Launching the Colony

Murna Colony book 1

By: Dwayne Hawkins

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Launching the Colony is the first of two volumes revised and expanded from the original Colonization Chronical. This volume follows teenager Ricky Cruz and his family as they migrate from their successful farm to be first wave settlers on the newly terraformed planet Murna. Ricky becomes part of the crew as a repair technician and shuttle pilot.

Plagued with problems from the start, Ricky begins investigating the source of the problems and discovers their ship has been deliberately sabotaged in an attempt to prevent them from being the first settlers on their new home, therefore preventing them from setting up the form of government the settlers want to live under.

Even after he repairs the ship to the point it will be able to successfully make the trip, they find themselves dodging warships that are apparently crewed by pirates.

Waring: This book may contain political and social commentary the close-minded may find objectionable.

Fun! Progressively More Involved thru the Series

Tom Swift in space! A good deal of fun without taking itself too seriously. In the later titles in the series, there are some much heavier issues addressed--but once you have read the first, you can decide for yourself. The series has a somewhat similar feel to "The Martian" (book not movie) in that it is very procedural. There is a good deal of logistics and world-building involved. I very much enjoyed them all.

The attitude of the author regarding his political and social commentary.

At the end of the book’s description, the author says that those who disagree with his opinions are “close minded.”
I missed that line and would have not even started the book if I had read it.
His views, stated in a chapter all of its own, are both politically very conservative while being socially quite conservative.
The government controls all aspects of politics, including deciding who can vote, as he describes it.

If you have any issue these, don’t even start this book.