Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc.

I requested this book as I was very intrigued about the premise that this book was offering – dystopia, aligned with an alien threat and an unlikely hero.



My main struggle is that it’s quite dense for the amount of repetition and lack of tension that it contains. Pair this with flashbacks of our hero that also start getting repetitive and the whole plot starts to drag. I am not a huge fan of the goofy hero, so Sean was not a character that drew me in at all.


The background of politics and social status is interesting and I really appreciated the short chapters, but that is not enough for me to have a good reading experience.



It feels that this book couldn’t decide what to be and dwelled in a lot of sub genres that unfortunately did not favour the narrative.

This is the story of that quirky side-character who seems to always stumble into situations without ever having had the ambition to be a hero. Alas, he's about to become the hero he never wanted to be and here is his story.

There is a thousand year old space ship about to be sucked into a supernova. Sean Wren, refugee, criminal, linguist, and FTL pilot, and two other felons are offered a pardon when they rescue important data about the Philosopher's Stone from the space ship before it goes up in flames. What's supposed to be a quick job soon turns into alien encounters, sociopolitical debates and a rather predictable outcome.

I liked the short chapters and the chapter titles. I did not enjoy the 600+ pages of the book. The story could have been told in half the page-count.

The Immortality Thief feels a bit confused, changing subgenres all the way through (from the first third, I never expected it to become the horror story it devolved into!) and making it a challenge to follow through. The writing was ok, but I wasn't too invested in the character and the plot just didn't seem to get where it was going. Not for me, unfortunately!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A predictable but enjoyable enough space adventure. It's not particularly original, there's a lot of clunky exposition in the beginning and repetitive (and imo unnecessary) flashbacks that mess up the pacing in the first half, and the characters feel like nothing more but flat archetypes for a BIG chunk of the story. I think the book could've used another round of major editing, but it definitely gets better as the story progresses, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't having fun by the end.

Thank you for the Arc Netgalley!
Oh my did i love this book!
The premise was intriguing and i sure wasn't let down. Great fast paced story with awesome characters. Scia fi horror, my two favourite genres, so it was just perfect for me!

A fast paced story full of fun, actions, and surprises. I was hooked since the first pages and had a lot of fun.
Well plotted, interesting characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

This was an excellent book by the end. I found that it started fairly slow and took some time to get into, but it definitely picked up when the three main characters split off. Could the intro have been a little shorter? Maybe, but the payoff was worth it. I really enjoyed our three main, very flawed characters. There isn't really a hero in this book, just three people doing their best with what they've been given. I loved the ending, and I am so excited to see this is listed as #1 - I can't wait to see what happens next. This is a well developed world, with believable characters and setup.

I have to admit that it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out what language Ameng was (I knew it had to be something obvious).

I'd like to thank NetGalley & the publisher for the eARC.

Wow, this had everything I wanted - except for a touch of romance, but it didn't promise me that so I can't complain 😂. Action-packed, fast-paced and well-written, this story grabbed my attention from the first chapter and never let go. It was one of those books you just don't want to put down though it was far too long a book to complete in only one sitting, which was even better!


The characters were complex, layered and engaging and whilst the story is written entirely from Sean's point of view I still felt as though we got to know Tamara, Shay and Benny equally well. I loved that no-one was too perfect, I much prefer my characters to be flawed, it makes them so much more believable - and easy to relate to! Sean is a delightfully good man who will do bad things for good reasons. The moral compass is strong in this young one, but his innate goodness and always expecting the best of others does cause him untold problems.


The world-building was excellent, cleverly woven throughout the story so as not to overwhelm. I felt as though I were standing in the ship alongside Sean at times. The foreshadowing was also creative and subtle, I did suspect that amazing twist at the end and can't wait to see where the author takes us next.

Offered a way out of prison, Sean is given the chance to wipe his slate clean. Him and the feast of the team only have to retrieve some data off an abandoned ancient starship that is imminently about to be destroyed by an exploding star.
I was pulled into this tale from the start. It had a wonderful mix of characters, each with their own agenda. I loved the twists and drama of the tale and was gripped by the story to the end.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

A brilliant debut, The Immortality Thief is a high stakes sci-fi adventure with a dash of horror that will keep you entertained all the way through. Don’t let the 600+page count daunt you because the chapters are short and the story is super compelling, you’ll be whizzing through and wishing for more as soon as you get to the end.

To sum it up the book is basically a locked room treasure hunt, where the room in question is an abandoned spaceship that is docked near a star on the verge of supernova. Long lost, the ship is known to hold data including the secrets of immortality - the Philosopher’s Stone experiments - and there are 3 groups with their eyes on the prize.

One is a handful of convicts who have been coerced into salvaging the data in order to avoid a life sentence in prison – our protagonist Sean Wren, smuggler and expert linguist, is part of this group. There is also The Republic, the last free human government, and The Ministers, an immortal species of alien trying to subjugate all of humanity – two groups that have been at war for centuries. But not only is time against them all, so are all the traps, monsters and secrets that have been hiding in the dark corners of the spaceship for the last thousand years.

Now going into this book I expected full on action but I was pleasantly surprised with how equally humorous and thought-provoking the overall storyline was, but there is of course a fair bit of tragedy, gore and terror involved too.

From the creepy monsters and murderous tech to venturing into the unknown, Hunt’s writing perfectly captured the eerie atmosphere and heart racing tension of always having to watch your back. Though the plot predominantly unfolds in the one vast setting, the worldbuilding is gradually fleshed out through character flashbacks and the secrets that are uncovered as the ship is explored, to give us an idea of the wider universe and its history. What makes this story in particular so original and refreshing though is the focus and commentary on translation, communication and languages.

Sean has a mouth that gets him into trouble just as much as it gets him out of it which made his perspective both endearing and annoying to follow. (If you like witty chapter titles then you’re in for a treat.) The guy has a good heart but lacks the usual qualities expected of a leading hero and it is his familiarity with the ancient language of Ameng that makes him a key player in the hunt. Thus he finds himself negotiating for his skills with an array of interesting characters.

Among those Sean finds himself having to work with, the most notable are of course Lantern Eyes and Indigo. The reluctant relationship and banter that sparks between this trio was so fun and was my favourite part of the book.
I’m not going to go in to much detail here because honestly it is so worth enjoying it first hand, but if you love stories full of twists and high stakes, a good monster chase, morally grey characters and reluctant alliances bordering on found family then you don’t want to miss this one!

I’m eager to get my hands on the next book in the series to discover more of this world Hunt has created and to see what happens next!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars

Beginning as an archaeological/translation job, then a political clash between humans and aliens, and finally becoming a haunted house story full of monsters with sharp teeth, the “Immortality Thief” is a fun and violent story of alien contact, theft, grief, forgiveness and friendship.

When a clandestine four-person crew is forced into a job (three are criminals who are told this will get them out of jail and their charges) arrive on board an ancient long lost ship, main character and linguist/translator Sean Wren thinks his work will be pretty quick, once he deciphers the ancient Ameng language’s instructions or logs left by the ship’s previous occupants, a thousand years ago. This was a research vessel, full of brilliant geneticists and the like, who were trying to figure out how to make someone immortal. This information is highly prized, but much could be done with any other papers and data the team finds on board. Oh yeah. The ship is within easy range of a star soon to go nova. So, no pressure, Sean.

Almost as soon as they get inside the ship, they discover a woman, emaciated and dirty, which should be impossible—no one was supposed to be on board this long abandoned ship. Then, a group of Ministers arrive (Ministers are aliens who destroyed the city Sean and Benny (his long time friend and fellow thief/prisoner on this mission) come from. Years earlier, the Republic had colonized planets, one being where Sean and Benny were born. The Ministers took exception to the colonies, and one day arrived on Sean’s planet and killed everything in Sean’s home town, including his parents and younger sister. He and Benny left the planet together, and have been thieving and when possible, Sean has also worked as a translator. He’s one of the very few alive who can read Ameng, which is why he was drafted for this time pressure job).

With the arrival of the Ministers, violence ensues, with Sean separated from his crew, and in the custody of the Ministers, who see Sean’s Ameng reading ability as useful, as they, too, are there to recover the scientists’ research.

Then monsters appear, terrifying creatures of claws and teeth, that superficially appear similar to the Ministers (who look like androgynous, small statured humans), and then small, murderous children also dog everyone’s footsteps, picking off team members.

Sean eventually finds himself in the company of one Minister, and the emaciated woman, who is a Republic officer. The three agree to work together, as they fight their way painstakingly to the location where they believe the head scientist stored her invaluable research.


I had not expected such a series of both fun and terrifying encounters once the small initial team arrived on board. Sean has a tendency to cause trouble, and his mouth and contrary impulses frequently have caused Benny and him grief on jobs (this is how they ended up in prison at the book’s open). Sean is also a mix of grief and kindness, never having gotten past the loss of his family and home, and also being able to reach out to others, even those he should hate. In fact, it’s his kindness that helps him connect with the Minister and Republic officer, named Indigo and Tamara, respectively. Though a thief, he’s not a murderer, and wrestling with his assumptions for the first time ever due to his two companions, prompts some serious soul-searching, making Sean a compelling protagonist. Tamara's and Indigo’s characters are also revealed gradually, stripping the trio of many of their preconceptions about their respective factions.

There are also revelations about why the Republic and Ministers are all on the ship, looking for the immortality data, but it’s the friendship that builds amongst the trio that really kept me reading. (And the running away from monsters, too!)

The book ended up where I wasn’t expecting it to, in some senses, and dropped a shocking fact at the end, so I am anxious to read the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Immortality Thief is Taran Hunt’s debut novel – you read that correctly, this is her publishing DEBUT. This book had everything: space smugglers, found family, monsters, supernovas, an evil AI and a lovable main character, Sean. Essentially, it is a space opera wrapped in sci-fi. I loved this book and don’t think that I can sing it enough praises!

Despite being 600+ pages, this book goes quickly. The plot is action packed and not redundant. There is even a crazy twist near the end that was honestly just brilliant. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but if you are anything like me, you are not upset at this at all and just look forward to the second book in the series.

There is some gore and disturbing imagery, so if you are sensitive to that this may not be the book for you. Also, just a reminder that this is the first book in a series, so there will likely be a bit of a wait for the next book. That is all I have for negatives or things that people may take issue with.

I will be recommending this book far and wide. Anyone that loves science fiction, will adore this book. It is like you put Star Trek and Star Wars together and they made the perfect book baby. I hope that everyone will run and read this book.

I had to DNF early due to a font formatting issue. I still hope to read this, and will pick it up now it's published.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC it has not affected my honest review.

Unfortunately I didn't love this book and I ended up DNF around 25% in.

Sean and his team are caught committing a crime and are hauled in to serve time in prison, or he can salvage missing data from a long-abandoned ship filled with beings that want to kill him. He has no choice but to take on the mission but when he arrives with his crew, he finds they are not the only ones searching for the data, a team of cyborgs and Republican soldiers are also in pursuit of his goal.

This is a character driven Sci-Fi, horror, mystery book with the emphasis on discovering the truth about the cyborgs and the devastation that happened on Sean's home planet. There are lots of action and elements of survival, but I did get a bit tired of all the action happening in one place on the same ship, albeit a large one. That said the book was a lot of fun.

DNF around 40%. Almost half way through and the plot isn't advancing. Just some people running around a spaceship coming into contact with monster-like beings.

Mankind has spread to the stars, but not without a few bumps along the way. Fortunately the alien Ministers, cold and immortal, stepped in to rescue humanity – but at the cost of their freedom. Now a rebellion of humanity inhabits one half of a planetary sister-system, the other still under tight, orderly control.

Sean Wren is one of the few survivors of one of the Ministers’ greatest genocides in the battles between the two sides. Nationless, family-less, he and fellow survivor, Benny, have made a sort of life for themselves as smugglers. Which is all fine until they’re caught and offered the choice of life in prison, or undertaking an impossible mission. For, on the outskirts of known space, a ship has been discovered. A thousand years lost, it contains the secret to immortality: data known as ‘the Philosopher’s Stone’.

Coerced into taking up the mission, Sean and a few companions discover that the ship might not be as cold and dead as assumed. And oh yeah: they’re not the only faction looking to get their hands on the info – just the least prepared.

I started hearing so many great things about this book on the ARC circuit, and I’m hugely pleased I was able to give it a go (thank you, Rebellion and NetGalley!). A blend of horror, sci-fi, an exploration of human nature, and a whole pile of action – this book has it all! It was an absolute delight to read – well, perhaps apart from the monsters, and the murderous tech, and the bloodshed, and the deep psychological traumas. And still: a joy! 😉

There was something very cinematic about the writing; I could easily imagine this being translated to the big screen. Shades of lots of classic sci-fi with all the stumbling around pitch-black corridors, waiting for the next horror to jump out at you.

The main ‘meat’, however, is the human (or, sort of!) element, with everything revolving around the characters. Of course, the tension of finding out who might survive to reach the prize is also a huge part in keeping you reading! With short, action-packed chapters, it’s very easy to just keep reading this – just one more little short chapter, just one more revelation, just – wait, how is it 2am already?! 😉

With twists a-plenty along the way, the story wraps up entirely satisfactorily, while at the same time leaving the door open for more adventures – and I’m thoroughly looking forward to more!

I received an eARC of The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt through Netgalley, thanks Solaris! This book comes out today (October 11), and I highly recommend picking it up! It’s the first book in a scifi series called The Kystrom Chronicles, and it does what all series books should do in my opinion: give you a few intriguing loose threads that make you curious about the next book, but also a satisfying story by itself with closure to the main bits of the plot.

Main character Sean is sent to an abandoned spaceship to retrieve some mysterious data that might hold the secret to immortality, but he and the rest of the crew are definitely not prepared for what awaits them aboard the ship. We follow Sean as he encounters some very creepy and deadly creatures, unexpected enemies and unlikely allies, on a race against the clock to get what he came for, but mostly… to survive.

The spaceship setting is fun and creepy, and the story has some definite horror elements, which I liked a lot. This book also has one of my favorite tropes: a group of strangers who have to work together to reach a common goal and get to know each other in the process. (There’s probably a shorter name for this trope…) This applies to the trio of characters we see the most of, and I just adore them, and the way their interactions change throughout the book.

Also, the fact that Sean is a bit of linguist and that his language skills save the day several times, was an element that I really enjoyed as a former linguistics student.

I flew through this and am sad that I have reached the end already. 5 stars from me, looking forward to book 2!

10/10
Thank you to Rebellion Publishing for approving my eArc request of this title on Netgalley. My (very pleased) thoughts remain honest regardless.

Hello again dear reader, guess today is double feature day!! I promised you another sci-fi read soon and here I am, happy to deliver a most delightfully awesome book I had the pleasure of reading over the last few days.

Stuff in my life is being hard on me rn but Taran Hunt’s The Immortality Thief was the escape I needed, giving me one hell of a distraction, several good laughs as well as lots of feels. It was the kind of book I’d love at any other time regardless, but I needed the most now. Hence the ten.

So let the raving begin!

Quick note on the cover art first, this thing is *freaking gorgeous*. So kudos to the artist, you did a magnificent job!

Now then, what we have here is an action adventure with high stakes that manage to become higher and higher as the story goes on. But more than anything this is one of those times that I can say it was character driven plot at its finest. I couldn’t put this book down!

Hunt weaves comedy, action, and horror/thriller elements to create a fast paced romp through an abandoned spaceship floating nearby a sun that is days away from going supernova. Talk about hitting the ground running. The very beginning is also your typical gathering a team for a heist with a bit of a Suicide Squad spin.

Main protagonist Sean Wren is the lovable and charming rogue who is fully aware of his limitations and is an absolute nerd when it comes to linguistics and sociology. He very much has cap Jack Sparrow energy too and no I won’t elaborate there because I don’t want to spoil it more and I wouldn’t really do it justice. Moreover the initial dynamic between him and the other characters, is very much on par with The Guardians of the Galaxy, just add more horrifying monsters to the mix. Is there a better trope than enemies to found family?

I. think. not.

Furthermore, I loved that they each were entirely self aware and also had a major fear to contend with, but I also adored how they each got strength from the other in times of need even though they weren’t friends but simply out of that mutual respect that is born through forced proximity with characters you can admire even though in a different occasion you might end up having to fight against.

Sorry about that sentence… I know.

Moving on.

If you know me you also know I am the biggest sucker for an immortal character and even more so when that character is made to reveal that history is not always as it has been carried down! Add to all this well intentioned experiments gone wrong and I’m a goner.

Hunt’s humor was also excellent and if I wasn’t chuckling at her chapter titles I was snorting or downright belly laughing at some of the antics that occur. And that banter, chef’s kiss. However there was never I moment I thought it was misplaced or it ruined the effect of the overall drama. If anything, it made the somber moments all the better.

But the biggest cherry on top of this absolutely delicious literary cake, was the realistic interpretation and translation of languages. It was no surprise to see Hunt’s bio on Twitter say she dabbles in them, to say the least. Interpretation and translation is never seamless and the way that Sean would break down words and passages and give out synonyms or different versions of how something might be understood or ought to be fit for context was just so dang satisfying to me as the opposite is a bit of a pet peeve of mine (curtesy of my own nerdy and multilingual background and schooling).

Maybe this was one of the reasons I loved Wren so much. But, linguistics aside, I loved the others not putting up with his shit even more.

This was just one facet of what made Hunt’s world building incredible and extensive without being dense or heavy in any way, so I am utterly *delighted* that this is only the first in a series that I hope will be long and prosperous!! These characters and this world deserve more pages to develop and unfold!

Also did I mention swords in space? It’s very necessary for me to mention there are swords in space with this one!!

Fans of Miles Cameron’s Artifact Space and Tom Lloyd’s novella Falling Dark will love this new addition to the ranks of sci-fi!

Ms Hunt you’ve written one hell of a debut and I tip my hat to you, looking forward to reading more from you soon!

The Immortality Thief will be available in ebook tomorrow October 11th and it comes out in hardcover on the 13th – you won’t want to miss it dear reader.

Until next time,

Eleni A. E.

TL;DR

The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt is a fast, fun mix of science fiction and horror. Sean Wren treks through a derelict spaceship in search of data that could reshape the political landscape of the galaxy. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt

For this review, I had a hard time picking where to start. So, I’ll just say that I loved The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt. I don’t remember what I was expecting when I requested this book, but what I read wasn’t it. This book caught me by surprise in the best way. So, let’s get right into the review.

In the far future, when Earth is a myth, the galaxy stands underneath a cold war between the Republic and the Ministers. The Republic represent humanity, and the Ministers are a plague that have subjugated and devastated humanity within their sphere. They’re near immortal warriors with abilities far exceeding those of the humans they oppress. It is against this background that Sean Wren, a thief who lives on the fringes of Republican society, is coerced into salvaging data from a ship that’s been lost to humanity for over a thousand years. Sean’s natural affinity for languages makes him an excellent person for this trip because what the team is looking for data stored in a dead language, a language that the Ministers attempted to wipe out. Sean and his team soon find out that lost doesn’t mean empty. Aboard that ship may be the key to altering humanity’s fate within the galaxy – for better or worse.

The Immortality Thief by Taran Hunt is a first person point of view blend of science fiction and horror. Its action-filled, unrelenting pace still somehow fits in important character moments. Goodreads places this book at over six hundred pages, which means I was regularly putting down sixty plus pages during a reading session. I was glued to the book until the very end.

Sean Wren

Sean’s background is one of trauma. He and his partner, Benny, are the only survivors of a Minister raid on their town. They lived in a city on an independent planet that the Republic abandoned to the Ministers. Sean and Benny’s families were wiped out. As a teenager who didn’t know the end was coming for his family, Sean spoke typical sibling nonsense that was really mean to his sister. It was the last words he ever said to her, and he carries that guilt around with him years later. The fact that he and Benny were the only survivors means they have a bond stronger than any other loyalty, and Sean would do anything for Benny, even stop him from killing a cop. Unfortunately, this lands them both in jail awaiting a trial they surely can’t win. This brings them an opportunity to escape just legal punishment and potentially become richer than either could ever dream.

Sean is the only point of view throughout the book. So, the book’s success depends solely upon the reader liking him. I did. He’s funny, caring, a bit naive I’d say. He tries to make sure everyone wins. He’s a terrible fighter with claustrophobia and no sense of direction. The trauma and guilt of losing his family sticks with him and has taught him to preserve life if he can. Sean’s mouth will get him in trouble, and he’ll push people’s buttons to get a reaction. He’s a fantastic character.

Mysteries and Surprises

There are mysteries in The Immortality Thief, but they’re short-lived and not all that mysterious. That’s okay. The action and constantly wondering what would happen next propelled me through the novel, not the mysteries. I had guessed the terrible secret pretty early on, and I think most people will. That’s also okay. The Immortality Thief ended almost exactly as I predicted it would. I didn’t mind. Throughout the book, I constantly wondered what was around the next corner. Sean’s journey through the derelict ship is fascinating enough to carry the story on its own.

Now, just because the mysteries were easy to figure out doesn’t mean there’s no surprises. This book kept me on my toes. Hunt throws a variety of obstacles in Sean’s path from psychological to physical, from violence to diplomacy. I was surprised often because I didn’t know what was coming next: monsters, Ministers, structural failure, etc. And most surprising, Hunt makes time during all these challenges to grow Sean as a character and flesh him out for the reader. It’s not the action by itself that kept me glued to the page; it was worry over how Sean would overcome everything Hunt does to him.

Chapter Titles

Heads up. Pay attention to chapter titles. If they’re anything like they were in my advanced copy, there’s some real gems there. For example, “Some Fresh Bullshit.”

Conclusion

Taran Hunt’s The Immortality Thief continually surprised me through six hundred pages. It was a fun, fast read that would make an excellent movie or an even better video game. If interesting people exploring a derelict spaceship sounds good to you, you’re gonna want to read this book. Highly recommended.