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The Fear Saga #2
Fear the Survivors
The Earth lies shaken in the aftermath of a conspiracy. A team of exhausted scientists and military outcasts struggle to fight the enemy among a planet on the brink. But they have allies. Two in the opposition carry with them the knowledge we need to save humanity and take us into a new and marvelous age.
Neal, Ayala, and Barrett must find a way to achieve the impossible—by fair means or foul, they must unite the world's disparate nations. And they must do so quickly, for the Armada is fast approaching, and behind the great fires of their decelerating engines, the huge fleet is readying itself for war.
With a series this engaging, there is only one option when the book ends: go back to the dullness of a reality without Moss' story—or download book three. Quick.
Neal, Ayala, and Barrett must find a way to achieve the impossible—by fair means or foul, they must unite the world's disparate nations. And they must do so quickly, for the Armada is fast approaching, and behind the great fires of their decelerating engines, the huge fleet is readying itself for war.
With a series this engaging, there is only one option when the book ends: go back to the dullness of a reality without Moss' story—or download book three. Quick.
18 pages, Audiobook
First published August 28, 2014
230 people are currently reading
702 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Moss
4 books443 followersStephen Moss was born in England, but spent time as a child in wildly diverse places, including several years in Brazil, Belgium, and Malaysia.
He eventually settled in New York, but still travels avidly, something he uses as inspiration and input to his writing. Stephen is a fan of Hard SF by masters such as Iain M. Banks, Orson Scott Card, Peter F. Hamilton and the many other fantastic writers creating masterpieces every year.
His first novel, Fear the Sky, combines his passions for science fiction with a solid, realistic foundation, with his passion for travel. The novel takes place across the globe, from London, to Brussels, to DC, to the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, to the back streets of Tel Aviv. The few places in the book which Stephen hasn't been to in person, he researches avidly, wanting to put his characters into the reality of their surroundings, and knowing that the settings for his stories are as important as the individuals he then paints into them.
While Fear the Sky is Stephen's first published work, the second book in the series, Fear the Survivors, is nearly finished, and the third and final installment is already well in hand. If you would like to know more, and know when the next installment is available, you can find Stephen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheFearSaga, or you can send an email to TheFearSaga@gmail.com.
He eventually settled in New York, but still travels avidly, something he uses as inspiration and input to his writing. Stephen is a fan of Hard SF by masters such as Iain M. Banks, Orson Scott Card, Peter F. Hamilton and the many other fantastic writers creating masterpieces every year.
His first novel, Fear the Sky, combines his passions for science fiction with a solid, realistic foundation, with his passion for travel. The novel takes place across the globe, from London, to Brussels, to DC, to the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, to the back streets of Tel Aviv. The few places in the book which Stephen hasn't been to in person, he researches avidly, wanting to put his characters into the reality of their surroundings, and knowing that the settings for his stories are as important as the individuals he then paints into them.
While Fear the Sky is Stephen's first published work, the second book in the series, Fear the Survivors, is nearly finished, and the third and final installment is already well in hand. If you would like to know more, and know when the next installment is available, you can find Stephen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheFearSaga, or you can send an email to TheFearSaga@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
August 30, 2014
So, err, I think this is really, really good!
February 27, 2016
I'm in awe of Stephen Moss' imagination and I'm totally addicted to this entertaining series. That ending left my thoughts in chaos... I need time to regroup and organise my thoughts.
***RTC***
***RTC***
January 12, 2015
Sweet/suite. To/too. Passed/past. Repeatedly saying "evolutionary" when "revolutionary" was actually correct. And even beyond things that were maybe just typos, it felt like I couldn't make it more than a page without some word choice or another bothering me.
And yet, I finished this one, too. And I'm halfway through the third book.
I dunno, man. Let's just call it a poorly executed good idea?
And yet, I finished this one, too. And I'm halfway through the third book.
I dunno, man. Let's just call it a poorly executed good idea?
April 25, 2016
Book One in the series was great - nerdy science guy see strange signs in the data he monitors on a deep space array. Early suspense around these signs and their implications propel the novel to an exciting pace as various storylines and characters' reactions to them develop. The science in this book is believable and doesn't require a significant leap of technological advancement.
Unfortunately, Book Two veers way off course from the path of Book One. Too little further development in all the main characters (both good and bad), with unnecessary political meandering, needless brutality toward innocents, not much cohesiveness in storylines, random new characters who may be introduced and die in the same chapter, and somewhat creepy connections between humans and technology that are akin to being hooked into the Matrix.
Battle scenes are good, but don't do much to further the storyline or prepare the world's population to meet the oncoming armada.
This book was disappointing, especially given the quality of Book One, and leaves me little desire to find out what happens in Book Three.
Unfortunately, Book Two veers way off course from the path of Book One. Too little further development in all the main characters (both good and bad), with unnecessary political meandering, needless brutality toward innocents, not much cohesiveness in storylines, random new characters who may be introduced and die in the same chapter, and somewhat creepy connections between humans and technology that are akin to being hooked into the Matrix.
Battle scenes are good, but don't do much to further the storyline or prepare the world's population to meet the oncoming armada.
This book was disappointing, especially given the quality of Book One, and leaves me little desire to find out what happens in Book Three.
January 26, 2015
.OK read, lost quality of 'Sky'
After discovering Mr. Boss's 1st book in this series I was hoping for a sci-fi story with humans working together with the best of their creative and survival instinct to overcome a common threat to existence but was disappointed with the all to familiar resort to guns and explosions to resolve conflict. Any positive light the author may have Kindled in me of finally reading a story in sci-fi genre that there can be a synthesis of human greatness portrayed in a book about overcoming adversity is gone. In 'Sky' the dialogue revealed a talent there and then it was as if Mr. Moss got lazy with this 2nd book. When will sci-fi writers end the pessimism and take from the Rodenberry motif?
The lesser issue I have was the almost complete lack of any consequence of making everyone on Earth super immune to virus' and infection after a universal antigen was distributed worldwide. I thought this 2nd book would tell us how doctors and the whole medical and insurance establishment had to close up shop. Wishful thinking.
After discovering Mr. Boss's 1st book in this series I was hoping for a sci-fi story with humans working together with the best of their creative and survival instinct to overcome a common threat to existence but was disappointed with the all to familiar resort to guns and explosions to resolve conflict. Any positive light the author may have Kindled in me of finally reading a story in sci-fi genre that there can be a synthesis of human greatness portrayed in a book about overcoming adversity is gone. In 'Sky' the dialogue revealed a talent there and then it was as if Mr. Moss got lazy with this 2nd book. When will sci-fi writers end the pessimism and take from the Rodenberry motif?
The lesser issue I have was the almost complete lack of any consequence of making everyone on Earth super immune to virus' and infection after a universal antigen was distributed worldwide. I thought this 2nd book would tell us how doctors and the whole medical and insurance establishment had to close up shop. Wishful thinking.
November 13, 2017
Aliens are real the earth is flat 5.6 Nicholas Cages out of 7
June 16, 2016
In Fear the Survivors (FTS), Moss serves up ultra-realistic science and intricate detail like a mother would serve vegetables to her children. Don't get me wrong, the "vegetables" Moss serves up are good for you, cooked perfectly and presented in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible... but they are still boring vegetables. I don't want to offend any vegetarians out there but (if you are following this analogy) nobody likes to eat a whole plate of plain vegetables. Most readers, like myself, like a bit of cheese sauce or juicy steak to go with our meal... in fact, the vegetables should only ever be a small side dish, with the steak comprising the bulk of the meal as the hero of the dish.
In FTS, Moss unfortunately only delivers very small bite-size portions of "steak" (action, character development, suspense, emotion, etc) and it always feels like a long time between bites. You'll find yourself having to munch through whole plates of broccoli in order to get even the smallest bit of delicious steak.... (ok, I'll stop the analogy now).
FTS is basically comprised of various characters planning for an event (the obvious 'Alien Invasion') and developing science-based solutions to assist them in the lead up to the event. But the big event never comes... it's instead saved for book 3. This means FTS offers very little payoff and resolution, which is very disappointing, especially considering the book is an absolute struggle to get through.
Moss also bounces around from character to character in disjointed fashion. Due to the sheer volume of characters he introduces in the series, it's impossible to become emotionally attached to any of them or have a "favourite". There wasn't one time I actually cared about what happened to any of the characters, i.e. Moss failed to get me emotionally invested.
As I was listening to the FTS audio-book I found myself zoning out and losing interest - which I rarely do. This is because Moss applies the science and detail on so thick it feels like sludge, as if you're stuck in literary quicksand. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to start thinking about what I was having for dinner that night or what I was going to do on the weekend, only to come back to the book and realise I've completely missed a whole chapter.
In the end though, even though I have been a bit overly critical, I do have to admit that FTS is a solid and well-written hard science fiction novel that will appeal to any reader who appreciates an author who goes the extra mile, does their research and doesn't skimp on the finer details. If you're into that sort of thing, you'll eat Moss's book up with a smile on your face, from start to finish.
I will also say that the overall story Moss is telling across his 3 books is captivating, interesting and different from most 'Alien Invasion' books and movies. If you can push through the science and remain focused on the story, you'll have a hell of a good time.
Finally, Moss is a fantastic and important sci-fi writer and I sincerely hope this series gets turned into a TV show.
In FTS, Moss unfortunately only delivers very small bite-size portions of "steak" (action, character development, suspense, emotion, etc) and it always feels like a long time between bites. You'll find yourself having to munch through whole plates of broccoli in order to get even the smallest bit of delicious steak.... (ok, I'll stop the analogy now).
FTS is basically comprised of various characters planning for an event (the obvious 'Alien Invasion') and developing science-based solutions to assist them in the lead up to the event. But the big event never comes... it's instead saved for book 3. This means FTS offers very little payoff and resolution, which is very disappointing, especially considering the book is an absolute struggle to get through.
Moss also bounces around from character to character in disjointed fashion. Due to the sheer volume of characters he introduces in the series, it's impossible to become emotionally attached to any of them or have a "favourite". There wasn't one time I actually cared about what happened to any of the characters, i.e. Moss failed to get me emotionally invested.
As I was listening to the FTS audio-book I found myself zoning out and losing interest - which I rarely do. This is because Moss applies the science and detail on so thick it feels like sludge, as if you're stuck in literary quicksand. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to start thinking about what I was having for dinner that night or what I was going to do on the weekend, only to come back to the book and realise I've completely missed a whole chapter.
In the end though, even though I have been a bit overly critical, I do have to admit that FTS is a solid and well-written hard science fiction novel that will appeal to any reader who appreciates an author who goes the extra mile, does their research and doesn't skimp on the finer details. If you're into that sort of thing, you'll eat Moss's book up with a smile on your face, from start to finish.
I will also say that the overall story Moss is telling across his 3 books is captivating, interesting and different from most 'Alien Invasion' books and movies. If you can push through the science and remain focused on the story, you'll have a hell of a good time.
Finally, Moss is a fantastic and important sci-fi writer and I sincerely hope this series gets turned into a TV show.
March 22, 2017
T2 des longueurs dans un style vraiment trop "primaire" !!! encore des pages de descriptions sans réel intérêt de ma part (l'impression de lire des notices techniques ) et des humains assez clichés (les mauvais russes ... etc) Politiquement, je trouve cela assez pauvre, sans réel imagination
Peu crédible également quand il s'agit d'utiliser l'esprit d'une enfant de 6 ans ...
on ne sait toujours rien (ou presque) des envahisseurs futurs si supérieurs mais que l'humain a peu de mal à surpasser ... HAHAHA
quelques belles scènes cependant de batailles aériennes et terrestres
j'ai plus peiné à finir ce 2e opus (je me suis surpris à sauter des pages sans que cela me coupe le fil de l'histoire...)
comme l'a écrit un GR dans son commentaire : "I dunno, man. Let's just call it a poorly executed good idea"
et pourtant je lirai le 3e et dernier tome de la série en espérant une bonne surprise
Peu crédible également quand il s'agit d'utiliser l'esprit d'une enfant de 6 ans ...
on ne sait toujours rien (ou presque) des envahisseurs futurs si supérieurs mais que l'humain a peu de mal à surpasser ... HAHAHA
quelques belles scènes cependant de batailles aériennes et terrestres
j'ai plus peiné à finir ce 2e opus (je me suis surpris à sauter des pages sans que cela me coupe le fil de l'histoire...)
comme l'a écrit un GR dans son commentaire : "I dunno, man. Let's just call it a poorly executed good idea"
et pourtant je lirai le 3e et dernier tome de la série en espérant une bonne surprise
January 12, 2019
If you enjoyed Fear the Sky, you'll enjoy this sequel.
Fear the Survivors picks up where Fear the Sky left off, a massive alien force is coming to eliminate humanity and mine Earth for it's resources, and multiple alien agents in super-human bodies are still lurking in the shadows, sabotaging Earth's defenses. Earth has 8 years to prepare for their arrival and to close the massive technological gap between the two civilizations.
I think Fear the Survivors improves the series, focusing on a variety of point-of-view characters and situations going on across the globe. This novel reminds me of The Foundation series (excluding the part where it actually has both personable AND female characters) in its approach, instead of focusing on a handful of people, the chapters are spread all over society, revealing how each area plays into Earth's defense. There are still interesting characters in the novel, but often their development takes the backburner to the plot, some characters will appear often in the beginning and then sporadically through the end of the novel. Moss' focus is on geo-political relations and unifying Earth's populace, and often we get an overhead view of events as they happen.
This novel is more concerned with existential concerns for humanity as a whole than on specific characters, so if you are someone who gets really attached, this may be less enjoyable. That said, there are still really wonderful and interesting developments among the characters, particularly among the Agents. I was surprised at how little two of the main characters from the last novel appeared, Madeline Cavanaugh and Col. Barrett are hardly in this novel, mostly as supporting cast. We do get quite a few new faces in their place, though.
Moss really shows his scientific creativity in this novel, there is so many imagined technologies and inventions, as well as believable hypothetical societal change. Moss' view of Humanity pushed to the brink suggests darkness, our hero quickly adopts a fascist and military control in order to keep Earth alive in the long term. So many of the new technologies are imaginative and even horrifying. The technological leaps are fascinating, and many characters are scientists who are working on such technology, so your sci-fi needs will be properly massaged.
There's the correct amount of action, horror, existential dread and pacing for me to have been content through my entire reading. There are plenty of vaguely ambiguous moral decisions for you to ponder on long after you're done.
I listened to R.C. Bray's audio narration as well as reading through a paper copy. R.C. Bray was phenomenal, and I had no problems with his performance. He is still among my favorite narrators and I would highly suggest his work. My only issue is that because Bray is performing each character, I find that I can read twice as fast as he can and I would cover far more ground in my own reading sessions than I would listening to his performance on my commute.
4.5/5 I will definitely be looking to pick up the finale in the series.
Fear the Survivors picks up where Fear the Sky left off, a massive alien force is coming to eliminate humanity and mine Earth for it's resources, and multiple alien agents in super-human bodies are still lurking in the shadows, sabotaging Earth's defenses. Earth has 8 years to prepare for their arrival and to close the massive technological gap between the two civilizations.
I think Fear the Survivors improves the series, focusing on a variety of point-of-view characters and situations going on across the globe. This novel reminds me of The Foundation series (excluding the part where it actually has both personable AND female characters) in its approach, instead of focusing on a handful of people, the chapters are spread all over society, revealing how each area plays into Earth's defense. There are still interesting characters in the novel, but often their development takes the backburner to the plot, some characters will appear often in the beginning and then sporadically through the end of the novel. Moss' focus is on geo-political relations and unifying Earth's populace, and often we get an overhead view of events as they happen.
This novel is more concerned with existential concerns for humanity as a whole than on specific characters, so if you are someone who gets really attached, this may be less enjoyable. That said, there are still really wonderful and interesting developments among the characters, particularly among the Agents. I was surprised at how little two of the main characters from the last novel appeared, Madeline Cavanaugh and Col. Barrett are hardly in this novel, mostly as supporting cast. We do get quite a few new faces in their place, though.
Moss really shows his scientific creativity in this novel, there is so many imagined technologies and inventions, as well as believable hypothetical societal change. Moss' view of Humanity pushed to the brink suggests darkness, our hero quickly adopts a fascist and military control in order to keep Earth alive in the long term. So many of the new technologies are imaginative and even horrifying. The technological leaps are fascinating, and many characters are scientists who are working on such technology, so your sci-fi needs will be properly massaged.
There's the correct amount of action, horror, existential dread and pacing for me to have been content through my entire reading. There are plenty of vaguely ambiguous moral decisions for you to ponder on long after you're done.
I listened to R.C. Bray's audio narration as well as reading through a paper copy. R.C. Bray was phenomenal, and I had no problems with his performance. He is still among my favorite narrators and I would highly suggest his work. My only issue is that because Bray is performing each character, I find that I can read twice as fast as he can and I would cover far more ground in my own reading sessions than I would listening to his performance on my commute.
4.5/5 I will definitely be looking to pick up the finale in the series.
April 19, 2019
Grammar and character development issues(there is none and the characters are flat). Good over arching idea. Oh and very repetitive and dense. But not dense in a good way like omg I can't believe I missed that in a second read. Dense like you can ignore pages and not miss anything.
May 16, 2019
Fear the Survivors (The Fear Saga Book 2) by Stephen Moss
This novel is a fantastic read for all those fans who love the scientific military novels that delve into both the description of the science behind the weapons and their deployment. It is also a novel for those who like those political thrillers that delve into the intricacies of diplomacy versus the high achievers who just want to see things completed. And it has great suspense, as against this backdrop, we see almost indestructible forces working in the background to manipulate the Earth toward its own destruction. Well the destruction of all humans anyway. It would be preferable that atomic weapons not be used to destroy the very resource that brings the aliens here to conquer Earth. This novel also includes some elements close to cyberpunk with creations that are close to what we are familiar with in the Terminator franchise.
All of this makes for the sound of an exciting novel and I have to admit that I did greatly enjoy the read. The problem for me is that there is much more than what I've mentioned and hardly enough room to contain it all. That means there were some decisions made about how to tell the story that in a small way limit the novel. At least it limits the novel for me. I have special needs in that I love character driven novels. This novel has plenty of characters and many of those carry over from the previous novel. The characters are quite complex, but the style of writing seems to come from an Omniscient third many times that drops to almost objective omniscient view other times(There is just enough subjective along the way to pull us away from objective though the Prologue seems to start out objective: or at least that's how I saw it). This leads to the science often coming in vast spurts of narrative that sound like textbook data. For me it felt like we went through Close Third Omniscient to Omniscient that wavered between the objective and subjective and it was probably my own failure to pin down the exact POV that made the first part of this novel a difficult read.
Chapter one begins feeling almost like a close third yet somehow omniscient; but never quite close enough and then it almost seems like the narrator starts to get a bit subjective and in fact begins down a style path that stays with the story throughout. This is the path where the narrator tells the reader that there are things that the characters don't know to lend to the story a bit of foretelling or foreboding. Mostly the first part of the novel is catching us up on the previous story and, though the urgency of the alien invasion is pushed back a bit, we get a slow trickle of information that brings someone unfamiliar with the first book up to speed. I would recommend reading the first book. And anyone who has read that is familiar with the author’s style and if they enjoyed that book this one is every bit as well written.
There is a slight bit, possibly, of humor, which brings us closer to the alien invaders. This deals with Lana who set off a nuclear weapon in order to save herself. She's repairing under a trashy trailer in a trailer park where a pair of 'trashy' people live. What she endures leads her to plot the death of the trailers occupants. From there after repairing she begins her terminator style killing spree. I had a hard time with this part but some people might be able to appreciate better than I did. Once again this gets us up to speed with both the character Lana and her quest for revenge. (Possibly any problem I have with this stems from having twice lived in trailer parks: maybe not as trashy as this one.)
Half of the novel is filled with the science. The science that brings Earth up to speed with the aliens and all the equipment that will be needed to use as weapons against the coming invasion force. Along with this is the arc of finding and executing the remaining part of the advance force (except for the two who have decided to help Earth resist the invasion). The second half is the political posturing and the arc that shows us how the main character Neal goes from being a key member of the United States response to the invasion, to something more autonomous and what he has to endure and the compromises he has to make. One problem with all of this is that the story doesn't take off for me until Neal begins breaking away from this political umbilical cord. Neal has grown quite a bit from the last novel, almost beyond his own original character.
Stephen Moss demonstrates a vast knowledge of global affairs and politics along with an interest in the science around the development and use of military grade materials. There is a fantastic scene drawn out in one place where the tether for the space elevator is dropping out of the sky and vehicles are attempting to retrieve it to bring it to its anchor point. I have no idea about the physics but it is a pretty intense piece of reading. A lot of the science and even the politics seem to be used as a build-up to the final demonstration where we get to see the pieces fall together and either fail or succeed. In this way I was reminded of a recent read by Tom Kratman's A Desert Called Peace.
A pivotal new character is brought to us via the initial story summary at the beginning and that was probably one of my favorite characters in the story; though they don't get that much time in the story until near the end. This character reminded me of Orson Scott Card's Ender. In that they are being placed in a similar situation.
Over all, despite my own feelings about the style choices made, the choices reflect the same as those in the first novel, which speaks for consistency. And for those people who like their science to be well thought out and consistent and also like stories with description of the manufacture and capabilities of the hardware that's being used, this novel will fill the bill. It kept my interest and I definitely want to know what will happen in the next installment.
If you are like me and find that the first part almost drags a bit, I'd advise sticking through it all because it will pick up and if you have read and enjoyed the first book then this one won't disappoint. There are about a handful of strange grammar glitches along the way, but not anything too disturbing. Sometimes a duplication of a word on either side of the word it is modifying.(Almost as though the wording of the sentence was changed at some point and a deletion was missed.)If you like all the science stuff or the military science fiction then this will definitely take care of your needs. For those who like the suspense of international politics; there's a heavy dose in the mix. This is all paced well with action and plenty of conflict.
Something for almost everyone.
J.L. Dobias
This novel is a fantastic read for all those fans who love the scientific military novels that delve into both the description of the science behind the weapons and their deployment. It is also a novel for those who like those political thrillers that delve into the intricacies of diplomacy versus the high achievers who just want to see things completed. And it has great suspense, as against this backdrop, we see almost indestructible forces working in the background to manipulate the Earth toward its own destruction. Well the destruction of all humans anyway. It would be preferable that atomic weapons not be used to destroy the very resource that brings the aliens here to conquer Earth. This novel also includes some elements close to cyberpunk with creations that are close to what we are familiar with in the Terminator franchise.
All of this makes for the sound of an exciting novel and I have to admit that I did greatly enjoy the read. The problem for me is that there is much more than what I've mentioned and hardly enough room to contain it all. That means there were some decisions made about how to tell the story that in a small way limit the novel. At least it limits the novel for me. I have special needs in that I love character driven novels. This novel has plenty of characters and many of those carry over from the previous novel. The characters are quite complex, but the style of writing seems to come from an Omniscient third many times that drops to almost objective omniscient view other times(There is just enough subjective along the way to pull us away from objective though the Prologue seems to start out objective: or at least that's how I saw it). This leads to the science often coming in vast spurts of narrative that sound like textbook data. For me it felt like we went through Close Third Omniscient to Omniscient that wavered between the objective and subjective and it was probably my own failure to pin down the exact POV that made the first part of this novel a difficult read.
Chapter one begins feeling almost like a close third yet somehow omniscient; but never quite close enough and then it almost seems like the narrator starts to get a bit subjective and in fact begins down a style path that stays with the story throughout. This is the path where the narrator tells the reader that there are things that the characters don't know to lend to the story a bit of foretelling or foreboding. Mostly the first part of the novel is catching us up on the previous story and, though the urgency of the alien invasion is pushed back a bit, we get a slow trickle of information that brings someone unfamiliar with the first book up to speed. I would recommend reading the first book. And anyone who has read that is familiar with the author’s style and if they enjoyed that book this one is every bit as well written.
There is a slight bit, possibly, of humor, which brings us closer to the alien invaders. This deals with Lana who set off a nuclear weapon in order to save herself. She's repairing under a trashy trailer in a trailer park where a pair of 'trashy' people live. What she endures leads her to plot the death of the trailers occupants. From there after repairing she begins her terminator style killing spree. I had a hard time with this part but some people might be able to appreciate better than I did. Once again this gets us up to speed with both the character Lana and her quest for revenge. (Possibly any problem I have with this stems from having twice lived in trailer parks: maybe not as trashy as this one.)
Half of the novel is filled with the science. The science that brings Earth up to speed with the aliens and all the equipment that will be needed to use as weapons against the coming invasion force. Along with this is the arc of finding and executing the remaining part of the advance force (except for the two who have decided to help Earth resist the invasion). The second half is the political posturing and the arc that shows us how the main character Neal goes from being a key member of the United States response to the invasion, to something more autonomous and what he has to endure and the compromises he has to make. One problem with all of this is that the story doesn't take off for me until Neal begins breaking away from this political umbilical cord. Neal has grown quite a bit from the last novel, almost beyond his own original character.
Stephen Moss demonstrates a vast knowledge of global affairs and politics along with an interest in the science around the development and use of military grade materials. There is a fantastic scene drawn out in one place where the tether for the space elevator is dropping out of the sky and vehicles are attempting to retrieve it to bring it to its anchor point. I have no idea about the physics but it is a pretty intense piece of reading. A lot of the science and even the politics seem to be used as a build-up to the final demonstration where we get to see the pieces fall together and either fail or succeed. In this way I was reminded of a recent read by Tom Kratman's A Desert Called Peace.
A pivotal new character is brought to us via the initial story summary at the beginning and that was probably one of my favorite characters in the story; though they don't get that much time in the story until near the end. This character reminded me of Orson Scott Card's Ender. In that they are being placed in a similar situation.
Over all, despite my own feelings about the style choices made, the choices reflect the same as those in the first novel, which speaks for consistency. And for those people who like their science to be well thought out and consistent and also like stories with description of the manufacture and capabilities of the hardware that's being used, this novel will fill the bill. It kept my interest and I definitely want to know what will happen in the next installment.
If you are like me and find that the first part almost drags a bit, I'd advise sticking through it all because it will pick up and if you have read and enjoyed the first book then this one won't disappoint. There are about a handful of strange grammar glitches along the way, but not anything too disturbing. Sometimes a duplication of a word on either side of the word it is modifying.(Almost as though the wording of the sentence was changed at some point and a deletion was missed.)If you like all the science stuff or the military science fiction then this will definitely take care of your needs. For those who like the suspense of international politics; there's a heavy dose in the mix. This is all paced well with action and plenty of conflict.
Something for almost everyone.
J.L. Dobias
August 20, 2015
Hope there's a movie deal coming for this novel!
Moss has such an incredible imagination. These works are filled with details which enlighten and expand our mental imaging of fictional but possible future technological advancements in warfare. It's so incredible, it's at times difficult to conceptualize but nonetheless thrilling.
Book two follows right behind book one. Humans with the allied Agents are battle locked in an international conflict with two nations deceived and controlled by the remaining alien foes hell bent on aiding Mobilei's plans to colonize Earth while destroying the human race.
However, the advancements made by Neal, Madeline, Agent Quavoce Mantil, Agent John Hunt, Ayala, General Barrett and the rest of the gang are fearsomely aggressive, especially with little Banu Mantil at the controls.
So the next phase of the battle begins with the beloved characters battling to first protect and preserve as well as exact revenge for the new wave of devastating losses suffered. This is a fight to the end.
Highly recommend! Imagery is incredible, definitely an A+ read!
Moss has such an incredible imagination. These works are filled with details which enlighten and expand our mental imaging of fictional but possible future technological advancements in warfare. It's so incredible, it's at times difficult to conceptualize but nonetheless thrilling.
Book two follows right behind book one. Humans with the allied Agents are battle locked in an international conflict with two nations deceived and controlled by the remaining alien foes hell bent on aiding Mobilei's plans to colonize Earth while destroying the human race.
However, the advancements made by Neal, Madeline, Agent Quavoce Mantil, Agent John Hunt, Ayala, General Barrett and the rest of the gang are fearsomely aggressive, especially with little Banu Mantil at the controls.
So the next phase of the battle begins with the beloved characters battling to first protect and preserve as well as exact revenge for the new wave of devastating losses suffered. This is a fight to the end.
Highly recommend! Imagery is incredible, definitely an A+ read!
December 30, 2022
"so we build a resonance chamber secretly but wont let any European country to use it freely although they given funds to build it and India provided gold to build that chamber but we won't let them use it and yes we are breaking up with usa to make an alliance to save world where most are Americans. out of nowhere Pakistan is occupied by Russia."
Man i dont know about why people are giving 5 star review but i am pretty shure thats not how world works if u live in real one. i have read many books and this one sounds like American propoganda than an alien invasion. there is no character given to any world power or enemy Power from character POV. world leader acts like some stupid moron who also represent there country but our hero is there to save them from doom and gloom.
in the end who the fuck gives a multi billion space fighter plane to a 6 year old refuge girl from Iran.
such an amateur writing straight out of Google search. conclusion - total waste of time dont read it if you like it then my friend i have a bad news for you- "you haven't read a true science fiction yet🙂.
Man i dont know about why people are giving 5 star review but i am pretty shure thats not how world works if u live in real one. i have read many books and this one sounds like American propoganda than an alien invasion. there is no character given to any world power or enemy Power from character POV. world leader acts like some stupid moron who also represent there country but our hero is there to save them from doom and gloom.
in the end who the fuck gives a multi billion space fighter plane to a 6 year old refuge girl from Iran.
such an amateur writing straight out of Google search. conclusion - total waste of time dont read it if you like it then my friend i have a bad news for you- "you haven't read a true science fiction yet🙂.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2014
What a ride... chomping at the bit for the third book in the series.
This is a scifi ride that incorporates human nature, politics, paranoia, and really cool tech.
There are parts, that while important for plot development, left me wanting to scream at insignifigant world leaders, most likely as much as our heroic force did, to fall in line so I could get back to the important plot peices.
I think if you enjoyed the poitics of the Dune series, the epic battles of the Honor Harrington books, or the intrigue of the Takashi Novak novels, you will enjoy this series.
It flys when it flys and really pulls no punches. I do recommend that much like Martin and his Game of Thrones series you don't become too attached to any characters in the books. I am waiting for more dissapointment and shock as yet more of earths brave defenders fail to defy astronmoical odds again and again. Hopefully the writer will introduce a next generation of relatable characters to replace our fallen favorites.
This is a scifi ride that incorporates human nature, politics, paranoia, and really cool tech.
There are parts, that while important for plot development, left me wanting to scream at insignifigant world leaders, most likely as much as our heroic force did, to fall in line so I could get back to the important plot peices.
I think if you enjoyed the poitics of the Dune series, the epic battles of the Honor Harrington books, or the intrigue of the Takashi Novak novels, you will enjoy this series.
It flys when it flys and really pulls no punches. I do recommend that much like Martin and his Game of Thrones series you don't become too attached to any characters in the books. I am waiting for more dissapointment and shock as yet more of earths brave defenders fail to defy astronmoical odds again and again. Hopefully the writer will introduce a next generation of relatable characters to replace our fallen favorites.
March 1, 2016
This novel is a fantastic read for all those fans who love the scientific military novels that delve into both the description of the science behind the weapons and their deployment. It is also a novel for those who like those political thrillers that delve into the intricacies of diplomacy versus the high achievers who just want to see things completed. And it has great suspense, as against this backdrop, we see almost indestructible forces working in the background to manipulate the Earth toward its own destruction. Well the destruction of all humans anyway. It would be preferable that atomic weapons not be used to destroy the very resource that brings the aliens here to conquer Earth. This novel also includes some elements close to cyberpunk with creations that are close to what we are familiar with in the Terminator franchise.
I'm really torn about how to rate this book. Judging the book's first half would have easily been a 4 star. The second half of the book was just terrible. It could have been it's own separate book in fact.
I'm really torn about how to rate this book. Judging the book's first half would have easily been a 4 star. The second half of the book was just terrible. It could have been it's own separate book in fact.
October 5, 2014
Excellent read, albeit suffering from numerous editorial mistakes (again! For goodness sake, Stephen, get some proper editors!). What I loved about it is some proper 'science' in the fiction. You can see the Author did actually do some research into different sciences, making the story more viable, as it's based on current technological research (which is not always the case in SF).
The book encompasses current geopolitics, so there is no such thing as the planet united against alien threat (as it's often pictured in other books). The author brilliantly captures true character of politicians, who don't seem to be bothered by the incoming doom of their race, being too busy with their political career.
Finally the plot, which doesn't rest for a moment and made me finish the book in 3 days. Great book, I can't wait for the final chapter of the saga.
The book encompasses current geopolitics, so there is no such thing as the planet united against alien threat (as it's often pictured in other books). The author brilliantly captures true character of politicians, who don't seem to be bothered by the incoming doom of their race, being too busy with their political career.
Finally the plot, which doesn't rest for a moment and made me finish the book in 3 days. Great book, I can't wait for the final chapter of the saga.
September 4, 2014
This is Stephen's second book. He rather bravely started his writing career with a complex SF trilogy. He must have an innate writing skill to produce book two of the three only a few months after book one. Hopefully this will mean that book three will not be too far behind.
The book continues a breathless, nail biting plot that moves at a heady pace whilst still finding time to develop some strong characters.- whom you will either deeply respect, deeply love or really want to put to an agonising death.
You cannot treat this book as a casual read, be prepared for some sleepless nights.
The technology, the characters, the plot and the finesse with which it is all brought together show the makings of a writer who could go far.
The book continues a breathless, nail biting plot that moves at a heady pace whilst still finding time to develop some strong characters.- whom you will either deeply respect, deeply love or really want to put to an agonising death.
You cannot treat this book as a casual read, be prepared for some sleepless nights.
The technology, the characters, the plot and the finesse with which it is all brought together show the makings of a writer who could go far.
July 8, 2017
Interesting plot, rough storytelling. Rough, rough, rough.
Nothing happens for the first 40% of the book. It's all preparations for things to come, but nothing interesting. It easily could have been removed and just alluded to.
As with its predecessor, the lack of a professional editor is obvious. Many words are used incorrectly.
Also, this book loves the word "moot" so much it wants to marry it. How many times is "moot" used in the average novel? Like 0.15? It's probably in this book fifteen times -- including the verb form, "mooted"!
Audacious plot events, though. I will be listening to the third book.
Nothing happens for the first 40% of the book. It's all preparations for things to come, but nothing interesting. It easily could have been removed and just alluded to.
As with its predecessor, the lack of a professional editor is obvious. Many words are used incorrectly.
Also, this book loves the word "moot" so much it wants to marry it. How many times is "moot" used in the average novel? Like 0.15? It's probably in this book fifteen times -- including the verb form, "mooted"!
Audacious plot events, though. I will be listening to the third book.
April 2, 2016
Okay, this series is good old fashioned sci-fy thriller and, as it goes on, it manages to work in some time honored suspense-thriller themes. If you like sci-fi, this is a good series. I gave it a 4 because there needs to be some editing... the use of articles (a, an, the) got ridiculous. It's not "a silence filled the room." it's "Silence filled the room."
Still, the plot, and science holds up well. It makes a shift towards hard sci-fi and it's a good read. recommended.
Still, the plot, and science holds up well. It makes a shift towards hard sci-fi and it's a good read. recommended.
October 24, 2021
Western Propaganda in its purest form.
Bad Iranians, Chinese and Russians do the all wrong decisions and Good American, French, German and British are saving the day.
Stephen Moss thinks we are still live in Cold War era. The world is changed man. Now, We all know about west morality and real politics.
Your lies will not change the reality. The days that the west would talk and the world have no choice but to listen is long over.
You will only get 1 star from me.
Bad Iranians, Chinese and Russians do the all wrong decisions and Good American, French, German and British are saving the day.
Stephen Moss thinks we are still live in Cold War era. The world is changed man. Now, We all know about west morality and real politics.
Your lies will not change the reality. The days that the west would talk and the world have no choice but to listen is long over.
You will only get 1 star from me.
March 10, 2016
I haven't enjoyed a story as much as this one in a long time. Nonstop action. Great characters. Couldn't put the book down for the last 50 pages. Thank goodness for whispersync so I can enjoy to and from work as well.
March 22, 2016
LOL...*breathe of air*....hahahahahaha
that said... I might end up reading the 3rd book >_>.
that said... I might end up reading the 3rd book >_>.
March 19, 2015
NOT AS GOOD AS THE FIRST BOOK
July 26, 2020
I had a minor quibble about part one of this series, but that aside, this entry took the premise and shot it up with steroids. Instead of having mankind band together to try and defeat the oncoming alien invasion, there are holdouts. They may be manipulated by the surviving agents, but holdouts looking to consolidate their own hold on power nonetheless. This creates layers of obstacles for Dr. Daniels and his team to overcome while also trying to prepare the earth's defenses. This gets really ugly, really fast. Also, don't forget about the one surviving agent in the US. Turns out she is a real nasty piece of work. I really ended up hating her with a passion. (Makes me wonder if we will get to meet her princess persona at some point?)
One of the patterns that forms with trilogies is the first book serves to set the stage and ends on an upbeat. The second develops characters while upping the peril and the story, while instilling hope, usually does not end well. The third part then serves to resolve things, one way or the other. Well, this is part two and it is dripping with peril. Yes, we get to know the players better, and that makes the inevitable losses more heart wrenching. Wait, did I just say losses? Yep, and you are not going to like some of them. There is also plenty of high tech action and some wonderful twists. This is all drawn together in a book that book worked well as a science fiction novel, as a military novel, as an espionage thriller and as a mystery. Stephen uses no Devine intervention here, rather just turning this into a gut slogging bare fisted brawl that brooks no survivors.
I should also mention that I saw a plot development coming that dealt with the individuals who are best suited for integrating with the new alien technologies being developed. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but you may find yourself thinking this reveal will bare stark similarities to a certain Orson Scott Card novel. I am happy to report that my concerns were groundless. This development is believable, makes sense in the context of the story and promises to lead to some terrific revelations in the third part. I was very pleased with Mosses efforts here. In the end, this is a really riveting read that drew me in, wowed me, and is leading me inexorably to book 3.
One of the patterns that forms with trilogies is the first book serves to set the stage and ends on an upbeat. The second develops characters while upping the peril and the story, while instilling hope, usually does not end well. The third part then serves to resolve things, one way or the other. Well, this is part two and it is dripping with peril. Yes, we get to know the players better, and that makes the inevitable losses more heart wrenching. Wait, did I just say losses? Yep, and you are not going to like some of them. There is also plenty of high tech action and some wonderful twists. This is all drawn together in a book that book worked well as a science fiction novel, as a military novel, as an espionage thriller and as a mystery. Stephen uses no Devine intervention here, rather just turning this into a gut slogging bare fisted brawl that brooks no survivors.
I should also mention that I saw a plot development coming that dealt with the individuals who are best suited for integrating with the new alien technologies being developed. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but you may find yourself thinking this reveal will bare stark similarities to a certain Orson Scott Card novel. I am happy to report that my concerns were groundless. This development is believable, makes sense in the context of the story and promises to lead to some terrific revelations in the third part. I was very pleased with Mosses efforts here. In the end, this is a really riveting read that drew me in, wowed me, and is leading me inexorably to book 3.
January 3, 2024
This book is a disappointment compared to the first one in the series. It's covered with holes. Not just plot holes, but holes of many kinds. Holes that cut to the very deep of the book premise, and then smaller holes all in between the smaller story arcs. Here are a few:
- After the events of the end of the 1st book, what sense does it make to keep the truth from the world? Why not share what it really happened, and what's at stake? What do they gain from the secrecy?
- Not only that: even if they wanted to keep it a secret, how could they do it? What's the explanation to the world for all this sudden leap in technological prowess? How come humanity all of a sudden is able to create a space elevator?
- Even worse: what's the explanation in the Russian leadership for all this new technology that a single general (the agent Mikhail) is giving them? To them, where does this Mikhail come from? Why does he have all this knowledge?
And I haven't even started on the blatantly Western bias to it all. Don't get me wrong: in world politics I lean decidedly towards the West, and despise the regime in Russia, Iran, etc. But that does not prevent me from seeing how this story pretends to make all those countries the bad guys, and the West are all the good guys. No nuance, nothing.
And how is it even possible that there's absolutely no back channels to reach to the other side in a matter as important as fighting for the human race's survival? Even Reagan and Gorbachev once talked about how they'd put down their grievances and cooperate in the hypothetical scenario of an alien invasion (search the web for "Reagan and Gorbachev Agreed to Pause the Cold War in Case of an Alien Invasion").
And all of the above are only the bigger holes that affect the very premise of the story. I won't even cover the smaller holes that cover it all to the smaller story arcs. (A six-year-old is the best pilot in the world? Really?!)
- After the events of the end of the 1st book, what sense does it make to keep the truth from the world? Why not share what it really happened, and what's at stake? What do they gain from the secrecy?
- Not only that: even if they wanted to keep it a secret, how could they do it? What's the explanation to the world for all this sudden leap in technological prowess? How come humanity all of a sudden is able to create a space elevator?
- Even worse: what's the explanation in the Russian leadership for all this new technology that a single general (the agent Mikhail) is giving them? To them, where does this Mikhail come from? Why does he have all this knowledge?
And I haven't even started on the blatantly Western bias to it all. Don't get me wrong: in world politics I lean decidedly towards the West, and despise the regime in Russia, Iran, etc. But that does not prevent me from seeing how this story pretends to make all those countries the bad guys, and the West are all the good guys. No nuance, nothing.
And how is it even possible that there's absolutely no back channels to reach to the other side in a matter as important as fighting for the human race's survival? Even Reagan and Gorbachev once talked about how they'd put down their grievances and cooperate in the hypothetical scenario of an alien invasion (search the web for "Reagan and Gorbachev Agreed to Pause the Cold War in Case of an Alien Invasion").
And all of the above are only the bigger holes that affect the very premise of the story. I won't even cover the smaller holes that cover it all to the smaller story arcs. (A six-year-old is the best pilot in the world? Really?!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2017
Excellent sequel and it really moves in techno-thriller terrority. Makes me think a lot of Tom Clancy, but then with a hefty dose of sci fi sauce. The action, pace and scope are top-notch! The technology described ranges from awesome and (somewhat) plausible to far-fetched fantasy stuff. Again the way most of the characters and politics work don't feel very realistic at all, but I can't be too bothered by it. The story keeps you at the edge of your seat.
The only real gripe I had with this book was the way it ended. It seemed the author wanted to wrap things up nicely which he did, but I felt a big part of the story was missing and could even have expanded the story.
The only real gripe I had with this book was the way it ended. It seemed the author wanted to wrap things up nicely which he did, but I felt a big part of the story was missing and could even have expanded the story.
May 9, 2017
The Fear Saga has become quite interesting and enjoyable for the most part. Stephen Moss is one brilliant guy with a magnificent imagination that has blown me away quite often. His vision of a future threat from a distant galaxy and how humanity comes to deal with it is sweeping in scope and filled with ideas about future tech that boggle my mind.
Trying to deal with humans facing a known threat would somehow seem easier than this series makes it out to be, but the truth is that we as a species are our own worst enemy. Take Global Warming as an example. The overwhelming majority of those who should know agree we are on a collision course with a planet in deep trouble but we cannot curb our ignorance and greed despite a clear a present danger to our grandchildren.
The threat of an alien intelligence with the power to take our planet for their own would seem to be the kind of thing that could galvanize a united action - but sadly no. This is the scenario dealt with by the Fear Saga and Moss is a brilliant designer of Earth in peril.
Trying to deal with humans facing a known threat would somehow seem easier than this series makes it out to be, but the truth is that we as a species are our own worst enemy. Take Global Warming as an example. The overwhelming majority of those who should know agree we are on a collision course with a planet in deep trouble but we cannot curb our ignorance and greed despite a clear a present danger to our grandchildren.
The threat of an alien intelligence with the power to take our planet for their own would seem to be the kind of thing that could galvanize a united action - but sadly no. This is the scenario dealt with by the Fear Saga and Moss is a brilliant designer of Earth in peril.
December 19, 2024
Once again, this book was bloody brilliant! Following the intense and thrilling events of Fear the Sky, humanity is reeling from the Eridani invasion, trying to rebuild and recover in the aftermath. The stakes are even higher as the survivors grapple with not only the alien threat but also internal divisions that threaten to tear them apart. The plot delves deeper into the complexities of survival, leadership, and human resilience. There’s more focus on the psychological toll the invasion has on people, and I found it really engaging to see how each character coped with the fallout.
The pacing is excellent, balancing action with character development. The stakes feel even more personal this time around, and the emotional beats hit harder. The world-building continues to impress, expanding on the aftermath of the invasion and introducing new conflicts. The tension is palpable, and I couldn’t stop listening.
It’s a fantastic continuation of the story, and I’m eager to see where the saga goes next!
Listened to as an audiobook on Audible.
The pacing is excellent, balancing action with character development. The stakes feel even more personal this time around, and the emotional beats hit harder. The world-building continues to impress, expanding on the aftermath of the invasion and introducing new conflicts. The tension is palpable, and I couldn’t stop listening.
It’s a fantastic continuation of the story, and I’m eager to see where the saga goes next!
Listened to as an audiobook on Audible.
February 10, 2024
Sigh,
I really wanted to like this story. The first book though at times dull was engaging enough to have me pick it up after a brief break for other books. I listened to the audio book version of this, which was narrated by the very talented R.C Bray. He did a fantastic job there. But you can only get so much out of the material
The first book was a race against time to save humanity from impending destruction. This book suffered from being the middle book in a three book series (I think at least 3?) so I expected a lot of world building here, but it just wasn't done well. There were so many characters to bounce between, some introduced here, some introduced there. At the end I was scratching my head a bit to remember who was who. It's not a terrible book, but it's also not very good. Parts of it (The Lana bit, the fight in Gaza) was well done and rather riviting. But others just kind of dragged on, a heavy handed editor could have cleaned this up a bit.
I really wanted to like this story. The first book though at times dull was engaging enough to have me pick it up after a brief break for other books. I listened to the audio book version of this, which was narrated by the very talented R.C Bray. He did a fantastic job there. But you can only get so much out of the material
The first book was a race against time to save humanity from impending destruction. This book suffered from being the middle book in a three book series (I think at least 3?) so I expected a lot of world building here, but it just wasn't done well. There were so many characters to bounce between, some introduced here, some introduced there. At the end I was scratching my head a bit to remember who was who. It's not a terrible book, but it's also not very good. Parts of it (The Lana bit, the fight in Gaza) was well done and rather riviting. But others just kind of dragged on, a heavy handed editor could have cleaned this up a bit.
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