If you like sci-fi, if you like humor, if you like action, if you just love a really great book, I cannot recommend this first Broadcast in the Spinward Fringe series, enough. I have been thoroughly enjoying the universe that Randolph Lalonde has created, and now that Amazon is letting the author release this for free, all I see are more readers being drawn in to his world and an ever growing fan base. Be prepared though. It really isn't free. You will find you will HAVE to go and purchase the next Broadcast in this wickedly fun space romp! Then you'll need the next one, and the next ... :) I cannot wait for more from my new favorite story teller! Origins (Spinward Fringe)
I downloaded this book 2 days ago and have read through the trilogy at a good pace, a testament to the readability of the stories and the author's writing style. The stories and writing style are not so "mature" as some renowned sic-fi authors, a point Mr. Lalonde recognises and acknowledges in his afterword, a nice touch. I've enjoyed the stories and have downloaded the next 2 books in the series. I look forward to reading them.
I spotted this book with high reviews on the Kindle bestseller list and FREE, so I'm late to the party. After reading the whole thing, I immediately downloaded the next two books (and paid for them!). So good, I am willing to pay money to read more.
The genre is best described as space opera, in the general vein of Star Trek and Serenity/Firefly. It's entertaining and occasionally hilarious, but there are also Scenes that Make You Think. Best of all, the author made me care about the characters and want to find out more about what happens to them.
I want to commend the author for delivering high-quality, well-edited prose. That shouldn't be cause for celebration, but these days it is.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys light science fiction.
I downloaded this one during the free trial and liked, for the most part, what I saw. If you like space opera and adventure story with very accessible prose, then you should check this offering out. The Kindle format style was well done and I didn't experience anything striking that distracted me from the story.
The first thing that comes to mind is WOW! I saw that one of the spinward fringe books was on the kindle bestseller list (sci-fi), and when checking the series out, found out that this was the start of the series. Even more amazing, is that it's free.
Let's be clear here though, this would still get 5 stars from me if it was normal book priced. In fact, I feel a bit bad about not paying for it. I felt a bit better after buying the rest of the series, though they are pretty cheap compared to other books. (Benefit of self-publishing, I suppose?)
Spinward Fringe Origins is a collection of three novellas, that add up to a single novel type book. They mesh together excellently, so when reading it feels like one novel that just has three distinct plot segments. The plot is compelling, though not necessarily entirely original. It follows a common theme in sci-fi, but it is very well done. The spinward fringe universe is an interesting place, and feels vast throughout the writing. It's hard to not feel attached to the main characters, they are developed enough to feel real and cared about, without bogging down the story.
This is definately an action series, with a lot going on. The setting still seems real, however, and the first novella really sets up the feeling of exploring this unknown fictional universe. Despite being self published, this story is far superior to most self published books here on amazon, and having professional editing is apparent. There are no more spelling/grammar errors or typos in this than in a paperback book.
This book follows a first-person perspective throughout, which I feel really adds to the explorative sense of the story. The following books move to the more traditional third-person narrative. It was addictive, and is one of the more rare books that kept me awake wanting to read after my bedtime. :)
Right now this story is being offered for free by the author, get it now! Even when the price is increased, it's still very much worth it. I'd be glad to pay full price for this book, and still might buy it in hardcopy.
I don't normally do reviews, I've done a few, but it takes a good reason for me to do one. This book constitutes a good reason.
My normal reading is pretty eclectic, but it doesn't normally run to sci-fi or ... what's the term space opera? I was hooked on this one though. In fact, as soon as I finished it, I went out and bought the remaining books (which came to what, $16?). Fascinating characters and a well developed plot - some folks seem to mind the tech detail, but I like it, it contributes to world building (or space building, whichever). I'm on Spinward Fringe 4 at the moment, and still happy as a clam with the series.
This book is better than many of the Sci-Fi books that I have paid for. I understand that it is to get the reader to want to read more of the series (which it does in spades), but something of this quality should not be free.
Once you start, you don't want to put it down. The pacing is fast and smart. There are rarely any sections of the three books contained here that let you catch your breath. I started reading it on a Friday evening and was done Sunday afternoon. I immediately went and downloaded the next three books to my Kindle.
The future science portions are also very well done and believable. I can see where some of the devices and technologies evolved from stuff that we have today and it is integrated into the story in such a way that it feels natural.
Highly recommended and the next books in the series are only $3 a piece and read just as good as this one does.'
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