Beyond Cloud Nine (Beyond Saga Book 1)

I’m off on a sci-fi tangent for a couple of weeks. First up in my TBR is Beyond Cloud Nine (Beyond Saga, #1) by Greg Spry. Goodreads recommended this one. Good choice!Synopsis (from the author):Brooke was flying high until abruptly halted by a mysterious crimeAce fighter pilot, Brooke Davis, is speeding through Jupiter’s orbit, dreaming of becoming the first human to fly faster than light. Instead, she is drawn into a criminal conspiracy— involving terrorists, aliens, and the highest level of government, including her boss at the U.N. — that threatens not only her shot at history, but the future of the solar system.Will the entire solar system break down in this futuristic thriller?The solar system is destabilizing. Separatists attempt to assassinate the U.N. Secretary-General. Territories are seceding and acquiring antimatter weaponry. Just as all-out war seems inevitable, alleged extraterrestrials attack colonies throughout the solar system, forcing humankind to work together to combat the invaders. If the U.N. loses its ability to keep the peace, human civilization may stumble back into the dark ages.Brooke’s excruciating dilemma could determine the future of the human raceBrooke is ordered to keep quiet about the crime she witnessed by the U.N. Security Council President. As the invaders draw closer to Earth, Brooke must decide whether to reveal what she knows. Keeping quiet might allow mankind to triumph and usher in a golden age, albeit one based on lies and deception. But revealing the truth could send the human race down a path toward self-annihilation.What I liked:Beyond Cloud Nine had great sci-fi elements. First-rate technology, towering buildings, interplanetary travel, awesome star fighters, and much more made this a fun read. Add to it the “sparking” hotshot pilot, familial strife, and the military industrial complex, and everything is there. I enjoyed Brooke Davis’ character, and the AI attached to her fighter was amazing. Overall a good sci-fi read!What I didn’t like:Despite the cool technology, I didn’t understand why the pollution problem wasn’t solved. It seemed out of sync with the advances made in the world. I mean how can you have light speed and interplanetary travel, but still burn hydrocarbons? In addition, the communication technology didn’t seem as advanced as it should in comparison to the other advances.Overall impression:Beyond Cloud Nine (Beyond Saga, #1) was an enjoyable read. There was enough action and adventure to keep me interested, and the story itself was excellent. Despite a few issues for me as a reader (see what I didn’t like above), this was a good read. I recommend it to any sci-fi readers.My rating:4 Stars

In “Beyond Cloud Nine,” Greg Spry has created a complex story that stretches out from Earth and promises to extend to the far reaches of the galaxy. The setting, a mere 200 years in our future, features colonization of the solar system out to the moons of Jupiter, but also features infighting among Earth-based countries that are supposed to be living in peace under the United Nations. The hero of the story, pilot Brooke Davis, must overcome her own personal demons to fulfil her ambition to fly the first faster-than-light starship. Along the way she discovers the existence of a vast conspiracy that has as its goal the unification of humanity and the establishment of peace in the solar system. But, will Brooke be able to keep quiet about it, and would anyone believe her if she tried to spill the secret?The story includes Brooke’s sister, Marie, who is a journalist in Earth and who insinuates herself into the news coverage of the significant events. Both Marie and Brooke meet and have some romantic interest in the scientist who is responsible for the development of the faster-than-light engine, and that scientist, Kevin, needs to choose which of the twin sisters he is more attracted to. Throw into the mix Marie’s daughter, Maya, and there are some very interesting relationships and emotions that go along with the roller-coaster ride of a plot that finds Brooke engaged in space battles and careening down dangerous avenues on solid ground.At times I tried to tell myself that I really wasn’t loving this book, but at the same time I was compelled to read more at every opportunity, and finished it off in just under a week. The plot keeps you guessing and the action is riveting, although at times the plot is so complex and multi-layered that even the suspension of disbelief that goes along with a science fiction novel is stretched to the limits. In the end, though, it’s a fun read and keeps you entertained. Now, the reader needs to decide whether to follow the conspiracy even farther into the next book in the series. I’ve not made up my mind about that, but it is tempting.

Brooke Davis ... ace fighter pilot, Spark addict, anti-social loner, estranged twin, and brave heroine. After a childhood tragedy, Brooke leaves her family and home planet far behind and throws herself into the stars. The only thing she can imagine that would prove better than pushing hundreds of gees in orbital combat is to fly faster than the speed of light. Unfortunately, when her dream becomes a possibility, it shows itself to be a double-edged sword, and all is not as it seems.This sci-fi novel gripped me from the get-go, and I loved it. The world building and technical aspects are well developed and highly believable. While the characters felt one-dimensional at times, and I failed to connect strongly with any of them, they sufficed to carry the story forward. Spelling errors and missing words abound, letting down an otherwise excellent read: waived for waved/hanger for hangar (though some did get spelled correctly)/reigned for reined/etc. All in all, however, the storytelling proved powerful enough to overcome these hiccups.Beyond Cloud Nine is book one of two (so far) in the Beyond Saga Series and works as a standalone novel. While the close remains a little open-ended, it ties up the necessary threads without leaving the reader hanging over a cliff. This thoroughly enjoyable readgets a solid four stars from me.

Robots play a big part in Beyond Cloud 9, from technology to do everyday tasks like cooking, to artificial intelligence and on-board systems. The technical aspects were very interesting and I found the author, Spry, indulged me with these quite nicely. I also enjoyed that there were some familiar key concepts any sci-fi fan can relate to, the conspiracies surrounding Area 51 and aliens. To be so bold as to include these in a debut novel was a good move that pays off. The story around the courageous star fighter pilot and her mission to save humankind is a great introduction to the series.

What a wonderfully unexpected adventure! Set in the year 2247 there are aspects of the sci-fi genre present that we have all grown to expect and love but then parts of this book that are different and will surprise you. I stayed fully engrossed in Brooke Davis as your lead heroine, especially because she is anything but typical and what you would expect but it makes her all the more relatable and tangible. Really looking forward to the next instalment by Greg Spry, loved the action fighter pilot scenes, the drama's involving every character and seeing every character evolve in different ways, you never get bored!

"Beyond Cloud Nine" is a fascinating book that is well-written and enjoyable.There are a lot of elements to it - though they are all integrated to the point where it doesn't feel like too much.The scary thing is that a lot of what happens in this book could happen - some of it could already be happening...