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Wings of Earth #1
Echoes of Starlight
One hundred thousand colonists can’t disappear.
No bodies. No evidence of an attack. Just gone.
On what should have been a routine cargo run to the far edge of the Coalition, Captain Ethan Walker is carrying a payload of medical technology and two passengers returning home to Starlight Colony. When they arrive, they discover that everyone on the planet is missing.
The company he works for wants him to leave immediately, but he’s obligated to report to FleetCom that the entire population has vanished. Captain MacKenna of the Magellan, tells him stay put until they can arrive to begin an official investigation.
Caught between his legal responsibilities and the need to know what happened, Walker has to resist increasing pressure to defy orders. Unfortunately, his passengers make a decision that forces him into doing the one thing he can’t do.
Captain Walker must risk his ship and crew to return to the surface even though it may ultimately cost him everything.
Get the exciting opening book to the new Wings of Earth series.
No bodies. No evidence of an attack. Just gone.
On what should have been a routine cargo run to the far edge of the Coalition, Captain Ethan Walker is carrying a payload of medical technology and two passengers returning home to Starlight Colony. When they arrive, they discover that everyone on the planet is missing.
The company he works for wants him to leave immediately, but he’s obligated to report to FleetCom that the entire population has vanished. Captain MacKenna of the Magellan, tells him stay put until they can arrive to begin an official investigation.
Caught between his legal responsibilities and the need to know what happened, Walker has to resist increasing pressure to defy orders. Unfortunately, his passengers make a decision that forces him into doing the one thing he can’t do.
Captain Walker must risk his ship and crew to return to the surface even though it may ultimately cost him everything.
Get the exciting opening book to the new Wings of Earth series.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2019
About the author
Eric Michael Craig
28 books122 followersEric Michael Craig is a "harder-edged" Science Fiction writer living in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico. He is the former Director of Research for a private consulting laboratory in Phoenix, where he experimented with inertial propulsion and power generation technologies.
Eric is a founding member of the SciFi Roundtable. The SFRT is an active online group dedicated to supporting indie and traditional authors by networking them with other writers and professional resources.
When not writing, Eric is active in Intentional Community Design, plays guitar and bass, occasionally dabbles in art of various forms. He also owns way too many dogs.
Eric is a founding member of the SciFi Roundtable. The SFRT is an active online group dedicated to supporting indie and traditional authors by networking them with other writers and professional resources.
When not writing, Eric is active in Intentional Community Design, plays guitar and bass, occasionally dabbles in art of various forms. He also owns way too many dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 24, 2020
A Fresh, New Classic Space Opera Takes Off!
Ethan Walker is the captain of a freighter carrying a bunch of tech to a colony. He has a friendly crew, people like his co-pilot Nuko Takata and the AI Marti, who he knows well. But not all on board the Olympus Dawn are as amenable. Ethan has to deal with two difficult passengers and Leigh Salazar, the Cargo Compliance Controller who is not a member of the crew but there to supervise the cargo for the shipping company and ensure it arrives intact. When they reach Starlight colony and find no one replying to their communication, Ethan goes down to find out why and finds himself at the centre of a major incident.
What I Particularly Enjoyed.
The atmosphere. This book has a really great space opera feel. It's there with shades of Star Trek and Farscape, but firmly rooted in a harder sci-fi tradition. Shipboard life and relationships are very well described.
The worldbuilding. It is very easy to slip into this world and pick up on the setting. The tech-base is well explained and when it has to pass beyond that we have 'alien tech' as the explanation.
The AI. I am not a big fan of AIs as characters as I seldom find them convincingly portrayed, but the author really sold me on Marti. I loved the idea of an AI being paid like any other crew member and using their pay to buy robot bodies of various kinds and upgrades for them.
The writing style. Smooth and flowing. I was never bounced out of immersion by a poorly chosen word or a clumsy construction.
What I Kind of Struggled With.
Leigh Salazar. The sole role of this character seemed to be for setting up conflict. Most of the time I could buy it, but as the story went she seemed to lose all sense of proportion.
The job threat. That Ethan could lose his job was, I felt, over repeated and overplayed. I couldn't see how it really counted for anything set against the far more crushingly existential issues faced by himself and the crew.
Overall thoughts.
I loved this book, the setting the characters and the sense of something huge coming down the line. It is five-star classic space opera and those who love all that should pick this up right away.
Ethan Walker is the captain of a freighter carrying a bunch of tech to a colony. He has a friendly crew, people like his co-pilot Nuko Takata and the AI Marti, who he knows well. But not all on board the Olympus Dawn are as amenable. Ethan has to deal with two difficult passengers and Leigh Salazar, the Cargo Compliance Controller who is not a member of the crew but there to supervise the cargo for the shipping company and ensure it arrives intact. When they reach Starlight colony and find no one replying to their communication, Ethan goes down to find out why and finds himself at the centre of a major incident.
What I Particularly Enjoyed.
The atmosphere. This book has a really great space opera feel. It's there with shades of Star Trek and Farscape, but firmly rooted in a harder sci-fi tradition. Shipboard life and relationships are very well described.
The worldbuilding. It is very easy to slip into this world and pick up on the setting. The tech-base is well explained and when it has to pass beyond that we have 'alien tech' as the explanation.
The AI. I am not a big fan of AIs as characters as I seldom find them convincingly portrayed, but the author really sold me on Marti. I loved the idea of an AI being paid like any other crew member and using their pay to buy robot bodies of various kinds and upgrades for them.
The writing style. Smooth and flowing. I was never bounced out of immersion by a poorly chosen word or a clumsy construction.
What I Kind of Struggled With.
Leigh Salazar. The sole role of this character seemed to be for setting up conflict. Most of the time I could buy it, but as the story went she seemed to lose all sense of proportion.
The job threat. That Ethan could lose his job was, I felt, over repeated and overplayed. I couldn't see how it really counted for anything set against the far more crushingly existential issues faced by himself and the crew.
Overall thoughts.
I loved this book, the setting the characters and the sense of something huge coming down the line. It is five-star classic space opera and those who love all that should pick this up right away.
April 3, 2019
Echoes of Starlight is the first book in a new series by Eric Michael Craig. The Wings of Earth series is set in the same universe as the Shan Takhu Legacy series, but is set about a hundred years after the events of that series. Captain Ethan Walker is the captain and lease holder on the Olympus Dawn, an ordinary cargo freighter. He is a man trying to do a simple job – deliver his cargo of material and passengers to Starlight, a planet in the Kepler 186 system. But things quickly go sideways for Captain Walker and his crew as the navigation beacon for the Starlight colony is offline. When they arrive at the planet they cannot reach anybody on the colony and find no signs of life. Captain Walker must make some critical decisions as he and his crew struggle not only with the mystery of a missing colony, but also the strict rules for handling cargo. As Walker is forced into making decisions that violate his contract, he risks ending his career to find out what has happened on Starlight.
Echoes of Starlight really should have been subtitled “Captain Walker and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Delivery”. From the beginning Walker is put into a very tenuous position as the captain of a cargo vessel. His responsibility is to his crew and cargo – especially the cargo, as his Cargo Compliance Controller (Triple C) Leigh Salazar constantly reminds him. In fact, the Triple C has the power to remove Walker from his position as Captain if he violates company policy. So as the simple mission of delivering the cargo and passengers goes awry Walker’s life, and his career, quickly spiral out of control. I really loved this story for the contradictions it presents. Walker’s mission is simple – on the surface not anything to write home about – but it quickly becomes very complex with lives and careers on the line and how he handles everything really defines his character. You get to know him and the reasons for his decisions (right or wrong) and this makes Walker become a character you care about and root for. I could easily relate to his situation, and I would have struggled with the choices he had to make, and that makes for a compelling story. Per usual with Eric’s stories there is no “bad guy” and nobody is doing anything out of malice or for “evil” purposes. It is just people doing their jobs as they best feel they can do them; how they react when the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the rules no longer apply defines their character and makes for an exciting, character-driven story.
I highly recommend Echoes of Starlight. While there is almost no action (no thrilling space combat or alien encounters) Captain Walker’s story, and the events that play out in the book, make for great reading and stand up to the best science fiction out there. Eric Michael Craig has delivered an outstanding character-driven story that pulls you in and makes you care about what happens when ordinary people are forced into extraordinary situations.
Echoes of Starlight really should have been subtitled “Captain Walker and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Delivery”. From the beginning Walker is put into a very tenuous position as the captain of a cargo vessel. His responsibility is to his crew and cargo – especially the cargo, as his Cargo Compliance Controller (Triple C) Leigh Salazar constantly reminds him. In fact, the Triple C has the power to remove Walker from his position as Captain if he violates company policy. So as the simple mission of delivering the cargo and passengers goes awry Walker’s life, and his career, quickly spiral out of control. I really loved this story for the contradictions it presents. Walker’s mission is simple – on the surface not anything to write home about – but it quickly becomes very complex with lives and careers on the line and how he handles everything really defines his character. You get to know him and the reasons for his decisions (right or wrong) and this makes Walker become a character you care about and root for. I could easily relate to his situation, and I would have struggled with the choices he had to make, and that makes for a compelling story. Per usual with Eric’s stories there is no “bad guy” and nobody is doing anything out of malice or for “evil” purposes. It is just people doing their jobs as they best feel they can do them; how they react when the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the rules no longer apply defines their character and makes for an exciting, character-driven story.
I highly recommend Echoes of Starlight. While there is almost no action (no thrilling space combat or alien encounters) Captain Walker’s story, and the events that play out in the book, make for great reading and stand up to the best science fiction out there. Eric Michael Craig has delivered an outstanding character-driven story that pulls you in and makes you care about what happens when ordinary people are forced into extraordinary situations.
May 7, 2020
Eric Michael Craig is a hard sci-fi author who caught my attention with his Atlas and the Winds and Shan Takhu Legacy series, both of which are gems in the genre. Therefore, I knew what to expect going into the Wings of Earth series, and yet Craig still managed to surprise me.
His previous books focused on deep conceptual dives, from the political chaos of a planet-killing asteroid to the humanity-defining event of discovering alien technology. They have all been compelling reads that feature Craig’s signature weight and tone. In addition, the science is always sound and the wit is always sharp.
This portrait also applies to Echoes of Starlight, but with one major twist. In lieu of a major ensemble cast interacting through a complex dance, this story focuses on the decisions of a single character. Given the author’s penchant for weaving intricate narratives, one would think that this approach would lock his creative gears. Far from it. While reading this book, I got the distinct impression that Craig was having fun.
Ethan Walker is the captain of the Olympus Dawn, a cargo freighter on its way to deliver medical supplies to the Starlight colony planet. When he arrives at the system, all coms have been lost and he needs to figure out why. One ill-advised decision after another leads him and his crew to the planet surface, a hostile environment that would love nothing more than to melt the flesh from their bones.
Walker is not a reckless character, mind you. His decisions are informed by a do-good attitude, which earns him plenty of cred with the reader. It just so happens that his judgments cascade into very bad situation. Before long, a mysterious illness adds to the stress of a cryptic cargo, which adds to the stress of restless passengers, which adds to the stress of a hard-line boss, which adds to the stress of having no idea what the hell is going on with the colony. He gets pushed to the mental brink, and we feel every inch of his pain.
And then a shuttle disappears, which tosses the proverbial **** into the fan. (Anything from here would be spoiler territory, so I’ll leave it at that.)
Unlike Craig’s previous works, this is a centralized story about personal choices. There are no epic space battles or clashing armies. Craig throws the reader into the cockpit of a modest freighter and lets the main characters reveal themselves through the consequences of their actions. They don’t start wars, but they do annoy superiors and put their jobs in jeopardy. You know, regular folk stuff (in space).
Echoes of Starlight is a really fun read and a great launching point into the Wings of Earth series (which shares a tie-in to the Shan Takhu Legacy). The tale continues with Dust of the Deep, which I will happily dive into next. I highly recommend this book and strongly suspect that Craig has another gripping saga on his hands.
His previous books focused on deep conceptual dives, from the political chaos of a planet-killing asteroid to the humanity-defining event of discovering alien technology. They have all been compelling reads that feature Craig’s signature weight and tone. In addition, the science is always sound and the wit is always sharp.
This portrait also applies to Echoes of Starlight, but with one major twist. In lieu of a major ensemble cast interacting through a complex dance, this story focuses on the decisions of a single character. Given the author’s penchant for weaving intricate narratives, one would think that this approach would lock his creative gears. Far from it. While reading this book, I got the distinct impression that Craig was having fun.
Ethan Walker is the captain of the Olympus Dawn, a cargo freighter on its way to deliver medical supplies to the Starlight colony planet. When he arrives at the system, all coms have been lost and he needs to figure out why. One ill-advised decision after another leads him and his crew to the planet surface, a hostile environment that would love nothing more than to melt the flesh from their bones.
Walker is not a reckless character, mind you. His decisions are informed by a do-good attitude, which earns him plenty of cred with the reader. It just so happens that his judgments cascade into very bad situation. Before long, a mysterious illness adds to the stress of a cryptic cargo, which adds to the stress of restless passengers, which adds to the stress of a hard-line boss, which adds to the stress of having no idea what the hell is going on with the colony. He gets pushed to the mental brink, and we feel every inch of his pain.
And then a shuttle disappears, which tosses the proverbial **** into the fan. (Anything from here would be spoiler territory, so I’ll leave it at that.)
Unlike Craig’s previous works, this is a centralized story about personal choices. There are no epic space battles or clashing armies. Craig throws the reader into the cockpit of a modest freighter and lets the main characters reveal themselves through the consequences of their actions. They don’t start wars, but they do annoy superiors and put their jobs in jeopardy. You know, regular folk stuff (in space).
Echoes of Starlight is a really fun read and a great launching point into the Wings of Earth series (which shares a tie-in to the Shan Takhu Legacy). The tale continues with Dust of the Deep, which I will happily dive into next. I highly recommend this book and strongly suspect that Craig has another gripping saga on his hands.
February 25, 2020
Full disclosure, this book is not at all my usual fare and I approached it with some trepidation. But as it turned out I need not have worried. Although ‘hard’ science fiction is a foreign country to me Eric Michael Craig has an easy writing style, and his avoidance of jargon makes this story accessible and readable even for a Luddite.
We are presented with a cargo freighter on its way to make a routine delivery - that turns out to be far from routine. Where have a hundred thousand people gone? Captain Ethan Walker finds himself in the middle of a perfect sh**storm.
As an exploration of what an ordinary man does in an extraordinary situation the book works well, although, for me, it is less convincing in its handling of relationships.
A resounding four stars and a safe recommendation.
We are presented with a cargo freighter on its way to make a routine delivery - that turns out to be far from routine. Where have a hundred thousand people gone? Captain Ethan Walker finds himself in the middle of a perfect sh**storm.
As an exploration of what an ordinary man does in an extraordinary situation the book works well, although, for me, it is less convincing in its handling of relationships.
A resounding four stars and a safe recommendation.
April 20, 2019
Short but worth the read
This is a continuation of the Shan Takhu Legacy and is just as good but it is short. I was excited getting to see how the solar system changed after that first series. It's different yet not so different that it's unrecognizable which makes it seem like the likely successor society.
The main character isn't a nice guy and is not exactly a thinker but that is the kind of captain that the system seems to like. When he follows directions he's competent enough but too close to the profit edge to think before acting. He's self-indulgent and while that may not be attractive, it felt real.
The first person focus lends some 3D-ness to the all the other characters. The story probably does It's best work as a bridge book between the first series and the post-discovery solar system. It's seems a nice introduction to the problems caused by hasty attempts to recreate poor!y understood alien tech. I'm guessing a lot but it would explain a lot of the intrigue and mystery that is the basis for the story.
The doctor is understandable and entitled. She's not a nice person but she fits into this world and story role perfectly. The rest of the cast should work well in this series. The payoff of this book will be as the set up for the rest of the series. By itself, it's not bad but as a bridge piece It's a very good read.
The writing is nice, the characters are carefully introduced and I'm ready to read the next volume.
This is a continuation of the Shan Takhu Legacy and is just as good but it is short. I was excited getting to see how the solar system changed after that first series. It's different yet not so different that it's unrecognizable which makes it seem like the likely successor society.
The main character isn't a nice guy and is not exactly a thinker but that is the kind of captain that the system seems to like. When he follows directions he's competent enough but too close to the profit edge to think before acting. He's self-indulgent and while that may not be attractive, it felt real.
The first person focus lends some 3D-ness to the all the other characters. The story probably does It's best work as a bridge book between the first series and the post-discovery solar system. It's seems a nice introduction to the problems caused by hasty attempts to recreate poor!y understood alien tech. I'm guessing a lot but it would explain a lot of the intrigue and mystery that is the basis for the story.
The doctor is understandable and entitled. She's not a nice person but she fits into this world and story role perfectly. The rest of the cast should work well in this series. The payoff of this book will be as the set up for the rest of the series. By itself, it's not bad but as a bridge piece It's a very good read.
The writing is nice, the characters are carefully introduced and I'm ready to read the next volume.
March 20, 2019
Too short!
The character development is excellent! The story line, action sequences, etc., also masterly done. The only issue I have is the length of the story. The amount paid should, in my humble opinion, be equivalent to an 8+ hour read not a 3.5 hour read.
It's like going to a restaurant, ordering a meal, the service and the food is fantastic, a little expensive but delicious, then going home still hungry.
I think it's safe to say, I want more! 🙂
The character development is excellent! The story line, action sequences, etc., also masterly done. The only issue I have is the length of the story. The amount paid should, in my humble opinion, be equivalent to an 8+ hour read not a 3.5 hour read.
It's like going to a restaurant, ordering a meal, the service and the food is fantastic, a little expensive but delicious, then going home still hungry.
I think it's safe to say, I want more! 🙂
May 25, 2026
Started out promising, a tantalizing mystery, never solved of course, so there can be a sequel....And, one of my pet peeves: I had a hard time trying to keep the names straight, as a character's first name would be used on one page, then called by the last name on the next page, and on and on and on.
February 22, 2021
Echoes of Starlight is the first installment of a rather extensive series surrounding the adventures of Captain Ethan Walker. By the very nature of being the first book in the series, Echoes of Starlight must do much of the setup for the plot for future stories. It makes it a slightly slower story than one would expect but with good reason.
The feature that interested me the most was the advertisement that it was a “hard” science fiction story. I didn’t find that it lived up to that claim as much as it could have. It did try to address some of the specific features of space, although I thought that it also avoided many of them. Case in point, Starlight seems to be a small planet with a breathable atmosphere, and it does address the variance in temperature, but doesn’t address how or why there could be any sort of habitable climate on this outpost. It also doesn’t touch on the probable variance of gravity on the world. I see this as incomplete worldbuilding.
The protagonist, Captain Ethan Walker, is placed in a no-win situation by the circumstances of the story. He is caught between humanitarian mystery and corporate policy, and he must make some hard choices. I think the premise works well, but it does get a little bogged down in legal banter as he struggles to find justification within the corporate policies. I thought the story did a nice job of showing how torn he is between duty and conscience.
I do have a bone to pick with the remainder of the characters. Sometimes the are address by last name, sometimes first, and it makes it difficult to keep tabs on who is doing what at any given time. I think that it takes away from the flow of the story. It would have been much better to call them by one name consistently. This happens in a couple cases, with the AI and the pilot, and makes them consistent characters.
The story has an interesting dynamic because the action sequences tend to fall in the middle of the story with a longer buildup and cooldown. I don’t think this is a bad thing because there is much at the end of the story that is used to setup the series.
Overall, I found it a compelling story that kept me reading. I found a couple of areas where it didn’t go into detail as much as I would have liked, for example the way the AI was bypassed by one of the passengers. Also, I didn’t get a complete set of what the world was all about in general. Attention to these details probably would have made it a much longer story, so they may have been cut for length concerns. The story does have a convenient ending that does make me want to follow the story for at least one more installment. While it answers some questions, there are many more that would be interesting to follow up on. I give it an in-between three of five stars on Goodreads.
The feature that interested me the most was the advertisement that it was a “hard” science fiction story. I didn’t find that it lived up to that claim as much as it could have. It did try to address some of the specific features of space, although I thought that it also avoided many of them. Case in point, Starlight seems to be a small planet with a breathable atmosphere, and it does address the variance in temperature, but doesn’t address how or why there could be any sort of habitable climate on this outpost. It also doesn’t touch on the probable variance of gravity on the world. I see this as incomplete worldbuilding.
The protagonist, Captain Ethan Walker, is placed in a no-win situation by the circumstances of the story. He is caught between humanitarian mystery and corporate policy, and he must make some hard choices. I think the premise works well, but it does get a little bogged down in legal banter as he struggles to find justification within the corporate policies. I thought the story did a nice job of showing how torn he is between duty and conscience.
I do have a bone to pick with the remainder of the characters. Sometimes the are address by last name, sometimes first, and it makes it difficult to keep tabs on who is doing what at any given time. I think that it takes away from the flow of the story. It would have been much better to call them by one name consistently. This happens in a couple cases, with the AI and the pilot, and makes them consistent characters.
The story has an interesting dynamic because the action sequences tend to fall in the middle of the story with a longer buildup and cooldown. I don’t think this is a bad thing because there is much at the end of the story that is used to setup the series.
Overall, I found it a compelling story that kept me reading. I found a couple of areas where it didn’t go into detail as much as I would have liked, for example the way the AI was bypassed by one of the passengers. Also, I didn’t get a complete set of what the world was all about in general. Attention to these details probably would have made it a much longer story, so they may have been cut for length concerns. The story does have a convenient ending that does make me want to follow the story for at least one more installment. While it answers some questions, there are many more that would be interesting to follow up on. I give it an in-between three of five stars on Goodreads.
August 21, 2022
Law lives off of the art of circular logic
“To be a good hero you need to know when to do the right thing, even if it is hard.” Captain Ethan Walker, quoting Angelique Wolfe, cargo handler of the Olympus Dawn, while speaking to Miguel – one of the 13 survivors (all children) of the one hundred thousand colonists who vanished from the planet Starlight.
I purchased the five-book “box set” of Season One of Wings of Earth. And I admit that I am writing this after having read the first three in that collection.
There is a Foreword by Geoff Habiger – Author and Publisher – who I had never heard of previously, but who provides an excellent context to the vision of Michael Eric Craig. Mr. Craig has set this series about 125 years after the Shan Takhu Legacy (which I read, enjoyed without reservation, and reviewed). And as he accomplished in that trilogy, where he did a great job of world-building, and populating it with characters most readers would love to spend more time with, this time he takes us outside of the Solar System, assembles a diverse mix of good and bad protagonists and sets them on a journey fraught with nail-biting tension.
Captain Ethan Walker’s strength (and weakness, in the eyes of some of the characters,) is to follow his unwavering moral compass which leads him to do the right thing, in the face of what others consider the wisdom of civil law, company policy, and customer contracts. I just wished there were a lot more like him on Planet Earth in the early years of our Twenty-first Century.
I highly recommend the investment of purchasing the first five of the Wings of Earth episodes as a box set. That will save you some money and guarantee you continuity through those five books.
“To be a good hero you need to know when to do the right thing, even if it is hard.” Captain Ethan Walker, quoting Angelique Wolfe, cargo handler of the Olympus Dawn, while speaking to Miguel – one of the 13 survivors (all children) of the one hundred thousand colonists who vanished from the planet Starlight.
I purchased the five-book “box set” of Season One of Wings of Earth. And I admit that I am writing this after having read the first three in that collection.
There is a Foreword by Geoff Habiger – Author and Publisher – who I had never heard of previously, but who provides an excellent context to the vision of Michael Eric Craig. Mr. Craig has set this series about 125 years after the Shan Takhu Legacy (which I read, enjoyed without reservation, and reviewed). And as he accomplished in that trilogy, where he did a great job of world-building, and populating it with characters most readers would love to spend more time with, this time he takes us outside of the Solar System, assembles a diverse mix of good and bad protagonists and sets them on a journey fraught with nail-biting tension.
Captain Ethan Walker’s strength (and weakness, in the eyes of some of the characters,) is to follow his unwavering moral compass which leads him to do the right thing, in the face of what others consider the wisdom of civil law, company policy, and customer contracts. I just wished there were a lot more like him on Planet Earth in the early years of our Twenty-first Century.
I highly recommend the investment of purchasing the first five of the Wings of Earth episodes as a box set. That will save you some money and guarantee you continuity through those five books.
January 10, 2021
Mostly Unsatisfactory
There were several warning flags early in this book and yet I persisted, thinking either it would get better or it couldn’t get much worse. I was so wrong.
I understand the custom of giving first and last names to each character but in the beginning when the characters are not developed or fleshed out completely it requires twice the effort to keep them identified when the author randomly alternates using first names, last names, rank (titles) and job class for each character, and frequently does so in the same paragraph.
Then the rules come into play and I suppose if one was focused only on following rules, then they might enjoy the way the storyline develops. I did not enjoy it and eventually realized that since it was so difficult to identify the characters with any confidence and since the storyline’s adherence to a random set of “rules of engagement“ which are never defined or explained, I was finished at the halfway point.
The story description has appeal but the author’s delivery quickly removed all interest for me and I am done with this series..
There were several warning flags early in this book and yet I persisted, thinking either it would get better or it couldn’t get much worse. I was so wrong.
I understand the custom of giving first and last names to each character but in the beginning when the characters are not developed or fleshed out completely it requires twice the effort to keep them identified when the author randomly alternates using first names, last names, rank (titles) and job class for each character, and frequently does so in the same paragraph.
Then the rules come into play and I suppose if one was focused only on following rules, then they might enjoy the way the storyline develops. I did not enjoy it and eventually realized that since it was so difficult to identify the characters with any confidence and since the storyline’s adherence to a random set of “rules of engagement“ which are never defined or explained, I was finished at the halfway point.
The story description has appeal but the author’s delivery quickly removed all interest for me and I am done with this series..
February 23, 2021
I love finding unexpected pleasures like Echoes of Starlight. I get 4 newsletters a week recommending Kindle books which I would otherwise never discover, as they are by authors unknown to me. And every once in a while I disover a brilliant gem like this book, and author Eric Michael Craig. I just pulled an all nighter starting and finishing this delicious novel, which encompasses everything that hooked me on Scifi back in the '50's. Several times I had to stop and just savor the vision of the future Craig creates. It is so utterly believable, and I could see it all - a fundamentaly decent humanity spread out among the stars, pulsing with life, purpose, and brilliance. Though I would classify this as both hard scifi and quality space opera, it is highly character driven. All are believable, real, people you come to know and respect, even though some grudgingly. Captain Ethan Walker is the reluctant hero, forced by his integrity into a situation he already knows is going to ruin him. And you are left with a mystery which leaves no clue of solving. It's rare an ending brings me to tears, but honetly, I was deeply moved. Don't miss this book!
September 13, 2023
Echoes of Starlight is the first book in the Wings of Earth series by Eric Michael Craig. Captain Ethan Walker knew this was a bad idea, this was supposed to be a routine cargo run. How could one hundred thousand colonists just disappear? He could lose everything, but he needs to find out what happened.
An easy reading and entertaining SciFi/Space Opera. A great palate cleanser that is medium to fast paced full of mystery and tough decisions. The atmosphere and the world-building are both strengths of this book. The suspense of the mystery was intriguing and I love how the author portrayed the AI character as well as the “personality” it was given.
What could’ve earned it one more star was firming up a couple of the characters as well as removing some of the repetitiveness of the consequences of the Captains actions. We got it the first few times, it didn’t need to be repeated more after that.
Overall, I really liked this book, the setting was fantastic, the characters were interesting, and the plot was intriguing. I look forward to continuing with the series.
4-stars
An easy reading and entertaining SciFi/Space Opera. A great palate cleanser that is medium to fast paced full of mystery and tough decisions. The atmosphere and the world-building are both strengths of this book. The suspense of the mystery was intriguing and I love how the author portrayed the AI character as well as the “personality” it was given.
What could’ve earned it one more star was firming up a couple of the characters as well as removing some of the repetitiveness of the consequences of the Captains actions. We got it the first few times, it didn’t need to be repeated more after that.
Overall, I really liked this book, the setting was fantastic, the characters were interesting, and the plot was intriguing. I look forward to continuing with the series.
4-stars
August 11, 2020
Where did they go?
Captain Ethan Walker is tasked to deliver a cargo of scientific equipment and two scientists to the colony planet Starlight.
Upon arriving, the planet is deserted. A strong-willed scientist commandeers a shuttle and with her assistant lands.
Regulations list them as cargo, and Captain Walker is responsible for delivering them intact or face consequences. Of course, all unravels in the face of the mysterious disappearance of the colony. Subsequent actions taken by the captain to retrieve the two and investigate the planet puts his career and captaincy in jeopardy.
This was an interesting story with a mystery that does not get solved completely. The captain gets a bit too overwrought at making decisions and the consequence of losing his captain’s certification for his actions, but I still liked him.
I recommend the series and have already bought book two.
Captain Ethan Walker is tasked to deliver a cargo of scientific equipment and two scientists to the colony planet Starlight.
Upon arriving, the planet is deserted. A strong-willed scientist commandeers a shuttle and with her assistant lands.
Regulations list them as cargo, and Captain Walker is responsible for delivering them intact or face consequences. Of course, all unravels in the face of the mysterious disappearance of the colony. Subsequent actions taken by the captain to retrieve the two and investigate the planet puts his career and captaincy in jeopardy.
This was an interesting story with a mystery that does not get solved completely. The captain gets a bit too overwrought at making decisions and the consequence of losing his captain’s certification for his actions, but I still liked him.
I recommend the series and have already bought book two.
September 28, 2020
Echoes of Starlight is a book that I felt very neutral about. I thought the plot was fine, the characters were fine. The world was fine. I was hoping for something other than “fine” but it is what it is. The author clearly has a larger idea in mind for the series and the themes he introduces were a change of pace for a book like this. At the same time, the lack of any build-up, in my opinion, hinders the story as does lack of resolution on certain key plot points. The novel isn’t a long or complicated read, however, and I’d recommend it to someone if they’re looking for an easy science fiction read that doesn’t require too much investment.
My full review can be found here
My full review can be found here
March 28, 2021
This book focuses on the crew and 2 passengers of the Olympus Dawn, a cargo vessel, who arrive at their destination to find the colony missing.
The colony planet is insanely hot and this is very well woven into the storyline. The captain and his crew fall afoul of the bureaucratic legal system because of the captain’s actions and the actions of the passengers. Also, their cargo turns out to be a lot more intriguing.
This book focuses more on what happens to the captain and crew because of their actions and leaves the mystery of what happened to the colonists almost untouched while providing some tantalizing clues.
A very good start to the series. I have to get the next book to find out what happened to the colonists!
I received a free copy of this book and chose to write a review.
The colony planet is insanely hot and this is very well woven into the storyline. The captain and his crew fall afoul of the bureaucratic legal system because of the captain’s actions and the actions of the passengers. Also, their cargo turns out to be a lot more intriguing.
This book focuses more on what happens to the captain and crew because of their actions and leaves the mystery of what happened to the colonists almost untouched while providing some tantalizing clues.
A very good start to the series. I have to get the next book to find out what happened to the colonists!
I received a free copy of this book and chose to write a review.
November 30, 2021
good book for those long days
Most of the time when I read I like to be challenged, meaning I really have to pay attention. Other times we just want to read; those long days when you want to simply relax and read, rest your mind. “Wings of Earth” is that kind of book. It is an easy read, easy to put down and pick back up.
I realize it’s called a “hard sci fi space opera” but for me that means there is a lot of technical info (hard sci fi) with an engaging story and interesting characters. “Wings of Earth” seemed more of the space opera type. You truly understand the characters and their motivations. You root for some, against others, and sometimes say to yourself, “Why the heck did they do that? That was really dumb.”
Good book, great writing, check it out.
Most of the time when I read I like to be challenged, meaning I really have to pay attention. Other times we just want to read; those long days when you want to simply relax and read, rest your mind. “Wings of Earth” is that kind of book. It is an easy read, easy to put down and pick back up.
I realize it’s called a “hard sci fi space opera” but for me that means there is a lot of technical info (hard sci fi) with an engaging story and interesting characters. “Wings of Earth” seemed more of the space opera type. You truly understand the characters and their motivations. You root for some, against others, and sometimes say to yourself, “Why the heck did they do that? That was really dumb.”
Good book, great writing, check it out.
July 14, 2019
Okay
The writing is OK... not scintillating nor awful. The plot isn't complex or multi-layered. Stuff just happens in sequence and the story is about how the Capt. responds to events. The biggest let-down (spoiler alert) is the blurb on the book sets the story up as a mystery about an entire colony vanishing. This mystery is never addressed in the actual book. What actually happens in the book is (spoiler alert): Captain finds colony is missing; passengers do something naughty; Captain gets into trouble for the way he responds to the passenger's actions and is sent away again.
The writing is OK... not scintillating nor awful. The plot isn't complex or multi-layered. Stuff just happens in sequence and the story is about how the Capt. responds to events. The biggest let-down (spoiler alert) is the blurb on the book sets the story up as a mystery about an entire colony vanishing. This mystery is never addressed in the actual book. What actually happens in the book is (spoiler alert): Captain finds colony is missing; passengers do something naughty; Captain gets into trouble for the way he responds to the passenger's actions and is sent away again.
August 27, 2020
This book was not bad, not great, but sat comfortably in the okay area. At 180 pages, it is more a novella than a novel. The big mystery of the plot is the discovery of 100k or so colonists missing when a supply ship arrives on a distant planet. After rescuing a few children, the ship leaves the search in the hands of another ship, and heads for home. At no point are you told what happened to the colonists, which was the focal point of the story. Why have a big deep space mystery, and just leave it, like it did not exist? There are many better options for this type of story.
July 6, 2021
More like a movie script
I found myself comparing this book to one of the more popular forensic TV shows The storyline tangents were varied however I found myself wishing that the author stayed more on the critical path I wanted more clues The writing was on point and provided more than enough description to aid in visualization
I found myself comparing this book to one of the more popular forensic TV shows The storyline tangents were varied however I found myself wishing that the author stayed more on the critical path I wanted more clues The writing was on point and provided more than enough description to aid in visualization
November 10, 2022
Robots and space - how exciting! Makes me remember why I like Sci-fi and need to get back to it. In deep space on a spaceship with special medical technology to deliver on a planet. Earth is dead and times are now in space. Pirates and another spaceship attack the spaceship wanting the cargo with better weapons then this old spaceship has. Lots of action happening now. Amazing storytelling.
May 23, 2026
I’ve mixed feelings. On the plus side the story is character driven and the setting and minor characters are good. Biggest negative is the whole novel is set up leading to sequels. Parts are slow, an$ I never felt the tension the characters would have.
Not sure this was good enough to warrant buying the series
Not sure this was good enough to warrant buying the series
May 18, 2020
What seems like a normal delivery run takes a dramatic deadly turn. Lots of action and plot twists to keep you reading. Angst ridden Captain Elias Walker is pulled between duty, responsibility and what he feels is right. I read this book using my KU subscription.
February 9, 2021
Not a Good Week for the Captain
This is a dandy story: sci fi, medical mysteries (or are they medical?) a hero in spite of himself and in spite of red tape everywhere.It’s hard to put down and I didn’t.
This is a dandy story: sci fi, medical mysteries (or are they medical?) a hero in spite of himself and in spite of red tape everywhere.It’s hard to put down and I didn’t.
February 11, 2021
I seem to getting into the space opera romance.
Another pleasurable read. A quick and interesting read. A good group of characters and a slightly different plot line. I'm going on to the next book.
Another pleasurable read. A quick and interesting read. A good group of characters and a slightly different plot line. I'm going on to the next book.
March 12, 2021
Damn!
Just try to not read this in one sitting! Dialog is like watching a movie. I could not read fast enough to satisfy my wanting to see where this trip was going....ALL the main characters were spot on. Already into the second book.
Just try to not read this in one sitting! Dialog is like watching a movie. I could not read fast enough to satisfy my wanting to see where this trip was going....ALL the main characters were spot on. Already into the second book.
August 15, 2021
Action packed adventure
Excellent storyline and a great cast of characters that were easy to identify with. I liked the way the author developed the story and never having a dull moment. I really liked this book and I highly recommend it.
Excellent storyline and a great cast of characters that were easy to identify with. I liked the way the author developed the story and never having a dull moment. I really liked this book and I highly recommend it.
June 14, 2022
Ride into Space an Adventure
Being a Star Trek fan this was a storyline that held my interest. The Captain has sure had a very hard few days, losing valuable crew members but there are more surprises ahead for him. A great read
Being a Star Trek fan this was a storyline that held my interest. The Captain has sure had a very hard few days, losing valuable crew members but there are more surprises ahead for him. A great read
August 17, 2020
Enjoyable
It's certainly a good enough story and the characters pass muster well enough, but the entire book reads like a prequel, all anti- climax
It's certainly a good enough story and the characters pass muster well enough, but the entire book reads like a prequel, all anti- climax
July 10, 2021
Psycho, somewhat
This book shows what comes of someone who was just released from the Looney ban. I refer to the captain.
This book shows what comes of someone who was just released from the Looney ban. I refer to the captain.
July 3, 2023
Good Start
Good start, with a excellent mystery it reminds me of Jamestown, I look forward to reading more from this author
Good start, with a excellent mystery it reminds me of Jamestown, I look forward to reading more from this author
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