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Elysium Protocol
Elysium Protocol by C.A. MacLean is the third book in the Architects of the Illusion science fiction series. Following a species-diverse team known as the “Fireseeds,” Elysium Protocol picks up the shattered pieces left over from the devastating war in book two, The Great Scourge. In a time of interstellar conflict, multiple factions, some seen, some working from the shadows, are vying for power, control, and sometimes, just plain survival. Set in a distant future, the last remnants of humanity are part of an intergalactic organization known as “The Convergence,” an alliance consisting of “quintillions” of citizens.
The Fireseeds are pitted against a vast alien force known as the “hiven,” an insect-like species bent on zealous destruction and domination. Several science fiction tropes appear here, but they are executed skillfully; which ensures longtime fans of science fiction will find something familiar yet still intriguing. There are multiple alien races present: humanoid bird-persons (Arkerians), crystal people (Altaran), bug people (hiven), and more. The story is rife with many planet names and systems, such as Everan, Serrona, Vraunlith-3, etc. I feel this might make it difficult to follow at times but adds to the depth of a world that seems full of possbilites and begs to be explored further. I would have loved to have seen a map of systems in the book to look back on because this story reaches epic fantasy levels where readers will be completely immersed in a large world.
This is a robust novel, almost as long as the two previous entries combined. There is a lot of action going on with all of the characters and races. Readers have to be fully engaged in this story to keep up with who is who and what species is what; reminding me of the breadth of George R.R. Martin novels. However, the author effectively handles the task of keeping things straight, with the central characters being well developed with strong individual personalities. The Arkerian Engami sisters, Eva and Ashy, the tragic Altaran, Caleb Braze, the modest human, Daniel Byre, and many more fill this impressive work with relatable characters and a compelling story. Despite some massive decisions, the memorable characters and gripping action bring a universe of primordial planets, advanced spacecraft, and futuristic cities to life.
Architects Of The Illusion, Part III: Elysium Protocol is an action-filled science fiction space opera with memorable characters and planets. Readers will be able to escape into the world that has been created and feel like they are in the action.
Pages: 777 | ASIN : B09NPPJL1Q
Disorder
Disorder by Antim Strauss is a riveting story about the most infamous US presidential election in recent times. This fictional narrative is based on actual events and explores the actions of a mysterious figure known as The Fixer. The reader is hooked from the start as the story begins with a message by The Fixer himself, addressing the reader. Individual chapters are dedicated to the thoughts and words of The Fixer, whose poetic lines are pretty gripping. As the story progresses, we realize how the actions of The Fixer are about to cause a catastrophe. An unstable, and disgraceful candidate becomes the frontrunner of the GOP, and a massive disinformation campaign is afoot to ensure his victory. Tipped off by a former president, journalist Geoffrey Wines along with fellow journalist, hacker, and Superman enthusiast Jimmy Olsen, discovers a much deeper conspiracy. One that threatens the very essence of American Democracy.
Disorder opens in a slow-burn style giving readers the background leading up to the election and introducing The Fixer. The words of The Fixer, nicknamed Elvis, add freshness to the narrative and gives readers a unique perspective. Similarly, the author has done an excellent job of conveying the thoughts of his characters within the text.
While the novel is a political thriller, readers are not inundated with suspenseful events. The story is well written and the narrative techniques used by the author are commendable. As a technothriller, there is a lot of technical jargon and computer-related stuff to appeal to the tech-savvy crowd. The best part about this story is the investigation by Geoffrey and Jimmy, along with other members of their team. The way the investigation is conducted and clues are connected are quite intriguing and will appeal to fans of compelling mysteries.
Disorder is a political fiction novel that parallels closely to recent events. Appealing to readers of mystery novels, political, techno, and psychological thrillers, this suspenseful and riveting novel has something for readers of all types.
Pages: 363 | ASIN : B09SBRYNHJ
A Better Heart
A Better Heart by Chuck Augello follows Kevin Stacey, who is trying to make it in the film industry. His friend and coworker, Veronica, is with him when his actor father, George Gringo suddenly steps back into his life. One day in the middle of a shoot, George shows up with a mysteriously disheveled capuchin monkey, a bundle of cash, and a gun. Henry, the capuchin monkey, has been stolen from a research laboratory by animal rights activists and is supposed to be dropped off at a sanctuary. But, before that can happen, the authorities catch onto the plan. From there, a fateful journey begins where during a road trip, Kevin faces several moral dilemmas. He is torn between helping Henry and risking his father’s freedom or helping arrest the activists. During all this, Veronica finds herself in the ethical crossroads as well, between wanting to make a difference in the fight against animal cruelty and the indifference towards animals she grew up with.
This humorous story follows the bond between a father and son, the rebuilding of personal ethical philosophies in a young woman, and a question into how much an animal’s life is worth compared to a human one. The author uses a slow-burn style to start the novel in order to introduce all the characters and their backstories. The background information allows readers to really understand how the characters got to where they are and why the tension builds so strongly between them.
Chuck Augello’s writing is incredibly creative; his writing style is realistic and engaging. The characters come alive with his ability to capture their captivating personalities, humor, and self-reflective thoughts. The characters are the type of people that most readers will identify someone like them in their own lives, making the story more relatable and personal.
A Better Heart is a riveting comedy based around moral decisions and a family drama. Building relationships and discovering personal values are mixed with humor as people come together to save Henry, the rescued lab monkey.
Pages: 257 | ASIN : B09C2S6P78
Even a Pandemic Can’t Stop Love and Murder
Tormented by a problematic past, Alby O’Brian hides in Southern New Jersey avoiding terrorists that he encountered in Iraq. But the troubling memories remain and haunt him. Alby attempts to reclaim a low-key life working under the table as a repairman, staying out of sight as much as possible. Consequently, his past catches up to him. He is shaken, realizing that he might still be risking the lives of all those that mean the most to him.
Even a Pandemic Can’t Stop Love & Murder by A.E.S O’Neill shares the thrilling story of a man named Alby who is attempting to seek emancipation from a troubled past in Iraq, and instead, ends up mixed up with the mob. Alby gets blamed when the mob’s bank is robbed, and he must find the missing item before he becomes the next victim of the mob hitman. This is a suspenseful setup to the novel that I really enjoyed.
In all this, he unexpectedly meets Ginger, a dancer that instantly attracts and consumes all of Alby’s thoughts. He becomes more vigilant about the risks he would inadvertently subject her to. As Alby tries to navigate his own safety and those around him, he dwells on the consequences of his choices. I really liked the interesting dynamic between these characters.
A.E.S O’Neill has based this story on a real-life narrative as told by his father on the violence of a mob bank. He draws on real sentiments and reflects them in Alby as a man who is psychologically torn by his past. The juxtaposition of love and crime is an interesting take, which permeates emotion while sustaining an atmosphere of tension and suspense.
Even a Pandemic Can’t Stop Love & Murder composes a perfect balance between love and crime. Readers will be drawn into the world of the mob, the suspense, and thrills of being on the run, and the excitement of trying to survive. The first book in the trilogy will captivate readers and have them waiting on edge for book two.
Pages: 343 | ASIN : B09JVGF9KQ
Crazy Love
Crazy Love by Daniel Blake Smith is a story about a young couple named Danny Fenton and Dawn Robinson. After getting on the wrong side of Dawn’s former boss, the couple flees Memphis with everything they own packed in their car and the intention of starting over and making a new, better life for themselves in St. Louis. Using an inheritance Danny received from his grandmother, Danny plans to be a private investigator, and Dawn wants to open her own restaurant. Things seem to be going well–until their past catches up to them. Will Dawn and Danny be able to overcome their previous mistakes?
I liked that some chapters in this book were told from the point of view of Brian and Corinne (Danny’s parents), which gives the reader a bit of insight into how others viewed Danny and Dawn and their actions. When the couple was forced to leave their old lives behind, I liked that Danny and Dawn made an effort to turn their lives around since they had previously seemed to have no real direction or realistic ambitions.
After Danny’s history of dreaming of get-rich-quick schemes and making it big, I liked seeing how he paid his dues, investigating what he considered mundane cases, and trying to prove himself. I enjoyed reading about him, following the clues to gather evidence. In contrast, Dawn’s success with the restaurant happened so quickly that I felt it didn’t feel believable, so what happened next did not come as a surprise. Nevertheless, I liked how things turned out in the end for Danny and Dawn.
While I enjoyed the story I was a bit confused with the geography and the descriptions of where they were driving and directions, and by the relationship between Danny and Corinne, if she was his mom or stepmom. These aside, the story was entertaining and well-paced, making for an enjoyable read.
Crazy Love is a riveting adventure novel that includes a heartfelt love story and an enthralling mystery. All this together makes for a thrilling plot that will leave readers in suspense to see if Dawn and Danny can survive yet another run of bad luck.
Pages: 173 | ASIN : B09NJNRG5H
The Smiles and Tears of Love
The Smiles and Tears of Love, written by Ray Cantan, follows Mabel Fox’s life. Starting with devastating news as an adult, the author changes directions and takes us back in time to right before Mabel was born. We get to read about Mabel as she grows up as a small child living with her parents in Tullow, Ireland. As she gets older, she moves in with her aunt in Curragh, where she learns to become a lady. As the story goes on Mabel marries the soldier of her dreams. Life brings her many ups and downs as she navigates life as a military wife. Mabel even has a steamy fling with a married man.
I want to say first that the overall story was spectacular. I really enjoyed reading about Mabel’s life from right before she was born to where it ended. It is rare to read a book that starts off with so much information at the beginning. I feel like it really builds up the character, and you can get to know their personality very well. Her character was very well developed, and it felt natural. I would have thought I was reading about a real person if it wasn’t stated that it was a work of fiction.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and plotline of this interesting book, I felt like there wasn’t much of a description of what Mabel looked like. I had a hard time envisioning her appearance. I know the styles of the Victorian and Edwardian Era, so the outfits were easy to picture in my mind. I feel that the story would benefit from another editing and proofreading as well to correct some grammar, incomplete sentences and some repeated chapters.
The Smiles and Tears of Love is, overall, an exquisite family saga. Once the author polishes up the manuscript this will be a wonderful novel that readers of historical fiction will be drawn to with its attention to detail of the period and strong relatable characters that readers will feel like they know personally.
The Dance Towards Death
The Dance Towards Death, by Tejas Desai, is the third volume of The Brotherhood Chronicle. It narrates the story of some of the survivors in a criminal world. Among them, there’s the former private investigator Niral that is involved in drug affairs, and policeman Nat who’s looking for his son after having abandoned him and trying to understand what’s behind his parents’ death. Even being the third book in the series, it stands alone, and readers are given enough background in the opening chapters to not feel lost in this action-packed conclusion to the series.
Desai writes in a descriptive manner, taking readers to Thailand, India, Chiang Mai, and Queens, New York. Readers will experience the dramatically different cultures and ways of life from the images that Desai creates with his words. While experiencing the diverse cultures of the world, readers are given plot twists and suspense as the characters go through their thrilling adventures seeking to solve their own mysteries that have caused their lives to intertwine.
I really appreciated the insight into different cultures and religions, primarily focusing on different characters and their backgrounds from chapter to chapter. There are different stories that take place in different parts of the world, but they’re all interconnected. The respectful nature that Desai treated the different cultures and religions that he writes about is commendable.
The character’s backgrounds, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islamism, are integrated into the storyline rather than just thrown out as information that may otherwise feel out of place. This is important to show a clash of cultures. We also get to see significant social problems such as racism and homophobia. In addition to that, many Indian, Thai, Australian and American terms are frequently used, making it feel more authentic. Still, readers won’t be lost in translation as at the end of the book, there’s a glossary with all the necessary terms.
This action-filled novel will take some time to experience all the characters’ journeys and follow them on their search for freedom or for relatives. However, in my opinion, the most meaningful point of this novel is the focus on what the characters find along their path, not necessarily what they’re looking for.
The Dance Towards Death is a riveting novel that will have readers in suspense as the characters navigate the thrilling adventures around the world. Readers looking for an authentic experience with different religions and cultures will find this crime thriller the perfect escape.
Pages: 417 | ASIN : B08BBGKHJX
Here with the Winter
Here with the Winter by J. Penrod Scott is a charismatic family saga set in the town of West Emmet. After losing her husband Matthew, Jessie Conrad, and her two children decide to move back to her hometown. For Jessie, home is West Emmet, a chance to begin a new life with old friends and family and some new ones too.
The story is set in the 1960s, when this town, like many others across the United States, is booming with new residential developments. Jessie’s father, Henry, is a strong character throughout the book. Helping his daughter get reestablished and helping his grandkids adapt. He has a strong interest in clocks and rifle collecting. And that’s where the tensions ensue. Henry has a rifle gifted to him by an old friend. However, the friend’s son believes that he is the rightful heir to this gun upon his death.
The author describes her books as “a love letter to Ohio,” and rightly so. The details capture the essence of mundane small-town life, the routine, predictability, peace, and tranquility. Through these descriptions, the author sets the scene for her novel’s backdrop. This engaging read gives the reader a perfect blend of the town’s tranquility while capturing the imperfections of real life. With a strong opening and a fast-paced storyline to start, readers will come to know the main characters quickly before getting too deep into the drama. There is not a lot of filler text in this novel; instead, the author keeps information to just what the reader needs to know to follow the story. The dialogue is sharp and crisp with a natural flow. Written in a third-person perspective, it follows all the significant characters in the story and approaches it from various perspectives.
Here with the Winter is a relaxing and light read about family, starting over, and reconnecting with those that matter in life. It is a heartwarming story about relationships that readers will be able to sit down and enjoy at a leisurely pace.
Pages: 194 | ASIN : B096DVNTDL
LITERARY TITAN 