Edwin Peng's Blog, page 2

"Star City" at Indigo Bridge Books & Cafe

Thanks everyone for coming to my first Star City event at Indigo Bridge Books & Cafe. Thanks to Madeline, Belinda, and the other great folks of Indigo Bridge for hosting me. Remember, you can still get Star City at the bookstore. Also, please ask the barista for the special "Star City Cooler" drink. All cafe proceeds go to local Nebraska charities .

 

Star City Book Tour #1 - Indigo Bridge Books & Cafe (Lincoln, NE)

This Saturday night, join me at the first stop on my Star City Book Tour at Indigo Bridge Books & Cafe in downtown Lincoln, NE !I'll be reading an excerpt from Star City , my debut YA / Sci-Fi novel. Also, I'll be signing and answering your questions about the series.Lastly, try the "Star City Cooler", a blueberry soda with starry glitter, the official Star City  drink from the Indigo Bridge cafe! All proceeds go to local Lincoln charities. Learn more here! 

Star City Book Tour #1 - Indigo Bridge Books & Cafe (Lincoln, NE)

I'm pleased to announce the first stop on my Star City Book Tour at Indigo Bridge Books & Cafe in downtown Lincoln, NE !I'll be reading an excerpt from Star City , my debut YA / Sci-Fi novel. Also, I'll be signing and answering your questions about the series. Learn more here! 

"Star City" Released!

Star City , the 1st book in my YA/sci-fi Star City series , is now officially released!Click on the book cover or right here to learn more.You can order Star City  on your preferred eBook platform:Smashwords - $0.99 release day special! Amazon/Kindle Barnes & Noble/Nook Apple/iBooks Rakuten/Kobo Star City  paperback edition is now available: Barnes & Noble - $10.94 special Amazon ask your local bookstore Discuss and add Star City on Goodreads . You can follow me on Amazon and BookBub .A big thank you to the good folks of Evolved Publishing ! 

Thank You Reviewers!

Star City , the 1st book in my YA / sci-fi Star City series , will be officially released in less than 24 hours.I thank all the good folks who read and review my novel. I understand that Star City is longer than typical YA novels, so I appreciate the extra time and effort.

 

If you're a blogger, librarian, educator, and/or fellow author, it's not too late to request a free copy from NetGalley. Click on the cover or right here!   

Review of "An Absolute Mind" by Lauren Lola

An Absolute Mind by Lauren Lola Like & discuss this review on GoodreadsLike & discuss this review on AmazonHow I Got this Book

I got the Kindle edition of An Absolute Mind as a complimentary review copy from the author.

Summary

In 22nd century America, nineteen-year-old Sonya Ogino is your typical college sophomore. She thought her biggest problem is choosing a major, but soon she discovers that she has a special genetic ability. Sonya must contend with the dangers - and possibilities - of her "Absolute Memory" powers.

The Good

First, I commend Lauren Lola for the willingness to write something different. An Absolute Mind's genre can be best described as "NA Utopia". Reading this book is a refreshing break from the hoard of YA Dystopian and NA "Abusive Billionaire" Romance novels. The closes novel that is similar in genre is the Earth Girl series by Janet Edwards. 

Lauren Lola gives us a heroine, and perhaps more importantly, an optimistic, progressive future that we can believe in and cheer for. In our current political and social conditions,

The Bad

Usually, we fault a book for what it lacks. For An Absolute Mind, I believe the major flaw is that there's "not enough". I want to explore more of this world and the far-reaching implications of humans with Absolute Memory. I believe this book could be better served if it was expanded into a series. 

Overall

4 of 5
A good "NA Utopian" novel!

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Hardness Scale

apatite (5 of 10)

With Absolute Memory, An Absolute Mind is a bit on the soft side of science fiction. However, I do love an actual realistic take on such a setting. 

Star City is Now Available on NetGalley!

Attention bloggers, librarians, educators, and fellow authors: Star City , the 1st book in my YA / sci-fi Star City series , is now available for your review on NetGalley.Click the book cover or right here to request your free copy!   

"Star City" Pre-Release

Star City , the 1st book in my YA/sci-fi Star City series , is now on pre-release.Release date for eBook & paperback editions is December 4, 2017.Click the book cover or right here to learn more  from Evolved Publishing .You can pre-order Star City  on your preferred eBook platform: Amazon/Kindle Barnes & Noble/Nook Apple/iBooks Rakuten/Kobo Smashwords - $0.99 special!My newsletter subscribers have already received their free eBook copy of the 3 prequel short stories . Subscribe to my newsletter for your free copies and news about my writing.Discuss and add Star City on Goodreads You can follow me on Amazon and BookBub. 

Review of "Starswept" by Mary Fan

Starswept (Starswept #1) by Mary FanLike & discuss this review on Goodreads.Like & discuss this review on AmazonHow I Got this Book

I bought the Kindle edition of Starswept at the regular price of $3.99.

Summary

In the near future, humanity makes contact with an advanced, benevolent, telepathic alien race. Unfortunately for Iris Lei and the other characters of Starswept, this isn't the utopian, idealistic world of Star Trek. Earth is a crappy place to live, with automation technology rendering many humans jobless and producing a small, powerful elite. The only thing of value that humans can sell to the the aliens, the Adryil, are their performing arts. 15-year-old Iris attends an elite art academy. She competes with many other teenagers for their only chance to make a good living: to be chosen to work as performers on the Adryils' planet. One night, Iris inexplicably encountered an Adryil boy, Damiul, who snuck onto her campus. Shenanigans occur, kisses are exchanged, and worlds are changed.

The Good

First, I'm very impressed with Mary Fan's future dystopian world. Unlike the typical YA worlds, there are no overtly oppressive government ruled by a bloodthirsty tyrant (Hunger Games and its copycats) nor are evil monsters/aliens taking over. Instead, the main problem is more vague - and more real. Robots are cheap and effective, rendering many human work obsolete. Elite humans use this to their advantage, forming a vast number of poor who must work for pittances or try for risky opportunities such as competing to perform for the Adryil. The "bad guys" are not a single evil person or even a single evil supernatural beings - rather the antagonists are economical and political in nature. Such complex social commentary are rarely seen in YA genre. During the Cold War, sci-fi writers deal with themes such as nuclear annihilation. Mary Fan expertly discusses the ills of our current world: de-industrialization/automation, immigration, and inequality.

As someone who writes paranormal romance, it may appear surprisingly to say that the romance between Iris and Damiul wasn't the most striking aspect of Starswept. This is not saying that the romance was bad - in fact, I love the fact that (unlike Twilight and its copycats) Iris has plenty of agency in their relationship.

The best, most striking part of Starswept is the competition in this art school for jobs. I believe this novel presents (whether intended or not) the best allegory for American football. Think about it:

Teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds knew that, in an unfair economic system, the only chance to be rich is to participate in an intense competition.Schools and coaches exploit the unpaid talents of the young competitors.The lucky few "turn pro", while most participants leave school without adequate education and any viable job opportunities.Even for the few that became professionals, they are exploited by working for teams controlled by wealthy elite and endure permanent brain damage.

All of that applies to American football and the performing arts in Starswept.  

The Bad

The only significant flaw with Starswept is the world building. Ironically, unlike most YA novels, it's the not world building of alien/fantasy societies that's the problem. Mary Fan did excellent job (just look at the huge glossary of Adryil words!) of building a complex alien world. There are great descriptions of Iris's school, but I would prefer some more world building of Earth itself.

Overall

5 of 5
A great first novel in a great YA/sci-fi series

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Hardness Scale

quartz (7 of 10)

Starswept, with standard sci-fi tropes such casual interstellar travel or telepathic aliens, would normally qualify as soft sci-fi. But the novel makes up with very, very hard "social fiction". The impact of mass automation and alien contact on Earth's economics and politics are extremely good - and extremely relevant. 

"The Meeting" Release!

The Meeting , the 3rd short story in my YA/sci-fi Star City series , is now released! Click the book over or right here to learn more and get a free preview from Evolved Publishing .My newsletter subscribers have already received their free eBook copy of The Meeting. Subscribe now for more gifts and news about my writing .Find The Meeting  on your favorite eBook market: Amazon/Kindle Barnes & Nobles/Nook Apple/iBooks Inketera Kobo Smashwords Please rate and review on Goodreads and BookBub.