Beyond the Horizon (Beyond Saga Book 2)

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The Rundown

Maya, a rising star in the Interstellar Expeditionary Force, is about to embark on the mission of a lifetime- living up to the reputation of her war hero Aunt, Brooke, But what should be a mission of exploration is being manipulated behind the scenes by an inter-planetary terrorist network, who have a sinister agenda that may divide the united human governments irreparably.

Learning of the fate of her niece, ex-pilot Brooke throws her lot in with a shady organisation to execute a daring and elaborate rescue mission.

Featuring a host of evil androids, adorable aliens and wonderful future tech, Beyond the Horizon is a tale jam packed with intrigue and action.

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The Recommendation

For those of you who like a solid space opera, Beyond The Horizon is familiar territory traversed with a trusted guide. Author Greg Spry doesn’t reinvent the wheel with this series, but he checks all the boxes of a great space adventure, bringing the necessary flair and enthusiasm that allows even the most seasoned sci-fi fan to see old ground with new eyes.

However, as much as genre veterans will find Spry’s world comfortable, the series’ YA accessibility makes it a great way for newcomers to dip their toe into the very deep pool of space opera. Where more established ‘Hard Sci-Fi’ authors tend to revel in painting of their tech, worlds and aliens, Spry writes with a rare balance, providing enough detail to be immersive, without falling into the rabbit hole of sesquipedalian prose. Rather Spry travels as his name suggests, stepping lightly from big idea to big idea. He is never overly technical with his tech, or alienating with his aliens.

That’s not to say, however, that the story is a light-weight. For every breath-taking space battle or face to face brawl, there’s a puzzling plot twist, and Spry does a wonderful job of realising the mythos and politics of his unique vision of the future.

The result is a space adventure young and old alike can get their teeth into, with great ideas, likeable heroes and a plot that doesn’t stand still.

If you’re a fan of authors like Peter F. Hamilton, or any science fiction that remembers to balance the futuristic with fun, you’ll find this story very easy to get into. It’s worth mentioning that, while Beyond The horizon is part of a series, it is fine to pick up as a stand alone book, depending very little on your having read the previous instalment.

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The Rating

5 Stars (out of 5): Highly recommended. This book did exactly what it set out to do, with originality, style, and maybe even a twist. It stands out next to popular, traditionally published novels in its genre.

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The Pros & Cons

Pros: Characterization, Page Turner, Plot, Strong World-Building
Cons: Starts slow

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The Comparisons

For readers who liked these books and authors: Peter F. Hamilton

Author’s Summary

Ensign Maya Davis has had her sights set on the captaincy of a starship since she launched her first toy rocket into Earth orbit at age four. But not long after she departs the solar system aboard humankind’s first interstellar vessel, New Horizons, sabotage cripples the ship, killing a third of the crew and stranding the expedition light years from home under the siege of hostile forces. Without knowing who she can trust, Maya must risk her life to get the crew home and prevent the genocide of the very exospecies Horizons set out to contact.

Short Description

Ensign Maya Davis must foil a plan to eradicate a benevolent intelligent race during humankind’s first interstellar mission.

Catchphrase

Extinction or genocide...us or them?

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