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Variance
Paul Benedict is not like his fellow Utopians, immortals who live in absolute peace and love. He possesses the will to fight back, and he knows he must do so in order to protect his wife and daughters.
When alien scouts terrorize Paul's planet, he and his family work together to engineer a nonlethal battle suit designed to stop the attacks. The source of the invasion is a man named Shadow who is intent on eliminating the Utopian race, whom he calls "violators of God's power of life." He is also the game master of Divine Might-a gladiator game that may represent the Utopians' only hope. Using his invented suit, Paul embarks on a journey to gain mercy for his race by conquering the game, in which the champion's wish comes true. Only time will tell if he will survive and manage to do what is right when everything around him is wrong.
When alien scouts terrorize Paul's planet, he and his family work together to engineer a nonlethal battle suit designed to stop the attacks. The source of the invasion is a man named Shadow who is intent on eliminating the Utopian race, whom he calls "violators of God's power of life." He is also the game master of Divine Might-a gladiator game that may represent the Utopians' only hope. Using his invented suit, Paul embarks on a journey to gain mercy for his race by conquering the game, in which the champion's wish comes true. Only time will tell if he will survive and manage to do what is right when everything around him is wrong.
278 pages, Hardcover
Published April 10, 2017
About the author
Josen Llave
2 books3 followersJosen Llave is a Senior Program Manager for Amazon. He holds a master of science degree in engineering management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and was an infantry sergeant for the US Army. He and his wife have five children. They live near Nashville, Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 18, 2017
Reviewed by Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views (09/17)
“Variance: Raise Your Weapon,” by Josen Llave is an energetic and fast-moving sci-fi thriller. Intriguing, non-stop action, set in an extraordinary alternate world, this space opera will satisfy newbie and hard-core sci-fi fans alike.
Scientifically blessed with Cellular Infinity, Utopians of Azure enjoy immortality, living in total peace and love. When confronted with danger, they simply smile and turn the other way. This becomes a problem when the Kazats of Crimson, who believe Utopians are pure evil, vow to completely annihilate the race.
Paul Benedict is a different sort of Utopian. Paul possesses independent thinking and free will and knows he must fight against the norm to save his family and the Utopian race from total extinction. With the help of his family, an AI named Siren, and a few unlikely cohorts, Paul sets out on a mission doomed from the start. For in order to accomplish his task, he must fight and win the gladiator game called Divine Might, a seemingly impossible feat, where he will face every conceivablechallenge, and some beyond the wildest imagination.
Intellectually stimulating and captivating, Llave’s writing style really sets the tone for non-stop entertainment. The setting is quite unlike anything I could ever imagine–both unique and customary at the same time, as distinctive out-of-this-world machinations combine with an almost old-fashioned sense of family and tradition. The story is full of action, and great detail is shown in the battle scenes, providing intensity and moving the plot along nicely.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in “Variance.” The Utopian citizens created lemming-like images in my mind, while the character of Ryan is hilarious, providing engaging sarcasm and almost unintentional comic-relief. Siren–the AI, was the most captivating character in my opinion. She completely unnerved me, as I likened her to the AI in the movie, “Ex Machina” by Alex Garland. Paul Benedict as a protagonist grew on me as he developed with the progression of the story. There are some cheesy moments with Paul and his daughter involving a somewhat grating catch-phrase they use between them but hey, it does establish a sense of familial tradition.
Overall, I highly recommend “Variance” by Josen Llave as a thrilling sci-fi experience, and look forward to the sequel, “Celestial” coming soon.
“Variance: Raise Your Weapon,” by Josen Llave is an energetic and fast-moving sci-fi thriller. Intriguing, non-stop action, set in an extraordinary alternate world, this space opera will satisfy newbie and hard-core sci-fi fans alike.
Scientifically blessed with Cellular Infinity, Utopians of Azure enjoy immortality, living in total peace and love. When confronted with danger, they simply smile and turn the other way. This becomes a problem when the Kazats of Crimson, who believe Utopians are pure evil, vow to completely annihilate the race.
Paul Benedict is a different sort of Utopian. Paul possesses independent thinking and free will and knows he must fight against the norm to save his family and the Utopian race from total extinction. With the help of his family, an AI named Siren, and a few unlikely cohorts, Paul sets out on a mission doomed from the start. For in order to accomplish his task, he must fight and win the gladiator game called Divine Might, a seemingly impossible feat, where he will face every conceivablechallenge, and some beyond the wildest imagination.
Intellectually stimulating and captivating, Llave’s writing style really sets the tone for non-stop entertainment. The setting is quite unlike anything I could ever imagine–both unique and customary at the same time, as distinctive out-of-this-world machinations combine with an almost old-fashioned sense of family and tradition. The story is full of action, and great detail is shown in the battle scenes, providing intensity and moving the plot along nicely.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in “Variance.” The Utopian citizens created lemming-like images in my mind, while the character of Ryan is hilarious, providing engaging sarcasm and almost unintentional comic-relief. Siren–the AI, was the most captivating character in my opinion. She completely unnerved me, as I likened her to the AI in the movie, “Ex Machina” by Alex Garland. Paul Benedict as a protagonist grew on me as he developed with the progression of the story. There are some cheesy moments with Paul and his daughter involving a somewhat grating catch-phrase they use between them but hey, it does establish a sense of familial tradition.
Overall, I highly recommend “Variance” by Josen Llave as a thrilling sci-fi experience, and look forward to the sequel, “Celestial” coming soon.
Displaying 1 of 1 review