Blueshift

By: Joshua Dalzelle

Narrated by: Paul Heitsch

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

If you could be the first to lay eyes upon a planet orbiting a distant star, would you go?

If it meant that when you returned home - if you returned home - everyone you knew would have been dead for centuries, would you still go?

The members of the Polaris Project knew what they were giving up when they volunteered to fly to the star named Angel-21, but the allure of being the first explorers to leave the Solar System far outweighed the risks. As it turned out, the most dangerous thing they faced wasn't the mission...it was the homecoming. Eight hundred years have passed, and Earth is nothing like they thought it would be.

As Commander Markus Brentwood scrambles to uncover the mystery of what's happened to Earth in their absence, he also must contend with an increasingly dysfunctional crew and a damaged ship that's flying on borrowed time. What should have been a joyous return home after a long, hard mission has turned into a race to see which nightmare would kill them first.

©2018 Joshua Dalzelle (P)2018 Podium Publishing

Loose Ends

The story was well done however I wish there was a bit less whining. I know these were civilians but really...get over it. Once they got on Earth conversation got a little more bearable. Other than that the story was very original. Unfortonately there were some loose ends at the conclusion of the story so I hope there will be a follow up.

overall enjoyable story, but some weak plot points

overall the story was really enjoyable and played with some interesting concepts, but there were quite a few gaps in plausibility and the characters were somewhat one dimensional.

Home Earth

Enjoyed the psychological and ethical aspects. Story well done. Excellent narrator for this story. I will look for more by this author

I hope there is a sequel

I really enjoyed this book, had a hard time putting it down. The only thing I didn't like was not learning enough about the various tribes that occupied the future Earth. I really hope there is a sequel that digs deeper into how humans survived the pandemic and how the different tribes came about.

Awsome

If you like scifi movies that end up as forgotten gems, you'll love this! It has conflict, intresting senarios and a fantastic story.

Things I Loved in this book

What I loved
1- I did not want to put it down until I was finished.
2- I wanted the good guys to overcome and survive.
3- When faced with obstacles, the captains first thought was how to solve the problem at hand.

What I didn't like:
1- All characters were far to quick to resort to murder of their 6 shipmates who they had spent the last 8 years working and living with.
2- The men they met after landing tended to shoot first.
3- They made little attempt to communicate with the natives.

realistic

Possible, but some plot holes. The Earth is a fairly big place. Just because some locals are narive that doesn't mean the planet is off limits.

Dalzelle..

I have been going through the Blackfleet books for the third time in preparation of the release of Empire on audio. remembered this gem and gave it a second listen. it was better the second time. plot points I had previously missed really caught my ear this time. looking forward to so bitter sweet conclusions, Thank You for all the hours of entertainment. Mr Dalzelle.

Dark in a good way

This is a psychological story asking to what extent mankind is willing to go to live one more day.

Not as good as others.

The ending was poor.
The whole story was a lead up to what should have been a surprise or twist ending that never materialized.
The story felt unimaginative compared to other Dalzelle books.
Felt more 'Lord of the Flies' than Robinson Caruso meets Mutiny on the Bounty.
The characters seemed almost like caricatures they were so extreme and unidimensional.

And the author's political bias and envies came through loud and clear.