Reader Views

The Forgotten Past: The Arhka Chronicles, Volume II

Inside the incredibly beautiful cover of "The Forgotten Past" is a complex, and well-written, science fiction story. Geared towards an older teen audience, it begins with two puzzled young men investigating the disappearance of their sisters and Derrick’s mom, with clues that seem to suggest aliens and other worlds. Heather Hayashi’s gripping prologue and realistic portrayal of these initial characters, moves the reader back into the continuing story in this second volume of "The Arhka Chronicles."

The author clearly has an epic story to tell, and although there are almost too many characters and switching between multiple storylines at times, she is an excellent writer and very good at keeping the reader involved and interested. It would probably be best to read Volume I first in order to understand the characters’ motivations, relationships, and backgrounds, though. Some behaviors and actions were confusing on occasion due to lack of information. Also, I am not exactly clear if there is any deeper meaning to this tale, although self-knowledge and family trust seems to be hinted at. What I did greatly enjoy, however, was the author’s playful use of vocabulary and Japanese culture. In fact, I am positive one intriguing battle drew its inspiration from a Pokemon match.

The various storylines are not anywhere near being resolved at the end of the book, and this could be a long series. There is enough techie language to keep older teens interested, yet it is understandable and has a great youthful feeling. Lots of action, varied and unique characters, and a terrific sense of fun is what this very good writer has given us, between one of the most sophisticated book covers I have seen in a long time. "The Forgotten Past: The Arhka Chronicles, Volume II" by Heather Hayashi is well worth a reader’s time.

The Forgotten Past
Heather Hayashi
Synergy Books (2007)
ISBN 9781933538778
Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (9/08)

Jack Jacobs and the Doomsday Time Machine (3rd edition)

In the year 2177 Jack Jacobs worked in Area 51 and was assigned as lead scientist to the top secret Advanced Gravity Drive (AGD) project code-named Orion Nine.  Jacobs was recognized as one of the top gravity propulsion experts in this field even before he finished his first doctorate.  Dr. Brad Gilmore, another Area 51 scientist, was secretly working on interfacing his lab’s prototype organic supercomputer into the spaceship’s systems and subsystems, alongside Jack Jacobs’s secret quantum gravity drive technology.

After concurring with Dr. Gilmore, it was agreed that Jack should take an unauthorized trial test on the day before the scheduled lift off.  Unexpected and unexplained, the forces of gravity, light, and time-formulation caused a malfunction.

Jack found himself off-course with the soft-spoken organic supercomputer named Jennifer, created by Dr. Gilmore.  Together with her pretty holographic images they traveled through space for a period of sixteen years. Finally arriving back at earth, they had expected to be in the year 2199. They discovered that their spaceship’s quantum gravity drive was caught up in a series of time distortions. They found themselves 100 years into the past. Jennifer explained it this way: “The harmonic of their distortion pulsated backwards moving them back in time.”

The complex plot takes the reader on a journey through space that includes the critical predicaments faced by Jack Jacobs and Jennifer, as well as the solutions they accomplish though intricate quantum mathematical hieroglyphics, formulations and systems whose accuracy are futuristic.

As a reader I did find it hard to identify with Jack’s intelligence, however, other glimpses of Jack’s personality came through in flashbacks, daydreams, and feelings expressed for Jennifer as her personality continued to emerge.

I personally have gained a new respect for members of the NASA team and those in the aeronautical industry. I stand in awe of the dedication and giftedness of these men and women. It is interesting to reflect that during my lifetime I have seen the fulfillment of many futuristic dreams that came from books like this classified as fantasy and science fiction. Kudos’ to Albert Abraham and others like him who can articulate in imaginative story form the outer reaches of our galaxies.

Albert Abraham combines his experience, education, and training in the field of aerospace engineering with a gifted ability to dream and to put those dreams on paper in the form of an imaginative, futuristic, fantasy novel that is both informational and entertaining. His writing is convincing, and credible in futuristic possibilities, yet, impossible in light of today’s research and scientific schemes.

A few unanswered questions, unresolved problems, and the unexpected, exciting final chapter leave the door open for a promised sequel to “Jack Jacobs and the Doomsday Time Machine,” by Albert S. Abraham.

Jack Jacobs and the Doomsday Time Machine
Albert S. Abraham
Blue Comet Books (2008)
ISBN 9780976974420
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (7/08)

Ontario Lacus

The author, J. Matthew Neal, does it again with his second book.  This is a sequel to “Specific Gravity.” You do not need to have read the first book before reading this, but I highly recommend not missing it.  Even though this book is full of technical information, it is written in a reader-friendly format.  I always enjoy reading this author’s works because I learn so much while reading a great story.  His real life experience as a physician gives him an insight that most authors do not have.  This story plot includes murder, romance and very high technology.

The story begins with the death of a US President, along with others.  No one suspects that they have been murdered to prevent interference with one of the most diabolical plots in history. 

Dr. Alex Darkkin, a brilliant oncology radiologist, is back with his wife Bonnie “Mendoza the Miraculous” Mendoza.  Bonnie’s ex-pro football player brother, Jay, has become a professional football coach in Las Vegas.  He witnesses something very strange with one of his players that he attributes to steroids.  When he asks Alex and Bonnie to investigate what is happening they get involved in much more than they bargained for.  It turns out that an alien substance is being used to cure people and turn them into super humans.  Unfortunately, the scientist involved in creating it is in cohorts with a high-level military official who is planning on using it to make an army of human killing-machines. 

Dr. Malachi Argon, the scientist behind the plot, quickly finds that he has completely underestimated the abilities of Bonnie Mendoza and her crew.  Bonnie, who is profoundly deaf, has mastered other abilities that make her more than a match for Argon.  Teamed up with a cast of colorful and brilliant characters, they figure out what is happening and go after Argon. 

I am so glad that the author continued on with these characters.  This page turner kept me up reading through most of the night because I could not put it down before I found out how it turned out! “Ontario Lacus” is definitely one that thriller fans will not want to miss reading.

Ontario Lacus
J. Matthew Neal
Dunn Avenue Press (2008)
ISBN 9780615211275
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (6/08)

The Bretton Katt Alliance

The year is 2441 and Anna Helsak, the Chancellor of the Bowman pact, allies herself with her old enemies while breaking the old alliance with her father’s people, the Neorans. Although she’s been warned that the new alliance will bring discord to both her family and her country, not to mention her race, Anna persists in her endeavors – much to the chagrin and disbelief of her closest friends and family. Her motive is not disclosed – at least not in this, first installment in the Lorrondon Cycle.

Quite captivating, but oftentimes slow-moving and rather confusing, the story Margaret Garside weaves in ”The Bretton Katt Alliance” is not your standard science-fiction fare. Although there are space-ships, aliens and gizmos galore, the focus tends to be more on the political machinations and family dynamics than on the warfare, weaponry and battles. At the same time alien and strangely familiar, the life on Bowman IV is shattered by an unlikely and very unexpected decision made by Anna Helsak, a decision that tears her family apart and even in this first book demands numerous victims. Interesting interactions, both within her colorful family and the threatened independent city of Bretton Katt, draw the reader in quickly, yet the story does not move forward enough nor fast enough for my liking. The great number of characters is confusing enough without the habit of addressing the same character in several different ways and by several different nicknames. While “The People” section at the beginning of the book helps to some degree, it is rather tedious to have to go back to it so often to try and straighten out the “who’s who and what to whom” logistics.

Another jarring note in an otherwise pleasant composition was lack of editing and proofreading. While some of the mistakes are quite cute (a naval orange definitely brings to mind a dashing navy uniform on an orange and the wind glasses must be useful for catching some of the breezes at the party…), relying on a spellchecker usually does not guarantee professional results.  

I’ve enjoyed “The Bretton Katt Alliance” quite a bit more than I’ve expected based on the synopsis found on the back cover, both for the competent writing and interesting storyline offered by Margaret Garside. If the story becomes a bit more streamlined in the next installments and if more secrets are revealed, I think this series just might grow on me considerably. Intelligent and engaging, this is science-fiction for those who look for more than just gadgets and strange looking aliens; and if you like family sagas, this book should be a must on your summer reading list.

The Bretton Katt Alliance
Margaret Garside
Outskirts Press (2007)
ISBN 9781598009255
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (6/08) 

The Charon Covenant

A great war occurred on Earth, leaving it unlivable because of depleted resources.  As a result, some people were taken to the moon to set up a new civilization.  Among these people are Chess and Dara Drew, a young couple who are expecting their first child.  After delivering a seemingly perfect baby, the Drews are told their son had developed complications and died.  Dara is unable to accept this and suspects something strange is going on at the hospital.  Sightings of suspicious activities lead Dara and her friends to investigate further into what is happening in this new world.  After finally realizing that over the years they have slowly been losing all of their freedoms, they formulate a plan to escape from the moon and see if they can find someplace on Earth that is still habitable.

Science-fiction fans will enjoy the concept of a futuristic society.  Some of the advancements made were quite interesting.  The rapid transport system that allowed people to travel great distances in a matter of minutes was incredible.  Hydroponic food growth was another great stride.  However, the ability of those in charge to instantly track where anyone is at any given time is a little disturbing.

The idea for the plot was great.  It was enlightening to watch the characters piece together small bits of information to see the big picture.  I would have liked the author to have included a short prologue about the specific events that led to the Earth’s demise.  I also think an epilogue could have been included because the reader was left wondering what became of the major characters.
                                                
As stated in the front of the book, the publishing company respected the author’s wish for no editorial input.  The author should reconsider this and do a second printing.  There were numerous misspelled words, run-on sentences, and paragraphs seemed to jump to new topics without warning.  There were also three instances I noted in which the wrong character’s name was used.  I found the above-mentioned issues distracted my attention from the author's intended message.

“The Charon Covenant” is a good story that allows the reader to use his imagination about how life would be on other planets.  It also provides an opportunity for thought on how our present society may be in years to come.

The Charon Covenant
Brenda Munday Gifford
PublishAmerica (2008)
ISBN 9781424187867
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (5/08)

The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found

I really enjoyed reading “The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found,” but am not entirely sure why it was written. Mary Andrews’ novel tells of the forming of a Universal Government Dark Ops unit and its wired leader, assassin healer, and empathic/telepathic members. The little control these characters feel they have over their own lives proves to be nothing compared to what they will eventually discover.

The novel moves quickly, beginning with the realistic relationship between a high ranking mother and her adopted teenaged son, who happens to be so good at what he does that he is dangerous. From here the various team members are collected, their individual situations explained, and their allegiance to one another tested. Overall, the familiar characters are believable and well written. The author also provides some terrific settings on planets that I would have liked to have spent much more time on, and her writing is clear and relaxed. However, while I liked what she wrote very much, there are some confusing bits, such as the abruptness of the main character being a teenager on one page, and on the next apparently an adult calling another teenager a kid, but perhaps the greatest puzzle is why this book was written. I felt as if I was reading a very long (but interesting) introduction simply describing the settings and characters that will soon be embarking on adventures that may change their universe. The reader never actually gets to one of these stories, and I was quite unsatisfied at the end.

There is a lot to like in “The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found.” This is a book with late teens as heroes, realistic relationships, wonderful settings, and great action. With a bit more work, this could be quite an interesting series on its way. The author has a great imagination, and the writing ability to share it with us.

The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found
Mary Andrews
Swimming Kangaroo Books (2007)
ISBN 9781934041505
Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (5/08)

Alysa of the Fields: Book One in the Tellings of Xunar-kun

Tina Field Howe’s “Alysa of the Fields”is set on a planet Xunar-kun, some 3000 years after a catastrophic event, referred to as the Cat’clysm, wiped out most of the planet’s population. Alysa is member of the Field Folk, one of the two clans remaining in the area. The other clan, the Trailmen, is considered by the Field Folk to be rather uncivilized and quite dangerous; and the two meet rarely, only to barter for the goods that the other clan does not possess. Alysa’s father, Abso, is one of the rare Field Folk who actually interact with the Trailmen in his role of the Trader. After Abso’s untimely demise, Alysa’s world is thrown for a spin – everything she’s been taught and everything she believed in seems to be very shaky all of a sudden.

Alysa’s character is one that adolescents, especially girls, will be able to relate to extremely well. She is a child in many ways, wise beyond her years in others, vulnerable and extremely brave at the same time, obedient, yet questioning authority. Ms. Field Howe captures the oftentimes extremely difficult world of an adolescent perfectly. She teaches important life lessons without unnecessary moralizing or preaching. She shows how individual desires and needs are not always aligned with the way others live and are taught to live. More importantly, she shows us that it is important to follow our dreams, that things can change, that questioning the authority is not necessarily bad, that bad things can and do happen to good people, that different is not dangerous and that perseverance usually pays off.

The world of Xunar-kun is beautifully described in great detail. While it might remind you of the books about the prehistoric tribes a lot, it does have a charm all of its own. I’ve enjoyed the descriptions of day-to-day life of both the Field Folk and the Trailmen a lot. The Planting Calendar is charming and certainly unique. My favorite parts of the book dealt with the differences between the Field Folk and the Trailmen – which just like in today’s world were mostly perceived and not real. The more we study our “neighbors”, the more similarities and common areas we usually discover; and that is one lesson that is taught to perfection in “Alysa of the Fields”.

It will be interesting to see where the author leads this charming story, “Alysa of the Fields,” in the sequel – or even better, sequels. Although it has been very many moons since I was an adolescent, I am looking forward to the new ‘Tellings of Xunar-kun.’ There is a lot of literature supposedly geared towards adolescents that should – and hopefully will – find its way to the bookshelves of adults as well, and I believe Tina Field Howe will join the ranks of J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Cornelia Funke and the likes shortly.

Alysa of the Fields: Book One in the Tellings of Xunar-kun
Tina Field Howe
Booklocker.com, Inc. (2006)
ISBN 9780976858515
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (5/08)

Stories at the Edge of Time

I’ll be the first to admit that short stories usually cannot hold my attention for very long. More often than not I’ll read one or two in a collection; then decide that they are all the same anyhow and I’ll give up. Well, this was not the case with Alan Robbins’ collection of science-fiction short stories “Stories at the Edge of Time.” The nineteen stories held my attention throughout the entire collection and I enjoyed them immensely.

The stories are diverse and extremely engaging. Most of them seem to deal with time, be it the passage of time, the relativity of it or some other aspect of it. They are all fresh and very different from each other, yet linked by superb writing and boundless imagination. It would be a tough call to decide which of the stories could be my favorite. Part of me would be in favor of “Sudden Insight,” the story of a mathematician on the brink of a huge discovery – which never happens. Or maybe it could be “The Dead Got It Good,” of the “suave detective and hard-nosed dame” genre that I’ve always enjoyed so much in the vintage detective novels. But wait, we cannot forget “The Time Phone!” Would it not be nice to be able to telephone into the future? Or would it be? Then we have “Uncle Jack Eats a Mummy,” a very insightful story about immortality. If this one does not make you stop and think, you are probably beyond help. While all of those stories I’ve just named, as well as all the rest of them, enchanted me, amused me and made me wonder, I would probably pick “The Edge of Time” if I truly had to pick one only. As an avid reader I love the premise of stories and reading being able to change our fate – and that’s exactly what happens in “The Edge of Time.”

So – pick “Stories at the Edge of Time” and immerse yourself in it – I am pretty certain that your universe will experience a little shift as well.

Stories at the Edge of Time
Alan Robbins
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595471072
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (1/08)

The Night They Came: A Science-fiction Thriller....

Steven Daniels and his wife Karen are caught up in an adventure of alien infiltration. They are given a glimpse into inter-dimensional beings from the future, and the horror of a world of alien cross-breeding which creates hy-brids in Dave Gamboa’s latest book “The Night They Came.”

The skies were clear and cool with a full moon and lots of stars. However, Steve felt an eerie chill in the air as he returned home from a short stroll. He was intrigued as he gazed into the sky at a time when the red planet Mars was at its closest point to Earth. Without warning creatures from another world, arriving in alien space crafts invaded Los Angeles. Stunned and frightened, people were herded into the oval-shaped space ships. Steve escaped the panic, and pandemonium. He confiscated a bus. Returning home to save Karen, Steve rescued a young mother who had just lost her daughter to the aliens.

Zigzagging through town Steve rescued two more women and four men. The night ahead became a nightmare for the four women, and for Steve, and his new friends, Alex, Michael, Brian, and Greg. They drove into a secluded spot in the mountains overlooking Los Angeles. The group becomes terrorized as they fall into the hands of an elitist group of scientists, working with the government in a secret plan of alien experimentation. As his four friends fall into the hands of the crazed scientists and hy-brids, Steve is forced to fend for his life.

Dave Gamboa is a gifted storyteller. The plot is filled with fast-paced action, believable characters, intriguing aliens and hy-brids. Insightful dialog bridges the plot twists and captivated me right up to the final climax, and thought-provoking conclusion.

Dave writes a thought-provoking story mixing creative imagination, the horror of the unexplained and his own nightmares with real life situations in “The Night They Came.” His writing just keeps getting better.

The Night They Came: A Science-fiction Thriller....
Dave Gamboa
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595455195
Reviewed By Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (12/07)

Stewards of the Flame

What if our government took full control over monitoring our physical and mental well-being? What if we were forced to submit to health screenings to see if we had any problems? What if we were forced into treatment we did not want? What if we were no longer allowed to die, but had to be put into stasis in vaults to continue our heartbeat, so that the government could continue to profit from our investments?

Starship Captain Jesse Sanders finds himself in such a predicament after passing out in a bar on planet Undine. Even though Jesse limits his drinking to when he is off duty, he is targeted as an alcoholic and locked up for treatment. The treatment is quite painful and invasive. He loses his rights as a Starship Fleet Officer. Now he has nothing. Jesse encounters some people who work in the medical system who do not want to live this way. They believe that people have a right to die and should not be kept alive after their brain is dead. However, against their belief, if you intentionally allow a person to die, you are considered to have committed a crime. To dispose of a body without putting it in stasis is another crime. There are people on the planet who are elderly and ill who just want to be allowed the dignity of death.

The group that Jesse encounters calls themselves, “The Stewards of the Flame.” They say, “We are stewards of a flame that will illuminate future generations.” To them, the symbol of the mind’s power is fire. They help Jesse escape from the hospital and take him to an island retreat where they teach him how to develop his mental powers. He learns to mentally overcome pain, and to communicate by ESP. The leader of this group recognizes Jesse from a precognitive dream and knows that he holds the key to helping them escape from this tyranny.

“Stewards of the Flame” is an excellent fictional novel, however, it inspires a lot of thought provoking “what if” kinds of questions. The author points out that our own society has moved in a direction where our government and technology have accessed more control over our lives. Such as on the planet Undine, some people find this reassuring, however, others would prefer to limit the governments control over their bodies. This is an excellent novel to read, just for pure enjoyment, however, I would highly recommend “Stewards of the Flame” to bio-ethics classes. It will certainly lead to some stimulating conversations.

Stewards of the Flame
Sylvia Engdahl
BookSurge (2007)
ISBN 9781419675065
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (10/07)