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The Reach #4
Sunspire
The Reach is in turmoil. As the conflict escalates, casualties begin to mount on all sides. Nowhere is safe.
Now, time is running out. The deadline for escaping the planet is drawing ever closer with each passing hour. For Knile Oberend and his companions, there is only one option left.
They must take their chances and journey through the mysterious Sunspire. There is no other way.
Sunspire (Book 4 of the Reach) is the final chapter in the epic saga of the last days of Earth.
Alternative cover edition: B01ALMM9Z0
Now, time is running out. The deadline for escaping the planet is drawing ever closer with each passing hour. For Knile Oberend and his companions, there is only one option left.
They must take their chances and journey through the mysterious Sunspire. There is no other way.
Sunspire (Book 4 of the Reach) is the final chapter in the epic saga of the last days of Earth.
Alternative cover edition: B01ALMM9Z0
300 pages, Unknown Binding
Published March 14, 2016
5 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Mark R. Healy
16 books63 followersMark R. Healy is an author and musician from Brisbane, Australia. From an early age he loved to create, and often assembled his own illustrated books with accompanying stories - and then forced his parents to buy them.
Unfortunately this model was not scalable and Mark now seeks to promote his works to a wider audience.
Mark has also combined his storytelling prowess with music, creating a project called ‘Hibernal’ through which he interweaves original sci-fi stories with his own music to create an immersive theatrical experience for the listener. Combined with a professional voice cast and sound effects, these “audio movies” are available online through iTunes, Bandcamp and Amazon under the name ‘Hibernal’.
Unfortunately this model was not scalable and Mark now seeks to promote his works to a wider audience.
Mark has also combined his storytelling prowess with music, creating a project called ‘Hibernal’ through which he interweaves original sci-fi stories with his own music to create an immersive theatrical experience for the listener. Combined with a professional voice cast and sound effects, these “audio movies” are available online through iTunes, Bandcamp and Amazon under the name ‘Hibernal’.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 2, 2016
And so, fellow travelers, we come to the fourth and final part of Mark R. Healy's exceptional series, The Reach.
And I really do mean exceptional (apparently, I also really like starting sentences with the word 'and'). I've been reading science fiction, both the more serious speculative kind and the space opera variety, all my life and I can honestly say that I don't recall the last time I was as blown away by a series as I have been with this one.
Over the course of these four volumes, not only did I come to care about these characters but they started to feel like a family to me. Every one of them is well drawn, carefully and gradually, and every one of them has a crucial role to play in the larger tale. I'm genuinely going to miss these characters.
The world they live in is alive to me, too. It's Earth, Jim, but not as we know it. I can really believe that it's Earth as it could one day be, though. (My inner nerd was even starting to wonder things like 'I wonder if the space elevators are constructed from buckminsterfullerine?' - a sure sign I need to go and lie down for a while.)
The plot is also pretty relentless. The only reader I can imagine getting bored of this would have to be in actual combat in a war zone. The pacing is superb; I honestly can't fault it. The author also pulls off a bloody masterful fake-out at one point, but I'm not telling you where! Read it and find out.
What about the ending? Does it make like Mr. Chesterfield and satisfy? (Bonus points to anybody who gets that reference!) Well, to be entirely honest, the ending is just about perfect. Everything is resolved without feeling forced. The characters who survive (and I'm not telling you who survives and who doesn't but it will break your friggin' heart) earn their survival in blood, sweat and tears. Nobody gets an easy ride in this book and that's for damned sure! I had tears in my eyes by the end of this book; of sorrow and joy. The Reach is a vision of a dystopian future but, like all the best science fiction, it still manages to give the reader hope for a better tomorrow... and what more can we ask than that, at the end of the day?
If there's any justice in the world, this series will not only be successful but be viewed as a classic in the years to come. It would also make a damned fine set of movies, in case anybody in Hollywood happens to stumble across this review... Y'know; just putting it out there.
And I really do mean exceptional (apparently, I also really like starting sentences with the word 'and'). I've been reading science fiction, both the more serious speculative kind and the space opera variety, all my life and I can honestly say that I don't recall the last time I was as blown away by a series as I have been with this one.
Over the course of these four volumes, not only did I come to care about these characters but they started to feel like a family to me. Every one of them is well drawn, carefully and gradually, and every one of them has a crucial role to play in the larger tale. I'm genuinely going to miss these characters.
The world they live in is alive to me, too. It's Earth, Jim, but not as we know it. I can really believe that it's Earth as it could one day be, though. (My inner nerd was even starting to wonder things like 'I wonder if the space elevators are constructed from buckminsterfullerine?' - a sure sign I need to go and lie down for a while.)
The plot is also pretty relentless. The only reader I can imagine getting bored of this would have to be in actual combat in a war zone. The pacing is superb; I honestly can't fault it. The author also pulls off a bloody masterful fake-out at one point, but I'm not telling you where! Read it and find out.
What about the ending? Does it make like Mr. Chesterfield and satisfy? (Bonus points to anybody who gets that reference!) Well, to be entirely honest, the ending is just about perfect. Everything is resolved without feeling forced. The characters who survive (and I'm not telling you who survives and who doesn't but it will break your friggin' heart) earn their survival in blood, sweat and tears. Nobody gets an easy ride in this book and that's for damned sure! I had tears in my eyes by the end of this book; of sorrow and joy. The Reach is a vision of a dystopian future but, like all the best science fiction, it still manages to give the reader hope for a better tomorrow... and what more can we ask than that, at the end of the day?
If there's any justice in the world, this series will not only be successful but be viewed as a classic in the years to come. It would also make a damned fine set of movies, in case anybody in Hollywood happens to stumble across this review... Y'know; just putting it out there.
May 12, 2017
A solid,exciting and satisfying conclusion to the series, Hopefully not the last we`ll see of the surviving characters!
My only complaint would be the (spoilers) pretty implausible 4 way confrontation at the end everyone managed to meet up at the same time just in time for the finale - but its a nitpick.
Other than that - Fantastic series
My only complaint would be the (spoilers) pretty implausible 4 way confrontation at the end everyone managed to meet up at the same time just in time for the finale - but its a nitpick.
Other than that - Fantastic series
August 13, 2018
No loose ends!
A very good read! I thought the non-stop action for an apocalyptic novel was excellent.. The character interaction were thoughtfully interwoven and we'll developed.
A very good read! I thought the non-stop action for an apocalyptic novel was excellent.. The character interaction were thoughtfully interwoven and we'll developed.
June 20, 2020
Just as good as the preceding novels. Engrossing and bringing all the different strings to a great ending. I can see future stories based on what comes next.
September 30, 2016
***Warning: If you have not read the first 3 books of the Reach Series. Do not read this review. Contains spoilers for all 3 books.***
Sunspire is the final volume in Mark R. Healy's Reach Series, which has enthralled and captivated me from the start. Healy has a definite talent for generating excitement without wearing the reader down or having to constantly one-up himself in every novel. Original, well-balanced and perfectly paced, Sunspire gives you everything you want in a sci-fi action novel.
At the end of the last novel Skybreach, Knile and the ex-Redman Lazarus made it up to the orbiting habitat but were forced to escape to the skybridge when a planted bomb ripped the habitat and space elevator apart. The orbiting habitats above Earth are all linked by these skybridges allowing for transit between them. That is before the elevators were all shut down. Knile, Lazarus, plus Ursie and her new friend, the lovable old janitor Tobias, must make their way several dozen kilometers along the skybridge to the next habitat called Sunspire.
Back on Earth, Talia, Roman, and Silvestri resolve to make their way down the Reach, through the city and across the surface of a dying Earth to the Sunspire space elevator, which sits on a remote mountain across a desert wasteland. They will take this elevator to meet up with Knile then hitch a ride on a ship, per their original plan.
The book jumps between these two journeys, one on the surface, one up in orbit. Several enemies attempt to thwart them. The action definitely kept me hooked throughout. While earlier novels explored other themes such as post-apocalyptic despair, family, and friendship, Sunspire and its predecessor Skybreach largely discard these themes in favor of straight action.
You do not get much exploration or insight into the post-apocalyptic setting or any of the common themes in that genre. Healy does not explore the causes of the collapsing civilization or depict heroes trying to save their dying Earth. It is forsaken. Without this element, the post-apocalyptic scenery is mere setting. This disappointed me a little, only because the first novel explored this theme.
The family dynamic between Knile, Talia, and Roman played a big role in the first two novels but faded in the third and fourth. Here, they've largely coalesced into a static pseudo-family. Silvestri was an interesting secondary character, as were Duran and Zoe. This helped add a significant human element among the explosions and gunfire. The book doesn't really spend enough time on these relationships to make a big impact but I think it was strong enough for the kind of story Healy was trying to write.
Some of the characters felt a little too good to be true, possessing tremendous patience and insight despite their extremely rough upbringing. These are supposed to be ex-thieves, smugglers, mercenaries, yet tend to talk like sitcom parents at times. This was an issue for me throughout the series but it doesn't rear its head much. Most readers probably wouldn't care.
To sum up, an excellent and satisfying conclusion to one of the best science fiction series out there. Healy has a definite talent for sci-fi action, likable characters, and lively settings. My minor criticisms aside, I highly recommend all four books!
Sunspire is the final volume in Mark R. Healy's Reach Series, which has enthralled and captivated me from the start. Healy has a definite talent for generating excitement without wearing the reader down or having to constantly one-up himself in every novel. Original, well-balanced and perfectly paced, Sunspire gives you everything you want in a sci-fi action novel.
At the end of the last novel Skybreach, Knile and the ex-Redman Lazarus made it up to the orbiting habitat but were forced to escape to the skybridge when a planted bomb ripped the habitat and space elevator apart. The orbiting habitats above Earth are all linked by these skybridges allowing for transit between them. That is before the elevators were all shut down. Knile, Lazarus, plus Ursie and her new friend, the lovable old janitor Tobias, must make their way several dozen kilometers along the skybridge to the next habitat called Sunspire.
Back on Earth, Talia, Roman, and Silvestri resolve to make their way down the Reach, through the city and across the surface of a dying Earth to the Sunspire space elevator, which sits on a remote mountain across a desert wasteland. They will take this elevator to meet up with Knile then hitch a ride on a ship, per their original plan.
The book jumps between these two journeys, one on the surface, one up in orbit. Several enemies attempt to thwart them. The action definitely kept me hooked throughout. While earlier novels explored other themes such as post-apocalyptic despair, family, and friendship, Sunspire and its predecessor Skybreach largely discard these themes in favor of straight action.
You do not get much exploration or insight into the post-apocalyptic setting or any of the common themes in that genre. Healy does not explore the causes of the collapsing civilization or depict heroes trying to save their dying Earth. It is forsaken. Without this element, the post-apocalyptic scenery is mere setting. This disappointed me a little, only because the first novel explored this theme.
The family dynamic between Knile, Talia, and Roman played a big role in the first two novels but faded in the third and fourth. Here, they've largely coalesced into a static pseudo-family. Silvestri was an interesting secondary character, as were Duran and Zoe. This helped add a significant human element among the explosions and gunfire. The book doesn't really spend enough time on these relationships to make a big impact but I think it was strong enough for the kind of story Healy was trying to write.
Some of the characters felt a little too good to be true, possessing tremendous patience and insight despite their extremely rough upbringing. These are supposed to be ex-thieves, smugglers, mercenaries, yet tend to talk like sitcom parents at times. This was an issue for me throughout the series but it doesn't rear its head much. Most readers probably wouldn't care.
To sum up, an excellent and satisfying conclusion to one of the best science fiction series out there. Healy has a definite talent for sci-fi action, likable characters, and lively settings. My minor criticisms aside, I highly recommend all four books!
February 18, 2016
Mark R. Healy's final installment to science fiction series The Reach sets the conclusion to the epic trials and travels of Knile Oberend's motley crew of misfits. Knile struggles against an offworld cartel, religious mercenaries, psychopathic man-hunters, and cult-like anarchists to escape a dying atmosphere and environmentally ruined Earth with his friends.
Healy steps up the action as Sunspire's heroes race to a forgotten decommissioned space elevator which has become the only remaining means to escaping to a better life offworld in distant space colonies, paradise-like in comparison to Earth. It is an adventure story as much a science fiction novel, without any intrusions of fantasy or garish sci-fi technologies that seem absurd or esoteric. The Reach is an easily visionable alt-future to our own world.
The author's world-building organically expands, and 2ndary protagonists shine in the spotlight and action, leaving readers wondering if a spinoff series is in the making (which would be very welcome). But readers will feel satiated at the end of Sunspire as loose ends are tied up in dramatic scenes of action and final exposition.
Healy steps up the action as Sunspire's heroes race to a forgotten decommissioned space elevator which has become the only remaining means to escaping to a better life offworld in distant space colonies, paradise-like in comparison to Earth. It is an adventure story as much a science fiction novel, without any intrusions of fantasy or garish sci-fi technologies that seem absurd or esoteric. The Reach is an easily visionable alt-future to our own world.
The author's world-building organically expands, and 2ndary protagonists shine in the spotlight and action, leaving readers wondering if a spinoff series is in the making (which would be very welcome). But readers will feel satiated at the end of Sunspire as loose ends are tied up in dramatic scenes of action and final exposition.
January 27, 2016
Sunspire is book 4 (The final book) in The Reach quadrilogy and it provides a fitting end to a great series.
Mark R. Healy's clever utilisation of his cast of characters is on display again here and this is definitely one of the strongpoints (amongst many) in this series.
There's a lot of ground covered and some unexpected surprises in this novel....These characters do not have an easy time thats for sure. Again, as in the previous books in this series, the action and pace of narrative never lets up and we get an exciting and satisfactory conclusion, which lets face it is a pretty rare thing in series endings.
Many congratulations to Mark on developing and writing such a realistic and believable cast of characters who hang onto hope in the grimmest of circumstances. I've loved reading these books and very much look forward to whatever the author does next.
Independent writing, just like music, has a huge amount to offer. Do yourself a favour and give this great author a chance to entertain you
Mark R. Healy's clever utilisation of his cast of characters is on display again here and this is definitely one of the strongpoints (amongst many) in this series.
There's a lot of ground covered and some unexpected surprises in this novel....These characters do not have an easy time thats for sure. Again, as in the previous books in this series, the action and pace of narrative never lets up and we get an exciting and satisfactory conclusion, which lets face it is a pretty rare thing in series endings.
Many congratulations to Mark on developing and writing such a realistic and believable cast of characters who hang onto hope in the grimmest of circumstances. I've loved reading these books and very much look forward to whatever the author does next.
Independent writing, just like music, has a huge amount to offer. Do yourself a favour and give this great author a chance to entertain you
March 6, 2016
Thanks Mark Healy for such a satisfying end to your four-book The Reach series. Sunspire continues the tireless quest for Knile Oberend and others to get off of Earth while it's still possible. Every character's purpose to the team becomes clear in this final chapter-with surprising results. New villains emerge, and the plot takes some interesting twists toward a rewarding finale. As usual, Mark excels at world-building and creating intriguing characters. His world of a toxic earth, crumbling society, dirigibles, mothballed space elevators and promise of a better life for the privileged or resourceful off-world was enthralling.
Mark provided me a free ARC of Sunspire in exchange for an honest review.
Mark provided me a free ARC of Sunspire in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2016
Excellent conclusion to a fantastic series. I received a copy of this book in response for an honest review. Mr Healy manages to keep the pace up in this final installment to the Reach series. Once again I found myself not wanting to put this book down. Great read.
March 22, 2016
Inspiring the Reach
From book one to book 4 , you have four great shorelines but from start to finish it's really one complete story of strife, survival in a very harsh climate ,a goal to live and inspired for. The carrottur of the people's in the story are will played.
From book one to book 4 , you have four great shorelines but from start to finish it's really one complete story of strife, survival in a very harsh climate ,a goal to live and inspired for. The carrottur of the people's in the story are will played.
April 26, 2016
Great Series
I hated for this to end...but I knew it had to sometime. A very good series - I am invested in the characters and hope the author gives a glimpse of their future.
I hated for this to end...but I knew it had to sometime. A very good series - I am invested in the characters and hope the author gives a glimpse of their future.
April 30, 2016
Larry's take
Again another really great series although I thought we could have done with less hard core language. This was a good finish to the story.
Again another really great series although I thought we could have done with less hard core language. This was a good finish to the story.
April 23, 2017
This has been an epic adventure! Excellent character building that really draws your feelings out for them. Unpredictable situations where all hope is lost.... trust and betrayal tested to the extreme!! Mark has a true talent for capturing the reader's attention and holding it till the end. I thoroughly loved this series!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews