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Star Runners
Invasion: A Star Runners Universe Novel
Nat Hodges' life as he knew it ended the day the Zahl Empire invaded his world, Tarrafa.
Sweeping through the initial defenses in a matter of days, the Zahl destroy everything Nat had ever known. Traditions and customs are outlawed.
Living in a homeworld occupied by an oppressive force, Nat faces the choice of fighting a seemingly hopeless battle for the past or succumbing to the overwhelming power of the future.
A brand new entry point novel in the Star Runners Universe, Invasion is the gripping tale of one young man's experience when an unstoppable armada from another world decimates his planet.384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2019
About the author
L.E. Thomas
24 books51 followersL.E. Thomas lives in the mountains of the southern United States with his wife and rescued dog. He is the author of several books in the Star Runners Universe.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 7, 2019
For those that have read any of the StarRunners books, this novel will be something a bit different to what you are normally used to.
The story starts following Nat and Kad Hodges, a father and son out on a trip, when a massive ship parks overhead. Suddenly shock troopers disembark, fighters zoom overhead, and the city is overrun by enemy soldiers.
Young Nat soon learns that the entire planet of Tarrafa has been captured by these unknown aliens.
Initially, he and his father go to join a resistance, before in an incident, he and his Father are separated, and his Father leaves him, and Nat is captured.
Nat is then turned over to a juvenile facility, were he learns about the new inhabitants of the planet, the Zahlian Empire. The Zahl have taken over the entire planet in less than a day, smashing all resistance, and installing a new government. They come and conquer planets, taking them, and then training those on the planets to do the lesser tasks, so that those born of true Zahlian blood can do the more important tasks, such as be pilots and Captain the ships. Nat, feeling abandoned by his family, knowing that there is nothing left for him, knowing that his mother is dead, joins the pilot academy of the Zahl, and the Zahl play it up, telling him he could be a pilot of a starfighter so that he will be quick to turn on his past, dangling something he has always wanted in front of him.
For those that have read the other StarRunner books, this is an utterly fascinating read, seeing how the Zahl come and take over a planet, totally crush a dark world that has no hope of resisting them, and then totally subvert their culture and their way of life, making it so that these people have to assimilate to the Zahlian way, or die, the psychological warfare that they use on the juvenile inhabitants. It is a very clever story, well researched to give it some real depth and some great world building of both the original planet of Tarrafa, but the new planet that the Zahl try and turn it into.
This is not the standard StarRunner story, in which you see the Legion prevail, this is a story in which we see the other side of the things, how the Empire works. We have seen how the Legion treats ‘Dark Worlds’, and this is how the Empire treats them.
As well as following Nat and his story through the academy on this new Zahl planet, we also learn that there is still a Rebellion occurring, under a very strong leader. The Tarrafa people have always been very strong, loyal, patriotic to their own planet, and do not give up easily.
As such, this story is multi-faceted. Without giving too much away, there is the main Nat storyline, but underneath this we hear of the Rebellion, of a leader within the Rebellion, and it is obvious that there are ties back to Nat’s past. Thus there is a struggle between the indoctrinated youth, who has gone through intense psychological reshaping, vs this strong patriotic society in which you die for your people – it makes for a very fascinating, at times devastating, but at all times remarkable read with intelligent characters and exceptional world building.
For fans of the StarRunners Universe, this is a must read, but for those that haven’t read any of the other books, you will still get a great story of a young man’s fight for identity in the face of his planets invasion, asking yourself some interesting questions – what would you do? Great read!!
The story starts following Nat and Kad Hodges, a father and son out on a trip, when a massive ship parks overhead. Suddenly shock troopers disembark, fighters zoom overhead, and the city is overrun by enemy soldiers.
Young Nat soon learns that the entire planet of Tarrafa has been captured by these unknown aliens.
Initially, he and his father go to join a resistance, before in an incident, he and his Father are separated, and his Father leaves him, and Nat is captured.
Nat is then turned over to a juvenile facility, were he learns about the new inhabitants of the planet, the Zahlian Empire. The Zahl have taken over the entire planet in less than a day, smashing all resistance, and installing a new government. They come and conquer planets, taking them, and then training those on the planets to do the lesser tasks, so that those born of true Zahlian blood can do the more important tasks, such as be pilots and Captain the ships. Nat, feeling abandoned by his family, knowing that there is nothing left for him, knowing that his mother is dead, joins the pilot academy of the Zahl, and the Zahl play it up, telling him he could be a pilot of a starfighter so that he will be quick to turn on his past, dangling something he has always wanted in front of him.
For those that have read the other StarRunner books, this is an utterly fascinating read, seeing how the Zahl come and take over a planet, totally crush a dark world that has no hope of resisting them, and then totally subvert their culture and their way of life, making it so that these people have to assimilate to the Zahlian way, or die, the psychological warfare that they use on the juvenile inhabitants. It is a very clever story, well researched to give it some real depth and some great world building of both the original planet of Tarrafa, but the new planet that the Zahl try and turn it into.
This is not the standard StarRunner story, in which you see the Legion prevail, this is a story in which we see the other side of the things, how the Empire works. We have seen how the Legion treats ‘Dark Worlds’, and this is how the Empire treats them.
As well as following Nat and his story through the academy on this new Zahl planet, we also learn that there is still a Rebellion occurring, under a very strong leader. The Tarrafa people have always been very strong, loyal, patriotic to their own planet, and do not give up easily.
As such, this story is multi-faceted. Without giving too much away, there is the main Nat storyline, but underneath this we hear of the Rebellion, of a leader within the Rebellion, and it is obvious that there are ties back to Nat’s past. Thus there is a struggle between the indoctrinated youth, who has gone through intense psychological reshaping, vs this strong patriotic society in which you die for your people – it makes for a very fascinating, at times devastating, but at all times remarkable read with intelligent characters and exceptional world building.
For fans of the StarRunners Universe, this is a must read, but for those that haven’t read any of the other books, you will still get a great story of a young man’s fight for identity in the face of his planets invasion, asking yourself some interesting questions – what would you do? Great read!!
July 1, 2019
The Zahl Empire has one goal: to control the entire galaxy. They are attempting to do this by conquering all the planetary systems in their path as they expand outwards.
Confronting and fighting against them is the Galactic Legion.
The Star Runners are pilots of the Galactic Legion that pilot the fighters that are the nemesis of the Zahl Empire. But while the the Star Runners are flighting the Zahl Empire in space, what happens when Zahl invade a planet and enslave and brainwash the inhabitants?
“Invasion” is the story of one such planet and one family.
The Zahl Empire suddenly and without warning invades the planet Tarrafa. Within a matter of hours they have landed their armies and control the skies. The inhabitants don’t stand a chance. Students Nat and his sister Tressa along with their father Kad and two friends of the children escape to the mountains.
Students Nat and his sister Tressa along with their father Kad and two friends of the children, Viper and Soola, escape to the mountain and begin an odyssey that will split them up and result in Nat and Soola being captured by the Zahl. Once captured the two are brainwashed and become loyal subjects of the Zahl. Nat ends up training to be a pilot and looses touch with his father and sister.
A rebel force develops in an effort to fight the Zahl but they are not very effective. Tad and Tressa become rebel leaders and have to bring Nat back into the fold against the Zahl brainwashing and indoctrination.
If you like stories that will keep you turning pages and wanting to know what is going to happen next then this is the book for you. It provides a background of how the Zahl co-opt the inhabitants of planets they conquer but what happens when the inhabitants don’t give up. It show how indomitable the human spirit can be and how even under the most adverse circumstances the spirit of freedom won’t die and can’t be killed.
What really makes this story fun to read is the many threads that are woven into a complex tale that is fun to read and how the characters act like real people and how you and I would like to think we would respond to the danger. If you haven’t already read the Star Runner series this will help provide a background why the Star Runners are so important and if you already have, this will help to fill in the back story in a most satisfactory and enjoyable way.
Confronting and fighting against them is the Galactic Legion.
The Star Runners are pilots of the Galactic Legion that pilot the fighters that are the nemesis of the Zahl Empire. But while the the Star Runners are flighting the Zahl Empire in space, what happens when Zahl invade a planet and enslave and brainwash the inhabitants?
“Invasion” is the story of one such planet and one family.
The Zahl Empire suddenly and without warning invades the planet Tarrafa. Within a matter of hours they have landed their armies and control the skies. The inhabitants don’t stand a chance. Students Nat and his sister Tressa along with their father Kad and two friends of the children escape to the mountains.
Students Nat and his sister Tressa along with their father Kad and two friends of the children, Viper and Soola, escape to the mountain and begin an odyssey that will split them up and result in Nat and Soola being captured by the Zahl. Once captured the two are brainwashed and become loyal subjects of the Zahl. Nat ends up training to be a pilot and looses touch with his father and sister.
A rebel force develops in an effort to fight the Zahl but they are not very effective. Tad and Tressa become rebel leaders and have to bring Nat back into the fold against the Zahl brainwashing and indoctrination.
If you like stories that will keep you turning pages and wanting to know what is going to happen next then this is the book for you. It provides a background of how the Zahl co-opt the inhabitants of planets they conquer but what happens when the inhabitants don’t give up. It show how indomitable the human spirit can be and how even under the most adverse circumstances the spirit of freedom won’t die and can’t be killed.
What really makes this story fun to read is the many threads that are woven into a complex tale that is fun to read and how the characters act like real people and how you and I would like to think we would respond to the danger. If you haven’t already read the Star Runner series this will help provide a background why the Star Runners are so important and if you already have, this will help to fill in the back story in a most satisfactory and enjoyable way.
August 24, 2019
Another fun adventure into the Star Runners universe
What if "first contact" wasn't with a noble, benevolent entity like the Galactic Legion? What if that entity was ruthless and wanted only to conquer and control? That is what faces the planet of Tarrafa. If you've read the other SR novels, and you should, this story is the perfect addition to the world you already know. If you haven't read any previous SR novels, this will be a great introduction and you won't be lost, trying to figure out what is going on. A very fun read.
What if "first contact" wasn't with a noble, benevolent entity like the Galactic Legion? What if that entity was ruthless and wanted only to conquer and control? That is what faces the planet of Tarrafa. If you've read the other SR novels, and you should, this story is the perfect addition to the world you already know. If you haven't read any previous SR novels, this will be a great introduction and you won't be lost, trying to figure out what is going on. A very fun read.
July 11, 2019
Excellent study of young people in an occupation
Another great installment in the Star Runners universe. When your planet is occupied, what would you do? This book addresses the ambiguities over whether you should fight for your home or for your future. Recommended.
Another great installment in the Star Runners universe. When your planet is occupied, what would you do? This book addresses the ambiguities over whether you should fight for your home or for your future. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews