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Children of Titan #3
Titan's Rise
Titan has declared its freedom from Earth.
Keeping it is another story.
After inciting rebellion against Earth throughout Titan's off-world colonies, Kale Trass learns that leadership isn't only about fighting. Keeping control of his people--even his own family--requires a different set of skills. Following a pivotal battle over Saturn, Kale travels deep into enemy territory under the guise of seeking peace, though peace is the last thing on his mind.
Malcolm Graves used to be an infamous Collector for a powerful Earther corporation, until he nearly lost his life on Titan. Now he's retired. But when Kale's wake of destruction follows Malcolm to Mars and claims the life of a friend, it's time for the ex-Collector to dust off his pulse-pistol and leap back into a fight he thought he'd left behind.
With the solar system divided, heroes are few and short-lived ... but someone has to put the self-proclaimed King Trass of Titan in his place.
Keeping it is another story.
After inciting rebellion against Earth throughout Titan's off-world colonies, Kale Trass learns that leadership isn't only about fighting. Keeping control of his people--even his own family--requires a different set of skills. Following a pivotal battle over Saturn, Kale travels deep into enemy territory under the guise of seeking peace, though peace is the last thing on his mind.
Malcolm Graves used to be an infamous Collector for a powerful Earther corporation, until he nearly lost his life on Titan. Now he's retired. But when Kale's wake of destruction follows Malcolm to Mars and claims the life of a friend, it's time for the ex-Collector to dust off his pulse-pistol and leap back into a fight he thought he'd left behind.
With the solar system divided, heroes are few and short-lived ... but someone has to put the self-proclaimed King Trass of Titan in his place.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2019
114 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Rhett C. Bruno
70 books648 followersRhett is happy to hear from his fans and can be reached at rcbruno44@outlook.com. Please subscribe to his newsletter for exclusive access to updates about his work and the opportunity to receive limited content and ARCs.
http://rhettbruno.com/newsletter/. Or join his facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rhett...
Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.
He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.
While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn’t until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for Science Fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the Science Fiction author’s he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, The first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.
Since then Rhett has been hired by an Architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.
http://rhettbruno.com/newsletter/. Or join his facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rhett...
Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.
He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.
While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn’t until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for Science Fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the Science Fiction author’s he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, The first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.
Since then Rhett has been hired by an Architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 23, 2019
Titan's Rise
By: Rhett C. Bruno
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
This was a deep book showing both sides of the fray. Malcolm and Kale had swapping chapters where they were able to tell what was going on. When you could hear both sides, Kale didn't sound like a blood thirsty monster but he did go overboard at but but you couldn't blame him. The crimes against his people and his loved ones were horrible and could have been prevented by the Corp.
Great addition! The narration was excellent as usual!!!
By: Rhett C. Bruno
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
This was a deep book showing both sides of the fray. Malcolm and Kale had swapping chapters where they were able to tell what was going on. When you could hear both sides, Kale didn't sound like a blood thirsty monster but he did go overboard at but but you couldn't blame him. The crimes against his people and his loved ones were horrible and could have been prevented by the Corp.
Great addition! The narration was excellent as usual!!!
January 5, 2023
Rhett C. Bruno’s exciting SF noir series continues to go from strength to strength with this latest instalment. The series’ two protagonists/antagonists finally come face to face as things really heat up between the Earthers and Ringers.
Recommended for fans of SF with a dark side. (Start with book one, though, eh?)
Recommended for fans of SF with a dark side. (Start with book one, though, eh?)
November 20, 2020
Titan’s Rise starts approx. 3 months after the events in Titan’s Son, in which Kale Drayton has taken up his rightful place as Kale Trass, and together with the Children of Titan, they have removed the ‘Earthers’, that is anyone who is not a Ringer or someone who belongs at the Rings of Saturn, has either been ejected back to Earth, Killed, or is a Hostage of Kale and his group.
There was a lot of events at the end of Titan’s Son, Kale took over the Pervenio station, Pervenio troops tried to attack the Ringer Quarantine camp, but instead, their craft was overtaken by Ringers, and in a brave, but suicidal move Hayes drove the ship into the Quarantine, not only killing himself, but taking out all of Pervenio’s forces in the impact.
Kale and The Children in the meantime, managed to raid the place, not only clearing out the Ringers in Quarantine, but also getting away with a lot of other equipment.
During this engagement, Malcolm and Zhaff arrive to try and stop the Ringers and Kale, to end this rebellion. They manage to track down Kale, as well as Aria, Malcolm’s estranged Daughter, and in a moment that will not only haunt Graves until he dies, but it will also cause irreparable damage to Luxarn Pervenio, sending him on a Ramage that is going to change the Ring forever, Malcom Graves shoots Zhaff Pervenio in the head.
At the start of this book, Luxarn Pervenio learns of these events, and rescues Malcolm, recovering Zhaff as well.
Malcolm is in bad shape, but through the miracles of the Cogent initiative, he is kept alive, although he loses a leg, which Luxarn replaces with a state of the art prosthetic.
It is a really fascinating start to this book, as we see a major change in several of the Characters.
Malcolm Graves decides that he has had enough of being a Collector, the job he has done tirelessly, that cost him his Daughter, and most recently, his leg, and possibly his soul, but he gives it away, even though Luxarn offers him all sorts to stay and take out Kale.
Meanwhile, Kale Trass has also had a change in heart, and has decided to attend the summit on Mars and talk about Peace Meetings, against everything that Rin believes in. But he is adamant, and he takes with him a new woman, an Ambassador to Mars, who is Half Earther, Half Ringer, Aria.
This is a book of not just change, but growth. There has been the huge battle in which many died, but the Main Characters seemed to come away from, but not unscathed, either physically or mentally. And as a result, they view the world differently. However, as each of them moves forward, each of them is ruled by one emotion above all others.
“Fear” – each of them is afraid of losing something, and is so ruled by Fear, that they are willing to not just sacrifice themselves for it, they are willing to destroy a good part of the Solar System to.
Part 3 sees the start of the chain of events that will change things for ever.
This is such an extraordinary series, Bruno is a truly gifted Author, able to capture not just the action of the moment, but also the emotions that are being expressed, making the scenes powerful, intense and gritty.
Even though this is a Sci-Fi series and ‘fictional’, Bruno’s writing brings the Characters to life, and with the clear concise descriptions of the action, he makes it feel very realistic in a lot of ways.
And for a story like Titan’s Rise, in which we are watching the Rise of the King of Titan, watching Kale Drayton fall from his Mother’s shadow and take up the Mantle of his Family name and become, Kale Trass, King of Titan, it is important that the emotional impact of these scenes is expressed properly. Bruno is incredibly clever in how he writes these books, making us like Malcom Graves, a psychopathic Killer, who is an abusive alcoholic and a shocking parent, and yet, we see him as not just likeable, we all love him and admire him – thanks to Bruno’s writing.
At the same time, we have a love/hate relationship with Kale, either loving the King of Titan, or hating him for the abusive, self-centered, brat that Kale Drayton can be. Bruno’s writing is not just compelling, it is masterful, and gives us a truly in-depth look at not just the Main Characters of Trass and Graves, but also the Secondary characters, Aria, Rin, Rhyla, Sodervall, and of course Luxarn and Zhaff Pervenio. Each of these characters is so beautifully written, making this story truly captivating.
As with the characters, Bruno’s world building, this dystopian future he has created to tell his tale, is spectacular in its stunning detail, and amazing depth. Bruno has a remarkable talent for generating extraordinary scenes in which his characters can tell their tale.
Overall, this is another fascinating and engaging chapter in the Children of Titan Saga, and one that any Sci-Fi fan should read. If you love a well told story, with brilliant characters, this is a series you can’t miss out on.
There was a lot of events at the end of Titan’s Son, Kale took over the Pervenio station, Pervenio troops tried to attack the Ringer Quarantine camp, but instead, their craft was overtaken by Ringers, and in a brave, but suicidal move Hayes drove the ship into the Quarantine, not only killing himself, but taking out all of Pervenio’s forces in the impact.
Kale and The Children in the meantime, managed to raid the place, not only clearing out the Ringers in Quarantine, but also getting away with a lot of other equipment.
During this engagement, Malcolm and Zhaff arrive to try and stop the Ringers and Kale, to end this rebellion. They manage to track down Kale, as well as Aria, Malcolm’s estranged Daughter, and in a moment that will not only haunt Graves until he dies, but it will also cause irreparable damage to Luxarn Pervenio, sending him on a Ramage that is going to change the Ring forever, Malcom Graves shoots Zhaff Pervenio in the head.
At the start of this book, Luxarn Pervenio learns of these events, and rescues Malcolm, recovering Zhaff as well.
Malcolm is in bad shape, but through the miracles of the Cogent initiative, he is kept alive, although he loses a leg, which Luxarn replaces with a state of the art prosthetic.
It is a really fascinating start to this book, as we see a major change in several of the Characters.
Malcolm Graves decides that he has had enough of being a Collector, the job he has done tirelessly, that cost him his Daughter, and most recently, his leg, and possibly his soul, but he gives it away, even though Luxarn offers him all sorts to stay and take out Kale.
Meanwhile, Kale Trass has also had a change in heart, and has decided to attend the summit on Mars and talk about Peace Meetings, against everything that Rin believes in. But he is adamant, and he takes with him a new woman, an Ambassador to Mars, who is Half Earther, Half Ringer, Aria.
This is a book of not just change, but growth. There has been the huge battle in which many died, but the Main Characters seemed to come away from, but not unscathed, either physically or mentally. And as a result, they view the world differently. However, as each of them moves forward, each of them is ruled by one emotion above all others.
“Fear” – each of them is afraid of losing something, and is so ruled by Fear, that they are willing to not just sacrifice themselves for it, they are willing to destroy a good part of the Solar System to.
Part 3 sees the start of the chain of events that will change things for ever.
This is such an extraordinary series, Bruno is a truly gifted Author, able to capture not just the action of the moment, but also the emotions that are being expressed, making the scenes powerful, intense and gritty.
Even though this is a Sci-Fi series and ‘fictional’, Bruno’s writing brings the Characters to life, and with the clear concise descriptions of the action, he makes it feel very realistic in a lot of ways.
And for a story like Titan’s Rise, in which we are watching the Rise of the King of Titan, watching Kale Drayton fall from his Mother’s shadow and take up the Mantle of his Family name and become, Kale Trass, King of Titan, it is important that the emotional impact of these scenes is expressed properly. Bruno is incredibly clever in how he writes these books, making us like Malcom Graves, a psychopathic Killer, who is an abusive alcoholic and a shocking parent, and yet, we see him as not just likeable, we all love him and admire him – thanks to Bruno’s writing.
At the same time, we have a love/hate relationship with Kale, either loving the King of Titan, or hating him for the abusive, self-centered, brat that Kale Drayton can be. Bruno’s writing is not just compelling, it is masterful, and gives us a truly in-depth look at not just the Main Characters of Trass and Graves, but also the Secondary characters, Aria, Rin, Rhyla, Sodervall, and of course Luxarn and Zhaff Pervenio. Each of these characters is so beautifully written, making this story truly captivating.
As with the characters, Bruno’s world building, this dystopian future he has created to tell his tale, is spectacular in its stunning detail, and amazing depth. Bruno has a remarkable talent for generating extraordinary scenes in which his characters can tell their tale.
Overall, this is another fascinating and engaging chapter in the Children of Titan Saga, and one that any Sci-Fi fan should read. If you love a well told story, with brilliant characters, this is a series you can’t miss out on.
July 10, 2023
Raising Red Flags
Titan’s Rise would be tremendously difficult to review if the back-of-the-book blurb didn’t reveal two major spoilers for Titan’s Son. My spoiler policy dictates that previous novels are fair game, but these are so pivotal that I’ll give you a moment to pack your bags if you haven’t read the second book yet.
Okay - so I have a lot of critcisms for this novel, starting with the constrained narrative structure. Both previous books were a solo viewpoint focused on Malcolm’s or Kale’s life. Despite internal monologuing and non-essential worldbuilding, such focus meant the short page count was never a constraint. In Titan’s Rise, telling two intertwined storylines without any change to the writing style means we only progress halfway through a three-act plot. The novel is all build up and no substance.
To add insult to injury, the current story is several months after the events of Titan’s Son, and instead of seeing character development occur, these things happen off-screen and instead we are surprised by them as plot twists!
Did I say two storylines? Yes - Malcolm Graves returns from the dead and instantly I recall why I fell in love with Titanborn. His cynical attitude, experienced competency, and yet completely depressing rock-bottom life is everything that Kale is not. Whenever Malcolm’s on-screen, even if it’s nothing plot-related, it’s still miles better than the childish face of Titan. While Kale is forced to make some grim decisions, there’s still no reason why he’s leading the revolution. He’s no strategic genius, is an inexperienced leader, and spends most of the arc mismanaging his subordinates. The only reason has been birthright, and maybe it’s enough for the former class of slaves, but it’s not enough for me.
My enjoyment of the preceeding novel had been predicated on the emotional portrayal of the Ringer people. Titan’s Rise removes that by moving onto Mars, and instead I’m reading about an incompetent main character who succeeds due to author fiat. Poor pacing means the ending lacks consequence and emotional weight… and lest I forget, the author has brought Malcolm back from the dead. While I’m desperate for anything positive in this book, that development undoes a major part of Titanborn’s brilliant ending. Malcolm’s narration and storyline is the only reason to pick up this novel, and that is damning with faint praise.
Not recommended with reservations.
Titan’s Rise would be tremendously difficult to review if the back-of-the-book blurb didn’t reveal two major spoilers for Titan’s Son. My spoiler policy dictates that previous novels are fair game, but these are so pivotal that I’ll give you a moment to pack your bags if you haven’t read the second book yet.
Okay - so I have a lot of critcisms for this novel, starting with the constrained narrative structure. Both previous books were a solo viewpoint focused on Malcolm’s or Kale’s life. Despite internal monologuing and non-essential worldbuilding, such focus meant the short page count was never a constraint. In Titan’s Rise, telling two intertwined storylines without any change to the writing style means we only progress halfway through a three-act plot. The novel is all build up and no substance.
To add insult to injury, the current story is several months after the events of Titan’s Son, and instead of seeing character development occur, these things happen off-screen and instead we are surprised by them as plot twists!
Did I say two storylines? Yes - Malcolm Graves returns from the dead and instantly I recall why I fell in love with Titanborn. His cynical attitude, experienced competency, and yet completely depressing rock-bottom life is everything that Kale is not. Whenever Malcolm’s on-screen, even if it’s nothing plot-related, it’s still miles better than the childish face of Titan. While Kale is forced to make some grim decisions, there’s still no reason why he’s leading the revolution. He’s no strategic genius, is an inexperienced leader, and spends most of the arc mismanaging his subordinates. The only reason has been birthright, and maybe it’s enough for the former class of slaves, but it’s not enough for me.
My enjoyment of the preceeding novel had been predicated on the emotional portrayal of the Ringer people. Titan’s Rise removes that by moving onto Mars, and instead I’m reading about an incompetent main character who succeeds due to author fiat. Poor pacing means the ending lacks consequence and emotional weight… and lest I forget, the author has brought Malcolm back from the dead. While I’m desperate for anything positive in this book, that development undoes a major part of Titanborn’s brilliant ending. Malcolm’s narration and storyline is the only reason to pick up this novel, and that is damning with faint praise.
Not recommended with reservations.
April 4, 2020
4+++ stars for the book and well into 5 for the series! Another great chapter in RC.Bruno's "Children of Titan" series! As I mentioned in my last review, I'm barely closing the book before and just starting immediately with the next chapter (case in point: I started reading Book 4 until I couldn't see anymore last night)! Thank Trass for Kindle Unlimited and instant downloads!
Unlike the previous two books, in this tome, Bruno 'shuffles' the action between the perspective of a 'retired' and washed up (HA!) Malcolm and the grubby streets of underworld New Beijing (Mars) and the political baptism of Lord Kale Trass and his Titanborn crew (mostly). It makes for a really cool 'dizziness' as we eventually spiral the tales towards each other - physically, emotionally and politically - and what turns out to be an extremely explosive finale! And just as before, Bruno knows how to end a book with a gasp for his audience! It's no wonder I can't put these books down!
The intrique of the entire dirty dealings going on in this book is just fantastic and you'll see quickly why this book is taking me back to my teenage days of Frank Herbert's first "Dune" offers! It's been a long time to be both so invested in a series of scifi books as well as so into caring about what happens to the main protagonists! Be warned though: like most really good authors, Bruno does let members of his main cast pay the ultimate sacrifice and you will feel it!
Just can't wait to keep going! From ice to ashes!
Unlike the previous two books, in this tome, Bruno 'shuffles' the action between the perspective of a 'retired' and washed up (HA!) Malcolm and the grubby streets of underworld New Beijing (Mars) and the political baptism of Lord Kale Trass and his Titanborn crew (mostly). It makes for a really cool 'dizziness' as we eventually spiral the tales towards each other - physically, emotionally and politically - and what turns out to be an extremely explosive finale! And just as before, Bruno knows how to end a book with a gasp for his audience! It's no wonder I can't put these books down!
The intrique of the entire dirty dealings going on in this book is just fantastic and you'll see quickly why this book is taking me back to my teenage days of Frank Herbert's first "Dune" offers! It's been a long time to be both so invested in a series of scifi books as well as so into caring about what happens to the main protagonists! Be warned though: like most really good authors, Bruno does let members of his main cast pay the ultimate sacrifice and you will feel it!
Just can't wait to keep going! From ice to ashes!
June 10, 2019
This series gets better and better with each book! As always, Bray does a phenominal job with the narration. I highly recommend listening to books 1&2 first! Can wait for book 4!
May 5, 2020
I really figured this episode would be a 3 or 4 for me, ending with more of a 4.5. It was seemingly starting a little slow with too much diplomatic posturing. Once we got past 'the why' Kale was traveling to Mars for his meeting, things livened up and stayed that way, bumping up my interest to a maximum. The chapters were alternated between Kale and Malcolm's point of view. Kale having become the leader liberator his people needed, but now having the larger task of keeping Titan's economy from plunging. Malcolm, having retired is in a downward spiral of self destruction, eventually headed straight in the path of Kale. Our main and secondary characters get a good solid look at themselves, as the conflict unfolds. What they see though, isn't always pretty. I was going to take a break from the series before going on to Titan's Fury, but that was before I got to the last page, and now craving more.
September 22, 2019
Definitely a good read. Enjoyable. Well played. Was hesitant about giving 5 stars to this Audible version as it often became difficult to discern between a "Kale chapter" and a "Malcolm chapter". Separating the two was simple before. They (almost) never were together in the story. And now it was back-n-forth repetitively. Anyway, sometimes it got a bit confusing with the voices and determining which character was supposed to be the speaker / narrator / MC. Still, though, had to give this one 5 stars regardless. Hope this same confusion isn't so prevalent in book 4 as it appears that the chapters are back-n-forth once again. And NOW... the two should be even FAR more closely intertwined in each others' lives.
January 28, 2021
Family has a way of deciding the destiny of empires and Rhett C. Bruno uses this to full effect in Titan’s Rise. Book 3 in the Children of Titan saga builds steam like a runaway freight train, following Kale Trass and his rebel Titanborns’ struggle for freedom against the mega-corporations that oppressed and murdered their kind for decades. Tossed into the mix are retired Collector, Malcom Graves, and his alienated daughter, Aria. All three are people struggling to find their way in a world full of loyalties divided by blood and violence. The story is heart-tugging, pulse-pounding and full of the messy aftermath born from the questionable life choices humans are famous for making. If you liked books 1 & 2, you won’t be disappointed.
August 23, 2019
Non-stop Action, Intrigue, Meddling, and even a little Romance thrown in! The space opera continues past the rebellion to the nitty gritty of starting from scratch and trying to get the SFP to acknowledge you as a contemporary. The action starts on page 1 and continues throughout, with twists and turns that flip everything around. The different factions that are meddling in the background cause problems with all the rest that have their own agendas! I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
August 19, 2019
Two thumbs up
I really liked bit at first the story was kind of slow I thought as the story kept going I realized the characters and the plot of the story came alive and the narrator did a l great job I plan on getting the next book in the series thank you Rhett for such great writing
I really liked bit at first the story was kind of slow I thought as the story kept going I realized the characters and the plot of the story came alive and the narrator did a l great job I plan on getting the next book in the series thank you Rhett for such great writing
November 29, 2020
I love this series. Fairly predictable story arcs and cliched characters, but I love Bruno's futuristic noir style of writing with his punching up themes and cyberpunk grit. If he were to enhance his stories with a bit more depth, complexity and unpredictability - to me, he would be a 5 star writer.
July 8, 2023
I love this series. I really enjoyed how the book shifts between two different perspectives from two of the main characters of the series. It keeps you guessing as to when or if their timelines will collide, and keeps you turning to find out more. At this point, investment has been made into these characters, and the conclusion of book #3 sets the stage for an even bigger ride in the next installment
September 4, 2023
A series which is becoming too unrelentingly violent and unpleasant for my tastes.
The return of Malcolm Graves in this book rather undermined the power of book 1.
I have book 4 still to read and will do so immediately so that I can get this series behind me, not because I am looking forward to reading it.
The return of Malcolm Graves in this book rather undermined the power of book 1.
I have book 4 still to read and will do so immediately so that I can get this series behind me, not because I am looking forward to reading it.
November 26, 2024
A decent continuation of the story. The overlap plays out nicely.
Not making the most of what's there, and not too much story is progressed. Things just start and then finish. Needed more pages and planned plot if we are to follow the two perspectives with enough content in either.
Not making the most of what's there, and not too much story is progressed. Things just start and then finish. Needed more pages and planned plot if we are to follow the two perspectives with enough content in either.
September 8, 2019
Got it all
The story gets better and more exciting as series goes on family gets into every thing love conquers them all
The story gets better and more exciting as series goes on family gets into every thing love conquers them all
September 28, 2019
Excellent story. Expertly read by R C Bray
December 30, 2019
I was enjoying this series until I hit this book. Too Red Rising/Cinder for me. The main characters have become too "super" and unrealistic. Annoying.
February 14, 2020
Entertaining story
November 15, 2020
Still enjoying the series...
June 15, 2023
Nice continuation to the series. A fun listen. Ready for book 4.
August 24, 2023
Action packed thriller
Could not put the book down. Had to keep reading. Story moves from one character to another all expertly woven together.
Could not put the book down. Had to keep reading. Story moves from one character to another all expertly woven together.
March 18, 2022
Outstanding
May 29, 2019
I love a good space opera and a little rebellion. Titan's Rise brings us past the uprising stage to the second stage often ignored by other stories, the post-war phase.
SPOILERS FOR CHILDREN OF TITAN #1 AND #2 FOLLOW:
The Children of Titan have won control over the moons of Saturn and pushed the Earther factions back towards Earth. The USF, and its powerful corporations remain the preeminent power in the system but they're forced to explore a diplomatic solution due to the hostages and vast wealth of gases under the control of the Titanborn. Kale Trass led the violent rebellion and now aims to ensure Titan remains independent, as well as seek revenge against his mortal enemy, the gas tycoon Luxarn Pervenio. So, he opens dialogue with the other leaders of the USF.
Malcolm Graves, the Pervenio collector (hired spy/assassin) survived his injuries and now wants only to retire after inadvertently helping the Titan rebellion ignite. He slinks away to Mars to waste drink what remains of his life away, slowly eaten by guilt.
The paths of Kale and Malcolm will converge when the Titanborn come to Mars under a flag of truce to negotiate the release of the hostages and dispensation of all the Saturn property seized from the Earth corporations.
Plenty of passion and anger in this novel, more than the first two. Kale and his loyal followers are driven by vengeance after paying a bloody and tragic cost for their victory. The political intrigue and intensity of emotions around the rebellion are compelling. Unlike overly idealistic writers of the genre, Titan's rebels are driven primarily by rage, not a sense of righteousness, justice, or a desire for individual liberty. Although these things factor in, violent passion is the primary driver.
Kale is a young leader, who at times is brilliant and at other times in over his head. A realistic protagonist. Malcolm is either meant to be a tragedy to either be a cautionary tale. As far as cautionary tales go, it is a decent one although we don't get enough of his origin to see him as anything other than an overly cynical killer. As far as sympathy, I did not feel much for him. His retirement begins in a manner that he largely deserved. I didn't really start connecting with him until much later in the novel.
While the overall plot unfolded in a captivating way, some of the details seemed a little off. Kale Trass knows they are walking into a trap and does virtually nothing to evade it. The exchanges between Kale and the USF leaders felt a little off as well, with ridiculous demands right off the bat, clearly demonstrating the whole diplomatic summit was a ruse. From a political and corporate leadership standpoint, this was not particularly realistic. On the other side, Kale's response and his decisions concerning Aria, his ambassador, were a little head-scratching as well. Putting her at risk just didn't make sense from character or story standpoint.
Another minor issue was the dialogue. The characters are all thin-skinned, easily provoked. Nearly every scene includes a verbal altercation, a few sound more like kids fighting than adult conversations. For some of the characters, it fits well with their background. For others it felt out of place.
The story and dialogue critique aside, I enjoyed the realistic political thriller style of these novels. They do not rely on virtuous heroes, valiant and righteous rebellions, or cartoonish villains. Some of the bad guys were a little cheesy but the main ones had more complexity than you'd expect. I am not sure if it is intended to be adult sci-fi or young adult as it has elements that make it fit both categories and appeal to a fairly large audience.
If you like the first two, you'll like this one as well. It isn't the conclusion of a trilogy however. More to come.
SPOILERS FOR CHILDREN OF TITAN #1 AND #2 FOLLOW:
The Children of Titan have won control over the moons of Saturn and pushed the Earther factions back towards Earth. The USF, and its powerful corporations remain the preeminent power in the system but they're forced to explore a diplomatic solution due to the hostages and vast wealth of gases under the control of the Titanborn. Kale Trass led the violent rebellion and now aims to ensure Titan remains independent, as well as seek revenge against his mortal enemy, the gas tycoon Luxarn Pervenio. So, he opens dialogue with the other leaders of the USF.
Malcolm Graves, the Pervenio collector (hired spy/assassin) survived his injuries and now wants only to retire after inadvertently helping the Titan rebellion ignite. He slinks away to Mars to waste drink what remains of his life away, slowly eaten by guilt.
The paths of Kale and Malcolm will converge when the Titanborn come to Mars under a flag of truce to negotiate the release of the hostages and dispensation of all the Saturn property seized from the Earth corporations.
Plenty of passion and anger in this novel, more than the first two. Kale and his loyal followers are driven by vengeance after paying a bloody and tragic cost for their victory. The political intrigue and intensity of emotions around the rebellion are compelling. Unlike overly idealistic writers of the genre, Titan's rebels are driven primarily by rage, not a sense of righteousness, justice, or a desire for individual liberty. Although these things factor in, violent passion is the primary driver.
Kale is a young leader, who at times is brilliant and at other times in over his head. A realistic protagonist. Malcolm is either meant to be a tragedy to either be a cautionary tale. As far as cautionary tales go, it is a decent one although we don't get enough of his origin to see him as anything other than an overly cynical killer. As far as sympathy, I did not feel much for him. His retirement begins in a manner that he largely deserved. I didn't really start connecting with him until much later in the novel.
While the overall plot unfolded in a captivating way, some of the details seemed a little off. Kale Trass knows they are walking into a trap and does virtually nothing to evade it. The exchanges between Kale and the USF leaders felt a little off as well, with ridiculous demands right off the bat, clearly demonstrating the whole diplomatic summit was a ruse. From a political and corporate leadership standpoint, this was not particularly realistic. On the other side, Kale's response and his decisions concerning Aria, his ambassador, were a little head-scratching as well. Putting her at risk just didn't make sense from character or story standpoint.
Another minor issue was the dialogue. The characters are all thin-skinned, easily provoked. Nearly every scene includes a verbal altercation, a few sound more like kids fighting than adult conversations. For some of the characters, it fits well with their background. For others it felt out of place.
The story and dialogue critique aside, I enjoyed the realistic political thriller style of these novels. They do not rely on virtuous heroes, valiant and righteous rebellions, or cartoonish villains. Some of the bad guys were a little cheesy but the main ones had more complexity than you'd expect. I am not sure if it is intended to be adult sci-fi or young adult as it has elements that make it fit both categories and appeal to a fairly large audience.
If you like the first two, you'll like this one as well. It isn't the conclusion of a trilogy however. More to come.
May 16, 2019
( Format : Audiobook )
"We all have done terrible things."
Titan had first been settled over three centuries before by the humans sent out by Trass to avoid a threatened World destruction by an incoming asteroid. Whilst billions died when the asteroid struck, some survived and rebuilt a society under corporate control, eventually reaching into space and the now well established Titan population, bringing with them earth diseases from which the Titan born had no immunities. They became, essentially, second class citizens. Until a plot to restore their rights was formed by the self styled Children of Titan which cunningly broke the hold of the leading corporation in the area and catapulted Kale, a young minor street thief and crew member on a gas collector ship, into the position of Lord Trass, heir to the greatly revered original genius who had arranged for the earliest settlement. Hailed as Emperor, it is now his difficult job to try to convince the rest of sol that his planetary influence is not just another part of the sol dependency but totally independent.
The reader rejoins the story as Kale travels with a small, close team to Mars, to take part in a diplomatic meeting with the power heads of the corporations. It will not go smoothly. The story line is exciting, with both political and personal loyalties shifting. There is action and fighting, explosions and attempted murder. There is excellent world building, everything visual. There is even a wacky religion. But most of all there are the characters, and in particular Kale, himself, and the old Collector, Malcolm Graves, who just vibrate with real life as they make their separate routes through the story, their parts being told in alternate chapters. This is a truly magnificent book, well written, fully involving and, I hope, with a further book to follow.
Narrator R.C.Bray can always be relied upon to deliver a good performance and he does so here. Each character is distinctly and individually voiced, making the ongoing conversations easy to follow, and he puts full expression into his reading of the text, never over the top but with ongoing emotion. His voice is also easy on the ear, but still carries gravitas, perfect for the subject matter, and his pacing is perfect.
I enjoyed this series enormously when it was first published some time ago. Now, rewritten, it is even better and I recommend it to all who enjoy not just space sagas but anyone who loves a good thriller with well written characters. This is S.F. at it's best.
"We all have done terrible things."
Titan had first been settled over three centuries before by the humans sent out by Trass to avoid a threatened World destruction by an incoming asteroid. Whilst billions died when the asteroid struck, some survived and rebuilt a society under corporate control, eventually reaching into space and the now well established Titan population, bringing with them earth diseases from which the Titan born had no immunities. They became, essentially, second class citizens. Until a plot to restore their rights was formed by the self styled Children of Titan which cunningly broke the hold of the leading corporation in the area and catapulted Kale, a young minor street thief and crew member on a gas collector ship, into the position of Lord Trass, heir to the greatly revered original genius who had arranged for the earliest settlement. Hailed as Emperor, it is now his difficult job to try to convince the rest of sol that his planetary influence is not just another part of the sol dependency but totally independent.
The reader rejoins the story as Kale travels with a small, close team to Mars, to take part in a diplomatic meeting with the power heads of the corporations. It will not go smoothly. The story line is exciting, with both political and personal loyalties shifting. There is action and fighting, explosions and attempted murder. There is excellent world building, everything visual. There is even a wacky religion. But most of all there are the characters, and in particular Kale, himself, and the old Collector, Malcolm Graves, who just vibrate with real life as they make their separate routes through the story, their parts being told in alternate chapters. This is a truly magnificent book, well written, fully involving and, I hope, with a further book to follow.
Narrator R.C.Bray can always be relied upon to deliver a good performance and he does so here. Each character is distinctly and individually voiced, making the ongoing conversations easy to follow, and he puts full expression into his reading of the text, never over the top but with ongoing emotion. His voice is also easy on the ear, but still carries gravitas, perfect for the subject matter, and his pacing is perfect.
I enjoyed this series enormously when it was first published some time ago. Now, rewritten, it is even better and I recommend it to all who enjoy not just space sagas but anyone who loves a good thriller with well written characters. This is S.F. at it's best.
May 10, 2019
I really enjoyed book one of this series, and I liked book two even more but what I especially loved about book three is how it really brought all the different strands from the first two books together, and did so really coherently.
This is a great series, especially reading it during an era where global politics is really widening the gap between the world's haves and have nots, and the injustices seem to be increasing year on year. This story tells that tale but on a solar system-wide scale.
As before, great characters that I really warmed to, at least in part because they aren't too perfect, they each have their flaws, which makes them more human. There's a good storyline too, fast-paced and entertaining.
The ending for this one feels a little less of an ending, more of a segue into book four (which isn't available yet) but I can wait for the next book, albeit impatiently!
(I received an Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review).
This is a great series, especially reading it during an era where global politics is really widening the gap between the world's haves and have nots, and the injustices seem to be increasing year on year. This story tells that tale but on a solar system-wide scale.
As before, great characters that I really warmed to, at least in part because they aren't too perfect, they each have their flaws, which makes them more human. There's a good storyline too, fast-paced and entertaining.
The ending for this one feels a little less of an ending, more of a segue into book four (which isn't available yet) but I can wait for the next book, albeit impatiently!
(I received an Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review).
May 16, 2019
This was an enjoyable, exciting book and continues the suspenseful story. The treacherous Kale Trass pretends to be on a peace-seeking mission, but he has no intention of making peace. Malcolm Graves, a favorite of mine from back in the prequel, The Collector: Children of Titan, is retired, but when a friend is killed, he decides to get back into the fight. His snarky dialog made this one a fun read for me and I was delighted to see him back in action! With giant corporations clashing, who is going to come out of this as victor? Who is going to subdue Trass and his evil ambitions?
The gripping story line moved along rapidly, non-stop action and suspense on every page! If you haven’t read the other books in this series, you should definitely start with them because the story line is that good and you need to know the history and characters to stay with the flow! Highly recommended, and the book will easily convince the reader that it’s a perfect reading choice to make!
The gripping story line moved along rapidly, non-stop action and suspense on every page! If you haven’t read the other books in this series, you should definitely start with them because the story line is that good and you need to know the history and characters to stay with the flow! Highly recommended, and the book will easily convince the reader that it’s a perfect reading choice to make!
October 24, 2023
Trilogy became a series.
Every body knows that the Author Rhett C. Bruno is one of a kind, same with the narrator R.C. Bray and I agree.
What have disappointed me in the series Children Of Titan is that it was supposed to be a trilogy.
When I got the third audiobook in the series Titan’s Rise I couldn’t wait to see how the story ends.
Disappointedly it didn’t !
I’m guessing that when an author see a success in his work he does have the privilege to extend it and why not as long as it pays the bills which is understandable.
I’m also guessing that now their will be at least 3 more books to this series, I might be wrong but one thing for sure: It’s waiting time for who knows how long to the next book to come out???
Still a great series which I fully recommend.
Every body knows that the Author Rhett C. Bruno is one of a kind, same with the narrator R.C. Bray and I agree.
What have disappointed me in the series Children Of Titan is that it was supposed to be a trilogy.
When I got the third audiobook in the series Titan’s Rise I couldn’t wait to see how the story ends.
Disappointedly it didn’t !
I’m guessing that when an author see a success in his work he does have the privilege to extend it and why not as long as it pays the bills which is understandable.
I’m also guessing that now their will be at least 3 more books to this series, I might be wrong but one thing for sure: It’s waiting time for who knows how long to the next book to come out???
Still a great series which I fully recommend.
August 3, 2022
Fantastic series and highly recommended!
This series is really becoming amazing. I loved the last book because we were shown the different sides in this conflict to such an extent that we empathised with both. In this book we get the great clash between the corporations of Earth and the Titanborn, and the resulting situation for all involved. Who to sympathise with? I imagine that you, like me, want the Titanborn to have what is due to them, but when Malcolm gets in the picture, just wanting the best for his daughter, things become tricky. Politics are involved, too, with a journey to Mars where things don’t quite go as people expect.
This is a splendid series in a slightly traditional sci-fi style, which from me is a great compliment. I do recommend this to other readers!
This series is really becoming amazing. I loved the last book because we were shown the different sides in this conflict to such an extent that we empathised with both. In this book we get the great clash between the corporations of Earth and the Titanborn, and the resulting situation for all involved. Who to sympathise with? I imagine that you, like me, want the Titanborn to have what is due to them, but when Malcolm gets in the picture, just wanting the best for his daughter, things become tricky. Politics are involved, too, with a journey to Mars where things don’t quite go as people expect.
This is a splendid series in a slightly traditional sci-fi style, which from me is a great compliment. I do recommend this to other readers!
May 16, 2019
Very good read
It's a really good background universe and the mcharacters are a perfect fit. They still aren't the nicest (the major characters are a lot less nice than previously, which adds even more tension) but they are definitely the product of their environment. The story gets darker and keeps the real world logic.
The plot gets twistier and it can only get uglier. It's a total adventure story in space. I can't wait for the next volume.
It's a really good background universe and the mcharacters are a perfect fit. They still aren't the nicest (the major characters are a lot less nice than previously, which adds even more tension) but they are definitely the product of their environment. The story gets darker and keeps the real world logic.
The plot gets twistier and it can only get uglier. It's a total adventure story in space. I can't wait for the next volume.
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