"Moraturi Lost: The Paradisi Chronicles (Lost Mission Book 2) by Marti Ward is a novel of space aged futuristic sci-fi with post-modern problems and thrilling action.
The SS Moraturi is a Noah's Arc of animals and people discreetly chosen for a classified mission. The goal is to populate the planet Paradisi in the Andromeda galaxy, in hopes of creating a better life than on Earth.
Eva, the nurse who was born in space and had only truly been trained in veterinary medicine, becomes the sole conscious human as the ship succumbs to damage caused by a wormhole. Her two new cat comrades guide and watch over her as she figures out how to safely awaken the crew and passengers. She must revive not only Captain Evans, the brilliant man with a photographic memory, and Dr. Saunders, who offers clinical help without much of a bedside manner, she must also attend to the human specimens.
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Twins Tom and Bill had been captured from Earth and brought aboard the airship. Their job is to help procreate the human race in Paradisi. Bill has his eyes set on Eva. Although they are close in age and share high intelligences, Eva is decidedly more mature than Bill, and takes her job seriously. She is thrilled to be working with humans instead of just animals, and looks at it as a great opportunity to further her medical skills.
The author has created a believable world aboard an airship. Between sci-tech lingo is witty banter and ominous descriptions. "There were bodies, and most of them were probably alive, but none could hear..."
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Behind the scenes glimpses of private notes and logs added authenticity to the spaced-out story.
Told from different points of view, including a pair of cats, the plot moves quickly as each chapter provides a fresh perspective.
Some of the science-techie language took me a while to figure out, but reading became smoother as I learned how the technology in this world of nanobots and wormholes.
This is a fast moving book that will entertain readers of space sci-fi.
My rating: 4" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"Novel Problems" by George Morrison is a humourous sci-fi with alien beings, relatable characters, and a hint of romance. Vivid descriptions and attention to details within scenes brings this tale to life.<br /><br />Jake is a secret novelist. Rejection after rejection has dimmed his zest for writing, but he still attempts to write the next great sci-fi novel. He sits behind his government-issued desk and dreams up stories for his characters. His faithful friend, Felipe, is his sounding board. With their mischievous book-hurrying dog, Chaucer, they live a quiet life of geeky bachelors.<br /><br />Together, they proofread Jake's recent novel, which is based largely in information gleaned from Jake's government job. The plot incorporates somewhat secret touch-points, but Jake shrugs it off as simply being part of a fictional story.<br /><br />When Jake's young niece, Daphne, discovers his latest novel, she decides to surprise him by sending it to a local publishing agent. This is when Jake's trouble begins, and he could only wish his manuscript had stayed buried.<br /><br />Claire, a hardworking literary agent, receives the manuscript and is intrigued by the realistic premise and correlation to local government. After her initial research, she sends the manuscript out for further fact-checking, Little did she know that the sci-fi tale about aliens from outer space would reach an actual inter-planetary visitor! What was once pure fiction is regarded as a true documentary of government secrets. <br /><br />The network of aliens is human-like and powerful. Their reaction to being, as they believe, discovered, is paranoia. With good reason.<br /><br />Soon, Jake, Claire, and even little Daphne, are embroiled in a government conspiracy that goes beyond country, beyond Earth. <br /><br />This book is a fun jaunt through a world that could be, and is highly relatable.
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My rating: 3" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"Discovered," by Beca Lewis is a fantasy story with strong female leads who yearn for a world of magic<br /><br /><br /><br />Ever since magic has been outlawed, the world has changed. People live in peril, and the gifted ones subside in hiding.<br /><br /><br /><br />Two shape shifting sisters must fight the tyranny of the would-be god governing the people. <br /><br /><br /><br />Suzanne is a shape shifter, with the ability to change from her human form to that of a dragon. She is on a mission to free the local townspeople from Aaron-Lim.<br /><br /><br /><br />Meg is a shapeshifter who endeavours to use her ability to change into a raven for the good of the suffering Mages. <br /><br /><br /><br />Other characters include Stryker, an adventurer who is tasked with aiding the rebellion. He has hidden magic capabilities that he cannot reveal. If his secret is discovered, he will face punishment under the new ant-magic laws. <br /><br /><br /><br />The writing style is clear and concise, with attention to characters and setting that allow the reader to picture the scenes with clarity.<br /><br /><br /><br />The character development in this story was intricate and detailed. Each person came alive upon the page with vivid descriptions.<br /><br /><br /><br />The scenes are vivid and wonderfully described. All five senses are imbued with information to create destinations that could be viewed in the mind's eye. <br /><br /><br /><br />This book fell short for me with a weekly driven plot. I felt like this tale had so much potential to be an epic mystical adventure, but it never reached the pinnacle. I bet if the author adds more action and dialogue, the story will become a story, instead of a collection of excellent descriptions. <br /><br /><br />
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My rating: 4" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"Awaken the Three" by D.L. Jennings is epic fantasy with good versus evil, supernatural against humanity, and dark battles between moments of peace. With multiple plot lines, the book moves quickly via a well established cast of characters.<br /><br />Characters are clearly defined. This made it really helpful to differentiate them from each other since there are so many of them. The descriptions are vivid, creating clear images.<br /><br />The scenes are action packed and move the plot lines quickly. Stealth and battles flowed excitedly with less stressful moments and character building.<br /><br />Throughout the book, the writing style is clear yet dramatic; modern yet lending to an archaic fantasy. <br /><br />"Small fires still burned, feeding greedily on corpses and grass. The dead armor melted to them like purple-and-gold caskets, lay still in repose."<br /><br />The glossary of people and places made it easier to keep track of all the various unusual names, characters, and relationships. It was a handy resource. At times I found the plot murky and the mix of characters difficult to keep track of, so this glossary was a handy resource. <br /><br />Maps are included which emphasize the large and diverse world the author has created. It was fun to go back to the maps while reading to better imagine where places and people were win relation to each other. <br /><br />This is book two of a series. I have not read book one, so I felt a little lost especially at the beginning. The tools the author provided (glossary, maps) along with his excellent writing skills helped me to jump in.
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My rating: 4" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"Prometheus Ascending" by D.F. Wink is book three of "A Prometheus Trilogy." In a world where cyborgs hide fearfully, the brutal government shows no mercy, and despair has overrun hope, a small group of allies stick together to figure out how to set society straight again.<br /><br />Adama is the young hero who has done their share of saving and being saved. Rahab is a woman who has lost nearly everything in her life yet still perseveres. Amber is Rahab's treasured teenage daughter whose life Adama has saved. Together, the three of them must survive the apocalypse.<br /><br />The Sub is the governing body: ruthless murderers who take pleasure in doling out painful deaths. <br /><br />Th demise of the evil being Manessah has not decreased the hatred running rampant throughout the suburbs. Bjorn had been his best friend, and was now his murderer. Maybe now, the innocent people living in fear could be freed.<br /><br />This book is a fast-paced page turner with space age post-apocalyptic adventure. The science fiction is at times realistic, with drones, codes, and microchips implanted in civilians. The descriptions of the more mystical parts are vivid and powerful.<br /><br />"The material behind him reassembled in seconds, swallowing him in darkness, and he felt the drone shoot up into the air."<br /><br />Since I have not read books one and two of this trilogy, there were some nuances I may have missed, but I feel like the author did a good job of bringing a new reader up to speed without a boring play-by-play retelling. A smooth read, I recommend this book for fans of sci-fi and end of the world sagas.
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"Fuuristic Violence and Fancy Suits" by David Wong is a unique near-future science fiction novel. Twenty-two year old Zoey lives in a trailer with her stripper mother and smelly cat. Her quiet small time life is drastically changed when she inherits her absentee father's fortune. Unfortunately, the circumstances of his death, along with a treasure hunt, means there is a bounty on her head. She winds up in her father's mansion alternately firing and rehiring his team of spies and bodyguards while monstrous superhuman hunt her down.
A laugh-out-loud adventure with dynamic futurism and a wacky world of advanced technology make this book a must read. Fans of "A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" will love this book.
My rating: 3" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"The Eterna Files: The Eterna Files #1" by Leanna Renee Hieber is a Victorian gaslamp thriller. Set in 1882, the story evolves around two different yet similar groups, each grappling with the same problem. One group is in the U.S. and the other in in England. They are trying to discover an elixir that will impart eternal life. The group of scientists in charge of the operation has disappeared, seemingly obliterated, by their experiments.<br /><br />There are many bold descriptions that stand out, creating excellent literature. For instance:<br />"For Clara, it was an assault almost beyond measure. She didn't need the room to scream - the room was screaming for her."<br /><br />Rose at times seems like a woman after my own heart.<br />"Rose opened the thin cipher book that was always on her person - every dress she owned had an adapted pocket for it sewn into the bodice - and went to work on the message."<br /><br />Both women are mindful of their limitations in an era of suffragists and a drive for the right for women to vote. Rose and Clara make their stances known, and strive to be as independent as possible.<br /><br />Racism against black people is noteworthy and acknowledged sensitively and head-on. This added some reality that blended well with the fantasy.<br /><br />The chapters take turns telling the story from each group's point of view. The two groups of people are almost mirror images of each other, which made it a bit confusing for me. The side characters were interesting and added spice and flamboyance to an otherwise dull cast. There were romances hinted at but never blossomed, gruesome murders that were never investigated, and supernatural powers that didn't reach their potential. <br /><br />I did not know when I started this book that it was one in a series. It would have made the up in the air ending less disappointing if i had known that going in.<br /><br />This is definitely a Victorian ghost story, not a steampunk book, although it has many of the fashions and mannerisms you would expect in such a novel. <br /><br />If you are a fan of intricate character descriptions and poetic nuance, you will appreciate some of the finer points of "The Eterna Files."
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My rating: 5" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"Flash Point (Nite Fire, #1) is a unique take on a modern dragon tale. The main character is a shapeshifter, borne of a dragon and a human. This gives her magical powers and abilities. She has travelled through a portal to our modern world, where she has chosen to use her extra sensory powers to combat the evil of her kind. She teams up with a local cop and together they seek to solve murder mysteries. In the meantime, she is haunted by her past, and the grim choices that brought her here.<br /><br />Magical, sensory, lush, with fast paced action and fun dialogue, this is a perfect book for sci-fi fantasy fans win search of a thrilling escape.
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My rating: 5" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://www.goodreads.com/revi... of 5 stars
"Print in the Snow: Anna's Adventure in the Wyssun World" by E.V. Svetova is a mystical adventure into a wintry world of magic and mystery creates a life changing experience for a teenaged girl.<br /><br /><br /><br />Fourteen year old Anna's world has been tipped upside down. Her father died unexpectedly, and her mother quickly remarried a man who Anna isn't sure qualifies as stepfather material. Then she discovers their secret, which makes her feel betrayed. <br /><br /><br /><br />After moving to a new house far from her friends and beloved ski team, she reaches her boiling point when the stress of unpacking, both literally and emotionally, becomes overwhelming. She sneaks off with her skis into the snow. And that is when her strange adventure begins.<br /><br /><br /><br />Anna meets an extraordinary boy, a fellow skier. They quickly forge a friendship and she marvells at his apparent skills in the snow. There is something mysterious about him, and the friends he introduces her to. They are Skiers, a band of magical people who protect their world from a nefarious power.<br /><br /><br /><br />Anna finds herself trapped within this mystical universe, and must fight alongside her new comrades to negate the presence of the monstrous enemy. In the meantime, she is catching feelings for the boy she first encountered, while fending off the disgusting affections of a gross older sorcerer.<br /><br /><br /><br />Fighting inwardly with her own love, loss, and bitterness, Anna is also fighting for her life. When her crush is struck down by the enemy, she must face the consequences of her own reaction to turmoil.<br /><br /><br /><br />Will love save the day? Or is all lost in the past? Anna discovers the truth in her own life while defending the world she has grown to accept, despite the horrific challenges.<br /><br /><br /><br />This book reminds me of Neil Gaiman's "Underworld" and L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz." It is a perfect enthralling read for fans of fairy tales and stories with parallell universes. <br /><br /><br /><br />The language and subject matter makes it appropriate for all ages, particularly teens.<br /><br /><br /><br />E.V. Svetova has once again succeeded in creating a magical story that will be beloved by all who read it.<br /><br /><br />
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