Shop Ani- May
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$0.99 with 91 percent savings
Print List Price: $11.00

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.

Audiobook Price: $3.99

Save: $2.00 (50%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Donald B. McFarlane
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Minus Epsilon: The Earth Saga I (The Earth Saga Universe Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Donald B. McFarlane (Author), Thea Magerand (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 366 ratings
Humanity thought they were the only intelligent life in the universe. They were wrong.

An alien spacecraft has crashed on Earth.

A group of scientists want to establish contact with the aliens.

A hostile government wants to nuke the crash site.

Special Forces Major Joe Hunt is caught in the middle.

With time running out to establish a peaceful relationship with the aliens, Joe must battle his instincts and unexpected forces that threaten the very future of humanity. Regardless of what happens, Earth risks being dragged into a galactic civil war it's not ready for.

Minus Epsilon is classic military science fiction that fans of Marko Kloos and Joe Haldeman won’t want to miss. Readers call this thrilling first-contact novel “the most amazing action sci-fi romp”.
The Earth Saga:
Minus Epsilon, Book I
Defiant Order, Book II
Horizons, Book III
Remnants of Empire, Book IV
Edge of the Vortex, Book V
Condition Zero, Book VI

Earth Saga Standalones:
Standish
Love in a Time of War
The Gauloi
A War Beneath the Clouds
Murder on Valtameri
Arpina & Fairlight
Escape from Jarosis
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 9
    The Earth Saga Universe
  2. Print length
    352 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    December 22, 2013
  6. File size
    3.7 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 9 books in this series.

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  3. First Contact
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  7. Standish: The Earth Saga Universe
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  16. First Command
    Just released
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  21. Cody's War: Flight Of The Hope
    Kindle Edition
    $2.99
  22. Metatalta, Daggered Wings
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  23. Battlestations (The Iron Fleet Book 1)
    Just released
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  25. Razor Sharp (D Branch Book 1)
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  26. Star Empires
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  27. Reunion (Kingdom Lost Book 1)
    Just released
    Kindle Edition
    $5.99
  30. The Lightning War: Rising Storm
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
Next page
Loading...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HHDXFGY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon Digital Services
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 22, 2013
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 8th
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 9 ‏ : ‎ The Earth Saga Universe
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 366 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Donald B. McFarlane

Donald B. McFarlane

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

This London based author was born in the United Kingdom, but reared in Atlanta, Georgia, creating some kind of strange mid-Atlantic mutant. With a history degree and a short stint in the army, Donald is writing the kind of sci-fi that he enjoys.

This UK/US author is currently writing a nine book sci-fi series set in modern times, along with a number of standalone titles set in the same universe. These books are action-packed pulp. Fun for anyone who enjoys explosions, space-battles, and the occasional romance.

Top 5 Sci-Fi Films/TV:

Aliens

BattleStar Galactica

Blade Runner

Dredd

Edge of Tomorrow

Top 2 Sci-Fi Books:

Forever War

StarShip Troopers

www.donaldbmcfarlane.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
366 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a fun space opera with an excellent story about first contact and good character development. The writing quality receives mixed feedback, with some customers finding it well written while others note numerous typos.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and enjoyable, describing it as a fun space opera with a page-turning plot. One customer notes that the story has many layers.

"...Well written dialog, character building, and edge of the seat storyline!..." Read more

"...Still very much worth reading." Read more

"...I like also that the story has many layers. Ill be reading as long as the author keeps writing." Read more

"...Definitely worth reading if you are a fan of sci-fi! Thumbs up!" Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"This is how you do it! Well written dialog, character building, and edge of the seat storyline!..." Read more

"Well written. Engaging characters. Could use a beta reader for small incorrect words or spelling. Still very much worth reading." Read more

"...It has a likeable hero, love interest and robots. I like also that the story has many layers. Ill be reading as long as the author keeps writing." Read more

"...Minus Epsilon has a not-so-over-the-top feel, the human characters are easy to relate to and the aliens are well done too...." Read more

3 customers mention "Story quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, particularly praising its first contact narrative.

"Excellent story about first contact!..." Read more

"Good 1st Contact Story..." Read more

"Great first contact tale..." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some noting numerous typos throughout.

"This is how you do it! Well written dialog, character building, and edge of the seat storyline!..." Read more

"...Numerous typos and other errors throughout all books. And the pros is largely bad and can be off putting...." Read more

"Well written. Engaging characters. Could use a beta reader for small incorrect words or spelling. Still very much worth reading." Read more

"...The editing was poorly done. Too many grammatical errors and typos. Distracted from the enjoyment of the story." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Tool Driver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story about first contact!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is how you do it! Well written dialog, character building, and edge of the seat storyline!
    This story starts out with a space battle that goes sideways very quickly, leading to an alien starship that crashes to earth in South America!
    Watching SETI and the various countries of the world respond to the circumstances is very interest, as the location of the starship crash is outside the norm!
    I don’t want to give too much away, but you have evil Russians and private corporations who either want to acquire the advanced technology or destroy it and the aliens that weld it!
    Can’t wait to read the next book!!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • John Holley
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good 1st Contact Story
    Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Well written. Engaging characters. Could use a beta reader for small incorrect words or spelling.
    Still very much worth reading.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great first contact tale
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A very well written story about the universality of sentience. It has a likeable hero, love interest and robots. I like also that the story has many layers. Ill be reading as long as the author keeps writing.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kathleen MacNeil
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, disturbingly realistic tale of human/alien contact
    Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this debut by McFarlane, and I found it disturbingly realistic in its predictions about how Earth would respond to an alien landing by an advanced, intelligent species (or in this case, many species). Of course, the U.S. would try to be front and center, and of course other countries (can you guess who? =-) would try to interfere. McFarlane employs his military knowledge to enhance the realism of the tale, and creates a likeable protagonist in Joe Hunt, who exhibits wisdom, trustworthiness, and noble intentions as he navigates the tricky business of intergalactic diplomacy.

    The nail-biting climax of the story makes you anxious to see how things will progress in the second book in the series - which I am currently reading! Definitely worth reading if you are a fan of sci-fi! Thumbs up!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jr
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, sub standard pros
    Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This series is plot triennial no mistake. There's no character development. That's fine. Good story. Made the whole alien first contact with modern earth interesting. But this guy needs to fire the editor.

    Numerous typos and other errors throughout all books. And the pros is largely bad and can be off putting.

    Instead of his voice went hoarse we get horse..... And for the writing we get lines like "he conducted a combat roll" when telling us a character is dodging incoming small arms fire. How about "he rolled". What's this conducted nonsense.

    Anyway, up too you to decide if the story is worth the terrible writing as you proceed.

    This review is for all the series.
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jim
    4.0 out of 5 stars fun space opera book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Fast paced, fun space opera book. The editing was poorly done. Too many grammatical errors and typos. Distracted from the enjoyment of the story.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Ryan Beck
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    First of all, I'm not a huge fan of the Sci Fi genre, that being said, I felt like this was a great story. Minus Epsilon has a not-so-over-the-top feel, the human characters are easy to relate to and the aliens are well done too. The story also has a very believable factor to it that I really enjoy. I'm definitely moving on to book 2!
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Erick Ocasio Rivera
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book. Read it in a couple of days. Really great story. Already ordered book 2.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Marc Francis Kerr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Plot
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Flows well and makes a change that the main characters aren't human. Overall a good read and story line. Enjoying the characters.
    Report
  • Richard
    4.0 out of 5 stars How first contact could unfold
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I quite enjoyed this book - being a sucker for military sci-fi, I was quickly drawn into it.
    The tale follows Major Hunt and Communications Officer Ranix - human and alien respectively - during a first contact scenario on Earth between two different cultures and the political fallout that such an encounter would bring.
    The main element I didn’t enjoy was how idealistic some of the scenarios were that don’t match the character’s skill sets, etc.
    That being said, the pace was good, the action - though minimal - was gripping and the story was nicely left on a cliffhanger with questions to be answered and anticipation of conflict later on.
    Report
  • Steve B
    5.0 out of 5 stars Drawn in from the start
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyed this very much and will be continuing the adventure through the saga. Good plot, easy to follow and a gripping read that has had me hooked from the start wanting to know what happens next. I'm excited to see where this goes
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A bit dated and stupid.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Having now got onto book 2 have decided this is rubbish. Alien spaceship crashes in Paraguay- the US just let a Canadian tech company bribe the locals, and the President of the US just sort of goes ok no problem .. ffffs.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Got hooked within the first few pages, and firm then on i needed to know what came next. Really enjoyed the writing style with the alternating perspectives. Can't wait for the next book.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report