Scout

Exodus Chronicles #0.5

by D. Robert Pease

In the not-too-distant future, humanity is conducting a frantic search for the next step in human evolution. Everlasting life is within their grasp, but one man needs it more than anyone else. It’s the key to ending his already immortal life.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 8, 2015

About the author

D. Robert Pease has been interested in creating worlds since childhood. From building in the sandbox behind his house, to drawing fantastical worlds with paper and pencil, there has hardly been a time he hasn't been off on some adventure in his mind, to the dismay of parents and teachers alike. Also, since the moment he could read, books have consumed vast swaths of his life. From The Mouse and the Motorcycle, to The Lord of the Rings, worlds just beyond reality have called to him like Homer's Sirens. It's not surprising then he chose to write stories of his own. Each filled with worlds just beyond reach, but close enough we can all catch a glimpse of ourselves in the characters he creates.

~~~~~~~

Books by D. Robert Pease

Noah Zarc Series:

Noah Zarc: Roswell Incident
(A Noah Zarc Short Story Prequel)

Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble
Noah Zarc: Cataclysm
Noah Zarc: Declaration

Noah Zarc: Omnibus
(All three books from the Noah Zarc Trilogy)

Shadow Swarm
coming May 19, 2014

Dream Warriors: A Joey Cola Novel
coming July 21, 2014

A short story, called "A Chink in the Armor" is available in "Forged if Flame: A Dragon Anthology"

~~~~~~~

D. Robert lives in the grey-skied world of Northeast Ohio with his wife, two kids (a boy and a girl) and two pets (a dog and a cat) and a pond full of goldfish. When not writing he loves to travel the U.S. via RV with his trusty Jeep in tow, or ride the hills of Ohio on his bike.

Reviews

[Meenaz Lodhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even an evil human has a good side in him. That’s what differentiates human beings from other races in the universe. A thought provoking short story for a great series!

[Topsues · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this novella packed full of thought provoking ideas. Ethics, Merit?, The obligation of loyalty or fidelity to The Master was questionable, especially when your existence is a bit like Groundhog Day, because until you succeed, you have to continue until you fulfill your promise, regardless of how many human lifetimes that may take. The twist was brilliant and not realised until the exact moment it happened. I had actually read Enslaved the first full novel in the series before I read this novella,. I actually preferred doing it in this order, because “Scout” was more of an enigma. This is a great short story, and does set the stage for some of the characters in “Enslaved” which by the way is one of the best books I have read in eons. D.Robert Pease has now become one of my favourite authors.

[Lyle Blosser · Rating 2 out of 5]

The situation was unique, I will grant that, and did a good job of setting up the premise for what I expect to be the foundation for the Exodus Chronicles books, but the conversations seemed forced and the actions too much like magic given the mundane circumstances. The premise for the "why" of certain things happening seemed too pat, and rang a little false. Also, I didn't quite buy the fact that a large amount of time had already passed for the protagonist to complete the task set before him, given his enhanced abilities, and yet he was still seemingly doomed to failure and working on such a very small scale. I will probably attempt book 1 of the series; perhaps the failures noted above were due to trying to set the stage in a very short story instead of a longer tale.

[PJ Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read.

It might be a short story but it is jam packed with action. The prospect of living for millennia, but with the constant possibility of death, is intriguing. It also calls into question the future of mankind, a little bleak by all accounts.
Scout was a fascinating character and I really enjoyed his story, I would like to know more about him though as my curiosity has been piqued.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scout is a short story in the Exodus Chronicles series. This is the first book by the author that I have read so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was an interesting look at what makes us unique. While this is a short story, it is thought provoking. I look forward to reading more of this series. I received a copy of this book from the author and chose to leave a review for other readers.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Story! A well written short story about an immortal Scout continually tasked with making worlds ready to be destroyed has been assigned to Earth for millennium. Has he succeeded? Or has humanity rubbed off on him? I received a free copy of this book for review and definitely recommend it.

[Catherine Vickers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Futuristic ideas. Main character has a dark suicidal side, living a monotonous repetitive life. Has a little twist to the plot which leads to an ending that might answer any questions you have raised whilst reading this unusual plot.

Pulled me in and I might just have to go and look up this series for future reading.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing! Definitely best read after Enslaved. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

[Joe · Rating 1 out of 5]

How annoying. Nothing more than a preview posing as a novel.

[Jason Stakvel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice prequel, but this is a very short story.

[Ann Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like someone is always out to get earth people. This book gives a new twist. A fun short sci-fi story.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a awesome short story by a wonderful author, however, this is not one of his middle grade stories. This one is for adults, it is fast paced with a complex story line, that will make you think but is very fun to follow. There is tons of action to keep your interest while the characters blossom into there full selves. This is really hard to talk about without giving the story away but the story was so fun it went by in the blink of a eye and I wished there was more, (and I think there is more I am going to look into the Immortality Chronicles, where this story first appeared) so please give the story a try I think you will like it too.

[Filip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reas as part of my read of the short story collection "The Immortality Chronicles", Scout was certainly a thrill to read, and has easily whetted my appetite for more of D. Robert Pease's works!

[Vicky Camp · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book to get you thinking.

I liked this short story.

As an intro into a future where humanity has been, unknowingly, pushed and pulled toward what is thought to be the ultimate annihilation, this is a great success.

Does the soul exist? Are humans the only ones who could possibly have one? Is an alien just someone from another place or could it be that a true alien is someone outside of an ideal? To a being set on only it's own advancement, at the cost of all life, the inability to conceive of good and evil, and of their dynamic relationship to each other, might prove it to be an ultimate alien on any planet.

This author certainly has me thinking. The sign of a good book, or so I was taught.

[Norma]

"Something worth dying for."
Immortality seems so attractive - to those who do not have it. But what if you were condemned to be revived again, and again, and again, no matter how frequently you die?
This densely packed adventure story raises questions as well as being an exciting read. Well written, quick, easy, and more than just is on the page. Recommended intriguing science fiction.

[Clint the Cool Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not much to it. Just a prologue to the real story, I guess. Very short. Doesn’t make me want to buy the series.