Echoes of the Storm by Charlene Newcomb is a science fiction story with explosive action. Jack Gamble’s resistance army is defeated when the story opens and in a way that is very painful. He can’t recover from Galilei's victory and the thought that his people are dead, wounded, or in hiding is heart-breaking. What makes the defeat more unbearable is that it has been masterminded by the one person he’d trusted, the one person he’d loved deeply — Ari Norse, his cell leader in the resistance, his lover. He now runs Galilei’s military operations and must surely have spies everywhere in Torredo. Jack can’t give up, even if he is hunted across the galaxy, with his image streaming everywhere. He has to regroup the remnants of the resistance and his allies — otherwise, his people will remain in bondage, maltreated by the empire. The big question is: Who can he trust and will he be able to gather enough forces to take back the world he’s lost?

This is a page-turner, a cunningly plotted science fiction tale with memorable characters. The author offers the premise right off the bat: the defeat of the resistance army. And what immediately caught my attention as I started reading was the deep pain in the heart and soul of the protagonist. Jack Gamble never planned, never foresaw what would happen. He could never have imagined that his lover would be the one to lead an army against him. The story is filled with action and it will interest readers who enjoy a setting in the galaxy with many dangers, mercenaries, and state-of-the-art machines. Charlene Newcomb’s setting is an evolved world in the galaxy, filled with conflict, and characters with varying interests. Echoes of the Storm is a tale of a minority’s struggle for freedom against an oppressive region, a tale of loyalty to a cause, and of betrayal; it is fast-paced and gripping.

Echoes of the Storm by Charlene Newcomb is a compelling science fiction tale set in the galaxy, a novel that features a strong conflict in which a revolutionary group is poised against an oppressive regime and with slim chances of success. Jack Gamble’s resistance army has been reduced to a few fighters by Galilei’s might and he can’t stop blaming himself for it. He blames himself even more for trusting Ari Norse, his cell leader in the resistance, his lover, who shared many of his war secrets. Norse has betrayed him and everything they have been fighting for. The bastard has been a double agent. Is there any hiding place for him and the remaining fighters in Torredo when streams are broadcasting his image everywhere and can he regroup the remaining fighters and launch an offensive?

Pulsating action opens the narrative and there is no slowing down. The story begins with a crisis, the defeat of Jack’s fighters and he finds himself hunted by the very man he’d loved and trusted, with mercenaries and pirates posing another level of threat in his fight for freedom. Charlene Newcomb writes interesting characters and the author’s gift for conflict is exceptionally showcased in this novel. The protagonist, Jack Gamble, is a genuinely flawed character. His mistake in trusting Ari has cost him many lives and defeat, and as I followed him, I was eager to see if he can outwit his greatest enemy — his ex-lover. The prose is highly descriptive and I loved the short paragraphs and timely breaks. Echoes of the Storm is filled with action, fast-paced, and balanced. It is a gorgeous treat for fans of science fiction, with a lot of fighting in the air.