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Sethran Kada #1
Quantum Tangle: Sethran, Book 1
Dropping out of subspace into the wrong galactic sector, Sethran Kada wakes up with a headache and an extraordinary alien aboard his ship. She implores him to help stop the abductions of her people, a newly evolved species emerging from subspace. Their dangerous potential has caught the attention of rebel factions as well as the ruling Commonwealth. When contact with her kind turns pilots into casualties, the Governors fear an imminent invasion engineered by their rebel enemies.
Pursued by Air Command, Seth heads deep into rebel-controlled territory to recover the stolen entities and to keep this deadly weapon from falling into the wrong hands. Things get personal when his alien visitor begins to transform his mind and his life, turning the rescue mission into a fight for survival for all of them.
Quantum Tangle is part of Chris Reher's Targon Tales series but does not intersect the other stories. Sethran Kada previously appeared in The Catalyst and in Rebel Alliances.
Pursued by Air Command, Seth heads deep into rebel-controlled territory to recover the stolen entities and to keep this deadly weapon from falling into the wrong hands. Things get personal when his alien visitor begins to transform his mind and his life, turning the rescue mission into a fight for survival for all of them.
Quantum Tangle is part of Chris Reher's Targon Tales series but does not intersect the other stories. Sethran Kada previously appeared in The Catalyst and in Rebel Alliances.
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First published February 1, 2014
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About the author
Chris Reher
23 books108 followersI am a first generation Canadian currently and out of necessity residing on planet Earth (which, in the general and interplanetary scheme of things could REALLY use a catchier name, if you ask me. I mean, imagine heading past Proxima Centauri and someone asks you whence you came and you tell them "dirt". All theological implications aside, that just won't do.)
My first full-length work of fiction, Flight To Exile, is a fantasy which, I just realized, takes place on a planet that doesn't have a name at all and blurs the line between sci-fi and fantasy in ways that are probably illegal.
I then headed out far beyond Proxima Centauri and found a nifty story that soon turned into a Space Opera complete with wormholes and improbable laser guns. What fun. Laws of physics need not apply if you find a way to explain them away.
The series stars Nova Whiteside as a space marine whose pesky humanity keeps getting in the way of her doing her job according to protocol.
Currently, there are five books in the series, with three more planned.
When not finding ways to torture my subjects or entice them with inter-species hanky-panky, I design web sites or write about designing web sites. I enjoy long walks on the beach or, given the local beach shortage, write about beaches far beyond Proxima Centauri.
My first full-length work of fiction, Flight To Exile, is a fantasy which, I just realized, takes place on a planet that doesn't have a name at all and blurs the line between sci-fi and fantasy in ways that are probably illegal.
I then headed out far beyond Proxima Centauri and found a nifty story that soon turned into a Space Opera complete with wormholes and improbable laser guns. What fun. Laws of physics need not apply if you find a way to explain them away.
The series stars Nova Whiteside as a space marine whose pesky humanity keeps getting in the way of her doing her job according to protocol.
Currently, there are five books in the series, with three more planned.
When not finding ways to torture my subjects or entice them with inter-species hanky-panky, I design web sites or write about designing web sites. I enjoy long walks on the beach or, given the local beach shortage, write about beaches far beyond Proxima Centauri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
January 25, 2020
Actual rating: 3.7458798 stars. More or less.
💌 This supremely crappy non-review is dedicated to the lovely person who recently told me I should “delete all gifs and crap” from my reviews. Ihave wiped your name from my memory unfortunately don’t remember your name, but whoever you are, I lurve you too! Please make sure to post kind, insightful comments such as this one more often!
Thebad good news is: I had LOTS of stuff to say about this book when I finished reading it [insert barnacled screams of intense terror here]
Thegood bad news is: I forgot all LOTS of the stuff I wanted to say about this book when I finished reading it [insert barnacled sighs of utter relief here]
Okay, let’s see, maybe if I squeeze my two ever-failing grey cells together harder than usual (the lengths I would go for you, Comely Decapods Mine!), I’ll remember something other than wanting to be the potentially Harem-worthy MC’s, um, non-organic parasite. Then again, even if I don’t, there’s no shame in that. Wanting to be a Hot Roguish Type Dude’s, um, non-organic parasite, I mean. (I know lots of People of Despicable Book Taste who keep readingromance crap lovely romances and always end up rating them 5 disgusting well-deserved stars, just because they want to be the cheese to the ridiculous dashing hero’s macaroni, and nobody judges them for that. Of course not.)
Anywayyyy, so what I do remember that Seth Kada is both Slightly Very Yummy (SVY™) and potential High Security Harem Material. He is a lonesome
space cowboy
pilot and his ship is named The Flying Dutchman, which reminds me of Tom Holt, which therefore makes Seth Instantly Very Cool (IVC™). Also, where there is some Seth there is some Khoe, and yes I know you have no bloody fishing idea who/what Khoe is but if I say that she/he/it/wouldn’t-you-like-to-know alone makes this story worth reading then trust me you better, or else. Because I am wise and ancient know better and have Impeccable Character Taste (ICT™) ancient. So QED and stuff.
What else? Oh, yes, the world and plot are pretty shrimping original and awesome and stuff. Okay, so they are both kinda sorta clunky and confusing, and kinda sorta lack definition. But. They are still most refreshing indeed, so who the fish cares about being confused as, um, fish? Besides, this is a naught but a novella, which means the author didn’t have much time to develop her story.Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.
Besides, this is a world populated by all sorts of Scrumptious Creatures of the Most Delightful Hides and Internal Appendages (SCofMDHaIA™), so there ← don’t see what this has to do with anything? Don’t worry, me neither.
I guess I could tell you more about the plot itself, and how innovatively cool it is, but spoiler spoiler spoiler, so I won’t. You’re welcome. Okay okay, I’m not that horribly cruel (not right this minute anyway), so I’ll tell you this: I used this book for the “New Lifeform” entry of the MacHalo Splendiferous Book Bingo Thingie (MSBBT™). Sorry what? This is not helping, you say? You’re still very welcome anyway! Yay and stuff!
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): no, this is probably not ground-breaking Nobel Prize material (then again, who knows?), but it’s entertaining and it’s short and it’s fun and it’s bloody shrimping FREE. Get it? Good.
· Book 2: Terminus Shift ★★★
· Book 3: Entropy's End ★★★★
💌 This supremely crappy non-review is dedicated to the lovely person who recently told me I should “delete all gifs and crap” from my reviews. I
The
The
Okay, let’s see, maybe if I squeeze my two ever-failing grey cells together harder than usual (the lengths I would go for you, Comely Decapods Mine!), I’ll remember something other than wanting to be the potentially Harem-worthy MC’s, um, non-organic parasite. Then again, even if I don’t, there’s no shame in that. Wanting to be a Hot Roguish Type Dude’s, um, non-organic parasite, I mean. (I know lots of People of Despicable Book Taste who keep reading
Anywayyyy, so what I do remember that Seth Kada is both Slightly Very Yummy (SVY™) and potential High Security Harem Material. He is a lonesome
What else? Oh, yes, the world and plot are pretty shrimping original and awesome and stuff. Okay, so they are both kinda sorta clunky and confusing, and kinda sorta lack definition. But. They are still most refreshing indeed, so who the fish cares about being confused as, um, fish? Besides, this is a naught but a novella, which means the author didn’t have much time to develop her story.
I guess I could tell you more about the plot itself, and how innovatively cool it is, but spoiler spoiler spoiler, so I won’t. You’re welcome. Okay okay, I’m not that horribly cruel (not right this minute anyway), so I’ll tell you this: I used this book for the “New Lifeform” entry of the MacHalo Splendiferous Book Bingo Thingie (MSBBT™). Sorry what? This is not helping, you say? You’re still very welcome anyway! Yay and stuff!
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): no, this is probably not ground-breaking Nobel Prize material (then again, who knows?), but it’s entertaining and it’s short and it’s fun and it’s bloody shrimping FREE. Get it? Good.
· Book 2: Terminus Shift ★★★
· Book 3: Entropy's End ★★★★
June 26, 2018
Love thyself.
The details of Quantum Tangle, like all three-star rated books, are already leaving my limited brain-space and will be gone in a few days.
But...it will forever be the book featuring a man who has sexy-times with the voice in his head.
Seth is a Han Solo-ish, roguish pilot. Jaunting about the universe, all devil-may-care. Until he flies his ship through a worm hole in space and emerges with a stowaway. And not just any stowaway. This one is an inter-dimensional being who moves into his head, rearranges his neurons, and uses his brainwaves and energy to develop substance out in the real world. Using its superior intellectual capacity, the being learns what it is to be human, and soon has a gender-- female, and a name--Khoe.
Khoe is on a mission to save similar entities who have been pulled from the space-between-space by rebels who plan to use the aliens as weapons in the fight against an evil empire.
As I said, the plot details are already escaping me. The story is moderately engaging, but not spectacular. The romance between Seth and Khoe is both memorable and, for me, disturbing.
Regarding relationships between consenting adults, I'm quite open-minded. But I just couldn't get into the idea of a man (woman, person, whatever) falling in love with and having sexy times with a being that was largely a part of, dependent even, on his own brain. Especially since said alien girlfriend is invisible to everyone but Seth.
My pervy brain, during the sex scenes, immediately conjured an image of a naked man, in bed, dry humping his imaginary girlfriend.
At first, the relationship between Seth and Khoe is reminiscent of that between Halo's Master Chief and Cortana. Once the lurvey-durvey schtuff happens though, the relationship between Seth and Khoe gets sort of creepy.
On the plus side, the universe of Quantum Tangle is interesting and I might try other books in the series.
The details of Quantum Tangle, like all three-star rated books, are already leaving my limited brain-space and will be gone in a few days.
But...it will forever be the book featuring a man who has sexy-times with the voice in his head.
Seth is a Han Solo-ish, roguish pilot. Jaunting about the universe, all devil-may-care. Until he flies his ship through a worm hole in space and emerges with a stowaway. And not just any stowaway. This one is an inter-dimensional being who moves into his head, rearranges his neurons, and uses his brainwaves and energy to develop substance out in the real world. Using its superior intellectual capacity, the being learns what it is to be human, and soon has a gender-- female, and a name--Khoe.
Khoe is on a mission to save similar entities who have been pulled from the space-between-space by rebels who plan to use the aliens as weapons in the fight against an evil empire.
As I said, the plot details are already escaping me. The story is moderately engaging, but not spectacular. The romance between Seth and Khoe is both memorable and, for me, disturbing.
Regarding relationships between consenting adults, I'm quite open-minded. But I just couldn't get into the idea of a man (woman, person, whatever) falling in love with and having sexy times with a being that was largely a part of, dependent even, on his own brain. Especially since said alien girlfriend is invisible to everyone but Seth.
My pervy brain, during the sex scenes, immediately conjured an image of a naked man, in bed, dry humping his imaginary girlfriend.
At first, the relationship between Seth and Khoe is reminiscent of that between Halo's Master Chief and Cortana. Once the lurvey-durvey schtuff happens though, the relationship between Seth and Khoe gets sort of creepy.
On the plus side, the universe of Quantum Tangle is interesting and I might try other books in the series.
March 15, 2017
Eveyrbody knows that I love Nova, but I must say that this book was even better!!!!
A completly novel direction from Nova's books! And I enjoyed readin it very, very much!
Here we don't have Nova but Seth is more than enough! He's so easy, so nice, so fun, so sexy... *wink*
And what to say about Khoe? She's soooo endearing! I would love to have someone like Khoe !!!
The relationship is unusual, almost ghost-like, but much more real. The descriptions of actions and reactions between Seth and Khoe is at the same time real and not. It is masterfully done!
Here the action is not so much of who should win between the Shri-Lan and Commowealth, but about the correct thing to do. And Seth is right in the middle of the mess!
What was really wonderful is Seth's feelings and how he relates to Khoe and her presence. I was asking myself constantly how would I feel and what would I do if I were in Seth's place. And I enjoy immensly when a book manages to do that to me!
So, if you want a really interesting book with an unusual relationship and a SF with a twist, you must read Quantum Tangle, because the title says it all: quite a Tangle! *wink*
A completly novel direction from Nova's books! And I enjoyed readin it very, very much!
Here we don't have Nova but Seth is more than enough! He's so easy, so nice, so fun, so sexy... *wink*
And what to say about Khoe? She's soooo endearing! I would love to have someone like Khoe !!!
The relationship is unusual, almost ghost-like, but much more real. The descriptions of actions and reactions between Seth and Khoe is at the same time real and not. It is masterfully done!
Here the action is not so much of who should win between the Shri-Lan and Commowealth, but about the correct thing to do. And Seth is right in the middle of the mess!
What was really wonderful is Seth's feelings and how he relates to Khoe and her presence. I was asking myself constantly how would I feel and what would I do if I were in Seth's place. And I enjoy immensly when a book manages to do that to me!
So, if you want a really interesting book with an unusual relationship and a SF with a twist, you must read Quantum Tangle, because the title says it all: quite a Tangle! *wink*
April 12, 2022
My first book by this author... An ARC read... Thanks!
My first review of Quantum Tangle was scribbled out in a notebook, was three pages and incomplete. Starting again, there are so many nice things and not so good things to say.
I will say that it is a new favorite book, that I enjoyed it immensely, and would recommend it to a friend or two! :-P
My first review of Quantum Tangle was scribbled out in a notebook, was three pages and incomplete. Starting again, there are so many nice things and not so good things to say.
I will say that it is a new favorite book, that I enjoyed it immensely, and would recommend it to a friend or two! :-P
December 19, 2022
Boy meets a non-physical alien being who appears to him as a beautiful young girl.
This is a pretty well-written science fiction book with some solid world building. The plot is a bit confusing though, and the characters didn’t really grab me.
This is a pretty well-written science fiction book with some solid world building. The plot is a bit confusing though, and the characters didn’t really grab me.
January 12, 2016
Quantum Tangle might have been titled Quantum Tango, since the protagonist, Seth Kada, does a mental and emotional two-step with a being from another dimension who gets into his mind and gives him extraordinary abilities. Call her Khoe, and she's not like other girls. Along with action and adventure, this book explores the male and female aspects of consciousness, a reminder of other speculative fiction like The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. QT is a good read.
April 12, 2017
A very interesting concept, and written with plenty of action. Some of the writing seamed over simplified in all honesty though.
The whole idea of aliens living somewhere humans and other prime species can not even really comprehend is actually something that makes some sense. Just because we can not comprehend it or live there does not mean something else can not.
Khoe was a cute character and Seth was pretty cool.
I am goanna have to find more of these now.
The whole idea of aliens living somewhere humans and other prime species can not even really comprehend is actually something that makes some sense. Just because we can not comprehend it or live there does not mean something else can not.
Khoe was a cute character and Seth was pretty cool.
I am goanna have to find more of these now.
May 24, 2023
Stāsts ir par kādu būtni, kas ceļo pa kosmosu darot visādas lietas. Šī būtne noķer neparedzētu līdzbraucēju "hiperlēciena" laikā... Izrādās, ka līdzbraucējs ir apzinīga enerģija...
Nu kaut kā tā.
Pasen nebija "speis operas", kuras turpinājumu arī gribētos apskatīt.. Tad nu papētīsim, kas notiks tālāk.
Nu kaut kā tā.
Pasen nebija "speis operas", kuras turpinājumu arī gribētos apskatīt.. Tad nu papētīsim, kas notiks tālāk.
September 21, 2016
This is the first part of a trilogy that I picked up for free on Amazon and I'll definitely be picking up the second book.
Our MC Seth has jumped through sub-space and awakes in the wrong location. Most scientists believe sub-space to be devoid of anything, but Seth soon realizes he picked up a sort of hitch hiker and it's in his brain.
This entity takes the shape of a female that's appealing to Seth and tells him that there are others of her kind that have been picked up and she needs to find the one entity that binds them all, without it they will cease to be so Seth, being a good guy decides to help.
Along the way, Khoe, the entity in his head accidentally causes Seth to kill a military officer marking him as a wanted man, an act for which Khoe is really upset about. Another entity has taken over a pirate and it's exactly the opposite of Khoe and is bent on bringing all of its kind to real space and will kill anyone who gets in the way. Seth enlists the aid of a much smarter race who are also telepaths, to discuss Khoe and how he might employ his skill set to help track down the prime entity that Khoe seeks.
Although there are quite a few characters introduced it's handled in such a way that isn't overloading and delivers only what needs to be to tell the story while developing the main characters. It's well done and leaves you wanting to go on more adventures with them.
I have a couple of issues though. First, the dialog, while well written, sometimes uses no contractions where they should be which isn't how people talk. In those instances it comes across as stiff. The other issue I have (and I fully admit this is probably petty to many) is the fact that this is a science fiction book, emphasis on science and there is a place in the book while Seth is talking to these telepaths and Khoe shows herself to them. In her natural state she exists merely as particles and they ask her if, before occupying Seth's brain, she understood anything about race or gender to which she replies no. There are a number of different types of race of beings in this story so this is a valid question. She chose to present herself as a female, which is a sex. Sex and gender are not interchangeable words and they mean two entirely different things. One is scientific and one is not.
Our MC Seth has jumped through sub-space and awakes in the wrong location. Most scientists believe sub-space to be devoid of anything, but Seth soon realizes he picked up a sort of hitch hiker and it's in his brain.
This entity takes the shape of a female that's appealing to Seth and tells him that there are others of her kind that have been picked up and she needs to find the one entity that binds them all, without it they will cease to be so Seth, being a good guy decides to help.
Along the way, Khoe, the entity in his head accidentally causes Seth to kill a military officer marking him as a wanted man, an act for which Khoe is really upset about. Another entity has taken over a pirate and it's exactly the opposite of Khoe and is bent on bringing all of its kind to real space and will kill anyone who gets in the way. Seth enlists the aid of a much smarter race who are also telepaths, to discuss Khoe and how he might employ his skill set to help track down the prime entity that Khoe seeks.
Although there are quite a few characters introduced it's handled in such a way that isn't overloading and delivers only what needs to be to tell the story while developing the main characters. It's well done and leaves you wanting to go on more adventures with them.
I have a couple of issues though. First, the dialog, while well written, sometimes uses no contractions where they should be which isn't how people talk. In those instances it comes across as stiff. The other issue I have (and I fully admit this is probably petty to many) is the fact that this is a science fiction book, emphasis on science and there is a place in the book while Seth is talking to these telepaths and Khoe shows herself to them. In her natural state she exists merely as particles and they ask her if, before occupying Seth's brain, she understood anything about race or gender to which she replies no. There are a number of different types of race of beings in this story so this is a valid question. She chose to present herself as a female, which is a sex. Sex and gender are not interchangeable words and they mean two entirely different things. One is scientific and one is not.
July 13, 2015
Quantum Tangle
Author: Chris Reher
Publisher: Chris Reher
Date: 2014
Pgs: 235
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
Fly through subspace crossing unimaginable distances and when you awake you aren’t alone in your own skull. A subspace being has hitched a ride and is now attached to you. And they redirected your ship. You aren’t where you’re supposed to be. They need help. She needs help. You’ve been nominated. Her people are being abducted. Now you’re harboring a subspace alien in rebel-controlled territory while being pursued by both the rebels and the Commonwealth’s Air Command.
Genre:
Adventure
Fiction
Science fiction
Space opera
Why this book:
Space. Militaria. Reminds me of Farscape and SG1 with a little Body Snatchers thrown in.
______________________________________________________________________________
Favorite Character:
Sethran Kada and Khoe are both good characters. Though considering their experiences, the trap they walk into in the lead up to the climax is a bit on-the-nose.
Least Favorite Character:
The bad Dyad is a cookie cutter bad guy.
Favorite Scene:
The battle on Bellene.
Pacing:
The pace is alright.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
The aforementioned pre-climax trap that Sethran and Khoe walk into doesn’t ring true to the characters. Seemed like something they should have been expecting.
______________________________________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
I was worried that I was going to be disappointed following the OOC moment but the author gathered it up and delivered a good finish.
Author Assessment:
I would give other stories by the author a case-by-case look.
Editorial Assessment:
Well edited.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
it’s alright
Disposition of Book:
e-Book
Would recommend to:
genre fans
______________________________________________________________________________
Author: Chris Reher
Publisher: Chris Reher
Date: 2014
Pgs: 235
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
Fly through subspace crossing unimaginable distances and when you awake you aren’t alone in your own skull. A subspace being has hitched a ride and is now attached to you. And they redirected your ship. You aren’t where you’re supposed to be. They need help. She needs help. You’ve been nominated. Her people are being abducted. Now you’re harboring a subspace alien in rebel-controlled territory while being pursued by both the rebels and the Commonwealth’s Air Command.
Genre:
Adventure
Fiction
Science fiction
Space opera
Why this book:
Space. Militaria. Reminds me of Farscape and SG1 with a little Body Snatchers thrown in.
______________________________________________________________________________
Favorite Character:
Sethran Kada and Khoe are both good characters. Though considering their experiences, the trap they walk into in the lead up to the climax is a bit on-the-nose.
Least Favorite Character:
The bad Dyad is a cookie cutter bad guy.
Favorite Scene:
The battle on Bellene.
Pacing:
The pace is alright.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
The aforementioned pre-climax trap that Sethran and Khoe walk into doesn’t ring true to the characters. Seemed like something they should have been expecting.
______________________________________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
I was worried that I was going to be disappointed following the OOC moment but the author gathered it up and delivered a good finish.
Author Assessment:
I would give other stories by the author a case-by-case look.
Editorial Assessment:
Well edited.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
it’s alright
Disposition of Book:
e-Book
Would recommend to:
genre fans
______________________________________________________________________________
November 15, 2015
Just not my cup of tea. I received the Kindle version for free, and obtained it because the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads were pretty good. I completed the book, but it was a bit of a chore. Unfortunately, I did not find the writing or editing to be good. The character development and story line did not make sense to me. The dialog seemed more suited to comic book super hero-type stories. The love story was so far-fetched as to be funny. Too much of the book did't meet the common sense test.
This work is classified as space opera science fiction. Maybe that's a part of my issue. Its really not so much science fiction as a western shoot-em-up and boy meets girl story set in space. To me, good sci-fi must have some logical underpinnings, even if its far-fetched. This book made no attempt at setting those underpinnings.
The main character, Seth, makes contact with a non-physical being who essentially occupies part of his mind. The being takes the form of a beautiful young woman (sort of a hologram) and a romance begins. At the same time, these non-physical beings begin showing up connected to other beings and they have some powers that make them disable to unsavory characters. The story evolves into a race to understand and protect the beings from the bad guys. Somewhat confusing, I know. Finally, I had a hard time figuring how the title actually connected to the story.
But at this point, my opinion of the book is distinctly in the minority, so if space opera appeals to you, you may want to give the book a try, especially at the price.
This work is classified as space opera science fiction. Maybe that's a part of my issue. Its really not so much science fiction as a western shoot-em-up and boy meets girl story set in space. To me, good sci-fi must have some logical underpinnings, even if its far-fetched. This book made no attempt at setting those underpinnings.
The main character, Seth, makes contact with a non-physical being who essentially occupies part of his mind. The being takes the form of a beautiful young woman (sort of a hologram) and a romance begins. At the same time, these non-physical beings begin showing up connected to other beings and they have some powers that make them disable to unsavory characters. The story evolves into a race to understand and protect the beings from the bad guys. Somewhat confusing, I know. Finally, I had a hard time figuring how the title actually connected to the story.
But at this point, my opinion of the book is distinctly in the minority, so if space opera appeals to you, you may want to give the book a try, especially at the price.
January 26, 2019
Dnf 19%.
Not my cup of tea. Others might like it.
Not my cup of tea. Others might like it.
April 9, 2021
Listened to an Audible version of this book. Really enjoyable. The romance aspect was a bit overdone. Looking forward to the next book.
June 23, 2018
Whilst this is reasonably engaging, it is also unbelievably confusing and I found it a huge challenge to keep track of what was going on and why. Perhaps this is because I haven't read any others in the series and found characters and world building undeveloped, but this is billed as a standalone novel and so that isn't really my issue.
Either way, an interesting premise and engaging writing style that could be improved by further explorations of what the hell is actually going on...
Either way, an interesting premise and engaging writing style that could be improved by further explorations of what the hell is actually going on...
January 17, 2019
It's all yer head
A very welcome sci -fi novel, well written, fun, wild, unusual and enjoyable. A new author to me, I'll need to read some of their other works, as I really liked this one.
A very welcome sci -fi novel, well written, fun, wild, unusual and enjoyable. A new author to me, I'll need to read some of their other works, as I really liked this one.
March 20, 2019
Action packed from the beginning till the end.
April 5, 2017
It's the distant future, and a star-spanning civilization, populated by multiple human-descended species, known as "Prime" species, as well as a number of genuinely alien intelligent species.
Centauri pilot Sethran Kada unexpectedly drops out of subspace into the wrong sector of space, and quickly discovers he has an unexpected stowaway. The stowaway is a being from subspace, a member of a newly evolving species native to subspace, and has stowed away in his brain. searching through his data files, the being constructs an appearance and a personality, and decides she's female and names herself Khoe.
She wants his help stopping the kidnapping of her people into realspace, and especially his help in recovering the being she calls the Alpha--an individual vital to her species' continued existence.
They are both in for a wild ride.
I like the characters. I like the action. I like the gritty, lived-in feel of the universe. The story is a lot of fun.
But it's only fair to make clear that while one major plotline is resolved, this book definitely ends on a cliffhanger. Subsequent volumes are available, but be aware that you'll be wanting them.
There are also some oddities in terminology which seem hard to account for. Spaceships are often referred to as "planes," and the military is called the Air Command. This just doesn't fit. If you are very sensitive to that kind of inconsistency grates for you, be aware before you start reading.
All in all, though, enjoyable reading.
I believe I received this book for free. I'm reviewing it voluntarily.
Centauri pilot Sethran Kada unexpectedly drops out of subspace into the wrong sector of space, and quickly discovers he has an unexpected stowaway. The stowaway is a being from subspace, a member of a newly evolving species native to subspace, and has stowed away in his brain. searching through his data files, the being constructs an appearance and a personality, and decides she's female and names herself Khoe.
She wants his help stopping the kidnapping of her people into realspace, and especially his help in recovering the being she calls the Alpha--an individual vital to her species' continued existence.
They are both in for a wild ride.
I like the characters. I like the action. I like the gritty, lived-in feel of the universe. The story is a lot of fun.
But it's only fair to make clear that while one major plotline is resolved, this book definitely ends on a cliffhanger. Subsequent volumes are available, but be aware that you'll be wanting them.
There are also some oddities in terminology which seem hard to account for. Spaceships are often referred to as "planes," and the military is called the Air Command. This just doesn't fit. If you are very sensitive to that kind of inconsistency grates for you, be aware before you start reading.
All in all, though, enjoyable reading.
I believe I received this book for free. I'm reviewing it voluntarily.
October 25, 2015
Enjoyable mashup of space opera, first contact science fiction and a sort-of romance. Well-conceived and well-told. Even though starting a new series of books in her existing universe of stories, Reher made Tangle a discrete whole with a sufficient and satisfying conclusion. (That in itself is not a given.)
Skipping, jumping, hopping through subspace has been a standard SF short cut—literally as well as literary—for decades. Reher explores the “what if” of subspace being inhabited. What might they be like? How might we encounter them? How might it impact our universe to interact with a being who exists mostly as a quantum soul (my word, not Reher’s)? (How does it happen to appear as the beauty on the cover?)
The backstory is standard space opera with a galactic union (empire, commonwealth, whatever), rebels, pirates and all the usual suspects. This universe is inhabited by a variety of species, some of which group around a common “prime” pattern. Despite that, the technology seems late twenty-first century. Reher develops her variations on the themes in a satisfactory manner.
More important to me: Reher tends to get her science right. If you read or watch much science fiction, you’ll know that most authors and screen writers flunked high school physics. Not Chris Reher. Her stuff is right, even if weird. And isn’t that why we read science fiction?
A fun read.
Skipping, jumping, hopping through subspace has been a standard SF short cut—literally as well as literary—for decades. Reher explores the “what if” of subspace being inhabited. What might they be like? How might we encounter them? How might it impact our universe to interact with a being who exists mostly as a quantum soul (my word, not Reher’s)? (How does it happen to appear as the beauty on the cover?)
The backstory is standard space opera with a galactic union (empire, commonwealth, whatever), rebels, pirates and all the usual suspects. This universe is inhabited by a variety of species, some of which group around a common “prime” pattern. Despite that, the technology seems late twenty-first century. Reher develops her variations on the themes in a satisfactory manner.
More important to me: Reher tends to get her science right. If you read or watch much science fiction, you’ll know that most authors and screen writers flunked high school physics. Not Chris Reher. Her stuff is right, even if weird. And isn’t that why we read science fiction?
A fun read.
October 22, 2016
I'll say from the start that I'll disagree with myself later over this rating, as it should most probably be three stars. Can't bring myself to take away that fourth one at the moment though, mainly due to the concept of subspace energy entities pulled into real space and the way it was handled, and even more so the way the bond and the relationship between Seth and Khoe were handled. Some mental gymnastics may be required to grasp what that actually is and how it'd actually work, but makes perfect sense once you do. And bonus points for making it so that having one such entity tangle with a person with the right skills and contacts can reasonably be accepted as a plausible outcome of random chance.
The action and the setting may otherwise be considered rather typical for the genre, though the universe does hint at a reasonably promising complexity, which I hope is better explored in the other books that share it, as it'd be a pity if all would follow this one's pattern and focus almost exclusively on what's relevant to the matter at hand. Not that there's that much to really complain about when it comes to the action, but in itself, if you ignore these beings and the bond between Seth and Khoe, it definitely follows expected patterns and is also too rushed for my liking.
The action and the setting may otherwise be considered rather typical for the genre, though the universe does hint at a reasonably promising complexity, which I hope is better explored in the other books that share it, as it'd be a pity if all would follow this one's pattern and focus almost exclusively on what's relevant to the matter at hand. Not that there's that much to really complain about when it comes to the action, but in itself, if you ignore these beings and the bond between Seth and Khoe, it definitely follows expected patterns and is also too rushed for my liking.
May 18, 2017
Sethran Kada has a rather unusual problem: His last journey through sub-space gained him a strange alien entity stuck in his head. This visitor, who adopts the name Khoe, belongs to a heretofore unknown species inhabiting sub-space, and she needs Seth's help. Some of her people, including the most important one of all, have been abducted, and Khoe implores Seth to help her get them back. Of course, he doesn't have any idea of just how much danger and trouble he's getting himself into when he reluctantly agrees...
I've read one previous book by this author, The Catalyst, in which Seth also played a role, and while I enjoyed that one, on the whole I liked Quantum Tangle a lot more. Fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi fun with intriguing characters. The evolving relationship between Seth and Khoe was fascinating and the story made for great entertainment.
I've read one previous book by this author, The Catalyst, in which Seth also played a role, and while I enjoyed that one, on the whole I liked Quantum Tangle a lot more. Fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi fun with intriguing characters. The evolving relationship between Seth and Khoe was fascinating and the story made for great entertainment.
June 26, 2015
Best First Contact story I have ever read.
This is a stand-alone, but related to other books in the same universe.
From The Twilight Zone. "Imagine if you will coming into contact with a being that fulfills you completely. What would you do if you were forcibly seperated?"
The pain is excrutiating, but unlike any pain you've felt before. Like the hole a lost tooth makes, your tongue keeps looking for the tooth. The pain grows less, but the emptiness stays. The pain is like the best, hopefully forever, relationship you ever had, cruelly and irrevocably ripped apart. How would you live, how would you survive?
This is a fast paced science fiction novel with with the very interesting concept of creating a new race - Dyads.
This is a stand-alone, but related to other books in the same universe.
From The Twilight Zone. "Imagine if you will coming into contact with a being that fulfills you completely. What would you do if you were forcibly seperated?"
The pain is excrutiating, but unlike any pain you've felt before. Like the hole a lost tooth makes, your tongue keeps looking for the tooth. The pain grows less, but the emptiness stays. The pain is like the best, hopefully forever, relationship you ever had, cruelly and irrevocably ripped apart. How would you live, how would you survive?
This is a fast paced science fiction novel with with the very interesting concept of creating a new race - Dyads.
April 11, 2015
Amazon Freebie. I enjoyed this book. The idea is that of some kind of quantum energy being who hitches a ride with a guy and becomes its own (female) entity within his mind. Only he can see, hear, and touch her. She's really good at breaking into computer systems and together they try to save her people from pirates. Fun and clever sci-fi.
April 17, 2016
An interesting concept of species coalescence from deep in subspace and how they might take over peoples minds. unfortunately I found the pver all concept good but the development somewhat week. might try other books in the series to see if they get better.
October 3, 2016
Great book, heartfelt ending
This was the first book by Chris I've read and I wasn't able to put it down. Great plot, fast action and a story that will stick with you.
This was the first book by Chris I've read and I wasn't able to put it down. Great plot, fast action and a story that will stick with you.
January 5, 2017
It was one of those books I got in a free reads giveaway and I enjoyed it. It's a very different sort of SF and I'd be interested in seeing more in this universe.
November 10, 2018
( Format : audiobook )
"I'm starting to think people don't trust me."
Sethran is a loner: spy, agent, assassin? Perhaps all three. His home is the little ship, Dutchman. And he's well connected - his boss is one of the ten Commonwealth leaders. Waking from a subspace jump he finds he is somewhere other than where he expected to be, every instrument on his ship flashing warnings. And a voice in his head telling him to sleep. No way he was going to do that, except he does, for the next five hours.
Everybody knows that there is nothing in subspace, except a voice in his head tells him he is wrong, a real voice, not his own, one of a non organic sentient species which had found him 'in between' when he went by. The creature rapidly learns languages and takes on a form visible to Sethran which only he can see, a disconcertingly beautiful woman who decides to call herself Koe, and she asks Sethran for held: others of her kind had been abducted, including the one who binds them all together, without whom their race would end. She's in his head - what else can Seth do but agree?
So begins a race around the galaxy which will uncover power plots, put Seth into frequent danger and the associated frequent fights, and a strange romance with that someone in his head.
The story is action filled after the initial section, the first contact with the entity. The world which they inhabit is only lightly drawn but the characters are interesting, from pirates to telepaths and, of course, those sub space brings themselves. Will Damron, the narrator, brings it all alive with multiple voices for the various protagonists whilst, in between, the text is read clearly, with good intonation and a warmly pleasant to hear voice. A nice performance.
Not having read any other of Chris Reher's books set in this universe, there were times this reader felt some confusion, but it was only slight. Overall, the storyline was g9od, the concept intriguing (if a little worrying) and the two main protagonists well drawn and empathetic. I will certainly be looking out for further books in this series - this particular volume is a stand alone but with an ending which encourages the reader to read on - and I can happily recommended it to any science fiction fan.
"I'm starting to think people don't trust me."
Sethran is a loner: spy, agent, assassin? Perhaps all three. His home is the little ship, Dutchman. And he's well connected - his boss is one of the ten Commonwealth leaders. Waking from a subspace jump he finds he is somewhere other than where he expected to be, every instrument on his ship flashing warnings. And a voice in his head telling him to sleep. No way he was going to do that, except he does, for the next five hours.
Everybody knows that there is nothing in subspace, except a voice in his head tells him he is wrong, a real voice, not his own, one of a non organic sentient species which had found him 'in between' when he went by. The creature rapidly learns languages and takes on a form visible to Sethran which only he can see, a disconcertingly beautiful woman who decides to call herself Koe, and she asks Sethran for held: others of her kind had been abducted, including the one who binds them all together, without whom their race would end. She's in his head - what else can Seth do but agree?
So begins a race around the galaxy which will uncover power plots, put Seth into frequent danger and the associated frequent fights, and a strange romance with that someone in his head.
The story is action filled after the initial section, the first contact with the entity. The world which they inhabit is only lightly drawn but the characters are interesting, from pirates to telepaths and, of course, those sub space brings themselves. Will Damron, the narrator, brings it all alive with multiple voices for the various protagonists whilst, in between, the text is read clearly, with good intonation and a warmly pleasant to hear voice. A nice performance.
Not having read any other of Chris Reher's books set in this universe, there were times this reader felt some confusion, but it was only slight. Overall, the storyline was g9od, the concept intriguing (if a little worrying) and the two main protagonists well drawn and empathetic. I will certainly be looking out for further books in this series - this particular volume is a stand alone but with an ending which encourages the reader to read on - and I can happily recommended it to any science fiction fan.
January 23, 2021
It took me a few months to finish this book, but that’s not against the story itself. I just have no energy lately to really do anything.
On with the review, I’m usually not that into sci-fi, I can’t get invested in the story really. It’s mostly over explained to build up the worlds and the terms, so the story ends up suffering when it needs to just focus on the story and explain when it’s warranted. Which is what this author did.
It hooked me in to the story in the first chapter, which sci-fi stories rarely do for me. This was a pretty good read that had a lot of action, mystery and even a little bit of romance. Now, I will admit, the blurb threw me a little because it does sound like it should be classified as a romance, but the story has only little tidbits of it, kind of…giving the story a little boost instead of holding it up all together.
Now, a thing that I didn’t like was that the villain of the story hardly got any screen time, I tended to forget about him and that part of the plot more often than not. Enough so, that when it got to the confrontation of the main character and the villain…I didn’t even really know it was the villain Sethran was going up against. It was anti-climatic.
That’s the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. I think the story could have been better had there either been no set villain or had spent more time on that set villain. I feel like, even if it hadn’t taken me a few months to get through the story, I would feel the same because the villain has no…power behind him. There’s no sense of urgency with him while there is with other things.
All-in-all, I would recommend this to fellow readers, especially those who are like me and aren’t that big into sci-fi.
Thank you for reading my review.
On with the review, I’m usually not that into sci-fi, I can’t get invested in the story really. It’s mostly over explained to build up the worlds and the terms, so the story ends up suffering when it needs to just focus on the story and explain when it’s warranted. Which is what this author did.
It hooked me in to the story in the first chapter, which sci-fi stories rarely do for me. This was a pretty good read that had a lot of action, mystery and even a little bit of romance. Now, I will admit, the blurb threw me a little because it does sound like it should be classified as a romance, but the story has only little tidbits of it, kind of…giving the story a little boost instead of holding it up all together.
Now, a thing that I didn’t like was that the villain of the story hardly got any screen time, I tended to forget about him and that part of the plot more often than not. Enough so, that when it got to the confrontation of the main character and the villain…I didn’t even really know it was the villain Sethran was going up against. It was anti-climatic.
That’s the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. I think the story could have been better had there either been no set villain or had spent more time on that set villain. I feel like, even if it hadn’t taken me a few months to get through the story, I would feel the same because the villain has no…power behind him. There’s no sense of urgency with him while there is with other things.
All-in-all, I would recommend this to fellow readers, especially those who are like me and aren’t that big into sci-fi.
Thank you for reading my review.
February 4, 2020
This is a good, straightforward space opera, somewhere between Star Wars and Star Trek. The protagonist is a Han Solo shady lone smuggler type with a heart of gold, running from bazaar to campfire on various barbaric planets around the galaxy, assisted by loads of friends who are humanoid apart for a few details. None of the gizmos need any explanation or any scientific basis, they’re all well wielded plot devices.
The story concerns a new kind of discorporate alien the protagonist fortuitously picked up on a sub-space run, who needs to find another of her kind (yes, her, despite being discorporate) before either the bad-guy authorities or the bad-guy rebels find her quarry and turn it into a weapon, and before a bad-guy fellow discorporate alien on the same quest decides to take over the universe. Cue a breathless chase with lots of twists and turns.
The supposedly truly alien alien doesn’t take long to become very comfortable inside the protagonist’s head, and to decide to become visible to him as an imaginary girlfriend. They very rapidly fall in love, which is fun and cute and all, but I would have expected the alien from another dimension to take a little while longer comprehending this universe and being ... well, *alien* in its behaviour, let alone developing a sassy attitude and an even sexier dress sense from the records on the protagonist’s ship. But hey, this is space opera, not hard sci-fi, and fun is the name of the game.
And fun it is. This novel is a good easy read if not enthralling. I’ll gladly read the sequels if I come across them.
The story concerns a new kind of discorporate alien the protagonist fortuitously picked up on a sub-space run, who needs to find another of her kind (yes, her, despite being discorporate) before either the bad-guy authorities or the bad-guy rebels find her quarry and turn it into a weapon, and before a bad-guy fellow discorporate alien on the same quest decides to take over the universe. Cue a breathless chase with lots of twists and turns.
The supposedly truly alien alien doesn’t take long to become very comfortable inside the protagonist’s head, and to decide to become visible to him as an imaginary girlfriend. They very rapidly fall in love, which is fun and cute and all, but I would have expected the alien from another dimension to take a little while longer comprehending this universe and being ... well, *alien* in its behaviour, let alone developing a sassy attitude and an even sexier dress sense from the records on the protagonist’s ship. But hey, this is space opera, not hard sci-fi, and fun is the name of the game.
And fun it is. This novel is a good easy read if not enthralling. I’ll gladly read the sequels if I come across them.
August 10, 2019
Strong characters and aliens that look almost human. Sometimes difficult to follow the story.
Even a short relationship with a alien inside his head. Some unique elements in the story.
Chris Reher start met Quantum Tangle met een trilogie over Sethran Kada.
Cover
Door het bekijken van de cover weet je direct dat je te maken hebt met een verhaal die zich in de ruimte zal afspelen.
Verhaal
Het verhaal speelt zich deels af in een ruimteschip en deels op verschillende basissen of planeten. Er is het samenspel tussen de ‘menselijke’ personages en de ‘aliens’. Deze aliens gebruiken de anderen als gastheer om te overleven. Hier en daar word het soms moeilijk om het verhaal te volgen maar na een kort stuk te herlezen is dit opgelost.
Personages
De personages groeien in strak tempo qua karakters. Zelfs de aliens zijn enorm menselijk qua gedachten en gevoelens. Het samenspel tussen beide partijen is mooi uitgewerkt. Ook gevoelens en lusten tussen beide groepen worden uitgespeeld.
Slot
Het slot was soms moeilijk te volgen omdat de actie zo intens en vlug na elkaar kwam. In het slot moet omgegaan worden met verlies maar de epiloog zet de deur op een kiertje voor het tweede boek in de Sethran Kada reeks.
Conclusie
Een sf verhaal met unieke uitwerkingen en sterke personages.
Even a short relationship with a alien inside his head. Some unique elements in the story.
Chris Reher start met Quantum Tangle met een trilogie over Sethran Kada.
Cover
Door het bekijken van de cover weet je direct dat je te maken hebt met een verhaal die zich in de ruimte zal afspelen.
Verhaal
Het verhaal speelt zich deels af in een ruimteschip en deels op verschillende basissen of planeten. Er is het samenspel tussen de ‘menselijke’ personages en de ‘aliens’. Deze aliens gebruiken de anderen als gastheer om te overleven. Hier en daar word het soms moeilijk om het verhaal te volgen maar na een kort stuk te herlezen is dit opgelost.
Personages
De personages groeien in strak tempo qua karakters. Zelfs de aliens zijn enorm menselijk qua gedachten en gevoelens. Het samenspel tussen beide partijen is mooi uitgewerkt. Ook gevoelens en lusten tussen beide groepen worden uitgespeeld.
Slot
Het slot was soms moeilijk te volgen omdat de actie zo intens en vlug na elkaar kwam. In het slot moet omgegaan worden met verlies maar de epiloog zet de deur op een kiertje voor het tweede boek in de Sethran Kada reeks.
Conclusie
Een sf verhaal met unieke uitwerkingen en sterke personages.
May 19, 2023
I liked this book. I especially like Kada and Khoe, even though she lived in his head. I didn't like that there wasn't enough of a description of Kada to suit me, except the mention of his violet eyes and black hair. That surprises me, too. Usually women authors are famous for taking up pages and pages of describing people. But not Chris Reher. She didn't seem to care if you knew what her characters looked like.
It was a good story line about aliens taken from outer space and trying to be used as weapons, all the while Kada and Khoe tried to find her "people" and get them back to their own world.
I did buy the second audible, only because audible gave me a $10.00 credit, BUT I will NOT move forward with this series. I can't see myself ever spending my money or credits on a book that only has less than 250 pages, and the second book has only 200 pages. That's a waste of my money and credits, and the books are from 2014, 2015 and 2016.
There was fade-to-black sex and there was no swearing to speak of.
As for the narration: Will Damron did a fantastic job on all the different voices and emotions. I especially liked Kada's voice.
It was a good story line about aliens taken from outer space and trying to be used as weapons, all the while Kada and Khoe tried to find her "people" and get them back to their own world.
I did buy the second audible, only because audible gave me a $10.00 credit, BUT I will NOT move forward with this series. I can't see myself ever spending my money or credits on a book that only has less than 250 pages, and the second book has only 200 pages. That's a waste of my money and credits, and the books are from 2014, 2015 and 2016.
There was fade-to-black sex and there was no swearing to speak of.
As for the narration: Will Damron did a fantastic job on all the different voices and emotions. I especially liked Kada's voice.
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