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Aurora #7
Aurora: Aurizun
The battle is over, but the war is just beginning . . . The Zeta invasion has occurred and the world now knows the that an alien threat exists. While the UNF scramble to maintain calm, the pressure mounts to finally reveal their black ops ALPHA soldiers. The only question is, who will be entrusted to lead them? Harris is still reeling from the devastation that occurred during Decima, and when a startling discovery is revealed, he suddenly loses the trust of the UNF. Next in line is McKinley, but still recovering from his injuries, he’s struggling to accept what he has now become. Carrie, on the other hand, is the strongest she’s ever been, but her linkage to Harris, and his to the Zetas, sees them forced out and treated as the enemy. The power they once had within the UNF is lost. Without a ship or a leader, and with enemies closing in on all sides, the Aurora team must fight to regroup and claw their way back from oblivion. Carrie, Harris and McKinley face their most explosive showdowns yet, in this action-packed instalment that will leave readers on the edge of their seats!
524 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2019
1 person is currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Bridgeman
28 books107 followersAmanda is a Scribe Award winner, a two-time Tin Duck Award winner, an Aurealis and Ditmar Awards finalist and author of several science fiction and thriller novels. Her works include sci-fi mystery SALVATION series, consisting of THE SUBJUGATE and THE SENSATION (published by Angry Robot Books, UK), which is being developed for TV by Aquarius Films and Anonymous Content (True Detective, Mr Robot, The Alienist).
THE SUBJUGATE is also currently being studied at two German universities (Düsseldorf and Cologne) as part of a program on Australian speculative fiction, in conjunction with the Centre for Australian Studies.
Born in the seaside/country town of Geraldton, Western Australia, she moved to Perth (Western Australia) to study film & television/creative writing at Murdoch University, earning her a BA in Communication Studies. Perth has been her home ever since, aside from a nineteen-month stint in London (England) where she dabbled in Film & TV ‘Extra’ work.
Amanda is a versatile writer who enjoys working across different genres and creative formats, be it novels, screenplays, short stories, etc, and creating both original and tie-in work.
Her Scribe Award winning novel PANDEMIC: PATIENT ZERO is the first novel set in the award-winning Pandemic tabletop board game universe.
She has written short stories for Marvel (X-Men) and Black Library (Warhammer 40k) anthologies.
Her new novel, Sound of Light, set in the Marvel X-Men universe and featuring mutant Dazzler, is out now!
THE SUBJUGATE is also currently being studied at two German universities (Düsseldorf and Cologne) as part of a program on Australian speculative fiction, in conjunction with the Centre for Australian Studies.
Born in the seaside/country town of Geraldton, Western Australia, she moved to Perth (Western Australia) to study film & television/creative writing at Murdoch University, earning her a BA in Communication Studies. Perth has been her home ever since, aside from a nineteen-month stint in London (England) where she dabbled in Film & TV ‘Extra’ work.
Amanda is a versatile writer who enjoys working across different genres and creative formats, be it novels, screenplays, short stories, etc, and creating both original and tie-in work.
Her Scribe Award winning novel PANDEMIC: PATIENT ZERO is the first novel set in the award-winning Pandemic tabletop board game universe.
She has written short stories for Marvel (X-Men) and Black Library (Warhammer 40k) anthologies.
Her new novel, Sound of Light, set in the Marvel X-Men universe and featuring mutant Dazzler, is out now!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 22, 2018
This is the seventh book in the Aurora series and I think it may have been my favourite one so far. Though it has been a while since I read book six, I was quickly catapulted back into the story, catching up with my favourite characters. They are in a bad place, after surviving the Zeta attack, and things are only going to get worse for them when secrets are revealed that has the UNF questioning their loyalty. With the crew of the Aurora separated and in varying degrees of trouble, they will have to fight harder than they ever have before to get free and prepare the world for when the Zetas return.
I loved that Carrie, Harris and McKinley were forced to undergo trials where their Alpha strengths and extra senses were no help to them. They had to find the strength within themselves to do what was right, even if that put them in further danger. Injuries, unwanted transformations and devastating losses take their toll both mentally and physically, and with people inside the UNF out to get them they are put through the wringer. As they each faced their own personal adversity, it was hard for me to remember that they weren’t real people. I have been reading this series from the start, eagerly waiting for the next instalment, devouring it in great gulps of reading time. The secondary characters are just as complex as Carrie, Harris and McKinley, leading to confrontations and revelations that could change the face of the UNF forever.
While this book does not contain any epic space battles, it was still fast paced and filled with nail biting scenes that had me leaning forward as I read. The characters were tortured, both figuratively and literally, as they sought to prove that they were on the side of humankind and would do whatever they had to do to ensure the Zetas did not win. It was this emotional element that resonated with me the most, showing the depths of the Aurora team’s commitment to their duty, making them true heroes in my eyes. Seven books in, and the author still manages to surprise me, leaving me gasping at the end and itching to read the next book.
I loved that Carrie, Harris and McKinley were forced to undergo trials where their Alpha strengths and extra senses were no help to them. They had to find the strength within themselves to do what was right, even if that put them in further danger. Injuries, unwanted transformations and devastating losses take their toll both mentally and physically, and with people inside the UNF out to get them they are put through the wringer. As they each faced their own personal adversity, it was hard for me to remember that they weren’t real people. I have been reading this series from the start, eagerly waiting for the next instalment, devouring it in great gulps of reading time. The secondary characters are just as complex as Carrie, Harris and McKinley, leading to confrontations and revelations that could change the face of the UNF forever.
While this book does not contain any epic space battles, it was still fast paced and filled with nail biting scenes that had me leaning forward as I read. The characters were tortured, both figuratively and literally, as they sought to prove that they were on the side of humankind and would do whatever they had to do to ensure the Zetas did not win. It was this emotional element that resonated with me the most, showing the depths of the Aurora team’s commitment to their duty, making them true heroes in my eyes. Seven books in, and the author still manages to surprise me, leaving me gasping at the end and itching to read the next book.
December 26, 2018
Keeps Getting Better
It was with much anticipation that I happily recieved and ARC of Amanda Bridgeman's Aurora: Aurizun. The story begins right where the previous book Aurora:Decima finishes. There is no lag time or catching up to read.
In previous books Carrie Welles has more often than not been learning about herself and doing a lot of healing. Either physically, emotionally or both. This theme continues, although this time Carrie has to draw on her inner strength to support her husband, her commander and her team. And boy does she kick ass all the way through the story.
McKinley is recovering from the injuries he recieved in the previous novel, Aurora:Decima and life will never be the same. I loved the way both Carrie and the kids all helped him come to terms with his new body. And Saul Harris faces his most difficult time as grief tries to tear him apart.
And last but not least Archie ,Carrie's AI proved without doubt his total commitment to those he was programmed to protect. Love Archie.
This book is about survival, regrouping and trying to find the best way forward. From the very first book in the series,Aurora:Darwin, I have heard and liked the authors voice coming through the story. With each new book her storytelling skills improve and so does my reading enjoyment.
It was with much anticipation that I happily recieved and ARC of Amanda Bridgeman's Aurora: Aurizun. The story begins right where the previous book Aurora:Decima finishes. There is no lag time or catching up to read.
In previous books Carrie Welles has more often than not been learning about herself and doing a lot of healing. Either physically, emotionally or both. This theme continues, although this time Carrie has to draw on her inner strength to support her husband, her commander and her team. And boy does she kick ass all the way through the story.
McKinley is recovering from the injuries he recieved in the previous novel, Aurora:Decima and life will never be the same. I loved the way both Carrie and the kids all helped him come to terms with his new body. And Saul Harris faces his most difficult time as grief tries to tear him apart.
And last but not least Archie ,Carrie's AI proved without doubt his total commitment to those he was programmed to protect. Love Archie.
This book is about survival, regrouping and trying to find the best way forward. From the very first book in the series,Aurora:Darwin, I have heard and liked the authors voice coming through the story. With each new book her storytelling skills improve and so does my reading enjoyment.
February 10, 2019
Reading through the Aurora series thus far has been a long journey: the last instalment was published a bit over two years ago. Bridgeman hasn't been idle in that time, releasing both a self-published title (The Time of the Stripes) and a traditionally published book (The Subjugate out from Angry Robot). This dedicated work ethic shows through in Aurora: Aurizun. There were a couple of rough spots in the writing style early on, but these quickly smoothed out and, on the whole, were an improvement on previous books.
The pacing remained a little uneven. The story is divided into two parts, with the beginning of the first part largely given over to the fallout from the previous book. This had the potential to feel slow, but there was enough emotional weight to keep things tense. The action peaks at the end of the first part, then slows down as the different factions manoeuvre around each other, before building up once again to the big finale I've come to expect from this series.
Once again, this is not a good entry point for new readers. Not only is this the seventh book in the series, but these are not small books and they feature a large cast. Being swamped with award reading, I didn't get a chance to look back over the previous books in the series, so I feel it is a credit to Bridgeman's writing that I was able to ease back into the story with minimal confusion over who was who.
However, this may also be due to the fact that this book doesn't spend a lot of time with the crew of the Aurora. Having lost their ship in the previous book, they spend most of their time cooling their heels, with the focus being more on the personal journeys of Carrie, Harris and McKinley. A schism in the UNF also takes a lot of the spotlight as the top brass split over the best strategy to combat the looming alien threat. Readers who like politics and shifting alliances should very much enjoy this book.
The story also does a good job of continuing the themes of bodily autonomy that have woven throughout the series. I particularly appreciated the way it touched on women's reproductive rights and how these get hijacked by the patriarchy for their purposes. And I was gratified to see the inclusion of more queer representation, particularly in a character who defies the usual stereotypes.
While I generally enjoyed the story, I was ultimately left with the feeling the series was treading water. There were some steps forward, particularly in relation to the personal journeys of the three central characters. However, these mostly felt like tying up loose ends from previous books rather than treading new ground. The characters are on a deadline, albeit a long one, so the wasting of time does raise the stakes somewhat for future books. That said, it didn't make for a satisfying read and, given how long the series already is, I wonder how much of it is necessary.
In between all the politicking are some excellent set pieces. The action sequences are strong, visual and violent, helping to anchor the tone of the series.
All in all, Aurora: Aurizun was a solid instalment of the series and I'm curious to see what the next books hold.
This review first appeared on Earl Grey Editing.
The pacing remained a little uneven. The story is divided into two parts, with the beginning of the first part largely given over to the fallout from the previous book. This had the potential to feel slow, but there was enough emotional weight to keep things tense. The action peaks at the end of the first part, then slows down as the different factions manoeuvre around each other, before building up once again to the big finale I've come to expect from this series.
Once again, this is not a good entry point for new readers. Not only is this the seventh book in the series, but these are not small books and they feature a large cast. Being swamped with award reading, I didn't get a chance to look back over the previous books in the series, so I feel it is a credit to Bridgeman's writing that I was able to ease back into the story with minimal confusion over who was who.
However, this may also be due to the fact that this book doesn't spend a lot of time with the crew of the Aurora. Having lost their ship in the previous book, they spend most of their time cooling their heels, with the focus being more on the personal journeys of Carrie, Harris and McKinley. A schism in the UNF also takes a lot of the spotlight as the top brass split over the best strategy to combat the looming alien threat. Readers who like politics and shifting alliances should very much enjoy this book.
The story also does a good job of continuing the themes of bodily autonomy that have woven throughout the series. I particularly appreciated the way it touched on women's reproductive rights and how these get hijacked by the patriarchy for their purposes. And I was gratified to see the inclusion of more queer representation, particularly in a character who defies the usual stereotypes.
While I generally enjoyed the story, I was ultimately left with the feeling the series was treading water. There were some steps forward, particularly in relation to the personal journeys of the three central characters. However, these mostly felt like tying up loose ends from previous books rather than treading new ground. The characters are on a deadline, albeit a long one, so the wasting of time does raise the stakes somewhat for future books. That said, it didn't make for a satisfying read and, given how long the series already is, I wonder how much of it is necessary.
In between all the politicking are some excellent set pieces. The action sequences are strong, visual and violent, helping to anchor the tone of the series.
All in all, Aurora: Aurizun was a solid instalment of the series and I'm curious to see what the next books hold.
This review first appeared on Earl Grey Editing.
February 4, 2019
Originally reviewed at West Coast Book Reviews.
Aurora: Aurizun is the seventh (count 'em, seven) in Amanda Bridgeman's intense science fiction series, Aurora, and I've enjoyed them all.
If you haven't given this series a go, I recommend it if you:
a) love strong character driven SF
b) love finding extraordinary adventure close to home and other corners of the solar system
c) love well crafted antagonists
d) love it when a story sends you crashing into the ending
The series has grown and developed in a consistent way since the outset. The world building has truly blossomed with the tragedy at the end of book six (Decima) and the aftermath in this volume. Bridgeman's characters continue to be one of the biggest attractions to me and I continue to jump into each book to find out what they are doing now. We've lost some and gained some along the way (a decade of story arc time has passed) and this has served to give each a real depth.
For many reasons, Aurizun uses the past to anchor a sturdy pivot point for the next two books. So many transitions happen, Aurizun feels set to be the book that launches the rest of the series. Bridgeman continues to use her mastery of contrast to not only heighten the power of her imagery but to also keep the tension rolling throughout.
Aurora: Aurizun was well worth the wait and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on book 8!
Aurora: Aurizun is the seventh (count 'em, seven) in Amanda Bridgeman's intense science fiction series, Aurora, and I've enjoyed them all.
If you haven't given this series a go, I recommend it if you:
a) love strong character driven SF
b) love finding extraordinary adventure close to home and other corners of the solar system
c) love well crafted antagonists
d) love it when a story sends you crashing into the ending
The series has grown and developed in a consistent way since the outset. The world building has truly blossomed with the tragedy at the end of book six (Decima) and the aftermath in this volume. Bridgeman's characters continue to be one of the biggest attractions to me and I continue to jump into each book to find out what they are doing now. We've lost some and gained some along the way (a decade of story arc time has passed) and this has served to give each a real depth.
For many reasons, Aurizun uses the past to anchor a sturdy pivot point for the next two books. So many transitions happen, Aurizun feels set to be the book that launches the rest of the series. Bridgeman continues to use her mastery of contrast to not only heighten the power of her imagery but to also keep the tension rolling throughout.
Aurora: Aurizun was well worth the wait and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on book 8!
September 21, 2022
The story line is very good. Could have done with a good edit
January 22, 2024
This series just gets better and better.
Read
September 25, 2019Good
It's been a long while since reading the previous book in this series, and remembering situations and people was a little difficult for me. I knew the story was going to change, but it didn't change as drastically as expected. Problem for me is that some people seemed of a different personality than I remember.we have spaceships that don't go very fast in the solar system (a good thing), but they're big enough to house a rather large crew. Yet, the crew can jump into them as if they're comandering a bus, and skylark around the solar system as if no one cares that someone has made off with anything expensive. We're on an interlude before the big war, and what's happening is still mysterious and unknown. Downgraded for all the dumb editing errors. Missing articles wrong, pronouns, fragmentary sentence structure, etc.
It's been a long while since reading the previous book in this series, and remembering situations and people was a little difficult for me. I knew the story was going to change, but it didn't change as drastically as expected. Problem for me is that some people seemed of a different personality than I remember.we have spaceships that don't go very fast in the solar system (a good thing), but they're big enough to house a rather large crew. Yet, the crew can jump into them as if they're comandering a bus, and skylark around the solar system as if no one cares that someone has made off with anything expensive. We're on an interlude before the big war, and what's happening is still mysterious and unknown. Downgraded for all the dumb editing errors. Missing articles wrong, pronouns, fragmentary sentence structure, etc.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews