Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
Ross Brand and company do it again! Time and time again, Ross Brand's books excite and tantalize us with the prospects and possibilities offered by emerging technologies! This may very well be the most exciting and tantalizing installment of the series yet! 100 Livestreaming and Digital Media Predictions Volume 5 is an anthology that brings together insights from over 100 experts to explore the future of digital media, livestreaming, and content creation. The book is divided into sections that include predictions, strategies, and actionable insights from a diverse range of contributors, including entrepreneurs, authors, marketers, and industry leaders. Like the previous volume, this fifth volume places a heavy (but not exclusive) emphasis on AI. A majority of the contributors to this volume explore and discuss AI’s growing role in digital media and the different AI tools and techniques creators creator have available to them to stay ahead in a rapidly changing digital landscape. The book talks about how AI tools are transforming content creation, personalization, and audience engagement. It emphasizes the ethical and practical implications of integrating AI into workflows. Second to all these discussion on AI, the book also places a rather heavy emphasis on the future of livestreaming. Indeed, livestreaming remains a cornerstone of digital media—think Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live, Instagram Reels, and more! The book explores the evolution from long-form streams to short, authentic live videos, emphasizing trust-building. It is really more nuanced than it sounds. Yes, as contributor Renee Hastings humorously (and correctly) asserts, attention spans have become “goldfish-with-ADHD short.” But long-form content still has its place. As contributor Melanie Falvey puts it, there's a fine balance between short-form and long-form content that ideally needs to be struck. Short-form content is good for acting as a bait or a net to capture the attentions of passerbys and online channel surfers. However, long-form content is better at nurturing a lasting and genuine relationship and connection with an audience. There's a reason podcasting has exploded in popularity (think about how Joe Rogan impacted the recent presidential election), and podcasting is—by its very nature—long-form. Speaking of podcasting, that's also a topic of discussion in this book. Contributor Chris Stone predicted that video podcasting will become the norm, surpassing audio-only. To an extent, we agree. After all, YouTube is becoming the go-to place for podcasts, oddly enough, generating about 30% of traffic to that genre. Even Spotify (of all platforms) is incorporating video into its podcasting. One theme that really runs through nearly every single contributor's predictions is how the genuine, authentic human touch will never become obsolete. In fact, it may be more important than ever granted how we're becoming desensitized to the prevalence of AI and AI-generated content. There's a reason why video podcasting and livestreaming remains important despite the existence and influence of AI. Video podcasting and livestreaming allows the audience to see, hear, and form a bond/connection with the presenter—sometimes even on an emotional level. AI just can't do that (yet). And this really spoke to us because many of us are naturally self-conscious about being on camera and being vulnerable like that. Maybe we don't feel attractive enough or a good enough public speaker. Maybe we feel we don't have the right equipment or environment to stream from. What's amazing is—as Chris Stone puts it—you don't really need to be all made up and have perfect filming equipment because many popular streamers just do it from their smartphones and in their bedrooms, offices, and garages. Previous Outstanding Creator Awards winner Kevin Kolbe is also in here, and in Video Podcasting Made Easy he also emphasized how you don't need the best camera, lighting, and microphone. It's good to have, but it's not 100% necessary, especially when you're just getting started. This is comforting and inspiring for those of us who either can't afford or aren't familiar with these types of equipment. Hey, isn't it amazing that we now have these great video cameras and microphones in our pockets? That really cuts down on the excuses. Speaking of excuses and readiness to take advantage of new things, Angus Nelson provided one of our very favorite sections in the whole book. Nelson argued that a lot of people are erroneously waiting for the perfect time to bring a new idea to life (i.e. entrepreneurship). The perfect time may never come. Just do it! Nelson argues that: “Confidence isn’t a prerequisite for success; it’s a byproduct of action.” In other words, don't wait to be 100% confident before pursuing your big, new endeavor. Heck, the Outstanding Creator Awards was arguably created by accident and with only half an idea of what it would eventually become. Look at it now. And a lot of that is due to action, not waiting around hoping for something good to happen (or for the perfect circumstances). One other prediction that stood out to us was one made by Katie Hornor: that there will be a rise in paid courses, specifically via YouTube. In other words, YouTube will likely be integrated into education, having more options of becoming more interactive and integrated with educational platforms like Instructure/Canvas. It could even become a competitor to Masterclass and other online teaching services. That really seems to be the next step for YouTube which, believe it or not, used to be more interactive in the distant past. Anyway, this education angle is especially important and interesting since, like contributor Jeffrey Bradbury discussed, K-12 schools may start to regress or fall behind technologically. Junaid Ahmed predicted that we'll likely see more membership, paywall, and subscription services for content. That equates to more opportunities for creators to make money via platforms like Patreon. Julia Jornsay-Silverberg predicted that we would see a rise in more brand ambassador programs, which is great for influencers, aspiring-influencers, and people who take advantage of Affiliate programs! This is an opportunity for more sponsorships, which are the lifeblood for many creators. Chetachi A. Egwu, Ph.D brilliantly predicted the rise of citizen journalism, with the internet at peoples' fingertips. This recent two election cycles really showed the profound influence of bloggers and people on social media to share information, surpassing even the influence of the legacy mainstream media at times! Egwu calls this the “democratization of tech.” In other words, the voices and opinions of individuals are being heard and heeded more so than ever because of the accessibility of tech. Going back to Renee Hastings... she provided one of the most amusing examples of emerging technologies, talking about how we could see a rise in “holographic influencers” including holographic fitness trainers critiquing our exercise form in our own homes! Could you imagine that?! That really seems plausible. There are also a lot of discussions about ethics in this book, which we appreciated. Rick Savoia says that, “As amazing as it is, AI is like nuclear technology: it can power a city or destroy it. Under the right circumstances and used sparingly in the proper application, AI can be a useful tool to assist content creators in honing their craft. However, there are also many ways to abuse it, and over-dependence on AI with any media brand can lead to its downfall.” There's a particular drink company and entrepreneur, which/whom we won't name, which appears to be abusing AI technology. So, their/his content seem a lot less genuine and authentic. It's hard to bond with a brand when it becomes more like a robot than an actual living human being (like us). Like the previous book in the series, this book argues that AI should enhance and collaborate with human creativity rather than replacing, erasing, or supplanting it. Kyle Bondo provided perhaps the most grounded opinion on AI: that it's currently creating “AI slop.” In other words, everyone is doing and writing what AI is telling them to do and write, so content is coming across as artificial and repetitive. AI slop is AI content that is becoming “a copy of a copy of a copy.” For example, because of AI, blog articles are coming out with almost the exact same headlines and body text, having almost identical opinions. There are other ethical concerns with, for example, privacy and data protection. Brad Friedman talks about how data collection can help online marketers and marketing platforms to provide a more targeted user experience. In other words, showing and selling them the things that they want (or think they want). However, this might cross the line at times. After all, should your toaster know what you want to buy? What happens when the government or law enforcement get a hold of this data and potentially misuse and abuse it? That's a genuine fear for the future of humanity. We might be completely losing our rights to privacy. A few other things also stand out to us about this outstanding book. The contributors are truly top-notch! There's a Guinness World-Record holder (Andrew Weiss), the founder of Sweat Tea Social Marketing (Heather Heuman), an Emmy-Award winner (Jeffrey Fitzgerald), 2013 California Litigation Lawyer of the Year (Mitch Jackson), multiple members of the Podcasting Hall of Fame (like Rob Greenlee and Dave Jackson), and so many more! The book also pays homage to the fact that this is the ten-year anniversary of this digital media predictions series, breaking down how many years individuals contributed predictions to this series, from Outstanding Creator Awards Ultimate Champion Dale Roberts (who contributed for 7 years) to Jennie Mustafa-Julock & Jennifer Quinn (who contributed for 10 years)! Get this book and be amazed at all the possibilities and opportunities that emerging technologies provide! Check it out on Amazon!
1 Comment
 Paperback Score: 93+/100 (9.3+ out of 10)
Audiobook Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10) The Fisherman and the French Flounder by Raven Howell & Pamela C. Rice is an incredibly charming and humorous children's book. Most exciting of all, it is now in audiobook format, brilliantly narrated by the talented Immy Dymott! The Fisherman and the French Flounder closely parallels the classic fable "The Fisherman and His Wife"--famously told by the Brothers Grimm. In that tale, a poor fisherman catches an enchanted fish (a flounder) that speaks and pleads for its life. Out of pity, the fisherman releases the fish. When he tells his wife about the encounter, she insists he return to the sea to ask the fish for a wish—starting with a modest request for a cottage. As the wife’s wishes escalate—from a grand castle to ruling as king, emperor, and eventually pope—her insatiable greed disrupts the balance of nature. The enchanted fish, initially generous, finally grows weary and resets the couple’s life to its original state of poverty. Thankfully, this telling of the story is far more humorous, lighthearted, and positive (as compared to the Brothers Grimm version), though the core story is retained. There is a wonderful twist, however, in that the fish and the fisherman constantly have misunderstandings due to speaking different languages (English and French). Hilarity ensues! Add to that the beautiful narration by Immy Dymott and the stylish illustrations by Pamela C. Rice, and you've got yourself a winner! The book follows an unnamed, loving, and compassionate fisherman who happens to catch a flounder (a gulf flounder based on Rice's illustrations) who happens to primarily speak and understand French! This is because—as the French flounder explains—he was a French prince who was transformed into a fish by a magical spell. The fisherman pities the French flounder, but also knows that he and his wife are poor and need something to eat. He also knows that his wife—whose temper and selfishness—will likely be mad that he came home empty-handed. So, the French flounder—an enchanted, magical being—makes the fisherman an offer: he will grant him three wishes for the kindness of him letting him go. And this is where the hilarity begins. The French flounder constantly misunderstands the words and phrases the fisherman uses due to their language difference. So, when the fisherman, urged by his wife, asks for a cottage (house), the flounder gives him a croissant (baked pastry) instead! When the fisherman, urged by his wife, asks for a check for money, the flounder gives him a beagle (dog) instead! When the fisherman, urged by his wife, asks for an armory to fit all of the croissants and dog bones, the flounder gives them l'amour (love) instead! This substantially improves the life of the couple, eventually leading to the fisherman building a “grand castle” by the sea so they can live happily ever after together. So, it's a much happier, more positive ending than the original Grimm tale. Kids will likely point out how silly and funny the French flounder looks. Being a gulf flounder, he is flat and has both eyes on one side! This may be a good opportunity to teach kids about how there are many unique, strange, and different animals that live in the world. Maybe you have a budding zoologist or biologist in the bunch. It might also be an opportunity to point out to kids how, despite the fact that the fish looks and sounds different or funny from them, he is a good, friendly person and also a prince! Speaking of sounding unique and different, Immy Dymott really elevates the audiobook (as its narrator) with her beautiful, cheerful, youthful, and spirited performance. You can just tell that she's smiling from ear to ear while reading these passages! Her positivity and joy are contagious, really lifting the mood of the reader/listener. Immy also has a posh, elegant, and beautiful British accent which may be something different for young American readers/listeners, adding an enchanting and captivating quality. It's almost like having Wendy Darling (from Peter Pan) reading you this book! There's nothing like it! Making this even better is the fact that Immy performs the French and French-sounding lines of the French flounder, creating an incredibly interesting clash between these different accents and languages. Very cool and impressive! We found ourselves absolutely laughing when Immy exclaimed (speaking as the fisherman's wife): “A BEAGLE!” By the way, the beagle that Rice illustrated is incredibly adorable, probably the cutest character in the book, though he or she is only in about two scenes. Rice is actually a previous Outstanding Creator Awards winner for being the illustrator of Finding Joy, also written by Raven Howell! Rice has a very artsy style. Characters seem to warp wrap around each other, almost becoming one. It's a style that will appeal to some and not to others, but we didn't mind it. Overall, this is a fun and very humorous children's book (and audiobook) to check out on Amazon!  Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
Welcome to HELL! Well, sorta. As implied by the title, The Life After by Deidra Lookingbill welcomes us to the mysterious, perilous, frightening, and utterly fascinating afterlife! It's a question as old as humanity itself: What happens when we die? Is it just the end? Do we experience eternal bliss or eternal damnation? Do we go to a place of purgatory? Are we reincarnated? The Life After is a supernatural novel that explores the themes of death, the afterlife, morality, and personal agency. The story follows Penelope, a sixteen-year-old girl who dies in a car accident and finds herself in a strange, bureaucratic afterlife where she must face a series of trials to determine her fate. With an engaging narrative voice, a richly built supernatural world, and intriguing philosophical undertones, the novel delves into the uncertainties of what comes after death. At times, it is thrilling. At times, it's reflective. At all times, it's thought-provoking! Lookingbill (the author) really knows how to start a novel—right in medes res, it the heat of the action! Penelope is faced with a horrifying moral dilemma—whether to condemn her friend Denise, who is responsible for her death, to eternal damnation or grant her mercy. This sets the stage for the novel’s themes of moral choice and justice. The main narrative unfolds through Penelope’s first-person perspective. She initially describes her life as a somewhat typical teenager, navigating a complicated family dynamic, a dreaded family reunion, and the excitement of her sixteenth birthday. However, a sudden car accident takes her life, thrusting her into an eerie afterlife filled with bureaucratic entities, sinister guides, and a set of cryptic rules she must navigate. She encounters June/Culsu, her afterlife guide, who is both apathetic and overwhelmed by her responsibilities. Initially meant to be reincarnated, Penelope learns that because she died on her sixteenth birthday, she qualifies for The Trials, a series of supernatural challenges designed to test her soul. If she fails, she risks eternal punishment. Through this, the novel builds tension and mystery around what exactly these trials entail. She meets other spirits, such as Phil, a ghost who manipulates her for his own vengeful motives, revealing the dangers of trusting the wrong people in the afterlife. This dynamic also highlights the novel’s exploration of morality—how people (and spirits) make choices based on their experiences and grievances. Phil sorta fits the mischief-making archetype of a character like Loki in Norse mythology. However, despite being an antagonist, Phil's existence also brings up other moral questions such as: Can even the worst of us be saved? Do even the worst of us deserve a chance? As she navigates The Trials, Penelope is forced to make difficult ethical decisions, face past regrets, and reckon with the concept of justice in ways she never imagined. While most of the plot centers around The Trials, another major plot point is the concept of "the Power of Six"--which seems to be the idea that six characters are meant to fulfill a higher purpose together. Indeed, Penelope is not alone in her journey. And one of the most beautiful things about this book is how Penelope, despite a rather mundane life, is still able to connect with and empathize with other characters in various ways—seeing a bit of her own self (and her loved ones) in them. She sees Leo as a reflection of her own search for meaning. His quiet strength and deep emotional understanding remind her of the person she might have become if given more time. In him, she finds both comfort and curiosity—a companion whose presence soothes her as she navigates the unknown. Leo, in a lot of ways, seems to be the deuteragonist (or, perhaps, tritagonist behind Denise) of the book, playing a role that extends beyond that of a mere ally. While The Life After centers on Penelope’s journey, Leo’s presence gives her something she didn’t realize she needed: a reason to keep pushing forward beyond just survival. He is a grounding force when the trials become overwhelming, someone who not only understands the burden of dying young but also meets it with an unwavering resolve. There’s also the question of whether Leo is a love interest for Penelope. The novel doesn’t explicitly push a romantic angle, but their deep emotional bond suggests an attachment that surpasses mere friendship. Yes, there is a somewhat questionable age difference between them—he was nineteen when he died, while she had just turned sixteen—but in the afterlife, the passage of time and traditional constraints of age seem to dissolve. Both of them are, in essence, souls untethered from the rules that once defined them, making their connection feel more like two people meeting on equal ground rather than a conventional teenage romance. One of the most powerful moments in the book that truly cements their bond is when Penelope vehemently refuses to let Leo suffer under the villainous Yu for her own sake. This moment is more than just a display of loyalty—it is an affirmation of her character’s growth. Penelope, who begins the book unsure of herself and questioning the weight of her own choices, takes an active stand to protect someone she cares about, even when it means facing the possibility of greater suffering for herself. The scene highlights the depth of their bond, showing that Penelope values Leo not just as an ally, but as someone truly irreplaceable in her journey. Leo’s presence in The Life After serves as a reminder that even in death, connection and purpose still exist. He is not just someone for Penelope to rely on—he challenges her, strengthens her, and ultimately gives her the emotional anchor she needs to face the trials ahead. Moving on... Mike the Marine embodies the sense of duty and protection that Penelope always associated with father figures, even before she knew that they were related. His unwavering resolve mirrors her own growing determination, and through him, she starts to understand that strength isn’t just about survival—it’s about sacrifice and responsibility. Denise Cozbi, perhaps the most complicated of the group, forces Penelope to confront her own capacity for judgment and forgiveness. Learning that Denise played a role in her death shakes her to her core, but in Denise’s regret and guilt, Penelope begins to understand that people are rarely defined by a single action. It’s a lesson in moral complexity—one that ultimately challenges her deepest fears about justice and redemption. Steele, hardened by years of isolation in Seven, reminds Penelope of the weight of regret and the human need for connection. Where she once might have feared him, she instead sees someone burdened by past mistakes, not unlike how she struggles with the guilt of sentencing Denise to eternal damnation. By helping Steele, she is, in many ways, helping herself find clarity and purpose. Steele received his name from his mother, who told him he had to be strong like steel. His real name is Stephen Monroe, but his mother began calling him Steele because, after his father's death, she expected him to be the man of the house and to embody strength and resilience. This really exemplifies the depth of all of these characters, as they're all so much more than they initially seem. While this book isn't as humorous, cheeky, or complex as An Interview with Death, a very similar book by V.K. Vasanen, the justice seems to be on its side. Unlike the protagonist of Vasanen's novel, who was irksome and not a very good person overall, the protagonist of Lookingbill's novel is a good person who growing even more with compassionate, kindness, and empathy. This just seems like a far more just view of the world and the universe than the one portrayed in Vasanen's book. There actually seems to be justice in this universe. With that said, it does often seem like the world is unjust and cruel, so that's not a total slight on Vasanen. One of the most frustrating things about Vasanen's novel, in comparison, is how it didn't seem like Nathan (the protagonist) could right his many wrongs or save the people he wronged. Like Dante in Dante's Inferno, he was more like a passive protagonist, even when he got Death powers/responsibilities—that doesn't exactly rectify his failures earlier in the book. Yes, he feels bad taking lives because he gains a bit of empathy, but... that's not the same as making things right. In comparison, Penelope and her companions are actively going through trials and tribulations, taking on villainous, sadistic, frightening beings, and confronting their personal demons. They actually seem to be trying to right their wrongs and make things right. They actually seem to be on an upward trajectory that we can get behind. The Life After does a phenomenal job of showcasing how empathy and connection transcend life and death. Penelope, despite her sarcastic and often skeptical outlook, finds common ground with each of the Six in ways that challenge her understanding of herself and others. What's important to note is that she doesn't just bond with them over their mutual need for their souls to survive, but—as elaborated on before—she bonds with them because she actually grows to connect with and care about them. And because SHE cares about them, the reader cares for them. There are also some nice passages in here, exemplifying good writing. Look at how poetic and atmospheric the following passage is: "Cold. The first sensation I felt was not a slight chill in the air but a blast so forceful it was like being punched with a fist made of pure ice. Putrid. Almost as quickly as the cold hit me, the stench of rotten meat filled my nostrils. No, not just my nostrils. It filled every part of me. My brain, the little hairs on my arms, even the pink toenail sticking out of the hole in my sock was acutely aware of the foul odor. It permeated me. It became part of me. I was one with the stink in the air. Dark. The library was dimly lit, but this space, wherever I was, was almost pitch black. I could make out basic shapes within close range but beyond that there were no details. I swam through the darkness as I shivered from the frigid air and my own fear." Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 89+/100 (8.9+ out of 10)
Traitor's Black Rose by I.M. Stoicus presents a politically charged narrative set in a dystopian near-future United States and world, exploring themes of nationalism, globalism, and constitutionalism. The book intertwines fictionalized political intrigue, societal critiques, and futuristic advancements, creating a complex narrative that examines the consequences of ideological divides. The story's protagonist, President Marcus Baros, embodies traditional American values juxtaposed against a globalist movement, symbolized by the titular "Mr. Black Rose." Like Stoicus's previous works, Another World and Humans' Enhancements, it has a very clear right-wing, nationalistic, Christian-conservative stance. In fact, it's so right-wing, nationalistic, and Christian conservative that the Christian fundamentalists and nationalists are the heroes of this book while the Marxists, atheists, and globalists are the villains. This is something that's sure to offend and/or put off some readers. Even being right-leaning centrists ourselves, this particular book was a bit much in terms of heavy-handedness and bias. Heavy left-wing/Woke bias (like that found in William Thon's The Cottage or Policies and Pain by Dr. Spencer Dayton) can be incredibly annoying to read. Well, heavy right-wing bias (like that found in this book) can also be incredibly annoying to read. And we agree with some of this book (just like we agree with some of Thon's and Dayton's left-leaning books). However, when an author becomes overly fixated with propping up one end of the cultural spectrum (left or right) rather than telling a good story or being entertaining, it can be incredibly tiresome. Similar to the portrayal in Another World, the good guys are comically good and the villains are comically evil. Remember in Another World when everything the good guys don't like was labeled SATANIC (in ALL-CAPS)? Well, this is more along the same lines. It's hard not to feel like this book's sole purpose is to preach an ideology (rather than be entertaining), which is unfortunate. What happened to all the action scenes, fighting, and combat that we read about in the previous books? A lot of this book reads like one guy talking about the world. It's basically a philosophical diatribe comparable to what the android (Brent) does in Edward and Brent Go to Mars by Richard Jeffery Wagner—going on and on and on about his thoughts about what is right and how the world should be. That's nice and all, but... can something else please happen? Can we get the plot moving in one direction or another? It always seems like this book is standing still. In fact—with the insertion of quotes by philosophers, religious leaders, and intellectual thinkers—this book almost reads a lot like someone's doctorate thesis, which you think would be awesome unless you came here to read a novel with action, explosions, and stuff like that. It almost reminds us of those YouTube videos of Anakin talking about his doctorate thesis in Duality and Dichotomy in the Legend of Darth Plageius the Wise. Would you rather have Anakin talk about duality and dichotomy or engage in a lightsaber duel? The answer is clear. It doesn't help that the writing sounds robotic and stilted at times. Perhaps the worst line is when President Baros says: “Yes, I enjoyed watching the exciting game on the local broadcast network. I especially relished when Sean rushed fifty-two yards for the winning touchdown.” Does that sound... human? Or natural at all? Like Baros is supposed to be some well-spoken Air Force veteran, right? He's not a cyborg/android like Solon was in the previous book. Speaking of which... In the previous book, Solon was a really good and smart guy (similar to President Marcus Baros), but he was also a super cool cyborg/android with exciting and entertaining powers that aided him in fighting and surviving life-threatening situations. In other words, he was really fun to read about. President Baros was not. Yes, there's a mystery about who Mr. Black Rose is and how the heroes might stop him, but it's like that whole thing just gets wrapped up and resolved in a flash. And by the way, as you might expect, Mr. Black Rose is basically a fictitious version of George Soros—whom the right likes to think of as a left-wing puppet master who pulls the strings of the government and mainstream media from behind the shadows by controlling their finances. Almost this entire book is a very white-washed telling of what the 2020 and 2024 elections ideally should've been like or what should've happened with President Marcus Baros serving as a much better-spoken version of Donald Trump while President-Elect/Senator Cain (yes, Cain like the first murderer) is a really thinly-veiled version of Joe Biden. There's even a comment about him avoiding public debates and “hiding in his basement” during the election—things which are often talking points in Trump speeches. And, of course, his election was stolen because... of course it was. Hey, at least the world-building is pretty interesting. The year is 2088. D.C. has moved to Kansas to protect it militarily (which is kinda cool and kinda funny). Inflation has led to decamillionaires and other astronomical financial figures/designations. There's a “Doggam Virus” from North Korea that supposedly infects 5-10% of the world, and of course it's a satire of COVID. Yes, North Korea is still somehow a rogue, evil nation nearing the 22nd century. There's a congressman named Drakos, a globalist marxist. Yes, his name is really Drakos. Of course, new energy initiatives were a scam and climate change was a hoax just like the election because... of course. You know, this book is actually unintentionally hilarious when you think of it as heavy-handed satire. So, you might not want to come into this novel expecting a novel. You kinda have to come into this book to read about philosophies and ideologies. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
Previous OCA-winner Micky O'Brady is back with yet another compelling story following a strong and spunky teenage heroine! Imagine going back in time armed with knowledge and experience that even your supervisors, bosses, and experts don't have! What would you do? What would you say? Would you try to change things for the better or would you try to conserve and keep them the same? Time Warped is a character-driven, thought-provoking sci-fi novel. It is also very dense—arguably needlessly so at times. The book follows Nonie Thorburn, a 17-year-old cadet in the United Space Exploration Fleet (USEF), promoted early to lieutenant. Determined, resourceful, and morally driven, Nonie navigates complex missions and ethical dilemmas. Her backstory includes growing up as the daughter of Admiral Thorburn and overcoming physical and emotional challenges, such as adapting to her biosynthetic leg and enduring prejudice. You know... there is so much to unpack with this book. It's actually kinda overwhelming Where do we even start? Well, the core conflict involves the huge space war going on between the pro-human USEF and a mysterious and powerful alien race known as the Quaneez. This is a decades-long space war that has cost billions of lives and has resulted in a stalemate. That's right. In forty years of fighting, neither side has seemingly gained a distinct advantage. What a costly nightmare! However, is that really where we should start our explanation of the plot of this book? Because the narrative seems to want to push the plot device of a suspicious viral pandemic that may have nefarious origins. This pandemic is used by the sketchy-as-heck USEF leadership as an excuse for Nonie's first couple of missions in the book. Nonie is essentially sent on a fool's errand to find a magical plant cure, actually not too dissimilar from the mission from The Adamantine Jewel by Jeffrey Pears. As you might expect, there's a lot more to it than that. After all, why would you send one of your least experienced officers? Well, the sketchy-as-heck USEF leadership seems to want plausible deniability should anything go wrong. They argue that they can just consider her a radical rogue agent. Gee, thanks! But wait, there's more! This book also heavily pushes this father-daughter/paternal relationship between the idealistic, gung ho Nonie and her grizzly, jaded, old, somewhat-discontented father, Admiral Thorburn. See, Nonie's father is controversially pro-alien (or at least an alien sympathizer) at a time of tremendous pro-human bigotry akin to Palpatine's Galactic Empire in Star Wars. Nonie's father also seems very apprehensive to support her desire to advance in the USEF, particularly her dream of joining the enigmatic Division 2, a secretive division of the USEF that presumably undertakes the most dangerous missions associated with human advancement and survival. Nonie's relationship with her dad, though loving, also seems a bit strained due to him not supporting her goals. You really get the sense that Nonie starts her journey very bought-in on the USEF and its supposed purpose—almost like a blind loyalty to the USEF. However, her faith in the organization gradually degrades as lies, deception, and reasons for distrust reveal themselves to her. Nonie's relationship with her dad is very similar to the relationship between Zach Aurelian and his dad in Academy Bound by J.C. Mastro. In fact, the two books share a lot of similarities including leaders of the space academy concealing information and hiding potentially-incriminating or inflammatory secrets from the cadets. Anyway, Nonie is granted the Pioneer, a legendary and advanced USEF space ship capable of stealth and high-speed deep-space travel. Relatively early on in the book, Nonie is attacked/ambushed by the Quaneez, the enemy alien race distinguished by their large size and yellow/golden beams. She is then swiftly implicated in a catastrophe that leads to the destruction of planet H-155, presumably leading to the deaths of millions (or even billions) of Quaneez. Nonie and the reader eventually realize that the USEF was aware of planet H-155's Quaneez inhabitants as well as its unstable core (leading to the planetary extinction event). But wait, there's more! This isn't just a space-faring/space-fighting/space-colonization novel, but it's also a time-travel novel! Nonie is sent forty years into the past like she's Samurai Jack because of a convergence of Quaneez advanced time-manipulation technology and snowballing circumstances on H-155 causing temporal displacement (or...something like that...). Anyway, this takes Nonie to the time before the very first battle between the Quaneez and the USEF: the Battle of Balthar on May 15, 2255—a date which lives in infamy and in the collective conscience of many of the book's characters. Several interesting layers are added in this core section of the book. For one, Nonie meets people and figures she heard about or knew—all while they're alive and young. Perhaps the character who stood out to us the most in this regard was Captain Kieran Wildason, a legendary and iconic USEF military leader and hero who is held in high esteem by Nonie and other characters four-decades later. Kieran is a nominee for both “Coolest Character” and “Hottest Character” as Nonie develops a huge crush on him in the book. Nonie also meets her father, Arlen, when he was younger, being able to see him in a different light and better understand his point of view. She meets several of the USEF admirals and eventual-admirals She meets Dr. Relissa Vontel, the Magellan scientist whose experiments and technology are partly responsible for the phenomena that Nonie has been witnessing and experiencing. This is significant because the Magellans are not humans, they are aliens in an era of great human-centric bigotry. The Magellans are treated with some degree of suspicion and distrust despite their contributions, sorta like Jews in Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia. She meets Commander Talen Rez’mor, a Quaneez diplomat who opens her eyes to the possibility of peace in the deadly and seemingly unending Quaneez War. Nonie is gradually able to realize her people's expansionist and imperialistic movements and how they've negatively impacted the Quaneez. Talen's diplomatic point of view contrasts with the likes of people like Admiral Denrick Hale, who is quick to jump into/push for military action as the primary means of solving the issues with the Quaneez. You really get the sense that the cadets of the USEF have been indoctrinated to believe that their side is absolutely right and that the Quaneez are absolutely evil and wrong. However, the truth lies somewhere in a gray area. Both sides are to blame, and the USEF definitely has villainous tendencies. In fact, that is almost definitely the best thing about this book: the way it's able to show both sides of the conflict. Most people who fight for the USEF are ignorant (either willfully or otherwise) of who their enemy actually is. To most of them, the Quaneez are just the non-human other—the enemy. However, the Quaneez are far more than that. They are a people. They have a culture. They have their own society and their own way of doing things. We loved that the author was able to humanize the Quaneez a bit via scenes like when Nonie notices a Quaneez child dressed in battle armor, leading her to wonder if the child is dressed like that as a way to keep her safe and protected, or because the Quaneez are a militant race like the Spartans. The USEF, particularly their leaders (but also some of the cadets), are shown in a gray or negative light. Some are warmongers and bigots. Others, like Admiral Glazer, seem to have ulterior motives and might not have Nonie's best interest in mind. Nonie constantly feels like Glazer, despite his initial flattery and promotion of her, is setting her up like a pawn in a large chess game. Their cadets are also shown to have negative traits, due in part to their indoctrination, such as when a few bully Nonie for her dad being pro-alien (and for her prosthetic leg). The Quaneez, on the other hand, are a mystery. In forty years, we're told that the USEF learned little to nothing about them, their language, their culture, or their biology, largely because none of been captured alive. So, how do you negotiate peace with someone you can't know or understand? That's actually one of the biggest questions of the book. Meanwhile, the Quaneez are not these misunderstood angelic characters, at least not entirely. Yes, they're misunderstood, but they're still warriors and they are largely responsible for countless human deaths. Throughout the book, Nonie and the others are forced into situations in which they have to fight them off and even kill them (or risk being killed themselves). This book has a lot of good things about it, however, it also has some glaring weaknesses that we've already alluded to. It's too involved. We haven't even touched on attention-demanding secondary characters like Zio, Chase, and the half-dozen admirals (like Upinga and Conolly) who serve mainly to create clutter in what should be a fast-flowing story. It's likely the author intended all of these side characters to serve as foils and add some depth and intrigue, but most of them just draw attention away from the main story, bogging it down. And that's perhaps this book's biggest weakness of all: it's bogged down. It's incredibly (and needlessly) dense, which really disrupts the pacing and flow of the book. Let's put it this way: this book doesn't fly; it hops, flutters, lands, then hops, flutters and lands again. It's like it can't get out of its own way. It's constantly stopping and hitting speed bump after speed bump after speed bump. Red light after red light after red light. Can we just...hit the gas pedal go already? It always seems like this book is trying to do too many things at once—juggling space-faring, space warfare, time-travel, daddy issues, issues at school/the academy, racial issues (with the Quaneez and Magellans), political intrigue, Nonie's disability, Nonie being mislabeled a traitor and a potential turncoat spy; the mystery surrounding Nonie's mom, the mystery surrounding the Quaneez and the war with them, the mystery surrounding Magellan and Quaneez technologies, the mystery of the viral pandemic and the pseudo-magical panacea plant that's supposed to cure it; falling in love with a dude 40 years your senior then having to rescue him; realizing you've bonded with some people named Zio and Chase and now you guys are ride-and-die mates. It's like the narrative of this book just can't focus on anything. Because of that, it slows and bogs down the reading experience. You know what it is? It's like a Pile On effect. Things like plot threads and character traits are just stacked on top of things that are stacked on top of things, starting to read like arbitrary lists of things rather than plot threads or character traits in their own right. That was kinda an issue in Playing with #Fire too. The core story and characters were great, but there was a lot of meandering in the middle that bogged it down. We usually take about one to two days to read a book. This book took us about half a week. It's not because it's long, it's because our interest kept waning. In other words, we kept closing it and putting it down. We were being asked to be interested (and stay interested) in way too many things and way too many characters all at one time. Can't we just follow Nonie as she goes back in time, realizes what she needs to realize about the Quaneez and the USEF, then get on with it already? Why does the story have to be so winding and weaving like a chaotic mountainside roadway? The plot, at its core, really isn't that complicated, and it really didn't need to be. That's how we felt, anyway. Like, 5 Moons of Tiiana by P.T. Harry was a pretty complicated epic sci-fi novel. There were numerous alien races, all with their own conflicts. However, the book never felt like it was overstaying its welcome or that we were waiting on a forgone conclusion. It is pretty clear early on in Time Warped what's going on—who is right and who is wrong. It is very clear early on the kind of arc and realization that Nonie is eventually going to come to. So, a lot of this book seems like... waiting. Waiting for the thing you expect to happen to finally happen. At least the final battle scene is epic, although it really demonstrates what we were talking about: because of the time-travel aspect, Nonie already knows what's going to happen in this battle. She keeps telling us that, even though her body reacts with nervousness and anxiety, she already knows the outcome. So, a lot of the tension seems lost. And perhaps that's a symptom of being a time-travel story. See, time-travel stories (like multiverse stories) often suffer from a lack of tension due to a lack of lasting consequences. Yes, we see a planet destroyed early on, but things like this always seem solvable or reversible in these time-travel and multiverse stories, whether they are or not. Even her reaction to the planet being destroyed—one racked with guilt and remorse—seems somewhat humorous to the reader who knows that this is happening way too early in the story to seem earned or deserved. It's hard to get an emotional rise out of the audience without adequately building to it first. Furthermore, the number of the potential casualties in thrown out there so willy nilly that it almost seems meaningless. What is a million or a billion or a trillion or a gazillion casualties if we really haven't gotten to know who these people are? Like, when Alderaan was destroyed in Star Wars: A New Hope, at least we knew that it was Princess Leia's home planet. We had a character we liked who had a direct connection with the planet that was destroyed. When Majin Buu destroyed the Earth near the end of Dragon Ball Z, it meant something because most of Dragon Ball and most of its characters were tied to Earth in some way. And, by the way, we live on the Earth, so there's that too... In what way was Nonie tied to planet H-155? In what way was she emotionally invested in it? And why should we (the reader) be emotionally invested in it? Why? Because it essentially meant she failed her mission in the worst imaginable way and might be demoted, shamed, or worse... expelled (as Hermione put it). You could argue it could escalate hostilities with the Quaneez, but... wait a minute, the war never ended and peace was never negotiated much less agreed upon because the USEF never learned the Quaneez language. So... what are the stakes again? Why are we still waiting for this book to hit another gear and start moving in a surprising direction again? Anyway, this is ultimately a solid to good book with some noticeable pacing and flow issues. It's still worth a read if you're into sci-fi that tackles big ethical questions. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
Turkey Ham Dog by Lisa Giknis is a heartwarming story that reflects the profound relationship between humans and their pets. The narrative centers on Tabby, a rescued puggle, and details her journey from neglect to a life filled with love and purpose in the Adirondacks. The story highlights the duality of rescue: while humans save pets, pets, in turn, bring healing and comfort to their owners. Anyone who has owned a dog or cat for any significant amount of time can relate to the fact that they become like your kids. They become like a part of the family. Though we often think about how we take care of our pets (feeding, housing, cleaning them, etc.), we don't often stop to think about how our pets take care of us. There have been times when we've felt sad, mad, lonely, or anxious, then that familiar fluff of fur comes snuggling gently into our arms. There's a reason why dogs are considered “man's best friend.” Like guardian angels, their presence is calming and their influence is disarming. They can bring a smile to your face or make you laugh at the drop of a hat. They can make you feel safe and secure even when the situation is dismal like at a time of loss or uncertainty. Pets also tend to bring their own, unique personalities. That's sure to get a rise out of you! Take Tabby, for example. Tabby has inclinations just like human people do! Tabby LOVES food, ESPECIALLY ham and turkey (hence the name of this book)! She also loves to eat the jelly from the jelly jar, peanut butter, and the cinnamon buns off the table. All in all, this is an adorable read for children that uses simple, short, rhythmic, and rhyming language. This is one of those books that you could easily fly through with your children before bedtime. We wanted to say that the rhyming, while simple, is great for children. Children love rhymes and patterns. It's digestible and fun for them. It's also easy to read aloud as an adult (parent or teacher). There is a small typo with “nicknames” being written as “knicknames.” However, it's not that big of a deal. The characters—the heart and soul of this book—are adorable, and the illustrations are sufficiently cute. We were actually excited to see that previous Outstanding Creator Awards winner Amy Gerardi illustrated this book (alongside Mechelle Roskiewicz)! Amy Gerardi previously co-wrote and illustrated Please Grow Away, an awesome children's book about setting aside differences, compromising, and working together. Gerardi has her own unique illustration style. With her illustrations, it often seems like some objects and characters are thoroughly colored while others (and the background) aren't. In Please Grow Away, this style served a storytelling and thematic purpose as the lemons, grapes, and overall appearance of the book became more colorful and bright as the story's cast of characters became more diverse and inclusive. In this book, the style seems to help Tabby stand out. For example, Tabby is distinctly and sharply brown. This is in contrast to her Shihtzu sibling, who is almost completely barren of color (as a white dog). The backgrounds are also quite sparse. But again, that may help the focus to stay on the characters, which is where the focus should be. Something interesting about this book is that it really has two layers of reading: a shallow reading and a deeper reading. The shallow and simple reading is that this is a book about a cute family pet doing cute family pet stuff. Young children will eat that up! However, there's also a deeper reading that involves the context behind Tabby's close bond with the family and her Shihtzu sibling as well as why she eats/ate to the point of obesity. See, a large subtext of this book is Tabby’s transformation from a neglected breeding dog (who is initially “thin” due to neglect and starvation) to a beloved family member. This symbolizes deeper themes like hope and second chances. While younger children, who are developing empathy, may pick up on that, it will likely be more pronounced and understandable for adults. In fact, this might be a really good teaching/learning opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss topics like empathy and compassion with children. It may also be a good opportunity to teach children about the reciprocal nature of kindness and caring. Anyway, going back to the deeper reading of the book... you can really tell that Tabby's voracious desire to eat a lot of food (and binge) may come from having been deprived of food in her early years (by her previous owner). It's also inspirational to see Tabby turn her life, weight, and health around by the end of the book! For anyone jumping on a diet and/or following a New Year's Resolution in early January, this is really relatable. There's also an even deeper context to this story as we learn in the “Tabby rescued me” section that Tabby actually helped the family to find their lost and deceased pet, Snickers—seemingly having a supernatural sense and connection with Snickers. We also learn from the “About the Author” section that Lisa Giknis has bravely battled breast cancer since being diagnosed with it in 2005. Furthermore, she experienced the loss of her mother to breast cancer in 2003. Giknis's loving, loyal, adorable pets like Tabby and Snickers have made a huge difference, providing her with comfort, courage, and a reason to keep fighting and living. With all of that in mind, this is an awesome children's book with a lot of heart and soul. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)
Maryland Sasquatch Massacre is a gripping and suspenseful action-thriller/monster novel by Ethan Richards! A wealthy, young environmental activist named Dahlia Rhodes has gone missing! And the monster that took her may still be out there... A rag-tag team of specialists—including paranormal podcaster Ebenezer Edwards (AKA “Eerie Eb”), Cora Rhodes (the missing girl's sister); Casper “Appalachia” Cresap, Ercole “Doc” Bonaparte, and others—are assembled to find Dahlia. However, they aren't made aware of the monster (or monsters) who may be responsible for her disappearance. Of all of Ethan Richards's many monster novels, this one seems to be the best-written, the most grounded, and the most down-to-earth. It's also arguably the deepest and most well thought-out. Something we're really happy about is how much Richards has taken our previous advice, tips, and reviews, and has tremendously improved the quality of his work. This book seems to have a lot more depth and layers than other books in the series, going all the way back to Kaw Lake. Because of that, it actually seems the most real, raw, and relatable. That's not to say it's perfect, but it's a HUGE improvement! For example, many books in the monster genre (including books by Richards), usually start with a character being attacked and/or killed off. It establishes the danger of the mysterious monster while also getting a jolt out of the audience. However, these opening scenes tend to lose a huge opportunity: the opportunity for the audience to build rapport with the character(s). Usually, the person being killed off is a nobody and has little to nothing more to do with the story or the other characters. They serve only as a plot device to establish the monster's presence and threat. However, in Maryland Sasquatch Massacre, this opening victim character (Dahlia) is actually a very well-established, fleshed-out character who ends up meaning a lot to the other major characters, mainly Cora and Eb. She's more than just some dumb victim. She is actually a character in her own right. We're told (and shown) that Dahlia has very strong environmentalist, liberal leanings, which motivate her environmental activism. Despite being wealthy, she doesn't hide behind her white picket fence twiddling her thumbs. Instead, she acts for the good of the Earth, the environment, and the animals therein. She is one of the leaders of the protests to protect Savage River State Forest, which (as we'll later explore) is being destroyed by Heinrich Aristov's shadow organization. Aristov's environmental degradation and tampering is so bad that this is something we're told that both the liberals and conservatives resist. So, while activists tend to get a bad rap for being chronic complainers and disruptors of the peace, Dahlia is one of the good ones. She is genuinely fighting for a provably good cause. Furthermore, she also seems to suffer from a condition called vitiligo, which causes her skin to have a patchy, pale appearance. This causes her to be insecure and self-conscious. Interestingly, Dahlia really isn't in this book much, yet she has a profound influence on the plot and the other characters. Speaking of the other characters, this group of characters is actually somewhat deep and memorable, unlike the casts of other books by Richards (in which supporting characters are basically NPCs with little to no motivation and with funny names). Cora, for example, is heavily motivated to find and rescue her sister. We also get hints that Cora and Dahlia have often disagreed on things and haven't always gotten along. So, Cora kinda sees this rescue mission as a way of making up for her past transgressions and ill feelings. It also helps that Cora is described as being rather attractive, serving as a sort of love interest for other characters. Ebeneezer (Eerie Eb) is also a compelling lead protagonist. Imagine this: drop Joe Rogan into an Ethan Richards monster novel, and that's basically what this is! Like Rogan, Eb runs a podcast focused on WEIRD STUFF like cryptids, mystical creatures, unsolved mysteries, ghosts, monsters, and aliens. Ok, we may have added some of that, but that's the impression we got. We actually get quite a few tidbits from Eb's “Paranormal Podcast,” gradually building more details about both the world of the book as well as providing some context for what's going on. For example, we start to realize that Aristov might actually be introducing invasive species like pikas into the ecosystem, causing a tremendous imbalance. Furthermore, we get hints that these rodents might actually have been introduced as a food source for other, larger, predatory creatures. We also get some wacky animal stories like about the Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades, which sets a precedence for a large exotic predator (like a Sasquatch) finding its way in an unexpected habitat. Another wacky animal story that gets brought up is about the Emu War in Australia. However, this also provides some context for what's going on. See, it is implied throughout the book that corrupt people like Aristov are responsible for the presence of exotic monsters like the Sasquatch—portrayed in this book as being a species of extra-giant chimpanzee-like creatures. This is compared and contrasted to the Emu War in which humanity believed it could control and combat nature and its animals just using conventional weapons (like firearms). The Sasquatches, like the emus in the Emu War, show how some forces of nature are just out of human control. One last character who is given a surprising amount of shine and depth in this book is Doc. Doc is the first to volunteer to go with Eb and Cora when it is revealed what the group is really up against. Doc takes an extraordinary amount of care and responsibility for the others. It is eventually revealed that he was motivated to become a doctor when one of his best friends died. In a surprisingly touching and powerful passage, Doc describes how the medic kept doing chest compressions (for CPR) all the way into the ambulance because the medic wanted to give the young Doc hope and let him know that everyone that could be done was done. Now, this book does have some cheesy scenes that kinda take some of the seriousness away. Ironically, some of these scenes are sandwiched between Doc's best scenes. For example, there's a scene in which the characters are taking turns swearing their allegiance and support for Eb as their new squad leader. However, this really comes across as cliché and cringy. It's like one of those “power of friendship” team-up scenes from a cartoon or anime. It doesn't read well in a more serious book like this. Another cheesy/cliche/cringy scene is when Doc is described as looking off into the distance after the death of a minor character, whose name we forgot because he's so minor. It reminded us of the death of Mustache from the previous book. Anyway, the seriousness and melancholy of the scene seems really forced and contrived. It's kinda like playing extra-soppy violin music during a sad scene rather than just letting the scene itself play out as sad. We commend Ethan Richards on substantially improving his work. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
One Man's Journey by Donald T. Hardison II is the most spirited, powerful, and emotionally-charged memoir we've read so far this year! The book chronicles the deeply personal and transformative journey of the author. It explores themes of family, faith, resilience, and redemption. Through anecdotes and reflective storytelling, the narrative follows Hardison's upbringing, challenges with family dynamics, experiences with profound loss, moments of spiritual awakening, and his relentless pursuit of truth and integrity. Each chapter delves into significant milestones in the author's life, framed around trials, tragedies, and moments of triumph. As the author eloquently describes in one of the book's key passes, this is the remarkable true story “about a man who... endured some of life’s hardest tragedies... He was a man who became so broken to his very core that he felt suicide was his only option. A man who had come to the end of his own rope and almost to the end of his very own life. A man who had now been rescued, saved, and redeemed. A man who was given a second chance at life, not only for himself but for the sake of so many others. A man who was given the passion and courage to rescue others in their own time of crisis, stopping at nothing to succeed and allowing nothing to get in his way.” Although this is titled One Man's Journey, this is really a universal story. It's a story that can speak to every soul—everyone who has struggled with secrets, bad habits, and addictions; everyone who has wrestled with their faith; everyone who has seen a loved one's health (or mental health) deteriorate before their eyes; everyone who has lost a loved one; everyone who has wondered where is God in all of this? One of the themes that really stood out to us in this book was the theme of loss, specifically losing someone you love and connect deeply with. The book gradually introduces us to this theme through the character of Ms. Gavin, the author's widowed neighbor. It goes without saying that being widowed profoundly affected Ms. Gavin, her mood, attitude, and outlook on life. Ms. Gavin is not the only figure in this book who becomes widowed or orphaned, but her early presence breaks readers in to this painful theme of loss. We also get introduced to one of the book's other key themes: THE SPARK—the turnaround. So many times in this book, times of darkness are transformed into epiphanies and divine sparks of positivity and light. In the early case of Ms. Gavin, the presence of Little Donald (around 11-years-old at the time) helps to renew her damaged and tarnished spirit, restoring her zest for life as Little Donald becomes almost like a surrogate son to her. When she tragically and suddenly passes, the harsh reality of death becomes evident to Little Donald. This cycle of life and death among loved ones becomes a reoccurring (and very important and impactful) part of this book. It actually functions very well against the book's powerful Christian message and back drop—presenting the idea of Jesus Christ as the one who defeated death and broke the cycle. And then comes THE SPARK of light again—the return of hope and purpose. For example, in one of Donald's darkest times—a time in which he yells at God that he will never serve him (due to the feelings of hurt and betrayal he feels at losing the closest of loved ones)—he is confronted with a supernatural phenomenon. Storm clouds come and lightning strikes just feet from him, scaring him back into his vehicle and helping to set him straight. Another event which seems to be an epiphany for Donald is a sudden and near-catastrophic accident reminding Donald that though the enemy (the devil) may come like a flood, God is still active and present in his life. We don't want to spoil the biggest twists and turns in this incredible real-life story, but we do want to bring up how Donald's many struggles and losses blend and blur into the larger, universal picture of what's happening in the world around him. For example, August 27, 2001 is referred to as “the darkest day” in Donald's life. However, that's put in full contrast and perspective just two weeks and one day later when September 11th happens, prompting Donald to make an extra-painful phone call—a phone call that can't be answered. By the age of 25, Donald had already seemingly lost it all. But this is a redemption story—a story of hope—our favorite kind of story! These tragedies, traumas, trials, and tribulations help Donald to realize a lot of things, growing and developing, particularly in his relationship with God—a spiritual and personal relationship that goes beyond religion. In fact, this book does an excellent job at separating what having a relationship with God means versus just being in a religion. Religion can be corrupted by humans, such as the pastor who deliberately lied about the fates of suicide victims (unsupported by biblical scriptures). It's because of all the hurt, suffering, and hard-learning that Donald endured that he seems to be able to profoundly empathize and connect with people. For example, during the pandemic and lockdowns, he noticed that the homeless had nowhere to go. They were the only ones still wandering the streets of what otherwise looked like a ghost town. By the way, this book does contain some critical and contrarian opinions on the events of 2019-2021 (particularly the handling of the pandemic), but that didn't bother us really. He was also able to form strong connections with individuals like Mr. Ellis/Mr. E. This book brought us to tears (or near tears) so many times! Are you ready to be touched and inspired? Check this book out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
The Biohunter is yet another thrilling, character-centered sci-fi novel by Ingrid Moon! It follows in the footsteps of The Handler's Gambit, one of our favorite novels from 2024, and recycles some of the same concepts and ideas. The Handler's Gambit is a tough act to follow, but it did have a winning formula. So, how did The Biohunter do by comparison? Well, The Biohunter is a thought-provoking, compelling novel in its own right. The book takes us to the dystopian future of 2114, a post-apocalyptic world that follows the cataclysmic and catastrophic event known as “the fracture.” In the midst of the fracture, vast areas of the planet became wastelands, uninhabitable due to extreme weather, mutated wildlife, and lack of resources. Governments fell apart, leading to the rise of corporate entities like Imperium Enterprises, the villainous organization in the book, which seized control of critical resources. Cities were abandoned or fortified (e.g., Springfield, Indiana), and humanity splintered into isolated groups like the outlanders and the corporate elite. The fracture also seems to have triggered mutations in wildlife, creating the intelligent and dangerous creatures hunted by biohunters like Axel Mercer, the novel's central protagonist. Certain humans, like Mira Shane (the book's deuteragonist), may have developed unique abilities like accelerated healing or regeneration as part of genetic adaptations or scientific experiments. The book follows Axel Mercer, a morally-gray, hit-for-hire specialist known as a “biohunter”--akin to a bounty hunter (in fact, he's similar in role and function to Foxhound in Hounds of Gaia by Sean Tirman). The unscrupulous Imperium Enterprises hires him to hunt and/or obtain valuable biological organisms/specimens for them. And, no, Imperium isn't led by someone named Gunther. Think of Imperium as a mix between Shinra Inc. and the Umbrella Corporation. These aren't necessarily good guys who have the betterment of humanity in mind, at least not all of them. Instead, Imperium Enterprises seems driven by greed and power—the things that make this world go 'round. They're led by CEO Zara Drake, a ruthless individual with a single-minded pursuit of profit and control that contrasts sharply with the outlanders’ fight for survival. Imperium also includes Thomas Shelley, whose strategic thinking and calculated actions make him a compelling secondary antagonist, balancing Drake’s overt ruthlessness with a more subtle approach. His name, by the way, may be an homage to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein--which this novel definitely shares some comparisons with. There's also Plymouth Harlo, the chief scientist and kinda the Hojo/Dr. Birkin-like figure in all of this. The activities and scientific research performed by Imperium range from questionable to outright immoral, sadistic, and evil. Sorta like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, this really makes you think about the ethical implications of experiments on animals (as well as humans, in the case of Mira). At what point is scientific research and advancement less important than the health, safety, and rights of these creatures? Should we be causing undue harm and suffering to these creatures in the name of science? That remains the primary ethical question throughout the book. Axel starts this book as a hardened mercenary who does what he can to make enough to survive. However, that all comes into question when he bonds with the target he has been sent to capture: Mira, a teenage human girl and outlander who seems to have developed the ability to rapidly regenerate. The character dynamic between Axel and Mira is actually very similar to the one between Boone and Elyon in The Handler's Gambit. Axel is partly Mira's captor/keeper while also being her protector, guardian, and eventually friend and ally. Really, the highlights of this book are when Axel and Mira banter back and forth. Unlike Elyon in The Handler's Gambit, who was mostly stoic and mysterious, Mira is much more loud, boisterous, and outspoken. When Axel says something dumb, like about why Mira even needs to drink or eat if she has a superpower, Mira is quick to bark back. All around, this is a solid and good sci-fi novel. However, in comparison to The Handler's Gambit, something seems strangely... missing. We can't exactly put a finger on it, but the flow and pacing of this book isn't nearly as great as the aforementioned book, and neither are the characters. Perhaps it's the fact that villains like those found at Imperium just aren't on the level of Vindik from The Handler's Gambit. Vindik just had a coolness and an intimidation-factor about him that those like Drake just can't match. It's almost like comparing Sephiroth to Hojo or President Shinra (or Albert Wesker to Dr. Spencer, the founder of Umbrella). One is just so much cooler than the others. Speaking of coolness, Elyon is also decidedly cooler and more compelling than Mira is for the most part. That's not to say that Mira is bad. No, she's a good character in her own right. However, Elyon was on another level with her mystery and intrigue. She didn't have to say or even do much to come across as important and compelling in her book. At the same time, we still felt for Mira enough to want her to be safe from the cruel experiments of Imperium. Axel is another mixed bag. See, Axel fits a particular archetype of a gray mercenary character. He's actually a bit like Kai Lovac from The Third Estate by D.R. Berlin, a guy who forms a personal bond with his target that softens him. It's a beautiful and touching dynamic, but it's also something we've read a bunch of times before (including in Moon's own work). With that said, this book still contains impressive world-building and characters that is sure to impress sci-fi readers. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 93/100 (9.3 out of 10)
Are you looking for some action-packed, romantic Christian fiction set in medieval times? The Royal Order of the Last Coin by Joyce Crawford is a Christian historical novel interweaving themes of faith, duty, and legacy with rich historical contexts. It is a remarkable father-and-son story following Walter de Burton, a loyal English knight as well as a devout Christian, and his son, Milton de Burton. While the early portions focus on the storied life and times of Walter, the majority of this book seems more focused on the passing-of-the-torch to Milton as well as Milton's growth from a young man/squire to a knight and a leader in his own right. Taking place between the 13th and 14th centuries, the book comes on the heels of William Wallace's military campaigns in the Wars of Scottish Independence. In fact, the book opens with descriptions of Wallace's brutal execution including disembowelment and castration. It is, in fact, an even more graphic description of Wallace's execution than what is portrayed in Mel Gibson's Bravehart. It's also a more accurate depiction of those events. While describing some of the brutality and inhumanity of the Middles Ages as well as uncomfortable human behaviors (including sexual ones), it remains a mostly-positive and uplifting tale. This book is mostly a coming-of-age tale that uses the historical, Medieval background to emphasize the universality of certain human experiences like faith, love, guilt, loss, and compassion. We're introduced early on to King Edward I of England, whom you might better remember as the ruthless villain of Bravehart: the so-called “Longshanks.” This book is arguably a much fairer portrayal of the king than that work of fiction. Edward does show some ruthlessness and brutality, such as when he has William Wallace brutally executed or when he calls for the same treatment for a treacherous baron. However, there's also another side to King Edward that this book interestingly explores. King Edward isn't pure evil. He's portrayed in this book as a man in very touch circumstances who must make very tough decisions. He is surrounded by rebellion and sedition from all sides, and he needs to ensure that England and its surrounding lands don't plunge into anarchy, lawlessness, and chaos. At the same time, characters like Walter—one of his oldest and most loyal knights—are made uncomfortable by the apparent brutality and inhumanity of some of the king's actions. Walter subtly and briefly questions if it's right to continue serving someone who is demonstrating monstrous and tyrannical tendencies. Should we be burning villages? Torturing and executing our adversaries? What happens when other, fellow soldiers engage in rape and plunder? Should we find the strength to say no? Should we find the strength to do the right thing? So, what's interesting about this book is that even though our protagonists/heroes are English, the English are also engaged in activities that some might consider villainous. It begs questions like: When does your loyalty to God and his goodness circumvent your loyalty to king and country? Should it circumvent those loyalties at all? Should we respect and obey authority even when that authority seems to be acting against what God would want or what the Bible says? Or does God give authority to these authorities for a reason? Fascinatingly, a lot of this book reminded us of stories from the Bible. For example, while on course to court the king's niece, Milton is gradually able to reach King Edward I—who is often seen as unapproachable by others. Edward reveals a lighter, more human and vulnerable side. On one hand, he's still a budding tyrant who wants to crush and dominate his enemies. On the other hand, he's willing to hear Milton teach him about what God and Jesus would want him to do based on the wisdom of King Solomon and the mercy and grace God showed throughout the Bible. It really opens his eyes and reminds him of the kind of leader he wants to be. It's so interesting to see this king—who is painted as a demonic villain in popular works of fiction like Bravehart--be humanized. It reminded us of David's interactions with King Saul, Daniel's interactions with King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and Joseph's interactions with Pharaoh. These were all relatively-young Jews who were able to touch the hearts and minds of these powerful kings. God was able to use them in this regard. For example, King Nebuchadnezzar was a villainous tyrant in his own right. He attempted to force people to worship a golden statue of himself and threatened to burn those who refused in a furnace. He invaded, conquered, and killed countless people and groups of people. You could ask—just like the protagonists of this book do—why would a good God allow men like this to rule? What's extraordinary is that in this book—just like in the Book of Daniel in the Bible—God is able to use a young man in the midst of a tyrannical and vicious king. God is able to use Milton to influence King Edward just like he used Daniel to influence King Nebuchadnezzar. This is also a reminder that, no matter how bad things get and no matter how evil the ruler seems, God is still the ultimate authority and he can end them at a moment's notice. No matter how big, powerful, and proud man gets, man is still under the authority of God. Sometimes, even kings need a reminder of that. A lot of this book concerns Milton gradually growing from a squire to a knight, all the while meeting new people and encountering new problems, one of which is the introduction of new illnesses like Typhoid fever. Milton also romantically pursues Maid Claret, who is effectively the king's niece. He crushes on her from a distance, though is prevented from courting her directly due to his lack of knighthood and nobility as well as Claret being a highly protected person in general. Milton embarks on a noble quest to earn his stripes the same way that his father did: through servitude, hard work, loyalty, and dedication. Perhaps by becoming a knight, he can win the hand of Maid Claret! Check it out on Amazon! |
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