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Extinction Protocol #1
The Chemical Mage
We thought there was no magic in space. Big mistake.
The nightmare began with a massacre on a remote colony planet.
Now we're fighting for our lives against the mysterious Ghosts, an army of ragged, shadowy horrors ... innumerable, unstoppable. The heroic defensive actions of the Navy fail to turn the tide. Earth itself is in danger of falling when a disgraced gunship pilot, Colm Mackenzie, stumbles on a clue to the mystery of the Ghosts. The key is buried in his own past ...
With the clock running out on humanity's survival, it's up to Colm to unravel the Ghosts' ruthless vendetta against us. What he discovers will change the course of the war, and could alter the future of the galaxy.
The Chemical Mage is Book 1 of the Tegression Trilogy, a new series of hard science fiction thrillers spiced with supernatural horror. New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Felix R. Savage delivers non-stop action and startling plot twists in an adventure that races from the Kuiper Belt to Betelgeuse ... and into the creepy depths of the unknown.
The Tegression Trilogy
1. The Chemical Mage
2. The Hydrogen Druid (December 2017)
3. The Nuclear Warlock (March 2018)
The nightmare began with a massacre on a remote colony planet.
Now we're fighting for our lives against the mysterious Ghosts, an army of ragged, shadowy horrors ... innumerable, unstoppable. The heroic defensive actions of the Navy fail to turn the tide. Earth itself is in danger of falling when a disgraced gunship pilot, Colm Mackenzie, stumbles on a clue to the mystery of the Ghosts. The key is buried in his own past ...
With the clock running out on humanity's survival, it's up to Colm to unravel the Ghosts' ruthless vendetta against us. What he discovers will change the course of the war, and could alter the future of the galaxy.
The Chemical Mage is Book 1 of the Tegression Trilogy, a new series of hard science fiction thrillers spiced with supernatural horror. New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Felix R. Savage delivers non-stop action and startling plot twists in an adventure that races from the Kuiper Belt to Betelgeuse ... and into the creepy depths of the unknown.
The Tegression Trilogy
1. The Chemical Mage
2. The Hydrogen Druid (December 2017)
3. The Nuclear Warlock (March 2018)
437 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2017
411 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Felix R. Savage
90 books120 followersFelix R. Savage writes hard science fiction, space opera, and comedic science fiction. He has also occasionally been known to commit fantasy.
Felix has a long history associated with rebellion. He was born in the 1970s, a decade of American youth rebelling against the safe culture of their parents. He is married to a wonderful woman and they have two beautiful daughters. Together the four of them live in Tokyo serving their cat overlord and benevolent protector. Felix pounds the keyboard while not translating, delighting in his family, or catering to the whims of the family’s cat. He woke up one day to learn that he was a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, but he continues to keep a low profile, and never stops watching out for any sign the lizard people have found him.
Felix has a long history associated with rebellion. He was born in the 1970s, a decade of American youth rebelling against the safe culture of their parents. He is married to a wonderful woman and they have two beautiful daughters. Together the four of them live in Tokyo serving their cat overlord and benevolent protector. Felix pounds the keyboard while not translating, delighting in his family, or catering to the whims of the family’s cat. He woke up one day to learn that he was a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, but he continues to keep a low profile, and never stops watching out for any sign the lizard people have found him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 2, 2017
The Chemical Mage is fantastic! Felix R. Savage gives us a strangely grim future where humanity's interstellar expansion is checked, then reversed, by a seemingly supernatural and invincible enemy, aptly named "the Ghosts." Colm MacKenzie, Scotsman with a goal, joins the fight against the Ghosts out of patriotism and a desire to earn the money for his dream. The war introduces him to aliens, then it takes his ship, his career, his lover, and everything he's saved for his future, as it threatens even humanity's own solar system. The only things left him are double-dealing allies, double-dealing friends, and the Scots' perverse inclination to fight to the death in a hopeless cause. No spoilers, but humanity may thank the Scots for that proclivity - as well as the MacGyver-ish ingenuity born of centuries of oppression and deprivation - as MacKenzie champions his hopes and humanity's. Superbly written narrative, a hero to cheer for, a roller-coaster of a plot, and edge-of-your-seat suspense make this one a winner no matter what genre you call it.
October 18, 2017
The Elfrida Goto series was really good. I read through the Interstellar Railway / Fletcher Connolly series, and exchanged more than a few emails with the author about my frustrations with that series; a lot of other readers loved it. Earth’s Last Gambit had some plot twitches that didn’t work for me, but otherwise the overall story, characters, and science were outstanding. Chemical Mage is an avalanche of action, with more great characters and aliens, and lots of teasing hints in the story that keep you riveted as one by one questions are answered, and you think, “Awesome! And I never saw that one coming!”.
Felix R. Savage just gets better, and better. The settings resonate with sounds, smells, tastes, and convincing technologies that give you few opportunities to step back and exit the story. (Actually, you will end up with a perspective of the term “technology” that will reveal that our world has to be much more than we have perceived, to date.) And the title, Chemical Mage, which seems so disconnected to the plot, will more than satisfy any questions the reader might have had from the beginning
Felix R. Savage just gets better, and better. The settings resonate with sounds, smells, tastes, and convincing technologies that give you few opportunities to step back and exit the story. (Actually, you will end up with a perspective of the term “technology” that will reveal that our world has to be much more than we have perceived, to date.) And the title, Chemical Mage, which seems so disconnected to the plot, will more than satisfy any questions the reader might have had from the beginning
April 28, 2018
A fun read, if a little fast paced.
I'm not sure I know where the author plans to take the story after book one, I guess I will have to read the next and find out!
I have a hard time knowing who to root for in all this, lol.
I'm not sure I know where the author plans to take the story after book one, I guess I will have to read the next and find out!
I have a hard time knowing who to root for in all this, lol.
November 13, 2017
"All the doors had cat flaps."
Author Felix Savage packs more adventure and convoluted double dealings into this one volume than many achieve in a series - and there are still two volumes to come.
Earth had only ventured into, and colonised, part of Sol System when she was gifted knowledge of the zero gravity drive by an alien race enabling travel into the further galaxy. In the following 200 years, she founded colonies in 18 further far distant worlds. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Ghosts arrived. In only twenty years, fifteen of those colonies were destroyed leaving only three between them and Sol. All attempts by the Marines to stop these mysterious attackers failed.
Colm was a Marine pilot who came face to face with the Ghosts on a rescue mission to a farm on Majriti IV. He escaped, taking with him his gunner and a 'talking carpet' found there. Soon after his life began to fall apart ...
Well written with atmospherics pouring from every page, good characterisation, touches of humour, and an intriguing story line, this is a book no science fiction fan should miss.
Author Felix Savage packs more adventure and convoluted double dealings into this one volume than many achieve in a series - and there are still two volumes to come.
Earth had only ventured into, and colonised, part of Sol System when she was gifted knowledge of the zero gravity drive by an alien race enabling travel into the further galaxy. In the following 200 years, she founded colonies in 18 further far distant worlds. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Ghosts arrived. In only twenty years, fifteen of those colonies were destroyed leaving only three between them and Sol. All attempts by the Marines to stop these mysterious attackers failed.
Colm was a Marine pilot who came face to face with the Ghosts on a rescue mission to a farm on Majriti IV. He escaped, taking with him his gunner and a 'talking carpet' found there. Soon after his life began to fall apart ...
Well written with atmospherics pouring from every page, good characterisation, touches of humour, and an intriguing story line, this is a book no science fiction fan should miss.
October 7, 2017
Wow, finally got to read this interesting sounding book that combines my favorite book types and I have to say I was not disappointed at all. It was mostly a scifi story then boom, fantasy creeped in. It had a touch of mystery also - the Ghosts! I thought it was well written and the story line just sucked me in. Once I started reading I had to finish it to get the answers to the many questions that were raised. I loved the twists and the odd ball thing that popped up. Read the story to see what I mean. I laughed and screamed a few times too. And I just had to see what the Ghosts were and why. Plus why was Colm so important or not? hehe. OK some questions were answered, others introduced so I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
October 3, 2017
The Chemical Mage is Book 1 of the Tegression Trilogy. The trouble with sequels is, well, we have to WAIT for the next one to come out after dropping a huge cliffhanger on us. But that's the magic in Felix. R. Savage's writing. The book starts off at the word go and doesn't stop. Colm MacKenzie, a disgraced pilot, may just be able to help erase the Ghosts. Ghost are a race of alien beings who don't like to play nice. Colm finds a way to rid the galaxy of the ghosts, but of course, there are multitude problems. I thoroughly enjoyed The Chemical Mage, and can't wait for book two. Like I said, we have to wait, and that's the hard part!
October 1, 2017
"What he discovers will change the course of the war, and could alter the future of the galaxy. "
Ok, I don't know how to really summarize this book beyond the kindle blurb without spoiling anything so I'm not going to try. If you like the quote above though, you're gonna get hooked. Colm Mackenzie is a great leading character. This is an innovative, action-filled, exciting novel that had a great cast of well crafted characters and a terrific and well written plot. Let's leave it at that though, oh yeah: highly recommended.
Ok, I don't know how to really summarize this book beyond the kindle blurb without spoiling anything so I'm not going to try. If you like the quote above though, you're gonna get hooked. Colm Mackenzie is a great leading character. This is an innovative, action-filled, exciting novel that had a great cast of well crafted characters and a terrific and well written plot. Let's leave it at that though, oh yeah: highly recommended.
October 6, 2017
I love it! This is a near perfect combination of hard science fiction, horror, thriller and mystery with a bit of romance and a dash of comedy added in the wonderful way only Felix R. Savage manages with such superb success. The worlds are beautifully crafted and I feel as if I know the main characters enough to love them or hate them. I highly recommend this book. I am anxiously awaiting book 2.
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author who requested an honest review but I would have written one anyway so more people have the opportunity to begin reading this series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author who requested an honest review but I would have written one anyway so more people have the opportunity to begin reading this series.
October 6, 2017
I received this book as an ARC copy. I enjoyed the book so much that I'm reading it a second time right release. It is an interesting blend of the paranormal and hard science fiction that I enjoyed reading.
It's hard to say much about the book without spoiling anything. In a universe where humanity is new to the scene, a disgraced pilot is fighting against the ever-mysterious "Ghosts," who threaten to destroy everything humanity has worked to accomplish.
It's hard to say much about the book without spoiling anything. In a universe where humanity is new to the scene, a disgraced pilot is fighting against the ever-mysterious "Ghosts," who threaten to destroy everything humanity has worked to accomplish.
December 22, 2017
Bae a fairely good read it is!
The Chemical Mage surprised me initially thinking it was going to be a fantasy but dove right into science fiction. The story flows quite well from action to story development and back to action. I’m purchasing the next volume as soon as it’s available!
The Chemical Mage surprised me initially thinking it was going to be a fantasy but dove right into science fiction. The story flows quite well from action to story development and back to action. I’m purchasing the next volume as soon as it’s available!
February 27, 2018
The Chemical Mage
This was a wonderfully written book. The unlikeliest of people becoming allies against a common threat. Not an unusual theme but written in a way that shows Savage's writing prowess. With lots of action and intrigue he keeps you guessing right up til the end. I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on the next book.
This was a wonderfully written book. The unlikeliest of people becoming allies against a common threat. Not an unusual theme but written in a way that shows Savage's writing prowess. With lots of action and intrigue he keeps you guessing right up til the end. I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on the next book.
October 1, 2017
Excellent Book
I had a wonderful time reading this book. It is full of action, good SciFi writing and Colm is a great character.
I Highly Recommend this book.
Can't wait for book two!
I had a wonderful time reading this book. It is full of action, good SciFi writing and Colm is a great character.
I Highly Recommend this book.
Can't wait for book two!
October 15, 2017
A New Twist on Space Opera's
Imaginative new take on Space Opera's.
Deceit, treachery, energy sucking ghosts and story
that is engaging, while you try to figure it all out.
Some answers, some questions still to be resolved.
The saga to be continued. Not quite a stand alone book.
Imaginative new take on Space Opera's.
Deceit, treachery, energy sucking ghosts and story
that is engaging, while you try to figure it all out.
Some answers, some questions still to be resolved.
The saga to be continued. Not quite a stand alone book.
October 22, 2017
I really enjoyed this story. You become involved with the characters and find yourself rooting for them. The concept is very interesting and there is a lot of room for future talent to be discussed and created. A very exciting series and a very good first book for the series.
October 11, 2017
Syfi at it's best.
Once again Savage creates another nonstop action packed Syfi that was almost impossible to put down.
Wish the next book was here already. Great work Felix 😁
Once again Savage creates another nonstop action packed Syfi that was almost impossible to put down.
Wish the next book was here already. Great work Felix 😁
January 14, 2018
Full of surprises!
A great read with lots of interesting twists, and enough cliffhangers for an alpinist! The main clou came long after I stopped waiting for it. On to the next one!
A great read with lots of interesting twists, and enough cliffhangers for an alpinist! The main clou came long after I stopped waiting for it. On to the next one!
June 22, 2018
It starts out as a halfway bearable space opera of the deathstalker type and then... then it devolves.
I'm not sure what the thought process was when this was written.
Perhaps the hope was to write a long series a la Honor harrington where the bad guys aren't really who you think they are but the heroes are real heroes fighting against overwhelming authority that has stopped caring.
Or maybe it was meant to be a Firefly knockoff where the Reavers are what this author REALLY wanted to focus on.
It failed at both.
The hero isn't heroic.
The authorities do care. About making sure humanity dies which makes it SUPER believable but they do CARE.
There is no character development that makes us want to sing "You can't take the sky from me!" Just sort of mumble "Oh gods will you just get on with it already" or "Oh my gods it's right in front of you, get a F****** clue since you can't afford to BUY one!".
Skip and certainly not trying the next one in the series.
I'm not sure what the thought process was when this was written.
Perhaps the hope was to write a long series a la Honor harrington where the bad guys aren't really who you think they are but the heroes are real heroes fighting against overwhelming authority that has stopped caring.
Or maybe it was meant to be a Firefly knockoff where the Reavers are what this author REALLY wanted to focus on.
It failed at both.
The hero isn't heroic.
The authorities do care. About making sure humanity dies which makes it SUPER believable but they do CARE.
There is no character development that makes us want to sing "You can't take the sky from me!" Just sort of mumble "Oh gods will you just get on with it already" or "Oh my gods it's right in front of you, get a F****** clue since you can't afford to BUY one!".
Skip and certainly not trying the next one in the series.
January 17, 2019
Took FOREVER to get to it!
This book could use nearly half of it chopped off! Edited out! GONE! It made little sense to say half the stuff. And the timeline was screwy in several spots! It's still a good read, and I am going on to read the next book in the series but I hope it's not so stretched out! I love hard-core sci-fi but some of Savage's explanations made zero sense. I finally started skipping over all of his techno-babble after spending way too much time deciphering the first few CHAPTERSworth of verbal gobbledygook.
Love the premise of "tekne" as applied in this novel but dayummm - edit it for actual readability! More on descriptive narratives of alien life onboard ships, less on trying to force a relationship between physics and magic. What ain't, AIN'T -- and what is, IS! Both ARE, so no need to vomit a million words trying to force either! On to the rest of the story ... FINALLY!
This book could use nearly half of it chopped off! Edited out! GONE! It made little sense to say half the stuff. And the timeline was screwy in several spots! It's still a good read, and I am going on to read the next book in the series but I hope it's not so stretched out! I love hard-core sci-fi but some of Savage's explanations made zero sense. I finally started skipping over all of his techno-babble after spending way too much time deciphering the first few CHAPTERSworth of verbal gobbledygook.
Love the premise of "tekne" as applied in this novel but dayummm - edit it for actual readability! More on descriptive narratives of alien life onboard ships, less on trying to force a relationship between physics and magic. What ain't, AIN'T -- and what is, IS! Both ARE, so no need to vomit a million words trying to force either! On to the rest of the story ... FINALLY!
May 18, 2018
Awesome
This is a really good writer and I've followed him through a number of books. He tells good stories and does it well.
The characters are really fleshed out and the connection between dialogue and action is perfect. These folks have 3D personalities within a plot that starts interesting and becomes even more so. This looks to be an interesting series.
The gunnery sergeant is possibly my favorite character. I like her as much as I like Bobby Draper (the Martian Marine in the Expanse series). There's not much more to say other than its a good book by a writer whom I like a lot with a great cast and a really twisty plot (the good kind). I am looking forward to the next installment.
This is a really good writer and I've followed him through a number of books. He tells good stories and does it well.
The characters are really fleshed out and the connection between dialogue and action is perfect. These folks have 3D personalities within a plot that starts interesting and becomes even more so. This looks to be an interesting series.
The gunnery sergeant is possibly my favorite character. I like her as much as I like Bobby Draper (the Martian Marine in the Expanse series). There's not much more to say other than its a good book by a writer whom I like a lot with a great cast and a really twisty plot (the good kind). I am looking forward to the next installment.
April 10, 2019
There are moments in this book that provided real thrills that ran up my backbone and spread out from there. That's what I want from good stories, and I don't often get them. It requires some pretty good writing. The locations in the book keep changing, which is good since none of them are pleasant places to be. Interstellar war can be like that. Neither are the many characters pleasant company, though most have their moments as they evolve through the book, no one being quite what they seem as the story moves along. I like that. The reader must pay attention and trust that all will be revealed sooner or later. It feels good as the pieces fall into place. I normally check the length of a book before I begin reading and face fat volumes with some trepidation. No problem with this book, though. I was through it before I knew it and dived into volume two right away.
March 25, 2019
Reading this was a bit of a slog. The worldbuilding was excellent and there was plenty of action, but the protagonist, Colm, felt flat. He seemed somewhat selfish and emotionally muffled. Colm can only be defined by the things he hates because there seems little that he likes in this world.
The title of the book leads us to expect something that isn't present for most of the book. It reads as a straight Sci-Fi military novel up until the last 10%. I'm not averse to that, just sayin'
The title of the book leads us to expect something that isn't present for most of the book. It reads as a straight Sci-Fi military novel up until the last 10%. I'm not averse to that, just sayin'
January 12, 2019
I've given some thought and I figured out why I couldn't bring myself to finish this. The characters are not likable. There's not character growth, at all. It's the same "lobotomize the characters because I wrote myself into a corner" issue that plagues all bad books, when there's not way to forward the plot.
February 11, 2019
A bit too much faffing about to get to the point. Seriously, the real meaty part of the book doesn't come until the last third... and that's a hell of a lot of story to wade through before we get to: Colm is a mage BUT ONLY when he takes drugs.
I might go back for the second book, but then again, I might not.
I might go back for the second book, but then again, I might not.
March 21, 2019
Nice!
Thoroughly enjoyed this. It takes most of the whole book to get to the twist and the convoluted path is fun but sometimes flawed. If you have a healthy suspension of disbelief you'll like this one. Not bad, not great. Just pretty good. I'll read the next and decide for sure, but for now it's a semi-positive recommendation.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. It takes most of the whole book to get to the twist and the convoluted path is fun but sometimes flawed. If you have a healthy suspension of disbelief you'll like this one. Not bad, not great. Just pretty good. I'll read the next and decide for sure, but for now it's a semi-positive recommendation.
April 6, 2021
Interesting mix
This story has an Interesting mix of magic, fairytales, ghosts, and sci-fi. I loved it. The whole time you are trying to figure out who are the bad guys. Is the ghosts, Gil, the human military, or Sentrieza the bad guys. Why is everyone after Colm McKenzie? Just when you think you get all of the information the story ends with a cliffhanger.
This story has an Interesting mix of magic, fairytales, ghosts, and sci-fi. I loved it. The whole time you are trying to figure out who are the bad guys. Is the ghosts, Gil, the human military, or Sentrieza the bad guys. Why is everyone after Colm McKenzie? Just when you think you get all of the information the story ends with a cliffhanger.
May 30, 2018
Colm is an idiot...lets just get that out of the way. He runs from all the problem in his life instead of trying to solve them. Most of the book is slow so don't expect much to happen. Colm keeps doubting his abilities and doesn't try to master them and he's scared kid who keeps running.
April 6, 2018
I only got about a third of the way through this book. It’s slow with no real plot and MC is a little dumb.
April 9, 2018
Ok, so I gave this audiobook 4 stars but the 'mage' part only kicks in at the very end so don't expect anything to happen till the end. Sigh.
May 8, 2019
What a premise!!!!
I read a lot of books. It’s very rare a book offers a completely new idea to an existing genre. Well done!!!
I read a lot of books. It’s very rare a book offers a completely new idea to an existing genre. Well done!!!
February 20, 2024
I realy liked "a cauldron of stars", this not so much..
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews