Library of Clean Reads: Lance Erlick

Showing posts with label Lance Erlick. Show all posts

Monday, March 13, 2017

Xenogeneic: First Contact by Lance Erlick (Review and Giveaway!)

Once again, I am featuring one of Lance Erlick's novels on my site. This time I'm kicking off the tour with my review of his recently released Xenogeneic, a science fiction thriller about first contact with an alien race that lost their civil war and wants to take over Earth.

Book Details:

Book Title: Xenogeneic: First Contact by Lance Erlick
Category: Adult Fiction, 300 pages
Genre: Sci-fi Thriller
Publisher: Finlee Augare Books
Release date: March 2017
Tour dates: March 13 to April 7, 2017
Content Rating: PG + M (This book is rated PG+M because of mature subject. No explicit sex.)

Book Description:

Xenogeneic is a science fiction thriller about first contact with an alien race that lost their civil war and wants to take over Earth.

Dr. Elena Pyetrov’s father vanished in space 18 years ago while searching for extraterrestrial life. As an aerospace engineer, Elena travels into space to search for answers and continue his work. Her ship is pulled off course and crashes. She suspects extraterrestrial interference.

The alien Knoonk lost their civil war in a distant star system and fled to Earth’s neighborhood to hide and regroup. They seek a new home—Earth. Unable to live in Earth’s toxic environment, the aliens kidnap and use humans to genetically modify their species to adapt.

Surviving the crash, Elena and her shipmates are transported to a closed cave system where the Knoonk monitor and control everything. Elena tries to make a connection with her hosts and find ways to work together, but Knoonk leaders rebuff her and force the humans to submit as slaves. The aliens use illusions, distractions, and social experiments to learn from their hostages and keep them off balance. Resistance by captive humans brings swift punishment to break the human spirit.

While Elena continues to look for ways to cooperate with the Knoonk, it becomes apparent that there can be no compromise. The Knoonk want to capture Earth for their species. It is winner take all. With time running out, Elena must dig deep to uncover the alien plan and find a way to stop them before the human race faces enslavement and extinction.

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Add to Goodreads

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Last year I read all four books in the Regina Shen series by Lance Erlick. It was of the dystopian genre and I found it to be a heart-pounding and thrilling series. I began to read Xenogeneic with high expectations. The book starts off great as Dr. Elena Pyetrov, an aerospace engineer, sets out into space on her mission. The ship gets sabotaged by aliens known as the Knoonk and she survives the crash along with some members of the crew and passengers. They end up waking up on an unknown planet in a closed cave system where they are enslaved by the aliens.

Although suspenseful, this book was not as thrilling as the Regina Shen series. I did not find the characters nor the world-building as well developed as the other series and I wasn't as emotionally invested in this story. The plot was okay and I was compelled to keep reading to see how it would all play out, but I had mixed feelings about the ending.

The great thing about Erlick's books is that, although he doesn't shy away from creating a variety of characters and complex worlds, the books remain relatively clean with no bad language and no explicit sex scenes. And his main characters tends to be brave and loyal. As in the Regina Shen series, Elena stands out as a character and she propels the story forward. Lovers of sci-fi will enjoy the alien invasion theme and the strong smart female protagonist who is at the forefront of saving the Earth.

To read more reviews, please visit Lance Erlick's page on iRead Book Tours.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the Author:

Lance Erlick writes science fiction thrillers for young adult and adult readers. He is the author of The Rebel Within, The Rebel Trap, and Rebels Divided, three books in the Rebel series. In those stories, he explores the consequences of Annabelle Scott following her conscience. He authored the Regina Shen series--Resilience, Vigilance, Defiance, and Endurance. This series takes place after abrupt climate change leads to the Great Collapse and a new society under the World Federation. His latest novel is Xenogeneic: First Contactabout encounters with an alien race aiming to take over Earth.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Enter the Giveaway!

Win a copy of Xenogeneic: First Contact. One person will also receive a $25 Amazon gift card (print open to USA and ebook for int’l) 2 winners total

Ends April 15

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Thursday, July 14, 2016

Regina Shen: Endurance Book 4 by Lance Erlick (Review and Giveaway!)

So once again, Regina is on the run with her partner Ester. She has gained hero status among the rebels who see her as their only hope for survival.

Book Details:

Book Title: Regina Shen: Endurance (Book 4) by Lance Erlick
Category: YA fiction, 260 pages
Genre: Sci-fi / adventure / dystopian
Publisher: Finlee Augare Books
Release date: July 2016
Content Rating: PG

Book Description:

Betrayed by her own mother, outcast Regina Shen has been trying to free her sister. Instead, she becomes a pawn in the World Federation’s struggle for power and succession.

Worldwide fertility has collapsed and the World Premier is dying, leading to a crisis of leadership. Battle lines are forming and Regina holds the keys to resolving the fertility crisis with her genome and elevating whoever can capture and control her into positions of power. Using her photographic (eidetic) memory of illegal books, she also holds the key to locating ancient artifacts that could save or destroy the Federation. In holding these keys, Regina should be treated as a queen, but outcasts aren’t even allowed to become citizens.

Having survived the swamps, deserts, and wilderness, Regina continues to try to barter for freedom for her and her sister, but the stakes are too high. Federation agents hound Regina to uncover ancient artifacts and serve herself up as a lab specimen to prevent human extinction. The disgraced Inspector Joanne Demarco pretends to be Regina’s ally to get her to deliver the location of ancient DNA vaults that could change the balance of power. Meanwhile, ruthless rivals are willing to do anything to destroy Demarco and control Regina.

Regina’s new journey will test her endurance, her ability to recognize opportunities, and her knack for avoiding capture. She will also face a tragedy and a strange twist of destiny that will shake her to her core and get her to question everything. Will she be able to overcome adversity or will she descend down an even more dangerous path?

My Review

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Endurance is the fourth book in the Regina Shen series and the ending left me with the strong feeling this series will continue. The books must be read in order and are not stand-alone novels, so I strongly suggest you begin with the first three books. You can read my reviews of Resilience, Book 1 in the Regina Shen series, Vigilance Book 2, and Defiance Book 3.

So once again, Regina is on the run with her partner Ester. She has gained hero status among the rebels who see her as their only hope for survival. Regina is humble and does not want this recognition but it helps her survive as these rebels risk their lives to help her. For most of the book the circumstances are similar to those in Book 3 with Regina looking for, and succeeding to find, ways to barter for her sister. The only difference really was the setting. This time she had to go up against the brutal heat and harsh landscape of the desert.

The author once again succeeds in transporting us into Regina's world, but I was hoping for more in the plot. It seemed repetitive with the two rivals having the same conversations with the governor and Regina going through the same things to try to free her sister. I was tired of Ester's whining and her lack of wit when captured which I feel caused the tragedy. I was thrilled when Fran, a character from Book 2, who is tough and courageous, was brought back into the plot. The best part of the book takes place in the last chapters and then the book ends, much to my disappointment.

There are unanswered questions and unresolved issues, so I'm assuming the author plans to wrap it all up in another sequel. So far this has been a captivating series, with the first book being the best out of the four. If you like well-written dystopian novels don't miss this series. I'm hoping it will continue so that it can all end in a satisfying way.

To read more reviews, please visit Lance Erlick's page on iRead Book Tours

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the Author:

Growing up, he was inspired by his father’s engineering work on cutting-edge aerospace projects to look to the future.

In an ideal world, Lance would find time loops where he could step out for a week at a time to read and write. Then he would return to the moment he left, without life getting in the way. Of course, since everyone would have the same ability, he suspects life would still sneak in.

Lance is also the author of short stories and novelettes.

Connect with the author: Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway!

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Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Regina Shen: Defiance Book 3 by Lance Erlick (Review and Giveaway!)

Once again Lance Erlick has pulled me into Regina Shen's world with a well-written dystopian novel that delivers as promised.

Book Details:

Book Title: Regina Shen: Defiance (Book 3)
Category: YA fiction, 278 pages
Genre: Sci-fi / adventure / dystopian
Publisher: Finlee Augare Books
Release date: July 2015
Available for review in: Print, (mobi for Kindle, ePUB)
Will send print books: USA
Content Rating: PG

Book Description:

On the run, outcast Regina Shen is determined to stop the Federation’s relentless attacks on her family and friends, but the stakes are much higher now and she is deep in foreign and hostile territory.

The Federation condemned Regina to live on the seaward side of barrier walls, but she crossed into the Federation where she continues to survive by her wits. Competing Federation agents vie to capture her and use her to acquire power, based on her genome being the key to prevent human extinction. When her sister is kidnapped again and agents close in, Regina flees west with a friend across deserts created by abrupt climate change.

Raised on swampy islands and underwater salvage, they must adapt to different harsh environments. Guided by her photographic (eidetic) memory of illegal print books from before the Federation, Regina is determined to defy the Federation and find a treasure big enough to barter for freedom for her and her sister. In the cat-and-mouse game, can she find allies and ways to escape the Federation dragnet long enough to discover something to trade?

Buy the book: Amazon Barnes & Noble

My Review

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Defiance is the third book in the Regina Shen series and once again the author pulls me into Regina's world. This series must be read in order and are not stand-alone novels, so I strongly suggest you begin with the first two books. You can read my reviews of Resilience, Book 1 in the Regina Shen series, and Vigilance, Book 2.

As I've stated in both my reviews of the first two books, what makes this series so good are the well-developed characters and the world-building. This continues in the third book as Regina continues to run from those wanting to hunt her down. This time she gets the support from renegade groups who see her as their hope for a better world. Regina is no longer navigating the swamps on the opposite side of the Wall that separates the outcasts, but she is in foreign dry land, hiding in bunkers, forests and among the truckers who cross desert-like areas to deliver their goods.

Regina is a pawn in the corrupt political arena that plays out for power in this dystopian setting. She's 17 but has a photographic memory and has been trained with knowledge from illegal salvaged print books so that she is able to outwit some of those who are after her for her DNA to solve the fertility crisis. The Chief Inspector who hunts her down understands how Regina thinks because they come from the same background and she is the perfect villain. The author displays both her cruelty but also her vulnerability, making her a fleshed-out well-developed character.

Once again we are introduced to new characters and I must say that the author does a great job doing this. Each character pulls their weight in carrying the storyline forward and their distinct characterisation makes his novels such a pleasure to read. Ester, who becomes Regina's companion on the run becomes lovesick and annoying. She's a distraction to Regina and doesn't always understand what makes Regina such a survivalist but she eventually redeems herself in my eyes by the end of the book.

Once again, because this is an all-women society there are references to lesbianism. At one point this even opened up the discussion about the whole fertility crisis and the need for males so that conception could occur naturally and not in a lab. I don't read LGBT and don't consider this series in that category so I'm comfortable moving forward in the series as this theme is not major in the books.

Once again, through many twists and turns, Regina finds herself at a crossroad by the end of the novel, leaving the reader wondering how it will continue to play out. I look forward to digging into the last book Endurance Book 4 in the series to see how Regina keeps growing as a character and as a leader for change in her broken society. If you like well-written dystopian novels don't miss this series. It will not disappoint!

To read more reviews, please visit Lance Erlick's page on iRead Book Tours

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the Author:

Growing up, he was inspired by his father’s engineering work on cutting-edge aerospace projects to look to the future.

Lance is also the author of short stories and novelettes.

Connect with the author: Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Regina Shen: Vigilance Book 2 by Lance Erlick (Review and Giveaway!)

What makes this series so good are the well-developed characters and the world-building. This continues in the second book as we get deeper into the story.

Book Details:

Book Title: Regina Shen: Vigilance (Book 2)
Category: YA fiction, 236 pages
Genre: Sci-fi / adventure / dystopian
Publisher: Finlee Augare Books
Release date: April 2015
Content Rating: PG (no bad language or sex, some violence)

Book Description:

After two years of training, outcast Regina Shen prepares to jump the barrier wall into the World Federation to hunt for her sister, but nothing goes according to plan. The Federation condemns Regina and her family to live on the seaward side of barrier walls.

For two years she avoided capture. Now the Federation is desperate to exploit her unique DNA in order to prevent human extinction. She would rather die than help the people who kidnapped her sister. The Federation’s notorious Department of Antiquities, under the command of Chief Inspector Joanne Demarco, polices barrier walls, destroys knowledge from the past, and pursues Regina for her genome. Now Demarco has a ruthless rival who aims to capture Regina as a means to overthrow Demarco.

Regina has survived by her wits on swampy islands and salvage from sunken cities, including illegal print books not available in the Federation. Her photographic (eidetic) memory, access to these books, and an amazing teacher just may help her reach the university town in the Federation where they’re holding her sister. Pursued by Antiquities, Regina jumps the wall into the Federation.

While making new friends and enemies, she must use her wits to avoid letting either of two rival inspectors capture her. Can she rescue her sister from an obvious trap?

Buy the book: Amazon Barnes & Noble

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Vigilance is the second book in the Regina Shen series and I found it just as thrilling as the first book. This series must be read in order and are not stand-alone novels, so I strongly suggest you begin with the first book. You can read my review of Resilience, Book 1 in the Regina Shen series, a book I found to be a pleasant surprise and a true gem among dystopian indie books.

What makes this series so good are the well-developed characters and the world-building. This continues in the second book as we get deeper into the story. Regina, who lives in the swampy islands outside The Wall with the outcasts of their only-female society has been training for the last two years to manage the huge feat of crossing this impossible barrier wall and then infiltrating the University as a student.

She manages it but her intelligence and free-thinking gets her into trouble. It also makes her see just how much The World Federation bullies their society into submission and conformity, and Regina goes against the grain. She discovers other free-thinkers and manages to find her sister, evade capture, and decide that she must use her skills and life to change things.

Once again, Regina uses her wits and this time, unbeknown to her, she is up against two rivals who are using her as a pawn in their own game for power and greed. New characters are introduced and Regina goes through many trials. She experiences tragedy, makes new friends and discovers her worth in view of what she can do to bring about possible change.

Because the world in this novel is an all female society there were instances where two of the characters showed a love attachment to another female. It was subtle however. The author has not portrayed the society as a lesbian one so I have been comfortable up to now reading this series and hope that this aspect does not become a major theme in the series.

I look forward to digging into Defiance Book 3 in the series to see how Regina keeps growing as a character and as a leader for change in her broken society. If you like well-written dystopian novels don't miss this series. It will not disappoint!

To read more reviews, please visit Lance Erlick's page on iRead Book Tours

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the Author:

Growing up, he was inspired by his father’s engineering work on cutting-edge aerospace projects to look to the future.

Lance is also the author of short stories and novelettes.

Connect with the author: Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Regina Shen: Resilience Book 1 by Lance Erlick (Review and Giveaway!)

Every year I discover a few books I consider gems written by indie authors. After reading the description of the Regina Shen series I was intrigued and pleasantly surprised by how much I was taken in by this story and loved reading this debut to what promises to be a heart-pounding and thrilling series.

Book Details:

Book Title: Regina Shen: Resilience (Book 1) by Lance Erlick
Category: YA fiction, 227 pages
Genre: Sci-fi / adventure / dystopian
Publisher: Finlee Augare Books
Release date: March 2015
Content Rating: PG (no bad language or sex, some violence)

Book Description:

Regina Shen is an outcast forced to fend for herself in a world that bans books and artifacts from before the Great Collapse. An approaching storm could be the least of her problems. The World Federation condemns Regina and her family to live on the seaward side of barrier walls. Those walls were built to hold back rising seas caused by abrupt climate change and as a place to dump outcasts.

A hurricane threatens to destroy Regina’s world, tearing her from sister, mom, and home. Now Federation agents claim she has unique DNA that could prevent human extinction. It's too bad she doesn't trust them enough to barter fairly, let alone with her life. Three-hundred-plus-year-old Grand Old Dames rule the all-female Federation using a rigid caste system. Their notorious Department of Antiquities, under the command of Chief Inspector Joanne Demarco, polices barrier walls, destroys knowledge from the past to suppress dissent, and pursues Regina for her genome.

Regina survives by her wits on swampy islands and thrives on salvage from sunken cities, including illegal print books from before the Federation. With her photographic (eidetic) memory, she defies Antiquities by consuming salvaged books not available in the Federation, which makes her an outcast even among her exiled peers. With Antiquities in pursuit, Regina fights to stay alive and avoid capture while hunting for her family. Does she have the resilience to survive both the storm and Antiquities?

Buy the book: Amazon Barnes & Noble

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

As I began reading, I was immediately pulled into a dystopian world where a Great Collapse occurred 300 years earlier as a result of abrupt climate change, rising seas and open warfare. This caused society to build huge concrete walls around all continents to hold back the rising seas. It's a world made up of only females (it's not clear what happened to the male population) with a caste system. Regina Shen and her family are Marginals, outcasts who live on the other side of the wall where there are swampy islands, genetically enhanced alligators and bounty hunters who kidnap young girls into slavery.

Just as Katniss stands out with her bravery and kindness in The Hunger Games, Regina Shen is a character one is not soon to forget. She doesn't set out to be a hero, but she is brave, kind and resilient in the face of tragedy and many obstacles. When the Federation discovers that her DNA can solve the dilemma of their fertility crisis, Regina is hunted ruthlessly. She uses her wits and survival skills to outrun them and manages to stay hidden with the help of Mo-Mere, her wise teacher.

What makes this novel so good are the well-developed characters and the world-building. Regina is a good role model for teens in that she stands up to what is right, does not give up in searching for her family and does not wallow in self-pity. She uses her knowledge from the forbidden reading of print books that have been banned, but that she salvages from the sunken cities below her swampy world. The author succeeds well in creating a character we come to admire and want to see how far she gets in unsettling the ruling class.

Joanne Demarco is her rival. A woman who has risen from the bottom of the caste system and is now Chief Inspector hunting for Regina so she can continue to rise in her pursuit for power and glory. But these are not cookie-cutter characters. They are complex with motivations and aspirations anyone can relate to. The author has created the perfect rival for Regina because Demarco understand Regina's world and Regina understands how to outwit her.

As I said before, the world-building is amazing. I could feel the oppressive humid heat of the swamps, envision the islands with scavenged goods for survival, smell the fishy channels as Regina manoeuvred her log boat against the currents, and see the Great Wall as it towered high above the starving Marginals who flocked to it after the storm destroyed their homes.

This first book is a great start to the series and I immediately began to read the second one as I finished this one. As a reader, we now want to know what Regina will do to find her younger sister. We are also left with the mystery of Regina's mother and why she disappeared. Do not be deterred by the book's cover which I don't think does the book justice. I'm not fond of depictions of angry youngsters with guns and it truly does not depict Regina's true character. A symbol, like the one of the cover of The Hunger Games or the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu would be more fitting.

Regina Shen: Resilience will go on my list of best books read in 2016. I am reading all four books in the series and my review of Regina Shen: Vigilance Book 2 will be posted on June 28. If you like well-written dystopian novels don't miss this series. It will not disappoint!

To read more reviews, please visit Lance Erlick's page on iRead Book Tours

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the author:

He was raised by a roaming aerospace engineer, growing up in various parts of the United States and Europe, as well as traveling through Asia. He took to stories as his anchor, including the works of Asimov, Bradbury, and Heinlein, and has been writing since age eleven.

Growing up, he was inspired by his father’s engineering work on cutting-edge aerospace projects to look to the future.

In an ideal world, Lance would find time loops where he could step out for a week at a time to read and write. Then he would return to the moment he left, without life getting in the way. Of course, since everyone would have the same ability, he suspects life would still sneak in.

Lance is also the author of short stories and novelettes.

Connect with the author: Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway