Dan Thornton’s City of the Forgotten follows Ryan Anders, captain of a damaged starship, after an experimental jump strands his crew beside a black hole. Inside a vast city vessel, Ryan meets Aela’ris, a young Krynnid scientist whose people have been devastated by raiders and driven into hiding. His ship cannot make the journey home in its present condition. The city is slipping closer to the singularity as predatory creatures roam its abandoned streets. Ryan needs a way to get his crew moving again as Aela’ris searches for the Krynnid who escaped the attack. With time disappearing around them, the two groups begin working together. Ryan must protect his own people as he helps Aela’ris reach those still hidden inside the enormous vessel, knowing every delay brings the city closer to destruction.

Dan Thornton’s City of the Forgotten is brilliant military science fiction, and the author knows how to make the city ship feel dangerous. The atmosphere is fantastic, especially when chime bugs fill overgrown streets as the crew watches the brush for movement. I also love the crew. Inna, a Martian Special Services guardian, is my favorite and the author gives her bearing a playful edge that works beautifully. David, an engineer learning Martian sword Patterns from her, brings warmth as their lessons draw them closer. The science fiction elements are creative and blend organically into the story, from Aela’ris mistaking Ryan’s blush for a Krynnid mating signal to pseudo-gravity fields screeching under acceleration. The pacing keeps moving as the mission widens across the vessel. Well written and imaginative, readers who enjoy military science fiction will adore this second book in the Exiles War series.

City of the Forgotten is the second book in the Exiles War series by Dan Thornton. The story follows Captain Ryan Anders and the crew of the Cosmic Explorer. They barely escaped the destruction of Earth's battle fleet and are now stranded near a black hole with a badly damaged ship. They find shelter inside a massive alien vessel containing an abandoned city. However, it is falling apart and will be torn to pieces in just four days. Ryan has to lead his crew into the ruins to find the parts they need to fix their ship and get home, while deadly creatures roam the streets and something else is hunting them too. Can Ryan and the crew make it out alive before it is too late? Or will they be sucked inside the black hole with the city?

Author Dan Thornton created an incredible world with mature characters and a great storyline. Ryan is such a fantastic protagonist. He is brave, smart, funny, and clearly someone who cares about every single person in his crew. Aurora, the ship's AI, was probably my favorite part of the whole story. Elizabeth's doubts and Emily's calm under pressure made the crew feel like real people and made me feel like a part of them. The squid-like creatures were really terrifying. They felt straight out of an Alien-style nightmare, and the city itself felt creepy and believable the whole way. I loved getting chapters from the alien Aela'ris too. It gave the story such a great extra layer. That four-day countdown kept the tension high from start to finish and kept me on the edge of my seat. City of the Forgotten is a fast-paced novel that fans of science fiction will love.