Of Friction

Altered Earth, Book 1

By: S.J. Lee

Narrated by: Savannah Gilmore

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Decades of hostilities. A chance for peace. Caught between belligerent groups, will this operation be her last?

Sam “Valkyrie” Ryan is reeling. Struggling with her brother’s recent decision to make their next assignment his last, the recon specialist fights to change his mind. But she has no time to process her emotions when they’re tasked to protect a pivotal reconciliation summit between the Altered and Humans from human-supremacist terrorists.

Distracted by a charming female medic, the golden-haired marine struggles to stay focused as events quickly unravel. And with the conflict becoming dangerously unpredictable, secrets from the past catch Sam by surprise as she uncovers a plot to destroy all of humanity.

Can she stop a violent and oppressive history from spiraling into a catastrophic future?

Of Friction is the fast-paced first book in the Altered Earth dystopian military speculative fiction series. If you like strong women, tense action, and slow-burn LGBTQ+ romance, then you’ll love S.J. Lee’s gripping tale.

©2024 S.J. Lee (P)2024 S.J. Lee

So good!

This incredible standout debut expertly blends tense, military and dystopian sci-fi with action and deeply human relationships. This involves a high-stakes operation where Sam "Valkyrie" Ryan, her brother, and her temporary squad must protect a reconciliation summit from genetic-supremacist terrorists. This mission becomes a battleground of intense emotions and explosive action. How is this a debut?!?

Sam’s internal struggles and sibling conflict are the highlights of the story. This is a testament to Lee’s ability to weave complex character arcs with action-packed plotlines. The familial bond between Sam and her brother is one of the most compelling aspects of the story and bonds us deeply to these two. This reminds me so much of Mass Effect with the found family/squad aspect - despite the lack of aliens. The diverse cast of characters, each with their own backstories and motivations, brings incredible depth to the story. The "found family" trope is beautifully executed here, with relationships that feel authentic. The addition of our charming female medic introduces a subtle, slow-burn sapphic romance that adds yet another layer of complexity to Sam's character.

Action scenes in Of Friction are nothing short of exhilarating. Lee crafts battles that are not just physically intense but also emotionally charged, making each confrontation feel like a crucial turning point. The pacing is relentless, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they navigate the intricacies of a tenuous peace on the brink of collapse. I was so, so stressed - in the best of ways. The ending is a masterstroke of emotional storytelling. It delivers a gut punch that is as brutal as it is brilliant. The shift to another POV at the end is a clever move that broadens the scope and hints at even more layers to uncover in future books.

Overall, this is an impressive debut that signals the arrival of a talented new voice in the genre. S.J. Lee's ability to blend intense military action with nuanced character development and social commentary is remarkable. This is a must-read for fans of dystopian, military sci-fi, and those who appreciate strong, multifaceted characters. Highly recommended!

Great Storyline and Chacters

I loved it! Author’s debut novel is a winner! The characters were well written. Sam and Scott sibling relationship for me just keep me so invested in the story. As did the world building, the members of Echo, and the altered humans. Very talented writer. Audiobook narration was a 5 too. I look forward to more! And thank you S.J Lee for transporting me to your world!!

of fandom

I am not normally a consumer of audiobooks, and this may not have been the best book to jump back in with. A sci-fi series with made up names/places that I wanted to see to wrap my head around and many different characters. But, when things got moving, I was hooked.

the first few chapters are very character driven and lots of development, as is needed to start a new series, but it was a bit tough to follow at times. Once the action got going though, wow, I was pulled in and didn't want to stop. Lots of great action and I loved the movie that was playing in mind.

the performance was great, although at times the voices sounded a lot like Raven from Teen Titans Go (not necessarily a bad thing). I appreciated the differentiations to help tell the characters apart.

An excellent debut and a cliff hanger ending that makes the wait for the next chapter even more painful.

A phenomenal start to a series!

This book really took me by surprise. Being a military sci-fi, I was expecting it to be a bit more action-driven, and so was thrown off in the early goings by how character-driven it was. In truth, it took me a little to get into because of that. But in the end it paid off. Once I became invested in the characters, really when echo team was introduced and fleshed out, it helped better pull me into the story. And so when the action did begin, I found myself very much worried about most of the team. And once that action started, the rest of the book had a wonderful balance of suspense and pay-off, along with introducing answers to the many mysteries that come about. It is a well-developed story, taking place in a very believable future timeline, and works so well because of its thoroughly detailed and believable cast of characters.

As for the narration: it was superbly done. The narrator did a phenomenal job of differentiating amongst the many characters. There's many times where the nine team members are engaging and interacting in a scene, and never once did I struggle to tell them apart. On top of that, the emotion and intensity of certain scenes was always captured beautifully.

All-in-all, if a military sci-fi / future dystopian is your thing, and especially if you like character-driven work, I can't recommend this story enough!

Phenomenal dystopian/military debut

Really enjoyed the world building and pacing of this one! Very character-driven and easy to digest even if you don’t have a military background. Love the hint of romance to satisfy my romance loving heart, but that ending… desperately waiting for answers in book 2! Also? The narrator was on point. Highly recommend listening to the story!

SJ Lee is the writer I have been looking for

this genre needed more representation. well done, Lee. I felt like I was there, can't wait to see what's next.