Author: Ralph Kern
Publisher and Copyright: Tickety Boo Press Ltd, © 2015 Raph Kern
Price: $13.00 (amazon.com)
Cathbad’s Rating: 9.5 of 10
A Review by, Cathbad
Endeavour
A Sleeping Gods Novel
By, Ralph Kern
The Endeavour is a spaceship. It was designed to be the first deep-space faring ship from the planet Earth. Humans were finally ready to embark on a true exploration of space!
Based on the concepts and designs of Doctor Marcus Caison, a Quantum Engineer at Helios Industries, a viable system for deep space travel was created! Six crew members were selected for what would be, in earth’s time a quarter century journey, but for the Endeavour and crew, would last only as long as it took to look around an earth-like planet some 12 light years away. For the crew, getting there and back would take… no time at all!
Thus begins a continuing adventure by the Endeavour and crew, as they discover artifacts of advanced cultures and, eventually, one of those advanced cultures! Along the way, they uncover new mysteries (and solve one very old mystery) and see new planets, new life and new means of existence!
Because of their unique form of space travel, the crew ages no more than a few years during their 160-year adventure!
I found this novel exciting, interesting, well-paced, and, importantly, quite logical!
There’s no breaking the laws of physics here. Man (and even the advanced cultures in the story) can still not break the speed of light ‘barrier’. The solution Kern offers is very reasonable and based on true scientific research being done in our very own time.
The characters are individually unique, and the situations they get in and out of have a feeling of “realness” to them. The progression is well-paced, and the reader won’t get lost trying to stay up to speed, despite the incredible leaps in time the novel takes, and the technology changes that come with such leaps.
It is truly amazing how seamlessly Kern handles these very unusual and difficult transitions. If I have any complaints about these transitions at all, it would be that the author might’ve spent more time delving into the affects the culture shock was having on members of the crew. Then again, the pace is so perfect, I’m happy with how he handled it!
The Endeavour’s journey is not without failures and loss of life. I tire of these space adventures where the crew does everything perfect, and overcomes all obstacles, completing their missions as perfectly planned! It is refreshing to see a writer who realizes few things ever go according to plan!
A major theme running through the book is that of evolution. I’d even say it is the underpinning of the whole story! In the novel, we see this first through the advancement of the human race, as the Endeavour returns to an earth whose culture has advanced by leaps during their absence. But we also see it in the stories of the races the crew encounters. Near the end, however, the crew is given a lesson in evolution they could never have expected!
Overall, Mr. Kern has given us a wonderful read that I predict will be talked about at least as long as the Endeavour’s journey!
No comments:
Post a Comment