and their experiences and the variety of 'military' type actions keeps it from getting stale. There's conventional open battles, QCB, covert ops and more including everyone's favorite: standing duty.
Much of the success of this book for me, is how relatable each story is to my own military service, even though I never got to be a space marine and I never had exo-armor.
Much of the success of this book for me, is how relatable each story is to my own military service, even though I never got to be a space marine and I never had exo-armor.
October 26, 2024
A breathtaking firestorm.
Succinctly told, Terra Ascending is a shorter read. The audiobook runs less than 5 hours, and follows a couple different strike teams on missions within a larger conflict.
I wish it could have taken more time for inner-world exploration and down time, but in its own way it does make space for strike team dynamics, warrior relationships, and mid-combat hilarity.
I laughed a lot more than I expected to at the banter between comrades.
I've never read a military sci-fi as realistically military as this one before. And while it took me a bit to learn to follow the radio com and military lingo, the authenticity made it that much more amazing. The action was only difficult to follow in the way that battles are chaotic cr*pstorms. When one thing went right for our boys in the fight, two things went wrong. And that pacing keeps you clinging to the edge of your seat.
Corporal James Aurelias is a realistically dimensional and compelling character to follow, and I'm only sad we don't yet have a feature length novel from his pov alone.
Terra Ascending puts us in the boots of several other strike teams as they battle the Caliphate empire on earth. Then snatching us into orbit to defend one of the UR's naval space craft where all players...and spies, converge.
The details of munitions, loading, staged firing sequences, troop movements and ground tactics, paired with futuristic exo-suits, vehicles called Mammoths, and explosive drones, not to mention surface to orbit missiles (and vice versa) made this feel so real and now.
The ending is both satisfying and left me with a huge hankering for more.
Highly recommend to thrill-seekers wanting to get lost in something brisk.
One thing I REALLY SUPER loved about this story was how the author portrayed the female team members. They were realistic. They were valued and held their own in a firefight, whatever their specialization. I'll be coming back if this author writes any more girls in boots.
Succinctly told, Terra Ascending is a shorter read. The audiobook runs less than 5 hours, and follows a couple different strike teams on missions within a larger conflict.
I wish it could have taken more time for inner-world exploration and down time, but in its own way it does make space for strike team dynamics, warrior relationships, and mid-combat hilarity.
I laughed a lot more than I expected to at the banter between comrades.
I've never read a military sci-fi as realistically military as this one before. And while it took me a bit to learn to follow the radio com and military lingo, the authenticity made it that much more amazing. The action was only difficult to follow in the way that battles are chaotic cr*pstorms. When one thing went right for our boys in the fight, two things went wrong. And that pacing keeps you clinging to the edge of your seat.
Corporal James Aurelias is a realistically dimensional and compelling character to follow, and I'm only sad we don't yet have a feature length novel from his pov alone.
Terra Ascending puts us in the boots of several other strike teams as they battle the Caliphate empire on earth. Then snatching us into orbit to defend one of the UR's naval space craft where all players...and spies, converge.
The details of munitions, loading, staged firing sequences, troop movements and ground tactics, paired with futuristic exo-suits, vehicles called Mammoths, and explosive drones, not to mention surface to orbit missiles (and vice versa) made this feel so real and now.
The ending is both satisfying and left me with a huge hankering for more.
Highly recommend to thrill-seekers wanting to get lost in something brisk.
One thing I REALLY SUPER loved about this story was how the author portrayed the female team members. They were realistic. They were valued and held their own in a firefight, whatever their specialization. I'll be coming back if this author writes any more girls in boots.
July 21, 2025
When I finally reached the end of my military occupation school in Virginia, they chose one Marine to receive the “Gung-Ho” award. This wasn’t about finishing top of the class; it was given to a Marine who was fired up about everything the intelligence training offered. Part of the award was a slick copy of Starship Troopers. No, not the movie—the original book by Robert Heinlein.
Deservedly, I did NOT get the Gung-Ho award. But I did walk my happy ass into a Barnes & Noble before hitting the airport to fly to Camp Pendleton. I cracked open Starship Troopers on the plane and read nearly the whole thing in one sitting. The book is incredible. It makes perfect sense why the intelligence community would appreciate it. Written by a veteran of the U.S. Navy, the language and concepts are rooted in reality—you can feel it.
When I finished reading, I found myself wondering what future book could ever stack up for 02xx Intel Marines like Starship Troopers did.
There's a movie called Green Room about a punk rock band fending off white supremacists in rural Oregon. There's a scene where someone talks about playing paintball with Marines who had seen combat. He says, “You can't fake war, you know. Not really. When it's real, it's real.” I heard that five years after my deployment and nodded in total agreement: “Hell yeah—whoever wrote this knows what’s up!”
You can tell from the pages of this book that every scene is dripping with real-life experience. It’s authentic, immersive, and thrilling. As a podcaster who covers military history, I read a ton of nonfiction. Like Dan Carlin says, history ruined fiction for me—it’s hard to beat true stories that sound like insane Hollywood blockbusters (and often become just that).
Point being: this book doesn’t feel cheesy or fake like a lot of the stuff I come across. J.R. Wise writes dialogue that snapped me back into deployment mode—talking shit with brothers who’d take a bullet for me.
To bring it full circle, I really appreciated the nods to different angles of military intelligence. The author lays out tactical philosophy brilliantly. Watching the wheels turn on the page—and in my own head—was invaluable. If I could sit down with my old intel schoolhouse instructors, I’d nominate this book for the next Gung-Ho Award recipient.
As soon as I’m done writing this review, I’m tracking down everything else this author has written. Bravo. Five stars.
Deservedly, I did NOT get the Gung-Ho award. But I did walk my happy ass into a Barnes & Noble before hitting the airport to fly to Camp Pendleton. I cracked open Starship Troopers on the plane and read nearly the whole thing in one sitting. The book is incredible. It makes perfect sense why the intelligence community would appreciate it. Written by a veteran of the U.S. Navy, the language and concepts are rooted in reality—you can feel it.
When I finished reading, I found myself wondering what future book could ever stack up for 02xx Intel Marines like Starship Troopers did.
There's a movie called Green Room about a punk rock band fending off white supremacists in rural Oregon. There's a scene where someone talks about playing paintball with Marines who had seen combat. He says, “You can't fake war, you know. Not really. When it's real, it's real.” I heard that five years after my deployment and nodded in total agreement: “Hell yeah—whoever wrote this knows what’s up!”
You can tell from the pages of this book that every scene is dripping with real-life experience. It’s authentic, immersive, and thrilling. As a podcaster who covers military history, I read a ton of nonfiction. Like Dan Carlin says, history ruined fiction for me—it’s hard to beat true stories that sound like insane Hollywood blockbusters (and often become just that).
Point being: this book doesn’t feel cheesy or fake like a lot of the stuff I come across. J.R. Wise writes dialogue that snapped me back into deployment mode—talking shit with brothers who’d take a bullet for me.
To bring it full circle, I really appreciated the nods to different angles of military intelligence. The author lays out tactical philosophy brilliantly. Watching the wheels turn on the page—and in my own head—was invaluable. If I could sit down with my old intel schoolhouse instructors, I’d nominate this book for the next Gung-Ho Award recipient.
As soon as I’m done writing this review, I’m tracking down everything else this author has written. Bravo. Five stars.
February 12, 2025
Military Action Entertainment
So I found Terra Ascending by networking through the community of Goodreads and indie authors, and I admire the fact that this book was written by a marine who has been deployed overseas and in combat which he has clearly leveraged to make a more credible military experience. The dialogue, the procedures of following orders and preparing for combat as well as the combat itself, all feel authentic.
Coming in at 215 pages, the book is lean and fast-paced. I found the middle cohesive and where the author hit his stride, but the beginning and ending choppy with plot points unclear. Sadly, I found both the character development and worldbuilding to be lacking. The book takes place out on Venus, on the military’s spaceship the URS Cincinnatus, and out on the battlefield, and sometimes we are treated to some nice local imagery, but I could not understand the overarching affairs of the war, the airspace and the planets. I felt like I didn’t know anything about the antagonist – The Caliphate – other than the fact that they were the enemy. And a couple other parties/entities (Anatolians) are mentioned but without real explanations as to who they were. Characters are essentially stock characters. I did cheer for Aurelius (+ Ava) and Julia and Keller but I feel there’s so little to know about them (though Julia’s part has the most impact). But because so much of the book is fighting and warfare, the characters aren’t given much to work with to diversify what we know. And the book felt more military than sci-fi. The science fiction elements are there, but they feel more like undertones than dominant, and feel like if more time was given to the worldbuilding and rising slowly into the conflict it could’ve been made stronger.
With that said, once those issues are cast aside, the book is immersive in its battle sequences, and provides that action combat in spades. It made it easy to pick up, have fun watching the characters start blasting, and put down without having to be too focused on detail/intricacies. It has a style that feels cinematic or like playing a videogame. So although some of the other storytelling elements could have been balanced out, I still found it a fun experience.
So I found Terra Ascending by networking through the community of Goodreads and indie authors, and I admire the fact that this book was written by a marine who has been deployed overseas and in combat which he has clearly leveraged to make a more credible military experience. The dialogue, the procedures of following orders and preparing for combat as well as the combat itself, all feel authentic.
Coming in at 215 pages, the book is lean and fast-paced. I found the middle cohesive and where the author hit his stride, but the beginning and ending choppy with plot points unclear. Sadly, I found both the character development and worldbuilding to be lacking. The book takes place out on Venus, on the military’s spaceship the URS Cincinnatus, and out on the battlefield, and sometimes we are treated to some nice local imagery, but I could not understand the overarching affairs of the war, the airspace and the planets. I felt like I didn’t know anything about the antagonist – The Caliphate – other than the fact that they were the enemy. And a couple other parties/entities (Anatolians) are mentioned but without real explanations as to who they were. Characters are essentially stock characters. I did cheer for Aurelius (+ Ava) and Julia and Keller but I feel there’s so little to know about them (though Julia’s part has the most impact). But because so much of the book is fighting and warfare, the characters aren’t given much to work with to diversify what we know. And the book felt more military than sci-fi. The science fiction elements are there, but they feel more like undertones than dominant, and feel like if more time was given to the worldbuilding and rising slowly into the conflict it could’ve been made stronger.
With that said, once those issues are cast aside, the book is immersive in its battle sequences, and provides that action combat in spades. It made it easy to pick up, have fun watching the characters start blasting, and put down without having to be too focused on detail/intricacies. It has a style that feels cinematic or like playing a videogame. So although some of the other storytelling elements could have been balanced out, I still found it a fun experience.
October 7, 2024
My first impression of Terra Ascending was that it expertly sets the stage for an intense science fiction adventure. J.R. Wise, immerses readers in a vivid depiction of a future Sol System filled with political tension and military stakes. The protagonist, Corporal James Aurelius, embodies the disillusionment of a young marine stuck in a routine job, yearning for action and purpose. This relatable perspective instantly draws you into his world and builds anticipation for the thrilling journey that lies ahead.
The plot unfolds with high-stakes espionage and unexpected twists, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Aurelius finds himself entangled in a web of conspiracy during a routine security mission on Venus, thrusting him into a desperate fight for survival. The dual narrative of the looming battle on Terra adds depth, intertwining personal struggles with the larger conflict against the Caliphate. Wise’s writing style is engaging and fast-paced, with crisp dialogue and well-crafted action scenes that make it hard to put the book down.
In short, Terra Ascending delivers a gripping exploration of loyalty, courage, and the consequences of war. It resonates with themes of sacrifice and the complexities of military life, making it not just a thrilling read but also a thought-provoking one. I found the characters relatable and the plot intricately woven, leaving me eager for more. If you enjoy military sci-fi with heart and suspense, this book is a must-read!
The plot unfolds with high-stakes espionage and unexpected twists, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Aurelius finds himself entangled in a web of conspiracy during a routine security mission on Venus, thrusting him into a desperate fight for survival. The dual narrative of the looming battle on Terra adds depth, intertwining personal struggles with the larger conflict against the Caliphate. Wise’s writing style is engaging and fast-paced, with crisp dialogue and well-crafted action scenes that make it hard to put the book down.
In short, Terra Ascending delivers a gripping exploration of loyalty, courage, and the consequences of war. It resonates with themes of sacrifice and the complexities of military life, making it not just a thrilling read but also a thought-provoking one. I found the characters relatable and the plot intricately woven, leaving me eager for more. If you enjoy military sci-fi with heart and suspense, this book is a must-read!
June 18, 2025
If you're a fan of proper military sci fi, grounded in real life risks, teamwork, duty and desire to survive and do what's right, you'll love this.
It's packed with fast-paced action, raw but hopeful, and has great dialogue sprinkled with emotional depth and sassiness. If you want to become immersed in a hight-stakes battle seen from multiple perspectives, this is for you.
This is a collection of 5 short stories that are entwined in the most delightful way and leaves you wanting to know more about the characters and where they will serve next... the ones that survive.
It is amazing read, perfectly written. It makes you hold your breath!
Definitively recommend!! I'm going for the next!
It's packed with fast-paced action, raw but hopeful, and has great dialogue sprinkled with emotional depth and sassiness. If you want to become immersed in a hight-stakes battle seen from multiple perspectives, this is for you.
This is a collection of 5 short stories that are entwined in the most delightful way and leaves you wanting to know more about the characters and where they will serve next... the ones that survive.
It is amazing read, perfectly written. It makes you hold your breath!
Definitively recommend!! I'm going for the next!
October 19, 2024
Terra Ascending is a fast-paced military sci-fi story about a pivotal battle in a future 400 years from now. I adored the world building, which centers on the marines in combat. The progression of tech and the descriptions of the new world powers landed you in familiar power struggles while never letting you forget that this is the far future. The action follows a series of soldiers in different parts of the battle, which was written by someone who clearly knew battle and soldiers. What I found impressive was how well each character was fleshed out, no matter how small, in dialogue and short descriptions in and amongst the non-stop action. Very good, and I can’t wait to read the next one.
November 10, 2024
J.R. Wise's Terra Ascending grabbed me from the first chapter and held my attention until the end. I listened to the audio version of this book. Patrick Kelly Shannon, the narrator, was masterful in his presentation. If you like action and fast pace you will want to read/listen to this book. I could feel the author's deep knowledge of his characters and what it is like to be a marine during battle. I am looking forward to the continuation of J.R. Wise's Sci-Fi world.
November 17, 2024
Great military scifi
I really enjoyed this debut military scifi from J. R. Wise. I really liked his pace, his use of characters from multiple perspectives, and his use of the grunts of this story. I really loved the use of Roman history and society used in this novel and my favorite character by far was Auerilus. I am looking forward to more in this universe and I hope to see more of the same characters!
I really enjoyed this debut military scifi from J. R. Wise. I really liked his pace, his use of characters from multiple perspectives, and his use of the grunts of this story. I really loved the use of Roman history and society used in this novel and my favorite character by far was Auerilus. I am looking forward to more in this universe and I hope to see more of the same characters!
October 19, 2024
Amazing! A+ work
This was so good. I loved how the whole story was told from multiple POVs that all came together in the end. Read it in two nights and couldn’t keep my eyes from skipping ahead a few times. The perfect amount of description and action to not get bogged down while also keeping pace with the nature of the story! Highly recommend.
This was so good. I loved how the whole story was told from multiple POVs that all came together in the end. Read it in two nights and couldn’t keep my eyes from skipping ahead a few times. The perfect amount of description and action to not get bogged down while also keeping pace with the nature of the story! Highly recommend.
August 27, 2024
Action packed page turner!!! Military Sci-fi is new to me, but this book really opened my eyes. This is a new author worth following to see what’s next!! I hope book 2 comes out soon.
September 2, 2024
Lots of combat action!
Fast moving story. Hopefully this is Book 1 of a long-running series. Solid characters, lots of action. Looking forward to Book 2!
Fast moving story. Hopefully this is Book 1 of a long-running series. Solid characters, lots of action. Looking forward to Book 2!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews