A time travel adventure and clean romance story from bestselling author, Jackie Anders, that takes the reader to where the god of war (Mars) was first venerated, Ancient Rome, revealing modern and ancient conspiracies that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Twenty-eight-year-old Kyla Marshall has desires of advancing her career in public relations at all costs... Until she ends up stumbling in on a special ops' mission that takes her from her client's lab in the year 2017 to 8 A.D. Ancient Rome. After learning her new reality, she discovers that the team's mission is to stop a biochemical scientist from unleashing a deadly virus on the unsuspecting 1st Century people in order to change history.
As Kyla encounters hostility and strife on her journey, she is surprisingly protected by the team's leader, Capt. Christopher Eriksen. Even though Eriksen has many internal struggles from what he's seen and done, he inspires her to trust in something bigger than herself. But as Kyla and the team race to stop the impending genocide, Kyla's biggest fear is no longer the known threat. It is the not knowing if she will ever be able to get back home.
READERS FAVORITE AWARD WINNER LITERARY TITAN AWARD WINNER NOMINEE FOR AUTHOR ELITE AWARDS 2021
The short length of the novel did not bother me, though it’s part of a series, and the first book is 160 pages long. The perspective does not shift, so it is easy to follow along with the main character without being distracted by the camera zooming back to take in the other characters, as if the events were taking place in a snowglobe with the main character at the center.
You may have seen similar plots and characters before, but they work in the way the author uses them. Mainly, the way the author tells a story makes for smooth reading.
The plot is often advanced by dialogue, and the dialogue is not dry; it will give you a sense of character. The internal monologues are effective, and even charismatic. It starts out with a deceptively realistic setting. The first person career-minded female narrator is a likable heroine.
The selling point for many will be the details that pinpoint time and place, setting the scenes in ancient times. There is a lot of fun to be had with this novel, written as it is, in a casual, easy-to-read style.
If you are overly concerned with explaining every aspect of a story, like how time travel works or how individuals are able to interact with past events and long-dead people, you will likely take umbrage at the many liberties this book takes. I would not call it a work of hard science fiction for that reason. It is rather a time-travel story with elements of romance, fantasy and historical drama. The focus is the history, not the science.
I thought it might have been even more interesting if the main character was transported through time and had to rely more on her wits to figure out what happened. Instead she has to doubt her companions, as any intelligent person would in her situation, but still cope with their agency for a while.
The author obviously enjoys history and wanted to pass on some of that enjoyment to the reader. I feel that the purpose of this book was to take a short trip through time and discover an adventure that is both exciting and which communicates a valuable message.
If you are a fan of Connie Willis’ Domesday Book, give this one a try.
PS> I received an advanced review copy for free in exchange for a review.
*Disclaimer* I was financially compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by the author and/or its affiliates in any way.
Phoenix: Field of Mars by Jackie Anders is a book about a twenty-eight-year-old, Kyla Marshall, who is in the field of public relations. That was until she ends up dropping in on a special ops’ mission. Literally! She finds herself transported from 2017 to 8 A.D and have no choice but to follow the team with their mission to stop a scientist from unleashing a deadly virus that would kill many in an era where people were still using natural herbs as remedies. At first, she was wary about the men, but as she got to know them, she slowly warmed up to them. Throughout her journey there, the question of whether she will get back home lingers on her mind.
This book has a great plot that can captivate anyone. Kyla is a strong independent woman from the 21st century who found herself thrown back in time to the 1st century. With her knowledge, it is safe to assume that she, with the help of her stubbornness, can cause problems during this time period where women were seen as objects and submissive. The men that she travels with all have their own unique personality. Being heroes of war, she learns that each of them struggles with their own demon but are all kind men. These unique characters with the plot of saving the population from a deadly disease create a story that almost guarantees the readers a book that will be interesting.
This book is an incredible work of art, never a dull moment and the writing is as beautiful as a gentle stream. I cheered, I teared up, and became easily drawn in to the story and never wanted to leave! This is a must read for any hardcore book lover!
Dang, hate it when I write my review the accident,y erase it To repeat. Good book. Realistic. The guys stay true to themselves. She is all girly but not too much. Good book.
Phoenix : Field of Mars is a novel about 28-year-old Kyla Marshall who works in public relations. While visiting a client in Israel, she finds herself transported from the year 2017 to 8 A.D, landing in Ancient Rome and becoming part of a special ops mission to stop the unleashing of a deadly virus. I’m not usually a reader of sci-fi, but the author creates a combination of sci-fi, romance, and historical fiction (which I love) to deliver an engaging read, complete with unique characters and settings. This novel leads us through the challenges that can be experienced in a time and culture that wasn’t conducive to modern, independent women. It also explores the bonds of love and loyalty, not only between a man and women, but between team members. This was a great read, and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel.
[Disclaimer: I got this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program] The first thing to know about this book is that the title is misleading. True, the text explains why it says "phoenix", but the "fields of Mars" are not related to the Red Planet but just to the battlefields. The book starts in the present days' Jerusalem (with some explanations which are a bit patronising for an European - this is the weakest part of the book), but Kyla Marshall, the main character got pushed back to 8 A.D. together with four soldiers. No, Jesus Christ is not directly related to the story: the soldiers must stop a rogue scientist who went back in time to spread a deadly virus among the Germans - does anybody remember the sentence "Quintili Vare, legiones redde!" spoken by Augustus? The story runs well, but I could not stand that the plot comes to Venice. True, Regio Venetia then existed: but it took four centuries for the city to be established...
Travel back in time to 1st century Rome BUT with 21 st Century Special Ops team. Anders gives us nail-biting tension, incredibly well researched history and love in a story that'll keep you turning pages and wanting to read the next book in the series.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For starters, the novel runs a little shorter than I like. And while usually I prefer longer novels, I haven't been able to read in awhile due to time constraints.
So if life is busy, this is a good novel to bring around and travel with.
Quick summary : The novel is about a young woman who accidentally drops into the middle of a group of special forces members who are sent back in time before Jesus Christ to stop another time traveller who's trying to change history.
From there, the plot is straightforward and easy to follow, with most of the events centering around our main Protagonist.
Most people would consider how convienent the plot is as mediocre writing.
HOWEVER, the author, on numerous occasions links these 'common occurrences' to a deeper meaning.
Without giving too much away, lets just say it's rather convienent because it's designed that way; and the novel is not a victim of poor writing.
So if you like novels that have that 'movie' feel to it, then you'll love this novel.
Now some more good stuff. For starters, Jackie, in terms of writing and crafting scenes has a wonderful ability to 'guide' the reader in the scene rather than control it.
She doesn't set the scene in a traditional manner, which works for the FPOV as no story is lost, but it allows some freedom at times for you, the reader, to take the setting all in.
Which is nice, considering I have no knowledge of roman history or how the lives of the citizens during that era.
Jackie does a great job of displaying the conflict of a 'modern day independent woman in the days of the prosperous roman empire. Which at times I found hilarious, and intriguing.
Now, the not so good.
My one (of two) gripes with novel, was at times dialogue felt forced, and some plot points came off as kinda cheeky. (I feel the novel in terms of Hero saves the princess, it checks many boxes in that genre, if not all)
The other issue I had with the novel is in terms of Character development (besides the MC) it fell flat. It's here, due to the unique setting and turn of events of the plot, I feel the length of the novel should have been longer.
Due to the lack of thickness, there are a few reoccuring characters whom I feel get neglected, and for the most part if left out of the novel entirely, not much would be missed.
While I'm quite sure there is a plan for those characters in future installments, right now, as it stands they just felt kinda there.
Overall, it was a pleasant read. And if you enjoy traditional hero saves princess (except this princess is very fiesty and doesn't need no man. She's sassy too) throw in a unique setting, time travel, and some forgivable cheeky plot points, then check it out.
I know I'm excited to see where this novel takes me next :).
I received my copy last week and have already finished it. It is that good!
Phoenix takes place during ancient times, which taught me a lot about that part of our history. The protagonist, Kyla, travels with a special ops team back in time to stop a rogue scientist from killing millions. The soldiers are prepared to be out of their element on this mission, but the sassy American business woman, Kyla, was not prepared. She struggles to keep up while finding her true self along the way. However, her experience and education in International Business affairs and foreign languages help her significantly and surprisingly the special ops team's mission. Along the way, they meet Phoenicians, Jews, Romans, and tribes of Germania. All of which were detailed enough that I got it far better than I ever did in my high school history classes.
The plot was intriguing, the military references spot on, and the action/mystery kept me enthralled.
My only caveat was the Romance, but it wasn't so over done that it distracted from the plot. It was endearing in its own way.
I read the other reviews before posting, and I find it interesting that everyone had a different perspective on the premise. It was very inspirational but not too religious, which I loved and appreciated.
From what I'm understanding, this is the first book of a trilogy. I will definitely continue to follow this author and her future books.
It's okay. It sets the characters in the first Year BC, so it helps to keep you focused on the fact that most of what will follow will be how the individuals all act with each other and their various settings. The big, strong manly type falls for the petit and beautiful modern woman after an adventurous escape from all the bad dudes with swords. There is a tiny bit of actual history described but mostly it's about love, lust, and odd battles not fought with modern weapons but with wit and techniques not common for warriors in the general community. I thought the religion and observance of blind faith was strained and irrational. I'm not religious so I did some fast scrolling to get past that hype of a god who would get them all out of the bad stuff without any problems. I'm about to start book2, but only plan to quickly skim the story because the dialogue is wishy-washy and based on actually liking and believing the characters can do what they say they can. They're all pretty average at best right now but maybe the story will pick up some speed and muscle now that the stage has been set. I would recommend but readers should be aware the story is weak and terribly marred with poor grammar, obvious spelling and punctuation errors, and very shabby editing.
I received an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Phoenix: Field of Mars is not my normal go-to type of book so I admit to being a little unsure if I'd like it or not. To my surprise, I really enjoyed it. Ms. Anders incorporated time travel, science, history, religion, and a sweet romance into one compelling story. Kyla and Erickson had wonderful chemistry together and the mission to preserve history held my interests to the end.
What a fête for a debut novel! My only complaints are that it was too short and I would have liked to know more about the characters. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Anders.
While the blurb promised a gripping tale, the writing fails to deliver. The book is in desperate need of a proficient editor and a sound critiquing by someone with historical expertise pertinent to the time period because there are many nits to pick.
Glaring errors leap off the pages, distracting, too numerous to catalogue, but it's Sydney, Australia, not Sidney, and it’s probably best not to claim a character is fluent in a language if one cannot then pull it off.
Add to the mix an unlikeable heroine - supposedly intelligent but with a penchant for stupidly doing things she is warned not to - and there is little to inspire one to purchase the other two books in the trilogy.
Kyla Marshall, twenty-eight, stumbles on a special ops mission that takes her to 8 AD Ancient Rome. The mission: stop a biochemical scientist from unleashing a deadly virus on a 1st Century people in order to change history. There, she meets Captain Christopher Eriksen.
What a great read. The action stayed high. The tension, even higher. The author took the reader back to the 1st century. A brutal century that didn't respect women, or anyone not a Roman. The gladiator games, slaves, and culture.
May I start out with 'I was thoroughly entertained by this book. It has something in it for all genres. This installment covers time travel, a mysterious virus and a romantic mission. Excitedly awaiting the next installment.
Dark, terrifying and complex, Phoenix Field Of Mars is a unmissable rollercoaster journey through time that will twist your mind trying to keep up with the multi- layered characters and the ever challenging plot that is up with the best…
The story is fast paced and I particularly enjoyed the love story between the main character and Erickson. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and setting. Nice job; I’m interested to see more from this writer.
Phoenix: Field of Mars by Jackie Anders is a compelling sci-fi, historical fiction masterpiece. Anders paints the landscape for a top-secret mission to save "life as we know it" by sending a team of the world's elite soldiers to first-century ancient Rome to foil the plot of a power-hungry madman. We see the clash of cultures and times as she weaves a tale of mystery, suspense, and yes...love. We witness the emotional journey of Kyla and Eriksen, as well as, the brotherhood and bonds of loyalty as we fall in love with the characters that are the Special Ops Team and those that befriend them along the way. Phoenix: Field of Mars is "Mission Impossible" meets "Back to the Future". A great read for sci-fi action lovers with a dash of history sprinkled in! I look forward to the next book in this trilogy from Jackie Anders.
Ella Clarke, Author of Reborn: The Guardian Odyssey, Book One
I was left speechless when I finished this amazing book. The story is compelling, believable, and romantic. The author does a fantastic job in creating, not just the environmental struggles, but the internal ones as well. Each character has to find their own ways to deal with them. It’s very obvious in the details of the story that the author took the time to do her research on locations and time periods
The romance between Kyla and Eriksen is well paced with its own set of trials and triumphs. At no point does it feel rushed nor delayed. To me, it flows at a good pace that a reader can fully relate to considering both characters’ own personal issues.
This is definitely a book that I highly recommend and a series that I can’t wait to read the read of. There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the best books that I’ve read in a very long time.
Time travel, a killer virus, and a little romance thrown in for good measure? I’m sold.
Phoenix follows public relations executive Kyla Marshall as she stumbles her way through a doorway to the past, an unwelcome addition to an international team of special operatives on a time-traveling mission to save the world. But Kyla isn’t what they expect. Her kindness and charm see her through the most harrowing of perils, and the reader can’t help but cheer when she succeeds. Author Jackie Anders delivers a thrilling ride from Israel to ancient Rome, blending love, action, and adventure in an intoxicating mix.
I picked this up for free and read it without realizing it is a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. It was okay but there were too many blatant errors for me to like it. For one, the language was ridiculous. Modern speech in 8 A.D. and people going back in the past that far certainly would not have blended in so smoothly. It was just too much for a jump from possibility that even the sci-Fi/fantasy didn’t make sense. I didn’t find it to be a “clean” book either as it professes to be. I won’t be reading more from this series nor from the author.
I actually liked this book, the title is misleading because I thought it was to be about an expedition on Mars. The storyline kept me intrigued and I would spend any free time reading this book. I haven’t looked at any of the other series books; but I am hoping that the storyline since it was abruptly stopped, will be finished out in the other series. I look forward to reading series 2
Well crafted story. The Roman bits could have done with a bit of polish, but entertainment value here is high.
Nitpickers notes: Roman men reclined at meals, the women had chairs or reclined. The gladius is the Roman shortsword, if gladiators had longer swords they would be spathae... 😎
This is the second book by Jackie Anders I've read and she does not disappoint. I love how she writes action, love stories, and time travel (something I have a soft spot for!), and throws it all into one page-turning book. I love the concept, the way she wrote her female lead, and also the not-so-modern way of feminism in this novel. It was a great story! Highly recommend!
I am not usually a sci-fi/fantasy reader but this story moved along at a fast pace, had likeable characters and great history back into 8 AD. Interesting. There were some typos that were a little bit annoying but you could het through the story just fine. Clean, with no bad language and lots of suspense and interesting. Kinda fun!!
Wow! I picked up this book and was hooked from the beginning. It moved at the pace I enjoy and didn't waste time with boring scenes or descriptions. The action was heart racing, the romance touching, and the plot solid. I am looking forward to more from this author!
I don't typically read romance but a friend suggested it and I couldn't be happier that they did. It was nice to step out of my comfort zone and enjoy something new. This book was fun and engaging from start to finish. An interesting mix of history and romance. I recommend it!
A flawed book with a nonetheless gripping tale of time travel and culture shock. Despite its various grammar issues, I enjoyed its fish-out-of-filtered-water tale of a modern woman stuck in the hotbed of 1st century Mediterranean life. I’m already eager to read the second book.
With the title and the beginning chapters being NASA and space exploration being discussed, you totally do not expect the turns that this story takes you. Well worth the time to begin this adventure.
Unexpected time travel for Kyla makes for a thrilling start. Enjoy these well trained men, their mission back in time and Kyla’s special skills. All contribute to this well told tale!