Falling Into Heaven

by Stephen Craig

Ike Jordan dreams of gravity’s polarity. He dreams of himself upon the field of the earth, staring into the darkening sky, arms outstretched. His father’s voice whispers, “Gravity can push you into the sky as easily as pull you toward the earth.” Fully awake and inducted into his father’s work with secret gravity technology -- fantastical as it is -- Ike’s worldview, emotions, and relationships turn upside down. Caught up in his father’s secret, he can’t tell Christine Wall about his nights cruising among the stars, or tell his best friend Charlie about chasing the sun over the horizon. He can only pour his angst into the perfection of flight, flying like a lonely, dark angel over the nighttime lights of Phoenix, Arizona. Before long, he is chasing his own ego, flying so high that no one can keep up, in danger of flying too close to the sun.

293 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2013

Reviews

[Emily Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very compelling read. Fabulous character development, imagery, and balance between scientific explanation of why-isn't-this-real technology and a strong plot. I found myself pulling for the protagonist all the while being frustrated with his decisions, which makes him an authentic teenage character. I loved the themes of flying, pride, relationships, and loyalty. I recommend to all!

[Crew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It kept me interested throughout. I didn't want to stop. It is a great story about friendship, trust and responsibility, with some cool present day science fiction thrown in. A polar gravity suit would be awesome! But really, the sci-fi is merely a vehicle for great character and story development.

I will say this about the book though -- I wanted it to be longer. Not just because the story was good, but -- and here is where I am going to criticize it-- but because the ending seemed like just the ending to the first act of a three-act play. It is one thing to write a book with the intent of writing a sequel, but that first book should have all three acts of the play in it, so there is some resolution, but this story seems to be ending, just when I think it could really get going. I'm not sure which direction it will go in (will there be a real villian? Will he become a superhero of sorts? Which girl? Or will it be more figuring out how things work? Studying the science and becoming like his father?). Anyway, I do hope there is a sequel or two in the works.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying read. I loved how the finish had both a sense of closure as well as a wide-open future left to the reader's imagination.

The story was a mix of young adult fiction (growing up, relationships, friends, parents) and sci-fi adventure (world-changing technology, exciting action sequences). It also included some good exploration of faith and doubt, which was inspiring without being preachy. The characters were well-rounded, and the dialogue was decent. There were a few typos, but I'd say that's very forgivable in a first book. I really enjoyed it.

Highly recommended.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the title makes it sound like some throwaway romance novel, it's actually a compelling coming-of-age story. Craig really hits the nail on the head with the main character's attitude and thought-processes. Reading it felt like I was 16 all over again.

One star off for a few editing errors.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started out slow for me, but then really picked up speed. I found it to be an exciting read and was disappointed it ended. I hope there will be a sequel.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well done first novel. Isaac discovers that his dad has invented an anti-gravity suit that allows the wearer to control how gravity affects them - whether it pushes or pulls. Isaac becomes a test pilot for the suit and tries to convince his dad to share the secret with the world.

The book is a modern re-imagining of the Icarus myth and does a great job of creating a compelling and believable sci-fi technology. The flying scenes were some of my favorites and Mr. Craig has a real gift for describing action sequences in ways that are compelling and understandable, which is no easy feat.

My one criticism of the book is that because Isaac is based on Icarus (who famously died because of his pride.) he come across as a bit of a jerk and isn't always very likable. The scenes with his friends were less compelling than the flight sequences, but still helped round out the character.

Overall, worth the read. A good, solid novel with great a toon sequences and an emotional finish.i

[Keri-Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really needs some editing. I dutifully read the first quarter and then skimmed through to the last couple of chapters. Just skimming I could still follow everything and the repetitious nature of the writing was not a tedious. Too many side trips away from the action. It's a good story line, even if I guessed the ending long before I got to it. The main characters did not seem to evolve much until the very end. I would not recommend this book until it has some serious revisions.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. The storyline and descriptions pulled me in and made me feel as if I were experiencing everything alongside Ike. I have thought a good deal about the book since finishing. This is a well written first novel and I would read another by Steve, even a sequel. There were Some typos, but forgivable for a first self-published novel and not even remotely as severe as another review suggested. Try it, you'll like it.

[Allison Livingstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well crafted story, great setting, thrilling action and top notch characters. I very much enjoyed reading it and have thought about it for days after (that's how I know it was good, I didn't just shrug it off). I would recommend it to anyone and I hope to get my kids to read it. Thank you for the excellent book, Mr. Craig.