Hi ya’ll. Welcome to my second stop on the tour for the EPIC Series by Lee Stephen.
On Monday I shared my 5 Star review of the first book, Dawn Of Destiny.
For today I have my review of the second book, Outlaw Trigger.
Check it out.
Enjoy my reviews.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
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My Review
I’ve been getting back to reading science fiction again. I got away from it for a while and I’ve discovered some exciting new authors and stories lately
Author Lee Stephen and his EPIC series are among them.
I’m huge on character driven novels and got everything I could ask for with Dawn of Destiny.
There’s also a lot of action and intrigue.
Several different alien species are attacking our planet. We don’t know why. Their attacks are random and sporadic. The world unites, setting up military bases all over the world. The agenda: attack, eliminate, protect.
Our very survival depends on it.
From the beginning you are drawn into story. The characters are strongly written. They all have distinctive voices. I could recognize some easily without the author even having to mention who was acting or speaking.
How these military units came together, how they learned to work together, and their personal issues were so captivating. I had a couple of favorites right from the beginning, but as new ones entered the story, I found more. I came to care about them, to celebrate their triumphs, grieve over their losses, and rage over the injustices.
I also became interested in a few of the not so nice characters. They were equally well developed and their stories were fascinating too. It was hard not to feel some empathy for a few of them. I wanted to let down my guard, as some of the characters in the book did, but I quickly remembered, this is a book, the author doesn’t promise me good things, and anything can and will happen. Boy. did it ever.
The battles were strongly written too. Watching a lot of science fiction movies made it easy to visualize these. Especially when it came to the aliens. There are two main ones and they both utilize other alien creatures as weapons. Those are pretty scary. One scene with some necrilids was very chilling and I used the last Predators movie to see that.
And I wanted to mention the characters again. When they were first all brought together I pictured the movie Starship Troopers. It wasn’t a blockbuster movie, but I really liked it. The camaraderie of the units, their personal lives, their wins and losses, it all felt similar in Dawn of Destiny. This was the spine of this story and it was strong.
As for the ending. I got one. A good one. I knew it was the first book in the series and would leave me hanging so I wasn’t surprised by that. But it did wrap up some things and leave me wanting more. I was glad their would be more and immediately started reading the second book, which takes place three months later.
I hope you try this series. You don’t have to love science fiction to enjoy these. They read fast, and even when there’s no shooting, running, screaming, and blowing things up, there’s plenty to keep you glued to the pages.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
Some men go to war for the glory. Some men go to war to escape. For Scott Remington, war is entirely different. It is a belief. It is a calling. It is a destiny. Leaving everything behind—his fiancée, his future, his life—he embarks on a mission of faith into a battle he can barely understand. This is his story. This is his war. This is only the beginning.
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Dawn Of Destiny Audio Book
The Dawn of Destiny audiobook project is a full adaptation of the first book in the Epic series. It’s not your typical “audiobook,” even though technically that’s what it is. When people hear “audiobook,” there’s a certain type of thing that usually comes to mind. Most likely it’s the thought of someone reading a book to them, occasionally with music playing in the background. This isn’t that.
What you’re going to hear in this project, is more of an audio “experience,” the audio equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie. Over thirty voice actors played a role in this. This is ear-splitting sound effects, bombastic music, and characters shouting back and forth in the middle of a war zone. This is unlike anything you’ve ever heard.
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My Review
I crossed my fingers and toes before I started reading this book. The first book, Dawn Of Destiny, was amazing and I was wondering if the author could pull off another winner with the second book.
My worries were unfounded. This was every bit as good as the first book.
Scott Remington, the youngest man to ever receive the honorary Golden Lion, rose through the ranks like a rocket. But with all victory comes a fall. He suffers a tragic loss and loses his way.
But time waits for no man, and neither do the aliens. They step up their attacks, a rookie makes a huge error, and casualties are staggering. Scott must pull himself together fast. The men look to him for leadership, to fuel their bravery. His crushing loss has him in limbo. The rage builds. It’s all leading to a breaking point.
It’s good to be back with the gang again. Most of the characters made it through the first book and are back in the second one. But that doesn’t mean I can relax. As a matter of fact, the author quickly hit me with massive losses when a rookie made a huge mistake, sending men to their slaughter.
And there’s a lot of political maneuvering going on. That’s never a good thing, and I smelled a skunk or two.
Thoor, mysterious leader of the Nightmen, is also upping the stakes. He’s strategically placing his men in the Eden ranks. This can only be bad.
Outlaw trigger is a lot darker than the first book. There’s more suspense, more loss, more intrigue. And a whole lot of shock and awe.
And the wild ending. I so didn’t see it coming. One word describes it. FUBAR!
5 Stars
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Synopsis
They say every man has a breaking point-every man. can be pushed off the edge. Scott Remington entered EDEN with the heart of a lion. He forged glory in the furnace of war. But on the heels of dawn, darkness awaits. Only when stretched to the limit will a man truly learn who he is. That limit is about to be breached. Lines will be crossed. Sides will be chosen. And faith will be put to the test. Will the righteous prevail?
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Born and raised in Cajun country, Lee Stephen spent his childhood paddling pirogues through the marshes of South Louisiana. When he wasn’t catching bullfrogs or playing with alligators in the bathtub (both true), he was escaping to the world of the imagination, creating worlds in his mind filled with strange creatures and epic journeys. This hasn’t stopped.Now a resident of Luling, Louisiana, Lee spends time every day delving into the world of Epic, the science-fiction series that has come to define him as a writer and producer. Alongside his wife, Lindsey, their sons, Levi and Lawson, and their dog, Jake, Lee has made it a mission to create a series that is unique in its genre—one unafraid to address the human condition while staying grounded in elements of faith.
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