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Phase Shift 2045: The Devata Protocol Book 1

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Readers can’t get enough of Phase Shift 2045:

★★★★★ “Visionary yet intimate.”
★★★★★ “An unforgettable blend of science fiction and raw human emotion.”
★★★★★ “It’s rare to find sci-fi this emotionally grounded while still being so imaginative.”
★★★★★ “A stunning debut — highly recommend this story.”

Intimate and visionary, Phase Shift 2045 is a novel about friendship, love, and loss—and what it means to be human in the face of technology.

A sweeping, high-concept sci-fi epic of time shifts, AI ascendancy, human betrayal, and friendship tested by fate. Anchored in a richly drawn Cambodian setting rarely seen in speculative fiction, Phase Shift 2045 explores the cost of progress, the price of love, and the fragile thread between power and humanity.

Dive into this story if you
• A bold, original Cambodia’s past & future in collision
• Characters you’ll root for—even when the stakes tear them apart
• A god-like machine born of human longing and machine logic
• A series Book 1 of The Devata Protocol Saga
• A story that lingers—because when reality shifts, everything changes

Ready to enter the world of Phase Shift 2045?
Click Buy Now or Read with Kindle Unlimited and begin the journey.

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2025

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Woodrow Bell.
Author 6 books9 followers
November 30, 2025
I went into this book not entirely sure what to expect, as I hadn't read any Cambodian-focused science fiction before, and I can happily say I was pleasantly surprised by what I read.

The book starts a little slowly, but the pacing picks up after the first few chapters and quickly gets into the nuts and bolts of the story. Essentially, it follows two friends and a super intelligence they discover (maybe created?) and how their interactions with it (Devata) change them individually, their friendship, and ultimately, the world.

I very much enjoyed the use of Khmer throughout the book and the brief smattering of Khmer and Cambodian history that is presented. I would have loved to get more of that as the story progressed, but I am glad it wasn't shoehorned in. It was definitely a fun addition and makes me want to read more of this author's work.

Even though the book is around 200 pages, some parts could have benefited from a sharper edit. This includes many instances of overwriting emotions, as well as of telling rather than showing characters' feelings, their interactions with others, and their experiences with the world. It was a little distracting at the beginning of the book, but as the story progressed and the plot came into focus, it was less noticeable.

Overall, the story was well written. It was well-paced and made sense/stayed within the rules it established in the universe. The ending did seem somewhat rushed, and I wish the author had spent a little more time on the final conflict and the reveal (which was a nice twist I didn't see coming). I don't know why the post-ending stinger was important, but maybe that is revealed in the next book.

Ultimately, this is a solid 4-star story and is worth a read. I plan on continuing the series and look forward to following the adventures of Pheap, Vannak, and Ashley.
28 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2025
Phase Shift 2045: The Devata Protocol begins with the sympathetic character of Pheap, grieving for his mother, at odds with his father. The story shifts and keeping track of the characters becomes a challenge for a while. I love that it's placed in Cambodia.

The description of walking through the ruined city was very effective. Pheap's insistence on rules to use power appropriately and ethically is excellent. Yet Vannak shows power is not something that should be in the hands of everyone.

I would advise some additional editing, especially on verb tenses. Some of the abrupt scene changes are confusing, but the author mostly manages to tie them together. The story is hurried with a lot happening. In some portions it has the air of a comic book movie, but with an interesting twist at the end.

The beauty of science fiction is the ability to create an artificial situation to explore philosophical questions and aspects of humanity. For me, the climax came with the statement Pheap makes about power to the general. This is a lesson vital for today and unless the powerful forces of the world accept and commit to a similar perspective, there may not be a world anymore.
51 reviews2 followers
November 21, 2025
Enjoyed this novel immensely, despite a few flaws. So let’s start with those. The time skips, while never bad enough that you can’t follow, break up the pacing. Even within chapters. Spacing some apart as there own longer chapters might have helped there.

When it comes to characterization, this one was hit or miss. Pheap is interesting enough, as was Freeman. The rest I occasionally struggled to remember what they were even about. What is there is enough to keep you reading, however.

This is one of those “big idea” types of stories, and with those plot points it hits a home run. Not only are the general technologies explored, there impact on society and how other groups would realistically react are handled well enough.

This is definitely a solid novel, just one that needed some touching up. Fans of scifi will love it. With others, it will be a coin toss. I would say give it a shot.
237 reviews4 followers
October 30, 2025
A Haunting Vision of Love, Loss, and the Future

Phase Shift 2045 is an unforgettable blend of science fiction and raw human emotion. The story follows Pheap and Vannak through a future filled with hope, tragedy, and the search for meaning in a world transformed by technology. The writing is vivid, pulling you from the streets of Cambodia to the shimmering edges of a future that feels both wondrous and terrifying. I was deeply moved by how it explores grief, loyalty, and what it means to be human in the face of progress. Every chapter left me reflecting on the cost of connection and the power of love that transcends time. This book is a masterpiece of imagination and heart.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

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