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Nexus
Three impossible objects with the mass of neutron stars are hurtling toward Earth. Will they shatter reality as we know it? Or crush humanity to dust?
Multimillion-copy bestselling authors Douglas E. Richards and Joshua T. Calvert deliver a mind-bending near-future thriller that fuses cutting-edge physics with the deepest secrets of ancient Egypt.
When physicist Lukas Heuer discovers three anomalous pyramid-shaped objects in deep space, hurtling toward Earth, he knows humanity’s days are numbered. Because the objects are so massive, if he and a small group of scientists can’t unravel their purpose and origin, their gravitational pull will tear Earth to rubble—before they even get close.
Half a world away, archaeologist Mira Najafi discovers a hidden passage in the Great Pyramid containing an ancient drawing of three black pyramids against a blue sky—a clue her vanished father left for her fifteen years ago, the last trace of the man she never stopped searching for.
Two seemingly unrelated discoveries. One impossible convergence.
As Lukas and Mira race toward the same cosmic nexus, they uncover a presence that has been watching humanity for millennia—a presence now awakening in our solar system. Because these physics-defying objects aren’t just arriving.
They’re returning.
What follows is a desperate mission to the edge of human a journey that will force a handful of scientists and explorers to confront the limits of physics, consciousness, and reality itself.
Because the pyramids aren’t just objects. They’re keys—and the door they open may change humanity forever . . . or erase it entirely.
Nexus is a high-concept, high-stakes thriller that will leave you questioning the nature of reality, and what it really means to be awake.
Multimillion-copy bestselling authors Douglas E. Richards and Joshua T. Calvert deliver a mind-bending near-future thriller that fuses cutting-edge physics with the deepest secrets of ancient Egypt.
When physicist Lukas Heuer discovers three anomalous pyramid-shaped objects in deep space, hurtling toward Earth, he knows humanity’s days are numbered. Because the objects are so massive, if he and a small group of scientists can’t unravel their purpose and origin, their gravitational pull will tear Earth to rubble—before they even get close.
Half a world away, archaeologist Mira Najafi discovers a hidden passage in the Great Pyramid containing an ancient drawing of three black pyramids against a blue sky—a clue her vanished father left for her fifteen years ago, the last trace of the man she never stopped searching for.
Two seemingly unrelated discoveries. One impossible convergence.
As Lukas and Mira race toward the same cosmic nexus, they uncover a presence that has been watching humanity for millennia—a presence now awakening in our solar system. Because these physics-defying objects aren’t just arriving.
They’re returning.
What follows is a desperate mission to the edge of human a journey that will force a handful of scientists and explorers to confront the limits of physics, consciousness, and reality itself.
Because the pyramids aren’t just objects. They’re keys—and the door they open may change humanity forever . . . or erase it entirely.
Nexus is a high-concept, high-stakes thriller that will leave you questioning the nature of reality, and what it really means to be awake.
- GenresScience Fiction
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2026
About the author
Douglas E. Richards
49 books1,767 followersWrite to Doug at douglaserichards1 at gmail dot com, and visit the author's website to be notified of new releases.
Douglas E. Richards is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of science-fiction thrillers that have sold more than three million copies (see list below). Richards has been celebrated for his gripping, thought-provoking works that blend cutting-edge scientific concepts with heart-pounding narratives.
Richards burst onto the literary scene with his debut novel, WIRED, published in 2010. The novel garnered widespread acclaim for its ingenious combination of scientific speculation and thrilling storytelling. This success set the stage for a series of bestselling novels, each marked by meticulous research, riveting plots, and characters that resonate with readers.
Known for his ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible and engaging narratives, Richards has become a go-to author for readers seeking an intellectually stimulating and adrenaline-fueled reading experience. His works delve deeply into the ethical dilemmas posed by scientific breakthroughs and the potential impact of technology on society.
A former Director of Biotechnology Licensing at Bristol Myers Squibb and a former biotechnology executive, Richards earned a BS in microbiology from the Ohio State University, a master's degree in genetic engineering from the University of Wisconsin--where he engineered mutant viruses now named after him--and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
The author has two grown children and lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and dog.
Richards loves hearing from readers, and always replies, so feel free to write to him at douglaserichards1 at gmail dot com, and address him as "Doug". You can also Friend Richards on Facebook at Douglas E. Richards Author, or visit his website, where you can sign up to be notified of new releases.
SCIENCE FICTION THRILLERS BY DOUGLAS E. RICHARDS
SERIES
WIRED (Wired 1)
AMPED (Wired 2)
MIND'S EYE (Nick Hall 1)
BRAINWEB (Nick Hall 2)
MIND WAR (Nick Hall 3)
UNLEASHED (Nick Hall 4)
SPLIT SECOND(Split Second 1)
TIME FRAME (Split Second 2)
THE ENIGMA CUBE (Alien Artifact 1)
A PIVOT IN TIME (Alien Artifact 2)
STANDALONE NOVELS
QUANTUM LENS
GAME CHANGER
INFINITY BORN
SEEKER
VERACITY
ORACLE
THE IMMORTALITY CODE
UNIDENTIFIED
PORTALS
THE CURE (To become KU eligible for the first time in 2023)
THE BREAKTHROUGH EFFECT
Kids Science Fiction Thrillers (9 and up, enjoyed by kids and adults alike)
TRAPPED (Prometheus Project 1)
CAPTURED (Prometheus Project 2)
STRANDED (Prometheus Project 3)
OUT OF THIS WORLD
DEVIL'S SWORD
Douglas E. Richards is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of science-fiction thrillers that have sold more than three million copies (see list below). Richards has been celebrated for his gripping, thought-provoking works that blend cutting-edge scientific concepts with heart-pounding narratives.
Richards burst onto the literary scene with his debut novel, WIRED, published in 2010. The novel garnered widespread acclaim for its ingenious combination of scientific speculation and thrilling storytelling. This success set the stage for a series of bestselling novels, each marked by meticulous research, riveting plots, and characters that resonate with readers.
Known for his ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible and engaging narratives, Richards has become a go-to author for readers seeking an intellectually stimulating and adrenaline-fueled reading experience. His works delve deeply into the ethical dilemmas posed by scientific breakthroughs and the potential impact of technology on society.
A former Director of Biotechnology Licensing at Bristol Myers Squibb and a former biotechnology executive, Richards earned a BS in microbiology from the Ohio State University, a master's degree in genetic engineering from the University of Wisconsin--where he engineered mutant viruses now named after him--and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
The author has two grown children and lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and dog.
Richards loves hearing from readers, and always replies, so feel free to write to him at douglaserichards1 at gmail dot com, and address him as "Doug". You can also Friend Richards on Facebook at Douglas E. Richards Author, or visit his website, where you can sign up to be notified of new releases.
SCIENCE FICTION THRILLERS BY DOUGLAS E. RICHARDS
SERIES
WIRED (Wired 1)
AMPED (Wired 2)
MIND'S EYE (Nick Hall 1)
BRAINWEB (Nick Hall 2)
MIND WAR (Nick Hall 3)
UNLEASHED (Nick Hall 4)
SPLIT SECOND(Split Second 1)
TIME FRAME (Split Second 2)
THE ENIGMA CUBE (Alien Artifact 1)
A PIVOT IN TIME (Alien Artifact 2)
STANDALONE NOVELS
QUANTUM LENS
GAME CHANGER
INFINITY BORN
SEEKER
VERACITY
ORACLE
THE IMMORTALITY CODE
UNIDENTIFIED
PORTALS
THE CURE (To become KU eligible for the first time in 2023)
THE BREAKTHROUGH EFFECT
Kids Science Fiction Thrillers (9 and up, enjoyed by kids and adults alike)
TRAPPED (Prometheus Project 1)
CAPTURED (Prometheus Project 2)
STRANDED (Prometheus Project 3)
OUT OF THIS WORLD
DEVIL'S SWORD
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
June 4, 2026
oh boy. So, this definitely isn't one of the worst books I've ever read, but probably one of the most frustrating. [edit: You know what. I originally gave this two stars because it wasn't the worst book I've ever read, so I was trying to be nice by giving it two stars. I've decided I do not care and to return it to the one star I'd originally planned on giving it.]
This book is supposed to be science fiction. It ain't. I expected more given the genre it's pitched to be but it's just woo-woo alien drivel. I'd have DNF'd but 01) I was curious at how the increasing levels of aforementioned woo-woo would turn out 02) it was a quick, easy read and 03) I hadn't yet picked out my next read and was bored enough to sit and read this so I had one more book in my reading goal. HOWEVER. Had I known the authors were also "aliens did the pyramids" weirdos, I'd have straight-up skipped reading this book altogether. It's one thing to write a book based on this bs, it's a whole other thing for the authors to also be into it.
In the notes at the end, they list ways these incredible historical constructions were built, so I was thinking they were leading up to something with more details. You know, like more in-depth, perhaps mentioning how it wouldn't have been possible without massive amounts of slave labor. But no. Instead, they decided to go with this: "The bottom line is that if the Egyptians didn't have any help from aliens, they pulled of something truly extraordinary." Really changes the vibe of the previous sentences to "isn't it soOoOoOoOo unlikely ALL these things happened without aliens!?"
Anyway, the rest of this is more "bursts into the room to talk to you because I have to tell someone about this stupid shit" than "review" but whatever. Given everything below, I really don't understand how both of these authors are "award winners".
Personality? Never heard of her. Not one single person stood out to me, not even the two main characters. They have zero personality outside of what's described on the book flap: Mira's dad is missing, which she based her entire life and career on. Lukas, he discovered a thing, while avoiding another thing. He was avoiding his home as it contained painful memories of his wife. I thought, okay, she must be dead. Nope. She dumped his ass. One would expect with something so painful to Lukas that he literally avoids his house and camps at work instead, it would be on his mind a lot, yes? Not our Lukas! Any thoughts about his ex are infrequent and very brief. Such lazy writing. If you can't be arsed to do anything beyond peppering in a few "oh yeah remember how my wife left me" or "o no divorce sad", then pick something else.
Metric? Don't know her either. That's right. In a "scifi" book, the majority of measurements used are imperial. Even in America, scientists work in metric! And Lukas is German, so why isn't his default metric? The most egregious is when scientists from all over the world gather (in Europe) to talk about everything that's happening but all discussions use imperial measurements. That is, until about 60% of the way in, this is momentarily forgotten and metric gets translated to miles "for the Americans". After this point you do at least get to see bits and pieces of this mysterious "metric" stuff.
well, well, well if it isn't the consequences of my own actions. Mira has to deal with the fallout of a stupid-ass choice and then is--gasp!--shocked at the reactions she gets. It's not until she's confronted with this that she actually stops to think about the impact this would have on other people.
Mistakes! So many! Multiple stray punctuation, typos, and formatting errors are all over this book. Plus just the completely wrong word once (I'll mention it later). And that's not all of it. At least two separate times, the order of who was talking was incorrect. There was also a back-to-back nearly identical sentences.
Carlos is Latino and speaks Spanish and we won't let you forget it. Carlos is from Chile. He speaks with an accent. We don't trust your memory, so we'll randomly remind you either by telling you, or by throwing some Spanish into his English sentences. We're all amigos here, amirite?
what is the observer effect? I watched a couple online videos, so now I'm an expert.
Here's what the observer effect is: In order to measure something, you have to interact with it. This is what changes its state. What the observer effect isn't: using our lil peepers to look at it, and our consciousness when thinking about it. That's how thoroughly this "scifi" novel was researched--they can't even be bothered to understand a super basic concept.
speaking of. Something or Someone must have created the universe.
They posit that life beginning is so completely "random" to the point it's nearly unbelievable to have happened, and therefore there must be a "creator" because, "If not, who made the universe?"
brown people couldn't possibly have built something so amazing and precise! it must be aliens.
Again, I appreciate that this book's whole premise is "omg the pyramids and aliens" but perpetuating myths is obnoxious and continues the white westerner's perspective. I mean, if we can't even be sure how white people built Stonehenge, how could brown people have possibly built the pyramids?
Carlos says, "Because we cant figure out how these things were built."
uh. We have a pretty good idea how these things were built, actually? Are a few things debated? Sure. But even those have completely plausible and reasonable theories that aren't ancient interstellar visitors.
Carlos continues, "And it's still an unanswered question why pyramids were built all over the world at different times and by different cultures."
Can I punch the authors? Please? First, they're not even the same! Second, you know what's an incredibly sturdy way of building something really tall? I'll give you one guess.
his [blank] were like [blank] some of the writing is just...........ugh. I'll start with the worst offender, and then include a few of my "favorites".
"Lukas looked up, his eyes like windows to a spirit who was seeking some kind of order in the vast uncertainty as the rain poured down."
I don't even know where to begin with this. tbh, really surprised they didn't say his "orbs" were like windows 🙄. Thank god most of the book wasn't like this, otherwise I'd have stopped reading--though I admit this one had me tempted.
"A few days ago, those words would have hurt her, but [...] they bounced off her like raindrops on glass." bounced. like raindrops. BOUNCED. LIKE RAINDROPS?!
"Lukas's cell phone began to vibrate, the modern buzz breaking the meaningful silence of the moment like a wrong note in a symphony." Slightly farther down on the page, "The meeting dissolved like stars at dawn." ok that one alone is not so bad, but it was immediately followed by "Lukas walked out of the building into the open air, where the Texas heat enveloped him like a firm embrace. But he needed that. The warmth on his skin, the tingling of his pores opening up to form beads of sweat." bruh lmao calm tf down.
"terms that slid over her ears like water over stone." we can't just say said terms were confusing, baffling, unintelligible, etc, they have to slide over her ears like water on stone.
"whose concrete walls enclosed her thoughts like a modern sarcophagus." because Egypt, get it?
"Both neophyte astronauts laughed." What? Can we send these guys to a creative writing class please? Or at least take away their thesauruses? I'm literally begging.
some stuff is just fuckin' stupid.
"Mira took a deep breath as a stanza from one of the most famous poems of all time drifted through her mind, unbidden." Two roads diverged in a wood and I--I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. But in this case, which was the road less traveled? Pyramids in space? Or a Tibetan monetary [sic]*?"
girl. it ain't themonetary monastery! She certainly thinks it is, though.
*yes, somehow "Tibetan monetary" made it past editors.
Lukas "tried to relax, but his cellphone wouldn't leave him alone". bro is somehow unaware of Do Not Disturb or incapable of thinking to turn off a phone he's already completely ignoring. This is a you problem, Lukas.
"The power of the collective human psyche when confronted with the unknown was frightening and reminded him of lemmings." We got more myths up in this bitch? Goddamn. Can't believe in the year of our Lord, two thousand and twenty six, we're still out here perpetuating some BS literally created by Disney? Baffling.
Someone whose nose "was almost touching the display" was somehow capable of studying what was on it. Literally impossible to focus on something that close to your face, let alone "studying" it, but sure. Maybe that's where all the scifi in this book went.
"Pyramids in space? It was absurd. Yet Lefèvre wasn't a homeless woman babbling to herself in the street." Yes, let's compare people to those who cannot afford basic housing nor mental health care. Good job guys.
This book is supposed to be science fiction. It ain't. I expected more given the genre it's pitched to be but it's just woo-woo alien drivel. I'd have DNF'd but 01) I was curious at how the increasing levels of aforementioned woo-woo would turn out 02) it was a quick, easy read and 03) I hadn't yet picked out my next read and was bored enough to sit and read this so I had one more book in my reading goal. HOWEVER. Had I known the authors were also "aliens did the pyramids" weirdos, I'd have straight-up skipped reading this book altogether. It's one thing to write a book based on this bs, it's a whole other thing for the authors to also be into it.
In the notes at the end, they list ways these incredible historical constructions were built, so I was thinking they were leading up to something with more details. You know, like more in-depth, perhaps mentioning how it wouldn't have been possible without massive amounts of slave labor. But no. Instead, they decided to go with this: "The bottom line is that if the Egyptians didn't have any help from aliens, they pulled of something truly extraordinary." Really changes the vibe of the previous sentences to "isn't it soOoOoOoOo unlikely ALL these things happened without aliens!?"
Anyway, the rest of this is more "bursts into the room to talk to you because I have to tell someone about this stupid shit" than "review" but whatever. Given everything below, I really don't understand how both of these authors are "award winners".
Personality? Never heard of her. Not one single person stood out to me, not even the two main characters. They have zero personality outside of what's described on the book flap: Mira's dad is missing, which she based her entire life and career on. Lukas, he discovered a thing, while avoiding another thing. He was avoiding his home as it contained painful memories of his wife. I thought, okay, she must be dead. Nope. She dumped his ass. One would expect with something so painful to Lukas that he literally avoids his house and camps at work instead, it would be on his mind a lot, yes? Not our Lukas! Any thoughts about his ex are infrequent and very brief. Such lazy writing. If you can't be arsed to do anything beyond peppering in a few "oh yeah remember how my wife left me" or "o no divorce sad", then pick something else.
Metric? Don't know her either. That's right. In a "scifi" book, the majority of measurements used are imperial. Even in America, scientists work in metric! And Lukas is German, so why isn't his default metric? The most egregious is when scientists from all over the world gather (in Europe) to talk about everything that's happening but all discussions use imperial measurements. That is, until about 60% of the way in, this is momentarily forgotten and metric gets translated to miles "for the Americans". After this point you do at least get to see bits and pieces of this mysterious "metric" stuff.
well, well, well if it isn't the consequences of my own actions. Mira has to deal with the fallout of a stupid-ass choice and then is--gasp!--shocked at the reactions she gets. It's not until she's confronted with this that she actually stops to think about the impact this would have on other people.
Mistakes! So many! Multiple stray punctuation, typos, and formatting errors are all over this book. Plus just the completely wrong word once (I'll mention it later). And that's not all of it. At least two separate times, the order of who was talking was incorrect. There was also a back-to-back nearly identical sentences.
Carlos is Latino and speaks Spanish and we won't let you forget it. Carlos is from Chile. He speaks with an accent. We don't trust your memory, so we'll randomly remind you either by telling you, or by throwing some Spanish into his English sentences. We're all amigos here, amirite?
what is the observer effect? I watched a couple online videos, so now I'm an expert.
Here's what the observer effect is: In order to measure something, you have to interact with it. This is what changes its state. What the observer effect isn't: using our lil peepers to look at it, and our consciousness when thinking about it. That's how thoroughly this "scifi" novel was researched--they can't even be bothered to understand a super basic concept.
speaking of. Something or Someone must have created the universe.
They posit that life beginning is so completely "random" to the point it's nearly unbelievable to have happened, and therefore there must be a "creator" because, "If not, who made the universe?"
brown people couldn't possibly have built something so amazing and precise! it must be aliens.
Again, I appreciate that this book's whole premise is "omg the pyramids and aliens" but perpetuating myths is obnoxious and continues the white westerner's perspective. I mean, if we can't even be sure how white people built Stonehenge, how could brown people have possibly built the pyramids?
Carlos says, "Because we cant figure out how these things were built."
uh. We have a pretty good idea how these things were built, actually? Are a few things debated? Sure. But even those have completely plausible and reasonable theories that aren't ancient interstellar visitors.
Carlos continues, "And it's still an unanswered question why pyramids were built all over the world at different times and by different cultures."
Can I punch the authors? Please? First, they're not even the same! Second, you know what's an incredibly sturdy way of building something really tall? I'll give you one guess.
his [blank] were like [blank] some of the writing is just...........ugh. I'll start with the worst offender, and then include a few of my "favorites".
"Lukas looked up, his eyes like windows to a spirit who was seeking some kind of order in the vast uncertainty as the rain poured down."
I don't even know where to begin with this. tbh, really surprised they didn't say his "orbs" were like windows 🙄. Thank god most of the book wasn't like this, otherwise I'd have stopped reading--though I admit this one had me tempted.
"A few days ago, those words would have hurt her, but [...] they bounced off her like raindrops on glass." bounced. like raindrops. BOUNCED. LIKE RAINDROPS?!
"Lukas's cell phone began to vibrate, the modern buzz breaking the meaningful silence of the moment like a wrong note in a symphony." Slightly farther down on the page, "The meeting dissolved like stars at dawn." ok that one alone is not so bad, but it was immediately followed by "Lukas walked out of the building into the open air, where the Texas heat enveloped him like a firm embrace. But he needed that. The warmth on his skin, the tingling of his pores opening up to form beads of sweat." bruh lmao calm tf down.
"terms that slid over her ears like water over stone." we can't just say said terms were confusing, baffling, unintelligible, etc, they have to slide over her ears like water on stone.
"whose concrete walls enclosed her thoughts like a modern sarcophagus." because Egypt, get it?
"Both neophyte astronauts laughed." What? Can we send these guys to a creative writing class please? Or at least take away their thesauruses? I'm literally begging.
some stuff is just fuckin' stupid.
"Mira took a deep breath as a stanza from one of the most famous poems of all time drifted through her mind, unbidden." Two roads diverged in a wood and I--I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. But in this case, which was the road less traveled? Pyramids in space? Or a Tibetan monetary [sic]*?"
girl. it ain't the
*yes, somehow "Tibetan monetary" made it past editors.
Lukas "tried to relax, but his cellphone wouldn't leave him alone". bro is somehow unaware of Do Not Disturb or incapable of thinking to turn off a phone he's already completely ignoring. This is a you problem, Lukas.
"The power of the collective human psyche when confronted with the unknown was frightening and reminded him of lemmings." We got more myths up in this bitch? Goddamn. Can't believe in the year of our Lord, two thousand and twenty six, we're still out here perpetuating some BS literally created by Disney? Baffling.
Someone whose nose "was almost touching the display" was somehow capable of studying what was on it. Literally impossible to focus on something that close to your face, let alone "studying" it, but sure. Maybe that's where all the scifi in this book went.
"Pyramids in space? It was absurd. Yet Lefèvre wasn't a homeless woman babbling to herself in the street." Yes, let's compare people to those who cannot afford basic housing nor mental health care. Good job guys.
February 13, 2026
Do you live in Flatland?
Nexus is billed as a Science Fiction Thriller. It is multiple levels deeper than just that one topic. As often as I read Douglas E. Richards' books, I should know that his exceptional talent lies in layering thriller plots with subplots of substance and weaving a path through science, physics, mathematics, philosophy, mythology, and spirituality that makes complete sense.
Nexus is a capital-T thriller, capturing the reader in the first chapter and holding them in delicious suspense until the final page. With each new element he introduces, the tension is ratcheted up. The characters even manage to do 8 billion dollars' worth of damage to Switzerland's CERN, the Large Hadron Collider.
Nexus centers around two main groups of people; advanced physics and astronomy scientists, and archaeologists who specialize in Egyptology. Add in boatloads of bureaucrats, paddle boats of politicians, and go-karts of government officials and you have a good idea of the chaos of part of the plot.
The story revolves around the Great Pyramids of Giza, and 3 spacecraft that turn out to look exactly like the Pyramids. In the process of trying to find a way in which to communicate with the incoming crafts, our scientists and Egyptologists go on a mind-blowing journey.
Nexus is by far one of my favorite Douglas E. Richards books. My myriad of reading interests are all packed into one fabulous book. What's not to like? I highly recommend it, and hope you will buy a copy and see for yourself.
Nexus is billed as a Science Fiction Thriller. It is multiple levels deeper than just that one topic. As often as I read Douglas E. Richards' books, I should know that his exceptional talent lies in layering thriller plots with subplots of substance and weaving a path through science, physics, mathematics, philosophy, mythology, and spirituality that makes complete sense.
Nexus is a capital-T thriller, capturing the reader in the first chapter and holding them in delicious suspense until the final page. With each new element he introduces, the tension is ratcheted up. The characters even manage to do 8 billion dollars' worth of damage to Switzerland's CERN, the Large Hadron Collider.
Nexus centers around two main groups of people; advanced physics and astronomy scientists, and archaeologists who specialize in Egyptology. Add in boatloads of bureaucrats, paddle boats of politicians, and go-karts of government officials and you have a good idea of the chaos of part of the plot.
The story revolves around the Great Pyramids of Giza, and 3 spacecraft that turn out to look exactly like the Pyramids. In the process of trying to find a way in which to communicate with the incoming crafts, our scientists and Egyptologists go on a mind-blowing journey.
Nexus is by far one of my favorite Douglas E. Richards books. My myriad of reading interests are all packed into one fabulous book. What's not to like? I highly recommend it, and hope you will buy a copy and see for yourself.
March 4, 2026
I despise alien stories around the pyramids or other ancient discoveries, they just don't sit well with me. So it's a testament to how much I like Doug's work that I picked this up in the first place.
I enjoyed it to a degree, although it was missing a surprising number of Doug's tropes and the reverence for the US president, although not holy new, stuck in my craw given the current incumbent. That's nothing I can blame the authors for, of course. I quite liked the characters for the most part, although the relationship between Heuer and Mendoza felt thrown in my face and there were a few minor editing tweaks that made this one feel not as tight as some of Doug's others.
As always, I liked the authors note at the end. So even if this particular twist on the genre didn't overly appeal, I enjoyed the story for what it was.
I enjoyed it to a degree, although it was missing a surprising number of Doug's tropes and the reverence for the US president, although not holy new, stuck in my craw given the current incumbent. That's nothing I can blame the authors for, of course. I quite liked the characters for the most part, although the relationship between Heuer and Mendoza felt thrown in my face and there were a few minor editing tweaks that made this one feel not as tight as some of Doug's others.
As always, I liked the authors note at the end. So even if this particular twist on the genre didn't overly appeal, I enjoyed the story for what it was.
March 14, 2026
For those who love some history, mixed with spiritualism, mysticism, science and some globe-trotting/space travel, you will enjoy this well written book. This is my first Douglas E Grant novel and the best recommendation I can give is that I will for sure be reading more of his novels
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2026
This is an interesting alien-ish, science-fiction novel about three black pyramid-shaped (and sized) objects that appear to be on a collision course with planet earth. Their size and physical make up presents gloom and doom with little that can be done to prevent planet earth destruction.
Enter the two main characters: Lukas Heuer (astrophysics scientist) and Mira Najafi (Egyptologist) who look to both understand this phenomenon and find a way to avert catastrophe. At the beginning both individuals discover something that connects to these three black pyramids. For Lukas, it’s via calculations and direct observations. For Mira, it’s two discovered drawings in a newly discovered passage of the Egyptian pyramids. For both, the key to resolution seems to be communication with the black pyramids in an unconventional way.
The concept of “consciousness” and its many dimensions seem to have attracted a number of writers recently. This novel seems to approach “consciousness” from several directions both scientifically and mystically / spiritually. At times the story gets a bit technical with science data, but it seems to weave itself well in connecting the elements to the mission objective. The ending and the prologue of added information is definitely worth reading.
Enter the two main characters: Lukas Heuer (astrophysics scientist) and Mira Najafi (Egyptologist) who look to both understand this phenomenon and find a way to avert catastrophe. At the beginning both individuals discover something that connects to these three black pyramids. For Lukas, it’s via calculations and direct observations. For Mira, it’s two discovered drawings in a newly discovered passage of the Egyptian pyramids. For both, the key to resolution seems to be communication with the black pyramids in an unconventional way.
The concept of “consciousness” and its many dimensions seem to have attracted a number of writers recently. This novel seems to approach “consciousness” from several directions both scientifically and mystically / spiritually. At times the story gets a bit technical with science data, but it seems to weave itself well in connecting the elements to the mission objective. The ending and the prologue of added information is definitely worth reading.
February 14, 2026
Amazing story!
As always there is so much science FACT contained in this story! I've recently been studying consciousness from people who have had awakenings about the true reality of the larger consciousness we all exist as a part of. Doug and Joshua definitely did their homework. Everything they've written agrees with the theories and teachings of both Thomas Campbell (My Big TOE - Theory Of Everything) and Sydney Banks (The 3 Principles).
IRL, Humanity is finally beginning to evolve to the point where we are ready to take the next step in understanding the truth of our lived reality. Hopefully this book will be read by millions of people. Even if this story only opens a few hundred minds to the possibilities of what Humanity can attain, that will be a great start.
Thanks to Doug and Joshua for your part in helping further our understanding of the possibilities that exist for us all.
As always there is so much science FACT contained in this story! I've recently been studying consciousness from people who have had awakenings about the true reality of the larger consciousness we all exist as a part of. Doug and Joshua definitely did their homework. Everything they've written agrees with the theories and teachings of both Thomas Campbell (My Big TOE - Theory Of Everything) and Sydney Banks (The 3 Principles).
IRL, Humanity is finally beginning to evolve to the point where we are ready to take the next step in understanding the truth of our lived reality. Hopefully this book will be read by millions of people. Even if this story only opens a few hundred minds to the possibilities of what Humanity can attain, that will be a great start.
Thanks to Doug and Joshua for your part in helping further our understanding of the possibilities that exist for us all.
April 7, 2026
Another not actually Science Fiction hollywood style piece of trash.
Once upon a time some people who lived in a dry land had some weird ideas about living on after they died (and couldn't see the illogic of this) and built some huge tombs, filled them with stuff and placed inside the gutted mummified corpses of important persons.
Now in the modern era when we are all much smarter, right? there are people who can't imagine building such edifices without power tools and heavy machinery and thus attribute it to Beings From Space. Because if you were a Being From Space and so clever you could travel thousands of lightyears to meet other beings, less clever than you, naturally you'd want to spend your time helping build pointless buildings to house their mummified corpses wouldn't you.
Anyway this all comes together in some stupid way and has been badly mislabelled as an SF novel.
Forget it.
Once upon a time some people who lived in a dry land had some weird ideas about living on after they died (and couldn't see the illogic of this) and built some huge tombs, filled them with stuff and placed inside the gutted mummified corpses of important persons.
Now in the modern era when we are all much smarter, right? there are people who can't imagine building such edifices without power tools and heavy machinery and thus attribute it to Beings From Space. Because if you were a Being From Space and so clever you could travel thousands of lightyears to meet other beings, less clever than you, naturally you'd want to spend your time helping build pointless buildings to house their mummified corpses wouldn't you.
Anyway this all comes together in some stupid way and has been badly mislabelled as an SF novel.
Forget it.
June 2, 2026
This book had potential, it really did, but after the first 30% it kinda fell flat on its face.
The pacing from 30% on is incredibly slow. The author repeats the same verbiage over and over. Once a page you’ll read something like “as if the fate of the world didn’t depend on it”, “as if pyramids weren’t headed towards the earth”, “as if this extinction level event wasn’t on its way” - this and variations of it were repeated almost every page, as if we needed to be reminded of the stakes every couple of seconds.
After the Tibet chapter it gets a little goofy and loses the fascinating sci-fi element. It really didn’t even make sense. Most of the book is just filler and nonsensical dialogue that contributes nothing to the plot. I found myself unable to read more than a chapter without getting a bit bored.
I love the authors and usually love their work but this was a miss for me. I hope others enjoy it more than I did.
The pacing from 30% on is incredibly slow. The author repeats the same verbiage over and over. Once a page you’ll read something like “as if the fate of the world didn’t depend on it”, “as if pyramids weren’t headed towards the earth”, “as if this extinction level event wasn’t on its way” - this and variations of it were repeated almost every page, as if we needed to be reminded of the stakes every couple of seconds.
After the Tibet chapter it gets a little goofy and loses the fascinating sci-fi element. It really didn’t even make sense. Most of the book is just filler and nonsensical dialogue that contributes nothing to the plot. I found myself unable to read more than a chapter without getting a bit bored.
I love the authors and usually love their work but this was a miss for me. I hope others enjoy it more than I did.
February 3, 2026
This isn't a review, just me again notifying my followers that Nexus is now available on Amazon! This is my latest hard science-fiction novel, written in collaboration with Joshua T. Calvert. And while my recent books have gotten away from hard science fiction, this one is a return to my roots that I think you'll really enjoy. Nexus is a wild ride. Accurate and mind-blowing, with concepts you'll be pondering long after you've finished the novel.
Here are the first few paragraphs of the synopsis.
Three impossible objects with the mass of neutron stars are hurtling toward Earth. Will they shatter reality as we know it? Or crush humanity to dust?
Multimillion-copy bestselling authors Douglas E. Richards and Joshua T. Calvert deliver a mind-bending near-future thriller that fuses cutting-edge physics with the deepest secrets of ancient Egypt.
Here are the first few paragraphs of the synopsis.
Three impossible objects with the mass of neutron stars are hurtling toward Earth. Will they shatter reality as we know it? Or crush humanity to dust?
Multimillion-copy bestselling authors Douglas E. Richards and Joshua T. Calvert deliver a mind-bending near-future thriller that fuses cutting-edge physics with the deepest secrets of ancient Egypt.
February 6, 2026
Much better than I thought it would be!
This is a great read and kept me turning pages at an amazing rate! I am a slow reader by choice, but this book had me reading for long periods of time, because it was so gripping. The characters were very real and complex and it was very easy to put myself in their shoes! I am an avid reader and usually have my nose stuck in a book. I prefer actual books, but use my Kindle often, when I can't find anything locally that seems promising. DR and JC really did a great job making this a worthwhile read and I will looking for more of their works, both individually and as a team! Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!! Thanks, guys! Doug.
This is a great read and kept me turning pages at an amazing rate! I am a slow reader by choice, but this book had me reading for long periods of time, because it was so gripping. The characters were very real and complex and it was very easy to put myself in their shoes! I am an avid reader and usually have my nose stuck in a book. I prefer actual books, but use my Kindle often, when I can't find anything locally that seems promising. DR and JC really did a great job making this a worthwhile read and I will looking for more of their works, both individually and as a team! Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!! Thanks, guys! Doug.
March 22, 2026
well u know... because the study of Dzogchen is insight into the nature of consciousness and quantum stuff... loved the cross link with ancient Egypt.
expertly written.
will try another from either of these boys.
3 mysterious pyramid-shaped objects heading toward Earth from deep space
Two parallel storylines — a physicist (Lukas) tracking the objects, an archaeologist (Mira) decoding ancient Egyptian clues
Hidden Great Pyramid passage contains ancient drawings of the same three pyramids — they've been here before
Physics + consciousness + Egypt all tied together — the pyramids are "keys" linked to human awareness
Endgame: activate them = either next-level human evolution or total extinction
expertly written.
will try another from either of these boys.
3 mysterious pyramid-shaped objects heading toward Earth from deep space
Two parallel storylines — a physicist (Lukas) tracking the objects, an archaeologist (Mira) decoding ancient Egyptian clues
Hidden Great Pyramid passage contains ancient drawings of the same three pyramids — they've been here before
Physics + consciousness + Egypt all tied together — the pyramids are "keys" linked to human awareness
Endgame: activate them = either next-level human evolution or total extinction
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2026
A mind blowing tour de force!
Nexus is an absolutely mind boggling sci-fi thriller of the highest caliber, the kind of book that never leaves you, like Blasphemy by Douglas Preston. You might just find yourself suddenly interested in meditation, A net win for everyone who reads Nexus, too. The plot involves the appearance of 3 impossible objects near the orbit of Mars and the attempts by all of humanity to stop them from destroying Earth. The plot is fast paced, the writing exemplary and characters are all brilliantly composed. Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended for fans of sci-fi, thrillers and anyone interested in the nature of reality itself!
Nexus is an absolutely mind boggling sci-fi thriller of the highest caliber, the kind of book that never leaves you, like Blasphemy by Douglas Preston. You might just find yourself suddenly interested in meditation, A net win for everyone who reads Nexus, too. The plot involves the appearance of 3 impossible objects near the orbit of Mars and the attempts by all of humanity to stop them from destroying Earth. The plot is fast paced, the writing exemplary and characters are all brilliantly composed. Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended for fans of sci-fi, thrillers and anyone interested in the nature of reality itself!
February 11, 2026
Everything explained, simply, profoundly.
Nexus is a profound possibility. I as an astronomy student struggled with many of the concepts that the authors present simply and profoundly. Dark matter, dark energy, black holes. The problems with the universe all seem relatively simple in this novel.
But what if the authors are correct? What if there are multi-dimensions beyond our simple concepts of four dimensions? What if, Einstein is just the beginning?
I truly enjoyed reading this book. The first science fiction book that really captured my attention since The Foundation Trilogy by Asimov.
Nexus is a profound possibility. I as an astronomy student struggled with many of the concepts that the authors present simply and profoundly. Dark matter, dark energy, black holes. The problems with the universe all seem relatively simple in this novel.
But what if the authors are correct? What if there are multi-dimensions beyond our simple concepts of four dimensions? What if, Einstein is just the beginning?
I truly enjoyed reading this book. The first science fiction book that really captured my attention since The Foundation Trilogy by Asimov.
June 13, 2026
A Mind Bending Story Exploring a New Dimension: Consciousness
Very well written with every chapter keeping your attention right from the start. I’m a big fan of Richard’s work, always looking to see when his next novel is coming out. This collaboration with Joshua Calvert was an excellent read, exploring a new dimension in consciousness and how it might take the human race in a new self empowering direction. Also, a first contact story with a new twist in exploring how we might communicate with aliens who are obviously far more advanced than us, to the point of whether they can even register our existence. Don’t know if there will be a sequel, but certainly would read it.
Very well written with every chapter keeping your attention right from the start. I’m a big fan of Richard’s work, always looking to see when his next novel is coming out. This collaboration with Joshua Calvert was an excellent read, exploring a new dimension in consciousness and how it might take the human race in a new self empowering direction. Also, a first contact story with a new twist in exploring how we might communicate with aliens who are obviously far more advanced than us, to the point of whether they can even register our existence. Don’t know if there will be a sequel, but certainly would read it.
March 21, 2026
Thought Provoking Read
This Is the 1st book I have read By Douglas Richards. As a physician with an undergraduate majored in quantum chemistry' who is fascinated by the "hard problem of consciousness"; as well as someone who meditates daily, I found this book absolutely fascinating. It is a thriller but at the same time thought provoking and filled with cutting edge science. For anyone who shares these interests, I strongly recommend this book. I will certainly read more books by Douglas Richards.
This Is the 1st book I have read By Douglas Richards. As a physician with an undergraduate majored in quantum chemistry' who is fascinated by the "hard problem of consciousness"; as well as someone who meditates daily, I found this book absolutely fascinating. It is a thriller but at the same time thought provoking and filled with cutting edge science. For anyone who shares these interests, I strongly recommend this book. I will certainly read more books by Douglas Richards.
February 11, 2026
Excellent read
I've read all of Doug's books and have thoroughly enjoyed "most" of them. This one may not have been one of my top favorites but it certainly kept my attention throughout. I normally read whole working out on an elliptical and can always tell if the book is good or not by how often I have to check the clock! This book made the time fly by.
In addition I love reading Doug's explanations at the end of the books. Plus if you email him he will reply to you.
I've read all of Doug's books and have thoroughly enjoyed "most" of them. This one may not have been one of my top favorites but it certainly kept my attention throughout. I normally read whole working out on an elliptical and can always tell if the book is good or not by how often I have to check the clock! This book made the time fly by.
In addition I love reading Doug's explanations at the end of the books. Plus if you email him he will reply to you.
February 17, 2026
As so often happens these days, this is science fiction for people who don't give a damn about science. I confess that I began skimming each page after the Tibet chapter, but I did finish it and certainly got a good grasp of the ideas and arguments. If you believe that ancient Egyptians were insufficiently advanced to have built the pyramids without the aid of extraterrestrial 11-dimensional beings, this is the book for you!
February 19, 2026
Fascinating book
My stepfather is from Thailand and I have been to numerous temples in our area and found the information in this book fascinating. I have always been fascinated by Egypt and of course the Pyramids. The book was not a quick read as you want read and then let everything you read cycle through your mind a few times. I believe it would be literally impossible for a bad book to be written or con written by my favorite author, "Douglas E. Richards.
My stepfather is from Thailand and I have been to numerous temples in our area and found the information in this book fascinating. I have always been fascinated by Egypt and of course the Pyramids. The book was not a quick read as you want read and then let everything you read cycle through your mind a few times. I believe it would be literally impossible for a bad book to be written or con written by my favorite author, "Douglas E. Richards.
March 1, 2026
a good collaboration between the authors
I was previously turned off by Richard inserting his right wing views in a previous book. But there is none of that distraction in this book. Sadly for me, since watching the Age of Disclosure documentary my thoughts on first contact have changed, but there is room to dream of second contact. Or in the case of this book, a scenario with other possibilities.
I was previously turned off by Richard inserting his right wing views in a previous book. But there is none of that distraction in this book. Sadly for me, since watching the Age of Disclosure documentary my thoughts on first contact have changed, but there is room to dream of second contact. Or in the case of this book, a scenario with other possibilities.
March 13, 2026
I usually like sci-fi that is heavy on the sci part but I prefer it to be integrated into the story. In Nexus too often the characters are "lecturing" other characters in the story. It felt more like an insertion of current theory rather than a smooth transition. Several times the lecture was repeated, in whole or in part, but to different characters. The story itself was interesting even in spite of the sometimes clumsy presentation.
April 21, 2026
Just OK
Very detailed,yet simple.I liked the fact that the solution to that the problem was explain in a very simple logic.There was also a conclusion.
However,I felt the relationship between Lukas and Mirra was inconclusive and should have been developed further...Maybe I am just a romantic though...the fact is I don't like such things hanging...or being left to us readers to decide.After all,there is no part 2.This is why I am giving it 4 stars..
Thank you.
Very detailed,yet simple.I liked the fact that the solution to that the problem was explain in a very simple logic.There was also a conclusion.
However,I felt the relationship between Lukas and Mirra was inconclusive and should have been developed further...Maybe I am just a romantic though...the fact is I don't like such things hanging...or being left to us readers to decide.After all,there is no part 2.This is why I am giving it 4 stars..
Thank you.
June 2, 2026
Impossible to put down
An interesting coincidence, or a guiding hand, found me reading Nexus and John Kabat-Zinn’s “Wherever you go there you are” about mindfulness meditation practice, at the same time. The glimpses of the essence of consciousness offered by these two books have forever reshaped my ideas of the universe and opened my mind to the vastness and mystery that lie beyond.
An interesting coincidence, or a guiding hand, found me reading Nexus and John Kabat-Zinn’s “Wherever you go there you are” about mindfulness meditation practice, at the same time. The glimpses of the essence of consciousness offered by these two books have forever reshaped my ideas of the universe and opened my mind to the vastness and mystery that lie beyond.
February 3, 2026
Mind-blown!
Wish I knew physics, but maybe glad I dont! Too many bad habits to break to understand a new reality. When I wasn't confused, I rather liked glimpsing into deep meditation. You have to read it to understand, but then of course, you won't. Still, you might be left with a feeling of gentle joy.
Wish I knew physics, but maybe glad I dont! Too many bad habits to break to understand a new reality. When I wasn't confused, I rather liked glimpsing into deep meditation. You have to read it to understand, but then of course, you won't. Still, you might be left with a feeling of gentle joy.
February 5, 2026
Excellent, totally enthralling & very inspirational.
This book surprised and delighted me from beginning to end. It embodied so many of the deepest thoughts and beliefs that underlie our current understanding of life, consciousness and our very existence. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to venture down and explore these avenues.
This book surprised and delighted me from beginning to end. It embodied so many of the deepest thoughts and beliefs that underlie our current understanding of life, consciousness and our very existence. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to venture down and explore these avenues.
February 12, 2026
Spectacular
I couldn’t put this down. Exciting. Believable. Very well written. Richards and Calvert present an incredible problem threatening the world and tie multiple sciences together in an exciting and highly readable adventure. Give me ten more novels like Nexus! (And I won’t move off my couch for ten days).
I couldn’t put this down. Exciting. Believable. Very well written. Richards and Calvert present an incredible problem threatening the world and tie multiple sciences together in an exciting and highly readable adventure. Give me ten more novels like Nexus! (And I won’t move off my couch for ten days).
February 21, 2026
4.5/5.. classic Sci Fi read. Very enjoyable and full of real-world science. Reminded me a bit of Interstellar.. Science fiction based on solid science. Loved the concept of a multi-dimensional eternal being, contacting humans to make them realize they need to raise themselves higher than the mundane three-dimensional world they live in.
March 6, 2026
Mindmeld. Who knew?
I'm a fan of Sci-fi and Archaeology, especially Ancient Egypt, so I picked this book to read with more than a little excitement. It did not disappoint, I could barely put it down. Star Trek got a couple of funny mentions, I especially giggled at the Tibetan Monk, referring to it! No spoilers, read it yourself
I'm a fan of Sci-fi and Archaeology, especially Ancient Egypt, so I picked this book to read with more than a little excitement. It did not disappoint, I could barely put it down. Star Trek got a couple of funny mentions, I especially giggled at the Tibetan Monk, referring to it! No spoilers, read it yourself
March 7, 2026
Very different...
I don't usually get a metaphysical message from the sci-fi books I read, but this was very different, and quite mind expanding. Considering the age we are entering, this story is an excellent warm up for what lies ahead. The mystery solved will blow your mind. Enjoy.
I don't usually get a metaphysical message from the sci-fi books I read, but this was very different, and quite mind expanding. Considering the age we are entering, this story is an excellent warm up for what lies ahead. The mystery solved will blow your mind. Enjoy.
March 27, 2026
Nexus was mind-expanding & thoroughly enjoyable!
This book led me to discover so many amazing things that I could not have imagined to actually exist, all while weaving a massive story of profound implications. I love books that invoke further thought about life and its mysteries. I highly recommend this book!
This book led me to discover so many amazing things that I could not have imagined to actually exist, all while weaving a massive story of profound implications. I love books that invoke further thought about life and its mysteries. I highly recommend this book!
April 6, 2026
Took a Long Time to Reach Perfection
That pretty much says it for me. Way too long for the buildup. Needless turnings. And the climax, while not excusing the lengthy path, makes the reading well worth it. It’s challenging to describe what is beyond words, and the energy of it comes through clearly.
That pretty much says it for me. Way too long for the buildup. Needless turnings. And the climax, while not excusing the lengthy path, makes the reading well worth it. It’s challenging to describe what is beyond words, and the energy of it comes through clearly.
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