Science Fiction | Self-Publishing Review

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: Charles O'Donnell, Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction|

Review: Artefactum by J.E. Tobal

Author J.E. Tobal combines sci-fi with some heavy inter-dimensional soul-searching in Artefactum, a cerebral and kaleidoscopic new thriller.

After coming into unlikely possession of Mictlantecuhtl, a powerful artifact that grants him the power to leap between realities, Sam’s semi-stable life spins into an epic quest for a timeless goal that spans the multiverse, and beyond. From mile-high death deities, living inside porn movies, and cross-dimensional betrayals to nightmare realms, rips in time, and existential quandaries, this book goes mind-bendingly hard into the endless possibilities presented by multiverse theory.

A bartender who defies the usual tropes, Sam may overindulge in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-11T13:04:14+02:00March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: J.E. Tobal, Science Fiction|

Review: Freezing Reign by L.A. Goff

Tapping into contemporary fears and deep-seated themes of equality and purpose, Freezing Reign by L.A. Goff is an ambitious work of dystopian fiction, and the first installment of a tough but emotional new series.

As the Olympian virus continues to rip through the female population of the planet, Mirari Vega’s father makes an impossible choice to place his healthy daughter in a homemade cryogenic chamber before her chromosomal fate is sealed. Having already missed the chance to save his wife, he promises to bring his daughter back once the technology to safely revive her exists. A dozen years later, Mirari […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-03T12:18:21+02:00February 27th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction|

Review: The Borderlands of Forever by Jeff B. Willey

Spiraling forward through time, space, evolution, and human exploration, The Borderlands of Forever by Jeff B. Willey is an experimental and exceptionally well-written novel depicting our species’ tragic and star-bound future.

In this sprawling portal into the future, the second half of the 21st century is punctuated by the discovery of inter-dimensional enemies and the collapse of freedom as we know it. That’s nothing compared to the cataclysmic events leading into the 22nd century, including the blending of man and machine, and violent pushbacks against these autags and cyborgs. Eventually, the machine intelligence on Earth wins out, and a point […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-29T11:07:24+02:00February 27th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction, Visionary Fiction|

Review: Energy Wars by Lionel Lazarus

Intergalactic power struggles and a universe driven by the hunt for precious fuel, Lionel Lazarus dazzles readers with Energy Wars, the second and third parts of his Energy Exchange series.

Immensely powerful and ageless, but still able to be surprised, The Eight is returning to his home galaxy onboard the Hela, but finds that an unthinkable coup has occurred. His beloved companion, the supreme leader of the Overlords, is gone, and now The Sixth threatens the historic peace the Overlords had worked to achieve.

Having learned from past battles, The Eight knows to rely on brains, rather than brawn, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-23T17:51:04+02:00January 19th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Lionel Lazarus, Science Fiction|

Review: The Message by Bill Harvey

A sci-fi thriller replete with psychic energy and covert intel action, The Message by Bill Harvey is a creative chapter of an expansive near-future world.

Instilled with the quiet knowledge that he was always destined for a greater purpose than an anonymous military life, Martin Williams is the perfect reluctant hero protagonist. His uncanny hunches, guided by “the advisor in his mind,” have made him a renowned military man, but hint that his instincts may be heightened by dormant psychic abilities. The world is changing, and the rules of war continue to shift, as do the weapons.

Williams is unexpectedly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-02-28T14:15:49+02:00January 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Bill Harvey, Science Fiction, Visionary Fiction|

Review: Pandemonium by Bill Harvey

In a world where psychic agents have entered the battlefields of covert intelligence and geopolitics, Pandemonium is an apt title for this head-spinning novel from Bill Harvey.

One of Theta Force’s most powerful trainers has disappeared, and Ed Templegard is tasked by the president himself to find him. Templegard’s persistent curiosity and ability to enter the minds and awareness of others in the halls of international power makes him a perfect spy, even if that leads him on a crash-course with the same megalomaniac murderer who had once captured and tortured him. Navigating the murky waters of mental manipulation, loyalty, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-02-27T13:36:36+02:00December 22nd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Bill Harvey, Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction|

Review: Earworms by Zack Duncan

Blending character-driven drama and hometown heartache with a psychological crime thriller, Earworms by Zack Duncan is an addictive spiral of visionary sci-fi storytelling.

A lucid-dreaming journalist with a penchant for digging up truths people want to keep hidden, Max Barker has returned home after many years to bury his father. He hasn’t seen his old friend Oren West in over a decade, but the now-famous case-cracking PI is at the funeral with an unusual request: Oren needs Max to operate an illegal memory-accessing device in order to locate a missing 16-year-old girl. Still reeling from the shock and grief of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-12-23T14:21:20+02:00November 28th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction, Thriller|