This book review isn't really for just one book, but for a quadrilogy called the Doom Star series. Really, this review isn't for the actual books at all, but e-books. Honestly, what attracted me to pick up book #1, Star Soldier was the ninety nine cent price tag and after sampling the first chapter I thought it might be fun, quick-reading sci-fi.
In short these books aren't examples of masterpiece writing in the slightest. In fact it's almost shocking at the number of editing and typo errors within their digital pages. So bad it's to the point of distracting the reader away from the story itself. It's not just the grammatical errors though, the story bounces all over the place and the characters themselves kind of get lost in the shuffle along the way. So why bother if that's the case?
They are fun reads, plain and simple. From a gamer's perspective, which makes a big difference here, there's just a lot of 'cool' ideas and imagery that you could easily see translating into an RPG or maybe somewhere in miniature form on the tabletop.
The action will take you from Mercury to Jupiter and everywhere in between, all in what feels like a pretty well grounded hard-science setting. There's enough stuff along the way, and some very unique and memorable factions (no good or bad guys) that does break the bonds of hard science and just becomes good, ole sci-fi. By the time you finish the first book, you'll want to read the second one, and by the time that one's through you're committed. It's four separate novels, but they effortlessly flow right into one another.
The crux of the novels revolve around a main character, who like Forrest Gump, just happens to be everywhere at all the right (or wrong) times. This is good because things are quite hostile, stellar civil war is erupting all over the inner planets between the humans and the super-human soldiers once created to protect humanity. The scale and scope of the story is huge as well, as in a Dyson Sphere-sized manufacturing station orbiting Mercury huge.
It does keep you coming back for more, and like I said, I thoroughly enjoyed them. The author, Vaughn Heppner, has crafted a great sci-fi setting that holds a lot of promise. If book five ever comes out, yeah, I'd probably read it too. Check them out and enjoy:
The Doom Star Series
Book #1: Star Soldier
Book #2: BIO-Weapon
Book #3: Battle Pod
Book #4: Cyborg Assault
Seems like a good deal for such a cheap price.
ReplyDeleteThey're not going to be winning any prizes anytime soon, but yeah, for a buck the first book is worth a shot at least.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually right now reading through another sci-fi ebook series which is a different ballgame from these altogether, so I'll post something on those soon.
I have given up 3/4 of the way through book 3, far too many impossible coincidences and as you say the writing remove you from the story so often. While the characters are intriguing they don't really evolve any true depth or form a bond with the reader. I guess I don't find myself cheering for any of the numerous protagonists, and for me that is essential in such a long read.
ReplyDeleteYou did what I couldn't bring myself to do Heath, but maybe should have.
ReplyDeleteI guess I liked the ideas and inferences I had to make on my own while reading than the reading itself.
I'm on book four of another sci-fi series right now (Spinward Fringe) and it actually is very read-worthy across the board. I think it was the sci-fi I've been looking for.