Audible Book Review: Genesis by Ken Lozito

I enjoyed this fast moving military sci fi.
Genesis
By: Ken Lozito
Narrated by: Scott Aiello

Series: First Colony, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-27-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Colonization, Military Sci Fi, Space Fleet
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5

Publisher's Summary
A mission gone wrong. Innocent lives have been lost.
Escaping wrongful imprisonment wasn't something Connor had in mind, but being put into stasis aboard Earth's first interstellar colony ship was something he couldn't have prepared for.
For 300,000 colonists, the new colony brings the promise of a fresh start...a second chance. Connor might be the wrong man for the colony, but he's the right man to see that it survives what's coming.
A new world with new challenges, but the mission has changed.
If you loved Old Man's War and Ender's Game, you'll love Genesis from First Colony, a new military science fiction series.
©2017 Ken Lozito (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Colonel Connor Gates is hot on the tale of a criminal mastermind. He thinks his elite team of ‘Ghosts’ has the leader cornered. Instead, the mission explodes around them, taking millions of innocent lives. Connor goes to sleep wondering what charges he will have to face. He isn’t at all prepared for what he learns when he wakes up – over a hundred years in the future.

Connor was smuggled aboard the Earth’s first interstellar colony ship. The 300,000 colonists and their leaders had set out to establish a peaceful society. They have security but no true military experience. This might have worked fine if the ship had arrived at the expected planet. When the ship is detoured to a different planet they must deal with natural predators that weren’t planned for.

Connor is invited to tour the planet base and begin to think where he might fit. It doesn’t take long for him to see gaps and weaknesses in the security system. This riles the man in charge of the local force. But increasing predator attacks make it clear that Connor has a better plan to protect the people. He sets out to train a dozen men and women to be a new special search and rescue team. Can they get the defenses in place before losing people, even the newly trained team, to the surprisingly clever beasts?

Connor is a well-developed dedicated and intense character. He is not a superhero but has the skills and instincts that are needed for the colony. I especially enjoyed the fast-paced military action as well as the mysteries that are presented. Why was the ship diverted? What secrets are contained in the ancient city that seems to be affecting the enemy beasts? What is the true danger revealed by the encrypted message sent through time and space to warn the colonists?

I will be picking up more in this series. I recommend this to readers who enjoy military sci fi and first colony stories.

Audio Notes: I’ve enjoyed the narration of Scott Aiello on other works and he does another good job on this one. He presents the characters with different voices and fitting emotions. He helps put the listener in the middle of the action. I am very glad I listened to this on audio.

Source: 8/30/18 Audible Daily Deal $2.95. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.