Heroes Die Young

Aston West #1

by T.M. Hunter

Space pirate Aston West has come across derelict freighters many times before. But this latest catch, fresh out of a recent battle, proves to be a little more than he expected. He can’t fight the urge to pilfer a valuable cache of illegal contraband, but discovers one last stowaway who tries to kill him. Attack craft return to finish the ship off and Aston has no choice but to save her from certain destruction.

Who is she? What was this cargo he just took? Why was the freighter destroyed?

Surrounded by a host of old friends, new acquaintances, and desperate enemies, Aston travels from one system to another, getting the answers he wants, but revealing even more questions, and putting his life motto of never getting involved to the ultimate test. Climaxing in an ending for which even Aston is not prepared, the story will have you gasping for breath, and desperate to find out if heroes truly do die young.

Genres: Science Fiction

113 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with travel to other worlds, earning a B. S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas. His works have often been compared to the great pulp writers of the past, which made his multiple appearances in RAY GUN REVIVAL seem almost destined. He mainly writes in his Aston West universe, with three novels in the series (HEROES DIE YOUNG, FRIENDS IN DEED and DEATH BRINGS VICTORY) and a novella, SEEKER. His short stories have been featured in various online magazines and in several short story collections (including the DEAD OR ALIVE collection from ResAliens Press). Both Aston West and T. M. Hunter continue to win the hearts of readers everywhere.

T. M. Hunter currently lives in Wichita, Kansas with his wife and their two feline masters, also known as the demon-spawn. Find out more about his body of work at AstonWest.com.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read book

Great book, had a hard time putting it down. Heard about the author st a Comic convention. Can't wait to get the next book in the series.

[Brit Blaise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aston West is a reluctant hero, in the vein of Hans Solo, ruggedly handsome and an intergalactic chick magnet. At first he a appears shallow and self-serving, but bit by bit the layers of his wounded-bad-boy psyche are peeled away until the reader realizes that this is a man you want to standing beside in a fight, a man who can get the job done.

In the course of his trade, scavenging, Aston errantly runs amok of the fatally conflicted political aspirations of two planets and isn’t sure who is friend or foe. He didn’t sign up to save a beautiful woman who is more trouble than she’s worth, but he does it. Hopelessly romantic that I am, I wanted him to make a move on her…darn! This isn’t a romance, it’s sci-fi.

Rapid-pace space battles, alien creatures and plenty of booze make this an adventure well worth reading. It’s a page turner, the kind of story that keeps you wondering what will happen next.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This space pirate...ahem, excuse me. This scavenger has quickly become one of my favorite literary characters of recent. Very real, very relatable. Hunter does a tremendous job of presenting the story in a future universe that could come about. Well-paced action coupled with believable characters make this book a must-read.

[Robert Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice, tight little SF novel. Aston West is a scavenging spaceship pilot who, while on a routine cargo run, gets caught up in a tricky political struggle between two worlds. It reads quickly and is paced well.

[T.K. Toppin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a little disappointed that it ended too quickly. Really enjoyed this book. The pace was quick, the action just right and the story just kept moving nicely.

[Selena Lang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good short story. fast paced, but short on the character - not well fleshed out. worth reading though.

[Joyce Scarbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with a sense of dread from the beginning, because I could tell from the size of the book that it wasn't going to take me nearly as far into the life of the main character--Aston West--as I wanted to go. Aston is such an engaging guy who keeps getting heroism dropped into his lap no matter how hard he tries to avoid it, and although he does his best to convince us that he's a cad, his true character shows through in everything he does.

Heroes Die Young is a fast-paced trip into Aston's world of space in the future that is sure to make the heart of any fan of Star Trek or Star Wars beat with joy. The plot is easy to follow without being simplistic or predictable, and the author's attention to detail puts the reader right in the middle of the action.

And, fortunately, Mr. Hunter has since launched a sequel (Friends In Deed) and several short stories featuring my favorite flyboy, so I can visit with him quite a bit more!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy as part of the Goodreads First Read Giveaway. It arrived in the mail today and I am excited to read it.

While sci-fi isn't really my scene, I thought this novel was well written. The characters were well developed and the plot had some nice twists. At times I was reminded of Star Wars and Star Trek (but in a good way). The main character, Aston West, was just trying to make a living. But, when he realizes that his actions could lead to numerous deaths, he did the right thing and became a "hero."

I liked this novel and would love to read other novels by Hunter.

[L.T. Getty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fun Space Romp

This is classified as Space Opera - I'd consider it a hybrid of Star Trek and Star Wars, following a sort of anti or reluctant hero just out to make ends meet. I'm not 100% familiar with this genre, but this is well-written and mostly fun, easy read. My main complaint is that due to the length, it feels like we were just getting into the world and the story ended. Fortunately, if you like this sort of thing, there's more stories where it came from. I could have done without the green-skinned space babe, but then again, I doubt I'm probably not the target audience.

[Cary Caffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action, suspense and thrills (in space!). T.M. Hunter delivers an excellent read with this action-adventure. Aston West is a great new swashbuckling hero, deserving of a lengthy series.

Fun and thoroughly entertaining!

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I once again really enjoyed my trip into the Aston West universe. Deceptively complex, Heroes Die Young does not disappoint in action and intrigue. Aston once again gets caught in the crossfire of events that leave him wishing to preserve his hide - understandably. A great space romp.

[Sweetpea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the GoodReads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. A well written, fast-paced science fiction novel, great main character. Enjoyable read, would recommend to fans of this genre.

[Lyndon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the world of Aston West. A space pirate, smuggler, but ultimately an "EveryMan" who follows his moral compass despite the predicaments that personal sense of honor lands him in. Recommended for lovers of space opera and sci-fi adventure.

[Eric Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've gotten into T.M. Hunter's through Ray Gun Revival, and intrigued at the whole universe he created. Great work!

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely a novella at best. Just needs more detail, more....everything. General plot was ok, but just didn't care enough about the character by the end of the work.