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Tahlia Newland

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A brave departure from the norm. Review of the Darkest of Suns Will Rise by Brian Sfinas.

May 10, 2015 by Tahlia Newland

I’ve had a break from writing reviews, but I like reading, and the publishing industry needs professional appraisals so I’ll be adding a few reviews to the blog again. If you’re an author, take a look at my Review Policy to see the parameters I’ve set on it so it doesn’t become a burden. I’ll not be dealing with authors directly which will take the most difficult part out of the role. I’m starting with a science fiction book review of a book with a difference. Enjoy the review.

The Darkest of Suns Will Rise by Brian Sfinas

This science fiction story takes a different approach to story-telling.  Rather than have the story laid out for the reader in the usual way, it’s left to the reader to string it together from a series of reports that range from a personal diary of a rather psychologically challenged girl to excerpts from official documents. Apart from the diaries, the effect is somewhat impersonal. At first I was thinking, ‘Eek, what a huge info dump’, but I found the subject matter interesting, so I read on and eventually got used to the style.  By the end of it, I was tossing up between 4.5 and 5 stars.

The characters (not particularly likable, but certainly intriguing) enjoyed a relationship that involved very violent sex (not explicit). Insights into why they were like that came as the book progressed, as did a unifying thread of quelling a rebellion, exposing a traitor and characters and relationships not being what they appeared to be. The end had a surprising element that left me wondering and left me with a strange feeling that I’d just read something remarkable, even though on the surface it didn’t appear to be.

The prose, though virtually all exposition, as would be expected in a report form, is well written, and the book has been finely edited. It’s refreshing to see a different approach to story telling.

Buy The Darkest of Suns Will Rise on Amazon today!

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Filed Under: 5 stars, Literary fiction, Reviews, Science Fiction Tagged With: science fiction review

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Hi I’m Tahlia Newland

I can help you express yourself and share your story with the world.

 

Do you want to write a really good story and have it professionally polished and published?

As an editor, I help you be the best writer you can possibly be. I strengthen your voice, support your vision and can assist you all the way to publication.

On my blog you’ll find book reviews, writer’s tips, contemplative articles on meditation and working with your mind, and occaisonally pictures of my Burmese cats.

If you’re interested mostly in my contemplative articles then  Sign up to the Living in Peace & Clarity Newsletter to get those articles delivered by email. And check out the resources on my Living in Peace and Clarity Page.

I do a lot of community work involving blogging and general support for Buddhist students processing revelations of abuse in their spiritual communities.  Please consider supporting me to continue this work.

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