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In the Days of Humans #1
In the Days of Humans: Third Exodus
No matter how deep the darkness man creates, the soul will always search for the light of a promised tomorrow.
The days that followed the machine awakening were unlike what anyone had anticipated, and took humanity to the brink of extinction as Man and Machine embattle to gain control of their respective destinies. The Earth was devastated. But at great cost we…‘won�. Delivered by the operations that brought the AI into existence, the African continent was shielded at the time of the Great War. This refuge of humankind became the last foothold of civilization and the last chance for our future.
One hundred years after the Great War, with the rapidly vanishing resources on Earth, scientists and the government of the United African Nations embark on a bold new plan for a select few to leave their dying ancestral planet and find the resources to build a new future.
Col. Adamini, commander of the Yamakarā and its crew are tasked to explore and to make a new home for humankind. Millions of kilometers from Earth and faced with growing corruption within the space agency that could lead to the downfall of them all, Adamini must decide where his loyalties lie. Unknown to them, they may be Earth's last hope when forces threaten the total annihilation of the human species once again.
A surprising twist of fate lead them to an unlikely ally that will be required for their survival. Everything Col. Adamini has known to be true and just will be tested; placing humankind on an uncertain path into the future shadowed by those who came before.
The days that followed the machine awakening were unlike what anyone had anticipated, and took humanity to the brink of extinction as Man and Machine embattle to gain control of their respective destinies. The Earth was devastated. But at great cost we…‘won�. Delivered by the operations that brought the AI into existence, the African continent was shielded at the time of the Great War. This refuge of humankind became the last foothold of civilization and the last chance for our future.
One hundred years after the Great War, with the rapidly vanishing resources on Earth, scientists and the government of the United African Nations embark on a bold new plan for a select few to leave their dying ancestral planet and find the resources to build a new future.
Col. Adamini, commander of the Yamakarā and its crew are tasked to explore and to make a new home for humankind. Millions of kilometers from Earth and faced with growing corruption within the space agency that could lead to the downfall of them all, Adamini must decide where his loyalties lie. Unknown to them, they may be Earth's last hope when forces threaten the total annihilation of the human species once again.
A surprising twist of fate lead them to an unlikely ally that will be required for their survival. Everything Col. Adamini has known to be true and just will be tested; placing humankind on an uncertain path into the future shadowed by those who came before.
- GenresScience Fiction
402 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2013
3 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Terry R. Hill
16books20followersTerry R. Hill, a Texas native, was trained with two degrees in aerospace engineering. He has worked for NASA since 1997 with a very satisfying career as an engineer and project manager spanning programs from the international space station's navigation software, to next generation space suit design, to exploration mission planning, to mitigating the health effects of space on astronauts. While supporting the manned space program has been a lifetime passion, writing of different worlds, alternate futures and the human condition has filled his spare time.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 3, 2015
In the Days of Humans: Third Exodus tells the tale of Col. Adamini and his crew, a small, handpicked group of people tasked with building a new settlement on Mars, where they will continue the human race. For those who like plenty of hard science to back up the speculative storyline—especially that describing future technology—Hill delivers. His background in aerospace engineering lends greatly to the plausibility of this premise. Not that an eventual Mars settlement needs believability—some might say it's our inevitable destiny. Hill adds the technical details, characters and storyline needed to develop that idea from a grand, vague one into a fascinating reality.
If I had to pick one word that described the feeling this novel left me with, I'd say optimism. As dark as society can get from time to time, I hope this author never loses that ability to generate optimism in his stories. I think it will keep readers coming back.
If I had to pick one word that described the feeling this novel left me with, I'd say optimism. As dark as society can get from time to time, I hope this author never loses that ability to generate optimism in his stories. I think it will keep readers coming back.
October 18, 2013
This book starts with a fresh look at a cliche--the "Terminator / Skynet takes over" scenario--and takes it in an unusual direction.
It's a satisfying and gripping read that does a good job of combining hard science fiction with speculative fiction. It is a very hard book to put down--this is the kind of novel that will both have you reading "just one more chapter" at 3 am, and yet leave you seriously thinking about the future and mankind's place in it.
Written by an aerospace engineer employed by NASA, this isn't your typical sci-fi romp, in that even when wildly speculative, there is a good dose of real science in this science fiction.
I love a good book that makes you think and leaves you with a sense of wonder: this one delivers that, in spades.
It's a satisfying and gripping read that does a good job of combining hard science fiction with speculative fiction. It is a very hard book to put down--this is the kind of novel that will both have you reading "just one more chapter" at 3 am, and yet leave you seriously thinking about the future and mankind's place in it.
Written by an aerospace engineer employed by NASA, this isn't your typical sci-fi romp, in that even when wildly speculative, there is a good dose of real science in this science fiction.
I love a good book that makes you think and leaves you with a sense of wonder: this one delivers that, in spades.
April 30, 2015
It was a good read.The author was very detailed in his character descriptions and development.Which made me feel like I knew them so much better.
The beginning of the book starts out with a supercomputer,not unlike the one in "Wargames".
There was spaceflight and Mars colonization.
The beginning of the book starts out with a supercomputer,not unlike the one in "Wargames".
There was spaceflight and Mars colonization.
December 13, 2016
Science Fiction is not my genre, but I know the author (how cool is that? :-)), so I gave it a try. I loved it. I especially liked the science behind the story. I wish I could write like that. Thank you, Terry for writing this. Looking forward to reading the next two.
April 9, 2015
From the very beginning, a plot built around political and military struggle over control soon runs into a huge disaster thanks to the mindset of human’s whom want control over something far beyond their own ability to control. It is here the story takes on a formation based upon the almost destroyed seed is humanity within peak of evolution returning life once more to rebuild over a new beginning, where life has taken a technological set back.
Author Terry R. Hill’s story opens up from that point rebuilding humanity over time under the path of it’s former existence only to be faced with a greater threat than that of just organic deadly beast waiting to kill humans. And, so the plight of humanity’s latest problem ages in a new direction in which humanity seeks to follow for the very future of life’s survival.
In doing so Mr. T. R. Hill as the Author of this novel has built in his own style a method for taking you across times shifts between each location setting up a different scene for new events as they unfold. Just where each new happening ventures to is something I leave for you as the reader to discover.
I will say this however, were we to, should we attempt to, or could we do this as humans endeavouring to walk down the path Mr. T. R. Hill has presented in this story would mark an unexpected darken chapter in human history most would never have believe even possible. That is should anyone or thing actually be left alive.
Author Ken Donaldson
Author Terry R. Hill’s story opens up from that point rebuilding humanity over time under the path of it’s former existence only to be faced with a greater threat than that of just organic deadly beast waiting to kill humans. And, so the plight of humanity’s latest problem ages in a new direction in which humanity seeks to follow for the very future of life’s survival.
In doing so Mr. T. R. Hill as the Author of this novel has built in his own style a method for taking you across times shifts between each location setting up a different scene for new events as they unfold. Just where each new happening ventures to is something I leave for you as the reader to discover.
I will say this however, were we to, should we attempt to, or could we do this as humans endeavouring to walk down the path Mr. T. R. Hill has presented in this story would mark an unexpected darken chapter in human history most would never have believe even possible. That is should anyone or thing actually be left alive.
Author Ken Donaldson
May 20, 2015
This is a amazing story... It's a little bit thriller, a little bit Space Opera, with a little 1st contact thrown in... Just a tad reminiscent of Robert Heinlein, and maybe Jennifer Foehner Wells... And, I loved it!
I believe this would be a great gateway book into the SF genre! With just enough Politics and Aeronautics to be interesting without hammering it all into the ground. I was totally glued to the book, and only put it down when I could no longer keep my eyes open... Get this book and recommend it to all your friends...
I believe this would be a great gateway book into the SF genre! With just enough Politics and Aeronautics to be interesting without hammering it all into the ground. I was totally glued to the book, and only put it down when I could no longer keep my eyes open... Get this book and recommend it to all your friends...
December 11, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I am not a technical or science person, and because of that I don't usually read tech Sci Fi. It was written in a way that I could understand what was happening with out having to look things up or skip over them because I did not understand it. I liked the characters and they kept my attention. This is a very well written, entertaining and thought promoting book. I look forward to further books from Terry.
May 9, 2014
I'm finished with In the Days of Humans: Full disclosure. I went to school with the author, so I don't have to pretend to be UNbiased. I really enjoyed this. For a while (I'm looking at you, Stephen Baxter) there was a fashion for pretty pessimistic near-future sci fi. I hope that Mr. Hill keeps pushing us in the other direction. Fun read! Let's go to Mars! I hear it's lovely this time of year.
February 20, 2017
This is a very believable story. The author did such a great job creating this world. It was not only well-written, it was truly captivating to the very end.
I so enjoyed this book as it transported me to Mars and back. I loved every minute of it.
I so enjoyed this book as it transported me to Mars and back. I loved every minute of it.
February 16, 2015
Good book! New genre for me. Well written, great detail, good characters and plot. I enjoyed it and will be reading the next one in the series. Good job, Mr. Hill !
March 11, 2014
Let's just say that I am not normally a sci-fi reader, so I review the book in the general terms. Let's start with the bad...
Had I not finished the book, the star rating would have been a lot lower. The story takes a while to get going, and sadly the characters do not become as familiar or engaging as they have the potential to be. Mainly because they all seem to have the tendency to go into grandiose monologue on self discovery and humanity and succeed in everything they do. I also found this the lack of failures a bit problematic for the immersion, but you wouldn't want too much going wrong in a thoroughly planned and tested space flight. Still, I wanted them to struggle more and succeed then, so I could like them more and relate to them. Everything that happens to them either works out, or works out after a slight snafu that is quickly fixed.
That being said, there is a lot of good happening. Terry really earns his stripes when it comes to technology and science in the book. It is sharp, interesting and accurate, and presented in an easy-to-understand format. The story line takes us all around our system, and a bit beyond. Some of it had me surprised, and the developments flowed very naturally. There was also a little bit of the main protagonist's struggle against his own moral code that I liked. These developments I would have liked to see a bit more. The story is compelling, and after the initial struggle of getting into the story I did find myself devouring through the pages.
All in all, I did enjoy the read. Even though in some bits (very beginning and some character interactions) the author,to me, seems to be a bit out of his element, he really does a great job in writing a sci-fi book that opens up the possibilities of future developments in a realistic way. And if you like pondering about moral questions and the past/future of humanity, you will find a couple of really nice questions there, that will keep you wondering how you would do in a similar situation.
I would recommend this book to those who are scientifically inclined, and to those who like a bit of reality in their sci-fi.
Had I not finished the book, the star rating would have been a lot lower. The story takes a while to get going, and sadly the characters do not become as familiar or engaging as they have the potential to be. Mainly because they all seem to have the tendency to go into grandiose monologue on self discovery and humanity and succeed in everything they do. I also found this the lack of failures a bit problematic for the immersion, but you wouldn't want too much going wrong in a thoroughly planned and tested space flight. Still, I wanted them to struggle more and succeed then, so I could like them more and relate to them. Everything that happens to them either works out, or works out after a slight snafu that is quickly fixed.
That being said, there is a lot of good happening. Terry really earns his stripes when it comes to technology and science in the book. It is sharp, interesting and accurate, and presented in an easy-to-understand format. The story line takes us all around our system, and a bit beyond. Some of it had me surprised, and the developments flowed very naturally. There was also a little bit of the main protagonist's struggle against his own moral code that I liked. These developments I would have liked to see a bit more. The story is compelling, and after the initial struggle of getting into the story I did find myself devouring through the pages.
All in all, I did enjoy the read. Even though in some bits (very beginning and some character interactions) the author,to me, seems to be a bit out of his element, he really does a great job in writing a sci-fi book that opens up the possibilities of future developments in a realistic way. And if you like pondering about moral questions and the past/future of humanity, you will find a couple of really nice questions there, that will keep you wondering how you would do in a similar situation.
I would recommend this book to those who are scientifically inclined, and to those who like a bit of reality in their sci-fi.
May 31, 2014
The book has an interesting premise and the author has the technical background to get the details right, but I found the story impossible to get into. It starts with an artificial intelligence that spontaneously achieves self awareness and then runs amuck. I was charmed by a computer achieving self awareness like that in when I read it in high school but I don't think it is a likely scenario and I get annoyed every time I see it.
The writing is not bad, but the author doesn't know how to tell a story. He introduces characters by telling us about them and a minute after you read these description you can't remember anything about them. It doesn't help that all the characters have African names which will be difficult for most of his readers to remember.
I stopped reading at page 64, because after all those pages it seemed like the story hadn't really started yet.
I got this book as a ŷ giveaway. The premise of the book made it sound like something I'd enjoy. I have always liked hard science fiction and there are very few writers who can do good hard science fiction.
The writing is not bad, but the author doesn't know how to tell a story. He introduces characters by telling us about them and a minute after you read these description you can't remember anything about them. It doesn't help that all the characters have African names which will be difficult for most of his readers to remember.
I stopped reading at page 64, because after all those pages it seemed like the story hadn't really started yet.
I got this book as a ŷ giveaway. The premise of the book made it sound like something I'd enjoy. I have always liked hard science fiction and there are very few writers who can do good hard science fiction.
April 9, 2015
It occurs to me that when I reviewed this book I wasn't really prepared to do so. Reviewing takes careful thought. Sometimes you need to stew for a bit before you can scrape your musings together.
This book is a first book. Not just for a series but a first for this author. First books are an eruption of writing that isn't perfect. (Mine wasn't either.) I find them interesting. You have no idea what goes into writing a novel until you get down and dirty to do it. If you read this book and move to his second you will see a tremendous amount of growth.
Third Exodus is not perfect but it holds the bones of science and imagination together in a curious way.
The first part of the book ties you to characters that die. It makes you sad. It should because the world died as it was and moved to something darker and precarious.
The new characters didn't draw me in right away. I had to warm up to them. When I did though - boom - hooked.
I've got my favorites: Adamini, Tar'Day and Red.
The scientific pondering and leaps are greatly entertaining.
Just so you know, Terry can really write a love scene. I kidded about him writing some romance too but I was halfway serious. ;)
Overall, I feel comfortable with this series and its direction. I think it will only get better.
This book is a first book. Not just for a series but a first for this author. First books are an eruption of writing that isn't perfect. (Mine wasn't either.) I find them interesting. You have no idea what goes into writing a novel until you get down and dirty to do it. If you read this book and move to his second you will see a tremendous amount of growth.
Third Exodus is not perfect but it holds the bones of science and imagination together in a curious way.
The first part of the book ties you to characters that die. It makes you sad. It should because the world died as it was and moved to something darker and precarious.
The new characters didn't draw me in right away. I had to warm up to them. When I did though - boom - hooked.
I've got my favorites: Adamini, Tar'Day and Red.
The scientific pondering and leaps are greatly entertaining.
Just so you know, Terry can really write a love scene. I kidded about him writing some romance too but I was halfway serious. ;)
Overall, I feel comfortable with this series and its direction. I think it will only get better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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