Book 1 in Vendel Rising · Science fiction · by Ellie Masters writing as L.A. Warren
About the book
Hero: Gregor Ulysses vlor'Malita, Emperor of the Vendel
Heroine: Elise Comwell, a student and pilot who has just won a seat on a mission to Jupiter
The year is 2135, and the aliens have arrived.
In truth, the Vendel are humans who left Earth thousands of years ago. They claim to come in peace, to open trade and to have humanity's best interests in mind. It soon becomes clear the Vendel are not what they seem.
"To understand your enemies, you must first let go of your hatred. Only then may you forgive. Only then may you understand."
The day the Vendel invaded my world is a memory that never leaves me. It's the day I lived. The day I died. It's the day everything changed.
I hated them. I didn't want to forgive them. I didn't care to understand them. All I wanted was my revenge.
Emperor Gregor Ulysses vlor'Malita claims to have humanity's interests in mind, and perhaps there is a kernel of truth in that. Earth, as it turns out, is but a small fraction of humanity.
But saviors? How do you justify that to the dead?
What if the Vendel are right?
Tropes, heat and content notes
- Tropes: alien invasion, enemies to lovers, captive heroine, revenge, found family, space opera
- Heat: low. The romance with Gregor is a slow burn, with no explicit scenes.
- Point of view: third person, past tense, following Elise, with first-person passages from her later history of New Terra
- Ending: a cliffhanger. Elise's story continues in Women of Rank.
- Content notes: an alien plague that kills billions, slavery, torture, psychological breakdown, sexual violence in a side character's past. Adults 18+.
Where it fits in the series
It Begins With the End is book 1 of 4 in Vendel Rising. Read the books in order.
- Before it: nothing. It Begins With the End is book 1.
- After it: Women of Rank.
Questions readers ask
Can I read It Begins With the End as a standalone?
No. Vendel Rising is one serialized novel told in four books. Start here and read them in order.
Is Vendel Rising a romance?
It's science fiction first. A slow-burn romance between Elise and Emperor Gregor runs through all four books.
Who is L.A. Warren?
L.A. Warren is the science fiction pen name of Ellie Masters.
Is it in Kindle Unlimited?
Yes. All four Vendel Rising books are in Kindle Unlimited.