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Thriving
Warren Cougar has always been passionate about outer space and the beings that supposedly live far beyond the realm of his knowledge. He works for an organization that deals with the possibility of the otherworldly, after all.
And then an alien by the name of Orthrive’poliea crashes into the lake near Warren’s cabin. Everything he’s dreamed about has become real, and now faces the likelihood of becoming a lab experiment at the grotesque hands of ETHOS.
Driven by his virtues and an instant powerful, enigmatic affinity for Thrive, Warren puts his life at risk to separate himself from ETHOS—to keep Thrive from falling into their clutches. It’s the right thing to do.
But when the journey toward Thrive’s freedom is further endangered by a looming threat far out of either of their control, the fight for survival doubles, and the chances of success fall sharply away. Whatever the right thing happens to be, it begins to look like the one thing that would break Warren’s heart the most.
And then an alien by the name of Orthrive’poliea crashes into the lake near Warren’s cabin. Everything he’s dreamed about has become real, and now faces the likelihood of becoming a lab experiment at the grotesque hands of ETHOS.
Driven by his virtues and an instant powerful, enigmatic affinity for Thrive, Warren puts his life at risk to separate himself from ETHOS—to keep Thrive from falling into their clutches. It’s the right thing to do.
But when the journey toward Thrive’s freedom is further endangered by a looming threat far out of either of their control, the fight for survival doubles, and the chances of success fall sharply away. Whatever the right thing happens to be, it begins to look like the one thing that would break Warren’s heart the most.
257 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2021
7 people want to read
About the author
D.N. Christie
2 books2 followersD. N. Christie has been a writer from a very young age and specializes in penning deep interpersonal relationships, as well as creating expansive worlds and multifaceted characters. They harbor a love of sci-fi, westerns, and most things from the 1920s to the 1980s, though their favorite genres to write are science fiction and anything mentioned above with a healthy dose of romance.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 10, 2022
Y’all. (idk how to start this, so I’m starting with y’all bc YOU ALL need to read. These. Books!) Okay, so! I f i n a l l y got my head out of my ass and ordered Thriving and sequel Destiny (they stand so tall and pretty in my bookcase now, I’m so happy with them💞), and I think I’ve never spent my money better than on these books. (Well… there’s this one notebook I have… But that one holds a whole other level of sentiment🤭🤭) Why are these books the best things I’ve ever bought, you ask? Ohhh boy! Let me tell you why!🤩
Thriving is most definitely one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was written so vividly, but without the boring 10-page-long descriptions we all know from at least one of those mind-numbing literature books we were forced to read in back high school. Seriously, at all times I felt like I was sitting in the backseat of their car as they road tripped down Canada and the US, seeing the whole book play out like a movie in the back of my mind as my eyes scrolled over the words. It was only the first 5-ish pages that I was a bit confused as to what was happening, but soon it was explained why Warren did what he did, and everything became clear from that point on. But I think it took me even less than those 5 pages to absolutely fall in love with him.
Warren is honestly so hilarious that he had me cackling all the damn time. He’s so dry, can come up with a snappy comeback in an instant, and jokes through all the hurt in life. And his life hurts a lot. He is so tired of living that he’d rather stop living altogether sometimes. But the people around him won’t let him. Not as in, they need to personally take him away from the ledge, but like, there are people around him who he cares so deeply for that he always feels the need to save them first, and in doing so, he ends up saving himself too, I think. And to me that shows so much more power: to be selfless and put others before his own life instead of not caring whether or not he takes them down with him.
And one of these lives he puts before his own is Thrive’s. Before the alien has even reached Earth, Warren has, in a way, already decided he’s going to care for him by keeping him out of the hands of ETHOS. But Thrive… he has a bit of a hard time putting trust in his savior. And it’s no wonder; he’s been alive for so long that it has become painful for him. At this point it would just be easier to be alone and never trust a single soul again. But Warren, oh Warren doesn’t let him be alone. I don’t think he could even if he wanted to; I think they were linked by fate the moment they met.
Which, holy shit, their meeting was so fucking glorious! Like that what happened there with Thrive, with his face, that was wild. Ugh, and when Thrive assumed his human form!! That meant something, and I can’t wait to find out what exactly that is! Okay but then things were really set in motion (like set in motion x2), and I just read the most amazing journey of two people learning to care and love and trust, but not without some reluctancy to do so at first, of course. And banter. God, the banter was immaculate! But it wasn’t their banter that made me love them so much. It was their oh-so-soft moments together. Their tenderness just killed and revived me over and over, and I was there, feeling all their feelings. And that hasn’t happened to me in a while. So, thank you, Don, for writing this heart-gripping story and sharing it with the world, because this book honestly had everything I could ever want from a book and more. It truly never failed to deliver.
But in short, I need everyone, their mom, and their dog to read this book. You don’t like sci-fi? You do now. You don’t like aliens? You do now. You don’t like love?!🤨 What is your problem? Who hurt you? You do now!!!😠😠❤️❤️❤️
Go👏read👏it👏!!!!!!!!
Thriving is most definitely one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was written so vividly, but without the boring 10-page-long descriptions we all know from at least one of those mind-numbing literature books we were forced to read in back high school. Seriously, at all times I felt like I was sitting in the backseat of their car as they road tripped down Canada and the US, seeing the whole book play out like a movie in the back of my mind as my eyes scrolled over the words. It was only the first 5-ish pages that I was a bit confused as to what was happening, but soon it was explained why Warren did what he did, and everything became clear from that point on. But I think it took me even less than those 5 pages to absolutely fall in love with him.
Warren is honestly so hilarious that he had me cackling all the damn time. He’s so dry, can come up with a snappy comeback in an instant, and jokes through all the hurt in life. And his life hurts a lot. He is so tired of living that he’d rather stop living altogether sometimes. But the people around him won’t let him. Not as in, they need to personally take him away from the ledge, but like, there are people around him who he cares so deeply for that he always feels the need to save them first, and in doing so, he ends up saving himself too, I think. And to me that shows so much more power: to be selfless and put others before his own life instead of not caring whether or not he takes them down with him.
And one of these lives he puts before his own is Thrive’s. Before the alien has even reached Earth, Warren has, in a way, already decided he’s going to care for him by keeping him out of the hands of ETHOS. But Thrive… he has a bit of a hard time putting trust in his savior. And it’s no wonder; he’s been alive for so long that it has become painful for him. At this point it would just be easier to be alone and never trust a single soul again. But Warren, oh Warren doesn’t let him be alone. I don’t think he could even if he wanted to; I think they were linked by fate the moment they met.
Which, holy shit, their meeting was so fucking glorious! Like that what happened there with Thrive, with his face, that was wild. Ugh, and when Thrive assumed his human form!! That meant something, and I can’t wait to find out what exactly that is! Okay but then things were really set in motion (like set in motion x2), and I just read the most amazing journey of two people learning to care and love and trust, but not without some reluctancy to do so at first, of course. And banter. God, the banter was immaculate! But it wasn’t their banter that made me love them so much. It was their oh-so-soft moments together. Their tenderness just killed and revived me over and over, and I was there, feeling all their feelings. And that hasn’t happened to me in a while. So, thank you, Don, for writing this heart-gripping story and sharing it with the world, because this book honestly had everything I could ever want from a book and more. It truly never failed to deliver.
But in short, I need everyone, their mom, and their dog to read this book. You don’t like sci-fi? You do now. You don’t like aliens? You do now. You don’t like love?!🤨 What is your problem? Who hurt you? You do now!!!😠😠❤️❤️❤️
Go👏read👏it👏!!!!!!!!
July 9, 2022
Hands down, the best series I've read in a very, very long while. Always full of heart, always builds on its achievements to even greater heights.
First thing I must say, the atmosphere is surprisingly unique in this book. You've got a trip across North America, with two fugitives and one hunted alien, but it manages to avoid all the exhaustion of roadtrip stories. It twists and molds the setting and atmosphere into something that feels intimate, a cozy nook hidden in some corner of the world where nothing else matters. The books knows perfectly where to tie up scenes and move on to the next plot point, while leaving enough room for breathing and character development. And there's so much of that.
The writing itself is incredibly rich and appropriate to the kind of story it tells. What I love most is how liquid it is -- it's got one of the clearest descriptions I've seen in years, and you barely notice when it switches between dialogue and narrative, which speaks volumes about how tight it is. A lot is left up to the reader too -- meaningful glances, moments full of tension that leave you wondering if you're reading too much into them or too little, and if you're like me and love to death a book that makes you think, Thriving is a treat for both the heart and the mind.
But the best aspect of this books are, without a lick of doubt, the characters.
Warren, Warren, Warren. He's an absolute delight of a main character. He's got as much confidence as he's got debilitating anxiety, coupled with a tendency to put pressure on himself even if the others don't. A very warm, bright, selfless character that somehow manages to put you at ease every time he starts cursing out loud, because for one, he's incredibly hilarious, and for two, he recognizes his wrongs and apologizes, and I appreciate that tremendously. In a way, he's just as lost as Thrive is, though that's the world he's always lived in. So when Thrive barges in, there's absolutely no wonder he starts falling in love. And my God, how gorgeously that all unfolds.
Thrive is just as impressive as you'd expect -- full of mystery, powers and abilities that make you feel on edge at times because it could go very dark very quickly and sets him apart from the humans -- but that's not the kind of character he is. He is beautifully empathetic, just about as obstinate as Warren, full of pride and of purpose. There's this one scene where we're hit by how small Thrive looks, trapped in an unknown, threatening world, afraid and distrustful of everyone. That was the moment that made him most human for me, and from thereon the relationship between him and Warren development appropriately skyrocketed as he was shown over and over again that someone, Warren, very much cared.
They're the kind of characters that are glued together. The banter is out of this world, and for a very good reason. You feel how they grow closer, you feel your heart skip just as theirs does. How their impressions change. I'll forever remember a particular bourbon scene that also kept replaying in my mind throughout the second book. It set up perfectly how their dynamic was going to be. All the shared looks, the scenes where they fall back-to-back, the intimate knowledge that the other values them just as much as they do. The scenes where they're vulnerable around each other are incredible. You always get the sense that the other is the single most important thing in the world for them at that moment, as it should be. Nothing feels forced. If one is without the other, you get the sense you're missing an arm or a leg. Or both. And are probably bawling like a baby.
If you feel that the beginning starts a little slow, rest assured because you'll very quickly be dragged into the flow of the story, and it'll throw you directly into the next book.
(I seriously wanted to cancel all my appointments and call in sick or something just so I could devour the next book immediately. I still think I should've.)
In short, this is a very powerful opening to a series that I already know is in my top favorites. It sets up the world, characters, promises for development and a story that'll take you light years away from your daily life, and a bond that will make you root for them so much you won't feel the hours pass. The very best kind of story.
I can't believe how lucky I was to discover this series. There are times in life when something great waits for you out there, without you suspecting, and this was one of those times for me. I needed this book, I needed this series, these characters in my life, so please, please do yourself a favor and try it out. You'll be much richer for it.
First thing I must say, the atmosphere is surprisingly unique in this book. You've got a trip across North America, with two fugitives and one hunted alien, but it manages to avoid all the exhaustion of roadtrip stories. It twists and molds the setting and atmosphere into something that feels intimate, a cozy nook hidden in some corner of the world where nothing else matters. The books knows perfectly where to tie up scenes and move on to the next plot point, while leaving enough room for breathing and character development. And there's so much of that.
The writing itself is incredibly rich and appropriate to the kind of story it tells. What I love most is how liquid it is -- it's got one of the clearest descriptions I've seen in years, and you barely notice when it switches between dialogue and narrative, which speaks volumes about how tight it is. A lot is left up to the reader too -- meaningful glances, moments full of tension that leave you wondering if you're reading too much into them or too little, and if you're like me and love to death a book that makes you think, Thriving is a treat for both the heart and the mind.
But the best aspect of this books are, without a lick of doubt, the characters.
Warren, Warren, Warren. He's an absolute delight of a main character. He's got as much confidence as he's got debilitating anxiety, coupled with a tendency to put pressure on himself even if the others don't. A very warm, bright, selfless character that somehow manages to put you at ease every time he starts cursing out loud, because for one, he's incredibly hilarious, and for two, he recognizes his wrongs and apologizes, and I appreciate that tremendously. In a way, he's just as lost as Thrive is, though that's the world he's always lived in. So when Thrive barges in, there's absolutely no wonder he starts falling in love. And my God, how gorgeously that all unfolds.
Thrive is just as impressive as you'd expect -- full of mystery, powers and abilities that make you feel on edge at times because it could go very dark very quickly and sets him apart from the humans -- but that's not the kind of character he is. He is beautifully empathetic, just about as obstinate as Warren, full of pride and of purpose. There's this one scene where we're hit by how small Thrive looks, trapped in an unknown, threatening world, afraid and distrustful of everyone. That was the moment that made him most human for me, and from thereon the relationship between him and Warren development appropriately skyrocketed as he was shown over and over again that someone, Warren, very much cared.
They're the kind of characters that are glued together. The banter is out of this world, and for a very good reason. You feel how they grow closer, you feel your heart skip just as theirs does. How their impressions change. I'll forever remember a particular bourbon scene that also kept replaying in my mind throughout the second book. It set up perfectly how their dynamic was going to be. All the shared looks, the scenes where they fall back-to-back, the intimate knowledge that the other values them just as much as they do. The scenes where they're vulnerable around each other are incredible. You always get the sense that the other is the single most important thing in the world for them at that moment, as it should be. Nothing feels forced. If one is without the other, you get the sense you're missing an arm or a leg. Or both. And are probably bawling like a baby.
If you feel that the beginning starts a little slow, rest assured because you'll very quickly be dragged into the flow of the story, and it'll throw you directly into the next book.
(I seriously wanted to cancel all my appointments and call in sick or something just so I could devour the next book immediately. I still think I should've.)
In short, this is a very powerful opening to a series that I already know is in my top favorites. It sets up the world, characters, promises for development and a story that'll take you light years away from your daily life, and a bond that will make you root for them so much you won't feel the hours pass. The very best kind of story.
I can't believe how lucky I was to discover this series. There are times in life when something great waits for you out there, without you suspecting, and this was one of those times for me. I needed this book, I needed this series, these characters in my life, so please, please do yourself a favor and try it out. You'll be much richer for it.
November 15, 2021
Thriving is a first contact story, and yet so much more than that.
This book takes some beloved sci-fi standbys—a crash-landing UFO, a secret intelligence agency, and an agent who's inherited his grandfather's obsession with all things extraterrestrial—and spins it into something totally fresh and unique! The prose is gripping and immersive, painting vivid pictures of the scenery (I feel like I've visited the Alaskan wilderness myself after reading this) putting you right in the hero's shoes and bringing the heartstopping action to life.
And the thing that brings all of that together is the top-notch character work. The main hero, Warren, hits all the marks for a great protagonist: he's skilled, but flawed, his snark is entertaining, he's sympathetic, and his backstory is complex and fleshed out without overloading the narrative. Throw in Orthrive'poliea (a.k.a. Thrive), our alien character, and Esther, Warren's fellow agent with whom he shares a complicated relationship, and there's no shortage of fun interactions. Everything from their bickering to their on-the-fly improvisation to their somber and heartfelt conversations were pure gold.
Overall a fun read, great for fans of both classic and modern sci-fi! Can't wait to read the next book!
This book takes some beloved sci-fi standbys—a crash-landing UFO, a secret intelligence agency, and an agent who's inherited his grandfather's obsession with all things extraterrestrial—and spins it into something totally fresh and unique! The prose is gripping and immersive, painting vivid pictures of the scenery (I feel like I've visited the Alaskan wilderness myself after reading this) putting you right in the hero's shoes and bringing the heartstopping action to life.
And the thing that brings all of that together is the top-notch character work. The main hero, Warren, hits all the marks for a great protagonist: he's skilled, but flawed, his snark is entertaining, he's sympathetic, and his backstory is complex and fleshed out without overloading the narrative. Throw in Orthrive'poliea (a.k.a. Thrive), our alien character, and Esther, Warren's fellow agent with whom he shares a complicated relationship, and there's no shortage of fun interactions. Everything from their bickering to their on-the-fly improvisation to their somber and heartfelt conversations were pure gold.
Overall a fun read, great for fans of both classic and modern sci-fi! Can't wait to read the next book!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews