The Darker the Skies

by Bryan Prosek

Overview

It only takes one to make a difference.

Just days before Jake Saunders plans on proposing to the love of his life, Jake is called upon once again to save his home, Earth. The Earthen Legion troops and its allies think they’re battling only pirates, but a new, more powerful foe from another galaxy flanks their forces and invades, in search of a weapon the planet didn’t even know it had.

When Jake learns that this new enemy was responsible for the death of his father many years ago, he realizes he can finally face his true nemesis. The odds are stacked against Jake, but with the help of his friends and allies he’s made along the way, he must rally the remaining Legion troops and retake Earth before it’s too late. The fate of Earth and the fate of his love, rest in the balance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780744305548
Publisher:	CamCat Publishing
Publication date:	11/08/2022
Series:	Earth United , #2
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	HL700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Bryan Prosek is a young adult writer and business attorney. He focuses his writing on science fiction and dystopian universes. Along with his debut novel The Brighter the Stars and his latest novel A Measure of Serenity, he has published work in legal trade journals and magazines. When he isn’t writing or practicing law, there’s a good chance that he can be found watching one of the numerous Star Trek movies or series, or anything from Guardians of the Galaxy to The Conjuring.

Editorial Reviews

2022-09-28
One year ago, Jake Saunders and his best friend, Cal Danielson, saved Earth from destruction at the hands of a mysterious enemy.

Their plans to enjoy their hard-earned peace fizzle, however, when they’re contracted to uncover intel that might turn the tide of the pirate wars being fought throughout the Milky Way. Extragalactic forces are mobilizing, their sights set on Earth. Backed by old friends and unlikely allies, will they prevail once again, or will the galaxy fall to darkness? Although this is a sequel, enough context from The Brighter the Stars (2020) is provided—presented both in-text and via interstitial news broadcasts—that new readers will not feel lost. Prosek’s greatest strength is his worldbuilding: Everything, from minute technical details to villainous plots spanning multiple decades and galaxies, comes across as meticulously planned. Perhaps as a result, the stakes never feel high enough to adequately sustain suspense, although the tight twists and turns remain engaging. Still, there is something vividly cinematic about the worlds depicted: This is old-school science fiction. The narration feels dry and even stilted at times, and the one-dimensional characters’ dialogue is somewhat canned, but the ambitious scope of the plot and a tantalizing cliffhanger ending promise exciting prospects for a third book. Jake and Cal read White; the supporting cast is diverse in skin tone.

A solid space adventure for fans of the genre’s classics. (Science fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews