Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Secrets of the Universe by Ronald Geobey is a science fiction novel and the third book in the Kiranis series, preceded by book one, Gods of Kiranis, and, book two, Pawns of the Prophet. In this installment, a group of young time travelers called Si are being trained by Celeste Ferrici to follow Fate Lines using red crystals. Celeste shares classified information about a Barrier enclosing a human colony in the Kiranis system. Philip Arthur infiltrates Si Absolution, an organization that controls human destiny. An old MEC station is in disrepair and poses a risk if not in the right location, causing a group of individuals to investigate. Meanwhile, the Si and society are in a state of simmering animosity, and Earth's southern hemisphere faces unexpected magnetic anomalies. Becca, a Future Seer, has a vivid dream and fears for the world's fate. The Absolution dispatches hunters to investigate unusual activity and authorizes an attack on the Icarus, a huge ship in high orbit, as a massive solar flare threatens Earth's connection to the Sentience. When Sarril brings Philip and Celeste to the engine room on the Icarus, they discover that Celeste is one of the seventeen remaining prophets aboard the ship, and all of the prophets are being hunted.

There are so many moving parts to Secrets of the Universe that I almost feel guilty about what is left out of that description because it's a lot. As with the first two books in his Kiranis series, Ronald Geobey provides a beautiful representation of even the least likable antagonists with descriptions in action and thought by multiple point-of-view characters. The social structure has expanded and the last human colonies, along with the imminent danger posed from several angles, keep the tension streaming through each page. The novel is a beast in size but is remarkably easy to get through. As I would normally have to in epic science fiction, I did take a few notes but it turned out that I did not really need them this time. There are fantasy elements that will delight hybrid-loving readers, including the god-like Naveen, portals, and the mother of all fantasy creatures, dragons. The hunting of the prophets is significant but more compelling is the reason why, the drive to preserve what they know and control what the prophets keep hidden, and the cat and mouse chases that transcend time and galaxies. The writing is exceptional and, just as with the previous books, there is no stopping the bullet train excitement of Kiranis, nor would I wish there to be. Very highly recommended.