Michael Taylor, an unremarkable English teacher, wakes to find himself imprisoned on a mysterious ship with over forty strangers, none of whom remember how they got there. Their harrowing journey ends on an alien world devastated by decades of war, where survival demands both physical and emotional resilience.

Facing deadly enemies and his own inner turmoil, Taylor’s struggle for survival transforms him from an ordinary man into SHAKER—a legendary warrior whose odyssey redefines his destiny and shapes the future of a fractured world. This gripping sci-fi epic explores the power of resilience, identity, and the will to adapt in the face of unimaginable challenges.

Once I picked up Shaker and started reading I was hooked. I’m a huge science fiction fan, so I found myself drawn to the story! What I liked most about the book was Shaker's character. He wasn't perfect and had very real faults while remaining likable, which isn't always an easy feat for a writer to pull off. The world-building was interesting, descriptive without being overly detailed and needing to understand 4,000 years of history in order to enjoy the story.

This hooked me at first but failed to keep my interest throughout - the plot seemed to get slower and more contrived rather than building in momentum. Struggled to finish this title. A generous 2.5

LOVED this book. Probably the best read of 2019 for me. The story was amazing, main character likable and such a riveting read, all set on an alien planet! Really enjoyed how abstract yet relatable the whole scenario was!

Shaker is a first person, character driven, mid-burn novel that paces itself in a way that let's you have a full story without having to spend every moment of every day with the protagonist. Mike Taylor, or the titicular character Shaker, leads us on a journey from the mundane, to the wildly insane, to the extraordinary. Kidnapped by aliens to fight in their petty, but long standing civil war, Shaker and his friends have to come to the understanding that not)only are their lives in danger, they are no longer their own, and the only way to survive is to kill other humans from the opposing side. Somewhere along the way, he finds love. A story about resilience, resistance, and learning to live where you are, this is not a book about war even though it is its backdrop. Highly recommended. Oh, and Michael Taylor, you did it. I am reading this from Earth...
***Review is based on an Arc copy received for free via Netgalley ***

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s tries so hard, but it didn’t work for me, the story went all over the place. The story is an interesting one when done right, which this didn’t feel like it had been

This was a predominately scifi book with loads of extras, including mystery and a little bit of horror and thriller. I was pleasantly surprised with it.

I enjoyed this book for what it was. The enslavement concept was very intriguing. Michael Taylor wakes up to find himself held captive. The story line is somewhat unbelievable due to the fact that all these highly intelligent aliens would go all the way across the galaxy to fight other aliens. Michael did come off somewhat annoying and it was hard to care about him.

*Thanks so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love speculative sci-fi and found the premise compelling with plenty of action and suspence but also some unexpected humour.

A fascinating drama about enslavement and conflict as people from Earth are captured by aliens and forced to fight for a world far away. Interesting plot twists, and good character development. A bit unexpected, but a good read.

An interesting take on a concept long haunting humans...are we alone and if not...

Recommend to science fiction fans!

A fresh, different story about parallel universes and alternate reality theory. This style of story/theme can be easily worn out if you read enough versions, wonderfully this one certainly refreshes its genre.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
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Taylor, an ordinary English teacher, is abducted by an unknown species for an unknown purpose. He soon discovers that he isn't the only one abducted, nor are they the first group, to be enslaved by an alien race to fight their wars far from Earth.

I was intrigued by the blurb, expecting a captivating and brutal story about the transformation of an ordinary person into a fearsome warrior, and the events, motivations and desires that led to it.

Full review can be found here:
https://thedigressiveapproach.wordpress.com/2019/07/05/review-shaker-by-c-c-prestel/

I’m not a huge sci-fi fan. But when I decide to step out of my comfort zone that’s usually my go to choice for something different . At times I found this book confusing but overall I enjoyed it.

This book was not for me I could not get on with the style of writing.
Others would probably get on with this book and sounds like a really good story.

Very good. Not too heave on the science in the sci-fi. A fresh story, and one about the classic idea of how the choices we make impact our future. I enjoyed the action, humor, and suspense, which kept me engaged. Recommended.

I really appreciate the copy for review!!

A sci fii book with a little bit of everything: mystery, suspense, romance, friendship...

This was a really original story and I enjoyed it. There were some great characters, and I loved the strong females.