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The Solar Forge
To save a dying Earth, Commander Silas Vane must fly into the heart of the Sun, and face the ghost of the man he used to be.
Three seconds of hesitation during the Martian Secession cost hundreds of lives and ended Silas Vane’s military career in disgrace. Now, with Earth ravaged by catastrophic solar flares, he is offered one final mission: lead the experimental Icarus-7 and a crew of military outcasts into the Sun’s corona to uncover their source.
For Silas, it may be his last chance to prove he is still the commander he once was.
He expects a natural disaster.
Instead, he finds Helios Prime, a vast alien metropolis hidden within the star itself.
Caught between a desperate civilization fighting to survive and a human fleet willing to destroy what it cannot understand, Silas and his crew are pushed beyond the limits of duty, loyalty, and survival. And as his ship’s unstable AI begins blurring the line between memory and reality, Silas discovers that the qualities he once believed made him weak may be the very things humanity needs to survive.
But saving Earth may require more than sacrifice.
It may require Silas to become someone neither his past nor the military ever allowed him to be.
Perfect for readers who love the grand scope of The Expanse and the scientific imagination of Project Hail Mary, The Solar Forge is an epic tale of first contact, redemption, sacrifice, and the impossible choices that shape civilizations.
Three seconds of hesitation during the Martian Secession cost hundreds of lives and ended Silas Vane’s military career in disgrace. Now, with Earth ravaged by catastrophic solar flares, he is offered one final mission: lead the experimental Icarus-7 and a crew of military outcasts into the Sun’s corona to uncover their source.
For Silas, it may be his last chance to prove he is still the commander he once was.
He expects a natural disaster.
Instead, he finds Helios Prime, a vast alien metropolis hidden within the star itself.
Caught between a desperate civilization fighting to survive and a human fleet willing to destroy what it cannot understand, Silas and his crew are pushed beyond the limits of duty, loyalty, and survival. And as his ship’s unstable AI begins blurring the line between memory and reality, Silas discovers that the qualities he once believed made him weak may be the very things humanity needs to survive.
But saving Earth may require more than sacrifice.
It may require Silas to become someone neither his past nor the military ever allowed him to be.
Perfect for readers who love the grand scope of The Expanse and the scientific imagination of Project Hail Mary, The Solar Forge is an epic tale of first contact, redemption, sacrifice, and the impossible choices that shape civilizations.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 17, 2026
About the author
Matt Geers
14 books13 followersMatt Geers is a Dallas, Texas-based science fiction author whose novels blend advanced technology, artificial intelligence, military conflict, and the dangers of pushing humanity beyond its limits.
A lifelong science fiction fan with more than two decades of experience in information technology, Matt brings a technology-driven perspective to stories about humanity’s increasingly complicated relationship with the machines and discoveries it creates.
He is the author of **The Solar Forge**, the first novel in an epic new science fiction series following Commander Silas Vane as humanity confronts threats that could reshape its future. He is also the creator of the **Project Nanotech** trilogy, **The First Subject, Ghost in the Core,** and **The Last Echo of Silver**, and the science-fiction horror novel **Infestation on the Sovereign**.
Matt’s stories range from military and hard science fiction to AI-driven thrillers and sci-fi horror, but they share a common question: **What happens when technology evolves faster than humanity is prepared for?**
When he isn’t writing, Matt continues to explore emerging technology, artificial intelligence, and the scientific breakthroughs inspiring the worlds of tomorrow.
A lifelong science fiction fan with more than two decades of experience in information technology, Matt brings a technology-driven perspective to stories about humanity’s increasingly complicated relationship with the machines and discoveries it creates.
He is the author of **The Solar Forge**, the first novel in an epic new science fiction series following Commander Silas Vane as humanity confronts threats that could reshape its future. He is also the creator of the **Project Nanotech** trilogy, **The First Subject, Ghost in the Core,** and **The Last Echo of Silver**, and the science-fiction horror novel **Infestation on the Sovereign**.
Matt’s stories range from military and hard science fiction to AI-driven thrillers and sci-fi horror, but they share a common question: **What happens when technology evolves faster than humanity is prepared for?**
When he isn’t writing, Matt continues to explore emerging technology, artificial intelligence, and the scientific breakthroughs inspiring the worlds of tomorrow.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 17, 2026
This isn’t typically something I’d read but I’m really glad I gave it a chance anyway because it was actually so much better than I expected.
I want to say maybe the first half of the book, I was kind of lost but I kept reading anyway and I’m glad I did.
In the beginning we meet Captain Vane. It talks about how he was court Martial-ed. Surprisingly enough, his brother is also military. Higher rank than him to be exact. Their relationship is strained. Captain Vane is seen as a disappointment, not only to the military but the family name as well.
Captain Vane is met with, in not so many words, a suicide mission. A death sentence if you would. He’s skeptical at first once hearing what the mission would be but decides to do it anyway.
He meets his crew for the mission and they’re all seemingly ok with possibly losing their lives for this mission.
This story held a lot of action but was also very emotional as well.
I really liked this one and again, I’m so glad I gave it a chance and kept reading
I want to say maybe the first half of the book, I was kind of lost but I kept reading anyway and I’m glad I did.
In the beginning we meet Captain Vane. It talks about how he was court Martial-ed. Surprisingly enough, his brother is also military. Higher rank than him to be exact. Their relationship is strained. Captain Vane is seen as a disappointment, not only to the military but the family name as well.
Captain Vane is met with, in not so many words, a suicide mission. A death sentence if you would. He’s skeptical at first once hearing what the mission would be but decides to do it anyway.
He meets his crew for the mission and they’re all seemingly ok with possibly losing their lives for this mission.
This story held a lot of action but was also very emotional as well.
I really liked this one and again, I’m so glad I gave it a chance and kept reading
August 19, 2026
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The premise is that of a disgraced ship commander who hesitated three seconds on his last assignment. His hesitation led to the loss of many lives. He punishes himself by becoming a miner on Mars until he's requested to be the commander on a new ship with a small crew who are also broken or have nothing to live for. This mission will either redeem them as heroes or be a suicide mission.
I felt like this book started really slow and while I struggled a little to keep reading, the story kept me interested. All I can say is WOW. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed and what was going to happen next. The plot twists just keep coming!
This is a solid four star read for me. If you like a reluctant hero in space, you need to check this one out.
The premise is that of a disgraced ship commander who hesitated three seconds on his last assignment. His hesitation led to the loss of many lives. He punishes himself by becoming a miner on Mars until he's requested to be the commander on a new ship with a small crew who are also broken or have nothing to live for. This mission will either redeem them as heroes or be a suicide mission.
I felt like this book started really slow and while I struggled a little to keep reading, the story kept me interested. All I can say is WOW. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed and what was going to happen next. The plot twists just keep coming!
This is a solid four star read for me. If you like a reluctant hero in space, you need to check this one out.
August 7, 2026
This was a wonderful mix of sci-fi and adventure while we watch the main character seek redemption along the way. The commitment of the crew to the mission is awesome, the concept was new and something I’ve never read before. There was also a little political intrigue and some family issues.
I felt a little lost sometimes, like I had missed some detail or info along the way which is the only reason for 4 stars.
Highly recommend to any sci-fi reader looking for an end of the world dynamic!
I felt a little lost sometimes, like I had missed some detail or info along the way which is the only reason for 4 stars.
Highly recommend to any sci-fi reader looking for an end of the world dynamic!
August 6, 2026
I wasn’t fully sure I’d enjoy this but I am very happy I did if anyone is willing to give it a try I’m sure you will like it I do not leave reviews that spoilt the book but if you give it a chance you will be pleasantly surprised by the story
August 5, 2026
The premise of this book is interesting. I think I gave it three stars mostly because of the potential for the plot to develop. There is a lack of world building at the beginning, and as a readser I felt lost for about the first third of the book. There are also some unique perspective changes from a narrator POV that caused me some confusion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The first 6-7 chapters were a little rough for me. It felt very depressing. It talked about the main character having paused for 3 seconds which led to the loss of life of many people. He had been court-martialed because of it. His brother was a higher ranked military person and was involved in his court-martial. His brother told him that he was a disappointment to not only the military, but to the family name. This book starts with the main character getting put on a new mission that is clearly a suicide type mission. If he succeeds, he will be a hero and no longer the shame of his family. It is unlikely that he will live through this mission. Every member of his crew are also people who have hit rock bottom. It delves deep into thoughts of worthlessness. It made it very difficult to keep reading, but I rarely DNF a book, so I continued.
Things then got interesting and I wanted to keep reading. Very well thought out story that I want to continue to see what happens. The character development was great. Lots of growth for the characters. Realization that what he had thought of as a flaw was actually a strength was amazing. How it occurred was simply beautiful.
The world building was done very well. It made me see the sun in a whole new way, wondering if it could be a possibility.
At the ends of some of the chapters the POV seems to shift from 1st person to 3rd person narrative for just a sentence or two. This would make my brain pull out of the story for a moment.
This book ended on a good note with a good pull into wanting to continue the series.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author. This review is my honest opinion and I am under no obligation to review.
Things then got interesting and I wanted to keep reading. Very well thought out story that I want to continue to see what happens. The character development was great. Lots of growth for the characters. Realization that what he had thought of as a flaw was actually a strength was amazing. How it occurred was simply beautiful.
The world building was done very well. It made me see the sun in a whole new way, wondering if it could be a possibility.
At the ends of some of the chapters the POV seems to shift from 1st person to 3rd person narrative for just a sentence or two. This would make my brain pull out of the story for a moment.
This book ended on a good note with a good pull into wanting to continue the series.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author. This review is my honest opinion and I am under no obligation to review.
August 28, 2026
It's always a gamble when you take a shot on an indie author, most of what's out there is not very well thought out. This one hits hard. It's a little bleak in the beginning, but it should have been. Geers doesn't shy away from actions, or inactions, having consequences and I love that. These aren't cookie-cutter characters with no soul, these characters have depth and scars and aren't perfect which makes them feel real. I'm not giving away spoilers, you really need to give this a shot and pray the author doesn't make us wait too long for the sequel!
I proudly paid for this and will again!
I proudly paid for this and will again!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and had a lot of those moments where I was holding my breath wondering how the hell they were going to get out of this one. There’s a lot of action, but there’s also a surprisingly emotional story underneath it, especially with Captain Vane and his brother. There were definitely some heartbreaking moments, but I liked that the book wasn’t just action for the sake of action. It actually made me care about what happened to the characters, which is what kept me hooked. I really look forward to reading what comes next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an exciting story of perseverance and redemption. A throw away crew goes on an adventure into the sun where they discover an impossible civilization and a sinister threat to their home planet. This unlikely group of heroes face nearly insurmountable challenges, in a story of non-stop action.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ambitious story of redemption that turns out not to be the usual story of redemption though it’s got the overall appearance of one. It’s a little uneven and a little repetitive in places, but in the end, the hero mostly saves the day and gets his self-respect back - and that’s what a redemption story is really all about.
August 31, 2026
This sci-fi takes you inside the sun, where an unexpected civilization is living. Could this really be true? 👀
There’s redemption, survival, deception, and betrayal as the team fights to protect humanity and this new species. So many unexpected twists, but what really got me was how heartfelt the story was
There’s redemption, survival, deception, and betrayal as the team fights to protect humanity and this new species. So many unexpected twists, but what really got me was how heartfelt the story was
Review of advance copy received from Author
High paced, action filled book! Very well written and a great read for those right into their space or travel adventure style books. Lots of technical jargon so definitely need to be machine lingo knowledgeable in a way and have a creative mind to picture the adventure ahead.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews