This is a book created by an expert writer of Nonfiction who has little idea how a novel should be structured. The result is a tip of the hat to Apocalyptic Sci-fi, but the reality is a fascinating textbook on up-to-date advances in the ecological sciences. It is also a great character study of a […]
“Cartel Incorporated: The Ballad of James Layne” by Jeff Laschuck
I have given this novel a high rating, not because it is deathless literature, but because it delivers exactly what it promises. It is aimed at young male readers interested in violent and antisocial digital games like “Grand Theft Auto.” However, it doesn’t fall into the trap of trying to mimic a game. This is […]
“The work of Restless Nights” by M. Weald
This novel is a beautifully complex peek at what our robot-laden future might hold. Unfortunately, it is flawed in presentation, which reduces the enjoyment of the read. My first problem is imperfect grammar and punctuation. Readers interested in this advanced style of writing are also aware when “lie, lay and laid” are mixed up. They […]
”Radical Encounter” by William Kaufmann
There are no fixed rules about writing books, but some guidelines work because…well, they work. And one of the normally accepted guidelines is that main characters have to be instigators. They act. They do not allow themselves to be acted upon. And it is only when an author breaks this rule that we understand why […]
“Up, Up and Away” by Vance Huxley
I have reviewed several of Vance Huxley’s books, and I am always impressed by the breadth of his creativity. However, I have also had occasion to call attention to certain slips in the area of writing form. So, while I enjoyed this book immensely, it is my duty to inform other readers to be prepared […]
“Sidus, the First of His Kind” by Dan Sugralinov
This book is Action-Adventure Sci-Fi influenced by digital battle games. As such, it contains careful attention to details of mechanics, science, and weaponry, and less attention to individuality of character. In fact, there is even a little too much time spent on people in the prologue, a flashback where none of the characters neatly revealed […]
“The Precipice” by Shawn Inmon
One of the criteria when judging a post-apocalypse novel is how much thought the author has put into the veracity of the fall of civilization, and the logic of what happens next. Mr. Inmon excels at this aspect of the genre, perhaps to a fault. But more on that later. The opening mob scene plays […]
“The Death of Definitivity” by Inch Distant
This book is in a Sci-Fi subgenre by itself: it is an experimental extrapolation, using present-day medical/psychiatric/technological and media advancements, of what might be waiting for humanity in the future. As an example, the book refers to Inch Distant as a character in the third person. The ideas are the primary topic, the plot secondary. […]
“Dragon Springs and Other Things” by Raven Oak
This is a book containing a small number of longer stories which are not quite novellas. The subject matter is always some alternate reality, whether Sci-Fi or Fantasy, and the ideas are always worth thinking about. What the reader notices immediately is the author’s skill at jumping into the story right away, while bringing us […]
“Eclipse” by Herman Steuernagel
“Eclipse” starts out like a standard Space Opera, in the middle of a thrilling escape from an exploding spaceship. Once the story starts, though, it is light on the science end, with the setting element concentrated on visual descriptions of the vessels, living spaces and clothing styles of this future environment. The emotional content of […]