Amazon Reviews

IBR - Independent Book Reviewers

Having read three other books by this author earlier this summer (The Birds Of Flight Series) and really enjoying them, I was very eager to read Mr. Erickson’s latest novella, “Intelligent Design: Revelations”. And while the subject matter and even the genre is quite different, (the Birds of Flight series were more political thrillers; this is a Sci/Fi adventure) I enjoyed it just as much! This was a great, fast-paced plot driven novella that combined a lot of different elements to make it be much more than just a “stock” sci/fi book. There is a lot of creativity here, and interesting subplots that all tie together towards the end to put things in a different “light” so to speak. I liked that it wasn’t cliché or predictable, and I easily devoured it in the span of less than an evening. If I have one complaint it’s that I wish it was longer! A great read for any sci/fi action lover. (5 stars). Stacy Decker; Indie Book Reviewers, Goodreads, Librarything, Shelfari, Barnes & Noble

This is now the fourth book I’ve read from J.M. Erickson, and at the risk of sounding patronizing I think his writing just continues to get better and better. Perhaps it was due to the shorter length of his particular work (it’s a novella, as opposed to a full length novel) that everything just felt tighter and more focused… to an extent. I admit there were a few places that caused me some minor confusions (like when there are 2 Perez characters each being referred to as “Perez”) and the time jumps I sometimes lost track if I’d set it down for a bit. I was confused that the description read that it was 6 million years ago, but then in the book is says 63 million… anyways, small details. But overall I really liked the premise and the characters, human and non. I’d like to see this expanded into a more fleshed out series if that’s the direction the author decides to take. (4 stars). Sam Ryan; Indie Book Reviewers, Goodreads, Librarything, Shelfari, Barnes & Noble

Intelligent, complex, riveting, and with surprising twists, “Intelligent Design: Revelations” was an unexpected treat for me. I’m not a big sci/fi fan at all… in fact I confess I only chose this book to read because I vowed to try new genres this summer. And I may just be a new fan! Happy that this author has other books, and I’ll be checking them out as well. I was pulled into the story right away and liked the new “take” on our history/reality and the idea of a planet being basically hidden in plain sight is really cool. The technology and advancements were believable and yet almost feel ahead of its time. But what I liked the best was that I was never bored… I read it straight through and felt like I could have read more. I couldn’t tell by the last chapter if this series was done or not… almost seemed like it could go either way. But regardless, this is a very engaging and intelligently designed (pardon the pun) novella that can appeal to Science Fictions readers and Non-readers alike. (5 stars). Jenna Brewster; Indie Book Reviewers, Goodreads, Librarything, Shelfari, Barnes & Noble

I’m wavering on this one, as the premise and execution are terrific, and I can’t remember reading a book that has this original take, especially in a genre where it seems like everything has been done to death. Overall the plot, the characters, the voice, and dialogues were done quite well. But it did take me some time to get really grounded in the story line, and at times it seemed almost too rushed, but then would focus on some events (or conversations) that didn’t seem as important. I think this book and the subject matter has such huge potential to take it really deep and expand even more… a science fiction book that combines elements of religion and spiritualty and technology would have endless possibilities in my mind. But I liked that many interesting questions/ideas were brought up and given an almost philosophical angle that caused us to think outside the box some. I would have liked to see more character development, personally, but that’s just me maybe – I like more “personality” to them, but in a way the characters aren’t really the focal point of this story. Would recommend for fans or literary sci/fi, action-adventure, metaphysical, etc… suitable for older teens and adults. And I would also recommend this author’s “Birds of Flight” series as well. (4.5 stars.) Karen Matthews; Indie Book Reviewers, Goodreads, Librarything, Shelfari, Barnes & Noble