The final installment in Robert Appleton's sci-fi survival trilogy.
Jason Remington has been abducted by a monstrous creature. Having barely survived the ocean crossing, Kate Borrowdale must track him through an alien forest and over its awesome, low gravity roof. She finds him alive, but he is not alone. Two men and a woman, also survivors from the Fair Monique's crash, have rescued him and killed the creature. How? Kate senses they're hiding a secret and doesn’t trust them. Things look up when she finds a mountain cave for them all to live in. But procuring food proves tricky, as it means venturing back into the heart of the forest, where Kate and Jason find themselves being watched...by the real inhabitants.
Excerpt
Basking for a moment in the warm sunlight, she placed her free hand over her chest to calm the heavy throb inside. The pursuit had now lasted half a day—a marathon in itself under normal circumstances, but to Kate, on Kratos, merely the latest leg in what had become a punishing pentathlon. Hiking for minerals in the snowy mountain peaks; skydiving for dear life, in tandem with Jason, for eleven gruelling hours; traversing a desert; sailing across an un-crossable ocean; and now this, a grim chase through woodland straight out of a Gothic nightmare. Her survival had been nothing if not varied.
But as her heartbeat softened, the thought of being alone spring-loaded and shot her aloft.
Out onto…a wonderland.
The forest roof rippled and groaned as a stiff breeze swept across it. Translucent, skin-like membrane, a giant sheath, heaved and settled in segments like the fallen canopy of a circus Big Top. Gashes in the skin here and there gave entry to the wind, which flexed acres in creasing, channelled waves. Kate pulled herself up and looked again. The entire ceiling seemed alive, respiring—an ocean with pulsing veins and gasping airways.
Time’s running out. So how the hell do I track them over this?
Professional Reviews
Red Roses For Authors
Kate of Kratos by Robert Appleton
The third book in the Elemental Crossing series
Publisher Eternal Press.
Ebook, 92 pages
This book begins where the second left off. Kate is alone and tracking Jason, who has been carried off by one of the predators of this strange and wonderful world that Robert Appleton has created. Her journey is much advanced by the discovery that she can bounce huge distances on the membrane canopy of the forest.
Catching up with Jason she finds that he has been dumped in a sort of larder for the beasts and with him are three more survivors from the Monique, the crashed space ship that brought them to this planet. They came in search of a powerful element that would provide fuel for their own world and have found it in large amounts. Can they now use it to help them escape from the vicious creatures that see them as food – and can Kate and Jason find happiness after all their adventures?
What makes these three books so appealing is that the author seems to have an endless vision of strange and different monsters and writes vividly of the beautiful strangeness of the planet. I feel this author will one day write a science fiction masterpiece. He is at this moment feeling his way but I believe when he has the courage to strike out for where he belongs – in mainstream print – he will have a promising career.
Once again I can only give this book five red roses. I loved the ending. Linda Sole
You Gotta Read Reviews
Title: Book 3: Kate of Kratos
Author: Robert Appleton
Publisher: Eternal Press
Rating: You Need to Read
Reviewed by: MarthaE
This final book in the trilogy adds the new facet of dealing with the social aspects of surviving as a small group. Each of the other survivors, with their different talents and personalities, brings an additional dimension and added interest to the story. Not only do Kate and Jason have to deal with basic survival needs, but now they have to deal with secrecy, distrust, jealousies, leadership struggles and other emotional aspects of society -albeit a small society!
The author continues this fantastical world with more unusual terrains, environments and dangerous creatures. One very interesting terrain in this book is a low gravity canopy that hangs above the thick and menacing forest. Think of a trampoline surface and a chase by predators reminiscent of dinosaurs and Owl–Men who may be leading Kate and Jason to a way out… or not!
The dangers increase as the survivors discover that some of the enemy creatures are very smart and learn from experience and example! You are kept on the edge of your seat waiting to find out if and how Kate, Jason and their new friends will survive! And although I was disappointed that the book had to come to an end, I was pleased with the way the author resolved the story and summarized an interesting philosophy of survival.
I would comment that I thought the author may have tried too hard to embellish this book unnecessarily with uncommon words. I had to look up at least three terms and that is very unusual for me. Nonetheless, I fully enjoyed this third book as well as the first two.
These books could possibly be read alone but I do not know why anyone would want to do that. You really need to read all three to get the full story and not miss any of the excitement! If you like wild imagination, action and adventure in a strange new world, you Need to read this series! And if you are a sci-fi fan I would consider this a Must Read series for you!!
Nine New Novellas, Part III is a collection of nine sci-fi/paranormal stories to complement the nine in Nine New Novellas, Nine New Novellas Part II and Nine New Novellas, Part IV.
