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Gods and Guardians II Escape from Durgurrum
Gods and Guardians II continues the saga of Arthur, Samuel, and their companions as they’re pulled through portals, thrown aboard Elvish starships, and forced into battles that stretch across galaxies and gods’ domains. Author R.W. Dove blends science fiction with fantasy so smoothly that I sometimes forgot where one ended and the other began. The pacing swings from quiet, reflective moments to grand, cinematic scenes filled with tension, friendship, and wonder. There’s a sense of adventure in every chapter, like the book itself refuses to slow down, and you’re pulled along whether you’re ready or not.
What I liked most was Dove’s ability to make everything feel alive. The ships, the crystals, even the air in the alien halls hum with a kind of magic. The writing has a rhythm that’s old-fashioned in a good way, like classic fantasy storytelling where the author truly believes in the world they’ve built. At times, the descriptions stretch long, yet they never lose heart. I could tell Dove poured himself into this, weaving myth and technology together with such sincerity that it’s hard not to admire it. I felt that some parts could have used tighter dialogue, but even then, the sheer imagination keeps it moving. The story feels vast, full of purpose, and though it leans heavily into the moral struggle between light and dark, it never loses sight of its human center, courage, loyalty, and belief in something bigger.
Emotionally, the book surprised me. I found myself caring about Arthur’s confusion and fear, about the weight of destiny he didn’t ask for. I liked how friendship drives much of the plot; even when gods and kings are scheming, the heart of the book is still about people just trying to do what’s right. Dove’s writing feels hopeful, even when the world he’s describing teeters on the edge of ruin.
If you love sprawling worlds, moral stakes, and a touch of classic heroism, Gods and Guardians II: Escape from Durgurrum is worth your time. This is a story for dreamers, for those who miss the feel of true adventure and heartfelt imagination. It’s a long ride, but one filled with light, danger, and just enough wonder to make you believe in magic again.
Pages: 278 | ISBN : 1968973427
A Fresh Start For Humanity
Tim Rees’ Original Earth: Book One follows the last survivors of humanity who have, for generations, drifted through space and now, after their ship is sabotaged, are forced to land on what they now call Earth 2. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
What a great question! Thank you for asking it.
I live very near a beach in Wales called Freshwater West. It’s a beautiful beach and I walk on it pretty much every day. Whilst walking on this one beach in Wales, I will see the debris of humankind. Our rubbish. Manmade items that have no place in the natural world. I am constantly being shocked by what I see in this very small corner of the world and this is just one beach. I’m sure you could walk on every beach in the world and experience shock and horror at what we’ve done. And what I see is of little consequence to the bigger picture. What is the rubbish made of and where do we get the materials to make the rubbish in the first place, that’s the bigger picture. And, of course, I’m only scratching the surface here… So, to keep this short, I find myself gasping on the same question every day: imagine how beautiful this planet would be without humans?
I’m a novelist and my tools are words, so the story evolved upon the question: imagine if we were offered a new, uncontaminated planet and a fresh start, how would I, as an author, wish to see humanity move forward…?
And I wanted the main character to be an individual in perfect harmony with the natural world, so through that character I could play with scenarios and ideas about what it must feel like to be truly in harmony with nature and with all my fellow natural beings.
One of the things that stands out in your novel is the complex relationships of the survivors as they try to rebuild a life on this new planet. What aspects of the human condition do you find particularly interesting that could make for great fiction?
I like your use of the term ‘human condition’, because we live in societies where we are conditioned to live in particular patterns and aspire to particular goals. I could go on, but let’s keep this simple. On the spaceship, everyone was forced to live together in a sterile, confined space. They knew no different, so it wasn’t really a problem, that is, until they were exposed to the hope or the opportunity to explore their own dreams and aspirations. They land on a planet without any experience of how to live in the ‘real’ world. They are completely innocent, except for information and data they have with regard Original Earth. So I asked myself the question: where do these people begin to build a community into a free-thinking society? To begin to answer that question, I reflected on a passage in a previous novel I’d written called Delphian. In the novel there is this relevant passage:
For some reason his thoughts always ended up at the same questions: society and establishment; two words describing the maze of structure created to protect and enable the vast variety of people to live in apparent harmony. His mother had put it perfectly when she’d said: ‘People are different shades of colour, darling, and too often the colours clash.’ She was so right. Different shades of colour. Beautiful. Different shades of personality in a rainbow of dreams, aspirations, hopes and desires… It is we, collectively, who accept terms like human resources, for instance. It is we who put up fences labelled ideology and either stand on one side or the other and proclaim this is right and that wrong…
As an author, I’m hugely excited to explore this landscape. No spoilers, but in books two and three you see those colours naturally coming together and blending, whilst other colours clash and pull apart. I leave that very much to the characters to play out. I’m in discussion with a film producer at the moment, not for Original Earth, but another story, but he complimented me on the fact my scenes breathe. I know what he means, but I don’t create that, the characters do.
What themes were particularly important for you to explore in this book?
That’s an easy question. The damage we have done to planet Earth. The damage we have and are continuing to do to ourselves, because, whilst we poison the planet, we also poison ourselves. And the damage we have done and continue to do to the planet and all other life forms with whom we share this space has to stop, because we only have this one planet. I write fiction so can imagine exploring different worlds, but will humanity survive our collective suicide in order to really explore other worlds?
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
Anu grows closer to Sonri and together they will explore the universe. You already see that in books two and three and in all the planets Anu visits you’ll see a reflection of humans on Earth. For instance, in book three Anu visits a planet run by a humanoid species governed by a repressive, authoritarian ideology similar to Afghanistan and the Taliban – Anu, of course, liberates the women in that society. In book four, the novel I’m currently writing, Anu returns to Original Earth about 150 years in our future. Planet Earth is unrecognisable.
I think in the back of my mind, I always had the idea I’d like Original Earth to evolve in a similar way the stories of Star Trek must have for Gene Roddenberry.
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Now, armed with some knowledge of the complex relationships that exist between both fauna and flora – all life with whom we share this incredible planet – what lessons have we learned?
This is a story about a new beginning…
Anu has a gift: her personal vibration is in perfect harmony with the natural world.
Tim Rees’ Original Earth: Book One
When I opened Tim Rees’ Original Earth: Book One, I expected a familiar survival tale. Instead, I found an emotional journey that runs from the claustrophobic passages of a crippled starship to the harsh beauty of an alien planet. Humanity’s last thousand survivors drift in space for generations before sabotage forces an emergency landing on a world they call Earth 2. Tim Rees explores not just survival, but whether people can truly change when given a second chance. At the heart of it all is Anu, an eight-year-old girl whose honesty and quiet courage cut deeper than the words of most adults.
The opening chapters carried a warmth that drew me in. Anu’s algae-block “strawberry” breakfast was both sweet and heartbreaking, and it showed me how well Rees balances innocence with underlying loss. That sense of comfort didn’t last. The sabotage of the algae vats shattered it in an instant. The frantic scramble to abandon ship, paired with Juno’s ruthless grab for power, made me feel just how fragile their world had always been.
The landing on Earth 2 was one of the most striking sections for me. Rees describes grass beneath bare feet, birds overhead, and the shock of real air with such vividness that I felt the settlers’ exhilaration. Yet he cuts that wonder short with the sudden appearance of a dinosaur-like creature, a jarring reminder that this new world is as dangerous as it is beautiful. Survival becomes grueling, and the endless cycle of hunting, gathering, and securing water presses heavily on every page. Rees captures that grind with a stark honesty that left me uneasy but deeply invested.
For me, Juno’s tightening grip was one of the most unsettling parts of the book. His obsession with water control felt alarmingly real, and it made me think about how fragile any society can be when power rests on basic needs. At the same time, I found myself drawn to Emrys and Onua’s struggle to hold their family together, even as Onua’s injuries dragged them down. What struck me most was Anu’s quiet strength in these chapters. Watching her comfort her brother with a maturity far beyond her years was both moving and painful.
The latter portion of the narrative resonated with me. The pages carried betrayals, losses, and a sliver of hope that felt almost too fragile to hold. Anu’s reflection near the end on what survival truly costs stunned me. It wasn’t neat, and it wasn’t reassuring. Rees doesn’t hand out easy answers. Instead, he leaves us with the harsh truth that humanity has to keep trying, even when the odds feel impossible.
Tender and tense, Tim Rees’ Original Earth: Book One blends discovery, danger, and humanity’s flaws with remarkable honesty. For readers who love survival stories with heart and grit, this book delivers.
Pages: 338 | ASIN : B0DLPGDKQF
The Phoenix Experiment
Aaron Ryan’s The Phoenix Experiment is a sweeping, futuristic tale that follows a group of orphaned teens conscripted into life aboard The Origin, a sentient science vessel orbiting Earth in the year 2471. At its heart, the book blends classic coming-of-age themes with science fiction, grief, and resilience. The Phoenix Experiments themselves are a chilling yet fascinating invention: a way for the bereaved to reconnect with the dead in dreamlike states, designed to ease loss and build future warriors called Speakers who can pacify banshees haunting Earth. The story unfolds through the eyes of Jax Hutson, a sharp and restless boy who longs to see his parents again, and it grows more tangled as the destruction of The Zephyr, the sister ship carrying girls, upends their isolated lives.
I found myself pulled in quickly by Ryan’s voice. The opening chapters do a good job of setting up the claustrophobic yet strangely wondrous life aboard The Origin. I loved the mix of sterile science fiction trappings with messy teenage emotions. Jax is both likable and frustrating, which feels honest for his age. His sarcasm and longing made me root for him even when he was being immature. I also appreciated how Ryan handled the Phoenix Experiments themselves. They are eerie, tender, and sad all at once, and that blend of emotions kept me hooked.
What I liked most was the way grief underpins everything. These kids are essentially being raised to weaponize their pain, and that idea is both fascinating and unsettling. Ryan doesn’t shy away from showing how loss shapes them, but he also weaves in humor and teenage banter that lightens the mood. The balance mostly works, though there were moments where the dialogue felt a little too modern, almost like kids from today had been dropped into a far-off future. Still, I can’t deny that it made them feel relatable, and that relatability deepened the impact of the darker themes.
I walked away feeling like The Phoenix Experiment was a story that mattered more for its emotional core than its sci-fi trappings. It’s a book about kids searching for connection, about finding ways to rise out of ashes, both literal and emotional. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven science fiction, especially younger readers or anyone drawn to stories of grief and resilience wrapped in an imaginative premise. If you like your sci-fi less about hard technology and more about the human heart, this one’s for you.
Pages: 315 | ASIN : B0FNLY8YW3
It Was Aliens
Arkfall follows a man who once stopped an ancient interstellar war with the help of a sentient artifact and is now drawing the wrath of alien beings who see themselves as keepers of the timeline. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came from blending real-world mysteries with speculative science. Ancient structures like the Great Pyramid and global myths of “gods descending from the stars” became the perfect springboard to ask: What if those myths weren’t myths at all, but remnants of a forgotten war tied to humanity’s survival? I wanted to merge that sense of hidden history with the tension of hard science fiction—alien technology, cosmic timelines, and the consequences of tampering with forces beyond human comprehension.
When creating Adam Freeman, did you have a plan for development and character traits, or did it grow organically as you were writing the story?
Adam began as a planned paradox: a brilliant scientist grounded in logic and reason, yet carrying alien DNA that ties him to the unknown. His hybrid nature demanded a constant push and pull—between wanting to live an ordinary human life and being forced into extraordinary responsibility. While I outlined his key arcs early, many of his traits—his doubts, flashes of humor, and raw humanity—emerged organically as I wrote. In many ways, Adam surprised me as much as he surprised himself, especially in how he wrestles with the choice between destiny and free will.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
At its core, Arkfall wrestles with themes of identity, choice, and the cost of knowledge. I wanted to explore how humanity might respond when confronted with undeniable proof of ancient alien intervention, and how individuals reconcile personal desires with cosmic-scale responsibility. The tension between science and spirituality runs throughout the story, as does the idea that progress often comes with sacrifice. Most of all, I wanted to ask: What does it truly mean to be human when you are more than human?
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Arkfall is the sequel to The Ark of The First Gods. I look forward to having both novels published in the near future, they are currently with my literary agent who is shopping them with publishers.
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Arkfall
Arkfall wastes no time throwing you headfirst into its mix of cosmic mystery, high-stakes diplomacy, and reality-bending sci-fi. The story follows Adam Freeman, who once stopped an ancient interstellar war with the help of the Ark of the First Gods, a sentient, impossibly old artifact tied to the very structure of time. His act of mercy has thrown the universe off its rails, drawing the wrath of the Xirelion, beings who see themselves as keepers of the timeline. They demand Adam reignite the war to “restore” balance, but other alien factions, along with the Ark itself, reveal deeper truths. What follows is a tense journey across shifting timelines, shattered futures, and uneasy alliances, where Adam must decide not just between war and peace, but which version of reality deserves to survive.
I was hooked from the first page. Pollack writes with cinematic energy, and I could practically hear the hum of the Ark or feel the sting of Martian winds on my face. The book balances mystery and clarity well, never overexplaining the sci-fi concepts but giving just enough for my mind to latch onto. The Xirelion are eerie in the best way. They’re cold, logical, and yet strangely reverent toward the cosmic order they claim to defend. The interplay between Adam and Zyra carries a relatable grounding through all the mind-bending spectacle. Their dynamic feels lived-in, with just enough mistrust to keep the tension alive. I found myself genuinely caring about the characters’ choices, which is a feat in a plot this tangled.
Sometimes the pacing sprints when I wanted it to breathe, especially after major reveals, when I needed a moment to sit with the implications. And while the multiple alien factions add richness, they can also muddy the waters, with names and motives occasionally blending together. Still, the constant shifting between perspectives, settings, and possible timelines gives the book a restless pulse that kept me turning pages. The technology collapse subplot was particularly chilling. It felt uncomfortably plausible in a way that kept me thinking about it.
If you like your science fiction with ancient mysteries, alien politics, and a protagonist who wrestles with impossible moral choices, Arkfall is for you. It’s ideal for readers who enjoy the cerebral puzzle-making of Peter F. Hamilton’s novels, the mythic undertones of Stargate, or the tense moral dilemmas of Mass Effect. It’s not a light read, you’ll need to keep track of names, timelines, and hidden motives, but it rewards that attention with moments that feel truly epic. For me, it was a ride worth taking, and one I’d step onto again.
Pages: 308
Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker
Michael J. Zummo’s Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker is a fast-paced, character-driven sci-fi adventure that follows the journey of Eisah Tanner, a teenager caught between two worlds—Earth-born and Mars-raised—who suddenly discovers he possesses incredible powers. When a violent encounter with a rival Martian faction reveals his mysterious abilities, Eisah is whisked away to a secretive academy in a sprawling alien space station, where he learns he’s not alone in being “different.” As he grapples with grief, identity, and purpose, Eisah finds himself swept up in a vast interstellar conflict and a world filled with complex politics, alien cultures, and high-stakes battles.
I enjoyed the immersive world Zummo built. Mars isn’t just a red rock here—it’s a living, breathing setting with layered tensions between the Redborn and Earthers. And once the narrative jumps into space, it explodes into vibrant colors, fantastical tech, and unforgettable aliens. I found myself feeling both wonder and dread, often in the same chapter. Zummo’s strength lies in his ability to inject emotional depth into action scenes, and I really appreciated that balance. Eisah’s voice feels authentic. His fear, stubbornness, and protectiveness toward his mom resonated with me. There’s a refreshing honesty in his reactions that makes the reader root for him, even when he’s impulsive or defiant.
There were moments where I felt like I was being given a tour of the universe rather than immersed in it. Some of the side characters (especially the academy’s mysterious operatives and fellow students) were so intriguing, but felt slightly underdeveloped given the novel’s hefty length. Still, even in these slower beats, I appreciated Zummo’s passion for this world. He clearly knows his universe inside and out, and it’s fun to be along for the ride, even when the exposition gets heavy.
Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker is a solid pick for fans of young adult sci-fi who love stories about found family, superpowers, and reluctant heroes thrown into extraordinary situations. It’s especially great for readers who want their space fantasy with a bit of heart and a lot of flair. If you liked Ender’s Game, Skyward, or The Expanse but wished they had more emotion, diversity, and cool alien tech, this is for you. I’m absolutely curious to see where Eisah’s journey takes him next.
Pages: 562
It’s Okay to Be Different
Timmy the Martian is the story of a Martian who ventures to Earth and meets a young boy with whom he forms a unique bond when they realize they share the same facial anomaly. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story for Timmy including the character and the opening verses actually appeared in a dream and I wrote it down the next morning. Even the illustrations mirror exactly how it appeared in my dream.
Is there anything from your own life you put into the characters in your book?
Being mixed race you experience a lot of issues surrounding visual differences during childhood. My son is also diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, and we spent a lot of his younger years helping him understand that it’s okay to be different and you can still have friends and fun. So those experiences were useful in the storytelling of Timmy the Martian.
What led you to incorporate science fiction into a book with this particular theme?
I’ve always been fascinated by science fiction and thought the differences in species would make for a great children’s story about differences, bullying, and friendship. I also recognised how important it is for a children’s book to have great illustrations to accompany the story, and I’ve always loved illustrations of space and planets.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
When my 7-year-old stepdaughter read Timmy the Martian, she was curious to understand more about what Timmy’s home on Mars would look like and what pets Timmy would have. So I am working on a follow-up to Timmy the Martian with a second book called Timmy’s Home on Mars. It will follow a similar theme of Timmy’s home not being as big and impressive as some of the other Martian homes, but it is filled with happiness and love – which is all that matters. This will be available in time for her next birthday in September.
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The two new friends set off into space for amazing adventures, before returning home.
LITERARY TITAN 