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Forgotten Earth #1
Earth Unknown
A terrible discovery.
A secret that could destroy human civilization.
A desperate escape to the most dangerous planet in the universe... Earth.
Two hundred years ago, a fleet of colony ships left Earth and started a settlement on Proxima Centauri...
Centurion Space Force pilot Nathan Stacker didn't expect to return home to find his wife dead. He didn't expect the murderer to look just like him, and he definitely didn't expect to be the one to take the blame.
But his wife had control of a powerful secret. A secret that stretches across the light years between two worlds and could lead to the end of both.
Now that secret is in Nathan's hands, and he's about to make the most desperate evasive maneuver of his life -- stealing a starship and setting a course for Earth.
He thinks he'll be safe there.
He's wrong. Very wrong.
Earth is nothing like what he expected. Not even close. What he doesn't know is not only likely to kill him, it's eager to kill him, and even if it doesn't?
The Sheriff will.
A secret that could destroy human civilization.
A desperate escape to the most dangerous planet in the universe... Earth.
Two hundred years ago, a fleet of colony ships left Earth and started a settlement on Proxima Centauri...
Centurion Space Force pilot Nathan Stacker didn't expect to return home to find his wife dead. He didn't expect the murderer to look just like him, and he definitely didn't expect to be the one to take the blame.
But his wife had control of a powerful secret. A secret that stretches across the light years between two worlds and could lead to the end of both.
Now that secret is in Nathan's hands, and he's about to make the most desperate evasive maneuver of his life -- stealing a starship and setting a course for Earth.
He thinks he'll be safe there.
He's wrong. Very wrong.
Earth is nothing like what he expected. Not even close. What he doesn't know is not only likely to kill him, it's eager to kill him, and even if it doesn't?
The Sheriff will.
454 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2018
1744 people are currently reading
445 people want to read
About the author
M.R. Forbes
165 books1,008 followersM.R. Forbes is the author of a growing number of science-fiction series including Rebellion, War Eternal, Chaos of the Covenant, Stars End, and the Forgotten novels. Having spent his childhood trying to read every sci-fi novel he could find (and write his own too), play every sci-fi video game he could get his hands on, and see every sci-fi movie that made it into the theater, he has a true love of the genre across every medium. He works hard to bring that same energy to his own stories, with a continuing goal to entertain, delight, fascinate, and surprise.
He maintains a true appreciation for his readers and is always happy to hear from them.
To learn more about M.R. Forbes or just say hello:
Visit his website:
mrforbes.com
Send him an e-mail:
michael@mrforbes.com
Check out his Facebook page:
facebook.com/mrforbes.author
Join his Facebook fan group:
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Find him on Goodreads:
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Follow him on Bookbub:
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He maintains a true appreciation for his readers and is always happy to hear from them.
To learn more about M.R. Forbes or just say hello:
Visit his website:
mrforbes.com
Send him an e-mail:
michael@mrforbes.com
Check out his Facebook page:
facebook.com/mrforbes.author
Join his Facebook fan group:
facebook.com/groups/mrforbes
Follow him on Instagram:
instagram.com/mrforbes_author
Find him on Goodreads:
goodreads.com/mrforbes
Follow him on Bookbub:
bookbub.com/authors/m-r-forbes
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 13, 2018
This is a new series that I’m starting, but I’m not exactly sure I’ll finish it. Oh, the writing is very good and the story-line is interesting, it’s just not my kind of read. For one, the main character, Nathan Stacker, isn’t in the military. And he won’t be brought back into the military because he killed one of his soldiers while on duty and went to prison for a long time. He was in prison for 50 years! Right, that is a long time. Still, Nathan Stacker is kind of unique in that he’s an original replica. He was one of the first humans to be created in a lab using DNA from another human. I think he stated somewhere that he was created and grown inside of three months or something like that.
Anyway, while in the military, he did kill one of his soldiers by accident when they got in a fight. Stacker’s entire body is enhanced way beyond what a normal humans would be, so when he uses his fists, it’s not just a “love tap”. I can’t say it was all his fault, because most normal humans don’t like replicas and treat them badly if they can get away with it. To top it off, this original group of replicas, including Stacker, had a defect that caused them to become unstable when threatened. So, while Stacker didn’t actual mean to kill the guy, he acted without thought or real control of his mind. The military jury didn’t consider this built in flaw, so he was sentenced to prison. He was released after fifty years when a review panel decided to give him some slack and shorten his life sentence.
Now, obviously, Nathan Stacker doesn’t age like the rest of us or this book would be about an 80 year old man. But, it’s not, because Stacker seems to be about mid-30s or somewhere around prime condition. Since he left the military, he’s not had much opportunities to get a job. He wound up working for the Trust which is similar to Earth’s Mafia and organized crime syndicate. Oh, yeah, Nathan Stacker, lives on Proxima B, Dome One, Old Praeton. He’s just finished a job for the Trust and is headed home to his wife, Niobe. That’s when things go bad, very bad!
How does Earth fit into this story? Well, of course you’re going to have to read the book to find that out. Still, this is not necessarily a military science fiction book which is what I like to read. There is fighting and other combat related stuff to be sure, but it’s not my kind of action. The writing is good and the story is told very well. As the first book in a series, you already know that something else is coming and I encourage you to read the series just because the writing is done well.
Anyway, while in the military, he did kill one of his soldiers by accident when they got in a fight. Stacker’s entire body is enhanced way beyond what a normal humans would be, so when he uses his fists, it’s not just a “love tap”. I can’t say it was all his fault, because most normal humans don’t like replicas and treat them badly if they can get away with it. To top it off, this original group of replicas, including Stacker, had a defect that caused them to become unstable when threatened. So, while Stacker didn’t actual mean to kill the guy, he acted without thought or real control of his mind. The military jury didn’t consider this built in flaw, so he was sentenced to prison. He was released after fifty years when a review panel decided to give him some slack and shorten his life sentence.
Now, obviously, Nathan Stacker doesn’t age like the rest of us or this book would be about an 80 year old man. But, it’s not, because Stacker seems to be about mid-30s or somewhere around prime condition. Since he left the military, he’s not had much opportunities to get a job. He wound up working for the Trust which is similar to Earth’s Mafia and organized crime syndicate. Oh, yeah, Nathan Stacker, lives on Proxima B, Dome One, Old Praeton. He’s just finished a job for the Trust and is headed home to his wife, Niobe. That’s when things go bad, very bad!
How does Earth fit into this story? Well, of course you’re going to have to read the book to find that out. Still, this is not necessarily a military science fiction book which is what I like to read. There is fighting and other combat related stuff to be sure, but it’s not my kind of action. The writing is good and the story is told very well. As the first book in a series, you already know that something else is coming and I encourage you to read the series just because the writing is done well.
November 6, 2018
Insanely good hard sci fi. I slowed down to appreciate this. Fantastic universe building (escape from earth, new colony, local government, local crime) and establishing sympathy for the main character up front (the only woman that would ever love me is dead, etc, etc), plus novel components (clones but no, not really, an alien invasion that isn't really an alien invasion, and an apocalypse that isn't really an apocalypse) and you get... a book that shouldn't have ended on a goddamn cliffhanger. It's a good thing that the author opted for what I have to assume is a pseudonym otherwise I'm confident that they'd be getting all sort of hate mail. I mean, yeah, this has been such an epic ride that there was no way it could get wrapped up nice and neat int he time remaining... nevertheless, what the hell? Ugh. Now I have to find the rest of the series.
February 2, 2022
While this had a bit of a slow start for me, it quickly evolved into a great sci-fi story. I wasn't aware of Sheriff Duke from the previous books, but I really like his character as well as Nathan Stacker. Not a bad post-apocalyptic story with all kinds of possibilities as to who the bad guys really are and what's really going on. I like the complicated plot.
The narration by Jonathan Davis was good. I'm still trying to figure out his natural accent.
The narration by Jonathan Davis was good. I'm still trying to figure out his natural accent.
September 10, 2019
Non-stop marines in Space action.
Good plot and characters.
Will tire you out just reading about the constant battling with no relief!
Good plot and characters.
Will tire you out just reading about the constant battling with no relief!
January 19, 2022
More Gary Stu against Zergling action.
DNF at 83%. If you are a fan of unbelievable invincible space marine action against impossible odds maybe this book is for you. I found not enough reasons to keep up reading it myself as the world building is so dull and bland.
About the plot: a space clone gets framed for killing his wife and flees to Earth to look for asylum. He has no clue about Earth but OF COURSE he ends up in Manhattan... (Greetings from John Carpenter!) The space cavallery is sent after him and recruits the invincible sheriff...
The sheriff keeps acting like an idiot. He decided that the ex governor and ex drug lord who had several people executed and killed hundreds of people preventively himself, who betrayed and tried to have him killed several times and whose hands he cut off is a) the best candidate to be govenor of the people in California (muahaha) and b) the perfect person to watch over the well-being of his daughter..... May i advise taking on a psychotic cannibal nanny as well? ;-)
The scene where he tries to arrest the attacking zerglings might have seem "cool" to the author but was only utterly moronic. Another scene where he invites some survivors about whom he knows only that they captured a man for unknown reasons and tried to sacrifice a woman to live within his community with the words that it doesn´t matter what they did or who they are is very "political correct" and idiotic. (especially after his contact with the scrapper cannibals)
DNF at 83%. If you are a fan of unbelievable invincible space marine action against impossible odds maybe this book is for you. I found not enough reasons to keep up reading it myself as the world building is so dull and bland.
About the plot: a space clone gets framed for killing his wife and flees to Earth to look for asylum. He has no clue about Earth but OF COURSE he ends up in Manhattan... (Greetings from John Carpenter!) The space cavallery is sent after him and recruits the invincible sheriff...
The sheriff keeps acting like an idiot. He decided that the ex governor and ex drug lord who had several people executed and killed hundreds of people preventively himself, who betrayed and tried to have him killed several times and whose hands he cut off is a) the best candidate to be govenor of the people in California (muahaha) and b) the perfect person to watch over the well-being of his daughter..... May i advise taking on a psychotic cannibal nanny as well? ;-)
The scene where he tries to arrest the attacking zerglings might have seem "cool" to the author but was only utterly moronic. Another scene where he invites some survivors about whom he knows only that they captured a man for unknown reasons and tried to sacrifice a woman to live within his community with the words that it doesn´t matter what they did or who they are is very "political correct" and idiotic. (especially after his contact with the scrapper cannibals)
August 4, 2018
I read a lot. With the advances in self publishing, and e-books, there are a lot of books available. Most of them are not worth the bits and bytes it took to make it. This series, (I am currently halfway through the third book) has so far been quite a refreshing change form the quagmire of bad books. The plot has more twists than Trump's foreign policy, and the characters are reasonably well developed, not overdone, and not polarized. No saints, no evil for the sake of evil, just people in a difficult situation being people. While writing an action packed series, the author also asks some important moral and philosophical questions.
April 23, 2022
It's interesting enough to hold the attention, and while I'm curious how it will continue, I'm not seized by a burning desire to read the next book in the series. I'll probably get the collection, and read that, but it won't be on my *must* read shelf for the forseeable future.
October 14, 2019
Two heroes from the previous trilogy in the Forgotten Universe series cross paths with its newest hero
*************** SPOILERS *************
This is not a full review but only a lengthy introduction to Forgotten Earth, Book 1.
Captain Nathan Stacker is a Stacker replica, grown and born an adult, trained as a Spacer in the Centurion Space Force and graced with an unknown long lifespan. One of many, a unique generation, their genome based on a hero of the distant past when humanity fled the Earth. Released from prison for the accidental manslaughter of a fellow Spacer, Nathan now makes a living as an Enforcer for a shadowy organisation called the Trust, that most citizens consider a myth.
Nathan finds himself on the run after being unjustly accused of his wife's murder, set up by the Trust. He escapes detainment and flees Proxima B in a stolen starship, to Earth expecting asylum, if not salvation. He discovers within minutes of arrival that Earth is not the calm, safe, advanced mother planet and home of humanity that he and every other Proxima B citizen was led to believe in by the Proxima government and its military, Proxima Command. The spacecraft Stacker stole is shot down and from the moment he sets foot on the ground, it is a constant moment to moment, life and death struggle to stay alive. For the treasured memory of his dead wife, Nathan pledges to continue to survive, find out why she was killed and get revenge on the Trust, who are seemingly behind everything that is occurring on Proxima B and possibly also here on Earth.
In pursuit of Stacker from Proxima B, the ruthlessly efficient, soldier turned recent bureaucrat, Special Officer (Sergeant) Austin Bennett, who has orders to catch, detain and return Nathan Stacker to Proxima B - unless Stacker makes the unfortunate but desperate choice of death before recapture. Here on Earth, Sergeant Bennett is joined by a relentless and dogged but self-sacrificing Earth lawman Sheriff Hayden Duke, who has previously worked successfully with Bennett.
The denizens of Earth including the unending hordes of alien lifeforms, the trife, and Earth soldiers of unknown origin will have a say in the outcome of Nathan Stacker's story in book 1 of the Forgotten Earth quadrilogy - Earth Unknown. This book follows on from the previous series The Forgotten, which introduced Sheriff Hayden Duke, a man on a mission to bring law and order back to Earth,
- one day, one person, one trife at a time if necessary.
As with previous book series by M.R. Forbes, this book presents a brutal but riveting introduction to the Forgotten Universe of a deeply flawed human character Nathan Stacker. A pilot, an ex-Spacer with weak anger management and impulse control, leading to an onset of violence - this being an unfortunate flaw inherent in his genome, which he seeks to rise above even in his desperate situation on Earth.
With the Forgotten Universe, M.R. Forbes has built a deeply compelling but unrelentingly ruthless future environment of humanity in the aftermath of alien invasion, with the majority of the action taking place two hundred years plus in the future, after the invasion.
*************** SPOILERS *************
This is not a full review but only a lengthy introduction to Forgotten Earth, Book 1.
Captain Nathan Stacker is a Stacker replica, grown and born an adult, trained as a Spacer in the Centurion Space Force and graced with an unknown long lifespan. One of many, a unique generation, their genome based on a hero of the distant past when humanity fled the Earth. Released from prison for the accidental manslaughter of a fellow Spacer, Nathan now makes a living as an Enforcer for a shadowy organisation called the Trust, that most citizens consider a myth.
Nathan finds himself on the run after being unjustly accused of his wife's murder, set up by the Trust. He escapes detainment and flees Proxima B in a stolen starship, to Earth expecting asylum, if not salvation. He discovers within minutes of arrival that Earth is not the calm, safe, advanced mother planet and home of humanity that he and every other Proxima B citizen was led to believe in by the Proxima government and its military, Proxima Command. The spacecraft Stacker stole is shot down and from the moment he sets foot on the ground, it is a constant moment to moment, life and death struggle to stay alive. For the treasured memory of his dead wife, Nathan pledges to continue to survive, find out why she was killed and get revenge on the Trust, who are seemingly behind everything that is occurring on Proxima B and possibly also here on Earth.
In pursuit of Stacker from Proxima B, the ruthlessly efficient, soldier turned recent bureaucrat, Special Officer (Sergeant) Austin Bennett, who has orders to catch, detain and return Nathan Stacker to Proxima B - unless Stacker makes the unfortunate but desperate choice of death before recapture. Here on Earth, Sergeant Bennett is joined by a relentless and dogged but self-sacrificing Earth lawman Sheriff Hayden Duke, who has previously worked successfully with Bennett.
The denizens of Earth including the unending hordes of alien lifeforms, the trife, and Earth soldiers of unknown origin will have a say in the outcome of Nathan Stacker's story in book 1 of the Forgotten Earth quadrilogy - Earth Unknown. This book follows on from the previous series The Forgotten, which introduced Sheriff Hayden Duke, a man on a mission to bring law and order back to Earth,
- one day, one person, one trife at a time if necessary.
As with previous book series by M.R. Forbes, this book presents a brutal but riveting introduction to the Forgotten Universe of a deeply flawed human character Nathan Stacker. A pilot, an ex-Spacer with weak anger management and impulse control, leading to an onset of violence - this being an unfortunate flaw inherent in his genome, which he seeks to rise above even in his desperate situation on Earth.
With the Forgotten Universe, M.R. Forbes has built a deeply compelling but unrelentingly ruthless future environment of humanity in the aftermath of alien invasion, with the majority of the action taking place two hundred years plus in the future, after the invasion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2020
This is a well written sci-fi novel, and I enjoyed reading it. The plot was laid out logically and developed to keep the reader in suspense as it switched locations to follow the actions and events of the main character and those pursuing him.
Nathan Stacker, former pilot in the Praxima Centauri Space Force, accidentally killing a fellow soldier and spending 50 years in prison, had been released and had married a brilliant scientist. He was working for the Trust, an syndicate, the existence of which was denied by all the authorities, yet it did exist. Framed for the murder of his wife, he was captured and escaped, finding a way to head to Earth, knowing his wife had discovered something that had made her a target for the Trust and him the scapegoat.
This was a fast paced novel with good detail as the story developed through its conclusion. The ending leaves the reader set up for the sequel novel, and, quite frankly, was not what I expected.
I would recommend this for those who enjoy sci-fi.
Nathan Stacker, former pilot in the Praxima Centauri Space Force, accidentally killing a fellow soldier and spending 50 years in prison, had been released and had married a brilliant scientist. He was working for the Trust, an syndicate, the existence of which was denied by all the authorities, yet it did exist. Framed for the murder of his wife, he was captured and escaped, finding a way to head to Earth, knowing his wife had discovered something that had made her a target for the Trust and him the scapegoat.
This was a fast paced novel with good detail as the story developed through its conclusion. The ending leaves the reader set up for the sequel novel, and, quite frankly, was not what I expected.
I would recommend this for those who enjoy sci-fi.
May 30, 2020
Talk about a wild ride, from page one on and on. The excitement of a rollercoaster as Stacker fights for his life and to avenge his wife's murder. Running with a little luck and a whole lot of muscle he makes it onto a starship and heads for Earth. Bad move as we find him fighting the Trife who obliterated the people of Earth or at least m o st of them. And now they are his enemy along with a whole lot of others he met along the way. Fast paced and full of emotion as well as heart stopping treachery. Wow I'm still hyped.
October 27, 2018
This feels like a spin-off series. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but I like the feeling of spin-offs so I'm not complaining. I couldn't stop listening to this once I started so I'm giving it 4 stars even if I didn't like some parts of the story. What I really did like was Nathan Stacker and I hope his luck turns around in this series because he sure hasn't had much so far in his life.
March 25, 2019
This may be one of the, if not THE worst book I’ve actually finished. At least I finished it, but horrible dialogue, minimal plot, and endless “trife” attack scenes made this nearly unreadable. I only finished because it had such a high rating (4.29) and I thought maybe a great twist or ending was coming ... don’t make the same mistake I did.
June 11, 2019
I was a bit against starting this book as i knew it would be more of a post-apocalypse type genre rather than the standard space sci-fi that links the rest of the the Forgotten universe. However, even though it was what i assumed it was still a very good read!
The story picks up (kind of) where the The Forgotten series finished with Sheriff Hayden Duke still kicking ass on Earth and the Centurions still hiding up in Proxima B. Apart from a few references you might not get i think you could start this series as a stand alone but i would recommend reading the Forgotten series first to get the back story.
As always with M.R. Forbes the book is very well written with a lot of story and twists put into it for good measure, not to mention epic battles and fights. I did have one gripe though, obviously the author is American and wants to promote his country but at times is seems it's to obviously coming through. If anyone was going to land on Earth would they go for huge land mass of Europe and Russia or would they go for North America? You'd go to the population - the land mass. Also the Space Force have a hidden base on Earth, where? America... But the biggest bit was out of all the wars on Earth that has ever happened, WW1, WW2, Persian to name a few the only one that Nathan Stacker was interested in was the American Civil war.... Oh well
My small gripe aside the book is brilliant and M.R. Forbes is now one of my favourite i'm looking forward to reading the rest and carrying on with the Forgotten universe.
The story picks up (kind of) where the The Forgotten series finished with Sheriff Hayden Duke still kicking ass on Earth and the Centurions still hiding up in Proxima B. Apart from a few references you might not get i think you could start this series as a stand alone but i would recommend reading the Forgotten series first to get the back story.
As always with M.R. Forbes the book is very well written with a lot of story and twists put into it for good measure, not to mention epic battles and fights. I did have one gripe though, obviously the author is American and wants to promote his country but at times is seems it's to obviously coming through. If anyone was going to land on Earth would they go for huge land mass of Europe and Russia or would they go for North America? You'd go to the population - the land mass. Also the Space Force have a hidden base on Earth, where? America... But the biggest bit was out of all the wars on Earth that has ever happened, WW1, WW2, Persian to name a few the only one that Nathan Stacker was interested in was the American Civil war.... Oh well
My small gripe aside the book is brilliant and M.R. Forbes is now one of my favourite i'm looking forward to reading the rest and carrying on with the Forgotten universe.
March 29, 2019
I mainly read Science Fiction, Fantasy and Military Fiction and then occasionally ready some Military Sci-Fi so this sounded like a decent book based on reviews and the synopsis but really couldn't get into it. To me the main three male characters in this book are all the same person just with a different upbringing so their outlook is slightly different. They've all got "their own" thing to worry about but pretty much can see them all handling the different situations the same way.
The book never really gives you much of a break and I wouldn't really call that a good thing. Constant onslaught of demons, trife,or creatures, whatever you wanna call them gets tired fast. Feels like the same action scene over and over again once Stacker reaches Earth. I didn't hate it but definitely was checking how much further I had to finish the thing. I don't expect to continue the series. Some people may really like it but for me it doesn't even come close to what I consider really good Military Sci-Fi like Scalzi, Haldeman or Heinlein.
The book never really gives you much of a break and I wouldn't really call that a good thing. Constant onslaught of demons, trife,or creatures, whatever you wanna call them gets tired fast. Feels like the same action scene over and over again once Stacker reaches Earth. I didn't hate it but definitely was checking how much further I had to finish the thing. I don't expect to continue the series. Some people may really like it but for me it doesn't even come close to what I consider really good Military Sci-Fi like Scalzi, Haldeman or Heinlein.
October 25, 2020
My rating is not reflective of talent. This author has a definite knack for his craft. The problem is situational logic. I found myself continually gritting my teeth at how often I was pulled out of the story by unrealistic circumstances or responses by characters; things that seemed to be used to create tension, or move the story while not feeling credible. I felt this continually through the book, to the point of rolling my eyes every time Nathan, a trained soldier would inexplicably lose his weapon or some other important piece of equipment right at the worst moment. Or Sheriff managing to keep up with the enhanced Nathan in an extended pursuit, even when Sheriff has to climb out of a wrecked car, is attacked and knocked down and fights off a 'demon' Trife... And Nathan, who has been running the whole time is still close enough to see and pursue?
And this carries into the whole 'unending' fighting/violence aspect. Again, it feels not only tiring, but unrealistic. As much as I love sci-fi, I like to enjoy my reading.
And this carries into the whole 'unending' fighting/violence aspect. Again, it feels not only tiring, but unrealistic. As much as I love sci-fi, I like to enjoy my reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2018
What a Trip to Earth
Wow, this book is fantastic! Nonstop action and twists that keep even an observant reader like myself guessing and wanting more! Nathan is a character the reader wants to succeed and find the truth. He is doing it to avenge the murder of his true love. He escapes his home planet back to Earth looking for answers and help, but Earth is not what he expected. Full of creatures bent on destroying humans and crazy survivors. He is fighting to stay alive and only one person on Earth may believe him, that is until another twist. I can barely stand the wait for book 2, so please Michael Forbes do not let your readers wait too long. This is my second series from this author, and I am now an avid fan!
Wow, this book is fantastic! Nonstop action and twists that keep even an observant reader like myself guessing and wanting more! Nathan is a character the reader wants to succeed and find the truth. He is doing it to avenge the murder of his true love. He escapes his home planet back to Earth looking for answers and help, but Earth is not what he expected. Full of creatures bent on destroying humans and crazy survivors. He is fighting to stay alive and only one person on Earth may believe him, that is until another twist. I can barely stand the wait for book 2, so please Michael Forbes do not let your readers wait too long. This is my second series from this author, and I am now an avid fan!
August 15, 2018
The three-star rating is because the book is military science fiction, and I don't usually care for military science fiction. But by the time I realized this was battle after battle after battle, I was invested in the characters. So I finished it.
That's actually high praise, because it is just constant fighting against overwhelming odds. But several characters, even some minor characters, are very different and interesting. If the book has been more about them, I would have finished it more quickly.
I'm not sure at this point if I'll read the next book in the series. Again, my indecision is actually high praise.
That's actually high praise, because it is just constant fighting against overwhelming odds. But several characters, even some minor characters, are very different and interesting. If the book has been more about them, I would have finished it more quickly.
I'm not sure at this point if I'll read the next book in the series. Again, my indecision is actually high praise.
December 6, 2018
Because Sometimes You Just Need A Book About A Man Who Kills A Lot Of Aliens
It's True. Sometimes you do.
So I read one.
Earth Unknown is about a man. Well, not just a man but a clone. A bad-ass clone who gets chased by soldiers, police, alien hordes... really anything. He's a very chasable person. He also gets shot a lot. And stabbed. And burned, and... listen, he's having a really bad week.
So it's like this, Nathan Stacker is the aforementioned chasable clone. Aside from having to make a living working for a shady futuristic mafia called The Trust, he's living the perfect life on Alpha Centauri until, of course, his wife turns up dead. And, you guessed it, he's the prime suspect given the fact that surveillance video shows that he was the only one to go in or out of her apartment around the time of the murder.
Now, I'd like to take a quick moment and point out that it is established early that he is a clone which means there are literally hundreds of guys running around with his genes on. (Presumably underneath their jeans) And nobody, including the main character, realizes that this is an easy frame job. All he knows is that he didn't do it!
How did the Trust possibly set him up with LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF CLONES OF HIMSELF RUNNING AROUND!
.....ANYHOO....
The chase begins. Police chase him through the domed cities of Proxima Centauri. Then soldiers chase him to a space hanger. Then fighters chase him off the planet and all the way back to Earth.
Which has seen better days.
The Earth we all know and love has been overrun with some kind of alien that is at least fifty-percent claws and fifty-two percent teeth. They come in great, black waves biting and clawing and... well you get the image of a wave of oil that will claw your eyes out.
Enter Sherrif. A six-gun toating, equally bad-ass man who's been on Earth since everything went to hell. And it's up to him and a group of Space Centurians who might as well be dropping onto Earth wearing red shirts to catch Nathan Stacker.
Meanwhile, Nathan has to find the dark secret that killed his wife while being chased by aliens, strange incestuous survivor cults, Sherrif and our redshirt soldiers.
I wanted to like it. And I did. Just not as much as I probably should have. Or could have. For me, the problem was in the characters.
Take the chasable clone, Nathan Stacker. As a man who very recently walked in on his wife's grizzly murder, he's in an emotionally fragile place. You can tell because in the brief free moments when he's not shooting something or being shot at, he takes the time to cry. And it feels.... mostly awkward. It's as if the author said to himself, "Okay, I've written me a bad-ass clone who don't take no shit from nobody knowhow. A lot of people chase him. That's cool. But I want to show that he's got an emotional side too. Throw in a tender moment that shows that he's really more than... OKAY ENOUGH WITH THAT SHIZNITT! MORE ASPLODE!!"
The Sherrif as well rubbed me the wrong way. His most distinguishable characteristic is his desire to carry around a six-shooter when there are clearly better weapons available. That and his metal arms which he uses to beat aliens with. And his folksy attitude toward alien domination (which is probably what rubbed me wrong, to be honest) But, besides that, there was nothing much there.
But maybe I'm looking at this wrong. Like the title of the post says, sometimes you just need a book about a man who kills a lot of aliens.
This is the first book of a series, although I don't see myself diving into the rest of them anytime soon. It has potential. There are a couple loose ends flopping around that are kind of interesting. Not the least of which is... you know... Earth overrun by a swarm of angry oil aliens. And maybe find out who killed Nathan's Wife (It was totally the Trust who, for some reason, nobody believes exists and they got another clone to do it. But that's just my prediction.) And there is, of course, the random soldiers on Earth that pretend that they are soldiers from Proxima. And the random maniac who might be firing missiles into the sky over Earth...
Yeah, part of the problem is also that nothing was resolved. This wasn't so much the first book as the first chapter. You have to keep reading in order to learn more. And maybe I will. Because sometimes you just need a book about a man who kills a lot of aliens. Not five of them in a row.
It's True. Sometimes you do.
So I read one.
Earth Unknown is about a man. Well, not just a man but a clone. A bad-ass clone who gets chased by soldiers, police, alien hordes... really anything. He's a very chasable person. He also gets shot a lot. And stabbed. And burned, and... listen, he's having a really bad week.
So it's like this, Nathan Stacker is the aforementioned chasable clone. Aside from having to make a living working for a shady futuristic mafia called The Trust, he's living the perfect life on Alpha Centauri until, of course, his wife turns up dead. And, you guessed it, he's the prime suspect given the fact that surveillance video shows that he was the only one to go in or out of her apartment around the time of the murder.
Now, I'd like to take a quick moment and point out that it is established early that he is a clone which means there are literally hundreds of guys running around with his genes on. (Presumably underneath their jeans) And nobody, including the main character, realizes that this is an easy frame job. All he knows is that he didn't do it!
How did the Trust possibly set him up with LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF CLONES OF HIMSELF RUNNING AROUND!
.....ANYHOO....
The chase begins. Police chase him through the domed cities of Proxima Centauri. Then soldiers chase him to a space hanger. Then fighters chase him off the planet and all the way back to Earth.
Which has seen better days.
The Earth we all know and love has been overrun with some kind of alien that is at least fifty-percent claws and fifty-two percent teeth. They come in great, black waves biting and clawing and... well you get the image of a wave of oil that will claw your eyes out.
Enter Sherrif. A six-gun toating, equally bad-ass man who's been on Earth since everything went to hell. And it's up to him and a group of Space Centurians who might as well be dropping onto Earth wearing red shirts to catch Nathan Stacker.
Meanwhile, Nathan has to find the dark secret that killed his wife while being chased by aliens, strange incestuous survivor cults, Sherrif and our redshirt soldiers.
I wanted to like it. And I did. Just not as much as I probably should have. Or could have. For me, the problem was in the characters.
Take the chasable clone, Nathan Stacker. As a man who very recently walked in on his wife's grizzly murder, he's in an emotionally fragile place. You can tell because in the brief free moments when he's not shooting something or being shot at, he takes the time to cry. And it feels.... mostly awkward. It's as if the author said to himself, "Okay, I've written me a bad-ass clone who don't take no shit from nobody knowhow. A lot of people chase him. That's cool. But I want to show that he's got an emotional side too. Throw in a tender moment that shows that he's really more than... OKAY ENOUGH WITH THAT SHIZNITT! MORE ASPLODE!!"
The Sherrif as well rubbed me the wrong way. His most distinguishable characteristic is his desire to carry around a six-shooter when there are clearly better weapons available. That and his metal arms which he uses to beat aliens with. And his folksy attitude toward alien domination (which is probably what rubbed me wrong, to be honest) But, besides that, there was nothing much there.
But maybe I'm looking at this wrong. Like the title of the post says, sometimes you just need a book about a man who kills a lot of aliens.
This is the first book of a series, although I don't see myself diving into the rest of them anytime soon. It has potential. There are a couple loose ends flopping around that are kind of interesting. Not the least of which is... you know... Earth overrun by a swarm of angry oil aliens. And maybe find out who killed Nathan's Wife (It was totally the Trust who, for some reason, nobody believes exists and they got another clone to do it. But that's just my prediction.) And there is, of course, the random soldiers on Earth that pretend that they are soldiers from Proxima. And the random maniac who might be firing missiles into the sky over Earth...
Yeah, part of the problem is also that nothing was resolved. This wasn't so much the first book as the first chapter. You have to keep reading in order to learn more. And maybe I will. Because sometimes you just need a book about a man who kills a lot of aliens. Not five of them in a row.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2019
Great start for what looks like another great hard sci-fi saga by Mr. Forbes. I really enjoyed following Sheriff Duke’s steps in the Forgotten Colony trilogy, and wrote in my review how much I’d like to learn more about how the human race managed to reach and settle Proxima Centauri. This book is exactly that: more aliens, more badass spacers and more ‘Clint, Mad Max, Plisken’ Sheriff Duke. On the other hand, Nathan Stacker offers the perfect opportunity to learn more about what it means to be a Centurion space marine. Starting Book 2 straightaway! I need to find out what the hell happened with Stacker’s wife and whether the Trust is really behind all Stacker’s and the Sheriff’s problems!
April 29, 2023
Well, this was different... It was good!
A manhunt spanning two-star systems, framed for a murder he did not commit our MC’s quest to avenge his murdered wife, he inexorably discovers a much more complicated conspiracy.
He fled to Earth hoping for sanctuary and help, but Earth is not all that it seems.
Centuries have left Earth utterly devastated, and far from being his sanctuary, it could spell his demise.
A non-stop action-packed plotline, full of excitement, intrigue and suspense. Well-rounded characters draw you into this compelling adventure with hardly any respite. Definitely, a story you can immerse yourself in—a very enjoyable and entertaining read.
A manhunt spanning two-star systems, framed for a murder he did not commit our MC’s quest to avenge his murdered wife, he inexorably discovers a much more complicated conspiracy.
He fled to Earth hoping for sanctuary and help, but Earth is not all that it seems.
Centuries have left Earth utterly devastated, and far from being his sanctuary, it could spell his demise.
A non-stop action-packed plotline, full of excitement, intrigue and suspense. Well-rounded characters draw you into this compelling adventure with hardly any respite. Definitely, a story you can immerse yourself in—a very enjoyable and entertaining read.
May 24, 2018
Better series!
This book is an offshoot of the forgotten series with Sheriff Duke. The story starts with Nathan stacker, a "heavy" for the Trust, a crime syndicate. Unbeknownst to him, he is framed for his wife's murder and flees to Earth, thinking that it has the same level of civilisation as Centauri. He is completely unprepared for what he finds as he fights for his life against a plethora of enemies. The action starts and does not stop. Some minor editing issues, but otherwise well-written.
This book is an offshoot of the forgotten series with Sheriff Duke. The story starts with Nathan stacker, a "heavy" for the Trust, a crime syndicate. Unbeknownst to him, he is framed for his wife's murder and flees to Earth, thinking that it has the same level of civilisation as Centauri. He is completely unprepared for what he finds as he fights for his life against a plethora of enemies. The action starts and does not stop. Some minor editing issues, but otherwise well-written.
August 2, 2018
Thought this was pretty good. Nice gritty, grungy presmise and atmosphere, decent characters (who don't all stay around as long as you expect), a pleasing feeling of paranoia and cloying danger almost from the word go, and increasing as the book went on ... My main gripe was FAR too many typos and missing words (seriously - no proofreader??), but the story was strong enough to sustain my attention. The aliens are also a little underdeveloped, feeling more like a plot device than something living and breathing - but then I suppose to an extent they're metaphorical, and they do spring some surprises as the story evolves. Feels more like the long first chapter of a book than a book itself, but when all's said and done I'm already looking forward to reading chapter 2.
October 7, 2023
Fun, Soft Science SciFi
I found this book to be highly entertaining. It reads easy and the action is fast and furious. In some ways, though, I can’t take this story 100% serious…because there’s a lot of soft science here and I’m usually not into SciFi stories that don’t pay homage to hard science. However, it’s the underlying plot that I find intriguing. The characters are developed enough that you care about them. There’s also enough grit to make the story believable. Along with the interesting plot and the action the whole thing turns into an entertaining SciFi romp.
I found this book to be highly entertaining. It reads easy and the action is fast and furious. In some ways, though, I can’t take this story 100% serious…because there’s a lot of soft science here and I’m usually not into SciFi stories that don’t pay homage to hard science. However, it’s the underlying plot that I find intriguing. The characters are developed enough that you care about them. There’s also enough grit to make the story believable. Along with the interesting plot and the action the whole thing turns into an entertaining SciFi romp.
July 16, 2018
An exciting story; a compelling read
This is a fast-paced book that urges you to read “just one more chapter” every time you plan to do something else for a while. This is only my second book that I’ve read by this author, but will certainly not be the last. Riveting entertainment!
This is a fast-paced book that urges you to read “just one more chapter” every time you plan to do something else for a while. This is only my second book that I’ve read by this author, but will certainly not be the last. Riveting entertainment!
September 5, 2018
Good, gritty military sci fi
I kind of picked this book on a whim as a free read, enjoyed it so much I bought it and the next one: good authors need to be fed and nurtured. Grimm humor, excellent action, new twists on a old apocalyptic theme..just don't get too attached..folks die in combat.
I kind of picked this book on a whim as a free read, enjoyed it so much I bought it and the next one: good authors need to be fed and nurtured. Grimm humor, excellent action, new twists on a old apocalyptic theme..just don't get too attached..folks die in combat.
April 24, 2020
The Series Continues
There were some surprises that came from left field that caught me totally by surprise, but the action and conflict continues. Hayden is placed in a situation that pushes him almost to his limits, tries his morality, and leaves an unsolved conflict for a future story. A must read for a follower of the series.
There were some surprises that came from left field that caught me totally by surprise, but the action and conflict continues. Hayden is placed in a situation that pushes him almost to his limits, tries his morality, and leaves an unsolved conflict for a future story. A must read for a follower of the series.
June 8, 2021
Great!
I enjoyed this first book a lot. Met with Sherif Hayden again, still surviving against all odds. Everybody else dead. Now another character Nathan Stacker, he survives everything as well, but he is a replica which makes more sense. Ready to start book 2 on this series… can’t stop reading!
I enjoyed this first book a lot. Met with Sherif Hayden again, still surviving against all odds. Everybody else dead. Now another character Nathan Stacker, he survives everything as well, but he is a replica which makes more sense. Ready to start book 2 on this series… can’t stop reading!
July 31, 2021
Excellent
Had me from the beginning… from cover to cover.
Took some sorting out on the best approach to reading this series. Glad I found the "recommend list".
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and since I discovered this author, he’s becoming one of my favorite syfy writers.
Time well spent reading this book, I am eager to begin reading the next chapter!
Thank you!
Had me from the beginning… from cover to cover.
Took some sorting out on the best approach to reading this series. Glad I found the "recommend list".
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and since I discovered this author, he’s becoming one of my favorite syfy writers.
Time well spent reading this book, I am eager to begin reading the next chapter!
Thank you!
June 13, 2018
Fresh and Exciting
Multiple characters with multiple agendas, many plot twists and surprises.
I hate that Amazon wants a review of 20 words I am a much better reader than I am a writer lol
Multiple characters with multiple agendas, many plot twists and surprises.
I hate that Amazon wants a review of 20 words I am a much better reader than I am a writer lol
June 20, 2018
Different. And that's good.
This is not your typical space Opera. Not some wet behind the ears but entirely noble rookie who magically saves the day. Nope, we have a tried and true disgraced soldier, selfish, angry... Flawed. It makes him more real.
Great book!
This is not your typical space Opera. Not some wet behind the ears but entirely noble rookie who magically saves the day. Nope, we have a tried and true disgraced soldier, selfish, angry... Flawed. It makes him more real.
Great book!
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