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Gate Ghosts #1

Axis Crossing: Gate Ghosts, Book 1

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The descendants of a fourth Earth colony ship, Destiny, successfully establish a foothold in unoccupied space. Naiad, the home world, is a frozen ball, but the colonists persevere and expand through wormholes to remote systems.

Navigating the time-space anomalies requires Axis-ships. The expensive vessels are constructed by corporations, and remote worlds are claimed by the companies for their valuable ores and gases.

The corporations and Naiads are at odds with each other, and their lives are made more complicated by the arrival of strangers in an alien ship.

To understand the nature of the unusual vessel coasting toward Beta Two, the director of operations orders the kidnapping of specialists from other mining worlds. Entire families are scooped up, but two siblings, Escher and Allie, evade capture.

Hiding deep below the domes’ surfaces, the siblings are befriended by the orphans of miners. The young mickies don’t possess identification chips or cids, which would identify them as citizens.

The gang of mickies and the siblings strike a deal to help each other. Each group is determined to reach Naiad. The mickies seek citizen status and freedom, and Escher and Allie want help rescuing their parents.

The beleaguered group’s hastily derived plans bury them in criminal complications. When all appears lost, a second alien vessel exits the dark. The hull is similar to the ship at Beta Two, and these strangers seek their enemies.

Audible Audio

First published July 14, 2021

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About the author

S.H. Jucha

45 books472 followers
From my early years to the present, books have been a refuge. They’ve fueled my imagination. I’ve traveled to faraway places and met aliens with Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke, Herbert, and Le Guin. I’ve explored historical events with Michener and Clavell, and I played spy with Ludlum and Fleming.

There’s no doubt that the early sci-fi masters influenced the writing of my first two series, The Silver Ships and Pyreans. I crafted my stories to give readers intimate views of my characters, who wrestle with the challenges of living in space and inhabiting alien worlds.

Life is rarely easy for these characters, who encounter aliens and calamities, but they persist and flourish. I revel in examining humankind’s will to survive. Not everyone plays fair or exhibits concern for other beings, but that’s another aspect of humans and aliens that I investigate.

My stories offer hope for humans today about what they might accomplish tomorrow far from our home world. Throughout my books, humans exhibit a will to persevere, without detriment to the vast majority of others.

Readers have been generous with their comments, which they’ve left on Amazon and Goodreads for others to review. I truly enjoy what I do, and I’m pleased to read how my stories have positively affected many readers’ lives.

If you’ve read my books, please consider posting a review on Amazon and Goodreads for every book, even a short one. Reviews attract other readers and are a great help to indie authors, such as me.

The Silver Ships novels have reached Amazon’s coveted #1 and #2 Best-Selling Sci-Fi book, multiple times, in the science fiction categories of first contact, space opera, and alien invasion.

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5 stars
490 (58%)
4 stars
241 (28%)
3 stars
81 (9%)
2 stars
23 (2%)
1 star
7 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Jean.
1,818 reviews807 followers
January 19, 2023
I am a big fan of the Silver Ship Series and of S. H. Jucha. I have been fascinated with the SADA’s. I am happy to see a series about the SADA’s far into the future from the days of Alex and Renee. Glad to learn that Julian is the leader of the SADA’s. As this is book one of the new series, I am allowing lee-way to introduce and develop characters and to slowly set the stage for future stories. Looking forward to book two.

I read this as an audio book downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours and six minutes. Nicole Poole does a good job narrating the book.
88 reviews2 followers
July 17, 2021
Bravo!! Well done Mr. Jucha, very well done indeed.

Its always difficult to start a new series after feeling so strongly about the previous one, especially when the previous was as entrancing and compelling as The Silver Ships was. I'm very happy to say that Axis Crossing met every expectation and quickly grabbed me and held my attention throughout. Mr Jucha h paints a vivid and compelling story from start to finish with a efficiency and ease that one sincerely wishes more authors were capable of. With Axis Crossing, we have a rich new tapestry of both grit and grandeur along with characters that the reader can quickly identify with who face struggles which we can identify with at an emotional level. Even before the entrance of old friends, Axis Crossing was a story I was fully invested in almost from the go. As i hadn't read the description and had no idea that Axis Crossing was.in the Silver Ships universe it was a pleasant surprise to see some of our old friends and some of the previously hanging threads from Silver Ships taken up.

S. H. Jucha has a gift for narrative and his stories are perfectly paced. Never dragging, never rushed, and told with an economy of words Axis Crossing is a joy to read that leaves you eagerly anticipating the next installment. Bravo!! Well done Mr. Jucha, very well done indeed.
983 reviews4 followers
May 7, 2023
Too much coincidence to make a compelling story.
168 reviews1 follower
August 18, 2021
Bad Sisters!!!

Wow! Miramal has been a bad sister to the Sades and biologicals. Centuries have passed since the Sisters were made. The Sades have discovered that some of the sisters dominated a biological race and made them flee that world. Miramal and two other sisters target a new planet to conquer. We meet Escher, Allie and Ceda their clone slave. Escher’s parents have been kidnapped and the trio was able to evade the same fate. Cloning is outlawed but big corporations have been able to make them and sell them to mining worlds. The story unfolds with two story lines, the Sisters attempt to dominate another world and the injustice of cloning. Can’t wait for the next book .
Profile Image for Craig Dean.
543 reviews3 followers
April 22, 2022
I've always felt uneasy reading Jucha's work, and it's been hard to put my finger on why. Returning to the "Silver Ships" (and this new series is a return), after some time has provided fresh insight.

Jucha paints a YA utopia of benevolent superior beings in undiluted admiration as they correct the universe's ills. On the surface, he challenges misogyny, racism, and xenophobia, and promotes democracy, justice and equality. Yet, he does so in a completely unconvincing way. For example, as he promotes democracy he praises dictatorship (albeit 'benevolent'), as he promotes equality he embraces feminine stereotypes, as he scoffs at xenophobia he promotes human superiority. His characters are unconvincing, being all too polarised and one dimensional. The result is disquieting, and I'm not convinced it's intentional, instead it feels inadvertent and subconscious.

The resulting stories are dangerously enticing but feel worryingly subversive. It's like being mansplained too (the irony being my own maleness). His tomes would make interesting discussions for a book club.
Profile Image for Tony Hisgett.
3,016 reviews36 followers
July 25, 2021
The author has set this series in the same universe as the ’Silver Ships’, I was a bit apprehensive how well this would turn out, but all was well.
The action begins on a degenerate corporate world were human clones are kept as slaves. The initial story follows a brother, sister and a female clone trying to escape from corporate thugs, but soon expands into a much wider story as several characters from the ’Silver Ships’ make an appearance. Overall it was an enjoyable read, although towards the end of the book I wasn’t convinced some of the actions actually made sense.

If possible I would have given 3.5 stars and I am looking forward to many more in the series.
4 reviews
July 21, 2021
Elated Surprise

I was feeling depressed that the wonderful Silver Ships series was at an end. I reluctantly began Axis Crossing knowing it would be a disappointment. I was surprised and elated with the content and old favorite characters reintroduced. Axis Crossing is very enjoyable, couldn’t put it down. Wonderful.
Profile Image for Andrew Campbell.
2 reviews1 follower
March 20, 2022
Enjoy the new and Trust the Author

I bought this book and then held off reading it. I enjoyed the Silver Ships series so much that something new worried me. Would I enjoy the new series as much? As I got further into the book though I told myself I should have trusted the author.

Is it as good as the Silver Ships? Yes and no.

Being a new series we have to meet the new. As I read I started to “attach” to the new. As the author got to about half way into the book he introduced some of the old from the Silver Ships series. That grounded the new a bit for those of us coming from the Silver Ships series. As I finished this book I am still torn. Many of us spent years getting comfortable with Alex, Julian, and Renee and the entire family of Silver Ships characters including our favorite SADEs. I will miss the old characters assuming the author doesn’t go back at some point to the original series. What about the new family? I enjoyed meeting the new characters and seeing some of the old return. My hope is that this new family will become as loved as the old. Time will tell but the style, intent, and flair is the same from the author. This book reads very similarly to the Silver Ships series and so I will trust Scott as he shows us more of the new and hope for a bright new series to go along with the old Silver Ships series. Time will tell but I am willing to trust by buying the next two books now and seeing what comes as the series moves forward.
Profile Image for Ed Tinkertoy.
281 reviews4 followers
September 21, 2021
Loved this book!!!! If you every read the Silver Ships series and liked it you will like this first installment of the Gate Ghosts. Its basically a story of what happened to the SADE's who left the Omnians after they banded together as "militarists", SADE's who separated themselves from the others of the "Sisters" band. This book describes some of what that separate band of SADE's did and plan to do.

This is a story basically about good SADE's vs bad SADE's, with other problems mixed in. I am not sure whether the whole series will be about the conquer of the bad SADE's or about what to do with all of the clones. Clones are basically humans who are created to be slaves and are sold to the population. The next book will likely tell the direction of the story and it may just have duel story lines.

Cannot wait for the next book!!!
Profile Image for Emz.
647 reviews
April 16, 2023
I think I might be at a loss here, reading the reviews of this book, many refer to the previous series. Unfortunately, this is the first book I've read by this author, so obviously I have no reference for these characters.

As regards the story, I thought it was adequate, the premise was interesting and, in some parts, intriguing. To have factions of sentient AIs in such conflicting paradigms was an interesting concept. Especially the way they manipulated the humans by ingratiating themselves. Rather than overwhelming them through force. A very discerning and intelligent strategy.

The characters I felt were well-rounded, and their personalities, motivations and experiences were relatable. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Ralph.
258 reviews1 follower
December 3, 2022
In a first contact situation, human mining colonies are visited by a sentient artificial species who disrupt the status quo. This is good for some and bad for others as the two species become acquainted.
Great story but the writing is a bit cumbersome and simplistic at times. For those reasons, I give this book 3 1/2 stars I do enjoy reading about first contact situations where the aliens are not all ass**les bent on invading and destroying the human race. Well, most of the aliens, anyway. This story is obviously the first of a new series by Jucha. I'm not sure how many sequels the author intends to write but I intend to follow the adventure when the new book(s) come out.
Profile Image for Keith.
2,157 reviews6 followers
February 24, 2022
Interesting and Just OK

The beginning strives to set the tone for this series and while it was sufficient for me to read to the end, I arrived there still waiting for something to happen. There were some action scenes, some conflict and chase scenes, but nothing I couldn’t put down and a couple that seemed out of place. The motivations for the protagonists and antagonists should be diametrically opposed but their actions are too similar and the final results are left in doubt. In the end there was no desire to continue the series.
Profile Image for Tony Hinde.
2,167 reviews79 followers
January 14, 2023
DNF 25%

I was on board for the young siblings' escape from a corporate dystopia, but when it pivoted to a poor first-contact tale... I struggled. And then the "stupid" started in earnest. Did you know seamless mechanical joins are proof of high-level alien technology? Or that artificial gravity is not? What about prose that tries so hard to be smart that it strays into malapropisms like "the aliens will sublimate us."

Look, it's not terrible but there are books I'd rather be reading.
Profile Image for Roger Ball.
73 reviews3 followers
July 25, 2021
The saga ( and enjoyment ) continues

When any reader commits to an author and the imaginative worlds he creates, you know there must be a good reason. Good characters, good writing, and a wonderful imagination come together for hours of enjoyable reading. Jucha has continually supplied all these in spades. This new series looks to follow in that same vein and optimistic voyage. Loved the book and so look forward to more in this series.
568 reviews10 followers
October 8, 2021
About a third of the way into this book, it dawned on me--the strange construction of the the intruding space ship could be traced back to the Swei Swee. Later, the appearance of Miriamal, Z, and Miranda brought everything together. This is an extension of Jucha's SILVER SHIPS saga, several hundred years into the future. Alex and Renee have passed into history. but their legacy lives on. Newcomers Escher, Allie, and Ceda are poised to become the leading human characters in this new saga.
36 reviews
October 19, 2021
Hmmmm,

I liked the book. But, some of the story just didn’t play out like it should have had. There was no questioning of just who the Sade’s were and where they came from, no explanations were giving from the Sade’s. The humans had no interest of earth or the other colony ships. I kinda expected Z and Miranda to have a portable Q gate on the ship. I don’t know, there was just a lot of disinterest and lakadaisy of all the characters. It was a little disappointing.
Profile Image for Jeff.
1,381 reviews7 followers
March 29, 2022
This is a departure from my favorite hard science fiction writings. The story rang true even though the initial chapters seemed wrong. In a sense, this is a Space Western where the outlaw's broad knowledge that is restricted amongst the limited amongst the enforcers. Refugees enter an underground in an effort to rescue their parents from unconscionable criminals. Will they save the day or will an apparent alien artifact destroy them all?
16 reviews
February 20, 2024
Time passes. SADES continue. Story introduces a new human who thinks fast, has empathy for the less fortunate and "gets" SADES.

Same universe as "The Silver Ship" stories. In this book the evil creatures are humans driven by corporate profits. There may be more non-human creatures further along in the series. So far no interesting aliens or galactic legislative bodies.

Book 2 is on the queue, but getting to it is not urgent, unlike the Frontier Saga books where "what's going to happen next?" moves unread books to the top of the list.
121 reviews
March 23, 2024
This book may have been good, I'm not sure, but I got an hour into it and realised it was YA. A group of rich kids meets up with a group of poor kids to save their parents from the evil corporations. I think YA is great (that's what got me into SF when I was younger), but I think it should be marketed as such. I don't like this trend of obscuring YA so adults might accidentally pick it up - if you're an adult and you love YA, that's great! But you should know what you're getting into.
204 reviews6 followers
July 29, 2021
Excellent story

The events in this book take place after the the original group has passed away. Z and Miranda along with a few others including the militant sades are involved in this book and we are introduced to new human characters who willingly join the shades and things really take off. Adventure and intrigue follow afterwards.
Profile Image for Jac Nielson.
421 reviews10 followers
October 10, 2021
Amazing:)

Wonderful first in the series continuing the travels of the SADES and their endeavors to continue Alex’s ideals. Some sadness that this is far enough in the future that the original couple have had their star services. Gate Ghosts 2 is downloaded and ready to read. Absolutely live Escher and Ceda:)
2,550 reviews72 followers
July 29, 2022
Boring.

The start is pretty dry, but has several interesting characters to make up for it. The introduction of new characters renders all the old ones as obsolete, their skills superfluous. The passive conflict that follows just continues this put me to sleep. This has some good characters that are wasted in a story where nothing happens.
347 reviews3 followers
July 24, 2021
After centuries, the SADES continue to follow Alex's ideals.

Can the militant Sisters take control of human planets or can our heroes expand their vision for a better world? New characters offer hope for mankind. More adventures to come.
Profile Image for Trax Armstrong.
95 reviews
July 29, 2021
A terrific find and a great read


This undoubtedly is one of the books I have immensely enjoyed reading.

Fun to read, instructive and did its best to keep the fire of hope alive.

Thanks, Scott for the journey.
234 reviews
August 5, 2021
Entertaining

This is another extension of the Silver Ships series that will please all fans of the series. It follows up on the SADES after the end of the original Series. It involves the rebellious SADE,s that left the Omnian Systems. The storyline is entertaining and is consistent with prior stories.
301 reviews2 followers
August 19, 2021
Absolutely fantastic book.

This I a great series and this is a wonderful novel. I love this new storyline and the new characters. I had trouble putting this book down and even read late into the night.
4 reviews
August 22, 2021
Amazing storytelling!

It feels like Christmas when Jucha releases a new story. There are subtle interpersonal lessons, leadership lessons and all around life lessons woven into all of his stories. He is a gifted writer. Already loving the new characters!
Profile Image for Scott Miller.
23 reviews5 followers
February 8, 2022
Great reading in the science fiction Space opera category

I really like the idea that some people Actually are Very good people A nd That some are Purely directed by greed.Remind me of what's going on with our current National Experiment.
Profile Image for Zeet Sidhu.
119 reviews2 followers
October 7, 2023
I am choosing to not read the successive books in this series. Don't get me wrong it's good writing, but I think I am tired of SADEs and anything related to the series especially since there is no Alex.
32 reviews
August 6, 2021
Wow

Great beginning to a new arc. Well written as always, with great people. Sad to know Alex is gone. But time passes
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews

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