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Infinity's End #1
Caspian's Fortune
He needs a payday. He’ll settle for payback.
Betrayed and left to rot on the edges of the galaxy, Caspian Robeaux is deep in debt and stuck flying courier missions in an old rustbucket he can barely keep afloat. His only friends are an annoying robot named Box and a bottle of booze.
It’s a far cry from his once-promising military career, but Cas stopped caring a long time ago.
Things start to look up, though, when a stranger arrives and offers a lucrative job that Cas can’t refuse, with a payday big enough to change his fortunes permanently. His luck gets even better when Cas learns that the job might offer him the one thing he wants more than his next drink: A chance to clear his name.
But nothing in his life is ever that simple, and for a man trying to buy his way out of debt, the price of redemption might be too steep.
Betrayed and left to rot on the edges of the galaxy, Caspian Robeaux is deep in debt and stuck flying courier missions in an old rustbucket he can barely keep afloat. His only friends are an annoying robot named Box and a bottle of booze.
It’s a far cry from his once-promising military career, but Cas stopped caring a long time ago.
Things start to look up, though, when a stranger arrives and offers a lucrative job that Cas can’t refuse, with a payday big enough to change his fortunes permanently. His luck gets even better when Cas learns that the job might offer him the one thing he wants more than his next drink: A chance to clear his name.
But nothing in his life is ever that simple, and for a man trying to buy his way out of debt, the price of redemption might be too steep.
285 pages, Paperback
Published April 11, 2019
About the author
Eric Warren
37 books132 followersBestselling author Eric Warren has loved stories all his life. And despite writing from a young age, it took him a few years to realize being an author was what he wanted to do for a living. Today, he is the author of over twenty novels, including the highly successful INFINITY'S END series. Never one to shy away from what he loves, he plans to continue writing for another century, depending on the viability of life-extending technology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
April 7, 2019
“This was it. There was no more going back.”
Eric Warren has once again given us a future that dances along a razor’s edge – entertaining, thrilling, humbling… and hopeful, despite the threat, despite the danger, despite the sacrifice. To live in uncertainty and doubt is a painful burden to carry, as Caspian, the protagonist discovers. The characters are very down to earth, giving a very realistic view of human turmoil and emotions. Treachery and deceit abound, made me feel the impotency and rage of the protagonist. The intrigue and mystery surrounding the past events is superbly designed to keep you hooked from page one. Yet for every revelation and discovery we found another mystery. It has been a wonderful read! I highly recommend this new series!
I received an early version of this book from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
Eric Warren has once again given us a future that dances along a razor’s edge – entertaining, thrilling, humbling… and hopeful, despite the threat, despite the danger, despite the sacrifice. To live in uncertainty and doubt is a painful burden to carry, as Caspian, the protagonist discovers. The characters are very down to earth, giving a very realistic view of human turmoil and emotions. Treachery and deceit abound, made me feel the impotency and rage of the protagonist. The intrigue and mystery surrounding the past events is superbly designed to keep you hooked from page one. Yet for every revelation and discovery we found another mystery. It has been a wonderful read! I highly recommend this new series!
I received an early version of this book from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
November 13, 2022
The Publisher Says: He needs a payday. He’ll settle for payback.
Betrayed and left to rot on the edges of the galaxy, Caspian Robeaux is deep in debt and stuck flying courier missions in an old rustbucket he can barely keep afloat. His only friends are an annoying robot named Box and a bottle of booze.
It’s a far cry from his once-promising military career, but Cas stopped caring a long time ago.
Things start to look up, though, when a stranger arrives and offers a lucrative job that Cas can’t refuse, with a payday big enough to change his fortunes permanently. His luck gets even better when Cas learns that the job might offer him the one thing he wants more than his next drink: A chance to clear his name.
But nothing in his life is ever that simple, and for a man trying to buy his way out of debt, the price of redemption might be too steep.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: There is a Serenity-shaped hole in my heart and I eagerly search for things to stuff into it. I loved the scruffy, "howinahell do we get outta this corner?!" vibe; I absolutely related to the search for the next payday just to keep the lights on and "keep flyin'" is a mantra I think most of us can relate to.
What turned me off was, in the end, I felt Cas was not particularly kind.
This woman tried to cheat him, and that merits a blow-off. But the whole vibe came across as unkind and that is something Mal never was. I stopped reading-reading at 20%, then, and skipped around to see what was going to happen. I checked out the Epilogue and, let's just say that I'm really, really glad I didn't read all the way through or I'd be incandescent and incoherent with outrage.
If you're okay with people abandoning their supposedly deeply-held principles, it's $3.99 on Kindle, but...really?
Betrayed and left to rot on the edges of the galaxy, Caspian Robeaux is deep in debt and stuck flying courier missions in an old rustbucket he can barely keep afloat. His only friends are an annoying robot named Box and a bottle of booze.
It’s a far cry from his once-promising military career, but Cas stopped caring a long time ago.
Things start to look up, though, when a stranger arrives and offers a lucrative job that Cas can’t refuse, with a payday big enough to change his fortunes permanently. His luck gets even better when Cas learns that the job might offer him the one thing he wants more than his next drink: A chance to clear his name.
But nothing in his life is ever that simple, and for a man trying to buy his way out of debt, the price of redemption might be too steep.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: There is a Serenity-shaped hole in my heart and I eagerly search for things to stuff into it. I loved the scruffy, "howinahell do we get outta this corner?!" vibe; I absolutely related to the search for the next payday just to keep the lights on and "keep flyin'" is a mantra I think most of us can relate to.
What turned me off was, in the end, I felt Cas was not particularly kind.
"I'm an engineer, I know how stuff works." He turned and made his way down the hallway, leaving her standing there. "But thanks for getting me out of my contract and for the repairs." He tickled the air with his fingers at her as he sauntered off in search of the nearest bar.
This woman tried to cheat him, and that merits a blow-off. But the whole vibe came across as unkind and that is something Mal never was. I stopped reading-reading at 20%, then, and skipped around to see what was going to happen. I checked out the Epilogue and, let's just say that I'm really, really glad I didn't read all the way through or I'd be incandescent and incoherent with outrage.
If you're okay with people abandoning their supposedly deeply-held principles, it's $3.99 on Kindle, but...really?
December 24, 2019
I enjoyed the introductory short story Caspian's Gambit and I started this book with high hopes, unfortunately after only a few pages I was beginning to have doubts.
I eventually got to chapter ten and was ready to give up, I just couldn’t believe the idiotic decision to return to the Coalition. They had wrongly imprisoned Cas, then conned him into believing he was getting parole only to send him to a death camp. Why would he suddenly decide to return? He didn't even bother to find out who was trying to get him back!
I kept going, but it just got worse, I don’t care if the rest of the book turned out to be amazing, I was so annoyed with the author I just wish there was a rating less than one.
Having had time to calm down, I think I was so irritated because I was really looking forward to reading this book only to find the author had made the hero an idiot.
I eventually got to chapter ten and was ready to give up, I just couldn’t believe the idiotic decision to return to the Coalition. They had wrongly imprisoned Cas, then conned him into believing he was getting parole only to send him to a death camp. Why would he suddenly decide to return? He didn't even bother to find out who was trying to get him back!
I kept going, but it just got worse, I don’t care if the rest of the book turned out to be amazing, I was so annoyed with the author I just wish there was a rating less than one.
Having had time to calm down, I think I was so irritated because I was really looking forward to reading this book only to find the author had made the hero an idiot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2019
I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. I liked the general overall story and will likely continue with the series, but there were a lot of little things that bothered me about the book.
I like a story to be nuanced, the characters to have an arc, for something to really stretch the characters limits. This story had some of those moments, but they often felt surface level. The guy is a drunk, but the only affect that really had on him is it gave him a headache the next day and have an awkward interraction with the person who is tasked with bringing him back to a place he was adament about not returning to, but then decided he might as well. There are a lot of decisions that were made along the way that seemed either forced, or very much made to progress the storyline. I was also missing some world building in there too, everything just seemed to stay surface level and never went too deep.
That being said, If I had the option, would go 3.5 stars as the book was enjoyable and I am interested to see what the future holds for the story. I try to give the first in the series a little bit of a benefit of the doubt, so hopefully the next in the series dives a little deeper into the characters and the world.
I like a story to be nuanced, the characters to have an arc, for something to really stretch the characters limits. This story had some of those moments, but they often felt surface level. The guy is a drunk, but the only affect that really had on him is it gave him a headache the next day and have an awkward interraction with the person who is tasked with bringing him back to a place he was adament about not returning to, but then decided he might as well. There are a lot of decisions that were made along the way that seemed either forced, or very much made to progress the storyline. I was also missing some world building in there too, everything just seemed to stay surface level and never went too deep.
That being said, If I had the option, would go 3.5 stars as the book was enjoyable and I am interested to see what the future holds for the story. I try to give the first in the series a little bit of a benefit of the doubt, so hopefully the next in the series dives a little deeper into the characters and the world.
May 13, 2019
Disclaimer: I have voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy from Hidden Gem Books.
The review may contain very minor spoilers!
I have to admit – despite my love for the sci-fi genre and all the opportunities it presents, I haven’t actually read many books that were straight out space operas with spaceships, aliens and grand intergalactic adventures. I have, obviously, consumed other media from the genre but the books for some reason rarely found their way to my shelf. Because of that, when I read Caspian’s Fortune’s description, I immediately thought that this was exactly what I was looking for to help me fix that obvious oversight on my side.
Caspian Robeaux is an outlaw and his life isn’t an easy one. He has a huge debt with a dangerous and influential Priestess Veena, his ship (a rather necessary tool to run his courier jobs) is in dire needs of repairs and the money from his most recent job was stolen and almost gambled away before he managed to get it back. Not to mention that his only friend and companion is a sassy robot called Box, who spends all his days teasing him and watching soap operas on the internet. He doesn’t need any additional trouble but it comes anyway in shape of a Coalition Commander who will do everything to make Caspian return to his used-to-be home and face the injustice he’d experienced in the past.
The plot is simple enough - the local depressed prick is forced to get a grip and change his miserable situation for the better with the help of quirky, colorful companions. There are space ship battles, sassy banter and mysteries to be uncovered. I felt like the beginning was a little slow and it took me a bit to get into it but it might have been because it was my first ARC and I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I was rather critical at first. Nevertheless, I began really enjoying the book only after Cas and his friends left the Devil’s Gate.
The characters were solid, likable an easy to root for. Caspian, despite doing his best to look like an asshole who doesn’t care about anything other than his own business, is just genuinely a good guy. He’s willing to put the well-being of others above his own safety and freedom. He always chooses to do the right thing while complaining about it throughout the whole process. Despite his bitterness about the way Coalition treated him, he clearly misses the days he’d spent serving on their ship and enjoys the moments when he’s allowed to act as a part of the crew, fitting in with them naturally. I found the moments when he reacted like a crew member would just to think “Wait, I’m not a part of this anymore” a few seconds later quite cute.
Box was a delight most of the time, although he did have some annoying moments, especially when he kept suggesting Cas and Evie should hook up. Besides that, he had a fun, vibrant personality which nicely contrasted with the common trope of a stoic, emotionless robot companion. Also, binge-watching tv shows when you’re stressed is totally relatable.
Evie gave me a lot of mixed feelings when she first appeared. On one hand, soldier lady with a huge sword is a big yes in my books, on the other I was so afraid that she will become one of those women that are only introduced to fall in love with the main character and once they do, they lose any hint of personality and skills they might have had before. I was just waiting for Cas to save her from grave peril or say something nice so the awkward romance could unfold.
And then it didn’t happen.
Evie stayed badass but also kind through the whole book. She is loyal to her crew, strong and resourceful. Despite being often annoyed with Cas but always willing to see the best in him and ready to call him out on his bullshit. I really appreciated that she didn’t end up getting the sexist treatment female characters often get.
Besides the three main characters, Caspian’s Fortune has a solid cast of supporting characters, mostly the crew of the Tempest. My personal favorites were Greene, who was a good leader with a strong moral compass and Laura, whose little crush on Evie was adorable. There were also very interesting alien characters from different races, each one diverse and properly described, despite not playing that big of a role in the story. It was a nice piece of worldbuilding that I appreciated.
Besides the alien races, the worldbuilding was rather limited. We got to learn about the places where the action took place, mostly the Coalition and its relationships with neighboring planets and territories. I felt like there wasn’t enough info about Veena and the Sargans overall. What was the Priestess of? What was the deal with the Sargan Commonwealth? However, as it wasn’t really the focus of the story, it didn’t bother me that much, just something that made me curious.
All in all, Caspian’s Fortune is a really enjoyable read with a likable cast of characters and fast-paced action. It’s not revolutionary and has some flaws like limited worldbuilding and a bit of a slow start but it’s a solid beginning of a promising series. I’m definitely interested in seeing more of Cas’ adventures when another book comes out.
The review may contain very minor spoilers!
I have to admit – despite my love for the sci-fi genre and all the opportunities it presents, I haven’t actually read many books that were straight out space operas with spaceships, aliens and grand intergalactic adventures. I have, obviously, consumed other media from the genre but the books for some reason rarely found their way to my shelf. Because of that, when I read Caspian’s Fortune’s description, I immediately thought that this was exactly what I was looking for to help me fix that obvious oversight on my side.
Caspian Robeaux is an outlaw and his life isn’t an easy one. He has a huge debt with a dangerous and influential Priestess Veena, his ship (a rather necessary tool to run his courier jobs) is in dire needs of repairs and the money from his most recent job was stolen and almost gambled away before he managed to get it back. Not to mention that his only friend and companion is a sassy robot called Box, who spends all his days teasing him and watching soap operas on the internet. He doesn’t need any additional trouble but it comes anyway in shape of a Coalition Commander who will do everything to make Caspian return to his used-to-be home and face the injustice he’d experienced in the past.
The plot is simple enough - the local depressed prick is forced to get a grip and change his miserable situation for the better with the help of quirky, colorful companions. There are space ship battles, sassy banter and mysteries to be uncovered. I felt like the beginning was a little slow and it took me a bit to get into it but it might have been because it was my first ARC and I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I was rather critical at first. Nevertheless, I began really enjoying the book only after Cas and his friends left the Devil’s Gate.
The characters were solid, likable an easy to root for. Caspian, despite doing his best to look like an asshole who doesn’t care about anything other than his own business, is just genuinely a good guy. He’s willing to put the well-being of others above his own safety and freedom. He always chooses to do the right thing while complaining about it throughout the whole process. Despite his bitterness about the way Coalition treated him, he clearly misses the days he’d spent serving on their ship and enjoys the moments when he’s allowed to act as a part of the crew, fitting in with them naturally. I found the moments when he reacted like a crew member would just to think “Wait, I’m not a part of this anymore” a few seconds later quite cute.
Box was a delight most of the time, although he did have some annoying moments, especially when he kept suggesting Cas and Evie should hook up. Besides that, he had a fun, vibrant personality which nicely contrasted with the common trope of a stoic, emotionless robot companion. Also, binge-watching tv shows when you’re stressed is totally relatable.
Evie gave me a lot of mixed feelings when she first appeared. On one hand, soldier lady with a huge sword is a big yes in my books, on the other I was so afraid that she will become one of those women that are only introduced to fall in love with the main character and once they do, they lose any hint of personality and skills they might have had before. I was just waiting for Cas to save her from grave peril or say something nice so the awkward romance could unfold.
And then it didn’t happen.
Evie stayed badass but also kind through the whole book. She is loyal to her crew, strong and resourceful. Despite being often annoyed with Cas but always willing to see the best in him and ready to call him out on his bullshit. I really appreciated that she didn’t end up getting the sexist treatment female characters often get.
Besides the three main characters, Caspian’s Fortune has a solid cast of supporting characters, mostly the crew of the Tempest. My personal favorites were Greene, who was a good leader with a strong moral compass and Laura, whose little crush on Evie was adorable. There were also very interesting alien characters from different races, each one diverse and properly described, despite not playing that big of a role in the story. It was a nice piece of worldbuilding that I appreciated.
Besides the alien races, the worldbuilding was rather limited. We got to learn about the places where the action took place, mostly the Coalition and its relationships with neighboring planets and territories. I felt like there wasn’t enough info about Veena and the Sargans overall. What was the Priestess of? What was the deal with the Sargan Commonwealth? However, as it wasn’t really the focus of the story, it didn’t bother me that much, just something that made me curious.
All in all, Caspian’s Fortune is a really enjoyable read with a likable cast of characters and fast-paced action. It’s not revolutionary and has some flaws like limited worldbuilding and a bit of a slow start but it’s a solid beginning of a promising series. I’m definitely interested in seeing more of Cas’ adventures when another book comes out.
July 26, 2019
No Excuses, Read This Book
If you fancy an exciting trip through space, look no further, you’ve found your next read!
Caspian’s Fortune is a fast paced, never dull adventure. Each scene is paced extraordinarily well, moving from one scene to the next with ease. Eric spends just the right amount of time on his characters and their intricacies. He is great at world building, too. I didn’t feel he dumped too much information on me, but at the same time, he created a complex universe rich with history. One that I would like to continue to explore.
I particularly enjoyed Box and his obsession with old world soap operas. His humor made me chuckle multiple times, and considering I don’t have a funny bone in my body, that deserves high praise.
I also really enjoyed the diversity of characters. In lots of sci-fi novels, there sometimes seems to be a heavy presence of masculinity, but I found Evie and Veena to be given equal importance and book time.
If you enjoy shows like Star Trek and other similar shows, you’ll feel right at home here and won’t regret booking passage on the Reasonable Excuse.
If you fancy an exciting trip through space, look no further, you’ve found your next read!
Caspian’s Fortune is a fast paced, never dull adventure. Each scene is paced extraordinarily well, moving from one scene to the next with ease. Eric spends just the right amount of time on his characters and their intricacies. He is great at world building, too. I didn’t feel he dumped too much information on me, but at the same time, he created a complex universe rich with history. One that I would like to continue to explore.
I particularly enjoyed Box and his obsession with old world soap operas. His humor made me chuckle multiple times, and considering I don’t have a funny bone in my body, that deserves high praise.
I also really enjoyed the diversity of characters. In lots of sci-fi novels, there sometimes seems to be a heavy presence of masculinity, but I found Evie and Veena to be given equal importance and book time.
If you enjoy shows like Star Trek and other similar shows, you’ll feel right at home here and won’t regret booking passage on the Reasonable Excuse.
May 13, 2019
Cutesy Wootsy Space🚀 Adventure💫
The Hunt For The Achlys🚀
Cas's ship🚀 has the idiotic name of "Reasonable Excuse".
His motto seems to be, "the hurrier I go, the behinder I get". Cas🐺🔪🔫 gets ripped off a lot by disreputable clients and a fake partner that has his credit account hacked.
At least he has 📦Box, a trained mining robot that can expertly pilot his broken down ship🚀 that seems to be held together with duct tape and baling wire.
When Maddox, the fake partner, rips him off, Cas🐺🔪🔫 and 📦Box high tail it to Devil's Gate💫, a large space station, where Maddox has been located.
Maddox has lost most of Cas's 💰money already, and his ship cannot leave until expensive repairs are made.
When Cas🐺🔪🔫 is accosted by a Evelyn💃🔪, a female mercenary, he finds himself dragged back into the Coalition, for one last job in exchange for clearing his record and repairing his ship🚀.
They are to join a Coalition ship🚀,Tempest, to head to the outer reaches of space💫 to try to find and retrieve the experimental ship🚀Achlys, on which Cas🐺🔫🔪 had once been an officer.
ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems
I also got the book with KU.
I really enjoyed this sci-fi book that combines humor and seriousness. Cas🐺🔫🔪 is unlikable and likeable at the same time. Does that make him an anti-hero?
The Hunt For The Achlys🚀
Cas's ship🚀 has the idiotic name of "Reasonable Excuse".
His motto seems to be, "the hurrier I go, the behinder I get". Cas🐺🔪🔫 gets ripped off a lot by disreputable clients and a fake partner that has his credit account hacked.
At least he has 📦Box, a trained mining robot that can expertly pilot his broken down ship🚀 that seems to be held together with duct tape and baling wire.
When Maddox, the fake partner, rips him off, Cas🐺🔪🔫 and 📦Box high tail it to Devil's Gate💫, a large space station, where Maddox has been located.
Maddox has lost most of Cas's 💰money already, and his ship cannot leave until expensive repairs are made.
When Cas🐺🔪🔫 is accosted by a Evelyn💃🔪, a female mercenary, he finds himself dragged back into the Coalition, for one last job in exchange for clearing his record and repairing his ship🚀.
They are to join a Coalition ship🚀,Tempest, to head to the outer reaches of space💫 to try to find and retrieve the experimental ship🚀Achlys, on which Cas🐺🔫🔪 had once been an officer.
ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems
I also got the book with KU.
I really enjoyed this sci-fi book that combines humor and seriousness. Cas🐺🔫🔪 is unlikable and likeable at the same time. Does that make him an anti-hero?
March 30, 2019
Received as an ARC, this is an honest review. Caspian Robeaux was once an officer in the Coalition, after his career was destroyed; he now runs illicit goods out of the reach their empire. He thought that life was dead, unfortunately he was wrong. When his contract is bought by an Coalition officer, he is pulled back into their world of betrayal and secrets. What unfolds is a wild tale of intense adventure, an inventive cast of characters that will make you laugh (Caspian's assistant Box is totally hilarious) or just piss you off. A lost ship provides answers that probably should remain buried. An impressive series beginning, that will most likely get stronger as the journey continues. Highly recommended.
September 3, 2019
I listened to this as an audiobook. I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t crazy on the person doing the reading at first, but he grew on me. I look forward to the next book.
July 22, 2019
Terrible main character weak plot.
If you want to read a book with a main character who is basically an idiot, go right on ahead.
Otherwise please pass. Not only does the main character make repeatedly stupid decisions, but his whole back story is one massive plot hole.
Lastly the entire military structure of this universe is an absolute shit show, where lawful orders mean basically nothing and nobody bats an eye at following or issuing illegal orders, unless under extreme duress.
Hard pass.
If you want to read a book with a main character who is basically an idiot, go right on ahead.
Otherwise please pass. Not only does the main character make repeatedly stupid decisions, but his whole back story is one massive plot hole.
Lastly the entire military structure of this universe is an absolute shit show, where lawful orders mean basically nothing and nobody bats an eye at following or issuing illegal orders, unless under extreme duress.
Hard pass.
July 12, 2020
This book was ok. Not great, not bad. But by the end, I realized I never really understood Caspian's motivation for anything he did, and I didn't care enough about him to bother continuing the series.
March 1, 2021
Good quality writing and if I were still 20 years old I'd probably give it 5 stars.
November 24, 2019
This is not a book that I would normally pick up. If my selection wasn't random, then I probably wouldn't have chosen this and when I found out that I had to read this I was pretty hesitant and was actively looking for ways to not read this. Sci-Fi isn't really my choice of genre. The only sci-fi series I've read is the Across the Universe Trilogy by Beth Revis. I loved the series. Come to think of it, I probably shouldn't have doubted myself on whether or not I'd like sci-fi because I've read them already and loved them.
Moving on...
I'm glad I read this. I actually did enjoy reading this and kinda sorta looking forward to read the rest of the book in the series??? maybe???
It's a 4 out of 5 for me which isn't horrible because I'm pretty forgiving anyway.
The story was easy enough to digest. There were twists that I didn't expect which I like. The characters were fairly good. Box is definitely my favourite character (I imagine that everyone else who reads this can agree). Everyone was quite distinct in their characterisation. The settings were described well and since I don't have that much sci-fi background behind me to conjure up elaborate locations, it was easy to set up the scenes because it was laid out really well in the book. Overall, the pacing of the book was good. Ignoring one issue I had, which I will bring up later, the story wasn't rushing or dragging.
Maybe this is because the book is simple enough to follow that it was pretty predictable at times. I don't know the target demographic so maybe this is YA or for kids and that's why it was basic but I felt like I knew what was going to happen and although I can forgive this book for that because I honestly enjoyed it, I would've castigated other books for it if they did the same thing. There were a few editing errors in there. I don't know if it's only in the e-books but if it isn't then boiiiiii wat.
Oh! I don't think I've mentioned it above but I got this copy from BookSirens! :)
My notes are my direct notes that I made on my Kindle while I read so I'm literally just going to copy and paste it on here. It's very nonsensical and it doesn't make any sense so I don't know why I have to put it here but if you want to read my opinions as I read the book then continue on!
...or you can just proceed here to read my final thoughts :)
Can I just get to a few talking points?
The little pacing issue I had was when Cas agreed to go with Evie and they were going back to the Coalition and it was a 5 day travel on the Reasonable Excuse but the chapter ended with them about to leave and the next chapter began with them arriving. I explained my issue with it somewhere in the notes section above but I wish there was a chapter allocated because it would've been good to get to know the characters more.
I was really excited that the author was possibly going into the LGBT+ route with Evie and Laura and I'm sad because I wanted Cas and Evie to end up together but sadder that the side storyline didn't progress... at all. I'm expecting it in the next book but I wish there was more in here than the angry glances Laura made when Cas was with Evie.
I like Evie as a character but there were times she went off-character and it was confusing when it happened and I talked about it in my notes so I won't elaborate.
I feel the arrest of Rutledge was glossed over. We're told by Cas that the higher-ups ordered everything so it was weird that that was the end of it. Maybe there's more in the next book??? I hope so.
Final talking point! Even though I've said that it was quite predictable and it still is, there were moments where I was caught off-guard. It was when we found out that Box was the one feeding Veena everything and poor Box didn't know what was going on and he needed to be shut down. But then you knew that he was going to be booted back up anyway. Cas sacrificing himself was also predictable and Cas actually not sacrificing himself was also predictable. It was laughable how quick he was to change his mind.
I like the book and I will probably read the rest of the series *hopefully* soon. I won't read it after this because I'm reading from my physical copies next and my Reading List has told me I'm reading Game of Thrones next. Don't fret! I will read the rest of the series because I am invested.
disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
:)
Moving on...
I'm glad I read this. I actually did enjoy reading this and kinda sorta looking forward to read the rest of the book in the series??? maybe???
It's a 4 out of 5 for me which isn't horrible because I'm pretty forgiving anyway.
The story was easy enough to digest. There were twists that I didn't expect which I like. The characters were fairly good. Box is definitely my favourite character (I imagine that everyone else who reads this can agree). Everyone was quite distinct in their characterisation. The settings were described well and since I don't have that much sci-fi background behind me to conjure up elaborate locations, it was easy to set up the scenes because it was laid out really well in the book. Overall, the pacing of the book was good. Ignoring one issue I had, which I will bring up later, the story wasn't rushing or dragging.
Maybe this is because the book is simple enough to follow that it was pretty predictable at times. I don't know the target demographic so maybe this is YA or for kids and that's why it was basic but I felt like I knew what was going to happen and although I can forgive this book for that because I honestly enjoyed it, I would've castigated other books for it if they did the same thing. There were a few editing errors in there. I don't know if it's only in the e-books but if it isn't then boiiiiii wat.
Oh! I don't think I've mentioned it above but I got this copy from BookSirens! :)
My notes are my direct notes that I made on my Kindle while I read so I'm literally just going to copy and paste it on here. It's very nonsensical and it doesn't make any sense so I don't know why I have to put it here but if you want to read my opinions as I read the book then continue on!
...or you can just proceed here to read my final thoughts :)
Can I just get to a few talking points?
The little pacing issue I had was when Cas agreed to go with Evie and they were going back to the Coalition and it was a 5 day travel on the Reasonable Excuse but the chapter ended with them about to leave and the next chapter began with them arriving. I explained my issue with it somewhere in the notes section above but I wish there was a chapter allocated because it would've been good to get to know the characters more.
I was really excited that the author was possibly going into the LGBT+ route with Evie and Laura and I'm sad because I wanted Cas and Evie to end up together but sadder that the side storyline didn't progress... at all. I'm expecting it in the next book but I wish there was more in here than the angry glances Laura made when Cas was with Evie.
I like Evie as a character but there were times she went off-character and it was confusing when it happened and I talked about it in my notes so I won't elaborate.
I feel the arrest of Rutledge was glossed over. We're told by Cas that the higher-ups ordered everything so it was weird that that was the end of it. Maybe there's more in the next book??? I hope so.
Final talking point! Even though I've said that it was quite predictable and it still is, there were moments where I was caught off-guard. It was when we found out that Box was the one feeding Veena everything and poor Box didn't know what was going on and he needed to be shut down. But then you knew that he was going to be booted back up anyway. Cas sacrificing himself was also predictable and Cas actually not sacrificing himself was also predictable. It was laughable how quick he was to change his mind.
I like the book and I will probably read the rest of the series *hopefully* soon. I won't read it after this because I'm reading from my physical copies next and my Reading List has told me I'm reading Game of Thrones next. Don't fret! I will read the rest of the series because I am invested.
disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
:)
August 14, 2019
Once again, I have the fortunate experience to star a brand new series with a brand new author. I believe this “Infinity’s Edge” sereies is going to be a good one. It is something of a military science fiction story, although the main character is not actually in the military at the start. No, he’s kind of a hired cargo hauler, hauling stuff that maybe he shouldn’t, but he’s not one to question what his current boss wants hauled.
Caspian Robeaux, a unique name for a very main character, is not having a good day. He’s just completed a job of transporting a very important person from one location to another and is expecting payment. Only his payment is sent to his “partner” who is actually another cargo hauler who like to drink and gamble to excess. Maddox, the guy trying to swindle Capian (Cas for short), is back on Devil’s Gate. So that’s where Cas and his ship are heading to as fast as they can. Oh, Cas has a sidekick, a former cargo bot named “Box”. Now Box is unique also. He’s some how become programmed far in advance of his normal programming. He acts almost like a human and he and Cas are always arguing about something. Box can be very funny at times. Cas usually isn’t funny at all.
Once back on Devil’s Gate, it doesn’t take them long to find Maddox. He’s in a casino and drunk as a skunk so it’s pretty easy for Cas to drag him to an alley and start beating the crap out of him. He finally tells Cas to stop and he can have all the money he has including his latest winning streak. Cas agrees, but is highly disappointed when he founds out that Maddox only had about a third of what he owed Cas.
So, Cas is now wondering how he’s going to get his ship repaired so he can take on another job for his boss, Veena. She owns him since he’s heavily in debt from previous loans he’s gotten to keep his ship, Reasonable Excuse working. He just can’t go back to Veena and ask for another loan. That would make him a very, very old man by the time he got all his debt paid. Besides, she might decide to make him do something else and that would be the end of his spacefaring. Not going to happy if Cas can prevent it.
Then while drowning his sorrows at a local watering hole, he’s approached by what appears to be a female mercenary. That’s pretty unusual and what’s more unusual is that she wants to hire Cas and his ship for a job. Cas isn’t sure he wants to get involved with mercenaries and he’s really not sure that Veena would approve of his freelancing. So, he refuses.
Well, he does refuse the mercenary who goes by the name of Evelyn or Evie for short. His only alternative is to go beg Veena for another loan which he absolutly hates to do, but that’s his only recourse. When he does she Veena, he’s shocked that she has sold his contract to someone. She’s no longer interested in his problems and introduces him to his new boss. It turns out the lady mercenary had bought his contract and is paying Veena and additional sum to get the Reasonable Excuse in to good working shape.
Then, if that weren’t the worst of it, the lady mercenary turns out to be someone other than what she is and it terrifies Cas. She’s actually an agent of the Coalition military, a Lieutenant Commander to be exact and she’s been ordered to bring Cas back to Coalition HQ. Cas isn’t going back there because he knows to return would be either his execution or a very long prison sentence. I wonder why?
Pretty good writing. A great story line with just the right amount of humor where it’s warranted. I think I’m going to like this series very much. That’s good because there are already three more books published on Amazon right now.
Caspian Robeaux, a unique name for a very main character, is not having a good day. He’s just completed a job of transporting a very important person from one location to another and is expecting payment. Only his payment is sent to his “partner” who is actually another cargo hauler who like to drink and gamble to excess. Maddox, the guy trying to swindle Capian (Cas for short), is back on Devil’s Gate. So that’s where Cas and his ship are heading to as fast as they can. Oh, Cas has a sidekick, a former cargo bot named “Box”. Now Box is unique also. He’s some how become programmed far in advance of his normal programming. He acts almost like a human and he and Cas are always arguing about something. Box can be very funny at times. Cas usually isn’t funny at all.
Once back on Devil’s Gate, it doesn’t take them long to find Maddox. He’s in a casino and drunk as a skunk so it’s pretty easy for Cas to drag him to an alley and start beating the crap out of him. He finally tells Cas to stop and he can have all the money he has including his latest winning streak. Cas agrees, but is highly disappointed when he founds out that Maddox only had about a third of what he owed Cas.
So, Cas is now wondering how he’s going to get his ship repaired so he can take on another job for his boss, Veena. She owns him since he’s heavily in debt from previous loans he’s gotten to keep his ship, Reasonable Excuse working. He just can’t go back to Veena and ask for another loan. That would make him a very, very old man by the time he got all his debt paid. Besides, she might decide to make him do something else and that would be the end of his spacefaring. Not going to happy if Cas can prevent it.
Then while drowning his sorrows at a local watering hole, he’s approached by what appears to be a female mercenary. That’s pretty unusual and what’s more unusual is that she wants to hire Cas and his ship for a job. Cas isn’t sure he wants to get involved with mercenaries and he’s really not sure that Veena would approve of his freelancing. So, he refuses.
Well, he does refuse the mercenary who goes by the name of Evelyn or Evie for short. His only alternative is to go beg Veena for another loan which he absolutly hates to do, but that’s his only recourse. When he does she Veena, he’s shocked that she has sold his contract to someone. She’s no longer interested in his problems and introduces him to his new boss. It turns out the lady mercenary had bought his contract and is paying Veena and additional sum to get the Reasonable Excuse in to good working shape.
Then, if that weren’t the worst of it, the lady mercenary turns out to be someone other than what she is and it terrifies Cas. She’s actually an agent of the Coalition military, a Lieutenant Commander to be exact and she’s been ordered to bring Cas back to Coalition HQ. Cas isn’t going back there because he knows to return would be either his execution or a very long prison sentence. I wonder why?
Pretty good writing. A great story line with just the right amount of humor where it’s warranted. I think I’m going to like this series very much. That’s good because there are already three more books published on Amazon right now.
August 4, 2019
Caspian’s Fortune – Eric Warren
So, I picked this book up on a website that offers free books for a review and seeing as I am loving writing reviews, I thought I would give it go. This appealed instantly because of its space theme and the blurb alluded to a book that was probably funny as well as exciting.
What I did not expect was to find my next series to read(which is an issue as I’m in the middle of at least three series at the moment), but I had bought the second book in the series – Tempest Rising- when I was halfway through this book.
Plot – Caspian Robeaux is in over his head, indebt to one nasty piece of work and being re-recruited by the Coalition, the power he thought he was shot of, he also had a bit of a drinking problem and his only friend is a robot who isn’t exactly the obedient, follow his programming type.
This book offers a fast, fun packed ride with a lead character who has shades of Han Solo and Malcolm Reynolds, Box, his robot is unique and a great sidekick and then we’re introduced to Evie, the Coalition’s representative, who carries a big ole sword and knows right from wrong, she is going to have issues with Cas and Box! Slowly we are getting to know the rest of the crew of the ‘Tempest’, who I think are going to be great additions to Cas’ life as the series goes on.
Eric Warren writes in a very friendly manner; you get pulled into his ever-growing universe but feel like his characters are old friends from the off. As I said I got the book in exchange for a review, but if it was naff, then I would have said as much, as it is, I got one free book but now have to by four more as it is a bliming good read.
Thank you Mr Warren for offering this up for opinion and thank you for creating Cas, I will be seeing what other world’s your mind hold, after Cas has kept me amused and fighting for what is right for a while(well four more books worth at least in the ‘Infinity’s End’ saga).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
So, I picked this book up on a website that offers free books for a review and seeing as I am loving writing reviews, I thought I would give it go. This appealed instantly because of its space theme and the blurb alluded to a book that was probably funny as well as exciting.
What I did not expect was to find my next series to read(which is an issue as I’m in the middle of at least three series at the moment), but I had bought the second book in the series – Tempest Rising- when I was halfway through this book.
Plot – Caspian Robeaux is in over his head, indebt to one nasty piece of work and being re-recruited by the Coalition, the power he thought he was shot of, he also had a bit of a drinking problem and his only friend is a robot who isn’t exactly the obedient, follow his programming type.
This book offers a fast, fun packed ride with a lead character who has shades of Han Solo and Malcolm Reynolds, Box, his robot is unique and a great sidekick and then we’re introduced to Evie, the Coalition’s representative, who carries a big ole sword and knows right from wrong, she is going to have issues with Cas and Box! Slowly we are getting to know the rest of the crew of the ‘Tempest’, who I think are going to be great additions to Cas’ life as the series goes on.
Eric Warren writes in a very friendly manner; you get pulled into his ever-growing universe but feel like his characters are old friends from the off. As I said I got the book in exchange for a review, but if it was naff, then I would have said as much, as it is, I got one free book but now have to by four more as it is a bliming good read.
Thank you Mr Warren for offering this up for opinion and thank you for creating Cas, I will be seeing what other world’s your mind hold, after Cas has kept me amused and fighting for what is right for a while(well four more books worth at least in the ‘Infinity’s End’ saga).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2020
This is a book you need to get. Fun. Original in every sense of how it makes you engrossed into a new world. The influences from Star Trek are there. But you know what? So what? I've been reading too much hardcore sci-fi that this is a pleasant exchange. One, I love stories about ex-rogues getting their former positions back. Two, I felt that this story is a mixture of the best parts of Orville and Star Trek combined.
There's a lot of alien species in this world. It had the trope of humanity's behind and therefore they need to build some sorta secret weapon. I also wonder if humans only have the 'naval' aspect of warfare. Where's the Generals eh? Ruttledge was a good villain, but I felt like I really needed to see more of his cunning. He needed more scenes. Box is one of my favorite side-characters. The dude is literally me watching tv shows all day hehe :)
Honestly, I enjoyed this so much I just don't have enough words to write anymore. Just know you're going to be hurtled into space, and Cas really needs Evie as a girlfriend. There's a lot of good things. I didn't like Veena that much however, and felt I really needed to see more scenes of her manipulation. I was expecting her to play a much bigger role in this novel. Nevertheless, it's fun, its great, and you'll have a lot of fun reading it!
There's a lot of alien species in this world. It had the trope of humanity's behind and therefore they need to build some sorta secret weapon. I also wonder if humans only have the 'naval' aspect of warfare. Where's the Generals eh? Ruttledge was a good villain, but I felt like I really needed to see more of his cunning. He needed more scenes. Box is one of my favorite side-characters. The dude is literally me watching tv shows all day hehe :)
Honestly, I enjoyed this so much I just don't have enough words to write anymore. Just know you're going to be hurtled into space, and Cas really needs Evie as a girlfriend. There's a lot of good things. I didn't like Veena that much however, and felt I really needed to see more scenes of her manipulation. I was expecting her to play a much bigger role in this novel. Nevertheless, it's fun, its great, and you'll have a lot of fun reading it!
May 10, 2019
A fun short read!
This novel is about an outlaw named Cas and his robot pilot and best friend Box. Cas is a courier and a drunk. The first because he has no other option at the moment, the second because he wants to forget his past. When he meets Evie, a pilot from the same Coalition that forced him into exile, he isn't happy to say the least. He gets even angrier when he discovers she has been ordered to bring him back. She may not know why he was living so far from home but he knows that the Coalition never forgets. Either he'll be thrown in jail or murdered on the spot, but goes with her for some reason.
Warren tells the story in a fun and exciting way. Parts of the narrative were a bit unbelievable which is why I am giving this novella a four instead of a five but other than that, I liked the emotion and the action. Box was hilarious, even though he was a robot, there were times he seemed more human than Cas himself. The new life forms were fun to imagine and every action sequence was intense, eloquent and fast-paced, forcing me to keep reading.
This novel is about an outlaw named Cas and his robot pilot and best friend Box. Cas is a courier and a drunk. The first because he has no other option at the moment, the second because he wants to forget his past. When he meets Evie, a pilot from the same Coalition that forced him into exile, he isn't happy to say the least. He gets even angrier when he discovers she has been ordered to bring him back. She may not know why he was living so far from home but he knows that the Coalition never forgets. Either he'll be thrown in jail or murdered on the spot, but goes with her for some reason.
Warren tells the story in a fun and exciting way. Parts of the narrative were a bit unbelievable which is why I am giving this novella a four instead of a five but other than that, I liked the emotion and the action. Box was hilarious, even though he was a robot, there were times he seemed more human than Cas himself. The new life forms were fun to imagine and every action sequence was intense, eloquent and fast-paced, forcing me to keep reading.
August 5, 2019
**I was provided a published electronic copy by the author through BookSirens in exchange for honest review.**
Eric Warren provides a science fiction novel full of all things great about the genre with Caspian's Fortune. We follow Captain Caspian Robeaux, who may or may not have committed war crimes resulting in defection from the Coalition where he served as an engineer. Cas, however, is more than your common criminal and has valuable information about corruption within the Coalition. Enter Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Diaval. Evie is tasked with bringing Cas back to the Coalition for one more mission. And possible imprisonment, but mostly the mission.
Warren gives us spaceships, space battles, new alien species, the standard lovable robot sidekick, and military overtones. Basically, this is a book that someone who is already a scifi fan is probably going to really enjoy. Is it the most accessible for new fans to the genre? Probably not, but I'm not mad about it. Not every book has to be a good intro book. Warren definitely has a good setup for the rest of the series with this one, and does a good job developing Cas' character so that a reader is invested in seeing him succeed. I wasn't really invested in the side characters, which I admit is very odd for me since I typically am a reader who focuses more on characters than plot.
I really enjoyed that Warren didn't give us a romance where it wasn't necessary, and found the lack of romance to be actually refreshing.
Overall, an enjoyable read and I would be happy to read more of Warren's work.
Eric Warren provides a science fiction novel full of all things great about the genre with Caspian's Fortune. We follow Captain Caspian Robeaux, who may or may not have committed war crimes resulting in defection from the Coalition where he served as an engineer. Cas, however, is more than your common criminal and has valuable information about corruption within the Coalition. Enter Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Diaval. Evie is tasked with bringing Cas back to the Coalition for one more mission. And possible imprisonment, but mostly the mission.
Warren gives us spaceships, space battles, new alien species, the standard lovable robot sidekick, and military overtones. Basically, this is a book that someone who is already a scifi fan is probably going to really enjoy. Is it the most accessible for new fans to the genre? Probably not, but I'm not mad about it. Not every book has to be a good intro book. Warren definitely has a good setup for the rest of the series with this one, and does a good job developing Cas' character so that a reader is invested in seeing him succeed. I wasn't really invested in the side characters, which I admit is very odd for me since I typically am a reader who focuses more on characters than plot.
I really enjoyed that Warren didn't give us a romance where it wasn't necessary, and found the lack of romance to be actually refreshing.
Overall, an enjoyable read and I would be happy to read more of Warren's work.
April 24, 2019
I really enjoyed this action-packed adventure. Full of brilliant believable players...and Box. What a full-blown character he is, so funny.
After the teasing in 'Caspian's Gambit' (0.5), we finally find out exactly why Cas was jailed. No wonder he is so peed off with the Coalition! This book brings everything to the fore. Emotions run high as Cas has to deal with his current feelings, plus the powerful hate-filled ones he has carried within him for a long time.
This is a fantastic story which kept me riveted to the pages, desperate to find out our hero's future. Loved it. The author's gift for storytelling just shines through with each book, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I chose an early copy, which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
After the teasing in 'Caspian's Gambit' (0.5), we finally find out exactly why Cas was jailed. No wonder he is so peed off with the Coalition! This book brings everything to the fore. Emotions run high as Cas has to deal with his current feelings, plus the powerful hate-filled ones he has carried within him for a long time.
This is a fantastic story which kept me riveted to the pages, desperate to find out our hero's future. Loved it. The author's gift for storytelling just shines through with each book, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I chose an early copy, which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
June 22, 2019
When we first meet Caspian Robeaux, his life is considered quite rough. He is on the run, he doesn't have much money, and his ship is falling apart. As the story unfolds we begin to see how he can possibly turn his life around and redeem himself.
Cas was in the very organization that he is on the run from and on his path gets trapped in another hard situation. When we meet Cas, he is very closed off and does not want a part of either organization. He just wants to take his ship and his robot, Box, and explore space and move on with his life.
I really enjoyed this book, the pacing was really well done and the different characters were very enjoyable. The author did a great job of not only creating great characters but he created a whole universe that you want to know more about. I am excited to see what happens next to our friends
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cas was in the very organization that he is on the run from and on his path gets trapped in another hard situation. When we meet Cas, he is very closed off and does not want a part of either organization. He just wants to take his ship and his robot, Box, and explore space and move on with his life.
I really enjoyed this book, the pacing was really well done and the different characters were very enjoyable. The author did a great job of not only creating great characters but he created a whole universe that you want to know more about. I am excited to see what happens next to our friends
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 22, 2019
Why do people write about drunkards?
This is a story about an incompetent engineer who while wrongly convicted of mutiny, deserts to wild space and climbs into a bottle and keeps running.... And running, oh and runs again. When he finally does something about the situation, it turns into a suicide run that shouldn't have worked..... The Authors geasp of space propulsion and physics is insanely wildly wrong and contradicts itself several times during the suicide run.... Hopefully in the sequal he sees a shrink and gets a handle on his self induced trainwreck flameing dumpster fire if a life.
This is a story about an incompetent engineer who while wrongly convicted of mutiny, deserts to wild space and climbs into a bottle and keeps running.... And running, oh and runs again. When he finally does something about the situation, it turns into a suicide run that shouldn't have worked..... The Authors geasp of space propulsion and physics is insanely wildly wrong and contradicts itself several times during the suicide run.... Hopefully in the sequal he sees a shrink and gets a handle on his self induced trainwreck flameing dumpster fire if a life.
August 8, 2020
Awesome! The story was well written and kept me engaged. The narrator did a good job used his voice to full effect. You have a guy who can’t catch a break, who tries to make up for things he was supposed to have done but didn’t. Gets arrested taken to someone who hates him and shares a secret. The mission of finding a missing ship that could destroy lives, and someone else who is a slaver wanting the same ship. This book is action packed from start to finish and I loved every minuet of it. I can’t wait for the next book.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from StoryOrigin for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from StoryOrigin for an honest review.
May 11, 2019
I WANT BOOK 2!! NOW!!
What a fantastic adventure!
The cast of characters are wonderful! Their interactions completely relatable and Box is such a funny, sarcastic, complex character- I dare you not to fall for his charm!
The journey we are taken on is filled with action, suspense, laughter, doubt, sacrifice, betrayal and a overwhelming sense of loyalty. I cannot wait for the next in this series- Please tell me it won’t be a long wait!
What a fantastic adventure!
The cast of characters are wonderful! Their interactions completely relatable and Box is such a funny, sarcastic, complex character- I dare you not to fall for his charm!
The journey we are taken on is filled with action, suspense, laughter, doubt, sacrifice, betrayal and a overwhelming sense of loyalty. I cannot wait for the next in this series- Please tell me it won’t be a long wait!
July 13, 2019
Caspian's Fortune is a story of empires, crime gangs and a disgraced captain stuck in the middle of it all.
Cas and his entertaining robot Box get forced to find a missing spaceship with a terrible secret.
Decent space opera set in an interesting universe with well written characters. Easy, well-paced read setting up what should be an entertaining series. I look forward to the next one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cas and his entertaining robot Box get forced to find a missing spaceship with a terrible secret.
Decent space opera set in an interesting universe with well written characters. Easy, well-paced read setting up what should be an entertaining series. I look forward to the next one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 17, 2019
Humorous Action Novel
Well pace novel written as a serious space adventure that contains good humor. Love the robot character. The main power seems to be modeled after the original Star Trek’s Federation which is far preferable than main powers in many of today’s sci fi novels.
Well pace novel written as a serious space adventure that contains good humor. Love the robot character. The main power seems to be modeled after the original Star Trek’s Federation which is far preferable than main powers in many of today’s sci fi novels.
June 8, 2019
Worth reading
I keep posting reviews in hope that amazon or good reads starts to reccommend more books i like and less books from 1900s or vamoires or fing werewolves or blue guys woth ripped abs ffs. Jules Verne here to the moon is not a new damn release book because some ahole uploaded it again
I keep posting reviews in hope that amazon or good reads starts to reccommend more books i like and less books from 1900s or vamoires or fing werewolves or blue guys woth ripped abs ffs. Jules Verne here to the moon is not a new damn release book because some ahole uploaded it again
January 2, 2023
I loved Eric Warren's Quantum Gate series and this book is definitely as good.
Very promising start of the series!
I especially love the robot, Box, who watches soap series obsessively.
Very promising start of the series!
I especially love the robot, Box, who watches soap series obsessively.
January 7, 2021
This is one of those brilliant stories that you just can’t put down, and you find yourself looking for excuses to go and pick the book up at any opportunity that you can. It is a combination Military Sci-fi/Space Opera, with former Lt. Commander in the Sovereign Coalition, Caspian Robeaux flying courier missions with his friend, and pilot, a rather quirky robot with an addiction for bad holodramas, called Box.
Cas once had a promising career with the Coalition Navy, but something happened and he made a decision that would not only impact his life, but those of others.
As a result, he ended up on the run and in the Sargan Commonwealth with Box, running courier missions for a Crime Lord called Veena.
The story is pretty good at this point already, with Cas’ sharp wit, and Box adding quick fire dialogue that makes you laugh so hard, you have to stop at times.
However, the Coalition is not done with Cas yet, and they send a rather fascinating woman after him, Evelyn Diazal, or Evie. Cas and Evie quickly fall into a rather interesting dynamic as neither can get a read on the other.
Without giving too much away, Cas reluctantly agrees to return to the Coalition with Evie to help them locate the last ship that Cas was working on, the ship that destroyed his life, his career, and sent him on the run, the Achlys.
I have to say that there are real elements to the Star Trek Next Gen episode here in which Wil Riker has a mysterious past and won’t reveal details about the accident that killed several crew, and the subsequent disappearance of the Pegasus, and a Star Fleet Mystery that remained unsolved until that episode. It was a brilliant episode, one of the best in the series, and that brilliance has can be seen here in Caspian’s Fortune.
There are so many angles at play in this book, you really don’t know if Cas is a traitor, or is he actually a true hero? Is his former Captain a Patriot, or a delusional Rogue, the same as in the Next Gen episode, willing to do whatever it takes to get a step up in technology, regardless of the cost to lives, and even if it breaks treaties with other alien races.
Evie is a bit of wild card, you are not sure if she will side with Cas, the Coalition, or do something else entirely.
Then there is the Captain of the Coalition ship that is in command of the operation, he is very much like Pickard, a true legend amongst the Coalition, known for being ethical, following the rules, but also being able to bend them when necessary.
The characters in this story are exceptional, they have such incredible depth, and the dialogue is so gritty and realistic.
I commented to a fellow reader how much I despised one of the characters, and the feelings I had towards this ‘imaginary’ person, and realised that the Author had created these feelings, and this just shows the quality of the character writing in this series (P.S. Everyone feels the same about this person)
Warren has created an amazing set of alien races to use within his books, it is fascinating reading about the different aliens and their cultures, their differences to humans, the creativity and depth in this writing is outstanding.
Just as outstanding is the technology. Warren, has covered all the bases for writing an extraordinary Sci-fi story, with fascinating aliens, clever and creative technology, and a stunning and exceptional world in which his characters can tell their story. Best of all, this is a powerful Character driven story, that will leave you totally engaged and wanting more.
This is a brilliant story of intrigue, politics and underlying it all, an arms race. The Sovereign Coalition realise that they do not have the firepower to stop those around them, the Sargan’s, the Sil, and other races, and thus, have devised means to try and level the playing field. And this is what this story is all about (without giving spoilers away!)
Warren is clever and intellectual writer, who creates intelligent and well thought out Characters with gritty, powerful dialogue that really captivate you as a reader. Box, the Artificial Intelligent Robot, is one of the most impressive A.I. characters that I have come across in any book in years, and he provides some moving, thought provoking and incredibly powerful scenes that will leave you thinking about artificial life forms for days to come.
Infinity’s End is a culmination of a multitude of different Sci-fi series, such as Firefly, Next Gen, a slew of different games and other books come to mind. It is obvious that Warren is well versed in Sci-Fi, and has done a lot of reading and research so that he can create this series, and it comes out in a masterful opening book to what is going to be a wonderful series and one not to be missed – get into it now, it is brilliant at every level!!
Cas once had a promising career with the Coalition Navy, but something happened and he made a decision that would not only impact his life, but those of others.
As a result, he ended up on the run and in the Sargan Commonwealth with Box, running courier missions for a Crime Lord called Veena.
The story is pretty good at this point already, with Cas’ sharp wit, and Box adding quick fire dialogue that makes you laugh so hard, you have to stop at times.
However, the Coalition is not done with Cas yet, and they send a rather fascinating woman after him, Evelyn Diazal, or Evie. Cas and Evie quickly fall into a rather interesting dynamic as neither can get a read on the other.
Without giving too much away, Cas reluctantly agrees to return to the Coalition with Evie to help them locate the last ship that Cas was working on, the ship that destroyed his life, his career, and sent him on the run, the Achlys.
I have to say that there are real elements to the Star Trek Next Gen episode here in which Wil Riker has a mysterious past and won’t reveal details about the accident that killed several crew, and the subsequent disappearance of the Pegasus, and a Star Fleet Mystery that remained unsolved until that episode. It was a brilliant episode, one of the best in the series, and that brilliance has can be seen here in Caspian’s Fortune.
There are so many angles at play in this book, you really don’t know if Cas is a traitor, or is he actually a true hero? Is his former Captain a Patriot, or a delusional Rogue, the same as in the Next Gen episode, willing to do whatever it takes to get a step up in technology, regardless of the cost to lives, and even if it breaks treaties with other alien races.
Evie is a bit of wild card, you are not sure if she will side with Cas, the Coalition, or do something else entirely.
Then there is the Captain of the Coalition ship that is in command of the operation, he is very much like Pickard, a true legend amongst the Coalition, known for being ethical, following the rules, but also being able to bend them when necessary.
The characters in this story are exceptional, they have such incredible depth, and the dialogue is so gritty and realistic.
I commented to a fellow reader how much I despised one of the characters, and the feelings I had towards this ‘imaginary’ person, and realised that the Author had created these feelings, and this just shows the quality of the character writing in this series (P.S. Everyone feels the same about this person)
Warren has created an amazing set of alien races to use within his books, it is fascinating reading about the different aliens and their cultures, their differences to humans, the creativity and depth in this writing is outstanding.
Just as outstanding is the technology. Warren, has covered all the bases for writing an extraordinary Sci-fi story, with fascinating aliens, clever and creative technology, and a stunning and exceptional world in which his characters can tell their story. Best of all, this is a powerful Character driven story, that will leave you totally engaged and wanting more.
This is a brilliant story of intrigue, politics and underlying it all, an arms race. The Sovereign Coalition realise that they do not have the firepower to stop those around them, the Sargan’s, the Sil, and other races, and thus, have devised means to try and level the playing field. And this is what this story is all about (without giving spoilers away!)
Warren is clever and intellectual writer, who creates intelligent and well thought out Characters with gritty, powerful dialogue that really captivate you as a reader. Box, the Artificial Intelligent Robot, is one of the most impressive A.I. characters that I have come across in any book in years, and he provides some moving, thought provoking and incredibly powerful scenes that will leave you thinking about artificial life forms for days to come.
Infinity’s End is a culmination of a multitude of different Sci-fi series, such as Firefly, Next Gen, a slew of different games and other books come to mind. It is obvious that Warren is well versed in Sci-Fi, and has done a lot of reading and research so that he can create this series, and it comes out in a masterful opening book to what is going to be a wonderful series and one not to be missed – get into it now, it is brilliant at every level!!
May 27, 2019
A space adventure with an unlikely captain. You start out not knowing if will like this guy that is the captain or not as he does have a rough side. As the story unfolds you find out his back story and why he does some of the things he does and start to understand him more. By the end of the book i was cheering for him. Then throw in Box, who is the Robot with him. Box is hilarious and i would want him around even after a while i might regret that decision. I started out the story and the next thing i knew i was done. It wasn’t because the story was short as it is 218 pages long, but because it drew you in and kept you caught up. I was glad that no one was around as then i didn't have to stop reading. It is going to be a series but it has an ending where you could walk away but if like me won’t want to as want to see what else happens next. I like reading lots of genres so it was a nice break from others i was reading to read this book. I did receive an ARC from Hidden Gems for an honest review. I would recommended this book to friends and family who would appreciate this kind of book. I am really hoping the author has the next book coming out soon as would like to see more adventures with Captain Caspian.
September 21, 2020
This is a book you need to get. Fun. Original in every sense of how it makes you engrossed into a new world. The influences from Star Trek are there. But you know what? So what? I've been reading too much hardcore sci-fi that this is a pleasant exchange. One, I love stories about ex-rogues getting their former positions back. Two, I felt that this story is a mixture of the best parts of Orville and Star Trek combined.
There's a lot of alien species in this world. It had the trope of humanity's behind and therefore they need to build some sorta secret weapon. I also wonder if humans only have the 'naval' aspect of warfare. Where's the Generals eh? Ruttledge was a good villain, but I felt like I really needed to see more of his cunning. He needed more scenes. Box is one of my favorite side-characters. The dude is literally me watching tv shows all day hehe :)
Honestly, I enjoyed this so much I just don't have enough words to write anymore. Just know you're going to be hurtled into space, and Cas really needs Evie as a girlfriend. There's a lot of good things. I didn't like Veena that much however, and felt I really needed to see more scenes of her manipulation. I was expecting her to play a much bigger role in this novel. Nevertheless, it's fun, its great, and you'll have a lot of fun reading it!
There's a lot of alien species in this world. It had the trope of humanity's behind and therefore they need to build some sorta secret weapon. I also wonder if humans only have the 'naval' aspect of warfare. Where's the Generals eh? Ruttledge was a good villain, but I felt like I really needed to see more of his cunning. He needed more scenes. Box is one of my favorite side-characters. The dude is literally me watching tv shows all day hehe :)
Honestly, I enjoyed this so much I just don't have enough words to write anymore. Just know you're going to be hurtled into space, and Cas really needs Evie as a girlfriend. There's a lot of good things. I didn't like Veena that much however, and felt I really needed to see more scenes of her manipulation. I was expecting her to play a much bigger role in this novel. Nevertheless, it's fun, its great, and you'll have a lot of fun reading it!
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