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Pulse #1
The Trial
It’s been 100 years since the inter-galactic organization known as PULSE intervened to liberate the women of Earth. Now purged of its male population, the women have embarked on a journey to take their place in the all-female cosmic society.
In order to enlist in PULSE’s renowned military, earthlings Stella, Faye and the rest of their class must face the Trial. Only a few human women have ever conquered the perils of this three-day expedition across one of the most dangerous planets in the galaxy.
The girls must learn to work together in order to survive the threat of vicious alien beasts, scorching desert sands and icy mountain peaks, all while being hunted by an unstoppable and deadly foe.
In order to enlist in PULSE’s renowned military, earthlings Stella, Faye and the rest of their class must face the Trial. Only a few human women have ever conquered the perils of this three-day expedition across one of the most dangerous planets in the galaxy.
The girls must learn to work together in order to survive the threat of vicious alien beasts, scorching desert sands and icy mountain peaks, all while being hunted by an unstoppable and deadly foe.
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 2016
5 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Crawford
6 books40 followers
R.A. Crawford has always been a big time sci-fi and fantasy fan. Most of his childhood was earnestly consumed by weekend-long Final Fantasy marathons, movies he certainly wasn’t old enough to watch, and books borrowed but never returned to the local library.
After years of procrastination and despite working full-time his passion for rich space opera and high fantasy storytelling led him to finally put pen to paper on his debut novel. The resultant book, PULSE: The Trial, is the first in a series of books centered around an all-female galactic society.
Having never quite grown out of Star Wars novels, Star trek episodes, Green Lantern comic books and Final Fantasy video games Ryan currently rested in Surrey - UK where, along with his wife, he embarks on the journey of teaching his two children why Gimli is the best character in LOTR.
Quote:
"I always wanted to create something but never seemed able to find the time and dedication to pull it off. However, like all parents, after the birth of my kids I was granted control over time and space and became ten times more efficient at managing my time. ”
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 28, 2017
In a dystopian future Earth, where an interplanetary military organization has liberated the women and the male population has been decimated, young women must train and test to become part of an elite intergalactic army. This is the story of the final test, survival on a hostile world, a test of one’s skills to think fast, think as a team when needed and trust in one’s instincts to make it to a final pick up destination and induction into the PULSE army as a warrior.
Centered on Stella and her best friend, Faye, it will be a test of survival of the fittest, of moving forward at all costs, of giving, trusting and personal examination. Friendships will be tested, learning to risk one’s self for the good of the whole and it is brutal.
PULSE by R.A. Crawford is a dark look at manipulation of the mind, the good and bad of competition and learning to use whatever mean available for survival, including forfeiting the lives of others to make it to “the top.” Will it be worth it? Does the game justify the outcome? Does surviving truly make one hero, a true warrior, or is it in the sacrifice that we will witness true heroics?
Fast paced, shrouded in an unknown evil all around, forty teens will be tested, but few will become part of PULSE. R.A. Crawford raises several questions throughout this tale pf coming of age, and yet, we must wonder of the past that led the females to dominate the galaxy. Strong characters, well-defined, flawed and human, raw action and consequences for what is revealed to be a questionable goal!
Series: Pulse - Book 1
Publication Date: January 17, 2016
Publisher: R.A. Crawford
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Print Length: 230 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Centered on Stella and her best friend, Faye, it will be a test of survival of the fittest, of moving forward at all costs, of giving, trusting and personal examination. Friendships will be tested, learning to risk one’s self for the good of the whole and it is brutal.
PULSE by R.A. Crawford is a dark look at manipulation of the mind, the good and bad of competition and learning to use whatever mean available for survival, including forfeiting the lives of others to make it to “the top.” Will it be worth it? Does the game justify the outcome? Does surviving truly make one hero, a true warrior, or is it in the sacrifice that we will witness true heroics?
Fast paced, shrouded in an unknown evil all around, forty teens will be tested, but few will become part of PULSE. R.A. Crawford raises several questions throughout this tale pf coming of age, and yet, we must wonder of the past that led the females to dominate the galaxy. Strong characters, well-defined, flawed and human, raw action and consequences for what is revealed to be a questionable goal!
Series: Pulse - Book 1
Publication Date: January 17, 2016
Publisher: R.A. Crawford
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Print Length: 230 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
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May 21, 2017DNF
Mini review:
I received this E-ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. I was really excited when the author contacted for about this book. It sounded so unique and interesting. Unfortunately I did not like the writing style.
There were a lot of details explained in the writing style. For me personally it just didn't work for this book. I do enjoy reading this type of writing style but I think I was expecting it to be really fast paced. So when I was reading it I was kind of bored.
On the other hand I did enjoy the characters and their relationships with one-another. The world building was also quite interesting.
Overall the writing style just didn't suit me. I do still recommend.
Mini review:
I received this E-ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. I was really excited when the author contacted for about this book. It sounded so unique and interesting. Unfortunately I did not like the writing style.
There were a lot of details explained in the writing style. For me personally it just didn't work for this book. I do enjoy reading this type of writing style but I think I was expecting it to be really fast paced. So when I was reading it I was kind of bored.
On the other hand I did enjoy the characters and their relationships with one-another. The world building was also quite interesting.
Overall the writing style just didn't suit me. I do still recommend.
April 15, 2018
Want to see more from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
100 years ago, an all female intergalactic military called PULSE was formed in order to rid the galaxy of men. In order to become apart of the prestigious military, the girls of Earth must complete a difficult three day trial that only few have succeeded. Stella and her best friend Faye, must work together in the hopes of becoming the newest PULSE soldiers.
The concept and plot of this book was pitched to me in a way that intrigued me instantly. A fleet of kick-ass females? YES PLEASE! Unfortunately, it fell short for me, instead of a bunch of awesome females working together to overcome this brutal trial, I got a bunch of girls who turned on each other instantly in the face of trouble. I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters and didn't care much about what happened to them. I also felt that the world building was weak as we didn't really get a back story to why the Trials came about. I did like the Huntress though, girl would not quit. I also really liked the monsters and predators that the girls had to face through out their journey back to the ship. I also liked how there is literally NO romance what so ever!
**I would not recommend this book if you have a weak stomach as there is A LOT of blood and gore**
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
100 years ago, an all female intergalactic military called PULSE was formed in order to rid the galaxy of men. In order to become apart of the prestigious military, the girls of Earth must complete a difficult three day trial that only few have succeeded. Stella and her best friend Faye, must work together in the hopes of becoming the newest PULSE soldiers.
The concept and plot of this book was pitched to me in a way that intrigued me instantly. A fleet of kick-ass females? YES PLEASE! Unfortunately, it fell short for me, instead of a bunch of awesome females working together to overcome this brutal trial, I got a bunch of girls who turned on each other instantly in the face of trouble. I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters and didn't care much about what happened to them. I also felt that the world building was weak as we didn't really get a back story to why the Trials came about. I did like the Huntress though, girl would not quit. I also really liked the monsters and predators that the girls had to face through out their journey back to the ship. I also liked how there is literally NO romance what so ever!
**I would not recommend this book if you have a weak stomach as there is A LOT of blood and gore**
February 6, 2017
I received a free ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
If you want to be a Soldier of the intergalactic PULSE empire, the Planetary Union of Life-form Salvation and Emancipation, you attend the rigorous and brutal training Academy for eight years from age ten to eighteen. In the final year just before graduation and assignment, all applicants undergo the Trial. Trial survivors graduate and receive their posting, those who don't survive are just a name on a long list of failures. That's the life of a PULSE Soldier - success or death. Faye and Stella are two candidates out of their class of forty-two, and the odds aren't exactly in their favor. Earth is one of the more recent additions to the empire nearly a century ago, and Humans tend to be considered one of the weaker species. The Trial makes no exceptions - to become a PULSE Soldier you have to be the best - and it's known for being incredibly punishing with a low survival rate. The two friends, practically sisters, are going to have to give all they have and even more if they want to see graduation.
I'm so glad I accepted the review copy of The Trial (PULSE #1), R.A. Crawford's debut novel. As soon as I read the summary, I knew I had to try this action-packed sci-fi story featuring an all-female cast. Then I saw the cover which really makes me think of Dune and Tremors, and my mind was made up - I needed to try it. Luckily, the characters and the story reeled me in right off the bat. To describe the cast as simply strong female characters is quite an understatement. We only get to know a good deal about a handful of those undergoing the Trial, but each is well-developed particularly Faye and Stella, who are practically sisters and a real dynamic duo. They do everything together, and they fully plan on making it side-by-side through the Trial to graduation. Aside from them, Miriyada is another favorite - the top student at the Academy, and maybe one of the best Human Academy students of all time - she gets her fair share of epic moments.
The circumstances of the Trial are brutal, intense, bloody, and fast-paced. The cast have no idea what's coming and only minimal instructions. Their goal is to make it across the desert and mountains of an unknown planet to their shuttle home within 72 hours. If they don't make it, they'll be left behind to fend for themselves with no hope of becoming a PULSE Soldier. The odds of even making it a fraction of that distance, though, is pretty slim as Faye and Stella find out. As it turns out, when the transport arrives at the planet where the Trial is taking place the first step involves jumping into the desert below from a great height. Let's just say that a good deal of the class doesn't even make it the surface of the planet alive, or in any condition to continue the Trial. Things turn bloody immediately once the animals native to the planet come out to play. Without getting into spoiler territory, the Huntress makes an awesome (and close to home) adversary.
Overall, The Trial (PULSE #1) by R.A. Crawford is an incredibly visual sci-fi thrill-ride that takes no prisoners. I highly recommend it, especially for fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. I am certainly looking forward to future installments of the PULSE series, and more from the author, R.A. Crawford. Thanks again for a great start to my January, R.A.!
This review can also be found on my blog.
If you want to be a Soldier of the intergalactic PULSE empire, the Planetary Union of Life-form Salvation and Emancipation, you attend the rigorous and brutal training Academy for eight years from age ten to eighteen. In the final year just before graduation and assignment, all applicants undergo the Trial. Trial survivors graduate and receive their posting, those who don't survive are just a name on a long list of failures. That's the life of a PULSE Soldier - success or death. Faye and Stella are two candidates out of their class of forty-two, and the odds aren't exactly in their favor. Earth is one of the more recent additions to the empire nearly a century ago, and Humans tend to be considered one of the weaker species. The Trial makes no exceptions - to become a PULSE Soldier you have to be the best - and it's known for being incredibly punishing with a low survival rate. The two friends, practically sisters, are going to have to give all they have and even more if they want to see graduation.
I'm so glad I accepted the review copy of The Trial (PULSE #1), R.A. Crawford's debut novel. As soon as I read the summary, I knew I had to try this action-packed sci-fi story featuring an all-female cast. Then I saw the cover which really makes me think of Dune and Tremors, and my mind was made up - I needed to try it. Luckily, the characters and the story reeled me in right off the bat. To describe the cast as simply strong female characters is quite an understatement. We only get to know a good deal about a handful of those undergoing the Trial, but each is well-developed particularly Faye and Stella, who are practically sisters and a real dynamic duo. They do everything together, and they fully plan on making it side-by-side through the Trial to graduation. Aside from them, Miriyada is another favorite - the top student at the Academy, and maybe one of the best Human Academy students of all time - she gets her fair share of epic moments.
The circumstances of the Trial are brutal, intense, bloody, and fast-paced. The cast have no idea what's coming and only minimal instructions. Their goal is to make it across the desert and mountains of an unknown planet to their shuttle home within 72 hours. If they don't make it, they'll be left behind to fend for themselves with no hope of becoming a PULSE Soldier. The odds of even making it a fraction of that distance, though, is pretty slim as Faye and Stella find out. As it turns out, when the transport arrives at the planet where the Trial is taking place the first step involves jumping into the desert below from a great height. Let's just say that a good deal of the class doesn't even make it the surface of the planet alive, or in any condition to continue the Trial. Things turn bloody immediately once the animals native to the planet come out to play. Without getting into spoiler territory, the Huntress makes an awesome (and close to home) adversary.
Overall, The Trial (PULSE #1) by R.A. Crawford is an incredibly visual sci-fi thrill-ride that takes no prisoners. I highly recommend it, especially for fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. I am certainly looking forward to future installments of the PULSE series, and more from the author, R.A. Crawford. Thanks again for a great start to my January, R.A.!
This review can also be found on my blog.
November 18, 2025
Crawford delivers a highly imaginative scifi tale of a brutal trial a group of young human woman must face to become a PULSE officer. A PULSE (Planetary Union of Life-form Salvation and Emancipation) officer is a guardian of the female lead galaxy.
Pulse is not for the squeamish or faint hearted, the trials are brutal. If you are also looking for that cute romance or sweet HEA, then Pulse is not the book for you. The tale is dark, with undercurrents of political corruption and bias.
More in the lines of MAZE RUNNER OR HUNGER GAMES, Crawford’s writing visually drops into a harsh world unlike any other, where you watch the contestants die off until only the smartest, strongest and wariest survive.
Although this was a genre I love, PULSE: The Trial wasn't my cup of tea. I appreciated the creativity, world building and premise.
I received this copy of Pulse: The Trial from R. A Crawford in exchange for a honest and voluntary review.
Pulse is not for the squeamish or faint hearted, the trials are brutal. If you are also looking for that cute romance or sweet HEA, then Pulse is not the book for you. The tale is dark, with undercurrents of political corruption and bias.
More in the lines of MAZE RUNNER OR HUNGER GAMES, Crawford’s writing visually drops into a harsh world unlike any other, where you watch the contestants die off until only the smartest, strongest and wariest survive.
Although this was a genre I love, PULSE: The Trial wasn't my cup of tea. I appreciated the creativity, world building and premise.
I received this copy of Pulse: The Trial from R. A Crawford in exchange for a honest and voluntary review.
May 28, 2020
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/pulse-the-t...
It’s a bit odd how some of the women seem keen on sabotaging other candidates. If it were “first 10 to finish graduate”, this might make sense, but everyone who reaches the ship passes, and I’d have said you’d want to encourage co-operation among potential officers. The level of bitchy backstabbing seen here, seems more like high-school than a military institution. There are also a few occasions when Crawford doesn’t have a very good handle on describing the action. For instance, a fight on the side of a mountain takes place; beyond that, I’ve still no real idea what was going on. And it might have been nice to take advantage of having a galaxy to work with, and add more diversity to the candidates; they all seem a bit… humanoid.
On the other hand, I can’t argue with the pace at all: this is one of the most page-turning stories I’ve read in the last year. I wanted to know what happens next, and the clear sense of “anyone can die at any time” created a genuine sense of threat for the remaining characters. The strictly gynocentric approach here leaves no room at all for romance – the bane of the literary genre as far as I’m concerned – so I appreciated that. These positive aspects did a good job of countering the flaws noted above, and although the ending is less cliff-hanger than brick wall, I’d not be averse to seeing where things go from here
It’s a bit odd how some of the women seem keen on sabotaging other candidates. If it were “first 10 to finish graduate”, this might make sense, but everyone who reaches the ship passes, and I’d have said you’d want to encourage co-operation among potential officers. The level of bitchy backstabbing seen here, seems more like high-school than a military institution. There are also a few occasions when Crawford doesn’t have a very good handle on describing the action. For instance, a fight on the side of a mountain takes place; beyond that, I’ve still no real idea what was going on. And it might have been nice to take advantage of having a galaxy to work with, and add more diversity to the candidates; they all seem a bit… humanoid.
On the other hand, I can’t argue with the pace at all: this is one of the most page-turning stories I’ve read in the last year. I wanted to know what happens next, and the clear sense of “anyone can die at any time” created a genuine sense of threat for the remaining characters. The strictly gynocentric approach here leaves no room at all for romance – the bane of the literary genre as far as I’m concerned – so I appreciated that. These positive aspects did a good job of countering the flaws noted above, and although the ending is less cliff-hanger than brick wall, I’d not be averse to seeing where things go from here
September 8, 2017
The author sent me a copy in exchange for a review. :D (wow first time saying that)
Someone, I forgot if it was another review or an update, said it was a lot like the maze runner and I completely agree. It was like like the maze runner meets hunger games. It's super violent and action packed, and I'M HERE FOR IT!
The characters are nice, the plot is too. The only thing I wished was more in the book was history. We don't really get to know how or why the world ends up being only women, why they need to help other worlds achieve this, or how do they reproduce? Is this like that one Rick and Morty episode where they only separate the sexes, and the women live like queens while the men become savages? Yeah anyway, the writing flows nicely as well :D
Someone, I forgot if it was another review or an update, said it was a lot like the maze runner and I completely agree. It was like like the maze runner meets hunger games. It's super violent and action packed, and I'M HERE FOR IT!
The characters are nice, the plot is too. The only thing I wished was more in the book was history. We don't really get to know how or why the world ends up being only women, why they need to help other worlds achieve this, or how do they reproduce? Is this like that one Rick and Morty episode where they only separate the sexes, and the women live like queens while the men become savages? Yeah anyway, the writing flows nicely as well :D
February 25, 2018
This novel is probably the most action packed scyfi, I might have ever read. Normally I am not a fan of the Science Fiction genre. I always seem to have the hardest time getting into the books. But The Trial has had my full attention from page one.
In the novel you are following Stella and Faye, as well as a couple of other minor characters, as they are sent to a remote planet to do the Trials. A test that will most likely kill all contestants, in order to be a sworn member of the PULSE. The girls have a set amount of time to reach a shuttle, the end of the Trials. If they fail to reach the shuttle, they will be forever stranded on the planet.
Between monstrous animal like creatures and deadly elements, the girls fight to survive and win the Trial. However, a surprise foe has been entered into the Trial. If the girls can’t work together, they will never be able to defeat this enemy, who is more deadly than the entirety of the planet combined.
I personally was curious as to how all these women are able to become so powerful without a single male counterpart in the mix. I still haven’t figured it out, but heck, I’m still hooked anyway!
Now you all know how I am on spoilers…… So I will only say this, there was a MAJOR plot twist I was not expecting!!! I will say I think the author might know what I’m speaking of. *hint hint* I enjoyed the details in this book too.
Warning: there is a lot of blood, guts and gore…. Mostly Action…. but hey, I have always thought a good thriller (scyfi included) as incomplete without a little blood action.
All in all, PULSE: The Trial makes me feel like I’m in a Star Wars type world with a Hunger Games twist! I seriously had to force myself to take my time so I didn’t miss anything!
Full details available on my website (link in bio)
In the novel you are following Stella and Faye, as well as a couple of other minor characters, as they are sent to a remote planet to do the Trials. A test that will most likely kill all contestants, in order to be a sworn member of the PULSE. The girls have a set amount of time to reach a shuttle, the end of the Trials. If they fail to reach the shuttle, they will be forever stranded on the planet.
Between monstrous animal like creatures and deadly elements, the girls fight to survive and win the Trial. However, a surprise foe has been entered into the Trial. If the girls can’t work together, they will never be able to defeat this enemy, who is more deadly than the entirety of the planet combined.
I personally was curious as to how all these women are able to become so powerful without a single male counterpart in the mix. I still haven’t figured it out, but heck, I’m still hooked anyway!
Now you all know how I am on spoilers…… So I will only say this, there was a MAJOR plot twist I was not expecting!!! I will say I think the author might know what I’m speaking of. *hint hint* I enjoyed the details in this book too.
Warning: there is a lot of blood, guts and gore…. Mostly Action…. but hey, I have always thought a good thriller (scyfi included) as incomplete without a little blood action.
All in all, PULSE: The Trial makes me feel like I’m in a Star Wars type world with a Hunger Games twist! I seriously had to force myself to take my time so I didn’t miss anything!
Full details available on my website (link in bio)
November 24, 2016
Set on Earth in the future when Earth has joined a group of other planets called the PULSE but we are the newbie runts of the pack and Earth is to be tested. Earth send their best to become Soldiers. This story is about the Trail that every human contestant must go through to become a Soldier and it is brutal.
I was enticed by the blurb. All female cast, but you know what, I kind of wished there were men in the story. The main characters are awesome. Diverse enough to feel they are three dimensional characters but you can see why they are friends and conversely enemies. The writing is really good and it is completely chocked packed with action.
The action is alleviated with quirky and funny interactions between Faye and Stella. This is a Frodo and Samgee kind of friendship but without the weird gay undertone. There is also Miri and even though she is the best of the best of the class and slated to win accolades she isn’t a totally bee-itch about it all. Mostly we see the best and the worst of the human race in this story as it explores the depth people will go just to survive. Warning, the author doesn’t pull any of their punches and this book will make you run the whole gamut of emotions.
Over all it reminded me of Scorch Trials but I wished it could have done with a bigger bad guy than just the girls and the Huntress. That is really the only down side. I wanted there to be some conspiracy against the PULSE who are sending all these girls to their death. The action is great, the writing is awesome, the characters are marvelous. But I wanted to see more of the universe that was created. I must say the author has tried to solve this in the book with the character Koot who has trained all the girls and has to watch them die horrible deaths and all because of the powers that be who decided the humans needed to be stronger, better, to be part of the PULSE.
Really it is more like four and a half stars. I gave it five on Amazon because it really is that good but the rating on goodreads is just a tad different.
I was enticed by the blurb. All female cast, but you know what, I kind of wished there were men in the story. The main characters are awesome. Diverse enough to feel they are three dimensional characters but you can see why they are friends and conversely enemies. The writing is really good and it is completely chocked packed with action.
The action is alleviated with quirky and funny interactions between Faye and Stella. This is a Frodo and Samgee kind of friendship but without the weird gay undertone. There is also Miri and even though she is the best of the best of the class and slated to win accolades she isn’t a totally bee-itch about it all. Mostly we see the best and the worst of the human race in this story as it explores the depth people will go just to survive. Warning, the author doesn’t pull any of their punches and this book will make you run the whole gamut of emotions.
Over all it reminded me of Scorch Trials but I wished it could have done with a bigger bad guy than just the girls and the Huntress. That is really the only down side. I wanted there to be some conspiracy against the PULSE who are sending all these girls to their death. The action is great, the writing is awesome, the characters are marvelous. But I wanted to see more of the universe that was created. I must say the author has tried to solve this in the book with the character Koot who has trained all the girls and has to watch them die horrible deaths and all because of the powers that be who decided the humans needed to be stronger, better, to be part of the PULSE.
Really it is more like four and a half stars. I gave it five on Amazon because it really is that good but the rating on goodreads is just a tad different.
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars
Thanks so much to author Ryan Crawford for sending me this book.
I don’t read a lot of books set in space but I am so glad I gave this a chance. If you are looking for a sleek adventure with strong female leads, then this is a great book to pick up
The Trial: Pulse follows a group of strong girls who are training to become officers for PULSE, a group who maintain the law on other planets. Training in an academy for eight years, their final year before graduation sees them having to take on the Trial. The catch? Not everyone survives. Navigating harsh terrain, they have 72 hours to make it from one point to another alive…easier said than done. With a shit tonne of explosions, some pretty terrible deaths, this action packed survival of the fittest story was a fun ride.
Thanks so much to author Ryan Crawford for sending me this book.
I don’t read a lot of books set in space but I am so glad I gave this a chance. If you are looking for a sleek adventure with strong female leads, then this is a great book to pick up
The Trial: Pulse follows a group of strong girls who are training to become officers for PULSE, a group who maintain the law on other planets. Training in an academy for eight years, their final year before graduation sees them having to take on the Trial. The catch? Not everyone survives. Navigating harsh terrain, they have 72 hours to make it from one point to another alive…easier said than done. With a shit tonne of explosions, some pretty terrible deaths, this action packed survival of the fittest story was a fun ride.
March 27, 2020
I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
When the author emailed me asking if I would like to review his books, I was so excited because oh my gosh, it's my first ever review request email from an author! He said the book was about "a crew of kick-ass women, set in the future" and I thought I would enjoy it, so I said yes to his request.
Oh my, I have never been more disappointed.
I was expecting these "kick-ass women" to support and empower each other and to face challenges together. Instead, they couldn't care less about their comrades and when given the chance to save people, these so-called "kick-ass women" leave them to die instead.
There's also excessive swearing in the novel, and it felt forced upon occasion. Allow me to quote from the book...
What do I get for my help? Fucking arrested and court marshaled. Because that Liran psycho bitch is the daughter of some highfucking-rank so-and-so. I get bullshit charges and nobody in my squad with the tits to say a fucking word in my favor.
When the author emailed me asking if I would like to review his books, I was so excited because oh my gosh, it's my first ever review request email from an author! He said the book was about "a crew of kick-ass women, set in the future" and I thought I would enjoy it, so I said yes to his request.
Oh my, I have never been more disappointed.
I was expecting these "kick-ass women" to support and empower each other and to face challenges together. Instead, they couldn't care less about their comrades and when given the chance to save people, these so-called "kick-ass women" leave them to die instead.
There's also excessive swearing in the novel, and it felt forced upon occasion. Allow me to quote from the book...
What do I get for my help? Fucking arrested and court marshaled. Because that Liran psycho bitch is the daughter of some highfucking-rank so-and-so. I get bullshit charges and nobody in my squad with the tits to say a fucking word in my favor.
February 20, 2017
Well this is a first, an all action thrilling futuristic adventure that is pure female run. Not a bloke in sight anywhere throughout the book. And as you read you don't even give it a thought, these girls and women are some of the toughest determined and independent characters that I have read in anything else. Aliens now mix freely with humans that are seen as quite a low life as far as strength, endurance and technology are concerned, but no leniency is shown to humans as they face the same trials in order to prove themselves worthy in this alliance of intergalactic comrades readying for war.
You meet Stella and Faye at 18 years old, now at the end of their 8 year training, already to face the final task in order to become part of the intergalactic PULSE empire, or Planetary Union of Life-form Salvation and Emancipation. A unique soldier that as a last task has to survive the horrendous conditions on an alien planet, with only a slim chance of any of them making it to a shuttle to take them back to safety.
What a cracking story this is that is just bursting with action from the very first chapter right to the end. You would think that being with the same girls days after day from being the age of ten would bond them but far from it. Ryan Crawford has created such memorable characters, each with very individual skills, tailored to get the best out of them. The tests they have to face makes for compulsive reading, that would keep any Y.A. glued to each page right to the end, as well as many adults that enjoy books like these. The creatures of this planet are vicious causing the deaths of many of the young would be soldiers but they face a much worse opponent. What I really liked about this book too was Ryan Crawford gave his characters courage and determination but he also gave them, fear, exhaustion and at times total shut down.
A truly engaging novel that I am sure readers would thoroughly enjoy no matter what age. What is brilliant news is that book 2 is under way. So going to get this when it comes available.
You meet Stella and Faye at 18 years old, now at the end of their 8 year training, already to face the final task in order to become part of the intergalactic PULSE empire, or Planetary Union of Life-form Salvation and Emancipation. A unique soldier that as a last task has to survive the horrendous conditions on an alien planet, with only a slim chance of any of them making it to a shuttle to take them back to safety.
What a cracking story this is that is just bursting with action from the very first chapter right to the end. You would think that being with the same girls days after day from being the age of ten would bond them but far from it. Ryan Crawford has created such memorable characters, each with very individual skills, tailored to get the best out of them. The tests they have to face makes for compulsive reading, that would keep any Y.A. glued to each page right to the end, as well as many adults that enjoy books like these. The creatures of this planet are vicious causing the deaths of many of the young would be soldiers but they face a much worse opponent. What I really liked about this book too was Ryan Crawford gave his characters courage and determination but he also gave them, fear, exhaustion and at times total shut down.
A truly engaging novel that I am sure readers would thoroughly enjoy no matter what age. What is brilliant news is that book 2 is under way. So going to get this when it comes available.
May 21, 2017
Thanks to the author for sending me an ecopy of the book.
3.5 stars
This book was a really entertaining read. It’s an action-packed sci-fi book with badass protagonists along with a bunch of creepy aliens – one of them doesn’t even have a pupil. The best thing is that it’s really unpredictable so there’s no point predicting what’s gonna happen next or who’s gonna die.
This book takes place in futuristic Earth where no man is present and the Earth is inhabited by women as well as aliens. PULSE is an intergalactic organisation and to become a PULSE militant, earthlings have to go through a test or trial. The interesting thing is that they don’t know what or who they’ll face during the trial but all they know is that it will be on another planet and quite challenging and daunting. Only a few students can pass this test so you have to be really brave and smart if you want to win it because not passing the test means dying.
One of the things that I like about this book is that the characters are quite realistic unlike many other YA Fantasy heroines who are either an epitome of perfection or “the average-looking special snowflake”. Like, Stella is really impulsive and a bit stupid but you have to accept it because that’s her personality and stupid is what she is. The character development is also commendable. I like how the trial transformed and changed some characters while at the same time, new friendships forged among them.
The author has also done a great job at writing the book because the descriptions are quite vivid. While reading the book, the images came to my mind. So I think that the writing is done quite well.
What I Didn’t Like About This Book:
* The world building was weak. There’s no history on how the men disappeared or extinct and how the aliens came to Earth. I want to know when it all started, how everything happened.
* There was this character who appeared out of nowhere and I was like
* I mean, the author explained a little about her but it still was confusing. I would want to say more but I don’t want to spoil anything.
* Stella – one of the main characters – was really annoying at the beginning. She was like “Oh, I’m the best” and blah blah blah. She was really stupid – as mentioned above – at the beginning of the book. Thank God, her character development was good because she got on my nerves way too much.
One of the coolest things about this book is the huntress. Yep, there is a crazy huntress on this other planet to make the test even more miserable because she’s on a mission to kill all of them. Although, it’s kind of like “How did that happen?” because the MC kills the huntress or wounds her badly and you think that she’s gone but then she appears out of nowhere.
I honestly wondered if she possessed the philosopher’s stone or something because why the hell is she never dead? It honestly, got really annoying when she started appearing everywhere. Take a chill, girl.
I’ll recommend it to you if you like action packed sci-fi books but if you’re one of the sensitive readers, I wouldn’t. There are too many people dying in this book and it’s really graphical. I personally enjoyed this book a lot and I’ll definitely read the sequel!
3.5 stars
This book was a really entertaining read. It’s an action-packed sci-fi book with badass protagonists along with a bunch of creepy aliens – one of them doesn’t even have a pupil. The best thing is that it’s really unpredictable so there’s no point predicting what’s gonna happen next or who’s gonna die.
This book takes place in futuristic Earth where no man is present and the Earth is inhabited by women as well as aliens. PULSE is an intergalactic organisation and to become a PULSE militant, earthlings have to go through a test or trial. The interesting thing is that they don’t know what or who they’ll face during the trial but all they know is that it will be on another planet and quite challenging and daunting. Only a few students can pass this test so you have to be really brave and smart if you want to win it because not passing the test means dying.
One of the things that I like about this book is that the characters are quite realistic unlike many other YA Fantasy heroines who are either an epitome of perfection or “the average-looking special snowflake”. Like, Stella is really impulsive and a bit stupid but you have to accept it because that’s her personality and stupid is what she is. The character development is also commendable. I like how the trial transformed and changed some characters while at the same time, new friendships forged among them.
The author has also done a great job at writing the book because the descriptions are quite vivid. While reading the book, the images came to my mind. So I think that the writing is done quite well.
What I Didn’t Like About This Book:
* The world building was weak. There’s no history on how the men disappeared or extinct and how the aliens came to Earth. I want to know when it all started, how everything happened.
* There was this character who appeared out of nowhere and I was like
* I mean, the author explained a little about her but it still was confusing. I would want to say more but I don’t want to spoil anything.
* Stella – one of the main characters – was really annoying at the beginning. She was like “Oh, I’m the best” and blah blah blah. She was really stupid – as mentioned above – at the beginning of the book. Thank God, her character development was good because she got on my nerves way too much.
One of the coolest things about this book is the huntress. Yep, there is a crazy huntress on this other planet to make the test even more miserable because she’s on a mission to kill all of them. Although, it’s kind of like “How did that happen?” because the MC kills the huntress or wounds her badly and you think that she’s gone but then she appears out of nowhere.
I honestly wondered if she possessed the philosopher’s stone or something because why the hell is she never dead? It honestly, got really annoying when she started appearing everywhere. Take a chill, girl.
I’ll recommend it to you if you like action packed sci-fi books but if you’re one of the sensitive readers, I wouldn’t. There are too many people dying in this book and it’s really graphical. I personally enjoyed this book a lot and I’ll definitely read the sequel!
December 21, 2016
I was given a copy of this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I enjoyed Pulse, even though I had a bit of trouble connecting to the characters. I only started warming up to them toward the end. The writing felt a little bit "forced" and "over-written", meaning it seemed like the author spent a lot of time with his thesaurus.
Also, we kept being told how tight Fae and Stella were through their thoughts, and it seemed a bit overkill.
I got over that quickly, because the story pulled me in. I did feel the action and fighting scenes were fairly implausible since we were still talking about humans, and young women at that - even though they'd had 10 years of training.
Still, back to the story. It is not the Hunger Games or Divergent, but does have strong young female lead characters in a post-apocalyptic setting which is a fave for me. There was depth to the characters, and some friendships were just burdgeoning at the end.
I'd love to know more of the back story, and actually would love to read book two to see where Stella goes.
I enjoyed Pulse, even though I had a bit of trouble connecting to the characters. I only started warming up to them toward the end. The writing felt a little bit "forced" and "over-written", meaning it seemed like the author spent a lot of time with his thesaurus.
Also, we kept being told how tight Fae and Stella were through their thoughts, and it seemed a bit overkill.
I got over that quickly, because the story pulled me in. I did feel the action and fighting scenes were fairly implausible since we were still talking about humans, and young women at that - even though they'd had 10 years of training.
Still, back to the story. It is not the Hunger Games or Divergent, but does have strong young female lead characters in a post-apocalyptic setting which is a fave for me. There was depth to the characters, and some friendships were just burdgeoning at the end.
I'd love to know more of the back story, and actually would love to read book two to see where Stella goes.
December 13, 2016
When I was first recommended this book to read I had no idea what to expect, with this being the author's first outing.
However, the story became captivating very early on. The characters are varied, realistic and most importantly, well-developed throughout the story. The action scenes are well-described - and often brutal - really driving home the sense of desperation the characters are in as they fight for their lives.
However, the story became captivating very early on. The characters are varied, realistic and most importantly, well-developed throughout the story. The action scenes are well-described - and often brutal - really driving home the sense of desperation the characters are in as they fight for their lives.
January 9, 2017
(I received a digital copy of this book for free. Thanks to author R.A. Crawford.)
This was a sci-fi story about a group of girls going through a terrible trial to try to become PULSE officers.
Stella was a strong character, and it was clear how much she cared for her best friend Faye. She was also pretty good at looking past old grievances as well, and seeing what was really important when it came to a matter of survival.
The storyline in this was about a group of girls who lived in an all-female society, who were training to become PULSE officers, who upheld the law on most planets. The trial involved a group of teenage girls being dumped on a hostile planet, and having to make their way to a pick-up point 72 hours later, having survived the brutal conditions they were left to face. The trial was actually pretty horrendous, and there was plenty of action and deaths, and absolutely no romance at all, which I know some people will appreciate!
The ending to this was also pretty good, and it was quite fun to try to work out who would make it and who wouldn’t.
6.5 out of 10
“And sometimes,” she paused, “you have to do bad shit to get a happy ending.”
This was a sci-fi story about a group of girls going through a terrible trial to try to become PULSE officers.
Stella was a strong character, and it was clear how much she cared for her best friend Faye. She was also pretty good at looking past old grievances as well, and seeing what was really important when it came to a matter of survival.
The storyline in this was about a group of girls who lived in an all-female society, who were training to become PULSE officers, who upheld the law on most planets. The trial involved a group of teenage girls being dumped on a hostile planet, and having to make their way to a pick-up point 72 hours later, having survived the brutal conditions they were left to face. The trial was actually pretty horrendous, and there was plenty of action and deaths, and absolutely no romance at all, which I know some people will appreciate!
The ending to this was also pretty good, and it was quite fun to try to work out who would make it and who wouldn’t.
6.5 out of 10
April 14, 2023
Hunger Games meets Star Trek - of which I am both fans of. A riveting, action-packed, and fun read.
December 13, 2016
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. I love sci-fi and action so the genre immediately caught my attention. An all female cast and a world without men though, I wondered if perhaps I was not the target audience for this book but I'm glad to say that it did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all, it was a bloody good read. By maybe chapter 4 or 5 I was hooked and it only got better. As the story intensified the action only got more and more brutal. There are some really great fight scenes in this book, Stella and Haley's battle springs to mind in particular. The author definitely has a talent for writing action scenes, they're described in such detail and yet the scenes do not come across as boring or too descriptive. The characters grow on you and I became really invested in their stories.
I'm very happy I chose to read this and I look forward to any potential sequels?
I'm very happy I chose to read this and I look forward to any potential sequels?
January 21, 2017
*The author was kind enough to send me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review*
For the most part I enjoyed this book. The world this book is set in is an intriguing one, however I would have liked more information about it. I feel like more detail would have given me a much better grasp of the world. The plot was mostly engaging and fast paced - I found it to be a quick and easy read. Where this book falls down for me is the characters. I just didn't really care about them. I did not like Stella, who is one of the main character and so that made the reading process a little jarring. There was only one character that I was interested in. That is just me though - I think a lot of people would enjoy these characters. However it is great to see a book full of strong female characters. So overall, I liked it but it fell a little flat for me, but if it sounds interesting to you I would still recommend checking it out.
For the most part I enjoyed this book. The world this book is set in is an intriguing one, however I would have liked more information about it. I feel like more detail would have given me a much better grasp of the world. The plot was mostly engaging and fast paced - I found it to be a quick and easy read. Where this book falls down for me is the characters. I just didn't really care about them. I did not like Stella, who is one of the main character and so that made the reading process a little jarring. There was only one character that I was interested in. That is just me though - I think a lot of people would enjoy these characters. However it is great to see a book full of strong female characters. So overall, I liked it but it fell a little flat for me, but if it sounds interesting to you I would still recommend checking it out.
December 14, 2016
I was engaged from start to finish! It reminded me of The Maze Runner, but it is better, as there is the potential for a far more climactic ending to the series and I love the intergalactic elements.
There are a multitude of characters that I fell in love with and cannot wait to read more about (as I eagerly await the next book). The action scenes constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. I do not want to ruin any scenes and so I will not detail my favourite parts and characters. However, I must inform you all that it was emotional roller-coaster and I constantly feared what might happen next in this dangerous trial.
I would strongly recommend that you read this book because I anticipate that it will become a film, and books are always better.
There are a multitude of characters that I fell in love with and cannot wait to read more about (as I eagerly await the next book). The action scenes constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. I do not want to ruin any scenes and so I will not detail my favourite parts and characters. However, I must inform you all that it was emotional roller-coaster and I constantly feared what might happen next in this dangerous trial.
I would strongly recommend that you read this book because I anticipate that it will become a film, and books are always better.
December 26, 2016
Pulse: The Trial is a amazing effort for first time writer Ryan Crawford. You are thrown into a new world which allows your imagination to run wild. What makes The Trial stand out is the compelling and 3 dimension characters. The protagonists are forced into complex situations and it's here where you discover the layered and intriguing personalities. The action is fast paced, descriptive and often brutal. The author seems to take inspiration from anime and at times you can't help but wince during the unforgiving tests of the trials. This is a exciting read which touches on some bigger issues. Hopefully this is not the last we see of PULSE as it seems there are many more adventures to uncover.
December 14, 2016
Wow! What a book. Full of strong female characters, one amazing adventure and aliens. Well written, so much I can actually picture each character and what they should look like. I got a real sense of the lead females and went on their incredible journey with them. I'm not sure what happened to the men, but I didn't miss them in this book. Although I really would like to know what happened to the men. I'm glad I was recommended it. Fantastic. I think if I lived in a world where PULSE existed I'm not sure I'd survive what they went through.
December 16, 2016
I've never read a Sci-fi book before considering I'm a big Sci-fi fan. I found this book capitiaving from the moment I started reading, I couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what had happened to the characters during their Trial. It's a fast paced book and you feel a gamut of emotions with and for the characters. I hope that there will be answers to the questions that this story raised in the next book which I can't wait to be published. Good read from this author's first book.
December 26, 2016
Great first book. I couldn't put it down once i started reading. Can't wait for the second book to come out.
February 2, 2019
Kat Mandu says...
In a society ruled by women, a group of human girls working toward becoming PULSE soldiers must prove their worth in a deadly trial no human has ever survived before. And if the barely uninhabitable planet they drop on doesn’t kill them first, the other women just might.
Pulse follows two young girls, Stella and Faye, not to mention a myriad of other women (both alien and human) as they work to become enforcers for PULSE, an intergalactic space organization that goes from planet to planet and frees women from “the evil” of men (and men in general). They’ve been training for ten years, which is nice because in order to become soldiers, they must first pass a brutal trial on a wicked planet full of dangerous terrain, deadly enemies, and harsh conditions. From the moment they jump off the spaceship and have to fall to the surface, to the final confrontation as they attempt escaping, Stella and Faye have to be at their best to succeed – or else perish like every other human before them.
This is action-packed and full of fight scenes between the girls, monsters, and human nature. It’s reminiscent of the violent competitions in the Hunger Games, especially since the story is narrated by you guessed it, all women. These girls are tough and fierce, and Stella and Faye make a great duo. I liked the bonds between them and how tested their relationship became in the darkest moments of the trial.
However the writing just didn’t do it for me.
For one, I don’t mind descriptions of certain battle scenes and etc, because you’ve gotta have great visuals, yes? However this was often way too verbose in places, making you wonder what was actually happening in between three full paragraphs of unnecessary details. I found myself struggling to follow along.
Another thing is that I didn’t understand the narration. I’ve read several third-person perspective books, but none have been this chaotic. The thing that irked me the most was the shift to characters that weren’t important to the story line. For example, at the very beginning, you hear from Stella’s mother – but why? What role does she have to play in the set up, beyond offering “mental” support for Stella at random and infrequent moments? Switching to characters who don’t play a valuable role is a waste of space. Why did we have to hear from Haley right before Stella went to fight her in hand to hand combat? I felt that switching so often distracted from what the story was trying to say. I wish it would have stayed within the confines of Stella/Faye’s head (and I guess, Koot at times).
Sadly, I could not connect with any of the characters at all. I liked that they had various personality traits but I just didn’t feel for any of them, despite their situations.
I didn’t understand the unrealistic battle between Stella and Haley either. The girls have been rivals for quite some time now and they can’t stand each other. Okay, that works. A little high school drama never hurts anyone. BUT IS THAT A REASON FOR WANTING TO KILL EACH OTHER? My god no. This was my final sigh moment, even though I continued to read it. How could someone go from simply hating someone for stupid reasons – Haley often beat Stella in combat, for example – to wanting to kill them? Nope, nope, nope. It just went to an extreme level that was just…again, unnecessary.
I also missed the actual world-building. A world ruled by all women? Okay, that’s awesome. Now why? Do I need to know every detail of how the world came to be? No, I mean, even Divergent and Hunger Games had very vague reasons on how their worlds ended up like that. But these girls are going through all this trouble – this life-threatening trial – to prove themselves. Okay? Why? To free women, okay, that’s a good reason, but it’s not enough for me. Are men savages in this world? Are they corrupt? Why are these women fighting to prove? That lack of information just doesn’t work for me.
Despite all this, Pulse is not a bad story. I mean, I’ve seen the reviews on Goodreads and a lot of people really love it. I liked the action and the excitement but the rest was not for me.
In a society ruled by women, a group of human girls working toward becoming PULSE soldiers must prove their worth in a deadly trial no human has ever survived before. And if the barely uninhabitable planet they drop on doesn’t kill them first, the other women just might.
Pulse follows two young girls, Stella and Faye, not to mention a myriad of other women (both alien and human) as they work to become enforcers for PULSE, an intergalactic space organization that goes from planet to planet and frees women from “the evil” of men (and men in general). They’ve been training for ten years, which is nice because in order to become soldiers, they must first pass a brutal trial on a wicked planet full of dangerous terrain, deadly enemies, and harsh conditions. From the moment they jump off the spaceship and have to fall to the surface, to the final confrontation as they attempt escaping, Stella and Faye have to be at their best to succeed – or else perish like every other human before them.
This is action-packed and full of fight scenes between the girls, monsters, and human nature. It’s reminiscent of the violent competitions in the Hunger Games, especially since the story is narrated by you guessed it, all women. These girls are tough and fierce, and Stella and Faye make a great duo. I liked the bonds between them and how tested their relationship became in the darkest moments of the trial.
However the writing just didn’t do it for me.
For one, I don’t mind descriptions of certain battle scenes and etc, because you’ve gotta have great visuals, yes? However this was often way too verbose in places, making you wonder what was actually happening in between three full paragraphs of unnecessary details. I found myself struggling to follow along.
Another thing is that I didn’t understand the narration. I’ve read several third-person perspective books, but none have been this chaotic. The thing that irked me the most was the shift to characters that weren’t important to the story line. For example, at the very beginning, you hear from Stella’s mother – but why? What role does she have to play in the set up, beyond offering “mental” support for Stella at random and infrequent moments? Switching to characters who don’t play a valuable role is a waste of space. Why did we have to hear from Haley right before Stella went to fight her in hand to hand combat? I felt that switching so often distracted from what the story was trying to say. I wish it would have stayed within the confines of Stella/Faye’s head (and I guess, Koot at times).
Sadly, I could not connect with any of the characters at all. I liked that they had various personality traits but I just didn’t feel for any of them, despite their situations.
I didn’t understand the unrealistic battle between Stella and Haley either. The girls have been rivals for quite some time now and they can’t stand each other. Okay, that works. A little high school drama never hurts anyone. BUT IS THAT A REASON FOR WANTING TO KILL EACH OTHER? My god no. This was my final sigh moment, even though I continued to read it. How could someone go from simply hating someone for stupid reasons – Haley often beat Stella in combat, for example – to wanting to kill them? Nope, nope, nope. It just went to an extreme level that was just…again, unnecessary.
I also missed the actual world-building. A world ruled by all women? Okay, that’s awesome. Now why? Do I need to know every detail of how the world came to be? No, I mean, even Divergent and Hunger Games had very vague reasons on how their worlds ended up like that. But these girls are going through all this trouble – this life-threatening trial – to prove themselves. Okay? Why? To free women, okay, that’s a good reason, but it’s not enough for me. Are men savages in this world? Are they corrupt? Why are these women fighting to prove? That lack of information just doesn’t work for me.
Despite all this, Pulse is not a bad story. I mean, I’ve seen the reviews on Goodreads and a lot of people really love it. I liked the action and the excitement but the rest was not for me.
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