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The purpose of this blog is to have a little fun. It is NOT to start arguments. I don't profess to be an expert on Sci-fi, nor do I aspire to become an expert. You are welcome to comment on any and all content you find here. If my opinion differs from yours, as far as I am concerned, it's all okay. I will never say that you are wrong because you disagree with me, and I expect the same from those that comment here. Also, my audience on the blog will include some young people. Please govern your language when posting comments.

Posts will hopefully be regular based on the movies I see, the television shows I watch, and the books I read as well as what ever strikes me as noteworthy.


***SPOILER ALERT***
Spoilers will appear here and are welcome.

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Sunday, May 1, 2022

Entropy by Dana Hayward - Solid Characters And A Great Tale Of Scientific And Political Intrigue

Entropy by Dana Hayward

I received an advance review copy of Entropy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

It is always a great day when I open my email and find a note from an author asking if I would be interested in reading their new book. When author Dana Hayward, who appreciated my review of another person's work, offered to send an advance copy of his new work, Entropy, along with a synopsis, I was more than happy to oblige.

There is nothing about this book I didn't enjoy. It is a fast-moving piece set in a not-too-distant future where there has been a lot of scientific advancement. The characters are well developed and display growth as the story advances. Most are easy to relate to and might be people I would want to know. But, while the story is fast-paced, and I enjoyed reading it, it is also quite disturbing, as I am sure it is meant to be.

While set in the future, many of the ideas in Entropy could be headlines from today. There are many plot points that felt all too real as I read and make me realize how easily fiction can become reality. In that way, this was a frightening read because the author takes us to possible new realities even beyond what are in current headlines.

The name of the game in Entropy is survival in a seemingly unsurvivable situation. There won't be many winners in this game, and the losers will just be dead.

For some mysterious reason, the Earth has lost its ability to sustain itself as a viable system. Everything is breaking down as the planet seems to approach a dangerous equilibrium of nothingness. Life is disappearing at an alarming rate and the human population is experiencing shortages of everything, including breathable air, potable water, and food. Chaos is rapidly becoming the order of the day as a few people try to address the problem, or become predators, taking from those who have without regard for others.

Governments cannot help and determine it is time to look to alternate living arrangements such as moving out into the solar system, leaving the Earth behind.

U.S. President Myung Kim determines the only course is to give people hope by first establishing a permanent colony on the moon to be used as a jumping off point for permanent relocation to Mars. Much of the infrastructure for this is in place, but how will the people be fed?

John McCabe is charged with coming up with a solution to the food problem. He is to create a cultivar, a type of edible plant that will grow quickly under the harshest conditions.

As conditions continue to deteriorate, the country falls further into chaos because of famine, plague, and civil uprising. Also looming on the horizon is an inevitable confrontation with the Chinese government.

There is hope when a new republic form on the moon and decides to strike out for their inevitable destination to begin life anew on Mars.

There are several characters in Entropy one may consider being principal to the story, but I have to admit, President Myung Kim is my favorite.

Kim, a solid female character who is not affiliated with any political party, works to surround herself with the best possible people to address all the problems. She prioritizes well and addresses each problem that comes up as best she can. Even with everything happening, she remains calm and relies on her expert advisers to help with decisions, but she still has the vision to see what the future will bring. By recruiting the best people to handle the problems, she can stave off starvation and jumpstart a solution to solving problems with science as her central tool.

She is a truly refreshing character who faces a tragic end, but not before she can make things right amidst seeming impossible odds.

My favorite point of plot in Entropy is how science emerges as the best way to come up with answers to problems. In this time where there seems to be an attitude that science is some kind of sinister plot to control people, it is good to see there is hope that, one day, we may realize it is through science we get the answers to the really hard questions.

Growing up during the 60s and 70s, I was part of the movement to educate the public on the benefits of science. To my deep dismay, it is alarming to see the current trends of the 21st century denial of empirical evidence right in front of our eyes. It is encouraging to read a story where science is valued by political leaders.

My takeaway from Entropy is hope for the future. While recent historical events, such as the COVID pandemic, created, at least in me, a deep sense of hopelessness for the future, Hayward shows that no matter how bad things get, there is still the possibility of making a better world.

Beyond the message of this tale, Entropy is just a great read, and I recommend it for that alone. It is truly a novel that sustains suspense, and I hated putting it down when I had to and was aching to get back to it when I had the time. According to the author, this is just the opening to a saga, and if it is any indication of the quality, I am also eager to read the next book in the series.

The characters are well written, each with their own clear voice, the descriptions of the settings are vividly colorful, and the situations will have the reader experiencing a plethora of emotions. This is a novel of epic proportions and has the making of an amazing series of books I want to read. I give Entropy my highest recommendation as a Sci-Fi apocalyptic thriller that moves along like a chess match between characters and their environment.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DANA HAYWARD aka Mark Muse

MARK MUSE has researched, written, edited and published original works in the area of clinical psychology, psychopharmacology, chronic pain, health psychology and psychosomatic medicine.

(https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Muse/e/B007P2ZKSS)

DANA HAYWARD is Mark’s alter ego, who writes fiction, science fiction; as in “ENTROPY”.

Please follow my blog at: https://danahayward@blogspot.com

Well, there it is...

Qapla!

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