Review | HELEN ONCE, HELEN TWICE, HELEN ONCE AGAIN by Robert Caryl

Helen Once, Helen Twice, Helen Once Again by Robert Caryl
Science Fiction published April 4, 2015
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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Helen Anderson is certain she has no sisters, so the two women who look like her twins and share her DNA should not exist. And, they’ve been murdered – their bodies dumped in the small Outside nation of Texas, which in 2097 is a run-down backwater. The few thousand people still living there refused to join the Great Exodus of 2076 in which the bulk of the world population migrated into the portal-connected rooms and spaces called Inside. 

Shelby Darnell, the Texas Rangers’ only homicide detective, believes Helen innocent even as his nemesis, Insider detective Lt. Midori Yamamoto strives to thwart Darnell and convict the woman. More Helen look-alikes appear, most with someone else’s hand or foot. The only perfect “twin” is Athena Hendrik who is pursued by the Black Dragon Society, an Asian crime organization with a peculiar interest in the dead Helen look-alikes. Darnell’s own daughter, Darcy, goes to the top of his suspect list when evidence suggests she is one of the Dragons. 

The case takes Darnell from the “stacks” housing the Inside world to the drowned city of Venice, and to the ice-mining Temple of Gaia in the Antarctic. Everywhere, he encounters interference from anonymous police in powered armor who are bent on stealing the bodies of the murdered women before Darnell can examine them. Eventually, his investigation uncovers a world-shaking secret that he can handle only with the help of Athena, Helen and his daughter.

My Thoughts...

I really enjoyed this book!  It's a beast at 650+ pages long, but really the story is so fast paced I was able to finish it more quickly that I expected to.  This is a science fiction story set in 2097 in a world where most of the population lives "Inside".  Shelby Darnell is a Texas Ranger who lives "Outside".  When a woman is found dead essentially on his doorstep he gets pulled into an investigation that will literally take him across the globe via portals that connect the "Inside".

So basically the Inside is a massive series of what amounts to interconnected rooms, buildings, etc...that are connected by doorway portals.  Someone has discovered spatial "folding" technology or something to that effect. So instead to travelling via car, plane or the like you enter your destination into a panel at a portal doorway and when you step through you are wherever you want to be.  Houses work in the same way, each room is connected by a portal.  Essentially, each room in your home could be located in a different part of the world, but they are connected by these portals.  It's a very unique, at least to me, concept for the world that has been built in this story.  The Outside is a rundown version of our world that has is still inhabitable, but at this point in time the majority of the population now lives Inside.

The gist of the story is that women are showing up dead after they are dumped through one of the portals.  The odd thing is that they all look alike.  Shelby is the person who discovers the first body and as he investigates the cause of her death he is pulled into a web of deceit and intrigue.  This whole story is full of plot twists, fast paced action and more future tech than you can imagine.  The characters are well developed and you can't read fast enough to discover what will happen next. 

It's really hard to describe this story properly, but I enjoyed every minute of it and I know that it's the start of a series so I know that I will be picking up the rest of them.  If you enjoy a unique science fiction premise then you will want to give this one a read for sure.

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review.*

Young Adult Review "Perfection" by J.L. Spelbring

Title:  Perfection
Author: J.L. Spelbring
Publisher:  Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date:  May 7, 2013
Genre:  YA Dystopian / Alternate World
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Synopsis from Goodreads:

The personification of Aryan purity, Ellyssa's spent her whole life under her creator's strict training and guidance; her purpose is to eradicate inferior beings. She was genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier: strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic. 

Only Ellyssa isn't perfect. 

Ellyssa feels emotions--a fact she's spent her life concealing. Until she encounters the epitome of inferiority: a dark-haired boy raised among renegades hiding since the Nazis won the war a century ago. He speaks to her telepathically, pushing thoughts into her mind, despite the impossibility of such a substandard person having psychic abilities.

But he does. 

His unspoken words and visions of a place she's never visited make Ellyssa question her creator. Confused and afraid her secret will be discovered, Ellyssa runs away, embarking on a journey where she discovers there is more to her than perfection.

My Thoughts...
Okay, first of all I really enjoyed this book, but in my opinion this is not a dystopian novel, it's more of an alternate world novel.  To me, dystopian is the state of the world after a catastrophic or apocalyptic event.  This book is more a case of what the world would be like if Hitler had been successful in creating his "perfect" Aryan race.

Ellyssa is a young woman who happens to be one of a small group of children who were created to be "perfect" humans.  They have blonde hair and blue eyes and they each have a special ability bestowed upon them by their father Dr. Hirsch.  They were raised in and trained in The Center.  They are all efficient in what they do and they are emotionless, that is except for Ellyssa.  She learned at an early age to suppress and hide her emotions from everyone.

Dr. Hirsch is just a bad guy, he is the main person behind this perceived utopia.  Anyone who doesn't conform is eliminated.  Those who don't meet the perfection standards are put in the roles of workers.  The renegades are the ones who have been in hiding eking out an existence any way that they can.  When the renegades are caught they are killed. 

When a renegade is brought in to The Center he is able to "speak" to Ellyssa through telepathy, which is her particular special ability.  She doesn't know what happens to him, but she has been restless for awhile, knowing that things aren't quite what they seem. Her fathers agenda is far more sinister than he leads everyone to believe. She does a little digging around and discovers things that horrify her and she knows that she needs to leave.  It takes some creative thinking on her part, but she is able to get away as she follows the vague clues the renegade was able to give her.

Things move pretty quickly from this point and Ellyssa faces some pretty rough times.  She finally comes to a place where she is found by a group of Renegades.  There is some dissension in the group when they take her in, but she does have a few champions in the group.  Rein is a wonderful character and is the perfect love interest for Ellyssa.  There are some really great people in the group of renegades and Ellyssa starts to realize how good her life could really be if she is able to get away from the ones searching for her.

This story reminds me a lot of Brave New World in the beginning and then when Ellyssa finds the Renegade group it reminds me of The Host. The character of the Detective was one of those characters that you cna't help but dislike as well as most of Ellyssa's siblings. I feel like the character development was good, I liked the pace and I also liked that while there could be other books to make a series it isn't completely necessary.

If you like Alternate World/dystopian books then this is one you may enjoy.  The whole idea of "what if?" is actually quite chilling if you think about it.  I wouldn't hesitate to read more books by this author.

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book, courtesy of the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Sci-Fi Review "A Hero's Journey" by P.T. Dilloway

Title:  A Hero's Journey
Author: P.T. Dilloway
Publisher:  Solstice Publishing
Publication Date: February 6 , 2013
Genre:  Sci-Fi 


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Synopsis from Goodreads:  

SUIT UP AND SAVE THE WORLD!

Dr. Emma Earl never wanted to be a hero. But when she finds a magic suit of armor that can deflect bullets and turn her invisible, she becomes part of an ancient war between good and evil.

It's up to Emma as the latest incarnation of the heroic Scarlet Knight to save Rampart City from the fiendish Black Dragoon and his plan to rule first the city and then the whole world.

My Thoughts...

This was a pretty quick read for me, I think I finished it in about 4 hours total reading time.  It's pretty fast paced once the story gets started and that makes for a quick read for me.  The premise is promising, albeit not terribly original.  Dr. Emma Earl is a promising young prodigy who at only 19 has graduated with her Doctorate and is starting a new job as a lab assistant in the Geology department at the Plaine Museum in Rampart City.  

Rampart City, the name alone clues you in on what type of story this is going to be.  The first thing that popped into my head was Gotham City!  Rampart City is the perfect name for a sci-fi/comic book city.  This book is a throwback to all the old comic book series like Batman, Superman, etc...  It has that feel to it and honestly I think it would make a great graphic novel.  I think that it would present as a better overall story in that format.

So, things start to fall apart on Emma's first week at her new job.  The man she works directly under is a day drunk and honestly, just not doing his job.  She meets Dr. Dreyfus who works in the archaeology department and is immediately attracted to him and vice versa, but Emma is determined to obey the non-fraternization policy that they museum upholds.  He brings her an artifact that he can't identify and asks her to research it to see what she can find on it so that keeps her busy for awhile.  Suddenly a co-worker suffers a terrible loss and at the funeral things start to get a little crazy for Emma.

I was a little taken aback when on the first page we learn that Emma has a size 15 foot!  I don't know why this was revealed other than in an attempt to let us know that she is tall without coming out and saying it, but I will say that it turned me off to her character a bit.  I kept picturing her with these huge clown feet and it kind of took away from her character for me. Now give her an 11 and she's still tall, but not gigantic!  

I liked the fast pace of the story, how the Black Dragoon and the Scarlet Knight were revealed and how their characters developed.  I wasn't surprised when the identity of the Black Dragoon was revealed, I had it narrowed down based on the events.  I had a problem with the portrayal of the police force, particularly Donovan.  There were times that she's all hard ass and pushy, calling names and being brutal then she handles a murder scene and suddenly she's all sympathetic and girly.  I HATED how everyone, not just Donovan, kept calling Becky "fatty" or "the fat girl".  To me, even in a book, that's not acceptable unless it's to make a specific point.  This was not the case, they were just being mean and it was worse when it wasn't just the mean people doing it!

So, I gave this a 3.5 star rating on Goodreads and I stand by that rating.  I enjoyed the story, but I had issues with it that I just couldn't look past.  I think that if you enjoy a good sci-fi story with comic book potential then you may like this book.  It's not a read that everyone will enjoy, but I don't feel, at all, like it was a waste of my time.

*Disclaimer:  I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Sci-Fi Short Story Review "The Dark Inside" by Donna Galanti

Title:  The Dark Inside
Author: Donna Galanti
Publisher:  Self-Published
Publication Date:  February 26, 2013
Genre:  Science Fiction
Format:  Kindle 274 KB  

Buy this book on Amazon:  Kindle Edition
Author's Website:  http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/ 
Author's Goodreads Profile:  Donna Galanti

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Heartbreak, danger, lust, and betrayal blaze to life in this collection of stories that reveal the dark places hidden within us. When what you most desire is on the line how far will you go to get it, and what will you give up?

A young man desperate to leave a world that doesn't accept him–and a father who hates him. A tormented man imprisoned as a science experiment experiences love for the first time. A secret agent gives in to his carnal desires and risks exposing the one secret he wants to keep. A college freshman betrayed by her lover takes matters into her own hands. A young girl is determined not to suffer at the hands of her molester anymore. A sadistic leader who thrives on mind control leads his people into a new life. A teen seeks escape from his abusive foster father and
faces a life-or-death situation to survive.

They must either fight the dark inside or embrace it. Which will they choose?

My Thoughts...

I can't quite put my finger on exactly how I feel about this short story collection.  I loved Ms. Galanti's book A Human Element and for me, this was just a little something to tide me over until the next book comes out.

So here are just a few thoughts on this collection.  For the most part I didn't know who the characters in the stories were.  There were a couple that I did know and because of that those stories were my favorite, ecpecially the one with Felix.  Every story dealt with pretty dark subject matter and while I realize that this is the point of the collection the fact that so many of them revolve around some sort of sexual abuse/assault bothered me.  

I think that if you enjoyed A Human Element and you like Ms. Galanti's writing style then you may want to pick this one up.  It's not detrimental to the story, although you do get a glimpse of previous, possibly life altering moments in the lives of both Felix and X-10.  Each of the stories is well crafted, they are written from differing POV's and some are more in depth while some are just short little bursts of action.  They are all steeped in darkness, though, so beware!

Sci-Fi Review "The Death of Eve" by Shaun Penney

Title:  The Death of Eve
Author: Shaun Penney
Publisher:  CreateSpace
Publication Date: February 13, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction
Format:  Kindle 559 KB  |  Paperback 399 pages

Buy this book on Amazon:  Kindle Edition  |  Paperback
Author's Website: http://bladeofthesashurai.wordpress.com/

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

A frenetic, pulse-pounding adventure, Shaun Penney's atmospheric debut novel delivers a spellbinding mythology along with first-rate thrills and almost unbearable tension. In the future, a devastating war has left the world toxic and unlivable. Mankind survives isolated within four domed cities. In every dome survival has come with a price: the rate of female births seems to be in steady decline and the ultimate survival of our species is at serious risk. 

A frantic race to understand and fix the problem has led a hardened military leader named General Kuromori to transport the few hundred women left living in the dome to a hidden medical dome for study and research. Carol Jenn is the last woman to be sent to the medical dome. But Carol does not have full knowledge of the situation. When she meets Vanguard, one of Kuromori's soldiers who has been banished for murdering a woman named Eve, the walls surrounding Carol's perceptions begin to crumble around her. Joining Jessie, her only true ally, in an uneasy alliance with Vanguard, she uncovers a conspiracy involving Kuromori, his workforce, and even the women inside the dome. But when Carol and Jessie try to escape the dome, they discover the dark secrets behind The Death of Eve. 

An extraordinary vision of a post-apocalyptic future that is rich in detail and rippling with intrigue, The Death of Eve is a fascinating exploration of the nature of man.

My Thoughts...

This is one of those books that I really wanted to love the whole time I was reading it, but there what something that just wasn't clicking for me.   

The dystopian world that is created in this story isn't completely unique to this story, but I think it was a good one.  There is some sort of war that causes an apocalyptic situation.  The majority of the population believes the atmosphere to be unlivable so they are living in large domes.  During the war they performed genetic enhancements on the soldiers that, while beneficial at the time, ended up screwing up their genes and making it so that with each generation there were fewer and fewer female births.  Now there are only several hundred women living in the domes and most of them are in a medical research dome where they are doing tests on them to try to remedy the problem.  Realistically, they should be testing on the males since they determine the sex of children!

Where the story lost me was partly in the details and partly in the characters.  The whole time I was reading I kept feeling like something was missing.  I never really connected fully with any of the characters.  A lot of the characters are truly despicable.  I did like Carol and Vanguard well enough, but I don't know that I cared enough about them to continue with the series even though I have the second book.

There is a lot of action, no doubt, but there is also a lot of confusion during the fight scenes.  At least for me there was.  I liked the sword fighting, but I think that there needed to be a more clear explanation about how exactly the swords worked.  For some reason that really confused me!

Here is the deal, I feel like the book could have used a really thorough edit.  There were spots that were rough that could have used some smoothing.  Some things could have been reworded, possibly, so that things would have been easier to understand.  Also, if I had felt a little more connected to the characters it would have made a big difference.  I think that it had the potential to be a really great story, but these things made it not as good for me.

If you like Science-Fiction / Dystopian books then this may be something you will like despite my hang-ups about it.  I know that it's gotten some really good reviews and won some awards, it just wasn't my style.  I should also point out that there are a couple of scenes of brutality and some relatively sensual scenes between two women so if that is something that bothers you then you may want to steer clear.

*Disclaimer:  I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*