Mark Landon Jarvis, Future Fugitives (prequel, Endless Tempest series)
I nearly had several tiny heart attacks as some chapters ended. While not exactly cliffhangers, since the action/adventure propelled me along (and didn’t perturb me like most cliffhangers do), the situations were harrowing enough and the characters endearing enough to make me concerned for their well-being. (And I’m not even a Mom — okay, I’m a Dog Mom.) I dare you to read chapter one, “Sneet” — all of two pages plus one line long — then honestly tell me you’re not hooked; I’ll buy your copy of the book. Jarvis seamlessly switches between the voices of his co-protagonists (or are they?!) and their POV while cleverly juggling a dual timeline — and occasionally more than two. News-article type “context files” punctuate the drama with facts that are fascinating in and of themselves, at least the ones that are nonfiction, and the fictional tidbits seem so scientific they make Jarvis’s world even more real. The novel is not without humor, including the brutal honesty of children, parodied lists of medical side effects, or casual mention of tin hats (and the types of people who are inclined to wear them). There’s a refreshing and proper display of 2nd Amendment rights. There’s even a teensy bit of Sci-Fi Poetry, which I didn’t know was a thing (I’m somewhat ashamed to admit, as a sci-fi fan and someone who claims to write poetry). I truly cannot wait for this movie. #ReadLocalKS
P.S. This was not — nor are any of my reviews — written with the help of AI, and I have been a fan of em dashes for as long as I can remember ... which is a long time, since I’m older than I look. As is one of the characters ... oh, wait, I don’t want to give any more away. Allow me add how glad I am to discover the ‘Endless Tempest’ series with this prequel; I’m going to go right out and buy the rest of the books this weekend! (Oh, and now that I’ve finally posted a review, I can eat some Tic Tacs. #IYKYK)
(For those doing the ReadICT 2025 challenge: Fits categories #3, 7, 8, 9, and maybe even #6 & 10.)
submitted by member Julie Ann Baker Brinn
I nearly had several tiny heart attacks as some chapters ended. While not exactly cliffhangers, since the action/adventure propelled me along (and didn’t perturb me like most cliffhangers do), the situations were harrowing enough and the characters endearing enough to make me concerned for their well-being. (And I’m not even a Mom — okay, I’m a Dog Mom.) I dare you to read chapter one, “Sneet” — all of two pages plus one line long — then honestly tell me you’re not hooked; I’ll buy your copy of the book. Jarvis seamlessly switches between the voices of his co-protagonists (or are they?!) and their POV while cleverly juggling a dual timeline — and occasionally more than two. News-article type “context files” punctuate the drama with facts that are fascinating in and of themselves, at least the ones that are nonfiction, and the fictional tidbits seem so scientific they make Jarvis’s world even more real. The novel is not without humor, including the brutal honesty of children, parodied lists of medical side effects, or casual mention of tin hats (and the types of people who are inclined to wear them). There’s a refreshing and proper display of 2nd Amendment rights. There’s even a teensy bit of Sci-Fi Poetry, which I didn’t know was a thing (I’m somewhat ashamed to admit, as a sci-fi fan and someone who claims to write poetry). I truly cannot wait for this movie. #ReadLocalKS
P.S. This was not — nor are any of my reviews — written with the help of AI, and I have been a fan of em dashes for as long as I can remember ... which is a long time, since I’m older than I look. As is one of the characters ... oh, wait, I don’t want to give any more away. Allow me add how glad I am to discover the ‘Endless Tempest’ series with this prequel; I’m going to go right out and buy the rest of the books this weekend! (Oh, and now that I’ve finally posted a review, I can eat some Tic Tacs. #IYKYK)
(For those doing the ReadICT 2025 challenge: Fits categories #3, 7, 8, 9, and maybe even #6 & 10.)
submitted by member Julie Ann Baker Brinn
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