Gabriel: Zero Point

Evan Gabriel Trilogy

By: Steve Umstead

Narrated by: Ray Chase

Length: 2 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Evan Gabriel wasn't always a feared and respected North American Federation Navy Commander. Before dangerous missions to the ice-bound planet of Poliahu, the deadly jungle world of Eden, and politically corrupt Mars, he was a simple recruit, fighting to make his mark in the elite Naval Special Forces…and was part of a top-secret military experiment that would change his life forever.

Zero Point tells the tale of a young man faced with difficult choices and dangerous trials. Fans of the series will see part of the mysterious past Evan Gabriel carries with him, while listeners new to the series get a preview of what is to come in a military man's haunted life. Zero Point is the true beginning of Evan Gabriel, and his story is just getting started.

©2012 Steve Umstead (P)2013 Podium Audio

Critic reviews

"Umstead can write an action-packed adventure story better than most. He is an artist in designing a high-tech battlefield and weaving in the human element with his character's depth and color. If you like action in a science fiction setting then you really need to listen to this audiobook and give it a shot." (Tom Clementson, The Kindle Book Review)

"This series brings me back to the old days when sci-fi was about ass kicking, great friends, loyalty and action." (Amazon Reviewer)

review

can't wait to listen to the whole series. great work of science fiction. very interesting use of technology in bodies

Underwhelming

What did you like best about Gabriel: Zero Point: The FREE Prequel Novella? What did you like least?

Mr. Chase's performance was nothing less than of the caliber I'd expect from an Audible.com narrator, but the story he was burdened with was poor. If this work is supposed to be the carrot that tempts the reader into the trilogy, then I'm afraid it was rotten.

Mr. Umstead, has clearly never served in the military, nor has he researched it sufficiently; this is betrayed by his ignorance to the subtle nuances of military order and discipline. He treats the reader like a dullard, taking excruciatingly long periods of time to expose plot points which are clear within moments, and the majority of his characters are soul-less.

I can see this type of writing having a market among adrenaline-fueled adolescent males who are as ignorant to the true nature of military service as the author is, but outside of that demographic this novella falls disappointingly short.

Not really my subject matter

This was okay. Just too much action and not enough personal development of the characters. But not really too bad.

Super soldiers carry their past too

A good, fast paced space opera featuring nanotech soldiers and the burden of their abilities.
This prequel introduces Gabriel Evans before he became a super soldier and carries us through his creation.
The series is enhanced by this addition.
The narrator does an excellent job portraying all the characters. Ray Chase performs the work in a good voice and easily allows you to identify the different characters. He helps the action flow and he gives a bit of humanity to Gabriel Evans.
This performance enhances the desirability of the series. If you like some well rendered military action in a space opera, this is a great choice.

love the story

love it need to hear it again. story was great and the narrator made very interested book

Gripping

Fast-paced. Gripping story. Strong characters. Colorful descriptions. I followed Evan all the way to the end.

Exciting Action Prequel

Absolutely fantastic. Great story. Great narrator. Definitely V rated. It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and I just finished listening. If it wasn’t so late I would start listening to the next book.

Review: Zero Point, by Steve Umstead

*Please note that I haven’t read the rest of this trilogy, so I went into this novella with a blank slate. The description mentions this could be read before or after reading the other. I’m sure my reaction would be a little different had I read it after the other books.*

Gabriel: Zero Point was a pretty good novella. There isn’t that much to it in terms of building the futuristic world that it’s set in, but it does a great job of setting up Gabriel, the main character. Being that he is the main character of the trilogy that follows this novella, I think getting the story of where he started is probably better than getting the grander world view. The novels have more room for that. Still, this is only, for the most part, a small glimpse into what is to come and I felt like maybe just a little more info would have made it that much more enjoyable for me.

Overall, it’s filled with action, there aren’t any lulls to the story, and it’s gotten me interested in the other books. I think Umstead has much in store for me, once I start the trilogy. I’m looking forward to it.

Great prologue for what shall be a fun story

This is the creation story for the main character. It was fun. Interesting twist on my normal sci-fi with lots of emotions expressed.

5 Stars - Excellent

Edge-of-your-seat action-packed story.
Narrator does a fantastic job.
I'm looking forward to the next book!