Haunter Grey - Treachery

Last Ark - Haunter Grey Book 8

Fiction - Science Fiction
477 Pages
Reviewed on 08/17/2024
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

Ross C. Miller's sci-fi novel Haunter Grey: Treachery is the eighth book in the Last Ark series. Under the leadership of Castor Efrata-Landeez, the Resistance flourished with the Unity fleets and stations captured and the enemy brought to Regia for rehabilitation. But now, as the population of Summer City increases, a growing faction among them wants change. Chief among them is Robert Browning, a man from Verucross, who schemes his way into becoming the president of Summer City. Using brutal measures, he also takes charge of the Resistance and all it entails. Meanwhile, Castor and his hybrid wives, Moriah and Trillian, are taken captive and treated to inhumane conditions and humiliation. Realizing Ai's priorities have been compromised, Aieaa limits his abilities while Genine and the remaining Grey Fleet, including the Banshees, work toward rescuing Castor and his wives.

The Last Ark series is one of the longest-running space opera sci-fi sagas I've read, and Ross C. Miller still manages to make each installment feel fresh and unpredictable. Haunter Grey: Treachery plays with themes of love, betrayal, and loyalty, featuring a cast of diverse characters with their own agency and unique story arcs. Like the other books in this series, Miller paces the narrative deliberately, expertly maneuvering the characters into the right slots to get the plot going. The multi-POV narrative style helps showcase the different factions involved, making the story immersive to the reader. Moriah and Trillian are two of my favorite characters from the entire series, and this book somehow made me like them even more. I'm interested in seeing where Miller takes the saga from here. Recommended to space opera sci-fi readers.

K.C. Finn

Haunter Grey: Treachery is a work of fiction in the science fiction, dystopia, and interpersonal drama genres, and is the eighth novel in the Haunter Grey series of interconnected stories penned by author Ross C Miller. In this latest adventure, Castor leads the Resistance with his Command Team and the Regians, successfully capturing fleets and stations. However, the Regians’ delays prompt drastic changes. The Admiral’s animal companions and the Admiral himself become targets for these changes. As a government forms for the growing Summer population, disobedience is met with severe consequences, starting at the highest command level. Amidst internal betrayal, Castor faces an enemy within, marking the beginning of the Haunter Grey Destiny Trilogy and continuing the epic saga of Castor, the Greys, and the Resistance.

Author Ross C Miller always knows how to craft an intense and thrilling sci-fi read, masterfully weaving a tale of internal strife and high-stakes drama that brings complex plot strands together into a powerful big picture of resistance, battle, and heroism to the bitter end. The complexity of Castor’s leadership and the intricacies of his Command Team's dynamics are as well-handled as ever, offering confident and detailed narration that smoothly contextualizes their roles in the wider drama. There’s a brilliant use of dialogue to bring important plot elements forward in a natural way without the need for huge chunks of clunky prose. The focus on Castor's internal challenges, especially the threat from within his ranks, highlighted the constant danger and unpredictability of the Resistance's struggle, and the suspicion and mistrust in the central plot was played out with great timing and a sense of exactly when to drop the next bombshell. Miller’s ability to balance these suspenseful moments with all-out action, and then continue to deliver deep character development all the way kept the narrative fresh, gripping, and emotionally resonant from cover to cover, which is no mean feat in a series this long. Overall, Haunter Grey: Treachery advances the epic saga with brilliant new developments in the personal and political complexities of rebellion, making it a captivating read for fans of the series so far.

Jamie Michele

Haunter Grey: Treachery by Ross C. Miller is book eight in the Last Ark space opera series. Previously, Castor, with no memory of his past, had to find Anselmi Taskinen amid a losing Resistance war. Former Unity Lord Gianna faced the likely extinction of Unity on Regia, working to save her people. Moriah and Trillian, along with Grimmer, Rabid, and Suri revealed their backstories. Castor and Gianna aimed to capture Unity fleets, risking the destruction of the Haunter Grey. While President Hudson held the sole Wilson Concurrence copy, the Prime ruled Unity, with each captain carrying out extermination orders. Winona and Wakanda Somers, manipulating space and time, risked saving a crew of bug-people. Now, Castor continues leading the Resistance, with others instrumental in Grey Fleet's tactics. Fleets and stations are captured, but the Regians are delayed due to the need for a Summer volunteer government. Shades had cautioned Castor about potential issues with a Verucross delegation.

Ross C. Miller effectively and immediately builds suspense and tension in Haunter Grey: Treachery, which he achieves through a combination of pacing, foreshadowing, and carefully timed reveals. We see this when conversations between Castor and Genine discuss not just their mission, but also try to understand Vendant's motivations and personality. This continues through to the ongoing threat from Robert Browning and his tactics, as mentioned by Aieea while with Genine much later. There is never a dull moment, and the sense of urgency that Miller provides never abates. Genine's arc in this installment is huge and she is thrown multiple blows, like reconciling her past and a devastating loss. The character building that Miller does even this deep into the series continues to grow, and it is exceptional to witness. Most importantly, Miller reflects the Christian understanding of life as a battleground for spiritual integrity, where believers must stand firm against moral and spiritual challenges. This is science fiction, but it is very much Christian science fiction, and Miller once again delivers.

Richard Prause

In Haunter Grey: Treachery, Ross. C. Miller merges multiple story arcs that develop on different planets to create an exhilarating sci-fi tale brimming with action, suspense, conspiracy, and danger. This thrilling story commences on Verucross, a hellish world governed by death and deception. The two golden rules of Verucross are to trust no one and kill or be killed. Fortunately, Shades, Arthur (Jackyl), and young Felicity (Bingo) successfully orchestrate their escape from Verucross to join the Resistance. Arthur travels to Bethel to reconnect with old acquaintances. Back in Summer City, Robert Browning (Snake), a delegate from Verucross, approaches Admiral Castor with a compelling proposition. Browning suggests that they create a formal government for Summer. Unknown to Castor, Browning is a wolf in sheep's clothing. This overambitious Verucross delegate intends to seize control of the Resistance and establish a League of Planets with himself as its President. Ultimately, Browning seeks to take control of Summer and its neighboring worlds and cleverly begins to manipulate the law to put his plan into action. He even succeeds in wrongfully incarcerating Castor, Moriah, and Trillian. But will Snake succeed in his mission of world conquest?

Ross. C. Miller has created a mesmerizing and unpredictable sci-fi galaxy overflowing with distinct races and cultures, unique planets, and a captivating cast of characters whose storylines will engage readers from the start. The author's attention to detail and dedication to world-building are to be commended. Haunter Grey: Treachery is very well-paced, and each character is well-defined and intriguing. I enjoyed reading about the intertwined dynamics between Castor, his wives, siblings, and friends. I like that instead of him leading the fight to victory in this specific scenario, Castor's friends play a crucial role. This story demonstrates the power of leadership, friendship, and faith. The novel teases readers on possible future developments for book 9. I'm intrigued to discover the potential fall-out caused by the nuclear activity in Summer City. I can't wait to uncover the concealed information Valiera, the Sylvani, intends to share with Castor. What plans does Verucross' President Peterson have for Castor, Regia, Unity, and Summer City? But more excitingly, where do Suri's newfound capabilities fit in? I can hardly wait to read the new installment in the series. I recommend this exceptional read to every science fiction fan out there. Haunter Grey: Treachery will take you on a voyage to remember!

Paul Zietsman

Treachery by Ross C. Miller begins the Haunter Grey Destiny Trilogy, and, in keeping with the series' themes, it features futuristic warfare and weaponry, artificial intelligence, and space exploration. Admiral Castor runs a highly successful fleet of ships, and things are looking up for the most part. Enter Robert Browning, a Verucross delegate on Summer, a military base for the Admiral's Resistance. Robert tells Castor that changes need to occur in Summer. He believes there should be proper governance as the population is increasing rapidly. However, people will soon learn why Robert's street name used to be Snake. He is a real wolf in sheep's clothing and plots with good that is only intended for himself. Castor, who has been fighting the Unity for over a decade, does not expect the enemy to come from within.
 
Treachery combines prolific storytelling, a dreamlike ambiance, and elements of leadership, deceit, and politics. Robert Browning's sly and conniving ways are intriguing and make for an interesting character. All the characters, for that matter, offer strong and unique traits and make Ross C. Miller's writing all the more interesting and authentic. The dreamlike quality of the novel stems from the adventures on alien worlds of many of the characters and the stories of their pasts and how they came to be where they are. I thought that the element of politics makes for such an interesting peek into the selfish minds of some people, especially those with narcissistic traits. Action, adventure, love stories, failure, and victory are all here to enjoy, making Treachery an exciting and multi-layered novel.