What do you think?
Rate this book
Forfeiture
Iconoclastic eco-SciFi
They were summoned here to save the world. But humanity may wish it had stayed silent.
For millennia, a secret has been held in the ice of the North and the rainforests of the South: a way to call ancient travellers from the deep past. And as the permafrost thaws and the Amazon burns, a blind shaman fleeing loggers and a dying Inuit elder both trigger the beacon using rituals older than memory.
An answer comes quickly from the stars. But when the alien leader, Chasmaultash, arrives at Earth with an armada, she is greeted with a shocking crime scene. Rescuing the human race is forgotten, the mission now is to save Earth itself.
Horrified and repulsed by humans' desecration of this sacred Temple of Life planet, the aliens issue a threatening ultimatum upon humanity. Yet as Chasmaultash starts finding complex beauty and redemption in the very humans she is here to judge, a dangerous mutiny brews. To extremist aliens in her ranks, humanity is a rapacious parasite that must be purged—and their own leader has become infected.
As the countdown approaches for the species that is destroying the planet, can Chasmaultash rescue them, and Life on Earth, but still survive herself?
They were summoned here to save the world. But humanity may wish it had stayed silent.
For millennia, a secret has been held in the ice of the North and the rainforests of the South: a way to call ancient travellers from the deep past. And as the permafrost thaws and the Amazon burns, a blind shaman fleeing loggers and a dying Inuit elder both trigger the beacon using rituals older than memory.
An answer comes quickly from the stars. But when the alien leader, Chasmaultash, arrives at Earth with an armada, she is greeted with a shocking crime scene. Rescuing the human race is forgotten, the mission now is to save Earth itself.
Horrified and repulsed by humans' desecration of this sacred Temple of Life planet, the aliens issue a threatening ultimatum upon humanity. Yet as Chasmaultash starts finding complex beauty and redemption in the very humans she is here to judge, a dangerous mutiny brews. To extremist aliens in her ranks, humanity is a rapacious parasite that must be purged—and their own leader has become infected.
As the countdown approaches for the species that is destroying the planet, can Chasmaultash rescue them, and Life on Earth, but still survive herself?
- GenresAmazon
322 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2025
13 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 4, 2025
Thanks to the Author and Netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Forfeiture tells the Story of the Intervention of the destruction of biological diversity by an Alien Species called the 'Indigos'. They see themselves as the Protectors of Life in Earth since first discoerin Earth and it's Biodiversity some 20000 years ago.
Having been contacted by Indigenous Tribes calling for help, the give the Humans of Earth 1 Year to change before intervening. As anyone currently witnessing the political Opinions towards Climate Change and protection of Biodiversity can imagine, this proes challenging.
I really liked the Premise of this noel and the conlcusion wrapped up nicely. However I often felt a bit lost with the many perspective changes between characters and I wish there would have been a clearer markinh of the timeline. The Structure was very much focussed on the beginning and end of the 1 Year period but the development of plot in the middle was missing a bit for me.
Since there were quite a few perspective changes (of both the human and alien characters) I also found it a little difficult to really connect to the characters and properly understand the societal workings of the Indigos.
Overall though I enjoyed reading the story and would recomment it to readers who like an environmental aspect and critique to their scifi reading.
Forfeiture tells the Story of the Intervention of the destruction of biological diversity by an Alien Species called the 'Indigos'. They see themselves as the Protectors of Life in Earth since first discoerin Earth and it's Biodiversity some 20000 years ago.
Having been contacted by Indigenous Tribes calling for help, the give the Humans of Earth 1 Year to change before intervening. As anyone currently witnessing the political Opinions towards Climate Change and protection of Biodiversity can imagine, this proes challenging.
I really liked the Premise of this noel and the conlcusion wrapped up nicely. However I often felt a bit lost with the many perspective changes between characters and I wish there would have been a clearer markinh of the timeline. The Structure was very much focussed on the beginning and end of the 1 Year period but the development of plot in the middle was missing a bit for me.
Since there were quite a few perspective changes (of both the human and alien characters) I also found it a little difficult to really connect to the characters and properly understand the societal workings of the Indigos.
Overall though I enjoyed reading the story and would recomment it to readers who like an environmental aspect and critique to their scifi reading.
January 2, 2026
I am normally not a sci-fi reader. I picked up this book because a friend recommended it. The storyline is engaging and presents a fresh take on alien-human encounters, with a cast of multidimensional, engaging characters, including really well developed alien perspectives. What really drew me in was the thoughtful social commentary and the beautifully crafted language. The author artfully examines humanity’s place on Earth and grapples with the devastating impact of Homo sapiens on the planet and other species. The vivid examples of systematic deforestation, mindless hunting of endangered species, and destruction of habitat are chilling. They put the spotlight on how we failed as a species in our stewardship of the planet. This book is intelligently written, extensively researched, and thought-provoking. It offers a sobering look at the long-term impact we have on Earth and makes you stop and reflect on your own actions. Humans have been acting without restraint because no one is here to judge us, but what if our species were put on trial?
September 30, 2025
4/5 Stars
This book gave me chills. Forfeiture takes a first-contact premise and turns it into something deeply human and painfully relevant. It starts with Indigenous communities tapping into ancient memories to call back the Indigo—these alien explorers who once saw Earth as a “temple of Life.” They return, 8-foot-tall, color-shifting, and deeply alien, only to find a world wrecked by greed, pollution, and war. Their response? One year. One chance for humanity to undo centuries of harm before they pass judgment.
What makes this story shine is how grounded it feels despite its massive scale. Nebra doesn’t romanticize anyone—Indigenous characters are complex and flawed, the aliens themselves are divided about whether we’re worth saving, and humanity as a whole comes across as… well, complicated. There are moments of horror (especially when the aliens confront the damage we’ve done to wildlife and ecosystems) but also flashes of beauty and hope that make you root for us anyway. It’s part thriller, part moral reckoning, and part love letter to Earth itself. If you like your science fiction full of big ideas, heart, and a serious punch, add this one to your list.
This book gave me chills. Forfeiture takes a first-contact premise and turns it into something deeply human and painfully relevant. It starts with Indigenous communities tapping into ancient memories to call back the Indigo—these alien explorers who once saw Earth as a “temple of Life.” They return, 8-foot-tall, color-shifting, and deeply alien, only to find a world wrecked by greed, pollution, and war. Their response? One year. One chance for humanity to undo centuries of harm before they pass judgment.
What makes this story shine is how grounded it feels despite its massive scale. Nebra doesn’t romanticize anyone—Indigenous characters are complex and flawed, the aliens themselves are divided about whether we’re worth saving, and humanity as a whole comes across as… well, complicated. There are moments of horror (especially when the aliens confront the damage we’ve done to wildlife and ecosystems) but also flashes of beauty and hope that make you root for us anyway. It’s part thriller, part moral reckoning, and part love letter to Earth itself. If you like your science fiction full of big ideas, heart, and a serious punch, add this one to your list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews