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Saturn's Legacy #1
Artifact
FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, SATURN HID AN ALIEN SECRET.
IN 2065, HUMANITY WILL FIND IT.
Lowell Carpenter is a disgraced Marine assigned to a remote US research station on Saturn's moon Enceladus, where scientists have made an extraordinary discovery in the ocean below.
A special forces team, led by Lowell’s murderous former commanding officer, shows up to investigate. Almost immediately, everything begins to unravel.
Something beneath the surface has been activated.
Soon every space force on Earth — American, Chinese, Russian, and more — is converging on the tiny moon, ready to start a war.
But when a young archeologist with a knack for dead languages makes an amazing discovery of his own, Lowell realizes the stakes are higher than anyone could’ve imagined.
He soon has no choice but to disobey orders and fight soldiers he helped train as he races to stop an unimaginable chain reaction that threatens the entire solar system.
The countdown has begun...
Artifact, the first book in the Saturn's Legacy series, is a sci-fi thriller full of mystery, intrigue, and epic action from the depths of the ocean to the edge of outer space.
IN 2065, HUMANITY WILL FIND IT.
Lowell Carpenter is a disgraced Marine assigned to a remote US research station on Saturn's moon Enceladus, where scientists have made an extraordinary discovery in the ocean below.
A special forces team, led by Lowell’s murderous former commanding officer, shows up to investigate. Almost immediately, everything begins to unravel.
Something beneath the surface has been activated.
Soon every space force on Earth — American, Chinese, Russian, and more — is converging on the tiny moon, ready to start a war.
But when a young archeologist with a knack for dead languages makes an amazing discovery of his own, Lowell realizes the stakes are higher than anyone could’ve imagined.
He soon has no choice but to disobey orders and fight soldiers he helped train as he races to stop an unimaginable chain reaction that threatens the entire solar system.
The countdown has begun...
Artifact, the first book in the Saturn's Legacy series, is a sci-fi thriller full of mystery, intrigue, and epic action from the depths of the ocean to the edge of outer space.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2022
1555 people are currently reading
1393 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
August 8, 2022
The author has a complete lack of knowledge of physics, as if he did not even attend school classes. He has no idea how pressure works, how water works, how transmissions work, yet he has chosen to wrap his whole story around them. It reads like a scifi story written by a kid on sixth grade. I kept reading the book just to see how far this fantasy stuff would go. Spacesuits that are good for the surface, but apparently they can go to great depths, however the person wearing it feels the pressure in his ears! People communicating underwater in “radio channels”! The water “dampens” the sonic effects, even though school kids know that sound travels even further in water. Underwater “lasers”! Digital gun which in the next paragraph becomes electric gun, and in the next laser rifle! In almost every page you will read a blatant scientific inaccuracy that makes you wonder how uneducated this writer might be. Consider seriously if you want to throw your money on this.
March 12, 2022
The science is weak, or the author’s knowledge is lacking. It was an ok story, but the obvious science problems made me go back to see if I misread.
February 11, 2024
The book is mostly rubbish, but I didn't read it for the content! I listened to the audiobook test out the Virtual Voice Narration. Which was mostly NOT rubbish... but not great either.
Full review on the podcast, SFBRP episode #533.
Luke reviews Artifact by Joshua James, but actually he wants to have an in-depth discussion with Juliane about Audible’s new Virtual Voice Narration technology, what it sounds like now, and what it means for the future of audiobook production and listening.
https://www.sfbrp.com/archives/2178
Full review on the podcast, SFBRP episode #533.
Luke reviews Artifact by Joshua James, but actually he wants to have an in-depth discussion with Juliane about Audible’s new Virtual Voice Narration technology, what it sounds like now, and what it means for the future of audiobook production and listening.
https://www.sfbrp.com/archives/2178
March 10, 2022
I received a copy of this book from the author.
This is a fast paced story that pulls no punches.
The prologue to the story starts back in 2219 BCE, with the main story beginning in 2061. I found this unusual, as most space stories begin much further into the future and not so far back in the past.
That I might just still be alive in 2061 added an extra excitement for me. Although it’s highly unlikely I’ll still be around then, a girl can dream.
The characters in this story are well described and could almost be someone that you know so that you become attached to them but people die, even those we care about.
Both Peter Chang and Carpenter Lowell have seen people that they care for killed by Munroe. Lowell’s career was also ruined by Munroe. Reading through this book I was uncertain whether these characters would also be killed off.
Often reading a story you feel that nothing can harm the main characters. However that is not the feeling with this one. I found myself holding my breath and wondering how Peter and Lowell would get out of certain situations and if the author’s solutions would be believable. Yes they were.
But the question all the way through and even at the end of this story is what will happen next?
I can’t wait for “Cascade (Saturn’s Legacy #2) to come out.
This is a fast paced story that pulls no punches.
The prologue to the story starts back in 2219 BCE, with the main story beginning in 2061. I found this unusual, as most space stories begin much further into the future and not so far back in the past.
That I might just still be alive in 2061 added an extra excitement for me. Although it’s highly unlikely I’ll still be around then, a girl can dream.
The characters in this story are well described and could almost be someone that you know so that you become attached to them but people die, even those we care about.
Both Peter Chang and Carpenter Lowell have seen people that they care for killed by Munroe. Lowell’s career was also ruined by Munroe. Reading through this book I was uncertain whether these characters would also be killed off.
Often reading a story you feel that nothing can harm the main characters. However that is not the feeling with this one. I found myself holding my breath and wondering how Peter and Lowell would get out of certain situations and if the author’s solutions would be believable. Yes they were.
But the question all the way through and even at the end of this story is what will happen next?
I can’t wait for “Cascade (Saturn’s Legacy #2) to come out.
February 13, 2024
Great Action From Start to Finish
From the first to the last page the action is non-stop, utilising humour well to lend plausibility to the fact that the main character is definitely having the most interesting, but terrifying day of his life. I enjoyed how the settings of ocean and space were blended, making it a different type of Sci-Fi read. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their Sci-Fi fast paced.
From the first to the last page the action is non-stop, utilising humour well to lend plausibility to the fact that the main character is definitely having the most interesting, but terrifying day of his life. I enjoyed how the settings of ocean and space were blended, making it a different type of Sci-Fi read. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their Sci-Fi fast paced.
April 7, 2023
Under Pressure
Artifact, the first book in Joshua James trilogy, is a wild rollercoaster ride through space, alien planet atmospheres, and the ultimate vengeance race between Space Corps personnel.
Beginning in ancient Mesopotamia, the village of Ur-an is under attack. The head of the tribe, Naram-Sin, King of the Heavens, the Four Corners, and the Universe, tells his apprentice, Enli, that the Sky people have returned.
Naram-Sin entrusts the sacred relic from the Temple of Anu to Enli and entreats him to bury it where no one can find it. The village and the sky people are subsequently lost when Naram-Sin activates an ancient weapon and the planet implodes.
Thousands of years later on Mars, an archeological science team is on expedition. Under the protection of Captain Larry Monroe, Carpenter Lowell, and two other Space Force officers, the science team is looking for a special artifact.
Once the artifact is found, the entire science team is shot and Monroe's team leaves the planet. Carpenter Lowell, appalled at the callous killing, tries to have Monroe brought up on charges, is busted down to Private and shipped off to guard a frozen moon named Enceladus orbiting Saturn.
Back on Earth, Monroe is masquerading as Archeology Professor Keating at a dig in Iraq in a dead city called Ur-an. Peter Chang, archeological student, is getting frustrated at all of the praise his team members get upon finding shards of pottery. Until Peter finds a metallic plate, engraved in hieroglyphics. Peter can read the tablet and deciphers a phrase, "star key…on the bottom…of frozen sea…"
Suddenly, while the team sleeps, Peter is awoken by the noise of weapons being fired. Under the orders of Captain Larry Monroe, the entire science team is murdered and Peter Chang and the artifact are ordered to board Monroe's ship to an undisclosed location.
After a training stay at Space Corps HQ where Peter Chang is quickly trained on weaponry, space operations and protocol, they are off to find the "Anomaly" in which the hieroglyphics have directed them to put the artifact to use.
Upon arrival at Saturn's Space Station, Monroe finds out, much to his disgust, that he will be working with Carpenter Lowell. He meets the science team who have been working on the discovery of Amino Acid peptides which may indicate that life once existed on the moon.
Monroe's team, Horne and Wilcox go down through the ice covering the moon to the liquid sea to supervise Peter Chang inserting the artifact into the Anomaly. Close behind are Lowell and his dive team, Nguyen and Anjali.
What will happen when the Anomaly meets the artifact? What do the Sky people have to do with all of this? Will Monroe and Lowell be able to work together? Will anyone survive this mission? The answer to these questions are all in the book. I highly recommend you read it.
Artifact, the first book in Joshua James trilogy, is a wild rollercoaster ride through space, alien planet atmospheres, and the ultimate vengeance race between Space Corps personnel.
Beginning in ancient Mesopotamia, the village of Ur-an is under attack. The head of the tribe, Naram-Sin, King of the Heavens, the Four Corners, and the Universe, tells his apprentice, Enli, that the Sky people have returned.
Naram-Sin entrusts the sacred relic from the Temple of Anu to Enli and entreats him to bury it where no one can find it. The village and the sky people are subsequently lost when Naram-Sin activates an ancient weapon and the planet implodes.
Thousands of years later on Mars, an archeological science team is on expedition. Under the protection of Captain Larry Monroe, Carpenter Lowell, and two other Space Force officers, the science team is looking for a special artifact.
Once the artifact is found, the entire science team is shot and Monroe's team leaves the planet. Carpenter Lowell, appalled at the callous killing, tries to have Monroe brought up on charges, is busted down to Private and shipped off to guard a frozen moon named Enceladus orbiting Saturn.
Back on Earth, Monroe is masquerading as Archeology Professor Keating at a dig in Iraq in a dead city called Ur-an. Peter Chang, archeological student, is getting frustrated at all of the praise his team members get upon finding shards of pottery. Until Peter finds a metallic plate, engraved in hieroglyphics. Peter can read the tablet and deciphers a phrase, "star key…on the bottom…of frozen sea…"
Suddenly, while the team sleeps, Peter is awoken by the noise of weapons being fired. Under the orders of Captain Larry Monroe, the entire science team is murdered and Peter Chang and the artifact are ordered to board Monroe's ship to an undisclosed location.
After a training stay at Space Corps HQ where Peter Chang is quickly trained on weaponry, space operations and protocol, they are off to find the "Anomaly" in which the hieroglyphics have directed them to put the artifact to use.
Upon arrival at Saturn's Space Station, Monroe finds out, much to his disgust, that he will be working with Carpenter Lowell. He meets the science team who have been working on the discovery of Amino Acid peptides which may indicate that life once existed on the moon.
Monroe's team, Horne and Wilcox go down through the ice covering the moon to the liquid sea to supervise Peter Chang inserting the artifact into the Anomaly. Close behind are Lowell and his dive team, Nguyen and Anjali.
What will happen when the Anomaly meets the artifact? What do the Sky people have to do with all of this? Will Monroe and Lowell be able to work together? Will anyone survive this mission? The answer to these questions are all in the book. I highly recommend you read it.
June 15, 2025
1.5 stars. More or less one long dragged out action sequence with no sence of space or mystery
May 25, 2022
The book follows an honest Marine in the US Space Corps, Carpenter Lowell, his unscrupulous Lieutenant, Munroe, and several scientists. It starts in Akkadia in around 4000 BC, and spans time to the near future of our own time, where most countries have a space force but alliances are regularly either very loose or end up being broken.
Munroe is Lowell's CO (Commanding Officer for those with no military baxkground). The Marines are guarding archeologists on a dig on Mars, far from where most countries are doing digs to discover more about Mars. The Chinese ships buzz them, but otherwise leave them alone - until one of the archeologists motions to Munroe and shows Munroe what he has found. Suddenly, cloaked Chinese ships fire on all of them, and as the archeologists sprint for safety the Marines respond and stop them. But when they are done, they notice all the scientists are dead, including the one who made the discovery, a Professor Keating. The only one with them during the attack was Munroe. It is pretty obvious Munroe either killed them himself or let the Chinese do it; the main firefight was kept as far from the archeologists as possibe. Lowell takes it up the chain, but even with the testimony of 2 others, he is busted to private and sent to do maintenance on the ice moon of Enceledus, which orbits Saturn. The sea water under the ice forms geysers that jut into the sky and feeds the outer ring of Saturn. The scientists have discovered an artifact made of metal that is unlike anything they have seen before, under the ice. The only sign of life so far is essentially proto-DNA that might one day evolve into a life form, found in a geyser forming in the early phases, a find which has excited biologists at home. The artifact from Mars is a round thing. Both it and the artifact have writing on them, though no one seems interested in translating it.
Meanwhile, on Earth, on a dig in Iraq, a young doctoral candidate, Peter Chang, who believes aliens could very well have seeded Earth, has made a find that can prove it - in the sands was a tablet with what appear to be directions of some sort. The group goes out to celebrate his find...and later, all of them but Peter are killed in their tents as they sleep, and by US forces who plan to blame the terrorists. Peter is dragged in to see "Prof. Keating," aka Munroe, again, and is told to read the tablet. It appears to be instructions to something. Peter is zip tied and dragged onto a space ship headed for Enceledus. He is untied once there and held at gunpoint to read the tablet. But once the key, the orb discovered on Mars, is inserted into the side of the artifact, sea crearures who are close to or identical to prehistoric sea creatures on earth appear - but they're much larger than Earth's fossils show, and there are distinct variations. A giant whale-like creature swallows the sub and another scientist still outside the sub is attacked by another, ending 2 people Munroe would have killed for knowing too much. Once Peter is no longer relevant, Munroe will end him as well, and Peter knew this early on.
Lowell has been labeled a traitor and as such, every new guy wants a shot at him...provided it's two challengers to one Lowell. He has practiced some moves on the ice, without cleats that most wear on the very slippery ice, practicing taking 2 down at a time. He uses these on the next set of challengers and takes them down with little effort. He leaves to continue his work, knowing both cowards will likely try for him again later.
Now, Lowell knows he has to get out of there somehow and see if the brass who are obviously backing Munroe are that powerful and see how far up this goes, but first, he needs either to kill or incapacitate Munroe, and see if Peter is there willingly. Lowell is sickened to hear of another group of archeologists killed, sacrificed to Munroe's greed and lust for power.
Peter and Lowell escape, and this is the best part of the book. I can't tell you anything except they make an awesome discovery and a great team. They are pushed to and beyond the limit, and their rescuers are unexpected.
It ends with a guy who loves that humans have found a way to dive safely into the Marianas Trench, and the diver makes a very interesting discovery on the floor of the trench. Then we move on to the 2nd book, "Cascade (Saturn's Legacy Book 2)."
Munroe is Lowell's CO (Commanding Officer for those with no military baxkground). The Marines are guarding archeologists on a dig on Mars, far from where most countries are doing digs to discover more about Mars. The Chinese ships buzz them, but otherwise leave them alone - until one of the archeologists motions to Munroe and shows Munroe what he has found. Suddenly, cloaked Chinese ships fire on all of them, and as the archeologists sprint for safety the Marines respond and stop them. But when they are done, they notice all the scientists are dead, including the one who made the discovery, a Professor Keating. The only one with them during the attack was Munroe. It is pretty obvious Munroe either killed them himself or let the Chinese do it; the main firefight was kept as far from the archeologists as possibe. Lowell takes it up the chain, but even with the testimony of 2 others, he is busted to private and sent to do maintenance on the ice moon of Enceledus, which orbits Saturn. The sea water under the ice forms geysers that jut into the sky and feeds the outer ring of Saturn. The scientists have discovered an artifact made of metal that is unlike anything they have seen before, under the ice. The only sign of life so far is essentially proto-DNA that might one day evolve into a life form, found in a geyser forming in the early phases, a find which has excited biologists at home. The artifact from Mars is a round thing. Both it and the artifact have writing on them, though no one seems interested in translating it.
Meanwhile, on Earth, on a dig in Iraq, a young doctoral candidate, Peter Chang, who believes aliens could very well have seeded Earth, has made a find that can prove it - in the sands was a tablet with what appear to be directions of some sort. The group goes out to celebrate his find...and later, all of them but Peter are killed in their tents as they sleep, and by US forces who plan to blame the terrorists. Peter is dragged in to see "Prof. Keating," aka Munroe, again, and is told to read the tablet. It appears to be instructions to something. Peter is zip tied and dragged onto a space ship headed for Enceledus. He is untied once there and held at gunpoint to read the tablet. But once the key, the orb discovered on Mars, is inserted into the side of the artifact, sea crearures who are close to or identical to prehistoric sea creatures on earth appear - but they're much larger than Earth's fossils show, and there are distinct variations. A giant whale-like creature swallows the sub and another scientist still outside the sub is attacked by another, ending 2 people Munroe would have killed for knowing too much. Once Peter is no longer relevant, Munroe will end him as well, and Peter knew this early on.
Lowell has been labeled a traitor and as such, every new guy wants a shot at him...provided it's two challengers to one Lowell. He has practiced some moves on the ice, without cleats that most wear on the very slippery ice, practicing taking 2 down at a time. He uses these on the next set of challengers and takes them down with little effort. He leaves to continue his work, knowing both cowards will likely try for him again later.
Now, Lowell knows he has to get out of there somehow and see if the brass who are obviously backing Munroe are that powerful and see how far up this goes, but first, he needs either to kill or incapacitate Munroe, and see if Peter is there willingly. Lowell is sickened to hear of another group of archeologists killed, sacrificed to Munroe's greed and lust for power.
Peter and Lowell escape, and this is the best part of the book. I can't tell you anything except they make an awesome discovery and a great team. They are pushed to and beyond the limit, and their rescuers are unexpected.
It ends with a guy who loves that humans have found a way to dive safely into the Marianas Trench, and the diver makes a very interesting discovery on the floor of the trench. Then we move on to the 2nd book, "Cascade (Saturn's Legacy Book 2)."
July 5, 2022
James, Joshua. Artifact. Saturn’s Legacy No. 1. Kindle, 2022.
Life is discovered in a sea under the ice on one of the moons of Saturn. Peter Chang, a linguist specializing in ancient languages, is kidnapped by criminals who want his skills to translate an alien artifact. He survives with the help of Carpenter Lowell of the U.S. Space Corps, but the two must struggle against many perils under the seas of Enceladus. The odd-couple buddy plot works well, but the moon of Saturn seems too terrestrial. Science and world building both need work. 3 stars.
Life is discovered in a sea under the ice on one of the moons of Saturn. Peter Chang, a linguist specializing in ancient languages, is kidnapped by criminals who want his skills to translate an alien artifact. He survives with the help of Carpenter Lowell of the U.S. Space Corps, but the two must struggle against many perils under the seas of Enceladus. The odd-couple buddy plot works well, but the moon of Saturn seems too terrestrial. Science and world building both need work. 3 stars.
August 6, 2022
I don't understand 5 star reviews. To me, 5 stars means the best book I've ever read, or close to it. While I enjoyed this book, it's not worthy of 5 stars. Artifact science fiction where the protagonist discovers something left over from a prior civilization, or a current one that visited us long ago is enjoyable to me. This book checked that box. I also liked the main protagonist, Lowell. Two big check marks, but the science was lacking. Current rockets (and those in the foreseeable future) are designed to hold pressure inside the ship, with doors, windows and seals designed to not blow out. Submarines have to keep pressure outside the vessel. Doors, windows and seals have to be designed in the reverse - to not be pushed inward. You can see the problem when the two are combined, as they were in this book. A lot of the other science concepts in the book were similarly incorrect, and if I were reading slower, it would take me out of the book. As it was, I blasted through the book and enjoyed it until I later started thinking about the science. For an enjoyable summer afternoon, I recommend the book if you are able to not get too detailed about the science.
March 14, 2022
Simple space opera with a slight twist
Just finished this story. This was a quick read, simple storyline, Earth has system space travel. Different nations are vying for alien tech weapon. One man stands alone betrayed by his country, fighting to save???. There is action, character develpoment, some obvious weapons, some a little out there, others ?? Not quite on par with David Weber Honorverse,or Elizabeth Moon's Serrano legacy series. Closer to E.E. Doc Smith Skylark series. I enjoyed it, and now waiting for book 2
Just finished this story. This was a quick read, simple storyline, Earth has system space travel. Different nations are vying for alien tech weapon. One man stands alone betrayed by his country, fighting to save???. There is action, character develpoment, some obvious weapons, some a little out there, others ?? Not quite on par with David Weber Honorverse,or Elizabeth Moon's Serrano legacy series. Closer to E.E. Doc Smith Skylark series. I enjoyed it, and now waiting for book 2
February 25, 2024
Whilst I finished the book,I can't say I enjoyed it Some of the dialogue is laughable. But I suppose if you want a boys own Sci fi yarn it might fit the bill but not for me.Asimov it ain't! Sorry.
June 16, 2022
An interesting if somewhat unevenly paced scifi adventure - though it reads quite quickly once things really take off (so to speak) - that gives the reader a LOT to absorb! I'll say it right away but typically, I do like my weird underwater stories to be a bit spookier. No, that's probably not the right word… how about "terror laden" (see either Paul Cooley's "Station 3" or even the first couple of books in Peter Watts' "Rifters" series)? But this first chapter in the "Saturn's Legacy" trilogy was still quite enjoyable and in terms of the scary factor, well, it did have its moments!
No loving God would have designed a horrorshow like this.
This being my first book by this author, I'm glad to report that I found Joshua James' prose to be excellent and the editing was top-notch. So this was definitely a well-executed book by someone that obviously knows their stuff! In terms of the pacing I mentioned earlier, the book starts off at least as being very hectic without much character development. Case in point, it seems like more than half the players we "meet" in the first dozen or so chapters wind up dead within a few pages of their introductions. And going from ancient Mesopotamia to Iraq to Mars to Saturn about as fast as imaginable (was it? We're not really told how all that works!) made my head spin more than a little, too. Still, those we do get to know better certainly find themselves in some pretty, um, illuminating circumstances. So I guess it all works out eventually.
Let’s say I have an idea, but it’s the kind of thing someone with a death wish would come up with. You in?
I would also mention the cultural references which weren't bad but seemed to me to be occasionally and arguably outdated. I mean, I love "Star Wars" as much as the next fan, but if its still THAT popular that people remember vague quotes a couple of years before 2070, well good for them and I guess Disney, too (I'll be 106 then if you're curious… so I guess it is possible!). Having said that, both the "Sharknado 16" and "Jaws" remake nods were a nice - and humorous - touch! A very much sort of whichever "Back to the Future" movie had something similar in it (I want to say it was a hologram ad for a "Jaws" sequel? No? See, I'm already blanking on movie quotes and scenes at age 58!). All self-reflection on my age aside (*sob*), these along with other moments scattered throughout made for some well-timed and appropriate comic relief for sure!
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a sociopath?”
“I work for the military…Nobody’s had to tell me."
Overall, the book gets a lot more settled once we're in the "ocean", which is quite frankly, very very cool (no pun intended)! Sure, there's a few bits that drag and a few bits that again go by WAY too fast (so much for tearful reunions with old Army - oops, I mean - Marine buddies!). But having been a long-time collector of petrified Megaladon sharks' teeth on the North Carolina coast, there are some extremely wild scenes in that regard to enjoy, including the Great Escape from same (I'm being intentionally vague here to avoid too many spoilers)! And obviously, we do get to know Lowell and Chang much, much better through all this! I guess almost getting killed numerous times will do that for your MCs. And the back-and-forth POV between the two (as well as others) works very nicely along the way!
In the end, whoever held the power wasn’t obligated to be decent.
In conclusion: all-in-all not a bad scifi adventure, not too heavy but not too light either. I'm typically NOT a huge fan of dozens of very short chapters but, again, James makes it work when its all said and done. To wrap things up then, my impression was that "Artifact" is a fast and interesting read with an exciting and believably "open" conclusion. And perhaps even more importantly, I'm encouraged and motivated to keep on going in terms of the series as a whole! After all:
Hey, we didn’t die… I’d say the plan worked perfectly.
No loving God would have designed a horrorshow like this.
This being my first book by this author, I'm glad to report that I found Joshua James' prose to be excellent and the editing was top-notch. So this was definitely a well-executed book by someone that obviously knows their stuff! In terms of the pacing I mentioned earlier, the book starts off at least as being very hectic without much character development. Case in point, it seems like more than half the players we "meet" in the first dozen or so chapters wind up dead within a few pages of their introductions. And going from ancient Mesopotamia to Iraq to Mars to Saturn about as fast as imaginable (was it? We're not really told how all that works!) made my head spin more than a little, too. Still, those we do get to know better certainly find themselves in some pretty, um, illuminating circumstances. So I guess it all works out eventually.
Let’s say I have an idea, but it’s the kind of thing someone with a death wish would come up with. You in?
I would also mention the cultural references which weren't bad but seemed to me to be occasionally and arguably outdated. I mean, I love "Star Wars" as much as the next fan, but if its still THAT popular that people remember vague quotes a couple of years before 2070, well good for them and I guess Disney, too (I'll be 106 then if you're curious… so I guess it is possible!). Having said that, both the "Sharknado 16" and "Jaws" remake nods were a nice - and humorous - touch! A very much sort of whichever "Back to the Future" movie had something similar in it (I want to say it was a hologram ad for a "Jaws" sequel? No? See, I'm already blanking on movie quotes and scenes at age 58!). All self-reflection on my age aside (*sob*), these along with other moments scattered throughout made for some well-timed and appropriate comic relief for sure!
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a sociopath?”
“I work for the military…Nobody’s had to tell me."
Overall, the book gets a lot more settled once we're in the "ocean", which is quite frankly, very very cool (no pun intended)! Sure, there's a few bits that drag and a few bits that again go by WAY too fast (so much for tearful reunions with old Army - oops, I mean - Marine buddies!). But having been a long-time collector of petrified Megaladon sharks' teeth on the North Carolina coast, there are some extremely wild scenes in that regard to enjoy, including the Great Escape from same (I'm being intentionally vague here to avoid too many spoilers)! And obviously, we do get to know Lowell and Chang much, much better through all this! I guess almost getting killed numerous times will do that for your MCs. And the back-and-forth POV between the two (as well as others) works very nicely along the way!
In the end, whoever held the power wasn’t obligated to be decent.
In conclusion: all-in-all not a bad scifi adventure, not too heavy but not too light either. I'm typically NOT a huge fan of dozens of very short chapters but, again, James makes it work when its all said and done. To wrap things up then, my impression was that "Artifact" is a fast and interesting read with an exciting and believably "open" conclusion. And perhaps even more importantly, I'm encouraged and motivated to keep on going in terms of the series as a whole! After all:
Hey, we didn’t die… I’d say the plan worked perfectly.
October 22, 2025
It's "Ancient Aliens" the series! That's the review...
Kidding aside this was good but not great. Unlike my review of "The Devils" I just don't have a ton to say about this one. I was done before I even realized it (about 4 days of my normal reading cycle) which is certainly not a bad thing. I became aware of this book thanks to ad integration on facebook saying this was "Michael Chriton meets Indiana Jones" or something like that. With all due respect to Mr. Michael Chriton, of whom I have read almost everything he has published, this aint that.
There is some science in this science fiction. There is certainly some interesting historical stuff, you get decent explanations on how all the sci-fi stuff works and whatnot. A science guy doing a science thing does not save the day here however (which is Michael Chriton's M.O.). The book takes no time to get going establishing the stakes of both our primary point of view characters and their relation to the objective at hand. This is kind of where my protestations start. Our heroes need to use the map to bring the key to activate the artifact. Have we all seen this movie before? I certainly have. I am perhaps being extra harsh having just completed recently the "Prelude to Foundation" which was full of sociological commentaries and the hero trying to save the galaxy with math. Here we are trying to save the galaxy by getting to the McGuffin and blowing shit up.
Our heroes, Peter Chang and Carpenter Lowell, are a pretty thinly veiled buddy cop duo. Peter is the scientist who has never spent a day of his life in the shit and Lowell is a marine who exemplifies all the stereotypes therein. I will say the interplay between the two is fun. As I mentioned it reads as very buddy cop coded to me. Two guys who have almost nothing in common forced to work together against a common enemy. That part of it was honestly fun. Our nemesis is the Snidely Whiplash esque, mustache twirling, Lt. Larry Munroe. I know it is hard to write villains with any characteristics other than "evil" but this is about as far as it gets with Munroe. Was I pleased with how things ended for him, most definitely yes, but as with many stories that have the "white hat black hat" dichotomy you don't get much to chew on with any of the characters here.
Now I have been pretty harsh but I want to end this thing saying; I enjoyed it. It was an easy breezy read, had some good action, had some fun sci-fi tidbits (shocked with all the sci-fi I have read this is the first book that heavily features Enceladus), a ticking clock which is always fun, and a few good laughs in the previously mentioned buddy cop dynamic of our two main characters. I fully plan to read the next two books in the series as this one ends on a very direct (almost network tv style) cliffhanger that I would like to see the conclusion of. Coming from Asimov (and my next will be another Asimov) it was like I ate a meal crafted by a Michelin star chef whereas this is more like eating McDonalds. Now you may think that criticism overly harsh for a book I generally enjoyed but as the great Anthony Bourdain said "one cannot subsist upon foie gras alone". Everyone needs a little fast food and if you want something nice a light if you are possibly coming from a book or series that is deep/emotionally draining I think this could be a nice little pallet cleanser!
Kidding aside this was good but not great. Unlike my review of "The Devils" I just don't have a ton to say about this one. I was done before I even realized it (about 4 days of my normal reading cycle) which is certainly not a bad thing. I became aware of this book thanks to ad integration on facebook saying this was "Michael Chriton meets Indiana Jones" or something like that. With all due respect to Mr. Michael Chriton, of whom I have read almost everything he has published, this aint that.
There is some science in this science fiction. There is certainly some interesting historical stuff, you get decent explanations on how all the sci-fi stuff works and whatnot. A science guy doing a science thing does not save the day here however (which is Michael Chriton's M.O.). The book takes no time to get going establishing the stakes of both our primary point of view characters and their relation to the objective at hand. This is kind of where my protestations start. Our heroes need to use the map to bring the key to activate the artifact. Have we all seen this movie before? I certainly have. I am perhaps being extra harsh having just completed recently the "Prelude to Foundation" which was full of sociological commentaries and the hero trying to save the galaxy with math. Here we are trying to save the galaxy by getting to the McGuffin and blowing shit up.
Our heroes, Peter Chang and Carpenter Lowell, are a pretty thinly veiled buddy cop duo. Peter is the scientist who has never spent a day of his life in the shit and Lowell is a marine who exemplifies all the stereotypes therein. I will say the interplay between the two is fun. As I mentioned it reads as very buddy cop coded to me. Two guys who have almost nothing in common forced to work together against a common enemy. That part of it was honestly fun. Our nemesis is the Snidely Whiplash esque, mustache twirling, Lt. Larry Munroe. I know it is hard to write villains with any characteristics other than "evil" but this is about as far as it gets with Munroe. Was I pleased with how things ended for him, most definitely yes, but as with many stories that have the "white hat black hat" dichotomy you don't get much to chew on with any of the characters here.
Now I have been pretty harsh but I want to end this thing saying; I enjoyed it. It was an easy breezy read, had some good action, had some fun sci-fi tidbits (shocked with all the sci-fi I have read this is the first book that heavily features Enceladus), a ticking clock which is always fun, and a few good laughs in the previously mentioned buddy cop dynamic of our two main characters. I fully plan to read the next two books in the series as this one ends on a very direct (almost network tv style) cliffhanger that I would like to see the conclusion of. Coming from Asimov (and my next will be another Asimov) it was like I ate a meal crafted by a Michelin star chef whereas this is more like eating McDonalds. Now you may think that criticism overly harsh for a book I generally enjoyed but as the great Anthony Bourdain said "one cannot subsist upon foie gras alone". Everyone needs a little fast food and if you want something nice a light if you are possibly coming from a book or series that is deep/emotionally draining I think this could be a nice little pallet cleanser!
March 16, 2022
Determined soldier and geeky archeologist get paired off investigating a moon of Saturn - 5 stars
Spanning centuries, this tale starts in Mesopotamia 4000 years ago, sifts through rubble in the Middle East in the 21st century, and winds up on a not-so-dead moon that is orbiting Saturn.
The blending of an archeological dig into a space adventure is top-notch. There are people who want to rule the world and try to "pull strings" to control the world's leading powers. There is no surprise, that there will be some burned fingers.
The notion that an ancient artifact is the basis of this exciting adventure is captivating. Because one nerdy doctorial candidate who can read the glyphs and characters, his skill makes him a necessary part of a high-cost, high-stakes effort to locate and own an ultimate weapon.
Technology has progressed so that ships and clothing can protect their occupants from both the vacuum of space and the pressure of extremely deep water. Some beings have been there before - now is the time to read their maps and gain their technology.
Political half-truths and breakthrough technology add to the surprises along the way. You will be treated to ships that can navigate deep oceans, shoot weapons and try to avoid hungry prehistoric animals. Alliances form and fail as battlefield supremacy changes.
Life is cheap for the military leaders who are committed to beating out all other comers in order to own a powerful weapon.
Spanning centuries, this tale starts in Mesopotamia 4000 years ago, sifts through rubble in the Middle East in the 21st century, and winds up on a not-so-dead moon that is orbiting Saturn.
The blending of an archeological dig into a space adventure is top-notch. There are people who want to rule the world and try to "pull strings" to control the world's leading powers. There is no surprise, that there will be some burned fingers.
The notion that an ancient artifact is the basis of this exciting adventure is captivating. Because one nerdy doctorial candidate who can read the glyphs and characters, his skill makes him a necessary part of a high-cost, high-stakes effort to locate and own an ultimate weapon.
Technology has progressed so that ships and clothing can protect their occupants from both the vacuum of space and the pressure of extremely deep water. Some beings have been there before - now is the time to read their maps and gain their technology.
Political half-truths and breakthrough technology add to the surprises along the way. You will be treated to ships that can navigate deep oceans, shoot weapons and try to avoid hungry prehistoric animals. Alliances form and fail as battlefield supremacy changes.
Life is cheap for the military leaders who are committed to beating out all other comers in order to own a powerful weapon.
May 12, 2022
Like This (Caution: Contains a spoiler)
Carpenter Lowell is a straight arrow in the US Space Corps (Marine (?) originally stationed on Mars go protect an archeology site and its researchers. When the archeologists are killer by a member of his own company, Lowell is court martialled, demoted and sent to veritable exile on Saturn's moon, Enceladas.
Peter Chang is a grad student working on an archeology dig in the Iraqi desert where be discovers an alien tablet which be happens to be able to translate. As a result of his discovery, Peter's fellow students are killed; he is kidnapped and hustled off to Enceladas where the story gets really good.
At times, Lowell and Chang make up an almost comical duo as they head into dangers that take them under the surface of the moon's icy surface and into outer space. Lowell it a cranky cynic burned by his betrayal on Mars. Peter is the wide eyed optimist who is seeing his alien conspiracy theories spring to life.
The book is a real screen flipper (for those reading on Kindle). The use of description and dialogue are great. The characters are engaging. The epilogue is surprising and a promise of more adventures to come.
Carpenter Lowell is a straight arrow in the US Space Corps (Marine (?) originally stationed on Mars go protect an archeology site and its researchers. When the archeologists are killer by a member of his own company, Lowell is court martialled, demoted and sent to veritable exile on Saturn's moon, Enceladas.
Peter Chang is a grad student working on an archeology dig in the Iraqi desert where be discovers an alien tablet which be happens to be able to translate. As a result of his discovery, Peter's fellow students are killed; he is kidnapped and hustled off to Enceladas where the story gets really good.
At times, Lowell and Chang make up an almost comical duo as they head into dangers that take them under the surface of the moon's icy surface and into outer space. Lowell it a cranky cynic burned by his betrayal on Mars. Peter is the wide eyed optimist who is seeing his alien conspiracy theories spring to life.
The book is a real screen flipper (for those reading on Kindle). The use of description and dialogue are great. The characters are engaging. The epilogue is surprising and a promise of more adventures to come.
December 9, 2025
I can't say a single good thing about this book.
If a character can be summed up in a single word as a job stereotype, I think you've done a really bad job writing the character.
If nothing actually happens in the story except "an object moves from Place A to Place B to Place C" and nothing else actually happens...that is a bad story.
If the worldbuilding can be summarized as "mysterious fish", you have incredibly bad world building. (The intro chapter is literally the most world building that happens in the story, and is never explored again).
The prose is basic, bland, banal.
The antagonists can be fully described as "evil ambiguous", in which they have no defining traits other than being evil, and mysterious.
The geopolitics of the future are comical and even make a slight pass at being racist caricatures.
Finally, the science parts of this fictional story are abysmally dogshit, and are so poorly worked into the story that I cant imagine the author actually enjoyed writing in the genre.
The most fun I had with this novel was writing a review about it.
If a character can be summed up in a single word as a job stereotype, I think you've done a really bad job writing the character.
If nothing actually happens in the story except "an object moves from Place A to Place B to Place C" and nothing else actually happens...that is a bad story.
If the worldbuilding can be summarized as "mysterious fish", you have incredibly bad world building. (The intro chapter is literally the most world building that happens in the story, and is never explored again).
The prose is basic, bland, banal.
The antagonists can be fully described as "evil ambiguous", in which they have no defining traits other than being evil, and mysterious.
The geopolitics of the future are comical and even make a slight pass at being racist caricatures.
Finally, the science parts of this fictional story are abysmally dogshit, and are so poorly worked into the story that I cant imagine the author actually enjoyed writing in the genre.
The most fun I had with this novel was writing a review about it.
January 4, 2025
The story had an interesting plot. I want to know more about the mcguffin and the lore of the world. However, the flaws in the rest of the writing were so bad as to take me completely out of the story. It's one thing to have suspension of disbelief, that's how stories work, but at no point was the suspension the author wants even coherent.
It's not that the author chose to ignore certain aspects of physics, chemistry, biology and logic to make the story work, it's that he doesn't understand them enough to make the decision to ignore them.
Also, I don't think he's ever spoken to a single person in the military, since he seems to view soldiers the same way a child might. The way he characterized them and had them act was so odd and inconsistent it broke my immersion even further.
I kept feeling like I'd missed a page because the action or setting would change abruptly, or dialog would seen out of order. However, I never did miss a page; the book just missed an editor.
It's not that the author chose to ignore certain aspects of physics, chemistry, biology and logic to make the story work, it's that he doesn't understand them enough to make the decision to ignore them.
Also, I don't think he's ever spoken to a single person in the military, since he seems to view soldiers the same way a child might. The way he characterized them and had them act was so odd and inconsistent it broke my immersion even further.
I kept feeling like I'd missed a page because the action or setting would change abruptly, or dialog would seen out of order. However, I never did miss a page; the book just missed an editor.
July 18, 2025
The action/adventure was reasonably good. The locations where interesting and were integrated into the story reasonably well. I even liked the Jeff-Goldblum-Will-Smith-Independence-Day-Like relationship between two of the characters. However, the science was so bad as to be distracting. Not only were basic astronomical terms used incorrectly, but even basic physic didn't seem to behave as it does in our universe. That would not be so bad if the author didn't constantly try to use the physical situations the characters found themselves in as a basis for the story's suspense/peril.
Mr. James should have had a high-school physical nerd read his book first and use Google to fact-check some things. I'm confident that the story could have been reworked without losing any of the action.
I'm actually pretty curious as to where this series is going. But, I cannot bring myself to press "buy" on the second volume.
Mr. James should have had a high-school physical nerd read his book first and use Google to fact-check some things. I'm confident that the story could have been reworked without losing any of the action.
I'm actually pretty curious as to where this series is going. But, I cannot bring myself to press "buy" on the second volume.
March 31, 2022
This is a fast-paced introduction to a promising new series originating with an archeological discovery of an ancient alien artifact on Earth that points to, and appears to activate, a mysterious object discovered in the ocean on Saturn’s moon, Enceladus. Thinking that the object is a powerful new weapon, military forces from several competing Earth nations square off in a brutal battle to claim it. Mr. James is a master at combining an interesting story with twists and turns, strong characters and mounting suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats, not wanting to put the book down to see what happens next. I’ve read and reviewed almost fifty of his books; I enjoy his story-telling. I received an ARC – this review is my honest opinion – and I purchased a copy to support this great author. I’m looking forward to reading every book he writes.
November 13, 2022
This is such an interesting story!
Full of intrigue, mystery, and military wiles, this story draws you in straight from the start! It is a contest of sorts, between two strong minded, determined men, and an archaeologist on one of Saturn's moons. An artefact is discovered, which triggures a whole series of unpleasant events. Some of which are fatal.
This story involves many players, and many nations. And to complicate matters, two of the characters are seriously at loggerheads with each other to the nth degree. What starts with an innocent discovery, builds into a world wide issue of monumental proportions.
I got a real kick out of this story and I'm definitely going to get the next book. This is too good a story to just walk away from.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Full of intrigue, mystery, and military wiles, this story draws you in straight from the start! It is a contest of sorts, between two strong minded, determined men, and an archaeologist on one of Saturn's moons. An artefact is discovered, which triggures a whole series of unpleasant events. Some of which are fatal.
This story involves many players, and many nations. And to complicate matters, two of the characters are seriously at loggerheads with each other to the nth degree. What starts with an innocent discovery, builds into a world wide issue of monumental proportions.
I got a real kick out of this story and I'm definitely going to get the next book. This is too good a story to just walk away from.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
January 24, 2024
If you are a hard science sci fy fan, you will probably be distracted by and even annoyed with the problematic science in this book. The laws of physics, propulsion, underwater pressure and biology are played fast and loose to support the plot and the action in the story. That being said, the story is compelling and the characters are quite engaging so that the reader is swept up in the events. Suspend your disbelief and this is a fun, fast-paced novel. The author has created two leading characters, Lowell and Peter, who are an "odd" couple to say the least. The chemistry works because Lowell, a soldier, has just enough moments of self-doubt and fear to prevent him from being a sociopath while Peter, the science nerd, finds courage in desperate situations to step up when necessary. Don't worry about the science, just go with the action and this is a very entertaining story.
May 19, 2024
Audiobook: I was entertained by book one of the "Saturn's Legacy" series. This was one of those stories that gripped my attention from the very beginning until the end. It was difficult for me to shut off the audiobook to go to sleep, and I couldn't wait to get it started again, once I had some free time. There was plenty of action. The political machinations kept my interest. The characters, Carpenter Lowell and the young archeologist Peter Chang, were fun. I liked their character arcs and their interactions as the story progressed. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Paul Heitsch's narration was extraordinary, and his performance added to my enjoyment of the story. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review which included my opinions.
March 20, 2022
Buried deep in the sands of the ancient Sumerian city Ur-An and artifact was found
Cuneiform writing on the artifact pointed to the frozen seas of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The find was made by archaeology graduate student Peter Chang. The last place he expected to be his next search was under the ice covering the saltwater ocean of Enceladus, but there he was and the adventure was begun. Great characters, an amazing storyline and a master storyteller make this a great read! This is the first work I've read from this author, but you can bet I'll be checking into his other works!
Cuneiform writing on the artifact pointed to the frozen seas of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The find was made by archaeology graduate student Peter Chang. The last place he expected to be his next search was under the ice covering the saltwater ocean of Enceladus, but there he was and the adventure was begun. Great characters, an amazing storyline and a master storyteller make this a great read! This is the first work I've read from this author, but you can bet I'll be checking into his other works!
March 25, 2022
This is an absorbing adventure. If you root for underdogs, and for those who do the right thing, no matter what, you’ll love these guys! Lowell is a disgraced lieutenant in the Space Corps - disgraced because 4 years ago he reported his superior, Munroe, for killing civilians during an op on Mars. And Peter Chang is a linguist, specializing in dead languages, who gets swept into space by Munroe, to decode an ancient map. Lowell and Monroe’s animosity is entwined with the search for - and control of - the greatest weapon in the universe. Note that there are numerous instances of swearing - apparently to fit in with the idea of hard-boiled soldiers. Without that, this would have received a 5* rating. I received a free copy of this book, with no obligation.
March 29, 2022
This is book 1 of Saturn’s Legacy series. It’s taken me a while since finishing this book to write a review. For me at least this book needed time to digest the combination of action and archaeology is not new but Artifact is like a roller coaster. The characters have depths that allow it’s readers to connect with the storyline in a completely alien environment with ease. There is a lot going on in this book but the author delivers it in a coherent manner. I recommend this book without reservations. Besides any sci-fi novel that contains a reference to any Sharknado movies gets extra points!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 17, 2024
Trilogies are always iffy. Originally a 4, this first in the series had to be knocked down to a 2 after reading the second book. I won't bother finishing the trilogy. This had an intriguing premise. An alien artifact found on Enceladus. Sure, the characters lack depth, more than one are caricatures, the science is atrocious and the world building is poor, but you want to see where it will go because of the premise. An enjoyable, easy read, but it is part of a story that just continues downhill. Like many trilogies, the first book does not have an ending on its own and neither does the second. I wouldn't invest my time starting the series.
February 12, 2025
An ancient and dangerous alien artifact has been discovered. Disgraced Space Core member Carpenter Lowell finds himself partnered with a kidnapped doctoral candidate as he tries to thwart the commander who betrayed him years ago and prevent him from getting control of what might be a dangerous and ancient weapon.
The story had a strong start reminiscent of the James Rollins books I like. Many characters and settings coming together for a shared experience. However it comes apart a little bit in the middle and develops into a political tale that isn’t my speed. If you’re just looking for a sci-fi thrill with military themes, you might like it.
The story had a strong start reminiscent of the James Rollins books I like. Many characters and settings coming together for a shared experience. However it comes apart a little bit in the middle and develops into a political tale that isn’t my speed. If you’re just looking for a sci-fi thrill with military themes, you might like it.
March 10, 2025
When authors create stories that require characters to be uncharacteristically stupid, then they have made a serious error. It isn't that people don't do stupid things, but rather people who are chosen to explore off-planet are not the kind of people who are prone to certain kinds of carelessness and stupidity, and key parts of the author's story line start to unravel because they feel completely implausible. Add in the fact that none of the characters were portrayed in a way that made me either identify with them or feel sympathy for them, and the net result is a complete lack of interest in what the author had to say.
TLDR: blech.
TLDR: blech.
March 10, 2022
2 men stand in the way of Earth's power of gaining control of an alien weapon. Lowell, a disgraced marine and Peter Chang , a post graduate of ancient languages . Both are on the Saturn moon, Enceladus. Peter has the key cube to release the weapon as well as a map to the location of the Artifact. The only problem is that all the major countries have ships approaching to include the former commander from Lowell, and all want the 2 individuals dead. Action and humor abound in this story and well worth reading.
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