Omega Rising

By: Joshua Dalzelle

Narrated by: Paul Heitsch

Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Jason Burke was a man hiding from himself in a small cabin high in the American Rocky Mountains when his simple, quiet life was shattered one night by what he first assumed was an aviation mishap. But when he investigates the crash, what he finds will yank him out of his self-imposed exile and thrust him into a world he could have never imagined. He suddenly finds himself trapped on a damaged alien spacecraft and plunged into a universe of interstellar crime lords and government conspiracies, along the way meeting strange new friends… and enemies. As he struggles to find his way back home he is inexorably drawn deeper into a world where one misstep could mean his death. Or worse. He desperately wants to get back to Earth, but it may be the end for him...or is it just the beginning?

©2013, 2014 Joshua Dalzelle (P)2014 Joshua Dalzelle

Good Old-Fashioned Sci-Fi -- For a Change

I am old enough to remember when Sci-Fi was mostly upbeat, the characters were likable, and the plot made sense. This book recaptures that tradition. And the narration was good, much better than in other Sci-Fi series I have recently listened to. The book is not deep but if you want some enjoyable escapist Sci-Fi, this is a good choice. I hope Audible makes the rest of the series available soon.

Entertaining but nothing special. Take a look.

Again I am taken aback by the level of fawning reviews a book lik ethis has received by readers. It is difficult to question if these are legitimate reviews or maybe folks who are trying to boost the downloads/sales as you have no real way of knowing or getting an answer to that question. I am not quite sure.

Sometimes I have questioned my own sense of criticism because of some of these reviews, thinking perhaps I am too critical in my tastes, or perhaps maybe I just have a different preference than many people, but I am still perplexed by how folks are giving this book 5/5 stars in all categories. To me, the point of reviews is to give a good assessment of the quality of work embodied in the story and its performance. Do you honestly believe this book gets everything down perfectly?

If you want to believe that, then stop reading this and go ahead and download the book. But once you are done reading, come back and read the rest of my review for the moment of regret.

However, if you want an honest, unabashed, and slightly skewed perspective of opinion from someone who will try to be as objective as possible, then read on…I promise no spoilers.

What the Book gets right: This story gets quite a number of things right, especially for its target audience. Simple character background with uncomplicated reliance on a complex back story. The pace also moves fairly easily and quickly, meaning moments of tension and action come intermingled in a reasonable pace, and flow with equally easy-to-follow story arches. The characters are fairly easy to follow and their motivations and parts (at least in this book) are stark and uncomplicated. All in all it’s not a complex story, which is not bad, but not good enough to earn 5 stars in my simple opinion. Its targeted at the entry level military sci-fi reader. It’s written to be fun and simple.

What it gets wrong: It’s too simple. Don’t get me wrong, I like the straightforward nature of the premise and action. And the pace is fast enough to keep you engaged but not overwhelm you to the point of stopping and going back to prior sections to figure out what’s going, but the very same simplicity that helps move the pace, also burdens the story with a lack of character development. The characters..lack character. where is the drama? I get it, spaceships and aliens are exciting, but is that realy all anyone needs to say to make a book passable?

Nothing in the story really presents you with the sort of moral quandary, or depth of emotion that sets the good books apart from the “also-available”. The back-story is practically none existent and the primary antagonists and their motivations are so one dimensional and sophomoric, sometimes they seem a bit half-baked, and are killed off or dispatched with similar aplum. Robots that "feel", and a smuggling gangster with the personality of any stock bad guy taken from “name any bad guy gangster ever” is a bit soft and for any sci-fi enthusiast, their presence would make you question the decision to invest the time in this book.

Some people will like this book, just because they don’t know any better, and that’s a fact. And some will like it because it’s at their complexity level. I get it. When I started reading sci-fi I couldnt stand Alistar Reynolds and the likes…too much drama, pining and foreshadowing of events was my reasoning back then. But flash forward several years, life and kids, and I find that with my appreciation for the complexities of everyday life, I tend to enjoy characters with realistically complex motivations, backgrounds and yes, dramatic stories.

Because of all this, I say this is an okay book if you are looking for an easy Sci-fi listen with some action and some pretence at military underpinnings, but lacking character and depth. But if you are looking for something with actions as well as depth, character and engaging drama mingled with some great science to go with the fiction, you may want to “old Mans war” by John Scalzi, or anything in that series as they move just as fast but have great characters, point of views and stories that you will enjoy.

Omega Rising is FANTASTIC!

If you could sum up Omega Rising in three words, what would they be?

ADVENTUROUS, HUMOROUS and THRILLING. But I would prefer not to have to sum up this amazing book in three words.

What other book might you compare Omega Rising to and why?

I would compare it to Farscape (not a book, sorry) but I liked Omega Rising even better. I definitely want to follow these books, if the adventure continues. I was completely sucked in by the journey the main character takes. He's relatable and experiences everything in a way that makes it that much more real and incredible to the reader. He goes from being a jaded hermit, to being a natural leader and hero to oppressed peoples of the universe.

What about Paul Heitsch’s performance did you like?

Paul did an amazing job on this book. I love his character voices and his smooth voice. He has a way with flexion and living the story as he tells it. Very enjoyable. I won't hesitate to listen to more of his works.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, once I got through the first few chapters, I had a hard time stopping.

Any additional comments?

I hope Joshua Dalzelle has written more of these books and that Paul Heitsch has narrated them as well.

Easy listening, upbeat space opera

Good narration. Good entertainment. Mostly car-safe for the family (no sex, but the F-bomb gets tossed around a bit). This is the first book in feel-good space opera told in 3rd person. This is not hard science, nor serious warfare, but it's got a solid (enough) plot with plenty of battle action (eventually) and a heartwarming crew. Entertaining.

No teenage heroes here, thank the heavens! Jason Burke is an American, age 26, who recently served in special forces in Afghanistan. When a damaged spaceship lands near his lonely cabin in the Rocky Mountains, he offers help. Next thing we know, he's leading a team of aliens across space, on a quest to free slaves and put a stop to illegal genetic experiments. The aliens include a few synthetics / artificial intelligences.

Feels like Firefly, but not so sophisticated, and there are no female crew members and so far, no special ESP abilities. Feels like Guardians of the Galaxy, but there is no cassette recording of best hits (now there's an idea). It's fairly light in tone, but not particularly witty. Straightforward, not complex.

Easy listening.

It ends with a solid conclusion, not on a cliff. In the next book, these comrades begin a new mission.

Heinlein Not, Nor Even BV Larson

I made it half way through this book, because it kept leading me on. I wanted to find out what happened when he got in the ship. I wanted to find out what happened when he picked up the stolen cargo. If a writer has good skills he can make you eagerly wait, but if a writer is lacking in skills, it is just irritating. This was irritating.

Heinlein or Larson
At one point this author compares himself to Heinlein, referring to his earlier works. This does not have the intellect or prose of a early Heinlein. At first you may be reminded of one of BV Larson's popular series. The difference being, that Larson's book is full of lots of action. A writer should have a purpose for ever sentence other than to pass the time. This is way to slow moving.

I did like the snarky synth. If the rest of the book could have been as well written as the Synth, this would have been a good book.

Narrator does a good job.

Such an entertaining and witty sci-fi read.

Any additional comments?

This was such an entertaining and witty sci-fi read. Initially I wasn't sure if I'd read it or not because so many times a book like this can bog you down with the sci-finess of it, but not this. It's got just the right amount of sci-fi but with the added bonus of being quite witty and funny! I loved it.

There isn't much else I can add, that isn't in the summary, that won't spoil things so I'll get down to my thoughts.

I didn't know what to think of Jason at the start, because he seemed so sullen, but I grew to really like his character. I loved the enthusiasm and awe he showed with every new discovery and with seeing the planets!! He was like a child and it made it more believable, because I know, I for one, would be in awe of seeing anything in outer space.

I also loved Deets, even though he is kind of one of the bad guys. He was just so literal and weird that it was hard not to like him in some way.

The plot is slow to start because Jason takes time to get to know the ship and Deets, but once it gets going, it really gets going and is pure sci-fi at it's best. The authors description of everything was so vivid that I had no problem picturing the places or aliens.

In all this was a fun and entertaining read. It was a little predictable at times but still highly entertaining. The characters and plot were well written and developed, we have mobster aliens too but the author gave enough levity to the story that it wasn't too heavy, and he has created a universe that I fell in love with, so roll all them into one book and you have a winner, for me anyway!! I can't wait to jump into the next one to see what happens.

Paul Heitsch was absolutely perfect for this story. His range of vocals was impressive and I had no problem distinguishing each character. He had the right tone at the right time as well which made the whole listen so enjoyable.

*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Just Depends On What You're Looking For

I am rating this story 3 to 3 1/2 stars. I enjoy my sci-fi with a bit more character development and depth which I felt was lacking here. Along the lines of The Martian or Ender's Game. Sure, I acknowledge that everyone can't write a blockbuster. But this book kept me on the surface of the story, as it was just too simple and unchallenging an adventure for me. I knew right from the start that everything would work out for our protagonist, Jason. At no time was I even a bit worried about his fate. For me, this had a bit more of a fantasy feel than sci-fi.

On the plus side, it was an easy listen, I never got bored, and it didn't make me feel that I was wasting my time. The problem was that it didn't make me feel anything. I like a story to affect me emotionally. I felt I was riding atop this one, never pulled inside. Just easily hanging on by my fingernails, gently riding the top of a wave. No emotional involvement.

Guess I was hoping for more.

Mega Omega

What made the experience of listening to Omega Rising the most enjoyable?

This was a great fun sci-fi story. lots of action, characters were good. The story line was even pretty good.

Any additional comments?

This was a entertaining story. I can say that it is definitely a story that I will listen to again. If you like FireFly, Guardians of the galaxy ,The Martian. You will enjoy this story. check it out.

Top Notch

What do you do when you're accidentally kidnapped from planet earth in a spaceship? Escape your captor, rescue people in trouble, and kick some ass along the way?

Yes, please!

This is one of my favorite science fiction series of all time. It's fun, witty, ridiculous, and the characters are absolutely fantastic.
Paul Heitsch delivers time and again in each book of this series. He is able to impart a distinct characteristic and tone of voice for each of the many different types of characters and peoples.
I sincerely hope to see many more books in this series for years to come.
**Full disclosure: I received a review copy of this book.**

I wouldn’t call Omega Rising a sure fire hit

I like a fun, quick science fiction novel as much as they next nerd, and at under seven hours I figured Omega Rising; Omega Force Book One by Joshua Dalzelle would be a sure-fire hit for me.

I wouldn’t call Omega Rising a sure fire hit for me. It’s more of a, ‘pretty fun, so long as I don’t think really hard about it, hit.’

Omega Rising picks up very quickly, following genre staple ex-special force operator main character as he investigates a nearby plane crash. Ooh, the character’s name is Jason Burke. Almost forgot that after thinking about all the special ‘operator training’ he got. As you might imagine the downed plane crash is actually a crashed alien ship, and our intrepid hero (with little to no backstory developed) decides ‘why not?’ and goes inside, leaving on a galactic journey he couldn’t ever have realized would happen.

After boarding an alien ship.

He travels the vast expanses of space, meets aliens, has fights, makes friends, and has more fights with his friends serving as allies.

Omega Rising is not literary in the least. The prose is minimal, the science believable enough, the dialogue sparse and the story about as generic as you can imagine in a traditional ‘fish out of water’ scenario. It’s entertaining in the same way that walking up and down the aisles at a comic book convention is. You’re hoping that the next booth offers you something interesting, but just as much hoping that you don’t bump into someone with wretched body odor. It’s a mixed bag, but when you leave, you’re happy you went. Overall the book reads(listens? speaks?) very amateur.

Narrator Paul Heitsch is passable, and the recording clean and crisp. He reads at a good pace that I found pleasant up to 1.2 speed. I did hear a few words mispronounced which took me out of the story for a few seconds, but no one’s perfect, and it doesn’t harm the overall flow of the story. I’ll listen to something else of Paul’s for sure.

Overall I found Omega Rising to be an entertaining popcorn audiobook that added little to my imagination or view of the world. I chuckled at a few of the laughs, and rolled my eyes at a lot of the convenient plot points and dialogue exchanges. While I did listen to the whole book and finish it, I won’t be moving on to any of the other books in the series.

Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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Well worth a read, really enjoyed for 2nd time

Initially thought the narrator could have done a bit better but warmed up to him and ended up listening to the book twice so far. Now on to book two for the 2nd time.

Good storyline, the usual human makes good in a difficult galaxy whilst making friends and kicking butt.

Would recommend the series without hesitation.

Awful... But Warship by same author is good

This should be strictly aimed at under 14s. The writer obviously cut his teeth writing this one. I'll not be listening to the rest of the series. But Warship by same author is pretty good.

Fantastic

Great Book and the narration was brilliant. Loved the characters and the swists and turns.

Nothing new, but not a bad listen

I listened to this in about 2 days straight. Mostly circumstances, inasmuch as I had time and opportunity, but also because it's quite a good yarn. The narrator helps a lot and Heitsch turns in a grade A performance. The story is a variation on the old "alien captures human soldier - soldier turns tables and has a load of adventures", but it's told well and Dalzelle should be commended for making an old story feel fresh. I'll probably read the next in the series, but I can imagine it would get old pretty quickly.

Neither surprising, nor imaginative.

It's the A-Team in space.
The book is mostly descriptive, offering minimal suspense and rounding of characters. There are no surprises, the protagonist is a paper-cutout, and the world building is so devoid of originality that it's easy to forget that most of the action isn't around humanity.
The book is filled with clichés. It feels almost as the author didn't even try. It is, however, occasionally funny.

As for the narrator, he sounds like he's on his last breath, but over the course of the entire book. Seriously, he sounds ill.
I don't have high standards, but this was joyless, even for me.

Grows On You

Slow start, audio was a little plain but you get used to it, stick with it, it gets good. I will continue onto the next audio book

Disappointing

Any additional comments?

I struggled with this one. I felt the writing style and language used was very simplistic, almost as if aimed at children. The storyline is deeply unbelievable, full of clichés and very jumpy. One minute the main character is on earth and within a few minutes he's looking out a spaceship window at Saturn talking to a sarcastic robot like its no big deal. In fact all the extra terrestrial beings seemed to have a highly developed sense of Americanised humour. It just didn't suck me in or transport me or make very much sense. If this book is aimed at a younger audience it would explain a lot. I'm a big sci fi fan but this just didn't work for me. There were some amusing parts and I know others have enjoyed the series so perhaps it's just me!

The A-Tram for adults set in space.

This is my second round reading the box set, absolutely love it. I have gone on to listen to all the books and the offshoots. I love Joshua's writing style, it really draws you into the characters, like you're there with them. This is help by Paul's performance and the characterisation he does.
I've listened to a lot of other Space Operas since the first time round, some are good but I haven't found any I like as much as Omega Force.

not very deep or unique

I found it enjoyable nevertheless so I would still recommend it for fans of sci-fi

Good Start but a bit 2 dimensional

I quite enjoyed parts of this but at about 2 hours from the end it started to feel a bit flat, rushed and like it was tacked on to extend the length of the book.

At that point I started to realise that the writing might be aimed at YA audience.