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Contract of Defiance: Spectras Arise Trilogy, Book 1 Kindle Edition
In a few hundred years, the Algol system becomes humanity's new home. The question is: is it a better one?
When a crew of arms smugglers botches their latest job, Corps-deserter and crewmember, Aly Erikson, is separated from her brother, the only person she can trust, and left behind to fight for her life. In the aftermath, as she tries to piece together what happened, a crew of roughneck settlers pressgang her into a dangerous mission in the heart of Corps territory.
Time is running out to get back everything she's lost…
Her crew, her brother, and her options. But no one is taking her gun.
Winner of the 2010 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Contest for best action/thriller. Finalist in the Kindle Book Review 2012 Best Indie Book Contest for science fiction/fantasy.
What people saying about the Spectras Arise Series
"A fast-paced and fun sci-fi space adventure with a great protagonist... starts with a running gun fight and doesn't let up until the explosive conclusion."
"Top Notch SciFi Read!"
"I'm torn between wanting to savor every exciting moment of this gorgeously written series or binge-read to find out what happens next."
"Thrilling, Roller-Coaster Ride of Military Sci-Fi Adventure"
"Contains the kind of action that makes it hard to turn off the light and go to sleep."
Other books in the Spectras Arise series
Conviction: A Spectras Arise Prequel Novella
Contract of Defiance: Spectras Arise Trilogy, Book 1
Contract of Betrayal, Spectras Arise Trilogy, Book 2
Contract of War, Spectras Arise Trilogy, Book 3
The Spectras Arise Series Omnibus, including all four books
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2013
- File size3037 KB
Editorial Reviews
Review
Tammy Salyer's Contract of Defiance (Book One in her Spectras Arise trilogy) is a powerful statement of her prowess as a military fiction author. Her fight scenes are impeccable, her characters three dimensional, and her universe dry and gritty. At times deadly and at others canny, her lead character Aly is smart, strong and someone you can root for. If you like military science fiction you owe it to yourself to get a copy and move it to the top of your to be read list. ~ Author of Aetna Adrift and The Far Banks of the Rubicon, Erik WecksArm yourself for a riveting quest on the galactic fringe in Contract of Defiance. ~ The Motley Chronicles
This was one of the most well written books I've read this year. I don't normally read scifi, but I must tell you, the writing in this novel should overcome any reticence to grab a copy of this great read and dig in. ~ Author Ron McCabe
I was completely impressed by this book. From the first page you are sucked into an action-filled science fiction adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat, just dying to find out what happens next...I cannot recommend it enough. ~ It is a Bookish Kind of Life
A fast-paced and fun sci-fi space adventure with a great protagonist, Contract of Defiance by Tammy Salyer starts with a running gun fight and doesn't let up until the explosive conclusion. ~ Author Scott Whitmore
With Contract of Defiance you feel every punch, every bullet. ~ Radiant Attack
Product details
- ASIN : B007TK6KCG
- Publisher : Tammy Salyer (January 1, 2013)
- Publication date : January 1, 2013
- Language : English
- File size : 3037 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 249 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,731,576 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4,132 in Galactic Empire Science Fiction eBooks
- #4,852 in Galactic Empire Science Fiction
- #4,910 in Space Marine Science Fiction eBooks
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Ex-paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, Tammy Salyer turned to writing science fiction and fantasy after trading in her M-16 for a MacBook in 1999. Her Shackled Verities series is a Cosmos-crossing epic fantasy adventure that takes readers on a thrilling journey through new worlds with incredible characters. Her Spectras Arise series is an action-packed military science fiction adventure that has been praised for its gritty realism and well-crafted characters. If you love a good Western with a twist, then you won’t want to miss her Otherworld Outlaws series and its blend of Celtic mythology and unforgettable Wild West action.
Versatile and audacious, Tammy’s writing style is sure to delight readers who crave adventure and excitement. Fans of science fiction, fantasy, and a bit of the weird will find a kindred spirit in Tammy. Visit www.tammysalyer.com to connect with her on social media and learn more about her. She hopes you enjoy reading her works and welcomes your reviews.
Customer reviews
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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The characters are impeccably drawn and compelling, and even though there are lots of them I didn't feel lost in wondering who was who, their names and characteristics were remarkable right from the start. And there are so many complicated, badass, and powerful women acting with agency, my feminist reader self was positively cheering along with the action.
I am so excited that there are two more of these delicious books in the series for me to devour. I'm torn between wanting to savor every exciting moment of this gorgeously written series or binge-read to find out what happens next. Every reader should have this dilemma with every book, and it's been a long time since I've felt so pulled into someone else's fictional world. What a marvelous experience, and I'm only one-third of the way done.
If you're a fan of the science-fiction genre then here's your next read. And if you're not, give this series a try anyway, if for no other reason than to appreciate the beauty of Salyer's masterful prose. If Dennis Lehane did military science fiction, this is what it would look like. So awesome. Highly recommend this one.
I may have to actually buy a Kindle so I can borrow more new authors like this one from Amazon for free instead of reading some of my standard authors going through the motions in some of their books. Although I would have paid more for this book - a bargain at twice the price!
So I raced to the end and found the intro from Contract of Betrayal. Which begins as a love triangle? Can't wait to see that one next year to see how Tammy pulls that one off!
You know that "have to know what happens next?" feeling you get reading some books? The "just one more chapter" syndrome? Yup, I definitely felt that way about Contract, which I read over a two-day span on a rainy weekend.
Set in the future after humans have moved out into space, Contract opens with military deserters Aly Erickson and her brother fleeing from a squad of soldiers after helping steal a disk of valuable information. Aly and David are part of a team of smugglers led by Rajcik, an infamous criminal with a visceral hatred for the Admin -- the brutal regime commanding that corner of the galaxy.
After her brother is captured, Aly falls in with an odd group of renegade settlers who hope to strike a deal with her criminal crew but don't seem to understand how deadly a proposition that could be. Still, Aly needs to get her brother free from the Admin and its military, so she must carefully navigate a path between the two wary and distrustful groups to find and save him.
A paratrooper during her service in the U.S. Army, Ms. Salyer's plentiful action scenes are exciting and well-written, and she brings Aly to life exceptionally well. After years spent on the run as a deserter and part of a vicious criminal gang, Aly's sole allegiance is to her brother but her moral compass isn't entirely broken. The story is told by Aly, and she is surrounded by an eclectic and interesting group of characters -- most of whom are more than they seem at first glance. Finding out which is part of the fun.
Contract of Defiance won the 2010 Colorado Gold contest for best new action/thriller and I would say that is a well-deserved honor. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a military/sci-fi with plenty of action, great characters and a few well-placed twists. Ms. Salyer's follow-up in the series, Contract of Betrayal is due out in 2013 and I'm looking forward to Aly's next adventure.
To learn more about Ms. Salyer, check out her blog.
Top reviews from other countries
Salyer has created a very believable future where a dominant military forces good people onto the wrong side of the law. While the story contains plenty of action to keep things going, it is the characters that draw you in. In Aly you have a strong, female protagonist who is no caricature. She is flawed, makes mistakes but continues to struggle against what life throws at her in order to save her brother.
As the motivations of the support cast are revealed, you realise what a fantastic job Salyer has done to create an ensemble of characters of real depth while at no point slowing the plot through overuse of backstory or exposition. Another thing I really liked about this book was that each act of killing has an impact on the characters involved and isn’t purely there as entertainment. There are consequences for each and every action and Salyer isn’t afraid to show them.
If you like the fantasy of Joe Abercrombie or Glen Cook, or if you are a fan of the film Aliens, you will love this really enjoyable book. Highly recommended.
Aly Erikson is a fascinating character. Aggressive, impatient, and slow to trust, her choice of friends is suspect. She hardly seems to understand true friendship is possible, and is so suspicious of other’s motives she refuses to accept the obvious. However, she understands her love and loyalty for her brother, David, who she’s determined to save from the Admin, the galactic authority in this part of the universe, and she is practically itching to bowl down anyone and anything that gets in her way.
Well-written and descriptive, there is a background story for almost every character, each with their own peculiarities that helps define their relationship with Aly. The fast-paced plot is mixed with lots of military sci-fi details and a nice world setting for the rest of the series. Highly recommended.
The supporting cast is also given great consideration with some interesting characters I’m looking forward to getting to know better in the sequels. The villains don’t get quite the same level of focus, verging on cliched occasionally, but it never got in the way of the story or lessened the impact. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended for fans of fast paced action with a load of decent characterisation.