Eden

A Sci-Fi Novella

By: Martin Roy Hill

Narrated by: Tim Danko

If this is paradise, how bad could hell be?

A sandstorm uncovers a long buried secret in the Iraqi desert, an ancient Sumerian temple dating back at least 6,000 years to the beginning of civilization. An American army patrol sent to investigate the ruins is trapped inside the temple's eroded walls, first by an insurgent ambush and then by another, even more powerful sandstorm. When an enemy mortar shell blasts an opening into a hidden burial chamber, Captain Adam Cadman and his soldiers take refuge deep in the ruins. What they find hidden inside threatens to destroy every belief about the beginnings of mankind - as well as modern society as we know it.

"An out-of-the box blend of scifi, thriller, and military encounters!" (Midwest Book Review)

©2014 Martin Roy Hill (P)2021 Martin Roy Hill

interesting

I was totally a fan of the show Ancient Aliens. I mean, they made some stretches but they also found some crazy stuff.
It was totally cool to read a story based on all of this. I really wish there was more to it and I didn't love the end. But it was Okay. Totally worth a listen if you like sci-fi and novellas. Or if you were a fan of Acienct Alian on the History Channel.

"This is Eden"

Captain Adam Cadman, archaeologist and currently US army historian in Iraq, was being escorted to an area where buildings, possibly a village, had been uncovered by a sand storm, when their convoy was suddenly under attack. He and the three survivors take shelter in what they now knew to be ancient Sumerian ruins, their communications not working and the looming sand storm making rescue impossible. An enemy missile pierces an hole into the wall of an otherwise in tact chamber and the four scramble in, only to meet a tall and beautiful woman with a fabulous tale to tell...

Based on the Von Daniken theories of an alien race which, several thousand years ago, visited our planet and assisted in the early development of human life, the story is an engaging, and informative, read, bringing together action, war, fear, religion, earth locational oddities, space travel, emotional reaction and even a touch of humour into this three hour novella. Read by Tom Danko with expertise and good timing which makes this an easy listen, this is an enjoyable, possibly thought provoking, story.

My thanks to the rights holder of Eden, who, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy via Audiobook Boom. It is well worth a read, and for those of the 'We are not alone' persuasion, and have not yet done so, a look back at the Von Daniken ideas of the mid 1900s is also interesting

Ancient Aliens in book form

They call it out at the beginning, but it reads just like an episode of ancient aliens. Written very well and the narration was great.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Ancient aliens with military backdrop

While this short story doesn't break new ground, it does accomplish good storytelling with only a few tropes. In the same vein as Stargate, Bob Mayer's Area 51 series, and other "ancient alien gods" stories; the story combines a military backdrop to the deeper story. The military story is there to trap our characters but seems to come and go to break up the expositional part of the book. As far as the exposition, it was a good change of pace not to have a villain's speech or the main character translating everything perfectly from Sumerian text (although that does take place a little). As for the tropes, there's the historian that seems to be able to read ancient languages and, of course, the religious guy that has to go nuts. The story does falter in one area and that's the "humans are bad because they fight" even though the story is about "one god imprisons another one because they were fighting but now they're mad we're fighting". The stories' impact takes the "get in and get out" ending and it would have been interesting to see the main character become a semi-cult leader or fringe historian.

Overall, an enjoyable short story the moves the story along with the "ancient aliens" storyline. Final Grade - B

Eden

This was a very good book.I enjoyed it a lot.Tim Danko was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.