Nexus Point [Paperback]

Jaleta Clegg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2009

Dace's wants are simple - a trading ship and the freedom to fly where she chooses. But on her first trip, her crew betrays her, her ship explodes, and she finds herself stranded on Dadilan, a planet locked in a feudal age.

Survival is hard enough when you have no technology or resources. It's even harder when you have drug smugglers hunting you. Dadilan is the source of shara, a drug that enhances psychic abilities, a commodity so rare and precious people will kill for it.

Trapped between rival smugglers and the Patrol undercover investigation, Dace has one hope of rescue: convincing Tayvis, the undercover agent, she's an innocent bystander. But those don't exist on Dadilan. No one lands without authorization, unless they are smuggling.

Her ignorance may cost her life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Altered Dimensions (November 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193602103X
• ISBN-13: 978-1936021031
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 8.9 x 5.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,534,064 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jaleta Clegg was born some time ago. She's filled the years since with many diverse activities, such as costuming, quilting, cooking, video games, reading, and writing. She's been a fan of classic sci-fi books and campy movies since she can remember. Her collection of bad sci-fi movies is only rivaled by her collection of eclectic CD's (polka, opera, or Irish folk songs, anyone?).

She loves teaching kids of all ages about stars, constellations, nuclear fusion, space travel, mythology, writing, and rocks. She volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America among other groups. She was even on her local library board for a while. She believes in teaching people to think for themselves and to be self-sufficient. It's self-serving, though. Kids who know how to do housework, laundry, and cooking give her more time for writing.

Poisoned Pawn, book three in her Fall of the Altairan Empire space adventure series, releases April 2013. Look for the other two, Nexus Point and Priestess of the Eggstone, on www.altairanempire.com Links to her stories can be found at www.jaletac.com

Jaleta lives in Utah with her husband, a horde of her own children, and too many pets. She wants to be either Han Solo or Ursula the Sea Witch when she grows up. If she ever does.

She also detests referring to herself in the third person, but sometimes she bows to necessity.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nexus Point: a compelling read March 12, 2010

By Hannah

Format:Paperback

I really like the point of view characters. This is huge with me as I characters are what keep me in a story. Of course when bad things happen to the characters it's rather painful for me to read through. This made the first (or maybe first two?) chapters very hard for me as Jaleta uses them to set up a low point in Dace's life to start building from. Once there I didn't put the book down till my children woke up and I had to deal with breakfast. Argh... very compelling. Should have started when I had baby sitters nearby. Also enjoyed how the romantic side plot was handled. Nexus Point

Tags that I can't seem to add right:
science fiction, space opera, clean romance

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun June 9, 2010

By Mary Pax Shipley

Format:Paperback

Dace is like the Indiana Jones of space opera - one adventure after the other. If you love space opera, this is a great pick. Ms. Clegg paints very vivid characters that you just want to keep reading about. Can't wait to see what Dace gets into in the next book.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars More Please March 19, 2010

By Bobbie Berendson

Format:Paperback

This book was hard to put down once I got into it. There is something very special about Dace, something very relate-able. This is a wild ride that at points even brought me to tears with the heartfelt and sympathetic character interactions.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nexus Point January 25, 2010

By M.A.

Format:Paperback

I loved reading Nexus Point! Though I didn't really get the name. But I thought it was a great mix of the two best genres, science fiction and fantasy. I thought the characters were well rounded. But at the end it didn't say what happened to all the characters and I would have liked that. That's probably going to be explained in the sequel though. I thought there was just enough action and the romance wasn't rushed. Like Jaleta Clegg says in the introduction I "didn't want the journey to stop" at the end. I can't wait for the second one to come out.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars a good read December 21, 2009

By sherwood

Format:Paperback

I found nexus point to be very fast paced. I was just going to read a chapter or two and ended up staying up till 2 am.

I found nothing objectionable in it. (no graphic sex, no bad words)
It is just a fun book to read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Nexus Point' - Jaleta Clegg's delightful Capt. Dace October 4, 2010

By Joel Kirkpatrick

Format:Paperback

'Nexus Point' from Jaleta Clegg is an inventive romp, worthy of many follow up tales; all on the strength of the marvelous Capt. Dace. In my youth, I would carry a lingering crush on such a character - hoping someday to see her in person.

Dace is not an accidental success: she is an accident - waiting to happen! What a joy to follow her as she bumbles and mumbles in this little drama/opera. Ms. Clegg must have howled with glee at her inventive predicaments. The buckles swash! The blasters blast! And the horses run away in fright, until you whistle for them. Dace would have been the constant captive when we played cowboys and indians as children.

There is much in this story to love unashamedly. There are many familiar elements in the plot, beautifully realized. There are broad strokes of mayhem, the conclusion sizzles. There are enough human moments that you wish you could point out the correct direction to run. Dace needs to know when to hush, at a few predicaments, and you can't help but try and shush her.

In short, 'Nexus Point' is a true gem in the genre of space fantasy. Yes, Dace is in space, for just a bit, and yes....she messes that up!

Ms. Clegg has my attention now, and a promise to follow where she is going.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book April 12, 2011

By Stacy

Format:Paperback

I grew up reading Robert A. Heinlein and the Star Wars novels, but somehow over the years I stopped reading science fiction. Nexus Point brought me back to those days and was an exciting read. It was well-written, full of wonderful descriptions and details that project the reader right into the story. Dace was a likeable character caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Fans of science fiction novels should love this book. Jaleta Clegg is a fresh new voice in the science fiction genre.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A enjoyable read October 6, 2012

By K. Sozaeva TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Book Info: Genre: Space Opera
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of space opera

Disclosure: I received the 2nd book in this series, Priestess of the Eggstone from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program in exchange for an honest review. I was not aware of the fact when I started reading, and when I discovered there was a previous book, I purchased it for myself so I could read it. As a result I'm under no obligation, but am always happy to provide an honest review.

Synopsis: Dace's wants are simple - a trading ship and the freedom to fly where she chooses. But on her first trip, her crew betrays her, her ship explodes, and she finds herself stranded on Dadilan, a planet locked in a feudal age. Survival is hard enough when you have no technology or resources. It's even harder when you have drug smugglers hunting you. Dadilan is the source of shara, a drug that enhances psychic abilities, a commodity so rare and precious people will kill for it.

Trapped between rival smugglers and the Patrol undercover investigation, Dace has one hope of rescue: convincing Tayvis, the undercover agent, she's an innocent bystander. But those don't exist on Dadilan. No one lands without authorization, unless they are smuggling.

Her ignorance may cost her life.

My Thoughts: So yeah, as I say in my disclaimer, I read the 2nd book, Priestess of the Eggstone, first because I wasn't aware of this book. That will teach me to pay closer attention to these things! Since I loved the 2nd book, I knew I had to read this one.

This book is much more serious than the 2nd book. While I spent a lot of time while reading Priestess of the Eggstone laughing, this one was much more character oriented and had heavier themes.... Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, mind you - it was just a very different type of book. I'm impressed at the breadth of Clegg's writing abilities. It seemed to be a bit like this book was a commentary on societies like that in countries being overtaken by extremists - full of primitivism and pushing women into becoming less than human.

There was some humor more toward the end of the book, and the subplot with the researcher who thought he was Robin Hood was pretty funny. Overall I enjoyed this book almost as much as the second one, and I think most fans of space opera should enjoy it as well. Check it out. Read more ›