John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

An allegorical work of fiction that feels very close to home, Zombie by Clifford Benjamin is a controversial landmine of a novel, parodying deadly political villains and many of America’s recent woes. A vile, racist, and power-hungry POTUS flexes his cruelty across his people and the world in this dystopian reimagining of societal and political collapse. While the story is gripping and graphic, some of the formatting and technical details need improvement, including inconsistent capitalizations, a multitude of misspelled words, and other grammatical issues. With so many rough edges, Benjamin’s powerful and timely commentary loses a fair degree of impact, […]

A newly forged legend and an uncertain leader work to overcome their own guilt and dark shadows in Vale of Darkness by T.C. Elofson, the second installment of the Waterbringer Series. Deepening this masterfully crafted world with even more lore and legend – and an even greater evil that threatens a nascent empire – the author defies stereotypes in the genre, blending cultural traditions from fantasy and historical realms alike. With lyrical precision in scene-building, and an ominous blanket of suspense over much of the prose, this richly imagined adventure is exhilarating, and delivered with a savvy pen.

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A thoughtful and emotional collection of short fiction, POMSILv2 by Sheldon Charles is a captivating and unpredictable group of stories. From young lovers finding connection on a dance floor to Covid-inspired casino drama, future fiction about terraforming, and hard-hitting reflections on military legacy and PTSD, Charles once again proves his versatility in subject, mood, and execution. Some of the narration suffers from telling, rather than showing, but the pace of the stories is consistent, and the characters are cleverly crafted. With an ear for authentic emotions and an eye for both contemporary and classic themes, this collection is in turns […]

Two young boys learn about the excitement, risks, and proper usage of their new high-tech toy in Drone Adventure by Chris Mather. With the increasing popularization of drones in recent years, this is an important read for a new generation of gadget-savvy children. Despite the occasional slant rhyme and awkward syllable count in the rhythmic flow, the writing is straightforward, educational, and engaging. The quality and cleverness of the rhymes improve as the book progresses, and despite being quite short, Mather packs in plenty of understandable and critical information for young drone users. Balancing simple illustrations with an instructive two-part […]