Theocrates and the Crystal Cavern

by Bryan DeWeese

One day out of the blue, Theocrates began hearing voices. They wanted him to go to the crystal caverns. No one had been to the crystal cavern in over seventy years! But the Fate of Terexia was in the balance and Theo knew, somehow, that the voices were correct in what they were telling him. He had to go. The first step was to get permission, but even asking could be viewed as a criminal offense. Little did Theo know that these voices would catapault Theo into an adventure that would change his life forever.

354 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2019

About the author

Even as a young boy, Bryan was obsessed with the future and with science fiction. "Interplanetary Flight", by Arthur C. Clarke, was a stepping off point for Bryan. Though Clarke's book was published in the early 1950's, it along with the moon landing and various TV shows inspired Bryan to learn about science and space travel.

Early in college, Bryan's professors discovered a talent for writing personable characters and they nurtured that but even with that it was still nearly twenty years before he published his first book. Bryan was too busy working on special effects for films and writing screenplays.

Bryan DeWeese is currently working as an audio engineer and a musician, as well as writing on the side.

Bryan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication from Boise State University in addition to various technical certificates.

Bryan's first love is prognosticating about the future and telling stories in the science fiction and fantasy genres. Bryan has won many awards and hopes one day to be the recipient of a Hugo or a Nebula award.

Reviews

[Seraphia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theocrates and the Crystal Cavern is an engaging science fiction/fantasy novel that takes readers through space and to a foreign planet that isn’t so foreign. Earth is in danger of being destroyed and the answer…the key to not just the survival of Earth but the foreign planet Terexia as well. A young philosopher embarks on a quest to save his planet and Earth as the two planets, due to a tear in space and time are on a collision course of destruction unless it can be stopped by whatever is causing it in a crystal cave that is deemed “off limit” to those on Terexia.
Theocrates and the Crystal Cavern by Bryan DeWeese is an engaging science fiction/fantasy novel. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I have to say that I truly enjoyed it. The author hooked me in with the blurb, and then continues to do so by expertly luring me into the book and having me wanting to learn what was going to happen next. Theocrates is embarking into dangerous territory. He is requesting to have access to the “off limits” crystal cavern. Very few have ever requested to go there since it was declared off-limits. The author gives readers a brief glimpse into Terexia’s past, but it is very brief. I learned that the people used to be only concerned with profit and personal gain, but with the establishment of the council, that was changed and severely looked down upon. When Theocrates requests to go to the crystal cavern some think that it is a ploy for potential gain, while others think that his claiming he hears voices is in an indicator that he’s mentally unstable. But the question is – how do you compel people to believe you that a dire danger is looming and that if you don’t find the source that all will perish on more than just one world?
The author does a great job writing this book because he presents readers with a character who is essentially the underdog. He’s a philosopher, he knows and understands the rules of his society, but he dares to ask for something that causes suspicions to flare. Asking to go to the crystal cavern is something frowned upon by the council. My first thought when I saw this was…why? Is it some place dangerous? Are precious artifacts there? Is there something of great importance or is it some place that is unstable and that could create an instability of the planet that would destroy all who call it home? The council says that they are simply trying to make sure none go there for profit, but is there really an underlying agenda? I loved how the author pulls me forward with my own personal quest for answers as I follow Theocrates as he fights an uphill battle to convince those of the council and around him that the danger is real and that the clock is ticking on their survival.
There honestly isn’t much that I can complain about concerning this book. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and it was truly hard to put down. I think the only thing I’d want different would the author starting the story with Theocrates hearing the voices for the first time. Just begin it with him being the regular philosopher that he is and then sitting at his kitchen table and suddenly hearing a disembodied voice talking to him and learning of the danger that looms not just for his planet but the unknown planet Earth. I think that this would have added an extra element to the story and helped give it a more solid foundation.
As is, this story was engaging as the truth is revealed piece by piece and tension mounts with the ticking clock that spells doom for them all. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. The author does a fantastic job captivating me throughout and keeping me page-turning to learn what happens next. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Russell Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the record, I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book with the request that I leave an honest review for other potential readers. That having been said, here is my honest opinion and review of this book. This is a very good sci fi story intertwining adventures on another planet with our own. It is amusing how much human nature is alike even on totally different worlds. Power and ambition can easily corrupt a man in any government on any world. I like the world building along with the many interesting details of a society other than our own. Each of the characters, major and minor, are given excellent treatment in their development. Theocrats, of course, as the central character to the story, receives the greatest development and has the most interesting motivations (not to mention troubles and perils). It is strange that no matter how advanced or refined we become, we will still always treat the doom sayer as a lunatic. Our villian receives his unfortunate due in development since we can't have a story without him and the trouble he causes. The author's writing style is good and easy to read while the pace flows along nicely. I found this story to be highly entertaining. It is most definitely worth the time it takes to read it.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent sci fi book. It was an intense and wild ride from beginning to end. Grab a cup of coffee and a snack before you start this one, because you won't want to put it down. This book gives you tons of twists and turns packed into a marvelous book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for a free copy.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique and wonderfully written sci-fi. The world this story exists in is built so wonderfully, I could believe I was a part of this world. The characters are also believable and Theocrates is a wonderful protagonist.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terry Fogg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a horrible effort

The basic story was interesting, but executed rather simplistically. Would benefit from a proofreader. One of the more glaring issues: Every instance of the use of " than/then " was incorrect.