The Astral Imperative, Vol. I – Review

Outstanding Sci-Fi read, highly recommended! Fortunately this book has an intriguing cover image. I had been randomly browsing the Boulder Bookstore recently and came across this gem. I am a fan of both sci-fi and non-fiction science. I also like a good story! Without a doubt, this book had me hooked from the beginning. Perhaps my own selfish desire to explore space one day was taken advantage of; the author puts together a very compelling narrative of modern space exploration, yet includes enough fantasy to make it enjoyable. The cast is phenomenal; without spoiling anything, I must say I became quite emotionally attached to this crew and their Earthbound compatriots, especially in the latter half of the novel.

This novel is a unique experience; like other commentators, I am surprised I had not heard of this elsewhere. Being the first edition, published barely a year ago, the book can hardly be blamed for a few minor typos/grammar errors, notable but nothing that detracted from the experience in total. It was well worth the purchase, indeed I can’t wait to continue the series when the 2nd and 3rd parts arrive at my door later this week!

I presume the author is only getting his feet wet in this genre of writing, as briefly mentioned in the intro. But as a first work, it’s wonderful to see such talent from a new author. I hope to see more by Robert Dresner in the future.