Onslaught

by Bowen Greenwood

When mutants from civilization’s end come roaring back from exile, telepath Langston Wheeler must confront assassination, interstellar intrigue, and a woman he can’t resist.

Once, telepaths almost wiped out humanity. Years later, a brotherhood called the Gentle Hand lives to keep it from happening again. But sometimes a telepath is born outside their order.

Langston Wheeler, a young Hand with a checkered past, heads to the planet Felicitas to investigate a rogue telepath. His superiors want the rogue brought in, the rules enforced, and above all else, the planetary government kept firmly in the Gentle Hand’s camp.

Tia Dynn, the youngest person ever elected to lead Felicitas, shepherds her peaceful world into the center of the interstellar stage. On the cusp of true greatness, her people are ready for a leading role in Human Space. The only thing she lacks is someone to share it all.

But the rogue Wheeler’s hunting is not what he seems. Langston and Tia face a dark threat from the age when the first telepaths tried to rule humanity. Forced together by a danger they never imagined, the two contend with assassination, intrigue, and their growing love for each other. Langston is a Gentle Hand, though. He’s expected to marry another Hand, and bring up telepathic children.

War and survival draw them closer and closer, and Wheeler must choose between his history, the rules of his order, and a woman he can’t resist. The fate of Human Space hangs in the balance.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Amazon, Science Fiction Romance, Thriller

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2021

About the author

Bowen Greenwood: Marksman, martial artist, motorcyclist. Once a resident of Washington D.C., once a political operative, once a reporter. He reviews other indie writers' books and posts updates about his own at www.bowengreenwood.com

Reviews

[Jessica {Litnoob}]

DNF 8%

I just couldn’t do it, I barely got to chapter 3 before I knew i couldn’t do it.

[E.L. Montague · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Looky here, Mickey Spillane and Donald Hamilton co-wrote a science fantasy complete with spaceships and magical monks. This is a throw back to the pulp novels of the sixties and seventies. Our leading man is a cop/spy of sorts devoted to service and commited to saving the world from his own kind. Our heroine is a very young executive cum politician. Together they have to save each other and humanity on the far off planet Felicitas.

If you are a fan of this type of story, it will totally get the job done. Full confession, I've read most of Ian Fleming's James Bond. I've even read a couple by someone else with a title like Ian Fleming's James Bond, by... I own all of Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm books. I like Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler, and James Elroy. I've read all of Tom Clancy's novels. I love Mission Impossible. I loved Get Smart. I enjoyed Lost in Space - the original and the remakes. This is kind of my thing.

The Good: If you like those old spy and detective novels that birthed James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Matt Helm, and a dozen others, and if you like your science fiction sweetened with a little soft magic, this book might be for you. It carries the same kind of overblown crisis - literally millions of shareholders - erm, citizens - are at risk. A whole planet could be turned into slaves or eaten. It's a style that some people love and some people loathe. If it's your thing, it's your thing.

If you can forgo the peculiar use of telepathy and telekenisis and just accept them as "magic," like the characters of the book, the magic system works pretty well. It has limitations and advantages. It's effectively used to setup the crisis and conflict. The whole thing is thin, but that's not the point. Swap out the Gentlehand with a superhero and you've got the same thing. The science part creates the boundaries that puts them far from outside help.

The Bad: Just like Dr. Christmas Jones - 25-year-old nuclear scientist working for the CIA, Tia Dynn is a 30-year-old chief executive officer (read president/prime minister)of the richest planet in human space and just happens to be a looker. It's standard for the genre, but I'd either steal some of her power, beauty, or make her 20-years older. 50-year-old women can be powerful and beautiful, too, and it's easier to believe global accomplishments.

I'll admit that I was distracted by calling Langston Walker's powers telepathy or telekenisis, this includes the very light explanation of quantum entanglements. Every time either reference was used a little voice in the back of my head said, "bullshit." I love bullshit powers, but I call them magic, and Langston kept wanting to argue it was just physics. It was solidly Jedi magic.

And finally, in true noir/romance fashion, the hero/heroine fell for each other hard with little more than a look. No one throws away a lifetime for a steamy look. We didn't even get past "I love you." We didn't even get to, "I love you." But they totally did. I mean they are throwing away propriety, a lifetime of career development, and common sense to be in each others presence. I can totally get into unrequited love without resorting to sixties-style breathy confessions.

Overall: Is this the greatest Scifantasy Noir ever? Probably not. Is it good fun and a quick read? Absolutely. It went down easy, like Jack and Coke. She's a bodacious babe with responsibilities and he couldn't keep his filthy mind off her. He'd confess his love if it wouldn't taint her perfection. All the while, she's finally found a man strong enough, good enough, and with just the right amount of bad to float her boat. Will they save the world? Of course. Will they ever succumb to their feelings? Only in their dreams. Will they say it with style? Do gorgeous dames turn our heads? Yes, they do.

This one is a 3.9 out of 5.0 for me. It won't be for everybody, but it's a good story. I like lots of things that aren't good for me. And Bowen Greenwood is going to feed us.

[Peter Kazmaier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Langston Wheeler is a member of the Brotherhood of the Gentle Hand. That is to say he is a telepath with extraordinary powers that has pledged to use these powers only for good and in service to others and never to aggrandize power.

On being sent to the planet Felicitas to investigate a rogue telepath, he meets the beautiful, courageous, and brilliant Tia Dynn. As a Gentle Hand, Wheeler is only permitted by his order to marry other telepaths. As he struggles with his feelings for Tia, it turns out the rogue telepath is actually part of a preliminary incursion, preparing Felicitas for a full scale invasion by telepaths and their army of hybrids. Langston and Tia are thrown into a fight for survival. The terror, the fight sequences, and the narrow escapes are well-handled and contain some interesting surprises.

In summary, this is a highly entertaining love story and thriller in a sub-genre that might be termed superman meets supermodel. It’s a story I will likely read again. I heartily recommend it to others.

[Pete Ffrench · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim tale of what's ahead for mankind among the stars despite it's rise to greater heights of mental acuity. Although some believe it is their duty to shepherd and help humanity others are of a mind to take what they see as their right as superior beings helped by mutant hybrid pig people. The Gentle Hand is going to have to get tough to survive and save civilisation. Good story and characters, read it in a day it's so involving.

[Oreofe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a shorter book than what I usually read, but I liked it. Got some questions but I'll give the series time to answer them. Otherwise I like how the story takes threats seriously, if there are odds that cannot be beat then the characters lose and they keep it consistent. I note this because in a lot of things I read the threats don't always get taken seriously and I feel like I was lied to. All in all, characters aren't as as deep as the night, but I didn't come looking for a deep story either so it met me at a good time. Try it, if you can't get past the first 50 pages then it's not for you.

[Cirrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scifi horror

Bowen Greenwood has a nice writing style in the scifi novel, Onslaught, set in the not too distant future, and ends with a stunning twist.

Also unfortunately, ends in a cliffhanger that left me unclear about what the next book would be about.

SPOILER ALERT:
The duelling telepaths, the human animal hybrids that violently murder and eat people, and the graphic violence in almost every chapter places this novel more into the horror/thriller/fantasy genre.

Sure, there were the requisite scifi elements - spaceships, AI's and genetic dabbling - for it to fit into the scifi genre.
However, the mishmash of horror and gore into what started as a promisingly lovely scifi romance was a bit too nervewracking for me.

So, while this is a good story, that lagged a bit in the middle, I read it to the end more for the romantic attraction between the protagonists than for the plot itself.

Rating VL

[Nightwatch Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onslaught the first book of the Exile War Series is an enjoyable read. It is non-stop action mixed with deep world-building. The characters are well defined and likable and there are plenty of twists. This promises to be an epic series from an imaginative mind. It has elements of classic science fiction and fantasy.

[Amazing Gaming Productions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I can say I am very impressed with this story.
The love story feels so powerful.
The powers so real.
The character growth is amazing.

Between Sherman Irons and Langston and Tia, I choose Langston and Tia!

[Kate Machon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Onslaught kicks off the Exile Wars with plenty of action and the kind of high-stakes drama space opera fans love. Galactic warfare, political intrigue, and a sizzling forbidden attraction all collide in a an epic, fast-paced conflict. An explosive start to what promises to be a sweeping sci-fi saga.

[Torfinn Ingolfsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it.

[Bonny Rambarran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil EVERYWHERE
In a time when planets are occupied and a leader’s most important trait is how she is perceived in the social media, someone is trying to take over. And as she escapes and tries to make things right with a new friend she trusts — life becomes very dangerous. Who can she trust? How can this be ‘fixed’? If this book does not grab you attention, I don’t know what will!!! AMAZING
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All
thoughts and comments are my own.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

The shadows of the future are never certain. The brotherhood of Gentle Hand was formed to keep the telepaths from destroy humanity. again.
Langston and Tia are the first, they fight corruption, assassins, as a love between them grows. Good Sci Fi story
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Start

The story takes off a little slow, to me, but once it reaches it's tipping point ;the action only increases. There is war, death (bloody death), duplicity, intrigue, honor, love, and even regret intertwined in the story, but the author weaves them all together into a complete story with no lags or gaps. A very enjoyable read.

[C. Paulin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onslaught, Book One of the Exile War, is an exciting start to a series.

Langston Wheeler is a member of the Gentle Hand, an order of telekinetic warriors who keep the peace among the tribute paying systems of Human Space. He is tasked with bringing in a rogue telepath. This assignment brings him into contact with Tia Dynn, the charismatic Executive Director of the corporation that governs the prosperous planet of Felicitas. But when the rogue telepath turns out to be more dangerous than imagined, Tia and Langston find themselves battling for their lives and the lives of the people of Felicitas, as the latter struggles with upholding the values of his order in the face of old feelings dredged up by Tia.

I love stories about a great—sometimes decadent—civilization/world attacked by a ruthless foe, forcing the defenders to come together, with new heroes emerging.

One of my favourite parts:

Hope Raga stopped running and followed Tia Dynn back into Prosper City. She wasn’t alone.

Action-packed, there are plenty of intense combat scenes against a host of potent antagonists. I liked the concept of the hybrids, who are particularly terrifying. I was also intrigued by the story’s relationship between quantum entanglement and telepathy. And though I’d predicted a certain aspect of the main antagonist, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of their confrontation at the story’s climax. I also liked how the story ends in a satisfying way but left plenty of threads to explore in future instalments.

Overall, Onslaught is an entertaining read.

[(the.darkandmoody.reader) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 - DNF @ 22%

Some will say you didn’t read far enough to justly DNF the book. I say to them I was ready to DNF while reading the prologue, and definitely, after the blonde chick described not once but twice (first by herself, then by the guy - I can’t remember their names because I had 37 names thrown at me). I got to chapter 3 and tapped out.

The writing is not good. It’s stilted. Lots of grammatical errors. The editing beyond grammar was not done will. Many sentences just stop at awkward places and not in an creative way. The first dialogue in chapter one begins like there was a convo happening but there wasn’t, just a couple of pages of telling.

That’s the other thing about this book - it’s all tell and no show. World building doesn’t exist. Characters don’t have their own voice. It’s not a compelling read.

Lastly, this book reads like a Wattpad story that someone the author knew said “you should publish this!!” No it shouldn’t have been until revisions and editing happened.

[R Moltzon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this 3.5 stars if that rating were available. The science fiction space opera plot is well executed with a lot of page-turning action and suspense. The drawback for me was that when the scenes shifted to romantic contact between Tia and Langston, the writing changed to Harlequin style, almost bodice-ripping, sop. As a long time reader of science fiction, the style change mid-story detracted from the action, and wasn't necessary to advance the romantic feelings between the two. That being said, it was an interesting story that keeps one reading with a twist ending.

[Dana Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that this story needed lots more backstory. More world building. The people seemed too American in culture. The gentle hand was an interesting character/group. His magic was science in practice though the people didn't understand it. And that would have been nice to have more backstory on as well. The bad guy was not a surprise.

[MA Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

exciting

I never expected the ending of this book. This looks to be a spectacular series. The romance is just a sideline. The violence is a bit heavy, but that is what you get with war.

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Others have provided very good reviews. My only comment is that if I had known it was the only book published in the series, I wouldn't have read it. I hate waiting for additional books to be published because I don't remember the previous books enough to enjoy the later books in the series.

[Pam Willis-Tozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping

A new sci fi view on the growth of humanity with an engaging set of characters. Highly recommended for space and romantics alike.
Character development involves the reader quickly .
I couldn't put it down.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telepaths are limited. They are told who they can marry and whether they can have children and then the children are trained within the group.

Unfortunately not all telepaths are known and not all are working for the good.

Interesting concept

[Erwin J · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took awhile

It took awhile to get into the story. The politicians had me thinking about New Jersey or maybe New York. But in the background I kept smelling bacon, ham and pork chops.

[S.G. Morand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book with twists and turns, compelling and flawed characters, and non-stop action. Greenwood is a great author and I’d recommend all of his books if you want a fast-paced exciting read.

[Robert Creamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really original science fiction book

This is an interesting and very well written sci-fi novel, It is a good foundation for an awesome series.
You really will enjoy this book.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful reading

Very captivating read. I enjoyed it greatly. Keeps you guessing right up to the end, and then, read it to find out.😄

[Jimbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read

[james holt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it hard to follow at times. I think the story could have been a little richer and the pigs were a bit over the top for me.

[Mark P. Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty schmaltzy

Interesting book but not my cup of tea. Too much mooning for my liking. The plot twist at the end was worth it though.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Writing style just didn't do it for me.

[Kiesha2525 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Interesting

I like that all of those is not happening on planet Earth. Love the storyline and twists. This series has got my full attention.