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In a dystopian world, the city of Sovereign falls victim to a sinister plot.
When Nathan Sahl (a courageous military leader) inherits a dangerous position of power, he must be ruthless. As enemies rise all around him, he must ally with a right-wing regime and betray his homeland, in order to save those he loves.
Meanwhile, Sam Royle is kidnapped. When he awakes in a futuristic laboratory, an imprisoned Doctor, and a child-like artificial intelligence hologram provide his only chance of escape. As Sam tries to understand why he was taken, his journey takes a dark turn, and he discovers the key to all of human history, and its future.
Witness savage mercenaries, brutal fights, ancient prophecies and secret organisations in this epic tale of destiny, betrayal and revenge.
When Nathan Sahl (a courageous military leader) inherits a dangerous position of power, he must be ruthless. As enemies rise all around him, he must ally with a right-wing regime and betray his homeland, in order to save those he loves.
Meanwhile, Sam Royle is kidnapped. When he awakes in a futuristic laboratory, an imprisoned Doctor, and a child-like artificial intelligence hologram provide his only chance of escape. As Sam tries to understand why he was taken, his journey takes a dark turn, and he discovers the key to all of human history, and its future.
Witness savage mercenaries, brutal fights, ancient prophecies and secret organisations in this epic tale of destiny, betrayal and revenge.
- GenresScience Fiction
293 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2020
9 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Kristian Joseph
7 books15 followersKristian Joseph is a dystopian action adventure author; he loves writing high-impact plots full of deeply flawed characters and putting them in tragic situations. His worlds are imaginative and though provoking, whether it’s the dark and gritty political dystopia of Titans, Cranes and Monsters Games, or the flooded earth and underwater monsters of Anya of Ark.
www.kristianjoseph.co.uk
www.twitter.com/kristianjoseph
www.instagram.com/KJscribblez
www.kristianjoseph.co.uk
www.twitter.com/kristianjoseph
www.instagram.com/KJscribblez
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 22, 2022
Well , at certain points of the book I was completely lost and on the brink of abandoning it but the good thing is that somehow I continue and I was interested in some characters : for example Nathan and one priest who appears briefly.
I continued until the end and here I am buying the second part. Good job Kristian!!! You can improve the narrative but you have talent in creating characters
I continued until the end and here I am buying the second part. Good job Kristian!!! You can improve the narrative but you have talent in creating characters
July 19, 2020
"Fireworks filled the sky, alarms filled the streets and chaos ensued as they danced, for democracy was dead".
Totalitarian city-states, political brinkmanship, a soldier suffering from PTSD, an underground resistance, exoskeletons, mech armour, mysterious super weapons and more than one double cross: Sunlight contains every ingredient for the makings of a smart, nicely balanced sci-fi series. Drawing on everything from Starship Troopers to The Forever War to Kurt Wimmer's Equilibrium, the narrative manages to juggle the perspectives of a handful of complex, multifaceted characters (never an easy task), all of whom have a stake in the downfall of Sovereign and the bloody aftermath. Special shout out goes to Nathan Sahl, an intriguing anti-hero with a human side whose motives I could never quite pin down (making him all the more interesting to follow). Also Lydia, a classic sci-fi badass in the style of Molly Millions or Marygay from The Forever War. Caleb Walker showed glimpses of unstoppable cold-blooded killing machine in his brief appearance - I reckon he'll have a larger role in the next book, which can only be a good thing.
The action scenes in particular are deftly handled, and the author is excellent at world-building and presenting the deep-rooted decay of Sovereign in every scene set there (reminded me quite a bit of when Snake Plissken first wanders around the desolate streets of Manhattan in Escape From New York). In terms of critique, I thought the introduction of Markus Vance was a little too soon, and his character fell victim to telling rather than showing - it would've been cool to have heard about him earlier on in the story (snatches of conversation at the Council, for example, or a report given to Nathan), and to have built him up for a dramatic entrance in the final chapter (of course, then we wouldn't get the explosive set piece in the tunnels, so there's that). As it's a series, it's not always possible to know which elements will recur and which won't, but I was a little surprised at how the Ministry of Men disappeared after the first half of the novel. But sometimes these things only become clear when you keep reading the series.
Overall a high-octane start to an intelligent new sci-fi series. Looking forward to book 2.
Totalitarian city-states, political brinkmanship, a soldier suffering from PTSD, an underground resistance, exoskeletons, mech armour, mysterious super weapons and more than one double cross: Sunlight contains every ingredient for the makings of a smart, nicely balanced sci-fi series. Drawing on everything from Starship Troopers to The Forever War to Kurt Wimmer's Equilibrium, the narrative manages to juggle the perspectives of a handful of complex, multifaceted characters (never an easy task), all of whom have a stake in the downfall of Sovereign and the bloody aftermath. Special shout out goes to Nathan Sahl, an intriguing anti-hero with a human side whose motives I could never quite pin down (making him all the more interesting to follow). Also Lydia, a classic sci-fi badass in the style of Molly Millions or Marygay from The Forever War. Caleb Walker showed glimpses of unstoppable cold-blooded killing machine in his brief appearance - I reckon he'll have a larger role in the next book, which can only be a good thing.
The action scenes in particular are deftly handled, and the author is excellent at world-building and presenting the deep-rooted decay of Sovereign in every scene set there (reminded me quite a bit of when Snake Plissken first wanders around the desolate streets of Manhattan in Escape From New York). In terms of critique, I thought the introduction of Markus Vance was a little too soon, and his character fell victim to telling rather than showing - it would've been cool to have heard about him earlier on in the story (snatches of conversation at the Council, for example, or a report given to Nathan), and to have built him up for a dramatic entrance in the final chapter (of course, then we wouldn't get the explosive set piece in the tunnels, so there's that). As it's a series, it's not always possible to know which elements will recur and which won't, but I was a little surprised at how the Ministry of Men disappeared after the first half of the novel. But sometimes these things only become clear when you keep reading the series.
Overall a high-octane start to an intelligent new sci-fi series. Looking forward to book 2.
September 16, 2020
SUNLIGHT captivated me with its tasteful, attractive cover, black and white and blood-red. The story within the covers does the gorgeous imagery enough justice; there are shades of gray--or red, if you prefer--between the starkness of black and white, found in all the nuances of the plot and the characterizations; you won't find many flat goodies and baddies in here. The blood-red hue is fitting, too, given that this is a story of a world that's spiraling down into a bloodbath of chaos and war.
As a story, SUNLIGHT delivers an epic scope of action. It starts off with a sweet, innocent scene that contrasts brilliantly with the darkness that follows. The world-building--our world, perhaps, but with new names for places (the Commons, the Hollow, etc.)--is meticulous and the diversity of the characters well thought out. While I am a fan of dystopian fiction, I haven't read as much of it as I probably should; this book nonetheless it reminded me in various parts of sci-fi universes I've read or know of, such as Star Wars (evil warlords, the one-man-who-can-save-us-all motif, the Anakin-turned-Sith-Lord qualities of Nathan) or the Matrix (dormant machines which are a heartbeat away from become destroyers). My favorite character was tech-savvy, tongue-in-cheek, killer catwoman Kat, and would have loved to see more of her. I also loved the choice of naming the greatest flying military vehicle the Titan, a nod to the pre-Olympic deities in Greek mythology who ruled the world--however temporarily--by overthrowing their godly parents (and were ultimately overturned in turn by their children). A fitting tribute to the cycle of war and chaos and new beginnings...
There are grammatical errors, but nothing a sound round of proofing can't fix. My main grievance is with the writing style, and it's more of a stylistic and thus personal complaint that might not bug other readers as much. Sometimes it was the punctuation, other times the structure; something about it, though, made the language and sentences feel sometimes forced or clunky to me, and lacking a natural cadence (e.g. "Rose worked hard not to burst out wine over the
white table dress" is a woman trying to hold back laughter). All in all, however, SUNLIGHT is a bravely written narrative which seeks to examine the darkest and brightest facets of mankind and man's reach for power, and it packs a lot of potential.
As a story, SUNLIGHT delivers an epic scope of action. It starts off with a sweet, innocent scene that contrasts brilliantly with the darkness that follows. The world-building--our world, perhaps, but with new names for places (the Commons, the Hollow, etc.)--is meticulous and the diversity of the characters well thought out. While I am a fan of dystopian fiction, I haven't read as much of it as I probably should; this book nonetheless it reminded me in various parts of sci-fi universes I've read or know of, such as Star Wars (evil warlords, the one-man-who-can-save-us-all motif, the Anakin-turned-Sith-Lord qualities of Nathan) or the Matrix (dormant machines which are a heartbeat away from become destroyers). My favorite character was tech-savvy, tongue-in-cheek, killer catwoman Kat, and would have loved to see more of her. I also loved the choice of naming the greatest flying military vehicle the Titan, a nod to the pre-Olympic deities in Greek mythology who ruled the world--however temporarily--by overthrowing their godly parents (and were ultimately overturned in turn by their children). A fitting tribute to the cycle of war and chaos and new beginnings...
There are grammatical errors, but nothing a sound round of proofing can't fix. My main grievance is with the writing style, and it's more of a stylistic and thus personal complaint that might not bug other readers as much. Sometimes it was the punctuation, other times the structure; something about it, though, made the language and sentences feel sometimes forced or clunky to me, and lacking a natural cadence (e.g. "Rose worked hard not to burst out wine over the
white table dress" is a woman trying to hold back laughter). All in all, however, SUNLIGHT is a bravely written narrative which seeks to examine the darkest and brightest facets of mankind and man's reach for power, and it packs a lot of potential.
September 22, 2020
3.5
This is a fun story and a fun world. Leaning just a bit dark, the world feels reminiscent of a Philip K. Dick style dystopia. Once a prosperous land, now reduced to a society of severe wealth imbalance where the people in power are just barely keeping the hungry masses at bay, all controlled by a mysterious secret society. What's not to love?
I'm also a sucker for converging plot lines, the more convoluted the better. These aren't particularly convoluted, but the book does follow several different stories all juxtaposed together. In other books, I sometimes struggle with names, and therefore struggle with keeping characters straight when there are too many of them introduced close together, but that wasn't the case here. I found it easy to follow the various characters in this story, and had no problems remembering who was who, which speaks to the clarity of the writing.
A few words of warning. First, if you are a reader who is critical of “head-hopping,” this may not be the one for you. If you don't know what I mean by “head-hopping,” then don't look it up. Just enjoy this story and be happy that you're not a cynical pedant.
Second, the book really does need a quality round of editing. I think we all have a threshold of editing errors before it becomes distracting, and I'm sure all of our thresholds are different. For me, this one hit my threshold, as some of the errors were significant enough that I had to reread a section to get the correct meaning, which “took me out of the story,” as it were. Typos are easy to ignore, but the run-on sentences often required a second read to figure out what the narrator meant. There were also some continuity issues, though nothing too serious.
It's too bad, too, because the author's website looks extremely professional, leading the reader to expect a very professionally produced final product. I think expectations are incredibly important when coming into a story. Promise little, deliver much, as they say. “Prepare for an adventure like no other,” offers the front page. I didn't find it to be exactly that, but it's a solid read with complex characters and good tension.
This is a fun story and a fun world. Leaning just a bit dark, the world feels reminiscent of a Philip K. Dick style dystopia. Once a prosperous land, now reduced to a society of severe wealth imbalance where the people in power are just barely keeping the hungry masses at bay, all controlled by a mysterious secret society. What's not to love?
I'm also a sucker for converging plot lines, the more convoluted the better. These aren't particularly convoluted, but the book does follow several different stories all juxtaposed together. In other books, I sometimes struggle with names, and therefore struggle with keeping characters straight when there are too many of them introduced close together, but that wasn't the case here. I found it easy to follow the various characters in this story, and had no problems remembering who was who, which speaks to the clarity of the writing.
A few words of warning. First, if you are a reader who is critical of “head-hopping,” this may not be the one for you. If you don't know what I mean by “head-hopping,” then don't look it up. Just enjoy this story and be happy that you're not a cynical pedant.
Second, the book really does need a quality round of editing. I think we all have a threshold of editing errors before it becomes distracting, and I'm sure all of our thresholds are different. For me, this one hit my threshold, as some of the errors were significant enough that I had to reread a section to get the correct meaning, which “took me out of the story,” as it were. Typos are easy to ignore, but the run-on sentences often required a second read to figure out what the narrator meant. There were also some continuity issues, though nothing too serious.
It's too bad, too, because the author's website looks extremely professional, leading the reader to expect a very professionally produced final product. I think expectations are incredibly important when coming into a story. Promise little, deliver much, as they say. “Prepare for an adventure like no other,” offers the front page. I didn't find it to be exactly that, but it's a solid read with complex characters and good tension.
October 25, 2020
Dystopian Action
A world that is most definitely not our world, but also most decidedly an allegory of our world, in the last 'free' democracy a tipping point is reached and due to treachery and outside meddling, it falls into chaos. It's a kind of late 20th Century-punk (if there is such a genre I don't know its name) dystopian novel, with elements of sci-fi and shades of the superhero genre creeping in.
Through this chaos, the main characters track their lives characters like Sam damaged mentally by a trauma he can't bear to recall, Drake, devoured by his own weakness and vice, Lydia ruled by her own hate and Nathan the man who lets himself place self-interest (disguised as love) above that of the people who need his leadership.
The setting is very well crafted and has a haunting 'familiar but not' feel which helps the reader feel established very quickly. The books greatest strength, in my view, is its action and there is a stack of that, so definitely one for action junkies. There is also a lot of mysterious 'great powers jostling with no care for the consequences' variety of intrigue. There is a lot of social comment and a lot of mayhem.
On the downside, I found the writing patchy with odd wording that would break my reading flow and a bit of confusion between characters.
But the biggest flaw, for me, was the characters. There is nothing wrong with a book that has only badly damaged and incredibly flawed characters, but there does need to be something in those characters to like. Something about them which you can either identify with or think worthwhile in some small way. Maybe others could find that in them, but I felt I was given no reason to like any of the main characters. Indeed the strongest positive emotion any of them could evoke in me was a variety of pity, which was not enough to carry the book for me as it meant I never cared what happened to any of them. For someone who did, this would be a very different book.
A great book for those who love full-throttle action with a dystopian flavour and are more about the plot than the characters.
A world that is most definitely not our world, but also most decidedly an allegory of our world, in the last 'free' democracy a tipping point is reached and due to treachery and outside meddling, it falls into chaos. It's a kind of late 20th Century-punk (if there is such a genre I don't know its name) dystopian novel, with elements of sci-fi and shades of the superhero genre creeping in.
Through this chaos, the main characters track their lives characters like Sam damaged mentally by a trauma he can't bear to recall, Drake, devoured by his own weakness and vice, Lydia ruled by her own hate and Nathan the man who lets himself place self-interest (disguised as love) above that of the people who need his leadership.
The setting is very well crafted and has a haunting 'familiar but not' feel which helps the reader feel established very quickly. The books greatest strength, in my view, is its action and there is a stack of that, so definitely one for action junkies. There is also a lot of mysterious 'great powers jostling with no care for the consequences' variety of intrigue. There is a lot of social comment and a lot of mayhem.
On the downside, I found the writing patchy with odd wording that would break my reading flow and a bit of confusion between characters.
But the biggest flaw, for me, was the characters. There is nothing wrong with a book that has only badly damaged and incredibly flawed characters, but there does need to be something in those characters to like. Something about them which you can either identify with or think worthwhile in some small way. Maybe others could find that in them, but I felt I was given no reason to like any of the main characters. Indeed the strongest positive emotion any of them could evoke in me was a variety of pity, which was not enough to carry the book for me as it meant I never cared what happened to any of them. For someone who did, this would be a very different book.
A great book for those who love full-throttle action with a dystopian flavour and are more about the plot than the characters.
May 20, 2021
Precise Rating - 4.5 stars!
I'll be honest, I don't read a lot of dystopian stories. I am not a fan of them. The world we live in today is in itself such a difficult place to be in for a lot of us - so, I never really understood why I would want to read of a world that is even more messed up? However, I do understand and respect the genre as it definitely has its own readership which is quite large.
I went into Sunlight: Titans, Cranes and Monster Games expecting something like Hunger Games, perhaps the only popular dystopian novel I have ever read and enjoyed, but oh boy, this was a wild ride!
We start into the story when it is 2095 and we meet a young couple, Sam and Hope and then subsequently, Nathan and Drake with their respective girlfriends in a restaurant. The story then takes 10 years time jump into the future and we meet Sam who is now disbaled and is barely surviving. The kingodm has fallen and what was once a prosperous and thriving society is now left struggling and is a breeding ground for violence and power.
At first, I was confused with everything that was going on and it definitely took me a while to figure out that I was reading different plotlines for different characters all set on a course that would eventually led their stories to collide. Since the story is told in third person and the chapters do not carry the names of the characters we would be following - it made the read a tab bit difficult for me as I am not used it.
But having said that, I feel the writing is absolutely lush and as vivid as it could get. I had read Kristian's previous work - Anya of Ark and much like that, this book does not disappoint. The world-building is done in a way where you get just enough information about everything that is going on, that is, once you get familar with it, and what one can expect.
This book also had a very strong political undertone which I really did not see coming but it definitely brought more flavour to the story.
This could very well be considered as a revenge story as I particularly felt that it was one of the key motiations behind our characters' actions.
I found the characters interesting and felt they were well fleshed out and nuanced. Their voices, too, felt uniquely independent, something that I enjoyed.
This post-apocalyptic, dystopian, with a secret society book was as brilliant as it could get. Keen to see what happens in book 2 as there were quite a lot of cliffhangers in here!
I'll be honest, I don't read a lot of dystopian stories. I am not a fan of them. The world we live in today is in itself such a difficult place to be in for a lot of us - so, I never really understood why I would want to read of a world that is even more messed up? However, I do understand and respect the genre as it definitely has its own readership which is quite large.
I went into Sunlight: Titans, Cranes and Monster Games expecting something like Hunger Games, perhaps the only popular dystopian novel I have ever read and enjoyed, but oh boy, this was a wild ride!
We start into the story when it is 2095 and we meet a young couple, Sam and Hope and then subsequently, Nathan and Drake with their respective girlfriends in a restaurant. The story then takes 10 years time jump into the future and we meet Sam who is now disbaled and is barely surviving. The kingodm has fallen and what was once a prosperous and thriving society is now left struggling and is a breeding ground for violence and power.
At first, I was confused with everything that was going on and it definitely took me a while to figure out that I was reading different plotlines for different characters all set on a course that would eventually led their stories to collide. Since the story is told in third person and the chapters do not carry the names of the characters we would be following - it made the read a tab bit difficult for me as I am not used it.
But having said that, I feel the writing is absolutely lush and as vivid as it could get. I had read Kristian's previous work - Anya of Ark and much like that, this book does not disappoint. The world-building is done in a way where you get just enough information about everything that is going on, that is, once you get familar with it, and what one can expect.
This book also had a very strong political undertone which I really did not see coming but it definitely brought more flavour to the story.
This could very well be considered as a revenge story as I particularly felt that it was one of the key motiations behind our characters' actions.
I found the characters interesting and felt they were well fleshed out and nuanced. Their voices, too, felt uniquely independent, something that I enjoyed.
This post-apocalyptic, dystopian, with a secret society book was as brilliant as it could get. Keen to see what happens in book 2 as there were quite a lot of cliffhangers in here!
June 17, 2020
I received a free copy of Sunlight in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Kristian Joseph for letting me read his excellent debut novel.
The novel is a dystopian thriller set in a war-ravaged world. Kingdom Isle, an oasis of (relative) peace, faces an existential threat from its rapacious neighbor. Blood runs in the streets as the nation's capital descends into chaos. There are hints of a past conflict involving machinery of vast destructive power. These machines now lie dormant or disabled, but a conspiracy is underway to get them up and running and sowing death from the sky. Sinister factions vie for domination behind the scenes as the great Titan awakens, and one man might hold the key to the future - if he can remember his past.
Intrigue, betrayal, memorable characters and brutal action scenes- this book has it all, and plenty of it. The author spins a fast-paced, immersive narrative and sets up multiple hooks for the next installments of the trilogy. You can count me hooked.
There are a few lot points that I would have liked to see explored in a bit more detail. I suppose I'll have to wait for parts 2 and 3 to find out more.
The novel is a dystopian thriller set in a war-ravaged world. Kingdom Isle, an oasis of (relative) peace, faces an existential threat from its rapacious neighbor. Blood runs in the streets as the nation's capital descends into chaos. There are hints of a past conflict involving machinery of vast destructive power. These machines now lie dormant or disabled, but a conspiracy is underway to get them up and running and sowing death from the sky. Sinister factions vie for domination behind the scenes as the great Titan awakens, and one man might hold the key to the future - if he can remember his past.
Intrigue, betrayal, memorable characters and brutal action scenes- this book has it all, and plenty of it. The author spins a fast-paced, immersive narrative and sets up multiple hooks for the next installments of the trilogy. You can count me hooked.
There are a few lot points that I would have liked to see explored in a bit more detail. I suppose I'll have to wait for parts 2 and 3 to find out more.
September 8, 2020
A quick reading story that will leave you wanting more. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Cannot wait to see how the story grows and the characters and world building is created.
September 14, 2020
Sunlight was a fast-paced dystopian adventure story, centering around three characters, each vastly different from each other and each with their own reason to fight against the powers that be. Essentially a revenge story, fueled mostly by love, I found it to be a quick read packed with action and leaving many questions to be answered in the following novels.
October 10, 2020
This book throws the reader into the action without ceremony and doesn't let up until the very end.
With tightly drawn characters, and a world that feels full of life and with a complex political history, the story could well be the love child of War and Peace and the steampunk genre, with a dash of Isaac Asimov thrown in for good measure.
Following three main characters set on a collision course, this novel is fast paced and full of action and I finished it in only a couple of readings. Each of the characters has their own definite voice and, while I wanted a bit more from each to flesh them out into fully three dimensional characters, there is enough here to keep the reader engaged and interested in their trajectories. While some scenes are jarring in the meeting of old and new, on the whole the author does a good job of marrying science and futuristic technology to a world that feels like it is still stuck in the past. Some story elements, such as the cataclysmic bombing, had me lost and by the time their explanations came around I had given up on trying to figure them out, and the explanation/revelation felt like an afterthought.
Readers who enjoy steam punk will not want to miss this political thriller, which will also satisfy fans of dystopian fiction.
With tightly drawn characters, and a world that feels full of life and with a complex political history, the story could well be the love child of War and Peace and the steampunk genre, with a dash of Isaac Asimov thrown in for good measure.
Following three main characters set on a collision course, this novel is fast paced and full of action and I finished it in only a couple of readings. Each of the characters has their own definite voice and, while I wanted a bit more from each to flesh them out into fully three dimensional characters, there is enough here to keep the reader engaged and interested in their trajectories. While some scenes are jarring in the meeting of old and new, on the whole the author does a good job of marrying science and futuristic technology to a world that feels like it is still stuck in the past. Some story elements, such as the cataclysmic bombing, had me lost and by the time their explanations came around I had given up on trying to figure them out, and the explanation/revelation felt like an afterthought.
Readers who enjoy steam punk will not want to miss this political thriller, which will also satisfy fans of dystopian fiction.
January 11, 2021
Kristian Joseph takes us on an action-packed cyberpunk adventure filled with betrayal and interesting characters in Sunlight! As a kingdom begins to fall to the sinister plots of a neighboring dictatorship, one man must recover his memories in order to stop the invasion. Joseph builds a wonderfully complicated dystopian plot, filled to the brim with excellent characters! Here, you’ll discover unshackled AI, fugitive doctors, and exo soldiers. The great variety and depth of characters constantly drew me into this one, as well as the mystery of Sam and his past. If you love cyberpunk, dystopian fiction, or just interesting sci fi characters, come bask in the vibrant and gritty world of Sunlight!
April 8, 2021
I’m a sucker for a dystopian novel, and Sunlight was no exception. I don’t think I’ve ever come across an author that writes the way Kristian does, and I mean that in the best possible way. His descriptions are electric, and his plots are incredibly unique and always keep me turning the pages. You know I’ll be grabbing book two of this as soon as I can!!!
March 28, 2021
A dark dystopian world with a city which is on the brink of collapse. A story filled with politcal turmoil, protests and a looming civil war.
This tale is completely action packed and full of tragedy, revenge and betrayal which leaves the reader on the edge of their seat.
I found this book to be thought provoking and slightly disturbing. A dystopian read which truly has the possibility of becoming a reality.
I really enjoyed reading how all of the characters stories intertwined and how this played with individuals emotions.
I recommend this read to any lovers of dystopians or political dramas. I look forward to reading how this tale will unfold in its upcoming sequel: Titans, Cranes and Monster Games: The Journey.
I strongly recommend you check out @kjscribblez for his other works
This tale is completely action packed and full of tragedy, revenge and betrayal which leaves the reader on the edge of their seat.
I found this book to be thought provoking and slightly disturbing. A dystopian read which truly has the possibility of becoming a reality.
I really enjoyed reading how all of the characters stories intertwined and how this played with individuals emotions.
I recommend this read to any lovers of dystopians or political dramas. I look forward to reading how this tale will unfold in its upcoming sequel: Titans, Cranes and Monster Games: The Journey.
I strongly recommend you check out @kjscribblez for his other works
August 24, 2020
And engaging plot from the start with a great cast of interesting and varied characters. The author builds a fantastic and unique world, with a fully fleshed out society full of power struggles. The plot moves along at pace with plenty of hooks along the way and a really satisfying ending. I would highly recommend this book!
March 25, 2021
Overall, I thought Sunlight had a great plot at hand. The book consists of a lot of dialogue between the characters, which gives the reader a good understanding of them. Even though the dialogue was there, at times, it switched too often more than I liked between characters, which can throw the reading off course a bit.
I would have also like to have seen some of the characters more prevalent within the story. The book could use a bit of editing in some parts due to there being some grammatical errors.
Other than that, I felt this was an greatly written story.
I would have also like to have seen some of the characters more prevalent within the story. The book could use a bit of editing in some parts due to there being some grammatical errors.
Other than that, I felt this was an greatly written story.
November 12, 2020
Ok , dystopian reads are starting to be one of my favorite Genres , I love the way Kristian built his worlds and storyline , his character's come to life in front of you , and they are described really well , they communicate well to each other , and to their surroundings , and you even feel for them at time's especially Sam and carter .
It is set in the future , with wars , betrayal and power struggles , sadness and death , in a place called sovereign , fast paced and a good fast read , you will enjoy the characters and each of them from the beginning of the book to how their life's had changed from the start to the end .
Great ideas , as you follow the 3 main (Sam , Nathan , Lydia ) characters through the book , I would of loved to have had seen more from Sam in there , but you cant have everything . Over all I loved the read .
It was engaging in the plot , fantastic setting , characters and ideas . I am looking forward to the next book , I hope to see more from Sam in the next book .
It is set in the future , with wars , betrayal and power struggles , sadness and death , in a place called sovereign , fast paced and a good fast read , you will enjoy the characters and each of them from the beginning of the book to how their life's had changed from the start to the end .
Great ideas , as you follow the 3 main (Sam , Nathan , Lydia ) characters through the book , I would of loved to have had seen more from Sam in there , but you cant have everything . Over all I loved the read .
It was engaging in the plot , fantastic setting , characters and ideas . I am looking forward to the next book , I hope to see more from Sam in the next book .
October 13, 2020
"Sunlight" is an unlikely title for this dark and desperate tale of the demise of democracy. Set in 2095 in the Kingdom Isle, the story begins with a pleasant opening chapter featuring a likeable young couple, Sam and Hope. Then we meet good friends Nathan and Drake and their young ladies in a quaint old fashioned restaurant that feels like the 1960s. It's a shocking transition, therefore, when ten years later, we find a severely disabled Sam trying to survive in The Commons, a derelict and poverty-stricken part of the city where lawless people fight in the streets for scraps. Kristian Joseph describes this anarchic situation vividly.
"Sunlight" is well plotted throughout, and the story moves briskly, alternating characters and points of view. Joseph serves up the numerous scenes of mayhem, riot and destruction with considerable skill. He has a flair for writing visceral, violent scenes, although other scenes depicting emotional conflict are not as deftly handled. It's a very macho book. There is only one female character who plays any significant role and she is mainly driven by a thirst for revenge.
Although it's supposedly the end of this century, Kristian Joseph's major concession to the future is high tech personal armour which endows the wearer with unusual strength. Otherwise, much of this book feels retro, with characters slicking back their hair, smoking cigars and cigarettes, pulling lighters from their pockets. There are no smart phones or Internet or any of the other technologies we live with now. There are real paper maps and playing cards but no GPS. There is television with channels and photographs on bedside tables, but no social media. Is he suggesting the world may regress technologically?
Despite the effective writing in much of the book, there are a good many slips; not typos, but awkward or confusing passages. For example: "Lydia lay in an alley ... ten blocks lower than where she fell from" or "in the corner of her eye was a sewer grating." Ouch! I thought perhaps when Lydia "itched her scratch" that it was intended to be humorous. Other sections stretch credulity. One character, high on the drug of the day called "glass", knocks back at least dozen drinks over several hours in a bar, and then runs home without a stumble.
The first of a projected series, there was very little sunlight in this book. The author promises that all will be resolved as the story unfolds.
"Sunlight" is well plotted throughout, and the story moves briskly, alternating characters and points of view. Joseph serves up the numerous scenes of mayhem, riot and destruction with considerable skill. He has a flair for writing visceral, violent scenes, although other scenes depicting emotional conflict are not as deftly handled. It's a very macho book. There is only one female character who plays any significant role and she is mainly driven by a thirst for revenge.
Although it's supposedly the end of this century, Kristian Joseph's major concession to the future is high tech personal armour which endows the wearer with unusual strength. Otherwise, much of this book feels retro, with characters slicking back their hair, smoking cigars and cigarettes, pulling lighters from their pockets. There are no smart phones or Internet or any of the other technologies we live with now. There are real paper maps and playing cards but no GPS. There is television with channels and photographs on bedside tables, but no social media. Is he suggesting the world may regress technologically?
Despite the effective writing in much of the book, there are a good many slips; not typos, but awkward or confusing passages. For example: "Lydia lay in an alley ... ten blocks lower than where she fell from" or "in the corner of her eye was a sewer grating." Ouch! I thought perhaps when Lydia "itched her scratch" that it was intended to be humorous. Other sections stretch credulity. One character, high on the drug of the day called "glass", knocks back at least dozen drinks over several hours in a bar, and then runs home without a stumble.
The first of a projected series, there was very little sunlight in this book. The author promises that all will be resolved as the story unfolds.
June 28, 2020
I definitely enjoyed this book. It did have some punctuation and grammar issues. Usually this would have immediately turned me off to the book and made me not finish. The fact that the story was engaging enough and the characters were interesting enough to keep me reading says a lot about the quality of the story itself. It’s absolutely worth the read, and I’ll be reading part 2 when it comes out for sure.
May 29, 2020
A fantastic opener for the Titans, Cranes & Monsters Games series. It hooks you from the beginning with a gripping story and exciting characters. A must read.
June 14, 2020
Great read if you're looking for sci-fi/dystopia. I was excited to see that it's the first of a trilogy. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
June 3, 2020
Sovereign (capital), Kingdom Isle. The gold buildings seemed to reach to the sky.
Those that were lucky had tickets to the Old Abbey Gardens on New Year’s Eve.
Samuel “Sam” James Royle told Hope Farrow (GF, St. Peter’s: nursing student) he had been drafted.
Mr. Frist (Labore; Union state) made his way as a fisherman.
Nathan Sahl (Navy), Rose (wife) met Drake Owen (Nathan’s BMF) & his date Evelyn (20, Rose’s BFF, civil servant) at the restaurant for dinner.
Drake & Evelyn are getting married.
Nathan would be deployed on Monday.
A man approached Nathan & wanted to speak with him secretly.
The discussion was about the Ministry of Men secret society.
10 yrs. later there was not much left of Sovereign (capital), Kingdom Isle.
The checkpoints were close to the Old Abbey (Bakersville).
1/3/2095, Samuel “Sam” James Royle still resided there but would never be the same man again.
He had once been in the Asylum.
Community control officers (CCO) were a constant threat.
Detentions were a common occurrence in the Sovereign Commons.
Katrina “Kat” (Union Spy, messenger) gave Chief Nathan Sahl (Sovereign, Defence, Ministry of Men secret society) an order/mission to carry out.
His goal was to get Union High Councillor Rogan the Titan (large flying military vehicle).
Drake Owen mentioned the Union Council could not be trusted.
Great House (Old Abbey). PM Davies (Ministry of Men), Minister Miles, Evelyn Owens (Drake’s wife, Kingdom Isle Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Men), & Ms. Hayworth were having a meeting.
The white insignia of the Sovereign crown was replaced by the red Union Crane.
1/5/2085, Commander Carl Jacobs (Sovereign vet) & Debbie Jacobs (wife) had been taken captive.
The Kingdom government was taken over by the Coup d'état.
Infinity Research 5th floor. Sam was being examined by Dr./Professor Carter (medicine, genetics, coding, neurology).
Evelyn had been killed by terrorists.
The Hollow. A part of the city no one ventured into.
Drake found Arnold (Owens’ elderly chauffeur) there. Caleb Walker (Nathan’s 2nd in command, soldier) was following him.
What was Captain Lydia Jacobs (exo-soldier) discussing with Markus Vance (grave smuggler), Markus’s younger brother, & Youssef Bear?
Sam had met Dr. Annie (child-like AI hologram).
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written post-apocalyptic, dystopian society book. It was quite 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 description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great post-apocalyptic, dystopian society movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 3/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author (s); Northern Luck Publishing Ltd; 1 edition; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Those that were lucky had tickets to the Old Abbey Gardens on New Year’s Eve.
Samuel “Sam” James Royle told Hope Farrow (GF, St. Peter’s: nursing student) he had been drafted.
Mr. Frist (Labore; Union state) made his way as a fisherman.
Nathan Sahl (Navy), Rose (wife) met Drake Owen (Nathan’s BMF) & his date Evelyn (20, Rose’s BFF, civil servant) at the restaurant for dinner.
Drake & Evelyn are getting married.
Nathan would be deployed on Monday.
A man approached Nathan & wanted to speak with him secretly.
The discussion was about the Ministry of Men secret society.
10 yrs. later there was not much left of Sovereign (capital), Kingdom Isle.
The checkpoints were close to the Old Abbey (Bakersville).
1/3/2095, Samuel “Sam” James Royle still resided there but would never be the same man again.
He had once been in the Asylum.
Community control officers (CCO) were a constant threat.
Detentions were a common occurrence in the Sovereign Commons.
Katrina “Kat” (Union Spy, messenger) gave Chief Nathan Sahl (Sovereign, Defence, Ministry of Men secret society) an order/mission to carry out.
His goal was to get Union High Councillor Rogan the Titan (large flying military vehicle).
Drake Owen mentioned the Union Council could not be trusted.
Great House (Old Abbey). PM Davies (Ministry of Men), Minister Miles, Evelyn Owens (Drake’s wife, Kingdom Isle Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Men), & Ms. Hayworth were having a meeting.
The white insignia of the Sovereign crown was replaced by the red Union Crane.
1/5/2085, Commander Carl Jacobs (Sovereign vet) & Debbie Jacobs (wife) had been taken captive.
The Kingdom government was taken over by the Coup d'état.
Infinity Research 5th floor. Sam was being examined by Dr./Professor Carter (medicine, genetics, coding, neurology).
Evelyn had been killed by terrorists.
The Hollow. A part of the city no one ventured into.
Drake found Arnold (Owens’ elderly chauffeur) there. Caleb Walker (Nathan’s 2nd in command, soldier) was following him.
What was Captain Lydia Jacobs (exo-soldier) discussing with Markus Vance (grave smuggler), Markus’s younger brother, & Youssef Bear?
Sam had met Dr. Annie (child-like AI hologram).
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written post-apocalyptic, dystopian society book. It was quite 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 description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great post-apocalyptic, dystopian society movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 3/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author (s); Northern Luck Publishing Ltd; 1 edition; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
September 4, 2020
Sunlight was a mix of awesome and meh. Three characters primarily move the plot. Nathan's arc was fabulous. I always perked up when it was his turn in the spotlight. Lydia had a great story, but she was underutilized. I think she had four chapters out of sixteen. I didn't care for Sam's story at all. He just didn't thrill me like the other two. Overall, that averages to a 3.5-star story. The rest of my review will contain spoilers.
The Good.
Although I ultimately didn't like Sam's arc, his accident intrigued me. I did want to know what exactly happened.
Jacob's and Debbie's fate. Which ultimately kicked off Lydia's story.
The motivation behind Nathan and Lydia. I always enjoy books that show the "evil" guy is more of a shade a gray.
I felt for both the good guys and the bad guys.
The Bad.
Lydia needs more page time! She only had one scene prior to the 50% mark, yet she was one of three characters named in the blurb.
A lot of characters don't use contractions often. It made dialogue come across as clunky. Most people use them all the time, so when contractions were the exception (versus the rule) I found myself re-reading lines.
Annie was an annoying character. I'm not a fan of the hologram child trope. Thankfully, she only showed up in the last quarter of the book.
Lydia found Team Markus too quickly. It was far too serendipitous for my tastes. I would have preferred seeing her on a few solo missions (possibly that go poorly?) first. This also would have helped with the underutilization problem.
The Technical.
The book is written in the third person omniscient style. This may annoy some of you.
The book needs another round of editing. There were numerous typos in many chapters. Often these came in the form of omitted words or an extra letter added to a word (e.g. tcame).
Sometimes there aren't section breaks showing action at a new location. Specifically, this happened in the fight with Lydia, Gabriel, and Caleb. The paragraphs bounced between them, so it may get confusing for a moment or two.
The Good.
Although I ultimately didn't like Sam's arc, his accident intrigued me. I did want to know what exactly happened.
Jacob's and Debbie's fate. Which ultimately kicked off Lydia's story.
The motivation behind Nathan and Lydia. I always enjoy books that show the "evil" guy is more of a shade a gray.
I felt for both the good guys and the bad guys.
The Bad.
Lydia needs more page time! She only had one scene prior to the 50% mark, yet she was one of three characters named in the blurb.
A lot of characters don't use contractions often. It made dialogue come across as clunky. Most people use them all the time, so when contractions were the exception (versus the rule) I found myself re-reading lines.
Annie was an annoying character. I'm not a fan of the hologram child trope. Thankfully, she only showed up in the last quarter of the book.
Lydia found Team Markus too quickly. It was far too serendipitous for my tastes. I would have preferred seeing her on a few solo missions (possibly that go poorly?) first. This also would have helped with the underutilization problem.
The Technical.
The book is written in the third person omniscient style. This may annoy some of you.
The book needs another round of editing. There were numerous typos in many chapters. Often these came in the form of omitted words or an extra letter added to a word (e.g. tcame).
Sometimes there aren't section breaks showing action at a new location. Specifically, this happened in the fight with Lydia, Gabriel, and Caleb. The paragraphs bounced between them, so it may get confusing for a moment or two.
April 21, 2021
Action-packed and rife with betrayal from the first few chapters, this dystopian read is perfect for fans of gritty sci-fi told from multiple points of view.
I particularly admire how none of the characters come across as solely good or evil, inhabiting that morally grey space that allows murderers to think they're justified and grim acts to be committed 'for the greater good'. The story is set in a time of political and social tumult, and draws on how people from all walks of life are affected by changes to a society's structure.
I really like how the author feeds in snippets of information about the wider world, keeping you guessing at what's really going on in high places and hidden networks. The writing style is bold and direct, progressing the plot quickly as characters move from event to event.
Also, there are mech suits, bulletproof men and AI holograms with human personalities. That alone would have been enough to draw me in!
The ending left me reeling with all of its revelations, fights and losses, so I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel, The Kingdom, in which I hope to find out more about each of the main characters, and see their storylines come together.
Thank you to Kristian Joseph for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I particularly admire how none of the characters come across as solely good or evil, inhabiting that morally grey space that allows murderers to think they're justified and grim acts to be committed 'for the greater good'. The story is set in a time of political and social tumult, and draws on how people from all walks of life are affected by changes to a society's structure.
I really like how the author feeds in snippets of information about the wider world, keeping you guessing at what's really going on in high places and hidden networks. The writing style is bold and direct, progressing the plot quickly as characters move from event to event.
Also, there are mech suits, bulletproof men and AI holograms with human personalities. That alone would have been enough to draw me in!
The ending left me reeling with all of its revelations, fights and losses, so I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel, The Kingdom, in which I hope to find out more about each of the main characters, and see their storylines come together.
Thank you to Kristian Joseph for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 13, 2025
I think this would’ve been more enjoyable for me if I’d chosen a different format (or if this audiobook had a professional narrator). As it stands, it was more of a chore than a fun read / escape.
It does pack action and what I think, would be excitement, if I felt invested in this world/ these characters. The content itself isn’t bad by any means, though the narration is.
Political strife.
Broken soldier.
World-building.
Antihero.
Dystopian vibes.
With all the makings of a good read, I do recommend it, just in another format. Go for print or eBook.
3 stars.
🎧 Audio:
Not good. Overall sound quality was smooth, so great on that front. However, the actually narration was atrocious. Normally, I love a book narrated by the author, as I expect that way, it gets delivered exactly the way its creator intended! However, in this instance … it’s truly awful. Joseph simply dictates the words, managing to sound even more robotic than any AI / virtual voice / cyber butlers (like Siri, etc.) I’ve ever experienced.
I certainly understand the expense involved in audio production and appreciate the effort just … in this instance he’s doing himself and his artwork a vast disservice. I recommend consuming a format other than audio for thos one.
It does pack action and what I think, would be excitement, if I felt invested in this world/ these characters. The content itself isn’t bad by any means, though the narration is.
Political strife.
Broken soldier.
World-building.
Antihero.
Dystopian vibes.
With all the makings of a good read, I do recommend it, just in another format. Go for print or eBook.
3 stars.
🎧 Audio:
Not good. Overall sound quality was smooth, so great on that front. However, the actually narration was atrocious. Normally, I love a book narrated by the author, as I expect that way, it gets delivered exactly the way its creator intended! However, in this instance … it’s truly awful. Joseph simply dictates the words, managing to sound even more robotic than any AI / virtual voice / cyber butlers (like Siri, etc.) I’ve ever experienced.
I certainly understand the expense involved in audio production and appreciate the effort just … in this instance he’s doing himself and his artwork a vast disservice. I recommend consuming a format other than audio for thos one.
February 2, 2025
Audiobook: This was my first experience with this author's work, and I thought it was entertaining. I liked the story but because it contained several key players, the story seemed choppy as it jumped from one character to the next. I didn't think there was enough information to differentiate the major characters, and it wasn't until I learned more about the individuals that each became more real to me. I appreciated the AI hologram. I enjoyed the action filled scenes. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I thought Kristian Joseph's narration was skillful, and his performance kept my attention. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
September 3, 2021
Overall I liked this story. I liked the main idea of a world that is prosperous and that falls within ten years and that you see the evolution of the characters between the kind of prologue chapters and the rest of the book.
The story is very character driven and even if I like strongly developed characters, I found the story a bit disjointed sometimes. I still have to find stronger links than just what’s happening in this world between the storylines but I hope it will be shown in the future books.
I also liked that the characters are not all good or all bad. Their motivations are explained in each of their chapters and I really enjoyed the fact that there are not the bad guy and the good guy.
As a reader who enjoys dystopia, I really liked and recommend it.
The story is very character driven and even if I like strongly developed characters, I found the story a bit disjointed sometimes. I still have to find stronger links than just what’s happening in this world between the storylines but I hope it will be shown in the future books.
I also liked that the characters are not all good or all bad. Their motivations are explained in each of their chapters and I really enjoyed the fact that there are not the bad guy and the good guy.
As a reader who enjoys dystopia, I really liked and recommend it.
March 21, 2023
There were 2 couples of friends in a dystopian land. One couple are in positions of power within the established regime. The other is set to take the fall for the regime, lose his wife and child. When given the opportunity Nathan defends himself and his family at all cost. My one complaint is that this is a slow burn, political, dystopian future. It takes some time for action to happen. When it does we are usually not around for it only the aftermath. It does have some cool elements like the sentient hologram and the titan. I would recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 15, 2020
Another round of editing would’ve benefited this book, I feel. The prose is mostly fine, but there are some jarring scene changes that can take the reader out of the story, in addition to several typos. The structure of the story is also a little odd, with Lydia barely appearing in the book for long stretches, yet featured as a major player in the promotional blurb. Still, I admire a willingness to focus on flawed characters. The author’s clearly invested in this world, and fans of dystopian sci-fi will likely find much to enjoy.
June 5, 2020
Great lockdown read to fuel all your distopian desires
Great storyline with a fresh approach to old ideas
It was gripping and felt i was with the characters as they developed
It was fast and frightneing but with terrific parallels to modern life
Its a novel in which the story seems too far from possible but is able to touch on what we see in our every day life regarding men, money and their power
I really cant wait for the story to unfold, leeking forward to the next in the series!
Great storyline with a fresh approach to old ideas
It was gripping and felt i was with the characters as they developed
It was fast and frightneing but with terrific parallels to modern life
Its a novel in which the story seems too far from possible but is able to touch on what we see in our every day life regarding men, money and their power
I really cant wait for the story to unfold, leeking forward to the next in the series!
June 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I'll be honest I've never read Dystopain stories before until Anya of Ark by the same author. This book was great from the beginning to the end though. I would like to say a massive thank you for Kristian for giving me a copy of this book to read. I wouldn't have chosen to read this myself. I would definitely recommend this book.
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