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Astraeus
Onboard a world-settling starship named The Astraeus, a colony adjusts to their new life in the stars as they embark on a two hundred year journey to the centre of the Milky Way.
Senator Cassian Abner wishes to build a new world but finds himself at odds with the ship's government and crew.
Lizabeth Denning is a daughter of wealth, using the Astraeus as a refuge from her troubled past.
Carron Riddell is a young engineer, responsible for maintaining the crucial machines that keep the mission alive.
Jim Atley is a stowaway, running from a deadly secret that is bound to catch up with him.
The Astraeus is a paradise, but their utopia doesn't last long. When a passenger is murdered, the colony begins to turn on each other, and things get far worse when the ship begins to experience violent tremors.
In a race against time, they must find answers and repair the damage or risk falling victims to the cold empty void of space...
Senator Cassian Abner wishes to build a new world but finds himself at odds with the ship's government and crew.
Lizabeth Denning is a daughter of wealth, using the Astraeus as a refuge from her troubled past.
Carron Riddell is a young engineer, responsible for maintaining the crucial machines that keep the mission alive.
Jim Atley is a stowaway, running from a deadly secret that is bound to catch up with him.
The Astraeus is a paradise, but their utopia doesn't last long. When a passenger is murdered, the colony begins to turn on each other, and things get far worse when the ship begins to experience violent tremors.
In a race against time, they must find answers and repair the damage or risk falling victims to the cold empty void of space...
232 pages, Paperback
Published January 21, 2022
4 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Callan J. Mulligan
5 books41 followersCallan J. Mulligan is a multi-disciplinary artist and bestselling sci-fi/fantasy author.
Born in 1988, he grew up in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.
Writing poetry and fiction from as young as six years old, his ambition and imagination took him through several creative careers including Graphic Design, Music, and Film & Television.
By the age of 23, he was locally known for music and lyricism under the moniker "XT", recording several records and performing throughout South-East Queensland.
At the age of 29 he wrote his first published work of fiction, the novella, A Mind of His Own. The debut work received critical acclaim and hit amazon's Top 25 Psychological Thriller list. In 2021, his short stories appeared in Australian science fiction magazines, and he published his award winning sci-fi novel, The World Settlers.
The World Settlers broke into global bestselling science-fiction lists, along side titles such as James SA Corey's The Expanse, and Frank Herbert's Dune.
In 2025, Callan launched a YouTube channel (@calmulliganfilms) to showcase his collection of short travel films and global documentaries. The channel has generated over 1 million views. He also shares career lessons and art tutorials on his other channel (@callancreates).
Callan lives with his wife and son on The Gold Coast, Australia, where he is currently working on his first graphic novel.
Born in 1988, he grew up in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.
Writing poetry and fiction from as young as six years old, his ambition and imagination took him through several creative careers including Graphic Design, Music, and Film & Television.
By the age of 23, he was locally known for music and lyricism under the moniker "XT", recording several records and performing throughout South-East Queensland.
At the age of 29 he wrote his first published work of fiction, the novella, A Mind of His Own. The debut work received critical acclaim and hit amazon's Top 25 Psychological Thriller list. In 2021, his short stories appeared in Australian science fiction magazines, and he published his award winning sci-fi novel, The World Settlers.
The World Settlers broke into global bestselling science-fiction lists, along side titles such as James SA Corey's The Expanse, and Frank Herbert's Dune.
In 2025, Callan launched a YouTube channel (@calmulliganfilms) to showcase his collection of short travel films and global documentaries. The channel has generated over 1 million views. He also shares career lessons and art tutorials on his other channel (@callancreates).
Callan lives with his wife and son on The Gold Coast, Australia, where he is currently working on his first graphic novel.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 19, 2022
Wow!! This surpassed my expectations! The author created such an interesting world, great main characters and exciting storylines. I don’t usually read sci-fi but I really liked the sci-fi elements in this. I also really enjoyed the Lizabeth and Jim storylines, with Lizabeth being my favorite character. I can’t wait for the sequel!
December 15, 2022
**Re-read before the release of book 2: Still 5 stars, fantastic book. I don't think I did the book justice with my first review because I failed to talk about in how well this novel is done especially for its quick pace--I was just blown away with the vivid descriptions of the world settler and how intricate it felt without being overwhelming. It is a sci-fi novel I would feel comfortable recommending to those who love sci-fi and those who've never braved the genre. I can't wait to dive into book 2.**
Original Review:
When I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Callan J. Mulligan's novel, I jumped at the chance. I loved his "A Mind of His Own" so I was excited to get my hands on a full length novel by him. He did not disappoint.
The descriptions in this book are out of this world (unintentional pun). Seriously, the description of the ship is so vivid and well done, you can perfectly imagine the Astraeus. The technology is well explained and so seamless it feels logical for these advances to exist. The multiple POVs of the broad cast of characters was well done and perfectly intertwined. No idea why I was surprised after what Callan J. Mulligan pulled off in his novella but he managed to shock me and keep the tension going until the last page.
Original Review:
When I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Callan J. Mulligan's novel, I jumped at the chance. I loved his "A Mind of His Own" so I was excited to get my hands on a full length novel by him. He did not disappoint.
The descriptions in this book are out of this world (unintentional pun). Seriously, the description of the ship is so vivid and well done, you can perfectly imagine the Astraeus. The technology is well explained and so seamless it feels logical for these advances to exist. The multiple POVs of the broad cast of characters was well done and perfectly intertwined. No idea why I was surprised after what Callan J. Mulligan pulled off in his novella but he managed to shock me and keep the tension going until the last page.
January 21, 2022
OMG WHAT ?! This was probably one of the most detailed- well-explained world-building I have ever read. Every line had something new and I enjoyed every second of it. My favorite character was Carron- she's such a baddie. Astraeus is a thrilling novel....The plot twists, the drama, the politics- it all gave me goosebumps! I swear if there isn't a sequel- Also can we please appreciate the cover ! I loved it.
May 1, 2022
The thing I particularly liked about this gripping science-fiction story was the science.
The author manages to weave "why things work" throughout the narrative without disturbing the pace and momentum. In Larry Niven's Ringworld series, the function and creation of the ringworld are never really explained, having been built aeons before Lous Wu steps foot on the world. However, Mr. Mulligan shares the technical aspects which, to a fan of sci-fi, led to a great deal of enjoyment from this reader, who is also an author himself.
Well constructed and gripping, the story kept me engaged. What a great start for a new, young writer.
The author manages to weave "why things work" throughout the narrative without disturbing the pace and momentum. In Larry Niven's Ringworld series, the function and creation of the ringworld are never really explained, having been built aeons before Lous Wu steps foot on the world. However, Mr. Mulligan shares the technical aspects which, to a fan of sci-fi, led to a great deal of enjoyment from this reader, who is also an author himself.
Well constructed and gripping, the story kept me engaged. What a great start for a new, young writer.
April 22, 2022
An Entertaining Sci-fi Thriller
Astraeus is a long distance, expansive, colony ship. As we are introduced to key characters we begin to see that many have secrets they are hiding. As incidents begin to occur it becomes apparent that someone is trying to sabotage the ship and journey. This was an imaginative story with a great mystery. I truly enjoyed trying to figure out how everything was connected and appreciate the bit of twist at the end. It does leave on a cliffhanger and look forward to the next in the series.
Astraeus is a long distance, expansive, colony ship. As we are introduced to key characters we begin to see that many have secrets they are hiding. As incidents begin to occur it becomes apparent that someone is trying to sabotage the ship and journey. This was an imaginative story with a great mystery. I truly enjoyed trying to figure out how everything was connected and appreciate the bit of twist at the end. It does leave on a cliffhanger and look forward to the next in the series.
January 21, 2022
This is one of my favorite sci-fi's to date! In this book a group of people board the world settling starship The Astraeus in route to another planet and another life. They all want to start over for one reason or another and this is their opportunity. As terrifying events plague their journey, read as the passengers realize they are stuck on the ship with no escape.
This read was full of twists, turns, and enough suspense to keep me on edge the entire time. One problem I find with sci-fi is becoming lost in the amount of new technology and terms. This did not happen in the slightest in this book. I felt like I understood the ship, the artificial gravity, and the descriptions of the ring gave me great imagery. The book was really smooth and stayed on pace even with the long list of characters.
The ending to this book was so good, I wanted to keep reading immediately. I can not wait for the sequel (and to re-read this on in preparation). I hope you grab a copy if you like sci-fi's and suspense! Thank you to the author for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
This read was full of twists, turns, and enough suspense to keep me on edge the entire time. One problem I find with sci-fi is becoming lost in the amount of new technology and terms. This did not happen in the slightest in this book. I felt like I understood the ship, the artificial gravity, and the descriptions of the ring gave me great imagery. The book was really smooth and stayed on pace even with the long list of characters.
The ending to this book was so good, I wanted to keep reading immediately. I can not wait for the sequel (and to re-read this on in preparation). I hope you grab a copy if you like sci-fi's and suspense! Thank you to the author for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
January 21, 2022
I’m happy I got to read ARC of this fast-paced beauty. Mind blown! I loved reading every chapters. Author managed to keep me over the edge with all the twists and turns throughout the end. It was so gripping and with all the questions I had, I couldn’t stop myself reading this book. I was awed with the twist at the end, Now I can’t wait for the sequel to release. I admire author’s exquisite writing style for detailed world building, character development and smooth flow with so much happening. Carron is my favourite character and I kinda liked Liz as well.
January 26, 2022
"Into the black"
I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of Astraeus and it was INCREDIBLE!! This scifi adventure, mystery, thriller had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. This world settling star ship is a paradise in space, an ark off too settle a new colony in the far reaches of the galaxy. Not too long into their 200 year journey everything goes horribly wrong and there is no where to escape, except the frigid black of space which is a sure fire death sentence. The Astraeus starts as Noah's Ark and becomes The Titanic. Final thoughts: there had better be a sequel.
I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of Astraeus and it was INCREDIBLE!! This scifi adventure, mystery, thriller had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. This world settling star ship is a paradise in space, an ark off too settle a new colony in the far reaches of the galaxy. Not too long into their 200 year journey everything goes horribly wrong and there is no where to escape, except the frigid black of space which is a sure fire death sentence. The Astraeus starts as Noah's Ark and becomes The Titanic. Final thoughts: there had better be a sequel.
January 18, 2023
Astraeus
Callan J Mulligan
Rating 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀
Review
I adored this book would be an understatement because I absolutely devoured this book within days of starting it! I love sci-fi but don't get to read much of it and this book just satiated my craving for a SciFi. The writing is unique, the plotline intricately woven, the cover adds to the intrigue, the descriptions are good and the characters are well constructed.
Favorite Quote:
‘Your mind is a universe. Instead of appreciating it, you fight to control it.
What I loved:
This book has multiple views because we travel through Astraeus in the eyes of three people Cassian, Lisbeth and Jim. The book has mastered the amount of descriptions because it's not too much to make it too flowery but enough to make the reader walk through it, the mystery elements are well set and made me want to figure things out faster and the pace was easy to get into. The cliffhangered ending made me want to go start book 2 ASAP!!!
Callan J Mulligan
Rating 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀
Review
I adored this book would be an understatement because I absolutely devoured this book within days of starting it! I love sci-fi but don't get to read much of it and this book just satiated my craving for a SciFi. The writing is unique, the plotline intricately woven, the cover adds to the intrigue, the descriptions are good and the characters are well constructed.
Favorite Quote:
‘Your mind is a universe. Instead of appreciating it, you fight to control it.
What I loved:
This book has multiple views because we travel through Astraeus in the eyes of three people Cassian, Lisbeth and Jim. The book has mastered the amount of descriptions because it's not too much to make it too flowery but enough to make the reader walk through it, the mystery elements are well set and made me want to figure things out faster and the pace was easy to get into. The cliffhangered ending made me want to go start book 2 ASAP!!!
January 20, 2022
This book is so descriptive it had me picturing every little detail, it made me feel as if I were in the story itself.
My favorite character is Lizabeth. (strong female lead) the plot twist was amazing!
My favorite character is Lizabeth. (strong female lead) the plot twist was amazing!
April 28, 2022
I love this book! I’d highly recommend this if you’re just starting or getting back to reading scifi. It’s fast-paced and there’s never a dull moment. You can also relate to the characters and of course my fave is Cassian Abner! There’s a different story for all the characters but it’s all narrated well on how they’re interconnected with each other.
I am so glad there’s gonna be a sequel to this book and I can’t wait! 🌟
I am so glad there’s gonna be a sequel to this book and I can’t wait! 🌟
January 14, 2023
‘Your mind is a universe.'
Sci-fi mystery fit for dreamers of future in space. I always have more vibrant dreams when I read books like this, filled with stars and intergalactic travels. I will definitely be reading Eternum next, I need to know what happens next.
Sci-fi mystery fit for dreamers of future in space. I always have more vibrant dreams when I read books like this, filled with stars and intergalactic travels. I will definitely be reading Eternum next, I need to know what happens next.
December 8, 2022
*slightly spoilery*
A fast-paced sci-fi set in the future, Astraeus follows several characters each caught up in a mysterious murder upon a colonial spacecraft, for which the book is named. It is plot heavy & full of conspiracies, with great worldbuilding - in some ways the short length of the book was a downside as I wanted to know more, especially about the seraph (seraphs?). I enjoyed the conceptualisation of humanity's future. The tragic arc of Jim Atley was well-done, even in such a short plot line.
A fast-paced sci-fi set in the future, Astraeus follows several characters each caught up in a mysterious murder upon a colonial spacecraft, for which the book is named. It is plot heavy & full of conspiracies, with great worldbuilding - in some ways the short length of the book was a downside as I wanted to know more, especially about the seraph (seraphs?). I enjoyed the conceptualisation of humanity's future. The tragic arc of Jim Atley was well-done, even in such a short plot line.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2022
This book is fantastic! The author's writting is absolutely perfect. Great story telling and each chapter ends with a little mini cliff hanger that keep you reading chapter after chapter. I read 60% of the book today. I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed how the story unfolds through each characters POV. The ending was awesome and I look forward to the next book!
March 31, 2022
This book was incredibly entertaining and imaginative. In the distant future, a gigantic technologically advanced space ship is on its way to take a huge group of settlers to establish a new colony light years away from their home world. The journey is so long, that these passengers won’t even arrive in their lifetime. We meet a large cast of characters, including a politician, a mechanic, the ship captain, and a few people with something to hide. Suddenly, the ship starts to experience tremors and someone is murdered. Are these things related? As the ship continues to lose integrity, several people try to figure out who the killer is and how to repair the ship in the middle of open space.
This book is written from multiple POVs, and I had a little trouble keeping everyone straight during the first quarter of the book. The multiple POVs really added to the experience though. The characters are fun, and really made this book shine. If anything, I want to know even more about them. Why are they leaving their home for a new world that they won’t even see? The science and tech is described well while not getting too in the weeds. But the ENDING is the star of this show. Jaw dropping and totally unexpected. There better be a sequel coming…
This book is written from multiple POVs, and I had a little trouble keeping everyone straight during the first quarter of the book. The multiple POVs really added to the experience though. The characters are fun, and really made this book shine. If anything, I want to know even more about them. Why are they leaving their home for a new world that they won’t even see? The science and tech is described well while not getting too in the weeds. But the ENDING is the star of this show. Jaw dropping and totally unexpected. There better be a sequel coming…
January 10, 2023
Callan J Mulligan has created a rich and vivid world in his sci-fi novel Astraeus which makes for a riveting read. His vision of the ship and the detail with which he describes not only the interior, but the science, transports you effortlessly to this futuristic existence.
The characters are wonderfully written, creating a cohesive ecosystem which has its own hierarchy, its own secrets and backstories. The thriller is fast paced, with many complications which the reader seamlessly becomes a part of, thanks to the layered storytelling and mysterious drama.
Callan’s strength is his writing style, which gives the POV and the information without trying hard. It flows and keeps you wanting more. Readers of sci-fi, thrillers and mystery will enjoy this page turner immensely.
I am excited for the next part of this duology and look forward to knowing how the story concludes.
The characters are wonderfully written, creating a cohesive ecosystem which has its own hierarchy, its own secrets and backstories. The thriller is fast paced, with many complications which the reader seamlessly becomes a part of, thanks to the layered storytelling and mysterious drama.
Callan’s strength is his writing style, which gives the POV and the information without trying hard. It flows and keeps you wanting more. Readers of sci-fi, thrillers and mystery will enjoy this page turner immensely.
I am excited for the next part of this duology and look forward to knowing how the story concludes.
May 24, 2022
I absolutely devoured this book! I could not put it down! Callan keeps the tension on maximum for the greater portion of the story, ramping up the level of stress and suspense to an absolute insane ending with a twist I did not see coming! I loved how he cleverly used the chapter titles to create added tension, without spoiling anything that followed. Bravo, Callan! This book was fabulous, and I can't wait to read literally anything else you write!
April 17, 2022
A thoroughly enjoyable read about a colony of people heading far into the universe with politics, and jealousy, and classes of people. Lots of fun information about how they lived, the lives they left back home, the trchnologies they had and much more. With a very unexpected ending.
November 3, 2022
I loved the unique world that Callan built here. Definitely not comparable to anything else I've read. Great storytelling in a captivating world. A recommended read!
July 18, 2022
The Astraeus feels a little like paradise as it sets off into the unknown, ready to colonise new worlds. But even here, danger lurks...
I really enjoyed this novel. The worldbuilding is brilliant, I could really imagine the society as I read. The intrigues and plot twists were paced just right...every time I thought I knew what was going on, another clue popped up and proved me wrong. I did not see that ending coming! I loved Jim and Lizabeth and the senator. They are all such different characters but so well thought out with all their pasts and presents and hints of the future. I am dying to know what happens next!
I really enjoyed this novel. The worldbuilding is brilliant, I could really imagine the society as I read. The intrigues and plot twists were paced just right...every time I thought I knew what was going on, another clue popped up and proved me wrong. I did not see that ending coming! I loved Jim and Lizabeth and the senator. They are all such different characters but so well thought out with all their pasts and presents and hints of the future. I am dying to know what happens next!
February 16, 2023
“The ring was a perfectly oiled machine, displayed as a work of art on a canvas of dark space, leaving only stars to pierce its thin blue veil.”
This. Is. What. Sci-Fi feels like! Right away the reader is immersed in uncharted territory and dropped into the lives of multiple characters; all of whom have secrets.
Mulligan's writing style is a breeze to read and their attention to detail is excellent. There were moments of the space ship, as the reader, felt like being on board the Astraeus.
This is the energy, I found, Carron brings. In this shorter novel, Mulligan expresses relatable characters with depth and nuance. As the reader, I wanted to join them on the ship. My heart goes out to each of them.
That ENDING!? Thank the stars book 2 is out now and I can find out what will become of the members aboard Astraeus.
Strap in, because in this place of zero gravity knowing which way is up is only the beginning.
“Freedom is a matter of perspective.”
This. Is. What. Sci-Fi feels like! Right away the reader is immersed in uncharted territory and dropped into the lives of multiple characters; all of whom have secrets.
Mulligan's writing style is a breeze to read and their attention to detail is excellent. There were moments of the space ship, as the reader, felt like being on board the Astraeus.
This is the energy, I found, Carron brings. In this shorter novel, Mulligan expresses relatable characters with depth and nuance. As the reader, I wanted to join them on the ship. My heart goes out to each of them.
That ENDING!? Thank the stars book 2 is out now and I can find out what will become of the members aboard Astraeus.
Strap in, because in this place of zero gravity knowing which way is up is only the beginning.
“Freedom is a matter of perspective.”
February 9, 2023
Love that I got to start the year with an awesome book by an indie author! Astraeus was an exciting and interesting sci-fi/mystery; it kept me guessing who was (or wasn’t) guilty and who would do what next.
The story itself is super well written. It’s clear that this book was given a lot of love and care through its process and the writing and quality come through. Mulligan clearly knows what his goal is and has his ideas about how he’s going to get there.
My two biggest issues with this book are the pacing and the length. For such a (relatively) small book, a lot is packed into it and I felt like some of it needed more time to grow, expand, and breathe. I felt like I didn’t really have time to connect to anyone, so when stuff happened to them, it didn’t hit me like I would have expected. Scenes could have been extended, or there could have been fewer jumps in time, and we could have been given a lot more to work with to draw us as readers into the world and the story.
This leads to a relatively short novel, which isn’t a bad thing…but in this case it felt like it was half of a novel. I know that the sequel, Eternum, is coming out soon and I hope that the story continues developing strong in that! But, to me, it feels like this book could have benefitted from having more added to it or possibly having the sequel combined with this one. It’s such a weird feeling to say “there was a lot, but not enough,” but that kind of sums up how I feel.
Overall, a solid space journey story and a great book from Callan! Can’t wait to see what happens in Eternum!
The story itself is super well written. It’s clear that this book was given a lot of love and care through its process and the writing and quality come through. Mulligan clearly knows what his goal is and has his ideas about how he’s going to get there.
My two biggest issues with this book are the pacing and the length. For such a (relatively) small book, a lot is packed into it and I felt like some of it needed more time to grow, expand, and breathe. I felt like I didn’t really have time to connect to anyone, so when stuff happened to them, it didn’t hit me like I would have expected. Scenes could have been extended, or there could have been fewer jumps in time, and we could have been given a lot more to work with to draw us as readers into the world and the story.
This leads to a relatively short novel, which isn’t a bad thing…but in this case it felt like it was half of a novel. I know that the sequel, Eternum, is coming out soon and I hope that the story continues developing strong in that! But, to me, it feels like this book could have benefitted from having more added to it or possibly having the sequel combined with this one. It’s such a weird feeling to say “there was a lot, but not enough,” but that kind of sums up how I feel.
Overall, a solid space journey story and a great book from Callan! Can’t wait to see what happens in Eternum!
May 19, 2022
Astraeus by Callan J. Mulligan
I'd like to thank him for trusting his book and ask for a nice review, me of all people haha. So I hope you just enjoy this review and feel like grabbing your copy because it is worth having on your bookshelf.
Astraeus is more than a spaceship, it is the beginning of a new society. This can be quite similar to Lost in Space without getting actually Lost or The 100 like how they first got to live in the vast universe. In this place, people had to go through some exams and prove their qualifications to earn a spot to be in the spaceship, we get to see not a lot of people, but we understand that there are many talented people in different areas, like Noah's arc and the animals.
As they start their colony in the black skies, they are trying to manage their colony as funny facts start to happen. I believe I should stop from this part or I'll give too many spoilers. The way Mulligan created this spaceship being able to explain how everything works is phenomenal, I have even told him how I get a bit exhausted from description but he made the description in his book be interesting to my eye.
The characters are well developed, and there are even the presence of new elements which makes the story very unique about different living beings. Yeah, it is what you're expecting. We get to see and follow three different people on this spaceship, Lisabeth, Cassian and Jim (at first), they all have their roles and it is pivotal to the place that they follow what they are supposed to be doing.
I try to take at least two quotes from a book and this had many which made me really thoughtful about it.
"What's the use of the mind if it can't be used to help the body? If we're trapped, so is our mind..."
"To go nowhere is to go backwards, but to stay in motion is to survive."
The book has the right balance of narrative and description. I'm really looking forward to reading the next installment which is in the making.
Thank you again, C. J.!
I'd like to thank him for trusting his book and ask for a nice review, me of all people haha. So I hope you just enjoy this review and feel like grabbing your copy because it is worth having on your bookshelf.
Astraeus is more than a spaceship, it is the beginning of a new society. This can be quite similar to Lost in Space without getting actually Lost or The 100 like how they first got to live in the vast universe. In this place, people had to go through some exams and prove their qualifications to earn a spot to be in the spaceship, we get to see not a lot of people, but we understand that there are many talented people in different areas, like Noah's arc and the animals.
As they start their colony in the black skies, they are trying to manage their colony as funny facts start to happen. I believe I should stop from this part or I'll give too many spoilers. The way Mulligan created this spaceship being able to explain how everything works is phenomenal, I have even told him how I get a bit exhausted from description but he made the description in his book be interesting to my eye.
The characters are well developed, and there are even the presence of new elements which makes the story very unique about different living beings. Yeah, it is what you're expecting. We get to see and follow three different people on this spaceship, Lisabeth, Cassian and Jim (at first), they all have their roles and it is pivotal to the place that they follow what they are supposed to be doing.
I try to take at least two quotes from a book and this had many which made me really thoughtful about it.
"What's the use of the mind if it can't be used to help the body? If we're trapped, so is our mind..."
"To go nowhere is to go backwards, but to stay in motion is to survive."
The book has the right balance of narrative and description. I'm really looking forward to reading the next installment which is in the making.
Thank you again, C. J.!
June 4, 2022
I'll start by saying that WALL-E is one of my favorite movies of all time, so the similarities between it and Astraeus were awesome.
The way the author crafted a life in space aboard this truly massive starship was not only believable, but really enjoyable to read about. The reader gets enough information about how things work without being overwhelmed with complicated terms and operations that the average person (me) wouldn't know anything about.
I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. It's always fun when their lives overlap in small ways and tie the story together.
Even though it's probably not supposed to be funny, I couldn't help but laugh over the fact that this journey was supposed to take lifetimes to complete, and things start going wrong almost immediately. I have terrible luck, so really it's just me imagining myself in the story and knowing my literal worst nightmare would happen within the first three months!
I can almost count the number of sci-fi novels I've read on one hand, and I'm glad this is now one of them! Loved it.
The way the author crafted a life in space aboard this truly massive starship was not only believable, but really enjoyable to read about. The reader gets enough information about how things work without being overwhelmed with complicated terms and operations that the average person (me) wouldn't know anything about.
I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. It's always fun when their lives overlap in small ways and tie the story together.
Even though it's probably not supposed to be funny, I couldn't help but laugh over the fact that this journey was supposed to take lifetimes to complete, and things start going wrong almost immediately. I have terrible luck, so really it's just me imagining myself in the story and knowing my literal worst nightmare would happen within the first three months!
I can almost count the number of sci-fi novels I've read on one hand, and I'm glad this is now one of them! Loved it.
November 14, 2022
Let me preface this by saying, the lack of control in outer space gives me anxiety so I was already nervous going into this thriller 😅
The Atraeus is a starship on it’s way to the middle of the Milky Way with a colony of world-settlers. Right off the bat, things start to go wrong…. Slowly, the ship starts to show signs of malfunction. If that isn’t enough to worry this reader, mix in a little murder mystery.
I do not consider myself a sci-fi reader, but I do enjoy a good thrill. This was a quick read and the fast-paced story kept my attention the entire time. I did not find myself attached to any specific character, but I was eager to know who or what was causing the trouble onboard.
Mulligan’s writing was descriptive and easy to follow without unnecessary fluff. I also appreciated the underlying message in the story to be careful of letting biases or stereotypes steer your decisions. 💜
The Atraeus is a starship on it’s way to the middle of the Milky Way with a colony of world-settlers. Right off the bat, things start to go wrong…. Slowly, the ship starts to show signs of malfunction. If that isn’t enough to worry this reader, mix in a little murder mystery.
I do not consider myself a sci-fi reader, but I do enjoy a good thrill. This was a quick read and the fast-paced story kept my attention the entire time. I did not find myself attached to any specific character, but I was eager to know who or what was causing the trouble onboard.
Mulligan’s writing was descriptive and easy to follow without unnecessary fluff. I also appreciated the underlying message in the story to be careful of letting biases or stereotypes steer your decisions. 💜
June 16, 2022
Wow Sci-Fi meets Thriller! What a page turner! I loved the world build and the drama and the politics.
Looking forward to the sequel.
Marc though :(
Carron is my favourite, she's such a badass!
Looking forward to the sequel.
Marc though :(
Carron is my favourite, she's such a badass!
January 21, 2022
𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸!
𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝙼𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒆𝒖𝒔 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚓𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚔𝚢 𝚆𝚊𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍. 𝙰 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚘𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙. 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎?
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚝-𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍, 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎-𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚌𝚒-𝚏𝚒 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎𝚜 (𝚜𝚌𝚒-𝚏𝚒 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛) 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌! 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝙻𝚒𝚣𝚊𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚑 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎! 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗’𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚜𝚌𝚒-𝚏𝚒 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗.
𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍.
𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝙼𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒆𝒖𝒔 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚓𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚔𝚢 𝚆𝚊𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍. 𝙰 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚘𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙. 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎?
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚝-𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍, 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎-𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚌𝚒-𝚏𝚒 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎𝚜 (𝚜𝚌𝚒-𝚏𝚒 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛) 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌! 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝙻𝚒𝚣𝚊𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚑 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎! 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗’𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚜𝚌𝚒-𝚏𝚒 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗.
𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍.
July 9, 2025
A thrilling murder mystery in outer space.
Astraeus” is set aboard the titular long-distance colony ship on its maiden voyage to the galactic center, deep within the Milky Way. The journey was expected to last two hundred years, and therefore a one-way trip for all first-generation passengers. However, a chain of incidents, including a brutal murder, causes chaos on the starship. A diverse group of military and civilian leaders and passengers race against time to solve the mystery before their starship, and its hundred thousand passengers, are lost to the dark and empty void of space.
The story unfolds from the perspectives of several characters, such as Senator Cassian Abner, a member of the colony’s government; Lizabeth Denning, a daughter of wealth, who sees The Astraeus as a refuge from her troubled past; Carron Riddell, a young prodigy engineer, and Jim Atley, who won a lottery to join The Astraeus.
The characters, and those they interact with, are well-written. The author speaks through them as the passengers have to face the secrets they try to hide, their existential crisis, love, and their mortality. Although, at times, I wished for more character development and to see their inner turmoil.
Still, Mulligan crafts life on board the colony ship that is believable and easy to follow. The reader gets enough technical information about the way things work without being overwhelmed with the science and operations of the massive starship.
There is a fine line between a fast-paced, page-turning mystery thriller and a rushed plot; it’s one Mulligan sometimes crosses. For example, I would’ve liked to see a more in-depth description of the sociological and political situation on board. Given The Astraeus’ diverse population—military, political leaders, engineers, and various other groups—the author missed an opportunity to explore the conflicts between them. I also missed some background on the Galactic Commonwealth's politics outside Astraeus.
Nevertheless, Astraeus is an entertaining mystery thriller on board a spaceship. I’m looking forward to discovering who’s responsible for the incidents on board the ship and the reasons behind their acts.
Astraeus” is set aboard the titular long-distance colony ship on its maiden voyage to the galactic center, deep within the Milky Way. The journey was expected to last two hundred years, and therefore a one-way trip for all first-generation passengers. However, a chain of incidents, including a brutal murder, causes chaos on the starship. A diverse group of military and civilian leaders and passengers race against time to solve the mystery before their starship, and its hundred thousand passengers, are lost to the dark and empty void of space.
The story unfolds from the perspectives of several characters, such as Senator Cassian Abner, a member of the colony’s government; Lizabeth Denning, a daughter of wealth, who sees The Astraeus as a refuge from her troubled past; Carron Riddell, a young prodigy engineer, and Jim Atley, who won a lottery to join The Astraeus.
The characters, and those they interact with, are well-written. The author speaks through them as the passengers have to face the secrets they try to hide, their existential crisis, love, and their mortality. Although, at times, I wished for more character development and to see their inner turmoil.
Still, Mulligan crafts life on board the colony ship that is believable and easy to follow. The reader gets enough technical information about the way things work without being overwhelmed with the science and operations of the massive starship.
There is a fine line between a fast-paced, page-turning mystery thriller and a rushed plot; it’s one Mulligan sometimes crosses. For example, I would’ve liked to see a more in-depth description of the sociological and political situation on board. Given The Astraeus’ diverse population—military, political leaders, engineers, and various other groups—the author missed an opportunity to explore the conflicts between them. I also missed some background on the Galactic Commonwealth's politics outside Astraeus.
Nevertheless, Astraeus is an entertaining mystery thriller on board a spaceship. I’m looking forward to discovering who’s responsible for the incidents on board the ship and the reasons behind their acts.
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