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Title: From Ice to Ashes
Author: Rhett C. Bruno
Publication: March 28th 2017 by Hydra
Genre: Sci-fi Thriller
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 4/5
A humble laborer is caught in the tensions between Earth and Titan, the now-colonized moon of Saturn, in a standalone novel set in the universe of Titanborn ("Sci-fi noir at its finest!"--David Simpson, author of the Post-Human series).
Kale Drayton knows his place. As a Ringer born on Titan, he's used to keeping his head down and his mouth shut--no matter how much the Earthers abuse him or his own kind berate him. So when he's caught stealing from a wealthy merchant, he's lucky to be sentenced to low-paying maintenance work on a gas-harvesting ship instead of life in a cell . . . or worse.
But when his mother is quarantined, Kale finds himself backed into a corner. To pay for her medicine, he needs money--the kind of money he'll never make sweeping floors and cleaning ships. So when he receives a mysterious offer asking him to do a simple job in exchange for his mother's treatment, Kale takes a chance once more. All he has to do is upload a program onto his employer's ship and all of his problems will disappear.
What starts as a straightforward smuggling gig soon reveals its shattering repercussions. The people who hired Kale are more dangerous than he suspected--and he's more important to them than he ever could have imagined.
From Ice to Ashes is a standalone set in the same world as Titanborn. I must say I liked Titanborn a bit more than this one because it took me a little while to really get into it but once I did I felt like I couldn't stop reading.
I don't want to give too much away about the story and its plot but I was really impressed with it. Especially the ending had me turning page after page, not wanting the stop. And then there was that epilogue that made me gasp out loud. I loved it.
I also feel like I should say that science fiction is one of my top three favorite genres and it's books like this one is what makes me love the genre so much. It was just outstanding, really.
Overall, From Ice to Ashes by Rhett C. Bruno was such a riveting science fiction thriller. The non-stop action combined with the great writing and unique set of characters made this quite the page-turner.
Read my review of the author's other books:
Titanborn
Rhett is a Sci-fi/Fantasy author currently living in Stamford, Connecticut. He is represented by Dystel & Goderich out of NYC and his published works include books in the Amazon Bestselling CIRCUIT SERIES (Published by Diversion Books) and TITANBORN (Random House Hydra).
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Title: Titanborn
Author: Rhett C. Bruno
Publication: June 21st 2016 by Hydra
Genre: Science Fiction ~ Thriller
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 5/5
This review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
In this gritty and innovative science-fiction thriller in the vein of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, turmoil on one of Saturn’s moons rattles Earth’s most powerful citizens—and draws one planet-hopping rogue into a fight he never saw coming.
Malcolm Graves lives by two rules: finish the job, and get paid. After thirty years as a collector, chasing bounties and extinguishing rebellions throughout the solar system, Malcolm does what he’s told, takes what he’s earned, and leaves the questions to someone else—especially when it comes to the affairs of offworlders.
But his latest mission doesn’t afford him that luxury. After a high-profile bombing on Earth, the men who sign Malcolm’s paychecks are clamoring for answers. Before he can object, the corporation teams him up with a strange new partner who’s more interested in statistics than instinct and ships them both off to Titan, the disputed moon where humans have been living for centuries. Their assignment is to hunt down a group of extremists: Titanborn dissidents who will go to any length to free their home from the tyranny of Earth.
Heading into hostile territory, Malcolm will have to use everything he’s learned to stay alive. But he soon realizes that the situation on the ground is much more complex than he anticipated . . . and much more personal.
I knew that after reading This Long Vigil (which is a short story that takes place 100 years later) that Titanborn would be amazing. It was every bit as spectacular as I had hoped it would be and more so.
I absolutely loved the main character Malcolm Graves. Aside from having a badass name, he was pretty badass himself. After a bombing on earth, the people Malcolm works for team him up with a new partner to hunt down the terrorists behind it.
The world and character building in this book was topnotch. I loved the dazzling action, too There was never a boring moment, not even for a second. And as this book is a science fiction thriller, there was a lot of space travel involved, which as a huge sci-fi fan I also loved.
The ending was really unexpected to me and quite shocking. I hadn't expected all that to happen, which makes this book even greater. It also has me wondering if that was it, or if there will be another book. I really need one, that's for sure.
Overall, Titanborn by Rhett C. Bruno was fantastic. I literally have nothing negative to say about this story. I loved the story, the characters, the nonstop action and the the author's writing. I would very highly recommend this book.
About the Author:
Rhett has been writing since before he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic stories when he was young to show to his friends and family. He currently works at an Architecture firm, but that hasn't stopped him from recording the tales bouncing around inside of his head. Rhett is the author of "The Circuit Series" and "Titanborn."
Title: This Long Vigil
Author: Rhett C. Bruno
Publication: December 20th 2015
Genre: Science Fiction
Purchase on: Amazon
Rating: 4/5
From the author of "The Circuit Series" and "Titanborn" comes a science fiction short story taking place in the "Titanborn" universe.
Synopsis: After twenty five years serving as the lone human Monitor of the Interstellar Ark, Hermes, Orion is scheduled to be placed back in his hibernation chamber with the other members of the crew. Knowing that he will die there and be replaced before the ship’s voyage is over, he decides that he won’t accept that fate. Whatever it takes he will escape Hermes and see space again, even if it means defying the regulations of his only friend -- the ship-wide artificial intelligence known as Dan.
This is why I love science fiction!
This Long Vigil follows Orion's last hours as Monitor on the Interstellar Ark "Hermes", who, like the summary says, is scheduled to be placed back in his hibernation chamber, knowing he will die there. He knows he wants more than to die without seeing space again but to do that he'll have to go against his only friend, whihc is the artificial intelligence of the ship, Dan.
I honestly think that this story is one of the best short stories I've ever read. It's only twenty pages long but there's a message behind it and other than that it was just really good. I wish more stories, whether or not they're short stories of full-lenght novels, were like it.
If you think a twenty-page story isn't worth it, think again because This Long Vigil by Rhett C. Bruno is so much more than just a short sci-fi story. It was well-written, the message behind it was a great one and it definitely has me intrigued for Titanborn, which takes place in the same universe.
All I can say is: Read this story!
About the Author:
Rhett has been writing since before he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic stories when he was young to show to his friends and family. He currently works at an Architecture firm, but that hasn't stopped him from recording the tales bouncing around inside of his head. Rhett is the author of "The Circuit Series" and "Titanborn."
