New Book Alert: The White Pavilion by Ruth Fox; World Building and Protagonist Elevate This Science Fiction Novel to Brilliance

 

New Book Alert: The White Pavilion by Ruth Fox; World Building and Protagonist Elevate This Science Fiction Novel to Brilliance 

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: When I read a Science Fiction novel, especially one set on another planet, I look for how it approaches world building. How different this new world is from Earth. Whether the characters are unique in appearance, personalities, society, culture or whether they are just Earthlings on another planet. Science Fiction is large in technology and science, as compared to Fantasy. But there must also be a strong sense of creativity and imagination from the authors as much as (and I would argue more) than from Fantasy.

Some recent examples of Science Fiction that I read with brilliant world building include: What Branches Grow by T.S. Beier, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle, Moon Deeds by Palmer Pickering, The Descendants by Destiny Hawkins, The Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mysteries by Russ Colchamiro, Cooper's Ridge by Ian Conner, Dusk Upon Elysium by Tamel Wino, Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality by Francessca Bella, Fearghus Academy by I.O. Scheffer, The Love of the Tayanmi by T.A. McLaughlin, Hades Forest by Simon Elson, Salvage Trouble Black Ocean Galaxy Outlaws Mission by J.D. Morin, The Sun Casts No Shadow by Mark Richardson, Pride of Ashna by Emmanuel W. Arriaga, One If: A Virago Fantasy by Carol R. Allan, Suzy Spitfire and the Snake Eyes of Venus by Joe Canzano, Demons of Time by Varun Sayal, Canvas of Time by Amelie Pimont, Bound by P.L. Sullivan, Centricity by Nathaniel Henderson, Orange City by Lee Matthew Goldberg, VanWest by Kenneth Thomas, Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat, Life is Big by Kiki Denis, Star Wolf by L.A. Frederick, Star Wars: Tales From the Mos Eisley Cantina Edited by Kevin J. Anderson, The Girl Who Found The Sun by Matthew S. Cox, Multiverse Investigations Unit by R.E. McLean, Joshua N'Gon: Last Prince of Alkebulahn by Anthony Hewitt, Dragon's Destiny by Carl Cota-Robles, Zodiac States by William Stalker, Sapphire and Planet Zero by Christina Blake, The Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Agents of the Nevermind by Tantra Besko, World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Imajica by Clive Barker, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and The Martian Chronicles and other works by Ray Bradbury.

To that illustrious list, I include The White Pavilion by Ruth Fox. This is a top notch Science Fiction novel which captures a planet whose people pay homage to Earth cultures but make their own. This book also has well thought characters, particularly the protagonist to dwell in it.

Imre is a dancer from the highly regarded White Pavilion in Tierra Major. Tierra Mejor is a planet that is populated by people whose ancestors fled what is now called Old Earth. That was many centuries ago so the Tierrans are far removed from their former lives on Earth and have their own way of thinking and doing things.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Tierra Mejor is how its residents capture the Earthling culture but up to a point. Imre lives in a society that seems to be based on Medieval and Renaissance Italy and Spain. There is a monarchy that has the main power like La Reina, the ill queen whose son, Thaniel, is the Principe Regente in all but name. They speak Spanish and English in tribute to their Earthling ancestry. There is a strong appreciation and acceptance for art and music to the point that dancers like Imre are highly revered and invited to perform certain dances representing different stages in life and the planet's history. There are some people who live a monastic lifestyle in which they transcribe history, pray to their religion, and have tremendous hold over the royal family.

Besides Medieval and Renaissance eras, we find that Tierra Mejor also captures the Victorian Era, specifically Steampunk. There are automatons but aren't very sophisticated like many robots and AIs found in most Science Fiction works. Instead they are more like clunky clockwork mechanicals that serve as drivers, clerks, and servants.

Speaking of clockwork, the whole planet runs on clockwork, literally. Instead of being a naturally made planet, it is operated by a giant wheel built inside the core. So Tierra Mejor is a human made mechanical planet from creation. People help run the wheel and work in an assembly run manner reminiscent of steelworkers, sweatshop workers, and coal miners during the Industrial Era.

Fascinatingly enough, Tierra history doesn't go further than Victorian in appearance. Perhaps, they realized the toll Progress took on Old Earth that they don't want to go any farther involved in science and technology. They want to choose a stopping point and try not to destroy this world as the old one was.

If the White Pavilion ever becomes a movie, it would be fascinating to see how the Production Design team would capture this society that is sort of like Earth but not quite. The architecture, costumes, and lighting would be a challenge to mesh these time periods together at once. Imre for example, at first could dress in flowing elegant feminine Renaissance era gowns at first then slowly as her situation changes, she wears more strident industrial androgynous Steampunk style trousers and shirtwaists. It would be a fascinating thought about how this world could be visualized.

The Tierrans have a unique sense of religion. Because the planet is run by a clockwork wheel, everyone tries to keep their world going in a strict formation called the Pattern. They worship the Pattern. Everyone works in a timely manner and knows their place in society. Everything has to run smoothly and the Pattern cannot be disrupted in any way.

If it is, then disaster could erupt.

Imre learns this during what should be the most important moment of her life. She and her fellow dancers perform the Dance of a Thousand Steps, a heavily mythologized and idealized version of how people traveled from Old Earth to Tierra Mejor. Imre has the coveted role of the Crane which took the people from the old world to the new (more than likely a starship). Unfortunately, during her performance Imre stumbles, falls, and hurts her ankle.

The fall is not her fault (in fact we later find out it was deliberate on someone else's part), but that doesn't matter. As far as everyone around her is concerned, she broke the Pattern. Subsequent earthquakes and a pandemic is enough evidence for them. Imre then finds herself a pariah and then just as quickly taken to the palace to be a dancer/courtesan for the Principe Regente.

The world of Tierra Mejor is a fascinating creation and what makes it even stronger is the characterization. Imre in particular is a standout. When she is first introduced, she is happily situated in her role as a lead dancer. She was sent to the Pavilion at a young age leaving behind a drug addicted prostitute mother. During her time at the Pavilion, she finds her talent. She works hard at her dancing and understands that the dances that she and her colleagues perform symbolize important life events like birth, life, love, and death. It's a form of entertainment for the audience and also an artistic way of revealing their society's culture. 

Imre also finds a surrogate family. She refers to her instructor in maternal terms and her fellow dancers as sisters. 

That makes her rejection after her fall all that more upsetting. Instead of supporting her, assuring her that we all make mistakes, or encouraging her to try again, they turn their backs on her. They don't visit her as she is recovering. Her instructor is satisfied to get rid of her.

Imre goes through so much suffering and maturity that later when she is later given the opportunity to return to the Pavilion, she sees her former sisters as silly, uninformed, and thoughtless and knows that she would never fit in with them.

Imre's time away from the White Pavilion, particularly at the Palace and even more so at the Wheel enlightens her and opens her eyes to how this world is really run. She finds love and lust with a few characters that arouse her sexually or reaches her emotionally. She goes to the library and studies the history of Old Earth and the creation of Tierra Mejor. 

She comes in close contact with the interior workings of Tierra Mejor and what really goes on inside the world that thought she knew. 

Most importantly, Imre gets to know Thaniel, the Regent. She sees him as a young man trapped by his role of being a figurehead but not being able to do anything proactive to help anyone. He is sheltered and protected by relatives and advisors which act like they have his best interest in mind, but really are looking out for themselves. 

Imre sees Thaniel not as a symbol or a figurehead but a human being, a friend, and later a love interest. 

Imre's relationship with Thaniel and the knowledge that she obtains outside of the White Pavilion causes her to see Tierra Mejor as it really is and realize that there are people who will manipulate the Pattern for their own desires.

The White Pavilion is elevated into sheer brilliance because of its memorable protagonist and world building.

Weekly Reader: Cooper's Ridge by Ian Conner; Fascinating Science Fiction Novel About The Discovery, Exploration, and Colonization of a Newly Discovered Planet Amid Earth's Chaotic and Inevitable End

 

Weekly Reader: Cooper's Ridge by Ian Conner; Fascinating Science Fiction Novel About The Discovery, Exploration, and Colonization of a Newly Discovered Planet Amid Earth's Chaotic and Inevitable End

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: If there is one thing that Science Fiction has told us, it's that if Earthlings ever do obtain the ability to travel to the stars and live on other planets, it's that we inevitably take our problems, our prejudices, violent tendencies, conspiracies, and mistrust with us. After all, a change of location, atmosphere, and landscape may not necessarily change the person within. 

Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles is an example. Bradbury's anthology showed a series of expeditions from Earth to explore, colonize, and ultimately settle on the Fourth Planet from the Sun. In reality, it was an allegory of the European's colonization of the Americas, acting with carelessness and cruelty towards the land and the natives that inhabited the countries first.

Last year, I reviewed Tobin Marks' Ark of the Apocalypse: The Magellan II Chronicles in which the exploration and resettlement of a few Earthlings on a new planet was tempered by the hopeless situation on Earth with the emphasis on the environmental destruction, catastrophic wars, and the suffering of the people left behind. The outlook in Marks' book was so bleak that I turned myself away from dystopian Science Fiction novels for awhile. (It didn't help that it was one of several books in the subgenre that I read for two years straight.)

Another book that explores the dichotomy of interstellar travel with human frailty and error is Ian Conner's Cooper's Ridge. It's definitely a much better book than Ark of the Apocalypse. It explores many of the similar themes of space exploration, Earth's vulnerability, and greedy and opportunistic humans but it does so in a more well rounded way. Yes there are problems on both worlds, but there are people willing to fight against and change those circumstances. 

The book starts at the beginning, well not as far as the Big Bang Theory or the creation of the Universe, but a bit more recent than that. It starts with the discovery of a new planet surrounded by four moons. Being the typical egocentric scientists that they are, astronomers, Barnaby Ridge and Lorraine Cooper name the new planet Cooper's Ridge after themselves. As for the satellites, they are named for Lorraine's favorite flowers: Gardenia, Ginger, Hibiscus, and Heliconia. Even better, Cooper's Ridge looks like it's capable of sustaining human life! A great find indeed.

Fast forward 200 years later and Earth is ready to launch its first expedition to Cooper's Ridge on the large self sustaining vessel, Far Constellation. Because it's a thirty year journey and they don't yet have access to cryogenic freezing, many of the explorers are young- in their teens to early forties so when they arrive on the planet, they can assume leadership positions. Children and pregnant people are also on board so a new generation can be born and raised in the new world. All goes well until meteors from Heliconia collide with the first ship the Endeavor, killing the crew and thousands of civilians and cutting the first expedition to Cooper's Ridge in half. 

Despite the early deaths, humans begin to settle in Cooper's Ridge. Generations go by and some of the younger generations weren't even born on Earth either only knowing Far Constellation or Cooper's Ridge as their birthplace. (They're not Earthlings. Are they Cooperians? Ridgites? Cooper's Ridglings?) 

One of those young people is Cassie Wells who is following in her father's footsteps as an astrophysicist. Cassie is curious about some suspicious activity on the moon Heliconia, references to something called the Hive, and a technology that allows one to travel through worlds via gateways. The more Cassie, her father, and their friends and colleagues dig into the mystery of the Hive, the more they learn that something dangerous is approaching the new home of Cooper's Ridge and that there are some who are willing to kill to keep people from finding out.

Meanwhile, on Earth, people are trying to get to Cooper's Ridge as fast as they can while the planet is being overrun by a group called the Preservationists. The Preservationists' leader, Adolf Hale seems to take a cue from another man from the past whose first name was Adolf and last name started with an "H." He enforces draconian laws to keep Earth's population under control like forced sterilization, genocide of the elderly and those deemed "undesirable" (which could be anyone), and even approves of intentionally spreading a contagious virus to kill. Hale is so sadistic and despotic that he is willing to make some otherworldly alliances to see that his goals are met.

What often makes a Space Travel Science Fiction Novel is the intergalactic setting and in this case with Cooper's Ridge, it works. Instead of a blue planet, Cooper's Ridge is mostly green because it is surrounded by forest with rain pouring down. The four moons are various shades of red from light pink Gardenia to blood red Heliconia. Picture going for a walk some night on a neverending field of green and looking up to see four red moons shining down on you. A planet that is still new, fresh, and untainted by human greed for now. The description of the planet alone is enough to make one want to buy a one way ticket to Cooper's Ridge, at least while it's still beautiful.

Unfortunately, despite a lovely setting, human greed and opportunism is never far behind. A constant theme throughout this book is conspiracy and the cost of maintaining secrets. Conspiracies develop along both worlds: Earth and Cooper's Ridge and threaten to destroy the people in them, the new world that is found, and the world left behind.

Even after Cooper's Ridge is first discovered, Barnaby and Lorraine are ordered not to make it public. However, Lorraine can't resist. She knows that Earth's days are numbered and a breathable liveable planet could be a way out. She bravely makes the discovery known and has to go into exile for the rest of her life. The destruction of the first expedition is kept under wraps as well as the real cause for the crash, because no one wants to admit that there could be fatalities in exploring this new world or about the lethal alien race that caused it.

The biggest conspiracy of all lies in Cassie's discovery of the Hive and the new technology. She and various people around her are chased, threatened, and nearly killed by many who don't want them to reveal what they learned. Some such as Hale want to take advantage of this new information as a means of control and dominance. Unfortunately, this shows that whether on Earth or on Cooper's Ridge, there are people who are willing to destroy others and even the world around them to uphold the status quo and remain in power.

Fortunately, this book also shows that there are people that are willing to make new discoveries, help others, and speak out against tyranny for the betterment of humanity. As long as people continue to do that, there is always hope. Here or on any planet.

Weekly Reader: The Judgement of Seth (The Love of The Tayamni Book 2) by T.A. McLaughlin; The Struggle Among Tayamni, Tlaloc, and Potacas Gets Wider and More Intergalactic

 

Weekly Reader: The Judgement of Seth (The Love of The Tayamni Book 2) by T.A. McLaughlin; The Struggle Among Tayamni, Tlaloc, and Potacas Gets Wider and More Intergalactic

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: The first book of The Love of the Tayamni series took what could be complex themes of Intergalactic space travel, prejudice, fate, and destiny and simplified them into a straight narrative. It was about a woman who was part of an ancient race of aliens sent to Earth and was thrust forward into 1960's Mississippi to protect a child who was destined to become the next Matriarch, head of the community.

It was a good way to draw the Reader into the world created by T.A. McLaughlin and to follow the story and themes. The simplicity of the first volume paves the way for the complexity of the second, The Judgement of Seth.

McLaughlin opens up the universe that she established in the first book. She introduces a larger cast of characters, new worlds and alien species, and expands on the original concepts that were previously introduced in The Love of The Tayamni. In fact, as a sign on how large this book is, most of the main characters from the previous book are reduced to minor roles. 

Batresh, the time traveling protagonist assigned to protect the future Matriarch is initiated into her role as Matriarch after her mother's death (or rather Interim Matriarch until the future one comes of age). Denny, said Future Matriarch, is still a child in 1960's Mississippi, but is beginning to remember their past life and experiencing flash forwards. They are also coming to terms with feeling like an outsider because of a toxic masculine father who insists that Denny should act like a boy. Jerry, Batresh's love interest from the first book, was let in on Batresh's secret identity and mission. He is currently living on Lunar Base and watching over Denny.

While Batresh, Denny, and Jerry are safe and snug in their own subplots (or just barely living in their subplots.),much of the heavy lifting is done by other characters. Now the Tayamni are fighting against rival alien species, the Potacas and Tlalocs. The Tayamni see that this one time private war is threatening other worlds. So many of the characters are dispatched to recruit other planets to join in the struggle.

McLaughlin really gets a chance to explore different types of planets and species. Some are mammalian and human in appearance. Others are cyborgs. Still others resemble other beings. One planet is mostly water and has aquatic beings living in this mostly liquid environment.

 Allowing the core Tayamni characters to interact with new characters shows how large this problem is. In fact, most of the action is set in space or in other worlds. The overall effect is to show that Earth is not the center of the universe (sorry fellow Earthlings). In fact, it's almost like Tatooine in Star Wars. It's far away and remote from the most important decisions made by the higher powers, yet it still ends up in the thick of the action. 

The interactions between old and new characters allows them to open up and build relationships. Kirashi, a Tayamni, develops a romantic relationship with E5, a cyborg. 

She also relates the backstory of the First Ones, the ones who came to Earth and merged their DNA with Earthlings. They were once the Nine but now they are the Eight when Seth broke from the others and killed his brother. (A story that is also known in Egyptian mythology. Remember Set and Osiris?) It is implied that Seth got the Tlalocs and Potacas the power and will to fight the Tayamni. Kirashi's story gives the characters an understanding about why this struggle will eventually affect everyone and why allies are needed.

Batresh's sister, Namazu has a large important character arc. She ascends to the rank of Supreme Commander and takes the lead in fighting against their enemies. She, as many of the characters do, questions the Tayamni Code which encourages love towards everyone, even their enemies. Since Namazu is at the forefront of most of the fighting, she is the most conflicted between the code that she was raised to believe and the current drive to bend and even break it. She also finds and loses love on a personal level as she is mourning the death of colleagues while falling fo someone who is borderline obsessive.

For most series, the second book often feels like filler. The first book introduces us to the world, characters,and conflicts. The third is the final battle where everything gets resolved. Therefore, the second is often filled with personality clashes and side quests that are only meant to fill up pages and not carry any weight in the end. The second book introduces a meeting point for the third book to catch up with in 1977, but everything in the book feels important. Instead of distracting the Reader, The Judgement of Seth, expands on their previous knowledge and helps this universe grow and deepen.

New Book Alert: Ark of the Apocalypse (The Magellan II Chronicles) by Tobin Marks; The Dark Somber Final Word on Earth's Destruction By Human Cruelty, Arrogance, Apathy, and Ignorance

 

New Book Alert: Ark of the Apocalypse (The Magellan II Chronicles) by Tobin Marks; The Dark Somber Final Word on Earth's Destruction By Human Cruelty, Arrogance, Apathy, and Ignorance

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers:There are science fiction books that are so dark that you fall into a black hole of personal depression. Then there are those that cause you to just throw up your hands and go "No hope! We're doomed!"

 If Court of The Grandchildren is a final warning for humanity to prevent climate change and to mind what we are doing before it's too late, then Ark of the Apocalypse The Magellan II Chronicles by Tobin Marks is the final message. It's the suicide note that Gaia will write as if saying "The Earth is dying because you weren't good to it. Now you are dying too."

Last year, I reviewed The Girl Who Found The Sun right when Missouri was in the process of shutting down because of the Covid pandemic. A Science Fiction novel in which the characters live in an underground world kept from the outside suddenly seemed more real when compared to a real life situation in which people were kept inside their homes because of the ravages of a pandemic and the arrogance of many people and a then Presidential Administration that chose not to follow simple common sense advice and allowed the virus to spread.

Once again a Science Fiction novel has become too real. With the Delta Strand variant of Covid creating another wave and many people around the world being unable to or choosing not to be vaccinated, with wildfires the size of New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles spreading throughout the United States, and above all billionaires like Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos engaging in a "measuring contest" to see who can spend less than 15 minutes in space in a private spaceship instead of using that wealth to pay taxes or to help the people on this planet. The Magic 8 Ball prediction for Ark of the Apocalypse switches from "Maybe possible" to "Absolutely certain."

Once the future hits in 2035, it really hits and it's written in a way that is extremely believable. Temperatures in Mexico have reached 120 on normal days (the last time it hit under 115 was in 2027). Rising global sea levels have made most coastal cities flooded and uninhabitable and many once thriving water regions, like the Sea of Cortez, have become dead zones. Also hurricanes no longer operate through seasons and form supercells on a regular basis. Snow no longer appears on mountain ranges like the Rockies and the Alps.The rivers in India and China have dried up and the Great Lakes are becoming smaller because the waters dumped into them have dried up.

Earth is no longer able to produce enough food to maintain its increasing population. With the scarcity of water, only 20% of the Earth's population of 12 billion can be adequately fed.

 Countries, most notably Russia and the United States, are going to war over diminished resources. The U.S. President Abigail Moore is particularly eager to fire off her country's space orbital weapons system The Theater High Orbital Rover or THOR. (Typical USA in financial, environmental, and sociopolitical ruin but of course the government has the money to install and use a high tech brand new weapon for defense. I told you this book was spookily accurate.) 

The war ends in less than four minutes but one of the Iranian missiles explodes over Russia causing more tension between nations. Of course nuclear blasts unleash disease, famine, and a depressed and angry populace (at least the ones that survive.) Moore and Russian President Yuri Volkov exchange accusations and blame until they come to an uneasy agreement.

This is the kind of world where at the International Convention on Climate Control, climatologist Dr. Randall Burt's speeches could be summarized as "We tried to warn you. Everyone is guilty including myself. So long, Suckers!" Before he goes home to attempt suicide. His only suggestion is to eliminate 90% of the population or watch as we all drop dead. The only chance for humanity's survival is for a small group to travel into the stars and live on another planet. 

Two families are important to this mission. Their plan was centuries in the making. In the 1930's The Yanbeyevs, a Tatar family is ordered to be deported to Siberia. However, they have a secret up their sleeves which will help them get through the future struggles: A strange gift of prophecy shared by the seventh child of the family. This prophetic gift is passed through Anatoly's descendant Olga and her granddaughter, Nadya. Olga is determined that Nadya is to be one of the people on that space mission and she isn't above doing secretive underhanded things to ensure that future comes to pass and Nadya is able to survive to fill that destiny.

Another important family is that of Hikaru Mizushima's from Japan. After the bombing of Nagasaki, they have been holding onto a secret project contained within a metal box, a secret which will enable humanity to travel to the stars. Hikaru is able to use his ancestor's research to create spacecraft without rocket propulsion. 

This possibility of interstellar travel saving humankind is on the surface optimistic but that optimism is tempered by many realities.

 1) That only a select few people get to go so the majority of the population is left on Earth to die. In fact the cold attitude of many of the characters like The Yanbeyevs, Mizushimas, Moore, and Volkov is that "Everyone else can go f#$@ t&$#@(+-@_s," which is not the best way to make the Reader want to actually like these people and root for their mission to succeed.

2) Since the majority of the book is set on Earth, the focus isn't on space exploration or what this new planet is like. We do have some chapters where the characters encounter dragon-like beings and Nadya's dreams in the hyperspace sleep travel prove useful to the survival of the expatriate Earthlings. However, most of the book deals with the slow death march that Earth is on. 

We are given pages and pages of war and environmental catastrophe which is slowly strangling the remaining population. While you can't blame characters like Burt for reminding people that this could have been avoided, the callous tunnel vision that many characters have for the interstellar mission is is like ripping open a bandaid on a gaping wound. The wound is still there.

Especially since they are also willing to leave their families behind including small children. Unless they are planning subsequent space missions, they leave knowing that they are essentially consigning loved ones to their deaths by allowing them to remain on Earth. Also the chapters where they are on that planet suggest that they haven't lost their warlike nature or the desire of control and domination.

3) Of course the realism in how Marks writes this future cannot be avoided nor can the comparisons to the world that surrounds this fictional universe. It gets to the point that it's no surprise that the final two leaders of Russia and the United States: Viktor Petrov (replacing Volkov who was assassinated after 66 years as Russian President) and Crissy Caryn (an attractive former media celebrity) still engage in threats of war even as the world is dying around them suggesting that with some people power, any power, is more important than protection and survival. Nor is it any surprise that when Burt delivers the bad news, the people blame him for it instead of accepting their own share of the guilt.

This scenario is all too real and in real life may only be a few short years away (if not already here). The impending destruction and the callousness of the people living within it is something that we all have experienced and may continue to experience.

Ark of the Apocalypse The Magellan II Chronicles is one of those types of Science Fiction novels where even the hopeful moments convey a sense of despair because of what is left behind. It's a nightmare that is all too true and while we can close this book and forget about its contents, we can't close the real world around it. The only thing that we can do is turn things around, before this nightmare fictional scenario becomes the complete inescapable truth.

 

New Book Alert: Sapphire and Planet Zero by Christina Blake; Amazing Hero’s Journey Voyages To Unique Planet

New Book Alert: Sapphire and Planet Zero by Christina Blake; Amazing Hero’s Journey Voyages To Unique Planet




By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews


Spoilers: Sapphire and Planet Zero could be best described as MYTHS IN SPACE!!!!

It is about a young woman who goes on a Hero's Journey by discovering her destiny through a magical creature, is received a task, given many trials, and faces a great enemy to ascend into a different higher role. This journey is more of a science fiction based one as the young protagonist visits another planet.

Sapphire is a typical teen with a typical teen life with friends, school, and ultra talented parents who don't spend much time with her. Unfortunately, some things are happening which makes her life….not so typical. A bottle of perfume from her grandmother's shop appears to cast a spell on her. People are mysteriously dying with no probable cause, including one of her classmates, and her newfound black cat, Toby begins talking.

Well it turns out that Toby is from Planet Zero and says that the planet has been conquered by Thaddeus, a powerful wizard. Oh yes and Planet Zero is inhabited by a species called the squila who each have a twin on Earth and Thaddeus has been killing squilla on Zero. So when the squila dies so does the twin. Oh and did I mention that Sapphire is half-squila on her mother's side and that she is the one destined to bring down Thaddeus?

So Sapphire has no choice but to gather Toby and her friend, Luke and take a trip to Zero to take on Thaddeus. They have to free the Good Ones, squilan leaders, from Thaddeus. Fortunately, they left clues for any attempted rescue and that's what Sapphire, Toby, and Luke must do follow those clues to find the Good Ones.

Sapphire and Planet Zero is in the grand tradition of the works of Madeleine L'Engle and Ursula K. LeGuin, a blend of fantasy and science fiction. Author, Christina Blake handles both aspects very well.

Planet Zero is a very evocative fanciful setting and the squila are a fascinating new species. They are human in appearance but are more attractive. There are also some other strange properties that make them stand out such as crystals running through their veins and violet eyes. (So did Elizabeth Taylor have squilan ancestry?) They also stop aging at 19 and appear forever youthful. When Sapphire's grandmother arrived on Earth however, she hid her squilan appearance and took an aging potion so her body could appear like that of an Earth woman. She also put a spell on her daughter, Sapphire's mother, to make her the most beautiful woman on the planet cancelling her anti-aging abilities as well.

The most interesting aspects about squilan life is that they are born with some unique power or ability. Sapphire's grandmother has magic powers and even calls herself a witch. While on Planet Zero, they encounter Nathan, a friendly young man with telepathy and telekinesis (“anything with tele-,”he says.) Who helps them. Unfortunately, Thaddeus's corrupt influence causes the squilans to use their powers against each other such as the moment when Sapphire and Co. witness a club brawl consisting of people fighting with powers that produce tornadoes, water, and flight. (Sort of like what would happen if the X-Men got really drunk during a night out.)

A fantasy or science fiction novel is only as good as its protagonist and Blake gives us a good one. One nice aspect is that Sapphire is clearly described as a person of color. It is refreshing to get some diversity in fantasy and science fiction, particularly in the former which unfortunately is still lagging behind other genres in that respect.

While the narrative uses the “Chosen One” motif, Blake doesn't go overboard in making Sapphire too perfect or too much like a Mary Sue. When she first hears about her half-squila ancestry, she is naturally horrified and angry at her grandmother for hiding it all these years. She can be stubborn and argumentative, often bickering and challenging Toby's advice especially when it doesn't make sense to her. She goes on this adventure like a normal teen would, stubborn and sullen but willing to learn.
Sapphire has just as many virtues as flaws. She and her friends are very smart and use their intelligence to solve the clues. She also expresses tremendous strength in character in her fights with Thaddeus. Another chapter that shows her strength is in her encounters with the Milo, a team of siblings who use their various powers to test Sapphire and her friends so they can be ready to face Thaddeus. Though the tests are physically and mentally challenging, Sapphire is able to use those lessons to her advantage in her final battle against Thaddeus and his Troop.


In some ways, Sapphire can be contrasted with Rey in the new Star Wars movies. However, where the Star Wars movies fails is in making Rey too superhuman. There is no meaningful transition in which she discovers the Force and uses it in small ways making rookie mistakes before she masters it. In The Force Awakens, she already uses the Jedi Mind Trick before even really knowing what the Force is. By The Last Jedi, she is using it in ways no one had done previously like making rocks stop in mid-air and contacting Kylo Ren telepathically.

By contrast, Sapphire is only learning about her connections to Zero. While she uses new-found powers in an extraordinary way by the end, it is a logical process. Her first time on Zero is filled with embarrassing faux pas and even her encounters with the Milo take a toll on her. Her mastery of her squilan heritage is clearly earned as we saw it evolve from her beginnings as a brash uncertain confused girl to a strong confident leader by the finish. Sapphire's journey also leaves us ready for another adventure with her (which a sequel is advertised at the end of the book. It hopefully should be another great read.)

Sapphire and Planet Zero has the interplanetary travel of science fiction but doesn't get too technical. It has the magic of fantasy but doesn't get too fanciful. Instead it creates a 21st century Hero Journey which is the perfect marriage of both genres.

New Author/Book Alert: World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior; First Book Looks To Be The Start of A Great Series

New Author/Book Alert: World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior; First Book Looks To Be The Start of A Great Series

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews




One of the perks that I have in being a freelance Editor/Proofreader/Review is being there when a new book or author is discovered. It is amazing being at the forefront of the creation of something that hopefully will be read and loved by many. I had that feeling with Jordan Frost’s The Midori Chronicles. I have that again reading World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior. This has the potential to become a great graphic novel or animated series and it would be thrilling if it did. This book is a beautifully illustrated and intrinsically plotted story which seems partly a tribute to the old pulp novels of the Golden Age of Science Fiction and partly has the strong characterization of post-modern science fiction.




Something weird is happening to the various planets and bodies in our solar system of the Milky Way Galaxy. Each area seems to be in the grip of some disaster whether by natural, biological, or psychological means and no one knows what's going on. The seas of the water planet, Neptune have become polluted with oil and are deadly. Even though Pluto has an artificial sun for warmth, its temperatures are plummeting below freezing. Volcanoes are erupting and ash is raining down on Mercury. The Sun is diminishing. The residents of the Moon are in civil war. A plague is affecting Jupiter's citizens. The rings of Saturn are missing and the people are succumbing to insanity. There are floods on Mars, earthquakes on Venus, and twisters on Uranus. (There is no mention of how Earth is affected. It may not be a part of this book or Earth’s status may be saved for a later book.) It's not a pretty sight.




Each celestial body is guarded by an immortal being who is not only that world’s guardian but represents their sign of the Zodiac. Excelsior clearly did her homework. In astrological lore, each sign corresponds with a different celestial body and she shows those connections that the characters have with their worlds. (Of course scientifically nobody could exist in these worlds but that's what science fiction is for: to imagine the impossible.) The guardians are: Mika, the Highest Leo who rules the Sun, Azare, the Highest Virgo and Tormod, the Highest Gemini who rule Mercury, Atalanta, the Highest Taurus and Nefsunsi the Highest Libra who rule the land and sky respectively on Venus, Serenity, the Highest Cancer who is in charge of the Moon, Santrista, the Highest Aries who heads Mars, Advilion, the Highest Sagittarius who is the leader of Jupiter, Saturn, the Highest Capricorn who heads (naturally) Saturn, Namur the Highest Aquarius who becomes the leader of Uranus in place of the former Highest Aquarius, Gia, Xenobia, the Highest Pisces who leads Neptune, and Magnocer, the Highest Scorpio who has control of Pluto.




While their worlds are afflicted with problems, the Guardians meet and try to find the solutions and to find out what is wrong with them. The biggest problems however are not outside their worlds. The biggest problems are within the Guardians themselves. Even though they are a strong-willed powerful bunch who are clearly worried about their individual worlds and their people (of course showing it in various degrees), they don't get along with each other. Most meetings usually end in a physical, verbal, or magical smack-down between two or more Guardians. No wonder Namur calls them out later by declaring that they can't talk to each other without arguing, let alone find solutions to save their worlds.




We, the Readers, learn the cause of the problems and it's the Guardians themselves or so it seems. Celeste, a Goddess-like being who rules over the Guardians created these disasters. In a Job-like fashion, she hopes that the troubles would bring the Milky Way Guardians together to put their egos aside and unite to protect their worlds. No such luck. Not only do the Guardians have to struggle with each other, but Celeste also has to deal with the Man of Fire, another God-like being who has his own posse of astrological guardians that he wants to put in the Milky Way Guardian's places.




Excelsior is a brilliant new voice in the world of science fiction. Both her words and her illustrations show this. The book’s illustrations are detailed in a black and white graphic style. She draws various action oriented beings in dramatic poses such as Xenobia struggling to protect her people in Neptune's pollution infested waters. Another gripping illustration shows an irate and suspicious Santrista attacking Namur after she discovers Gia, the former Highest Aquarius, is missing.

The heroes pictured are thankfully not all white males. Excelsior portrays the Guardians as various ethnicities, sexualities, and races. She also shows many strong female characters in active roles fighting enemies and defending their home worlds as do the male characters. If this series ever does take off, it will be a boon for fans of all genders, races, and sexualities to find characters to identify with.




Excelsior's illustrations show heroic figures doing brave things like characters from those old pulp novels who wake up thinking of nothing but their next adventure and how to save their worlds. However, the dichotomy between what the characters look like and who they are is very different. Instead of God and Goddess-like too- good-to-be-true Heroes and Heroines, Excelsior's writing shows that these are characters with hang-ups, insecurities, and egos of their own.




Excelsior shows that she knows a lot about the astrological signs by featuring characters that behave according to the personality traits that correspond with their sign. This makes for a fascinating multi-faceted bunch but a group that can easily turn on each other and one that will take a miracle to function as a team. When you have a quick-tempered and impulsive Aries like Santrista, a sociable but vain Libra like Nefsunsi, the logical but modest Virgo, Azare, and the fatalistic manipulative Capricorn, Saturn, among others, it's no wonder that these characters don't get along.




By far the two best Guardians are Xenobia and Namur. As the Highest Pisces, Xenobia is very intuitive and compassionate towards her people. She clearly longs to protect them and heal the waters to her beloved planet. However, she can also see the bigger picture of the suffering other worlds and begins the process of bringing the 12 Guardians together. She is willing to challenge the others’ isolationism to form a real team.




While Xenobia illustrates the best behavior in an experienced Guardian, Namur illustrates the struggles of a newly made Guardian. His former mistress, Gia died and he is left with the struggles of a planet ravaged by twisters and filled with terrified people (including his precocious younger sister), the grief of losing his mentor, lover, and childhood friend, and deciding to join a group whose members can't stand each other. While Gia showed her Aquarian streak by becoming so concerned on a humanitarian level for her people that she was driven to despair, Namur also reflects the character of Aquarius. He is an outsider from the Guardians because his newly named status and shows his independent and rebellious nature by refusing to join the team.




The book is very open-ended as the characters take virtual and psychic journeys to each other's worlds to get a close look at the disasters. It leaves the Reader excited for more as does the introductions of Man of Fire’s Guardians who are more interchangeable and not nearly defined as the Milky Way Guardians. It doesn't help that all their first names start with “Z”. (The only one we get to know somewhat is Zahina, an Aquarius who bonds with Namur's sister, Aurora and befriends Namur.)




These plot angles of the virtual psychic trips into the worlds and the arrival of the other Guardians provide the book’s climax and leaves the Reader waiting impatiently for the next interplanetary journey. If the first book is any indication, it should be a brilliant and exciting one indeed.