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Space Race #1
Space Race
Ten teams. One grand prize. The Race is on.
Arlo Lewis was resigned to his station in life as a supply hauler for one of the Primary Corporations ruling Earth, until an acquisition forces him to re-evaluate his situation.
When he’s hand selected to lead SeaTech’s Race team, he struggles to return to the competitive field he abandoned as a teenager.
With an eager team, and the promise of a better future, Arlo takes on the challenge, only to find more at stake than the rights to Proxima.
Under the threat of a revolution brewing at the finish line, things don’t go as expected.
The galaxy will never be the same. But that may be exactly what Arlo needs.
Join Space Race today!
From the author of The Survivors and Baldwin's Legacy comes a thrilling new series.
Arlo Lewis was resigned to his station in life as a supply hauler for one of the Primary Corporations ruling Earth, until an acquisition forces him to re-evaluate his situation.
When he’s hand selected to lead SeaTech’s Race team, he struggles to return to the competitive field he abandoned as a teenager.
With an eager team, and the promise of a better future, Arlo takes on the challenge, only to find more at stake than the rights to Proxima.
Under the threat of a revolution brewing at the finish line, things don’t go as expected.
The galaxy will never be the same. But that may be exactly what Arlo needs.
Join Space Race today!
From the author of The Survivors and Baldwin's Legacy comes a thrilling new series.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 16, 2021
327 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 16, 2021
One of the great hallmarks of a Nathan Hystad book is its wonderful immersion into a world carefully built and populated. Nathan’s characters are all flawed in a very human way, and this brings them to life so that they literally leap off the pages at you. Nathan’s books, once started, are nearly impossible to put down simply because you MUST find out what happens next. Few authors can grab your mind and your guts and your soul this way, but Space Race Book 1 ticks all the boxes for a great read.
In the book, we find a broken-down, self-pitying former adolescent champion of pod racers, Arlo “Hawk” Lewis, now hauling cargo when he can get contracts, from the primary corporations. Earth is no longer run by governments, it is run by 10 primary corporations, and everyone else is subservient to them. Arlo is a moral guy, and he will go out of his way to save and rescue people and to do the right thing. We get glimpses into Arlo’s past and live bits of his story as the book progresses. We soon find out that the greatest trauma he suffered is when his beloved grandfather Preston, who was his mentor and greatest supporter and coach, gets an opportunity to captain a space mission to Proxima B. He leaps at the opportunity, leaving Arlo behind. And Arlo drops out of racing at the pinnacle of his career, and never recovers from the loss.
Fast forward about 20 years to today, when Arlo gets behind on a schedule, tries to save some people, and consequently gets ripped off and cheated, and fired by the corporation he works for. Along the way, he discovers a hitherto fore unknown alien spaceship and a language he cannot decode. He is contacted by a Corporation, SeaTech, and its CEO, Bryson Kelly, who wants him to work for him – win the great space race, where the prize is complete control of Proxima B.
Together with an unlikely crew, he takes on the challenge. But all is not as it seems. Competing corporations, dark and dangerous aliens, and revolutionary forces intent on destroying the corporate structure of Earth all seem to conspire against Arlo.
Suffice it to say that with practically 0 predictability, several completely unsuspected and stunning surprises, and many obstacles to overcome, this book is a non-stop action page-turner that just doesn’t quit until the final period.
As I have said many times about Nathan Hystad, the well-known Sci-Fi writer Ray J. Perreault is very well known for a certain quote: 'A good Sci-Fi Author shows you an alien world; a great one takes you there.' Nathan takes us there every time, and once again I stopped everything else I was reading until I finished this exquisite book.
Get this. Read it. You will love it. I already pressed the button to pre-order the next book in the series coming soon!
In the book, we find a broken-down, self-pitying former adolescent champion of pod racers, Arlo “Hawk” Lewis, now hauling cargo when he can get contracts, from the primary corporations. Earth is no longer run by governments, it is run by 10 primary corporations, and everyone else is subservient to them. Arlo is a moral guy, and he will go out of his way to save and rescue people and to do the right thing. We get glimpses into Arlo’s past and live bits of his story as the book progresses. We soon find out that the greatest trauma he suffered is when his beloved grandfather Preston, who was his mentor and greatest supporter and coach, gets an opportunity to captain a space mission to Proxima B. He leaps at the opportunity, leaving Arlo behind. And Arlo drops out of racing at the pinnacle of his career, and never recovers from the loss.
Fast forward about 20 years to today, when Arlo gets behind on a schedule, tries to save some people, and consequently gets ripped off and cheated, and fired by the corporation he works for. Along the way, he discovers a hitherto fore unknown alien spaceship and a language he cannot decode. He is contacted by a Corporation, SeaTech, and its CEO, Bryson Kelly, who wants him to work for him – win the great space race, where the prize is complete control of Proxima B.
Together with an unlikely crew, he takes on the challenge. But all is not as it seems. Competing corporations, dark and dangerous aliens, and revolutionary forces intent on destroying the corporate structure of Earth all seem to conspire against Arlo.
Suffice it to say that with practically 0 predictability, several completely unsuspected and stunning surprises, and many obstacles to overcome, this book is a non-stop action page-turner that just doesn’t quit until the final period.
As I have said many times about Nathan Hystad, the well-known Sci-Fi writer Ray J. Perreault is very well known for a certain quote: 'A good Sci-Fi Author shows you an alien world; a great one takes you there.' Nathan takes us there every time, and once again I stopped everything else I was reading until I finished this exquisite book.
Get this. Read it. You will love it. I already pressed the button to pre-order the next book in the series coming soon!
March 21, 2021
Entertaining
With a loose interpretation of physics this book is not recommended for hard science fans. In spite of its largess, I found the storyline entertaining and will also try the sequel. Good character development and supporting cast, plus a very different worldview with corporations in charge and governments largely nonexistent. This book successfully resolves the majority of story threads and leaves just one to pull the reader into the next book.
With a loose interpretation of physics this book is not recommended for hard science fans. In spite of its largess, I found the storyline entertaining and will also try the sequel. Good character development and supporting cast, plus a very different worldview with corporations in charge and governments largely nonexistent. This book successfully resolves the majority of story threads and leaves just one to pull the reader into the next book.
August 15, 2024
This was pure sci fi and it was good. The plot was strong. I did feel as if the outline was showing sometimes. There were moments when convenient things would happen right before something that would mess that up. Overall though it was an enjoyable read. I was not a fan of the audiobook narrator. The main character was supposed to be 34 but the voice sounded like that of a 64 year old grizzled old man. I get the impression was supposed to be one of a man with a past, but it also made for some ick moments during the brief times the character would steal a lustful glance at a teammate. I think on paper it probably worked but in audio it felt gross.
March 1, 2021
Superb Work!
This first installment of Space Race is the best of Hystad’s writing to date. Great action, solid believable characters and a plot that will keep you reading and wanting more.
This first installment of Space Race is the best of Hystad’s writing to date. Great action, solid believable characters and a plot that will keep you reading and wanting more.
February 25, 2021
Good Story, well worth reading, the ending could be better
Argo “Hawk” Lewis a POD racer as a youngster following his grandfather’s advice changes his adult job as a freight hauler to join a Space Race team. Jade, Luther, and Holland, all from different walks of life join as a team.
Argo “Hawk” Lewis a POD racer as a youngster following his grandfather’s advice changes his adult job as a freight hauler to join a Space Race team. Jade, Luther, and Holland, all from different walks of life join as a team.
February 18, 2021
I really enjoyed Space Race as the first entry in a new series by author Nathan Hystad. It's set in the future about a century, and follows a young man who enjoyed youth as a competitive pod racer, but disappointingly became a struggling owner and pilot of a space supply hauler. He seemed destined for so much more in his youth. Fortunately, circumstances lead him to a new position as a pilot with a large corporation that has entered into an esteemed space race with an important prize to the winning company.
The book examines a corporate takeover of the world and a revolution that results in a surprise ending that is a fantastic setup for book two. There's a lot going on here and it moves at a fairly quick pace with many twists and turns. I had trouble putting this book down and found a real attachment to the protagonist and his team as the character development was really well done as it always is in this author's books.
Highly recommended. Looking forward to book two.
The book examines a corporate takeover of the world and a revolution that results in a surprise ending that is a fantastic setup for book two. There's a lot going on here and it moves at a fairly quick pace with many twists and turns. I had trouble putting this book down and found a real attachment to the protagonist and his team as the character development was really well done as it always is in this author's books.
Highly recommended. Looking forward to book two.
February 16, 2021
I enjoyed this story about Arlo and his journey to win a Space Race put on my the major corporations. Everything seems to be business as usual for a future society run my corporations and everyone has a few conspiracy theories as to why a Space Race has really been organized. The story starts out with introducing the main characters of the race team with Arlo and things seem to be on their way as expected as the team prepares for the race. But of course things are not as they seem as the story gets even better. I was hooked from the beginning as the story builds up to something is just not right and secrets are hinted at from the beginning. I loved it as it slowly drew me in. I honestly liked the story from its plot to the build up to the secrets.
February 16, 2021
This book is a wild ride. The action begins at a medium pace and slowly builds through the story. The characters are slowly built as the plot progresses and reveal the many inner strengths needed to satisfy the plot. The world building gives the reader a familiar yet futuristic setting. The ending while somewhat deus ex machina is a fitting conclusion. I highly recommend this book to all. I am looking forward to the next next book in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 17, 2021
Fasten your seat belt folks you are in for a wild and interesting ride. The action begins at a slow to medium pace and then slowly builds through the story. We see the characters slowly built as the plot progresses revealing the inner strengths of the racers. Once again, I highly recommend this book to all. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 3, 2021
Space Race is one of those fast paced, action packed books, that once you pick it up, you struggle to put down, as it is just so gripping, with these stunning cliffhanger scenes, a sensational race that is made up of multiple components, and racers (as in the actual ships, not the competitors). The tech in this book is just extraordinary, there are times that it almost starts to slip into a Hard Sci-fi the tech is so in-depth, so fascinating and compelling.
This is only matched by both the exceptional Characters, Hystad’s character building and development is just masterful, and this combines with his beautiful, gritty, and captivating world building. Hystad has created all these different places we get to visit, in this future that is dominated by Corporations.
In this future, there are lots of Corporations all vying for control of the resources within the Sol System. Humanity has been limited to the Sol System for now, but there has been talk of expanding to the Proxima System. This was tried once before, but it didn’t work.
So for now, EVERYTHING, is run by the Corporations. And the aim is to be in the Top 10 – if you aren’t in the Top 10, well, you don’t really count.
For recreation, there is a lot of racing (Things never change), and at the start of the book, we get to see a young racer by the name of Arlo ‘Hawk’ Lewis, who is brilliant, obviously gifted at the sport of Pod Racing, and destined for great things, having won numerous trophies and competitions already, with his Grandfather by his side as his racing partner and Crew Chief.
That is, until his Grandfather, who is a famous pilot, leaves to pilot the first ill-fated mission to Proxima. Arlo quits racing.
Jump forward 19yrs later, and we find Arlo (our main character by the way), doing cargo runs out to Eris for one of the 10.
There is a bit of backstory, before he is approached by Bryson Kelley, the man who runs one of the Major Corporations, called SeaTech.
With all of Sol now locked down by industry, and humanity needing more space, it has been decided that there should be another mission to Proxima, but rather than having all of the Corporations fighting over the new system, they are going to run a Space Race, and the winner gets the rights to Proxima. However, only the Top 10 Companies can enter, as they want to make sure that anyone who wins has the right amount of capital to expend on such a venture.
At the start of this, SeaTech is actually out of the Top 10, and this is when Arlo is asked to join the team, to be the Pilot in the Mandatory 4 person team for the Race.
I don’t want to spoil things, so I am not going to go into the individual characters here too much, I will just discuss characters in a general sense. Hystad does such a wonderful job in creating this broad spectrum on characters, from all walks of life, with a huge variety of backgrounds, race, religion, colour, everything. This is a future that is less worried about all that sort of stuff, and more worried about where your loyalties are with the company you work for. And if you are a particularly important person, you might find that you are offered substantial money to come work somewhere else, and test those loyalties. It is a fascinating, complex, and intricate world that Hystad has created. On one hand, there appears to be less discrimination in the sense that we know it, and yet, there is substantially more, based on wealth, who you work for, where you live etc. It is so well done, so clever.
When Arlo runs into old friends, who are living a different lifestyle to everyone he knows, he suddenly gets his eyes opened to some of the more insidious things going on in the background, and this makes for a really interesting twist, not the normal rebel scenario that you expect in this type of book either.
Each of the Characters has so much raw depth to them, so much individuality, it really adds to what is a clever and thrilling character driven story. Whilst there are a number of ‘Major’ characters, Hystad’s minor characters are so well done, that they contribute so much to the story.
This is such an in-depth story, from the history of the Races, and Arlo’s involvement, to Proxima and his Grandfather, and the incredible, multi-faceted, and utterly fascinating Corporate System, that reminds you of so many things, but also wondering if we are not careful – is that where we are headed? And then the Space Race.
I don’t want to give away anything about the Space Race – it is just so much fun, you will be glued to the pages, (‘Just one more Chapter…, Ok, I’ll just find out what happens….. Well, I might as well finish the Chapter…2hrs later, and 10 Chapters – you’re still going!!!) It reminded a LOT of Matthew Reilly, A.G Riddle, that face paced story in which there are a group trying to achieve a goal, faced by challenge after challenge, and most of them with great peril attached.
The race is mind-blowing, it would make the most unbelievable video game (and if we can ever get Virtual Reality up and running properly, it would be INCREDIBLE!!), but for now, you have to sink into the Spectacular imagination of Hystad, and enjoy this Masterful Story, with Exceptional Characters and a Race that is both Exhilarating and Terrifying!!!
This is only matched by both the exceptional Characters, Hystad’s character building and development is just masterful, and this combines with his beautiful, gritty, and captivating world building. Hystad has created all these different places we get to visit, in this future that is dominated by Corporations.
In this future, there are lots of Corporations all vying for control of the resources within the Sol System. Humanity has been limited to the Sol System for now, but there has been talk of expanding to the Proxima System. This was tried once before, but it didn’t work.
So for now, EVERYTHING, is run by the Corporations. And the aim is to be in the Top 10 – if you aren’t in the Top 10, well, you don’t really count.
For recreation, there is a lot of racing (Things never change), and at the start of the book, we get to see a young racer by the name of Arlo ‘Hawk’ Lewis, who is brilliant, obviously gifted at the sport of Pod Racing, and destined for great things, having won numerous trophies and competitions already, with his Grandfather by his side as his racing partner and Crew Chief.
That is, until his Grandfather, who is a famous pilot, leaves to pilot the first ill-fated mission to Proxima. Arlo quits racing.
Jump forward 19yrs later, and we find Arlo (our main character by the way), doing cargo runs out to Eris for one of the 10.
There is a bit of backstory, before he is approached by Bryson Kelley, the man who runs one of the Major Corporations, called SeaTech.
With all of Sol now locked down by industry, and humanity needing more space, it has been decided that there should be another mission to Proxima, but rather than having all of the Corporations fighting over the new system, they are going to run a Space Race, and the winner gets the rights to Proxima. However, only the Top 10 Companies can enter, as they want to make sure that anyone who wins has the right amount of capital to expend on such a venture.
At the start of this, SeaTech is actually out of the Top 10, and this is when Arlo is asked to join the team, to be the Pilot in the Mandatory 4 person team for the Race.
I don’t want to spoil things, so I am not going to go into the individual characters here too much, I will just discuss characters in a general sense. Hystad does such a wonderful job in creating this broad spectrum on characters, from all walks of life, with a huge variety of backgrounds, race, religion, colour, everything. This is a future that is less worried about all that sort of stuff, and more worried about where your loyalties are with the company you work for. And if you are a particularly important person, you might find that you are offered substantial money to come work somewhere else, and test those loyalties. It is a fascinating, complex, and intricate world that Hystad has created. On one hand, there appears to be less discrimination in the sense that we know it, and yet, there is substantially more, based on wealth, who you work for, where you live etc. It is so well done, so clever.
When Arlo runs into old friends, who are living a different lifestyle to everyone he knows, he suddenly gets his eyes opened to some of the more insidious things going on in the background, and this makes for a really interesting twist, not the normal rebel scenario that you expect in this type of book either.
Each of the Characters has so much raw depth to them, so much individuality, it really adds to what is a clever and thrilling character driven story. Whilst there are a number of ‘Major’ characters, Hystad’s minor characters are so well done, that they contribute so much to the story.
This is such an in-depth story, from the history of the Races, and Arlo’s involvement, to Proxima and his Grandfather, and the incredible, multi-faceted, and utterly fascinating Corporate System, that reminds you of so many things, but also wondering if we are not careful – is that where we are headed? And then the Space Race.
I don’t want to give away anything about the Space Race – it is just so much fun, you will be glued to the pages, (‘Just one more Chapter…, Ok, I’ll just find out what happens….. Well, I might as well finish the Chapter…2hrs later, and 10 Chapters – you’re still going!!!) It reminded a LOT of Matthew Reilly, A.G Riddle, that face paced story in which there are a group trying to achieve a goal, faced by challenge after challenge, and most of them with great peril attached.
The race is mind-blowing, it would make the most unbelievable video game (and if we can ever get Virtual Reality up and running properly, it would be INCREDIBLE!!), but for now, you have to sink into the Spectacular imagination of Hystad, and enjoy this Masterful Story, with Exceptional Characters and a Race that is both Exhilarating and Terrifying!!!
April 16, 2022
Four people and a robot bond to make a team to compete for planetary rights - 5 stars
The top ten corporations announced a contest to win rights to colonize the planet Proxima, a race in space. It was a well-funded but tilted playing field. The concept was clear: the company that finished first won the rights to develop the planet Proxima. The challenge was to build a team to race between planets in a dystopian future.
Corporations ran everything; corporations had become the government of the future. Intrigue and side dealing are common. Arlo "Hawk" Lewis is a just-fired cargo ship captain. His crew consists of the president's son (Holland Kelley), a security expert (Luther Payne), an engineer (Jade Serrano), and a personable robot (R11). Arlo had two months to get his team working as a unit.
The head of the SeaTech company, Bryson Kelley, seemed personable and willing to do everything to support his team while being a good corporate citizen. The other nine companies were considered exploitive and strictly dedicated to their company's financial well-being. As the crew learned a little about each other, the preparation for the race seemed to follow a reasonable sequence.
There were hints that the voyage would be anything but smooth, especially when what seemed to be a coded extraterrestrial message was intercepted.
Rule changes seemed to be intended to disqualify Arlo's SeaTech entry; each potential failure presented opportunities for thinking creatively about how to succeed. Sabotage against SeaTech occurred nearly continuously during the race from the moon to Mars and then to Saturn. I was swept up in the excitement of scrambling to solve equipment problems. Space Race was the first story in a trilogy. I am looking forward to the next adventure.
The top ten corporations announced a contest to win rights to colonize the planet Proxima, a race in space. It was a well-funded but tilted playing field. The concept was clear: the company that finished first won the rights to develop the planet Proxima. The challenge was to build a team to race between planets in a dystopian future.
Corporations ran everything; corporations had become the government of the future. Intrigue and side dealing are common. Arlo "Hawk" Lewis is a just-fired cargo ship captain. His crew consists of the president's son (Holland Kelley), a security expert (Luther Payne), an engineer (Jade Serrano), and a personable robot (R11). Arlo had two months to get his team working as a unit.
The head of the SeaTech company, Bryson Kelley, seemed personable and willing to do everything to support his team while being a good corporate citizen. The other nine companies were considered exploitive and strictly dedicated to their company's financial well-being. As the crew learned a little about each other, the preparation for the race seemed to follow a reasonable sequence.
There were hints that the voyage would be anything but smooth, especially when what seemed to be a coded extraterrestrial message was intercepted.
Rule changes seemed to be intended to disqualify Arlo's SeaTech entry; each potential failure presented opportunities for thinking creatively about how to succeed. Sabotage against SeaTech occurred nearly continuously during the race from the moon to Mars and then to Saturn. I was swept up in the excitement of scrambling to solve equipment problems. Space Race was the first story in a trilogy. I am looking forward to the next adventure.
June 19, 2022
Hystad, Nathan. Space Race. Space Race No. 1. Woodbridge Press, 2021.
Nathan Hystad’s Space Race is a near-future young adult space opera, the sort of story that has been a staple in science fiction since at least the days of Robert Heinlein. Heinlein’s juveniles like Farmer in the Sky and The Rolling Stones now seem dated, but their scientific speculation was plausible for the time. Space Race can’t make that claim. Our hero, Arlo, is a young man who was a “pod racer” in his teens. We are never told how the pods work or where exactly the races took place, though they do seem to be some sort of aerospace event. He leaves racing when his grandfather disappears on the first mission to Proxima and goes to work as a freight hauler to corporately controlled bases in the outer solar system. There is no faster-than-light travel, at least initially, but even Arlo’s slow one-man space hauler has no trouble traveling from Luna to Eris in a matter of weeks with no apparent time dilation. When he becomes the pilot of a space racer for a sort of grand tour of the solar system, the trip is short enough that it makes a convenient media sporting event. We are never told how the spacecraft are powered, and no one ever mentions such inconvenient things as orbital mechanics or angular momentum. There are also some aliens and robots, but never mind. Arlo is a likeable character, but he deserves a better story. 3 stars.
Nathan Hystad’s Space Race is a near-future young adult space opera, the sort of story that has been a staple in science fiction since at least the days of Robert Heinlein. Heinlein’s juveniles like Farmer in the Sky and The Rolling Stones now seem dated, but their scientific speculation was plausible for the time. Space Race can’t make that claim. Our hero, Arlo, is a young man who was a “pod racer” in his teens. We are never told how the pods work or where exactly the races took place, though they do seem to be some sort of aerospace event. He leaves racing when his grandfather disappears on the first mission to Proxima and goes to work as a freight hauler to corporately controlled bases in the outer solar system. There is no faster-than-light travel, at least initially, but even Arlo’s slow one-man space hauler has no trouble traveling from Luna to Eris in a matter of weeks with no apparent time dilation. When he becomes the pilot of a space racer for a sort of grand tour of the solar system, the trip is short enough that it makes a convenient media sporting event. We are never told how the spacecraft are powered, and no one ever mentions such inconvenient things as orbital mechanics or angular momentum. There are also some aliens and robots, but never mind. Arlo is a likeable character, but he deserves a better story. 3 stars.
February 16, 2021
Ready to Race?
*** I RECEIVED AN ADVANCE READER COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ***
*** Some spoilers in the review.
First off: I enjoyed reading Space Race enough, that even with the ARC, I went ahead and bought a copy. Now onto the review.
Favorite Line: " Books have large words and complicated plots. You're much easier to read than a book, Hawk"
Nathan Hystad has a way with words. The scenes that he sets the characters in, they draw you in and you can imagine what they are doing, feel what they are feeling, and just overall relate.
Space Race is full of everything that you wish for: Action, Adventure, down on their luck Anti-Hero and ALIENS. It is a fun filled read that you can escape into and finish without even realizing that you are at the end. (That happened to me.... I had to re-read because Space Race flew right by.... Sorry couldn't resist)
Space Race: Distraction or Not? That is the question.
Arlo signs a contract with SeaTech after being fired from his job at Oasis. He is joined by Holland Kelley, Jade Serrano, Luther Payne, and R11. They are contracted with SeaTech to compete in the Space Race. The top 10 Corporations each have a spot in the Space Race. Grand Prize: Complete rights to Proxima B. Space Race is fast paced and danger lies around every corner.
Who will win? Read Space Race today and find out!!
*** I RECEIVED AN ADVANCE READER COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ***
*** Some spoilers in the review.
First off: I enjoyed reading Space Race enough, that even with the ARC, I went ahead and bought a copy. Now onto the review.
Favorite Line: " Books have large words and complicated plots. You're much easier to read than a book, Hawk"
Nathan Hystad has a way with words. The scenes that he sets the characters in, they draw you in and you can imagine what they are doing, feel what they are feeling, and just overall relate.
Space Race is full of everything that you wish for: Action, Adventure, down on their luck Anti-Hero and ALIENS. It is a fun filled read that you can escape into and finish without even realizing that you are at the end. (That happened to me.... I had to re-read because Space Race flew right by.... Sorry couldn't resist)
Space Race: Distraction or Not? That is the question.
Arlo signs a contract with SeaTech after being fired from his job at Oasis. He is joined by Holland Kelley, Jade Serrano, Luther Payne, and R11. They are contracted with SeaTech to compete in the Space Race. The top 10 Corporations each have a spot in the Space Race. Grand Prize: Complete rights to Proxima B. Space Race is fast paced and danger lies around every corner.
Who will win? Read Space Race today and find out!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2021
Terrific Story! I was most thankful that it was not over political, no cussing, and no overt sexual references. It was instead a friendly comfortable read centered on the plot and adventure with mild humor. A perfect balance! The beautiful cover may have been what led me to purchase this, but this is more than just a race to the finish line, appropriate for older teens.
I enjoyed the robotic member of the diverse crew, selected for their abilities to effectively modify and push technology to it's limit. The possibilities and potentials of alien life are explored along with strong family bonds, and what might happen if corporations replace government.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series with this well developed likeable group from an excellent author.
I enjoyed the robotic member of the diverse crew, selected for their abilities to effectively modify and push technology to it's limit. The possibilities and potentials of alien life are explored along with strong family bonds, and what might happen if corporations replace government.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series with this well developed likeable group from an excellent author.
July 12, 2022
Nathan Hystad has created a wonderful story. I thoroughly enjoyed watching how Arlo, Jade, Luther, Holland and R11 came together as a team, which wasn't easy considering their ages and backgrounds. But they did come together and what a team they became. They were desperately trying to win the Space Race, but being in last place to start was going to be a hard slough to come up from behind to win overall. It doesn't help in their quest to have everyone against them and always trying to hurt them in some way. Now our friends have to try to stay ahead of everyone to ensure the Pilgrim wins the race. What a concept this race would be if it were a real thing. What an amazing thing it would be to partake in. Thank you, Nathan and now I can't wait to start the next book in this series.
January 25, 2022
A story of redemption for Arlo “Hawk” Lewis, once a promising pod racer, now barely making ends meet as he ferries people and supplies around the solar system. Everything is controlled by corporations, with the ten largest given preeminence and BBB individual freedoms increasingly controlled by the corporations. It’s a difficult time with an increasing resistance movement, a special race sponsored for the top ten corporations, and ominous but ignored signs of an alien presence watching. Is it Civil War, an alien invasion, or more of the heavy handed corporate control? Is a compromise even thinkable? I enjoyed the story and plan to continue with the next book.
November 8, 2021
From a race to win to a race for survival
In a world where there is no government but businesses called Primaries that are in control including our galaxy, a young man, Hawk (a former pod racer now a struggling hauler) gets a chance to race again. This time for a newly rated primary at # 10 who has great aspirations to win the prize of mining rights in a distant Galaxy.
This story has multiple plots including, other folks planning to over throw the Primaries.
Alien messages,
Other aliens
All headed toward a climax at the finish line.
A great book starting this series
In a world where there is no government but businesses called Primaries that are in control including our galaxy, a young man, Hawk (a former pod racer now a struggling hauler) gets a chance to race again. This time for a newly rated primary at # 10 who has great aspirations to win the prize of mining rights in a distant Galaxy.
This story has multiple plots including, other folks planning to over throw the Primaries.
Alien messages,
Other aliens
All headed toward a climax at the finish line.
A great book starting this series
June 11, 2022
Okay so squids bad for me and I'm not a fan of tentacles.
Yes siree Bob that story grabbed me and threw me all over earth and space! Man! Love this theme and how Nathan takes you there. So yeah start with this one and hold on! Oh you like hero's? Take your pick, character's are outstanding and I keep waiting for a crush or a romance, usually happens right? Not this one, good old sweaty people sharing space and liking each other. Unheard of in sci-fi, but maybe book 2, we shall see. Read people before you can't!
Yes siree Bob that story grabbed me and threw me all over earth and space! Man! Love this theme and how Nathan takes you there. So yeah start with this one and hold on! Oh you like hero's? Take your pick, character's are outstanding and I keep waiting for a crush or a romance, usually happens right? Not this one, good old sweaty people sharing space and liking each other. Unheard of in sci-fi, but maybe book 2, we shall see. Read people before you can't!
August 7, 2022
The three book serie was offered on a discount, and based upon the reviews I bought it.
The plot is entertaining enough, but completely unrealistic. Characters are one-dimensional. The book is full of inconsistencies (like communication in the solar system without delay, a couple of hours flight time within the solar system without FTL, and so on). The aliens are completely unrealistic simpletons, who created a million year old galactic empire but can easily be beaten.
I started the second book, but there it got even worse.
The plot is entertaining enough, but completely unrealistic. Characters are one-dimensional. The book is full of inconsistencies (like communication in the solar system without delay, a couple of hours flight time within the solar system without FTL, and so on). The aliens are completely unrealistic simpletons, who created a million year old galactic empire but can easily be beaten.
I started the second book, but there it got even worse.
September 13, 2021
Don't start this book unless you plan on reading all 3 in the series. It is really just one big book cut up into 3 pieces. It was interesting enough, but, because of the "continuing story" approach, forced me to read all 3 books in a row. I didn't like that. It made it feel far too long. My attention was waning during the last book, so I was quite happy when it was finally over. This would have been better as a 2-book series.
September 3, 2022
A very good beginning to the series. Loved Arlo (but not THAT name.) It was mostly about a race of several teams vying to win the planet Proxima. Arlo (Hawk) was sabotaged at every turn but always came out on top. Then came a "friendly" message from aliens and that started the excitement.
No romance and no swearing to speak of.
As for the narration: Marc Vietor did a wonderful job on the voices and his emotions.
No romance and no swearing to speak of.
As for the narration: Marc Vietor did a wonderful job on the voices and his emotions.
November 14, 2024
However, life has a way of kicking you on the teeth sometimes. And Arlo became the captain of a space race racer. It felt good.
Except life has not stopped with the surprises as yet.
Author Nathan Hystad has a winner plot here to raise your pulse rate every few minutes as the plot unfolds in unexpected ways. Of course, there is no ways you can put this book down as excitement keeps your pulse racing page by page.
Enjoy
Except life has not stopped with the surprises as yet.
Author Nathan Hystad has a winner plot here to raise your pulse rate every few minutes as the plot unfolds in unexpected ways. Of course, there is no ways you can put this book down as excitement keeps your pulse racing page by page.
Enjoy
June 5, 2021
Space Race with a Surprise Ending
Great story with lots of action. Hystad writes the story from the pov of the main character, just the way I like it. This is a space race with all that excitement but with a surprise ending. Hystad invents new technology and does not write a story of the future using today's tech. I like that, too.
Great story with lots of action. Hystad writes the story from the pov of the main character, just the way I like it. This is a space race with all that excitement but with a surprise ending. Hystad invents new technology and does not write a story of the future using today's tech. I like that, too.
July 6, 2021
Exciting!
What a fun ride! A fast paced page turner. And a pleasure to read. No profanity or gratuitous sexual nonsense to mar the story. Just fast-paced action with relatable characters that draw you in. This is the kind of story I would recommend for young adults. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
What a fun ride! A fast paced page turner. And a pleasure to read. No profanity or gratuitous sexual nonsense to mar the story. Just fast-paced action with relatable characters that draw you in. This is the kind of story I would recommend for young adults. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
February 23, 2022
carefully crafted story
This story started slowly, but gained momentum every chapter. I loved the ending. A former Pod racer, who quit in a huff, is selected by a powerful visionary/ CEO to lead a new racing team. He gets over himself, painfully, and is challenged to take on new feats of daring-do.
This story started slowly, but gained momentum every chapter. I loved the ending. A former Pod racer, who quit in a huff, is selected by a powerful visionary/ CEO to lead a new racing team. He gets over himself, painfully, and is challenged to take on new feats of daring-do.
June 22, 2023
The first half of the book seems very slow and boring and a bit average. The Space Race itself was easily the best part for me and apart from a slight dip where it felt a little disappointing in the climax, made for a good book. I wish the beginning moved at a faster pace because I was close to DNFing this book which it why I haven't rated it higher.
October 5, 2023
I thought this read like a good, old-fashioned science fiction novel. At first, I did not care for the main protagonist because of the way he handled a negative event in his life. However, as the novel continued I found myself liking him. Overall, the characterizations were done well. Even though this is the first part of a series, I think the first book can largely stand on its own.
May 21, 2021
Good Ok Read
Good for the most part. The pacing could have been better. The ending was kind of rushed and left you unsatisfied. I will read the next book and see if it gets better.
Good for the most part. The pacing could have been better. The ending was kind of rushed and left you unsatisfied. I will read the next book and see if it gets better.
July 5, 2021
Having grown up in the late 90s/early 2000s, I've had more than my fill of aliens and space! But, Nathan seems to have a way of writing that still keeps me intrigued! Book 2 might turn out to be your run-of-the-mill alien invasion book, but after this, I'll let least give it a try!
August 18, 2021
Corporate greed / dystopian future aliens
Another winner from Nathan as everything in the headline melds into a page turner. Substitute a future Amazon / Facebook/ Apple in space and you’ll shiver!
Another winner from Nathan as everything in the headline melds into a page turner. Substitute a future Amazon / Facebook/ Apple in space and you’ll shiver!
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