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The Last Ancestor: The Swordbringer Book 1
They killed his father, oppress his people, and threaten them with extinction . . . and one of them is his best friend.
The Growlers rule their corner of the planet Yxakh with an iron fist, intent on driving the human refugees from their land. They almost did eight years ago, killing Garrett’s father in the process. Only their guns, and lots of them, keep the Growlers at bay. Now a young man, Garrett burns for revenge, but finds it hard to reconcile this hatred given that his best friend is a Growler youth named Ghryxa.
Desperate to cleanse his land of the invaders, the Growlers’ High Lord dispatches his trusted heir on a mission to acquire the humans’ superior weaponry. The Earthlings barely won the last war . . . but this time the High Lord will leave nothing up to chance.
Garrett and Ghryxa run headlong into the High Lord’s conspiracy and find themselves the only thing standing between their two peoples and all-out war. Now Garrett must participate in an ancient rite with the fate of humanity on his shoulders. It’s a chance to be a hero like his father . . . but only if he makes it out of the Growlers’ forbidden city alive.
The Growlers rule their corner of the planet Yxakh with an iron fist, intent on driving the human refugees from their land. They almost did eight years ago, killing Garrett’s father in the process. Only their guns, and lots of them, keep the Growlers at bay. Now a young man, Garrett burns for revenge, but finds it hard to reconcile this hatred given that his best friend is a Growler youth named Ghryxa.
Desperate to cleanse his land of the invaders, the Growlers’ High Lord dispatches his trusted heir on a mission to acquire the humans’ superior weaponry. The Earthlings barely won the last war . . . but this time the High Lord will leave nothing up to chance.
Garrett and Ghryxa run headlong into the High Lord’s conspiracy and find themselves the only thing standing between their two peoples and all-out war. Now Garrett must participate in an ancient rite with the fate of humanity on his shoulders. It’s a chance to be a hero like his father . . . but only if he makes it out of the Growlers’ forbidden city alive.
- GenresScience Fiction
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2019
12 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Hellene
11 books18 followersAlexander Hellene is either a Renaissance man or a dilettante, depending on whom you ask. A musician, athlete, artist, and law school graduate, Alexander has always been attracted to fantastical tales, since they tend to do a better job of explaining how the world works than just about anything else.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 22, 2020
Gripping coming-of-age adventure
If Russell's The Sparrow and Vance's Planet of Adventure had a Catholic wedding and produced a Heinlein juvie from their union, this would be that book. A marvelously human adventure on an alien world, with an insightful exploration of warrior culture.
If Russell's The Sparrow and Vance's Planet of Adventure had a Catholic wedding and produced a Heinlein juvie from their union, this would be that book. A marvelously human adventure on an alien world, with an insightful exploration of warrior culture.
January 1, 2022
A fantastic piece of science fiction adventure that reads like a throwback to a better time, a time where novels were action packed, heroic, and fun, instead of ironic and nihilistic.
The Last Ancestor is a coming of age adventure novel that follows Garrett Nestor, a human teen born and raised on the planet Yxakh. Garrett is part of the New Canaan settlement made up of Christian refugees who escaped war and persecution on earth only to crash-land on a planet populated by a warlike race of canine-like aliens nicknamed Growlers who are hostile to humanity and their beliefs. The fledgling human colony lives at the mercy of the Growlers Supreme Leader who despises their religion but covets the firearms and technology they posses. In the midst of this interesting setup our young protagonist befriends a curious Growler and ends up in the middle of a life or death plot that forever changes the future of everyone, Human and Growler.
https://barbarianbookclub.wordpress.c...
The Last Ancestor is a coming of age adventure novel that follows Garrett Nestor, a human teen born and raised on the planet Yxakh. Garrett is part of the New Canaan settlement made up of Christian refugees who escaped war and persecution on earth only to crash-land on a planet populated by a warlike race of canine-like aliens nicknamed Growlers who are hostile to humanity and their beliefs. The fledgling human colony lives at the mercy of the Growlers Supreme Leader who despises their religion but covets the firearms and technology they posses. In the midst of this interesting setup our young protagonist befriends a curious Growler and ends up in the middle of a life or death plot that forever changes the future of everyone, Human and Growler.
https://barbarianbookclub.wordpress.c...
October 15, 2020
The Last Ancestor
What if, in the not terribly distant future, humanity has discovered that we are not alone in the universe? And what if the aliens didn’t come here, what if we were the aliens? Finally, what if the human colony wasn’t a typical Star Trek-inspired atheist paradise but the last remnant of Christians who managed to escape an Earth determined to kill them all? If you can imagine all of that, you will very much enjoy The Last Ancestor.
The humans crash landed on the planet Yxakh and set up the settlement of Canaan many years before. All is not well however as they are in an uneasy truce with the Kharvali, dog-like aliens called Growlers by the humans, that have been hostile to presence of the humans. The hostility is not just because they are outlanders but also because of their Christian faith (the settlers are almost all Orthodox and Catholic) which they see as a threat to their own beliefs.
Amongst that hostility, friendships are still formed such as the one between young Garrett Nestor and Ghryxa, an unusually thoughtful Growler who is discontented with his people’s violent lives. That friendship, born when Garrett saves Ghryxa’s life from the violent and always hungry lizardmen in the area, is the main driver for the action of the story. While going on a simple treasure hunt in the local caves, they find themselves embroiled in a plot to kidnap one of the Orthodox priests in the settlement, designed to spark a final war between the Growlers and the humans.
Over the course of the story, the author delves into what it’s like for a boy on the cusp of adulthood as he struggles to become the man he’s meant to be. For Garret, he’s desperately trying to live up to the memory of his father who sacrificed himself in the last war. Ghryxa, on the other hand has to find a place in a society that values action to the exclusion of thought and overcome the fear of an abusive father.
As is the mark of all good stories, there are clear lines drawn. There is no question who the good guys and bad guys are. However, that doesn’t mean there are any caricatures. The Growlers are shown to be highly sophisticated and possessing a genuine moral code, albeit a violent and pagan one. Several individuals of the Kharvali are also show to be intelligent, thoughtful and capable of respecting their enemies. The humans also have those who are honorable, others who are too ready to fight or not ready enough, and the normal range of human faults are clearly on display and all without falling into any kind of heavy handed messaging.
Interestingly, the book also takes a crack at the centuries old question of how alien races may or may not be included in the economy of salvation. I don’t want to go into it as it would spoil the surprise but the author’s take is an interesting one that I haven’t seen before. To get the whole story, I guess you’ll just have to read the book.
I strongly recommend The Last Ancestor for anyone early teen and up who wants an action-packed and thoughtful science fiction coming of age story.
What if, in the not terribly distant future, humanity has discovered that we are not alone in the universe? And what if the aliens didn’t come here, what if we were the aliens? Finally, what if the human colony wasn’t a typical Star Trek-inspired atheist paradise but the last remnant of Christians who managed to escape an Earth determined to kill them all? If you can imagine all of that, you will very much enjoy The Last Ancestor.
The humans crash landed on the planet Yxakh and set up the settlement of Canaan many years before. All is not well however as they are in an uneasy truce with the Kharvali, dog-like aliens called Growlers by the humans, that have been hostile to presence of the humans. The hostility is not just because they are outlanders but also because of their Christian faith (the settlers are almost all Orthodox and Catholic) which they see as a threat to their own beliefs.
Amongst that hostility, friendships are still formed such as the one between young Garrett Nestor and Ghryxa, an unusually thoughtful Growler who is discontented with his people’s violent lives. That friendship, born when Garrett saves Ghryxa’s life from the violent and always hungry lizardmen in the area, is the main driver for the action of the story. While going on a simple treasure hunt in the local caves, they find themselves embroiled in a plot to kidnap one of the Orthodox priests in the settlement, designed to spark a final war between the Growlers and the humans.
Over the course of the story, the author delves into what it’s like for a boy on the cusp of adulthood as he struggles to become the man he’s meant to be. For Garret, he’s desperately trying to live up to the memory of his father who sacrificed himself in the last war. Ghryxa, on the other hand has to find a place in a society that values action to the exclusion of thought and overcome the fear of an abusive father.
As is the mark of all good stories, there are clear lines drawn. There is no question who the good guys and bad guys are. However, that doesn’t mean there are any caricatures. The Growlers are shown to be highly sophisticated and possessing a genuine moral code, albeit a violent and pagan one. Several individuals of the Kharvali are also show to be intelligent, thoughtful and capable of respecting their enemies. The humans also have those who are honorable, others who are too ready to fight or not ready enough, and the normal range of human faults are clearly on display and all without falling into any kind of heavy handed messaging.
Interestingly, the book also takes a crack at the centuries old question of how alien races may or may not be included in the economy of salvation. I don’t want to go into it as it would spoil the surprise but the author’s take is an interesting one that I haven’t seen before. To get the whole story, I guess you’ll just have to read the book.
I strongly recommend The Last Ancestor for anyone early teen and up who wants an action-packed and thoughtful science fiction coming of age story.
May 12, 2025
I was able to read this book in a 3 months span (shorter than any Star Wars books) and I gotta say that this is a fun sci-fi book. I don't normally read indie novels unless I need to. But this is a book that I recommend for both Sci-Fi readers and furry readers. However, there are some caveats to this book.
Pros:
-The art is gorgeous, in both the cover and the interior pages, which is extremely rare in English publishing books unless you're reading a Light Novel, which is essentially what this is. The character designs are unique and original. I just wish there's more art in the book compared to LN.
-The book is well written and the characters are endearing, full of personality, and memorable with the Growlers, along with Ghryxa being cute and adorable wolfman, and having a unique design. Fantasy setting with sci fi action and political drama with vast world with unique races and worldbuilding.
-There's stakes involved and it makes me compelled to keep reading it.
Cons:
-While I said the characters are endearing, I meant everyone but the main human MC that is Garret. I thought Ghryxa story was enough by itself was entertaining and I do wish we get more focus on the Growlers. But Garret is so whinny and bratty and I can care less about Garret. Ghryxa's story was more interesting than the main character himself. I also find the main love interest so boring and barely does anything to impact the story. Appears in 1 chapter or 2 and then never appeared again.
-There was several typos and misplaced "," in parts of the pages that the author kind of overlooked. And there's one error on the beginning of the story it stated that Garrett is 8 years old, but then the main story takes place a year later and then they said up front that Garrett is now somehow 17. IDK if that's a typo or what. That's like saying Harry Potter started as 11 and then suddenly skipped & turned him 17 mid way through the story. And idk how does a 8 year old is strong enough to hold a gun and not be flinched by the recoil bc that's not how guns work.
-Gotta say it out now. The religion feels preachy and unneeded and kind of takes away the immersion of the world. You're in a wild planet ruled by a race of dog people riding on giant lizards fighting against giant snakes and savage lizardmen and they want to talk about the "lord and savior Jesus Christ". While it's not overly preachy about it, but it does breaks the immersion to talk about irl stuff and doesn't play a major role nor impacts the story, like Steel Ball Run or The Witcher series where religion plays a big role in the story, in any way shape or form. So there's a bit of wokeness right there.
-This is not the author's fault, so I gotta put a mini-nitpick here. The quality on the cover feels cheep because the plastic layer that protects the covers is already tearing apart.
Overall; I do enjoy the book and had fun reading it. The author and the artist are well talented and I do hope to continue reading. I got books 2 and 3 ready and can't wait to read more. I give it an 8/10.
Pros:
-The art is gorgeous, in both the cover and the interior pages, which is extremely rare in English publishing books unless you're reading a Light Novel, which is essentially what this is. The character designs are unique and original. I just wish there's more art in the book compared to LN.
-The book is well written and the characters are endearing, full of personality, and memorable with the Growlers, along with Ghryxa being cute and adorable wolfman, and having a unique design. Fantasy setting with sci fi action and political drama with vast world with unique races and worldbuilding.
-There's stakes involved and it makes me compelled to keep reading it.
Cons:
-While I said the characters are endearing, I meant everyone but the main human MC that is Garret. I thought Ghryxa story was enough by itself was entertaining and I do wish we get more focus on the Growlers. But Garret is so whinny and bratty and I can care less about Garret. Ghryxa's story was more interesting than the main character himself. I also find the main love interest so boring and barely does anything to impact the story. Appears in 1 chapter or 2 and then never appeared again.
-There was several typos and misplaced "," in parts of the pages that the author kind of overlooked. And there's one error on the beginning of the story it stated that Garrett is 8 years old, but then the main story takes place a year later and then they said up front that Garrett is now somehow 17. IDK if that's a typo or what. That's like saying Harry Potter started as 11 and then suddenly skipped & turned him 17 mid way through the story. And idk how does a 8 year old is strong enough to hold a gun and not be flinched by the recoil bc that's not how guns work.
-Gotta say it out now. The religion feels preachy and unneeded and kind of takes away the immersion of the world. You're in a wild planet ruled by a race of dog people riding on giant lizards fighting against giant snakes and savage lizardmen and they want to talk about the "lord and savior Jesus Christ". While it's not overly preachy about it, but it does breaks the immersion to talk about irl stuff and doesn't play a major role nor impacts the story, like Steel Ball Run or The Witcher series where religion plays a big role in the story, in any way shape or form. So there's a bit of wokeness right there.
-This is not the author's fault, so I gotta put a mini-nitpick here. The quality on the cover feels cheep because the plastic layer that protects the covers is already tearing apart.
Overall; I do enjoy the book and had fun reading it. The author and the artist are well talented and I do hope to continue reading. I got books 2 and 3 ready and can't wait to read more. I give it an 8/10.
September 26, 2022
[NO SPOILERS] Action packed with complex characters set in a surprisingly complete world!
Science fiction can be a cringe-inducing place once you begin to see the repeated patterns. The Last Ancestor follows characters with earned strength and ability, and reveals the history that defined them.
They act believably in their world, and without authorial plot telepathy. The characters kept reminding me they were not clued in on the plot by reacting believably given their limited knowledge, or reacting based on their own biases or experience. In this way each character feels real, and even if you don't agree with their actions, you can understand their reasoning. They are not written in a way that is convenient or efficient, which makes them feel less like plot devices.
Faith factors very heavily into the character motivations and developments; two different beliefs from two different worlds colliding, but it's not that simple! Depth is layered on evenly and revealed to the reader carefully in a way that warrants another reading. A rather Christian book which thankfully avoids the sins usually associated with science fiction. Something I deeply appreciated.
There are many small elements of visual storytelling which do not serve the plot in any way, but advance the actions and reactions of the characters in a way that is very immersive to the reader. Small attentions to detail which paint the picture of the scene and create a form of visual direction that builds in the mind's eye with a cinematic familiarity. Almost like it was adapted from concept art or a graphic novel.
The "aliens" are a complete society with a well developed history and social structure. Their differences in values and motivations are explained fluidly, and they behave accordingly to the point that you begin to wonder if the characters you've grown to like will make the "correct" choice for the "good ending" because by the end you understand why they may not. I also love how Ghryxa is basically a weeb.
A pretty short read (unless you're me), with memorable characters, imaginative set pieces, and a truly nail-biting finale. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Science fiction can be a cringe-inducing place once you begin to see the repeated patterns. The Last Ancestor follows characters with earned strength and ability, and reveals the history that defined them.
They act believably in their world, and without authorial plot telepathy. The characters kept reminding me they were not clued in on the plot by reacting believably given their limited knowledge, or reacting based on their own biases or experience. In this way each character feels real, and even if you don't agree with their actions, you can understand their reasoning. They are not written in a way that is convenient or efficient, which makes them feel less like plot devices.
Faith factors very heavily into the character motivations and developments; two different beliefs from two different worlds colliding, but it's not that simple! Depth is layered on evenly and revealed to the reader carefully in a way that warrants another reading. A rather Christian book which thankfully avoids the sins usually associated with science fiction. Something I deeply appreciated.
There are many small elements of visual storytelling which do not serve the plot in any way, but advance the actions and reactions of the characters in a way that is very immersive to the reader. Small attentions to detail which paint the picture of the scene and create a form of visual direction that builds in the mind's eye with a cinematic familiarity. Almost like it was adapted from concept art or a graphic novel.
The "aliens" are a complete society with a well developed history and social structure. Their differences in values and motivations are explained fluidly, and they behave accordingly to the point that you begin to wonder if the characters you've grown to like will make the "correct" choice for the "good ending" because by the end you understand why they may not. I also love how Ghryxa is basically a weeb.
A pretty short read (unless you're me), with memorable characters, imaginative set pieces, and a truly nail-biting finale. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
April 9, 2021
Fantastic story!
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. It gets better and better. Only quibble is I wish the glossary was in the front. It took some energy to recall the different names, and I wish’d I’d read the glossary first before I read the book. I found this writer on twitter as an indie writer and also Christian, kind of manosphere, but not as preachy and a lot funnier than a lot of Christian manosphere types. Anyway, if you want Christian fiction that’s cool and something completely different, here you are. Loved the character of Garrett, loved the specter of his father hanging over him, loved how friendship was portrayed. Cant really say more about what I liked without giving away the plot. The action scenes are well written, and the dialogue is natural, and even funny. One of my favorite characters was Father Khouri. There is a plot twist in this book that will make you sit up and take notice. That’s when I started getting really excited about it and it stopped being just an adventure story.
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. It gets better and better. Only quibble is I wish the glossary was in the front. It took some energy to recall the different names, and I wish’d I’d read the glossary first before I read the book. I found this writer on twitter as an indie writer and also Christian, kind of manosphere, but not as preachy and a lot funnier than a lot of Christian manosphere types. Anyway, if you want Christian fiction that’s cool and something completely different, here you are. Loved the character of Garrett, loved the specter of his father hanging over him, loved how friendship was portrayed. Cant really say more about what I liked without giving away the plot. The action scenes are well written, and the dialogue is natural, and even funny. One of my favorite characters was Father Khouri. There is a plot twist in this book that will make you sit up and take notice. That’s when I started getting really excited about it and it stopped being just an adventure story.
August 16, 2021
This is heroic fiction at its best. Even though no one has any super powers, this is a story about a hero done better than many comic books I’ve read.
A modern iteration of action pulp sci-fi, but with immensely more heart.
A modern iteration of action pulp sci-fi, but with immensely more heart.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews