Joshua James (2)

Interesting

Not really a ‘first’ book; their seems to have been a series preceding this that informs the characters. That leaves a newcomer a bit puzzled as to who the characters *are*. Oddly, I think it may have helped to move the narrative a bit quicker than normal for new series, which played in favor.

Characters are a bit thin, but the chaotic nature of the narrative and the speed of the story keep you from dwelling on their shortcomings.

Dysfunctional mercenary team survives screwing show more up a mission.

I will try the next novel. show less

Enjoyable alien invasion story that seems to be somewhat inspired by War Of The Worlds (not that that is a bad thing).

Reads like an action thriller with enough character development and backstory to make you want this ragtag group that lives through the initial invasion survive to the end. The storyline, though, has other ideas so there are a couple of characters who don't make it, which makes the reader more concerned about the major characters.

It is the first book in a trilogy so I will be show more looking for the next two in the series.

My one issue is that the physiology of the aliens doesn't make them seem like a species that could use tools complicated enough to make spacecraft, but this may be explored/explained in books 2 or 3 of the series.

I give it 4 out of 5, but this is my genre, so if sci-fi/alien invasions is not to your taste drop it down a notch. show less

This fast-paced space adventure is the first in a series featuring a pair of bounty hunters with interesting pasts. It seems that in taking on a new mission, they bite off more than they can chew.

The prose was clear and easy to read. There were only a couple of typos that I noticed. We see the story through the viewpoints of the two main characters as well as a selection of others. This includes the villain, who seems to be evil and sadistic through and through.

I liked that both Gunn and show more Salvo obviously have pasts that made them who they are today, but we didn't get bogged down in their backstory. And much of the time their driving motivations are personal—it just so happens they're trying to save the world (or equivalent) at the same time.

There was a bit of a reliance on lucky coincidences or people having a change of heart when help was needed. In a few spots, I wasn't massively convinced by people's reasoning. Still, it was an engaging romp and I was happy to go along for the ride. show less

James, Joshua. Artifact. Saturn’s Legacy No. 1. Kindle, 2022.
Life is discovered in a sea under the ice on one of the moons of Saturn. Peter Chang, a linguist specializing in ancient languages, is kidnapped by criminals who want his skills to translate an alien artifact. He survives with the help of Carpenter Lowell of the U.S. Space Corps, but the two must struggle against many perils under the seas of Enceladus. The odd-couple buddy plot works well, but the moon of Saturn seems too show more terrestrial. Science and world building both need work. 3 stars. show less