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Riebeckite: A near-future story of one woman's race to expose a sinister new threat to humanity (Bruised Moon Sequence Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 109 ratings

Humanity watches the skies…but the real danger is at their feet.

After an asteroid strike on the moon, a strange blue dust began to flow down through Earth’s atmosphere. It’s harmful to breathe, but at least the microscopic creatures within the dust are dormant. Or so we thought.

Tahira made a childhood promise to a friend that the crisis would bring their people together… before a violent riot tore their lives apart. Now, as an adult, Tahira works as a biologist for a corporation constructing experimental towers to force the spores—known as riebeckites—to germinate into harmless colonies.

Except they’re about to learn everything they think they know about the dust is wrong, a discovery that will plunge Tahira into unimaginable danger. The real threat isn’t the asteroid that struck the moon and by the time humanity figures it out, it might be too late.

Riebeckite combines suspense and conspiracy with heart-in-mouth action sequences and nightmarish encounters, all in an immersive near-future setting and, at its core, a heartwarming story of friendship against the odds.

"It reminded me of John Wyndham, in its psychological depth and breadth. This is a really careful, thoughtful novel. A future classic of its genre."

"This is the type of sci-fi fiction I live for — an utterly unique concept, badass female characters, and incredible world building. Riebeckite took me by surprise and didn’t let go until the shocking conclusions"

"Incredibly well put together novel with political intrigue, science fact and science fiction, a fresh take on ecofic, and human capital in abundance. It’s not easy to find this kind of subject matter wrapped in great writing-but this is it!"

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From the Publisher

A novel with the depth and originality of classic sci-fi and the heart and character of modern fiction

Woman look out from cover, book image on eBook and phone

Now in audio format

Redhaired woman crouching on branch in swamp

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Tahira embodied everything I wanted to see in a female scientist: intelligence, determination, and, importantly, strong emotions. An archetype I hate is the female scientist who experiences no emotion and operates solely on cold logic, but to my delight Tahira was the complete opposite: strongly driven, witty, and an intriguing individual." - Writing Werewolf Blog

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09H7PR7YX
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 392 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Bruised Moon Sequence
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 109 ratings

About the author

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O. R. Lea
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Raised and educated in North Wales, Oliver spent his early 20s working for a theatre-in-education music troupe for as long as it took to feel like his GCSE in Welsh language had provided its money's worth. Since then, he's lived in Portsmouth and currently works as a laboratory analyst. His biggest failure as a writer has been in his attempts to settle on a genre, having written about Middle Eastern vampires, African mercenaries and supernatural Welsh murderers. His first 'properly' published novel, "Riebeckite", is a near-future speculative fiction story set in the Persian Gulf.

He is @orleaauthor on Twitter and Instagram, and his website is orlea.co.uk.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
109 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this sci-fi thriller for its exciting action bits and well-developed characters. They find the book interesting, with one customer highlighting its unique ideas and another noting its nice touches in everyday technology. Customers appreciate the book's readability, with one mentioning how it provides a brief view of different cultures.

8 customers mention "Pacing"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing, describing it as a fast-paced sci-fi thriller with exciting action bits and enough horror/thriller elements to keep them engaged.

"Overall, I found Rebeckite to be a well told great story...." Read more

"...in the everyday technology that the characters interact with that felt believable...." Read more

"I could not put Riebeckite down and enjoyed every single page of it...." Read more

"...There are no space marines, no spaceships, no aliens. This is a hard biotech sci-fi, with enough horror/thriller vibes to keep it exciting...." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer specifically noting the strong female characters.

"...It features well-defined characters set in a world where there are those who would exploit a disaster for greed and power...." Read more

"...I also liked the acknowledgment that the characters all spoke different, and often multiple, languages...." Read more

"...This book is full of unique ideas and enjoyable characters...." Read more

"...I love how smart the main characters are. They’re good at their jobs, they can think on their feet, and they adapt to challenges...." Read more

4 customers mention "Interest"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, with one customer highlighting its unique ideas and another noting its nice touches in everyday technology.

"...The riebeckites are unique and interesting, and the characters are engaging. I really liked the main character and her best friend...." Read more

"...There are lots of nice touches in the everyday technology that the characters interact with that felt believable...." Read more

"...This book is full of unique ideas and enjoyable characters...." Read more

"...It honestly plays like a movie. The characters were likeable and interesting as were the details about the culture and politics involved...." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it provides a brief view of culture and another appreciating the banter.

"...It was fun getting a brief view of culture I feel is often misunderstood by many in western culture...." Read more

"...I really liked the main character and her best friend. It was an enjoyable read. I can’t wait for the sequel!" Read more

"This story is high action with cool science and a bit of banter which i always love!! It honestly plays like a movie...." Read more

3 customers mention "Strength"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the strength of the book, with one describing it as an unstoppable force and another noting how it maintained its momentum until the end.

"...Together, they are an unstoppable force with Tahira as the brains, and Zareen as the muscle...." Read more

"...It set a good pace and kept it up until the end. The riebeckites are unique and interesting, and the characters are engaging...." Read more

"Strong and smart female main characters, vibrant setting, and a great twist on Marvel’s Symbiots...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Overall, I found Rebeckite to be a well told great story. It features well-defined characters set in a world where there are those who would exploit a disaster for greed and power. I enjoyed the location setting of the story; I've never read a sci-fi story set in the Middle East as far as I can remember. I found it refreshing the people depicted were mostly just regular people trying to go about their lives as best they can. It was fun getting a brief view of culture I feel is often misunderstood by many in western culture.

    Rebeckite is a sci-fi thriller with political and scientific intrigue. It is well paced with characters who are well developed and that a reader can care about. The principal human antagonists are developed through the story and their true motivations are revealed slowly. The non-human antagonist is terrifying, leading to some rather graphic descriptions of death and dismemberment, but I would not label the gory scenes as gratuitous. There are some small bits of humor added to the tale that made me laugh; most of those were between the two principal characters.

    In 2027, the Earth's moon is struck by an asteroid named Riebecki. The impact kicked up enough material to form a ghostly blue ring around the satellite. While it is a breath-taking site for those on the planet, Earth's gravity is also pulling a steady stream of material into the atmosphere. The material sprinkling into the air is harmful to life on the land, so a series of giant scrubbers are built to remove the material, dubbed riebeckite, from the atmosphere and deposited into the sea. As a result, fisheries are suffering. The company in charge of the scrubbers employ Dr. Tahira Piriyeva to study the effects of the blue dust on the ocean around the island of Qeshm. When one of her colleagues is injured, she begins a journey of discovery that leads to a deadly realization.

    Further investigation shows that the danger from the material streaming from the moon is being exploited by greedy, power-hungry individuals whose self-interest could put millions of lives in jeopardy.

    When Tahira is reunited with a childhood friend, Zareen Isfahani, it is a race for survival and to expose those who would put the world's population in harm's way to protect the secret of the Riebeckites and gain fortune.

    This tale has a lot of great characters at both ends of the spectrum. My favorite characters in this story are the dynamic duo of Tahira and Zareen. Together, they are an unstoppable force with Tahira as the brains, and Zareen as the muscle. The pair are from different sides of the tracks, with Tahira on the island because of the annexation by Azerbaijan. Zareen is a native of Iran and is part of the resistance to the annexation of Qeshm. They are friends when they are young but wound up getting separated during an uprising. When they are reunited, they have changed, but it doesn't take them long to remember their friendship and how much they care for each other.

    Both are strong female characters, and it isn't hard to find them as people one can care about. The author did a great job creating characters with such complementary strengths, and their ability to fill in the gaps in each other’s weaknesses.

    My favorite point of plot is the development of the principal characters, but at the same time, I enjoyed the development of the tale's main antagonist; the beings that arise because of the material streaming to the Earth from the moon. Without getting specific, I will say that the development of the monsters is slow and enhances development of the plot. For a lot of the story, I was wondering what would eventually come from this part. I was not disappointed. I will also say that what came of the material is terrifying, and difficult to defeat.

    My takeaway from Riebeckites is how people from diametrically different cultures can find a bridge of friendship, overcome their differences, and work together for a common goal. I also appreciated a look into cultures I normally read little about.

    I found Riebeckites a refreshing thrill-a-minute rollercoaster ride full if twists and turns. This tale should appeal to any sci-fi fan who enjoys an action-packed story with some terrifying moments, suspense, and great character development. The highest recommendations for this brilliantly written tale.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    What I really loved about this novel were the Riebeckites, alien particles that fall from the moon and cause nothing but trouble. What are they? Where do they come from? How do they work? I loved every new reveal, and I look forward to finding out more as the series progresses.

    I also liked the acknowledgment that the characters all spoke different, and often multiple, languages. I appreciated the scenes where the characters had to perform translator gymnastics to communicate.

    The differences between Tahira’s world on one side of the fence and Zareen’s on the other were also interesting.

    There are lots of nice touches in the everyday technology that the characters interact with that felt believable.

    I liked the setting of this thriller, but I wish a little more of the culture, religious background, and the history of the 56 years that separate the now (for the reader) to the now of the novel had been included in the world building and character development.

    I was disappointed in some of the choices Tahira made, as they seemed too naive for someone as intelligent as her character had been described. I was also surprised how little interest she showed in the developments concerning the Riebeckites.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I could not put Riebeckite down and enjoyed every single page of it. This fast-paced SciFi book with Thriller elements is set in the middle-east in the not-too-distant future. An asteroid has hit the moon, and small alien particles are now gathering on earth. If they are blue, they are mostly harmless, but don’t let them get in contact with a prime! They turn into a cluster of hungry Riebeckites that eat through your flesh and bone in seconds. If that’s not bad enough, Tahira, our main character, stumbles into a wide-reaching conspiracy involving the aliens that could change life as we know it.

    This book is full of unique ideas and enjoyable characters. The plot doesn’t slow down and you can only keep reading because you need to know what happens next. I can’t wait to continue with the series and figure out how Tahira, Zareen, and the others will get out of this mess…
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I admit, this isn’t the kind of sci-fi I usually read. There are no space marines, no spaceships, no aliens. This is a hard biotech sci-fi, with enough horror/thriller vibes to keep it exciting. Riebeckite has more in common with The Andromeda Strain than with Star Wars, is what I’m saying.

    I love how smart the main characters are. They’re good at their jobs, they can think on their feet, and they adapt to challenges. Some books drive me crazy because the characters cause their own problems by acting dumb, but that isn’t the case with Tai and Zareen!

    If you want space opera and romance, go for a different book. This is a book you should check out if you want to read about smart people behaving rationally and using their intelligence and science skills, along with some some exciting action bits and nice friendship moments. I’m looking forward to the sequel!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    So after seeing rave reviews on Instagram, I had to read this book. In the near future, an object hit the moon and blue particles having been coming down to Earth ever since. But there’s more to these particles than it seems, and one scientist is determined to find out the truth.

    This self-published book grabbed me right away! It set a good pace and kept it up until the end. The riebeckites are unique and interesting, and the characters are engaging. I really liked the main character and her best friend. It was an enjoyable read. I can’t wait for the sequel!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Matthew Poehler
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular!
    Reviewed in Australia on December 1, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Great story and a wonderfully realized setting.

    I loved the characters, and they way they grew through the story was a pleasure to follow.

    I'll keep up with this series.
  • CJ
    5.0 out of 5 stars This well-constructed, pleasing novel demonstrates self-publishing at its very best
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    ‘Zareen stopped and kicked her heel into the soft sand. When she turned around, Tahira couldn’t tell if she was impressed or trying not to laugh. She considered her plan: writing a message on the beach to get the attention of an American ship so that they could voice an unproven theory that might persuade America to pressure Azerbaijan into righting a portfolio of wrongs.’

    These three sentences, taken from the midpoint of ‘Riebeckite’, sum up the mastery of O. R. Lea’s writing in his debut novel. His characters are strong and motivated, and their relationships are fully-formed and relatable. The political and social issues are as key to the story as the strange space spores coming down to Earth from beyond the moon. ‘Riebeckite’ is part-science fiction, part-thriller and totally absorbing. Lea executes his strong premise superbly, resulting in a believable future dystopia.

    Riebeckite exists in various forms, but blue riebeckite is the most hazardous, yet this theme does not dominate the book. Moreover, Lea presents the beautiful dust trail from the moon in an almost romantic sense, while his true focus is the relationships unfolding throughout the book. His approach to the monsters of the story, termed ‘reebs’, is subtle, scientific and ultimately, very clever, although not quite enough to dominate our nightmares.

    Lea has crafted two superb characters, Tahira and Zareen, struggling in an oppressive future world. Biologist Tahira is well-rounded and reassuringly normal in her actions, passionate and professional while suitably flawed. She wins the day by solving challenge after challenge. On the other hand, her close friend, Zareen, has a more direct approach to their problems. Lea sophisticatedly expounds on their friendship, occasionally showing the petty conflict that only good friends can enjoy. Zareen is the devil on Tahira’s shoulder, and both are more believable for it.

    Lea has fine attention to detail, deliberately sharing with his reader the things necessary to the story in a solid, science-esque writing style, unencumbered with fancy language or unnecessary literary artefacts. He has ensured no one is left behind without belabouring the finer details. More importantly, the notions underpinning the book are wonderful and delightfully unique, and the growing tension throughout the read is superb. But, of course, it is not riebeckite that truly threatens humanity; it is humanity itself.

    ‘Riebeckite’ has a cinematic grandeur and the potential for a sequel; it also boasts a chilling epilogue tucked into the last chapter. This well-constructed, pleasing novel demonstrates self-publishing at its very best.
    Customer image
    CJ
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    This well-constructed, pleasing novel demonstrates self-publishing at its very best

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2022
    ‘Zareen stopped and kicked her heel into the soft sand. When she turned around, Tahira couldn’t tell if she was impressed or trying not to laugh. She considered her plan: writing a message on the beach to get the attention of an American ship so that they could voice an unproven theory that might persuade America to pressure Azerbaijan into righting a portfolio of wrongs.’

    These three sentences, taken from the midpoint of ‘Riebeckite’, sum up the mastery of O. R. Lea’s writing in his debut novel. His characters are strong and motivated, and their relationships are fully-formed and relatable. The political and social issues are as key to the story as the strange space spores coming down to Earth from beyond the moon. ‘Riebeckite’ is part-science fiction, part-thriller and totally absorbing. Lea executes his strong premise superbly, resulting in a believable future dystopia.

    Riebeckite exists in various forms, but blue riebeckite is the most hazardous, yet this theme does not dominate the book. Moreover, Lea presents the beautiful dust trail from the moon in an almost romantic sense, while his true focus is the relationships unfolding throughout the book. His approach to the monsters of the story, termed ‘reebs’, is subtle, scientific and ultimately, very clever, although not quite enough to dominate our nightmares.

    Lea has crafted two superb characters, Tahira and Zareen, struggling in an oppressive future world. Biologist Tahira is well-rounded and reassuringly normal in her actions, passionate and professional while suitably flawed. She wins the day by solving challenge after challenge. On the other hand, her close friend, Zareen, has a more direct approach to their problems. Lea sophisticatedly expounds on their friendship, occasionally showing the petty conflict that only good friends can enjoy. Zareen is the devil on Tahira’s shoulder, and both are more believable for it.

    Lea has fine attention to detail, deliberately sharing with his reader the things necessary to the story in a solid, science-esque writing style, unencumbered with fancy language or unnecessary literary artefacts. He has ensured no one is left behind without belabouring the finer details. More importantly, the notions underpinning the book are wonderful and delightfully unique, and the growing tension throughout the read is superb. But, of course, it is not riebeckite that truly threatens humanity; it is humanity itself.

    ‘Riebeckite’ has a cinematic grandeur and the potential for a sequel; it also boasts a chilling epilogue tucked into the last chapter. This well-constructed, pleasing novel demonstrates self-publishing at its very best.
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    Customer image
  • Jagaran pujari
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read!
    Reviewed in India on June 2, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Though I'm not a fan of Sci-fi, Riebeckite drew me in, and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it.

    The world building is definitely a good one, much believable, brutal in some aspects, with the inclusion of culture and political intrigue.

    The pacing was very well maintained, not at all rushed out, not at all dragged slowly. The character work was done very well. Tahira has her flaws. But her development can be noticed through her journey, something which was well written. The other side characters were very much present around her, which made her journey more realistic, enjoyable to read.

    Overall, Lea has been successful in drawing the reader into the story, keeping them craving for more till the the end. And that epilogue was..worth reading twice and staring at a wall, then reading it again.
  • Rafael Lepra
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting plot
    Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The fact that the characters are mainly not American, the details of the midle eastern culture and details on human greed acting with the exclusive purpose of making money are very well written
  • Emdf
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Thrilling Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 9, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I don't usually read that much science fiction, but I was drawn to the front cover and intrigued by the blurb so I gave it a go--and I'm very pleased that I did!
    Although it is undeniably bleak in places, it is very well written. The characters are evocative, flawed and sympathetic. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Tahira played to her strengths throughout, and that she and Zareen were very different, complex characters. Sometimes 'strong female characters' fall into the trap of being carbon copies of each other, but that is not a trap Lea falls in to.
    The world is well realised, gritty and believable, and the information is given subtly without too much info-dumping. The monsters were genuinely terrifying... And the epilogue! Wow!
    I thought the story was well paced, it kept the story flowing without feeling too rushed.
    I would definitely recommend this book to both well established Sci fi lovers and people who are new to the genre too. A thrilling read

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