Forgotten Colony: Tau Ceti

An epic sci-fi story in an immersive fantasy world

De: Rodzil LaBraun

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

"Twistingly enjoyable."
"Really good story, interesting characters and plot. Well written and fun read."

Kenzo Jaxson is the lone security officer on a colony reclaim mission to Tau Ceti Four. The people that colonized that planet long ago had been cut off from the rest of the universe due to war. Eager to gain what assets the lost colony could provide, a small starship is sent to assess the situation. What they find is unbelievable.

The residents of Tau Ceti had developed much more than expected with a strange culture of magic and religion. A weekly storm ravages the land causing all to take shelter behind huge walls or underground. Adding to the mix is a translucent species of pixie aliens that derail the reclaim team in unexpected ways.

The Forgotten Colony series is a grand mystery that unfolds with each new installment. A perfect blend of science fiction with fantasy, readers will be enchanted with the twists and turns as deep characters draw their hearts.

Thrilling and enjoyable… A propulsive adventure. (The Prairies Book Review)

Set in far future, LaBraun’s debut installment in the Forgotten Colony series is an engrossing blend of SF and magic. Kenzo Jaxson, the security in charge for the excursion team in Sol-Rey, is little wary of their mission when his team lands on Tau Ceti Four, an isolated colony left on its own for more than a century. As the team begins its excursion, Kenzo realizes he needs to face his inner demons first. LaBraun vividly details his SF world, from individual attributes and advanced technology to intermittent sprinklings of the Tau Ceti Four’s fascinating mix of the ancient Middle East desert life and medieval town communities. He adeptly handles his large cast of characters and subplots, with separate storylines linking with each other by the end. The unique blend of fantasy with a typical space opera is both clever and entertaining. Richly developed and profound, the novel does an admirable job of presenting the archetypal story of an unlikely hero struggling with inner turmoil and confusion. Lovers of fast-paced, action-packed space adventure will be greatly rewarded.

5-Star review by the Book Commentary:
Tau Ceti is the first entry in the Forgotten Colony series and an epic sci-fi story in an immersive fantasy world in the distant future. Kenzo Jaxson is the security that is charged with the excursion team in Sol-Rey, but when they find themselves on an isolated colony that has been abandoned for over a century, Kenzo knows something isn’t just right. But what is it? Tau Ceti Four is a world the team is set to explore, but what surprises does it have for them, and can Kenzo face this world unfolding before him with the darkness he carries within? In this spellbinding opening to a fantasy series, Rodzil LaBraun offers a wonderful blend of genres and worlds, where space opera mixes with fantasy in a tale that will fascinate readers in its exploration of an ancient culture built within the desert and the reality of medieval lifestyles.
Rodzil LaBraun’s novel is cleverly plotted and the world-building is wonderfully accomplished, offering readers a unique experience of adventure. The writing is original and confident and tropes of the genre will adore the author’s keen eye and descriptive prose. The characters are well-developed and readers will find the experience of following the inner turmoil in the protagonist an immersive one. Tau Ceti is propelled by the sharp narrative voice and the setting that is at once beautifully imagined and strangely familiar, brimming over with elements that will startle and entertain readers. I couldn’t have put this book down until I turned the last page. Readers will be ensnared by the fearlessly imagined world in which the story takes place.

World Building

The plot was entertaining, but the MC was learning about the entirety of the world almost as we were. Thus most of the side plots involved him dealing with his lack of knowledge, and how reality is different from what he thinks it should be. He did manage to save the situation so he came out ahead in the end, but it definitely ended on a cliffhanger on what they have to look to in the future. Also the author purposely has many discrepancies between their mission info and the world’s history. These aren’t explained in this book, and will hopefully be addressed by a sequel. I do recommend listening to the story for a fun time. Just know you will have questions at the end.