Wesley Britton's Blog, page 2

New review of The Blind Alien!

Can’t believe it took me two weeks to discover this review—pretty cool, methinks-

The Blind Alien
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story and Characters
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2021

I Loved this book. It was not what I was expecting, it was better. There are interesting characters and situations. Initially I was a surprised by the "alien language" but it did not take long to get used to it and it enhanced the story telling. The theme of family in the book is wonderful. I have already purchased the second book in the series. Give this book a try!!
-- Renee Varin Potratz

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...

Book Review: Broken Chains by Karina Kantas

Broken Chains
Karina Kantas
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dirty Streets Press (November 9, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 250 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1912996502
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1912996506
https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Chains-...

Reviewed by: Dr. Wesley Britton


In the opening pages of Broken Chains, we meet a young lady named Elizabeth Finley who is spying on MI5 headquarters. She’s a civilian wondering just how realistic the TV series Spooks is, the show renamed MI5 in the states. In short order, we meet an actual MI5 agent named Alex. He has been observing Liz before he recruits her into becoming a real operative for the spy organization.
Soon Liz is in the field on her first assignment-or so she thinks-before she’s abducted and endures a frightening and painful interrogation. At first, she thinks she’s in the hands of some unknown enemy until she learns she’s being tested by MI5 itself. And all this whirls by in just the first chapter. At the same time as all this is going on, we all get to wonder-is Alex more than a mentor to Liz? Will they or won’t they?
After that setup, few readers can anticipate what is coming in Kantas’s gritty and often hardcore tale of betrayal, brutal life inside three Mafia families, not to mention a very unexpected romance as Liz endures every physical torture imaginable. At the same time, she is forced to explore a very dark family heritage she knew nothing about.
I must admit, during the first chapters I thought I was reading a ‘60s-style spy novel featuring a spunky lady who becomes a master spy like an Alfred Hitchcock character. Then as every page in this fast-paced tale gets harsher and harsher, it became more and more evident Broken Chains is not for the faint-hearted or squeamish. That is, until the tone of the book changes again and we move into the few warm, positive later chapters. Temporarily. Liz has much to endure, over and over again.
My favorite part of it all is Kantas’s character development, primarily of Liz but also all the men who become part of her orbit as they all do their best to force her to bow to their respective wills. Liz is far more than a damsel in distress as we come to respect her, admire her, understand her, and get to explore the depths of who she is as a resilient, thoughtful, and caring human being. Through it all, I keep wondering just how effective MI5 can be as there’s no evidence they are doing anything on behalf of their young fledgling. For her part, as Liz is abducted over and over, her MI5 connections don’t seem to matter to her-those short months don’t remain an important memory in her life.
Again, this tale includes a lot of explicit material, both sexually and violently, especially the lengthy torture scenes. If that sort of material doesn’t turn you off, Broken Chains is a hot burner of a thriller that I found hard to put down.


This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Nov. 15, 2021:


https://waa.ai/qMQi

New Return to Alpha News!

Thanks to “The Protagonist Speaks” website, the “home of interviews with the characters of your favorite books,” I was able to let Major Mary Carpenter Renbourn answer a number of in-depth questions in her own words. Not only can you learn some insights into her appearances in Return to Alpha: A New Saga Begins, and Alpha Tales 2044, Mary offers some tidbits into coming attractions. It’s your turn to fall in love with Mary at:

https://theprotagonistspeaks.com/2021...


And don’t forget, you can still get a free copy of the audiobook edition of Return to Alpha just by signing up to AudibleBooks-

https://www.audible.com/pd/Return-to-...

And you can still check out the exciting new Return to Alpha trailer featuring new music by the rockin’ band called Jelli-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbZgY...

Alien Vision Holiday gifts

Just in time for holiday shopping: here are some unique collector's items you can pick up via GearBubble and the Beta-Earth Chronicles shop:

All items are available through GearBubble. Stop by www.drwesleybritton.com (link below) and click on the image or the description, and the GearBubble order page will open.

Necklace - Join the Tribe
“Join the Tribe” Necklace

Coffee mug - Alien Vision
“Alien Vision” Coffee Mug

Travel mug - I Travel with Aliens
“I Travel with Aliens” Travel Mug
Travel mug - I Travel with Aliens
“I Travel with Aliens” Travel Mug

https://drwesleybritton.com/shop/

Book Review: William G Howard's Marigold

Marigold
William G. Howard
ISBN: 978-1-6657-0260-7 (sc); ISBN: 978-1-6657-0261-4 (e)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08ZSDF3NQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Archway Publishing (March 11, 2021)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZSDF3NQ/...

Reviewed by : Dr. Wesley Britton

If you like your reads fast-paced, non-stop, wall-to-wall action adventure, William G. Howard’s Marigold just might be your ticket to ride. That’s especially true if you’re an aficionado of video games as so much of this novel reminds me of a multi-layered game with a wide cast of characters always on the move. They’re either chasing or being chased, constantly escaping from perilous situations with clever if often implausible gimmicks to get out of harm’s way, and it’s often difficult to know who are the good guys, who are the baddies.
Howard’s unique vision is set in the year 2270, a time in which eastern countries dominate planet earth, so Howard presents his canvas with a considerable amount of imagery drawn from the mythology of Egypt and India. But this is a world full of dangerous if useful futuristic technology, multi-layered political power struggles, and world threatening dangers ranging from viruses to nuclear bombs.
With all these moving parts and sub-plots, we get so many characters we don’t get to know any of them in any depth. All the publicity for the book focuses on “Marigold,” a half-human, half-android called an “inorganic” woman on the run as she’s suspected of murder she didn’t commit. She was created in the Lyceum Mechaniska laboratory, an inorganic built to assist individuals who have experienced emotional or physical trauma. But she’s now on the run, in danger of being terminated while being on a mission to stop a virus from being released and find the mysterious “Pink Bunny.” She’s being chased by, among others, Detective Chabox Brignadoc, who thinks Marigold might be the victim of a high-level conspiracy.
Marigold’s saga is, however, just one thread of a complex tapestry that never quits. You can’t let your attention lag for a second if you want to keep up with this adventure-on-adventure-on-adventure.
I had to admire howard’s futuristic world-building which is extremely vivid and colorful. You might be a tad disconcerted by just how all the dialogue is so formal and verbose. Still, that is a small quibble in this flood of thrills and chills and surprises, lots of surprises.


This review first appeared on Nov. 27, 2021 at BookPleasures.com:



https://waa.ai/q2hq

New interview, New review

Wes Britton will appear on Chat and Spin radio with Ian Johnson at 11:20 (Eastern Time - US & Canada) on Friday, October 8, 2021.

The interview will be LIVE on
www.chatandspinradio.com

If you like the show’s Facebook page-

www.facebook.com/chatandspin

you can win A Book, Pencil Portrait, or Pen & Mouse mat.

While I’m here, here’s the newest four-star review for The Blind Alien:


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

New reviews of Return to Alpha!

Here are two more new reviews of Return to Alpha: A New Saga Begins as posted at Book Bub! Now-go ye and do likewise!

Fascinating! Britton is a new author to me and I found the concept behind this book to be very intriguing. The multiverse concept is one I am seeing more and more. I really enjoyed the author’s take on this theme. I found the characters fascinating and the storyline was original. True scifi lovers will enjoy this new world that Britton has created.
-Heather Lovelace, Book Bub

This is a really good Sci fi adventure. The author does an amazing job of making the story seem so realistic that you could imagine it actually happening. This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. I love how the author mixed a scifi story with current events happening in the world. It makes the story more realistic and relatable.

Planet earth is slowly being destroyed with terrorists, disease and global warming. Things on Earth are going from bad to worse.
So when a group of 6 aliens land on the shore of Jamaica how are the people of Earth going to react. Are we going to embrace the new arrivals or is fear going to get the best of us and we end up destroying them as well. The aliens now have to learn to live in a world that is strange to them all the while protecting themselves from being hunted by the people that they had come to learn from and help.

This book is really good as it is so relevant and uses things that are happening currently such as pandemics and global warming. It also plays on people's theories and fears and makes us ask the question how would we react if we knew for certain we weren't the only living beings. That other living beings lived on other planets.
-Party Girl 1985, Book Bub

Book Review: TV’s M*A*S*H: The Ultimate Guide Book by Ed Solomonson & Mark O’Neill

TV’s M*A*S*H: The Ultimate Guide Book 
Ed Solomonson & Mark O’Neill
Publisher ‏ : ‎ BearManor Media (November 5, 2009)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 828 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1593935013
ISBN-13 ‏ :
https://www.amazon.com/TVs-Ultimate-G...


Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton

In one episode of the recent CNN series, “The History of the Sit-Com,” several commentators debated over what was the best sit-com of all time-either Seinfeld or Friends.
Oh good grief. Whatever merits those classic shows had, they didn’t come close to the ultimate sit-com of all-time- M*A*S*h. No other television program comes close to being seen by more people, year after year, to the present day. No other program evolved as much as M*A*S*h during its 11 year run of 256 epfisodes; no other program offered so much situational comedy/ medical drama laced with social commentary; no other program made as many cutting-edge creative choices over the years as M*A*S*h. In short, not many shows warrant an over 800 page analysis of their legacy like Ed Solomonson & Mark O’Neill did for M*A*S*h.
To be fair, it’s hard to believe anyone could ever supersede this deep-dive analysis into all things M*A*S*h. For one thing, the tome is chock-full of interviews with the creators and participants going behind-the-scenes of the show’s creation and production process. As the years go by, many of those participants have left us and this book documents many of their observations for perhaps the last time.
But not leaving any stone unturned is an often mixed blessing. How many viewers ever cared about registration numbers on the jeeps? Or how the colors of bathrobes weren’t always consistent? Or the origins of every scrap of music heard in the series, whether recordings or performers singing or parodying popular melodies? Or the professional histories of bit players who appeared in only one episode?
For my taste, I wasn’t impressed by the truncated episode summaries. Frequently, the plot of much of the episode was sketched out-to a point. Concluding scenes were most often skipped over completely. Important developments in character lives and relationships were skimmed over or not mentioned at all.
Still, uneven as the tome is, it’s indispensable for any M*A*S*h fan. The 800 plus pages more than carry their weight with information, insights, and memories to keep any M*A*S*h viewer turning the pages hunting out the nuggets we want, ignoring the dross we don’t. It’s not a cover-to-cover read but rather a reference book to digest in chunks and bites.


This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Fri. Sept 3, 2021:



https://waa.ai/qXBH

One more new review for Return to Alpha!

Wesley Britton has written "Return to Alpha: A New Saga Begins," which is a spin-off from his "Beta-Earth series. This story can be enjoyed on its own or as part of his previous work. Britton's writing is unique in that it can be read by a wide fan base. Those who like sci-fi and those who read dystopian-post-apocalyptic literature would be drawn to this work. Drawing upon current environmental concerns and the recent global health crises, the plot is both relevant and relatable. Britton increases this tension by introducing aliens into the mix when they land in Jamaica. From there the adventure begins and the pages turn. It is a fun and adventurous read and one to enjoy again!
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
EntertainingGreat world building

-Book.Athlete at Book Bub

New Reviews of Return to Alpha!

Most of these are brand-new reviews! Even the 3 stars are positive!

Angela Hayes

3.0 out of 5 stars A sci-fi adventure.
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2021
3 Stars

Return to Alpha: A new Saga Begins appears is a standalone spin-off from the Beta-Earth series by Wesley Britton. This is a sci-fi adventure story, with dystopian and post-apocalyptic elements that gave the story some intensity.
Environmental issues and plagues have decimated the human population and fear and danger are ever present. So, when Aliens land in Jamaica- you can imagine the reaction from the humans, who are already on edge. What was meant to be a ‘coming home’ of sorts for the ‘aliens’ soon turns into a dangerous and dramatic cross country chase. And so, the adventure begins.
This is an original story, with an interesting plot and quirky characters. The story opens up the possibility of parallel worlds, a multi-verse where there are several “earths’- which is an intriguing concept. The only issue I had with it was that story does get a bit wordy at times, which interrupted the flow for me.

Thank you, Wesley Britton!


Melissa saxton
4.0 out of 5 stars Return To Alpha by Wesley Britton review by Melissa Saxton
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2021
it's 2040, the world has been decimated by plague after plague and every part of the world is our for themselves....until a spaceship lands with aliens turning earth upside down.
from your first introduction to the characters you know you are about to see the worst earth has to offer be thrown at these "alien" visitors. what you don't expect is mistrust, fear, longing, traitors and love bloom inside this action packed story. as their adventure unfolds you find yourself page turning frantically to see if they make it safely out of a post apocalyptic world run by power and greed. can star crossed lovers prevail? can lies be forgiven? can different worlds and beliefs combine?
when you finish their journey your immediate hope is there will be more to come in this tale as you are left wanting to know if these characters can prevail

Bobbi Jo Wagner
4.0 out of 5 stars great story
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2021
I enjoyed this scientific adventure story. This is a newer author for me and I look forward to reading more from him in the future. This is a well written story that is full of action and adventure. There is a lot going on in this story from humans to aliens to even some romance. The author’s use of detail made the story understandable, engaging and easy to read. This is a fast paced story that was entertaining and kept me turning pages to the end. I enjoyed how the characters were unique and interesting. They are strong and brought the story to life on each page. They truly made the story for me. I really enjoyed the growth of this story and the growth of the characters. This is a great story that is worth picking up. I highly recommend this book.

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars More than science fiction
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Return to Alpha is one of these books that opens up a window to another reality inhabited by other volumes about the universe that sprang from his writer's imagination, Dr Wesley Britton.

The book is a rather unique take on the aliens visiting earth concept. Fiction of course is no stranger to this concept, from ET to war of the worlds and many other works.

This time however there is a twist, we, the readers, or at least me, feel like we have more in common with the "aliens", than with the earthlings around them.

The story is set in a dystopian, post pandemic earth some 20 years in the future.
Population reduced, countries are broken apart. Covid-19 and other plagues ricked havoc on the planet and the result is a weakened humanity, riddled with fear and isolation.

Into this earth, 6 visitors arrive from parallel earths with different names, hence the title, "return to Alpha".
works that come to mind with similar themes are "water world". Star gate" and the Sci Fi classic "winter" by Ursula Le Guin.

RTA however is different as I said as we are immediately feel connected to the so called aliens and develop
empathy towards them. There is a good reason for the way we feel towards the aliens. I will not disclose it here as it is a bit of a spoiler.

The main character, Malcolm Renbourn the 2nd, is portrayed with strong colors and bold hand, accompanied by a compelling supporting cast of family members,

Of note is also the character of Major Mary Carpenter from Texas, and the unfolding of her relationship with Malcolm is one of the main and colorful threads of the story.

Dr Britton pays great attention to details, which makes you feel like you are right there with the characters, in their landing, in the gilded prison called the "citadel" they are being placed at by suspicious earth security and law enforcement officials and elsewhere in their journeys and adventures.

I also like the rich assortment of secondary characters the main heroes of the story run into, the not-so Christian orphan Brian is a good example of that, pay attention to him when you get to this part of the story.

RTA has a rather clear message for humanity. and good messengers to deliver it. the message is especially relevant and poignant in our post pandemic, deeply divided current reality.
i enjoyed reading the book and I recommend it to anyone who like science fiction with more than just the science and more than just the fiction.


Jennadb

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting array of characters
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2021
3.5 stars

Return To Alpha: A New Saga Begins by Wesley Britton is an interesting futuristic sci fi tale. The storyline is original and is a spin off from the original series Beta-Earth. Wesley explores different concepts that reminds me a bit of the concept from the TV series Stargate or Sliders, in that different parallel universes exist. He gives us an intriguing premise and he has a unique writing style. He has created a story which is complex and has a lot of layers. With an interesting array of characters that are unique and quirky. If you are a sci fi buff you will enjoy this tale.



https://www.amazon.com/Return-Alpha-N...