Review of The War of the Cha'cict
Posted: 29 Nov 2021, 09:35
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The War of the Cha'cict" by Terrence E. Scott.]
The Amalgamated Planets are caught off guard by the attack of an alien race called the Cha’cict. While working for a news media outlet, Jared Connell is conscripted into the Defense Force. After a close encounter with a high-born Cha’cict leader, he has little chance of survival against a terminal disease caused by an alien virus. As a result, Jared volunteers for a courier mission on board his spacecraft, the Searcher. If he succeeds, he can enter into cryostasis until a cure is found. Tracked by a Cha’cict light destroyer, Jared’s ship approaches the destructive energy field of a space anomaly. What is the reason behind the aliens’ apparently unprovoked attack? Why does the Cha’cict race call the human beings the Defilers? Will Jared manage to stay alive and deliver his message?
The War of the Cha’cict by Terrence E. Scott is book 1 of a sci-fi series based on space travel, alien species, and inter-galaxy wars. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to all fans of the genre. They will definitely be delighted to read all the elaborate descriptions of alien species like the Cha’cict or the Khologai. The book also includes minute presentations of high technology, advanced combat weaponry, and innovative medical procedures. The plot develops gradually but has many intense moments full of suspense and adrenaline. Moreover, the author manages to keep the readers tuned in by constantly changing the narrative perspective.
Although Terrence E. Scott’s novel reaches 387 pages, it reads quickly. There are 42 chapters, each of them divided into smaller sections focusing on distinct narrative threads. When they all converge toward the end, the book acquires epic dimensions like in the scene of the space confrontation between the Cha’cict Armada and the Crest of Victory, the Khologai battleship. In addition to the sci-fi narrative, I found myself pondering on many of the other challenging topics in the novel. The consequences of one individual’s incommensurable thirst for power or the strengths and weaknesses of humankind are only some of them.
The character development is the aspect I liked most about The War of the Cha’cict. The protagonist, Jared Connell, is the prototype of the ordinary guy with the heart of a hero. Throughout the novel, he passes through many transformations, both physical and psychological. The antagonist, Jacob Purcell, is equally well portrayed. Very wealthy and highly influential, Purcell is the owner of the largest industrial corporation in the human worlds. He sees war in terms of profit and has no moral compass. Apart from Jared, my favorite characters are Cercesse and Lyrelle. The former is an incredibly advanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) who has gained sentience over thousands of years and started experiencing emotions and feelings. The latter is a clone who has just come alive and will play a big part in Jared’s life. In the Cha’cict world, Tak’Lee, the Lifetaker’s Shipmaster, the Ruby Queen, and Pang’da, the new Grand War Master, stand out from the crowd.
I enjoyed the complexity of the plot and character development; therefore, I am rating The War of the Cha’cict 4 out of 4 stars. I am confident it will satisfy the tastes of sci-fi fans and all those looking for adventure and thought-provoking themes. Personally, I loved the idea of a universal library about different species meant to help them avoid war and ensure their mutual understanding. Even those who like romances will not be disappointed as Jared gets involved in quite an extraordinary relationship. My only complaint about the novel is that it ends with a cliffhanger. I am more anxiously waiting for the sequel, though. Otherwise, the editing is excellent for a book of such length. I only noticed less than ten minor typos and punctuation mistakes. The few profane words are not disturbing. Similarly, the violent scenes are not gruesome. I hope to read more of Terrence E. Scott’s sci-fi books in the near future.
******
The War of the Cha'cict
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Amalgamated Planets are caught off guard by the attack of an alien race called the Cha’cict. While working for a news media outlet, Jared Connell is conscripted into the Defense Force. After a close encounter with a high-born Cha’cict leader, he has little chance of survival against a terminal disease caused by an alien virus. As a result, Jared volunteers for a courier mission on board his spacecraft, the Searcher. If he succeeds, he can enter into cryostasis until a cure is found. Tracked by a Cha’cict light destroyer, Jared’s ship approaches the destructive energy field of a space anomaly. What is the reason behind the aliens’ apparently unprovoked attack? Why does the Cha’cict race call the human beings the Defilers? Will Jared manage to stay alive and deliver his message?
The War of the Cha’cict by Terrence E. Scott is book 1 of a sci-fi series based on space travel, alien species, and inter-galaxy wars. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to all fans of the genre. They will definitely be delighted to read all the elaborate descriptions of alien species like the Cha’cict or the Khologai. The book also includes minute presentations of high technology, advanced combat weaponry, and innovative medical procedures. The plot develops gradually but has many intense moments full of suspense and adrenaline. Moreover, the author manages to keep the readers tuned in by constantly changing the narrative perspective.
Although Terrence E. Scott’s novel reaches 387 pages, it reads quickly. There are 42 chapters, each of them divided into smaller sections focusing on distinct narrative threads. When they all converge toward the end, the book acquires epic dimensions like in the scene of the space confrontation between the Cha’cict Armada and the Crest of Victory, the Khologai battleship. In addition to the sci-fi narrative, I found myself pondering on many of the other challenging topics in the novel. The consequences of one individual’s incommensurable thirst for power or the strengths and weaknesses of humankind are only some of them.
The character development is the aspect I liked most about The War of the Cha’cict. The protagonist, Jared Connell, is the prototype of the ordinary guy with the heart of a hero. Throughout the novel, he passes through many transformations, both physical and psychological. The antagonist, Jacob Purcell, is equally well portrayed. Very wealthy and highly influential, Purcell is the owner of the largest industrial corporation in the human worlds. He sees war in terms of profit and has no moral compass. Apart from Jared, my favorite characters are Cercesse and Lyrelle. The former is an incredibly advanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) who has gained sentience over thousands of years and started experiencing emotions and feelings. The latter is a clone who has just come alive and will play a big part in Jared’s life. In the Cha’cict world, Tak’Lee, the Lifetaker’s Shipmaster, the Ruby Queen, and Pang’da, the new Grand War Master, stand out from the crowd.
I enjoyed the complexity of the plot and character development; therefore, I am rating The War of the Cha’cict 4 out of 4 stars. I am confident it will satisfy the tastes of sci-fi fans and all those looking for adventure and thought-provoking themes. Personally, I loved the idea of a universal library about different species meant to help them avoid war and ensure their mutual understanding. Even those who like romances will not be disappointed as Jared gets involved in quite an extraordinary relationship. My only complaint about the novel is that it ends with a cliffhanger. I am more anxiously waiting for the sequel, though. Otherwise, the editing is excellent for a book of such length. I only noticed less than ten minor typos and punctuation mistakes. The few profane words are not disturbing. Similarly, the violent scenes are not gruesome. I hope to read more of Terrence E. Scott’s sci-fi books in the near future.
******
The War of the Cha'cict
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon