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The Magellan II Chronicles #1
Ark of the Apocalypse
Earth is on the verge of becoming a dead planet.
The polar ice caps melted long ago, and it's been decades since the last raindrop fell. Ocean levels rise a dozen meters, and forest fires rage on a global scale. Eleven billion people dying of thirst wage water wars against each other as extinction looms.
Humanity needs a new planet. As Earth deteriorates, the nation states desperately work together to build a mechanism for recolonization. And so the Magellan II is born, the first starship capable of interstellar travel.
The future of the human race is tasked to ten thousand colonists-now homeless but for the vastness of space and the decks of Magellan II. A distant planet offers hope of survival, but it's a strange, watery world inhabited by giant reptiles.
Humanity is starting over, but survival isn't guaranteed.
The polar ice caps melted long ago, and it's been decades since the last raindrop fell. Ocean levels rise a dozen meters, and forest fires rage on a global scale. Eleven billion people dying of thirst wage water wars against each other as extinction looms.
Humanity needs a new planet. As Earth deteriorates, the nation states desperately work together to build a mechanism for recolonization. And so the Magellan II is born, the first starship capable of interstellar travel.
The future of the human race is tasked to ten thousand colonists-now homeless but for the vastness of space and the decks of Magellan II. A distant planet offers hope of survival, but it's a strange, watery world inhabited by giant reptiles.
Humanity is starting over, but survival isn't guaranteed.
428 pages, ebook
First published March 10, 2021
18 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Tobin Marks
4 books229 followersAuthor Tobin Marks has created an alien watery world called Aqueous. Orbiting a Red Dwarf 1187 light years from Earth, Aqueous is teeming with dangerous reptilian life...and one long forgotten human colony.
Marks is a world traveler who grew up in a household of rocket scientists. As a boy he had a front row seat observing many NASA and NOAA projects. Now from his home in north west Baja he has written the trilogy: The Hope Prophecy. Book one: Endeavors Run, is a blend of real science, science fiction, and fantasy. Book two: Katana Red, and book three: Drakon Rus, are exciting continuations of the series. In March, 2021 the prequel: Ark of the Apocalypse was released to rave reviews, and he is now working on the second trilogy: The Hope Progression.
Marks is a world traveler who grew up in a household of rocket scientists. As a boy he had a front row seat observing many NASA and NOAA projects. Now from his home in north west Baja he has written the trilogy: The Hope Prophecy. Book one: Endeavors Run, is a blend of real science, science fiction, and fantasy. Book two: Katana Red, and book three: Drakon Rus, are exciting continuations of the series. In March, 2021 the prequel: Ark of the Apocalypse was released to rave reviews, and he is now working on the second trilogy: The Hope Progression.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
October 13, 2021
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
ARK OF THE APOCALYPSE (The Magellan II Chronicles Book #1) by Mark Tobin is a captivating first book in a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy series.
No one is listening to the warnings that the Earth is warming. The planet is on fire, the ice caps have evaporated, and governments are willing to go to war over scarce natural resources for their overpopulated nations.
Humanity needs a new planet. Magellan II is the first starship capable of interstellar space travel and will become the hope for humans to recolonize. The colonists are on a journey to a distant lush planet with the hope of starting anew, but survival is not guaranteed.
This story pulls you in and begins with familiar themes from the present and then weaves them into a story that extrapolates the warnings of today into a post-apocalyptic world seamlessly. The author has populated the story with characters that could walk right off the page and his worldbuilding is easily visualized. I was completely engrossed as I followed the two lineages of the Yanbeyeva family over decades, on earth and on the new world of Aqueous. This is an action-packed tale that I was unable to put down as I was completely immersed in the story. I am looking forward to seeing where the author takes me in the next book in this series.
I can highly recommend this first book in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy!
ARK OF THE APOCALYPSE (The Magellan II Chronicles Book #1) by Mark Tobin is a captivating first book in a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy series.
No one is listening to the warnings that the Earth is warming. The planet is on fire, the ice caps have evaporated, and governments are willing to go to war over scarce natural resources for their overpopulated nations.
Humanity needs a new planet. Magellan II is the first starship capable of interstellar space travel and will become the hope for humans to recolonize. The colonists are on a journey to a distant lush planet with the hope of starting anew, but survival is not guaranteed.
This story pulls you in and begins with familiar themes from the present and then weaves them into a story that extrapolates the warnings of today into a post-apocalyptic world seamlessly. The author has populated the story with characters that could walk right off the page and his worldbuilding is easily visualized. I was completely engrossed as I followed the two lineages of the Yanbeyeva family over decades, on earth and on the new world of Aqueous. This is an action-packed tale that I was unable to put down as I was completely immersed in the story. I am looking forward to seeing where the author takes me in the next book in this series.
I can highly recommend this first book in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy!
December 6, 2022
Ark of the Apocalypse
I was reached out by the author to read his book and to give an honest review
I give this 4 1/2 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Imagine a bloodline that can tell the future
imagine an altered past of earth imagine Noah’s ark with out the animals.. but in space
imagine a world a prehistoric animals
And more……..
imagine a Dragon like no other🐉
And so much more….
There’s a lot of POV’s in the story there’s a historical part to it and there’s an altered part to it
This is definitely the historical sci-fi with sprinkles a Fantasy, With a great mystery throughout the book.
I was reached out by the author to read his book and to give an honest review
I give this 4 1/2 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Imagine a bloodline that can tell the future
imagine an altered past of earth imagine Noah’s ark with out the animals.. but in space
imagine a world a prehistoric animals
And more……..
imagine a Dragon like no other🐉
And so much more….
There’s a lot of POV’s in the story there’s a historical part to it and there’s an altered part to it
This is definitely the historical sci-fi with sprinkles a Fantasy, With a great mystery throughout the book.
March 26, 2021
Review originally posted at https://tinyurl.com/msbej7wa.
Life on Earth is vastly different than what it once was. The world's temperature has risen along with the oceans. Life in the bays has diminished to almost nothing and man-kind's existence isn't far behind as there is almost no fresh water left. This rapidly dying planet's life span is about to get much shorter as Mother Olga has influenced the world powers (without their knowledge) and ignited a war. While Earth will perish she has a plan. Her great niece will travel with her husband and a few thousand people to a planet far away that has the ability to sustain life and continue humanity.
This new planet will have many struggles, such as surviving in an alien world that is dominated by giant dinosaur-like reptiles. Can this new world survive before humans and their self-destructive natures are gone forever?
I was given this eBook by the author in exchange for an honest review. While I am not normally someone who likes politics this book was done in a way that you don't feel like you are dealing with a political situation. The presidents of the United States in this story certainly don't know how to be diplomatic. But, because it doesn't feel political it was something that I enjoyed. For once, when someone set out to destroy the Earth they actually succeeded. There is also a precognitive and a dragon.
The thing that I don't understand is if she seen the future and what actions caused what reactions why she didn't try to deviate from an action and in doing so try to save people. But, I suppose blindly following what she refers to as the Path was what her family had done for generations. I also don't understand why her parents weren't with the others in the Order. Either I missed what their purpose was or it was as simple as meeting someone at the end. Which doesn't make any sense to me.
I think my favorite part of this book is the dragon. I have always had a small obsession with dragons and the fact that this one was able to communicate makes it all the better. All in all this book is worth all of the time spent on it and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!
Life on Earth is vastly different than what it once was. The world's temperature has risen along with the oceans. Life in the bays has diminished to almost nothing and man-kind's existence isn't far behind as there is almost no fresh water left. This rapidly dying planet's life span is about to get much shorter as Mother Olga has influenced the world powers (without their knowledge) and ignited a war. While Earth will perish she has a plan. Her great niece will travel with her husband and a few thousand people to a planet far away that has the ability to sustain life and continue humanity.
This new planet will have many struggles, such as surviving in an alien world that is dominated by giant dinosaur-like reptiles. Can this new world survive before humans and their self-destructive natures are gone forever?
I was given this eBook by the author in exchange for an honest review. While I am not normally someone who likes politics this book was done in a way that you don't feel like you are dealing with a political situation. The presidents of the United States in this story certainly don't know how to be diplomatic. But, because it doesn't feel political it was something that I enjoyed. For once, when someone set out to destroy the Earth they actually succeeded. There is also a precognitive and a dragon.
The thing that I don't understand is if she seen the future and what actions caused what reactions why she didn't try to deviate from an action and in doing so try to save people. But, I suppose blindly following what she refers to as the Path was what her family had done for generations. I also don't understand why her parents weren't with the others in the Order. Either I missed what their purpose was or it was as simple as meeting someone at the end. Which doesn't make any sense to me.
I think my favorite part of this book is the dragon. I have always had a small obsession with dragons and the fact that this one was able to communicate makes it all the better. All in all this book is worth all of the time spent on it and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!
May 15, 2023
Title: Ark of the Apocalypse
Author: Tobin Marks
Release Date: March 10th, 2021
Page Count: 430
Format: Paperback/Audiobook
Start Date: November 14th, 2022
Finish Date: December 12th, 2022
Rating:
Review:
Story: I’d didn’t expect this book to be as intense as it was. It’s definitely one of those books that has a slow burn, but really hits you and sticks with you. It’s told through a vast number of years. A before the end of the world as we know it and an after. There were time periods that I felt I could have read a little more about. Especially the part isn’t he 1940s. That’s more of a personal preference not something that ruins the story for me.
Characters: I’m struggling to remember the characters names at the moment. There were quite a few of them. Some I liked more than others. As we all do with books. There was one that had visions that nobody listened to because they thought she was crazy. She was my favorite. Also, people really should have listened to her. Just saying.
Critiques: None that I can think of.
Narration: I’m excited to say that I’m actually familiar with this author from a previous book series that I read. He’s so amazing. He adds flare and sophistication to everything he reads.
Final Thoughts: I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. I can say that my thoughts on the book were not anywhere close to what the book actually wound up being about. I saw the cover and immediately had some Game of Thrones vibes. Which is kind of similar. People stabbing each other in the back and what have you definitely happens, but it’s not accurate to the whole picture of the story. They cover is gorgeous. This story was fantastic. I absolutely can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Author: Tobin Marks
Release Date: March 10th, 2021
Page Count: 430
Format: Paperback/Audiobook
Start Date: November 14th, 2022
Finish Date: December 12th, 2022
Rating:
Review:
Story: I’d didn’t expect this book to be as intense as it was. It’s definitely one of those books that has a slow burn, but really hits you and sticks with you. It’s told through a vast number of years. A before the end of the world as we know it and an after. There were time periods that I felt I could have read a little more about. Especially the part isn’t he 1940s. That’s more of a personal preference not something that ruins the story for me.
Characters: I’m struggling to remember the characters names at the moment. There were quite a few of them. Some I liked more than others. As we all do with books. There was one that had visions that nobody listened to because they thought she was crazy. She was my favorite. Also, people really should have listened to her. Just saying.
Critiques: None that I can think of.
Narration: I’m excited to say that I’m actually familiar with this author from a previous book series that I read. He’s so amazing. He adds flare and sophistication to everything he reads.
Final Thoughts: I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. I can say that my thoughts on the book were not anywhere close to what the book actually wound up being about. I saw the cover and immediately had some Game of Thrones vibes. Which is kind of similar. People stabbing each other in the back and what have you definitely happens, but it’s not accurate to the whole picture of the story. They cover is gorgeous. This story was fantastic. I absolutely can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
October 13, 2021
This has intrigued me. I reserve the right to rerate after I read sequels because I don’t think I’ve seen enough of the story, as this is clearly just a start.
I’ve received a free copy courtesy of Blackthorn Book Tours with a request for an honest review.
For me, this is like Ray Bradbury meets The Stand with a touch of Tolkien. There are witches, dragons and apocalypse of the world and it might seem like a weird mix (it did for me!) but it's compelling. It combines ecological alertness, political intrigue, exploration and space travel, apocalypse and dealing with its repercussions, Jurassic park, colonizing new world and developing new civilisation from scratch in a primitive fantasy world of reptilian races and dragons, all embraced by a grand scheme that gives food for thought about fate and blindly following it, on top of other things, like hypocrisy and political climate that may lead to a war to end all wars. I really like how the author has packed so much and made it all congruent.
Because that’s what this is: a riveting, page-turning action-packed prequel with a detailed origin story and there’s a lot to look forward to after reading this one.
The origin story reaches far to pre-World War II. We follow the fates of several generations of families, including one clan of powerful witches that manipulate world events, believing in their own “mission”, or destiny. The transitions between generations are seamless. The descriptions of the apocalypse, preparations for it and preparations for space travel, the journey itself, and even the post-apocalyptic world and the political turmoil (and behaviour of world leaders) that accompany it all feel like they could happen. It’s all prophesied…but to be honest, much as I usually like prophecies and chosen ones this one doesn’t feel good, this one makes me wonder why no one protests or takes action to change things instead of blindly following the vision, nor fights the rules dictating how everyone should do things. I’m questioning it. Why blindly follow a vision, instead of using it to try to take a different course? I do not like schemers, so I would contest figures like Mother Olga.
It’s very plot-driven, does not really stop to enter into descriptions or doesn’t take the time to examine the characters’ emotions in great detail, I tend to prefer more introspection.
It moves fast, characters don’t really stay for a long time. There are many characters, some rather endearing, they seem to be used to set the stage for core events in the future and due to the scope, the story doesn’t really focus on one or two central characters, but rather on ….how that mass of people from various lineages contributes to the events and how they make it happen, how they help shape the state of the world, the narrative situation. A group of people is the central character and it’s great to read but in the future, I hope to get attached and cheer for central characters who are stronger individuals who might be willing to stand against prophecies or have a more lasting presence in general. I’m thinking Rodinya might be one. I’m still sad about Sasha and Nadya’s parents though.
But why do they all blindly follow the “vision” instead of trying to change things? This obedience to vision bothered me, for me, nothing is quite set in stone, no matter what machinations there are. As humans, we have the capacity not only to adapt but to change things every day. Instead, characters in the story seem to blindly follow. Nadya is more likeable than Olga but why still obey the vision? Though some lines in the story made me think this obedience is cracking.
I don’t believe in inevitability, so I do not appreciate the stances of characters because I believe we can go against an authority with “visions”– but because it made me think, I applaud the story- I feel like it’s telling me not to be idle and not just accept things as they are but seek other ways, regardless of what the “truth” may be – no matter how inevitable the global apocalypse seems to be – it is realistic in that sense and it was part of what made me so riveted to it.
Same with Dr Burt, who tells blunt truth about climate change and humanity’s chances – He may be blunt – and correct – but should that stop us from making even the tiniest changes? I think not. Instead, his listeners boo him offended. Why? They seem to take the stance personally and miss the bigger picture. Was this part of the plan? But a small ripple can lead to bigger waves. There’s always something to do. Not everything about the future is set in stone, there are things that can change if we take action. The way things are, the family members are not even free.
There are some typos (lack of apostrophes, spaces in wrong places). They do not really hinder the reading but still, I did notice them so I hope for stricter proofreading with the next book.
The writer’s vision is broad in terms of ideas and definitely, in terms of worldbuilding. And I’m hooked. It’s a riveting sci-fi fantasy mix and I hope to read more! I want the next stories to surprise me, to show me more and go deeper.
I really do look forward to the next parts, that’s why I said I reserve the right to re-rate and reevaluate this book when I see the story in full, I just don’t think I’ve had enough, however it reads well as a stand-alone and is intriguing as such. I’m eager to find out where Tobin Marks will take us. I’d like to get attached and spend more time with a few central characters in the future.
I appreciate the breadth and degree of planning that must go into a book of these proportions. I appreciate the imagination and the way the author combines things. I look forward to reading more! I really want to know what you have in store for the characters, their bloodlines and for the epically engineered fate of the world. I really hope the next books will be even better. I liked what I read of the preview to Book II. I love how it circles back to a certain point in book one and I really wonder where you’ll take it!
It’s definitely my most favourite book to review for Blackthorn Book Tours thus far, it has spoken to my imagination. And I’ll read more. It’s greatly discounted on Amazon at the moment. – I actually bought it on top of the free copy I had for review. The ending is not a cliffhanger but it leaves you wanting more. This book is a foretaste of things to come, a tasty morsel to whet appetites.
I’ve received a free copy courtesy of Blackthorn Book Tours with a request for an honest review.
For me, this is like Ray Bradbury meets The Stand with a touch of Tolkien. There are witches, dragons and apocalypse of the world and it might seem like a weird mix (it did for me!) but it's compelling. It combines ecological alertness, political intrigue, exploration and space travel, apocalypse and dealing with its repercussions, Jurassic park, colonizing new world and developing new civilisation from scratch in a primitive fantasy world of reptilian races and dragons, all embraced by a grand scheme that gives food for thought about fate and blindly following it, on top of other things, like hypocrisy and political climate that may lead to a war to end all wars. I really like how the author has packed so much and made it all congruent.
Because that’s what this is: a riveting, page-turning action-packed prequel with a detailed origin story and there’s a lot to look forward to after reading this one.
The origin story reaches far to pre-World War II. We follow the fates of several generations of families, including one clan of powerful witches that manipulate world events, believing in their own “mission”, or destiny. The transitions between generations are seamless. The descriptions of the apocalypse, preparations for it and preparations for space travel, the journey itself, and even the post-apocalyptic world and the political turmoil (and behaviour of world leaders) that accompany it all feel like they could happen. It’s all prophesied…but to be honest, much as I usually like prophecies and chosen ones this one doesn’t feel good, this one makes me wonder why no one protests or takes action to change things instead of blindly following the vision, nor fights the rules dictating how everyone should do things. I’m questioning it. Why blindly follow a vision, instead of using it to try to take a different course? I do not like schemers, so I would contest figures like Mother Olga.
It’s very plot-driven, does not really stop to enter into descriptions or doesn’t take the time to examine the characters’ emotions in great detail, I tend to prefer more introspection.
It moves fast, characters don’t really stay for a long time. There are many characters, some rather endearing, they seem to be used to set the stage for core events in the future and due to the scope, the story doesn’t really focus on one or two central characters, but rather on ….how that mass of people from various lineages contributes to the events and how they make it happen, how they help shape the state of the world, the narrative situation. A group of people is the central character and it’s great to read but in the future, I hope to get attached and cheer for central characters who are stronger individuals who might be willing to stand against prophecies or have a more lasting presence in general. I’m thinking Rodinya might be one. I’m still sad about Sasha and Nadya’s parents though.
But why do they all blindly follow the “vision” instead of trying to change things? This obedience to vision bothered me, for me, nothing is quite set in stone, no matter what machinations there are. As humans, we have the capacity not only to adapt but to change things every day. Instead, characters in the story seem to blindly follow. Nadya is more likeable than Olga but why still obey the vision? Though some lines in the story made me think this obedience is cracking.
I don’t believe in inevitability, so I do not appreciate the stances of characters because I believe we can go against an authority with “visions”– but because it made me think, I applaud the story- I feel like it’s telling me not to be idle and not just accept things as they are but seek other ways, regardless of what the “truth” may be – no matter how inevitable the global apocalypse seems to be – it is realistic in that sense and it was part of what made me so riveted to it.
Same with Dr Burt, who tells blunt truth about climate change and humanity’s chances – He may be blunt – and correct – but should that stop us from making even the tiniest changes? I think not. Instead, his listeners boo him offended. Why? They seem to take the stance personally and miss the bigger picture. Was this part of the plan? But a small ripple can lead to bigger waves. There’s always something to do. Not everything about the future is set in stone, there are things that can change if we take action. The way things are, the family members are not even free.
There are some typos (lack of apostrophes, spaces in wrong places). They do not really hinder the reading but still, I did notice them so I hope for stricter proofreading with the next book.
The writer’s vision is broad in terms of ideas and definitely, in terms of worldbuilding. And I’m hooked. It’s a riveting sci-fi fantasy mix and I hope to read more! I want the next stories to surprise me, to show me more and go deeper.
I really do look forward to the next parts, that’s why I said I reserve the right to re-rate and reevaluate this book when I see the story in full, I just don’t think I’ve had enough, however it reads well as a stand-alone and is intriguing as such. I’m eager to find out where Tobin Marks will take us. I’d like to get attached and spend more time with a few central characters in the future.
I appreciate the breadth and degree of planning that must go into a book of these proportions. I appreciate the imagination and the way the author combines things. I look forward to reading more! I really want to know what you have in store for the characters, their bloodlines and for the epically engineered fate of the world. I really hope the next books will be even better. I liked what I read of the preview to Book II. I love how it circles back to a certain point in book one and I really wonder where you’ll take it!
It’s definitely my most favourite book to review for Blackthorn Book Tours thus far, it has spoken to my imagination. And I’ll read more. It’s greatly discounted on Amazon at the moment. – I actually bought it on top of the free copy I had for review. The ending is not a cliffhanger but it leaves you wanting more. This book is a foretaste of things to come, a tasty morsel to whet appetites.
March 15, 2022
Amazing first book! I must say that from the first line I was intrigued and by the end of the first chapter I was hooked. I will say that certain aspects of the book had me a bit confused; however, I found that after finding out that this series is a prequel to the author's other book 'Endeavor's Run,' I found it a bit more enjoyable and the story seemed to make a lot more sense.
I don't think you necessarily have to read the other book in order to understand this one, but there is a bit of context that I feel is left out of this book that you can find further in the other one; however, noting that this is a series, it is fair to say that further context is to come.
Overall, it's a great book but I would say it is for more advanced readers.
I don't think you necessarily have to read the other book in order to understand this one, but there is a bit of context that I feel is left out of this book that you can find further in the other one; however, noting that this is a series, it is fair to say that further context is to come.
Overall, it's a great book but I would say it is for more advanced readers.
June 12, 2021
Ark of the Apocalypse is a science fiction story about a dying Earth and humanity’s journey of colonizing a new planet. I enjoyed this novel overall. The world-building was well designed and thought out. The various characters were interesting, and the plot was engaging. This novel follows several characters throughout several locations and generations. We get to see the end of Earth from multiple perspectives, including presidents, military officials, and a very special family with the ability to see visions of the future. There are many pieces to the story, and they are each woven together nicely.
On the other hand, much of this book moved at a slow pace, which sometimes made it difficult to stay focused and interested. The first half of the novel is spent leading up to leaving Earth. The pace increased in the second half after we were on the new planet and Earth had fully become a post-apocalyptic world.
Ark of the Apocalypse was enjoyable and intriguing for the most part, and leaves an exciting door open for a sequel. If you are a fan of sci-fi/military sci-fi and adult novels with a bit of a slower pace, definitely check this book out!
On the other hand, much of this book moved at a slow pace, which sometimes made it difficult to stay focused and interested. The first half of the novel is spent leading up to leaving Earth. The pace increased in the second half after we were on the new planet and Earth had fully become a post-apocalyptic world.
Ark of the Apocalypse was enjoyable and intriguing for the most part, and leaves an exciting door open for a sequel. If you are a fan of sci-fi/military sci-fi and adult novels with a bit of a slower pace, definitely check this book out!
June 26, 2021
Ark of The Apocalypse was an incredible book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading and following along with the story. I literally could not wait to see what was going to happen next. That's how intriguing and well written the story is. The basic premise is a common theme in many science fiction stories, a dystopian setting where life on planet Earth is faced with extinction. That is where the commonality ends in my opinion. Once things reach the point of no return on Earth, the story is transported to another world where the human species must overcome and adapt if it wishes to survive. The stunning detail and emotion with which the author communicates all of this to the reader is the reason you will not be disappointed if you read this book. Very Highly Recommend!
April 1, 2021
This is such an interesting story! Everything was so confusing in the beginning. Trying to navigate through the names and places was what dropped my opinion to four stars.
That being said, eventually I was able to grasp the different locations and titles and the story became so intriguing that I was unable to put it down.
This was very well written and the plot was extremely well thought out.
If you enjoy Sci Fi, fantasy books this is definitely the one for you.
This book was given to me for an honest review.
That being said, eventually I was able to grasp the different locations and titles and the story became so intriguing that I was unable to put it down.
This was very well written and the plot was extremely well thought out.
If you enjoy Sci Fi, fantasy books this is definitely the one for you.
This book was given to me for an honest review.
May 15, 2021
I truly enjoyed this book. It does such a good job of weaving science fiction with history and fantasy. As someone who has always enjoyed sci-fi, especially of the futuristic/space travel variety, I found it intriguing to read and consider what it might be like for humans to establish a presence elsewhere. The narrative of the ongoing survival issues and power struggles on Earth, past and present, do lend the story a sobering realism that makes it seem almost like it could all really happen - human nature doesn't change, and the author has done a fine job of portraying it.
January 1, 2023
Climate change has put towns under contaminated sea water, while fertile lands have become dry. Millions of people are dying from starvation and dehydration each day, while countries like Russia and the United States compete over world power and also working together to defeat attackers from overpopulated and under resourced countries like India. In a bid to escape this dry and destructive earth, mankind are in search for a new planet.
These nations work together to build a mechanism for recolonization. And so the Magellan II is created, the first starship capable of interstellar travel. This starship becomes humanities hope and plan to break free. Will this turn out to be a success?
This book is very panoramic, vast, and rich in both suspense and satire. The language is beautiful, Tobin marks is brilliant when it comes to research. Every aspect of the book including the language, the system, the dialogue etc is perfect. The storytelling is spellbinding. It is cliché to say that Tobin marks “weaves” storylines together, but he does. He runs with one storyline and only in its last paragraph does the reader realize the connection with another story or character. This is artful, modern, and very poetic.
It never ceases to amaze me how Tobin marks can take modern world politics and put a fantasy spin on them. Politics are usually the last thing I enjoy in a book, but the writing just pulls you in and makes you connect on a whole other level. The amount of care and ingenuity that goes into each battle and struggle, makes the reader feel deeply for the characters. It shows how people can bond together to fight for their lives and their beliefs and all the things that makes them who they are. But it also shows the reverse, the darker sides of humanity, the ones that disregard individuals and demand uniformity.
If you pick up this book, brace yourself for the stunning draw of real world politics into a fantasy setting. This book is thrilling on how it connects to recent events and pulls readers in with the drive to find out how the characters endure every new challenge. Once you pick up this book, you won’t be able to put it back down again until you’re finished. There was nothing about this book that I disliked. The book was exceptionally edited as evidenced by the fact that I detected no errors while reading. The plot was outstanding, the narrative of the author was seamless, and for that reason, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to people who love fantasy, adventure, outer space and dragons.
These nations work together to build a mechanism for recolonization. And so the Magellan II is created, the first starship capable of interstellar travel. This starship becomes humanities hope and plan to break free. Will this turn out to be a success?
This book is very panoramic, vast, and rich in both suspense and satire. The language is beautiful, Tobin marks is brilliant when it comes to research. Every aspect of the book including the language, the system, the dialogue etc is perfect. The storytelling is spellbinding. It is cliché to say that Tobin marks “weaves” storylines together, but he does. He runs with one storyline and only in its last paragraph does the reader realize the connection with another story or character. This is artful, modern, and very poetic.
It never ceases to amaze me how Tobin marks can take modern world politics and put a fantasy spin on them. Politics are usually the last thing I enjoy in a book, but the writing just pulls you in and makes you connect on a whole other level. The amount of care and ingenuity that goes into each battle and struggle, makes the reader feel deeply for the characters. It shows how people can bond together to fight for their lives and their beliefs and all the things that makes them who they are. But it also shows the reverse, the darker sides of humanity, the ones that disregard individuals and demand uniformity.
If you pick up this book, brace yourself for the stunning draw of real world politics into a fantasy setting. This book is thrilling on how it connects to recent events and pulls readers in with the drive to find out how the characters endure every new challenge. Once you pick up this book, you won’t be able to put it back down again until you’re finished. There was nothing about this book that I disliked. The book was exceptionally edited as evidenced by the fact that I detected no errors while reading. The plot was outstanding, the narrative of the author was seamless, and for that reason, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to people who love fantasy, adventure, outer space and dragons.
October 12, 2021
I was given a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Tobin Marks, Blackthorn Tours and Henry Roi PR.
At the very beginning, this novel feels like historical fiction, with the mention of real figures from history such as Leon Trotsky, Hitler and Stalin. This is all part of the scene-setting, however and at about the sixth chapter the story proper begins. Set in the near future, the Earth as we know it is suffering from climate change with much higher temperatures, oceans devoid of life, beaches having been reclaimed by the sea as the water levels rise, fresh water unavailable in many countries due to no more rain, no more snowfall in the mountains leading to the costs of water being astronomically high. The human race will die out if something isn’t done soon. Ark of the Apocalypse is a lesson for its readers on the environmental apocalypse we are heading towards.
Certain parts of the world such as Siberia and Northern Canada are not suffering, but instead are becoming more inhabitable:
“Woodland had replaced tundra that once dominated this barren land. The forest continued to spread out for hundreds of kilometers in every direction. It wasn’t just the people who were healthy in Koryak, but the land itself.”
In Siberia an invention has been kept closely guarded since the time of the Nazis. This technology will be the key to humanity escaping a burning world and finding a new place to live among the stars. After many decades of work on this technology they have the Magellan II, an interstellar craft set to take ten thousand people of child-bearing age to a distant watery, dragon-inhabited planet seen in visions by a prominent geneticist named Nadya. Their aim is to start again and escape the death of planet Earth, much like Noah’s Ark in the Bible:
“The last of the Amazon rainforest was burning, as were those in the Congo. They could clearly see dark smears of smoke and the glow of flames.”
“The reality of Earth’s condition was most evident looking down from orbit. But the starkest confirmation was the radioactive dead zone of the Far East. From space it looked like a malignant black cancer had infected Eastern Asia.”
The pace of this novel is fast and exciting as we jump between a number of main characters on different continents, and listen in on the conversations between world leaders who are scrambling to find a global solution. Tobin Marks clearly knows his stuff when it comes to recent world history, geopolitics, modern day warfare and the background of organizations such as NATO. His knowledge comes through in his writing, making everything that happens in the first two thirds of the book seem possible and believable. The characterisation is excellent with believable characters showing typical cultural traits from all over the world. Mother Olga was deliciously machiavellian, with her astral projection skills allowing her to sit in on political meetings on every continent and even enter the minds and memories of whoever she chose, allowing her to manipulate events in order to put her family in the best position to survive and thrive despite an apocalypse she helps to engineer.
The worldbuilding on the reptile-inhabited planet the humans colonize and decide to call Aqueous is descriptive and easy to visualize clearly. The crystal mountains sound beautiful and the reptilian life forms sound fearsome. Little do most of the humans realize there is another intelligent species on the planet which has been pulling their strings resulting in a few interesting and unexpected twists in the story! Ark of the Apocalypse was intelligent, gripping and I found it difficult to put down. I will be looking out for its sequel!
At the very beginning, this novel feels like historical fiction, with the mention of real figures from history such as Leon Trotsky, Hitler and Stalin. This is all part of the scene-setting, however and at about the sixth chapter the story proper begins. Set in the near future, the Earth as we know it is suffering from climate change with much higher temperatures, oceans devoid of life, beaches having been reclaimed by the sea as the water levels rise, fresh water unavailable in many countries due to no more rain, no more snowfall in the mountains leading to the costs of water being astronomically high. The human race will die out if something isn’t done soon. Ark of the Apocalypse is a lesson for its readers on the environmental apocalypse we are heading towards.
Certain parts of the world such as Siberia and Northern Canada are not suffering, but instead are becoming more inhabitable:
“Woodland had replaced tundra that once dominated this barren land. The forest continued to spread out for hundreds of kilometers in every direction. It wasn’t just the people who were healthy in Koryak, but the land itself.”
In Siberia an invention has been kept closely guarded since the time of the Nazis. This technology will be the key to humanity escaping a burning world and finding a new place to live among the stars. After many decades of work on this technology they have the Magellan II, an interstellar craft set to take ten thousand people of child-bearing age to a distant watery, dragon-inhabited planet seen in visions by a prominent geneticist named Nadya. Their aim is to start again and escape the death of planet Earth, much like Noah’s Ark in the Bible:
“The last of the Amazon rainforest was burning, as were those in the Congo. They could clearly see dark smears of smoke and the glow of flames.”
“The reality of Earth’s condition was most evident looking down from orbit. But the starkest confirmation was the radioactive dead zone of the Far East. From space it looked like a malignant black cancer had infected Eastern Asia.”
The pace of this novel is fast and exciting as we jump between a number of main characters on different continents, and listen in on the conversations between world leaders who are scrambling to find a global solution. Tobin Marks clearly knows his stuff when it comes to recent world history, geopolitics, modern day warfare and the background of organizations such as NATO. His knowledge comes through in his writing, making everything that happens in the first two thirds of the book seem possible and believable. The characterisation is excellent with believable characters showing typical cultural traits from all over the world. Mother Olga was deliciously machiavellian, with her astral projection skills allowing her to sit in on political meetings on every continent and even enter the minds and memories of whoever she chose, allowing her to manipulate events in order to put her family in the best position to survive and thrive despite an apocalypse she helps to engineer.
The worldbuilding on the reptile-inhabited planet the humans colonize and decide to call Aqueous is descriptive and easy to visualize clearly. The crystal mountains sound beautiful and the reptilian life forms sound fearsome. Little do most of the humans realize there is another intelligent species on the planet which has been pulling their strings resulting in a few interesting and unexpected twists in the story! Ark of the Apocalypse was intelligent, gripping and I found it difficult to put down. I will be looking out for its sequel!
July 29, 2021
I received free digital copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely the kind of book you need to sit a little and think it over once you've read it because somehow it doesn't really feel like a fictional work. It may be a good prediction on how life will look like in about 40 or 50 years from now. With global warming getting worse every year I felt like I'm reading my future, which I really hope will be less devastating as the book brings it out to be.
As for the book itself, I have to say it had a confusing start. The book starts out in the past, somewhere around The Second World War and quite quickly narrates to the future events. But what I had some problems with is that there are so many different perspectives the story is told by. The book follows a few families through generations, some politicians and a few world leaders, who are dealing with the world crisis and have to find a solution on how the population can survive. But after the initial confusion, the stories came together really well and every perspective made sense. What I loved about the characters (especially when it comes to politicians and world leaders) is that the author didn't try to make some sort of fairytale story of everyone working together and solving the crisis, but he emphasized the selfish part of human behavior of everyone looking after themselves, not caring about the people and causing further destruction of Earth and the humanity, which, in my opinion, gave very realistic undertone of what might happen and makes everything very believable.
After all the problems on Earth, there comes a colonization of the planet, that promised similar characteristics as a home planet, which made life there possible and the human race can survive. But after too little effort of researching and Earth being a time bomb, the chosen people had to get there quickly, not being aware of the dangers that the planet might throw at them. I do wish that more information about the whole colonization process in the book was present, which I found very interesting but found myself craving for details and more world building. However as I have found out, there will be a book 2 coming out so some information might be held back for the second novel.
Even though I was lacking some info, the book, even in the colonization part, stayed true to the straightforward writing with short chapters, filled with new information and quite fast paced narrative, with event after event keeping you hooked. If you like action packed stories that move along fast, with short gripping chapters, this is definitely a book for you and I say, give it a go!
This is definitely the kind of book you need to sit a little and think it over once you've read it because somehow it doesn't really feel like a fictional work. It may be a good prediction on how life will look like in about 40 or 50 years from now. With global warming getting worse every year I felt like I'm reading my future, which I really hope will be less devastating as the book brings it out to be.
As for the book itself, I have to say it had a confusing start. The book starts out in the past, somewhere around The Second World War and quite quickly narrates to the future events. But what I had some problems with is that there are so many different perspectives the story is told by. The book follows a few families through generations, some politicians and a few world leaders, who are dealing with the world crisis and have to find a solution on how the population can survive. But after the initial confusion, the stories came together really well and every perspective made sense. What I loved about the characters (especially when it comes to politicians and world leaders) is that the author didn't try to make some sort of fairytale story of everyone working together and solving the crisis, but he emphasized the selfish part of human behavior of everyone looking after themselves, not caring about the people and causing further destruction of Earth and the humanity, which, in my opinion, gave very realistic undertone of what might happen and makes everything very believable.
After all the problems on Earth, there comes a colonization of the planet, that promised similar characteristics as a home planet, which made life there possible and the human race can survive. But after too little effort of researching and Earth being a time bomb, the chosen people had to get there quickly, not being aware of the dangers that the planet might throw at them. I do wish that more information about the whole colonization process in the book was present, which I found very interesting but found myself craving for details and more world building. However as I have found out, there will be a book 2 coming out so some information might be held back for the second novel.
Even though I was lacking some info, the book, even in the colonization part, stayed true to the straightforward writing with short chapters, filled with new information and quite fast paced narrative, with event after event keeping you hooked. If you like action packed stories that move along fast, with short gripping chapters, this is definitely a book for you and I say, give it a go!
June 8, 2021
I received a copy from the author in exchange for a fair review. Thank you!
I was quite blown away by this novel. It’s a mix of build-up-to-apocalypse speculation, colonizing of a new world, and a hint of first contact.
What’s most compelling is the writing style. Marks has easy yet complex prose that is concise and flows nicely. Despite a variety of different topics, from military technology to scientific concepts, I was never confused or overwhelmed. The novel flows in an almost vignette-style though it gradually focuses on a few key characters. This helped the conflict feel universal. The fight scenes are visceral and exciting.
I also enjoyed how aspects that seemed like they were drifting into fantasy or magic were in fact rooted in a more science-based premise.
In terms of plot, I really enjoyed the build-up, but I wished the novel didn’t rely so much on a pre-deterministic view of time. Prescience isn’t my favourite concept as I find it drastically lowers the tension. I also wish there was more focus on how they rebuilt civilization than adhering to this vision of the future that is apparently set in stone.
The novel takes a really interesting turn about halfway through that I wasn’t expecting and I really enjoyed that aspect.
In terms of characters, this is where the novel wasn’t as engaging for me. I like a vignette style, but it sometimes makes it hard to get to know characters. While he was able to create discernible, interesting people to watch from a distance, we don’t really get to see inside their heads. While the story spends a lot of time on Nadya, I never felt like I knew her. Did she regret or wrestle with what her visions show her? How did she feel about these situations? Does no one rail against these aspects and refuse to adhere to the bloodlines?
And while I really liked the gender diversity - there are female presidents, scientists, and soldiers, as would be the case in the future - there isn’t any LGBTQ representation. Granted, some of the characters could have been, but we don’t learn a lot about most of them to make this determination. This didn’t affect my rating, just a note.
Similarly, plasma and pulse rifles are not the same thing (so the words shouldn’t be used interchangeably).
Overall, Arc of the Apocalypse is an engaging, at-times wild ride that will appeal to a swath of sci-fi readers and I highly recommend it to those who enjoyed Seveneves and World War Z. And Jurassic Park.
I was quite blown away by this novel. It’s a mix of build-up-to-apocalypse speculation, colonizing of a new world, and a hint of first contact.
What’s most compelling is the writing style. Marks has easy yet complex prose that is concise and flows nicely. Despite a variety of different topics, from military technology to scientific concepts, I was never confused or overwhelmed. The novel flows in an almost vignette-style though it gradually focuses on a few key characters. This helped the conflict feel universal. The fight scenes are visceral and exciting.
I also enjoyed how aspects that seemed like they were drifting into fantasy or magic were in fact rooted in a more science-based premise.
In terms of plot, I really enjoyed the build-up, but I wished the novel didn’t rely so much on a pre-deterministic view of time. Prescience isn’t my favourite concept as I find it drastically lowers the tension. I also wish there was more focus on how they rebuilt civilization than adhering to this vision of the future that is apparently set in stone.
The novel takes a really interesting turn about halfway through that I wasn’t expecting and I really enjoyed that aspect.
In terms of characters, this is where the novel wasn’t as engaging for me. I like a vignette style, but it sometimes makes it hard to get to know characters. While he was able to create discernible, interesting people to watch from a distance, we don’t really get to see inside their heads. While the story spends a lot of time on Nadya, I never felt like I knew her. Did she regret or wrestle with what her visions show her? How did she feel about these situations? Does no one rail against these aspects and refuse to adhere to the bloodlines?
And while I really liked the gender diversity - there are female presidents, scientists, and soldiers, as would be the case in the future - there isn’t any LGBTQ representation. Granted, some of the characters could have been, but we don’t learn a lot about most of them to make this determination. This didn’t affect my rating, just a note.
Similarly, plasma and pulse rifles are not the same thing (so the words shouldn’t be used interchangeably).
Overall, Arc of the Apocalypse is an engaging, at-times wild ride that will appeal to a swath of sci-fi readers and I highly recommend it to those who enjoyed Seveneves and World War Z. And Jurassic Park.
May 22, 2021
This is the first in a series set during the end of Earth as we know it. I was engrossed from the first pages of the book and it ended before I was quite ready. Earth is in the end stages of climate change, there is very little potable water anywhere and countries are at constant war over it. This in itself is not a new opening as many writers are jumping into the climate change war scenarios. What makes this book different is the element of family breeding lines to produce intelligence and to produce a legendary seer. In this case, a Japanese scientist killed during the atomic strikes on Japan leaves a memory and a diary for his posterity which is not found for many years, and a Russian family with visions of the future plan out their family breeding for centuries to produce the perfect seer.
The universe built by Marks is well planned and is internally consistent which says a great deal about his ability to plan and build a storyline. The Magellan II is the ship that will take a core population of humans to a new world to “seed” and prepare this new Earth for all humans to live on and to save the species from destruction. The Yanbeyev family is led by Mother Olga who can astrally project herself into any place on earth. This skill, along with the family breeding program, has allowed the family almost limitless power to influence and control events on earth by spying covertly and by placing family members throughout the world in key positions. Nadya and her husband have been groomed since birth to go on the Magellan mission to help save and control humans on Aqueous, their new home. The rest of the family is going to dig in underground and plan to survive for hundreds if not thousands of years until Earth is livable again. In this way the family and its Path will both protect the human race and control it.
Nadya’s visions are the key to survival as the new planet is inhabited by dinosaur sized reptiles. More than halfway through the book there is an unexpected twist that adds intrigue to the situation.
I enjoyed the book so much that I asked the author if the next book was out and was excited/disappointed to hear that it won’t come out until December. For all those who love great world-building science fiction, this book is a wonderful story with many more books to follow.
The universe built by Marks is well planned and is internally consistent which says a great deal about his ability to plan and build a storyline. The Magellan II is the ship that will take a core population of humans to a new world to “seed” and prepare this new Earth for all humans to live on and to save the species from destruction. The Yanbeyev family is led by Mother Olga who can astrally project herself into any place on earth. This skill, along with the family breeding program, has allowed the family almost limitless power to influence and control events on earth by spying covertly and by placing family members throughout the world in key positions. Nadya and her husband have been groomed since birth to go on the Magellan mission to help save and control humans on Aqueous, their new home. The rest of the family is going to dig in underground and plan to survive for hundreds if not thousands of years until Earth is livable again. In this way the family and its Path will both protect the human race and control it.
Nadya’s visions are the key to survival as the new planet is inhabited by dinosaur sized reptiles. More than halfway through the book there is an unexpected twist that adds intrigue to the situation.
I enjoyed the book so much that I asked the author if the next book was out and was excited/disappointed to hear that it won’t come out until December. For all those who love great world-building science fiction, this book is a wonderful story with many more books to follow.
July 29, 2021
For lovers of edgy, spine tingling stories, characters, and worlds only
I can’t recommend this page turning debut effort enough. To be honest I’m both shocked and humbled that the AOA is a debut novel, due to the knowledge and craft evident throughout.
I’m always spellbound by unique characters and even better yet, a new and layered ‘bad arse’ especially if that bad arse is a woman. Tobin writes wickedly beguiling female characters, and Mother Olga is no exception. In a time unlike any other for most of us, when the need to be surprised and enthralled surpasses even the need to be entertained and distracted one thing is for certain you will most definitely be inspired. At least I was.
This is a lush and unyielding story where no person or country is let off the hook by the author, every dog has its day in a story that blasts mankind from the planet in a self-inflicted war to end all wars. However, this is not a bleak world this is a world full of edgy dialogue, and even edgier characters. You will be hard-pressed to pick your favourite because even the belligerent and typically tactless old Russian president is a scream. As usually befitting great content, this book has plenty lol moments.
Just after halfway mid through the storyline hits a mark where it most definitely takes on a more sci fi direction with the introduction of a master race the Normad’r.”
Just hang onto your ‘what the’ For a minute cos the one thing Tobin does well is loop this all together. It’s not long before you’re away from the troubles of mankind and onto exploring new worlds, wishing you were also on board the Magellan 11. The story is always grounded, it suspends your belief and paces back and forth easily between the new world in the skies and the enclaves left to survive on earth.
What can I say, if you’re on the lookout for a new and weighty piece of fiction, as this author literally comes from a family of rocket scientists, then The Arc of Apocalypse is probably the novel you should choose.
Tobin in my opinion brings a fresh concept to an ever-increasing human problem ‘global warming’ and solves it in a way that will leave your heart in your mouth but I’m so glad I purchased the ticket. A masterpiece of science fiction and a hair-raising political thriller all in one, I’m on hold for the second book in the Magellan 11 Chronicles and cannot wait!
I can’t recommend this page turning debut effort enough. To be honest I’m both shocked and humbled that the AOA is a debut novel, due to the knowledge and craft evident throughout.
I’m always spellbound by unique characters and even better yet, a new and layered ‘bad arse’ especially if that bad arse is a woman. Tobin writes wickedly beguiling female characters, and Mother Olga is no exception. In a time unlike any other for most of us, when the need to be surprised and enthralled surpasses even the need to be entertained and distracted one thing is for certain you will most definitely be inspired. At least I was.
This is a lush and unyielding story where no person or country is let off the hook by the author, every dog has its day in a story that blasts mankind from the planet in a self-inflicted war to end all wars. However, this is not a bleak world this is a world full of edgy dialogue, and even edgier characters. You will be hard-pressed to pick your favourite because even the belligerent and typically tactless old Russian president is a scream. As usually befitting great content, this book has plenty lol moments.
Just after halfway mid through the storyline hits a mark where it most definitely takes on a more sci fi direction with the introduction of a master race the Normad’r.”
Just hang onto your ‘what the’ For a minute cos the one thing Tobin does well is loop this all together. It’s not long before you’re away from the troubles of mankind and onto exploring new worlds, wishing you were also on board the Magellan 11. The story is always grounded, it suspends your belief and paces back and forth easily between the new world in the skies and the enclaves left to survive on earth.
What can I say, if you’re on the lookout for a new and weighty piece of fiction, as this author literally comes from a family of rocket scientists, then The Arc of Apocalypse is probably the novel you should choose.
Tobin in my opinion brings a fresh concept to an ever-increasing human problem ‘global warming’ and solves it in a way that will leave your heart in your mouth but I’m so glad I purchased the ticket. A masterpiece of science fiction and a hair-raising political thriller all in one, I’m on hold for the second book in the Magellan 11 Chronicles and cannot wait!
October 8, 2021
With strong world-building, this book takes the Earth to meet its end and explores the struggles survivors have to continue mankind's survival on another planet.
Unlike many dystopian books, this one starts long before the world ends and the spacecraft sets off to find a new planet for the colonists. It begins in the 1930's and works its way quickly through history to make sure the necessary background and foundation is laid. The death of Earth takes time and so do the plans of those involved in its end. Everything is carefully laid out, creating a rich plot and story line. The processes are easy to follow and understandable, giving lots of food for thought before the journey into space even begins. So, this is definitely a well-planned and well-written novel.
For my taste, though, it was a bit slow. While the general pacing is steady, the journey of the colonists doesn't really take place until about 2/3rd's through the book. But considering this is the beginning to a series, that's not necessarily a problem. It just isn't completely my type of read. The author uses various points of view from differing positions and experiences to allow the reader to gain a well-woven understanding and view of what happens and how its handled. While it was very interesting, it also made many of the characters remain at an arm length's away, since their thoughts and feelings didn't really come into play. So, while the tale was intriguing, it was hard to gain an emotional connection, at times.
The pacing picks up when the colonists launch into space. When they arrive at the strange world, there are intriguing problems to be faced and the book seems to jump into a slightly different direction...as if two books have formed one. I enjoyed the mix of science fiction with hints of fantasy, and found the entire setting original. The basis for future books in the series is well laid during this part as well.
While this isn't completely my type of read, it's very well done and is sure to delight readers who enjoy rich worlds, well-laid out plots, and look forward to being invited to ponder situations long after the book is laid down. I received a complimentary copy and found this to be a thought-provoking read.
Unlike many dystopian books, this one starts long before the world ends and the spacecraft sets off to find a new planet for the colonists. It begins in the 1930's and works its way quickly through history to make sure the necessary background and foundation is laid. The death of Earth takes time and so do the plans of those involved in its end. Everything is carefully laid out, creating a rich plot and story line. The processes are easy to follow and understandable, giving lots of food for thought before the journey into space even begins. So, this is definitely a well-planned and well-written novel.
For my taste, though, it was a bit slow. While the general pacing is steady, the journey of the colonists doesn't really take place until about 2/3rd's through the book. But considering this is the beginning to a series, that's not necessarily a problem. It just isn't completely my type of read. The author uses various points of view from differing positions and experiences to allow the reader to gain a well-woven understanding and view of what happens and how its handled. While it was very interesting, it also made many of the characters remain at an arm length's away, since their thoughts and feelings didn't really come into play. So, while the tale was intriguing, it was hard to gain an emotional connection, at times.
The pacing picks up when the colonists launch into space. When they arrive at the strange world, there are intriguing problems to be faced and the book seems to jump into a slightly different direction...as if two books have formed one. I enjoyed the mix of science fiction with hints of fantasy, and found the entire setting original. The basis for future books in the series is well laid during this part as well.
While this isn't completely my type of read, it's very well done and is sure to delight readers who enjoy rich worlds, well-laid out plots, and look forward to being invited to ponder situations long after the book is laid down. I received a complimentary copy and found this to be a thought-provoking read.
October 8, 2021
"The war lasted almost twenty-four hours. Both the Russian and American governments were destroyed in the first hour...Almost all life on the landmasses ceased to exist. The oceans fared little better...the war to end all wars did just that."
These chilling words make the sci fi novel Ark of the Apocalypse by debut author Tobin Marks also part political thriller. Written with descriptive detail we see Earth not just being ravished by climate change and human pollution but by greedy power hungry politicians.
The science fiction in this book is about finding a new planet to sustain the human race. The first part is about of Earth's destruction and it is more science facts than fiction which is scarier than any horror book.
The new planet is much like Earth's beginning with reptiles running throughout the planet. Best part is dragons and earthlings becoming dragon riders. This part soothed my Game of Thrones Heart.
The political machinations that lead to mass destruction was a bit to real at times. It is obvious the writer did his research. He also has created a world worthy of an HBOMAX
series.
There is a bit of fantasy with a family that seems somewhat immortal and sees the future and I was a bit confused about what they could change or control. I did appreciate the empathy thay had for most humans.
This book is fast paced with short chapters and way too real believable events leading to our planets demise. I was fascinated by the world building of the planet we take over. I say we because it is the human race that become the invading aliens. A unique turn of events. This series will appeal to more than sci fi fans. It has thriller and fantasy elements making it a well rounded escape for any reader.
I received a free copy of this book from #blackthornbooktours for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
These chilling words make the sci fi novel Ark of the Apocalypse by debut author Tobin Marks also part political thriller. Written with descriptive detail we see Earth not just being ravished by climate change and human pollution but by greedy power hungry politicians.
The science fiction in this book is about finding a new planet to sustain the human race. The first part is about of Earth's destruction and it is more science facts than fiction which is scarier than any horror book.
The new planet is much like Earth's beginning with reptiles running throughout the planet. Best part is dragons and earthlings becoming dragon riders. This part soothed my Game of Thrones Heart.
The political machinations that lead to mass destruction was a bit to real at times. It is obvious the writer did his research. He also has created a world worthy of an HBOMAX
series.
There is a bit of fantasy with a family that seems somewhat immortal and sees the future and I was a bit confused about what they could change or control. I did appreciate the empathy thay had for most humans.
This book is fast paced with short chapters and way too real believable events leading to our planets demise. I was fascinated by the world building of the planet we take over. I say we because it is the human race that become the invading aliens. A unique turn of events. This series will appeal to more than sci fi fans. It has thriller and fantasy elements making it a well rounded escape for any reader.
I received a free copy of this book from #blackthornbooktours for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 22, 2021
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions are my own.
When I began the read of this book I found the beginning was very compelling. The story is very fast paced. It begins with a family and several people in different places on Earth. You follow those people and their descendants and how they play a role in the survival of humans or their destruction. There is also a very political plot in the middle that I enjoyed a lot, thinking that hopefully it won't happen but it really could.
It surprised me how much I enjoyed it. It's been a long time since I read a scify and even more that I read a multi generations follow up kind of book (the last one I think it was A hundred years of solitude by Gabriel García Márquez). It was great to see how the events unfold that let to the apocalypse. It was awesome! I loved how logical all was, everything is based on things that can really happen to us.
I felt that even though we spend so little time with many of the characters, especially in the first part, I could really connect with them and feel for them. In the second part, the worldbuilding was not heavily descriptive, which i enjoyed. All the scenes were well described to picture in my head. Most of the time, I felt like I was watching a movie. The emotions were all there, I cried many times during the book and I loved the ending. I felt so much for Nadya and Sasha and even Olga. Rodynia was adorable. I understood the choices the characters had to make even when I didn't agree with them.
When I began the read of this book I found the beginning was very compelling. The story is very fast paced. It begins with a family and several people in different places on Earth. You follow those people and their descendants and how they play a role in the survival of humans or their destruction. There is also a very political plot in the middle that I enjoyed a lot, thinking that hopefully it won't happen but it really could.
It surprised me how much I enjoyed it. It's been a long time since I read a scify and even more that I read a multi generations follow up kind of book (the last one I think it was A hundred years of solitude by Gabriel García Márquez). It was great to see how the events unfold that let to the apocalypse. It was awesome! I loved how logical all was, everything is based on things that can really happen to us.
I felt that even though we spend so little time with many of the characters, especially in the first part, I could really connect with them and feel for them. In the second part, the worldbuilding was not heavily descriptive, which i enjoyed. All the scenes were well described to picture in my head. Most of the time, I felt like I was watching a movie. The emotions were all there, I cried many times during the book and I loved the ending. I felt so much for Nadya and Sasha and even Olga. Rodynia was adorable. I understood the choices the characters had to make even when I didn't agree with them.
May 4, 2021
Exciting read.
This book is interesting on many counts. It is a combination of science fiction, medieval fantasy and sprawling saga. There is intrigue, magic and prophecy, and interstellar space travel. The book also has dragons and dinosaurs. It is enormous in terms of both scope and passage of time.
This is an origin story, so a lot of world building needed to happen very quickly. Despite that, the pace never flagged. In fact, it kept ramping up. I was engaged from the very beginning as mankind, reeling from the effects of unchecked climate change, sends a ship into deep space to a planet it thinks can sustain human life. The voyagers crash land and encounter hostile aliens.
Author Tobin Marks deftly mixes genres and ably maneuvers through thousands of years without losing the reader. The writing is clear and concise. I didn’t feel anything was rushed or skimmed over, and I totally bought into the story.
Most important of all, the book made me cry. I’m eager to see more from this author.
I was provided a complimentary review copy of the book. The views expressed are my own.
This book is interesting on many counts. It is a combination of science fiction, medieval fantasy and sprawling saga. There is intrigue, magic and prophecy, and interstellar space travel. The book also has dragons and dinosaurs. It is enormous in terms of both scope and passage of time.
This is an origin story, so a lot of world building needed to happen very quickly. Despite that, the pace never flagged. In fact, it kept ramping up. I was engaged from the very beginning as mankind, reeling from the effects of unchecked climate change, sends a ship into deep space to a planet it thinks can sustain human life. The voyagers crash land and encounter hostile aliens.
Author Tobin Marks deftly mixes genres and ably maneuvers through thousands of years without losing the reader. The writing is clear and concise. I didn’t feel anything was rushed or skimmed over, and I totally bought into the story.
Most important of all, the book made me cry. I’m eager to see more from this author.
I was provided a complimentary review copy of the book. The views expressed are my own.
January 22, 2021
There's a lot going on from the start in this one. While the first sentences are overworked, the writing quickly improves and is only marred by occasional spelling mistakes that a round of proofreading should fix.
The saga spans thousands of years and heavily involves global warming, space travel, and dragons. Yes, you read that right. The funny thing is that these vastly different topics, locations, and story lines are all interconnected in such an ingenious way that nothing seems out of place. There is a red thread that sews everything together, even if the reader is kept in the dark regarding its purpose and outcome.
The many characters are properly fleshed out and I was on the edge of my seat all the way until the end of the book. It has an ending that rounds of the story well, while leaving plenty of space for one's imagination to create a vast number of follow-up scenarios. Absolutely fantastic!
This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The saga spans thousands of years and heavily involves global warming, space travel, and dragons. Yes, you read that right. The funny thing is that these vastly different topics, locations, and story lines are all interconnected in such an ingenious way that nothing seems out of place. There is a red thread that sews everything together, even if the reader is kept in the dark regarding its purpose and outcome.
The many characters are properly fleshed out and I was on the edge of my seat all the way until the end of the book. It has an ending that rounds of the story well, while leaving plenty of space for one's imagination to create a vast number of follow-up scenarios. Absolutely fantastic!
This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 2, 2021
Arc of the Apocalypse by Tobin Marks is a prequel to his earlier book Endeavor's Run. This story is a wonderful blend of History and Science Fiction with threads Magic running throughout.
In 1936, on a cold and blowy day in Norway, a man anxiously awaits a visit from an old friend who has requested a rare chunk of green amber that he has found. Their meeting is dangerous and there will be consequences that will span the next 2,000 years and the far reaches of space.
Meanwhile, a successful business man tinkers with an invention that, unbeknown to him, promises to revolutionize travel. However, tragedy strikes before he can fully realize his dream, but his grandson remembers the wonderous invention and many years later, his grandson finds and finishes the machine that will enable travel to far-flung places.
I couldn't put this book down as the weaving of history, science and dreams kept me turning the pages. I eagerly await the next installment of Tobin Marks' The Magellan II Chronicles.
In 1936, on a cold and blowy day in Norway, a man anxiously awaits a visit from an old friend who has requested a rare chunk of green amber that he has found. Their meeting is dangerous and there will be consequences that will span the next 2,000 years and the far reaches of space.
Meanwhile, a successful business man tinkers with an invention that, unbeknown to him, promises to revolutionize travel. However, tragedy strikes before he can fully realize his dream, but his grandson remembers the wonderous invention and many years later, his grandson finds and finishes the machine that will enable travel to far-flung places.
I couldn't put this book down as the weaving of history, science and dreams kept me turning the pages. I eagerly await the next installment of Tobin Marks' The Magellan II Chronicles.
June 4, 2021
This was such a fantastic read from beginning to end! I typically read mostly fantasy books and was so pleasantly surprised by all of the different generas this one hit on. There are fantasy elements along with the futurist science fiction themes, but also some political undertones and even some historical fiction! I was blown away by the creativity of the story line! This story spans so many lifetimes yet you still feel connected to one character which is truly a testament to the author’s ability to write in themes and his skill at character development. I often struggle to stay engaged in books that jump around on story lines, but found I had no difficulty with this story as everything was so interestingly connected and every chapter left me wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys any kind of fiction as it will keep you pulled in from beginning to end
October 15, 2021
When you finish reading this book, don’t begin trying to explain it to somebody without going into specifics. It is filled with many hairpin turns that could make it seem as though it is nothing but rubbish. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
The story is one wild ride. It begins in the waning days of World War II, and it ends many, many years into the future. You are kept fully engaged until the very end where there is an ending that ties everything up into a neat little bow.
If you’re looking for a book that will absolutely capture your imagination, and keep you fully involved in the story, then this is the book you will definitely want to read
The story is one wild ride. It begins in the waning days of World War II, and it ends many, many years into the future. You are kept fully engaged until the very end where there is an ending that ties everything up into a neat little bow.
If you’re looking for a book that will absolutely capture your imagination, and keep you fully involved in the story, then this is the book you will definitely want to read
February 20, 2021
There is a lot of good to be said about this book. The story unfolds in a natural fashion, and it is easy to feel for the characters and the situations they find themselves in. There is always something happening, and the general lack of unnecessary intrigues means that no word is wasted. The descriptive writing style was transportive, and there is a general sense of purpose throughout the book.
This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 3, 2022
Tobin Marks provides a thought-provoking book
I enjoyed this book. It does a great job of weaving science fiction with history and fantasy.
This book is multi layered and a hell of a ride I am looking forward to reading the sequel
I enjoyed this book. It does a great job of weaving science fiction with history and fantasy.
This book is multi layered and a hell of a ride I am looking forward to reading the sequel
Read
March 30, 2021Very fast paced and imaginative. However I had a difficult time connecting to the main characters as they came and went so briefly. Not for me.
January 3, 2023
This book is penned around a period where a series of nuclear wars between major world powers leads to an extinction level event that destroys the planet Earth.
These nations are in struggle for control over the dwindling natural resources on earth , a consequence of climate change and global warming that led to draughts, scarcity of water, melting ice caps and raging fires all over the world.
Tension has been rising between the US and Russia governments, being the two remaining players in the earthly game for dominion, after a series of wars which they both more or less played parts in that had left many civilizations decapitated or eliminated. Driven by greed and struggle for dominance, they both engage in a very catastrophic battle that strangles life out of an already cancerous planet.
In the midst of all the chaos, different entities , from around the work towards different goals that would sooner than later make them cross paths in the process of trying to prevent the human race from dying out.
The Yanbeyev family, descendants of the prosecuted Tartan race and a family of doctors , blessed with the gift of the Path which gives them supernatural abilities pursue the interest of propagating their bloodline for the preservation of mankind. Nadya Yanbeyev is chosen to lead mankind into paradise.
Dr. Mizushima, a Japanese scientist, develops a prototype of a machine which could travel outer space without fossil fuel and it is perfected by his great grandson Hikaru Mizushima , with the aid of NASA and the US and Russian governments , who at that point sill had common interests.
The spaceship, Magellan II, is finally completed and departs the dying planet, with a crew made up of a selected group of humans from various nationalities, to Kepler 3221a, a similar planet to earth, which could support life.
While humanity battles for survival and colonization on a strange planet controlled by more sentient beings, Nadya foresees a future War; much greater in magnitude , that would determine if the species, homo sapiens cease to exist.
The book has a multiple storylines which are intricately intertwined, surprisingly easy to follow. It keeps you captivated through the whole ride and you don't get confused about who is who.
The overall message in the book was informative as well. The author created a storyline out of a plot that depicts the consequences of global warming, reckless wars and mismanagement of natural resources.
There were so many characters that it allowed for minimal character development. It makes it difficult to get emotionally attached to a character so their deaths doesn't have much effect on the reader. On a personal note, I felt the book lacked grasping plot twists and dramatic turn of events to keep readers on their toes as incidents in the book are mostly predictable. Nevertheless, the book was worth every page turn. I would give it a rating of 4 out of 5.
These nations are in struggle for control over the dwindling natural resources on earth , a consequence of climate change and global warming that led to draughts, scarcity of water, melting ice caps and raging fires all over the world.
Tension has been rising between the US and Russia governments, being the two remaining players in the earthly game for dominion, after a series of wars which they both more or less played parts in that had left many civilizations decapitated or eliminated. Driven by greed and struggle for dominance, they both engage in a very catastrophic battle that strangles life out of an already cancerous planet.
In the midst of all the chaos, different entities , from around the work towards different goals that would sooner than later make them cross paths in the process of trying to prevent the human race from dying out.
The Yanbeyev family, descendants of the prosecuted Tartan race and a family of doctors , blessed with the gift of the Path which gives them supernatural abilities pursue the interest of propagating their bloodline for the preservation of mankind. Nadya Yanbeyev is chosen to lead mankind into paradise.
Dr. Mizushima, a Japanese scientist, develops a prototype of a machine which could travel outer space without fossil fuel and it is perfected by his great grandson Hikaru Mizushima , with the aid of NASA and the US and Russian governments , who at that point sill had common interests.
The spaceship, Magellan II, is finally completed and departs the dying planet, with a crew made up of a selected group of humans from various nationalities, to Kepler 3221a, a similar planet to earth, which could support life.
While humanity battles for survival and colonization on a strange planet controlled by more sentient beings, Nadya foresees a future War; much greater in magnitude , that would determine if the species, homo sapiens cease to exist.
The book has a multiple storylines which are intricately intertwined, surprisingly easy to follow. It keeps you captivated through the whole ride and you don't get confused about who is who.
The overall message in the book was informative as well. The author created a storyline out of a plot that depicts the consequences of global warming, reckless wars and mismanagement of natural resources.
There were so many characters that it allowed for minimal character development. It makes it difficult to get emotionally attached to a character so their deaths doesn't have much effect on the reader. On a personal note, I felt the book lacked grasping plot twists and dramatic turn of events to keep readers on their toes as incidents in the book are mostly predictable. Nevertheless, the book was worth every page turn. I would give it a rating of 4 out of 5.
March 22, 2022
WHAT IS ARK OF THE APOCALYPSE ?
It all starts during the Second World War. Germany and its allies are losing the battle, traitors are being persecuted, sectors of the world are being partially destroyed… and some, are making grand discoveries. Discoveries that would lead to humankind being saved from facing its own responsibility. The name of that discovery?
The Magellan II.
A spaceship that would take humans into a whole new kind of territory just to escape the hell they’ve made out of Earth. Oh, and hell it is.
**
Having seen both spaceships and dragons inside the book’s blurb made me instantly curious about what kind of story could get both things to mix, and get insanely positive reviews to go along with it. My previous experience with both elements had turned less than fruitful, so I had my doubts, but curiosity still remained.
And what did I conclude after reading it?
Well, let me just say I got my answer. Albeit a very personal one.
Should you read this book, or just skip it?
Let me tell you what you need to know before making that choice.
C h a r a c t e r s
Okay, this is one of those books I find hard to divide into different categories to be reviewed in this format. There’s something about it that makes some components weigh heavier than others; perhaps because my interest was picked by one category most of all, but I can’t be sure of the exact reason for it. So, let me attempt to make a distinction between one and the next, for the purpose of this review.
Let’s try characters.
First thing to mention should be that this book doesn’t place its bet on characters, or character development. Characters don’t grow or evolve from what their task is, they simply fulfill it. They need to do x or y thing, for x or y thing to happen, and they, without complaint, do it.
Contrary to how this may sound, it doesn’t strike me as a bad thing. These characters make the plot interesting; their actions matter most than their emotions or their thoughts because they’re mere pawns in it. Pawns that have a purpose; it’s what they do that keeps the reader flipping pages, it’s what happens to them that makes their story interesting and what ultimately kept me going.
They might not be relatable, or particularly interesting, but they play a part.
A part I wanted to keep knowing more of.
The negative side?
Well, this type of character doesn’t really strike my personal fancy.
Verdict? WORKS FOR ME
P l o t
This is where things get interesting.
I am not one to read novels where the plot is the main aspect of it. Mainly because I enjoy connecting with people and empathizing with hardships. However, whilst reading this, I found I can sit through an entire book with little to no concerns for this type of interaction. Sure, characters connected, suffered, and enjoyed themselves, but this wasn’t the main part of the story.
The plot was the main point.
Why? Personally, I enjoyed it because this read more like a conspiracy theory than anything else. There were dark secrets behind widely known information, and a bunch of arguments I had seen thrown out before, as to where humans really come from, or what the Nazis had been able to do while nobody was watching.
Although this wasn’t implied to be a hundred percent accurate in our real world, my mind kept going to the ‘what ifs’. What if everything–or at least some portion of it–turned out true?
It intensified as the plot kept getting faster paced, and also, as stakes rose. Reading this made it feel like a documentary that exposed how humans got to where we are, and how it all could possibly turn out in the future.
But that’s me, I am a sucker for conspiracy theories.
Verdict? WORKS FOR ME
W r i t i n g
In this sense, writing was straightforward.
Simple to read and understand. Whatever technologies, or political matters it addressed, it seemed to know what it was doing. The explanations, the descriptions, and everything regarding technicalities appeared to me as if they could exist in real life. I am no hardcore fan of the sci-fi genre, so I probably could get tons of contradictions on this, but to me, the author did it credibly.
What I would say went wrong for me in this case, was that the pacing sometimes felt awkward due to the nature of the story. Tons of time could go by between paragraphs, and that sometimes took my mind off immersion, resulting in me having to do a double-take on things.
But for the most part, I thought it served its purpose.
Then again, not my preferred style.
Verdict? WORKS FOR ME
T h e m e s
At first, I couldn’t quite pinpoint the themes within this story.
I actually started liking where it was going, up to the mid-point. Then I realized what sort of ideas lay beyond the plot, or the characters themselves. And those ideas I don’t particularly like. Or my interpretation of those ideas, anyway.
There’re always things you support and things you don’t. Mine happen to be in this book, and I cannot shy away from saying I’m not into them. Ideas are a tricky thing, and though they may seem harmless, they can accomplish quite a bunch. I want to clarify though, that I’m not implying the author has dangerous ideas or something of the like, it’s just a show of how our culture can get inside our brains without us realizing it.
Why do I say this? Because this story has some nationalistic tinges to it.
I don’t often like the idea of nations, and though this book tries to fight it, I think it ends up reinforcing it to an extent. Maybe subconsciously, maybe not, but it sort of does, and this is something that, then again, isn’t my cup of tea.
Should I do an analysis of why the ideas of nations can be limiting?
Let me know somewhere!
Verdict? NOT FOR ME
To make a long story short, this book is:
Not for me.
Final thoughts
To answer the question of why this book managed to mix spaceships and dragons so well, I would have to revert back to my love of conspiracy theories. Once you have a decent explanation for it, no amount of imagination can make you believe the contrary.
The world in this story made it possible for this mix to exist. If we’re not the only ones in space, would a reptile hegemony in other places sound so crazy? The writing, the plot, and existing conspiracies do make this a possibility.
As to my rating of it…
This is one of those cases where every category ranks positively except for one, and I still don’t find it suits my tastes. Maybe I feel too strongly about what lies beyond the stories we tell, and maybe that isn’t fair to books themselves, but, if stories shape us, then shouldn’t everyone be concerned with what ideas we transmit?
In short, I believe you should read this book if you’re looking for a well-written conspiracy theory that centers itself on plot, and don’t mind a bit of nationalism thrown around. I’m already sure there’s a market for that, and the positive reviews account for it!
I thank the author for the copy I received from him in exchange for my honest thoughts.
He did a good job, even if it wasn’t exactly a book for me.
November 29, 2022
Earth is at its verge of ending due to climate change, there is very little portable water anywhere and countries are constantly having a war over it. With the loss of many lives in the process, Magellan II is created. This ship takes colonist to a new world to save them from destruction.
The universe built by Tobin marks is well planned. Marks did an excellent job by including characters with different personalities and ambitions. The novel is a perfect combination of fiction and fantasy. There is magic, space travel, prophecy, dragons.
This book is engaging, there are so much to learn from this great book. Likewise, it is easy to comprehend the authors motive, I didn’t come across any errors while reading. Therefore I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
The universe built by Tobin marks is well planned. Marks did an excellent job by including characters with different personalities and ambitions. The novel is a perfect combination of fiction and fantasy. There is magic, space travel, prophecy, dragons.
This book is engaging, there are so much to learn from this great book. Likewise, it is easy to comprehend the authors motive, I didn’t come across any errors while reading. Therefore I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
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