Alien Contact: The Slaver Wars, Book 2

I generally do not like prequels. Not in movies, not in TV-shows and not in books. I feel that knowing where the journey is going to lead you just detracts too much from the enjoyment of reading and progressing through the story. Despite this, I still enjoyed this book. It is another full length novel from Raymond L. Weil following the Moon Wreck short stories.There appears to be some confusion as to the name of these two book-series. At least if you look at Amazon. On their site “Moon Wreck: First Contact” is also labelled “Slaver Wars, #1” were as this book is labelled “Alien Contact, Slaver Wars One”. Actually all the Moon Wreck books have also been labelled with Slaver Wars in the title. I would chalk that up to sloppy data entry or some marketing guy thinking that changing the labels would make more people buy in on the two book-series. However, if you read the authors site it seems fairly clear that he labels the Moon Wreck books just that and this one is indeed the first one in the Slaver Wars series and the coming book will be the second one in this series. Having said that, both book series are indeed within the same universe and within the same overall story only different parts of it.As for the book it is written in the same general style as the other books which is a fairly simple, easy to read and unpretentious storytelling. The space action is perhaps not the most elaborate I have read but it was fun reading nonetheless. Of course, the book being a prequel, you knew the major elements of what was going to happen and this reduced the fun a bit. Still we did get to learn a bit more, not only how the humans of the federation was forced to flee to Earth but also how they ended up becoming a federation far from Earth in the first place. In a interesting plot twist we also learned a bit more about the enemy AI ships and the Hocklyn’s. That was a nice revelation that makes me eager to learn where the author will go with that plot element in future books.On the hole I quite enjoyed this book despite it being a prequel and, as I said already when reviewing Fleet Academy, I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the Moon Wreck/Slaver Wars universe.

This is my review for: The Slaver Wars: Alien Contact ( The Slaver Wats Book One )I had read all of the moon wreck books, and I could not put them down until I finished each one that same night.But my biggest complaint was that they were just... Too darn short! Mr Weil, please write the next novel now!! And make it even longer then this first Novel length Moon Wreck novel was...I signed up to Mr Weil's website so I could receive prompt notices for each new Moon Wreck installment that came out.I NEVER sign up to an Authors website!So having absolutely loved the short stories, I was finally notified that the Author had finally made good on his promise to write a good sized first novel. -:)And this was an incredible book. Mr Weil has this extremely complex and great style of being able to interweave so many separate threads into a whole story that is more then the sum of its parts. Reading Mr Weil's novel reminded me a bit about what it may be like to play 3 dimensional chess as they did in Star Trek. The different personalities were pretty well described. I could almost picture each charactor and their thoughts, fears, bravery, and their lives as seen through their family relationships. I loved this novel approach, as each character was defined and built upon, using relationships as the medium for humanizing them. Which is how things seem to work for me within the relationships with my family, the estrangements, the coming back together, the closeness developing, and in that process finding out some amazing stuff about each of them as well as myself.So I am off topic right? The action scenes were excellent too. Not too long, and thankfully, not to short. I was fascinated by Mr Weil's entire approach and descriptions of the AI's, the good and the bad of them. And he has an excellent point that he made. Pretty soon, we may be creating our own AI's. especially as Moore's Law seems to still apply, perhaps at even a greater rate then even he predicted.So how will we handle them? Won't they be as aggressive as we are as a race, since we are the ones who wrote their code? Questions like these could all too easily become the issues of the next decade.And settling on Earth? Why not. What were we all told in regards to there being "The Missing Link" that should be out there and that should "link" is to our predecessors? Just look at the spin using that term implies. By calling this disconnect "The Missing Link" we are taught that we are linked to our hominoid ancestors. But the facts tell a different story. There just is. No. Link. Missing or not. From us to earlier mankind.We can find skeletons like Peking Man from a million years ago, we find tons of skeletons of Neanderthal Man, but what gives here? We cannot dig up a single skeleton that would be the connector between modern man and the last human version we keep finding. So instead of teaching us that there is no linkage that exists between us and our supposed ancestors which is what seemingly is exactly the case, we are controlled in a way to not even consider what should be blatantly obvious. Our race as we are and as we first became must, most probably, have come from a different point of origin. Nothing wrong with that. It is a remote possibility. Maybe a bit more then remote. And remember that the term "missing link" is a true Oxymoron. Anyway, Its an interesting line of thought.. I loved this book and can't wait for the next Novel. One thing that really made me smile, was whenever that communication officer, I forget which ship she was on, it was one of the cruisers run by the AIs.Arial perhaps. I really liked those AI's. and they became so real over the course of the book, however back to this woman at her comm station, and whenever the next horror of an attack would begin she would always turn to her friend of the bridge and say, " I am so scared, what if we don't make it," I am paraphrasing. So of course, I had the immediate recall of being a kid, and watching the original lieutenant U'Hura ( spelling? ) always saying Captain, I am so scared...I was maybe 8 or 9 years old watching original first aired Star Trek episodes and oh Man! I had such a crush on that actress! So anyway, this is a wonderful and action packed and humanistic thriller of a novel that leaves me thinking...I want to read the next one, like yesterday! Mr Weil, excellent work! Please get going on next one..... Cheers!!!

I gave it 3 stars because it was an easy read, coherent and was fun all together. Cut a star because it borrowed a little bit from various space operas and in particular quite a big chunk from Battlestar Galactica. Cut another star when I actually had to do research to find out the sequence of books in the series.This is a good by-the-beach read, nothing more. I often return and re-read my favourite sci-fi a few years later. I doubt I will do this series though. But having said that I just bought the next Book. I would like to support the writer and need another beachside book soon!p.s. huge confusion in amazon as to what is book #1 and book #2 of the series. My kindle displays "the slaver wars: alien contact (the slaver wars book1)" which is confusing if you look to amzon for a book #2. Come on! A reader shouldn't have to do research for such a simple thing. Anyway I did and here's from the author's own website:The Slaver War series should be read in the following order.Moon Wreck: First ContactMoon Wreck: RevelationsMoon Wreck: Secrets of CeresThe Slaver Wars: Alien Contact (This book can be read either before or after the three Moon Wreck stories listed above.)Moon Wreck: Contains all of the short stories.Moon Wreck: Fleet AcademyThe Slaver Wars: First StrikeThe Slaver Wars: Retaliation.The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict. (Will be out May of 2014)The Slaver Wars: Endgame! (Will be out October 2014)

I like this series and all the rest that follow. A few forced "oh crap need to drop in a love scene" moments that are more funny than revealing. It really is that obtuse. But aside from that minor line a good take on the good v evil and a strong waring about getting lazy

I have to say that I downloaded this on the spur. I wasn't expecting a great read after looking at some of the reviews, but as it turned out this is a really good story. the action is fast paced and detailed, in some of the battles you can almost feel the impact on the ships. I liked the character development across the board and although the plot is a little easy to guess in places I really enjoyed reading this. I will download the next in the series.

Good light read and an interesting concept.Not a wholesome new concept, It's a mish-mash of other ideas from other books.At times the authors style slips into amateurish prose; but recovers to keep the story going.This is not going to be a mega Sci-Fi classic - but its a fun and easy read.Read on the Kindle paperwhite - it could do with page numbers and chapter timings.

Takes us for a look at the beginnings of the human side of the story, how it all kicked off, why and how it progressed, how the ship on the moon came to be there and crashed. Gives insights to the main characters in present day and their past, and to the bad guys and their mysterious backers. Reminds me of the Battlestar Galactica Cyclons in places.. Good read!