What do you think?
Rate this book
The IX #1
The IX
Soldiers from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds, including the IX Legion of Rome, are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing, and transported to the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their relief turns to horror when they discover they face a stark Fight or die.
596 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2015
41 people are currently reading
1466 people want to read
About the author
Andrew P. Weston
37 books298 followersAndrew P. Weston is Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, and their growing family of rescue cats.
An astronomy and criminal law graduate, he is the creator of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling IX Series and the Cambion Journals Series, along with the Reaper Chronicles, Hell Bound, Hell Hounds, and Hell Gate, (Novels forming part of the critically celebrated Heroes in Hell shared universe). Andrew also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Science Fiction Association, British Fantasy Society, and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
When relaxing, Andrew devotes some of his spare time to supporting animal charities, as well as writing the occasional article for Amazing Stories.
While hopelessly incompetent at using social media, Andrew's wife assures him he is, nevertheless, an expert nuisance.
If you would like to find out more, visit his blog:
https://andrewpweston.blogspot.gr/
▲
An astronomy and criminal law graduate, he is the creator of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling IX Series and the Cambion Journals Series, along with the Reaper Chronicles, Hell Bound, Hell Hounds, and Hell Gate, (Novels forming part of the critically celebrated Heroes in Hell shared universe). Andrew also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Science Fiction Association, British Fantasy Society, and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
When relaxing, Andrew devotes some of his spare time to supporting animal charities, as well as writing the occasional article for Amazing Stories.
While hopelessly incompetent at using social media, Andrew's wife assures him he is, nevertheless, an expert nuisance.
If you would like to find out more, visit his blog:
https://andrewpweston.blogspot.gr/
▲
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
February 21, 2015
I remember once – back in 1988 (yes a flash back). I was in a cavalry platoon on a pretty intense training exercise. It was late at night. We’d been going full on for weeks. I waited in my Hummer, the engine running, night vision goggles pushed up on my head. We were watching for an enemy armored force to attack the flanks of an infantry battalion for which we were providing a screen. Tension that night was high, my vehicle commander was nervous. He kept nagging the machine gunner to keep his eyes open, his head on a swivel. We heard the enemy tank engines echoing through the night. Close. My heart was pounding. My breathing was rapid puffs of white in the frozen night. But we were ready.
Or so we thought.
When the first tank crashed through the pines mere feet away from us and the gunner screamed in terror, I realized just how wrong we were.
This book is like that.
I had read some reviews about this book and I know a little about the historical events and times that provide the foundation for some of the main characters. I thought I knew what I was in for, what lay ahead of me. But, I was wrong.
This book shattered all of my expectations. I expected a good book, knowing Perseid Press and the kind of work that they put out, but I was not prepared for this kind of quality. Andrew Weston has a way of putting you in the moment, mist swirling around you, spent brass rattling into the ground near your feet, swords slashing your companions to death as they scream incoherent terror into the press.
Despite being a sci-fi novel, this book is so firmly grounded in what is real that suspension-of-disbelief comes early and never lets you go. You never struggle with the reality of this piece. That dance with reality is the foundation of the book, of any science fiction story, and it is extremely strong in this one.
From there it gets better. The author’s mastery of tactical doctrine and the feelings, fears, madness and stresses associated with combat gets your heart pumping and eyes shifting back and forth as you look for where the killing blow is going to come from. Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.
George Patton said, “Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood.”
Ignoring for the moment the anachronism associated with the term “manhood”, this story reinforces the importance of honor and duty expressed so eloquently by the general and raises it to new levels. Each of the characters enters into the story, sworn to their individual nations and situations. They are each swept away, without their consent, into a world where they must decide if honor and duty is bigger than their individual sworn oaths of allegiance. It makes the traditional hero bigger, more virile and relevant to the existential nature of humanity and it forges it in the crucible of battle. To whom does one owe duty? That is the question. This book asks it and answers it in the most brutal way possible – at the end of a sword (or other implement of war).
If you like science fiction and you like heroes and understand the necessity of heroes in our fiction, if you like excellent writing craft and a story that is deep and intelligent, this book is the one for you. And if you don’t have a love of heroic fiction, perhaps this fine book will open you up just a little bit to the possibility that a book about sacrifice and selfless service is a grand notion that can very easily sweep you away.
I recommend that you immediately download it and leap right in. you won’t be able to stop yourself. You won’t be able to put it down.
Or so we thought.
When the first tank crashed through the pines mere feet away from us and the gunner screamed in terror, I realized just how wrong we were.
This book is like that.
I had read some reviews about this book and I know a little about the historical events and times that provide the foundation for some of the main characters. I thought I knew what I was in for, what lay ahead of me. But, I was wrong.
This book shattered all of my expectations. I expected a good book, knowing Perseid Press and the kind of work that they put out, but I was not prepared for this kind of quality. Andrew Weston has a way of putting you in the moment, mist swirling around you, spent brass rattling into the ground near your feet, swords slashing your companions to death as they scream incoherent terror into the press.
Despite being a sci-fi novel, this book is so firmly grounded in what is real that suspension-of-disbelief comes early and never lets you go. You never struggle with the reality of this piece. That dance with reality is the foundation of the book, of any science fiction story, and it is extremely strong in this one.
From there it gets better. The author’s mastery of tactical doctrine and the feelings, fears, madness and stresses associated with combat gets your heart pumping and eyes shifting back and forth as you look for where the killing blow is going to come from. Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.
George Patton said, “Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood.”
Ignoring for the moment the anachronism associated with the term “manhood”, this story reinforces the importance of honor and duty expressed so eloquently by the general and raises it to new levels. Each of the characters enters into the story, sworn to their individual nations and situations. They are each swept away, without their consent, into a world where they must decide if honor and duty is bigger than their individual sworn oaths of allegiance. It makes the traditional hero bigger, more virile and relevant to the existential nature of humanity and it forges it in the crucible of battle. To whom does one owe duty? That is the question. This book asks it and answers it in the most brutal way possible – at the end of a sword (or other implement of war).
If you like science fiction and you like heroes and understand the necessity of heroes in our fiction, if you like excellent writing craft and a story that is deep and intelligent, this book is the one for you. And if you don’t have a love of heroic fiction, perhaps this fine book will open you up just a little bit to the possibility that a book about sacrifice and selfless service is a grand notion that can very easily sweep you away.
I recommend that you immediately download it and leap right in. you won’t be able to stop yourself. You won’t be able to put it down.
June 6, 2016
Amazing. This is one of those rare books that pull you in right from the start, place you squarely within the narrative, and won't let go. I was there, I was in the story....and what a Unique and entertaining story it is.
Other reviews have covered the basic storyline, no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that the premise is unique, well thought out and implemented, and most of all engaging..
I add my wholehearted endorsement--get this book and "experience it".
Must read, if you are a fan of History meshed with Science Fiction this book is for you, if you just like Science Fiction or a damn good read, this book is for you.
.
I would be very surprised if this was not made into a movie (or better yet, a well planned out mini-series).
Other reviews have covered the basic storyline, no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that the premise is unique, well thought out and implemented, and most of all engaging..
I add my wholehearted endorsement--get this book and "experience it".
Must read, if you are a fan of History meshed with Science Fiction this book is for you, if you just like Science Fiction or a damn good read, this book is for you.
.
I would be very surprised if this was not made into a movie (or better yet, a well planned out mini-series).
January 30, 2015
For centuries, military historians and Roman scholars alike have argued about why and how the Ninth Roman Legion disappeared. Weston gives us one possible answer: they were spirited away at the moment of death, along with other hand-picked warriors from Civil War times and the 21st century, to fight for an advanced human civilization in the future against an enemy intent on destroying all humanity.
"Fight or die" is the only choice for warriors from the past, present, and future in a novel sure to please you if you like a mix of high adventure, military history, hard science fiction, and metaphysics. A tour de force! Highly recommended.
"Fight or die" is the only choice for warriors from the past, present, and future in a novel sure to please you if you like a mix of high adventure, military history, hard science fiction, and metaphysics. A tour de force! Highly recommended.
January 26, 2015
First, let’s get this out of the way. I was given a review copy of this book for a fair and honest review. Anyone who reads my reviews, know I usually only post the ones where I can give a 5 or 4 star. Anything else I contact the author and attempt to explain why I can’t do better. That said, this is not just another 5 star review. I would give this one at least an 8 if it were possible. I stayed up way too late to finish the book. It not only had me on the edge of my seat, it twisted me into knots at the end. Whoa! This is a science fiction story to get and hold on to. It is an amazing work with a mind boggling conclusion. Frankly, I’m still processing it. Excellent, fantastic story! The author’s imagination leaves me gasping.
Warriors snatched at the moment of death from Earth, find themselves in a struggle on another planet. The enemy is one that does not mind dying to obtain their ends. But what is the goal? How did they get to this point in time?
This 9th group of warriors holds the fate of the entire world in their hands. They are the last the world can bring to bear on the enemy. Wow! What a tale.
Warriors snatched at the moment of death from Earth, find themselves in a struggle on another planet. The enemy is one that does not mind dying to obtain their ends. But what is the goal? How did they get to this point in time?
This 9th group of warriors holds the fate of the entire world in their hands. They are the last the world can bring to bear on the enemy. Wow! What a tale.
January 29, 2015
There has been much debate about the fate of the Ninth Roman Legion (the IX) which disappeared from historical records around the year 108. In his excellent new novel, author Andrew Weston gives us his take on what befell the legionnaires and what use they made of their specialized knowledge in the time following their mysterious disappearance.
An entire civilized world faces destruction at the hands of a seemingly unstoppable enemy. An enemy that spends the lives of its forces so extravagantly there seems to be no intelligence behind it. To combat this ravening force the Ninth, along with Native Americans, ancient Caledonians, American civil war fighters and 21st century armaments experts are snatched from Earth and transported to this beleaguered world to help find the key to understanding and destroying the enemy.
As a premise it’s exciting enough, and the writing certainly doesn’t disappoint. There’s tension, confusion, action and suspense aplenty. Yet the strength of this novel, in my view, rests in the characters Weston has created. It’s impossible not to get involved with them; from the events prior to their being snatched from the familiar and dumped into chaos, to their struggles to understand, through to their determination to use what skills they possess to aid the strange civilization that “saved” them. The IX is a tour de force and Weston’s skills as a writer and plotter are plain for all to see. I’d definitely recommend this book for all lovers of great and exciting fiction, regardless of genre.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary advance copy of this novel and am happy to give it an honest and unbiased review. I truly believe it deserves the highest rating I can give.
An entire civilized world faces destruction at the hands of a seemingly unstoppable enemy. An enemy that spends the lives of its forces so extravagantly there seems to be no intelligence behind it. To combat this ravening force the Ninth, along with Native Americans, ancient Caledonians, American civil war fighters and 21st century armaments experts are snatched from Earth and transported to this beleaguered world to help find the key to understanding and destroying the enemy.
As a premise it’s exciting enough, and the writing certainly doesn’t disappoint. There’s tension, confusion, action and suspense aplenty. Yet the strength of this novel, in my view, rests in the characters Weston has created. It’s impossible not to get involved with them; from the events prior to their being snatched from the familiar and dumped into chaos, to their struggles to understand, through to their determination to use what skills they possess to aid the strange civilization that “saved” them. The IX is a tour de force and Weston’s skills as a writer and plotter are plain for all to see. I’d definitely recommend this book for all lovers of great and exciting fiction, regardless of genre.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary advance copy of this novel and am happy to give it an honest and unbiased review. I truly believe it deserves the highest rating I can give.
January 27, 2015
This book contains it all; military history, science fiction, heros, warriors, adventure. The IX is deep, thought provoking and insightful Weston is a gifted story teller and has a fabulous career ahead of him. The world he created was described in such as way it felt real and like I was right there in it. Bravo.
February 5, 2015
Wow! I’ll say it again. Wow! I feel as if I have just been to a wide screen cinema and been right there in the movie. What an impressive story! It’s a mix of historic fiction and fact, supernatural, sci-fi, drama, intrigue, espionage, and plots within plots and scenarios I could never imagine…and I could keep going.
Suffice to say this story gripped me and held me right through to the end. Compelling read!
An accomplished work by an accomplished author.
I was gifted a copy of this work for my honest review. That was it!
Suffice to say this story gripped me and held me right through to the end. Compelling read!
An accomplished work by an accomplished author.
I was gifted a copy of this work for my honest review. That was it!
February 22, 2018
Synopsis:
Soldiers from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds, including the IX Legion of Rome, are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing, and transported to the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their relief turns to horror when they discover they face a stark ultimatum: Fight or die.
Romans, Native Americans, fierce Celtic warriors, Special Ops, American Civil War fighters – not a huge amount in common one would think. Wrong. Death is what they expect – but not necessarily what they get – at least not where and when they think. From differing backgrounds they are thrown into a war and a world far removed from Earth. The Horde have decimated the galaxy and the Ardenese for decades and now all that remains is myth and the hidden remnants of a once mighty civilisation. The 9th intake is the last best hope for the salvation of Arden, if they can put aside their differences. Technology far beyond ours brought expansion, then it brought war.
Action takes the fore in this adventure which encompasses military, historical, science fiction and fantasy. The characters are varied, at once both complex and simplistic, and often surprising. Death stalks the pages, but his companions are loyalty, courage and dignity. Well written with twists and turns, and a rather unexpected ending.
Great for fans of sci-fi, time travel fiction and historical.
Soldiers from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds, including the IX Legion of Rome, are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing, and transported to the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their relief turns to horror when they discover they face a stark ultimatum: Fight or die.
Romans, Native Americans, fierce Celtic warriors, Special Ops, American Civil War fighters – not a huge amount in common one would think. Wrong. Death is what they expect – but not necessarily what they get – at least not where and when they think. From differing backgrounds they are thrown into a war and a world far removed from Earth. The Horde have decimated the galaxy and the Ardenese for decades and now all that remains is myth and the hidden remnants of a once mighty civilisation. The 9th intake is the last best hope for the salvation of Arden, if they can put aside their differences. Technology far beyond ours brought expansion, then it brought war.
Action takes the fore in this adventure which encompasses military, historical, science fiction and fantasy. The characters are varied, at once both complex and simplistic, and often surprising. Death stalks the pages, but his companions are loyalty, courage and dignity. Well written with twists and turns, and a rather unexpected ending.
Great for fans of sci-fi, time travel fiction and historical.
March 27, 2015
"Weston's mix of history, metaphysics and real science ventures into territory not often explored in science fiction. Past, Present and Future are masterfully blended in an epic novel that takes classic elements to new heights. Weston has a true gift for superb storytelling and memorable characters. This one is not to be missed."
Yes, that's my quote on the back cover of THE IX, the new science fiction novel by Andrew Paul Weston, published by Perseid Press. And it's a great story, too: military science fiction in the grand tradition of Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Janet Morris, and Joe Haldeman. Old-school science fiction with a 21st century sensibility.
THE IX deals with The Ninth Roman legion, which according to history, vanished in the mists of Caledonia around 120 AD. In Weston's novel, the legionnaires of the Ninth Legion are snatched from earth at the very moment of death and taken to the planet of Arden, where they join with a US Cavalry company on a special mission for Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, American Plains Indians from the 1860s, and a Special Forces unit from the 21st century. They are all given the choice -- fight or die to help save the Ardenese race from a relentless, unstoppable alien foe known only as the Horde. That's the premise, and it works beautifully.
This is a story of courage under fire, of warriors who live by codes of honor, loyalty and brotherhood that have not changed down through the centuries. This is a story of men and women saved from imminent death on earth and given a chance to fight for a cause greater than themselves, to save another race from destruction and extinction, and to build new lives on another world. While there is no "main" character per se in THE IX, we are given a cast of great characters, such as the memorable Marcus Brutus of The Ninth Roman Legion, Captain James Houston of the U.S. Cavalry, and Lieutenant Alan "Mac" McDonald of a UK anti-terrorist unit from 2052. We also come to know Small Robe and her uncle, Stained-With Blood of the Blackfoot tribe of Native-Americans, as well as scientists, technicians and medical personnel such as Mohammed, Saul, Ephraim Miller, Ayria . . . and many more, including the Ardenese avatar known as the Architect. What happens to some of these characters during the course of the novel is both surprising and emotionally powerful.
At first, the Horde start out as nothing more than another faceless army of bizarre xenomorphs and mindless automatons: they are energy-sucking vampires, virtually unstoppable. In this respect, they reminded me of the giant robot from the classic sci-fi film of the 1950s, "Kronos" -- sent to earth to devour and deplete us of our energy resources. Hi-tech weapons cannot stop the Horde, for they absorb almost everything that is thrown at them. What are these creatures and where do they come from? This was a concern of mine when I started reading THE IX: I wanted more than just a pack of ravenous, extraterrestrial zombies or hive-mind creatures like the big bugs in the film version of Heinlein's "Starship Troopers." And Weston did not disappoint me, for as the story rolls on like a juggernaut, the scientists and technicians, and even the warriors themselves risking their lives to save Ardenese civilization, stumble upon a very simple weapon, and the means to fight back and destroy the Horde. And we start to learn that they are far more than what they at first appear to be. (You get no spoiler here from me!)
While new strategies are devised, while warriors from three different eras on earth forge bonds of friendship and unite against a common foe, it becomes a chess game, this battle against the Horde. Each time some new weapon or tactic is brought into the play, the Horde quickly learn and adapt, and are prepared for the next assault against them. Weston then throws in more surprises as the true nature of the Horde is slowly revealed to us . . . the who and what they are that I wanted to know. The final revelation of this, along with the self-sacrifice of so many warriors -- both human and otherwise -- is quite satisfying and makes for a perfect conclusion to this novel.
THE IX is a fast-paced novel, a truly "ripping yarn," with plenty of action and some good characterization. Weston picks you up and sets you down on the very believable world of Arden, just as the Ardenese do with the three bands of brothers and sisters from earth. And Weston threw me a nice curve, too, one that totally caught me off-guard with the character of the most unlikeable James Houston: what he is when the story opens, what happens to him as the novel progresses, and what is finally revealed about him in the end makes for classic storytelling. And in the intense finale, where the already heroic Mac rises to an even greater act of heroism and glory, is the most powerful and moving moment in this wonderful novel. It's the pay-off that sells the story.
In THE IX, you will learn what legionnaires of the lost Ninth Roman Legion bring to the table, what their presence means to the Ardenese race, and that the Ix has a second meaning, as well. So "Walk the Ix" and get lost inside this wonderful story that is sure to become a modern classic of heroic and military science fiction. THE IX is published by Perseid Press, and is available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook editions.
Yes, that's my quote on the back cover of THE IX, the new science fiction novel by Andrew Paul Weston, published by Perseid Press. And it's a great story, too: military science fiction in the grand tradition of Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Janet Morris, and Joe Haldeman. Old-school science fiction with a 21st century sensibility.
THE IX deals with The Ninth Roman legion, which according to history, vanished in the mists of Caledonia around 120 AD. In Weston's novel, the legionnaires of the Ninth Legion are snatched from earth at the very moment of death and taken to the planet of Arden, where they join with a US Cavalry company on a special mission for Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, American Plains Indians from the 1860s, and a Special Forces unit from the 21st century. They are all given the choice -- fight or die to help save the Ardenese race from a relentless, unstoppable alien foe known only as the Horde. That's the premise, and it works beautifully.
This is a story of courage under fire, of warriors who live by codes of honor, loyalty and brotherhood that have not changed down through the centuries. This is a story of men and women saved from imminent death on earth and given a chance to fight for a cause greater than themselves, to save another race from destruction and extinction, and to build new lives on another world. While there is no "main" character per se in THE IX, we are given a cast of great characters, such as the memorable Marcus Brutus of The Ninth Roman Legion, Captain James Houston of the U.S. Cavalry, and Lieutenant Alan "Mac" McDonald of a UK anti-terrorist unit from 2052. We also come to know Small Robe and her uncle, Stained-With Blood of the Blackfoot tribe of Native-Americans, as well as scientists, technicians and medical personnel such as Mohammed, Saul, Ephraim Miller, Ayria . . . and many more, including the Ardenese avatar known as the Architect. What happens to some of these characters during the course of the novel is both surprising and emotionally powerful.
At first, the Horde start out as nothing more than another faceless army of bizarre xenomorphs and mindless automatons: they are energy-sucking vampires, virtually unstoppable. In this respect, they reminded me of the giant robot from the classic sci-fi film of the 1950s, "Kronos" -- sent to earth to devour and deplete us of our energy resources. Hi-tech weapons cannot stop the Horde, for they absorb almost everything that is thrown at them. What are these creatures and where do they come from? This was a concern of mine when I started reading THE IX: I wanted more than just a pack of ravenous, extraterrestrial zombies or hive-mind creatures like the big bugs in the film version of Heinlein's "Starship Troopers." And Weston did not disappoint me, for as the story rolls on like a juggernaut, the scientists and technicians, and even the warriors themselves risking their lives to save Ardenese civilization, stumble upon a very simple weapon, and the means to fight back and destroy the Horde. And we start to learn that they are far more than what they at first appear to be. (You get no spoiler here from me!)
While new strategies are devised, while warriors from three different eras on earth forge bonds of friendship and unite against a common foe, it becomes a chess game, this battle against the Horde. Each time some new weapon or tactic is brought into the play, the Horde quickly learn and adapt, and are prepared for the next assault against them. Weston then throws in more surprises as the true nature of the Horde is slowly revealed to us . . . the who and what they are that I wanted to know. The final revelation of this, along with the self-sacrifice of so many warriors -- both human and otherwise -- is quite satisfying and makes for a perfect conclusion to this novel.
THE IX is a fast-paced novel, a truly "ripping yarn," with plenty of action and some good characterization. Weston picks you up and sets you down on the very believable world of Arden, just as the Ardenese do with the three bands of brothers and sisters from earth. And Weston threw me a nice curve, too, one that totally caught me off-guard with the character of the most unlikeable James Houston: what he is when the story opens, what happens to him as the novel progresses, and what is finally revealed about him in the end makes for classic storytelling. And in the intense finale, where the already heroic Mac rises to an even greater act of heroism and glory, is the most powerful and moving moment in this wonderful novel. It's the pay-off that sells the story.
In THE IX, you will learn what legionnaires of the lost Ninth Roman Legion bring to the table, what their presence means to the Ardenese race, and that the Ix has a second meaning, as well. So "Walk the Ix" and get lost inside this wonderful story that is sure to become a modern classic of heroic and military science fiction. THE IX is published by Perseid Press, and is available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook editions.
March 4, 2015
As a child and teen, one of my favorite things to read about were the Romans. I loved the history, the mythology, the tales and legends. It all fascinated me. Picking up The IX, I anticipated having a ride much like that. I was pleasantly surprised to experience not only nostalgia, but a beautiful blend of history and science-fiction like I've never read.
Initially, it was not the tale but the writing style that blew me away. I connected immediately with the author as I was pulled into the story. The characters brought a sense of urgency with them; everything seemed to threaten them and their safety. The suspense of the story was second-to-none and left me flipping through the pages with my own urgency. I just had to know what happened next. I loved the descriptions of settings, the flow of the tale, and the unique direction the author took with the work. The "fight or die" adage turned into "read or die" for me.
If you enjoy novels with your heroes and villains firmly set, with a bit of historical flair, loads of action, and just the right amount of sci-fi to keep things interesting, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!
Initially, it was not the tale but the writing style that blew me away. I connected immediately with the author as I was pulled into the story. The characters brought a sense of urgency with them; everything seemed to threaten them and their safety. The suspense of the story was second-to-none and left me flipping through the pages with my own urgency. I just had to know what happened next. I loved the descriptions of settings, the flow of the tale, and the unique direction the author took with the work. The "fight or die" adage turned into "read or die" for me.
If you enjoy novels with your heroes and villains firmly set, with a bit of historical flair, loads of action, and just the right amount of sci-fi to keep things interesting, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!
July 14, 2015
I am not an aficionado of military science fiction. I read a lot of fantasy, mostly dark, urban fantasy. I chose this book on the advice of a friend, and I am not disappointed.
I love stories that are filled with action because they keep the pulse up and take me away from the mundanity of life in general. This story was filled with action – action and excitement that kept me turning page after page after page.
I don’t pretend to be extremely knowledgeable of military in fiction, but this story provides the neophyte with enough knowledge to not feel lost, but embedded in the story – It was just like I was there. It brought to mind those many stories by embedded journalists—first person observers in the wars that rage around them. There is no better compliment that I can give Mr. Weston. I stood with The IX.
He took a genre that I had not read before and made me love it. I will definitely be reading more of his work in the future.
I love stories that are filled with action because they keep the pulse up and take me away from the mundanity of life in general. This story was filled with action – action and excitement that kept me turning page after page after page.
I don’t pretend to be extremely knowledgeable of military in fiction, but this story provides the neophyte with enough knowledge to not feel lost, but embedded in the story – It was just like I was there. It brought to mind those many stories by embedded journalists—first person observers in the wars that rage around them. There is no better compliment that I can give Mr. Weston. I stood with The IX.
He took a genre that I had not read before and made me love it. I will definitely be reading more of his work in the future.
February 28, 2015
I received this book as an Advanced Reader copy. It's not normally my genre, but The IX is an amazing story. If you like sci-fi, military history, warriors, and adventure, you won't be disappointed. It kept me turning the pages, and for that I would love to give it 5 stars. Kudos to the author Andrew P. Wilson, and I highly recommend!!
March 1, 2015
The IX focuses on Marcus, Centurion of Rome, Lex, Lieutenant of the US Calvary and Mac, Lieutenant of the UK Special Forces. Three exceptional leaders from different time periods that are snatched upon their deaths to aid a fighting force on another planet in a galaxy, far, far away (see what I did there) The author shows you the lives of these extraordinary men and their comrades and you learn why they were chosen to help save.
The description of each man’s army is on point and just by reading the first page, the author sure knows what he’s talking about. From the ancient Roman phalanx, to old western guidons, to futuristic military weapons.
But, the author takes us further into the future to the city of Rhomane, where we meet another set of heroes determined to protect their world from the dreadful Horde. This mixing of ancient historical fiction, old western and science fiction is a great combination and the author blended them beautifully.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys all three genres. One question you’ll have ask yourselves, “Will they fight or will they die?”
The description of each man’s army is on point and just by reading the first page, the author sure knows what he’s talking about. From the ancient Roman phalanx, to old western guidons, to futuristic military weapons.
But, the author takes us further into the future to the city of Rhomane, where we meet another set of heroes determined to protect their world from the dreadful Horde. This mixing of ancient historical fiction, old western and science fiction is a great combination and the author blended them beautifully.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys all three genres. One question you’ll have ask yourselves, “Will they fight or will they die?”
March 19, 2015
Please welcome the return of great science fiction in this amazing epic by Andrew P. Weston! A race of beings across the galaxy from earth is being decimated by an implacable enemy and their only hope of survival is a bold plan to use fighters from earth. From the Roman IX Legion fighting the Celts -- and losing, civil war military engaged in an attempt to unite two warring Native American tribes at the request of Presidential Candidate Abraham Lincoln being betrayed from within, to future Black Ops members trying to rescue the staff of an offshore oil rig being held hostage by a group of terrorists with a nuclear device, all are whisked away at the moment of their deaths to a far world desperately in need of fighters. What at first appears to be a reprieve turns out to be a choice between two equally terrifying options: fight or die!
I highly recommend this book to those who love serious, fast-paced, well-written science fiction. You do not want to miss this one.
I highly recommend this book to those who love serious, fast-paced, well-written science fiction. You do not want to miss this one.
February 28, 2015
An intriguing Story
This sci-fi, military history novel really gets your imagination working. The possibilities of going to another world to prove ourselves worthy of moving on to a higher more spiritual evolved planet sound intriguing. Andrew P Weston weaves a fascinating story of adventure mixed with a touch of metaphysics. I love these kinds of stories where your imagination is being challenged. This is a good read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading sci-fi, military history.
This sci-fi, military history novel really gets your imagination working. The possibilities of going to another world to prove ourselves worthy of moving on to a higher more spiritual evolved planet sound intriguing. Andrew P Weston weaves a fascinating story of adventure mixed with a touch of metaphysics. I love these kinds of stories where your imagination is being challenged. This is a good read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading sci-fi, military history.
October 24, 2015
In The IX, Andrew Weston successfully delivers a brilliant work of science fiction that seamlessly combines past, present and future into a thrilling adventure. This story matched Romans with futuristic Spec Ops and included a myriad of other warriors, creating an interesting concept that worked quite well. I especially enjoyed how the Roman leadership's keen intellect and tactical prowess played such a pivotal role, even when thrust into in a society so far advanced from their own.
It was great seeing the respect and camaraderie that developed over time as these warriors from different times found common ground (and a common enemy). Weston's research and knowledge was evident in the realistic portrayal of each of the historical groups of warriors (in addition to a very believable view of future technology and warfare).
The story was full of heated battles and nightmarish creatures, but also contained many spiritual and philosophical aspects that brought greater depth. The IX was engaging and thought provoking; a clear sign of a great book.
It was great seeing the respect and camaraderie that developed over time as these warriors from different times found common ground (and a common enemy). Weston's research and knowledge was evident in the realistic portrayal of each of the historical groups of warriors (in addition to a very believable view of future technology and warfare).
The story was full of heated battles and nightmarish creatures, but also contained many spiritual and philosophical aspects that brought greater depth. The IX was engaging and thought provoking; a clear sign of a great book.
February 10, 2015
An engrossing story. I was glad I came across this book.
August 21, 2015
Originally posted here: http://alternatehistoryweeklyupdate.b...
I really wanted to enjoy The IX by Andrew P. Weston. It had a really cool concept. Humans on the verge of death are pulled from different eras of the past by a powerful alien entity to fight an army of seemingly endless murder machines, all the while having to overcome the cultural and language barriers to become an effective fighting force. Sounds like a fun action romp with a level of sophistication. Its in the execution, however, that the book lost me.
We learn that an alien race, called the Ardenese, which are described as really tall humanoids with large foreheards (sort of like the aliens from This Island Earth) are on the verge of extinction. Another alien race of energy beings who feed off the bio-electrical fields generated by other organic beings (sort of like the aliens from Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within), known hands of the Horde, are winning their war against the Ardenese, who are holed up in their last city. The Ardenese, however, have a plan. They will upload their minds into an incredibly advanced super-computer, called the Architect, that will scour space and time to discover an alien race that can fight for them until the Horde is defeated and they can repopulate their plant.
Of course, that race is humanity, and at first the Architect only pulls humans from our distant future, but their advanced energy weapons have no effect on the Horde. A lucky break happens, however, when it is discovered that the Horde are obliterated by contact with iron. Thus when the ninth wave of human draftees are brought in, they come from eras of time where iron is still used in their weapons. These include, the Ninth Legion of Rome from 120 AD, a US Calvary Regiment from 1860 and a special forces squad from the mid-21st century.
Even with the time travel, alternate history content is minimal or non-existent depending on how you perceive the history being presented by Weston. Let me explain: the characters from 1860 include a US Cavalry company and several Native Americans on their way to negotiate a peace treaty for Senator Lincoln with an alliance of the Cree, Lakota, Sioux and Apache. They are prevented from doing so after rogue members of the company lead them into a trap because there is grand conspiracy involving the aforementioned tribes and several southern states (due to Sam Houston's involvement) who want to overthrow the US government.
Where do I begin? First off, Lincoln was never a senator. Second, those tribes are scattered between Canada and Northern Mexico and all speak different languages, so the chances of them forming some alliance like the one described in the book is implausible. Plus, the Lakota are actually a sub-group of the Sioux, but the author makes it very clear throughout the book that they are a separate tribe. Third, Sam Houston as governor of Texas actually opposed his state's secession from the Union during the American Civil War so the idea of him being part of some coup attempt seems far-fetched. Finally, Weston seems to imply to real reason the Civil War began was because the Southerners and Great Plains Indians were just trying to overthrow a central government they didn't believe in anymore, which is a troublesome theory about that period of history for someone to have in my opinion.
Now this may be the alternate history, but there really is no clear point of divergence and they do come from the same timeline as the Ninth Legion. To be fair Weston did a better job of presenting the history of the Legion. There are some historians who believe they disappeared in modern-day Scotland, even if there is evidence that the whole or portions of the legion survived on the continent. Problems occur with his description of the Caledonians they were fighting before being taken to Arden. One tribe is called the Iceni, which is actually the name of tribe that inhabited modern-day Norfolk during the Roman occupation of England, and while my preliminary research does show they occasionally practiced cannibalism, the description in the book of groups of them stopping to feast on wounded Roman soldiers like zombies from The Walking Dead was just too silly to take seriously. They also referred to themselves as Caledonians, which is wrong since "Caledonia" was the name the Greeks/Romans gave to modern-day Scotland and the native inhabitants would have called themselves something else.
Besides the bad history, how was the rest of the book? Well, not good. The book is poorly written with too much tell and not enough show. There was also a lot of "As You Know, Bob" moments where one character explains to another character some aspect of the story that both should already know. This is done to provide important exposition to the reader, but it is also not how people normally talk to each other. In fact, most of the dialogue is bad and sounds overly stilted. This wouldn't be so bad if the book was heavier on the action, which Weston writes pretty well, but most of The IX is just talking about things that are just uninteresting. Even the inner thoughts of the characters are boring and, to be frank, it was hard to tell when they were doing that. Sometimes the inner monologues were in italics, as is traditional in most books, but other times they weren't in italics or highlighted in any way to differentiate them from the rest of the text.
The characters from the future are bland and indistinguishable from each other, despite many coming from time periods centuries apart. Even the characters from the past come off more like stereotypes instead of well researched characters, although they are amazingly smart and able to point out obvious things about the enemy that the future humans, who have been fighting them for much longer somehow missed. Also everyone seemed to have taken the fact that they will never see their homes or loved ones again fairly well and drop old animosities almost instantly so they can fight in a war they've never asked for. Ignoring the psychological impact of what the Ardenese did to the humans it dragged into their war was a grave omission in my opinion. Instead what we do get is overused tropes like ancient aliens and hand-waving issues such as language barriers thanks to magical technology.
To be completely honest, I didn't finish this book. I gave up on it after I was more than halfway done. What was the last straw for me was when I was forced to read a five page memo on how an iron ore mining operation was going. From the context of the book, the memo was being proofread by a character before he sent it to his superiors. I'm sorry, but that is just lame. I know background info is both important and difficult to express to readers in an entertaining way, but their are ways to do it. Take a “Hot Night at the Hopping Toad" by SM Stirling. Although not my favorite story in The Change, it still presented what life was like in a post-apocalyptic college town through the eyes of two likable and interesting characters who were catching up with each other over dinner and drinks at a local bar. Then, just to keep things interesting, there is bar fight, someone dies and a murderer needs to be uncovered. Stirling added conflict to make his story interesting and I never saw the conflict in The IX. The Horde never seemed like a real threat and from what I did read, I never even saw them kill a single human. Without real conflict, it is hard to have a good story.
Despite what I said above, I'm once again the lone voice of dissent in a sea of praise. The IX has a ton of good reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads that I just don't understand. Maybe the book picks up in the second half, but if a book can't hold my attention after 300 pages, I don't see any reason to continue with it. I will admit that when there is action happening the book can be enjoyable and Weston certainly praises the work of soldiers in this novel, so if you like that then go ahead and pick up a copy. Otherwise, I can't recommend The IX. I can, recommend, The Misplaced Legion and its sequels by Harry Turtledove, which has similar themes to The IX and is better written.
I really wanted to enjoy The IX by Andrew P. Weston. It had a really cool concept. Humans on the verge of death are pulled from different eras of the past by a powerful alien entity to fight an army of seemingly endless murder machines, all the while having to overcome the cultural and language barriers to become an effective fighting force. Sounds like a fun action romp with a level of sophistication. Its in the execution, however, that the book lost me.
We learn that an alien race, called the Ardenese, which are described as really tall humanoids with large foreheards (sort of like the aliens from This Island Earth) are on the verge of extinction. Another alien race of energy beings who feed off the bio-electrical fields generated by other organic beings (sort of like the aliens from Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within), known hands of the Horde, are winning their war against the Ardenese, who are holed up in their last city. The Ardenese, however, have a plan. They will upload their minds into an incredibly advanced super-computer, called the Architect, that will scour space and time to discover an alien race that can fight for them until the Horde is defeated and they can repopulate their plant.
Of course, that race is humanity, and at first the Architect only pulls humans from our distant future, but their advanced energy weapons have no effect on the Horde. A lucky break happens, however, when it is discovered that the Horde are obliterated by contact with iron. Thus when the ninth wave of human draftees are brought in, they come from eras of time where iron is still used in their weapons. These include, the Ninth Legion of Rome from 120 AD, a US Calvary Regiment from 1860 and a special forces squad from the mid-21st century.
Even with the time travel, alternate history content is minimal or non-existent depending on how you perceive the history being presented by Weston. Let me explain: the characters from 1860 include a US Cavalry company and several Native Americans on their way to negotiate a peace treaty for Senator Lincoln with an alliance of the Cree, Lakota, Sioux and Apache. They are prevented from doing so after rogue members of the company lead them into a trap because there is grand conspiracy involving the aforementioned tribes and several southern states (due to Sam Houston's involvement) who want to overthrow the US government.
Where do I begin? First off, Lincoln was never a senator. Second, those tribes are scattered between Canada and Northern Mexico and all speak different languages, so the chances of them forming some alliance like the one described in the book is implausible. Plus, the Lakota are actually a sub-group of the Sioux, but the author makes it very clear throughout the book that they are a separate tribe. Third, Sam Houston as governor of Texas actually opposed his state's secession from the Union during the American Civil War so the idea of him being part of some coup attempt seems far-fetched. Finally, Weston seems to imply to real reason the Civil War began was because the Southerners and Great Plains Indians were just trying to overthrow a central government they didn't believe in anymore, which is a troublesome theory about that period of history for someone to have in my opinion.
Now this may be the alternate history, but there really is no clear point of divergence and they do come from the same timeline as the Ninth Legion. To be fair Weston did a better job of presenting the history of the Legion. There are some historians who believe they disappeared in modern-day Scotland, even if there is evidence that the whole or portions of the legion survived on the continent. Problems occur with his description of the Caledonians they were fighting before being taken to Arden. One tribe is called the Iceni, which is actually the name of tribe that inhabited modern-day Norfolk during the Roman occupation of England, and while my preliminary research does show they occasionally practiced cannibalism, the description in the book of groups of them stopping to feast on wounded Roman soldiers like zombies from The Walking Dead was just too silly to take seriously. They also referred to themselves as Caledonians, which is wrong since "Caledonia" was the name the Greeks/Romans gave to modern-day Scotland and the native inhabitants would have called themselves something else.
Besides the bad history, how was the rest of the book? Well, not good. The book is poorly written with too much tell and not enough show. There was also a lot of "As You Know, Bob" moments where one character explains to another character some aspect of the story that both should already know. This is done to provide important exposition to the reader, but it is also not how people normally talk to each other. In fact, most of the dialogue is bad and sounds overly stilted. This wouldn't be so bad if the book was heavier on the action, which Weston writes pretty well, but most of The IX is just talking about things that are just uninteresting. Even the inner thoughts of the characters are boring and, to be frank, it was hard to tell when they were doing that. Sometimes the inner monologues were in italics, as is traditional in most books, but other times they weren't in italics or highlighted in any way to differentiate them from the rest of the text.
The characters from the future are bland and indistinguishable from each other, despite many coming from time periods centuries apart. Even the characters from the past come off more like stereotypes instead of well researched characters, although they are amazingly smart and able to point out obvious things about the enemy that the future humans, who have been fighting them for much longer somehow missed. Also everyone seemed to have taken the fact that they will never see their homes or loved ones again fairly well and drop old animosities almost instantly so they can fight in a war they've never asked for. Ignoring the psychological impact of what the Ardenese did to the humans it dragged into their war was a grave omission in my opinion. Instead what we do get is overused tropes like ancient aliens and hand-waving issues such as language barriers thanks to magical technology.
To be completely honest, I didn't finish this book. I gave up on it after I was more than halfway done. What was the last straw for me was when I was forced to read a five page memo on how an iron ore mining operation was going. From the context of the book, the memo was being proofread by a character before he sent it to his superiors. I'm sorry, but that is just lame. I know background info is both important and difficult to express to readers in an entertaining way, but their are ways to do it. Take a “Hot Night at the Hopping Toad" by SM Stirling. Although not my favorite story in The Change, it still presented what life was like in a post-apocalyptic college town through the eyes of two likable and interesting characters who were catching up with each other over dinner and drinks at a local bar. Then, just to keep things interesting, there is bar fight, someone dies and a murderer needs to be uncovered. Stirling added conflict to make his story interesting and I never saw the conflict in The IX. The Horde never seemed like a real threat and from what I did read, I never even saw them kill a single human. Without real conflict, it is hard to have a good story.
Despite what I said above, I'm once again the lone voice of dissent in a sea of praise. The IX has a ton of good reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads that I just don't understand. Maybe the book picks up in the second half, but if a book can't hold my attention after 300 pages, I don't see any reason to continue with it. I will admit that when there is action happening the book can be enjoyable and Weston certainly praises the work of soldiers in this novel, so if you like that then go ahead and pick up a copy. Otherwise, I can't recommend The IX. I can, recommend, The Misplaced Legion and its sequels by Harry Turtledove, which has similar themes to The IX and is better written.
February 26, 2015
I bought this book on the strength of some outstanding reviews by others, here and in some other places. I stopped reading about 30% through it. I think I'm just going to have to stop buying books based upon reviews on Amazon, and maybe even here. I've been disappointed far too many times in the last year, especially with Amazon relentlessly pushing their self-published Kindle authors.
So this isn't a horrible book by any means, and it did remind me a little of some of the Eric Flint stuff I have read so if you are into him you might enjoy this. But I struggled mightily with immersion issues and suspension of disbelief - the author clearly had an idea of what he wanted to put together in the way of a conflict, which sounded interesting, but all the science and plotting to create that situation was contrived and unbelievable. The world building was flat and nothing made much sense at all. Thus I struggled with immersion and suspension of disbelief. The characters were also a little cartoonish and one dimensional, and I didn't identify with them nor care about their storyline. IMHO this book simply doesn't merit the level of praise it has received, nor the ratings it is clocking. This isn't GRRM, Rothfuss, Abercrombie, Cornwell, or Sparrow level prose. It's not even Eric Flint level prose. Will you enjoy it? You might very well enjoy it, but you'll probably have a better chance of enjoying if you are expecting a David Drake or Eric Flint style book going into it and not expecting "eight stars out of five" like I read elsewhere.
So this isn't a horrible book by any means, and it did remind me a little of some of the Eric Flint stuff I have read so if you are into him you might enjoy this. But I struggled mightily with immersion issues and suspension of disbelief - the author clearly had an idea of what he wanted to put together in the way of a conflict, which sounded interesting, but all the science and plotting to create that situation was contrived and unbelievable. The world building was flat and nothing made much sense at all. Thus I struggled with immersion and suspension of disbelief. The characters were also a little cartoonish and one dimensional, and I didn't identify with them nor care about their storyline. IMHO this book simply doesn't merit the level of praise it has received, nor the ratings it is clocking. This isn't GRRM, Rothfuss, Abercrombie, Cornwell, or Sparrow level prose. It's not even Eric Flint level prose. Will you enjoy it? You might very well enjoy it, but you'll probably have a better chance of enjoying if you are expecting a David Drake or Eric Flint style book going into it and not expecting "eight stars out of five" like I read elsewhere.
March 20, 2015
Notable!
This epic novel has elements of several genres including, science fiction, adventure, historical fiction, lots of military history, and heroes. Author Andrew Weston is an insightful and gifted storyteller. His descriptions are vivid, the prose smooth, and the characters are realistic. Excellent read!
This epic novel has elements of several genres including, science fiction, adventure, historical fiction, lots of military history, and heroes. Author Andrew Weston is an insightful and gifted storyteller. His descriptions are vivid, the prose smooth, and the characters are realistic. Excellent read!
July 26, 2016
What a talented writer - combining history and science fiction, adventure, and suspense into one entertaining read. Well done Mr Weston; I'll be looking out for more novels from you!
June 27, 2015
The premise of The IX was something that really intrigued me. Soldiers from different points in history snatched from the claws of death, transported to a new world to fight a war that they knew nothing about. The bulk of this group came from the IXth legion of Rome, they vanished while fighting in what is now Scotland.
This was a difficult book for me, my expectations were set high. I was looking forward to a lot of confrontation between these groups, who were in the midst of trying to kill each other, only to be told that they were now on the same team. And to top it all off, they were to fight an enemy they had never known, in a war they had no stake in. For me these conflicts were resolved far too quickly and easily. I think that there was fantastic content available which would have allowed me to get to know some of the characters better.
For the most part, the writing was good. The story flowed nicely and it maintained my interest. Unfortunately, I did have one particular problem with the writing, the author was far too verbose in his choice of vocabulary. I believe it was Stephen King who once said something along the lines of, if you need a thesaurus, then it is the wrong word. Don’t get me wrong, a book that is too simple will easily lose my interest, but at the same time, reading is a hobby, if I have to look up multiple words it becomes a distraction and interferes with the pace of the book.
All in all, The IX was a good book, one which I had some issues with. At the same time, I thought that the premise of the book was new and unique; the world created by Andrew P. Weston was incredibly done. This is a book that could be enjoyed by many.
*3 Stars
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a difficult book for me, my expectations were set high. I was looking forward to a lot of confrontation between these groups, who were in the midst of trying to kill each other, only to be told that they were now on the same team. And to top it all off, they were to fight an enemy they had never known, in a war they had no stake in. For me these conflicts were resolved far too quickly and easily. I think that there was fantastic content available which would have allowed me to get to know some of the characters better.
For the most part, the writing was good. The story flowed nicely and it maintained my interest. Unfortunately, I did have one particular problem with the writing, the author was far too verbose in his choice of vocabulary. I believe it was Stephen King who once said something along the lines of, if you need a thesaurus, then it is the wrong word. Don’t get me wrong, a book that is too simple will easily lose my interest, but at the same time, reading is a hobby, if I have to look up multiple words it becomes a distraction and interferes with the pace of the book.
All in all, The IX was a good book, one which I had some issues with. At the same time, I thought that the premise of the book was new and unique; the world created by Andrew P. Weston was incredibly done. This is a book that could be enjoyed by many.
*3 Stars
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2015
The IX
by Andrew P. Weston
A superb, gripping and very well-written story from Weston, which will stimulate the senses of any reader.
A tale that will take you to far side of the galaxy and engage in battles for life and death in this epic story. The book is compelling and holds the reader's attention magnificently - fate, destiny and anticipating the future spills from these pages.
I am very grateful to have received an advanced copy of this amazing work by this author and surely more great things to come!
by Andrew P. Weston
A superb, gripping and very well-written story from Weston, which will stimulate the senses of any reader.
A tale that will take you to far side of the galaxy and engage in battles for life and death in this epic story. The book is compelling and holds the reader's attention magnificently - fate, destiny and anticipating the future spills from these pages.
I am very grateful to have received an advanced copy of this amazing work by this author and surely more great things to come!
March 4, 2015
'The IX' by Andrew P. Weston is a superb sc-fi read that takes you on a a wild roller-coaster ride. It's packed with action, great descriptive and life-like characters. It's both an interesting story from a historical point of view and so realistic sometimes you wonder if the author knows more and an intriguingly well told tale. Highly recommended to lovers of epic sci-fi.
March 1, 2015
I really enjoyed this one. IX by Andrew Weston combines so many genres into what is a rich adventure. A pleasure.
May 26, 2017
Fresh Alien/Military/YA Adventure
Andrew P. Weston’s The IX is fun and genre-spanning for sure, being a mashup of military sci-fi and fantasy. Think of mixing Star Trek, John Carter of Mars, and Alien/Predator into a blender. However, it actually reads more like a Young-Adult mystery. Give the proverbial Hardy Boys some assault rifles and space suits, join them on a distant planet, and save all life from alien corruption--be part of the IXth! Without spoiling, the premise revolves on the sudden gathering of the below groups across time:
1. The IXth Lost, Roman Legion (~120 CE)
2. Abraham Lincoln’s US Calvary (1800 CE)
3. An anti-terrorist special forces group (~2052 CE)
The challenge/promise presented is that all these groups are related somehow… and an alien Horde threatens them all. There are tons of characters embroiled in time-travel & a bizarre fight for survival, but the characters do not carry the story. The mystery of the situation does.
- What is the belligerent Horde?
- Why are three pairs of warring groups selected throughout time and space to play a role battling the Horde?
- How are these pairs of earthly enemies going to work together?
The IX is lighthearted too, so as you go from control-room reporting and war-room planning to the alien fields of Arden, you’ll be tossed onto the front line with a dose of humor. Hold onto your drawers! There are dozens of characters, but Lieutenant McDonald and Ayria emerge as central protagonists. “Mac” is an intelligent, special-forces operative, a contemporary smart-aleck (wait…I may have just described the author; see his BIO below) and Ayria is a physician with a splendid, weird ancestry. I adored Ayria and her story & chapters the most. She is paired with Stained With Blood, a Native American dream walker, and their experiences were the most meaningful to me.
All threads of this militaristic mystery are resolved, but it also sets up a sequel: Exordium of Tears. The author’s voice shines through. From his BIO sheet, we learn that he is a Royal Marine and Police Veteran with studies in astronomy and law. It’s clear he is drawing from his experience. I was drawn to this book after reading Hell Bound, a Heroes in Hell novel featuring Daemon Grim (aka Satan’s Hitman, of course). Daemon Grim is also developed with mysterious elements, but his character is more developed than any provided in IX. I’ll be reading more of Weston for sure, though I am more attracted to Hell than Space so I may prioritize the Hell series.
Author’s BIO: Andrew P. Weston is Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, Annette, and their growing family of rescue cats. An astronomy and law graduate, he is the creator of the international number one bestselling IX Series and Hell Bound, (A novel forming part of Janet Morris’ critically acclaimed Heroes in Hell shared universe). Andrew also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Fantasy Society, the British Science Fiction Association and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers. When not writing, An drew devotes some of his spare time to assisting NASA with one of their remote research projects, and writes educational articles for Astronaut.com and Amazing Stories.
Andrew P. Weston’s The IX is fun and genre-spanning for sure, being a mashup of military sci-fi and fantasy. Think of mixing Star Trek, John Carter of Mars, and Alien/Predator into a blender. However, it actually reads more like a Young-Adult mystery. Give the proverbial Hardy Boys some assault rifles and space suits, join them on a distant planet, and save all life from alien corruption--be part of the IXth! Without spoiling, the premise revolves on the sudden gathering of the below groups across time:
1. The IXth Lost, Roman Legion (~120 CE)
2. Abraham Lincoln’s US Calvary (1800 CE)
3. An anti-terrorist special forces group (~2052 CE)
The challenge/promise presented is that all these groups are related somehow… and an alien Horde threatens them all. There are tons of characters embroiled in time-travel & a bizarre fight for survival, but the characters do not carry the story. The mystery of the situation does.
- What is the belligerent Horde?
- Why are three pairs of warring groups selected throughout time and space to play a role battling the Horde?
- How are these pairs of earthly enemies going to work together?
The IX is lighthearted too, so as you go from control-room reporting and war-room planning to the alien fields of Arden, you’ll be tossed onto the front line with a dose of humor. Hold onto your drawers! There are dozens of characters, but Lieutenant McDonald and Ayria emerge as central protagonists. “Mac” is an intelligent, special-forces operative, a contemporary smart-aleck (wait…I may have just described the author; see his BIO below) and Ayria is a physician with a splendid, weird ancestry. I adored Ayria and her story & chapters the most. She is paired with Stained With Blood, a Native American dream walker, and their experiences were the most meaningful to me.
All threads of this militaristic mystery are resolved, but it also sets up a sequel: Exordium of Tears. The author’s voice shines through. From his BIO sheet, we learn that he is a Royal Marine and Police Veteran with studies in astronomy and law. It’s clear he is drawing from his experience. I was drawn to this book after reading Hell Bound, a Heroes in Hell novel featuring Daemon Grim (aka Satan’s Hitman, of course). Daemon Grim is also developed with mysterious elements, but his character is more developed than any provided in IX. I’ll be reading more of Weston for sure, though I am more attracted to Hell than Space so I may prioritize the Hell series.
Author’s BIO: Andrew P. Weston is Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, Annette, and their growing family of rescue cats. An astronomy and law graduate, he is the creator of the international number one bestselling IX Series and Hell Bound, (A novel forming part of Janet Morris’ critically acclaimed Heroes in Hell shared universe). Andrew also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Fantasy Society, the British Science Fiction Association and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers. When not writing, An drew devotes some of his spare time to assisting NASA with one of their remote research projects, and writes educational articles for Astronaut.com and Amazing Stories.
April 9, 2015
I was really attracted to the premise of The IX. Warriors and heroes from different ages coming together to fight a common enemy, and the three groups from the different eras could not be more different. The three groups, a Roman legion, a US cavalry division and an elite squad of British commandos from the near future, are all snatched away at the moment of their violent deaths on Earth and flung across the galaxy. In an interesting twist the enemies of each group are also transported to the new world. We therefore have Celtic tribesmen, red Indians and a gang of eco terrorists also caught up in the struggle to save their new home. At first I thought this may lead to various tensions but each of the rivals quickly put their enmity aside and assimilated quickly into their new life, where ancient rivalries are put aside. They all quickly get used to their new environment and technologies, particularly alien to the older groups. In a quirk of fate, it is the iron in their more primitive weapons that prove deadly to their new enemy – The Horde.
The Horde are a, seemingly, endless and mindless army of aliens who feed off the energy and life-force of the humans, prepared to throw themselves in suicidal assaults in order to reach their goal. At first it appears as if The Horde will continually assault the city of Rhomane until either they or all of the residents of the city are dead. Each chapter is packed full of action as the deadly struggle seems to head inexorably to a conclusion. But then something changes, giving more depth to the plot. Perhaps There is more to The Horde and the mutually destructive war they at first seem to blindly relish.
The Horde are a, seemingly, endless and mindless army of aliens who feed off the energy and life-force of the humans, prepared to throw themselves in suicidal assaults in order to reach their goal. At first it appears as if The Horde will continually assault the city of Rhomane until either they or all of the residents of the city are dead. Each chapter is packed full of action as the deadly struggle seems to head inexorably to a conclusion. But then something changes, giving more depth to the plot. Perhaps There is more to The Horde and the mutually destructive war they at first seem to blindly relish.
April 18, 2016
The concept grabbed me, but the actual execution was a little weak. The author was a little obsessed with planning, detailing plans, reiterating plans, having the characters then further describe plans...and then not actually really doing anything with them.
The novel was filled with supposedly creative and tactical geniuses from multiple eras of Earth's history, but it was mostly "telling" and very little "showing". All of these characters are preparing for siege, yet the lead-up is so prolonged, it loses its urgency, especially given the length of the book. David Gemmell's Legend manages to accomplish a thrilling tale of siege and heroism in a third of the length.
Contrary to the title, while the Roman legions are present, they get short shrift in the novel itself, with the book mostly focusing on British special forces. The title has multiple meanings beyond reference to Romans, but I'm omitting them for fear of spoilers.
Additionally, while a scifi novel at heart, there's a little too much "woo" science for my taste, and at points it felt "deus ex machina" was almost literal. There's AI, spaceships, futuristic weapons, time travel, et al, but much of it's back up by hand-wavium. To excaerbate issues, there's some borderline "ick" wise Native American hokum, tacked on romance, and heroes' legacy stuff that feels like it would be running during the credits in a B-movie.
Overall, not terrible, but a bit a of miss.
The novel was filled with supposedly creative and tactical geniuses from multiple eras of Earth's history, but it was mostly "telling" and very little "showing". All of these characters are preparing for siege, yet the lead-up is so prolonged, it loses its urgency, especially given the length of the book. David Gemmell's Legend manages to accomplish a thrilling tale of siege and heroism in a third of the length.
Contrary to the title, while the Roman legions are present, they get short shrift in the novel itself, with the book mostly focusing on British special forces. The title has multiple meanings beyond reference to Romans, but I'm omitting them for fear of spoilers.
Additionally, while a scifi novel at heart, there's a little too much "woo" science for my taste, and at points it felt "deus ex machina" was almost literal. There's AI, spaceships, futuristic weapons, time travel, et al, but much of it's back up by hand-wavium. To excaerbate issues, there's some borderline "ick" wise Native American hokum, tacked on romance, and heroes' legacy stuff that feels like it would be running during the credits in a B-movie.
Overall, not terrible, but a bit a of miss.
March 30, 2015
If you're looking for a rich, complex and compelling story, then look no farther than Andrew Weston's "The IX."
As an avid Sci-Fi fan, this book caught my attention from the beginning with an interesting premise, good strong characters and just the right mix of the new and familiar. I love the premise behind this book, and the author definitely did it justice. The pulling of soldiers from unique time periods and cultures added a lot of depth to the book. Furthermore, Weston did well with each of the cultures, having the different characters respond in situations to ways that felt culturally appropriate.
I've often felt that the true measure of a hero is not just in their 'heroic deeds,' but in how interesting and difficult their villains are to face. The evil hoard in this book was not only a formidable foe, but it was an interesting creation all on its own. One part horror creatures, one part old-school evil aliens, the antagonists in this book were well thought out and formed.
The different characters were engaging and interesting, which is hard to do when you have as many as Weston has in this work. The battle tactics felt real and practical. Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read. Fans of TV shows like 'Warehouse 13' and 'Supernatural,' and the film 'Timeline' should definitely check out this book!
As an avid Sci-Fi fan, this book caught my attention from the beginning with an interesting premise, good strong characters and just the right mix of the new and familiar. I love the premise behind this book, and the author definitely did it justice. The pulling of soldiers from unique time periods and cultures added a lot of depth to the book. Furthermore, Weston did well with each of the cultures, having the different characters respond in situations to ways that felt culturally appropriate.
I've often felt that the true measure of a hero is not just in their 'heroic deeds,' but in how interesting and difficult their villains are to face. The evil hoard in this book was not only a formidable foe, but it was an interesting creation all on its own. One part horror creatures, one part old-school evil aliens, the antagonists in this book were well thought out and formed.
The different characters were engaging and interesting, which is hard to do when you have as many as Weston has in this work. The battle tactics felt real and practical. Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read. Fans of TV shows like 'Warehouse 13' and 'Supernatural,' and the film 'Timeline' should definitely check out this book!
March 19, 2015
This is a story like nothing I’d read before. I am not a Sci-Fi enthusiast, I just can’t relate, but the author did such an incredible job of introducing the reader to this new civilization, I was hooked from the opening prologue. After reading through the various battles, fierce warrior, great leaders, and the ultimate destruction of a prior civilization, despite their best efforts, I was on the edge of my seat. The author ended this epic novel with a lot of metaphors, taking care to account for all the various races that make up present day earth. Even the mixing of the races was duly noted. The beloved eagle with its symbolic representation of strength, honor and glory, from the time of the Romans, is represented as the symbolic strength of the IX. There is also a massage there, strive for the future, but never forget the past, because without the past, there is no future. Well done! BRILLIANT! Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews