Humanity is about to reach the stars. Something has been waiting for it.
At the end of the twenty-first century, a catastrophic accident in the asteroid belt kills two surveyors and leaves their young son, Alex Manez, missing—along with the asteroid itself.
On the edge of the solar system, the crew of humanity’s first mission to Pluto discovers an ancient alien marker.
Then the missing asteroid reappears.
Alex is still alive, but exposure to a mysterious kinetic element called Kinemet has changed him in ways no one understands. His return could unlock faster-than-light travel and open the galaxy to humanity.
It could also place the future of human civilization in the wrong hands.
From the criminal empire of Luna, a ruthless power moves to seize Alex and monopolize the technology that transformed him. As Michael, Justine, and Alex struggle to uncover the purpose of Kinemet, their search leads from a conspiracy within the solar system to secrets buried across the stars.
But the civilization that created Kinemet vanished for a reason.
And humanity is not alone in searching for what it left behind.
To survive its first steps into the galaxy, three people divided by worlds must unravel an ancient mystery, confront an enemy that has destroyed entire civilizations, and determine humanity’s place among the stars.
The Interstellar Age contains the complete science-fiction
Forbidden the Stars Music of the Spheres Worlds Away
A sweeping saga of alien discovery, interplanetary conspiracy, first contact, and humanity’s struggle to claim a future beyond Earth.
I've lived on the edges of three oceans and wandered countless frontiers—from frozen tundra to verdant plains, quiet observatories to chaotic cities—finding the most alien landscapes often simmering just beneath the surface of the familiar.
My path has taken me through government bureaucracies and oil fields, caregiving and coding, academic research and retail management.
A lifelong observer of societies and systems, I write to explore the dynamics of power, the evolution of civilizations, and the shape of speculative futures that lie just beyond.
Start your own journey at ValmoreDaniels.com and begin to imagine what comes next.
A thoroughly engrossing read, with pieces of Myan history woven into a story of science, mystery, and galactic intrigue.
It was well written, with about 6 mistakes that I noticed only because I have an inner editor, but they didn’t detract from the story of 824 pages across 3 books.
The plot was well constructed, with plenty of unexpected twists that drew me deeper into the story line.
For myself the main theme brought out is that we are not alone in the universe, and there is much more to learn than we ever imagined.
Alex Manez and Justine Turner were the main characters that I enjoyed most out these books. Alex as an intelligent teenager who would rather play Space Pirate computer games than do his homework, and Justine whose life ambition to be an astronaut that travels to Pluto is exceeded beyond her wildest dreams.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci-fi or space opera.
Overall I thought it was a decent book. It was entertaining and had some interesting ideas. There were many POV's and some articles and press releases thrown in for context. At times I wished the author had explained what was going on more. The author had a habit of making jumps in time and then having a character explain, usually to another character, what had happened that the reader missed. It made it a little hard to follow what had happened and I found mildly annoying.
As happens sometimes in a series of books certain things were not consistent throughout all three books. The science of kinemet seemed to change from the initial explanation to how it was used in the later books. The amount of time it took to travel various distances was compressed to make the conclusion of the story work.
The books in this trilogy held me memorized at times in my own thoughts at what the future may hold for us. As the books show things can change in a blink of an eye.
Technology can take off at a moments notice just as in the first book the asteroid that Alex Manez is living on is hurtled into space at near light speed. This kicks off an age of new research that uncovers a new radioactive element they call Kinemet. What happens next seems unreal. The story, however, bases it's knowledge on the ancient Mayans and the stories they have left behind. It really makes your mind wonder what the possibilities could be in reality. Who knows what the next hundred years may bring. These books set my imagination aflame. I would highly recommend them.
I got fed up reading this book and I think the author got fed up writing it, judging by the anti-climactic ending wrapping things up quickly. I found the story too long and convoluted. Characters were killed off, seemingly just to try to surprise the reader. Read it, didn't enjoy it. Matbe it's just me.
very cleaver and articulate writing without sacrificing story flow. I enjoyed the imagination and the detailed descriptions to make it plausible to the reader.
Interesting premise. Alex, a 10 year old boy who is with his parents in the asteroid belt mining ore and minerals, survives an incredible experience which kills his parents. He becomes the first known human to travel at light speed but the process changes him forever.
Thus book is the first in a trilogy. It will be fun to see where it goes next.
The books in this trilogy held me memorized at times in my own thoughts at what the future may hold for us. As the books show things can change in a blink of an eye. Technology can take off at a moments notice just as in the first book the asteroid that Alex Manez is living on is hurteled into space a near light speed. This kicks of an age of new research that uncovers a new radioactive element they call Kinemet. What happens next seems unreal. The story, however, bases it's knowledge on the ancient Mayans and the stories they have left behind. It really makes your mind wonder what the possibilities could be in reality. Who knows what the next hundred years may bring. These books set my imagination aflame. I would highly recommend them.
From the first page of the first book up to the very last sentence of the series the story kept me engaged and wanting more. It was very hard to put down at the end of the day to get SOME sleep. Great character development. Good hard science. Heroes that keep going. Villains that don't seem to go away. Everything I want in a space opera.
SPOILER: my one and only problem with the story was the aging of the Kulsat. It was far too short a live span, IMHO, to gain that level of a scientific culture. Fifteen to twenty would have been more believable.
With yet another twist on faster than light travel, Daniels takes us on a journey as mankind discovers its secrets. Pirates, megalomaniacs, blind heroes, Mayans, and thousands of alien worlds come together in this series to welcome man to the stars.
I've been a sci-fi fan for many years, but it has been a while since I've had to force myself to put a book down so I could do other things (like sleep, go to work, eat, etc.). Entertaining and well thought out.
Long but worthwhile read. The characters are decently fleshed out and have depth enough to carry the story. Worth the time and money, buy this book and enjoy it.
This was good but I am glad that I read it all together. I would have been very in happy about the transition between the books. I never like an incomplete story and that is how all the books ended. I prefer that the story ends with the cliff hanger being a new chapter of the next story. When there is nothing but loose ends I feel neglected. Finish your book before you write the next one. Just me.