Original and thought provoking
357971
Siri Husvedt has delivered a fascinating character to lead us through the NY art world in her exploration of how gender shapes perception and expectation.  Deeply philosophical and human, this is a rich read that stays with the reader.  I'd give it 5 stars but that feels too showy for this quiet, lovely book.
4035815
Interesting, original and the twists are awesome!
  It's been a long time since I've read a book that's so well thought out.  From the first page to the last, the plot grows and the ending is thought-provoking to say the least.  The romance is just a bit "sappy", but hey, why not!
  I am going to immediately purchase "Wired"!
  Thank you Douglas Richards for a great read!
2732138
I loved this book. At points both haunting and moving, It was absolutely original in a Neil Gaiman-esque way that I found deeply engaging. I was recommending it before I had read the final pages.
1885191
Wow what a fantastic imaginative experience this book left in my brain. Total weird originality.

I have to admit something that most people might find shocking, I am not a huge science fiction fan. Now with that said I like masters like Bradbury, Heinlein, Pournelle, Niven and a few others. Lately it seems I am being asked, or sent a lot of science fiction books. At first response I am like, uhhh but then I put aside my differences, and adventure into the book, because being an honest, and good reviewer, one has to read all types of books to be thoroughly sound in the idea of being a true book critic. So with that soap box rant, I get back to the point, and that is with the science fiction book I am reviewing.

You see I am all for science fiction when its a great science fiction. I love science fiction that has a mark of originality. Thankfully I was not let down because Martin Berman-Gorvine created that original, imaginative experience that I look for in science fiction. He was able to create a world, characters and ideas that allow the reader, to say, wow. Gorvine gave me the science fiction I grave, thoughtful, originality in the science fiction world.

This book is filled with an old-school style setting of sci-fi. It blends the odd, and weird reality of storytelling. There is a mix of silliness along with a tight structure tale that gives you that adventurous reality you expect in great science fiction. Dare I say that I saw aspects of Heinleins beautiful imaginative prose in Gorvines writing, yes I do say it?

I first read Martin Berman-Gorvine in the wonderful Science Fiction collection book, Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls and Gadgets. His short story was titled Of Cat's Whiskers and Klutzes. I highly recommend Brave New Girls, its an important book not only for the fact it showcases fresh new authors but it also donates the money from its sales to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers.

Heroes of Earth is not for everyone, and is geared to a select group of readers that understand, grasp and love science fiction yarns. This is above and beyond fantasy and imagination. It mixes so many odd and weird realities with altered states and creatures, aliens, humans, portals and pure Drive-In style, old-school B-grade Science Fiction. I felt as if I was at a late night movie marathon of old black and white Sci-fi films, busting with creatures so outrageous that it made you giggle, and also be weirdly entertained.

Would I Return to it again: I definitely would return to this author. Pure over the top imagination that works.

Would I Recommend: To science fiction and fantasy lovers.

Originally posted: http://www.classicbookreading.com/2015/09/martin-berman-gorvines-heroes-of-earth.html
2483189
I really liked this book.  The idea is original and a clever take on an older theme. The author uses a dream sequence to catch your interest at the very beginning. Right after that you start to think "oh, this is just another post apocolyptic wasteland story" (turns out it isn't) but since he already has you interested in his narrator you keep reading long enough to become interested in his story.  The narrator then goes through a series of often exraordinary enounters  that don't seem to be related but are interesting so that you keep reading while wondering; what is going on?  At the end he  ties it altogether in an unexpected twist that in hindsight connects all the seemingly unconnected pieces of the story together.
900059
Many of the other reviewers have summerized the story, so I won't repeat that. I'll just throw in a couple other things to consider.

On the plus side, I've got to hand it to the author when it comes to creativity. The depth of his imagination appears to know no bounds. He created strong characters and even created new species that were amazingly well thought out and defined. The story was also incredibly well thought out, tremendously original and unbelievably expansive. If you want to read something you haven't seen before, here it is.

On the other hand, I found the book uneven. There were parts of the story where I couldn't put the book down, and parts that were so dull I could skim pages at a time without missing a thing (at least that's how it felt to me). The description of scientific detail was so in depth that he lost me a lot.(Just so you know who's saying this, I'm a college grad with master's level courses behind me. My career is not scientifically oriented.) Also the details of the time/alternative realities the main character found himself in were so in depth that I zoned out for pages. Still, the parts that were good for me were very, very good.

As a person who believes in God I'd like to add that there are points in this book where atheism is practically preached. The premise of this story includes a belief in evolution. Yet ultimately in the story there's recognition of some type of creator. I saw one reviewer label it the "human mind", but I don't think this is what the author meant. Perhaps I'm incorrect about this, but regardless of what the author thought this creator was, the way he revealed this creator and the nature of "reality" in the story helped me perceive the infinite and amazing nature of God.

So although it's not really at the top of my list, I would recommend this book if you've got some time. I've read most other books out there that have time travel as a premise, and there are others I enjoyed far more than this, but it was still a worthwhile read.
903599
Hard to put down, well thought out and original. The ending was surprising and a fitting end. I hope there's a sequel.
1174292
What I liked about this book was that it was truly original. The concept here is that the protagonist can "psychically" experience other times and places by touching artifacts from those periods. So he becomes involved in an archeological dig which takes him back to the distant past through the unearthed artifacts.  The scenes from the prehistoric past are very well done and again a fresh and unique story.

The only flaw in the novel is the character development, which is a little unbelievable at some points. But if you're looking for a fresh sci-fi story line, this is a good one.
4951240
A very well-written and thought-out novel for anyone who enjoys stories that can take you away from the present and put you in a different world. The writing is fresh and shows thoughtful attention to keeping the reader's interest. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy/science fiction and similar genres.
295701
I really liked this book. It is now one of my favorites. It challenges you to think. Many of the ideas discussed in the book are open-ended for you as the reader to interpret, and it leaves you with a sense of deepness. This book opens your mind to many new ideas and thoughts, and really proves to be a pondering stimulator. Other than all this, of course, it has a great plot, and moves along at a great pace, leaving the end a mystery to the reader. You should definately read this.
2140786
Roll Em Mister Bones is a very original read. The hero, Martin Bonehouse is irritating and endearing by equal measure and although most of what has happened to him could probably have been avoided, its impossible not to feel some empathy for the character. Martin has taken himself off to New Orleans  hiding from the situation at home in England, and it is here that he takes on a quest to rediscover some mad old American music by an obscure performer, meeting several colourful characters along the way.

This is a book that can be approached from many angles; it is in part a hymn of praise both to the history of all those musicians who toiled in obscurity, and to the City of New Orleans and its unique ability to nurture stories. However, the novel also examines how quickly knee jerk reactions and ill-judged prejudices can cause misery and misunderstanding.

Roll Em Mister Bones is thought provoking and briskly paced. Mark Stewart-Jones writes in a most evocative and moving way about human feelings and frailties. A great read.
2457499
Thoroughly enjoyed this novel! The unique format of storytelling and the thought provoking content makes it hard to put down. Readers are immersed into one man's artistic work, family, thoughts, struggles and beliefs. The writing flows easily with descriptions that make you feel that you are walking through each moment with him, seeing each place and experiencing his life.  I'm ready to read it again.
685510
Overall, this was a great read.

The only con is that it needs some minor grammatical editing.

But I loved seeing this one idea taken in so many different directions by so many different authors from so many different backgrounds.

Definitely worth the read and overall a very unique and thought provoking read.
838920
In this strange and well written book, we see a version of the afterlife that is fascinating and complex. It is original, deep and provocative, and flows between the living world and the afterlife with belivability. I enjoyed the interesting premise, and the twists and turns that keep the reader wondering what might come next.
2174080
I really liked this book - I don't think I've ever read another quite like it. I was surprised by the content (read it in 2 sittings because I couldn't put it down) and it caused me to ponder on my own choices and things/people that influence me for days. Even now, weeks later, I still catch myself thinking about some of the concepts presented in this book. I highly recommend!
2531775
This writer does what most great thinkers accomplish, find the hidden associations between different ideas and makes the connection. I think this a highly original take on history, music, and culture. Bravo!
3748468
As both a writer and reader of fiction, I realize how difficult it is to come up with an interesting story, and more so, something that is new and innovative.  I believe Tommy Taylor has done just that though - "The Second Virgin Birth" is a unique fusion of a very old theme with that of our modern way of life, including the technologies we live with and depend on for our existence, as well as the choices genetic technology now permits us to make, in fact sometimes forces us to make.  Not only that, Taylor looks at religion from the thought-provoking perspective of "What if the Savior was actually born today?"  How would people react - the faithful and faithless, how would the leaders of the mighty religions deal with Him, how might His birth change the path the world has taken?  Ultimately, Taylor poses the question:  How would that affect the meaning of faith itself?  The basis of this story is the discovery of the DNA of Jesus Christ - and the questions it poses to a science that is capable of bringing "Him" back to life.  Why?  For riches?  For power?  For prestige?  For ultimate control?  For the beginning of a new age?  But things just aren't as straightforward as that, and that's what I really like about Taylor's development of his story.  Enter into the plot a girl, Mary, who has been "chosen" to be the Mother of God's Son by perhaps more than just chance.  How do her motives and thoughts come into conflict with those of the scientists and power brokers who are determined to bring the Son of God back to life at any cost?  As it goes, many people adore Mary, but others despise her for what she is doing and what she represents.  For me, this aspect of the story provided a tantalizing glimpse at the foundations of religion itself.  I found this book to be a fast, entertaining read with enough mystery to keep me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next.  I kept wondering - how was all of this going to end?  And that, I can't tell you - you'll have to read the book yourself.  And you should.

Jim Erjavec
Author of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Caverns-of-Mare-Cetus/dp/1424180260/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Caverns of Mare Cetus</a>