Twenty-three years after the disappearance of the Mars I space shuttle, NASA receives a mysterious transmission from Adrian Palmer, the commander of the mission. Adrian's brother, Kevin, wastes no time funding the Mars II rescue mission, commanded by Jake Palmer, Adrian's son.
Jake and Dr. Steven “Skip” Hendricks, a NASA physicist, travel through a wormhole that Skip believes was the reason the Mars I crew disappeared. They eventually crash-land on the planet Terrest and are thrust into a dangerous conflict. The native Terrestrians are at war against a super-race of humans called the Gnols, led by Koroan Chast.
The Terrestrian's struggle is futile because of the godlike abilities of the Gnols. Now, the only hope mankind has may rest on a 2000-year-old prophecy discovered in an ancient temple on Terrest. But before the prophecy can come to pass, Adrian and Jake must first stop the Gnols from attacking Earth and enslaving the human race.
The Story Behind This Book
Worlds Without End: The Mission is the first book of a 4 book series that I am in the process of writing. I am currently writing the second book, Aftermath, due for completion sometime during the summer of 2012.
The original idea for this series came to me while I was traveling back-and-forth from my home in Shelley, Idaho to Salt Lake City, Utah in the Fall of 2003. It was as this time, that my oldest daughter was being treated for Leukemia. I owe much of my inspiration to my daughter for her courage and resiliency during this trying time for our family. Today, my daughter is in complete remission and has a clean bill of health.
As I have been writing the Worlds Without End series, I have received many positive reviews about the first book in the series, as well as many questions as to when the second book will be completed. My intent with the series is to open the mind to the possibilities of our Heavenly Father's creations in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is a fictional saga that not only explores the possible destiny of our planet but other planets within our galaxy as well.
Even though the book is written for a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) audience, it is a story that I believe all audiences will enjoy.
I hope you enjoy reading the Worlds Without End series.
Praise and Reviews
5 out of 5 Stars.
One of the best books I have ever read!
Shaun Messick has redefined the science fiction genre. He wonderfully
mixes LDS doctrine with science fiction into a page turner that I could
not put down. I bought this book on a Monday and finished it the next
day. I am surprised that this author hasn't been signed by a traditional
publishing house yet. His writing style is fast paced and action
packed. He left me hanging at the end of each chapter, so I had to keep
reading. I highly recommend this book for readers of every age! Shaun
Messick is my new favorite author and I can't wait for the next book to
come out in the series.
(
Amazon.com Customer Review)
5 out of 5 StarsWhat an Adventure . . . Shaun F. Messick has written an excellent story (book 1 of 4) that
includes fantastic character development and thrilling narrative. His
descriptive storytelling makes one feel as if they were truly present.
The family bond that exists between Adrian Palmer and his son Jake
after a few decades of separation from Adrian's errant Mars expedition,
was refreshing nonetheless. The book also demonstrates the need for
individual and collective faith in moments of nearly insurmountable
circumstances. I sure felt the emotional rainbow, so to speak,
throughout the entire book... sadness, greed, fear, pain, helplessness,
love, happiness, humor, courage, etc.
Mr. Messick also creatively uses a tangent from John 10:16 to set up
the framework of his "Beyond Mars" saga. In this Bible verse, Jesus
Christ states, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them
also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one
fold, and one Shepherd." This book creates another viewpoint of this
commonly-misunderstood verse.
I read the book in one day, while on a business trip in Mexico, and
am not sure how I can wait until the next one is released in 2007.
Thrilling, yet faith inspiring, "Beyond Mars" is both an easy buy and an
excellent read.
(
Amazon.com Customer Review)
5 out of 5 StarsAmazingly Written!
Shaun F. Messick has really turned the genre of Science Fiction around.
I'm not much of a schi-fi reader, but when I picked this book up, it
really drew my in. The complexity of the writing is well done. Every
paragraph is littered with excellency, powerful words, and capturing
lyrics. The way another race and planet like ours was created was
unique, drawing upon what someone like this man could only imagine. I
rate it five out of five stars. I can't wait for the next three to come
out. (
Barnes&Noble.com Customer Review)
4 out of 5 StarsIf you enjoy science fiction, expanding your imagination and
well-developed characters, this is definitely a series you want to put
on your reading list. Definitely looking forward to the rest of the
series! (
Goodreads Review)