When two WW2 enemy soldiers cease fighting in the midst of a battle to aid an injured alien, the American, Scott, is snatched into the future where he meets up with Norbert, his now aged German counterpart. Together they vow to help the comatose alien return home.
Thus begins an adventure that skips back and forth through time, spanning centuries, galaxies, and universes as they bring together a motley crew to carry out their worthy cause. Chon, a Thai scientist, is the woman who binds Scott, and everyone else together. Onatah is the officer in charge, an Iroquois national. She’s tough physically and tough-minded. DeShawn Jefferson, the head of security, is a former bounty hunter. Many other unique personalities make up the crew as the story progresses. And to keep all in concordance with time and result, there's the alien spaceship with its AI computer who knows more than most civilizations of countless worlds. And has a gift of gab.
Bringing together this incredible crew and getting the alien home before she dies is only the first part of this series.
Stuart’s story ideas come from his vivid imagination, but his inspiration draws from world travel and fascinating careers: from US military medic to hairstylist, then Washington D.C. Police officer to NYC photographer.
Later, he converted a chicken coop in the woods into a live-in studio and taught himself metal sculpture. That rudimentary craft expanded into the fine arts. Sculptures in bronze and fiberglass led to shows in the US, England, and Thailand.
Stuart’s passion for all arts segued into: costume design (top 100 designers in the book, Fashion: 2001); modeling agency art director; fashion show designer; water feature designer, computer illustrator, and a top sculptor for special effects, sets and props in the entertainment industry with work in over thirty major films, hotels, and theme parks worldwide.
During Stuart’s film career, he learned screenwriting firsthand, writing 20 screenplays so far. To explore character and environment more, he took up narrative fiction with short stories and published 14 novels. His writing has won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and finals in contests, and some of his screenplays sold or optioned.
Sergeant Scott McIntyre and Norbert Beacker met as enemies in 1945 during The Battle of the Bulge over the body of a wounded alien. They pledge to help the being get back to its home and thus begin a journey through time and space. Along the way, they put together a crew of unlikely allies and gather the knowledge needed to achieve their goal.
I’ve likened Stuart Land’s writing style to that of the lost breed of writers such as Fitzgerald, to painting a picture, to down and dirty, to rip roaring hilarious, I’ve even challenged him to a good old fashioned game of mad libs, he is just that versatile and talented. Once again, he brings us into a new genre, that of time travel/science fiction and once again he does it in his own unique style. He shows us the horrific world of war with “Pine oil, burnt powder, and a blood haze swirled together, drifting over the ground, coating the men …..with a stench they would never be able to clear from their memories” and effortlessly gives us humor to bring us down from the hell we’ve been living through as a fellow soldier asks for a light with “That would be, Sergeant Bud to you, corporal. Just hold your hand up. Something burning will pass by quick enough.” As I’ve said before the man is a master, how can you not smell the gunpowder and feel the horror along with the men?
We wander back and forth through time with Scott, Norbert and beautiful Chonalata Wattanapun who joins them later. We travel from 1945 Earth to 2078 Mars and points in between, as the trio searches for the technology necessary to fulfill their pledge and get their injured comrade home. The three of them will jump back in time in order to influence the discoveries needed and jump forward to put them into use.
Scott is just a good old American fellow. He is honest, and when he makes a promise, he’s bound to keep it no matter what the consequences to himself. What he lacks in book smarts, he more than makes up for in charisma and leadership skills. Norbert, on the other hand, is as smart as they come, a mechanical engineer building racing motors before the war, he designed the diesel engines for the German panzer during the war and after the war made a fortune rebuilding Germany. The two are opposites, but work well together and are dedicated to each other and their quest. Chon is just the balance the two men need, beautiful, smart and cheeky she plays Scott’s assistant in public and his lover in private. Chon has the ability to read people and uses it, along with her wit, to recruit Scott’s crew. The crew is rounded out with Samuel Ackerman, chief weapon’s officer, his son Randy is the chief con-tech and countermeasure expert. The last two senior members of the crew are DeShawn and Onatah. DeShawn is a beautiful man with bronze skin, a naturally sculptured face and the body of a warrior. Onatah has exotic looks but also has a boisterous sense of humor and can hold her own with just about any man. Oil and water, they work well together, DeShawn as head of security and Onatah as Scott’s XO.
While I love Mr. Land’s writing and have read just about everything he’s written I have to admit this book was a little difficult to read. The time jumping was confusing even though we got chapter headings telling us what time we were in. It took me about a quarter a way through the book to understand what was happening. That issue aside, this is an interesting book with a great cast of characters and good story. Once the reader gets a handle on the time travel, there is enough action, adventure, humor and even a little sex to keep you on your toes and interested. This is the first book in a series and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Scott and gang.
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Starting a Stuart Land story is like Forrest Gump says 'is like opening a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.' From Vampires to Frankenstein to an over the road trucker, Stuart is the master of genre switching, yet his excellent storytelling shows how talented he truly is
Endless Sky is the beginning of a time travel/sci-fi thriller "series", that I am so excited hearing there will be more. Mr Land opens this story as we meet American Scott McIntyre and German soldier Norbert Beacker, meeting as enemies during the battle of the Bulge in 1945.Both men meet at a moment in time when a space ship is disabled and a creature falls to the snow. Their lives will be forever changed!!!
Through this story we time jump from 1945 Earth to 2075 Mars and many other points in-between; times and places in the past and future. We learn more about these two men who have become `a team' to help return the injured alien (who is now in stasis) home to be healed. But how are they going to do this???
Norbert is a brilliant mechanical engineer, Scott is a simple American who got caught up in the war and now has made an admirable promise he wishes to keep. Mr Land also introduces an array of secondary characters who are so fleshed out you see them as real. Chonata Wattanapun we meet when the duo are stranded on a rice patties in Thailand. This wonderful woman takes the trip of a lifetime with these two men adding to the team and becoming Scott's love. Chon is able to `read ' people and helps choose the crew they will need for this endeavor. Also up front are Deshawn the security head and Onatah their XO.
This story once you start reading, immerses you in how this author has the reader jump through time with the team to just learn something that can help them in their plan and then go back to build what they need. Incredibly interesting, and not a boring word written, keeps the reader totally onboard with `the plan' Inciteful background, wonderful humor and lighthearted moments between Scott and Chon and Norbertand and some steamy scenes with Scott and Chon.
I am happy to see there will be a book two and I am thrilled I will get to see more adventures Mr Land will come up with. Stuart you got me again!!!1