If you like slow burn sci-fi noir, you can pick up any of the books in the Coruscant series (or all three!) for FREE on Amazon today, until March 3.
These are not Future War/Aggressor style action thrillers: they are more relaxed, but still gripping, reads. Check the reviews below...
Or just go here because, after all, FREE:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XQZSC8T
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08XQZSC8T
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08XQZSC8T
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08XQZSC8T
Happy reading!
FX
Deep Core Review Readers Favorite: 5 Stars
Liz Konkel
Deep Core by FX Holden breathes new life into the science fiction genre. AJ enjoys his life as an employee at Sol Vista Community for the Memory Impaired and finds his quiet existence as a cyber fulfilling. All that changes when Dave Warnecke moves into the facility and disrupts AJ's peace with his crass attitude. AJ believes he can win the man over until Warnecke confesses a shocking secret. This sparks a chain of events that takes AJ from being a maintenance tech to going on the run from an assassin. He turns to his new girlfriend for help but soon discovers she has her own surprising secret. The more AJ looks into Warnecke's past, his family, and his connection to a congressman, the deeper he falls into the kind of trouble he might not get out of alive.
FX Holden weaves assassins, technology, and mystery into a brilliant science fiction read, making an unforgettable adventure. The story is rich in details of society on another planet with cybers, ducks, the mysterious core, and an interplanetary assassin which bring to life this futuristic world. The world has some fun quirky aspects such as ducks which aren't like Earth ducks; instead, they have gills and are more akin to a fish in appearance than a bird. Holden quickly dives into a mystery with the arrival of Warnecke which throws AJ's life off course and suddenly has AJ solving the possibility of a crime. The suspense and action build from this outburst. Holden explores the sleuthing fun of a mystery by having AJ investigate a congressman and then spins the story into a suspenseful chase when he goes on the run.
The mystery is full of surprises which keep you guessing and pull AJ into a deeper understanding of what the Core is. The story does contain romantic elements as AJ grows closer to Cassie and this gives his journey some warmth, some lightness between the action and danger elements. Holden builds the plot around the theme of secrets and rights which is woven into every aspect of the story. Deep Core is perfect for lovers of science fiction and mysteries with its satisfying plot, endearing characters, shocking surprises, and action-packed suspense.
“DEEP CORE: An original and expertly plotted hard-sci-fi romp." BookLife
The author has created a vibrant world and society on a distant planet, which serves as an excellent backdrop for the strong plot. The thoughtfulness of the technology and politics of this imagined universe make for a memorable read.
Original and exciting ... opening from a single event to a web of interplanetary espionage and featuring sufficient twists and turns to keep readers engaged throughout. The sci-fi and world building elements are thoroughly and effectively baked into the plot - the use of a societal epidemic of memory issues based on the effects of living on a particular foreign world works particularly well with the plot’s conspiracy thriller vibe.
The characters are strong, in particular protagonist AJ, a cybernetic humanoid content with a menial job because it affords him plenty of time for surfing who becomes caught up in the plot. AJ is multi-dimensional and well-realized: a fallible being, part man and part machine. The navigation of societal norms around citizens and cybers plays particularly well in the character development of the supporting cast.”
CORE DRIFT REVIEW: Publishers' Weekly BookLife
Editors Pick!
This sci-fi thriller wastes no time digging its claws into the mystery. Murder, threats of civil unrest, and debates of morality sprinkle the pages while a sweet romantic subplot between Lin and Fan provides readers the opportunity to catch their breaths from the high-stakes drama and stunning twists. Readers will quickly warm to this unusual partnership between suspected and cop: Fan’s mission to prove his innocence makes him a sympathetic hero, while Lin’s empathy and independent spirit leads her down a rabbit hole that will ultimately test her entire value system and loyalty to the government.
Holden is adept at guiding readers into his inventive universe. He clearly defines his world-building terms, and the convenient “Core Encyclopedia v201.b” serves as a resource for anyone needing a quick refresher as the story progresses. Holden has a lot to establish in the story’s opening chapters, which slows the pace, but, lovers of inventive action will relish the fast-paced incidents that bring the story to a wild resolution. Sci-fi fans will sink into this murder-mystery with dynamic characters and an unpredictable plot.
Takeaway: This cyber sci-fi thriller has a unique protagonist, vibrant world building, and thrilling twists.
Great for fans of: Rudy Rucker, J. Barton Mitchell, Greg Bear’s Queens of Angels.
CORE DRIFT: Reviewed by Scott Cahan for Readers' Favorite
Core Drift by FX Holden is a science fiction crime thriller. The setting is a future where humans coexist with cybers, beings that are half-human and half-robot. The main protagonist, named Fan Zhaofeng, is a cyber who appears to be responsible for a string of murders, even though his cyber programming prevents him from harming a human. The police know that so they allow him to remain free but the killings continue and more and more evidence piles up against Fan. Soon, he is forced to go on the run with the help of a sympathetic investigator. From there, Fan uses his superior intellect to avoid capture while trying to capture the real killer to clear his name.
The physical action in Core Drift is slow and methodical but intellectually, it moves like a roller coaster. The charm of this story comes from watching Fan work out in his mind who the real killer is, all the while staying three steps ahead of the justice system that is dead set on pinning the crimes on him. There is also a touching relationship between Fan and a female junior investigator who can’t help but be attracted to the genuine nature of Fan. Author FX Holden has done his homework in creating a fully developed world for his characters to exist in. The inner workings of Fan’s world, including the justice system and the history leading up to the time of the story, are complex yet fascinating. Core Drift is a slow burn of a story that builds its plot one mind-blowing brick at a time. The structure that it builds, in the end, is well worth the wait. Core Drift the novel is fully original, exciting, smart, and fun.
CORE MELT REVIEW
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Core Melt is a work of fiction in the science fiction and adventure subgenres and serves as the third installment in the Coruscant series. It is suitable for the general adult reading audience and was penned by author FX Holden. The book follows a machine named Emin Wei, a hunter who has been designed to pass for a human and given the singular purpose of hunting down terror suspect Kristen Newgard. His mission is deadly as the three hunters sent before him didn’t survive the attempt to eliminate Newgard, but the last attack by the suspect claimed over two thousand lives, so Emin knows he must do whatever it takes to find her.
This was an excellent demonstration of complex and nuanced lore that has been designed from the ground up to serve as a perfect backdrop for thrilling science fiction adventures. Author FX Holden’s world-building skills are matched by his gift for prose which brought the mosaic of cultures and social ideas to life in a way that made them feel as real as the chair I was sitting in whilst reading. The narrative that has been woven against this wonderful backdrop was a pleasure to read, asking important questions about the world of Coruscant, which paralleled important questions about our own world – a hallmark of excellent and thought-provoking science fiction. One of the greatest strengths of Core Melt, however, was the evolving characterization of its lead character Emin as his experiences throughout the investigation prompted him to develop and grow in interesting and exciting ways that constantly kept the story fresh.
CORE MELT REVIEW: BookLife
Core Melt unfolds against the backdrop of a futuristic, dystopian society filled with humans and cyborgs (called cybers). The protagonist is particularly well fleshed out. Holden utilizes sci-fi conventions to gratifying effect; the familiar elements are imbued with a degree of freshness that prevents the material from feeling derivative. Holden offers vibrant and effective worldbuilding that will keep readers entranced. Holden's prose style is as gripping as ever and fully immerses readers in the narrative.
Takeaway: Both a love story and a sci-fi thriller, Core Melt is a lot of fun.