Ammonite Planets Omnibus

Ammonite Planets Omnibus (YA SF)

Books 1 thru 3

By Gillian Andrews

Kindle Exclusive

BOOM7108QM

816 Pages

Price $6.99

Rating 4-Stars

This was an interesting science fiction adventure, containing the first three (of seven) novels in the Ammonite Galaxy series: VALHAI, KWAIDE, and XIANTHA. There are many characters introduced in the stories, but basically we follow teenagers, Six, Diva, and Grace. I read the pdf format of 816 pages, but the books would contain about a thousand pages.

VALHAI begins the series. Basically, children are being selected for an experiment/education on another planet (Valhai), and no one really knows why, but they think it is a family honor to be included. Unfortunately, the children discover the truth. Their reproductive systems are being harvested, and when they are no longer needed, they are killed. There is an entity in the lake where this is happening that awakens, and is disturbed by the murders. It wants to help stop the killing. Six and Diva, one a no-name, the other from a ruling family, clash at first, but then become partners in a daring escape, engineered by Grace, a teenage girl on Valhai and the entity they call Argon from the lake. This is their story of escape and survival.

Book #2, KWAIDE, takes off from there. The teenagers instigate a revolt on Kwaide, while Argon demands recognition from the planet Valhai as a higher intellectual species. When the ruler of Valhai sends space ships with nuclear rockets to kill the rebels on Kwaide, Argon helps the teenagers destroy the nukes without killing people. In the meantime, a new sentient from an unknown star has arrived, and uses a robot camera to meet Argon.

Book #3, XIANTHA.  Diva wished to go to Xiantha to see what has become of the children birthed through her reproductive system. First, though Arcon wished to travel to Pictoria, which he believes is where he originated. There they do find amorths that may be related to him. Stopping on Xiantha on their return they find another species that may be related to him, but also a lot of trouble as Grace’s brother and the ex ruler of Valhai want her dead, and have planned for her demise.

The three stories were a lot of fun. There is no sex or profanity, which I find refreshing. The author has good imagination, and the stories move well. The only problem I found with the series is the dialogue. We are on other worlds, light years in space, and possibly far in the future, yet the dialogue is that of teenagers at the malls on present-day Earth. Even the astrological alignment appears the same as here and now. And I felt like I was reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys in space. But considering my age, and growing up reading the great authors of the 20^th century, I think today’s teenagers 14 to 18 will find the stories a treat. I highly recommend this series to young adults.

Tom Johnson

Author of WORLDS OF TOMORROW