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Cresperian #1
Human by Choice
Best-selling science fiction print author Travis S. "Doc Travis" Taylor and best-selling ebook author Darrell Bain have combined talents to produce a new science fiction thriller. Several alien lifeboats make it to earth in widely separated spots after their interstellar spaceship malfunctions. One of the aliens comes down near the home of Kyle Leverson, a former army intelligence officer and now a widowed science journalist. The aliens think they can never go home but they are able to convert their bodies into duplicates of human beings over a period of time. Kyle helps the alien during the process as it becomes a human female, yet retains its previous knowledge and abilities, including a powerful perceptive sense unlike anything known to humans. What Kyle doesn't realize is that the alien intends to become a human female in every aspect, with him as the teacher. How does one instruct an alien from a wildly different culture in every characteristic of human behavior, including sex? It's a chore far harder than Kyle Leverson ever imagined, especially since he and his alien guest have to contend with the other aliens, who are being instructed (or in a couple of cases, captured and abused) by different groups of people in several other nations. Their outlook on what it means to be human is different from Kyle's and the results will be evident when the aliens have to fight each other, even though they've never done such things before. Fortunately for Kyle, his alien is a fast learner. But it also becomes such a compatible and beautiful human female that he finds himself falling in love. A truly thoughtful and sophisticated science fiction novel, by Travis S. Taylor, the author of Warp Speed, The Quantum Connection and Von Neuman's War (in collaboration with John Ringo) and Darrell Bain, the multiple award-winning author of Alien Infection, Strange Valley, Savage Survival and The Melanin Apocalypse.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
25 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Travis S. Taylor
54 books225 followersTravis Shane Taylor is a born and bred southerner and resides just outside Huntsville, Alabama. He has a Doctorate in Optical Science and Engineering, a Master’s degree in Physics, a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, all from the University of Alabama in Huntsville; a Master’s degree in Astronomy from the Univ. of Western Sydney, and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Alabama.
Dr. Taylor has worked on various programs for the Department of Defense and NASA for the past sixteen years. He is currently working on several advanced propulsion concepts, very large space telescopes, space based beamed energy systems, future combat technologies and systems, and next generation space launch concepts. He is also involved with multiple MASINT, SIGINT, IMINT, and HUMINT concept studies.
He has published over 25 papers and the appendix on solar sailing in the 2nd edition of Deep Space Probes by Greg Matloff.
His first science fiction novel is, Warp Speed, and his second is The Quantum Connection published by Baen Publishing. He is also working on two different series with best-selling author John Ringo also by Baen Publishing. He has several other works of both fiction and nonfiction ongoing.
Travis is also a Black Belt martial artist, a private pilot, a SCUBA diver, races mountain and road bikes, competed in triathlons, and has been the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of several hard rock bands. He currently lives with his wife Karen, his daughter Kalista Jade, two dogs Stevie and Wesker, and his cat Kuro.
Dr. Taylor has worked on various programs for the Department of Defense and NASA for the past sixteen years. He is currently working on several advanced propulsion concepts, very large space telescopes, space based beamed energy systems, future combat technologies and systems, and next generation space launch concepts. He is also involved with multiple MASINT, SIGINT, IMINT, and HUMINT concept studies.
He has published over 25 papers and the appendix on solar sailing in the 2nd edition of Deep Space Probes by Greg Matloff.
His first science fiction novel is, Warp Speed, and his second is The Quantum Connection published by Baen Publishing. He is also working on two different series with best-selling author John Ringo also by Baen Publishing. He has several other works of both fiction and nonfiction ongoing.
Travis is also a Black Belt martial artist, a private pilot, a SCUBA diver, races mountain and road bikes, competed in triathlons, and has been the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of several hard rock bands. He currently lives with his wife Karen, his daughter Kalista Jade, two dogs Stevie and Wesker, and his cat Kuro.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 2, 2012
This book was really two disparate stories -- the protagonist finding an alien and helping them become a human, and the world's government finding and tracking the aliens in a technological power grab. Since there are two authors, Darrell Bain and Travis Taylor, I wonder if one finished the other's story.
The first half was okay, but spent a lot of time in conversation between the two main characters -- Kyle, the ex-military man that finds the alien, and Jeri, the alien that becomes human by choice -- telling instead of showing, and there was a good deal of political and religious speechifying in those conversations. Also, there was a lot of unnecessary talk about bras and tampons, that could have been implied instead of so implicit.
However, at almost exactly the 50% mark, the book takes off, and never looks back. The second half is almost entirely action, playing out like an awesome sci-fi B-movie, with chases, compound infiltrations, villainous Chinese communists, and rocket ship launches.
The first half was okay, but spent a lot of time in conversation between the two main characters -- Kyle, the ex-military man that finds the alien, and Jeri, the alien that becomes human by choice -- telling instead of showing, and there was a good deal of political and religious speechifying in those conversations. Also, there was a lot of unnecessary talk about bras and tampons, that could have been implied instead of so implicit.
However, at almost exactly the 50% mark, the book takes off, and never looks back. The second half is almost entirely action, playing out like an awesome sci-fi B-movie, with chases, compound infiltrations, villainous Chinese communists, and rocket ship launches.
August 30, 2012
The premise of the book was interesting and showed a bit of promise - a story about aliens who have crash landed on Earth, and have decided to take on human form, and become human in every sense of the word.
However there were some major issues with this title, issues which made the book almost unreadable for me. Problem is the book was just too cliche and the characters too shallow. And worse of all, there was this whole deus ex machina thing happening every step of the way. The characters were all just way too perfect, and everything was just way too convenient. Powerful unlikely allies appears out of nowhere in every single chapter, and all the problems miraculous solve themselves via unexplainable alien technology. Darrell Bain's influence could clearly be felt too, with porn-star-like characters and mindless sex scattered throughout.
I wanted to like the book, I really did, but the planning and the writing was poor, and ultimately there were just no real development, no depth, no point to it all.
However there were some major issues with this title, issues which made the book almost unreadable for me. Problem is the book was just too cliche and the characters too shallow. And worse of all, there was this whole deus ex machina thing happening every step of the way. The characters were all just way too perfect, and everything was just way too convenient. Powerful unlikely allies appears out of nowhere in every single chapter, and all the problems miraculous solve themselves via unexplainable alien technology. Darrell Bain's influence could clearly be felt too, with porn-star-like characters and mindless sex scattered throughout.
I wanted to like the book, I really did, but the planning and the writing was poor, and ultimately there were just no real development, no depth, no point to it all.
December 2, 2016
I lost interest near the end...
I read the book and was really interested using every free time to continue... Up until the 80% of the book... After a successful operation of the group formed to work with the aliens, a nerve wrecking operation at that well written and all I was "heck, what a good book, I'll write a really good review of it in a few minutes that will take me to finish..." then I turn the page and the book is still going on, I check the % already read of the book and is at 80%, my positive mind was "cool, 20% to go, either something more exciting happens or there is a preview of the next installment of the series" and then the expectations die a slow and agonizing dead a rushed operation that predictably goes wrong and the main characters save in a rush and no up point comes from the solution... And then the closing chapter is extremely short and too endish knowing that there is a sequel to the series
I read the book and was really interested using every free time to continue... Up until the 80% of the book... After a successful operation of the group formed to work with the aliens, a nerve wrecking operation at that well written and all I was "heck, what a good book, I'll write a really good review of it in a few minutes that will take me to finish..." then I turn the page and the book is still going on, I check the % already read of the book and is at 80%, my positive mind was "cool, 20% to go, either something more exciting happens or there is a preview of the next installment of the series" and then the expectations die a slow and agonizing dead a rushed operation that predictably goes wrong and the main characters save in a rush and no up point comes from the solution... And then the closing chapter is extremely short and too endish knowing that there is a sequel to the series
October 10, 2022
I have read several other books by Travis Taylor, thoroughly enjoying them. This one is VERY much of a mixed bag. Light fiction, great story, fun plot, entertaining mix of characters. However, it seems like every time I'm really getting into the book, one of the authors heads off on yet another rant against organized religion, anyone who believes in anything, Christianity, Islam, churches, charities, governments, and more. The most vicious and unexplained vitriol seems to be aimed at Southern Baptists, who are all ignorant, stupid, hypocritical, unteachable, and like to kill aliens, puppies, and step on mamma's apple pie just for the fun of it. Some of the other rants, when logic and reason are used, are readable, even fun, and contribute to the story.
If it is Mr. Taylor, clearly Mr. Taylor had a very negative experience with a church or a Christian believer between his previous books and this, or else he felt he could get away with it now, since he's an experienced and published author.
If they could stick to writing excellent stories, and try to minimize the bizarre commentary attacking (in many cases) the reader, they will be readable again.
Update 2022 - I tried again, thinking maybe I was in a bad mental state when I read it - Nah, a very few pages into the first paragraph he goes off in a bizarre, unhinged rant. Disappointing. I really wanted to like the book.
If it is Mr. Taylor, clearly Mr. Taylor had a very negative experience with a church or a Christian believer between his previous books and this, or else he felt he could get away with it now, since he's an experienced and published author.
If they could stick to writing excellent stories, and try to minimize the bizarre commentary attacking (in many cases) the reader, they will be readable again.
Update 2022 - I tried again, thinking maybe I was in a bad mental state when I read it - Nah, a very few pages into the first paragraph he goes off in a bizarre, unhinged rant. Disappointing. I really wanted to like the book.
October 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The premise is that a retired army man has a lifeboat from a failed interstellor liner deposit an alien in his back yard. The alien aboard is injured but with the help of Kyle Leverson (the retired army man) and equipment from it's escape pod it heals itself. They then go about learning to communicate with each other. As the alien learns about humans it quickly decides it must become human in order to survive on Earth as it has no hope of ever returning home. It decides to become a human female and uses an old photo of a playboy model as its pattern. After becoming fully human they fall in love with each other. Kyle will do anything to protect her. They find out that other aliens from the ship have survived and that everybody from the Chinese, the Russian Mafia and the U.S. Government are looking for them. After being attacked several times Kyle calls an old Army friend who is now a Colonel in military intelligence for help. After being picked up and taken to safety they then help the military in rescuing the other aliens from enemy hands. This book has quite a bit of action and very likable characters.
November 7, 2014
Great premise; terrible execution. The plot itself wasn't bad, but there was so much extraneous material about the main protagonist's view on things that often had no bearing on the story, I got quite annoyed. His arrogant Americanism also left a little to be desired as a non-American reader (eg: the description of a British socialist prime minister was frankly annoying and xenophobic to say the least and I'm not even British). It simply reinforced my opinion that many Americans are extremely insular and intolerant of other ways of living and made me think his character somehow thought he was superior to most others. He also read as extremely Mary-Sue, or whatever the male equivalent is, and in addition had no grasp of sex or much else from a woman's perspective.
Won't read the sequel, if it ever eventuates.
Won't read the sequel, if it ever eventuates.
March 16, 2016
An alien choosing to be human. Interesting idea. Very good story.
September 19, 2025
Alien Love Story
Interesting what aliens supposedly can’t do, given the things they can, but it helps to move the story along. Love and healing go hand in glove as do fighting the bad guys with the good guys sometimes losing. But it helps Jeri the alien-turned-human to understand her new human form and the environment she accidentally fell into. Fun read.
I was mostly interested in the fact that Travis Taylor authored this book. You could just hear his Alabama drawl come through on each page (even though much of the story takes place in Arkansas.)
Interesting what aliens supposedly can’t do, given the things they can, but it helps to move the story along. Love and healing go hand in glove as do fighting the bad guys with the good guys sometimes losing. But it helps Jeri the alien-turned-human to understand her new human form and the environment she accidentally fell into. Fun read.
I was mostly interested in the fact that Travis Taylor authored this book. You could just hear his Alabama drawl come through on each page (even though much of the story takes place in Arkansas.)
November 13, 2017
Entertaining read.
February 19, 2019
Good sci-fi (I think), funny but lots of truth in it, hope for the future.
February 16, 2015
An Alien Ship gets in trouble and has to bail out...very few get to the Pods and even fewer make it to earth. They have the ability to change to any biological form.
A science writer helps the alien out and with its empathetic ability sees that he is lonely etc. (Wife died 6 mo ago). Alien changes form to a beautiful Playboy replica, Changes the Mans body to be younger and healthier, they fall in love. Find that there are others, by this time the military and others are on their trail. One is caught and killed by the Mexicans, another is captured by runaway intel agency and is being tortchered (they get that one and it changes into a man. One is in China and is helping them to take over the world. They kill him.
They are then picked up by the military friends and other intel orgs and through the President set up a clandestine group that is kept secret as the aliens and humans try to figure out what is the best course.
This is a good series. Hopefully the next one (and I will read it) will talk to what she has done to his body, how long he will live and some of the other things that are part of their ability.
When they change biological form they take on the feelings, emotions, sexual etc. every thing and actually become human. They do keep their intellect as well as a core ability to change back, however, at this point they are so old they don't know if they every went through what the human have and are going through. At this point they don't want to change back because of the "feelings" sexual and other.
A science writer helps the alien out and with its empathetic ability sees that he is lonely etc. (Wife died 6 mo ago). Alien changes form to a beautiful Playboy replica, Changes the Mans body to be younger and healthier, they fall in love. Find that there are others, by this time the military and others are on their trail. One is caught and killed by the Mexicans, another is captured by runaway intel agency and is being tortchered (they get that one and it changes into a man. One is in China and is helping them to take over the world. They kill him.
They are then picked up by the military friends and other intel orgs and through the President set up a clandestine group that is kept secret as the aliens and humans try to figure out what is the best course.
This is a good series. Hopefully the next one (and I will read it) will talk to what she has done to his body, how long he will live and some of the other things that are part of their ability.
When they change biological form they take on the feelings, emotions, sexual etc. every thing and actually become human. They do keep their intellect as well as a core ability to change back, however, at this point they are so old they don't know if they every went through what the human have and are going through. At this point they don't want to change back because of the "feelings" sexual and other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2014
HEY YOUALL, READ THIS! A SCI-FI STORY BY A RED NECK ROCKET SCIENTIST!
HEY YOUALL, READ THIS! A SCI-FI STORY BY A RED NECK ROCKET SCIENTIST!
Doc Travis writes another rockin sci-fi novel (for fun! in his copious spare time)! I enjoyed reading this. Give'er a spin, you might ought to too.
HEY YOUALL, READ THIS! A SCI-FI STORY BY A RED NECK ROCKET SCIENTIST!
Doc Travis writes another rockin sci-fi novel (for fun! in his copious spare time)! I enjoyed reading this. Give'er a spin, you might ought to too.
February 1, 2015
I love Rocket City Rednecks but I was not impressed with this book. The concept was good but there were too many unnecessary details that made the story tedious. Rarely do I just give up on a book. This book is "finished" even if I didn't make it to the end.
November 18, 2008
This is the worst kind of pulpy sci-fi book you can find.
But I liked it.
Pure crap. Escapist fiction.
I will probably read another by the author(s)
But I liked it.
Pure crap. Escapist fiction.
I will probably read another by the author(s)
May 17, 2009
Put simply, I like Darrell Bain's books...
April 17, 2013
Enjoyed this book. Keep in mind that it is a book aimed at an adult audience.
June 18, 2012
A good quick beach read. Is it an epic? No, not by a long shot but it was light and entertaining story. The ending was not that great and felt kind of rushed.
April 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It was very thought provoking and short. I would have liked to see a continuation to the story instead of the abrupt ending. More please!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews