Star Trek: TNG: The Battle Of Betazed By Charlotte Douglas and Susan Kearney - A Desparate Struggle For Freedom

Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Battle of Betazed by Charlotte Douglas and Susan Kearney

The Deep Space Nine episode, In the Pale Moonlight (Season 6, Episode 19), Captain Benjamin Sisko mentions several happenings during the Dominion War, including the fall of Betazed. As far as the television episodes are concerned, the reference in Pale Moonlight is all we get on what had happened to the home world of Deanna Troi.

In The Battle of Betazed, authors Charlotte Douglas and Susan Kearney, tell the tale of the liberation of the planet under siege by Cardassian and Dominion forces. I love when a reference in the television episodes is picked up by authors and fleshed out in a book. Here, readers are treated to a TNG story with a lot of characters we know while introducing new characters we see for the first time. It is also fun to see familiar characters perform when they are forced out of their comfort zones, which is the case in this story.

I found Battle securely seated in the Star Trek universe. As I read, the story unfolded, as one might expect, with some fascinating twists along the way. It is an entertaining story from the start and the action doesn't let up until the end. It is well worth the time to read.

The Battle of Betazed is told with stories from three points of view. First are the happenings on the planet Betazed itself, focusing on Lwaxana Troi and a group of refugees/resistance fighters who struggle for survival. Next, on the planet Darona (the 6th planet in the Betazed system) lives a mass-murderer who can kill with his thoughts. Finally, Cardassian scientist Crell Moset conducts research on Sentok-Nor, a space station in orbit around the planet Betazed.

Betazed is occupied by fifty thousand Jem'Hadar troops who oppress the population. They are brutal in their administration of the population. With the planet blockaded, food and medicine supplies are becoming less by the day. Lwaxana Troi is the leader of a group of refugees who have taken shelter in a cave undetectable to the Jem'Hadar. Children are falling victim to Rigelian Fever because of a shortage of the drug Reytalyn. In a desperate attempt, a messenger is sent to ask for help from the Federation. The messenger is killed, but the message is received. The USS Enterprise is charged with the mission of liberating Betazed.

Hent Tevren is serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane on Darona. With the help of Commander Vaughn, Deanna Troi is charged with breaking Tevren out of the prison and taken to Betazed to teach other telepaths how to use his malevolent psionic talent for murder against the Jem'Hadar. Deanna worries how doing this will forever change the people of her planet from the nonviolent race they are.

Nor class space station, Sentok-Nor, orbits the planet Betazed. Commanding officer Gul Lemec does his best to maintain and support the occupation of the planet. He is also constantly clashing with Dr. Moset, a scientist who found the cure for a deadly disease. He is considered a monster by the people of Bajor for killing their people to find that cure. Only he really understands what the nature of his research is, but considering his history, the cost will be astronomically high.

These three story threads weave together into a tapestry that is very satisfying and will be appreciated by Trek afficionados.

Most of the characters in this story behave as one might expect. The authors do a fine job capturing the nuances of Picard, Riker, and the rest. The most notable changes are Deanna Troi and her mother Lwaxana. Deanna has been raised to reject violence to solve problems. When the existence of her people is threatened, she has to accept that meeting violence with violence is the only way to save the society on her home planet. There comes a point in the story where she must take command and make decisions contrary to her nature as a Betazoid. She is forced to set aside her principals to achieve her goal which takes as much courage as it does to carry out acts of necessary violence against a foe whose very nature is violence. Deanna is well written, and readers should find her character dynamic and compelling.

When we see Lwaxana in the television series, she is mostly something of a free spirit full of joviality. It is fun watching her pick on Picard, chase after her next husband, and interact with characters that may find her a little hard charging. But in this story, she is also forced to step out of character and become a leader. According to the authors, she is emaciated because of the food shortage and worry. She is also forced into making distasteful decisions to ensure the survival of her people, but she accepts the task. Gone is the joviality we are used to, but only for a while.

Two of the principal antagonists of Battle are Dr. Moset and Tevren.

In the Voyager episode, Nothing Human (Season 5, Episode 8), the Doctor calls on a holographic representation of a Cardassian doctor who is notorious for infecting thousands of Bajoran citizens with a disease to find the cure for the same disease for his own people. On the space station Sentok-Nor, Moset, considered a hero by the Cardassians, is conducting research for the Dominion. In the mind of this megalomaniacal doctor, nothing matters but his research. Anyone who dies under his watch is nothing more than a means to an end. He doesn't see himself as evil, which makes matters even worse. He believes he is justified no matter who is hurt.

Deanna encounters Tevren early in her career as a psychologist as an intern to the maximum-security facility on Darona. During that time, she found him to be evasive and condescending. Later, when she has to encounter him again, she learns just how irredeemable he is. Through most of the book, he is only referred to by name and why he is needed to help liberate Betazed. What Deanna doesn't know is just how deeply she will be affected by being in proximity to this person.

The predominant theme in Battle of Betazed I found was how people may have to step away from the things they believe in to achieve a goal, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. With this story, the people of Betazed, a normally peaceful people opposed to the taking of life, find they may have to kill the Jem'Hadar soldiers just to survive. The Jem'Hadar are genetically engineered to take life without thought or remorse. The Betazoid people are left with little choice if they want to remain a coherent society. While they seem willing to do this, they also wonder what the consequences may be once the crisis is averted.

As I read this book, I had a feeling I had read some of this before. I knew I had never read this particular story before, even so, I knew some of what I was reading was related to something I had read in the past. What I found was I read a story with a similar flavor from Keith DeCandido. In the collection Tales of the Dominion War, there is a short story penned by Keith titled The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned featuring several of the same characters in The Battle of Betazed. 

At any rate, I deeply enjoyed this book and recommend it for readers who enjoy Trek lore and are looking for something they may have overlooked. It is a well-written roller coaster ride resolving a question posed in the Deep Space Nine television series. The characters we do not know are well developed and we understand their motivations for being involved. The three elements of the story are woven together and come to a fine conclusion with a plot twist I found unexpected.

Five stars for The Battle of Betazed!

Charlotte Douglas has loved a good story since she learned to read at the age of three. After teaching that love of books to her students, she now enjoys creating stories of her own. Often her books are set in one of her three favorite places - Montana where she and her husband spent their honeymoon; the mountains of North Carolina, where she has a summer home; or Florida, near the Gulf of Mexico on Florida's west coast, where she's lived most of her life.

Susan Kearney, a native of New Jersey, writes full time and has sold books to the industries' top publishing houses - Grand Central, Tor, Simon & Schuster, Harlequin, Bell Bridge Books, Berkley, Leisure, Red Sage, and Kensington. As an award-winning author, Kearney earned a Business Degree from the University of Michigan. Kearney's knowledge and experience spans throughout the romance genre, and her fifty plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction, and paranormal novels. She resides in a suburb of Tampa - with her husband, kids, and Boston terrier. Currently she’s plotting her way through her 54th work of fiction.

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Embargo On Hope: Star Marked Book 1 By Justin Doyle - Sci-Fi and Fantasy Go Together To Make A Fascinating Story Of A Young Man Coming Of Age

Embargo on Hope: Star Marked Book 1 by Justin Doyle

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Embargo on Hope will be released to the public on August 20, 2021 but is available for pre-order.

Recently, I received a review request from author Justin Doyle for his first major work, Embargo on Hope. It is the opening story of a trilogy in his new Star Marked series.

Embargo is a young adult, sci-fi/fantasy story set in the future on the planet Vastire.

I am not a fantasy fan for the most part, so if I read a book in that genre, it must be good, really good. I would say that this one qualifies as one I enjoyed. It moves at a comfortable pace and isn't bogged down with a lot of technical language. The reader will pretty well understand everything. Some of the character names will take a little getting used to, but I also found them to be clever. The story is well written with a good amount of world building I particularly enjoyed. I thought the ending was pretty amazing, and of course, it is open-ended, but it is also a story complete in itself. 

A governing body called the Planetary Alliance has placed the planet Vastire under an embargo. No goods, services, or people may leave or go to the surface of the planet for any reason. In order to enforce the sanction, other members of the Alliance are required to provide ships to blockade the planet.

On the planet, conditions are in a constant state of deterioration. A religious sect has imposed a caste system on Vastire. The lowest of the castes is the Olan-Har. Subsequently, they are the ones who suffer the most. The people of this cast have no access to food, water, or medicine. They are despised by all other castes and have fallen to a survivalist state of existence. They are constantly in conflict with themselves, and people live in bombed-out buildings and are forced to forage or beg to survive.

Darynn Mark is a member of the Olan-Har and is not happy with what he sees happening on his planet. When he meets up with Kaylaa Reesae, he is compelled to bring down the imposed caste system. In order to do that, he, Kaylaa and his best friend's sister, Fyra, go on a quest to get answers. Unfortunately, the way to where they need to go is fraught with people and beasts who make things difficult for the trio.

The story is told from the first-person point of view of Darynn. He is a tough, streetwise kid who can handle himself in a fight. He doesn't hesitate to kill, but as his character grows, he shows signs of remorse. His motivation through most of the book is to learn facts about his father, a great "Shard" warrior in his time (Shard is the planet's police force. They investigate and apprehend offenders). Darynn is uneducated, but he is bright and able to think for himself. When he is joined by Kaylaa, he realizes his mission in life is the same as his father's was - to break the caste system and achieve equality for all the people of Vastire, but especially for the people of his caste, the Olan-Har.

Kaylaa, a native of another planet in the Planetary Alliance, has been assigned to help Darynn through his quest of discovery. She is a skilled warrior packing a matched pair of plasma rapiers. She has a tendency not to show emotion but believes in the cause. Kaylaa is smart, she plans how the trio (including her, Darynn and Fyra) can best cope with difficult situations. 

Fyra is a compassionate young woman and is also Darynn's  love interest. She is devout in Vastire's dominant religious beliefs. She is wholly opposed to violence resulting in death but can understand how it is sometimes necessary for survival. Her brother was Darynn's best friend until he was accidentally killed while foraging for medicine to cure some ailment she had at the beginning of the story. If she has feelings beyond friendship and camaraderie for Darynn, she doesn't let it show, much to his dismay. Fyra is not well trained in combat, but she is smart, having completed some college education.

I have two favorite points in Embargo. The unfortunate thing is, if I talk about them, they will make up major story spoilers. I'll just say that one point involves a character's discovery of the past, and, the other, a battle resulting in achieving a goal.

Aside from that, a plot point I picked up on involved the three principal characters. To me, it seemed like Kaylaa and Fyra were like the two different sides of Darynn. Kaylaa being the logical, impassionate planner, while Fyra was the awakening compassionate side. While they were absolutely fine characters y themselves, I couldn't help thinking the same things I thought when Spock and McCoy reflected the different sides of Kirk in Original Series Star Trek. But unlike Trek, the conflicting sides analogy is far more subtle in Embargo, but it was there for me, nonetheless.

The dominant theme of Embargo is a young man comes of age by learning his life's purpose. Darynn strives to figure out his purpose in life is to improve his world by fighting injustice in the best way he can. His journey is a difficult one, and he feels quite alone in his quest, but he isn't. It will take a major victory, making him a rallying point to motivate others to action.

While not a fan of fantasy, I found much of this story in that genre. I mentioned this to the author who explained he is mixing two genres, Sci-Fi and Fantasy. He told me to imagine "Middle Earth on Tatooine." Well, after thinking about that, it makes sense, and this is definitely a synthesis of two different types of stories. The thing is, I enjoyed this story and was fascinated by the diversity of characters. The story is pretty intense in the beginning and end with a stretch of many varied trials and challenges to overcome in the middle. I recommend this story as something both sci-fi and fantasy fans will enjoy. It is loaded with satisfying moments for both types of fans.

Justin was born in Galveston, TX and raised in the Houston area. In middle school, he fell in love with two life-long pursuits: Space and writing. He knew he wanted to work at NASA and write Science Fiction/Fantasy on the side, and lo and behold, that's exactly what he ended up doing.

He now works for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, who manages the International Space Station National Laboratory. He lives in the Houston are with his wife, daughter, and various small mammals.

See Justin's web page: https://starmarked.mailchimpsites.com

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Optima Terra: The Many Lives Of Darren Decko - The Light Side Of Sci-Fi - Entertaining Dystopian/Utopian Story - You Decide

Optima Terra: The Many Lives of Darren Decko by Scott Simms

Optima Terra means Perfect World according to (Canadian?) author Scott Simms. The book is a light sci-fi tale that is both dystopian and utopian at the same time. Strange, right? Well, it is a strange story. I enjoyed this book and the adventures of Darren, the principal character, who finds himself in a myriad of bizarre situations.

What attracted me to this book was the cover - not because it was fancy, but because it was so minimalist in its design. The other element attracting my attention was the blurb - it just seemed like something I would enjoy.

The story opens with a seventeen-year-old Darren Decko in school. It spans his life through age twenty-six. During this time, Darren faces many challenges to him, both mentally and physically, while he strives to achieve the Gold status. The idea is to mount up points on his smart phone (or his "life card") through his performance on the jobs he is assigned. While in school, he meets the love of his life, a young woman named Rachel. In this highly regulated world, there are no guarantees people will see each other as they pass from one "Rotation" to another. A Rotation lasts 121 days. At the end of a rotation, all those except for skilled people - doctors, scientists, etc. - move from one place to another and perform different jobs or attend different schools as assigned by their life card.

Darren's life goal is to spend his life with Rachel, and he will do anything it takes to make that happen, including bringing down the Rotation System.

The story follows Darren for nine years of his life. He is a good person who is curious about the history of his world. He wants to understand the how and why of where he is. While he enjoys the benefits of the system, he is also dismayed by it because he does not know of his family. Family becomes very important to him as he gets hints about the world before the "New Era." When he meets Rachel, he wants to spend the rest of his life with her, but the system won't allow that. So, he decides the system needs to be changed. Darren is not the only one who wants change, there are many others who feel the same as he does. He decides the system need to be changed for everyone.

The key thing I enjoyed about the plot of this story was the elaborate and detailed world building by Simms. The plot unfolds through the backdrop of a world that provides everything people need to have a satisfying life within certain guidelines.

When a person finished school, they are sent into the workforce in the Rotation System. Everyone gets a new life every 121 days under the system. They are provided a place to live, complete with clothing, food, and an assigned job. Job assignments are sent to people on the first day of the new rotation. In one rotation, a person might be a garbage collector. In the next, they may find themselves a CEO of a major corporation. The training for these positions is provided while on the job, so it's a little stressful on the first days of an assignment.

Points are earned and awarded for adequate performance on the job, but points can also be taken away for poor performance or by committing an infraction of rules. Everyone is monitored by an army of flying robots - "bots" as they are referred to - and these bots may take points for rule infractions, failure to comply, or they may even hand out punishment.

Smart phones are vital to the citizens. They get information on their assignments on them as well as keep track of points on them. Phones are also a means of communication and work pretty much as they do for us today. One can store information, photos, locations of others on the devices, but they are wiped between rotations.

The world itself, Earth in the distant future, is a global community with no apparent government. There are no wars or conflicts, no environmental difficulties, and most people seem content with their situations. There are those who choose not to live within the system, and they are reduced to a low level of subsistence, barely squeaking out a living. Others not in the system have formed communities where they live an agrarian lifestyle that is difficult, but it is free.

A map of the planet is included at the front of the book to help one orient themselves as the story unfolds.

I'm not sure, but I think one of the themes the author wanted readers to think about is the dependance we have on technology in our world. Everything and everyone in Optima Terra is heavily reliant on tech. Everyone is monitored throughout their entire lives and the only thing that still seems private in life is one's own inner thoughts. As mentioned before, all the most basic necessities of life are provided for, but there is more to life than shelter and food. The society in this story has turned their lives over to the whatever power determines the rotations in the system. There are no long-term relationships on Optima Terra. Even how children are brought into existence is highly regulated. As I think about the world presented in this book, I know it is a place I would not want to live in. So, I think Simms is warning us to be careful to make sure technology remains a tool, and that we don't give up too much of our existence to it.

While the theme of machine control over humanity is usually framed as post-apocalyptic in most sci-fi, that is not the case in Optima Terra. This is a light sci-fi story meant to entertain more than frighten the reader and the writer did a good job incorporating humor in the text. Along with humor, there are many poignant moments, especially as Darren interacts with Rachel, and others important to him.

I recommend this story for those who want a relaxing read. It will be relaxing as long as one doesn't take it too seriously and think too deeply about it.

Scott Simms is a writer of urban fantasy and speculative fiction, preferring everyday situations with light sci-fi or fantasy elements introduced to an "everyman" or "everywoman."

I received an advance review copy of Terra Optima for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Progenitor By Christopher D. Abbott - There's No Shortage Of Suspensful Thrills In This Story!

Progenitor by Chrostopher D. Abbott

I have been Facebook friends with this author for quite some time. Recently, I realized I have never read his work, so I decided it is high time I rectify that oversight. Looking through his catalog of 15 books, I chose Progenitor as a science-fiction story set during World War II. In my twenties, I read a lot of stories from that era and saw this book as an opportunity to revisit that time-period with a sci-fi bent.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and appreciated the characters. It's suspenseful, frightening, and moves at warp-speed, there's never a dull moment.

August 14, 1942: Army Chief of Staff, General William Marshall (not to be confused with the actual soldier, George C. Marshall) and his aid, Captain John Keeney arrive in Washington D.C. to find utter devastation. Everything has been laid waste. But the destruction wasn't caused by the war. It resulted from an attack by giant creatures right out of some horror movie. No one knows what they are. Are the destructive titans aliens, mutations, or maybe demons straight from hell? All Marshall and Keenley know is they have to escape and find shelter so they can figure out what to do. As they try to escape the devastation and the continuing attack, they are joined by Colonel Charles Bradley, a British officer who can keep his wits about him.

Barely escaping the devastated nation's capital, they head for Camp Detrick, a secure facility with underground labs where research is being done under a presidential mandate. While it may be secure, it is anything but safe. Even though they escaped the threat from above monsters above, there are also plenty of human monsters in the facility and their secrets are exposed one-by-one.

By far, my favorite character in the story is Colonel Bradley. This guy makes James Bond look like a Red Cross volunteer. He is a dynamic and complex character who is gentle and generous to his friends, and deadly to his enemies. Braders, as he is affectionately called by Marshall, Changes from ruthless killer to a kind soul in a heartbeat as the need arises. Mostly what he is searching for is the truth, and one way or another, he will get it, sometimes just through conversation, and sometimes at the point of a gun.

General Marshall is a soldier with a heart. He honestly cares about people and will go out of his way to help when he can. Bill, as he is known by his friends, has no problem issuing and enforcing orders, but one of his greatest assets is his willingness to listen to those advising him before he decides. He can assess a situation and come up with ideas to resolve them. He reminds me much of the description of the actual person (George C. Marshall) as I have read about him in the past.

There are numerous other characters who standout in Progenitor, and they all read as very human; everyone has flaws - some more than others - which helps them read as authentic. The cast of the book is very diverse, including people of all types; straight, gay, deviant, evil, mean, and amicable. Abbott does a great job keeping everyone consistent with their behavior and the characters’ voices are distinct.

My main takeaway from Progenitor is how many of the characters and situations are what they at first seem. The character development continues through the entire story and it isn't until one is quite a way through the book that the reader gets a complete picture of many in the cast. 

Progenitor unfolds at an expeditious pace culminating in a surprise ending that I didn't expect. It was quite satisfying for me. 

Having read none of Abbott's work before, I was thrilled with this story despite some moments of extreme suspense and some bloody scenes. I didn't think the violent scenes were too over the top for the average reader, but those easily put off might want to avoid this story.

I gave this book a five-star rating on Goodreads and Amazon and recommend it for those that like a bizarre sci-fi, horror thriller.

Christopher is a Reader's Favorite award-winning author and Feature Writer.

Christopher is a writer of crime, fantasy, science-fiction, and horror.

His Sherlock Holmes stories, published in the Watson Chronicles, have been recognised by readers and peers alike as faithfully authentic to the original Conan Doyle.

Described by New York Times Bestseller Michael Jan Friedman as "an up-and-coming fantasy voice," and compared to Roger Zelazny's best work, Abbott's Songs of the Osirian series of works brings a bold re-telling of ancient Egyptian mythology. Abbott presents a fresh view of deities we know, such as Horus, Osiris, and Anubis. He weaves the godlike magic through musical poetry, giving these wonderfully tragic and deeply flawed "gods" different perspective, all the while increasing their mysteriousness.

Christopher has published with Crazy8 Press, and has written for major media outlets, including Screen Rant.

Visit his webpage at https://cdanabbott.com/

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Unexpected Witness: Forgotten Fodder - Book 1 - A Cop And A Clone... This Story Is No Joke!

Unexpected Witness: Forgotten Fodder - Book One by MJ Blehart

I learned about this book while searching for something to read on the BookSirens site. I was attracted by the cover and hooked when I read the blurb. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unexpected Witness is a sci-fi space opera with elements of a police procedural and an action tale. It moves along at a good pace with stops along the way to fill in the blanks with character background. The story is well focused and entertaining. I enjoyed this story immensely.

The people of Earth have moved among the stars to settle planets for inhabitation. On one such humdrum world known as Raven, Jace Rojas witnesses a murder in the streets. Three people are killed by a sniper on a rooftop. When the killer flees the scene, Jace approaches the three victims to see if he can help them. Two are dead, but a third mutters something to Jace. Soon the police arrive and put Jace in handcuffs. He is a clone in a society full of hatred for his kind, so he is immediately a suspect. When it is determined Jace is not the perpetrator, he released and sent to his ramshackle home.

The incident comes to the attention of Marshall Onima Gwok of the Confederation Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a futuristic version of the FBI. She learns one of the victims of the shooting was a high-level executive of a major galactic corporation and is sent to investigate.

When Onima arrives on at the location of the crime, she learns about Jace being a witness. She goes to his home to see what information he has and winds up taking him along on the investigation as an expert consultant - two of the victims were clones.

During the investigation, every answer only brings more and more questions, making Onima and Jace's job into an impossible puzzle to solve. 

There are several characters we learn about through the story. Onima is accompanied by numerous people aboard her starship to assist her through investigations, but it is she and Jace at the center of the story.

Jace Rojas (his clone designation is Rojas AC J7-2247) is a leftover of an almost forgotten war, thrown aside when he and others like him are no longer needed as soldiers. As such, he suffers extreme bigotry and is constantly ridiculed whenever he is spotted by other humans. Perhaps he is a reminder of past incidents humans are not proud of and trying to forget. Right from the beginning, I liked Jace. He is smart and there is more to him than meets the eye. He seems to have a knack for investigating crime and picks up on things quickly. Owing to his incredible memory, he remembers everything he sees, a trait bread into all clones. As he and Onima work together, he gains her trust, and she relies on him for help.

Onima Gwok of the CBI has several cases ongoing but is told to make this murder investigation a high priority case. She doesn't carry the baggage of prejudice against clones most others seem to have. She takes Jace at face value from the start, and her respect for him grows as time passes. A strong female character, she has numerous encounters where people in positions of authority challenge her. She refuses to be intimidated by anyone. Also brilliant, she can find innovative ways to accomplish her goals. She is also determined. She will not give up until she has the truth, no matter how impossible it seems to find. By the end of this story, there are several truths she will need to uncover before she solves the case.

One of the takeaways I found in the book, and the most obvious as well, is the statement the author makes on his feelings about prejudice and bigotry. The clones were created to fight wars so 'normal' humans wouldn't have to die in combat. When the war is done, what of the clones? Apparently, they are not considered human by a large part of the galactic community, so they become disposable. The clones find themselves doing jobs no one else wants to do. Many of the jobs they do are not only undesirable and miserable tasks, but they are also sometimes dangerous. The society in Blehart's vision of the future will be full of people who are considered subhuman and treated as such. They are forced to live in makeshift housing and have to live a subsistence lifestyle devoid of happiness. This concept is vividly and painfully depicted in this tale. It will hopefully make readers stop and do a little introspection on their own philosophies; it did for me.

The other plot point I was most impressed with was the author's world building skill. The picture painted in the text is not all revealed in the novel's exposition but is spread through the story and comes as is needed to explain circumstances of a situation. Often, I wondered about some bit of information I had questions about only to be treated to answers as I read. I would urge readers of this to be patient as the world building is revealed, not to mention the backstories of the principal and supporting characters.

Unexpected Witness is the first of a series of books under the Forgotten Fodder banner and it is a tremendous science fiction story that is heavy on fascinating characters being thrown into difficult situations they have to think their way out of. Readers will get a picture of a future that is wonderful for some, and dubious for others. It is thought provoking and in tune with themes we face in the times we are living in. For those reasons, I give high recommendations for this story as must read sci-fi.

I've also learned the second novel in this series is available under the title, The Clone Conundrum, which I will read and review at a later date.

MJ Blehart has been writing stories of high fantasy and sci-fi/space opera throughout his life - the first when he was nine years old. Star Wars and Star Trek were some major influences in his youth.

He is a history aficionado. MJ has been a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA - a medieval re-enactment society) for over twenty-nine years. In the SCA, he studies and teaches 16th century rapier combat (fencing) and court heraldry, enjoys archery, social interactions with people from all over the world, and spending time with friends.

MJ blogs regularly, exploring mindfulness, conscious reality creation, positivity, the writing process/business, and creating an amazing life.

MJ currently resides in south New Jersey with his wife and two feline overlords (cats).

Visit MJ Blehart website: mjblehart.com

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Plague War: Outbreak By Alister Hodge - A Zombie Apocalypse Novel That Caused Me Nightmares - It's That Good!

Plague War: Outbreak by Alister Hodge

I found Alister Hodge's Plague War: Outbreak after I read his Escape from Viperob Island. I didn't read it right away because I had my fill of 'plague' considering the COVID crisis and didn't need to read anymore about spreading diseases. There was already enough in the news. I didn't realize it was actually a story about zombies. Now, I have to add, I am not a fan of zombies; I'm more of a space-opera nerd (I've never watched a single episode of The Walking Dead). But I am also a huge fan of post-apocalyptic fiction. Recently, I cracked open this story and read it in two days! After all, it's an Al Hodge story!

I was mesmerized by this book that is heavily character driven, as are all of Al's publications.

Harry is a doctor working his last shift in the emergency department of a hospital when an incoming patient presents with a bite from an animal. As her vital signs rapidly drop, Harry works to keep her alive until she dies on the table. Everyone is shocked when the body of the unfortunate young woman suddenly reanimates and begins attacking everyone she can find - but this is only the tip of a very large iceberg.

The Lysan Plague, a virus spread by broken skin contact, spreads across Australia at an alarming rate, causing a terrifying zombie apocalypse. It isn't long before the police and military are overwhelmed and the situation becomes a fight for survival between the living and the undead.

Harry and other survivors form an alliance to survive and hopefully escape the fray. The enemy is relentless and difficult to fight. It will be through determination, knowhow, and luck if they are to survive at all.

As always, the strongest point in Al's storytelling is his ability to create and write characters who jump off the page and make one care about them. Outbreak is no exception to the author's skill as a writer.

Harry is an emergency room doctor who is getting ready to move to another posting. He has a good relationship with his co-workers, but looks forward to his new life. He is compassionate, believing in his Hippocratic oath. When faced with the problem of killing the infected people he encounters along the way, he, at first, is reluctant to do so. As time goes on, he is forced to resign himself to doing what is necessary to survive, but he still doesn't like it. After all, he is sworn to save, not take, life.

Steph is Harry's cousin. They don't know each other. They do know they are related. When she is cut off from escaping the city, she contacts Harry for rescue. Harry finds her and takes her home with him where she becomes instrumental in planning and execution. She is a strong female character who provides common sense to the group.

Penny is a police officer who starts out on guard duty for a quarantine facility. At first, she seems a little timid, but as time goes on, she finds purpose because of a traumatizing incident. She turns out to be a strong character, heroic in the execution of her duties.

Mark is a soldier having served in Afghanistan just looking forward to a reunion with his girlfriend before he is redeployed. He is a member of the Australian Army and serves as a "sapper," a combat engineer who can fight as well as perform numerous engineering duties. Mark encounters the infected, just as he is called back for domestic duty to fight them. He cannot report because of the plague and decides he needs to save his girlfriend, who dumped him in a text message. He is a sharp character and knows his stuff and becomes instrumental to the survival of Harry's band of survivors. Mark has a tough time fighting his self doubt, but proves himself a leader as time goes on.

Georgie is Mike's girlfriend, instrumental in the survival of herself, Mark, and Penny as they try to escape the cities and get out of harm's way. Another strong female character who finds her place in the group.

Finally, the group is joined by a pair of teenagers who narrowly escape becoming infected. A brother and sister prove their worth when the eventual zombie assault comes upon Harry's stronghold.

All characters are well developed and become real people as the story unfolds.

The main plot point that stood out to me was how anyone, even the weakest, can find their inner strength and do what is needed when the time comes. While everyone in the story has some self-doubt, when the situation calls for action, no one lets the rest down. All the characters have flaws helping them become real to the reader, but they show their strength by overcoming their weaknesses to become heroic assets to their community. Their heroism is not something that the reader can predict, but how they become heroes is a major part of the story and worth the time to read.

As one might expect, there are disturbing images throughout the story. Scenes of extreme violence and descriptions of eviscerated moving corpses abound. I would warn those with weak stomachs to avoid this story. I read over half of this book in the first sitting and actually had a bad dream that night. Despite that, I have to say I enjoyed this book immensely, surprising myself because this is not my usual kind of reading material.

Along with great characters, the story is told at a blinding pace that will hold your attention through to the end. If you have to set it aside to catch your breath, trust me, you'll want to get back to it as quickly as possible.

If you are someone who can handle the violence and gore expected from this kind of story, I give it my highest recommendations for a good solid tale with characters who find their inner strength. You won't want to set this down until you get to the end, and then you'll be ready for the next two installments in the series, Plague War 2: Pandemic and Plague War 3: Retaliation.

Al says about himself: I am a Sydney, Australia-based author, writing within the genres of horror, thriller, and fantasy.

Outside of writing, I work as a Nurse Practitioner. Through working in Emergency, I’ve come in contact with humans at their best and worst. I’ve treated medical emergencies and witnessed the beginning and end of life. In such environments, the usual facades are stripped away, and it is a privilege to work with people in what can be the most stressful time of their life. It’s also an environment that reinforces the fact life isn’t always fair.

I think these experiences are reflected in my novels. My characters have flaws and face challenges. There is evil, and unfortunately the worst is often found in other humans and what we do to each other. When I describe blood, gore and pain, or life and death situations - it comes from personal experience. I know how the crunch of a broken bone feels under hand, and what the pattern of blood looks like on the ground after it squirts from a severed artery. I’ve experienced the stress and self-doubt that must be overcome during a medical emergency, and also witnessed the grief and distress of family members confronted with the loss of a loved one.

These are unforgettable experiences that can’t help but leave a mark on my subconscious and writing.

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The Henderson Helios By Beatrice Crowl - Brisk Paced And Great Characters

The Henderson Helios by Beatrice Crowl

Recently, I joined a web page called BookSirens where authors can feature their work. They offer their books at no cost in return for honest reviews. I searched for a book to read and came upon The Henderson Helios, a novella by Beatrice Crowl. Beatrice has several books listed on Amazon. This work was released this past May 2021. The front cover attracted my attention, along with the book blurb.

Helios is an adventure/romance/LBGTQ+ sci-fi story set sometime in the distant future.

Since I had searched for a space opera, I was a little surprised by what I got in this book, but not put off by it in the slightest. I enjoyed the story and the characters. There was a good bit of humor, and the dialog gave me a few laughs. Overall, I liked Helios and read it in two sittings. The author has a good imagination and does a great job with the storytelling.

The Henderson Helios is narrated by the principal character Elly Henderson. She is a down on her luck engineer working in the slums of a planet some distance from Earth. Elly runs an engine repair shop, but in her past, she was a well-educated engine designer/builder for the Cadinoff Corporation. For them, she designed an innovative propulsion system, but was frozen out of the company once they felt they had everything they needed from her. Through her dealings with Cadinoff and other corporations, Elly has a deep mistrust for big business.

Elly's apprentice, Ryan convinces her to attend a tech expo to search for a part she needs for a project she's been working on for some time. While there, she sees an opportunity to get the specs for her design back but is caught in the process. Elly gets sidetracked when she discovers her engine is being exhibited as the invention of Benjamin Brassard of the Sev Tech corporation. She winds up handcuffed to Myka Benton, a Cardinoff prominent official and together they have to escape from not just one, but two armies from both company's corporate security forces. As they go on the run, Myka and Elly work their way through difficulties and get to know each other and learn more about who they are.

When the book opens, Elly comes across as smug and imperious. She smokes too much, drinks too much, and probably the worst thing, she has a tendency to speak her mind! While others may feel put-off by her, I loved Elly from the beginning of the book. There was no beating around-the-bush by her, and she made it very plain what was on her mind. What was also great about her was, since the tale was from her own account, we also get to go inside Elly's mind to hear her thoughts. Because of that, the reader will get to know the principal character deeper and find that below her rough-gruff surface, there is a decent human being who is protecting herself from further abuse at the hands of corporate exploitation.

Myka Benton, mostly, is all business. She dresses the part and has a commanding presence. Elly sees her as her enemy because of the treatment during her time at Cadinoff, where Myka acted as Elly's supervisor. As the story unfolds, we see a softer side to Myka, and she presents a few surprises along the way.

Both Elly and Myka are great characters, and I found myself rooting for their success in many ways.

If there was an evil presence in the story, it came from Benjamin Brassard, a classmate at the engineering school Elly attended. Brassard is an idea-pirate. In the story, we learn how Brassard made it through engineering school and just how far he will go to climb the corporate ladder. He is a wholly unlikable person.

My favorite part of The Henderson Helios is the relationship between Elly and Ryan. She found him doing his best to survive on the streets and took him in. Through her training and mentorship, Ryan has become an excellent partner and engineer. But Ryan is getting to the age where he is looking at his own future, but he is concerned with Elly's future. One of the things bothering Ryan is knowing how Elly always keeps people at arm’s length, she will wind up alone. Ryan thinks Elly will let no one get close to her again, and who can blame her? After having her life's work stolen from her by two corporations, anyone might want to be sure they never have to depend on anyone again. At the same time, Ryan is quite independent. He and Elly have no illusions about their relationship; it is not a mother/son thing. Ryan has her blessing to leave whenever he wants, but he says with her because she is good to, and for him. With that being said, the reader will also pick up on the love between the two characters.

Another bit I appreciated about the story is Elly's growth as a character. Even through that gruff exterior, she has a sense of justice. There is also a huge streak of charity in her both as Ryan's mentor, and for what he does for Myka near the end of the story. As far as her act on Myka's behalf, Elly expects nothing from it, and it is huge.

For me, the most prominent theme in the book is to remember no one, or nothing is always what they seem. Elly is not the curmudgeon she would like everyone to think she is, and Myka is not the all-in corporate toady she shows to the world. At the same time, Bassard isn't the brilliant engineer he would have everyone believe he is.

At 124 pages, The Henderson Helios is a fast read and a fine diversion for an afternoon of reading. I recommend this story for intriguing characters and a brisk pace. There's never a dull moment here.

Beatrice Crowl writes at the intersection of romance and space opera, giving readers political intrigue and space battles alongside complex characters and love stories. Join her newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/beanewsletter.

She initially joined the sociology career path but became disillusioned with the reality of academic life. So, she turned to her first love: writing fiction. She's found her sociology learnings have helped her in the endeavour, and she will miss her access to academic libraries.

Beatrice grew up immersed in science fiction and space operas. When the opportunity came for her to invest her time in writing, she knew she wanted to combine this familiar stomping ground with romantic storylines. She enjoys eating delicious food, reading every book she can find, and petting cats. On that note, she lives in California with three cats.

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The Immigrant And Other Tales By Michael Jan Friedman - Eight Great Stories To Fuel The Imagination

The Immigrant and Other Tales by Michael Jan Friedman

From the back of the book: "In these eight, never-before-published stories, N.Y. Times bestselling science fiction and fantasy author Michael Jan Friedman takes you on a tour of his favorite places, where the impossible is all too possible and nothing is quite as it seems."

There isn't a lot I can add to the description of this volume of short stories by one of my favorite authors. I can say though, there isn't a bad story in this book, and I enjoyed every one. I received my copy of The Immigrant directly from Mike because I backed the Kickstarter campaign for it. What I especially like about Mike's short stories is the way his sense of humor always shines through the writing and the plot twists he comes up with. When I think about him as an author, the description 'master of the plot twist’ always comes to mind. His story endings are always brilliant and unexpected.

The opening story of the book is also the title of the book, The Immigrant, which is what I will focus on for this review.

The only thing down-on-his-luck retired ghost hunter Roscoe Fay wanted to do was sit quietly and get as drunk as he could. While working on that goal, he noticed someone watching him. Despite him bidding the woman standing behind him to go away, she insisted on telling him about her troubles. Her name was Elizabeth Westerhouse, owner/operator of the Clarendon House, a place for immigrants to live while they acclimate to their new lives in the United States. She explained her tenants were being terrorized by an entity. Although Fay was not looking for a job, he agreed to look into the situation and attempt to resolve it.

Fay begins his investigation by taking up residence in Clarendon House. His first night on the job, he experiences a disturbing dream as a participant in World War I. In his experience, he has learned malevolent spirits have a tendency to attach themselves to objects. He goes in search of things that may be relevant. Meanwhile, the longer he stays in residence, the worse his nightmares become, even to the point of threatening his life.

(A side note: as I read this, I couldn't stop hearing Metallica's “Enter Sandman” in my head.)

When we first meet Roscoe Fay, he seems a curmudgeonly man who wants to be alone. As the story goes on, we learn he isn't as bad a human being as he would have others believe. He doesn't know any of the people in the home, but he appears to care about their wellbeing, and the wellbeing of his employer, Elizabeth Westerhouse. He even becomes enamored with her, somewhat, and her him.

Elizabeth is a well-to-do, independent woman who also cares about her resident’s comfort. They already have enough to handle just getting their new lives together in a new country. Her boarders do not pay rent, but the ones with skills help around the property. She seems a truly charitable person.

What Mike does best in this story is ramping up the suspense. It slowly crescendos to a climax and plot twist culminating in the scene depicted on the front cover of the book. Each experience Fay has gets more intense with each passing night in Clarendon House until the dam breaks and the true source of the terrorizing malevolence is revealed, and it gets quite personal.

I picked up on a theme from the story involving nationalism, prejudice, and bigotry. Sometimes the ghosts that haunt us are not from outside ourselves but live within. We don't even know what may shape our attitudes toward others different from ourselves. A good place to find these demons may be inside of ourselves. Beware the enemy from within.

That is my take on the opening story, a good one to start this book off with. The other seven stories are all different in plot, tone, and content. Here are very brief descriptions of the other seven stories in The Immigrant and Other Tales from the back cover...

·       In Mort, an obscure goddess of virtue finds herself on the wrong end of a decree in the City of A Thousand Gods.

·       In Unseen, a man takes advantage of a groundbreaking technology to teach a corrupt politician a lesson.

·       In Daughter of Dread, the super-powered Blowout risks his life for the daughter of his team's worst enemy.

·       In Movers, a woman finds herself in the middle of a power struggle between entities she doesn't understand.

·       In Mistaken Identity, the lives of a suburban family are placed in jeopardy by a super-hero's error in judgement.

·       In Kyniska, a mysterious woman shows up in a gym and changes the life of an over-the-hill basketball player.

·       In The Right Hand of God, the man once known as Nightsmith comes out of retirement to track down a killer.

I recommend this because of Mike's command of the writing craft. It is always of the highest quality. His characters are genuine people with human flaws (even the super-heroes have flaws), and things in his stories are often not what they seem. The Immigrant and Other Tales is some of his best work. If you let him, he will take you to other places and other times. I found this work entertaining to a high degree.

Michael Jan Friedman is the author of nearly 80 books of fiction and non-fiction, about half of them set somewhere in the wilds of the Star Trek universe.

In 1992, Friedman wrote Reunion, the first Star Trek: The Next Generation hardcover, which introduced the crew of the Stargazer, Jean-Luc Picard's first command. Over the years, the popularity of Reunion has spawned a number of Stargazer stories in both prose and comic book formats, including a six-novel original series.

Friedman has also written for the Aliens, Predator, Wolf Man, Lois and Clark, DC Superhero, Marvel Superhero, and Wishbone licensed book universes. Eleven of his book titles, including the autobiography Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Ghost Hunting (written with SciFi's Ghost Hunters) have appeared on the prestigious New York Times primary seller list, and his novel adaptation of the Batman & Robin movie was for a time the #1 bestselling book in Poland (really).

Friedman has worked at one time or another in network and cable television, radio, business magazines, and the comic book industry, in the process of producing scripts for nearly 180 comic stories. Among his comic book credits is the Darkstars series from DC Comics, which he created with artist Mike Collins, and the Outlaws limited series, which he created with artist Luke McDonnell. He also co-wrote the story for the acclaimed second-season Star Trek: Voyager episode "Resistance," which guest-starred Joel Grey.

In 2001, Friedman spearheaded the establishment of Crazy 8 Press, an imprint through which he and other authors publish their purest and most passionate visions. Crazy 8 press currently features more than 60 original titles.

Presently, Friedman is working on a variety of projects, including a shared-world superhero anthology, a 21st -century Aztec civilization noir murder mystery entitled Aztlan: Investigator for The Empire, and a prose sequel to his graphic novel Empty Space.

As always, he advises readers that no matter how many Friedmans they know; he is probably not related to any of them.

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The Galactic Culinary Society: Song Of The Golden Brew By D.R. Schoel - Another Short and Funny Diversion Just For Fun

The Galactic Culinary Society: Song of the Golden Brew by D.R. Schoel

Song of the Golden Brew is the second story in D.R. Schoel's 'just for fun' series of comedic Sci-Fi short stories. This story sees returning characters set on a planet where the major product is a type of beer. Outside of the planet Kazaak, no one has tasted the "ethanolic" beverage which promises “mood improvement, feelings of euphoria, and one can drink as much as one likes without any negative side effects.” Kvass is touted to get one good and smashed and not suffer a hangover. It is a funny story with a few plot twists adding to the humor. It is a pleasant distraction from the heavy Sci-Fi I usually read.

Chef Hunter, Jeane Oberon of the Galactic Culinary Society begins her journey on the planet Cor Caroli. It is an ice-covered world with an ocean beneath the surface. She discovers the ingredients for a pickled sea cucumber, while at the same time, she learns about a type of beer produced on another planet. She learns about the beverage from her 'sidekick,' the greedy Greelon profiteer Xstersisiisterpeeze (whose name was thankfully shortened to 'Xstersi' for most of this story). After a close call with a fearsome creature, Jeane agrees to accompany Xstersi to Kazaak where she will attempt to discover the secret of a brew known as Kvass. Xstersi plans to strike a deal with the inhabitants to sell the beer to other sentient beings across the galaxy for huge profits. Jeane makes it clear she is only going to add to the knowledge base of the Society.

Upon arrival at Kazaak, Jeane and Xstersi find a society that is rife with conflict. But she is not there to problem solve, only discover the secrets of the Kvass. While Xstersi works to secure a bargain, Jeane learns there is only way she will learn about the brew is by winning a drinking contest. No doubt, good times are had by all, or not depending on your point of view.

What I most enjoyed about this story is the way Schoel writes about the relationship between Jeane and Xstersi. At first, one gets the impression that Xstersi is only a thorn in Jeane's side. Actually, these two have an amusing synergistic relationship where they get on each other's nerves, but one also seems to care about the other in a repugnant sort of way. In other words, they really do like each other, but neither one would ever admit to it openly. They have a chemistry I enjoy and want more of in future stories.

If you are looking for a short, fun distraction from the rigors of everyday life in the fast lane, I recommend Secrets of the Golden Brew. One does not need to be a Sci-Fi fan to enjoy this. It can be read in under an hour, but don't read it too fast so you can savor the flavor of the language the author uses. Along with this, I also recommend the previous (first) story in the series, The Secrets of Umami (reviewed on this blog). Both are great diversions for a break.

Schoel writes, "I am a writer and filmmaker with a Master's degree in film production. But they say it's the experience that counts: I've worked for nearly twenty years with the Inuit of the Arctic on many, many television programs. I've also worked with Chad McQueen (son of movie icon Steve McQueen) on an un-produced project for Netflix, and wrote a feature film about a Jewish-Arab love story, "Adam's Wall," released globally. I've presented a short film at Cannes (an autobiographical piece, "The Fantastic Bus"), won a Canadian Screen Award (the equivalent of the Canadian Oscars; is that worth mentioning?), and had a Top-10 documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival, "Sol," about an Inuit circus performer who died in RCMP custody. I like to travel, having been all across China - including Xinhiang, where Uyghurs were put into detention camps, and I had to go through police checkpoints, sometimes twice a day - to Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, The Dominican Republic, pretty much everywhere in Europe, and the Arctic. Of course, I'm a lifelong fan of Sci-Fi and since I can't (yet) go into space... I like to dream about it.

"You can follow me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DRSCHOEL), and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/@drschoel2013).

"To keep up-to-date on all things related to The Galactic Culinary Society and intergalactic Chef Hunter, Jeane Oberon, you can sign up for my newsletter here: GCS NEWS."

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