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(The Dawning Saga #1
First Contact
In the far future, war comes suddenly as an enigmatic foe forces humanity into a struggle for survival.
The year is 2164. Humanity has slipped the surly bonds of its golden sun, and prospers as it finds a way across the stars. A new era of exploration dawns, its citizens asking the question “Is there anyone out there?”
Now, the answer comes suddenly and violently, a surprise attack on a peaceful colony. Deadly conflict, long forgotten by the governments of Man, makes itself known once more.
New enemies emerge from the children of war, heirs to its terror and splendor. But this foe too has questions to answer, faced as it is with a civilization previously unimagined.
An innocent colonist struggles to survive; a pilot must reckon with a new reality. A veteran soldier studies a peculiar enemy. Two leaders, alike in dignity, attempt to command their peoples.
Through it all an ancient plan unfolds, the product of singular intent and repeated tragedy. Each shall find themselves cast into its machinations, be they agent, victim, or both.
The year is 2164. Humanity has slipped the surly bonds of its golden sun, and prospers as it finds a way across the stars. A new era of exploration dawns, its citizens asking the question “Is there anyone out there?”
Now, the answer comes suddenly and violently, a surprise attack on a peaceful colony. Deadly conflict, long forgotten by the governments of Man, makes itself known once more.
New enemies emerge from the children of war, heirs to its terror and splendor. But this foe too has questions to answer, faced as it is with a civilization previously unimagined.
An innocent colonist struggles to survive; a pilot must reckon with a new reality. A veteran soldier studies a peculiar enemy. Two leaders, alike in dignity, attempt to command their peoples.
Through it all an ancient plan unfolds, the product of singular intent and repeated tragedy. Each shall find themselves cast into its machinations, be they agent, victim, or both.
- GenresScience Fiction
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2024
417 people are currently reading
1026 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 24, 2024
I am the author and I think I did pretty good.
November 12, 2024
This book is a refreshing and thought-provoking addition to the sci-fi genre. Zhang's background helps him craft a world that feels grounded and meticulously planned, paying careful attention to the economic and logistical details of interstellar war. This realism brings a fascinating depth to the narrative.
What truly sets this book apart is its unconventional vision of future society. Zhang presents a future that feels imaginative yet logically consistent, encouraging readers to rethink their assumptions about societal evolution in the face of alien encounters and technological advancements.
The characters add a layer of warmth and humor that balances the intensity of the storyline. They’re not just compelling; they’re touching and relatable. Their banter and personal challenges make the action sequences all the more engaging, and the pacing of these moments keeps the book entertaining from start to finish.
Highly recommended for fans of thoughtful, well-crafted science fiction!
What truly sets this book apart is its unconventional vision of future society. Zhang presents a future that feels imaginative yet logically consistent, encouraging readers to rethink their assumptions about societal evolution in the face of alien encounters and technological advancements.
The characters add a layer of warmth and humor that balances the intensity of the storyline. They’re not just compelling; they’re touching and relatable. Their banter and personal challenges make the action sequences all the more engaging, and the pacing of these moments keeps the book entertaining from start to finish.
Highly recommended for fans of thoughtful, well-crafted science fiction!
March 31, 2025
This was a really impressive debut novel from Albert Zhang!
The seemingly unconnected plots tied together in a very elegant way to make a very exciting adventure sci-fi story.
I particularly enjoyed Zhang's creativity when it came to details of the world-building and I'm excited to see more concepts from his future works.
The character Jane was also a highlight of the book and I especially enjoyed reading her chapters.
Great work Albert.
The seemingly unconnected plots tied together in a very elegant way to make a very exciting adventure sci-fi story.
I particularly enjoyed Zhang's creativity when it came to details of the world-building and I'm excited to see more concepts from his future works.
The character Jane was also a highlight of the book and I especially enjoyed reading her chapters.
Great work Albert.
December 28, 2025
Great First Novel!
I hesitate to give five stars when I think of the scope if books there are, but I'm giving this one five just for the satisfaction I had with the characters and world crafting.
Really nice story with totally engaging characters. It could easily have been stretched into a trilogy due to the story potential. Compared to many of the first effort novels on Amazon, this one is upper tier.
I'll definitely look for future works from this author.
I hesitate to give five stars when I think of the scope if books there are, but I'm giving this one five just for the satisfaction I had with the characters and world crafting.
Really nice story with totally engaging characters. It could easily have been stretched into a trilogy due to the story potential. Compared to many of the first effort novels on Amazon, this one is upper tier.
I'll definitely look for future works from this author.
March 17, 2025
Very interesting story
We have a balance of battles, survival, philosophy and politics all wrapped into one story. Mr Zhang is a very interesting author, and I expect great things of him in the future. We follow the various lives of a group of combat pilots, a survivor of an attack, two different politicians, one from each side of the combat, and a combat veteran from the aliens point of view. They are put into situations that are different but related. The various threads interact and separate to come to their own separate but related conclusion. The only parts that I didn't find interesting were the interludes which told a story, or had an explanation, but was told in a rather confusing liturgical voice. It was an important part of the book, but I found it disruptive.
We have a balance of battles, survival, philosophy and politics all wrapped into one story. Mr Zhang is a very interesting author, and I expect great things of him in the future. We follow the various lives of a group of combat pilots, a survivor of an attack, two different politicians, one from each side of the combat, and a combat veteran from the aliens point of view. They are put into situations that are different but related. The various threads interact and separate to come to their own separate but related conclusion. The only parts that I didn't find interesting were the interludes which told a story, or had an explanation, but was told in a rather confusing liturgical voice. It was an important part of the book, but I found it disruptive.
June 25, 2025
A Fantastic Tale - An Epic Tapestry Rivaling a Greek Myth
Definitely recommend. The author has woven an incredibly absorbing tale of contact between humans and an extraterrestrial race through a combination of parallel first person perspectives and arcs of history- combining essential Greek style tragedy and pathos with soaring stories of personal fortitude and resilience. I only hope that Zhang’s vision of future human society comes true, rather than humankind taking the role of the aliens. Masterfully done and an absorbing read. Great slow-burn character development and avoids the crutch of beyond belief science and technology (if not exactly hard science fiction, at least firmer - smile).
Definitely recommend. The author has woven an incredibly absorbing tale of contact between humans and an extraterrestrial race through a combination of parallel first person perspectives and arcs of history- combining essential Greek style tragedy and pathos with soaring stories of personal fortitude and resilience. I only hope that Zhang’s vision of future human society comes true, rather than humankind taking the role of the aliens. Masterfully done and an absorbing read. Great slow-burn character development and avoids the crutch of beyond belief science and technology (if not exactly hard science fiction, at least firmer - smile).
July 1, 2025
A very interesting read, good plot with believable characters
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story line seems rather unique, but with enjoyable heroes and appropriately advanced technology. None of the science fiction was “magical”, and the heroes have their flaws, making it all the more realistic.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story line seems rather unique, but with enjoyable heroes and appropriately advanced technology. None of the science fiction was “magical”, and the heroes have their flaws, making it all the more realistic.
January 4, 2026
I can’t believe it ended
I’m the type of reader that reads every single word on every page and visualizes the story like a movie in my brain: this story was well painted.
Unfortunately it is also one of the current trend of self-published stories that doesn’t get proof-read (or maybe poorly proof-read), and so ends up with silly grammatical errors that really only matter to those like me who read every word.
Overall…great story…but what happened to the ending??? You just quit writing!!!! That’s NO WAY to end such a great story! If I read another of your works and you finish it the same way it’ll be the last of your works I read.
Finish it!!!
I’m the type of reader that reads every single word on every page and visualizes the story like a movie in my brain: this story was well painted.
Unfortunately it is also one of the current trend of self-published stories that doesn’t get proof-read (or maybe poorly proof-read), and so ends up with silly grammatical errors that really only matter to those like me who read every word.
Overall…great story…but what happened to the ending??? You just quit writing!!!! That’s NO WAY to end such a great story! If I read another of your works and you finish it the same way it’ll be the last of your works I read.
Finish it!!!
June 23, 2025
Super engaging and easy-flowing sci-fi, with an optimistic and inspiring slant. A utopian society is rattled by a fierce, unprovoked assault upon one of their colonies by the first sentient alien life they encounter outside of humanity. What follows is a gripping window into several human and alien lives as they grapple with what this contact means and how to survive.
The vibe of this humanity's future is overwhelmingly positive, heralding the desires of people to cooperate and even sacrificing themselves to save others. Towards the early part of the book, right after first contact when a colony is attacked and there's like, one big guard station capable of even remotely fighting back, I literally cried at how much a captain fought to save as many people as possible in evacuations. Although this is a book centered around a war, don't fret if you're not big on military stories (I'm not either)--the focus on individual characters and large scope of interplanetary logistics addressed keeps it interesting and easy to connect to.
As the story continues, we follow several key human figures throughout: Jane, a low-level maintenance worker who was just trying to get to a job interview when her colony was attacked, and is now a lone living human wandering around the colony and fighting to get systems back online and operational to save the survivors trapped in buildings slowly losing air and such. Andrew, a fighter pilot who joined more-or-less a "sports" version of warfare (simulated battles using real ships, a recreational sports-like past time in this peaceful future of humanity) and is now grappling with the reality of war and loss, and the courage it takes to handle that. Then there's Hasmani, the political leader of humanity who has to navigate this unprecedented situation requiring brutal balances of human lives, facing her own moral quandaries and doubts as other political heads push and pressure what they think are the right answers.
Humans aren't the only stars here, though--although they don't know anything about the alien invaders at first, readers are privy to at least a bit of information and get to follow certain figures who are Avcirgans There are some almost mythological sections of an Avcirgan who is able to pass on knowledge to successors, culminating in twenty lives to become the political head (Khan) of the Avcirgans, while deep-down desiring a different path than the culture their species espouses. There's a bit of Varai, a clan leader who struggles and develops her own doubts while trying to carry out the Khan's will. And then there's my favorite--Bas, an Avcirgan soldier on the ground at the invaded colony, observing this beautiful, peaceful settlement humans built and wondering if there is another way to live beyond war and bloodshed.
Bas and Jane were hands-down my favorites while reading. Although they are instantly pitted against each other, there is a believable development and growing respect between them that builds into the first genuine and peaceful connection between humans and Avcirgans. Not gonna lie, although this book does not seem to be implying a romance so far, I high-key ship these two. After you get the murder attempts out of the way, they end up being so cute in their interactions as they grow understanding between their two disparate species. Their relationship is literally a bastion of hope for both humans and Avcirgans to come to an understanding and peace.
It was easy to get invested in the story. The characters all have compelling goals and are inspiring in their efforts to get what they want, and the worlds/species depicted were creative and fun to read about. The structures of government, interplanetary colonies, and the logistics of managing this vast and technologically advanced society were naturally woven in to the fabric of the story.
The Avcirgan culture we see made me curious--it's extremely war focused, with a lot of emphasis on battle and dying for honor, but the only other job outside of the army we're exposed to is a lorekeeper, which involves historical/mythological tracking (to celebrate and remember great warriors). I'm curious about how reproduction and interpersonal relations work (There's a hint of Varai/Haiin that intrigued me, and for my Bas/Jane heart I am deathly curious what courting entails). Who works in nurseries? What are the cultural connotations of engineers, medical professionals, builders, or even people like sanitation workers? Their tech is developed enough that it seems like there has to be SOME cooperation, at least within clans, but since pretty much all the Avcirgans we see are in the army, the already battle-focused culture appears like battle is literally the ONLY thing anyone ever does, when to exist and build at all as a society there's gotta be some people doing the more menial jobs. I'm curious if the future books in the trilogy will explore some more of their home planets and the operations there.
I was worried that since this is the first in a series (trilogy?) it might end on a huge cliffhanger, but thankfully this book is well-contained within itself. The promises and end-goals from the beginning are fulfilled in the end, making a gripping and satisfying end. There is CERTAINLY an open ending in terms of "what now?" that I'm sure will fill the next book, but it reached a great stopping point. Will still be interested in getting the future book(s) in the series!
I devoured this book in four days because I kept wanting to know what happened next. Would definitely recommend to any sci-fi fan who enjoys a "hopeful utopian humanity banding together" kind of vibe, along with people who are dipping into sci-fi and want a somewhat accessible read that still shows some creativity and unique aspects to the worldbuilding.
The vibe of this humanity's future is overwhelmingly positive, heralding the desires of people to cooperate and even sacrificing themselves to save others. Towards the early part of the book, right after first contact when a colony is attacked and there's like, one big guard station capable of even remotely fighting back, I literally cried at how much a captain fought to save as many people as possible in evacuations. Although this is a book centered around a war, don't fret if you're not big on military stories (I'm not either)--the focus on individual characters and large scope of interplanetary logistics addressed keeps it interesting and easy to connect to.
As the story continues, we follow several key human figures throughout: Jane, a low-level maintenance worker who was just trying to get to a job interview when her colony was attacked, and is now a lone living human wandering around the colony and fighting to get systems back online and operational to save the survivors trapped in buildings slowly losing air and such. Andrew, a fighter pilot who joined more-or-less a "sports" version of warfare (simulated battles using real ships, a recreational sports-like past time in this peaceful future of humanity) and is now grappling with the reality of war and loss, and the courage it takes to handle that. Then there's Hasmani, the political leader of humanity who has to navigate this unprecedented situation requiring brutal balances of human lives, facing her own moral quandaries and doubts as other political heads push and pressure what they think are the right answers.
Humans aren't the only stars here, though--although they don't know anything about the alien invaders at first, readers are privy to at least a bit of information and get to follow certain figures who are Avcirgans There are some almost mythological sections of an Avcirgan who is able to pass on knowledge to successors, culminating in twenty lives to become the political head (Khan) of the Avcirgans, while deep-down desiring a different path than the culture their species espouses. There's a bit of Varai, a clan leader who struggles and develops her own doubts while trying to carry out the Khan's will. And then there's my favorite--Bas, an Avcirgan soldier on the ground at the invaded colony, observing this beautiful, peaceful settlement humans built and wondering if there is another way to live beyond war and bloodshed.
Bas and Jane were hands-down my favorites while reading. Although they are instantly pitted against each other, there is a believable development and growing respect between them that builds into the first genuine and peaceful connection between humans and Avcirgans. Not gonna lie, although this book does not seem to be implying a romance so far, I high-key ship these two. After you get the murder attempts out of the way, they end up being so cute in their interactions as they grow understanding between their two disparate species. Their relationship is literally a bastion of hope for both humans and Avcirgans to come to an understanding and peace.
It was easy to get invested in the story. The characters all have compelling goals and are inspiring in their efforts to get what they want, and the worlds/species depicted were creative and fun to read about. The structures of government, interplanetary colonies, and the logistics of managing this vast and technologically advanced society were naturally woven in to the fabric of the story.
The Avcirgan culture we see made me curious--it's extremely war focused, with a lot of emphasis on battle and dying for honor, but the only other job outside of the army we're exposed to is a lorekeeper, which involves historical/mythological tracking (to celebrate and remember great warriors). I'm curious about how reproduction and interpersonal relations work (There's a hint of Varai/Haiin that intrigued me, and for my Bas/Jane heart I am deathly curious what courting entails). Who works in nurseries? What are the cultural connotations of engineers, medical professionals, builders, or even people like sanitation workers? Their tech is developed enough that it seems like there has to be SOME cooperation, at least within clans, but since pretty much all the Avcirgans we see are in the army, the already battle-focused culture appears like battle is literally the ONLY thing anyone ever does, when to exist and build at all as a society there's gotta be some people doing the more menial jobs. I'm curious if the future books in the trilogy will explore some more of their home planets and the operations there.
I was worried that since this is the first in a series (trilogy?) it might end on a huge cliffhanger, but thankfully this book is well-contained within itself. The promises and end-goals from the beginning are fulfilled in the end, making a gripping and satisfying end. There is CERTAINLY an open ending in terms of "what now?" that I'm sure will fill the next book, but it reached a great stopping point. Will still be interested in getting the future book(s) in the series!
I devoured this book in four days because I kept wanting to know what happened next. Would definitely recommend to any sci-fi fan who enjoys a "hopeful utopian humanity banding together" kind of vibe, along with people who are dipping into sci-fi and want a somewhat accessible read that still shows some creativity and unique aspects to the worldbuilding.
September 9, 2024
I loved this novel! It was funny, smart, and a fresh take on the genre. It's really something special.
One of my favorite aspects of the story was the world it takes place in. The several different character points of view really made it come alive. It was particularly cool to notice the attention to political and economic details the author added throughout.
Jane was definitely a stand-out character in my opinion. Her inner dialogue made me chuckle, and I'm a sucker for the problem solving engineer trope.
Looking forward to getting more in the series!
One of my favorite aspects of the story was the world it takes place in. The several different character points of view really made it come alive. It was particularly cool to notice the attention to political and economic details the author added throughout.
Jane was definitely a stand-out character in my opinion. Her inner dialogue made me chuckle, and I'm a sucker for the problem solving engineer trope.
Looking forward to getting more in the series!
July 7, 2025
Too complicated
Some good concepts and some very interesting aliens. But it took way too long to build the story, characters and plot.
Some good concepts and some very interesting aliens. But it took way too long to build the story, characters and plot.
January 13, 2026
Lore and overall story : 1 star. The execution? Zero.
We have a heavily gender biased story here, Male characters are on the useless side, there's only really three. One is a councillor who's very timid, weak & a coward. One is an ace pilot that any reader could pick up what was going to happen to him (in order to make space to push the female deputy into the front seat). The other is Andrew, big shot who wants to cry before battle.
The females are all in charge of everything, and let their emotions run their decisions. No logic at all. Especially the plot to destroy Pathfinder colony. Hasmani is up-in-arms expecting there to be millions left alive. She doesn't even consider subtracting the dead (which she knows for a FACT that there's thousands, if not millions dead from the initial onslaught). She knows the dome has been breached so there's no atmosphere. She knows the chances of individual survival are extremely low. She's seen the footage of the planet and bodies. Yet she believes they're all still alive and gives her holier-than-thou rhetoric about not having the right to fire on civvies. Absurd. You have the Fleet commander who concocts a dumb hidden plan to lock down Hasmani while she destroys the colony. Which doesn't make sense at all. Nobody knows if the enemy has set down a colony's worth of troops or not. They know nothing. They're also taking quite the time to get to the colony, there can't realistically be any expectation of even 10% of people being alive. Especially when you consider the general tactics of the enemy. The irony of it all is that they expected the enemy to destroy the city and all asunder either way. Which was confirmed by the enemy. Nonsensical writing.
Leave aside the utter cringe worthy "hostage rescue" by Alvarez & Co, where Hasmani (an old, retired captain, turned beaurocrat) disposes of two trained, security personnel with ease. An everyday Sarah Connor. She then takes over the Ares, arrests the top two military commanders - even though she previously admitted she didn't have the capacity to make the hard decisions militarily. How does this make sense? The military accepts all of this because God Hasmani said so. At the end of the book all of it was for nothing. It was a poorly written attempt at adding excitement to a weak plot.
A background annoyance is that Jane somehow never thinks of sending a message to Earth, or anyone. Conveniently forgets about her trapped friend, & cries about killing an alien, while there's untold thousands of dead humans littered around. The overall pseudo-deifying of Hasmani gets tiresome very quickly. Everyone is dumbstruck in her presence or when she speaks to them. She's the chairperson only, what else has she accomplished? Considering there's never been a war.
Next is the warfare/military. They send an unescorted carrier which basically only has fighters. Tens of thousands of them on a ship 3km in length. How big are those fighters? Bombers that fire slugs. Knowing the enemy utilised EMP weapons greatly, they take no safeguards against that. Sophie & Co cannot fathom looking at things another way purely because they worship Hasmani.
Let's talk more absurdity. Within five minutes of speaking to Bas, Hasmani decides to challenge Haiin to a duel. A 3m tall, armoured being who has been fighting hand-to-hand their entire life, versus an older, retired, definitely NOT a warrior human female who would be smaller & weaker than the best human male fighter. Okay. Later in I burst out laughing when Hasmani is badly injured on a ship, and dear Andrew decides to fight the duel in her stead. Andrew. Yes. That Andrew. The weak, whiney fool who has shown absolutely zero fighting prowess outside his fighter craft. Well, even in his craft he's fairly average. Then, against the culture of the enemy, the duel is not a duel but held on the surface with no limits. The humans cheat, Andrew barely does anything. Jane & thousands of drones win the fight. Haiin & her people as it turns out knew about humanity a long time ago & waited for this 'Morning War'. To change the destiny of her people. How wonderful.
We have Jane, rightly described as 'ridiculous' what she has achieved - single handedly restoring the dome & other key functions - whilst in agony & badly injured. Who doesn't come across a single other live human in her galavant around the colony (Cara not withstanding). Who, by the fates finds a dead tech with the required credentials & bots with the info she needed to do all this. On her own. Another mini-deity.
I understand this is the author's first book. However, criticism is valid. I skimmed through this story, the unnecessary amount of dialogue (especially Federation) is worth nothing and adds nothing. It can be skipped without fear. The characters are either weak, or the author attempts to force you to like them. Sophie & Andrew are so unlikeable, I rolled my eyes at their dialogue. Sophie is this alpha-male gungho type, while Andrew is the whiney, needy little puppy that needs coddling & kind words. He cries & sulks like a 5-year old kid.
The basic summary is that the warrior alien race learns peace from fighting and ultimately losing to humanity. The end.
We have a heavily gender biased story here, Male characters are on the useless side, there's only really three. One is a councillor who's very timid, weak & a coward. One is an ace pilot that any reader could pick up what was going to happen to him (in order to make space to push the female deputy into the front seat). The other is Andrew, big shot who wants to cry before battle.
The females are all in charge of everything, and let their emotions run their decisions. No logic at all. Especially the plot to destroy Pathfinder colony. Hasmani is up-in-arms expecting there to be millions left alive. She doesn't even consider subtracting the dead (which she knows for a FACT that there's thousands, if not millions dead from the initial onslaught). She knows the dome has been breached so there's no atmosphere. She knows the chances of individual survival are extremely low. She's seen the footage of the planet and bodies. Yet she believes they're all still alive and gives her holier-than-thou rhetoric about not having the right to fire on civvies. Absurd. You have the Fleet commander who concocts a dumb hidden plan to lock down Hasmani while she destroys the colony. Which doesn't make sense at all. Nobody knows if the enemy has set down a colony's worth of troops or not. They know nothing. They're also taking quite the time to get to the colony, there can't realistically be any expectation of even 10% of people being alive. Especially when you consider the general tactics of the enemy. The irony of it all is that they expected the enemy to destroy the city and all asunder either way. Which was confirmed by the enemy. Nonsensical writing.
Leave aside the utter cringe worthy "hostage rescue" by Alvarez & Co, where Hasmani (an old, retired captain, turned beaurocrat) disposes of two trained, security personnel with ease. An everyday Sarah Connor. She then takes over the Ares, arrests the top two military commanders - even though she previously admitted she didn't have the capacity to make the hard decisions militarily. How does this make sense? The military accepts all of this because God Hasmani said so. At the end of the book all of it was for nothing. It was a poorly written attempt at adding excitement to a weak plot.
A background annoyance is that Jane somehow never thinks of sending a message to Earth, or anyone. Conveniently forgets about her trapped friend, & cries about killing an alien, while there's untold thousands of dead humans littered around. The overall pseudo-deifying of Hasmani gets tiresome very quickly. Everyone is dumbstruck in her presence or when she speaks to them. She's the chairperson only, what else has she accomplished? Considering there's never been a war.
Next is the warfare/military. They send an unescorted carrier which basically only has fighters. Tens of thousands of them on a ship 3km in length. How big are those fighters? Bombers that fire slugs. Knowing the enemy utilised EMP weapons greatly, they take no safeguards against that. Sophie & Co cannot fathom looking at things another way purely because they worship Hasmani.
Let's talk more absurdity. Within five minutes of speaking to Bas, Hasmani decides to challenge Haiin to a duel. A 3m tall, armoured being who has been fighting hand-to-hand their entire life, versus an older, retired, definitely NOT a warrior human female who would be smaller & weaker than the best human male fighter. Okay. Later in I burst out laughing when Hasmani is badly injured on a ship, and dear Andrew decides to fight the duel in her stead. Andrew. Yes. That Andrew. The weak, whiney fool who has shown absolutely zero fighting prowess outside his fighter craft. Well, even in his craft he's fairly average. Then, against the culture of the enemy, the duel is not a duel but held on the surface with no limits. The humans cheat, Andrew barely does anything. Jane & thousands of drones win the fight. Haiin & her people as it turns out knew about humanity a long time ago & waited for this 'Morning War'. To change the destiny of her people. How wonderful.
We have Jane, rightly described as 'ridiculous' what she has achieved - single handedly restoring the dome & other key functions - whilst in agony & badly injured. Who doesn't come across a single other live human in her galavant around the colony (Cara not withstanding). Who, by the fates finds a dead tech with the required credentials & bots with the info she needed to do all this. On her own. Another mini-deity.
I understand this is the author's first book. However, criticism is valid. I skimmed through this story, the unnecessary amount of dialogue (especially Federation) is worth nothing and adds nothing. It can be skipped without fear. The characters are either weak, or the author attempts to force you to like them. Sophie & Andrew are so unlikeable, I rolled my eyes at their dialogue. Sophie is this alpha-male gungho type, while Andrew is the whiney, needy little puppy that needs coddling & kind words. He cries & sulks like a 5-year old kid.
The basic summary is that the warrior alien race learns peace from fighting and ultimately losing to humanity. The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2024
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I think first contact scenarios are truly fascinating, so I expected that I will enjoy this book. Once I picked it up, I realized that the author has given a lot of thought to the world building and has created an intricate political plot line as well. This is when it became evident that even though the book has lots of action and fun (also funny) moments, it is also very serious, and I think the author was aiming for providing a very sophisticated story.
Numerous things in this book I really liked, from the characters' development to the aliens and their philosophies. As I already mentioned, the world building was a big part of the story as well. It is also well-written and even though the author often focuses on technical sides of how things operate, the writing is not too dry or boring.
I think this is the sort of book that will stay with me for a while as I will continue to digest it. It is definitely packed with ideas!
In a way, this is perhaps exactly what I needed to read. There is a war in my home country, and daily global news are, well, the way they are. Therefore, a story about hope for humanity and humans' willingness to stand up for each other is quite comforting.
I think first contact scenarios are truly fascinating, so I expected that I will enjoy this book. Once I picked it up, I realized that the author has given a lot of thought to the world building and has created an intricate political plot line as well. This is when it became evident that even though the book has lots of action and fun (also funny) moments, it is also very serious, and I think the author was aiming for providing a very sophisticated story.
Numerous things in this book I really liked, from the characters' development to the aliens and their philosophies. As I already mentioned, the world building was a big part of the story as well. It is also well-written and even though the author often focuses on technical sides of how things operate, the writing is not too dry or boring.
I think this is the sort of book that will stay with me for a while as I will continue to digest it. It is definitely packed with ideas!
In a way, this is perhaps exactly what I needed to read. There is a war in my home country, and daily global news are, well, the way they are. Therefore, a story about hope for humanity and humans' willingness to stand up for each other is quite comforting.
December 16, 2024
First Contact brings together several different stories surrounding humans first contact with a warlike alien race. Each character has their own part in the larger cosmic war. From the fighter pilot Andrew who is struggling with his fears in a war he never expected to fight, to Jane an engineer trying to save the colony she lives in, to Bas one of the Aliens who is learning perhaps his species is not as superior as he once thought, each character provides a unique and interesting perspective on the struggle for life in space.
I loved the alien species and their story. I think that was the real highlight of the story for me. Both the world building and history that went into the race was very refreshing for me. Without giving too much away the goals of their Khan to find a better life for their people was really engaging and expertly woven through the story. It, coupled with Bas's story made for a satisfying ending overall. enjoyed this book.
Since there were so many interwoven stories it was inevitable that there were some characters that I liked better than others. I did have some trouble finishing this when the story was more focused on Andrew's life simply because I found it very repetitive in the beginning. It was nice to see how he came to his conclusions in the end but overall I didn't feel a lot of sympathy for him because I felt his generally apathy in the beginning made him rather boring. I recognize the purpose he served narratively, but still I found most of the other characters' stories more interesting and fleshed out.
I loved the alien species and their story. I think that was the real highlight of the story for me. Both the world building and history that went into the race was very refreshing for me. Without giving too much away the goals of their Khan to find a better life for their people was really engaging and expertly woven through the story. It, coupled with Bas's story made for a satisfying ending overall. enjoyed this book.
Since there were so many interwoven stories it was inevitable that there were some characters that I liked better than others. I did have some trouble finishing this when the story was more focused on Andrew's life simply because I found it very repetitive in the beginning. It was nice to see how he came to his conclusions in the end but overall I didn't feel a lot of sympathy for him because I felt his generally apathy in the beginning made him rather boring. I recognize the purpose he served narratively, but still I found most of the other characters' stories more interesting and fleshed out.
April 24, 2025
Conceptually this was an interesting story; although were some distracting grammatical issues, such as mixed tenses and PoV (not a big fan of present tense and/or first person point of view). IMHO it could use another pass or two from an editor. Over all it made the prologue and interludes a slow read that I found more irritating than entertaining (It took a LONG time to finish this book). The Alien Interludes didn’t work for me at all … and the world building was painfully unrealistic (better research would have helped here) … and the character interactions were often overly simplistic (making them more caricatures than anything else) making it difficult to actually connect with any of them. In the end, there was just nothing there to keep me interesting enough to keep reading, so I put it down a lot.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#FirstContact #LibraryThing #KindleUnlimited
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#FirstContact #LibraryThing #KindleUnlimited
October 10, 2024
The extraordinary modern Sci-fi definitely. The book is mature and bright on top of Excitement and Fun. Action & Suspense are ultra-powerful with authentic science and logic. Its composition is contemporary-nimble, elegant and humorous. The most amazing and deeply moving are the inner dialogs of each individual character, human or alien(in "Interlude"). Standing above all are the wise introspection of Humanity and Alienity, their community, politics, economics, faith, and conflicts, from each characters's unique perspective. That's the melancholic draw for me to read more of the saga.
August 6, 2025
3.41
I was at the point where the only chapters that were even slightly interesting or engaging where the ones featuring Bas and Jane.
Although, finally, about 75% through, the others showed more promise.
Too much of the slower political things early on.
The chapter early though where the captain holds off the invasion by himself is epic.
I was at the point where the only chapters that were even slightly interesting or engaging where the ones featuring Bas and Jane.
Although, finally, about 75% through, the others showed more promise.
Too much of the slower political things early on.
The chapter early though where the captain holds off the invasion by himself is epic.
August 27, 2025
I wasnt expecting much but this was an impressive novel - I didnt release it was a debut effort until I finished it. It was well constructed with good characters and demonstrated a lot of imagination and some skill at keeping the momentum going in a book of such length. Looking forward to the next one
September 2, 2024
This was one of the best sci-fi books I've read in decades. It's a tremendous success for the first book, but the author did a great job. I enjoyed the characters, their motivation was always justified. Do not want to spoil, but if you like sci-fi you would definitely enjoy this authentic story.
February 17, 2025
This author needs a book contract
Very well done first contact novel. It took a while to figure out the aliens, but they ARE alien. Interesting internal dialogue with each of the characters kept the book on a good pace.
Very well done first contact novel. It took a while to figure out the aliens, but they ARE alien. Interesting internal dialogue with each of the characters kept the book on a good pace.
February 28, 2025
I love first contact novels, so this was a natural for me. Author does an excellent job of setting the premise of two sides who don't understand each other at all. End was unpredictable and satisfying. ## Way too much profanity.
April 10, 2025
The best I reed from Kindle Unlimited, it is as good as the masters of old, Asinov, Anderson etc...
Very well written, many layers AZ will soon take his place amongst the SF giants
Multifaceted masterpiece with many levels of interests
Very well written, many layers AZ will soon take his place amongst the SF giants
Multifaceted masterpiece with many levels of interests
April 29, 2025
An entertaining read.
Quite an unusual story, philosophical at times.The author has a great sense of humor and talent at portraying a sense of alienness. His aliens were plausible and.....alien.
Quite an unusual story, philosophical at times.The author has a great sense of humor and talent at portraying a sense of alienness. His aliens were plausible and.....alien.
June 14, 2025
This is a science fiction story that took me awhile to get through. There are many characters, some of which are distinctly not human. The ending leaves the fate of these characters decidedly up in the air.
June 15, 2025
Fascinating comparison of humanity and an anthropomorphic alien culture.
As with the best sci-fi, Zahn teaches us about our human aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. I'd love to attend a retreat led by Zahn, Peter Cawldrone, and his holiness, The Dalai Lama.
As with the best sci-fi, Zahn teaches us about our human aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. I'd love to attend a retreat led by Zahn, Peter Cawldrone, and his holiness, The Dalai Lama.
June 24, 2025
Science fiction
I enjoyed the story, especially when it involved humans. The chapters devoted to alien communication made no sense at all. Some of the alien dialogue wasn't even translatable.
I enjoyed the story, especially when it involved humans. The chapters devoted to alien communication made no sense at all. Some of the alien dialogue wasn't even translatable.
August 29, 2025
Truly an amazing read.
I couldn’t stop reading. I was so caught up in the dialogue, the plot and the other plots. WOW! Great characters! Fantastic look into a believable alien race.
I couldn’t stop reading. I was so caught up in the dialogue, the plot and the other plots. WOW! Great characters! Fantastic look into a believable alien race.
September 27, 2025
Excellent
And this author may not realize what an accomplished poet he is. His dissertations as aliens talking or thinking are masterful. Actually, the whole book was masterful. I'll read more of his books. 🙂
And this author may not realize what an accomplished poet he is. His dissertations as aliens talking or thinking are masterful. Actually, the whole book was masterful. I'll read more of his books. 🙂
September 26, 2024
The epic awe hits harder being grounded with relatable characters, organizations, and well thought through science. Almost feels as if Asimov was writing in the 21st century..
February 7, 2025
Good read
Was much more than just a shoot em up. Told from both sides of a first contact event. I hope to see more from this author.
Was much more than just a shoot em up. Told from both sides of a first contact event. I hope to see more from this author.
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