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Spectras Arise Trilogy #1-3
Spectras Arise Trilogy: Omnibus Edition
In a few hundred years, the Algol system becomes humanity’s new home. The question is: Is it a better one?
Contract of Defiance, Contract of Betrayal, and Contract of War follow former Corpsmember Aly Erikson and her crew of anti-Admin smugglers through ever-escalating life-and-death adventures and the trials of a living on the side of liberty and freedom—whether they agree with the law or not. Most are no strangers to fighting and dissent, but more than anything, they want to spend their lives flying under the radar without control or interference from the system’s central government, The Political and Capital Administration of the Advanced Worlds, aka, the Admin. But the Admin's greed-drenched dualism of power and corruption has other plans, and throughout the series, Aly and her crew are reminded of one lesson time and again: when all other options run out, never let go of your gun.
CONTRACT OF DEFIANCE
When a crew of arms smugglers botches their latest job, Corps-deserter and crewmember, Aly Erikson, is separated from her brother, the only person she can trust, and left behind to fight for her life. In the aftermath, as she tries to piece together what happened, a crew of roughneck settlers pressgang her into a dangerous mission in the heart of Corps territory. Time is running out to get back everything she’s lost: her crew, her brother, her options. But no one is taking her gun.
CONTRACT OF BETRAYAL
In a bid to free the settlers of Agate Beach from their dependence on picking at Admin scraps, Corps-deserter Aly Erikson’s crew is willing to make a few deals, even with the devil. When Aly learns her friends have deceived her, she has to decide which is stronger: her sense of having been betrayed or her allegiance to the rebel cause. After an old ally offers her a convenient escape to a new life, the decision should be easy. But when the Corps threatens to wipe out everything that matters to her, the only course of action left is the same one she’s taken for as long as she can remember—fighting back.
CONTRACT OF WAR
In the aftermath of a system-wide war between the Admin and Corp Loyalists and the non-citizen population of the Algols, everything once resembling order has been leveled. Scattered enclaves of survivors dot the worlds, living, however they can, in snarled lawlessness. Aly Erikson and her crew have carved out a niche of relative peace, doing their best to go on with their lives through salvaging, scavenging, and stealing. But with no force left to keep the lid on the pot, the pressures of chaos and discord soon cause conflicts to boil over. As enemies close in from all directions, even, sometimes, from within, the crew once again must fight—not just for survival, not just for their way of life, but this time for a future that can finally lay to rest the system’s bloody and savage past.
Contract of Defiance, Contract of Betrayal, and Contract of War follow former Corpsmember Aly Erikson and her crew of anti-Admin smugglers through ever-escalating life-and-death adventures and the trials of a living on the side of liberty and freedom—whether they agree with the law or not. Most are no strangers to fighting and dissent, but more than anything, they want to spend their lives flying under the radar without control or interference from the system’s central government, The Political and Capital Administration of the Advanced Worlds, aka, the Admin. But the Admin's greed-drenched dualism of power and corruption has other plans, and throughout the series, Aly and her crew are reminded of one lesson time and again: when all other options run out, never let go of your gun.
CONTRACT OF DEFIANCE
When a crew of arms smugglers botches their latest job, Corps-deserter and crewmember, Aly Erikson, is separated from her brother, the only person she can trust, and left behind to fight for her life. In the aftermath, as she tries to piece together what happened, a crew of roughneck settlers pressgang her into a dangerous mission in the heart of Corps territory. Time is running out to get back everything she’s lost: her crew, her brother, her options. But no one is taking her gun.
CONTRACT OF BETRAYAL
In a bid to free the settlers of Agate Beach from their dependence on picking at Admin scraps, Corps-deserter Aly Erikson’s crew is willing to make a few deals, even with the devil. When Aly learns her friends have deceived her, she has to decide which is stronger: her sense of having been betrayed or her allegiance to the rebel cause. After an old ally offers her a convenient escape to a new life, the decision should be easy. But when the Corps threatens to wipe out everything that matters to her, the only course of action left is the same one she’s taken for as long as she can remember—fighting back.
CONTRACT OF WAR
In the aftermath of a system-wide war between the Admin and Corp Loyalists and the non-citizen population of the Algols, everything once resembling order has been leveled. Scattered enclaves of survivors dot the worlds, living, however they can, in snarled lawlessness. Aly Erikson and her crew have carved out a niche of relative peace, doing their best to go on with their lives through salvaging, scavenging, and stealing. But with no force left to keep the lid on the pot, the pressures of chaos and discord soon cause conflicts to boil over. As enemies close in from all directions, even, sometimes, from within, the crew once again must fight—not just for survival, not just for their way of life, but this time for a future that can finally lay to rest the system’s bloody and savage past.
- GenresScience Fiction
754 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2015
8 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Tammy Salyer
22 books144 followersFormer Army paratrooper, Tammy Salyer now channels her thirst for adventure and high-flying hijinks into high-octane narratives. Her Shackled Verities series is a Cosmos-crossing epic fantasy adventure. Her Spectras Arise series is action-packed military science fiction, praised for its gritty realism and well-crafted characters. And if you love a good Western with a twist, then you won’t want to miss her Otherworld Outlaws series and its blend of Celtic mythology and unforgettable Wild West action.
She hopes you enjoy reading her works and welcomes your reviews. Follow her on Bluesky @tammy-salyer.bsky.social or www.tammysalyer.com.
She hopes you enjoy reading her works and welcomes your reviews. Follow her on Bluesky @tammy-salyer.bsky.social or www.tammysalyer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 10, 2015
I received the Spectras Arise Trilogy from NetGalley as an Omnibus Edition containing all three novels. I'm a devoted fan of good military science fiction, and Spectras is an excellent example of the genre.
I was unfamiliar with Tammy Salyer and am delighted to add her to my list of favorite science fiction writers. The Omnibus Edition has just been released, but I will review the three novels that it contains separately.
More here: A Garden Carried in the Pocket
The characters were not all equally well-drawn, but I liked that Aly and Vitruzzi were the most important and in such different ways. Both women have courage and determination, but their very different skills and personalities complement each other. Secondary characters receive much less development, but still feel important.
I'm glad I was able to read all three of these together in the Omnibus edition. Even if you are not a fan of science fiction, Salyer's characters and plot will overcome your reservations, and you will be glad you came along for the ride. You can read each one separately or get the Omnibus edition that contains all three.
NetGalley
Science Fiction. Omnibus Edition, Feb. 4, 2015. Print version: 724 pages.
I was unfamiliar with Tammy Salyer and am delighted to add her to my list of favorite science fiction writers. The Omnibus Edition has just been released, but I will review the three novels that it contains separately.
More here: A Garden Carried in the Pocket
The characters were not all equally well-drawn, but I liked that Aly and Vitruzzi were the most important and in such different ways. Both women have courage and determination, but their very different skills and personalities complement each other. Secondary characters receive much less development, but still feel important.
I'm glad I was able to read all three of these together in the Omnibus edition. Even if you are not a fan of science fiction, Salyer's characters and plot will overcome your reservations, and you will be glad you came along for the ride. You can read each one separately or get the Omnibus edition that contains all three.
NetGalley
Science Fiction. Omnibus Edition, Feb. 4, 2015. Print version: 724 pages.
March 1, 2015
This is an excellent military space opera series. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, and even Star Wars. The characters are awesome and memorable, the plot is great, the action is superb. I've already reviewed each of the individual books - links to those reviews can be found below:
My Contract of Defiance review can be found here.
My Contract of Betrayal review can be found here.
My Contract of War review can be found here.
My Contract of Defiance review can be found here.
My Contract of Betrayal review can be found here.
My Contract of War review can be found here.
July 12, 2015
Good story
I seldom rate any thing with five stars but this trilogy, and its prequel Conviction, tell a consistently good story to the very last sentence. I loved that the characters kept me visualizing them all the way through, without pornography, obscenity, or profanity, at least not much. It was well edited, another big plus. Thank you, Ms Salyer.
I seldom rate any thing with five stars but this trilogy, and its prequel Conviction, tell a consistently good story to the very last sentence. I loved that the characters kept me visualizing them all the way through, without pornography, obscenity, or profanity, at least not much. It was well edited, another big plus. Thank you, Ms Salyer.
June 9, 2015
Cohesive thought out space opera
Well thought out and evenly paced. A good structure and consistent foundation ; could it be the basis for follow-on series . I enjoyed it .
Well thought out and evenly paced. A good structure and consistent foundation ; could it be the basis for follow-on series . I enjoyed it .
June 13, 2015
Good story
Lots of action. There are some gaps in the story line between the three volumes but all the details relevant to the main characters are there.
Lots of action. There are some gaps in the story line between the three volumes but all the details relevant to the main characters are there.
July 13, 2018
I only gave this book three stars, but I can see how it would be 5 for the right reader. There's lots of action in this book, and it is fast paced. The recipe is: add bad guys, have a gun battle, blow a bunch of people up somehow, get injured, escape, rest, repeat. The author used to be in the military, so her gun battles are written very well. Back when I was 18-20, I'd have loved this stuff and probably would have rated it higher. So if you want an adventure novel where the lead basically has to shoot her way to the climax, stop right now and go buy this trilogy - these are your books!
For me, I do love action, but I need it to be set against some sort of higher concept. For example, in the movie the Matrix, there's a ton of fighting/shooting/etc, but that's only the icing on the cake. What that movie is really about is a world where humans are slaves to a machines, and are held captive in a virtual universe. So there's a much bigger picture involved than just a bunch of fighting, and that is what makes all of it so interesting. In this book, that higher concept just isn't present. The core of the story could have been set anywhere. It didn't need to be sci-fi. The author could actually have set it in modern times, or even on pirate ships. So that's the reason I knocked a star or two off - I really need a little more than just a shoot-em-up story. But that's me, you might be different.
I'm giving a review of the omnibus edition, since that's what I bought, but I only made it past the first book. I'm not sure if I'm going to read book 2 or 3, and I don't feel a huge hook to do so at this time.
For me, I do love action, but I need it to be set against some sort of higher concept. For example, in the movie the Matrix, there's a ton of fighting/shooting/etc, but that's only the icing on the cake. What that movie is really about is a world where humans are slaves to a machines, and are held captive in a virtual universe. So there's a much bigger picture involved than just a bunch of fighting, and that is what makes all of it so interesting. In this book, that higher concept just isn't present. The core of the story could have been set anywhere. It didn't need to be sci-fi. The author could actually have set it in modern times, or even on pirate ships. So that's the reason I knocked a star or two off - I really need a little more than just a shoot-em-up story. But that's me, you might be different.
I'm giving a review of the omnibus edition, since that's what I bought, but I only made it past the first book. I'm not sure if I'm going to read book 2 or 3, and I don't feel a huge hook to do so at this time.
April 7, 2019
What a great ride!
I love the structure and character development. This series grabbed me right from the opening salvo and didn’t let me go, period. Even after the last word was read, I find myself looking for more. I want to know what happened to Aly and her crew. I love this series and very much hope Tammy Salyer picks them up again. A few more books just to let us know how they get on would be nice 😊.
I love the structure and character development. This series grabbed me right from the opening salvo and didn’t let me go, period. Even after the last word was read, I find myself looking for more. I want to know what happened to Aly and her crew. I love this series and very much hope Tammy Salyer picks them up again. A few more books just to let us know how they get on would be nice 😊.
May 17, 2020
Excellent
This is the second time I have read the series.I enjoyed it as much as the first time. Although I did read it faster.
This is the second time I have read the series.I enjoyed it as much as the first time. Although I did read it faster.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews