Operation Earth

by Maria Hammarblad

Seven billion people on Earth go about their daily lives, and no one is prepared when a global EMP slows the world to a crawl. Within days alien soldiers line the streets, and life will never be the same. In the midst of chaos, Rachael Hill struggles to adapt to the new order, doing her best to keep herself and her cat alive.

On a ship far above the planet surface, Peter just got his new Earth name, and can’t even remember his identity from the last world he visited. It’s another day on the job, one more planet on a never-ending list. That is, until Rachael bumps into him, dropping exotic objects all around his feet. His culture taught him females should be obeyed and protected, but he never had an urge to leave himself at a woman’s mercy until now.

Genres: Science Fiction Romance, Science Fiction, Romance

179 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 10, 2013

About the author

Born in Sweden in the early 1970's, Maria showed a large interest for books early in her life. Even before she was able to read or write, she made her mom staple papers together that she drew suns in, and proudly declared them to be the "Sun Book." They were all about the sun. This fascination with books and writing lasted through her teens, but as an adult, her career veered off towards desktop publishing and technical literature.

Even on this winding road through very different employers, she managed to always incorporate writing in her work, making a living by making user manuals and documentations for computer systems. Not until the year 2000 did she find what would be her professional home at SSAB Swedish Steel, where she worked with logistics for the better part of a decade.

During 2008 she felt that it was time for a change, and she promptly enrolled in college and relocated to Florida in November that year. This change of lifestyle gave her the peace of mind and time she needed to pursue her interest in writing fiction, and this far it has resulted in three published novels; "Kidnapped," "Touch of the Goddess," and "Undercover," and several more are on the way.

Reviews

[G.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy read. It was more on the romance side without the sex scenes. Peter was a very likeable alien. I liked how his world differed from ours as women are revered and do most of the jobs on the ship whereas men do the footwork on the planets. There was also a little bit of insight about how the ship functioned connected to the mind of bald women. It was different and cute and most of all, not going overboard with explanations.

The author put down Rachael and Peter's thoughts in a funny way adding humor to the whole. The characters were believable. There was a few times when I doubted Rachael's sanity but she recovered fairly quickly.

I doubt that hard-core science fiction lovers would enjoy this book but I did. I was looking for something light (check) with a gentle alien (check) preferably male (check) that would happen on Earth (check), and that didn't involve explicit sex scenes (check).

If that is what you are looking for, you might want to try this book.

[Lindap · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This was a fun sci-fi with romance. It was a clean read when it came to sex. It's also not hard-core deep sci-fi, it's more a entertaining read. Light and fun with some violence...but even that's not overly descriptive. I enjoy the overall story. Would have liked a little more in regards to what happens with Racheal, Peter and the introduction of her mom.

Is that it for the whole storyline or is there more?

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At A Glance
This is a very soft and slow sci-fi but I kind of liked it that way. Nothing huge happens, just a cute romance with a little alienish happenings.

The Good
For some reason I felt like an easygoing sci-fi book, and that's just what I got. I was surprised by how excited I was to get back to Operation Earth every time I had to put it down. It wasn't like it had lots of action and drama, it was just a fun story they kept me entertained.

My favorite part was how odd Rachael and Peter were. They just were weird characters with weird thoughts making weird decisions. It was different, quirky. Rachael didn't let the alien invasion get her down. She lived her life as best she could. And her inner thoughts often had me cracking up. Peter didn't let his duties get in the way of finding companionship and joy in his dismal existence. I loved his fascination with earthly things. I want my very own alien now!

There was a sense of foreboding throughout the novel. We never really know for sure what the aliens were going to do with the humans, how far they were willing to go, and what their real plans were. But overall, Operation Earth was a good mixture of light and darkness.

The Bad
Don't go into this book expecting a full blown sci-fi novel with tons of action and probing *snickers*. Operation Earth was on the verge of being too slow and uneventful. I happened to of liked the laidback feel, but a lot of people wont.

With the focus being on romance, I wish there was more detail when it came to the bow chica bow wow. I think this book should have read more like an adult or new adult book with a more even mixture of romance and sex. That would have oomphed it up a bit.

There really isn't a climax per se. Operation Earth reads like "this is what happened to Rachel today." Not much build up or excitement.

The Snuggly
I liked how sweet the romance was. Rachael and Peter are an adorable couple. They built their relationship around awkward circumstances, but it all worked out perfectly.

No sex scenes to worry about. So this is suitable for a YA, NA, and adult audience. Though there is a sexual assault but it doesn't go too far.

Final Thoughts
This book will not be for everyone. Hard core sci-fi fans probably will find Operation Earth lacking. But if you are looking for a quick, fun read, then give this one a chance. Recommended.

Quotes
"If today is the last day of my life I'd like to have a glass of wine and a vat of ice cream. No harm in dying content."


He lifted a snow globe and tilted it a little, raising an eyebrow as the fake snow slid from side to side.

"Let me..." She took it away from him, shook it, and put it back in his hands. "Now it's snowing on all the little animals."

Peter shook it again, this time "properly."

You are cute.

"You know what? You can have it if you want. No matter where you go you can look at it and remember Earth and lasagna."

*Free book from author for honest review

[Amanda Shelley-Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story! I don't read a lot of alien stories but I couldn't put this one down! Maria Hammarblad is a fantastic storyteller who makes her story come alive with epic battles and heartfelt scenes.

Rachael Hill is just as lost as the rest of the world when they wake up to the EMP blast and the worlds Technology is dead. T.V's, Computers and cars all stop dead, planes fall from the sky no longer able to run their engines and strange ships enter Earth's atmosphere. When she runs into tall, sexy commander Peter she's not sure if she should run from him or kiss him.

Peter has been to many worlds and Earth is just a another stop in a long line. Peter is a solder, a commander in the Galactic Coexistence Initiative. He has his new world name and he is ready to Initiate the new world order, what he wasn't expecting was the feelings Rachael evokes in him.

Together they set out to save the people of Earth from the invaders and from themselves. Battling back the resistance and raining in the Aliens. Who ever said that love conquers all was right!

Maria Hammarblad is a wonderful writer! I loved how different Rachael and Peter were but how much the same they were at the same time. Peter often said " We aren't that different" and he was right.

If you haven't gotten this book you must now as it is a excellent read! and must be shared by all!

[Anna Erishkigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this book, even though it didn't quite seem to find its footing as either hard science fiction or a sweet romance. The lead character, Rachel, was a bit annoying as she seemed a little too naive and willing to become an alien collaborator with no second thoughts and too blase about the entire thing (that willing suspension of disbelief). On the other hand, once that premise was accepted, viewing an alien invasion through the eyes of somebody who supported them was rather interesting and quite different from the usual kick-butt heroines you see in science fiction today.

I did enjoy Peter very much, though, and the world that was built with the alien spaceship and the reason the Ancients were rolling out a plan of assimilation. When Peter ran into trouble with the resistance, the story got page-turningly interesting and I ended up staying up late at night to finish the book.

3.5 Spaceships!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of humanoid alien invasion with a romantic context was appealing and readable.

Read full review in the 2013 Dec/Jan Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of sci-fi stories I was drawn to the premise of this story and applaud the author on her overall presentation with just a few flaws along the way. While this story is reminiscent of the TV show V the author was able to separate her work through some clever worldbuilding and the overall desire to integrate through the power of the protagonist's love.

Rachael is a clever girl with a bubbly personality who has the tendency to think the best of everyone until proven differently. She's not the kind of person who likes violence but when it comes to the man she loves she'll do anything necessary to see him safe, even if it means turning on her slightly unhinged neighbors. From the moment she meets the alien Peter she discovers someone charming who she enjoys showing her world to. Though he seems different in so many ways, there's still much that brings them together. From this burgeoning friendship, that her neighbors give her much grief over, a sweet yet subtly sexy romance is created that becomes the catalyst to saving the Earth from annihilation.

Peter has gone through the process of resettling many planets but this time it feels different once he sets eyes on Rachael. She welcomes him without fear or anger and introduces him to many forbidden things like cake, chocolate, coffee, and love. He realizes how special and precious Rachael and others are as he interacts more and is willing to make the ultimate commitment himself to integrating Earth with his people. I adored him from the start seeing the wonderment of Earth's delights in his eyes. He's sweet, sexy, and will do anything to keep her safe. The closer he gets with Rachael the more questions he has about how his people act and cleverly makes them reconsider their actions against Earth in a way that gives a sense of hope for all their futures.

The start of this story is very rushed and I wish that more time could have been spent on the emotional implications of the alien's arrival and the real reasons for their arrival. The progression of Peter and Rachael's relationship was delightful in its playfulness and the slow build-up made their love believable. Their sexual interludes were steamy but not too hot and balanced well with the action scenes of rebellion. I enjoyed some of the secondary characters though most of those glimpses were brief. I enjoyed seeing the other aliens and the sexy and charming natures of each and would love to see other stories with those boys in the lead. I did find one secondary character particularly over-the-top and that was next door neighbor Ryan who epitomized the worst of people who become too carried away with fear. He became more dangerous than the aliens in my opinion. The worldbuilding was unique and cleverly depicted with its matriarchal society that put women in control. With unification on the horizon and tensions still running high there's still much story left to tell and I hope to return to this world in the future.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the premise of the book but, sadly, the story didn’t really grab me. My rating 3.75.

Rachel Hill is a young woman whose quiet lifestyle is abruptly changed when aliens initiate an EMP strike on earth. Many humans fear the alien beings who are taking over and patrolling their neighborhoods. Rachel bumps into one at the local grocery store and becomes enamored. Rachel’s neighbors invite her to join a secret rebellion group, but she isn’t interested, especially after her new alien friend, Peter, steps in to save her from a threatening situation.

Peter has been given a new name and new memories. He is a commander of a local patrol when he meets Rachel. They bump into each other a couple of times and soon he is escorting her home and enjoying earth dinners and games. He is willing to learn more about the earthlings, up close and personal.

Peter and others are to meet with leaders in France to calm the rebels there. Internal attacks result in Peter stepping up to protect one of the female leaders. The alien society is led by females so it is natural for Peter to seek to help and protect.

The aliens want to control the recolonization without harming the people or the environment. As hostilities intensify, the aliens seek a way to calm the situation before things escalate to more dangerous control options.

I liked the premise of the book but, sadly, found the characters and story fell flat. Rachel is too naïve and wimpy for my tastes, except for her courage in making friends with Peter. Of course, she was easily drawn to the tall, blonde, blue-eyed and buff alien. Peter’s character was a little more interesting, but I felt that there was mystery to his background which was never disclosed.

Not being engaged by the characters made this hard for me to really get into the story. The ship and alien society have some interesting elements, but again, it didn’t seem fully developed. There are a few exciting action scenes, but I found most of the plot line unimpressive. This is primarily a romance with an alien who is very similar to earth men. It is an easy read but I wasn't excited by it. I would suggest that a romance audience would be more appropriate than readers who like the more usual action and imagination of sci fi.

Source: Review book from Bewitching Book Tours.

[Lori Palle · Rating 3 out of 5]

From first few pages, I was hooked as Operation Earth starts in an alien ship and Earth is about to get some unwanted guests. I liked the reasoning as to why the aliens showed up and are so determined to assimilate humans, and I especially liked how the author makes you sympathize with both viewpoints. You can see why humans would be more than a tad bit upset with aliens showing up and trying to mold them into what the aliens think are right, and you can also see how the aliens are trying to do the best they can to make human and alien life better.

This is billed as a science fiction although there is romance that ends up being a huge factor with the two main leads: Rachael and Peter. I preferred the science fiction elements over the romance between the leads but that’s mostly because I wasn’t too fond of Rachael. I like the descriptions of the alien technology and wish there would have been more of that in the story. Ms. Hammarblad creates such an interesting alien culture that I wished should could have gone more into it. Otherwise, with the aliens wanting to enact changes for the good of the world, it was fun to see Rachael’s reaction as she struggles with not being able to have those oh-so necessary essentials–like chocolate and coffee (mmmm…). I did like the scenes she had showing Peter why earth culture rocks. Throughout the story, as they fall in love and get closer, you feel bad for them as they both have the knowledge that a future together is unlikely.

As mentioned before, humans aren’t very happy with this arrangement so rebellions form and poor Rachael gets dragged into it. There’s an air of suspense and danger throughout the novel, because people are scared and willing to kill and do violence. The one downside is that there is a lot of inner dialogue snippets, which ruined the flow for me. However, those who like to hear exactly what the characters are thinking would enjoy it. I would have preferred having the author describe in depth what the character was feeling and thinking rather than only hearing brief thoughts. It was as if reading a book told in 90% third person and 10% first person so it didn’t flow as smoothly as it could have.

Although there is romance, it’s fade to black scenes without graphic terminology so it’s fairly clean with a low heat level. The science fiction elements are very easy to understand. You’re mostly reading about the human and alien response to the alien invasion. If you like the TV series Jericho or V or the Borg from Star Trek, you’ll probably enjoy this book (I loved the shout out to V in the book)! Overall, this was a 3 out of 5 for me.

(Originally posted on my blog; I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)

[Danielle Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts out pretty well. I think it could have started out better. It seemed to almost portray the overtaking of earth through the eyes of someone in shock. No real fear, panic or driving to action. The main character is very level headed, which has its good points and bad points.

I like how she sees the resistance "fighters." She sees them probably how I see AA members. People coming together at a low point in their lives, clawing and struggling to come back, but needing a higher power, someone outside themselves to succeed. Problem is, the resistance fighters don't have any outside help. And I love how she's more afraid of her neighbors than the invaders. Smart girl. People strike out blindly in fear, and sometimes innocents get hurt in the crossfire.

I love Rachael's little illicit thoughts about Peter. Makes me laugh. Actually, her thoughts in general are just precious. Probably some of the best parts of the story.

I like how the invaders assume a successful hacker blocking their transmissions must be a woman. I do find it strange that the invaders seem to have a fondness for cats… just cats. No dogs or other pets. Cats can be the most temperamental, the hardest to win over.

Oh, Peter is both devious and sneaky, but in a good way that makes me want to cheer him on!

I find the invading society both intriguing and logical. It's clear the author thought it out well. I mean, some of their technology is beyond weird, but I could totally see how a society would develop the way theirs did.

The novel skillfully weaves romantic elements with tension, action, and suspense. At times, I was anxious right along with the characters, rabidly turning pages to learn their fates.

PDF copy received in exchange for honest review.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this better the second time. It's been re-edited and that helped the story flow better. Bumping up my rating to 4***.