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The Cosmos in Her Hand
The Cosmos in Her Hand is a post-apocalyptic tale of survival and revenge. Technology and psychopathy are the catalysts for the destruction that ensnares a small group of survivors who have no idea they’re pawns in a larger game until a slightly crazy woman shows up on their field with a confusing assertion that she’s come to help. Has she really? Or is she legitimately nuts? You know, the apocalypse takes a toll on people in different ways.
“I can’t pretend to be sane for you.” ~ Kali
Do you like flawed heroes? Do you appreciate dark humor and characters in stories who drink, swear, engage in adult activities, commit acts of violence, have pretty good intentions but make mistakes anyway? This standalone novel explores the motivations of survivors of an apocalyptic event. Nobody’s perfect in The Cosmos in Her Hand. Everyone’s damaged. This science fiction story takes place on planet earth in the great states of Virginia and Ohio. There is no alien invasion, and there are no zombies. This is a character driven story.
Reviews from Amazon and Goodreads~
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “In a post-apocalyptic world, describe love. Define crazy. What's off limits? Cyphers takes us by the hand and leads us through a tale of Armageddon with no apologies, no blindfold, no time to stop and rest.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Post-apocalyptic science fiction craze, it’s an amazing book.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “There’s quite a lot of violence and sex, and the violence is graphic and the sex is… sexy.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Cosmos is raw, uncensored, and totally seductive in all senses of the word. It’s like a book with something for philosophers, sci-fi, dystopian fans, and some eroticism.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Read the ‘look inside’ preview, I dare you, it nearly made me late for work!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I would like this novel for a tv adaptation! It has everything.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This story is original and powerful. For a post-apocalyptic tale, it doesn’t go where you expect it to.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Every book should have a bearded red haired alcohol making, party inducing Irishmen in it! James quickly became one of my favourite characters! The ending was so disturbingly satisfying! I highly recommend reading The Cosmos in her Hand! I loved it!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was such a great book! It had me from the first page.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The relationship between Lev and Kali is just absolutely beautiful.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The ending of this book is incredible, there’s an initial climax and return to semi-normality, and then there’s Kali, again. Kali has to finish this novel properly, with the help of Lev and those who love her. It’s an intense and emotional ending which is violent, disturbing, and brilliant. Perfection.”
“I can’t pretend to be sane for you.” ~ Kali
Do you like flawed heroes? Do you appreciate dark humor and characters in stories who drink, swear, engage in adult activities, commit acts of violence, have pretty good intentions but make mistakes anyway? This standalone novel explores the motivations of survivors of an apocalyptic event. Nobody’s perfect in The Cosmos in Her Hand. Everyone’s damaged. This science fiction story takes place on planet earth in the great states of Virginia and Ohio. There is no alien invasion, and there are no zombies. This is a character driven story.
Reviews from Amazon and Goodreads~
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “In a post-apocalyptic world, describe love. Define crazy. What's off limits? Cyphers takes us by the hand and leads us through a tale of Armageddon with no apologies, no blindfold, no time to stop and rest.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Post-apocalyptic science fiction craze, it’s an amazing book.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “There’s quite a lot of violence and sex, and the violence is graphic and the sex is… sexy.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Cosmos is raw, uncensored, and totally seductive in all senses of the word. It’s like a book with something for philosophers, sci-fi, dystopian fans, and some eroticism.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Read the ‘look inside’ preview, I dare you, it nearly made me late for work!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I would like this novel for a tv adaptation! It has everything.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This story is original and powerful. For a post-apocalyptic tale, it doesn’t go where you expect it to.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Every book should have a bearded red haired alcohol making, party inducing Irishmen in it! James quickly became one of my favourite characters! The ending was so disturbingly satisfying! I highly recommend reading The Cosmos in her Hand! I loved it!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was such a great book! It had me from the first page.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The relationship between Lev and Kali is just absolutely beautiful.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The ending of this book is incredible, there’s an initial climax and return to semi-normality, and then there’s Kali, again. Kali has to finish this novel properly, with the help of Lev and those who love her. It’s an intense and emotional ending which is violent, disturbing, and brilliant. Perfection.”
629 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2021
21 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 17, 2024
Summary ~ An ordinary day turns shockingly horrifying when people all of a sudden start dying. Lev is on his way to the airport to pick up his girlfriend when he narrowly avoids a car accident. He watches in utter disbelief as cars start piling up on the highway and rushes to get out of the way as vehicles crash into each other. Planes fall from the sky, explosions can be heard and the few survivors are in shock. Struggling to find loved ones and realizing there is no help on the way.
Fast forward 17 years and a group of survivors have built a community in a post apocalyptic world that is harsh and unforgiving. Searching for answers on what triggered the extinction event. Survival depends on strict rules and protecting what they have from raiders. Lev is the head of security of this community, when a young woman approaches with some cosmos in her hand. Claiming to have technology they need and the answers they’ve been searching for, Kali is an enigma. A force to be reckoned with her help will be on her terms and the community members soon learn they have more to worry about than raiders.
Kali shares that she has escaped from a self proclaimed king. A cruel madman named Bas, with a kingdom of cult like followers. He takes great pleasure in torturing people. Bas is the cause of the human extinction event, who is still working on the technology to control the rest of the world. Kali’s sole purpose is to never get captured again and to stop him at all costs!
From the start this stand alone sci fi captures your attention and holds it! It was refreshing to read a unique take on an apocalyptic event. The first few chapters were heartbreaking reading what the survivors went through at the start. People injured, trapped in cars, children left with no parents and knowing no help was on the way. Wanting desperately to help but also wanting to find your loved ones. You find yourself questioning what you would do if you were in that situation.
The progression of character development throughout the story is fantastic! Friends turned into family, love, hope and revenge make you become emotionally invested in each character. If you like strong female characters than this book has plenty and you will love Kali! She is tough but also traumatized by what she has been through. There are so many layers to her story it literally takes the whole book to discover them. The darker subject matter is lightened by the humour, witty banter and some steamy scenes between the characters throughout the story. Every book should have a bearded red haired alcohol making, party inducing Irishmen in it! James quickly became one of my favourite characters! The ending was so disturbingly satisfying! I highly recommend reading The Cosmos in her Hand! I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!
Fast forward 17 years and a group of survivors have built a community in a post apocalyptic world that is harsh and unforgiving. Searching for answers on what triggered the extinction event. Survival depends on strict rules and protecting what they have from raiders. Lev is the head of security of this community, when a young woman approaches with some cosmos in her hand. Claiming to have technology they need and the answers they’ve been searching for, Kali is an enigma. A force to be reckoned with her help will be on her terms and the community members soon learn they have more to worry about than raiders.
Kali shares that she has escaped from a self proclaimed king. A cruel madman named Bas, with a kingdom of cult like followers. He takes great pleasure in torturing people. Bas is the cause of the human extinction event, who is still working on the technology to control the rest of the world. Kali’s sole purpose is to never get captured again and to stop him at all costs!
From the start this stand alone sci fi captures your attention and holds it! It was refreshing to read a unique take on an apocalyptic event. The first few chapters were heartbreaking reading what the survivors went through at the start. People injured, trapped in cars, children left with no parents and knowing no help was on the way. Wanting desperately to help but also wanting to find your loved ones. You find yourself questioning what you would do if you were in that situation.
The progression of character development throughout the story is fantastic! Friends turned into family, love, hope and revenge make you become emotionally invested in each character. If you like strong female characters than this book has plenty and you will love Kali! She is tough but also traumatized by what she has been through. There are so many layers to her story it literally takes the whole book to discover them. The darker subject matter is lightened by the humour, witty banter and some steamy scenes between the characters throughout the story. Every book should have a bearded red haired alcohol making, party inducing Irishmen in it! James quickly became one of my favourite characters! The ending was so disturbingly satisfying! I highly recommend reading The Cosmos in her Hand! I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!
August 1, 2023
I finished "The Cosmos in Her Hand" by the talented Jennifer Cyphers, reading it on my tablet using the Kindle app.
The highlight of the review I'm about to write could be summed up in one word: Amazing, simply amazing. Now, let me elaborate. On a normal day, suddenly, almost 7 billion people in the world drop dead, and more people die in the following hours due to destruction and madness. Nobody understands what has happened; this is the beginning of the apocalypse. Fast forward seventeen years later, a group of survivors is living in a twin camp, trying to survive the attacks of scavengers while still attempting to understand what happened years ago. Suddenly, a woman appears at the camp's door, claiming that she possesses technology that will not only help them understand the past but also change the future.
Jennifer's imagination of the apocalyptic world is outstanding. In over 600 pages, she thoroughly describes not only the first days of destruction of the world as we know it (we find about 100 pages worth of introduction) but also creates a dystopian world that goes hand in hand with the devastation. Step by step, the book takes a sci-fi path, becoming a pure masterpiece of world-building. With the help of a series of characters who live through the story, the dilemmas created by the author are slowly but surely solved. The twists and ideas from the author sometimes leave the reader speechless.
This sci-fi standalone novel will be a delight for fiction lovers, without a doubt. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book and I wholeheartedly recommend it. If I have to find a flaw, the only thing I didn't like was the author's choice not to separate the book into classical chapters. I found it slightly annoying while reading, even though I survived it. However, this is not a reason to take away any of the 5 stars this book deserves in the review.
The highlight of the review I'm about to write could be summed up in one word: Amazing, simply amazing. Now, let me elaborate. On a normal day, suddenly, almost 7 billion people in the world drop dead, and more people die in the following hours due to destruction and madness. Nobody understands what has happened; this is the beginning of the apocalypse. Fast forward seventeen years later, a group of survivors is living in a twin camp, trying to survive the attacks of scavengers while still attempting to understand what happened years ago. Suddenly, a woman appears at the camp's door, claiming that she possesses technology that will not only help them understand the past but also change the future.
Jennifer's imagination of the apocalyptic world is outstanding. In over 600 pages, she thoroughly describes not only the first days of destruction of the world as we know it (we find about 100 pages worth of introduction) but also creates a dystopian world that goes hand in hand with the devastation. Step by step, the book takes a sci-fi path, becoming a pure masterpiece of world-building. With the help of a series of characters who live through the story, the dilemmas created by the author are slowly but surely solved. The twists and ideas from the author sometimes leave the reader speechless.
This sci-fi standalone novel will be a delight for fiction lovers, without a doubt. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book and I wholeheartedly recommend it. If I have to find a flaw, the only thing I didn't like was the author's choice not to separate the book into classical chapters. I found it slightly annoying while reading, even though I survived it. However, this is not a reason to take away any of the 5 stars this book deserves in the review.
January 22, 2022
The Cosmos in her hand
By Jennifer Cyphers
I want to start by saying that this story challenged my take on the
Universe, Parallel Timeline, and the concept of Time itself!
Jennifer Cyphers has a unique way of writing. The Cosmos in Her Hand
story does not have chapters but a narrative by characters in the third person.
The two main characters, Lev Patel and Kali, form a beautiful bond together. Kali’s tenacity and Lev’s protective persona resonated with me. Despite their differences, they unite survivors of an extinction event on Earth and win the war against evil.
Bas, the villain, came across a formula to manipulate Time and spawn an apocalyptic wave. Twice! He builds a Kingdom of his own that is invisible unless cracked. His reign is full proof, but the renegades beat him not just with technology but also by uniting against one cause.
Freedom from the tyrant. I particularly came to hate this character, Bas. It says how realistically he was described and portrayed by the
author.
Right from the beginning, this story held my complete interest. The first extinction event is described elaborately from the eyes of survivors. Lev, Aisha, Bob, Bolin, James, and many others who didn’t
even survive were given the attention needed to make the story exciting and relatable from a human perspective.
Later, the recount jumps 17 years ahead into the post-apocalyptic way of life. Forming of campus called Ivy, how every character survives comes as one to live together and protect themselves.
With the introduction of Kali, things take a turn towards the science fiction side very heavily. She brings the much-needed technology to defeat the contrived apocalypse and release the prisoner, Time!
Jennifer has come up with a fascinating take on Consciousness and
how Time works. Technology fictionalized in this story is explained in
great detail. Yet it is not overbearing as the narrative toggles between characters, their relationships, and the survival problem at hand. I
would recommend this book to not just the science fiction readers and
also to romance readers.
It’s a gripping tale with broad sets of all-inclusive and progressive characters! Grab your copy today
By Jennifer Cyphers
I want to start by saying that this story challenged my take on the
Universe, Parallel Timeline, and the concept of Time itself!
Jennifer Cyphers has a unique way of writing. The Cosmos in Her Hand
story does not have chapters but a narrative by characters in the third person.
The two main characters, Lev Patel and Kali, form a beautiful bond together. Kali’s tenacity and Lev’s protective persona resonated with me. Despite their differences, they unite survivors of an extinction event on Earth and win the war against evil.
Bas, the villain, came across a formula to manipulate Time and spawn an apocalyptic wave. Twice! He builds a Kingdom of his own that is invisible unless cracked. His reign is full proof, but the renegades beat him not just with technology but also by uniting against one cause.
Freedom from the tyrant. I particularly came to hate this character, Bas. It says how realistically he was described and portrayed by the
author.
Right from the beginning, this story held my complete interest. The first extinction event is described elaborately from the eyes of survivors. Lev, Aisha, Bob, Bolin, James, and many others who didn’t
even survive were given the attention needed to make the story exciting and relatable from a human perspective.
Later, the recount jumps 17 years ahead into the post-apocalyptic way of life. Forming of campus called Ivy, how every character survives comes as one to live together and protect themselves.
With the introduction of Kali, things take a turn towards the science fiction side very heavily. She brings the much-needed technology to defeat the contrived apocalypse and release the prisoner, Time!
Jennifer has come up with a fascinating take on Consciousness and
how Time works. Technology fictionalized in this story is explained in
great detail. Yet it is not overbearing as the narrative toggles between characters, their relationships, and the survival problem at hand. I
would recommend this book to not just the science fiction readers and
also to romance readers.
It’s a gripping tale with broad sets of all-inclusive and progressive characters! Grab your copy today
August 21, 2022
So how does an ordinary girl from San Diego become an honest-to-goodness goddess? It turns out that the answer to that question is more terrifying and shocking than you can imagine.
The Cosmos In Her Hand by Jennifer Cyphers is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, but insisting on squishing it so clumsily into a sub-genre frankly undersells it by a mile, because it is so much more. It’s a long read at a whopping 626 pages, but the length is completely justified by the story: there’s no padding. There’s quite a lot of violence and sex, and the violence is graphic and the sex is… sexy.
In the deftly-told opening section, the population of the world is almost entirely wiped out by an apparently inexplicable catastrophic event. Planes crash, bodies are everywhere, and the few survivors, isolated, bereft, search for someone or something to cling to. We meet Lev, Aisha, James, Bolin, learn their stories; but the action is intercut with some incongruous snippets concerning other characters in another, more futuristic, continuum, where there is talk of a mad king, ‘rewinds’ and ‘torture cells’ .
Then we transition to seventeen years later. The survivors have congregated, organised with military ruthlessness, and stayed alive; but they’re threatened by desperate marauders and the unsolved mystery of what caused the apocalypse hangs over their future. Enter Kali, the woman with the cosmos in her hand.
I expected the Hindu goddess Kali, the ferocious goddess of war, time and change, descending to Earth in a chariot to protect and liberate humankind from post-apocalyptic horrors with her phenomenal cosmic powers and ineffable wisdom. I mean, it had to be, right? And in a way she is, and in a way she isn’t, because the Kali who shows up is an apparently vulnerable and somewhat damaged young woman from San Diego with shoulder-length, unruly masses of wavy blonde hair who’s been walking for a week, is half starved, and is carrying a bunch of her favourite flowers (cosmos, or Mexican asters as they are sometimes known, a native North American species) in a water bottle in one hand. But when Kali, smiling, shows Lev and Bolin that wilted posy of cosmos, she is symbolically holding the delicate and dying future of the entire continent in her hand. Little do they know at that moment that she is the fulcrum and the key to everything.
For fear of spoilers, I won’t say any more about the plot, other than to mention that the psychopathic mad king is terrifyingly mad and determined, and that there are extraordinary concepts relating to the manipulation of time through scientific advancement at work here that have very practical applications and serious implications. For example, who wouldn’t want to be able to hide things in the past and produce them as if from thin air? There are other, more complex applications, too, like the aforementioned rewinds. Like any tools, however, these advancements can be misused, and in the hands of an evil psychopath with an obsessive nature, a liking for abuse and torture, and a creative imagination, the sky’s the limit.
This story is original and powerful. For a post-apocalyptic tale, it doesn’t go where you expect it to. There are no zombies, no werewolves, no vampires. Even the grim horror of ‘The Road’ is avoided. And it’s not a clone of King’s ‘The Stand’ either. Blockbuster action scenes that might warrant a dozen pages in a different work receive only a peremptory acknowledgement here, and sometimes even happen off the page, because this is a book about relationships and not about military gunplay. True, guns and knives feature a lot, but they are mostly used as a focal point in describing the extreme nature of the relationships between the protagonists. True, people are killed, get horribly injured, and are literally tortured, but in the metaphysical context the book creates this takes on a very different aspect.
The character of Kali is incredibly engaging and I defy anyone not to fall a little bit in love with her. I found myself captivated by her charm, her child-like naivety, fearless honestly, fierce loyalty, and fathomless reserves of resilience. This, I must say, is in spite of her extreme and very shocking behaviour; behaviour that seems completely insane - until the tale comes to its climax and central questions about sanity and reality are resolved.
The Cosmos In her Hand is a tale bursting with energy, which carries you along with the urgency of a river in full spate. It’s full of original ideas and brilliantly delineated characters. If you like post-apocalyptic sci-fi, then this is for you. If you like books that explore concepts related to time and space, then this is for you. If you like a book that delves into human relationships so deeply that it exposes the blood and guts and bone beneath the skin, then this is for you. I loved it. Five stars.
The Cosmos In Her Hand by Jennifer Cyphers is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, but insisting on squishing it so clumsily into a sub-genre frankly undersells it by a mile, because it is so much more. It’s a long read at a whopping 626 pages, but the length is completely justified by the story: there’s no padding. There’s quite a lot of violence and sex, and the violence is graphic and the sex is… sexy.
In the deftly-told opening section, the population of the world is almost entirely wiped out by an apparently inexplicable catastrophic event. Planes crash, bodies are everywhere, and the few survivors, isolated, bereft, search for someone or something to cling to. We meet Lev, Aisha, James, Bolin, learn their stories; but the action is intercut with some incongruous snippets concerning other characters in another, more futuristic, continuum, where there is talk of a mad king, ‘rewinds’ and ‘torture cells’ .
Then we transition to seventeen years later. The survivors have congregated, organised with military ruthlessness, and stayed alive; but they’re threatened by desperate marauders and the unsolved mystery of what caused the apocalypse hangs over their future. Enter Kali, the woman with the cosmos in her hand.
I expected the Hindu goddess Kali, the ferocious goddess of war, time and change, descending to Earth in a chariot to protect and liberate humankind from post-apocalyptic horrors with her phenomenal cosmic powers and ineffable wisdom. I mean, it had to be, right? And in a way she is, and in a way she isn’t, because the Kali who shows up is an apparently vulnerable and somewhat damaged young woman from San Diego with shoulder-length, unruly masses of wavy blonde hair who’s been walking for a week, is half starved, and is carrying a bunch of her favourite flowers (cosmos, or Mexican asters as they are sometimes known, a native North American species) in a water bottle in one hand. But when Kali, smiling, shows Lev and Bolin that wilted posy of cosmos, she is symbolically holding the delicate and dying future of the entire continent in her hand. Little do they know at that moment that she is the fulcrum and the key to everything.
For fear of spoilers, I won’t say any more about the plot, other than to mention that the psychopathic mad king is terrifyingly mad and determined, and that there are extraordinary concepts relating to the manipulation of time through scientific advancement at work here that have very practical applications and serious implications. For example, who wouldn’t want to be able to hide things in the past and produce them as if from thin air? There are other, more complex applications, too, like the aforementioned rewinds. Like any tools, however, these advancements can be misused, and in the hands of an evil psychopath with an obsessive nature, a liking for abuse and torture, and a creative imagination, the sky’s the limit.
This story is original and powerful. For a post-apocalyptic tale, it doesn’t go where you expect it to. There are no zombies, no werewolves, no vampires. Even the grim horror of ‘The Road’ is avoided. And it’s not a clone of King’s ‘The Stand’ either. Blockbuster action scenes that might warrant a dozen pages in a different work receive only a peremptory acknowledgement here, and sometimes even happen off the page, because this is a book about relationships and not about military gunplay. True, guns and knives feature a lot, but they are mostly used as a focal point in describing the extreme nature of the relationships between the protagonists. True, people are killed, get horribly injured, and are literally tortured, but in the metaphysical context the book creates this takes on a very different aspect.
The character of Kali is incredibly engaging and I defy anyone not to fall a little bit in love with her. I found myself captivated by her charm, her child-like naivety, fearless honestly, fierce loyalty, and fathomless reserves of resilience. This, I must say, is in spite of her extreme and very shocking behaviour; behaviour that seems completely insane - until the tale comes to its climax and central questions about sanity and reality are resolved.
The Cosmos In her Hand is a tale bursting with energy, which carries you along with the urgency of a river in full spate. It’s full of original ideas and brilliantly delineated characters. If you like post-apocalyptic sci-fi, then this is for you. If you like books that explore concepts related to time and space, then this is for you. If you like a book that delves into human relationships so deeply that it exposes the blood and guts and bone beneath the skin, then this is for you. I loved it. Five stars.
April 2, 2022
Excellent character-driven novel – highly recommend
Read the ‘look inside’ preview on Amazon, I dare you, it nearly made me late for work! I started the preview in the morning, finished it in the evening, and instantly clicked ‘buy.’
So, what lured me in? Well, the book starts just before the ‘extinction event’ which is very odd and mysterious, and we soon find ourselves in a world without emergency services and law enforcement. A world in which you snap a person’s neck to put them out of their misery – because help isn’t coming. We are plunged into anarchy and the characters must adapt to survive.
At first I thought I was going to need notes to help me keep track of all the characters, but I didn’t. They were all introduced and described so well that even when the time jumped to 17 years later, I could remember exactly who they were, and it was nice to see how they had adapted. (Shout out to my early faves: Lev, Aisha, Bolin and James! Oh, and young Prisha at the airport, who definitely doesn’t like raisins!)
The Cosmos in Her Hand deals with a lot of sensitive themes/potential triggers, sex and violence especially. If you’re not okay with these things being explicitly described, this isn’t the book for you.
‘Nicer’ themes include love – real love, gritty and believable, as well as sweet; diversity (this is the most diverse range of characters I’ve read about for a long time); community spirit; teamwork; family; and bravery. (To name just a few!)
The flow is unconventional, with chapter headings I’m not used to that hint at what’s about to happen and can appear anywhere on the page. I’m also not sure if it’s an ebook formatting issue, but often long paragraphs jump to their own page, leaving gaps mid-chapter. This actually made for an easier reading experience for me, as it made the text less blocky, but without comparing to the paperback, I can’t confirm if this is deliberate or perhaps caused by my font/size setting!
If you follow the author on Instagram like I do, you will have no doubt heard of her main character, Kali. Now let me tell you something: Kali is everything, and more. She is the strongest female character I have ever met; don’t let her “crazy” fool you.
When she first walks up to their community at Ivy, she is definitely misunderstood. People don’t get her. They don’t appreciate her or respect her. But Lev and Bolin give her a chance to prove herself, and that’s all it takes for her to lead this novel.
As the other characters get to know her, they warm to her, despite her sometimes scary and violent tendencies, or her need to sleep with her shoes on and the door and window open. Strong female characters are big in this novel, there is no room for weeping women in this post-apocalyptic universe. Another strong female who deserves a mention is Olivia, who looks up to Kali and sees her as a role model. Olivia is a late arrival who ultimately has the strength to do something very dangerous and selfless when it matters most.
The ending of this book is incredible, there’s an initial climax and return to semi-normality, and then there’s Kali, again. Kali has to finish this novel properly, with the help of Lev and those who love her. It’s an intense and emotional ending which is violent, disturbing, and brilliant. Perfection.
Now, where can I get some of this carrot wine? Or sugar shine?
April 22, 2022
If you like sci-fi, love and war, and overcoming things, you’ll love The Cosmos in Her Hand by Jennifer Cyphers. With a soap opera and mythological feel, the story is filled with adventures, intrigue, hope, friendship, love, family, dysfunction, gossip, laughter, survival, and courage in the face of devastation and evil.
The story opens on an ordinary day in Virginia, and then suddenly takes its reader on a journey through death and destruction, where few survivors try to make sense of it all over a period of 17 years in a world without power and modern conveniences. Terms such as time cell, extinction event, opticals, and rewinds add authenticity to the setting of this post-apocalyptic world.
Through action along with honest and intimate dialogue, all of Cyphers’ characters jump off the page. They are unforgettable. They hit all five senses, with acts of kindness, falling in love, music, food, and drink, all the while bringing bravery, greed, power, cruelty, corruption, and evil to life. Human? Yes, with technology for time travel, invisibility and resurrecting the dead, making them also, god-like as evidenced by characters being named after Pele, Hawaiian volcano goddess and Kali, Hindu goddess of female power.
Complex and compelling, the protagonists, Lev and Kali had me deep in their hearts fighting a war, where the line between life and death and good and evil teeters on their shoulders. Despite the horrors they face, humanity and comic relief had me turning page after page to see if goodness would prevail. Kali rises above her fears and Lev is unexpectedly an intellect. On his first days faced with the horrors of war, Lev is shaken and weak, “…he did not want to be confronted with having to choose between helping someone or ending their suffering.” Then as years go on, Lev grows into a leadership role protecting and serving his community. Kali confronts her fears.
Cyphers effectively uses personification (Time is a friend. Time will not be killed. Time is safe.), imagery (carrying a human head, torture, dead bodies), and symbolism (cosmos flowers, white house). A white house is a sanctuary of home and safety, that houses the protagonists, who are leader and first lady. And as for torture imagery, Kali knows there are worst things than death and makes that clear when she says, “Well, if you’re going to threaten to kill someone, make sure they’re afraid of dying first.” As for the cosmos, they represent something much bigger than flowers.
The novel The Cosmos in Her Hand addresses what can happen when scientific technology gets in the wrong hands. And when the wrong doers get what’s coming to them, it’s nothing short of gratifying. I loved this story, its satisfying ending, and all the characters, who jumped from the pages and into my heart!
The story opens on an ordinary day in Virginia, and then suddenly takes its reader on a journey through death and destruction, where few survivors try to make sense of it all over a period of 17 years in a world without power and modern conveniences. Terms such as time cell, extinction event, opticals, and rewinds add authenticity to the setting of this post-apocalyptic world.
Through action along with honest and intimate dialogue, all of Cyphers’ characters jump off the page. They are unforgettable. They hit all five senses, with acts of kindness, falling in love, music, food, and drink, all the while bringing bravery, greed, power, cruelty, corruption, and evil to life. Human? Yes, with technology for time travel, invisibility and resurrecting the dead, making them also, god-like as evidenced by characters being named after Pele, Hawaiian volcano goddess and Kali, Hindu goddess of female power.
Complex and compelling, the protagonists, Lev and Kali had me deep in their hearts fighting a war, where the line between life and death and good and evil teeters on their shoulders. Despite the horrors they face, humanity and comic relief had me turning page after page to see if goodness would prevail. Kali rises above her fears and Lev is unexpectedly an intellect. On his first days faced with the horrors of war, Lev is shaken and weak, “…he did not want to be confronted with having to choose between helping someone or ending their suffering.” Then as years go on, Lev grows into a leadership role protecting and serving his community. Kali confronts her fears.
Cyphers effectively uses personification (Time is a friend. Time will not be killed. Time is safe.), imagery (carrying a human head, torture, dead bodies), and symbolism (cosmos flowers, white house). A white house is a sanctuary of home and safety, that houses the protagonists, who are leader and first lady. And as for torture imagery, Kali knows there are worst things than death and makes that clear when she says, “Well, if you’re going to threaten to kill someone, make sure they’re afraid of dying first.” As for the cosmos, they represent something much bigger than flowers.
The novel The Cosmos in Her Hand addresses what can happen when scientific technology gets in the wrong hands. And when the wrong doers get what’s coming to them, it’s nothing short of gratifying. I loved this story, its satisfying ending, and all the characters, who jumped from the pages and into my heart!
May 10, 2022
The Cosmos in Her Hand is a post-apocalyptic story set in a nightmare world ravaged by devastating extinction level event.
Looking forward to being reunited with his fiancée, Lev thinks over his life as he drives to the airport. Chaos explodes all around him, leading to a full breakdown in the power and communication grids. Desperate to find his love, he ventures across anarchy filled scenes of destruction filled with inexplicably dead bodies.
Former US Navy sailor Bolin surveys the destruction days later in search of his friends. Although society and the government seems to have collapsed, the few survivors band together in a remarkable show of solidarity. Bolin finds peace with James, a likeable restaurant owner and with a few others, they decide to move out to the country and start their own settlement and grow their own food.
Years later, the settlement known as Ivy has grown into a thriving community under the leadership of Bolin, Lev and James. The mysterious arrival of a deranged woman known only as Kali threatens to unearth a dark secret known only to a chosen few. Is Kali utterly insane or humanity's only hope in unlocking valuable technology and strike back at the despot who murdered billions?
This was one of the first character-driven novels I've ever read and I did find it interesting witnessing the world through the eyes of the different POV characters. There was a real sense of their hopes and fears. None of them were perfect by any means, but that only added to how genuine they came across. There were also some shocking scenes of utter violence which also showed just how brutal this new world had become.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend!
Looking forward to being reunited with his fiancée, Lev thinks over his life as he drives to the airport. Chaos explodes all around him, leading to a full breakdown in the power and communication grids. Desperate to find his love, he ventures across anarchy filled scenes of destruction filled with inexplicably dead bodies.
Former US Navy sailor Bolin surveys the destruction days later in search of his friends. Although society and the government seems to have collapsed, the few survivors band together in a remarkable show of solidarity. Bolin finds peace with James, a likeable restaurant owner and with a few others, they decide to move out to the country and start their own settlement and grow their own food.
Years later, the settlement known as Ivy has grown into a thriving community under the leadership of Bolin, Lev and James. The mysterious arrival of a deranged woman known only as Kali threatens to unearth a dark secret known only to a chosen few. Is Kali utterly insane or humanity's only hope in unlocking valuable technology and strike back at the despot who murdered billions?
This was one of the first character-driven novels I've ever read and I did find it interesting witnessing the world through the eyes of the different POV characters. There was a real sense of their hopes and fears. None of them were perfect by any means, but that only added to how genuine they came across. There were also some shocking scenes of utter violence which also showed just how brutal this new world had become.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend!
July 14, 2022
This was such a great book! It had me from the first page. It starts with the main character, Lev, who is driving to the airport to pick up his girlfriend, but while driving, everyone around him starts dropping dead for no apparent reason. I was only somewhere around page 17 when I was crying already over dead and deserted children, the helplessness and panic survivors must have been feeling and not knowing what the hell was happening.
This isn't your typical zombie or natural disaster kind of apocalypse.. This is the result of a twisted, psychopathic mind who wants to rule the world through torture and destruction.
I loved the characters who were fighting for their justice; Lev, who is the male main character and has been trying to figure out how to save the world since it ended. But especially Kali, who is the female main character. She is such a strong willed woman, not taking shit from anyone, even the guy she loves. She's been through so much, but still finds the strength to keep going and fight for the people around her, willing to go through torture for a chance to save the world from Bas, the self made, insane King.
It still amazes me that someone can write a story like this, creating these lovable, fierce characters, and such a detailed world building.
I absolutely loved it.
This isn't your typical zombie or natural disaster kind of apocalypse.. This is the result of a twisted, psychopathic mind who wants to rule the world through torture and destruction.
I loved the characters who were fighting for their justice; Lev, who is the male main character and has been trying to figure out how to save the world since it ended. But especially Kali, who is the female main character. She is such a strong willed woman, not taking shit from anyone, even the guy she loves. She's been through so much, but still finds the strength to keep going and fight for the people around her, willing to go through torture for a chance to save the world from Bas, the self made, insane King.
It still amazes me that someone can write a story like this, creating these lovable, fierce characters, and such a detailed world building.
I absolutely loved it.
July 26, 2022
4.5 stars out of 5
The Cosmos in Her Hand begins with a mysterious and devastating "extinction event" where nearly all of humanity suddenly and simultaneously dies with no apparent explanation. A small number of people survive, seemingly at random. They first deal with the immediate fallout—everything from airplanes falling out of the air to children suddenly without parents to explosions in every corner—then deal with long-term survival. Years later, a band of survivors are living in a compound, led by a militant man named Lev. One day, they are approached by a strange and mysterious traveler who answers to the name Kali. She claims to know the secrets behind the extinction, and she promises to bring technology that will help to avenge the person who is responsible. But she demands that things be done her way, which proves to be even harsher than Lev's. Romance blooms between them, but violent conflict is everywhere, even within Lev's own associates.
Cosmos is a highly engaging tale in the post-apocalyptic genre. It's gripping at parts, but it's also difficult. The triggers come right out from the beginning and they are many, some agonizing. There are many graphic depictions of violence, including torture, sexual assault, and deaths, including those of children.
Though these are obviously shocking, I never feel manipulated. There is an emotional honesty at the heart of the book that makes this worthwhile. Central to the story is Kali, a woman who holds a great deal of rage over the unimaginable abuse she has endured. She is willing, insistent in fact, on committing torture on people whom she feels deserve it.
There is a daring statement being made here. The name Kali, as author Cyphers has said publically, is meant to refer to the Hindu goddess who represents feminine energy, including rage. This is a powerful comment in a culture that might not fully understand victims of violence; we may accept sadness but not anger and certainly not vengeance.
The science fiction is also very inventive, with unusual uses of time and space. The villain is frightening and quite believable, an unremarkable person who manages to grab power from much more intelligent associates and use it to vicious ends. Even more disturbing is the notion that so many follow him willingly, perhaps because it actually seems believable.
If there is one fault it's with the pacing. Some sections move a little too slowly, with a few too many scenes dwelling on small moments and insignificant dialogue. Some of these are interesting (particularly romantic moments between Lev and Kali) but some are less so. It's worth mentioning that there are also graphic sex scenes. How you view them depends on taste. Personally I liked some more than others.
If you like post-apocolyptic stories, The Cosmos In Her Hand is a powerful tale that I highly recommend.
The Cosmos in Her Hand begins with a mysterious and devastating "extinction event" where nearly all of humanity suddenly and simultaneously dies with no apparent explanation. A small number of people survive, seemingly at random. They first deal with the immediate fallout—everything from airplanes falling out of the air to children suddenly without parents to explosions in every corner—then deal with long-term survival. Years later, a band of survivors are living in a compound, led by a militant man named Lev. One day, they are approached by a strange and mysterious traveler who answers to the name Kali. She claims to know the secrets behind the extinction, and she promises to bring technology that will help to avenge the person who is responsible. But she demands that things be done her way, which proves to be even harsher than Lev's. Romance blooms between them, but violent conflict is everywhere, even within Lev's own associates.
Cosmos is a highly engaging tale in the post-apocalyptic genre. It's gripping at parts, but it's also difficult. The triggers come right out from the beginning and they are many, some agonizing. There are many graphic depictions of violence, including torture, sexual assault, and deaths, including those of children.
Though these are obviously shocking, I never feel manipulated. There is an emotional honesty at the heart of the book that makes this worthwhile. Central to the story is Kali, a woman who holds a great deal of rage over the unimaginable abuse she has endured. She is willing, insistent in fact, on committing torture on people whom she feels deserve it.
There is a daring statement being made here. The name Kali, as author Cyphers has said publically, is meant to refer to the Hindu goddess who represents feminine energy, including rage. This is a powerful comment in a culture that might not fully understand victims of violence; we may accept sadness but not anger and certainly not vengeance.
The science fiction is also very inventive, with unusual uses of time and space. The villain is frightening and quite believable, an unremarkable person who manages to grab power from much more intelligent associates and use it to vicious ends. Even more disturbing is the notion that so many follow him willingly, perhaps because it actually seems believable.
If there is one fault it's with the pacing. Some sections move a little too slowly, with a few too many scenes dwelling on small moments and insignificant dialogue. Some of these are interesting (particularly romantic moments between Lev and Kali) but some are less so. It's worth mentioning that there are also graphic sex scenes. How you view them depends on taste. Personally I liked some more than others.
If you like post-apocolyptic stories, The Cosmos In Her Hand is a powerful tale that I highly recommend.
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August 4, 2022
My husband and I read this book together and we both enjoyed it. What I loved the most was that it reminded me of a movie and I could visualize each scene as I read it. I actually asked the author if she meant to do that on purpose, or if it was originally written as a screen play, but she relayed that she wrote it how she saw it. I felt it gave the book a unique approach and I connected with it.
My husband enjoyed the host of characters and figuring out the new world they found themselves in. His only complaint was the back and forth in the timeline, he said at times was hard for him to follow but I didn't share that sentiment.
A huge thank you to the author, Jennifer Cyphers, for sending me a copy to review!
My husband enjoyed the host of characters and figuring out the new world they found themselves in. His only complaint was the back and forth in the timeline, he said at times was hard for him to follow but I didn't share that sentiment.
A huge thank you to the author, Jennifer Cyphers, for sending me a copy to review!
June 3, 2022
Firstly, let me just say this author is in debt with me. She wrote all those 627 pages in this post apocalypse scenario and, despite the fact it all seems too much, too long, once you’re in, you’re in. That’s why she is in debt with me, because now that I finished the book (I held back the last hundred pages, to be honest) I don’t know what to do.
The Cosmos in Her Hand happens in a post apocalyptic scenario when the world’s population simply dies, except for a few groups. I lost sleep right off the bat reading it through because the way the story enrolls in front of you is so enticing you just can’t stop. Then you start to meet the characters, their realities, how they get to know each other and it’s brillant how it all comes together so perfectly. That’s when you think you know where this is going.
What happens, in fact, is that the whole logic and concepts you were following become something completely different and one might think this is where you lose interest in the story, but no. That’s how you really get to know the final layer of their lives, why this all happened and what’s the book really about.
There’s this surreal immersion in their lives, their decision making and plans, and you are there being part of it all. It impressed me very much how the narrative was built, just as much as the different concepts and their role. I even got introduced to physics and areas I never imagined I’d love to read about, but you do! Just because then all those things happen in front of you and you understand how this could actually happen to be.
Anyways, Jennifer wrote an amazing story about war, power, greed and humanity at its worst. I loved that I could see all those very believable characters there and what runs under their minds, with their flaws and mistakes all over the place.
In the end… Well, who am I to spoil what happens in the end?
That's definitely a book worth reading and it surely deserves all its stars.
The Cosmos in Her Hand happens in a post apocalyptic scenario when the world’s population simply dies, except for a few groups. I lost sleep right off the bat reading it through because the way the story enrolls in front of you is so enticing you just can’t stop. Then you start to meet the characters, their realities, how they get to know each other and it’s brillant how it all comes together so perfectly. That’s when you think you know where this is going.
What happens, in fact, is that the whole logic and concepts you were following become something completely different and one might think this is where you lose interest in the story, but no. That’s how you really get to know the final layer of their lives, why this all happened and what’s the book really about.
There’s this surreal immersion in their lives, their decision making and plans, and you are there being part of it all. It impressed me very much how the narrative was built, just as much as the different concepts and their role. I even got introduced to physics and areas I never imagined I’d love to read about, but you do! Just because then all those things happen in front of you and you understand how this could actually happen to be.
Anyways, Jennifer wrote an amazing story about war, power, greed and humanity at its worst. I loved that I could see all those very believable characters there and what runs under their minds, with their flaws and mistakes all over the place.
In the end… Well, who am I to spoil what happens in the end?
That's definitely a book worth reading and it surely deserves all its stars.
August 9, 2022
The Cosmos in Her Hand is long, yes, but worth it. We start out seeing the world through Lev's eyes. He's driving to the airport to find his fiancé when the majority of the people around him start dropping dead for no apparent reason. Young, old, it doesn't seem to matter. Through this, we witness humanity at its absolute best and worst. We also feel Lev's internal struggle with how much of his civility should remain from moment to moment as more and more of the life he knows slips away and begins to be replaced by something primal, a kill or be killed mentality that tries to bubble to the surface from the lizard brain somewhere in the back of his mind--all our minds, ultimately, which is why this is so interesting! Inside his mind is this sort of microcosm study of the human when society breaks down. It was interesting to ask myself, if I would do the same things and how could I know?
The point of view then shifts and we meet different characters along the way and get to see how they are coping with these events. However, it isn't all doom and gloom. We see James, a restaurant owner, giving the last of his food to feed everyone. Here we see great LGBTQ representation when James finds companionship with Bolin, former Navy, and lost now that the friends he was in town to meet are dead.
Then we jump ahead in time, over 15 years, to a community that James, Lev, and Bolin have set up, and this is where Kali comes into play. She's something else entirely but very interesting (don't want to give away too many spoilers) and may just hold the secrets to bring justice for those who've died. The relationship between Lev and Kali is just absolutely beautiful. Kali is a study in understanding the need to take different approaches with different people.
Well, I could say more, but the point is, it's definitely worth your time.
The point of view then shifts and we meet different characters along the way and get to see how they are coping with these events. However, it isn't all doom and gloom. We see James, a restaurant owner, giving the last of his food to feed everyone. Here we see great LGBTQ representation when James finds companionship with Bolin, former Navy, and lost now that the friends he was in town to meet are dead.
Then we jump ahead in time, over 15 years, to a community that James, Lev, and Bolin have set up, and this is where Kali comes into play. She's something else entirely but very interesting (don't want to give away too many spoilers) and may just hold the secrets to bring justice for those who've died. The relationship between Lev and Kali is just absolutely beautiful. Kali is a study in understanding the need to take different approaches with different people.
Well, I could say more, but the point is, it's definitely worth your time.
May 26, 2022
This story is a heck of a journey. What starts as an ordinary drive to the airport turns into an apocalyptic journey for an ensemble of characters who band together to survive.
Through a series of third-person narratives woven together over the course of seventeen years, we come to truly care about the lives and fates of these very compelling and diverse characters.
Then a stranger walks into their community with the information they need to defeat the mad man who manipulates time and space, and ended billions of lives in a blink.
From the beginning, it’s a page turner. The depictions of the extinction event are harrowing and vivid. At times the pace would slow as we’d learn more about the community of survivors and the world they built together, but I was never tempted to put it down, always desperate to see what would happen next and how it would all end.
One aspect of the story that is particularly moving is the romance between Lev and Kali. While everyone in the book is a survivor, the abuses Kali has survived are far worse than can be imagined.
The way in which Lev responds to Kali’s PTSD is beautiful. When she sleeps with her shoes on, in case she needs to make a quick escape, he sleeps with his shoes on too. Awww. It’s so apocalyptically heartwarming.
This is an evocative read which has me reconsidering my own ideas about time and space, life and death, mercy and torture, good and evil.
Through a series of third-person narratives woven together over the course of seventeen years, we come to truly care about the lives and fates of these very compelling and diverse characters.
Then a stranger walks into their community with the information they need to defeat the mad man who manipulates time and space, and ended billions of lives in a blink.
From the beginning, it’s a page turner. The depictions of the extinction event are harrowing and vivid. At times the pace would slow as we’d learn more about the community of survivors and the world they built together, but I was never tempted to put it down, always desperate to see what would happen next and how it would all end.
One aspect of the story that is particularly moving is the romance between Lev and Kali. While everyone in the book is a survivor, the abuses Kali has survived are far worse than can be imagined.
The way in which Lev responds to Kali’s PTSD is beautiful. When she sleeps with her shoes on, in case she needs to make a quick escape, he sleeps with his shoes on too. Awww. It’s so apocalyptically heartwarming.
This is an evocative read which has me reconsidering my own ideas about time and space, life and death, mercy and torture, good and evil.
March 23, 2022
What an imaginative story. Wow
I started the book and thought never going to end. But it was worth reading through and through. The author truly takes the reader to another place. In my mind, I imagined a dystopian and post-apocalyptic world all put in one place. But I was so wrong; as I read further, I got a shock of my life taken to the world of Erotica. Wow. I wasn't expecting this one from my favourite characters. Without giving it away? I can only ask you to read and find out and don't be put off the number of pages. It's just a digit, and you soon find yourself in some extraordinary wonderland with a mad king. Whoops. ON EARTH? Why do we all suddenly get a feeling of Deja-Vu? From love connection to temperamental moments and promises, kisses? I only think if a director reads this book? You will author, and her book made into a trilogy or Hell of a mini series. ( looking forward to see what other surprises J C can cook for the coming months or a year.
I started the book and thought never going to end. But it was worth reading through and through. The author truly takes the reader to another place. In my mind, I imagined a dystopian and post-apocalyptic world all put in one place. But I was so wrong; as I read further, I got a shock of my life taken to the world of Erotica. Wow. I wasn't expecting this one from my favourite characters. Without giving it away? I can only ask you to read and find out and don't be put off the number of pages. It's just a digit, and you soon find yourself in some extraordinary wonderland with a mad king. Whoops. ON EARTH? Why do we all suddenly get a feeling of Deja-Vu? From love connection to temperamental moments and promises, kisses? I only think if a director reads this book? You will author, and her book made into a trilogy or Hell of a mini series. ( looking forward to see what other surprises J C can cook for the coming months or a year.
April 9, 2022
So picked up this book by fellow author @thecosmos_in_herhand. Started reading and was oh hum guess this is going to be a slow burn romance haven't read one of those in a while...🤣 Yeah nope.
Jennifer is good at immediately immersing the reader right into the gritty world she has created. The Cosmos In Her Hand is a apocalyptic sci-fi. As you read and learn more about these characters you see she isn't afraid to tackle the good bad and very ugly of humanity. The reader should be warned that this is not a book for the faint of heart. Through love, sex, and torture you see it all. But if you enjoy apocalyptic sci-fi with multiple romances, nerdy time travel thermos, and action then this is the book for you. Though some points as you read are confusing or seem slow they usually get clarified as you learn more about the world. The plot was enjoyable and the characters are fun. Overall, this book was a good read. 😊
Jennifer is good at immediately immersing the reader right into the gritty world she has created. The Cosmos In Her Hand is a apocalyptic sci-fi. As you read and learn more about these characters you see she isn't afraid to tackle the good bad and very ugly of humanity. The reader should be warned that this is not a book for the faint of heart. Through love, sex, and torture you see it all. But if you enjoy apocalyptic sci-fi with multiple romances, nerdy time travel thermos, and action then this is the book for you. Though some points as you read are confusing or seem slow they usually get clarified as you learn more about the world. The plot was enjoyable and the characters are fun. Overall, this book was a good read. 😊
June 17, 2022
The Cosmos in Her Hand starts off at a breakneck pace that made me fall right into the book. Because of the numerous characters and timelines that take place, it is a well-deserved six hundred-plus page novel. Jennifer Cyphers does a great job describing the well-rounded characters and why they do the things they do. As a post-apocalyptic piece, the author depicts what happens when the survivors must move on, and the tough decisions they have to make. With many adult themes and a whopping 600 pages, this novel is not for the faint of heart. Although this is a stand-alone novel, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to read more works by Jennifer Cyphers. Great book!
April 27, 2022
I highly recommend this book, it’s instantly engaging and it takes you on a wild ride! The characters are unique and well developed, you will definitely want to see what happens to them!
July 26, 2022
This book is really really really good! I highly recommend it! I loved it! It was one of the most intriguing books I've read and it kept my interest high up to the end!
January 26, 2022
This sci-fi adventure is not for the faint of heart and begins following our main character, Lev, who gets hurled into a world of chaos and death with seemingly no reason. The author takes great care in introducing a myriad of characters in a short amount of time but in a way that is memorable. You truly feel like you get to know them and right from the start you get to see where most of them were when the world began to end.
Skip 17 years and they all live in a community together with Lev as their leader. Despite some of the horrific events there is a lot of sarcastic and comedic banter wich I really enjoyed.
The world building is very creative and thought out. The reader really gets a sense of what it is like to live in Ivy (the community) alongside the characters. This is where Lev meets Kali and her special brand of crazy is honestly a fun addition in this otherwise harsh reality. Very reminiscent of a Walking Dead/Bird Box kind of feel with surprising mythological elements.
Over all this was wonderfully written and if you're a fan of sci-fi and good survival story, with some explicit and steamy action on the side, this is the book for you.
Skip 17 years and they all live in a community together with Lev as their leader. Despite some of the horrific events there is a lot of sarcastic and comedic banter wich I really enjoyed.
The world building is very creative and thought out. The reader really gets a sense of what it is like to live in Ivy (the community) alongside the characters. This is where Lev meets Kali and her special brand of crazy is honestly a fun addition in this otherwise harsh reality. Very reminiscent of a Walking Dead/Bird Box kind of feel with surprising mythological elements.
Over all this was wonderfully written and if you're a fan of sci-fi and good survival story, with some explicit and steamy action on the side, this is the book for you.
March 12, 2022
The concept of time is crazy when you think about it....I mean really think about it. Throw in the possibility of alternative timelines or parallel timelines and you could go crazy thinking about it. This book takes that possibility and places you in a what if situation. The story starts off with an extinction type event. Chaos, destruction and despair are all introduced at the beginning of this book. What I loved about the way this story is told is that there are no chapters. It's like walking through time meeting new people as their lives unfold in this terrible event. The author has a way of telling it that is so original that I could not stop reading. I loved the characters and their witty banter within the story. There is a romance aspect to this book but it does not overshadow the main science fiction aspect of the book.
Jennifer Cyphers is a new author to me and I truly enjoyed her writing style. Go give this book a go. I promise it is so different than anything out there. It is a standalone and a perfect book to get lost in. This story was very surprising to me and I enjoyed it immensely. I give this book 5 stars!
Jennifer Cyphers is a new author to me and I truly enjoyed her writing style. Go give this book a go. I promise it is so different than anything out there. It is a standalone and a perfect book to get lost in. This story was very surprising to me and I enjoyed it immensely. I give this book 5 stars!
April 27, 2022
Great book..a must read!!!
I highly recommend!!!
I highly recommend!!!
July 11, 2023
Book review: The Cosmos In Her Hand
Post-apocalyptic science fiction( they fit beautifully together).
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I have found my first 5 ⭐ of the year! This was an action packed story and I loved it so much.
Lev and Kali find each other in a world that ended after the human race was wiped out by a evil and power chasing king, trying to control the human population with Time who actually exists. Lev and others are spared through the destruction of humanity to be saved to train others to fight to save the future from being thrown into hell. By bas the evil king who loves to torture and rewind them just to do it all over again. But Time has saved the very best people to save the human race from being made to suffer through life and death and bring peace again to a world they can make new again.
If you haven't read this I would recommend it a 100 percent!
Post-apocalyptic science fiction( they fit beautifully together).
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I have found my first 5 ⭐ of the year! This was an action packed story and I loved it so much.
Lev and Kali find each other in a world that ended after the human race was wiped out by a evil and power chasing king, trying to control the human population with Time who actually exists. Lev and others are spared through the destruction of humanity to be saved to train others to fight to save the future from being thrown into hell. By bas the evil king who loves to torture and rewind them just to do it all over again. But Time has saved the very best people to save the human race from being made to suffer through life and death and bring peace again to a world they can make new again.
If you haven't read this I would recommend it a 100 percent!
January 17, 2023
A gripping and unique tale full of horror, struggle, and hope.
The authors writing style was unique and gripping from the start. This book is dark, violent, and brutal. Forcing the reader to live through the horrors of witnessing an apocalyptic event and the aftermath. The MPOV story flowed beautifully, and the story was fast-paced. I couldn't put it down.
This book is full of triggers. Depending on your own personal triggers, it can be very hard to read some of the darker scenes.
If you are a fan of The Road or post apocalyptic stories like the walking dead, then you will enjoy this book.
The authors writing style was unique and gripping from the start. This book is dark, violent, and brutal. Forcing the reader to live through the horrors of witnessing an apocalyptic event and the aftermath. The MPOV story flowed beautifully, and the story was fast-paced. I couldn't put it down.
This book is full of triggers. Depending on your own personal triggers, it can be very hard to read some of the darker scenes.
If you are a fan of The Road or post apocalyptic stories like the walking dead, then you will enjoy this book.
November 11, 2022
Plot revolves around a human extinction event that killed most of the humanity and starts off right at the beginning of the disaster, introducing and following some of the main characters as they try to make sense of what's happening. Suddenly you'll be pulled into the intricate world of this post-apocalyptic wasteland that turns out to be a complicated system of wicked science fiction ideas come true. The story is so compelling, I was immersed in the author's imagination as she revealed more and more about the world, the survivors, their communities and the research into Time that was used to orchestrate the extinction event itself. The described dynamics between characters add a feeling as if you were there looking at what's going on right beside them. Plus you'll be introduced to cool concepts of time manipulation and a really strong female lead in the center of it all.
There's mad science and a struggle to restore the balance of the Universe. But there's also romance, relentless loyalty to the greater good and the one's you care about. Despite having wild sci-fi ideas in the storyline (I loved them), there's a lot of normality too. I appreciate descriptions of everyday things, like eating breakfast or having a drink with your friends while talking about stuff, since it makes me bond with the characters more.
I would like this novel for a tv adaptation! It has everything. I read this over the course of 3 weeks and am now totally bummed that I finished it. It's one of the "mammoth-type books" for me - with a long and detailed (!) storyline and equally detailed set of characters.
If you know someone who likes sci-fi and/or post-apocalyptic books, then this would make an excellent Christmas gift. Get yourself a copy too and discuss the developments. So easy for me to recommend, really liked it. Kind of sad that it's a standalone.
There's mad science and a struggle to restore the balance of the Universe. But there's also romance, relentless loyalty to the greater good and the one's you care about. Despite having wild sci-fi ideas in the storyline (I loved them), there's a lot of normality too. I appreciate descriptions of everyday things, like eating breakfast or having a drink with your friends while talking about stuff, since it makes me bond with the characters more.
I would like this novel for a tv adaptation! It has everything. I read this over the course of 3 weeks and am now totally bummed that I finished it. It's one of the "mammoth-type books" for me - with a long and detailed (!) storyline and equally detailed set of characters.
If you know someone who likes sci-fi and/or post-apocalyptic books, then this would make an excellent Christmas gift. Get yourself a copy too and discuss the developments. So easy for me to recommend, really liked it. Kind of sad that it's a standalone.
November 29, 2023
The Cosmos in her Hand breathes alone as a project as vitally as its characters. The narrative moves through time and reality the way the title might suggest—I enjoyed every part of the adventure. Tragedy, bits of hope, humanity, turmoil, and a universal appeal to our flaws and devotion to others, jumps across pages. I bit my nails, held my breath, and wished for resolve.
Cosmos immediately puts you in the headspace of the unthinkable…impossibilities…what we take for granted…the fire of who we are as people. And then what we’d do. Who we’d be. The role we’d assume.
Here are two amazing pulls that reveal the depth of world building and concept:
“The Universe is creative and restores what was and maintains the present.”
“but for regular people, even after death, we’re each still the operator of our own consciousness. That consciousness lives in the present of a new place that’s appropriate for the transformed version of you. “
Twists, violence, relationships, wanting…it’s all in here woven in veins and words.
Cosmos is raw, uncensored, and totally seductive in all senses of the word. It’s like a book with something for everyone: philosophers, sci-fi, dystopian fans, and some eroticism.
Sheer desperation of the first hundred pages is enough to recommend this book. It moves and pulsates and makes you lose track of time on Earth. Cyphers did a great job in her quest to jolt readers.
Cosmos immediately puts you in the headspace of the unthinkable…impossibilities…what we take for granted…the fire of who we are as people. And then what we’d do. Who we’d be. The role we’d assume.
Here are two amazing pulls that reveal the depth of world building and concept:
“The Universe is creative and restores what was and maintains the present.”
“but for regular people, even after death, we’re each still the operator of our own consciousness. That consciousness lives in the present of a new place that’s appropriate for the transformed version of you. “
Twists, violence, relationships, wanting…it’s all in here woven in veins and words.
Cosmos is raw, uncensored, and totally seductive in all senses of the word. It’s like a book with something for everyone: philosophers, sci-fi, dystopian fans, and some eroticism.
Sheer desperation of the first hundred pages is enough to recommend this book. It moves and pulsates and makes you lose track of time on Earth. Cyphers did a great job in her quest to jolt readers.
November 21, 2023
The Cosmos in Her Hand set the stage right from the start. It’s a world ending event with billions of people just dropping out of nowhere. Everyone who survives is forced to navigate the immediate aftermath, which takes an additional toll, and no detail is spared. Awesome start to a story. It skips ahead 17 years from there to a dystopian world of power and conflict. This is where it gets deep into the characters and the overall mystery of what’s been happening. Most of the read is dystopian dialogue with some humor, and it’s a sci-fi dystopian story.
February 16, 2023
Fasten your seatbelts, because you’re about to go on a wild ride!
The book starts off with the main character, Lev, who’s on his way to the airport when a significant extinction event happens across the earth’s population. We’re talking about car crashes, planes falling from the sky, and mass casualties. And that’s all in the first chapter.
The story jumps forward seventeen years, and we follow Lev and other survivors in their compound. That’s when we meet Kali. She shows up with a handful of flowers and a vibrator in her backpack, professing to know who was behind the extinction event, and is determined to deliver Lev help so they can band together and stop the psychopath responsible. There’s scientific technology involved, but I won’t go into detail here.
Kali, as author Cyphers puts it, is a “product of her environment”. She has plenty of emotional demons and physical scars from her life since the extinction event. She’s ruthless, but is strong and kind, and is someone I would want in my corner in such a scenario. One of my favorite lines of hers is when someone mentions how she doesn’t have a weapon, and she says, “Well, maybe I’m a weapon.” Darn right, she is.
But let’s talk about Lev here for a second. Sexy. As. Heck. And ladies, this is a different kind of sexy. It’s not shirtless, overflowing muscles, bad boy sexy. No, this is calm and collected, sexy. This is keeping a cool head while making decisions, sexy. This is loving your woman unconditionally, sexy. Drool. One of my favorite scenes where Lev shows his power just by using his words is on page 313 of the paperback, third paragraph, that starts with, “Plus the 12 here.” I can’t say anything else because it’s a spoiler, but let’s just say, this moment was what did it for me with Lev, followed by the outcome in paragraph four. And also, the ending scene on the last page of the book had me all sexified for him again. You’ll just have to read it to find out!
Cyphers uses imagery that puts you right in the story, like describing a salon full of people who had died nearly two decades ago. A simple description, but I imagined skeletons with stringy hair sitting in the chairs in front of dusty, broken mirrors.
Now for the triggers. There’s language, sex, and violence/torture. If you don’t like sex scenes, you can easily skip a few paragraphs and get past them.
This is a post-apocalyptic book where the characters have to survive, and surviving means killing people who are trying to kill you. This is also a world where you snap someone’s neck to end their suffering. There are also scenes of torture that are carried out for certain reasons I can’t describe here because of spoilers.
Cyphers did an excellent job of submersing me in a post-apocalyptic world with likable characters and plenty of action and suspense. I’m looking forward to her next book!
The book starts off with the main character, Lev, who’s on his way to the airport when a significant extinction event happens across the earth’s population. We’re talking about car crashes, planes falling from the sky, and mass casualties. And that’s all in the first chapter.
The story jumps forward seventeen years, and we follow Lev and other survivors in their compound. That’s when we meet Kali. She shows up with a handful of flowers and a vibrator in her backpack, professing to know who was behind the extinction event, and is determined to deliver Lev help so they can band together and stop the psychopath responsible. There’s scientific technology involved, but I won’t go into detail here.
Kali, as author Cyphers puts it, is a “product of her environment”. She has plenty of emotional demons and physical scars from her life since the extinction event. She’s ruthless, but is strong and kind, and is someone I would want in my corner in such a scenario. One of my favorite lines of hers is when someone mentions how she doesn’t have a weapon, and she says, “Well, maybe I’m a weapon.” Darn right, she is.
But let’s talk about Lev here for a second. Sexy. As. Heck. And ladies, this is a different kind of sexy. It’s not shirtless, overflowing muscles, bad boy sexy. No, this is calm and collected, sexy. This is keeping a cool head while making decisions, sexy. This is loving your woman unconditionally, sexy. Drool. One of my favorite scenes where Lev shows his power just by using his words is on page 313 of the paperback, third paragraph, that starts with, “Plus the 12 here.” I can’t say anything else because it’s a spoiler, but let’s just say, this moment was what did it for me with Lev, followed by the outcome in paragraph four. And also, the ending scene on the last page of the book had me all sexified for him again. You’ll just have to read it to find out!
Cyphers uses imagery that puts you right in the story, like describing a salon full of people who had died nearly two decades ago. A simple description, but I imagined skeletons with stringy hair sitting in the chairs in front of dusty, broken mirrors.
Now for the triggers. There’s language, sex, and violence/torture. If you don’t like sex scenes, you can easily skip a few paragraphs and get past them.
This is a post-apocalyptic book where the characters have to survive, and surviving means killing people who are trying to kill you. This is also a world where you snap someone’s neck to end their suffering. There are also scenes of torture that are carried out for certain reasons I can’t describe here because of spoilers.
Cyphers did an excellent job of submersing me in a post-apocalyptic world with likable characters and plenty of action and suspense. I’m looking forward to her next book!
March 14, 2024
The Cosmos in Her Hand is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel unlike any other I have ever read. Between its covers, Cyphers didn’t just destroy the world. She also blew my mind. The action hooked me within the first few pages, and it wasn’t long before I knew I’d be in for a wild ride. Gritty, raw, and frankly, much darker than books I usually enjoy, the storyline also had moments of heartbreaking beauty and some super sexy romance. At over 600 pages, a lesser author might have split this novel in two, but Cyphers didn’t need a cliffhanger to coax me to continue reading. The novel is character-driven, and even the supporting cast is well-developed. Indeed, my favorite male character was the bartender, James, rather than main-character Lev. As for the females, it was no contest. Protagonist Kali, who initially comes across as “difficult even when she’s being agreeable,” is slow to enter the story, but trust me, you’ll want to stick around to meet her. She is smart, fierce, and just the right amount of crazy. When Kali says, “Intention is important,” she voices what, for me, was the novel’s major theme: Even in the most horrific situation, there are always options. Although you may have but a fraction of a second, choose with intention, because you just might have to live with the outcome—and the memory—for the rest of your life.
August 18, 2024
Cosmos in her hand
“I’m not taking off on a potentially dangerous journey with an intellectual.” -Kali
I can be really quick to DNF books if I don’t like the writing style or word choices, and, to be honest, I thought the writing style was a bit rough and clunky in places, and had this been another book I would have been like nope, I’m out and DNF’d but the story was so compelling I had to keep reading even when the writing style wasn’t for me!
It does take awhile to get to the main story, but Kali, the MFC is worth it, and Cyphers uses that to set up character and relationships in great detail which pays off later.
Cosmos was brutal and compelling, I did have to take a couple of breaks. and I would be lying if I didn’t find many parts confronting, but I don’t mean that in a bad way.
There were also many moments of warm humanity, humor(without spoiling it, I was pissing myself at the banter between some of the characters near the end of the book) and some really interesting ideas about time, the afterlife, the various tech that Kali brings to Ivy, so fascinating ideas!
Kali is unapologetically an absolute savage, and I love it. More FMC’s like this please!
The ending though, and the final revelations about Kali, it’s still living in my head rent free and I read the book 6 months ago. An anthem to feminine rage
“I’m not taking off on a potentially dangerous journey with an intellectual.” -Kali
I can be really quick to DNF books if I don’t like the writing style or word choices, and, to be honest, I thought the writing style was a bit rough and clunky in places, and had this been another book I would have been like nope, I’m out and DNF’d but the story was so compelling I had to keep reading even when the writing style wasn’t for me!
It does take awhile to get to the main story, but Kali, the MFC is worth it, and Cyphers uses that to set up character and relationships in great detail which pays off later.
Cosmos was brutal and compelling, I did have to take a couple of breaks. and I would be lying if I didn’t find many parts confronting, but I don’t mean that in a bad way.
There were also many moments of warm humanity, humor(without spoiling it, I was pissing myself at the banter between some of the characters near the end of the book) and some really interesting ideas about time, the afterlife, the various tech that Kali brings to Ivy, so fascinating ideas!
Kali is unapologetically an absolute savage, and I love it. More FMC’s like this please!
The ending though, and the final revelations about Kali, it’s still living in my head rent free and I read the book 6 months ago. An anthem to feminine rage
May 3, 2022
The book starts with Lev driving to the airport to pick up his fiancee. During the drive, he mentally plans for their future. Let's just say things don't go to plan...and what unfolds is a mysterious disaster.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, as this is outside my typical genre. Once I got into it, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride! The writing style is great, and I could totally picture this as a big budget apocalyptic movie. I did have to adjust to no chapter numbers; the author instead uses chapter headings, because POV and timelines change quite a bit. Being a creature of habit, I like to see what chapter number I'm on. But I realize the author did that intentionally, and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. There are some dark and violent portions, but neither felt gratuitous. The bad guy is just such a great villain - I really hated him, lol. And I had no idea there was a romance element - bonus! If you are looking for a standalone sci-fi that makes you think about what the fabric of time really means, definitely check out this book!
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, as this is outside my typical genre. Once I got into it, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride! The writing style is great, and I could totally picture this as a big budget apocalyptic movie. I did have to adjust to no chapter numbers; the author instead uses chapter headings, because POV and timelines change quite a bit. Being a creature of habit, I like to see what chapter number I'm on. But I realize the author did that intentionally, and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. There are some dark and violent portions, but neither felt gratuitous. The bad guy is just such a great villain - I really hated him, lol. And I had no idea there was a romance element - bonus! If you are looking for a standalone sci-fi that makes you think about what the fabric of time really means, definitely check out this book!
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