Connor's Gambit

by Z. Gottlieb

Brad Johnson is a lone witness to a UFO sighting, becomes an alien target. Risking everything to save Earth, he quickly finds himself embroiled in an off-world adventure, relying only on his training and streetwise skills to survive. While adjusting to his new life in space, Brad struggles to understand the bitter conflict between the aliens in an intergalactic war that has been waged for centuries. Every day is a battle for survival, bringing him closer to the truth, as he learns one faction threatens Earth's security, while the other wants something entirely different. All Brad wants is to return home to his family, but not until he embarks on the greatest adventure of his life.Get your copy of Connor’s Gambit today!

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 22, 2017

Reviews

[Don Gerstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Z. Gottlieb’s story about an earthling choosing to become part of a war in space had the potential to be a satisfying tale. “Connor’s Gambit” turned out to be one of those novels where the plot was kept in check by a number of different reasons.

The writing is inflated with unnecessary words and phrases, most of it overexplaining and repeating what the reader has already been told (it became clear early on why the book was 502 pages). The descriptions tell more than show, and many sections function as informational dumps. Much of the dialogue is stilted, repetitious, and doesn’t sound natural. The author seems to be intent on explaining everything, leaving nothing to the imagination.

Little time is spent on characterizations, and we are confined to learning most about the main character, Brad. Unfortunately, Brad is not someone I could easily identify with, as he spends a lot of time feeling sorry for himself and agonizing over the smallest decisions. In later chapters, the character view changes without warning within scenes.

This leaves it up to the plot to save the book. Fortunately, the storyline is good and some of the science or reasoning behind the action is well-thought and entertaining. At times this is handled well; at others, the overexplaining and repetitive detailing becomes tedious and slows chapters down to a crawl.

Overall, a good story that could have been a lot tighter with stronger editing. Three stars.

[Stjepan Cobets · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4.5

The book Connor's Gambit by Z Gottlieb is solidly written and an entertaining sci-fi novel. The book is very well written. At times, the story of the book is great, but there are times when the story stops. I would really like to have a little more action in the book, fewer romantic thoughts of the main character and his wife. But no matter what, this is a great sci-fi, which will show its full strength in the future, as it is only a war with the alien race.

The main character in the book is Brad Johnson, who lives with his wife on Earth, who is also the sister of his longtime friend Connor. While they were fishing at the lake, Brad saw the spacecraft. His friend Connor slept through this encounter and then tried to reassure him and tried to explain that it was not possible. Brad soon finds himself in a situation he could not even dream of because his friend Connor not only told him the truth, but he also obviously knows a lot more than he admits. Brad will soon be drawn into the adventure of his life. Since I do not want to reveal more stories, I will leave it to other readers because the story is very good.

I would recommend a book to all lovers of sci-fi genres.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading science fiction, and I read mostly syfy books. I enjoyed this book and read it completely.

Occasionally I see these somewhat inexpensive syfy books on Amazon and they have enough good reviews that I say, what the heck, I'll try it. There were enough people that thought this book good enough to write a review about it, and I think that says something about the book in itself ... It's got some good writing in it.

I liked the story. I thought some parts of it were very creative. It has some fun moody characters and goes to some interesting and exciting places. It has space ships and aliens and heck, who doesn't enjoy those?

Basically, I think the author has some talent and I enjoyed the book. Keep writing and I look forward to the next adventure! Cheers!

PS. There are still a few things to edit in this version, but I've read great stories by great authors that are still not perfect ... so whatcha gonna do about that?

[Elaina Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

What an interesting story! Very well written, with a good plot and characters. The challenges for the protagonist are fascinating, as he not only needs to come to grips with alien life, but that his wife is from another world too. He finally comes to grip with the new knowledge and then embraces his role, which ends up aiding his allies in surprising ways. Even so, his family is of primary importance to him and he makes certain to spend time with them nd not disappear for years out into space.

[Joann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a GREAT!!!! book.Read in one sitting☺

I am a SCI-FI fan since age10. I am now 72. I have read all the classics and many many many others over the years. I consider this book in my top 5. I can't wait for a follow on book. I got this for 99 cents I would pay 26.00 dollars for the addon☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Connor's Gambit" is a sci fi story about a fairly ordinary man going on a very extraordinary adventure. Imagine this - you are a man married with a wife and a kid. You are close to your inlaws and although life is not particularly exciting, it is good. One day you find out that your wife, brother in law, and sister in law may be hiding a deep secret about where they came from and what they were put on earth to do. As Brad finds out, they're aliens on a top secret mission and they will take him on the best adventure of his life.

This book reminded me a lot of The Twilight Zone (still one of my very favorite series) where things at first seem very normal until everything gets turned on its head. Some of the best stories involve ordinary people put in interesting and unique situations. Everyman Brad finding himself suddenly on a super high tech spaceship with a bunch of aliens certainly counts as one of those scenes. Not only does Brad have to contend with his personal life (why would his beloved wife lie to him for so long? what does this mean for his young son? can he ever forgive his wife or his brother in law?)

The characters were great. I loved seeing how Brad confronts the difficulties that he is now facing as he tries to navigate his new lives with aliens. I really liked learning about what the aliens were doing on earth and why they felt that they needed to hide their true intentions from Brad. The story line unfolds nicely as the author puts everything together.

While the writing of the story line was good and will appeal to many, the way that the characters speak was slightly off. Even Brad, a native English speaker, spoke in a very stilted way. I could understand sort of why the aliens' speaking would be a little less natural although perhaps not with the way that the aliens essentially download information to include language in their heads (cool concept by the way!). The stilted language was a little distracting but overall, the story was quite good!

[Ed Tinkertoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was good, easy to follow, except the names of the characters. As I was reading this book I had the feeling that at the end of it the main character would awaken and all of it would be a dream. I found it highly unlikely that a person could go from one day living on Earth to a few days later not only living on a space ship but piloting a fighter space ship. And other things going on like his ability to reprogram the space ships' software were just not believable except in a dream. I struggled with the book for a while trying to keep straight in my mind who the characters were, that is their relationship to each other.

Bottom line for me is it was pretty good read but I will not read an squeal to it.

[Samantha Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great author and recommend read

I got to meet this author and work with them. I really enjoyed the experience and read their book. I can’t recommend it enough, it was a pleasure to read. No spoilers here! Check this one out! And yes have a biased opinion sure; but I work with books for a living and still enjoyed this one.

[Bear Bibeault · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to like this one, but ended up abandoning it a bit past the 1/3rd mark. Aside from the many (and I mean many) grammatical and word errors that took me out of the story, the dialog was so stilted and unbelievable -- I mean, real people just don't talk that way.

Then the story just started going to weird and illogical places, and one night I picked up the book and just decided that I was done.

[Dorothy Garino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connor's Gambit is a fun page-turner that takes the reader through alien territory here on earth, a trans-galactic gate, and even enemy battle cruisers. The characters are great, and Brad is extremely likable. His reaction to having his reality shattered by encountering the larger universe only makes him more relatable. The cast that surrounds him, from his wife Shinny, his best friend Connor and Connor's wife Nan create a comfortable space for the reader to pull up a chair and share some pizza.

Gottlieb does a very good job portraying the alien culture Brad finds himself in. The
stagnant and bureaucratic CIG, who are more concerned with the expenditure of munitions than the safety of their pilots and soldiers created great tension against Brad's innate sense of innovation and creativity. Add in some spies and convoluted procedures, and it's no wonder some aliens chose to hide out on earth.

The aliens themselves were well done. There are some subtle nods to Star Trek and Star Wars, but they are in no way overdone. Moreover, the author resisted the impulse to create a menagerie of critters for the reader to contend with. Most of the aliens were humanoid, but the ones that were most different resembled gorillas and orangutans. There is even a reference to them having pre-evolved humans on their planet, giving Gottlieb's universe a delightful ironic twist.

The alien civilization is not all powerful. The transit gates that make interstellar travel possible are remnants from an even earlier civilization. Even the space battles were fresh and inventive, with a focus on the strategy involved, instead of just the daring do of the pilots.

While there were a few editing errors, they were not enough to mar the story. The characters and plot are more than enough to pull the reader through the galactic ripples. There is a bit of over-explaining at times, which I did not mind, as I tend to enjoy the deeper discussions. What better place to do so than a science fiction novel, after all?

All in all, this was a fantastic tale that I hated having to put down. Well done Z. Gottlieb. I can't wait to hang out with Brad again in the sequel.

[Joe Congel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting, out of this world adventure!

I’m not a sci-fi guy, so I wasn’t sure how I would react to Connor’s Gambit. Many of the reviews I read were all praising the story so I figured, it’s only a buck, I’ll give it a try. Well, let me tell you, this book is worthy of the many 5 star reviews it’s received.

Yes, it’s a tale about aliens, and spaceships, and intergalactic fighting. But it’s also a tale about honor, integrity, hope, family, relationships, and the ability to learn and grow when faced with true adversity.

Brad and Shinny have been together for many years. But what is perceived as a long time for Brad, turns out to be a small blip in the lifecycle of his wife. Brad”s world is turned upside down when he learns the true pedigree of his spouse and his in-laws, when he stumbles upon an event that causes him to question everything and everyone he knows.

He has to decide if he can get past the hurt and the insurmountable questions that are getting in the way of his relationship with the people he loves the most. If he can do that, then he will not only save his relationship, but he’ll have a hand in saving the planet earth from certain chaos and possible destruction caused by an alien force that has had the planet in it’s sights for many a millennium. An alien force he didn’t even know or believed existed until now.

This is a long book, clocking in at just over 500 pages. But I found the plot extremely interesting and the pacing of the story moved right along. I was so engrossed in rooting for the heroes and hating the villains that I couldn’t stop reading. I can only hope that the author gets the sequel out soon, as I can’t wait to see what happens in the future.

If you’re a fan of science fiction or you just love an engaging, well told tale, I suggest you pick up your own copy of Connor’s Gambit – you won’t be disappointed!

[Rob Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read through the reviews for "Connor's Gambit" and you'll find a variety of comparisons, from The Last Starfighter to Star Wars and Star Trek. One can even compare it, in part, to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

These aren't bad things to be compared to. The best thing to keep in mind with any modern work of fiction is that it's all been done before. What makes something stand out is what the writer does to make their work different and entertaining.

The closest comparisons I would draw is with The Last Starfighter AND Hitchhiker's Guide. Brad Johnson is an excellent combination of the two protagonists from the aforementioned works, a true fish out of water trying to do the best he can to not only survive his new reality, but get back home to his family.

The story is a nice mash of the technical aspects of Star Trek with the sweeping drama of Star Wars, more soap (space) opera than simple point and shoot action-adventure. The dialogue can be stilted at times, but so was the writing on Star Wars and, more appropriately, the oft-missed series by Margaret Weis, The Star of the Guardians, which was much more about the character drama and interaction than the speed a photon can travel in a vacuum.

Like many self-published novels today, there is room for improvement. I believe the author did a good job self-editing, but it is obvious that this was, in fact, self-edited. Most of the problems with dialogue would also have been corrected by a good editor. Simply placing contractions in the speech would go a long way to improving flow. These minor errors are the only reason I can't give the book 5-stars.

But for originality (something increasingly difficult to find), the story gets high marks. Taking an old trope and injecting new life to create an enjoyable story is hard to do. And Gottlieb has hit a homerun with Connor's Gambit.

[Alisha Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brad had the perfect life. He was married to his best friend, Shiny, and he and his brother in law, Connor, ran a business together. He and Shiny had their own home where they were raising their son. Everything was great, but when he sees a spaceship during a fishing trip he soon learns that his wife and in laws are hiding a lot about their past. This secret will lead to a new adventure among the stars where Brad may be able to unlock his full potential, or he may show that Earth isn't yet ready to join those among the stars. Between being thrust into a war between two factions and his new unsteadiness in the spaceship Brad would rather just be back home with his family. But first, he has to keep Earth safe.
I received a copy of this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Brad as he learns of aliens, that his family are aliens, and of the threat they are now facing. With this new threat he decides to travel with his family to the stars where he begins learning to be a pilot and more about the warring factions. Brad's new outlook into an old war provides helpful insights while sometimes getting he and his companions into trouble. Not only this, but Brad must contend with his fear of another species he encounters and must work closely with.

From the beginning the story is packed with action. There are fights and simulations constantly, which makes for a great read. The characters work well together and are well rounded. You get both the bad and the good side of people as you go through the story and watch the characters grow. I really enjoyed how playing videogames contributed to the learning experience for individuals.

[B. Conklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one grew on me over time. Each time I picked it back up, I became a little more engaged with the characters and situations. I would call it a “slow build,” as the first two-thirds of the book are taken up with world building. As a space opera, it introduces the reader to a wide cast of characters—all of them extraterrestrials. All, that is, except for the main character—a sort of space cowboy from planet Earth—who goes through a series of training exercises until he is ready to participate in the action sequences that constitute the last third of the book. At first I questioned the protagonist’s motives as he allows his young son to be put into hibernation so he is free to go on a space adventure as part of the Council of Interplanetary Governors (CIG) to battle a splinter group of aliens that pose a threat to galactic peace. However, I found him to be more sympathetic as the plot unfolded and his innovations were incorporated into CIG’s battle strategy. There was also a bit of comedy to lighten the mood. For instance, the two primary reasons CIG aliens are interested in Earth civilization are 1) they want to learn how to ride bicycles and 2) they are fascinated by Wal-Mart shoppers. A firm editor might have strengthened the book by condensing the first two thirds and tightening the prose. The alien characters have original names—Ferklopgresfk Nan Dowelstergak, for instance—but needed to be fleshed out with better physical descriptions.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Conner’s Gambit” by Z. Gottlieb is an excellent science fiction. So many times, science fiction authors make up all kinds of new rules for their worlds and it takes a while to get your head in the game. Gottlieb’s book isn’t like that, the world is clear from the beginning. Part of the reason for that is probably because the main character, Brad, is new to space travel like we would be. Brad is easy to sympathize with, as are all the protagonist characters in this book. It’s amazing (almost to the point of disbelief) that Brads’ family hid their alien heritage from him when he’s such a smart guy. I was amazed that the author said they wrote it off the seat of their pants. The book is so well organized and it’s quite a story, it seems like it was well planned out. The one criticism I have is that the dialogue seems kind of forced and not as natural as it could be. Gottlieb’s mastery of every other area of writing, makes me want to overlook that though. I am giving this book five stars and highly recommending that people read it.

[Yin Leong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thrill Ride!

I don’t usually read science fiction, but I’m glad I did in this instance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially its inventiveness, attention to detail and fast pacing.

Of the many creative touches, I found the description of the Neslins and their society particularly interesting and original. I also liked the fact that the failings from which the Council of Interplanetary Governors suffers—including risk aversion, layers of red tape and rigid hierarchies—are found at many of today’s large bureaucracies. Author Z. Gottlieb made it easy to relate to protagonist Brad Johnson as he tries to navigate through the alien worlds into which he is suddenly thrust.

The author has laid the seeds for a sequel, and I would love to see one. I would recommend this book to science fiction fans, and anyone who just likes plain adventure.

[Eleanor Currit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book from start to finish! Connor’s Gambit offers a fresh take on aliens living amongst us, and the ramifications of a human finding out and getting sucked out of our world and into theirs. The author does a splendid job of introducing you to the “special world” while keeping you tethered to our own reality, and not blasting you with a bunch of unfamiliar and hard to remember names and details. The story moves along at a good pace, not too slow, nor so fast that you feel like you lost the plot, and the ending leaves you feeling satisfied with where the characters are at. As someone who often guesses the twists and turns of movies and books, I was pleased that the book kept me guessing right up to the end and left some questions yet to be answered in the sequel.

[K Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of potential with this book! I think it could become a Netflix or Amazon series or even a movie series, like Star Wars or Star Trek.

Best thing I like about this book is that it is easy to read and unlike some other sci-fi books I've read, does not go over the top on certain things. It does get into a lot of details, some of which people may find a little tedious. Overall, though, sci-fi fans will find the book to be quite engaging.

A good amount of tension is brought up in the book as Brad must act as a semi-mediator of sorts between two sets of aliens. The lone observer piece also reminds me of the 1980s classic "Flight of the Navigator."

All in all, a great work and I hope there are sequels!

[Moona · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Connor's Gambit" by Z. Gottlieb is a thrilling science fiction adventure. Brad Johnson, a lone witness to a UFO sighting, becomes an alien target and risks everything to save Earth. Thrust into an intergalactic war, Brad relies on his training and street smarts to survive. As he navigates his new life in space, he uncovers a conflict between alien factions—one threatening Earth’s security, the other with different intentions. Despite the danger, Brad's ultimate goal is to return to his family, but not before embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. A gripping read for sci-fi enthusiasts.

[Roger Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read!

Enjoyed this story and characters and look forward to future books. But hopefully they will have been proofread better. There were small but constant grammatical or misplaced wording that should have been caught. Always annoying to me. I also think the flow of the writing could be better.

Beyond that, a great storyline, some good action and an enjoyable read overall.

[Stefan McElvain · Rating 5 out of 5]

How would you react if your wife's an alien?
Add her twin brother is also an alien...plus they've been lying to you for years.
What a start, and it gets better...an intergalactic conflict that's amazing.
If you're a scifi fan you have to read this one. I loved it.
The plot isn't predictable, and you want to turn the pages to see how all the issues are resolved. I can't wait to read ZGottlieb's next novel.

In my opinion, this is one of the few must read stories.

[Jeff DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I realize this is sci fi, but it’s much more than that. Loved the interplay between Brad and Shinny (and of course all the sci fi elements). I felt in good hands with this authors story, and am impressed that this is a debut novel. I look forward to reading more work from this author!

[Eric Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good book I'll give it that. At times it gets a bit much in regards to the relationship of the main characters and that's pretty much the bad thing I thought of. I mean there's nothing wrong with relationships just it seemed a bit much. Other than that it's a pretty decent book and good to read. I recommend it if you're looking for good sci-fi action though, as it does a good job as well.

[Simon Ferguson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. I read the first 100 pages and couldn't finish, mainly because the protagonist Bob Johnson is a self-absorbed whiner who can't reconcile he's been married to an alien who's 100 years older than him.

[Dennis Dyrland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in one day. The premise was a new slant on aliens with a very human component to it. If you enjoy a Good book with lots of action,this is the one for you.

[Mike Haxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good yarn

I enjoyed the premise of the book. If I have any quibble, it would be that the protagonist got a little too good a little too fast. I am waiting for the sequel which I definitely will Reesf.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun!

The book could use better editing. There were some odd typos that disturbed the storyline. Not miss spelling but, repeated words and small phrases as if the author was writing in a hurry. A fast moving and enjoyable read anyway. Sci-fi fans will like it.

[Wayne Bodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book.

Enjoyable action with a new concept plotline. Teenagers and young adults should enjoy this book. Hope the next book arrives soon.

[Linda Edenfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Sci Fi

I found this story Interesting and it had good story line . I enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel.

[Steven Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining

The book held my interest and was quite entertaining. It's often said but i didn't want to put it down.