Galactic Conspiracies series by Rob Colton

Galactic conspiracies.

Every science-fiction fan has heard of them. But how many of them have heard of a galactic conspiracy so epic that it takes not one, not two, but three full length novels to cover it?

The novels I’m referring to are The Degan Incident, The Cassini Mission, and The Degan Paradox, all best-sellers, written by an incredible writer, Rob Colton.

The first book in the Galactic Conspiracies series is The Degan Incident.

 Blurb:

Lonely spaceport worker Devin McSmith meets Bastian Drago, an exotic and beastly alien from the planet Dega, and begins an adventure that takes him to the stars and beyond.

While working at Earth's Spaceport Prime, Devin McSmith meets Bastian Drago, an exotic and beastly alien from the planet Dega.

Devin and Bastian get to know each other and their relationship quickly heats up. Just as they begin to fall in love, Bastian disappears without a trace.

When Devin's encounter with Bastian triggers a startling change in his body, he is taken captive and held in a top-secret research facility.

Will Bastian find Devin before it's too late?

Excerpt:

I stepped off the magtrain and made my way up the concourse pushing my way through the crowds of people. I looked up at one of the wall displays and noted the time. I was cutting it close, but I still had a few minutes before the start of my shift.

While weaving between a trio of blue-skinned aliens speaking in a foreign tongue, I reached into the pocket of my uniform and pulled my headset out. I looped it over my ear and pressed the silicone nub into my ear canal. I pulled my comPad from the side leg pocket, then slid my finger across the razor-thin flexi-glass screen. The screen came to live with colorful graphics, waiting to scan my thumbprint to log me in. Pressing my thumb against the indicated area flashing on the screen, it dinged with a chime that indicated success, and automatically linked up my headset and signed into the Spaceport network. After the chime, the pleasant female computer voice announced into my ear, Devin McSmith; login successful.

With another swipe of my finger, I flipped though my day’s manifest and headed to the first gate on my list to start work.

~~~~~

Review:

The blurb and the excerpt pretty much say it all. What neither of them say is how captivating and real the characters are.

Through Rob’s incredible writing it’s very easy to feel Devin’s terror at being kidnapped, poked and prodded, helpless to do anything about it.

It’s just as easy to identify with Bastian’s ultimate anger when he learns what has happened to the person he loves more than life itself…Devin.

Politics, intrigue and suspense, along with a huge dose of familial love and bonding come together to create an absolute must read story. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give The Degan Incident a definite 10 and put it on the ‘You have to read this book!’ list.

~~~~~

The second book in the Galactic Conspiracies series is The Cassini Mission.

Blurb:

The adventure continues in this action-packed sequel to The Degan Incident!

Dr. Aron Adler is ordered to take part in a rescue mission to a research colony located on an uninhabited planet in the outer rim. He is to immediately report to the U.S.C. Cassini, which will take Aron, two other scientists, and a unit of Union Marines to the colony. Once there, they are to assess the situation and retrieve any data or specimens.

Formerly a scientist in the Union Navy, Aron was dishonorably discharged following a court-martial for failing to obey orders. Stepping foot on the Cassini brings up old feelings he would rather forget. Shunned by the crew of the Cassini, Aron finds comfort in the arms—and bed—of Marine corporal Kane Robertson.

Upon reaching the colony, it becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems. Once again, Aron is faced with a difficult decision:  follow orders or follow his heart.

Excerpt:

Doctor Aron Adler; access granted.

As the computer’s pleasant announcement, the security lock disengaged and the door opened with a swoosh.

Not looking up from my comPad, I made my way to my lab’s main workstation. Once seated, I transferred control from the pad to my workstation and activated the scanner. I had just gotten the electron scanner calibrated and it was not streaming bio-chemical data to the large computer screens mounted on my lab wall.

“Yes,” I said in triumph as I skimmed over the new data. Everything looked to be in order.

~~~~~

Review:

We first meet Dr. Aron Adler, exobiologist, in The Degan Incident as he was discussing Devin McSmith’s unusual medical condition with Devin’s doctor, Dr. Flynn. This sets up a chain of events leading up to the The Cassini Mission.

Research colony RC-8460 has gone silent. The USC Cassini, carrying Aron, Geneticist Kenji Kanataka and cyberneticist Bradley Brimley along with a unit of Marines is dispatched to investigate. 

What they find there horrifies them.

Rob does an awesome job weaving suspense, suspicion, fear, lust and jealousy together to create an awesome page turner, one that is difficult to put down.

He cleverly links The Cassini Mission back to The Degan Incident through flashbacks and conversations.

After reading both novels, I found it easy to figure out who subjects H1 & D1 are, but who are subjects H2 & D2? I have my suspicions, but I’ll keep quiet on them until Galactic Conspiracies 3 comes out.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give The Cassini Mission a definite10 and put it on the ‘You have to read this book!’ list.

~~~~~

The third book in the Galactic Conspiracies series is The Degan Paradox.

Blurb:

The adventure continues in this action-packed follow up to The Degan Incident and The Cassini Mission.

Peri McSmith is aboard the U.S.C. Cassini, en route to the Degan Homeworld. A routine medical examination reveals a startling yet impossible link between Peri and the Cassini’s last mission.

Beshel Drago, Chief Investigator for the Degan Federation, searches for leads on the rogue scientists conducting illegal genetic experiments using Degan citizens. He hits yet another dead end—until the rescued embryo’s human parent is identified.

When the Degan Science Institute is attacked, and the embryo stolen, it’s up to Beshel and Peri to not only recover the child, but to prevent all-out war between the Degans and the Galactic Planetary Union.

Excerpt:

Perin McSmith picked up the last item on top of his dresser. Instead of immediately packing it away in his box, Peri stopped and took a good look at it. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. It was a picture of him and his best friend, Devin. Taken when they were younger, it was one of his favorites.

He remembered the day like it was yesterday. It was the night before his high school graduation. They’d gone out to celebrate one last time before school was out, just him and Dev.

That next week Peri would start his brand new job at Spaceport Prime, the largest port on the North American continent servicing flights bound for space travel. Dev had been working as a docking gate technician for the past year and was able to get Peri an interview. Dev put in a good word with the supervisor, and Peri got the job.

Review:

In this third installment of the Galactic Conspiracies series, Rob brings the gang back together. Devin. Bastian. Peri, Martan, Aron, Kane, Kenji and Brian. The specimen discovered in the illegal research colony, RC-8460 turned out to be a something created from subjects D2 & H2 (we find out who they are in this novel). The specimen is delivered to the Degan Science Institute. This is where the story starts to twist and turn, leading the gang to discover a new cybernetic horror.

How will they overcome seemingly unbeatable odds to defeat these new cybernetic abominations and rescue the embryo? You will just have to read The Degan Paradox to find out.

Once again Rob brings the three books together. One of the great things about the Galactic Conspiracies series is you don’t have to read previous books in the series in order to understand what’s happening in each book. However, you will have a much more enjoyable reading experience if you do read each book in succession. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

I must point out that there are a couple of sentences in The Degan Paradox which I believe, and this is my own personal belief based on what I read, is an easter egg pointing to a 4^th book in the Galactic Conspiracies series.

As with The Degan Incident and the Cassini Mission, on a scale of 1 to 10, I give The Degan Paradox a definite 10 and put it on the ‘You have to read this book!’ list.

Well done, Rob; very well done.

After reading The Degan Incident, The Cassini Mission and The Degan Paradox, if you hunger for more of Rob’s incredible storytelling (and I’m sure you will), be sure to check out Timber Pack Chronicles and Enforcers:  Timber Pack Chronicles book 2. I’m absolutely positive you won’t be disappointed.

Author bio:

Rob Colton is a software developer by day, and avid reader of romance novels at night. A romantic at heart, he loves stories that feature big, burly men who find true love and happy endings.

Rob grew up in northern Michigan and currently lives in the Atlanta area with his very supportive husband and their very spoiled miniature schnauzer.

Cover art, blurbs, excerpts, and author bio copyright © Rob Colton, all rights reserved.