This user has not added any information to their profile yet.
A 3.5 year mission from which they'll never return, a 2.5 million lightyear journey to another galaxy, a 1.5 member crew comprising a solitary captain and a half-baked AI...
Captain Sideris is a loner and knows LETO ships like nobody else, having risen to command the Lunar-Earth construction fleet, as they build ships to mine asteroids and colonize Mars. Suddenly he finds the colonization effort is for another planet, in another galaxy, and he’s the sole human guinea pig being gated through a wormhole with an AI playing Noah to LETO SS Casindra’s ark.
Everything goes well as he starts to survey four planets they plan to exploit, as he gets to know emergent AI ‘Al’, as he discovers he’s building a special relationship with empathic cat ‘Simba’. Problem is message drones gated home are not being returned per protocol, with little explanation, no supplies, and some cryptic and disturbing messages.
The sci-fi elements are wonderfully developed and thoroughly researched, and the character development gets a similarly rigorous level of attention. Sideris' relationship with Al, the AI onboard, is particularly charming. The narrative moments when the point of view temporarily shifts to Al, or even to the feline passengers, make for amusing reprieves within the story.
The limited number of characters also allows for deeper probing into ideas of identity, solitude, adventure, and sacrifice for the greater good. This journey to New Eden, and the process of settling on the planet, provides a fascinating view into humanity's near future, as similar exploratory missions will undoubtedly occur in this century.
Blending scientific fact with a brilliant fictional premise, Casindra Lost is an impressive first piece of the Lost Mission series, and a great read for devoted sci-fi fans and new readers alike. - The Independent Review of Books
This extraordinary story made us think, and it compelled us to turn the pages as if we were running a red light. With all of the phobias and anxieties of a humanity on the brink of extinction, Ward brings the true trials and tribulations of our current world onto the pages and deck of Casindra and many, many worlds beyond.
This novel is a cat-and-mouse game between humanity and entropy. Tangled webs of heavy themes such as what it means to be human, the nature of relationships, humanity, empathy, and morality, are buried deep within the pages of this profound work. We struggled to find a balance between not wanting to put this story down and having to pause for a deep breath. - The Authors Circle
'A classic sci-fi saga with a strong emphasis on all that's technical in space travel. Fans of The Martian will probably love it!' - The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
After a wormhole radiation incident, a 20-year-old vetinerary nurse finds herself in charge of a mission to another solar system in another galaxy... with as motley a crew as had ever graced sea or sky… a crew of amnesiac patients.
Many of them don't know how they got there; none of them know where they are...
Three of them are teens who will find unexpected responsibilities, two of them are cats who seem to know more than you'd expect, and one character is a basic level-one AI who will need to step up to replace the unrecoverable level-three Quantum AI.
In addition to the complex and fascinating story, Marti’s prose grows more sophisticated with each novel. His ability to create credible characters in a fantasy sci-fi realm is a gift he continues to polish. As he has stated before, he is turning science fact into science fiction, and the transition is successful! This series is addicting and wholly successful! – Grady Harp
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well-written sci-fi adventure with perfect pacing. Highly recommended and looking forward to the next instalment. - Piarus
I found the first book of this series to be very good. It had a certain Alien meets 2001 quality to it. This next installment takes the reader in a new direction. We still feel the claustrophobia and isolation of deep space, but we also find the tension and suspense that comes from the failed plan and the horror of so many people being trapped with few options. I enjoyed the setting, the character development, and the pace of the narrative. Fans of science fiction will enjoy this read and the series that it is part of. While this is the second book in a series, it does not need to be read in order to be enjoyed. - Phil Bolos
What a 21st!
Eva's big birthday 'present' was a tired old spaceship lost in space and time, a motley crew of amnesiac patients, 500 colonists in cryo, and a mission that would take a lifetime - assuming she could keep everyone alive till they made planetfall.
SS Moraturi is a Lunar Earth Transfer Orbiter - a kind of spider robot designed to construct space stations and ships in and around the Earth-Moon Lagrange points 1 and 2. Now Moraturi is taking two cryoholds full of colonists to New Eden, an earth-like planet in the Paradisi system, 2.5 million light years from Earth in the Andromeda galaxy.
Eva's problem is that the trip that was to take one year is now going to take decades - their emergency supplies were based on 200% of expected needs for just 16 crew members with the 500 passengers in cryo, and the cryotechnology can't keep them alive for decades at a stretch.
This book is the third in the Paradisi Lost Missions series and the second in the Moraturi arc. While it can be read as a standalone novel, the author recommends starting the Paradisi Lost series with either Moraturi Lost or Casindra Lost.
“Moraturi Ring: Paradisi Chronicles” is the third book in the Lost Mission series by Marti Ward. This book is a wonderfully well-written sci-fi adventure that will leave you on the edge of your seat and desperately wanting more. This book came highly recommended to me by a good friend whose passion is sci-fi reads, so upon taking his word of advice, I threw myself into this book series, and I haven’t looked back! Marti Ward writes with such ease and a sense of believability that you will find yourself quickly immersed in this entirely different world. It really is an incredible adventure that will stay will you, long after you have finished reading. — Amazon Reviewer
Unlike many series, this book can be read without you first needing to read the previous two. However, if you want to get a better understanding of the series, it might be worthwhile to do so.
If you enjoy time-travel and science-fiction novels, definitely consider this book. It’s filled with well-developed characters, a unique setting, and plenty of plot twists. — Amazon Reviewer
“Moraturi Ring: Paradisi Chronicles” is a great third book in the series “Lost Mission” created by Marti Ward. It is a futuristic novel with an interesting mixture of science, space exploration and fantasy woven into its pages. Although it is a work of fiction, the plot is supported by detailed descriptions of scientific facts, explanations of life in space and procedures. This together with the descriptions of a society subjected to advances that sometimes go beyond imagination make this book realistic, spine-tingling at times and thought-provoking.
The story is set in a future where space exploration and colonization are the norm. Eva is on a mission that has lasted more than it was expected. Now she is in charge of saving a lot of passengers with scarce supplies and a teenage crew. Will they be able to make it to New Eden? This is an amazing read, I recommend it. — Amazon Reviewer
The building of the hadron collider was once big news, but now it is just part of the scenery for most of the community, until Airlie and other children start showing unusual gifts. Airlie uses her psi abilities to solve a number of mysteries and crimes at her school and in her neighborhood - and comes to the attention of Inspector Jonathan Humble of Minor Crimes.
Towards the end of the school year, Airlie gets two intriguing invitations: an offer of a scholarship to a new middle school with 'opportunity classes' in exotic subjects like Quantum Psychology, and a free place at a summer camp run by Inspector Humble. The two invitations and her psionic powers are clearly connected, and Airlie can't resist the opportunity to learn more about her gifts and to meet others with psyq powers at the camp.
‘A cleverly plotted supernatural adventure for middle graders and young teenagers with a strong cast of young characters and a memorable protagonist.’ — The Wishing Shelf
'A fast-paced and exciting adventure story for older children and adults and would be an excellent option for reading aloud at school or home' — Karen Siddall, Reedsy Discovery
' Airlie is an endearing and fun character who you can really root for.
Ward's descriptive language throughout the book made reading it a joy and encourages your imagination to run wild.
While it's aimed at younger YA readers I loved the book and will be keeping up with the Quantum Talent series and hoping my special talents reveal themselves so I can attend Inspector Humble's summer camp!' — Katie May, Amazon UK Reviewer