Review: ICEHENGE by Kim Stanley Robinson

An exciting novel, the first Martian novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, which commences and concludes with Space Exploration (Asteroid Belts to Pluto, not quite "A to Z"). Told in three segments, a few centuries separate, ICEHENGE has a strongly political/social foundation, reflecting not only the political/cultural climate on Colonized Mars (the story's baseline) but also that of the U. S. and Soviet Union in the 20th century. ICEHENGE showcases how readily human foibles and frailties persist, even in adventurous new frontiers. It also reflects on the importance of Truth, in the Sciences and in life, despite the human tendency to twist Truth according to greed, political or religious ideology. In some ways it is reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984, as the Powers That Be metaphorically turn themselves upside down to present their version of Truth and to conceal or to destroy all opposing versions.

Review: SUNSTORM by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter

CHALLENGE #7 I am reading the A TIME ODYSSEY Series by Sir Arthur C. Clarke in consecutive order, as the Cosmic foundational revelations unfold throughout the Series. Book One, TIME'S EYE, relates the folding of divergent strips of Time (from differing eras) and the presence of these self-supporting globes the humans term "Eyes." So we have 2037, 1885, astronauts from the International Space Station, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, sharing suddenly the same fold of Time and interacting; not so much on actual Earth, as on a proto-Earth onto to which Time has been folded, changing geography and geology. This world the humans (of 2037 and 1885) term Mir.

Book Two, SUNSTORM, continues to unfold the plans of the Firstborn, a species of Minds from a far distant Galaxy and from Untold Eons ago. Their plan is to stop humanity's energy consumption and was set into place before Homo Sapiens scarcely existed.

The consequence is a Sunstorm of inexplicable and unprecedented proportions, which likely will destroy ALL life on Earth (except heat-seeking extremophiles in the Earth's core) as well as farther distant planets in our Solar System.

Review: JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR [THE AFTERBLIGHT CHRONICLES] 2014

Reading this collection in mid-2023 is a total freakout; published in 2014, the book yet feels like the product, not of a throwback to England's mid-17th century Great Plague, but to Coronavirus, which commenced toward the end of 2019 and shook up civilization globally (and which is still affecting life and economy).

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR collects three stories set during "the Cull," the tremendous pandemic that nearly wipes out humanity and definitely ends "the world as we know it."

"Orbital Decay": Isolation is a recognized psychological factor for the crew of the International Space Station. Worse occurs when all contact with Ground Control is lost, no one can check up on loved ones nor know when a resupply is scheduled. Even worse than that is paranoia and conspiracy and suspicion run rampant: who can be trusted? Then the deaths mount up...

"Dead Kelly": imagine a Mad Max scenario cranked to the max: when civilization collapses, only the soulless will rule.

"Bloody Deluge": And when civilization is gone and survival is all, yet there will be some determined to victimize according to their own skewed views. Why attempt to rebuild civilization when anarchy and murder are so much more exciting?

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR is an entry in THE AFTERBLIGHT CHRONICLES Series.

HIGH SUMMER READATHON 2023

Sign Up Here!

HIGH SUMMER Goals:

1. NEURODIVERGENCE in Science Fiction
2. 400 page+ SF
3. Second Chance: Time Travel

Titles Read:

1. JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR (2014) [THE AFTERBLIGHT CHRONICLES]. SF. APOCALYPTIC. PANDEMIC. 400 PP.
2. STELLAR CLOUD. Speculative Short Story Collection.
3. BLACK VAULT, Alma Katsu. UAPs, SF.
4. ROCKET AND ROVER. HOOPLA VIRTUAL. Children's: Rockets 🚀 and Space
5. . ANDRONE. KINDLE First Read August. SF. Future
6. AFTER THE BATTLE ON STARSHIP HILL. Mount TBR SF
7. TIME'S EYE. MOUNT TBR. SF. 2037.
8. SUNSTORM. SF. 2037ff.TBR PILE Challenge #7.
9. SUNSTORM. MOUNT TBR. SF. TBR PILE CHALLENGE #7 9. ICEHENGE. MOUNT TBR. SF. TBR PILE CHALLENGE #8
10. TAVERN OF TERROR VOL 8. SCARE STREET ARC
11. NONE OF THIS IS TRUE. LIBBY VIRTUAL.
12. RED MOON, KSR. TBR PILE CHALLENGE #9. SF.
13. DEVOLUTION. SF/Horror.
14. EVOLUTION.
15. WHAT HAPPENED AT HAWTHORNE HOUSE. Horror/Gothic.
16. GUESTS. WEIRD Horror.
17. RUSTED SYNAPSE.
18. THE BEAST YOU ARE (Short Stories). Horror, Speculative.
19. DEVOLUTION OF A SPECIES [2019]. Apocalyptic SF.
20. ARC LIGHT. WWIII, near Future SF.
21.2034: A NOVEL OF WORLD WAR III. Near Future SF.
22. NETHERSPACE1. Speculative Short Stories.
23. PAWS OF DEATH. COZY.
24. DEMONIC DEPARTURE. SS. UF.
25. THE SPECTRAL EXPRESS. SS. UF.
26. A HOPE CITY HALLOWEEN. SS. UF.
27. MEGALODON: BLOODBATH.
28. SHADOWS OF DECEIT. SCARE STREET ARC.
29. SUMMER BLOOMS. Author ARC.
30. SAVAGE SKIES. NG ARC Current/KU
31. DEEP SIX. HOOPLA. VIRTUAL. VIRTUAL SF.
32. TERRA UTOPIA. NG ARC CURRENT. SF/SPECULATIVE. NOT PROXIMA B.
33. ANCIENT SHORES . HOOPLA VIRTUAL SF
34. INTERSTELLAR. Science Non-fiction
35. HUMANITY'S LAST HOPE. YA SF.
36. BEFORE US. THE ABYSS BOOK 2. SF.
37. THE FRUGAL WIZARD'S HANDBOOK TO MEDIEVAL ENGLAND. LIBBY. SCRIBD. Virtual. SF
38. ARKANGELSK. NG MOUNT TBR and Scribd. SF.
39. X, Jack Croxall. Scribd Virtual SF
40. Z, Manuel Alves. Scribd Virtual SF
41. WHISPERS IN THE DARK. Supernatural Horror (Book 2 of 3)
42. FEVER HOUSE.
43. SURVIVOR ATOLL (STRANDED IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE BOOK 1)
44. SHADOWS IN THE DARK. SCARE STREET ARC. 45. FORSAKEN (STRANDED IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE) 46. ABANDONED (STRANDED IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE) 47. THE ARK (CHILDREN OF A DEAD EARTH 1). SF. MOUNT TBR . NG

Review: BELOW US (THE ABYSS BOOK ONE) by Nathan Hystad

Release July 11
I've read Nathan Hystad's novels for a few years now and have always enjoyed them; with BELOW US, Book One in THE ABYSS Trilogy, Mr. Hystad has batted straight out of the ball park! This novel has it all, for aficionados of Science Fiction, Apocalypse, and Lovecraftian Cosmic Terror. I was enraptured, and honestly, terrified: the danger here is nonstop. Even for readers who don't believe in deep-ocean or underground Horrors, there's earthquakes and sinkholes, there's human devolution as many individuals revert to something less than animals, in the face of hopeless desperation and literally unstoppable danger. Plus there's commutation of Nature and Nature's Laws, there's Genetic Mutation [of humans and animals], there's lemming-mob behavior, and excitingly for me, Mutated Fungi! I am anxious to read Books Two and Three! Yes, we have cliffhangers--multiple! Yes, we have multiple protagonists [remember, in an Apocalypse, too large a gathering attracts too much attention], and many of the protagonists are operating on their own skewed agendas....and the slap-in-the-face, what-just-happened twists! There's lots more, but I don't want to spoil: just read it!!

Review: THE DEVIL'S PROMISE by Celso Hurtado

Release: 26 September 2023

THE DEVIL'S PROMISE, a one-day read because I could not stop and sure didn't want to, left me speechless. Not at all surprising, considering my acclaim for Author Celso Hurtado's incredible debut novel, GHOST TRACKS [November 2021], which introduced a remarkable and wonderfully diverse Series Protagonist, seventeen-year-old Erasmo Cruz. This young man is without a doubt one of the most endearing fictional characters I've ever encountered [this in a character-pantheon that includes my all-time favorite Louis, Gay Black assassin and fashion plate of a certain extensive John Connolly Series!] Erasmo is so easy to identify with, so relatable, so eliciting of empathy. So I'm not him and I didn't live his exact life, but so what? We resonate. That's one of the perfect aspects of this Series.

Another is how giftedly Mr. Hurtado writes bullet-train paced Suspense! It's difficult to catch my breath reading his novels! Then the depths--the issues--the lives--the characters: to die for...

The Paranormal/Supernatural: no need for suspension of disbelief here, nor for any skepticism concerning the depths of the abyss of Human Evil. Mr. Hurtado lays it on the line. On.the.Line. Erasmo's Encounters are...simply incredible.

I found the Denouement a little (a lot) shocking....but realistic. And the ending: just glorious. I ended the book turned inside out--shocked--dismayed--frightened--yet ultimately happy. [How often does that happen?]

In my review of the author's debut novel, GHOST TRACKS, back in 2021, I presciently wrote:

"May debut author Celso Hurtado have a long and creatively productive career, because this author is an exceptional wordsmith!"

I'm extraordinarily thankful this hope is coming to pass!

SCI FI SUMMER READATHON JUNE 2023

Sci Fi Summer Readathon

June is SciFi Month AND Pride Month!

Currently Reading:

Wormhole.

My Science Fiction Titles Read:
1.THE SCIENCE FICTIONARY by Robert W. Bly [reference guide] Release 2 June
2. ROOK by Graham Masterton. SF/Occult Horror (#1 in Series)
3.THE MARIGOLD by Andrew F. Sullivan. Near Future Dystopian SF-CliFi Toronto. with Occult Horror.
4. AMAZING OCTOPUS. Explorations of Space and Ocean for children. German-English
5.SNEAK PEEK PATRON SAINTS OF NOTHING. LGBTQ+/OWN VOICES
6. WHY I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK. Author Request. SF/Horror Mount TBR.
7. LOST IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE
8. SAINT JUNIPERS FOLLY. NG ARC CURRENT LGBT Supernatural/Witchcraft Release June 6
9. SEW INTO YOU. KU. VIRTUAL LGBT. Release June 5 Reread
10. QUEEROES KU VIRTUAL LGBT
11. FOUR FOUND DEAD HOOPLA VIRTUAL
12. THE EYES. GUTENBERG. JUNE 1910.
13. WHAT YOU HIDE. Hoopla Virtual and NG Mount TBR 2018
14. THE SLUMBER PARTY KU Virtual
15. VOLCANIC ADVENTURES. NG ARC Current . (+ Author Request)
16. HARVESTING EVIL. NG ARC Current.
17. SHE STARTED IT. NG ARC Current. Release June 13.
18. THE HANDYMAN METHOD. NG ARC Current
19. THE DONUT LEGION. Release March 2023.
20. THE HORROR AT PLEASANT BROOK. NG ARC.
21. GOOD TOUCH BAD TOUCH. Children
22. MY LITTLE SISTER. Children
23. GRANDMA AND HER MISSING GOAT. Children
24. TAKE ONE MORE STEP. Children
25. THE MONKEY WHO WANTED TO BE A DEER. Children
26. DADDY DONKEY. Children
27. HELL'S CITY (BOOK 2) 28. HELL'S VENGEANCE (BOOK 3) KU VIRTUAL
28.MORAL LESSONS Children.
30. THE MÖBIUS DOOR KU Virtual
31. IT HAUNTS THE MIND. CLP ARC
32. THE FIREBUG KU VIRTUAL
33. THE DROWNING WOMAN. NG ARC MOUNT TBR
34. YOU CAN TRUST ME. NG ARC. Current
35. HOUSE OF ROT. Own. New.
36. CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD. NG ARC. Mount TBR.
37. WORMHOLE. Hard SF.
38. THE ONLY ONE LEFT. Psychological Thriller/Suspense/Generational. Virtual
39. PENUMBRA. Hard SF. Virtual
40.THE DEVIL'S PROMISE. Supernatural Horror/YA/OwnVoices.
41. DRAGGING MASO COUNTY. YA. PRIDE.
42. ELI OVER EASY. MG/YA. PRIDE.
43. SCORPIO. SPACE SF.
44. "HOW IT UNFOLDS." SF.
45. "THE VOID." SF.
46. "FALLING BODIES." SF.
47. "THE LONG GAME." SF.
48. "Just Out of Jupiter's Reach." SF.
49. "Slow Time Between the Stars." SF
50. THE EIGHT CONTINENT. SF.
51. HAVE YOU SEEN HER? Psychological Thriller. New Release.
52. UNEXPECTED HORROR 3: DARK RAINBOW RISING. Anthology. LGBTQ+
53. NEWTON'S WAKE. SF.
54. THE COUPLES TRIP LIBBY VIRTUAL
55. INVERSIONS. EDELWEISS. SF.
56. THE ALTERED MOON. SF. NG ARC CURRENT
57. BINARY SYSTEM NG ARC MOUNT TBR IN PROGRESS to 34% SF