The Parallels

The Sehnsucht #1

by Keyla Damaer

A militia officer on the hunt for a murderer.
A scientist with the key to humanity’s future.
A girl locked in a glass tank.

One seeking justice. One seeking fame. One seeking answers. With the galaxy on the brink of war, time is not on their side.

Join them in their battle for survival.

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2017

About the author

Keyla Damaer, an independent author since 2017, has made writing her lifelong passion, and she explored it by travelling part of the world. Her passion for storytelling is evident in her works, which are characterised by their imaginative worlds and complex characters.
Born and raised in Rome, Keyla currently resides in the Eternal City with her husband.

You can find her on her website: https://keyladamaer.com

Reviews

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 30%

I must have read a different book than everyone else, judging by all the 5 star reviews on here.

I just found this book boring and poorly written, with stilted dialogs and lifeless characters. It took me over a month to get through a quarter of the book, and I kept bouncing off to read something else every 10 pages or so.

I am not interested in this story or characters, so I am bouncing off for good this time.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a review copy, this is an honest review. An intriguing tale with three complex perspectives that are delicately intertwined, leaving you to question what is the truth behind the mysteries; with an ending that was profoundly shocking.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ambitious book for sure. Four POV characters with big arcs that don't seem to be intertwined at first made it a little hard to get to grips with all the world building and characters and politics and aliens but it's worth sticking with it as events unfold. It's clearly the first book in a much bigger universe. I was at times shocked by the violence and depraved behaviour - these are not friendly little green men. This is grown up violent sci-fi and that's what keeps you turning the page.

[C.A. King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action starts the moment you reach the first page. There is a lot going on. So much so I had to take a minute to catch my breath. A lot went into the making, from names to research. It's thrown right out there, too, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There is a lot of information at the end for anyone who forgets who is who or what is what.
Aliens, a clone, war... all makes for an interesting Sci-fi read. Looking forward to more from this author.

[Christopher Forshee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grimdark sci-fi thriller

This fast paced thriller explores bleak settings in a dark future, with very morally grey protagonists. If your preferred reading is on the darker side of things like mine is, then you’ll enjoy this book. I didn’t have any issues following the multiple POVs and plot lines. Of the three different MCs, I’d have to say my favorite is Halazar. Her hunt for the murderer of her fellow officer gets very visceral at times, and is just a blast to follow.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a rollercoaster of a thriller, full of aliens, mysteries and action.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complex book with multiple converging plot lines.

[Andrea Spinosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can easily recommend this book since it's not excessively long and is just the right length, making it a manageable commitment. It accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is to narrate three parallel stories: a murder, a scientist, and a clone attempting to escape. Among these narratives, the storyline of the clone intrigued me the most on a personal level.

The author has also successfully created a captivating sci-fi universe with numerous races and factions. The creativity and originality exhibited in the author's creation of races, names, and terminology are highly commendable. However, due to their significant numbers, it was somewhat challenging to keep track of and remember them. Nevertheless, the author undoubtedly invested a great deal of effort into imagining these elements. This engaging sci-fi thriller for mature audiences features dark tones and morally ambiguous characters. It presents a complex (yet concise) space opera and thrilling sci-fi with multiple interconnected stories. It appears that this is just the beginning of a much larger space opera and series, making it suitable for readers interested in exploring this expansive literary universe.

[Cam Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Parallels, The Sensucht Series Book 1 by Keyla Demaer is a great sci-fi romp that is truly epic in scale. It is a thriller at heart that revolves around three main characters and their respective lives. The story motors on at a respectable pace and unfolds in a very natural and beautifully designed manner. The world building as a whole is great and the universe filled with interesting characters and objects and bit of technology. The murder mystery at the centre of this tale is juicy enough to really keep the pages turning.
Overall, I had a great time with this one and will definitely be back for more. The author is a real craftsman and weave a truly unique and interesting sci-fi setting. Great read

[Janice Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three stories all set in the same universe. Each story line is unique and the characters compelling. I can see that there will be a collision in the future, but how it will end is unknown.
The worlds and characters of the book are well done and the pace of the stories keeps the reader engaged. Not all of the stories are resolved, but I am looking forward to the next book.

[Norman Hirschman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book involving several species . There are 2 substories involving people who have their own agendas. One, an augmented human trying to find her way back to normalcy and Halazar, a Manderian officer tasked with job of finding out who assassinated her commanding officer.Each has a challenge before them which will have reprocussions throughout the galaxy. An enjoyable read.

[Laurie Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual start to a series, there are multiple characters and events which all appear to be happening concurrently. However there are no apparent links though the feeling you get from the storylines is that there will be.
I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next in series.

[Rob Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Parallels by Keyla Damaer is a tricky book for me to review.

Damaer presents us with an impressively complex sci fi universe with different alien species and factions thereof all working at odds with each other. Against this backdrop she presents us with a murder to be solved, a scientist with a revolutionary new technology to research and an innocent amnesiac girl in need of an escape. These plotlines intertwine and intercept, meaning there is always something going on. So far, so great. But the universe Damaer builds is almost unrelentingly bleak, with sexual predators and torture being common (if thankfully generally not graphically so). Characters are either bad guys, or helpless. Victories are either won by the wrong people or come at a terrible cost. I’m afraid it’s not something that I connect with easily, but it was clearly something the author set out to achieve, and Damaer knocked it out of the park. It just wasn’t my park. If it sounds like your thing, though, The Parallels could well be a treat for you.

If I do have one criticism outside the darkness of the universe, I found the prose to be a little stiff and the dialogue occasionally awkward (although, hey, perhaps that’s just how Manderians talk).

Does what it sets out to do and has impressive world-building. 4 stars

[Sedona Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Parallels, The Sensucht Series Book 1 by Keyla Demaer is a fast-paced, engaging, sci-fi thriller. The story centers around three main characters—an alien military officer, Halazar, who is attempting to determine who killed a fellow officer; a human scientist, Lanees, who is trying to change the future of humanity; and a human clone whose goal is to discover who and what she is.

Aboard the Hydra Station, Halazar is determined to find the truth behind the murder of her friend and military mentor. She must work with an ambitious special agent who has his own agenda. Choices must be made, and Halazar finds herself walking the line between delivering justice, protecting her crew, and fulfilling her duties as an officer.

My favorite character was scientist Lanees. The human doctor must balance promoting her new project that could change the destiny of humanity with her love and commitment to her family. She’s raising a son and misses her husband who spends long periods of time away on business travel. She attracts the attention of someone who can fast track the approval of her project. But does he have her best interests and the best interests of humanity in mind? A great read, but a sad ending (at least for Lanees) in this installation of the Sehnsucht Series.

[T.N. Traynor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating space mystery

Loads of work has obviously been put into the production of this book. The names and characters behind them are imaginative and creative. My favourite character is Eleanor and I hope there’s more to come. Fab read.

[Carol Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Parallels, The Sensucht Series Book 1 by Keyla Demaer is a sci-fi thriller about three characters in a hostile world facing war, a scientist, a military officer, and a clone. Each character’s story is woven into a strand in this complex universe facing disaster to form a rich tapestry of life, duty, and betrayal in a multi-species society. This would make a great TV series. Looking forward to more.

[Mari Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that is packed with intrigue and unique characters due to their being non-human. At times, I found the story hard to follow, especially at the beginning when there were so many characters with unusual names. The author helpfully gives a glossary at the end of the book, which I found after I had finished the Kindle edition. She has created a complex world that will stand up to multiple storylines in the series she is writing which will satisfy fans of this genre. I found some of the writing had graphic violence which I dislike but would probably not trouble other readers. Overall, I enjoyed the book and was left keen to discover where the storyline involving Eleanor would lead. The author has a great imagination and the plot she created was complex enough to make me want to read on - and it was a plot designed for the world she had created, adding further interest to the story. I recommend it.

[James Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book involved aliens and cloning and a deteriorating situation between a number of different alien races. As it is the first book in a series, the ending was somewhat open-ended.

I found it difficult to follow, in large parts, primarily because of the cloning aspects and the "augments," who periodically "remembered" past lives. Different names were used for the same character and I lost track of who was supposed to be doing what.

The world building was okay. The plot was okay. The characters were mostly differentiated and were also okay.

It was hard to get very connected to any of the characters or to build up much enthusiasm or concern for any of them. That is a good thing because there were a huge number of characters that did not make it to the end.

Ultimately, I spent most of the book feeling "lost in space."

[Jimbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read - very entertaining. I will recommend to my friends.

[Aaron Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

As threatened, I have delved into yet another book by Keyla Damaer. This time not a series of short stories, but a proper novel. The Parallels takes place chronologically after the events of Tales From the Manderian Directorate which made Parallels seem more familiar. I was already steeped in the world from the previous read and it’s glossary of terms, which is also available here in book one.

Parallels runs several concurrent storylines but the main focus of the book concerns an assassination and the various people tasked with solving the crime. The conclusion of these investigations folds into the war the Mandarians are waging, apparently quite successfully, against the Federal Coalition. As usual, the fog of war turns everything shades of grey, including the morality of the characters caught within it.

The second main storyline concerns what are known as augments, genetically modified humans that both sides seem to believe will allow them win the war. To me it looks like playing with augments is like playing Russian Roulette with a semi-automatic pistol—a really bad idea that will not end well for anyone. But, since this plot point is left as a cliffhanger, readers will have to wait for Damaer to publish another book, both other entries in this series take place in the chronological past.

Parallels includes a dose of pretty explicit torture. If you don’t appreciate this kind of thing you’ll want to skip some pages. This torture is not gratuitous, however; the motivation and personality of several characters are clarified through the acts. Still, you’ve been warned.

The various characters, all from various species from various planets, do appear a tad bit similar in their motivations, feelings, and behavior. This is a problem for anyone writing science fiction, since writing species that are so different from humans they are almost incomprehensible tends to bog down the plot, making it more about the how and why they are so different in contrast to humans, and less about human-alien interactions. If you grok where I’m grokking.

In my previous book review I went over Damaer’s writing style, so I won’t do so here. The reader experiences a third person omniscient voice more focused on character than description. I’m partial to this style. Long-winded descriptions kind of annoy me, unless the writer is a true master of words.

A solid bit of work and an enjoyable read. I recommend.

[E.B. Hauk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed read for me. On the one hand, there's a lot to appreciate. There are some pretty clever sci-fi homages, little nods to Star Trek with things like the ship named the MakeItSo. It's easy to tell that our author loves space opera and you can feel that love in the novel itself. I, for one, need my scifi to come with aliens, and was glad to see a big universe unfold through the multiple POV characters, each loyal to a different faction, each adding to the depth of the story as their sub-arcs come head-to-head. The pacing was nice and quick.

Now let's get to the not-so-good. I'm divided on the world-building of the universe. I can't decide if it's too sparse or if it unfolds just right. People often don't think about the common elements of their world, so it's realistic we don't have big dumps of exposition. But it also makes it difficult to know the full extent of what's going on, and you're left holding onto questions for a while with delayed answers. Sometimes no answers at all.

The characterization was so-so. There was just enough depth offered that the characters didn't all blend into each other, but their personalities were fairly archetypical and conveyed through blunt language, where feelings are directly attributed through them rather than being described through body language and dialogue. The dialogue either clunky, awkward, or standard fare. Some accents or more alien turns of phrase could've gone a long way.

And finally, there were a lot of odd moments in the prose. Our author is Italian, so I'm willing to forgive some awkward wording but it could be distracting, at times.

[Zoe Tasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Parallels by Keyla Damaer is the first book in a science fiction series. The story focuses on three characters: a military officer in charge of an investigation, an ambitious scientist, and a clone with many questions and no answers.

The world-building is exceptional and well-crafted. I appreciated the author’s inclusion of a glossary. It was most helpful in keeping track of the numerous characters, planets, and aliens. Many issues are examined including prejudice, multiple kinds of abuse, cloning, and warfare. There are several scenes which could be triggering to readers. The book also has numerous changes in narrators and settings which could get confusing at times.

My favorite of the three main characters is Halazar Meviz, a Manderian female in the militia. Manderians are reptilian in appearance with. Depending upon which planet they come from, their coloration can vary. Their skin is scaly and they are an egg-laying species. When Halazar’s superior dies in an explosion, she is put in charge of the investigation. Halazar is a very complex individual who has had an incredibly eventful life. She’s thrown into a difficult, dangerous situation and must make hard decisions.

The story is an action-packed suspense with complexities worthy of a book discussion. This is not an easy, breezy read, but well worth putting forth the effort. I’d recommend it to all hard-core science fiction lovers.

[Hanif · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book due to the blurb, which intrigued me yet I had no idea what I was in for. I got mostly what I expected and a little more. This is a science fiction book first and foremost. Heavy Sci FI. Which is a little hit or miss for me. I have immense respect for the genre yet I find it difficult to grasp some of its heavy, over-the-top concepts due to my scientific illiteracy. This book definitely tests that So I would exercise some caution due to that fact. But I can't deny the writing quality of this book, which is very impressive in parts.
This is a story told through multiple POV. So multiple protagonists, some of which are Antagonists to each other which is a trope I'm very fond of. The Primary characters are Morak, Halazar, Lanees and her son, Eleanor the girl in the tube, and the Psycho agent Salin, who is particularly menacing and quite well written. There are a lot of characters. Some stories you will be drawn to more than others. I quite liked the mother/son bond in Lanees story but the investigation in Halazar's story felt drawn out in my opinion. The world is unique and yet there are so many moving parts and too many conspiracies to keep track of. I'm sure all of it connects later on in the series but I found myself struggling to care about the world and instead just focused on the characters I liked. So overall it's a mixed bag for me, but I commend the author on her ambition.

[Eduardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Parallels" is the first book in "The Sensucht Series." It is a thrilling, interesting and captivating dystopian sci-fi novel. The narrative follows three main characters - Halazar, a military officer from an alien species who is on the hunt for a killer; Lanees, a human scientist who holds the key to the future of humanity, and a human clone who is desperate to uncover her identity. Set against the backdrop of an impending intergalactic war, the story moves at a brisk pace, keeping the reader engaged throughout. The characters are well-developed, and each has their own distinct personality and motivations. Halazar's quest for justice and Lanees' desire to save humanity are particularly compelling. The world-building is also impressive, with vivid descriptions of the Hydra Station and the different alien species that inhabit it. The author does a great job of creating a believable and immersive dystopian future. One of the highlights of the book is the intricate plot, which is full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end. The ending, though sad, is a fitting conclusion to the story and leaves the reader wanting more. Overall, The Parallels is an excellent start to "The Sensucht Series." It's a must-read for fans of dystopian and sci-fi novels, and I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

[Athenais · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Parallels" catapults readers into a thrilling space opera where the fate of a galaxy teetering on the precipice of war rests on the shoulders of an unlikely trio. The story unfolds on a grand stage, pitting a relentless militia officer in pursuit of a murderer against a scientist harboring the key to humanity's future, and a mysterious girl imprisoned in a glass tank.
Damaer masterfully weaves an intricate narrative of diverse motivations and intersecting destinies. The quest for justice, fame, and answers unfolds against a backdrop of interstellar turmoil. As the characters grapple with their individual goals and aspirations, the galaxy itself stands on the brink of conflict, creating a relentless and suspenseful atmosphere that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The world-building is rich and immersive, painting a vivid picture of a sprawling galactic empire, while the characters are multifaceted and compelling, making it easy for readers to invest in their journeys.
This science fiction masterpiece is a mesmerizing blend of action, intrigue, and cosmic wonder, delivering a gripping narrative that explores the intricate dance of fate and ambition in the vast expanse of the cosmos. "The Parallels" is a must-read for fans of space opera and galactic empire sagas, offering an enthralling glimpse into a universe brimming with possibilities and perils.

[Jacqueline Simonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this ambitious and complex space opera, three women of different species try to find their way. In Parallels truly get a feel for a complex, multivalenced galaxy filled with competing sentients with varied views on getting along (or not), and how small the individual can feel.
On one level, there is a murder mystery—and the murder becomes almost a side point, as competing sectors of the same militaristic species strive to score points on each other to get ahead.
On another level is a scientist who has made one of the most incredible breakthroughs of her age. She hopes it will propel her to a safer planet for her family. Instead, it has forced her into the arms of a war machine.
Lastly is a clone, trying to understand who she is—and she still recalls the flesh memory of her donors—and what the increasingly hostile keepers want from her to fulfill their ends.
This is the first book in a series that promises to explore vast and complex systems—and you will be wanting more!

[L.A. Barnitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fast-moving space opera introduces readers to a universe filled with various humanoid species that don't like or trust one another. Spies and contractors vie with military personnel to seek advantage in a quietly boiling moment preceding intergalactic war. If you enjoy space operas, this one will not disappoint, though I wished for more character development, particularly more complex villains. Female protagonists carry the story. This is not a stand-alone book and you will wonder what happens next with the Augment wakened in the tank as well as with other characters.

[Eddie Rigby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading my ARC copy the book
Many scenarios and characters open out storylines with many but not all gradually converging There is more to come I am sure and this first volume is well worth reading because I feel it provides a background.

[IngridO · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to like this book, but I can't. Space bullies being mean for no apparent reason.