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Their Solitary Way
Adam Kadman is the captain of a seed ship known as the Eden. Carrying ten thousand cryogenically frozen colonists, he and his crew must seek out new worlds for potential habitation. With the help of Lilith, a shipboard cyberbrain, Adam and his team will stop at nothing to secure humanity's future.
But time is running out. The Eden is breaking down, and accidents are beginning to occur at an alarming rate. At first, Adam believes these to be mere coincidences, but when a massive explosion kills several dozen people, he puts Seth, the lead Security officer and Adam's own son, in charge of an investigation to uncover the truth, but with so little evidence to go on, how can they hope to succeed? The clock is ticking...
But time is running out. The Eden is breaking down, and accidents are beginning to occur at an alarming rate. At first, Adam believes these to be mere coincidences, but when a massive explosion kills several dozen people, he puts Seth, the lead Security officer and Adam's own son, in charge of an investigation to uncover the truth, but with so little evidence to go on, how can they hope to succeed? The clock is ticking...
- GenresScience Fiction
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2016
65 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
J.N. Chaney
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 25, 2017
This was an interesting science fiction retelling of the Cain and Able story. It was well written and I enjoyed reading it. I am curious about what happens next.
August 24, 2016
My original Their Solitary Way audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
The last survivors of humanity travel aboard the Eden looking for a new world where they can settle and thrive. They have been traveling for some years, discarding worlds that were not good enough for various reasons, but they are approaching another planet,and this seems to be the one. A series of incidents on the ship make the crew think that somebody is trying to sabotage the trip, but why? Based on the biblical story of Adam and Cain with a sci-fi twist, this story is greatly enjoyable.
If you are not into biblical stuff (I am not), do not let the names of the characters make you avoid this book. The only drawback is that you will know how some of the characters will end up, but the story is beautifully written, and the characters, as usually with Chaney, are solidly built. There are quite some characters in the story, but they are alive and their dialogs feel natural and fluid, so we get them to know them all well and recognize their different voices. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Cain, and I found Abel extremely annoying, one of those people who need to complain and argue without listening to the other's reasons. Chaney is especially good at picturing characters and he went beyond the biblical characters here to create a totally believable story.
Steve Barnes did a wonderful job here. I have already had the pleasure of listening to him in Transient Echoes, but I think he even did better with Their Solitary Way. The narration was very good and the voices were varied.
I have made a promise to myself, and that is that I will read anything that I can grab from J.N. Chaney. I would recommend any of his books to anyone who would enjoy science-fiction with solid characters and an interesting and well told story.
The last survivors of humanity travel aboard the Eden looking for a new world where they can settle and thrive. They have been traveling for some years, discarding worlds that were not good enough for various reasons, but they are approaching another planet,and this seems to be the one. A series of incidents on the ship make the crew think that somebody is trying to sabotage the trip, but why? Based on the biblical story of Adam and Cain with a sci-fi twist, this story is greatly enjoyable.
If you are not into biblical stuff (I am not), do not let the names of the characters make you avoid this book. The only drawback is that you will know how some of the characters will end up, but the story is beautifully written, and the characters, as usually with Chaney, are solidly built. There are quite some characters in the story, but they are alive and their dialogs feel natural and fluid, so we get them to know them all well and recognize their different voices. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Cain, and I found Abel extremely annoying, one of those people who need to complain and argue without listening to the other's reasons. Chaney is especially good at picturing characters and he went beyond the biblical characters here to create a totally believable story.
Steve Barnes did a wonderful job here. I have already had the pleasure of listening to him in Transient Echoes, but I think he even did better with Their Solitary Way. The narration was very good and the voices were varied.
I have made a promise to myself, and that is that I will read anything that I can grab from J.N. Chaney. I would recommend any of his books to anyone who would enjoy science-fiction with solid characters and an interesting and well told story.
February 10, 2017
My first proper full in Sci-Fi read and it ended up being a novella based on the Biblical first people - Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, and Seth. Space, murder, explosion, a cyberbrain, hidden love, forbidden love, and a quest to find a new earth. All piled together with a twist you weren't 100% aware was coming. 4/5⭐.
December 30, 2017
This is a truly great sci-fi book! The colony ship, Eden, is on a voyage to find a world for the remnants of humanity to colonize. Captain Adam Kadmon and his family are among the crew, which includes his sons Seth, Cain and Abel. The ship is run by a former lover of Adam named Lilith through her brain's attachment to the ship.
If you know the Bible story of Cain and Abel, you can predict some of what will happen. If you don't know the story, it's still a great read!
The character development is amazing, the descriptions are wonderful and the story is very well-written. Mr. Chaney has a true talent for this type of science fiction. Reminiscent of "2001: A Space Odyssey", you will feel the emotions as Lilith takes over the ship and the crew of the Eden has to figure out what to do in order to survive.
The narrator, Steve Barnes, did a wonderful job and his performance enhanced an already great book. I was given the opportunity to listen to this book by the author and chose to review it.
If you know the Bible story of Cain and Abel, you can predict some of what will happen. If you don't know the story, it's still a great read!
The character development is amazing, the descriptions are wonderful and the story is very well-written. Mr. Chaney has a true talent for this type of science fiction. Reminiscent of "2001: A Space Odyssey", you will feel the emotions as Lilith takes over the ship and the crew of the Eden has to figure out what to do in order to survive.
The narrator, Steve Barnes, did a wonderful job and his performance enhanced an already great book. I was given the opportunity to listen to this book by the author and chose to review it.
May 1, 2018
A Delta Class Starhip is carrying the survivors of humanity, on the brink of extinction, to their new planetary home. She (the ship) is a “poet, artist, beauty queen, pilot. You name it,” as well, and she adds her personality to J. N. Chaney’s novel, rife with enticing Biblical and mythology names and references.
Blend Battlestar Galactica with a healthy dose of mythology, and you’ll have a sense for this novel. The science fiction elements are convincingly drawn, and events spin out of control in satisfying parallels to Biblical accounts. Characters feel convincingly, sometimes tragically real, with circumstances conspiring to drag them toward disaster. Classic names don’t go to heroes and villains, but to real people trapped in a very curious world.
Cool space opera with a fascinating premise, Their Solitary Way is a quick enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I received an ecopy as a gift and I’m just sorry it took me so long to get around to reviewing it.
Blend Battlestar Galactica with a healthy dose of mythology, and you’ll have a sense for this novel. The science fiction elements are convincingly drawn, and events spin out of control in satisfying parallels to Biblical accounts. Characters feel convincingly, sometimes tragically real, with circumstances conspiring to drag them toward disaster. Classic names don’t go to heroes and villains, but to real people trapped in a very curious world.
Cool space opera with a fascinating premise, Their Solitary Way is a quick enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I received an ecopy as a gift and I’m just sorry it took me so long to get around to reviewing it.
June 16, 2016
Really enjoyable story based on the biblical characters of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Seth and Lilith, etc...but DON'T let that put you off, please!
This is a sort of retelling of mankind's start in sci-fi/space opera style, with twists and turns you genuinely won't see coming. Well fleshed out characters who are totally believable. The reader will identify with some of the characters, and empathise/sympathise with others. I loved Lilith, and could fully understand why she was that particular way.
Chaney's writing is very smooth and easy to read. The story is a good one and there's no rubbish hanging around to take your attention away. You start to read and before you know where you are, you are halfway through. Food? Who cares about eating? I need to know how this ends!
This is the first story I have read by the author, and it won't be the last. I was lucky enough to win this book in a competition that JN Chaney was running. All opinions are my own and this is an honest review.
This is a sort of retelling of mankind's start in sci-fi/space opera style, with twists and turns you genuinely won't see coming. Well fleshed out characters who are totally believable. The reader will identify with some of the characters, and empathise/sympathise with others. I loved Lilith, and could fully understand why she was that particular way.
Chaney's writing is very smooth and easy to read. The story is a good one and there's no rubbish hanging around to take your attention away. You start to read and before you know where you are, you are halfway through. Food? Who cares about eating? I need to know how this ends!
This is the first story I have read by the author, and it won't be the last. I was lucky enough to win this book in a competition that JN Chaney was running. All opinions are my own and this is an honest review.
July 24, 2016
The seed ship Eden is on a voyage to find and inhabit a new planet, but time is running out, the ship is starting to have mechanical problems. But Captain Adam Kadman, his sons, and Lilith (the ships AI cyber-brain) hopefully can see that the ship makes it through with its cargo of cryogenically frozen people on board.
This is a really neat and interesting take on the Geniuses story, not exact, but close enough. I was lucky enough to have the audible version as narrator Steve Barnes was absolutely wonderful portraying all the different voices of the characters and the way he brought the book alive made you feel like you were on the Eden with everyone going through everything with them.
This was a great book filled with action and suspense not to mention the age old sibling rivalry. It is just a downright really good sci-fi book.
This is a really neat and interesting take on the Geniuses story, not exact, but close enough. I was lucky enough to have the audible version as narrator Steve Barnes was absolutely wonderful portraying all the different voices of the characters and the way he brought the book alive made you feel like you were on the Eden with everyone going through everything with them.
This was a great book filled with action and suspense not to mention the age old sibling rivalry. It is just a downright really good sci-fi book.
May 28, 2017
This is my second book by this author and once again the writing is very good and draws you in to whatever story is being told. He always writes wonderful characters too. They all have their own voice and flaws. The plot is something has been done many times before but even so it was done well. This was definitely an addicting read. But if I had to find a flaw I would say the Adam and Eve retelling part didn't feel so much like a retelling. But it had some elements of one. I liked Seth and Cains characters a lot and I would like a bit more of them. Maybe another story of them on their new planet.
Over all this was a great read and I look forward to reading more from this author. The writing just flows really well and is very easy to read and get lost in. I definitely recommend this.
Over all this was a great read and I look forward to reading more from this author. The writing just flows really well and is very easy to read and get lost in. I definitely recommend this.
August 30, 2016
I had a bit of a difficult time getting into the story in the beginning. A lot of characters were introduced quite early on -- and although I recognized their names (which made it easier), I found myself mixing the brothers up early on.
However, after I had all the characters straight, it was quite an enjoyable listen. The characters were flawed, but likable. The descriptions, including some advanced technologies, set the scene clearly. And, although the overarching plot itself was nothing new (people on a spaceship searching for new planet to inhabit), the parallels drawn to the biblical stories were done in quite an impressive way.
I started out with a "meh" reaction, but then I ended my listen inspired.
I received this audio book free from the author for honest review.
However, after I had all the characters straight, it was quite an enjoyable listen. The characters were flawed, but likable. The descriptions, including some advanced technologies, set the scene clearly. And, although the overarching plot itself was nothing new (people on a spaceship searching for new planet to inhabit), the parallels drawn to the biblical stories were done in quite an impressive way.
I started out with a "meh" reaction, but then I ended my listen inspired.
I received this audio book free from the author for honest review.
May 22, 2016
What an incredible retelling of the creation story with a sci-fi twist! Adam, Eve, and all the kids are there, but not quite like how you remember them in their biblical setting. Even though I had a general idea of how this story was going to go, it still had plenty of twists and turns that were unpredictable. J.N. Chaney is brilliant at taking a simple idea and spinning it into a complex adventure tale that will leave you feeling in awe of his maniacal imagination. As a bonus, there's a sneak peek of The Amber Project at the end, which is an absolute must read, along with its sequel, Transient Echoes. As far as I've read, Chaney can do no wrong with his writing.
July 11, 2016
Somehow I ended up receiving newsletters from this author and I won this book. This is my first exposure and I must say...I was not disappointed.
JN puts a Sci-fi twist to the Adam and Eve story. He builds a little world on a ship named Eden with characters you would expect...and some that you wouldn't. There's mystery, suspense, family drama, sabotage and murder as the crew searches out a star that is inhabitable.
I enjoyed this short story. It is well written with a steady pace. I will definitely read more from this author.
JN puts a Sci-fi twist to the Adam and Eve story. He builds a little world on a ship named Eden with characters you would expect...and some that you wouldn't. There's mystery, suspense, family drama, sabotage and murder as the crew searches out a star that is inhabitable.
I enjoyed this short story. It is well written with a steady pace. I will definitely read more from this author.
July 21, 2016
An Adam & Eve with their requisite cast of characters kinda space opera. A short and sweet story that you likely will be able to get through in one setting. Interesting spin on a popular storyline done in typical Chaney fashion.
January 30, 2017
A different take on Eden
A very different story of the beginning. Cain and Abel still have problems, but in galaxy far away are traveling to find a new planet to call home. I did enjoy reading this book and wonder what will happen next.
A very different story of the beginning. Cain and Abel still have problems, but in galaxy far away are traveling to find a new planet to call home. I did enjoy reading this book and wonder what will happen next.
July 27, 2016
It was an interesting alternative to the first family. It was pretty much in line with the actual event with a SciFi flare. You have to have an open mind to read this book.
November 12, 2016
Very good story
Interesting well written surprises toward the end not exactly a page turner but very close to it I liked the story like will be reading more of this authoe
Interesting well written surprises toward the end not exactly a page turner but very close to it I liked the story like will be reading more of this authoe
December 27, 2016
Reading and reviewing books
Wow. Reading this kept me on the edge if my seat. I didn't even realize till halfway through the names from the Bible story
Wow. Reading this kept me on the edge if my seat. I didn't even realize till halfway through the names from the Bible story
not4me
July 12, 2025purchased Amz April 20, 2017
March 25, 2018
This book is a great futuristic SyFy fantasy take on the "Bible" version of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel The Beginning and The End without out the religious mumbo jumbo added to mix up the fiction. I enjoyed reading all about how Lilith, who can be determined as the snake in Eden was really a sad lonely jaded lover. I like how the author put a very believable spin on how Cain and Abel relationship could've really been in a futuristic setting. I like that Seth was the youngest child something never talked about in Biblical terms much, but he was the savior of his people like Moses leading them to the promised Land. I do believe that all the characters in the Bible are fiction, and the stories are great tales told by men to keep their part of truth, lies,religion, and world order in check for millennia to come. It's still organized and revised until this day. But to be honest if it was said by word of mouth by a human and told through it I don't believe it at all especially if it can be revised to many versions in many different cultures and religions to suit individual needs and identities. I think this fictional fantasy futuristic story was better told than most versions of the "original named" versions lol. Great writing author!
April 1, 2019
Their Solitary Way. JN Chaney
Earth is gone. All of it's inhabitants aboard a lone ship. Most of the inhabitants are asleep in pods. The crewmembers will awaken them when they arrive at their destination. A cyberbrain control's the ship's functions. A female human injured in a terrible accident. Paralyzed from the waist down. But her brain still functions. The problem is she wants control of the ship all to herself. She only needs one human to accomplish her mission. Someone she can manipulate. A tale of sadness, betrayal. Enjoyed immensely.
Earth is gone. All of it's inhabitants aboard a lone ship. Most of the inhabitants are asleep in pods. The crewmembers will awaken them when they arrive at their destination. A cyberbrain control's the ship's functions. A female human injured in a terrible accident. Paralyzed from the waist down. But her brain still functions. The problem is she wants control of the ship all to herself. She only needs one human to accomplish her mission. Someone she can manipulate. A tale of sadness, betrayal. Enjoyed immensely.
dnf
June 21, 2025Marking this as "read" so I can get it out of my Kindle. This was a First Reads pick almost 10 years ago. I looked at it again today, considering if I wanted to finally read it. After checking out several reviews, it seems to be a retelling of several stories from Genesis. Not my thing, so no point in hanging on to a book that I'm never going to read. My zero stars rating is a neutral. I have no idea if it is worth reading or not.
October 23, 2016
Their Solitary Way by JN Chaney is a sci-fi adventure that seemed to be made for young adults. I loved the concept and characters but it didn't have the POP his other books have. It is a short book and an easy and enjoyable read but not like his others. Definitely worth the read but not my favorite of his.
June 2, 2017
Disappointed
I like other books by this author, but found this one predictable and trite. [[Spoiler Alert]] The obvious references to the biblical old testament story of Cain & Abel was just a turn off, because 1) predictable! Guess who kills who? and 2) oh hey it was all Lilith's fault surprise, surprise (cough) /misogyny/(cough).
I like other books by this author, but found this one predictable and trite. [[Spoiler Alert]] The obvious references to the biblical old testament story of Cain & Abel was just a turn off, because 1) predictable! Guess who kills who? and 2) oh hey it was all Lilith's fault surprise, surprise (cough) /misogyny/(cough).
March 3, 2020
Weakest so far
The problem with basing a novel on religious allegory, is that our knowledge of the mythos, especially when characters are given iconographic names, foretells how the story goes. Halfway through the book I had a
pretty good idea of how it was going to go in broad strokes. And I was right. This is the weakest offering that I've read from this author.
The problem with basing a novel on religious allegory, is that our knowledge of the mythos, especially when characters are given iconographic names, foretells how the story goes. Halfway through the book I had a
pretty good idea of how it was going to go in broad strokes. And I was right. This is the weakest offering that I've read from this author.
March 4, 2020
A big ship is fleeing the world after aliens conquer it, with a large crew and lots of frozen people to restart civilization. The captain is Adam, two of his sons are Caine & Able, and the ship is the captain's old lover, injured and hooked up to a computer (her name is Lilith).
August 26, 2018
Would have been a lot better if it didn't have so many typos.
June 17, 2025
The ship Eden is on a mission: to find a habitable planet to colonize. All the crew members are members of the same family, that of Captain Adam Kadmon.
It's a science fiction version of the story of Abel and Cain. Indeed, all the characters have biblical names (Adam, Eve, Seth, Abel, Cain), even the ship (Eden).
It's a science fiction version of the story of Abel and Cain. Indeed, all the characters have biblical names (Adam, Eve, Seth, Abel, Cain), even the ship (Eden).
May 26, 2016
FANTASTIC! I'm not a huge fan of "space books," but I am a huge fan of J.N. Chaney, and the 100, which is about people stuck in space, then heading to earth, perfect match up right! No, but seriously, I didn't know what to expect here except for a cool and original Adam and Eve retelling with the whole family, including Lilith. I was ready and excited to read it from then on.
I found myself feeling sorry for Cain and finding him a character that I could understand. Not relate to, but I could understand the feelings he felt, and the reasoning of why he felt that way. Abel.... yah, he's an a**hole, by Felicia. Seth, oh dear Seth how I love you. This is a fantastic character. Sincere, honest, caring, honorable. Just a genuinely good guy and character you truly love and can cheer on. Lilith, that chick.... she's always "mysterious" in every depiction of herself. Can you trust her? You want to don't you? But she's not just another regular resident on this ship.
I loved reading this and when it ended, I was on the edge of my seat turning the page and immediately felt sadness that the story had ended. So I did what any logical human being would do and I harassed the author insisting on more! Fingers crossed, I need more of these characters and their story.
I found myself feeling sorry for Cain and finding him a character that I could understand. Not relate to, but I could understand the feelings he felt, and the reasoning of why he felt that way. Abel.... yah, he's an a**hole, by Felicia. Seth, oh dear Seth how I love you. This is a fantastic character. Sincere, honest, caring, honorable. Just a genuinely good guy and character you truly love and can cheer on. Lilith, that chick.... she's always "mysterious" in every depiction of herself. Can you trust her? You want to don't you? But she's not just another regular resident on this ship.
I loved reading this and when it ended, I was on the edge of my seat turning the page and immediately felt sadness that the story had ended. So I did what any logical human being would do and I harassed the author insisting on more! Fingers crossed, I need more of these characters and their story.
October 2, 2016
A fast paced, interesting sci-fi twist on The Old Testament stories in Genesis. Like a fractured fairy tale, the author has kept the basis of the stories true to form but retold them in an inventive and unique way. His use of the original biblical names gives you some foreshadowing of what's to come but how he brings it about and develops it is exciting and fresh. His characters are well developed and easily draw you in. You feel sympathy for Adam, wanting to show his sons he loves them all but unsure how to do so. He is so taxed with humanities survival and the demands of leadership that he has forgotten how to be just a Dad. Your heart also breaks for Cain. His lack of self esteem, nativity and longing for love leads him on a disastrous road and causes him to fall prey to Lilith's manipulation. I think the character I liked best was Seth. His gentleness, strength and loyalty makes yhim very likeable and you can not help but root for his survival and reconnection with his love. This story has action, excitement, some great twists and a unique take on an old tale. It was provided to me at no cost by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2016
The human race searching for a new home is a familiar science fiction plot, fascinating because there are so many possible variables, so many ways to tell stories of exploration. I loved reading this version, finding both expected elements and surprising twists in this flight through space.
From the start, the characters’ names point toward the inevitable ending, but how they get there is a whole new story. All of the characters are interesting, some more than others. I found Seth and Cain to be more intriguing than Adam, although that’s not from any lack of character development. Adam’s role as the ship’s captain kept him in the background, mostly uninvolved in the main story. Lilith is my favorite, poor girl. Her backstory was a sad thing. On the ship, I liked that there was a plausible explanation for her behavior. In fact, I liked very much that this story is related in terms of fallible human behavior. The people are not heroes and villains. They’re the anxious remnant of the human population, looking for a planet to call home.
Space opera is such fun to read, and this book is an excellent addition to the genre.
From the start, the characters’ names point toward the inevitable ending, but how they get there is a whole new story. All of the characters are interesting, some more than others. I found Seth and Cain to be more intriguing than Adam, although that’s not from any lack of character development. Adam’s role as the ship’s captain kept him in the background, mostly uninvolved in the main story. Lilith is my favorite, poor girl. Her backstory was a sad thing. On the ship, I liked that there was a plausible explanation for her behavior. In fact, I liked very much that this story is related in terms of fallible human behavior. The people are not heroes and villains. They’re the anxious remnant of the human population, looking for a planet to call home.
Space opera is such fun to read, and this book is an excellent addition to the genre.
August 9, 2016
Although, it was touted as a new take on the story of Adam & Eve, as a Christian it just didn't connect, other than their names. Implying that there is a take on the Biblical story made me feel a bit let down. Without the expectation as making that connection, the book is a nice little Sci-Fi story. The characters were weak in comparison to Chaney's Amber Project series, which were well developed & robust. The story line was okay & I continued to the end waiting for a twist or big 'gotcha' moment. I didn't hate the Narrator this time, he just doesn't have the intonation & what I would call an "oomph" factor. His reading style borders on monotone.
So, all in all, the book was just okay. Perhaps, a sequel would bring more to the story & allow for more character development. I know from his other books that Chaney is a great writer! Maybe that is why I didn't really get the same 'bang for your buck' feeling here.
My star ratings include these 5 elements:
1~great story line
2~engaging characters
3~use of word building
4~editing (or narration)
5~the ending
So, all in all, the book was just okay. Perhaps, a sequel would bring more to the story & allow for more character development. I know from his other books that Chaney is a great writer! Maybe that is why I didn't really get the same 'bang for your buck' feeling here.
My star ratings include these 5 elements:
1~great story line
2~engaging characters
3~use of word building
4~editing (or narration)
5~the ending
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews