Editorial Reviews

E.T. Gunnarsson paints a grim picture of humanity’s self-inflicted future in Forgive Us, a dystopian thriller that will leave readers gasping, as though they too are on the toxic, Ignium-ruined surface of the Earth. Forged in the crucible of a post-apocalyptic world, this inter-generational cast of warriors, survivors, and rebels combine for a gripping slice of dark realism as they move through wastelands of the past. Mixing savvy future tech and sci-fi elements into gritty survival fiction and action-fueled road adventures, this complex, creative, and poignantly written book stands out in an increasingly crowded genre.

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Zachary Aneiress expands the wild and unpredictable adventures of a new-age deity with Athens Ophelia! In this second installment of the Athens Ophelia series, readers are plunged deeper into the supernatural, with demons on the hunt and hissing Collectors at every turn, but they’re also shown the deeply human side of this hero – insecurities, mistakes, and self-doubt. The writing style can only be described as free-form, where traditional grammar and sentence structure are occasionally abandoned. This can lend a sense of authenticity, but there are also many obvious errors that need to be addressed. The descriptive language also needs […]

Shemar Frazier delivers a grim but entertaining vision of our future in Revolution: The New World. Humanity, friendship, and trust are the last bastions of hope for a doomed and undead world where survival is threatened on all sides. Boasting an eclectic cast of young heroes, as well as a sprawling sci-fi premise with zombies, spaceships, and plot twists galore, this is pulp fiction at its finest. The writing is undeniably rough around the edges, and the time-jumping plot can be jarring, so there is a serious need for a thorough edit. However, the story also has plenty of […]

A rookie ATF agent and a ruthless mercenary who was “born without brakes” team up to unravel a deep and deadly mystery in Black Rifle by Alex Davidson. This jaw-dropping novel could only be set in America, and takes steady aim at the national obsession with firearms, as well as the battle over gun rights. Through a twisted, transcontinental plot and a mismatched pair of protagonists carrying their own concealed secrets, this novel is riveting and unrelenting. With rapid-fire dialogue, larger-than-life characters, and a sinister but believable conspiracy, Black Rifle hits the mark as a high-powered thriller with some trenchant […]

Ray Keating takes a new angle on his long-time hero in Past Lives, the latest installment of the Pastor Stephen Grant series. A mysterious enemy from the past comes back to haunt the warrior priest in this uniquely styled first-person story. As the clues mount, so does the body count, giving Grant yet another baffling and high-stakes case to unravel. This quick read is an enjoyable diversion from Keating’s normal narrative style, but it often feels rushed, and the diary structure has limitations, making the prose inconsistent when it leans towards more traditional storytelling. That said, this condensed mystery […]

Pairing the writings and wisdom of Frederick Douglass with the dynamic events and political structures of our modern world, The Frederick Douglass Project by Steve Amoia is both educational and rousing. Composed of short essays and articles written in 2007 and repurposed for the collection, this is a well-researched homage to one of America’s most impactful abolitionists. Today, in an era when those same claims of racism and injustice are ringing loudly across the country, Amoia’s accessible and inspiring pieces resonate greatly. Some of the articles do feel unnecessarily condensed, and more expansion on certain ideas or subjects would be […]

An electrifying new novel of self-discovery, liberation, and radical justice, Athens Ophelia the Partitioner by Zachary Aneiress is a bold and refreshing achievement. With an introspective protagonist facing multiple uphill battles, and a fantasy-driven plot that feels torn from a graphic novel, this fearless tale has attitude, insight, and a raw voice for a younger generation of readers. Drawing from a broad spectrum of genres and wielding an ambitious stream-of-consciousness style, there is a rugged informality to the prose. Some of the narration feels too unpolished to be intentional, but this is a surprisingly profound adventure celebrating diversity, purpose, representation, […]

A rough-edged piece of historical fiction, As the Road Narrows by James Anhalt is a tangled tale of murder, revenge, politics, and finding your own path in life – no matter how strange the road might get. A police procedural and a visceral snapshot of the seventies, this novel winds cleverly between genres, bringing to life quirky characters and ruthless criminals. The prose is informal, but impactful, and the author has a sharp, journalistic style that keeps the pace high and the story engaging. Despite the occasional conveniently closed plot hole that might raise an eyebrow, this colloquial adventure through […]