Reviewed by Cheryl Schopen for Readers' Favorite

In The Never Hero, the first book in the Chronicles of Jonathan Tibbs series by T. Ellery Hodges, Jonathan is attacked in his home and wakes up in his kitchen, his blood everywhere. Just when he thinks he can start moving past this seemingly random attack, a vicious creature is seen killing many people in the streets not far from his home. This unknown being is screaming for a challenger, but Jonathan is the only one who can understand it. After that night, Jonathan’s life changes more than he ever expected. Being called to defend mankind in a war that no one will remember or know about will prove to have many obstacles that Jonathan may not be prepared to face.

The title and the concept of this book really intrigued me, and I just had to read it. The idea of an ordinary man forced to defend the existence of mankind without anyone ever knowing about his sacrifice just sounded like an amazing story, and it really was. I couldn’t put the book down. I really admired Jonathan throughout the book. Even though he was a regular guy with a regular life, he had these values and morals that made him capable of becoming this hero that the world didn’t know it needed. In my mind, he makes the perfect protagonist, and he made me want to root for him, no matter what. I also enjoyed Jonathan’s roommates/friends. If this was a superhero story, they would be his sidekicks. They stuck by him even when they thought he was losing it. The friendships Jonathan had with these people made the story for me. While the story could have been a little more fast-paced at some points, T. Ellery Hodges’ The Never Hero was an entertaining, suspenseful, unpredictable read that surely did not disappoint.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Doorway To Your Dreams is a psychological thriller written by John P. Goetz. Although everyone in Vietnam refers to him as Spooncake, Tim McAllister is all-too-aware of the McAllister family background and the strange inheritance that passes from father to son. Everything changed dramatically on that day when he found his father dying from a self-inflicted bullet. Suddenly Tim could hear people's thoughts, and the constant noise was likely to have driven him as insane, as it had driven his father, except for the fact that his grandfather had come to his aid. He knew what the young boy was going through and realized that Tim would be lost if he allowed his fear and anger to take control. Tim's grandfather became the father he had never really had, and he showed Tim that it was possible to shut out the noise and take control. Now a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, Tim's R&R is spent by the Mekong River in the company of the camp's mascot, Dinner. His gunner, Hammond, opted to go to Saigon and enjoy a leave’s revelry, but a drunken and foolhardy decision finds him in prison, and he's compelled to accept the treacherous offer made by a strangely scarred man with albino coloring and black eyes.

John P. Goetz's psychological thriller, Doorway To Your Dreams, is a fast-paced and enthralling story that starts out in the jungles of Vietnam. Tim McAllister and his nemesis, Oban DeCarlo, are, oddly enough, related by blood and both come from dysfunctional families. The dynamic between the two of them makes this thriller crackle with tension and irony as the damaged DeCarlo seeks to make his cousin as tormented and broken as he himself is. DeCarlo is macabre and sinister, though somehow less so than his government cohorts on Plum Island who are working with him to make Spooncake into the perfect dream warrior. Linda Fisher, a gambler whose telepathic skills have earned her the attention of the bosses in Vegas as well as that of DeCarlo, is also abducted and used in DeCarlo's program: Operation Traumland. Doorway to Your Dreams is well-written, and it reads like a dream. The Vietnam sequences are poignant and compelling, though ironically less chilling than the goings-on in that insignificant building on Plum Island. This complex and harrowing thriller is thought-provoking and, ultimately, very entertaining. Doorway to Your Dreams is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like in eight hundred years time? Have you wondered what humanity would be like after an Armageddon or apocalyptic disaster? Would the human race even exist? And what in what manner would those surviving humans thrive?

Liberty has never had to wonder about these things. She was born into a world struggling for survival eight hundred years after such a great war that destroyed all of civilization. She was adopted by a trader who flew to various isolated outcrops of humanity, trading goods as a means of survival. Only now her adopted father has passed away, leaving Liberty alone in the world to continue operating his airship. Liberty isn't left alone for long. She is soon partnered with a robot named Boy, who invites another trader on board the airship: Mender and his robot, Robbie. They team up and do some trading together, venturing into the dangerous territory of the mountain men who are cannibals. That's when a dirty young boy sneaks on board and, after a good scrubbing, reveals himself to be none other than Liberty's brother, Justice, whom she never knew existed. Through Justice, Liberty learns about her past. Through Boy, who has stored in his memory the history of the planet, she learns about the past. But through Mender, she learns what her future and the future of humanity really can be and one doesn't need to know all the details of the past in order to survive and thrive.

In I Will Breathe, Regina Puckett has written a story that reveals a futuristic look at life on a planet ravaged by war. As the main character, Liberty, struggles to survive and continue with the trading life that she learned from her adopted father, the possibility of a civilized human race once again existing evolves. The entire story makes you really think about 'what if?'. And it makes the reader hopeful that all will not be lost in the future. An interesting read.

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Lieutenant Brooke Davis is an ace star pilot whose dream is to be selected as the first human to fly faster than light through UN’s Project Luminosity. When humanity's fate seems to be threatened by separatists and aliens, Brooke is about to discover a twisted conspiracy that involves the highest level of earth's own government. Beyond Cloud Nine is the first book of an intriguing sci-fi adventure - Beyond Saga by Greg Spry.

The futuristic technologies are sound and highly plausible. Spry's world-building is excellent. I'm particularly impressed with Bob, Brooke's matrix, and having a robot like Papero to do house chores would be a godsend. The action and fight scenes are exciting as well as easily imaginable; visually, the space fights would look amazing. The characters' development, especially Brooke, a strong female protagonist with her own personal demons, are solid and well-written. On the other hand, I'm ambivalent about her twin sister, the spunky journalist, Marie.

The story reads more like a sci-fi drama in terms of pace. On the whole, I enjoyed it and was able to immerse myself in the story and relate with the characters. That said, I gravitated more toward the sci-fi adventure, the relationship between Brooke and her twin sister, as well as the conspiracy plot compared to some romantic aspects that Spry included - which fortunately for me didn't affect the other elements. I look forward to continuing this series which would focus on Brooke's niece, Maya, in the next installment.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Free Dive is a science fiction/adventure novel written by C.F. Waller. Dexter Knight is an engineer who’s gotten into a lucrative retrieval business with his friends, Cam and Lydia. Dexter and Cam pooled their talents into designing SDs, compact titanium robotic devices that can withstand water pressures and are capable of learning and interacting with each other. The three of them have been using the SDs to collect memorabilia from the wreck of the Titanic, but a customer's ill-advised use of a Titanic teapot at a luncheon, however, has gotten the three of them some unwanted attention, and they find themselves accepting an employment offer that would have been deadly to refuse. Their assignment is to get their SDs down into Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench.

C.F. Waller's science fiction thriller, Free Dive, is fast-paced, well-plotted and exciting. Dexter, Cam and Lydia are marvelous characters whose synergistic partnership is inspirational. I particularly enjoyed learning about the SDs and the tech that Cam and Dexter use to create these remarkable and sentient devices, and reading about the interaction they have with Lydia's trained dolphins. The Mariana Trench is the perfect setting for this terrestrial science fiction story as the inaccessibility of its depths remain a tantalizing mystery. Free Dive is a thinking man's thriller that combines science, maritime exploration and adventure. As I was reading it, I was reminded of the excitement I felt reading some of Cussler's early Dirk Pitt stories. I had a grand time reading Free Dive. It's easily one of the best science-based adventure thrillers I've read in some time and it’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Carol Coetzee for Readers' Favorite

Kathy Porter's debut series, Earth's Ultimate Conflict, introduces us to the existence of alien life forms from other solar systems. The greenhouse effect, of which we are all well aware, is causing extreme climatic changes and seismic activity. Humans are becoming ill and weak. Humanity's worst nightmare is coming true! The planet is stricken by natural disasters; thousand of people become ill; Earth's crust shakes with seismic activity and the swirling currents in the atmosphere reach hurricane force. Humans are weak and lethargic, struggling to survive in this shattered, confusing, and downright frightening new world.

Survival is a daily struggle. UFOs are invading, people are being abducted. Confusion and fear reign supreme. Stories and accounts of aliens and abductees, which we have all heard and read, have been carefully researched and used to weave an intricate and complex tale of intergalactic intrigue, and the inability of Earth to protect itself from extremely advanced alien civilizations, some good, some bad. How would we know their real intentions if an alien race approached us with offers to help? What would you do? An alien species, the Grays, offer to protect humans from the toxic environment. The Grays, however, may have an ulterior motive. The Guardians, another alien species, believe so and tell a different story. Who is to be believed? The Grays are an extremely advanced race and the Guardians have a struggle on their hands if they wish to convince the human race of their pure motives.

Kathy Porter's book, Earth's Ultimate Conflict, is the first in what promises to be an interesting series. In the first part of the book, it seems confusing as there were many characters to introduce and it is difficult to keep track. Don't give up! It is worth reading and trying to memorize the introductory section where all the characters and worlds are listed and described. The book settles and becomes hard to put down! Humor, romance, intrigue, suspense, fear, and confusion abound within the humans and this makes for a scintillating read! A great idea, a novel approach, and some interesting theories.

Reviewed by Bil Howard for Readers' Favorite

At first it seems that the world, Eridu (Earth, as it is known by the Moirai), is at peace, in Once Humans by Massimo Marino. But things are not exactly as they appear. Humans are undergoing a transformation into becoming greater beings (transgenic beings that were created by the Moirai, which took over the planet). They are closely watched by a group called the Selected. As long as they are supported by the alien Moirai, the communities of transgenic beings grow, thrive, and are secure. All this is suddenly threatened by saboteurs called Kritas who have been in conflict with the Moirai for millennia. These aliens hope to undermine the work that the Moirai have done and control the new human race themselves. Dan Amenta, a transgenic being, is the only hope for Eridu and the transgenic community. He must pursue the Kritas through the labyrinth of tunnels and prevent them from carrying out their destruction - but first he must successfully complete the maze of logic which exists in the minds of the aliens.

The suspenseful, thrilling plot of Massimo Marino’s work in Once Humans is very well designed and is presented in great detail. The development of the characters, their emotions, and the way they react to each other makes the story move in a way that appeals to all members of the human race. The reader will find that there are many questions to be answered and many possible answers presented in a very thought-provoking manner, making this novel one to challenge the mind and draw the reader to look deeper. The reader will often feel like they are functioning within Dan’s mind and seeing what he sees. This is an excellent sci-fi thriller which is not only well thought out and very imaginative, but thrilling and captivating as well.

Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite

Seven Beyond by Stella Atrium is a fantasy lover’s fantasy. The world of Seven Beyond is so detailed and vivid that the reader can truly escape to another plane. Seven Beyond will tolerate any degree of scrutiny, giving back just as much as the reader wishes to put in. Here you will find ample fodder for linguistics study, model building, costume play, gaming (Tsing Tse, the glass bead game) or an annual convention - this work reveals itself in layers and will continue to reveal itself as long as one keeps reading and re-reading. Seven Beyond has a distinctly medieval (specifically, Chaucerian) feel, with one delightful ‘tweak’: the story is peppered with references to things modern - travel on the Concorde, the New York fashion industry, and contemporary TV personalities, to name a few. It is as if the world of Seven Beyond is evolving around us - next to us - as opposed to being removed by time or distance.

The plot of Seven Beyond spans generations, worlds, and ideologies and is therefore far too intricate to fully convey in a brief review. Taken on the most simplistic level, it is a quest novel; in broader terms, it is a sociological cautionary tale with many tongue-in cheek references to the vagaries and injustices of contemporary society. As Dr. David Christopher Meenins sets off with Lady Drasher Elizabeth Tasgneganz, Dr. Virgil Augustus Grammario, and the mysterious Linda Deemer to make contact with the Longists (whose life span exceeds 800 years) we find ourselves on an odyssey rich with symbolism and metaphor in a world where little is what it appears to be at first glance.

Much like the fabled VSOP brandy produced at the monastery, Stella Atrium’s Seven Beyond is intoxicating and represents a lifetime of wisdom and talent distilled into a single draught of ambrosial liquor. Perhaps Lady Drascher Elizabeth Tasneganz says it best: “And now we should have a story,” she suggested. “A fanciful tale that will transport us to another time. Full of simile and metaphor, a broad-shouldered allegory elastic enough to convey some great truth in our lives.”

Reviewed by Bil Howard for Readers' Favorite

Appealing to the masses and especially to the youth of the world through the promise of adventure, education, and a future with endless possibilities, an alien force has easily began to overtake Earth without shedding a drop of blood in The Fight for Immortality by Peter Arthur. Though the aliens have taken on human form and have easily drawn in the vast majority of youth with their extraordinary ability to fulfill the basic desires for a proper lifestyle, career and family goals, there is one youth, Jack Cousins, who isn’t fooled by any of it. With the leaders of the United States government scrambling to get a hold on what is going on and attempt to stop it, Jack not only has the proper amount of skepticism about the true motivations of DE corporation, but has an extraordinary skill of his own that will help him fight back against overwhelming forces. He is forced to accept a challenge which borders on the impossible and he must win the fight for immortality or die in the process.

The Fight for Immortality is a brilliantly thought out novel with enough realism to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Peter Arthur expertly shows how an alien force, understanding the common thinking of humans and the things that it is correct and morally right to pursue, can become not only the stumbling block, but the means of eliminating us. Packed full of suspense, intrigue and realism, it is an enormous comfort that The Fight for Immortality is a work of fiction. I hope.

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Ambra Dawn is a Reader, able to look back into the past as well as get glimpses of the future. Yet her ability is more like a curse than a blessing – she is kidnapped and her parents killed, modified and enslaved. However, Ambra discovers that there are worst things that have and WILL happen; there are more complicated lessons she has to learn and understand. Her most important discovery of all is that humans and other beings of the universe secretly place their hope and fate on her shoulders.

I dare say that “Reader” engaged me with its story quicker than any other sci-fi novels than I have read before. It was as if I was reading a personal diary meant just for me. The novel was narrated from the perspective of only one character, Ambra Dawn, and author Erec Stebbins brilliantly used this focal point to shed new light upon the universe and Earth itself in ways that I could never imagine before. Emotionally, I was deeply connected with the protagonist Ambra. Some of her painful experience was hard to read, but this shows how effortlessly the story engaged me. This is a science fiction novel with stunning originality and is unquestionably a classic, one of the best ever written in the genre. Book 1 from this 'Daughter of Time series' made a loyal fan and a believer out of me, and I can’t wait to 'meet' Ambra again in Book 2.