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Mechhaven #1
Pax Machina : First Book In A Complete Five-Book Space Opera Saga
The last stop for retired war machines. A new arrival with missing memories. When foes return, can he recall enough to halt a planet-wide catastrophe?
Major Misty Durham hoped to put tragedy and bloodshed behind her. Now the human administrator of Mechhaven, she’s committed to providing sanctuary for decommissioned mechs. But conflict returns with a bang when a legendary machine with crucial secrets crash-lands on her world.
Angel is desperate to remember his mission. As the advanced mech seeks asylum after a failed deep-cover operation, he brings intimate knowledge of the enemy’s tactics… except battle-inflicted damage prevents him from accessing the data. And when his adversaries come hunting, his last chance for survival is to pray the mothballed locals won’t give him up.
After refusing to surrender her newest charge, Misty gathers disarmed mechanized warriors and former enemies to prepare for the inevitable mêlée. And Angel knows if he can unlock the intel buried in his memory matrix, he could be the key that stops them all from being shipped to the scrapyard.
Can an embattled leader and a fugitive mech inspire a ragtag crew to rise up and fight for peace?
Pax Machina is the action-packed first book in the thrilling Mechhaven science fiction series. If you like thunderous tech, complex relationships, and shocking twists and turns, then you’ll love Greg Sorber’s tumultuous tale.
Major Misty Durham hoped to put tragedy and bloodshed behind her. Now the human administrator of Mechhaven, she’s committed to providing sanctuary for decommissioned mechs. But conflict returns with a bang when a legendary machine with crucial secrets crash-lands on her world.
Angel is desperate to remember his mission. As the advanced mech seeks asylum after a failed deep-cover operation, he brings intimate knowledge of the enemy’s tactics… except battle-inflicted damage prevents him from accessing the data. And when his adversaries come hunting, his last chance for survival is to pray the mothballed locals won’t give him up.
After refusing to surrender her newest charge, Misty gathers disarmed mechanized warriors and former enemies to prepare for the inevitable mêlée. And Angel knows if he can unlock the intel buried in his memory matrix, he could be the key that stops them all from being shipped to the scrapyard.
Can an embattled leader and a fugitive mech inspire a ragtag crew to rise up and fight for peace?
Pax Machina is the action-packed first book in the thrilling Mechhaven science fiction series. If you like thunderous tech, complex relationships, and shocking twists and turns, then you’ll love Greg Sorber’s tumultuous tale.
- GenresScience FictionAmazon
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 26, 2021
Amazing
Well written story about a sanctuary planet where mechanical warriors can declare Pax Machine and live a peaceful existence as long as they agree to be de-weaponized. They have to fight for their lives when a ship lands carrying bits that destroy anything in their path. Epic story.
Well written story about a sanctuary planet where mechanical warriors can declare Pax Machine and live a peaceful existence as long as they agree to be de-weaponized. They have to fight for their lives when a ship lands carrying bits that destroy anything in their path. Epic story.
June 6, 2022
A Battle Royale
Greg Sorbor created a world that at first is rather bland and quiet. I was hooked immediately and quickly came to care about the individual mechs. As well as the three humans who looked after them. Then things got exciting. The battle was horrendous and I felt like I was there. I can't wait to jump into the next book in the series.
Greg Sorbor created a world that at first is rather bland and quiet. I was hooked immediately and quickly came to care about the individual mechs. As well as the three humans who looked after them. Then things got exciting. The battle was horrendous and I felt like I was there. I can't wait to jump into the next book in the series.
January 12, 2022
uneven but enjoyable
This book would have been a 4 except for the fact that every time the book shifted points of view the text repeated what had happen previously leaving this reader feeling like she had lost her place in the book..
This book would have been a 4 except for the fact that every time the book shifted points of view the text repeated what had happen previously leaving this reader feeling like she had lost her place in the book..
August 10, 2022
I enjoyed this story, it was easy to read and the characters were quite nice.
January 24, 2023
Mechs and Humans abound in this Sci-Fi adventure
3.5/5 Stars
I found this a light read and at its heart quite fun. Whilst it can be enjoyed by all readers I felt it was more suited to an MG or YA audience, at least my fourteen-year-old self would have enjoyed it far more I think than adult me. The science is basic and mostly glossed over if it is explained at all but that is alright, it is not about the science, made-up or otherwise, but the story and setting. Besides, not everyone wants to have their mind blown by pages and pages of scientific explanation on ‘quantum pulse engines’.
It is set far in the future long after humankind has exploited earth’s resources, forcing them out into the big wide galaxy to explore new worlds to meet their ever-expanding needs. Our adventure starts long after space travel has been mastered and where for the most part humanity has devolved into four main groups, the Imperium based on the ancient Roman Empire, The Arcturan Monarchies founded on the ideals from the old Terran middle ages and the Renaissance, The Alliance of Independent Systems (AOIS) a confederation of governments bound together in Trade and Technology and finally, the TexaNova based on you guessed it Texan grit.
The story begins on Mechhaven, shortly after the ending of a galactic war, on an out-of-the-way backwater planetoid set up and established for retired war machines called Mechs. Mechs are sentient AI machines and by claiming asylum and declaring ‘Pax Machina’ they are allowed to live in peace on this rocky dustball, once they have had all their armaments removed, so they can no longer be a threat. In charge of Mechhaven is Major Misty Durham, a human administrator and two other humans, Ajax and Dennis.
The Mechs are the stars of the show and are a diverse mix of machines each with distinctive personalities often guided by the specialisations they were constructed to perform. It makes it all quite interesting from protocol Mechs to artillery and counter-intelligence to flamers, the whole gambit of humanity's imagination to rain death down on each other on display. Except they are disarmed and harmless. Mostly.
It was intriguing to see the interactions between them and the conflict it sometimes caused because of their past affiliations, affiliations not so easily forgotten or dismissed.
Into this world comes a new Mech, a super advanced Archangel class tagged Angel by Misty. Angel crashlands on Mechhaven and declares Pax Machina. He is pretty beat up and his memory matrix is damaged so he can’t remember what his mission was before he came to Mechhaven or what drove him here but he knows whatever it was it is important. And so it soon proves, because others are after the intel Angel is carrying and they will get it no matter what the cost.
Okay, so that is the basic premise of the story, I will not ruin the telling by giving spoilers but suffice it to say it is a watershed, moment of truth for all the Mechs on Mechhaven.
I did enjoy reading it. It was competently written with only a few grammatical mistakes. I found the story a little 2-dimensional and linear for my tastes and the premise was quite simple, and, whilst I enjoyed the Mechs and their different personalities it was also a little weird. They were caricature human personalities which, considering they were programmed and designed by humans and built to serve them, could be argued was understandable. However, why humans would give them male and female gender types I am not so clear on but whatever the reason, it made them likeable and easy to read and empathise with, more so than the humans.
I also thought some of the battle scenes were a little clunky, and whilst extreme violence was done in battle the fact they were machines and not humans made it read not too graphically. Also, there were one or two loose ends that needed to be tidied up which I won't go into because it would be a bit of a spoiler but it may be that these 'ends' will get tidied up in book 2.
As I mentioned in my introduction, I think my 14-year-old self would have lapped this up and enjoyed it immensely, but for me now it did not really do it. It was fun and a quick no-brainer read but not one that will stay with me long.
3.5/5 Stars
I found this a light read and at its heart quite fun. Whilst it can be enjoyed by all readers I felt it was more suited to an MG or YA audience, at least my fourteen-year-old self would have enjoyed it far more I think than adult me. The science is basic and mostly glossed over if it is explained at all but that is alright, it is not about the science, made-up or otherwise, but the story and setting. Besides, not everyone wants to have their mind blown by pages and pages of scientific explanation on ‘quantum pulse engines’.
It is set far in the future long after humankind has exploited earth’s resources, forcing them out into the big wide galaxy to explore new worlds to meet their ever-expanding needs. Our adventure starts long after space travel has been mastered and where for the most part humanity has devolved into four main groups, the Imperium based on the ancient Roman Empire, The Arcturan Monarchies founded on the ideals from the old Terran middle ages and the Renaissance, The Alliance of Independent Systems (AOIS) a confederation of governments bound together in Trade and Technology and finally, the TexaNova based on you guessed it Texan grit.
The story begins on Mechhaven, shortly after the ending of a galactic war, on an out-of-the-way backwater planetoid set up and established for retired war machines called Mechs. Mechs are sentient AI machines and by claiming asylum and declaring ‘Pax Machina’ they are allowed to live in peace on this rocky dustball, once they have had all their armaments removed, so they can no longer be a threat. In charge of Mechhaven is Major Misty Durham, a human administrator and two other humans, Ajax and Dennis.
The Mechs are the stars of the show and are a diverse mix of machines each with distinctive personalities often guided by the specialisations they were constructed to perform. It makes it all quite interesting from protocol Mechs to artillery and counter-intelligence to flamers, the whole gambit of humanity's imagination to rain death down on each other on display. Except they are disarmed and harmless. Mostly.
It was intriguing to see the interactions between them and the conflict it sometimes caused because of their past affiliations, affiliations not so easily forgotten or dismissed.
Into this world comes a new Mech, a super advanced Archangel class tagged Angel by Misty. Angel crashlands on Mechhaven and declares Pax Machina. He is pretty beat up and his memory matrix is damaged so he can’t remember what his mission was before he came to Mechhaven or what drove him here but he knows whatever it was it is important. And so it soon proves, because others are after the intel Angel is carrying and they will get it no matter what the cost.
Okay, so that is the basic premise of the story, I will not ruin the telling by giving spoilers but suffice it to say it is a watershed, moment of truth for all the Mechs on Mechhaven.
I did enjoy reading it. It was competently written with only a few grammatical mistakes. I found the story a little 2-dimensional and linear for my tastes and the premise was quite simple, and, whilst I enjoyed the Mechs and their different personalities it was also a little weird. They were caricature human personalities which, considering they were programmed and designed by humans and built to serve them, could be argued was understandable. However, why humans would give them male and female gender types I am not so clear on but whatever the reason, it made them likeable and easy to read and empathise with, more so than the humans.
I also thought some of the battle scenes were a little clunky, and whilst extreme violence was done in battle the fact they were machines and not humans made it read not too graphically. Also, there were one or two loose ends that needed to be tidied up which I won't go into because it would be a bit of a spoiler but it may be that these 'ends' will get tidied up in book 2.
As I mentioned in my introduction, I think my 14-year-old self would have lapped this up and enjoyed it immensely, but for me now it did not really do it. It was fun and a quick no-brainer read but not one that will stay with me long.
March 20, 2025
Human War in the Universe creates Sanctuary for Sentient Machines
Liked different slant on Humanities expansion into the Universe beyond Earth. The same old causes of conflict, Humans can't help being Human. 4 Sector Universe divided against themselves, goes to War, Devestating every Sector, using Sentient Machines to be more "effective", finally uneasy peace comes, All participants disarm, leaving Humanity to deal with Sentient War Machines, one experimental solution is a Deserted Asteroid Sanctuary, this is the story of that Experiment.
Liked different slant on Humanities expansion into the Universe beyond Earth. The same old causes of conflict, Humans can't help being Human. 4 Sector Universe divided against themselves, goes to War, Devestating every Sector, using Sentient Machines to be more "effective", finally uneasy peace comes, All participants disarm, leaving Humanity to deal with Sentient War Machines, one experimental solution is a Deserted Asteroid Sanctuary, this is the story of that Experiment.
April 25, 2024
Battle of Mechhaven
Interesting use of battle robots in this story. The characters are good but the story is a little like a juvenile story at times. The bad guy is a little over the top. It was like the author was trying to appeal to a younger audience. I liked it, but it was not the best.
Interesting use of battle robots in this story. The characters are good but the story is a little like a juvenile story at times. The bad guy is a little over the top. It was like the author was trying to appeal to a younger audience. I liked it, but it was not the best.
October 30, 2025
An excellent read!
I loved that the machines became sentient and were able to forge the own planet once the war was over. I really disliked the mean machines that was in charge of the planet destroying.
I loved that the machines became sentient and were able to forge the own planet once the war was over. I really disliked the mean machines that was in charge of the planet destroying.
June 4, 2022
.
Too fokking silly to bother with.
SILLY!!!!
I quit at page #102
SILLY !!!!
Too fokking silly to bother with.
SILLY!!!!
I quit at page #102
SILLY !!!!
June 8, 2022
Great!
What a nice new take on Ai and the potential complications of ex-war machines.
5 stars says it all. Onto the next book.
What a nice new take on Ai and the potential complications of ex-war machines.
5 stars says it all. Onto the next book.
September 29, 2022
Lots of battles, mechanical AI's doing most of the fighting. Free from Amazon obtained June 4, 2022.
September 28, 2023
One fine, fun read
Human interaction, sentient robots with human personalities, more than adequate action...the kind of fanciful science fiction that made it a popular genre
Human interaction, sentient robots with human personalities, more than adequate action...the kind of fanciful science fiction that made it a popular genre
April 25, 2024
Spectacular mech action
I totally enjoyed the steady pace of this and the story of mechs fighting to protect Pax machina and their way of life
A very human story actually
I totally enjoyed the steady pace of this and the story of mechs fighting to protect Pax machina and their way of life
A very human story actually
August 20, 2024
Good story
Store was good. Lots of action. Kept my interest well.
There were some typos that made things a little confusing, but otherwise OK
Store was good. Lots of action. Kept my interest well.
There were some typos that made things a little confusing, but otherwise OK
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews