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To Look for a Star
In a world of galactic politics and intrigue, Zebut, a young man with newfound responsibilities as an Assistant Councilor, ventures into the complex realm of the council. Little does he know that his path is about to take a treacherous turn as he grapples with the weight of an impending galactic battle and must confront malevolent forces threatening to disrupt the delicate balance of the universe. Will Zebut answer the desperate pleas of his friends on Earth and Maven, stepping into battle against the ominous forces threatening to plunge the universe into chaos?
In this gripping novel, To Look for a Star, Jane McKay takes the wheel from the very beginning, steering the plot with a narrative that’s sure to ignite the reader’s imagination. Fueled by suspense and shrouded in underlying motives, the story keeps readers eagerly flipping the pages as its intricate tale unravels.
The author’s writing style is a blend of compelling dialogue and vivid descriptions. Through skillfully structured conversations, readers gain deep insights into the characters’ personalities and their genuine reactions to the evolving storyline. This balance adds depth to the narrative, making it easy to connect with the characters’ emotions and motivations. To Look for a Star, by Jane McKay, falls under the genre of speculative fiction, offering a thought-provoking journey through Earth and the vast expanse of the intergalactic universe. This riveting science fiction book successfully piques curiosity and explores intriguing dimensions of dark thoughts, leaving readers with much to ponder. With a touch of suspense and an array of well-developed characters, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an enthralling and immersive dystopian young adult novel.
ASIN : B0CJ3X6VM8
Survivors and Their Struggle
Pulse: Book Two is an intriguing dystopian sci-fi horror novel that takes readers into the world you have created and shows them what can go wrong if humans do not make changes. Why was it important for you to write this book?
My premise is essentially that capitalism is a big culprit in the environmental damage we are seeing getting worse every single year. I wanted to show what could happen if we allow a few corporations to run away unchecked for another few decades. The climate bill is coming, and the corporations causing it are trying to wipe their hands of the problem.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
I tried very hard to make the characters a bigger piece for the sequel. In book one it is a slaughter-fest with no one being safe. This time around, I focus on the survivors and their struggle which gives it a much more intimate vibe. I am very happy with my character work here in the sequel.
Is there any moral or idea that you hope readers take away from the story?
Don’t trust corporations. Don’t trust the government. They are both corrupt and money motivated which means “for the people” is no longer even close to the top of the list when it comes to the decision making. Another important idea I had was around technology and what it is exactly. Technology is a tool, and many of us have lost that definition. The wheel is technology. Medicine is technology. Money is technology. Technology is very important and can be a great tool. In the last few generations, we have totally lost sight of the definition and let computers/the internet hijack the word, but those things are also just tools themselves. We need to get back the word technology. We need to use money, medicine, social media, and computers more like tools and less like devices to control us.
What is the next book you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
First, don’t forget to check out the music on my YouTube channel as I create original songs pulled right from the pages of all my work.
My next book is a short story project called The Anatomy of Fear. A huge group of indies got together, and we each wrote a grimdark story about a part of the body. That will be out in a few weeks. After that, ReBirth is a spinoff to Pulse. Near the end of the Pulse duology, a few small threads go unresolved. This next novel won’t be an official Pulse book because many of the characters did complete their narrative arc. ReBirth will focus on just two or three POVs and provide a bit more about the past and future. I am a slow writer, so I would estimate two years. Coming Christmas 2025… maybe… good things take time 🙂
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website | YouTube | Amazon
How would a P-7500 defeat these creatures?
Agency and Family
They’re Not Here to Save Us is the compelling story of a young man searching for his sister and a young woman battling with the loss of her father, both trying to survive in post-apocalyptic North America. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
From the beginning, this story was about two things: agency and family. Catch-It and Penny live in a world where are there are greater, magical forces shaping its landscape. I wanted to reflect the conflict that we all have between our own personal lives and our part in the bigger picture. Family was also an important aspect – specifically the relationship between siblings. The love we have for our brothers and sisters is unique and invaluable. My sister, Gabri, was my first friend. My brother, Griffin, is my Best Man. There are enough stories about romance – this one’s a love letter to all the brothers and sisters out there.
How long did it take you to imagine, draft, and write the world your characters live in?
I had the general concept floating in the back of my mind for six or seven months, but the actual drafting went rather quickly. I wrote the first draft in two and a half months. I worked my 9-5, came home to feed and walk the dogs, then drafted in the cafe of a Barnes & Noble until they kicked me out every night.
What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight in your characters’ development?
I wanted to force hope upon these characters. Catch-It by nature is very untrusting. He’s taught himself to be resilient so that he wouldn’t have to rely on anyone else. But when he meets Penny, an equally untrusting person, he’s forced to admit that there are good people out there. This forces Catch-It to question his outlook on the world around him and his role in it.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
There certainly will be a follow-up. In fact, I just wrapped the first draft, so stay tuned. In They’re Not Here to Save Us we see what happens when someone challenges the powers that be, and fights to reclaim their agency. I don’t want to spoil too much, but in the next book, some folks in Arla are saying that it’s better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Website
Although the Recruits are rumored to possess magical powers capable of restoring humanity’s lost potential, Catch-It knows all too well that their interventions often lead to pain and suffering. When an order compels Catch-It to report to a bell tower for recruitment, he faces a critical choice: obey the summons and surrender to the unknown or forge his own path. During his arduous journey, Catch-It encounters Penny, a gun-wielding survivalist, and together they uncover a perilous truth about the Recruits that could prove fatal: they are not here to save us.
In this gripping tale of survival and self-discovery, Catch-It and Penny navigate a treacherous world, grappling with their own desires for safety and the pursuit of truth. As they unravel the dark secret of the Recruits, they must confront the difficult choice between submission and resistance, knowing that the fate of their shattered world hangs in the balance.
They’re Not Here to Save Us
In the realm of dystopian fiction, where societies often crumble for a myriad of reasons, They’re Not Here to Save Us, by M.P. Kidd, stands out. We’re introduced to a transformed North America, now christened Arla, a change brought about by the ravages of war.
At the heart of this tale are several compelling characters, each carved with their distinct narratives. We meet Catch-It, whose driving ambition is to find his estranged sister, and Penny, a young woman grappling with the loss of her father. As their paths cross, they encounter three enigmatic immortal siblings.
Kidd masterfully constructs a world in chaos. Instead of laying out the entirety of Arla’s history, he subtly sprinkles hints, keeping readers intrigued about the fate of the former North America. The presence of the formidable antagonists, the Recruiters, casts a shadow of menace, emphasizing their role in this new world order.
The narrative is replete with unexpected twists that, when unraveled, align seamlessly with prior hints, exemplifying Kidd’s storytelling skills. A case in point is the revelation surrounding Penny’s father, which once uncovered, brings the plot full circle.
A standout element of Kidd’s tale is its portrayal of human resilience. Characters like Catch-It, though not initially heroic, rise to the occasion, harnessing their unique abilities for the collective good. This theme is echoed in the journey of the immortal siblings.
The book’s climax has a rapid pace, with swiftly unfolding resolutions. Some readers might prefer a more extended buildup to the tension, but this pacing choice doesn’t detract from the overall strengths of the book.
M.P. Kidd brings a refreshing twist to the dystopian genre, making They’re Not Here to Save Us a must-read for both readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic novels and newcomers to the genre as well.
Pages: 430 | ASIN : B0CFC7PBL8
The Wanderer’s Quest
On a future Earth where humanity’s gravest climate change anxieties have become a horrific reality, The Wanderer’s Quest, by Veronique Racine, unfolds. Disease is rampant, resources are scarce, and the world is dominated by oligarchs who greedily amass more than their due. Amidst this dystopian landscape, our protagonists, Raydr, a hardened ex-prisoner, and Madan, a world-weary traveler mourning the tragic loss of his family, cross paths. Driven by revenge and an aspiration for a brighter future for the oppressed, their journey tests the limits of their resilience in a world where hope and redemption seem all but unreachable.
Racine’s science fiction novel, though reminiscent of the grim narratives of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and William Gibson’s dystopian works, carries a unique imprint. The envisioned world of The Jackpot, as created by Gibson, where political disorder, pervasive anarchy, and climate change catastrophes concurrently culminate in a dystopian nightmare, echo throughout Racine’s narrative. Racine’s prose rivals Gibson’s in both its impact on readers and its arresting delivery.
Racine’s ability to articulate a compelling narrative is undeniable. The character development of Raydr and Madan, both vivid and relatable, is the lifeblood of this narrative. Their shared suffering and pain stir the readers’ emotions as they find themselves yearning for the pair’s triumph against seemingly insurmountable odds.
The Wanderer’s Quest, by Veronique Racine, ultimately delivers a striking commentary on the human spirit and its capacity to withstand forces vastly greater and more destructive than itself. Our protagonists, Raydr and Madan, in their refusal to surrender to the oppressive weight of their daunting reality, offer a potent reminder of our own resilience. Their story, in this respect, serves as an inspiration, proving that even in the bleakest of landscapes, hope and tenacity can thrive.
Pages: 266 | ISBN : 1804391646
Dissidents
All roads ultimately converge at the place we call home. In the case of Carla and Logan, their journey leads them back to The Rock, driven by a noble purpose: to rescue the people they had once left behind, just as Mistress, the formidable antagonist, gathers her final forces in a bid to claim the city’s coveted power. Meanwhile, Blessing and Junior are compelled to safeguard their newfound family, even at the risk of their own lives. In this gripping climax, former adversaries find common ground, uniting our cherished characters for a final stand to defend their cherished ideals. But, with the impending threat of Mistress and her legion of A-boms, safety becomes a scarce commodity.
Dissidents, the fifth and concluding installment of The Mistress Manuscripts, penned by the talented T.N. Baldwin, is an electrifying tale that never relents in its pace and captivates readers with its abundant action and unbridled excitement. Baldwin, true to form, exhibits a mastery of crafting relatable and multifaceted characters, allowing readers to effortlessly comprehend their emotions, be it their sorrow or their elation, as they navigate through the peaks and valleys of their most challenging escapade to date. In addition, the poignant reunion of familiar faces from previous books adds an extra layer of emotional depth, reinforcing the notion that every individual’s story is worth telling, irrespective of their significance.
Undeniably, Dissidents deserves an unequivocal five-star rating. It offers a robust reading experience for enthusiasts of the fantasy genre and serves as a phenomenal culmination to an already extraordinary series. While the journey may have been arduous at times, the story effectively concludes, leaving a satisfying sense of closure while simultaneously leaving the door ajar for potential future expansions, should Baldwin choose to pursue them. No character is overlooked or abandoned; their arcs are meticulously tied together, creating a cohesive narrative that left me both fulfilled and eagerly anticipating whatever literary treasures Baldwin has in store for us.
Pages: 700 | ASIN : B09PR7JLVG
Disciples
Carla is looking for the thing she lost, Blessing for who she is, Logan for what to do next, and Junior for who he’s supposed to be. With the characters still reeling from the events of Disruptions, nothing is what it once was or what it was said to be. In T.N. Baldwin’s third installment of the Magicium series, our beloved, rag-tag group of once hesitant adventurers find themselves buried deeper and deeper in the politics of the war they once sought to end. Disciples is an exciting and thrilling story that delves into the root of who the characters are.
Just like the previous books in the series, Disciples does a fantastic job of building off the already-established plot and characters while managing to bring everything to its full potential. Carla, Logan, Blessing, and Junior all have no choice but to step out of their comfort zones in order to grow. I found myself especially interested in Blessing, a character who I haven’t always loved. At times, it felt like I was reading a coming-of-age novel – definitely an interesting choice for the third book in a series but a choice that paid off immensely. It was a joy to watch the characters that I’d already fallen in love with grow into themselves and navigate the conflicts they were forced into, separated as they were.
Disciples kept me interested in everything while not making things too overwhelming. Disciples is a fantastic follow-up to its predecessors and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Action, politics, and adventure – it had everything I wanted out of a fantasy novel while keeping me excited for the inevitable reunion in the next book.
Pages: 485 | ASIN : B08QGQKP2B
Disruptions
T.N. Baldwin is back along with Logan, Carla, Junior, and his full cast of beloved characters in the second book of the Magicium series, Disruptions. Having survived their excursion to Shanghai, the group finds themselves going their separate ways in this action-packed adventure. As each character digs deeper into the world’s mysteries, they’re forced to come face to face with who they are and who they’ll have to be to survive. Loyalties are tested and sometimes betrayed when not everything is as it seems.
Disruptions is an incredible addition to the already fantastical series. Baldwin does a superb job of building off the world and magic systems already established in Discoveries. Where he truly shines through is his willingness to experiment with everything we thought we knew before. Logan and Carla, as magi, are constantly interacting with the world around them in new, engaging, and creative ways while staying within the bounds of what Discoveries built. Just like predecessors, Disruptions isn’t overbearing in its worldbuilding, either. Instead, Baldwin has a way of gently easing his readers into his realm without overwhelming them with information – a skill I’m sure plenty of fantasy readers can appreciate. The one thing I did struggle with was keeping track of the characters. Because Logan, Junior, and Carla are on such different paths, it becomes hard to keep track of everything happening and who everyone is. Other than that, I truly enjoyed reading Disruptions.
Disruptions is a gripping epic fantasy novel with exciting characters and world-building. Like in Discoveries, each character is well thought out and, most importantly, well-written. This series will keep science fiction readers engaged and excited for the next book, as the action and adventure are unpredictable. I can’t wait to see what Baldwin has in store for us in the third installment.
Pages: 671 | ASIN : B08CRKGN35
LITERARY TITAN 