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The Pandora Chronicles #1
The Pandora Chronicles, Book 1
A nomadic alien species found itself trapped on a new-born Earth billions of years ago. And they were here just long enough to leave a legacy behind – buried in our DNA.
1713 - Captain Jack Finnegan’s remarkable success as a pirate and privateer turns out to be something much deeper. He’ll need all of his wits, and a bit more, to survive his quest for the powerful relic left behind by the gods.
2012 - The famous archaeologist Nick Solomon never could pass up a good adventure, especially not the search for a mysterious artifact. He’d just prefer not being stuck between a crime lord, a secret government agency, and the past he’s tried so hard to forget.
Hold on to your seats for another great fiction series by Ryan Attard, author of The Legacy Series. Pandora Chronicles Book 1 is exactly the action-packed, swashbuckling, firefight of a science fiction mystery adventure you’ve been looking for!
1713 - Captain Jack Finnegan’s remarkable success as a pirate and privateer turns out to be something much deeper. He’ll need all of his wits, and a bit more, to survive his quest for the powerful relic left behind by the gods.
2012 - The famous archaeologist Nick Solomon never could pass up a good adventure, especially not the search for a mysterious artifact. He’d just prefer not being stuck between a crime lord, a secret government agency, and the past he’s tried so hard to forget.
Hold on to your seats for another great fiction series by Ryan Attard, author of The Legacy Series. Pandora Chronicles Book 1 is exactly the action-packed, swashbuckling, firefight of a science fiction mystery adventure you’ve been looking for!
128 pages, ebook
First published October 21, 2014
60 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Attard
33 books86 followersAuthor of the Legacy Series, the Pandora Chronicles and the Esper Files under Egan Brass
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 23, 2014
// Received from publisher
The Pandora Chronicles is a book with a vast adventure. Not only are there aliens, but there's also pirates! That in itself caught my attention! I did have my doubts on whether it would be too much to handle, but I was pleased as it did tie nicely together.
The book is divided into two: the first half is set in the 18th century and we get to know the pirate-captain Jack Finnegan, whilst the second part is from Nick Solomon's side of the story set in 2012. What these two have in common is that both of them seek for something, even though they don't exactly know what it is and what it could mean or do, they still wish to be the ones to have it.
I quite liked how the two main characters were so different, and yet so alike. Nick Soloman in particular had a character development that I really enjoyed. If I were to pick which of the two adventurers I liked the most, it would be him although the pirate isn't far behind! The side characters were good as well. Nick had a lady by his side that kept him in check and their relationship was witty.
Having multiple sides of one story is difficult to read some times, which I believe is mainly due to it not being executed properly. I didn't find that to be the case in The Pandora Chronicles though, because everything sort of moves chronologically. The ending introduced a new setting which I think will be interesting to see whether that's where the second book picks up.
With that said, The Pandora Chronicles contains humour, adventure and great character development (which you know is a really important thing to me), and although it isn't one of the longest books, it still is as enjoyable - if not more.
The Pandora Chronicles is a book with a vast adventure. Not only are there aliens, but there's also pirates! That in itself caught my attention! I did have my doubts on whether it would be too much to handle, but I was pleased as it did tie nicely together.
The book is divided into two: the first half is set in the 18th century and we get to know the pirate-captain Jack Finnegan, whilst the second part is from Nick Solomon's side of the story set in 2012. What these two have in common is that both of them seek for something, even though they don't exactly know what it is and what it could mean or do, they still wish to be the ones to have it.
I quite liked how the two main characters were so different, and yet so alike. Nick Soloman in particular had a character development that I really enjoyed. If I were to pick which of the two adventurers I liked the most, it would be him although the pirate isn't far behind! The side characters were good as well. Nick had a lady by his side that kept him in check and their relationship was witty.
Having multiple sides of one story is difficult to read some times, which I believe is mainly due to it not being executed properly. I didn't find that to be the case in The Pandora Chronicles though, because everything sort of moves chronologically. The ending introduced a new setting which I think will be interesting to see whether that's where the second book picks up.
With that said, The Pandora Chronicles contains humour, adventure and great character development (which you know is a really important thing to me), and although it isn't one of the longest books, it still is as enjoyable - if not more.
October 25, 2014
This was a first for me. I was contacted by the author's PA and asked if I'd like to read the book. Now, I like quite a wide variety of books, as anyone who reads my blog will already know, and they synopsis of this one definitely appealed! I have to say the book well and truly lived up to my high expectations of it and I am very pleased to have had this brilliant book brought to my attention.
The book starts by giving the background involving an alien species visiting earth millions of years ago and leaving their legacy in the DNA of certain humans - the Select. The story then goes on to follow one of these Select humans - Captain Jack Finnegan. It relates how, in the eighteenth Century, he finds out about his heritage and his fantastic adventures as a privateer as he learns about his extraordinary skills and abilities as he travels in search of a relic from those earlier visitors.Swashbuckling pirates, jungles, attacking natives, you name it, he probably encounters it! Very lively, entertainingly described and great reading. You sort of assume that that'll be the end but no - the next Select you meet in Part Two is Nick Solomon and get ready for another roller coaster round of adventures with more twists and turns, definitely a great mix of historical, adventure and science fiction linked seamlessly together in a book I have no hesitation in highly recommending! Many thanks to Ryan and his team - I'm watching out for the sequel already!
The book starts by giving the background involving an alien species visiting earth millions of years ago and leaving their legacy in the DNA of certain humans - the Select. The story then goes on to follow one of these Select humans - Captain Jack Finnegan. It relates how, in the eighteenth Century, he finds out about his heritage and his fantastic adventures as a privateer as he learns about his extraordinary skills and abilities as he travels in search of a relic from those earlier visitors.Swashbuckling pirates, jungles, attacking natives, you name it, he probably encounters it! Very lively, entertainingly described and great reading. You sort of assume that that'll be the end but no - the next Select you meet in Part Two is Nick Solomon and get ready for another roller coaster round of adventures with more twists and turns, definitely a great mix of historical, adventure and science fiction linked seamlessly together in a book I have no hesitation in highly recommending! Many thanks to Ryan and his team - I'm watching out for the sequel already!
October 16, 2014
I received an eARC from the Publisher in return for an honest review.
Recommendation Level: 3.5/5
What I Thought
Part 1: Set in two parts this book first follows Captain Jack Finnegan, a dashing, successful privateer living in the 18th century as he is persuaded by a Priest and a Duchess to sail after an ancient relic left behind by the Gods. A daring quest reveals more to the Captain than he ever thought possible.
First of all I love Pirate adventures and Pirates plus aliens? count me in! This is a must read adventure book filled with sword fights, funny wit and great characters. The only down side to the first part? It was a bit crammed together and short I would have loved to read more about Finnegan and Tier!
Part 2: In a modern day setting Casanova meets Sheldon Cooper in the lead protagonist Professor Nick Solomon who through some really bad luck finds himself stuck between a secret government agency and an evil crime lord on their missions to find a powerful treasure. On his journey he finds truth, adventure and himself. Check out the rest of my review at https://smalltowncitygirls.wordpress....
Recommendation Level: 3.5/5
What I Thought
Part 1: Set in two parts this book first follows Captain Jack Finnegan, a dashing, successful privateer living in the 18th century as he is persuaded by a Priest and a Duchess to sail after an ancient relic left behind by the Gods. A daring quest reveals more to the Captain than he ever thought possible.
First of all I love Pirate adventures and Pirates plus aliens? count me in! This is a must read adventure book filled with sword fights, funny wit and great characters. The only down side to the first part? It was a bit crammed together and short I would have loved to read more about Finnegan and Tier!
Part 2: In a modern day setting Casanova meets Sheldon Cooper in the lead protagonist Professor Nick Solomon who through some really bad luck finds himself stuck between a secret government agency and an evil crime lord on their missions to find a powerful treasure. On his journey he finds truth, adventure and himself. Check out the rest of my review at https://smalltowncitygirls.wordpress....
April 6, 2021
I found I really enjoyed this book as it touches on the premise of the origin of life and rolls it up in a kind of techno-thriller. You have your quintesential hero type alongside a strong kick-ass female co-lead, the goverment wanting its hands on everything and also the evil dictator wanting it for himself.
Look forward to the next in the series.
SPOILERS BELOW.....
This book starts off at the birth of the Planet Earth.
That cosmic event when all those rocks floating in space were bumping into each other.
Unfortunatley, ones of those bumps trapped a few space-faring aliens on the rock that became our planet after they had parked-up to do some running repairs on their ship.
The book implies that these aliens are very long lived and of no fixed abode dabbling and seeding life here and there just to see if it works, and if not take a chalkboard duster to it and start again.
They had a few attempts on Earth before finally liking what they had and let it run - not before adding some of their own alien DNA into the mix.
Jump forward a few millions or years and we are in the time of Pirates (with a capital 'P').
Privateer Captain Jack Finnegan turns Pirate when meeting a Duchess and her monastic escort - both members of a secret organisation whose purpose was to protect the location of the alien artefacts that were found years ago.
These artefacts are so powerful so as to be used for great good or great evil.
Only certain people called "Select" can tap into this energy and find these artefacts.
Jump forward to present day and we are embroiled with the NSA as a college professor is identified and chased around the world and coerced to find these items and activate them.
Look forward to the next in the series.
SPOILERS BELOW.....
This book starts off at the birth of the Planet Earth.
That cosmic event when all those rocks floating in space were bumping into each other.
Unfortunatley, ones of those bumps trapped a few space-faring aliens on the rock that became our planet after they had parked-up to do some running repairs on their ship.
The book implies that these aliens are very long lived and of no fixed abode dabbling and seeding life here and there just to see if it works, and if not take a chalkboard duster to it and start again.
They had a few attempts on Earth before finally liking what they had and let it run - not before adding some of their own alien DNA into the mix.
Jump forward a few millions or years and we are in the time of Pirates (with a capital 'P').
Privateer Captain Jack Finnegan turns Pirate when meeting a Duchess and her monastic escort - both members of a secret organisation whose purpose was to protect the location of the alien artefacts that were found years ago.
These artefacts are so powerful so as to be used for great good or great evil.
Only certain people called "Select" can tap into this energy and find these artefacts.
Jump forward to present day and we are embroiled with the NSA as a college professor is identified and chased around the world and coerced to find these items and activate them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
June 23, 2018
Very hard to describe suspenseful book this without spoilers. Think James Bond but without the polish and not actually tied to...Can be read in one day.
February 12, 2019
Very interesting - well written, interesting characters and adventure
January 28, 2023
I thought I would not enjoy this book, I was wrong. Good story and characters made for a fun read.
December 26, 2025
Again I found a good read in this book. I would not mind more stories in this series.
May 3, 2019
The Pandora Chronicles is an interesting series written by Ryan Attard. I pretty much binge read the entire series and wrote the reviews one in one sitting as well. The author starts each of the books by showing an event that happened in ancient history, one that is caused by our "ancient relatives" and then transitions to Nick Solomon, our modern day hero who explores how it impacts it today. At the end the author than gives us a little blurb on what is yet to come in a not so distant future.
In this first book we get to know the concept of it all, which I found interesting and different from other books I have read to date, which is the reason I got started with this series. The order apparently was a lot more far fetching, as we will realize in books to come and no I will not really provide much spoilers but obviously secret societies usually have their hands in a lot more than is usually known. The author comes up with this interesting concept of how an alien species "seeded" human life on earth and how even today some of what they left behind affects us still. The plot of the book is interesting and has some very nice twists and turns hidden within. There are lots of secrets we won't find out until much later, but they are well worth waiting for.
Nick Solomon is an interesting character and definitely reminds me of another main character of this author. He is rather hot headed and impulsive and could use a bit of a level-headedness, but this is how the author choose to portray his main character. There are some others that fit in nicely to support him, like Agent Excalibur and others you will get to know along the way. But these 2 are probably the two most important ones, at least on the "good side". Some of the others. Some are at times not really clear what side they may be on which keep things interesting to say the least.
One down side I have found in this book, actually the entire series and other books by this author, it lacks some editorial editing. There are typos, misused words, missing words, all things that can be fixed by using some good ARC readers. It got better towards the end of the series but was definitely an issue throughout. Other than that this is definitely an interesting series that I enjoyed a lot.
In this first book we get to know the concept of it all, which I found interesting and different from other books I have read to date, which is the reason I got started with this series. The order apparently was a lot more far fetching, as we will realize in books to come and no I will not really provide much spoilers but obviously secret societies usually have their hands in a lot more than is usually known. The author comes up with this interesting concept of how an alien species "seeded" human life on earth and how even today some of what they left behind affects us still. The plot of the book is interesting and has some very nice twists and turns hidden within. There are lots of secrets we won't find out until much later, but they are well worth waiting for.
Nick Solomon is an interesting character and definitely reminds me of another main character of this author. He is rather hot headed and impulsive and could use a bit of a level-headedness, but this is how the author choose to portray his main character. There are some others that fit in nicely to support him, like Agent Excalibur and others you will get to know along the way. But these 2 are probably the two most important ones, at least on the "good side". Some of the others. Some are at times not really clear what side they may be on which keep things interesting to say the least.
One down side I have found in this book, actually the entire series and other books by this author, it lacks some editorial editing. There are typos, misused words, missing words, all things that can be fixed by using some good ARC readers. It got better towards the end of the series but was definitely an issue throughout. Other than that this is definitely an interesting series that I enjoyed a lot.
October 20, 2014
I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
An alien species found its way to Earth. Before the aliens departed the blue planet, they left behind a legacy in the DNA of some lifeforms on Earth. Then in the 18th century, much later in the evolutionary history, Captain Jack Finnegan is introduced to two members of a secret society, one Select and the other a priest. The captain, his crew, and the two strangers embark on a quest for a relic of the gods. The quest will require all of Jack’s wit and skill to survive. Three hundred years later, a famous archaeologist seeks adventure, and he certainly cannot pass up the opportunity to locate a relic. The only problem is that he’s stuck between the U.S. government, a crime lord, and his long-forgotten past.
I enjoyed Ryan Attard’s The Pandora Chronicles: Book 1. I liked the incorporation of ancient aliens. Humans were not created by godlike aliens, in this novel. Rather, they were allowed to evolve and form into something akin to the aliens’ image. The novel is separated, excluding the prologue and epilogue, into two parts. Part One is Captain Jack’s story. Part Two is Nick’s story. This allowed me to better enjoy and understand the characters and plots without having to wonder which time period that chapter is on.
The characters developed well. It was somewhat difficult at first to get used to the style of writing when it came to Captain Finnegan’s perspective. It was pretty quick to get through, but the flow of Finnegan’s thoughts made the time feel slower. It added to his time period being three hundred years ago, but for a man who sails the high seas and fought others, I expected his thoughts to run a little faster. The duchess wasn’t as well developed. I would have liked to learn more about her. Nick seemed a little superficial in that his personality seemed to make up his being. More depth could have been added with some thoughts or an anecdote — something beyond his use of his Select genetics to hyper-think. Some people may be put off by some of his lewd comments, but I didn’t find them horrible and was often surprised at how often Maddie remarked about them. However, Nick’s observations of those around him were funny.
A different way of including foreign languages into the novel was how they were translated. I’m used to seeing the translation outside of the quotes, sometimes italicized. Attard provided the translation in parentheses, in the quotation marks.
Besides the theme of greed in people and government entities, one theme is the result of opening Pandora’s box, hence the name of the series. When people get too curious, they could unleash untold evil — at least frightening things — on the world. As cliche as it the phrase goes, “curiosity killed the cat.” The majority of the characters in this novel have no idea the power they are seeking and what it may mean for humankind.
This exciting, new adventure is a great addition to the science fiction genre. I recommend The Pandora Chronicles: Book 1 to sci-fi fans. The novel may also be of interest to action and adventure readers.
An alien species found its way to Earth. Before the aliens departed the blue planet, they left behind a legacy in the DNA of some lifeforms on Earth. Then in the 18th century, much later in the evolutionary history, Captain Jack Finnegan is introduced to two members of a secret society, one Select and the other a priest. The captain, his crew, and the two strangers embark on a quest for a relic of the gods. The quest will require all of Jack’s wit and skill to survive. Three hundred years later, a famous archaeologist seeks adventure, and he certainly cannot pass up the opportunity to locate a relic. The only problem is that he’s stuck between the U.S. government, a crime lord, and his long-forgotten past.
I enjoyed Ryan Attard’s The Pandora Chronicles: Book 1. I liked the incorporation of ancient aliens. Humans were not created by godlike aliens, in this novel. Rather, they were allowed to evolve and form into something akin to the aliens’ image. The novel is separated, excluding the prologue and epilogue, into two parts. Part One is Captain Jack’s story. Part Two is Nick’s story. This allowed me to better enjoy and understand the characters and plots without having to wonder which time period that chapter is on.
The characters developed well. It was somewhat difficult at first to get used to the style of writing when it came to Captain Finnegan’s perspective. It was pretty quick to get through, but the flow of Finnegan’s thoughts made the time feel slower. It added to his time period being three hundred years ago, but for a man who sails the high seas and fought others, I expected his thoughts to run a little faster. The duchess wasn’t as well developed. I would have liked to learn more about her. Nick seemed a little superficial in that his personality seemed to make up his being. More depth could have been added with some thoughts or an anecdote — something beyond his use of his Select genetics to hyper-think. Some people may be put off by some of his lewd comments, but I didn’t find them horrible and was often surprised at how often Maddie remarked about them. However, Nick’s observations of those around him were funny.
A different way of including foreign languages into the novel was how they were translated. I’m used to seeing the translation outside of the quotes, sometimes italicized. Attard provided the translation in parentheses, in the quotation marks.
Besides the theme of greed in people and government entities, one theme is the result of opening Pandora’s box, hence the name of the series. When people get too curious, they could unleash untold evil — at least frightening things — on the world. As cliche as it the phrase goes, “curiosity killed the cat.” The majority of the characters in this novel have no idea the power they are seeking and what it may mean for humankind.
This exciting, new adventure is a great addition to the science fiction genre. I recommend The Pandora Chronicles: Book 1 to sci-fi fans. The novel may also be of interest to action and adventure readers.
September 4, 2016
Title: The Pandora Chronicles Book 1
Author: Ryan Attard
Publisher: ACE Stellar Publishing
ISBN: 9781940820255
Buy Link: http://ryanattard.com/the-pandora-chr...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
The Pandora Chronicles 1
A nomadic alien species found itself trapped on a new-born Earth billions of years ago. And they were here just long enough to leave a legacy behind – buried in our DNA.
1713 - Captain Jack Finnegan’s remarkable success as a pirate and privateer turns out to be something much deeper. He’ll need all of his wits, and a bit more, to survive his quest for the powerful relic left behind by the gods.
2012 - The famous archaeologist Nick Solomon never could pass up a good adventure, especially not the search for a mysterious artifact. He’d just prefer not being stuck between a crime lord, a secret government agency, and the past he’s tried so hard to forget.
Hold on to your seats for another great fiction series by Ryan Attard, author of The Legacy Series. Pandora Chronicles Book 1 is exactly the action-packed, swashbuckling, firefight of a science fiction mystery adventure you’ve been looking for!
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This story began like The Lensman series, but quickly took off as an alien race decided to meddle in the evolution of life a the planet Earth. It was unsure if their actions were to help or a detriment as they were willing to destroy any creations that didn't fit into their plan.
The next stop in the story brings the reader into the time of the pirates and who doesn't love them. Their is something different about Finnegan, the captain, from other captains by the way he seems to know how to avoid bad weather and any pirate ships. It isn't until he meets the Duchess Tier and Father Rodriguez when he learns about how aliens changed the world by adding their DNA allowing a few individuals like he and the Duchess to have powers and abilities beyond normal people.
As the story continued, into the future the reader began to understand some of the ramifications for the Earth, but it also created more questions then were answered. I loved the many unique characters especially when Professor Nick Solomon, the Indiana Jones of his university, was forced to work with both the NSA and an Illegal antiquities dealer, to find an ancient artifact, but no one really was ready for what was waiting for them.
That is only the beginning to the incredible ride this book takes the reader on and I for one can't wait for what the series has in store in the Second book in The Pandora Chronicles.
Author: Ryan Attard
Publisher: ACE Stellar Publishing
ISBN: 9781940820255
Buy Link: http://ryanattard.com/the-pandora-chr...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
The Pandora Chronicles 1
A nomadic alien species found itself trapped on a new-born Earth billions of years ago. And they were here just long enough to leave a legacy behind – buried in our DNA.
1713 - Captain Jack Finnegan’s remarkable success as a pirate and privateer turns out to be something much deeper. He’ll need all of his wits, and a bit more, to survive his quest for the powerful relic left behind by the gods.
2012 - The famous archaeologist Nick Solomon never could pass up a good adventure, especially not the search for a mysterious artifact. He’d just prefer not being stuck between a crime lord, a secret government agency, and the past he’s tried so hard to forget.
Hold on to your seats for another great fiction series by Ryan Attard, author of The Legacy Series. Pandora Chronicles Book 1 is exactly the action-packed, swashbuckling, firefight of a science fiction mystery adventure you’ve been looking for!
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This story began like The Lensman series, but quickly took off as an alien race decided to meddle in the evolution of life a the planet Earth. It was unsure if their actions were to help or a detriment as they were willing to destroy any creations that didn't fit into their plan.
The next stop in the story brings the reader into the time of the pirates and who doesn't love them. Their is something different about Finnegan, the captain, from other captains by the way he seems to know how to avoid bad weather and any pirate ships. It isn't until he meets the Duchess Tier and Father Rodriguez when he learns about how aliens changed the world by adding their DNA allowing a few individuals like he and the Duchess to have powers and abilities beyond normal people.
As the story continued, into the future the reader began to understand some of the ramifications for the Earth, but it also created more questions then were answered. I loved the many unique characters especially when Professor Nick Solomon, the Indiana Jones of his university, was forced to work with both the NSA and an Illegal antiquities dealer, to find an ancient artifact, but no one really was ready for what was waiting for them.
That is only the beginning to the incredible ride this book takes the reader on and I for one can't wait for what the series has in store in the Second book in The Pandora Chronicles.
February 17, 2015
This is, at the heart of it, a book about sentient hands. Hands that have seen 'Idle Hands' too many times and taken it to the extreme. Hands that adventure, hands that kill, hand that *wonder*. Yes, that's right, *wonder*. And I don't know about you, but my hands have never once in my life wondered - they're more prone to *wandering*.
Sigh. I lied. This book is not about hands, not even a little bit. This is me having a passive aggressive (or maybe just aggressive?) rage-burst against the sketchy copy-editing which is the only major blight against what is otherwise an excellent book. 'Wonder' rather than 'wander' was used twice (and really did make me start thinking about sentient hands), there were grammatical errors, incorrect word choices quite a few times, and a mere two typos. Two! Well, I'm assuming that 'troup' was a typo, rather than a word fusion of 'troop' and 'group'. Though urbandictionary has informed me that 'troup' is to "really jam your foot into your mouth the first time you meet someone", so I guess it's at least tangentially related to my review?
This book is written in two parts, sandwiched between a pro/epilogue (propilogue?) in a different setting again. Largely it worked. Largely. My hesitation revolves around the first part, or, more appropriately, 'first parrrrrrt'. Because there be pirates. Yeah!! This section felt a lot rougher than the rest of the book, and something about it didn't quite sit right with me. It felt a lot like it was written at a different time to the rest of the book - either as an initial first story when the author was figuring out his concept, or a story which was whacked in later on once Attard realised it might enrich the next, 'main' part of the book. It feels rushed, there are more errors, and it just seems different. Had the entire book been like the first parrrt, it would have been a 3 star at max.
Overall though, I did enjoy this story. It reminded me of the Ancient Future Trilogy, in that there were multiple time streams going on, contact across aeons, advanced tech plus fantasy all together. It was a fun, easy read, and it was enjoyable enough that I didn't even feel that bad about reading it rather than doing uni work ;).
Sigh. I lied. This book is not about hands, not even a little bit. This is me having a passive aggressive (or maybe just aggressive?) rage-burst against the sketchy copy-editing which is the only major blight against what is otherwise an excellent book. 'Wonder' rather than 'wander' was used twice (and really did make me start thinking about sentient hands), there were grammatical errors, incorrect word choices quite a few times, and a mere two typos. Two! Well, I'm assuming that 'troup' was a typo, rather than a word fusion of 'troop' and 'group'. Though urbandictionary has informed me that 'troup' is to "really jam your foot into your mouth the first time you meet someone", so I guess it's at least tangentially related to my review?
This book is written in two parts, sandwiched between a pro/epilogue (propilogue?) in a different setting again. Largely it worked. Largely. My hesitation revolves around the first part, or, more appropriately, 'first parrrrrrt'. Because there be pirates. Yeah!! This section felt a lot rougher than the rest of the book, and something about it didn't quite sit right with me. It felt a lot like it was written at a different time to the rest of the book - either as an initial first story when the author was figuring out his concept, or a story which was whacked in later on once Attard realised it might enrich the next, 'main' part of the book. It feels rushed, there are more errors, and it just seems different. Had the entire book been like the first parrrt, it would have been a 3 star at max.
Overall though, I did enjoy this story. It reminded me of the Ancient Future Trilogy, in that there were multiple time streams going on, contact across aeons, advanced tech plus fantasy all together. It was a fun, easy read, and it was enjoyable enough that I didn't even feel that bad about reading it rather than doing uni work ;).
January 5, 2015
The Pandora Chronicles has quite an interesting concept. It mixes sci-fi, governmental agents, pirates, and rich people. It’s well thought out and very unique. The book is divided into parts. The first part focuses on Captain Jack Finnegan and the rest of them, on Nick Solomon.
I actually enjoyed reading the book. Up until the part where Nick gets the powers.
Before, Nick had been a regular guy. A smart professor with a penance for partying. I had no qualms with him or his character but as soon as he got the powers, I began to wonder if it was going to go anywhere. Before, he had just been obnoxious and slightly annoying but now, I thought that it wasn’t really…. suspenseful.
My biggest problem with these abilities is that I feel as if it gives Nick an insanely large amount of power. Nowhere does it state his weaknesses or how he will ever fail. Even his more unlikable personality traits, such as his greasiness or affinity for sexual jokes, are passed off as attractive. By the end of the book, I know that he is unlikely to fail because of the fact that he simply can’t. And to me, that is kind of boring. Nick has easily become an invincible Gary-Stu masked with a perverted personality much like a pre-pubescent boy. It’s ridiculous because he somehow manages to escape every single explosion/gunfight/hand to hand combat/violent scene unscathed.
The book has a substantial amount of action. I really liked the cave of monsters and the parts about how they were trying to find the journal and other objects. It was a pretty interesting plot and I like how there is literally no romance (between Nick and Excalibur). Well Excalibur is the epitome of touch, bad-ass, hard-to-get girl (who probably has a complicated and hurtful backstory) but at this point of the series, I feel like the characters don’t have any chemistry. There is Nick trying to flirt with her and epically failing. I’m still 99.99% sure that they will get together, but the first novel focused nearly exclusively on the plot.
I actually enjoyed reading the book. Up until the part where Nick gets the powers.
Before, Nick had been a regular guy. A smart professor with a penance for partying. I had no qualms with him or his character but as soon as he got the powers, I began to wonder if it was going to go anywhere. Before, he had just been obnoxious and slightly annoying but now, I thought that it wasn’t really…. suspenseful.
My biggest problem with these abilities is that I feel as if it gives Nick an insanely large amount of power. Nowhere does it state his weaknesses or how he will ever fail. Even his more unlikable personality traits, such as his greasiness or affinity for sexual jokes, are passed off as attractive. By the end of the book, I know that he is unlikely to fail because of the fact that he simply can’t. And to me, that is kind of boring. Nick has easily become an invincible Gary-Stu masked with a perverted personality much like a pre-pubescent boy. It’s ridiculous because he somehow manages to escape every single explosion/gunfight/hand to hand combat/violent scene unscathed.
The book has a substantial amount of action. I really liked the cave of monsters and the parts about how they were trying to find the journal and other objects. It was a pretty interesting plot and I like how there is literally no romance (between Nick and Excalibur). Well Excalibur is the epitome of touch, bad-ass, hard-to-get girl (who probably has a complicated and hurtful backstory) but at this point of the series, I feel like the characters don’t have any chemistry. There is Nick trying to flirt with her and epically failing. I’m still 99.99% sure that they will get together, but the first novel focused nearly exclusively on the plot.
December 16, 2016
I found this for free in the B&N Nook store, and I like books with two timelines.
First we meet Jack Finnegan, pirate turned privateer turned pirate again. He has an extraordinary ability, he is one of the few called the Select - a gift from god. Though not the god of the Bible but rather that of an extraordinary race. Coerced into finding the secret city of El Dorado by the beautiful Duchess Elizabeth Tier, they learn that not all secrets should be uncovered.
Jump forward to 2012 and meet Nick Solomon, a man with a lot of wasted talent and skills. He was propelled into the limelight with an enormous archaeological discovery at a young age and then when another didn't happen he turned to teaching. He acts like a child, more worried about his next lay and drink then teaching ... or so it appears in the scenes where we find him in class.
He is blackmailed into working with the US Government to also discover the lost city of El Dorado. Nick is also a Select and his abilities have evolved into more than Jack Finnegan could originally tap into.
The book was good, it was entertaining, fast paced and an enjoyable read. But I really preferred the characters in the first half and was saddened that they didn't make another appearance in the book. Nick's character wore thing on my patience at times. They tried to make him a combination of too many debonair men and it didn't work for me. He has some hints of Indiana Jones, James Bond, a snarky ass, and Nathan Drake from the video game Uncharted saga. I want to know if Agent Excalibur continues her relationship with Nick and if he becomes a little more likable so I'll read the second. Plus the adventure is pretty good.
First we meet Jack Finnegan, pirate turned privateer turned pirate again. He has an extraordinary ability, he is one of the few called the Select - a gift from god. Though not the god of the Bible but rather that of an extraordinary race. Coerced into finding the secret city of El Dorado by the beautiful Duchess Elizabeth Tier, they learn that not all secrets should be uncovered.
Jump forward to 2012 and meet Nick Solomon, a man with a lot of wasted talent and skills. He was propelled into the limelight with an enormous archaeological discovery at a young age and then when another didn't happen he turned to teaching. He acts like a child, more worried about his next lay and drink then teaching ... or so it appears in the scenes where we find him in class.
He is blackmailed into working with the US Government to also discover the lost city of El Dorado. Nick is also a Select and his abilities have evolved into more than Jack Finnegan could originally tap into.
The book was good, it was entertaining, fast paced and an enjoyable read. But I really preferred the characters in the first half and was saddened that they didn't make another appearance in the book. Nick's character wore thing on my patience at times. They tried to make him a combination of too many debonair men and it didn't work for me. He has some hints of Indiana Jones, James Bond, a snarky ass, and Nathan Drake from the video game Uncharted saga. I want to know if Agent Excalibur continues her relationship with Nick and if he becomes a little more likable so I'll read the second. Plus the adventure is pretty good.
October 15, 2014
I was actually contacted by the author’s personal assistant to read and review this book and I couldn’t be more awed and thrilled to have the opportunity to do so. It’s not a book I probably would have found or read on my own, but having read the book I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am planning on going to bn.com and purchasing a few of his other books for my nook. The only reason this book is getting a 3.5/5 instead of a 4/5 is because I’m still a little skeptical of the alien/creationism plot line. I’m not a religious person at all, but I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around it. I really love the multiple points of view of the story, though I was sad to see Captain Jack Finnegan’s end (he reminds a little bit of Hook from Once Upon a Time). The rest of the book picks up with Nick Solomon generations later. Nick is a brilliant smart ass and I enjoyed his plot line. In the epilogue we get a new character who picks up generations after Nick so I am thinking the next book will pick up with him. I’m hoping in book 2 we still get Nick and maybe ever a few flashbacks of Captain Jack. If you enjoy aliens, conspiracies and science fiction I would definitely read this book. It’s in eBook format so pull out your e-readers and smart phones and once it becomes available read it!
October 12, 2014
I'm on the roll, lads! I have been reviewing a few books recently and through some luck I haven't had to read something I really disliked... Until now..
Ha!
I am kidding, of course!!!
I absolutely love the first book of The Pandora Chronicles. It just has it all! You see, the 1st book has two parts. The first part is set in 1700s and I love historic settings! The second part is modern and funky and I love that, too! And it's all in the same book and it all ties in to a perfect story!
Also- I could say conspiracy theories are a hobby of mine, so reading something with aliens and the All-Seeing-Eye (in the form of a belt buckle, by the way!!!) just cracks me up- I am in 7th bloody heaven :D
The dialogues are flowing with such ease in both parts of the book- it's fantastic to read... This is one of those books that will appeal to everyone! Truly- no one can read it and say "Oh, I disliked it!"- it's impossible!
Ha!
I am kidding, of course!!!
I absolutely love the first book of The Pandora Chronicles. It just has it all! You see, the 1st book has two parts. The first part is set in 1700s and I love historic settings! The second part is modern and funky and I love that, too! And it's all in the same book and it all ties in to a perfect story!
Also- I could say conspiracy theories are a hobby of mine, so reading something with aliens and the All-Seeing-Eye (in the form of a belt buckle, by the way!!!) just cracks me up- I am in 7th bloody heaven :D
The dialogues are flowing with such ease in both parts of the book- it's fantastic to read... This is one of those books that will appeal to everyone! Truly- no one can read it and say "Oh, I disliked it!"- it's impossible!
August 11, 2016
Some errors but still a good read. I found some major timeline errors in this book, the most glaring...having the ship owned by Captain Finnegan burnt and then sold to Sir Frances Drake. Whoa there Finnegan's story started in 1713...Drake died in 1549.
There were a few other errors mostly caused by computer editing that was not carefully checked. Alien all I found it an enjoyable read and I'm intrigued enough to read more by this author.
There were a few other errors mostly caused by computer editing that was not carefully checked. Alien all I found it an enjoyable read and I'm intrigued enough to read more by this author.
August 19, 2016
Fast paced and I do mean fast.
The author gives just enough info for you to go on with the story, yet not enough to state your need for more. There seems to be little ticklers throughout that leaves you wondering. Maybe some connection with something yet to be determined. We'll see.
The author gives just enough info for you to go on with the story, yet not enough to state your need for more. There seems to be little ticklers throughout that leaves you wondering. Maybe some connection with something yet to be determined. We'll see.
November 16, 2014
I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
You can read my review of the Pandora Chronicles on my blog Reading My Reality here:
http://readingmyreality.wordpress.com...
You can read my review of the Pandora Chronicles on my blog Reading My Reality here:
http://readingmyreality.wordpress.com...
June 23, 2016
Some chapters are slow and boring, but the book is interesting. And in need of a good proof reader team.
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