Three robotic viruses are released from unknown forces and compete with each other exposing crimes, with humanity’s scale of existence oscillating between total destruction and reinventing recovery.
A REVELATION of the THOUGHTS.
An AWAKENING for the HIDDEN reality.
A MADNESS pandemic.
A WAR of ESPIONAGE.
Whose VIRUS is which?
Is it too late for reinstating?
The PANIC button pushed.
An attempt to erase the MEMORIES.
Can an EVIL virus SAVE the world?
A post-apocalyptic techno thriller poetic novel that emulates psychological reactions of a serious medical and technological global emergency and provides philosophical insights on the world’s best direction.
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)
vViIrRuUsS: I Never Forget is not a collection of poems focused on positive elements of society. Jazalyn writes about the darkness of the world and how “humanity screams for change” (“Apocalyptic Reality”).
I do agree that the world needs to evolve. First, the world (as a whole) needs to agree that climate change is real. Global warming is real. We need to focus on saving our planet. The global disasters resulting from our negligence are evidence of our carelessness to our home planet. Everyone should band together and not fight on this issue (“Energy BYPRODUCT and “Electric Blood”).
“Viral News” couldn’t have been read at a more perfect time. Let’s just say, the former prez came to mind as I read it.
Many poems reflected a person who hated their life, desperate for change, and was crying out for help. I’m not a licensed physician, but if a person feels like they are “living in hell” (“I Still Live”) and no one understands them and is desperate for change (“I Hate My Life and I Want To Change It”) – please seek professional help.
I couldn’t write this review without discussing the cover and its title. Without telling two people what I was reading, I showed them the cover. Neither person could figure out what it said. After I informed them it was virus written inside virus, they were able to see it. Unfortunately, you don’t want a buyer to question what your title says. If they have to stop and think, they might walk on. Both of my guests suggested changing the title’s design. I concur.
I want to end my review on a positive note. I love the nod to The Joker in “Joker Just Wanted His Dreams” and “I Sympathize With This Joker.” Maybe if his upbringing were different, he wouldn’t be labeled the villain. (Nature versus nurture debate) His movie was spectacularly done. It made you feel for him and see past his villainous smile. I can’t wait for part two!
One final, positive note: Thank you for placing value on space exploration. I also think it would be fantastic if a person introduced themself, and instead of saying, “I’m so and so from this state or country,” you say, “Hi. I’m blah blah from Mars or Proxima Centauri b.”
Heart Rating System: 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) Score: ❤❤❤1/2
With 150,000+ engagements and 20,000+ followers that grow more and more across 7 social media platforms, Jazalyn is among the most-promising newcomers authors-poets.
Her books have sold in 4 Continents and have been featured on best-seller category-based lists on Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon AU. Soon she will expand in every corner of the Earth.
Jazalyn attracts all cultures and traditions with an audience from all walks and stages of life as a consequence of the universal atmosphere that encircles her themes.
Her innovative and versatile writing style stemming from abstraction and absurdness captivates mystery and suspense with words swimming in surrealism and magical realism.
Her imaginative and inventive narration unites the philosophical with the psychological and the scientific elements of both fantasy and fiction that create and solve riddles and puzzles.
In what results as a contemporary genre of cinematic (epic) poetry in slice of life-vignette expression which provokes thinking and eyes new horizons.
Her latest books vViIrRuUsS, Rose, Hollow signify Jazalyn’s transition towards literary magnificence.
Although the reappearance of the Alpha Centauri I crew was miraculous, it was not the celebratory homecoming they expected. Their return to a world reeling from a pandemic that wiped out more than half the population thrust them right into the center of controversy and conflict.
Now, three years later, though the tide has turned and the survival of the human race seems to be secure, the survival of human relations is far less certain. The cure should have been the injection of hope the world needed to restore balance and end the chaos of the last four decades. Instead, the complex implications for personal rights and freedom have fractured the North American territory in such a way that the division may never be repaired.
As the crew dispersed to find their place in this new landscape, Hunter Young found himself embedded in the Marshall administration as an agent for the mysterious K Group. What had been a relatively uneventful assignment suddenly becomes a whirlwind of adventure as he is called to a rendezvous that requires a long and circuitous journey.
I received a complimentary copy of this book fromiRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Two Roads to Paradise carried on three years after the finale of The Way Out. Readers will see precisely how divided the world has become: land and viewpoints. Yeah, we are pretty divided now in our views.
The book discusses free health care in the blue zones and how red zones have better taxes. It talks about gun control and abortion rights, which we all know are hot topics right now. I imagine they’ll be major talking points for many more decades to come.
Gordon Bensen and Cara Highsmith (co-authors) created unique maps located in the front and back flap. These maps show 13 zones and their colors: red and blue. Yup, those are the same colors that represent Democrats and Republicans. Don’t worry about memorizing the zones because they will be introduced again through colorful welcome signs. I love those, btw!
Two Roads to Paradise was slower going and didn’t hold my interest compared to its predecessor, The Way Out. However, I did enjoy reading about people’s viewpoints regarding the “governing” of the various zones.
Oh, a shocking and disturbing bombshell unveiled by two teen girls to Hunter on their trek to NOLA. It shows how inhumane a person or group can be. I’d love to tell you what, but I want to discover it for yourself.
With any government or country, there will be individuals who deflect and fight the system. The Resistance was comprised of a couple of shocking members. Again, no spoilers.
While this book didn’t knock my socks off, it ended with me wanting more. So, with that said, I will be tuning in for book three because I have to see how the final moments play out in the next installment.
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤
Gordon Jensen holds an MBA from University of Rochester, New York, Simon School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. After working in finance In New York for several years, Jensen went back to Minnesota to run the family business. He retired after selling the the business and is now fulfilling a number of life-long dreams, including writing a novel series.
Cara Highsmith has always been drawn to the world of books and has found herself working in this industry in one capacity or another for the majority of her adult life. She holds a Master of Arts in English from Belmont University and did work toward a PhD at Middle Tennessee State University. Cara was on the editorial team at Hachette Book Group USA, working with several New York Times bestselling authors, for nearly four years. After leaving Hachette in 2008, she began freelancing, developing proposals and manuscripts for agents, editing and ghostwriting for authors, and assisting clients in preparing projects for self-publishing. Cara is a master of being a jack of all trades, but currently spends her free time working on several personal writing projects and enjoying life on a beautiful northern California mountain.
When the Alpha Centauri crew returns to earth after a failed mission to explore a distant planet, they quickly learn the world is not how they left it.
Under new global leadership, the planet has managed to go decades without conflict, except for one major problem. Thanks to a pandemic caused by a mutation in a new strain of GMO corn, the world’s population plummeted to 2.6 billion, wiping out a disproportionate amount of men and leaving the globe run almost entirely by women. The mutation altered the human DNA, making it impossible to produce male babies and increasing Y-chromosome related diseases.
Because of their lack of exposure, the Alpha Centauri crew, especially the men on board, now find themselves in high demand. The Powers that Be think they are the solution, but with that solution comes the inevitable hunger for power and control. As greed, self-interest, and corruption rear their ugly heads, a planet that had found its way to peace is thrust into turmoil once again.
So, the question becomes: Are they really the answer to a seemingly unsolvable problem? The world may soon come to understand that sometimes getting what you wish for isn’t the gift you think it will be.
The Way Out is at once a brilliant and relatable work of post-apocalyptic fiction. Think The Handmaid’s Tale mixed with Netflix’s The Wilds, and a touch of Interstellar, the movie. It’s a uniquely told story that will have you waiting as impatiently as the crew to understand the New World Order of the near future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
The Way Out (Book 1: Be Careful What You Wish for Series) by Gordon Jensen with Cara Highsmith and Gordon Thomas was labeled science fiction, but I could see the possibilities of real-life implications.
One day, we will be traveling to distant planets because Earth won’t be able to sustain life any longer. I’m not sure if a space crew will encounter a black hole on the journey, but that’s a plausible scenario.
Now, entering a wormhole and traveling in space/time is where things get a little science-fictiony. I’m not an astrophysicist or any other type of scientist, so I could not tell you the probability that’ll happen. Again, that’s where the sci-fi aspect of the story comes into play.
If that could happen and a crew “lands” in the future, they would be overwhelmed, much like the crew of Alpha Centauri.
What I found fascinating about this story was its setup. It was interview logs between a reporter and the crew and members of present-day Earth. The second thing I found interesting was how Earth had changed in the forty years the crew was presumed dead. No, apes didn’t replace humans. However, the population has taken a big hit. A virus has endangered the lives of humankind. Men are being an endangered species. WOW! Women also control everything. YES!
With untainted DNA arriving on planet Earth, every powerhouse wants to possess the males. They are considered a hot commodity.
We’ve seen a virus take hold of the world and know firsthand the destruction it can unleash. So, this scenario (in my mind) could be plausible (one day).
Note: The book does discuss Roe v Wade. I bring this up only because, as I am writing this, it was overturned by the SCOTUS.
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
Gordon Jensen holds an MBA from University of Rochester, New York, Simon School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. After working in finance In New York for several years, Jensen went back to Minnesota to run the family business. He retired after selling the the business and is now fulfilling a number of life-long dreams, including writing a novel series.
Cara Highsmith has always been drawn to the world of books and has found herself working in this industry in one capacity or another for the majority of her adult life. She holds a Master of Arts in English from Belmont University and did work toward a PhD at Middle Tennessee State University. Cara was on the editorial team at Hachette Book Group USA, working with several New York Times bestselling authors, for nearly four years. After leaving Hachette in 2008, she began freelancing, developing proposals and manuscripts for agents, editing and ghostwriting for authors, and assisting clients in preparing projects for self-publishing. Cara is a master of being a jack of all trades, but currently spends her free time working on several personal writing projects and enjoying life on a beautiful northern California mountain.
The End of History by Gordon Yaswen Choice by Ralph Ewig Noble Northern Spirit by Erin Lale Testing Time by Tony Thorne MBE The Artist Formerly Known as G-d by Erin Lale The Beginning by J.L. Toscano
Art Contents:
Paradise Lost by Maria Arango Mandalas by Lisa Yount
(review request submitted by Erin Lale, contributing author/editor, for an honest critique)
(Story One)The End of Historyby Gordon Yaswen explored TIME in the manners of science and philosophy. In doing so, Yaswen reached a broader audience. The more individuals who can debate/explore a topic = more readers, more press. That is the goal of most writers. To get people talking about their work!
(Story Two)Space is majestic, but it also comes with obstacles and fears. Every time a person explores space and the unknown, they are essentially gambling with their life. If something life-threatening happens in space, there is no 9-1-1. You and your comrades only have yourselves to rely on and no one else. All of this was emphasized in Choiceby Ralph Ewig.
(Story Three) Noble Northern Spirit by Erin Lale was vastly different from its predecessors in this anthology. Erin Lale did not venture out into space. Her adventures took place on Earth. Hers centered almost entirely around magic.
Through the fourteen chapters, Erin Lale mentioned witches, the mob, drug smuggling, Jesus, Satan, and (deep breath) THOR!
There were several mythical beings discussed, in-depth or in passing. She really threw everything into the story except the kitchen sink. 😀
Speaking of kitchen sink, if I had magical powers, I’d used them to tackle the dishes in my sink. 😛
(Story Four) Testing Time by Tony Thorne MBE could be plausible in one aspect. If any citizen created a working time machine or force field, the military would be all over them. They’d confiscate the tech and the person.
The interesting part of Testing Timecame millions of (Earth) years later. I wished this section was explored more. Yes, I want about another 10-20 more pages. Why? Because there was so much more Tony Thorne could’ve said. Testing Time felt like it was just getting started when the story was (technically) wrapping up.
Tony, I would love for you to expand this tale. I’d read it if you did. 🙂
(Story Five) The Artist Formerly Known as G-d by Erin Lale discussion of time travel, disruption of events, changing history, and warnings about when/where not to travel got me thinking. If I could travel to any period, where would I blast off to first?
I don’t know about Aunti Cassie and her opinion of her time spent with da Vinci. It might be an unforgettable experience to witness the creation of one of his genius inventions.
The only thing I know for sure…I would limit my time in any place which didn’t have indoor plumbing. I’m a bit spoiled in that way. 😀
(Story Six) The Beginning by J.L. Toscano would appeal to anyone who works in the sciences or is fascinated by science as a hobby. My hubby and his friends regularly discuss, and debate topics brought up in The Beginning. There’s also a theory that we (Earthlings) are merely puppets, and someone is pulling our strings. After reading The Beginning, you’ll wonder if this theory could be plausible. I’m sure many will debate this question. 🙂
Heart Rating System: 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) Score: ❤❤❤
Ralph Ewig, from Western Europe, a rocket scientist at SpaceX.
Tony Thorne MBE, awarded a chivalric order by the Queen of England for advances in cryosurgery tools and carbon fiber furnaces, resides in the Canary Islands.
J.L. Toscano, a teacher at the Scarsdale Schools in New York.
Maria Arango, from Cuba, a woodcut artist.
Lisa Yount, from California, an artist and jeweller.
Erin Lale
Erin Lale, invented technical processes in iDEN and CDMA wireless communications technology.
Erin Lale writes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc. She published Berserkrgangr Magazine, owned The Science Fiction Store in Las Vegas, was Acquisitions Editor at Eternal Press / Damnation Books, reviews books for Eternal Haunted Summer Magazine, writes an official blog for Witches and Pagans Magazine, and is the originator of the Time Yarns shared world universe. She lives in Nevada with her black cat, Happy.
For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?
(Rexx)Nobody is ‘born to write’. I am no exception. I’d never been particularly good with grammar, and had no idea about the more complex rules (I probably still don’t, truth be told). How to write dialogue was beyond me, and I had no idea where to start with plot.
The closest I’d ever come to ‘proper’ writing was when I entered an Interactive Fiction competition in 2004 (IFComp) and wrote a text adventure based on the legend of the origin of Tai Chi. I really enjoyed describing locations and creating puzzles, and I was happy with that, so it never occurred to me to write a novel.
In 2011, I met my partner, Kris. He wasn’t a particular fan of many of the TV programs I enjoyed, but I convinced him to watch a boxset of that 90’s classic, Babylon 5, and he fell in love with it. Around this time, I convinced him to start using a wheelchair because of his disability and, after some strong initial resistance, he took it up and found the wheelchair liberating. In 2012, I started a new job at a software development company that focused on behaviourism, and while working there I realised that I could *learn* to write. It was just a skill other people learn, after all.
By 2013, Prompted by my love of Babylon 5 and games like Mass Effect, I had started making notes. Kris provided the inspiration for several character notes and plot points; I was desperate to write something scifi that involved a wheelchair, but didn’t ‘fix’ disability. Once I’d convinced myself I’d got enough notes to start forming a plot of sorts, I started reading books about the various components of writing and finally put pen to paper / fingers to keyboard. At this point, Kris started training to be a fitness instructor, so I used the time while he did his courses to begin writing.
Come the end of 2013, I’d completed the first draft of Synthesis:Weave. It was another year of editing (and seven more drafts) before I handed it over to my editor and subsequently rushed to publish it. Now, years later, and after having written the sequel, I regretted that decision and went back to tear it down in a rewrite, which has now been published as a second edition in August 2018.
(Kam) I’ve read many backstories and I find yours to be one of the most intriguing ones I’ve read. As for Babylon 5: I’m more of a “Star Trek: The Next Generation” kind of gal. I love Picard! BTW: Kris, in the photo above, is an inspiration to all who think that something is impossible. There’s no shame in trying. If you fail, that’s ok, at least you tried.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
(Rexx) For me, writer’s block seems to come about because of two things that actually have the same cause: lack of information.
I’ll get stuck because I’ve not thought of some way for characters to get out of/into a situation, or not enough backstory. I’ll also find myself paralysed when I don’t know where the plot should go next – usually because it could go in far too many directions. Both of these are down to not having a vital piece of information – be that something I need to think of in backstory, or some way of limiting what can happen next.
I’m a plotter, although I don’t go to such depth as planning chapters and scenes. Instead, I plan ‘waypoints’ – information I want to relay to the reader, significant events I want to happen, problems that can occur, and occasionally fully-written scenes I want to insert. I don’t necessarily know the order of these when I write them, so once I’ve got enough I’ll go through and group them into themes which often end up representing the start, early middle, late middle and ending of the book’s plot.
I start writing and then see where each of these points leads, so getting stuck is a consequence of not having the right piece of the puzzle to put in next to continue the flow. It can sometimes be remedied by writing on paper instead of using a keyboard; the medium forces me to go forwards without being able to stop and edit what I’ve put down. Other times, prompting myself about the problem before driving to work or doing some other menial task will mean I suddenly have an idea when I’m not expecting it.
Will you please share with the visitors what genre(s) you write? Also, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
(Rexx)I currently write science fiction, although I like to veer slightly off-genre to mix things up a little. Only recently, I discovered that my work falls into ‘solarpunk’. While I will read dystopian, I wouldn’t want to write it and prefer upbeat/optimistic scifi.
When I’m not writing or doing my day job (as a systems developer), I like to play computer games. I don’t spend as much time reading as I probably should, but I do read to my partner before bed, so I guess that counts.
I’ve been in a group of RPG players for just over 10 years now, and we play 3rd edition D&D – although it took them nine years to convince me to have a go at running the game myself. They enjoyed it, and I recently convinced them to give Traveller (scifi rpg) a go. I think playing D&D has fed back into my writing and given me a way to understand the characters I write and get into their heads. Similarly, writing has furnished me with the tools to make up my own adventures and encounters with greater ease.
(Kam) I’ve played D&D once in my life. My husband introduced me to it because he spent so much time playing it in his youth. He hoped I would love it too but I didn’t. Guess I’ll stick with Yahtzee, Uno, and Scrabble.
I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
(Rexx) If I think people might be interested in scifi, I’ll mention my novel(s). I’m actually more proud of the fact that I write than of the work I do every day, simply because it’s easier to talk to people about writing than it is to explain the technicalities of my day job.
My relatives and friends are proud of my writing (or so they say), but at times it’s a delicate balance to keep from getting obsessed with writing and have it getting in the way of my relationship with my partner.
Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
(Rexx) I’ve read mostly ‘classic’ scifi and fantasy authors, and very few contemporaries, hence my skewed favourites.
Ursula Le Guin
Isaac Asimov
Arthur C Clarke
Carl Sagan
Gregory Benford
Julian May
Anne McCaffrey
Andre Norton
Michael Cobley
Alan Dean Foster
(Kam) Some of these names are not familiar to me. For that, I say thank you. I love being introduced to new authors/reading material.
If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
(Rexx) I’m going to be self-indulgent. I want to see Synthesis:Weave on screen. I wrote it to feel like a movie.
Bill Nighy (the British actor, not the science guy) as a particular enigmatic figure.
Rachel Weisz as Monica Stephens
Tom Hiddleston or James McAvoy as Sebastian
Bryce Dallas Howard as Sebastian’s sister, Janyce.
Emily Blunt as Karan
Ben Cross as Agent Gladrin (I had him in mind when writing the character)
A genuine amputee (double or otherwise) to play Aryx. Favouring Kurt Yaeger, although there are several paralympians who would suit, if they could act!
The laws of physics are about to change …
A tsunami on a space station. An explosion with no trace of the bomber.
Cyber-security expert Sebastian knows evidence doesn’t magically disappear, yet when he and his colleague Aryx, a disabled ex-marine, travel the galaxy to find the cause, there seems to be no other explanation.
Can they unravel the mystery before his family, home, and an entire race succumbs to an ancient foe?
Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
(Rexx) I’ve finished the sequel to Synthesis:Weave, and at this time I’m working on the cover for that, along with plotting the final book in the trilogy. I’ve also got ideas for an unrelated mild scifi set on present-day Earth, which I want to centre on a female character – it’s going to have a completely different feel to anything I’ve written so far.
Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?
(Rexx) Ebooks are available on Kindle, Kobo, Google play and Nook (all DRM free, so you can read it on any of the devices you own, regardless of which platform you purchase it from). Paperback and hardback formats are also available.
The preferred reading order is the order in which they were written. Synthesis:Weave was written first, followed by the short story prequel, Synthesis:Pioneer, which, when read after S:W, gives the ‘oh, so that’s what they meant!’ factor.
Synthesis:Weave 2, Afterglow is due out in March 2019, and follows immediately on from Synthesis:Weave.
When Calendula accepted the post of linguist aboard the Fluorescent Lightingale, she felt as though she’d been accepted as a token crew member. Little did she know what pivotal role she would play in Earth’s future.
Please note, Synthesis:Pioneer is a prequel short story to the Synthesis novel series only, and not a full-length novel.
Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
(Rexx) By contact form on rexxdeane.com, or on Twitter @RexxDeane – I don’t tend to use Facebook much now and have been distancing myself from that platform, although I do have a page there.
Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
(Rexx)I would like readers (and perhaps writers) to remember that just because a book has a character with a disability, it’s important not to make the disability the focus of the book. Disabled people just want to get on with their lives, and quite often get sick of being lectured or constantly presented with books that say they should behave a certain way. To be presented realistically, disabled characters should be the same. Just have them “get on with it,” and readers will love your book for it.
Your final comments (Q10) are absolutely true. People don’t want to be seen for what they can’t do but praised for the things they’ve accomplished. Disabled or not, we are all capable of truly amazing feats.
I want to thank Rexx for sitting down with me today. I also want to thank everyone who’s reading this and decides to share, comment, or purchase Synthesis: Weave and/or Synthesis: Pioneer. Remember, reviews are helpful to authors. They love them. I’m sure Rexx especially loved the ones posted to Goodreads.(See below)
Chris B. (Synthesis:Weave), 5⭐: A Scifi story that keeps you gripped from beginning to end, with many twists & turns, a must read for all Scifi fans, it’s an excellent read, looking forward to a second book in the future 🙂
Alastair (Synthesis: Weave), 5⭐: I read this, and I liked it. Full of inventive ideas, spaceships, aliens and mystery. What’s not to like?
Rose E. (Synthesis: Pioneer), 5⭐: This is a very short SciFi story about 30 minutes of reading in which we get an introduction to ‘The Synthesis Series’, and a brief insight into the very varied crew on board the ‘Fluorescent Lightingale’.
This tale centres around the linguist aboard who goes by the name ofCalendula a talented young woman who uses all her senses. I particularly like how the author describes what she smells and hears upon boarding the ship.
I really do not wish to say more otherwise the story may be spoiled, but I do know that I will be moving the main story up my reading list.
(Kam) Yes, I know the last review had a typing error but I didn’t think it was appropriate to change it. It’s their review, not mine. Plus, I don’t think the error undermines the love Rose had for the story. 😛
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)
