The Untethered

by S.W. Southwick

What Roble wants to create is illegal...if not impossible.

And everyone seems determined to stop him from trying. But when a few unrepentant ladies join his fight to live free, the Las Vegas desert is going to light up like the 4th of July.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Thriller, Contemporary, Amazon, Adventure

630 pages, ebook

First published February 1, 2017

About the author

"I wrote The Untethered because I couldn't find many novels in a contemporary, non-fantasy setting which had protagonists who I considered heroic. And I find nothing to be more heroic than someone chasing their own dream against all odds."
S.W. Southwick lives in Las Vegas.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow ! This book kept me up past my bedtime, and I am glad. I haven't read anything like this in quite awhile.

Thank you S.W. Southwick for asking me if I would be interested in a promo audible version of "The Untethered" for an honest review. I think you succeeded in writing a book, that people with dreams, can attain them against all kinds of odds.

This book has four main characters :

Roble, who was always in trouble as a juvenile. All he wanted to do was build the best aircraft possible, and no one would let him.

Alexa, A rising political star, running from childhood dreams.

Stock, who lives underneath the city. He has a brilliant mind for developing and science. He rebels against the world

and Danny who is always struggling for assurance from everyone. Mostly his father.

When these lives collide, choices have to be made.

This has been one of the most entertaining, engrossing, intriguing, thrilling, thought provoking books that I have read in a long time. The story is a mix of mystery, sci-fi, star trek-y, military, government corruption. A contemporary epic thriller.

You would think with all that, it would not be a good book. It's a great book !!!! All of the characters are deeply developed. The author has a unique way of mixing them together, and separating them so you can become attached to each one of them. A very unique style.

The story is imaginative. It has action and adventure and did not lag during any part of the book. I would definitely read this authors works again. I was totally surprised by this book and enjoyed reading it. One of my goals this year was to read books out of my normal genre. This one hit the the spot. I would recommend this book to anyone. Its getting five stars from me.

* S.W. Southwick, You had me at B1B Bombers =)

[Cathy McMahen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow—I really loved this book! Intelligent and fast-moving, The Untethered is a both a thriller and an unashamed statement on the themes of individualism and personal freedom. Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, saturates every page. But it is not droll philosophy. The characters bring to life the idea that you can follow your own dream without enforcing your will or your beliefs on others.

There are several main characters, each one skillfully drawn by the author. Their storylines emerge separately and then converge in a tale that includes heart-pounding action sequences and political intrigue. In an effort to create something wonderful, these characters play a high-stakes game that brings them into conflict with individuals in the military, defense contractors, and government entities.

And then there are those jets! I would have never thought I would have loved them so. They drive much of the plot. Far from being mere objects, they become characters themselves. Sleek and beautiful, the products of reason and the “will” to excellence, they are the perfect vehicles to represent the “spirit of man.”

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book. The ending alone is worth the price. What a thrill ride it is! I will miss these characters and their world. Perhaps S. W. Southwick has a sequel?

[Daisy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book really wasn't for me. Eventually it got to a point where I felt like it was simply wasting my time, and getting me annoyed for no reason, so I decided to give it up with about four hours to go on the audiobook (after 53 chapters).

The reason I didn't enjoy this book is, I think, much a case of it's-not-you-it's-me. Wrong time, wrong place was probably a big part of it. So I'm going to try and start with the positives.

I appreciate that the author's goal here was to portray heroes in contemporary society, taking their lives into their own hands and chasing their dreams. And I credit him for this original and inspiring idea. He thought through the different perspectives he wanted to explore his message with, and incorporated some unique themes in the form of their passions and circumstances. If nothing else, it made for some representation of real-life situations I've not seen before in a book - environmental protesting, aerodynamics, running a charity, for example. There was a also completely normalised homosexual relationship and an openness about the characters' sexualities, which is always great to see.

OK, now for the things I didn't like. I'm gonna be honest here and come right out with it: to me the characters all felt like snarky, self-pitying people who'd given up on society, and I just couldn't bring myself to get behind "heroes" like that. Even the ones who didn't start like that shifted towards it later in the book. Everyone felt like they had the same motivations and the same voice under their interests and situations. I didn't develop any interest in their lives and therefore in the story.

I know this may be unfair and I'm definitely not with the majority here... but I just found myself being really frustrated with these characters. I think the main reason is that the book as a whole felt, to me, like there was a real negative undertone to it - it didn't feel hopeful, or inspiring, but pessimistic and selfish. This is just my interpretation, and I'm not sure why it came across to me like that (I wish it didn't!), but the fact is it did, and I didn't like supporting a book and characters with that feel to them.

Some minor things that I think contributed to my dislike were the audiobook narrator (Fred Filbrich), whose voices and inflections I couldn't get on with, the slow pacing (I grew up on short books and have struggled with many long ones similar in length to this), the continuation of the story for five more hours after what seemed to me to be the climax, and the recurring sexual tension between characters who had zero actual relationship. I'm really struggling to see any purpose of this last one, except to make me uncomfortable and grossed out. I mean WHAT was the point of Roble's "relationship" (a word I hesitate to use) with the Japanese girl who knew a lot about fighter jets?!?! The only thing I can think of is that Southwick thought sex is a part of life, and of these characters' lives, so he should get it in there somehow. I'm sorry, but I don't need these completely irrelevant-to-the-story (let alone awkward to listen to) scenes and narrative comments to respect these characters are mature adults, or whatever else the author was trying to prove with them.

So yeah... that's just some of my muddled up thoughts. I really hope I haven't offended anyone with this review - I know many people got a really positive experience and message out of this book and I think that's great. The style of it just didn't gel with me so I was unable to see the positives I think. As I've said, I think the concept is cool, and this was recommended to me by a friend (sorry, Nicole!!) so I really was trying to give it a chance and hoped to enjoy it. Unfortunately though, this one just missed the mark for me... that's all I can say.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It was nothing like I had ever read before, in plot, characterization, and writing.

This book centers around people who only wish to see their dreams become reality in an oppressed world. Because of society's pressures, they are forced to either live a lie or live as outcasts all because of their dreams.

In the beginning, their lives seem completely separate. However, the more you read, the more you see how interconnected their lives are and were. They crisscross paths in their endeavors and you discover that they all played a role in each other's pasts.

While I loved all the characters and their stories, my favorite was Roble's story line. I absolutely loved his backstory and how everything played out. I especially liked the section of the story when he is in Japan.

Overall, there is a very important message you should take away from this book. Never give up on your dream, no matter who or what tries to stop you.

[Janean Laidlaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely engaging novel that crosses genres successfully!

The book started a bit slowly for me, because of the first chapter’s emphasis on the tech-geek-speak and detailed descriptions of machinery. Those who speak geek will love this beginning, however, because it is quite well done. For those who enjoy character-driven writing, “The Untethered” will definitely not disappoint, either! After its slightly slow start, the novel picked up quickly as I became strongly attached to the four main protagonists. Be warned, however, that these are realistically drawn protagonists, whom you will come to love despite their flaws. They are not paragons.

These characters are wonderfully textured—not the overwrought cartoons of too many romance novels; nor the one-dimensional, wise-cracking, predictable heroes of so much science fiction; nor yet those ceaselessly struggling, grim, psychically tiring, downtrodden-but-plucky individuals who people all of the currently-popular dystopian novels. These characters are real: their experiences feel genuine, and their life experiences inform their very interesting personalities and interactions in quite believable ways. The dialogue is good, overall, and the narrator is perfect for the story and the characters.

If I were to choose two aspects of the author’s writing that make this book stand out, they would be: (1) the author's real skill in using changing points of view. The characters’ different “angles” on (perceptions of) their interactions, and their individual memories of events, add much to our understanding of each individual character. You might say that the sum of the narration is greater than the parts. And this literary technique, often done in a way that feels clumsy and manipulative, is carried out here in a manner that makes it seem as if the book could not exist without it. The technique seems not only right, but necessary. I would also praise (2) the author’s skill at avoiding clichéd wording. Throughout the novel, nouns are pressed into service as verbs (effectively); phrases are worded with new life; and even descriptions of all of the techno-geek gear are buttered with a bit of subtle poetic shine.

Read the book because it is a “good romp” (it is!), or read it because it is thought-provoking without being heavily preachy (it is!). Listen to the audio version with its excellent narrator. In any event, I recommend “The Untethered.”

[Molly Blazor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised by this book; the writing, characters, and storyline are simply exceptional. If you appreciate the concepts of liberty, capitalism (free trade and voluntary relationships) and equal opportunity for all then you will love this book. If you don't appreciate those concepts, read it anyway and see if you feel differently afterwards. I'd be surprised if you didn't. In any case, I'm sure you'll be as captivated by it as I was.

[Karasu · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 16%.

I just could not get into this book.
all of the characters are awful, self-centered, and obnoxious.
there was no hero or anyone to feel for in this book.

the dialog is disjointed and the book jumps between present and flashbacks with no warning.
not an enjoyable read.

[Marji Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise

Some novels are character driven and some plot driven. This one is theme driven with a heavy foot. The author is far more fond of similes than I am.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The libertarian ideals of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead rolled into one, with better characters, better plot, better writing, and a faster pace.

[Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed here: https://sylvesterkuo.wordpress.com/20...

[Pat Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

"[W]hen the price of peace with others is the surrender of one’s highest values, conflict becomes one’s greatest asset." The conflicts in Southwick's dystopia are disturbingly familiar, with elements that echo today's headlines.

In a world where most people are increasingly constrained to toe the line and give at least lip-service to the dual social concepts of Unity and Sacrifice, anyone who does not conform must self-identify as criminal, or become actively anti-social. Society regards either as negative, of course, and so the real choice is self-abnegation—accepting the values imposed by society—or isolation from it.

Advisory: This novel contains sex, drugs, and fighter jets. (From the author's description)

Young Roble Santos is anti-social, labeled delinquent, then abandoned to the foster system. Unlike his friend Danny Sands, the son of his last foster parents, however, Roble is never conflicted about what he wants. Given the choice between pursuing his dream of creating the ultimate jet plane or conforming, Roble rejects society's expectations and runs away. In his last interview with the Alexa Patra, the driven head of a private charity that places Nevada children in foster "care," he tells Patra:

"I don’t need to hear how scary the world is and how I shouldn’t try anything. I don’t need to know how much suffering there is out there,” he pointed out the window, “or how bad I should feel about it. What I need…” he looked up, his grey eyes pleading, “…is to see someone who is still happy after growing up.

If that sentiment seems familiar, perhaps you have read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged. I felt that connection from the first pages of The Untethered, and began looking for deliberate allusions to those novels. They weren't hard to find.

But if Howard Roark and John Galt are flawless, pristine exemplars of Rand's philosophy, they are less accessible for it. Roble Santos and his fellow objectivists (Libby Dodge, Halvern Black, Victor Lafayette, Nicolette Popov) pursue their dreams whole-heartedly, with total focus and absolute rejection of society's demands—yet they are not blemish-free. Their foibles make them human even while their accomplishments reveal they are something more.

The protagonists share something else, however: all their dreams involve something material, a creation which will not exist in the world until they create it. Roble Santos makes this material, objective reality obvious in one scene on an airbase in Okinawa:

"Sir, I know what keeps your adversaries at bay.” Sircor folded his arms, muscles flexing under his uniform. Roble pointed at a picture of Sircor standing with a group of Thunderbird pilots. “Your piloting ability is real.” He pointed at a model jet on the desk. “Your fighter jets and maintenance performance are real. That,” he gestured out the window, “Skeleton Eagle sitting at Naha—is real. Those realities keep them at bay, sir.”

On society's side of the conflict, criminals like Jesus Gorronza, politicians like Preton Moore, religious leaders like Randal Graph, and ordinary citizens like Donald Sands and his wife, give the required lip-service to the ideals of their culture, while feeding off whatever amount of power over others their actions can give them. Southwick gives these antagonists all the petty banality that such characters usually possess. It is also no surprise that many of them are in the government, or campaigning to be involved in

[T]hat sweet, unlimited democratic system, allowing plunder at the drop of a vote.

The most revealing characters are those in the middle, who try to straddle the divide between the pull of their dreams, and the yearning to please society—or who embrace the idea that doing what pleases them makes them criminals. When laws are written by those who want above all to consolidate power over others and impose their own beliefs, pursuing your dreams may actually, literally, make you a criminal:

There is no sanctuary against those who impose their beliefs on others through laws, not one single strip of dry land on this Earth.

Whether the goal is to feed the world—not by theft/taxation or by shaming donors into giving, but by creating more productive crops—or to teach children to think, to explore—rather than to compel them to parrot one's own thoughts—the concept of sacrificing one's individual identity into a collective group identity is ultimately destructive to both the dream and the person who dreams.

For everyone who wishes to fly, who yearns to soar (and to forget all those whose envy drives them to shoot you down), The Untethered is your next great reading experience.

[Landon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this by the Author for my honest opinion and review. I had listened to this book on audible, but I do have it in ebook to (so I was between both, lol) The Untethered was easy to read (more so listen to) and the narrator made it clear to hear, The story was creative, intriguing, and very imaginative. S.W. Southwick, did a good job with this story, interesting storyline.

[Brian Peterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Every single main character is a different slice of the same 'virtues'. With a quarter as many people to care about, less constant foreshadowing, and some actual variation in motivations and goals, this might have been worth finishing.

[Jinx:The:Poet {the LiteraryWanderer & WordRoamer} · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I find nothing to be more heroic than someone chasing their own dream against all odds.”

The Untethered was a book that brought out many mixed feelings from me, the positive, the negative and somewhere in between. It had its shining moments to be sure, its moment of "Wow, that was certainly unique." It was certainly dramatic and had an element of undeniable coolness to it, BUT when all is said and done, there was something about it that I just did not care for. In fact, I could almost say... I disliked it. It’s really hard to pinpoint the main reason, however. I suppose there were many smaller reasons that accumulated, and therefore caused me to feel a bit annoyed and bored with it.

"What Roble wants to create is illegal...if not impossible. And everyone seems determined to stop him from trying. But when a few unrepentant ladies join his fight to live free, the Las Vegas desert is going to light up like the 4th of July..."

This may come off as offensive to those who loved this book, but something about this particular writing style just flat-out annoyed me. Personally, the story felt very disjointed to me; just way too fragmented and convoluted for my liking. It made the overall narrative feel choppy and awkward, bouncing around from character to character, different times and places and completely riddled with flashbacks. It took forever to feel like it was all connected. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes that style can really work, perhaps if it were more character driven than this book was or if it had a much stronger plot line to support it. But by 64% in, I still didn’t feel the story compelling me to keep reading, urging me to finish it, or even that natural curiosity. I finished it. Mainly because I rarely (okay, NEVER) drop anything. I simply wanted to review it as honestly as I can. Also, I hate it when reviewers review a book they did not even care to finish. Tisk tisk... Here is what the book blurb says:

"There is a force in the soul that begs for release, a glimmer of reason that calls to the essence of what it means to be human. Yet this truth rarely fits the boxes in which we were born, and shines too brightly for some to ignore...

A juvenile delinquent chases his dream to build the greatest aircraft in history--and the world tries to destroy him. A rising political star runs from her childhood dream--and the world encourages her on.

An artist tries to make his father proud--at the cost of everything he loves. A math genius employs her calculations on the tennis court--to the shock of all. A self-loathing geneticist hides below the streets of Las Vegas--and rebels against the morality of mankind.
When all five lives collide, each must make a choice... and nothing will ever be the same again. " -Book Blurb

Anyways, it’s hard to say why exactly, but there was also something about the writing style that felt, dare I say...silly? There was so much emphasis on people striking these dramatic poses and flying through the air and kicking something or characters imagining people flying through the air, comparing people to ninjas, or detailed silhouettes and on and on, but to what end? What was the purpose of all that? To trick the reader into feeling like they are reading a fast-paced, heroic action story when half of the book is just boring dialogue and flashbacks, and the other half mechanic/technological jargon? Yes, there definitely was subtle thematic material, and underlying concept, but more on that later. The mechanical jargon is fine in itself if there was enough story, action, plot, character depth to really drive it and balance it all out, but in The Untethered there really wasn’t.

And some prose would randomly break out in purple hives. Yeah, you heard me, purple hives a.k.a symptoms of purple prose... The style would randomly switch from this sleek, stylistic modern jargon to this weird laugh-out-loud-able purply-durply stuff. (I.e. "His body smelled of freshly tanned leather splashed with desert rain..." O_o Me: Wait. What?? "...She could smell his desire and her own, like summer rain on sage." Cue Ace Ventura "Alrighty then..." giff.



And maybe this one too...



Hmmm. Am I reading an action story here? Last time I checked, definitely no. Am I reading a sappy romance book here? I thought not until I got to that chapter... The weird thing is I usually love-love-love the hybrid-genre, mutant, mash-up chimera book. I am a big fan of odd, quirky and the unusual. So maybe a reread will change my mind on this book. Maybe it all has to sink in.

Its just that this book tried so hard to be so many things and for me it wasn’t really effective for what it was aiming for. It was as if the author tried so hard to give this story a slick, adventurous vibe, but that often came off as childish, especially when there was hardly any action actually going on. That type of device, particularly when coupled with slow dialogue scenes, felt very misleading. Where there should have been visible emotion, physical expression, and real character depth being expressed in these passages, we get these awkward action poses and odd stylistic paragraphs instead. That really felt so out of place and ultimately detracted from the readers connection to the characters. Which brings me, at last, to the characters...

They weren’t necessarily bad characters but there is a distinct coldness to the dialogue scenes, often causing the characters to feel somewhat bland and lifeless. It almost felt the cast of characters were not different enough from each other (in motivations) and in turn that felt as if the authors own voice was all you could hear or feel. That only made the story feel preachy to me. Which is probably the main reason why folks are drawing comparisons between Southwick and Ayn Rand, though Rand did it better in my opinion...

"There is no sanctuary against those who impose their beliefs on others through laws, not one single strip of dry land on this Earth."

In The Untethered we have all these people, Roble Santos, Danny Sands, Ms. Alexa Patra, Libby Dodge, Stock Brant and a plethora of other characters that each express the same theme. Rebelliousness. Tired of society. Not wanting to be held down. Average feelings many of us can relate to, though the characters act as if those feelings are unique only to them, or somehow more complicated. Why is society trying to control me? It focuses on chasing your dreams, whether that be good or evil. It was interesting in that regard, on philosophical notions of good and evil, of preconceived ideas of how our lives should be lived, and trying to measure up to society’s standards, but at times it felt immature in that all the characters eventually turned or at least felt, rebellious and somewhat angsty.

A lot of the book felt very YA to me and it was almost as if the random sexuality, alcohol, drugs were lobbed in at the last minute to try to aim for a more adult audience. Even the cover looks very YA for crying out.

Okay, so I sound very negative. I will now discuss some of the things I enjoyed. Roble Santos, Alexa Patra, and Stock Brant. They each had a uniqueness about them that I appreciated. I enjoyed their perspectives the most. It was hard to drag through the other perspectives at times. I liked the scenes detailing the fighter jets as well. It gave the book a very cool intelligent edginess. I liked the scenic descriptions very much, the author is very talented in landscape descriptions as well as atmosphere. He is also very skilled in writing drama and romance as I’ve mentioned before. I both love and hate the way he bases the story on theme rather than story, plot, or even the characters. The cover was pretty rad, as well.

I don’t necessarily regret reading this, but it was definitely lacking in flow and character connection. I may reread this eventually to see if my opinions have changed any. Overall, I would like to remain neutral but I can’t see myself ever loving this particular style. I would recommend this one to fans of NA, light Sci-fi, and contemporary fiction. If you can look past all the things I’ve mentioned, then this is a book for you. It is definitely worth a read.

[CONTENT & TRIGGER WARNING BELOW...]

[OFFICIAL RATING: 3 STARS]



[CONTENT NOTE: This novel contains mild sex, drugs, alcohol, and fighter jet jargon.]

[D.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when the book arrived in the mail. SW Southwick sent me a signed copy and I put the book in the reading queue, promising to get to it, but not anytime soon. Still, the picture of the jet and a dancing phenom enticed me. I looked at the cover again and said, "okay, what is this ... really?" I opened it and started reading, and though the first few pages did not pull me in aggressively it piqued my curiosity. A few more pages in and I was hooked. Southwick has done a fine job of creating characters bound in impossible situations that can only do one thing it they are to thrive, and that is overcome the bounds and braces placed upon them by a society that sucks people dry and a government that holds producers and creators hostage. If you're an Ayn Rand fan you'll recognize the obvious similarities, and you will enjoy them immensely. Southwick lost a step with the introduction of Nicolette, her story seemed a rushed introduction and forced aggregation of the books premise, but once beyond the rough start she becomes a worthy addition to the cast. Mr. Southwick, thank you for sending me your work. I absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It was a great read. As a fellow aspiring author I applaud your work, sir. Job well done. Congratulations and much success!!!!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept my interest from the first page to the last

[Griff · Rating 4 out of 5]

****Goodreads giveaway winner****

I had a hard time ‘getting into’ the beginning... I didn’t understand why their was such a detailed story being given to introduce a character, and it felt choppy... but it all came together for an amazing story and in the end, I would not have wanted to read it any other way. Stick with it- TOTALLY worth it.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, I admit my utter lack of interest & knowledge of jets and mustard seed-sized knowledge of philosophy meant I didn't understand quite a bit of this book. But it was well written and the story was compelling enough to keep me going til the end, despite my confusion about the lessons I was supposed to be learning, so I'd still recommend it if asked (maybe w/ the admonition that one should be prepared for some deep thinking if you don't want to be left behind like me).

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable read with a fast paced story, the characters were fairly one-dimensional though hence the lower rating

[Cynema · Rating 2 out of 5]

LITERARY COMPARISONS OF THIS NONSENSE TO HEINLEIN OR “ATLAS SHRUGGED” IS PROFANE! **1.5 more than generous stars**

Please, someone get me a fan and some smelling salts because some reviewers have LOST THEIR MINDS! Coming from the perspective of an honors degree in literature and from a literary standpoint, flattering comparisons of this book to Robert Heinlein and Ayn Rand are making me twitch. Get a flipping grip here. Hey, I'm all about new writing talent and good, imaginative stories, but this one is a valiant, but flawed, attempt. And, remotely comparing this Ayn Rand-wannabe to ATLAS SHRUGGED or THE FOUNTAINHEAD is more “untethered” than this book. It’s a ludicrous assertion and absolute, literary blasphemy. Whether you love or hate her, Ms. Rand’s novels are masterpieces in their own right and based on the complex philosophy of objectivism, which is a far cry from the tenets of this book.

Roble Santos as “John Galt” or “Howard Roark”? Jets as the “engine of the world”? Utter rubbish. Hard truth? Nothing but a bunch of proselytizing characters in a preachy story, and poorly written at that. Riding the coattails of literary works of art (and one needn’t be a fan of objectivism or Ms. Rand) to know that doing so is a disservice to real literature and certainly fails to acknowledge her novels’ place in the pantheon of literature.

Due only to its execution, I simply cannot wrap my head around this book or any hyperbolic reviews associated with it. Frankly, critics might have been a bit more receptive to the book as a techno thriller just on its own merit, without hitching it to literary stars beyond its reach. To clarify, this book is as similar to Ayn Rand’s books as a fishing manual is to Moby Dick. That’s like saying, of course they are – they’re both about fish! Even without the Rand comparison, this book shows its true colors and limitations within the first pages. To each his own, so read and enjoy the book if it sounds appealing, but without making baseless, inflated comparisons to other, notable authors' works … PLEASE.

[BreakfastParadigm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book very much worth reading.
I was very shocked at how much I enjoyed it, as I rarely appreciate so much of a newly released book so thoroughly. It is a captivating and contemporary story with strong moral themes that are refreshing to read about. I feel less philosophically lonely just to know this book is out there. It is also incredibly entertaining and engaging.

My favorite Character is Libby, and it’s about time not everyone is straight in books that include these type of philosophical themes.

I liked it so much I was very excited to finish it. I urge anyone reading these reviews to check this one out! It definitely surprised me in a very pleasant way. I am eagerly waiting the sequel.

I would give this 4 1/2 stars because one of the main characters is named “Alexa” and that can be very inconvenient. She is a very fascinating character but her name is a huge mistake for such a contemporary book.


Don’t let that stop you from checking it out :) especially if you’re a fan of the fountainhead.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

From military aeronautical engineering to Las Vegas performance art, this page-turner hooked me on page one with its rich narrative. The four intertwining storylines arc and ricochet against one another as each character struggles to overcome a different societal obstacle in the pursuit of happiness. Whether fighting against the military hierarchy, family obligations, or operating under the nose of the law, each character is at a different point on the same journey. So, while one is rising, another is falling, which I found intriguing. The philosophical premise woven throughout this joyride adds real meat to an already exciting thriller without bogging down the pace. Highly recommend if you enjoy eccentric, deeply developed characters with a bit of philosophical conflict peppered throughout the pages.

[Kurt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first audiobook I've listened to in completion, so consider that a testament to its engaging quality!

Roble is a fascinating character, and you'll see why from the very beginning. The way his story unfolds is thrilling, and his narrative is told in a way that makes it so easy for the reader to relate to it. Southwick's ability to describe flight is also otherworldly, making this an absolutely must-read for anyone with even a mild interest in aviation. That said, I think there's truly something here for everyone. The character development is exquisite, and if you're a fan of thrillers, you won't be disappointed.

[Ken Coar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a long book, but the character development is excellent, the multiple plots are well intertwined, and I found it quite the page-turner. (Kindle: Margin-toucher?) It reads something like a fusion of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" brought forward to the 21st century (and there are a few nods to her writings scattered through the book), but that just made it more enjoyable -- because it (IMHO) is NOT a derivative work. Some of the technology described seemed a little far-fetched until I did some research and found it's not unreasonable for the near future. So kudos to the author for not introducing anything too fantastic to disrupt the immersion experience.

[David A. Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book, my first by this author. Loved the way it represented the relationships between government, military and industry, and good representations of capitalism and socialism/communism. I was reminded of ATLAS SHRUGGED, by Ayn Rand, one of my all time favorites! I will definitely read this author's work again. There was plenty of adventure for pure entertainment, seeded with lots of deep subjects for those that think when they read.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a significant part of [the beginning of] this book, though I was enjoying it, I was a little bit turned off by what seemed like an imitation of Atlas Shrugged or The Fountainhead. The philosophy, mood, characters and even some specific character relationships seemed almost identical. Eventually though, as I got to know the characters and story more, I didn’t feel that way. Yes, it is very similar to Rand’s novels. And of course it represents, in a way, an appreciative nod to her works. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s excellently written. The characters become near and dear, and I experienced emotion, frustration, elation, and pride, while reading. I even recognized some character traits and choices that weren’t admirable that I could see in myself, and it made me commit more deeply to move past those.

Each individual character story and development keeps the reader engaged. The research was well done, so even though I know nothing about jets, tennis, military, etc., it was instantly believable and impressive to me, yet digestible.

The pacing is good. There are a lot of details, but there are plenty of places where too many details could have been included, but they weren’t. The book “cut” well, the way a film cuts from scene to scene to channel the plot forward.

Even though some might call it “slow” at the beginning, it doesn’t feel that way. You get to know the characters better and better, and since years are passing, their relationships, passions, and personal evolutions, seem more believable. Then, there are a solid several hours of action at the end! Definitely keeps you hooked.

Probably the best thing to me was the much-needed modern take on objectivism. The book involves multiple races and cultures and sexual preferences. There was an equal emphasis on men as there was on women. One of my favorite moments was when a female refused equal pay with a male, because she hadn’t earned it, or provided the same value as the man had in that particular situation. If she had, she would have deserved equal pay. The book equalizes everything. Rather than trying to “make up” for anything in the past by overcompensating, the protagonists are steady and firm about living as they philosophically view as correct, and as will allow them to reach the greatest success and excellence. Just as I’m writing this I am thinking of SpaceX and Elon Musk’s passion, and his desire for an open market in rockets, in order to cultivate excellence.

In general, the novel questions many societal norms and makes you ask yourself why we consider something to be acceptable, and why so many people conform to endless laws and customs when they might not serve individuals at all (which means they will not serve society as a whole, either). Some of Rand’s novels come off as selfish—I don’t always agree with that assessment, and I think an author often has to be extreme to make a point. But, if anything, I think this novel was even less selfish than Rand’s and pointed out the fact that there are all kinds of ways to serve others; most of them are not gov’t sanctioned! An emphasis on the importance of self-fulfillment is of course a huge theme. I also think that it is more positive and less cynical than Rand's novels.

The last several hours kept me completely hooked! It was super fulfilling because I’d learned so much about each of the characters up to the point, that I was deeply invested in them. Plus, the very end left me with chills, which is always a good sign ;)

I’m glad I bought this book, and I bought a copy for my brother before I was even a third the way through it. Wish I could read it for the first time again. Highly recommend!

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Las Vegas, NV. 7/4, Roble Santos (12) went to visit Alexandria “Alexa” Patra (director).
She runs the Children for Universal Hope (CUH) charity for orphan kids.
Roble is quite the handful.
After a long discussion a truant officer took Roble to his new foster home.
It wasn’t long & Alexa got the word he had run off again.
Fast forward, Donald Sands (faith-based youth counselor), met up when Airman Roble Santos (USAF, ½ NA) was on leave. They exchanged life stories.
The 2 of them were going to ride their motorcycles to the Calico Basin.
Protesters were everywhere.
Airman Santos was headed to Okinawa, Japan, to work on jets.

Libby Dodge (Libby Industries founder/CEO, piolet, designer) was franticly watching the gauges on the Succubus Libby III (private jet).
Chris Wright (FAA Commissioner) came to see Libby
Amanda (exec-secretary) reminded Libby of all her other day’s appointments.
Mr. Victor Lafayette (French, Bekken Advanced Robotics, Germany) was enjoying the protestors.
Libby introduced Halvern Black (architect) to him.
Victor quit his job & now works for Libby.
What was Jesus “Jessy” Gorronza (analyst) reporting to Stock Brant (genetic researcher), & Kat Lister (genetic research asst.)?
The Sin penthouse. Alexa went to see Stock about the charity donation/contributions he promised her.
Major Gavin Sircor (USAF, piolet) addressed the 67th squadron maintenance crew Kadena AF Base in Okinawa, Japan.
Airman Santos (mechanic) was even assigned to work with/at the Japanese 204th Naha Air Base.

Gary Sanders (lawyer) & Libby were having a heated discussion.
Sigmund “Siggy” Evert (head engineer) informed her the Libby IV’s 5th test flight had been completed.
Victor & his crew were working diligently on the construction of the Calico Basin cliff house.
It was now time to host a Libby House open door party.
Diane Curtis (EPA Western Regional Administrator) & Dr. Walter Hughbner (SW Director of the Bureau of Land Management) issued Libby a search warrant.
Gary was notified again.
Kat Lister (runaway) was representing Stock Brant. He wanted to buy a jet so she wanted to visit with Sigmund Evert (aeronautical engineering head).
$80 million Swiss bearer bonds, done deal. The jet was flown to a private hangar at McCarran.
Kadena AF Base. Sergeant Perry had filed an insubordination claim against Airman Santos.
Report to Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Sircor (67th Squadron Commander), ASAP.

What later happened to Lieutenant Colonel Sircor?

What were Ms. Nicolette Popov (18, Spain, tennis player), & Stock discussing with Roble?
Media headline flash: what did it say about Jesus “Jessy” Gorronza, & Governor Preton Moore (NV)?

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written legal thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great legal thriller movie, an or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Roble Arrow Publishing Ink; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Aman Mittal · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Harmony of Ayn Rand's philosophy in modern day Fiction'.

Not everyone is a big fan of Ayn Rand's philosophy and many agree with her at some point or the other, after reading her famous fables like The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Both of these books are perfect example of master storyteller plus her writing or her philosophy will have a devastating effect on the reader. Such is Southwick's The Untethered. Based on similar principles, will keep you awake at night.

The blurb of the book goes like this:

A juvenile delinquent chases his dream to build the greatest aircraft in history--and the world tries to stop him.

A rising political star runs from her childhood dream--and the world encourages her on.

A self-loathing geneticist hides below the streets of Las Vegas--and rebels against the whole world.

An artist tries to make his father proud--at the cost of everything he loves.

When all four lives collide, each must make a choice. And the world will never be the same.

The storyline of this book can described in one sentence: People with dreams, will attain them, no matter what may come. All major characters, as you may have guessed from the blurb, have different dreams and obstacles to conquer and take a step ahead towards their own dreams. Roble is a troubled juvenile who wants to build a powerful aircraft. Alexa, a political star, runs away from her childhood dreams. Stock is the rebellion but with a brilliant mind. And lastly, Danny, who is in constant need of assurance from his family.

This book is written in third-person narrative which starts to drive forward on its own once a reader is indulged in it, immensely. The pace of the plot varies as bits of climax starts rising, the pace increases drastically, successfully creating the element of thrill which this book has lots of and making it a page turner. The plot of the book is not uniform in the start but one will not fail to notice the it becomes mature as the writer's imagination unfolds.

The characters are an important aspect for a book like this. Indeed, Southwick has given a lot of emphasis from the start of the book in the development of them. You will not be disappointed or confused to understand any of the character in this book, and enough information is provided whenever necessary, by the author to understand his creations better. Writing his flawless, and philosophy reflected through the storyline and the characters has similarities to that of Ayn Rand's Objectivism. I do appreciate author's effort of mixing, I am guessing, his own philosophical nature without letting characterisation getting abrupt.

There are a lot of reasons to try and pick this book as your next read. Sense of mystery and adventure is one. If you are in awe of Rand, and looking for something in the boundaries of fiction, you may pick it up. Another reason could be that it is a page turner. You'll can have your own rationalisation or you can pick one of the three I mentioned.

5 out of 5! Recommended!

[Alceste · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Harmony of Ayn Rand's philosophy in modern day Fiction'.

Not everyone is a big fan of Ayn Rand's philosophy and many agree with her at some point or the other, after reading her famous fables like The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Both of these books are perfect example of master storyteller plus her writing or her philosophy will have a devastating effect on the reader. Such is Southwick's The Untethered. Based on similar principles, will keep you awake at night.

The blurb of the book goes like this:

A juvenile delinquent chases his dream to build the greatest aircraft in history--and the world tries to stop him.

A rising political star runs from her childhood dream--and the world encourages her on.

A self-loathing geneticist hides below the streets of Las Vegas--and rebels against the whole world.

An artist tries to make his father proud--at the cost of everything he loves.

When all four lives collide, each must make a choice. And the world will never be the same.

The storyline of this book can described in one sentence: People with dreams, will attain them, no matter what may come. All major characters, as you may have guessed from the blurb, have different dreams and obstacles to conquer and take a step ahead towards their own dreams. Roble is a troubled juvenile who wants to build a powerful aircraft. Alexa, a political star, runs away from her childhood dreams. Stock is the rebellion but with a brilliant mind. And lastly, Danny, who is in constant need of assurance from his family.

This book is written in third-person narrative which starts to drive forward on its own once a reader is indulged in it, immensely. The pace of the plot varies as bits of climax starts rising, the pace increases drastically, successfully creating the element of thrill which this book has lots of and making it a page turner. The plot of the book is not uniform in the start but one will not fail to notice the it becomes mature as the writer's imagination unfolds.

The characters are an important aspect for a book like this. Indeed, Southwick has given a lot of emphasis from the start of the book in the development of them. You will not be disappointed or confused to understand any of the character in this book, and enough information is provided whenever necessary, by the author to understand his creations better. Writing his flawless, and philosophy reflected through the storyline and the characters has similarities to that of Ayn Rand's Objectivism. I do appreciate author's effort of mixing, I am guessing, his own philosophical nature without letting characterisation getting abrupt.

There are a lot of reasons to try and pick this book as your next read. Sense of mystery and adventure is one. If you are in awe of Rand, and looking for something in the boundaries of fiction, you may pick it up. Another reason could be that it is a page turner. You'll can have your own rationalisation or you can pick one of the three I mentioned.

5 out of 5! Recommended!

[Mike Maverick · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read about the dollar sign tattoo, I knew the author was inspired by Ayn Rand's objectivism. Prior to that, I strongly suspected. This is a work of fiction meant to be a fun read rather than teaching a philosophy. If you believe in people following their dreams, no matter what, this is a good read. Yep, there are man-made roadblocks.

I found Stock Brant the most interesting character because he has the attributes of a hero, but is so conflicted that he is unpredictable. I would have liked to have read more about him; and perhaps I will in the author's 2nd book currently being written. The main characters adhere to their philosophy and are accordingly unable to create a conflict within themselves. What I mean is while these are uber characters, Roble is a genius savant when it comes to designing jets, you could argue that Roble would never accept a government contract to build his dream. He is smart enough to know that governments are not beholden to anyone so he would not fall into that trap. But even an uber character can be tempted, or make a mistake(s), which is why Stock is so interesting.

"It's only human." We think of that as an excuse, an admission of some weakness, or a reaching out for sympathy. Why shouldn't it be "it's only human to strive for perfection", "it's only human to be uncompromising in quality", "it's only human to think through problems logically"? The fact that the characters come across as near perfect in many ways seems unreal but that's because we think of humanity as having flaws. Of course it does, nevertheless, we should aspire for perfection. Never settle for being the weakling, the incompetent, the irrational; accepting those flaws as unchangeable.

Finally, I want to add a quote. Business used to be about individuals who had the foresight, money, intelligence, determination, etc to run a business and make decisions. Sure, they had a team of advisors but the ultimate responsibility and decision was made by the individual. Now, there is too much risk, I guess, in an individual, (Steve Wynn, John Schnatter both businesses being beat up in the press for relying on their star CEOs) so we have Executive Management Committees and Boards of Directors that are supposed to make decisions and run the business. Supposedly a better decision is made by a group. Having been involved with these kind of committees I could easily understand the Sydney Osaka Sushi's decision to distance themselves from Nicolette's "rebel behavior". A reporter asks Nicolette for her response: "Spineless, just as I like 'em". Reporter: "How can you say that about your only corporate sponsor?". Nicolette: "Because it's the lack of all those small bones that makes their sushi so edible."