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A review by mayathebookworm
The Re-Emergence: An Augment Saga Novella by Alan K. Dell
5.0
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews.
Thank you to Alan Dell for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are taken from The Re-Emergence by Alan Dell.
//TW: death, violence//
// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
// Quick Review //
With worldbuilding, characters, and plot that is only comparable to Star Wars, Alan Dell’s The Re-Emergence, a novella in the Augment Saga, is a promising start to an original and imaginative series that will no doubt stand the test of time.
// Other Information //
Publisher: Independently published
Page Count: 136 pages
Release Date: May 30, 2021
Series: The Augment Saga
Genre: Science Fiction
The Re-Emergence is a novella in the Augment Saga. The first novel in the series, From the Grave of the Gods, is expected to release in late 2021. Alan Dell is also planning on another novella, The Flight of the Aurora, and three more novels in the series. You can view a full list of Dell’s plans for his amazing series here.
// Book Description (via Goodreads) //
A strange probe from a long-forgotten satellite network appears in the P’hori star system. Its message: a dire warning signalling the return of an ancient mythological evil. Imperator Da’kora Corasar and the crew of the Qesh’kal are sent to determine the probe’s origin, and find that the satellite is not as they had expected. Corasar trusts the satellite’s data, but not everyone aboard agrees. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as they track down the source of the signal. Thrust into conflict, the crew of the Qesh’kal must chase their foe across the galactic arm and save their home from certain destruction.
// Characters //
The Re-Emergence’s characters are unique in a way that none of them are human. The novella centers around the journey of the Qesh’kal, a ship full of aliens called the P’hori. Among this group is Imperator Da’kora Corasar, in other words the commanding officer of the ship. His niece, Knight Ra’azni Leyr, is also aboard the ship and became friends with Seventeen, a satellite whose consciousness has evolved to the point where he is practically a person without a body. With the current threat of the Ancient Wanderers, a group of aliens that has previously decimated parts of the P’hori empire, Squire Ashfan Ti’znal doesn’t trust a random satellite in space (probably smart to be cautious).
The P’hori are described as having feathers and ‘six stubby clawed fingers’. Clearly not human. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t have feathers. I found the way that Dell has written his characters intriguing. Despite not being human, Dell allows the reader to become attached to the characters and cheer them on through their struggles and triumphs.
The story changes perspectives throughout the novel, either of Da’Kora, Ra’azni, Ashfan, or Seventeen. This not only allows for multiple angles of the story, but also the chance to get to know the characters better. While my favorite character was Seventeen, the adorable little satellite, it by no means is because the rest were awful. All of the Qesh’kal’s crew are there for one another and are determined to protect not only the empire, but also themselves.
// Writing and Setting //
I don’t know how to describe it, but the author just has that style of writing that makes one go, ‘Ah, a sci-fi.’ I could picture everything that Dell described in my head, despite it being unfamiliar and unlike anything I had heard of previously. In spite of this being his first published work, Dell has the writing of a highly experienced author. His writing sucks the reader in and pushes them into the midst of the battles aboard the Qesh’kal. Oh! An admirable mention: the author also included a Glossary in which terms, timekeeping, units of measurement, and ranks of the imperial fleet are all described. How helpful and just overall considerate, gosh.
Now, the setting. Holy crap, I cannot even begin to describe how earth-shattering the universe Dell has constructed is. Though taking place at least somewhere near our solar system, the world of the P’hori and its neighbors is something that was clearly thought through delicately, and the result is breathtaking. Dell has done an amazing job at making his story seem real. The amount of backstory, imagination, and creativity that has gone into creating this novel and it’s world is spectacular.
// Plot //
The Re-Emergence is fairly paced, and while not slow, does allow the reader to catch their breath at points.
A quick rundown of the novella (without spoilers, of course):
Unit-17, or Seventeen, is a part of the vast network of satellites that were created by the P’hori after the war with the Ancient Wanderers to alert them of intruders or attacks. Long forgotten, Seventeen spots a possible threat and sends an alert to the Empire, causing the Qesh’kal to embark on a mission to survey the potential threat. What they were not prepared for, however, is the fact that the Ancient Wanderers are not only alive and kicking, but also powerful. The discovery of their long forgotten past drags the Qesh’kal and its occupants into a drawn out battle against the Ancient Wanderers, one that could prove deadly if not successful on the P’hori’s part.
The Re-Emergence was expertly written to keep the reader turning the pages til 4 in the morning. The events described in the novel are simultaneously breathtaking, worrisome, and stress-inducing. The amount of times I had to remind myself that The Re-Emergence was a novella and that I could take a deep breath was unreal. It was enthralling.
// Overall Review //
While a quick read, The Re-Emergence is a wonderful backstory to the future Augment Saga, which I am desperate to read. Not only was it fascinating, but so well contrived that I wouldn’t hesitate to see a movie adaptation of this novella if the chance arose. I highly recommend that you read this novel, especially if you are a fan of science fiction. The Re-Emergence is truly extraordinary.
Author's Website || Amazon
Thank you to Alan Dell for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are taken from The Re-Emergence by Alan Dell.
//TW: death, violence//
// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
// Quick Review //
With worldbuilding, characters, and plot that is only comparable to Star Wars, Alan Dell’s The Re-Emergence, a novella in the Augment Saga, is a promising start to an original and imaginative series that will no doubt stand the test of time.
“An evil race of nomads toppling the grand Empire? A mere story; a hangover from a bygone age, steeped in ignorance. Complete nonsense!”
// Other Information //
Publisher: Independently published
Page Count: 136 pages
Release Date: May 30, 2021
Series: The Augment Saga
Genre: Science Fiction
The Re-Emergence is a novella in the Augment Saga. The first novel in the series, From the Grave of the Gods, is expected to release in late 2021. Alan Dell is also planning on another novella, The Flight of the Aurora, and three more novels in the series. You can view a full list of Dell’s plans for his amazing series here.
// Book Description (via Goodreads) //
A strange probe from a long-forgotten satellite network appears in the P’hori star system. Its message: a dire warning signalling the return of an ancient mythological evil. Imperator Da’kora Corasar and the crew of the Qesh’kal are sent to determine the probe’s origin, and find that the satellite is not as they had expected. Corasar trusts the satellite’s data, but not everyone aboard agrees. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as they track down the source of the signal. Thrust into conflict, the crew of the Qesh’kal must chase their foe across the galactic arm and save their home from certain destruction.
// Characters //
The Re-Emergence’s characters are unique in a way that none of them are human. The novella centers around the journey of the Qesh’kal, a ship full of aliens called the P’hori. Among this group is Imperator Da’kora Corasar, in other words the commanding officer of the ship. His niece, Knight Ra’azni Leyr, is also aboard the ship and became friends with Seventeen, a satellite whose consciousness has evolved to the point where he is practically a person without a body. With the current threat of the Ancient Wanderers, a group of aliens that has previously decimated parts of the P’hori empire, Squire Ashfan Ti’znal doesn’t trust a random satellite in space (probably smart to be cautious).
The P’hori are described as having feathers and ‘six stubby clawed fingers’. Clearly not human. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t have feathers. I found the way that Dell has written his characters intriguing. Despite not being human, Dell allows the reader to become attached to the characters and cheer them on through their struggles and triumphs.
The story changes perspectives throughout the novel, either of Da’Kora, Ra’azni, Ashfan, or Seventeen. This not only allows for multiple angles of the story, but also the chance to get to know the characters better. While my favorite character was Seventeen, the adorable little satellite, it by no means is because the rest were awful. All of the Qesh’kal’s crew are there for one another and are determined to protect not only the empire, but also themselves.
// Writing and Setting //
I don’t know how to describe it, but the author just has that style of writing that makes one go, ‘Ah, a sci-fi.’ I could picture everything that Dell described in my head, despite it being unfamiliar and unlike anything I had heard of previously. In spite of this being his first published work, Dell has the writing of a highly experienced author. His writing sucks the reader in and pushes them into the midst of the battles aboard the Qesh’kal. Oh! An admirable mention: the author also included a Glossary in which terms, timekeeping, units of measurement, and ranks of the imperial fleet are all described. How helpful and just overall considerate, gosh.
Now, the setting. Holy crap, I cannot even begin to describe how earth-shattering the universe Dell has constructed is. Though taking place at least somewhere near our solar system, the world of the P’hori and its neighbors is something that was clearly thought through delicately, and the result is breathtaking. Dell has done an amazing job at making his story seem real. The amount of backstory, imagination, and creativity that has gone into creating this novel and it’s world is spectacular.
// Plot //
The Re-Emergence is fairly paced, and while not slow, does allow the reader to catch their breath at points.
A quick rundown of the novella (without spoilers, of course):
Unit-17, or Seventeen, is a part of the vast network of satellites that were created by the P’hori after the war with the Ancient Wanderers to alert them of intruders or attacks. Long forgotten, Seventeen spots a possible threat and sends an alert to the Empire, causing the Qesh’kal to embark on a mission to survey the potential threat. What they were not prepared for, however, is the fact that the Ancient Wanderers are not only alive and kicking, but also powerful. The discovery of their long forgotten past drags the Qesh’kal and its occupants into a drawn out battle against the Ancient Wanderers, one that could prove deadly if not successful on the P’hori’s part.
The Re-Emergence was expertly written to keep the reader turning the pages til 4 in the morning. The events described in the novel are simultaneously breathtaking, worrisome, and stress-inducing. The amount of times I had to remind myself that The Re-Emergence was a novella and that I could take a deep breath was unreal. It was enthralling.
“So here it is at last. The creature of our nightmares, the beast that haunts the dreams of hatchlings all over P’horesh, in the flesh.”
// Overall Review //
While a quick read, The Re-Emergence is a wonderful backstory to the future Augment Saga, which I am desperate to read. Not only was it fascinating, but so well contrived that I wouldn’t hesitate to see a movie adaptation of this novella if the chance arose. I highly recommend that you read this novel, especially if you are a fan of science fiction. The Re-Emergence is truly extraordinary.
Author's Website || Amazon