Tag archives for Science fiction
Sanctuary 87 by Patrick Skelton [Book Review]
Sanctuary 87: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller by Patrick Skelton My rating: 4 of 5 stars Sanctuary 87 is a pretty bleak place. In a deeply fascist future only those that can work are worth keeping alive. 'Bedside compassion' is scheduled for those that aren't expected to recover. This is US style healthcare, so curable/treatable cases still get euthanised (murdered) if they don't have a good enough job with insurance. Sanctuary 87 The sanctuaries are to protect people against solar flares, which have got significantly worse over the previous few decades. These coincide with the discovery of a rift in space in the outer solar system that allows interstellar travel to another planet with humans on it. The title sanctuary is one in the former USA. The protagonist's quadriplegic son is sent there after he loses his job as a journalist. A…
Faded Embers by Anne Wheeler [Book Review]
Faded Embers by Anne Wheeler My rating: 5 of 5 stars A story of betrayal, conspiracy and redemption. Fourth in the Shadows of War series that started with Asrian Skies. While we still follow Avery, the real protagonist of this volume is Gareth Chase. The true horror at the heart of Haedara is brought to light in Faded Embers. Faded Embers Faded Embers is set a short while after Shattered Honor, the third book in the Shadows of War series. There is an uneasy peace between the Haedarans and the Commonwealth. Asria is semi-independent, but with Haedaran troops still in orbit and on the planet. Avery is Queen, and her son is around three years old. As the story opens she prepares for her coronation. Tensions are high because of the continued occupation. When Chase re-appears he isn't entirely welcome,…
Shattered Honor by Anne Wheeler [Book Review]
This post is part of a blog tour for the release of Shattered Honor, Anne Wheeler's latest book, which is reviewed below. You can pre-order it at There's also an opportunity to win a copy via the Rafflecopter giveaway Shattered Honor - Book Review Shattered Honor by Anne Wheeler My rating: 5 of 5 stars Shattered Honor is way more than space opera, there's a whole world of complex interactions, conflicting emotions and obstacles. That's what made it so enjoyable for me. None of these people are cardboard cut-outs following well worn trope laden paths. They're all bespoke characters lovingly put together in a richly constructed and internally consistent universe. That's what makes it great. The characters are very real. There's more than one thing going on at a time with them and the way Katryn fights off her romantic…
Shifting Horizons by S.J. Sherwood [Book Review]
Shifting Horizons by Sherwood My rating: 4 of 5 stars Shifting Horizons is the second in Sherwood's Denounced series. It starts immediately where A Grey Sun finished. I was a little confused with the first few paragraphs until I realised that Ned, the main character, was confused. It was such a well written bit of disorientation that it worked on me as a reader. Shifting Horizons (The Denounced #2) There's depth, conflict and a series of obstacles in Shifting Horizons. The title shows how Ned and Pod 15's view of the world changes. At the end of A Grey Sun they'd broken out of the training dome. They'd been sent there after their faked executions. In Shifting Horizons they find themselves on the edge of the Sahara desert. The story is their struggle to evade the hunters attempting to recapture…
The Denounced: A Grey Sun by S.J. Sherwood [Book Review]
The Denounced: A Grey Sun by Sherwood My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Denounced is a dystopian future that reminded me of Divergent and the Hunger Games. The Denounced is its own story, and once I started it I just wanted to read to the end to find out what happened. The author does really well at hooking you in and setting up questions for you to wonder about and want to zip through the story to find the answers. The Denounced: A Grey Sun The point of view character in The Denounced is Ned, he's an orphan who has been in the system since his parents died when he was seven. His entire aim has been to live in the shadows and become free at the age of 18. Unfortunately he's denounced anonymously and sentenced to death by…