The Complete Dead Planet Series

By: Drew Avera

Narrated by: Al Kessel

Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

The future is darker than you think!

When Serus Blackwell was recruited into The Agency, he had to leave his family behind. The Agency stripped him of his humanity, but they failed to take his memories during his programming.

During a hit, Serus discovers that his sister, Kara, is next on the list for execution by an organization called The Syndicate, but the woman who should have been removed from his memories triggers an act of defiance that will set him on a course no one ever expected.

In order to save Kara, Serus turns his back on The Agency on a suicide mission that reveals something more sinister than he ever could have realized: The Syndicate’s plans to destroy Mars.

Can he save the last surviving member of his family and save the only world he has ever known, or will he have to choose which is more important: family or the millions of lives at stake if he does nothing?

The Dead Planet Series is a dystopian science fiction series that shows how far someone will go to save the people they love, even if it means they must destroy who they are to do it.

©2013, 2017 Drew Alexander Avera (P)2018 Drew Alexander Avera

Murder, programming, and interplanetary travel

Avera's 3 books come packaged completely in one 13 hour or so audiobook. Set in a future where interplanetary travel is possible, and people can be programmed for specific jobs. The MC is one such person. He has been programmed into a deadly enforcer. Serus Blackwel is brainwashed, for lack of a better term, into forgetting who he is, and forced into working for a planet wide syndicate (that is responsible for something that will not make him happy when he finds out).

Over time he breaks free of his programming, and becomes a freedom fighter trying to save Mars, and break the people there free from their oppression. Serus grows as a character from one book to the next. Think of how Robocop went from being aby the book machine into a fragment of the man he was. Serus isn't Robocop, but his journey is much the same.

Avera does a great job with plotting, pacing, and the action. The only real complaint that I have is that the rest of the characters don't seem to be as fully developed. Granted, they are secondary characters, but I would have liked to see some personal growth their way too.

Kessel does a fine job narrating, and his style compliments the series as a whole. He fits Serus to a tee, and is excellent at portraying his inner conflict. He also adds to the battle scenes. He really sets the overall tone.

Storyline

Great book. Love the storyline. Couldn’t stop playing it.

The narrator did a great job in keeping my attention captive.

Loved the futuristic devices used, I could visualize everything realistically happening.

Highly recommend.

Good story concept - So-so presentation

The overall story arc was quite interesting, but the presentation was rather dry. It was all first person narrative with a lot of "he said" type of references and was quite emotionless (although emotions were described, they didn't really com through in the telling very well.


The narration was fairly well done with the voices of the people speaking rather well differentiated, although other than that it seems somewhat monotone, although that may have just been a reflection of the writing.

This was a series of multiple books and each book did wrap up the main plots so if you were to read them individually there wouldn't be cliff-hangers.

I received this as a free review copy and although I don't regret the time listening to it, I am not sure I would have been happy if I had spent money on it.

Well done dystopia

Narrated brilliantly by Al Kessel, the story of Serus Blackwell in the Complete Dead Planet Series takes readers on a turbulent journey. Forced into The Agency and transformed into a skilled assassin, Serus finds himself on the deadly and dusty landscape of a futuristic Mars. Little did he expect that his own sister, Kara, would become a target for a "Policeman" to eliminate. Determined to uncover the truth, Serus must reluctantly collaborate with individuals he despises, as the haunting question of why Kara is marked for death gnaws at him. As a result, Serus and his trusted allies are compelled to turn their deadly abilities against the very Agency that shaped them, in order to thwart an organization obsessed with absolute dominance and callous toward the countless lives at stake.

Sacrifices and harrowing consequences abound in this compelling narrative, where one man's unwavering resolve drives the plot forward. The story is a thrilling, intellectually stimulating, and profoundly thought-provoking adventure. Drew Avera weaves an intricate tale filled with suspense and unexpected twists, leaving readers gripped until the very end.

With Al Kessel's fantastic narration, the characters come to life, their emotions palpable, and their journeys heart-wrenchingly real. Kessel's skillful delivery enhances the suspense and tension, keeping listeners engaged from start to finish.

Overall, the Complete Dead Planet Series is a highly recommended and immensely enjoyable experience. It effortlessly combines elements of excitement, intelligence, and profound moral dilemmas. Whether you're a fan of action-packed adventures or seeking a story that delves into deeper themes, this series is sure to satisfy your cravings. Be prepared to be captivated by the enthralling world created by Drew Avera and skillfully brought to life by Al Kessel's narration.

Another well-written story from a very good author

Exodus (Dead Planet #1), my ninth read from author Drew Avera. Enjoyable police detective science fiction adventure read.

Verity (Dead Planet #2), my tenth read from author Drew Avera. Enjoyable Dystopian science fiction adventure read. The story was well-written & flowed smoothly & quickly, although short.

Endgame (Dead Planet #3), my eleventh read from author Drew Avera. Enjoyable Dystopian science fiction adventure read. I was given a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. The story was well-written & flowed smoothly & quickly, although short. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

A Very Simple Dystopian SciFi

Exodus: ***
Verity: **
Endgame: **

Simple World-building … Mars have been colonized for nearly 4000 years and it is ruled by corporate elites known as the Syndicate who are fairly stock bad guys of questionable morals and an apparent sadistic streak to make them truly and unquestionably evil. This authoritarian style government uses a “pontiff” puppet as governor and brainwashed assassins, euphemistically called “policemen” and who answer to a shell organization known as The Agency. Policemen are armed with laser gauntlets with neural links that pretty much do anything the author needs them to do. Outside of that and a reference to an artificial magnetic field that keeps mars habitable, the world is basically a dystopian America.

Simple Characters … bad guys bad … good guys good … and never the twain shall meet. Syndicate players really have no redeeming characteristics and, although paying some lip service to a profit moments, really are just addicted to power and the free exercise there if to teach the uppity masses a thing or two. The MC is a “policeman” assassin whose brainwashing didn’t completely take and “breaks” programming when he learns of a hit on his sister. You could perhaps forgive the somewhat stunted emotional capacity of Serus, except the supporting characters don’t do much better (making it seem like this story seem like it was targeting a much younger audience … say middle school). After overcoming his initial programming, Serus doesn’t really grow much … which makes it incessant navel gazing a minor irritation such that if it were not for the string of incredibly poor choices by pretty much everybody in the book would have been more of a factor in the rating. As it is, he miraculous seems to survive the consequences said bad decisions while absorbing enough damage to stop a charging Rhino and still somehow function (mostly because the villains are also incredibly stupid as well). Finally … toward the end we see a mild christian evangelization as the MC contemplate God and the Bible and his life choices.

Simple Plot … bad guys abandon Mars to its fate as the artificial magnetic field is failing (to eventually become The Dead Planet … maybe). Good guys are SJW that don’t think that’s fair and seem to focus on making the elites pay for abandoning them … lead of course by a reformed bad guy. It is remarkable (and saddening) how corrosive the violent revenge motif here is. Once the action gets back to Earth … we see pretty much the same strongman polities simplistically boiled down to only two (relatively small) actual communities. The broad strokes here are completely predictable and it is the narration that helps keep it all interesting.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheCompleteDeadPlanetSeries #StoryOrigin

Great SciFi Adventure

If I could rate this audiobook with a 4.5 I would, as I really enjoyed the first and third book of this series. The second book seemed to be more of a bridge between the first and third books. The first book captured my attention from the opening pages until the end with all the twists and turns. In the second book, the action slowed down. In the third book, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I liked the way the author wrote the character of Serus, as a man trapped between his conditioning and his emotions. Al Kessel's narration was entertaining. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

Nice relaxing read.

A dark view of the future where the powerful rule without regard to the masses. Can't help but feel this is a political commentary book based on saving your loved one. The story is good as is the voice acting. Having the three titles together is defiantly a plus for this series.

A path of desperate choices

Received as an audio review copy from Story Origin, this is an honest review. Narrated by nicely by AI Kessel, comes the story of Serus Blackwell and how his life has been turned upside down by being forced into The Agency and being turned into a trained killer, taking out whoever puts out a hit onto-all upon the dusty world of a futuristic Mars. The one thing Serus couldn't imagine his own sister, Kara would become a target to die by the hands of a "Policeman". Finding out the reason means Serus has to work with the very scum he wouldn't have a problem of murdering and it's why Kara is suppose to die haunts Serus and forces the man and any of those he can trust to turn their deadly skills back upon the very Agency that made them as they are to stop an organization obsessed with absolute dominance with no regard of the lives they could end.

Sacrifices. Harrowing consequences. One man's path of determination.

A fun, wicked smart and profound adventure.

Highly recommended.

5 stars

Well done. Well narrated. Will be looking forward to the next release from this author. I received this copy free in exchange for an honest review.