Seekers of Earth

The Guardian Knights of Terra #1

by Kyle Pratt

Lucas Baldwin, the young son of a powerful lord, is on his first deep space training mission. Advancing through a captured facility he encounters a lunatic girl about his age. Only later does he realize that the girl, Rachel, is speaking English, a long dead language. Rachel talks of an Earth still in existence and more advanced than the horse-and-buggy world that had supposedly been destroyed. All his life Lucas has been taught that more than three hundred years ago, pre-industrial Earth was destroyed by the advancing Valac hegemony. The Mage, a benevolent and highly-advanced race, were able to save a few thousand people. These surviving humans are offered sophisticated technology in return for their help in the fight against the Valac. Humans have become the guardians of the Mage. But now Lucas wonders if the history he has been taught is all a lie-but such thoughts are treason.

Genres: Science Fiction, Aliens

184 pages, Paperback

Published January 20, 2017

About the author

Kyle Pratt is the award-winning and bestselling author of post-apocalyptic, science fiction and speculative fiction novels, novellas and short stories.

His most recent post-apocalyptic thriller is the Amazon bestseller, Through the Storm. His first venture in the post-apocalyptic genre was with the similarly named Through Many Fires novel. This first book in the Strengthen What Remains series came out in paperback, Kindle, and on Audible in August 2013. Within two weeks the novel appeared on the Kindle Science Fiction Post-Apocalyptic list, reaching #10, and reached #1 on the list on December 2, 2014. The second book in the series, A Time to Endure, reached the number one position on the Amazon Kindle war fiction genre list just over a month after release and then again in January of 2016. At the same time Braving the Storms reached the number eight spot.

While serving on ships in the United States Navy, Kyle wrote short stories to pass the time. After retiring from the service he continued to hone his craft and in July of 2012 released his debut novel, Titan Encounter, a science fiction space adventure. His second book, Final Duty was released in January of 2013. His most recent science fiction novel is Recall the Earth, the second book of the Guardian Knights of Terra series.

Today, Kyle and his wife Lorraine live on a small family farm in Western Washington State. When he isn't writing he repairs gates and fences, tends bees and chickens and blogs anything that comes to his mind.

Reviews

[Don Viecelli]

My Book Review Number 166:

This review is on Seekers of Earth, The Guardian Knights of Terra Book One by Kyle Pratt. This is the first book I have read by this Sci-Fi author. It is a Sci-Fi Space Opera MSF story set 300 years into the future.

The story begins with Marine Cadet Lucas Baldwin fighting for his life on what was supposed to be a simple training mission. He is a young 17 year old recruit, inexperienced in battle, but now in charge of other recruits because the lieutenant in charge has been killed. They are under attack by the Auxilium race who is supposed to be their allies with the Mage against the Valac race. This fight should not be happening on this planet.

Lucas leads the charge to take back the Aux base and fights his way to a large chamber. Inside he finds a naked human girl who appears to be crazy. He ends up stunning her with his lance when she attacks one of the wounded Auxilium in the room. Lucas thinks the girl is insane from the trauma she obviously endured before he found her. He takes her back to his ship for interrogation.

Lucas is part of the ruling nobility faction Terran Kingdoms that believes Earth is dead and lost forever. They defeated another human faction called helots or slaves. The helots refer to themselves as the Seekers of Earth and believe Earth still exists and was not destroyed by the Valacs. It is heresy to talk about Earth to anyone or be called a traitor and punished or killed by the king.

The girl awakens in her cell on the ship. Her name is Rachel. She cannot understand the language spoken by her human guards. She does not know where she is or why she was taken by strange aliens. She is totally confused by her entire circumstances. Lucas speaks to Rachel and her words and accent are strange sounding. Lucas tries to understand what she is speaking and realizes it might be the old English language of Earth!

The story moves quickly from scene to scene. The girl is a mystery that needs to be solved, but the answers might very well cause another revolt by the helots and unravel the alliance with the Auxilium/Mage and war with the Valac. All may not be as it appears, especially if Earth still exists somewhere in the galaxy. The truth may get Lucas’s family killed.

I give this book Five Stars because the story is interesting, suspenseful and full of mystery. The plot moves at a fast pace with action-packed battle scenes and plenty of kingdom palace intrigue. The main characters are well developed and believable. The dialogue and writing style are excellent. Book one ends on a cliff hanger and makes you want to read Book Two to see who survives the coming revolt. Book Three will soon add to the series. I look forward to reading all three books.

[Tena]

I won a signed copy in a GOODREADS giveaway - Seekers of Earth by Kyle Pratt - I only have one complaint: It was too short! It is an NOVELLA to introduce the series....Oh, my goodness, it was good! It appears to be a Youth/Young reader level but kept my attention! I have to get the next one (it's on AMAZON as of 04/07/17) I already emailed the author to tell him to get going on the 3rd book... (his web says he hasn't started it yet!)

[Angela Kay]

Let me start by saying that Seekers of the Earth is a novella, rather than a full-length novel. It serves as an introduction to its sequel, Recall the Earth. In just 186 pages, the novella opens with action and does not slow down the pace. Lucas Baldwin is on his first deep space training mission when he encounters a girl that may or may not be crazy. When Lucas learns that the girl is speaking English, a dead language, he finds himself sucked into a web of treason that may get himself, the girl, and others killed. Despite the dangers he is facing, Lucas plans on figuring out what is fact and what is fiction.

Seekers of the Earth was a well-written prequel to the series. There was a lot going on in a short amount of pages, but doesn’t leave you confused as to who was who or what was going on. As I read, my mind was filled with questions which gradually became answered.

Be warned for those who don’t like cliffhangers. This novella does leave you hanging, but fear not…the book is already available on Amazon! I highly recommend this…if you enjoy science fiction and space opera, you won’t be able to put it down.

For more book reviews, visit: https://angelakaysbooks.com/book-revi...

[Clare S-B]

The concept was really cool and I did like some of the characters, the world was well done. I enjoyed the story but was quite often confused, there were so many unusual names for things that could have been called something I would understand. I really liked all the military stuff, that felt very real what felt unreal was a lot of the characters conversations and reactions, the very last scene also moved to fast and I don't understand why the antagonist knew all he knew. Still The concept has me hooked and I do want the next book, because massive cliff hanger ending.

The world-building and concept was probably the best thing though. Some of the settings were really vivid, and the Victorian si-fi-ness was really cool .

There were a few scenes that made me uncomfortable because naked people, but there was no sexual content though and little personal violence, that was limited mostly to space ships, and other cool explosions.

Also the book smells really nice....

[Ann Kilburn]

One minute Rachel is running away from her high school prom date and the next she finds herself on another planet surrounded by monsters. There is a huge conspiracy going on and she is not sure who to trust. Some humans are trying to help her and others to kill her. Trying to blend in so that she isn't noticed isn't easy as the customs, fashions and language is so different to all she has ever known. Who are the good 'monsters' and who are the bad? Almost non-stop action leaves Rachel's head reeling. Definitely worth reading, I look forward to the second book in The Guardian Knights of Terra.

[Nancy]

This first tale in the Guardian of Knights of Terra series introduces Rachel, a woman from Earth, who is the only hope for peace between the warring Valac and the Mage. The kingdoms have been taught that Earth was destroyed, and her truth is viewed as heresy. As she makes allies and enemies during her journey to safety, she fears she’ll never see home again. Will she die on another world, or can she convince people of her identity before her enemies catch up to her? An exciting space opera adventure that compels the reader to start on the sequel right away.

[Christinaraven]

A cool novella to start out a very interesting series. I liked the bit of suspense and mystery to it. Starts out with a bit of action and keeps goes from there. Worked as a good introduction to the series. Written well enough that I will go find the next book. A quick entertaining story. Not a lot of character development but it is a novella starting a series so can't expect a lot. I thought there was just enough to make it interesting.

[Karina Halt]

I received this book as a gift.
I have to say that this is a great book! I was only to read a chapter while having a pause from cleaning the flat. What happened?! I finished this book in one sitting! It was so good, so gripping, and so fast paced that I couldn't stop reading! Finishing the house cleaning have to happen tomorrow!! I highly recommend this book, it's a MUST read!

[Lisa]

A rare find

An interesting read which kept the reader so involved, it felt shorter than it really was. Mr Pratt has an excellent writing style which makes it easy to look forward to the next book. This story has a great premise which draws the reader into a real science fiction adventure—something getting harder to find among the sci-fi soaps that are flourishing so nowadays.

[Norman Hirschman]

fast moving reading with plenty of action with royalty and aliens.Lucas a cadet on the training cruise runs into action that was not planned. He meets a naked girl while on searching in a mission .It seems that the girl is from Earth and that is a topic which is not allowed in the current systems. well worth reading.

[A.B. Shepherd]

I don't mind a novella, or even an introductory novella, but I hate hate HATE crappy cliff hanging serials, of which this is one. To clarify, this is not book one of a series, as it is purported to be. It's book one of a SERIAL. There's a big difference. I hate serials.

[Deanna Hansen]

Fantastic story, off to a rolling start and then moved to blazing speed. Must read the series.
My favorite aspect was the various languages as part of the story.

[Jack]

This book would be better like this review if it was longer. The book was to short to hate or love. It's alright, but who knows, its just to short to tell.