This book introduced me to a new and vibrant sub-genre of Science Fiction: LitRPG. The genre feels organic, and it resonates well with younger readers on websites like Rocky Road. Some of the writing quality on that site is questionable, at best, but some is pretty darn good! Happily, the Primal Hunter falls into the latter category, with solid characters, motivations, and pacing. The series gained such a massive following on Rocky Road that it was published as a set of independent novels. The plot, while really out there, intersects my primary Space Settlement theme in a totally unexpected way. Around the third or fourth novel, the series morphs into a settlement thriller as the heroes return to Earth... but it is certainly not the Earth they left! The author's creativity runs wild, with revenge-driven cows, insect hordes, valiant eagles... and of course, the greatest predator of all, our fellow humans. Confession time: I initially researched the LitRPG genre because my 'Velocity Saga' series should take a major turn in this direction around the fourth or fifth book. It's a match made in the heavens. The storyline in my third, in-progress Velocity Saga novel (Tetrahedron) builds a strong LitRPG bridge without becoming LitRPG (yet). Hang on... it's going to be a wild ride! But in the meantime, check out The Primal Hunter for a looong and fun read.
On just another average day, Jake finds himself in a forest filled with monsters, dangers, and opportunity.... It was a day like any other when suddenly the world changed. The universe reached a threshold humanity didn’t even know existed, and it was time to finally be integrated into the vast multiverse. A place where power is the only thing anyone can truly rely on.Jake, a seemingly average office worker, finds himself thrust into this new world. Into a tutorial filled with dangers and opportunities.. His new reality should breed fear and concern. His fellow coworkers falter at every turn. Jake,…
The First Colony series, by Ken Lozito, balances the hopes and dreams of future space settlers against the grief of losing everything left behind. The novels in this series skip some of the mundane parts of settlement creation or take an overly optimistic approach toward them, while still introducing a wide mix of catastrophes and obstacles to overcome. I like the author's take on the 'reluctant hero' as his main character, as well as the abundant 'mystery' components.
A mission gone wrong. Innocent lives have been lost.
Escaping wrongful imprisonment wasn't something Connor had in mind, but being put into stasis aboard Earth's first interstellar colony ship was something he couldn't have prepared for.
For three hundred thousand colonists, the new colony brings the promise of a fresh start...a second chance. Connor might be the wrong man for the colony, but he's the right man to see that it survives what's coming.
A new world with new challenges, but the mission has changed.
If you love military science fiction from the greats of the past and present, you'll…
This series introduces the reader to a rich universe of characters and motivations. Heroes, villains, actions with dire consequences - it has it all. Most of all, I like the books because they really make you think, in a philosophical sort of way. The author doesn't shy away from any hard discussions about religion, politics, or human nature. How can one not like a series with a war hero as a main character who wants nothing more than to retire from service and become a rabbi?
Corporal David Cohen thought he’d left war behind.He was wrong.The Terran Coalition faces repeated and brutal attacks from the repressive League of Sol. To defend his home planet, David trades his dream of becoming a rabbi for a battlefront in the far reaches of space. When particle beams fly, his courage under fire brings quick promotion. But in the lulls between battles when he must confront his soul, David finds a different enemy: the ghosts of those killed under his command.Yet in war, it’s kill or be killed—and the enemy shows no mercy.David must square the tenets of his faith…
Secrecy shrouds the first mission to land human explorers on the planet Mars. Even David Debacco, the Director of Mission Support, doesn't know the identity of his sponsors or their true agenda. As David struggles to keep the brave Mars explorers alive, an expanding web of deceit threatens the mission and the woman he loves from afar.
Traveling to Mars in a bold pursuit of knowledge, Anna Schweitzer barely perceives the Earthly plots against her team. Despite impossible odds, she looks to Mars for hope. Will she survive long enough to reach a New World and battle its untamed surface? Or will she succumb to dangers in space more terrifying than anything left behind on Earth?
