OCELLICON is a military science fiction story with elements of legal/detective/mystery/feminist/noir sci-fi. Earth barely survived nuclear battles until the militaries of the world took over from authoritarians. But rebellion was agitating from within. Prosecutor Major Annalisa Farrell, Military Academy honors graduate, war hero, wounded warrior, and child abuse survivor fought to champion justice. An unexpected adversary turned out to be Judge Bennett McCrae, the “Judge Prince.” In his courtroom, the Military, and the general population, he was as popular as Annalisa was hated. Before appearing before Judge McCrae, Annalisa Farrell fought in numerous conflicts, was special ops, and had missions in space where she worked side by side with aliens.
As a “wild child of the tunnels” her extraordinary journey to a position of power was unparalleled. Adoption by General Farrell saved her life and gave her the loving family she never had and a mission as a daughter to be proud of. Suspected of being genetically engineered, unfounded prejudice followed her through the ranks. Though Annalisa learned to control her emotions better than most humans, even relaxed Military standards could not keep some relationships from disaster. Marriage contracts, casual sexual standards, and freedom to pursue multiple partners, could not totally eliminate human passions and obsessions.
An apocalyptic struggle for power and control from within threatened to destroy years of Earth peace and interrupt alliances with other planets, unless the traitors could be discovered and stopped. Aliens distrusted tumultuous human emotions. Answers had to be found before disaster occurred. Could heroic warriors save humans from their own self-destruction?
ContentWarning: Please be aware this book includes descriptions of child sexual and physical abuse, military war violence, interpersonal violence, imagined injuries and violence, and death and destruction.
Previously published as OCELLICON Episodes 1-38 on Kindle Vella.
A gripping military sci-fi tale of justice, prejudice, and self-destruction...
OCELLICON by A.G. Russo is a multi-genre military science fiction story with elements of legal, detective, mystery, feminist, and noir sci-fi. The book is set in a world where Earth has barely survived nuclear battles and the military has taken over from authoritarians to maintain peace. However, rebellion is stirring from within, and Prosecutor Major Annalisa Farrell, a Military Academy honors graduate, war hero, wounded warrior, and child abuse survivor, is fighting to champion justice.
Annalisa's journey to a position of power is unparalleled as she was a "wild child of the tunnels" before her adoption by General Farrell saved her life, and gave her a loving family, and a mission as a daughter to be proud of. However, her suspected genetic engineering caused unfounded prejudice to follow her through the ranks. Annalisa's story is one of overcoming personal trauma, battling prejudice, and fighting for justice against an unexpected adversary, Judge Bennett McCrae, the "Judge Prince."
The book is not only action-packed but also explores complex themes like human emotions, passion, and obsession in a world where marriage contracts, casual sexual standards, and the freedom to pursue multiple partners cannot entirely eliminate them. The story also delves into the question of whether humans can save themselves from their self-destruction, given their tumultuous emotions.
The book comes with a content warning as it includes descriptions of child sexual and physical abuse and extreme violence. These scenes are written in a manner that may be triggering for some readers. Nonetheless, this is a unique and compelling read that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat with its mix of action, suspense, and complex themes. It's a book that is not afraid to tackle the difficult subject matter and provides a strong female protagonist fighting for justice in a world of turmoil. Recommended.
Author A.G. Russo has now published nine books - OUR WILD AND PRECIOUS LIVES, the short story collections OF DUST AND TIDES and OFF-RAMP TO THE VOID, OFFENBUNKER, ODETTE’S SONG, ONLY OUR DESTINY, ONCE UPON A MURDEROUS DELUSION, DIEGO THE SMELLY DOG, and now OCELLICON. Having read all of these works, the impression is that they each have a strong potential for adaptation for screenplays, so vivid are the characters and disposition of high suspense. This new novel, a very powerful one, addresses child abuse and violence in an impressive science fiction thriller.
Russo plunges the reader into the story frame in the first lines: ‘The earth was moments from nuclear destruction. Around the world dictators and autocrats had worked their vile, craven plans to take over the earth and fight to the death - everybody’s death…But one thing stopped them. The militaries of the world…That was a century ago…’ With that bracing intro the story is launched, condensed as follows: ‘Earth barely survived nuclear battles until the militaries of the world took over from authoritarians. But rebellion was agitating from within. Prosecutor Major Annalisa Farrell, Military Academy honors graduate, war hero, wounded warrior, and child abuse survivor fought to champion justice. An unexpected adversary turned out to be Judge Bennett McCrae, the “Judge Prince.” In his courtroom, the Military, and the general population, he was as popular as Annalisa was hated. Before appearing before Judge McCrae, Annalisa Farrell fought in numerous conflicts, was special ops, and had missions in space where she worked side by side with aliens. As a “wild child of the tunnels” her extraordinary journey to a position of power was unparalleled. Adoption by General Farrell saved her life and gave her the loving family she never had and a mission as a daughter to be proud of. Suspected of being genetically engineered, unfounded prejudice followed her through the ranks. Though Annalisa learned to control her emotions better than most humans, even relaxed Military standards could not keep some relationships from disaster. Marriage contracts, casual sexual standards, and freedom to pursue multiple partners, could not totally eliminate human passions and obsessions. An apocalyptic struggle for power and control from within threatened to destroy years of Earth peace and interrupt alliances with other planets, unless the traitors could be discovered and stopped. Aliens distrusted tumultuous human emotions. Answers had to be found before disaster occurred. Could heroic warriors save humans from their own self-destruction?’
With each new novel A.G. Russo grows in stature. He has created a significant masterwork, a military sci-fi novel that pleads for cinematic adaptation. Very highly recommended
Immerse yourself in A.G. Russo’s captivating military science fiction universe with his novel, ‘Ocellicon: Future Visions.’ Unfolding in an atmosphere of military supremacy over authority, the narrative follows Prosecutor Major Annalisa Farrell, who finds herself contending with an adversarial court system. Driven by her quest for justice and haunted by the ghosts of her traumatic past, Farrell battles against the formidable Judge Bennett McCrae, the ultimate arbiter of her fate. Despite the odds, she draws strength from her previous victories in special operations, interstellar ventures, and encounters with extraterrestrial beings, finding her court challenge yet another battlefield to conquer.
In Russo’s intricately devised world, which surpasses conventional norms, the reader’s curiosity is fueled as he reshapes our perception of Earth. The narrative powerfully presents themes of authority and dominance from the outset, placing our protagonist in challenging circumstances. The reader is then drawn into the tense atmosphere of the courtroom, where the intricate details of the crime under scrutiny unfold, presenting differing perspectives in a clash of argumentative might. Even as she battles her personal demons of childhood abuse, violence, and trauma, Annalisa’s trajectory remains unyielding, her commitment to securing justice never wavering.
Russo orchestrates a blend of science fiction noir, hinting at the underlying complexity of issues that can eclipse the fragility of human existence – our emotional reality. As the established order faces disruption, one must question whether the pursuit of justice in this narrative leads the characters to victory or their downfall? Russo deftly weaves in raw emotions and graphic depictions of physical abuse and violence, which serve to heighten the authenticity and compelling nature of the story.
Oscillating between post-apocalyptic, science fiction, and thriller themes, with a significant element of courtroom drama, ‘Ocellicon: Future Visions’ occupies its own unique space. It beckons the reader to unravel the mysteries surrounding each character. This novel is a must-read for lovers of science fiction and those intrigued by explorations of the unknown.
In a near-future Earth, the military is now in control. This isn't any specific military, like America or China, but The Military, in general. They said "No" to politicians who were about to launch nuclear weapons. The military now spends lots of time rooting out "bad apples" in its ranks. The charges can range from anarchist terrorism (not everyone is happy with military rule) to pedophilia (lots of it). That's where Major Annalouise Farrell comes in.
Farrell had a very unpleasant childhood, but rose to become a military lawyer with a perfect record in the courtroom. After winning an "unwinnable" case, she and another lawyer are sent to a base in the Middle East to deal with a bunch of very minor cases. The judge that goes with them is Colonel McCrae. Sexual mores have changed by a lot, so he is able to find many women to satisfy his strong libido. He and Farrell simply do not get along. Soon after they arrive, an attack, directed at them, convinces them that something very unpleasant is going on. Can "it" be stopped in time? Who is still standing at the end?
This story is surprisingly good. The society-building feels very plausible, and it has lots of good characters and good writing. Will there be a Part 2?
Gear up for a ride into this exciting Sci-Fi universe with several elements to keep you glued.
Sci-Fi novels and movies rank among my favorite genres, and Ocellicon by A.G. Russo is one book that I find very interesting and fun to read. Military Sci-Fi features several elements, from feminism to noir Sci-Fi and legal themes. There is also a touch of mystery to this story. Hence, Ocellicon is exciting and fun to read. The central character is Major Annalisa Farrell, a Military Academy honors graduate with many back records, including surviving child abuse. At the heart of the story, Annalisa fights to uphold justice. However, an adversary was brewing from the person list expected, the Judge Prince—Judge Bennett McCrea. Bennett was not an easy opponent to reckon with since he has managed to win the love of the military and the populace in general while much hatred follows Annalisa around. Ocellicon is not a book for the faint heart since it contains descriptions of child sexual and physical abuse, military war violence, description of injuries, and others, all of which come together to create a vivid description and make the story a complete and compelling one.
Ocellicon-Future visions by A.G. Russo is a perfect futuristic science fiction to read.
Ocellicon-Future visions by A.G. Russo is a perfect futuristic science fiction to read. Ocellicon is a little machine that brings humans the option to control space and time; what would you do if you can control those? just imagine… or not. This book has a great engagement with the lecture because it is a science fiction anthology that shows you little stories from different authors that explore all the futuristic scenarios on how Ccellicon might be used. If you are a reader that loves all science fiction books but also imagine the future with the technology, this is perfect for you. Here you can imagine a lot of scenarios even those that are hard to create in your mind because you won’t be able to explain this to others until they read it. Virtual reality, artificial intelligence, technologies and other topics will be the common discussion here. I didn’t expect that this book opens mi mind and made me imagine things that I have never create in my mind. This is a total 5/5 .
Ocellicon is a pretty interesting book. There's a lot going on right from the beginning: nuclear war about to destroy the earth but being held off by military powers, a military murder trial where the defense lawyer has a personal vendetta against the possibly genetically engineered prosecutor, and secret underground tunnels where abandoned or orphaned children escape sexual abuse from the pedophile military called New Pan. And this is just in the first 20 pages, so there's a lot to keep the reader engaged and entertained. The various storylines transition rather awkwardly, and the writing style is a little choppy and awkward as well, along with a few errors/typos. That being said, it definitely is an interesting book that would be a good read if you're looking for something easy and entertaining.
The cover of this book reminded me of one of those sci-fi movies that everyone goes to the cinema to watch. I was really captivated at first sight because of this. When I read the description I was totally hooked and wanted to read it all. This is not the typical science fiction story, but one which has to do with the military. How cool is that! In the story we find legal issues, feminism and mystery, just to mention some of the elements that caught my attention. The story is captivating from beginning to end. The author masterfully described the scenes and developed the characters. I am sure most readers will like it but maybe those which are more sensitive will find some parts a bit harsh.
In a world where the military runs everything, there are terrorists who want to disrupt things. A woman with extraordinary talents is a lawyer and soldier. She helps a Judge and is a great asset, but she has a sad, dark past.
This book was well written, and the characters are fun. The romance is a bit bizarre, as it just happens at the end, with no real lead-up. Honestly the man McCrae is unlikeable, and I don't get why Annalisa is so desperate for a baby, but whatever. It's her life.
The action is great, with aliens, robots, and spies. The writing is tight and fast-paced.
An interesting ending that was unexpected but the character interactions were frustrating. McCrae was particularly annoying and immature. There also seemed to be a bit of an obsession with sex that really seemed odd in the context of the overall story line. I’m not sure if I missed a lead-up story or series but I didn’t understand the whole concept of Ocellicon and the scores. It wasn’t really explained.
I am a big fan of this author’s great work. I think his writing style is engaging and immersive, and it allows you to easily lose yourself in the story.
This time, he presented us with a sci-fi masterpiece, titled OCELLICON: Future Visions. What sets this book apart is the author's ability to take a sci-fi story and include legal, detective, mystery, feminist, and noir sci-fi elements on it. This is a fantastic book that left me thinking long after I had finished reading it.
The book's engaging writing style, intriguing stories, and relevant themes make it a must-read for any fan of the genre. I highly recommend reading it!