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Fall to Earth
(Pillars of Fire and Light #1)
by
A desperate athlete. A super-soldier experiment. Will cutting-edge technology change the world or destroy it?
Indiana Beckham’s lifelong goal has just been cut down. Banned from competing in Olympic fencing, she jumps at the chance to join a research project that could make her the best. But to unlock the promise of her unlimited potential, Indiana must endure a risky, life ...more
Indiana Beckham’s lifelong goal has just been cut down. Banned from competing in Olympic fencing, she jumps at the chance to join a research project that could make her the best. But to unlock the promise of her unlimited potential, Indiana must endure a risky, life ...more
Paperback, 337 pages
Published
March 19th 2017
by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
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Start your review of Fall to Earth (Pillars of Fire and Light, #1)
“ Burning bridges means you cannot return the way you’ve come, but there are other options, other directions to go.”
A slow story building but worth it, to understand the bio tech behind the wave blades, genetic marker, cerebral enhancements..incredible power source! I was wowed from the beginning! An exciting glimpse of what's to come by this author in the SciFi genre, hardcore science, high tech of a near future combined with fantastical powered swords, government deceits, lies and deceptions, ...more
A slow story building but worth it, to understand the bio tech behind the wave blades, genetic marker, cerebral enhancements..incredible power source! I was wowed from the beginning! An exciting glimpse of what's to come by this author in the SciFi genre, hardcore science, high tech of a near future combined with fantastical powered swords, government deceits, lies and deceptions, ...more
I liked this book. The mixture of historical fiction with sci-fi, the enthralling past with high-tech was fun to read about.
Moreover, Indiana is a strong character and all she wants is to be the best swordsman but since her chance at the Olympics has been taken, she must find another way to prove herself.
The book started off pretty intriguing but when it came to Commander Jeri brand, I just wasn't that interested. My attention spun out of the book and I started getting bored.
The build-up was ne ...more
Moreover, Indiana is a strong character and all she wants is to be the best swordsman but since her chance at the Olympics has been taken, she must find another way to prove herself.
The book started off pretty intriguing but when it came to Commander Jeri brand, I just wasn't that interested. My attention spun out of the book and I started getting bored.
The build-up was ne ...more
After reading the first couple of paragraphs, I had high hopes as the writing style seemed really good.
However, after struggling through the first chapter I lost interest and gave up. The basic premise seemed awfully lame - an Olympic-class fencer being recruited for a top-secret military project that utilized some weird, high-tech yet metaphysical weaponry.
I had to re-read the section that introduced this weaponry as I didn't understand what it was. I felt like I was missing something - maybe I ...more
However, after struggling through the first chapter I lost interest and gave up. The basic premise seemed awfully lame - an Olympic-class fencer being recruited for a top-secret military project that utilized some weird, high-tech yet metaphysical weaponry.
I had to re-read the section that introduced this weaponry as I didn't understand what it was. I felt like I was missing something - maybe I ...more
I read to page 53 or 17%.
I rated this story a 4 because it’s well written, easy to follow and a decent read. However, I shelved it, because it’s not the kind of story I desire. It’s a hard science story, but the conflict is caused by human lying, cheating, killing, contempt and worst of all government politics and evil wo/men.
I like hard science, space oriented escape literature where the conflict is caused by adventure, new worlds, aliens, challenges of the unknown, discovery, imagination, etc. ...more
I rated this story a 4 because it’s well written, easy to follow and a decent read. However, I shelved it, because it’s not the kind of story I desire. It’s a hard science story, but the conflict is caused by human lying, cheating, killing, contempt and worst of all government politics and evil wo/men.
I like hard science, space oriented escape literature where the conflict is caused by adventure, new worlds, aliens, challenges of the unknown, discovery, imagination, etc. ...more
DNF - About 20% into the book I just could not, it was such a scattered story. There were multiple story lines and the story jumped from one to another to another, you had no connection to ANY of the characters as there was little to no character development. This is typically the type of story I am really drawn to so I was pretty disappointed.
Secret government agency recruits an Olympic medal winning fencer to test out a secret new weapon. A . . . Lightsaber! Clunky prose. Cardboard characters. Silly dialogue. B-grade sci-fi. Quick, easy read.
Not for me. This book isn’t badly written but it also didn’t flow quite right for me either. I never fully got my head around what the story actually was and as the book progressed I just wanted it to be finished. I never felt anything for any of the characters and was never involved with this.
This is a new take on the Arthurian legend. Set in the near future high tech science and military tech meet with esoteric levels of the old myth of King Arthur. A very fun read.
A slow start but worth it in the end. A science fiction about Indiana Beckman, a world class fencer augmented to become much more than human. The story weaves several subplots that become one story by the end.
Dry
The store is interesting.And compelling enough to keep me reading. There were several parts that I was bored but the quest to know the story kept me going. It's a dryer book than my normal taste. Good enough that I just bought the rest of the trilogy. ...more
The store is interesting.And compelling enough to keep me reading. There were several parts that I was bored but the quest to know the story kept me going. It's a dryer book than my normal taste. Good enough that I just bought the rest of the trilogy. ...more
Most well done, grabs you at page 1 and never lets you go.
So three very different narratives with a ton of names that eventually start overlapping. Then there is the dream sequences of past events that get mixed in along with an Oracle who predicts future events that people are either trying to control to their benefit or to fight against. Confusing dialogue and banter that seems superficial but then is given weight. It ends up being a good read but I was about to give up on it 170 pages in. If it was a movie maybe it would have flowed better. But in b
...more
Oct 11, 2018
Diana
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
maybe-i-m-being-an-asshole-but,
dnf
It's not terribly written, but nearly impossible to get into. Indiana is hard to take seriously, the interpersonal interactions don't ring true, there are little spots where an editor should have noticed that things didn't line up, and there are logical holes in the setup that I can't seem to get past. Unfortunate, because I loved the idea of all the women we've met so far.
...more
Fall to earth is a Sci-fi fantasy novel written about Indiana Beckam. Her life ambition and dream is to be the best swordsman. She joins Arthur Macbabran, a scientist that has invented a device that can make or break the world. Indiana transforms so she can enter the energy course Arthur has created. However, just like every story, Cornwall Marks, the bad guy, wants to have power and is determined to do anything to keep it.
The first thing I noticed in the story was its strong background story. T ...more
The first thing I noticed in the story was its strong background story. T ...more
DARPA Black Projects, fencing, and much, much more.
The main leading characters are all female. And because Britz has done a great job of bringing these characters to life, it provides a solid base for his story about individuals who have psychic powers that provide a nice take on the Jedi Light Sabre concept, as well as a fascinating concept of gravity-driven space flight.
I immediately ordered Apollo Burn (#2 in this series) and am stalling regarding getting the Kindle version of Matrix Trigger ...more
The main leading characters are all female. And because Britz has done a great job of bringing these characters to life, it provides a solid base for his story about individuals who have psychic powers that provide a nice take on the Jedi Light Sabre concept, as well as a fascinating concept of gravity-driven space flight.
I immediately ordered Apollo Burn (#2 in this series) and am stalling regarding getting the Kindle version of Matrix Trigger ...more
An engaging mix of science and mythos
It is difficult to write a review of this book because to do it justice would require too many plot giveaways - so you'll just have to read the book yourself.
I will say that the science is explained in a very logical manner. The mythos is low keyed and woven into the storyline so well it is almost easy to miss - but take your time to ferret it out, you'll be glad you did.
And to be honest, I received a free copy for a honest review - which this is. ...more
It is difficult to write a review of this book because to do it justice would require too many plot giveaways - so you'll just have to read the book yourself.
I will say that the science is explained in a very logical manner. The mythos is low keyed and woven into the storyline so well it is almost easy to miss - but take your time to ferret it out, you'll be glad you did.
And to be honest, I received a free copy for a honest review - which this is. ...more
A case of "good writing isn't a story".
The author knows how to string words together - a skill so many storytellers get wrong. In this day and age, we are bombarded with weak prose, but decent storylines. This is the polar opposite. Which gives it a slight edge over the weaker writers.
That being said, with a weak plot it makes the story impossible to get into. I unfortunately gave up on the overly described fencing moves and overly explained technology that makes little to no sense.
It is trul ...more
The author knows how to string words together - a skill so many storytellers get wrong. In this day and age, we are bombarded with weak prose, but decent storylines. This is the polar opposite. Which gives it a slight edge over the weaker writers.
That being said, with a weak plot it makes the story impossible to get into. I unfortunately gave up on the overly described fencing moves and overly explained technology that makes little to no sense.
It is trul ...more
Pillars of Fire and Light
This is an intriguing story with good character development. Very interesting development of technology and personal interaction. I found it difficult to follow who's who, and the purpose and intent of the various organizations. The author's intent seems to have been to portray the mysterious nature of government security organizations, but I found the approach to be too obscure to follow. Anger was a focal point of characters, but it wasn't really clear to me why. Overa ...more
This is an intriguing story with good character development. Very interesting development of technology and personal interaction. I found it difficult to follow who's who, and the purpose and intent of the various organizations. The author's intent seems to have been to portray the mysterious nature of government security organizations, but I found the approach to be too obscure to follow. Anger was a focal point of characters, but it wasn't really clear to me why. Overa ...more
Gripping with something for every avid Sci-fi fan
Great Sci-Fi action with very believable (to this uneducated reader) scenarios. Good strong female characters met with equally interesting male characters. Just about every area has been covered. Science advances in human enhancement, with power and engineering of space travel. And, of course, a touch of warfare.
Working out who the good guys are certainly keeps it intriguing.
Great Sci-Fi action with very believable (to this uneducated reader) scenarios. Good strong female characters met with equally interesting male characters. Just about every area has been covered. Science advances in human enhancement, with power and engineering of space travel. And, of course, a touch of warfare.
Working out who the good guys are certainly keeps it intriguing.
An interesting start to a series with some interesting characters. I enjoyed the story overall but found it difficult to follow at times with the number of different things going on. Everything ties together in the end though there are so many questions left unanswered. Presumably things will be explained further in subsequent books. I’m definitely curious to find out what has happened with a bunch of the characters. A good start.
King Arthur meets Star Wars.
A modern day Arthurian retelling with light sabres, strong heroines, futuristic military technology and spacecraft
So modern, it's not even written from Arthur's point if view or about Arthur at all but from the perspective of Indiana Beckham, Olympic fencer. I'll let you speculate on which member of the legend she represents.
Enjoyable enough that I will look for the sequel but it didn't set me on fire, so to speak ...more
A modern day Arthurian retelling with light sabres, strong heroines, futuristic military technology and spacecraft
So modern, it's not even written from Arthur's point if view or about Arthur at all but from the perspective of Indiana Beckham, Olympic fencer. I'll let you speculate on which member of the legend she represents.
Enjoyable enough that I will look for the sequel but it didn't set me on fire, so to speak ...more
Interesting read
Interesting book with a complex good vs evil plot containing multiple subplots and groups on either side. A mixture of fantasy and sci-fi with a mix of ancient mythology. The hero and heroine are identified but their link does not draw you into the story. Probably it is in second volume.
Interesting book with a complex good vs evil plot containing multiple subplots and groups on either side. A mixture of fantasy and sci-fi with a mix of ancient mythology. The hero and heroine are identified but their link does not draw you into the story. Probably it is in second volume.
This was not a good book or me, I feel that it jumped around quite a bit and the science dumps were not well explained. The characters also seemed to take massive leaps of development when I wasn't looking so that they almost seemed like completely different people. This isn't one that I will be keeping up with, although the concept was brilliant.
...more
A great story. Loved it.
Thank you! Lots of mystery and intrigue. Interesting juxtaposition after reading what the Arilion Knights could do in The Gateway to the Galaxy Series by Jonathan Yanez and JR Castle.
Possible spoiler. But i just don't get the purpose of them going into space, Ken
They had to try? Seems like a waste. ...more
Thank you! Lots of mystery and intrigue. Interesting juxtaposition after reading what the Arilion Knights could do in The Gateway to the Galaxy Series by Jonathan Yanez and JR Castle.
Possible spoiler. But i just don't get the purpose of them going into space, Ken
They had to try? Seems like a waste. ...more
Great read
This was a great mix of sci fi and reality. It was a truly original read. I loved the twists and turns especially in the characters relations and who doesn't want to wield flaming energy swords. Already on to the next in the series cause frankly Indiana really is a pain in the behind with righteous anger as her shield. I loved her. ...more
This was a great mix of sci fi and reality. It was a truly original read. I loved the twists and turns especially in the characters relations and who doesn't want to wield flaming energy swords. Already on to the next in the series cause frankly Indiana really is a pain in the behind with righteous anger as her shield. I loved her. ...more
Technology, history and scifi
A unique premise and an eclectic mix of fencing, augmented humans, ancient societies make Fall to Earth a great read. A good cast of strong characters who develop over this complex plot of revenge and betrayal. Lots of very technical descriptions to support the story, and some interesting relationships to balance that out. Convoluted threads eventually came together to race the book to its action packed conclusion.
A unique premise and an eclectic mix of fencing, augmented humans, ancient societies make Fall to Earth a great read. A good cast of strong characters who develop over this complex plot of revenge and betrayal. Lots of very technical descriptions to support the story, and some interesting relationships to balance that out. Convoluted threads eventually came together to race the book to its action packed conclusion.
Intriguing
It took me a while to get into this book. The lingo was hard and cumbersome to get through. Somewhere in the middle of the book the story picked up and got really interesting.
It took me a while to get into this book. The lingo was hard and cumbersome to get through. Somewhere in the middle of the book the story picked up and got really interesting.
Overall Fine Read
This is a good beginning to what will hopefully turn out to be a great series. One is left to wonder what happens next in true cliffhanger fashion. Characters are well-developed and believable, and the plot flows smoothly into a climactic ending. Those who like sci-fi and thrillers will enjoy this book. I noted a few editing issues, but nothing terribly detracting.
This is a good beginning to what will hopefully turn out to be a great series. One is left to wonder what happens next in true cliffhanger fashion. Characters are well-developed and believable, and the plot flows smoothly into a climactic ending. Those who like sci-fi and thrillers will enjoy this book. I noted a few editing issues, but nothing terribly detracting.
The book has multiple lines of plot.
The "ordinary" (but main) characters are always on the side of good but the leaders aren't so clear with their intentions.
Do you want to be a super-human - even if you may die during the transformation?
Interesting sci-fi premise ...more
The "ordinary" (but main) characters are always on the side of good but the leaders aren't so clear with their intentions.
Do you want to be a super-human - even if you may die during the transformation?
Interesting sci-fi premise ...more
The general story/plot was quite interesting and how it all comes together but it was really hard to follow what was going on at times. I was also disappointed by the ending, I expected it to be something bigger...
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