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Dennis Ingram
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Foothold: The Story of Mankind's First Expedition to the Stars Kindle Edition

by Dennis Ingram (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 1,101 ratings
Adventure. Adversity. Hope. A starship with eight people is launched into the unknown for the epic adventure of a lifetime. In the second half of the 21st century, Earth is struggling under the load of an ever-increasing population and a degrading environment. The tide of human politics ebbs and flows. Rising above the turmoil, the will is found to build one lone starship and launch it toward Tau Ceti. Hope for the future, hope for humanity.

---------

An interview with the author

Is this the original edition?
No, it was professionally re-edited and given a new cover in May 2016.

How would you describe Foothold?
It’s a space colonization adventure. There’s adversity, but no violence. There’s science, but not so much that the characters and adventure are lost in technobabble.

So it’s not for those that like hard science fiction?
I love hard science fiction! Any book that features interstellar travel needs technological breakthroughs, and Foothold is no exception. The science is deliberately low-tech in some ways though, as our colonists need hardy technology that they can repair themselves. As the series progresses, we will see more and more high-technology appearing.

Will the series remain non-violent?
No, that will change in book 2.

Why?
Humans are humans. Wherever they go, conflict is bound to follow. The series slowly morphs into military SciFi as the story unfolds.

It’s the first book of a series, right? Will there be a cliff-hanger?
Yes, Foothold is the first in a series of eight books. It definitely does leave the ending open for the next book, but not in a sudden cliff-hanger that has you reaching for your pitchfork and torch. Oh, and book 2, The Seasoning, is already out!

In the book, a starship is launched in 2063. Surely that’s way, way too soon?
Not if you believe in exponential progress. If we measure what we will achieve in the next 40 years by what we achieved in the last 40, it’s too soon. But I think it’s more likely the pace of change is accelerating and it’s not so far-fetched to think of subluminal star travel happening sooner rather than later, especially consider the impact of artificial intelligence.

If it were a movie, how would you rate it?
PG-13 for language and some mild sexual content.
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  1. Book 1 of 8
    Foothold
  2. Print length
    391 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    20 Nov. 2014
  6. File size
    1.7 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Shop this series

 See full series
There are 8 books in this series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00PXXEWA8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Imaginative Possibilities
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 20 Nov. 2014
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 3rd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 391 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0473291501
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 8 ‏ : ‎ Foothold
  • Customer reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 1,101 ratings

About the author

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Dennis Ingram

Dennis Ingram

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Dennis Ingram was born in the Apollo era and developed an insatiable appetite for anything relating to rockets and space. Needless to say he followed the Apollo program with a passion.

He read every science fiction book in his local library, growing up on a diet of Andre Norton, E. E. ‘Doc’ Smith, Clifford D. Simak, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clark and other iconic science fiction authors.

He wrote science fiction stories in school notebooks when he was a boy, but as he grew up he put those away and switched to writing in computer languages instead. He kept reading though, hundreds and hundreds of books, especially science fiction, and never stopped dreaming. One day, he started to write those dreams down.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
1,101 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this science fiction book well-written and scientifically sound, with a fast-moving plot that keeps them engaged. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability and pacing, with one customer noting its descriptive passages. However, the characters receive mixed reactions, with some finding them too believable while others consider them one-dimensional.

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Story qualityWriting qualityPacingReadabilityStart dateBelievable characters
16 customers mention ‘Story quality’13 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this science fiction book, praising its well-thought-out plot, with one customer noting it reads like a documentary.

"...I like a good space set story & was drawn to the eye-catching cover that fulfilled my usual boyish criteria of a good-looking spaceship & the..." Read more

"A very good story of what may come to the people of Earth in the near future. We hope very much." Read more

"...However, much of the dialogue was good and there is a sense of cohesion and a real tension as the reader journies with Hope and her crew into the..." Read more

"A good story. Many aspects are almost credible, some not, like frozen time stasis, but a nice idea...." Read more

15 customers mention ‘Writing quality’12 positive3 negative

Customers find the book well written and worth reading, with one customer noting there are no typos.

"...A very clever and fluent book that is a solid base for further instalments, the second being The Seasoning, which I read straight after I finished..." Read more

"...Great writing" Read more

"...However, much of the dialogue was good and there is a sense of cohesion and a real tension as the reader journies with Hope and her crew into the..." Read more

"...I found the level of science in this book pretty low-tech and lazily written - when the crew are faced with a potentially life threatening..." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Pacing’11 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, finding it scientifically sound and intriguing, with one customer noting it has many sub-plots to keep it interesting.

"...A very clever and fluent book that is a solid base for further instalments, the second being The Seasoning, which I read straight after I finished..." Read more

"A good story. Many aspects are almost credible, some not, like frozen time stasis, but a nice idea...." Read more

"...recommend the series, which has enough differences and sub-plots to keep it interesting." Read more

"...so not one for those who want non-stop excitement, but I found it interesting and enjoyable...." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Readability’10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an enjoyable and interesting light read.

"Great read about man’s first interstellar flight and creating a hoot hold for humanity in another staff system. Great writing" Read more

"...On one hand we have a cast of very human, likeable and understandable characters who demonstrate genuine affection for one another...." Read more

"...those who want non-stop excitement, but I found it interesting and enjoyable. It was the sub-plot story that I disliked intensely...." Read more

"Starts well and all seems promising. Interesting light read but then it just gets a bit tedious...." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Start date’6 positive0 negative

Customers like the book's start date, with one mentioning it serves as a great introduction to the series.

"...I was not disappointed by what turned out to be a superb first-time effort from author Dennis Ingram...." Read more

"Started off okay then seemed to lose its way...." Read more

"Starts well and all seems promising. Interesting light read but then it just gets a bit tedious...." Read more

"Excellent first book in the series, I’m looking forward to reading the others." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Believable characters’5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book, with some finding them too realistic while others describe them as wooden and one-dimensional.

"This is the sort of SF that I really enjoy. On one hand we have a cast of very human, likeable and understandable characters who demonstrate genuine..." Read more

"...All in all the science is plain stupid and the characters are wooden, unbelievable and reminiscent of Buck Rodgers story lines." Read more

"Enjoyed the story and characters, well written and makes you want to keep reading...." Read more

"This is a very good yarn. The characters are all too believable and the plot well thought out.The world involved is beautifully realised...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Parker
    5.0 out of 5 stars Get on-board & wolf-down this sci-fi feast.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 November 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I was browsing Amazon Kindle trying to find a time travel themed book when I came across a book called Foothold. I like a good space set story & was drawn to the eye-catching cover that fulfilled my usual boyish criteria of a good-looking spaceship & the Moon.

    I read the synopsis and although not strictly a time travel novel (the search engine must have singled it out based on the key words) it sounded exciting & intriguing enough for me to go for it.

    I was not disappointed by what turned out to be a superb first-time effort from author Dennis Ingram.

    Here are my thoughts to help other searchers catch a ride…

    2063 and the Earth is used, tired and deteriorating both socially and physically. Its solar sisters are now within reach but are arduously habitable. Mankind needs to start afresh; A starship, a crew, a voyage, a new hope.

    Eight perfect human specimens are to be carried to another Solar system forty-five years away at currently available speeds, a journey to them that should be over in the blink of a sleeping eye.

    They take with them the knowledge, the skills and tools to colonise and populate a new world for themselves - and those who may follow.

    Their destination, the Tau-Ceti star solar system, consists of candidate planets from which to select their new home from. A planet to seed and colonise and to re-boot a soured species using remarkable blood-stock.

    They’ve just got to get there.

    Meanwhile back on Earth a solution to its rotten existence has been decided: nuclear winter. Some have planned for this eventuality and they will follow the pioneers path; An autocrat, crew, paying passengers all hoping to find Terra Nova.

    This momentous task with its triumphs, failures and tests of human abilities and emotions is enthusiastically and interestingly documented in such a way that will have all-sci-fi fans wolfing it down.

    The technology of the future is described at a level of detail that makes you think ‘hey I get that, it’s feasible’ but leaves out just enough to get you thinking for yourself how it could be made possible.

    A very clever and fluent book that is a solid base for further instalments, the second being The Seasoning, which I read straight after I finished this one.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Ian
    4.0 out of 5 stars great read about man’s 1st interstellar flight
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 May 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Great read about man’s first interstellar flight and creating a hoot hold for humanity in another staff system.

    Great writing
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  • Lee Ingold
    3.0 out of 5 stars Should have paid more attention to the reviews.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Hmmm... I intended to buy The Martian but somehow got drawn in to the list of suggested alternatives and bought this instead. One of the reviews said they found it hard work because there was too much science, another complained about the clumsy nature of the sexual content. Having come to this fresh from finishing Seveneves I found the level of science in this book pretty low-tech and lazily written - when the crew are faced with a potentially life threatening catastrophe mid journey it is dealt with in the space of a few paragraphs with no more drama than replacing a central heating pump. The nature of the mission means that the crew are paired up with ideal mates but the main characteristic of these people is that they are permanently randy. Let's fly along for a bit, hey let's fix a pipe, let's have sex, sleep for a bit, have more sex. I won't be bothering to continue with this series, despite the end of this book teasing the events of the next one.
    Should have bought The Martian.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe our Future?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A very good story of what may come to the people of Earth in the near future.
    We hope very much.
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  • Norma Miles
    4.0 out of 5 stars "Life is as life does"
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2016
    Verified Purchase
    In the second half of the 21st century,. Earth's first starship Hope, sets course for Tau Definitely with a crew of eight _ four men and four women - to find a distant planet on which to establish a new home for humanity. Since the journey will take over forty years, most of their time on board will be spent in stasis, a form of suspended animation. If a suitable landing site is found, their continuing job will be to build a new colony, new Adams and Eves. Meanwhile, in a rapidly disintegrating earth, a multi billionaire business man has his own plans: to follow on behind and inherits the new world that they have made.
    This is an enjoyable book written almost as a documentary and, as such, leaves the main protagonists as less than fully rounded people. However, much of the dialogue was good and there is a sense of cohesion and a real tension as the reader journies with Hope and her crew into the unknown. I personally found the additional subplot of the readying of a second starship under the auspices of an egocentric megalomaniac intent on taking over any new world that might be found both unnecessary and distracting from the main story, but no doubt this will form a substantial part of the follow-up books in the series.
    Would I recommend it? Oh, yes, but not to someone who likes their books filled with fighting action. Rather to a fan of more detailed commentary science fiction, more like Bradbury's, The Martian Chronicles, so allowing time for thought.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Sandy
    5.0 out of 5 stars A thoroughly enjoyable read
    Reviewed in the United States on 24 January 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A long trip well told. A science fiction book where the science feels real (hurray).

    With the detail and technical support I felt like I was on the trip with these people. The story starts with the crew facing personal upheaval from the very beginning and then the things that pop up when a mixed group spends a lot of time in close proximity to add a bit of spice along the way.

    This is an excellent portrayal of what the first interstellar travel is most likely going to be like. The technology is possible, but no ‘beam me up’ magic. Things go wrong along the way that were potentially disastrous. The end is an unknown – it looks hopeful but still is a seriously worrisome unknown.

    Yes, I imagine Foothold is the story of the first people to head out to the stars. At least I hope the first real adventurers can solve the unexpected problems, deal with unknown and possibly tenuous or unsupportable life and all the issues that make this a book well worth reading.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent writing in this well paced realistic space adventure.
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  • Mike
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read. Held my interest from front to back.
    Reviewed in Australia on 31 May 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Not too complicated and good characters with a good positive storyline not to heavy on tech but enough with the mix of aliens and humans in trouble. Have to wait now to see where it all ends. Thanks Dennis.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new frontier!
    Reviewed in Canada on 16 April 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Some of their best sci-fi I've read in a long time! It's not about aliens. It' about Mankind surviving, struggling to make a better life Not only a New Frontier but a New World. I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter of what I hope becomes a new series!
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  • JimFoxy
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Series Introduction
    Reviewed in the United States on 19 June 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Foothold: The Story of Mankind's First Expedition to the Stars by Dennis Ingram

    This is the story of a launch of a starship in 2063 and its intrepid voyage. It is an international mission designed to carry eight people to Tau Ceti. Advances in astronomy have revealed the high likelihood that this star system has habitable planets. Technological advances in applied quantum physics have resulted in stasis chambers and propulsion systems that are capable of near-relativistic speed.
    David Miller (captain) and Grace Ng (chief navigator) and six others ride the starship Hope not simply to explore but to establish a viable colony on a new world.

    What I Liked:
    It might be tempting to say, "Oh no! Not another novel about the first starship! Hasn't that one been beaten to death?" But, fear not, dear reader, this novel has merit even though it reploughs some well-ploughed ground. After all, no novels are truly original -- all are derivative, at least in part.
    There is a lot to like. First of all, it is a good yarn, well written, and (even though it is a series book) has a satisfying conclusion. There is some salty language and (human reproduction being an essential part of the plot) sexual encounters. But the sex scenes are tastefully done. This is not a steamy novel, I am glad to report.
    The science part of the book is plausible and the imaginary world is internally consistent. There are no major gadgets suddenly appearing to solve every plot problem. The challenges of jump-starting a colony are realistic and solutions thoughtfully and logically presented.
    I liked the principal characters, David and Grace, and all of them seemed like real people with strengths and weaknesses. The dialogue sounded realistic -- no stilted or false notes that I picked up.

    What I Did Not Like
    One subplot concerning catastrophe back on Earth added nothing to the plot that I can see. Perhaps that will fit in to events of a subsequent book in the series. So far, it is a distraction, and little more.
    Some P.C. police may not like the word "mankind" in the subtitle. I, on the other hand, think it is a very good word. But those with exquisite P.C. antennae may find fault with not only the word but a host of things I did not notice.
    I was disappointed in the story arc. A great novel of this genre cries out for not one but ideally two existential crises. These needs to be "all is lost" moments where the reader and the characters see no way out of the mess. Until, unexpectedly, and after enough time for the full horror to sink in, "all is not lost."
    The book has a couple of incidents of great danger and the crew does have setbacks. These are exciting, but I never had the feeling that the situation was hopeless. Much of the danger was explained only after the danger had passed.
    Without these crisis moments -- where it appears that failure is not only possible, but certain -- the novel lost a lot of its punch. Too bad! A slight revision -- perhaps adding two chapters -- and this novel could have been great. As it is, it is merely good.
    Editing was good overall, but I did note a half-dozen typos. I realize the last few are devilishly difficult to get out. Not a problem, really, but grammar and typo people will have some to find.

    Conclusion:
    This is a good book. I liked it very much and see it as a strong four stars. Lovers of sci/fi will enjoy it, of that I am sure. I look forward to book two. It is a great series introduction.
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  • David Calvert
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on 21 August 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Great read, really enjoyed it from start to finish. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
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