Ryan Stathis has everything he ever wanted: a family, a nice home, and a career with a government agency designing military aircraft. That is, until a late night at the office ends with him snatched by an alien spaceship and forced to take command. Thrust into a new universe, Ryan unknowingly holds the key to the one thing standing between Earth and it’s annihilation.
Dark Matter Empire is the story of one man’s journey as he evades an alien's grasp while searching for a way home. Will he succeed and return to his old life, or will humanity pay the price for his failure?
Edit: I have a very strong suspicion that the author is creating fake accounts to boost the ratings of his books. Some of the written reviews are very suspicious. A lot of the accounts were created around the same time, some of these reviews were posted on the same day. The names and the contents of the reviews are very similar. These accounts only have the Dark Matter Empire books on their accounts. No other books read, no friends, nothing on their shelves. I've reported some of them, I hope the staff can look into this, because if it is true it's horrible for the integrity of the site. (not to mention the integrity of the author)
I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't. There were so many things that made the reading experience miserable.
The writing style was inconsistent, the book was littered with irksome interjections in italics such as "Woah" or "Damn" that served no purpose, and the story lacked any kind of originality.
Not to mention that the characters weren't really characters, they were blank like an empty page. Why would I care about the protagonist, if I know nothing about him and he has no personality? Because he has a wife? We knew nothing about her or their relationship, their past. What is supposed to make me care?
The other characters were also so tepid, that I kept forgetting who they were or what they looked like which brings me to another point; the incessant degradation of other species.
The protagonist constantly referred to other highly intelligent species like they were brainless animals. He continued to call his comrade "monkey" even after he knew the name of his species. There is definitely a "Humans are superior, and no matter how intelligent and developed other species are, they are dirty and corrupted and inferior to humans." undertone throughout the whole book.
Moreover, this didn't really feel like reading a book, it was more like watching the most generic low-budget sci-fi action movie ever.
I don't recommend reading the book. I think it has potential, I did like some of the tech and foods/drinks, but that was the only positive point for me. If the writing was redone and some of the things I mentioned were corrected it would be an enjoyable read for sure.
Dark Matter Empire is a unique book. It's an interesting sci-fi adventure with nuanced characters (especially one of the villains) and creative technology shown throughout the story. This alone would be enough for me to like it, but there's a lot more to it.
What I enjoyed the most was the sense of mystery that permeates the entire story. Without getting into spoilers, there are a few elements that truly make you wonder about the world (galaxy/Universe) in which the story takes place. Alex does a great job giving you enough information to allow your imagination to fly and come up with your own theories, while at the same time keeping you guessing. This was my favorite part of the book--to try and figure out how all the pieces fit together and how the mystery developed.
Overall, I recommend Dark Matter Empire, and I'll be looking forward to more books from this author.
The story pulls you in from the first chapter and keeps you guessing with new characters, worlds, enemies, and twists. Loved the attention to detail regarding technical engineering elements and (theoretical) space travel. Looking forward to the next chapter!
in the end there was just lots of running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. One human alone in the center of the galaxy. Power hungry madmen and multiple planets unwilling to commit to throwing off the yolk of their oppressors. The start of yet another space war series. Ugh...
This book had so many twists and turns and kept me guessing and engaged the whole time. But what I liked best was the villain, he was so deep and had a real motivation that the reader could relate with. Overall highly recommend this book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It's that kind of fantasy novel that literally throws into the action with the very beginning and you just can't stop reading, because there's something essential happening in every chapter. It's not possible to put it down. Sometimes I kinda wanted more focus on the emotional part of the story and character development, but that definitely doesn't mean the book was any less intriguing! Overall a great read!
I had the pleasure of reading this novel before it was published and enjoyed it immensely. I thought the classic "fish out of water" concept worked perfectly in this sci-fi thriller. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read!
This book really hit home. It was a fast read but it was fantastic. Good action, great character development, and the end didn’t leave me at a cliff hanger. And there’s science the whole way, loved it
After nearly two years in the pandemic, I had completely run out of books to read. So glad I came across this gem! This action packed story will keep you wondering until the very end. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I was hooked from the very beginning! Could not stop reading. I really enjoy the author’s writing style and can’t wait for any future books! I thought this was a fun read! Definitely recommend this book!
This author is beginning his writing career with a book that's very entertaining to read and has great potential for building an intricate universe. Highly recommend if someone is looking for a good sci-fi to pick up.
Great first book to the series! The engineering eye was definitely used in writing this story which I appreciate a lot. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I couldn’t put this book down. It switches between the main character Ryan and the villain. So many twists and turns and they all aligned well. Can’t wait for book 2
It was action packed, it was funny, it had great characters and some very original plot development. All in all I enjoyed reading this book. I hope there is more.