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Reverence #1
Reverence
It is April 2065. The White House is now a mere memento from an age long gone, the Pentagon is now a daunting tower that watches over all, and the people have embraced the security with open arms. Enforcing this new world order is William Marconi, just one of an elite super soldier army of 144, 000. Part man and part machine, it is his sworn duty to annihilate any suspected threat to the new utopia. In a single heartbeat, however, William is faced with an opponent he has never known the likes of. Civilian and soldier alike become victims in a bloodbath that threatens to consume all he knows. In order to win, he’ll have to question his allies, his enemies, and himself.
Check out the series that “paints a picture worthy of the classic military science fiction writers in their hay day” (Thomas Anderson, Literary Titan).
Check out the series that “paints a picture worthy of the classic military science fiction writers in their hay day” (Thomas Anderson, Literary Titan).
332 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2016
240 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Joshua A. Landeros
32 books14 followersJoshua Landeros was born in Pomona, CA, but was raised in Perris of Riverside County for years uncountable now.
Landeros grew up on anime, Japanese monster films, Batman the Animated Series, and Star Wars. Not to mention an infinite love for all movie monsters. He obsesses over novels and comic books, eating up the work of Stephen King, Alan Moore, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Mike Mignolia, and Chris Hedges.
In June 2018, he graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor's in History Administrative Studies. In 2020, he graduated from the University of Redlands with a Master's in Education.
Landeros grew up on anime, Japanese monster films, Batman the Animated Series, and Star Wars. Not to mention an infinite love for all movie monsters. He obsesses over novels and comic books, eating up the work of Stephen King, Alan Moore, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Mike Mignolia, and Chris Hedges.
In June 2018, he graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor's in History Administrative Studies. In 2020, he graduated from the University of Redlands with a Master's in Education.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 27, 2017
Reverence is a raw, gripping, graphic novel that seems to feature combat, wounding, and deaths for half of the book, cumulatively. It isn’t for the faint-of-heart, but if you’re the kind that loves reading about blood and gore, you’ll love this book.
What redeems this book for me, however, is how around the halfway mark, one of the main characters, who is unquestioningly loyal to a supreme yet cunning and evil leader (think Senator Palpatine from Star Wars, President Snow from The Hunger Games) starts having second thoughts. That was really the source of the conflict for me, and I enjoyed the deliberations as he thought through his conflicting values, especially as tied to his past, before he became a cyborg.
I did find some confusion within this book, as it sometimes has secondary characters taking up the narrative in important ways, so I had to keep track on whose side they were on, and also their names. When their names surfaced again several chapters later, I sometimes forgot who they were. Plus, this book shifts back and forth a lot between past and present. While it adds a layer of complexity to the book, I thought perhaps the use of the past could be cut down a bit… we already know there was a period when Chancellor Venloran came to power. (Nice name by the way).
Personally, I think there could be more development on Will’s struggles, and less on the fighting that seems to break out every second chapter, but I imagine this book was written for those readers who devour Rambo-type military action books.
What redeems this book for me, however, is how around the halfway mark, one of the main characters, who is unquestioningly loyal to a supreme yet cunning and evil leader (think Senator Palpatine from Star Wars, President Snow from The Hunger Games) starts having second thoughts. That was really the source of the conflict for me, and I enjoyed the deliberations as he thought through his conflicting values, especially as tied to his past, before he became a cyborg.
I did find some confusion within this book, as it sometimes has secondary characters taking up the narrative in important ways, so I had to keep track on whose side they were on, and also their names. When their names surfaced again several chapters later, I sometimes forgot who they were. Plus, this book shifts back and forth a lot between past and present. While it adds a layer of complexity to the book, I thought perhaps the use of the past could be cut down a bit… we already know there was a period when Chancellor Venloran came to power. (Nice name by the way).
Personally, I think there could be more development on Will’s struggles, and less on the fighting that seems to break out every second chapter, but I imagine this book was written for those readers who devour Rambo-type military action books.
July 28, 2017
In the year 2065 a regime is kept in place by cyborg soldiers, who ruthlessly suppress any potential rebellion, but some of these cyborgs start to dream of their previous lives and to question their loyalties.
The basic storyline was good, with unthinking / unfeeling tools of repression beginning to question their existence / past / actions. The characters were all reasonable, in particular the cyborgs (who are usually portrayed as little more than robots) and the story was convincing - it reminded me of Robocop / Universal Soldier.
Overall my rating is 3.5 since even though the basic story was good the writing / dialogue wasn't tight enough in some places.
The basic storyline was good, with unthinking / unfeeling tools of repression beginning to question their existence / past / actions. The characters were all reasonable, in particular the cyborgs (who are usually portrayed as little more than robots) and the story was convincing - it reminded me of Robocop / Universal Soldier.
Overall my rating is 3.5 since even though the basic story was good the writing / dialogue wasn't tight enough in some places.
December 1, 2017
Reverence is a military/political story about engineered soldiers. Used to maintain law and order in a repression regime, their memories are repressed, their emotions (or lack thereof) checked. One of the themes of the book, Reverence, is loyalty:
The only real key to self-preservation is loyalty: unconditional and undying, not to a single man or a group. No, to a single ideology: a thing that never ceases to exist.
Military isn’t my usual genre. Nor is explicit gore (as many military books contain) and torture and carnage. So I was surprised I really enjoyed this book.
It touches on authoritarian rule, with leaders having at their disposal seemingly unkillable soldiers who crush opponents. Any resistance is hunted down, and civilians are manipulated to think that they are kept safe with the existence of such soldiers.
What elevates the book to a five-star, IMO, is the author’s inclusion of interpersonal relationships. As an example, Luis defies orders to protect the Chancellor Venloran and protects Bia instead and thus making Will the second-in-command. Luis’ frustration and emotional outburst at Bia’s demise show his human side, blurring the line between man and machine, between right and wrong. Luis is a victim as are all other cyborgs. Will, the main character, plagued by dreams, grows and questions his blind loyalty, when Valerie enters the scene, an image from his past.
The story shifts from 2065 and 2044 but it’s not distracting as the flashbacks are all tied up in the end. Halsey, a soldier himself, tortured for his involvement in the rebel cause, stands for strong morals as head of the Crimson Angels. The Chancellor despite his evils loves his wife. It is this humanity, and not caricatures characters that kept me engrossed in the book.
Overall, it’s an excellent read, well-balanced, and structured. Half-way through the book, we come across the cyborgs’ kryptonite to neoartium, and Will is captured. Scenes are mirrored –a quarter in the book, we see the cyborgs casually mixing and bantering with the ‘normal’ soldiers in the gym (underlying tension nevertheless), lifting weights and doing squats and pull-ups. Close to the end, the same cyborgs face the ‘normal’ soldiers in the gym in a stand-off and are taunted as ‘freaks’. The novel is well-balanced as it alternates well between action and low-key/romance/light scenes. Some technical weapons are mentioned, but they are weaved in so well and their description short enough that they don’t distract from the story.
The fight, in the end, is almost cinematic, as we’ve been exposed to Marvel movies –reminiscent of Superman with Zod. Gripping.
The prose style flowed well and easy. The book is action-packed and concise, the forays into the past relevant. With all the twists/betrayals, I found myself immersed in the story -most of the actions being showed, i.e., I could easily visualize them.
The only snag I had (I didn’t pick up Will’s name in the blurb) was a confusing beginning. I usually feel comfortable following one point of view per chapter. So it was jarring to skip from head to head–We start chapter 1 in Colonel Husan’s head, then jump to Commander Kane then back, and then move to Luis’ thoughts and Will to a soldier. But once I get used to jumping from one head to another, this technique actually helps to move and quicken the pace.
I do recommend this book, a mix of dystopian, sci-fi, genetic engineering, and horror. A satisfying end that raised many questions for Will’s future and son. It’s frightening that this story takes place only thirty years in the future.
I am looking forward to reading more books by the author.
The only real key to self-preservation is loyalty: unconditional and undying, not to a single man or a group. No, to a single ideology: a thing that never ceases to exist.
Military isn’t my usual genre. Nor is explicit gore (as many military books contain) and torture and carnage. So I was surprised I really enjoyed this book.
It touches on authoritarian rule, with leaders having at their disposal seemingly unkillable soldiers who crush opponents. Any resistance is hunted down, and civilians are manipulated to think that they are kept safe with the existence of such soldiers.
What elevates the book to a five-star, IMO, is the author’s inclusion of interpersonal relationships. As an example, Luis defies orders to protect the Chancellor Venloran and protects Bia instead and thus making Will the second-in-command. Luis’ frustration and emotional outburst at Bia’s demise show his human side, blurring the line between man and machine, between right and wrong. Luis is a victim as are all other cyborgs. Will, the main character, plagued by dreams, grows and questions his blind loyalty, when Valerie enters the scene, an image from his past.
The story shifts from 2065 and 2044 but it’s not distracting as the flashbacks are all tied up in the end. Halsey, a soldier himself, tortured for his involvement in the rebel cause, stands for strong morals as head of the Crimson Angels. The Chancellor despite his evils loves his wife. It is this humanity, and not caricatures characters that kept me engrossed in the book.
Overall, it’s an excellent read, well-balanced, and structured. Half-way through the book, we come across the cyborgs’ kryptonite to neoartium, and Will is captured. Scenes are mirrored –a quarter in the book, we see the cyborgs casually mixing and bantering with the ‘normal’ soldiers in the gym (underlying tension nevertheless), lifting weights and doing squats and pull-ups. Close to the end, the same cyborgs face the ‘normal’ soldiers in the gym in a stand-off and are taunted as ‘freaks’. The novel is well-balanced as it alternates well between action and low-key/romance/light scenes. Some technical weapons are mentioned, but they are weaved in so well and their description short enough that they don’t distract from the story.
The fight, in the end, is almost cinematic, as we’ve been exposed to Marvel movies –reminiscent of Superman with Zod. Gripping.
The prose style flowed well and easy. The book is action-packed and concise, the forays into the past relevant. With all the twists/betrayals, I found myself immersed in the story -most of the actions being showed, i.e., I could easily visualize them.
The only snag I had (I didn’t pick up Will’s name in the blurb) was a confusing beginning. I usually feel comfortable following one point of view per chapter. So it was jarring to skip from head to head–We start chapter 1 in Colonel Husan’s head, then jump to Commander Kane then back, and then move to Luis’ thoughts and Will to a soldier. But once I get used to jumping from one head to another, this technique actually helps to move and quicken the pace.
I do recommend this book, a mix of dystopian, sci-fi, genetic engineering, and horror. A satisfying end that raised many questions for Will’s future and son. It’s frightening that this story takes place only thirty years in the future.
I am looking forward to reading more books by the author.
July 24, 2017
For fans of bloody, all-out war fought with technology that we can only dream of today, “Reverence” by Joshua Landeros has it, in spades. Even the most casual action fan will be caught up in the pace, so it’s not one to skip even if you feel out of place on the battlefield. From literature, humanity, religion and love - this future-Earth is only a few decades removed from the planet we know now.
Will and Luis are our main soldiers in this raging campaign of a debut novel. Having human names helps, as they are more properly referred to as Unit 21 and Unit 18 respectively. Being early builds of the United Nations Republic elite Super Soldiers, these cyborgs blur the line between man and machine readily. They blur it with blood, whip-crack wit, volleys of machine gun fire, raw emotion, strength and most of all; a succinct and perhaps higher evolved sense of right and wrong. Now, that is not entirely programming. This is where the line blurs in the best of ways.
Having held off past attacks from rebel armies looking to infiltrate and decimate the UNR, the cyborgs rally alongside the vast human army and make gory shrapnel of anyone in their way. While Luis, his counterpart, may come across as the more psychopathic of the two, he shows much turmoil when his close female companion, Bia, comes under fire. He will risk directives and his own safety for her, making him a near liability. Not as much of a liability as Will, however, as the reader will readily learn. Here is where the true nut of the story lies, aside from Luis’ apparent weakness for his lover, Will has his own all too human weaknesses and what could be seen as a glitch. Under the watchful eyes of Doctor Krenzler and Chancellor Venloran, his programming and physical systems have been assessed and reset after hibernation between battles. One thing is overlooked: his memories. Not only does the nature of these memories pose a risk to Will, but they feed a fixation on a past he can’t recall and could very well be an artefact of his cyborg mind. With the threat of mass slaughter with the upheaval of government, and his temper tested by his own doubt, he is named second in command; taking the weight of the world on his metal and synthetic shoulders.
Many will revel in the military jargon within “Reverence” and Landeros deftly peppers in more weapons and machinery that you could shake an assault rifle at, but it never feels exclusionary. Without patronizing the readers who have no knowledge or interest in armaments the conversation and montage surrounding the tools of the trade come across quite naturally, and woven into the story well. As with the life of a career soldier - something few can truly understand from the outside - it too is woven in, making the stories of the men and women we meet here very relatable.
Crossing into horror, as civil war tends to do, there are many scenes with explicit gore. Violence is never outside of the task at hand, nor would it be seen as gratuitous. Much of the fighting follows a cinematic fluidity too, as well-written action does at it’s best. As with talk of human emotion coming from a cyborg, the blood and bone is used as a result of the situations. These machines are thrust into some very human realities. Be it grappling with deep feelings, controlling emotion or how to best incapacitate a room of trained fighters who want their head on a platter - Luis and Will dole out philosophy as readily as pain. That they are designed and programmed killing machines comes as no surprise, but how much of them that comes across as painfully human is refreshing. It could be seen as a shortcut in a way, to keep from having to write in a machine mind, and use literary and plot tactics that are far more relatable… and it works. But then, are the stories we tell of machines can be seen as reflections of ourselves caught in the chrome mirror that makes their flesh at the worst of times. At their best, our better, faster, stronger progeny may offer an unclouded view.
Much of this could grind, rusted, to a halt on the page if it were not for an easy yet never too casual writing style. A highly digestible read, there were no overstayed forays into romance or comedy as too many action packed science fiction stories meander there. Nor is it all dry bureaucracy or blood soaked carnage page after page. One of many things the novel offers is balance.
With the precision of style, compelling relationships and very well crafted roles - of both human and machine - I’d rate this a very high four and a half stars of five. The only shortcoming is not an illness of the story at all, but it could have been longer. The last few chapters wrap up deceptively neatly. Not so neat as to belie the sequels, but for all of the truly careful storytelling up until a series of face-offs and revelations, a few could have done with a little more conversation perhaps. Something more to gnaw on would be nice, even after a veritable buffet where room after room becomes a smorgasbord of mangled meat. “Reverence” is a very strong, and highly enjoyable dark adventure that serves as a bridge between carnage and technology: Something that readers of horror, war, fantasy, science fiction or westerns could enjoy.
Will and Luis are our main soldiers in this raging campaign of a debut novel. Having human names helps, as they are more properly referred to as Unit 21 and Unit 18 respectively. Being early builds of the United Nations Republic elite Super Soldiers, these cyborgs blur the line between man and machine readily. They blur it with blood, whip-crack wit, volleys of machine gun fire, raw emotion, strength and most of all; a succinct and perhaps higher evolved sense of right and wrong. Now, that is not entirely programming. This is where the line blurs in the best of ways.
Having held off past attacks from rebel armies looking to infiltrate and decimate the UNR, the cyborgs rally alongside the vast human army and make gory shrapnel of anyone in their way. While Luis, his counterpart, may come across as the more psychopathic of the two, he shows much turmoil when his close female companion, Bia, comes under fire. He will risk directives and his own safety for her, making him a near liability. Not as much of a liability as Will, however, as the reader will readily learn. Here is where the true nut of the story lies, aside from Luis’ apparent weakness for his lover, Will has his own all too human weaknesses and what could be seen as a glitch. Under the watchful eyes of Doctor Krenzler and Chancellor Venloran, his programming and physical systems have been assessed and reset after hibernation between battles. One thing is overlooked: his memories. Not only does the nature of these memories pose a risk to Will, but they feed a fixation on a past he can’t recall and could very well be an artefact of his cyborg mind. With the threat of mass slaughter with the upheaval of government, and his temper tested by his own doubt, he is named second in command; taking the weight of the world on his metal and synthetic shoulders.
Many will revel in the military jargon within “Reverence” and Landeros deftly peppers in more weapons and machinery that you could shake an assault rifle at, but it never feels exclusionary. Without patronizing the readers who have no knowledge or interest in armaments the conversation and montage surrounding the tools of the trade come across quite naturally, and woven into the story well. As with the life of a career soldier - something few can truly understand from the outside - it too is woven in, making the stories of the men and women we meet here very relatable.
Crossing into horror, as civil war tends to do, there are many scenes with explicit gore. Violence is never outside of the task at hand, nor would it be seen as gratuitous. Much of the fighting follows a cinematic fluidity too, as well-written action does at it’s best. As with talk of human emotion coming from a cyborg, the blood and bone is used as a result of the situations. These machines are thrust into some very human realities. Be it grappling with deep feelings, controlling emotion or how to best incapacitate a room of trained fighters who want their head on a platter - Luis and Will dole out philosophy as readily as pain. That they are designed and programmed killing machines comes as no surprise, but how much of them that comes across as painfully human is refreshing. It could be seen as a shortcut in a way, to keep from having to write in a machine mind, and use literary and plot tactics that are far more relatable… and it works. But then, are the stories we tell of machines can be seen as reflections of ourselves caught in the chrome mirror that makes their flesh at the worst of times. At their best, our better, faster, stronger progeny may offer an unclouded view.
Much of this could grind, rusted, to a halt on the page if it were not for an easy yet never too casual writing style. A highly digestible read, there were no overstayed forays into romance or comedy as too many action packed science fiction stories meander there. Nor is it all dry bureaucracy or blood soaked carnage page after page. One of many things the novel offers is balance.
With the precision of style, compelling relationships and very well crafted roles - of both human and machine - I’d rate this a very high four and a half stars of five. The only shortcoming is not an illness of the story at all, but it could have been longer. The last few chapters wrap up deceptively neatly. Not so neat as to belie the sequels, but for all of the truly careful storytelling up until a series of face-offs and revelations, a few could have done with a little more conversation perhaps. Something more to gnaw on would be nice, even after a veritable buffet where room after room becomes a smorgasbord of mangled meat. “Reverence” is a very strong, and highly enjoyable dark adventure that serves as a bridge between carnage and technology: Something that readers of horror, war, fantasy, science fiction or westerns could enjoy.
August 1, 2017
Joshua Landeros’s novel, Reverence: Volume One, is an absolute show-stopper. I could end my review right there, but potential readers deserve a taste of what they’ll experience as they race through the 350-page novel. Reverence alternates between two years in the not too distant future, one in which the world is divided by war, in 2044, and one in which it is led by the United Nation Republic (or UNR) at the will of the all-powerful Chancellor Venloran in 2065. Landeros’s futuristic tale is not full of aliens and spaceships, but rather perhaps more terrifying modern terrors: authoritarian leaders who can kill at a whim, cyborg super soldiers capable of wiping out hundreds of civilians, and, of course, a small but gutsy resistance force.
Undoubtedly meriting a full 5-star rating, Reverence will keep readers entertained from the very first page until the last. Reverence is heavily action-packed, but it does not rely only on action to move the plot forward. Landeros spends an equal amount of time dedicated to developing interpersonal relationships between his characters and offering just the right amount of background information along the way to keep readers guessing. But forget about what you think of typical science fiction or action novels, because Reverence will surprise and delight readers at every turn.
Reverence focuses on the cyborg known as both Unit 21, or Will, his name before he became a cyborg. In truly skillful authorship, Landeros turns someone who readers might expect to be a villain into an amazing protagonist. Will is powerful but sensitive, obedient but questioning, and, above all, complex. His complexity is what will draw in readers from the very first pages: someone who seems like a run-of-the-mill robot serving his all-powerful overlord transforms into an incredibly well-developed and fascinating character. Will is not your “Terminator”-style superhuman; in fact, it is his humanity that will have readers in awe and perhaps in tears as they experience the ups and downs of Reverence. Landeros weaves an intricate web of relationships around Will in Reverence, developing multi-layered connections with fellow cyborgs, human soldiers, unlikely friends, and family.
By alternating between two time periods, Reverence is able to provide vital information about the characters’ pasts and the history of the United Nation Republic, without which would make for an incredibly complicated plotline. And by writing about both time periods in the present, Landeros ensures that readers always feel as if they are in on the action, and not stuck reading a history textbook. And, by spending time in decades in the somewhat close future, Reverence will elicit introspection in readers, who are perhaps looking critically at tumult in their own present-day.
What seems at the outset an action-filled science fiction novel becomes so much more in Reverence. Which is not to say that Reverence isn’t an action-packed and fun read – it absolutely is. But it’s also a story that questions what it means to be a human; what it means to be a soldier; what it means to love your country; and what it means to have faith. The 350 pages of Landeros’s first volume in the series will fly by for readers and leave them ready to devour the next installment.
Undoubtedly meriting a full 5-star rating, Reverence will keep readers entertained from the very first page until the last. Reverence is heavily action-packed, but it does not rely only on action to move the plot forward. Landeros spends an equal amount of time dedicated to developing interpersonal relationships between his characters and offering just the right amount of background information along the way to keep readers guessing. But forget about what you think of typical science fiction or action novels, because Reverence will surprise and delight readers at every turn.
Reverence focuses on the cyborg known as both Unit 21, or Will, his name before he became a cyborg. In truly skillful authorship, Landeros turns someone who readers might expect to be a villain into an amazing protagonist. Will is powerful but sensitive, obedient but questioning, and, above all, complex. His complexity is what will draw in readers from the very first pages: someone who seems like a run-of-the-mill robot serving his all-powerful overlord transforms into an incredibly well-developed and fascinating character. Will is not your “Terminator”-style superhuman; in fact, it is his humanity that will have readers in awe and perhaps in tears as they experience the ups and downs of Reverence. Landeros weaves an intricate web of relationships around Will in Reverence, developing multi-layered connections with fellow cyborgs, human soldiers, unlikely friends, and family.
By alternating between two time periods, Reverence is able to provide vital information about the characters’ pasts and the history of the United Nation Republic, without which would make for an incredibly complicated plotline. And by writing about both time periods in the present, Landeros ensures that readers always feel as if they are in on the action, and not stuck reading a history textbook. And, by spending time in decades in the somewhat close future, Reverence will elicit introspection in readers, who are perhaps looking critically at tumult in their own present-day.
What seems at the outset an action-filled science fiction novel becomes so much more in Reverence. Which is not to say that Reverence isn’t an action-packed and fun read – it absolutely is. But it’s also a story that questions what it means to be a human; what it means to be a soldier; what it means to love your country; and what it means to have faith. The 350 pages of Landeros’s first volume in the series will fly by for readers and leave them ready to devour the next installment.
December 16, 2017
This book is a very well-paced, action-packed military sci-fi story. I started reading and before I knew it covered a hundred pages. The pacing and flow were perfect, but what I really loved was how well developed the characters were. You see a story about cyborg super soldiers and you expect them to be dull, flat, and lifeless. These characters had depth and dimension. In the opening scene, they come across as brutal bullies, but as the story progresses we see they are so much more. They are soldiers united by esprit de corps and honestly believe they're doing the right thing. This is true of all the characters on both sides of the conflict. As ruthless as they were, I couldn't hate the commanders of the UNR. They were soldiers doing their jobs. Yes, they were ruthless in battle, but soldiers are supposed to be. The chancellor, too, came across as a reasonable man who was honestly trying to make a better world, rather than a frothing-at-the-mouth tyrant. I found this to be a very interesting departure from the norm.
I would've liked to have seen more of the UNR's actual society. There was no indication it was particularly oppressive. There were a couple of hints here and there, but nothing like, say, the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, nothing I thought justified a bloody rebellion. The resistance said the UNR was oppressive, but you never really see it. There were some punctuation and grammar errors here and there, but those are my only criticisms.
Anyone who likes a good, solid military sci-fi with solid, three dimensional characters will enjoy Reverence.
I would've liked to have seen more of the UNR's actual society. There was no indication it was particularly oppressive. There were a couple of hints here and there, but nothing like, say, the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, nothing I thought justified a bloody rebellion. The resistance said the UNR was oppressive, but you never really see it. There were some punctuation and grammar errors here and there, but those are my only criticisms.
Anyone who likes a good, solid military sci-fi with solid, three dimensional characters will enjoy Reverence.
November 10, 2018
“Reverence” by Joshua Landeros is a futuristic, and often graphic, military novel that takes place in 2065. A repressive regime uses cyborg soldiers to seek out and repress resistance. Bloody engagements fill page after page, with weaker human soldiers being tortured and tossed aside by the superior half-human, half-robot cyborgs.
The book is more than guts and gore, however. There are underlying social, political, and personal themes. Those loyal to the futuristic regime, specifically Will Marconi, begin to question the wisdom of their allegiance. Although Will and others have had their bodies and minds altered, their human emotions begin to poke through their high-tech armor and repressed memories. This conflict of allegiance is the primary tension that begins to build midway through the novel.
Reverence is a fast-moving read, the action seemingly moving me forward 50 pages at time. The story bounces back and forth in time and challenged me to be on my toes in order to keep characters, names, and times linked. Being an older, set-in-my-ways reader, I found the constant graphic combat to be a bit much for someone who reads current-day crime/suspense novels. But that is more about me and my preferences that the quality of this story.
Readers of fast-paced, futuristic military novels with strong sci-fi elements and interwoven social and political themes will love this well-written thriller.
The book is more than guts and gore, however. There are underlying social, political, and personal themes. Those loyal to the futuristic regime, specifically Will Marconi, begin to question the wisdom of their allegiance. Although Will and others have had their bodies and minds altered, their human emotions begin to poke through their high-tech armor and repressed memories. This conflict of allegiance is the primary tension that begins to build midway through the novel.
Reverence is a fast-moving read, the action seemingly moving me forward 50 pages at time. The story bounces back and forth in time and challenged me to be on my toes in order to keep characters, names, and times linked. Being an older, set-in-my-ways reader, I found the constant graphic combat to be a bit much for someone who reads current-day crime/suspense novels. But that is more about me and my preferences that the quality of this story.
Readers of fast-paced, futuristic military novels with strong sci-fi elements and interwoven social and political themes will love this well-written thriller.
May 29, 2018
The jumping about from present to past, did take a bit of getting used too. It was interesting to see their past though, it added more layers and tension to the story already being built. It was a very unique and different story being built as well which was a nice surprise. I was expecting something completely different to what I read which again was nice to see.
It quite bloody and lots of death but I wasn’t overly bothered this, it was done for a reason. It wasn’t there for the sake of death. It was there to add substance and texture to the characters. Their actions showed a lot about their character, a lot of what you learn about them is via their actions. Not from their emotional state or their words.
It also went a route I didn’t expect. Quite interested to see where it heads.
(Book is free on the Author’s site)
It quite bloody and lots of death but I wasn’t overly bothered this, it was done for a reason. It wasn’t there for the sake of death. It was there to add substance and texture to the characters. Their actions showed a lot about their character, a lot of what you learn about them is via their actions. Not from their emotional state or their words.
It also went a route I didn’t expect. Quite interested to see where it heads.
(Book is free on the Author’s site)
December 7, 2018
I’ve done this before: I’ve read the second part of a series before reading the first. Although it’s perhaps a bit unusual from a purely reading perspective, it can be a potentially enlightening experience from a reviewing one. And so, having first read the second part of the “Reverence” series, End of Knighthood Part I: The Chess Pieces, I saw it as an interesting little exercise to then read Reverence, the first part of the eponymous series. Many of my observations will probably echo some of the things I had to say about the second part.
Let’s first start with a disclaimer: Although I do enjoy some post-apocalyptic fiction every now and then, it’s probably not my most favorite genre. Adventure or war fiction is even further away from my personal preferences, but as I have explained in detail before, a review predicated on one’s personal preferences is all but useless. As with all my reviews, I read and review Reverence from the perspective of the intended audience.
What is the intended audience of this novel? It’s probably a very specific, narrowly defined group of readers interested in battle-themed post-apocalyptic dystopias. I think readers looking for intense descriptions of battlefields in such settings will mostly appreciate the book. Outside this intended audience, things get complicated.
Reverence is part Zone One, part Starship Troopers, minus the zombies and the bugs respectively. It features descriptions that occasionally become somewhat prolonged, written in rather prosaic language, and interrupted by gory descriptions of battle. A somewhat peculiar effect, but oddly effective – always within the confines of the intended audience.
The narrative moves back and forth temporally speaking, which is a bit distracting. Overall, there isn't a strong hook in the plot, which renders the novel less of a narrative and more a collection of (gory) scenes – though there are also some scattered scenes of interest, such as the discussion about dreams between a cyborg and a doctor, or the thoughts of a soldier at the peak of a battle. But such opportunities mostly pass unexplored, as the novel focuses on battles and warfare with almost voyeuristic intent. For all their excellent depiction, the scenes of violence aren't entirely linked to something deeper underneath.
That is not to say that there aren’t such elements in the plot, quite the contrary. Issues related to safety versus liberty or ethics versus loyalty do exist throughout the novel. However, they don’t quite resolve into focus in a way a post-apocalyptic narrative could exploit. In some sense, it feels a bit like a lost opportunity for something greater, more complex in terms of substance than the current result. As it stands, the narrative expands in many directions (occasionally creating some narrative confusion) without really picking one to add some more depth. In my review of the second book in the series I had mentioned the very same issue, namely having a problem with navigating through the narrative. I had then attributed it to not having read the first part. However, now that I have, I don’t feel much wiser.
All in all, any problem areas are to be found in the narrative choices the novel makes. The author clearly has the skill required for vivid, gripping descriptions, and the novel excels at the scenes it decides to focus on (the battlefield, that is). Possible improvement should, instead, be sought in how the rest of the narrative can be coherently interlinked with these scenes (perhaps in terms of narrative motivation and character identification).
Ultimately, as I mentioned already, this novel probably has a very specific intended audience that will enjoy it, whereas readers outside of this narrowly defined group will not get much out of it. Each to his own!
Let’s first start with a disclaimer: Although I do enjoy some post-apocalyptic fiction every now and then, it’s probably not my most favorite genre. Adventure or war fiction is even further away from my personal preferences, but as I have explained in detail before, a review predicated on one’s personal preferences is all but useless. As with all my reviews, I read and review Reverence from the perspective of the intended audience.
What is the intended audience of this novel? It’s probably a very specific, narrowly defined group of readers interested in battle-themed post-apocalyptic dystopias. I think readers looking for intense descriptions of battlefields in such settings will mostly appreciate the book. Outside this intended audience, things get complicated.
Reverence is part Zone One, part Starship Troopers, minus the zombies and the bugs respectively. It features descriptions that occasionally become somewhat prolonged, written in rather prosaic language, and interrupted by gory descriptions of battle. A somewhat peculiar effect, but oddly effective – always within the confines of the intended audience.
The narrative moves back and forth temporally speaking, which is a bit distracting. Overall, there isn't a strong hook in the plot, which renders the novel less of a narrative and more a collection of (gory) scenes – though there are also some scattered scenes of interest, such as the discussion about dreams between a cyborg and a doctor, or the thoughts of a soldier at the peak of a battle. But such opportunities mostly pass unexplored, as the novel focuses on battles and warfare with almost voyeuristic intent. For all their excellent depiction, the scenes of violence aren't entirely linked to something deeper underneath.
That is not to say that there aren’t such elements in the plot, quite the contrary. Issues related to safety versus liberty or ethics versus loyalty do exist throughout the novel. However, they don’t quite resolve into focus in a way a post-apocalyptic narrative could exploit. In some sense, it feels a bit like a lost opportunity for something greater, more complex in terms of substance than the current result. As it stands, the narrative expands in many directions (occasionally creating some narrative confusion) without really picking one to add some more depth. In my review of the second book in the series I had mentioned the very same issue, namely having a problem with navigating through the narrative. I had then attributed it to not having read the first part. However, now that I have, I don’t feel much wiser.
All in all, any problem areas are to be found in the narrative choices the novel makes. The author clearly has the skill required for vivid, gripping descriptions, and the novel excels at the scenes it decides to focus on (the battlefield, that is). Possible improvement should, instead, be sought in how the rest of the narrative can be coherently interlinked with these scenes (perhaps in terms of narrative motivation and character identification).
Ultimately, as I mentioned already, this novel probably has a very specific intended audience that will enjoy it, whereas readers outside of this narrowly defined group will not get much out of it. Each to his own!
August 1, 2019
The book is set in the future, in the year 2065. The reader is taken through extra action, adventure, and extreme events as the story unfolds. Joshua Landeros incorporated a futuristic, advanced and graphic style when writing the book. You will love the military action as the author was explicit in the narration. ‘Reverence Volume 1’ is a story about an authoritarian system that uses cyborg soldiers to contain those who are opposing the regime. The battles were exciting to follow, the conversations intense and the characters remarkable. Reading about the action during battles was a chilling but wonderful experience. Human soldiers who were not strong were not lucky as they underwent torment and abuse by the half-human, half-robot cyborgs.
Technology and the military were among the major themes in the book. How thrilling were the cyborgs? I was amazed all through as I read about them and the powers they had. Will became an immediate favorite character as not only was he among the very first cyborgs, he was also more knowledgable than most. He examined situations well and made sober decisions most of the time. Will had witnessed how gangs, terrorists, and politicians operated. He had crashed a lot of them in the past and that made him a special character. Reading about the military personnel and their ranks, the gear they wore and tactics they used to suppress opponents made one feel like they are present on the ground with the military. The author’s style of describing the events is what made the book an excellent novel.
Get taken to a universe with the New World Order, futuristic sci-fi, and a warlike state as you read through the twenty interesting chapters in the book. Other themes that can be highlighted include politics, power, social norms, consciousness, and superhumans. Will Marconi was among the conscious characters in the book. He at some point started to keenly observe and think about the route their allegiance had taken. We can see that even with the change that happened to Will and his colleagues, the characters did not lose all of their human features like their emotions. You will have moments that you will tense on behalf of the characters as you imagine that their schemes will fail.
‘Reverence Volume 1’ is an incredible book that will be loved by readers who enjoy reading about serious violence, sci-fi and military action. Joshua Aaron Landeros outdid himself with the development of the plot and character creation. I loved how the United Nation Republic packaged themselves from the start. The mood in the book is thrilling, energetic and exciting to read. Joshua Aaron Landeros wrote a thriller that is both captivating and highly electrifying The author wrote an instant classic that has mind-blowing scenes. I found every chapter to be both stimulating and fun to read.
Technology and the military were among the major themes in the book. How thrilling were the cyborgs? I was amazed all through as I read about them and the powers they had. Will became an immediate favorite character as not only was he among the very first cyborgs, he was also more knowledgable than most. He examined situations well and made sober decisions most of the time. Will had witnessed how gangs, terrorists, and politicians operated. He had crashed a lot of them in the past and that made him a special character. Reading about the military personnel and their ranks, the gear they wore and tactics they used to suppress opponents made one feel like they are present on the ground with the military. The author’s style of describing the events is what made the book an excellent novel.
Get taken to a universe with the New World Order, futuristic sci-fi, and a warlike state as you read through the twenty interesting chapters in the book. Other themes that can be highlighted include politics, power, social norms, consciousness, and superhumans. Will Marconi was among the conscious characters in the book. He at some point started to keenly observe and think about the route their allegiance had taken. We can see that even with the change that happened to Will and his colleagues, the characters did not lose all of their human features like their emotions. You will have moments that you will tense on behalf of the characters as you imagine that their schemes will fail.
‘Reverence Volume 1’ is an incredible book that will be loved by readers who enjoy reading about serious violence, sci-fi and military action. Joshua Aaron Landeros outdid himself with the development of the plot and character creation. I loved how the United Nation Republic packaged themselves from the start. The mood in the book is thrilling, energetic and exciting to read. Joshua Aaron Landeros wrote a thriller that is both captivating and highly electrifying The author wrote an instant classic that has mind-blowing scenes. I found every chapter to be both stimulating and fun to read.
November 18, 2018
This book is the first book in the series and is set in the near future, in a world where super soldiers exist. Events move between 2044 and 2065 as the main timelines of the story. The main setting is an America without a White House and where the Pentagon was, is now a huge tower that watches over everyone and everything. The United Nations Republic was formed and has seized power throughout the world.
The elite super soldiers number 144,000 and are part man part machine. They are awoken from stasis for each assignment and help to enforce the new world order. They are sent to different countries to ensure they are not breaking any agreements and also to search out any illegal arms being smuggled. The main character of the story is William Marconi, one of the first group of super soldiers ever created and his usefulness may be coming to an end as newer models are developed.
Will and his fellow super soldier, Luis, are initially sent to visit an airbase in Iran and matters progress from there. The soldiers are actually known by numbers and a designation, but have normal names they use with each other. Will is known as Unit 21 and other normal soldiers view him and his fellow super soldiers, as a cyborg, who follows orders automatically, with no emotion whatsoever, and are scared of them. They seem impossible to kill and hardly human at all.
But Will has a secret, something that is not disappearing with his periodic system updates and resets. Memories and images that he can’t understand and that he hasn’t brought up to the doctors in charge of his system checks, nor asked them to delete them. Could these be fatal lines of code in his system? If he keeps these images and memories, he will be disloyal to Chancellor Venloran and may be unable to carry out his duties properly.
The super soldiers are sent after a group of rebels and Will finds himself against a different sort of opponent. He has to start questioning his part and his current existence and what he stands for. Some of the events lead to bloodbaths for both civilians and soldiers alike as the battle for freedom continues. There is a surprising turn of events for Will and this leads onto a different field of action for him and the following books to come. He has to question himself and also his allies, leaders and enemies to find his next steps.
I enjoyed the book, but did find the jumps back and forth in the timeline somewhat confusing at times and you had to really concentrate at times. The cyborg factor of Will’s existence and what we learn of his and other super soldier’s pasts, certainly make for an interesting read. I look forward to reading some more of the series. The next books are apparently a prequel and then later ones follow on from this book. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
The elite super soldiers number 144,000 and are part man part machine. They are awoken from stasis for each assignment and help to enforce the new world order. They are sent to different countries to ensure they are not breaking any agreements and also to search out any illegal arms being smuggled. The main character of the story is William Marconi, one of the first group of super soldiers ever created and his usefulness may be coming to an end as newer models are developed.
Will and his fellow super soldier, Luis, are initially sent to visit an airbase in Iran and matters progress from there. The soldiers are actually known by numbers and a designation, but have normal names they use with each other. Will is known as Unit 21 and other normal soldiers view him and his fellow super soldiers, as a cyborg, who follows orders automatically, with no emotion whatsoever, and are scared of them. They seem impossible to kill and hardly human at all.
But Will has a secret, something that is not disappearing with his periodic system updates and resets. Memories and images that he can’t understand and that he hasn’t brought up to the doctors in charge of his system checks, nor asked them to delete them. Could these be fatal lines of code in his system? If he keeps these images and memories, he will be disloyal to Chancellor Venloran and may be unable to carry out his duties properly.
The super soldiers are sent after a group of rebels and Will finds himself against a different sort of opponent. He has to start questioning his part and his current existence and what he stands for. Some of the events lead to bloodbaths for both civilians and soldiers alike as the battle for freedom continues. There is a surprising turn of events for Will and this leads onto a different field of action for him and the following books to come. He has to question himself and also his allies, leaders and enemies to find his next steps.
I enjoyed the book, but did find the jumps back and forth in the timeline somewhat confusing at times and you had to really concentrate at times. The cyborg factor of Will’s existence and what we learn of his and other super soldier’s pasts, certainly make for an interesting read. I look forward to reading some more of the series. The next books are apparently a prequel and then later ones follow on from this book. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
August 14, 2019
Reverence Volume 1 is a futurist, science-fiction book written by Joshua Landeros. The book takes place in the year 2065, and the future is very different and bleak than we could imagine. Super soldiers reign the world. With the latest technology of the future, some soldiers are now part machine and part human. The book follows William and how he has to navigate his world to win against his enemy. The main goal of these super soldiers is to guard against any threat to the building of utopia. The ever-watchful government, the enemy, and the bloodbath threat make an adventure.
Landeros creates a futuristic world that is not too far off-base of what could be. I mean this in the sense of how the government functions and the fighting for utopia. To me, there is nothing more realistic than killing people for peace. I also found the involvement of the government, the Pentagon specifically, watching over people to be pretty realistic for a future. The fact that the White House is now just a museum piece of sorts was also something that would make sense, but at the same time, pretty shocking since it is such a figure piece of the United States.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the cyborgs. Part man and part machine were reminiscent of Terminator but in a much cooler way. At one point, you could see how the cyborgs opened up and had some of the technology explained. It was very vivid and descriptive where I could see it in my head. Landeros does a great job describing things without making it too descriptive. He paints a pretty good picture of what is happening in the book.
While I said that this book is a futuristic, science-fiction book, it is also heavily military very based. Not only does it have a heavy military presence, there is a lot of fighting, which makes for an action-packed book. The book is fast-paced, exciting, full of action, and as mentioned previously, perfectly described as a movie is playing in your head. I think this book is good overall, but it was not something that I would read typically. I do not care for military centered books. However, I could appreciate it for what it is.
Reverence is a work for military fans who also enjoy science fiction. It definitely paints the picture of a world that would interest those within these genres. The science fiction was interesting on its own. The futuristic aspect is what drew me into the book, and I think that is a strong part of the storyline. However, the book is also very heavily military centered, and there are so many readers out there who would love the battle aspect. There was also a touch of humanity in the book. I greatly enjoyed the parts discussing religion and the Bible in particular. The characters brought up such great points that were thought-provoking. Overall, I really liked the meaning behind it.
Landeros creates a futuristic world that is not too far off-base of what could be. I mean this in the sense of how the government functions and the fighting for utopia. To me, there is nothing more realistic than killing people for peace. I also found the involvement of the government, the Pentagon specifically, watching over people to be pretty realistic for a future. The fact that the White House is now just a museum piece of sorts was also something that would make sense, but at the same time, pretty shocking since it is such a figure piece of the United States.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the cyborgs. Part man and part machine were reminiscent of Terminator but in a much cooler way. At one point, you could see how the cyborgs opened up and had some of the technology explained. It was very vivid and descriptive where I could see it in my head. Landeros does a great job describing things without making it too descriptive. He paints a pretty good picture of what is happening in the book.
While I said that this book is a futuristic, science-fiction book, it is also heavily military very based. Not only does it have a heavy military presence, there is a lot of fighting, which makes for an action-packed book. The book is fast-paced, exciting, full of action, and as mentioned previously, perfectly described as a movie is playing in your head. I think this book is good overall, but it was not something that I would read typically. I do not care for military centered books. However, I could appreciate it for what it is.
Reverence is a work for military fans who also enjoy science fiction. It definitely paints the picture of a world that would interest those within these genres. The science fiction was interesting on its own. The futuristic aspect is what drew me into the book, and I think that is a strong part of the storyline. However, the book is also very heavily military centered, and there are so many readers out there who would love the battle aspect. There was also a touch of humanity in the book. I greatly enjoyed the parts discussing religion and the Bible in particular. The characters brought up such great points that were thought-provoking. Overall, I really liked the meaning behind it.
August 2, 2019
If you’re looking for an action-packed, psychological thriller with science-fiction elements, Reverence by Joshua A. Landeros is a good book for you. As part one of a series, we are thrust into a post-apocalyptic world that is a mesh of George Orwells 1984 and Terminator come together. Our protagonist, Will Marconi, is a super-soldier with cyborg additions. Set in the not-so-distant future of 2065, this exciting book will get your heart pumping as you delve into a world that is not as fictionalized as perhaps we’d like to believe.
Blood, guts and gore line the pages of this book. There are intense battles and combat on nearly every page. As a reader that lives for that, it appeals to my aesthetics completely. However, the level of gore might be too much for other readers. While imagery of this type can be seen as excessive and unnecessary, it fits with the themes of Landeros’ world. No one is safe as the bloodbath threatens to consume all in its path. Will begins as a cold character, not only because of his machine parts, but because of his personality. As much as he may try to deny it though, Will is human and that humanity may be his downfall.
The detractions to this story are minimal. When a book relies so heavily on combat, blood and intensity, it needs to be balanced with superb story-telling and character building in order to appeal to various audiences. Landeros drops the ball a bit here as he either has too many side characters that take up precious real estate, or the fighting overtakes the narrative. This is the first book in a series, however, so it’s possible that the world-building for this series is just taking a bit longer than expected. It does capture intrigue into future installments so hopefully the subsequent books build upon this precedent.
Excitement abounds within the pages of Reverence by Joshua A. Landeros. The first book in a series, we are thrust into a future where Big Brother is watching everything and super-soldiers storm the battlefields. This is a false utopia and those in power will do anything to keep it as it is. Join Will Marconi as he experiences the new reality of 2065. Not for the faint of heart, this impressive installment in the science-fiction genre is definitely one for the ages and is sure to be a welcome addition to any fans shelves.
Blood, guts and gore line the pages of this book. There are intense battles and combat on nearly every page. As a reader that lives for that, it appeals to my aesthetics completely. However, the level of gore might be too much for other readers. While imagery of this type can be seen as excessive and unnecessary, it fits with the themes of Landeros’ world. No one is safe as the bloodbath threatens to consume all in its path. Will begins as a cold character, not only because of his machine parts, but because of his personality. As much as he may try to deny it though, Will is human and that humanity may be his downfall.
The detractions to this story are minimal. When a book relies so heavily on combat, blood and intensity, it needs to be balanced with superb story-telling and character building in order to appeal to various audiences. Landeros drops the ball a bit here as he either has too many side characters that take up precious real estate, or the fighting overtakes the narrative. This is the first book in a series, however, so it’s possible that the world-building for this series is just taking a bit longer than expected. It does capture intrigue into future installments so hopefully the subsequent books build upon this precedent.
Excitement abounds within the pages of Reverence by Joshua A. Landeros. The first book in a series, we are thrust into a future where Big Brother is watching everything and super-soldiers storm the battlefields. This is a false utopia and those in power will do anything to keep it as it is. Join Will Marconi as he experiences the new reality of 2065. Not for the faint of heart, this impressive installment in the science-fiction genre is definitely one for the ages and is sure to be a welcome addition to any fans shelves.
August 8, 2019
Reverence, by author Joshua Landeros, is the story of a not too distant future. In the year 2065, a lot of things have changed in the United States, and the super-soldiers will do anything to protect the new utopia. One of these elite super soldiers is William Marconi. But something is threatening his world, and no one is safe from the bloodbath. The story is quick, exciting, and action-packed. This is a great story for anyone who loves military science fiction.
This action-adventure combines in-depth and exciting fight scenes, intriguing character development, and a great and fun plot. Landeros has done a wonderful job pulling this book together and making it a captivating read. Some of his writing choices were somewhat hard to follow sometimes. The writing was either awkward or slow, but I did not find this to be very distracting. The plot itself was so mesmerizing that I was able to get completely immersed into the story. Generally, military fiction is not my go-to, but the science fiction elements of the story were such unique and fun aspects, that the book really pulled me in. The fighting and set-up and characters and plot all complement each other well.
I found William Marconi to be a very fascinating character to follow through this dangerous journey. William is a talented, brave, and hardworking person with a very clear set of morals. He is a direct outcome of the world that he lives in. But he also has his own dreams and truth that he is striving for.
The book was an exciting read from beginning to end. The book definitely can get dark and violent at times, so that is something to keep in mind before going into the book. This is the debut novel of the author and I was very impressed by his work and look forward to seeing more from him in the future. Overall, this book is a great read, I was continuously pleasantly surprised by it as I read it, and I would definitely recommend it! Five stars!
This action-adventure combines in-depth and exciting fight scenes, intriguing character development, and a great and fun plot. Landeros has done a wonderful job pulling this book together and making it a captivating read. Some of his writing choices were somewhat hard to follow sometimes. The writing was either awkward or slow, but I did not find this to be very distracting. The plot itself was so mesmerizing that I was able to get completely immersed into the story. Generally, military fiction is not my go-to, but the science fiction elements of the story were such unique and fun aspects, that the book really pulled me in. The fighting and set-up and characters and plot all complement each other well.
I found William Marconi to be a very fascinating character to follow through this dangerous journey. William is a talented, brave, and hardworking person with a very clear set of morals. He is a direct outcome of the world that he lives in. But he also has his own dreams and truth that he is striving for.
The book was an exciting read from beginning to end. The book definitely can get dark and violent at times, so that is something to keep in mind before going into the book. This is the debut novel of the author and I was very impressed by his work and look forward to seeing more from him in the future. Overall, this book is a great read, I was continuously pleasantly surprised by it as I read it, and I would definitely recommend it! Five stars!
May 12, 2018
The USA has undergone a revolution and is now the United Nation Republic (UNR), with the mission of bringing utopia to the earth, whether or not the other residents of the planet want it. Enforcing this tyrannical scheme is a corps of super soldiers, cyborgs with massive power, and an almost obsessive drive to accomplish their missions. Will Marconi, one of these super soldiers, begins, though, to question his mission, and himself, and rebels against his masters.
Reverence by Joshua Landeros is a fast-paced dystopian future novel with tons of blood and gore that will more than satisfy fans of this genre—a bit too much gore for those with delicate sensibilities, however, and lacking the tight editing that would make it palatable. The plot hangs up in places due to the poor proofreading, but the author shows promise. So, if you like your stories with nonstop action, and a body on almost every page, you just might get into this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and even though I am a tepid fan of military fiction and an avid science fiction fan, I just couldn’t really get into it. Except for Will, the characters are never really fully developed, and the ‘how’ of the transformation of the US into a world tyrant, even though it does somewhat mirror current political trends, is never adequately explained.
I give the author four stars for effort, but my rating of three stars is due to the execution.
Reverence by Joshua Landeros is a fast-paced dystopian future novel with tons of blood and gore that will more than satisfy fans of this genre—a bit too much gore for those with delicate sensibilities, however, and lacking the tight editing that would make it palatable. The plot hangs up in places due to the poor proofreading, but the author shows promise. So, if you like your stories with nonstop action, and a body on almost every page, you just might get into this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and even though I am a tepid fan of military fiction and an avid science fiction fan, I just couldn’t really get into it. Except for Will, the characters are never really fully developed, and the ‘how’ of the transformation of the US into a world tyrant, even though it does somewhat mirror current political trends, is never adequately explained.
I give the author four stars for effort, but my rating of three stars is due to the execution.
September 6, 2018
Unadorned prose propels this sci-fi cyborg saga with strength and verve
For as concise and action driven as Reverence is, written in prose sans excess and fluff, you might jump to the conclusion that this story might lack depth, but quite the contrary. Yes, the tale is large in scope: a battle for the world's freedom, and it's been given a worthy protagonist in the character of Will, but there is so much depth in the relationships and interplay he has with others that make this story, in my mind, really worth reading. Most of all, I enjoyed the exchanges between Luis and Will, particularly toward novel's end. Conjuring up in your mind what something futuristic must look like as you're given descriptions is best accomplished if one is provided straightforward writing which focuses on painting a clear picture for the reader while spooling the narrative outward like a grand tapestry, and the author has accomplished this with aplomb.
For as concise and action driven as Reverence is, written in prose sans excess and fluff, you might jump to the conclusion that this story might lack depth, but quite the contrary. Yes, the tale is large in scope: a battle for the world's freedom, and it's been given a worthy protagonist in the character of Will, but there is so much depth in the relationships and interplay he has with others that make this story, in my mind, really worth reading. Most of all, I enjoyed the exchanges between Luis and Will, particularly toward novel's end. Conjuring up in your mind what something futuristic must look like as you're given descriptions is best accomplished if one is provided straightforward writing which focuses on painting a clear picture for the reader while spooling the narrative outward like a grand tapestry, and the author has accomplished this with aplomb.
March 3, 2019
Not what I expected
I found the story a bit difficult to get into. This is my first time reading one of Mr. landerous books. It's difficult to review because I have nothing to compare it with. Meaning his writing style. Also there were quite a few typos and missing words. However, even though I had a hard time getting into the first half of the book ( I'm stubborn) I was pleasantly surprised that the story line and the characters evolved a bit more so it flowed better. The plot evolved in unforeseen twist that were not predictable which made me feel like I had not wasted my time. I intend to read more of his books andl if you are into Cyborg stories I think you will enjoy this one.
I found the story a bit difficult to get into. This is my first time reading one of Mr. landerous books. It's difficult to review because I have nothing to compare it with. Meaning his writing style. Also there were quite a few typos and missing words. However, even though I had a hard time getting into the first half of the book ( I'm stubborn) I was pleasantly surprised that the story line and the characters evolved a bit more so it flowed better. The plot evolved in unforeseen twist that were not predictable which made me feel like I had not wasted my time. I intend to read more of his books andl if you are into Cyborg stories I think you will enjoy this one.
July 3, 2017
I love a good sci-fi military novel and this book did not disappoint. The action-packed plot grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let you go until the end. The premise (conflicted cybernetically enhanced soldier forced to question his orders and everything he believe to be true) was compelling and the alternating point of view characters added a richness to the story. I enjoyed the author’s unique twist on cyborgs as well as well as the dark version of the future. Additionally, I loved the vivid descriptions of the many battles/fight scenes (squeamish beware). I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.
November 7, 2018
Super Cyborg Soldiers🐺💪👊🔪🔫 Create Havoc
Blood, Gore, Guts abound in this Sci-fi military adventure.
Earth 2065.
These two cybernetic bad boys love their swords🔪! UNR Cyborgs🐺💪👊🔪🔫, Will and Luis, slice🔪 and dice🔪 their way through a base in Iran from where weapons are being smuggled. Resistance is Futile!
Even though the two cyborgs🐺💪👊🔪🔫 are mostly metal and electronics now, they are still both men with wants, needs, and desires. They still feel.....
One annoying feature of the book is that it jumps back and forth in time, from 20 years in The past to present-day, 2065. The author does begin a new chapter with every time jump, but it is still somewhat disconcerting.
ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems.
Well written, high quality sci-fi. Recommend!
Blood, Gore, Guts abound in this Sci-fi military adventure.
Earth 2065.
These two cybernetic bad boys love their swords🔪! UNR Cyborgs🐺💪👊🔪🔫, Will and Luis, slice🔪 and dice🔪 their way through a base in Iran from where weapons are being smuggled. Resistance is Futile!
Even though the two cyborgs🐺💪👊🔪🔫 are mostly metal and electronics now, they are still both men with wants, needs, and desires. They still feel.....
One annoying feature of the book is that it jumps back and forth in time, from 20 years in The past to present-day, 2065. The author does begin a new chapter with every time jump, but it is still somewhat disconcerting.
ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems.
Well written, high quality sci-fi. Recommend!
November 8, 2018
Review of REVERENCE by Joshua Landeros
Militaristic near-future sci fi with a realistic New World Order, plus cyborgs. Thinking, conscious, even conscientious cyborgs—which is kind of unsettling, if one is used to science fiction tropes like Star Trek's The Borg (hive mind) and Robots or Androids without emotions or conscious thought. Of course, sometimes thinking characters period can be unsettling.
REVERENCE is the first in a series exploring this unpleasant New World Order. Since it is militaristic sci fi, it does tend to be violent often.
Militaristic near-future sci fi with a realistic New World Order, plus cyborgs. Thinking, conscious, even conscientious cyborgs—which is kind of unsettling, if one is used to science fiction tropes like Star Trek's The Borg (hive mind) and Robots or Androids without emotions or conscious thought. Of course, sometimes thinking characters period can be unsettling.
REVERENCE is the first in a series exploring this unpleasant New World Order. Since it is militaristic sci fi, it does tend to be violent often.
November 21, 2017
Will the cyborghero
I enjoyed very much this book. Well written and suspencefull. Jerusalem is mentioned in the book as the holly city in debris. God is mentioned too but will does not believe jn it. He hano faith, know perfectly the bible though!
I enjoyed very much this book. Well written and suspencefull. Jerusalem is mentioned in the book as the holly city in debris. God is mentioned too but will does not believe jn it. He hano faith, know perfectly the bible though!
April 28, 2018
Reverence
Not my usual choice of genres but I really enjoyed Reverence. A look at what could happen in America should we give in to greed of mankind to rule for power sake. Doesn't power was all struggles. An excellent read I totally RECOMMEND!
Not my usual choice of genres but I really enjoyed Reverence. A look at what could happen in America should we give in to greed of mankind to rule for power sake. Doesn't power was all struggles. An excellent read I totally RECOMMEND!
January 28, 2018
Good read
Takes a good look at what the world could become with apathy. Written in a disjointed format and using my!triple names for the same figure. The author hopefully will improve with time but even with notes I'm still confused at the end
Takes a good look at what the world could become with apathy. Written in a disjointed format and using my!triple names for the same figure. The author hopefully will improve with time but even with notes I'm still confused at the end
July 24, 2017
Reverence by Joshua Landeros begins in the year 2065, and a Utopion world has been created. In this new world, there are cyborg soldiers who have been made to take over a resistance army threatening to defeat the United Nations Republic, which is the new government system.
Will and Luis are part of the super soldier army, both cyborgs who from the very beginning of their military career seem to get themselves into all types of trouble. Both soldiers are equipped with guns as well as sabers to defeat the enemy, and they are not afraid to use them.
In this novel we see flash backs of when the UNR began starting in 2046, and the situations which occurred with the government and the world that made that possible. In the future, someone is out to get the leader of the UNR, and they will stop at nothing to assassinate him. When he is finally murdered, the uprising of the army is underway.
This book is extremely well written; the story flows into the next chapter, as well as the flashbacks with ease, even the cyborg characters have great personalities. They have their own unique sense of humor, and find different ways to make the story entertaining. This is not the typical kind of book that I read, but it has a lot of heart, and even some romance. I enjoyed learned about Will and Luis, their struggle, their beginning, and the sacrifices that they had to make in order to become soldiers.
I really enjoyed that this book wasn’t strictly a political or war book, there were aspects of romance, which gave the cyborgs some human qualities that I could really relate to. I also enjoyed that the action scenes were descriptive, and you could see them play out almost like a movie in your head.
Another great thing about this book was the flashbacks, it was great to understand the history of the UNR, and really find out what happened between the United States and the rest of the world. I’m not going to give any spoilers away, but it was quite interesting to see the things that can happen to a government to take it over. It’s almost scary to think about the outcome of some of the government’s worst ideas.
The best thing of all about this book are the characters, you would think cyborgs would be boring, with one track minds, but the author gave Will and Luis personalities that outshine the rest of the book. Will has some flashbacks about a girl, and the heartbreak and love that he feels are tremendous. It really kept the story going for me, and left me with mystery that I really enjoyed.
One of the things that I didn’t like about this book was that it seemed to drag on at some points, and it left me bored and finding it hard to pay attention. Maybe the high intensity of the action scenes left me with a little hangover so that I couldn’t quite get into the duller scenes that talked about political standpoints and other information that seemed to drone on.
If you are looking for a book with a mix of political, thriller, military and romance, this is definitely the book that you want to pick up. The futuristic plot, and the super soldier cyborgs really hold the story together. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, very entertaining, high intensity and fun.
Will and Luis are part of the super soldier army, both cyborgs who from the very beginning of their military career seem to get themselves into all types of trouble. Both soldiers are equipped with guns as well as sabers to defeat the enemy, and they are not afraid to use them.
In this novel we see flash backs of when the UNR began starting in 2046, and the situations which occurred with the government and the world that made that possible. In the future, someone is out to get the leader of the UNR, and they will stop at nothing to assassinate him. When he is finally murdered, the uprising of the army is underway.
This book is extremely well written; the story flows into the next chapter, as well as the flashbacks with ease, even the cyborg characters have great personalities. They have their own unique sense of humor, and find different ways to make the story entertaining. This is not the typical kind of book that I read, but it has a lot of heart, and even some romance. I enjoyed learned about Will and Luis, their struggle, their beginning, and the sacrifices that they had to make in order to become soldiers.
I really enjoyed that this book wasn’t strictly a political or war book, there were aspects of romance, which gave the cyborgs some human qualities that I could really relate to. I also enjoyed that the action scenes were descriptive, and you could see them play out almost like a movie in your head.
Another great thing about this book was the flashbacks, it was great to understand the history of the UNR, and really find out what happened between the United States and the rest of the world. I’m not going to give any spoilers away, but it was quite interesting to see the things that can happen to a government to take it over. It’s almost scary to think about the outcome of some of the government’s worst ideas.
The best thing of all about this book are the characters, you would think cyborgs would be boring, with one track minds, but the author gave Will and Luis personalities that outshine the rest of the book. Will has some flashbacks about a girl, and the heartbreak and love that he feels are tremendous. It really kept the story going for me, and left me with mystery that I really enjoyed.
One of the things that I didn’t like about this book was that it seemed to drag on at some points, and it left me bored and finding it hard to pay attention. Maybe the high intensity of the action scenes left me with a little hangover so that I couldn’t quite get into the duller scenes that talked about political standpoints and other information that seemed to drone on.
If you are looking for a book with a mix of political, thriller, military and romance, this is definitely the book that you want to pick up. The futuristic plot, and the super soldier cyborgs really hold the story together. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, very entertaining, high intensity and fun.
July 24, 2017
Reverence by Joshua Landeros takes place in a dystopian military environment, where super soldiers (cyborgs), Will and Luis, work for a government agency called the United Relations Republic. The majority of the story takes place in current time, 2065, but there are frequent flashbacks to 2044 (when the war began) and 2046 (when the UNR was first created to stop the war). The flashbacks show case various events that lead up to present time and the major events that occur along the way to get to where we are now.
From the very first page, we are dropped right in the middle of a war. The beginning, all the way through to the end, is filled with action, thought-provoking elements, and fiery dialogue. What surprised me the most about this story, is that it has a deeper meaning with more complex elements. On the surface it started out as a human vs. super human war of good vs. evil, but as the story progresses various elements unfold to reveal that things aren’t so black and white.
One of my favourite parts in the story was the two separate time frames. Starting in present time in the year 2065, then flashbacks starting from 2044 and 2046 showcasing various events that lead up to the current state the book is in. I really love when stories do this, I find it holds an element of surprise and keeps the reader engaged. Plus the mysterious aspect that the reader gets to find out what is happening as the book goes along makes for an enjoyable read.
One of the negative aspects of this book, was the typical chauvinistic and macho attitude that is a stereotype of the military. If the story itself didn’t have an interesting premise to it, I definitely wouldn’t have been compelled to finish the story. The redeeming factor was that the stereotype attitude of the military was broken by Will, one of the cyborgs, as the book moved along.
I really enjoyed how the author portrayed Will and his thoughts. He wasn’t supposed to have human emotions or memories about his past, yet he did. He wondered certain things and questioned whether what he was doing was right. Questioning his purpose wasn’t supposed to happen, but he was constantly thinking about things humans think about in terms of good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. I’m glad the author created Will like this because I think the human mind is so much more powerful than we give it credit for, even as a cyborg!
Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 rating. Even though it was an interesting story that was action packed and moved at a steady pace, I felt like it was a story that I had read before and it didn’t add anything new to the book world. It was very well written and I would recommend it for anyone looking to try reading a dystopian military book.
From the very first page, we are dropped right in the middle of a war. The beginning, all the way through to the end, is filled with action, thought-provoking elements, and fiery dialogue. What surprised me the most about this story, is that it has a deeper meaning with more complex elements. On the surface it started out as a human vs. super human war of good vs. evil, but as the story progresses various elements unfold to reveal that things aren’t so black and white.
One of my favourite parts in the story was the two separate time frames. Starting in present time in the year 2065, then flashbacks starting from 2044 and 2046 showcasing various events that lead up to the current state the book is in. I really love when stories do this, I find it holds an element of surprise and keeps the reader engaged. Plus the mysterious aspect that the reader gets to find out what is happening as the book goes along makes for an enjoyable read.
One of the negative aspects of this book, was the typical chauvinistic and macho attitude that is a stereotype of the military. If the story itself didn’t have an interesting premise to it, I definitely wouldn’t have been compelled to finish the story. The redeeming factor was that the stereotype attitude of the military was broken by Will, one of the cyborgs, as the book moved along.
I really enjoyed how the author portrayed Will and his thoughts. He wasn’t supposed to have human emotions or memories about his past, yet he did. He wondered certain things and questioned whether what he was doing was right. Questioning his purpose wasn’t supposed to happen, but he was constantly thinking about things humans think about in terms of good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. I’m glad the author created Will like this because I think the human mind is so much more powerful than we give it credit for, even as a cyborg!
Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 rating. Even though it was an interesting story that was action packed and moved at a steady pace, I felt like it was a story that I had read before and it didn’t add anything new to the book world. It was very well written and I would recommend it for anyone looking to try reading a dystopian military book.
February 12, 2017
Reviewed by Susan Violante for Reader Views (02/17)
Article first published as Book Review: ‘Reverence’ by Joshua Aaron Landeros on Blogcritics.
In his debut novel “Reverence,” Joshua Aaron Landeros delivers an action-packed, post-apocalyptic tale that will have readers asking for justice in the battle for world domination.
It’s 2065 and much of the world is dominated by the United Nation Republic, under the thumb of Chancellor Carl Venloran. Revered as a savior, Venloran is held in high regard by his soldiers, civilians, and world leaders; but there is an uprising brewing that threatens the existence of his empire. Super Soldiers William Marconi and Luis Viramontes lead the responsibility in protecting this new world order without question, and at any cost. When Will begins to suspect that Venloran might not be the Supreme Commander everyone thinks he is, he realizes that the cost just might be too much to pay.
Landeros does a great job, delivering a clearly crafted, multi-faceted story, which is rich in details. Well-timed flashbacks give readers an inside look into the characters and their back-stories, tying all the elements of the plot together with an exciting flair.
His characters have great depth and one really gets a sense of being inside their heads. Love them or hate them, Landeros has created strong and genuine characters that will provoke intense reactions from readers. There is a deep level of camaraderie between the soldiers, both on the side of the United Nation Republic and the rebel forces. The friction and internal conflict between the regular UNR soldiers and the Super Soldiers keep the dialogue interesting and the storyline moving. William Marconi, the protagonist grows and develops with the story, as he begins to question the motives of his Chancellor. The battle scenes are bloody, and fans of military Sci-Fi will appreciate the level of detail on the special weapons, the battles, and the protocol used throughout the storyline. It is evident that much research went into every aspect to ensure credibility.
Overall, I found “Reverence” by Joshua Aaron Landeros to be an intense, dynamic adventure, sure to be enjoyed by Sci-Fi fans. I recommend it as a four stars out of five awesome read, and look forward to seeing more work from this young author in the future.
Article first published as Book Review: ‘Reverence’ by Joshua Aaron Landeros on Blogcritics.
In his debut novel “Reverence,” Joshua Aaron Landeros delivers an action-packed, post-apocalyptic tale that will have readers asking for justice in the battle for world domination.
It’s 2065 and much of the world is dominated by the United Nation Republic, under the thumb of Chancellor Carl Venloran. Revered as a savior, Venloran is held in high regard by his soldiers, civilians, and world leaders; but there is an uprising brewing that threatens the existence of his empire. Super Soldiers William Marconi and Luis Viramontes lead the responsibility in protecting this new world order without question, and at any cost. When Will begins to suspect that Venloran might not be the Supreme Commander everyone thinks he is, he realizes that the cost just might be too much to pay.
Landeros does a great job, delivering a clearly crafted, multi-faceted story, which is rich in details. Well-timed flashbacks give readers an inside look into the characters and their back-stories, tying all the elements of the plot together with an exciting flair.
His characters have great depth and one really gets a sense of being inside their heads. Love them or hate them, Landeros has created strong and genuine characters that will provoke intense reactions from readers. There is a deep level of camaraderie between the soldiers, both on the side of the United Nation Republic and the rebel forces. The friction and internal conflict between the regular UNR soldiers and the Super Soldiers keep the dialogue interesting and the storyline moving. William Marconi, the protagonist grows and develops with the story, as he begins to question the motives of his Chancellor. The battle scenes are bloody, and fans of military Sci-Fi will appreciate the level of detail on the special weapons, the battles, and the protocol used throughout the storyline. It is evident that much research went into every aspect to ensure credibility.
Overall, I found “Reverence” by Joshua Aaron Landeros to be an intense, dynamic adventure, sure to be enjoyed by Sci-Fi fans. I recommend it as a four stars out of five awesome read, and look forward to seeing more work from this young author in the future.
August 16, 2019
In the year 2065, the United Nation Republic, run by Carl Venloran, practically runs the world. With its well trained army and a group of cyborg super soldiers, what began as a beacon of hope and stability in a time of war has become a vicious dictatorship that squashes any opposition. Will, one of those cyborgs, has given twenty years to the UNR without ever questioning his mission, but glimpses of his past life and an encounter with a group of rebels leads him to a place he can’t help but explore further. For Will, the past and the present are about to collide.
“Reverence”, by Joshua Landeros in the first in a series of books that explore Will’s life and the rise of the UNR. In this book is a familiar story, one where a seemingly unstoppable power is confronted by a rag-tag group and in the process, loyalties are challenged. As far as it goes though, Landeros excels at making the narrative fresh and exciting. The cyborgs who fight for Venloran, now called Chancellor, are well written, complex characters who are presented as perfectly fine tuned killing machines yet still exude enough humanity to elicit sympathy at times. Even Venloran, the villainous force behind the oppressive government, is given a degree of warmth that is sometimes lacking in an antagonist. The relationships between Venloran, the cyborgs, the soldiers, and the rebels are all built in a way that leaves the reader wanting to know more, especially as their intertwined backgrounds are slowly revealed. These details are provided in frequent flashbacks throughout the narrative, giving insight into the cyborgs’ lives when they were simple soldiers, and also shows the beginnings of the UNR. The plot is not all story driven though- there are plenty of action scenes throughout to keep things interesting.
Throughout “Reverence” the themes of love, loyalty, and regret are constantly revisited. Will, as well as Luis and Valerie, the other two cyborgs, each deal with their unexpected memories in different ways, but the feeling of loss drives each of them the most. While Will and Valerie can’t seem to remember fully what it even is that they lost, they both have the desire to learn. Luis on the other hand, fuels his loss into anger to better perform his job. Even the rebels are motivated by the loss of liberty and freedom that the UNR seeks to eliminate in its quest for power and submission.
“Reverence” gets 5 out of 5 stars for being consistently entertaining and well written. I lost track of time while I sat and read! The balance between story and action is perfect, and the characters are exceptionally well rounded and interesting. It was easy to be invested in their futures and interested in their pasts. There are bonus excerpts of both the sequel and prequel to give just a little more of the story and I plan to read both!
“Reverence”, by Joshua Landeros in the first in a series of books that explore Will’s life and the rise of the UNR. In this book is a familiar story, one where a seemingly unstoppable power is confronted by a rag-tag group and in the process, loyalties are challenged. As far as it goes though, Landeros excels at making the narrative fresh and exciting. The cyborgs who fight for Venloran, now called Chancellor, are well written, complex characters who are presented as perfectly fine tuned killing machines yet still exude enough humanity to elicit sympathy at times. Even Venloran, the villainous force behind the oppressive government, is given a degree of warmth that is sometimes lacking in an antagonist. The relationships between Venloran, the cyborgs, the soldiers, and the rebels are all built in a way that leaves the reader wanting to know more, especially as their intertwined backgrounds are slowly revealed. These details are provided in frequent flashbacks throughout the narrative, giving insight into the cyborgs’ lives when they were simple soldiers, and also shows the beginnings of the UNR. The plot is not all story driven though- there are plenty of action scenes throughout to keep things interesting.
Throughout “Reverence” the themes of love, loyalty, and regret are constantly revisited. Will, as well as Luis and Valerie, the other two cyborgs, each deal with their unexpected memories in different ways, but the feeling of loss drives each of them the most. While Will and Valerie can’t seem to remember fully what it even is that they lost, they both have the desire to learn. Luis on the other hand, fuels his loss into anger to better perform his job. Even the rebels are motivated by the loss of liberty and freedom that the UNR seeks to eliminate in its quest for power and submission.
“Reverence” gets 5 out of 5 stars for being consistently entertaining and well written. I lost track of time while I sat and read! The balance between story and action is perfect, and the characters are exceptionally well rounded and interesting. It was easy to be invested in their futures and interested in their pasts. There are bonus excerpts of both the sequel and prequel to give just a little more of the story and I plan to read both!
August 13, 2019
Reverence by Joshua Landeros is a dystopic futuristic story of war, humanity, and cyborgs in space. It follows a group of characters that vary from an aging general to young rebels to a jaded cyborg super soldier and everything in between. The characters are one of the strongest parts of this book, and each felt like unique individuals with backstories, motives, relationships and quirks that set them apart. I had a bit of a hard time keeping them all straight, as the cast is large, but they were all well crafted.
The action in this novel is vibrant and shocking, fully immersing the reader in visceral scenes of warfare. The fight scenes intersperse wandering chunks of dialogue like exclamation points, underscoring the brevity of the lives of the majority of the human characters thrown into a world of violence and eternal war.
The cyborg characters serve both as protagonists/antagonists (depending on who you sympathize with more) and also as allegory, and he does a good job of letting the reader draw their own conclusions from the complex story he tells. There are themes of anti-war, posthumanism, corruption, nationalism and much more woven throughout, without it being only about one thing. I think the multi-layering of the themes helps make it both an interesting story and keeps it from feeling preachy or like it is pushing a specific agenda.
The author also uses time jumps exceptionally well. The story is told non-linearly, and this works to his advantage as he retroactively reveals how the world came to this, who the characters are and where they stand in the world, and where they are all coming from. They enrich the narrative that would honestly be pretty boring to my personal tastes if told in order and make it interesting and surprising as it bounces around through time and space.
My only real qualm is that the story in general felt a bit too long. Dialogue scenes drag on, and scenes open with excessively elaborate descriptions of characters' clothing or surroundings full of passive voice. He has a tendency to tell rather than show, which takes a pretty solid story and makes it less engaging. Another round of content editing and an increased focus on being concise would have done a lot for this book.
The action in this novel is vibrant and shocking, fully immersing the reader in visceral scenes of warfare. The fight scenes intersperse wandering chunks of dialogue like exclamation points, underscoring the brevity of the lives of the majority of the human characters thrown into a world of violence and eternal war.
The cyborg characters serve both as protagonists/antagonists (depending on who you sympathize with more) and also as allegory, and he does a good job of letting the reader draw their own conclusions from the complex story he tells. There are themes of anti-war, posthumanism, corruption, nationalism and much more woven throughout, without it being only about one thing. I think the multi-layering of the themes helps make it both an interesting story and keeps it from feeling preachy or like it is pushing a specific agenda.
The author also uses time jumps exceptionally well. The story is told non-linearly, and this works to his advantage as he retroactively reveals how the world came to this, who the characters are and where they stand in the world, and where they are all coming from. They enrich the narrative that would honestly be pretty boring to my personal tastes if told in order and make it interesting and surprising as it bounces around through time and space.
My only real qualm is that the story in general felt a bit too long. Dialogue scenes drag on, and scenes open with excessively elaborate descriptions of characters' clothing or surroundings full of passive voice. He has a tendency to tell rather than show, which takes a pretty solid story and makes it less engaging. Another round of content editing and an increased focus on being concise would have done a lot for this book.
Read
February 9, 2020Good story
Good story with interesting plot. I was not a fan of how the plot was arranged. I think the part about his family was revealed too late. It was about to give up on him as a character.
Good story with interesting plot. I was not a fan of how the plot was arranged. I think the part about his family was revealed too late. It was about to give up on him as a character.
Read
May 27, 2016Manuscript review for Reader Views.
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