Blog Archives
Jigsaw: Shadow Ball
Jigsaw: Shadow Ball is a thrilling time-traveling adventure that mixes sci-fi action with powerful lessons from America’s racial past. Centered around a group of Temporal Guardians trying to preserve and repair the timeline, the story follows Noah and Francesca as they battle against shadowy forces like Global Harmony and the Grey Branch Foundation. Along the way, they cross paths with historical legends such as Larry Doby, Rube Foster, and Bill Veeck, learning how Black baseball helped kickstart civil rights movements. The book deftly interweaves speculative fiction with real history, taking readers on a rollercoaster from 1897 Texas to a dystopian 1980 Phoenix ruled by fascism and eugenics.
Reading this felt like binge-watching a high-stakes Netflix series. Gordon’s writing is snappy, visual, and deeply emotional when it needs to be. The characters are flawed but brave, and the dialogue flows like people talking in real life, not stiff, not overly clever. I loved how the story used baseball as a lens to view much bigger things: racism, resistance, and the price of progress. Rube Foster’s quote, “We are the ship. All else the sea,” really stuck with me. It gave the book a kind of heartbeat. But what hit me even harder was Cheryl’s descent. Her idealism turns to horror, and watching her realize how she accidentally created a nightmare world was genuinely heartbreaking.
At times the historical exposition gets a little dense. You might be deep in a firefight or an emotional reunion, and suddenly the story drops into a history lesson. It’s good stuff, important stuff, but it can slow the pace. Still, I’d rather have a story try something ambitious than play it safe the whole time. Gordon clearly cares deeply about this history, and it shows in every scene.
I really dug this book. It’s smart, bold, and weird in the best ways. If you’re into baseball, time travel, civil rights, or just want a wild story that respects its characters and its readers, this one’s for you. Shadow Ball would be perfect for high schoolers, history buffs, teachers, or anyone who believes that stories still have the power to change the future.
Pages: 160 | ASIN : B0DXMQXXZ8
Jigsaw: Sonora
Jigsaw: Sonora is a time-hopping, genre-blending adventure that weaves historical fiction with science fiction, political thriller, and a touch of emotional family drama. The story centers around a network of time-traveling guardians from the Falcone Foundation who are thrust into a global conspiracy orchestrated by a rogue splinter group called Global Harmony. Set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution, World War I, and a future ravaged by ideological extremism, the novel features multiple timelines and perspectives, villistas spying near the U.S.-Mexico border, modern-day scientists, grieving families, and zealots seeking to rewrite history. The central object tying these narratives together is a mysterious zeppelin named Sonora, a vessel of both literal and symbolic weight.
This story was thrilling, jarring, and slightly disorienting at times. David Alyn Gordon’s writing is fearless. He throws you headfirst into rapid scene changes and complicated timelines without much handholding. The dialogue snaps and pops with sarcasm and humor, even when characters are in mortal danger. Some chapters feel cinematic and full of suspense, while others read like exposition dumps wrapped in tech-speak and geopolitical history.
That said, the emotional moments work beautifully. Scenes like Noah’s funeral, Francesca’s fierce interventions, and Tori and Cheryl’s strained romance really resonated with me. They ground the story in human stakes, which is needed when the plot starts spinning into viral warfare and shadowy authoritarian takeovers. I found myself rooting for the characters, even when I wasn’t always sure where (or when) they were. And the villains are chilling in their calm, calculated evil. I especially liked how the historical injustices, like the Bisbee Deportation or school segregation, were blended into the sci-fi narrative. It made the stakes feel real.
Jigsaw: Sonora is an inventive, passionate, and unorthodox book. It’s not always easy to follow, but it’s never boring. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy time travel with a conscience, ensemble casts, and layered conspiracies. If you like shows like 12 Monkeys or Fringe, or books like Cloud Atlas, you’ll probably find something to love here.
Pages: 162 | ASIN : B0CZTWP2N5
Jigsaw: Powder Keg: An Adventure in Time and History
Jigsaw: Powder Keg is a historical sci-fi thriller that blasts across centuries with the force of a grenade and the precision of a surgeon. The story flips between timelines, ancient Persia, WWI and WWII Europe, post-Holocaust Italy, 1950s Alabama, and even Victorian England, while weaving together a massive, complex tale of shadowy global conspiracies, time travel, and supernatural battles. At its heart, it’s about a clandestine group trying to ignite chaos to build a new world order and the people, both mortal and not, who are working to stop it.
Gordon doesn’t waste time easing you in. The first chapter sets the pace: ancient betrayals, magic orbs, and a fire-slinging villain trapped by angelic brothers. It felt like Indiana Jones meets The Sandman, only with more Persian and Balkan war references. That blend of fantasy and real-world history gives the book its kick. One of my favorite examples is the underground lab beneath Santa Croce Church being repurposed by WWII resistance fighters and refugee educators into a high-tech, post-war Renaissance Academy. It’s absurd on paper but it works and somehow it all clicks.
The emotional heart, though, belongs to Noah and Francesca Pitto. Their post-war efforts to rescue orphans and battle corrupt bureaucrats are surprisingly moving. A scene that stuck with me was when they blackmail an insurance exec into releasing funds for Holocaust survivors’ children using documents from their own future selves. It’s a bizarre premise, but the fury and desperation feel real, especially Francesca’s barely contained rage. And just when you think it’s all war and espionage, there’s an adorable baby named Roberto and a running joke about changing diapers. The blend of sweet and bitter is sharp and honest.
Regarding the time travel aspect, the mechanics are not extensively detailed; however, this did not detract from my overall engagement with the narrative. This book isn’t about hard sci-fi; it’s about emotional and moral stakes. There’s a werewolf named Mueller, a vampire named Tori, and a golem named Frank, who wears wigs. At one point, Jack the Ripper shows up, and you find out who he is through footage recorded by a time-traveling dog with a camera on her collar. I had to stop and just laugh, but it is memorable. I didn’t always buy the motivations of the supernatural characters, but their presence made for some great action and surprisingly deep existential questions.
Jigsaw: Powder Keg is a chaotic, ambitious ride. It’s packed with history, mysticism, alternate futures, and moral gray zones. I wouldn’t hand this to someone looking for a light beach read. But if you like your fiction dense, imaginative, and bursting with heart, it’s worth your time. Fans of historical fantasy, time travel sagas, and books with a conscience will find a lot to dig into here.
Pages: 192 | ASIN : B0CLL1FPWN
White Cat – a not entirely fictional mystery
In White Cat: A Not Entirely Fictional Mystery, author Simon Cole masterfully explores the intricate tapestry of a family’s history, weaving a compelling narrative that delves deep into the heart of familial mysteries. This novel stands out as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling, tracing the lineage of Barbara’s family through a series of evocative rooms and poignant letters, unraveling their story posthumously following Barbara’s death at 104.
Simon Cole’s narrative is exceptional in its structure and delivery. The dialogue is meticulously crafted to reflect the era, immersing readers in a world where every word resonates with authenticity and depth. The letters exchanged between Barbara, her brother, and Hugh are crafted with such precision and emotional clarity that they transcend the pages, bringing the characters’ inner turmoil and unspoken thoughts to life.
The novel’s strength lies in its ability to connect readers across time. Despite the historical setting, there is a universal relatability in the characters’ experiences, particularly in Barbara’s inner conflicts and her intricate relationship with Hugh. Cole’s writing style is a standout feature, maintaining a consistent and believable voice that aligns seamlessly with the time period.
White Cat: A Not Entirely Fictional Mystery contains immersive storytelling, rich character development, and a seamless blend of mystery and historical fiction. Simon Cole demonstrates a profound understanding of the genre, promising a bright future in historical fiction with this captivating and thought-provoking novel.
Pages: 272 | ASIN : B0BK775G5N
The Road Renounced
Packing up her father’s effects ahead of his funeral, Sam Ryan’s daughter discovers her grandmother’s diary. Her reading takes us on a twisting journey through history – WWI, the Spanish flu, prohibition, and the depression. Moving back and forth between the present and the past, from the USA to Belgium, Kaye Schmitz’s The Road Renounced straddles time and space. Finally, the worlds converge when her grandfather, an aspiring baseball player, goes to war and, once more, briefly, at her father’s funeral. By then, we know a whole lot about her grandparents’ life that the narrator wisely chooses not to tell the rest of the family.
One would expect a book that presents graphic scenes of war, alcoholism, spousal abuse, and suicide to be depressing. Not this one. The Road Renounced is a pleasure to read from start to finish. The opening “Letter to My Readers” pulls readers in immediately because Kaye Schmitz talks to them like an old friend, just like Maude writes in her diary. “Who would have thought a diary from a hundred years ago would have kept you glued like this?” (305) The narrator’s curiosity and compassion compel readers to read on. They might even do just as she did, for example, searching on Google for a song her father sang.
Weaving family history, homage, and meticulous research, Schmitz creates engaging scenes with a Forrest Gump effect – recognizable historical moments revisited with a fictional character present. Need to know where historical fact ends and fiction begins? Check out the detailed “Author’s note” at the novel’s end. The structure is masterful. Logical devices bridge the spatial gap till our Americans arrive in Europe. And then there is the trunk to link the past and present. There are concerns about women’s rights, war and patriotism, parental responsibilities, self-esteem, and mental health. Readers will be left with much to consider as they follow along on this journey with the protagonist.
The Road Renounced is a gripping drama and family saga that takes historical events and gives them a personal touch. Readers will find themselves drawn into the lives of this family as they learn about their past, good and bad, and are compelled to see the story through and learn who these people really are.
Pages: 440 | ASIN : B0BLVVVJYJ
LITERARY TITAN 