Archive for the ‘Science Fiction’ Category

Murder by Munchausen
by M.T. Bass
Series: Murder by Munchausen Mysteries, #1
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Sci-Fi, TechnoThriller
Publisher:  Electron Alley Publications
Release Date: April 2, 2017

 

 

Artificial Intelligence? Fuhgeddaboudit!

Artificial Evil has a name…Munchausen.

When androids are reprogrammed into hit men, detectives of the Artificial Crimes Unit repo the AnSub and track down the hackers. Partners Jake and EC’s case of an “extra-judicial” divorce settlement takes a nasty turn with DNA from a hundred-year-old murder in Boston and a signature that harkens back to the very first serial killer ever in London.

 

The abandoned building in the Warehouse District was dark and cold. I didn’t have glass on the AnSub, but we were picking up an RFI signature that was an eighty percent match to the A-VIN profile. My Smith & Wesson eM&P was out and humming in my hand, ready for me to take a shot. Behind us the SWAT team was spreading out into position to monitor our visual feed from outside so they wouldn’t jam the ambient signals with their tac gear. We went passive on our glass as soon as we entered the building.

I looked over at EC, my partner, pressed against the far wall covering the left side of the industrial cavern, which was piled high with discarded junk—desks, chairs, pallets of boxed materials and strange hulking machines that no doubt once fabricated some kind of pieces-parts necessary for the stuff consumers once found they absolutely-positively could not live without in their daily drone lives—all collected from businesses that absolutely-positively no longer existed. The quiet was oppressive and haunting. We both strained for an aural clue to the location of our quarry, since the electronic intel was still too weak to pinpoint within the building.

We slowly wove around the junk, deeper and deeper into the room. I led. EC followed, constantly adjusting the ePD scanning app to search and map the room. I muted the tactical channels and stripped most of the data from my view to let him work the tech and comm. It’s too distracting. I needed to maintain focus. I needed to be able to react.

This particular Android Subject apparently went off the rails and killed a luckless pedestrian on his way to a bodega for some iced tea or bottled water to quench his thirst. A one-in-a-million occurrence, but every so often it still happens. Anyone who believes technology is infallible is a fool. The incident didn’t appear all that nefarious when first reported, but shortly thereafter the Atlas data stream went dark and patrol called our unit in. It quickly became obvious we were dealing with a malware hit, not a malfunction. The luckless pedestrian was actually not so luckless, being on what appeared to be the winning side of a particularly nasty termination suit with his ex, who we suspected had outsourced the final settlement to extra-judicial parties.

It might not make sense, but the beloved Media tags it “Murder by Munchausen.” For a price, there are hackers out there who will reprogram a synthoid to do your dirty work. The bad news: no fingerprints or DNA left at the crime scene. The good news—at least for us—is that they’re like missiles: once they hit their target, they’re usually as harmless as empty brass. The trick is to get them before they melt down their core OS data, so you can get the unit into forensics for analysis and, hopefully, an arrest.

EC’s scanner returned a hard ping. His quick double blink put his cross-hairs up on my lens and I followed his eye line to the northwest corner of the building. I swept my eyes up and down to acknowledge and we slowly headed in that direction. As we moved, the RF signal narrowed and confirmed bogey lock with a low growl in my ear buds. EC swung out from the left and unshouldered his shotgun. Good old-fashioned blast power often came in handy to buy some time. Like I said, usually they’re harmless, but usually just ain’t good enough odds for me…

 

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble (Paperback)

 

 

M.T. Bass is a scribbler of fiction who holds fast to the notion that while victors may get to write history, novelists get to write/right reality. He lives, writes, flies and makes music in Mudcat Falls, USA.

M.T.’s April Writing Meme:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

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Hi ya’ll and welcome to my stop on the tour for Xenogeneic: First Contact, a thrilling science fiction story.

I have much to share, including my review, an interview with Author Lance  Erlick, and a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter.

Please welcome Lance Erlick and enjoy this interview first.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I was eleven and decided I could write adventure stories like those I was reading. It was a disappointing effort, but I had the bug and learned that I had much to learn. I wrote short pieces from time to time and then took up writing again in college. When I got a full-time job, I had to put writing aside but kept coming back to it until I wrote my first full novel. It was the one I had to get out of my system before I could begin to be a real writer.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

I always have stories floating around in my head. Ideas and characters grab me whenever I’m not writing. The seeds for them come from news, events of the day, and what I read or see. Often they come from imagining “what if” type situations involving people in unusual circumstances. Then my imagination takes off trying to figure out how I might handle things if I were a particular character facing these problems.

A seed for Xenogeneic: First Contact was the SETI project to communicate with potential aliens on other planets. The idea is to make contact with others to share ideas and possibly technology. But we are also advertising that we’re here for anyone who might not wish us well. That led to the central idea of first contact with such an alien species. A cornerstone of the Rebel series is a civil war between hard core believers on both sides, which was inspired by the angry politics we’ve seen in this country over the past couple of decades. The question I asked was what happens if both sides win. For the Regina Shen series, there has been much talk about abrupt climate change. I wanted to explore a world where it has already happened.

What does your writing process look like?

For some stories, I do extensive outlining and brainstorming before I write the first word. I’ve also had stories that seemed to narrate themselves because I’d gotten to know the characters so well in their situation. Often I wake in the middle of the night with scenes or solutions to story problems and then have to make notes in the dark. When I’m ready, I focus on a first draft to get the story out and breathe life into it. I liken this to putting modeling clay on the spinning wheel. Then I edit and mold the story until I’m happy with how it feels and works. While I find the editing process tedious at times, I find it vital in the process of molding the final story.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

I wouldn’t want to be a character in Xenogeneic: First Contact, the Rebel series or the Regina Shen series because of what the characters have to face. Having said that, I can see myself as Elena Pyetrov (Xenogeneic: First Contact) and Regina Shen. When dropped into a new situation, they have an almost innate ability to assess their environments, figure out how bad it is and what they need to do, and carry on. They don’t have all the answers, but they don’t give up.

Were there any characters that you did not like?

I found General Gorg from Xenogeneic: First Contact an individual I would never want to meet and yet I understand where she’s coming from and her motivation to be so entirely focused she tramples over others. Inspector Volpe (Regina Shen series) is power hungry, driven by personal values that make sense for her and yet tread on innocent people along her path to success. In The Rebel Within, I didn’t like some of the power figures who were trying to perpetuate their power at the expense of others. I guess there’s a theme here. Yet I try to portray each villain in terms of working toward what makes sense to them (heroes of their own stories).

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Xenogeneic

by Lance Erlick

XenoGeneic First Contact cover

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

My Review

It’s winner takes all in the fight for Earth. When the Knoonk, an alien species, lose their civil war, they set there eyes on Earth as their new home and go about their insidious plan in unimaginable ways.

This story feels “alien.” What I mean is, the way the aliens think and act is so different from humans how could we ever hope to negotiate with them. They look like we picture them to be, grey little beings from outerspace. It’s how they think that throws us. For example, even the pinkish color of our skin is an abomination to them. Color is ugly and hurts their eyes. If how we look is an insult to them, why would they treat us humanely.

But, when Dr. Elena Pvetrov’s ship crashes on an strange planet, she’s determined to try. The Knoonk have many tricks up their sleeves to keep their human captives off balance and controllable. As she adjusts to her new life, she studies her captors, forges friendships and alliances, and tries to get back home to Earth to warn them of what is coming.

I knew this was going to be a hard one to review. So much to tell, yet I can’t without spoiling things for you. The author put me in so many character’s shoes, I stumbled my way along, conflicted about my feelings towards them. Not in a bad way though. More like a challenging one. I liked some that I probably shouldn’t and disliked some in the same way. This certainly kept me turning the pages to learn more about them.

An intriguing beginning to this science fiction adventure and one I would like to follow to its conclusion.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Xenogeneic is a science fiction thriller about first contact with an alien race that lost their civil war and wants to take over Earth.

Dr. Elena Pyetrov’s father vanished in space 18 years ago while searching for extraterrestrial life. As an aerospace engineer, Elena travels into space to search for answers and continue his work. Her ship is pulled off course and crashes. She suspects extraterrestrial interference.

The alien Knoonk lost their civil war in a distant star system and fled to Earth’s neighborhood to hide and regroup. They seek a new home—Earth. Unable to live in Earth’s toxic environment, the aliens kidnap and use humans to genetically modify their species to adapt.

Surviving the crash, Elena and her shipmates are transported to a closed cave system where the Knoonk monitor and control everything. Elena tries to make a connection with her hosts and find ways to work together, but Knoonk leaders rebuff her and force the humans to submit as slaves. The aliens use illusions, distractions, and social experiments to learn from their hostages and keep them off balance. Resistance by captive humans brings swift punishment to break the human spirit.

While Elena continues to look for ways to cooperate with the Knoonk, it becomes apparent that there can be no compromise. The Knoonk want to capture Earth for their species. It is winner take all. With time running out, Elena must dig deep to uncover the alien plan and find a way to stop them before the human race faces enslavement and extinction.

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Add to Goodreads

Author Lance Erlick

Lance Erlick

Lance Erlick writes science fiction thrillers for young adult and adult readers. He is the author of The Rebel Within, The Rebel Trap, and Rebels Divided, three books in the Rebel series. In those stories, he explores the consequences of Annabelle Scott following her conscience. He authored the Regina Shen series–Resilience, Vigilance, Defiance, and Endurance. This series takes place after abrupt climate change leads to the Great Collapse and a new society under the World Federation. His latest novel is Xenogeneic: First Contactabout encounters with an alien race aiming to take over Earth.

Connect with the Author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest

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Follow the tour for more fun posts.

March 13 – Library of Clean Reads – review / giveaway

March 14 – Books, Dreams, Life – book spotlight / author interview

March 15 – Rainy Day Reviews – review / giveaway

March 16 – A Mama’s Corner of the World – review / giveaway

March 17 – Olio by Marilyn – review

March 17 – Book Crazy Scrapbook Mama – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

March 20 – Outset – book spotlight / author interview

March 20 – #redhead.with.book – review / giveaway

March 21 – Leels Loves Books – review

March 22 – 3 Partners in Shopping Nana, Mommy + Sissy, Too! – review

March 22 – Book Reviews, Nature Pictures & Everything in Between – review

March 23 – T’s Stuff – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

​March 23 – Amazon Reviewer – review

March 27 – Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’ – book spotlight

March 28 – Haddie’s Haven – review / giveaway

March 28 – In Blue Ink – review

March 29 – fuonlyknew – review / author interview / giveaway

March 29 – Thoughts on Books – review / giveaway

March 30 – Reviews by Martha’a Bookshelf – review / guest post / giveaway

March 31 – The Silver Dagger Scriptorium – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

​March 31 – Deal Sharing Aunt – review / giveaway

April 3      – Mommy’s Gone Shopping Again – review / guest post

April 4      – Rockin’ Book Reviews – review / giveaway

April 5      – JBronder Book Reviews – review / guest post

April 6      – Books for Books – review

April 7      – Elsie’s Audiobook Digest – review

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

 Crossing In Time

Between Two Evils #1

by D L Orton

27227920

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Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel, Romance

 My teaser from page 74 in the paperback.

“Well, I can’t imagine a universe where I loved anyone but you. So, somewhere, somehow, I think we got it right.” 

~~~~~

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

If someone took everything you live for, how far would you go to get it back?

They say that love transcends time… But what if your lover is murdered, and you’re given the chance to go back in time to warn his much-younger twin? She agrees to go, knowing it will kill her in a matter of days, because it gives her one last chance to be with the man she loves. Except he doesn’t believe her! In fact, he thinks she’s one fry short of a Happy Meal. Oh, and she’s suppose to save the world while she’s at it. Go figure.

This offbeat tale is about falling madly in love when one is too cynical for such things, letting go of pessimism when it’s the last life jacket on a sinking ship, and racing against the clock when one doesn’t have the proper footwear. It’s a coming-of-age story for old fogeys, a how-to-make-love guide for diehard celibates, and a laugh-out-loud tragedy with a hopeful twist.

Amazon

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

 

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

16280909  17675468  18222550  18938102

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today’s book is a thrilling adventure and I happened across this one at a resale store  I like to visit.

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Feeding Frenzy

Killer Species #2

by Michael P. Spradlin

17675468

Grade Level: 3-7 / Age Range: 8 – 12 years

Genre: Adventure / Science Fiction /

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My Review

I was in a favorite local thrift shop when I spotted the fabulous cover of this book. Being a huge fan of scary books about creatures from the deep, I quickly snatched it.

Emmet finally gets over his fear  of the water and goes snorkeling with his friends. They are quickly attacked by some monstrous creatures and barely make it back to shore alive.

Emmet is convinced that Dr. Catalyst, a crazy invasive species activist, is still alive and back in business. He better prove it soon, as more and more attacks occur.

It was nonstop action in this one. Genetically altered sea creatures released to eat the invasive lion fish. Only problem is they quickly turn to other food, including humans.. What could be scarier. Imagine crossing a barracuda, a shark, and an eel. The better to eat you up.

The characters are engaging and easy to like, or not, depending on whether they’re good guys or bad guys. The action is quick. And even though this is the second book in the series, the author quickly filled me in on past events using only a sentence here and a sentence there. Nothing to slow down my reading.

I scoured the library shelves when I was young, looking for stories just like this. It does get a bit creepy, but there’s no gore, so it’s appropriate for young readers. I’m sure they will eat it up.

Upon finishing this book I had to go see the other ones in the series. I noticed they all had fabulous covers too and all but this one featured Emmet’s courageous dog, Apollo. I guess he hasn’t learned how to scuba dive yet. LOL

This was such a fun book. Kept me on the edge and I’d recommend to anyone of any age that enjoys adventure and using their imagination.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

A brand-new action-packed series from Michael P. Spradlin. Each book covers a genetically engineered super-predator wreaking havoc on the environment.

Time has passed since anyone’s heard from Dr. Catalyst. Emmet and Calvin have even begun to think that the crazed scientist might be gone for good.

But then, on a trip to snorkel off the Florida coast, one of their friends is nearly drowned by an underwater monster, with endless rows of razor-sharp teeth. No one is quite sure what they saw. Was it a moray eel? A giant barracuda?

There’s only one thing Emmet knows for certain. Dr. Catalyst is back. And this time, he’s out for revenge.

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Click on the covers at the top of the post to check out all of the books in the series.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

17985164  Through Glass by [Ethington, Rebecca]

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

I loved both covers for this book and wanted to share them. Which do you like most?

Today’s book is a really creepy one and I do love that!

 Through Glass

Glass: Episodes 1 – 3

by Rebecca Ethington

17985164

Genre: Dystopian / Horror / Science Fiction

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My Review

I enjoyed this right from the beginning. The author gave me two very likeable characters in Alexis and Cohen . She’s been crushing on him for years, but they’re best friends since childhood, and when she makes a move to change that, he foolishly declines, fearing it will spoil their friendship. After being away at college for a year, Cohen’s perspective changes and he allows himself to show his love for Alexis ?.

Too little too late for their budding romance as darkness shutters the world. They have a fun way of communicating. Their houses are next to each other and they open their bedroom windows and talk across the space between. Now Alexis and Cohen separated by the distance between their two houses and can only look at each through the glass in their windows, alone, yet not alone, as creatures form their worst nightmares kill anyone who steps outside.

I melted when Alexis and Cohen finally acted on their feelings for each other. They belong together and it’s so heart breaking when they are separated shortly afterwards. Only able to look at each other through glass.

I was also very excited to see how they would find their way out of the situation and feared the worst. In horror, many authors aren’t shy about killing off their characters and this really ramped up the suspense.

Things get darker, literally and figuratively, as the creatures from the dark exert their dominance and lay claim to the planet. I can’t imagine how scary it would be to know the creatures are coming for you but you can’t see them. The rasp of their talons connecting with something are the only warning.

This book satisfied many of my requirements for a good dystopian horror story.

The only real snag was that it ended with quite the cliff hanger. There are several more episodes and I plan to read them. I have to know what happens next.

 5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

***Volume One includes Books 1-3 of the Through Glass Novella Series***

Everyone remembered the day the sky went black. The day the sun was wiped from the sky. They remember the wind as it brought in the darkness; the way the earth shook and everything changed.

Everyone remembered the screams as the darkness ate those who were out in the open, those who had surrounded themselves by light, and those who made noise.

Everyone remembered the voice from the sky and the way food disappeared.

At least, that’s what I hoped. I hoped that there was an ‘everyone’ that would remember because I am not sure how many are left, how many survived. Or if anyone did.

I hoped that I wasn’t alone.

I remembered that day.

I remembered because it was the day I became alone.

It was the day that everything was perfect until the monsters took it away. Then the house went silent and the birds stopped singing. It was the day when everyone disappeared, everyone except the boy, the only person I have seen in two years.
The boy I talk to through the glass.

Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

The Game Begins
Victoria Danann
Publication date: February 27th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

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Synopsis

When it came to the attention of the old ones that their creations, the Earth gods, had been playing games at the expense of humankind for millennia, they put a stop to it. But the rebellious gods were far too addicted to their games to give them up. After several summit meetings, they voted to use their own children as players and locate the playing field in the most treacherous environment in the known universe. High school.

To make it even more interesting, they would strip their children of their memories and withhold the rules of the game. The players believed they were ordinary kids until they were transferred to R. Caine High School. When odd things begin to happen, the players gradually realize they have special gifts or attributes. But that doesn’t mean they can’t die.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

My name is Ever Moore.

I know. It makes me wince every time I say it. When I’m eighteen, I plan to have it legally changed to something that doesn’t make people laugh. But right now I’m stuck.

My dad thinks puns are the highest form of humor. He calls it ‘word play’. That’s right. I’m the spawn of nerds. My dad creates video games. My mother is an ethics professor at UCLA who thinks the battle between good and evil begins at home.

If you want to know just how weird it can get at the Thanksgiving table, I can go one better. My grandfather was a big deal rock star in the seventies. You wouldn’t know the name of the band. So there’s no point in name dropping. After a visit, he exits with a two-finger peace salute like all the other well-adjusted hippie grandparents, but he doesn’t say, “Peace.”

He says, “Rock steady.”

Ugh!

My family is big on manners. They’re too strict to let me say what I think, especially about Buzz’s love life. My grandfather doesn’t want to be called Grandpa or Grandad or Gramps or anything close to normal. Oh no. He wants to be called ‘Buzz’. I have no idea why. That is not his name.

Anyway, the best protest I can mount is rolling my eyes. I keep trying to get his attention and roll my eyes back further into my head when he does the ‘rock steady’ thing, but he will not be deterred.

Anyway I was leading a completely typical and deliciously angsty teenage life in Austin, Texas when my parents were suddenly offered jobs in the LA area at the same time. It was weird, but weird is part of my normal. Always has been.

Since my grandad, the rocker, still lives in LA with the latest girlfriend who’s barely legal – she’s two years older than I am and her name is Charmin, yes, like the toilet paper. If that was my name, I’d have the decency to go by something like Charm, which would really be making lemonade from lemmons. But not Charmin. I don’t think she’s bright enough to understand what people are thinking whenever they say her name. Anyway, with the jobs and the fact that ‘Buzz’ lives there, moving seemed like a good idea.

To them.

 

Author Victoria Danaan

New York Times bestselling author of seventeen romances including paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, and teen. Victoria’s Knights of Black Swan series won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES and PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVEL OF THE YEAR the past FOUR YEARS IN A ROW. This past year two of her series took the top two places and two of her books took first and second place Paranormal Romance of the Year category. – Reviewers Choice Awards, The Paranormal Romance Guild.

Victoria is co-host of the popular ROMANCE BETWEEN THE PAGES podcast.
→ www.romancecast.com

WEBSITE: → www.VictoriaDanann.com
FACEBOOK: → www.facebook.com/victoriadanannbooks

The rich characterizations come from being a lifelong student of behavior, casually, and a serious student of behavior academically. She has also studied comparative religion, myths, and Dark Ages history.

Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

 Through Glass

by Rebecca Ethington

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction / Horror

My Teaser from page 18% in the eBook.

It had taken away everything. My room was as black as everything else, the light sucked from it and surrounding me in an abyss of nothing.

Nothing.

Not even sound.

and one more from 22%in the eBook

Crouched in the corner where my bed had once been I stared into the dark, waiting for something else to happen, for something else to attack.

I didn’t dare move; it wasn’t over yet.

This book is so creepy. I love it when I take a chance on a new author and it pays off like this one is doing!

~~~~~

Synopsis

***Volume One includes Books 1-3 of the Through Glass Novella Series***

Everyone remembered the day the sky went black. The day the sun was wiped from the sky. They remember the wind as it brought in the darkness; the way the earth shook and everything changed.

Everyone remembered the screams as the darkness ate those who were out in the open, those who had surrounded themselves by light, and those who made noise.

Everyone remembered the voice from the sky and the way food disappeared.

At least, that’s what I hoped. I hoped that there was an ‘everyone’ that would remember because I am not sure how many are left, how many survived. Or if anyone did.

I hoped that I wasn’t alone.

I remembered that day.

I remembered because it was the day I became alone.

It was the day that everything was perfect until the monsters took it away. Then the house went silent and the birds stopped singing. It was the day when everyone disappeared, everyone except the boy, the only person I have seen in two years.
The boy I talk to through the glass.

AMAZON

~~~~~

The first cover is the one I own.

Here is the one from Goodreads.

17985164

Which do you like the best?

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

 

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

8390993  144773

Welcome to my Saturday Screams.

Today’s reviews are for all of you lovers of creepy critters and aliens. Both of these are books I turn to and reread whenever I can’t decide on something to read. Figured it was time to share them with you.

 Darkfall

by Dean Koontz

8390993

Genre: Horror

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My Review

Ssshhh! Did you hear that? The stealthy movement under the bed? What about in the walls, or in the basement? Or in the sewer?

This was creepy on so many levels. People are found mutilated, riddled with wounds. What puzzles investigators is how the killer or killers got in. There’s no signs of break in or other entries.

Right from the get go I had the shivers. Creepy critters are slithering around in the dark. Hissing, snarling, and whispering in blood chilling voices.

All to soon its running, screaming, and more running as these creatures find their targets, killing them off one by one. And then, time runs out.

This was a super fast, really creepy tale. Not being able to see what’s stalking you, knowing it’s not human, and then actually seeing the nightmares that want to kill you. I can’t imagine anything more terrifying.

I loved it from the beginning, to each horrifying attack, to the relentless chase and finale.

 5 Stars

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Synopsis

They found four corpses in four days. Each more hideously disfigured than the last, the bodies punctured with dozens of tiny wounds. At first they thought it was a savage psychopath. Then they thought it was a vicious gangland war. Then they thought packs of demonic rats were escaping through the ventilation system.

Then they saw the nightmare itself, in all its mottled, slimy horror, coming after them from every direction, and they realized that the Gates of Hell had been left open…

Amazon

Here’s the cover for edition I own from 1984.

Not too “pretty in pink” is it? LOL

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Contest

by Matthew Reilly

144773

Genre: Thriller / Science Fiction

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My Review

What a terrific story.

I loved the setting for this book. The New York Public Library. I’ve always wanted to go there and get list in the thousands and thousands of book stacks.

In the middle of a phone call, Dr. Stephen Swain and his young daughter, Holly, are teleported into the library. A strange little man, all in white, informs Stephen he is a part of the Presidia, a contest that has been going on for millenia. There are 7 contestants from different planets. The only way out is to be the last one alive. You win or you die.

I’ve read all of this authors books. Contest is his first book and still my favorite. I loved the setting, the plot, the characters, and the incredible and terrifying alien contestants.

It’s non stop action that will keep you glued to the story until you read the end.

If I knew who to ask, I’d beg for this to be made into a movie.

    5 Stars

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Synopsis

The New York Public Library. A silent sanctuary of knowledge; a 100-year-old labyrinth of towering bookcases, narrow aisles and long marble hallways. For Doctor Stephen Swain and his daughter, Holly, it is the site of a nightmare. Because for one night this historic building is to be the venue for a contest. A contest in which Swain is to compete – whether he likes it or not.

The rules are simple: Seven contestants will enter, only one will leave.

With his daughter in his arms, Stephen Swain is plunged into a terrifying fight for survival. The stakes are high, the odds brutal. He can choose to run, to hide or to fight – but if he wants to live, he has to win. For in this contest, unless you leave as the victor, you do not leave at all.

Readers all over the world have been cheering about Matthew Reilly’s lightning fast adventure thrillers. Contest, the action-packed extravaganza that launched this international bestselling career, is vintage Reilly at his explosive best.

Amazon

I also have the paperback. Here’s its cover.

Which do you like more?

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Title: DOMINION: FIRE AND ICE
Author: D.A. Hewitt
Publisher: Double Dragon eBooks
Pages: 372
Genre: Science Fiction

Dominion cover

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My Review

I couldn’t resist the idea. An orbiting space resort. I’d sure buy a ticket.

Two big corporations are in a race to commercialize space. And the first space resort is about to become reality. You know they aren’t going to play nice. Oh, and did I forget to mention that there’s an asteroid headed right for Earth and the Pope needs rescuing? These new Jungi Knights are in a race against time.

This book has all the ear marks of an exciting space race. However, I had a hard time with the character’s. I just couldn’t connect with them. Especially the two main protagonists. They felt more like teenagers than grown up men and women.

I did enjoy how the rescue squad was trained in the Jungi discipline. Mind over matter and all that. I believe a quiet mind is the best for any situation and it was fun to read how they all came to accept that idea.

The authors world is vast and complex. I used my imagination from all of the science fiction movies I’ve watched and got a pretty good picture of it. I envisioned all of the complications that you’d run into on a daily basis, and do believe we will eventually colonize the moon and people will travel in space.

To really enjoy science fiction, I feel you need to suspend your disbelief and set your imagination free. Hitch a ride and enjoy the trip.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

It’s the year 2075. Lunar mining and processing facilities have prospered near the lunar south pole, where the Moon’s largest city, Valhalla, rests on the rim of the Shackleton Crater.

Dominion Off-Earth Resources has beaten the competition into space and is ready to establish its monopoly with the opening of the orbiting space resort Dominion. But Pettit Space Industries has a secret plan to emerge as a major contender in the commercialization of space. The upstart company is training the first space rescue squad at a secluded off-grid site in Barrow, Alaska.

The rescue squad gets nearly more than it can handle when its first mission involves the Pope, who’s traveling to the Moon to establish the Lunar See. During the rescue attempt, they discover Earth is imperiled by an asteroid large enough to cause mass extinction. Using the unique skills taught during their training, skills emphasized by the great psychoanalyst Carl Jung, these Jungi Knights must elevate their game if they are to save both the Earth and the Pope—while not getting killed in the process.

Purchase at Amazon

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Enjoy this glimpse inside the book.

The girl shook her head impatiently, the ponytail swaying back and forth. “You don’t recognize me?” she asked.

I looked closer. “I’m not up on the latest supermodel scene,” I told her, “and I haven’t seen many movies lately.”

“Supermodel? Movies? What on Earth are you talking about?”

“You seem to think I should recognize you. I assume you’re a model or an actress, someone who would be easily recognized.”

She whispered something under her breath, and having a modest ability to read lips, thought she’d said, What an idiot. “I’m Jessica Thibideau.”

I thought Julia was going to leap out of her chair and try to strangle the girl. I reached over and laid my hand on her forearm with as much reassurance as I could muster.

Julia reached over, grabbed the back of my neck, pulled my head down, leaned in, and whispered, “She runs the science departments in DOER’s space program. She’s the daughter of Benjamin Thibideau.”

“Oh,” I whispered. “Yes, of course I’ve heard of her. Never seen a picture, though. Why would she assume I’d recognize her?”

“Even in the Ural Mountains, I’ve seen news pics of the famous Jessica Thibideau. Her spaceship designs incorporate integrated shielding generators. She’s responsible for the explosion of industry in space.”

“And on the Moon,” I added. “Maybe I have seen her picture. She looks different in person.”

Jessica Thibideau began tapping her toe. “If you don’t mind, I have things to do.” She waved her arm in a wide sweeping movement. “And in case you haven’t noticed, we have a problem here.”

I began straightening myself but Julia grabbed my wrist. “Be careful,” she whispered. “Her company practically buried yours. Some say the stress is what killed your father.”

“Yeah, well, my dad worked too hard.”

I pulled away and straightened myself in my chair and folded my hands in front of me on the table. “Are you referring to the street music?”

She snorted. “Of course. What are you, some kind of joker?”

“Just trying to communicate.”

She reached up and pinched her nose, equalizing pressure. “You stole my asteroid retrieval drone.”

My reaction caught me by surprise. I jerked back as though jolted by a cattle prod such was my surprise at being accused of something so off my radar that she may very well have accused me of being an alien in disguise. “What?” I managed to eke out.

“You must’ve sanctioned it, at least. There are only two players in space—DOER and PSI. And DOER wouldn’t steal from itself.”

“Are you accusing me of something?”

“A DOER asteroid interceptor-collector drone has gone missing. Not only that, a dummy drone was left in its place to camouflage the theft. Now tell me, Mr. Pettit, how many companies have the capacity to handle what an interceptor-collector drone can deliver?”

I held up two fingers, eyebrows raised with uncertainty.

She stared as though trying to melt me with her glare. After a few moments, she made a sound that resembled harrumph and placed her hands on her hips. “Anibal Sanchez is your stooge, right?”

She throws out big tomatoes and observes your reaction.

I realized that this woman believed she possessed the skill to discern changes in blood pressure, eye dilation, and other change indicators that revealed when a person was lying.

Interesting.

“Never heard the name before,” I told her. “And now that I’ve answered your question, Miss Thibideau, I’ll tell you that you’re in no position to judge me. You don’t know me, and I doubt you have the depth of field to see clear enough for me to even want to have a conversation with you.”

“We all make judgments constantly,” she shot back. “You’re judging me right now.”

“You’re the one who barged in on us.”

She took a step to her left, then to her right. She placed her hand on her chin, opened her mouth, then finger-tapped the side of her head. She looked like a frenzied shopper who’d lost her shopping list and was trying to recall each item in the order in which they appeared.

She reached up and pinched her nose. Instead of finding it annoying, I found myself attracted to it.

Here, let me help …

Finally she stopped fidgeting and looked at me. “Mr. Pettit, allow me to apologize, please. I just got back from Valhalla, and I’ve got a bit of the jitters. I’m jumping at conclusions.”

“I hear jitters can be a common problem for space-goers,” I said. I reached over and nudged a chair away from the table. “Have a seat.”

Julia jabbed me with her elbow. I leaned over and whispered, “Let’s see how much information we can get.” Then I kissed her neck and this seemed to appease her.

Jessica Thibideau glanced back at her sedan. “All right. I am starving.” She sat and whispered a command that brought up a translucent eight-panel octagonal grid interface that encircled her.

Impressive. But where’s the projector? An implant? No—more likely embedded in clothing.

Signorina Thibideau twirled her finger and jabbed at one of the displays on the panel to her left. She glanced at me. “How’s the pizza here?”

“Out of this world,” I said, trying to suppress the corner of my mouth from rising slightly. I failed.

Jessica closed her eyes, sighed, then placed her order.

Julia leaned in and whispered, “She seems flighty to me.”

“Jitters is typically temporary.”

“Permanent jitters, in her case, if you ask me,” Julia commented.

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About Author D.A. Hewitt

 Dominion author

D.A. Hewitt is an award-winning author of four novels and over a hundred short stories. One novel was awarded a gold medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards for best regional fiction. He attributes his success to hard work, honing a skill and providing an outlet for his passion for writing.

Born in Michigan, he lived for 25 years in North Carolina before returning to live in his home state. In addition to enjoying sky diving and mountain climbing, he is a proud veteran of the US Marine Corps and has earned a degree in mathematics.

Mr. Hewitt admits to a fascination with the work of Carl Jung and of the Gnostic religion. He’d always thought intertwining these topics in a science fiction novel was a stretch, but one day the storyline of Dominion came to him. He wrote the novel in a stream of consciousness. “It makes sense, tapping into the collective unconscious,” Mr. Hewitt says, “very much like Carl Jung might have predicted.”

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams.

Today’s reviews are for all of you lovers of creatures. Got two of them that I really enjoyed. There be a fire breathing dragon and big, hairy beasts.

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Monster

by Frank Peretti

1426200

Genre: Horror / Christian Thriller

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My Review

I’ve enjoyed other books by this author and couldn’t resist this one. It’s different from his other Christian thriller novels and takes a swing at the Sasquatch legend.

This is a Sasquatch story with a twist. Reed drags his wife, Beck, along on a weekend survival trek. It quickly turns into a nightmare when a huge animal comes out and takes Beth. As search parties organize and enter the wilderness in search of Beth, something else is out there, hunting them down, along with the creature that took her.

The twist for me was reading about what happened with Beth. She has to survive her abduction. And it’s scary and sometimes funny what she has to contend with. Sasquatch is in no way human. A large predator with plenty of attitude, the family dynamics for them is tumultuous and violent. Talk about dysfunctional.  And Beth has to fight for her place in order to stay alive long enough to be rescued.

There’s a strong sense of urgency as you get into the story. And for such a large book, I was surprised how quickly I finished it. Grab the book, remember this is fiction, and just enjoy the ride. It’s well worth a go.

I’m still crossing my fingers that this will be made into a movie. It would be such an adventure.

   5 Stars

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Synopsis

Reed Shelton organized this survival weekend. Hired the best guide in the region. Meticulously trained, studied, and packed while encouraging his wife, Beck, to do the same. But little did they know that surviving the elements would become the least of their worries.

During their first night of camping, an unearthly wail pierces the calm of the forest. Then someone – no, something – emerges from the dense woods and begins pursuing them. Everything that follows is a blur to Reed – except for the unforgettable image of a huge creature carrying his wife into the darkness.

Dependent on the efforts of a small town and a band of friends, Reed knows they have little time to find Beck. Even more important, he soon realizes that they aren’t the only ones doing the hunting. Something much faster, more relentless – and definitely not human – has begun to hunt them.

Amazon

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Leviathan

by James Byron Huggins

1496682

Genre: Science Fiction / Horror / Spiritualism

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My Review

I can’t quite pin down the genre for this. I notice it’s been tagged as science fiction, which I agree with that. But I feel it’s also a horror and spiritualism genre too.

There’s the beast. What a beast it is too. It started out as a benign creature. Then the idiots alter it genetically, hoping to use it as a weapon. I swear, no matter how many times I come across this plot, it just never gets old for me.

Imagine a harmless creature turned into something that looks like a dragon. Then make it impossible to kill and program it’s brain like a computer. Then imagine it getting a mind of it’s own and a raging desire to kill and burn.

Thor is a mysterious viking, a giant of a man living an isolated life in an ancient tower on the harsh and frozen Grimwald Island, his only companion his valiant steed, Tanngrisner. Until the men come. He’s a gentle giant and quickly comes to care for these men and their families, as they do him.

When the beast escapes his confinement under the ice, they must keep it from reaching the surface, for there will be no stopping it’s bloody revenge then.

What really drove this story for me was the character’s. The author really outdid himself in bringing them to life. Even some that are only briefly mentioned are easily imagined. I felt bad that they were hired to do an innocuous job, little knowing the terrible secrets being performed behind blast proof doors deep in the caverns below.

And I adored Thor. He’s an epic warrior and the best of heroes. His friendship with Connor and his wife and daughter is strong, forged with love and loyalty. The power of the bond between Thor and Connor is another favorite part of this book.

Take a bunch of people, good and bad, and isolate them somewhere with the harshest of elements, and then unleash holy hell on them. This is the best of scenarios for me and I loved everything about this book. I’ve reread this several times and will do so again. Can’t recommend it enough.

 5  Stars

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Synopsis

In a cyberspace experiment deep beneath an Arctic island, Electromagnetic Chromosomal Manipulation recreates man’s most ancient nightmare. Searching to possess a living weapon that can bring every nation to its knees, scientists spawn a dark legend that once trembled the Earth, a beast that heralds the end of the world.

Amazon

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