My review:
Lately I´ve been reading a lot of sci-fi books, and so far they my expectations have been fulfill. Though this book goes beyond sci-fi, it is a book about war, companionship, loyalty, mystery and loss.
At the very beginning I was overwhelmed by the characters because there were many and I didn´t differentiate them. I also had problems with the different kind of aliens till I started chapter 3. I was shocked by the big amount of violence that the book has though I loved that it was really descriptive. In that sense, Messenger´s writing style is focused on vivid and detailed description. Not only the action scenes but also describing the characters, their personalities and the places. The author transported me to Vance´s universe.
Though Vance was one of the main characters of the book and I d him, I found his relationship with Halo confusing. There are two different story lines happening at the same time; Vance´s and Keryn´s. Eza and Keryn were my favorite characters and I was shocked by the way the story developed. I love the Wyndgaarts, I had a crush for Eza, he is really extroverted and nice, and I also Keryn she is a brave girl.
Some of the things that happened were really surprising. I was in the edge sometimes, the feeling of knowing that something will happen but not knowing what. Burden of Sisyphus is an adventurous read that every action and sci-fi addicts will love.

Mi reseña:
Últimamente he estado leyendo mucha ciencia ficción y de momento se han cumplido todas mis expectativas. Aunque este libro va más haya de la ciencia ficción, es una libro sobre guerra, compañerismo, lealtad, misterio y perdida.
Al principio estaba completamente abrumada porque hay muchos personajes, aparecen todos a la vez y no diferenciaba a unos de otros. También tenía problemas con los diferentes tipos de extraterrestres hasta que empece el capítulo 3. Me sorprendió la gran cantidad de violencia que hay en el libro, aunque me gustó mucho que fuera muy descriptivo. En este aspecto, el estilo de escritura de Messenger se centra en dar descripciones muy precisas y detalladas, no solo en las acciones de acción si no a la hora de describir a los personajes, sus personalidades y los lugares. El autor me transportó al universo de Vance. A pesar de que Vance es uno de los personajes principales y me gustó, su relación con Halo me pareció muy confusa. Hay 2 historias diferentes pasando a la vez, la de Vance y la de Keryn. Eza y Keryn son mis personajes favoritos y me sorprendió mucha la evolución de la historia. Los Wyndgaarts me encantaron, tenía un flechazo por Eza, es extrovertido y muy majo. Keryn también me gustó, es una chica muy valiente. Algunas de las cosas que pasaron me sorprendieron muchísimo. Muchas veces estaba en el borde porque el autor crea el tipo de suspense en el que sabes que algo va a pasar, pero no sabes el qué. Burden of Sisyphus, es una lectura llena de aventuras que cualquier amante de la ciencia ficción y de la acción le encantará.1 Amber1,219 33

Burden of Sisyphus by Jon Messenger is a highly challenging and deeply reaching story of a delicate peace threatened to be shattered by the forceful demands of others. This story is nothing short of truly amazing and highly original in the unique perspective that it offers. Emotionally raw yet fiercely gripping, Messenger takes us on an epic adventure that explores brutally honest subjects personal identity and potential, the depths of the fabric of life, and what real freedom and oppression really is.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is not your typical story of war and conflict. It completely surpassed the standard cliché, and I was immediately sucked into the storyline without hesitation. Being challenged and taken out of my comfort zone is something that I greatly enjoy in the books that I read, and this one undoubtedly and delightfully delivered. What touched me the most was how real and palpable the emotions were portrayed that surged throughout the pages. Most of all, I enjoyed the team mentality and genuine camaraderie that was displayed and encouraged. After all, we don’t live our lives on an island all by ourselves. We have to learn to work with and appreciate each other not just for how we can benefit from others but how we can also help them out.

I grew up listening to G rated versions of stories from the Vietnam War, and as a result I have come to greatly admire those who have taken up the call to stand in my place to protect and fight for me and my country. A deeply-seated love and admiration has grown throughout the years as I have learned about the strenuous challenges and heart-breaking hardships that our soldiers have to endure. I know I am not strong enough to face what they go through, and that makes my respect for them that much stronger and resolute. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their unwavering dedication in their service, the depth of their love for our country, and their amazing strength of spirit. You are never forgotten and forever loved.

Jon Messenger delivers a captivating and hard-to-forget narrative that sci-fi fans will not want to miss! I honestly love finding authors whose stories are as wonderfully surprising and excruciatingly real as this one is! It serves as such an exquisite reminder of why I love to read books. Trust me when I say that you do not want to miss out on the creative talent of this author. Be sure to check out his other books Wind Warrior and Flame Caller.1 Bart HopkinsAuthor 21 books254

It takes a lot of work to be an Indie Author these days.

Even with that hard work, and a generous application of patience, it can still take a long time to be discovered and build a following. People simply don't know which books to choose amid the million or so available out there.

And, that's a shame, because there are good Indie writers who should be discovered by more readers; Jon Messenger is one of them.

Jon and I both have short stories that were published in Paranormal Anthology With a Twist. We don't know each other very well, but I enjoyed his story TRUTH OR DARE (my favorite of that book), and decided I would give one of his full-length novels a try.

Perpetually busy with work, family, and life ... it took me a few months ... but I finally found some time and read Burden of Sisyphus.

The first 2-3 chapters were decent. I d the ideas, but the setting and some of the character interactions didn't appeal to me. Sort of eating strawberry ice cream when I'm a vanilla guy. Maybe because it had a very minor YA feel to it ... I'm not sure.

I kept reading though, and soon enough, I found I had really gotten into the story and the majority of the characters. Sure, there are battles and some military-centric scenes, but they aren't overbearing. They work perfectly for the story, much as some battles in Star Wars work perfectly for it, but I wouldn't think of Star Wars as "primarily" a military movie ... it's just a great story.

The characters are great; they're real and quirky and imperfect.

The plot is good, the pace is good, and there are some surprises in store for the reader. It gets better and better through the book.

As others have said, if you the Sci-Fi and military blend, this is the book for you. But ... I don't think that does this book justice, because I think it has the potential for mass appeal; it's got a little bit of everything ... greed, honor, friendship, coming-of-age, and a little romance.

Burden is a really good book, a good story, worthy of acclaim ... I look forward to reading the next in the series!






1 Magen McMinimyAuthor 44 books184

Most the time I don’t know where to start my but this time I’ve got it!

I will start by saying this novel was not my typical genre. I’m mostly a paranormal romance, suspense romance and YA reader. I’ve been trying to expand my mind and read outside of my norm… and this book was definitely outside of my norm.

And it was so good. I’ve read a few shorts my the author and I find his style engaging, his attention to detail is pretty amazing, and is something I find I lack in my own writing. He is blaringly descriptive yet I didn’t find myself skimming because of it. It truly added to a fantastic read.

Vance is the leader of this amazing special ops team of super cool creatures. I won’t lie Eza was by far my favorite, though each added something unique and wonderful to the story.

As much as I loved the characters and found them amusing at times, there is no question that this book while imaginative is a bit violent and gruesome at times. And it is so very obvious that a man wrote it (that’s not a bad thing!)

As the team sets on this covert mission into a city where the inhabitants have disappeared, you can
almost feel the devastation as it’s described to you; super creepy at time and definitely made me feel I was in a devastated post-apocalyptic/ post war city.

Messenger has a brilliant way of filling you with false hope in this book lol. So be ready to be shocked and at times devastated by what you read. I’m often accused of being sensitive (yes I cry at commercial featuring abused animals) and this book definitely had me crying throughout.

So all in all I’m so glad I stepped outside of my typical read as I really did enjoy this book. The one thing that caught me as a little off was Keryn’s character, the chapters devoted to her character felt a separate novel to me. Though it all came together in the end. Had I not gotten to know her character as well as I did I’m not sure I would have had the emotional reaction to the ending of this book that I did.
1 Harrington Martin9 5

If you're even remotely interested in military-based sci-fi, this book is for you. If you're a hardened sci-fi vet, or new to the scene, this book is for you. From the very beginning it throws you into a visceral scene that demands attention and just doesn't let up. Burden of Sisyphus carries the reader through the inner-workings of faraway worlds, deep into the dynamics of ship-based combat, and blisters across the pages waves of excitement. The adrenaline that rushes through several of the characters is evident, and very often reflects back on the reader (it certainly did in my case).

There are two plotlines that parallel quite well. I was doing my best to ascertain an area that I, personally, would have shifted differently for effect and I didn't find anything. We have some similarities, this author and I. There were a few editorial changes that I would have made, but nothing critical. That being said, this gem of a story packs such a powerful punch that I find myself hard pressed to think of another in the genre that stands above it. Yeah, it's that good.

From the concept of the The Voice to the training grounds of the Academy, the unique elements that permeate are rich and alluring. I found myself wanting to dig deeper than what was ultimately offered. I suppose that's a good thing as I have a few more books in the series to read.

Overall, I've given this book a legitimate five stars because of `strength of story'. It's a frequently overlooked aspect, in the copy and paste world of modern storytelling. There's so much good to chew on here, I suggest you give `er a look-see. 1 Sara122 7

Burden of Sisyphus, the first book in the Brink of Distinction series, is a science fiction book which details the conflict between the Terran Empire and the Alliance. For 150 years, there's been a truce, with neither side encroaching on the Demilitarized Zone. This first book sets up the main storyline of the conflict, with two parallel plotlines of the story. The first details Vance's team, which is made up of the varying races of the Alliance, which includes Lithids, Wyndgaarts, Avalons, and Uligarts and the mission they were assigned to undertake. The second details Karyn. She is a young Wyndgaart who decides to follow her own path instead of going through the Rite of Initiation, a ceremony where she would have joined the warrior caste of her race. Instead, she decides to attend the Academy on the Avalon homeworld of Arcendor.

What I can say is that from the outset, I absolutely loved this book, and I thought it was extremely well-written. There's plenty of action, suspense, humor, and basically everything I love about science fiction in general. While it is fast-paced, I found it was easy to follow what was going on. Having read the first book, I know that I really want to read the second and third books as well, to see how everything turns out. Something else I really enjoyed about this book is how well the characters are fleshed out, and that includes even minor characters that I grew to care about – especially the members of Vance's team.


I highly recommend this book to any fans of science fiction.read-in-2013 science-fiction1 Michael LoringAuthor 15 books40

Burden of Sisyphus is the first in Author Jon Messenger’s Sci-Fi/Action series Brink of Distinction.

Before truly giving my opinion on this book, I have to give a bit of background. I read this book a while back, but never got to reviewing it due to personal issues at the time. After a while I just plain forgot. Which makes me ashamed, because I’m usually very good with leaving for books I enjoyed. But after the re-release of the entire series I figured I’d leave my review. I went and reacquainted myself, hence why I didn’t leave my review immediately, and now I’m able to leave my honest review for everyone!

In Burden of Sisyphus Author Jon Messenger creates a whole galaxy of uniqueness. I’m often saying the authors I’m reading about creates a unique world, but Jon ups the ante by writing a story that soars across the universe. He blends in military-style action with creatures of his own creation; such as Lithids, Wyndgaarts, Avalons, and Uligarts. The imagination put into this story is unbelievable, and I salute Mr. Messenger for his talent in the science fiction genre!science-fiction-novels1 Shawn Dvorak224

An illusion of peace between the Terrans and the Alliance of alien races has existed for the last 150 years. All the while, the two forces fight covert battles along the neutral zone between their respective regions of space. It appears that the illusion is about to be stripped away as battle looms.

This is an enjoyable and somewhat different take on the clashes between galaxy-spanning civilizations, being told completely from the "alien" point of view. I have to qualify "alien" here since the Alliance includes a number of human worlds that decided to side with the Alliance when the Terran forces launch their assault. This entire first book in the series relates the intertwined stories of aliens and the humans, referred to as Pilgrims to differentiate them from the Terran humans, within the Alliance. The aliens and Pilgrims are closely integrated, and the author presents them all as "human" - it's easy to relate to and the alien characters, although doing so feels vaguely traitorous since the "real" humans of the Terran Federation are understandably seen as the bad guys by the Alliance.1 J. DerekAuthor 2 books5

This book was a hard read for me at first. The first couple of chapters seemed exciting but I truly was having a hard time remembering who was who, and what species they each were. Thankfully it got better, or maybe my memory did... I don't know whatever it was, I found I couldn't put this book down. It took me a week to finish the first 4 chapters reading a chapter at a time. Then a day and half to finish the rest of the book after that.

This book had many elements similar in other books but at the same time written and done in way that made it fresh and in no way a rip off.

I do have to add that a certain point in this book felt reminiscent of the feelings you get when watching Will Smith explore New York in I Am Legend (movie, not the book). I was creeped out wondering what in the world was about to happen. I loved it.

I would recommend this book to any SciFi fan out there. And I give this book a 4.5. It would be a 5 had my brain been able to follow the who and what in the beginning of the book.

Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

home-library1 Ken Butters11 1 follower

I got a free copy of this book during a limited time offer from Amazon.

I d this book quite a bit, but I have to admit the first chapter kind of threw me. It set me on edge against what I thought was a human... but turned out to be a good guy that was a shape-shifter.

There were two stories going on simultaneously. A soldier was the main protagonist in one of the stories, and his sister (a student at a Pilot Space academy) was the protagonist in the other.

Myself, I think I enjoyed following the sister's story better overall, although I think they were both good, and I enjoyed reading the book.1 David Richardson788 7

This is my kinda book with alien races, alien creatures, and space battles. Not too much technology as to make it hard to read and the book is not too long. First book of 3 so I've got 2 more to read. In this book at least, humans seem to be the "bad guys". At the back there is a small section that describes some of the alien races of the Alliance so you might want to check this out first for easier reading. I didn't discover it until I had finished the book because this is the Kindle edition.1 Liquid Frost599 23

What a surprise. Kindle freebie. I mostly read sci-fi, but this one was bordering on fantasy (alien races). The flow of the book was just right - two storylines with a common thread and pulls together at the end. The genetically modified animals was well played and the action/description was quite fun. The book can stand alone, but I plan on continuing the adventure.read-20141 Riss Smith42 2

This trilogy has great character development and an interesting plot that hooks you in this book and keeps you reading through the last. The pace is quick and steady, and you'll be disappointed only that the story ends at just 3 books.1 David285 6

I was happy enough, and interested enough to read this book. The military aspects are not hard core but interest is added through the combination of races involved. Keryn's story was not quite convincing. 3.5 stars really but I would read the others.military-science-fiction1 Kara Lindell7 1 follower

Surprised

Surprised

This book surprised me. I had trouble getting into it at first but as I got to know the characters and the plot built up I began to enjoy it more. I especially enjoyed the female character and her story.1 Michele Skinner38 1 follower

If you the military or Si-fi books, you will love this book. It was a good book, but it wasn't really my taste. Besides it not being my taste, it was well written and kept you going.1 David Kilby11 3

very well done. believable characters and good plot1 Lori235 15

A little confusing at first, but I d the story.1 Maria Victoria Peeler50

It kind of grows on you

only my passion for SF kept me reading what originally looked as clumsy guerilla warfare story. Glad I kept reading!1 Denise6,796 124

Have I mentioned how much it delights me when among all the mediocre, forgettable or downright cringeworthy Kindle freebies I've picked up over the years I discover one that is really, genuinely very much worth the read? This actionpacked military sci-fi series opener was definitely one such case. It took me a while to get into the world (and figure out which characters were worth getting attached to, because damn, this was a bloodbath), but both concurrent plotlines quickly sucked me in - looking forward to part two.own read-2020 AVid_D483 3

Oh dear, a military SF - I should have read the blurb!

I finished it, but I cannot say I enjoyed it much. There was certainly lots of gore and evisceration.

Also, some strange choice of verb tenses and the uncorrected use of "where" instead of "were". John Vanek33

Overall a good read, but somewhat formulaic. I'll probably get book #2.finished2018 Chas.38

This book is really 3 1/2 stars. but the second book is so terrible that I had to put it at two stars. The first book is good for an Indy book but the battle scenes are often too long so these book seemed short to me because I skimmed through them.
There's nothing special about this book but if your looking for some decent Syfy to pass the time it's okay.

Because the author used the word Halo allot, I felt I was reading fanfiction from the Halo video game even though there are lots of differences, I still kept seeing parallels.

In the second book the main character is absolutely wacko. She moans about the fact that she killed her objective out of anger and then when two seconds later, she finds out he's not really dead she gets angry again and wants to kill him again forgetting how stupid she was for trying to kill him in the first place out of anger. The second book is filled with stupid drama, crying and vengeance and just lots of stupidity. JimAuthor 9 books49

In a word: OUTSTANDING. This book kept me turning pages - I was unable to put it down. The story is exciting and suspenseful. Even between the action scenes, a lot of wonderful character development continued to advance the story. The alien life forms are brilliantly crafted in their physical form as well as their individual personalities and mannerisms. When I reached the end of this book, I was glad I already had Book 2 on my reader, because I jumped right into it. Cassandra18 15

I keep coming back

I don't remember how I found this book, but I thought it was weird and twisted and wonderful and the entire series just blew my mind. I have come back to it and reread it. I have suggested it to friends and family members as one of the most surprising and delightful isn't the right word but engaging sci-fi books I've read. It is 100% worth a try. Grant P Richardson Jr13 Read

This was fantastic

an exciting and fun book great twist and turns could barely put it down left me in tears can hardly wait to read the next book in the series highly recommend this book for any sci-fi fans top notch. Rfc17

after the first two chapters - the writing itself has not been particularly rewarding, and the story has not offered much beyond violence. Bill DeniseAuthor 8 books

Be careful: I d this book, but the series goes downhill from here. Mike9

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