Review: Some of the wording was noticeably repetitive in the many descriptions of “Known Afterlife”, but for me that wasn’t a bad point. I like the fact the author didn’t oversimplify his work or streamline it with modern words and slang that wouldn’t have fit the story and characters created, but sometimes the narrative read as unnecessary complex to convey an idea to me. I like what I call “immersive” fantasy like Known Afterlife, where I can easily visualize a world and dive in, so to speak, but word choice and sentence structure matching action and character movement could have helped the flow. More transitional phrases and occasionally shorter sentences at crucial points can help keep a story moving instead of slowing a reader down trying to understand intricate phrasing.
I had questioned whether I might take this review request at first, as it did reference a religious theme involving a “Church of Salvation”, as I prefer not to speak on any such subjects online in general. Though at times it became borderline for me, in the spirit of Frank Herbert’s Dune, I felt the author created a work in which beliefs and disbeliefs are important, but conversion, doctrine and dogma weren’t always central points. Known Afterlife definitely has its good points and I think it was a great effort in the sci-fi fantasy genre by an author with a unique style.
Description: “In Stalling’s observation, Antium is moving away from the presence that so many refer to as God, not towards it. His solution: circumvent the all-powerful Church Of Salvation, scientifically quantify the laws of the Universe and use his vast commercial empire to share these insights with the entire community of man. But the Church of Salvation will stop at nothing to retain its millennia-old monopoly on enlightenment and global control. Can Stalling and his cadre of gifted conspirators complete a technological miracle before the noose pulls too tight?
Meanwhile, Steffor is waging an altogether different battle to save his very different world–an arboreal utopia known as The Provider. As a Guardian of The Provider’s Citizens, Steffor exists to protect his world against an ancient and once believed vanquished enemy. With the very nature of reality at stake, can he salvage the bedrock faith that defines him?
The two adrenaline-fueled narratives form the parallel tracks of a roller coaster that tosses back and forth from a futuristic world of nearly recognizable technology and timeless corruption to an exotic fantasyland of magic, mythical beasts and romance beset by world-changing events, all while racing towards an inevitable if unimaginable collision.”
- Kindle Edition
- Published May 2nd 2011
- ASIN B004Z2JTNS
- Available at Smashwords, Amazon
- Source: Author
Author Bio
From the moment I watched my first Star Trek episode-a rerun of “The Enemy Within”-I was hooked on science fiction. Soon after discovering Dungeons & Dragons in the 80s, I folded in a love for fantasy and my adolescent imagination was off and running.
Since then I’ve stoked my passion for speculative fiction with the greats: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (of course), Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert, Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, L. Ron Hubbard, Piers Anthony, Terry Goodkind and many more. The works I admire most entertain while sharing a vision.
I believe that the purpose of life is to learn and grow from experience. If I can communicate that deceptively simple pillar of my faith while entertaining, if I can move a reader to “what if?” explorations of their own than I’ve achieved my aim as an author.
I live in Central Virginia with my loving, supportive and patient wife, where we both do our best to prioritize raising our three boys. When not writing, I operate a marketing business focused on creating and selling Internet advertising opportunities for multiple college sports websites.
Red Haircrow Review 