Into the Violet Gardens

by Isaac Nasri

The year is 2024. A ruthless cartel dominates Latin America, and the FBI's Troy Levi gets commissioned to intervene. A cyborg for the bureau's Virtual Division, Levi delivers a devastating blow to the cartel's power but encounters a wave of social resentment in the aftermath.

As the people's feelings for cyborgs grow bitter, former black-op cyborg ally and CIA operative Soriana Salazar finds herself caught between sides. Eliminating the cartel destabilized the region, fueling anti-cyborg sentiments in neighboring countries and afar. But tough decisions await Salazar after civil unrest forces the agency to sever all cyborgs ties. And that's only the beginning…

Betrayed by the government, hated by the people, a vengeful league of cyborgs spawns a sinister scheme of liberation. And While Levi searches for Solace amid the turmoil and Salazar seeks balance, both will have to take a grave stand if they hope to stall the impending chaos.

Genres: Science Fiction

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 16, 2021

About the author

Isaac Nasri is a self-published author. He grew up in Washington DC and graduated in May of 2017 from the University of Maryland, College Park with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. His stories focus on offering allusion to recent events happening in contemporary society and how they affect his characters.

Heart of the Scrapdog is his self-published work that was released in 2020.

Genre:
Science fiction
Cyberpunk
Military science fiction

Reviews

[L.S. Popovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this very near-future s-f novel, cyborgs and cartels battle it out amid a powder keg political imbalance. The author provides prose rich with details of setting and character that easily communicates the suffering common to human experience, which constitutes the novel's beating heart.

Making use of tried-and-true thriller trappings, realistic dialogue, and a multi-layered plot, rather than portraying a generic dystopia, it depicts the very world we live in with a few minor tweaks to make us realize how dystopian it already is outside our windows.

Carried along by relatable characters, the quick-moving scenes will keep you turning pages, among set pieces of brutal violence and cinematic battles, epic in scope. It is grounded in gritty realism and the shifting perspective offers a thorough storytelling lens through which the reader can easily discern oodles of subtext and context. The expert incorporation of technology helps to portray the devastating trials of warfare, while still maintaining an intimate tone with intense focus on movement and action.

The world building, characters, language, action, science fiction elements, and political themes are all well-done in this one-of-a-kind thrill ride.

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Into The Violet Gardens by Isaac Nasri is a well-written science-fiction novel about a dystopian world that is much like the one we live in. The author has cleverly and intricately incorporated the realistic socio-political aspects of our society into the book's world-building making it an extremely relatable and a very realistic read.

The characterisation is well-done, the writing is great and the prose flows seamlessly through all the action-packed fast-paced scenes. I enjoyed reading this book a lot because it was a very quick and entertaining read.

I highly recommend this book to all science-fiction, cyberpunk as well as action/adventure readers because this book has a lot to offer to its readers. I am sure you won't be disappointed at all!

You can also read this review on www.thereadingbud.com

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whether forged from metal or born of flesh, one simple need connects every form of life... the unquenchable thirst for freedom.” -The Outer Limits’s episode The Human Operators.

Gritty, suspenseful and definitely one of those “what if” stories, Into the Violet Gardens by Isaac Nasri has pretty much stripped the glamor of a future filled with robotic beings to its core. The story is set in year 2024. A cold-blooded cartel has taken over Latin America. The bureau's virtual team gives Levi, a cyborg on the team, the mission to deal with them. The impact Levi has on the cartel is devastating, but the aftermath generates social resentment. Soriana, a CIA operative, steps in to ameliorate the anti-cyborg sentiment and to improve the agency's relations with the cyborgs. As things go bad to worse, the cyborgs seek liberation, and you get to experience a completely different perspective that was fascinating to read.

Author's attention to the tensions between humans and cyborgs is interesting because it raises questions about what makes us truly human and separates us from machines. It also mirrors broader concerns about otherness in the form of minorities, immigrants, and divisions of social class. Humans are suspicious of cyborgs and harbor resentment toward them and this resentment is treated fairly sympathetically throughout the novel.

The book's strength lies in its exploration of diverse themes and it could appeal to people of a variety of interests. Topics include mathematics, physics, sociology, psychology, ethics, humanity, individualism, community, nostalgia, colonization, politics, and more. Some of the book's ideas are put forth in a straightforward manner, but many more are allowed to develop through discussions and conflicts between characters in the story. The world unfolds in a relaxed and conversational way, so it is enjoyable while also instructive, and the unfolding allows you to feel like you are considering all of the ideas yourself as they are presented.

The science fiction element was masterfully crafted in this book and you can tell that Isaac Nasri has a passion for writing Sci-Fi. I loved that everything was so detailed so I didn’t feel left out with any of the elements during the book and the pacing felt perfect for every moment. The world and ideas were so simple and yet interwoven so wonderfully that I relished in getting to know more about the systems and ways this new world was existing.

On the surface, it's an exciting, tightly plotted and nicely conceived police procedural and standard mystery set in a fascinating futuristic setting with a completely unexpected ending twist. On a deeper level, it's a foreboding, grim, bleak look at the imagined social future of mankind. Whether read in terms of a human/machine future or in terms of contemporary politics and otherness, this is a promising and hopeful vision of future cooperation. Into the Violet Gardens by Isaac Nasri has great characters, great start for a new human-machine dilemma, perfect ending and enjoyable for both crime thriller and hard sci-fi readers.

[Angela Panayotopulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Perhaps it is only human nature
to inflict suffering on anything
that will endure suffering,
whether by reason of its genuine
humility, or indifference, or
sheer helplessness."

It's a bleak quote for a book to begin with, and appropriately sets the tone. It's also confusing in some respects, and now that feels relevant, too.

Unfortunately, despite being provided with an updated copy, I could never fully immerse myself in this story due to the grammatical issues, improper sentences, and convoluted metaphors. It's already difficult to follow a novel written in the present tense (esp. without a valid narrative reason) -- something few authors can pull off, especially in a long manuscript -- yet this becomes harder due to the aforementioned concerns. The Spanish (which I don't speak) phrases throughout the book also threw me: some are translated, most are not; some are italicized, some are not).



This book has a very promising premise, some great action-packed scenes, and is an ambitious attempt at cyberpunk sci-fi. It feels like an attempt by a non-English-speaking (as a native tongue) author to write an extensive novel in English -- if this is the case, then that is commendable and brave, and the author should be encouraged to keep at it. He certainly has the imagination and patience to craft such a long and intricate story, filling it with cyborgs, CIA, cartels, and more. Yet such an attempt cannot be considered finalized without the aid of an impeccable editor, which this manuscript still needs. With much more practice/help and a lot more polish, this novel has the potential to glisten as brightly as that coveted ruby crescent...

2.5 stars, rounded to 3.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by the book cover. I mean who won't be intrigued by it...very eye catching. Luckily, the story did hold up to the book cover. Although, I have to admit that in the beginning, I struggled a bit to find my footing with the characters and the storyline. Yet, it did not take too long before I was able to figure out who was who.

Soriana is a very interesting character. I was getting some the actor, Mila Jovanovic vibes off her. Like Mila's roles from Ultraviolet and Resident Evil movies. The story moved at a fairly, good, fast-paced t keep my interest. The rest of the characters played important roles in the storyline as well. I would classify this book as a futuristic pollical thriller.

[S.A. Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an ARC in order to provide an honest review.
First of all, let me say the premise is great. Cyborg agents battling it out via cyberpunk action mixed with the political thrills of a Tom Clancy novel.
The writing is good, at times excellent. Other times, the action scenes can get quite chaotic and hard to follow.
My biggest issue with the book was the pace, especially at the beginning. There were just so many characters thrown in at the start, it was hard to keep track of them all, let alone have enough time to care about each one. However, if you are an adrenaline junkie, and are obsessed with futuristic human-cyborg upgrades - you will love this!

[Ed Morawski]

There might be a good story in here somewhere but it’s so difficult to read I couldn’t tell you. The syntax, grammar, and word choices are so bizarre I wasn’t able to follow any story. At first I thought it must have been written by someone who is a not a native english speaker, but alas the writer was born in Washington DC and even has a college degree! Okay so maybe this is some experimental style? Or did he write with a thesaurus and dictionary looking for alternative words to impress his professors? Or is the state of education in the USA worse than we ever thought?
I’ll let the book speak for itself from here on – these are actual quotes (from only the first few pages!!!):

For an agent with a wild imagination, Quincy’s fellow contractors had a boost with the anecdotes he had to share at the end of the day. But tonight didn’t seem like the case. Judging from everyone on the train, the likelihood of that suggestion will be unexpected.

Gunfire from outside blasts horizontally like incoming traffic, and Quincy’s eyes shake to a grim vibration.

Soon that changes when he jolts from a crackling slash. Blood splashes on Quincy’s cheeks.

the enforcer flings him into the train and seals the exit shut with a brand barrier. Passengers, locked by their wrist, cry out endlessly inside, but their pleas are snubbed.

With the exception of Pitch, Troy’s walked foot with these agents since their recruitment into the FBI’s Virtual Division.

Jin, on the other hand, conceals the red burning on his nose. Such news couldn’t get any perfunctory, yet at the same time, a part of Troy knew this wasn’t to his surprise, coming from the Guatemalan syndicate responsible for the deadliest drug market in Latin America.

Her mind jiggles as if recollecting pictures buried inside storage for decades. The Jaguars of Apollo, a state-of-the-art PMC recruiting

As much as she yearned, it was extraneous for her lingering any longer
Entering the headquarters, Eva stumbles upon dense silence, minus the security explicating behind the desk a few feet.

The Martial makes way and pardons himself to a uniformed officer standing on top of the corridors. The agent beckons toward it, and the android motions up the stairs, leaving the two aside.

Standing six inches shorter than Eva, she brushed the sleeve of her sky blue blazer to which she wore over her matching collar shirt and pants.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-balanced sci-fi and action read. The author does a great job of weaving important political and social themes into the narrative, crafting a thought-provoking read that engages the reader while also entertaining them with high-octane action and shocking twists that will keep the adrenaline pumping in their heart.

The emotion that the author found within the character growth of this narrative was both surprising and welcomed. The story that revolves around cyborgs and heavy sci-fi themes does a marvelous job of implementing the human element into the story and showcases the good and bad that both humanity and technology can house, as well as the often fearful state that humanity finds itself in when dealing with any sort of advanced technology and life beyond our own.

The Verdict

A memorable, action-packed, and thought-provoking sci-fi thriller, author Issac Nasri’s “Into the Violet Gardens” is a must-read novel. The emotional bonds the protagonists make not only with each other but the supporting cast is great to see, and brings a real sense of heartbreak and hope to the book’s finale that will leave readers wanting more.

[K.T. Munson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot/Characters

It was an intriguing plot with political thriller themes. Add onto that the cyborg aspect with discrimination and a failed government program, makes for an interesting premise. There were a wide range of characters but the only ones who had any depth for me was Troy and Alana. Their dynamic enhanced both of their characters. Their emotional states such as hopelessness and determination are well detailed.

Overall

The story and characters are lost among the poorly written prose. Awkward use of words, misuse of similes/metaphors, and literary fallacies. Not to mention the overuse of adverbs in the oddest way. The hardest part was trying to determine if the scenes were literal or figurative. Many times I was left wondering if the described scenes were actually happening or if it was just figurative language meant to invoke specific imagery (question marks around their head, gun sealed in their hand). There were also moments, not even just the action scenes, where I had trouble grasping what was happening or if what was being described was something a person would actually do. Since the setting was in mostly modern times with some technology enhancements, it should have been fairly easy to follow but many times wasn't. Also the romantic scene needed a complete rewrite with imagery like 'she juiced his lips.' That being said the action scenes were ambitious and had lots of potential. There was a heart wrenching moment near the end that could have had major impact with some polishing.

Rating

2 stars

The makings of an interesting story that was undermined by poor writing. Needs a developmental editor to go through it from top to bottom to get its potential to shine.

[Alan Medhurst · Rating 1 out of 5]

*This was a free copy from the author via Voracious Readers Only.*

In 1940 Howard L Chace wrote a story called Ladle Rat Rotten Hut, the tale offer ladle gull hoe lift wetter murder inner ladle cordage honor itch offer lodge dock florist, a story which was eventually published around 1956 in a book called Anguish Languish.

I mention this because reading Violet Gardens felt very much like I was faced with an entire novel of sound-alike words although on examination that wasn't the case. It's more that the meanings of the words were slightly off kilter, as if it had been written by an AI or run through various translators from English then back again. Add in the changing of tense mid-sentence and the untranslated Spanish and it made for very difficult reading.

"Packages decimated one by one, and officers flailed as their bodies disintegrate."
"The water splashed as her palm lands."
"The inferno cracks in her ears and trees whooshed past her view."

There are strange descriptive passages-
"Manuel and his wife stood nonexistent next to his sibling."
"Her lips were as crimson as a stainless rose."
"Her eyes squinted gauchely."

-and everybody seems to have rushed (119 times) or stormed (27) rather than hurried (4).

What plot there is - cybernetic-enhanced CIA operatives linked by a neural interface, shunned by society then get fired and seek revenge - is lost in the clumsy gore-soaked combat scenes. There doesn't even seem to be a central protagonist as Quincy, the Virtual we meet in the prologue, never resurfaces and the eventual hero is someone we barely see.

I wanted to much to enjoy this but ended up resenting it instead.

[J.J. Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book absolutely fascinating, tremendous characters with superb world-building. What pushes the book further and separates it from genre rivals is the politics alongside the genuine sense of consequence with every decision made. A fantastic novel I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this story. The concept sounded good and I enjoy science fiction whenever I can. But in the end I could not finish it.

In case it wasn't obvious, you can tell a science fiction story by the advanced technology and jargon which are thrown into the story. Similarly there is a lot of high tech action. So the parts of a story are there, but it is missing all the connective tissue. Things happen around our characters without build up or explanation, so it is very hard to figure out why they happen. Similarly, technology is included as needed to support the plot, but no explanation is provided. The reader kind of has to figure out what is happening as they go along and accept that it works. On top of that, the sentence structures and word choices are odd at best, making it very difficult to read and follow.

I did see some interesting elements to the story, but I wish there was some structure around them that provided a basic understanding of the setting. Perhaps then I might have been able to make more sense of things.

I received an ARC of this book from Hidden Gems for review purposes.

[J.E. Rowney · Rating 1 out of 5]

On the plus side, this book contains a lot of action and a bit of intrigue. However, whatever potential it had is ruined by the quality of the writing.

From the outset there are entire paragraphs that make no sense. At first I wondered whether the book was one of those experimental novels, written by AI. The word choice and sentence structure is bizarre. There are many incidences of the author using complex language in inappropriate ways, which makes the book confusing and difficult to read. For example:

“The residuum of her breastplate crumbles, incinerating to the aura.”

“Alana kneels beside Troy, going prone. Her glutes stand rounder than Troy visualized.”

“Ottoman glosses his pupils elsewhere, applying the cigarette to the tip of his lips. The top kindles gradually.”

I can only assume that the book has been (badly) translated from a different language, making it incomprehensible.

I couldn’t enjoy the story due to this convoluted and confusing use of language. It felt like a constant struggle to work out what the author was trying to say.

[R.F. Whong · Rating 2 out of 5]

A potentially intriguing story about government betrayal and racism. Unfortunately, the writing is such that I, as a casual reader, find it difficult to follow the plot. The overuse of unnecessary four-letter words (numerous fxxx, dxxx, and sxxx), similes (e.g., three in a single paragraph), and the word “but” (hundreds of “but”) didn’t help.

[Tristen Kozinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a good story in Into the Violet Gardens, dealing with government betrayal and the abuse of ‘others’/racism, but its prose and narrative composition make it difficult to enjoy and sometimes difficult to follow.
On the subject of its prose, the book makes excessive, and most often weak, use of similes, sometimes as many as three in a single paragraph (prowled closer like a tiger, leapt like a jaguar etc) often making what should have been simple, dynamic actions into melodramatic descriptions. Another negative element of the prose is that the author routinely made awkward use of the dictionary, shoehorning-in more advanced words to dissonant effect (using ‘ascend’ instead of ‘stood’ or ‘rose to his feet’) and occasionally just misusing them outright (although rarely, and with words phonetically similar enough that it was probably just a typo.)
A secondary layer to the prose, is that I often found it difficult to follow what was transpiring during action sequences. The opening several scenes in particular would sort of ‘jump cut’ skipping transitions, explanations, or descriptions. (An example of this is how the primary antagonist can teleport, but no description of why she can do this is provided, and it’s never described visually. Another example is how it took me until about midway through the book before grasping that her ‘Oni’ was a sword rather than her armor or a hallucination.) (A more personal aspect of dislike for me comes from the present tense prose, which just complicates the reading process for me, with the words actually on the page constantly at odds with how my mind wants to read them. This is purely personal though.)
On the narrative side, the composition, pacing, and descriptions are off. For the composition, there are scenes where a character is doing something, then the scene transitions to them doing something completely unrelated; and the first quarter of the book functions primarily as setup for the main narrative, leading to jarring tonal shift over the space of a chapter or two and an ambiguous span of time. Most of our Pov characters achieve or experience nothing of significance as related to the primary plot, more of just existing in it and trying to survive to no real result. (The climatic fight is between our primary antagonist and a pov character that wasn’t introduced until about midway through the book, rather than any of the three we started the book with, and have built emotional connection with.)
The pacing is a smaller issue, but still present; our primary antagonist progresses from a POV protagonist character to antagonist over the course of a couple paragraphs (her motivation derives from the CIA selling her out for a botched mission where she happened to kill or maim numerous bystanders), then becomes genocidal after one betrayal later on in the narrative. The climatic fight feels more like a last minute solution rather than a climax, with no prior build up, no planning, no personal stakes, just a random duel.
On the description side, we needed more information about the world: why exactly are the Virtuals so detested by humans when the only difference I could see was that they had cybernetic prosthetics. We also needed either slower, or more descriptions/interactions about our main characters and their motivations because they lacked concrete/tangible personalities besides their physical roles in the story (Troy as a Virtual, Alana as his girlfriend etc.) None of them had personal objectives, or agency to try and resolve the mess they find themselves in, thus I ended up being more attached to them because they’re the protagonists rather than who they actually are as characters.
The end result is sadly a book I just didn’t enjoy reading.

[Charli Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was mixed feelings for me. For the first half, it was confusing and extremely hard to get into. There were some description paragraphs that were oddly written and I either had to reread them several times or skip them because they made no sense. The second half flowed better and more natural, but there were still some of the paragraph issues. What pulled my concentration out of the story was also the mix of fonts. I do not know if it was for effect, but the way the fonts kept changing made no sense and I kept losing focus. The pacing for this type of story was quick and fast pace, which is perfect for this style of writing.

FBI’s Troy Levi was an interesting protagonist. I do not think he was as flushed out as he could be, but given this was not a long story, the author wrote Troy well enough to get by with. I did like Troy as a character, but because of my confusion during the first half, I did not feel as if I cared enough about his arc like he deserved. The love story arc, for Troy, felt it came out of nowhere in the second half, but it did not feel forced.

There was so much going on at the start of the story, characters being introduced were a bit confusing. Because of this, it was hard to build relationships with some characters and care about what becomes of them at the end. But there were a few who the readers could connect with. With them, there was some character growth, and they were more well-rounded. These characters helped Troy and the story move forward.

What makes us human? This was one of, if not, the biggest, theme throughout this story. The author gives their interpretation of what makes us human, and they did that extremely well. Emotions from both cyborgs (or virtuals as they are also called) and humans are felt and seen. Sometimes there were androids thrown into the middle.

The story’s setting is the not too far off real world. What the author did well was the world building. There was some confusion about mixing the words virtual and cyborg. In the same paragraphs, the author would simultaneously use both. If the two words were supposed to mean the same, I wish the author would have picked one or the other and changed it in another chapter or several paragraphs later.

This was not a bad story. Some things got a little lost for me. It could be because, again, I am not familiar with this genre. I enjoyed the last half of this story very much. If you love sci-fi, action, cyborgs and dystopian worlds, then this is for you.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion.

You can find this review on my website:

https://www.charliadamswriter.com

[Seth Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking place in a future not too far away, this is a cool cyberpunk adventure. While some reviewers complain that the prose and sentences are bad, I didn't find it too distracting overall. Yes, there are some places that need editing, but having read a couple of reviews, you would expect the story to be unreadable. This is not the case, as this story has a lot of strengths. Like we have seen many times in history, the cartel that once dominated affairs is broken down, but this causes even more chaos in the region. There are places where the story is reminiscent of themes from Blade Runner, Altered Carbon, and other great classics, as humans and cyborgs weave a tale that makes you question what it is to be human. It also makes us pause to think about where humanity is headed with AI, which is very timely indeed. There are some sentences that are written in a strange style, which makes me wonder about the author's background and intent, but if you really think about what he is painting a picture of, you can usually stick with the story. Great concepts and social studies--it just needs a bit of editing and the year seems a bit too close to our immediate time, which makes it odd looking back on the year 2024 in real life, when that comes around the corner. I would have set it a few years further out.

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 4 out of 5]

Into the violet gardens is a cyberpunk science fiction story set in the year 2024. The story revolves around dealing with a cold-blooded cartel that has taken over Latin America. Levi, a cyborg on the bureau’s virtual team, gets the mission to deal with them, but as successful it is, the social resentment of the aftermath remains against him.
Soriana, a CIA operative steps in to alleviate the anti-cyborg sentiments and the relationship between the agency and the cyborgs. As things go pear-shaped, the cyborgs seek liberation, and you get to see another side of things that genuinely was intriguing to read.

Seeking a balance between both sides is a tremendous challenge. The author explores the dark reality of things with modern life, technology, human nature and truly delivers in this captivating story.

The world-building stood out for me. I appreciated all the science fiction aspects of the story, and it was apparent how the author made sure everything meshed well together.

I recommend this book to those who like to read sci-fi material.

[S.T. Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s a lot crammed into this near future sci-fi adventure, and the reader is launched into a cyborgs meets Kill Bill meets drug cartels meets a (computer) virus conspiracy meets political intrigue kind of story. The action rarely lets up and the cast of characters never seem to be more than a few pages from facing another assassination attempt by killer robots or drug lords.

The cyborg battles are nicely imagined with the technological enhancements adding nice, immersive touches to the many fight scenes. There are also some nice ideas regarding the future world which is the book’s setting, including the Violet Garden itself, plus a good deal of commentary about modern society.

In terms of language, the author comes up with some effective metaphors in places but I think he reaches for them more often than is necessary, particularly during the fight scenes where they only serve to slow down the action. At times the sentence structure becomes overly convoluted and the puzzling word choices make the book a more confusing read than it needs to be, which can get frustrating.

[Skyler Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the violet gardens is a cyberpunk sci-fi action story.
The premise is great.
The story is set in year 2024. Cyborg agents fight against a cold-blooded cartel that has taken over Latin America. Levi, a cyborg on the team is sent to deal with them and also with the social resentment of the aftermath.
Even though Soriana, a CIA operative is sent to ease the anti-cyborg sentiment things degenerate till cyborgs seek freedom.

This book is fascinating.
The characters are vibrant and alive and the story is full of incredible and very descriptive action-packed scenes.
The writer remained objective when describing beautifully and painfully the tension between humans and cyborgs.
Furthermore the author was successful in delivering a captivating story with real-world aspects of our society into it.

I appreciated all the sci-fi aspects of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend this book to sci-fi fans.

[Phillip Murrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only if you love purple prose

This book defines action-packed! If you want machineguns, explosions, sword fights, and cyborgs, this may be your book. Be warned, you must also crave unique sentences never before read. The author loves purple prose as much as I detest it. So many lines came across slightly pretentious in the grammatical arts. Purple prose is a subjective phrase. My tolerance is low. However, a few other things bothered me, like using thrusted instead of thrust and the numerous Spanish phrases lacking translations.

Still with me? Good. This means you don't care as much as I do about language. If you just want deep cyberpunk action with nuanced characters, you'll probably enjoy Alana, Troy, Eva, Wayne, and a few other POV characters. The various cyborg tech was especially inventive. All of it gets used in the goriest ways possible.

This book had violence, sexual situations, and adult language.

[Wayne McKinstry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Into the Violet Gardens is what I would call dystopian Sci-Fi. The main characters are a group of people who are very extremely augmented and enhanced. These are the good guys, who fight against drug lords from south of the border. The drug lords seem to have more power than the good guys, which I guess is a lot like real life.

The good guys still have very human emotions which they have to deal with. All the cyber enhancements make me think of the heroes in the Marvel universe.

I had trouble keeping track of the different characters, and who was in each scene. Also, there were different classes of person, according to the degree of their enhancement.

If you like to read about a dystopian future where the line between human and machine is blurred, this would be a good read for you.

[P.L. Tavormina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaac Nasri's Into the Violet Gardens is speculative fiction that relies on creative metaphors and imagery to make statements about society, its trajectory, and the human condition. Cyborgs and cartels combine to make this near-futuristic story feel familiar, with tropes we have come to enjoy in other stories, while the writing has unique flairs to make the whole thing different than standard books. I liked the balance of action and dialog. I liked that there was a heavy influence of Latin America in the book. I think we need more diverse books.

Other reviews mentioned the need for another edit on the book, but the author must have fixed that (perhaps because of the feedback) because the writing and grammar seemed acceptable to me.

This is a book with a big idea at its center.

[Nellie Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting futuristic tale, Into the Violet Gardens, paints an interesting picture of the future and proceeds to tell an action-packed tale that will keep you turning pages. The story will keep you glued to the pages and the character development is very good. Some of the word choice and phrasing is awkward, making the prose a bit of a challenge to read, but the general story shines through and is good enough to look past those issues.

If you enjoy an interesting futuristic tale filled with action, give this one a try!

[Arriah Kiprujistho · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an action packed sci-fi novel that revolves around the war between drug cartel and cyborgs along with the socio-political drama added to it. All the talks about AI taking over the world has been summarised in this book. This is one of those novels that will play in your mind as if you are watching a thrilling movie. The plot keeps becoming intriguing with every page turn. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced novel and I highly recommend it to the sci-fi lovers.

[Sanam A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Into the Violet Gardens is a fun read that offers a fresh take on the classic sci-fi dystopian themes. The author has cleverly and masterfully incorporated real-world aspects of our society into this book's world-building. It was a very realistic read! I loved reading this book because it was a fun and an easy read!

[P.J. Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating, adventure regarding cartel drug wars and South American refugees in the near future. This is a super, fast-paced sci-fi story of the cyborgs and robots of the FBIs Virtual Division and their struggle for acceptance among the humans they are trying to save.
The characters in this story are well-written and realistic. The story itself is very interesting.
I would thoroughly recommend this book to lovers of science fiction.

[Tabitha Womack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its great!

I'm always so excited for student writers. You did it! And you put it out there. This kid is going places. Good story. Good plot. Good job!

[J.S. Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great idea and storyline, delivered a bit chaotically for me.
Mirroring political ideas and real life, but set in a sci-fi world of cyborgs.
Intriguing ideas, characters and themes.

[Kindlelover 1220 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sci-fi story that pleases the senses and captures the read from the start. The imagination of the author keeps the reader engaged in the story. The author is very talented in this genre.