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The Strange Taste of Metal
John Spark is a tour guide in the caves of Mars. He's a jack-of-all-trades, a climber, a freelance writer, highly resourceful. He has to be, because on Mars there's no 'roadside assist'. Whether it's a vehicle, a suit, or a body, you fix it, or you face death.
Luck lands him a plush job with an exploration team. The cashed-up researchers seek clues to the origins of life, 97 light years from Mars. Or so they say. What exactly is a middling university doing with a cutting edge ship like the Coromandel? As the 'Help', John doesn't 'need-to-know'. However, it seems he's not the only one who's curious about what's below deck.
On arrival at Aemilia, the crew stumble on a bizarre message from a cryptic source, but who was it intended for and what does it mean?
Conditions on planet Aemilia are as treacherous as they are beautiful, and not as anyone predicted. At the height of success, the mission is cut short amidst increasing danger, of a kind and extent that no one could imagine.
John and the crew must use all of their wit and resources to get home in time to avert a truly terrifying disaster, galactic in scale.
Luck lands him a plush job with an exploration team. The cashed-up researchers seek clues to the origins of life, 97 light years from Mars. Or so they say. What exactly is a middling university doing with a cutting edge ship like the Coromandel? As the 'Help', John doesn't 'need-to-know'. However, it seems he's not the only one who's curious about what's below deck.
On arrival at Aemilia, the crew stumble on a bizarre message from a cryptic source, but who was it intended for and what does it mean?
Conditions on planet Aemilia are as treacherous as they are beautiful, and not as anyone predicted. At the height of success, the mission is cut short amidst increasing danger, of a kind and extent that no one could imagine.
John and the crew must use all of their wit and resources to get home in time to avert a truly terrifying disaster, galactic in scale.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 24, 2023
3 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 12, 2023
John Spark: Guide, jack of all trades, planetary defender. Other duties as required. The galaxy's his oyster.
THE STRANGE TASTE OF METAL captivated me with its gorgeous cover and snappy one-liner on the cover. We are immediately transported to a world beyond ours, where tourists from Earth and other places are touring Olympus Mons in a futuristic setting -- far enough into the future for TLOTR movies to be considered "old" but not too distant for folks to have never experienced rock climbing and cave diving on Earth. John's daily routine quickly changes as he's surprisingly recruited by an intriguing gang of adventurous researchers (warmly unprofessional -- my fav kind :)) who need his help. And so begins his own adventure of a lifetime, which becomes steadily more perilous as mysteries, secrets, and galactic-scale plots are slowly unraveled. Well-written with meticulous world-building (worlds-building, actually :)), smooth scene-building, well-researched tech jargon (at least it seemed to me, for this isn't my usual genre), and a diverse cast of mostly endearing and developed characters, THE STRANGE TASTE OF METAL is an overall gripping sci-fi adventure story sure to delight fans of the genre, and a solid debut by this author.
THE STRANGE TASTE OF METAL captivated me with its gorgeous cover and snappy one-liner on the cover. We are immediately transported to a world beyond ours, where tourists from Earth and other places are touring Olympus Mons in a futuristic setting -- far enough into the future for TLOTR movies to be considered "old" but not too distant for folks to have never experienced rock climbing and cave diving on Earth. John's daily routine quickly changes as he's surprisingly recruited by an intriguing gang of adventurous researchers (warmly unprofessional -- my fav kind :)) who need his help. And so begins his own adventure of a lifetime, which becomes steadily more perilous as mysteries, secrets, and galactic-scale plots are slowly unraveled. Well-written with meticulous world-building (worlds-building, actually :)), smooth scene-building, well-researched tech jargon (at least it seemed to me, for this isn't my usual genre), and a diverse cast of mostly endearing and developed characters, THE STRANGE TASTE OF METAL is an overall gripping sci-fi adventure story sure to delight fans of the genre, and a solid debut by this author.
April 30, 2024
I was recommended this book from an old colleague (shout out to J Stilts). As a fan of stories that take us beyond our solar system and current times, this was a perfect fit, and sits well alongside the likes of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy and Aurora, Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time series, plus Andy Wier's Project Hail Mary to name some faves.
The author introduces the characters in a sensitive manner, and although one of the twists was somewhat anticipated, I really felt like I was among the team of explorers as they faced their exciting and bizarre challenges on an alien world. I could imagine this as a movie as it played out in my imagination, especially with the creative descriptions of the native species and geomorphology.
The premise fits nicely within our current understanding of scientific principles, so could be considered 'hard science fiction' in that regard, but that doesn't interrupt the action and inventive story telling at all.
I could detect a slight Australian tone of voice here, which made me feel at home, before I researched the writer's background which confirmed my suspicion - it's great to see such homegrown talent. Overall I was highly impressed by this first(?) book from K.A. Burgess, and very much anticipate her next!
The author introduces the characters in a sensitive manner, and although one of the twists was somewhat anticipated, I really felt like I was among the team of explorers as they faced their exciting and bizarre challenges on an alien world. I could imagine this as a movie as it played out in my imagination, especially with the creative descriptions of the native species and geomorphology.
The premise fits nicely within our current understanding of scientific principles, so could be considered 'hard science fiction' in that regard, but that doesn't interrupt the action and inventive story telling at all.
I could detect a slight Australian tone of voice here, which made me feel at home, before I researched the writer's background which confirmed my suspicion - it's great to see such homegrown talent. Overall I was highly impressed by this first(?) book from K.A. Burgess, and very much anticipate her next!
May 19, 2023
Slow burn with a decent payoff
This is a very slow burn. It started with an exciting chapter and the term "happy gasper." From there, the book introduced John and the crew of scientists he joined. I truly enjoyed the slang terms and constant pulp culture references. Aemilia was an intriguing planet. Each new species gave me an eerie feeling, like I was watching Alien. I was surprised with the revelations of the bugs in a good way.
My only disinterest came from how slow it was to get going compounded by how rushed the action at the end was. The final 20% was fantastic, until I realized too many convenient plot armor excuses would be needed to successfully resolve everything with the minimal pages left. I think if the book was the first 3-4 chapters, then the second half, I would have liked it much more. Still the best book I've read after a reading slump of half a dozen or so books.
This is a very slow burn. It started with an exciting chapter and the term "happy gasper." From there, the book introduced John and the crew of scientists he joined. I truly enjoyed the slang terms and constant pulp culture references. Aemilia was an intriguing planet. Each new species gave me an eerie feeling, like I was watching Alien. I was surprised with the revelations of the bugs in a good way.
My only disinterest came from how slow it was to get going compounded by how rushed the action at the end was. The final 20% was fantastic, until I realized too many convenient plot armor excuses would be needed to successfully resolve everything with the minimal pages left. I think if the book was the first 3-4 chapters, then the second half, I would have liked it much more. Still the best book I've read after a reading slump of half a dozen or so books.
February 28, 2023
The whole book was a gripping read.
I've never before read such a detailed sci-fi script where the author takes you through a mesmerizing journey of his imagined world, explaining every new concept and keeping the reader hooked page after page.
I am so so so looking forward to the upcoming book(s) in this series.
PS: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I've never before read such a detailed sci-fi script where the author takes you through a mesmerizing journey of his imagined world, explaining every new concept and keeping the reader hooked page after page.
I am so so so looking forward to the upcoming book(s) in this series.
PS: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 19, 2023
3.5 Rounded down. If this was a movie I would call it a popcorn flick. To give you an idea of what I mean; the main character is a Martian tour guide/freelance journalist/climbing instructor named John Spark. That sounds like a character that Andy Dwyer would make up. But please don't misunderstand me; I don't mean that as an insult in any way; This book was fun. I was never bored; I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I think you will too.
That being said; I did have some issues with the book that ultimately led to me knocking the 1.5 stars off of my review and rounding it down to 3.
At the risk of sounding nitpicky; the book is full of minor contradictions that all add up to break a readers immersion. For example; early in the book Burgess establishes that coffee is rare in space, and most of it is synthesized and not very good. But, she then proceeds to have the characters drink roughly 7,000 cups of coffee throughout the story. Including immediately after injecting themselves with adrenaline (I'm not a doctor but that seems like a terrible idea) and; bafflingly, right after she has the characters destroy the coffee maker and jettison it into space. Those minor contradictions would be forgivable if they were few and far between, but they happen with enough regularity that they do start to pull you out of the story.
More significant than that, is that the third act of the story feels unattached from the first two. Burgess goes to great lengths to (skillfully) craft an entirely unique, original, and fascinating alien climate and landscape that she dubs the planet Aemelia. She traps the characters on this planet so that they can't escape, then masterfully builds the tension in a way that feels pleasantly similar to watching Alien. But then, right when the tension is highest; she just whisks the crew off of Aemelia and the whole third act occurs in transit to mars and back on mars. because of that, the conclusion to the book felt very rushed and didn't live up to the potential established by the beginning and middle.
I do think its worth noting here that this is Burgess's debut book, and I think its a very solid debut. I could definitely see Burgess fine tuning her craft as she keeps writing and the John Spark series developing into better and better books.
I would also like to note that I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
That being said; I did have some issues with the book that ultimately led to me knocking the 1.5 stars off of my review and rounding it down to 3.
At the risk of sounding nitpicky; the book is full of minor contradictions that all add up to break a readers immersion. For example; early in the book Burgess establishes that coffee is rare in space, and most of it is synthesized and not very good. But, she then proceeds to have the characters drink roughly 7,000 cups of coffee throughout the story. Including immediately after injecting themselves with adrenaline (I'm not a doctor but that seems like a terrible idea) and; bafflingly, right after she has the characters destroy the coffee maker and jettison it into space. Those minor contradictions would be forgivable if they were few and far between, but they happen with enough regularity that they do start to pull you out of the story.
More significant than that, is that the third act of the story feels unattached from the first two. Burgess goes to great lengths to (skillfully) craft an entirely unique, original, and fascinating alien climate and landscape that she dubs the planet Aemelia. She traps the characters on this planet so that they can't escape, then masterfully builds the tension in a way that feels pleasantly similar to watching Alien. But then, right when the tension is highest; she just whisks the crew off of Aemelia and the whole third act occurs in transit to mars and back on mars. because of that, the conclusion to the book felt very rushed and didn't live up to the potential established by the beginning and middle.
I do think its worth noting here that this is Burgess's debut book, and I think its a very solid debut. I could definitely see Burgess fine tuning her craft as she keeps writing and the John Spark series developing into better and better books.
I would also like to note that I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2023
Excellent Sci-Fi Thriller
“The Strange Taste of Metal” by K. A. Burgess is the first (and so far only) novel featuring intrepid space explorer John Spark. We first meet John as he is leading a tour of Martian landmarks first discovered in 2066, some thirty years before the novel’s time frame. I was immediately drawn to John, a technically savvy man with a thirst for knowledge and adventure as well as a deep sense of humility and respect for the universe. The tour doesn’t go well due to misbehavior by a tour participant, but John’s disappointment is soon eradicated when one of the other tourists hires him to fill a critical position a few days later. She offers him a job on a Martian University’s expedition to – get this -- an exoplanet some 97 light years away, first discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2023. My reaction to that as a reader? How cool is that? And off I went on a thrilling ride with John and the University team as they depart from Mars, pass through a wormhole near Saturn, and land on the planet JSWT 126d, which the explorers nickname “Aemelia.”
I don’t read a whole lot of science fiction, but I’ve read a lot by Isaac Asimov. What I love most about Asimov’s work is the way he blends scientific knowledge, futuristic technology, and fascinating characters as he weaves his gripping tales. Ms. Burgess does much the same in “The Strange Taste of Metal.” The science feels very real in her descriptions. The technology is top notch and very well described. All of her characters are well drawn, with both strengths and flaws, and character development occurs throughout the story as the team encounters a series of challenges. And the story is full of thrills and chills that kept me turning pages (well, metaphorical pages on my Kindle app, anyway) right to the very end.
My only nitpick is that there were a few inconsistencies in the text that could have been picked up with a bit more editing. While my reviews are often critical of the editing aspects, in this case the strengths of the book far outweighed that aspect, and I rate it at a solid five stars. Well done, Ms. Burgess, and I look forward to the future adventures of John Spark.
“The Strange Taste of Metal” by K. A. Burgess is the first (and so far only) novel featuring intrepid space explorer John Spark. We first meet John as he is leading a tour of Martian landmarks first discovered in 2066, some thirty years before the novel’s time frame. I was immediately drawn to John, a technically savvy man with a thirst for knowledge and adventure as well as a deep sense of humility and respect for the universe. The tour doesn’t go well due to misbehavior by a tour participant, but John’s disappointment is soon eradicated when one of the other tourists hires him to fill a critical position a few days later. She offers him a job on a Martian University’s expedition to – get this -- an exoplanet some 97 light years away, first discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2023. My reaction to that as a reader? How cool is that? And off I went on a thrilling ride with John and the University team as they depart from Mars, pass through a wormhole near Saturn, and land on the planet JSWT 126d, which the explorers nickname “Aemelia.”
I don’t read a whole lot of science fiction, but I’ve read a lot by Isaac Asimov. What I love most about Asimov’s work is the way he blends scientific knowledge, futuristic technology, and fascinating characters as he weaves his gripping tales. Ms. Burgess does much the same in “The Strange Taste of Metal.” The science feels very real in her descriptions. The technology is top notch and very well described. All of her characters are well drawn, with both strengths and flaws, and character development occurs throughout the story as the team encounters a series of challenges. And the story is full of thrills and chills that kept me turning pages (well, metaphorical pages on my Kindle app, anyway) right to the very end.
My only nitpick is that there were a few inconsistencies in the text that could have been picked up with a bit more editing. While my reviews are often critical of the editing aspects, in this case the strengths of the book far outweighed that aspect, and I rate it at a solid five stars. Well done, Ms. Burgess, and I look forward to the future adventures of John Spark.
April 12, 2023
The story begins with John Spark, a McGyver of sorts, leading a tour of landmarks on Mars, where there’s an entire population of humans living under artificial conditions and has never experienced things we are used to, like real food and fresh air. Having always found that concept fascinating, I was gripped immediately.
John joins an exploration trek to a planet on the other side of a wormhole, and we are taken through a journey filled with tensions and uncertainties that can only happen in the unknown and between people who are forced to trust those they don’t know.
Characters are well drawn and we get a sense of the flaws and strengths of each individual. The descriptions were vivid and easy to follow - “multi-segmented bit of iron pyrite crystal with eight stubby limbs” - “biggest fireworks display the solar system has ever seen.” In fact, the detailed depictions of the technology made me wonder if the author has a scientific background herself.
On the planet they decide to name "Aemelia," they make their way through an often precarious landscape with sometimes failing equipment, encountering strange creatures with strange behaviors. Through it all, John is the one who volunteers for dangerous tasks and comes up with solutions to unforeseen problems, thus gaining the trust of the others. And we begin to see the unexpected relevance of metal. This was exciting, and I would have liked to have seen more of the “bugs” throughout the story, but most of it was toward the end.
The author makes several references to Star Trek, and indeed this feels like an adventure that could take place on that show. Being a long-time Star Trek fan – every version of the series– I really enjoyed this book.
John joins an exploration trek to a planet on the other side of a wormhole, and we are taken through a journey filled with tensions and uncertainties that can only happen in the unknown and between people who are forced to trust those they don’t know.
Characters are well drawn and we get a sense of the flaws and strengths of each individual. The descriptions were vivid and easy to follow - “multi-segmented bit of iron pyrite crystal with eight stubby limbs” - “biggest fireworks display the solar system has ever seen.” In fact, the detailed depictions of the technology made me wonder if the author has a scientific background herself.
On the planet they decide to name "Aemelia," they make their way through an often precarious landscape with sometimes failing equipment, encountering strange creatures with strange behaviors. Through it all, John is the one who volunteers for dangerous tasks and comes up with solutions to unforeseen problems, thus gaining the trust of the others. And we begin to see the unexpected relevance of metal. This was exciting, and I would have liked to have seen more of the “bugs” throughout the story, but most of it was toward the end.
The author makes several references to Star Trek, and indeed this feels like an adventure that could take place on that show. Being a long-time Star Trek fan – every version of the series– I really enjoyed this book.
September 1, 2023
Lots of fun - The Martian meets Leviathan Wakes with a dash of Firefly.
The premise is great - a jack-of-all-trades adventurer on Mars joins a research mission to a new planet. Along the way they discover remarkable and dangerous life forms, as well as signs of another intelligent species in the cosmos. It all culminates in an alien artefact from that alien species making its way back to our own solar system, and our intrepid crew must save the day with bravery and cleverness.
If I can make some constructive feedback: the crew of the ship are lightly drawn, to the point where I had some trouble remembering who was who. Each crew member had their own motivations and an arc, but each was brief enough that I barely really followed them.
I definitely enjoyed the characters' snappy dialogue. They tease and bicker and show their adventurous bravado with quips. They do seem to do this even in moments of considerable stress and horror -- one of their crew is badly mutilated by a wild alien animal, or they are at life-threatening risk of being stranded by a solar storm and a malfunctioning spaceship, and still they wisecrack and discuss what they're having for lunch.
Also, they drink a *heroic* amount of coffee.
Some of my favorite parts are the bits of science fiction research: the characters undergo intense g-forces during acceleration or deceleration, there's discussion of Lagrange points and why a planet might be tidally locked, there's auroras, interplanetary lightspeed-limited communications, radiation damage, a solar system economy of settlements on moons and planets, plus a thoughtful ecology of interacting plants and animals on a planet with different conditions from ours. Very satisfying sci-fi world-building.
The premise is great - a jack-of-all-trades adventurer on Mars joins a research mission to a new planet. Along the way they discover remarkable and dangerous life forms, as well as signs of another intelligent species in the cosmos. It all culminates in an alien artefact from that alien species making its way back to our own solar system, and our intrepid crew must save the day with bravery and cleverness.
If I can make some constructive feedback: the crew of the ship are lightly drawn, to the point where I had some trouble remembering who was who. Each crew member had their own motivations and an arc, but each was brief enough that I barely really followed them.
I definitely enjoyed the characters' snappy dialogue. They tease and bicker and show their adventurous bravado with quips. They do seem to do this even in moments of considerable stress and horror -- one of their crew is badly mutilated by a wild alien animal, or they are at life-threatening risk of being stranded by a solar storm and a malfunctioning spaceship, and still they wisecrack and discuss what they're having for lunch.
Also, they drink a *heroic* amount of coffee.
Some of my favorite parts are the bits of science fiction research: the characters undergo intense g-forces during acceleration or deceleration, there's discussion of Lagrange points and why a planet might be tidally locked, there's auroras, interplanetary lightspeed-limited communications, radiation damage, a solar system economy of settlements on moons and planets, plus a thoughtful ecology of interacting plants and animals on a planet with different conditions from ours. Very satisfying sci-fi world-building.
April 21, 2023
This entertaining sci-fi adventure story, set in the near future, has a nice mix of elements: some mysteries, some aspects of a thriller, deep space exploration with accompanying dangers of the unknown, and some touches of humor. The story moves along at a great pace, with high-enough stakes and compelling tension. I found the characters varied and interesting, easy to relate to and root for.
There's plenty of mystery throughout the story about what's going on in the grand scheme of things, as well as the smaller mysteries one might anticipate in a story that includes the investigation of a new planet. The science portions contained some good technical details without overwhelming the story.
Informal phrases and words as part of the dialogue helped round out the characters, making them more real. While I was unfamiliar with those phrases and words (I'm from a different part of the world than the author), I was able to easily look them up to get the full meaning they conveyed. They added a wonderful dimension to the characters and offered a terrific opportunity to learn something new.
Overall, I really liked this book. I found it an engaging story and enjoyable sci-fi read. With the end of the story bringing a thrilling shiver and an intimation of things to come, I look forward to the characters' next adventure.
There's plenty of mystery throughout the story about what's going on in the grand scheme of things, as well as the smaller mysteries one might anticipate in a story that includes the investigation of a new planet. The science portions contained some good technical details without overwhelming the story.
Informal phrases and words as part of the dialogue helped round out the characters, making them more real. While I was unfamiliar with those phrases and words (I'm from a different part of the world than the author), I was able to easily look them up to get the full meaning they conveyed. They added a wonderful dimension to the characters and offered a terrific opportunity to learn something new.
Overall, I really liked this book. I found it an engaging story and enjoyable sci-fi read. With the end of the story bringing a thrilling shiver and an intimation of things to come, I look forward to the characters' next adventure.
May 11, 2023
This writer has the the talent to become a best-selling author. Interesting and believable characters, high-concept future tech and alien biology, intrigue, mystery, thrills and more take the reader on a journey that slowly builds to an unexpected and gripping climax. It begins with the POV character, John, making do as best he can on a future Mars colony, his talents wasted on tour groups and odd jobs, his social life floundering—until he meets a researcher who needs his skillset. An ultra-high-tech research vessel is set to sail to the edge of the solar system and through a wormhole, to a distant galaxy and a planet that may hold an incredible secret buried in it’s strata. The mission is plagued with issues, including the specter of espionage, unexpected life forms, unexpected weather phenomena, and a threat that no one saw coming. The final act turns this slow-burn scientific thriller into a battle for humanity’s survival, and every character plays an important role throughout the story. If you like high-concept science fiction—and the real-world science that inspires it—I think you will love this story.
October 30, 2023
What a great read!
I was glued to the pages from start to finish. Burgess has really mastered the ‘show’ part of storytelling and I found her writing style a pure delight. Not only were the people recognizable as individuals, but the places were delightfully vivid and detailed. I thought the world-building was quite epic. A group of PHD’ers is off on an expedition in an advanced ‘disc’ ship. They are going in search of early fossil life on JWST 126d—what could possibly go wrong with an experienced crew and a ground-breaking ship? Multitalented, John Sparks, nearly bites off Mini Farr’s hand when she offers him the job to go with them. Fans of Sci-fi will enjoy a wealth of Stella world-building, and fans of suspense will love the slow build-up to a very epic ending. What’s causing the large influx of refugees to Mars? How did a youth like Boyd end up as part of the crew? And who left DNA samples for them to find? I would have preferred other swear language to blaspheming, which made me cringe, but besides that, I have to say this is definitely a 5-star book and well worth a read.
I was glued to the pages from start to finish. Burgess has really mastered the ‘show’ part of storytelling and I found her writing style a pure delight. Not only were the people recognizable as individuals, but the places were delightfully vivid and detailed. I thought the world-building was quite epic. A group of PHD’ers is off on an expedition in an advanced ‘disc’ ship. They are going in search of early fossil life on JWST 126d—what could possibly go wrong with an experienced crew and a ground-breaking ship? Multitalented, John Sparks, nearly bites off Mini Farr’s hand when she offers him the job to go with them. Fans of Sci-fi will enjoy a wealth of Stella world-building, and fans of suspense will love the slow build-up to a very epic ending. What’s causing the large influx of refugees to Mars? How did a youth like Boyd end up as part of the crew? And who left DNA samples for them to find? I would have preferred other swear language to blaspheming, which made me cringe, but besides that, I have to say this is definitely a 5-star book and well worth a read.
August 1, 2023
Pleasant sci-fi read. The Strange Taste of Metal is an enthralling adventure that takes readers on a journey to the mysterious planet Aemilia, 97 light years from Mars. At the heart of the story is John Spark, a remarkably versatile tour guide with a zest for exploration. He has to be resourceful because humanity’s explorations of the outer Solar system and beyond have left the people not only disappointed but also with self-created dangers, lurking in the dark. Leaving his home on the Martian Lake Musk in search of adventure and coin, he would get more than he bargained for. As a member of an extraordinary exploration team aboard the cutting-edge ship, Coromandel, John embarks on a mission with a hidden agenda. Along the way, he encounters enigmatic messages, unexpected dangers, and Galactic-scale disasters.
The author writes with talent and ease, even though I sometimes felt in a medley of sci-fi classics and rather on a camping trip than in deep-space exploration. Nevertheless, the story was a real page-turner and I recommend it to all sci-fi enthusiasts.
The author writes with talent and ease, even though I sometimes felt in a medley of sci-fi classics and rather on a camping trip than in deep-space exploration. Nevertheless, the story was a real page-turner and I recommend it to all sci-fi enthusiasts.
March 8, 2023
Pretty good science/space adventure story for a debut novel. You would think the author had a background or extensive experience in space or scientific developments, as she does a good job of describing the events and characters in a realistic way that many others cannot achieve, without sounding like they are making stuff up. This book sort of reminds me in some way of 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is always interesting, with all of the cryptic and enigmatic stuff going on with the mission. Anyone who enjoys movies about Mars and dealing with dangerous exploration and conditions in space or otherwise, will probably enjoy this one. John Spark is a cool choice for the protagonist's name, too, as it reminds me of Halo or other space stories. At any rate, Mars and the universe may never be the same, after this mission to Aemilia, which also is somewhat reminiscent of Alien, but without as much dark horror.
November 17, 2023
Sometime in the near future, John is an underemployed tour guide on Mars, a decent, resourceful guy who's given an opportunity to travel with a research party through a wormhole and explore a faraway planet. The true motivations for the expedition are a mystery, as is the secret buried within this newly discovered planet. Along the way, John faces one complication after another, and his crew must come together to escape certain death. The author sprinkles in numerous pop culture references -- Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Dune -- and does an admirable job building a believable future for the cast to inhabit. The story slows down a little too much in the middle, but the characters are decently engaging and John is a likeable lead. A blend of The Martian and Alien, I think sci-fi fans will enjoy.
September 5, 2023
It has been a while since I have read a sci-fi thriller that got me so engaged! Like most thrillers, the start is a little slow and makes you wonder if it will be worth it, but the story develops quickly and as the plot thickens you can hardly stop reading. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns that make the story unpredictable and engaging. There's an array of interesting and well-developed characters. Most importantly, the author exhibits a stunning amount of scientific knowledge about the Solar System and is very, very well-versed in science, biology, and technology; all of the science fiction in this book is well-researched and thought-through. I immensely enjoyed reading it!
August 7, 2023
Well-written and meticulously paced sci-fi adventure by debut novelist K.A. Burgess. Set in the not-so-distant future, John Spark is a spelunker on Mars and a solutions-man who is selected to join an exploration team to planet Aemelia, 97 light years from Mars. Once there, John has his own agenda but it will take all of his ingenuity and experience to help decipher cryptic messages and avoid the dangers lurking behind every corner. The author blends mystery, suspense and scifi and builds intensity for an “Alien” type of story. Recommended for readers looking for a fascinating adventure to Mars and beyond!
October 15, 2023
A really gripping read. One of the book’s major assets is the fascinating description of the imagined world that the author calls planet Aemelia. The images are so vivid that the reader has the impression of watching them in a movie. The plot is full of mystery and suspense and the characters are well drawn and realistic. The details of the scientific part are impressive, revealing a lot of research on the author’s part. My only objection is a lack of homogeneity in the book’s structure in terms of rhythm. Some parts are slower than others are, while some are perhaps a bit too concise. That said, the book would be very much appreciated by sci-fi fans, especially fans of Star Trek.
May 13, 2023
Strange Taste of Metal is an interesting work of science fiction in the mid to late 21st century, centering on the livelihood of a space explorer, John, who seeks to find the meaning of life on Mars. The story had me perplexed at first but the aspects gave me a better understanding. I admired the elements presented and how well the author excelled in worldbuilding and providing detail to the planets the space crew explored. Overall, this story would be an intriguing read for readers who are into space adventures
March 14, 2023
What a wild ride!
KA Burgess's Strange Taste of Metal was an exciting science fiction story. With tons of technical jargon, the author makes the space exploration from Mars to the distant planet of Aemilia seem plausible.
The distrust of the crew added constant tension, the alien planet added mystery, and then when the ship returns to the home planet of Mars... well, you'll have to read it to find out!
I highly recommend this book if you like science fiction.
KA Burgess's Strange Taste of Metal was an exciting science fiction story. With tons of technical jargon, the author makes the space exploration from Mars to the distant planet of Aemilia seem plausible.
The distrust of the crew added constant tension, the alien planet added mystery, and then when the ship returns to the home planet of Mars... well, you'll have to read it to find out!
I highly recommend this book if you like science fiction.
February 13, 2023
This worked so well as a beginning to the John Spark series. It had what I enjoyed about the genre and the characters were unique and well written. I was never bored when reading this and it left me wanting more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 18, 2023
I am normally not a sci-fi reader, but decided to give Taste of metal a go. I'm pleased that I did as I found the story to be well "researched" and the story line quite captivating. The characters were ell fleshed out and the pace relevant to the story line. I happily recommend the book to all who like an exciting and interesting story.
November 9, 2023
An exciting hard science fiction with its unique plot of exploration—but with a terrible twist. Tension builds steadily between crew members and is worsened by their discoveries of strange life forms on an alien planet. Injuries, malfunctions, and inclement weather forces them to leave—then the REAL problems start! This one will keep you up all night!
January 24, 2024
The synopsis on the back cover sounds like so many sci-fi books and doesn't do the book justice. This is real sci-fi not just a fantasy or adventure story set in space. When we start colonising other planets we may very well discover they are a lot more inhospitable than the wishful thinkers imagine. The book is a bit slow starting but is worth it.
February 27, 2023
Good beginning to a series, An interesting plot line . I enjoyed reading it and will read the next one also. It's just a bit jumpy on scene changes. Overall good story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 20, 2023
first chapter is okay but then the first half part is too slow...
second half is good!
I will read a second tome to see how it improves!
second half is good!
I will read a second tome to see how it improves!
November 11, 2023
Bloody awful
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