Syndicate Moon

Stellar Heir, Book 2

De: Scott Killian

Narrado por: Shamaan Casey

Jael and his crew are on the run, searching for an ancient machine that could save the galaxy, but the syndicate-controlled moon has other plans.

After uncovering an artifact that grants him extraordinary powers, Jael thought he had gained the upper hand in the lawless fringes of space. But news of his newfound abilities has spread throughout the galaxy, and a bounty is placed on his head for crimes he didn’t commit. New enemies emerge to claim the reward and old foes remain relentless in their pursuit of the artifact.

Jael is unwillingly thrust into a high-stakes game that determines control over the moon. The four crime syndicates use this brutal contest to decide who will rule, and now Jael’s fate is entangled with theirs.

Complicating matters further, a mysterious woman with a similar artifact stalks Jael across the moon, sabotaging his quest. With each step, the stakes rise, and every decision could mean life or death. Jael must fight to stay alive, protect his crew, and uncover the second Antiqui lock—before time runs out.

A high-octane space opera that blends adrenaline-fueled martial arts with interstellar thriller, Stellar Heir is perfect for fans of sci-fi like Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio or Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey.

©2025 Salt and Sulfur, LLC (P)2025 Salt and Sulfur, LLC

Sci-Fi

Syndicate Moon by Scott Killian is an amazing song Sci-Fi space Opera. Shamaan Casey did an excellent job with the narration. The story is entertaining, interesting, thrilling, dramatic, action packed, and more. Syndicate Moon is the second book in Stellar Heir series. Jael though he and crew has the upper hand. But are changing. Can they figure out what’s going on before they lose it all? I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. Highly recommend.

OK Story

I personally did not care for this 2nd book as much as the 1st. For me to much betrayal, backstabbing, conspiracies, and strife.
I found it to stressed ti really enjoy, but narrator does a good job with the various characters voices and the entire storyline.

Killian Ups the Ante

Shamaan Casey delivers another strong performance, adding energy to Killian’s story. Book 2 is even more exciting than the first—fast-paced, thrilling, and packed with action. A solid and entertaining follow-up.

Syndicate Moon Lights Up the Darkness

Scott Killian, you mad genius, you’ve done it again. Syndicate Moon takes everything I loved about Stellar Heir and turns the dial way, way up. This sequel is a full-on space opera thrill ride with layer upon layer of intrigue, danger, and cosmic drama.

Jael’s journey across a crime syndicate-controlled moon is anything but linear, and I was hooked. Between the deadly “games” that determine moon dominance and Jael’s personal quest to find the second Antiqui lock, there’s no room to breathe, but in the best way.

The dual storyline structure had my brain working overtime (in a good way), mixing the overarching galactic politics with the boots-on-the-moon survival arc. It’s complex, it’s rich, and it rewards active listening.

I’ll admit, at times I felt like I needed a character map and a corkboard to track all the syndicates, secrets, and betrayals, but somehow Killian manages to wrangle the chaos into a compelling and emotionally grounded story. It never felt like confusion for confusion’s sake—more like a story that asks you to pay attention.

Shamaan Casey, once again, absolutely crushes the narration. He brings Jael’s desperation, strength, and sharp wit to life, while juggling a huge cast of voices—human and otherwise. He brings clarity to a dense narrative and keeps it charging forward with style.

There’s real tension here, not just from the battles and betrayals, but from the moral questions Jael has to face. What’s the cost of power? Who can you trust when everyone’s playing their own game? And how do you protect your crew when the whole galaxy wants a piece of you?

While the scope is massive and the worldbuilding deliciously intricate, it’s the stakes that truly shine. This isn’t just a race for a mythical artifact—it’s about survival, loyalty, and navigating the fine line between hero and weapon.

Syndicate Moon isn’t a passive listen, it demands your full attention, but it rewards you with a rich, cinematic experience that’s well worth the ride.

A Solid Sequel

The action ramps up in this followup to the first book (Stellar Heir) with the same great narration. Several of the world building questions are finally resolved and were fairly interesting and the hero more like I expected ... which made this more fun to listen to. Over all, these are both worth a listen.

I received this audiobook at no-cost from AdoptAnAudiobook.com. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

#SyndicateMoon #StellarHeir #AdoptAnAudiobook

The characters

The characters were all so complex. Most were neither good or bad and I ended up routing for them all.

fighting

this was amazing. what an adventure. crime boss robots and aliens. fighting tournaments. so much action

action packed sci-fi!

Syndicate Moon picks up where Stellar Heir left off. The crew is stuck on a moon ruled by syndicate thugs, the ship is impounded under a mountain of debt, and the only way out is through.

I liked how this book took on more political plottng and insight into the ancient civilizations. Everything went a lot deeper into the characters and story. I did zone out a bit during some of the super long action scenes and I think YA readers would love this as a gateway into sci-fi.

Powers are shifting across the moon and alliances are changing, setting up the players for the next book.

I do with Jael would cork his ego a bit though, is he really a great fighter if he keeps getting mortally wounded every five pages and relying on the artifact to keep him alive? If it weren't for that he'd be dead 200x over and I do wish he'd show a little more initiative for keeping himself alive on his own, but maybe in future books he will embrace some teaching that I think is coming.

Either way, I'm excited for book three after that last chapter!

Felt bigger and grander than the first

The second book in the Stellar Heir series greatly expands on the previous story and this allows the listener to get a clearer understanding of the main characters along with their individual motivations. This tale is more about the people then their purpose, in subtle ways. “Syndicate Moon” is an action rich young adult space opera that is enjoyable due to its large scope and detailed creative world. Scott Killian (author) does a wonderful job of revealing things that were once obscured in the previous audiobook, and we begin to see just how much this world has changed. All of this is made even better because of its narration by Shamaan Casey, one of my favorite voices to listen to. He so easily brings the whole story to life in audio form. If you, like me, are a fan of in-depth action-packed science fiction space operas, I believe you will enjoy the journey the author takes you on in this audiobook. If you listened to the first audiobook in the series and enjoyed it, picking up this one is a great choice.

For me, the first book started off a bit slower than I would have liked, but it turned out to be a slow simmer that quickly came to a rapid boil, whereas this newer audiobook in the series starts off with a boil and keeps much of that pace until the end. Sure, there are periods of rest and regrouping, but I can say that this story is truly action packed. Additionally, it hops around a bit and does require the listener to pay attention to what is taking place, like many space opera genres. If not, one can quickly become lost and need to back up the audio a bit to get on track. I will say that I was glad that the author included some background and prequel details from the first audiobook catching listeners up on the story.

I will say again, this is a young adult science fiction story, so for me this means a bit simpler structure and writing style. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoyed it, but for some who like more adult content, this one does not have what you are looking for. As I was listening, the story made me think of the movies such as “The Gladiator” (in space) and “Starship Troopers” from a team perspective. This story is mainly focused on the completion of a space challenge and in this “game” there are no holes are bard. Everything goes, especially fighting dirty. Needless to say, a few situations come up requiring mortal enemies to join forces against an even greater foe while also trying to keep the main crew together and focused. The action consists of both close combat and large ship-to-ship battles. If you enjoy high levels of action, you will find it here.

I felt a tie-in with the movie “The Abbys” with some of the technology, including one’s ability to breath using an oxygen-based liquid. Overall, I found the technology interesting and the characters likeable. The author did a good job of keeping the story paced and interesting while including a large amount of action and adventure. The conversations seemed believable and there was often some humor thrown in to help relieve tension. Moreover, there was always a sense of friendship (at times it did not feel it, but it was there), and a drive to the common goal.

About the narrator, there is not much more I can say about Mr. Casey and his skillful ability to open stories up and make them come alive using his deep and rich voice. The audio is professionally performed and mostly without artifacts being observed. A few slight edits, but unless you are listening for them, you may not even notice. His ability to voice the vast number is characters, including plenty of aliens, continues to surprise me. Not only is he consistent in character voicing in his audiobooks, but he is also able to accomplish this across the series as well. I’m not sure how narrators keep track of this, but Mr. Casey is a master at it.

For parents and younger audiences, this story could be enjoyed by most age groups with some understanding that younger listeners may not get some of the more mature story concepts, yet the story would still be enjoyable. There is a fair amount of fighting and violence, but this is seen in most stories of the genre. I would highly recommend one start with the first audiobook in the series and if you enjoy it, the second is even better in many ways.

In summary, this is a great space story that shows how are it can be surviving as a young adult in such a harsh environment. There are sacrifices, friendships, and hardships, yet the group knows the fate if they fail. Plenty of pressure, pondering, and humor across all the main characters. It is a story that unfolds and quickly grabs the listener until the end. The narration is top-notch and really helps to elevate the story by what feels like a space opera radio show from the 70’s. All around a great story and listen. I’m looking forward to future audiobook by this author.