Crystal Pyramid Paperback – July 5, 2012

This story begins with a scene from an intergalactic bar, the kind of seedy place you would expect to find all sorts of low life characters, the kind of setting that reminded me of the bar scene in the first Star Wars episode where we meet Han Solo. Once of the central characters, TJ, is playing a game of poker with some colorful characters who are suspicious of TJ's good fortune, and suspect he is too lucky. When TJ wins the last hand, a fight erupts, and TJ avoids being shot, and in his defense, removes some important body parts from one of the sleazy card players, escaping within an inch of his life out the back door. We later find out that TJ is not just gambler, but a highly decorated and respected doctor who likes living on the edge.Subsequent chapters do equal justice for the rest of the characters who make up an alpha team, a team of scientists and military personnel who are responsible for investigating cosmic phenomenon. Their current mission is to locate and recover an earlier alpha team that disappeared without a trace after entering the crystal pyramid on Travix Seven. The action starts the moment they arrive on the planet.There are various references throughout the story to real physics and the author does good job-explaining subjects such as sidereal time in a way that is easy to understand.Once I began reading, I could not put the book down. The pace slowed down slightly in Chapter 14 and I was concerned that it might not keep up the pace, but it quickly picked up with several fast-paced chapters that made me more and more excited. As I began the last chapter, I thought I had it all figured out. I soon found out that there was a big surprise waiting - an ending that left me wanting to hear more!The book was an easy read with great character development and detailed descriptions of the planet and its inhabitants. I'll definitely go back and read it again. The title is Book One of The Galaxy Keeper. I hope this means that there will be a Book Two very soon! Highly recommended.

I was most impressed by the thoughtful philosophy in the form of social critiques and possibilities about how things should/could be in the future. The characters/story kept me riveted and the "sci-fi" woven in was entertaining. There were a couple of spots that felt forced/slow when the characters were being developed, but it didn't drag on and was a fairly quick read. I like that the end gave satisfying closure even though it is part of a trilogy.

This is a great cliff hanger Sci-Fi novel. I was on the edge of my seat at each twist and turn waiting to find out how the characters were going to get out of their current situation. The novel takes place on a manufactured planet and I found the description of the planet very fun to read and think about. The characters are so well developed that I felt I could anticipate what they were going to do next, and was not surprised by their human failings. Also this Novel breaks some new ground in Sci-Fi in predicting the future of brain implants and how it will effect human interaction and man machine interface, very interesting to think about. One aspect I liked was the not so hidden commentary on hierarchically structured societies and a more open distributed free society, which one will win in the end? We will have to wait for the next 2 books to find out.I highly recommend this novel and look forward to the next 2.

Enjoyed this book a lot. From the action packed opening to the surprise ending I couldn't put it down & stayed up late on a work night to finish it. The characters, the technology, the cities and the various new peoples that have been created are fascinating & fun. Interesting twists pop up and change your viewpoint on a regular basis. After reading I found myself thinking about the plot & characters, always the sign of a good book to me. I am looking forward to the next book.

I found that I could not put this book down once I started reading. The characters are not only unusual but the reader really cares about them. This is some of the best science fiction fantasy I have read. It is complete with detailed descriptions, engaging plot and an unexpected ending. Others reviewing this book have provided story descriptions so I won't bother. Needless to say it is a really page turner and I cannot wait until the next one hits the bookshelves in December. Nicely done!

If a book doesn't grab my intrest in the couple of chapters I usually don't finish it.I had no such problems with this book.This is a very enjoyable book from a first time author. It is clear that Bob Alford's hi-tech background gives him a unique and very entertainig approach to speculatve fiction. While the action and pace of this book are very entertainig there is also quite alot to think about in the course of the story. Like how can a peaceful, stable society grow among many planets, or what happens when two highly advanced societies meet and not recognize each others true nature. The author has put a lot of thought into such things and many others in the crafting of this story.I am looking forward to the next book.

As a self published book from a first time author, I thought it was quite well done. There were a some rough spots, and a handful of spelling and grammar errors, but fortunately they were few and far between.It was also a very engaging story, with quite a few twists to keep it interesting.Looking forward to the second book.

The Crystal Pyramid is an excellent "summer read" for classic Sci-Fi fans. I bought the Kindle version and have already been hooked by the story line, somewhat to my own surprise. The author is a business friend from years back, but I never knew that he was another classic Sci-Fi devotee.