In The Shadow Of A Giant - A Short Story by Joseph Graff - A Great First Story From A Young Author!

In The Shadow Of A Giant - A Short Story by Joseph Graff

I received a copy of this for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

In this short story, written by fifteen-year-old Joseph Graff, the reader will find the makings of an author who may be a future major force in Sci-Fi literature.

It was quite by accident I discovered this short story a few days ago. 

In The Shadow of a Giant is a story of about 3500 words, and there is a lot packed into those words. It has everything one could want in a good sci-fi tale, but it can be read in just a few minutes. Young Joseph sets the stage brilliantly with descriptions that are detailed and colorful, but more importantly, they are very visual in the mind. The story unfolds and we get to meet the good guys and the bad guys. There is even enough character description to get a good idea of who they are and what they are actually about.

While the tale itself is well written with more show than tell, the text is also enhanced with several illustrations that add to the enjoyment of the story.

An Old Empire has fallen. The resources of a nearby asteroid belt have been depleted, and the Empire has fallen on hard times punctuated by graft, corruption, and nepotism. Fleets of ships from the remnants of the Empire depart the Space City of Albion to forage for resources to keep the city alive, but also to improve their own position and conditions.

There are many dangers for the rag-tag fleets that work diligently to keep themselves space-worthy. Along with that, they also can become victims of piracy in deep space. No one can trust anyone else in this situation, as there are even acts of sabotage between the fleets themselves.

It is everyone for themselves in a place, once prosperous, but now in severe decline.

There are two principal characters that go head-to-head in this story.

The first character we meet is Commodore Gideon Adira, the commander of the Fulcrum fleet of ships departing to forage neighboring star clusters for raw materials. Initially, he appears as a hero. He's a handsome guy and is a benevolent leader to his people. But, like any heroic character in a good story, Adira has flaws.

The other character, Adira's main opponent, is Ivan Morozov. There isn't much background on Ivan, but he is a mean one who will react with violence based on mere suspicion.

Adira and Morozov meet in deep space to settle a score, one that has apparently been building for a good many years. Of course, this precipitates an epic, well-written battle scene.

My takeaway from this tale is to remember that when it comes to survival, there are no white hats and black hats. Along with that, when brute force meets a force that can think, the outcome is often with those who fight with their brains, and not their muscle.

As a bonus, included after the main story, is a sample from another upcoming story by Joseph.

In the Shadow of a Giant is a great first effort from this new, young author. He has a great sense of form and wrote a logical, easy-to-understand story that is entertaining. I guess, probably the best recommendation I can give is to say, when I finished this tale, I wanted more!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Joe, 15 years old Scouting Patrol Leader, has been reading aloud since he was an infant. By two he was finding typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in thick textbooks edited by many people. At three he impressed the head of Montessori Schools of New Jersey so much that he said Joe should not be on local TV but on international TV instead - to show to the world what is possible in a three-year-old: he could count to twenty in at least six languages, he was starting to speed read and he could do math well beyond his years. At four he was correcting the "answers" given for his I.Q. test. We never put him on TV so he grew up speed reading - and writing - his very favorite literature, fantasy and science fiction.

Well, there it is...

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The Aftermath: Titan (The Aftermath Series Book 2) By Bradley James - Loaded With Action, Surprises, And Superior Characters!

The Aftermath: Titan (The Aftermath Series Book 2) by Bradley James

I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Note: This title is due to go public on October 18, 2024

To start, I will share a quote from Bradley appearing at the beginning of this book:

"Whoa, Not So Fast!"

"The Aftermath: Titan is the second book in The Aftermath series. If you have not yet read the first book in the series, then it is recommended that you start there."

As the author politely says, it is recommended to start with the first book in the series, The Aftermath: Lunar. I would not only agree with Bradley, but I would also say it is a must! I will reference the first novel in this review, so if you haven't read Lunar, I urge you to close this blog post and read it first!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

The Aftermath: Titan is the continuing story of an Earth astronaut who witnessed the apparent destruction of his home planet while on a mission to the moon. His original mission was scrapped, and his only focus became survival.

In Titan, the story of Elliot Adams continues, and the stakes get ramped up ever higher than before.

I absolutely ripped through this book with such fervor and finished it in five days between other things I was supposed to be doing. After having to set it aside, I thought about it, and couldn't wait to get back to it at the earliest opportunity. Titan flows like a fast river, as one reads. It is chock full of action, suspense, battle, humor, and it is all driven by a cast of excellently written characters a reader will become invested in!

Bradley has mastered writing some great sci-fi that unfolds on an epic scale. The world building and setting of the story's scenes is vivid and one can almost feel the environment the characters move through.

***Spoiler Alert***

The Lunari live a primitive life under the surface of the moon. However, they are actually being, more or less, enslaved by the aliens who call themselves the Telvanni. When the Lunari learn the truth about what they once considered their gods, they rise up, and with the help of stranded astronaut, Elliot Adams, they are victorious in defeating the Telvanni.

The Telvanni are led by a cruel master known only as the General who is killed in the uprising, and those of his troops who survive are imprisoned in their base.

But before he dies, the General reveals something very disturbing to Elliot. It is something called a Death Shepherd.

Elliot is accepted by the Lunari and develops strong relationships with many of the people living there.

***End Spoilers***

Eliot learns what the Death Shepherd is, thanks to Dax, a technology expert who worked for the Lunari under duress. Elliot realizes he must go to Titan, the moon orbiting Saturn, where the Telvanni have established their main base in the solar system. Elliot and his befriended Lunari embark on a perilous mission to accomplish several goals, including saving lives on two worlds.

Nothing is easy, and the odds are stacked against Elliot and his companions.

Elliot is not only an astronaut, he is also a trained soldier. Thanks to his being from Earth, he also has a secret weapon that will serve him well on his quest. He is a good and kind man but is not to be underestimated. He can deal out some violence when the occasion arises, and it does. But, like any great hero, he needs help from others as well, and he has some good and skillful people on his side.

Dax is little more than a slave because of something the Telvanni hold over his head. When he has the opportunity, he teams up with Elliot and the other Lunari. Although some would see him as a cowardly collaborator, Dax is anything but cowardly.

Mayto, the son of the Lunari Chief, did not like Elliot initially, but he warms up and the two develop a great friendship. They have each other's backs and work well together. Mayto has a temper that can get out of control, and often does, but Elliot and others remind him he must not let his temper control him. He must learn to control his temper and through this, he will have far more success. He learns this lesson well, with reminders, of course.

Ava and Bella are a mother and daughter team. Ava's husband is presumed dead, and she and Elliot strike up a relationship during the events of the first novel in the series. Their plight is mostly separate from Elliot and is, in itself, a great story.

There are a few truly cruel and evil characters in this tale. The Supreme Telvarch is the leader of the Telvanni and is truly drunk with power. He will stop at nothing to gather more and more power. His main henchman, Dravix, is a man who loves killing and making people suffer under his torture. These two are monumental villains with no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. Of course, this only adds to the fun that is Aftermath: Titan!

My first favorite point of plot is the epic battle scenes in the story. They are huge in scope; with dire consequences should our heroes fail to achieve their goals. The consequences are just as dire for the bad guys should they fail. There are victories on both sides as the scenes unfold and the outcomes offer some amazing plot twists, one of the major strengths of this tale.

Second, I loved the dialog between characters! Another of Bradley's strengths as a writer is creating dialog that is witty and, at times, hilarious, but also shows great compassion and the deep friendships the characters share. The witty banter happens at moments where the reader may need a break in the tension to catch their breath, but the action continues to ramp up, after those moments of relief, to greater and greater heights.

And last, but not least, are the plot twists and turns! There is a surprise at nearly every page turn which drives the reader on to the end, and when the end comes, the reader is going to want more!

The theme that stands out for me, and my takeaway from The Aftermath: Titan, is to remember how heroes never go into a situation to become heroes. A real hero is someone who sees a situation, or a need for change, and does what it takes to get the job done.

I give my highest recommendations for The Aftermath: Titan, and for the previous novel in the series, The Aftermath: Lunar, as an unfolding sci-fi space opera saga that is exciting, filled with on-the-edge-of-your-seat action, and just plain fun to read. There is never a dull moment in these stories, and the current installment is jam-packed with all manners of emotional content. The reader will feel great triumph, disappointment and despair, deep sadness, and much joy all the way through this fast-paced story. It is well worth the investment of time to read and will not disappoint sci-fi fans. Bradley has written a masterpiece with his very first series of novels and I am so happy to have found them!

Remember, read BOTH books in order. Lunar is full of background information that will help in understanding the universe created by this amazing author.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bradley James published his debut novel, The Aftermath: Lunar, in early 2024, realizing a long-held dream. Since then, he has been irreversibly bitten by the writing bug, immediately embarking on his next literary adventure without looking back. When not immersed in crafting narratives, Bradley can be found indulging in long runs, losing himself in books, consuming copious amounts of coffee, or passionately cheering on his favorite football team. Though born in London, he now resides in Southwest England, where the lush landscapes often serve as a backdrop for his creativity.

Look at Bradley's website: https://bradleyjamesauthor.com and join his Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/948989713645274

Well, there it is...

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Basia And The Bots By Robert Collins - A Young Woman Searches For Her Purpose

Basia and the Bots by Robert Collins

This, the latest release from Robert, is a sci-fi story about artificial intelligence becoming sentient. It is also a young adult, coming of age story of a brilliant young woman who has reached a crossroads in her life. I enjoy Robert's style of crafting tales that are not overly long with action that is always in motion. His stories are never overloaded with info-dump (however, there is a character in this one named Infodump), and the characters are usually people who a reader can care about. Here, there are a few bots that one can care about as well.

This volume would be appropriate for middle school and early high school students.

There is a lot of ground covered in this book with philosophical considerations, political ideas, and human relations all covered efficiently, and without the author's personal bias attached. It is left up to the reader what to think of the ideas presented.

Basia Zahn, a sixteen-year-old high school student, is a hard-working, intelligent young woman who is looking forward to graduating at the end of her next semester in school. One day, a teacher asks her to remain after class for a brief discussion. It isn't that she is in trouble, but she has never given any thought to what she is going to do with her future. Her teacher points this out to her, and they discuss possible scenarios, and it gives Basia a lot to think about.

Basia's dad, Ramon, is a single parent raising his daughter to adulthood. He has instilled an excellent work ethic in her that has allowed her to excel in school, however, she has difficulty with social interaction. Not that she is anti-social, the problem is she has had no practice at it.

While on his way home from a business trip, one of the planet's robotic residents approaches Ramon asking if Basia could go to where they live and work on them for a time. Ramon presents this offer to Basia who accepts, seeing it as an opportunity for self-improvement and doing something positive.

While she stays with the bots, she learns more than she ever would in the school setting. She learns the most valuable lesson any person can - she learns about herself.

While Basia is the principle and point of view character in this tale, the sentient robots are also instrumental.

The bots live in a house some long distance from the community Basia lives in. Children are warned all their lives to avoid any contact with the bot residents of the planet. Sometime in the past, there was some trouble with the beings when they achieved sentience. The bots come in all shapes and types. There are humanoid shapes, and many others depending on the function they were built for. The bots think, feel, and have goals like any other sentient beings would.

My favorite point of plot in this story is how the story is not like most of the other AI stories I've read in the recent past. Usually, the plot has something to do with AI taking over the world, intending to enslave humanity. I'm not saying that that trope is a bad thing, but it is mostly what seems to be out there currently.

In Basia and the Bots, the AI is only interested in surviving and living their lives. That makes this story unique in my reading experience.

My takeaway from Basia and the Bots is, many times when change is needed, it doesn't necessarily take a movement. Change can start with one person who has the power to set aside popular beliefs and explore the facts.

I recommend Basia and the Bots as a good, easy to read, relaxing, fun story. It is a book that might even help young readers to work through some of their own internal dilemmas. It is a thoughtful story, and the length makes it easily accessible to young readers, but adults might also find it a nice, short piece to pick up between more intense sci-fi works.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Robert Collins is the author of the science-fiction novels Monitor, Lisa's Way, and Expert Assistance. He's also author of the fantasy novels Cassia and The Opposite of Absolute, and the young adult novel True Friends. He has several short story collections available, including The Frigate Victory Omnibus Collection and The Case Files of Gwen Connor.

To learn more, to follow him on social media, and to keep up with his writing, visit his website, One Kansas Author.

Well, there it is...

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Demeter: (Book 1 – Orion’s Spur Series) by Alan 'Doc' Hansen - Excellent Young Adult Space Opera Not Just For Kids

Demeter: (Book 1 – Orion’s Spur Series) by Alan 'Doc' Hansen

I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Demeter is the beginning of an amazing story following the adventures of young William Ryder, known to his friends, and others, simply as Ryder. I loved reading this story that is both fast-paced and entertaining. It is a young adult science fiction romp that begins on Earth, but then becomes a space opera that includes some incredible vistas created by the author. He shares his visions with colorful and detailed descriptions that set a clear picture in the mind's eye. In addition, there are a number of humanoid aliens included that add broader dimensions to this story. The most prominent characters include Ryder's little sister, a girl he crushes on, and a pair of teachers the reader cannot be completely sure what they are about.

I would estimate this book is appropriate for students beginning at the 6th grade level. It is about kids, but this tale isn't just for kids. I found Demeter to be a great, fast read that held my attention very well. If you are a parent reading this and you have a child you might want to get started on reading sci-fi, this would be a good one to hand them right off the bat.

There are a few scenes that I would call cringe-worthy. For instance, Ryder is brutally beaten by a fellow student at a school dance, and his injuries land him in the hospital.

While this is the first book in a series, the story is complete with a solid ending that enticed me to read on. I will revisit Ryder's further adventures at a later date.

Young Ryder contemplates a school dance. He looks forward to perhaps dancing with Cynthia. After a long week of debating the merits of going to the dance, he decides the possible benefits will outweigh the risks and goes. While there, he encounters another student, Barry. After a few caustic exchanges of words, Barry assails Ryder with a storm of blows, putting him in the hospital. Ryder's sister, Debbie and Cynthia save Ryder from even more injury.

As a result, Ryder, Debbie, and Cynthia all move on to another school where they encounter a new teacher and another who was at Ryder's former school. The new school is a strange place, there are promises of an uncommon experience there. One such promise is a planned visit to Europe.

When the day arrives for the trip, the students board a vehicle and are whisked to a place light years from Earthbound Europe! The Europe they arrive at is inside of a huge asteroid and is itself a sort of school for select students.

And that is only the beginning of the adventure!

The principle and point-of-view character is Ryder. He is an intelligent, well-read young man who is identified as one of the school’s "skaters" at his school. He has a quick wit and has a tendency to say what is on his mind before thinking about the consequences, which tends to get him in a little trouble from time to time. Despite that, he is excellent at gathering data and analyzing it to plan actions and solve problems. I like him. He seems like a good kid.

Ryder's sister, Debbie, is a rambunctious, fearless girl who is ready to try anything. She is, perhaps, all too willing to throw caution to the wind and get involved in some risky behavior. To be honest, she is my favorite character in this story. She makes me laugh and scares me all at the same time.

Cynthia is Ryder's love-interest. Her thing is helping people.

All the characters in this tale play important parts and contribute in their own way. And that is my favorite plot point in Demeter. It is the depth of even the most minor characters. Hansen has created a bullpen of personalities that are all individual in their likes, dislikes, philosophical points of view, and how they approach problem solving. They remain consistent with themselves throughout the entire story. Further, they are all real and interesting people. Demeter is a heavily character-driven story, and the world building Hansen does only enhances the activities of the people.

My takeaway from Demeter is to always be open to new learning and new situations. One never knows what will happen when an old, familiar door is closed and a new, unknown one is opened, leading one to an amazing, even life-changing, adventure.

I give my highest recommendations to Demeter Volume 1 for being a superior story crafted with characters a reader can care about, colorful world building, and numerous surprises to spark the imagination. I look forward to the next installment. 

There are four more segments to this saga. All are available now.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am a lifelong fan of science fiction. Growing up in a small town in Utah, I became enamored with the science fiction genre as I devoured early science fiction writers such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, i.e. Doc Smith, and Robert Heinlein. As an adult, I continued to enjoy science fiction while I completed three degrees one in Japanese, Business, and Higher Education. I was an early adopter of online education, having worked at the university level as an administrator and professor.

My focus in writing science fiction is on adventure and character development. Demeter was intended as a three-book series, but the story arc for the series ultimately demanded five books to complete. The five main characters in the series are derived from observations of my own five children. The lively character Debbie is by no means an exaggeration of my youngest daughter.

The journey of editing, publishing to Kindle, then to paperback, and now to Audiobooks has been fraught with numerous delays ranging from too much multi-tasking to family tragedies. Still the story is worth it. It is not dystopian but very optimistic, and clearly illustrates how people can change and grow. Few if any individuals are without hope of redemption. If you walk away from Orion’s Spur series without laughing and crying, I have failed.

After getting the five books of the Orion’s Spur series finally into audiobooks, I’ll be moving onto two other finished manuscripts. One, a more serious political thriller set in the near future exploring our solar system and the resources within Salt of the Earth. The other is yet untitled, but the working title may signal some elements of the plot, Project Lilliput.

Well, there it is...

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My Buddy Gave Me A Starship By Myles Christensen - Lots Of Laughs Excellent Entertainment

My Buddy Gave Me A Starship by Myles Christensen

I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

With a title like this one, there is no way I could resist reading.

My Buddy Gave Me A Starship is a space opera from the lighter side. But it isn’t all fun and games when characters play in the backdrop of deep space meeting alien species both friendly and malicious. The tale is packed full of action and adventure to keep a reader on the edge of their seat. The characters are believable, and it isn’t difficult to relate to their plight. I was pulled in right from the opening page and the pace of the story ramps up quickly. The world-building is also excellent, and the reader will see numerous vistas, both beautiful and menacing.

I found this book quite refreshing after reading a lot of serious sci-fi. It runs the full gamut of emotion, and one cannot help but love most of the characters while deploring a few others.

The story opens with a man named Mitch, who goes to work one morning and is greeted by his supervisor, who apologetically dismisses him. He seems to have made a costly mistake involving a project he worked on.

So, Mitch does what any down on his luck guy would do. He heads to his favorite diner and orders a large bowl of ice cream to drown his sorrows. Mitch’s lifelong friend, Gabe, sits down with him and says he has something he is sure will cheer him up. After a short drive, Gabe opens his barn to reveal a starship parked inside! Gabe explains how he found the ship and how he has been making repairs and upgrades.

To say it cheered Mitch up would be a gross understatement. Mitch is astounded and wants to take a flight. Gabe promises they will do a flight test the next day.

Like a kid who is headed to his first professional baseball game, Mitch arrives at Gabe’s place to find a small group of people in commando gear preparing to take the ship for themselves. Then he discovers Gabe has been severely injured in his encounter with the commandos. So, Mitch does what anyone would do in such a situation. He gets onto the ship, belts himself into the pilot’s seat, and orders the onboard AI to take the ship rapidly “anywhere but here.”

The AI complies by transporting the ship a distance of six-hundred light years in the blink of an eye. And that’s only the beginning!

The tale is heavily character driven. Too much information would spoil the story.

Mitch is a human who finds himself unemployed until he finds his best friend has been wounded by commandos who want the ship Gabe has found. His aim is to find justice for Gabe.

Tera is Mitch’s artificially intelligent companion, modeled on a fifteen-year-old snarky female. She helps Mitch learn to run the ship, but is sometimes hesitant to share important information until the last minute. Her personality often causes Mitch just a bit of frustration and drives the humor in the story.

Vrynn is an alien female who wants the ship to fight in a conflict with an oppressive organization. She becomes a valuable aid to Mitch as well as depending on him for help.

My favorite point of plot in My Buddy Gave Me A Starship is the interaction between the characters. They all have goals and help each other try to realize them. The humorous banter between them is priceless! I think this is where the author really shines in his writing. It is through the principal character’s interactions that the story unfolds as we also get to know them. It is hard not to care about them and their plight.

My takeaway from this tale is to remember no matter how bad things seem, stay optimistic. The closing of one door may lead to the opening of another, which might lead to the adventure of a lifetime.

While the trope in My Buddy Gave Me A Starship is an old, well-worn one, and Myles Christensen has given it a fresh treatment, and it is eminently entertaining, engaging, and a whole lot of fun. The characters have depth inspiring the reader to care for and root for their success. The backdrops are well fleshed out and full of interesting variety. The writing is clear, and the tech is easy to understand. This is a great opening to a series of stories, and I look forward to future installments. The story is complete in itself and I loved the great plot twist at the end!

Highest Recommendations!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Myles Christensen loves to write exciting adventures because he loves to read exciting adventures. The hopeless romantic in him will usually sprinkle a teensy bit of romance into his stories. While writing, he listens to music that matches—and sometimes inspires—the storyline.

His mild-mannered alter ego is a product development engineer, university professor, and game inventor. He lives in Utah with his wife and children.

Well, there it is...

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A World Apart By Alan M. Weber - The Aliens Have Landed And Promise To Make Things Interesting

A World Apart by Alan M. Weber

I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This story is not like anything I have read before. Oh, I've read political thrillers, colonization sci-fi, and first-contact alien stories frequently, but in my personal recollection, nothing like A World Apart. I found it mesmerizing. And I loved everything about it.

Weber presents his tale at an easily digestible pace that goes by very quickly. I found it so engaging I probably could have read all 188 pages in one sitting, but one has to sleep sometime. The prose is also very accessible to those who are not fans of sci-fi full of technical jargon and complicated ideas. It is a character driven tale with people that are real in all the ways that count. The dialog between the characters advances the story without having to explain a lot of the plot in info-dumps.

Much of the time while I read this book, I saw shades of the movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still (the 1951 film directed by Robert Wise) and also could hear strains of John Lennon's song, Imagine. 

A World Apart opens with a scene between two neighbors, formerly friends, who are verbally bashing each other over their political philosophical differences. This scene really hit home as being very realistic, and not atypical of what might actually happen in any neighborhood. That scene is followed by other snapshots of life in today's social climate. Other than expressing anger and hate, the three scenes all have something else in common: no one notices the UFO's streaking overhead.

When the extraterrestrials land and introduce themselves, they have a bit of shocking news for the people of the Earth. They announce they are from a galactic organization that has been observing the planet since it came into being, and because of human short-sightedness, they have come to save us from ourselves because, by their estimation, we are on a path of extinction.

They explain they will "usurp" our autonomy and rid the world of those things that have "plagued" humans throughout our history and promise to do away with "increasing division, hatred, and ignorance." The manner they propose to use are set out in seven directives that will lead to sweeping changes designed to unify humans in a global population.

As one would expect, the proposals are met with various levels of acceptance or rejection. And the big question is, are they actually here with beneficial intentions, or are their reasons nefarious?

The principal character, Alan Zimmer, is a journalist of sorts. He had originally intended to be a serious journalist writing for a major newspaper, but when he needed a steady income, he began working for a tabloid, and had quite a bit of success. When he became popular, he lost his family and began a downward spiral into alcohol addiction.

Then, he was invited to become a human spokesperson for the aliens. His agreement to work with them came with changes to his life and he embraced the assignment with great vigor. But, along with a few successes came many failures, not on his part, but that of the people he needed to deliver the message to.

He is a good man who, while being accused of being a mere collaborator, stands by his convictions. Even when he is not sure of the purpose the aliens harbor, he follows through with his promise.

My favorite point of plot in this tale is the twist at the end. I'm going to leave this right here to avoid spoilers.

My takeaway is what I think is the purpose of the book is - Introspection. Alan Weber is challenging us to look inside ourselves for answers to the big questions. One might say the elephant in the room. Those things we deny are happening, or choose to ignore, or those things that cause us to be fearful of many things.

Alan is asking us to take a look inside ourselves for flaws and biases that may need to be resolved.

Beyond any message the author is challenging the reader with, it is just a great story I enjoyed reading. It is well written and easy to understand. There is plenty of action to hold one's attention, and every page-turn will spur the reader forward, wanting to know what happens next. There are a few social messages that one may derive from A World Apart, and they might cause some readers a little discomfort, but sometimes, change is drawn from a little discomfort. I didn't feel compelled to agree with any philosophical ideas in this tale, although there are points with which I agree strongly.

I would enjoy seeing this story being made into a film!

Along with the images I mentioned in the beginning (the film and the song I mentioned), I also felt as though I were reading something that might be a Twilight Zone episode. Realizing there is the famous episode of that series entitled To Serve Man (season 3, episode 24), the story in A World Apart is vaguely similar, but far different.

I recommend this story for both sci-fi fans and those who just want to read a good story.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alan M. Weber was born in the Bronx, NY, and now lives in Woodstock, NY. He was always a would-be writer, having given poetry readings around Manhattan's Greenwich Village in his early twenties, until such time as he realized he wasn't a very good poet. Having spent most of his college days engaged in political activism rather than career planning, and seeing no practical avenue for a career in non-commercial writing, he followed his tertiary passion into the field of education. He spent forty-three years in the field, as an early childhood teacher, then administrator, and, ultimately, professor of Early Childhood Education at a community college. During all of that time, his writing was largely restricted to essays within his field, the most notable of which was a piece entitled "The Misdirection of Modern American Education," which appeared in the May, 2014 edition of The Education Digest.

Nearing his retirement, he embarked on a second career, completing and publishing his first novel, Integrating the Chapters of a Life, a memoir of sorts, which was published under a pseudonym given its revealing content. While still teaching, now as an adjunct rather than full-time, he wrote his first children's book, Not for Hurting, a picture book on the understanding and effects of war for young children. Once officially retired, he ventured into fiction, publishing a political novel, The Wedge, a somewhat prescient warning of what was to come in 2016. But it was with The Wedge that he discovered his love for fiction and, particularly, dialog. What followed were two short stories of a meta-psychological nature, which he decided to combine into his next published book, Meins of Existence. The first of the stories, "The Matter of Mind," remains particularly close to his heart.

Another children's book, What Kimi Discovered, came next. Its premise, offering an alternative to the stereotyping and otherwise inappropriate teaching about indigenous peoples all too common during the period from Columbus Day to Thanksgiving, was something he had long wanted to do. It is now part of his home school district's social studies curriculum, along with being promoted at local Pow Wow's and other venues. Then the pandemic came, and challenging himself to write a book of pure humor, an element otherwise common to his writing but never fully explored, he wrote The Mensch (having reached the age where all humor is Jewish). But there had always been the dream of writing a science fiction styled allegory, the ultimate expression of those political ideals that were born in college and had never left him. It seemed too difficult of an undertaking until a combination of experience, confidence, newfound skills and the encouragement by the writers' group he was now a part of made A World Apart possible. He considers this his "epic" work, and though he doesn't know what will follow, publishing this book has provided him with a sense of completion he has never before felt.

Well, there it is...

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Autumn's End By BJ Levey - Is It Entertainment, Or A Warning?

Autumn's End by BJ Levey

What will AI look like in the future? According to author BJ Levey, it won't be great. As a matter of fact, it is downright horrifying.

Many people know what it is to escape reality for a time by playing a video game, or by scrolling on their phones, or by whatever means to take a break from a world overloaded with information. No one is untouchable. Nearly everyone carries a computer and information retrieval system in their pockets or purses. Sometimes it's a blessing, other times it's a curse. One is never out of touch to just be.

Now, take the above scenario to the extreme, and you get a story much like this one. Where a huge corporation has everyone addicted to virtual reality and information technology and wants to take it even further.

It is all too easy to stay out of reality and ignore all the problems happening all around until it is too late.

Scared yet? You will be when you read this gem of a tale of four people and their struggle to get back to living life in the real world.

I enjoyed this story that might also serve as a warning. It is dark, fast-paced, and full of ideas to think about long into the future as the reality of artificial Intelligence grows and what direction it will take, and it's impact on us.

It is the end of the 21st century. The world's worst nightmare has become a reality as the effects of climate change has caused rising oceans, drought, and vast uninhabitable areas on the planet. Those who are able are all moving to the north in an area controlled by the Aztec Conglomerates. Everyone has tech implants and are subject to the will of Aztec. Following a disaster perpetrated by the conglomerate, a planned rollout of a massive upgrade is imminent. Aztec claims the upgrade will make life better for everyone, but not all are convinced this is a good thing and have devoted their lives to stopping it.

Following the murder of an Aztec upgrade's lead scientist, the lives of four people are set on a collision course that may determine the fate of what is left of humanity.

The question is, can humanity be saved, and if it can, is it worth the price to be paid?

Three of the four principal characters in Autumn's End are all people who fight against impossible odds to make sure that the dystopia goes no further. Thay have, and will have to continue, to make monumental personal sacrifices to try to stop the nefarious upgrade. One character, the chairman of Aztec, has invested everything he has in the great upgrade, but even as it is developed, it becomes ever more unstable and threatening.

Every character in this tale is a tragic figure for one reason or another. They are also to be admired as they work diligently to stop what, as far as they are concerned, is sounding the final death knell of the human race. 

My favorite point of plot in this story revolves around a single character. An ex-cop who is promised to get his freedom from his tech implants if he completes a particular task given to him by an Aztec controlled AI partner. But he faces a choice, it's either his freedom or give himself over to his human side and save the woman he loves. While his choice seems like a deeply personal one on the one hand, his choice will have huge implications for the future.

My takeaway from Autumn's End is probably the same as it is for most of the dystopian AI stories I have read, and that is we should take them as a warning with what may happen in the future as this amazing technology continues to grow. I once visited with a man who projects the current trends of technology into the future and asked him a question about how far it things will go, and if we will ever become victims to our own genius. His answer was that technology will only become our masters if we allow it to. We can determine for ourselves what will be the future reality, but we must be vigilant now. If we wait too long, the result may be disastrous.

Autumn's End is a fascinating tale of technology running amok. I enjoyed it a lot, but it is an unsettling story and presents a lot for us to think about. The author says he enjoys writing dark stories, and this is only his first novel. It can be taken as entertainment, or as a warning, but no matter how the reader perceives it, it is a finely crafted story. The descriptions of the setting are often poetic and set a vivid backdrop for his characters to play in. The characters themselves, at least the human ones, are all people we can care about and come to life as they work toward their goals. The pace is fast and will spur the reader to move on to the next page, hardly leaving room to breathe until the end.

The ending of this tale was incredible.

I recommend this as an important read in this growing genre of Artificial Intelligence Sci-Fi.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We live in very exciting, uncertain times. Technology is moving so fast that what was once science fiction not so long ago is just run of the mill today. And that gap is rapidly closing. I love reading and writing stories that examine the clash between humanity’s best intentions with all our fantastical tech and what the unintended consequences might look like. And I lean on the side of it being dark. Because we’re dark creatures. Drawn to the edge. Collectively we want to peer into the void and see what peers back.

As of 2024, I’m busy finishing my Master in Creative Writing at the University of Cape Town. I’ve loved the experience and met some really great people over the past year and half. It’s the dissertation year so I’m working steadily at “Could Be You” – a near future science fiction thriller about a guy who’s life is turned upside down by a deep fake. He loses his job, his sense of purpose and steadily his grip on what’s real. As things spiral out of control, he comes to understand he’s a small cog in a larger plan that will change what’s normal forever.

I’m a Can-African who’s called Cape Town home since 1992. I live in the burbs at the foot of Table Mountain with my beautiful wife Laura and our two sons, Nicholas and Ethan. We really do live in one of the most idyllic places on Earth and I’m grateful for it even though it comes with the downsides of crime, the lights going out too often from load shedding and brazen government corruption.

The dream is to become a full-time author, but the bills still demand to be paid. So, by day, I’m a business owner running a distribution company for LED Lighting technologies with the goal to see all of Southern Africa running emergency efficient, totally environmentally friendly lighting for all. But by night, and in the early mornings, and whatever other time I can scrape together, I’m busy writing the next science fiction best seller. Stay tuned.

Well, there it is…

Qapla!

Splitting Skies: A Metaphysical Sci-Fy Dystopia By Mikhail Gladkikh - Calling The Nature Of Reality Into Question

Splitting Skies: A Metaphysical Sci-Fi Dystopia by Mikhail Gladkikh

I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Splitting Skies is the latest novel by Mikhail Gladkikh. It is a breath-taking tale of Artificial Intelligence that has left a world full of people addicted to living anywhere but the real world, but the artificial world is also becoming less and less desirable. It is full of twists and turns moving at warp speed that will have the reader asking many questions, including calling the very nature of existence into question.

From the back of the book:

Humanity’s thirst for simplification in a world driven by technology leads to the ultimate creation: Designed Consciousness. This invention destroys the framework of society and brings humanity to the verge of collapse. But the implications for the structure of the universe itself are much more sinister. An older man who has lost his purpose and a blind artist girl embark on the impossible quest to prevent the disaster. As the fabric of reality begins to unravel, the two unlikely heroes must question if the world even deserves to be saved.

My favorite point of plot in this story is illustrated by the opening line:

"If you die in a dream, do you survive in reality? And what is reality, anyway?"

As I write this review, my daughter is in the next room playing a video game. She is controlling a character who wanders a virtual countryside collecting items and building strength to help her eventually defeat a foe threatening the world she moves her character through.

Is the character nothing more than the result of code written by another human being? Does my daughter see this as a real person she is helping to reach his goal? Is the world he moves through real to him? It makes one think deeper, and some things that come to mind can be a little unsettling.

Here, in reality, we like to think we have free will. But do we really?

Are we nothing more than pawns in someone's imagination being moved through a world created for us by someone?

Most rational people would say no. Many philosophers call existence into question. Others are convinced we have no self-determination, and we are living in some sort of matrix while being moved and manipulated as we move through life.

And if it is the case, we are living in a virtual reality, how would we know in the first place?

Splitting Skies gave me all these thoughts as I turned the pages and read this fascinating tale where the virtual world becomes real, and the threats are also as deadly as those in our mundane existence.

My takeaway from Splitting Skies is to recognize how the human imagination continues to grow, and the stories we tell beyond that imagination eventually become reality. How far will AI go? Only as far as we allow it would have been my answer before reading this book. I'm not so sure anymore.

I have come to expect excellent and thought-provoking stories from Mikhail, and Splitting Skies is no exception to my expectations. But be warned, this is not a book to be taken lightly. It is a complicated tale that will demand the reader’s full attention. It is deep with science fiction, philosophical, and existential ideas that can make your head spin. In a word, it is excellent reading, and I recommend it for those who don't mind being disturbed for a short time before getting back to the rigors of mundane life.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the Author:

I am a technologist and a science fiction author.

My professional career provides me with a unique perspective on the technologies of the future. I am working at the forefront of the 4th Industrial Revolution, advancing 3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Supply Chain, and Energy Transition. You can read my fiction and connect with me at my website mikhailgladkikh.com.

Join me in my quest to imagine the future world!

Well. there it is...

Qapla!