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Discovery Series #2
Red Horizon: The Truth of Discovery
The truth of discovery is on mankind’s horizon, a Red Horizon. For nearly four long years, the world’s superpowers have mobilized their people and resources in preparation for the next discovery, Mars. The race against one another pales in comparison to the inherent dangers of travelling through the vastness of the cosmos, going where mankind has never gone before. Facing the hostile and challenging environment of space, and nations ready to do anything it takes to win, Richard, ‘Rock’ Crandon pulls his team together in an attempt to reach the alien technology on the red planet first, and discover the intent behind the alien species. Will mankind tear itself apart in the name of discovery, or will the truth reveal something more sinister, the true intent of the aliens?
- GenresScience FictionAudiobook
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 27, 2016
72 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 25, 2023
This was the second book of the Discovery series and I have to say, I'm a little dissatisfied. I had so many questions from the first book & I hope some would be answered. But no, all the unsolved stuff from book 1 was glossed over. Book 2 was OK. The action happened in the last few chapters & again, a lot more questions were brought up. I don't know if the 3rd book would resolve them.
February 17, 2018
In part 1, Lunar Discovery, 3 Nations raced each other to the Moon, China, Russia and the US, all trying to get to a strange Alien device that was emitting a weird signal. The Chinese arrived first, followed shortly after by the Russians, however, both of these teams failed to notice that the signal contained lethal doses of radiation, and suffered the consequences. The Americans, in a specially designed vehicle managed to avoid most of the radiation and get to the device, unlocking its secrets, but only for a few minutes before the Chinese, in a rage at not being able to have it, nuked the site. However, the time there was enough to uncover a 2nd set of coordinates and message, sending the 3 countries on yet another mad dash to Mars.
This is where Red Horizon starts, with all 3 Nations gearing up for the race to Mars. This book is set 4yrs after the first, but with no real time frame relative to where we are in history now. It still has all the same players from the first book, and the story is told again from the point of view of the NASA staff, but this time, it is not just the command crew of the NASA team, it is also the actual crew of the ship that is heading to Mars (and this is the same for all 3 Nations), as well as those players behind the scenes in the Political and Military sense, with the President of the US and her closest advisors, the ranking Admiral and the equivalent for the Russian and Chinese Nations. It makes for a story that is not just about a thrilling space race to search for the next piece of an Alien puzzle and the potential offerings it might have for humanity, but it also has an enthralling, incredibly clever and realistic thriller on a political and sociological sense of what is happening back on Earth as the World is pushed closer and closer to the brink of war by what is happening in space.
Added to all of this, the character work is outstanding, with realistic and in-depth characters, from the Americans through to the Chinese, and across all fields (Astronauts, Politicians and Military), they are exceptionally well written, making this even more realistic as the story unfolds.
Mercer has managed to create this amazing Sci-fi story that is also a Military and Political thriller that also looks at the lives of normal people going about their everyday lives, it is a stunning piece of work, masterfully executed and I can’t wait to read the final book in the series to see how this all unfolds and eventually wraps up.
This is a book not just for Sci-fi fans, but for anybody who loves a good Thriller, and that goes for the entire series.
This is where Red Horizon starts, with all 3 Nations gearing up for the race to Mars. This book is set 4yrs after the first, but with no real time frame relative to where we are in history now. It still has all the same players from the first book, and the story is told again from the point of view of the NASA staff, but this time, it is not just the command crew of the NASA team, it is also the actual crew of the ship that is heading to Mars (and this is the same for all 3 Nations), as well as those players behind the scenes in the Political and Military sense, with the President of the US and her closest advisors, the ranking Admiral and the equivalent for the Russian and Chinese Nations. It makes for a story that is not just about a thrilling space race to search for the next piece of an Alien puzzle and the potential offerings it might have for humanity, but it also has an enthralling, incredibly clever and realistic thriller on a political and sociological sense of what is happening back on Earth as the World is pushed closer and closer to the brink of war by what is happening in space.
Added to all of this, the character work is outstanding, with realistic and in-depth characters, from the Americans through to the Chinese, and across all fields (Astronauts, Politicians and Military), they are exceptionally well written, making this even more realistic as the story unfolds.
Mercer has managed to create this amazing Sci-fi story that is also a Military and Political thriller that also looks at the lives of normal people going about their everyday lives, it is a stunning piece of work, masterfully executed and I can’t wait to read the final book in the series to see how this all unfolds and eventually wraps up.
This is a book not just for Sci-fi fans, but for anybody who loves a good Thriller, and that goes for the entire series.
August 18, 2024
I repeat myself from my review of Lunar Discovery, the first book in this trilogy, by saying that I’m a bit ashamed to have really enjoyed reading this book. There were some great characters, political issues, aliens, space travel, and lots of suspense. The problem is that I like my Science Fiction factually based and the science in this book lacks a lot of credibility.
Red Horizon picks up the storyline a few years after the events of the book one. Most characters are back and the action starts immediately with a US Space Shuttle being hit by a micrometeorite storm. The shuttle commander, Julie from book one, springs into action to save the crew, while Rock and Marge, also from book one, work the problem from the Houston control center.
This crisis is only a prelude to the fast paced action as, again, the United States, Russia, and China are in a race to be the first to reach an alien artifact. After China nuked the artifact left on the moon in the first book, the action has shifted to a second artifact located on Mars.
As in book one, the chapters shift around telling what is happening through the lens of each country’s space program. The Chinese and Russian space programs are presented as being totally under the government’s thumb. The US program gets more of a pass but still Mercer does delve into the political machinations that control NASA.
My complaint with book two, as with book one, is that the science is not factually based. Salvador Mercer clearly enjoys the idea of space flight and does present some real science related to launch loads, fueling, orbital mechanics, etc. Unfortunately, much of the space science is as close to real rocketry as a unicorn is to a Clydesdale.
I was able to ignore the gaps in the actual science long enough to enjoy the storyline. I was delighted that my favorite characters were in the forefront, the action fast paced, and the danger real enough that not everyone makes it out alive. The discovery introduced on the final page of the story definitely has me intrigued to see how Mercer wraps this up in the third book, Black Infinity: Discovery's End.
Red Horizon picks up the storyline a few years after the events of the book one. Most characters are back and the action starts immediately with a US Space Shuttle being hit by a micrometeorite storm. The shuttle commander, Julie from book one, springs into action to save the crew, while Rock and Marge, also from book one, work the problem from the Houston control center.
This crisis is only a prelude to the fast paced action as, again, the United States, Russia, and China are in a race to be the first to reach an alien artifact. After China nuked the artifact left on the moon in the first book, the action has shifted to a second artifact located on Mars.
As in book one, the chapters shift around telling what is happening through the lens of each country’s space program. The Chinese and Russian space programs are presented as being totally under the government’s thumb. The US program gets more of a pass but still Mercer does delve into the political machinations that control NASA.
My complaint with book two, as with book one, is that the science is not factually based. Salvador Mercer clearly enjoys the idea of space flight and does present some real science related to launch loads, fueling, orbital mechanics, etc. Unfortunately, much of the space science is as close to real rocketry as a unicorn is to a Clydesdale.
I was able to ignore the gaps in the actual science long enough to enjoy the storyline. I was delighted that my favorite characters were in the forefront, the action fast paced, and the danger real enough that not everyone makes it out alive. The discovery introduced on the final page of the story definitely has me intrigued to see how Mercer wraps this up in the third book, Black Infinity: Discovery's End.
February 7, 2022
Plot. China has discovered an alien object on the moon. China, Russia, and the United States are determined to possess the alien technology.
Liked. First contact! Friendly? Threatening? A creative space opera that will take you to the moon, Mars, Jupiter, and beyond. Pace, tempo, narration, and production are fine.
Not so hot. The DIscovery Series is more a story of world nations battling each other than the scientific wonder of first contact, even to the point of one country trying to destroy the object rather than let anyone else have it - and its purpose is yet unknown. Really? A bit of a stretch - are human beings this stupid? *yeah, they are*
The overall story is fine, just disappointed with the portrayal of humanity. Can't we all just get along for once? *sigh*
Lunar Discovery, Red Horizon, and Black Infinity are three books that make up the Discovery Series by Salvador Mercer. All books are narrated by Mark Boyett and range in length from eight to ten hours of listening, about 28 hours in total. Listen to all three in sequence or you'll miss character and event continuity. All released by Podium Audio from 2016-18.
Liked. First contact! Friendly? Threatening? A creative space opera that will take you to the moon, Mars, Jupiter, and beyond. Pace, tempo, narration, and production are fine.
Not so hot. The DIscovery Series is more a story of world nations battling each other than the scientific wonder of first contact, even to the point of one country trying to destroy the object rather than let anyone else have it - and its purpose is yet unknown. Really? A bit of a stretch - are human beings this stupid? *yeah, they are*
The overall story is fine, just disappointed with the portrayal of humanity. Can't we all just get along for once? *sigh*
Lunar Discovery, Red Horizon, and Black Infinity are three books that make up the Discovery Series by Salvador Mercer. All books are narrated by Mark Boyett and range in length from eight to ten hours of listening, about 28 hours in total. Listen to all three in sequence or you'll miss character and event continuity. All released by Podium Audio from 2016-18.
October 30, 2019
Like the first book, it was interesting and easy to read, but again most of the book builds up the plot and subplot, then arrives at the conclusion of the book too quickly. It does not summarize as well as the first book what has happened to all the possible players and issues that have been brought up. Again, I’m left feeling that I will get bits and pieces of what I want to know about consequences of the climax of the book, but I feel because of the need to build up to next greater issues in play in the series plot, I will not get satisfaction of reading the various character responses, but instead a summary of what happens like reading a book report.
And with the hint of what is coming in the next book, I think I will skip it. It feels too much like taking the type of plot used in elaborate science fiction novels and condensing it to a comic book style. Which is not bad if that is what you want to read.
And with the hint of what is coming in the next book, I think I will skip it. It feels too much like taking the type of plot used in elaborate science fiction novels and condensing it to a comic book style. Which is not bad if that is what you want to read.
August 29, 2019
An Equally Riveting Read
This second book in Mercer's series is equally as riveting as the first book of the series. Many of the main characters reappear in this book, as well as some new ones. Agin, I stayed up into the early morning hours reading , as the plot line was excite and stimulating for my brain. The three major player nations are once again racing each other to arrive first, but this time on Mars to investigate an alien artifact. One particular nation is up to high jinx rolling towards a nuclear scale. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series! Again, I highly recommend this book.
This second book in Mercer's series is equally as riveting as the first book of the series. Many of the main characters reappear in this book, as well as some new ones. Agin, I stayed up into the early morning hours reading , as the plot line was excite and stimulating for my brain. The three major player nations are once again racing each other to arrive first, but this time on Mars to investigate an alien artifact. One particular nation is up to high jinx rolling towards a nuclear scale. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series! Again, I highly recommend this book.
May 9, 2020
I'm really enjoying this series - had to star this volume after finishing the first, and as soon as I finished this, I ordered the final volume and started it. No higher praise for a series. I will say I wish this volume had a little more completeness to the story by itself, but it sets up the finale really well. Not a story about science as much as people, politics, and disturbing possibilities. Highly recommended.
May 25, 2020
Finally!! More exploration!!
Mild spoilers ahead, but nothing earth-shattering.
I was a bit miffed at the end of the last book when there was all this mysterious alien technology that was just nuked into oblivion and we were left with no satisfaction. So the chance to now have several sites on Mars to explore was like a great second chance. Totally enthralling, and I was happy to have more time with the characters I’ve grown quite fond of.
Mild spoilers ahead, but nothing earth-shattering.
I was a bit miffed at the end of the last book when there was all this mysterious alien technology that was just nuked into oblivion and we were left with no satisfaction. So the chance to now have several sites on Mars to explore was like a great second chance. Totally enthralling, and I was happy to have more time with the characters I’ve grown quite fond of.
February 1, 2021
Exciting. Near future sci fi about a space race to Mars involving the Chinese, Russians and Americans. Leaves you hanging for the next in the series. Apparently it's not good news for the Earth team. Not sure if I will look for the next book or not. I think that I can predict where it's going. Some good characters and lots of technology and sciency content. Only 219 pages... could have included the next book.
August 24, 2019
It just keeps getting better.
Same as the first in the series but maybe a little better, Again got me going and I couldn’t stop read it in one setting.
Thanks again and keep it going
Larry
Same as the first in the series but maybe a little better, Again got me going and I couldn’t stop read it in one setting.
Thanks again and keep it going
Larry
August 29, 2019
Way out there...somewhere.
An interesting trip to visit the neighbors, or at least one of them. This is a good trip, with solid characters and acceptable dialogue. I plan to follow the series and enjoy the travel into the future. For now, I hope the space program stays non-combat
An interesting trip to visit the neighbors, or at least one of them. This is a good trip, with solid characters and acceptable dialogue. I plan to follow the series and enjoy the travel into the future. For now, I hope the space program stays non-combat
January 2, 2020
A very good 3 book series. Fast paced page turner. I believe there should have been a book 4 and maybe a book 5 in the series. These books would have changed the ending as to how Earth explored the CnC ship that was left at Jupiter and prepared to take the war back to the aliens
July 18, 2020
Good fast read
I like the story and the plot and of course, Jules. Reminds me of my wife... The science is good, not bordering on magic, like so many other scifi writings. How can you go wrong with good old NASA running the show?
I like the story and the plot and of course, Jules. Reminds me of my wife... The science is good, not bordering on magic, like so many other scifi writings. How can you go wrong with good old NASA running the show?
February 16, 2021
I am really into this book series. It is very Sy-fy Channel in its overly dramatic dialog, but still really engaging.
Set in the near future, it throws back to Cold by War paranoia and espionage...I can’t wait to read the last book.
Set in the near future, it throws back to Cold by War paranoia and espionage...I can’t wait to read the last book.
July 11, 2022
It was a good book 2 that kept the intrigue from the first book and added more complications to keep me engaged. I enjoyed the near-future space race and how different countries approached the challenge of reaching Mars.
September 13, 2023
Another 2-star book. I wouldn't have read it if I hadn't read the first in the series. I suppose I'll read the third one, but just to get to the end. Book 2 is a straightforward continuation of the first, full of stock characters and situations derivative of 200 years of sci-fi.
June 29, 2017
Great read!
Just the right mix of tech and action. Good story line in context of today's political realities. Perhaps a little harsh on China?
Just the right mix of tech and action. Good story line in context of today's political realities. Perhaps a little harsh on China?
January 15, 2018
Enjoyed the race to Mars and the exploration. Totally disappointed with the postscript's cliche contemp sci-fi ending.
January 17, 2018
Current since pluse our next in space-easy to read and kept me on edge of my seat sometimes.
July 23, 2018
As good as book one!
A great follow up to book one, I can hardly wait to read book three, the conclusion had better be worth the wait or I will scream!
A great follow up to book one, I can hardly wait to read book three, the conclusion had better be worth the wait or I will scream!
August 20, 2018
Very good read
If you love science fiction you love this book.
It keeps you spell bound. I look forward to the next installment
If you love science fiction you love this book.
It keeps you spell bound. I look forward to the next installment
October 1, 2018
Another good one. No real action until the end of the book. Hopefully book three is more eventful or I'm not sure how the story will get wrapped up.
November 30, 2021
Love this series so far. A great mix of real science, and the challenges of space travel, international politics and science fiction, with an alien mystery.
March 6, 2022
pretty good and exciting story........more character driven than pursuit of plot, but that's ok.
January 8, 2017
Trying too hard to milk this out.
This, along with the first story, suffers from an endless addition of filler story that doesn't add to the main story except to pad it out.
Portions of the story just seem to drag on and on without moving the story line ahead. And when the story finally gets interesting the author rushes without detail and abruptly halts. Maybe he thinks this us a cliff hanger but it doesn't work..
This, along with the first story, suffers from an endless addition of filler story that doesn't add to the main story except to pad it out.
Portions of the story just seem to drag on and on without moving the story line ahead. And when the story finally gets interesting the author rushes without detail and abruptly halts. Maybe he thinks this us a cliff hanger but it doesn't work..
November 29, 2016
Great Sci-fi Read that doesn't work too hard at it
Thoroughly enjoyed this book as it is part two of the series. , Space Race, Mission to mars , E.T. Technology. Politics, war etc . This book has it all except love and sec which is ok by me for sci-fi . It's an easy read and doesn't take itself to seriously . Highly Recomended.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book as it is part two of the series. , Space Race, Mission to mars , E.T. Technology. Politics, war etc . This book has it all except love and sec which is ok by me for sci-fi . It's an easy read and doesn't take itself to seriously . Highly Recomended.
November 26, 2016
A great follow up to the first one. This one seemed a bit more intense and interesting to me as most of the set up was done in the first. I was really sad that this ended on such a cliff hanger. Can't wait until the next one!
August 29, 2016
NEED MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great read
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews