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Tyche's Journey #1
Tyche's Flight
A colony world goes dark.
Grace Gushiken is a grifter and a liar. Worse, she’s an esper, an abhorrent creation of the Old Empire. Grace keeps her blade sharp and her wits sharper. She’s on the run from the Republic’s justice.
Nathan Chevell captains the free trader Tyche, an ex-war heavy lifter. He’s no pirate, but he’s no white knight either. An encounter with espers saw him discharged from the Emperor’s Black before the real fighting even started.
When the crew of the Tyche are hired to deliver a new transmitter for a downed Guild Bridge, Grace hitches a ride. They find the Absalom Delta colony deserted, its people turned into slaves by the insect-like Ezeroc. The aliens have descended like locusts on humanity, consuming all in their path. No one is safe. Even the Republic Navy is powerless against them.
Facing an impossible foe, odds are stacked against the Tyche. The ship and her crew need to test their skill and their luck to survive. Will Grace and Nate be able to work together to get away? Or will fears and rivalries from the past destroy humanity’s hopes, ceding victory to the Ezeroc?
Tyche’s Flight is the first book in Richard Parry’s gripping Tyche’s Journey trilogy. If you like page-turning space opera with great dialogue and heart-pumping action, get your copy today!
Grace Gushiken is a grifter and a liar. Worse, she’s an esper, an abhorrent creation of the Old Empire. Grace keeps her blade sharp and her wits sharper. She’s on the run from the Republic’s justice.
Nathan Chevell captains the free trader Tyche, an ex-war heavy lifter. He’s no pirate, but he’s no white knight either. An encounter with espers saw him discharged from the Emperor’s Black before the real fighting even started.
When the crew of the Tyche are hired to deliver a new transmitter for a downed Guild Bridge, Grace hitches a ride. They find the Absalom Delta colony deserted, its people turned into slaves by the insect-like Ezeroc. The aliens have descended like locusts on humanity, consuming all in their path. No one is safe. Even the Republic Navy is powerless against them.
Facing an impossible foe, odds are stacked against the Tyche. The ship and her crew need to test their skill and their luck to survive. Will Grace and Nate be able to work together to get away? Or will fears and rivalries from the past destroy humanity’s hopes, ceding victory to the Ezeroc?
Tyche’s Flight is the first book in Richard Parry’s gripping Tyche’s Journey trilogy. If you like page-turning space opera with great dialogue and heart-pumping action, get your copy today!
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2017
194 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Richard Parry
47 books309 followersRichard Parry has worked as a senior marketing manager in one of the world’s top tech companies, but it wasn't all cocaine parties. His debut novel Night’s Favor and its sequel Night’s Fall have been shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Award “Best Novel” category.
His ever-growing list of novels spans urban fantasy, cyberpunk, and space opera, featuring flawed heroes, sharp dialogue, and a healthy dose of action. His Night’s Champion trilogy follows an alcoholic-turned-werewolf saving the world, while Future Forfeit explores a neon-drenched cyberpunk future where hacking the system is just the start. Meanwhile, Ezeroc Wars throws readers into the deep end of an interstellar war against a swarm species that doesn’t take no for an answer. Across over 20 novels (and counting), Richard delivers stories packed with heart, explosions, and the occasional bad decision.
Richard lives in Wellington with the love of his life, Rae. They have cats, who chase birds. The birds, who have the power of flight, don’t seem to mind.
His ever-growing list of novels spans urban fantasy, cyberpunk, and space opera, featuring flawed heroes, sharp dialogue, and a healthy dose of action. His Night’s Champion trilogy follows an alcoholic-turned-werewolf saving the world, while Future Forfeit explores a neon-drenched cyberpunk future where hacking the system is just the start. Meanwhile, Ezeroc Wars throws readers into the deep end of an interstellar war against a swarm species that doesn’t take no for an answer. Across over 20 novels (and counting), Richard delivers stories packed with heart, explosions, and the occasional bad decision.
Richard lives in Wellington with the love of his life, Rae. They have cats, who chase birds. The birds, who have the power of flight, don’t seem to mind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 14, 2018
My first read of Parry’s books and I’m already loving his work!
This is a first in an epic series and I was snagged and immersed from the beginning! A retired empire soldier, now captain of an old haul cargo ship, with a misfit crew, add a most wanted kickass heroine with mental abilities and, voila! you get a great space opera. Chased by the republic and the Ezeroc, vile aliens, political entanglement..A superb story with awesome characters! A fun, sarcastic humouristic dialogue. A must read, I sure am going to follow and read all of Richard Parry’s work! I’m absolutely convinced I’ve made a great discovery!
This is a first in an epic series and I was snagged and immersed from the beginning! A retired empire soldier, now captain of an old haul cargo ship, with a misfit crew, add a most wanted kickass heroine with mental abilities and, voila! you get a great space opera. Chased by the republic and the Ezeroc, vile aliens, political entanglement..A superb story with awesome characters! A fun, sarcastic humouristic dialogue. A must read, I sure am going to follow and read all of Richard Parry’s work! I’m absolutely convinced I’ve made a great discovery!
November 14, 2017
When someone described Tyche’s Flight to me as a cross between Firefly and Starship Troopers, I wasn’t sure what to expect. A Space Opera, yes, in the grand and campy styles of both story worlds, and of course, I expected familiar characters and story lines.
Tyche’s Flight delivered a little of both in a fresh and entertaining experience.
The Tyche is a privately owned cargo ship chartered by the Republic Navy to carry a transmitter across the galaxy to the Absalom system, ostensibly to repair the Guild Bridge, a fixed wormhole reminiscent of the gateways in Stargate SG1.
It’s crewed by the typical round of misfit characters: Nate, the captain, a former soldier on the losing side of a large-scale war; El, the pilot, whose gift flying ships is unsurpassed; Hope, a young and often hopelessly naive engineer who can fix any problem, given enough time; and Kohl, a brute of a man with a tendency to shoot first and never ask questions. Throw Grace, a telepath on the run, into the mix and the opening chapters feel very much like a remake of Firefly.
Parry’s gift is in taking a time-worn plot and characters, and refurbishing them into an engaging read. Unlike many Space Operas, the technological details in Tyche’s Flight are plausible, if not always possible, and the writing usually flows seamlessly so that it fades into the background, highlighting the ongoing turmoil.
The Tyche‘s crew experiences an escalating series of problems beginning almost immediately after Nate, with Grace’s help, negotiates a contract for the transportation of said transmitter. One by one, each member of the crew steps in to save the day, including Grace, who must earn her place on the crew, even as she uses them for her own purposes.
All roads lead to the Absalom system. Along the way, the crew discovers a derelict ship, all hands brain dead, carrying the exact same make and model of transmitter the Tyche was commissioned to carry. The situation devolves once they reach Absalom Delta, the colonized world that was cut off by the transmitter malfunction, and encounter another derelict ship, this one a Republic Navy warship with a missing crew. The crew is found planet-side soon enough, along with a body snatching alien species (called, appropriately enough, “bugs”) and a science station that shouldn’t exist, both of which throw the crew into increasingly dangerous situations.
It’s how the crew reacts that makes the story work. Each crew member is given more than one opportunity to excise another member, with the singular exception of Hope, whose age, personality, and situation cushion her from such machinations. Kohl, who is always up for a fight, is openly antagonistic to everyone, particularly Hope, whose background includes criminal activity that’s never fully explained, and Grace. At one point El, the Helm, brings out an old school, pared down shotgun to hunt down a possible threat on the Tyche, including her fellow crewmates. Nate often must decide between saving individual crew members and the greater good, including saving his own skin, and Grace, as the story’s rogue element, has numerous chances to either throw the Tyche‘s crew to the wolves or kill them, or both.
Instead, the crew eventually pulls together and becomes what every crew should be: a family. How they get there is entertaining as hell and well worth the read.
Review originally published at Alternate Realms Magazine:
http://alternaterealmsmagazine.com/20...
Tyche’s Flight delivered a little of both in a fresh and entertaining experience.
The Tyche is a privately owned cargo ship chartered by the Republic Navy to carry a transmitter across the galaxy to the Absalom system, ostensibly to repair the Guild Bridge, a fixed wormhole reminiscent of the gateways in Stargate SG1.
It’s crewed by the typical round of misfit characters: Nate, the captain, a former soldier on the losing side of a large-scale war; El, the pilot, whose gift flying ships is unsurpassed; Hope, a young and often hopelessly naive engineer who can fix any problem, given enough time; and Kohl, a brute of a man with a tendency to shoot first and never ask questions. Throw Grace, a telepath on the run, into the mix and the opening chapters feel very much like a remake of Firefly.
Parry’s gift is in taking a time-worn plot and characters, and refurbishing them into an engaging read. Unlike many Space Operas, the technological details in Tyche’s Flight are plausible, if not always possible, and the writing usually flows seamlessly so that it fades into the background, highlighting the ongoing turmoil.
The Tyche‘s crew experiences an escalating series of problems beginning almost immediately after Nate, with Grace’s help, negotiates a contract for the transportation of said transmitter. One by one, each member of the crew steps in to save the day, including Grace, who must earn her place on the crew, even as she uses them for her own purposes.
All roads lead to the Absalom system. Along the way, the crew discovers a derelict ship, all hands brain dead, carrying the exact same make and model of transmitter the Tyche was commissioned to carry. The situation devolves once they reach Absalom Delta, the colonized world that was cut off by the transmitter malfunction, and encounter another derelict ship, this one a Republic Navy warship with a missing crew. The crew is found planet-side soon enough, along with a body snatching alien species (called, appropriately enough, “bugs”) and a science station that shouldn’t exist, both of which throw the crew into increasingly dangerous situations.
It’s how the crew reacts that makes the story work. Each crew member is given more than one opportunity to excise another member, with the singular exception of Hope, whose age, personality, and situation cushion her from such machinations. Kohl, who is always up for a fight, is openly antagonistic to everyone, particularly Hope, whose background includes criminal activity that’s never fully explained, and Grace. At one point El, the Helm, brings out an old school, pared down shotgun to hunt down a possible threat on the Tyche, including her fellow crewmates. Nate often must decide between saving individual crew members and the greater good, including saving his own skin, and Grace, as the story’s rogue element, has numerous chances to either throw the Tyche‘s crew to the wolves or kill them, or both.
Instead, the crew eventually pulls together and becomes what every crew should be: a family. How they get there is entertaining as hell and well worth the read.
Review originally published at Alternate Realms Magazine:
http://alternaterealmsmagazine.com/20...
December 1, 2017
Magnificent, classic SF superbly written. From Tyche's worn condition to the tense political environment, through the wonderful characters and the horror of the Ezeroc, through the action in space, and face to sweaty face, and through the twists and turns of the gripping plot, this is the SF novel I have most enjoyed in the last two years. Must-read author, must-buy series; this book is as close to perfect as makes no difference. *This* is why I love reading SF.
July 18, 2018
Well written, fun read.
Terrific space opera with plenty of action, mystery and suitably creepy non-humanoid aliens.
Characters are well developed and likeable, physics is pretty accurate, the twists are well done and it was a very enjoyable read. Has me firmly hooked on this series.
Terrific space opera with plenty of action, mystery and suitably creepy non-humanoid aliens.
Characters are well developed and likeable, physics is pretty accurate, the twists are well done and it was a very enjoyable read. Has me firmly hooked on this series.
November 13, 2017
Being familiar with previous Parry work and being impressed with it , a little dubious with this new Genre however.
I found this particularly well thought out ,quite accurate for the space opera/sci-fi genre with plenty of small sub plots and changes in action.
When a crew of a spaceship and an alien species find each other then all out fighting and battles are usually the order of the day , but the author has spent some time making sure that we care for our crew( almost as much as our captain) and although a little slow when the action does speed up I found the book to be excellent.
You know upon finishing a book and saying I didn't see that coming but I want to read more that the author has done his job well and although new to this Genre I find myself confident that the following books will be just as well written and enjoyed.
I found this particularly well thought out ,quite accurate for the space opera/sci-fi genre with plenty of small sub plots and changes in action.
When a crew of a spaceship and an alien species find each other then all out fighting and battles are usually the order of the day , but the author has spent some time making sure that we care for our crew( almost as much as our captain) and although a little slow when the action does speed up I found the book to be excellent.
You know upon finishing a book and saying I didn't see that coming but I want to read more that the author has done his job well and although new to this Genre I find myself confident that the following books will be just as well written and enjoyed.
March 9, 2018
Nice read
Very good read, kept me interesting till the end. Would love to read more books from this author. Thank you
Very good read, kept me interesting till the end. Would love to read more books from this author. Thank you
December 4, 2017
Excellent fun
A good space opera epic, think along the lines on a good fusion of Firefly, Starship Troopers and the Expanse book series by James S.A. Corey starting with Leviathan Wakes (now a major TV series on Netflix).
A ragtag crew on a beat up ship takes on a new member who is an esper and also takes on a new shipping contract which should have been a milk run, which luckily for us turns out to be anything but a milk run.
Deliver and install a new beacon to an out of contact colony which at first glance seems to be a deserted planet orbited by a deserted huge Republic Warship and a gigantic asteroid. This soon turns into a battle for survival not just for the crew but for all humanity.
Good character building that has you rooting for this band of misfits, good story building pace that allows you time to digest the story and not skim the details of the science involved.
This series has enough of Firefly to have you chanting "I am a leaf on the wind; watch how I soar," and enough of a bug war to have you shouting "Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?!"
Do yourself a favour and buy this book and sign up to the newsletter for details and deals on existing and future books by this author.
A good space opera epic, think along the lines on a good fusion of Firefly, Starship Troopers and the Expanse book series by James S.A. Corey starting with Leviathan Wakes (now a major TV series on Netflix).
A ragtag crew on a beat up ship takes on a new member who is an esper and also takes on a new shipping contract which should have been a milk run, which luckily for us turns out to be anything but a milk run.
Deliver and install a new beacon to an out of contact colony which at first glance seems to be a deserted planet orbited by a deserted huge Republic Warship and a gigantic asteroid. This soon turns into a battle for survival not just for the crew but for all humanity.
Good character building that has you rooting for this band of misfits, good story building pace that allows you time to digest the story and not skim the details of the science involved.
This series has enough of Firefly to have you chanting "I am a leaf on the wind; watch how I soar," and enough of a bug war to have you shouting "Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?!"
Do yourself a favour and buy this book and sign up to the newsletter for details and deals on existing and future books by this author.
November 2, 2018
Wow! What a ride! Somewhere, someone wrote, "the best of Guardians of the Galaxy and Firefly." I'd add Joshua Dalzelle's Omega series to that statement. Three of the best, IMHO, Sci-Fi series, ever. These books needed to be written, and I don't often say that. Very enjoyable reads. Can't wait to get into the rest of the series and delve deeper into Richard Parry's offerings.
November 13, 2017
For those who love Firefly, this book is for you. A misfit crew and a secret at the end of the Republic create quite a thrill ride. I couldn't put it down. There were a few typos, but the book was good enough that I actually didn't mind. I would definitely recommend this book to any sci-fi lover. There are two more books to come, but it is not a cliff-hanger. Buy the book, you won't be disappointed!
November 14, 2017
Reviewed elsewhere.
Fun, entertaining. Definitely want to read the next book.
Fun, entertaining. Definitely want to read the next book.
August 14, 2019
What an adventure, what a great crew, what a ship. This is the first book I have read by Mr. Perry. His emails and newsletters intrigued me. They were inviting, colorful and funny, so when he ask me to read one of his books I did and I'm glad I did. His storytelling is even more colorful and exciting. Never a dull moment, I recommend this book to anyone that likes a swashbuckling adventure in space and anywhere else they can get into trouble.
Tyche's Flight is about a spaceship named Tyche and her crew. It doesn't take long to love the them. They all are from different backgrounds and we learn how they become a family while sailing through space jumping from one place to another. From one fight to another. They are space pirates that call themselves space traders. They're travel across the universe looking for anyone that needs merchandise moved or picked up from one world to another. And sometimes the deal are made under the table.
The author has a wonderful grasp on describing everything from how someone is dressed to what's going on around them and by whom. He paints a outstanding story and keeps the reader wanting to know what's going to happen next. I'm glad it's a space opera adventure because the author has hooked me, I want more. I want to know what's going to happen next to this motley crew.
Tyche's Flight is about a spaceship named Tyche and her crew. It doesn't take long to love the them. They all are from different backgrounds and we learn how they become a family while sailing through space jumping from one place to another. From one fight to another. They are space pirates that call themselves space traders. They're travel across the universe looking for anyone that needs merchandise moved or picked up from one world to another. And sometimes the deal are made under the table.
The author has a wonderful grasp on describing everything from how someone is dressed to what's going on around them and by whom. He paints a outstanding story and keeps the reader wanting to know what's going to happen next. I'm glad it's a space opera adventure because the author has hooked me, I want more. I want to know what's going to happen next to this motley crew.
June 5, 2020
I enjoyed this book even though it had several things I didn't like. The big plus is a really interesting set of main characters and this got me through the minor irritations.
I don’t like alien possession stories, especially when the plot relies on the author playing games with who is possessed and who isn’t. Fortunately this wasn't a massive part of the book, even though the author did flog it a bit. Then there are little things like the number of times a character drops their gun at a crucial moment.
Also I read the Tyche Origins novellas before reading this book and it was mildly irritating that there were inconsistencies between the two stories.
However, having had my little moan I think this was a really good story with a great cast and I am happy to give it four stars.
I don’t like alien possession stories, especially when the plot relies on the author playing games with who is possessed and who isn’t. Fortunately this wasn't a massive part of the book, even though the author did flog it a bit. Then there are little things like the number of times a character drops their gun at a crucial moment.
Also I read the Tyche Origins novellas before reading this book and it was mildly irritating that there were inconsistencies between the two stories.
However, having had my little moan I think this was a really good story with a great cast and I am happy to give it four stars.
September 10, 2018
Good start!
This is a good start to what hopefully will be an interesting series. The individuals on the ship are interesting and are becoming a family. This is usually what sets off a strong series. You are already pulling for some of the members. Looking forward to the next installment!
This is a good start to what hopefully will be an interesting series. The individuals on the ship are interesting and are becoming a family. This is usually what sets off a strong series. You are already pulling for some of the members. Looking forward to the next installment!
September 1, 2018
Read it
First book by this author for me, won't be the last. Great story, a great collection of odd ball characters, a real page turner. Give it a try, that's what I done and now I have another brilliant story teller to follow
First book by this author for me, won't be the last. Great story, a great collection of odd ball characters, a real page turner. Give it a try, that's what I done and now I have another brilliant story teller to follow
March 19, 2018
Predetermined?
Sagas in space encounters can be specious. Who holds da reins of your horse? Bedder get acquainted with those about you crew wise. Sooner than later. Enemies too. But those had bedder be on da other side of a airlock Double Welded Eyes Open. Trust Me On This Just this time. At Least You Can Complain Later With Gusto. N’cest pa?
Sagas in space encounters can be specious. Who holds da reins of your horse? Bedder get acquainted with those about you crew wise. Sooner than later. Enemies too. But those had bedder be on da other side of a airlock Double Welded Eyes Open. Trust Me On This Just this time. At Least You Can Complain Later With Gusto. N’cest pa?
February 20, 2018
“Woke” Savant Misfits On A Galactic Quest
“Tyche’s Flight (Tyche’s Journey Book 1),” authored by Mr. Richard Parry, is a mainly well written space saga, that has a non-subtle “woke” underpinning, as a crew of savant misfits ply the galaxy on a quest.
The author has a penchant, almost an obsession with Japanese anime (females are decidedly physically described as cartoonish fantasies), samurai swords and culture, beta males, toxic masculinity (see deck hand character as potential sociopath), and a fetish for others’ sexual orientation. While not the normal SciFi fare for this reader, Mr. Parry does write a quick moving narrative, and it entertains.
“Tyche’s Flight,” is recommended and was fully read via Kindle Unlimited.
“Tyche’s Flight (Tyche’s Journey Book 1),” authored by Mr. Richard Parry, is a mainly well written space saga, that has a non-subtle “woke” underpinning, as a crew of savant misfits ply the galaxy on a quest.
The author has a penchant, almost an obsession with Japanese anime (females are decidedly physically described as cartoonish fantasies), samurai swords and culture, beta males, toxic masculinity (see deck hand character as potential sociopath), and a fetish for others’ sexual orientation. While not the normal SciFi fare for this reader, Mr. Parry does write a quick moving narrative, and it entertains.
“Tyche’s Flight,” is recommended and was fully read via Kindle Unlimited.
February 3, 2018
Firefly meets Starship Troopers meets Alien meets The Expanse
With respect to Firefly, on the surface, the captain, Nate is a bit like Malcolm Reynolds. Grace is somewhat a mix of River Tam and Zoe Allyne. Hope resembles Kaylee Frye. Elspeth Roussel (El / Helm) like Wash, is a great pilot. October Kohl is Jayne Cobb (only a lot bigger). Tyche’s Republic and The Alliance of Firefly are almost fraternal twins. Missing in the action are Derrial Book (Shepherd Book), Simon Tan (Tyche’s crew gets pretty bashed up), and Inara Serra (for a bunch of reasons).
That said, this is not Firefly. Tyche’s Journey is a creative, fast-paced space-opera thriller with aliens. All characters are as real as you can find in any novel. The dialog is, by times, hysterically funny. I have Tyche’s Deceit and Tyche’s Crown on my Kindle and have started Deceit and will read Crown as soon as I finish and review the former. There are five titles in the Tyche’s Origins spinoff, all available for pre-order, and I just placed the five pre-orders. Previously I read Parry’s three Night’s Champion novels, and Upgrade.
Best I can tell, Richard Parry is a sure thing if one wants a very good, interesting, and well-told story.
With respect to Firefly, on the surface, the captain, Nate is a bit like Malcolm Reynolds. Grace is somewhat a mix of River Tam and Zoe Allyne. Hope resembles Kaylee Frye. Elspeth Roussel (El / Helm) like Wash, is a great pilot. October Kohl is Jayne Cobb (only a lot bigger). Tyche’s Republic and The Alliance of Firefly are almost fraternal twins. Missing in the action are Derrial Book (Shepherd Book), Simon Tan (Tyche’s crew gets pretty bashed up), and Inara Serra (for a bunch of reasons).
That said, this is not Firefly. Tyche’s Journey is a creative, fast-paced space-opera thriller with aliens. All characters are as real as you can find in any novel. The dialog is, by times, hysterically funny. I have Tyche’s Deceit and Tyche’s Crown on my Kindle and have started Deceit and will read Crown as soon as I finish and review the former. There are five titles in the Tyche’s Origins spinoff, all available for pre-order, and I just placed the five pre-orders. Previously I read Parry’s three Night’s Champion novels, and Upgrade.
Best I can tell, Richard Parry is a sure thing if one wants a very good, interesting, and well-told story.
August 9, 2019
I received a complementary copy of this book as part of a Team Parry review program.
It's a good book.
As Parry himself will say, he wrote this book in the Firefly genre. It's not a rip-off from the characters, or the universe, or the ship. Rather, it's a direct extension of the emotions evoked in us by Firefly. It asks the same questions: "What is family?" "How do I treat others?" "Where do I belong?"
In the space opera genre, solutions are frequently a little "convenient." This is because the point of the story isn't about overcoming the problems themselves, but about the story of the characters' development. Parry does a great job introducing characters, giving them a rich backstory (sometimes feels slightly too rich, but that is just fine), and then asking how they are going to respond to their environment. The colors are oversaturated, but it stops short of caricature.
If you prefer a little more "realism" or a "grittier" experience, you may enjoy Chromed: Upgrade, the route that I took to meet Parry. https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin...
I encourage you to try either one of these books: they're good reading.
It's a good book.
As Parry himself will say, he wrote this book in the Firefly genre. It's not a rip-off from the characters, or the universe, or the ship. Rather, it's a direct extension of the emotions evoked in us by Firefly. It asks the same questions: "What is family?" "How do I treat others?" "Where do I belong?"
In the space opera genre, solutions are frequently a little "convenient." This is because the point of the story isn't about overcoming the problems themselves, but about the story of the characters' development. Parry does a great job introducing characters, giving them a rich backstory (sometimes feels slightly too rich, but that is just fine), and then asking how they are going to respond to their environment. The colors are oversaturated, but it stops short of caricature.
If you prefer a little more "realism" or a "grittier" experience, you may enjoy Chromed: Upgrade, the route that I took to meet Parry. https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin...
I encourage you to try either one of these books: they're good reading.
February 24, 2018
People do not "flash freeze" in space.
Too much of the tension is generated by the crew's ridiculous inattention to obviously dangerous things, like a moon-sized satellite that's arrived out of nowhere.
Aside from that, not bad.
Too much of the tension is generated by the crew's ridiculous inattention to obviously dangerous things, like a moon-sized satellite that's arrived out of nowhere.
Aside from that, not bad.
November 28, 2018
I love science fiction and this is a prime example of science fiction at its very best.
Great story, wonderful characters with clear understandable backgrounds and purpose, fantastical environments and at times, scary as hell.
I don’t give out spoilers. Why would others purchase the book if I did? So no spoilers here.
Let me just say that, if like me, you like sci-fi, then this is an awesome read.
I even got this book for 99 cents. I was very surprised and extremely happy that this story exceeded all my expectations, as it did my daughter also. She has to help me read these days since I’m visually impaired.
We both liked this story so much that we read it in just three sittings.
I plan on getting the next book, but since my daughter has to get back to her post holiday busy schedule, then it may take a bit longer to read it.
But I’ll give it a try and and all sci-fi fans should too.
Thank you Richard for such a wonderful tale!
March 25, 2018
Good story, well written
I've seen this compared to Firefly and that's is not a bad thing at all. There are similarities and the story goes far beyond the similarities.
The characters are real and as fleshed out as some of them can be. The dialogue is appropriate and works well. Not once did a character "smirk", so the writing is already more thoughtful and stylistically satisfying than a lot of these space operas. The action is very tense and this is as much a horror story as adventure story.
This is a really good book. I am really looking forward to reading more by this author.
I've seen this compared to Firefly and that's is not a bad thing at all. There are similarities and the story goes far beyond the similarities.
The characters are real and as fleshed out as some of them can be. The dialogue is appropriate and works well. Not once did a character "smirk", so the writing is already more thoughtful and stylistically satisfying than a lot of these space operas. The action is very tense and this is as much a horror story as adventure story.
This is a really good book. I am really looking forward to reading more by this author.
May 12, 2018
A Fabulous Space Opera Military Adventure.
Read the blurb, think Firefly, Starship Troopers and the expanse.
Read the 4-5 star review's, so worth each and every one.
Buy the book or download it, either way, doesn't matter which as long as you acquire it, then hop aboard the Tyche for a non-stop, fly by the seat of your pants, thrilling, action packed, with lot's of come to jesus moments, ride with a crew of highly colourful character's.
Highly entertaining, Highly recommended.
Read the blurb, think Firefly, Starship Troopers and the expanse.
Read the 4-5 star review's, so worth each and every one.
Buy the book or download it, either way, doesn't matter which as long as you acquire it, then hop aboard the Tyche for a non-stop, fly by the seat of your pants, thrilling, action packed, with lot's of come to jesus moments, ride with a crew of highly colourful character's.
Highly entertaining, Highly recommended.
June 30, 2019
Now *that’s* SF
Aliens, reactor overloads, impossible stacked on impossible, plasma blasts and nuclear tipped torpedos...that’s the good stuff. Enough intrigue to make 007 proud while John McClain swoons in admiration at the last second escapes.
Really it’s just a collection of good old tropes, but the writing to flesh it out is excellent. Firefly-esque in a lot of ways, but with a little harder edge. The pacing ramps up slowly to a huge finish.
Buying the next book. Worth it.
Aliens, reactor overloads, impossible stacked on impossible, plasma blasts and nuclear tipped torpedos...that’s the good stuff. Enough intrigue to make 007 proud while John McClain swoons in admiration at the last second escapes.
Really it’s just a collection of good old tropes, but the writing to flesh it out is excellent. Firefly-esque in a lot of ways, but with a little harder edge. The pacing ramps up slowly to a huge finish.
Buying the next book. Worth it.
May 22, 2018
The first in a series all of which are fabulous. The characters are very believable and the action means it's impossible to put the book down until the end but if you don't mind a few sleepless nights this is definitely the books for you. There is a follow up to the series called Tyche's Origins which tells the story of how each individual came to be on the ship which adds to the depth of the characters but also has more action.
November 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this book.
July 1, 2021
This is a book for 15yr olds, awful 90's buffy the vampire slayer type dialogue and quite predictable.
Read
May 26, 2022This isn't much of a review since I didn't finish the book, yet I feel like highlighting some things that made me drop it. This book is a good example of the author not elaborating on things and also quickly speeding through the facts just so the reader doesn't notice some of the plotholes or doesn't start too loudly asking "but why?" This is not really a criticism since all authors do this, it's just a question of 'can they get away with this without the narrative collapsing on its own'?
[Spoilers from the beginning of the book ahead, brace yourselves.]
The simplest example - Grace appears with a sword in a supposedly Military SF story. Naturally you would think something like that would need a small elaboration. Is the sword some kind of a symbole of status? Is it some special type of techno sword that's used for special circumstances? Does the setting have some elements of space-fantasy? We don't really get anything like that aside from the fact you can cut people with it, like a normal sword. A bit later it is also lampshaded by Nate that the sword is impractical since a blaster is clearly better in all regards.
Another example, this time a bit of a contradiction. It is mentioned that the Republic has scanner everywhere - even in bathrooms - that constantly monitor your identity... yet for some reason the Republic Navy doesn't check the Tycho's crew identities in any way? This is especially jarring considering everybody is making such a big deal about an esper. The sword thing can be waved away, but this is a clear plothole.
And speaking of plotholes, Tycho's assignment that pushes the plot forward sort of gets resolved the moment they find the Ravana, which is drifting in space, with enough data in its computers to tell anyone who looks at it that something is very, very wrong in Absalom system. Wrong enough for the crew of the last ship that brought a transmitter to get suicided... a destroyer with unclear intentions... and a moon that isn't supposed to be there... The moon-thing is especially funny to me since while El was checking the data the author sped through this part at lightspeed. The way it was written I just assumed it was just a normal moon that was always there, that is until I saw @MKenfield21's post here which made me do a double take.
My breaking point came when they decided to replace their failing power core with that of the Ravana. May question "Why?!" It's about to go critical, just shut it down and board the Ravana - which is in better condition that your own flying deathtrap - then hightail it back to the civilization, give the Navy the data and both transmitters and then nope out of there. But you would say "but the transmiter wasn't delivered", my answer "that was never the point, was it" as the Navy officer explained to Nate, they are there to find out what happened, the transmitter is more or less secondary. After that get another power core, some prize crew and return for the Tyche. That's it.
Also, justice for Hope! The woman is driven harder than a slave and forced to do dangerous things while depraved of sleep.
[Spoilers from the beginning of the book ahead, brace yourselves.]
The simplest example - Grace appears with a sword in a supposedly Military SF story. Naturally you would think something like that would need a small elaboration. Is the sword some kind of a symbole of status? Is it some special type of techno sword that's used for special circumstances? Does the setting have some elements of space-fantasy? We don't really get anything like that aside from the fact you can cut people with it, like a normal sword. A bit later it is also lampshaded by Nate that the sword is impractical since a blaster is clearly better in all regards.
Another example, this time a bit of a contradiction. It is mentioned that the Republic has scanner everywhere - even in bathrooms - that constantly monitor your identity... yet for some reason the Republic Navy doesn't check the Tycho's crew identities in any way? This is especially jarring considering everybody is making such a big deal about an esper. The sword thing can be waved away, but this is a clear plothole.
And speaking of plotholes, Tycho's assignment that pushes the plot forward sort of gets resolved the moment they find the Ravana, which is drifting in space, with enough data in its computers to tell anyone who looks at it that something is very, very wrong in Absalom system. Wrong enough for the crew of the last ship that brought a transmitter to get suicided... a destroyer with unclear intentions... and a moon that isn't supposed to be there... The moon-thing is especially funny to me since while El was checking the data the author sped through this part at lightspeed. The way it was written I just assumed it was just a normal moon that was always there, that is until I saw @MKenfield21's post here which made me do a double take.
My breaking point came when they decided to replace their failing power core with that of the Ravana. May question "Why?!" It's about to go critical, just shut it down and board the Ravana - which is in better condition that your own flying deathtrap - then hightail it back to the civilization, give the Navy the data and both transmitters and then nope out of there. But you would say "but the transmiter wasn't delivered", my answer "that was never the point, was it" as the Navy officer explained to Nate, they are there to find out what happened, the transmitter is more or less secondary. After that get another power core, some prize crew and return for the Tyche. That's it.
Also, justice for Hope! The woman is driven harder than a slave and forced to do dangerous things while depraved of sleep.
November 30, 2018
Grace Gushiken only had her sword and a few Republic coins left. She was being hunted and had to find a way out of here. Her best bet was to lie her way onto the Tyche, an aging rust bucket to be sure, but she had heard the Republic had a job for him and that was her way out. Nathan Chevell, captain of the Tyche, a free starship outside of Guild constraints, was allegedly very good at his job. She needed to sign on as a crew member and, if there wasn’t an available position, she would have to make sure one suddenly opened up.
Nate sat at a table in a spacer bar across from two men from the Republic’s Navy. Before the Lieutenant even opened his mouth, Nate had silently sized both men up with lightning fast deductions based on their appearance and demeanor. One a classic desk-worker and the other a tough non-officer. He knew that though both were on the same side, each had a vastly different point of view. He corrected Lieutenant Evans immediately on his mispronunciation of the name of Nate’s ship. Nate’s clever repartee seemed to run rings around Evans who sometimes seemed a bit dazed by the captain’s responses. Nate was actually enjoying his attempt to negotiate with the Republic who never negotiated, and he smiled inwardly as he compared it to playfully pulling on a tiger’s tail. He was pleased when he saw the rigid Marine next to Evans try to conceal a tiny smile as Nate deftly manipulated Evans. Nate would agree to the job if his three stipulations were met.
A woman slipped in comfortably beside Nate to add a fourth stipulation – surrendering the right of salvage to provide a sort of finder’s fee. All three men turned toward her, Nate studying her because she was a stranger to him as well! Then she confidently introduced herself as Grace Gushiken, the Tyche’s Assessor! She reminded Evans that there was a downed transmitter involved and that would make it worth their while to salvage, in case the rest of the money due them was somehow not paid. Grace and Nate seamlessly blended their stories to completely convince Evans that they had everything planned out. For the first time, the Marine spoke and asked Evans if he wanted him to rough them up – but before Evans could answer, Nate’s man Kohl pressed a weapon to the Marine’s neck and Evans agreed to their terms without further argument.
The snappy writing was so well done and made for an enjoyable read. The story line moved along briskly and kept the reader’s attention. Events happened quickly, but it always felt like Nate was at least one step ahead. He would have to deal with Grace’s presence, but he was the kind who looked like he could handle any challenge that came his way. There was so much more in this book that could be mentioned. Hopefully this is enough already to show how much I loved the book and that it is strongly recommended to the reader to grab a copy and join this wild adventure! I have to admit, I’m a definite new fan of this author!
Nate sat at a table in a spacer bar across from two men from the Republic’s Navy. Before the Lieutenant even opened his mouth, Nate had silently sized both men up with lightning fast deductions based on their appearance and demeanor. One a classic desk-worker and the other a tough non-officer. He knew that though both were on the same side, each had a vastly different point of view. He corrected Lieutenant Evans immediately on his mispronunciation of the name of Nate’s ship. Nate’s clever repartee seemed to run rings around Evans who sometimes seemed a bit dazed by the captain’s responses. Nate was actually enjoying his attempt to negotiate with the Republic who never negotiated, and he smiled inwardly as he compared it to playfully pulling on a tiger’s tail. He was pleased when he saw the rigid Marine next to Evans try to conceal a tiny smile as Nate deftly manipulated Evans. Nate would agree to the job if his three stipulations were met.
A woman slipped in comfortably beside Nate to add a fourth stipulation – surrendering the right of salvage to provide a sort of finder’s fee. All three men turned toward her, Nate studying her because she was a stranger to him as well! Then she confidently introduced herself as Grace Gushiken, the Tyche’s Assessor! She reminded Evans that there was a downed transmitter involved and that would make it worth their while to salvage, in case the rest of the money due them was somehow not paid. Grace and Nate seamlessly blended their stories to completely convince Evans that they had everything planned out. For the first time, the Marine spoke and asked Evans if he wanted him to rough them up – but before Evans could answer, Nate’s man Kohl pressed a weapon to the Marine’s neck and Evans agreed to their terms without further argument.
The snappy writing was so well done and made for an enjoyable read. The story line moved along briskly and kept the reader’s attention. Events happened quickly, but it always felt like Nate was at least one step ahead. He would have to deal with Grace’s presence, but he was the kind who looked like he could handle any challenge that came his way. There was so much more in this book that could be mentioned. Hopefully this is enough already to show how much I loved the book and that it is strongly recommended to the reader to grab a copy and join this wild adventure! I have to admit, I’m a definite new fan of this author!
June 12, 2020
Tyche's Flight is closely modeled after Firefly,with a strong touch of James S.A. Corey's Expanse series and all benefit from the comparison.
Our tale opens with an aging tramp space freighter,Tyche,captained by a veteran nursing losses from the war between the Empire and the Republic. He lost an arm,a leg and the war. His suffering has made him concentrate on keeping his ship and crew in one piece. His pilot could fly Tyche thru just about any hazard you could think of but she is hampered by a lack of courage when it comes to any thing besides flying.
His engineer is a mechanical genius but in the process of being double crossed by her partner ended on the Republic's wanted list and faces a lifetime on the run.
His 'deck hand' is actually a glorified(but highly effective) killer matching his crude,thuggish behavior and appearance.
And,trying to join the crew as if her life depended on it(and it does) is an esper on the run with a death sentence on her head.
The Republic Navy hires Tyche to transport a replacement for a failed jump gate without being honest about the reason it was knocked out of commission in the first place. If this sounds like a fairly standard setup it is but where the author shines is execution. Richard Parry creates characters that live and breath,flesh and blood with depth and breadth that made me want to spend time with them. First thing I did when I finished was to get the next book.
Our tale opens with an aging tramp space freighter,Tyche,captained by a veteran nursing losses from the war between the Empire and the Republic. He lost an arm,a leg and the war. His suffering has made him concentrate on keeping his ship and crew in one piece. His pilot could fly Tyche thru just about any hazard you could think of but she is hampered by a lack of courage when it comes to any thing besides flying.
His engineer is a mechanical genius but in the process of being double crossed by her partner ended on the Republic's wanted list and faces a lifetime on the run.
His 'deck hand' is actually a glorified(but highly effective) killer matching his crude,thuggish behavior and appearance.
And,trying to join the crew as if her life depended on it(and it does) is an esper on the run with a death sentence on her head.
The Republic Navy hires Tyche to transport a replacement for a failed jump gate without being honest about the reason it was knocked out of commission in the first place. If this sounds like a fairly standard setup it is but where the author shines is execution. Richard Parry creates characters that live and breath,flesh and blood with depth and breadth that made me want to spend time with them. First thing I did when I finished was to get the next book.
February 15, 2021
If you like the alien mysteries and space battles that push the narrative in Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet books, you’ll find plenty of elements in Tyche’s Flight to enjoy. If you like Firefly's ragtag crew with interesting dynamics, you'll like Tyche's Flight. If you like the camaraderie of the Rocinante’s crew in The Expanse novels without the macropolitical and socio-cultural discursions, you’ll like Tyche’s Flight.
Author Richard Parry doesn’t counterfeit characters from other series, but they are recognizable types. And the characters are interesting and likeable. Tyche’s Flight explores the dynamics of this crew’s relationships—among each other and with the greater universe around them—as they learn the secrets of a new crewmember and as she learns theirs. The plot focuses on the Tyche’s mission: the Republic hires the crew to deliver a replacement to a distant star gate that’s stopped working and whose station has gone silent.
Perfect set up for bad stuff to happen.
Parry creates tension and real thrills—not just when Tyche reaches its destination, but along the way. This story stands alone as an enjoyable SF adventure. It also opens up possibilities for the subsequent novels. The characters are interesting. The incidents are entertaining, and the action is engaging. I’ll be reading the next book in the series, Tyche’s Deceit.
Author Richard Parry doesn’t counterfeit characters from other series, but they are recognizable types. And the characters are interesting and likeable. Tyche’s Flight explores the dynamics of this crew’s relationships—among each other and with the greater universe around them—as they learn the secrets of a new crewmember and as she learns theirs. The plot focuses on the Tyche’s mission: the Republic hires the crew to deliver a replacement to a distant star gate that’s stopped working and whose station has gone silent.
Perfect set up for bad stuff to happen.
Parry creates tension and real thrills—not just when Tyche reaches its destination, but along the way. This story stands alone as an enjoyable SF adventure. It also opens up possibilities for the subsequent novels. The characters are interesting. The incidents are entertaining, and the action is engaging. I’ll be reading the next book in the series, Tyche’s Deceit.
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