T.R. Brown's Blog: Reflections author blog, page 7

Book Review: Wearing the Cape

Wearing the Cape
I'm a fan of superhero stories. I enjoy comics, movies, novelizations and so on. Unfortunately most of them have one major problem. They don't let the existence of super humans change the world they exist in. In the case of the comics this is deliberate to preserve the illusion that they take place in the real world. That's not a problem in Wearing the Cape. The president is a super, several countries have been taken over by super dictators and others are in civil war led by super-humans.
All this is backdrop for a fun origin/coming of age story. Unlike most superhero stories the protagonist Astra doesn't just start saving lives and fighting crime. In this world supers are expected to train both in using their powers responsibly and in not accidentally hurting someone with said powers.
It's hard to apply the term realism to a superhero story but this is one of the closest things I've found to a realistic treatment of the subject.

Book Review: On Basilisk Station

On Basilisk Station
It's been described by some as Horatio Hornblower in space. Considering some of the basic assumptions of the universe this is probably an accurate assessment. That is not a bad thing though. One problem in sci fi can be putting the distant future in familiar terms to the readers. David Weber does an excellent job of doing this in part by using the trappings of the age of sail for his starships. In addition he makes his world feel quite real by showing the different viewpoints of the characters giving each his motivation and personality and view of the world that often differs from that of other characters.

One of the more interesting things in the Harington setting is the lack of assumption that democracy is inevitable in a future government and showing how a neo feudal system might logically have arisen. Added to that ingenious bit of world building is the fact that the Star Kingdom of Manticores greatest enemy is the so called Peoples Republic of Haven. A "democracy" that has succumbed to the worst forms of socialistic exploitation.
Throw in a young captain in command of her first ship, experimental weapons systems and a plot to make the villains look good while they start a war and you have a fun story and the introduction to a great series.

Virtual book fair

It's my second week taking part in the Facebook Virtual Book Fair well worth checking out.

Discount

The price on the Kindle edition of The Face in the Mirror: a transhuman identity crisis will be dropping to 99 cents for the next several weeks. If you enjoy it please check out the sequel Chained Reflections.

Reflections Characters

Todd Hershel: brilliant robotics and cybernetics engineer. Chief cybernetist in the brain transplant project prior to an accident that leaves him a candidate for the project. Transplanted into a Felis neo person body and a female one at that he struggles with his identity and his place in the world. Orphaned at 15 years old he was raised for the remainder of his youth by his paternal grandparents. His parents concerned that they lived too close to a possible military target sent him to stay with his grandparents in Oklahoma, which saved his life. Age 47.

Coleen Grant Hershel: wife of Todd physical rehab therapist in the transplant project. Struggling with whether or not she can stay with Todd now that he his both female and not completely human. She and Todd have been married nine years and have been unable to have children, three miscarriages. They were considering adoption prior to Todd's accident. Age 41.

Dr. Yuki "Please don't call me that" Shimada: psychiatrist attached to the transplant project. Colleague to Todd and Coleen now having to deal with the fact that both are her patients. Blunt, confrontational, exhibitionist tendencies. Bisexual she made passes at both Todd and Coleen before they became involved with each other. She also enjoys doing things to see how people will react not malicious but mischievously manipulative. Divorced from a psychologically abusive husband she is also a recovering "sex addict." Age 44.

Walter Chapman: Neurosurgeon, head of the transplant project. Happily married father of three children his oldest boy just started college. Kind but firm. Age 58.

The Face in the Mirror: a transhuman identity crisis

Press release

In an effort to generate more publicity (and hopefully more readers) for my books. I recently put out a press release. If you know anyone in literary reporting industry please mention it to them.

Book recomendation

Another book that might appeal to fans of my Reflections series Xenofreak Nation, Book One: Xbestia. A story set in a future where organs for transplant are grown in genetically altered animals and an outgrowth in the counter culture of cosmetic xenografting has replaced tattoos. So what happens when the daughter of a activist against such xenografts is kidnaped by a gang that takes it's identity from them?
And It's currently free.

Virtual book fair

If you enjoy book fairs and are on Facebook may I recommend Tammy Clark Gibbs Virtual ebook fair. Also found on Twitter #samplesaturday.

Book recomendation

A book fans of my Reflections series might enjoy is Sunset of Furmankind. Sadly the author has stopped selling it from Amazon because he's entered "retirement from active fiction writing." The good news is he's giving away this ebook and his other works on his website. Ted R. Blastingame's Fiction. He writes some good stuff. My only criticism is that some of comes across as anachronistic with things like sci fi characters needing to have a tablet explained to them. That aside he writes well and is worth your time.

Now on twitter

I have finally decided to join those of you already on twitter. You can find me @TRBrownauthor. I'm not sure how often I'll post anything yet as I'm rather new to it.