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The Nine
He can’t trust his allies, won’t trust his enemies. Now he fears that he shouldn’t trust even himself.
Landon Thorne is convinced the key to defeating the Astrals is in the vault — a repository of ancient artifacts, origins unknown, covered with undeciphered glyphs. He’s also convinced he’s the one person on the planet who can translate the markings.
But strange, frightening things happen every time he gets close to the relics.
His allies decide it’s not safe to let him near the vault, so they force him to take a new mission. He’s captured by the Nine — the nefarious organization he’s been running from.
Their leader makes him an offer he can’t refuse — study the Dropa Stones for the answers they seek. Or else. To do that, he needs a cipher. And there’s only one place he can get it.
Getting in will be difficult. Getting out may prove impossible.
Landon Thorne is convinced the key to defeating the Astrals is in the vault — a repository of ancient artifacts, origins unknown, covered with undeciphered glyphs. He’s also convinced he’s the one person on the planet who can translate the markings.
But strange, frightening things happen every time he gets close to the relics.
His allies decide it’s not safe to let him near the vault, so they force him to take a new mission. He’s captured by the Nine — the nefarious organization he’s been running from.
Their leader makes him an offer he can’t refuse — study the Dropa Stones for the answers they seek. Or else. To do that, he needs a cipher. And there’s only one place he can get it.
Getting in will be difficult. Getting out may prove impossible.
Kindle Edition
Published August 7, 2020
About the author
D.L. Cross
8 books9 followersD.L. Cross has loved science fiction ever since she was a young girl and fell for Major Don West on television's Lost in Space. To this day, she still quotes the show, though her favorite lines were spoken by the robot and the antagonist.
Parallel universes or alternate realities, aliens or dinosaurs, superpowers or super viruses, time travel or AI... no sci-fi theme is off limits and all of them fascinate her.
D.L. Cross also writes other genre fiction under the name Staci Troilo, and you can find more information about all her identities and all her work at her website: https://stacitroilo.com.
Parallel universes or alternate realities, aliens or dinosaurs, superpowers or super viruses, time travel or AI... no sci-fi theme is off limits and all of them fascinate her.
D.L. Cross also writes other genre fiction under the name Staci Troilo, and you can find more information about all her identities and all her work at her website: https://stacitroilo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 24, 2020
I’m really enjoying the Astral Conspiracy Series. The thrilling pace hasn’t slowed down one bit in “The Nine.” Landon Throne is a fantastic character who is at the center of the story and key to helping humanity. His flaws, abilities, and inner conflicts make him very real, and I can’t help but root for him. There’s more insight into the aliens. I was particularly fond of one and can’t wait to read more about the alien in future books. One storyline was chilling and cruel. I yelled at one point, which shows how well Ms. Cross creates believable characters that I care about. The Nine reminded me of the current conspiracy climate. Full of action with well-written exciting ongoing stories, this makes for a compelling page-turning read. I can’t wait for book four to see what happens next.
November 29, 2020
The third book in the Astral Conspiracy Series starts off in the thick of the action. There’s little backstory, so it took a while for me to get my bearings with the complex plot and large cast of characters. Thank goodness the series was released together and can be read in one long binge.
There are a lot of factions at play – more than one of them nefarious and more than one of them trying to do the right thing. They take off in different directions so there are several stories to keep track of at once. And none of the characters are particularly gentle people. With the fate of the Earth in play, almost to a person, the good guys are tough and the bad guys are tougher. Landon continues to be the most relatable, though I have to say I enjoyed Beck’s predicament (and humor) the most.
And then there are the Aliens. The world-building continues to impress, and little by little Cross reveals the aliens’ abilities and the power of the Atlantean artifacts, as well as who The Nine are. As in the previous books, the research into alien/Atlantean theory is fascinating and adds authenticity to this sci-fi adventure. This is a dense read that required me to pay attention. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy hard sci-fi, aliens, complex plots, great world building, and lots of suspense.
There are a lot of factions at play – more than one of them nefarious and more than one of them trying to do the right thing. They take off in different directions so there are several stories to keep track of at once. And none of the characters are particularly gentle people. With the fate of the Earth in play, almost to a person, the good guys are tough and the bad guys are tougher. Landon continues to be the most relatable, though I have to say I enjoyed Beck’s predicament (and humor) the most.
And then there are the Aliens. The world-building continues to impress, and little by little Cross reveals the aliens’ abilities and the power of the Atlantean artifacts, as well as who The Nine are. As in the previous books, the research into alien/Atlantean theory is fascinating and adds authenticity to this sci-fi adventure. This is a dense read that required me to pay attention. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy hard sci-fi, aliens, complex plots, great world building, and lots of suspense.
March 30, 2021
Book 3 of the Astral Conspiracy series builds from book 2 with the characters finding themselves in even more complicated and deadly situations. One thing that strikes me as I read this series is the hundreds of hours this author must have spent doing research on everything from the Rainbow Mountains from Iceland to Arizona, to how a mind would integrate into becoming nothing more than data. Another aspect of this book that intrigued me is the idea of connective minds, as the professor and others experienced in the presence of the vault they dug up in book 2. The author takes the reader from character to character and scene to scene throughout the book, at break-neck speed. From Air Force Major Bristol to the bumbling, but lovable professor, Landon Thorne, each is entangled and embroiled in a fight for their lives and the life of planet Earth. The aliens arrived in book two. In book three, we see more insight into their arrival, their purpose, and their motivation. From horrendous bugs that destroy everything and everyone in their paths to alien clones, the author shows every aspect in full living color. Add the three-dimensional characters and you have a riveting Sci-Fi read! I am looking forward to book 4 and a conclusion to this alien invasion and its aftermath.
August 24, 2020
D.L. Cross delivers another pulse-pounding entry in the Astral Conspiracy series. By now, the Astrals (aliens) have made their presence known on Earth and haven’t been shy about abducting humans. Landon Thorne, one-time discredited professor, is the single person who may be able to decipher how overcome them. But as Landon struggles to understand ancient artifacts contained in “the vault” others—including members of his own team—stand in the way. Alien tech comes into its own with the reader learning more about the Titans, Reptars, and Mullahs. The science-fiction aspects are cleverly presented, and the plot intricately layered through several simultaneous story arcs that shift between the U.S. and Iceland.
As in the first two books, Cross gives us characters to cheer for, others who will make your skin crawl, and those who straddle a world of grays. There are scenes that made me squirm, including a character arc I found difficult to read and had to skim. It’s a skilled author who knows how to write scenes so vividly as to evoke such emotion. The continuation of plot held me riveted, and once again, scenes end in constant fast-forward making the book impossible to put down. This is a writer who knows how to deliver a powerhouse story. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 4!
As in the first two books, Cross gives us characters to cheer for, others who will make your skin crawl, and those who straddle a world of grays. There are scenes that made me squirm, including a character arc I found difficult to read and had to skim. It’s a skilled author who knows how to write scenes so vividly as to evoke such emotion. The continuation of plot held me riveted, and once again, scenes end in constant fast-forward making the book impossible to put down. This is a writer who knows how to deliver a powerhouse story. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 4!
December 20, 2020
Where The Stones accelerated the pace of the series, The Nine kept that break-neck speed from cover to cover. We get to follow several different factions as they deal with the invasion in their own way.
Cross weaves together an intriguing web of purposes, cross purposes, deceit, and moral choices. This gives her main characters real depth, but even the supporting ones are well fleshed out.
From New York to Iceland, from Wyoming to an alien ship, the story really gives off the vibe of a global crisis. Add in a weird cult, and a perverted maniac and this tale just keeps getting more interesting.
Five stars from me, and I’ll be diving into the remaining books very soon.
Cross weaves together an intriguing web of purposes, cross purposes, deceit, and moral choices. This gives her main characters real depth, but even the supporting ones are well fleshed out.
From New York to Iceland, from Wyoming to an alien ship, the story really gives off the vibe of a global crisis. Add in a weird cult, and a perverted maniac and this tale just keeps getting more interesting.
Five stars from me, and I’ll be diving into the remaining books very soon.
June 18, 2021
Once more, a great book that suffers from having too many plotlines going at once. It's hard to keep track of who's where and with whom, and this book has a lot of separate plotlines going on.
Don't get me wrong though, it IS a great book!
Very recommended!
Don't get me wrong though, it IS a great book!
Very recommended!
October 15, 2020
The action ramps up in the third instalment to the Astral Conspiracy series!
Landon Thorne is sure the secret to ridding earth of the astrals lies within an intricately detailed box he found that he calls the vault. It’s filled with ancient artifacts covered in indecipherable glyphs. The only way to find out what they say is to get the research other professors in the field have gathered. The issue? Man-eating reptars roam the land between him and the libraries containing the information.
The reptar skittered to his side of the truck, then raised its foreleg. It was going to stab through the glass and skewer him.
Cross, D.L.. The Nine (Astral Conspiracy Book 3) (p. 213). Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.
Reverie, Ford, Draven, and a cast of solid secondary characters lead us on a race across the country in search of a way to stop the astrals before they decimate earth.
The woman with nine lives, Nadia Adler is back as crazy as ever, but I found myself rooting for her as she tries to outwit the man who abducts her.
There are human power players at work who are almost as dangerous as the aliens!
The sarcasm and interactions among the characters make this an unputdownable read. This is from Reverie as she questions one of these group’s stories:
“But I took World History. I don’t remember Astrals being mentioned between dinosaurs and disco. Pretty sure that little detail would have sunk in.”
Cross, D.L.. The Nine (Astral Conspiracy Book 3) (p. 318). Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.
While these books can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading them in order, as the storyline is epic!
Landon Thorne is sure the secret to ridding earth of the astrals lies within an intricately detailed box he found that he calls the vault. It’s filled with ancient artifacts covered in indecipherable glyphs. The only way to find out what they say is to get the research other professors in the field have gathered. The issue? Man-eating reptars roam the land between him and the libraries containing the information.
The reptar skittered to his side of the truck, then raised its foreleg. It was going to stab through the glass and skewer him.
Cross, D.L.. The Nine (Astral Conspiracy Book 3) (p. 213). Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.
Reverie, Ford, Draven, and a cast of solid secondary characters lead us on a race across the country in search of a way to stop the astrals before they decimate earth.
The woman with nine lives, Nadia Adler is back as crazy as ever, but I found myself rooting for her as she tries to outwit the man who abducts her.
There are human power players at work who are almost as dangerous as the aliens!
The sarcasm and interactions among the characters make this an unputdownable read. This is from Reverie as she questions one of these group’s stories:
“But I took World History. I don’t remember Astrals being mentioned between dinosaurs and disco. Pretty sure that little detail would have sunk in.”
Cross, D.L.. The Nine (Astral Conspiracy Book 3) (p. 318). Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.
While these books can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading them in order, as the storyline is epic!
September 6, 2020
OMG. I wish I could shout "Buy this book!" Because it's wonderful. It's the 4th book in the Astral Conspiracy series, and you'd enjoy it a lot more if you read the previous books, because the action and the tension just keep GROWING. I can't think of a chapter that ended without me biting my nails. I can't think of another book that I've read that's ever had more tension. I loved Stephen King at one time, but he didn't scare me as much as these constantly smiling aliens who can change into reptars and kill you. Shivers. Don't read close to bedtime. And at the end, everyone's in trouble. EVERYONE. These aliens are not nice! Thank heavens, the next book is already out. I couldn't stand it if I had to wait months to see what happens next.
June 3, 2021
I've been a fan of alien stories for years, and this series hasn't disappointed. The action picks up where the second book left off, and the pace rarely lets up. Although I was disappointed to see one character back in the mix, I'll begrudgingly admit this person adds conflict. Another character experiences a horrific situation and although difficult to read, the author handles the scenes well. Some readers may need to skim through those sections. With several plot threads, this story takes place in settings across the globe. Complex story lines, a global crisis, aliens, and tons of action and suspense - this series sure to thrill sci-fi fans.
October 16, 2020
Read this as part of the Astral Conspiracy 5 Volumes Complete Series Bundle.
As with the previous two books, book three is still fast paced, but with more subplots, because more characters are acting simultaneously, in different scenarios, different places, heck, even different countries.
It’s like reading a sci-fi action movie.
See my review also at:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
As with the previous two books, book three is still fast paced, but with more subplots, because more characters are acting simultaneously, in different scenarios, different places, heck, even different countries.
It’s like reading a sci-fi action movie.
See my review also at:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
January 24, 2021
Keeping me reading and it's different. Onto number 4.
September 5, 2020
The Nine is the third book in D L Cross’s Astral Conspiracy series. By this time, the aliens are making themselves known and humans are endeavoring to save the world as we know it. If they can agree among themselves…
I was saddened over the death of some characters, angry over the actions of others, and wanted to take revenge on more than one. There were a few surprise twists, and like the other books of the series, I kept turning the pages.
I’m usually not fond of serial stories, as I like satisfactory endings to each book, but this series is well worth the read. I look forward to seeing what happens in book four.
I was saddened over the death of some characters, angry over the actions of others, and wanted to take revenge on more than one. There were a few surprise twists, and like the other books of the series, I kept turning the pages.
I’m usually not fond of serial stories, as I like satisfactory endings to each book, but this series is well worth the read. I look forward to seeing what happens in book four.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews