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New Frontiers #4
BEMs: Bug Eyed Monsters
The mysterious species called Flickers are thought to have a base in the outer solar system. A task force is sent to find out.
Living in the Kuiper Zone, the Flicker want nothing more than to be left alone. But the solar system belongs to humans.
Can the two coexist? Or will history repeat and contact lead to war, as has so often happened in humanity's past?
Against a species far more advanced than the beings they call Terrans?
Living in the Kuiper Zone, the Flicker want nothing more than to be left alone. But the solar system belongs to humans.
Can the two coexist? Or will history repeat and contact lead to war, as has so often happened in humanity's past?
Against a species far more advanced than the beings they call Terrans?
- GenresScience Fiction
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2017
102 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Jack L. Knapp
28 books58 followersSoldier, teacher, author, hobbyist; my past experiences find their way into my books.
I have an imagination with few boundaries. I use that imagination extensively, particularly in my New Frontiers Series.
By contrast, imagination figures in my Darwin's World series but there's also tons of personal experience. When I describe chipping flint, I've done it. I've set traps, made and used ropes, raised horses, spent a lot of time in the deep woods. But the series is really not about survival; that's how it begins, but by the time you reach The Return, it's begun to change to hard SF. I'm currently writing Defending Eden, which is not only hard SF, it has elements of space opera.
The Wizards Series is about wish fulfillment. Who wouldn't want to find buried treasure, move huge objects, fly, and do in bad guys? With side journeys into saving lives and fighting wildfires?
As for my novella, Hands, expect everything from grins to belly laughs. And then there's the stand-alone short story, Ants, which offers a different view of where the New Frontiers Series might have gone.
One work-in-progress, two more in the pipeline, and a new home page: http//jacklknapp.com/home
In other words, I'm nowhere near ready to retire!
I have an imagination with few boundaries. I use that imagination extensively, particularly in my New Frontiers Series.
By contrast, imagination figures in my Darwin's World series but there's also tons of personal experience. When I describe chipping flint, I've done it. I've set traps, made and used ropes, raised horses, spent a lot of time in the deep woods. But the series is really not about survival; that's how it begins, but by the time you reach The Return, it's begun to change to hard SF. I'm currently writing Defending Eden, which is not only hard SF, it has elements of space opera.
The Wizards Series is about wish fulfillment. Who wouldn't want to find buried treasure, move huge objects, fly, and do in bad guys? With side journeys into saving lives and fighting wildfires?
As for my novella, Hands, expect everything from grins to belly laughs. And then there's the stand-alone short story, Ants, which offers a different view of where the New Frontiers Series might have gone.
One work-in-progress, two more in the pipeline, and a new home page: http//jacklknapp.com/home
In other words, I'm nowhere near ready to retire!
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 3, 2018
( Format : Audiobook )
"We let go because we must."
Earth had started it's tentative journey into space when first contact was made with an alien space vessel. It seemed only sensible, therefore, to explore the Jumper belt to determine if outposts had been placed there to monitor Earth. A task force, however, found a single small community, calling itself The People. Although physically similar in appearance to humans, their life philosophy was very different.
This book is a fascinating first contact discovery story, a philosophical and cultural clash of beliefs and aspirations explored, trusts tested, whilst all the time preparing for an anticipated war for survival. This is not the usual fast and furious battling, though there is some fighting. Instead, it is more talk than physical action. And there is plenty of detailed conversation, from careful consideration of how to prepare and maintain a task force, which ships to use and how to keep the provisioned, financial details of how to pay for it all, from the assets of the company, how to avoid bancrupcy and deal making with governments to assist with the financing, all filling the opening chapters. Stick with it, though: the story does open up and an actual story begins to emerge. And it is fascinating, the aliens carefully detailed, real and intriguing.
With so much of the novel being presented in a conversation style, it is important that the narrator is able to give individual and distinctive voice to all of the main protagonists, and in this Tom Lennon does not fail. Additionally, his pleasant voice is easy on the ear, well paced and intoned. The only criticism is that this reader would have preferred a brief pause between scene changes, for clarity.
My thanks to the rights holder of B.E.M.s who, at my request, freely gifted me a complimentary copy, via Audiobook Boom. The start was slow and, for this non technical reader, rather tedious and wooden. But the dialogue was well written, natural in delivery, and eventually the story opened out to become both fascinating and fulfilling.
Not for everyone. Die hard battle addicts will be disappointed. But the emerging understanding of the Flickers, contrasted with the lives of the humans is well done and ultimately very satisfying.
"We let go because we must."
Earth had started it's tentative journey into space when first contact was made with an alien space vessel. It seemed only sensible, therefore, to explore the Jumper belt to determine if outposts had been placed there to monitor Earth. A task force, however, found a single small community, calling itself The People. Although physically similar in appearance to humans, their life philosophy was very different.
This book is a fascinating first contact discovery story, a philosophical and cultural clash of beliefs and aspirations explored, trusts tested, whilst all the time preparing for an anticipated war for survival. This is not the usual fast and furious battling, though there is some fighting. Instead, it is more talk than physical action. And there is plenty of detailed conversation, from careful consideration of how to prepare and maintain a task force, which ships to use and how to keep the provisioned, financial details of how to pay for it all, from the assets of the company, how to avoid bancrupcy and deal making with governments to assist with the financing, all filling the opening chapters. Stick with it, though: the story does open up and an actual story begins to emerge. And it is fascinating, the aliens carefully detailed, real and intriguing.
With so much of the novel being presented in a conversation style, it is important that the narrator is able to give individual and distinctive voice to all of the main protagonists, and in this Tom Lennon does not fail. Additionally, his pleasant voice is easy on the ear, well paced and intoned. The only criticism is that this reader would have preferred a brief pause between scene changes, for clarity.
My thanks to the rights holder of B.E.M.s who, at my request, freely gifted me a complimentary copy, via Audiobook Boom. The start was slow and, for this non technical reader, rather tedious and wooden. But the dialogue was well written, natural in delivery, and eventually the story opened out to become both fascinating and fulfilling.
Not for everyone. Die hard battle addicts will be disappointed. But the emerging understanding of the Flickers, contrasted with the lives of the humans is well done and ultimately very satisfying.
February 20, 2021
Note: I listened to an audiobook that is not currently listed on Goodreads.com so I am placing my review here.
I have now read books 1-4 of this six book series, all of which are receiving this same review. I have also read the author's biography and he seems like a good person deserving of respect. That does not, however, make him a good author. I forced myself, on almost a page by page basis to keep listening because I find stories about how humanity will transition to space faring fascinating, but this series is absolutely not worth the time it takes. In particular, the author has no understanding of story resolution. Books 2, 3 and 4 essentially seemed to end mid-paragraph.
Additionally the author fails to effectively edit his stories. About halfway through book 4 I began fast forwarding past one of the more meaningless story lines and my enjoyment went way up. What does that say about the book, though, when roughly 1/5 of the content can be skipped and it becomes better? What is even stranger is that it appears the author is at least somewhat aware of his propensity to include unnecessary information given the amount of information just included as a summary at the opening of book 2.
Bottom line: This entire series fails to be worth the effort.
November 6, 2018
LOVED IT!! Great continuation, I'm loving this series!
Great story, well written, and narration was awesome. I have only good things to say, I really enjoyed it and am going to dive into #5 next next!
Really neat concept, I'm anxious to see where this goes:)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Great story, well written, and narration was awesome. I have only good things to say, I really enjoyed it and am going to dive into #5 next next!
Really neat concept, I'm anxious to see where this goes:)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 3, 2022
A Mixed Offering
The sci-fi tech parts continue much in the same vein as the previous installments but the relationships are awkwardly written and less than anticipated. Technology growth is slow and consistent, human growth is cumbersome and sometimes restricted. This installment ends comfortably with some questions unanswered and a lead inis offered for the next installment.
The sci-fi tech parts continue much in the same vein as the previous installments but the relationships are awkwardly written and less than anticipated. Technology growth is slow and consistent, human growth is cumbersome and sometimes restricted. This installment ends comfortably with some questions unanswered and a lead inis offered for the next installment.
October 15, 2020
Awesome
I do not like to overuse the word. Yet here I am. Great plot ,great characters, well told. This is a wonderful story that delivers .
I do not like to overuse the word. Yet here I am. Great plot ,great characters, well told. This is a wonderful story that delivers .
July 13, 2022
Now we are talking !!!
Jack L. Knapp the author of this series have started slow but in this book his imagination and creation bloomed beautifully with an ancient alien race, with an interesting philosophy way of living which is still not completely understood and another new alien war like race which leads to a space war which ends victorious for the humans but then the twist arrives and a good one.
Tom Lemnon narration of each character is done beautifully as usually without missing a beat !
Oded Ostfeld.
Jack L. Knapp the author of this series have started slow but in this book his imagination and creation bloomed beautifully with an ancient alien race, with an interesting philosophy way of living which is still not completely understood and another new alien war like race which leads to a space war which ends victorious for the humans but then the twist arrives and a good one.
Tom Lemnon narration of each character is done beautifully as usually without missing a beat !
Oded Ostfeld.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews