3.5 stars

This was a fun space opera focusing on a crew of Arcus and their adventures trying to complete a seemingly impossible job.

The story was easy to follow and predictable at times, which makes it a good choice for a sci-fi beginner. The history of the Old Earth and humanity driving it into destruction were convincing parts of this world and the related mystery that is gradually revealed was truly intriguing.
What didn't work for me was the writing style, which felt artificial and forced at times.
Overall, it was a fun, if a bit simple, sci-fi romp.

While I found the begining of the tale a bit slow, once the action reached Earth it picked up a bit.

Firefly meets The Expanse is a really good way to describe this solar system-based space opera, as a ragtag crew of outlaws discover sinister secrets hidden from them by their political overlords.

Living in SolComm, the solar system community that houses the refugees from a now uninhabitable Earth, is all Gray Lynch has ever known. When he was placed in their Navy upon attainment of adulthood, he was both happy not to be sent to the mines and reluctant to take a place that would likely see him parted from his parents for years at a time. His stint in the Navy proved disillusioning, with the final straw being the response they sent to a small, if growing, political insurrection on the space station Themis. Disgusted, Gray walked away from the Navy and built up his own crew aboard the Arcus, engaging in a little light piracy and other minimally violent if illicit activities in order to keep body and soul together on the fringes of SolComm space.

When the Arcus gets a lead on a lucrative job that will require them to brave the Interdiction Zone (IZ) around Earth in order to scavenge several valuable artifacts for SolComm collectors, more than one of the crew is skeptical. It's common knowledge that Earth has been taken over by unfettered sentient AI, necessitating humanity's flight to the stars. SolComm built the IZ in order to protect what's left of humanity from the landbound AI, effectively rendering any return impossible. But Gray's contact assures him that they can get him through the IZ, and will make it worth the Arcus' while.

It helps that Gray himself has actually been to Earth once, a fact that surprises, if not outright shocks, his team. But he's not the only one keeping secrets, as they'll all soon discover once they reach planet-side and discover what's truly happened to Earth since their ancestors fled for the safety of space.

I really enjoyed J. T. Nicholas' last sci-fi novel, <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2020/03/02/re-coil-by-j-t-nicholas/">Re-Coil</a>, and while this one had a lot of potential, I felt it dragged way more than Re-Coil did. The shifting perspectives didn't help much, as each of the three viewpoint characters were very much in their heads, constantly evaluating and re-evaluating their situations such that it felt like there was a lot of talking about what they were doing instead of actually doing it -- which is pretty weird considering that quite a lot happens here! It sometimes felt like reading an earnest and thorough debate on future technology rather than an exciting sci-fi adventure. Which is fine if that's what you like. I just prefer my reading with a little more spice, as Mr Nicholas' prior novel had in spades.

Stolen Earth by J. T. Nicholas was published September 21 2021 by Titan Books and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781789093155">Bookshop!</a>

This was an entertaining space opera adventure. The story would be great for new sci fi readers because it was easy to follow, with clear explanations of the history and current state of humanity.

As someone who reads a LOT of space opera, I will admit that the characters and plot were a bit simple and predictable, but it was still a fun, easy read.

Compared to a lot of sweeping epic series, this standalone was a nice self contained romp that still managed to have some epic moments.

The best aspect of the book was the mystery surrounding the Earth and I particularly qqqloved the build to that reveal.

I would recommend this one to a pretty wide scifi audience because it was easy and fun to consume.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Earth had been destroyed long ago due to environmental devastation, war, and unfettered AI reducing the rest to unlivable conditions. Survivors fled to the colonies in the rest of the solar system, crowding into an already overcrowded space. Gray captains a ship of outcasts, and they eke out a living on the Fringe of space; every calorie, bit of fuel, and a liter of oxygen must be purchased and accounted for. A risky job to return to Old Earth for artefacts would give them more than enough credits to stay afloat. Landing is one thing, but the truth of Old Earth can bring the Sol Commonwealth to its knees.

Billed as a cross between Firefly and The Expanse, this is a great sci-fi novel with little of the potential concerns of the comparators. The prologue gives us the background on Old Earth and the near coercive tactics of the Sol Commonwealth, but we almost don't even need it. We learn about fettered vs. unfettered AI concerns, the fact that everyone and everything is monitored, that living in the Fringe means they're outside SolComm's purview but piracy and privation are common. In this universe, either people are tightly regulated but dispensed the calories, oxygen, and fuel they need in SolComm, or else they scramble to stay afloat on their own with no guarantees.

We get to know each member of the crew, and I really like them, even the prickly Laurel. Each has their own reasons for staying outside of SolComm's purview, and they do have a code of honor. We see it in the first job they do when we meet them; rather than toe the line of the job, they barely break even because the station needs the stolen goods to survive. The Arcus crew knows how that is, and the eventual lure of a massive payout for stealing Old Earth artefacts could keep them going. The truth of Earth is then a sticking point; the lies that were perpetuated kept those in power at SolComm at the head of the table, so to speak. They were the ones to determine who was worthy of which resources and corruption ran rampant. Are we surprised by this? Not at all. Even if you don't get pessimistic about large government, Gray left the Navy because of orders he was expected to mindlessly carry out which targeted even the possibility of dissent against SolComm. We know from early on that corruption runs rampant.

I enjoyed Stolen Earth, and this look into the future. People are people, no matter where or when they are. These people are fascinating, not quite Robin Hood on the Fringe but still believing in honor and keeping their word. They believe in helping others when a wrong has been done, and these are exactly the kind of people I like to root for. I raced through the book to finish it because I had to know not only the big secret of Old Earth but how our crew would pull through. It's a big gamble, after all, but it's one that absolutely pays off for them and for us to read about.

Stolen Earth was a pretty good sci-fi! I hadn't read one in a while, and this one managed to grab my attention enough that I didn't have to push through to finish it.

We discover a world where Earth has been put on a lockdown after a world war involving AIs, which are still active on Earth after killing everyone who did not manage to escape Earth before their attacks.
A team of thieves, including Captain Lynch, a former member of the government army, are comissioned to go on Earth, and cross the Interdiction Zone to recover an artifact from the planet.
On arrival, the crew discovers that not all is as the government would want everyone to believe, and their quest for an artifact soon turns into much more.

One thing I really liked about this book is the crew. While I usually enjoy space crews with the chosen family trope, here, we kind of have the opposite. It's just a bunch of random people who ended up being outlaws and now need to make money. They're not here to be friends, and it can be felt in the way they interact. I thought it was pretty interesting, and probably more accurate in that aspect than some other books.

It also felt realistic in the science and techy stuff. The whole book revolves around a plot featuring AIs, so I enjoyed reading about them, how they came to be built, the way they work, the way the Interdiction Zone works, etc. The writing explains many things that are often overlooked in stories, and I appreciated that a lot, even if sometimes I struggled understanding everything. It's a huge plus for people who are science buffs.

The plot not too original, but the way to tell it was very well done. If you enjoy good sci-fi books that are neither too cliché, neither too difficult to read, I hope you would be willing to give Stolen Earth a shot!

Paradise lost and paradise reclaimed can be powerful tropes in science fiction. In Stolen Earth, J.T. Nicholas attempts to harness these ideas. Wish that I could say he succeeds admirably. For the most part, all I can do is acknowledge the attempt.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the free eARC in exchange for a review.

Grayson Lynch, previously of the Sol Commonwealth Navy, now captains the Arcus out in the Fringe. Lynch, like the rest of his crew, are disillusioned by the combination of control and corruption in SolComm—but as the sole government left to humanity after its disastrous flight from Earth generations ago, it’s either SolComm or a life on the Fringe. Everything changes when Lynch and his crew are offered a job that will take them to Earth. They will dare to penetrate the impenetrable Interdiction Zone that protects SolComm from the artificial intelligences left behind after Earth was inefficiently evacuated. Yet the crew of the Arcus isn’t prepared for what it finds, and it will set off repercussions for all of humanity.

Look, I’ll cut to the chase: this book bored me. Worse, I knew it would, because post-apocalyptic books like this often do. The first red flag happened early: we have a prologue of Lynch as a youth, being assigned to the Navy, and then the story jumps forward several decades to when Lynch is a disillusioned ex-Navy officer who did bad things and regrets them. Instead of showing us all this, though, Nicholas tells it to us. Nicholas tells us everything. Stolen Earth is full of exposition, and it doesn’t work for me.

The other issue is that very few of the characters receive anything resembling development. Lynch is nominally our protagonist, but he actually has no character arc. He starts the book (after the prologue) as a disillusioned and well-meaning captain who cares for his crew and wants to do what’s best. He ends the book the same way. There’s no journey. The same goes for Bishop and Federov. There are two viewpoint characters in addition to Lynch, and they fare better in this regard—Hayer definitely changes a little, and one could argue that Morales has at least a smattering of development. Nevertheless, that isn’t enough to sustain my interest or dramatic tension.

Which brings me to my final complaint: the plot is on rails. The stakes get pretty high, but at no point did I really feel like the crew was in danger. Elements of conflict get resolved without much issue—I’m being vague to avoid spoilers, but let’s just say that our intrepid heroes seldom have to make hard choices. Everything just kind of comes together for them. This is, in part, because having a super-powerful AI can be a kind of deus ex machina. To his credit, Nicholas does try to work around this issue—I just don’t think he entirely succeeds.

In the end, this is not a bad book. Points for subtle gender diversity (a non-binary character, or at least one who uses the Mx honorific, shows up in the prologue). It’s sensibly paced and works fine as a standalone, although it also has potential for a sequel. I can see other people who are more tolerant of staid exposition enjoying this book a lot more than me. Unfortunately, as much as I love the idea of strong AI and reclaiming a planet, Stolen Earth never gets me caring.

Stolen Earth

[Blurb goes here]

AIs have taken over Earth. People live and die at the hands of the Sol Commonwealth government. This is a story about a group of smugglers that are also good guys at heart. It's a fun read and a great adventure. I truly recommend it.

Thank you for the free copy!

Centred around the five person crew of the Arcus, Stolen Earth is a layered, engaging and fast paced read. The plot moved fluidly from one scenario to another, providing not only the expected action of a sci-fi story but also an opportunity to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the protagonists. The story is written third person from the perspective of three characters, two of whom have secrets they would rather keep hidden. All five characters felt well rounded, I could picture them, understood their motives and knew their personalities.

The world building was very pleasing and whilst the individual elements of the story were nothing new, how the author wove them together made for an absolutely fantastic story. I could imagine this on the big screen, it had a very focused narrative which also allowed for moral examination and the reader to make their own inferences.at times. There were no tedious information dumps and I found this book held my attention from start to finish.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and was left wanting more of both the world and it's characters. Always the sign of a great book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Stolen Earth is an excellently-executed sci-fi novel that touches on a range of issues that are pertinent to our current society and the times we live in. The plot was really interesting and intriguing, and presents many of the problems and issues we struggle with today. It's very well written; although it could probably be categorised as 'hard science fiction', the author has struck a really good balance between the more scientifically-specific details and accessibility to the average reader. If you understand the technical details then that adds a bonus level of enjoyment to the reading experience, but not understanding them doesn't affect your overall understanding of the plot, or the emotional intensity of particular scenes (e.g. the entry sequence). The opening chapters establish each Arcus crew member's skillset very effectively, but in a way that opens and moves the plot forward, rather than being an unrelated scene purely positioned to establish character competency.

I very much enjoyed having two female POVs to one male POV, and the choice of characters who had POVs was good. Gray of course made sense, but it was good to also have Rajani and Laurel's perspectives, since they had the most interesting stakes and the highest emotional investment in the outcome of the plot. Gray had a very refreshing lack of unwarranted male ego. He's confident in the skills he has and he doesn't downplay them, but he doesn't boast about them either, and he doesn't feel a constant need to assert his authority as captain of the Arcus. The prologue did a good job of establishing his humanity and deep care for others, and his sense of justice is communicated effectively, first through the explanation of his departure from the SolComm Navy, and then throughout the book through his decisions. Rajani and Laurel's first POV chapters successfully establish the lenses through which they view the world and those around them; Rajani as an academic and someone who has only recently 'fallen out' with SolComm, and Laurel as not quite what she seems, as well as someone who still firmly believes in the system. Rajani and Laurel's character developments were the most satisfying, especially because of their respective levels of emotional investment in the events of the book. The secondary and tertiary characters were all very well fleshed out and felt fully formed, despite their lack of POVs.

This book also contains excellent commentary on climate change, on our issues with the increasing sophistication of robots and artificial intelligence, and on the greed of the rich and powerful people in the world. The future it presents for humankind and Planet Earth is quite bleak and, in many ways, horrifically and unfortunately believable, especially given the current state of our climate and of many governments around the world. If you want to gain a better understanding of where our collective global trajectory could potentially lead us, this is definitely the book to read.

I was excited to read Stolen Earth because of it's comparisons to The Expanse and my love of other sci-fi books; however, while I enjoyed parts of Stolen Earth, I found the overall story/plot to be quite slow. Additionally, I didn't connect with any of the characters. Both the story and the characters had potential; however, in the end, I found them both lacking. I usually fly through fantasy and sci-fi books (reading them within a day or two), but with Stolen Earth, I struggled to finish it and it took me over a month.

Stolen Earth is the latest science fiction book from published Titan Books, a novel that transports readers to a future where humanity has fled the planet, forced to eek out a life on run down ships, remote space stations, and struggling colonies. However, when the captain of a small pirate vessel is hired for a dangerous mission, it soon becomes clear that nothing is as anyone has been led to believe.

The book focuses on the Arcus, a small ship with a crew of five misfits and outlaws who've come together on the fringes of society to try and survive the best they can in extreme circumstances. Set over hundred years after humanity were forced to flee earth thanks to a war that quickly escalated beyond their control. After a series of AI's were put in charge of the military across the continents the battlefield soon span out of control. With nanite viruses and ecology changing weaponry sweeping across the planet those that could fled to the stars, taken in by those already living out in space. But the majority of humanity were left behind to their fate.

Generations later the crew of the Arcus, led by the former navy captain Grayson Lynch, is hired to sneak their way through the Interdiction Zone, an array of satellite weapons surrounding Earth to keep the AI's contained within, so that they can land on the planet and collect relics of the old world. Knowing that the mission is incredibly dangerous, but also highly profitable, the five of them decide to go through with the task; but soon discover secrets that could forever change the lives of every human in the entire solar system.

One of the things that's great about Stolen Earth is how it very quickly sets up its universe, thanks to a first chapter flashback to Grayson in school having to learn the history of Earth, but then begins to subvert and twist what you've just learned; allowing the reader to discover that most of what we've learnt might actually be a lie. Even before the crew of the Arcus head to Earth we see this in action, as we're told the Sol Commonwealth are there to help all of its citizens, and that life is better with them, before then seeing that many people live in squalor, barely able to survive thanks to tightly controlled resources.

One of the main themes of the book is learning that the information we're given by those in power is often a lie. They'll spin the narrative to make themselves look better, even making themselves the heroes. They'll also act like those who don't follow their specific ways are in the wrong, that they're making a stupid choice to walk away from all the great things that they can do for them, just because they value their freedoms over slavery. This theme is reinforced time and time again when across the course of the book the people you expect to be enemies turn out to be potential allies, decent, reasonable people who are just trying to do their best.

Titan have marketed the book as 'Firefly meets The Expanse', and that's actually a really good way of looking at it. We've got a ship full of misfits and outlaws, people who are fighting against the status quo because they can see that things the way they are aren't great, that the innocent are often left to suffer whilst the corrupt get wealthier and more powerful. And I think that if you're a fan of those shows this book will definitely appeal.

Stolen Earth is the second science fiction book I've read from J.T. Nicholas and Titan Books, and so far both books have been incredibly inventive, immensely engaging, and absolutely riveting novels filled with wonderful characters, a layered and complex narrative, and a central mystery that has grabbed me. Nicholas writes in a way that really draws you in, a way where you can't help but become engrossed in the characters ad the world that he's created. I was genuinely sad to see this book end, as I'd have been more than happy to see this extend beyond the bounds of this book into a series of its own. Perhaps that will happen one day, and J.T. Nicholas will come back to this universe in the future; but until then, and even if that never happens, this is an absolutely phenomenal stand alone novel.

Hollywood - come shopping. This could be a decent movie.

The publisher's positioning - Firefly meets The Expanse - is pretty spot-on. The somewhat cobbled-together crew - each with flaws & a history - and the somewhat "underground" nature of their exploits, is the Firefly analogue, and the setting is in our existing (Sol) solar system vs. far-off space, which is the Expanse analogue.

Of course, unlike each of those, this weaves together a story and set of characters all its own, and it's a good one. It's rogue-team vs. the unfeeling, uneven hand of governance by the bureaucracy of space. And yes, our heroes gallivant around serving their own needs, but - of course - get dragged into events bigger than themselves, which they need to take on in order to save the universe. Or, well, at least the bedraggled downtrodden that are being trod on by an unfeeling - nay, corrupt? - government.

Yeah, maybe the story line sounds a bit trite when you write it down in a review. But, it's a tried-and-true trope, and well-leveraged in this outing.

At the end, I almost felt like the analogues needed to pull in a bit of Star Trek (movie) , too. It probably isn't really a spoiler to say that the motley crew saves the day, and it felt a little like a huge Star Trek movie wrapping up with the crew pulling out a movie-climax save.

Which brings me back to the title: Hollywood, come shopping. This could be a decent movie; though the screenplay will obviously condense / strip a lot of the story, it's do-able.

Four stars according to my rules:
- Five stars is when you read a book to the end, put it down, take a deep breath, pick it up and start reading it all over again - or you would if you weren't so anxious to read the next book in a multi-book series. Or, it's simply one of the best books you’ve ever read, period.
- Four stars is when you tell yourself : ”This is good, this is well-written, this is full of interesting ideas, characters and plot points”, but you know you will never read it again.
- Three stars is when you read it to the end, put it down and proceed to forget all about it in the next instant.
- Two stars when it's so bad that it makes you laugh, or sigh, and want to write a review, but you can't remember the name of the book or dislike it so much that you don't write it.
- One star when you can't read past chapter 3, even as penance for your sins, and write tye review to help others avoid wasting their time.

A highly entertaining sci-fi novel. The plot was interesting and held my attention. I would recommend this book to all fans of Science Fiction.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A solid space opera. It's good to see an accurate title description. I don't know if this will sell well, but it should since it's well-written with a good plot and characters. There not much focus on the tech here, for those that like kind of thing, but it's not required in this case. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

This was a n above-average space opera by an author who will likely only get better. I read his earlier Re-Coil and liked it. The book started with a somewhat awkward data dump but then moved straight to well portrayed action. I liked the dystopian solar system setting, the caper element, the unfolding mystery of what is going on with Earth, and the dynamics of the crew. Characters and situation are a bit stock. I found the switching between the protagonist captain’s first and last name jarring and I thought Russian character Federov could have done without the cliched speech patterns. That said, I would certainly read a sequel or another book by the author, who shows real potential. I would also note that I have liked the books I get from Titan - their editorial tastes match mine.

Thanks to NetGalley and Titan books for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Firefly meets The Expanse is the perfect blurb for this book!! It was also a wonderful story on it’s own. I LOVE space operas and sci-fi stories in general but tend to stay away from those hard-core sci-fi that overwhelm me with tech jargon. Who cares how the darn ship works, tell me about the crew and how they relate!

Thank goodness this is a character driven, solidly written, somewhat-sciency story about how the social constructs of Old Earth and AI’s destroyed everything.

Each chapter is told by a different character POV. It’s a bit mystery, a bit political intrigue. The future kinda sucks. Everyone is controlled tightly by the government, and only a small few can see how they are being manipulated. Even the nervous crew doesn’t quite know who they can trust. I went into it blindly and you should too! Highly recommended for fans of non-stop space action.

Thank you to Net Galley and J.T. Nicholas for this arc!

Thought provoking novel about what could happen to Earth with artificial intelligence and human greed. I enjoyed the book and liked the writing style of Nicholas.

This is great for fans of Andy Weir, fast paced plot that keeps you on your toes. Page turner dialogue and scenes. Don't be fearful of the science behind it (again for fans of Andy Weir)