Guilty But Aberrant: Hard-Boiled Sci-Fi by Michael Listen - A Must Read Novel Of Horror, Noir Crime Drama, and Humor!

Guilty but Aberrant: Hard-Boiled Sci-Fi by Michael Listen

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

Guilty but Aberrant is the third full-length novel by Oklahoma based author, Michael Listen. This story covers a wide range of subgenres under Science Fiction, including Noir, Horror, Crime Drama, and Humor. All of these combine to make what I found to be an amazing work of fiction that jumped off the pages and seized my attention from the first paragraph. In his two previous novels, and one novella, I have come to look forward to Michael's work as I eagerly await his next effort. Guilty but Aberrant is an excellently crafted story about a pair of detectives who go in search of suspects with seemingly supernatural abilities that are both horrific and deadly to those who come into contact with them. This story will always have the reader guessing what will happen next. Then there's the plot twist near the end! It blew my mind and left me wanting more! This book is a masterpiece, and it's only this author's third novel!

Detectives Costal Crux and his young, energetic partner, Leanna Daylee of the Aberrant Crime Unit, are charged with tracking down and apprehending Displacers - rare young people who have a dangerous ability to manipulate any material or substance they touch. They can touch an object and mutate it into other shapes, or they can touch flesh and cause bizarre changes in people, usually resulting in debilitating injuries or death. They are outcasts who are subjected to life in a "rehabilitation" facility that usually becomes a life sentence. 

Together, Costal and Leanna work in and around Crescent City where they discover crimes that will make the reader shiver as they pursue a string of murders committed by perps who can perform seemingly impossible feats. One has to wonder if they haven't bitten off more than they can chew.

The characters in Guilty but Aberrant are among some of the best developed I have ever read! Their backgrounds are woven into the story and revealed over time, giving the reader a sense of getting to know and care about them over time. Even the antagonists have backstory to help the reader not only loathe their activity, but to also understand what made them how they are. Character development is one of the major strengths Michael displays as he spins this tale.

Costal and Leanna are complete opposites in their approaches to solving the mysteries presented in this story. Costal is an old-fashioned kind of gumshoe detective in the noir style. He likes to plod along, gathering information as he gets it to track his progress, bringing him closer to a conclusion. His methods are proven to be tried and true, and they work well for him. On the other hand, Leanna relies heavily on technology and her idealism to get results. While they are both excellent at their jobs separately, their skills mesh well, even when their personalities don't.

One thing they do have in common is things that happened in their pasts haunting them. Neither one wants to revisit the events that cause them pain, but the nature of their job often takes them back to recall painful memories, but those memories also spur them to continue on.

One plot point that stands out to me is the humor in the story. It often gives some comic relief to the otherwise gruesome aspects of the narrative. Costal and Leanna are partners, and as such, they get to know each other than most people in a typical workplace. Their situation also makes room for them to get on each other's nerves occasionally. In the story, they exchange a lot of friendly as well as not so friendly barbs back and forth. There were numerous times in the story I found myself laughing out loud at their clever remarks, but I also felt a lot of tension between them, mostly on a philosophical level. It was fun to read their exchanges, which added to their depth as people.

There are numerous pop-culture references in the narrative that caused me amusement as well.

Another aspect standing out for me were the descriptions of the crime activity. It was detailed and quite macabre at times, and some readers who don't care for graphic scenes depicting violence might take warning. At no time were any of those violent scenes or descriptions of crime scenes gratuitous, nor did I think they didn't add a feeling of horror to the narrative.

The theme of friendship was the most palpable to me in this tale. The two principal characters are friends who agree, disagree, and show a lot of tolerance for one another, but they also genuinely care about one another. 

There is also a thematic aspect of what causes someone to behave in ways they do. While that cannot be an excuse for someone to do harm to others, it can help with understanding, and perhaps intervention. All the principal characters in this story appear to suffer from some level of PTSD, and there are different ways each deals with their trauma.

My takeaway from Guilty but Aberrant is to remember that what we see in a person at the superficial level isn't that person's entire story. Everyone carries some level of baggage from their past. Some a lot more than others.

I give Guilty but Aberrant my highest recommendation for a stupendous Sci-Fi novel that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat with the action. The characters are marvelously developed and jump off the page feeling like one is reading about real people. It is a complex story so masterfully written that it flows into the mind like a movie. The scene descriptions are vivid and clear and provide an excellent backdrop for the characters to play in.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I should also point out, there is a novella written in this universe one should read. It introduces the characters and gives one an insight into what to expect going forward. It is entitled Displacer: A Novella From The World Of Guilty But Aberrant. You can find more information on the novella from Michael's website, or on Amazon and Goodreads.

Michael Listen lives in Oklahoma with his wife and two children. After his time in the Navy, he moved into the Information Technology profession. However, Michael has always had a passion for art and creativity. He enjoys crafting stories for role-playing sessions with friends or writing short stories for his wife. His first full-length published book was a two-part science fiction space opera titled Echo.

You can connect with Michael at https://authormichaelliste.wixsite.com/authormlisten, or on Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Well, there it is.

Qapla!

Echo: A Space Opera Duology (Book 2) by Michael Listen - Fun And Thoughtful Space Opera

Echo: A Space Opera Duology (Book 2) by Michael Listen

The second installment of the Echo space opera duology is a satisfying end to a story that I found spellbinding and just plain fun to read.

In the first book, the reader gets to know Kai Randall, a bit of a pirate with a good heart and a solid sense of justice. He becomes an unlikely hero when he rescues Shreya Nova, a scientist and military officer whom he rescues despite the beating she gives him during their first meeting. Added to those two are Perri Hasana, a young woman who has ambitions of being a pilot but is an apprentice to Kai (click here to see my review of the previous book). Together, Kai and Perri gains Shreya's trust sufficiently enough for them to help find her missing husband who was kidnapped during the test flight of a new propulsion system.

Echo 1 was loaded with gut busting humor in an otherwise tragic story of loss and brutality. This volume takes a bit of a darker turn and is terrifying when we finally meet the alien race responsible for the kidnapping and all of Shreya's heartaches. Add to that the continuation of one of the most despicable characters I have ever met in a story, and you get an amazing story to tug at your emotions and might even take you to the breaking point.

Ignoring all available evidence to the contrary, Shreya refuses to accept that her husband is dead and will continue to search for him until she has evidence otherwise, and she is willing to go to any lengths to learn the truth. Kai wakes after healing from injuries he sustained in the previous novel and realizes the feelings he has for his young apprentice.

With a bounty on his head, Kai and his crew head off to an uncharted region of the galaxy and encounter a race of beings so powerful, it is doubtful they will survive.

The action and adventure ramps up to a captivating and satisfying conclusion that will absolutely break the reader's heart along the way. Be sure to have a box of tissues handy as you read this one!

My favorite plot point for this second book revolves around one of the most powerfully compelling characters in any story I have ever read. That would be in the person of Parri Hasana. She is quick-witted, highly intelligent, and able to adapt to unfamiliar situations. I place Parri at the top of my list of the greatest of female characters along with Ellen Ripley.

My takeaway from both parts of Michael's duology is the role of persistence in them. I once saw a quote: "Success is not the absence of failure; it's the persistence through failure." The quote is attributed to Aisha Tyler. First, there is Kai. He could have easily just walked away from Shreya at any time, yet something inside him spurs him on and emphasizes his humane side. Shreya will not give up on her husband, no matter what. And Parri continues to follow her heart. She will not give up on winning Kai's heart.

Even the villains show monumental persistence. The evil commander who tortured Shreya in Echo 1 is back, and he is not giving up seeking his revenge. And there are the aliens who have persistence at their very nature.

In short, the Echo Space Opera Duology, is among the best Sci-Fi I have ever read. It is an amazing, well-told saga that runs a full gamut of emotional content. It will entertain and inspire readers, and I give it my highest recommendations. Don't miss this one. The story unfolds at a good pace and is hard to set aside once you start reading.

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Michael Listen lives in Oklahoma with his wife and two children. After his time in the Navy, he moved into the Information Technology profession. However, he has always had a passion for art and creativity. He enjoys crafting stories for role-playing sessions with friends or writing short stories for his wife. His first full-length published book was a two-part science fiction space opera titled Echo.

Well, there it is...

Qapla!

Echo: A Space Opera Duology (Book 1) By Michael Listen - This Story Has It All - Great Space Opera

Echo: A Space Opera Duology (Book 1) By Michael Listen

Every now and then, I discover a story that is so compelling, I cannot stop reading for hours at a time. Such a story unfolds in my mind like a movie and is filled with characters who jump off the page and become like real people I care about and invest in. I've been told there should be a surprise in every chapter, on every page, in every paragraph, and in every sentence. This work by Michael Listen is just such a novel.

This story is supercharged with a full range of emotion, from gut-busting laughter at the humor to an evil character so appalling. I cannot wait to see him getting his due.

In this time when anyone can publish their work in the blink of an eye, this is an example of a story that will rise to the top and scream, "Read Me Now!" I cannot imagine any fan of sci-fi space opera that wouldn’t enjoy this story.

It finally happened. All the fossil fuels on Earth were all used up, and humanity had to move away and live among the stars. In the galaxy's vastness, factions arose, and wars broke out and there were those who did their best to make a living. Such was the lot of Kai Randal, the master of a small shuttle. He, along with his apprentice, Parri Hasana, travel around moving small cargos from one place to another, and they also seek opportunities to earn a living and keep their small ship running.

Shreya Nova is a scientist and soldier in the Ursae Dynasty who, along with her husband, are working under a deadline to develop a propulsion system that will allow ships to travel vast distances quickly. She is used to living very well, but when a test fails to provide the desired results, Shreya's husband is lost when the test vehicle is destroyed on the return trip. The failure results in Shreya being ruined and doomed to indentured servitude to a despotic commander who bankrolled the project.

Kai and Parri are on hand for the events as they try to steal the files from the tests. Kai becomes the unlikely hero, saving Shreya from death in the vacuum in space and so begins a precarious relationship where survival is uncertain.

The characters in Echo are amazingly well developed, interesting, and are what drives this story. They all have personalities and flaws as one would expect in reality.

Kai is a forty-something veteran of the Unified Corporate Colonies (UCC) Navy. Retired from the military, he makes a marginal living providing services as he moves between systems. He has a sense of justice and is strongly opposed to slavery, his big motive for working so hard to keep Shreya safe. It also has a moral center that seems quite sound. As he travels with Parri, a young woman who is half his age, he knows his boundaries and sticks to them even though Parri often makes it difficult.

Parri wants to be a pilot. She is in her early to mid-twenties and can be brattish and one gets the impression she is used to getting her way most of the time. But she is also smart and tough. Parri is a very dynamic character, and one cannot help but like this kid. She has a quick wit and is constantly on Kai's case about one thing or another.

These two characters are a source of humor in the story and are brilliantly written. Their relationship is full of tension, but through it all, Kai loves her as a mentor, but Parri wants more from their relationship, maybe more than Kai is willing to give. Parri seems to be in too much of a hurry to grow up.

Shreya Aurelia is on a quest to learn the fate of her lost husband. She refuses to believe he is dead and will not give up until she knows his fate for certain. Shreya has a strong personality and bounces back even in the worse of situations. She has an aristocratic tendency to take charge of things because that is the way of her culture, which often clashes with Kai's culture.

The evil antagonist in the novel is Prefect Marcus Ovius of the Ursaen Legion. He is a despotic commander in charge of getting a new faster-than-light drive built and running, and he has used his own funds to complete the project. This character has no redeeming qualities, and it isn't long before the reader will find him downright despicable.

At one point in the story, Kai, Parri, and Shreya pay a visit to Parri's home planet. Without going into too much detail, Parri displays a desire to take her and Kai's relationship to a new level. This point of the plot allows for a major relief in the tension the author has built in the story and is a source for numerous surprises and a lot of hilarity. While it is a break in the action, it also serves to build tension between our heroes. It gives the reader a chance to catch their breath before the tension builds to the end of the book, which ends in a cliffhanger.

Another plot point I enjoyed is the extensive world building. Listen does an amazing job of setting the scene all the way through this tale and the reader can easily visualize the backdrops behind the story. The details are astounding but not overstated. It is obvious the author has put in a lot of thought to build a universe in which the action can unfold naturally.

My takeaway from Echo is how it demonstrates that all glory is fleeting. No matter how powerful or wealthy one becomes, it can all be lost in the blink of an eye. There is a very thin line between wealth and poverty, freedom and slavery, and benevolence and despotism. While Shreya learns this as a member of a system that allows for it, Kai and Parri see it from the outside. Kai is appalled by what he deems unjust and is willing to fight it, even though it may cost him his life. 

Echo Book 1 is an excellent first novel from author Michael Listen. I hope for more in the future. He has a real handle on writing sci-fi including great world building and characters one can enjoy reading about. 

I loved this first book and will be reporting back with a review of the second book soon.

This is one that space opera fans should not pass by. It is fun, entertaining, hilarious, and appalling (in the right ways). There are characters to love and some to hate. The science isn't too farfetched for those who can take a little time and suspend their disbelief. I give Echo #1 my highest recommendations for some great Sci-Fi!

If you are interested in further information on this book, go to https://authormichaelliste.wixsite.com/authormlisten for more material, histories, maps, and behind the scenes information related directly to this book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Michael Listen lives in Oklahoma with his wife and two children. After his time in the Navy, he moved into the Information Technology profession. However, Michael has always had a passion for art and creativity. He enjoys crafting stories for role-playing sessions with friends or writing short stories for his wife. His first full-length published book was a two-part science fiction space opera titled Echo.

Well, there it is...

Qapla!