He lost his job. He lost his girl. Now it’s all he can do not to lose his life.Landon Thorne is a disgraced archaeologist, a laughing stock in his field because of his unconventional beliefs – he’s an ancient astronaut theorist. No one takes him seriously.Until an alien armada targets Earth.Now Landon’s in high demand – by the US government and someone far more sinister.They race across two … sinister.
They race across two continents to the Gate of the Gods, the one place on Earth that might give humans an advantage over the aliens. But no one is prepared for what they’ll find.
And not everyone will make it out alive.
Fans of action, intrigue, and aliens will love The Gate, the first book in the Astral Conspiracy series. Pick up your copy now!
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A cross between Indiana Jones and Men in Black!
When emergency broadcasting sends out a notice of the impending invasion of aliens, disgraced archeology professor Landon Thorne suddenly becomes a hot commodity.
Betrayed by the woman he loved- an AATIP Agent- Thorne decides to help a fellow agent instead of her and lands himself in hot water at the hands of a band of merciless mercenaries.
The race is on to save the human race. Landon must use his archeological theories to make contact with the aliens and avert a worldwide crisis before it’s too late, but all is not as it seems. The danger he faces on earth may be more than anything from outer space.
An amazing amount of research went into this story and lifts it above the average read for me. I enjoy learning new things when I pick up a book and this one taught a bit of ancient history as well as scientific theory that was truly interesting.
The author did a fantastic job building tension and yet the layers of humor kept the subject matter from becoming too forbidding.
FAVORITE LINES
Where did he begin? Where did he end? Did he even exist at all? Purple music waltzed up his arms, cool and wet. It tasted of ozone. Or was he tasting himself, consuming his own essence? An ouroboros of flesh and blood and bone and soul, born of the Earth and of the Heavens themselves.
Cross, D.L.. The Gate: An Invasion Universe Novel (Astral Conspiracy Book 1) . Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.
Landon took a deep breath, then he rose up on his knee. Stretching his other leg back for leverage, he leaned over Wolf, bracing his hand on the stone floor for balance. If it was a yoga pose, it had to be called Suicidal Man.
Cross, D.L.. The Gate: An Invasion Universe Novel (Astral Conspiracy Book 1) . Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.
I give The Gate 5+ lovely kisses- well worth the read!
In this fast-paced story, author D.L. Cross creates a melting pot of conspiracies, government coverups and ancient civilizations. Professor Landon Thorne is an expert on alien theories, unfortunately most of his speculations have left him labeled a crackpot—until alien spacecraft are detected hurtling toward Earth. Suddenly, Thorne is the man everyone needs—from secret government operatives to mercenaries for hire. Worse, the woman Thorne thought he loved turns out to be an operative who was assigned as his handler. In the matter of a single day his world goes from routine college campus to hidden government facility, to the wilds of Peru.
Cross sets a breathless pace, juggling a diverse cast of characters, most with their own agendas. There are alliances, crosses and double-crosses, betrayals and perceived betrayals. Tension is kept high with the impending arrival of potentially hostile aliens.
A good deal of research clearly went into this novel, as the author addresses the Roswell Incident, Incas, the Serpent Mound, and a web of other threads that leaves the reader constantly guessing where the next curveball is coming from. Cross throws plenty of them and sets her chapters for hooks that makes it impossible not to keep swiping pages. The writing is tight, the dialogue exchanges, rapid-fire. I found the Roswell thread particularly intriguing. This is the first book in what promises to be a riveting series. If you’re a fan of ancient alien theories mixed with fast-paced intrigue, and characters who command the pages, you don’t want to miss this one!
This was probably the most amazing book I’ve read in the last couple of years. It was hard to put down, but life got in my way. It honestly only took me a day combined to get through it.
Real world sites, ancient artifacts, aliens, and the threat of invasion. Take all of these, combine it with a few legends and this one is a hell of a story. Highly recommended. I know I’ll be reading the subsequent books.
I’ve been looking forward to this release and was impressed from the first page. “The Gate” is the beginning of the Astral Conspiracy Series, and I found it was like reading a movie it was so vivid. The characters felt very real including my favorite, Landon Thorne. He had theories others made fun of until they realized he was right. I connected with him staying true to himself and not allowing others to force change. With so much action and urgency in the story, it was hard to put down. I found myself saying more than once: “They don’t have time for this!” There was plenty of history and research mixed into the story that added another level of intrigue. Ancient Alien Theories fascinate me, so I was thrilled to find an exciting story with that woven into it. I highly recommend this well-written book, especially if you love aliens, the what-if scenario, action, history, theories, and characters you can grow to love–and hate!
I have not been reading a great deal of sci-fi in recent years, having fallen more in love with fantasy, but the Astral Conspiracy series by D. L. Cross is changing all of that. Book 1, The Gate, has Hollywood written all over it, and that’s something I’ve never said about a book before. Fast-paced action, intriguing, well-developed characters, and the threat of aliens approaching earth had me biting my nails from beginning to end. I could perfectly visualize every single scene and definitely could see this one on the big screen!
I loved that the characters were relatable, but sometimes unpredictable, and while there were some you were drawn to immediately, others were far less likable. (Downright nasty, in at least one case.) And the icing on the cake? Well, I won’t give that away, but does the name Roswell ring a bell? I was so involved, I went straight to Book 2, The Stones, and am enjoying it even more. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of The Gate today. You won’t be sorry!
Being a sci-fi fan, especially of The X-Files, this book immediately appealed to me. And look at that striking cover! It was a must read.
Professor Landon Thorne is having a seriously crappy day after losing his job, his girlfriend, and then being kidnapped and held at gunpoint multiple times. On the other hand, his theories about aliens, previously panned by experts in the field, may be proven right. So there’s that.
With double crosses, questionable motivations, and government coverups, it’s hard to know who to trust or what to believe. Some of the characters are so unlikeable (I’m looking at you, Nadia), you yearn for them to be put in their place. Or sent to the aliens as a welcoming committee to determine if their intentions are naughty or nice in hopes of sparing the more likeable characters.
I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints and witty dialogue, and the conversations between Tasha and Father Tomas are exceptionally thought-provoking from a religious aspect.
With a mix of archeology, ancient civilizations, and the threat of invasion, The Gate is an intriguing, action-packed read. I can’t wait for the next book. Bring on the aliens!
I took this book on vacation with me, and what a great fun, fast read! Perfect for hanging around the pool. Landon Thorne has ALWAYS known aliens once lived on Earth. We get a hint later in the book that there’s something special about him, something that makes the U.S. government send a “handler” to gain his confidence and learn more about him. I can’t wait to find out what that “something” is, but the alien that the government took into custody at Roswell knows Landon’s name and will only speak to him. Unfortunately, learning about the GOOD aliens who keep track of Earth had better be a rush job since the not-so-friendly giant aliens are sending an Armada to invade us. Poor Landon is in for more trouble than he ever dreamed possible–summoned by the government, tricked by a way too ambitious agent, kidnapped by mercenaries, shot at and drugged, and sent to find the key for the Gate to the Gods. We meet plenty of characters of all types–good guys who aren’t so good, innocent bystanders whose families are threatened if they don’t help the mercenaries, a priest who hates the alien, etc. All of them are done well, and the pace builds tension as it zips along. A fun, entertaining read.
This is book one of the Astral Conspiracy series and with the riveting ending, I cannot wait to get into book 2! In this book, the protagonist, Landon Thorne, finds himself out of work and out of luck. That is until the Astral App alerts the impending arrival of aliens. Then, it seems everyone needs and wants this professor who has studied and believes in the ancient alien theory. The journey he finds himself on is relentless and filled with danger and takes him all the way to South America. If not for the need of his knowledge, his life would be worth nothing. This story is very fast-paced with plenty of heart-stopping action. The characters are believable, including the motivations for their actions. I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who is fascinated by the existence of aliens. It is well-written and even though the author gets into several of the character’s POV, she does it with ease and it never feels jarring.
I’m not usually a reader of science fiction, but after learning about The Gate, I decided to try it. I’m glad I did.
Professor Landon Thorn believes in the concept of ancient aliens. He even wrote a book on the subject. Unfortunately, no one believes him and many make fun of him. In one day, Landon loses both his job and his girl. Could things get any worse?
Of course, they can. When an alert comes that warns of the earth’s invasion, Landon is pressed into service with a US Government Agency with hopes of saving the planet.
Cross weaves elements of mystery and suspense into this book. She put a great deal of research into the book, including the 1947 Roswell incident and the ancient Incan civilization.
The characters are well-developed, the settings well-written, and the action fast-paced. If you want a quick, satisfying read, The Gate is for you. I for one, look forward to the next book of this series.
The Gate by D.L. Cross is a well-researched, action-packed story of professor Landon Thorne, an archaeologist whose alien theories are scoffed at even by his own friend. The story revolves around digging the old secrets before the aliens land on earth. It begins at an exceptional pace but slackens mid-way, getting mired in human frailties and many people jump into the cauldron of intrigues. It picks up by the end but leaves many questions unanswered.
I like the crisp style of writing; the dialogues flow well but become ambiguous and you may have to go back to understand who is saying what! There is some profane language in the first part of the book; I don’t think it was needed, as it diminishes the value of an absorbing story. The characters have been crafted with a realistic touch, especially Tasha and Nadia who never fail to manipulate situations in their favor. If you like sci-fiction with a historical backing, this book is for you.
DL Cross had me at page one. Really awesome characters dealing with an alien invasion that feels very realistic!