Heâs just a guy living an ordinary life.
Or so he thought.
Now the fate of the galaxies depends on his every move.
In the twenty-third century, Earth has evolved and is fully automated. The human race has successfully merged organics with synthetics, reached the outskirts of the Milky Way, discovered extraterrestrial civilizations and formed an interstellar alliance. As an intergalactic war approaches, no one knows that the galaxyâs fate hinges on one guy.
Overworked and underpaid, Austin Ashcroft is angry at the world, but he soon discovers that he is more than just an ordinary guy and is recruited by a mysterious cyborg.
When his life becomes intertwined with the Galactic Union Space Force and an enchanting metaphysician, he suddenly finds himself at the center of an intergalactic struggle where he has no choice but to fulfil his obligations to the Sol Alliance.
Caught between duty and the urge to follow his heart, he must prove his worth before the most evil power in the galaxy finds an artifact that could bring the end to all organic life.
Heâs just a guy living an ordinary life.
Or so he thought.
Now the fate of the galaxies depends on his every move.
In the twenty-third century, Earth has evolved and is fully automated. The human race has successfully merged organics with synthetics, reached the outskirts of the Milky Way, discovered extraterrestrial civilizations and formed an interstellar alliance. As an intergalactic war approaches, no one knows that the galaxyâs fate hinges on one guy.
Overworked and underpaid, Austin Ashcroft is angry at the world, but he soon discovers that he is more than just an ordinary guy and is recruited by a mysterious cyborg.
When his life becomes intertwined with the Galactic Union Space Force and an enchanting metaphysician, he suddenly finds himself at the center of an intergalactic struggle where he has no choice but to fulfil his obligations to the Sol Alliance.
Caught between duty and the urge to follow his heart, he must prove his worth before the most evil power in the galaxy finds an artifact that could bring the end to all organic life.
Austin
Galactic Spiced Rice. Who the hell came up with that? Austin wiped his unruly brows. Last time he checked the menu he didnât plaster it with Space Captainâs Vegan Platter, Pluto Steak with Half Moon Sauce, Extra Terrestrial Truffle and that. Galactic. Spiced. Rice.
He adjusted his bow tie and fought the urge to yank it off. Like the rest of his colleagues, he wore a white shirt with a silly black bow tie. After dedicating ten years of his life to Poseidon - the countryâs most prestigious heritage-status restaurant - it had become more than his livelihood.
Fragments of his existence lurked in every cracked staircase and refurbished corner of the estate, thanks to his sweat, blood, and tears. Yet his spoiled-brat-boss made him wear a stupid uniform. Austin grimaced.The universe sure had a funny way of throwing Taurean Flooseberries at him.
Officially head-chef, he took care of the kitchen, admin, staffing and problems he didnât sign up for. He ensured Max behaved, Kim didnât overreact and Poseidonâs âunfinished businessâ was seen to. Austin cursed under his breath. Why put up with it? The question resurfaced to the forefront of his mind time and time again. But if he packed up and left, it meant heâd be launching his hard work out of a battlecruiserâs airlock and into oblivion.
âYou â with the mohawk!â Austin said as he pointed at Colt, one of the kitchen boys.
The kid held a medium-sized bowl in one arm whilst the other mixed the contents with a spatula. Austin clicked his tongue at the fusion of yellow and orange inside the bowl.
âWhatâs up, boss?â Colt answered as he tore his gaze away from the yellow-orange mixture. Austin found it difficult to stay focused thanks to his recent style transformation. One mass of long electric blue hair topped his shaved head. Sure, Colt was peculiar looking, but it didnât matter because his skills were better than the best droid on the market.
âNumber one; I ainât the boss,â Austin said with a bitter note. âNumber two; that mush is too runny, mate.â He indicated the ingredients on the side. âYouâve got to add more of that. Itâs got to be velvety.â
âNo problem boss,â Colt mumbled with a slight nod.
Poseidonâs kitchens were at the far end of the restaurant. Austinâs lips stretched to a grin. The stone walls, rocky steps and carved arches and columns were characteristics of an era long gone.
Austin imagined what it meant to lead a life without neon signs and holos constantly bombarding him with useless information. His chest swelled with pride at the thought of Poseidon and how they were the only ones who served non-replicated food in the entire country.
Spotlights radiated a golden glow too cozy for a commercial kitchen. Air flowed from an open window, and Austin sighed. At least a refreshing breeze seeped in. There was nothing more energizing than natural, non-recycled air. He paused and glanced at the appliances, which for centuries, were awarded ârelicâ status. But they recently restored the oven and optimized it for commercial use, and it produced better results than any food replicator. And the fridge-freezer? Austin couldnât imagine what heâd do without appliances designed to preserve raw ingredients for non-replicator recipes.
âTash!â Austin barked as he strode to the fridge.
âUh-huh?â Tash said - one of the best in Austinâs team.
He was more strange looking than Colt. Austin wondered how an adolescent with no trace of stubble one day showed up with a full grown mustache the next. Synthetic enhancements. What else could it be? Everyone and their aunt had synthetic enhancementsâŚ
âThe spices. Are they ready? I needâem,â Austin said, and he poured rice in a pan of boiling water.
âUh-huh.â
Tash brought a small bowl with an assortment of ingredients reduced to fine powder. A robust aroma peppered the workstation. Austin recognized them - they were imported from Mars! No terrestrial seasoning had the strength to sting the insides of his nostrils the way the overpowering scent of Martian spices did.
âWhat a gent. Get cracking with the vegetables like I showed you,â Austin said. He gave Tash a side glance. âGot that?â
âUh-huh,â Tash grumbled, and he returned to his work station.
A display of red, orange and yellow contrasted with mellow tones of the countertop, as fresh bell peppers covered it.
They moved around the kitchen, slicing, mixing, and working as one unit until three complete dishes of Galactic Spiced Rice were ready.
A bell chimed as sweet as the peppers would taste. Austin turned to the open compartment connecting the kitchen to the short corridor which led to the grand hall. The bell rang until its soft tings amplified to eardrum-bursting screeches.
âBloody hell,â Austin muttered under his breath. He slammed his hand against the bell and stopped the sound.
âGuess whoâs complaining about the long wait again? Three-eyed Faye,â Max said.
Max, Austinâs closest friend and colleague, was a well-built man and proud of it â why else wear an ill-fitting uniform? The white shirt hugged him so tight his biceps bulged and threatened to tear the seams. From the waist down? No comment.
âFive more minutes, mate!â
Austin returned to the workstation, where the rest of the order lay ready for assembly.
âI get youâre talented but, preparing food the old way is going to kill you. Use a couple of droids. Better yet, letâs get a replicator,â Max said from afar. He leaned against the opening in the wall.
âThereâs no way weâre going to serve food from a replicator. Thatâs not our unique selling point,â Austin replied. He rolled his eyes. âAnd did I ask for your opinion? Nah.â
âJust saying,â Max mumbled.
Austin grabbed two finished dishes, gesturing at Colt and Tash to do the same with the other three.
âOrder for table twenty-two. Off you go, mate.â
Max gripped the meals and balanced them on his forearms and raised a brow.
âBy the way, who had the brilliant idea to change the menu?â He asked.
âItâs what Iâd like to know,â Austin said.
Since when was changing the menu a joint effort? He clicked his tongue and waited for someone to own up.
âI did. Kind of,â Colt said, raising his hand.
âWhat do you mean?â
Austinâs brows furrowed as his head jerked towards the kitchen assistant.
âPoseidon is old. The menu needed a modern twist. I used a generator to make changes,â Colt replied. He wiped down the surface of a nearby workstation.
âWait, what? You used a generator? A machine?â
Austin didnât need to make a scene. But there were two issues. One; the kid thought he could change the menu without his permission. Two; a generator took away the authentic experience of dining, like in the twentieth century.
âI want to hear this! Donât continue the conversation without me,â Max said. He sprinted down the corridor, balancing the Galactic Spiced Rices until he disappeared to the grand hall.
Austinâs mouth gaped. Humans had mastered creativity. No simulation could devise something original like a human would. Flabbergasted, he waited for an explanation. He never used software to create for Poseidon and had no intention of starting anytime soon.
âMate, you couldnât come up with decent names. You got a machine to do it?â He exhaled hard. âWhen you said Poseidon is old you hit the nail right on the head!â
âThe thing is boss⌠cutting, mixing, slicing, stirring and stuff. Nobody does it,â Tash piped up. He joined them at the opening in the wall.
âYeah, heâs right.â Colt nodded. âNobodyâs been doing it for generations.â
Austin shook his head. âCan droids put the same passion in it as humans do?â His arms stretched out. âNo. Besides, people come here specifically for non-replicator food. Cooked from scratch. Fresh.â
The bell rang, sending a jolt through Austinâs body. He turned around with such force, he threatened to upset the nearby counter.
âOnce is all it takes,â Austin said through gritted teeth.
âWhat did I miss?â Max asked.He had sprinted down the corridor and thanks to the color risen to his cheeks, it showed.
âTellâem Max,â Austin remarked. âWe bring authenticity. This makes Poseidon different from everywhere else. Itâs our unique selling point.â
âItâs time consuming and pointless in this day and age, but youâve got a point. People come here to experience what fresh food tastes like.â Max agreed from the other side of the opening in the wall.
âIs there a single day this place isnât full of clients? No. People want an authentic experience,â Austin said. âBesides, look what happened to the geezer at the Observatory.â He crossed his arms. âI knew droids were dangerous.â
âYou mean the sentient droid who killed the engineer from Robotica International?â Maxâs eyes widened. âI heard. The thought of crossing paths with one of them makes me nervous.â
âSee?â Austin turned to the two kitchen assistants. âSentient droids are dangerous. Imagine coming to work, one of them goes crazy, and next thing you know you end up crunched.â
Colt shook his head, and Austin couldnât help but notice the blue strands of hair stick out on end.
âSomething must have made it glitch,â Colt said as he scrubbed the surface of his workstation. âDroids donât go crazy without a logical explanation.â
The bell rang again. Austin tilted his head to see who stood behind Max. Eli Milnyc. To everyone, he was the boss. For Austin, he was just Eli. The proprietor was a spoiled teen with gelled back baby blond hair, clothed in a suit tailored to perfection which was adorned with silver thread.
âYou,â he croaked. âI want to see you in my office.â
His voice was like the ribit of a frog, and Austin grew accustomed to his distinctive accent after dealing with his hologram for months since the end of the Varnican War. At least his father, the former boss, was kinder to his employees.
âNow? Leave the kitchen mid-service?â Austin asked.
He narrowed his eyes at the crackling edges of Eliâs form. It wasnât Eli in flesh and bone, of course. It was his hologram. Rarely, the spoiled brat showed up in person. He glared at the teen up and down and couldnât swallow the fact that after the Varnican War he became the sole heir to the Poseidon estate when the kid didnât work a day in his life. Austin pursed his lips.
âYes,â Eli said.
His pudgy hands rested on his waist. An unusual frown colored his juvenile face with a taint of terror. Austin removed his apron at once and hung it on the side. Eliâs hologram crackled further, and he waited until it fully disappeared before letting out a groan and sprinted out of the kitchen.
Eliâs office was tucked away at the top of a long tower with a side turret. Situated away from the kitchens and dining halls. In fact, it was in a separate part of the estate, connected to the main building by a terrace.
As he approached the tower, his paces pounded against the stone pavement as he strode across the terrace. He took a deep breath of frozen air and coughed as he exhaled. Dense clouds dotted the lavender sky and icy wind cut through his skin. The stone building had a nostalgic quality, which filled him with curiosity.
The stone arches holding the terrace reached colossal heights, and upon reaching the other side of the long terrace, he ran up the spiral stairs until he reached Eliâs office. Strange silence surrounded him. As his heart pounded faster and harder, so did his steps against the stone pavement. He knocked on the door. His shoulders reached his neck as he shivered underneath his uniform. He knocked again. There was no answer. No rustling of special documents. No clinking of metal from the other side of the door.
âYou asked for me and Iâm here, kid. Open up,â Austin said as he knocked again.
He clenched his fist with impatience as his other hand clutched the door handle. âThis better not be one of your pranks.â
He slammed the door open, expecting to see Eli leap out of a cupboard to startle him. He half expected to see him in a fit of childish giggles. Instead, a strong wave of silence greeted him. The humming of Eliâs gadgets and monitors on standby became the source of his uneasiness.
âEli? Are you in here, mate?â Austin said as he stepped into the room.
He circled the desk. Eliâs NoteCatcher lay upon it untouched. Austinâs glance raised to the screens on standby. Someone stacked them in neat rows and columns on shelves, which covered the far wall. Austin slammed the door shut on his way out.
He raced down the cracked stone staircase, across the outdoor terrace, past the wilting synthetic palm trees and through the rear entrance. As soon as he entered the restaurant, a wave of heat knocked him. Somebody must have messed up the central heating. Or another level four safety breach.
He tore off his ridiculous bow tie before heâd drench his clothes with sweat. Despite the scorching heat nobody had done anything about it. Austin couldnât decide which was worse. He exhaled sharply as he stormed to reception.
âWas I about to send out a search party? Yeah,â Max said.
âHe wasnât there. Itâs got to be another one of Eliâs pranks,â Austin said. He rolled up his sleeves and tugged at the collar of his shirt. âWhatâs going on with the air-con?â
Kim struggled at the control panel. He exhaled hard. Her dark sharp brows were upside down, her cheeks were flushed, and he knew what it meant. Austin heard Maxâs footsteps as he followed him to the control panel.
âThe hellâs going on, Kim?â Austin demanded.
âTash said to turn up the heating and then, it wasnât working and then, Colt troubleshooted the problem and then, the heating started working and then, it got too hot and thenââ
âAnd then what?â Austin asked.
He glared at the control panelâs screen. He hoped with all his existence this wasnât a job for a maintenance droid. Austinâs finger hit the screen a little too hard as it shook each time he tapped.
âIâm sorry Austin, I canât get it to lower the temperature,â Kim said.
Her moon-shaped eyes were glossy and definitely filled with tears, waiting to spill. Austin gently shook his head. Not nowâŚ
âDonât worry about it,â Austin said in a soft tone, but a stream of tears cascaded down her face.
From the corner of his eye, he saw her glance at the floor. He stepped away from the control panel. It was a maintenance droid job and there was nothing he could do about it, apart from ventilating the dining rooms with open windows. He shook his head. Eli inherited Poseidon and as a spoiled rich kid, it was no surprise he didnât have the slightest clue or care about how to run the place. Austin crossed his arms.
âWhat?â Max said. He wiped his forehead. âLog a job?â
âYou can give it a shot,â Austin said.
He scoffed. Poseidon was a heritage site, but a business in the twenty-third century. Last time he logged a job for a maintenance droid they didnât turn up.
A sudden cry startled him out of his thoughts. Kimâs face creased like a baby throwing a tantrum. She sobbed and as much as he welcomed being the go-to-person, he stood petrified, wondering how on Earth she was accepted by the nationâs most prestigious computer science institution despite working full time at Poseidon.
âItâs m-my f-fault⌠itâs m-my-fault.â
As Kim cried, Max and Austin exchanged looks. Kim cried. Thatâs what she did.
Austin cleared his throat and stood in front of her. âIt ainât your fault. Ainât nobodyâs fault. Sometimes stuff like this happens. Itâs going to be alright.â
Kim nodded and hastily wiped her tears away and tried to hide, but her eyes never lied. They were glossy, and Austin knew sheâd cry again later. But Kimâs nature consisted of hyperbole. She cried.
âA little dramatic, donât you think?â Max said in a low voice.
âItâs always dramatic with Kim and you know it,â Austin replied.
âWhat?â Max said.
âIâm used to Eli being gone most of the time, but what he did back there was downright strange,â Austin said pensively. âI mean, he never shows up in person and he programs his holos to send a message, but what was the point of making me go all the way to his stupid tower?â
âYou said it yourself. He pranks you all the time just to annoy you,â Max replied.
âYeah, but this time itâs different. Didnât you see the expression on his face? Itâs like he was scared, or something.â Austin scratched his beard.
âPale as a ghoul? But you know holograms make you look a little less like yourself,â Max said. âYouâll see him appearing again in a few hours because of boredom. Must be nice having so much money youâre boredâŚâ
âMust be nice not having to work for it either.â
Austin groaned. Sonny, the guy with the tattooed face, power-walked in his direction.
âWhat?â He asked.
âYou gotta see this, Austin. Itâs getting out of hand.â Sonny pointed at the kitchens
âGreat,â Austin muttered and they followed him. âOh hell no!â Austin exclaimed as he entered the kitchen. Another wave of heat!
His heart skipped a beat as Tash launched a pan which was headed in his direction. Austin ducked before the pan hit him square in the face. It clashed behind him with the most irritating clack.
Austinâs fingers tingled all of a sudden. He clenched his fists. Max stood like a sculpture with his arms stretched out, but he didnât move. Colt gripped a wok, and stood still. Tash towered over a workstation as though frozen. Silence surrounded him. Time stopped! Austinâs fingers tingled again.
Then, the pan dropped with an echo. Austinâs jaw dropped. Everything resumed. Tash roared. Colt threw the wok. Max tried to grab Colt by the hair. And the rumble, hissing and clattering of the kitchen continued. He swallowed hard. Sweat trickled faster down his temples. He stared at his palms - what in the world happened?
Tash launched a pan at Colt. The kid ducked. The pan grazed his newly colored mohawk. Austin side-stepped, knocking Max aside. The pan hit the door behind him, where he stood a few moments ago, dropping with an ear-deafening clang.
âBloody hell,â Austin muttered.
Max stood between them. Tash shifted on his feet and swayed side-to-side to dodge Max. He failed.
âWhatâs up, boss?â Colt said. He wiped his bottom lip, which dripped with blood thanks to his split lip - courtesy of Tash.
âSomebody care to tell me what the hellâs going on here?â Austin said.
He crossed his arms. Pots and pans cluttered the work stations. Judging from the fluorescent pink liquid on the floor, someone spilled at least a weekâs worth of Arcturus Dream Dessert.
âYouâre busy doing Eliâs job, someoneâs got to lead the kitchens,â Colt said. âAnd Iâm the best person for it.â He wiped his uniform. Half of it was drenched with fluorescent pink liquid. âYou know Iâm the best person.â
âYeah, right?â Tash scoffed. He leaned to the side, dodging Maxâs arm, which acted as a barrier. âYou canât even plate up a simple Pleiadian Pie. Thatâs like, basic!â
Austin squeezed his eyes. He didnât sign up for this. Just when cash flow problems were nearly over, another problem presented itself. He cleared his throat. But with all the work and responsibility he put into Poseidon, they better damn well consider him as the boss.
âSay what?â Colt said. He shuffled closer, but Max didnât move an inch. âYou donât know the difference between a fridge and a freezer!â His voice went up an octave. âAppliances of the twenty-first century - thatâs basic!â
âOh shut-up!â Tash snapped.
âYou shut-up!â Colt snapped back. âYou think you can run this kitchen?â He snapped his fingers.
Austin heaved a sigh.
âPack it in!â His voice boomed over theirs and immediately they hushed. âI got a million problems and this shouldnât be one of them.â His brows lowered to his eyelids. Tension accumulated in his neck and shoulders. Stiff and immobile. He unclenched his fists. Counted to ten. Barking at them would make things worse and it wouldnât explain what had happened a few moments ago when everything froze. Everything frozeâŚ
âListen,â he continued. âIâm head chefâŚwith extra duties. Nobody makes no decisions without my go-ahead. And nobody sure as hell ainât replacing me âtil I say and I know one of you is ready.â He narrowed his eyes. âAm I clear?â
Colt and Tash nodded in unison and before they could utter another word, he gestured at the mess they made.
âLook around you, mate!â Austin said. He paced back and forth, attempting to release the adrenaline. âYou think this represents Poseidon? You think I sacrificed a bloody decade of my life for this?â He gestured at the beeping appliances, spilled dessert and the pots and pans scattered around in a mess. âNah, mate. And for the record, just because Eli makes an occasional appearance via hologram every once in a while, it doesnât mean heâs not the boss anymore,â Austin added with a bitter note.
If the universe wasnât against him, the place would run a little smoother, and he didnât have to take on more than he could handle. If the universe wasnât out to get him, maybe heâd be in a better position, and he could make it to the end of the month with more than a loaf of Moonbread.
If the universe stopped throwing Taurean Flooseberries at him, perhaps heâd never have lost his siblings and parents during the Varnican War. He exhaled hard .
âI swearâŚsometimes itâs like school all over again,â Austin said. âIf we donât pull together and work with each other, weâre never going to make it.â
He stared at his palms again as his heart caught in his throat. Moments ago his hands tingled. Moments ago everything froze. He squeezed his eyes. No. It couldnât be possible - he did not just stop time. It was impossibleâŚright?Â
Austin Ashcroft thought that managing a teenager's inherited estate (including a historical-yet-still-functioning "real" kitchen) was the biggest of his problems.
When an unusual hologram from his boss, Eli (16) and the ability to stop time literally hits him mid-service, the old-fashioned Austin finds himself dragged into a destiny greater than anyone can imagine.
Austin and his colleague/friend Max each inherit supernatural powers following a lightning storm in their city. This storm also awakens a once-herbalist-now Seer to guide Austin, a Chosen One of sorts, as well as other beings predestined to stop the destruction of the known world in a Science Fantasy that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
A Galaxy of Crossed Destinies is a unique and intriguing Science Fantasy, though I would hesitate to call it "Science Fiction". Hard scientific laws/rules for the 'powers' the group of heroes inherits is either not explained or explained in a way that they get lost in the shuffle of fast-paced action and character development. There are powers to see the future as well, which are not explained scientifically. With all that being said, this is a Science Fantasy well worth reading.
Austin is an intriguing and relatable main character; he is an old soul called to grow into and accept his role in the current world (and even save it). The cast of characters was diverse and complex, from timid but capable Kim to strong cyborgs and deadly Drax warriors (lizard-like indestructible creatures who, like Star Trek's "Borg" assimilate their captives).
The villain(s) are cool, and the assassin Shadow is a morally-grey character in the beginning, which really adds to the suspense of wondering whether or not she will truly become evil in the end.
I am giving this book a three-star review because, though original, the action-scenes often left me confused. Senn does a phenomenal job with providing easy-to-imagine settings in non-action scenes and leading up to the action, but once the action is going there are places that feel as though parts of sentences were skipped or got chopped off and picked back up.
Because this is a spoiler-free review, I cannot provide examples, but these holes were minor and overall I was able to follow the main plot in a way that left me feeling that this book is worth reading.
There are also several typos throughout the book that stood out, missing words, and name flips (maybe from a previous draft?) that pulled me out of the scene and made me re-read parts to figure out who was doing/saying what.
Overall, A Galaxy of Crossed Destinies is an entertaining piece worth reading, if you enjoy classics like Star Wars, Star Trek, and original takes on the Chosen One/Challenging Fate tropes.
**Trigger Warnings: War, Torture Mentioned, Kidnapping, Drugging, Capture/Murder of Minor Children Under Age 18, Gore, Alcoholism Mentioned, Genocide Mentioned**