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Aurora Rhapsody #1-3
Amaranthe I: Rise
AMARANTHE I: RISE is packed with over 1,400 pages of Sci-Fi Adventure
**Includes Aurora Rising, the 1st trilogy in the Amaranthe universe (Starshine, Vertigo, Transcendence) + 2 shorts + bonus content**
When faced with its greatest challenge, will humanity rise to triumph or fall to ruin?
Aurora Rising is an epic tale of galaxy-spanning adventure, of the thrill of discovery and the unquenchable desire to reach ever farther into the unknown. It's a tale of humanity at its best and worst, of love and loss, of fear and heroism. It's the story of a woman who sought the stars and found more than anyone imagined possible.
*
STARSHINE (Book One)
SPACE IS VAST AND UNTAMED, AND IT HOLDS MANY SECRETS. Now two individuals from opposite ends of settled space are on a collision course with the darkest of those secrets, even as the world threatens to explode around them.
The year is 2322. Humanity has expanded into the stars, inhabiting over 100 worlds. Though thriving as never before, Earth struggles to retain authority over far-flung planets and free-wheeling corporations while an uneasy armistice with a breakaway federation hangs by a thread as the former rebels rise in wealth and power.
Alexis Solovy is Earth Alliance royalty, her father a fallen war hero and her mother an influential military leader. But she seeks only the freedom of space and has made a fortune by reading the patterns in the chaos to discover the hidden wonders of the stars.
Nothing about her latest objective suggests the secret it conceals will turn her life--not to mention the entire galaxy--upside down. But a chance encounter with a mysterious spy leads to a discovery which will thrust Alex into the middle of a galactic power struggle and a sinister conspiracy, whether she likes it or not.
(AMARANTHE I: RISE was originally published under the title "Aurora Rising: The Complete Collection")
**Includes Aurora Rising, the 1st trilogy in the Amaranthe universe (Starshine, Vertigo, Transcendence) + 2 shorts + bonus content**
When faced with its greatest challenge, will humanity rise to triumph or fall to ruin?
Aurora Rising is an epic tale of galaxy-spanning adventure, of the thrill of discovery and the unquenchable desire to reach ever farther into the unknown. It's a tale of humanity at its best and worst, of love and loss, of fear and heroism. It's the story of a woman who sought the stars and found more than anyone imagined possible.
*
STARSHINE (Book One)
SPACE IS VAST AND UNTAMED, AND IT HOLDS MANY SECRETS. Now two individuals from opposite ends of settled space are on a collision course with the darkest of those secrets, even as the world threatens to explode around them.
The year is 2322. Humanity has expanded into the stars, inhabiting over 100 worlds. Though thriving as never before, Earth struggles to retain authority over far-flung planets and free-wheeling corporations while an uneasy armistice with a breakaway federation hangs by a thread as the former rebels rise in wealth and power.
Alexis Solovy is Earth Alliance royalty, her father a fallen war hero and her mother an influential military leader. But she seeks only the freedom of space and has made a fortune by reading the patterns in the chaos to discover the hidden wonders of the stars.
Nothing about her latest objective suggests the secret it conceals will turn her life--not to mention the entire galaxy--upside down. But a chance encounter with a mysterious spy leads to a discovery which will thrust Alex into the middle of a galactic power struggle and a sinister conspiracy, whether she likes it or not.
(AMARANTHE I: RISE was originally published under the title "Aurora Rising: The Complete Collection")
1828 pages, ebook
First published June 29, 2015
572 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
G.S. Jennsen
52 books515 followersG. S. Jennsen is a speculative and science fiction author, as well as a futurist, geek, gamer, programmer and editor. She has become an internationally bestselling author since her first novel, Starshine, was published in March 2014. She has chosen to continue writing under an independent publishing model to ensure the integrity of her series and her ability to execute on the vision she’s had for it since its genesis.
While she has been a lawyer, a software engineer and an editor, she’s found the life of a full-time author preferable by several orders of magnitude.
When she isn’t writing, she’s gaming or working out or getting lost in the mountains that loom large outside the windows in her home. Or she’s dealing with a flooded basement, or standing in a line at Walmart reading the tabloid headlines and wondering who all of those people are. Or sitting on her back porch with a glass of wine, looking up at the stars, trying to figure out what could be up there.
While she has been a lawyer, a software engineer and an editor, she’s found the life of a full-time author preferable by several orders of magnitude.
When she isn’t writing, she’s gaming or working out or getting lost in the mountains that loom large outside the windows in her home. Or she’s dealing with a flooded basement, or standing in a line at Walmart reading the tabloid headlines and wondering who all of those people are. Or sitting on her back porch with a glass of wine, looking up at the stars, trying to figure out what could be up there.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 4, 2020
If you're afraid of long books, skip this, but if you love SF grab it ASAP!
If you loved Asimov's Foundation series, if you loved Herbert's Dune, I'm sure you'll LOVE this too!
This was a really unexpected and so very good!!! I just don't have enough words to tell you how good this was - you have to read it!
It's complicated. It's complex. There're so many interesting characters and each one is very well defined. Each character has a role to play and even if you don't get what that role is at the beginning, at the end you'll just sigh with satisfaction when the picture is complete.
There's action, adventure, political pots, villains, aliens, suspense, even romance!
Oh, do yourself a favor and read it! There're not enough stars for this!
If you loved Asimov's Foundation series, if you loved Herbert's Dune, I'm sure you'll LOVE this too!
This was a really unexpected and so very good!!! I just don't have enough words to tell you how good this was - you have to read it!
It's complicated. It's complex. There're so many interesting characters and each one is very well defined. Each character has a role to play and even if you don't get what that role is at the beginning, at the end you'll just sigh with satisfaction when the picture is complete.
There's action, adventure, political pots, villains, aliens, suspense, even romance!
Oh, do yourself a favor and read it! There're not enough stars for this!
June 29, 2015
This series quickly became one of my favorite space opera stories, and it has been so much fun to follow G.S. Jennsen as she progresses through it. The characters are memorable, the plot is masterfully woven, and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.
My STARSHINE review can be found here
My VERTIGO review can be found here
My TRANSCENDENCE review can be found here
My RESTLESS: Vol 1 review can be found here
RESTLESS: Vol 2
This was another fun quick read for someone who has enjoyed the rest of the Aurora Rising series. I love being able to keep up with my favorite characters even after their main story has ended. It was cool to see a new world/environment in this particular story (no sci fi series is truly complete without some sort of ice planet!) and to be able to see the characters take a breather and do something other that fight for their lives against rogue military officers and alien armadas. But of course they can't stay out of trouble for long! We catch a glimpse of some plotting that's still going on in the background and I definitely can't wait to find out what it all means :D
My STARSHINE review can be found here
My VERTIGO review can be found here
My TRANSCENDENCE review can be found here
My RESTLESS: Vol 1 review can be found here
RESTLESS: Vol 2
This was another fun quick read for someone who has enjoyed the rest of the Aurora Rising series. I love being able to keep up with my favorite characters even after their main story has ended. It was cool to see a new world/environment in this particular story (no sci fi series is truly complete without some sort of ice planet!) and to be able to see the characters take a breather and do something other that fight for their lives against rogue military officers and alien armadas. But of course they can't stay out of trouble for long! We catch a glimpse of some plotting that's still going on in the background and I definitely can't wait to find out what it all means :D
July 29, 2015
I love a long story. The complete collection is just that. It creates quite a journey in the 'Space Opera' genre following a heroine, her companion to be, friends and family from a relatively 'normal' beginning to adventures involving advanced aliens and integration with Artificial Intelligences. Much of the book is very cliché, the heroes are all incredibly smart, majorly competent, gorgeous and connected at the highest power levels of the Galaxy. Along with this, goes the love story(s). Yes more than one. They involve passion, wit, predictable unpredictability and are thoroughly enjoyable. Again, to an extent quite cliché.
Ok - cliché. Why 5 stars. Because it is very well written cliché that never lets up. It is engrossing, entertaining, humorous and this accompanies the whole journey. I was always wondering where it was going, who was going to do what and to whom. At the end of the book is a short story that picks up where the main story left off and I was just as curious, entertained and wanting more. I don't know that I would've enjoyed the individual books as much. But reading the full collection was very worthwhile.
Ok - cliché. Why 5 stars. Because it is very well written cliché that never lets up. It is engrossing, entertaining, humorous and this accompanies the whole journey. I was always wondering where it was going, who was going to do what and to whom. At the end of the book is a short story that picks up where the main story left off and I was just as curious, entertained and wanting more. I don't know that I would've enjoyed the individual books as much. But reading the full collection was very worthwhile.
November 22, 2016
Aurora Rising is a great trilogy with a thought-provoking underlying premise, in the true spirit of science-fiction. I like that each book has a distinctive feel. Starshine is mysterious and romantic, Vertigo is heart-wrenching and contemplative, and Transcendence is all finale all the way: fast-paced and exciting.
I couldn't put it down.
I couldn't put it down.
August 19, 2015
Outrageously Wonderful Space Opera
After three full novels and a few short stories, ( 1400 pages), of guilty pleasure wrapped up in an ebook. I have to admit, I adore space operas. This series is particularly good. I Alex is the rebellious daughter of the Admiral of the Earth Alliance. Unlike her mother, Alex is a loner. She designed her own ship, then had it built to start her own business exploring space for minerals and resources. Caleb is a black-ops agent for the Federation, a group of planets that broke from Earth, then went to war with them. Alex's father was killed in that war fighting in space. She hates the Federation.
They both head to the Metis nebula for wildly divergent reasons. She believes there may be a mystery and some cash down the line from a happy client. He was ordered by his boss to check it out.
What they find there will change everything, including themselves.
Who knew the fate of one hundred world's would rely on that chance encounter?
The three novels and two short stories with some interviews constitutes a detailed look into one of Earth's possible futures. This is not a hard science heavy tome, instead, it balances science, technology, action, characters and plotlines in a over and under motion; highlighting the right one each time.
The characters are interesting - I realized at the end of the first book, a majority, if not all the characters were good looking, and if they weren't, it wasn't described. Call it Planet Runway? Model Ship? Too many puns, I'll stop.
Alex and Caleb for various reasons have both grown up as stubborn, independent loners who never depend on anyone and prefer to do everything on their own. Jennsen did a plausible job of portraying these strong characters, as well as their eventual partnership. These two characters are easy to identify with, as Alex reminds me of Lara Croft in space, and Caleb is a casual James Bond. Will they save all those world's? You will have to enjoy reading these works to see.
The scope of the character list is epic, so Ms. Jennsen had to be selective in which characters to develop outside of Alex and Caleb. She did a fine job characterizing the secondary cast including: David, Miriam, Kennedy, Richard, Mia, Devon, Graham, Morgan, Noah, Olivia, Isabella, Marcus, Jules, Anna and Liam. That is a lot of secondary characters, and I am sure I am missing a few. They helped make the story great with wit, unique style and amusing dialog.
Spoilers abound, so don't read any further unless you want to know.
There are actually four plotlines running through these works:
The overarching plotline is that of the Metagens who are creating galaxies and seeding planets with human life while looking for the answer to specific questions. Our galaxy, Aurora, was but one among fifty one with which they were experimenting. They may have been human at one time, but are now energy, with a body in stasis.
The next plotline is the alien invasion. The Metagen have entered the galaxy in force. They must be discovered and their secrets revealed, or mankind will be annihilated.
The third is the Second Crux War. The Alliance and the Federation are trying to kill each other again, but the escalating events are all denied by both sides. War is still declared, and fighting ensues, but with aliens in you north back forty, what's a girl to do?
The fourth is betrayal by humans with the Metagen. The Metagen selected people they believed would be in powerful positions in all different fields and told them what to do using Metagen mindmeld. These people influenced, hacked, killed, did all manner of dirty deeds to further the Metagen agenda.
End Spoilers
If you have the time and the inclination, I would highly recommend this whole package. I had a wonderful time reading these pages. If you like space opera, this is a guaranteed good thumping read!
The end of the series is set up so that there should be more books coming. I surely hope there will be. I want to know more about these aliens and what they are up to, so Ms. Jennsen, please write that next book. I, for one, will definitely read every word.
After three full novels and a few short stories, ( 1400 pages), of guilty pleasure wrapped up in an ebook. I have to admit, I adore space operas. This series is particularly good. I Alex is the rebellious daughter of the Admiral of the Earth Alliance. Unlike her mother, Alex is a loner. She designed her own ship, then had it built to start her own business exploring space for minerals and resources. Caleb is a black-ops agent for the Federation, a group of planets that broke from Earth, then went to war with them. Alex's father was killed in that war fighting in space. She hates the Federation.
They both head to the Metis nebula for wildly divergent reasons. She believes there may be a mystery and some cash down the line from a happy client. He was ordered by his boss to check it out.
What they find there will change everything, including themselves.
Who knew the fate of one hundred world's would rely on that chance encounter?
The three novels and two short stories with some interviews constitutes a detailed look into one of Earth's possible futures. This is not a hard science heavy tome, instead, it balances science, technology, action, characters and plotlines in a over and under motion; highlighting the right one each time.
The characters are interesting - I realized at the end of the first book, a majority, if not all the characters were good looking, and if they weren't, it wasn't described. Call it Planet Runway? Model Ship? Too many puns, I'll stop.
Alex and Caleb for various reasons have both grown up as stubborn, independent loners who never depend on anyone and prefer to do everything on their own. Jennsen did a plausible job of portraying these strong characters, as well as their eventual partnership. These two characters are easy to identify with, as Alex reminds me of Lara Croft in space, and Caleb is a casual James Bond. Will they save all those world's? You will have to enjoy reading these works to see.
The scope of the character list is epic, so Ms. Jennsen had to be selective in which characters to develop outside of Alex and Caleb. She did a fine job characterizing the secondary cast including: David, Miriam, Kennedy, Richard, Mia, Devon, Graham, Morgan, Noah, Olivia, Isabella, Marcus, Jules, Anna and Liam. That is a lot of secondary characters, and I am sure I am missing a few. They helped make the story great with wit, unique style and amusing dialog.
Spoilers abound, so don't read any further unless you want to know.
There are actually four plotlines running through these works:
The overarching plotline is that of the Metagens who are creating galaxies and seeding planets with human life while looking for the answer to specific questions. Our galaxy, Aurora, was but one among fifty one with which they were experimenting. They may have been human at one time, but are now energy, with a body in stasis.
The next plotline is the alien invasion. The Metagen have entered the galaxy in force. They must be discovered and their secrets revealed, or mankind will be annihilated.
The third is the Second Crux War. The Alliance and the Federation are trying to kill each other again, but the escalating events are all denied by both sides. War is still declared, and fighting ensues, but with aliens in you north back forty, what's a girl to do?
The fourth is betrayal by humans with the Metagen. The Metagen selected people they believed would be in powerful positions in all different fields and told them what to do using Metagen mindmeld. These people influenced, hacked, killed, did all manner of dirty deeds to further the Metagen agenda.
End Spoilers
If you have the time and the inclination, I would highly recommend this whole package. I had a wonderful time reading these pages. If you like space opera, this is a guaranteed good thumping read!
The end of the series is set up so that there should be more books coming. I surely hope there will be. I want to know more about these aliens and what they are up to, so Ms. Jennsen, please write that next book. I, for one, will definitely read every word.
October 21, 2015
Important stuff first: is it worth the price? If you have Kindle Unlimited, it’s free, no brainer. If you buy the e-book for $6.99, and an average book is 270 pages, you just got about 5 books for a buck and a half each. If you like the genre, go ahead and buy it.
Aurora Rising falls into a niche between hard science fiction and space opera. It’s 1400 pages of legitimate or fringe science, five stories plus extra features, that doesn’t bash you over the head with a physics or astronomy textbook. And there’s a love story woven into it that’s pretty important to the protagonist. It feels like I spent the last week playing Mass Effect and the ending didn’t suck.
The writing is sensory without bogging down with overly long descriptions, the action well-paced, and bad things happen frequently enough to challenge the characters. Solutions are a mix of brawn and brains, with misunderstandings escalating to full-on conflict, but the cast is pragmatic and mistakes are often fixed once the facts are known, though the body count is not insignificant. The overall feel is hopeful and swashbuckley-with-thick-glasses, and a large dose of libertarianism. It’s not Ayn Rand, but there’s a hearty amount of “Government’s fine, but it shouldn’t get in the way of the smart and/or cunning people,” which isn’t a flawed argument; I just never really got to see the other side of it.
So, cheap, fun, opinionated without being preachy, good science without drowning in it, and a great way to spend a couple nights or a couple weeks.
Aurora Rising falls into a niche between hard science fiction and space opera. It’s 1400 pages of legitimate or fringe science, five stories plus extra features, that doesn’t bash you over the head with a physics or astronomy textbook. And there’s a love story woven into it that’s pretty important to the protagonist. It feels like I spent the last week playing Mass Effect and the ending didn’t suck.
The writing is sensory without bogging down with overly long descriptions, the action well-paced, and bad things happen frequently enough to challenge the characters. Solutions are a mix of brawn and brains, with misunderstandings escalating to full-on conflict, but the cast is pragmatic and mistakes are often fixed once the facts are known, though the body count is not insignificant. The overall feel is hopeful and swashbuckley-with-thick-glasses, and a large dose of libertarianism. It’s not Ayn Rand, but there’s a hearty amount of “Government’s fine, but it shouldn’t get in the way of the smart and/or cunning people,” which isn’t a flawed argument; I just never really got to see the other side of it.
So, cheap, fun, opinionated without being preachy, good science without drowning in it, and a great way to spend a couple nights or a couple weeks.
October 16, 2015
Interesting concepts
This 3-book combo provided a whole story arc with interesting concepts on how faster than light space travel could work. The characters were complex although a bit juvenile when it came to the constant outbursts between the heroine and her mother. I did like that both males and females were leaders and creators--equality works in the future. The main reason for not giving this 5 stars is that the heroine is too perfect, she's always saving the day; even her maternal friction is used to prove that our species is worth saving.
This 3-book combo provided a whole story arc with interesting concepts on how faster than light space travel could work. The characters were complex although a bit juvenile when it came to the constant outbursts between the heroine and her mother. I did like that both males and females were leaders and creators--equality works in the future. The main reason for not giving this 5 stars is that the heroine is too perfect, she's always saving the day; even her maternal friction is used to prove that our species is worth saving.
May 21, 2018
I'm impressed!
Never having heard of G.S. Jensen, I took a chance on this series and was very pleased right from the start. After finishing the first book I promptly purchased the next two trilogies as well. It's a big complicated universe out there and Jensen has brought her vision of it into spectacular reality with her storyline. Don't miss out on the adventures of Alex and Caleb as they fight bureaucracy, hypocrisy and aliens to ensure the continuation of the human race. Lots of intrigue, battles and mystery here folks. Definitely worth a look!!
Never having heard of G.S. Jensen, I took a chance on this series and was very pleased right from the start. After finishing the first book I promptly purchased the next two trilogies as well. It's a big complicated universe out there and Jensen has brought her vision of it into spectacular reality with her storyline. Don't miss out on the adventures of Alex and Caleb as they fight bureaucracy, hypocrisy and aliens to ensure the continuation of the human race. Lots of intrigue, battles and mystery here folks. Definitely worth a look!!
December 29, 2018
I have now completed the entire Aurora Rhapsody Series. After getting the 1st book free from Goodreads, I couldn't put them down until I had read all nine books plus the Short stories.
These books are written in the great style of old space operas like E. E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman Series and Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series. I loved the books and have already started reading her next series (Asterion Noir).
Keep up the good writing G. S. Jennsen
These books are written in the great style of old space operas like E. E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman Series and Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series. I loved the books and have already started reading her next series (Asterion Noir).
Keep up the good writing G. S. Jennsen
July 6, 2015
I had already read all three books in the Aurora Rising series and purchased the complete collection for some additional content as well as to support the author. I found the story fascinating and couldn't put it down. It was well written, the characters were well defined and I would highly recommend this series.
Must read.
Must read.
August 20, 2015
I loved so many things about this series, but it does have a few weaknesses. It hosts a large cast of characters and often you don't get more than a few pages with each one at a time. The characters can be difficult to track as some of them don't stand out well from the crowd. After the first few chapters the story was easier to follow.
I very much enjoyed these books.
I very much enjoyed these books.
July 20, 2015
What an amazing story. I have enjoyed reading these first tales in the series and I will be eagerly looking out for the next books. The plot was engaging, the characters were likeable (or easy to dislike, as appropriate). This story was a roller-coaster ride of action and adventure, I can't wait to see how the story continues!
October 1, 2015
Trilogy
I really enjoyed this series and it sucked me in for days waiting for my next free moment to read a bit more. There was a lot going on and many points of view. I hope to read more from this author.
I really enjoyed this series and it sucked me in for days waiting for my next free moment to read a bit more. There was a lot going on and many points of view. I hope to read more from this author.
April 28, 2016
Amazingly well done. Like very much how the author interplay a personal stories with space battle action. I would recommend the complete series (some still being written) for anyone over 13. Like the technical parts, and the possibilities in space for our future.
February 24, 2020
Most of the book was very good... good character development... excellent visuals... but I almost wanted to barf every time the prose involved the romance between hero & heroine. I found that part very distracting because Jennsen found a way to insert it into every situation...
October 20, 2015
*derps all over this series*
Authors love to torture my finances. Esp when I end up double dipping to support omnibuses.
Authors love to torture my finances. Esp when I end up double dipping to support omnibuses.
June 7, 2017
Aurora Rising was pretty good, you open the book with a gigantic galactic map and a dramatis personae with an endless list of characters, so you immediately get the impression this will be a saga with substantial world building and a (hopefully) nice pay-off.
spoilers: it was a nice pay-off.
That's what Aurora Rising does pretty well, it builds the world to a point where you're fully immersed and the world is credible and you can situate yourself very easily in the story as the narrative flickers from character to character, albeit confusingly at the start, but it's to be expected with an entire world and history to cover given its setting (space age humanity settled across the galaxy and the narrative quickly switches between numerous characters and you have to soak in all the information).
Now... what I found degraded the integrity of the story was its corny love angles.
A whirlwind romance in the middle of the worst crisis known to humanity (ie: extinction via terrifying alien invasion) where the protagonist is the only one that can save the human species... well... on paper it comes off tacky... but it reads differently.
In a way, it would not have come off tacky if the author reeled in the YA romance angle and let the romance happen naturally.
The romance also reads like YA romance specifically, a bit immature and forced. I kind of roll my eyes any time a dude's hair is described with the words "curly" and "locks" and how the author absolutely has to mention his chest was hairy. Actually it's really not about the description, it's just the way it's presented.... it's just a bit cheesy.
That's really my only criticism. It just could have been done more gracefully and retained the integrity of the story the author wanted to convey.
I did say love ANGLES, plural. The author does do this with Noah and Kennedy later in the story, and I realized it might be the author's predilection and she can't help herself with the cheese, and I just wonder why because the world she built and the main plot is honestly enough. The characters do need connections but that can be done differently with the same result.
SAYING ALL THIS, I adore all the characters. Even with the cheesy romantic ties, I genuinely adore Caleb, ahhh a spy who kills evil-doers with style, and Alexis as the protagonist that has a severe allergy for bullshit. Kennedy and her intellect. Miriam as the motherly pillar that holds steady. Richard the godfather (yay a gay character written properly). Olivia the villain with an unending thirst for power. I appreciate all the characters in the story.
I wrote a lot about the romance because it was the only thing that bothered me. So with that being said, the plot is a lot more complex and it's definitely worth it.
I'm off to read the next trilogy now (Aurora Renegades), I expect it to be just as good as this one.
spoilers: it was a nice pay-off.
That's what Aurora Rising does pretty well, it builds the world to a point where you're fully immersed and the world is credible and you can situate yourself very easily in the story as the narrative flickers from character to character, albeit confusingly at the start, but it's to be expected with an entire world and history to cover given its setting (space age humanity settled across the galaxy and the narrative quickly switches between numerous characters and you have to soak in all the information).
Now... what I found degraded the integrity of the story was its corny love angles.
A whirlwind romance in the middle of the worst crisis known to humanity (ie: extinction via terrifying alien invasion) where the protagonist is the only one that can save the human species... well... on paper it comes off tacky... but it reads differently.
In a way, it would not have come off tacky if the author reeled in the YA romance angle and let the romance happen naturally.
The romance also reads like YA romance specifically, a bit immature and forced. I kind of roll my eyes any time a dude's hair is described with the words "curly" and "locks" and how the author absolutely has to mention his chest was hairy. Actually it's really not about the description, it's just the way it's presented.... it's just a bit cheesy.
That's really my only criticism. It just could have been done more gracefully and retained the integrity of the story the author wanted to convey.
I did say love ANGLES, plural. The author does do this with Noah and Kennedy later in the story, and I realized it might be the author's predilection and she can't help herself with the cheese, and I just wonder why because the world she built and the main plot is honestly enough. The characters do need connections but that can be done differently with the same result.
SAYING ALL THIS, I adore all the characters. Even with the cheesy romantic ties, I genuinely adore Caleb, ahhh a spy who kills evil-doers with style, and Alexis as the protagonist that has a severe allergy for bullshit. Kennedy and her intellect. Miriam as the motherly pillar that holds steady. Richard the godfather (yay a gay character written properly). Olivia the villain with an unending thirst for power. I appreciate all the characters in the story.
I wrote a lot about the romance because it was the only thing that bothered me. So with that being said, the plot is a lot more complex and it's definitely worth it.
I'm off to read the next trilogy now (Aurora Renegades), I expect it to be just as good as this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2018
Taken together, all three of the books in this collection comprised a tight well written story. Heroes didn't always win and villains didn't always lose. I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Alex and Caleb. Very well fleshed out and kept in sync with the characters. Caleb maybe...maybe...drifted a bit away from his character. There were times I thought they were either too lovey-dovy or got upset at things that might have been trivial. Overall, though, their characters well well formed and enjoyable. The other relationships were also quite clearly developed and matured as the story progressed. It did get a little confusing and it was a little to convenient that they all seemed connected to Alex and Caleb in one way or the other and that they too easily found each other. Lekkas seemed a bit too over the top when it came to controlling all of the fighters during the final battle scene. That removed a bit of the believablity...that she was actually able to do that.
What did get to be confusing was who was with which organization/government entity. That did require a bit of back-tracking sometimes. I pretty much had it down by the end of the second book, however. I think it was the way the story was chopped up that made it sometimes difficult to follow.
My biggest disappointment, and that is really too harsh a word to use, was the third book. It started out fine but about halfway through it began to feel a bit too rushed. I understand that there was a sense of urgency in solving the problem of all to defeat the Metigens but it all seemed like it was too convenient and easy. As if the author were in a hurry to wrap up the book and get to the final battle. I wander back and forth about whether the third book should have ended with battle and glad-handing then pick up the rest in the beginning of the second series (Sidespace). The final book was good, but just felt rushed with a bit of the deus ex machina tossed in with Alex and the alien ship that she entered.
I would certainly recommend this book to everyone interested in sort of 'galactic' science fiction'. I certainly intend on continuing the series.
What did get to be confusing was who was with which organization/government entity. That did require a bit of back-tracking sometimes. I pretty much had it down by the end of the second book, however. I think it was the way the story was chopped up that made it sometimes difficult to follow.
My biggest disappointment, and that is really too harsh a word to use, was the third book. It started out fine but about halfway through it began to feel a bit too rushed. I understand that there was a sense of urgency in solving the problem of all to defeat the Metigens but it all seemed like it was too convenient and easy. As if the author were in a hurry to wrap up the book and get to the final battle. I wander back and forth about whether the third book should have ended with battle and glad-handing then pick up the rest in the beginning of the second series (Sidespace). The final book was good, but just felt rushed with a bit of the deus ex machina tossed in with Alex and the alien ship that she entered.
I would certainly recommend this book to everyone interested in sort of 'galactic' science fiction'. I certainly intend on continuing the series.
August 14, 2022
Thanks to the goodreads update, can't see my comments. Great. Well let me try to remember. This book was WAY too long, even though it was three books in one. There were far too many flash backs, and many scenes that should have been cut. A character was introduced, and well done, only to be killed, just to illustrate what the aliens were doing. A competent content editor would have cut those out. With the audio version, it was difficult to discern when a flashback started, and I found myself asking, another flashback?? far too often. Then there was the third book. In addition to all the other problems, there as a scene that suddenly went from third person past tense (which the entire collection was written in) to first person present tense, for a fight scene. It was absurd to do that. Then towards the end, all of a sudden we had multiple time line jumps back and forward. Completely bizarre to change the character of a very very very long book with these types of sudden changes. I believe this author is a good writer, but there were far too many issues. I won't be reading any more.
September 14, 2024
This 3 book bundle is a great deal! The first book is absolutely free in many places. GS Jennen writes in a captivating style. Her indepth characters are multidimensional. They have their flaws and as the story develops they become aware of them. It is suspenseful, but the plot moves along, so it does not drag. As of 2024 she has written 22 books in this universe which is nice because you only have to learn one universe. Her website contains a map, and the characters named in each book, in case the reader forgets them. Her website tells about each book and what order they go in, so it's worth a minute to check out her website. In case you are dying for the next book she reports how many words she has written weekly, so you can follow her progress. Back to the books themselves. Here is what they are NOT: dark and depressing, full of plot holes, chauvinistic and boring. She is one of my new favorite authors and I listen to books constantly. I was thrilled to find out I have hours and hours of engaging stories to look forward too! I predict her books will find an even larger audience than they have now.
August 27, 2023
This is good with interesting characters and intense plot. This is a full set of several novels, most of which are short, and I found the little intros between each major section an interuption.
The female main character is a polymath as is her boyfriend and her best friend. She is an excellent hacker, starship pilot, starship designer, even able to successfully defeat an attacking star ship piloted by a guy who is far more experienced fighter than she.
The fact that the characters were so very good at so many things meant the author could take shortcuts with the plot, relying on handwaving and their skills to cover up any holes or make it seem more realistic.
I enjoyed the book although readers should know there are many characters and places. Author provides enough context when she reintroduces a person we haven't seen for the past many pages to make it easy to keep on top of who's who.
The female main character is a polymath as is her boyfriend and her best friend. She is an excellent hacker, starship pilot, starship designer, even able to successfully defeat an attacking star ship piloted by a guy who is far more experienced fighter than she.
The fact that the characters were so very good at so many things meant the author could take shortcuts with the plot, relying on handwaving and their skills to cover up any holes or make it seem more realistic.
I enjoyed the book although readers should know there are many characters and places. Author provides enough context when she reintroduces a person we haven't seen for the past many pages to make it easy to keep on top of who's who.
July 23, 2018
Read on
I found the first part of the book a little heavy going because of the amount of characters being quickly introduced then quickly passed over as the book began to take shape. That was fine really and it wasn't a problem putting the book down then carrying on later. Problems began really when the heroine shoots down the hero. Things began hotting up and that's when the problems began. 4 am and the battery of my tablet goes flat fall back on the phone. I finally went to sleep at about the half 4 mark. Sunday was a complet wash out as I read through the three books its now just gone midnight and finished. That's it just of to Amazon pay my £4 something and start on the next three books. Thank you Ms Jennson for such an enjoyable read
I found the first part of the book a little heavy going because of the amount of characters being quickly introduced then quickly passed over as the book began to take shape. That was fine really and it wasn't a problem putting the book down then carrying on later. Problems began really when the heroine shoots down the hero. Things began hotting up and that's when the problems began. 4 am and the battery of my tablet goes flat fall back on the phone. I finally went to sleep at about the half 4 mark. Sunday was a complet wash out as I read through the three books its now just gone midnight and finished. That's it just of to Amazon pay my £4 something and start on the next three books. Thank you Ms Jennson for such an enjoyable read
December 23, 2018
As with all of the author's books, there is an excellent blend of creativity, reality, believability and darn good writing. I particularly like the fact that when there is a battle/confrontation, it is only a part of the storyline. By that, I mean the battle/confrontation is not a major focus or all-encompassing. Each book is a complete story by itself, yet there is a teaser to make you want to read the book. I've really enjoyed reading her books.
March 14, 2020
An excellent read
You will not be able to put it down! I am so happy I purchased all three of what volume while the book was wrong it was. I was not able to put it down there were some areas I would not really fond of where the author does flashbacks and that junk back to the present and then flashbacks again sometimes I just like that but this particular case everything worked well at and I said I could put the book down
You will not be able to put it down! I am so happy I purchased all three of what volume while the book was wrong it was. I was not able to put it down there were some areas I would not really fond of where the author does flashbacks and that junk back to the present and then flashbacks again sometimes I just like that but this particular case everything worked well at and I said I could put the book down
September 5, 2022
An advanced culture infiltrates human-settled parts of the galaxy, then ruthlessly attacks after starting a war between the two most powerful political entities. Simultaneously, Alex and Caleb, the Juliet and Romeo of the piece clash in a far distant nebula. Alex shoots down Caleb's ship after he had attacked her unprovoked, but then she, in a moment of self-doubt, rescues him. You can figure out where the story goes from there, but it is a very complex journey.
September 21, 2018
Hooray for humans
I highly recommend this trilogy; it contains a good amount of science mixed with a good amount of humanity. I find this to be the perfect mixture for good science fiction. I fully intend to read the next trilogy and the one after that and whatever else Ms. Jensen decides to write right up until I’m sick and tired of whatever it is she’s writing.
I highly recommend this trilogy; it contains a good amount of science mixed with a good amount of humanity. I find this to be the perfect mixture for good science fiction. I fully intend to read the next trilogy and the one after that and whatever else Ms. Jensen decides to write right up until I’m sick and tired of whatever it is she’s writing.
March 7, 2022
a very worthy read
Simply spectacular. Best I’ve read in a while. The characters, the settings, really everything about this makes for a very well developed series. Am looking forward to the next edition of this series. Un-equivocally recommend this if you enjoy science fiction!
Simply spectacular. Best I’ve read in a while. The characters, the settings, really everything about this makes for a very well developed series. Am looking forward to the next edition of this series. Un-equivocally recommend this if you enjoy science fiction!
September 26, 2023
Enthralling stories
I'm not sure where to start. Good science, good military though blurry soldier/sailor/ marine is kinda tough. Great fantasy swirled in to a well done 3 book series that tell the whole story .... and hints of a new series
Oh I forgot !some great bodice ripping parts.
Wild read wild ride
I'm not sure where to start. Good science, good military though blurry soldier/sailor/ marine is kinda tough. Great fantasy swirled in to a well done 3 book series that tell the whole story .... and hints of a new series
Oh I forgot !some great bodice ripping parts.
Wild read wild ride
November 4, 2024
Yes!!!
My prayers were answered. Finally a real modern sci-fi fantasy series. Isaac Asimov, Pohl ,Brian Aldiss and friends are smiling down at us cheering on the new holders of the torch. For all of us that grew up reading the greats this is the new writing we have been waiting for. A great read.
My prayers were answered. Finally a real modern sci-fi fantasy series. Isaac Asimov, Pohl ,Brian Aldiss and friends are smiling down at us cheering on the new holders of the torch. For all of us that grew up reading the greats this is the new writing we have been waiting for. A great read.
January 22, 2025
Wartime
The conclusion of Amaranthe. The three book package has a couple short stories included adding to the excitement. I Returning from Metro Alex and Caleb are targeted by the Metigens who are using Quislings to do the dirty work. A crazed earth forces general complicates the war against the Metigens and by coincidence proves the near indestructablity of Alex's ship.
The conclusion of Amaranthe. The three book package has a couple short stories included adding to the excitement. I Returning from Metro Alex and Caleb are targeted by the Metigens who are using Quislings to do the dirty work. A crazed earth forces general complicates the war against the Metigens and by coincidence proves the near indestructablity of Alex's ship.
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