A SciFi Western Novella – Sunset On Maior Pales by Benjamin X Wretlind @bxwretlind

Posted on November 24, 2023 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

Law 1: Not to kill

Law 2: Obey

Law 3: And here is the conundrum…Cletus, a robot, cannot harm a human, but he cannot let humans come to harm by not acting, and that is where he falls into the trap.

I have read several of Benjamin X Wretlind’s in depth novels and loved them, so when I saw Sunset On Maior Pales, a SciFi, western novella, I had to give it a shot. I love the cover, but the story fell a bit short for me. Is it because my expectations were very high, or it wasn’t a good fit for me, but I loved the ending. Regardless, I will read anything Benjamin writes.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

CYN-4329-2316-ACBS-092134853a–known to itself as Cletus and assigned a male gender in one of its first acts as an AI consciousness–has a bug in its programming. Against all logic, the ghost of a young man has muddled its circuits and promised to give it a soul…provided one small thing that only a self-aware robot with a yearning to self-actualize can do.

After centuries of exploration, humans are finally on the move to settle new worlds. To better facilitate settlement, advance teams of sentient robots have been sent ahead to build new towns and roll out the red carpet for the arrival of their masters. Now, just one month before the big event known as Arrival, Cletus is about to mess it all up.

The ghost of Boone Richards claims his family was murdered hundreds of years ago, and on board the shuttle that will deliver the humans to the western-themed town of Free Point, the direct descendant of that murderer has put together a gang of other outlaws to wreak havoc on the newly dubbed planet Maior Pales. When the ghost of Boone’s sister, Delphine, speaks up, Cletus finds himself faced with a dilemma for which its programming is incapable of processing.

How do you follow orders when doing so would break one law but not doing so would break another? And just how does a robot gain a soul?

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Novellas and Short Stories, Western
115 pages, Paperback
Published January 16, 2022

ABOUT BENJAMIN X WRETLIND (from Amazon)

Benjamin, a multi-genre author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.

He is the author of the dystopian novel Beneath Gehenna, the psychological horror Castles, Sketches from the Spanish Mustang (literary fiction), Sunset on Maior Pales (a sci-fi western) and other novels and novellas.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Etsy

MY BENJAMIN X WRETLIND REVIEWS

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WTH – Streetcab Seshjack by Olle Ordsmed @OlleOrdsmed

Posted on September 18, 2023 by fundinmental

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, I want to let you, the reader, know that this book is outside my reading genre. I am venturing into the unknown, for me. I am reading more ‘digitally’ targeted stories to stretch my imagination and open my mind to new possibilities. My rating may not do the book justice for those who thrive in the cyberpunk world.

Maybe because I am unfamiliar with cyberpunk and this is a novella, but I was confused in the beginning. It took me a while to get involved in the story, a whodunit, a who took ‘my’ money story.

It is definitely a wild ride into the digital world. All I could think of to relate the story to was The Matrix, but I never watched the movie in it’s entirety. I knew the moment Aed gave control to Null, he would regret it, but he does get his answers. I think it is a wake up call for all of us. No matter what…you can be hacked. Where there is a will, there is a way.

I had numerous WTH moments, but, you in the know, know. For a virtual reality novice like me, it took me a while to get involved, but, once I did, I had to know the outcome. No one is immune to betrayal and I had to know whodunit.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Streetcab Seshjack by Olle Ordsmed.

GOODREADS BLURB

Aedan Namakoto is a man torn between two lives. Online, he is the respected founder of a VR network promising virtual worlds free from invasive ads and surreptitious surveillance. Offline, he’s a guilt-ridden single father in poor health, working obsessively to escape the past.

But one day his two lives collide.

When a mysterious hacker pulls off an impossible crypto heist, Aedan is left broke and his network on the brink of bankruptcy. Desperate to take back what’s his, Aedan seeks help from his estranged brother, the powerful CEO of a rivaling VR network. But an enemy is a dangerous ally. And when Aedan does the unthinkable — borrowing a body against the will of its owner — he is betrayed in the worst possible way.

Genre: Cyberpunk, Fantasy, Fiction, Novella, Science Fiction
94 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2023
ISBN: 9789152764183 (ISBN10: 9152764184)
Language: English

ABOUT OLLE ORDSMED

Olle Ordsmed is a science fiction writer fascinated by humankind’s struggle to adapt to her own inventions. He made his literary debut in 2023 with the cyberpunk novella Streetcab Seshjack.
To pursue a career as an author, he alternates yearly between working as a software developer and writing full-time. His go-to remedies for writer’s block are night walks and pitch-black showers.

Website / Twitter / Instagram

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Giveaway – Runners by Justin Hale @XpressoTours

Posted on June 27, 2023 by fundinmental

Runners
Justin Hale
Publication date: June 27th 2023
Genres: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction

A high octane, cyberpunk thrill ride that will have you hanging on to the edge of your seat!

On the planet Nera, a world of towering metropolises powered by nano technology and controlled by corporations, Mr. Zan and his misfit crew have trained for five years to be Omegas, the greatest and most elusive assassins on the planet. However, disillusioned with their mission, they went rogue and killed their handler, Nancy. Now, they run guns to survive, while racing to stay one step ahead of the living Shadows that hunt them. After a tragic, traumatic attack, Zan and his crew find themselves on the outs with Dietrich Boateng, one of the most powerful men on the planet.

But when Dietrich suddenly risks everything to warn them of a new, dangerous threat, events are set in motion that threaten to spiral out of their control. To make matters worse, Deputy Marshal Akira Sudo is hot on their trail, after a coverup leads her to believe that there is more to this case than meets the eye.

If they can complete Dietrich’s mission, they might secure the tools they need to survive the next Omegas that show up to exact revenge. If they don’t, they might not survive to see tomorrow. For fans of Neuromancer, Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, and Altered Carbon, this action-packed, dystopian Sci-Fi romp will leave you breathless and wanting more!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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Author Bio:

Justin Hale is an author who lives in the Bay Area of California with his wife, Candy, and crazy dog, Maya. He is originally from the small, coastal city of Brunswick, GA and is a diehard Georgia Bulldog football fan. After suffering a mental health crisis, Justin left his full-time job, using his recovery time to finish and release his debut novel, RUNNERS. In his free time, he enjoys video games, watching pro wrestling, and making his wife laugh.

Justin first wanted to be an author at seven years old. He participated in a class project to write letters to The Polar Express author Chris Van Allsburg. The project was to draw a picture of what the students thought Chris Van Allsburg looked like and to write him a small message. Justin drew a grey version of Frankenstein’s monster, writing “I didn’t know what you looked like, so I drew you as Frankenstein[‘s monster], because he is weird and so are you.” His teacher was not impressed, but the experience made him interested in becoming an author, even if it would take 30+ years to arrive at that goal.

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway – Nova’s Blade by Will SciFi @willscifi @iReadBookTours

Posted on March 9, 2022 by fundinmental

Join Us For This Tour From: February 21 to March 11
Book Details:

Book Title: Nova’s Blade: A Young Adult Dystopian Cyberpunk by Will Scifi
Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 346 pages
Genre: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17)
Publisher: Will Scifi
Publication Date: February 1st 2022.
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: So there are no curse words or sex scenes in the book. There is violence such as people getting stabbed, limbs cut off, head cut off. There is a mention of an abortion in it, no depiction of it. No suicides’, but talks about it as well.

Book Description:

THIRTY-TWO WOMEN. ONE ARENA. A BATTLE TO THE DEATH.

After a long war, corporations have replaced countries. Sports are fought to the death. The most popular game is Last Valkyrie, a live tournament where women kill each other for marriage into a powerful family.

For Nova, living in poverty with her mother and sister is a harsh reality that she cannot escape. But when she is kidnapped and forced to fight on the show, her world changes. If she refuses to fight, the bomb in her head goes off. Now winning means her freedom.

With death lurking at every moment, Nova has no idea if her next fight will be her last. But one thing she knows for certain: only one is making it out alive.

Perfect for fans of Hunger Games, The Selection, and The Princess Trials. You won’t want to put down this exciting page-turner!

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon

Meet the Author:

Will Scifi is a pen name for an author from California. He loves reading and writing mainly science fiction that touches on themes surrounding American culture. He draws inspiration from the over 500 movies he has watched in the last 5 years, books, tv shows, and real life. When he is not writing, he can be found in the gym or watching movies at home or in the theaters. He thanks all of his fans for their support and highly encourages anyone who has read his work to always leave a review.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:

Feb 21 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 22 – Girl with Pen – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 23 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 25 –
Feb 28 –My Reading Getaway – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 1 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 2 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight
Mar 3 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Mar 4 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 7 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Mar 8 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 9 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 10 – Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Mar 11 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight

Enter the Giveaway:

Nova’s Blade: A Young Adult Dystopian Cyberpunk Book Tour Giveaway

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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One Sentence Review – Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff @JasonWerbeloff

Posted on April 22, 2017 by fundinmental

The cover for Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff has a crisp, simple cover that makes me want to walk with Peter…until…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Who is to say what the future holds and the road to success in Patenting Peter by Jason Werebeloff is twisted and perverted, leading to much anguish in Peter’s life in this eerie, creepy, futuristic, science fiction short story that left me a bit disgusted, amused and thinking, “Am I really paranoid if Someone Is Watching Me?”

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me. She says there aren’t cameras in my contact lenses. No microphone in the ‘vitamin pill’ they made me swallow on the submarine into Tokyo.

She says I’m paranoid. That I should get off the couch, and find a job.

But there’s a glowing number in the bottom-right corner of my vision. And each time I move, each time I yawn, or slouch, or laugh too loudly, the number ticks upwards.

My wife says the Bureau isn’t watching me.

She would say that. She works for them.

Plunge into Patenting Peter, a psychological sci-fi thriller.

MY JASON WEREBELOFF REVIEWS

Investing Isobella

One Sentence Review – Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff @JasonWerbeloff

Posted on April 8, 2017 by fundinmental

The Creepy cover for Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff makes me eager to begin reading this sci-fi and horror short story.

How about you?

You can get it FREE.

Amazon / Goodreads

ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Investing Isobella is a creepy and unsettling story of a man’s careless decision that may cost him the thing most dear to him, until he makes an even dumber mistake that I revel in while my emotions go from anger and being super pissed off to a smile on my face and a sense of satisfaction at the end.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: Paul Sanders is a desperate man. He and his daughter, Isobella, are weeks away from living in the Gutter.

Enter Jono Falanges, a greasy stockbroker who promises Paul all the money he needs, and more. The only catch is, Paul must invest Isobella’s health on the stock market.

Plunge down the slippery slope of morality with Investing Isobella, a horrifying sci-fi novella. You won’t look at your investments the same way, ever again.

Jason also has some other freebies you can check out HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Bah…Humbug by Tony Bertauski @tonybertauski

Posted on November 15, 2016 by fundinmental

I have been reading Tony Bertauski’s Christmas stories since the very beginning and have loved each and every one, so I was eager to get my hands on Humbug.

Be sure and check out his other books below, where you can find my review links.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Fantastic twist on a familiar tale.

Tony Bertauski has come away with another winner in Humbug. This is one of those books that is hard to review without giving away all the goodies inside.

You may think you know the story, but when Tony Bertauski spins a tale, he creates a world of his own, original, unique and highly creative.

I immediately thought steampunk because of all the technology involved, but cyberpunk will do just fine.

Ebenezer is constantly riding around his castle on a Segway. He is overweight and a bit lazy. He wants what he wants when he wants it and expects his androids to deliver. He doesn’t leave his castle and doesn’t want any human contact. No one knows what he looks like because he projects a created image when he talks ‘face to face’.

At times I felt like Ebenezer got what he deserved and other times I felt sorry for him. After all, we don’t always know what happens to shape a person into who they have become.

We do travel to the future, visit the present and go back to the past to find out his story.

The twists and turns kept me entertained and I surely never saw the end coming. I loved it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Humbug by Tony Bertauski.

4 Stars

AMAZON BLURB: Jacob Marley is dead. His business partner, Eb Scrooge, is left to run Avocado, Inc., an innovative technology business, all alone. An introverted shut-in locked away in a Colorado mansion, he changes the company’s mission statement. Only his servant droids keep him company.

Until the gifts arrive.

Each Christmas, a messenger forces Eb to look at his life in hopes he will change. But change does not happen in a single night. And only Eb can make it happen.

But who is sending the messengers?

ABOUT TONY BERTAUSKI

Get my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com

My grandpa never graduated high school. He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened when they died?

I’ve written textbooks on landscape design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more finesse, but still informational for the most part.

I’m a cynical reader. I demand the writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted to create stories that kept you up late.

Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write. Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way. You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.

My reviews for Tony Bertauski’s books: