Book Reviews by Ehlen Administration

The Genesis Portal by Matthew Carter My rating: 2 of 5 stars Jasper is determined to find his dream girl, and he will travel halfway across the galaxy to do it, no matter the cost. But when he finds her, he discovers she is way more than a dream girl, and he’s not the only one looking for her. The Genesis Portal is a classic case of a great story rolling around but poor writing execution. The text was full of fragments, wrong words, and several instances of transposing main character names (most frequently Sanya and Sola.) I was also somewhat frustrated by the character degeneration of Sanya, as she started out reading classic literature provided by her dream boy and once she is able to choose her own instead picks up a Vogue. Yes, I get that she is a 17 year old girl, but she could have been slightly deeper than average given her actual age. However, the science fiction aspect is intriguing, and I actually would have liked a little more back story between Sanya and Adam, rat...

The Chronicle of Vincent Saturn by David Roman My rating: 2 of 5 stars Vincent Saturn is bored with his life. He doesn’t have any attachments and his job is not fulfilling anymore. Then he and his partner are assigned to investigate an actual UFO, and although he is not supposed to do anything but look at it from the outside, he decides that it’s worth a look inside - when was he going to get this chance again? What he finds launches the aptly named Vince Saturn into an intergalactic mission to save aliens no human has never enountered in hopes of ultimately protecting Earth, which is yet uncharted for them. Eternal Horizons is one of those books that I feel like is a good try, but broadcasts a definite reliance on established sci-fi structures - in this case quite heavily on Star Wars - and a desperate need for editing. The grammar and in particular, synonym and tense, is wildly off the necessary grasp of dialogue writing, with my personal pet peeve being the repeated use o...

Van Laven Chronicles: Throne of Novoxos by Tyler Chase My rating: 4 of 5 stars Vaush and Comron are supposed to hate each other, with each world blaming the other for their surrender to the current imperial dynasty centuries ago. But when circumstances force them to rely on each other to survive a crash landing, how is it possible for them to get along and get out to the shore for rescue? And how is it that they seem to be falling for each other along the way? They will have a lot more to deal with at home if they actually make it out alive, not to mention explaining their relationship to their respective worlds. Who would have thought this might turn out to be the least of their concerns. The Throne of Novoxos, book 1 in the Van Laven chronicles, sets up the unlikely but fiery romance between Vaush and Comron. The writing is fast paced and mixes adventure and romance as the couple try to outrun the rest of the empire once Vaushes true origin is revealed. There are pretty ...

2062: The Year of Transition by Greg Vitrano My rating: 4 of 5 stars Axel knows he is smart - he was genetically engineered to be. But can he get into the school of his dreams, the elite Illinois? Or will he be his parents’ greatest disappointment by failing the entrance exam? And if he does get in, will he work on some of the top level stuff, and if he does will he be part of the inevitable transition away from humanity? 2062 is an interesting sci fi novel that looks beyond the singularity, which is often the goal in other novels. Instead of the singularity this explores a post-human existence, and whether humanity can stand in the way of artificial intelligence or is doomed to be assimilated. It explores some of the philosophical questions from the mind of a character who knows himself to be genetically engineered, yet questions the progress of others in that field. This novel felt like some of the old fatalistic 70s sci fi movies, like Logan’s Run, Planet of the Apes, or Omeg...

TITANIUM: Terra by Terrence Carling My rating: 4 of 5 stars Mickey and Fran have just been released from their 90 day simulator, and tempers are running a little thin after being cooped up with no one else for that long. Have they ruined their chances for a longer stay on the international space station, maybe even a Mars mission? Set in the 21st century where NASA is struggling against those who think that resources would be better allocated to shore up the existing industrial structure on Earth, author Terrence Carling sets up a sci fi tale that has a fair amount of reality behind it. The writing style is terse and to the point, much like the scientists, and I actually would have enjoyed a little more drawn out story. However it is an undeniably well researched story and it does leave you wanting more and hoping to jump to the next book in a hurry. It seems like it could be a great sci fi series! View all my reviews Please note, while there may be affiliate links or pay...

Ride the Neural Networks by L.W. Samuelson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Travis and Logan have to figure out how to rescue Porter, Logan’s father, but they have a lot of problems at home preventing their departure. Not the least of which is Windy, who is trying to get her inheritance and not afraid to kill to do so. Can Travis honor his promise to Glen without getting Windy arrested, or worse, killed? Book 5 of the Benwarian chronicles continues the story of the alien race seeking to settle Earth after their planet has succumbed to the Lemmus version of global warming. The book paints a grim future that could possibly be the plight of Earth as well. There are some pretty obvious discussions of environmentalism and imagery of Christianity woven throughout the story, all told through the eyes of aliens trying to understand humanity, particularly our more violent side. I really enjoyed the story despite being slightly annoyed by the obvious agenda, and am interested to see how the series...

Van Laven Chronicles: Shadow Reign by Tyler Chase My rating: 4 of 5 stars Vaush has successfully been installed as the empress, and Comron could not be more proud, even if they still have to keep their relationship under wraps for now. He is frantically trying to economically bolster the image of his own House, Nethic, so that Vaush won’t have to pretend to court other houses for a marriage of convenience, and so far he has done a bang up job as her financial guru. But can Comron continue to hide his newfound gifts of the Murkdahl and use them for the common good, rather than the revenge he so desperately wants to enact? And can they put that aside to address the bigger threat of the Kurukaii? Book 2 in the Van Laven Chronicles, Shadow Reign is the highly anticipated sequel to the Throne of Novoxos, and it delivers a fantastic continuation of the story. I loved the character development of Comron and Vaush, and honestly I loved some of the economic underpinnings and explanation ...

The Digital Now by Roland Allnach My rating: 5 of 5 stars Carly has always been a member of Patrol; it’s always just another day. She patrols with her partner, Graham, they eat the same food, put down the same endorsed, cyclical riots, drink and party. Until she suffers a severe crack on the skull from a dropped brick, and has to be reformatted. After all, that’s got to be where all these strange thinks are from, right? Or is it possible that she has unlocked a part of herself that Central fears? Can she possibly be on the run from Central, or is this all a part of a much grander manipulation? Set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian future, The Digital Now explores both the positives and negatives of an autocratic, central authority that makes the call on who lives and dies, rations the meager provisions, and guides consumer desires in a way that makes them think they are doing it all on their own. Written in an unapologetically Orwellian/Huxlian style, The Digital Now is a throwba...

Brink of Dawn by Jeff Altabef My rating: 4 of 5 stars Juliet and Troy are on the run, following the path of Juliet’s destiny, laid out by her grandfather, Sicheii. Together they meet up with the other Chosen to begin their training. Juliet is discovering her new powers at an alarming pace, which leaves her wondering how much human is left in her anyway? Will she lose her identity completely? And what about the Deltites, is she really powerful enough to defeat them before they turn humanity into a cosmic pawn? Book 2 in the Chosen series follows up with newly discovered hybrid Juliet as she struggles to carry out her destiny. I thought it was well written and insightful, exploring teenage insecurities a little too accurately in some cases. Pulling in the group dynamic was a little clunky at the beginning, particularly for a novel written largely in the first person, but I really enjoyed their interactions. Incidentally, I don’t think you will miss much if you accidentally start w...

BIO-Sapien book 1 - Optic-warp by Vlane Carter My rating: 3 of 5 stars Jaden has to make a tough choice, does he trust the military who are chasing him, or does he trust the UFO scanning him? If he chooses the military then he stays on earth, but would anyone ever hear from again? But if he chooses the UFO will he ever see his friends and family? Will they probe him like some kind of experiment? He has to make his choice now if he wants to live. Bio-Sapien Optic Warp is the first in a series of sci-fi action/adventure type graphic novel. I’m honestly not sure if it is classified as a graphic novel or note as not all of the illustrations loaded for me. (Note, I read it on a Kindle, and not all of the pictures downloaded, some had what looked like QR codes or place holders - might want to update that because I think the illustrations are really helpful to understand some of the choppier action scenes.) I should note the writing is in present tense deliberately, and many of the sce...

The Sensitives by D.O. Thomson My rating: 3 of 5 stars The power is out all over the world, and no one knows why. People are dying by the thousands, and only a few select people are figuring out that the origins might be not human. Race is charged with protecting his little crew of Sensitives, but together they might just have evolved enough to take on the Zul, but only if the Zul don’t find them first. The story is interesting - evolved humans taking out the alien equivalent of a drug cartel. Unfortunately, the writing depth does not do the story justice. The characters are shallow and stereotypical, such as the Canadian “Eh.” after every phrase, and the writing is curt to the point of staccato. The story jumps around in time, refusing to follow a linear progression, and goes into excruciating detail about several back stories. I really wanted to like this book because the plot intrigued me; unfortunately the juvenile writing prevented me from ever really engaging. Contest! ...

Veil of Darkness by T.C. Metivier My rating: 5 of 5 stars There has been peace for 800 years, but the growing Coalition threatens the Federation’s tenuous peace. There are whispered rumors, and those paying attention to other dimensions are feeling the growing evil creep nearer. Admiral Ortega knows that he must stop it at all cost, because he knows the man behind it. Roger knows it’s coming, but is too busy on his own quest to recognize his role. Justin and Austin are only just recognizing that their role is not just those of diplomats, but of key players in the unfolding drama. Will they be able to defeat the encroaching evil or will the prophecies be misread? Author Metiver has introduced a new universe full of species, politics, and space travel. While there are obvious elements common to sci-fi series (it’s hard to get away from a federation of planets and some sort of rebel coalition), he does a great job spinning a new tale in a new world with characters that are well plo...

Intelligent Design:Revelations by J. M. Erickson My rating: 4 of 5 stars What if we are not alone in the Universe, but there still exists a Creator? Historically these viewpoints seemed mutually exclusive, but a growing number of people are starting to question this assertion. Intelligent Design: Revelations explores this possibility, including some transplanted humans’ quest for knowledge on Planet X (known as Terra to the occupants) while simultaneously trying to help Earth survive impending catastrophe. Because I find the subject fascinating, I was actually a little disappointed at the brevity of the novel. I realize it’s a huge topic, but within the confines of the story I thought there was a little more room for exploration. As it stands the novel could have a sequel but it could also stand alone as a novella. Still it raises interesting questions to ponder and I really enjoyed the read. View all my reviews Please note, while there may be affiliate links or payment fo...