After crash landing on an alien planet, colonists struggle to survive against unknown elements in the science fiction novel Foreign Land (This Foreign Universe Book 1) by J.S. Sherwood. Society on earth is collapsing, and the organization Humans for Humanity recruits the world's best citizens to colonize other planets. Scientists design The Ship of Nations, a durable self-sustaining craft capable of traveling through the fourth dimension. The Ship of Nations is a generation ship that will build and send colony ships to habitable planets as it traverses the cosmos to establish conscientious and moral societies. With a quarter of a million people on board, The Ship of Nations heads out into space, leaving the corrupted and dying earth behind. Unfortunately, not everything goes as smoothly as planned when a colony ship inexplicably crashes on entry, and a rebellion erupts on The Ship of Nations. While the surviving colonists bury their dead, a terrorist group hijacks the generation ship. Is this the end of humankind?

Foreign Land by J.S. Sherwood is a riveting science-fiction novel with a hint of a dystopian background. This sensational book is a breathtaking page-turner with an enthralling storyline that rivals a Star Trek episode. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The electrifying plot, dramatic backdrops, dynamic scenes, and engaging characters held me spellbound from the first page until the last. Impeccably written, the author has created fantastic and elaborate story worlds with intricate features and bizarre creatures. The unique aspects of the alien and bio-engineered beings of the planet Aethera and the extensive concept of the Ship of Nations are original and thought-provoking, capturing and stirring the imagination. The creatures are not only fascinating but also downright eerie. The beetles are horrifying, and the fourth-dimensional beings are absolutely terrifying. This scintillating novel promises to captivate and entertain science-fiction fans who love intergalactic thrillers.

Foreign Land is the first book in This Foreign Universe by J.S. Sherwood. Smith was one of the few people who left the first generation ship behind to make a new settlement for the human race on a new planet called Aethera. Their ship was almost destroyed upon landing and caused deaths, including Smith’s wife. With a heavy heart, Smith was forced to start a new life and fight for survival on a strange planet with his son Abe and the rest of the survivors. Back on the Generation Ship, Tashon (Smith’s protégé) was looking for his own answers. He was desperate to figure out what happened to Smith and the rest of the colony. However, he soon discovered that a bigger danger was approaching them fast. He needed to do something before everything was lost.

This realistic and entertaining story was so easy to read and enjoy! I was transported right beside Smith and Tashon. I enjoyed their reactions and loved every single part of Foreign Land. J.S. Sherwood set the mood from the beginning and made the story interesting from the get-go. The opening scene was powerful and introduced the two main characters of the story while explaining their situation very realistically (something that you hardly find in science fiction stories). The author’s writing style is descriptive without being boring. The imagery is breathtaking, and the mystery was powerful enough to steal my breath. The threat of new surroundings, the grief of losing loved ones, and the excitement of something new were all handled exceptionally. The author struck the perfect balance between futuristic and realistic. The situations were believable, and the characters were relatable. I would highly recommend Foreign Land to anyone who loves science fiction that is grounded in reality.