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Teleport #1
Teleport
En el centro del lago Maracaibo, en Venezuela, una perforación petrolífera acaba en catástrofe. La Un artefacto alienígena sepultado en el fondo del lago. En unas instalaciones altamente secretas del ejército estadounidense, un equipo internacional de científicos debe analizar ese misterioso objeto que destruye con un campo magnético inestable cualquier tecnología a su alrededor. En su interior hay un espacio que parece haber sido construido para humanos. Tras una inesperada muerte, los científicos de Estados Unidos, Europa y Rusia están seguros de que se trata de un medio de transporte. Pero ¿por qué todos los que intentan probarlo caen irremediablemente en un profundo coma? ¿Viajan a otro lugar, o no es más que una ilusión? Sea sueño o realidad, el otro lado del teletransportador resulta ser un infierno que pone a prueba no solo al equipo de científicos, sino a todo el proyecto; pues resulta que allí no están solos.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2022
1230 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Joshua T. Calvert
54 books255 followersJoshua T. Calvert has traveled the world--on foot, by Jeep, by bicycle, by motorcycle, and lots of other ways besides. As you might imagine, he's seen many things most people never see - including an Iranian prison cell, from the inside! In Kyrgyzstan, he fared slightly better, narrowly avoiding being kidnapped for ransom. Skydiver, scuba diver, martial artist, adventurer - his goal is to experience everything possible, and then make it real to you in his books. And he's made a good run of it so far: in the Philippines, he did police training on multiple types of firearms (despite being no fan of guns himself); dove in Asian waters among sharks and shipwrecks; and patrolled with Sumatran jungle rangers.
That's what defines Calvert's approach to method writing: pushing himself beyond his own limits, to experience first-hand what his characters experience, to make your immersion in his stories as deep as it can be.
For Ganymede Rises, after a slight detour with some smugglers in the deserts of Uzbekistan and the steppes of Mongolia, he traveled by dogsled and snowshoe to the Arctic Circle to experience first-hand what it's like to be utterly isolated in the coldest place on Earth. For his book The Fossil, he sat with professional pilots in flight simulators for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft to learn what it's like to fly a passenger jet. His latest adventure: a parabolic flight with European Space Agency astronauts, to experience zero-gravity. All so he can describe it to you, in his own words.
That's what defines Calvert's approach to method writing: pushing himself beyond his own limits, to experience first-hand what his characters experience, to make your immersion in his stories as deep as it can be.
For Ganymede Rises, after a slight detour with some smugglers in the deserts of Uzbekistan and the steppes of Mongolia, he traveled by dogsled and snowshoe to the Arctic Circle to experience first-hand what it's like to be utterly isolated in the coldest place on Earth. For his book The Fossil, he sat with professional pilots in flight simulators for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft to learn what it's like to fly a passenger jet. His latest adventure: a parabolic flight with European Space Agency astronauts, to experience zero-gravity. All so he can describe it to you, in his own words.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
January 12, 2025
Teleport
By Joshua T. Calvert
After finding an ancient extraterrestrial object, a team is selected to find out what it is.
This is a real intelligent and exciting book that I read in one go. Wonderful plot, characters, and suspense. Loved it. There is a book two, so I will definitely follow on!
By Joshua T. Calvert
After finding an ancient extraterrestrial object, a team is selected to find out what it is.
This is a real intelligent and exciting book that I read in one go. Wonderful plot, characters, and suspense. Loved it. There is a book two, so I will definitely follow on!
May 13, 2023
I’m quite torn here - on one hand I really liked most of the characters and the story was quite original and intruiging, and on the other hand I find it unforgivable as a reader that the author seems to have completely skipped having anyone proofread his manuscript. There are way too many basic grammatical errors or when a sentence is accidentally missing a word or two. This rips you completely out of the story and all of a sudden you are just reading words on a page instead of being deep inside the story.
May 25, 2025
Teleport by Joshua T. Calvertis a speculative science-fiction novel that drags you into it's gravity and spits you out onto the floor like yesterday's news. I really enjoyed this one, and even though it was rather slow to start out, it picked itself up all over again and I couldn't put it down.
THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.
Four out of five stars (4/5 stars).
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Blood and gore, death, and monsters.
“In Lake Maracaibo, in the northwestern part of Venezuela, a long-hidden extraterrestrial artifact underneath the ocean floor triggers a disaster. The U.S. military launches an expedition, sending a cutting-edge team of international researchers to the source of a magnetic instability that’s destroying any electronics in the region. Inside the large artifact is a chamber that’s large enough for the researchers to enter. After a shocking death, the scientists from the US, Europe and Russia realize that it is a teleportation device. But they soon face a fundamental Why do those who enter the chamber fall into a coma? Are they traveling to other places, or is it all just an illusion? Dream or reality, the other side of the teleporter turns out to be a hell that puts not only the team, but the entire project to the test - because they are not alone out there.” — the Goodreads page for 'Teleport' by Joshua T. Calvert.
// Pre-read: I came upon this rather by accident in the Kindle Unlimited store and it sounded good. So, here I am, about to give it a read.//
Upon picking up 'Teleport' to read, I noticed that it had a simple, yet effective cover with a ship-like structure on it which I presume is the teleporter? It sure as heck leaves us wondering before we have even opened the book to the first page. I have always liked covers that don't give too much away about the plot or story we are about to read. I guess that I truly enjoy a mystery.
Even though it's listed as a speculative science-fiction, it's a bit of a cross-genre story, dipping it's "toes" into the thriller, drama and mystery genres.
The story itself starts off a bit on the slowish side, delving into the science lab sides of things. The author explains where, when and how without too much fuss, but also keeping us guessing about both the origins and workings of the teleport. I'm in awe of the main group of characters in this novela ND the way they interacted with each other, with their surroundings and in their character growth.
Also, the world and the world-building is really well done and it is obvious that they've done all the proper research so that the 'speculative' part of it all didn't come off as speculative as much as it did realistic and factual. I really enjoyed the things I learned and the imagination it took to picture these places and spaces. I always had a good image in my head when things were explained and nothing pulled away from the story or the suspense.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joshua T. Calvert is an author who has a lot of travelling under his belt. He prefers to write from his experiences and will actually join astronauts in their training and doing a lot of activities that he puts into his writing so that the readers get to experience it in a more life-like manner. He doesn't talk about himself as much as he does his writing and experience in the multiple scientific based adventures. He really throws himself into whatever he is writing.
That lived-experience is something that really appeals to me as both a reader and a writer. I like to do the same thing with my writing so it's really nice to see someone else be passionate about those little realistic details. I really like to immerse myself into my reading; worldbuilding that I can disappear into when life gets tough and I want to disassociate for a while.
"Joshua T. Calvert has a gift for making nail-biting science fiction that you can't put down. Get ready for some sleepless nights!" - M.A. Rothman, USA Today bestselling author.
If you want to disappear into some speculative science-fiction for a bit, pick this. Pick it up and forget to put it down and too soon you'll be picking the second book up just like I did.
THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.
Four out of five stars (4/5 stars).
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Blood and gore, death, and monsters.
“In Lake Maracaibo, in the northwestern part of Venezuela, a long-hidden extraterrestrial artifact underneath the ocean floor triggers a disaster. The U.S. military launches an expedition, sending a cutting-edge team of international researchers to the source of a magnetic instability that’s destroying any electronics in the region. Inside the large artifact is a chamber that’s large enough for the researchers to enter. After a shocking death, the scientists from the US, Europe and Russia realize that it is a teleportation device. But they soon face a fundamental Why do those who enter the chamber fall into a coma? Are they traveling to other places, or is it all just an illusion? Dream or reality, the other side of the teleporter turns out to be a hell that puts not only the team, but the entire project to the test - because they are not alone out there.” — the Goodreads page for 'Teleport' by Joshua T. Calvert.
// Pre-read: I came upon this rather by accident in the Kindle Unlimited store and it sounded good. So, here I am, about to give it a read.//
Upon picking up 'Teleport' to read, I noticed that it had a simple, yet effective cover with a ship-like structure on it which I presume is the teleporter? It sure as heck leaves us wondering before we have even opened the book to the first page. I have always liked covers that don't give too much away about the plot or story we are about to read. I guess that I truly enjoy a mystery.
Even though it's listed as a speculative science-fiction, it's a bit of a cross-genre story, dipping it's "toes" into the thriller, drama and mystery genres.
The story itself starts off a bit on the slowish side, delving into the science lab sides of things. The author explains where, when and how without too much fuss, but also keeping us guessing about both the origins and workings of the teleport. I'm in awe of the main group of characters in this novela ND the way they interacted with each other, with their surroundings and in their character growth.
Also, the world and the world-building is really well done and it is obvious that they've done all the proper research so that the 'speculative' part of it all didn't come off as speculative as much as it did realistic and factual. I really enjoyed the things I learned and the imagination it took to picture these places and spaces. I always had a good image in my head when things were explained and nothing pulled away from the story or the suspense.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joshua T. Calvert is an author who has a lot of travelling under his belt. He prefers to write from his experiences and will actually join astronauts in their training and doing a lot of activities that he puts into his writing so that the readers get to experience it in a more life-like manner. He doesn't talk about himself as much as he does his writing and experience in the multiple scientific based adventures. He really throws himself into whatever he is writing.
That lived-experience is something that really appeals to me as both a reader and a writer. I like to do the same thing with my writing so it's really nice to see someone else be passionate about those little realistic details. I really like to immerse myself into my reading; worldbuilding that I can disappear into when life gets tough and I want to disassociate for a while.
"Joshua T. Calvert has a gift for making nail-biting science fiction that you can't put down. Get ready for some sleepless nights!" - M.A. Rothman, USA Today bestselling author.
If you want to disappear into some speculative science-fiction for a bit, pick this. Pick it up and forget to put it down and too soon you'll be picking the second book up just like I did.
April 26, 2023
I really wanted to like this. I love portal-type first contact stories and this one started well, with some odd character development that ended up being quite interesting.
Then it got unbelievable. Not in a technology sense, but just in a "sure, the governments all got together and arranged this". With a major in military charge. Hired a thief and liar to bring the team together on the most secret job imaginable. Sure.
Some hand waving over things like it being a form of degenerate matter held together with the strong nuclear force -- except it was light enough they could just pick it up and haul it to Wyoming. And with that technology you still need to hack up biomass and feed it in for it to work.
One specific low-logic thing that stood out... one chair had a red light, which it turns out means it did not work right. But someone sat in it and died. Really? A culture that can create those portals, smart enough to put a red warning light on, but not smart enough to keep the chair from activating and killing the suer? Really?
So I'm thinking this may yet get interesting. The safe looking female semi-alien was so derivative of Stargate's Destroyer of Worlds it telegraphed that part of the plot but then...
Oh come on... Atlantis?
Really? Hasn't it been done to death? It was all downhill from there.
No interest at all in a second book.
Whatever happened to Science Fiction, why does it have to degenerate into magic, mysticism and Atlantis.
Then it got unbelievable. Not in a technology sense, but just in a "sure, the governments all got together and arranged this". With a major in military charge. Hired a thief and liar to bring the team together on the most secret job imaginable. Sure.
Some hand waving over things like it being a form of degenerate matter held together with the strong nuclear force -- except it was light enough they could just pick it up and haul it to Wyoming. And with that technology you still need to hack up biomass and feed it in for it to work.
One specific low-logic thing that stood out... one chair had a red light, which it turns out means it did not work right. But someone sat in it and died. Really? A culture that can create those portals, smart enough to put a red warning light on, but not smart enough to keep the chair from activating and killing the suer? Really?
So I'm thinking this may yet get interesting. The safe looking female semi-alien was so derivative of Stargate's Destroyer of Worlds it telegraphed that part of the plot but then...
Oh come on... Atlantis?
Really? Hasn't it been done to death? It was all downhill from there.
No interest at all in a second book.
Whatever happened to Science Fiction, why does it have to degenerate into magic, mysticism and Atlantis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2023
Interesting Sci-fi novel, terrible editing
The concept of this novel is very interesting if you enjoy Sci-fi first contact and alien technology stories. It is somewhat derivative, although most stories are. (BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.) A small group of scientific experts is sequestered by a government agency to study a threat - very reminiscent of The Andromeda Strain. Same group is transported to a strange alien world where nothing makes sense - very reminiscent of Rendezvous with Rama. But it all kinda works. My main problem with the novel is the sometimes awkward sentence structure and HORRIBLE editing. I read the Kindle E-book, so maybe some of the editing problems are just due to transcription errors. I lost count of the number of “typos” I corrected in my Kindle version. This is all very distracting from the story. Also, Mr Calvert uses some odd words that also distract. Examples: 1) Referring to the director of a government project as its “dean” simply doesn’t work. That’s primarily an academic title, not a government/military management title. 2) Referring to a person’s genitalia in a potentially awkward situation as their “shame” is very strange - perhaps it’s just an archaic turn of phrase. Overall, I feel that a good editor could have elevated this novel.
The concept of this novel is very interesting if you enjoy Sci-fi first contact and alien technology stories. It is somewhat derivative, although most stories are. (BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.) A small group of scientific experts is sequestered by a government agency to study a threat - very reminiscent of The Andromeda Strain. Same group is transported to a strange alien world where nothing makes sense - very reminiscent of Rendezvous with Rama. But it all kinda works. My main problem with the novel is the sometimes awkward sentence structure and HORRIBLE editing. I read the Kindle E-book, so maybe some of the editing problems are just due to transcription errors. I lost count of the number of “typos” I corrected in my Kindle version. This is all very distracting from the story. Also, Mr Calvert uses some odd words that also distract. Examples: 1) Referring to the director of a government project as its “dean” simply doesn’t work. That’s primarily an academic title, not a government/military management title. 2) Referring to a person’s genitalia in a potentially awkward situation as their “shame” is very strange - perhaps it’s just an archaic turn of phrase. Overall, I feel that a good editor could have elevated this novel.
March 18, 2023
A bizarre yet intriguing story, but…
This potentially great story is marred by poor execution in the writing and editing. The premise is pretty unique, the manner in which the teleporter works is one of the strangest methods I’ve ever heard of. Also there are a number of unexpected twists in the plot that kept me guessing as to where this story was going.
However the large number of missed words, and mangled sentences combined with the awkwardly used third-person perspective made this book sometimes irritating to read. The final twist in the ending does make me curious to find out what happens in the next story in the series but the sub-par production values in this one has me hesitating.
This potentially great story is marred by poor execution in the writing and editing. The premise is pretty unique, the manner in which the teleporter works is one of the strangest methods I’ve ever heard of. Also there are a number of unexpected twists in the plot that kept me guessing as to where this story was going.
However the large number of missed words, and mangled sentences combined with the awkwardly used third-person perspective made this book sometimes irritating to read. The final twist in the ending does make me curious to find out what happens in the next story in the series but the sub-par production values in this one has me hesitating.
June 20, 2023
I winced my way through this choppy, sloppy book. To paraphrase another review, The problems with this novel are many. Frequent awkward sentence structure, many typos, skipped words and lousy editing. Having to re-read paragraphs & pages to figure out what was happening was irritating to the point that I had to stop reading it for hours or days at a time. There was no ending.. Just a shoddy continuation to a second book.
I may give the second book a try only because the story line was decent. But I will not torture myself through it if the editing is as poor as this first book.
I may give the second book a try only because the story line was decent. But I will not torture myself through it if the editing is as poor as this first book.
January 12, 2023
what do you call an SF adventure book without much adventure? DOA.
The gloves are off, from now on boring, poorly written books will be taken to task and assigned the low ratings they deserve. I just read too much of this low-rent swill. I have to up the entrance requirements or go crazy. Guess it just proves that being a best-selling internationally successful author on Kindle is no guarantee of quality. Caveat Emptor, muchathos.
The gloves are off, from now on boring, poorly written books will be taken to task and assigned the low ratings they deserve. I just read too much of this low-rent swill. I have to up the entrance requirements or go crazy. Guess it just proves that being a best-selling internationally successful author on Kindle is no guarantee of quality. Caveat Emptor, muchathos.
January 4, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed part 1 of this trilogy. I enjoyed how the reader learned how each player got to be where they are in this particular adventure. However, I will caution, there are tons of typos that will cause you to reread quite a few sentences to get the true meaning. Other than that, I would highly recommend for those light scifi readers.
March 30, 2023
Good to a.point
I really was engaged with this concept of portals to new worlds. But when we got to the part about Atlantis, the plot fell apart for me. I thought we had stumbled into something like an Indiana Jones story.
I really was engaged with this concept of portals to new worlds. But when we got to the part about Atlantis, the plot fell apart for me. I thought we had stumbled into something like an Indiana Jones story.
December 26, 2024
"Teleport: The Teleport Series, Book 1" by Joshua T. Calvert, narrated by Eric Altheide, is a slow-burn science fiction story that reminds one of the 1994 science fiction film "Stargate." Published in 2023, this audiobook takes listeners on a journey to uncover the mysteries of an alien artifact discovered in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Plot Overview
The story begins with an international team of elite scientists and military personnel being dispatched to investigate a massive, mysterious artifact unearthed beneath Lake Maracaibo. This artifact disrupts electronics with an unstable magnetic field and contains an interior space designed for human entry. The plot thickens when the team realizes the artifact is a teleportation device, but something goes terribly wrong: anyone who enters falls into a deep coma. The narrative explores whether these individuals are indeed traveling to another realm or if it’s all an illusion. The stakes are raised as the team encounters unforeseen dangers on the other side of the teleporter.
Narration
Eric Altheide's narration adds depth and intensity to the story. His dynamic delivery and ability to convey different accents and emotions bring the characters and plot to life. Altheide's performance enhances the suspense and interest in the final outcome of this story.
Themes and Style
"Teleport" delves into themes of exploration, the unknown, and the dangers that come with tampering with alien technology. Calvert’s writing style is engaging and a bit slow-paced, blending scientific intrigue with elements of horror and mystery. The book raises questions about the ethical implications of scientific discovery and the risks involved in reaching beyond our understanding.
Character Development
The characters in "Teleport" are well-developed and dynamic. The protagonist, along with the international team of scientists, faces both external and internal conflicts as they navigate the perils of their mission. The diverse backgrounds and expertise of the characters add richness to the narrative, and their interactions drive much of the plot's tension and resolution.
Overall Impression
"Teleport" is an interesting audiobook that combines science fiction, mystery, and suspense in an engaging way. Calvert's vivid descriptions and Altheide's narration keep listeners wanting to know the final outcome of this story. The blend of scientific realism and imaginative speculation creates a story that is thought-provoking and entertaining.
Plot Overview
The story begins with an international team of elite scientists and military personnel being dispatched to investigate a massive, mysterious artifact unearthed beneath Lake Maracaibo. This artifact disrupts electronics with an unstable magnetic field and contains an interior space designed for human entry. The plot thickens when the team realizes the artifact is a teleportation device, but something goes terribly wrong: anyone who enters falls into a deep coma. The narrative explores whether these individuals are indeed traveling to another realm or if it’s all an illusion. The stakes are raised as the team encounters unforeseen dangers on the other side of the teleporter.
Narration
Eric Altheide's narration adds depth and intensity to the story. His dynamic delivery and ability to convey different accents and emotions bring the characters and plot to life. Altheide's performance enhances the suspense and interest in the final outcome of this story.
Themes and Style
"Teleport" delves into themes of exploration, the unknown, and the dangers that come with tampering with alien technology. Calvert’s writing style is engaging and a bit slow-paced, blending scientific intrigue with elements of horror and mystery. The book raises questions about the ethical implications of scientific discovery and the risks involved in reaching beyond our understanding.
Character Development
The characters in "Teleport" are well-developed and dynamic. The protagonist, along with the international team of scientists, faces both external and internal conflicts as they navigate the perils of their mission. The diverse backgrounds and expertise of the characters add richness to the narrative, and their interactions drive much of the plot's tension and resolution.
Overall Impression
"Teleport" is an interesting audiobook that combines science fiction, mystery, and suspense in an engaging way. Calvert's vivid descriptions and Altheide's narration keep listeners wanting to know the final outcome of this story. The blend of scientific realism and imaginative speculation creates a story that is thought-provoking and entertaining.
July 9, 2023
Irgendwann musste meine Streak von nur guten Science Fiction Büchern ja enden… :‘(
Der „Science“-Part wirkt zumindest nicht besonders überzeugend und alle Wissenschaftler eher wie Teenager. James ist als Hauptcharakterzug schrecklich unsympathisch. Mila findet er hot und Mette ist dick, jedes Mal wenn eine von beiden vorkommt, gibt es dazu eine kleine Erinnerung. Am Ende geht es eher in einen fragwürdigen Fantasy Roman über, aber es interessiert mich so wenig, dass ich die nächsten Teile wohl nicht lesen werde.
(2 Sterne weil das Setting an Arrival erinnert <3)
Der „Science“-Part wirkt zumindest nicht besonders überzeugend und alle Wissenschaftler eher wie Teenager. James ist als Hauptcharakterzug schrecklich unsympathisch. Mila findet er hot und Mette ist dick, jedes Mal wenn eine von beiden vorkommt, gibt es dazu eine kleine Erinnerung. Am Ende geht es eher in einen fragwürdigen Fantasy Roman über, aber es interessiert mich so wenig, dass ich die nächsten Teile wohl nicht lesen werde.
(2 Sterne weil das Setting an Arrival erinnert <3)
April 21, 2025
Teleport - a great start to new series
An unexpected journey awaits the main characters in 'Teleport'. I'm tempted to put in a spoiler, but I want the reader to experience it for themselves. This is a good adventure story. It's definitely worthy of the Sci-Fi category. I look forward to the follow-up books by author, Joshua T. Calvert. -Mr.Bill
An unexpected journey awaits the main characters in 'Teleport'. I'm tempted to put in a spoiler, but I want the reader to experience it for themselves. This is a good adventure story. It's definitely worthy of the Sci-Fi category. I look forward to the follow-up books by author, Joshua T. Calvert. -Mr.Bill
February 7, 2024
Novela de aventuras con tintes de ciencia ficción, y primera de una serie de tres, su final totalmente abierto nos deja a la espera de la segunda parte. Entretenida.
February 21, 2024
Let's start with the unintentional hilarious writing trope: referring to the genitals of either gender as that character's "shame". When I first read it, I assumed sarcasm, but was quickly disabused of this notion when the "shame" was hurriedly covered in embarrassment. Then it made me LOL before finally becoming disgusted at the narration.
Overall, the book is fine, if the supporting "foreign" characters a tad worn: the hottie, the Russian bear, the scandavian fitness model, the grandmother; they're all there, and of course including the uptight American military guy who's always overly concerned with non-military personnel and shoddy missions that are run in a slip-shod manner. Yawn. They serve their purpose (we're smart, but we're out of our element, and we're not military, so we're going to make poor guesses while taking foolhardy risks 'in the name of science'), but don't really help. They made me wonder if the story wouldn't have been better served by the main character stumbling upon the alien artifact by himself and figuring everything out on his own, since he kinda did it anyway.
The main character, besides being comedically shameful and a possible criminal of a boyfriend, is also a head scratcher of a protagonist. Obstensibly brought in because of his unearned rep of being a hostage negotiator, he spends most of the book making things difficult for everyone else on the team he's supposed to be more clever than.
Rather than going into more details, I've read over what I've written above and I'm assuming you're reading this because you can't decide if you should read this book or not. I'd say I was generous with the number of stars I gave this book, but its far from the worst thing I've found on Kindle. Caveat emptor, and if you do purchase this book and read it, I hope you're not ashamed...
Overall, the book is fine, if the supporting "foreign" characters a tad worn: the hottie, the Russian bear, the scandavian fitness model, the grandmother; they're all there, and of course including the uptight American military guy who's always overly concerned with non-military personnel and shoddy missions that are run in a slip-shod manner. Yawn. They serve their purpose (we're smart, but we're out of our element, and we're not military, so we're going to make poor guesses while taking foolhardy risks 'in the name of science'), but don't really help. They made me wonder if the story wouldn't have been better served by the main character stumbling upon the alien artifact by himself and figuring everything out on his own, since he kinda did it anyway.
The main character, besides being comedically shameful and a possible criminal of a boyfriend, is also a head scratcher of a protagonist. Obstensibly brought in because of his unearned rep of being a hostage negotiator, he spends most of the book making things difficult for everyone else on the team he's supposed to be more clever than.
Rather than going into more details, I've read over what I've written above and I'm assuming you're reading this because you can't decide if you should read this book or not. I'd say I was generous with the number of stars I gave this book, but its far from the worst thing I've found on Kindle. Caveat emptor, and if you do purchase this book and read it, I hope you're not ashamed...
February 14, 2023
Teleport was a good story and it kept me on edge most of the time. Ending was a little abrupt.
But mostly I am critical of the Kindle fiction books in general - because they have a lot of errors in them. So much so that it takes me many times reading a sentence to piece it together, and figure out what the author is saying. And it is the little errors that make reading these books that are most irritating: missing/or irregular pronouns, misspelling of easy words, missing words that leave me wondering if it is not proof read by a human... Does the author proof these books? Doesn't seem like it. Or if the publisher/AI is proofreading the book, then they are doing a terrible job!
But mostly I am critical of the Kindle fiction books in general - because they have a lot of errors in them. So much so that it takes me many times reading a sentence to piece it together, and figure out what the author is saying. And it is the little errors that make reading these books that are most irritating: missing/or irregular pronouns, misspelling of easy words, missing words that leave me wondering if it is not proof read by a human... Does the author proof these books? Doesn't seem like it. Or if the publisher/AI is proofreading the book, then they are doing a terrible job!
March 11, 2024
It's like a forgettable Stargate episode minus characters with great chemistry and the camp. In fact the crossover material is so large you'd think this was a reworked fanfiction.
You may also enjoy physically eyerolling at some passages in desperate need of an editor. Some sample groaners:
"400 000 years. But that means... Yes, it's not man made."
"[He] wouldn't believe it himself because it was so unbelievable"
"He felt like he was in a horse race on a lame donkey"
You may also enjoy physically eyerolling at some passages in desperate need of an editor. Some sample groaners:
"400 000 years. But that means... Yes, it's not man made."
"[He] wouldn't believe it himself because it was so unbelievable"
"He felt like he was in a horse race on a lame donkey"
May 20, 2023
Really bad
No idea how this can have a high rating. Had to stop mid way when the level of stupidity became critical. Besides the really crazy illogical behavior of every character, the book is very poorly edited. There are numerous spelling errors. Don’t waste your time.
No idea how this can have a high rating. Had to stop mid way when the level of stupidity became critical. Besides the really crazy illogical behavior of every character, the book is very poorly edited. There are numerous spelling errors. Don’t waste your time.
October 5, 2023
Kind of a hard book to get started. I couldn’t exactly figure out who the main character was or what he was supposed to do. Turns out he’s got a unique job that has nothing to do with the other characters in the story other than he gets them to work together. See, James Hamilton is a government negotiator although I don’t think it was ever clearly stated who he actually worked for. His current assignment requires him to negotiate a return of the Son a prominent Kenyan industrialist, I.e, a very wealth man. He’s successful at what he does and got the Son released unharmed.
The release of the Son and James himself costs a lot of money. Apparently, not all of it goes towards the release of the hostage(s). James is known to keep a good portion of the money for himself. I mean, he does put his life on the line so the thinks he should be compensated more than what the government salary would do. This kind of compensation never shows up on the books, but certain people know and as long as he does the job required, no one is going to raise a stink.
Right now, James wants to reconcile with his former girl friend. Joana was the daughter of a very wealthy businessman who had supposedly committed suicide because of James’ business deals. The true story hadn’t ever been told to her since her father wanted it that way so James lost the love of his life and didn’t care whether he survived any of these hostile negotiations, so that was part of the reason for his great success. But, just as he was about to have some time alone with Joana, he was violently kidnapped by the US Army in a helicopter. They came right to a balcony room in the Kenyan city where he was celebrating the return of the Son. Someone was definitely tracking James’ whereabouts.
You’ll soon meet a Major Timothy Norton, US Army. He’s the guy that kidnapped James and took him eventually to F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. This is the home of the US Missile Command, the same place that holds or did hold hundreds if not thousands of US ballistic missiles. Now one of those missile silos had been cleaned out and repurposed for something so fantastic that James could hardly believe possible. He was soon to meet several scientists, six in fact, that were already at the site. He was soon to find out that this was a joint venture with American, Russian, and European Union scientists. James was no scientist so he was confused as to why he had to be here. Here was project “Hyperion”, a secret project that was so secret James had to sign some 200 pages of a Non-disclosure Agreement before he ever got to Wyoming.
Now about project Hyperion. Not long ago an oil drilling vessel had been moving into place in Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. This lake and area was known for frequent lightening storms and that was happening when the drillship was placed in the lake. Something deep beneath the lake was hit by lightening and it resulted in a huge magnetic charge being sent up and to the drillship. The drillship was simply crushed into a small ball. That had brought diggers to the lake and they had found something that had been at the bottom of the lake for something like four hundred thousand years! This object was oval in shape and black as black could be. It had been brought to Wyoming and now resided in the former missile silo. The scientific group was charged with finding out what his object was and where it came from. They all had their own opinions, some very strong, and weren’t progressing very far or very fast. James was brought in to do his thing, which was to get these scientists to start working together and get something done. James had no idea how he was going to accomplish this or even if he should try.
So, that’s the story-line. Someone or something has to figure out what this strange black ovoid object is. It is very big and they have already found out that you can get inside of it. They even had a gantry walk-way up to the apparent opening, and inside they found seats. But what was this for? That was the big question.
There is some scientific stuff going on in the story, but it’s not overwhelming and sounds plausible. I just don’t really see James’ purpose and am surprised the scientists even talked to him much considering he wasn’t a scientist of any kind. The story does progress pretty quickly and you’re left at the end with certainly more story to go although I don’t know where the story is going to lead. Maybe we’ll find more in the next book simply titled “[Teleport 2](https://amzn.to/3tnxzDG)”, now available on Amazon.
The release of the Son and James himself costs a lot of money. Apparently, not all of it goes towards the release of the hostage(s). James is known to keep a good portion of the money for himself. I mean, he does put his life on the line so the thinks he should be compensated more than what the government salary would do. This kind of compensation never shows up on the books, but certain people know and as long as he does the job required, no one is going to raise a stink.
Right now, James wants to reconcile with his former girl friend. Joana was the daughter of a very wealthy businessman who had supposedly committed suicide because of James’ business deals. The true story hadn’t ever been told to her since her father wanted it that way so James lost the love of his life and didn’t care whether he survived any of these hostile negotiations, so that was part of the reason for his great success. But, just as he was about to have some time alone with Joana, he was violently kidnapped by the US Army in a helicopter. They came right to a balcony room in the Kenyan city where he was celebrating the return of the Son. Someone was definitely tracking James’ whereabouts.
You’ll soon meet a Major Timothy Norton, US Army. He’s the guy that kidnapped James and took him eventually to F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. This is the home of the US Missile Command, the same place that holds or did hold hundreds if not thousands of US ballistic missiles. Now one of those missile silos had been cleaned out and repurposed for something so fantastic that James could hardly believe possible. He was soon to meet several scientists, six in fact, that were already at the site. He was soon to find out that this was a joint venture with American, Russian, and European Union scientists. James was no scientist so he was confused as to why he had to be here. Here was project “Hyperion”, a secret project that was so secret James had to sign some 200 pages of a Non-disclosure Agreement before he ever got to Wyoming.
Now about project Hyperion. Not long ago an oil drilling vessel had been moving into place in Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. This lake and area was known for frequent lightening storms and that was happening when the drillship was placed in the lake. Something deep beneath the lake was hit by lightening and it resulted in a huge magnetic charge being sent up and to the drillship. The drillship was simply crushed into a small ball. That had brought diggers to the lake and they had found something that had been at the bottom of the lake for something like four hundred thousand years! This object was oval in shape and black as black could be. It had been brought to Wyoming and now resided in the former missile silo. The scientific group was charged with finding out what his object was and where it came from. They all had their own opinions, some very strong, and weren’t progressing very far or very fast. James was brought in to do his thing, which was to get these scientists to start working together and get something done. James had no idea how he was going to accomplish this or even if he should try.
So, that’s the story-line. Someone or something has to figure out what this strange black ovoid object is. It is very big and they have already found out that you can get inside of it. They even had a gantry walk-way up to the apparent opening, and inside they found seats. But what was this for? That was the big question.
There is some scientific stuff going on in the story, but it’s not overwhelming and sounds plausible. I just don’t really see James’ purpose and am surprised the scientists even talked to him much considering he wasn’t a scientist of any kind. The story does progress pretty quickly and you’re left at the end with certainly more story to go although I don’t know where the story is going to lead. Maybe we’ll find more in the next book simply titled “[Teleport 2](https://amzn.to/3tnxzDG)”, now available on Amazon.
March 13, 2024
If you're picky about well-edited books, skip this three-book series because the plethora of errors will drive you bonkers. Since it is very easy to get a book updated on Kindle, there's no excuse for not fixing the numerous missing letters and words, and incorrect grammar. The mistakes interrupt the flow of the story, as does the overly descriptive prose.
I don't understand the high ratings. Good initial premise, terrible (more like non-existent) editing. I did my best to get to the end of book 1 and really disliked the abrupt ending. I thought perhaps I had swiped incorrectly to get the author profile instead of turning a page of the book.
Book 1 started with an interesting premise but then got pretty slow, although I did plod on to book 2, which unfortunately is plagued with writing much worse than book 1. The pages and pages of memories being given to James were so confusing!
In book 2, the story keeps going all over the place, there's an overuse of pronouns so it's hard to follow who the author is talking about, time jumps between past and present with poor transitions so you have to re-read text to figure out what's going on, etc. It got too tiring to read so DNF book 2, and will skip book 3. The writing is so bad that I am not interested in how this story ends.
I don't understand the high ratings. Good initial premise, terrible (more like non-existent) editing. I did my best to get to the end of book 1 and really disliked the abrupt ending. I thought perhaps I had swiped incorrectly to get the author profile instead of turning a page of the book.
Book 1 started with an interesting premise but then got pretty slow, although I did plod on to book 2, which unfortunately is plagued with writing much worse than book 1. The pages and pages of memories being given to James were so confusing!
In book 2, the story keeps going all over the place, there's an overuse of pronouns so it's hard to follow who the author is talking about, time jumps between past and present with poor transitions so you have to re-read text to figure out what's going on, etc. It got too tiring to read so DNF book 2, and will skip book 3. The writing is so bad that I am not interested in how this story ends.
July 7, 2023
Fascinating…Could Easily be a 5-Star Book
Fascinating story. Huge imagination. Exciting action. Needs an editor.
I enjoyed this book, but if you are bugged by imperfect editing, be warned. While there were only a few typos—mostly things that wouldn’t be caught by spellcheck (“weak” spelled as “week,” for instance)—the more egregious affront is that there are simply a lot of missing words.
I almost put the book down in the first quarter. The missing words and slightly odd syntax caused me to re-read paragraphs, which takes me out of the story completely. The “missing word syndrome” improved in the middle of the book, but escalated again as we reached the climax of the story.
It reminds me of that thing where you’re typing very fast to get a thought out, and you accidentally a word. <— See what I did there?
Having said that, the fact that I finished the book is a testament to just how good the story is. A little stilted at the top—and the protagonist’s background and instigating incident are a bit far-fetched and have almost no relation to the main plot—but worth the read nonetheless.
Fascinating story. Huge imagination. Exciting action. Needs an editor.
I enjoyed this book, but if you are bugged by imperfect editing, be warned. While there were only a few typos—mostly things that wouldn’t be caught by spellcheck (“weak” spelled as “week,” for instance)—the more egregious affront is that there are simply a lot of missing words.
I almost put the book down in the first quarter. The missing words and slightly odd syntax caused me to re-read paragraphs, which takes me out of the story completely. The “missing word syndrome” improved in the middle of the book, but escalated again as we reached the climax of the story.
It reminds me of that thing where you’re typing very fast to get a thought out, and you accidentally a word. <— See what I did there?
Having said that, the fact that I finished the book is a testament to just how good the story is. A little stilted at the top—and the protagonist’s background and instigating incident are a bit far-fetched and have almost no relation to the main plot—but worth the read nonetheless.
April 17, 2023
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
For most of the book, the story is a fun mystery wrapped in layers of cliches, sort of like a B-grade movie you'd see on SyFy on a Saturday night. It wasn't bad, but it does require a release of expectations to be mildly entertaining.
The first 80% of the book is what you'd expect: stereotypical scientist and military personnel trying to figure out an ancient (and probably alien) artifact. Plenty of scenes you've seen/read many times before with the expected results. And at this point, you might be wondering how this could end up a series? Nothing remarkable has happened yet. But then the bombshell...
In one scene, we get a bunch of information and answers about what's going on. This allows the rest of the book to set up the next in the series. We've got a mission, a threat, and a group willing to give it a try. The epilogue leaves us right where everything was headed, but is it enough to read the next book? For me, no. I can get past the spotty editing and lame dialogue, but under all that, the story just isn't captivating. So I'm done.
Skip it!
For most of the book, the story is a fun mystery wrapped in layers of cliches, sort of like a B-grade movie you'd see on SyFy on a Saturday night. It wasn't bad, but it does require a release of expectations to be mildly entertaining.
The first 80% of the book is what you'd expect: stereotypical scientist and military personnel trying to figure out an ancient (and probably alien) artifact. Plenty of scenes you've seen/read many times before with the expected results. And at this point, you might be wondering how this could end up a series? Nothing remarkable has happened yet. But then the bombshell...
In one scene, we get a bunch of information and answers about what's going on. This allows the rest of the book to set up the next in the series. We've got a mission, a threat, and a group willing to give it a try. The epilogue leaves us right where everything was headed, but is it enough to read the next book? For me, no. I can get past the spotty editing and lame dialogue, but under all that, the story just isn't captivating. So I'm done.
Skip it!
February 6, 2023
Three stars is generous. This author clearly struggled through ESL (English as a Second Language). Here are some writing samples:
“... the soldiers sitting in the red light of the helicopter cabin with him with whom he sat in the red-lit helicopter cabin” (p. 38).
“... even though he that he would have to pay the price ...”
What? “Even though he that he”? What is that? See page 334; maybe you can figure it out.
Okay, maybe the author couldn’t afford an editor. How about running a spell check?
“H breathed a sigh of relief” (p. 235).
Nope.
Nonetheless, I winced my way through this tale. The premise was not bad, if a bit hackneyed.
Unfortunately, the author failed to finish the book. At the 80% mark, a major plot point is revealed. Metaphorically, Luke Skywalker learns what he must do to fulfill his destiny. Then . . . it never happens! That’s right: the “epilogue” is actually just another chapter. There is no ending. The author simply stops writing.
If you haven’t read this yet, don’t bother. Go back and re-read Martha Wells' _All Systems Red_. Your time will be much better spent.
“... the soldiers sitting in the red light of the helicopter cabin with him with whom he sat in the red-lit helicopter cabin” (p. 38).
“... even though he that he would have to pay the price ...”
What? “Even though he that he”? What is that? See page 334; maybe you can figure it out.
Okay, maybe the author couldn’t afford an editor. How about running a spell check?
“H breathed a sigh of relief” (p. 235).
Nope.
Nonetheless, I winced my way through this tale. The premise was not bad, if a bit hackneyed.
Unfortunately, the author failed to finish the book. At the 80% mark, a major plot point is revealed. Metaphorically, Luke Skywalker learns what he must do to fulfill his destiny. Then . . . it never happens! That’s right: the “epilogue” is actually just another chapter. There is no ending. The author simply stops writing.
If you haven’t read this yet, don’t bother. Go back and re-read Martha Wells' _All Systems Red_. Your time will be much better spent.
April 8, 2024
Not bad at all!
This isn’t perfect and there are a lot of moments where I found the choices that those in authority made to be unrealistic, but you have to suspend that kind of critical reasoning to some degree when reading most sci-fi.
The most important things to me are:
Readability- this was reasonably easy to follow and read. It wasn’t a slog. I would call it a page-turner. Four stars there.
Characters - also four stars. The Naval guy isn’t completely believable (see my first comment.) but he is likable. The adminstrator is neither. And James is a good complex character, although also a little unrealistic imho.
Finally plot. I’d give this four stars. It is very good most of the way through but I felt the end of the book was rushed and not well-illustrated. I had a hard time picturing some of it and it felt more like fantasy than sci-fi.
I’m curious enough to read the next book in the series.
This isn’t perfect and there are a lot of moments where I found the choices that those in authority made to be unrealistic, but you have to suspend that kind of critical reasoning to some degree when reading most sci-fi.
The most important things to me are:
Readability- this was reasonably easy to follow and read. It wasn’t a slog. I would call it a page-turner. Four stars there.
Characters - also four stars. The Naval guy isn’t completely believable (see my first comment.) but he is likable. The adminstrator is neither. And James is a good complex character, although also a little unrealistic imho.
Finally plot. I’d give this four stars. It is very good most of the way through but I felt the end of the book was rushed and not well-illustrated. I had a hard time picturing some of it and it felt more like fantasy than sci-fi.
I’m curious enough to read the next book in the series.
February 15, 2025
A Remarkable work of speculative fiction!
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2025
Teleport is the 1st book in the Teleport trilogy, and like all of Calvert's works, its immaculately plotted, the characters are varied and believable, especially James, being the primary protagonist, the dialog is what one might expect if placed in such precarious situations, the descriptions of 'Prime", at least within the wall, are vivid and paint a bleak picture, and description of the teleported is excellent. The book ends on quite a cliffhanger and I'm glad I don't have to wait months to read Teleport 2. 5/5 stars, any fan of science fiction will find it a joy to read and those not already enamored with the genre will quickly find themselves drawn into the story!
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2025
Teleport is the 1st book in the Teleport trilogy, and like all of Calvert's works, its immaculately plotted, the characters are varied and believable, especially James, being the primary protagonist, the dialog is what one might expect if placed in such precarious situations, the descriptions of 'Prime", at least within the wall, are vivid and paint a bleak picture, and description of the teleported is excellent. The book ends on quite a cliffhanger and I'm glad I don't have to wait months to read Teleport 2. 5/5 stars, any fan of science fiction will find it a joy to read and those not already enamored with the genre will quickly find themselves drawn into the story!
December 31, 2022
4.5/5
Although after reading the first chapters you start to think that the story is a combination of The Sphere and Stargate, it honestly proceeds with a very fast pace to something entirely different.
The book is one of those that you cannot leave it from your hands, and you just turn page after page until you teach the end.
I found myself to say "one more chapter and I'm sleeping after that" and then the morning came and I just wanted to find out what happens in the end.
I won't say more, except that the end is a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the second part.
I guess there will be a second part right?
Highly recommended!
Although after reading the first chapters you start to think that the story is a combination of The Sphere and Stargate, it honestly proceeds with a very fast pace to something entirely different.
The book is one of those that you cannot leave it from your hands, and you just turn page after page until you teach the end.
I found myself to say "one more chapter and I'm sleeping after that" and then the morning came and I just wanted to find out what happens in the end.
I won't say more, except that the end is a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the second part.
I guess there will be a second part right?
Highly recommended!
January 5, 2025
Read it! If you are sci-fi fan - read it! What are you waiting for! If you wanted to find your next gripping sci-fi series- look no further! The story, the characters, the mystery that just keeps growing throughout the book, the pacing-5 stars! I listened to Audi book and it was fantastic. I haven’t noticed any grammar mistakes while listening but English is my 4th language. Maybe because i have to speak different languages I value more the ability to convey the thought than being perfectly grammatically correct. Can’t imagine being thrown out of the story because of some minor grammar mistakes, that people are mentioning.
May 2, 2025
Unreadable, unbelievable, could only fininsh 35%. Cartoonish adolescent characters. The hero can stand negotiating a hostage situation with Boko Haram with a gun to his head and just feeling great, but gets a brain freeze in all other situations. Maybe the author is a teenager, if so I wish him the best of success in the future.
Edit: I read about the author and now I understand why he's so poor at describing weak characters but good at describing strong guys. It's because he's a tough guy himself and he just cannot fathom weak characters, that's why they become so cartoonish. Joshua should explore the concept of "growing in weakness".
Edit: I read about the author and now I understand why he's so poor at describing weak characters but good at describing strong guys. It's because he's a tough guy himself and he just cannot fathom weak characters, that's why they become so cartoonish. Joshua should explore the concept of "growing in weakness".
January 27, 2023
a different take on a portal to another world
I enjoyed this book and will be reading the next when it’s out in February. The book was well written and the characters sufficient. For me it lost a star because I found there was more emoting than I am comfortable with. The main character spent a lot of time bemoaning his lost romance which I did not see the point of. Maybe the reason will be revealed in the next book. I also found the characterisation of the scientists a bit light.
I enjoyed this book and will be reading the next when it’s out in February. The book was well written and the characters sufficient. For me it lost a star because I found there was more emoting than I am comfortable with. The main character spent a lot of time bemoaning his lost romance which I did not see the point of. Maybe the reason will be revealed in the next book. I also found the characterisation of the scientists a bit light.
April 25, 2023
Good with exceptions
Interesting take on a portal Syfy book. Enjoyable but a little too preachy in parts. Some inconsistencies such as going back to the teleport which they had just left to retrieve a bag of medicine that they should have retrieved when they first arrived at the end of the book. It didn't make any sense that they first went somewhere else. Also they didn't discuss the monster which appeared to be not of biological mass but contain metallic parts. That was never questioned.
Interesting take on a portal Syfy book. Enjoyable but a little too preachy in parts. Some inconsistencies such as going back to the teleport which they had just left to retrieve a bag of medicine that they should have retrieved when they first arrived at the end of the book. It didn't make any sense that they first went somewhere else. Also they didn't discuss the monster which appeared to be not of biological mass but contain metallic parts. That was never questioned.
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