Alive and Tricking

by R.S. Penney

Gallivanting around the galaxy, stopping wars and bringing down crime lords. Life is good for Miri Nin Valia and her team of spies.

But a new mission on Salus Prime offers their greatest challenge yet. On this low-tech planet, men are treated as second-class citizens, and the aristocracy employs harsh methods to keep the poor in line.

Reports of women using incredible magical powers to smite their enemies have caused quite a stir. Miri and her team are sent to investigate and soon find themselves embroiled in the schemes of a deadly Field Binding cult, the Daughters of Vengeance.

Zayne Trefal, a young engineer on Miri’s ship, doubts her usefulness to the team and believes that superpowers will earn the respect of her peers. She joins the mission to infiltrate the cult, but discovers that only her quick wits and natural intelligence can save her from their wicked designs.

The team will be pushed to their limits is this brand-new science fiction adventure full of deception and danger.

452 pages, Paperback

Published December 12, 2024

About the author

I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario where I attended Saltfleet High School and McMaster University. I've spent most of my life fighting for the little guy in one form or another, advocating for the poor, for environmental sustainability, for minority rights.

Throughout my twenties, I wrote about five novels and threw them all out because they weren't very good. But I improved and honed my skills with each new manuscript. About two years ago, I had an offer from a traditional publishing house, but I chose to go indie instead. Writing is my passion; if I could dedicate myself to one thing, it would be bringing the ideas in my head to life.

Reviews

[Han · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sci-fi adventure, Miri Nin Valia and her team investigate reports of women with magical powers on Salus Prime, a planet where men are oppressed. They discover a dangerous cult, the Daughters of Vengeance, plotting sinister acts. Zayne Trefal, a young engineer seeking power, infiltrates the cult but must use her intelligence to survive. The story is filled with deception, danger, and high-stakes action as the team faces its toughest challenge yet.

I love any sci-fi that R.S. Penney publishes, and felt the same about Alive and Tricking! I love a good FMC and fell in love with Miri. I also love the world-building R.S. Penney does in every single book!

I loved the plot of the cult and how on Salus Prime men were more second-class citizens because it added to the story, it added to the plot. Not only that, we get to see how Miri and her team act and operate together and see how that moves the storyline along. For a sci-fi book, I really loved the plot elements of the dangerous cult, I felt like that was something straight out of a thriller. I think Penney did a really good job executing his ideas when it came to this book!

[Demi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sci-fi story full of diversity. The characters are creatively written with different abilities and diversities. They come together as a team with different attributes and anxieties about what they can do to help achieve their goals.
If you like sci-fi with a touch of paranormal you will enjoy this read! I recommend!
It is very different from my normal reads and I liked it.

[neeshreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

✨Sci-Fi Adventure
✨Traveling Across Galaxies & Planets
✨Enhanced and Magical Abilities
✨High-Action & Combat Scenes
✨Unknown Beings
✨Political Intrigue

Alive and Tricking is a standalone novel, but can be read in addition to other already published works by the author that are part of an epic literally universe timeline. This was my first book by Penney, and was an action-packed sci-fi adventure following a team of spies who happen to be on the verge of administrative action due to their last mission not going as planned. This perceived motley crew on the verge of being disbanded by their immediate superior, is sent on a new mission to the planet Salus Prime. On this low-tech planet where men are treated as second-class citizens, there have been reports of a woman using incredible magical powers to rid of her enemies, and that problem needs to be contained.

Our team of spies consists of:

Zayne - an engineer who lacks power outside of her engineering brain, and is self-conscious as a result.
Kez - a cadet of the Justice Keepers who is eager to utilize her powers to protect her team and those in need of saving.
Rin - a telepath who can read and manipulate others’ thoughts.
Miller - a battle-trained man from Earth who sometimes lets his ego get the best of him when on a planet where women hold the power.
Alu - a peaceful Field Binder, who struggles with using his gift at the detriment of others in battle.
Miri - the authoritative team leader who will risk her life to protect her team and their cause.

Upon getting the news about this powerful woman who turns out to be a cult leader for The Daughters of Vengeance, a group of women abusing the power of Field Binding, Miri and her team are more than ready to head to Salus Prime and collect information. The women and Rin infiltrate and immerse themselves into the cult, and experience danger at every turn while trying not to let their true gifts and identities be revealed.

Will Miri and her team find out how The Daughters of Vengeance are able to utilize the power of Field Binding so quickly? Will they be able to stop the nefarious plans in motion and come out unscathed, or will their attempts be for naught?

This was an action-packed adventure told from multiple POVs, and the world building was detailed and unique. The team was an endearing group and their mission to protect others will have you invested in their cause. If you’re looking for your next sci-fi read, give this a try.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this stand-alone (I think - but I'll get to that in a bit) sci-fi novel, Miri and her team of spies (Zayne, Kezia, Alu, Miller, and Rin) find themselves in the hot seat after messing up their last mission. They are all on thin ice when they are sent to their next mission on Salus Prime, a planet where a cult of women is quickly rising in power.

Zayne is a self-conscious engineer, wanting to be powerful like her teammates.
Kez is a Justice Keeper cadet, eager to save the day and protect her team.
Rin is an interesting telepath, in trouble for breaking intergalactic laws when using their powers unsanctioned.
Miller is from Earth, and struggles with this mission's setting on a planet where women hold all of the power in society.
Alu is a Field Binder, like the women in the Daughters of Vengeance cult, but he operates (and struggles) with his own religious values.
And lastly, Miri is the fearless leader!

The writing is very accessible, and is almost written like a movie - I could clearly picture the action sequences in my head. Zayne starts out as the main character, but the story bounces around in points of view quite a bit, so the reader can experience all of the characters perspectives. Every character has room to shine, but Zayne and Kez have the most prominent character growth arcs in my opinion. This story is also very diverse, lots of representation for everyone!

The book also kind of ended with an open ending, and while it seems to be a stand alone, I think it's part of a larger series where each book can be read individually. I think it works pretty well, the plot isn't dependent on the world building, and I never felt like the novel was bogged down from too much exposition. After glancing through the appendices though, it's very clear the author does have a pretty extensive universe fleshed out, and I'm interested in picking up more novels.

I kept thinking of Mistborn meets Star Wars meets Guardians of the Galaxy while reading this book, but that doesn't even cover all of it. Alive and Tricking is an action-packed sci-fi novel, and I recommend picking this up!

[Nanasbookreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Alive and Tricking by R.S. Penney

Alive and Tricking is the seventh book in the Epic Literary Universe series, delivering another thrilling sci-fi adventure.

Miri Nin Valia and her team of misfit spies travel across the galaxy on high-stakes missions. This time, their assignment takes them to Salus Prime, a planet where aristocrats rule with an iron fist, men are treated as second-class citizens, and some women wield extraordinary "magic" powers. What was meant to be a simple investigation quickly escalates into a deadly ordeal.

Zayne Trefal, the team's young engineer, struggles with self-doubt, believing she isn’t as useful as the others. However, as the mission unfolds, she comes to realize that everyone has a vital role to play. The team faces unimaginable challenges, but together, they find a way to overcome their ruthless enemies.

This novel is packed with suspense, action, and expertly crafted world-building. The vivid descriptions bring unique elements to life, making the setting feel immersive and dynamic. The plot is enthralling, full of surprises that keep readers engaged.

The characters are a highlight, and I especially loved Miri and Zayne. Miri is a badass FMC (female main character) who also takes on a motherly role within the team. Zayne, the young outsider, struggles to fit in but undergoes incredible growth, transforming from a timid girl into a more confident woman. One of my favorite moments was the introduction of the Goddess—it was truly unforgettable.

If you're a fan of sci-fi adventures, you won't want to miss this one!

[Brooke Bartel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly I have to admit, science fiction isn't typically my go-to genre, but Alive and Tricking by R.S. Penney ended up surprising me. While it did take me some time to get fully invested in the story, the unique cast of characters and the high-stakes world they inhabit eventually won me over.
The author's vision of a war-torn galaxy is richly detailed, and the team's mission to protect innocent lives is compelling.
If you're a fan of science fiction, particularly stories with complex world-building and diverse characters, you'll likely enjoy this book.
The second half of the book I found myself drawn into the world and invested in the characters' fates.
I also really loved the appendixes, which as someone who doesn’t read a lot of Sci-fi appreciated. It helps explain the language used, the different worlds, characters abilities etc..

[TheLiteraryMug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action Packed Sci-fi that has it all! Miri Nin Valia and her crew get an assignment to infiltrate a dangerous cult of women while they infiltrate themselves in the cult, they find deceit, trials and danger at every step. It takes you into their intricate world, while setting the foundation for characters with tenacity, strong wills and devotion, while pulling you into the fold in this action packed Saga. Without giving spoilers, you take sides as if walking with the characters and feel immersed as you go. As a Sci-Fi read that is different than my normal genre, I found it was exciting and definitely recommend.

[Gillian Casso Speicher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miri Nin Valia and her crew get an assignment to infiltrate a dangerous cult of women , The Daughters of Vengeance, who are bent on using their newly found Field Binding powers to subdue their enemies. As they immerse themselves in the cult, they find danger and deceitfulness all around.

With intricate world building, strong and engaging characters and plenty of action this foray into the Keeper Saga world was an exciting read. While I enjoyed all the characters, it took longer to like Zayne as I found her annoying. However, once she grew into her role on the team she became one of my favorite characters. I also appreciated the appendix at the end. This helped refresh my memory of the different aspects of the world Penney has created.

[Jeanette Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Elegance. Where the spaceship is barely hanging together and the members of the crew are more than friendly.😉

Oh my, this book starts with a factory walk-out.
Then a mysterious woman flies(!) in and gets them back to work.

More and more reports are coming about these occurrences, very much out of the ordinary for a low tech planet such as Salus Prime.

“Bad little drones.”


Now, off course, it all takes off when we get to Salus Prime.

I really like the crew. I think maybe Zayne is my favourite. Perhaps I, too, have the same wishes?😊

Do you enjoy being on other planets? I enjoyed being out in space for a couple of days. Not to mention pretending to have superpowers! I am so learning field binding when it is here!😂

“I have told mother again and again that you can not trust men to work unsupervised.”

Stir in some cosmic enteties, and we have a witty story with some heart(s). 🚀💙📚

[Manuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
It's been a long time since I've read a Sci Fi book and this one did not disappoint!
This book takes you on a wild ride through epic world building and dynamic characters that have specific abilities to either benefit or make it difficult to venture throughout the story and their life in general. The roles of gender in this story are reverse which creates a different viewpoint of struggle and sympathy for the other gender. The main plot of the story includes several points of view from each character, including the villains that are part of the story. I feel like that creates a different view of the story that you usually wouldn’t get when you don’t have the viewpoint of the villains and only the main characters. I really enjoyed the built-up of the story to the ultimate ending that is action packed and leaves you wondering if this is a standalone or a series to continue.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the seventh book in the series.
If you like sci-fi adventures in galaxies then you will like this book. It gave Borderlands vibes and I was all for it. The spaceship crew is such a great team. The suspense and details were amazing. This book was great