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Portal Wars #1
Gehenna Dawn
Book One of Portal Wars, the new series by the author of the bestselling Crimson Worlds series...
Erastus. An unimaginable nightmare. A searing hot world, covered with cracked, burning deserts and sweltering jungles. A hostile planet far from Earth, it was the most hellish place men have ever tried to survive. Called Gehenna by the condemned men sent to fight there, it forged the few who survived its murderous battles into the strongest soldiers in history.
Jake Taylor was a New Hampshire farmboy who wanted nothing more than to marry his girlfriend, work on the farm, and maybe one day write a great novel. But mankind was fighting the alien Tegeri and their bio-mechanical cyborg soldiers, and UN Central needed men…men to go to war on hostile worlds like Erastus.
Jake wasn’t given a choice, not a real one. He found himself torn from home and family, conscripted for life and shipped to Erastus to take his place in the battle lines, never to return. In this alien hell, Taylor and his cybernetically-enhanced comrades fight their never-ending war against the servants of the Tegeri, the manufactured soldiers they call simply, the Machines.
Jake survives battle after battle, rising steadily through the ranks, giving all to the desperate fight to save Earth. But endless combat in hell carries a cost, and Taylor can feel himself losing what little is left of his spirit, his humanity. When he finally discovers a terrible secret…that everything he’d believed, all he’d fought for his entire life, was nothing but a monstrous lie, he must decide who is the real enemy, and how far he is willing to go to right a horrific wrong.
And if he does what he must to prevail against overwhelming odds and win the final victory, will he be able to control the growing madness inside…or will he be become the very thing he has sworn to destroy?
The Crimson Worlds Series
By Jay Allan
Crimson Worlds I: Marines
Crimson Worlds II: The Cost of Victory
Crimson Worlds III: A Little Rebellion
Crimson Worlds IV: The First Imperium
Crimson Worlds V: The Line Must Hold
Crimson Worlds VI: To Hell's Heart
Tombstone: A Crimson Worlds Prequel
Bitter Glory: A Crimson Worlds Prequel
Coming December 2013:
Crimson Worlds VII: The Shadow Legions
Erastus. An unimaginable nightmare. A searing hot world, covered with cracked, burning deserts and sweltering jungles. A hostile planet far from Earth, it was the most hellish place men have ever tried to survive. Called Gehenna by the condemned men sent to fight there, it forged the few who survived its murderous battles into the strongest soldiers in history.
Jake Taylor was a New Hampshire farmboy who wanted nothing more than to marry his girlfriend, work on the farm, and maybe one day write a great novel. But mankind was fighting the alien Tegeri and their bio-mechanical cyborg soldiers, and UN Central needed men…men to go to war on hostile worlds like Erastus.
Jake wasn’t given a choice, not a real one. He found himself torn from home and family, conscripted for life and shipped to Erastus to take his place in the battle lines, never to return. In this alien hell, Taylor and his cybernetically-enhanced comrades fight their never-ending war against the servants of the Tegeri, the manufactured soldiers they call simply, the Machines.
Jake survives battle after battle, rising steadily through the ranks, giving all to the desperate fight to save Earth. But endless combat in hell carries a cost, and Taylor can feel himself losing what little is left of his spirit, his humanity. When he finally discovers a terrible secret…that everything he’d believed, all he’d fought for his entire life, was nothing but a monstrous lie, he must decide who is the real enemy, and how far he is willing to go to right a horrific wrong.
And if he does what he must to prevail against overwhelming odds and win the final victory, will he be able to control the growing madness inside…or will he be become the very thing he has sworn to destroy?
The Crimson Worlds Series
By Jay Allan
Crimson Worlds I: Marines
Crimson Worlds II: The Cost of Victory
Crimson Worlds III: A Little Rebellion
Crimson Worlds IV: The First Imperium
Crimson Worlds V: The Line Must Hold
Crimson Worlds VI: To Hell's Heart
Tombstone: A Crimson Worlds Prequel
Bitter Glory: A Crimson Worlds Prequel
Coming December 2013:
Crimson Worlds VII: The Shadow Legions
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2012
396 people are currently reading
634 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 14, 2020
Šitas ir ļoti labs ievads kaut kam lielam un skaistam, ja autors nākamajās grāmatās to nesajās. Vismaz vēl vienu sērijā izlasīšu.
Stāsts ir par to kā cilvēki uz daudzām portāl pasaulēm (pasaules, uz kurām ved portāli no Zemes) cīnās pret rasi un tās izveidotām mašīnām, kas itkā mēģinot iznīcināt cilvēci? Līdz brīdim, kad pāris kibernetizētu cilvēku noskaidro, kas pa tiesi ir vainīgais un saceļ traci.
Stāsts ir par to kā cilvēki uz daudzām portāl pasaulēm (pasaules, uz kurām ved portāli no Zemes) cīnās pret rasi un tās izveidotām mašīnām, kas itkā mēģinot iznīcināt cilvēci? Līdz brīdim, kad pāris kibernetizētu cilvēku noskaidro, kas pa tiesi ir vainīgais un saceļ traci.
August 4, 2017
I read a lot of Science Fiction, even the Space opera. I will admit that most of it is cookie cutter stuff with mediocre writing, and no thought required on part of the reader. This book was therefore a pleasant surprise. It does not fall into the cookie cutter category, and makes the reader think about the nature of governments, wars, politics, and all that, while providing plenty of action. The character development was well done, not too deep for minor characters, while going plenty deep on the main character. If there was any complaints, it is that the bad guys are too bad, with no redeeming features. Even some of the worst examples in human history had some redeeming features, and some charisma to get others to follow (except perhaps Stalin, he rode coattails till the time was right, then was ruthless).
I do also question the author's use of a Soviet style government leadership for the UN government. Perhaps this made the story easier to write, or made it more believable that the big secret could last as long as it did.
I do also question the author's use of a Soviet style government leadership for the UN government. Perhaps this made the story easier to write, or made it more believable that the big secret could last as long as it did.
December 16, 2018
Second time around was more thrilling than the first!
In preparation for the purchase of "The Ten Thousand " , I decided to re-read the first volume . Gehenna Dawn didn't disappoint and indeed was even more exciting than the first reading. I am greatly impressed by the character development and skillful storytelling by the author. I am almost able to picture the setting , feel the arid desert climate , and see how the camaraderie developed between Jake and his inner circle. Couldn't put it down.
In preparation for the purchase of "The Ten Thousand " , I decided to re-read the first volume . Gehenna Dawn didn't disappoint and indeed was even more exciting than the first reading. I am greatly impressed by the character development and skillful storytelling by the author. I am almost able to picture the setting , feel the arid desert climate , and see how the camaraderie developed between Jake and his inner circle. Couldn't put it down.
September 7, 2017
An intriguing tale - totally inexperienced farmboy Jake Taylor is despatched as a conscripted lifer (in order to clear a family debt) to Erastus, a hot planet dubbed 'Gehenna', one of 40 worlds where the forces of a United Earth are fighting the akien Tegeri and their biomechanical Machines. Against the odds Jake survives - and thrives, discovering a talent for battle and leadership that sees him as a Sergeant as the book opens. Through lengthy extracts from his journals we learn more about Jake's past and his current thoughts; in the narrative proper we follow his continued survival and growth as an increasingly charismatic leader. As he is promoted he gradually becomes disenchanted with the UN hierarchy that keeps soldiers at war while themselves rotating back to Earth - something that is supposed to be too expensive for the troops. The final blow is the revelation of a massive conspiracy - and leads into the next books where Jake takes his fight to the true enemy.
A quick read - but thought-provoking!
A quick read - but thought-provoking!
March 15, 2021
Sorry, I like a little more science in my science fiction. I prefer movies (and now television) to get my fill of gratuitous violence of which there is much of in this book. In fact, other than the repetitive, albeit, increasingly manic, musings of Jake Taylor in his personal journal, there isn’t much other than violence. It is difficult for me to warm up to cold blooded killers whether they are justified or not; so, I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequels.
However, except for the numerous grammar, spelling, or similar mistakes throughout the book, it was a captivating read, so I gave it an extra star. It is, undoubtedly, an accurate depiction of men in and at war, the camaraderie, the frustration, and the determination. It’s just not my cup of tea.
Oh, and I believe that Jake Taylor was turned around way too easily. So too were his trusted group of friends. It’s all necessary for the plot and it’s not a new idea that soldiers were lied to about the reasons for their fighting. I just think he and the soldiers under his command, did a 180 way to quickly.
However, except for the numerous grammar, spelling, or similar mistakes throughout the book, it was a captivating read, so I gave it an extra star. It is, undoubtedly, an accurate depiction of men in and at war, the camaraderie, the frustration, and the determination. It’s just not my cup of tea.
Oh, and I believe that Jake Taylor was turned around way too easily. So too were his trusted group of friends. It’s all necessary for the plot and it’s not a new idea that soldiers were lied to about the reasons for their fighting. I just think he and the soldiers under his command, did a 180 way to quickly.
March 15, 2017
I remember wanting to read this book a long time ago. However, when I got it, I was disappointed. After a few years had passed I picked this book up again, it wasn't that bad. Nevertheless, I'm a bit confused, as I know that a lot of Jay Allan books I couldn't read because they just never clicked with me, and that bothered me because it seemed he wrote everything I would like, but it just never worked out.
So naturally it was quite nice that I could read one of his books and enjoy it. Personally though, I read the trilogy instead of reading book by book so in many ways that was more enjoyable. Also, their was some annoying plot falls in the book but over all it wasn't unbearable. Maybe a bit boring, but nothing really to bad.
I think the series is pretty good, even though I did fast read through some boring parts or most of it, but I still enjoyed it.
So naturally it was quite nice that I could read one of his books and enjoy it. Personally though, I read the trilogy instead of reading book by book so in many ways that was more enjoyable. Also, their was some annoying plot falls in the book but over all it wasn't unbearable. Maybe a bit boring, but nothing really to bad.
I think the series is pretty good, even though I did fast read through some boring parts or most of it, but I still enjoyed it.
January 4, 2018
A remarkable soldier, a slice of hell called Gehenna, and an enemy half flesh, half machine in an endless supply.
Set in a time not too far from now, countries battled each other for various reasons. The United Nations is helpless to prevent or influence the belligerent population of the world. Then a portal is found on Earth, leading to another planet where they were greeted by aliens called Tegeri. The Tegeri offered access to their technology and training to use and build their technology. The world jumped ahead a hundred years of knowledge, using antigrav sleds to carry product and people. The Tegeri also taught the scientists about the multitude of Portals and how to use them to travel across the galaxy.
Like big brothers, the Tegeri felt an obligation to the Earth, but the UN Secretary General performed an insidious attack on the Tegeri and their security. Their plot depended on a blind rush to vengeance on the humans responsible.
My exposure to Jay Allen's work began with the Marine, and the Crimson Worlds series. I loved the feeling that I drew from the stories and I felt those same feelings again as I begin the Portal Wars trilogy. I loved this introduction and I'm looking forward to the next two.
Set in a time not too far from now, countries battled each other for various reasons. The United Nations is helpless to prevent or influence the belligerent population of the world. Then a portal is found on Earth, leading to another planet where they were greeted by aliens called Tegeri. The Tegeri offered access to their technology and training to use and build their technology. The world jumped ahead a hundred years of knowledge, using antigrav sleds to carry product and people. The Tegeri also taught the scientists about the multitude of Portals and how to use them to travel across the galaxy.
Like big brothers, the Tegeri felt an obligation to the Earth, but the UN Secretary General performed an insidious attack on the Tegeri and their security. Their plot depended on a blind rush to vengeance on the humans responsible.
My exposure to Jay Allen's work began with the Marine, and the Crimson Worlds series. I loved the feeling that I drew from the stories and I felt those same feelings again as I begin the Portal Wars trilogy. I loved this introduction and I'm looking forward to the next two.
March 18, 2019
Hellish Setting. Superb Action. Insightful, Dramatic and Thought-Provoking.
Fearsome battles on a fiery planet may not be enough to save our humanity. Jake Taylor has given up everything and travelled across the galaxy to a fiery hell to try. Will his sacrifice be enough?
Jay Allen has crafted a compelling tale of war with a taste of reflection that draws us into the action. The technical aspects of this tale are impressive but it is how he places human nature at center stage that really kept me fascinated. Whether we are inside the mind of our hero or joining him on the battlefield against unbelievable odds, we share in the horror and soul-sucking hopelessness that defines the life of soldiers a long way from home with no hope of return.
June 22, 2017
This series has potential
This book definitely kept my attention and made me want to read the next book in the series asap. Watching the transformation of Jake Taylor, from farm boy (cannon fodder) to an experienced leader of men, was pretty exciting. The writing was crisp and not overly sentimental as in some other books Jay Allen has written. This should bode well for the next books on the series.
This book definitely kept my attention and made me want to read the next book in the series asap. Watching the transformation of Jake Taylor, from farm boy (cannon fodder) to an experienced leader of men, was pretty exciting. The writing was crisp and not overly sentimental as in some other books Jay Allen has written. This should bode well for the next books on the series.
February 16, 2018
Gehenna Dawn is the first book in the Portal Wars series. It can be read as a standalone but it is clear that this is not the end of the story. There is a lot of violence, this is a military SciFi story so that should be expected. This story shows that everything is not as it seems. It shows the lengths that some people will do to obtain, and keep, power. I look forward to reading more of this series.
November 15, 2017
A Must Read for any military sci th fan
Excellent story line, wonderful characters . What more could you ask for? To me it is a definite 5 star book. Couple of small subject errors, but nothing that 99% of people will ever catch, so no harm. Can't wait to read the follow up book.
Excellent story line, wonderful characters . What more could you ask for? To me it is a definite 5 star book. Couple of small subject errors, but nothing that 99% of people will ever catch, so no harm. Can't wait to read the follow up book.
October 16, 2018
If you like a good military action story based in the future you will definitely love this book. Men are forced to become soldiers on outer worlds to fight to keep their families free back on earth. Conspiracy at his highest drives this story. Great cast of characters with non stop action makes this one hard to put down.
November 18, 2017
Spartacus?
Inspiration for a story probably has many wellsprings, but the slave army of Spartacus is one source for Gehenna Dawn. The story works better as a tale of men responding to combat than it does as a tale of politics and intrigue.
Inspiration for a story probably has many wellsprings, but the slave army of Spartacus is one source for Gehenna Dawn. The story works better as a tale of men responding to combat than it does as a tale of politics and intrigue.
December 16, 2017
Great Sci-fi Action
For everyone that loves great military action stories this is a definite must read. Highly recommended. Great characters, action and story line. Lots of twists & turns. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
For everyone that loves great military action stories this is a definite must read. Highly recommended. Great characters, action and story line. Lots of twists & turns. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
February 22, 2018
Propaganda reigns
Fighting a never ending war far from Earth against alien Machines is difficult. The conscripted soldiers are sent to die but is there a higher calling? Follow Jake as he learns and leads; interesting story that is a quick read.
Fighting a never ending war far from Earth against alien Machines is difficult. The conscripted soldiers are sent to die but is there a higher calling? Follow Jake as he learns and leads; interesting story that is a quick read.
October 5, 2017
I'm ok
Good read well thought out story line action very believable characters well implaced and very recognizable I enjoyed reading it
Good read well thought out story line action very believable characters well implaced and very recognizable I enjoyed reading it
September 22, 2017
Not worth your money! This is the first book my Mr. Allan that totally sucked.
Writing was maybe at an 8th grade level. No story. No anything.
Skip it!
Writing was maybe at an 8th grade level. No story. No anything.
Skip it!
October 23, 2017
I can't wait to read the next!!
December 18, 2017
Jay Allan does it again. Great book full of action a moral imperative. A must read!
November 22, 2017
super soldiers
Really couldn't put this down except to sleep or work. Reminded me of the Terminator. Though quite different. Curious to read part two.
Really couldn't put this down except to sleep or work. Reminded me of the Terminator. Though quite different. Curious to read part two.
November 22, 2017
A fun read
Did not know what to expect as I have never read any of the author books, but I will now because it was one of the better scifi books i have read lately.
Did not know what to expect as I have never read any of the author books, but I will now because it was one of the better scifi books i have read lately.
January 4, 2018
Great read!
I got it for free and didn't plan to ever read the sequels. Now, I'm shopping for them. Excellent story!
I got it for free and didn't plan to ever read the sequels. Now, I'm shopping for them. Excellent story!
December 12, 2018
Good
Good science fiction book, just what you expect when you want to read about super soldiers, alien planets, one world governments, and aliens.
Good science fiction book, just what you expect when you want to read about super soldiers, alien planets, one world governments, and aliens.
December 11, 2019
Man vs Aliens.
July 30, 2020
Great Story
March 2, 2021
Govno - preskoci serijal
April 11, 2021
If you wan't war, you'll get it here. Not much more.
April 26, 2022
Forced dialogue, shallow characters, and a predictable story. I did not enjoy this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews