John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Artefactum by J.E. Tobal

Tapping into the endless possibility of multiverse theory, author J.E. Tobal mixes up a gritty sci-fi masterpiece of lost love, desperation, and cross-dimensional adventure in his new novel, Artefactum.

A grief-driven antihero with a dimension-leaping talisman and a drinking problem is about as unlikely a protagonist as one could imagine, but Sam is irresistible, oddly charming, and admirable in both his principles and passions. Seeing a character depicted in true love, and then facing devastating loss, is instantly bonding for the reader to follow this character wherever he goes, even beyond the bounds of reality itself. This quixotic quest […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-11T13:04:19+02:00April 7th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham

A swirling return to the dark whimsy of a familiar setting, Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham details Alice’s fourth adventure to the time-spinning world of Cheshire cats and mad queens, and is as inventive and immersive as all of her previous trips.

As ever, the lessons learned on the other side of the looking glass have impacted her normal life. Her lost love, Jack Door, the black-feathered boy from her third trip, has never had an equal among Alice’s real-world suitors, so she longs to return. A tense family trip to the seaside yanks this older and wiser […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-07T11:56:02+02:00April 6th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen by Cameron A. Straughan

Taking readers beyond the pale of comedy, decency, and reality itself, author Cameron A. Straughan delivers a gobsmacking adventure of weird whimsy with The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen. Following the banal yet brain-boggling events of one man’s larger-than-life existence, this collection of loosely-linked vignettes bends the limits of normality in an outlandish spree of storytelling.

The bizarre nature of the world that Straughan has created transcends the lines of farce in some ways, but there is always some strange sliver of reality that draws readers back. The idea of colleagues growing accustomed to Anthony forgetting to wear pants, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-06T16:38:10+02:00April 6th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Humor|

Review: Jetsam by Tracy Grogan

Death-defying drama and an intimate character portrait make Jetsam by Tracy Grogan an addictive thrill for fans of the Divemaster Ricky series.

Leaving behind trauma and a shocking loss in North Africa, Ricky is eager to start a new job thousands of miles away, and turn a page in her unpredictable life. A three-month break on a luxury yacht seems like a dream job – an impressive salary and a string of cushy dives should be the perfect salve for her aching soul, but peace is not on the ship’s manifest.

As the scope and true expectations of her employment […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-12T13:51:31+02:00April 5th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Prince of Blue Flowers by Ryu Zhong

The roots of evil run deep in Prince of Blue Flowers by Ryu Zhong, a sprawling and fantastic opening chapter to the Adventures of Takuan from Koto series.

Demons, gods, emperors, and fatal negotiations with otherworldly beings populate these pages in a relentless weaving of magic, legend, and indigenous folklore. At the same time, the focal characters are unassuming and simple heroes on their own journeys of self-discovery. Whether it is Ta-Guan’s bizarre capers while hunting down the sun, or Hatsukoi pilfering melons, pranking blacksmiths, or artfully acquiring a governor’s horse, there is a childish pleasure imbuing nearly all the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-09T10:02:09+02:00April 4th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Univirtual by Charles O’Donnell

More than 50 years in the future, the integration of technology, biology, and psychology reaches a fever pitch in Univirtual by Charles O’Donnell, a prescient and thought-provoking work of science fiction.

The division between real life and virtual reality has practically disappeared in this tech-obsessed world of tomorrow, but when the leaders of the Millennium Republic attempt to blur that line even further, unexpected heroes will rise to defend their humanity, and reality itself. Thematically, this novel is rife with details for tech enthusiasts to dive into, not to mention political junkies, and fans of dystopian fiction.

On the University […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-04T11:25:47+02:00April 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Gwydion by Robert J. Dornan

Author Robert J. Dornan spins a fairy-tale yarn that blurs reality in the undeniably original and entertaining fantasy, Gwydion. A princess besieged by dull suitors in a castle that feels more like a prison, Poppi is eager for anything to remedy her lonely life. However, when the enemy arrives at the royal gates, Poppi becomes a hunted leader overnight, and must use her newfound magical talisman to protect those in her care. More than three centuries later, that same princess shares her story with a skeptical reporter, bringing more than a touch of magic into his decidedly non-magical life. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-03T11:04:49+02:00April 3rd, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Return Protocol by Nick Snape

In Return Protocol, the second mind-bending installment of Nick Snape’s Weapons of Choice series, a trio of battle-hardened heroes shifts the battlefield to a hostile alien home world. Armed with new light-speed tech, and a pacifistic AI ally, Noah, Zuri, and Finn bring their guns-blazing style of diplomacy to Havenhome, but they’ll need to embark on a harrowing mission to an ancient data repository, while outsmarting the dangerous predators and manipulative Masters along the way, if they ever hope to return to Earth from the immortality-obsessed planet. This is an eccentric, creative, and thought-provoking novel boasting original characters, futuristic […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-31T18:06:49+02:00March 31st, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|