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First Salik War #1
The Terrans
Jean Johnson's first novel in an explosive new science fiction trilogy set in the world of the national bestselling Theirs Not to Reason Why series—set two-hundred years earlier, at the dawn of the First Salik War…
Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans…
Humans have long known that they would encounter more alien species, and while those with precognitive abilities agree a terrible war is coming, they do not agree on who will save humanity—a psychic soldier or a politician.
But Jackie is both.
After she is pressured into rejoining the Space Force to forestall the impending calamity, Jackie makes an unsettling discovery. Their new enemy, the Salik, seem to be rather familiar with fighting Humans—as if their war against humanity had already begun…
Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans…
Humans have long known that they would encounter more alien species, and while those with precognitive abilities agree a terrible war is coming, they do not agree on who will save humanity—a psychic soldier or a politician.
But Jackie is both.
After she is pressured into rejoining the Space Force to forestall the impending calamity, Jackie makes an unsettling discovery. Their new enemy, the Salik, seem to be rather familiar with fighting Humans—as if their war against humanity had already begun…
454 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
59 people are currently reading
1100 people want to read
About the author
Jean Johnson
36 books820 followersBerkley/Jove Authors Bio
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author
Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author
Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
February 7, 2018
2/7/18 - ON SALE for $2.99:
http://amzn.to/2yOqyLi
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
THE TERRANS chronicles the Human (Terran) race as it simultaneously encounters both a vile alien enemy, the Salik, and a previously unknown branch of humanity, the V’Dan.
Think about that for a second.
Recently having discovered (something like) wormhole technology and setting out to explore formerly beyond reach areas of space, the ALOHA 9 and crew are forcibly dragged into the hull of an enemy vessel full of grotesque amphibian-like aliens . . . Grotesque amphibious aliens who delight in eating live . . . sentient prey . . . o.O
While trying to gage their situation, the Commanding Officer, a gifted telepath (among other things), encounters five human minds being held in cages for such a purpose, and, determined to rescue them, begins a series of events that will reunite their peoples, and, hopefully, give them the means to defeat an enemy that neither could defend against alone.
*resists urge to sing Kumbaya*
HA. But seriously, how cool is that? At the risk of invoking one Farscape analogy too many, John Crichton and Aeryn Sun, anyone? Peacekeepers, V’Dan . . . Similar concept.
Similar, but different.
In this world, the relocation of humans is still an attempt to preserve a portion of humanity, but this time it seems to be a specific religious sect being preserved and the means of relocation some nebulous time-traveling alien.
I'm sure we'll learn more about it later, or maybe the details are recorded somewhere in Theirs Not to Reason Why , the series this trilogy is prequel to. <------good time to mention that I have not read those books, and I did not feel like I was missing anything.
SO. Really cool idea, and mostly well executed.
The book can be broken down into roughly equal thirds:
1. The Encounter – High octane action. Tunneling through space, owning hostile aliens, finding HUMANS on the other side of the galaxy, I loved it. Tore through the pages.
2. Quarantine – Less action, more relationship growth. A lot of world-building took place masquerading as getting-to-know-you. I thought it was cleverly done, and, overall, liked this section too. BUT. Seeds for a major discovery were being sown, so when said discovery was made and met with various denials and attempts to circumvent, I was annoyed b/c we'd already learned that when it happens, there's no undoing it.
3. Diplomacy – About as action-packed as it sounds. I really appreciated what Johnson did with her world’s government, which was basically to create a new one in which the leadership is legitimately held directly accountable by the people. BUT. This section was almost entirely politics and the aforementioned attempts at denial.
It should be noted that Johnson states in her author’s note that this series is a First Contact series vs the heavy military science fiction of THEIRS NOT TO REASON WHY, and that this is only the first act of a three-part play, with most of the action being held in reserve for the final installment.
That being said, I felt it started with a bang and ended with a fizzle.
BUT.
Overall, I still very much enjoyed THE TERRANS, the first installment of Jean Johnson’s FIRST SALIK WAR trilogy, and I'll definitely read the next book and the other series besides. That pretty much says it all, does it not? Recommended.
http://amzn.to/2yOqyLi
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
THE TERRANS chronicles the Human (Terran) race as it simultaneously encounters both a vile alien enemy, the Salik, and a previously unknown branch of humanity, the V’Dan.
Think about that for a second.
Recently having discovered (something like) wormhole technology and setting out to explore formerly beyond reach areas of space, the ALOHA 9 and crew are forcibly dragged into the hull of an enemy vessel full of grotesque amphibian-like aliens . . . Grotesque amphibious aliens who delight in eating live . . . sentient prey . . . o.O
While trying to gage their situation, the Commanding Officer, a gifted telepath (among other things), encounters five human minds being held in cages for such a purpose, and, determined to rescue them, begins a series of events that will reunite their peoples, and, hopefully, give them the means to defeat an enemy that neither could defend against alone.
*resists urge to sing Kumbaya*
HA. But seriously, how cool is that? At the risk of invoking one Farscape analogy too many, John Crichton and Aeryn Sun, anyone? Peacekeepers, V’Dan . . . Similar concept.
Similar, but different.
In this world, the relocation of humans is still an attempt to preserve a portion of humanity, but this time it seems to be a specific religious sect being preserved and the means of relocation some nebulous time-traveling alien.
I'm sure we'll learn more about it later, or maybe the details are recorded somewhere in Theirs Not to Reason Why , the series this trilogy is prequel to. <------good time to mention that I have not read those books, and I did not feel like I was missing anything.
SO. Really cool idea, and mostly well executed.
The book can be broken down into roughly equal thirds:
1. The Encounter – High octane action. Tunneling through space, owning hostile aliens, finding HUMANS on the other side of the galaxy, I loved it. Tore through the pages.
2. Quarantine – Less action, more relationship growth. A lot of world-building took place masquerading as getting-to-know-you. I thought it was cleverly done, and, overall, liked this section too. BUT. Seeds for a major discovery were being sown, so when said discovery was made and met with various denials and attempts to circumvent, I was annoyed b/c we'd already learned that when it happens, there's no undoing it.
3. Diplomacy – About as action-packed as it sounds. I really appreciated what Johnson did with her world’s government, which was basically to create a new one in which the leadership is legitimately held directly accountable by the people. BUT. This section was almost entirely politics and the aforementioned attempts at denial.
It should be noted that Johnson states in her author’s note that this series is a First Contact series vs the heavy military science fiction of THEIRS NOT TO REASON WHY, and that this is only the first act of a three-part play, with most of the action being held in reserve for the final installment.
That being said, I felt it started with a bang and ended with a fizzle.
BUT.
Overall, I still very much enjoyed THE TERRANS, the first installment of Jean Johnson’s FIRST SALIK WAR trilogy, and I'll definitely read the next book and the other series besides. That pretty much says it all, does it not? Recommended.
dnf
August 2, 2015I'm sorry to say that this book wasn't for me. I generally liked the idea, but, when I say it wasn't for me, I mean ''me' in a real sense. I'm certain others will enjoy it, it just came to me at a time when I had unfortunately just read a book where the heroine spends much of the story being bullied due to weight. I know it happens in life, and maybe because I know it, I find that I am not comfortable reading about it. The protagonist in this book is bullied incessantly by a macho idiot about all things - being out of shape, a woman, incompetent etc. etc. As I said, this may have just come at the wrong time for me, but I just couldn't get into it.
ARC via Netgalley.
ARC via Netgalley.
January 17, 2024
Jean Johnson did it again! The Terrans was an excellent start to a brand new series, The First Salik War. It’s a prequel to Theirs Not To Reason Why previously published, and takes place some 200 years earlier. The first series gave us the major scenario of the Terran’s United Planets universe, or our future Earth, although this book does well as a stand-alone and doesn’t require previous readings.
The Terrans has all the ingredients that make a great story: crisp and intriguing writing; great imagination; well-developed characters; and very attention grasping plot. It has adventure, conflicts and a hint of romance. Besides the good guys, the Salik make wonderful villains that eat intelligent living being, preferably alive. It starts at the moment when the Terran’s United Planets is about to make its first contact with alien species: the Terrans meet simultaneously the Salik, an alien enemy, and the V’Dan, an unkown branch of humanity.
Jacaranda or Jackie MacKenzie, is called from early retirement back to serve as Ambassador of the United Planets in the secret mission of a potential first contact, following precogs predictions. She is talented and experienced, as former military, translator and an ex-councilor member. Moreover she is a highly gifted psychic. Captain Li'eth Ma'an-uq'en is the superior officer of the five V’Dan rescued by the Terrans on first contact. While Jackie was assertive and an ethical and natural leader, the also telepath Li’eth is open minded, protective and easy to get along. Both are not perfect, but impossible not to like and admire. The meeting of both human species is not without problems, and that together with the romantic undertones of the blossoming relationship between Jackie and Li'eth enriches JJ’s writing. The secondary characters are also great, adding more to the development of the plot.
The Terrans is an excellent and well-rounded book, as it finishes it leaves you with the desire for more. I recommend it for those that enjoy futuristic and sci-fi, but above all, of as an entertaining read.
The Terrans has all the ingredients that make a great story: crisp and intriguing writing; great imagination; well-developed characters; and very attention grasping plot. It has adventure, conflicts and a hint of romance. Besides the good guys, the Salik make wonderful villains that eat intelligent living being, preferably alive. It starts at the moment when the Terran’s United Planets is about to make its first contact with alien species: the Terrans meet simultaneously the Salik, an alien enemy, and the V’Dan, an unkown branch of humanity.
Jacaranda or Jackie MacKenzie, is called from early retirement back to serve as Ambassador of the United Planets in the secret mission of a potential first contact, following precogs predictions. She is talented and experienced, as former military, translator and an ex-councilor member. Moreover she is a highly gifted psychic. Captain Li'eth Ma'an-uq'en is the superior officer of the five V’Dan rescued by the Terrans on first contact. While Jackie was assertive and an ethical and natural leader, the also telepath Li’eth is open minded, protective and easy to get along. Both are not perfect, but impossible not to like and admire. The meeting of both human species is not without problems, and that together with the romantic undertones of the blossoming relationship between Jackie and Li'eth enriches JJ’s writing. The secondary characters are also great, adding more to the development of the plot.
The Terrans is an excellent and well-rounded book, as it finishes it leaves you with the desire for more. I recommend it for those that enjoy futuristic and sci-fi, but above all, of as an entertaining read.
November 20, 2015
There are good and bad things I want to say about the first instalment of this spin-off of the popular sci-fi series by Jean Johnson. In a nutshell: the ideas are fantastic, the execution? Not so much.
I really enjoyed reading about the first contact between humans and other alien races, the background, the way humanity united under one government, the way that government was built. Jackie is a positive heroine, noble and honest to a fault, self-conscious and very straight.
Li'Eth, the V'Dan captain is a fascinating character and the one with the most growth throughout the book. From Theirs Not To Reason Why series we don't really get much about this alien race so similar to humans and yet so different. Their Jungen marks, their royalty and aristocracy, and most of all, their religion is what is vastly different from us. However, given what we find out about their background and origin in this book, it all starts to make perfect sense.
Meeting humans (Terrans) and Jackie especially, a powerful psi, who rescues Li'Eth and his team from being eaten by Salik makes a huge impression on him. Being a psi himself, Li'Eth forges an unexpected bond with Jackie, which complicates the hell out of their relationship and brings in a slight note of romance to the story.
Miss Johnson's skill lies in creating a big, intricately woven, fantastic world-building with a great attention to detail. But you hear a BUT. *grinning* The book drags partly because of that. The info-dumping, the over-explanation of things and endless speeches is pretty much what you should expect from it. It's bogged down by endless Terran bureaucracy and the absolute need to do everything by the book. It drove me nuts.
The reason I rated A Soldier's Duty and An Officer's Duty so high, and rated the consequent books lower and lower, was because the first two books were choke full of action, they were EXCITING. Then it went more into talking and less into doing things talked about. Unfortunately, The Terrans brought this formula to its most concentrated point. There are a couple of moments full of action, then it quiets down and flatlines for the rest of the book.
I sincerely hope the next book will pick up because damn, I don't want to drop this series.! I enjoy the world too much. Please, Miss Johnson, more action and less talk in the next one. This one was torture.
I really enjoyed reading about the first contact between humans and other alien races, the background, the way humanity united under one government, the way that government was built. Jackie is a positive heroine, noble and honest to a fault, self-conscious and very straight.
Li'Eth, the V'Dan captain is a fascinating character and the one with the most growth throughout the book. From Theirs Not To Reason Why series we don't really get much about this alien race so similar to humans and yet so different. Their Jungen marks, their royalty and aristocracy, and most of all, their religion is what is vastly different from us. However, given what we find out about their background and origin in this book, it all starts to make perfect sense.
Meeting humans (Terrans) and Jackie especially, a powerful psi, who rescues Li'Eth and his team from being eaten by Salik makes a huge impression on him. Being a psi himself, Li'Eth forges an unexpected bond with Jackie, which complicates the hell out of their relationship and brings in a slight note of romance to the story.
Miss Johnson's skill lies in creating a big, intricately woven, fantastic world-building with a great attention to detail. But you hear a BUT. *grinning* The book drags partly because of that. The info-dumping, the over-explanation of things and endless speeches is pretty much what you should expect from it. It's bogged down by endless Terran bureaucracy and the absolute need to do everything by the book. It drove me nuts.
The reason I rated A Soldier's Duty and An Officer's Duty so high, and rated the consequent books lower and lower, was because the first two books were choke full of action, they were EXCITING. Then it went more into talking and less into doing things talked about. Unfortunately, The Terrans brought this formula to its most concentrated point. There are a couple of moments full of action, then it quiets down and flatlines for the rest of the book.
I sincerely hope the next book will pick up because damn, I don't want to drop this series.! I enjoy the world too much. Please, Miss Johnson, more action and less talk in the next one. This one was torture.
August 14, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
The Terrans, by Jean Johnson, is the first installment in the First Salik War Trilogy. This series apparently takes place 200 years before the authors Theirs Not To Reason Why series which I haven't read. According to the publisher, it is not necessary to read the previous series before jumping into this one. The Terrans features Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie who is recalled to active duty with a promotion and a large role in what happens to the United Planets for which she serves.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 08/14/2015
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd 06/30/2015 via NetGalley* Published: July 28th 2015 by Ace
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
The Terrans, by Jean Johnson, is the first installment in the First Salik War Trilogy. This series apparently takes place 200 years before the authors Theirs Not To Reason Why series which I haven't read. According to the publisher, it is not necessary to read the previous series before jumping into this one. The Terrans features Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie who is recalled to active duty with a promotion and a large role in what happens to the United Planets for which she serves.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 08/14/2015
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd 06/30/2015 via NetGalley* Published: July 28th 2015 by Ace
December 7, 2016
Soooo... DNF-ing a book after 50 pages if pretty low, but in these 50 pages I have learned the following:
- The language tries so hard to be as informative as possible, but is much too informative; there are so many unnecessary pieces of information meant to enrich the world, but they simply fall flat (and are annoying as hell)
- Dialogues forced as f***; none of the characters seems to speak with a natural flow, and the attempts at humor were rather painful to read :/
- Confusing descriptions; most of the time I had to focus really hard on who is speaking what and why and where did even they come from; if my attention is diverted to keeping track on who is who and where they are, how I am supposed to focus on the plot...?
And now comes the funny part: as much as all that irritated me, I would have turned a blind eye on it provided the story was good and the characters engaging. Unfortunately, that's now what happened. Everything fell to ruin as soon as I realised that the main protagonist, who is also the mission commander, allows her subordinate to treat her like dirt, talk back to her and verbally abuse her at every opportunity. I mean, in the navy? Where there is supposed to be discipline, protocol, courtesy and order? How I am supposed to treat this story seriously if it doesn't treat its characters and the world they inhabit the same way? Mad doesn't begin to describe how I felt about it.
Long story short, I have no idea what makes this series so beloved. I gave it my shot - and it wasted it with a bang.
- The language tries so hard to be as informative as possible, but is much too informative; there are so many unnecessary pieces of information meant to enrich the world, but they simply fall flat (and are annoying as hell)
- Dialogues forced as f***; none of the characters seems to speak with a natural flow, and the attempts at humor were rather painful to read :/
- Confusing descriptions; most of the time I had to focus really hard on who is speaking what and why and where did even they come from; if my attention is diverted to keeping track on who is who and where they are, how I am supposed to focus on the plot...?
And now comes the funny part: as much as all that irritated me, I would have turned a blind eye on it provided the story was good and the characters engaging. Unfortunately, that's now what happened. Everything fell to ruin as soon as I realised that the main protagonist, who is also the mission commander, allows her subordinate to treat her like dirt, talk back to her and verbally abuse her at every opportunity. I mean, in the navy? Where there is supposed to be discipline, protocol, courtesy and order? How I am supposed to treat this story seriously if it doesn't treat its characters and the world they inhabit the same way? Mad doesn't begin to describe how I felt about it.
Long story short, I have no idea what makes this series so beloved. I gave it my shot - and it wasted it with a bang.
April 8, 2019
Every now and again a random library pickup proves far better than I expected.
For a chance, the [Terran] protagonists are not your typical American/British characters (usually male with a token female). They're far more varied, with their own idiosyncrasies, annoyances and issues. Then there's the whole setting... but I don't want to give too much away.
In a way this reminded me of a more grown up version of Anne McCaffrey's Tower and Hive series, though definitely with more military/political aspects. The issues are more complicated, the science explained more (or at least, described more), the enemy aliens more terrifying and the sociology more interesting.
I've already added the following books to my to-read list, and requested the immediate sequel! Enough said?
For a chance, the [Terran] protagonists are not your typical American/British characters (usually male with a token female). They're far more varied, with their own idiosyncrasies, annoyances and issues. Then there's the whole setting... but I don't want to give too much away.
In a way this reminded me of a more grown up version of Anne McCaffrey's Tower and Hive series, though definitely with more military/political aspects. The issues are more complicated, the science explained more (or at least, described more), the enemy aliens more terrifying and the sociology more interesting.
I've already added the following books to my to-read list, and requested the immediate sequel! Enough said?
July 29, 2015
This is a must buy book. Ms. Johnson kicks off a fabulous new series with nonstop action. This page turner features a new strong female lead, Jacaranda MacKenzie. Jackie serves the United Planets with distinction. She is a talented woman with many skills. She is a translator, former military and council member. This doesn't even touch her psychic abilities and the patience of a saint. When she is called back to duty on a hush-hush mission to meet new aliens and find allies to help protect Terran in a future war, all hell breaks loose.
The world building in this story is fantastic. For those who did not read the series, Theirs Not to Reason Why, after reading this story, you will want to read it. The complexity to this world with the politics, government, technology and aliens is robust and keeps a reader's attention. Learning about how the United Planets came to be and how the council takes representatives is impressive. It's a type of utopia reminiscent in several Ms. Anne McCaffrey series. For those who loved Tower and the Hive Series by Ms. McCaffrey, this series, First Salik Wars will be right up your alley.
I loved the character development in this book. This applies to the main and secondary characters. Jacaranda is definitely a heroine I admire. She's well rounded and comfortable in her own skin. Her ethics and moral compass are demonstrated over and over again in each situation. The way she handles both those for and against her is impressive. She's the kind of commander I'd aspire to be. She's not perfect and that's okay. When she loses her temper, it's explainable. Her love interest, Li’eth, is a human from another universe. The way they communicate and learn about each other's culture is refreshing. There are misconceptions and I love how Ms. Johnson shows discrimination and how to handle it. Li’eth is a character who is strong yet weak. He is strong with his decision making skills and how to handle his crew. Yet his psychic powers and control over it are very weak. Having him placed in a position of weakness makes him more approachable. The chemistry between the two gives a lovely romantic undertone to this science fiction novel.
The plot development in this story is complex and the first book is merely the building block to the next. This meaty book is tightly written with great imagery and excellent dialogue. Even though the book is over 400 pages, it moved at a good pace. What I really enjoyed about this book is the conflict resolution. In every instance of conflict, Ms. Johnson shows ways in how people can work together and think outside of the box to find a better outcome for all. This kind of positive thinking shows creativity and strength in character. This is a feel good book for me because it makes me think and want to become a better person. I love books which also touch upon current events and makes a socio-political commentary without being heavy handed. Ms. Johnson does a great job providing possible solutions to discrimination based on physical looks and mental differences. I want to live in this world, even if there are evil aliens who want to just eat humans. Highly recommended to sci-fi readers who enjoy intrigue, political conflict and a touch of romance.
*provided by NetGalley
The world building in this story is fantastic. For those who did not read the series, Theirs Not to Reason Why, after reading this story, you will want to read it. The complexity to this world with the politics, government, technology and aliens is robust and keeps a reader's attention. Learning about how the United Planets came to be and how the council takes representatives is impressive. It's a type of utopia reminiscent in several Ms. Anne McCaffrey series. For those who loved Tower and the Hive Series by Ms. McCaffrey, this series, First Salik Wars will be right up your alley.
I loved the character development in this book. This applies to the main and secondary characters. Jacaranda is definitely a heroine I admire. She's well rounded and comfortable in her own skin. Her ethics and moral compass are demonstrated over and over again in each situation. The way she handles both those for and against her is impressive. She's the kind of commander I'd aspire to be. She's not perfect and that's okay. When she loses her temper, it's explainable. Her love interest, Li’eth, is a human from another universe. The way they communicate and learn about each other's culture is refreshing. There are misconceptions and I love how Ms. Johnson shows discrimination and how to handle it. Li’eth is a character who is strong yet weak. He is strong with his decision making skills and how to handle his crew. Yet his psychic powers and control over it are very weak. Having him placed in a position of weakness makes him more approachable. The chemistry between the two gives a lovely romantic undertone to this science fiction novel.
The plot development in this story is complex and the first book is merely the building block to the next. This meaty book is tightly written with great imagery and excellent dialogue. Even though the book is over 400 pages, it moved at a good pace. What I really enjoyed about this book is the conflict resolution. In every instance of conflict, Ms. Johnson shows ways in how people can work together and think outside of the box to find a better outcome for all. This kind of positive thinking shows creativity and strength in character. This is a feel good book for me because it makes me think and want to become a better person. I love books which also touch upon current events and makes a socio-political commentary without being heavy handed. Ms. Johnson does a great job providing possible solutions to discrimination based on physical looks and mental differences. I want to live in this world, even if there are evil aliens who want to just eat humans. Highly recommended to sci-fi readers who enjoy intrigue, political conflict and a touch of romance.
*provided by NetGalley
July 2, 2015
Great story and characters!
The Terrans is a fantastic start to the First Salik War series by Jean Johnson. This new series is set in the same world as the “Theirs Not to Reason Why” series but takes place 200 years earlier. It is not necessary to read that series prior to this one. I didn’t and had no problems following along.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Terrans. In fact, I found the story and characters so absorbing that I stayed up most of the night finishing it, without even realizing the passage of time. You know it’s a good story when you lose sleep and don’t particularly care.
The main protagonist of the story is Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie. I really liked Jackie. She’s a powerful psychic and a strong leader. I liked how she used her leadership in an honorable and empathic way. She has a strong, assertive personality that suits her role perfectly.
The other prominent character in this story is Li’eth. I liked him as well and enjoyed learning about him and seeing his character growth. I won’t go into any more detail as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. This story is best enjoyed without knowing the plot beforehand.
The Terrans is an expertly crafted and complex beginning to a what, I believe, will be a very compelling series. The characters are multifaceted and original. The plot is interesting and smoothly paced. There is action, adventure and a hint of romance. My only complaint is that I could have done with a little less information in a couple spots but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.
I’m happy to say that The Terrans has a satisfying ending but leaves you anxious for more. Though the overall story is far from complete but it doesn't end in a cliffhanger. I look forward to reading the second book, due out in 2016, as I’m eager to find out how the next events will play out.
I highly recommend The Terrans to fans of Science Fiction.
*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP/Ace, via NetGalley.
The Terrans is a fantastic start to the First Salik War series by Jean Johnson. This new series is set in the same world as the “Theirs Not to Reason Why” series but takes place 200 years earlier. It is not necessary to read that series prior to this one. I didn’t and had no problems following along.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Terrans. In fact, I found the story and characters so absorbing that I stayed up most of the night finishing it, without even realizing the passage of time. You know it’s a good story when you lose sleep and don’t particularly care.
The main protagonist of the story is Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie. I really liked Jackie. She’s a powerful psychic and a strong leader. I liked how she used her leadership in an honorable and empathic way. She has a strong, assertive personality that suits her role perfectly.
The other prominent character in this story is Li’eth. I liked him as well and enjoyed learning about him and seeing his character growth. I won’t go into any more detail as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. This story is best enjoyed without knowing the plot beforehand.
The Terrans is an expertly crafted and complex beginning to a what, I believe, will be a very compelling series. The characters are multifaceted and original. The plot is interesting and smoothly paced. There is action, adventure and a hint of romance. My only complaint is that I could have done with a little less information in a couple spots but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.
I’m happy to say that The Terrans has a satisfying ending but leaves you anxious for more. Though the overall story is far from complete but it doesn't end in a cliffhanger. I look forward to reading the second book, due out in 2016, as I’m eager to find out how the next events will play out.
I highly recommend The Terrans to fans of Science Fiction.
*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP/Ace, via NetGalley.
February 15, 2016
I read the first book in Johnson's Theirs Not to Reason Why series, and although I liked the world building and writing, I didn't connect with the lead character. So I decided to try this series. It's set in the same universe, but with a different lead.
And this book starts out really nice. I liked Jackie, I liked most of her crew, and I liked the world building. There was a bit of stretched out blah at the start of the book, but the premise had to be set.
Then they meet the evil Salik!
Those turned out to be froglike aliens with tentacle arms who like to eat their enemies while they're still alive. I was really getting into the story by this point, only to discover that the Salik were just a short interlude before this story turned into 'earth-humans meet related space-humans and they try to learn from each other'.
Hmm...
Still, the writing and story were still pleasant enough to continue, even though this turned out to be a much different story than I expected.
Then they reach Earth and the blah started up again!
I will confess I started skimming. Page after page there was political blah that dragged on and on! I was starting to hope the Salik would find Earth and start eating everyone just to put an end to all the unnecessary talking.
All in all I think I will have to admit that Johnson's books are not for me. I most probably will not pick up other books in this series, especially since I saw a review of book 2 that said it didn't have as much action as this one...
I will confess I am a bit curious if some things I predict will happen in book 2, will actually happen, so if I ever do see book 2 on sale I might cave.
And this book starts out really nice. I liked Jackie, I liked most of her crew, and I liked the world building. There was a bit of stretched out blah at the start of the book, but the premise had to be set.
Then they meet the evil Salik!
Those turned out to be froglike aliens with tentacle arms who like to eat their enemies while they're still alive. I was really getting into the story by this point, only to discover that the Salik were just a short interlude before this story turned into 'earth-humans meet related space-humans and they try to learn from each other'.
Hmm...
Still, the writing and story were still pleasant enough to continue, even though this turned out to be a much different story than I expected.
Then they reach Earth and the blah started up again!
I will confess I started skimming. Page after page there was political blah that dragged on and on! I was starting to hope the Salik would find Earth and start eating everyone just to put an end to all the unnecessary talking.
All in all I think I will have to admit that Johnson's books are not for me. I most probably will not pick up other books in this series, especially since I saw a review of book 2 that said it didn't have as much action as this one...
I will confess I am a bit curious if some things I predict will happen in book 2, will actually happen, so if I ever do see book 2 on sale I might cave.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2015
Reading this one is interesting. I like that we get the back story from Theirs Not to Reason Why Series. As this is so many years in the past you can see the differences in the world, but there are similarities too.
I really liked watching Jackie and the V'Dan met and how they were able to work together, how the differences between their cultures at times caused issues, but there was a common foundation. Part of me feels like the author set up the Terran world as an idealized version of what she would like to see, or maybe those were my thoughts. I really liked how the government was set up and how things worked. Being as the V'Dan are so different the next book should be very interesting. I have no doubt that Jackie will be up to the task of dealing with them.
I really liked watching Jackie and the V'Dan met and how they were able to work together, how the differences between their cultures at times caused issues, but there was a common foundation. Part of me feels like the author set up the Terran world as an idealized version of what she would like to see, or maybe those were my thoughts. I really liked how the government was set up and how things worked. Being as the V'Dan are so different the next book should be very interesting. I have no doubt that Jackie will be up to the task of dealing with them.
April 25, 2016
2.5 stars.
Have to say, for a book that hits some of my favorite genres, this one really dragged and ultimately fell flat. A good editor should have shaved about 100 pages of repetitive and redundant details. It's a crying shame, because this could have been a fun, action-filled series.
Have to say, for a book that hits some of my favorite genres, this one really dragged and ultimately fell flat. A good editor should have shaved about 100 pages of repetitive and redundant details. It's a crying shame, because this could have been a fun, action-filled series.
February 25, 2018
Her first series was ok, an average space opera. I was bored and saw this in the library, so checked it out.
It's very, very, talkie, and not to move the plot forward. It was all about her bragging about the universe she created and her knowledge of actual Hawaiin culture. Almost nothing was accomplished other than the basics of first contact. The content she had in the book took up maybe 20-30 pages of this 438 page tome.
It's very, very, talkie, and not to move the plot forward. It was all about her bragging about the universe she created and her knowledge of actual Hawaiin culture. Almost nothing was accomplished other than the basics of first contact. The content she had in the book took up maybe 20-30 pages of this 438 page tome.
September 30, 2021
I read this after re-reading Theirs Not to Reason Why, which is one of my favorite series also written by this author. I usually don't read such little-known series, but I made an exception because it was written by Jean Johnson and set in the same world 200 years earlier.
This was good, but in a different way. It was lighter and had bits of romance (I think it was implied, though I didn't really get why the whole Gestalt pair thing is some kind of sexual intimacy). There was less blood, less death, and less genocide. It was more political and more about the interaction between different cultures than the actual war. It was really interesting to see the ideals of political transparency and cultural respect interweaved throughout.
However, this series will never make my favorites list because it doesn't evoke the same heartbreaking beauty and sadness as Theirs Not to Reason Why. But it was a different kind of beauty. Theirs Not to Reason Why was a story of sacrifice and devastation, of war and genocide. Contrary to the name, this series (The First Salik War), isn't about war at all, but about ensuring peace.
This was good, but in a different way. It was lighter and had bits of romance (I think it was implied, though I didn't really get why the whole Gestalt pair thing is some kind of sexual intimacy). There was less blood, less death, and less genocide. It was more political and more about the interaction between different cultures than the actual war. It was really interesting to see the ideals of political transparency and cultural respect interweaved throughout.
However, this series will never make my favorites list because it doesn't evoke the same heartbreaking beauty and sadness as Theirs Not to Reason Why. But it was a different kind of beauty. Theirs Not to Reason Why was a story of sacrifice and devastation, of war and genocide. Contrary to the name, this series (The First Salik War), isn't about war at all, but about ensuring peace.
July 31, 2015
4.5 Stars
Originally posted at The Bookaholic Cat
The Terrans is the first book in the First Salik War series by Jean Johnson.
Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie, the most powerful telepath and telekinetic of the United Planets is ready to start her early retirement from public service, but the leaders of the government and military have other plans for her. Precognitive members of the military have foreseen encounters with new alien races and a war to come against with one of them. In all of their visions Jackie is always front and center as a key player in the events to come. Knowing this, the military assembles a team of specialists lead by Jackie and sends them to space -in the Aloha 9- to explore new areas in search for these new aliens.
During one of their trips, a big alien ship surprises them, trapping them and bringing them on board. Using her telepathic abilities Jackie realizes the intentions of the aliens (Salik) are not good at all. Thanks to her ability, she also finds five human minds inside the ship. They have been kept prisoners and if they are not rescue, soon they will be meals for the Salik.
Thanks to Jackie’s telekinetic abilities she is able to free the five humans, bring them aboard the Aloha 9 and escape the Salik’s ship.
Although these five humans are almost identical as them, they are not Terrans, they are a different race known as V’Dan. The leader of their group is Captain Li'eth Ma'an-uq'en.
The V’Dan have prophecies that told them of this day, when they will meet the Terrans, the race that will help them fight their war against the Salik.
Returning home with five aliens on board has its complications. They will need to live in quarantine until they are all clear and from there the political maneuvers will start. Including the plans to return the V’Dan to their home planet.
I loved this book, I loved it so much that I would like to tell you to trust me, buy it and read it, but I know that is not enough, so let me try to do my best to convince you.
All the characters in The Terrans are great, from the main characters to the secondary.
Jackie is a heroine easy to like, admire and cheer for. She is not only smart, she is very ethical and always does her best thinking of others first. Because of her abilities she also has to deal with discrimination and misconceptions. Her responses to this only made me like her more.
Li'eth is another character that was impossible not to like. Li'eth is more than what he appears, but he doesn’t take advantage of this. I liked how open minded, caring, and protective he was. I can’t say more about him without giving spoilers away.
There is a relationship blossoming between Jackie and Li'eth, I liked that nothing is rushed or forced. I can’t wait to see how things progress between these two.
Like I said before, the secondary characters were also great, there are many to talk about, I will just say they all made the story better, more complex and more entertaining.
Jean Johnson really surprised me with her creativity. The world she created for this series is impressive and really well thought, from the planets, to the ships, to the science behind it all. The story is also fabulous. I liked how Johnson used specific situations to give us important information about the world, politics and society. That was very smart of her. Although I liked all the information Johnson gave us, I can see some people having trouble with the amount of it.
I liked everything about The Terrans, I liked the characters, I liked the world, I liked the story, I liked the pace, I liked everything.
I liked this book so much that it was 4 in the morning and I was still reading it, that’s the problem of starting a book late at night. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to wake up early the next day, so I was able to read until my eyes were closing, sadly I had to go to bed with only a few chapters left to finish it. But do you know what was the first thing I did when I opened my eyes, ok, the first thing I did after having my morning coffee? Continue reading this book and I didn’t put it down until I finished it. And do you know what was the first thing I did after I finished it? No? I bought the first book (A Soldier's Duty) to a series (Theirs Not to Reason Why series) that is set in this same world, but 200 years later than this series. That’s how much I liked The Terrans.
The Terrans is a book I highly recommend to sci-fi fans. Saying I’m looking forward to second book in this series, The V'Dan, is the understatement of the year. I’m dying to get my greedy hands on that one, 2016 can’t come soon enough for that.
Originally posted at The Bookaholic Cat
The Terrans is the first book in the First Salik War series by Jean Johnson.
Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie, the most powerful telepath and telekinetic of the United Planets is ready to start her early retirement from public service, but the leaders of the government and military have other plans for her. Precognitive members of the military have foreseen encounters with new alien races and a war to come against with one of them. In all of their visions Jackie is always front and center as a key player in the events to come. Knowing this, the military assembles a team of specialists lead by Jackie and sends them to space -in the Aloha 9- to explore new areas in search for these new aliens.
During one of their trips, a big alien ship surprises them, trapping them and bringing them on board. Using her telepathic abilities Jackie realizes the intentions of the aliens (Salik) are not good at all. Thanks to her ability, she also finds five human minds inside the ship. They have been kept prisoners and if they are not rescue, soon they will be meals for the Salik.
Thanks to Jackie’s telekinetic abilities she is able to free the five humans, bring them aboard the Aloha 9 and escape the Salik’s ship.
Although these five humans are almost identical as them, they are not Terrans, they are a different race known as V’Dan. The leader of their group is Captain Li'eth Ma'an-uq'en.
The V’Dan have prophecies that told them of this day, when they will meet the Terrans, the race that will help them fight their war against the Salik.
Returning home with five aliens on board has its complications. They will need to live in quarantine until they are all clear and from there the political maneuvers will start. Including the plans to return the V’Dan to their home planet.
I loved this book, I loved it so much that I would like to tell you to trust me, buy it and read it, but I know that is not enough, so let me try to do my best to convince you.
All the characters in The Terrans are great, from the main characters to the secondary.
Jackie is a heroine easy to like, admire and cheer for. She is not only smart, she is very ethical and always does her best thinking of others first. Because of her abilities she also has to deal with discrimination and misconceptions. Her responses to this only made me like her more.
Li'eth is another character that was impossible not to like. Li'eth is more than what he appears, but he doesn’t take advantage of this. I liked how open minded, caring, and protective he was. I can’t say more about him without giving spoilers away.
There is a relationship blossoming between Jackie and Li'eth, I liked that nothing is rushed or forced. I can’t wait to see how things progress between these two.
Like I said before, the secondary characters were also great, there are many to talk about, I will just say they all made the story better, more complex and more entertaining.
Jean Johnson really surprised me with her creativity. The world she created for this series is impressive and really well thought, from the planets, to the ships, to the science behind it all. The story is also fabulous. I liked how Johnson used specific situations to give us important information about the world, politics and society. That was very smart of her. Although I liked all the information Johnson gave us, I can see some people having trouble with the amount of it.
I liked everything about The Terrans, I liked the characters, I liked the world, I liked the story, I liked the pace, I liked everything.
I liked this book so much that it was 4 in the morning and I was still reading it, that’s the problem of starting a book late at night. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to wake up early the next day, so I was able to read until my eyes were closing, sadly I had to go to bed with only a few chapters left to finish it. But do you know what was the first thing I did when I opened my eyes, ok, the first thing I did after having my morning coffee? Continue reading this book and I didn’t put it down until I finished it. And do you know what was the first thing I did after I finished it? No? I bought the first book (A Soldier's Duty) to a series (Theirs Not to Reason Why series) that is set in this same world, but 200 years later than this series. That’s how much I liked The Terrans.
The Terrans is a book I highly recommend to sci-fi fans. Saying I’m looking forward to second book in this series, The V'Dan, is the understatement of the year. I’m dying to get my greedy hands on that one, 2016 can’t come soon enough for that.
October 11, 2018
Waste of time. Little actually happens.
July 29, 2016
Although set in the same universe as Johnson's Theirs Not to Reason Why series of military science fiction The Terrans marks the start of a new series, with a different thematic focus, which can be read on its own. Having never read anything by Johnson before I can attest that the start of this series does work on its own, though doubtless fans of her science fiction universe will find nods and gems that I couldn't pick up on. The novel also works effectively enough without its sequels. Its followup, The V'Dan, was published this past winter and the series conclusion, The Blockade, is slated for this coming November.
This is one of those books that I wouldn't likely pick up on my own. A mass market paperback of an author I'm not familiar with at all. The start of a series that could compel a commitment to read more. A subtitle and cover that brings to mind military SF, a sub-genre I'm unlikely to get much enjoyment in. Without a recommendation or reading reviews that suggest some compelling part to the novel, I just wouldn't risk the time.
The Terrans did not blow me away, but it is a better-than-average space opera with some strong assets that will get me to seek out the second book in the series. Unlike the five novels to date in Theirs Not to Reason Why, this first book of The First Salik War focuses on first contact diplomacy more than military culture and conflict. Had that not been the case I likely wouldn't have finished the novel because the other aspects of the novel I did enjoy would not have made up for an undesirable plot and theme.
Set two hundred years prior to the events of her other series, the Terrans features protagonist Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie, a diplomat and translator with powerful psychic abilities and training. The prescient members of humanity have foreseen alien first contacts and the coming of a terrible war. Jackie is recruited back into the Space Force to serve as both soldier and politician in a team sent to investigate the threat of the alien race and find a way to delay or prevent conflict. While dealing with bigotry, prejudice, and internal conflicts among the team she has been designated to lead, Jackie must find a means of cross-cultural communication with the V'Dan, a long forgotten branch of humanity that already has been targeted by the predatory Salik aliens.
The Terrans is superb in concept and genre balance. I enjoyed the mixtures of action, romance, social commentary, and politics in the novel. Johnson does a phenomenal job in making her novel diverse in character. She includes technological and psychological details that provide a hit of 'hard' science fiction among the space opera and the fantastic. I loved the considerations of quarantine, and the struggles of even communicating with fellow humans, whether the distant V'Dan or fellow members of the same planet with vastly different points of view.
However, the novel really fails in how it executes its grand ideas. The dialogue and exposition are heavy handed, even tedious. The writing is geared more towards celebration of its ideas rather than a more artistic side of literature that would use well crafted lines for nuanced exploration of themes. Seeming almost 'preachy' in some regards Johnson makes her characters too clear-cut, idealized or criticized. Jackie in particular is a Renaissance woman type, excelling at so many skills, yet bearing the patience of a saint in the face of harsh, unjust treatment. A small dose of such perfection contrasted with villainy is fine, but here it begins to get frustrating, drawing the reader out of the story itself into a view of the novel as a constructed image of the author of how people treat one another versus how things should be.
And so if you are reader who would like space opera that affirms diversity with feel-good idealism, then this is something you'd probably really enjoy. I wouldn't want to just read something like that, but I did overall enjoy The Terrans despite its heavy-handedness. The story was compelling enough and I liked the dilution of action with inter-human and human-alien communication. If you, however, feel time away from action makes a novel drag, then Theirs Not to Reason Why may be more the series for you.
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reading copy of this from the publisher as part of the AceRocStars Street Team in exchange for an honest review that originally appeared at Reading1000Lives.com.
This is one of those books that I wouldn't likely pick up on my own. A mass market paperback of an author I'm not familiar with at all. The start of a series that could compel a commitment to read more. A subtitle and cover that brings to mind military SF, a sub-genre I'm unlikely to get much enjoyment in. Without a recommendation or reading reviews that suggest some compelling part to the novel, I just wouldn't risk the time.
The Terrans did not blow me away, but it is a better-than-average space opera with some strong assets that will get me to seek out the second book in the series. Unlike the five novels to date in Theirs Not to Reason Why, this first book of The First Salik War focuses on first contact diplomacy more than military culture and conflict. Had that not been the case I likely wouldn't have finished the novel because the other aspects of the novel I did enjoy would not have made up for an undesirable plot and theme.
Set two hundred years prior to the events of her other series, the Terrans features protagonist Jacaranda (Jackie) MacKenzie, a diplomat and translator with powerful psychic abilities and training. The prescient members of humanity have foreseen alien first contacts and the coming of a terrible war. Jackie is recruited back into the Space Force to serve as both soldier and politician in a team sent to investigate the threat of the alien race and find a way to delay or prevent conflict. While dealing with bigotry, prejudice, and internal conflicts among the team she has been designated to lead, Jackie must find a means of cross-cultural communication with the V'Dan, a long forgotten branch of humanity that already has been targeted by the predatory Salik aliens.
The Terrans is superb in concept and genre balance. I enjoyed the mixtures of action, romance, social commentary, and politics in the novel. Johnson does a phenomenal job in making her novel diverse in character. She includes technological and psychological details that provide a hit of 'hard' science fiction among the space opera and the fantastic. I loved the considerations of quarantine, and the struggles of even communicating with fellow humans, whether the distant V'Dan or fellow members of the same planet with vastly different points of view.
However, the novel really fails in how it executes its grand ideas. The dialogue and exposition are heavy handed, even tedious. The writing is geared more towards celebration of its ideas rather than a more artistic side of literature that would use well crafted lines for nuanced exploration of themes. Seeming almost 'preachy' in some regards Johnson makes her characters too clear-cut, idealized or criticized. Jackie in particular is a Renaissance woman type, excelling at so many skills, yet bearing the patience of a saint in the face of harsh, unjust treatment. A small dose of such perfection contrasted with villainy is fine, but here it begins to get frustrating, drawing the reader out of the story itself into a view of the novel as a constructed image of the author of how people treat one another versus how things should be.
And so if you are reader who would like space opera that affirms diversity with feel-good idealism, then this is something you'd probably really enjoy. I wouldn't want to just read something like that, but I did overall enjoy The Terrans despite its heavy-handedness. The story was compelling enough and I liked the dilution of action with inter-human and human-alien communication. If you, however, feel time away from action makes a novel drag, then Theirs Not to Reason Why may be more the series for you.
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reading copy of this from the publisher as part of the AceRocStars Street Team in exchange for an honest review that originally appeared at Reading1000Lives.com.
August 31, 2015
You can read the entire review on my blog:
https://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/201...
Towards the end of last year, Jean Johnson brought her Theirs Not To Reason Why military space opera series to a close in a grand fashion with Damnation, the fifth and final novel in the series. In this series, she introduced an amazingly detailed setting where our hero was a psychic soldier who takes on the entire known galaxy and reshapes it to battle a menace that no one else could even fathom. It was a fantastic series and by the time I was done reading it, I wanted to read more. But the series was done, and all that was left was the promise from Jean that this year we would go back in time to the First Salik War, the interstellar conflict that put Earth on the big stage and which ultimately segued into the events of Theirs Not To Reason Why.
The hero of The Terrans is a former regional politician named Jacaranda MacKenzie who is selected to be the political ambassador of humanity’s first deep foray into the rest of the galaxy, as the United Planets Space Force launches a massive first contact project on the back of several precognitive visions experienced by numerous powerful psychics. Yep, psychics affirming a first contact mission. We know from Jean’s previous series that this setting is populated by numerous psychics of various abilities, and that is something that she does a great job of in this new series, introducing us to many of the pros and cons of such people, especially within the context of a first contact mission.
The novel begins innocently enough, when recently retired Councillor Jackie MacKenzie is asked to come and meet with the highest officials of the United Planets government on a top-secret manner. We learn that several powerful psychics across the United Planets have been having visions of first contact with alien races and that these visions hint at both peaceful encounters and violent ones, against all sorts of alien species. And there is even the hint of a major conflict on the horizon, something that could have some serious consequences for the people of Earth and the other worlds of the Solar System. So the United Planets government, on the recommendations of these psychics and the Space Force, agrees to launch a massive exploration mission to initiate the “prophesied” first contact with these species, to reach out to the other sentient races of the galaxy as and when possible. But all is not as it seems, and very soon, Jackie’s crew finds itself in the thick of things, having to deal with events they have no standard operating procedures for, making things up on the fly, and effectively bungling their way through it all.
What I both loved and somewhat disliked about The Terrans was the detail of the world-building. This is something that I expected, having read Jean’s previous series, but I was still surprised at the amount of detail that the author packed in for this one. At times, it was fascinating to read all the cultural and military stuff, especially when the author went down into the minutiae of it all, but other times it didn’t jive so well for me because it was too much. And there were even a couple times when some information, or a series of events was reiterated and the pace of the story really slowed down.
The action in the novel is relatively low key. This is a first contact novel, and as such most of the time is spent navigating life on Earth, life in space, and meeting with two different types of aliens. As such, you can expect a lot of cross-cultural stuff here as we learn how the Terrans are different from the V’Dan and how they are all different from the Salik and so on. There are several surprises throughout the novel and they can often throw you for a loop (in a good way of course), so there’s never much of a dull moment at least. Jean keeps you on your toes, and the cultural differences between the Terrans and the V’Dan are definitely among my favourite bits of the novel.
https://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/201...
Towards the end of last year, Jean Johnson brought her Theirs Not To Reason Why military space opera series to a close in a grand fashion with Damnation, the fifth and final novel in the series. In this series, she introduced an amazingly detailed setting where our hero was a psychic soldier who takes on the entire known galaxy and reshapes it to battle a menace that no one else could even fathom. It was a fantastic series and by the time I was done reading it, I wanted to read more. But the series was done, and all that was left was the promise from Jean that this year we would go back in time to the First Salik War, the interstellar conflict that put Earth on the big stage and which ultimately segued into the events of Theirs Not To Reason Why.
The hero of The Terrans is a former regional politician named Jacaranda MacKenzie who is selected to be the political ambassador of humanity’s first deep foray into the rest of the galaxy, as the United Planets Space Force launches a massive first contact project on the back of several precognitive visions experienced by numerous powerful psychics. Yep, psychics affirming a first contact mission. We know from Jean’s previous series that this setting is populated by numerous psychics of various abilities, and that is something that she does a great job of in this new series, introducing us to many of the pros and cons of such people, especially within the context of a first contact mission.
The novel begins innocently enough, when recently retired Councillor Jackie MacKenzie is asked to come and meet with the highest officials of the United Planets government on a top-secret manner. We learn that several powerful psychics across the United Planets have been having visions of first contact with alien races and that these visions hint at both peaceful encounters and violent ones, against all sorts of alien species. And there is even the hint of a major conflict on the horizon, something that could have some serious consequences for the people of Earth and the other worlds of the Solar System. So the United Planets government, on the recommendations of these psychics and the Space Force, agrees to launch a massive exploration mission to initiate the “prophesied” first contact with these species, to reach out to the other sentient races of the galaxy as and when possible. But all is not as it seems, and very soon, Jackie’s crew finds itself in the thick of things, having to deal with events they have no standard operating procedures for, making things up on the fly, and effectively bungling their way through it all.
What I both loved and somewhat disliked about The Terrans was the detail of the world-building. This is something that I expected, having read Jean’s previous series, but I was still surprised at the amount of detail that the author packed in for this one. At times, it was fascinating to read all the cultural and military stuff, especially when the author went down into the minutiae of it all, but other times it didn’t jive so well for me because it was too much. And there were even a couple times when some information, or a series of events was reiterated and the pace of the story really slowed down.
The action in the novel is relatively low key. This is a first contact novel, and as such most of the time is spent navigating life on Earth, life in space, and meeting with two different types of aliens. As such, you can expect a lot of cross-cultural stuff here as we learn how the Terrans are different from the V’Dan and how they are all different from the Salik and so on. There are several surprises throughout the novel and they can often throw you for a loop (in a good way of course), so there’s never much of a dull moment at least. Jean keeps you on your toes, and the cultural differences between the Terrans and the V’Dan are definitely among my favourite bits of the novel.
August 4, 2015
The Terrans is the first instalment in a prequel series to Theirs Not To Reason Why. I quite liked the Theirs Not To Reason Why series so when I saw that Jean Johnson came out with a new series in this universe I was quite looking forward to the first book even though I am in general not to found of prequel stories. Unfortunately I am not at all as impressed by this first book in this new series as I was with the book in Theirs Not To Reason Why. The author has included a fairly lengthy explanation at the beginning of the book clearly stating that this book is not the heavy military science fiction as Theirs Not To Reason Why and why she wrote the other series first. Well, this book is indeed a very different book from the books in the other series.
The book is primarily about first contact. Normally I do like those kind of stories but the suspense is somewhat lessened by the fact that this is a prequel and you, as a reader, already know a lot of what there is to know about the species that the Terrans are about to make contact with. Nevertheless there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the core story. It is well written and the characters are well done although I found the utterly unprofessional behaviour of Lieutenant Commander Colver to be somewhat over the top and frustrating.
The book is rather slow though and there is a lot of dialogue which is downright boring. I felt like skipping some of the long sections about sex and courting behaviour and human versus V’Dan culture etc…
The things that annoyed me the most though was the parts where they actually contemplated bringing human charges against the third born child of the Empress of the empire that they just made first contact with because he did, in the heat of the moment, not behave according to the ethical standards of the humans. That was just ludicrous. Equally ludicrous was having this representative of the empire do cleaning duties to “atone for his actions”. What the f…? Speaking of the ethical standards of the humans, having top leaders of the United Planets do mundane cleaning duties just felt laughable to me. These people surely had more important things to do with their time.
I am interested in following this story and see where it goes so I have already pre-ordered the next book in the series despite not being too impressed by this one. I just hope that the story picks up some speed and that the author gets more into the actual First Salik War as the series is named after all. There are many plot elements, especially on the level of the psychic abilities, that will hopefully be interesting plot elements in the future.
The book is primarily about first contact. Normally I do like those kind of stories but the suspense is somewhat lessened by the fact that this is a prequel and you, as a reader, already know a lot of what there is to know about the species that the Terrans are about to make contact with. Nevertheless there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the core story. It is well written and the characters are well done although I found the utterly unprofessional behaviour of Lieutenant Commander Colver to be somewhat over the top and frustrating.
The book is rather slow though and there is a lot of dialogue which is downright boring. I felt like skipping some of the long sections about sex and courting behaviour and human versus V’Dan culture etc…
The things that annoyed me the most though was the parts where they actually contemplated bringing human charges against the third born child of the Empress of the empire that they just made first contact with because he did, in the heat of the moment, not behave according to the ethical standards of the humans. That was just ludicrous. Equally ludicrous was having this representative of the empire do cleaning duties to “atone for his actions”. What the f…? Speaking of the ethical standards of the humans, having top leaders of the United Planets do mundane cleaning duties just felt laughable to me. These people surely had more important things to do with their time.
I am interested in following this story and see where it goes so I have already pre-ordered the next book in the series despite not being too impressed by this one. I just hope that the story picks up some speed and that the author gets more into the actual First Salik War as the series is named after all. There are many plot elements, especially on the level of the psychic abilities, that will hopefully be interesting plot elements in the future.
July 25, 2015
4.5 Stars!!!
And thanks to NetGalley I've found another author to enjoy!!
What I liked: The Terrans is the first book I've read by Ms Johnson. I found it on NetGalley and since I've enjoyed the last two Sci-Fi books I've read, I thought, why not?
I completely bought into this whole story. As a matter of fact, my son was trying to get my attention while I was reading The Terrans and I told him, leave me alone, I'm a psychic fighting aliens!!
Ms Johnson's imagination in writing this story completely fascinated me. The future she painted seemed completely plausible and I want to live there! As you know, setting up in a first book of a series is important but can be slow going for the reader. I dove in and did not want to come up for air!
Her writing is tight, crisp and intriguing. If you've any kind of imagination of what the future might be like, just hang on and enjoy the ride provided by Ms Johnson and her utterly fascinating characters. While there is a main character, Jackie, she doesn't carry the story alone. Her projected love interest, Captain Li'eth Ma'an-uq'en (interesting names abound) looks human but with some strange markings. As a matter of fact, The Terrans (what we think of as normal humans) have NO markings on their skin and it causes some confusion not only upon first contact but throughout the book. Wait until you hear the explanation.
This series is supposedly a bit of a prequel to one of Ms Johnson's other series, Theirs Not to Reason Why and is similar to that world. I've never read that series and maybe that's why I thought the world building in The Terrans was unbelievably good. I didn't feel lost at all and was a bit in awe of Ms Johnson's talent.
I'm not going to rehash the whole story as you just must experience it yourself and you won't be disappointed.
What I didn't like: I'm really trying to think about something I didn't enjoy or disliked about The Terrans; I can't.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
Highly Recommended!!!!!
And thanks to NetGalley I've found another author to enjoy!!
What I liked: The Terrans is the first book I've read by Ms Johnson. I found it on NetGalley and since I've enjoyed the last two Sci-Fi books I've read, I thought, why not?
I completely bought into this whole story. As a matter of fact, my son was trying to get my attention while I was reading The Terrans and I told him, leave me alone, I'm a psychic fighting aliens!!
Ms Johnson's imagination in writing this story completely fascinated me. The future she painted seemed completely plausible and I want to live there! As you know, setting up in a first book of a series is important but can be slow going for the reader. I dove in and did not want to come up for air!
Her writing is tight, crisp and intriguing. If you've any kind of imagination of what the future might be like, just hang on and enjoy the ride provided by Ms Johnson and her utterly fascinating characters. While there is a main character, Jackie, she doesn't carry the story alone. Her projected love interest, Captain Li'eth Ma'an-uq'en (interesting names abound) looks human but with some strange markings. As a matter of fact, The Terrans (what we think of as normal humans) have NO markings on their skin and it causes some confusion not only upon first contact but throughout the book. Wait until you hear the explanation.
This series is supposedly a bit of a prequel to one of Ms Johnson's other series, Theirs Not to Reason Why and is similar to that world. I've never read that series and maybe that's why I thought the world building in The Terrans was unbelievably good. I didn't feel lost at all and was a bit in awe of Ms Johnson's talent.
I'm not going to rehash the whole story as you just must experience it yourself and you won't be disappointed.
What I didn't like: I'm really trying to think about something I didn't enjoy or disliked about The Terrans; I can't.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
Highly Recommended!!!!!
July 30, 2015
Don’t let the fact that this is a prequel to another series stop you from reading The Terrans. I read the first book in Theirs Not to Reason Why series several years ago and still have book two on my TBR pile. The Terrans has no trouble standing on its own.
I loved The Terrans and had a hard time putting it down. It has all the things that make a great story.
The Salik are wonderful villains who like to eat intelligent living beings. They have no redeeming features.
The V’Dan are humans who were removed from the home world (Earth) 10,000 years ago. While they are human there is difference in their appearance and that difference shows that prejudice can live for any reason.
The character development is influenced by that difference. While the story focuses on the two main characters there are secondary characters that play a big part in the story line.
The book starts with an exciting recue but from there it becomes a story of discovery allowing the reader to see what Earth in the future could look like. (I think a lot of us would love to have a government that functions like the one in The Terrans. It would be a great improvement over the politics of today.)
The plot is simple. The V’Dan are losing the war with the Salik. Now there are new humans who might help turn the tide. However just because they are both human does not mean that their differences could not make getting along a big problem. Both the Terrans and the V’Dan will have their work cut out for them.
This book is set mostly on Earth and ends as they start their journey to the V’Dan home world. There is a lot more story to tell and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. It is due out in January of 2016.
ACE published The Terrans by Jean Johnson in 2015.
I received an ARC of The Terrans from Netgally in return for an honest review.
I loved The Terrans and had a hard time putting it down. It has all the things that make a great story.
The Salik are wonderful villains who like to eat intelligent living beings. They have no redeeming features.
The V’Dan are humans who were removed from the home world (Earth) 10,000 years ago. While they are human there is difference in their appearance and that difference shows that prejudice can live for any reason.
The character development is influenced by that difference. While the story focuses on the two main characters there are secondary characters that play a big part in the story line.
The book starts with an exciting recue but from there it becomes a story of discovery allowing the reader to see what Earth in the future could look like. (I think a lot of us would love to have a government that functions like the one in The Terrans. It would be a great improvement over the politics of today.)
The plot is simple. The V’Dan are losing the war with the Salik. Now there are new humans who might help turn the tide. However just because they are both human does not mean that their differences could not make getting along a big problem. Both the Terrans and the V’Dan will have their work cut out for them.
This book is set mostly on Earth and ends as they start their journey to the V’Dan home world. There is a lot more story to tell and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. It is due out in January of 2016.
ACE published The Terrans by Jean Johnson in 2015.
I received an ARC of The Terrans from Netgally in return for an honest review.
August 15, 2015
Read the full review and check out the Similar Reads on August 17th on The Book Adventures.
Two hundred or so years in the future, the peoples of Earth have colonized the Moon and a few other planets in the solar system. Faster-than-light travel (in this universe, called Other-Than-Light, or OTL) has been around for approximately a decade. After yet another major conflict with massive loss of life, the nations united to become one Earth government, with a governmental structure much more focused on ethics and honesty than on … corruption, greed, etc.
In addition to this utopian civilization, some people have developed telekinesis, telepathy, and clairvoyance. The emphasis on ethical behavior for these people is much stronger than for others, although it is mandatory for all civil servants.
Within this environment, Jacaranda has been a high-ranking civil servant for years. With a military background, and psi abilities that surpass the vast majority of mentally gifted folks, she is in a unique position to become Ambassador to other races from other solar systems. In fact, she has been “chosen” by a number of visions from the clairvoyants, as have the other members of the First Contact team. Some visions have seen human-like aliens, some spider-influenced, and some even more horrific (sorry, spider people) aliens. All coming into contact at roughly this time.
Recommended for fans of stories with psi and romantic elements, fans of futuristic science fiction, first contact and interactions between species, and fans of space opera.
Two hundred or so years in the future, the peoples of Earth have colonized the Moon and a few other planets in the solar system. Faster-than-light travel (in this universe, called Other-Than-Light, or OTL) has been around for approximately a decade. After yet another major conflict with massive loss of life, the nations united to become one Earth government, with a governmental structure much more focused on ethics and honesty than on … corruption, greed, etc.
In addition to this utopian civilization, some people have developed telekinesis, telepathy, and clairvoyance. The emphasis on ethical behavior for these people is much stronger than for others, although it is mandatory for all civil servants.
Within this environment, Jacaranda has been a high-ranking civil servant for years. With a military background, and psi abilities that surpass the vast majority of mentally gifted folks, she is in a unique position to become Ambassador to other races from other solar systems. In fact, she has been “chosen” by a number of visions from the clairvoyants, as have the other members of the First Contact team. Some visions have seen human-like aliens, some spider-influenced, and some even more horrific (sorry, spider people) aliens. All coming into contact at roughly this time.
Recommended for fans of stories with psi and romantic elements, fans of futuristic science fiction, first contact and interactions between species, and fans of space opera.
January 27, 2024
So. Much. Talking
So once past the slightly draggy beginning, things get more interesting with the Salik ship breakout. The exploration of Jacki’s powers in language transference was cool. But then it’s just dialogue after dialogue after DIALOGUE… By the 67% mark, I almost DNFed it. I perservered, but started skimming, hoping it would pick up. It doesn’t really. Instead I got frustrated and annoyed. The characters are Mary Sues, and it grated that they all kept having language lapses even after they’d all had the language transfer. The V’dan names were like something out if the worst fantasy book trope with apostrophe-laden LENGTHY names everywhere.
I enjoyed the “Theirs Not to Reason” series, though the main character in that was also a Mary Sue. I feel like there was so much potential here that just wasn’t realised. The massive, pages-long dialogues were useful in the beginning when I was also trying to understand what was going on and how everything related, but as it continued well throughout the entire book, it got old real quick.
Like the other series I read, I really can’t see Johnson GOING anywhere with Jacki or Apostrophe Dude’s characters. They’re very bland. There were no character arcs. They don’t have any inner conflicts. The outer character conflict with the V’dan Countess crewmate seemed very contrived and didn’t lead anywhere. The earlier conflict with Brad had me literally rolling my eyes at how dumb it was.
Two stars because her writing and ideas show potential, but overall this book frustrated me. I won’t be picking up the next one in this series.
So once past the slightly draggy beginning, things get more interesting with the Salik ship breakout. The exploration of Jacki’s powers in language transference was cool. But then it’s just dialogue after dialogue after DIALOGUE… By the 67% mark, I almost DNFed it. I perservered, but started skimming, hoping it would pick up. It doesn’t really. Instead I got frustrated and annoyed. The characters are Mary Sues, and it grated that they all kept having language lapses even after they’d all had the language transfer. The V’dan names were like something out if the worst fantasy book trope with apostrophe-laden LENGTHY names everywhere.
I enjoyed the “Theirs Not to Reason” series, though the main character in that was also a Mary Sue. I feel like there was so much potential here that just wasn’t realised. The massive, pages-long dialogues were useful in the beginning when I was also trying to understand what was going on and how everything related, but as it continued well throughout the entire book, it got old real quick.
Like the other series I read, I really can’t see Johnson GOING anywhere with Jacki or Apostrophe Dude’s characters. They’re very bland. There were no character arcs. They don’t have any inner conflicts. The outer character conflict with the V’dan Countess crewmate seemed very contrived and didn’t lead anywhere. The earlier conflict with Brad had me literally rolling my eyes at how dumb it was.
Two stars because her writing and ideas show potential, but overall this book frustrated me. I won’t be picking up the next one in this series.
May 17, 2018
This review is for the trilogy as a whole.
Honestly, this was tedious stuff. I think the only reason I got through it was because it happened to be on my desk while waiting for computer games to load.
It's forwarded with an Author's Note claiming that this is a First Contact story, but that's misleading. I don't think it counts as First Contact if the first species you communicate with is just a (magically) long-lost branch of humanity. They're not even a different species! Their culture is different, but their psychology and physiology are not appreciably different.
Even setting that aside, I feel like over 80% of the first two books are filled with this constantly rehashed business of "oh we're being judged as children for our appearance" followed by long-winded lectures on how "no, guys, really, we're all adults here."
What's more, the interactions are very one-sided.
1. Terran spends half a page lecturing on how they know best
2. Non-Terran says something ignorant in maybe one or two sentences
3. Return to step 1
I'll probably finish the trilogy and try out the military drama series that comes after, but I'm prepared to skip over large chunks of unnecessary text.
EDIT: The other series is definitely better. Not just better, but "good." Well above average. And far from being tedious, it moves fast.
Honestly, this was tedious stuff. I think the only reason I got through it was because it happened to be on my desk while waiting for computer games to load.
It's forwarded with an Author's Note claiming that this is a First Contact story, but that's misleading. I don't think it counts as First Contact if the first species you communicate with is just a (magically) long-lost branch of humanity. They're not even a different species! Their culture is different, but their psychology and physiology are not appreciably different.
Even setting that aside, I feel like over 80% of the first two books are filled with this constantly rehashed business of "oh we're being judged as children for our appearance" followed by long-winded lectures on how "no, guys, really, we're all adults here."
What's more, the interactions are very one-sided.
1. Terran spends half a page lecturing on how they know best
2. Non-Terran says something ignorant in maybe one or two sentences
3. Return to step 1
I'll probably finish the trilogy and try out the military drama series that comes after, but I'm prepared to skip over large chunks of unnecessary text.
EDIT: The other series is definitely better. Not just better, but "good." Well above average. And far from being tedious, it moves fast.
August 24, 2018
Great potential but it falls short.
I enjoyed half of the book but once the actual action scene was over very little occurred. From that point on nothing of much actual consequence happened. The rest of the book was a strange combination of repetitive conversations covering the same topics and relationship development. Development is normally my favorite part but considering the pair was literally magically destined to end up together much of it was awkward and unrealistically swift (even though it had been decided and ordered that it would be best to take things slow). I love cliche love stories but some of the quotes were so bad I had to walk away for awhile. Considering both main characters are in their 30s both acted like emotionally unhealthy teens.
There is also the major problem that Jackie (main character) is probably the biggest Mary Sue (needlessly OP) character without any real flaws to make it an interesting story. She is absolutely perfect at anything she decides to do. I'm also guessing that will only grow worse until she basically *spoilers* becomes an immortal near godlike being. (Technically an actual god to the V'Dans and their religion.)
I enjoyed half of the book but once the actual action scene was over very little occurred. From that point on nothing of much actual consequence happened. The rest of the book was a strange combination of repetitive conversations covering the same topics and relationship development. Development is normally my favorite part but considering the pair was literally magically destined to end up together much of it was awkward and unrealistically swift (even though it had been decided and ordered that it would be best to take things slow). I love cliche love stories but some of the quotes were so bad I had to walk away for awhile. Considering both main characters are in their 30s both acted like emotionally unhealthy teens.
There is also the major problem that Jackie (main character) is probably the biggest Mary Sue (needlessly OP) character without any real flaws to make it an interesting story. She is absolutely perfect at anything she decides to do. I'm also guessing that will only grow worse until she basically *spoilers* becomes an immortal near godlike being. (Technically an actual god to the V'Dans and their religion.)
July 13, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/07/1...
Publisher: Penguin
Publishing Date: July 2015
ISBN: 9780425276914
Genre: SciFi
Rating: DNF
Publisher Description: Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans…
Review: The story line was drowned, pummeled and assaulted with HEAVY dialogue and inane and lengthy scene descriptors. The big question is how in the fug did they get a publishing deal when there are so many great indie authors out there?
Publisher: Penguin
Publishing Date: July 2015
ISBN: 9780425276914
Genre: SciFi
Rating: DNF
Publisher Description: Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans…
Review: The story line was drowned, pummeled and assaulted with HEAVY dialogue and inane and lengthy scene descriptors. The big question is how in the fug did they get a publishing deal when there are so many great indie authors out there?
January 21, 2018
I managed to get through this book but it was tough going. For a sci-fi, there is a significant lack of action. In the entirety of the book, I would go so far as to say ONE action scene. The book is mostly dialogue -either verbal or mental/psych. At first this difference was a bit interesting but the novelty wore off quickly for me. This book literally gave me a headache. I understand that communication is the heroine's specialty and the author wanted us to get into her world, her head. But, it was just too much for me. There was too much detail, much of it completely unnecessary or repetitive. There was no flow to the story, I just felt like I was stuck inside Jackie or Leith's head the entire time.
August 9, 2015
So, just the thing i noticed. The author has a habit to make "figurine" role to be interesting enough and has plenty of details that the the reader thought he or she going to be important.. Then not.
Otherwise its a refreshing and totally different than the reason not to series.
Otherwise its a refreshing and totally different than the reason not to series.
December 11, 2015
I almost always avoid books set in the same universe as a series I enjoy because they never live up to the original, but I made an exception for this one and I'm glad.
A fun space romp with some neat ideas whether you have read the Theirs Not to Reason Why series or not give it a go.
A fun space romp with some neat ideas whether you have read the Theirs Not to Reason Why series or not give it a go.
July 9, 2016
Should be 3.5 stars.
4.0 stars for the psi powers and the action heroine as leader of her planet. 2.5 stars for choppy + 2.5 for repetitive writing. 4.0 stars for first contact plot. Two years ago I would have given The Terrans 4 or 5 GR stars, as I did for A Soldier's Duty.
4.0 stars for the psi powers and the action heroine as leader of her planet. 2.5 stars for choppy + 2.5 for repetitive writing. 4.0 stars for first contact plot. Two years ago I would have given The Terrans 4 or 5 GR stars, as I did for A Soldier's Duty.
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