nathaniel jungheim
In Savages of the Bulk, Nathaniel Jungheim elevates the space opera genre to the next level. A stunning blend of political intrigue, mystique, and action, this is epic science fiction the way it should be told.
The Bulk is humanity’s only way to the stars. Entry is denied unless the Commonwealth calls for war.
Launching in 2027!
Chased through the solar system, only a group of renegades can stop the deadliest attack on humanity ever.
About the author
Nathaniel Jungheim, is the author of the science fiction novel Savages of the Bulk. He has worked as a cybersecurity manager for the past decade while splitting his time in the Army National Guard. During which, he spent his nights and weekends working on his passion project: The Lightborn Series. As a devoted sci fi and history nerd, he dreamed up his first novel "Savages of the Bulk" during his deployment as an Army captain in Iraq. Nate lives in Chicago with his wife, Devin, and 3 dogs: Clementine, Duckie, and Bones.
Influences
Nathaniel Jungheim writes military science fiction and space opera novels that explore galactic empires, alien invasion, cybernetic soldiers, and interstellar warfare. His stories blend the political realism of the Dune series (Frank Herbert), the hard science fiction of The Expanse (James S.A. Corey), the corporate dystopian neo-noir of Blade Runner, and the transhuman cyberpunk edge of Altered Carbon (Richard K. Morgan). Nathaniel includes the psychological trauma and moral injury of space marine and space fleet battles set in vast science fiction future war settings. However, he also mixes in humor with pop culture references like Ready Player One (Ernest Cline).
Nathaniel's books feature first contact scenarios, the massive displacement caused by artificial intelligence, the eventuality of augmented humans, and the human and economic cost of empire in space. Readers who enjoy epic sci-fi universes, military sci-fi books, space war novels, and character-driven drama will find familiar themes alongside original worlds and modern storytelling.
If you’re looking for MILSIFI novels about humanity facing alien powers, advanced technology, drone warfare, and galactic politics, his work sits at the crossroads of classic and contemporary science fiction. Nathaniel is inspired by authors of large-scale space operas like Robert A. Heinlein (Starship Troopers), Dennis E. Taylor (Bobiverse), Joe Haldeman (Forever War), John Scalzi (Old Man's War) and J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5).
savages of the bulk
For centuries the mysterious Saar Commonwealth has denied Earth access to the Bulk, an extradimensional gateway to the stars. In the absence of faster than light travel, the solar system has been conquered, but society grows restless in its isolation. Only when the Commonwealth calls humankind to war are its armies allowed to leave. Until now, on the other side of the galaxy, a hostile alien world resists control. With no choice left, they order humanity on a diplomatic mission to maintain the peace. Tasked with the deep space assignment, a young diplomat, Miguel Castal, must work with a black ops’ agent on the run, a statesman with unclear loyalties, and a rookie pilot flying a state-of-the-art warship.
If they fail, then Lieutenant Jake Dawes will have to fight another war. However, he has no choice. When caught in the crossfire of a covert operation his body is ripped to shreds, the ultimatum is clear: become a cybernetically enhanced soldier or be tossed to the streets. As he prepares for battle, Jake is plagued by strange voices. Is it a faulty code in his systems? A bad link with his snippy combat droid? Or is there something bigger at play, something that can finally challenge the Commonwealth’s domination of humanity.
areas of operation
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite (★★★★★)In Nathaniel Jungheim's Savages of the Bulk, the year is 2286, and Jacob Dawes prepares to join the Terran Joint Expeditionary Forces after graduating in Chicago alongside classmates Miguel Castal, Priya Patel, and Milla Sefira. During their final night together, a violent rooftop attack destroys Jacob’s body, leading the government to rebuild him with cybernetic limbs in exchange for joining a classified drone infantry program. While Jacob trains to command combat machines through neural implants, Secretary of Defense James VonBrink investigates an ancient starship discovered near Madagascar. It contains records of a lost human civilization and weapons capable of altering the balance of power among interstellar nations. When a diplomatic mission to the alien Szczari empire ends in assassination, humanity enters a system-wide war that takes Jacob from military training into combat on a distant world.In Savages of the Bulk, Nathaniel Jungheim offers a masterclass in world-building, with political organizations across several worlds that mold everyday life. Earth governments cooperate with the Saar Commonwealth, while the Szczari empire binds rival kingdoms through arranged royal marriages, designed to produce an emperor who will unite their civilization under a single imperial throne. There are many moving pieces, but the author does a great job of putting them all into place. Jake is an excellent lead with a huge arc and a lot to work through. Priya Patel, piloting the Emma Faith, has control and composure by the bucketload. Kin’Mamani is a brilliantly worthy opposition to political authority, and a rare female baddie in a genre dominated by men. I could read a whole prequel on her alone. Well written and completely immersive, readers hungry for intelligent, large-scale science fiction will devour this book. I'm looking forward to seeing where book two in The Lightborn series takes us.
Reviewed by Jeff Somers for IndieReader (★★★★)Nathaniel Jungheim’s SAVAGES OF THE BULK is a meticulously crafted, large-scale science fiction novel that brims with tension and intrigue. Through a richly imagined narrative, the author explores profound themes of humanity, war, alien encounters, and interstellar politics. It’s a compelling read, especially for those who appreciate layered, thought-provoking space thrillers.When humanity performed its first trip through the “bulk,” a hyperspace path to distant stars, they were immediately confronted by the Saar: enigmatic aliens who casually incorporate Earth into their Commonwealth. Under the Saar, humanity is limited to its solar system and forbidden to interact with the other Saar client states—unless they’re called on to provide military assets to their never-seen alien overlords.In Nathaniel Jungheim's SAVAGES OF THE BULK: Book One of the Lightborn Series, Jake Dawes is barely able to celebrate his entry into the Terran Joint Expeditionary Forces before a violent attack sends him to the hospital short a few limbs. He’s offered a new role: get cybernetic implants and robot limbs attached. This is to interface with an AI battle robot, but it comes at the heavy cost of never seeing his friends or family again. Jake doesn’t see any other choice, and his decision soon has him involved in a war that will have immense implications for humanity.Jungheim confidently builds his universe at a fast clip, without sacrificing detail or depth. The concept of the Saar—far advanced of humanity and almost completely inscrutable—is a good one, allowing for a lot of ranging about the solar system and beyond. Jake and his friends tackle separate adventures until events converge in a spectacular manner. The characters are well-shaded, too, even the ones who are more than one person.
Reviewed by Nicky Flowers for Indies Today (★★★★★)With the capacity of Earth, Mercury, and every other habitable planet, moon, and asteroid in the Solar System strained, humanity has pushed itself to consider the wider cosmos for relief. But it isn’t science holding sapient beings back. Even in the vastness of space, the same old politics, grudges, and disagreements plague them. Newly commissioned officer Jake Dawes doesn’t care much about universal politics or conspiracy theories, only about his future as a logistics officer, a career he has a passion for. On what should have been an evening of raucous celebrations and fond farewells with fellow graduates, a taxi ride turns into a war scene. The lieutenant wakes in a hospital bed, robbed of his girlfriend, his physical independence, and the life he had been working toward. When the Anti-Terrorism Task Force presents Jake with a chance to get cybernetic upgrades, train as a drone commander, and maybe avenge his girlfriend’s murder, the choice is easy. What isn’t easy, however, is navigating the gap between the man he was and the man he is becoming. The more he trains, fights, and learns, the less he really understands about the forces shaping the war he’s caught in. Harder still is untangling the truth from every lie he’s been fed and choosing which path to take when each one leads only to a different shape of destruction.Thoughtfully conceived and elegantly executed, Savages of the Bulk is the kind of immersive novel that resets the bar for science fiction writing. The first thing readers will notice is just how well Nathaniel Jungheim choreographs an action scene! Crafted with striking precision and complete control, they are visceral but never excessive, taut but never overburdened with technical clutter. Jungheim’s storytelling is also marked by well‑timed layers of world and character detail, each arriving exactly as the narrative needs them. A brief meta moment sees a character reflecting on how first contact killed sci‑fi’s old imagination, adding cultural depth without interrupting momentum. And beyond the book’s interesting characters and speculative elements, the entangled politics and lore are meticulously constructed and clearly conveyed, guiding the reader through a universe that feels both vast and accessible. A futuristic saga about adaptation and survival in a war‑torn system, Savages of the Bulk is a gripping military space‑opera perfect for readers who want to get lost in dazzling new worlds.
Review by Ashley for Mr. Book Review (★★★★)There are sci-fi books which you read 20 pages and realize the author has build an entire galaxy? Yeah, this is one of those books.The story starts with humans discovering faster-than-light travel through something called the Bulk. Pretty cool already. But then aliens show up and obviously, disturbs humanity.The opening of the book was honestly one of my favorite parts. Creepy. Mysterious. Felt like something massive was coming.Most of the story follows Jake Dawes. In the start, he’s just a regular military graduate hanging out with friends, thinking about the future, talking politics, drinking. Then one attack changes everything. And I mean everything.Jake was probably the strongest part of the book for me. He is human in every manner. Yeah, he’s awkward & lost sometimes. Angry a lot of the time who will not, after what happens to him.The worldbuilding here is honestly good. There are alien races, secret groups, old civilizations, new technology, politics, military operations. The author clearly put a ton of work into this universe.And the Bulk itself? Really cool idea.Most sci-fi books use hyperspace like it’s just space highway traffic. Here it feels dangerous. Like humans are messing with something they shouldn’t fully trust.By the ending, it’s clear this is only the start of something much bigger. Ancient secrets. Bigger wars coming. Humanity in way over its head.One thing which i really enjoyed is there’s always another mystery popping up. Another hidden agenda. Another “wait… what is actually going on here?” moment.Overall, Savages of the Bulk feels like the start of a huge sci-fi storyline. It has mysteries, aliens, politics, and a main character, what else is needed, big actions..??? On the way.If you are one who love big military sci-fi stories with space battles, politics, and aliens
If you like The Expanse, Mass Effect etc.
If you are interested in cybernetic soldiers, and futuristic warfare with new techIf you like books with heavy lore, military sci-fi, galactic politics, and huge universe-building, you’ll probably have a good time.
By Jennifer Hill for Reedsy Discovery (★★★★)Space opera intertwined with a twisty mystery. Are the Saar really hoping for peace and what is Defence Secretary VonBrink up to?The Saar Commonwealth has prevented Earth and the other planets from venturing beyond the solar system for 200 years but now they've invited Earth to send a delegation to the Szczari in a distant star system on what is supposed to be a peace mission. The delegation includes Ambassador Collins, Defense Secretary VonBrink and his assistant Olivia, as well as accompanying military personnel. Lieutenant Jake Dawes, a cybernetically enhanced soldier and elite drone commander, has been personally selected by VonBrink but is sworn to secrecy for reasons he doesn't understand and he and his old friends Priya, Pawel and Miguel from the military academy are all part of the delegation. Miguel becomes VonBrink ‘s attache, while Priya pilots one of the delegation spaceships. But during the initial training session with his AI combat assistant Saucier, a canine-like robot, Jake suffers terrifying visions of a previous war, triggered, he believes, by the sealed information packets stored in Saucier’s cache. And he also has serious doubts about the Saar’s real intentions.The novel's structure is built on the mystery of what VonBrink and Olivia are up to and their links to the strange monoliths, the Finarri. In fact, most of those involved in the delegation apart from Jake and his friends have hidden agendas, with cross and double cross in play. In addition, the tale is told from multiple points of view – that of Jake, Olivia, Priya, Miguel and others - so the reader never gets the full picture. This is intriguing and makes the ultimate denouement satisfying. As a whole the characters come over clearly, some lightly sketched and some in bold tones, like the trainer Captain Rodrigues, apparently a hard-nosed bully but with a great sense of humour. Jake himself is an attractive character, as are his friends, and the military style banter is engaging, VonBrink's initial interview with Miguel as a case in point.The world building – the political landscape, the spaceships, the medical cybernetics, the science behind the FTL drives - is all credible. It must be said that sometimes the research showed – as when Miguel is listening to an info dump on how FTL drives function and yawns heartily throughout. But despite these occasional blips the reader can easily relate to the characters who carry the story along. Coupled with the intriguing mystery of what lies behind the action this makes for a space opera that lovers of hard science fiction will thoroughly enjoy.
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