Science Fiction Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Drax (Rangers of the Realm Book 2) by Ron Blacksmith

A second galaxy-spanning thriller in Ron Blacksmith’s Rangers of the Realm series, The Drax is a riveting second installment.

When a distant starship of colonists sends out an emergency signal for aid, Captain Mik Rogan and his illustrious crew of Rangers aboard the Rockne are the first responders on the scene. The carnage they find leads them to a much more dangerous culprit than common space pirates – an unknown enemy with advanced weaponry, possible bioweapons, and a seemingly impenetrable underground base. The unwitting colonists had been looking for a fresh start, but they tragically chose a star system inhabited […]

Review: The Eye of Farem by Ron Blacksmith

An epic adventure beyond the known cosmos, The Eye of Farem by Ron Blacksmith is a bold first piece in his Rangers of the Realm series.

Thousands of years in the future, humanity has spread amongst the stars, along with Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and a kaleidoscope of otherworldly beings and bots. Guided and protected by the noble and legendary Wardens, the Realm of Planets is a thriving and diverse ecosystem born from the wise and daring population of Earth.

When Captain Mik Rogan and his crew of Rangers aboard the Rockne receive orders to retrieve an ancient artifact with galactic […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-02-18T11:04:23+02:00February 18th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: First Elite by Emmanuel M Arriaga

A vengeance-fueled revelation that will shake the Huzien Empire and its exalted heroes to the core, First Elite by Emmanuel M Arriaga is a stellar third and final installment of the Foundra series.

As Neven Kenk wrestles with the gut-wrenching loss of his wife and unborn child, their murderer continues to ravage the Twin Galaxies and twist the knife in the side of the Founder’s Elites. Despite his unstable state, Neven is determined to find and kill Entradis, the merciless butcher responsible for his mourning, no matter the cost. He launches himself into the hunt with Ellipse and Tashanira, a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-02-14T15:19:47+02:00February 13th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Defiant Dominion by Athene Z. Adam

A spectacular third act to the Reign of the North Forest saga, Defiant Dominion by Athene Z. Adam is an off-world allegory in a far-flung future.

The crash landing of a starship and two aliens from Earth has sent a shockwave through the childlike population of Eiyesia. Rather than arriving as a harbinger of a third war with their ancestral planet, Dr. Alex Nymaria and his brilliant mind may be the key to solving the arrested development of the Antisenents. However, not everyone on Eiyesia sees a permanent cure for this “disease” as a good thing, including King Drimys, putting […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-02-03T13:17:16+02:00February 3rd, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Forecast by Aaron Ryan

A supernatural historical thriller that challenges the ideas of destiny and free will, Forecast by Aaron Ryan is an intriguing work of alternate history about one of the darkest days in modern America.

When Roland Bishop begins seeing flashes of the future after a freak accident, this New Jersey weatherman is pulled into a life of vigilante rescues for strangers and loved ones alike. However, after a disturbing vision of a hijacking and a massive terrorist attack in New York City, he must find a way to prevent his grim 9/11 prophecy from becoming reality. With the help of his […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-01-02T16:59:18+02:00December 31st, 2024|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Terrorist Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Dissonance Volume IV: Relentless by Aaron Ryan

The sixth installment of Aaron Ryan’s epic survival saga, Dissonance Volume IV: Relentless brings readers into a new wave of global conflict against a voracious alien enemy.

After nearly 20 years of struggle against the extraterrestrial Gorgons, humanity has finally reclaimed its home, scouring the planet to eradicate every last paralyzing invader and beginning the long process to rebuild. The diabolical threat from the previous American president – a series of potentially world-ending nuclear strikes – has been eliminated, and she has been replaced by the rebel leader turned global hero, Vance Cardona.

Backed up by battle-tested allies like Miguel […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-03-24T13:20:46+02:00December 9th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Maredian by Susan B. Iris

A futuristic sci-fi thriller with a wildly unique hook, The Maredian by Susan B. Iris delivers a riveting dive into human identity and the powerful threads that connect all life in the universe.

When Gracie Pinto goes out for a last-minute 80s-themed birthday celebration, little does she know that reality on Earth is about to irrevocably change. The Maredian, an advanced alien civilization, makes first contact that same night in a cataclysm of fire and destruction, killing billions outright and capturing countless others, including Gracie.

Onboard the alien megaship of mangled prisoners, torture, enslavement, and death, Gracie miraculously finds a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-12-05T12:46:04+02:00November 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Monarchs by Mark Sabbas

Stunning in its messaging and epic in scale, The Monarchs by Mark Sabbas is a remarkable work of visionary science fiction.

A powerful young child with uncontrolled psychic abilities, Samuel Helen is unlike the other cognitively evolved children in the military research facility he begrudgingly calls home. Some people view these gifted “new youth,” born in increasing numbers each year, as the next stage in human evolution, while others see them as potential weapons. Isolated from the other research subjects in the facility, for fear of a rebellion, Samuel is experimented on like an animal, in an attempt to free […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-12-02T19:06:25+02:00November 4th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|