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Vicarious – Book Review

Scott Cahan

Vicarious by Rhett C. Bruno is a science fiction fantasy about the future of popular entertainment and how it affects two very different people. Mission is the name of a young woman who has spent her entire life on board a space vessel that carries the last surviving humans through space on their way to live on another planet. The ship she lives on is called Ignus. Asher is a young man who has spent his entire life watching Mission and the rest of the inhabitants of Ignus on a TV reality show called Ignus Live. Asher is obsessed with … Continue reading Vicarious – Book Review

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Arestana 2 – Book Review

Scott Cahan

Arestana: The Defense Quest by Shawn P.B. Robinson is part two in the Arestana series for young readers. It continues the story of young Liam as he gets pulled into the world of Arestana for another adventure. This time he must lead the armies of Arestana in defeating an attacking enemy. Liam is only a boy and knows nothing about warfare but that doesn’t matter because most Earthly logic makes no sense in Arestana. Once back in the strange land, Liam joins up with his old friends and makes a few new ones. Everyone is just as silly as ever and Liam … Continue reading Arestana 2 – Book Review

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Artemis Fowl – Book Review

Scott Cahan

This is book #1 in the hugely successful Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. As of this writing, there are eight books in the series. A movie is also on the way, scheduled to come out this August. I’ve seen the Fowl books on the bookshelves for several years and always thought they looked like something I would enjoy. I finally got around to reading the first one and was not disappointed. This book does a good job of introducing our main character. Early on in the reading, I was surprised to see that Artemis is not what I’d expected … Continue reading Artemis Fowl – Book Review

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Caraval – My Book Review

Scott Cahan

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is a story of magic, romance, deception, and determination. It follows two sisters, Scarlet and Tella who are invited to play in a magical game called Caraval. Scarlet, who has always dreamed of playing, refuses to go because she is to be married in a few days. Tella and a friend named Julian kidnap her and take her to Caraval against her will. Once they arrive at the elaborate game that involves many actors and settings, crazy things begin to happen. The line between make-believe and reality gets more blurry the deeper Scarlet goes into the … Continue reading Caraval – My Book Review

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A Star Curiously Singing – Book Review

Scott Cahan

Who says Christian science fiction has to be predictable and boring? A Star Curiously Singing by Kerry Nietz is a first-rate sci-fi thriller with a plot that’s completely original and it definitely isn’t boring. The story is set in the not-too-distant future when the religion of Islam rules the world and a rigid class system has gone into effect. Our main character, Sandfly, is a low-class debugger. That means his whole existence is defined by his enhanced abilities to program and repair artificial intelligence. When a robot goes crazy on a government spaceship, Sandfly is brought in to find out … Continue reading A Star Curiously Singing – Book Review

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Oxygen – Book Review

Scott Cahan

Oxygen by John Olson and Randy Ingermanson is a science fiction suspense novel that feels akin to the movie, Apollo 13. That movie was based on a true story about a mission to the moon that went horribly wrong. Oxygen, the book, is a fictional story about a mission to Mars that went horribly wrong. Oxygen takes that story type into several unexpected directions that are thrilling and delightful. One element that added to the human drama was the fact that the crew is made up of two men and two women. This allowed for a romantic interest to weave … Continue reading Oxygen – Book Review

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The Great & the Small – Review

Scott Cahan

The Great and the Small by A.T. Balsara is an amazing book. On one level, it’s the story of intelligent rats, told from their point of view through vivid descriptions and beautiful hand-drawn illustrations. All of that, however, is on the surface. Beneath the warm and fuzzy characters, we find a story of war and the devastating effect it has on everyone involved. The story follows a young rat named Finn who has a strong moral compass. He is the nephew of Papa, the beloved leader of the rats. Papa and the council wage an all-out war on the humans … Continue reading The Great & the Small – Review

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Forest Beyond the Earth – Book Review

Scott Cahan

Forest Beyond the Earth, by Matthew S. Cox is a fascinating tale of one girl’s incredible journey when her whole world is suddenly taken from her. Its set in the future, a hundred years or so after the inhabitants of earth have just about wiped themselves out. Wisp is a twelve-year old girl who was raised by her loving father, alone in a cabin, isolated in the woods. He is the only person she has ever known for her entire life and one night he is suddenly gone. From there we follow Wisp as she ventures out into a world … Continue reading Forest Beyond the Earth – Book Review

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Driven To The Hilt – Book Review

Scott Cahan

Driven to the Hilt: The Deepest Cut by D.G. Lamb is one of the most original and well-told stories I’ve ever read. First-time author D.G. Lamb has established himself as a new talent in young adult novels with this first effort. At its core, this is a survival tale that reminded me a little of other great books like The Martian and Swiss Family Robinson. Driven to the Hilt, however, took  the basic concept of man vs. nature in a totally original direction. The story takes place in a colony of Earth on another planet in the not-too-distant-future. An eleven-year-old … Continue reading Driven To The Hilt – Book Review

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Space Drifters – Book Review

Scott Cahan

The Emerald Enigma by Paul Regnier is the first story in the Space Drifter series and is a rare blend of outer space heroics and slapstick comedy. An odd but fun assortment of characters make up the crew of the star ship that serves as the main setting of the story. Captain Glint is the wise-cracking hero who is obsessed with obtaining the Emerald Enigma. His first officer is a reptilian alien creature named Blix, who serves Glint well with his superior intelligence and strength. He’s also the perfect straight man for Captain Glint’s jokes. A beautiful warrior/princess named Jassette and a time-traveling boy … Continue reading Space Drifters – Book Review