Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card

 Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card-324 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis: In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Thoughts: I watched the movie a few years ago, but hadn't read the book before this. The book is a good, fast-paced read. I'm interested to watch the movie again and see how it compares with the book. 

The Last Colony by John Scalzi

The Last Colony by John Scalzi, 324 pages

John Perry and Jane Sagan are tapped to lead the founding of a new human colony, only to find themselves trapped in a web of interstellar politics and violence that threatens not only themselves, but the future of humanity itself.

I am enjoying this series so much more on this read through. I love that we get more of Jane in this novel; she's just so compelling. 

The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi, 374 pages

From the MARC: "When humanity is threatened by three adversarial races who would halt the world's expansion into space, Jared Dirac, a super-power clone, tries to discover why the scientist who gave him his DNA has revealed key military secrets."

It is a bold choice to write a sequel around a completely new character who may or may not be a traitor, but that choice isn't the only reason The Ghost Brigades is an engaging read. After discovering how the Special Forces of the CFU are made, we get a raw perspective into their lives. The story moved briskly and brutally, ending in a bittersweet "happy" ending that was just the right amount of cloying.

 

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Old Man's War by John Scalzi, 413 pages

From the MARC: "Enlisting in the army on his seventy-fifth birthday, John Perry joins an interstellar war between Earth and alien enemies who would stake claims on the few existing inhabitable planets, unaware that the conflict involves much more than he understands."

It's been awhile since I've read this series, and since a new book is coming out later this year, I wanted to refresh myself. I have more life experience during this reread, and different parts of the story hit different emotional buttons. The older I get, the more I realize that John Perry's decision to join the interstellar navy at age 75 doesn't require the same level of disbelief my younger self needed. 

 

Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi, 365 pages

From the MARC: "The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity's first interstellar friendship. There's just one problem: They're hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish."

Agent to the Stars is one of my favorite first contact stories. It makes me feel hopeful, and I especially need that now. 

 

Android's Dream by John Scalzi

Android's Dream by John Scalzi, 396 pages

From the MARC: "To avoid an interstellar incident, ex-cop and hacker Harry Creek searches for a rare type of sheep to be used in an alien race's coronation ceremony, following a trail that leads to pet store owner Robin Baker, whose genes contain traces of the sheep DNA."

 

The Android's Dream by John Scalzi

 The Android's Dream by John Scalzi, 396 pages (634m)

When Harry Creek is tasked with procuring a very special sheep on behalf of his government, he doesn't know half of what he's getting himself into. With the fate of Earth hanging in the balance, Harry winds his way across the universe, wading through mercenaries, aliens able to swallow a man whole, and secret agent church members, only to end up in the heart of his dark past.

While most of Scalzi's work delights me, The Android's Dream might be my favorite! It's certainly one I return to often, especially as an audiobook. A perfect blend of humor, scifi, and irreverence, The Android's Dream can be enjoyed by die-hard sci fi enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre alike. 

Diablo Mesa by Preston/Child

 

Diablo Mesa by Preston & Child-385 pages

(Nora Kelly#3)

Archeologist Nora Kelly is hired by Lucas Tappan, a billionaire who wants her to head up a careful, scientific excavation of the Roswell Incident site where a UFO is alleged to have crashed in 1947.  Nora is not a believer, but as evidence mounts she begins to wonder if it is indeed true that aliens had landed at the site.  

Nora's excavation immediately uncovers two murder victims buried at the site, faces and hands obliterated with acid to erase their identities. In comes Special Agent Corrie Swanson is to take over the case. As Nora’s excavation proceeds, Corrie’s homicide investigation throws open a Pandora's box of espionage and violence, uncovering bloody traces of a powerful force that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets.  Leaves you wondering once again whose side our government is on.  

I enjoyed this installment of the series.  Kind of way outside the box.  Usually we have a familiar character do a cameo appearance, but we did not in this one.  So I missed him. (That was a hint)!  I recommend this series.

United by Melissa Landers

United by Melissa Landers -- 317 pages

After thwarting a deadly coup and saving the alliance between their worlds, Cara and Aelyx have finally earned a break. Their tiny island colony is everything they dreamed it would be―days spent gathering shells on the beach and nights in each other’s arms. But the vacation is short-lived.

The treaty between Earth and L’eihr has awakened an ancient force that threatens to destroy them all. The Aribol, mysterious guardians charged with maintaining interstellar peace, deem the alliance a threat to the galaxy. They order a separation of the races, decreeing humans and L’eihrs must return to their own planets within the month or face extinction. In fact, they already have agents in place on Earth, ready to begin.

With the clock ticking, Aelyx and Cara assemble a team of colonists and race back to Earth, where they unite with old friends to solve the mystery of who the Aribol are, what they want, and the real reason the alliance has provoked them. As tensions build to a full-scale war, Aelyx and Cara must fight harder than ever―not just for their future, but for the survival of both their worlds. 

Invaded by Melissa Landers

Invaded by Melissa Landers -- 356 pages

Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life. The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Alienated by Melissa Landers -- 344 pages

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking. But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Cold Falling White by Gabrielle S. Prendergast

 Cold Falling White by Gabrielle S. Prendergast (The Nahx Invasions #2), 576 p.

"Humans. Clones. Aliens. No one is safe anymore. It’s the end of the world.

Xander Liu survived the alien invasion—just barely. For more than a year, he has outsmarted, hidden from, and otherwise avoided the ruthless intruders, the Nahx, dodging the deadly darts that have claimed so many. When the murder of his friend leaves him in the protective company of August, a rebellious Nahx soldier, Xander is finally able to make his way back to human controlled territory and relative safety. But safety among the humans is not what it seems.

When Raven awakes on a wide expanse of snowy sand dunes, she has many questions. What has happened to her and the other reanimated humans gathered around her? What is the meaning of the Nahx ships that hover ominously above them? And most pressing of all, where is August, who promised to keep her safe?

In the shadow of an unforgiving Canadian winter, Xander and Raven find themselves on opposite sides of an alien war. Left with little choice about their roles in the looming battle, they search for answers and allies all while being drawn back to the place where their respective fates were determined, and to the one who determined them: August."--Amazon blurb

This book was a slow-starter, but it kept me interested with the characters I love, and love to hate. Still a very unique storyline. I hear there's a third book in this series that the publishers are putting a hold on. I'm hoping it's published!

Zero Repeat Forever by Gabrielle S. Prendergast

 Zero Repeat Forever (The Nahx Invasions #1) by Gabrielle S. Prendergast, 496 p.

He has no voice, or name, only a rank, Eighth. He doesn’t know the details of the mission, only the directives that hum in his mind. Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall. His job is to protect his Offside. Let her do the shooting.
Until a human kills her…

Sixteen year-old Raven is at summer camp when the terrifying armored Nahx invade, annihilating entire cities, taking control of the Earth. Isolated in the wilderness, Raven and her friends have only a fragment of instruction from the human resistance.

Shelter in place.

Which seems like good advice at first. Stay put. Await rescue. Raven doesn’t like feeling helpless but what choice does she have? Then a Nahx kills her boyfriend. Thrown together in a violent, unfamiliar world, Eighth and Raven should feel only hate and fear. But when Raven is injured, and Eighth deserts his unit, their survival depends on trusting each other… "Amazon blurb"

This was written very uniquely. Very easy to read story the moves quickly. Sometimes the characters are unlikeable and there definitely needs to be a suspension of reality when it comes to how easily these characters can communicate. Those things aside, I really liked this book and looks forward to the second.

Zero Repeat Forever by Gabrielle S. Prendergast

Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast, The Nahx Invasions #1, 496 pages

"He has no voice, or name, only a rank, Eighth. He doesn’t know the details of the mission, only the directives that hum in his mind. Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall. His job is to protect his Offside. Let her do the shooting. 
Until a human kills her…

Sixteen year-old Raven is at summer camp when the terrifying armored Nahx invade, annihilating entire cities, taking control of the Earth. Isolated in the wilderness, Raven and her friends have only a fragment of instruction from the human resistance.
Shelter in place.
Which seems like good advice at first. Stay put. Await rescue. Raven doesn’t like feeling helpless but what choice does she have? Then a Nahx kills her boyfriend. Thrown together in a violent, unfamiliar world, Eighth and Raven should feel only hate and fear. But when Raven is injured, and Eighth deserts his unit, their survival depends on trusting each other…" --Amazon blurb

This was a fast-paced and exciting read. Great character development and a slow burn to the realization of what's going on. Really looking forward to the second book in this series, though I've heard that the third book in the series was put on hold by the publisher. The renewed buzz around this series will hopefully prompt them to pick up the pace.
 

3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

3001:  The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke - 288 pages
Book 4 of the Space Odyssey series

Frank Poole, the astronaut HAL murdered in 2001:  A Space Odyssey, has been recovered from space and returned to the Earth's orbit.  He didn't actually die, but was put into a sort-of cryosleep as he orbited space.  He is now one thousand years into the future, in 3001.  Poole somehow saves humanity from their trouble with the Jovian monoliths, while simultaneously adjusting to his new life in the future with its innumerable technological advances. 

2061: Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke

2061:  Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke - 304 pages
Book 3 of the Space Odyssey series

Dr. Heywood Floyd, who is now 103 years old, returns to the Jovian system 51 years after his last journey.  Floyd and his new crew adventure to Halley's Comet, to test out a sort of vacation-hub for future space travel.  Because they are already in the area, Floyd and his crew are sent to Jupiter's moon, Europa, for an emergency rescue from a crash-land by another U.S. spacecraft.  There was a warning never for humans to land on Europa, so what will happen now that two ships are in its atmosphere?  

2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke

2001:  Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke - 320 pages
Book 2 of the Space Odyssey series

In 2010, a Soviet-American mission is led to salvage Discovery, the space ship from which David Bowman mysteriously disappeared from nine years prior, to gain the data from the ship currently in Jupiter's atmosphere.  The crew is also tasked with investigating the ominous, black monolith found on Jupiter's surface.

2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

2001:  A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke - 297 pages
Book 1 of the Space Odyssey series

Dr. Dave Bowman and his crew are sent on a secret, mysterious mission.  Their ship's computer system, HAL, begins to display increasingly strange behavior leading to a tense showdown between man and machine that ends in a mind-bending adventure through space and time.

Trapped in the R.A.W- A Journal of My Experiences During the Great Invasion

Trapped in the R.A.W by Kate Boyes 312 pages


Kaylee is working by herself at the R.A.W (rare and wonderful) library when invaders take over her town and trap her in the building. She cannot see the invaders faces but can tell they are out to annihilate the human population. This book is a journal of Kaylee's struggle to keep herself alive and sane all while protecting the valuable books.

I couldn't put this book down.

The Lethal Legacy

The Lethal Legacy by Heather Graham 336 pages

Finn Douglas plans to turn his inherited land and manor into a resort getaway, but when his business partner is found at the bottom of the cliff on the property, fowl play is suspected. Detective Craig Fraiser and psychologist Kieran Finnegan begin looking into the history of the manor to find a very eerie history. Are they dealing with a murderer or something entirely out of this world?