The Truth

The Four Worlds #1

by Skyler Ramirez

The Guard has kept peace in the galaxy for seven hundred years. Alan Daily was proud to be part of their ranks, to find his life’s meaning in protecting humanity from the darkness.

But now that darkness has come for him. When Alan and his partner investigate a rash of mysterious suicides, it thrusts them into a web of deceit and lies that ends with his partner dead and Alan on the run from the very organization he has dedicated his life to.

His only hope lies with the beautiful and enigmatic Jinny Ambrosa. She has the power to read his most hidden memories with only a touch, and she will lead him deep into a world of rebels, traitors, pirates, secret navies, and desperate freedom fighters. Pursued by a relentless assassin with no free will of his own, Alan and Jinny race across the galaxy in search of a truth that has eluded humanity for centuries.

With allies dying all around them, can they reach the end of their journey before darkness falls for all mankind, or will they fail to find the truth of the Four Worlds in time?

The perfect novel for fans of space operas, military science fiction, and mystery thrillers, The Four Worlds - The Truth will keep you guessing on a twisting and action-packed adventure through an exciting new universe. Equally suitable for adults and young adults, you won’t be able to put it down until you learn the truth that will set the galaxy free.

Read the first book now before the second book in the series comes out this winter!

Genres: Science Fiction

538 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2022

About the author

Skyler grew up in Southern California, under the best weather that state has to offer. So, he's shown a little of his insanity over the years in moving to colder, wetter places: New York City; Provo, Utah; Bainbridge Island, WA. He now resides with his family in Texas, which (apart from the humidity) gives him that great weather once again.

Skyler has been and continues to be a leader and executive with multiple Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, working across a variety of functions, both technical and non-technical. In other words, he's very much a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. Maybe that's why he has now decided to be an author as well. In it, he’s finally found the thing he loves to do most.

Mr. Ramirez currently resides in Texas with his wife, Lindsey, and their four children.

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Four Worlds: The Truth” is the debut sci-fi novel by Skyler Ramirez and the first book in The Saga of The Four Worlds trilogy. If you like sci-fi that takes shape as a space opera with military precision, genetic engineering, and an overall dystopian thriller vibe, look no more—this one’s for you.

The 47 Colonies have existed independent of the four worlds of Earth, Mars, Luna, and Europa for over 700 years under the rule of the Council. Everything the Council does is for the benefit of the colonies and no one questions the Council’s authoritarian rule. Until people start dying—by suicide, that is. When two members of the illustrious Guard start connecting the commonalities between the suicides, they threaten the very balance of the Council’s rule and must be stopped at all costs.

I enjoyed this saga immensely. It’s fun and fresh and the author makes a deliberate choice to “keep it clean” with no profanity or vulgarity. And while there are graphic scenes in the story, they are tastefully executed, without resorting to the extreme gore factor to keep the plot moving forward.

Readers will easily recognize the parallels with today’s society in “The Four Worlds: The Truth.” From the Freedom from Religion Act, which outlawed and declared organized religion as fraudulent, to censoring the media and other issues affecting society, the inclusion of these matters instills a sense of trepidation in the form of a cautionary tale.

This adventure is full of memorable characters and readers will no doubt pick their favorites early on. Existing amongst the population of the colonies are four types of genetically engineered humans that enhance the story: Speakers are the mouthpieces of the Council, Readers can read the thoughts of the people, Enacters extend the will of the Council without question and Blenders are spies for the Council. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these unique characters types through the distinct personalities featured in the lead protagonists/antagonists.

A forewarning about the characters: this author is not afraid of “killing his darlings” and there are some pretty significant character assassinations, if you will, that will leave you questioning where to place your loyalties. This is what I love most about defining characters – the dotted lines between good and evil, and the intrigue around those characters crossing the lines, wavering in and out of both sides of the spectrum. And, except for the genetic engineering, of course, the character traits display the flaws you would expect; they are authentic and well-developed. The female protagonist is a character to root for and growing into her own. It will be fun to watch her develop as the series continues.

Overall, I found “The Four Worlds: The Truth” by Skyler Ramirez to be an excellent debut novel and an exciting series opener. I highly recommend it to fans of space opera, and military and genetic engineering sci-fi buffs and I look forward to the continuation of the story.

[Francheska · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF- Heavy handed political dogma

Disguising itself as science fiction. I made it half way, before realizing I was reading a less interesting and certainly not original Ayn Rand fan fiction. If atlas shrugged took place in a space faring civilization in a much distant future… I might have enjoyed the novelty if I were still 16. As it stands, the flashbacks interspersed with inner thought angst, and evil for the sake of being a bad guy … boring.

[Stan Yoder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the swashbuckling space adventures. White hats and black hats clearly delineated good from evil—with one notable switch during the story. It's a rollicking tale that's generally a lot of fun.

However, I hated the religious overtones throughout. The overall message seemed to be government = bad, religion = good—way too simplistic to be satisfying. Of course there are bad governments, just like there are bad people. Corruption abounds in governments AND in religion. People will be good whether or not they are religious and will be evil whether or not they are religious. Lust for power, leading to corruption, happens in religious institutions and governments.

The difference is governments don't (usually) make any claims to be THE TRUTH; religions do. (In this dystopian story, the government claims to have the last word, so it's like a religion.) The religious beliefs on offer in this story seem bland and benign, contradicting history and real life.

Unfortunately, the campaign of religious proselytization ruined what was otherwise an enjoyable read. Its crescendoing drumbeat of religious piffle worked toward a dissonant crash at the end of irrational wishful thinking.

[Mary Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Well written, fast-paced, extremely engaging.

'Going for part two, RIGHT NOW!
What a pleasure to read good sci-fi writing without the distraction of reading over language, sex, and gore. I thoroughly enjoyed this 1st book of the trilogy and can not wait to jump into #2.
Bravo and keep 'em comin'!

[Flora Provot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

An action-packed story with characters who took me with them as they traversed their way through their paths. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this exciting series.

[Rebecca Rittenhouse · Rating 1 out of 5]

i gave it a 1 star because i couldn’t give it 0 stars.

It’s like it was written by a cultist. Same old story in the end. It’s not the rich that are the problem it’s the poor.

[SOTERO RIVERA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What an awesome novel!

I think this might be one of my favorite books this past decade. It is that good!
This story did something that most books do not do (and I've read hundreds and hundreds of books). It made me think in a philosophical way about life. I am speechless.
It was extremely well written with lots of action and intrigue. The characters are well-thought-out and interesting.
I highly recommend this book.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rule followere

Fun story. For me the epilogue soliloquy of the old man seems to summarize much of life even as seen today in the real world, but it does give a glimmer of hope too.

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can't finish it.
I am pretty sure that "The Truth" was pushed to me because I was reading the John C Wright "Starquest" series (First book Space Pirates of Andromeda), another Space Opera that bills itself as "non-woke swashbuckling fun." The difference is that John C. Wright can - well - write. Even when it's an indulgent, poorly edited Star Wars-derivative passion project, his mastery of the craft comes through on every page and in every character.
This, regrettably, is not the case with Skylar Ramirez.
Other reviews complain about the heavy handed religious overtones in The Truth, and I agree to an extent. But they're no more heavy handed than any other element in the story from the conflicted "enacter" to the wishy-washy junior reporter to the tragically beautiful, talented, and bereft psycop... excuse me, "reader."
Admittedly I've finished books (especially in the Cozy Mystery genre) with far poorer writing overall. I'd rate Ramirez a solid mid-field writer when it comes to core mechanics such as pacing, characterization, and the ever critical "show, don't tell." But he Is heavy handed, and by only 40-50% of the way through the book had killed off so many characters that I no longer felt like it was worth my time to start caring about one.
At this point I am marking it "Will Not Finish." I guess I Might... but at this moment I also feel a bit betrayed, rather like I did in Downton Abbey when they killed Matthew at the end of season 3. I didn't Love the character, but he was the primary POV for the first 30% of the book. Sheesh.

A bit of introspection here: Oddly, when a poorly written, heavy handed book happens to align with my own worldview (like this one), I do not find myself more sympathetic to it. If anything, I am Less sympathetic. If people are going to agree with my opinions and views - and darn it, why wouldn't they? I mean, they're demonstrably superior! - they ought to do it Well. Really well. It's pride, I guess: I feel like a poor presentation of my views makes them, and by extension me, look bad.
Anyone on the leftward side of the aisle have a similar reaction?

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like dystopian novels because our own society is one right now. I don't want to read, when I relax, about a society that is like the one I live in. Having said this, I have just finished reading all of volume one and will soon tackle volume two. I do appreciate the way the author has handled this subject and his insights into our society here in the United States. Don't be fooled by this novels setting in the far future and elsewhere in the galaxy. Our own society may not be quite yet to genetic engineering, but our leaders achieve by the daily propaganda messaging we get constantly the same effect. We, at the moment, at just a shade freer, but that will soon end. All my life of almost 70 years I have watched as we give up more and more freedom. We are literally throwing it away right now in the name of safety and by those who refuse to pay attention to what is going on. The current leaders and "want to be leaders" are betraying the Constitution, truth, liberty, honesty, integrity... all of our ideals. They don't even pretend much anymore as they so obviously go about their betrayals, and yet so many are still fooled. :( I hope this series eventually ends with hope. Oh, as for those who are objecting to all the religion in this book - get real! What the author occasionally implies as religious is so generic that it is meaningless feel good not the real thing. What I suggest is that as you read this book, look for the hope and think about what you can do to stop the slide of the U.S. into a totalitarian socialist dictatorship that has on the surface only what looks like "democracy," but really isn't the true republic of the Constitution that guarantees our ideals as a nation. It takes an honest aware people to keep our freedoms. I just hope that when the persecution of those who are giving the warnings starts, that Skylar Ramirez, can survive under their radar.

[Leather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found nothing to save in this book, which certainly required a huge amount of work from its author, but which accumulates all the possible flaws imaginable in a science fiction novel:
The universe is well thought out, but ultimately caricatured and terribly heavy.
A huge part of the story is reserved for politics and the place of religion in a modern and rational society. Arguments as convincing as a midnight mass at the North Pole during the summer solstice.
The characters are transparent, they do not act, they suffer.
It is horribly long. Six hundred pages!
Everything is predictable hundreds of pages in advance.
There are too many points of view.
Flashbacks galore: they must have been on sale while the book was being written.
Some dialogues are interminable, discussions that serve no purpose and could be contained in a few lines.
The most painful interior monologues there are. They serve no purpose.
A few action scenes and a bit of suspense made me believe at the beginning of the book that it would be a pleasant read.
No, it is not.
It is hard to believe that it is the same author who wrote the Brad Mendoza series, so light and pleasant to read.
I strongly advise against reading this to all lovers of light SF.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story

This was definitely an interesting story, and the start was a lot of fun (first 30%), and then the last 20% was back to being fast paced and well structured but the middle; well it dragged on, and on. The story kept me intrigued as well as the world building (the genetics was an interesting take).

If it wasn't for the end, this would have been a 3*, maybe a 2*, but the ending saved it. It's still hard to believe, though, that this was by the same author as Dumb Luck & Dead Heroes, as that is leagues apart in terms of writing, the pace and how well written the characters are. I dount I will pick up the next ones, and I will just stick to the adventures of Brad from Skyler. Which is a shame, as those books are extremely well written, and keep you hooked, this though took a lot of effort to keep pushing forward.

[Jeannie Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it better than I expected

Reviews were scathing re: religion, but I thought not only did it touch on that often neglected part of being in a person in a society-it did in a way I immediately resonated with-it felt true. As for the totalitarian government, the willful blindness of the general population and the almost fanatical devotion to the “Council” of the law makers, News sources and armies reminded me of some people in Bulgaria I met shortly after they were no longer part of the USSR-a minority but very vocal-intimating that the removal of Communist rule was more curse than blessing as each individual had to CHOOSE their path in careers, and regularly prove their worth if they wanted to stay in those careers. Once again, Ramirez’ words seemed “true” to me.

[Beach Bum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and long

It's. Long book, 600+ pages and that's a good thing. You get to know the characters in that length of book, rather than glossing over them as so many do in books of 250 pages
A very unusual storyline, not one I have seen previously, which in itself, should be enough to encourage you to give it a go. Without spoiling it, characters die you don't expect to and vice versa, good guys win on occasion which is refreshing
Overall an intriguing read one very worth starting and there are 2 more books to go

[Stuart Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not as...

I expected. It started as a good read. Then around the mid point, I caught myself thinking of going back to another book l was reading. I went back AND forth a few times until l found myself totally engulfed in the story. And towards the last l actually felt the welling of tears in my eyes. I did finish the book feeling a sense of completion, but more to come Well done Master Ramirez.. Well Done

[Charles Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Truth is too contrived

The Truth posits a dystopian future as seen through the eyes of three well developed characters. To wriggle out of the Catch-22 setups, the author contrives various deus ex machina that stretch willing suspension of disbelief beyond credibility culminating in a literal miraculous finale.

[GREGG CORDELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.

This was a very interesting book . This book you really have to pay attention to what is going on because it jumps around from past to present and a few others. The writer makes it sound so real that it's hard to put the book down because you want to see where It's going next.

[Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventure, action, a quite likely future, and some hard hitting truths about today.

I enjoy the journey of the story. It painted a future that could actually be, yet it is nothing I would have imagined. N top of a good story, reading this you have no choice but to rethink what you know is true today, and how this can influence tomorrow.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Juvenile / religion

2 stars because the author can write a proper sentence, but the content was a little juvenile and the abruptly shifting time periods weren't necessary. I don't care for books that falsely present as sci-fi but in actuality are moralistic religious fables. Deleted from my library.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not into dystopian, totalitarian futures where even a wayward thought can be punished which is perhaps why I didn't enjoy this.
Having said that, Skyler tells the tale extremely well. He gets 5 out of 5 for story telling, I just didn't like the story he was telling

[Charles D Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a little bogged down but I still wanted to see how it turned out

I got a little bogged down in the somewhat random killing but the story still called out to me to finish to see how Jinny and tyrus finished

[Randy Long · Rating 1 out of 5]

Liked the author’s other work, but…

The tone-deaf religious stuff eventually made me give this series up. I lol’d at the idea of religion somehow being the polar opposite of a cabal controlling society. But fair is fair. I enjoyed his other two series.

[Illana Halliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

people die

This was like reading George RR Martin. You just get to know a character and like or hate them, whack. He kills them.
All in a good cause. Fast paced and great imagination.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Mental Escape

Great adventure, great fun, great twists. Really enjoyable for its predictions of future technology and events possible, as well as the human side and the fatherly lessons. I love reading Skylar Ramirez. On to the next installation!

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes, DNF - propaganda in disguise

[Randal Gritzner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top Notch Science Fiction!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written. Interesting idea. To be honest I felt really depressed after reading this. Sad to think humanity never gets better.

[Kimh · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 30%