Mars colonist Michelle Arensen, taken from her home against her will and flung into deep space, finds herself in the custody of an intimidating alien race, the powerful Vinyi. Despite her best efforts, the odds of getting back to her family start to dwindle, and Michelle unexpectedly finds that she's begun creating a new place for herself among her alien hosts. But not all Vinyi embrace the idea of a human living among them, and Michelle's hope of ever having a normal life again dims further with each passing day. To survive what the Vinyi have in store for her, she will have to determine when to fight, when to let go, and the difference between giving up and moving on.     ** A BookLife by Publishers Weekly Editor's Pick ** "Weber's brisk, engaging SF debut, the inaugural novel in the Vinyi Chronicles, plunges readers into a vividly imagined future...Weber crafts a gripping narrative...The novel stands out for its deft incorporation of Vinyi terminology and socio-political structures, which add depth to the narrative and help readers empathize with the characters.... [T]hematic depth, combined with the fast-paced action, makes Found a refreshing and thought-provoking read. This promising series starter blends compelling SF adventure, social commentary, and strong characterization." -- BookLife by Publishers Weekly, Editor's Pick "This story could be an allegory as well as a morality tale for any being's life in most circumstances and time periods. ... The author's insights and beautiful prose keep the reader fascinated to the last page." -- Carolyn Davis, US Review of Books, RECOMMENDED Review "In "Found: Book One of the Vinyi Chronicles," Lesli Weber has created a thrilling, and sometimes heartbreaking, space adventure. It follows Michelle's journey as she navigates the dangerous politics of alien races. She's a tough woman and has overcome obstacles before, but this time, with all odds against her, she must determine when it's time to move on with her life. "The theme of space exploration drew me to this novel, and it exceeded my expectations. It starts off like most other Mars colonization stories. Michelle is cautiously optimistic that they can make this work and even though it's not easy, everything is going as planned. From there it takes a darker tone as they're abducted by an alien race who are anything but friendly. By the end of the third chapter, I was hooked and had so many questions. Who are these aliens? What do they want? Will they kill Michelle? I felt uneasy but had to find out more. When the seriousness of the situation begins to sink in, she feels numb and empty as she waits for the worst. "This fascinating blend of science fiction, fantasy, and adventure recounts humanity's efforts at colonizing Mars. It ultimately puts them in danger amid the sobering reality of the vastness of the universe and in a cruel twist of fate, they end up being viewed as an inferior species by a much bigger and more powerful race. Weber's world-building is outstanding, offering readers a detailed universe filled with diverse cultures, technologies, and complex moral dilemmas. The pacing is steady, allowing for a deep exploration of character development, especially the Vinyi characters. The heroic battles are reminiscent of the best of Star Trek, and the language is vivid and descriptive: The glorious symphony of color in the Martian sunrise lit the sky as Michelle walked to the greenhouse. "Overall, Lesli Weber's "Found: Book One of the Vinyi Chronicles" combines action with philosophical questions about identity, destiny, the nature of power, and the definition of 'humanity' as experienced by non-human entities. As a social commentary, it makes us reflect on how we treat those who are different than us. It's an engaging and thought-provoking start to a series that promises much more. Fans of space exploration adventures and speculative fiction will find it to be an exciting and worthwhile read. She glared back at the lead Snake. It was going to kill her, but she was damn well going to make it earn the privilege." -- Sandra Cruz for Reader Views, Five-Star Review " Found is a thoroughly moving, engaging, original, highly intelligent piece of fiction, with themes that run as deep as the questions it raises, the laughter it inspires, the empathy it stirs. Found takes a sci-fi premise and elevates it into a clever meditation on humanity, often from an extraterrestrial perspective. A brilliant debut." -- Marthese Fenech, bestselling author of The Siege of Malta trilogy "The fast-paced plotline [is] conveyed in a direct, nonjargony prose (some may recall genre master Alan Dean Foster), ... [A] resourceful human fights to navigate and survive a perilous alien environment... and much weight is accorded to the emotional states of the players... Aye, Captain, there is intelligent life in this involving SF adventure." -- Kirkus Reviews Lesli started writing short stories for fun a few years