jbronderbookreviews

A Gleam of Light (The Survival Trilogy – 1) by TJ Wolf and ML Wolf

In 1995, at the age of eight, Una Waters survived a terrifying encounter at 30,000 feet aboard Flight 564 from Dallas to Las Vegas. It changed her forever. After 21 years, and a decade away from the Hopi Reservation where she grew up as a child, a surprise plea for help brings Una back, to solve a mystery that threatens their traditional way of life. The U.S. Army’s sudden interest regarding a cave discovery in the Sacred Peaks has triggered alarm, leading to violence. With the help of friends, new and old, Una must confront her painful past, seek proof to qualify the ancient site for protection under law, and stand up to a stiff-necked general, whose agenda is more concerned with retrieving a mysterious power source.

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Author’s Bios

T.J. & M.L. Wolf joined forces in the field of Healthcare, exploring mutual interest in the work of UFO researchers like Budd Hopkins and movie directors like Steven Spielberg. The History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens” became a focal point of their quest to uncover the truth regarding humanity’s purpose and how it pertains to our future. Married twenty years, they write Speculative Fiction and live in Boardman, Ohio with their six-pound Yorkie, who keeps the family in line.

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My Review

4 Stars

When Una Waters was nine years old, she had a strange experience. She spends the rest of her childhood impatiently waiting to get off the reservation, which she does when she turns eighteen. Now Una works for the Department of the Interior and is called back when the military starts performing operations on a mountain sacred to the Hopi. Of course Una is ready to fight for her people and ends up on an adventure beyond this world.

This story combines history about Native Americans, the possibility of UFO’s and aliens, and a government conspiracy. Una has an interesting experience that shakes her at an early age and she watched the US government cover everything up. Now she works for the government and now has the knowledge to fight back when she learns of them trying to take over a sacred cave. From there we go on a race against time, following clues, and finding out the truth.

Whenever you talk about aliens the Hopi will eventually work into the conversation because of the pictograms that resemble people in space suits or aliens. The Hopi mythology leads a lot to interpret to many people that believe in aliens. Just watch an episode of Ancient Aliens and you will understand what I mean.

This part of the book I had no problem with. Unfortunately it was the execution of the story that cause me trouble. The narration was rough and jumped all around. It is the first book in the series and I know you have to work out the bugs but I think they could have reviewed it just one more time before releasing it. Having said that, A Gleam of Light is a good story and leaves thing open for the next book. I would be interested in reading the second book.

I received A Gleam of Light from the author’s for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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Preceded by Chaos: Vol. 1 by M. Wheeler

The protagonist, Mitchell Weaver, is a young Emergency Medicine doctor. Mitchell has entered a high stress, distinguished profession with the burden of a variety of particularly disturbing personal demons that he must battle every day in order to maintain the façade of sanity and control. The second installment of the series, Volume +1, documents Mitchell’s state of mind as he tries his hand at decency and sobriety. Whether he nds himself at his job in New York or volunteering in the Dominican Republic, he struggles to suppress hedonistic urges and restructure awed philosophies. Although his attempts to gain control of his life are genuine, the question remains, “Is Mitchell gradually gaining control or is his life slowly falling apart.”

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Author’s Bio

Wheeler held an eclectic series of jobs – including working as a studio engineer and a teacher –

before he entered medical school in his thirties. During his residency while living in New York City, he wrote his first two books which would eventually become the Preceded by Chaos series. Wheeler travels extensively for his job but currently lives in Miami.

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My Review

5 stars

Mitchell Weaver is back from his drug and alcohol fueled trip to Europe in vol. 0 and is working to stay sober. He is allowed to practice medicine after a board review and works in an emergency room. But he is having trouble with his girlfriend. She is insisting on marriage and he doesn’t want that. They are in the process of splitting up when he decides to head to the Dominican Republic and help his friend Natalia with the battered women.

When I read vol. 0 I was so confused as to what is happening and I admit that I didn’t rate it very high and was very reluctant to read vol. 1. After reading vol. 1 I have to say that I really liked the story. Mitchell is trying to stay clean but he is fighting with his girlfriend and thinks spending some time with his friend Natalia will help him figure out what he wants. But it is working with the abused women that opens his eyes.

I really liked this story. It drew me in and I wanted to find out when and where Mitchell is going to find himself. I can’t wait to see what happens in vol. 2, if there is going to be a vol. 2.

I received Preceded by Chaos: Vol. 1 from Authoright Marketing and Publicity for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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