science fiction | Lost in a Good Book

Reho (#1) by D. L. Denham

10 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Science Fiction Tags: d. l. denham, ebook, four stars, science fiction

Published: 30th July 2014
Publisher: BlackHats Publishing
Pages: 334
Format: ebook
Genre: Science Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Nuclear war destroyed the OldWorld. But that was just the beginning. During humanity’s darkest hour, an ancient alien race struck, waging a two-year war with Earth’s survivors. Having lost, humankind scattered, waiting for the day to reclaim their planet.

Reho, a young, survival-hardened man wandering the Blastlands of Usona, searches for redemption as he teams up with a motley merchant crew on their way to deliver OldWorld GPS devices to New Afrika. Haunted by his past, Reho must discover the truth about his own origins while thrown headfirst into a war that will not only alter his future, but the future of all humankind.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review

Having not read the prelude Red Denver, I knew nothing about Reho or about this world. It did not matter though, the story is intriguing and as you read you slowly understand what this world is like and the history of its people and past events. Denham writes in a way that gradually pulls you into the story, slowly bringing you into the world that has been created and the characters that fill it. I found it hard to stop reading once I started; wanting to know what was going to happen and wanting to find answers to the numerous mysteries that had been raised.

Information is given out as needed, mixing it together fluidly within the narrative and character thoughts freeing us from long information paragraphs making it seem very natural. The added bonus of this is also you get information and explanation at appropriate times and relevant to current scenes. You pick up on hints and clues, using references and descriptions to piece things together, but you are also given intentional history as well. This makes the narrative even better because while the story grabs you early on and sparks your interest, having a seamless story as well while still giving readers all the information they need is wonderful.

As a character Reho is quite likeable. He is young but tough, having survived on his own for years and often having to fight his way out of situations. In a post invasion, war-like world it is every man for himself, especially in the Blastlands. Reho has become hard and tired, but when he tries to return to his home it isn’t like it was before he left. With no real idea about where he is going, he teams up with a merchant crew, helping them deliver goods to New Afrika.

Through the book Reho’s nature softens a little, not a lot, but enough, no doubt from his engagement with other people that isn’t fighting, working with others, and finding pretty women to talk to. Reho is highlighted early on for being different, but for reasons neither he nor the reader fully understands yet. But through his travels and the experiences Reho has, along with the numerous people he meets and joins forces with, it soon becomes clear just who Reho is and what his role is in the ongoing war to take back what the alien invasion has taken from humankind.

There are great, unexpected things in this story, not even huge twists exactly, but you never know what is going to happen and it makes the story exciting because anything could be in the next chapter and characters can say and do anything. Plans change, things are revealed, and what you thought you knew you no longer are sure of. The post invasion world Denham has created is fascinating with each settlement so different from one another and it shows how adaptable humans can be, but also how different people react to things and how they cope.

Along with helping the others, Reho has a mystery of his own to solve, and new ones come up the more he is exposed to other places. Denham always seems to give you something to look forward to, whether it is a new city, or finding out whether someone survives an attack, but also in the long run you look forward to finding out about the big picture, and what answers it will bring. There is a great feeling of suspense and anticipation as well that drives you towards the ending, with no way of knowing what is to come and it leaves you wanting more after the last page. This is a story that offers hope to its characters and the reader, but not without consequence, and it shows you that war is war and there are going to be casualties and costs.

If you don’t read the prelude, Reho is still a great introduction to the Hegemon Wars series. There is a fulfilling understanding and establishment of the history and the world, with character that are all unique, complicated, and mysterious as well as a conclusion that leaves you satisfied but eager for more. From what Denham has given us so far this series could go anywhere and I look forward to finding out where that is.

Dangerous Reflections (#1) by Shay West

25 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Adventures of Alexis Davenport, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: adventures of alexis davenport, ebook, historical, science fiction, shay west, three stars, young adult

Published: 17th June 2014
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Pages: 214
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Historical/Science Fiction
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Alexis Davenport wants to go home. She hates her new school, her mother for moving her away from her friends, and her father for walking out.

To make matters worse, Alex is haunted by images of strange girls reflected in her mirror. It’s bad enough juggling homework, a relentless bully, boys, and a deadbeat dad; now, she must save the world from an evil presence hell-bent on changing the past – and our futures. Who knew her A+ in history was going to be this important?

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

I like the concept that West has created, it is clever, interesting, and has room to grow and develop. Trying to find out why someone is trying to alter history and change key moments in time is fascinating in itself, but added with the fact Alex is the one to stop them, a girl unaware of her abilities and thrown into this situation makes it an intriguing read. I enjoyed the gradual progression into discovering Alex’s abilities. Starting slow allows a believable development in the emergence of her gift and it also makes it a good introduction for the reader. Once Alex understands more so does the reader, and allows the narrative to move on and increases the enjoyment of the story that one step further. This progression ends when Alex is physically drawn in through the mirror and finds herself out of her own time and out of her own body. Alex is pulled against her will into history, not knowing where she will end up or why.

There is no real introduction into Alex’s abilities, we are confused just like she is, but she handles it surprisingly well. Whether her love of history trumps the fear of what has occurred, or even an ingrained sense of her abilities I don’t know. I think also that when you are living something, regardless of when or where, you get caught up in the situation, something which is evident in the events of not just Alex’s first journey but the others as well. It isn’t until she returns and has time to process that she can reflect on what has happened.

Alex’s ability to travel into the past is not the sole focus of the story. The novel starts with Alex and her mother moving to live with her aunt after her father leaves. This gives us an introduction into Alex and the anger she feels towards her mother and the inconvenience she believes it has added to her life. These feelings balance out somewhat, rearing their head on occasion, but it isn’t long before Alex settles in with new friends and learns to like her new town.

The two sides of the story are not connected by anything other than Alex at this point. Alex is still a regular girl trying to get through high school, survive bullies, and get the attention of the boy she likes. There is a message about self confidence and being yourself, as well as the troubles of being a teenager, especially a fifteen year old girl, trying to fit in. It is sad in the beginning watching Alex try to be a different person, trying to be the person she thought she should be but it’s nice watching this attitude change as the book goes on. Alex experiences new things through her time in the past and gains confidence in herself to be who she is and not worry about what others think.

Having said that she is still prone to the temper tantrums and hissy fits she has in the beginning. I understood Alex’s sullen and angry nature at the beginning when we are told about her dad and the move, but she falls into the whiny teenager very quickly when things don’t go her way. I understand there are factors such as bullying that lead to a few of these, but they seem so extreme and a little childish, not like a teenage outburst at all. I felt that when she got upset about something she almost changed personalities. She doesn’t seem selfish or childish until things don’t go her way and when this happens it doesn’t seem to fit.

I can’t put my finger on it but the writing style didn’t always sit right either. I liked the story when Alex is in the past, the writing feels natural and runs smoothly, but when it came to her everyday life something seemed off, maybe a little bit stilted, it wasn’t enough that it threw you off the story but I did notice a difference. I don’t think that was intentional, certainly the story itself was interesting though you could almost claim the story rushed in places, but perhaps it is because we stay more within Alex’s thoughts rather than alternating to others like her mother and her friends’ thoughts at times.

As I say, when she is in the past or discussing her journeys it is very engaging. The more often Alex goes on these journeys the better she gets at coping and you are able to see that she is learning. She gains more memories of the person she inhabits, hones in on her skills and adapts more easily. In West’s writing you are also able to see the smooth blending of Alex’s mind and the other person’s. She alternates effortlessly between her memories and those of the host, and she inhabits the body well, allowing you to accept for a moment she is actually the other person, not just Alex’s spirit inside another person.

West also gives us a small insight into the other side of the story, the perspective of the man trying to change history. Nothing is given away, but through hints and clues, and combined with what Alex learns the puzzle can be pieced together, but is still nowhere near complete. I like that this is added in the first book, it is a tease of what is happening and gives us a mystery to hang on to besides total uncertainty or having to wait for further books to know more.

What I liked with West’s writing was the way we often understand things after the fact. Through Alex’s journeys and the numerous perspectives, you are able to gain a small understanding about what is happening. Seeing the “villain’s” point on view offers some information, but Alex also helps us understand as she tries to make sense of it to herself. We also learn a little about Alex’s gift through others, but we aren’t told, West lets us piece it together, and even then there are a lot of unanswered questions.

There is a lot more I could say about this book, there is a lot going on from both sides of Alex’s life that are worth mentioning but I would end up with an essay. I enjoyed both sides of Alex’s life and see a great start to a series forming, certainly one that captures the modern and historical. I have no doubt we will learn a lot more about Alex and the mysterious man in the next book and it is evident West has created a premise that is intriguing enough to make you want to keep reading. With a cliff hanger of sorts West leaves enough open ends to tempt you but also enough answers to satisfy you with a creative concept that not only mystifies, but requires a solution and an explanation not just for the characters, but for the readers as well.

Purchase Dangerous Reflections via the following

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Flash (The Forever Saga #1) by Sean C. Sousa

18 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Science Fiction Tags: adventure, ebook, four stars, science fiction, sean c. sousa

Published: September 24th 2012
Publisher: Epical Media
Pages: 388
Format: ebook
Genre: Science Fiction/Adventure
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Long ago, the first reign of Grigori Geist nearly destroyed the Earth. Returned from exile, Geist is secretly rebuilding his kingdom beneath Antarctica, and assembling his robotic Vaucan race to conquer mankind. Only one obstacle remains: the war hero Brian Renney.

Yet Brian is now losing a battle against his fears. Scars of heart and mind linger in the Vietnam veteran and retired coach, fueling nightmares that leave him abrasive as a husband and father. His failures embitter his youngest son, Jason – a star athlete torn between pursuing the woman he loves, and meeting the demands of a father who is far from the storied Army captain he once was.

And all the while, Geist is coming for them.

Against an ancient tyrant and his servants, Brian and Jason must face a threat that plagues the world from deep shadows…and gain an ally who, once meant for evil, will forever be a force for good.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review

As an introduction to a series, its characters, and its world Sousa has done a good job, there is a lot of information given about Geist as well as Brian’s family, but not so much that there is nowhere to go in terms of discovery. By not knowing why Geist is interested in Brian all there is to do is wonder and speculate and see where the story will go. I know there is a great story starting in this series, but I have to say I loved the characters the most, Brian and Jason especially. Jason as a character was one I automatically liked, he was fun, real, funny but serious when needed to be. Brian on the other hand took a bit of warming up to but I soon had a lot of compassion for him, and a touch of sympathy.

The contrast between Brian and Jason’s stories are interesting. While Brian’s seems important on a larger scale, the everyday nature of Jason’s makes for an engaging read as well. Alessa, his hockey, and everyday things help you connect with him and his problems, it is a great balance against Brian’s and gives you something entertaining to read alongside this grander storyline. Jason’s story also gives you an insight into Brian’s as well, working off one another and helping to develop well rounded characters not just for the two of them, but those around them.

Sousa is very good at establishing character. No matter whose perspective we were following, or which character was present you are able to get a great sense of who they are as people. Characters are real and complicated, and with realistic interactions and reactions in multiple scenarios it made them enjoyable to read about. We are shown more than just Brian and Jason’s point of view, some only fleeting, and not all of them in great detail, but even so it lets us see a little more into who they are.

Relationships are a key focus in this story and the relationships between each character were great to read; the strained relationship between Jason and Brian, Mary’s forgiving nature but slightly frustrated approach to her marriage, not to mention the honest friendship that is evident between Jason and his roommates. I actually found myself initially more interested in the day to day of these characters than the storyline about Geist, even though one often was the cause of another, but as the narrative picked up its pace there was a cross over that brought the two storylines together giving it another element and raised my interest.

Sousa also uses the environment well to get us to understand his characters. Whether it is Jason and his hockey games, Brian’s nightmares, or even just the events surrounding Flash and Geist, they all help to understand the characters more in a natural and realistic way than narrative explanations alone. I have to say I admired Brian, he is a guy who is struggling with himself and his demons. He takes it out on his family and gets frustrated with himself for his failings. Through Brian’s nightmares and his self reprimand we are able to understand more of his past and how the battles he has faced have shaped the man we are introduced to. Gradually you can see improvements in his nature as he starts to mend but it is not without its struggles.

There are many moments in this book where you can see Brian’s true nature and inner conflict, but what I think was the best, sweetest, and saddest was when he is at the electronics store. No spoilers but in such a simple scene Brian’s approach to life and his self worth is captured and you really understand who he is. There are other moments where this is possible, but that was one that was such a mix of emotions that I thought gave Brian hope, before he took it away from himself.

Sousa provides information to the readers using events in the story; giving cause for there to be information provided. He works it into the narrative well without it feeling unnatural or only there for reader benefit. Understanding the vaucan Flash and his abilities is one of these instances where we are given an explanation of each of his skills which works within the story and doesn’t feel like it is being explained for our benefit alone. Sousa blends the information we need with the required story and together it makes it interesting as well as seamless.

At the start of the story it feels like there are two separate stories happening side by side, unconnected. And in a way they are, two separate lines that start on their journey but you know they are connected due to hints and references, you just don’t know how yet so you wait for them to come together and start following the same path. When this inevitable cross in storyline occurs, there still appears to be two separate stories, but they are now slowly becoming more connected, though there is still an element of mystery. It is interesting and you easily get caught up in one before switching back to the other, they do not merge exactly, more like overlap then carry on simultaneously. After awhile it doesn’t feel like we are being told the story, we are simply watching the events unfold and act as observers. This is a great technique and one that Sousa pulls of rather well.

Overall the narrative is interesting, the Geist and Flash story is clearly going to develop but this works as a great introduction, enough is revealed to help you understand but there is room to grow and expand further. By the end we are given answers to some things while not others, and when anything is possible you are not always sure how things will play out but you look forward to finding out.

Outshine by Nola Decker

12 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, General, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: ebook, five stars, nola decker, science fiction, young adult

Today I am taking part in the Outshine Blog Tour thanks to Sage’s Blog Tours! For more information about the author there are multiple links below for you to check out!

Author Bio

Nola Decker is the only writer in Seattle who doesn’t drink coffee. She makes up for her happy and healthy childhood by writing stories in which terrible things happen to young people. She loves salted caramel anything and Fridays.

Published: 11th April 2014
Publisher: 7 Sparks Press
Pages: 324
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

When agoraphobic Gabe and his outgoing nemesis Jessa go on a moonlit road trip to locate Gabe’s missing brother, the two teens discover they are both hiding unnatural abilities: Gabe is a living lie detector and Jessa is a kick-ass powerhouse pretending to be a delicate diva.

Gabe’s sole reason for searching for Watts, his hot-tempered younger brother, is to clear his own name: he’s been framed for Watts’ alleged murder. Jessa is after Watts because she is, well, after him.

They find him with Deacon, the twisted eugenicist. He encourages them to stay and join his “Family” where they’ll be able to live openly as the genetically-modified freaks that they are. When Jessa and Gabe uncover the truth about Deacon’s past–and what he wants for the future–they band together to stop him.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review

Books like Outshine that start off great and only get greater are the little gems in the book world. I loved this book, I loved the concept and the idea behind what was happening and I loved everything from the start of the book until the final page. It is a great story that grabs you from the moment you start, not in exciting drama or anything initially, but through the characters, it’s their voice and their actions that keep you reading. It grabs you, holds you and it only tightens its grip the further you read.

While the synopsis is good, and got me interested in the story, it isn’t until you start reading you realise it doesn’t prepare you for the story you are actually going to get. Not in a hugely different way, it is basically the same, but there is a lot more going on than you are led to believe. Whether I misread the summary the first time I don’t know, but the story I got was so much more amazing than I thought it would be. I am not going to say much because it will ruin the surprises but I will say that I loved the world that Decker created, I loved the story she has created, and I loved all the characters she filled it with.

The two main characters are Gabe and Jessa. The contrast between Gabe and Jessa are excellent, and their story only gets more interesting as you go as hints, surprises, and twists are dropped here and there. You learn more about who Gabe and Jessa are, the secrets they have had to hide, and the toll it has taken on their lives and how they see themselves as people.

Gabe is a great character, he has the potential to come across as quite bitter and could be really cynical, and you could claim that he is, but it doesn’t make him a solely depressing character that you don’t get attached to. Decker makes you care for him and feel concerned for him. Being inside his head makes you understand why he is how he is and the further you get through the story you understand a lot more.

Jessa on the other hand has a few secrets of her own, with different abilities comes a different coping mechanism and she takes a different path than Gabe, one that appears to be idyllic on the outside. It isn’t until we get to see a little more of Jessa’s thoughts and point of view you learn that not everything is as it appears to be and she is hiding more than just one secret.

One of the things I loved was the clever way Gabe and Jessa’s abilities were presented; they are explained well and executed skilfully, they seem natural and real and completely believable. Altering between Gabe and Jessa’s perspective is a great move because it allows the reader to get inside the head of each person and explore their abilities. With each trying to hide their abilities, an internal struggle and debate is what is needed to tell this kind of story well, creating compassion for characters and sympathy when needed. By switching between the two voices more can be conveyed than sole first person or even third person, it allows us to be in the minds of both key characters, balancing the narration and exploring two very different experiences that have a common origin and goal.

I do not know whether there is going to be a second book; personally I would love to keep reading about Gabe and Jessa, not to mention the world they live in. There was a moment in the story where I thought it was hinting at the possibility but even if there isn’t going to be any more books about them there is enough in this story to keep you satisfied. By the end of it there is a great sense of completion and a conclusion that leaves you contented, if not a little bittersweet, but there is also an air of uncertainty and mystery as well which generates a great feeling of untold possibilities in your mind.

I loved that the story never went where I was expecting it to, there were surprises and twists, but even if they weren’t always huge, they were fascinating to read. The unexpected nature and the uniqueness of each character made this story great. I could not put this book down, I did not want this book to finish, and by the time I was done I was a little bit emotional. It was wonderful.

All Your Bits and Pieces Needs

Freak of Nature (IFICS #1) by Julia Crane

22 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, IFICS, Science Fiction, Young Adult Tags: ebook, five stars, IFICS, julia crane, science fiction, young adult

Published: 9th January 2013
Publisher: Valknut Press
Pages: 284
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

Note: I was provided a copy for review

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

*For mature teens due to some sexual content.

I really enjoyed this book. The story Crane has created and the characters and environment she has developed is one that is not only engaging, but also one that keeps you reading. I found it very hard to put this book down, always wanting to keep the story going, follow where the narrative was taking me and what these characters were doing.

What I often find myself thinking about with books is whether they are plot driven or character driven. I am tempted to say this is character driven, but coupled with this is an equally interesting plot. As you read you become invested in Kaitlyn, all her thoughts, her attempt to hide the fact she has emotions from those around her, and the conflicts she has dealing with her new technology filled body. You also discover Kaitlyn has been designed for a purpose, and we gradually discover what that purpose is. The balance between plot and character is excellent and Crane manages to use both to draw the reader along at just the appropriate moments.

The pace of the novel is well executed; there is a gradual build up filled with interest, curiosity, and even minor suspense. The narrative is one that while it seems not a lot is going on, a lot is, and as a result it pulls you along and you want to know what is happening, what has happened, and what will happen.

The narrative focus switches from Kaitlyn to Lucas on occasion, something which is also balanced well. You don’t need a lot of Lucas’ point of view to tell the story, Kaitlyn’s is the perspective that you want to follow, but Lucas provides readers with the other side, how people view Kaitlyn not just how she views and acts around them. One of the great aspects of Crane’s writing is how she has demonstrated the robotic aspects of Kaitlyn and how they conflict or differ from the human mind that has remained. The duality is clearly shown but there is no overload on technical aspects, but there also isn’t so little that you forget they are there or that make the story seem unconvincing.

What I enjoyed most about reading Crane’s story was Kaitlyn’s character. Kaitlyn is interesting because despite the fact she has emotions, she is not entirely human, there is a lot of technology that makes up her system and this is evident in her conversations with people, how she interprets certain situations around her, and how her body responds. She is highly logical and with the mind of a machine she is able to act and interpret things quickly, but there is still a part of her that is unable to fully grasp all of the human and social complexities. While she has the emotions of a human, she lacks the capacity to fully understand their meaning, and while she understands the language just fine, the confusion regarding colloquialisms and slang remind us that she is still mostly machine and that certain phrases and actions have no meaning to her. The best comparison I could come up with was it is like understanding the language but not the local phrases, while also seeing the entire human race as a foreign species. It is wonderfully done.

I liked the ending, it was a slight surprise but it made sense, it suited the story. It rounded off the entire novel well and leaves room to continue into the next book. Crane has done a wonderful job with this novel, she manages to explore a great idea through great writing and great characters in a way that even in the last few chapters keep you guessing and learning more and by the end leaves you eager to see where the next book will lead.

Purchase Fatal Abduction via the following

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