Through Chaos

The Chronicles of Sarco #3

by Joshua A. Johnston

A singular evil. An unlikely salvation.

Captain Jared Carter and the Navy cruiser Hattan have helped liberate an alien race from the clutches of darkness, but at a terrible cost of lives and ships. While regrouping, they receive word that a shocking fate has befallen the Confederacy during the Hattan’s distant campaign. Jared and his crew face the prospect that their home as they knew it is no more.

Danger now threatens them on two fronts: ahead, in the empire of the Domain, and behind, in the warring factions of the former Confederacy. The Hattan battle fleet must split up in hopes of combating both evils—their separate destinations leading to a singular enemy . . .

Genres: Science Fiction

365 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2018

About the author

A novelist, writer, and ruminator, I write on a variety of topics, including science fiction, video games, parenting, and even Aldi. By day, I work in public education as a middle school librarian.

Reviews

[Susan Laspe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through Chaos is a well-done final chapter to the Chronicles of Sarco series. It is a page turner for sure!

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having completed their original mission in unexplored space, the Hattan crew now finds themselves reeling from their losses in the battle of the last book and torn between two urgent new needs. Dar is on the move and it would be an opportune time to intercept and confront him before he can attack the Hattan crew's new allies. But they've also had a message that the Confederation is breaking up and new war has broken out in their home system. They know this has to do with the conditioning they uncovered in the Aecrons, someone is re-mobilizing Mallum, and they have the best ship in the Navy. The crew decides to split up and try to tackle both issues, but none of them is prepared for what they are about to face.

This was a great conclusion to this series. I had no idea how Johnston was going to make things work in multiple issues. Even though this series has allegorical elements it is still very much its own story, so much so that it is impossible to predict how things will turn out even if you've picked out the allegorical elements. The world building is fantastic. I really liked the various alien races that Johnston created. They were an interesting mix and featured multiple cultures within several of them (something that doesn't happen a whole lot in scifi). The entire series is rather high paced, but this book especially sees very little down time for our heroes, and yet there is still a good amount of character development. Overall, I felt like it was a well-rounded series with plot, world building, and characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hand this series to classic scifi fans, space warfare fans, and minimal romance scifi fans.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are several space and land battles with numerous casualties (though none is graphically described and frequently it is just represented by a space ship getting blown up).

[Mike M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this third book in what had become a favorite series of mine- The Chronicles of Sarco. Joshua Johnston is one of the most talented authors I’ve read in my favorite genre of Christian sci-fi. His writing and story telling style make this an exciting and enjoyable read. I’ve read all three and sincerely hope he chooses to continue Jared Carter’s story (the main character). I highly recommend this series and wish to say congratulations to Joshua Johnston on a great third installment in this epic and well written series.

[R.M. Lutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars--What a great conclusion to a fantastic trilogy! The allegory and Christian element of this story was beautifully executed and the story retained its rich and vibrant sci-fi backdrop. Unfortunately, the scope of the story was a little overwhelming at times and it was difficult to keep track of the more minor characters. Nevertheless, I'd recommend this story (and the rest of the series) to anyone who is looking for well-written Christian sci-fi.

[Simon Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good finale to the trilogy. I enjoyed all 3 books and I think the author is one of the better that I have read in the genre. The universe and story held my attention over the series, and his writing style is polished. The various alien races in this adventure are the high point, their unique personalities and biology make for some great interactions between characters. The action is fast paced without being overpowering and there are also a few interesting spiritual questions engaged.

[Fire · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story and series this is. I'm really impressed at the depth of the world and characters. I felt like I was along for the ride and by their side the entire time.

Trouble on two fronts has them torn, move forward, or return to home to try and salvage what they can. This is a fast-paced story that keeps you wanting to read more. I really enjoyed this book and the series.

5 Stars!

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joshua A. Johnston vividly imagines a far-flung universe in this science fiction series. Johnston paints an action-packed and character-invested world, establishing his own hierarchy.

The reading is intense and enjoyable — and hopefully not my last trip to this imaginary landscape.

Recommended highly for fans of this genre and newcomers alike.