U.L. Harper

After reading this book, I had to take a moment to digest everything I had just read (in a good way). This book will stick with you for a while after you have put it down. Although, in the beginning; there was a moment where I was not sure this book was going to be a fit for me. I was intrigued but at the same time not sure what to feel about the story. Yet, after a few chapters, I really got into the story and Arthur's abilities.

What I really enjoyed the most about this book was the journal entries Arthur wrote to his wife, Sandra. They helped tell share Arthur's story growing up to his present life including how he met Sandra. The events in his childhood did shape the way Arthur acted and his outlook on life. The author did a very nice job of bringing together only a handful of main characters but making their voices strong.

The first half of the book was more about Arthur sharing his story and his abilities. The second half is where the story picked up even more and Arthur had to really make the difficult choices about who lived and died; while exposing himself to the world. Finally, I have to comment by saying that this story ended well. There is nothing worse then to read a whole book only to have a weak ending.… (mais)

I was happy to win a free giveaway copy of U.L. Harper's book, In Blackness through Goodreads and I thank U.L. Harper for his warm and thoughtful inscription.

I came to the novel completely blind to what it was about, which allowed me to fully enjoy the build-up towards its climax. Though the writing style is not as full-bodied as literary works, the absence of detailed descriptions of setting added to the book's eerie surrealism. What U.L. Harper lacks in descriptive writing, he makes up in his ability to compel you to turn the page in anticipation of discovering upcoming events.

Though the characters' flaws could not fully articulate the potential richness of their relationships to one another, which is what I believe U.L. Harper attempted to do in his story, the characters themselves became representations of larger societal values: Lenny, the religious skeptic with survival instincts; Saline, the spiritual seeker and peacemaker; Busak, the "entrepreneur;" and Dustin, the rebellious advocate. Together they form the microcosm of survival.

What was inevitably interesting in this piece was the creative science fiction of what and who these characters needed to face. Its details were reflections of known stereotypes, yet descriptions of horrific and graphic images of potentially our communal fear: extermination. This novel could very easily be adapted into a screenplay for a sci-fi movie, which with the right budget, special effects, and producer could help propel it to its fullest potential.

This novel is a simple, yet good start to a science fiction series that can entertain the youthful sci-fi audience in which it is intended.
… (mais)