White Sands

Orbs #1.1

by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Jeff and his little brother David were normal kids; they loved video games, fighter planes, and learning to hunt with their Dad. Little did they know, their lives were about to change.

The boys and their father find themselves stranded in the desert when a military jet comes careening out of the sky and crashes directly into their car. Barely escaping the incident with their lives, and out of contact with the rest of the world, the trio must make the perilous journey back to civilization.

But, downed aircrafts, stalled out cars, and mysterious glowing blue orbs litter the desert landscape. Slowly they come to realize that the world is under attack and the civilization they once knew may no longer exist. Now the boys and their father are in a fight to survive across a barren landscape—a fight that not all will win.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Audiobook, Aliens, Short Stories, Dystopia

50 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Nicholas Sansbury Smith is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels with two million copies sold. Before his writing career, he served at Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a background that inspired many of his story concepts. A two time Ironman triathlete, he enjoys running, biking, and hiking. Nicholas also loves traveling, especially to his cabin in Northern Minnesota where he weaves his tales. He lives in Iowa with his wonderful wife and their son and daughter.

Note: Nicholas is no longer an active user on Goodreads and does not use the platform. If you want to connect with him on social media here are some links. He would love to hear from you.

Facebook Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSSFa...
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/nicholassans...
Website: nicholassansburysmith.com
Instagram: instagram.com/author_sansbury/

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

"White Sands" begins with brothers Jeff and David (and stepmom Paula) headed to meet their dad for their annual visit. Dad - Michael Fitz - is a guard working for the New Tech Corporation, based at their White Sands Missile Range location.

The visit is off to a rocky start when Paula and the kids are redirected after witnessing what they believe is a test flight of one of NTC's new prototypes. Unbeknownst to Fitz's family - and much of the base staff - NTC has intel that indicates an alien landing is imminent. While some of the company's top scientists are boarding a shuttle that will take them off world to a new potential colony, Fitz and his sons are going to witness the beginnings of a hostile invasion firsthand.

Hmmm. And things have now gotten much more interesting and much more complicated. The beings actually do make contact in "White Sands" and it is creepy as hell! But what I find even more chilling is the obvious way the powers that be have kept it all from everyone! Of course that begins in "Solar Storms" but it's much, much worse by the time "White Sands" takes place.

So far I'm finding Nicholas Sansbury Smith's work to be quite entertaining. These are sci fi tales that even I can wrap my brain around, so they're not terribly heavy on the actual science part. There is enough present, though, to set a nice tone and scene for the series.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a prequel to the ORBS series. Jeff and David are two children discovered at the White Sands facility by Sophie and her team when they travel there from the Cheyenne Mountain Biosphere in Book 1 of this series. This short story provides the readers an opportunity to understand why Jeff and David happened to be in the facility - a top secret one owned and run by NTC; in other words, a place children should not be.

The story opens on Jeff's birthday. He and David are travelling in a car with their step-mom, bound for White Sands where they will pick up the boys' dad, Michael, a security guard at White Sands. It is revealed early on that the boys' father plans to take Jeff to a shooting range to teach him to use a rifle, a family heirloom.

Smith's writing is once again clear and concise, delivering an uncluttered story. The descriptions are vivid, putting me right into the action with the characters. The writing is easy to read, and the story moves at a good pace.

I only give this story four stars because it wasn't quite the wow-blow-me-away of the other stories in the series, but it is no less important or well-written.

[BookzBookzBookz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orbs is a science fiction thriller that keeps you cringing and worrying about what's out there and what could happen if it came here! Set in the far future, earth is in trouble- we've abused natural resources and now, what's left is wanted by another more ominous, vicious being. Can humanity be saved? The Orbs series, written by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, is one of the best sci-fi tales I've read this year so far!

In White Sands, two boy survivors, brothers are introduced to the story. Jeff and David are no strangers to the loss of parents, but this time, the world has gone away too. Alone and hiding beneath an Air Force Base, they must survive the invaders.

Fighting with instinct and two rifles, they endure and with any luck, survive! This is a short story, just a few hours, but it provides the backstory to the children found in the prior book. It's not necessary, but definitely a great informative tale. Read It!

The full Orbs series review:
http://www.areneehunt.com/the-reviews...

Orbs Series
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Simon & Shuster/Simon

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel gave a good background on the children and how they came to be at White Sands when everything happened. I would have liked to have gotten a little more on the parents before things went completely crazy. The narrative flows well and the story is good if a little light on some details. The language is great and the relationships ring true.

Jeff and David are traveling to White Sands with their step-mother Paula for Jeff's birthday. Their father Michael is stationed there working for the NTC. When the aliens come and start to wreck havoc life becomes terrifying for the boys and their father as they try to survive.

Definitely a must read if you want more on the people who populate the later novels.

[Nathan Yokoyama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually don't read prequels and rarely side stories. However I really enjoyed this very much! It was great to find out the story of the boys and to find out a little more about the good Doctor Hoffman. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next for him. I still can't decide if I like him or not. Lol.

I highly recommend this prequel send the Orbs series! You won't be disappointed.

[Aletia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew?

Kids. As always, well written! And a great snippet on what wasn't shared in the 1st book. Now to see what Red Sands has to offer!

[Samyann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible. This review addresses the entire Orbs Series, Books 1-4 including two shorts, Red Sands and White Sands. Suggest reading the prequel shorts first, but it doesn't matter. Just read from the beginning of the series to get the most from this exciting SciFi story. Several characters traverse the entire series.

Plot. Earth is invaded, a handful of humans survive to save the human race, and the earth itself - even taking you to Mars. The aliens are sucking up all the water on this planet, and other worlds in the cosmos. Lakes, rivers, streams, oceans, the snow from mountain tops, ice, and ... the human body. As the climate changes, temperatures soar, and more humans are gobbled up. Cut to a huge space ship that has abducted some humans and other life forms and it is speeding through space headed for........no spoilers. Did you know alien blood is blue?

Liked. Length. Just a personal thing. Long stories are yummy. This series is close to 40 hours of listening in unabridged audiobook format. Narration, production is fine, no sex, no language inappropriate to the scene. Given this is very futuristic, sexism is not an issue - there are many strong female characters - yea!

Not so hot? Not too much. You may get attached to a few characters that become alien munchies, but that's SciFi. Hard to roll your eyes at fantasies - but you may. 🙄

Written by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, narrated by Bronson Pinchot, released in 2019 by Blackstone Audio, Inc. Okay for the SciFi fan world, but no so much if you are not a fan of gooey aliens and monster spiders.

[Todd Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avoid the blue Orbs

Chilling account of man's inability to counteract an alien invasion. But, man finds a way and this series is an account of man's willingness to fight to the end.

[N.W.Wisniewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's nice to learn the back stories of characters. In this one you learn the full back story of the two young boys who pop up in the main series. I had wondered how they knew what they did about the organics. Read this prequel and it'll bring you clarity as well.

[Robert Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of two short novellas between book 1 and 2. The story centers on Jeff and his little brother David whom we met in book 1 at the NTC base.

Pretty straight forward, but I always getting a little more back story via novellas.

I'm already into Red Sands, the second novella.

[Zoë Routh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this first installment of a dystopian alien invasion. Lots of mystery, plenty of good drama, and the irrepressible baddies that kept the tension swinging along. I dove straight into the next audiobook.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another prequel to the Obs series. This short novella tells the story of 11 year old Jeff and his little brother David and how they survived the invasion of the Organic aliens.

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved being able to see Jeff and David's story even though it's sad. I felt horrible but I thought how Michael handled things made sense and it's sad that it was on Jeff's birthday.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably better than the 1st ORBS book

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good background novelette on two of the kids (Jeff and David) from Orbs.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, but not gripping.

[Mike Zahajko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lot of overlap with the original story. Unnecessary short story addition.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fills in a lot of the plot holes from the first book.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"White Sands: An Orbs Prequel" by Nicholas Sansbury Smith is an excellent addition to the series. Smith has taken out a huge junk of information about some of the characters' background and made it into spin off short story. We're taken back to the moment of the alien invasion, seen in parts by Jeff and David, two boys of differing age, adding more dimensions and perspectives on the event. Dr Hoffman and his escape vessel are focus of another narrative that sheds light on the background of the main novels.
I thoroughly enjoyed being taken back in time to that moment, something that within the main novels might distract from other events. Smith has done this already in a different prequel story and I wonder if there might be more to come. I hope so.
The resulting fleshing out of our characters is something I personally appreciate and Smith does it very well, which makes him one of the few science fiction writers who I follow.
On top of the character depth, the story itself is more gripping science fiction about the Organics and worth reading for that, too.

I am looking forward to going back to the future and reading the next main novel. A great bonus story to sweeten the wait.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

 Fills in some of the missing pieces

I just finished rereading SOLAR STORMS, the short story prequel of this exciting, action-packed trilogy. Also I reread ORBS, the first full-length book in the trilogy. Both had originally been self-published by author Smith and definitely could have used some editing/proofreading. The main series (not the short stories) was bought by Simon451, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Publishing. What a positive difference some professional editing did for the books. It turned a great story into a super great story.

In WHITE SANDS, we get to revisit Jeff and David, the boys we met in ORBS. They had traveled with their stepmother to visit their Dad at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Their father is a guard for NTC (New Tech Corporation), the largest security and science company in the world. Their timing wasn't the best, though, because their visit coincides with the alien invasion by the Organics.

The story contains a lot of material that fleshes out ORBS and helps make it that much more interesting and exciting.

[Grampy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"White Sands" is a prequel to the "Orbs" Sci-Fi series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. In "White Sands" we meet Jeff and David, two young boys who are visiting their father at the White Sands Missile Range, when without warning the base is obliterated by hordes of attacking alien spaceships. With major injuries to his back and legs, their father, Michael, struggles against long odds to get the boys to safety before sacrificing his own life to save theirs.

This quick read is a great introduction to two of the characters who subsequently play a significant role in the battle for survival of the human race in the Orbs tales. The backstory of how the boys came to be a part of the small group of survivors is both interesting on its own, and helpful in understanding their motivations for actions they play in the subsequent Orbs episodes.

I heartily recommend the Orbs series to all fans of good Sci-Fi and apocalyptic fiction. White Sands is a must-read part of that series, and as such should also be read by all who want to fully enjoy this greatly entertaining serial story.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read, but it's a novella that has a good story and adds to the overall Orbs series. It's recommended for anyone reading the Orbs series, as it reveals some clues and details about the aliens, Dr. Hoffman's plans and the NTC. It also tells the story of David and Jeff, two child-aged characters who play roles in Orbs and, more predominantly, Orbs II.

I think my only gripe would be that I wish there had been more of Jeff's perspective / POV. It starts off that way, but Michael, Jeff's father, quickly takes the POV seat. I would have liked to experience more of the first encounters and this story from Jeff's perspective instead of yet another seasoned military man, as they have a good amount of POV-time in the books.

That aside, it is a good story with great character building and is a must read for Orbs fans.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy by the publisher and asked for honest feedback.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smith has a rare talent. To write Sci-Fi as a human experience. Its so easy to get caught up in the technology, the aliens, the whatever it is you want to focus on that makes it Sci-Fi and forget to focus on the only thing that makes any story truly exist, the user experience, the characters. Smith writes with an ease and flow despite the complicated ideas being presented.
Now on to White Sands...what's not to like? Smith has crafted a great companion story that builds out character development and also fills in many gaps that you may have been left wondering about at the end of Orbs I. It was great to hear the invasion from a fresh perspective but even more fulfilling to learn more about Hoffman :). These short story/novella prequels are such a great way to live within the story again for just a little bit. Well done. Impatiently waiting for the release of Orbs II. :)

[Sunshine Somerville · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading ORBS 1, this was a nice little back story. Here we get to see more of Jeff and David and their sacrificial father, but we also learn significant aspects to Dr. Hoffman's plan with the NTC. There was one paragraph in particular that made me go "Ah-ha!" because Hoffman's exact knowledge about the Organics was finally revealed.
If you liked ORBS but wish you'd learned more about the time of the invasion, this is a great, quick look from fresh viewpoints, even though the reader now knows more than poor Jeff and David about what is coming next.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read - a prequel to Orbs II which comes out later this month. This tells the story of the 2 boys who show up at the very end of Orbs. As a parent, I found this very frightening - kids come to visit dad at work at the spaceport on the day the aliens arrive. The father does what most of us hope we would do in that situation - sacrifices his well being to keep his kids safe.

Looking forward to Orbs II!

[Daniel A. Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spider aliens! Who would have thought?

Great short sci-fi story, quite scary, the edge of your seat action is served hot and heavy right from the start, cannot wait to read next installment! Nicolas you are fast becoming my favorite writer/author, I am an old fart in mid 60's and been an avid reader since I was nine or so, thought I had seen it all in the way of modern literature, but you Sir have given me exciting reading material and I thank you, please keep them coming!

[R L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series!!

Anyone who loves reading apocalyptic stories will enjoy these books. This is a scenario that I really don't have a hard time thinking could actually happen in one form or another.... Nicholas Sansbury Smith has a way of pulling you into the story and you won't want to put it down until you've caught up with him writing the books!!. Fantastic read.

[Y.I. Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow doesn't even cover it. Nicholas S. Smith has taken the Prequal to Orbs and given us a story full of emotion, action, aliens and sacrifice.

I'm looking forward to re-reading Orbs (the 2nd edition) and reading Orbs II: Stranded when it comes on 10/07/14.

This is how you write a prequel!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read Orbs, I was curious how the boys made it to the tunnels. This was a great story, giving some additional info into the alien invasion. Ready to start the next book. Great writing from Nicholas.

[Kathy Ann'tie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short story of Jeff and David. I enjoyed hearing how they came to be at the hanger. I find the stories are getting more exciting with more action. I can't wait to see what happens from here.