Artifacts And Enigmas: Mysteries From Redemption By Darran M. Handshaw - An Excellent And Entertaining Collection Of Short Stories

Artifacts and Enigmas: Mysteries from Redemption by Darran M. Handshaw

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

Not long ago, I read and reviewed the first book in the Chronicles of Actaeon series by Darran. When I learned there was a short story collection in that universe, I was all in.

Artifacts and Enigmas is a science fiction/mystery collection of eleven stories. Each one is separate, but they also tie in together by the end of the book. The book is set in more of a fantasy-like setting, but the characters explain events in scientific terms. The stories are from the point of view of two characters who are learned and expert in their given roles. Together, they go about solving and explaining a variety of bizarre crimes and is loaded with fascinating plot twists and turns, making it a very entertaining read.

In the ancient, ruined city of Redemption, Knight Investigator Aethelgard goes about his business solving crimes. He uses his powers of observation and deduction, and nothing gets by his keen senses. But when he is confronted with crimes involving Artifacts of the Ancients, he finds himself in need of help from his friend and Prince Engineer Actaeon, who is an expert in the areas of uncovering the mysteries of science. Together, these two are a team that gets to the bottom of all sorts of criminal activity that threatens the people of Redemption as their city is rebuilt.

Underlying everything lurks Aethelgard's longtime nemesis, who must be defeated.

My favorite plot point throughout all eleven stories is the friendship Aethelgard and Actaeon enjoy. For the most part, their relationship is excellent, although they don't always agree. Their friendship is tested along the way, but because of their sense of purpose and their understanding of the way the world works, and how people think and behave, they can resolve their differences to the benefit of both, and the people of Redemption.

My takeaway from Artifacts and Enigmas is the importance of teamwork. Each of the two principal characters have their areas of expertise, and when they are together, they are an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

I enjoyed this collection of stories. They are all high quality and fun to read. I didn't find any of the tales predictable, and each one has plot twists, making the reading experience enjoyable. This collection is highly entertaining and very well written. I recommend Artifacts and Enigmas for readers who like stories in the combined Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, or for those who are seeking something uncommon in science fiction.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Darran M. Handshaw is the author of The Engineer and The Dark Heart of Redemption. In addition to writing, Darran works as an R&D Concept Engineer at a technology company where he invents and designs new products. He holds more than 110 patents in data capture, vision systems, and emergency services. Darran also volunteers as a firefighter with his local fire department, where he serves as an Ex-Chief and active firefighter and teaches fire prevention to the children of his community. Darran hails from Long Island, NY, where he lives with his beautiful wife, Stefanie, and incredible son, Corwin, who fill his life with love, wisdom, and endless adventures.

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The Artifact By Joshua T. Calvert - A Great Sci-Fi Thriller to Stimulate The Imagination!

The Artifact by Joshua T. Calvert

At the end of The Artifact, the author explains that the story he penned is his "first foray into the thriller genre." I'm happy to testify that Mr. Calvert did a great job crafting a story full of non-stop action that is full of thrills. The tension in this tale is on full blast as the characters are placed into situations that seem impossible to get out of. It is also full of twists and turns for all three principal characters, two of whom are the chief point-of-view characters.

Along with being a thriller, it is also a science fiction story, but the sci-fi is on the lighter side. 

I enjoyed this story, and it should appeal to a wide audience. At 340 pages, it is a fast read, and the action moves the story ahead at a good pace.

A group of four people from the United States are performing archeological studies at the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan in Mexico. After making an astonishing discovery of an artifact in an unknown chamber of the pyramid, the team is attacked by unknown assailants. One of the team, Marcus, watches from a distance as three of his colleagues, including the group leader, are brutally murdered. Marcus panics and leaves the site to avoid suffering the same fate. Now, he has to make his way over 1700 miles to Tijuana, where he intends to cross the border with the artifact. Unfortunately, in his haste, Marcus has left his passport, identification, and money behind in his haste to leave, no doubt a perilous journey.

Meanwhile, the Mexican authorities begin an investigation into the heinous crime, aided by two American FBI special agents who are seeking Marcus and the crystalline artifact.

There are many strange circumstances surrounding the object found in the pyramid, and it seems everyone wants to get their hands on it, and Marcus is in constant danger.

So, what is it about the artifact that makes it an object of interest to the Mexican authorities, the FBI, and a dangerous group of covert operators? It appears some things are better left unfound.

The three principal characters of The Artifact are well-developed and believable. We get to know them through much of the story with reveals here and there in the narrative, and through their dialog.

Marcus is a graduate student working on a master's degree at Stanford University. He is invited to the Pyramid of the Sun by his teacher and degree supervisor, Dr. Charles Bowen, a prominent and controversial archaeologist. Marcus has no training in survival under pursuit and has to survive by his wits and sheer dumb luck throughout this tale. It isn't an easy journey for him, and because of some choices he makes, it also isn't easy for those who want to save him.

That would include the Special Agents, Maya Wilson and Thor Dejeune. These two make an unlikely pair because they are such polar opposites. Both are well trained and experienced agents. While Maya is driven by emotions, Thor is driven by logic. Maya is a bit of a mess, and Thor is neat and organized. Their strengths, however, complement each other as they work to understand the mystery. Their dialog is often humorous as they pick at each other, but it isn't difficult to see that they actually respect each other.

The artifact itself is a great MacGuffin that drives the story forward and keeps it focused where it needs to be. We get a few hints as to the nature of the object of everyone's desire, but not very many deep secrets, which the author is holding for the sequel.

I enjoyed everything in this tale of conspiracy and intrigue, but my favorite plot point was the portrayal of the people of Mexico Marcus encountered along his journey of peril. Often in film, television, and books, the people of foreign countries are vilified. The police are all corrupt and cruel, and the people a character may encounter are villains who are out to do evil against innocent tourists. That is not the case in this story, and I applaud the author for his portrayal of the people of Mexico. Yes, there are evil people in the story, but there are also good people. In one scene, I was caught out expecting something to happen that never did, and the outcome was exactly the opposite of what I expected. I found this a refreshing turn of events and a test of my own intrinsic biases thanks to the influence of American media.

The theme that stood out to me the most was that of conspiracy and misinformation surrounding the artifact itself. With so many different entities trying to get their hands on this, either to expose or conceal whatever information the crystal may contain, makes for a great setup for the sequel where, hopefully, all will be revealed. The artifact is surrounded by unknowns that promise a great payoff by the end of the two-volume epic.

My takeaway from The Artifact illustrates how mysteries and secrets can drive people to great lengths. Information is knowledge, and it can be both informative and dangerous at the same time.

Joshua T. Calvert is a well-traveled and intelligent writer. Everything I have read from him so far has been entertaining. The Artifact is no exception. The first volume of the story serves to introduce the major players and the object of their quest. It does so wrapped in a well-written and entertaining tale that unfolds in the mind's eye smoothly and efficiently. This thriller includes elements of science fiction, but is not dominated by the genre, so I think it would be a good story for readers who enjoy a good intrigue. It is gritty at times, but has a sense of humor, too. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Joshua T. Calvert is an award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. He has traveled the world—on foot, by Jeep, by bicycle, by motorcycle, and lots of other ways besides. As you might imagine, he’s seen many things most people never see – including an Iranian prison cell, from the inside! In Kyrgyzstan, he fared slightly better, narrowly avoiding being kidnapped for ransom. Skydiver, scuba diver, martial artist, adventurer – his goal is to experience everything possible and then make it real to you in his books. And he’s made a good run of it so far: in the Philippines, he did police training on multiple types of firearms (despite being no fan of guns himself); dove in Asian waters among sharks and shipwrecks; and patrolled with Sumatran jungle rangers.

That’s what defines Calvert’s approach to method writing: pushing himself beyond his own limits, to experience first-hand what his characters experience, to make your immersion in his stories as deep as it can be.

For Ganymede Rises, after a slight detour with some smugglers in the deserts of Uzbekistan and the steppes of Mongolia, he traveled by dogsled and snowshoe to the Arctic Circle to experience first-hand what it’s like to be utterly isolated in the coldest place on Earth. For his book The Fossil, he sat with professional pilots in flight simulators for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft to learn what it’s like to fly a passenger jet. His latest adventure: a parabolic flight with European Space Agency astronauts, to experience zero-gravity. All so he can describe it to you, in his own words.

You can see Joshua's other books and sign up for his newsletter at https://www.joshuatcalvert.com/

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Black Void: Nowhere To Run By Paul Yantus - Sci-Fi Action And High Adventure On A Global Scale

Black Void: Nowhere to Run by Paul Yantus

It has been quite a few years since I've read a book like this one. Many years ago, I took a deep-dive into the stories of Dirk Pitt as written by author Clive Cussler. I read everything from Cussler I could get my hands on and loved every one of them. Black Void is a story in that tradition, with high adventure on a global scale in the modern era.

It is a fast-paced story with almost no downtime. The science occurs mostly at the beginning of the story, and the rest is characters doing their best to survive as they are chased all around Europe, and into the United States.

I was entertained while reading and didn't want to stop reading.

If you enjoy a tale of high adventure, readers should find this a thrill-ride that is satisfying. Black Void is part of a planned series of books, but this one will standalone, having a definite end point. But the ending blatantly hints at a sequel that I will watch for.

A group of scientists, mathematicians, and computer experts gather at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland to test the theories of a Dr. Greene. The project is headed by a brilliant physicist, Dr. Andrea Coster, who believes what Greene has suggested can be done. The object is to prove that the team can create and control a micro black hole in the laboratory. The way it is first envisioned is not working for various reasons, but the team soon comes up with an alternative idea.

Success!

Well, sort of. The team comes up with a method that works, but it is a tad bit bigger than they had hoped it would be. Their discovery does exactly what a black hole is supposed to do, annihilates all the matter in a radius around it. That includes living matter too. Gone without a trace.

There are those who learn about this discovery and have nefarious reasons for wanting it. Andrea wants to make sure the knowledge never falls into the hands of those who want to use it as a weapon. With the help of an ex-soldier, she has to go on the run to protect the world from getting its hands on something very dangerous.

It isn't easy playing keep-away from a large, very wealthy and ambitious group of people who have eyes and ears everywhere. But for the sake of humankind, she and her companion must find a way.

Andrea Coster is a brilliant scientist who has both a professional and a personal stake in seeing the black hole project is a success. She is good at managing the project and is excellent at managing people, unlike her egotistical boss, Dr. Greene. She is relentless in her pursuit of achieving her goals and has skills beyond being a scientist.

Jack Agnew is an ex-soldier who has seen too much and suffers from PTSD. His skills are beyond those of a common grunt. He has had enough of his former life and just wants a job that doesn't require a lot of death and destruction. His story isn't revealed all immediately, but by bits and pieces through the story. He starts out as the team's liaison officer, but becomes a key character in evading his and Andrea's destruction.

Petra Neumann is a wiz with technology who becomes a guardian angel to Andrea and Jack. She starts as a reclusive person, but Andrea befriends her and she opens up. She is also my favorite character in this story.

Petra is not only my favorite character, but her storyline is my favorite plot point. She is so cool and competent, and she knows her stuff. I hope she is back for the sequel!

My takeaway from Black Void is always to be aware of those who bring you gifts, especially ones that are of great benefit. Usually, the things they are doing for you aren't actually for you; they are more to advance their own agendas, and will eventually come with a very high price tag.

This applies to an unfortunate character who appears in the story's opening. 'Nuff said on that.

As I moved through the story, I wondered how much of the science involved actual fact and what was made up. That is when I went to the author's webpage and started doing some exploring (webpage address below). I found that much of what Yantus writes about is based in fact and was impressed by the amount of research he must have done to bring this story to life. As a matter of fact, there is quite a bit of information on the author's page that one will find interesting and informative, but it also might be a little spoilery, so I might suggest one reads the book before exploring the web page.

While I enjoyed this book, I also found a few plot holes and some things that I wasn't clear about. I will not go into detail about my thoughts on this because I do not want to be misunderstood. As I said, I liked this story, and I think a wide range of sci-fi fans and those who like adventure stories will also enjoy it.

I thought the backdrops provided were described well, and I could picture what was going on in my mind as I read.

This is Paul Yantus's first novel, and it is a good one! I cannot wait to see his growth as a storyteller as he continues to develop his craft. To him I say, keep writing; you did great!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Paul Yantus was born and raised in Detroit. He’s been married for over 30 years and has four children and two dogs.

Paul earned degrees in technology and business. After a successful career as a technology entrepreneur, he has channeled his voracious appetite for technology and science into writing science fiction.

Find more information about Paul and about Black Void on his website: https://paulyantus.com/

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The Photo Jumper (Photo Jumper Series Book 1) by Tony Bible - Low-Tech Sci-fi With A Huge 'Wow' Factor!

The Photo Jumper (Photo Jumper Series Book 1) by Tony Bible

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

At the outset, I have only one word to describe this book - WOW!

The Photo Jumper is an amazing tale of a man with a special ability allowing him to visit the past by jumping into photographs. This is a character-driven tale of Allister, who has an ability even he doesn't completely understand. It is extremely well written with characters that a reader can care about, descriptions of the settings that come alive, and it is emotionally charged, running a full gamut of the emotional spectrum. I was absorbed in this story from the moment I started reading all the way to the end. This is one of the best books I have read this year so far. Not to be missed.

Allister McClamroch is, more or less, an ordinary guy with an extraordinary ability; he can jump into and out of photographs at will. He can interact with others in those images, and he can even take inanimate objects into and out of photos. While he cannot bring people with him, he can relive old moments and enjoy new experiences that enrich him. There are rules he cannot break. He cannot go into a photo and stay there forever.

But not all is fun and games for him. There are consequences for actions, both good and bad. 

In the real world, he has his share of problems. He is a lonely person, and at times seems like a tragic character. He has a sense of responsibility and works hard to take care of those obligations, sometimes falling short. One thing he is dealing with is an obsession over the death of a high school friend. Allister is determined to see his friend and his friend's family receive the justice that is their due.

But there is also so much more to this tale.

Grayson is a cop. He is also Allister's friend and confidant. The two work to solve cold cases while Allister works to become a private investigator. Then there's Mila. A woman Allister meets completely by chance who becomes someone special in Allister's life.

All the characters in this book are believable as people one might meet anywhere, and they come alive as the reader gets deeper into this tale.

My favorite plot point in Photo Jumper involves character transformation. Every photo Allister jumps into becomes a real place for him, but when he jumps out, everything is reset to what it was before he jumped in. Not only is this a great plot device, but it affords the principal character an opportunity to reflect on his decisions and even make things right for himself. It is difficult to explain without spoiling important aspects of the story, so I'll just leave this right here.

The primary theme of the book, and my takeaway, is while one can be obsessed by past situations, there is always hope for a better future if one can focus on the things in life that are important. The author sums it up in a quote from Buddha: "In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you."

Or perhaps another quote that applies is from Star Trek. Mr. Spock observes in the episode entitled Amok Time...

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true."

The Photo Jumper is a well written, highly entertaining sci-fi adventure. I was mesmerized from the start and was never bored, nor did I run into anything that took me out of the story. It unfolds much like a movie would in the reader's mind. The tale is loaded with twists and turns, and I didn't find anything predictable. There are some disturbing moments of violence, but those were not gratuitous and helped to move the story along. The science fiction is on the lighter side, so there are no long-winded explanations of how things work, and there isn't a lot of jargon to bog down the flow of the story. It is one fine story I can recommend for any reader; it has everything one can want from an engaging reading experience. Highest Recommendations!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"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, Texas, happily married, raising two children, and works in the financial industry.

Tony has a lot of future work in progress. Check out his web page at https://tonybible.com/ for more information.

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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.

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