Star Shroud

Ascension, Book 1

By: Ken Lozito

Narrated by: Jeff Hays

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

Humanity is about to learn it isn't alone.

Zack Quick has been on the move for 10 years, hacking big corporations and exposing their secrets. Then he stumbles upon one of the biggest discoveries that will forever change the world - and possibly get him killed.

Kaylan Farrow is the pilot for Earth's most advanced spaceship, whose maiden voyage is supposed to take her crew to Titan, but newly released images from a deep space probe threaten to cancel the mission.

Kept secret for 60 years, the discovery of an alien signal forces a NASA pilot and a computer hacker to team up to investigate an alien structure discovered in the farthest reaches of the solar system.

The Star Shroud is the first installment in an action-packed science fiction thriller series. If you like space opera adventure stories with clever heroes, impossible situations, and chilling discoveries, then strap yourself in; you're in for a fun, nonstop thrill ride.

©2016 Ken Lozito (P)2016 Podium Publishing

A Story Mired by...

...an author's dislike of their own characters (and reality in general). Throughout the story, the only truly pragmatic character is continuously vilified, even though he's almost always right. Also... Kalen (Kaylynne?) is just terrible. She's naive, overtly girlish for a girl who once served in the military, and honestly a blight upon the entire story. Zach was cool, but kind of overeager, kiddish, and overly cooperative for someone who's supposed to be so jaded toward humanity in general. Hick's character is poorly defined, and pretty archetypal and boring. Same with Kate. There's no complexity there, as there's so little content on her that she's more obscure than anything else. Like some B-Roll extra. Of course, this is all before taking account of how utterly annoying all the relationship drama is. (Also, every single NASA person is rather obviously dumbed down to make Zach and Kalen seem "smarter" somehow. It's pretty idiotic and annoying.)

On the bright side, Jeff Hays is on point as always. Ken Pozo to just murders a totally awesome concept.

tl;dr

I would not recommend this book to anyone with a brain that expects some reality in their science fiction. This is the softest Scifi crap I've ever listened to. Stick to Heinlein. Kind of difficult to go wrong there.

Had potential but love quadrangle ruined it for me

I had high hopes for this book. I was looking for a new sci-fi series and the description of potential first contact and finding alien artifacts in deep space is always a subject I enjoy - when written well.

Like some of the other reviews, I too thought the tech was much too glossed over. It was explained away too quickly. One minute they are on earth, the next they have an amazing interplanetary ship made with knowledge gained from a mysterious message. Instead the author chose to focus more on the characters and their interactions. I'm fine with that, and any good series should develop the characters. But I found myself not caring at all about any of them. In fact, as of this writing I can't remember a single name of any of the characters. That's not good.

Perhaps what ruined it for me the most was (minor spoiler), where four of the main characters are caught up in a teenage-like love quadrangle. One has a crush on another and the other isn't sure of his or her feelings about a third, yada, yada...And these "conversations" came at ridiculous times. Let's just say for the sake of being spoiler-free, there's a point in the book where two of the couples are exploring something and they are musing about feelings for this person or that. What? There is potential danger at any moment and they aren't focused on the mission.

Action was almost non-existent as well - except towards the end. I know this first book is a setup for more in the series, but there was nothing at all to hook me. In fact I kept looking to see what chapter I was on so I could get it over with.

I hate writing less than stellar reviews, but this one just didn't do it for me - not when there are so many outstanding sci-fi series, and at just 7 hours there's not much value for the price either. Sorry, I won't be continuing.

Good until it wasn't

two dimensional characters, pointless romantic plots that don't add anything to the story, neither action packed nor a thriller... bottom line if you want to be disappointed this is the book for you.

I do like scifi, but this story did nothing for me

All the time the emotions between the char. came up. old love, new love.... even when doing serious missiona.
Characthers seem very 2d. all in all. poor story. the narrater, tries but when the story is poor.....
one of the first scifi audiobooks i couldnt complete.

A great start

I have enjoyed listening to the first book of what is a great series. Having read them. I am looking forward to listening to the remaining books on audible.

Alien contact without the contact

Ken Lozito's Star Shroud is the opening installment in what is at least a trilogy concerning alien contact. A thankless and fearless hacker (in 2049), sticking it to greedy corporations, stumbles upon evidence of alien contact, known to a select few for the past 60 years. As a result of public disclosure, a NASA mission is re-tasked to head to Pluto to explore the alien artifact.

The sci-fi elements are a bit crude, with a made for a broadcast TV series quality, than a sophisticated and realistic science fiction audience. All the cliche elements are present: a shadowy corporation getting rich off alien technology, a super hacker who everyone immediately acknowledges is most competent computer genius on the planet, a young female astronaut who just happens to be the granddaughter of the guy who made initial discovery 60 years earlier, and an assorted cast of double agents with unknown agendas. At the same time, there is considerable license with plausible science fiction in that NASA can re-task a mission and move up the launch as well as just happening to have probes in the vicinity already. Regardless of nearly everything going south from the start, everyone just keeps motoring forward. The one saving element is the mysterious nature of the alien presence and their ultimate motives as well as references to another, more powerful foe.

The narration is respectable, although the female roles are a bit overdone in an attempt to convey distinction.

Teenage Sci-Fi

From the bad romance novel type interaction between the main characters to the Douglas Adams type names of the aliens, it’s difficult to escape the feeling you’re reading a book from a junior high book list.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Douglas Adams’ character names. They fit nicely into his books. But in this book you laugh where it’s not intended.

Misstep

Not one of Ken Lozitos best books. Interesting enough to finish but perhaps not good enough to continue the series.
Zach felt very much like a Stan Stu and the character interaction felt a little juvenile. I prefer First Colony. by a long shot

Nicely crafted first book in this series.

Nicely crafted first book in this series. Very good character development. I can relate to Zack, so I hope he doesn't screw anything up as the series proceeds. Us IT types are all alike. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

More Refreshing

No immediate warp drives, star gates etc right at the beginning. It was nice twist on a mystery and the subtle guidance. I would have preferred a little more of untwisting oh the mystery but this is a great book. Well worth the read. I am looking forward to the sequels

Good Listen

Once I got into the storyline, there was no looking back. This is promising to be a very good series.

Narration was pretty good too.

Blatantly ends on a dubious cliff hanger......

Reasonable story and a fair amount of character development then wallop, the story ends with a great big billboard saying buy the next episode. Its like you have eaten a starter and then found out it was the main course, you know lacks any real substance.

Simply put this book feels like a cynical attempt to make one book into two.......Audible if you are listening, I want more for my credit than half a book. A few more books like this and I might be considering if an audible membership is worth the money.

Somehow I just feel a bit cheated with this audio pamplet. I suggest others wait for the complete series as a box set.