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Neuphobes #4
The Living Reminder
Elijah is the last person alive after the world ends. Wandering in desolation, he solemnly recounts his life story, unhappy with what he sees. He is discovered by twin aliens, who themselves are the sole survivors of a crashed UFO. The three awkwardly befriend each other; Elijah learning of them, as they already know everything about him–– including the purpose as to his being spared death.
Rescued by an alien mothership, Elijah journeys to a new planet with his friends, and it is during his time of wonderment aboard the vessel that Elijah parallels the aliens’ grappling of a dark history as to his own misguided ways. Conjecture of morality fills Elijah’s woes, metaphoric as to mankind’s current inept state. It is a story that befriends our protagonist at the world’s end, traveling him into the future, only to have him complete his journey in the past.
Rescued by an alien mothership, Elijah journeys to a new planet with his friends, and it is during his time of wonderment aboard the vessel that Elijah parallels the aliens’ grappling of a dark history as to his own misguided ways. Conjecture of morality fills Elijah’s woes, metaphoric as to mankind’s current inept state. It is a story that befriends our protagonist at the world’s end, traveling him into the future, only to have him complete his journey in the past.
- GenresFantasy
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2020
12 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Zman
16 books57 followers Having completed over a dozen novels—some having been ahead of their time in their speculative nature—the world of publishing has taught me a great deal. The years have tempered my once seemingly endless flow of creativity; some would even argue that it has fully run its course now that today’s acknowledged sciences have caught up to yesterday’s science fiction. With world governments pulling back the curtain of secrecy, it shall remain to be seen if my stories will one day be a reference to Earth’s hidden past and humanity’s interaction with extraterrestrials. (Just kidding)
Painting pictures with words has forever been my passion, and now I feel I have taken my colorful imaginings as far as I can. Therefore, I have decided to switch from the genre that has been good to me all these years and change it, ultimately challenging my ability to paint pictures in a more diverse and family-oriented manner.
Going forward, my new stories will become mainstream and more inclusive. I will look to include themes spanning generations and take into consideration family dynamics, bringing to light just how and why people do what they do and why everything must change.
Yes, I feel it is time for me to change my perspective. To seek out a genre where I can further connect with readers, though on a far more personable level. I will now hone my writings to that, which will hopefully leave my readers feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and without a care as to what's really going on in the world around them.
Painting pictures with words has forever been my passion, and now I feel I have taken my colorful imaginings as far as I can. Therefore, I have decided to switch from the genre that has been good to me all these years and change it, ultimately challenging my ability to paint pictures in a more diverse and family-oriented manner.
Going forward, my new stories will become mainstream and more inclusive. I will look to include themes spanning generations and take into consideration family dynamics, bringing to light just how and why people do what they do and why everything must change.
Yes, I feel it is time for me to change my perspective. To seek out a genre where I can further connect with readers, though on a far more personable level. I will now hone my writings to that, which will hopefully leave my readers feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and without a care as to what's really going on in the world around them.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 19, 2020
Wow! What a fascinating, imaginative, entertaining, thought-provoking, and exceptionally well written book. That's quite a descriptive sentence, but then that is truly the descriptions that ran though my mind, while reading Mr. Zman's "The Living Reminder."
The Prologue to the book, attributed to Mnemosyne reads, "When a wrong is committed there are always consequences. So, in order to not repeat that same wrong and suffer those same consequences, there needs to be A LIVING REMINDER, something that will always be present, always be part of one's life so as to ensure the wrong is never again repeated."
It is "a living reminder" that is always present in the works of such great science fiction writers as Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451), H.G Wells (The Invisible Man and War of the Worlds) and Rod Serling (The Twilight Series). Mr. Zman, in his latest novel, has masterfully interjected this essential characteristic throughout his novel and has touched upon many of the world's greatest problems, such as the current pandemic, climate warming, religious zealots, racial injustice, rogue governments, and the moral question surrounding abortion.
Elijah, the main character (and make no mistake his name and actions are very much in alignment with the biblical prophet Elijah in the old and new Testament) is first introduced to us as an eight year old boy having a dream about a mysterious, unearthly character named Stardom who speaks about a locust bringing destruction upon humanity. The dream and its meaning haunts him throughout his life, and after a series of apocalyptic disasters strike the world, and his hometown in Oklahoma, he is the last human left on earth. Wandering through his vacant hometown for days, he is discovered by twin aliens, who are literally attached, and after some awkward moments they become friends. Ironically, the twins, know everything about him and it was their Spaceship... Before crashing... That delivered the final deadly blow against his town, killing his wife, his in-laws, and friends.
Elijah goes with the aliens when the Mothership comes to rescue them and it is on this journey to a new planet that Elijah realizes that he is "The Living Reminder," of the good that exist in humanity, but yet when the human race ignores and fails to learn from the past, allowing Atomic warfare and climate change and allows for dictators to take over, it is looking at its annihilation.
I read this wonderful book in one seating. Mr. Zman is brave enough to touch on subjects that many authors would shy away from, especially in today's heighten atmosphere of discontent. By doing so, he gives the reader a lot to ponder. I strongly recommend this book.
The Prologue to the book, attributed to Mnemosyne reads, "When a wrong is committed there are always consequences. So, in order to not repeat that same wrong and suffer those same consequences, there needs to be A LIVING REMINDER, something that will always be present, always be part of one's life so as to ensure the wrong is never again repeated."
It is "a living reminder" that is always present in the works of such great science fiction writers as Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451), H.G Wells (The Invisible Man and War of the Worlds) and Rod Serling (The Twilight Series). Mr. Zman, in his latest novel, has masterfully interjected this essential characteristic throughout his novel and has touched upon many of the world's greatest problems, such as the current pandemic, climate warming, religious zealots, racial injustice, rogue governments, and the moral question surrounding abortion.
Elijah, the main character (and make no mistake his name and actions are very much in alignment with the biblical prophet Elijah in the old and new Testament) is first introduced to us as an eight year old boy having a dream about a mysterious, unearthly character named Stardom who speaks about a locust bringing destruction upon humanity. The dream and its meaning haunts him throughout his life, and after a series of apocalyptic disasters strike the world, and his hometown in Oklahoma, he is the last human left on earth. Wandering through his vacant hometown for days, he is discovered by twin aliens, who are literally attached, and after some awkward moments they become friends. Ironically, the twins, know everything about him and it was their Spaceship... Before crashing... That delivered the final deadly blow against his town, killing his wife, his in-laws, and friends.
Elijah goes with the aliens when the Mothership comes to rescue them and it is on this journey to a new planet that Elijah realizes that he is "The Living Reminder," of the good that exist in humanity, but yet when the human race ignores and fails to learn from the past, allowing Atomic warfare and climate change and allows for dictators to take over, it is looking at its annihilation.
I read this wonderful book in one seating. Mr. Zman is brave enough to touch on subjects that many authors would shy away from, especially in today's heighten atmosphere of discontent. By doing so, he gives the reader a lot to ponder. I strongly recommend this book.
August 13, 2020
The author portrays what life could be like after most of humanity has been destroyed by natural calamities (hurricanes, global warming, pandemics) and the invasion of aliens. Chilling. Well written and a good read, even if foreboding with a lot to think about. Engaging and entertaining.
June 12, 2020
Zman's latest offering once again challenges both easy logic and comfortable emotions. Whatever it is that feeds his imagination should be bottled, sold under license, and used sparingly by the rest of us.
'The Living Reminder' is a dystopian fantasy. The world has been destroyed by aliens who unexpectedly, befriend our protagonist, Elijah, the last man standing. We accompany Elijah on his travels through space with them, and view strange alien worlds and cultures through human eyes. Zman is something of an expert at this type of writing.
Be prepared for a kaleidoscopic journey and an unexpected ending. No spoilers. I thoroughly recommend this book to those readers who are willing to have their imaginations exercised slightly beyond their normal comfort zone.
'The Living Reminder' is a dystopian fantasy. The world has been destroyed by aliens who unexpectedly, befriend our protagonist, Elijah, the last man standing. We accompany Elijah on his travels through space with them, and view strange alien worlds and cultures through human eyes. Zman is something of an expert at this type of writing.
Be prepared for a kaleidoscopic journey and an unexpected ending. No spoilers. I thoroughly recommend this book to those readers who are willing to have their imaginations exercised slightly beyond their normal comfort zone.
August 20, 2022
No vocabulary to explain
my amazement.
Absolutely WOW.
I can’t decide if the Author Thomas Zman is a prophet or a science fiction writer with an incredible imagination.
Which fits is for you to decide.
But one thing for sure, it don’t matter which does, his way of writing each word on paper is absolutely incredible !
Narration by John McLoughlin got much better on this last book of this series.
Absolutely,
without a doubt,
fully recommended !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
my amazement.
Absolutely WOW.
I can’t decide if the Author Thomas Zman is a prophet or a science fiction writer with an incredible imagination.
Which fits is for you to decide.
But one thing for sure, it don’t matter which does, his way of writing each word on paper is absolutely incredible !
Narration by John McLoughlin got much better on this last book of this series.
Absolutely,
without a doubt,
fully recommended !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews