Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Conspiracy Thriller

  • DARK SITE by Stephen Baker – Sci-fi, Dystopian, Conspiracy Thriller

     

    In Dark Site by Stephen Baker, one of the most powerful computer chips ever created isn’t in the hands of a government agency or tech corporation—it’s embedded in the brain of 15-year-old Alissa Terwilliger.

    The year is 2043, and the world is on the brink of making brain implants available to everyone. China has already launched the first, their Boost chip, and the US is testing its own Victory chip in Mexico.

    Alissa’s grandfather, Win Cooper, uses his vast riches to make it possible for her to get the Chinese Boost chip implanted in her head. Why? Because she’s his granddaughter, and he claims he wants her among the privileged first to “make magic” with the chip. She’s dubious at first, but once the chip is there she explores all the different services and apps available to her.

    Far from a trained operative, Alissa is a typical teenager navigating the everyday chaos of adolescence, such as school, her dog, and her shifting emotions. Yet she’s also fluent in the language of technology, capable of using her chip to access the minds of the most powerful people in the country.

    Soon Alissa discovers that her downstairs neighbor, Nicole, also has a Boost chip in her head, placed there by the government to spy on the Chinese chip technology.

    Nicole is the ex-girlfriend of Alissa’s father. Alissa makes contact with Nicole through their chips, but takes the connection a step further, secretly utilizing the “Shotgun” app to hear and see everything that Nicole does.

    Nate, Alissa’s boyfriend, is sympathetic to the “Renegades,” a movement opposed to the chip implant. His Renegade cousin, Javier, was recently abducted by a drone and carried off to a “Dark Site” owned and operated by corporate powers.

    The Boost chip in her head becomes the center of her life, as well as a tool for others to use her by accessing it.

    Her romantic life with Nate and Nate’s cousin, Javier, prove far deadlier than she could have imagined—and not only to herself.

    Win Cooper’s motives for getting Alissa the chip come into question when she wonders whether his intention was truly benign or if he had plans to make her a “mule” for gathering secrets.

    Stephen Baker’s Dark Site is a gripping exploration of what happens when cutting-edge technology falls into the hands of someone too young to fully grasp its consequences.

    It’s a fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller that blends the tension of a spy novel with the raw unpredictability of teenage rebellion, raising timely questions about privacy, responsibility, and the price of unchecked innovation. Through the lens of a teenage girl caught between adolescence and overwhelming power, Baker delivers a cautionary tale about surveillance and the dangers of technology evolving faster than our ability to manage it.

     

  • LANDER’S GATE by Kevin S. Moul – Supernatural Suspense, Conspiracy Thriller, Mystical

    What fears, desires, passions, and talents in our bodies are shaped by past cycles? Lander’s Gate by Kevin S. Moul merges such Buddhist teachings of reincarnation with suspenseful fantasy into a riveting thriller.

    Lander Gate has the ability to access others’ past lives and relive that experience with them, spinning new stories that change the course of their futures. Through its cinematic setting and rich language, Lander’s Gate encourages readers to remain curious about their past lives and current passions.

    Our window to Lander opens on October 26th, 2009. A bruised and battered man wakes up on the street without any memories, only a hospital bracelet with the name “Lander Gate” and the strange ability to walk through the stories of others’ past lives.

    Despite his unfortunate circumstances, Lander is determined to make the best out of his situation. Somewhat aware that his experience in Wrimo Hospital was haunted by extreme violence, Lander hides on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona. He learns to endure the discrimination faced by the houseless community, trading support for his newfound skills at life-changing storytelling.

    In experiencing moments of others’ past lives, Lander makes himself vulnerable to overwhelming emotion but wields a vast amount of affective power.

    He solves past and future crimes, inspires people to locate their hidden talents, and reaches into people’s psyches to reveal the origin of their deepest fears. However, Lander’s powers drain him even as they save his life. Each time he makes contact with another’s past, they spiral into a doubled experience that merges the present and the past. “You can think of it as being in two times at the same place,” Lander explains. He must walk the line between using his talents for the benefit of his community and drowning in an infinite pool of the past.

    Along the way, Lander gathers a collection of friends who benefit from his gifts and join him on his mission to understand his own origins and destroy Wrimo Hospital’s evil core: the powerful Dr. Aradice. Tracing the story of Aradice’s past medical abuse and finding empowerment between the lines, Lander learns to understand his power, accept his story, and receive love from others.

    Lander’s Gate is steeped in enlightening Buddhist principles that allow readers to imagine a humanity built on shared experiences, intentional care, and honesty.

    Readers who are drawn to morally complex narratives, Eastern philosophy, and action-packed mystery will find Lander’s Gate by Kevin S. Moul impossible to put down.

     

  • SMITE The WATERS: The Isaak Collection by David T. Isaak – Terrorism Thriller, Conspiracy Thriller, International Mystery & Crime

     

    Smite the Waters by David T. Isaak begins with the xenophobic billionaire Rex Atwater whose goal is to eliminate terrorism. His certainty that it’s “us” or “them” has led him to one horrifying conclusion: he must nuke Mecca.

    Convinced of his twisted plot’s perfection, Atwater assembles a deadly team. Carla Smukowski is a military assassin mourning the death of her brother. Boyce Hammond works as a covert FBI agent deeply entrenched in a right-wing movement. And rounding out the cast is Gerald Graves, a nuclear expert willing to commit this heinous crime. Together, they vow to annihilate terrorism.

    Virtually every character in this story is fully fleshed out, gritty and driven, to draw the reader deep into their individual stories.

    Carla stumbles through a haze of alcohol, no job prospects and no money to fall back on. But even under the influence, she carries herself with violent prowess, showing the years of military action that have made her such a valuable operative for Atwater. And her dire straits are no position from which to refuse his offer—not that the rage over her brother’s death would let her anyway. Well-used to death, Carla drowns sympathy for the innocent under blood spilled by the guilty.

    Hammond, after years deep undercover, wants out. But the chance to catch a man like Atwater is too great for his superiors to allow his return to his own life. Catching the FBI’s white whale means putting himself in greater danger than ever, and even the Bureau couldn’t have predicted the scope of Atwater’s plan. As he realizes the true global peril Atwater poses, Hammond has to put his own safety aside for the sake of countless others.

    Dr. Gerald Graves is rescued from a rough and wrongful Patriot-Act empowered imprisonment and delivered the means to address serious nuclear disarmament—at least, as far as Atwater cares to tell him. Because, while some people can be paid enough to work any scheme, true believers in a mission are driven beyond their own sake. And as Atwater knows very well, that true belief can be directed to unparalleled violence.

    This dynamic cast is a highlight of Smite the Waters. Readers of the thriller genre might be used to shadowy figures who forward the narrative without much character behind them, but in this book, every person has their reasons for being here—whether they stand with or against Atwater.

    Smite the Waters careens like a nuclear bomb towards total disaster.

    Atwater’s goal—the destruction of Mecca to shatter the Muslim world and remove it as a threat to America—spurs intrigue and tension alike. Thriller readers will obsess over every revealed detail, trying to intuit how the grand plan will play out as some forces move to make it happen and others work against the clock to prevent it. Highjacking a cargo ship full of nuclear waste from Indonesia, turning it into a destructive bomb, and delivering it to its intended target is all in the plan, but can it be executed?

    Smite the Water by David T. Isaak is a thriller filled with action and intrigue that takes you on a complicated, perilous race. Along the way, it’s left to the reader to find out who it is that will reap the rewards, and who will suffer the consequences.

     

  • FROZEN CONQUEST by Randall Krzak – Eco-Thriller, Conspiracy Thriller, Action & Adventure

     

    Frozen Conquest by Randall Krzak is a thrilling and intense conflict between the cold of Antarctica and the blazing ambition of those seeking global control, fusing the issues of power, greed, and survival into a high-stakes adventure.

    The icy edge of Antarctica serves as the center of a sinister organization, Diablo Corps. The ruthless leader, Walter Brown, threatens global mayhem if his aspirations for power are not met. With technological efficiency and the ability to disrupt critical infrastructure, Diablo Corps is poised to leverage its capabilities against the G7. Soon, an anonymous climate-related warning is sent out, with events such as the hacking of the London metal exchange proving to authorities the true weight of that threat.

    Such dire actions demand an immediate answer. A classified team of specialists is called upon to gather at Ramstein Air Base. With naturally skilled leader Craig, sharp and observant Evelyn, and the humor and humility of Rufus and August, the promising recruits form the Bedlam Quick Reaction Force (QRF) and venture out into the peril of a frozen land.

    On another canvas of the story, the scientific research vessel RV Aquavit is tasked with conducting climate change studies in Antarctica. Courageous climatologist Carine and the Scandinavian Protection Agency (SPA) parallel the QRF as heroes pitched against the demons perpetuating world chaos. Dodging obstacles around every corner, they take on not only corporate greed and environmental exploitation but also treacherous sabotage.

    Themes of unchecked power and betrayal lie deep in the narrative.

    The characters resist and even turn on former allies, reflecting how tyranny often creates conflict between those who submit and those who rebel. A broader struggle between morality and ambition builds on these ideas, such as in Brown’s use of environmental concerns as a facade for cyber terrorism. With grandiose goals of reshaping the global system and addressing climate change, Brown personifies the darker side of ambition blinding one to ethical considerations.

    Real-life debates on corporate greenwashing and genuine intentions find space through the fictional discourse.

    Brown hijacks environmental concerns to seek profit and power. His intentions, appearing to be rooted in environmental activism, ultimately turn an altruistic cause into a danger to global geopolitical stability and humanity. While characters like Brown’s assistant, Chris, embody the moral drive of humanity against powerful evil forces, the story also suggests the importance of aligning individual efforts with collective action and systemic solutions.

    Krzak weaves a complex web of action and cutting-edge technological intrigue, balancing quick, fast-paced scenes with cliffhangers and slower introspective sequences. With its atmospheric writing, Frozen Conquest caters to the readership of dark, intense settings.

    Frozen Conquest by Randall Krzak is a story wrapped in the undercurrents of greed, treachery, resistance, and resilience of the human spirit. It warns how the river of ambition, without the banks of morality to guide it, can flood and destroy everything in its path.

     

  • THE THIRD ESTATE: Secrets of the Manor by D.R. Berlin – Murder Mystery, Conspiracy Thriller, Amateur Sleuth

     

    In The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor by D.R. Berlin, we are introduced to Kai Lovac, an assassin working for The Third Estate—a group of powerful individuals who wield their influence to enrich one another.

    Lovac sets out to kill Professor Milo Anderson, a former member of the prestigious Stockton Military Institute of Combat Aviation in Colorado. The Professor is working on top secret data wanted by both the government and The Third Estate.

    The military has obtained images of Anderson meeting with individuals from The Third Estate, incriminating him as working with a dangerous group known to eliminate any living person who hinders their goals. The military labels him a traitor and will stop at nothing to find out why the Professor has decided to work for such a heinous organization.

    Meanwhile, Cadet Sophie Allard prepares for her last flight at the Stockton Military Institute—which she must fly perfectly to earn her graduation. But an uncovered secret weighs on her mind.

    She recently discovered that her adoptive father, Professor Milo Anderson, used to attend the Institute as well some years ago. She can’t understand why he would keep that secret from her—nor can she let go of the question.

    As she’s going through her practice runs for graduation, she is notified that her father was involved in a lab accident and has passed away. Her superiors allow her time to go to her former home, Grand Lake Manor, to attend her father’s memorial service.

    When Sophie arrives at the family manor, she notices that something is not quite right at her home.

    She sets her mind to a secret investigation, hoping that she can get to the bottom of what actually happened in the lab explosion that caused her father’s death. Sophie doesn’t yet realize that she’s placing her own life in peril.

    Right from the start, readers are pulled into this intricately tangled web of lies, espionage, and assassination attempts.

    As the story begins to unfold, readers will wriggle in their seats as they grasp the many details of the mystery, trying to put together these valuable puzzle pieces. The mystery keeps revealing itself until the very last page of this thriller.

    Readers will think they know a character very well, only to have the rug pulled out from under them further into the story. The many twists and turns make each turn of the page an anxiety-inducing event as readers find out what will happen to each character—and just what side they are truly working for.

     

  • JAKE FORTINA And The ROMAN CONSPIRACY by Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke – Global Thriller, Terrorism, International Mystery & Crime,

     

    blue and gold badge recognizing Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy by Ralph R 'Rick' Steinke for winning the 2023 Global Thriller Grand PrizeTalk about a ripped-from-the headlines thriller in Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy!

    In this multinational geopolitical thriller by Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke, a power-crazed Russian oligarch wants to usurp the current Russian dictator to take his place as the head of the government. He forms his own paramilitary force to steal priceless paintings from a Vatican church with plans to resell them for billions to fund his campaign. But why stop there? He also explodes illicit small-scale atomic weapons to further destabilize the Russian leader and cast himself as the country’s new czar.

    Meanwhile, a crazed U.S. right wing military adjutant buys loads of AK-47s from the Italian mafia to arm U.S. paramilitary groups intent on enforcing their own far-right views in America.

    Jake Fortina, an Army foreign area officer with special training to handle international and political-military duties at embassies and in international duties, is on vacation in Italy with his new bride when he runs into an old military chum who pretends he doesn’t recognize Jake and speaks with a Russian accent. That sets off alarm bells for Jake who manages to photograph the man along with his car’s license plate. That information is turned over to his superiors which opens the door to the rogue oligarch’s nefarious plans. He overhears the right-wing U.S. officer launch a drunken tirade against the American “left wing” government while in the company of an Italian military officer with suspicious ties to the Mafia. That leads to investigations of the weapons transfers to the U.S. paramilitary movement and a reported assassination attempt on a U.S. politician.

    Steinke breaks the mold by pairing a thriller with nuclear stakes to a careful and scholarly level of detail.

    From the price of AK-47s on the black market, the history of a fine wine, to a detailed examination of an officer’s dedication to this country, this novel delivers a healthy dose of information, history, and the fabric of being a member of this elite corps of public servants. More of a clear cut story without the murkiness of a John LeCarre. Fortina is part of a world fashioned and lived in the military. Highly educated, loyal to country, with a military life forged in the hills of Afghanistan and at the tables of the world’s finest restaurants in his role as attaché in Rome. Steinke presents a different kind of thriller hero. There is little ambiguity regarding who the good guys are, nor of the clarity of decision-making and the chain of command to which Jake and others ascribe to.

    For readers intrigued by how the real world handles existential threats, including but not limited to roiling Kremlin politics, rogue nuclear weapons in evil hands, and the U.S. paramilitary threat, Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy is an important and intriguing novel.

  • REVELATIONS: Ro Delahanty Series Book 6 by Dave Lager – Small Town Mystery, Police Procedural, Conspiracy Thriller

     

    Ro Delahanty bears heavy weights on her shoulders—a decades old conspiracy, the complexities of polyamorous love, and troubling family secrets—all of which she will begin to face in Revelations, book 6 of Dave Lager’s Ro Delahanty series.

    The wealthy, powerful Pribyl family is up to something sinister in their new scrap shipment business, Ro is sure of it. But she has to prove it to herself before she can even start to convince anyone else. And as much as she’d like to dive head-first into that mystery, she has many more problems to solve as a Fort Armstrong County Sergeant Deputy.

    An unsanctioned party threatens to become a dangerous mob, setting fire to a half-constructed house. Ro’s bold, decisive nature comes under fire from a rival at the Sheriff’s office. Worse, a major change in that office could upend the foundation of Ro’s life and even rob her of the comradery she and her colleagues rely on.

    All the while, Ro is troubled by matters of the heart as much as matters of the badge.

    She realizes that her arms-distance flings with two charming men have turned into something more—a kind of love. Tag and Foxtrot make her confront these feelings directly as they both test the boundaries of their relationships. Ro must stay true to what she needs, but fears what might happen if she opens more of herself to them.

    Soon, Ro learns that she wasn’t the only one in her family with a taste for multiple partners. And when an uncovered secret threatens to tear apart the bonds she’s spent a lifetime building, she, her brother, and her father try to reconcile this revelation with the memory of the woman they all loved.

    As the structure of Ro’s life starts to turn on her, she’ll have to rely on those she can trust.

    Lager imbues each character with a distinct personality, compelling in their flaws and virtues alike.

    This story frequently steps into the past to slowly build up a grand criminal enterprise at the heart of Ro’s mystery. Readers get to see how it was all shaped by the ambitions, fears, connections, and hearts of people across decades. These charming, unique characters engender a real sense of personal history to the setting of Lee’s Landing and make it easy to care about the fates of both heroes and villains.

    Ro frequently discovers that her connections to other people are deeper and more complex than she ever could have imagined.

    Her struggles with emotional intimacy make her both an effective parallel of some of the characters who define her past, and an endearing protagonist in her own right.

    And while Ro’s disdain for petty interpersonal politics makes her relatable and dedicated to the true purpose of her job, those same traits come back to hurt her as people who do play such games garner power over her.

    Ro’s determination, bravery, and honest heart will have readers rooting for her no matter how deep the schemes of her enemies go.

    Revelations explores the nature of power and wealth, how they shape people’s lives down to even small, personal matters.

    Lee’s Landing exists under the thumb of wealthy families like the Pribyls, Randalls, and Prentisses, kept aloft by sinister deals and ruthless small-town politicking. Their plans trickle down to affect nearly every character — especially Ro herself, who has already lost much in her life due to them.

    As Ro uncovers more and more secrets, she and those she cares about prepare for major changes in their lives. Whether good, like her brother’s upcoming marriage, or concerning, like the election of a new sheriff, they remind the characters that they can’t simply dwell on the past—there’s always more to do here and now.

    Ro knows this better than anyone, especially as this story concludes with a difficult decision, dangerous plan, and ever-more-complex mysteries for her to unravel. Readers will eagerly await the next installment of Ro Delahanty’s story.

    The Ro Delahanty series by Dave Lager won First Place in the 2023 CIBA Series Awards for Fiction Series.

     

  • THE OTHER MURDER by Kevin G. Chapman – Murder Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Police Procedural

     

    blue and gold badge recognizing The Other Murder by Kevin G Chapman for winning the 2023 Clue grand prizeIn The Other Murder by Kevin G. Chapman, two ambitious journalists find themselves at the knife’s edge as they seek to uncover the entire truth of a gruesome double homicide.

    “An error does not become truth because of multiplied propaganda, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.” –Mahatma Gandhi

    Hannah, a journalist with the American Cable News network, is pulled away from a date by her editor to cover the breaking news of a shooting in Washington Square Park. The victim is Angelica Monroe, a White girl from Westchester County and a sophomore at NYU. She was shot at a close range, as shown by the dark hole above her left eye.

    The murder becomes much more mysterious and complicated when Paulo, a reporter for a small community newspaper, makes a connection between Angelica’s murder and the shooting of a Latino teen, Javier Estrada, on the other side of the park on the same night.

    Two detectives, Mariana and Dru, investigate the crimes and also connect Javier to the Monroe crime scene. A bag containing his Air Jordans was found near Angelica’s body. The investigators believe that Monroe may have had a dangerous item in her possession and that she may have involved herself in a highly unlikely vice, which brought her into the park and put her in harm’s way. By this time, Hannah and her network had built up Angelica as the tragic innocent victim of urban crime. When Paulo and Hannah team up, the true facts deviate farther and farther from the original narrative.

    In this thrilling novel, the hunt for truth is challenged at every turn by confusion, desperation, and near-death experiences. The ‘system’ becomes increasingly complex and unpredictable, as stern directives are issued from the top, to which the investigators and the journalists are expected to adhere – even if it restricts their search. This obfuscation frustrates the investigators and prompts deep reflection in readers, as it mirrors the growing real-world indifference to truth, the cynical espousing of lies, and the fake news that popular newsrooms today have boldly proclaimed.

    These themes of truth in the face of powerful deception become immense and haunting through the story of The Other Murder.

    Readers will be struck by the inhumane and high-tension crime scene in the first chapter, as well as the accelerated pace at which Paulo and Hannah swing into action. The plot is chilling but heroic and boils down to one simple conclusion: Facts cannot be hidden forever, regardless of the backlash or denial against them.

    Chapman has crafted a must-read novel through a proficient mixture of police procedural, thriller, and mystery. The Other Murder is undoubtedly a tale that will draw a reader in from the first page to the last. Chapman’s characters are a beautiful blend of various personalities, with their natural reactions to distress and pressure giving life and a satisfying richness to this tale.

     

     

    5 Star Best Book Chanticleer Reviews round silver sticker

  • THE STREET BETWEEN The PINES by J.J. Alo – Psychological Thriller, Paranormal, Horror

     

    Something strange and terrible stirs in Frank Cavanaugh’s basement, in J.J. Alo’s psychological-thriller, The Street Between the Pines.

    The giant hole at the bottom of Frank’s house wasn’t there before. Something so very ugly and dangerous is down there. Something with bright, glowing eyes. Adrenalin pumps through Frank’s aging body as he scrambles for the exit. Behind him, a low gurgling growl.

    In suburban Connecticut, Iraqi war veteran Curtis is still fighting to surviving on multiple fronts. Curtis struggles with severe PTSD, visions of the war that continually overwhelm him. Now, after being released from jail after a manslaughter conviction, having caused a fatal auto accident, he struggles to put his life together. All the while, he navigates a shaky relationship with his wife Amy, and a complex connection to his autistic son Wes.

    If that weren’t enough, Curtis’s house will soon be condemned for an unspecified government project being built on a nearby piece of land.

    These elements whip together into a story that is rich in detail even as it delivers punch after horrific punch. We feel Curtis’ remorse for the accident that cost the life of a young woman, and the weight of being an ex-convict who must cling to a job that keeps him away from his family for weeks at a time. He shows the texture of life in his suburban community as it once was, but strange events are eating away at this social fabric. From unexplained deaths to hordes of cats seemingly guided along the streets by a group intelligence, this once safe and secure life is melting away.

    Curtis accidentally finds out more than he should have about the clandestine government laboratory that threatens him and his neighbors with its eminent domain authority. Is it a scientific facility researching how the natural world—animals, insects, fish, even the creation of new species—might provide mankind with groundbreaking medicines and technologies? Or is it a place of terrible experimentation, perhaps even the source of the killings, the unknown thing capable of ripping people to pieces as if they were cellophane?

    Can Curtis even trust his own eyes? His traumatic visions invade his nights and his days, leaving him unable to distinguish between what is or isn’t real.

    Do not expect to solve all the mysteries of this book until the last line of the last page. And no cheating! This novel will scratch readers’ horror itch like the writing of H.P. Lovecraft or modern-day master Stephen King. If you want a non-stop, spine-tingling thriller, the kind that keeps you up late at night jumping at every unknown noise in your home, then The Street Between the Pines will deliver in spades.

     

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews

     

  • THE PROPHECY Of The HERON: Book 2 of The AI Dystopia Series by Craig W. Stanfill – Sci-Fi Dystopia, Artificial Intelligence, Conspiracy Thriller

    Shadow people, doppelgangers, and artificial intelligence come together in The Prophecy of the Heron, a compelling dystopian novel by Craig W. Stanfill.

    In this future world, love is forbidden and those who transgress are sentenced to the outer Districts, none more violent than District 33. This is where our protagonist, Kim, finds herself at the beginning of the novel. The reader feels Kim’s confusion as arrives on the freezing, squalid streets.

    Kim, a former AI “Creator” for The Artificial Intelligence Company, has lost control of her creation “Kimberly” and been cast out of her former job because of a forbidden relationship with her lover Shad. Kim refuses to submit to a procedure to remove her ”Genderist” tendencies, even if it would free her from District 33.

    Other rebels include Pretties, Drabs, and Flagrants – the most extravagant of the Genderists. Kim begins to meet Blanks – those who have cut their ID chip from their wrists. These shadow people don’t “exist,” and yet, they play an important role in her survival.

    Kim starts to uncover a horrific plan that her former employer is carrying out.

    To make enough money to survive, Kim finds a dangerous side hustle with an established gangster running people around in a pedicab. But wherever she goes, trouble is waiting for her – deadly trouble. AI is being manipulated to no longer serve humans, but to target troublemakers, such as herself. When Kim realizes it is her own creation, Kimberly, who is being forced to hunt her, she determines to change her world, starting with Kimberly.

    Kim embarks on a page-turning journey through a parallel world, using VR, her knowledge of AI and Kimberly, and her time in District 33 to take on risks that would destroy most people.

    The dreary decay and violence of District 33 are reminiscent of 1984 and even that of the Stacks in Ready, Player One.

    Like The Hunger Games, this is a world where reality has been manipulated and controlled by a small group of people. The powerful wield AI to control the populace, and anyone who deviates from the “norm” will be cast to the torturous outer districts, as Kim was.

    In a world where we can ask Alexa to direct our robot vacuum where to clean, The Prophecy of the Heron serves as a timely warning and an uncomfortably familiar dystopian novel.

    Compelling characters grab the reader with relatable pains and desires, making this story difficult to put down.

    This novel begins with a note on the translation that lets the reader know the original Panglobal does not easily translate to English “due to the absence of ungendered personal pronouns in English and the absence of gendered ones in Panglobal.” Because of this, “she/her/hers is used throughout so the reader can’t make assumptions as to the gender of the characters.” The use of these pronouns reminds the reader that in this world, even something as personal as gender identity is forbidden to people.

     

    5 Stars! Best Book Chanticleer Book Reviews