JUNCTION WORLD
Book One – Defiance
By Bear Ross
Aethonbooks
429 pgs
This is one of those way over-the-top sci-fi books that has so much action and wonderful alien characters, it’s almost impossible to put down once you start reading. Somewhere out in universe are junctions where galaxies and dimensions converge upon each other in conjunction spheres. Of course the strategic value of such Junction World is apparent to all and wars break out to gain control of them. The winner of these conflicts is an alien race that manufactured powerful body armor in which to live; they are known as the Gate Keepers.
Having conquered the Junction World, the Gate Lords became bored and devised gladiatorial games in which humans kidnapped from other dimensions are made to fight in order to earn their freedom. The combatants battle each other in powerful cybernetic suits adorned with massive firepower from rockets to lasers. Should any human Tech-Pilot win x number of these contests, he or she is granted their freedom. In the entire history of these games, only one had ever did so, Solomon Kramer. But his victory soon turned bitter when, years later, his only son, Jered was killed in such a battle under mysterious circumstances.
As this book opens, Kramer’s daughter, Jessica, the only remaining member of the family, has followed in the tradition of being a Mech-Warrior-Pilot. What she doesn’t know is that her mere continued existence is an embarrassment to the Gate Overlords and they want her dead, preferably falling in the arena before all of Junction World. Then, much to her surprise, her father’s old, and trusted, chief mechanic, Prath, a mentally augmented orangutan, reappears to both guide and mentor her. Along the way they also gain the alliance for weird little aliens.
Bear Ross has offered up a thrilling action packed sci-fi adventure and wisely left some plot answers open. Hopefully to be resolved in coming sequels. Till then, pick up “Junction World – Defiance.” It’s a blast.
