Dash never asked to be a mech pilot, but fate has other plans. On the run and out of chances, he guides his ship and crew into the heart of a relic older than the galaxy itself—and find himself on the edge of an eternal war he never knew existed.The relic is a mech, lost to history and forgotten by all who remain. Built by an ancient race to be the ultimate weapon, the machine is capable of … is capable of unspeakable destruction, and its discovery could unhinge the balance of power throughout known space.
Worse still, the A.I. inside the machine speaks of an ancient evil that will soon arrive–a race whose power far exceeds anything humanity has ever witnessed.
Only the Messenger can stand against them, the A.I. tells its new pilot. Only you can do what must be done.
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The Messenger: The Messenger, Book 1
By: J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
This is a story I definitely needed! A fresh unique space book that has a new twist on just about everything! I was caught up in the witty, snarky dialogue and the funny escape at first. Then the science/ techie stuff, the characters, the world building, and more just kept me pulled in like I too was in orbit.
This is an amazing book I can’t wait to read more of! The descriptions made me feel I was there, flying outside of the ship! So much fun! I giggled, smiled, and laughed through a great deal of this book and the other parts I wondered how he would MacGyver his way through difficult situations.
The narration was excellent with Jeffery Kafer as narrator! He always performs perfectly!
If you’re looking for something new and fun in space, pick up this! Mindblowing!
Let’s be real, this book earns several of its stars simply for being a rare entry in a genre that Does Not Have Enough Books – by which I mean kick-butt giant robot space opera.
The Messenger is a book for anyone who has ever fantasized about jumping into the cockpit of a giant mech and going on space adventures. Though I often see it compared to Gundam, it’s actually closer to Voltron for its spirit of fun – Not that Gundam isn’t fun, but one of the defining elements of Gundam is its political complexity and “War is hell” philosophy, and that’s 100% absent here. If you watch Gundam for the big stompy robots, though, the comparison still fits.
The plot is rather simple – Main character finds robot which he must then use to avert an impending war with an ancient, nebulous force – but it’s carried by an interesting cast of characters who wouldn’t be out of place in the more playful corners of the Star Wars universe (or perhaps Guardians of the Galaxy).
I pondered subtracting a star because once that ensemble cast is moved to the background to make way for the giant robot, the book actually becomes a little less interesting, but I think that’s more a statement on the strength of the cast than the content of the story. It’s still an intriguing tale, and its more mysterious corners have me eager to read the sequel when it releases next week!
A fantastic read full of snark and fast-paced action.
So, fair warning to anyone who picked it up purely for mecha. It takes a bit to get to the big stompy robot of awesomeness but when it gets there, it’s worth the wait.
That said! The story is well worth the read even without the mecha. Dash is fantastic with all his snark and roughish charm and the rest of the team really grows on you as the story goes on.
It’s an easy recommendation for me.
I want my own mech. This was so much fun. Weird characters, characters with flaws, and characters that make BAD choices. Which is way more fun. This is a mix of battletech, Firefly, and Doctor Who on steroids. If you want an AI learning to be snarky, a plan 200,000 years in the making, and long ago aliens that might still be alive – grab this. Because when you finish the first one, there are more to go.
Well? Go!
I could not put this book down. I can’t wait for book#2!
“Every sentient thing is being tested, all of the time.”
What an impressive and mighty cover! A daring courier captain, with a splendid, unexpected and original, formed on the way crew, ancient alien tech and relics. The plot is superbly crafted and builds momentum to its surprising ending! This is a fantastic SciFi thriller, with a military touch and an amazing diversity of alien beings, it has everything I love in a story. A beginning of a fabulous new series. I’m totally enchanted with it, so immersive and engaging. One of the most spine tingling novels that I have read!