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The Galactic Cold War #2
The Aleph Extraction
Aboard a notorious gangster's luxurious starliner, Simon Kovalic and his crew race to steal a mysterious artifact that could shift the balance of the war.
Still reeling from a former teammate's betrayal, Commonwealth operative Simon Kovalic's band of misfit spies has no time to catch their breath before being sent on another impossible mission: to pull off the daring heist of a quasi-mythical alien artifact from under the nose of the galaxy's most ruthless gangster, not to mention their cold war rivals, the Illyrican Empire. But Kovalic's newest recruit, Specialist Addy Sayers, is a volatile ex-con with a mean hair-trigger -- can he hold the team together, or will they turn on each other before the job even gets underway?
Still reeling from a former teammate's betrayal, Commonwealth operative Simon Kovalic's band of misfit spies has no time to catch their breath before being sent on another impossible mission: to pull off the daring heist of a quasi-mythical alien artifact from under the nose of the galaxy's most ruthless gangster, not to mention their cold war rivals, the Illyrican Empire. But Kovalic's newest recruit, Specialist Addy Sayers, is a volatile ex-con with a mean hair-trigger -- can he hold the team together, or will they turn on each other before the job even gets underway?
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
96 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Dan Moren
14 books501 followersDan Moren is the author of the supernatural detective novel All Souls Lost, as well as the popular Galactic Cold War series of sci-fi spy novels. His work has also appeared in, among other places, The Boston Globe, PopSci.com, Fast Company, and Macworld, where he formerly served as a senior editor.
A two-time Jeopardy! champion and regular panelist on the Parsec-award-winning geek culture podcast The Incomparable, Dan also co-hosts tech podcasts Clockwise and The Rebound, as well as writing and hosting the nerdy game show Inconceivable! He lives with his family in Somerville, MA, where he is never far from a twenty-sided die.
A two-time Jeopardy! champion and regular panelist on the Parsec-award-winning geek culture podcast The Incomparable, Dan also co-hosts tech podcasts Clockwise and The Rebound, as well as writing and hosting the nerdy game show Inconceivable! He lives with his family in Somerville, MA, where he is never far from a twenty-sided die.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
June 7, 2020
Every book in this series is better than the last. I love a good heist. I love intrigue. I love watching these characters learn and change and evolve. And the new characters in this instalment are *chef's kiss*. Hope there are more on the way!
July 16, 2022
3.5 Stars
This was a fun sequel in this sci fi thriller series set during a galactic future cold war. I liked this one a bit more than the first since it centered around a heist. I felt that the plot better fit the tone of the series.
The series continues to be very accessible for sci fi newbies with very little technical jargon to bog down the reader.
I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy fast paced, fun action thrillers that happen to be set in space.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was a fun sequel in this sci fi thriller series set during a galactic future cold war. I liked this one a bit more than the first since it centered around a heist. I felt that the plot better fit the tone of the series.
The series continues to be very accessible for sci fi newbies with very little technical jargon to bog down the reader.
I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy fast paced, fun action thrillers that happen to be set in space.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
September 22, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
The Aleph Extraction is the second novel in the thrilling spy-fi series The Galactic Cold War, written by Dan Moren and published by Angry Robot Books. Be ready for the return of the team lead by Kovalic, more banter and the addition of a new recruit for a mission that will take them into the heart of a galactic cruise for perpetrate a heist in front of the noses of a powerful galactic gangster and their old rivals of the Illyrican Empire.
A fun sequel that starts with Kovalic adding a new member to our band of ragtags: specialist Addie Sayers, wanting to help her and save her by incorporating her to the special team. Soon, it proves that Sayers can be a valuable resource, but whose impulsivity can be problematic; there's no time to lose, and we can see how they all end aboard a spatial cruise, undercover and planning a heist in the style of Ocean's Eleven, retrieving the Aleph Tablet from under the nose of a galactic gangster.
We are back with the Special Team, still under the command of Kovalic and Lt. Taylor, but we can appreciate the scars from the Bayern operation; Kovalic would have sacrificed anybody for the mission, but now we see a more human side, that will doubt if the life of a mate is under danger. Appart from the two POVs we had in the first novel, Addie's one becomes a prevalent one, developing and fleshing this specialist, trying to make the most possible out of this last opportunity; she's smart but impulsive, and learning to work with a team is difficult for somebody that always was a lone wolf. And as an antagonist, we have a fascinating villain, an ambitious woman of many resources.
Personally, I enjoyed this instalment a bit more than the previous one, as I tend to love heists in fiction, and Moren has written a marvelous one. We have a more technological focus, transmitting a more sci-fi sensation, including more spatial operations and risky movements. The pacing is a bit faster, as most of the foundations are already set in the story.
The Aleph Extraction is an extremely satisfying second novel in this spy-fi series, full of the elements we already loved in the first one, but adding a new excellent piece into the portrait. A great novel that Moren that definitely compels me to continue with The Galactic Cold War.
The Aleph Extraction is the second novel in the thrilling spy-fi series The Galactic Cold War, written by Dan Moren and published by Angry Robot Books. Be ready for the return of the team lead by Kovalic, more banter and the addition of a new recruit for a mission that will take them into the heart of a galactic cruise for perpetrate a heist in front of the noses of a powerful galactic gangster and their old rivals of the Illyrican Empire.
A fun sequel that starts with Kovalic adding a new member to our band of ragtags: specialist Addie Sayers, wanting to help her and save her by incorporating her to the special team. Soon, it proves that Sayers can be a valuable resource, but whose impulsivity can be problematic; there's no time to lose, and we can see how they all end aboard a spatial cruise, undercover and planning a heist in the style of Ocean's Eleven, retrieving the Aleph Tablet from under the nose of a galactic gangster.
We are back with the Special Team, still under the command of Kovalic and Lt. Taylor, but we can appreciate the scars from the Bayern operation; Kovalic would have sacrificed anybody for the mission, but now we see a more human side, that will doubt if the life of a mate is under danger. Appart from the two POVs we had in the first novel, Addie's one becomes a prevalent one, developing and fleshing this specialist, trying to make the most possible out of this last opportunity; she's smart but impulsive, and learning to work with a team is difficult for somebody that always was a lone wolf. And as an antagonist, we have a fascinating villain, an ambitious woman of many resources.
Personally, I enjoyed this instalment a bit more than the previous one, as I tend to love heists in fiction, and Moren has written a marvelous one. We have a more technological focus, transmitting a more sci-fi sensation, including more spatial operations and risky movements. The pacing is a bit faster, as most of the foundations are already set in the story.
The Aleph Extraction is an extremely satisfying second novel in this spy-fi series, full of the elements we already loved in the first one, but adding a new excellent piece into the portrait. A great novel that Moren that definitely compels me to continue with The Galactic Cold War.
June 8, 2020
Takes the crew from The Bayern Agenda, adds another player to the team, then sends them off on another spy caper in humanity's spacefaring future. This one has more of the vibe of the later Mission:Impossible movies, in terms of the degree of difficulty of the central set piece, pushing the boundaries of suspension of disbelief just a bit. All in all, an entertaining read, as the author intended.
July 31, 2020
Enjoyed the book very much, well developed and thought out characters, nice twists, and good action. My only nitpick is with the English language. Dan uses the sometimes preferred “they, them” pronouns for his non-binary person Mal. I think with all the words we have in English and the constant addition of words that we could come up with some pronouns that are not already used for plural usage. It threw me out of the story each time. Then I started to think of Mal as Zaphod Beeblebrox, with his two heads, but then that made me think of Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters which again took me out of the story. Someone has to fix this! Maybe we should resurrect Noah Webster and see if he can come up with something else for us to use...
June 7, 2020
The combination of sci-fi, espionage, and a heist really checks all the boxes for me. The characters are well written and the banter between them frequently made me laugh out loud. Plus I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how they were going to pull off the mission. I continually found myself reading just “one more chapter” when I should have been going to sleep instead. I’m looking forward to seeing where Kovalic and the team go next!
June 7, 2020
The galactic Cold War series just keeps getting better and better and harder and harder to put down. The characters we've already been introduced to continue to grow and other characters are introduced and make us feel for them immediately.
After the Bayern Agenda I was hungry for more. After the Aleph Extraction that hunger has turned into desperation to find out what happens next!
After the Bayern Agenda I was hungry for more. After the Aleph Extraction that hunger has turned into desperation to find out what happens next!
August 6, 2021
Always takes me a long time to finish a book, but this one was a great entertaining read. Fun, thrilling sequel to some books that are just fun to read.
July 17, 2021
What happens when you take The A-Team plus Raiders of the Lost Ark plus Ocean’s Eleven, put them all on a cruise ship… in space? You get The Aleph Extraction. Tons of fun, just like the two previous books in the series.
July 15, 2020
This is the third book in "The Galactic Cold War" series(*), featuring espionage in a science fiction future. Mild spoilers ahead. I found it a quick, fun read with likable main characters and a satisfying dose of action. My reservation, such as it is, is that the book was merely fun. The characters were likable, but I don't think they will linger with me. The humor, intrigue, and action entertained me, but I never found myself moved deeply. To try a series that is similarly entertaining, but that matters more to me, I would recommend either Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe books or Martha Wells's Murderbot stories. Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.
(*) Goodreads records the opening book, "The Caledonian Gambit," as Book 0, "The Bayern Agenda" as Book 1, and this as Book 2.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
(*) Goodreads records the opening book, "The Caledonian Gambit," as Book 0, "The Bayern Agenda" as Book 1, and this as Book 2.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
February 9, 2022
A big improvement over the previous book. The characters feel more natural (though newcomer Addy Sayers is a little over the top) and the mission is more original, especially the big heist scene! I was mildly interested in the series after the previous book, I'm way more interested after this one. Bring on the next entry!
September 13, 2024
The Aleph Extraction is the second book in the scifi spy thriller series The Galactic Cold War. The Special Projects Team is still off balance after losing a member in the previous book. Now, Simon and his team are tasked with retrieving a possibly alien artifact from a notorious gangster before it falls into the hands of their rivals in the Illyrican Empire. Simon hopes that recruiting ex-con military washout Addy could be an asset to their team given this mission, but planning a heist while holding his splintering team together is harder than he thought.
This is a very fast-paced and fun thriller with a Ocean’s Eleven-esque central heist. I always love heists so this felt like a fun adventure. It’s exciting, easy to read, and entertaining throughout. Compared to the first book, I’d say this also has a stronger science fiction feel to it with more tech and science-y sequences, but fewer spy/undercover ops elements given the heist storyline. It also doesn’t have the prolonged set up of the first book and mostly jumps right into the meat of the story with brisk pacing.
With the addition of the new character Addy, the book ups the PoVs to three with Simon and Elijah carried over from the previous book. I don’t know if I needed a new team member as I feel like I still don’t quite know the present small team all that well as it is, but adding the hot-tempered Addy does allow both Simon and Eli to show new sides of their characters. Simon as leader is buckling under the pressure of the secrets he has been keeping (especially that one twist from the previous book that I am now starting to think may be a misdirection). Though many of his plans are failing, he still demonstrates competency and leadership by how he responds to it. Even with Eli no longer being the newest member, he still has many insecurities and questions surrounding the man he has decided to follow. I’d love to pull on that thread more, but it is being teased out slowly.
The Aleph Extraction is a fun, fast-paced heist thriller in a scifi setting.
This is a very fast-paced and fun thriller with a Ocean’s Eleven-esque central heist. I always love heists so this felt like a fun adventure. It’s exciting, easy to read, and entertaining throughout. Compared to the first book, I’d say this also has a stronger science fiction feel to it with more tech and science-y sequences, but fewer spy/undercover ops elements given the heist storyline. It also doesn’t have the prolonged set up of the first book and mostly jumps right into the meat of the story with brisk pacing.
With the addition of the new character Addy, the book ups the PoVs to three with Simon and Elijah carried over from the previous book. I don’t know if I needed a new team member as I feel like I still don’t quite know the present small team all that well as it is, but adding the hot-tempered Addy does allow both Simon and Eli to show new sides of their characters. Simon as leader is buckling under the pressure of the secrets he has been keeping (especially that one twist from the previous book that I am now starting to think may be a misdirection). Though many of his plans are failing, he still demonstrates competency and leadership by how he responds to it. Even with Eli no longer being the newest member, he still has many insecurities and questions surrounding the man he has decided to follow. I’d love to pull on that thread more, but it is being teased out slowly.
The Aleph Extraction is a fun, fast-paced heist thriller in a scifi setting.
March 13, 2020
This book will make such a good movie. The characters are most of all so well done. There is a lot of work gone into the writing of this book. From the whole setup, to the second and third act as well as epilogue that sets things up pretty nicely. It's just the right mix of drama, action, heist, and double crosses. Fan of space spy action will love this one.
Most of all, I loved the interactions between the characters each of whom felt like individuals and not some cardboard cutouts.
I'll be looking forward to their further adventures. Mr. Moren knocked this one out of the park.
Oh and I got an ARC of this book from NetGalley which has not influenced my review in any way. Genuinely enjoyed reading this book.
Most of all, I loved the interactions between the characters each of whom felt like individuals and not some cardboard cutouts.
I'll be looking forward to their further adventures. Mr. Moren knocked this one out of the park.
Oh and I got an ARC of this book from NetGalley which has not influenced my review in any way. Genuinely enjoyed reading this book.
June 10, 2020
This is the best book yet in Moren's Galactic Cold War series. It's well paced, cleverly plotted, and introduces fun new characters to the mix. It also continues to deal with fall-out from events of the previous book, The Bayern Agenda (which you don't need to read to enjoy this one, although you should). If you like spaceships and you like heists, you'll like this book. If you just like heists you'll like it. Moren doesn't make the mistake of thinking that advanced sci-fi technology matters more than characters and storytelling. I look forward to the next book in this series.
March 7, 2020
These books are a lot of fun. They're basically cold war spy novels -- good ones -- except set in a futuristic cold war between galactic powers. Think Mission Impossible! or Robert Ludlum, except in space, and with all kinds of cool technology.
This is a sequel, and while you don't *have* to read The Bayern Agenda first, it would help you understand things better.
This is a sequel, and while you don't *have* to read The Bayern Agenda first, it would help you understand things better.
May 30, 2020
Great growth for Dan Moren and his characters…
His novels keep getting better — I really appreciated the depth that our favorite crew is taking on. And the plot continued to thicken the whole way through. A fun, page-turning read; can’t wait for the next installment in the Galactic Cold War!
His novels keep getting better — I really appreciated the depth that our favorite crew is taking on. And the plot continued to thicken the whole way through. A fun, page-turning read; can’t wait for the next installment in the Galactic Cold War!
December 17, 2024
Fun sci-fi heist!
December 21, 2023
Much the muchness with its predecessor The Bayern Agenda but with more flow/improvement in writing.
Jolly retro-future spy/Mission Impossible/James Bond adventure tale with too much Fast and Furious “family” nonsense for my taste. Also the retro parts jar me out of future too much, Expanse, Hamilton etc do this so better, but that is personal taste.
Definitely solid good read.
Jolly retro-future spy/Mission Impossible/James Bond adventure tale with too much Fast and Furious “family” nonsense for my taste. Also the retro parts jar me out of future too much, Expanse, Hamilton etc do this so better, but that is personal taste.
Definitely solid good read.
January 30, 2020
As a big fan of espionage, I jumped at the chance to blurb Dan Moren’s latest book. I loved it even more than his last. Lots of action, fast-paced, and a likeable team of characters. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of an enby character. Here is my quote:
“A brilliant heist with a dynamic cast. Everything I was looking for in a spy novel!”
“A brilliant heist with a dynamic cast. Everything I was looking for in a spy novel!”
July 26, 2022
This book is the first in a very long time where I stayed up too late because I just had to keep reading until I finished a book. A terrific page-turner with an adrenaline-packed ending.
June 29, 2021
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Simon Kovalic haven't even had a chance to breathe and recover from their teammate's betrayal in the last mission when he and his team are assigned their next job - a heist. They are going to have to steal a relic that may belong to an alien race, and maybe, just maybe, provide the knowledge to give the Commonwealth a leg-up on the Illyrican. To do this, they are going to have to steal this artifact from a gangster who is expecting them. To help them out, they are assigned a new crew-member, Specialist Addy Sayers, who is an ex-com with a quick temper. Working together will be essential to completing this mission, but how can they trust this un-trustworthy newcomer, especially in light of what happened with their last crew member?
This is some really fun space opera.
Author Dan Moren gives us a clever set of characters - most who work well by themselves but have to find a way to trust their teammates in order to survive - no easy feat, given how Moren sets these characters in front of the reader.
We know that getting this relic will be tricky, but that Kovalic and crew have a few tricks up their collective sleeves. Just what those are is a big part of the fun and the mystery that keeps us reading.
The action here builds nicely to a climax, with the danger involved seemingly insurmountable. Moren really takes us right to the edge on this one, giving us multiple choices as to which character will not survive to the next book.
I don't really get a sense of the 'cold war' though I understand it's there and that these missions are a small part of this cold war fight, but this big picture is still missing from these books for me. I hope we'll get more of this in future volumes. In the meantime, I'm content to sit back and have fun.
Looking for a good book? The Aleph Extraction by Dan Moren is fun space opera - a bit of science fiction mixed with a dose of action/adventure novel. A good book to enjoy for some casual reading.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Simon Kovalic haven't even had a chance to breathe and recover from their teammate's betrayal in the last mission when he and his team are assigned their next job - a heist. They are going to have to steal a relic that may belong to an alien race, and maybe, just maybe, provide the knowledge to give the Commonwealth a leg-up on the Illyrican. To do this, they are going to have to steal this artifact from a gangster who is expecting them. To help them out, they are assigned a new crew-member, Specialist Addy Sayers, who is an ex-com with a quick temper. Working together will be essential to completing this mission, but how can they trust this un-trustworthy newcomer, especially in light of what happened with their last crew member?
This is some really fun space opera.
Author Dan Moren gives us a clever set of characters - most who work well by themselves but have to find a way to trust their teammates in order to survive - no easy feat, given how Moren sets these characters in front of the reader.
We know that getting this relic will be tricky, but that Kovalic and crew have a few tricks up their collective sleeves. Just what those are is a big part of the fun and the mystery that keeps us reading.
The action here builds nicely to a climax, with the danger involved seemingly insurmountable. Moren really takes us right to the edge on this one, giving us multiple choices as to which character will not survive to the next book.
I don't really get a sense of the 'cold war' though I understand it's there and that these missions are a small part of this cold war fight, but this big picture is still missing from these books for me. I hope we'll get more of this in future volumes. In the meantime, I'm content to sit back and have fun.
Looking for a good book? The Aleph Extraction by Dan Moren is fun space opera - a bit of science fiction mixed with a dose of action/adventure novel. A good book to enjoy for some casual reading.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2025
I don't get it. I got so sick of hearing about Page's "terrible backstabbing" from the first book but I still don't understand what he did that was so terrible in the first place..!!! He STILL helped Kovalic out and honestly without his help they wouldn't have even been able to complete the mission. Kovalic repaid him by shooting him; which Brody has figured out (pretty sure Nat and Tapper already knew) in this book. But I cannot figure out what Page did that was so egregious to warrant a death sentence. All he did was question the general and suggest that Kovalic shouldn't have blind loyalty to him. Duh, I agree. It was bad enough having questions about it at the end of the last book, but to have it constantly talked about in this one, even more annoying.
I also don't understand the author's writing either. We get internal thoughts from only Brody and Sayers, but half the book is Kovalic's POV, of which we don't get the same thoughts from him that are italicized when coming from Brody or Sayers. Idk, maybe it's the author's way of distinguishing between the characters, but it's more jarring than anything also. Also makes those random Brody and Sayers thoughts annoying.
Same issues as the last not being able to visualize the world/area we were in, the Illyrican/Commonwealth territories and why they are at odds, etc. The Queen Amina had to have been absolutely massive (over 40 levels/decks) but this was so spatially difficult to visualize how this would have worked and how they were going all over this ship.
I think the story itself is okay. Moren just needs to figure out his pacing. It absolutely drags in parts, then BAM in 3 paragraphs the culmination of everything happens.
I don't feel a pull to continue this series at this point. I only want Kovalic to realize that he (literally) jumped the gun with Page but I don't feel like that will ever happen and that's only going to make me irrationally angry so I'll just bow out now and pretend that's what happens.
I also don't understand the author's writing either. We get internal thoughts from only Brody and Sayers, but half the book is Kovalic's POV, of which we don't get the same thoughts from him that are italicized when coming from Brody or Sayers. Idk, maybe it's the author's way of distinguishing between the characters, but it's more jarring than anything also. Also makes those random Brody and Sayers thoughts annoying.
Same issues as the last not being able to visualize the world/area we were in, the Illyrican/Commonwealth territories and why they are at odds, etc. The Queen Amina had to have been absolutely massive (over 40 levels/decks) but this was so spatially difficult to visualize how this would have worked and how they were going all over this ship.
I think the story itself is okay. Moren just needs to figure out his pacing. It absolutely drags in parts, then BAM in 3 paragraphs the culmination of everything happens.
I don't feel a pull to continue this series at this point. I only want Kovalic to realize that he (literally) jumped the gun with Page but I don't feel like that will ever happen and that's only going to make me irrationally angry so I'll just bow out now and pretend that's what happens.
June 6, 2020
(Full disclosure: The author's a friendly acquaintance of mine, and occasionally I have appeared on podcasts with him.)
I love a good heist caper, but I'm not sure I could ever write one. Like a heist itself, the best heist capers have multiple hurdles to clear, each tougher than the last. First, you need to devise a situation that seems impossible to breach. Then you need to figure out a plausible way to beat it. Then you need to figure out how things will inevitably go wrong -- because what good heist ever goes perfectly? And finally, you need a believable way for the protagonists to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
I'm pleased to say that Dan Moren's "The Aleph Extraction" sails over all those obstacles with flying colors. The second (third?) in a somewhat confusingly numbered series of books, "Aleph" follows a motley team of spies trying to steal a priceless artifact from a ruthless gangster's lavish space casino -- while making sure that rival spies from the empire on the opposite side of a, well, galactic Cold War don't beat them to the prize.
Pulling off a capable heist -- and this one's a beaut -- isn't the only tricky balancing act Moren nails here. His writing, and the future world he envisions, are vivid and novel enough to pull you into them, but not so elaborate that the book disappears up its own, er, aft cavity in a flurry of gratuitous nerditude. And the characters are simple enough archetypes to let you instantly grasp their roles in the story, but funny and complex enough to never seem boring or predictable. (Spare me, as Moren so kindly does, from flinty-eyed future tough guys and gals who are perfect at everything and never make mistakes.)
Best of all, I got just enough information about what happened in the previous books (which I haven't read) to jump in without feeling lost, but little enough information to make me want to go back and read those other books. Packed with likable heroes, fun twists, and satisfying reversals and comeuppances, "The Aleph Extraction" makes for highly enjoyable escapism in times that all but demand it.
I love a good heist caper, but I'm not sure I could ever write one. Like a heist itself, the best heist capers have multiple hurdles to clear, each tougher than the last. First, you need to devise a situation that seems impossible to breach. Then you need to figure out a plausible way to beat it. Then you need to figure out how things will inevitably go wrong -- because what good heist ever goes perfectly? And finally, you need a believable way for the protagonists to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
I'm pleased to say that Dan Moren's "The Aleph Extraction" sails over all those obstacles with flying colors. The second (third?) in a somewhat confusingly numbered series of books, "Aleph" follows a motley team of spies trying to steal a priceless artifact from a ruthless gangster's lavish space casino -- while making sure that rival spies from the empire on the opposite side of a, well, galactic Cold War don't beat them to the prize.
Pulling off a capable heist -- and this one's a beaut -- isn't the only tricky balancing act Moren nails here. His writing, and the future world he envisions, are vivid and novel enough to pull you into them, but not so elaborate that the book disappears up its own, er, aft cavity in a flurry of gratuitous nerditude. And the characters are simple enough archetypes to let you instantly grasp their roles in the story, but funny and complex enough to never seem boring or predictable. (Spare me, as Moren so kindly does, from flinty-eyed future tough guys and gals who are perfect at everything and never make mistakes.)
Best of all, I got just enough information about what happened in the previous books (which I haven't read) to jump in without feeling lost, but little enough information to make me want to go back and read those other books. Packed with likable heroes, fun twists, and satisfying reversals and comeuppances, "The Aleph Extraction" makes for highly enjoyable escapism in times that all but demand it.
July 27, 2025
This was the second book in a series titled The Galactic Cold War, but I hadn't read (or heard of) the first book (or this series). I picked it up because the cover got my attention in a book store and I liked the premise given on the back cover. I had no problem following the plot and action of this book without reading the one that preceded it, so I don't think it will a problem for other readers.
A sci-fi caper/pseudo-military novel, The Aleph Extraction follows a dark ops team sent by the government to retrieve The Aleph Extraction, a supposed alien tablet. Whether it is an alien tablet and what information it holds is entirely up for debate. What is a known factor is that every government wants it and no other government can allow it to fall into others' hands. That's where the team comes in. A new Specialist is recruited for the team before they go out, Addy Sayers, a recent military washout who has anger issues but is definitely skilled. How willing she can trust this group is one of the book's questions.
It was a good idea to bring a new character onto the team so that readers new to this series, such as me, can learn along with her.
The group first goes to an auction where the Aleph is going to be sold to the highest bidder and things naturally go wrong for many different reasons. The group then goes to a second location and that's where the majority of the novel is spent. I won't spoil what this location is, but this where the "extraction" part of the novel comes into play. There is plenty of action, some excellent twists, and some absolutely great moments.
This didn't earn five stars from me because I got confused often by three members of the team who don't really contribute anything to the novel until the climax. I had to keep looking back to previous chapters to see whom they were and what their expertise was.
Still, that aside, this was a really fun book to read. I don't think I've ever encountered a sci-fi book where something has to be stolen and the group isn't comprised of thieves. I will actively search out the first book to see how this began. I'm hoping that author Moren does more books in this series.
A sci-fi caper/pseudo-military novel, The Aleph Extraction follows a dark ops team sent by the government to retrieve The Aleph Extraction, a supposed alien tablet. Whether it is an alien tablet and what information it holds is entirely up for debate. What is a known factor is that every government wants it and no other government can allow it to fall into others' hands. That's where the team comes in. A new Specialist is recruited for the team before they go out, Addy Sayers, a recent military washout who has anger issues but is definitely skilled. How willing she can trust this group is one of the book's questions.
It was a good idea to bring a new character onto the team so that readers new to this series, such as me, can learn along with her.
The group first goes to an auction where the Aleph is going to be sold to the highest bidder and things naturally go wrong for many different reasons. The group then goes to a second location and that's where the majority of the novel is spent. I won't spoil what this location is, but this where the "extraction" part of the novel comes into play. There is plenty of action, some excellent twists, and some absolutely great moments.
This didn't earn five stars from me because I got confused often by three members of the team who don't really contribute anything to the novel until the climax. I had to keep looking back to previous chapters to see whom they were and what their expertise was.
Still, that aside, this was a really fun book to read. I don't think I've ever encountered a sci-fi book where something has to be stolen and the group isn't comprised of thieves. I will actively search out the first book to see how this began. I'm hoping that author Moren does more books in this series.
April 7, 2021
The first two books in Dan Moren's "Galactic Cold War" series were fine. But, this 2020 continuation, "Galactic Cold War, Book 2: Aleph Extraction, The", is a disappointment. First, broadly speaking, the initial book in the series was mostly from Eli Brody's point-of-view (POV) (who I really like) with a strong second of Simon Kovalic (who's fine). The second book switched the POV emphasis around so Kovalic lead and Brody had a strong second. But, this book, along with still doing nothing to train Brody, relegates him to a distant third place behind Kovalic and a new team member, Adelaide Sayers. So, right there, I'm a bit put off. But, adding to that, Kovalic's decision to bring Sayers onto the team is just bad. There's really no justification for it. Essentially, she's a well-trained thug with an attitude/anger problem. But, wait, there's more. With the way Moren has Kovalic dance around the wording he uses when referring to what happened to Page at the end of the previous book (one of his supposed rationales for hiring Sayers), it looks like he's trying to lie to us without actually coming out and lying to us, and Kovalic's constant crying about it is really annoying. Then, there's the mission. The protagonists KNOW the Illyricans want the same thing they want. Yet, none of their plans make any allowances for the almost 100% certain existence of their Illyrican counterparts. And then, when things start going really south, they, and in particular, Kovalic, start thrashing around in a way that couldn't possibly work in the closed, secure environment they're working in. So, at the 48% point, I threw up my hands and quit. I'm rating the book at a Not Very Good 2 stars out of 5.
September 3, 2024
Now that I was all caught up with the first book that I missed at first plus all the short stories before this, it was great to read a book in this series where I felt the author was beginning to hit their stride with these characters. There was an introduction of a new character and the book was pretty heavy from their POV in the first half of the book. The chip on their shoulder combined with their neediness started to get tedious, but thankfully the POV finally changed and later bits were less of that in both turned down level and amount of writing. Hopefully there'll be less of that and more integration into the team in future books. I'd really like to know all the secrets from Kovalic already, unless I missed them at some point?? It makes it sound like there's more than his worries about his boss, but if that's all it is it would be great to see more of what would cause these worries for me to actually, you know, worry about it.
All that aside, the best part of this was the fun spy vs spy vs spy of this plot. Everyone trying to outdo each other in villainy and get ahold of that Aleph tablet was a good page-turner for me. Every once in a while having Eyes turn up and throw a wrench into plans just as you've maybe started to forget about them was good. I'm with Tapper and don't buy the ending. Speaking of the ending, I mean the actual book ending, nice cliffhanger. Well, now I have to read the next book for more spy vs spy!
All that aside, the best part of this was the fun spy vs spy vs spy of this plot. Everyone trying to outdo each other in villainy and get ahold of that Aleph tablet was a good page-turner for me. Every once in a while having Eyes turn up and throw a wrench into plans just as you've maybe started to forget about them was good. I'm with Tapper and don't buy the ending. Speaking of the ending, I mean the actual book ending, nice cliffhanger. Well, now I have to read the next book for more spy vs spy!
June 27, 2020
Having a new Dan Moren novel is a highlight of the year, and The Aleph Extraction was no exception. I love Eli and Kovalic and the rest of the team, and Moren sure knows how to make his sci fi spycraft a hell of a lot of fun.
In The Aleph Extraction, he cranks that up to 20 by having the team plan out and try to execute a daring heist, while Kovalic tries to fill in the vacancy in the team by recruiting a talented yet complicated new member, Addy Sayers. Sayers is bad ass, although some of her decisions have rough edges, so the fit is not seamless at the beginning. It was fun to read about how that goes.
The heist itself was an intense blast to read, and it is hard to elaborate without writing spoilers.
Moren expands the universe tastefully, the novel having delicious twists and turns in the process.
I had a blast reading it, and the revelations for the long arching plot of the series hit home. I truly can't wait to see how this develops.
I can't wait for the next novel!
In The Aleph Extraction, he cranks that up to 20 by having the team plan out and try to execute a daring heist, while Kovalic tries to fill in the vacancy in the team by recruiting a talented yet complicated new member, Addy Sayers. Sayers is bad ass, although some of her decisions have rough edges, so the fit is not seamless at the beginning. It was fun to read about how that goes.
The heist itself was an intense blast to read, and it is hard to elaborate without writing spoilers.
Moren expands the universe tastefully, the novel having delicious twists and turns in the process.
I had a blast reading it, and the revelations for the long arching plot of the series hit home. I truly can't wait to see how this develops.
I can't wait for the next novel!
February 28, 2024
The Aleph Extraction is the second book of a series, so if you haven't read the first one this will have some spoilers. In this cold war thriller, Kovalic and his team of special agents continue to try to keep peace in the Galaxy between the two big factions, the Commonwealth and the Imperium. The Commonwealth is what is left from Earth and our solar system and the Imperium is a human empire established by series of colonists. In the first book, the squad thwarts a plot to kidnap royalty from the Imperium. In this one we start by recruiting a new member of the team and then they are off to try to intercept the sale of a mystical artifact called the Aleph tablet. I have really enjoyed the space opera feeling of this series so far. There's a lot of unpredictable plot moves and the characters are not quite expendable but it feels like there's actual danger. The dialogue is OK but I felt there were some clichéd writing in this one, especially with some expressions that don't really hold up to whatever century were supposed to be in.
August 7, 2020
This is the kind of SF novel that is perfect for reading on the beach. The story is nothing special in itself, but it is a perfect page-turner for your summer holiday. The story picks up straight after the first (or rather second, if you ever heard of The Caledonian Gambit) book from the series, and follows our special ops team into a new adventure... which is a heist of a supposed alien-archeological artefact from a gangster's cruise ship. Like I said, perfect beach literature... just make sure you have packed your grav boots, KO guns and smart sleeves!
Good one Dan Moren! Looking forward to the next one, hopefully just in time for my next holiday ;-)
Good one Dan Moren! Looking forward to the next one, hopefully just in time for my next holiday ;-)
December 3, 2020
I wonder if I'd have enjoyed this one better if I had read the first novel. The story stands pretty well on its own, but it consistently had me wondering how the rest of the universe worked. The spy hijinks are fun, though the team members are a bit vague in appearance and personality. The world building is slight, as is setting -- to me, the difference is that use of setting could have given the novel a sci-fi feel apart from the world building. I felt like the first half of the book could have taken place anywhere. Yes, they say they are going to a city sized spaceship... But they just end up there. And they meet a contact in a coffee shop. They go to a casino. They hang out in a hotel. What technology is mentioned could have been in a James Bond film. They may as well have been in Monte Carlo. The latter half does ramp up the sci-fi usage, though, even then, without the world building there's no way to anticipate how the technology will actually work in the caper.
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