Review: Flotilla by Dan Haight

Publisher: Indie
Genre: Science Fiction / Adventure

“Flotilla is crossover apocalyptic science fiction that fans of Blade Runner, Star Wars, the Hunger Games and Firefly will fall in love with.  This is a story that will bring hard-core sci-fi geeks, teens and adventure fans together.” This is the quote taken directly from all retailers in reference to Dan Haight’s novel Flotilla, a story that follows the teenage Jim as he goes through life on the Pacific Fisheries Colony D, attempting to reconnect with his estranged father Rick and survive the underworld businesses like drugs and gambling at the same time. I can say that as fans of all the series listed above, I was happy with my time with Flotilla.

Haight’s novel follows Jim from a first person perspective, which I believe is the right choice. Haight does a great job of characterization with Jim. He writes all of Jim’s experiences like a fourteen year old teenager struggling with his own issues while being forced to grow up too fast on this sea-standing colony. You get to know our protagonist extremely well.

Haight’s setting is also vividly detailed that the Colony practically becomes a character in its own right. Jim’s first sight of the colony is detailed as “a floating wreckage” and a “Naval disaster.” I know we all have heard the term “don’t judge a book by its cover” but this floating wreckage mirrored its outward appearance. And little did Jim know what the Colony would have in store for him.

Flotilla is extremely well paced. There wasn’t a moment when I felt the book was lagging or seemed to be too stretched out in detail. The novel truly gets fast and furious in the last few chapters and you’re left with without so much as a clue as to what will happen to Jim next. The novel keeps you wanting more by ending with Jim saying “I’ll figure it out in the morning.”

Rating: 9/10

Flotilla can be purchased at these retailers: Smashwords Amazon

Flotilla’s 2nd Edition comes out tomorrow on November 23 (Black Friday) in ebook as well as hard copy.

Promotion- Wolf Sirens: Fever by Tina Smith

Here is a little shameless promotion for my friend Tina Smith who has published her 2nd book in her fantastic Wolf Sirens series. Having read the book myself, I promise that Smith delivers a gripping read from start to finish. Below is the novel description taken from Smashwords:

A shadow has fallen over the heart lands of myth and reality. Will the huntress or her heart prevail? Breaking away from the call of destiny and fearing betrayal, Lila makes a desperate escape in search of her lost beloved. The intensity between two ancient enemies ignites. The history of the wolf pack is revealed as devotion and desire in the underworld reaches fever pitch.

Fever, the 2nd book in the Wolf Sirens series is available now!
Fever can be purchased here: Smashwords

New to Wolf Sirens? The 1st installment Wolf Sirens: Forbidden is available through Amazon as part of the KDP Select program. Those of you with Amazon Prime can download the first installment free! Click here to view the Wolf Sirens: Forbidden Amazon page.

Review: Twin-Bred by Karen A. Wyle

Publisher: Indie (via Smashwords)
Genre: Science Fiction

Twin-Bred is a science fiction novel by author Karen A. Wyle. However, Twin-Bred is hardly a Star Wars-esque space adventure with flagship battles and heat-seeking lasers. Twin-Bred instead focuses on the characters and the relationships between two different species trying to cohabit the same planet and the attempt to create inbred communication between the species from birth.

Mara’s relationship with Levi is interesting. From the get-go, we learn Mara was a twin in utero with a boy whom their mother named Levi. He ended up tragically dying before birth. However, even in the present-day, Mara still speaks to Levi as if he is truly there. It is in this relationship that piques my particular interest.

Levi has grown with Mara through her own design but as you read on and engross yourself in their relationship, you often times forget that Levi truly isn’t there and that he is a hologram of sorts (to go with the Sci-Fi theme) created by Mara’s thoughts. This idea to me is similar to imaginary friends, but Mara doesn’t grow out of this one. This fact is not unfounded however. Wyle did her research and this kind of behavior seems to be normal in the case of twins.

Relationships and interaction is definitely Wyle’s strong point. I found the descriptions of the world and the setting lacking and I could have used a bit more description in that regard. However, Wyle gives a definitive visual of the Tofa and this is a triumph in the novel. But truly this is my only criticism.

What I find interesting in this novel is that the idea that the morality of LEVI (the title of the project meaning Long-Term Emissary Viviparous Initiative) is never questioned, that is, the idea of forcing two different species to mate. The readers can spitball about this topic on their own.

Twin-Bred is no ordinary science fiction novel. As I said before, there are no space battles or laser-guns. In fact, there is no visual violence to be spoken of in the novel. Instead, the novel focuses on the characters, where sometimes science fiction novels can be lacking. The book is by no means fast paced, but given time, it will stir enough excitement for you to continue.

Rating: 7/10

This novel can be purchased at these retailers: Smashwords Amazon B&N Kobo

The Paradox Cover Revealed!

Yes folks what you see above you is the cover for my new novel The Paradox, the sequel to my debut fantasy novel The Vessel.

When is The Paradox supposed to be released you ask? Currently, I am aiming for a Nov. 27 release date on Smashwords and Amazon, but things can change. If anybody would like a review copy before the release date in order to provide a review for the novel, please e-mail me at michael_a_mccarthy@hotmail.com. I will provide review copies one week before the release date and I am only giving out 10 copies.

What are our thoughts on the cover?