Review: Chimera Catalyst (Finder#1) by Susan Kuchinskas

Chimera Catalyst (Finder #1)

By Susan Kuchinskas

 When Finder is hired to locate charismatic, green-haired Miraluna Rose, it seems like an easy job. Crack into corporate databases, brew up some biologics to enhance his thinking, and get the job done with the help of the Parrot, a bird/dog chimera with the finest traits of both species.

The search takes Finder and the Parrot to the sun-broiled streets of Laxangeles, the canals of Seattle and the weirdly mutated vegetation of the Area. It turns out that it's not a simple missing-person case after all.

Finder discovers that ReMe, a corporation providing medical cloning services, is illegally breeding human/animal chimeras. ReMe is selling these exotically beautiful female creatures, branded as ArcoTypes, as playthings to the wealthy and ruthless.

Miraluna Rose is its finest creation, but she has other ideas. She's holed up at Refuge, a haven for runaway ArcoTypes, where she's planning a future of freedom for her sisters.

To help the ArcoTypes fight ReMe, Finder and the Parrot will need the help of a couple of sympathetic AIs, the CEO of the world's largest advertising company and a posse of highly modded, celebrity-crazed media kids.

My Take:

When Finder is hired by Thin Man to hunt down a woman named Miraluna Rose, he knows it's no ordinary missing person case. On the surface, it seemed she was going out for the evening, but she never came back. The breathtakingly beautiful green-haired woman must have been snatched, and Finder and his genetically crafted parrot-dog Parrot must follow a confusing trail of bread crumbs using high tech gadgetry and computer wizardry to rescue her.

But as Finder pursues, he comes up with more questions than answers. Who, or WHAT, is Miraluna Rose? Why does it seem like maybe she doesn't WANT to be found? What is Thin Man hiding, and what does ReMe, a genetic cloning corporation, have to do with this? 

Suddenly, Finder finds himself the target of a manhunt, and keeping one leap ahead of the corporate goons is almost all he can handle as he uncovers secrets they are trying desperately to keep hidden.

Content:

Drug Content:
R – Wow, so much. In the future, it appears oxytocin is an over-the-counter drug, and walking around with an IV-port to fast-track performance-enhancing meds is common.  (BTW I appear to have confused oxytocin with oxycodone, which is a controlled substance, my bad).
 
Violence:
PG – This thriller has some violence, and some death and torture mentioned but not on screen. 
 
Language:
R - The F-bomb is dropped quite a bit. This isn't something I'd give an early teen to read.
 
Adult Content:
PG-13 – Sex trafficking is a major thread of this story. Clones are manufactured for pleasure. Gender parts are mentioned in a few places, but no real action occurs on screen. The human-animal genetic hybrids hinted at a bit of bestiality hiding in the shadows, but again nothing occurred onscreen.
 
Christian content:
None. There's a church, but it's pretty much New Age, and involves what amounts to a skin-on-skin touching orgy. (not sexual, just... touching.)  

  

Final Analysis:
I found Chimera Catalyst to be a fast-paced, well-written thriller. I liked the plot twists and the characters, especially the Parrot and Finder and their interactions. The stakes were high, the world-building phenomenal, the characters enjoyable, the humor engaging. Five Stars!

About the Author:

As a kid, Susan Kuchinskas spent hours catching toads, watching rabbits and starting ant wars -- and reading, reading, reading.

She's never lost her love for creatures of all kinds. In fifth grade, she discovered the bookmobile's science fiction section and read nothing else until she got to college.

After the usual writer's mix of odd jobs – gogo dancer, housepainter, office temp – she happened into journalism. As a technology journalist, she covered the rise and fall of the dotcoms, the move to digital and mobile, and the ascendance of social media.

She's the author of two previous books, Going Mobile: A Guide to Real-time Mobile Applications that Work (CMP Books 2003), and The Chemistry of Connection: How the Oxytocin Response Can Help You Find Trust, Intimacy and Love (New Harbinger 2008).

Her short stories have been published in anthologies and journals including Deep Space Dog Fight and Chicago Literati. This is her first novel.

To exercise the parts of her body and mind that don't get a workout from writing, Susan is an organic gardener, beekeeper, sculptor and DIY re-modeler. She enjoys uncovering exotic cultures at home and abroad.

She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her mate, Mike, and their socially challenged dog and super-chill cat.
!

Review: Scribes' Descent by Dylan West

People worship technology on Planet Daishon.

With inventions that prolong life and eradicate disease, it's little wonder. Death seems obsolete until an earthquake kills thousands, including Mallory's parents. They should have lived for a thousand years, not just fifty. Mallory scrambles for answers. Such a disaster shouldn't be possible.

Quakes have never happened on this world before.

Suspecting the top research center had triggered it, her best friend's father investigates. When he turns up missing, Mallory goes on site after him as a geology intern. She can't bear to lose anyone else.

An old mine sits at the epicenter of the recent quake, and an unbreakable alien barrier seals it off. But a door hidden in its surface opens for Mallory when she translates its engravings. Once inside, she evades underground predators while cut off from the tech that's always protected her.

Some graves run much deeper than six feet, and this place could be one of them.

Within this self-contained world lie the remnants of a universal war, revealing that Daishoni folklore is more than superstition. To survive, Mallory must trust in something more than science and logic. She must follow the voice of one she can't see down to the very bottom. Something deadlier than a quake is trapped there, and it is trying to escape.

 My Take:

Mallory Leighyan's family emigrated to Planet Daishon to escape the devastating quakes on their homeworld, earthquakes destroying the old planet's crust due to the terrible mistakes of their technologically advanced civilization. Planet Daishon was perfect for them, after all, because it was deemed impossible for this new planet to have quakes at all. Until it did. A devastating quake kills both Mallory's parents and propels her into a world-changing quest to seek answers. And this will take more than her brilliant intellect - it will require trusting a Voice of one she cannot see, in a descent deep into the crust of Daishon, where something far deadlier than a quake is waiting for release.

 

Content:

Drug Content:

G - squeaky clean

Violence:

PG - There are a few scenes where horrific carnage occurs, but they are rather glossed over. A monster destroys a team of commandos. Most violence is committed by monsters or against them. There is a scene where a girl is kidnapped in order to be eaten, and she barely escapes. 

Language:

G - squeaky clean. 

Adult Content:

PG - There is a bit of late teen angst, but nothing physical. The only kiss I recall was on the hand.

Christian content:

Scribes' Descent has many oblique references to faith in multiple different deities, as the religions of the different worlds collide. The Protectors follow a mono-theistic religion which does a reasonable job of paralleling the God of the Bible. The Voice in one place askes the Scribes to 'Follow Me'. There is a species of light-emitting creatures that seem quite similar in some respects to the Seraphim. Faith and praying are commonplace, especially for those living deep underground. Forgiveness and mercy play pivotal roles in this adventure. Mallory must come to grips with death, with divine purpose, and the existence of something greater than intellect and more eternal than a 1000-year lifespan. 

Final analysis:

There is something refreshing in reading an adventure story of this magnitude, with an overarching plot that requires the faith of just taking the next step. The worldbuilding in this series is extraordinary, and the characters fully developed. Supporting characters have transformational arcs of their own, and it makes for a much more enjoyable journey. I especially appreciated the way the elements of faith were intertwined throughout the story, without distracting at all from the storyline. The action is intense in places, and the stakes could not be higher. The plot was riveting, and I found it impossible to put down. I'm looking forward to finding out what's at the bottom, and how it will affect the fate of worlds in book two. Five Stars!

 About the Author:

Dylan West is a Jesus lover, web programmer, video game developer, Navy veteran, foreign language nut, and a nut in general. While other people are busy thinking normal thoughts, he's crafting corny jokes. His novels are young adult, science fiction, and faith-based. Dylan lives in Chesapeake, VA, with his wife and daughter and two demanding tabby cats. Sign up for his newsletter here to receive updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the science research behind his stories: https://dylanwestauthor.com

Review: Equinox - Raven's Record #2 by Debbie Hightower

 

Equinox - Raven's Record #2 

by Debbie Hightower

What sort of scar would smear across the face of history if the United States ceased to exist? Second in a thought-provoking science-fiction series, this installment takes place after a cataclysmic destruction of much of North America. Seeking to rise from the ashes, citizens of the Earth utilize new technology to send 21st-century pioneers across the universe to settle Planet Equinox in the Proxima Centauri system. In order to survive the terrors and challenges of this new world, the colonists must leave their Earth baggage behind and work together, hopefully without repeating the mistakes of the past.

My Take:

After a devastating alien attack that destroyed the United States, Earth sends out its first colony ships to Proxima Centauri. There, humans find Equinox, a habitable planet with a light side, and a dark side. In Equinox: Raven’s Record #2 by Debbie Hightower, Raven Munoz has been tasked with documenting the efforts of over 400 colonists to survive and build a new civilization on the new planet. And it won’t be easy. Giant predators and killer bugs threaten the existence of everyone. Fire and natural disasters make survival difficult. And there is evidence that somebody has already been here. Is it the aliens, involved in some unknown enterprise on the dark side of the planet, or could humans have somehow settled here already? And are these aliens the same race that destroyed the United States?

 

Equinox by Debbie Hightower is a high-stakes hard science fiction sequel to American Survivor, and a satisfying continuation of the story of Raven Munoz. The character development is realistic, and the pacing is quick and steady. Challenges face the colonists at every turn, and supporting characters add depth and realism to the adventure. Alien flora and fauna are well-described and believable. The actions of the crew to survive are plausible. I especially liked the antics of Freddie Ogunjobi, a construction engineer who got angry, stole a vehicle and took off for the dark side of the planet. Wild cards like that make for a lot of variation and spice. Each supporting character seems to have a significant backstory and part to play. Expansive, immersive, enthralling and gripping. Perfect for lovers of hard science fiction.

 About the Author:

Debbie Hightower is a lifelong North Carolina resident and newspaper reporter who recently made the transition to writing science fiction novels. She is an avid fan of science fiction as well as the emerging technologies that will one day take humans across the cosmos and allow them to explore the stars and planets beyond the solar system.

Review: American Survivor - Raven's Record #1 by Debbie Hightower

 American Survivor - Raven's Record #1 

by Debbie Hightower

Smoke and ashes cover most of the North American continent. While emergency responders race against the clock to rescue survivors, government officials scramble to obscure details of the event that claimed the lives of millions. Was the calamity a volcanic super eruption? Or an unprecedented weapon unleashed by an enemy with a vendetta against the United States? After losing everything, one of the survivors hurdles red tape and false flags in an attempt to uncover--and broadcast--the real story.

My Take:

In American Survivor: Raven’s Record Book 1 by Debbie Hightower, Raven Munoz barely survives a devastating alien attack that destroys the United States in only a few minutes. The official story is that the supervolcano in Yellowstone is to blame. But Raven knows better. Her efforts are thwarted at every turn when she tries to uncover the truth. Any evidence pointing to an alien attack is removed, and those who try to speak up disappear. While Raven tries to document the truth, Rocket Lab engineers race to build a warp-capable fleet to settle a colony at Proxima Centauri. When their plans are stolen, a competitor, Space Corps, launches first. But their prototype, the Magellan, is lost with all hands. Will the ships Rocket Lab is building avoid the same fate before the aliens return to destroy the rest of mankind?

American Survivor by Debbie Hightower is a thought-provoking near-future apocalyptic thriller. The main character somehow survives an alien attack that destroys all of the continental United States, including the building she had just vacated. The official coverup story is predictably laughable. Her quest to learn the truth behind the attack makes for an interesting dive into forensic journalism. The resistance to her efforts to uncover and communicate that truth provides for a top-notch alien conspiracy yarn. I especially enjoyed the hard science overlaying references to Star Trek lore, and the seamless integration of futuristic interstellar travel with historic space exploration. Interwoven throughout is the question of whether this destruction was the vengeance of God, an alien species, or both. Perfect for lovers of hard science fiction and conspiracies.

About the Author:

Debbie Hightower is a lifelong North Carolina resident and newspaper reporter who recently made the transition to writing science fiction novels. She is an avid fan of science fiction as well as the emerging technologies that will one day take humans across the cosmos and allow them to explore the stars and planets beyond the solar system.

Review: Before by Molly McNamara Carter

 

Before 

by Molly McNamara Carter

In the not-too-distant future, Leadership controls everything and everyone, and a new regulation threatens to take away 13-year-old Wren's little brother. Already reeling from her grandmother's relocation, Wren must give up school, her friends, and the protection of her parents to save her little brother from the cold grip of efficiency. Can Wren and her brother survive the exhausting journey, the scorching desert, and the threatening grasp of Leadership to cross the border to safety and freedom?

My Take:

"Efficiency is key for productivity, and productivity is key for safety." This is the mind-numbing mantra of Leadership, which tries to control the masses by eliminating their rights and freedoms. In the Leadership Lands, the government controls everything you do. All for the sake of efficiency. Before by Molly McNamara Carter is a dystopian tale of a teen’s flight with her mute little brother from a totalitarian state to a land of freedom. When Leadership announces that children who require special care will be forcibly removed from their homes for re-education, permanently, Wren realizes she will lose her little brother Kael, who is unable to speak. Under cover of night, Wren is forced to flee the city with Kael, and cross many miles of forbidding desert while pursued by the agents ordered to prevent their escape, at any cost.

 Content:

Drug Content:
G – none
 
Violence:
G – A wolf attacks one of the characters
 
Language:
G – Squeaky clean
 
Adult Content:
G – Squeaky clean.
 
Christian content:
Not much, but there seems to be a divine intervention going on in the protection of the main character. Wren puts her life on the line for her helpless brother again and again. People along the way take great risks to deliver these kids to safety.

 
Final Analysis:
I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure-packed dystopian thriller. Wren faces drones, soldiers, coyotes, scorpions, deadly heat, and terrifying storms. The threats to Wren and her little brother are tangible. There were multiple points in the book that my pulse was pounding in my ears, fully invested in the story, and hiding there in the dark with Wren, who transforms during the adventure from a slightly rebellious, carefree teen to a responsible and determined adult. is a well-written, action-packed thrill ride, but it’s more than that. This novel is a thought-provoking delve into a possible future devoid of freedom, all for the sake of efficiency. The world-building was immersive, the character development realistic, and the outlook, hopeful. The cover art by Denitsa Shopova was stunning. Before by Molly McNamara Carter is perfect for lovers of dystopian teen fiction and coming-of-age adventures. Five Stars!

About the Author:

Molly has been writing stories since she learned to read them. For her and her sisters growing up, she created magical lands full of adventures that were never far off. Molly continues to delight her own children with her stories and passion for books. She has lived in big cities, little towns, on islands, in mountains and in deserts. She loves adventures like jumping out of airplanes, riding camels, and even swimming with sharks. When she's not reading, writing or working on an art project, she loves to explore with her favorite people. One of her greatest joys is bringing the magic of stories to her readers. Visit her website at mollymcnamaracarter.com/

Review: River Rising (Carson Chronicles#1) by John A Heldt

 River Rising (Carson Chronicles#1)

John A. Heldt

Weeks after his parents disappear on a hike, Arizona engineer Adam Carson, 27, searches for answers. Then he discovers a secret web site and learns that his mother and father are time travelers stuck in the past. Armed with the information he needs to find them, Adam convinces his younger siblings to join him on a rescue mission to the 1880s.

While Greg, the adventurous middle brother, follows leads in the Wild West, Adam, journalist Natalie, and high school seniors Cody and Caitlin do the same in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Like the residents of the bustling steel community, all are unaware of a flood that will destroy the city on May 31, 1889.

In RIVER RISING, the first novel in the five-book Carson Chronicles series, five young adults find love, danger, and adventure as they experience America in the age of bustle dresses, gunslingers, and robber barons.

My Take:

Professors Tim and Caroline Carson mysteriously disappeared during an anniversary hike near Flagstaff Arizona. Their grieving five children search for answers until the family lawyer turns over a sealed envelope informing them their parents are time travelers stuck in the past. A secret website gives the oldest, Adam the information needed to rescue them from 1888. The five adult children go back to the gilded age to find them. 

Greg, the middle brother, runs afoul of the law in the Wild West and ends up on the run with a bounty on his head, while Natalie settles into a journalist position at a local paper, where she interviews Mark Twain, writes a transformative column on the prognosticating Puxatawney groundhog on Groundhog Day, and falls for her handsome editor, Sam Prentiss. Twins Cody and Caitlin, high school seniors, try not to let the truth out that they are from another century while trying to fit in at school. And Adam tries to research and find his parents while falling for the beautiful hotel manager. The family adjusts to the slower pace of life there in Johnstown PA, all blissfully unaware of the catastrophe about to strike, when the dam will break and destroy the town.

Content:

Drug Content:

G - There is a little casual drinking in a few places. 

Violence:

PG-13 - Some people are shot and killed. There is no graphic violence due to man, but the descriptions of the horrors of the flood and the corpses afterward earned this a PG-13

Language:

G - I think I may have found one mild expletive in the entire work.

Adult Content:

PG - There is romance and some kissing. A married couple have a mild scene with a bubble bath, with no on-screen action.

Christian content:

The people in the 1800s were quite religious and people are encouraged to go to church, find a church home, and pray. Faith plays a significant part in their lives, especially when tragedy strikes. There are multiple instances where characters sacrifice for one another.

Final analysis:

River Rising by John A Heldt is the first in a five-book time travel series. The pace is quick, the plot gripping, the stakes high. The author obviously did a lot of research into the life and times of the day, the character and life of Mark Twain, as well as significant details about the tragic flood. The characters were well-fleshed out, from coping with differences in the times to dealing with tragedy and loss. 

About the Author:

John A. Heldt is the author of more than twenty bestselling time travel novels. The former reference librarian and award-winning sportswriter has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, Heldt is an avid fisherman, sports fan, coin collector, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life at johnheldt.blogspot.com.

Review: Imprint Legacy by Dorian Keys

Imprint Legacy

by 

Dorian Keys

Detective Robert Miers is in trouble. His partner is missing, he’s suspended from work, and he’s got a gap in his memory that he can’t explain. Uncovering the truth means plunging into a bizarre new reality far beyond his comfort zone, an inescapable reality where memories can transfer from body to body, secret factions fight for control, and human life extends far beyond Earth. Is taking sides worth the risk-to his job, to his family, and to himself?
And does he even get to choose anymore?

My Take:

When Detective Robert Miers and his partner follow the clues left by the stiff they found in the old apartment, it quickly leads them to their own deaths. But Robert wakes up to find he's not dead, just confused, with a gap in his memory and a missing partner. After being suspended pending an internal investigation, Robert follows clues on his own regarding the mysterious men in black, clues that cause him to question whether his entire life has been a lie. 

Content:

Drug Content:

G - None.

Violence:

PG - There's violence and death, a gun battle and ray guns. There is no real gore. Some people die in a fire off-screen.

Language:

PG - The D-word is used once, and g-d is used a couple times.

Adult Content:

G - there's really no sexual content of any sort in this work.

Christian content:

Not really any. I wouldn't have any issue handing this to my kids to read, as they are all into their teens or beyond. There are questions raised in this book that make for some good talking points - ideas about loyalty, life and death, and our purpose in life. 

Final analysis:

This short novella is a whirlwind of twists and turns, a high-stakes action-packed scifi mystery. Fast-paced and immersive, the focus is more on action and plot than deep descriptive passages, which makes for a quick read with an interesting end. Five stars!

About the Author:
One day, a while back, Dorian handed his father a handwritten story. Five sentences telling of an unknown object landing on the backyard. He was seven.

At the time, he was praised for it, he thought nothing of it: everyone can do what i do. And everyone can.

Years later, Dorian self published his debut novel Imprint Legacy on Amazon. It was well received. Earning a four star rating from Literary Titan. Next year he self published a short story collection, and has a world of stories to tell.

Presently, Dorian lives in busy New York City together with his family. He writes every chance he gets carrying his laptop everywhere. Occasionally he shows up on Twitter, but the best way of contacting is on this website.

P.S: Unbeknownst to Dorian, his father laminated that original story and kept it with him. He yet has to see it again.

Review: Sickness in Time by M.F. Thomas, Nicholas Thurkettle

Sickness in Time

by 

M.F. Thomas,

 

Nicholas Thurkettle

In 2038, the human race is in a death spiral, and most people do not even know it yet. Technology that was supposed to make us better and stronger instead is birthing a strange and terrible plague we may not be able to stop. When the young daughter of Josh Scribner, a wealthy tech entrepreneur, starts to succumb to the illness, he dedicates his fortune in a desperate effort to save her life. Working with a friend & celebrated physicist, Josh develops the ability to send objects back through time. Their goal to recruit an agent in the past who might change our fatal path.

In our present day, a broken and traumatized Air Force veteran finds a strange message in the woods, drawing her into an adventure spanning decades. All humanity is at stake, as she and her small group of friends become the unlikely heroes taking up the secret fight against our future doom.

My Take:

In 2039, A plague that attacks the brain is spreading across the globe, and wealthy tech entrepreneur Josh Scribner is convinced that the tech he developed to make the human race better is at fault. As more and more cases come in of the strange and deadly plague, Josh realizes that warning the public is the only choice, even if it ruins him. 

But his warnings have come too late to save the human race. Until he joins forces with a close friend and celebrated physicist. Together they develop a system to send messages back in time and change the past, eradicating mankind's fatal future.

In 2015, Maria Kerrigan, a traumatized Air Force veteran, finds a strange message in the woods, plunging her into a gripping fight against a dark and determined evil foe to save mankind from certain doom.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG-13 - Most of the main characters drink, some to intoxication, and one is a recovering alcoholic who falls off the wagon into a destructive spiral. Brain-altering tech and mind-enhancing drugs are pandered in the future.

Violence:

PG - There is a scene where a man is tortured without any real physical harm, but with a brain implant. Discussion is made how an extended or increased level of this procedure has killed multiple people. A man is shot to death in his own home. A stalker kills a person with a rock. A person is strangled. Several are killed by remote control. Bruising and blood are mentioned, but none of the violence is graphic.

Language:

R - The D word occurs about 25 times, GD is there 3 times. The F bomb is dropped 4 times.

Adult Content:

PG-13 - Four of the main characters, although involved in platonic friendships, are repeatedly mistaken as gay couples. One of the main characters has several drunken sexual encounters, though the action occurs off-screen. Urination is mentioned a few times. 

Christian content:

Nope. God doesn't really get discussed even in an offhanded way here, nor attendance at church. This is a great adventure story, with some overarching moral themes of self-sacrifice, the greater good, loyalty, duty, and persistence in the face of insurmountable odds. It takes a hard look also at mental health and the hubris mankind sometimes has in the violation of ethical standards for monetary gain and power. Good and evil were clearly delineated, save for certain minions led away by duplicity.

Final analysis:

Sickness in Time was an amazing adventure story. I found it an action-packed dystopian page-turner. The main characters were very real and raw. Character development and setting were excellent. The stakes were as high as they come, and the antagonist, though relatively two-dimensional, had his own dark stakes that were quite real. Though I could do without the language, I found the book gripping and couldn't put it down, losing sleep several nights. Not one I'd recommend for the kiddies, but it's a great adventure for the adult crowd. Five Stars!

About the Authors:

MF Thomas has lived and worked in over 20 countries. He is very happy to be home in the United States. His website is www.MFThomasAuthor.com.









Nicholas Thurkettle is a writer, actor, and filmmaker currently living in Southern California. Born in Los Gatos, California, he grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, turned teenage in Huntington Beach, California, and studied at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where he earned B.A. degrees in Theatre Performance and Music. He has worked, among many other jobs, as a feature film story executive, a limousine driver, a film critic, a luggage salesman, a teacher of screenwriting, a professional smeller for a Sanitation Department, and something called a "data migration project supervisor."

His first novel, Seeing by Moonlight (co-written with MF Thomas), debuted in autumn 2013 and was called "an intriguingly dark thriller, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages up until the rather surprising conclusion" by IndieReader. In August 2015 he published a collection of 15 short stories entitled Stages of Sleep, which was praised as "immediate, lyrical, and lean". A second sci-fi thriller novel written with MF Thomas, A Sickness in Time, was released in August 2016.

As an actor he has an extensive resume of on-stage Shakespeare and roles in upcoming independent feature films including "The Revelator", "Cloudy With a Chance of Sunshine", "Aventura!" and "Reclaiming Friendship Park". He is a member of the Writers Guild of America for his screenwriting work in Hollywood, and is the producer/writer/director of two short films. The first, "Samantha Gets Back Out There", had its world premiere at the 2015 Laughlin International Film Festival and received an Honorable Mention from the IndieFEST USA Film and Music Festival. The second, "The Retriever", is currently in submissions to the film festival circuit for late 2016 and early 2017.

He is a proud member of the Writers Guild of America for his screenwriting work, as well as the Orange County Playwrights Alliance; an Artistic Associate/Casting Director with Shakespeare Orange County, and a producer/writer/performer with the award-winning audio drama podcast Earbud Theater.

Review: I'll Rescue You (I'll Rescue You, #1) by M.T. Thomas

I'll Rescue You (I'll Rescue You, #1)

by M.T. Thomas

Even after 40 years, earth is ready; ready for another attempted invasion. Join our characters as they travel the world in order to save it. Experience growth and self-realization with Apollo as events open his eyes to see beyond what he had always thought was true. Does his home planet and species truly have the right to invade and acquire other worlds?

Half-sisters Belle and Teneille must find a way back to each other while facing alien forces and overwhelming obstacles. Enemies become friends and friends become enemies while star-crossed lovers rescue each other in this science-fiction fantasy.

My Take:

Earth suffered a ruthless and brutal invasion by a race of technologically advanced aliens, impervious to bullets, flames, and bombs. The aliens apparently communicated by telepathy, and considered earth to just be another easily harvested planet. After the leader of the incoming invasion was captured, however, the aliens broke off and retreated, uncertain of victory.

The aliens were considered completely devoid of compassion, mercy, even emotions at all. Concerned about a subsequent invasion, earth scientists managed to create a hybrid half human, half Olympian who had the impervious skin, night sight, long lifespan, and telepathic abilities of the invaders. When they came back, Belle would be able to detect their communications and alert the earth of their plans.

What she didn't expect, what none of them expected, was that she would be the next target. And that she would fall for the alien sent to destroy her.

Content:

Drug Content:

G - squeaky clean.

Violence:

PG - There is a decapitation, some indication of torture. One of the aliens' useful items is made from the skin of a conquered intelligent race. The aliens take some level of delight in torturing or lording it over subjugated civilizations. There are multiple bloody battles, an unarmed man is shot. A person is frozen to death. A man commits suicide by blowing his brains out. The violence is not excessively graphic.

Language:

PG - the D word is dropped a few times.

Adult Content:

PG - There is some angst but not much else. A buff soldier takes off his shirt and is admired by some of the women present.   

Christian content:

Belle's mother is a solid Christian with a strong faith. Providence plays an obvious part in this story. The alien sent to kill Belle, Apollo, is given a series of memories from Belle that causes him to question the cold and vicious methods of his race. To experience hope, love, joy. Self sacrifice, redemption, and hope are strong strokes in this hopeful post-apocalyptic painting. Racism is an undercurrent here.

Final analysis:

I'll Rescue You is an enjoyable read, with memorable characters and solid world-building. The action and pace are gripping, and the message of hope shared here is tangible. The common condemnation of the aliens out of hand is a bit cookie cutter in its depiction, but the tension and judgmentalism that comes with it is realistically sculpted. Five Stars!

About the Author:

Hello! My name is Michelle Thomas, also known as “M.T. Thomas” and I am the author of the book “I’ll Rescue You” that you can find on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble as a paperback or on Kindle and Nook as an ebook.

I enjoy sunsets and long walks on the beach…just kidding! My true passions range from all forms of art, to church and family, and to science. I am a Medial Laboratory Scientist by day and an author by night. I have two daughters and a wonderful husband whom I’ve been with for 12 years.

I’ve always wanted to write. I had a couple poems published back in the day and planned out my novel years ago but never had a chance to write it down. 

I always thought, “I’ll write my book right after I graduate University! I just have to make it till then.” However, right after graduation, I started my new job and we began building our dream house. Again, there was no time. After our house was built and I became comfortably settled in my job, I became pregnant with our second daughter. It would be another 2 years before I felt I had another moment to breathe and actually think about my book. Now, here I am, 5 years post-graduation and I have finally written the story I came up with 10 years ago.

I hope everyone enjoys reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.

Review: Elimination (The Mind Breaker #1) by Marina Epley

Elimination (The Mind Breaker #1)

by Marina Epley

For fans of The Hunger Games, Maze Runner and X-Men. Immerse yourself in a gritty YA dystopian adventure with telepathy, hypnosis and mind reading.

Eighteen-year-old Rex is trying to survive in a dangerous world where the government hunts down, imprisons and even kills those with psychic abilities. He’s a mind breaker, considered not only a deviation from the norm but the biggest threat to society.

Once he reveals his abilities for hypnosis, the deadly hunt begins…

Rex has to flee across the devastated countryside while an entire army of resistant soldiers searches for him. Worse yet, by going on the run, he’s endangering his one and only friend Kitty.

Rex soon realizes that together they make a vulnerable target. And the only way to save Kitty is to allow himself to be captured, thus diverting attention while his friend escapes. But nothing goes as planned, and his actions only serve to push Kitty into an even worse situation than a life sentence in prison. With his world falling apart, Rex must figure out how to fix his accumulating mistakes and regain their freedom before it’s too late.

What Rex doesn’t yet understand, is that he may soon play a major role in preventing all-out war between ordinary humans and mind breakers, a war which could lead to total extinction of the entire human race.

My Take:

Rex is an eighteen-year-old with a terrible secret. He is part of a subset of a post-apocalyptic population that have special mental abilities - hypnosis, telekinesis, mind-reading, and more. He's a mind-breaker, and that amounts to life in prison or worse, just because of who he is.

Lies permeate the media that society watches, tagging mind-breakers as nothing but deadly threats bent on raping, murdering or using their powers to take other advantage of the population at large. Their top-rated show involves watching mind-breakers being hunted down and exterminated by Elimination, a jack-booted black-ops group of specially trained commandos who gather mind-breakers and gather them into research facilities and death camps.

Rex tries to eke out an existence as a 'normal', but the lie he is living crashes around him as the bank he works at is robbed, and he has to use his powers of hypnosis in order to escape. Now, on the run for his life, he has to separate from his sister, Kitty, in order to save her, even if it means capture and death.

As society continues to pursue the annihilation of this enhanced race of beings, aided by the lying media and the merciless Elimination, there's going to be a reckoning - one that just might spell the end of everyone.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG-13 - Several characters do a significant amount of drinking or drugs to ease guilt or pain. Drugs are administered to control or subjugate.

Violence:

R+ - This is extremely bloody. Genocide is a good term. This dark, dystopian novel has torture, bullying, slaughter of innocents, torching of schools and hospitals. Threats and murders of loved ones for leverage or revenge. Street fighting and skull crushing abound. Noses and arms, legs and ribs are broken throughout for the joy of inflicting pain or dominance, for some of the psychotic villains.

Language:

PG - The D-word is used a bit, but nothing else.

Adult Content:

PG - There's not much, but there are some suggestions of rape and such. One of the bad guys intimates considering having his way with a girl who is not yet an adult.   

Christian content:

None. There's not much talk about an afterlife, and there's not any concept of hope beyond surviving the next 30 minutes or just escaping from one bad situation into another. There are some points in the book where characters consider the concept of good and evil, or bad and worse, or who is deserving of death more than someone else. Family and loved ones appear to be the main motivating force, and on the antagonist side, apparently there is no level too low to stoop, no line too bad to cross, in a sadistic pursuit of the destruction of a new race. There are a few characters who learn about forgiveness and reconciliation, and there are some that ardently argue for peace and coexistence. 

Final analysis:

Wow. Where to begin. There are some editing issues, and this book is far darker than my usual fare. As described above, there is a lot of sadism in between the covers of this novel, but the book is a fast-paced thriller that had me glued to it from the shocking and depressing start to the action-packed end. The world-building was stark and realistic. The main character spent far too much time soul searching and pondering his path, waffling in decisions until he focused on a destiny. The antagonists, and there were quite a few, were very dark and very bad. They seemed somewhat one-dimensional, unredeemable, and completely unlikeable.

I would have liked to have known more about the backstory of Wheeler and some of the evil villains like him, to get a better understanding of their motivation for hatred and sadism. A good 'bad' guy has reason and stakes or history that motivates him to be like he is.

The novel was realistic, if disturbing, gripping, a real page-turner. It sets up for a nice dystopian world war, and the world building was solid, but the character building and there were a few pacing issues that kept me from awarding the story the five stars that the plot deserved. Four Stars!

About the Author:
I’m a former journalist turned full-time author who began writing at an early age. Growing up on science fiction, horror and action movies more than cartoons, where the stuff of my dreams (or nightmares) quickly evolved into the short stories I shared with classmates. Well, nothing much has really changed since, except nowadays I write for your enjoyment and reading pleasure.
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I published my first YA dystopian trilogy The Mind Breaker in 2016, and I’m currently working on a new series. I mostly write science fiction with plenty of action and adventure, but appreciate any good stories with lots of unexpected twists and turns.

Visit my website https://www.epleymarina.com/

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