Arcadia by Iain Pears

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Arcadia'-A Sci-Fi Fantasy by Iain Pears.

Arcadia by Iain Pears is a work of time travel, but not in the traditional sense. It creates alternate times and parallel places that are accessed by an incredible machine built by a mathematician named Angela Meerson. Secretive and elusive Angela holds the secrets and buries them in various places of the past and future, and then she goes about disappearing herself.

Unwittingly others are a part of her story, as Henry Lytten in the 60’s lives his world of teaching and espionage, while Rosie Wilson feeds his cat. She is entranced by the stories he writes, but she is also a curious girl who stumbles into a place she doesn’t know.

Then there is Jay, he lives in a very quiet and peaceful setting unrelated to the others. However, through the mode of this machine and the necessity of keeping it secret these characters find themselves intertwined with each other as Angela’s old company and enemies think they have found her in her new life.

Looking for clues in both the past and future, they have stumbled on what they think is the answer. Can more than one world exist in parallel time?

Pears has given us a Sci-Fi fantasy that keeps you looking for answers. It carries mystery, danger, suspense, and an overall array of genres to keep even the most die-hard reader engaged. His characters are charismatic and the ideas feel radical with a bit of realism. He makes the elusive Angela a strong and abrasive character. She knows she is hunted, and is haunted by her findings. She tries to align her characteristics with the different places she moves through in order to move with impunity. She knows there are those who would see her dead and use her discovery for evil, yet she must continue on her quest.

She must find a way to perfect what she has discovered before it is too late. By moving throughout the past and present as her enemies draw near she is able to stay clear of their manipulation. Henry, Rosie and Jay are all a very important group as they are catalysts to various moves and as the hunt reaches threatening proportions the characters find themselves in an array of dangerous happenings.


If you enjoy literary fiction, Sci-Fi and fantasy, mystery, suspense and danger you have found the right material to keep you interested. Creating a set of worlds and creating such an interesting array of lives Pears takes us into the unknown and shows us magic and danger in a way that makes it fun.

Rating 4/5

Blood Sky, Book 4 of The After Series by Traci L. Slatton

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Blood Sky, Book 2 of The After Series', A Dystopian Romance by Traci L. Slatton.

In Blood Sky, Book 4 of the After Series by Traci L. Slatton we are once again taken into the future world where danger reins. The once lovely planet has been destroyed by the very people trying to save it. Introducing the mists was meant to cleanse the land yet they quickly turned deadly to those it touched.

All over the world the danger continues and yet there are those whose lives have changed in differing ways based or the presence of the mist, gaining powers unimagined in the history of time. While Arthur continues to battle his own demons, Emma tries to move on without him. Having nearly lost him on several occasions she must now make a choice between her love and the lives depending on her.

Trying to get one of her young chargers to where the destruction all began, Emma knows she must stay out of reach of Arthur. While he has deep regrets for being a part of the team that brought the mists to the world he is still convinced that if corralled and controlled they will be the saving grace of the world that has now been beleaguered for so many years.

That makes him extremely dangerous, and Emma is convinced that madness is over taking him. She must harden her heart and stay ahead of him to rescue the world and eradicate the mists. She is determined to do what it takes, even destroy Arthur if necessary. Can she really take a part of her heart that has a life of its own, and move beyond for the betterment of mankind, or will Arthur convince her of his sincerity?

Slatton builds tension and romance in such a way that you are involved from the beginning. As you view the happenings from the eyes of her characters you are at once, appalled and even in love. Arthur is the epitome of that one who draws you in, with both the danger and the caring. She has done a great job or making the characters so real that you relate to them.

She draws you into a dystopian world of destruction and pain and yet portrays the beauty of what still stands. For among the destruction there are still the vistas to behold, the power of the sunsets and the icy bit and tingle of the frost in the air that glitters upon the damage. You often feel you are there, struggling with her group of survivors.

If you enjoy futuristic worlds, heroes, danger and tense passionate romance you will find Slatton’s newest release, Blood Sky, a great addition to your library. If you enjoy this work you will want to find the rest of the After Series to catch up on all the events.

Rating 4/5

The Invasion of The Tearling by Erika Johansen

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Invasion of The Tearling', An Epic Novel by Erika Johansen.

The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen takes us into the war ravaged and torn world of the future.  Queen Kelsea must find a way to keep Mortmesne from invading her kingdom of Tearling. As she comes to terms with the possibility of failure, she takes a stance. Every move now must be to keep up the moral of her people and to find the strength to combat the evil queen of Mortmesne.  Her magic works strangely and she often finds herself disappearing into the past and the beginning of the Tearling. Finding escape from the past is more difficult each time as she continues her battle to save her people and put an end to the evil of her land forever.

That past is of a woman named Lily. Lily has no idea her life is being watched by a future queen. She only knows that things are changing and terrorism is escalating. She has recently come face to face with a group that she had no idea existed, and is intrigued by their ideology. They believe they can save the world from oppression. Queen Kelsea knows that if she can just understand Lily, and how the Tearling began she can use that information to save her future world. But her magic is mercurial, it does not always follow her command and she is unable to stay in the past without putting her life in danger.

In the future things are escalating and the Queen finds even more traitors to her crown hidden behind the guise of religion. Her own guard is one of the best. She trusts them with her life. Yet as danger comes near she must choose which can stay and which must go, for what she plans has need of only a few. Feelings run high, but she must make the right choices to save her kingdom.

Can she pick up the pieces of a world gone mad, or will she lose her own life and that of her kingdom to the ravages of the evil that has infiltrated every corner of the land?

In the Continuing saga of The Queen of the Tearling, Johansen keeps us captivated with her characters. The flaw and romance are just a few of the interests. Alternating her characters between future and past she takes us into another thought process.  Is life truly about bloodlines or is it just a possible migration of souls. You certainly begin to wonder as you embrace this group who seem to be on the brink of destruction.

If you enjoy mystery, romance, magic, and intrigue you will find yourself immersed in the story of the Tearling. There is fascination in the ability of looking at the past, and although there is no possibility of changing what had become, we find that the mistakes of the past could relate to the saving of the future.

This would be a fun read for a reading group. Be prepared though for once you become attached to the characters you will be ready to find the prior words leading up the The Invasion of the Tearling. 

Rating 4/5

The Long Utopia by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Long Utopia' by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter.

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter have taken us far into the future in The Long Utopia. As humans evolve and even Artificial Intelligence (AI) is left behind, the original Earth is failing and parallel Earths seem to hold the answer to the future. However, there is a strange shift in one of the parallel Earths. This planet is known for its simplicity and is where Lobsang, an elderly AI, has disguised himself as human and is living his life in obscurity.

Soon though, an new intelligent new life form, known simply as the Next, has been discovered by the children on this planet and seem to be friendly. They actively trade for rocks and junk while leaving nice gifts of jewelry in return. Along with this discovery, both Lobsang and his partner have found a strange anomaly creating uncomfortable changes in the sequence of time. While most humans do not feel a difference, it creates havoc with the AI’s internal clock. While the causes of the anomaly are unknown, the results appear to be shorter days.

Since travel among the planets is facilitated with a box for stepping (a form of moving between plants), even this procedure is at risk. There is a group of steppers, however, that are able to step between time and space without the use of the computer technology from the box, but they must remain hidden for they are deemed a danger to the world. Lobsang must come out of hiding and track down these hidden steppers, for with their abilities they may be the only way to save this world. The connection between the planets is at risk as Lobsang and his group discover that the Next are on a course to destroy the very core of their home. Can they find if this is the real intention and if so, can they save this planet before the Next find a way to destroy the entire human and AI race?

The late Pratchett was known for his works featuring alternate realities. In The Long Utopia he moves us into another realm of space and the unknown. With Baxter as a coauthor we can be sure this world will not sink into obscurity. The characters, both human and AI, are gentle and smart, but unprepared for what is about to happen. You find yourself drawn to them, with all their flaws and feelings. The differing forms of travel and abilities are unique and quite interesting, keeping you enthralled with the process of moving through time and space.

As we are introduced to the Next, we are unprepared for their part in the changing of the world. So when the real story comes to light, confusion and perplexity keeps you digging for answers. They seem to be a gentle race and for years barter with the children, yet both their motives and background are unknown. They are creatures of both nature and technology and are like insects with a hive mentality. They seem to communicate in much the same way, and once their intentions are known, the danger becomes very clear.


If you enjoy science fiction you will be pleased with this latest work by Pratchett and Baxter. This moves a little beyond the young adult fiction that Pratchett had been known for and takes us into Long Earth and an exciting new future.

Rating 3/5

A Girl Undone by Catherine Linka

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'A Girl Undone,' A Girl Called Fearless Series by Catherine Linka.

With renewed interest in dystopian worlds we are given a rare new work in A Girl Undone by Catherine Linka. Where marriages and women are bought and bartered, Avie has escaped her own confines with her real love Yates. After a confrontation with the government, he has been hospitalized in critical condition and she is on the run. She carries information that she must get to the Paternalist party if she can locate the correct person.

With the help of another friend, Luke, she tries to help keep them alive while finding the exact person who can use the information she now carries. Her face is on every news channel and a huge reward has been offered by the man who holds her own marriage contract. How can she move forward safely?

Can she find the only man who can make sure the information is used in the right manner before she is captured or worse? Garnering feelings for Luke, she is unsure what her next turn should be. She knows Yates is her only real love, and yet she is conflicted in her feelings. Can Yates survive his own wounds, and even if he does, will she be able to someway break free of the bonds that bind her to another man. One who is extremely ruthless and embarrassed at her running away?

Linka has given us a dystopian world with harsh guidelines and rules. Those who do not cave to the rules are often killed or disappear with no one the wiser. Avie’s only protection from death is the man she fears the most, the one that holds her contract. His character is one of the more complicated, and you will enjoy the process as Avie gets closer to her goal.

Avie is a character both bold and conflicted. She is never quite sure of herself and has some flaws that keep her from being too strong. Unsure of her direction, but undaunted in the task she has, she is compelled to move forward for a better world. That she is torn between her feeling for both Yates and Luke only makes her just a bit more human.

If you enjoy dystopian and futuristic worlds you will enjoy this work. There is romance, danger, mystery and at all times a belief in freedom that transcends the characters. The thrill of the chase and the tense romance will keep you reading to the very end.

This would be a fun book for a book club or reading group, with much dialogue about freedoms and other rights of individuals.

Rating 4/5

Link by D.A. Karr

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Link', A Science Fiction Novel by D.A.Karr.

D.A Karr takes us deep into the future in Link, a science fiction dealing with both time travel and artificial intelligence. In a work of deep space war, survival is always the concern.

When Captain John Garrick and his ship the Phoenix gets caught up in the time war, he realizes that even his best laid plans are not enough.  Having helped evolve an artificial intelligence aboard his craft, he finds that technology can also become the enemy. He is not the average Captain; he doesn’t always play by the rules.  He understand the fate of war, you kill or prepare to be killed.

Can he save his team and prepare for this fight to the finish.  How does he move forward without losing his friends and colleagues?

Karr does a great job of putting you in the ship with Captain Garrick and his crew. He has created a team of individuals who have a strong respect for each other, even though they do not understand all the motives and personalities. They just know that there is not a one of them that does not have the others back, including their captain. 

Garrick has created an artificial intelligence that seems as human as possible in the circumstances, and yet there is something both wild and rogue about the actions during differing situations.  You are intrigued by the contrast of personalities that seem to emit from such a being and yet enthralled at the same time.

The battles and enemies are well done and seem very real. If you enjoy science fiction and action, as well as time jumping and war you will find this an interesting read. Karr takes you into battle in the future and does a great job of making you feel a part of his story.

Rating 3/5

The Blondes by Emily Schultz

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Blondes', A Horror Story by Emily Schultz.

To have a strain of disease that rocks the globe is always the stuff of horrors, the possibility of the beginning of the end for civilization. Yet each beginning of such illness seems to create a frenzy of those who search deep and find a solution thereby relegating the apocalypse to the background of thoughts one more time.

In The Blondes by Emily Schultz, we are introduced to a funny ‘tongue in cheek’ type of apocalyptic future where one after another horror and death or deaths are caused by blonde women throughout the world. Trying to stem the tide of killings, the research shows the only connection to be the color of the women’s hair. That the women generally die closely thereafter the episode makes for difficulty in finding the cause. The illness does not seem to differentiate between false blondes or the real thing, it also reaches out to light reds and highlights. Marshal Law is imposed and women rounded up and placed in camps for verification the disease is not just dormant and ready to come to the surface and create more horror. Each is tested and held, as the world turns crazy.

Hazel Hayes becomes the voice of the information, narrating though this crazy psychological conundrum as she tries to decipher if the disease will attack her as well. As the narrative moves further into a strange twisting tale of an epidemic causing women to go to great lengths to conceal their hair, even she is looking at making the change. As stores sell out all the darkest colors, pandemonium erupts, causing even more disaster.

As Hazel finds herself on the run, we find she is pregnant through one of her professors in college; she has very light red hair and is being hunted even as she updates the information. Her life is a bit like those around her but her pregnancy creates a strong sustainability for her, as most are not as afraid of her and are willing to help. While the pregnancy is unwanted, due to the circumstances she is hiding out herself and unwilling to seek an abortion. Yet when she goes in search of her baby’s father, she finds only his wife. Together through mutual dislike they form a bond over the child, moving away and in together for there is a small amount of safety in numbers.  What will happen to them as the world begins persecuting blondes and blonde derivatives?

If you enjoy horror and mystery this is an interesting look at how beauty kills. If you enjoy humor you will find yourself at times incredulous at the depths the women will go, and all the way through you will find a story of hope and friendship, but also brutality and abuse.

This would be a fun work for a reading and discussion group. There are pockets of horror and humor that compete evenly or possibly not. Only you can decide.

Rating 4/5

End of Days, Book Three of Penryn and the End of Days by Susan Ee

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'End of Days', Book Three of 'Penryn & the End of Days,' A Dystopic Novel by Susan Ee.

We often hear of or read stories about the end of days. What will occur–is there truly such a possibility. The apocalypse has been the center of controversy for years, and still, will there be such an end.

In End of Days, Book Three of Penryn and the End of Days by Susan Ee, we follow one such conclusion.  Penryn and her sister Paige are right in the middle of the firestorm of change.  Having gone through much pain and turmoil they have battled many of their demons and hope that soon they can help put an end to the death and destruction of their home. Yet for Penryn all is bitter sweet. Her younger sister is now the leader of an insect culture, while Penryn and Raffe, a fallen angel, take their battle directly into the war-zone.

Raffe though needs some help to replace his own real wings, for his borrowed ones are those of a demon. Who will trust such an angel in any battle?

Beliel, a demon who has tried and failed to destroy Raffe has much to answer for, yet he is only a husk of his former self. He shouldn’t even still be alive after the wounds he sustained. But for now he still has many of the answers needed to end the war.  As Penryn rides safely in Raffe’s arms, she is devastated by the death and pain that is revealed below her. Can they pull on all their resources and stop the angel hordes from completing the work they began–the final task of cleansing the earth.

Ee has given us a war and a world in turmoil. There is darkness and adventure, but also an underlying faith that will hold even in the worst of situations. The strength of will and mental toughness in her protagonists are the secret to moving them forward, especially when the answers to their questions begin to come in. There is more than imagined, and some of the answers can only lead to continued darkness.

If you enjoy reading epic adventures, wars, romance and end of earth scenarios you will find this an amazing work of depth and differences.  Where many look to the angels for help, Ee takes you in an entirely different direction, one where the destruction is caused by such beings. The strength of spirit and the epic battles will keep you guessing and entertained.

While this is the final installment of a series, you are easily able to pick up where the other works left off, although you will find yourself more than interested in finding the other books to learn how Penryn and Raffe have come to be together and why the earth is under attack.

This would be a fun book for a reading group as well as a discussion group. There is usually much to discuss in works that create bits of controversy. This is sure to be one of those works, for how do you choose sides.


Rating 4/5

We Are The Destroyers by D. K. Lindler

Posted First to Blog Critics as Book Review:'We Are The Destroyers' a Science Fiction Romance by D. K. Lindler.

There are times throughout history where many of the same situations occur. We often hear how history repeats itself, as it seems that mankind does not always learn from their past mistakes.

In We are the Destroyers by D. K. Lindler, we are taken on a journey into the stars. Bel’lar is a military man in charge of an important fact finding mission. The abuse of his home planet over the centuries has begun to pile up and there is fear of where they are headed.  His companion Ry Sing began years ago to learn to focus within where she learned of things as they would happen.  She is troubled at the news she brings, but the information is important. A space ship like no other has come to the attention of his group, and the brotherhood of the Syn is ready to overtake them.

Food had become difficult to find and many have become addicted to the synthetic foods now being offered. The danger of eating synthetic foods has caused mutations and there is a marked difference between those who are unable to get real food and those who call themselves organs because of the organic foods they consume. Yet even those options are just about gone.  There is something about Bel’lar though that speaks to the ship and vice versa. As they find themselves about to be attacked by the Brotherhood, they make their escape to search for a new home for their people, to save them from their dying planet.

Bel’lar has no idea of what is in store for him and his group of travelers. The ship itself it a part of the problem, and the ghosts of those long departed have their own agenda.

Ry Sing is able to communicate at a level far above the norm, and the information she shares is quite unwelcome.  Between the ghosts and Ry Sings visions he is informed that in the past he destroyed a planet when he was known as the Great One. Even now it is written that a man with the same birthmark he carries will destroy another planet.  He is not a believer, and will do everything in his power to make sure this never happens.  Yet fate often has its own agenda. Their only chance to save his home is to find the mythical blue-white planet.  Does such a planet exist and is it truly inhabitable?  Only time will tell.

Lindler has given us an interesting story within the story, one that traces it roots to the past, which then also moves us to the future. His characters are both interesting and unique and the cultures he has developed could be very real in the future. There is a dream like aura that drifts around the entire story and you find yourself drawn in.

As Lindler moves us back to the home planet we find a changed world, and yet there is still hope. You are moved by the situation and the living conditions. The governing body hides a great deal from the people and encourage the continued consumption of synthetics.  You find yourself horrified by the differing agendas.

If you enjoy Science fiction, fantasy and romance you will want this book for your library. The individuals expand and grow as we move forward and there is a sense of renewal that is in the making. Fate seems to play a part and you will enjoy the interplay.

Rating 3/5

This work was received free through the Cadence Group and all opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

No Away by Jim Wygant

Article first published as Book Review: No Away by Jim Wygant on Blogcritics.

Economic Collapse, Global Warming, Environmental disasters, illness, and special enforcement squads are many of the things often in the news and talked about. What if much of this is true? How would we cope in a world where collapse is inevitable?

In No Away by Jim Wygant, the very world has become a nightmare of death and control. Adam Spence has done many things in his life he is not proud of including a few contract kills. Being a war veteran has not really prepared him for much, but he does the best he can to get by. When he makes a serious mistake he finds himself hunted by the new protectors of national security, a group that seems to see him as a huge threat. Running from these men that seem hell bent on finding him, he hides as best as he can. Trying to stay under the radar he meets a young barista that seems attracted to him. He is game, but does not understand her anger and finds her to be very short fused. Little of that seems to matter though as illness suddenly finds a hold. A strong flu like illness is taking the lives of many, and fear is becoming more prevalent.

As the sickness takes over, whole populations are decimated.  Soon only the strongest, those with the best survival skills begin to take charge.  Even with all of the destruction, Adam finds he is still a target. Racing across the country with his barista friend and another of her friends who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he finds that they are barely able to stay ahead of his pursuers.  As different groups vie for charge, he finds himself caught in the middle, not knowing which way to turn. Can he elude his pursuers and save these women, or will they fall victim to the killers stalking the countryside. Will Adam find out what he knows that the others are so avidly wanting? With no one to be accountable to, who will ride herd on those now in power?

Wygant has given us a dystopian world with just a bit of a twist. While an illness is responsible for the destruction of the peoples of the world, he has given us a game of cat and mouse, which begins before the ending, and continues through the fall. His protagonist is very pragmatic and slightly flawed, with just a bit of jaded reality. He is racing to save two young women he does not know, and running from a group that he thought he understood. However with the fall of power, he no longer comprehends what they want from him.

His pursuers have him in their sights, and they too no longer seem to know exactly what they want, but they are more than willing to pay for information to find him. There is a strange bit of madness in their calculation, an almost zombie like fascination with Adam and what they think he knows. The chase and capture is what is important and they continue moving forward even as their original reasoning no longer makes sense. The world has changed and each must now prepare for a new future and yet they are still in a strange sway that continues to pull them to his whereabouts.

Wygant’s world is interesting, and his characters are just as desperate and unguided as would be expected. There is a challenge for leadership and many pushing themselves forward trying to be the strongest. They prey on others and yet feel that it is their right, they must be the survivors at all costs. Sadly in a world where all is lost, there are those who continue to prey on the weak and use their skills for their own ends.

If you enjoy a good end of world thriller you will enjoy this work. The characters are strong and the setting is done well. The suspense keeps you turning the pages to see how it all ends.  Wygant has written another solid performer.

Rating 4/5

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Isadora DayStar by Loni Emmert & P.I. Barrington

Article first published as Book Review: Isadora DayStar by Loni Emmert & P.I. Barrington on Blogcritics.

The promise of youth and the possibilities to come are realized as often as not. But when things to not happen as planned and the choices made change the direction of that promise, can we ever get that first flush, that first possibility of life back?

In Isadora DayStar by Loni Emmert & P.I Barrington we are given the opportunity to follow the life of Isadora, a young woman with a shot at being great. Yet in one fell swoop, her life changes when under unforeseen circumstances she freezes in her duties, and those she is closest too are destroyed. Unable to bare the outcome and to live with her memories she cuts herself off from everyone and everything she knows. When she has an opportunity to try an illegal drug to wipe some memories clear, she is initially elated to find that it works.

However, soon she no longer controls her use, the drug controls her. In an effort to find the money to continue her curse, she becomes an assassin. The problems lies in her drug use, the drug takes her control, and when she does find work, she is the very worst at the game. There are those still willing to hire her though, she has made herself expendable. Little does she know that her new employer is sending her on a mission that will change her life? She will have to face her demons and pull herself together, or she will risk losing it all, including her own life. As she begins to see the shadows of who she once was, can she control her cravings and reach back to the promise that was hers from the beginning?

Emmert and Barrington have written a fantastic story, futuristic in scope and yet with many of the same trappings and problems of the world we live in today. Isadora is both a character of ridicule, and yet a possible hero as well. I found her character to have a bit of the Bruce Willis affect that appears in some of his Science Fiction movies. The bad guy–good guy effect. There is something in all that badness that you cannot help but admire, and it draws you to the character. Isadora is so human, and so full of self-remorse and bravado, there has to be more.

The worlds are very interesting and unique, and they hold that dangerous feel that adds a touch of excitement. The trappings of weaponry and travel in the future hold true to most of what is available in the genre today, and the story of a life close to ruin is found in tabloids everywhere. Add a young character into the fray who is much like Isadora was in her youth, Renan is a youth that is very believable. The aliens are well thought out, and the interaction and problems are just creepy enough to make you shiver.

There is a great deal of the here and now in this futuristic novel, the homelessness, the drugs, the idea of doing whatever it takes to get a hit, and the degradations that people are will to experience to stay high. There is something so raw that the story keeps you turning the pages.

I would recommend this work for those who enjoy Science Fiction, action and just anything a little out of the ordinary. The flow is easy to follow and the story is good. This is not a book for the young adult, and the themes are dark and often dangerous, but the glimmer of hope shows though.

Rating 4/5

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Drayling by Terry J. Newman

Article first published as Book Review: Drayling by Terry J. Newman on Blogcritics.

The future often seems tied to peace and the efforts we make to develop such an accord. Fantasy novels often take us in varying directions, revealing a future world where in some cases a utopia occurrs or in others where the end of the world is the outcome. Each novel identifies the aftermath in various ways.

In Drayling by Terry J. Newman, we follow an extremely interesting scenario, where peace did reign supreme. Drayling, an area in Britain–in the future–is a peaceful and interesting place to live. Each of the area governments has their own part in making the transition smooth and to continue success. While a national government is in process, there are also groups of ordinary citizens that do their part to hold on to that success. Part of the success is that the differing areas do not communicate or compete thereby helping to continue in a peaceful existence. When the premier dies under suspicious circumstances, the death creates a change at the head of the national government, that seems to change the way everything is being done, and secrecy seems to sneak into the fray. All of a sudden the local governments find their hands tied, and uneasiness prevails.

Uri Graves is the local historian and recently became a Worthy, one of those consulted with questions. His intelligence is unquestionable and he is held in high regard by the townspeople as well as the other Worthy’s with whom he has become friends. Hi children are well adjusted and his son Marius has also been making a name for himself with his interest and studies.

When the changes to government begin to affect the lives of the people, first with the lies and then the disruption, the reprisal is not far behind. In an effort to make their concerns known, 16 young men are killed, by a security force that is unheard of in the world of Dunstan Heathfield, the founder of the utopia which now exists. His diplomacy achieved what violence could not. Now all of his teaching seemed to be set aside. Could a small group of ordinary people do what it took to protect their way of life? As they begin a mission of danger and suspense, can they reduce the damage being wrought? Will their disobedience and secrecy save their way of life, or distort it even further.

The characters are so laid back and positive, the story seemed to flow effortlessly. The government while a bit strange, seemed to have heralded a long lived peace, and yet appears to have held some of its own secrets, as it seems many governments do. The small group of individuals must make choices, but they must also trust, which does not seem as easy as it once was. Finding the right people to help them in their mission, they must also find those who feel as they do. Knowledge of computers is a must, and a strong will to do the right thing, whatever it takes also tops the list. Uri and his son Marius are smack in the middle of this conspiracy.
I really enjoyed the premise of the book. Newman do an excellent job of fleshing out a government that made sense, and his characters were quite real. With just a bit of over the top belief in what they learned, they also have a tough time realizing that everything may not be as they believed. The response from the outsiders, those from the other areas were possibly a little too honest, especially with the lack of address between the groups in the past. However, again trust was one of the main themes and with just a bit of explanation, there seemed to be an abundance of trust with little knowledge. The trust itself, in their own government also seems to have been a problem, never questioning, just accepting the information as they knew it. Yet this group was ready to fight to retain what they loved, their way of life. It is part of what people do best.

I would recommend this book for the science fiction fan, as well as those who appreciate a good story. The background leading up to the fracas is well written and thought out. If you enjoy history, even the fabricated stuff, you will also find this an interesting read. I believe it would be an excellent book for a discussion group; the intricacies of the belief system would be great fodder to discuss.

Rating 4/5

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Deflated Generation by Christopher S. Bell

I find books that deal with the end of the world somewhat ironic. Obviously it has not ended or we would not be engaged in reading a story about the aftermath. Many do however; deal with the end of the word as we know it, which is an altogether different thing. In The Deflated Generation by Christopher S. Bell we follow the lives of two different groups who have somehow managed connect with others for short amounts of time, often to ill effect.

Each set of characters is looking for a way to make sense in a world, mostly empty of adult guidance and an oddly energized yet laid back existence. Coming of age in such an empty world is difficult and deciding to move and find others offers a ray of hope. Each faction is aware of their own mortality, the aftermath of the destruction left them all with damages, those small invisible forces working from the inside and on chromosomes, leaving damages no one else could see. Knowledge of the damage and resulting aftermath creates a dangerous place to those who still maintain their sanity and care about living and moving.

Maggie Strayer is trying to patch her life together, and she is as amazed as the rest of the town when Mitchell Graft, one of the older residents, just ups and leaves without telling anyone. It is scary and out of the norm. Not everyone remembers the war, or the horrible things that happened after, but Mitchell was one of the survivors. We follow the life of these two survivors separately as they try to find purchase in a world torn apart.

Waiting at all times for something further to happen, alcohol and drugs including marijuana is the choice to help most of those left, through the day. Even those forms of refuge do not offer them any feeling of safety. After Mitchell leaves, some of the others decide to take a chance to see what else is out there, if there is a better place, with more hope. Rumors of other pockets of population are rife. Can Maggie and her friends find a new hope in a different city? And will they ever find out what happened to Mitchell?

I have read Christopher’s work before and found his humor to be quite amazing. I, however, struggled through this story. I had difficulty deciphering which group was interacting at the time, the changeover often happened a little too abruptly. I did not really get the gist of the story and found it to be a bit depressing. Murder, theft, drugs and alcohol seemed to be involved throughout. While hooking up and dating are common in our society, and will always be, it seemed a bit more desperate and oddly uninspiring in a world where most of the inhabitants lived under a cloud. Both of continued possibilities of further damage and the actual cloud of being high seemed way more eventful.

Danger was found just about everywhere, life did not seem to have much meaning. I could see where this could become a possible cult type of fiction, after all I did not really get Pulp Fiction either, but this was not the book for me.

Rating 2/5
 
This book was received as a free copy from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.