Tag: Science Fiction

Posted in Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: Extreme Makeover by Dan Wells

Posted on by elishasbookreview

28220685

*No Spoilers*

Lyle Fontanelle is the chief scientist for NewYew, a health and beauty company experimenting with a new, anti-aging hand lotion. As more and more anomalies crop up in testing, Lyle realizes that the lotion’s formula has somehow gone horribly wrong. It is actively overwriting the DNA of anyone who uses it, turning them into physical clones of someone else. Lyle wants to destroy the formula, but NewYew thinks it might be the greatest beauty product ever designed–and the world’s governments think it’s the greatest weapon.

This is a satire turned horror story on how society as a whole treats the beauty industry. Everyone wants to be someone else. Plastic surgery, makeup, hair dye, the list goes on. So the concept of a lotion that can make you look like a model is remarkable.

I found the character development to be really well executed. Lyle grows from being a no confrontation type to being assertive and letting others know what he thinks. Seeing him grow and change throughout the novel made the cliche of one-dimensional character in the horror genre non-existent.

My favorite part of this novel was when Lyle had to face the remaining United Nations delegates, and he made the first step towards him growing as a character. Also listening to the delegates arguing was also funny.

The ending is the only part of the story I had major gripes with. I felt it be out of place and confusing. I won’t spoil the ending for you of course, but I felt like it was unnecessary.

Other than the one small nitpick, I found this novel to be enjoyable and yet terrifying in a realistic fashion. Makeup and beauty is such an important piece in a society that the thought of everyone looking like Tom Cruise or Jennifer Aniston is creepy.

If you enjoy satire and horror, this is worth checking out. I would also recommend this for people who love science fiction. I enjoyed this book and it will definitely be more of the memorable ones that I’ve read.

Posted in Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: Subhuman: Unit 51 #1 by Michael McBride

Posted on by elishasbookreview
subhumanj

*No Major Spoilers*

At a research station in Antarctica, five of the world’s top scientists have been brought together to solve one of the greatest mysteries in human history. Their subject, however, is anything but human.

Deep beneath the ice, the submerged ruins of a lost civilization hold the key to the strange mutations that each scientist has encountered across the globe: A misshapen skull in Russia. The grotesque carvings of a lost race in Peru. The mummified remains of a humanoid monstrosity in Egypt.

When a series of sound waves trigger the ancient organisms, a new kind of evolution begins. Latching onto a human host–crossbreeding with human DNA–a long-extinct life form is reborn. Its kind has not walked the earth for thousands of years. Its instincts are fiercer, more savage, than any predator alive. And its prey is the scientists who unleashed it, the humans who spawned it, and the tender living flesh on which it feeds.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I enjoy reading books based on conspiracy theories. I have reviewed a few novels in this category. So the summary of this thrilling novel caught my attention.

My only downside is that there were too many characters. I felt like I needed to take notes about who was who and why they were invited to the Antartic research base.

Man is not what he thinks he is; he is what he hides.

Michael McBride; Subhuman

Other than that negative, I found this book to be enjoyable. It has an interesting premise that the author pulls off fairly well. I felt like this novel was inspired by the Alien franchise. The description of the monsters reminded me of the Xenomorphs in the famous franchise.

I am interested to see how this series progresses from here. I will highly recommend this book to science fiction lovers. If you enjoy conspiracy theories and the Alien franchise, then this is the book for you!

Posted in Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: The Deep by Nick Cutter

Posted on by elishasbookreview
21412284._UY475_SS475_

*No Major Spoilers*

A strange plague called the ’Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys…then the not-so-small things like how to drive, or the letters of the alphabet. Then their bodies forget how to function involuntarily…and there is no cure. But now, far below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, deep in the Marianas Trench, a heretofore unknown substance hailed as “ambrosia” has been discovered—a universal healer, from initial reports. It may just be the key to a universal cure. In order to study this phenomenon, a special research lab, the Trieste, has been built eight miles under the sea’s surface. But now the station is incommunicado, and it’s up to a brave couple of people to descend through the light-less fathoms in hopes of unraveling the mysteries lurking at those crushing depths…and perhaps to encounter an evil blacker than anything one could possibly imagine.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I will put a warning up front, read this with caution. I listened to the audiobook and it gave me terrible nightmares.

This thriller/horror starts from the first page. The impending doom of an unknown and incurable disease makes for a great premise of a horror novel.

Our main characters include Luke, a man who lost his wife and child, Clayton, a popular famous scientist, and Alice or “Al”, who delivers supplies to the scientists.

The Trieste is a multitrillion-dollar scientific base that is eight miles under the sea in the Mariana Trench. Being isolated from society to that extreme could drive perfectly sane people to their breaking point.

Water is what runs out of the kitchen taps or a playground drinking fountain. It fills bathubs and pools and yes, of course, the ocean- but at a certain depth, water becomes a barrier from all you remember, all you think you know.

Nick Cutter; The Deep

Things go haywire as soon as Luke and Al arrive on the Trieste, vivid memories begin to surface, nightmares terrorizing everyone on board. Something is up, and it’s up to Luke and Al to find out what is going on.

I noticed that the author takes inspiration from authors like Stephen King. It ends unsatisfyingly and abruptly. With that said, overall it was a good book, I found it to hold my attention, even though it gave me terrifying nightmares. If you’re looking for a good scare I would say this is a perfect book of choice.

Posted in Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: Doctor Who: The Monsters Inside by Stephen Cole

Posted on by elishasbookreview

FirstThree_9th

*Many Spoilers Ahead*

The Doctor and his companion, Rose Tyler, land on an alien planet where the ancient pyramids are being built. Before they can even leave the TARDIS, they are captured and arrested for trespassing. However, things as always are suspicious, and it’s up to Rose and the Doctor to fix things and save the universe.

***SPOILERS START***

I am a fan of Doctor Who, I’ve watched the rebooted version up to season 7, and I’ve watched the Classic episodes. I have read several of the novelizations and audiobooks. I’m not sure if I was expecting too much from this, or if it was just executed poorly. The villains, the Blathereen, even though they are the rival family of the Slitheen, still was predictable. Any Doctor Who fan would know where this story was going and fast.

Their plot was to take over the Justice planet system, and build a transportable wormhole so they can destroy other planets and sell the scraps for profit. A similar plot was used in season 1 of the Doctor Who 2005 reboot.

I enjoyed this novel, I love the 9th Doctor. Christopher Eccleston did a “fantastic” job as a reintroduction to the Doctor character. He is grizzled and battered after the Time War, so he is darker and edgier than his earlier previous incarnations.

The novelizations are usually a way to tell a Doctor Who story that might be difficult to tell on TV. Some call it glorified fanfiction. So to see this predictable of a plot disappointed me.

I would recommend this if you’re starting with the Doctor Who novels. It has familiar characters and villains that have appeared on Doctor Who before. The Slitheen and the Blathereen are very similar in goals and motives. So the slight name-change doesn’t make much of a difference.

Learn more about the Slitheen here

The Author’s Twitter

Buy it here on Amazon (not sponsored)

Read My Other Doctor Who Reviews Here!