Hill of Great Darkness by H C Beckerr is a science fiction adventure based on popular space travel theories. The year is 2037, and the Magellan, a manned spacecraft, leaves Earth on a mission planned to be a historic first for mankind. Something goes wrong, causing the ship to go drastically off course. At the same time, a strange phenomenon happens back on Earth that is somehow connected to the fate of the Magellan. Roger Hand, chief executive of ground control, is suddenly in a race against time to figure out what’s happening and how to bring his astronauts home safely.

Hill of Great Darkness is a fast-paced sci-fi tale with many moving parts. The science it’s based on seems plausible, and the attempts at explaining how it all works sounded good to me, although I’m no science expert. Many characters are involved as the action takes place in multiple locations, often simultaneously. Author H C Beckerr does a great job of cranking up the tension by jumping from one scene to the next at just the right points in the story. This makes for a strong plot that twists and turns and flows onward effortlessly, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The author has also done a fantastic job ensuring that each character is interesting and unique. I highly recommend Hill of Great Darkness for fans of hard science fiction and those who enjoy watching appealing characters placed in dangerous situations, trying to overcome the challenges.

After years of careful preparation, the Magellan, a spaceship created with state-of-the-art technology, prepares for its maiden voyage, where the leading space agencies of the time have drawn up estimates of the ship potentially making it to Mars. On the eve of the journey, catastrophe strikes as the Magellan disappears without a trace while in mid-flight. Roger Hand is tasked with discovering what happened to the Magellan and bringing the ship and her crew back home safely. Little does he know that the answers he seeks are closer to home than he can imagine in H.C. Beckerr and Henry Martin's Hill Of Great Darkness.

Elements of folklore and religion combine to great effect to create the intriguing plot of this collaborative effort between H.C. Beckerr and Henry Martin. The use of curious backstories laced with deliberate gaps in them for almost every one of the characters shows a conscious effort by Beckerr and Martin to draw the reader into their story using built-up intrigue early in the novel. The religious undertones are fairly obvious, with references to unique events that many Christians are familiar with. Kudos must go to the duo for maintaining the high-intensity activities of an action story using vivid and highly detailed storytelling. The result of this is a story where you are keen on understanding Jessica Vandale's game plan while appreciating the technicalities the science of space travel is based on. It is never easy blending science with religion in a novel without displaying some bias either way, but with Hill Of Great Darkness, Beckerr and Martin seem to have found that balance.

Hill of Great Darkness by H C Beckerr is an adventure/science fiction novel set in 2037. The first human-crewed spacecraft, Magellan, with revolutionary technology, left Earth to take mankind on a journey to our solar system before it all went haywire. Before anyone could anticipate it, the Magellan was off its course. It was down to Roger Hand to get the Magellan back on track before it was too late. It was a race against time to bring the astronauts and the technology back to Earth before this vital information fell into the hands of terrible people. Can Roger bring it back to Earth before it is too late?

I loved Hill of Great Darkness. I loved that it was not a government-hating, political rage science fiction novel with an evil head of state going mad with power. This novel was a genuine science fiction adventure story with a great plot, fantastic characters, and a fast pace that kept me invested in the story. H C Beckerr introduced his characters gradually, and at first, I had no idea why it all felt synchronized. There was a rhyme and reason to how each character was introduced and how they were presented. I immediately knew Roger would be a reliable character who would accompany me till the end. While Roger was my favorite, Simone, the scientist, quickly rose to the top as well. She was focused and had a very strong mind. I really enjoyed the dry humor and the narrative style. The chapters were short, the pace was perfect, and I was entertained! What more could I ask for?