John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: May We Learn From the Earth by Robert J. Tiess

With this stunning observational record of the natural world, poet Robert J. Tiess has curated a brilliant collection in May We Learn From the Earth: Nature Poems and Reflections on the Environment.

A self-described ecopoet with a remarkable eye for the secret beauty and subtle wonders of nature, this is both an homage to the Earth and a desperate plea for a shift in collective consciousness. From academic and allusion-laced verses to thoughtful personal poems that reflect the writer’s own experience, this broad-ranging book feels both contemporary and timeless.

“Ecclesiastes of the Earth” is one of the strongest poems […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-12T13:09:13+02:00June 11th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Intelligent Digital Ecosystems by Janak Alford

Brilliantly dissecting the mind-opening potential and dire existential threat that technology simultaneously represents, Janak Alford delivers a critical and thought-provoking thesis on the future with his book Intelligent Digital Ecosystems: How Rethinking Technology Will Expand Your Mind and Change Your World.

Recognizing our increasing and ironic social isolation via digital tools and devices, while acknowledging what a unifying and monumental force those same tools could represent if used wisely, this book seeks to define and defend a vision of what could be for the human race. By asking questions regarding our species’ codependency with technology, Alford artfully unpacks the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-12T12:15:19+02:00June 8th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Abandon Us by E.T. Gunnarsson

A post-apocalyptic adventure from a masterful storyteller, Abandon Us by E.T. Gunnarsson is a thrilling first glimpse at the author’s darkly prophetic Odemark series.

Fifty years from now, with a new pandemic raging and America on the brink of civil war, unlikely heroes are formed in a brutal crucible of human suffering. The air itself is poison, faceless police patrol the streets with merciless drones, the elite are escaping the chaos in star-bound Arks, and those left behind are struggling to find purpose and peace. Even in this grim vision of the future, there are recognizable elements of society today […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-28T09:29:28+02:00June 1st, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Post-Apocalyptic Book Reviews|

Finn’s War by Nick Snape

An epic fourth installment of the Weapons of Choice series, Finn’s War by Nick Snape is propelled forward at a blistering pace by gripping sci-fi action in a fully realized world. When the long-suffering squad at the heart of this series finally reaches a colonizing seed ship, they find an unexpected alien landscape where power, profit, and control have taken hold. As ever, these fearless warriors must push their finely tuned abilities and cutting-edge tech to the limit in order to protect one another, and outsmart the forces of oppression. There are occasional plot holes or moments of disbelief, but […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-31T14:23:48+02:00May 31st, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Home Rule by Stella Atrium

Tense interplanetary drama that artfully dissects philosophical, personal, and political dilemmas, Home Rule by Stella Atrium is the stunning new installment of The Tribal Wars saga.

To protest the unwanted and unhinged reign of Rabbenu Ely, Arrivi women are lighting themselves on fire in the streets, desperate to capture the attention of Earth’s media and gain support for their cause. Hershel Henry, the intrepid journalist, is determined to cover the ongoing conflict surrounding colonial liberation, but is inevitably pulled into the action himself, becoming a part of the story. Brianna’s secrets, Kelly’s heroic reputation, and Henry’s eagerness for truth-telling collide […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-24T15:30:23+02:00May 23rd, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Space Opera Book Reviews|

The Weekly Economist II by Ray Keating

Ray Keating has compiled an accessible, wide-ranging compendium that analyzes and clarifies the complexity of economics in The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Despite the political football that economics has become in the political sphere, Keating remains remarkably impartial here, offering fair critiques and reasonable assessments of economic decisions, theories, and policies across time. From JFK’s unusual taxation policies to the impact of Covid-19 on entrepreneurship, this is an impressive second installment of the author’s economics essays, avoiding repetition from the first collection, and offering cogent advice that feels more […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-23T16:39:19+02:00May 23rd, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Just Like Majick by D.L. Yoder

A mysterious figure straight out of a Charles Dickens novel sparks a tantalizing new puzzle for the perennially inquisitive Magdalena Majick in D.L. Yoder’s Just Like Majick.

With her keen investigative powers and penchant for bending the rules of police tape and clue recognition, Majick is a charming amateur detective reminiscent of Jessica Fletcher or Miss Marple. The mystery of a shadowy intruder may be romantic, obsessive, or something else entirely, but it is undeniably intriguing, and the swirl of eccentric characters she moves through makes it easy to lose yourself in the tangle. With a touch of magical […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-23T12:56:09+02:00May 20th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Mystery Book Reviews|

Wielders of Woe: Inferno by Jeffery Roarke Jr.

A galactic military thriller bursting with royal intrigue and adventure, Wielders of Woe: Inferno by Jeffery Roarke Jr. skillfully blurs the lines of sci-fi and fantasy. Fearlessly wielding the fiery powers of his mystical charna, Prince Halcion is forced to embark on an epic quest of redemption, determined to reclaim his stolen birthright. Slow-burning and patient, with revenge-heavy hints of Dumas, the detailed prose is sparkling and creative, while the expansive worlds that Roarke has created feel real enough to touch. Setting the stage for a compelling sci-fi/fantasy saga, Inferno is an exceptional opening salvo for a new series.[…]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-22T15:59:33+02:00May 19th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|