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Star Map
It's time to Wake-Up.
Roman Windsor's final assignment on a distant colony world should have been routine. Instead, he discovers an impossible object drifting above the frozen wilderness.
Before he can investigate, Roman accepts a coveted position on a Wake-Up crew, entering cryosleep for the fifty years needed to prepare the planet for humanity's arrival.
He wakes to silence.
The colony lies in ruins. Everyone is dead. No rescue is coming.
With only a loyal construction robot named Bolt at his side, Roman searches for answers. As the truth behind the alien fragment begins to emerge, he realizes the fate of the colony may only be the beginning.
Star Map is the thrilling first novel in a brand-new science fiction adventure from bestselling author Nathan Hystad.
Roman Windsor's final assignment on a distant colony world should have been routine. Instead, he discovers an impossible object drifting above the frozen wilderness.
Before he can investigate, Roman accepts a coveted position on a Wake-Up crew, entering cryosleep for the fifty years needed to prepare the planet for humanity's arrival.
He wakes to silence.
The colony lies in ruins. Everyone is dead. No rescue is coming.
With only a loyal construction robot named Bolt at his side, Roman searches for answers. As the truth behind the alien fragment begins to emerge, he realizes the fate of the colony may only be the beginning.
Star Map is the thrilling first novel in a brand-new science fiction adventure from bestselling author Nathan Hystad.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 21, 2026
The last couple hours of laying relays on the planet of Nanos had Roman Windsor and Colin ready to return to Earth. However, before the last relays are set in place, they find what appears to be an odd rock floating about 6 feet above the snow and icy surface of the planet. The planet was supposed to have been checked for odd anomalies. How was this missed?
Roman runs his hand under it. No response. Then they both try to touch it but Colin gets there first and is stunned by the object and falls to the ground, not moving. Roman takes the unresponsive Colin back to base as he watches flights departing quickly. This was their final mission and now Colin was probably dead.
A suspiciously “chance” encounter with the director has Roman Windsor leaving Colin and jumping onto the esteemed Wake-Up team, a flight designed for the crew to sleep 50 years until he wakes up to a terraformed planet. Awakening to a voice telling him to “wake up”, he finds himself alone, along with his teammates’ now skeletal corpses. The haunting question remains as to what has happened while he slept, as well as how long did he actually sleep and where is everyone?
Follow Roman as he explores this planet and discovers other beings, humans, robots and more. Bolt becomes his only companion.
This looks to be a great series and I cannot wait for the next book. Nathan Hystad has woven his web. You won’t be disappointed.
Roman runs his hand under it. No response. Then they both try to touch it but Colin gets there first and is stunned by the object and falls to the ground, not moving. Roman takes the unresponsive Colin back to base as he watches flights departing quickly. This was their final mission and now Colin was probably dead.
A suspiciously “chance” encounter with the director has Roman Windsor leaving Colin and jumping onto the esteemed Wake-Up team, a flight designed for the crew to sleep 50 years until he wakes up to a terraformed planet. Awakening to a voice telling him to “wake up”, he finds himself alone, along with his teammates’ now skeletal corpses. The haunting question remains as to what has happened while he slept, as well as how long did he actually sleep and where is everyone?
Follow Roman as he explores this planet and discovers other beings, humans, robots and more. Bolt becomes his only companion.
This looks to be a great series and I cannot wait for the next book. Nathan Hystad has woven his web. You won’t be disappointed.
October 21, 2026
As Freyasmom succinctly wrote "First off, this guy cannot write a bad book ... period.... and this one already has me glued to the story and waiting for the next book." Mr Hystad's stories are written smoothly without a word to spare. A careful balance between dialog and narrative.
“It’s time to Wake-Up.”
Only many things have gone wrong starting with a wake up call 150 years overdue. Then to find everyone dead. And that's just the start. The protagonist, Roman Windsor, calmly deals with one problem at a time eventually guiding him and others on divergent paths trying to find out more about the Star Map pieces and why it's reconstruction is so dangerous. Many unexpected pivots and changes that keep the reader glued to the book.
“It’s time to Wake-Up.”
Only many things have gone wrong starting with a wake up call 150 years overdue. Then to find everyone dead. And that's just the start. The protagonist, Roman Windsor, calmly deals with one problem at a time eventually guiding him and others on divergent paths trying to find out more about the Star Map pieces and why it's reconstruction is so dangerous. Many unexpected pivots and changes that keep the reader glued to the book.
October 22, 2026
Not Star Map You’re Thinking
Roman is part of crew that helps set up new colonies but inadvertently makes an important discovery landing him on the crew that will help colonize the planet. But when he wakes up, he’s alone and the colony is all but destroyed. He’s stranded alone with no way to get off the planet but as luck would have it, he’s able to build a friend out of spare parts and names him Bolt. They are off to discover what happened to the planet and hopefully another living being.
Roman is part of crew that helps set up new colonies but inadvertently makes an important discovery landing him on the crew that will help colonize the planet. But when he wakes up, he’s alone and the colony is all but destroyed. He’s stranded alone with no way to get off the planet but as luck would have it, he’s able to build a friend out of spare parts and names him Bolt. They are off to discover what happened to the planet and hopefully another living being.
October 20, 2026
I definitely enjoyed this first entry of Star Map.
A forward group is put on a distant planet to prepare it for humanity's eventual arrival, but things go very wrong.
Great characters, well told story, and lots of robots.
It's an excellent setup for the next instalment, so I certainly look forward to the next edition.
Highly recommended.
A forward group is put on a distant planet to prepare it for humanity's eventual arrival, but things go very wrong.
Great characters, well told story, and lots of robots.
It's an excellent setup for the next instalment, so I certainly look forward to the next edition.
Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews