Enhanced: Book One of The Terrian Trilogy

by Jenny Benjamin

Jesse Woods – drum line maestro, track star, honors student – is a standout as one of the only Black students at a suburban Chicago high school. His well-organized world is thrown into chaos when his school is attacked by an alien species, Terrians, who have been playing gods throughout human history. Jesse and two others from the drumline, Kate and Hayden, are pulled into an epic alien conspiracy and forced on a quest to retrieve an ancient artifact that will help decide the victory in the battle for planet Earth. The three teenagers will face impossible odds and fight the powerful enemies, as well as their own demons, to protect their loved ones and save the world they know.Yeah, right, what else, locusts? Dragons in the sky? Alien ships? War between worlds? Armageddon? Yes. Maybe. Only Jesse and his friends can stop it.

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2021

About the author

Jenny Benjamin is the owner of her freelance writing and editing business JB Communications, LLC. Over thirty of her poems have appeared in journals, including DIAGRAM, South Carolina Review, Fulcrum, Baltimore Review, Chelsea, and the Crab Orchard Review. Her first novel, This Most Amazing, was published in 2013 by Armida Books in Nicosia, Cyprus. Her poetry chapbook, More Than a Box of Crayons, was published by Finishing Line Press in February 2018. Her poetry chapbook, Midway, won second place in the 2017 No Chair Press contest and was published in April 2018. Enhanced and Corrupted, the first two books of her young adult, science fiction trilogy was published by Ananke Press (October 2021, July 2022). Redeemed: Book Three of the Terrian Trilogy is forthcoming in December 2022. Her novel Heather Finch was published by Running Wild Press (June 2022). She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her three children and dog.

Reviews

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

Enhanced by Jenny Benjamin is the first book in the new young-adult sci-fi-fantasy Terrain trilogy. This book marked an excellent beginning of what could be a potentially amazing trilogy. This book had everything that I had expected and SO MUCH MORE!

The concept is brilliant setting a strong foundation not only for this book but for the next two books as well and the author's writing kept the flow of the story very fluid and smooth making it a flawless experience. The characters were well-built and the world-building was up to the mark, the creatures/monsters were terrific and the detailing in the book was commendable. Overall this book made for a fantastically engrossing read and had me hooked right from the beginning till the very end, making me want to jump into the next book right away (which, of course, I did!)

I would strongly recommend this book to all science-fiction readers and to high-fantasy enthusiasts who love reading well-developed and realistic young-adult characters.
_______________________

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

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engrossing, fast-moving science fiction story set in the form of a quest. I especially enjoyed the tie-ins with world myths and religions that Benjamin uses to create the framework on which she hangs an original and exciting saga of her own.

[E.V. Svetova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really should be a movie. Non-stop action, epic battles with awesome special effects, but - most importantly - extremely relatable and compelling protagonist. The story is centered around highschool students, but their relationship are so realistic that an adult reader would enjoy this YA fantasy.