Author:DC Allen Release Date: 11th March 2021 Series: Genre: Science-Fiction, Speculative Fiction Format: E-book Pages: 128 pages Publisher: Demodocus Publishing LLC Blurb: “Stand in Hell, But Reach For Heaven.” Rekha is a Disciple of Obcasus: science-worshiping zealots who live deep beneath a poisonous volcano and await the sign to arise and conquer the world. While her fellow Disciples are content to recite violent oaths and practice a form of combat based on instantaneous genetic modifications, Rekha is consumed with doubts. After she instigates a mêlée that goes horribly awry, she is cast out. Now separated from the only life she knows, the young heretic stumbles into the heart of a mystery seven generations in the making, and the reckoning that follows. If the Obcasian Death Cult’s apocalyptic dogma is true, what comes next?
CREATRIX OF STRIFE is a literary anthem realized in lyrical, mind-bending, and brutal prose. Set in an arcane, minutely detailed world where troglodytic saints weaponize their own DNA and the main defense against volcanic death is a massive clockwork defense system, Rekha’s tale is a thrilling science fiction adventure, but also the account of an outcast channeling her frustration into strength and finding purpose in a storm of uncertainty.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Creatrix Of Strife by DC Allen is a powerfully-written and amazingly gripping new science-fiction novel about gene modification, science-worshipping zealots and DNA weaponisation against volcanic death – all this and so much MORE!
This book started on a high note and, thankfully, kept up with it all throughout the story till the very end. I enjoyed reading it because of the level of detailing of the word-building, realistically developed characters, especially that of Rekha, and some other secondary characters who added a lot of emotional depth to the main and sub-plots of the story and the flow of the writing which made reading this book a quick and fun experience.
Overall this book had a lot of elements that kept me hooked right from the start to the very last page! It has an amazing concept, a very engaging and entertaining storyline and a well-developed and excellently executed plot. Overall this book has a lot to offer to its readers (ages 14+) and I would strongly recommend it to everyone who likes reading science-fiction and speculative fiction genres.
Author: Jenny Benjamin Release Date: 2nd September 2022 Series: The Terrian Trilogy (Book #2) Genre: Young-Adult, Science-Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy Format: E-book Pages: 267 pages Publisher: – Blurb: Book Two begins ten days after the events of Book One with Jesse, Kate, and Hayden traveling in the found alien ship and trailing the Gelfs who have kidnapped Sofia. Plagued with rage and guilt because of Sofia’s capture, Jesse finds himself losing control of his emotions and the Triumvirate’s mission to bring peace to two worlds—Earth and Terria. Tensions, attractions, and powers crackle with energy in the second installment of the Terrian Trilogy. Jesse and his friends discover new abilities, face hybrid beasts, and carry out rescue missions on Terria. What else? More revelations about Terria’s corruption? Genetic modification? The unveiling of a terrifying plot by Terria’s faction leaders? Yes. Maybe. Jesse and his friends are called to act.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Corrupted by Jenny Benjamin is the second book in the new young-adult sci-fi-fantasy Terrain trilogy This book begins right where the first book, Enhanced left off so it would be ideal to read this series in order.
This book took the plot of the last book further, exploring amazing new avenues and sub-plots and with some new characters added to the mix that explored the world of this trilogy further, it made for an excellent read. I was able to understand the motivations and drives of the characters better in this part as they were explored on a yet deeper level, facing new perils that tested their strengths and grit.
I am looking forward to reading the next and the last part of this trilogy as I know it would answer some questions that this book had given rise to. But most of all, I really want to see how things end for the main characters, Jesse, Kate and Hayden.
I would strongly recommend this book (and the series) to all science-fiction readers and to high-fantasy enthusiasts who love reading well-developed and realistic young-adult characters.
Author: Jenny Benjamin Release Date: 1st October 2021 Series: The Terrian Trilogy (Book #1) Genre: Young-Adult, Science-Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy Format: E-book Pages: 260 pages Publisher: – Blurb: Jesse Woods – drum line maestro, track star, honors student – is a standout as one of the only Black students at a suburban Chicago high school. His well-organized world is thrown into chaos when his school is attacked by an alien species, Terrians, who have been playing gods throughout human history. Jesse and two others from the drumline, Kate and Hayden, are pulled into an epic alien conspiracy and forced on a quest to retrieve an ancient artifact that will help decide the victory in the battle for planet Earth. The three teenagers will face impossible odds and fight the powerful enemies, as well as their own demons, to protect their loved ones and save the world they know. Yeah, right, what else, locusts? Dragons in the sky? Alien ships? War between worlds? Armageddon? Yes. Maybe. Only Jesse and his friends can stop it.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Enhanced by Jenny Benjamin is the first book in the new young-adult sci-fi-fantasy Terrain trilogy. This book marked an excellent beginning of what could be a potentially amazing trilogy. This book had everything that I had expected and SO MUCH MORE!
The concept is brilliant setting a strong foundation not only for this book but for the next two books as well and the author’s writing kept the flow of the story very fluid and smooth making it a flawless experience. The characters were well-built and the world-building was up to the mark, the creatures/monsters were terrific and the detailing in the book was commendable. Overall this book made for a fantastically engrossing read and had me hooked right from the beginning till the very end, making me want to jump into the next book right away (which, of course, I did!)
I would strongly recommend this book to all science-fiction readers and to high-fantasy enthusiasts who love reading well-developed and realistic young-adult characters.
Author:Bob Freeman Release Date: 3rd August 2022 Series: H2LiftShips (Book #3) Genre: Science-Fiction Format: E-book Pages: 326 pages Publisher: Indies United Publishing House, LLC Blurb: We’ve tried to make a nice, friendly Space Opera. Sure it has passive-aggressive families, gambling, cheating, and double-dealing, but nice. Still, watch your back. SolarSail Cargo ships travel between the populated asteroids and Goldilocks Core. And now HiveMother at the Heliopause and the HiveSisters in the Heliotail are fighting. It may turn into a full-fledged bioGel War.
The Solar Sail crew of BosonsWave and Captain Herb, an Eastern mountain gorilla in the Heliospheric Navy, are fighting the algae rocket ships for control of the bioGels. On one side, we have tools and weapons invented by the sentients after eons of development: bioGel laser rifles, HAM radios, ship-to-ship bolas, nuclear bombs, biological weapons, and a tomato surprise. On the other side, accumulations of brainless algae have joined with angry bioGel computers calling the shots. Captain Graciela, her crew, and the Heliospheric Navy have a battle on their hands.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
H2LiftShip: BosonsWave by Bob Freeman is the third book in the H2LiftShip series and a sequel to H2LiftShips: A Back Story. In this part, the last part of the trilogy, most of everything comes together providing the readers with a coherent and a much-needed respite-full ending.
The writing was much better in this book and the world-building went up a notch as did the characterisation as well as pretty much every other aspect. I am now really looking forward to exploring other titles by the author in the near future.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and this series, on the whole too, and would definitely recommend it to all science-fiction readers and to sci-fi-fantasy readers too.
Author:Bob Freeman Release Date: 21st February 2021 Series: H2LiftShips (Book #2) Genre: Science-Fiction Format: E-book Pages: 325 pages Publisher: Indies United Publishing House Blurb: Trading and dealing for a living is just what the LunaCola’s crew is doing to get by. But everybody (or octopus) has a backstory, and the members of the crew have more than enough to reminisce. There’s nothing quite like sitting down to play cards, celebrating a job well done, and recollecting the past but there’s still plenty that still has to come to light. The big questions, such as how in the galaxy did the born-and-bred asteroid citizen learn to drive sports cars on Earth? Are the bioGels Sentient? The even bigger question is, are they plotting against their owners? And what dark secrets is Jack harboring behind his fears of prison? Those answers and more. Plus: Do octopuses really think that they are better than the terrestrials? (spoiler, yes they do, and there’s a story there as well.)
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
H2LiftShip: A Back Story by Bob Freeman is the second book in the series and a sequel to Beyond Luna. After the first book, which was written in a very unique was more like a technical manual than a straight story, this book had a more coherent storyline that was easier to follow making this book a tad better than the first one (though I did like the first one too, it’s just the flow that I am referring to here in terms of being better.)
This book had a lot of interesting insights, more side-plots and character development and helped the overall world-building for the entire series to a great extent so I really liked this book too. Now I am looking forward to finishing the last book in this series (which I have already started!)
Again, I’d recommend this book to anyone who has read the first book in this series and anyone wanting to explore a new sci-fi series or a sci-fi author.
Author:Bob Freeman Release Date: 24th March 2021 Series: H2LiftShips (Book #1) Genre: Science-Fiction Format: E-book Pages: 338 pages Publisher: Indies United Publishing House Blurb: H2LiftShips, a tech manual for a futureImagine a world, exactly like ours, but differentPart Road-Trip, part solar sailing, always with food, gambling, jail, and pirates, not necessarily in that order No: Aliens, Monsters, blasters, pyrotechnic computers, or Anti-Grav powered rockets. Yes: Lasers, Primates, Canines, Octopus, Space Travel via Solar Sails, and the rare Rocket Ship.No violence, except for the spinning meat bolas and asteroid pebbles coming to the defense of their home rock.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Beyond Luna is the first book in the H2LiftShip science-fiction series by author Bob Freeman. This book was so wildly adventurous that I could not stop myself from starting to read the next book in the series right after I was done reading this book. But first things first, this book had an amazing plot, excellent execution of that plot, good writing to bring it to life and well-built characters to bring it all together.
It was an immensely immersive read and the world-building was simply out of the world (pud definitely intended 😉 I liked the authors writing and the new creatures in the book were definitely created with a lot of careful consideration. I enjoyed reading about them and cared enough about their character development to read the entire book and was left wanting to read more.
I would definitely suggest this book to all science-fiction readers who are looking for a new series to start.
Author: Joshua Veridical Release Date: 1st Febrauary 2022 Series: Genre: Spiritualism, Philosophy Format: E-book Pages: 152 pages Publisher: Blurb: In the Rush of living our life, it is true that we forget Purpose of life. Religion keeps us disciplined and shows us the path to find that purpose. There are many monks, Spiritual Leaders and Priests who guide us to maintain stability in life and help our soul grow. This book takes you in the unusual journey of Spiritualism where the purpose of life is found by our main protagonist but in a very unusual way.
Review
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
I Am Not God by Joshua Veridical is a book based on the spiritual journey of the main protagonist that tackles many philosophical questions about life and its meaning in general. Overall the book is a decent read and proved to be a quick read. The main character, although not extremely relatable, was likeable enough for me to be able to read the entire book to learn more about his journey.
I did feel that the book needed more polishing as the writing felt a bit rough and could have been better, but of course, that is my personal opinion and being an editor myself I do have tough standards when it comes to writing style, especially in Indian literature.
This book would be perfect for readers of philosophical books and spiritual enthusiasts.
Author: Xander Black Release Date: 14th March 2022 Series: Game On (Book #1) Genre: Science-Fiction Fantasy, Adventure, Humour Format: E-book Pages: 445 pages Publisher: BC BOOKS Blurb: WELCOME TO THE METAVERSE 2065: the streets are abandoned, shops are empty, parks are silent. But is that really much of a surprise when you can connect to the Cybernet? Everyone can turn on, log in and drop out. Cyrus, a failed physicist, and drop-out game designer Everett are on the cusp of their big breakthrough into the meta ranks of Neverborn, the world’s most popular game.
But when several high-profile avatars disappear, and their human counterparts are found dead, Cyrus and Everett find themselves under suspicion. They must clear their names and unravel the deeper mysteries of Brith and the Neverborn. In doing so, they will uncover a dark secret, that threatens not only the game-world but the safety of their physical realm.
Satire, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery combine in an epic adventure where no one ever leaves home, perfect for fans of Ready Player One and Douglas Adams.
Review
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Meta by Xander Black is a new science-fiction fantasy adventure novel based on the concept of MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) in a PSW (a persistent state world) where millions of players can develop their characters in virtual reality. In simple terms, this book is based on a future where people spend most of their lives in virtual reality instead of living a normal life in the real world.
This book was a decent read though it did remind me too much of Ready Player One (which I thoroughly loved.) At some point, it got a bit overwhelming and I wanted to quit reading it, though knowing better, and trying not to draw comparisons between the two books because of their common concept, I kept reading and finished the book in the hopes that it would be different and I’m glad that I did because this book proved to be a good read with a nice ending.
I liked the writing because it had a good flow but the efforts of the author to try and sound like Douglas Adam-ish felt pretty annoying and seemed to have killed the author’s natural writing style. I found the satire a bit forced and not correctly executed. Also, the book felt to have been lacking decent editing, it may be because I was sent a review copy and not the final book, but the copy if the copy I have and the final book are the same then the book obviously has editing issues. If the book’s final version is well-edited, it should make for a better read. Apart from these issues, as I previously said, the book was a decent read and would be a great fit for sci-fi and adventure genre readers.
Author:Tiffany Brazell Release Date: 20th December 2020 Genre: Epic Fantasy Series: The God’s Game Series (Book #1) Format: E-book Pages: 252 pages Publisher: Regalis Publishing, LLC Blurb: The Destroyer’s Empire Part 1 is the first book in The God’s Game, a new epic fantasy series by Tiffany Brazell. A cursed world… An immortal empress… A girl with forbidden knowledge and unknown power… Although she has read all about Vias the Destroyer’s dreaded liths, Salmaara has never seen one. In fact, she’s not even sure the nightmarish, mouthless creatures exist. She’s never been to Mauvias, land created by the goddess Vias the Destroyer, ruled by a ruthless immortal empress, a place where the very air is cursed with insatiable thirst, or to the ancient city Kalitoomba, a city of soaring glass towers ruled by a benevolent god-king. Following her rescue from a river, Salmaara lives a quiet life working in her father’s pottery shop, trying to discover who she is in a town where her golden eyes and fair skin make it clear she doesn’t belong. Illun, the man she loves as her father, is keeping a secret. An important secret.
Her looks aren’t the only thing that makes her different. Salmaara can sense where people are by their souls, and can connect her soul to theirs. One morning, she reaches for the feeling of her father’s soul and hears his thoughts, something she thought only the servants of the Destroyer could do. Before she can discover what it means, one of the liths appears, takes her captive, and carries her away to the gruesome prison city of Günhai, where even the stones cry out in pain. Within its lightproof halls, Salmaara will have to decide, will she do what she’s told, and become a pet, a tool of the empire, of the destroyer herself? Or, will she have to risk her life and very soul, to discover who she truly is and how her powers will be used?
“Imaginative and vast, The God’s Game Series is a big story vividly told, sure to satisfy fans of epic fantasy.”
Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of The Saga of Seven Suns.
“Tiffany Brazell’s imagination takes off where others’ end. This is a tale of high magic that is sure to please.”
David Farland, New York Times bestselling author of The Runelords.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Prisoner Of Mauvias by Tiffany Brazell is the first book in The God’s Game series – an epic fantasy series. This book is an adventurous journey that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions where dangers are lurking behind every turn.
It is a fast-paced fantasy read that follows a simple yet meticulous plot structure that keeps the action tight throughout the story. This book had good, if not superb, characterisation. I was able to connect to or relate with most of the characters, secondary as well as primary. I enjoyed reading this book and am really looking forward to reading the next part in the series as I am sure the characterisation would be further developed in it.
I would definitely recommend this book to all fantasy readers.
Author:R.J. O’Sullivan Release Date: 15th December 2021 Genre: Science-Fiction, Political Satire Series: Format: E-book Pages: 235 pages Publisher: RHELM, LLC Blurb: After losing his entire family to COVID, the baseball-obsessed heir to a corporate empire uses his family fortune to hit the re-set button on America. Concocting a plot to kidnap a million QAnon followers for the purpose of “deprogramming” them, Jamie Whistler takes the lessons learned from playing his favorite simulation game and applies them to the real world.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Jamie Whistler Plays Out Of The Park Baseball Because It’s The Only Thing That Matters by R.J. O’Sullivan is a unique and refreshing new political satire sci-fi novel.
This book has an intelligent plot, well-written prose to complement it and a cast of interesting and engaging characters that made this book a compelling read. The author has used his amazing sense of humour and subtle phrases to take digs on the current political scenarios, especially relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, drawing the readers attention to the real matter that should be of concern to all of us.
I loved reading this book and would definitely recommend it to all reads of satire and political fiction who won’t mind a sci-fi setting.
Author: Dmitry Pavlovsky Release Date: 26th December 2021 Genre: Science-Fiction, Space-Opera, Action, Space-Adventure Series: Format: E-book Pages: 276 pages Publisher: Lulu.com Blurb: The Great Barrier is an irradiated wasteland of magnetars, black holes and supernovae, spanning millions of light years in every direction. Igniting behind the last of the generation ships that clawed their way to these new stars, it slammed the doors shut on them, cutting off their only way back. Now, after centuries of colonial fragmentation, infighting and isolation, an ancient ship of unknown origin has washed up on the cosmic shores of the barrier.
And a long forgotten mystery has reopened its wounds. With time running out before the ship is sucked back into a stellar ocean of deadly radiation, a retired intelligence officer is forced to assemble a first response team consisting of a disillusioned field medic, a pair of space divers with serious trust issues and an assassin with an exotic battle chassis for a body. But to complete the team, he’ll need someone to pilot their decommissioned subship “The Abyss”. And the only choice he has left is a washed up racer, who’d rather be anywhere else but back in the pilot’s seat.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Burn Of The Abyss by Dimitry Pavlovsky is a new sci-fi and space adventure novel that will take you in the depths of outer space and leave you wanting for more!
I enjoyed this book as it remained me of the classical space-fantasies that were written with careful attention to detail. Author Dimitri has done an excellent job in creating realistic characters, the world and a good storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from the beginning till the very last page.
The writing is good, the characterisation is realistic and well-done and the pacing is great throughout the book along with the tension. I would definitely recommend this book to all science-fiction readers and to those who are looking to explore books by new authors.
Author: PM Black Release Date: 5th December 2021 Genre: Science-Fiction Fantasy Series: Format: E-book Pages: 332 pages Publisher: Blurb: Empress Saltome, sovereign of the eight planets, has been captured through an act of betrayal by blood-thirsty demons who plan to make the billions under her rule their personal livestock. Hope for the survival of her people lies in Kora, an infamous assassin and loyal protector of the Empress who evaded capture with the Imperial Orb, the source of the Empress’ power. Kora is charged to deliver the orb and protect seventeen-year-old Jenanine Blackwater, the secret heir apparent of the realm and, outside of the Empress, the sole individual with the ability to wield the orb’s power.
Growing up in a hidden palace kingdom void of the racial hate plaguing her two largest neighbors, Jeanine can’t wait to begin her training as Empress. She wants to bring peace and well-being throughout The Eight while wearing the most fabulous dresses and hosting the most lavish balls.
When Kora crash lands on their planet, she brings with her a league of demons and assassins hunting to destroy the Imperial Orb. The fate of The Eight now rests on a small band of warriors and a wide-eyed, young girl who has never left the hidden valley of her home. But what will happen when the few allies Jenanine has turn out to be her biggest threat?
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
The Solar Realm: The Silver Slayer by PM Black is an immersive sci-fi novel that will take you on an inter-galactic rollercoaster.
This book had good characterisation, decent writing and a good concept that was executed nicely enough. I enjoyed reading this book as the pacing was great and the action was consistent. There were some dull moments but the following tension more than made up for them each time. The world-building was really good and overall I think it is a well-written book and I am really looking forward to reading the next part in this series.
I would recommend this series to all sci-fi fantasy readers.
Author: Daniel Hagedorn Release Date: 10th February 2021 Genre: Science-Fiction Fantasy Series: Format: E-book Pages: 330 pages Publisher: Atmosphere Press Blurb: How do humans survive after a massive pandemic that has devastated the population? Rather than living amid continued chaos and panic, the surviving population enjoys a thriving life thanks to the assistance of the network, a vast system that connects everything and everyone. The network protects from the virus while allowing everyone to lead their best life. Every dream and desire can easily be attained.
14 years into this networked world, David, one of the creators, wakes up to find that he is no longer connected. Is he the only one? And why, for what purpose? David feels almost like waking from a dream only to discover a technologically advanced world, full of beautiful and spectacular things, but all may not be what it seems. What is the difference between a dream and reality? What is the nature of experience?
Follow David as he wanders through a vast maze, uncovering layer upon layer in his search for truth. Recalling his former life, he must choose between what he feels, his natural compulsion to question everything, and what is good for humanity. The Lodestar takes you on a deep look into philosophical questions surrounding technology and its role in humanity.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Lodestar by Daniel Hagedorn is a riveting new sci-fi fantasy read that will pull you in right from the start and keep you hooked till the very last page. I really liked this book because in spite of being a technological read it had a lot of philosophical threads weaved in throughout the story which made it a very interesting and a thought-provoking read.
I liked the characterisation, vague-ish as the main ones were I really enjoyed reading about them. The writing was good and complemented the plot well. The concept, for me, was a complete win-win, and the plot structuring was good. Overall it is a nice read and I’d highly recommend it to all sci-fi readers who like reading about philosophical themes and fantastical elements.
Today, we are featuring David, the lead characters from The Lodestar by Daniel Hagedorn, for our Character Interview feature.
About The Author
Daniel Hagedorn
Daniel Hagedorn lives in Seattle, Washington, where he was born and raised, with his wife and elderly dog. An alum of Pacific Lutheran University with a couple of humanities degrees, he now splits his time between writing and helping various businesses and entities do what they do. He has written a number of novels, poems, and countless other musings. The Lodestar is his first published novel.
Welcome to TRB! We are really excited to have you over. Please give our readers a brief introduction about yourself before we begin.
My name is David Jones. I would tell you more about myself, but I am not entirely sure. I have bits and pieces of memories, experiences that I feel like I lived, but I have my doubts because I live in an age where reality and fantasy mix. Some of the time, I feel like I have two minds, that I am of two wits, and I can’t always reconcile which is which, and which is me. Who am I? I don’t always know.
What is your age and what do you do for a living?
I am probably in my thirties. Again, I don’t know for sure. I don’t feel any older or wiser, however old I am. As I live in a world that celebrates youth, everyone looks young. No one looks like their age. Even my sense of time, which is how we mark age, seems altered. It might be a strange thing not to know how old I am, but it’s not anything I think about it. There’s no fixation on age when everyone appears perpetually young. Retirement is not even a concept. We all have jobs, essential and important jobs. I am a systems analyst class 1A (A for Architect). I monitor and keep track of things, same as a lot of people, but what I keep track of is more important, yet my job isn’t any more important than another. This is a paradox I readily accept. Without everyone doing their job, our world would cease to function. Everyone has purpose and they know it.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend my free time much like everyone else. There is the SIM, the simulated, virtual world, a construct we use for both work and pleasure as the SIM can be shared with real people or representations of people, simulacra. I have memories of doing other things, reading and walking and traveling to new places, but I also have firmly in my mind, the SIM. I don’t know for sure if I went to those places or if it was merely an experience in the SIM. I have books, the great works of fiction and other ideas. I don’t remember reading them, but I know I have read them. Why? Because I have notebooks full of things I’ve written, my thoughts and recollections as well as ideas that could only have come from those books.
Please share some of your beliefs, principles, motivations and morals (can be social, religious or political or, etc.) Anything that will help us get to know you better.
It’s not that I don’t believe in God. I happen to be in a world where the concept of God no longer exists. You see, with the network, God remains unnecessary. We are beyond good and evil. I am not sure how I feel about that. I have a sense there is a God within us all, but I don’t know how to explain it because no one understands God. I believe strongly in quality over quantity, that certain things cannot be measured by a number, a metric, reduceable to a single value. In fact, I never believed the network could be programmed to understand the human condition. To me it has never been so much what something looks like, but what it actually is, what lies beneath, not the surface appeal but the underlining form. In the world I live in, seeing is believing and the world we see, like the people and places, is undeniably beautiful and perfect. Is there any need to go deeper?
Tell us something about your family and childhood.
I do not remember much about my family, even my childhood. Again, I have mere fragments that come to me, but I wonder whether they are real or just things I have experienced in the SIM. I have memories of childhood, we all do. The summer, being out of school, the seaside boardwalk with its carnival sounds and amusement park attractions. But how real are they? I wonder. When I visit my therapist in the SIM, she tries to get me to talk about my family, about my father, in particular, but I can never quite get there. It seems to me she knows more about that part of my life than I do. She says that I know, that I could know many things, yet I tell myself I don’t know, so it’s just a cycle I can’t break out of. I am not sure I believe her. I know my therapist is a product of the combined knowledge of psychotherapy, that she has a window into who I am, but if all that were really true, then why doesn’t she just tell me what I should say? Oh wait, that was before we were all connected. I don’t know if I’ve been in therapy since.
Tell us something about your dreams and aspirations? Were you able to achieve them or are you planning to?
Once I had dreams, real dreams, perhaps even hopes. It’s not fair to say I don’t have them anymore, rather I just know they are different. I once believed I could do great things, be accomplished because I had a purpose. I struggle to know that purpose now that I am not connected to the network. I know I have Marta, she’s my lodestar, and that somehow she is meant to guide me. Even Dante needed a guide. But I don’t know what we’ll find if we make it out of the network. What’s on the other side? And supposing we do get there, and it’s inhabitable, is there anything left of humanity? I am careful not to have too much hope, to believe too much in anything except Marta. I had my doubts at first, but I know she is real. So, for the moment, all I can believe in is Marta and I.
What is your biggest fear in life?
I fear that I cannot change who I am, that I cannot alter what has been set in motion, and like Sisyphus, all my efforts will be doomed. I disconnected myself from the networked world for a reason. But why? And was that something I did or someone else? Either way, maybe I am meant to do something that I am unable to do? That thought paralyzes me. That I am simply not good enough.
How would you describe your life in one sentence?
Am I just a cog in the machine, or have I found there is no machine?
What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you?
The worst thing that happened to me must have been something in the childhood I can’t remember. Those were formative years. Whatever happened then, fixed itself in my head, imprinted its code upon my brain such that I have a distrust for systems, of unity, of groups of people making decisions for the common good. Ultimately, the brain constructs our reality, and without the network assistance, I have to rely on my instincts which tell me to question everything.
Did it change you for the better or the worse?
There is good and bad that comes from every experience. The very thing that at times is a great strength, is a great weakness too. Like kindness. It’s good to be kind. However, being too kind can result in being taken advantage of. In that sense, my skepticism is useful, but it is also the very thing that has driven me apart from people. At a certain point, I have to take a leap of faith and accept things, but more often than not, I am reluctant to make the jump. And yet, rather than even trying, I tend to want to plunge to the depths, so rather than ascend, I descend. I push people away, push them too far so that it takes an extraordinary effort and determination for them to remain. And yet, I found Marta. Or she found me. That must be something special.
What are your plans for the future?
Love is the mystery of all mysteries. I find myself imagining a future with Marta, but where that is and what that entails, I don’t know. If we make it out of the network, I know we will look different. Maybe even we will seem different. Will we still love each other? Is our connection really that deep, beyond the mere appearance of our bodies? What will we be like left to our own devises? I don’t have the answers. All I have is Marta, my lodestar.
The Lodestar
How do humans survive after a massive pandemic that has devastated the population? Rather than living amid continued chaos and panic, the surviving population enjoys a thriving life thanks to the assistance of the network, a vast system that connects everything and everyone. The network protects from the virus while allowing everyone to lead their best life. Every dream and desire can easily be attained.
14 years into this networked world, David, one of the creators, wakes up to find that he is no longer connected. Is he the only one? And why, for what purpose? David feels almost like waking from a dream only to discover a technologically advanced world, full of beautiful and spectacular things, but all may not be what it seems. What is the difference between a dream and reality? What is the nature of experience?
Follow David as he wanders through a vast maze, uncovering layer upon layer in his search for truth. Recalling his former life, he must choose between what he feels, his natural compulsion to question everything, and what is good for humanity. The Lodestar takes you on a deep look into philosophical questions surrounding technology and its role in humanity.
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So we are planning to have a buddy-read over at RMFAO, my Goodreads Book Club.
It will be a month-long buddy read and we have some really great book options to select from. For the month of October, we’ve picked books released in 2020 that’ve been garnering the attention of the online book community. For this list of books, please see below. We have a poll on RMFAO’s homepage and anyone who is a member fo the group can vote there.
We will select the book with maximum votes and in case of a tie, we will have both the books with maximum votes as our BOOK OF THE MONTH and will read it (or them) in the month of October. As it is a month-long buddy read, you can join us anytime throughout October, the only requirement is to finish the book before the end of October.
We will be discussing the Book Of The Month throughout the month of October on a separate dedicated thread in the group itself but will be maintaining a spoiler-free policy till at least we reach the ‘more than half the month’ mark. After that even spoilers would be welcome as most of the readers tend to finish the book by then.
Which book would you like to read for the month of October? (Please vote only if you plan to join the Buddy Read. Don’t worry about the book, we’ll be more than happy to provide you the ebook if you really want to participate in the read with us.)
Author: J. Scott Coatsworth Release Date: 10th October 2017 Genre: Science-Fiction Fantasy, LGBTQ Series: Liminal Sky (Book #1) Format: E-book Pages: 284 pages Publisher: DSP Publications Blurb: Some stories are epic. The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed. Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her.
From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.
Humankind has just taken its first step toward the stars.
Book Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Stark Divide by J. Scott Coatsworth is a dynamic beginning to a new sci-fi fantasy series Liminal Sky that turned out to be equal parts entertaining and equal parts adventure. I was pulled into the story right from the beginning and was blown away by the fantastic world the author has created. This proved to be an unputdownable book with great pacing and tension. I am really looking forward to reading the next part of this amazing series.
Along with the main story, I also enjoyed the side plots just as much. The characters were really likeable, the story was good, the narration felt good and made the book a fast read and the flow of the story was amazing! I’d recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers, especially to those who like reading about LGBTQ side-themes.
Author: Patrick Malum Release Date: 18th October 2019 Genre: Science-Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult, Space Fantasy, Serials, Series: Oddity Of The Magicus Eye (Part #2) Edition: E-book Pages: 96 Publisher: Blurb: The epic space fantasy serial continues!
Following the events of PATTERNS, the two children of Etheron are in terrible danger. A dark force swells in the heights of the Forty-Ninth Council, putting the galaxy in turmoil. The fate of everyone depends on one broken man.
ODDITY OF THE MAGICUS EYE is a monthly space fantasy from exciting new author, Patrick Malum. Be sure to first check out Part 1, also available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited, and visit the official Oddity website for more.
REVIEW
★★★★
Oddity Of The Magicus Eye: Mokuura by Patrick Malum is the second episode in the serialised epic fantasy series Oddity Of The Magicus Eye and the sequel to Oddity Of The Magicus Eye: Patterns (Part #1).
This book was every bit as fun as the first one and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from start to end. The book picked up where the last one left off and the reader is thrust into the action-filled world of Etheron. I enjoyed the plot as well as the narration and felt that my connections with the main characters deepened quite a bit as I read this part. So I have a lot of hopes and expectation from the next instalment in this series.
The best part about this episode-based series is that the author doesn’t repeat the plot points over and over again as is normally the case in book series. Being short episodes it is a given that either the reader is keeping up with the release of all parts and reading them monthly, or reading in all in one go, so there’s no unnecessary narration dedicated to the ‘catching-up’ of the earlier part(s).
I’d again recommend this book as well as the series so far to all space-fantasy, epic fantasy and sci-fi readers.
Author:Rob Shackleford Release Date: 25th February 2017 Genre: Time-Travel, Historical, Science-Fiction Series: Traveller (Book #1) Edition: E-book Pages: Publisher: Book Baby Blurb: If you were sent 1000 years into the past, would you survive?
Traveller – Inceptio describes how the Transporter is accidentally invented and becomes public knowledge when it sends a subject 1000 years into the past.
A Special Forces team of Travellers is then selected and trained with the intent to send them to Saxon England to explore what could be a very dangerous period of history.
From the beaches of Australia to the forests of Saxon England, Traveller – Inceptio reveals how Travellers discover they need a lot more than technology to survive the trials of early Eleventh Century life.
Book Review
★★+1/2
Traveller Inceptio by Rob Shackleford is a time-travel story set 1000 years in the past, through the machine that was invented by mistake. What follows next is an interesting tale about how our ever-so-reliable-science-and-technology can’t bail us out of dangerous situations and how power-hungry people can go to any lengths in order to get their hands on any new invention that can trip the scales in their favour.
The story was good and pretty engaging. The events were interesting and some of them even capturing. The overall world-building was good and the pacing was even. I enjoyed the book on the whole but had a couple of issues both with the plot and the writing. The author went overboard with the exposition, as a result of which I found myself skimming over a lot of pages. The beginning of the book and the base of the story felt a bit weak as it seemed too far-fetched a concept to have actually invented a time-travel machine that travels only certain years and then has the ability to come back when summoned too. I mean the concept could have been a bit more believable if the machine had at least some faults and wouldn’t have been this perfect. After all, it was a result of a mistake.
But after the first part was over, the story only got better. The research appeared to be impeccable and the story got more and more interesting, save for the exhausting bits of exposition. The plot started to feel realistic and I was able to connect with it once the first part was over.
Characterization, unfortunately, felt like another lingering problem as I had a hard time connecting with the characters. They were not badly created, but they weren’t overly impressive nor relatable. I just liked them enough to have been able to read and finish the story (which seemed to be much longer than it should have.)
Overall, I think the book needed a bit more tweaking and that a good editor would have been able to make this book much better. Still, it was an enjoyable read.
Author: Clive Fleury Release Date: 5th December 2018 Genre: Science-Fiction, Dystopian Series: The Sunset Of Magic (Book #3) Edition: E-book Pages: 220 Publisher: TCK Publishing Blurb: WHEN THE OCEANS RISE…THE TRUTH DROWNS
It’s the year 2031. Our future. Their present. A world decimated by climate catastrophe, where the sun’s heat is deadly and the ocean rises higher every day. A world ruled by the rich, powerful, and corrupt. A world where a good man can’t survive for long.
Hogan Duran was a good man once. He was a cop, forced to resign in disgrace when he couldn’t save his partner from a bullet. Now Hogan lives on the fraying edges of society, serving cruel masters and scavenging trash dumps just to survive.
But after four years of living in poverty, Hogan finally gets a chance to get back on his feet. He’s invited to join the National Security Council, the powerful paramilitary organization responsible for protecting the rich and powerful from the more unsavory elements of society. All he needs to do is pass their deadly entrance exam, and he’ll be rewarded with wealth and opportunity beyond his wildest dreams.
But this ex-cop’s path to redemption won’t be easy. The NSC are hiding something, and as Hogan descends deeper and deeper into their world, he starts to uncover the terrible truth of how the powerful in this new world maintain their power…and just how far they will go to protect their secrets.
In a world gone wrong, can one man actually make a difference, or will he die trying? Kill Code is the first novel in an exciting new dystopian science fiction series from the mind of the award-winning author, screenwriter, and director Clive Fleury.
REVIEW
★★★★
Kill Code by Clive Fleury is a smashing dystopian read that was equal parts engaging and unsettling.
The dystopian settings in the book felt very realistic and, to be honest, seemed like a possibility for our own future. What I really liked about this book is that instead of focusing only on the dystopic settings and the new world, something that most of the authors writing in this genre tend to do, the author focused on the National Security Council (NSC), the elite force to protect the elite class in this horrible new world. The book had some really gritty action scenes which made the plot all the more exciting.
The characterization was strong and the inner conflicts of the MC, Hogan Duran, made it even better as I was able to connect with him. The plot-progression was great and the pacing and tension well tuned. The writing was good and complimented the plot making it easy as well as quick to read.
In a sentence, I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last one and would recommend it to all dystopian readers.
Author: Alistair Potter Release Date: 13th May 2014 Genre: Science-Fiction-Fantasy, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Magic-Elementals Series: The Sunset Of Magic (Book #1) Edition: E-book Pages: 272 Publisher: – Blurb: There’s; world jumping magic, Dragons, ruthless invaders, epic battles, unlikely heroes, bravery, sacrifice, and a steam cannon worthy of Archimedes! And yes it does have wizards, both good and very bad. Romance? Yes, a little of that too! What more do you want in an adventure story?
A disparate band: fussy spinster, Ida Fairweather; crusty old soldier, Endor Caffri; dishonest manservant, Moleskin; King’s guard, Lineth, and Last of the Trollid, Bort, engage in a desperate struggle against the Harrowen invaders.
REVIEW
★★★+1/2
The Last Trollid by Allistair Potter is the start to a new series The Sunset Of Magic. After having read three other books by the author, I was confident that this book is going to be a smashing read, and, thankfully, to a great extent, it was. Just like his previous books, this book had a brilliant premise and an amazingly awesome world built with a great deal of detailing. The pacing and tension were good as they both had good highs and lows and the overall progression of the plot can’t be faulted. So all in all, it was a good read.
My only problem was with the characterization, somehow, unlike in the previous instances, I was not able to feel a connection to either of the characters. I liked Bort and even Ida and Moleskin to some extent, but that was all, I just liked them enough to be able to read the book without wanting to stop, but not more than that. Still, I enjoyed the book, if for nothing than for the plot and some of the high-tension battle scenes and the ending, which was really well written.
I’d recommend this book to all science-fiction readers, especially who prefer plot over characters.
Author:Alistair Potter Release Date: 27th April 2017 Genre: Science-Fiction, Action, Mystery Series: Edition: E-book Pages: 214 Publisher: – Blurb: Perax Frontier, a place like no other! Bathed in the constant glow of the Interface connecting two Universes, the frontier townships of Praxton, and Millaki on the Atlathian side, function without any electrically based technologies. Set against this unusual background, and fighting the hierarchal restrictions of Imperial society, Sheriff Artur Perax investigates the murder of Imperial Ambassador, Madam Lintsa Kroft. And all the time still keeping order among the visitors, frustrated scientists, religious fanatics, misfits, reformed felons and plain good folks who keep the flow of trade goods moving across the Interface.
Book Review
★★★★+1/2
A well-written hardcore sci-fi mystery which will keep you engaged from the start right till the very last page. An intricately woven mystery, expertly punctuated with intense action scenes, underlined with enough drama to make you want to keep reading further, highlighted by believable characters – this book was a complete rollercoaster ride!
The ending was good and very fitting. The pacing was really good and the tension was at an all-time high. The prose was tight and easy to read and overall it was a complete package. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to all hardcore sci-fi lovers.
Author:Alistair Potter Release Date: 13th May 2014 Genre: Science-Fiction, Action, Adventure Series: Edition: E-book Pages: 290 Publisher: – Blurb: Multiverse spanning action and adventure, with eye-popping special effects (requires reader input). To prevent catastrophe Earth needs the ultimate eco-warrior, but is mild-mannered Edinburgh taxi driver Tom Mathers up to the challenge?
Exploring questions of ethics, resource management, and caring for our planet, this hilarious, yet sobering journey through the multiverse hides deep philosophical questions beneath a veneer of joviality and witty sarcasm.
Book Review
★★★★
The Box Of Tricks by Alistair Potter is an explosive sci-fi novel that has something to offer to all of its readers. It has a great storyline that is executed well and a brilliantly created world that made reading this book a complete delight. The characterisation was excellent and I was able to feel a connection with the main characters, Tom, Caroline and Fanshawe and felt that the secondary characters were also very believable.
The writing was good and easy to read. The tightness of exposition made it a really pleasant read for me as I always appreciate brief yet informative exposition over unnecessarily lengthy one, so this book made for a really smooth and quick read. Author’s humour really shone through the prose and went a long way in making this book both entertaining as well as light as it had some emotional and moral themes that could have, otherwise, made the plot very weighty.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and waiting eagerly to get started with the next book by Mr Potter. I’d recommend this book to all sci-fi readers.
Release Date: 19th May 2015 Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy, Apocalyptic, Post-Apocalyptic, Speculative Fiction Series: Edition: Audiobook Length: 32 hours Publisher: Brilliance Audio Blurb: What would happen if the world were ending?
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain…
Five thousand years later, their progeny — seven distinct races now three billion strong — embark on yet another audacious journey into the unknown … to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth.
Review
★
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson book was too heavy for me. The narration was slow and the story progressed so slowly in the first hour that when I realized the book was 30 something hours, I stopped it right there. You really need to like the narration enough if you plan to spend another 30 hours listening to it. And that was not how I felt, so I abandoned it. I have other books that I can read and enjoy in that much time (pretty sure I can read a good number of other books in that much time.)
Author: John A. Heldt Release Date: 30th April 2018 Genre: Historical Fiction, Time-Travel, Sci-Fi, Relationships & Family Series: Carson Chronicles – Book #2 Edition: E-book Pages: 659 Publisher: Blurb: Days after barely escaping 1889 with their lives, the Carsons, siblings from the present day, resume their search for their missing parents in 1918. While Adam and his pregnant wife, Bridget, settle in Minnesota, unaware of a wildfire that will kill hundreds, Greg seeks clues in his great-grandparents’ Mexico, where he finds love, danger, and enemies. At the same time, Natalie, the ambitious journalist, follows a trail to World War I France, and teen twins Cody and Caitlin rekindle a friendship with an old Pennsylvania friend haunted by her past. In THE MEMORY TREE, the sweeping sequel to RIVER RISING, several time travelers find answers and meaning as they continue the adventure of a lifetime in the age of doughboys, silent movies, and Model T’s.
REVIEW
★★★★
The Memory Tree by John A. Heldt is a compelling sequel to River Rising, book one in the Carson Chronicles series. Just like the first part of this series, and the others I’ve read by the author, this book was equally interesting, entertaining and emotional. It had a lot to offer in terms of the rich American history, WWI and the culture of the years long gone. This book was especially good because it had a twist which I was not expecting and the element of surprise really caught me off-guard as I’ve come to understand where things are generally moving in author Heldt’s books because of having read many of them and being familiar with his style of writing. So the twist was a pleasant surprise for me.
The characterization was good and I was able to see the development of all the characters from the last book experiencing new worlds and living in times new to them. The writing was good and complimented the story well. And I’m really looking forward to reading the next part of this series.
I’d recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers and to everyone who loves reading stories on relationships and families. It is an honest-to-god feel-good story that will definitely warm your heart.
Author:C. Hofsetz Release Date: 7th January 2018 Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy Series: Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Blurb:
After Mike goes through a gut-wrenching betrayal by his fiancée, he finds himself in what he thinks might be the afterlife. But this is no heaven. The gods made a mistake and created another Earth in a parallel universe, putting both universes in peril. They need someone from his planet to destroy the alternate, and Mike is randomly selected for the job.
Trapped in an impossible choice, Mike accepts his mission and is returned to an Earth—and a body—so unlike his own. There, he meets Jane, who is—unbeknownst to him—the secret leader of an organization bent on tracking down Earth’s saboteur. In the face of her passion for humanity, Mike’s resolve falters. If Mike won’t complete his mission, the gods will.
Review
★★★★
Challenges Of The Gods by C. Hofsetz is a new sci-fi fantasy novel with a very unique plot based a really good concept. I liked this book a lot because it differs from most of the new sci-fi novels as it had depth, good characterization and good world-building and the best part was the concept itself – it was both fresh and unique.
The characterisation was decent if not excellent but it did compliment the story as, for me, the real hero in this book was the story. The plot was complex and at times it took me a while to grasp what was really happening because of the thin border the author dared to tread in this book between two parallel realities, but that was as it should be and it proved to be a good stimulus for the brain.
The writing was really good and it made the reading of such a complex book very easy. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it highly to all sci-fi readers.
Author: Dwayne Gill Release Date: 28th November 2018 Genre: Techno-Thriller, Action, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic Series: Written By Blood #1 Edition: e-book Pages: 238 Publisher: – Blurb: Abandoned to a secret government program at birth, Cane was trained to be the world’s most skilled assassin. For years he excelled in the field, bringing dangerous terrorists all over the world to justice and making even the most protected villains lose sleep. But since the program was shut down four years ago, he’s been forced into hiding, doing odd jobs to keep himself busy, and struggling to find a place for himself in society. The years of social isolation and, seemingly, his own brutal nature, have made him question whether or not he possesses the ability to feel certain emotions that most others exhibit effortlessly.Cane’s only hope of normality in a lonely life rests in the warmth of his friendship with Helen and her daughter Kristy, the latter of whom he rescued five years earlier, from the clutches of the evil Blue Rose serial-killer. Cane lives with his friend Lynks, with whom he served in the disbanded “Red Delta” assassin program.Cane finds a cryptic message from Marcene, a mysterious lady who knows more about him than she should. He soon finds himself thrust into the middle of a mystery that’s been at the center of the country’s attention for the past several years: ordinary men around the United States have been disappearing by the thousands, leaving their families and careers behind, only to turn up elsewhere in the country. Even more curious are the markings, which look like tattoos, that each bear upon their return. Conspiracy theories have abounded for years, but little has ever been known about these men, until now. Marcene claims the missing men are not only dangerous terrorists plotting a major attack on U.S. soil, but that they’re also genetically enhanced, and she aims to prove it to Cane through a series of instructions.
First, Cane is to save a college girl named Natalie, who, without her knowledge, is being targeted by the marked men. Guided more by curiosity than information, Cane and Lynks agree to help the girl, but after succeeding, they find only a new web of mysteries to unravel. The marked men are receiving their orders from seven dangerous men, and Cane remembers one of them by name: Amos. He’d been on Cane’s radar in the past, though he remained out of reach. Amos’s re-emergence gives Cane added motivation, so he looks to Marcene to continue pointing him in the right direction…
She leads them to the next, and most important step: find and recruit Daniel, a mountain of a man with a long history of violence.
There’s only one problem: he’s a convicted murderer in a super-max prison.
Cane and Lynks enlist Calvin, Daniel’s old friend, and Bowman, the man who trained Cane, to help orchestrate a plan for extracting Daniel. But Amos and the marked men are watching and making plans of their own, and they’ll use any tactic available in order to ensure their sinister plans remain in place, including hurting the few people Cane cares about.
It’s not only the marked men hot on their trail; FBI Agents Hart and Barkley, who’ve been hunting Cane and Lynks since the dissolution of Red Delta, are getting closer as well. But the nearer they draw to Cane, the more they learn about Amos, the other six terrorist leaders, and the marked men. And what they discover leads to even more terrifying scenarios and a deeper web of corruption than anyone expected, including a conspiracy involving high-ranking U.S. officials and the Russian government.
If Cane can just save Daniel and set him free, he’ll have a valuable ally: Daniel stands over seven feet tall and weighs over four hundred pounds, and he has his own bitter history with the marked men.
What started as curiosity for Cane quickly turns into something personal when Amos targets Helen and Kristy, sending him on a frantic race against time, pitted against enemies that far outnumber him and his friends. It’ll be a struggle to balance saving Kristy, rescuing Daniel, all while battling his own demons and self-doubt.
To succeed, it’ll take determination.
It’ll take focus.
It’ll take CONVICTION.
Review
★★★★
Written By Blood: Conviction by Dwayne Gill is an action-packed techno-thriller that is sure to keep you entertained right from the start to the very end. This book is jam-packed with high octane thrilling action and masculine drama like there’s no tomorrow. The storyline was good and the thing I liked best about this books is that it revolved around male characters, something rare to find in today’s books where the leading lady always steals the show, so for me, this book was a real treat.
I liked the writing style as the simplicity of it greatly complimented the plot, though at times it did feel a little rough around the edges, it did not get in the way of reading. The characterization was good and I was able to relate to almost all the characters, primary or secondary. The plot progression was really, really good and the pacing was great too.
Overall, it was a really new engaging read which proved to be a quick read and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a book with strong male characters and don’t mind gritty action and rustic tones.
Author: Dwayne Gill Release Date: 7th October 2018 Genre: Techno-Thriller, Action, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic Series: Written By Blood #1 Edition: e-book Pages: 82 Publisher: – Blurb: Not all monsters are created equal…Cane is the world’s most feared assassin.
Daniel is possibly the most dangerous man alive, and he’s definitely the largest.
When you think hero, neither one should come to mind.
Find out how each man stumbles upon a person in dire need and how they respond.
Cane and Daniel are the two main characters in Written By Blood Part One: Cane. The following two short stories are prequels of the novel.
CANE’S DETOUR
Kristy escaped a dangerous serial killer.
Can she escape Cane?
Cane was trained from birth by the U.S. government to be the world’s most feared assassin. Often sent to eliminate difficult targets quietly, his anonymity is his most important asset. In fact, very few people have seen Cane and lived afterward.
Kristy is abducted by an infamous serial killer and held captive in a remote barn filled with many other victims. While she watches the other women’s grisly fates unfold before her, can Kristy escape before she meets the same destiny?
When Kristy and Cane’s paths cross, they’re on very different routes. Cane is on his way to complete an urgent mission and can’t be late. Kristy is running for her life.
She just didn’t know she’d run into an even worse monster.
For Kristy to live, Cane must make a detour. Will he consider it? After all, he’s on a tight schedule, and she’s seen his face.
DANIEL’S DARKNESS
Taryn is a happy, outdoor-loving thirteen-year-old with a gentle, loving father. But her tranquil life is turned upside down when her father dies, leaving her alone with her drug-dependent mother, who squanders the little that they have and moves them to a rough neighborhood outside of Chicago. To make matters worse, Taryn’s mom hooks up with her drug dealer, who moves right in and begins abusing Taryn. Things can’t get much worse for her. Or can they?
When Taryn meets Daniel, her new neighbor that moved in across the street, his enormous body is bandaged from head to toe and he’s recovering from an ambush that nearly killed him. Taryn should probably stay away, but she’s drawn to the qualities of him that remind her of her father. But the better she gets to know Daniel, the more she sees that he’s not only very different from her loving father, he’s also carrying a terrifying darkness inside of him.
Review
★★★★
Cane’s Detour & Daniel’sDarkness by Dwayne Gill is a collection of two short novellas which serve as a prequel to and marks the beginning of a new technothriller series, Written By Blood.
Cane’s Detour: 4/5: The story started with an action-packed and super fast paced scenario which set the tone of the story (and the series) pretty well. As soon as I started reading, I knew I was in for some gritty action and some serious thrills. And this story did not disappoint. I was pretty amazed at how much the author managed to pack up in such a short story. A must read if you like action-packed narration and raw characters with dangerous edges.
Daniel’s Darkness: 3.5/5: This story was an entirely different cup of tea than the first one in terms of storyline, while at the same time, packing qual amount of rawness to characterization. Though this one had less action and more emotions and explored different themes while staying true to the main conflict of the series (as far as I can tell up to this point in the series.)
Overall: 4/5: I enjoyed both the books and can’t wait to read the main book in the series, Written In Blood: Conviction. The mood of the series is already set and I know one thing for sure that this book is going to be one hell of an exciting ride. Plus, being so intimately acquainted with the characters, it is difficult not to feel so excited to actually begin with this series.
I’d recommend this to all the readers who’ve been dying to read a series with raw and truly masculine male heroes who throw heavy punches before taking bullshit from anyone.
this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon
Author: Earik Beann Release Date: 1st January 2019 Genre: Science-Fiction, Dystopia Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 224 Publisher: Profoundly One Publishing Blurb: The world runs on ARCs. Altered Reality Chips. Small implants behind the left ear that allow people to experience anything they could ever imagine. The network controls everything, from traffic, to food production, to law enforcement. Some proclaim it a Golden Age of humanity. Others have begun to see the cracks. Few realize that behind it all, living within every brain and able to control all aspects of society, there exists a being with an agenda all his own: the singularity called Adam, who believes he is God.Jimmy Mahoney’s brain can’t accept an ARC. Not since his football injury from the days when the league was still offline. “ARC-incompatible” is what the doctors told him. Worse than being blind and deaf, he is a man struggling to cling to what’s left of a society that he is no longer a part of. His wife spends twenty-three hours a day online, only coming off when her chip forcibly disconnects her so she can eat. Others are worse. Many have died, unwilling or unable to log off to take care of even their most basic needs.After being unwittingly recruited by a rogue singularity to play a role in a war that he doesn’t understand, Jimmy learns the truth about Adam and is thrown into a life-and-death struggle against the most powerful mathematical mind the world has ever known. But what can one man do against a being that exists everywhere and holds limitless power? How can one man, unable to even get online, find a way to save his wife, and the entire human race, from destruction?
Review
★★★
Killing Adam by Earik Beann is a new dystopian science-fiction novel with a refreshing new take on the alternate reality concept. I enjoyed reading this book mostly because of the author’s unique concept in which the focus was more on the people left int he real-world rather than focusing entirely on the alternate reality and the people living a virtual life.
I’ve read a decent number of books revolving around the subject of artificial intelligence and I must admit that, in most of the places, the author has done a good job in paying attention to details in creating this world. While at the same time, I felt the plot could have been a little bit more polished and just a little more pronounced. At some places the writing was good, but in some rare instances the writing felt crude and the dialogues felt redundant. The characterization wasn’t overly complex and felt a bit lacking in terms of being realistic and relatable.
Another issue I had with the plot is that it didn’t give any clear idea on how exactly the altered reality was – I did appreciate the fact that the story revolved around the world outside the altered reality, i.e., the real dystopic world, but I would have really liked it if at least some idea of the other world would have been given too, just enough to let the readers know what was going on on the “other side.”
Still, overall, it was an enjoyable book and made for a nice winter read which was clean and quick to read. I’d recommend it to readers who want to explore a light science-fiction story on altered reality. But if you like intricate plots with complex and multi-layered characters then this book might not be for you.
this review is also posted on Goodreads and Amazon (not up yet)
Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise is a top recommendation for cli-fi (climate change fiction) readers seeking more depth than the usual approach to life-threatening environmental changes. – D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review. A few weeks with no sea ice in the Arctic Ocean are enough to trigger a chain reaction that alters the Northern Hemisphere beyond recognition. Isabel Bradshaw, an engineer, tries to find security for her family in an increasingly chaotic world when they are driven out of their home on the Chesapeake Bay.
Review
★★★★
Altered Seasons:Moonrise by Paul Briggs is a refreshing new take on the climate-change fiction with a fresh perspective that has faith in the human race coming together instead of counting on its downfall under the pressure and stress of a global disaster.
This book is a welcome take on the very popular disaster fiction and, for a change, doesn’t repeat the same age-old theme of the world falling apart at the seams under the weight of a global threat. Instead, this book focuses on how societies can come together and try to fight and re-build the threats that we all will inevitably face. The situations in this book are very relatable and characterization pretty good.
I enjoyed reading this book through the voices of different main characters (I always enjoy reading multiple POV books,) but at times it did feel like some narratives could have been a bit more polished and better. Still, looking at the entire pictures, it didn’t affect the plot (the real hero of the book) a lot, so I’m not complaining.
Overall, it is a decently written novel with great execution and good command over the language as well as the genre of writing – science-fiction and dystopia. The author’s unique style of writing (I’d say it was very theatre-like) was a very interesting and though it took me a while, eventually, I got used to the way the notes were made and even started liking it by the end of the book. The world-building was one of the best parts of this book as the author cleverly presented the world in a way that was both easy enough to grasp and complex enough to make it highly interesting to understand. The story itself was good and the concept so close to reality that it was hard to not be able to relate to the happenings in the story.
I’d recommend it to everyone who loves reading sci-fi and dystopian fiction, especially one that revolves around climate change.
Author: Montana Stayer Release Date: 6th February 2018 Genre: Science Fiction, Dark Fiction Series: Edition: E-book Pages: 187 Publisher: – Blurb:
The Scientist’s daughter was dying and he was desperate to save her by any means necessary. He illegally and artificially created the Subject, the perfect donor body, but was taken by surprise when the Subject turned out to be a fully conscious child. Faced with the choice of taking care of the child he accidentally created or saving his daughter, the Scientist chose the latter. He kept the Subject locked in the basement with full intent to kill her to save his daughter.
The Scientist’s plan ultimately failed and his daughter died, leaving him with the “thing” meant to save her.
It’s been years since his daughter died and the Scientist has kept the Subject locked up alone in the basement, refusing to acknowledge that she is a child and treating her strictly as an experiment. He keeps a rigid routine when visiting her and attempts to be completely objective, which proves to be difficult as the Subject has grown to be a very friendly child who insists on trying to build some sort of relationship with him.
Nothing’s changed in a long time. The Scientist begins losing sleep because of his worsening mental and emotional states and his exhaustion leads to mistakes, which cause problems with the Subject. When the Subject’s health starts rapidly deteriorating because of him, the Scientist’s forced to reconsider his objectivity but he is adamant about remaining indifferent, endangering the Subject’s life.
Review
★★★
The Subject And The Scientist by Montana Stayer is an unusual sci-fi tale about a man who does something he never intended to do and then ends up, quite unhappily, living with the consequences of his acts.
The plot described in the blurb of the book is simple enough, but the story is not; it is way more than one might expect after reading the summary. For one, the emotional aspect of the story was something I really found interesting, especially the detachment of The Scientist, the lead character, towards the girl, The Subject.
The writing style was simple and okay but the characterization was something I wasn’t overly impressed with. Overall, I feel that the story demanded two very, very strong characters to take the story to another level and that was something I found missing. The ending was different and made sense.
I’d recommend this book to light sci-fi fans and readers of the dark genre.
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The Reading Bud 