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The Dissonance Saga #1
Dissonance Volume I: Reality
***CURRENTLY ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN AND NOW BEING PITCHED TO MAJOR STREAMING NETWORKS!***
The aliens killed off 85% of us, and we have all been living in that painful reality. But brotherly love is stronger than reality, and it cannot ever be killed.
Sergeant Cameron “Jet” Shipley was only six years old when the aliens silently drifted down through the skies in 2026. Now, 16 years later, will humanity finally find a way to fight back? Or will mankind be reduced to food?
Terror lurks around every corner, and the rules of survival are simple: stay quiet, move quickly, and don't ever look. It's 2042, and 85% of humanity has been annihilated by "gorgons": horrific aliens with the ability to telepathically paralyze and then consume their prey, leaving the victims to feel every agonizing bite. Mostly impervious and nearly impossible to kill, the best defense against them is simply to run. You just don't look. Brothers Jet and Rutty are part of a military blockade in Clarksville, Tennessee that provides shelter, training, and solace to those willing to fight back.
But when a new recruit joins their ranks and reveals a secret that could change everything, Jet is faced with a difficult decision: follow orders, or fight for the truth? As the brothers navigate a dangerous world filled with gorgons and treachery, they must confront the ultimate question - who can they trust?
Bestselling author Aaron Ryan presents Dissonance Volume I: Reality in the second installment of his dystopian post-apocalyptic alien invasion series. It's perfect for readers who enjoy tense, thrilling and gritty survival stories about resistance, complex characters, and the intrinsic truths of humanity. With a screen adaption underway for streaming networks, now is the perfect time to order your copy and delve into a gripping tale of survival and sacrifice!
The aliens killed off 85% of us, and we have all been living in that painful reality. But brotherly love is stronger than reality, and it cannot ever be killed.
Sergeant Cameron “Jet” Shipley was only six years old when the aliens silently drifted down through the skies in 2026. Now, 16 years later, will humanity finally find a way to fight back? Or will mankind be reduced to food?
Terror lurks around every corner, and the rules of survival are simple: stay quiet, move quickly, and don't ever look. It's 2042, and 85% of humanity has been annihilated by "gorgons": horrific aliens with the ability to telepathically paralyze and then consume their prey, leaving the victims to feel every agonizing bite. Mostly impervious and nearly impossible to kill, the best defense against them is simply to run. You just don't look. Brothers Jet and Rutty are part of a military blockade in Clarksville, Tennessee that provides shelter, training, and solace to those willing to fight back.
But when a new recruit joins their ranks and reveals a secret that could change everything, Jet is faced with a difficult decision: follow orders, or fight for the truth? As the brothers navigate a dangerous world filled with gorgons and treachery, they must confront the ultimate question - who can they trust?
Bestselling author Aaron Ryan presents Dissonance Volume I: Reality in the second installment of his dystopian post-apocalyptic alien invasion series. It's perfect for readers who enjoy tense, thrilling and gritty survival stories about resistance, complex characters, and the intrinsic truths of humanity. With a screen adaption underway for streaming networks, now is the perfect time to order your copy and delve into a gripping tale of survival and sacrifice!
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2024
51 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Ryan
37 books74 followersAward-winning and bestselling author, speaker, panelist, workshop presenter and voice actor Aaron Ryan lives in Washington with his wife and two sons, along with Macy the dog, Winston the cat, and the finches Inky, Pinky, Blinky & Clyde.
He is the prolific author of the bestselling Dissonance 6-book alien invasion saga, the Christian dystopian fiction trilogy The End, the Talisman trilogy, the sci-fi thrillers Forecast, The Slide, and The Phoenix Experiment, the nonfiction books God Is Not Santa, You are my whole Earth: A Daddy's love for his Sons, You're Going Straight To Helen (In A Handbasket) and Aaron Ryan presents "A Lyrical Empirical Satirical Miracle," the children's picture books The Ring of Truth, The Sword of Joy and The Book of Power, the business reference books How to Successfully Self-Publish & Promote Your Self-Published Book and The Superhero Anomaly, 6 business books on voiceovers penned under his former stage name (Joshua Alexander), as well as a previous fictional novel, The Omega Room.
When he was in second grade, he was tasked with writing a creative assignment: a fictional book. And thus, The Electric Boy was born: a simple novella full of intrigue, fantasy, and 7-year-old wits that electrified Aaron's desire to write. From that point forward, Aaron evolved into a creative soul that desired to create.
He enjoys the arts, media, music, performing, poetry, and being a daddy. In his lifetime he has been an author, voiceover artist, wedding videographer, stage performer, musician, producer, rock/pop artist, executive assistant, service manager, paperboy, CSR, poet, tech support, worship leader, and more. The diversity of his life experiences gives him a unique approach to business, life, ministry, faith, and entertainment.
Aaron's favorite author by far is J.R.R. Tolkien, but he also enjoys Suzanne Collins, James S.A. Corey, Michael Crichton, Marie Lu, Madeleine L'Engle, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Tim Lebbon, Christopher Golden, C.S. Lewis, Stephen King and Dave Barry.
Aaron has always had a passion for storytelling. Visit his website at https://www.authoraaronryan.com, join his exclusive Facebook group at authoraaronryangroup.com, or check out his store at authoraaronryanstore.com.
He is the prolific author of the bestselling Dissonance 6-book alien invasion saga, the Christian dystopian fiction trilogy The End, the Talisman trilogy, the sci-fi thrillers Forecast, The Slide, and The Phoenix Experiment, the nonfiction books God Is Not Santa, You are my whole Earth: A Daddy's love for his Sons, You're Going Straight To Helen (In A Handbasket) and Aaron Ryan presents "A Lyrical Empirical Satirical Miracle," the children's picture books The Ring of Truth, The Sword of Joy and The Book of Power, the business reference books How to Successfully Self-Publish & Promote Your Self-Published Book and The Superhero Anomaly, 6 business books on voiceovers penned under his former stage name (Joshua Alexander), as well as a previous fictional novel, The Omega Room.
When he was in second grade, he was tasked with writing a creative assignment: a fictional book. And thus, The Electric Boy was born: a simple novella full of intrigue, fantasy, and 7-year-old wits that electrified Aaron's desire to write. From that point forward, Aaron evolved into a creative soul that desired to create.
He enjoys the arts, media, music, performing, poetry, and being a daddy. In his lifetime he has been an author, voiceover artist, wedding videographer, stage performer, musician, producer, rock/pop artist, executive assistant, service manager, paperboy, CSR, poet, tech support, worship leader, and more. The diversity of his life experiences gives him a unique approach to business, life, ministry, faith, and entertainment.
Aaron's favorite author by far is J.R.R. Tolkien, but he also enjoys Suzanne Collins, James S.A. Corey, Michael Crichton, Marie Lu, Madeleine L'Engle, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Tim Lebbon, Christopher Golden, C.S. Lewis, Stephen King and Dave Barry.
Aaron has always had a passion for storytelling. Visit his website at https://www.authoraaronryan.com, join his exclusive Facebook group at authoraaronryangroup.com, or check out his store at authoraaronryanstore.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 1, 2024
It seems like every day we wake up to more news of violence, political unrest, the threat of war, and impending environmental catastrophe hanging over our heads. While we try not to think about it, in the back of our minds lurks this nagging fear - what if everything falls apart? What if modern civilization collapses and we're left to fend for ourselves in a post-apocalyptic hellscape? It's the stuff of nightmares, and the driving force behind some of our most compelling science fiction stories.
With his gripping debut novel Dissonance, Volume I: Reality, author Aaron Ryan thrusts readers headlong into one such nightmare future scenario. But what makes this book so engrossing isn't just the vividly realized world he has created. It's the fundamentally human questions the narrative poses about survival, morality, grief, and the fraying bonds of trust that hold society together. This is no trite disaster fantasy but rather a searing character study writ large across a richly immersive sci-fi canvas.
The year is 2042, and Earth has been overrun by a terrifying race of alien beings known as "gorgons." These sleek, pale creatures have the ability to paralyze humans with a supernatural form of telepathy or mind control, freezing anyone who looks upon them in place to be easily devoured. It's a concept that Ryan mines for maximum existential dread - who among us doesn't have a deep-seated primordial fear of being hunted and consumed?
In the 16 years since the gorgons first descended from the skies, they have wiped out a staggering 85% of the global population. The few pockets of survivors have been driven underground, taking shelter in makeshift military bunkers dubbed "Blockades" and scavenging for supplies amid the ruins of civilization. Our entry point into this harrowing new reality is through the eyes of a 23-year-old infantry sergeant named Cameron "Jet" Shipley stationed at one such Blockade in Clarksville, Tennessee.
From the first visceral pages depicting Jet's frantic escape from a gorgon pursuit, it becomes immediately clear that author Ryan is not pulling any punches. This is harsh, uncompromising territory devoid of reassuring cliches or easy outs. In Ryan's telling, the gorgons are utterly implacable forces of nature, rendered in exquisitely inhuman and grotesque detail. There will be no simple deus ex machina to make everything okay again - in this world, stark terror and unspeakable loss are the norms.
What makes Jet Shipley such a compelling hero to follow into these nightmarish trenches is that he has already endured more existential trauma than many could bear. Orphaned by the gorgon assault in his youth, he has lost his entire family save for his younger brother Rutledge, nicknamed Rut. This sibling bond is beautifully depicted in the quieter, more tender moments sprinkled amid the carnage.
A high-stakes mission to implant a tracking device on a live gorgon goes disastrously awry, resulting in devastating consequences. What's most impressive is how deftly Ryan handles the emotional recoil of this loss, never resorting to shock value or cheap sentiment. In the immediate aftermath, Jet begins to splinter, questioning both the mission's purpose and the true motives of the military leadership he has faithfully served. It's a gut-punch of haunting authenticity that reverberates deeply.
Yet Jet is no one-note brooding anti-hero. As portrayed by Ryan, he is a well of roiling, contradictory impulses - valorous, selfless, and consumed by a righteous sense of purpose one moment; festering with simmering rage and mistrust in the next. We're reminded again and again that he is fundamentally still a young man in the thick of life, negotiating trauma compounded by the bitter aftertaste of first love. His burgeoning relationship with his teammate Ally offers tentative flickers of light in the enveloping darkness, tapping into that intrinsically human need for connection and solace even when all seems lost.
It's a testament to Ryan's skill as a character writer that every member of this rag-tag ensemble emerges as a fully realized person coping with unfathomable circumstances. Whether a grizzled veteran like Joe Bassett or a plucky young newcomer recruit like the character Foxy, each has an authenticity and complexity that renders them more than mere expendable extras. We feel the true weight of every casualty, every sacrifice - because we come to understand these are more than just stock players. They are battered survivors simply trying to do the right thing and clinging to the lingering embers of hope that one day, normalcy will be restored.
It's a credit to Ryan that Dissonance never feels anything less than richly inhabited by living, breathing human beings - however heightened and dire the circumstances they're living through. He deftly sidesteps the pitfalls of many genre tales by neither fetishizing the violence nor lingering in gratuitous cynicism. There is genuine pathos to these character journeys, allowing the horrors they endure to cut deeper.
And those horrors are rendered in unblinking, immersive detail. Ryan wields a robust, confident prose style that imbues every skirmish and chase with maximum visceral intensity. The numerous action set pieces detonate with adrenaline and claustrophobic intensity, yet never lose sight of the fragile human components making each life-or-death decision. This is muscular yet thoughtful storytelling that draws you into the trenches while pondering the ethical responsibilities implicit in waging war against a seemingly implacable force of "alien" invaders.
For just as Jet Shipley begins to unearth more troubling layers of deception and violation of trust from his own superiors, so too does Dissonance burrow ever deeper into morally murky territory. What destructive lines are justifiable in crossing while defending against an existential threat? Can we trust the institutions we've built to uphold core values - or are they destined to start devouring themselves from the inside out when survival itself becomes totalizing? With its unflinching depictions of battlefield atrocity and sudden reversals of loyalty and purpose, Ryan's narrative casts a harsh light on the ways traumatic upheaval can unravel the very fabric of society.
What's most unsettling about Dissonance is how it gleefully scrambles the traditional assumptions of apocalyptic storytelling. Yes, there is horror lurking in every shadow, with pitiless alien monsters eagerly awaiting any stumble into darkness. Yet the true threat may not be these tentacled terrors, but rather the icy machinations of our own leadership tearing apart our basic humanity. Time and again, Ryan refuses easy outs or conventional designations of good guys vs. bad guys. The villains here are circumstance itself, fraying mental resiliency, and the corrosive gravitational pull of moral compromise.
Rather than settling for high-concept catastrophe or adolescent power fantasies, Ryan aspires to something far more thematically, psychologically, and philosophically rich with Dissonance. Time and again, we are confronted with moral Event Horizon scenarios - instances when characters are forced to contemplate the seemingly unthinkable simply for hope of enduring one day longer. It makes for viscerally unsettling reading, as if the very core of our ethics and beliefs are constantly being prodded and tested like raw exposed nerve endings.
But that is precisely what makes Dissonance's terrifying universe so vital and resonant as both speculative fiction and an allegory for our contemporary moment. This is a book about facing harsh, uncomfortable realities without flinching - about staring into the profound darkness both literal and existential without being swallowed whole. Even when the ultimate survival of the human race is at stake, Ryan argues, we cannot afford to abandon the core tenets of conscience, accountability, and human compassion that define us. To do so is to sever ourselves from any true existential purpose worth enduring for.
By the climactic closing chapters of Dissonance, Volume I: Reality, the story has steadily built up a considerable reservoir of both catharsis and moral indignation. When long-simmering revelations about the nature of the gorgon conflict finally detonate, it arrives as a bracing shock amplified by the foundations Ryan has laid for us. It's a bold subversion of expectations and refusal of tidy answers or facile heroics - and one that sets the stage for this saga to evolve in thrilling, uncompromising directions.
Most crucially, as the book closes with Jet contemplating a reckoning that was inevitable from the start, we're viscerally reminded of what's truly at stake here. It's not merely the fate of humanity - it's the essence of what defines humanity itself. In the face of civilization's collapse and the inexorable rise of a species of monsters bent on our extinction, how do we maintain our core values, ethics, and belief in goodness? Or will the only path be a descent into dissonance ourselves, abandoning everything that makes us distinctly and wonderfully human?
Dissonance, Volume I: Reality leaves our nerves thrillingly frayed and our spirits rattled by the sheer accumulation of horrors and violations of trust witnessed. Aaron Ryan has established himself as a bold new voice willing to dispense with the safety nets of many genre tropes in order to confront the darkest, most primal impulses lurking within survival narratives. Yet even when the terrain grows blackest, the human soul is the beam of light at the heart of his story, illuminating all our most cherished hopes and ideals. It's this pursuit of meaning and integrity that gives the book its beating, bruised heart.
Where Dissonance goes from here is anyone's guess. But Ryan has created a fictional universe expansive enough to contain a plethora of unexplored territory and devastating new challenges. At the same time, the groundwork has been laid for an emotionally fraught, character-driven saga of perseverance. With a deft blend of gut-punching action and existential reckoning, Dissonance, Volume I: Reality augurs the rise of a starkly compelling new voice in speculative fiction. Make sure you have a front row seat as this saga unfolds - because the real terror is just beginning.
With his gripping debut novel Dissonance, Volume I: Reality, author Aaron Ryan thrusts readers headlong into one such nightmare future scenario. But what makes this book so engrossing isn't just the vividly realized world he has created. It's the fundamentally human questions the narrative poses about survival, morality, grief, and the fraying bonds of trust that hold society together. This is no trite disaster fantasy but rather a searing character study writ large across a richly immersive sci-fi canvas.
The year is 2042, and Earth has been overrun by a terrifying race of alien beings known as "gorgons." These sleek, pale creatures have the ability to paralyze humans with a supernatural form of telepathy or mind control, freezing anyone who looks upon them in place to be easily devoured. It's a concept that Ryan mines for maximum existential dread - who among us doesn't have a deep-seated primordial fear of being hunted and consumed?
In the 16 years since the gorgons first descended from the skies, they have wiped out a staggering 85% of the global population. The few pockets of survivors have been driven underground, taking shelter in makeshift military bunkers dubbed "Blockades" and scavenging for supplies amid the ruins of civilization. Our entry point into this harrowing new reality is through the eyes of a 23-year-old infantry sergeant named Cameron "Jet" Shipley stationed at one such Blockade in Clarksville, Tennessee.
From the first visceral pages depicting Jet's frantic escape from a gorgon pursuit, it becomes immediately clear that author Ryan is not pulling any punches. This is harsh, uncompromising territory devoid of reassuring cliches or easy outs. In Ryan's telling, the gorgons are utterly implacable forces of nature, rendered in exquisitely inhuman and grotesque detail. There will be no simple deus ex machina to make everything okay again - in this world, stark terror and unspeakable loss are the norms.
What makes Jet Shipley such a compelling hero to follow into these nightmarish trenches is that he has already endured more existential trauma than many could bear. Orphaned by the gorgon assault in his youth, he has lost his entire family save for his younger brother Rutledge, nicknamed Rut. This sibling bond is beautifully depicted in the quieter, more tender moments sprinkled amid the carnage.
A high-stakes mission to implant a tracking device on a live gorgon goes disastrously awry, resulting in devastating consequences. What's most impressive is how deftly Ryan handles the emotional recoil of this loss, never resorting to shock value or cheap sentiment. In the immediate aftermath, Jet begins to splinter, questioning both the mission's purpose and the true motives of the military leadership he has faithfully served. It's a gut-punch of haunting authenticity that reverberates deeply.
Yet Jet is no one-note brooding anti-hero. As portrayed by Ryan, he is a well of roiling, contradictory impulses - valorous, selfless, and consumed by a righteous sense of purpose one moment; festering with simmering rage and mistrust in the next. We're reminded again and again that he is fundamentally still a young man in the thick of life, negotiating trauma compounded by the bitter aftertaste of first love. His burgeoning relationship with his teammate Ally offers tentative flickers of light in the enveloping darkness, tapping into that intrinsically human need for connection and solace even when all seems lost.
It's a testament to Ryan's skill as a character writer that every member of this rag-tag ensemble emerges as a fully realized person coping with unfathomable circumstances. Whether a grizzled veteran like Joe Bassett or a plucky young newcomer recruit like the character Foxy, each has an authenticity and complexity that renders them more than mere expendable extras. We feel the true weight of every casualty, every sacrifice - because we come to understand these are more than just stock players. They are battered survivors simply trying to do the right thing and clinging to the lingering embers of hope that one day, normalcy will be restored.
It's a credit to Ryan that Dissonance never feels anything less than richly inhabited by living, breathing human beings - however heightened and dire the circumstances they're living through. He deftly sidesteps the pitfalls of many genre tales by neither fetishizing the violence nor lingering in gratuitous cynicism. There is genuine pathos to these character journeys, allowing the horrors they endure to cut deeper.
And those horrors are rendered in unblinking, immersive detail. Ryan wields a robust, confident prose style that imbues every skirmish and chase with maximum visceral intensity. The numerous action set pieces detonate with adrenaline and claustrophobic intensity, yet never lose sight of the fragile human components making each life-or-death decision. This is muscular yet thoughtful storytelling that draws you into the trenches while pondering the ethical responsibilities implicit in waging war against a seemingly implacable force of "alien" invaders.
For just as Jet Shipley begins to unearth more troubling layers of deception and violation of trust from his own superiors, so too does Dissonance burrow ever deeper into morally murky territory. What destructive lines are justifiable in crossing while defending against an existential threat? Can we trust the institutions we've built to uphold core values - or are they destined to start devouring themselves from the inside out when survival itself becomes totalizing? With its unflinching depictions of battlefield atrocity and sudden reversals of loyalty and purpose, Ryan's narrative casts a harsh light on the ways traumatic upheaval can unravel the very fabric of society.
What's most unsettling about Dissonance is how it gleefully scrambles the traditional assumptions of apocalyptic storytelling. Yes, there is horror lurking in every shadow, with pitiless alien monsters eagerly awaiting any stumble into darkness. Yet the true threat may not be these tentacled terrors, but rather the icy machinations of our own leadership tearing apart our basic humanity. Time and again, Ryan refuses easy outs or conventional designations of good guys vs. bad guys. The villains here are circumstance itself, fraying mental resiliency, and the corrosive gravitational pull of moral compromise.
Rather than settling for high-concept catastrophe or adolescent power fantasies, Ryan aspires to something far more thematically, psychologically, and philosophically rich with Dissonance. Time and again, we are confronted with moral Event Horizon scenarios - instances when characters are forced to contemplate the seemingly unthinkable simply for hope of enduring one day longer. It makes for viscerally unsettling reading, as if the very core of our ethics and beliefs are constantly being prodded and tested like raw exposed nerve endings.
But that is precisely what makes Dissonance's terrifying universe so vital and resonant as both speculative fiction and an allegory for our contemporary moment. This is a book about facing harsh, uncomfortable realities without flinching - about staring into the profound darkness both literal and existential without being swallowed whole. Even when the ultimate survival of the human race is at stake, Ryan argues, we cannot afford to abandon the core tenets of conscience, accountability, and human compassion that define us. To do so is to sever ourselves from any true existential purpose worth enduring for.
By the climactic closing chapters of Dissonance, Volume I: Reality, the story has steadily built up a considerable reservoir of both catharsis and moral indignation. When long-simmering revelations about the nature of the gorgon conflict finally detonate, it arrives as a bracing shock amplified by the foundations Ryan has laid for us. It's a bold subversion of expectations and refusal of tidy answers or facile heroics - and one that sets the stage for this saga to evolve in thrilling, uncompromising directions.
Most crucially, as the book closes with Jet contemplating a reckoning that was inevitable from the start, we're viscerally reminded of what's truly at stake here. It's not merely the fate of humanity - it's the essence of what defines humanity itself. In the face of civilization's collapse and the inexorable rise of a species of monsters bent on our extinction, how do we maintain our core values, ethics, and belief in goodness? Or will the only path be a descent into dissonance ourselves, abandoning everything that makes us distinctly and wonderfully human?
Dissonance, Volume I: Reality leaves our nerves thrillingly frayed and our spirits rattled by the sheer accumulation of horrors and violations of trust witnessed. Aaron Ryan has established himself as a bold new voice willing to dispense with the safety nets of many genre tropes in order to confront the darkest, most primal impulses lurking within survival narratives. Yet even when the terrain grows blackest, the human soul is the beam of light at the heart of his story, illuminating all our most cherished hopes and ideals. It's this pursuit of meaning and integrity that gives the book its beating, bruised heart.
Where Dissonance goes from here is anyone's guess. But Ryan has created a fictional universe expansive enough to contain a plethora of unexplored territory and devastating new challenges. At the same time, the groundwork has been laid for an emotionally fraught, character-driven saga of perseverance. With a deft blend of gut-punching action and existential reckoning, Dissonance, Volume I: Reality augurs the rise of a starkly compelling new voice in speculative fiction. Make sure you have a front row seat as this saga unfolds - because the real terror is just beginning.
April 19, 2024
As a hardcore sci-fi nerd always on the hunt for fresh, intelligent speculative fiction, I can't overstate how stoked I was to discover Aaron Ryan's Dissonance, Volume I: Reality. This gripping post-apocalyptic saga isn't just a thrilling alien invasion yarn - it's a masterclass in immersive world-building, morally complex storytelling, and spinning compelling human drama amid the bleakest of futuristic scenarios.
From the opening pages, Ryan establishes a richly unsettling milieu like few other debut novelists. In the year 2042, Earth has been overrun by a mysterious alien race dubbed "gorgons" - sleek, ghostly creatures with the ability to psychically paralyze humans before devouring them. It's the stuff of visceral nightmares, made all the more palpable by Ryan's meticulous attention to terrifying detail. These gorgons are rendered in disturbingly tactile depth, from their translucent corpse-like complexions to the eldritch mists and susurrations that herald their arrivals. It's pure high-octane cosmic horror fuel.
But what really hooked me was Ryan's grounded, emotionally authentic entrance into this sci-fi hellscape through the eyes of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley. Having narrowly escaped the gorgons' decimation of 85% of mankind, Jet belongs to the scattered human resistance taking shelter in makeshift underground "Blockades." His is an existence defined by abject terror, having born witness to unfathomable tragedy and loss - including his entire family save one sibling.
That surviving brother Rutledge immediately emerges as the key emotional anchor to Dissonance's overarching tale of shattered humanity, broken bonds of allegiance, and perseverance in the face of soul-rending despair. When a pivotal plot mission to implant a tracking device onto a live gorgon claims Rutledge's life, the narrative spirals into a gut-punch of philosophical provocation and psychological inquiry - what moral atrocities are justifiable to ensure humanity's endurance? Just how far is too far in the name of species survival?
I was in awe of how deftly Ryan literalizes these knotty conundrums through riveting twists and escalating shards of recontextualization that have Jet questioning the very people and military authority he's pledged himself to. No motivation is simple, no alliance left unruptured by the time the shockwaves from these cascading paradigm flips have fully landed. It's powerful, bracing storytelling that tangles the mind as much as the heart.
At the same time, Ryan orchestrates all the visceral pyrotechnics and balls-out action set pieces that make for a raucous genre spectacle. Numerous combat throw-downs with the gorgons explode off the page in deliriously immersive strokes, each brimming with hard-core, guns-blazing kineticism that never skimps on the raw grotesquerie. He also deploys some awesome original sci-fi conceits around "DTF" sonic weapon tech derived from the gorgons' own biologies - the sort of clever high-concept flourish that makes for legit, fist-pumping awesomeness.
Ultimately though, Dissonance transcends mere genre thrills into something starkly compelling and brutally profound thanks to its meticulous excavation of just what happens to humanity itself when social orders and ethical rubrics start fraying amid desperation and survival-at-all-costs mentalities. With each revelation and upending of assumed power dynamics, Ryan bears down uncompromisingly on those most harrowing human truths lurking at the apocalyptic brink.
By its haunting climax, Jet's entire rationale for fighting hangs in shards around him - and the novel stands as a searing character piece pondering whether morality and integrity have any place in a civilization's death gasps. Massive props to Ryan for going so unflinchingly there while tantalizing us with the promise of escalating soul-ruptures still yet to come. This is thinking-person's sci-fi dynamite of the absolute highest caliber.
Dissonance makes for an electrifying genre juggernaught, turbo-charged by soaring imagination yet anchored in raw human vulnerability. Ryan's ambitious narrative scope and layered philosophizing mark him as a unique new voice with the potential to be breaking massively huge before long. For mind-blowingly intelligent dystopian world-building fused with all the intricate human anguish and cathartic hope that makes sci-fi endure, this is essential reading of the absolute highest wattage. I can't wait to see where this saga detonates next.
From the opening pages, Ryan establishes a richly unsettling milieu like few other debut novelists. In the year 2042, Earth has been overrun by a mysterious alien race dubbed "gorgons" - sleek, ghostly creatures with the ability to psychically paralyze humans before devouring them. It's the stuff of visceral nightmares, made all the more palpable by Ryan's meticulous attention to terrifying detail. These gorgons are rendered in disturbingly tactile depth, from their translucent corpse-like complexions to the eldritch mists and susurrations that herald their arrivals. It's pure high-octane cosmic horror fuel.
But what really hooked me was Ryan's grounded, emotionally authentic entrance into this sci-fi hellscape through the eyes of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley. Having narrowly escaped the gorgons' decimation of 85% of mankind, Jet belongs to the scattered human resistance taking shelter in makeshift underground "Blockades." His is an existence defined by abject terror, having born witness to unfathomable tragedy and loss - including his entire family save one sibling.
That surviving brother Rutledge immediately emerges as the key emotional anchor to Dissonance's overarching tale of shattered humanity, broken bonds of allegiance, and perseverance in the face of soul-rending despair. When a pivotal plot mission to implant a tracking device onto a live gorgon claims Rutledge's life, the narrative spirals into a gut-punch of philosophical provocation and psychological inquiry - what moral atrocities are justifiable to ensure humanity's endurance? Just how far is too far in the name of species survival?
I was in awe of how deftly Ryan literalizes these knotty conundrums through riveting twists and escalating shards of recontextualization that have Jet questioning the very people and military authority he's pledged himself to. No motivation is simple, no alliance left unruptured by the time the shockwaves from these cascading paradigm flips have fully landed. It's powerful, bracing storytelling that tangles the mind as much as the heart.
At the same time, Ryan orchestrates all the visceral pyrotechnics and balls-out action set pieces that make for a raucous genre spectacle. Numerous combat throw-downs with the gorgons explode off the page in deliriously immersive strokes, each brimming with hard-core, guns-blazing kineticism that never skimps on the raw grotesquerie. He also deploys some awesome original sci-fi conceits around "DTF" sonic weapon tech derived from the gorgons' own biologies - the sort of clever high-concept flourish that makes for legit, fist-pumping awesomeness.
Ultimately though, Dissonance transcends mere genre thrills into something starkly compelling and brutally profound thanks to its meticulous excavation of just what happens to humanity itself when social orders and ethical rubrics start fraying amid desperation and survival-at-all-costs mentalities. With each revelation and upending of assumed power dynamics, Ryan bears down uncompromisingly on those most harrowing human truths lurking at the apocalyptic brink.
By its haunting climax, Jet's entire rationale for fighting hangs in shards around him - and the novel stands as a searing character piece pondering whether morality and integrity have any place in a civilization's death gasps. Massive props to Ryan for going so unflinchingly there while tantalizing us with the promise of escalating soul-ruptures still yet to come. This is thinking-person's sci-fi dynamite of the absolute highest caliber.
Dissonance makes for an electrifying genre juggernaught, turbo-charged by soaring imagination yet anchored in raw human vulnerability. Ryan's ambitious narrative scope and layered philosophizing mark him as a unique new voice with the potential to be breaking massively huge before long. For mind-blowingly intelligent dystopian world-building fused with all the intricate human anguish and cathartic hope that makes sci-fi endure, this is essential reading of the absolute highest wattage. I can't wait to see where this saga detonates next.
October 19, 2025
Dissonance by Aaron Ryan is a dark, intense sci-fi story set in a world that’s been completely wrecked by an alien invasion. The year’s 2042, and Earth has basically fallen apart after creatures called gorgons showed up and destroyed most of humanity. They’re these terrifying alien beings that can kill you just by looking at you. The story follows Sergeant Cameron “Jet” Shipley and his brother Rut, who are both stationed in what’s left of a military outpost in Tennessee. When a new soldier arrives with information that could change everything, Jet is forced to question his orders, his leaders, and even what’s real anymore.
The pacing in this book is tight and keeps you hooked. There’s barely any downtime — something bad always feels like it’s just around the corner. The world building is strong too; Ryan makes you really feel the danger and the desperation of living after the end of the world. Jet’s a great main character because he’s not just a typical tough guy soldier — he’s struggling, he’s scared, and he’s trying to hold onto his sense of right and wrong in a world that’s completely lost it. The relationship between him and his brother adds a lot of heart to all the chaos.
If I had to nitpick, some parts felt a little heavy on the military or technical details, which slowed things down a bit. And a few of the plot twists were kind of predictable if you’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic or alien invasion stories. But honestly, it doesn’t take away much from the experience. The writing feels gritty and real, and it’s clear a lot of thought went into building this world.
Overall, Dissonance Volume I: Reality is a really solid start to what feels like a big, ambitious series. It’s got strong characters, high tension, and just enough emotion to make you care about what happens next. If you’re into survival stories or military sci-fi with a human edge, this one’s definitely worth picking up.
The pacing in this book is tight and keeps you hooked. There’s barely any downtime — something bad always feels like it’s just around the corner. The world building is strong too; Ryan makes you really feel the danger and the desperation of living after the end of the world. Jet’s a great main character because he’s not just a typical tough guy soldier — he’s struggling, he’s scared, and he’s trying to hold onto his sense of right and wrong in a world that’s completely lost it. The relationship between him and his brother adds a lot of heart to all the chaos.
If I had to nitpick, some parts felt a little heavy on the military or technical details, which slowed things down a bit. And a few of the plot twists were kind of predictable if you’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic or alien invasion stories. But honestly, it doesn’t take away much from the experience. The writing feels gritty and real, and it’s clear a lot of thought went into building this world.
Overall, Dissonance Volume I: Reality is a really solid start to what feels like a big, ambitious series. It’s got strong characters, high tension, and just enough emotion to make you care about what happens next. If you’re into survival stories or military sci-fi with a human edge, this one’s definitely worth picking up.
April 19, 2024
With his audacious debut novel Dissonance, Volume I: Reality, author Aaron Ryan establishes himself as a major new literary force to be reckoned with. This gripping, richly-realized work of speculative fiction transcends genre trappings to create a searing, philosophically potent vision of existential perseverance in the face of civilization's violent unraveling.
From the startling opening passages, Ryan thrusts readers headlong into a terrifyingly immersive post-apocalyptic milieu overrun by the enigmatic "gorgons" - a sleek, ghostly alien race that paralyzes humans through a form of psychic subjugation before devouring them whole. It's a chilling, disturbingly plausible premise that resonates with a visceral intensity seldom encountered in even the finest dystopian works.
With haunting precision, the author delineates the pitiless new order that has emerged in the wake of the gorgons' onslaught. A mere 15% of humanity remains, forever condemned to live in furtive squalor and mortal terror huddled in makeshift underground bunkers dubbed "Blockades." It's through the fractured, grief-stricken prism of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley that we experience the full soulful devastation of this phantasmagorical new status quo.
Orphaned at a young age by the gorgons' initial attack, Jet retains only his younger brother Rutledge as a tether to purpose amid the relentless cycle of carnage and privation. When a pivotal mission to implant a tracking device on a rogue gorgon goes disastrously awry, the novel spirals into increasingly harrowing existential depths as revelations of deception emerge around the motivations of the very military authority Jet serves.
With each thunderous upheaval exposing the corrosive institutional distortions and violations of basic human ethics arising from prolonged crisis, Dissonance bears its teeth as both a propulsive genre spectacle and a hard-biting psychological character study. Ryan excels at orchestrating blistering action set pieces and tactile science fiction world-building, rendering every grisly gorgon encounter and futuristic technology like the audiokinetic "DTF" sonic weapons in eye-popping hallucinatory detail.
Yet it's the novel's searing excavation of Jet's increasingly splintered interior foundations where the tale achieves a startling profundity. As his certainties are systematically dismantled, so too does the narrative itself begin interrogating the contingencies and fault lines cleaving apart the last vanguards of humanity's moral fiber. With escalating ferocity, Ryan grapples with whether virtue and integrity can withstand the totalized all-consuming survival instinct wrought under constant existential siege.
What emerges is a compulsively readable yet thematically rich saga evocative of Cormac McCarthy's The Road transplanted into the most vivid cosmic nightmare imaginable. For all its lurid grandeur, Dissonance understands that the true apocalypse lies not in the extinction of our physical world, but the insidious internal gravitational pull away from the core ethics and dignities defining our humanity. As Jet inches towards a violent reckoning, we can't help but grapple with what lines we ourselves would cross in the face of such dehumanization.
Blending meticulous world-building, blistering action, gripping plot momentum, and soulful rumination on the indivisible bonds between perseverance and hope, Dissonance concludes as a bracingly cathartic yet ultimately life-affirming vision. Ryan leaves us craving the next installment with bated breath, initiating what promises to be a profoundly resonant saga of resilience for the ages. For those who luxuriate in speculative fiction interrogating the most elemental aspects of the human experience, this journey into dissonance strikes a powerfully haunting chord.
From the startling opening passages, Ryan thrusts readers headlong into a terrifyingly immersive post-apocalyptic milieu overrun by the enigmatic "gorgons" - a sleek, ghostly alien race that paralyzes humans through a form of psychic subjugation before devouring them whole. It's a chilling, disturbingly plausible premise that resonates with a visceral intensity seldom encountered in even the finest dystopian works.
With haunting precision, the author delineates the pitiless new order that has emerged in the wake of the gorgons' onslaught. A mere 15% of humanity remains, forever condemned to live in furtive squalor and mortal terror huddled in makeshift underground bunkers dubbed "Blockades." It's through the fractured, grief-stricken prism of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley that we experience the full soulful devastation of this phantasmagorical new status quo.
Orphaned at a young age by the gorgons' initial attack, Jet retains only his younger brother Rutledge as a tether to purpose amid the relentless cycle of carnage and privation. When a pivotal mission to implant a tracking device on a rogue gorgon goes disastrously awry, the novel spirals into increasingly harrowing existential depths as revelations of deception emerge around the motivations of the very military authority Jet serves.
With each thunderous upheaval exposing the corrosive institutional distortions and violations of basic human ethics arising from prolonged crisis, Dissonance bears its teeth as both a propulsive genre spectacle and a hard-biting psychological character study. Ryan excels at orchestrating blistering action set pieces and tactile science fiction world-building, rendering every grisly gorgon encounter and futuristic technology like the audiokinetic "DTF" sonic weapons in eye-popping hallucinatory detail.
Yet it's the novel's searing excavation of Jet's increasingly splintered interior foundations where the tale achieves a startling profundity. As his certainties are systematically dismantled, so too does the narrative itself begin interrogating the contingencies and fault lines cleaving apart the last vanguards of humanity's moral fiber. With escalating ferocity, Ryan grapples with whether virtue and integrity can withstand the totalized all-consuming survival instinct wrought under constant existential siege.
What emerges is a compulsively readable yet thematically rich saga evocative of Cormac McCarthy's The Road transplanted into the most vivid cosmic nightmare imaginable. For all its lurid grandeur, Dissonance understands that the true apocalypse lies not in the extinction of our physical world, but the insidious internal gravitational pull away from the core ethics and dignities defining our humanity. As Jet inches towards a violent reckoning, we can't help but grapple with what lines we ourselves would cross in the face of such dehumanization.
Blending meticulous world-building, blistering action, gripping plot momentum, and soulful rumination on the indivisible bonds between perseverance and hope, Dissonance concludes as a bracingly cathartic yet ultimately life-affirming vision. Ryan leaves us craving the next installment with bated breath, initiating what promises to be a profoundly resonant saga of resilience for the ages. For those who luxuriate in speculative fiction interrogating the most elemental aspects of the human experience, this journey into dissonance strikes a powerfully haunting chord.
October 26, 2024
I just bought volume 2 in the series if that tells you anything. I love dystopian Sci-Fi tales, and the story is fast paced and engaging. Aaraon Ryan did a stellar job of creating his cast of characters. There are five books in the series, so it's a good thing I enjoy hanging out with all of them. I'll be with them a while 😊 So far, I give the series two thumbs up! 👍👍
August 14, 2024
Whoa, this book was intense! Alien gorgons that paralyze you with their minds? Creepy AF. The whole "don't look" thing gave me serious Bird Box vibes. Jet and Rutty were solid characters, but I wish we got more backstory. The action scenes had me on edge, but sometimes it felt a bit repetitive. Still, that twist with the new recruit? Didn't see it coming! If you're into gritty alien invasions, give it a shot. Just don't expect much sci-fi tech - it's more about survival.
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May 27, 2025
This book is a great adventure story. I would not call it a young adult book - I am an old adult and I really liked it. The main reason that I liked it is I loved the main character Cameron Shipley. His voice and values are completely relatable, as well as his emotions! Let's hope we never have to face what he did and if we did we would do so with the strength of character and unselfishness he mustered!
March 25, 2024
Alien meets Independence Day
Aliens have captured the planet and the war on humanity is on. Not really an SF reader but this storyline really grabbed me and now I have to read the sequel.
Aliens have captured the planet and the war on humanity is on. Not really an SF reader but this storyline really grabbed me and now I have to read the sequel.
February 26, 2025
This series has moved to the top of my "to read" list. I was drawn in from page one and couldn't put it down. The relatability to the characters and the strong world building make this book a very immersive experience. I really enjoyed this read and highly recommend it.
March 18, 2025
A pretty good start to this sci fi fantasy series. Being former Army, I did find that there could have been a little bit more formality with details of ops, more attention to detail. Verbiage and technologies. It needed more depth in my opinion. Overall great read and very interesting timeline!
January 22, 2024
I really liked this! Read it over Christmas break and with everything going on in my life, I couldn’t wait to get back to this. Love being creeped out and this did it.
September 23, 2024
Superb, as is the rest of the series, both sequels and prequels. I'm hooked!
July 14, 2025
Great book! Suspenseful without being scary (I can't handle horror), and left me eager to continue the story whenI had finished reading.
September 5, 2024
A really great read! A great start to this exciting & interesting series! I do like the characters & the fact it has amusing moments, a good bit of fun with some action & adventure, you never know where the storyline will go! So great! I will look forward to reading the next book & I do recommend!.
April 19, 2024
In his novel Dissonance, Volume I: Reality, author Aaron Ryan confronts that most primordial of human queries - when civilization collapses and survival itself becomes totalizing, what ethical contingencies must we brace for? What fundamental virtues and behavioral guardrails risk being cast aside?
It's a potent philosophical throughline that Ryan grounds in the rich textile of a post-apocalyptic science fiction saga involving alien invaders. Set in a terrifyingly plausible future where enigmatic alien "gorgons" have driven humanity to the brink of extinction, this first installment of Ryan's Dissonance saga plumbs the depths of our capacity for perseverance and resilience against the gravest existential threats.
By 2042, the remaining of global population, cowering in makeshift underground "Blockades" as the ghostly, paralyzing gorgons stalk the surface world. It's through the lens of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley that Ryan filters this phantasmagorical dystopia of deprivation, violence, and the fraying threads of civilization's moral fabric.
When Jet is assigned to an unprecedented reconnaissance operation to surgically implant a tracking device on a rogue gorgon, the ensuing narrative turbulence detonates with a ferocity that shatters long-held allegiances. For the revelations around the compromised ethics and caustic distortions of human values wrought by this interminable crisis begin rupturing Jet's own certainties in tandem with the storyline itself.
With jolting muscularity, Ryan raises thorny inquiries into whether virtue and dignity can possibly endure civilizational collapse. Or does the totalizing survival instinct of perpetual existential siege simply render such graces obsolete? As Jet bears witness to the corrosive institutional deceits and betrayals enabled by extended warfare, the narrative itself ponders with unsparing clarity what sort of human we all may become when social orders and ethical contingencies enter freefall.
Yet Ryan roots these metaphysical provocations in meticulous character specificity and richly immersive world-building authenticity. Combat sequences against the gorgons detonate with visceral, cinematically-realized intensity, while original sci-fi flourishes like the audiokinetic "DTF" sonic weapons demonstrate the author's facility at grounding the fantastical in hyper-realized plausibility.
It's this refusal to indulge in tidy archetypes or reductive nihilism that lends Dissonance its stinging philosophical resonance. As the faultlines between Jet's trauma and obligations as a soldier calcify, the narrative itself interrogates with soulful urgency what we owe ourselves and each other once civilizational safeguards erode entirely.
The result is a work of compulsive genre storytelling fused with existential weight and complexity. This auspicious first chapter in Ryan's Dissonance saga chills the mind while setting the soul aflame with provocation around humanity's ultimate contingencies. For the possibility of transcendent deliverance always flickers, even when the path ahead leads into darkness.
It's a potent philosophical throughline that Ryan grounds in the rich textile of a post-apocalyptic science fiction saga involving alien invaders. Set in a terrifyingly plausible future where enigmatic alien "gorgons" have driven humanity to the brink of extinction, this first installment of Ryan's Dissonance saga plumbs the depths of our capacity for perseverance and resilience against the gravest existential threats.
By 2042, the remaining of global population, cowering in makeshift underground "Blockades" as the ghostly, paralyzing gorgons stalk the surface world. It's through the lens of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley that Ryan filters this phantasmagorical dystopia of deprivation, violence, and the fraying threads of civilization's moral fabric.
When Jet is assigned to an unprecedented reconnaissance operation to surgically implant a tracking device on a rogue gorgon, the ensuing narrative turbulence detonates with a ferocity that shatters long-held allegiances. For the revelations around the compromised ethics and caustic distortions of human values wrought by this interminable crisis begin rupturing Jet's own certainties in tandem with the storyline itself.
With jolting muscularity, Ryan raises thorny inquiries into whether virtue and dignity can possibly endure civilizational collapse. Or does the totalizing survival instinct of perpetual existential siege simply render such graces obsolete? As Jet bears witness to the corrosive institutional deceits and betrayals enabled by extended warfare, the narrative itself ponders with unsparing clarity what sort of human we all may become when social orders and ethical contingencies enter freefall.
Yet Ryan roots these metaphysical provocations in meticulous character specificity and richly immersive world-building authenticity. Combat sequences against the gorgons detonate with visceral, cinematically-realized intensity, while original sci-fi flourishes like the audiokinetic "DTF" sonic weapons demonstrate the author's facility at grounding the fantastical in hyper-realized plausibility.
It's this refusal to indulge in tidy archetypes or reductive nihilism that lends Dissonance its stinging philosophical resonance. As the faultlines between Jet's trauma and obligations as a soldier calcify, the narrative itself interrogates with soulful urgency what we owe ourselves and each other once civilizational safeguards erode entirely.
The result is a work of compulsive genre storytelling fused with existential weight and complexity. This auspicious first chapter in Ryan's Dissonance saga chills the mind while setting the soul aflame with provocation around humanity's ultimate contingencies. For the possibility of transcendent deliverance always flickers, even when the path ahead leads into darkness.
April 19, 2024
In the opening salvo of his Dissonance saga, author Aaron Ryan establishes a richly unsettling future where enigmatic alien "gorgons" have driven humanity to the precipice of extinction. By 2042, the gorgons - pale, ghostly beings who paralyze humans through psychic subjugation before devouring them - have laid waste to 85% of the global population.
The 15% of survivors take shelter in makeshift underground bunkers called "Blockades", furtively eking out squalid existences while the gorgons hauntingly stalk the surface world. It's through the prism of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley that Ryan filters this phantasmagorical dystopia and its shattered societal order.
When Jet is tasked with an unprecedented reconnaissance operation to implant a tracking device on a rogue gorgon, the narrative is set spiraling into ever-murkier existential territory. For this pivotal mission proves just the first upheaval in successive detonations of disturbing revelation around the compromised institutional ethics and corrosive distortions of human values enabled by extended crisis.
With jolting ferocity and unflinching resolve, Ryan begins interrogating whether virtue and behavioral restraint can possibly endure civilizational collapse - or if the totalizing survival instinct wrought under constant existential siege simply renders obsolete such core ideals. As the fault lines calcify and allegiances erode, Jet's own certainties start splintering in tandem with the narrative itself.
Yet Ryan avoids didactic philosophizing or flattening the harrowing contingencies into facile archetypes. His muscularity as a character writer shines through the meticulous attention to immersive world-building detail and visceral rendering of the novel's combat sequences against the gorgon hordes. From blistering action set pieces to original sci-fi flourishes like the audiokinetic "DTF" sonic weapons, every hallucinatory aspect of this saga is rooted in grounded, hyper-realized authenticity.
Ultimately though, Dissonance derives its significance from Ryan's unwavering interrogation of the human soul when social orders and ethical frameworks enter irrevocable freefall. As both Jet and the narrative itself plumb the nefarious causalities and corrosive reverberations of crisis decision-making, the result is a work of bracing existential resonance cloaked in propulsive genre momentum. Few fictional journeys into dissonant darkness will feel quite so haunting or profound.
The 15% of survivors take shelter in makeshift underground bunkers called "Blockades", furtively eking out squalid existences while the gorgons hauntingly stalk the surface world. It's through the prism of 23-year-old infantry sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley that Ryan filters this phantasmagorical dystopia and its shattered societal order.
When Jet is tasked with an unprecedented reconnaissance operation to implant a tracking device on a rogue gorgon, the narrative is set spiraling into ever-murkier existential territory. For this pivotal mission proves just the first upheaval in successive detonations of disturbing revelation around the compromised institutional ethics and corrosive distortions of human values enabled by extended crisis.
With jolting ferocity and unflinching resolve, Ryan begins interrogating whether virtue and behavioral restraint can possibly endure civilizational collapse - or if the totalizing survival instinct wrought under constant existential siege simply renders obsolete such core ideals. As the fault lines calcify and allegiances erode, Jet's own certainties start splintering in tandem with the narrative itself.
Yet Ryan avoids didactic philosophizing or flattening the harrowing contingencies into facile archetypes. His muscularity as a character writer shines through the meticulous attention to immersive world-building detail and visceral rendering of the novel's combat sequences against the gorgon hordes. From blistering action set pieces to original sci-fi flourishes like the audiokinetic "DTF" sonic weapons, every hallucinatory aspect of this saga is rooted in grounded, hyper-realized authenticity.
Ultimately though, Dissonance derives its significance from Ryan's unwavering interrogation of the human soul when social orders and ethical frameworks enter irrevocable freefall. As both Jet and the narrative itself plumb the nefarious causalities and corrosive reverberations of crisis decision-making, the result is a work of bracing existential resonance cloaked in propulsive genre momentum. Few fictional journeys into dissonant darkness will feel quite so haunting or profound.
January 25, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book! Not only did the author have a unique "voice" for his characters, but the action was perfectly inserted into the story. The plot was interesting, balanced, scary and believable. A perfect read for those of us who enjoy science fiction, good dialogue, unusual twists and endearing characters. I actually cared about them, and that indicates good writing to me. I had to go for tissues several times in the saddest parts of the story. I think this book would make a very successful movie if it was left just the way it was written, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 2, 2024
interesting
Interesting book, though not my cup of tea it is still an interesting read. Worth a read if you’re into it. I enjoyed it a lot
Interesting book, though not my cup of tea it is still an interesting read. Worth a read if you’re into it. I enjoyed it a lot
October 12, 2024
Aaron Ryan's Dissonance: Volume I is a gritty, post-apocalyptic thriller set in a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction due to the arrival of terrifying alien creatures called gorgons. The story follows Jet and his younger brother, Rutty, as they navigate a dystopian landscape, trying to survive and protect a mysterious amulet that could be the key to humanity’s survival. The novel explores themes of fear, trust, and the resilience of the human spirit, all within a backdrop of constant danger from the relentless gorgons.
The author has a way of pulling you straight into the action, and once you're in, you’re there for the long haul. The opening scene had me right on edge. Jet is hiding from a gorgon, counting down the seconds he has to reach safety, and his heart-stopping escape felt vivid and tense. Ryan does a great job of keeping the pace fast and tense, especially during the action scenes.
The relationship between Jet and Rutty felt real and raw, which gave me a reason to root for them beyond just survival. There’s a scene early on where Rutty is teasing Jet about being called "Cameron," and even though it’s lighthearted, you can feel the weight of their shared trauma underneath. It’s those little moments that make the bleak world of the story feel more grounded and human. You can tell Ryan put a lot of thought into how these two characters interact, and it’s those quieter moments that balance out the non-stop action. There are a lot of scenes with heavy internal monologue where Jet reflects on the past, the loss of his family, and the weight of survival, which sometimes slowed things down but these reflections added depth to Jet’s character.
Dissonance: Volume I is a thrilling ride with enough tension, emotional depth, and world-building to keep you hooked. The book would be perfect for anyone who loves post-apocalyptic science fiction stories where survival feels like a constant question mark. It’s got heart, plenty of action, and enough mystery to make you want to pick up the next volume. If you're into stories like The Road but with more of a sci-fi edge, this one’s definitely worth a read.
The author has a way of pulling you straight into the action, and once you're in, you’re there for the long haul. The opening scene had me right on edge. Jet is hiding from a gorgon, counting down the seconds he has to reach safety, and his heart-stopping escape felt vivid and tense. Ryan does a great job of keeping the pace fast and tense, especially during the action scenes.
The relationship between Jet and Rutty felt real and raw, which gave me a reason to root for them beyond just survival. There’s a scene early on where Rutty is teasing Jet about being called "Cameron," and even though it’s lighthearted, you can feel the weight of their shared trauma underneath. It’s those little moments that make the bleak world of the story feel more grounded and human. You can tell Ryan put a lot of thought into how these two characters interact, and it’s those quieter moments that balance out the non-stop action. There are a lot of scenes with heavy internal monologue where Jet reflects on the past, the loss of his family, and the weight of survival, which sometimes slowed things down but these reflections added depth to Jet’s character.
Dissonance: Volume I is a thrilling ride with enough tension, emotional depth, and world-building to keep you hooked. The book would be perfect for anyone who loves post-apocalyptic science fiction stories where survival feels like a constant question mark. It’s got heart, plenty of action, and enough mystery to make you want to pick up the next volume. If you're into stories like The Road but with more of a sci-fi edge, this one’s definitely worth a read.
September 6, 2024
It's 2042, sixteen years after the arrival of the Gorgons, an alien creature that feeds on the flesh of mammals, especially humans. Since his sixth year of life, Sergeant Cameron Shipley, aka Jet, has survived the invasion and now, a new arrival to his military unit, reveals a secret that could change the course of history and potential survival. Jet faces a dilemma of monumental proportions—follow the orders of high command that he knows is not feasible or take a chance on this recruits solution? Jet's internal conflict is central to the story, drawing readers in and making them empathize with his predicament.
As soon as the Gorgons appeared in the story, I knew I was in for a great read. I've always been especially attracted to monsters, demons, and aliens, especially when one of these creatures "breaks the mold," like zombies that are super-fast and alert to the slightest sound, vampires that can operate in sunlight, or demons masquerading as humans saving humans from other demons. The Gorgons in Aaron Ryan's fascinating story fit that mold perfectly. I always avoid spoilers, so I won't further describe these creatures. I prefer future readers to discover the thrills on their own. Creating such an antagonist, however, takes imagination, and writing a story that captures the reader's imagination while building tension, surprise, and genuine reading pleasure takes skill; here again, Ryan excels. Seldom have I read a book that mixes first and third-person points of view among several characters in the same scene without totally confusing the reader as to who is who while simultaneously losing the scene's thread. Aaron Ryan has invented unforgettable, true-to-life, situational characters that, along with his Gorgons, are just the beginning of what will hopefully be (as a minimum) a trilogy and, possibly, a long-running series. I'll be looking for them!
As soon as the Gorgons appeared in the story, I knew I was in for a great read. I've always been especially attracted to monsters, demons, and aliens, especially when one of these creatures "breaks the mold," like zombies that are super-fast and alert to the slightest sound, vampires that can operate in sunlight, or demons masquerading as humans saving humans from other demons. The Gorgons in Aaron Ryan's fascinating story fit that mold perfectly. I always avoid spoilers, so I won't further describe these creatures. I prefer future readers to discover the thrills on their own. Creating such an antagonist, however, takes imagination, and writing a story that captures the reader's imagination while building tension, surprise, and genuine reading pleasure takes skill; here again, Ryan excels. Seldom have I read a book that mixes first and third-person points of view among several characters in the same scene without totally confusing the reader as to who is who while simultaneously losing the scene's thread. Aaron Ryan has invented unforgettable, true-to-life, situational characters that, along with his Gorgons, are just the beginning of what will hopefully be (as a minimum) a trilogy and, possibly, a long-running series. I'll be looking for them!
July 29, 2024
The first book in the dissonance saga is a rollercoaster of emotions. If I had to combine two other works of fiction, it would be the movie Battle LA and The Resistance video game series. I did not know what to expect in this series, but I am happy to have read this gripping dystopian sci-fi story. Author Aaron Ryan does not shy away from the bleakness in this world and the horror the gorgons bring to the earth. The main character, Jet, tells the story from his perspective, and it is through his lessons that we see the world, from the ruins of cities to the human colonies that have survived underground away from the gorgons. The world-building is rich in detail and makes everything feel cinematic as if it were a movie. What makes this story unique in the alien invasion genre is the type of lines depicted in the story. They are not the stereotypical ones that have been depicted numerous times over; they are simple in their design, but their simplicity hides a monstrosity. They are animals from the universe, not some higher-level beings; they are simply animals that have made Earth their new feeding ground. In this sense, that is the most terrifying aspect of the story. This is a fresh sci-fi alien invasion story that fans have long wanted.
August 25, 2024
I devoured this book in one sitting. The demonstration of action scenes and the Nail-Biting scenes rejuvenate my passion for reading. The Adrenaline rush is a real pleasure that makes you glued to the book. This book is a perfect getaway to ignore the real world, best to get out of the reading slump that cloaked you when you finish a hard, deep novel.
Have you ever thought about why we like fast-paced thrillers? Because it gives us instant escape from the real world, escalates us from troubled life, and serves mirthful experiences that open another reason to fight for what we dreamt in real life, it injects new spirit, and new energy to reclaim the life. It resonates with the reader’s everyday struggle and rather than draining us it fuels our spirit with some newfound strength.
His characters were so alive and showed emotional depths with subtle notes that were well articulated with action packed narrative, and I loved the fact that it didn’t affect the pace of the plot but rather added more colors to the story.
Read full review here
https://miliswritingdesk.wordpress.co...
Have you ever thought about why we like fast-paced thrillers? Because it gives us instant escape from the real world, escalates us from troubled life, and serves mirthful experiences that open another reason to fight for what we dreamt in real life, it injects new spirit, and new energy to reclaim the life. It resonates with the reader’s everyday struggle and rather than draining us it fuels our spirit with some newfound strength.
His characters were so alive and showed emotional depths with subtle notes that were well articulated with action packed narrative, and I loved the fact that it didn’t affect the pace of the plot but rather added more colors to the story.
Read full review here
https://miliswritingdesk.wordpress.co...
September 2, 2025
This was exactly the right book for the moment. You see I study a lot, especially languages, but sometimes the brain just needs a break. I just want to be entertained. And Dissonance Reality totally achieved that. It moves along rapidly in a straight line, gathering characters and description in its wake. It feels like driving a high-powered electric vehicle on an open straight German autobahn. No turns, no gear changes, just adrenaline filled exciting acceleration.
I chose the audiobook version. It was perfect for this story. Some stories are too complex for audio, you need to keep stopping to rewind. Dissonance Volume 1 is just the right level to keep you moving without having to go through mental hoops to understand the world you're in. Sometimes I love the mental hoops stories, sometimes I like to be carried for the ride. Dissonance carried me. And the audiobook is superb; the author reads his own story perfectly.
The final chapter is fantastic. The EV, to continue the metaphor, hits the end of the autobahn, swerves round a tight hairpin and we're on to a whole new road. The twist comes just at the right moment.
I chose the audiobook version. It was perfect for this story. Some stories are too complex for audio, you need to keep stopping to rewind. Dissonance Volume 1 is just the right level to keep you moving without having to go through mental hoops to understand the world you're in. Sometimes I love the mental hoops stories, sometimes I like to be carried for the ride. Dissonance carried me. And the audiobook is superb; the author reads his own story perfectly.
The final chapter is fantastic. The EV, to continue the metaphor, hits the end of the autobahn, swerves round a tight hairpin and we're on to a whole new road. The twist comes just at the right moment.
January 22, 2024
Dissonance packs emotional and thematic depth as the first book in this dystopian series. It’s been 16 years since the start of the alien occupation where survivors have been forced to hide and adapt. The story centers on two close-knit brothers who grew up under occupation and joined the military. Tasked with a seemingly impossible and likely suicidal mission, the brothers along with a small band of soldiers set out to confront the enemy and rescue survivors. There is a love story that is both tenderhearted and childlike. Ryan explores the resiliency of the human heart, despite being denied normal coming of age experiences with humanity under constant threat. The strength of this book lies in the suspenseful storyline, intricate adherence to the emotional, political and structural consequences of invasion, while including surprisingly complex discussions of faith, love, survival and family. The ending left me both satisfied and wanting more. I can’t wait to see how this series continues.
April 6, 2024
A gripping edge-of-your-seat dystopian sci-fi...
Aaron Ryan's "Dissonance: Volume I - Reality" immerses the reader in a compelling sci-fi story about humanity's uncertain struggle to survive in the face of deadly extraterrestrial threats. Sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley and his crew embark on a perilous reconnaissance mission, into the heart of an alien-ravaged planet. They face tough obstacles that test their courage and perseverance. Ryan brilliantly creates a world that immerses readers in a dark yet compelling future, while the horrific struggles suffered by the protagonists elicit a wide spectrum of emotions. Fans of action-packed fiction and dystopian adventures will find this book an enticing journey into the unknown. This was an excellent sci-fi that comes highly recommended.
Aaron Ryan's "Dissonance: Volume I - Reality" immerses the reader in a compelling sci-fi story about humanity's uncertain struggle to survive in the face of deadly extraterrestrial threats. Sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley and his crew embark on a perilous reconnaissance mission, into the heart of an alien-ravaged planet. They face tough obstacles that test their courage and perseverance. Ryan brilliantly creates a world that immerses readers in a dark yet compelling future, while the horrific struggles suffered by the protagonists elicit a wide spectrum of emotions. Fans of action-packed fiction and dystopian adventures will find this book an enticing journey into the unknown. This was an excellent sci-fi that comes highly recommended.
January 4, 2024
I didn't expect to find this so satisfying! I read the back "Aliens meets A Quiet Place" and thought, "OK, there's probably going to be some kind of mashup here, and probably a lot of "been there, read that" - but this was pretty unique in its dystopian setting and daily rigour of the protagonists. There was a slough of surprises, and I was deeply moved by various chapters where the tension is incredibly high. My heart was thumping through those. There's also a huge surprise that is pretty epic in its scope. Highly recommended and looking forward to the next chapter for Cameron and Company.
March 9, 2024
I thought this was a really creative and well written story. Ryan had a very unique voice and does a great job at telling a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. I think what freaked me out the most was how realistic a future like this could be if we ever find out aliens exist. This book had my heart racing at some parts and my eyes watering at others – Ryan did a great job at keeping me invested and evoking a variety of emotions from me. Find my full review here: https://likelystory.blog/2024/03/08/r...
May 22, 2024
Aaron Ryan has created a wonderful new world for us to dive into.
The author has a smooth writing style that is easy to follow and I enjoy the way he sets the scenes and pacing. He keeps the stakes high throughout the entire read.
I think my main praise for Ryan would be his ability to use vivid descriptions to make the reader feel like they are in the world with the characters.
A smooth plot that keeps readers engaged throughout really rounds out the writing for me.
The author has a smooth writing style that is easy to follow and I enjoy the way he sets the scenes and pacing. He keeps the stakes high throughout the entire read.
I think my main praise for Ryan would be his ability to use vivid descriptions to make the reader feel like they are in the world with the characters.
A smooth plot that keeps readers engaged throughout really rounds out the writing for me.
January 27, 2024
Dissonance: Volume I: Reality" by Aaron Ryan is a gripping dystopian novel blending elements of science-fiction, dystopia, and thriller. The world building is absolutely vivid and transport you to the place of happening. While the story captivates readers with suspense, emotional depth, and unexpected surprises. Recommended for those seeking a satisfying and unique escape.
May 20, 2024
I really enjoyed the author’s approach in this story - the pacing was great, the web weaved was sticky and intriguing, and the ending had a great payout.
The main characters go through a few arcs that make this rollercoaster ride that much more fun and entertaining.
This was a great read that will have you really think what lurks beneath.
The main characters go through a few arcs that make this rollercoaster ride that much more fun and entertaining.
This was a great read that will have you really think what lurks beneath.
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