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The Interview
I was able to interview Eric Sammons, long time Editor-in-Chief of the Catholic Crisis Magazine and now a science fiction writer. His first sci-fi piece, Shard of Eden, is out now.
We discussed the general plot of his book.
Asimov’s Three Laws as a Warning for today
His work on studying how society and the Catholic Church can move forward in this Age of AI.
The Review
**Spoiler-free Review**
A Shard of Eden by Eric Sammons is a well written story, with good characters, a steady pace, and a unique take on tried-and-true science fiction questions. At no point did the narrative bog down, as flashback chapters added to the characters’ motivations and decision making processes. One thing I particularly felt was the scenes involving the main character missing his wife. As one who has been deployed to war zones, I can attest the author did those scenes well.
Context & Disclaimer about the Subgenre: Shard of Eden is what I call “Church Triumphant Science Fiction.” In this sub-genre, there is a new Christendom with most if not all the characters accepting Catholicism. This makes the book more a tool to explore how the Church would deal with a science fiction question vice a character driven tale. If you’re fine with that, then there is no problem. However, if you want some other set up to explore the faith or a are non-Catholic, this story may lose a star in your own personal review. I won’t go into any spoilers, but none of the fictional events is problematic to Catholic Church teaching.
The book was enjoyable and earns five stars from me. The one thing I found a fault with was one of the characters would kept being a smart alec. In a military situation that has gone on for years, order would be necessary during intense times. While I was reading these scenes, I thought about how the character would have gotten his jaw beat early on for being out of line so often.
Other Independent Book Promotions
Daughter of Orpheus by H.C. Southwark - Free Book
Isme made a single mistake.
She lived secretly on an island with her father, preparing for the end of the world under his strict guidance. An apocalypse was a big deal, of course, but it had happened before: everyone knew that the gods had destroyed and rebuilt the world several times...
So when she sang to the sea, it was just a momentary flash of teenage rebellion. Hardly anything to be concerned about.
But now she has blood on her hands.
Driven by blood guilt, Isme must leave the safety of her island and travel to the other side of Greece. Only the famed Oracle of Delphi can tell her how to escape the fate of a murderer.
But highway robbers are the least of Isme’s worries. She lives in a world of dangerous spirits and quarrelsome gods, who are more likely to carry her off than help her... and worst of all is the strange invisible monster that stalks her every move...
Isme knows that she is risking everything.
And time is running out.
Midlife Exes and Oddball Hexes by Antara Mann - Paranormal Cozy Mystery for Sale and on Kindle Unlimited
Starting over at forty. In a small town full of weirdness. And then I’m framed for murder.
When my husband of over fifteen years asks for a divorce and my son leaves for college, my life is shattered. Luckily, my best friend invited me to live with her in a small town in the foothills of Mount Shasta. Having nothing to lose, I accept this chance to start fresh. But things are far from ordinary: my best friend’s son behaves pretty unconventionally, and the next-door neighbor has a penchant for walking naked in her backyard. But the cherry on top is the town’s bully—a failed entrepreneur from San Francisco who believes my best friend is a wicked witch and, by association, I am, too. I thought life would be easier and calmer, but when the town’s bully is murdered, things go south. To add insult to injury, our fingerprints are found at the crime scene.
It’s time for me to get answers and clear my name. Like, what could go wrong? It’s not like magic is real or that cats can talk, right?
Pantheon Omnibus Edition: Volume I by Joshua Landeros - Free Review Copy (Please leave a review if you download it)
Enter the world of Avah if you dare. A world where magic and monsters roam free. The people of Sebel face a looming war between the nations that threatens to bring ruination to the world. Strong-willed Athaliah, a war veteran’s daughter with a desire to explore the world, faces her destiny head-on. On the other side of the southern side of the continent is a young man with a hidden power. Yaphet has been treated cruelly over the years by his clansmen, but he has his own dream to reach: uncovering the secrets of the world of mysticism. Unbeknownst to them all, an enigmatic being known as only as the Wanderer watches these developments with astute interest. She’s been labeled a demon, a mutation, a scourge to be expunged, and yet she still stands ready. Ready to raise the flag of a race long thought dead. A race that truly has the power to shake the very foundations of Avah.
This special edition includes:
Trial of Roses
Trial of the Lake
Trial of Mettle
Pantheon
Pantheon: The Phantom
Fugitive by J. A. Webb - Free Prequel Novella
A prequel novella to:
The Seekers Series- The Book of Eli meets Frank Peretti
A Christian Epic Thriller of Deception, Faith, and the Fight for Truth
They’d murdered his family.
Stolen his childhood- and even his innocence.
But when they demanded his soul . . .
The year is 2158.
Civilization has collapsed, but from the ashes, the Order has emerged, not as a savior, but as the unseen power that has ruled all along.
Once a subtle force lurking in the background of human history, the cataclysm has unveiled the Order’s dominion in full—an unchallenged, one-world religion that bends all to its will. Truth is a relic. Dissent is a death sentence.
When Professor Reuel arrives unannounced and in obvious distress, his old friend Butterman offers to help.
But his assistance may very well come at the price of his home and his livelihood, possibly even his life- unless a mysterious new visitor intervenes.
Find out if Butterman or Reuel can survive the tyranny of the Order, and start the adventure with a sneak peek behind the scenes of the exciting new Christian epic, The Seekers Series.
Brothers of Chaos by Merick N.H. Ulrik - Free First Book in the Series
Vandryn of house Glenclare faces insurmountable odds fighting against the corrupt Melborians. He will rely on an unexpected friendship with an elf named Zan Cadeyn Umbaden and his alluring sister Zylla. Together they will face the will of the Blood Queen, empress Ash Axana and a treacherous plot of a beautiful young blood mage named Liliath.
This series is Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery Mild Dark Fantasy with some adult situations.
Until Next Time
Next time will take a critical look at the European Drone Episode of 2025.
As always, please leave a comment with any questions, reviews, thoughts, whatever about Fallen, Risen, Dormition, An Odd Pilgrimage, The Savannah Paranormal Detective Agency or whatever else I have discussed. I promise to reply!
