The Last Nuclear War By Hazem Abdelmowla - A Good But Challenging Book

The Last Nuclear War by Hazem Abdelmowla

When I see a title like The Last Nuclear War, I expect to read an account of death and destruction on a massive scale. However, that is not the case for this tale by Hazem Abdelmowla. Instead, this book is written to be a lifetime collection of entries in the principal character's diary. For me, it was a little difficult to get into at the beginning, but once I figured out that this one must be read slowly, as the author suggests. So, as one reads, one must forgive the grammar and punctuation. Those "errors" are not there by accident. For me, I accepted the writing style to illustrate the cultural background of Mousa, the principal character, and also considering he is writing in a diary chronicling his thoughts and experiences over a long period of time.

My overall experience reading The Last Nuclear War was that it is a good story that deals with some painful realities, including bigotry, injustice, inequality, and cruelty. But there is also the pursuit of knowledge, empathy and understanding, hope for positive change, and work toward improving conditions for all humanity.

The story opens in the year 2110 in a world that has been ravaged by pandemics and severe resource depletion. The geopolitical landscape finds the planet divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant has its own characteristics. The North is the most powerful region. Mousa, the point of view character, is from the Eastern region.

Mousa is an intelligent young man who loves to learn. He also has a dream of preventing war, investigating how to produce abundant energy, and improving life for everyone on a global scale. As he grows and learns, Mousa attends a university where he meets other intelligent people and learns physics. He creates and obtains funding for his projects to achieve his goals.

Unfortunately, the lust for wealth and power is as alive as ever, and Mousa, who would rather work toward his goals, also has to navigate an often hostile political landscape.

Mousa is a great character who questions everything. He is a driven humanitarian who devotes his life to making the world a better, safer place for everyone. He doesn't understand the prejudices he encounters in his younger life because he believes all people are equal. Mousa doesn't care about wealth or accolades unless they advance his pursuits. Despite discouraging situations, he never quits and endures numerous hardships along the way. Mousa befriends Zed, a Northerner who has overcome the prejudices of Northern societal norms. He is very supportive of Mousa and encourages him often. Mousa's mother is the most influential to him, and thanks to her encouragement, Mousa can achieve at the highest levels of his science.

One of my favorite plot points in The Last Nuclear War is the emphasis on the importance of education in a person's growth. Mousa's education includes pure science that is not influenced by dogma; however, his experiences in life outside of academic pursuits teach him how to recognize those things that differentiate belief from fact.

Another plot point I appreciate is the handling of science in the story. While it is not the central focus of the book, it is an element that is presented very well, and in a way that makes it easy to understand. While some of the newly discovered elements go beyond the periodic table, the author assures the reader that he has done his research and apologizes in advance for any blatant inaccuracies.

The theme that stands out to me the most is how needed change can happen when people come together for a common cause. In the world Hazem created, if humankind is to survive, change is necessary. Mousa is the person who can bring people together to help make a better world. In the case of this story, there are leaders who are afraid of losing the reins of power, and that is a difficult thing to overcome.

My takeaway from The Last Nuclear War: one person can be the spark of change and inspire others to follow.

The Last Nuclear War is not a military sci-fi novel. If you're seeking an apocalyptic story, this is not the book you are looking for. It is a thoughtful look into the human condition with an emphasis on social interactions of people with varied backgrounds. This one will make the reader think and perhaps cause some to look inside themselves and re-evaluate one's own intrinsic biases. I would recommend this story for those readers who don't mind a slower-paced book. I enjoyed the book because of the message I took from it, and because of the characters we get to know as the story unfolds. In a word, I would say this book is challenging.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hazem Abdelmowla is a dental surgeon, an entrepreneur and a writer who simply dreams of a better world.

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Remember Me: A Love Against Time by Tony Bible - Time Travel And Romance Making A Great Mix!

Remember Me: A Love Against Time by Tony Bible

Recently, I reviewed another story by this author entitled The Photo Jumper. It was a great first novel, and I loved it. Remember Me, Tony's second novel, raises the bar and presents a story a reader can become completely absorbed in.

I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn't let go until I got all the way to the end. Tony combines a time travel story with a romance, creating a dilemma for one of the two principal characters, Eli Leb.

This tale opens in a dystopian future and moves to the present time and then progresses at a rapid pace, which left me exhausted by the end. It isn't a long book at around 130 pages for the Kindle edition. However, for that short length, there is a lot of character development, action, and suspense.

Eli Leb starts out as a young man learning the art of survival from his mother and her colleagues at a military base near Boston. The Earth has been ruined, and survivors are forced to forage for supplies. When they leave the base perimeter, the people who have survived are in danger of being set upon by victims of a man-made plague that turns them into what are called "Lurkers." Eli learns not only about survival, but studies numerous disciplines, including heavy doses of science.

When Eli comes of age, he is selected to take a one-way trip back in time to stop the development of the plague by stopping Dr. Edrie Kazimira, the scientist who is blamed for the release of the contagion that plagues the dwindling population in the future.

Upon arrival, Eli is confronted by a world he could only dream about as a young man and sees that everything is not as he originally envisioned. Dr. Kazimira appears not to be the mad scientist Eli learned about as a youngster, not by a long shot.

One of the many high points of Remember Me is character development. Everything is not revealed all at once, especially for Edrie. We learn about her in the same way Eli does, just a little at a time through most of the story. Eli learns about himself, and Edrie experiences a lot of great growth as their relationship grows. All is not smooth for these two people, who have issues in their past they want to keep to themselves, but eventually, the secrets have to come out.

But there is also a wildcard in the mix. That's all you get on that - read the book.

My favorite plot point is Eli's dilemma. He has been charged with saving the future of all of humanity by stopping Edrie from completing her task and creating a contagion that will end humanity. But he finds Edrie is not the mad scientist he was led to believe, and after a time, he even falls for her. Edrie's journey takes a little more time because she is pinpoint focused on completing her task. This causes a lot of uncomfortable moments for the couple, but the reader cannot help but hope that all will work out in the end.

Eli's dilemma is the main theme and what drives the story forward.

My takeaway from Remember Me is to remember that the sacrifices one makes now can greatly impact the successes in the future. Live today but also live for tomorrow.

Tony Bible is only beginning to publish stories to fascinate and entertain. This is an author who bears watching. His tales are thoughtful and inspiring, and I look forward to his future work.

Remember Me is a great story in which the author explores people and how they deal with dilemmas in their lives, and how choices can affect what happens in the days to come. The characters are realistic people who have goals that often are not compatible. The world-building is well done, and Eli's discoveries about the distant past make this a highly entertaining tale. The details of this story are amazing, and the science presented results from painstaking research on the author's part. The romantic aspects are plausible and not over the top; there are times when things move smoothly, and there are some bumps in the road, as would be expected in real life.

Highest Recommendations for Remember Me!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About Tony

Writing stories like no other.

Tony’s passion is writing science fiction and fantasy with an emotional punch. Raised with humble beginnings in Georgia, his early childhood limited travel. The only way to experience other places was with voracious reading and imagination. He draws inspiration from fantasy/fiction genres, dreams, comics, the supernatural, and roleplaying games. He applies his degree in world history to deliver relatable but unpredictable storytelling that readers demand.

Tony is never not writing, but breaks away to burn new recipes in the kitchen, neglect chores to obsess over football, and play with his dog. He is based in San Antonio, TX, happily married, raising two children and works in the financial industry.

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After the Before: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel by Ernie Gammage - Lots Of Action Thoughtfully Written

After the Before: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel by Ernie Gammage

This is a thoughtful look 300 years into a dystopian future. After the Before is about two young people on a journey of discovery in more ways than one and the challenges they face along the way. It is set in a small part of the United States that has been ravaged by an apparent war. The landscape is distressed, and people are forced to scavenge for things they need. But all the while, they must also be aware of the machines they call the A-Eye, which are also scavenging for people.

This novel is an easy to access sci-fi story that will leave the reader with many questions. I think the story could be easily enjoyed by readers who aren't necessarily sci-fi fans because of the many varied themes. Along with the dystopian elements, there is a little romance, a lot of tension, some triumph, and some tragedy. It is loaded with unexpected twists and turns, and there are mysteries that will leave the reader wondering.

In a scarred land ravaged by a past catastrophe, two young people search craters for items that may be useful. When Sophie and Markus discover a box they cannot open. The box is translucent, and there is an item inside that may hold answers to questions the pair have wondered about. They take the box to their village leader, who suggests a trip into the city where there may be someone who can figure out how to open the container and reveal long-forgotten secrets.

Sophie, Markus, Jen and Barth depart on a journey of discovery and peril, hoping the rewards will outweigh the risks.

Their journey is fraught with obstacles that must be overcome. The quartet encounters good people just looking to survive, a fanatic with a nefarious agenda, and the dreaded, flesh-eating A-Eye.

I enjoyed reading the story chiefly because of the well-developed characters. 

The principal characters, Sophie and Markus, face many challenges, not the least of which are a discovery of themselves. They have been together all their lives, searching the landscape for helpful things. As they spend time together, they find feelings awakening in them they don't understand, especially about each other. They have also had to grow up fast and learn the ways of survival in a hostile land. Their plight is compelling and fascinating.

Jen is a wise older woman whose guidance is invaluable to the two youngsters. Her past has a big influence in the story. She is mysterious, while at the same time, endearing. Her companion, Barth, is also a bit of an enigma. He is a man of few words, but he is also a man of action. He appears to have devoted his life to keeping Jen safe. The reader will also find Barth a character who is captivating through his actions.

The chief antagonist is a fanatic who seems to be able to justify anything he does as right. He is cruel and doesn't have any redeeming qualities.

Then, there are the A-Eye that are artifacts from a past long forgotten. They move about the landscape in search of anything they can use for energy, but especially human flesh. The A-Eye are a constant threat, always present even in their absence.

My favorite plot point in this story is more in what is not explained. As I read through the narrative, I kept looking for reveals.

Foremost in my mind was the question of what apocalyptic event took place to create the world's condition in After the Before? There are small hints, but no conclusions. Another was the item in the box. What was its nature, and does it have the answers everyone seems to have on their minds about the past? Personally, I love a story that leaves questions unanswered.

The theme that stands out the most for me involves the box. Is it just an item to advance the story, or is it a metaphor for a deeper theme? Does it symbolize hope? My takeaway from After the Before is to think about the goal (or what's in the box?), or is it more the journey? The item in the box may or may not have the answers everyone is seeking, but the characters in the story learn so much more as they traverse the landscape on their way to the city, where they might uncover wonders they have never dreamed of.

After the Before is an excellent book for those who enjoy dystopian science fiction. However, the characters and their adventure could be appealing to anyone who enjoys a great story. While the principal characters are young people, I would not call it a YA novel. Young readers in their late high school years may find some of the content appeals to them. There are some intense scenes of violence therein. It isn't a long read, coming in at 236 pages that can be read in a couple of sittings, but there is a lot of story packed into those pages. The pacing is steady. I enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Writers are readers. Ernie's been an avid reader since he was a kid. In elementary school, he could order those nifty two-book paperbacks with a novel on one side and a different novel on the other and was drawn to science fiction as it was called in those days, now more broadly known as speculative fiction. The first post-apocalyptic novel he read was Pat Frank's Alas, Babylon, published in 1959. He was fifteen.

Although he wrote his first science fiction story when he was 12 years old, most of his writing has been as a songwriter. Whether it's a song, a short story, or a novel, it's all stories. Truth be told, he prefers writing fiction because it has fewer limitations than a song with its meter, rhyme scheme, and phrasing constraints.

As a musician, Ernie has appeared twice on PBS's Austin City Limits and is a member of the Texas Songwriters Association Texas Music Legends Hall of Fame. As an artist, he exhibits at art markets around the state. His art, music videos, and writing can be found on his website, www.ernies-artmusic.com.

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The Worst Ship in the Fleet (Dumb Luck and Dead Heroes Book 1) by Skyler Ramirez - Curiously Refreshing Military Space Opera

The Worst Ship in the Fleet (Dumb Luck and Dead Heroes Book 1) by Skyler Ramirez

When I see a title like The Worst Ship in the Fleet, I know I absolutely must read it! Now that I have read it, I have only one question: What the hell did I just read? I ask that in a good way.

Worst Ship is the first in a seven-book series (so far). It is not a long book, 137 pages for the Kindle edition. Yeah, it is a fast read, but is it ever packed with story that includes two reasonably well-developed characters. I found it to be a great space opera perfect for what I enjoy reading, but I had my doubts at the beginning.

This tale hits the ground running and doesn't let up all the way to the end. It is packed with lots of plot twists and unexpected action, with some of the backstory of the principal characters revealed through most of the book.

The story opens as we meet Brad Mendoza, a captain in the Prometheus Navy, being dressed down by his commander and branded an idiot. Mendoza is being blamed for the deaths of over 500 people, but there are questions about his guilt. He is given the opportunity to resign, but refuses and is assigned to command the HMS Persephone, a small, poorly equipped and maintained frigate mostly assigned to patrol duty. In the case of Mendoza, it would seem the perfect place for a disgraced officer with a myriad of problems of his own. 

Brad takes command of his ship and meets his new First Officer, Jessica Lyn. She is pretty, intelligent, and can think on her feet. She also has personal issues to deal with because of some dark secrets in her past.

Together, along with their ragtag crew of misfits, they go out on patrol and encounter something completely unexpected, and very deadly to the Persephone and her crew. A number of secrets are uncovered that will shake things up to the highest levels of government!

The principal characters are among two of the most interestingly flawed I have found in books I've read. I guess I would classify them as anti-heroes in this story. 

To call Brad Mendoza a flawed character would be a gross understatement. His commanding officer calls him an idiot, and Brad is in full agreement with that assessment, and has accepted it as an accurate description. He has multiple problems, including a marriage gone wrong, raging alcoholism, low self-esteem, depression, and an almost total loss of self-confidence. There is also a good amount of PTSD involved as he has considered taking his own life occasionally. Just when it seems he has no redeeming qualities as a human being, there is a spark when he is present at an incident between Jessica and another crew member.

Jessica Lyn has a few skeletons in her closet; she fights hard to keep them from interfering with her duties. As an officer, she was on the fast track to command through rapid promotions until it all got derailed through no fault of her own.

Together, they somehow find ways to support each other, but it is a bumpy road.

My favorite plot point in Worst Ship is how the author uses humor. There are some funny moments in the narrative and dialog, but those moments are often veiled by circumstances. I found myself trying not to read too fast, making sure I didn't miss anything.

The theme that spoke loudest to me was that of redemption. Let's face it, everyone makes mistakes. Brad is the embodiment of making mistakes one after another. In this tale, the man has bottomed out in nearly every category there is. But eventually, he does find something to show he may be redeemable. He doesn't seem to recognize it right away, but as a reader, we see it, and it felt like a moment of triumph to me.

My takeaway from Worst Ship is stated in the author's bio: "Everyone, no matter how life has dealt with them, or how they've dealt with life, deserves a second chance..."

When I first started reading The Worst Ship in the Fleet, I wasn't sure I would finish it. The Mendoza character was someone I didn't want to know. But I stayed with the story, and even if the character was initially reprehensible, I began sympathizing with him and understand what had happened to this man who seemed beyond hope. He grew on me. I also stayed with the book because the story itself was moving in a fascinating direction.

I do enjoy space opera and military sci-fi, and this is a great story to kick off what should prove to be an interesting series. I am a latecomer to the Dumb Luck and Dead Heroes series by Skyler Ramirez, but I intend to continue reading the series as time goes on.

I recommend this story to those who enjoy space-going military sci-fi.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I just love writing. My goal is to write books that my readers enjoy and that celebrate everyday imperfect heroes. I want to show that everyone, no matter how life has dealt with them or how they've dealt with life, deserves a second chance and can go on to do amazing things. Just look at Brad and Jessica in Dumb Luck and Dead Heroes or Jinny Ambrosia and Tyrus Tyne in The Four Worlds.

It's important to me that everyone be able to read my books, including my teenage children, so I purposefully leave out any swearing or graphic scenes, though I don't shy away from serious topics. In this, I follow a tradition set by many (far better) writers before me, most notably in my life, Louis L'Amour.

As for the personal side, I live in Texas with my wife and four children (and often a revolving door of exchange students), and I work for a major tech company in my spare time. But writing is my passion, and I often toil into the early hours of the morning, especially on weekends, and it's all worth it when I see people enjoy my books.

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She Stole My Buddy's Starship by Myles Christensen - Excellent Sequel to My Buddy Gave Me A Starship!

She Stole My Buddy's Starship by Myles Christensen

Since I read the first book in the series, My Buddy Gave Me A Starship, just over a year ago, I have been eagerly awaiting a continuation of the adventures of Mitch aboard the starship Starfire. Well, I'm not disappointed with the second installment of this saga in any way. She Stole My Buddy's Starship continues the fun as Mitch gets way more than he bargained for in both good and bad ways.

Once again, Myles has written another book that is exciting, intense, and just plain fun to read. The characters have a wit a light year long, and the tale is full of twists and turns couched in non-stop action and hilarity. As with the first book, I loved the dialog. 

Science Fiction fans who enjoy the lighter side of the genre should appreciate this series, and once one gets to know the characters in the first book, can expect satisfaction with the reading of the second book in the series.

In the first installment of the story, Mitch, a man down on his luck, loses his job and meets his long-time friend, Gabe, in a diner as Mitch tries to drown his sorrows in a large bowl of ice cream. Gabe invites Mitch to his place for a visit where Gabe has a starship hidden in his barn. It isn't long before another starship lands on Gabe's property and uniform-clad soldiers attempt to take the ship away. They kill Gabe, and Mitch gets away thanks to the help of an artificially intelligent copy of Gabe's deceased wife, Tera.

Tera takes Gabe to a place where a beautiful alien female named Vrynn awaits a delivery. She joins Mitch, Tera, an android copy of Gabe, and a bear-sized animal that behaves like a puppy.

Later, they run into a ruthless alien named Gralik who very much wants the Starfire for himself.

In this book; as the Starfire sits in a hangar on an out of the way world, Vrynn tricks Mitch into giving her access to all ship operations. They seem to have fallen for each other, at least a little. While Mitch is sleeping, Vrynn apparently betrays Mitch's trust and takes the Starfire to continue her quest on her own. Mitch takes a clunky, old shuttle and goes seeking Vrynn.

After that, well, Mitch finds himself in a desperate battle for the freedom of an entire planet!

And at the bottom of the whole thing is Gralik, who still obsesses over the Starfire, and will stop at nothing to possess it.

In this continuation of the story, Mitch proves himself to be quite resourceful and a good commander of the Starfire. A lot of that is because of the personalities he surrounds himself with. Vrynn is thoughtful, but she is also a brave fighter for freedom. Even though Tera and Gabe are computers, they support Mitch and Vrynn well and behave more as humans. What the biologicals are trying to accomplish would not even be possible without their intelligence. As the story moves forward, we meet a number of other characters, all of them endearing in one way or another. That is, except for Gralik. The more we learn about him, the more villainous he is. All are excellently written, and Myles has written brilliant dialog for them to give them depth of character and bring them to life.

I have to be careful with my favorite plot point. Yes, Vrynn steals the Starfire, but sometimes people do the right thing for the wrong reason. My takeaway from this tale is that appearances can be deceiving. I'm being cryptic here to avoid spoilers. To discover what I'm talking about, you're just going to have to read the book.

The theme that stands out most for me is to show how perseverance and intelligence plays a large part in the success or failure of the achievement of a goal. Everyone in the book has their own agenda. Some of those are compatible with others, but teamwork will give one an edge toward success. Another theme shows how obsession can also lead one to stumble and lose what they have gained as their focus shifts.

She Stole My Buddy's Starship is an excellent sequel to My Buddy Gave Me A Starship. The tone of the story is on the lighter side, making it another fun read. The characters are excellent; the dialog is top-notch, and the story flows, making it another page-turner. Once one picks it up, one will not want to put it down. I recommend this story to space opera fans and those who might enjoy watching a budding romance continue to grow. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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

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The Call of Abaddon (The Abaddon Cycle Book 1) by Colin Searle - Amazing Story and World-Building!

The Call of Abaddon (The Abaddon Cycle Book 1) by Colin Searle

This is a multifaceted post-apocalyptic tale revolving around the principal characters, while at the same time, it brings in multiple story threads that all come together to complete this part of the story. One might think this makes it a complicated story, but in the case of The Call of Abaddon, it is so well written that it is an excellent, cohesive story I found to be entertaining. It has several characters for a reader to care about, and some that are terrifying.

One of the best parts of this story is world-building! A reader will be given a tour of a ruined Earth following a war that has made the planet's surface uninhabitable. People are forced to live in sealed cities. Call of Abaddon focuses on New Toronto, a self-sufficient and often dangerous place that serves as the capital of the United Earth Federation. Life isn't easy, but it is livable if one is willing to work and play their part.

The principal characters include three young adults who face challenges in reaching a goal. But this is not a young-adult story. There are several elements that might make sensitive readers uncomfortable.

Here is the book's description from the cover to avoid spoilers...

To save the human race from the ultimate cosmic threat, Jason will have to become something far beyond human.

New Toronto is a fractured city-arcology on a dying Earth, where hope is as scarce as clean air. For Jason, survival means scavenging the ruins beneath the city — where any day could be his last.

But everything changes when an ancient alien obelisk — the ABADDON BEACON — attacks Jason’s mind from afar, making his dormant psychic abilities spiral out of control. After barely surviving Abaddon’s psionic possession attempt, Jason and his companions are left with no choice but to find the obelisk before it consumes him.

Problem is, Abaddon has been sealed within a top-secret United Earth Federation research lab for over a century, silently worming its alien technologies into human society, presented as gifts with a far darker purpose. The Beacon doesn’t just speak; it infects, projecting its viral energies far beyond the walls of the lab.

And Jason isn’t the only one hearing Abaddon’s call. Across the Solar System, a ruthless Emperor will stop at nothing to seize the Beacon’s power for himself.

As the Imperial invasion of Earth looms, Jason’s quest to confront Abaddon will force him into a critical choice: master the strange power growing inside him ... or succumb to the Beacon's godlike influence, ushering in mankind's doom.

The Call of Abaddon is a gripping mythological tale of humanity's struggle to overcome an unimaginable darkness, blending the political intrigue of Dune with the eldritch terror of Lovecraft, and the explosive world-building of The Expanse.

There are several characters to follow in Call of Abaddon. Among my favorites are Jason, David, and Sam. These three are a team that works well together. Jason is smart, but troubled. He is plagued by voices transmitted to him from an alien device. He is in constant danger of losing himself to the Abaddon Beacon. It is an alien device that works to bring those with psionic powers under its control. Jason is forced to rely on a drug to keep himself under control.

Jason's brother, David, is the pragmatic one of the trio. He sees the practical side of things and works to keep himself, his brother, and Sam grounded. He often points out the folly of his friends decisions and finds solutions to problems that work.

Sam is the technical wizard and warrior of the group. She has abilities beyond many others and saves the day quite often. Sam is also susceptible to psionic episodes, although she seems to be able to control them better than Jason.

Talos is a combat robot Sam has reprogrammed to help the trio. But there is one aspect Talos adds; he has a great ability to point out absurdities as the team works to perform their tasks. Talos' deadpan delivery adds a lot of comic relief to lighten the otherwise grim realities of the story. Talos often made me think of Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker's Guide. I often found myself laughing while reading his lines and wanted more!

Anne and Zeke Oakfield are two heroic characters. They have made it their mission to bring down Mariko, the despotic, megalomaniacal, self-appointed Emperor, who intends to bring Earth under his heel and take control of the Abaddon Beacon.

My favorite plot points, along with Talos' dry wit, are the relationships and conversations between the principal characters. Jason, David, and Sam care deeply for one another and would easily sacrifice themselves for the other two. They work well together and are more like family, depending on each other for nearly everything, but especially emotional support. They have a tendency to pick at each other, but they all understand it is just talk to break the tension. Their dialog was a high point of the story for me.

Another favorite part was when Zeke Oakfield leads a large group of people in a rallying song. The tune is based on a familiar old American song, but the author's lyrics are incredible! If one reads this story, when one gets to this part of the book, and you can figure out the tune, I dare you not to sing along.

The theme that stood out the most to me was Jason's battle to keep his identity. While he has a strong personality, the Abaddon Beacon is a powerful alien device urging Jason on to do its bidding. The only way Jason can resist completely losing himself is to take a drug to silence the voices he hears.

Another prominent theme involves the megalomaniac, Emperor Maiko. He is obsessed with thinking he can control the Abaddon Beacon and the people of Earth with ruthless tyranny.

The Call of Abaddon is a story with many various threads that weave into a complete tapestry. While there are numerous characters to keep track of, and a lot of detail, the story is so well written, the story never eludes the reader. The characters are memorable, and they are involved in plenty of action that helps this story move at a great pace. Descriptions of the action and backdrops are detailed and colorful, and the themes are well explored. One will experience a good spectrum of emotions from laughter to tears, and there are plenty of thrills, twists, and turns to keep one reading to the end.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the author's website (https://colinsearle.com/)

Hi! I'm Colin Searle, an illustrator, visual designer and storyboard artist who was drawing and telling stories before I could walk. A steady diet of books, comics and pop culture classics started a chain reaction in my head. Whole universes were born.

Seven years ago, I started as an artist in the animation and gaming industries with a plan to eventually tell those stories. That time has come. I've learned from many mentors and fantastic clients to pick up the visual and storytelling skills necessary to write my own words into existence. While I will always continue working as an artist, bring novels like The Call of Abaddon to life is the real dream.

I'm currently based in Toronto, where I work remotely out of my home studio and participate in the vibrant creative culture of the city, attending industry events (XP Game Summit), speaking at colleges (Sheridan), and spending time with my girlfriend. I'm also an avid traveler, visiting almost every Canadian province for recent fan convention appearances.

Red Storm by Bradley James - A Great Prequel To Accompany This Author's Novel Series

Red Storm by Bradley James

Thanks to the author's newsletter, I discovered that Bradley James had penned a prequel short story in his Aftermath universe. It is set before his first novel, Aftermath: Lunar. I snapped it up.

The story is set on Mars during a very dense dust storm. The principal character, Elliot Adams, has to brave seemingly impossible conditions to re-establish blacked-out communications; a daunting task, to be sure.

Red Storm is easily read in one sitting at 57 pages. There is a lot packed into this story and, as an avid reader of Bradley's work, I relished it.

Astronauts Elliot Adams, Franklin Lewis, and Dr. Elena Vega are conducting a routine mission on the Red Planet. The trio is caught in an unexpected violent dust storm and must get to shelter quickly. Elena is injured by flying debris and needs more medical attention than Elliot and Franklin are trained to perform. So, while Franklin does the best he can for Elena, it is up to Elliot to find a way to restore communications to call for help. He makes a promise to Elena that he will not fail in his task, and he is a man of his word, no matter what it takes.

Of the many things there are to appreciate in this story, my favorite is getting to know more about Elliot's partner, Franklin. In Bradley's first novel, the focus is mostly on Elliot, and while we are aware that Franklin is his partner, we don't get to know much about him.

Elliot is a man of integrity, and his resourcefulness is a key element in Red Storm.

Once again, as in all the Aftermath novels, Bradley displays a gift for writing characters a reader can care about. Another plot point I enjoy in the writing is the light and often humorous dialog between characters. In this piece, the banter between Franklin and Elena is absolutely priceless!

The most prominent theme in Red Storm for me was perseverance and the human spirit. Stranded and alone, Elliot and Franklin put their skills to work to resolve the overwhelming set of problems they face. They refuse to quit as they run into one obstacle after another to try to get the job done.

My takeaway: never underestimate a person who decides to follow through. One may not have adequate resources, but ingenuity can make up for shortfalls.

If one has not read Bradley's Aftermath series, this is a good short story to get an idea of what to expect in the novels, of which there are three, with a fourth one coming in the not-too-distant future. But Red Storm only scratches the surface of a much deeper tale of survival in the most hostile conditions. This heavily character-driven story is a great one. It fascinates me how Bradley can put so much story and character development into such a small space.

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.

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Cedar Mills By Dylan James - Old Tropes With A Modern Treatment

Cedar Mills by Dylan James

This is a good one! It is a story that utilizes some old tropes, but that doesn't take away from the quality a reader will encounter when they pick this one up. It is most certainly appropriate for the season (Halloween). I would recommend this book for those who enjoy horror, science fiction, and government conspiracy tales. There are also other elements to this such as a strong young adult feel.

While there are plenty of twists and turns, I have to admit the ending was completely unexpected for me and had me smiling for days after I read it.

Mainly, I just found this to be a very captivating story that included great character development. The world-building was great, and I was deeply engaged all the way to the end.

The sleepy little town of Cedar Mills is like many Midwest towns. It has a high school where kids contemplate their futures and prepare for post-high school plans like going to college or entering the workforce. But the town also has a history, and it is a dark history. When one young man strikes out on his own to investigate an old building buried deep in the woods, he doesn't make it out of the woods. Local law enforcement is not allowed to investigate, so the task of getting answers falls to the boy's best friends and a demoralized ex-cop. What they find is a bottomless pit of horror and a decades-old government cover-up that has been under the noses of the people of Cedar Mills the whole time.

One of the main strengths of Cedar Mills is the great characters we get to know as the tale unfolds. They are all believable people in an unbelievable situation. The point of view in the story switches from character to character where their back stories unfold.

High school student Jake Evans is the best friend of the deceased teenager. He has a plan to go to college, and he should be a successful student. He is loaded with tenacity, and he's pretty smart. But he needs more professional help to solve the mystery. That is where Tom Dalton comes in. Tom is an ex-cop turned private investigator. He looks like an old hippie and is often underestimated. He knows how to get the job done.

There are other supporting characters in Cedar Mills, some of whom provide the main characters’ motivation for their actions.

Then there are the evil and scary characters. One such is a monster that can dismember people with almost no effort!

My favorite plot point and a main theme in this tale is how long the conspiracy has been going on and how oblivious everyone seems to be until the death of the young man who wants to do an interesting story for his school newspaper. Even after the boy's brutalized body is found, it takes Jake, Tom, and the other kids to form a kind of new family. Jake blames himself for the tragedy and is driven by his need for retribution and to provide closure to those suffering losses.

What I take away from Cedar Mills is to remember that everything should be questioned, no matter how unpleasant the answers may be. The real monster in this story is that people were willing to just move on instead of learning where it all began.

Cedar Mills is a great sci-fi/horror story that will chill the reader to the bone. It is also simply a fun story written with traditional tropes with an updated style. The author does a great job creating visuals with words. The woods on the outskirts of town are spooky enough without the roaming monster, but the horror really ramps up when the entity makes an appearance. There are some trigger warnings to be considered before picking up this book. There are scenes of extreme gore and graphic violence. There are also graphic descriptions of murders and children's deaths. With those things in mind, I would recommend this to those readers who enjoy a story that is built around suspense and horror with an element of sci-fi.

Oh, and did I mention an incredible (at least for me) plot twist at the end? Yeah, there's that too.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dylan James is the author of a dozen-plus short stories and poetry publications, appearing in Horror Tree's Trembling With Fear, Moria Literary Magazine, and more. His non-fiction novel, BROTHERS, peaked at #3 on the Barnes & Noble's History Bestsellers.

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Slaves to the Stars by Nuell Martin - Marvelous Sci-Fi Thriller!

Slaves to the Stars by Nuell Martin

One thing I have found in reading books by independent authors is that there are a lot of people out there writing some amazing stories. Every now and again, there are a few of those books that rise above others, defying my ability to come up with adequate superlatives to describe a high level of excellence in creativity - Slaves to the Stars is one of those.

Nuell Martin is a multi-talented individual who is especially amazing at telling a good tale. There isn't one single thing I didn't love about this story. There are several great characters who a reader can become invested in. The story is paced so well it just flows off the page. The settings are colorful and easy to visualize. The science is easy to understand. And finally, the story will challenge one to question conventional scientific and religious thought.

If you only read one sci-fi book this year, Slaves to the Stars would be an excellent choice.

At an Asian Orthodox church in Montenegro, a humble priest discovers ancient writings describing a celestial event that he witnesses in his telescope. Father Igor Grgic must get what he has learned to his superior.

The world enters a global energy crisis that threatens to collapse the planet's entire economy.

Scientists around the world puzzle over a message from an object that has appeared above the planet Jupiter.

The people of Earth face a challenge. The question is, can humanity rise to the occasion?

The characters in Slaves to the Stars are mostly ordinary people, many of them posses a high level of intelligence and extraordinary analytical minds. They learn as they work to solve the problems placed in front of them. Most of the principal characters are well developed and become people the reader can invest in.

My favorite plot point is the chapter where we learn about the nature of the object that has taken up position over Jupiter. In that chapter, we learn about the origins of the object and its purpose. It is an entity that is alive and sentient, but it is not organic. This section is pure science fiction that reads as scientific fact. The author goes into painstaking detail that reveals his skill as a writer and his vivid imagination. It is not only science; it is art! The detail is gripping, and the world-building is colorful and fascinating.

The theme that stood out to me the most in this tale was the line between truth and belief. As the characters discover the nature of the object, they learn that often belief becomes truth in the minds of humans. But this is not always the case. Belief is a tricky thing that can shade truth, and there are those who, despite solid evidence, continue to deny the truth in favor of belief. This can be a very controversial area of an individual's philosophy. I admire the courage of Nuell Martin's willingness to take this challenge on and putting it in writing.

In my life, I have learned that the distance between what I know and what I think I know are often separated by vast distances. Slaves to the Stars had me thinking about this all the way through.

My takeaway from this book is to remember to question everything. A line from Hamlet seems appropriate here: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

In case you haven't guessed by now, I am impressed by Slaves to the Stars and number it among the best books I have ever read. It is a work of science fiction, but I think anyone who enjoys a great story would enjoy it. The only thing I would caution the reader about is that there are some violent scenes therein. 

It is a well-written and professionally edited book that moves at a good pace. The characters are compelling. The world building is top-notch. From the moment I opened it, I was spellbound until the end. There are twists and turns all the way through, and the ending is one of the best plot twists I have ever encountered!

Highest Recommendations!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nuell Martin, a creative and restless mind with a penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, has emerged as a distinctive voice in the realm of science fiction literature. His journey into the arts began with a 25-year dedication to music, specifically ambient music, which set the stage for his later pursuits. It was in the past five years, in the coastal city of La Coruna, Spain, that Nuell's passion for writing took flight, culminating in his debut novel, Operation Bifrost. A graduate in biology, Nuell's academic background infuses his writing with a unique blend of scientific authenticity and imaginative flair. His work is characterized by a relentless quest to shed light on the mysteries of the world, offering new and logical perspectives on age-old human questions. This approach has resonated deeply with adult readers of hard science fiction, earning Operation Bifrost critical acclaim and a slew of positive reviews, particularly noted on Amazon.

Nuell's creative process is fueled by his need for continuous innovation and his interactions with diverse cultures and ideas from around the globe. As a musician and a photographer, he harnesses these artistic avenues to enrich his narratives, weaving intricate stories that captivate his audience. His readers find themselves immersed in worlds where science and imagination intertwine, creating a tapestry of thought-provoking and engaging narratives. Currently, Nuell is channeling his energies into thinking up new ideas for his upcoming works, promising to keep delivering to his fans the kind of intellectually stimulating and imaginative storytelling they have come to expect. As he continues to explore the boundaries of science fiction, Nuell Martin stands as a rising star in the genre, an apprentice of everything, and a master of his craft.

As mentioned, Nuell is also a creator of music. The soundtrack he composed for the book is at https://nuellmartin.bandcamp.com/album/slaves-to-the-stars and can be found on Apple Music as well.

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Kris PR: Deus Ex Homine by GS Morgan (Fractured Ascension Book 1) - Awesome Noir Science Fiction!

Kris PR: Deus Ex Homine by GS Morgan (Fractured Ascension Book 1)

Kris PR is a cyberpunk sci-fi techno thriller featuring the challenges faced by Kris Peterson, a police officer who stumbles into a complicated situation. The story is set in Manchester, England, in a future where humanity is becoming lost in a world of gene enhancement, cybernetic implants, and a world controlled by corporate greed and control.

I was taken in by the story from the opening pages. It is a fast-paced thriller that kept me enthralled all the way through. I enjoyed the twists and turns as the story unfolded. Kris quickly became a character I deeply cared about. The book has deep emotional content thanks to the well-written characters.

Manchester is a beautiful city today, but Morgan envisions the Manchester of the future to be much like the city depicted in the Blade Runner (1982) film. The entire city is lit up by neon advertisements, that is, except for the dark alleys where some of the book is set.

Kris PR has an interesting philosophical element involved as he tries to sort out how to be a better human. Pay attention to the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter.

While on patrol, Manchester Police Officer Kris Peterson is approached by a young girl requesting his help because she is being chased by a stranger. When he moves to help her, he comes under attack and barely escapes. He takes the girl, Aimee, to his home because of a special ability she has.

He learns she has been kept in a facility under less-than-ideal circumstances. As he investigates her story, he finds himself embroiled in a desperate fight, almost losing his life.

The same person who nearly beat Kris to death drops him off at an office where he receives illegal military-grade implants greatly augmenting his already genetically enhanced abilities. Unfortunately, this combination is unacceptable to the society he lives in. He is an outsider, shunned by nearly everyone, and his new mission is to survive and stay away from the Corp, who desperately wants him under their control.

There are numerous characters introduced in this first installment of Morgan's Fractured Ascension series. The principal character, Kris, is the point-of-view character for most of the book. He is what is known as an "Edit," someone who has had their genes edited to make them the best human specimens they can be. Kris, for the most part, is just a person. Because of his genetics, he has abilities beyond others. Kris is an admirable person with a good sense of right and wrong. He thinks situations through, and this is what gets him into trouble, because he cannot see what is happening below the surface and it costs him dearly. He is going to have a difficult time keeping ahead of the Corp as he fights a system that has little value for life beyond what it can do for them.

My favorite plot point in Kris PR is the very detailed description of the installation of Kris' cybernetic enhancements and his recovery from the beating he took. That part of the book was some of the best sci-fi writing I have ever read! It made me cringe several times as I read it and was so well written that I could see exactly what was happening in my mind's eye. Amazing stuff!

Another favorite part was the banter between Kris and Aimee, while she was at his apartment. While Kris is smart, Aimee seemed smarter than him in other ways. They were a bit standoffish when they first met, but once Aimee learned she could trust Kris, their interaction was a blast to read.

A theme that stands out to me in this tale is the growing conflict between humanity and technology. Currently, we are at the dawn of integrating technology into our lives in many ways. One of the most recent is the use of artificial intelligence. A friend who teaches writing is constantly finding her students submitting papers that are completely written by AI. My friend is becoming frustrated by this trend and has to submit numerous disciplinary reports to the dean of the college every semester. It is getting worse all the time. What the author of this Kris PR does - for me, at least - is project the use of technology far into the future, and what the implications might be when integrated into humans. The character Kris gets tech installed in a deep way, and doesn't want it, but it is there, nevertheless. What ethical questions arise as a result? Is it good or bad? These are just a couple of questions humans will face as we move into the future.

This is not a new trope in science fiction literature, but I like the way the author handles it because Kris is so determined not to lose his humanity.

My takeaway from Kris PR is to wonder whether post-humanistic ideas are being forced upon us, or is it a continuation of evolution? Now, there's something to think about.

At the bottom line, Kris PR is a great work of modern sci-fi. It is deeply entertaining while still making one think about future implications. It deals with complicated issues, but the writing is so clear, those ideas are easily communicated to the reader. The emotional context is all over the spectrum. The world-building is great, colorful, and oftentimes on the scary side.

Readers who are sensitive to graphic scenes of violence may want to think about whether they want to read this. But if you enjoy lots of action with interesting characters, pick this one up. High recommendations!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

GS Morgan spent nearly two decades in policing before deciding reality wasn't cyberpunk enough - so he wrote his own. A former chief inspector, hostage negotiator, and emergency responder, Mrogan has witnessed how systems of control twist both power and identity. Now an academic and researcher in policing, technology, and security, he dissects those same systems in fiction.

His debut novel, Kris PR: Deus Ex Homine, fuses genetic supremacy, cybernetic warfare, and post-human philosophy into a noir-drenched vision of collapse and transformation. When he’s not writing about illegal augments, rogue cops, and the machinery of faith, Morgan explores cognitive failure in decision-making - and why humanity is so good at choosing the worst possible option.

He lives online at www.gs-morgan.com and can be found lurking in neon-lit dystopias on X @GSMorgan.

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Jeryn's Dagger (Empire and Ashes Book 1) by D.L. Young - Great Character Driven Space Opera

Jeryn's Dagger (Empire and Ashes Book 1) by D.L. Young

An outstanding beginning to a series of a space opera epic. Jeryn's Dagger is fast-paced and loaded with great characters, both good and evil. Set in a future where humanity has moved out among the stars, there is plenty of action and interesting technology to keep a sci-fi reader turning pages from beginning to end. While the overall backdrop are the stars in the galaxy, characters play out this story in several settings created with descriptions of places palpable to readers.

I enjoyed this book immensely, and I think it might also appeal to readers across genres.

Smuggler and rogue, Jeryn Lorsi, finds himself in custody of authorities who want answers about his recent activities. This situation is not new to him, and he takes advantage of an opportunity to free himself.

His escape artistry is not unnoticed, and he is recruited for a new job.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the galaxy, a ruler of an organization designed to unite the worlds of the sector becomes vulnerable as many worlds of the Realm are seeking to become independent. This would present a great deal of economic hardship to the realm, but waiting in the shadows is one person ready to pick up the pieces and restore the realm, by any means necessary.

The principal character of the story, Jeryn, is a skillful rogue who gets into and out of trouble all the time. He seems to enjoy life, but his main skill is knowing how to work with others. He lives in a diverse galaxy, and his only personal problem is when he encounters those who think they are superior to others, especially when dealing with other species. As a result, the crew he becomes a member of have a respect for each other and their skills. He is an eminently likeable character among various others that I enjoyed in this tale.

My favorite plot point in Jeryn's Dagger is how the author focuses more on the characters and their interactions and avoids info-dump to fill in with pages of explanation. The reader gets just enough information to color the action.

The theme that stands out for me in this story is how author Young builds the tale around the Star Trek Vulcan ideal of IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations). As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate Jeryn's attitude and how he has respect for life in all its forms. 

My takeaway from Jeryn's Dagger is to remember that It is through respect and cooperation that the good guys will achieve their goals.

Jeryn's Dagger is excellently written and is a great story that will absorb the reader. Personally, I found it mesmerizing and couldn't put it down. If you enjoy sci-fi, you should enjoy this character-driven space opera. I suspect fellow fans of Star Trek and Star Wars will be especially attracted to this because of the adventure and political aspects.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

D.L. Young is a Pushcart Prize nominee and winner of the Independent Press Award.

His novels echo his many influences from science fiction books and movies, including Star Wars, the Mad Max films, Dune, Blade Runner, Star Trek, and the stories of William Gibson, Harlan Ellison, and J.G. Ballard.

Visit dlyoungfiction.com for more about his work.

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My Digital Soul by Michael McGinty - God Will See You Now! Sci-Fi With A Twist!

My Digital Soul by Michael McGinty

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

What would you talk to God about if you could meet Him in person? How would that even be possible?

For the characters in My Digital Soul, a new hard science fiction thriller mixed with mythological horror by Michael McGinty, that will give one pause to think about those questions.

I enjoyed this character-driven tale that moved at breakneck speed. There was never a dull moment, and every page contained twists and turns that enhanced the thrill ride to amazing heights.

I'm including the book's blurb from the author:

What awaits in the afterlife beyond the code is not always God’s divine mercy.

Brilliant software engineer Dr. Susan Parker is about to create God in the Machine. Bankrolled by property mogul Brice Woodlands, she has only two years to devise the ingenious technology to digitize human souls and submit them to her virtual God for assessment inside the cyber-sphere.

Five troubled strangers—a high-class escort and prodigal daughter, a war refugee burdened by terrible guilt, a reckless eco-warrior, a financial guru who believes he might be God, and Brice’s brother, Bryan—all desperate to meet God, volunteer to upload their souls to the prototype. But the expected paradise descends into chaos when a malevolent construct exposes their darkest failings and casts them into twisted versions of binary Hell.

Battling their inner demons and tormented by devils forged from legend, their quest for absolution becomes a fight for survival. Friendships form, sacrifices are made, and unlikely heroes emerge. But can they overcome the malefic force born from source code and haunted by divine ambition?

Blending speculative technology, mythological horror, and spiritual reckoning, My Digital Soul is a harrowing, genre-bending tale of sin, remorse, and the search for forgiveness in a simulated world where the deepest secrets of your soul are laid bare.

While the entire story is great, I found getting to know the characters in the beginning of the book the most enjoyable for me. The five people driving the plot are all interesting, and are all flawed and/or scarred in some way.

Susan is a brilliant software engineer who is given the task of creating God in the machine. She, and her assistant work to make the code behave according to the instructions of the person who hired her and is paying a premium for her services.

An upper-class escort call girl named Roxy pursues a man from her past. The meeting does not end well.

Ahmad is desperate to save his family when the government in his home country falls. What he does to escape will haunt him for the rest of his natural life.

Rebecca cares about the environment and is willing to go to dangerous lengths to force change.

Thomas is an investment banker who makes himself and his friends rich at great expense to others.

And finally, Bryan, an old man with a terminal medical condition, who wants to know what awaits him in the afterlife.

These people have their own reasons for getting involved in the enormous project that takes a heavy toll on Susan.

My favorite plot point in My Digital Soul is character development. The characters mentioned above are all well developed, and the way they were written made me feel bad for them. I didn't see them as evil people, but rather as people who made some reprehensible mistakes in their lives. They will be forced to look at what they did and evaluate themselves.

But then, there are also the characters I did not mention. There is a virus-like being in the machine, as well as mythological characters who look to take advantage of the people entering the machine to meet God. These mythological characters add a spice to the story, taking it over the top, in a good way.

As I read through the story, I couldn't help but think of it as a modern-day, artificial intelligence adult version of The Wizard of Oz. The more I read, the more the theme of being on a quest of self-discovery surfaced. Now, please don't misunderstand; the tale does not parallel the old story by Frank Baum; it is definitely not a rewrite. This is just one aspect that stood out to me. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

My takeaway from My Digital Soul comes from Plato's account of Socrates’ trial for impiety and corruption. The quote is: "An unexamined life is not worth living."

I think what the philosopher was telling us is that each of us should spend time in introspection of our lives. The question to ponder is, am I living the kind of life I want people to remember?

But that's just me.

My Digital Soul is an entertaining, character-driven story I could not stop reading. I loved the character development and how the tapestry of the tale was woven around them. The science is accessible to the average reader, and the mythology has an interesting modern twist. This is one of the best artificial intelligence stories I have read to date, and I look forward to future projects by this author from Down Under. I recommend My Digital Soul to anyone who likes a well-written, fun story full of action and unexpected plot twists.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Born and raised in Kalgoorlie, in the goldfields of Western Australia, I moved to Perth in the late 70s to study for a Bachelor of Engineering Degree (in Electronics) at Curtin University (or WAIT in the olden ☹ days).

With a good science fiction novel in hand and a lifelong passion for technology and innovation, I have always imagined a future for humanity built around technologies that might seem impossible today, yet possible when we imagine tomorrow.

When not writing, I run a software development company (https://www.cyinnovations.com), love 70s heavy rock music, and cheer on my beloved West Coast Eagles AFL team. And I often go fishing in the Australian never-never.

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A Scarred Drifter by Sotto Voce - Great Post-Apocalyptic Story Telling

A Scarred Drifter by Sotto Voce

Some scars are on the surface; some are on the inside. A Scarred Drifter is about a young man who has scars both inside and out trying to make his way in a world where circumstances have gone even beyond a simple subsistence existence to a real fight to stay alive. What makes this story unique is that the author spins the story in a way that reflects his pen name of Sotto Voce. Those of us who are musicians know the Italian term, sotto voce, to mean "in a subtle or quiet voice." While the writing style for this tale’s narrative is in a subtle voice, the events in this tale are anything but understated. This is one of those not to be missed stories written in a deep, sensitive way. The world-building is incredible, the characters feel real, and there are twists and turns galore that explore the human condition under dire circumstances. There isn't anything about this book I didn't like.

This tale follows the life of Cole Patterson from the age of 8 to 27. As a youngster, he spends his days playing around and near the sea where he learns to swim well and learns to navigate a boat. He is a good fisherman and helps to feed his family from the bounty of the sea, and he learns how to build at the elbow of his dad. For the most part, life is pretty good as he plays along the beach with his friends. That is, until one day when the realities of adult life force his family to relocate. Between climate change and artificial intelligence, the economy crashes, and people are thrown out of work. Nearly everyone is trying to carve a living out of nothing.

Then, disaster strikes, and the social structure disintegrates, giving way to chaos, and the only way to survive is at the expense of others.

Cole is forced to strike out on his own to find a new place to make a life. There are overwhelming challenges at every turn, and it's going to take an abundance of fortitude and wit just to live.

As the tale unfolds, we follow Cole during his adventures as a boy and into the difficult teen years, and finally into adulthood. He is a good kid, but he is also a tough kid. Cole has a lot of compassion, but when threatened, he can be a vicious opponent. He is well liked by most people that know him, but some fear him with good reason. Cole doesn't set out to hurt anyone who hasn't hurt him. He is not a coward, but prefers to avoid conflict if he can, but unfortunately, there are those who back him into a corner and that is when his anger issues emerge, and there is no half-way when he retaliates against those that attack him, or those he cares about.

Cole's character is well developed and will draw the reader in from the first page and keep one hanging all the way to the end. There are triumphs to make the reader applaud, defeats to get down about, and sadness to make one shed tears.

My favorite point of plot is how the story unfolds in four parts. It opens with a peek into the recent past, then goes into the more distant past and brings the story up to the present. This arrangement allows the reader to become familiar with the character, then reveals what events and people shape him as he encounters others on his journeys. The way it is presented was the hook that drove me forward for the rest of the book.

The principal theme that stood out for me was the main character searching for a place he could belong. There are a number of different social arrangements shown in the book, so Cole had to find what worked for him. The reader goes on this journey with the character as though we are looking over his shoulder and able to hear what goes on in his mind. His search also led him to make several choices, and like any good solid story, the hero is flawed and doesn't always make good choices. As a result, this story is believable, and maybe even a little prophetic.

My takeaway from A Scarred Drifter is a reminder that life is full of choices, and choices have consequences.

A Scarred Drifter is a post-apocalyptic story set beginning in the very near future. The world-building is amazing, the characters feel like real people, and the story is told so well, anyone who is a fan of this type of storytelling will enjoy it. If you are not careful, and pay attention, you also might learn from this tale. It is full of surprises, not all of which are pleasant. There are some descriptions of violence that may be disconcerting to some, but I think it helps advance the story and is not gratuitous.

Highest Recommendations!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hi, I am Sotto.

It is my shadow in my profile picture, taken fourteen years ago. I was around 3000 meters high (approx. 10000 feet) on a mountain called Rinjani. It was near dawn, and I was about to miss the sunrise on the peak as it was still a distance (vertical!) away. The terrain was difficult; I wasn't in tip-top condition since I hadn't been climbing for a long time. Nearing the peak, I slid down two steps for every three steps I took. It was exhausting; I considered quitting and kept questioning my existence and objective.

I didn't quit and reached there in an embarrassing amount of time. I missed the sunrise but, thankfully, also the sunrise crowd and had the peak all to myself. It was awesome. The mountain has a beautiful turquoise-colored lake in the crater with an active volcano at that time. I've climbed many peaks before, but this one was special, as this was the only peak I had reached alone for the journey and the finale. My climbing buddy had given up. Sitting on the mountain ridge in the darkness, I had my prolonged favorite moment, looking at the stars, embracing the peace and silence.

I love nature; going up the mountains, scaling the cliffs, exploring the deep, and chasing the currents. I haven't had chances for those now for many reasons, but I find an equal, if not more, amount of happiness strolling the beach with my loved ones and my dog, baking, and writing.

Writing is therapeutic, personal, and intimate. Climbing Rinjani is the reflection of my writing journey. It's challenging, and I am not in sync with the current, continuously questioning my existence and objective. I change the 'standard' professional author profile to a ramble. It's not easy for me to be out there, but I aspire to make my writing known and take small baby steps each time to come out of my shell. I can't really change. I don't have a bubbly personality to engage with everyone facetiously and prefer to establish genuine bonds instead. Even though it will take forever and is not ideal, I like to be myself.

English is not my first language, but it's the one that I can comfortably use to express myself the most. Sotto Voce is my pen name, and I love the meaning. It suits me the most.

If you are reading this or reading my works, thank you.

To learn more about Sotto Voce's Work, follow this link: https://www.sottovoceinora.com/

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