John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

An addictive VR video game leads to surprising and challenging lessons about internet safety in Cyberama by Arthi Vasudevan, a clever children’s book laced with critical wisdom. Maya is a curious gamer with cyber-savvy parents working on a secret government project, but when bad actors attack via cyberspace, it will take fresh knowledge and clever defenses to save the day as the situation spirals out of control. Supported by AI-infused cyber pals that try to keep Maya safe as she ventures through the online world, this story of self-discovery, safety, and cybersecurity is equally entertaining and educational. Breaking down complex […]

The intrepid Delta Squad of space commandos is back in Invasive Species by Nick Snape, the sixth book in his wildly creative Weapons of Choice series. In need of recuperation after their recent tragic losses, the team descends into the Stratan system, only to find a shattered society of regressed humanity where trust is rarer than resources, and violence reigns supreme. Snape’s wholly original characters play with readers’ contemporary preconceptions about life, sentience, and the purpose of human evolution, while also delivering an action-heavy thriller that will satisfy any fan of tech-driven sci-fi. After six books, the pace and intricate […]

A captivating and original high-seas thriller, The Halcyon Crisis by Drew Harrison takes readers into the fascinating bowels and drama of a cruise ship as it navigates the dangers of a brazen pirate takeover. What the tech-savvy terrorists don’t expect is a skilled hostage negotiator among the ragtag cast of rebellious and entertainingly entitled travelers. Impressively capturing the energy and personalities of cruise directors, vice admirals, travel bloggers and villains alike, Harrison patiently unfurls this ransom-driven plot with masterful suspense, peppered with tongue-in-cheek narration and countless moments of clever dialogue. A conspiratorial heist like few others, this creative and compelling […]

A profoundly insightful look into one man’s relationship to race, Half-Caste: Decidedly Brown in a Black or White World by Jerome Cranston is a reflective memoir that is both timely and deeply personal. The author fearlessly explores interracial existence through challenging stories of cruelty in childhood, the peril of international travel, and the complexity of romance when it collides with social norms. On the surface, the book may seem to be written for a mixed-ethnicity audience, but there are anecdotal gems of wisdom and experiential advice that will benefit any reader. With a unique voice and style, Cranston shows himself […]

A timely and tightly penned novel, The Mother’s Threat by Susan Specht Oram dives into the violence of political belief and the dangerous half-truths we tell the ones we love. Eager to be her own boss and launch a security services company, Violet Cleveland, the intrepid head of Outrigger Services, never expected to be defending against enemies so close to home. Each character in this intimate thriller is gritty and compelling, particularly the high-stakes operator at the center of the story. There are some grammatical issues that could use a further proofread, and the prose tends towards declarative, rather than […]