Edge of Oblivion

The Chronicles of Sarco #1

by Joshua A. Johnston

A Forgotten Past. A Terminal Future.

Earth has emerged from a cataclysmic dark age with little knowledge of its past. Aided by the discovery of advanced alien technology, humanity ventures into the stars, joining other sentient races in a sprawling, prosperous interstellar Confederacy.

That peace is soon shattered. Without warning, the Confederacy comes under attack by an unstoppable alien force from the unknown regions. With hopes for civilization's survival dwindling, Commander Jared Carter is sent to pursue an unlikely lead: a collection of ancient alien religious fragments which may - or may not - hold the key to their salvation...

Book one of The Chronicles of Sarco series.

Genres: Science Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction

360 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2016

About the author

A novelist, writer, and ruminator, I write on a variety of topics, including science fiction, video games, parenting, and even Aldi. By day, I work in public education as a middle school librarian.

Reviews

[Madisyn Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my dad's favorite science fiction books and is one of the few he will reread.

[Adam Collings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of Oblivion has it all - a big looming unstoppable threat, a race against the clock, a grand adventure that would do Indiana Jones proud, a range of developed and unique alien cultures and a great deal of mystery concerning the past.

The story opens with the arrival of Malum, a planet-sized object/entity of unknown origins that consumes planets and ships. It's on course for an inhabited world, but it's in no hurry. It will destroy all that lies in its path along the way. This creates huge stakes right off the bat. Malum reminded me of V'ger in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, or Unicron in the animated Transformers: The Movie. Really creepy.

Our hero is the captain of a minor confederacy starship. Rather than joining the battlefleet to fight a hopeless battle again Malum, he is sent in search of the fragments of an ancient alien parchment, belonging to a long-dead religious order. Seems the ink on the parchment is made from the same material as Malum's hull.

This quest takes the crew to various exotic locations around the galaxy. On their travels, they find this religious order is not so dead as was thought.

This book kept me engaged and entertained all the way through. I've been on the search for a book that pushes the same buttons as Star Trek for me. Edge of Oblivion did this nicely. At the same time, it pushes all those Indiana Jones buttons. Wonderful blending of the sci-fi and adventure fiction genres.

The book comes to a big and satisfying conclusion, which still leaves scope for future stories, and plenty of remaining mystery to be uncovered. I'll be reading the sequel the moment it comes out.

Behind all of this was a fascinating spiritual analogy. What C.S. Lewis did with fantasy in the Chronicles of Narnia, Joshua A. Johnston has done with science fiction. The result was really interesting.

Highly recommended.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

“For Malum to spare your finest vessel can only mean one thing—it’s telling you that nothing you have will stop it.”

A competent space opera about a minor crew on a minor vessel trying to unravel a mystery which may defeat an existential threat to all sentient life in this corner of the galaxy. No pressure.

“Hope is a powerful thing, Commander. Never forget that.”

Well-conceived and well-developed plot and characters. There’s lots of backstory but Johnston only reveals it when it plays into the current action. While the Christian parallel to the Sacrotists is obvious, it is never expressed. That’s for the reader to discover and accept or reject.

“Grasshoppers.” “You will like it, sir. It tastes like chicken.”

The usual Star Trekkian failures of basic physics. A jump to the edge of a solar system and proceeding inward on sub-light drive will not add days but months to the journey. An algorithm for the torpedo guidance systems, that allows them to move evasively and seemingly erratically on their way to their target would be detected and defeated by any competent supercomputer.

It was still a suicide mission, but at least they were enthusiastic about it.

[Matthew Sampson · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Unstoppable alien machine ripping its way through civilisation" had me hooked.

"Quest for ancient alien religious fragments" left me feeling cheated.

Edge of Oblivion is in so many ways a disappointment. Unravelling the riddle takes up a gluttonous share of the word count and relegates the inexorable advance of Malum to two or three pages, if that. I don't get why the riddle is so important. The causal link between them is contrived. Where did the Sarconians get the Uxa123 or whatever it was in the first place? Was it even the Sarconians? Even if I ignore that, why is the Confederacy—ostensibly an anti-religious government—expending so much effort on something they detest?

Let me unpick the Confederacy's anti-religious stance too. We're immediately told about this stance, and the climax depends on this stance for its power. We hear about how much the Confederacy hates religion and how religion causes war and all that anti-fundamentalist liberal philosophy. Never once do we see a fanatical fundamentalist causing any harm, physical or philosophical. Where is this religious war the Confederacy preaches against? What exactly does the Confederacy have against religion in the first place?

Edge of Oblivion features a one-sided thematic premise due to its failure to flesh out both the dangers of religious fanaticism and how exactly a nonreligious world works. The greatest disappointment is in how many ways this could have been improved. Giving the main character deep wounds from fundamentalist fanaticism in the past? Stealing the plot of Book 2, Into the Void, to find where Malum came from?

Eh. Disappointing.

[Richard New · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reviewer found Edge of Oblivion, by author Joshua Johnston, an easy and enjoyable read. This is Christian science fiction of the far future. The story is strong on the faith of Sarco (another species' name for Christ)--with the Human servant/missionary believing the teachings of faith and redemption without fully understanding it, much like modern Christians today. Also like modern Christianity outside of America (so far), the religion of Sarco is a criminal matter on its home world.

The characters are nicely developed, even though there seem to be too many for the story. This reviewer became a tad confused with all the differing social interactions, relationships, and personalities of the differing species. Certain aspects of the Sarconian religion are presented which closely parallel Christianity. Nicely done.

Recommended family-friendly reading.

[Judith Noameshie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it!

This was a good read. There was a balance between the flow of the story and the technicality of the book, one didn't eclipse the other. Well done!

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite the surprise book. It starts a little slow, as it introduces you to the characters, scenarios, history, and lore. The author does an amazing job of tying all of these things together into a cohesive and well thought out story.

The story itself is very engaging. Written similar to The Grapes of Wrath, different chapters follow different threads and characters. I personally like this because it keeps me on my toes. There’s mini cliffhangers everywhere, and I love it. I feel betrayal – What do you mean I have to switch to different characters right now?? I need to know what’s going on with this group! And by the end of that chapter, I’m fully enthralled with their adventure and the cycle starts again.

The pace too, is perfect. It slowly ramps up in such a way that you don’t realize it’s happening. By the end of the book, you’re nervous and worried, you’re needing to know. It is a slow dance that turns into a whirlwind of a perfectly executed waltz.

In short, what starts as a simple gofer mission ends up turning into so much more – to the point where I not only stayed up way past my bedtime to continue reading, I kept reading while I was at work. I could not put it down - I had to know what would happen! I fully recommend this book, and I am anxiously waiting for the arrival of the next!

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started off weak and I almost lost interest in it during the first couple sections but after that I really enjoyed the pacing, the characters, and the world. Joshua A Johnston presents himself as a huge fan of science fiction, both in his author blurb and on his website, so I really enjoyed reading this in the light of "this is what Joshua thinks the science fiction literature world needs". It was definitely paying tribute to things like Star Wars and Star Trek in its slightly comical moments and plot but that just made it better. I loved the ending and I cannot wait to continue digging myself deeper into this universe.

[Jane Maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an intriguing read! The eerie intensity of this book never lets up the whole way through.

The characters are so real, I couldn't help but love them for their depth and complexity. They have backstories beneath backstories and unexpected quirks and twists that bring them to life.

This was more hardcore sci fi than I normally tackle, so my eyes glazed over some sections. However, I'm so in awe of how developed the world building is! Each race has it's own culture and politics and it was all done so thoroughly and realistically.

The climax was also glorious! And the ending has me intrigued for the second book.

If you're a hardcore, complex sci fi lover: I recommend!

[Diana Jenning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnston provides a fresh and unique twist on science fiction in a fantastic new novel. This is a book that keeps the reader wondering and guessing right along with the characters. I couldn't wait to discover what was going to come next. "Edge of Oblivion" kept me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. I would recommend this to anyone who loves adventure, science fiction, fresh voices, or even just something that is different from what is on the market today. Johnston is a genius writer, and I can't wait to see what comes next! This was a wonderful read!

[R.M. Lutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5/5 Stars) This book combined solid characters, great worldbuilding, and an intriguing exploration of futuristic, alien Christianity in a story that Christian sci-fi fans are likely to enjoy. I look forward to reading the next book and tying up some loose ends left by the climax.

Like Christian sci-fi and fantasy? Check out thebookhoundchristianspecfic.blogspot.com for full-length reviews, author interviews, and more!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had a lot of potential but really needs some editing as there were a lot of words / paragraphs that just seemed to be filler material. Despite reading the entire book, I feel like I still don’t know the characters and when the ending came it was rather anticlimactic. It does end with a bit of a cliffhanger in order to get you to purchase the next book in the series, but I think this is as far as I will go.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this one. Definitely pleased that some real thought went into it. Archaeology, spirituality, sci-fi, political and social ideologies. A little of everything mixed in with plenty of action. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent space opera. My one problem is the occasional typo that had me rereading some sentences to reclarify what was being said. Other than that, this was an excellent start to what felt like a Mass Effect main quest. Hands down, a major compliment.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new threat has entered the universe. A strange planet-sized thing is invading Confederacy space, refuses communication, and leaves no one living on ships or planets that come under its strange white beam. It leaves one message. Malum has come. Grasping at straws since no weapons have been able to even reach the surface of Malum, the Confederacy is sending Captain Jared Carter and his small crew on a hunt for ancient scraps of a sacred Sarco text. Several races have no respect for this ancient religious group, and indeed, the group is all but extinct. But the one scrap the Navy has in their collection has ink written in the same rare compound that composes the surface of Malum. On the chance that the two might be connected, Carter and his crew are sent to find the rest of the ancient document, if it even exists.

This was a good ol' scifi space adventure with a small crew going from one new planet to another in search of these ancient text scraps. Readers get the fun of meeting all sorts of alien cultures and planets, while Carter and his crew are usually just happy to survive those adventures. Stopping an unstoppable menace is a pretty high order, and the universe is looking seriously doomed. The mystery of what Malum is and where it came from is something that I need the next book to fully uncover. The Sarconians are obviously a scifi version of Chrisitans so there is a religious element to the story, but most of the characters don't hold to those views and the Sarconians the crew does meet are quite reserved in sharing their beliefs because they've been hunted to almost extinction for centuries. So the book isn't preachy in any way. I applaud Johnston for being one of the few scifi authors who actually states that interspecies relationships are very rare because they just aren't viable. It's a pet peeve of mine that most scifi books portray all these diverse alien species as somehow magically romantically compatible. It is a huge, glaring, not scientifically realistic thing that is somehow super prevalent in scifi (which otherwise is dominated by tech and stuff that is usually at least scientifically solid). I'm glad to see at least one scifi writer let the scientifically more likely route take precedence (and fyi, this is a very minor thing in the story...it briefly comes up in one conversation towards the end of the book). I like the variety of alien species Johnston dreamed up. It didn't feel like he was copying the typical array of species that the average scifi presents. He also does a great job of building the cultures of the various alien species for the reader without any info dumping. There's some great world building on top of an adventurous quest. If you like scifi quest stories and the universe facing off against impossible odds, grab this book.

Notes on content: No language issues (it sometimes mentions that characters swear but no swearing written out or it is in a made up language). No sexual content. There are some battles with space pirates that result in whole ships exploding, a prison riot that turns deadly, a carnivorous animal attack, and of course Malum doing its thing. The blood is kept to a minimum.

[A.K. Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine if you took the plot of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, integrated a mythopoetic Christian allegory, and let David Weber rewrite it as a work of military sci-fi. It would look very much like Edge of Oblivion. The story takes place far in the future, 1300 years after the end of a Dark Age resulting in the loss of all prior human history. As a result, the humans of this time have a completely different culture – much of it borrowed from their alien neighbors in a galactic Confederacy.

This loss of history sets the stage for a very interesting form of Christian allegory. Those who have come across the term “exotheology” know that Christian Science fiction authors have several different approaches to addressing the question of extraterrestrial life as it pertains to Christ. That is, how would alien life forms fit in to the salvation plan given to Adam’s seed? This book features a highly original take on the idea that I had never come across before. I would still hesitate to accept it as literally true, but it works well within the book’s imaginary context.

In addition to its themes, the book has a taut storyline and excellent worldbuilding. The narrative keeps the reader’s interest with a constant note of suspense, utilizing a “quest” storyline involving a mystery with life or death implications and unexpected plot twists. The chapters are short and fast-paced, making the whole easily readable. The scenes with the “Malum” entity are also used to maintain a steadily building atmosphere of mystery and dread from the prologue onward. This could make the book seem scary to some while others will find it thrilling.

The rules governing this imagined universe are highly rational ones, and I could see shades of David Weber in the depth of the technical descriptions. While the science is clearly imaginary, it is portrayed in a fashion that highlights the author’s knowledge of true scientific principles. The sheer wealth of detail both aids and hinders the story in places (I found some of the “military report” sections a bit confusing), but largely imparts more plausible feel.

I would recommend Edge of Oblivion to fans of both classic military science fiction and Christian allegory. I found it a highly enjoyable read with a thought-provoking take on some familiar themes.

[Kerry Nietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Edge of Oblivion” is outstanding space opera. The inciting incident—the advent of Malum—is a great set up. It grabs the attention and keeps the pages turning.

The alien cultures are intriguing, as are the settings and action pieces along the way. There’s plenty of lasers and technology here, but also a fun amount of mystery and sleuthing.

The main characters dutifully fulfill their roles. It is a large cast, and on occasion some of the secondary characters were less differentiated than I might have liked. Part of that could’ve been a divided focus on my part too—lots going on! I never lost track of the main character, Jared Carter, though. He’s a solid hero. (A JC name, though! Risky move, Mr. Johnston!!)

I thought the plot was well-paced and interesting. At no time did I feel lectured to, or felt things being overexplained. The only place that seemed a little rushed was near the end. I would’ve liked some of the final settings scope to be spelled out earlier, so I could see it throughout the final act.

That’s a nit, though. Overall, I think “Edge of Oblivion” is a well-crafted story that sci-fi fans will enjoy. A great debut novel. I look forward to more.

[Jenny Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Christian Sci-fi, Edge of Oblivion was on my to-read list, but so are many others. When I won it, this quickly rose to the top of my list. Having grown up on Star Wars and Star Trek, few Christian sci-fi stories have measured up. This book was nothing like I expected in so many ways.

Jared Carter is the main character, but not really the hero. He is Commander of the Retaelus in the distant future. He is part fighter and part curious historian.

Nho is a little bit Obi Wan Kenobi and a little bit Moses. He believes in Sarco. Believers of Sarco are Sarconians which is a banned religion. Even the language of the time of Sarco is nearly forgotten.

But there is a great evil called Malum prowling the universe. It zaps ships in its path with a beam of light. Millions have disappeared and presumed dead. The chemical make up of Malum matches that of Sarconian writings.

This story was exciting, exhausting, intriguing. Joshua A. Johnston has crafted an interesting Christian Sci-fi tale. I look forward to reading more of his books.

I won this book in a drawing and this is my honest review.

[MARINA ALVES · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an easy read. The characters aren’t very fleshed out, but they’re developed enough for the first instalment in a series. My main issue is that I missed the tag indicating it was Christian fiction—to be honest, I didn’t even know that was a genre. The ending also felt rushed, and because it relies on faith rather than a concrete explanation, it really bothered me. Many of the questions raised remain unanswered, which felt typical of religious framing. I’m disappointed, especially because I was planning to read the rest of the series—and because this could have been genuinely good science fiction, if only it had followed through. But since the conclusion leaned so heavily into faith-based messaging, I’m going to pass.

[Sharon Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way the mystery of Malum's purpose was tucked in throughout the story. Even when you think you know it, you keep finding out more. The characters were interesting with unique voices and believable motivations. The settings were easy to perceive, both visually and culturally, although this also has a downside. There was more telling and less dialog than I like, particularly early in the story, but at least it was well-written telling. The amount of dialog increased later and I'm glad I stayed with it, because the last half drew me in closer to the characters and became very engaging. It's a great story and that's what matters most.

[Daniel G Keohane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great science fiction novel, and also happens to be a Christian-themed one though if you didn't pick it up knowing this you might not realize it. Having written cross genre novels myself, blending horror or suspense with Christian themes, I was please to find that sci-fi is growing as a sub-genre recently. The writing and characterization in this novel is superb and the story moves along at a great clip. For fans of far future sci-fi / space opera (regardless of your religious bent), it's a very unique plot. This give me hope again for genre stories written with christian themes. Looking forward to reading the next book in the Sarco series soon.

[Keturah Barchers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christian Science Fiction not associated with an apocalypse and a great perspective of how Christ fits into a far off futuristic version of humanity and other civilizations. I can't wait to pick up the next book.

[Fire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book that keeps you guessing while getting you thinking about the deeper meaning behind the story. I really enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it to anyone that likes sci-fi novels. I can’t wait to read book two. 5 Stars!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story!

I am not a sci-fi reader. However, Edge of Oblivion tells such a captivating story that I kept turning page after page. I'm glad book 2 (Into the Void) is out, so I don't have to wait to read it!

[Eric Pitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpected and fun read. A much appreciated new take on what religious sci-fi. I can't say that it is "in the vein" of anything that I have previously read and that is a compliment!

I look forward to reading the rest of the Chronicles of Sacro.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has great world-building for a distant future where Earth’s history has been mostly lost. I enjoyed the characters and their adventures as they try to save the universe from an evil invader. It has a strong Christian message, and I’m intrigued to see what happens next in this trilogy.

[Susan Laspe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

This was a great read! I really enjoyed the intricacies of space travel and the interactions of the different species. Trekies everywhere will enjoy this story.

[Jesse Deleon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks for a great debut!

I'm excited by this first book in a series that has everything I want to read. Thank you Joshua A. Johnston. A new fan!

[Katelyn Bolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Science Fiction from a Christian Perspective

High-quality science fiction with detailed world-building, unique characters, and intensely fascinating plot concept. Highly recommend to sci fi lovers in the general market as well as Christian readers.

[Kim Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, especially if you love science fiction!