TELEKINETIC

Telekinetic by Laurence Dahners
Book 1 in the Hyllis Family series
Narrated by Christopher Lane
Genre: post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Telekinetic:

The collapse of civilization has reduced their people back to iron and horsepower. The Hyllises tend to inherit “tele-talents” such as telekinesis and teleportation. Tarc Hyllis’ mother (and his grandfather before her) could “feel” things with their talent. They became healers because they could feel inside their patients, which frequently let them diagnose the underlying causes of an illness. Having made a diagnosis, unfortunately, there was often little they could do to treat a problem. Tarc’s father can “push” objects with his mind, but, because he can’t feel inside anything, he doesn’t know where to exert force in order to help to treat his wife’s patients. Tarc’s just gaining the ability to do both of these things. The combination of these two powers will let him both diagnose a physical problem such as internal bleeding, and then stop that bleeding by applying pressure inside the patient. His mother finds this development extraordinarily exciting. She has too often had to watch her patients die for lack of an effective treatment. Then some strangers show up to scout the town where the Hyllises live. They plan and initiate a violent takeover. Could Tarc’s powers, weak as they are, play a role in resisting this invasion? It turns out he can guide a knife after it’s thrown…

Source: Info in the "About Telekinetic" was taken from amazon on 03/05/2025.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in the Hyllis Family series, that means that this book is an introduction to the world of Tarc.

I didn't like the back and forth of the timeline. But I guess it is necessary to make a point that this is not an alternative medieval fantasy but a post-apocalyptic one.

Although the book ended the dilemma in the current book it also pointed towards the beginning of the the next book. It means it has a cliffhanger ending. I do not like cliffhangers and that is the main reason that this book will never get a 5 out of 5 rating from me.

The kindle cover art is appropriate to the story but it is not a "buy me!" cover. I'm a visual reader. Cover art is a big part in my reading choices.

I've listented to Christopher Lane before but this is the first audiobook where I actually finished the book. He did a pretty good job of bringing the world of Tarc to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 3.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 3.5
Pace = (7 hrs and 33 mins listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Hyllis Family Series:

 

Meet The Author

About Laurence Dahners:

Amazon best-selling Science Fiction writer, Laurence E. Dahners, is a former orthopedic surgeon who has written over fifty books, including eighteen in the popular Ell Donsaii series. He writes optimistic stories in which science solves problems rather than bringing on dystopias. His favorite writing strategy is to imagine, “what if,” some advance (such as teleportation, reactionless drives, stopping time, etcetera) were possible, what changes might be wrought in our world?

How might our hero utilize such an advance?

Who might stand to lose from the introduction of such changes and how might they strive to resist its introduction?

He loves to write such stories and hopes you’ll enjoy reading them.

laury.dahners.com | twitter | facebook | audible | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Christopher Lane:

Christopher Lane has received four Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine as well as four Audie Award nominations. His narration of Charlie Wilson's War earned him an Audie Award for unabridged nonfiction for in 2004. He performed and directed for the stage for twenty years in Washington, D.C., and he has been a teacher of acting for Boston University's School of Theatre Arts. He now makes his home in Rhode Island.

goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The book/ebook and/or audiobook were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.

ZERO DAY

Zero Day by Bobby Adair
Books 1 in the Slow Burn series
Genre: zombie apocalyptic fantasy
Format: ebook

About Zero Day:

Survive the infection! Survive the Infected!

A new flu strain has been spreading across Africa, Europe, and Asia. Disturbing news footage is flooding the cable news channels. People are worried and frightened.

But Zed Zane is oblivious. He needs to borrow rent money from his parents. He gets up Sunday morning, drinks enough tequila to stifle his pride and heads to his mom’s house for a lunch of begging, again.

But something is wrong. There’s blood in the foyer. His mother’s corpse is on the living room floor. Zed’s stepdad, Dan is wild with crazy-eyed violence and attacks Zed when he comes into the house. They struggle into the kitchen. Dan’s yellow teeth tear at Zed’s arm but he grabs a knife and stabs Dan, thirty-seven times, or so the police later say.

With infection burning in his blood, Zed is arrested for murder but the world is falling apart and he soon finds himself back on the street, fighting for his life among the infected who would kill him and the normal people, who fear him.

Source: Info in the "About Zero Day" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18633274-zero-day on 07/04/2023.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

Zombie apocalypse story.

The story parallels closely to the covid pandemic that you can't help but feel it! But this book was first published in 2013. Earily prophetic? Almost...

I wasn't sure if this book was fast-paced because I was reading it on my holiday and didn't have to put it down because I gotta go to work, or not... But I got through with it pretty quickly.

Plot. Now, there isn't much of a plot. The world as we knew it ended. Zed and company are trying to survive. And they are still trying. That's it. However, I was not looking for plots in fantasy stories. It is different when it comes to crime stories, for example. Or mystery thrillers. It would have been good to have a plot, but it is not the end of the world if it doesn't (pun intended). This book was still an enjoyable read.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 3
Pace = 4
Plot = 2

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Slow Burn Series:

 

Meet The Author

About Bobby Adair:

A bio is a weird thing to write.

Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?

When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.

It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.

Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.

And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.

On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.

I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.

Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.

I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.

I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.

I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.

www.bobbyadair.com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | amazon | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The various copy(ies)/format(s) of this book were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.

JOURNEY

Journey by Timothy Nugent
Book 1 in the Beast Invasion series
Narrated by Henry Schrader
Genre: post-apocalyptic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Journey:

Drew's life had fallen apart. He was middle aged, estranged from his wife and son, and stricken with a disease that was progressively getting worse. Things changed however when the beasts invaded. Using power gained from the beasts he killed, Drew now finds himself in a young healthy body, unimaginable strength, and a desperate need to journey home to his family. Experience the collapse of society with Drew as he navigates its dangers, meets new friends, and steadily grows in power. This can be considered a Post Apocalyptic Progression novel. It has similarities to cultivation novels, but is not Wuxia, it is only slightly Xianxia.

Source: Info in the "About Journey" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179032895-journey on 22/01/2024.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

This is my first Timothy Nugent read and I am glad I bumped into him! I looked for other works by this author and it seems that this is the only series he has thus far... Though, it seems like he is planning three trilogies for this series in which this is the first one. So, there are more goodness to come!

Having said that, I really do not like cliffhanger endings and that is exactly how this book ended! In fact, the entire book is just a chapter or two of a bigger book. In other words, there isn't much of a plot. A start of a plot, maybe. But not much else. All the characters are doing are journeying from A to B, and that is it. That is the whole story! Probably why the author titled it "Journey". Appropriate title perhaps but, plot-wise, it is quite very thin.

So, where did they come from? Why are they invading? I hope these get answered in subsequent books.

This is my first Henry Schrader audiobook and I would definitely buy audiobooks by him again! I love the way he used sound effects like the "roar" and how he "doubled" himself in line with the the narrative. The line was two people screaming the same thing at the same time. He must have taped himself and then replayed it together with him "screaming" the lines, so you hear two of him at the same time. I think it is very clever!

Not only is he a wonderful and talented narrator, he has a sense of style as well! Love his burgundy attire!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 2.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (8 hrs and 55 mins listening time)
Plot = 2
Narration = 4.5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Beast Invasion Series:

 

Meet The Author

About Timothy Nugent:

Timothy Nugent is the author behind the Beast Invasion series, a post-apocalyptic progression action-adventure. Born in Houston, Texas, he’s an IT professional, avid reader, and cat-wrangler. He does his best writing in his RV, deep in the forest, away from civilization. Always on the move, Tim loves to hike to scenic vistas, summit epic mountains, visit tranquil lakes, and transport readers into his rich worlds. His work is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible.

www.timothynugentauthor.com | facebook | audible | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Henry Schrader:

Versatile, highly directable voice actor in video games, anime, commercial, audiobooks, and just about anything else you can think of.

From Dallas, Texas, United States

henryschrader.com | twitter | linkedin | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.