Tag: science fiction

Guest Review: Stung by Bethany Wiggins

Posted on by Galen Charlton | Author : | ARCs> B Reviews> book reviews> Guest Review
[Cover of Stung by Bethany Wiggins]Format read: ARC provided by publisher
Formats available: hardcover
Genre: Young adult science fiction
Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Walker and Company
Date Released: April 2, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered–her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right wrist–a black oval with five marks on either side–that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. And she’s right. When the honeybee population collapsed, a worldwide pandemic occurred and the government tried to bio-engineer a cure. Only the solution was deadlier than the original problem–the vaccination turned people into ferocious, deadly beasts who were branded as a warning to un-vaccinated survivors. Key people needed to rebuild society are protected from disease and beasts inside a fortress-like wall. But Fiona has awakened branded, alone-and on the wrong side of the wall…

Fiona Tarsis goes to sleep in a world much like our own, just with fewer bees.  When she wakes up, she’s immediately faced with what that world has turned into, and she is taken on a wild ride.

The decline in bee populations is a real problem; losing major pollinator species means fewer plants and crops, which in turn could have a significant ripple effect on human society.  In Stung, however, attempts to solve that problem have backfired spectacularly: people who received a bee-flu vaccination turned into the equivalent of werewolves–with no way to return to normal.  (How does one get from bees disappearing to bee flu?  Let’s just say that it’s not a good idea to short-circuit the scientific peer review process.  It’s also not a good idea to keep digging, once you’ve found yourself in a hole.)

Fiona wakes up knowing only that she must hide her tattoo and that she’s still thirteen.  The latter “fact” is quickly proven false–four years have passed since the culmination of the disaster–and she must survive long enough to figure out what’s going on.  Fortunately, she soon runs into a young militiaman named Bowen, and with his help starts to learn more about herself and her world.

Escape Rating B-:  At the exhibits hall of any American Library Association conference, advance reading copies are generally easy to pick up.  In this case, it was particularly easy: the ARC was literally thrust upon me.

It’s easy to see why the the publicist in the booth was collaring passers-by.  Stung is a fast-paced, engaging read.  The author does a good job dropping Fiona and the reader into an uncertain situation and providing enough information to keep the pages turning while not giving the game away too soon.  In fact, Wiggins has written one of the better amnesiac openings I’ve read in some time.

Fiona is a sympathetic viewpoint character.  Although her upbringing was middle-class and sheltered, she’s not completely helpless in the rough circumstances that face her.  She can shoot quite well (a legacy from her father’s training), she’s smart, and she eventually finds out that the vaccination has given her some advantages in tight spots.

In Bowen she finds a connection to the pre-apocalyptic world and a source of romantic tension.  As it turns out, if you go to sleep at 13 and wake up at 17… you don’t still don’t get to skip puberty.

Unfortunately, for all her general competence, Fiona still needs rescuing at the end.  While Fiona herself is not unhappy with how things turn out–and Bowen serves nicely as a rescuing knight–I finished the book wishing that Fiona had had a little more control by the end.  Also, the main villain had a little too much cardboard in his makeup for my test.

The last page of the book leaves the door open to a sequel; if one is written, I hope that Fiona avoids the trap of becoming little more than a symbol of better days to come.  That said, I do hope that Wiggins continues the tale.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

SFR Galaxy Awards

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | SFR Galaxy Awards

Eight lovers of Science Fiction Romance sat down for a drink in Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon. We talked so long that we were still going strong when the place morphed into The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. We totally missed the part where it briefly turned into Cowboy Feng’s Space Bar and Grille.

We had a lot to palaver about, but deciding to award the first ever SFR Galaxy Awards was pretty easy. We all agreed that Science Fiction Romance needs more recognition. And well, awards bring recognition. We just decided to make them fun.

And SF, especially SFR, isn’t SFR without a bit of banter. Sometimes a lot of banter. So when we chose the books that we each thought were the best of the year, the titles we each picked tell you exactly what they are the best at.

Precisely.

So there’s no “Best in Show” award. There is, however, a “Best Romantic Moment” award. And a “Best Alien Hero” award. One of my personal favorites, because I awarded it (go me!) is for the “Cutest Android”. No, in this case he’s not cute like the romance object, he’s cute like little-boy cute. He’s a child android. (Hint!)

One of the judges awarded a “Dale Carnegie Prize for Novel or Series Most Likely to Win Friends and Influence People.” We were nothing if not creative. Actually, we were a lot of things, including creative.

We had fun. But what we really wanted to do was highlight some terrific books from 2012 that happen to be both great science fiction and awesome romance. Marvelous worldbuilding and an HEA. A combination that is truly difficult to get right.

To find out which books won this year’s SFR Galaxy Awards all you have to do is follow the awards today at the SFR Galaxy Awards site. If you want more info about the awards or just about the love and glory of SFR in general, be sure to jet over to The Galaxy Express and Spacefreighter’s Lounge.

As Captain Picard said too many times to count, “Engage!”

Interview with Jade Kerrion + Giveaway!

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Author Interviews> blog tours> ebook giveaway

Today I’d like to welcome Jade Kerrion to Reading Reality. Jade is the author of the Double Helix series. I’ve already finished the first book in this science fiction series, Perfection Unleashed (review here) and let me tell you, it is a thrill-a-minute ride!

Marlene: Hi Jade! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Jade: In no particular order, I’m an author, a business executive, a wife, and a mother. All those roles demand impossible amounts of time that far exceed twenty four hours in a day, so on any day, I just juggle them, trying to keep all the balls up in the air. For the most part, it works.

Marlene: Describe a typical day of writing? Are you a planner or pantser?

Jade: Prime writing time takes place early in the morning or late at night when the family is asleep. That said, I’ll sneak in whatever time I can find during the day as well. For the most part, I am a planner. I tend to have notes as well as a sense of where the story is going to go. The plots, however, have been occasionally hijacked by uncooperative characters, and oddly, it tends to work out better that way.

Marlene: What made you choose to write science fiction? And why this particular branch of science fiction related to genetic manipulation and people’s reactions to it?

Jade: I grew up on science fiction. My first crush ever was on Luke Skywalker—I was only three at that time. In addition to Star Wars, I was a huge fan of the X-Men. The Double Helix series reflects much of that influence and leverages my own interest in the topic; at college I majored in biology and philosophy. Science is quietly making progress on the genetic front while we focus on far more distracting news, like the economy, a budget deficit, and wars. The genetic revolution will be upon us, faster than we know, and I don’t think we, as a country, or humanity as a whole, are prepared to address it.

Marlene: Where did your inspiration for the Double Helix series come from?

Jade: The X-Men, certainly, but I didn’t want the story to be just about mutants with super powers. Discrimination is frequently more subtle, and I think many of us have dealt with discrimination in one form or another. I wanted to write a story where almost everything is wreathed in shades of grey, and it’s really up to the reader to ask the questions, and find their own answers.

Marlene: What can we expect of the Double Helix series?

Jade: Many more roller-coaster twists and turns! The first three books of the series— Perfection Unleashed, Perfect Betrayal, and Perfect Weapon—are now available, as is the YA spin-off, When the Silence Ends. The focus of the story will start to shift from Danyael, the alpha empath and Galahad’s physical template, to Galahad himself as he defines his own humanity.

Marlene: What is your favorite thing about the writing experience and why?

Jade: Michelangelo once described his work as a sculptor as freeing the statue that exists within the block of marble. It’s less about creating than it is revealing the art that already exists. Writing is like that for me. The story exists in my head, and the process of writing isn’t about creating, it about revealing the story and sharing it with others.

Marlene: Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn’t know to ask.

Jade: I’m a dancer! I spent years in ballet class, and then in college, joined the modern dance company and spent 40+ hours dancing in preparation for our annual spring concert. Later in life, I switched to salsa (my husband is an incredible dancer.)

Marlene: What book do you wish you could read again for the first time?

Jade: David Eddings’ Belgariad series. Yes, I know it’s standard high fantasy, loaded with stereotypical characters, but darn, it was so much fun. I fell in love with the series immediately, and it would be amazing to read it again for the first time and recapture the sense of wonder.

Marlene: What words of advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Jade: Be committed to excellence. This is true regardless of whether you’re going down the traditional route or self-publishing route. You want to put out something you’d be proud to stick your name (or pseudonym) on. Writing well takes time. You wouldn’t call someone an expert until he/she has put in thousands of hours of work (the typical range is 10,000 hours towards expertise.) Likewise, just publishing a book doesn’t make you a truly good writer. It takes time, practice, and dedication to the art.

Marlene: What projects do you have planned for the future? What is next on your schedule?

Jade: In February 2013, I’m releasing Earth-Sim. Let me share the blurb with you:

Have you ever wondered who’s really in charge of the world? If there’s a God, He seems accident-prone. How else can you explain the mass extinctions, global floods, and worldwide plagues? Are there days when you want to shout out to the uncaring sky, “Is there an intelligent, well-executed plan behind this mess?

Wonder no more. From Jade Kerrion, author of the award-winning Double Helix series, comes an occasionally whimsical, frequently irreverent romp through the history of Earth, as seen through the eyes of the two students and the android assigned to shape the future of the planet in Earth-Sim.

Seamlessly blending popular culture with history, science, and religion, this crash course in planetary management will charm and entertain as you attempt to decipher just how much is fact and what else is fiction. Either way, you finally have someone to blame for the shape our world is in.

I’m currently working on a new science fiction novel, tentatively titled City of Eternal Night. Yes, it is science fiction. It started out as a paranormal romance in my head, and as the plot expanded, it very clearly became science fiction. I can’t seem to get away from the genre…

Marlene: Now, can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read your books?

Jade: A. My books are compelling and my characters addictive. My goal, as an author, is to wreck other people’s time management skills, and according to my readers, I’ve succeeded fairly well on that front.

B. My books have universal appeal. I’ve had lots of readers tell me, “I didn’t even like science fiction before I read your books, but I love them.” Well, that’s because I don’t write hard science fiction. You won’t have to know how a hyperdrive works. In most cases, you don’t even have to leave Earth behind. It’s about the characters and the challenges they face in defining themselves and defining their world.

C. Conflict and tension, physical and emotional. My books are loaded with them. 🙂

Marlene: Coffee or Tea?

Jade: Neither. Hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Jade

Jade Kerrion, author of the award-winning science-fiction/dystopian series, Double Helix, first developed a loyal reader base with her fan fiction series based on the MMORPG Guild Wars. She was accused of keeping her readers up at night, distracting them from work, housework, homework, and (far worse), from actually playing Guild Wars. And then she wondered why just screw up the time management skills of gamers? Why not aspire to screw everyone else up too? So here she is, writing books that aspire to keep you from doing anything else useful with your time. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her wonderfully supportive husband and her two young sons, Saint and Angel, (no, those aren’t their real names, but they are like saints and angels, except when they’re not.)Places to find Jade: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+

When the Silence Ends

When you choose your friends, you also choose your enemies.

Seventeen-year-old Dee wants nothing more than to help her twin brother, Dum, break free from the trauma in their childhood and speak again, but the only person who can help Dum is the alpha empath, Danyael Sabre, whom the U.S. government considers a terrorist and traitor.

The search for Danyael will lead Dee and Dum from the sheltered protection of the Mutant Affairs Council and into the violent, gang-controlled heart of Anacostia. Ensnared by Danyael’s complicated network of friends and enemies, Dee makes her stand in a political and social war that she is ill equipped to fight. What can one human, armed only with her wits and pepper spray, do against the super-powered mutants who dominate the Genetic Revolution?

America, nevertheless, is ripe for change. Exhausted by decades of belligerence between humans and their genetic derivatives, the clones, in vitros, and mutants, society is on the verge of falling apart or growing up. Which path will it choose, and can a mere human, her sassy attitude and smart mouth notwithstanding, light the way to a better future?

In her quest to help her brother become normal, Dee will learn what it means to be extraordinary. When the silence ends, the celebration of life, love, joy, and hope will inspire feet to dance and hearts to sing.

Review of Perfection Unleashed by Jade Kerrion

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews
Format read: ebook provided by the author
Formats available: Paperback, ebook
Genre: Science fiction
Series: Double Helix #1
Length: 212 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace
Date Released: June 11, 2012
Purchasing Info:Author’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Two men, one face. One man seeks to embrace destiny, the other to escape it.

Danyael Sabre spent sixteen years clawing out of the ruins of his childhood and finally has everything he wanted–a career, a home, and a trusted friend. To hold on to them, he keeps his head down and plays by the rules. An alpha empath, he is powerful in a world transformed by the Genetic Revolution, yet his experience has taught him to avoid attention.

When the perfect human being, Galahad, escapes from Pioneer Laboratories, the illusory peace between humans and their derivatives–the in vitros, clones, and mutants–collapses into social upheaval. The abominations, deformed and distorted mirrors of humanity, created unintentionally in Pioneer Lab’s search for perfection, descend upon Washington D.C. The first era of the Genetic Revolution was peaceful. The second is headed for open war.

Although the genetic future of the human race pivots on Galahad, Danyael does not feel compelled to get involved and risk his cover of anonymity, until he finds out that the perfect human being looks just like him.

There were so many threads to this story! I’m not surprised that they weren’t resolved by the end. This story is too big to get everything wrapped up in a nice neat package in one book. The story continues in Perfect Betrayal, and finishes in Perfect Weapon. It’s a good thing they’re both available. Waiting would be torture!

Genetic manipulation is one of the great themes in science fiction. How will human beings react when we learn to control what we are? Are we as a species wise enough to make those kinds of decisions? How will the “have nots” feel about the “haves”? And vice-versa?

The genetic lottery is not fair in the first place. Pretty people have an easier lot in life than ugly people. Smart people have better chances than less intelligent people, unless they are statistical outliers. Adolesence is always miserable for people outside social norms.

What if you (or your parents) could rig the game? How would society treat the results?

Just think of the X-Men. The superior beings, the mutants, do not get treated well by regular humans.

In Perfection Unleashed, there is a parallel situation. Scientists have created a so-called “perfect” human, certainly a genetically superior human, and he is considered a lab specimen with no rights.

Mutants exist, but they are strictly controlled by law and monitored. Clones are also looked down upon. Even “normal” humans born via in-vitro fertilization experience some pretty nasty prejudice.

Yet the story is not so much about science run amok as it is about humans going crazy. A scientist lost his young son and his wife. He became much, much too involved in an unethical experiment. Because he spent all his energy on his work, his remaining son came to hate him, and the “perfect human” that his work created.

But it really started with the scientist’s over-involvement in his work. And doesn’t that happen now?

Galahad is the experiment. His rescue begins a chain reaction that drags in the alpha empath mutant Danyael, who turns out to be Galahad’s double. But only in looks. They have entirely different sets of powers.

As they unravel the riddle of how these two men came to be each other’s twin, they and their unintentional allies uncover a scientific and government conspiracy to create a supersoldier that results in abominations tearing through the Washington D.C. suburbs.

Escape Rating B+: I want to know where the mutants come from, or how they evolved. This future doesn’t seem that far from now, but there’s a link missing somewhere, and I really need to know. Cloning technology has seriously improved in this future, too.

The story moves along at an absolutely breakneck speed. I didn’t stop turning pages except to sleep, and I hated getting off the bus. Stops were not convenient!

This is a sci-fi action thriller. The chills never stop tingling down your spine. I wish that the human behavior in the book wasn’t so easy to imagine, but that’s what made the story so compelling.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

Stacking the Shelves (28)

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Stacking the Shelves

The last Stacking the Shelves for 2012.  Wow!

And for the first time in over a year, all our books are on real shelves again. This deserves a celebration of some kind. Along with some serious moaning and groaning. Now that the books are finally out of boxes, we have to put them in order again. All 2,000  plus of them.

If you’ve ever wondered why I try so hard to get ebooks for review, that’s why!

Meanwhile, take a look at the fantastic new books I brought home, or downloaded, this week.

For Review:
The Better to See You (Transplanted Tales #2) by Kate SeRine
Devil in the Making Illustrated Edition (Devilish Vignettes #1) by Victoria Vane
Diana’s Hound (Bloodhounds #4) by Moira Rogers
Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi
Jack Absolute (Jack Absolute #1) by C.C. Humphreys
Trickster by Jeff Somers

Purchased:
Dragonfly by Erica Hayes
Love Beyond the Curve by Kate Patrick
Red (Transplanted Tales #1) by Kate SeRine

Borrowed from the Library:
Naughty and Nice by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, Megan Hart and Lauren Dane
Tainted Night, Tainted Blood (Kat Redding #2) by E.S. Moore (print)
To Walk the Night (Kat Redding #1) by E.S. Moore (print)

Stacking the Shelves (26)

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Stacking the Shelves

The year is winding down fast! For those who celebrate it, the Christmas Holidays are next week. For many of the rest of us, it’s a lovely excuse for a long weekend. For those who have to work next weekend, especially those working retail during the last frenetic shopping days, I salute you.

Especially your no doubt tired aching feet.

I tried to keep the books stacked on top of my virtual shelves to a minimum. Well, a minimum for me, anyway. A few still managed to tiptoe their way onto my iPad. These are all ebooks this time around, including the book I borrowed from my new library. (Haven’t said THAT for a while!)

Just what I need, another source of books to read! Yes!

For Review:
All I Want for Christmas is a Duke by Delilah Marvelle and Maire Claremont
Between Two Thorns (Split Worlds #1) by Emma Newman
Demon’s Curse (Imnada Brotherhood #1) by Alexa Egan
Double Enchantment (Relics of Merlin #2) by Kathryne Kennedy
Entity (Spectra #2) by Joanne Elder
The Fat Man by Ken Harmon
Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg
The Importance of Being Wicked (Millworth Manor #2) by Victoria Alexander
Lord Stillwell’s Excellent Engagements (Millworth Manor #1.5) by Victoria Alexander
Real Men Don’t Break Hearts (Real Men #1) by Coleen Kwan
She Returns from War (Cora Oglesby #2) by Lee Collins
The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher
Take What You Want by Jeanette Grey
That Night by Diane Dooley
Unnatural Acts (Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. #2) by Kevin J. Anderson

Borrowed from the Library:
Enchanting the Lady (Relics of Merlin #1) by Kathryne Kennedy

Review: Stellarnet Prince by J.L. Hilton

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> book reviews
Format read: ebook provided by NetGalley
Formats available: ebook, audiobook
Genre: Science fiction romance, Space opera
Series: Stellarnet #2
Length: 252 pages
Publisher: Carina Press
Date Released: November 12, 2012
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance

An otherworldly love. Human blogger Genny O’Riordan shares two alien lovers: Duin, a leader of the Uprising, and Belloc, the only surviving member of the reviled Glin royal family. Their relationship has inspired millions of followers—and incited vicious anti-alien attacks.

A planet at risk. A Stellarnet obsessed with all things alien brings kidnappers, sex traffickers and environmental exploitation to Glin. Without weapons or communications technology, the planet cannot be defended. Glin will be ravaged and raided until nothing remains.

A struggle for truth. On Earth, Duin discovers a secret that could spur another rebellion, while on Glin, Belloc’s true identity could endanger their family and everything they’ve fought for. Have the Glin found true allies in humanity, or an even more deadly foe?

What goes around comes around. Saying that is a universal truth seems even more applicable when the entire universe is really involved.

The Glin believe in a kind of “rule by committee” and their society works as a type of ultimate democracy. They aren’t technologically advanced in the way that humanity strives for, but it works for them. And think of Starfleet’s Prime Directive. We don’t know the best way their society should develop. Their way might turn out better. Who knows?

So when a “ruling clan” developed among the Glin, a clan that reserved certain artifacts and certain special ways to themselves, traditional Glin rose up and wiped them out, down to the last child. Duin, one of the main characters in Stellarnet Rebel (reviewed here) led that rebellion.

Duin kept a secret. He may have been the hero of the Uprising, but he let one child of the Star Tribe survive. That child, that prince, was just a baby then. Now he is a full-grown Glin. He’s also Duin’s co-husband to the human Genny Riordan. It’s Belloc.

Secrets come full-circle. Genny is the hottest thing on the Stellarnet, the all-the-time/everywhere news channel/invasion that is our internet + television on way too many steroids.

Their life with Genny is broadcast to everyone, everywhere, all the time. They have fans. They have enemies. They have stalkers.

Duin is the Glin ambassador to the UN, or its equivalent. Genny’s parents think she should be deprogrammed, so that she’ll leave Duin and Belloc.

And there are even more predatory races than the humans who are sniffing around Glin, races that the humans are supposed to protect Glin from. But maybe they’re not. Maybe all the negotiations are just a smoke screen to keep Duin busy while the humans sell his planet out from under him.

Because there are secrets that he doesn’t know. And secrets the humans don’t know. Maybe Belloc’s secret identity as the last Star Prince is the terrible liability that Duin has always thought it was.

And maybe it will be enough to save every Glin from extinction.

Escape Rating B+: The science fiction romance aspects were toned down a bit in this story. After all, the relationship between Duin, Belloc and Genny is already established to a significant extent. Not that they don’t still have some work to do together.

The space opera aspects of the story are the ones that really come to the fore in this one. Lois McMaster Bujold’s comment about science fiction being the “romance of political agency” comes into play here. Duin starts out as a political newbie. He thinks he’s not, but the UN-type agency is the big leagues, and he’s only played in the minors up til now. He’s on guard, but the game is just so much bigger. He knows they are all lying to him, but the lies are way huger than he imagines. The particular lie was a doozy!

The subplot with Genny’s parents was just a shade too predictable. Everyone should have been way more on their guard for that one.

But the space opera was top-notch, and I loved the surprise ending! I hope there are more in this series. There’s some terrific world-building here, and I’d love to see more in this universe.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

Review: Spectra by Joanne Elder

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews
Format read: Trade Paperback provided by the author
Formats available: Trade Paperback, ebook
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Spectra #1
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Date Released: June 27, 2011
Purchasing Info:Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Light years away from Earth a mining exploration crew makes an amazing discovery…intelligent life comprised entirely of energy. This living energy is so pure and unique, it could provide proof of the existence of the human soul. Those exposed to the entities gain unimaginable cognitive abilities but at a terrible cost.A rogue scientific group will do anything to maintain their mind-enhancing gifts, even if it leads to the destruction of the peaceful beings. Only two people stand in their way, and they will sacrifice everything to end the slaughter.Could the quest for the secrets of life lead to the creation of true evil; one so dark it threatens to tear down the walls of sanity and redefine our very existence?

On Star Trek, alien life almost always looked pretty much like us–bipedal, humanoid, and pretty generally human-shaped as well. There were occasional variations, like blue skin and antennae (remember the Andorians?) but the alien races were limited to the human actors.

One notable exception was the Next Gen episode “Home Soil“, where the aliens discovered by the terraformers turn out to be silicon-crystal based. They are tiny beings, but they are physical. And the proposed terraforming of their planet will kill them.

I raise this example because it bears some similarities to the story in Joanne Elder’s Spectra, but Elder has added multiple layers of complexity to her tale. On Spectra, the planet, a mining exploration group discovers a planet rich in minerals, and something extra–a life form that is pure energy.

It is also purely several other things: purely good, purely curious, and purely able to enhance the intellectual capabilities of the humans who come into contact with it. There’s only one problem. As the energy forms are absorbed by the humans, they die. Our enhancement comes at a great price to the tiny energy life forms. Hundreds, thousands of them die to enhance one human. And the process needs to be repeated or the human fades back to what they were. It’s somewhat addictive to go from being average to being DaVinci. Or Einstein.

Once their curiosity is sated about the physical beings who have invaded their world, they beg the humans to leave. Of the six people in the mining group, four agree to leave and declare the planet off-limits, two disagree but seemingly bow to the will of the group.

Then people start dying. Because those two who disagreed, well, one of them, Ivan, finally found himself smarter than everyone else for the first time in his life, and he just wasn’t willing to let that feeling go. So he went back to Spectra, and brought back some of those aliens. Just to augment himself and a few select friends. And get research grants. And get rich.

And kill anyone who might stand in his way. Including the four people who said no.

But as Ivan got smarter, his plans and plots got more convoluted. Back to Star Trek, as Scotty famously said, “the more they over-think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.” Especially since those entities are very, very unhappy about the whole situation, and even without bodies, have ways of making their displeasure felt.

Escape Rating B+: There’s a lot going on in Spectra, and all of it is fascinating. The discovery of the entities, and what they do to get themselves freed makes for one cool story. As part of the plot to keep the whole situation with the entities under wraps, Ivan’s machinations to get one of his colleagues from that mining expedition framed for murdering another, and how that all finally goes to smash makes for an exciting and harrowing prison break story.

There is, as is often the case in science fiction, an underlying ethical question. What would you do in the same situation? The scientific breakthroughs enabled by exposure to the entities appear to be astounding. But the entities die from the exposure. Is it worth it? This is not a question of whether the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, but whether the needs of this many over here outweigh the needs of that many over there?

When we meet our first aliens, how will we decide?

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

Stacking the Shelves (18)

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Stacking the Shelves

I beg your indulgence for two week’s worth of shelf-stacking. This actually isn’t bad for me for two weeks of temptation, now that I look at it closely.

Maybe I’ve learned a little restraint? Not a chance.

The lone print outlier on the list, Dreams and Shadows by Cargill, is the monthly contribution from Library Journal. I never know what’s going to drop out of the envelope. I will confess that this one looks better than the last one. I may be the only reviewer on the planet who did not like Doyce Testerman’s Hidden Things, but I just didn’t. It read too much like an unbaked version of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, and Gaiman just did it better. For that matter, so does Simon R. Green, since his Nightside is the snarky version, where Neverwhere is the one with more heart. My 2 cents.

There are a lot of audiobooks this fortnight (not many times that one gets to use that word properly!) Audible was having a sale, and I couldn’t resist. Also it gave me an opportunity to start my great re-read, well, it’s turning out to be a re-listen, of the awesome Liaden Universe series by Lee and Miller. I’m only sorry I waited so long. Sometimes books (or movies) are not as fantastic as we remember. Liaden is even better than I remember.

What new books have you discovered this week? Anything wonderful that you’d like to share?

For Review: (everything’s an ebook unless specifically stated otherwise!)
The Devil’s Thief (The Saint’s Devils #1) by Samantha Kane
Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill (print ARC)
The Forbidden Lady by Kerrilyn Sparks
Gilded (The St. Crois Chronicles #2) by Karina Cooper
The Lady Most Willing (Lady Most #2) by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockaway
Lady X’s Cowboy by Zoe Archer
Merry Ex-Mas (Life in Icicle Falls) by Sheila Roberts
The Naughty Angel (1Night Stand) by Sheila Stewart
Season for Surrender by Theresa Romain
Shoggoths in Bloom by Elizabeth Bear
Skies of Steel (The Ether Chronicles #3) by Zoe Archer
The System by Heather Lin
What an Earl Wants by Kasey Michaels

Purchased:
First Lord’s Fury (Codex Alera #6) by Jim Butcher (audiobook)
Invasion (The Secret World Chronicles #1) by Mercedes Lackey with Steve Libbey, Cody Martin and Dennis Lee (audiobook)
Iron’s Prophecy (Iron Fey #4.5) by Julie Kagawa
Local Custom (Liaden Universe #4) by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (audiobook)
The Night Beat (Necropolis Enforcement Files #1) by Gina Koch
Princeps (Imager Portfolio #5) by L.E. Modesitt (audiobook)
Scout’s Progress (Liaden Universe #5) by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (audiobook)

Ebook Review Central, Hexapub, July 2012

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Ebook Review Central> ebooks

This week on Ebook Review Central we have the multi-publisher wrap-up of July 2012. After this week, we’ll move on to the August titles for the publishers that ERC turns its eagle eye (or beady eye, take your pick) upon.

But until next week, it’s still mid-summer. I’m in Atlanta, Georgia, it IS still summer. We’re looking at the July 2012 titles from Amber Quill Press, Astraea Press, Curiosity Quills, Liquid Silver Books, and Riptide Publishing. Red Sage Publishing would normally be in that list, but they didn’t publish any new titles in July. That didn’t keep their titles from the previous months from garnering some new reviews, and the database has been updated to reflect those.

The surprising thing about this week’s featured titles is that Riptide did not run away with the reviews. They weren’t even in contention for running away with the featured list. Don’t get me wrong, they absolutely earned their first place spot on the list. Someone will need to pick me up off the floor the day Riptide doesn’t earn one place on the list, even with six publishers’ titles in contention. It’s just rare that they don’t look to take all three spots.

This week they weren’t even close to taking all three spots. First place however, was all theirs.

Cat Grant’s Doubtless, published by Riptide, absolutely ran away with first place. Any book that generates enough heat to get 21 people to post reviews (and remember that I’m talking about reviews outside of Goodreads and Amazon!) has got to be worth taking a look at. Doubtless is the followup to Grant’s May standout title, Priceless, another ERC feature, and follows the same characters. What Doubtless is not, as so many reviewers were careful to say, is a typical HEA. What it is, however, is a “compelling journey of self-awareness” as one reviewer so eloquently put it. Steve Campbell is professionally successful and personally miserable at the beginning of the book. It’s not until after his first encounter with Dylan Monroe, a confident and self-assured male escort, that Steve begins to realize that the reason he’s lonely is because he’s been looking in the wrong direction.

The second book in this week’s feature is also a sequel, and also from that same May list. Wilde’s Army by Krystal Wade is the second book in her Darkness Falls series from Curiosity Quills. The first book in this YA genre-bender (part paranormal romance, part urban fantasy) was Wilde’s Fire, and it was the absolute runaway of the May titles. It’s no surprise that so many of the readers who were caught up in the story of the girl who actually traveled to the magical world she dreamed of wanted to continue the adventure. And what an adventure it is! The adventure continues at an incredibly fast pace, and it’s even more difficult to figure out which are the good guys, and which are the bad guys. No one, and it seems like no one, can stand the suspense until book three comes out.

Imagine a world where your spine might be a precious commodity, but not necessarily the rest of you. Did a shiver just run up your…spine? That’s just a tiny hint of the action in Michael Shean’s Bone Wires, the third featured title this week, also from Curiosity Quills. Bone Wires is, dare I say it, a curious mix of Biopunk, Cyberpunk and dark science fiction with just that touch of urban fantasy. Or at least the part of urban fantasy that involves solving nasty crimes in an urban setting. It’s just that this particular setting is in the far future, and being a cop is a job that ranks somewhere below street-sweeping. Both involve taking out the trash in Shean’s not-so-brave new world. Shean’s description of a future America where police forces are operated not by the government, but by private corporations sounds, just a little too close to the possible.

So there you have it for this week, and for July 2012. One runaway feature for Riptide with Cat Grant’s Doubtless, and two solid hits for Curiosity Quills with Wilde’s Army and Bone Wires.

Ebook Review Central will be back next week with Carina Press’ August 2012 titles. It looks like I get to go back to baseball metaphors for a while. My hometown Cincinnati Reds clinched their division.