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Neon #1
Neon Sands
Siblings Calix and Annora have spent their entire lives within Sanctum, the domed town that protects them from the dangerous sands that storm against the curved wall. But they are orphans, with questions about their heritage. With a childhood that prepares them to become scavengers. With a father figure in Kirillion who has an agenda all of his own - just what are they searching for when the scavenger crews depart?
All grown up, they join Walker's crew, scouring the sand in giant Crawlers, ready to dig. When an accident unlocks childhood memories and murder, questions arise within the crew about where their allegiances lie, and what their true purpose is. And then their search hits the big time.
A sci-fi dystopian adventure in an inhospitable landscape, Neon Sands is the opening book in an epic series that will explore Man’s technological and innate potential, and the search for hope when all looks bleak.
Neon Sands trilogy 1/3
Neon series 1/9
All grown up, they join Walker's crew, scouring the sand in giant Crawlers, ready to dig. When an accident unlocks childhood memories and murder, questions arise within the crew about where their allegiances lie, and what their true purpose is. And then their search hits the big time.
A sci-fi dystopian adventure in an inhospitable landscape, Neon Sands is the opening book in an epic series that will explore Man’s technological and innate potential, and the search for hope when all looks bleak.
Neon Sands trilogy 1/3
Neon series 1/9
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2018
73 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Adam J. Smith
13 books92 followersAdam J Smith lives in the UK, publishing art books and writing novels, short stories and poetry. He’s an avid reader and his favourite storytellers include Jeffrey Eugenides, Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, plus many others - an eclectic mix! He loves old sci-fi and pulp novels, but equally horror and literary novels that are particularly well written.
He enjoys writing science-fiction, horror, ghost stories, and short stories. He often posts flash fiction pieces on his blog: https://adamjsmithauthor.blogspot.com, and shares his and other work on Twitter.
Read an interview with Adam here:
http://bit.ly/28KOIwZ
He enjoys writing science-fiction, horror, ghost stories, and short stories. He often posts flash fiction pieces on his blog: https://adamjsmithauthor.blogspot.com, and shares his and other work on Twitter.
Read an interview with Adam here:
http://bit.ly/28KOIwZ
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 17, 2019
Imagine you're in a room, a darkened room, lit with a single candle...
... You have a little circle of light and all about you are nearly formless shapes suggestive of many things, but nothing you can be sure of. Then a second candle is added, and another part of the room is lit, and what is revealed is murder, then a third candle lights up and you see tight-knit loyalty, then a fourth candle reveals hidden agendas.....
Adam J. Smith has written a science-fiction dystopia that I liked enough to give a solid 4 stars to - and I'm not a fan of the sub-genre. For me, that's like reading a cozy romance and saying, "Hey, that rocked!" (Shakes head with bemusement.)
The writing is literally gritty, the world is almost tactile in its presence in the story. Which is an interesting contrast as the main character, a young fellow named Calix, remembers, imagines, dreams, & hallucinates his way through a broken world.
Can anyone maintain purpose, love and hope in such an environment. Yes, it seems they can.
Smith has a, let me say it, an unusual storytelling style - whoever the POV character is, you're going to be presented with the memories, associations, and imagined hopes, dreams, and fears as they make their way through the story's events.
This is a double-edged sword, on the one hand you get a tremendous insight into featured characters, on the other it slows the pace of the narrative to a leisurely stroll, at this point in the review, just let me point out that this book is essentially a MURDER MYSTERY/CONSPIRACY set in a dystopic nightmare of a dying world, and not a THRILLER...
To each their own I say.
All that said, Smith's writing has a slow and steady power within it - like a current in a flowing river of red sand, implacable and driven - but, revealing what final mystery - you'll have to read it to find out.
4 mysterious stars - well earned.
... You have a little circle of light and all about you are nearly formless shapes suggestive of many things, but nothing you can be sure of. Then a second candle is added, and another part of the room is lit, and what is revealed is murder, then a third candle lights up and you see tight-knit loyalty, then a fourth candle reveals hidden agendas.....
Adam J. Smith has written a science-fiction dystopia that I liked enough to give a solid 4 stars to - and I'm not a fan of the sub-genre. For me, that's like reading a cozy romance and saying, "Hey, that rocked!" (Shakes head with bemusement.)
The writing is literally gritty, the world is almost tactile in its presence in the story. Which is an interesting contrast as the main character, a young fellow named Calix, remembers, imagines, dreams, & hallucinates his way through a broken world.
Can anyone maintain purpose, love and hope in such an environment. Yes, it seems they can.
Smith has a, let me say it, an unusual storytelling style - whoever the POV character is, you're going to be presented with the memories, associations, and imagined hopes, dreams, and fears as they make their way through the story's events.
This is a double-edged sword, on the one hand you get a tremendous insight into featured characters, on the other it slows the pace of the narrative to a leisurely stroll, at this point in the review, just let me point out that this book is essentially a MURDER MYSTERY/CONSPIRACY set in a dystopic nightmare of a dying world, and not a THRILLER...
To each their own I say.
All that said, Smith's writing has a slow and steady power within it - like a current in a flowing river of red sand, implacable and driven - but, revealing what final mystery - you'll have to read it to find out.
4 mysterious stars - well earned.
April 12, 2018
Neon Sands is sci-fi with conviction, and that conviction displays most evidently in setting. A world built of glorious and alienating sands, both a marvel and irritant. Chocka with filmic interludes, glowing horizons, red dusty skies. This novel quietly won me over. It’s the first in a series, and its foundational tone shows. Takes its time, explores the landscape, an introduction to characters with inner and interpersonal dynamism. This is being dropped into escapist fiction, reminded of endless eighties low budget apocalyptic vistas. I grew up on this stuff, so am susceptible to its charms, but also knowledgeable a little too much, and ready to attack if the world doesn’t ring true. Happily, I was swept away with this, always invested, and even intrigued to follow the series. This isn’t flashy, hones a steady momentum, and at the end it felt like it was just getting started. If you like the word ‘neon’ and also the word ‘sands’ imagine them combined. Aha - that’s the straightforwardness I’m referring too, gets on with what it sets out to do, no apologies, and in an understated way offers a world I like being in. Very promising.
May 14, 2018
Sand Planet Dystopian Sci-Fi
“We have to believe, Cal. Believe in more. Believe in something or else we may as well just open the vents now and let the sand in and bury us like one of those snow domes in the films. This is real.”
Calix and Annora were both effectively orphans. Abandoned at Sanctum by people who could not support them, on a world where resources are scarce and the endless sand means even the domed settlements where the last islands of humanity still survive, seem perpetually under threat. Close as brother and sister, they grow up to be on one of the crawler teams together, exploring the vast desert around for anything useful under the sands. Then an accident leads Calix to recall childhood memories of a murder and he and Annora learn that the crawlers have been searching for something in particular...
This is a very bleak and unforgiving sci-fi story, set on a very bleak and unforgiving world. It is also something of a whodunit and a mystery story. It has great tension and some wonderful world building details which hook you in to the claustrophobic existence of the characters.
‘As the last hinge unclasped and an arm extended, a magnificent gold and silver foil unrolled between them.’
The two best aspects of this book are the amazing detail of the world building and the wonderful characters. The worldbuilding explores how the domed societies operate, the management of resources and a wonderful notion of where the power for the domes comes from, plus some inventive tech. The two main characters are well rounded and believable people who we get to know in childhood through flashbacks and then when they are young adults in the story-present.
The tension really is well maintained throughout and the sense of mystery, high-stakes and justified paranoia that the characters experience is excellently portrayed.
‘A body lunged out into the shaft from what looked like level three – Rec – and hit the opposite wall head first before spiralling down to the bottom where it landed in a confusion of twisted limbs.’
The worst aspect for me was the sense of futility which creeps in from the very first page and never leaves, making this a very dystopian sci-fi. Had it been a bit more upbeat this would have been a solid five-star read for me, but the sucking away of hope into despair just wore me down. However, I fully respect that for some readers this would be a selling point. In addition, I did struggle in the opening chapters with what was happening in which timeline. The disorientating feel was, in my opinion, not a good introduction to the book and I struggled to get through the early chapters. Some parts of the story also felt a little bit too convenient now and then, but the superb way the author manages tension and worldbuilding allowed that to pass under the radar most of the time.
This is a book I can strongly recommend to lovers of post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi who are looking for something very good and very different.
“We have to believe, Cal. Believe in more. Believe in something or else we may as well just open the vents now and let the sand in and bury us like one of those snow domes in the films. This is real.”
Calix and Annora were both effectively orphans. Abandoned at Sanctum by people who could not support them, on a world where resources are scarce and the endless sand means even the domed settlements where the last islands of humanity still survive, seem perpetually under threat. Close as brother and sister, they grow up to be on one of the crawler teams together, exploring the vast desert around for anything useful under the sands. Then an accident leads Calix to recall childhood memories of a murder and he and Annora learn that the crawlers have been searching for something in particular...
This is a very bleak and unforgiving sci-fi story, set on a very bleak and unforgiving world. It is also something of a whodunit and a mystery story. It has great tension and some wonderful world building details which hook you in to the claustrophobic existence of the characters.
‘As the last hinge unclasped and an arm extended, a magnificent gold and silver foil unrolled between them.’
The two best aspects of this book are the amazing detail of the world building and the wonderful characters. The worldbuilding explores how the domed societies operate, the management of resources and a wonderful notion of where the power for the domes comes from, plus some inventive tech. The two main characters are well rounded and believable people who we get to know in childhood through flashbacks and then when they are young adults in the story-present.
The tension really is well maintained throughout and the sense of mystery, high-stakes and justified paranoia that the characters experience is excellently portrayed.
‘A body lunged out into the shaft from what looked like level three – Rec – and hit the opposite wall head first before spiralling down to the bottom where it landed in a confusion of twisted limbs.’
The worst aspect for me was the sense of futility which creeps in from the very first page and never leaves, making this a very dystopian sci-fi. Had it been a bit more upbeat this would have been a solid five-star read for me, but the sucking away of hope into despair just wore me down. However, I fully respect that for some readers this would be a selling point. In addition, I did struggle in the opening chapters with what was happening in which timeline. The disorientating feel was, in my opinion, not a good introduction to the book and I struggled to get through the early chapters. Some parts of the story also felt a little bit too convenient now and then, but the superb way the author manages tension and worldbuilding allowed that to pass under the radar most of the time.
This is a book I can strongly recommend to lovers of post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi who are looking for something very good and very different.
August 16, 2019
Something under the sand.
Neon Sands launches a gripping trilogy set in a world challenged by a harsh environment and hidden corruption. I highly recommend starting with the prequel novella, Neon Zero, for context and insight into this Earth-colonized planet and the diabolical deeds of the Neon City elite that underlie the action of the entire series.
In this first book, we are introduced to a small band of people surviving in Sanctum, one of a handful of domed cities in a wasteland of sand under constant cloud cover. The characters and background events are laid out in clearly labeled segments that come together into cohesive, rolling action. The narrative is told from multiple points of view which gives depth to the story and color to the protagonists and quirky side characters.
Calix and Annora, both orphans raised in Sanctum, join a crew to scavenge the sands for anything worth salvaging. Out in the grimy crawler, Calix begins to realize the depth of his feelings for Annora and an injury triggers memories that indicate a childhood friend was murdered. When their crew uncovers an empty dome with solar hoverbikes and intact underground levels strangely devoid of bodies, events quickly spin into something ugly, orchestrated by individuals among them who are motivated by a hidden agenda.
Neon Sands is the first chapter in Calix's journey of discovery. He is the heart and soul of the trilogy and his unshakable love for Annora carries through the events of all three books. At the end of this first volume, his world is cracked wide open and he finds his quest has only begun. Neon City isn't even mentioned in this book, but its dark tentacles are distinctly felt. When I finished, I was happy I had Book 2 ready to dive into and as I continued, I found, like Calix, the weirdness just kept coming.
Neon Sands launches a gripping trilogy set in a world challenged by a harsh environment and hidden corruption. I highly recommend starting with the prequel novella, Neon Zero, for context and insight into this Earth-colonized planet and the diabolical deeds of the Neon City elite that underlie the action of the entire series.
In this first book, we are introduced to a small band of people surviving in Sanctum, one of a handful of domed cities in a wasteland of sand under constant cloud cover. The characters and background events are laid out in clearly labeled segments that come together into cohesive, rolling action. The narrative is told from multiple points of view which gives depth to the story and color to the protagonists and quirky side characters.
Calix and Annora, both orphans raised in Sanctum, join a crew to scavenge the sands for anything worth salvaging. Out in the grimy crawler, Calix begins to realize the depth of his feelings for Annora and an injury triggers memories that indicate a childhood friend was murdered. When their crew uncovers an empty dome with solar hoverbikes and intact underground levels strangely devoid of bodies, events quickly spin into something ugly, orchestrated by individuals among them who are motivated by a hidden agenda.
Neon Sands is the first chapter in Calix's journey of discovery. He is the heart and soul of the trilogy and his unshakable love for Annora carries through the events of all three books. At the end of this first volume, his world is cracked wide open and he finds his quest has only begun. Neon City isn't even mentioned in this book, but its dark tentacles are distinctly felt. When I finished, I was happy I had Book 2 ready to dive into and as I continued, I found, like Calix, the weirdness just kept coming.
Read
January 23, 2020Revised edition with extra 15k words now live.
www.getbook.at/amazon-neon-sands for 2.99
www.getbook.at/amazon-neon-sands for 2.99
December 3, 2018
Une histoire qui vous prend aux tripes du début à la fin Un monde dangereux, étrange où l'homme est toujours en danger d'extinction Une survie qui ouvre d'intéressantes questions Des personnages bien typés, attachants Un récit bien écrit, plausible (géographiquement, techniquement et humainement) qui petit à petit dévoile un peu du mystère des dômes ... Bref enfin un livre qui m'a à la fois surpris et passionné
Peut-être ma meilleure découverte en 2018 !
J'aurais mis 5 étoiles s'il s'agissait d'un stand alone ...mais il reste de nombreuses questions sans réponse alors je vais me réserver la suite pour replonger sur cette planète inhospitalière en espérant assouvir ma soif ...
A story that takes you to the guts from beginning to end A dangerous, strange world where man is always in danger of extinction A survival that opens interesting questions Character well typed, endearing A well written story, plausible, that takes its time to reveal just enough of the mystery ... In short, a book that both surprised and passionate
Perhaps my best discovery in 2018!
I would have give it 5 stars if it was a stand alone book ... but there are still many unanswered questions so I will reserve the next one to dive back to this inhospitable planet hoping to satisfy my thirst
Peut-être ma meilleure découverte en 2018 !
J'aurais mis 5 étoiles s'il s'agissait d'un stand alone ...mais il reste de nombreuses questions sans réponse alors je vais me réserver la suite pour replonger sur cette planète inhospitalière en espérant assouvir ma soif ...
A story that takes you to the guts from beginning to end A dangerous, strange world where man is always in danger of extinction A survival that opens interesting questions Character well typed, endearing A well written story, plausible, that takes its time to reveal just enough of the mystery ... In short, a book that both surprised and passionate
Perhaps my best discovery in 2018!
I would have give it 5 stars if it was a stand alone book ... but there are still many unanswered questions so I will reserve the next one to dive back to this inhospitable planet hoping to satisfy my thirst
September 29, 2020
( Format : Audiobook )
"From ash, to blood, to ash, we thank you."
The red sand is everywhere, threatening death to anyone outside the domes, drowning, suffocating. The remnants of humanity live on inside the protective towns, provisions carefully regulated, orphan children being accepted into communities to become part of the extended family. Calex is one such child, growing to manhood in Sanctum. His childhood friend, Zai'ir was not as fortunate, having fallen and died when still a youth. Then, on an expedition away from the dome, Calex begins to have strange memories...
Great start to a dystopian science fiction trilogy, with good world building and an intriguing story line. Narration by Steven Miller is also well performed. Recommended for any S.F. aficionados. The opening chapters offer some slight confusion, but stay with it: this is a story to follow.
My thanks to Story Origin, from whom I received a freely gifted complimentary copy of Neon Sands, at my reauest. There is a short story prequel, Neon Zero, sadly not yet on Audible but available from Kindle, which is now one my to read list which might shed light on how the landscape originated, but it is not an essential read to enjoy Neon Sands.
review follows
"From ash, to blood, to ash, we thank you."
The red sand is everywhere, threatening death to anyone outside the domes, drowning, suffocating. The remnants of humanity live on inside the protective towns, provisions carefully regulated, orphan children being accepted into communities to become part of the extended family. Calex is one such child, growing to manhood in Sanctum. His childhood friend, Zai'ir was not as fortunate, having fallen and died when still a youth. Then, on an expedition away from the dome, Calex begins to have strange memories...
Great start to a dystopian science fiction trilogy, with good world building and an intriguing story line. Narration by Steven Miller is also well performed. Recommended for any S.F. aficionados. The opening chapters offer some slight confusion, but stay with it: this is a story to follow.
My thanks to Story Origin, from whom I received a freely gifted complimentary copy of Neon Sands, at my reauest. There is a short story prequel, Neon Zero, sadly not yet on Audible but available from Kindle, which is now one my to read list which might shed light on how the landscape originated, but it is not an essential read to enjoy Neon Sands.
review follows
October 10, 2020
A Dystopian Future of a Desert Earth - intrigue & romance.
Highly recommended. The narrator does an excellent job of keeping the story moving. The audio is whisper-synced, a feature that I really enjoy. Neon Sands is a great start to a dystopian trilogy, I loved the mystery and the world building. I will definitely read all the books, and have bought the box set.
The blurb sets the scene. The remnants of human society live in domes in a sea of red sand. The domes are failing, mutations are developing in the restricted gene pool and it seems that humanity is lost. In this harsh landscape, the scavenger crews scour the desert and dig for relics and scrap. The cause of the apocalypse is never stated, great mystery. Obviously there was time and resources to build the domes.
Calix and Annora are orphans sent from other overcrowded domes to Sanctum. Raised by an apparently benevolent father figure, Kirillion, they form a strong bond. When old enough they join the scavenger crews of Walker's crawler. The book starts with a flash back by Calix (presumably in the accident in which he falls from a moving crawler when attempting repairs) of the funeral of one of the other orphans, Ziyad. The details of that day are then reported from Calix, Annora, Linwood and Ziyad's POV.
Then back to the NOW. This flipping back and forth can be a bit disorientating, so hope this helps. A ruined dome is discovered and there is then non-stop action. The ending closed the action at Sanctum but leads Calix further on a quest to rescue Annora.
Highly recommended. The narrator does an excellent job of keeping the story moving. The audio is whisper-synced, a feature that I really enjoy. Neon Sands is a great start to a dystopian trilogy, I loved the mystery and the world building. I will definitely read all the books, and have bought the box set.
The blurb sets the scene. The remnants of human society live in domes in a sea of red sand. The domes are failing, mutations are developing in the restricted gene pool and it seems that humanity is lost. In this harsh landscape, the scavenger crews scour the desert and dig for relics and scrap. The cause of the apocalypse is never stated, great mystery. Obviously there was time and resources to build the domes.
Calix and Annora are orphans sent from other overcrowded domes to Sanctum. Raised by an apparently benevolent father figure, Kirillion, they form a strong bond. When old enough they join the scavenger crews of Walker's crawler. The book starts with a flash back by Calix (presumably in the accident in which he falls from a moving crawler when attempting repairs) of the funeral of one of the other orphans, Ziyad. The details of that day are then reported from Calix, Annora, Linwood and Ziyad's POV.
Then back to the NOW. This flipping back and forth can be a bit disorientating, so hope this helps. A ruined dome is discovered and there is then non-stop action. The ending closed the action at Sanctum but leads Calix further on a quest to rescue Annora.
September 26, 2020
Earth is just a "sandbox" with a few groups barely surviving in underground sanctuaries. Our main protagonists, male & female, were adopted at an early age into one such sanctuary. They are raised by leaders who turn out to quite a bit different from the benevolent "parents" they seem to be. The book is "hard" SciFi with exacting descriptions of everything from the technology (both current and lost over time), the weather, farming techniques, etc. The storyline develops slowly with a feeling of menace just below the surface. Book 1 ends with somewhat of a cliffhanger but at least we find out who the bad guys are even if we don't yet know their motivation. The narrator, for those who choose the audio version, uses the same voice for every character so keep a sharp ear for which character is speaking at any given time.
September 30, 2020
I really enjoy dystopian fiction and when you through a lack of reason for the apocalypse it becomes so much better. I have to admit to being somewhat disoriented by the layout of the story as it shifted between the present to the past through the experiences of young Calix and Annora. Once a sufficient foundation had been built the story shifted to the present and took on a whole new tone as the scavenger crew found the destroyed dome and its secrets. Once this change occurred the story became a runaway train barreling toward a station that may not be what was expected. Steven Miller’s narration kept the story going through the slow spots and made it come alive as the action escalated.
January 24, 2021
Neon Sands: A Dystopian Sci-fi: The Neon Sands Trilogy (Book One), my first read from author Adam J. Smith. December seemed to be my month for new authors and January looks to continue the trend. I prefer mystery and thrillers & this didn't disappoint. I was gifted a free copy back in November of 2018 and lost track of it until I was given an Audible copy of Plains of Ion: A Dystopian Trilogy: The Neon Sands Trilogy, Book Two, and I'm voluntarily reviewing it because every good books need reviews. I look forward to more from this author and in this series, Up next is Plains of Ion: A Dystopian Trilogy: The Neon Sands Trilogy, Book Two, (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018)
May 10, 2019
An interesting take on how to control the over population problem.
January 22, 2020
This is a complex futuristic dystopian setting. Very well written. The characters grabbed me right away. Definitely a great blend of genres that will keep you coming back book after book!
February 20, 2022
Brilliant
This is The first book in over 10 years that's has me choosing to read rather than watch telly. It was great... I will be starting neon #2 he second this is posted.
This is The first book in over 10 years that's has me choosing to read rather than watch telly. It was great... I will be starting neon #2 he second this is posted.
May 4, 2018
This is a society on the edge of collapse and barely surviving in the most hostile of environments, a world covered in an almost endless sea of powdery red sand.
Our hero Calix has only known the small town dome he lives in, and the brutal realities of a recycle-everything lifestyle. Struggling to find his place amongst his peers, he grows into young adulthood and joins one of the sand crawler crews. These crews brave the deadly world outside the dome to scratch among the nearby sands for relics of their lost civilisation and anything that can add to the dome’s limited resources. Injured on one such mission, Calix’s crewmates decide to use a mushroom-based hallucinogenic painkiller to make him more comfortable. While under the influence of the drug, a lost memory emerges of the death of a childhood friend, and the startling possibility that Calix’s mentor, Kirillion, the leader of their domed community, is the man that killed him. This is the first in a series of revelations and discoveries that hint that the world Calix knows is not as it seems.
There is much to like about this book in terms of world building and the creation of strong believable characters, but I found the actual storytelling to be a little unbalanced for my tastes. With long textual interludes to focus on esoteric scene-setting and soul-searching internalisation, at times the story seemed to edge forward in stops and starts. It mostly came alive for me during the ‘live action’ scenes involving dialogue exchanges. This is purely a matter of personal taste, and I cannot fault the literary endeavours of the book’s author, Adam J. Smith. I know beyond doubt that there is a readership that will find this a rich and engaging work. Book one of a trilogy; it has a strong hanging ending and an unsolved mystery, ready to be taken up in the next book in the series.
Our hero Calix has only known the small town dome he lives in, and the brutal realities of a recycle-everything lifestyle. Struggling to find his place amongst his peers, he grows into young adulthood and joins one of the sand crawler crews. These crews brave the deadly world outside the dome to scratch among the nearby sands for relics of their lost civilisation and anything that can add to the dome’s limited resources. Injured on one such mission, Calix’s crewmates decide to use a mushroom-based hallucinogenic painkiller to make him more comfortable. While under the influence of the drug, a lost memory emerges of the death of a childhood friend, and the startling possibility that Calix’s mentor, Kirillion, the leader of their domed community, is the man that killed him. This is the first in a series of revelations and discoveries that hint that the world Calix knows is not as it seems.
There is much to like about this book in terms of world building and the creation of strong believable characters, but I found the actual storytelling to be a little unbalanced for my tastes. With long textual interludes to focus on esoteric scene-setting and soul-searching internalisation, at times the story seemed to edge forward in stops and starts. It mostly came alive for me during the ‘live action’ scenes involving dialogue exchanges. This is purely a matter of personal taste, and I cannot fault the literary endeavours of the book’s author, Adam J. Smith. I know beyond doubt that there is a readership that will find this a rich and engaging work. Book one of a trilogy; it has a strong hanging ending and an unsolved mystery, ready to be taken up in the next book in the series.
July 18, 2022
First & already wow !!!
Just started with this first book of the series and I couldn’t put it down.
The imagination of the author Adam J. Smith shines so bright that you know right from the beginning that you found one hell of a series full of mystery, unknowing what is coming next, every guess is always wrong, it’s a trip an awesome creation hoping that the rest of the series is just as good or even better.
Steven Miller perfect narration beautifully packaging this book into an excellent audiobook.
Absolutely,
without a doubt
I fully recommend
this audiobook !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
Just started with this first book of the series and I couldn’t put it down.
The imagination of the author Adam J. Smith shines so bright that you know right from the beginning that you found one hell of a series full of mystery, unknowing what is coming next, every guess is always wrong, it’s a trip an awesome creation hoping that the rest of the series is just as good or even better.
Steven Miller perfect narration beautifully packaging this book into an excellent audiobook.
Absolutely,
without a doubt
I fully recommend
this audiobook !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
dnf
March 27, 2025Endless desert, only a handful of survivors in domes that are showing their age. Tolerable until people were trapped in an airtight farm unit with the power off and the lights out, but they need to be rescued before the plants produce so much O2 by photosynthesis that they poison the trapped ones.
Uhm...photosynthesis? In the dark? Uh, uh. Photosynthesis don't work that way. And even with the power off, why is the agricultural unit airtight? Sure, you want to pump fresh air around the rest of the dome, but why make it airtight?
I was borderline on this up to that point, and that did it for me. Moving on.
Uhm...photosynthesis? In the dark? Uh, uh. Photosynthesis don't work that way. And even with the power off, why is the agricultural unit airtight? Sure, you want to pump fresh air around the rest of the dome, but why make it airtight?
I was borderline on this up to that point, and that did it for me. Moving on.
December 2, 2020
Well, I do not like foul language and by the time I made it through a couple of chapters I knew I could not listen to this book anymore. I am always amazed when an author seems to have such a limited vocabulary that they resort to inappropriate language to express their characters when the dictionary is full of words that are clean and express the idea just as well. I don't like to give negative reviews, but I couldn't come up with anything else for this book. Even the story was not grabbing my attention.
I requested this audiobook from StoryOrigin and have voluntarily left this review.
I requested this audiobook from StoryOrigin and have voluntarily left this review.
February 16, 2023
Stars: 2.5 out of 5
This was honestly a meh read for me. The book just didn't feel polished enough. The story dragged in places, and the plot sagged and meandered. I also couldn't really empathize with any of the characters.
This was honestly a meh read for me. The book just didn't feel polished enough. The story dragged in places, and the plot sagged and meandered. I also couldn't really empathize with any of the characters.
April 28, 2019
Bored
Just couldn't get interested in this story. Too long with not enough plot to hold my attention. On to better books.
Just couldn't get interested in this story. Too long with not enough plot to hold my attention. On to better books.
October 8, 2019
Didn't read.
Downloaded in error. The only way I could delete from my system was to do this. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Forgive me.
Downloaded in error. The only way I could delete from my system was to do this. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Forgive me.
March 13, 2021
Sorry. I loved the reminiscence of Dune, but the link between book #0 and book #1 needed more explication before the end of the book. The whole time I was reading I was looking for what connected it to the prequel. It was just too much effort for my working memory to try to hold 2 book's worth of information only to find the link at the very end. Otherwise, not too shabby.
Read
January 8, 2019I had fun with this book I will admit that at times it had me confused I think the author needs to focus a little more on the central plot and perhaps do a little bit more plot building
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