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The Darwin Effect
When you're stranded on a spaceship with a killer, there's nowhere to hide.
Six people wake up from suspended animation on a spaceship in the middle of a three-hundred-year journey to colonize a distant planet. At first they believe MAC, the onboard computer, has malfunctioned. But MAC tells them he was supposed to wake them up . . . it was part of the program.
They can't re-enter suspended animation. There's only enough food for a few months. MAC won't let them communicate with any other ships. They are too far away to return to Earth. Cromartie, the unelected leader of the group, tries his best to keep the others calm, but soon they are at each other's throats in panic.
After one of them is found murdered, Cromartie and Sanders form an alliance. Cromartie thinks he may know the answer, a way out, but after another one of them is found murdered, Cromartie and Sanders must act quickly if they want to survive.
Six people wake up from suspended animation on a spaceship in the middle of a three-hundred-year journey to colonize a distant planet. At first they believe MAC, the onboard computer, has malfunctioned. But MAC tells them he was supposed to wake them up . . . it was part of the program.
They can't re-enter suspended animation. There's only enough food for a few months. MAC won't let them communicate with any other ships. They are too far away to return to Earth. Cromartie, the unelected leader of the group, tries his best to keep the others calm, but soon they are at each other's throats in panic.
After one of them is found murdered, Cromartie and Sanders form an alliance. Cromartie thinks he may know the answer, a way out, but after another one of them is found murdered, Cromartie and Sanders must act quickly if they want to survive.
- GenresScience Fiction
213 pages, ebook
Published May 23, 2016
49 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 21, 2025
This was a really solid, suspenseful futuristic murder mystery! Yep, you read that right. So my experience with Mark Lukens is that he takes relatively common ideas and either combines them or spins them into unique stories. And this was no different. I am not a big fan of science fiction, except for Michael Crichton and HG Wells, and while this was based in that arena, it was kept simple, yet interesting. There are no klingons, ewoks, laser guns, heartwrenching monologues from Mathew McConaughey (Instellar), or any other really far fetched sci-fi concepts in here. You have a handful of characters who wake up in a ‘spaceship,’ none of whom have any idea why they’re there, who they are, or what their purpose is. And they all suffer from visions and nightmares, in addition to other side effects from being cryogenically suspended for a century. So Lukens keeps you guessing as to what each person’s motives are, as the bodies start piling up. But no one is safe. Is there a killer among the group? Were they reprogrammed to eliminate one another? Are they killing themselves? Are they all dead already? You’re brain will hurt thinking of all the possible outcomes. And once you get to the very end and figure it all out, there’s a good chance you’ll be like ‘Woah, I didn’t expect that.’ This is another successful book from Mark Lukens, who continues to show me why I need to keep reading his works.
January 29, 2019
Not a bad story, but I could swear that I've read another book, or seen a movie that was very similar to this, so it was predictable for me.
June 8, 2016
I had nightmares, I woke up in the middle of the night and thought the aliens got me ....
Not a good idea to read this in bed, at night ...
Not a good idea to read this in bed, at night ...
March 18, 2019
I read this one in one session, I could not put it down.
Six people, strangers to each other, have no memory of how they came to be on this ship. Each has a skill that would be beneficial to colonize a new planet, but none that are useful for their current situation ... stuck on a ship, two hundred years away from their destination, and one hundred years out from the ravaged and desolate planet they departed from.
“There was a nuclear war,” MAC said. “A massive assault was launched from several nations."
The story setting is on a spaceship, somewhere in the vastness of outer space, yet it made me feel very claustrophobic knowing there was no way to escape. Once they realize the limited food situation things start to get ugly. Unusual side effects from being cryogenically frozen start to mess with them and no one can trust anyone, not even themselves.
This is not the usual predictable story I was somewhat anticipating, there are stunning unexpexted twists that make this story exciting and a great read.
Six people, strangers to each other, have no memory of how they came to be on this ship. Each has a skill that would be beneficial to colonize a new planet, but none that are useful for their current situation ... stuck on a ship, two hundred years away from their destination, and one hundred years out from the ravaged and desolate planet they departed from.
“There was a nuclear war,” MAC said. “A massive assault was launched from several nations."
The story setting is on a spaceship, somewhere in the vastness of outer space, yet it made me feel very claustrophobic knowing there was no way to escape. Once they realize the limited food situation things start to get ugly. Unusual side effects from being cryogenically frozen start to mess with them and no one can trust anyone, not even themselves.
This is not the usual predictable story I was somewhat anticipating, there are stunning unexpexted twists that make this story exciting and a great read.
February 8, 2017
Awesome sci-fi!
As a hugh sci-fi fan I loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. While it had an ending it left me wanting more and I hope there will be a sequel. This is the first book I've read by Mark Lukens but now I look forward to reading more!
As a hugh sci-fi fan I loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. While it had an ending it left me wanting more and I hope there will be a sequel. This is the first book I've read by Mark Lukens but now I look forward to reading more!
August 22, 2016
Fantastic book that keeps you guessing page after page. The tempo starts high on page one and just keeps rising. I couldn't put it down, read it all in one day. Looking forward to reading more books by Lukens
October 19, 2016
Interesting theme
A really good story with unexpected twists. The title is a clue but all is not as it seems to be. If you like stories with unexpected endings and hanging possibilities, this is for you! Enjoy.
A really good story with unexpected twists. The title is a clue but all is not as it seems to be. If you like stories with unexpected endings and hanging possibilities, this is for you! Enjoy.
October 31, 2016
Unfinished
Unfortunately I couldn't carry on reading this book. I congratulate myself for reading 27%. It feels like it's been written for an 11 yr old.
Unfortunately I couldn't carry on reading this book. I congratulate myself for reading 27%. It feels like it's been written for an 11 yr old.
September 28, 2018
Survivors
If you know what Darwin 's theory of evolution is, then half the theme of this story will refer to that. But our author also presents another theme, which deals with how well would 6 strangers (4 makes and 2 females) would work together to figure out how to survive.
This story opens in a room filled with containers which have people who are in suspended sleep cocoons from which they are awaken by computer simulation. The computer tells them that they are on a space ship on the way to a new planet to restart the human race and they are suffering temporary memory loss from their extended sleep. They are told to go to their rooms to wash up and then to kitchen area for some food and drink. The computer answers some of their questions but leaves out some answers, telling them that they have to figure out what to do. The biggest puzzle is why were they chosen since none of these trained to be astronauts, but together they have a good skill team of they work together. Unfortunately for the team one of them wrongly assumes that only the strongest needs to survive and starts killing off members of the team from the weakest person on. By the time, the person figured out how to get the group to survive, the killer had eliminated the weakest female and 2 of the men and tied up the remaining female and was planning to trap and kill the last other male. But the female had been a cop so ahead able to escape with the other male and they both left the "spaceship" via the airlock. The airlock led to vent from which they climbed up to find themselves on Earth.
If you know what Darwin 's theory of evolution is, then half the theme of this story will refer to that. But our author also presents another theme, which deals with how well would 6 strangers (4 makes and 2 females) would work together to figure out how to survive.
This story opens in a room filled with containers which have people who are in suspended sleep cocoons from which they are awaken by computer simulation. The computer tells them that they are on a space ship on the way to a new planet to restart the human race and they are suffering temporary memory loss from their extended sleep. They are told to go to their rooms to wash up and then to kitchen area for some food and drink. The computer answers some of their questions but leaves out some answers, telling them that they have to figure out what to do. The biggest puzzle is why were they chosen since none of these trained to be astronauts, but together they have a good skill team of they work together. Unfortunately for the team one of them wrongly assumes that only the strongest needs to survive and starts killing off members of the team from the weakest person on. By the time, the person figured out how to get the group to survive, the killer had eliminated the weakest female and 2 of the men and tied up the remaining female and was planning to trap and kill the last other male. But the female had been a cop so ahead able to escape with the other male and they both left the "spaceship" via the airlock. The airlock led to vent from which they climbed up to find themselves on Earth.
March 16, 2018
(Copied and pasted from my original Amazon Review)
I stumbled across this writer a couple years ago while I was reading various horror genre novels on my Kindle and Mark Luken's book ,"Ancient Enemy" was recommended to me by Amazon Prime. I read it and was immediately hooked! I then purchased "Sightings", "Ghost Town", and "A Dark Collection:12 Scary Stories".. I've yet to read the first two, but have read most of the latter,and really enjoyed the stories. I came across "Darwin Effect" a few days ago and immediately purchased and started reading it after reading thru the reviews. I really enjoy sci-fi, apocalyptic-survival type stories,especially ones about travelling onboard spaceships flying thru the stars and seeking out earth-like planets for our species to inhabit and colonize. This seemed to be that type of story... What a pleasant surprise it was to find out that this story was not what it seemed to be!
I don't want to give away any spoilers here. Plus I'm writing this review on my Kindle by texting, not typing, which is a bit difficult,so I will be very brief. From the very first chapter I wanted to know more and more who these 6 people were, why they were woken up way too early from cryogenic sleep by "Mac", the elusive onboard talking computer, and why they were trapped on a spaceship so very far/ distant from Earth (travelling at the near speed of light,but not quite) supposedly on a course headed to an Earth like planet named,"Eden". What exactly happened back home on Earth a hundred or so years ago? Why were these particular people chosen?
This story is a page Turner full of tension and excitement. I couldn't put it down. Mark has become one of my new favorite authors and I plan on buying and reading all of his books. Purchase this and read it tonight! You will not be disappointed.
I stumbled across this writer a couple years ago while I was reading various horror genre novels on my Kindle and Mark Luken's book ,"Ancient Enemy" was recommended to me by Amazon Prime. I read it and was immediately hooked! I then purchased "Sightings", "Ghost Town", and "A Dark Collection:12 Scary Stories".. I've yet to read the first two, but have read most of the latter,and really enjoyed the stories. I came across "Darwin Effect" a few days ago and immediately purchased and started reading it after reading thru the reviews. I really enjoy sci-fi, apocalyptic-survival type stories,especially ones about travelling onboard spaceships flying thru the stars and seeking out earth-like planets for our species to inhabit and colonize. This seemed to be that type of story... What a pleasant surprise it was to find out that this story was not what it seemed to be!
I don't want to give away any spoilers here. Plus I'm writing this review on my Kindle by texting, not typing, which is a bit difficult,so I will be very brief. From the very first chapter I wanted to know more and more who these 6 people were, why they were woken up way too early from cryogenic sleep by "Mac", the elusive onboard talking computer, and why they were trapped on a spaceship so very far/ distant from Earth (travelling at the near speed of light,but not quite) supposedly on a course headed to an Earth like planet named,"Eden". What exactly happened back home on Earth a hundred or so years ago? Why were these particular people chosen?
This story is a page Turner full of tension and excitement. I couldn't put it down. Mark has become one of my new favorite authors and I plan on buying and reading all of his books. Purchase this and read it tonight! You will not be disappointed.
March 3, 2023
very good
Interesting story. I did sort of figure it out before the end but that did not spoil it. Mr. Lukens stories are interesting and thought provoking. I’ve read several and enjoyed them all. I hope you do too. Happy reading!
Interesting story. I did sort of figure it out before the end but that did not spoil it. Mr. Lukens stories are interesting and thought provoking. I’ve read several and enjoyed them all. I hope you do too. Happy reading!
June 22, 2017
A nice fast-paced thriller. Writing itself needs a bit of help. Still, a fun, short read.
October 27, 2017
I thought I had this one figured out...Did not! Great concept!
January 26, 2018
Loved it!
I adore books like this, waking up no clue what's going on.
What are you going to do?how will you react? Great story.
I adore books like this, waking up no clue what's going on.
What are you going to do?how will you react? Great story.
July 19, 2018
Imaginative
“The Darwin Effect” is reminiscent of “2001: A Space Oddessey.” The characters are well fleshed out and the story is riviting.
“The Darwin Effect” is reminiscent of “2001: A Space Oddessey.” The characters are well fleshed out and the story is riviting.
September 25, 2018
Great Read!!!
An interesting take on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. Very eventful leading up to the grand finale. Excellent!!!
An interesting take on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. Very eventful leading up to the grand finale. Excellent!!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews