The first in a new near-future science-ficion thriller series
Heaven's Shadow
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
`A compulsive read... Goyer and Cassutt know their craft well, taking cues from classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Solaris.' --4* review in SciFiNow
Book Description
Heaven’s Shadow begins with the discovery of an object of unknown origin headed toward Earth. Speculation as to what it might be runs high, and leads to an international competition to be the first to land on it, to claim both the prestige and whatever other benefits there might be. Thus, two rival teams of astronauts begin a thrilling and dangerous race – but what they find when they reach their goal will turn out to be unlike anything they could have imagined . . . What they have landed on is no asteroid but a spacecraft from a civilization that has travelled tens of thousands of years to reach earth. While the team try to work out what it is they are needed for, more sinister occurrences cause them to wonder if their involvement with this alien race will ead to anything but harm for humanity.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By SteveA (UK)
Format:Paperback
It's difficult to talk about this book without spoiling it a little so I will try to keep them to a minimum and not reveal some of the bigger twists that come later in the book. The synopsis gives away one of the main twists, but it comes early in the story so it's not too bad. Heaven's Shadow is written by David Goyer and Michael Cassutt who are both well respected TV and screenplay writers. Goyer worked on all three Blade movies and the TV series, both Nolan Batman movies and he's also a well known comic book fan who has written for DC. I'm less familiar with Cassutt, but from looking at a list of his work I have probably watched episodes of Eerie, Indiana and The Outer Limits that he penned. So the calibre of the writers is not in question and the idea is the sort of high concept that gets Hollywood folk excited. In fact, the movie rights for this trilogy have already been snapped up and optioned already. With all of that in the back of my mind I was expecting something quite remarkable and for the most part I was let down, not by the ideas, but the execution.
I read an advanced reading copy and this version of the book clocks in at a little over 560 pages, so the final version might change a little. However, I think you could cut 200 or more pages from this book and it would not have affected the story at all. In my opinion it would have made it much better, cleaner and sharper. Most of the time the story reads like a screenplay anyway. The chapters are short and punchy. The dialogue is fragmented and is exactly how people speak in real life. The description is light which helps the plot move along at a good pace.... Read more ›
I read an advanced reading copy and this version of the book clocks in at a little over 560 pages, so the final version might change a little. However, I think you could cut 200 or more pages from this book and it would not have affected the story at all. In my opinion it would have made it much better, cleaner and sharper. Most of the time the story reads like a screenplay anyway. The chapters are short and punchy. The dialogue is fragmented and is exactly how people speak in real life. The description is light which helps the plot move along at a good pace.... Read more ›
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By jtingermany
Format:Paperback
It's not phenomenal, but it's very fast-paced! The short chapters and variety of viewpoints (some a bit surprising!) drive the novel along. It's a page turner, but the ideas are intriguing at times -- kind of Neal Stephenson Lite. The characters are fairly well-created, though a few of the emotional issues are glossed over. And, yes, it does owe a lot to some classic sci-fi novels, but it does stand on its own.
Beware, though -- it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger leading into a sequel.
Beware, though -- it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger leading into a sequel.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Daniel Cann
Format:Paperback
From screenwriter, film director and comic-book writer David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Ghost Rider) and television producer, screenwriter and author Michael Cassutt (The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone) comes this sci-fi novel: Heaven's Shadow.
In 2016 amateur astrologers spot an object in the sky, literally over the South Pole. An object one hundred kilometres across and heading towards Earth...As the Near Earth Object (NEO) approaches two manned spaceships operated by NASA and the Russian - Indian - Brazilian Coalition race to be the first to land on the unexplored surface. What both crews eventually encounter on this NEO is a discovery that will change humanity forever.
I am happy to report that this is no inferior `Armageddon' rip-off (which has received much derision over the years anyway). This is a fresh take on space exploration and in particular a space race with a difference. The story is told by moving the action back and forth between Mission Control in Houston and Bangalore respectively and from the perspective of the crews of the two spacecraft.
Interspersed along the way giving events a dramatic immediacy are blogs from observers around the world, quotations and excerpts from press conferences, broadcasts and books. This all has the combined effect of making things feel authentic.
The techno jargon rings true as well making the mission more believable. The novel is also packed with mystery, intrigue, suspense and danger. This is your typical perilous mission into the unknown and it is handled well by Goyer and Cassutt.
I thoroughly enjoyed the idea of a `new space race' and the novel makes space exploration sexy again.... Read more ›
In 2016 amateur astrologers spot an object in the sky, literally over the South Pole. An object one hundred kilometres across and heading towards Earth...As the Near Earth Object (NEO) approaches two manned spaceships operated by NASA and the Russian - Indian - Brazilian Coalition race to be the first to land on the unexplored surface. What both crews eventually encounter on this NEO is a discovery that will change humanity forever.
I am happy to report that this is no inferior `Armageddon' rip-off (which has received much derision over the years anyway). This is a fresh take on space exploration and in particular a space race with a difference. The story is told by moving the action back and forth between Mission Control in Houston and Bangalore respectively and from the perspective of the crews of the two spacecraft.
Interspersed along the way giving events a dramatic immediacy are blogs from observers around the world, quotations and excerpts from press conferences, broadcasts and books. This all has the combined effect of making things feel authentic.
The techno jargon rings true as well making the mission more believable. The novel is also packed with mystery, intrigue, suspense and danger. This is your typical perilous mission into the unknown and it is handled well by Goyer and Cassutt.
I thoroughly enjoyed the idea of a `new space race' and the novel makes space exploration sexy again.... Read more ›
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you love a space story that has mankind uncovering ancient technology far in advance of our own, then this is going to be a book for you. The concept is stark in its simplicity and to be honest its more about the evolution of mankind's morals than anything else, especially when you realise that in some ways, this ancient space hulk is, in certain respects, a test to see if mankind is worthy.
Add to this some spartanesque prose, a decent pace and a whole host of imaginative scenario's to help the reader imagine the ship in all its Technicolor glory. Whilst this book does have some flaws such as the characters being fairly flat, this does feel fairly movie like in its explanations (which could be because David wrote some crackers such as The Unborn, The Dark Knight etc.) as well as portrayal and as such if you want something that feels part Event Horizon as well as part Solaris, this could well be the book for you.
Add to this some spartanesque prose, a decent pace and a whole host of imaginative scenario's to help the reader imagine the ship in all its Technicolor glory. Whilst this book does have some flaws such as the characters being fairly flat, this does feel fairly movie like in its explanations (which could be because David wrote some crackers such as The Unborn, The Dark Knight etc.) as well as portrayal and as such if you want something that feels part Event Horizon as well as part Solaris, this could well be the book for you.
By humanitysdarkerside
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
So! What do you think the various world-leaders would do if a Near Earth Object (NEO) appeared in the sky? Heaven's Shadow is about that. Not surprisingly, the appearance sparks a contest between the US and the rest of the world to get to the object first. Two space ships are sent to investigate and they discover more than they had bargained for. The NEO turns out to be alien and not necessarily friendly.
Paranoia, curiosity and courage are all displayed along with pretty natural, yet often unwise reactions. Our perspective is from the NASA spaceship's crews - their actions and reactions.
This novel is a fun read. The way people act in it seems pretty realistic. The whole alien NEO thing not so much. But that's what SciFi is, likely and unlikely thoughts about the future. What is likely is that at some point in the future an NEO could come close enough for us to visit. That's what makes it so fun to read. Knowing part of the story could possibly happen given a certain set of circumstances.
Paranoia, curiosity and courage are all displayed along with pretty natural, yet often unwise reactions. Our perspective is from the NASA spaceship's crews - their actions and reactions.
This novel is a fun read. The way people act in it seems pretty realistic. The whole alien NEO thing not so much. But that's what SciFi is, likely and unlikely thoughts about the future. What is likely is that at some point in the future an NEO could come close enough for us to visit. That's what makes it so fun to read. Knowing part of the story could possibly happen given a certain set of circumstances.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 30 reviews
3.4 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's a cracking good read
I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. It gets a bit far fetched in the second half but just go with it. It's that rare thing, a page turner. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Bernicebear
2.0 out of 5 stars
Shallow, stereotypical story
After reading the description, I expected a story similar to that of The Eternity Artifact or Eon (S.F. Masterworks). Sadly, that is not the case. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Robert
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good read
Quite a good, easy read with some different ideas and action moving along swiftly, I will be buying the sequel
Published 6 months ago by mickmc2
4.0 out of 5 stars
Like reading a film...
This is one of those stories that immediately hits you as a fleshed out screenplay, with a fast pace, broad cast of characters and a plot which simply doesn't allow you to put the... Read more
Published 8 months ago by bennyben80
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heavens Shadow
I don't normally read scifi but saw this on a daily deal, it sounded good so I bought it. Really enjoyed it, more than I expected, gripping story one of those I could not wait to... Read more
Published 8 months ago by liz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heaven's Shadow
When I first started to read this book I found it was difficult to get into but having gotten over that hurdle I found that I was gripped and couldn't put it down. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mrs. B. Hoffbrand
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great story - confusing at times
A great page turner, the story has good pace and the characters are all believable.
Some of the language becomes a bit confused and unnecessary as often found with Sci-Fi... Read more
Some of the language becomes a bit confused and unnecessary as often found with Sci-Fi... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Julie Paul Bolton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heavens shadow
A good story well told about first contact set in the near future looking forward to the next one well done to rhe authors a great way to see new books in the kindle shop.
Published 9 months ago by BCW
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good science fiction
Excellent read, good ideas, and a page turner. It had a slightly slow start, but if you like good old fashioned science fiction then keep going. You will find it rewarding. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr. E. A. Hulse
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty good
I thought this was well written and held my attention until the end. It even made me ponder a bit about what happens when you die! Read more
Published 9 months ago by minus32
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
