1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
About ten years ago, I came down with a strange malady. I was exhausted and had to spend most of the time in bed. No doctor could help. While I was slowly recovering, I thought “Wouldn’t it be interesting if you could see the past through the eyes of an ancestor.” I played around with story ideas and settled on a satisfying ending, which I will not reveal for obvious reasons. Once I knew the ending, I crafted the plot to get there. Sometimes, all a writer needs is time to think.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I love stories with adventure where characters travel to exotic places and make great discoveries. My lead character, Brooke, is a young scientist who has to battle not only at her present-day university, but also in the rather uncomfortable middle ages. I love history, and I researched diligently before writing. Don’t worry, though, I only used the most interesting bits of what I learned.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Brooke faces many obstacles on her long quest, but she persists. Perseverance even against established authority (maybe especially against them) is a major theme.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve been reading science fiction and doing research since the age of eight. Science is my first love and my lifelong passion. By profession, I am a professor of mechanical engineering. Write what you know is the old adage for writers. I’m following that.
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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would like to know more about Prof. Hunter, Brooke’s thesis adviser. Hunter reveals nothing personal about herself, yet she is a key person in Brooke’s life. College students do sometimes wonder who that “sage on the stage” is who has been assigned to teach them. Hunter is also the most unpredictable character during the novel. Who is she, anyway? Does she have a family, a dog, a secret life??
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’ve gotten some traction on Facebook, that lumbering giant. I started with family and friends and then used their advertising platform. Goodreads has been helpful as well. I just did an interview on Narrated, a podcast about audio books. I listen to podcasts every day, and I’m not alone.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
I’ve spent time (before COVID) at writer’s conventions getting the lay of the land. Other writers are very helpful in sharing their stories and giving you hints. I liked some advice and not others, but I was always enriched by it. When I was just starting, I was reluctant to share my ideas with anyone before I had everything written out. That was a mistake. Feedback is key. I am now brave enough to share first drafts with my writer’s group.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m working on the second draft of my fourth novel, a tale about colonizing Mars. As usual, the story has a twist. While the astronauts are heading on the first trip to Mars, a blockbuster asteroid strikes Earth. Who’s in more trouble – the astronauts or the ones left behind? Well… I’m still writing!
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About the Author
I am a traveler, an explorer, and a dreamer. My fiction takes you to exotic places that I love and treats you to new ideas to chew on. Before my writing career, I was immersed in scientific research, working at General Electric, RPI, and the National Science Foundation, so it may not surprise you that my science fiction is of the hard variety – striving for internal consistency and (more or less) realistic possibilities. You can count on me for an adventure with a satisfying ending.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A veteran must enter a virtual world called Warspace to find the woman he loves before her psyche can be lost to the warped reality of the world’s creator in author Jay Rodan’s “Warspace”.
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The Synopsis
James Ward, a haunted veteran of the Last War, ekes out a living as a wrestler in the flooded remains of Miami, fighting cybernetic human-insect hybrids on rooftops for cash. There, he meets and falls in love with the artist and thief, Ana dos Santos, amid the post-war debris littering the lagoon. Their happiness is short-lived. When Miami is invaded by a fanatical foreign power, Ana refuses to be forced back to a life she has left behind, and downloads her mind into a digital replica of reality, a secretive online war-game environment called Warspace. Vowing to find her, Ward volunteers for Warspace as a soldier, hoping to locate Ana’s psyche before she is lost forever in the simulation. As Ward goes deeper into this mind-bending mirror-world, he learns that it’s begun to behave according to the eccentric whims of its unstable creator, and that finding Ana – already a daunting task – has become a matter of personal, possibly global, survival.
The Review
The author did an incredible job of crafting a futuristic sci-fi noir thriller that will have readers’ hearts pumping from the outset. The imagery and atmosphere the author used in their writing allowed the reader to feel transported to both the dystopian Miami of the “real world” and the Warspace digital setting that brought the chaos and tension the author’s world needed to further the narrative.
The rich character dynamics and world-building the author captured in this narrative felt vibrant and cinematic in its delivery. The emotional connection Ward makes with Ana keeps readers invested in the narrative, and the visceral atmosphere this tech-fueled sci-fi story brings to life highlights the powerful themes of the rise of technology such as the Metaverse that both highlights the infinite possibilities that reality has to offer while also showing the dangers that follow.
The Verdict
Captivating, haunting, and entertaining, author Jay Rodan’s “Warspace” is a must-read sci-fi thriller! The twists and turns the narrative takes and the action-fueled world the characters are thrust into highlight the dangers and enemies lurking within this technological world, and the emotional bond between the protagonists will have readers invested as the final pages leave them breathless and eager for more from this talented author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Jay Rodan is a screenwriter, producer, novelist, and actor. He was born in Durban, South Africa to a Scottish father and South African mother. Their nomadic lifestyle meant he was raised in London, Edinburgh, Vancouver, including a stint in an ashram in India while following a guru. In 2006 he moved to Los Angeles, where he now lives with his wife Kayt Jones and their three daughters. He has appeared in multiple independent films with directors Kasi Lemmons, Franco Zeffirelli, Bernardo Bertolucci, and others. He starred as Marc Anthony in TNT’s Julius Ceasar opposite Christopher Walken, and on ITV’s hit soap Footballer’s Wives opposite Joan Collins. As a writer-producer he has sold TV shows to ABC, AMC, and NBC, and has written feature films for LucasFilm, Filmnation, Thunder Road, and others. He performed an uncredited rewrite of the Ghost in the Shell reboot starring Scarlett Johansson (Universal, 2017). He was nominated by the Writer’s Guild of America in 2013 and 2014 for creating and writing the multi-award-winning web series Lauren. He owns and oversees a production company that has produced extensive commercial work for a wide variety of clients, including the 2019 Webby-nominated Moncler digital campaign featuring Sophia the Robot of Hanson Robotics, the first robot given legal personhood anywhere in the world.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman finds herself thrown into a maelstrom when an accidental invention of the time machine sends her hurdling backward in time to the 4th Crusades, living in the body of an ancient ancestor in medieval Constantinople in author Deborah Kaminski’s “Damian’s Workshop”.
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The Synopsis
Brooke didn’t expect to invent a time machine. But when she is cast into the body of a distant ancestor, she sees every scene, hears every sound, and feels every pleasure…. and pain. She should be finishing her college degree, but the distant past calls to her. Bit by bit, she learns about medieval life, until she realizes her new family is directly in the path of the Fourth Crusade. Set alternately in a modern day university and medieval Constantinople, Brooke’s struggle is filled with adventure, romance, science, history, and a touch of deception. It all comes together in the finale, where past and present collide.
The Review
This was a brilliant display of multi-genre mashups coming together in the most natural and exciting way possible. The blend of historical fiction and sci-fi brought similar feelings and emotions that fans of Assassin’s Creed feel, getting the rich culture and history of the past with the more modern science fiction and cutting-edge tech that brings our ancestors to the contemporary world in a unique way.
The author’s use of imagery and atmosphere really drove the narrative forward. The rich settings and unique displays of both past and present cultures and behaviors amongst the cast of characters really highlighted the evolution of this family line and the human race overall. Yet at the end of the day, the narrative shined best when the character development was focused on. Between Brooke’s modern-day outlook on life clashing with her exploration of the past and Damian’s struggles in the past, the intimacy, and heart of this narrative were found in human relationships more than anything else, allowing the more spectacular elements of the story to shine brightly.
The Verdict
Thrilling, engaging, and heartfelt, author Deborah Kaminski’s “Damian’s Workshop” is a must-read sci-fi and historical fiction thriller novel. The historical accuracy and settings did a great job of balancing the rich character dynamics and relationships that made the story feel relatable and entertaining. The twists and turns will keep readers hooked on this developing narrative until the book’s final page. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
I am a traveler, an explorer, and a dreamer. My fiction takes you to exotic places that I love and treats you to new ideas to chew on. Before my writing career, I was immersed in scientific research, working at General Electric, RPI, and the National Science Foundation, so it may not surprise you that my science fiction is of the hard variety – striving for internal consistency and (more or less) realistic possibilities. You can count on me for an adventure with a satisfying ending.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
As Earth’s climate threatens to collapse and the Oberlynn family’s next generation looks to settle on Mars and beyond, an old frenemy from the family’s ancient past reemerges in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “The Infinite Frontier”, the third book in The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series.
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The Synopsis
The Oberllyns must weather the breaking up of the family network as fully half of the worldwide family decides to immigrate to the Mars colony. While the Oberllyn Think Tank struggles to get the colony on Mars to be safe, independent of outside influence, and self-sufficient, Micah, Kai, and Sir Alex have their hands full trying to stop the imminent collapse of the earth’s climate. They find a most unexpected mind behind it all, an old frenemy of the family. How do you destroy someone who’s been dead 300 years?
The Review
This was a brilliant and incredibly powerful story. The powerful character growth that the author deploys into this narrative is well done, as the reader is treated to some shocking returns and callbacks to earlier books in this saga. The action and suspense do an amazing job of blending with the imagery in the author’s writing to paint an incredibly vivid image of the multiple worlds that this story inhabits.
Honestly, the story sticks out amongst the rest of this trilogy for many reasons, but the main reason is the author’s use of both sci-fi and historical fiction elements in the narrative. The author shines best when these genres are mashed up, as both the history of this fictional world and real-world history play such a dynamic role in the story. The themes of classism and racism that character interactions between antagonistic characters and members of the Oberlynn family are widely felt, and the shocking inclusion of historical figures and tech made this story so brilliantly written.
The Verdict
Epic, thought-provoking, and engaging, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “The Infinite Frontier” is a haunting and mesmerizing sci-fi and historical fiction read, and the perfect third entry into The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series. The twists and turns in this narrative, along with the open-ended finale that keeps the idea of expansion and new generations of Oberlynn family members reaching all new heights make this a deeply engrossing and heartfelt read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She lives on a small farm with her husband, alpaca, chickens, Pomeranians, canaries and tolerates T-Bears Siamese cats and parrot Giz. She loves to find out what all her friends are studying. She was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years: she is still wife to Dan after 47 years, mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a great-grandma of 1, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies, and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable, and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling, and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.
Her co-author of the Clan Falconer fantasy series is her grandson T-Bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller, and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed and wishes sometimes actually came true. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place, and another dimension. Come to the future, after the War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.
Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
As the effort to colonize Mars gets underway, the bots being used to help settle the planet turn on their makers, and diplomat and longtime ally of the Oberlynn family think-tank Alex finds himself kidnapped in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Alex’s Honor”, the second book in The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series.
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The Synopsis
As the colonization of Mars continues, Alex, Micah, and the entire Oberllyn family are targeted by a generational evil so bizarre and irrational that even the combined forces of the network struggle to keep it on this planet and out of the colony. Sir Alex is duty-bound to his family, the British monarchy, and his adopted family, the Oberllyns. Trying to balance his work with his obligations would tax any diplomat let alone an autistic savant. When his leaf ships are under attack, with the British empire demanding tribute, Alex is kidnapped; the bots turn on the colonists and the entire program is in jeopardy. Worst of all, his best friend Micah seems to be falling in love. How can Alex re-center their vision to restore peace and sanity? Sometimes, math just isn’t enough.
The Review
The author did another incredible job of creating an engaging sci-fi narrative that readers could easily escape into. The suspense and drama that arises from the growing tension between those in power seeking control and the Oberlynn think-tank of geniuses who are seeking to use their gifts for the betterment of mankind were palpable, to say the least. What is so great to see is how the world around the cast of characters is constantly changing, in large part due to the impact of so many events from the author’s Oberlynn saga of novels. The growth of these characters and the family as a whole has crafted memorable mythos that is impossible to put down.
Yet as always, the author’s world-building and rich character dynamics are what kept this novel’s narrative moving forward in such a brilliant direction. The power dynamics between the world powers and the Oberlynn family are always such incredibly rich sources of world-building that readers are instantly drawn into the story, while the characters and their relationships keep the reader invested and the emotional core of the narrative intact, balancing out the powerful sci-fi elements.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, captivating, and entertaining, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Alex’s Honor” is a fantastic sequel, brilliant sci-fi novel, and a great next chapter in The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series! The twists and turns that the author incorporates into the narrative, as well as the personal and emotional character traits that keep readers invested in this cast of characters, make this an unforgettable read. if you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She lives on a small farm with her husband, alpaca, chickens, Pomeranians, canaries and tolerates T-Bears Siamese cats and parrot Giz. She loves to find out what all her friends are studying. She was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years: she is still wife to Dan after 47 years, mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a great-grandma of 1, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies, and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable, and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling, and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.
Her co-author of the Clan Falconer fantasy series is her grandson T-Bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller, and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed and wishes sometimes actually came true. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place, and another dimension. Come to the future, after the War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.
Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
The next generation of Oberlynns looks to the stars as two brilliant members of the collective seek to establish their family and humanity as a whole on Mars and the Moon in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Micah’s Quest”, the first book in The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series.
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The Synopsis
Autistic savants Micah Oberllyn and his friend Sir Alex Stevens have grown up and found their places in the Oberllyn family think tank. No one realized how serious the boys were about space travel until they started testing engines, using robots they’d designed to construct leaf ships and quietly building a moon base as a stepping off point for interplanetary colonization. From Kai Dante to Catriona, the Oberllyn family is back and everyone joins in the attempt to make the project a success. A nemesis from the past targets them and they find themselves once again dodging control by more than one government, fighting elusive bad guys, and deciphering who can be trusted and who not and it isn’t always your family. If you like action, hero geeks, and horrible bad guys, you will love this book!
The Review
This was a brilliant start to a brand-new sci-fi series. The world-building and mythos the author builds upon from the previous Oberlynn books the author has crafted was spectacular, yet felt so natural and ingrained in the author’s fictional world. The action and imagery the author utilize in the writing itself bring classic sci-fi elements into the narrative, exploring the concept of building habitats on other worlds and expanding into the stars to prevent mankind’s destruction on Earth.
Yet the author did a truly fantastic job of fleshing out some important themes in this narrative. Humanity’s effect on the planet and the self-destructive power that comes from greedy businessmen and power-hungry governments is shown through the family’s interaction with others as they build their ships, and the overlaying themes of the government’s impact on people of Native American or aboriginal descent are naturally brought to life in the rich character dynamics and the relationships that form between this family and the overall collective that has been built up over the series.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and action-fueled, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Micah’s Quest” is a brilliant first book in The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series and an engaging sci-fi meets history and culture fiction novel. The exploration of morality, science, and family all comes into play in this first book in the series, and the natural way the story progresses will keep new readers and old alike invested in the narrative. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She lives on a small farm with her husband, alpaca, chickens, Pomeranians, canaries and tolerates T-Bears Siamese cats and parrot Giz. She loves to find out what all her friends are studying. She was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years: she is still wife to Dan after 47 years, mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a great-grandma of 1, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies, and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable, and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling, and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.
Her co-author of the Clan Falconer fantasy series is her grandson T-Bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller, and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed and wishes sometimes actually came true. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place, and another dimension. Come to the future, after the War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.
Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In a futuristic world where climate change is worsening and mental health and population control have gotten out of control, one woman seeks a means of using technology to prevent a total apocalypse in author Janet Kravetz’s “Sky Curse: The Chosen Five”, the first book in the Sky Curse series.
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The Synopsis
The Sky Curse series follows Cecilia Miller, a coder of artificial dreams living in the year 2045. It’s a time when climate chaos has become the norm and the collective mental health of humanity has fallen to a grave state. The world’s population has grown to a horrific twenty-five billion people, maxing Earth to its limit. Most are planning to abandon Earth and leave it to its fate as they colonize a new world through Titan pioneering (those beings are called Universalists). However, there are those who still hold on to hope for Earth and a humanity untainted by AI (those beings are called Localists). As humanity struggles to survive, it seems like only technology can help, and Cecilia is determined to be the one to bring it about. When planet Earth faces apocalyptic events, she must summon her resolve and resilience if she’s to have a chance to save this world.
The Review
This was such an intense, captivating conspiracy thriller that meets YA sci-fi and a dystopian novel. The novel read like a very mature story, with strong characters who represented the complexities of this novel’s themes. The tension and atmosphere the author creates in this novel were so palpable and captured the reader’s attention, allowing the narrative to shine through brightly. The characters felt organic and honed into the world around them so well, and each character, including the protagonist, became a vocal representation of the themes the narrative brings to life.
What stands out in this novel are the incredibly complex themes and the rich world-building the author utilizes. The themes the author explores included the advancements in technology, climate change, humanity’s impact on the world, and the slippery slope between controlling humanity and curbing destructive behaviors. The reader is immediately treated to the themes through the advanced AI systems, virtual reality becoming virtual dreams and even the protagonist’s status as a Cyborg. The idea of a “big brother” state and the question of how much control humanity has on the impact of the world around them and how much is left up to fate was incredible to read and watch unfold on the page.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, adrenaline-fueled, and entertaining, author Janet Kravetz’s “Sky Curse: The Chosen Five” is a must-read sci-fi meets dystopian conspiracy thriller novel of 2022! The concept and execution of this narrative felt very much like George Orwell’s 1984 meets Issac Asimov’s expansive sci-fi collection, including I, Robot. The intimate way the author is able to capture the concept of finding one’s voice and stepping into your own power made this such a rich and unique story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Janet Kravetz (sometimes writing under the pen name Topaz Ruby) is an award winning author, poet and artist as well as a mental health advocate.
Janet was born in Ukraine and grew up in Israel, where she had a career in legal research and public policy, joining the Israel Bar in 2009. Soon thereafter she immigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada and continued working in the field of legal research and public policy, while volunteering with various local committees for the promotion of diversity and inclusion. She speaks Russian, Hebrew and English.
In 2013 she launched a career as an award-winning poet and in 2014 as an award-winning author, when her self-published book of poetry and art “Reaching Beyond Ourselves – Leading a Spiritual, peaceful and Diverse World” won the international Beverly Hills Book Awards for both content and presentation (under the pen name Topaz Ruby). In the following years Janet turned to writing more poetry and also a few unpublished manuscripts about topics of spirituality, mental health, diversity and the environment. She writes in plain language that children and immigrants can understand.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Lone celestial being Azrael goes in search of the means of stopping a threat that can destroy the universe itself in author Joseph A. Schiller’s “Upon the Arrival of Dawn”.
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The Synopsis
A darkness grows, threatening the delicate fabric of the Universe. An ominous cloud spreads, bringing an increasing imbalance across the Cosmos. Essences bent on wickedness and ultimate destruction are violently stripping the Energy of Life from innocent terrestrial creatures, bringing Existence to the very brink of collapse. Only one Celestial essence boldly accepts the calling to seek out the source of the encroaching evil and restore Harmony once again to Existence. Azrael, humble servant of Eternity, offspring of Existence, will stop at nothing to protect the Universe, mortal and immortal alike.
The Review
This was such a well-developed and engaging story. The author did a brilliant job of crafting a unique and imaginative narrative. The balance between the “terrestrial and non-terrestrial planes) was a great way of capturing a unique setting. The almost cinematic and artistic style of writing the author utilized here made the story feel almost dreamlike, and an added depth of morality and themes of existence itself conjured up similar imagery as Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman”.
The heart of the narrative was very character driven, which was ironic given the main characters represented celestial beings who had forgone a true sense of self before the events of the narrative. The evolution of Azrael in particular was great to see, as the cosmic battles and mythos the author developed for him balanced well with the more personal growth the character saw, especially when meeting the Earthbound Johanna.
The Verdict
Mind-bending, thought-provoking, and engaging, author Joseph A. Schiller’s “Upon the Arrival of Dawn” is a must-read fantasy and sci-fi novel. The breathtaking imagery used in the narrative to help bring these cosmic beings and settings to life and the balance struck between this and the more intimate and “human” moments allowed readers to connect to both the protagonist and the narrative simultaneously. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
I have always, for as long as I can remember, found a creative outlet with the written word. From as early as elementary school I have enjoyed writing short fictional stories. In the 6th grade I was blessed to be able to take a creative writing class as an elective. It was during that course that my confidence, interest, and exploration of writing really took off. It was during my freshman year of college that I made my first attempt to write a novel. Unfortunately, that work was lost when the desktop I had at the time crashed. It took me a few years before the inspiration returned. Once it did, though, I grabbed ahold of it, and have held on tight ever since.
My opinion of my writing is nearly identical to that of my artwork. I do not write for the purpose of pleasing others. I will be perfectly happy if I am the only person that ultimately reads my stories. Like my artwork, my written works are an extension of who I am. In the end, if some find my stories entertaining, then it is icing on the cake.
When reading for pleasure I tend to have a fairly varied set of interests ranging from fiction to non-fiction, novel’s to essays. However, my literary interests when writing are almost entirely fiction based.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
The fate of mankind years after the Earth’s destruction rests in the hands of a select few as they venture back to the Earth’s surface and discover a hidden truth that can rock humanity to the core in author J. Scott Coatsworth’s “Dropnauts”, the first book in the Liminal Sky: Redemption Cycle series.
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The Synopsis
Over a century after the end of the Earth, life goes on in Redemption, the sole remaining lunar colony, and possibly the last outpost of humankind in the Solar System. But with an existential threat burrowing its way to the Moon’s core, humanity must recolonize the homeworld.
Twenty brave dropnauts set off on a mission to explore the empty planet. After training for two and a half years, four of them—Rai, Hera, Ghost and Tien—are bound for Martinez Base, just outside the Old Earth city of San Francisco.
But what awaits them there will turn their assumptions upside down—and in the process, either save or destroy what’s left of humanity.
The Review
This was such a brilliant and emotionally-driven sci-fi read. The author did such an amazing job of connecting readers to the larger narrative through dynamic character development. Not only was the emotional core of all four protagonists felt intensely as the story progressed, but the way their story intersected with the survivors on Earth was so great to read. The tensions and stakes that this created for the survivors both on Earth and the lunar colony of Redemption were amazing to read and watch unfold on the page. The inclusion of LGBTQ characters and relationships made the story feel more well-rounded, and the emphasis on AI-driven character developments was a great sci-fi element to include in this discussion.
The world-building and setting really became the heart of this narrative. So many sci-fi stories involve space exploration and focus on the colonies primarily, whether it be on the moon, Mars, or outside our solar system, but the whole concept of “Returning” to Earth to find a means of survival was a brilliant creative decision on the author’s part. The imagery and atmosphere this helped create really showed in the author’s writing style.
The Verdict
Captivating, entertaining, and thrilling, author J. Scott Coatsworth’s “Dropnauts” is a must-read sci-fi novel and the perfect start to the author’s Liminal Sky: Redemption Cycle series. The vivid and detailed settings were perfectly paired with the gritty narrative that was being told and balanced out the heartfelt and emotional character beats that made readers fall in love with this cast of characters. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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J. Scott Coatsworth’s diverse hopepunk space opera Dropnauts Is out in audio, narrated by Kevin Earlywine. And there’s a giveaway!
Life after the Crash.
Over a century after the end of the Earth, life goes on in Redemption, the sole remaining Lunar colony, and possibly the last outpost of humankind in the Solar System. But with an existential threat burrowing its way into the Moon’s core, humanity must recolonize the homeworld.
Twenty brave dropnauts set off on a mission to explore the empty planet. Four of them—Rai, Hera, Ghost and Tien—have trained for two-and-a-half years for the Return. They’re bound for Martinez Base, just outside the Old Earth city of San Francisco.
But what awaits them there will turn their assumptions upside down—and in the process, either save or destroy what’s left of humanity.
Rai sweated inside his suit, white-knuckling the arms of the retrofitted launch chair under his suit gloves. He watched the Zhenyi’slaunch countdown clock.
Sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight…
Outside he was calm, but inside he vibrated like an erhu string, his stomach doing acrobatics in his chest. I’m not ready.
Five teams of dropnauts had strapped themselves into their jumper ships, prepared for the ascent from Redemption on the lunar surface to Launchpad station. Outside his porthole, the blue-green marble of Earth beckoned.
Forty-five, forty-four…
Rai cast a nervous glance at his three teammates. Hera was doing her preflight check, her back to him, sweat dripping down the umber skin of her neck from her short-cropped, curly black hair.
Behind him on his right, Tien’s eyes were closed, and she was still as a golden statue. Zen.
He turned to find Ghost looking at him from behind. His ex grinned, running his hand through his lanky, dirty blond hair, his green eyes twinkling. His skin was as white as Rai’s own, but with a dusting of freckles over the bridge of his nose.
Rai managed a pale imitation of a smile back. –It’s totally safe.– Ghost’s voice pinged in his head, em to em.
–Easy for you to say.- Ghost had never feared a thing in his life.
Rai sighed. If he had to, he could take the small ship apart and put it back together with his bare hands, a skill learned under Sam’s supervision—the mech was as harsh a taskmaster as any human Rai had ever worked for. Still, he felt like puking. The speeches and adulation of the farewell celebration were over, and now his doubts circled like vultures. I’m not ready.
Thirty-two, thirty-one…
-You’ll be ok.- Hera’s determined voice this time. She turned to squeeze his knee, and then fired up the Zhenyi’shydro-fuel engine. He flashed her a sheepish grin.
A hundred meters away, the Bristol’s takeoff shook the landing pad. Rai watched it rise, carrying Dax, Jess, Ola, and Xiu Ying, the London team, toward the bright stars above. The jumper’s expelled water froze almost instantly, falling as snow over the snaking lava tube that held the city of Redemption. A lunar blizzard whipped by them and shimmered into nothing.
Rai closed his eyes, remembering the night before. Jess, laughing and dancing with him at Heaven, the clear dome of the lunar sky sparkling above them, the heavy beat of the thromb club pulsing through his chest. Dancing like no one was watching.
He rubbed his jaw. It still ached from the fist he’d taken to the face. Wild party. And a wilder night with Ayvin, the jack he’d picked up at the club.
“Zhenyi, ready for liftoff in T-Minus ten seconds.” Sam’s voice, coming from Team Five’s ship, the Liánhuā, was cool and collected. Did the mech feel emotion, like the nausea that was boiling in Rai’s guts? His teammates were strong, smart, and prepared for anything. I can do this. Besides, it was too late to back out now.
“Affirmative.” Hera shifted in her seat, her biframes stretching her paralyzed legs for her.
“You’ll do okay, tiger.” Ghost elbowed him in the ribs.
“Six, five, four…” Hera swiped the glossy white control deck, and the launch controls appeared, floating over the white surface.
“Leave him alone.” Rai could hear the icy frown in Tien’s voice.
He closed his eyes, willing his stomach to calm. Here we go. Nothing he could do about it now.
“Three, two, one… hang on.” Hera fired the engines, and the craft lifted on a cloud of steam into the star-filled skies of Luna.
Rai squeezed his armrests again as G-force pushed him hard back in his seat. He was committed now. Poppies, Chinese Houses, Fiddlenecks, Baby Blue Eyes, Yellow Pansies, Star Lilies… Reciting the flowers of the old San Francisco basin helped soothe his abraded nerves as the rumbling of the little craft rattled his bones.
He opened his eyes to see Redemption receding below them. The great lava tube was striped with sparkling bands of solar receptors that let sunlight into the city below. Rail lines snaked out from Redemption to the transit center like roping vines—to the seed launcher at Copernicus Crater, to Renewal colony, and beyond.
As the city shrank below them, his fear turned to sadness, a lump forming in his throat. He’d taken his home for granted, enthralled by the idea of joining humankind’s greatest adventure in a century. Now he might never see it again.
The hydro rocket thrust them up out of Luna’s gravity well into naked space, toward the bright blue skies of the empty Earth above. Rai stared at it, that enigmatic ball in space which no one had visited in over a century. What secrets are you hiding?
The roar cut off as quickly as it had begun, leaving the Zhenyi drifting upward in silence as they slipped out of Luna’s grasp.
Hera’s hands flew across the deck, swapping the launch controls for navigation, and nudged them onto a new course following the Bristol toward the Launchpad.
Rai let go, his breath coming out in a heavy sigh.
“See? That wasn’t so bad.” Ghost unbuckled his seatbelt and stretched, yawning as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
God, he’s beautiful. Pale as his namesake under his mop of dirty blond hair, the engineer’s thick arms were just a suggestion under the bulky suit, but Rai could still see them in his mind. Ghost’s well-toned muscles, the smell of his skin after—
“You okay, buddy?” Ghost was staring at him, one dark eyebrow raised in concern.
Rai bit his lip and looked away. “Just nervous. Wondering if we’ll ever make it back home”
“Hey, if things go well after the drop, maybe you and me could open the first Earthside bar since the Crash.” Ghost leaned over him from behind to stare at the Earth through the porthole, his cheek close to Rai’s
“That’s crazy.” But his spirits lifted. It was idiotic. And just the distraction he needed.
Ghost sank back into his own seat. “Every outpost needs a good bar where the colonists can blow off a little steam, right?”
Rai laughed in spite of himself, warming to the idea. “We could call it ‘The Frontier’.”
“Or ‘The Wild Hookup’.”
“Best beer this side of the planet.”
“Only beer!”
Rai snorted. Just like old times. He hadn’t forgiven Ghost, though. Not yet. He looked down at his gloved hands, emblazoned with the leaf-and-orb of Redemption’s space service.
Things had ended badly between them—crash and burn bad. Still, they’d be too busy the next few weeks to think about anything but the drop. The survival of Redemption and the remnants of humanity depended on them.
He could let it go. I have to. He’d managed the launch, after all. I can do this too.
Ghost squeezed his shoulder and closed his eyes, touching his temple and bobbing his head to a song only he could hear.
Rai turned away.
You’re stronger than any of us. Hera had told him that the night before. Still, he didn’t feel strong.
He looked out of the porthole again at the Earth—the same view they’d had from Heaven. And yet somehow, it looked different. More real.
Poppies, Chinese Houses, Fiddlenecks, Baby Blue Eyes, Yellow Pansies, Star Lilies…
He touched his hand to the porthole. Even through the glove, it was cold. We’re going home.
Author Bio
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.
He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.
A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is a full member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Kevin Earlywine is an actor, director, singer/songwriter, and audiobook narrator who hails from Rockford, Illinois! His debut album DANGER was released February 28th, 2017. Kevin started writing songs for the album in 2012, and finally in November, 2015, he started recording the songs!
