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Sidespace: Aurora Renegades Book One (Amaranthe 4) Kindle Edition

by G. S. Jennsen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 520 ratings
Humanity is saved. But its troubles are just beginning.
To achieve their extraordinary triumph over the invading Metigen armada, humanity put aside its myriad of political and social conflicts and united against a common foe intent on annihilating civilization. In victory, unparalleled peace and prosperity are theirs for the taking—if they can keep hold of them.

When the secrets behind the daring plan that defeated the Metigens begin to escape the shadows, the very people who won the war find their lives in danger. Facing anti-synthetic terrorists who want them dead, power-hungry politicians who want them chained, and a rapidly dwindling number of people they can trust, the Prevos—human/synthetic meldings who shouldn’t exist—must take their fate into their own hands, and with it the fates of everyone.

51 Portals. 51 Universes. One mysterious gateway connecting them all.
In Aurora Rising, humanity discovered it was not alone—but few grasp the true magnitude of the discovery. Intent on learning the purpose behind the Metigens’ elaborate multiverse network, Alex Solovy, Caleb Marano and Valkyrie embark on a gripping journey through the network’s portals, each one leading to a universe not their own. In a mosaic of spaces inhabited by fantastical aliens and worlds both beautiful and deadly, they will be forced to question everything they thought they knew, including the nature of life itself.
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It is a time of accelerating technological change and shifting allegiances as the old rules fall away and the old balance of power is upended. A new world rises—one of unshackled AIs, indestructible starships, ethereal quantum spaces and potent new weapons—and the race is on to determine who will control its future.
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  1. Book 4 of 23
    Amaranthe
  2. Print length
    425 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 9, 2015
  5. File size
    3.5 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

First 10 Amaranthe novels and character art
Amaranthe logo
Amaranthe 11-22 covers and character art
review quote and book reading order
Starshine: Aurora Rising Book One (Amaranthe 1)
Vertigo: Aurora Rising Book Two (Amaranthe 2)
Exin Ex Machina: Asterion Noir Book 1 (Amaranthe 11)
Medusa Falling: A Cosmic Shores Novel (Amaranthe Book 20)
The Thief: A Cosmic Shores Novel (Amaranthe Book 21)
The Universe Within: A Cosmic Shores Novel (Amaranthe Book 22)
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Customer Reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars 3,483
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,260
4.5 out of 5 stars 489
4.6 out of 5 stars 136
4.7 out of 5 stars 138
4.8 out of 5 stars 38
Price $0.00 $3.99 $3.99 $5.99 $5.99 $5.99
Series Aurora Rhapsody Aurora Rhapsody Asterion Noir Cosmic Shores Cosmic Shores Cosmic Shores
Good Entry Point ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR THE AMARANTHE NOVELS:
"No question that Jennsen is a genius. I consider her to be writing some of the best space operas out there, but it goes further than that. Her characters are real people and their relationships are impressively nuanced. She balances dynamic action with witty political commentary and incredibly intelligent world-building. This is a great series to really sink your teeth into for the long run." -- Novel Commentary (reviewing Sidespace)
***

"G.S. Jensen magically weaves a wondrous tapestry that pulls us in and spurs us across a galaxy of her own making. As slaves to her whims we are taken along for a ride of intrigue, murder, adventure and a bit of romance. All woven so completely that she sucks you in head over heels, leaving her readers salivating for more." -- Reviews of the Written Word
***

"Starshine...smoothly weaves together multiple story lines with intrigue, murder, adventure and even a bit of romance." -- The Best Sci Fi Books, naming Starshine 14th among the 23 best sci-fi books by female authors in the last 50+ years
***

"[A] brilliant trilogy "Aurora Rising" by G. S. Jennsen. You are thrown into action and suspense from the start and the plot of the story unravels at a satisfying pace, all the time giving the feeling of deeper and even more nefarious revelations to come. [I]t's the characters who really make or unmake a book, and here Jennsen really shines...The Aurora Rising trilogy is a must read." -- Book O' Loco
***

"This book might be the perfect set-in-space science fiction book. That's [a] bold statement with things like Hitchhiker's Guide roaming about, but I feel that strongly about it. Jennsen is one of those magical authors who make you forget you're reading." -- Novel Commentary
***

"Start a conversation about best world-building in sci-fi, "hidden gems," or addictive and re-readable storylines, and you'll hear about G.S. Jennsen's magnificent Amaranthe series. Jennsen has a gift for connecting readers to her characters; you can't help but to be fully invested in their struggle to triumph over the seemingly impossible challenges they face. The stories are gritty, the heroes determined, the readers... hooked. How can you not be? This is a truly EPIC series. If you haven't picked it up yet, you really must." -- Discover Sci-fi

From the Author

SIDESPACE is Book #4 in the AMARANTHE series:
------------------------------------------------
~ AURORA RHAPSODY ~ (should be read in order)

AURORA RISING TRILOGY
#1: STARSHINE (Aurora Rising Book One)
#2: VERTIGO (Aurora Rising Book Two)
#3: TRANSCENDENCE (Aurora Rising Book Three)

AURORA RENEGADES TRILOGY
#4: SIDESPACE (Aurora Renegades Book One)
#5: DISSONANCE (Aurora Renegades Book Two)
#6: ABYSM (Aurora Renegades Book Three)

AURORA RESONANT TRILOGY
#7: RELATIVITY (Aurora Resonant Book One)
#8: RUBICON (Aurora Resonant Book Two)
#9: REQUIEM (Aurora Resonant Book Three)

#10: SHORT STORIES OF AURORA RHAPSODY (can be read at any time)

~ ASTERION NOIR TRILOGY ~ (a new entry point for the series - can be read before Aurora Rhapsody)
#11: EXIN EX MACHINA (Asterion Noir Book 1)
#12: OF A DARKER VOID (Asterion Noir Book 2)
#13: THE STARS LIKE GODS (Asterion Noir Book 3)

~ RIVEN WORLDS ~
#14: CONTINUUM (Riven Worlds Book One)
#15: INVERSION (Riven Worlds Book Two)
#16: ECHO RIFT (Riven Worlds Book Three)
#17: ALL OUR TOMORROWS (Riven Worlds Book Four)
#18: CHAOTICA (Riven Worlds Book Five)
Find them all on my Author Page: amazon.com/author/gsjennsen
*
This ebook is provided free of DRM restrictions.

Visit gsjennsen.com to explore concept art and other media and get the inside scoop on AMARANTHE. Subscribe to receive free books and short stories, stay up-to-date on all the latest news and be the first to know about special announcements and new book releases.

Interested in G. S. Jennsen's other books? Get STARSHINE: Aurora Rising Book One (Amaranthe # 1) for FREE: a.co/0GkcHZL

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017MLXV7S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hypernova Publishing; 1st edition (November 9, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 9, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 425 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0996014195
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 520 ratings

About the author

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G. S. Jennsen

G. S. Jennsen

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G. S. JENNSEN lives somewhere in the U.S., in a locale that may or may not be where she lived the last time she published a book (she’s a gypsy at heart), with her husband and two dogs. She has become an internationally bestselling author since her first novel, Starshine, was published in 2014. She has chosen to continue writing under an independent publishing model to ensure the integrity of her stories and her ability to execute on the vision she has for their telling.

While she has been a lawyer, a software engineer and an editor, she’s found the life of a full-time author preferable by several orders of magnitude. When she isn’t writing, she’s gaming or working out or getting lost in the mountains that loom large outside the windows in her home. Or she’s dealing with a flooded basement, or standing in a line at Walmart and wondering who all these people are (because she’s probably new in town). Or sitting on her back porch with a glass of wine, looking up at the stars, trying to figure out what could be up there.

*

Website: gsjennsen.com.

Newsletter: gsjennsen.com/subscribe

Twitter: @GSJennsen

Facebook: facebook.com/gsjennsen.author

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
520 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the book and find it an absorbing read with a great storyline. They appreciate the well-developed characters and strong female characters. The science fiction writing is described as fabulous, thoughtful, and imaginative. Readers praise the writing quality as excellent and spellbinding.

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Story qualityReadabilityCharacter developmentSci-fi writingWriting qualityIntelligence
45 customers mention "Story quality"39 positive6 negative

Customers find the story engaging and realistic. They say it's a great start to a new series that develops interest and keeps them coming back for more. The plot is imaginative and engrossing, with an originality that draws them back. The characters come alive and draw you into their adventures.

"...Overall, Jennsen has written a novel that both dazzles and astounds the mind of the reader and I really, really loved the book as much as I did the..." Read more

"Well Jennsen’s done it again, drawn me into some very interesting situations...." Read more

"...The story is made richer by having been a part of it for so long. This is a great series to really sink your teeth into for the long run...." Read more

"...I appreciated how well the story flowed from events in the previous books while still remaining new and interesting and unpredictable...." Read more

42 customers mention "Readability"42 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy reading the book. They find it an absorbing read with remarkable aliens. Readers describe it as a must-read for Star Wars fans and science fiction enthusiasts.

"Sidespace: Aurora Renegades was a thoroughly absorbing read that had me from the start...." Read more

"...There is a lot of good stuff in this book. By the end I felt satisfied that Ms. Jennsen had taken us well on our way to another grand adventure...." Read more

"...This is a great series to really sink your teeth into for the long run. Jennsen’s got five more books to go (that we know of!)." Read more

"...The pacing was excellent. It's a pretty long book but it definitely doesn't feel that way because the story moves from one event to another without..." Read more

22 customers mention "Character development"22 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They find it great to be back with them, and appreciate the strong female characters.

"...It is exciting, well written, has well developed characters, has a great plot and is set in a unique future where all things seem possible, yet..." Read more

"...I appreciated the Dramatis Personae charts of main and other major characters. It really helped to refresh my memory of who is who...." Read more

"...Her characters are real people and their relationships are impressively nuanced...." Read more

"...about Sidepsace was that it seemed to have to a more narrowed focus on the most important characters in the story without shifting unnecessarily to..." Read more

20 customers mention "Sci-fi writing"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's science fiction writing engaging. They praise the imaginative, original storyline and female main characters. The author creates a plausible future and makes the world feel realistic.

"...three books; I still consider Jennsen to be writing some of the best space operas out there, but it goes further than that...." Read more

"...in the series also contains solid action, original thinking and excellent creativity - plus some GREAT philosophy involving 'the concept of god,..." Read more

"...have not yet discovered this wonderful author and her thoughtful, imaginative, exciting, books. You people are in for an amazing ride!..." Read more

"...Especially if you love female main characters.and wonderfully written detailed stories." Read more

11 customers mention "Writing quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality. They find the book well-written and spellbinding, with depth in its worlds and characters. The adventure is engrossing and enjoyable, with strong character development and relationships.

"...It is exciting, well written, has well developed characters, has a great plot and is set in a unique future where all things seem possible, yet..." Read more

"...Characterization, character relationships, and emotions are some of the things G. S. Jennsen excels at, and for me, those are easily the most..." Read more

"...Ms Jennsen’s writing flows seamlessly. Her artistry and ingenuity amaze me...." Read more

"...out (some in the book, some in previous series books) and the author writes them well...." Read more

9 customers mention "Intelligence"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the intelligent world-building and philosophical ideas in the book. They find it creative, imaginative, and a great addition to the Aurora series. The author is described as thoughtful, imaginative, and exciting.

"...In this case it was the words sapience versus sentience. There is a whole lot to think about with these two words...." Read more

"...dynamic action with witty political commentary and incredibly intelligent world-building...." Read more

"...action, original thinking and excellent creativity - plus some GREAT philosophy involving 'the concept of god, consciousness and sentience.'..." Read more

"...Those who have not yet discovered this wonderful author and her thoughtful, imaginative, exciting, books. You people are in for an amazing ride!..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Catherine Mackay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, dazzling and mind-blowing - AWESOME book!!!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sidespace: Aurora Renegades was a thoroughly absorbing read that had me from the start. I loved the first trilogy, Aurora Rising and I'm already loving the continuation of the Aurora universe with this new and latest offering in the series. G.S. Jennsen has envisioned a future where humanity is connected to the computer network and I mean literally. Jennsen has extrapolated our increasing 21st century reliance on our smartphones and the like to a world where people can up-grade and enhance there own bodies through new 'ware' - legal or illegal and where children are given their first implants relatively young. Previous readers of the first trilogy will know that Jennsen has taken computer connectiveness to a dazzling new level with the creation of the 'Prevos' - human and AI connectiveness at the quantum level. Just as there are people in the 21st century who express concern over our reliance on technology, so too do some humans in the far-flung future that Jennsen has created.
    In Sidespace the Prevos are targeted by a terrorist organisation that fears the human mind linking with an artificial one. They make a play at grabbing Devon who is linked to the Annie AI. However, the terrorist organisation are not the only ones targeting the Prevos - the Oversight commitee for military projects in the Alliance are seeking to control the technology and on the colony world of New Babel - home to a number of criminal cartels - Olivia, head of one of the cartels is trying to become a Prevos. All is not looking good for the tenuous relationship between the Alliance and Senecan governments either as political intrigue and greed get the better of some in highly placed government positions.
    Meanwhile, Caleb and Alex are exploring the Portal Worlds - a series of pockect universes accessed through the portal network. They come across some astounding worlds and alien species and come to some disturbing conclusions about the Metigens (they are the aliens from the previous series who nearly destroyed humanity) influence over the pocket universe.
    Overall, Jennsen has written a novel that both dazzles and astounds the mind of the reader and I really, really loved the book as much as I did the first trilogy. It is exciting, well written, has well developed characters, has a great plot and is set in a unique future where all things seem possible, yet very dangerous. Sidespace can be read without reading the first trilogy - the author includes a synopsis of what went down in the previous books - though I do recommend new readers begin with the first trilogy. Highly recommended series.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars An "almost" perfect novel.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Well Jennsen’s done it again, drawn me into some very interesting situations. I really liked this book for several reasons, but had difficulty with one minor aspect of it. I’ll talk about the “likes” first.

    I appreciated the Dramatis Personae charts of main and other major characters. It really helped to refresh my memory of who is who. I also appreciated and used the link to the synopses. Sometimes I don’t remember everything in a particular storyline before I read the next in a series. The Synopses brought most of it back and brought back the fondness for the main characters too. (Except for a certain female villain…then it brought back something other than fondness.) It was a great starting point before delving into the new book. I did not use the maps, however, because they didn’t show up large enough on my Kindle for me to decipher.

    I love that Ms. Jennsen brings us into a world, or two, very different from our own on planets quite unlike Earth. In one set of these planets there is a variation on a theme that reminded me of a highly edited scene from the Wizard of Oz. (The unedited scene was restored several years ago and made available for viewing, although it is still not in the original movie.) Anyway…look forward to the trees.

    When I can learn something, or think about something I haven’t paid much attention to before, I really appreciate it. In this case it was the words sapience versus sentience. There is a whole lot to think about with these two words.

    Now for my “difficulty.” I’m getting old and found it somewhat difficult to jump so quickly from one character’s point of view and locale to another. I lost the story line for a few paragraphs here and there and had to figure out where I was and the relationship of that character to the rest of the story before I could “place” it correctly. The frequent POV change was a challenge for me. And now that the series is encompassing a longer history and even more characters, I could definitely use a historical event timeline in the next book just to put things in their proper place.

    There is a lot of good stuff in this book. By the end I felt satisfied that Ms. Jennsen had taken us well on our way to another grand adventure. Although this book is only the beginning of a new portion of the saga, I wish the story had gotten just a tad farther along. But maybe that is as it should be; always leave the reader wanting more, right? Brava Ms. Jennsen. And hurry up and write the next one please.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Stephanie Lehenbauer
    5.0 out of 5 stars No question that Jennsen is a genius.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sidespace is the brand new addition to G.S. Jennsen’s Aurora universe. While it is a follow up to the first three books, collectively called Aurora Rising, Sidespace is the start of a new trilogy. In this act of Jennsen’s brillaint sci-fi, Alex and Caleb are cut off from their world, exploring other areas of space. Meanwhile, the Earth Alliance and the Senecans continue to fight back in the home galaxy.

    Sidespace was absolutely no different from the first three books; I still consider Jennsen to be writing some of the best space operas out there, but it goes further than that. Her characters are real people and their relationships are impressively nuanced. She balances dynamic action with witty political commentary and incredibly intelligent world-building.

    If you are interested in AI and the current discussion regarding our dependancy on electronics and the internet, this series is definitely for you. Jennsen’s world is one in which humans are integrated into the net, and this is the leading conflict for Sidespace. There are also aliens, romance, and age-old political grandstanding to ground the entire thing in a world that could be nothing but real.

    While I think Sidespace could stand on its own for new readers, I would recommend starting with the Aurora Rising trilogy. You’d be missing the charming start of Alex and Caleb’s relationship, as well as the history of the Senecan vs. Earth conflict. The story is made richer by having been a part of it for so long.

    This is a great series to really sink your teeth into for the long run. Jennsen’s got five more books to go (that we know of!).
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jukes Bell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Always a good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 11, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Love the story arc and the characters...need to binge read them all again
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exploring the other universes feels like a greatest hits of "strange new worlds" sci fi ...
    Reviewed in Canada on August 15, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Picks up where the last trilogy left off. Keeps on going! The structure feels a bit disjointed just because the two storylines are so different, but it's forgivable in context of the other series. Exploring the other universes feels like a greatest hits of "strange new worlds" sci fi tropes in the best way possible.
    Report
  • Julie Hawkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another amazing story from G. S. Jennsen that only leaves me wanting more.
    Reviewed in Australia on November 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Right from the start I was immersed in the world of Alex and Caleb, shown their perilous situation and eager to know what was going on. Having come to love these two in Aurora Rising following them on their adventure in Sidespace was a given and there was no doubt I would be buying this book.
    Am I disappointed? Not on your life. G. S. Jennsen has a way with words. Her characters are deep and believable. Every one of them has a story to tell and it drags you in, makes you want to know more. The worlds she puts them in are real, her depth of detail brings them to life and leaves no doubt that they exist.
    There is everything a good book should have, drama, excitement, danger, humour and a touch of romance. It’s space opera at its finest and it paints the possible next evolution of humanity in such a way you can’t help but believe it will happen.
    There was a good mix of internal and external conflict both with characters, situations and entire worlds. While Alex and Caleb are discovering new worlds and new problems, back in the Milky Way humanity was doing what it does best – trying to outdo one another with very little thought of the consequences.
    Even after a war that brought them to the brink of extinction petty arguments and differences of opinions threaten to bring humanity down. That and the fear of something that makes them feel threatened – the melding of man and machine.
    Will they be able to live together, will the peace last, can humanity accept those that were once human but aren’t completely so any longer? What kind of future will the Provos have? Was war enough to bring them to their senses or will secrets, lies and mistrust make it impossible. Will the Metigens allow Alex and Caleb to keep searching or will they decide to be done with the whole human race? Will Mesme be their guardian angel or the devil in their undoing?
    So many questions. The intrigue, suspense and need to know the answers makes this a book that’s impossible to put down. Can it be read as a stand alone book, I believe so, there is enough information to get the gist of the overall story that will carry on through this new trilogy. But do yourself a favour, go and buy the complete collection of Aurora Rising, which includes two shorter stories. You won’t regret it.
    Report
  • Terry D
    4.0 out of 5 stars Highly impressed (with just a tiny but…)
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Ms Jennsen manages to pack an impressive amount (galactic and otherwise) into the 366 pages of ‘Sidespace’ and, perhaps inevitably, the book doesn’t flow quite as smoothly as the ‘Aurora Rising’ trilogy. With Alex and Caleb exploring what lies beyond the Metis portal – and with absolutely no contact with their own galaxy – we effectively end up with two skilfully written and highly imaginative, but virtually separate, stories. After a lot of soul-searching and angst that four-star rating, when set against the extremely high standards of those earlier books, became almost inevitable.

    The first three worlds Alex and Caleb encounter contain non-humanoid intelligence; one is friendly, two are aggressive and, as they leave the system, they’re left with a suspicion the Metigens might have been responsible.

    As the relationship between Earth Alliance and Senecan Federation deteriorates, Ms Jennsen demonstrates a delightfully dry opinion about the behaviour of politicians. And, although the Artificials played a major role in defeating the Metigens, the politicians are now determined to control, or perhaps eliminate, them.

    Good night and thank you…

    There’s also an intriguing, but all-too-brief, mention of a fourth dimension that’s unmeasured and unrecognised except by Artificials. It can, however, be experienced by their linked human colleagues and will, no doubt, resurface in the latter part of the trilogy.

    Whilst more political shenanigans are taking place on Earth and Seneca, Alex and Caleb find themselves exploring a three-planet system populated by advanced aliens. Although outwardly benevolent, the aliens prove to be both violent and primitive. The links to the Metigens – involving anti-matter bombs – are, this time, blatant.

    Elsewhere in the cosmos the ethereal Mesme finds herself in trouble with the Conclave; in Hyperion’s view she has ‘loosed a chaotic unstable variable (= Alex and Caleb) which will destroy everything’. Although something is clearly about to happen Ms Jennsen keeps the details enigmatically vague.

    I’m sure the remaining parts of the trilogy – ‘Dissonance’ and ‘Abysm’ – will resolve these issues – although perhaps, just perhaps, we’ll have to wait until the ‘Aurora Resonant’ trilogy is published…

    For the record, I received an Early Review copy of 'Sidespace' from GSJ several days before the Kindle version was published.
    --------------------------------------------------------------
    GSJ emailed me a couple of days before this review was published : "Not being able to weave the separate plots together was a shame (for me, too), but the story simply demanded it. At one point I did consider telling Renegades in six novellas rather than 3 novels, knowing the paths would be separate for a while - but themes continue to echo across the parallel stories, and they'll reconverge for Abysm, so the novella structure wouldn't have worked for very long.

    Otherwise, you've hit on the major themes - hopefully after Aurora Rising you know the various plot threads, themes and teases will be woven together in time. I never did know how to tell a quick and easy story, lol!

    Thanks so much for taking the time to read early and help support the release - I really do appreciate it :)."
    Report
  • J EXLEY
    5.0 out of 5 stars Space unlimited...
    Reviewed in Australia on January 17, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The Aurora Books? Space opera on a grand scale; not content with just the galaxy to explore, G.S. Jennsen sucks us off into the Universe... or is it multi-verses? Alexis and Caleb still somehow managing to avoid CERTAIN DEATH FROM NEARLY EVERYTHING. One of the great things about the author's writing is she manages to balance the science and human emotional responses which helps to bring her characters to life in a truly fantastic setting. Can't wait for the next one.
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