I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review
voluntarily.
Note: This title is due to go public on October 18, 2024
To start, I will share a quote from Bradley appearing at the beginning of
this book:
"Whoa, Not So Fast!"
"The Aftermath: Titan is the second book in The Aftermath series. If
you have not yet read the first book in the series, then it is recommended that
you start there."
As the author politely says, it is recommended to start with the first book
in the series, The Aftermath: Lunar. I would not only agree with Bradley, but I
would also say it is a must! I will reference the first novel in this review,
so if you haven't read Lunar, I urge you to close this blog post and read it
first!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
The Aftermath: Titan is the continuing story of an Earth astronaut who
witnessed the apparent destruction of his home planet while on a mission to the
moon. His original mission was scrapped, and his only focus became survival.
In Titan, the story of Elliot Adams continues, and the stakes get ramped up
ever higher than before.
I absolutely ripped through this book with such fervor and finished it in
five days between other things I was supposed to be doing. After having to set
it aside, I thought about it, and couldn't wait to get back to it at the
earliest opportunity. Titan flows like a fast river, as one reads. It is chock
full of action, suspense, battle, humor, and it is all driven by a cast of
excellently written characters a reader will become invested in!
Bradley has mastered writing some great sci-fi that unfolds on an epic
scale. The world building and setting of the story's scenes is vivid and one
can almost feel the environment the characters move through.
***Spoiler Alert***
The Lunari live a primitive life under the surface of the moon. However, they are actually being, more or less,
enslaved by the aliens who call themselves the Telvanni. When the Lunari learn
the truth about what they once considered their gods, they rise up, and with the
help of stranded astronaut, Elliot Adams, they are victorious in defeating the Telvanni.
The Telvanni are led by a cruel master known only as the General who is killed in the uprising,
and those of his troops who survive are imprisoned in their base.
But before he dies, the General reveals something very disturbing to Elliot.
It is something called a Death Shepherd.
Elliot is accepted by the Lunari and develops strong relationships with many
of the people living there.
***End Spoilers***
Eliot learns what the Death Shepherd is, thanks to Dax, a technology expert
who worked for the Lunari under duress. Elliot realizes he must go to Titan,
the moon orbiting Saturn, where the Telvanni have established their main base
in the solar system. Elliot and his befriended Lunari embark on a perilous
mission to accomplish several goals, including saving lives on two worlds.
Nothing is easy, and the odds are stacked against Elliot and his companions.
Elliot is not only an astronaut, he is also a trained soldier. Thanks to his
being from Earth, he also has a secret weapon that will serve him well on his
quest. He is a good and kind man but is not to be underestimated. He can deal
out some violence when the occasion arises, and it does. But, like any great
hero, he needs help from others as well, and he has some good and skillful people on his
side.
Dax is little more than a slave because of something the Telvanni hold over his
head. When he has the opportunity, he teams up with Elliot and the other
Lunari. Although some would see him as a cowardly collaborator, Dax is anything
but cowardly.
Mayto, the son of the Lunari Chief, did not like Elliot initially, but he
warms up and the two develop a great friendship. They have each other's backs
and work well together. Mayto has a temper that can get out of control, and
often does, but Elliot and others remind him he must not let his temper control
him. He must learn to control his temper and through this, he will have far
more success. He learns this lesson well, with reminders, of course.
Ava and Bella are a mother and daughter team. Ava's husband is presumed
dead, and she and Elliot strike up a relationship during the events of the
first novel in the series. Their plight is mostly separate from Elliot and is,
in itself, a great story.
There are a few truly cruel and evil characters in this tale. The Supreme
Telvarch is the leader of the Telvanni and is truly drunk with power. He will
stop at nothing to gather more and more power. His main henchman, Dravix, is a
man who loves killing and making people suffer under his torture. These two are
monumental villains with no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. Of
course, this only adds to the fun that is Aftermath: Titan!
My first favorite point of plot is the epic battle scenes in the story. They
are huge in scope; with dire consequences should our heroes fail to achieve
their goals. The consequences are just as dire for the bad guys should they
fail. There are victories on both sides as the scenes unfold and the outcomes
offer some amazing plot twists, one of the major strengths of this tale.
Second, I loved the dialog between characters! Another of Bradley's
strengths as a writer is creating dialog that is witty and, at times,
hilarious, but also shows great compassion and the deep friendships the
characters share. The witty banter happens at moments where the reader may need
a break in the tension to catch their breath, but the action continues to ramp
up, after those moments of relief, to greater and greater heights.
And last, but not least, are the plot twists and turns! There is a surprise
at nearly every page turn which drives the reader on to the end, and
when the end comes, the reader is going to want more!
The theme that stands out for me, and my takeaway from The Aftermath: Titan,
is to remember how heroes never go into a situation to become heroes. A real
hero is someone who sees a situation, or a need for change, and does what it
takes to get the job done.
I give my highest recommendations for The Aftermath: Titan, and for the
previous novel in the series, The Aftermath: Lunar, as an unfolding sci-fi
space opera saga that is exciting, filled with on-the-edge-of-your-seat action,
and just plain fun to read. There is never a dull moment in these stories, and
the current installment is jam-packed with all manners of emotional content.
The reader will feel great triumph, disappointment and despair, deep sadness,
and much joy all the way through this fast-paced story. It is well worth the
investment of time to read and will not disappoint sci-fi fans. Bradley has
written a masterpiece with his very first series of novels and I am so happy to
have found them!
Remember, read BOTH books in order. Lunar is full of background information
that will help in understanding the universe created by this amazing author.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Look at Bradley's website: https://bradleyjamesauthor.com and join his
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/948989713645274
Well, there it is...
Qapla!
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