Interstellar Cargo Trilogy: ICARUS, DAEDALUS, and LAZARUS

Interstellar Cargo #1-3

by Matt Verish

The Interstellar Cargo Trilogy **With Bonus Short Story**ICARUS Cole Musgrave’s dream of interstellar travel is about to become a nightmare. When a high-profile delivery is compromised aboard a state-of-the-art cargo vessel, the newly appointed captain finds himself embroiled in an assignment far above his pay grade. Blackmail, terrorists, a malfunctioning prototype A.I. pilot, and a sinister terraforming corporation with deep criminal ties await him. Who knew delivering cargo to the deep recesses of space could be so dangerous? Armed only with his cunning and past military experience, Cole is one against many. But this unorthodox interstellar cargo pilot won’t go down without a fight—even after he is faced with a choice that will alter the course of his life forever.DAEDALUS Leading the life of the System’s most wanted space pirate is not as satisfying as Cole Musgrave had hoped. Despite having been given a second chance at life by his gangster brother, each mission he undertakes threatens to be his last. When Cole’s luck finally runs out, the crew of the Icarusfind themselves in a predicament unlike any they’ve ever encountered. One reckless decision leaves them abandoned and on the run from the entire universe. A desperate, last-ditch effort to avoid annihilation leads them to a place no man has gone before. Or so they think. Here the sins of Cole’s past will return to haunt him and cast an even darker shadow on a future that is headed toward a full-scale war.LAZARUS The System’s most infamous cargo pilot is finally in custody and serving more years than he cares to count. Away from the chaos of his short-lived pirating career, Cole Musgrave wants only to spend the rest of his days in a quiet cell where no more trouble can find him. But find him, it does. When a familiar figure enters Cole’s life, he again falls prey to the questionable whims of his secretive government. Forced into a new mission more dangerous than any he has faced before, he must return to the scene of his last “crime” and venture into Terracom’s darkest secret. Navigating through political red tape, dodging the crosshairs of the entire criminal underground, and questioning the motives of his lover—Cole must juggle it all or die trying. If he fails, the fate of mankind will be sealed.ASTERIUS Asterius takes place around fifteen years before the events of Icarus. It can be read at any point in the series, though it is recommended to be read after book one. Captain Tessa Adrace of Starforce is about to be assigned a mission she will never forget. With strict orders given her directly from the colonel, she must lead her squadron up against an adversary feared throughout the Black Dwarf. The odds are impossibly stacked against her, but she will stop at nothing until her mission is complete. Even if it means her end. Asterius is a short story, consisting of 6750 words, or roughly twenty-four pages.

Genres: Science Fiction

881 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2018

About the author

My name is Matt Verish, and I write Speculative Fiction. I have no honorary degree of which to boast, but I do possess a burning passion to write in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres. I've been writing since I was in the fourth grade, though I didn't truly realize my desire to become an author until I was in college. And it wasn't until my late thirties that I actually wrote and completed my first novel.

Why did I tackle my first solo project so close to forty, you ask? Well, that's simple: I'm also a married co-author. When I'm not daydreaming about interstellar cargo vessels, I'm busy shaping the World of Secramore with my beautiful wife, Stefanie. Together, we've been writing Epic Fantasy for close to twenty years. We have five full-length novels to our names with many more to come. It's a wonder I have time to write anything on the side!

Reviews

[Ilene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read and a lot of fun.

Much as I enjoyed the sheer playfulness of this trilogy, with all its unexpected twists and turns, I must admit that I found all the characters to be plastic and without much depth. Cole Musgrave comes across as no more than a misunderstood poor little good guy that constantly feels sorry for himself. He plays the perennial victim, caught in the middle of everything. Sure, the plot is fun, but I was sorry to never find any human character of depth to whom I could actually relate. Oh well.

[Mark Zodda · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I initially enjoyed the stories, by the time I started the third book (Lazarus) it was slow going and seemed to drag on forever as I just didn't care what happened anymore. Overall, a good series and a very good writer.

[Deborah Stovall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interstellar Cargo Trilogy by Matt Verish

I thoroughly enjoyed these books. The characters are interesting and enjoyable. I laughed throughout the story and enjoyed the fast pace. If you like sparky dialog and interesting characters you will enjoy this Trilogy.

[Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

This is a fully immersive series that leads you on a roller coaster ride desperately wanting more. This is in my top three for drawing me into the storyline.

[David L. Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

thanks for the ride

Fun books. Light and easy to read, good for an old timer. Cole can be a bit of a dunce from time time and runs on luck a lot.

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely give one star ratings, and maybe I should give this 2 stars (after all, I did slog through all 3 books plus the short story), but I just did not like these books. The short story, Asterius, wasn't half bad, but I just felt I had experienced similar characters in other stories presented in much more interesting ways. Essential character backstories were never fully presented, the events were choppy from chapter to chapter, and the characters' behaviors & personalities flip/flopped constantly.