Title: Embracing Entropy
Author: Jessica Marie Baumgartner
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Release Date: March 15, 2016
SYNOPSIS
As Earth dies, leaving its inhabitants struggling to survive, an alien race offers an unimaginable option: to relocate humans to their own planet on the far end of the universe. The Campbells, one of the last surviving families, quickly realize humanity’s hope for survival may come with a price. Accepting a new way of life, acclimating to a new atmosphere, and trying to fight against a universe that seems set on tearing them apart offers many struggles. Can the Campbell’s make it through, together?
BUY LINKS
REVIEW
[Mandy]
Amazon/Goodreads rating: 5/5
In Patti's Imagination rating: 10/10
Earth is mortally wounded by the indifferent treatment from it’s human inhabitants, and their descendants have come dangerously close to extinction. Their SOS’s broadcast to the heavens brings rescue from an alien nation.
This is the story of 3 women, a mother and her 2 daughters, told over a period of 15 years. Allie Cambell, the mother, and her two daughters, Maddie and Gwen, each narrate one of the 3 books from their point of view. They explore life, different types of love and emotions, in different situations, and at different life stages. Although I believe that each book can be read independently, I thoroughly enjoyed reading them back-to-back as they flow and intertwine with each other.
The story is beautifully told. Based on good solid story telling, the author does not have to rely on any sensationalism like profanity or erotica to get her story across. I am a visual person and found myself present in the scenes described, almost like watching an episode of Star Trek or Stargate. I am also reminded of science fiction icons like Edgar Rice Burroughs and Isaac Asimov. While this story explores many aspects of life, it is a clean story.
I do have 2 issues with the books. One is concerning the writing, The names the author allocated to the aliens to me were clumsy and difficult to pronounce (even in my head), and this made it difficult for me to remember characters. I was resorting to remembering them as the girl or the cook. The second issue is with typos. Book one was mostly clear of typos, but book two and three had too many to ignore. Despite these 2 issues, I feel happy to allocate a full house of 5 stars to this offering for it’s entertainment value and also because it is such a well-told story, purely written. I felt satisfied and replete at the end.
I would certainly read more of this author’s work should it come my way and I congratulate her on this trilogy.
EXCERPT
I used to have
nightmares about this. I would wake up screaming as they forced me to
leave. People giving up; abandoning Mother Earth. The thought alone
caused my heart to race, my under arms to sweat.
Here I stand
clutching my children, one on each side, as we prepare to be torn
away from everything that’s tangible. Before me, a gargantuan
structure glares from above. This beast, this ship is supposed to
save humanity, or at least what’s left of it.
I’ve lived
through mass devastation. It’s hardened me enough. But leaving? It
still scares me.
We have no idea
what’s out there for us.
My husband has
faith in the alien colony that is aiding us. They made contact just
in time. Said they had revolutionized their space program and
stumbled upon our signal.
I don’t know
what I believe.
As the line moves
forward, I pull my girls along. They stumble ahead with fright,
carrying their backpacks strapped to their bodies. Our packs are the
only human luggage allowed on the crowded craft. But that’s not
what they’re worried about.
It’s not the
new race they fear. Or even the new world. It is the missing presence
of their father.
He has his duty.
He’ll stay with his men until we pilgrims are secure, then meet up
with us in a smaller craft. I’m glad for it. They’ve already had
to break up some fights. People get pretty riled up in situations
like this. It’s good to have someone who remains behind to keep
order for a while, and to try and find any last survivors before
leaving.
Finally we’re
ascending the dock and I’m able to see our temporary home. It’s
nothing like I imagined. The smell is what draws my attention first.
“Eww mommy.”
My youngest daughter, Gwen, pinches her nose.
The odiferous
enclosure is beyond human comprehension. I’ve smelt plague pits,
leaking sewage, the rank smell of sea life left to rot on beaches.
Although this isn’t as horrendous, it does make my eyes water.
Despite the nausea I’m fighting, I grind my teeth. “Gwen, these
people are saving our lives. Don’t insult them.”
AUTHOR BIO
Jessica is the
author of: The Embracing Entropy Series, Siren’s Snare, Tale of Two
Bookends, and My Family Is Different. Her stories have been featured
in numerous publications such as Everyday Fiction, The Lorelei
Signal, Fiction on the Web, The Horror Zine and many others. She is a
member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild and is always weaving new
worlds in the webs of her tales. You can check her out at
www.jessicamariebaumgartner.com.
AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS
Email: jessbaum23@gmail.com
Twitter: @jessmbaum
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DT3RAF8
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jessbaum23/
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Embracing Entropy
is a Printed collection of a series of three novellas. This printed
collection includes the novellas By the Stars, Wish for Survival, and
Perfect Chaos. The novellas are available in electronic format on
Amazon.
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