The Terrans (First Salik War #1) by Jean Johnson

Science Fiction/Space Opera

From Goodreads:

Jean Johnson's first novel in an explosive new science fiction trilogy set in the world of the national bestselling Theirs Not to Reason Why series—set two-hundred years earlier, at the dawn of the First Salik War…

Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans…

Humans have long known that they would encounter more alien species, and while those with precognitive abilities agree a terrible war is coming, they do not agree on who will save humanity—a psychic soldier or a politician.

But Jackie is both.

After she is pressured into rejoining the Space Force to forestall the impending calamity, Jackie makes an unsettling discovery. Their new enemy, the Salik, seem to be rather familiar with fighting Humans—as if their war against humanity had already begun.

Don’t let the fact that this is a prequel to another series stop you from reading The Terrans.  I read the first book in Theirs Not to Reason Why series several years ago and still have book two on my TBR pile.   The Terrans has no trouble standing on its own. 

I loved The Terrans and had a hard time putting it down.  It has all the things that make a great story. 

The Salik are wonderful villains who like to eat intelligent living beings.  They have no redeeming features.

The V’Dan are humans who were removed from the home world (Earth) 10,000 years ago.  While they are human there is difference in their appearance and that difference shows that prejudice can live for any reason.

The character development is influenced by that difference.  While the story focuses on the two main characters there are secondary characters that play a big part in the story line.

The book starts with an exciting recue but from there it becomes a story of discovery allowing the reader to see what Earth in the future could look like.  (I think a lot of us would love to have a government that functions like the one in The Terrans.  It would be a great improvement over the politics of today.)

The plot is simple.  The V’Dan are losing the war with the Salik. Now there are new humans who might help turn the tide.  However  just because they are both human does not mean that their differences could not make getting along a big problem.  Both the Terrans and the V’Dan will have their work cut out for them.

This book is set mostly on Earth and ends as they start their journey to the V’Dan home world.  There is a lot more story to tell and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.  It is due out in January of 2016.

ACE published The Terrans by Jean Johnson in 2015.

I received an ARC of The Terrans from Netgally in return for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday - July 28, 2015

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhyme.  
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:"
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book.

The Teaser:

"Now...why do you have to be on board this ship, Lieutenant?  Convince me of that, and remind yourself of why it's important for you to get along with everyone on board.  Including me," Jackie said watching the back of his head, the set of his shoulder, the tension in his arm."

12% on my Kindle

From The Terrans by Jean Johnson.  It comes out today and is what I am currently reading for review.

Stacking the Shelves August 11, 2012

Welcome to my Stacking The Shelves post!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews so follow the link and check out what other stacked on their shelves this week.  

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books I am adding to my shelves each week, sharing with you my excitement for my newest books.

Purchased on a trip to Barnes and Noble:

Wild Texas Rose by Jodi Thomas
An Officer's Duty by Jean Johnson

Purchased from Amazon:

Starlight by Carrie Lofty
A Duchess to Remember by Christina Brooke
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires by Molly Harper
Heart Secret by Robin D. Owens

From Netgalley:

The Enchanted Truth by Kym Petrie

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Forever a Lady by Delilah Marvelle

Kept by Shawntelle Madison

Trapped by Kevin Hearne

A Soldier’s Duty by Jean Johnson

Military Science Fiction

I saw a recommendation for A Soldier’s Duty on another web site and decided to check it out.  It is the first in a new series, Theirs Not to Reason Why,  by Jean Johnson.

The story is riveting.  Ia (this is her only name) is a precog .  She has visions of the future and when she was 15 she sees a future where everyone dies.  As she searches all the many time streams she finds only one where there is a chance of survival but only if she works very hard to make sure certain events happen.  That is what drives and shapes Ia’s life and leads her into a life in the military.

The first book chronicles Ia’s first few years as a member of the Terran United Planets Space Marines.  A Soldier’s Duty is just the right mix of science and action.  Since the story is told from Ia’s point of view it is easy to see how she uses her precog to shape events around her but even Ia is not infallible.  Sometimes events do not spin exactly as she expects and that increases the tension in the story

I was spellbound by this book.  Events shape this story and Ia is in control of the events.  I found the concept new and fresh and look forward to second book in the series, An Officer’s Duty that will be published in August of 2012. 

ACE published A Soldier’s Duty by Jean Johnson in 2010.