A Heartfelt Thank You
To all those who have made the IX such a success.
#1 Bestseller on Amazon
Still topping the charts on multiple Goodreads lists
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Look at some of the reviews:
Make This Superb, Sensational, Spectacular Story Into A Movie Please!
This review is from: The IX (Kindle Edition)
Maximum aggression is what you get when you bring together three elite groups of warriors from three different time periods under the Eagle of the Ninth Legion. Take these warriors, soldiers, and war fighters, along with their enemies, and place them at a time and place in the future to pool their talents and resources to try to save a more advanced civilization from perishing. Excellent plot, you will definitely feel like you got an episode of Star Trek, Star Wars, and the Annals of Military History, past and present, fused into one tremendous, free flowing, fast moving, action packed, thrilling, exhilirating, breathtaking, roller-coaster, epic confrontation of good versus evil.
The writing is superb. The characters are well developed, and you definitely care about the outcome of the various groups of combatants involved in this story. It's 451 pages long, so even if you are like me, a really fast reader who wants to get from page 1 to page last as soon as possible, I don't think you should read it that way. Slow down, enjoy the journey, and deal with the people you meet, the problems they face and must overcome, and identify the characters who are most like you. Do you see yourself in the roles of one of the various leaders, or are you a mystic with a vision that will unite the tribes?
Let me finish with a few superlatives. It's only the end of January, but let there be no doubt that I seriously do not anticipate reading a better book in 2015. This book has it all. It crosses genre-boundaries, has characters who you can despise, characters who you can love, and characters who you wonder whether or not you could tolerate / stand them / put up with them very long in real life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this magnificent book. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Weston in the future. He clearly has quite a clever mind that is able to bring his background knowledge about the military and law enforcement to form a harmonious relationship with his creative talents.
This one is a must-read for 2015. Obviously it's five stars, and anyone who enjoys scifi, fantasy, military, humanity at its best and humanity at its worst, will enjoy this book. I've got to say that I think all people from age 12 to age 100 will find this book enormously entertaining. This book definitely should be made into a movie. I would cast Denzell Washington as Marcus Brutus, Prime Centurion of the first Cohort of the Ninth Legion of Rome. Oh, Marcus is my favorite character in this book, since he's a lot like me. Who will your favorite character be?
*******
"Weston's mix of history, metaphysics and real science ventures into territory not often explored in science fiction. What happened to the IX Legion of ancient Rome? Find out here, where Past, Present and Future are masterfully blended in an epic novel that takes classic elements to new heights. Weston has a true gift for superb storytelling and memorable characters. This one is not to be missed."
--- Joe Bonadonna, author of Mad Shadows: The Weird Tales of Dorgo the Dowser, Three Against The Stars, and others.
*******
The IX.
First, let’s get this out of the way. I was given a review copy of this book for a fair and honest review. Anyone who reads my reviews, know I usually only post the ones where I can give a 5 or 4 star. Anything else I contact the author and attempt to explain why I can’t do better. That said, this is not just an...other 5 star review. I would give this one at least an 8 if it were possible. I stayed up way too late to finish the book. It not only had me on the edge of my seat, it twisted me into knots at the end. Whoa! This is a science fiction story to get and hold on to. It is an amazing work with a mind boggling conclusion. Frankly, I’m still processing it. Excellent, fantastic story! The author’s imagination leaves me gasping.
Cherime MacFarlane
*******
Format: Kindle Edition
'The IX' by Andrew P. Weston is a masterpiece. The story is about the fate of the Ninth Roman Legion (the IX) that disappeared from historical records around the year 108. In this superb novel the author gives us his take on what might have happened to these warriors.
It is well-written and skilful with protagonists larger than life.
A job well done!
Highly recommended for fans of historical fantasy
*******
ByWalter Rhein
Format: Kindle Edition
As I was reading “The IX” I was reminded of “A Canticle for Leibowitz.” The comparison is more of a shadow correlation because it was about fifteen years ago that I read “Canticle,” but the enduring trait of that novel is its breadth. You get a sense of the passage of time and the enormity of the universe and this sensation also applies to “The IX.”
First of all, the concept of “The IX” is fantastic. The idea of gathering up warriors from different ages and throwing them into a fight for their life is the kind of starting point most sci-fi/fantasy fans will jump at. The only drawback of an idea like this is realizing it in a way that doesn’t appear campy or contrived. If the author rushes to get to the punch, the effect is cheapened. However, Andrew Weston is too skilled an author to fall into this trap. The mechanics of this book are rock solid, and Weston stays true to the established rules.
The first quarter of the book details the backgrounds of the various protagonists who will populate the novel. The reader gets to spend significant amount of time with all of them in their native setting. These moments are not rushed, and the presence of significant back story sets up the suspicion that there is an interconnectedness of fate which causes the actions of their past to impact the future. However, this theme isn’t applied in a “Cloud Atlas” kind of way, it’s just a lurking presence that adds spice to the whole experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It has enough action to keep you entertained and turning the pages on a first reading, and enough subtext to make you want to revisit it again and again. Andrew Weston is a skilled storyteller and his work shows the polish of an experienced craftsman (with minimal search I found many examples of his writing published with “Amazing Stories”).
Check out “The IX,” you won’t be disappointed.
*******
Format: Kindle Edition
If you love heroes, military history, science fiction and fantasy or metaphysical adventure, this is the book for you. Warriors from the past, present and future are recruited at the moment of death and snatched away to fight in a far future against an implacable enemy. The IX (pronounced The Ninth), a real Roman legion who went missing in the first century AD, are among those taken, along with American Indians, Civil War fighters, and 21st century commandos. The story is deep, compelling, the science and history sparkles with clarity, creativity, and insight. But the characters are the great draw in this story, a grand step forward in military sf and fantasy. You'll be on the edge of your chair for the climax of this major novel by an amazing, polymathic new talent. Five stars because there are no more to give. I received a pre-publication copy for review and I'm glad I'll be one of the first to tell you: "Buy this book."
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And that's just a sample!
Why don't you fin out for yourself what all the fuss is about?
The IX
Death is only the beginning of the adventure.
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