Indie Book Reviewers' Reviews - 1 to 6

Time is for Dragonflies and Angels

      “Time is for Dragonflies and Angels” by J.M. Erickson was an absolute delight, and a great way to experience a variety of concepts, characters and surreal situations by this author. This is a collection of novellas/short stories (5 in all) each with the same brilliantly-crafted, complex and moving sci/fi-futuristic angle, but each unique in their own right.  Mr. Erickson is a hugely talented writer (this is at least my 5th or 6th book from him so it’s safe to say I’m a fan!) who not only can tell powerful, riveting stories in a short amount of time, but the way  he writes them so realistic (even for being fantastical at times), intelligent, thought-provoking and engaging. The way he uses language to create emotion and describe scenery is impressive, and the sci-fi scenarios are unique and believable. The stories are a great length to read in one sitting – I actually wish they were longer! Recommend for fans of dystopian/science fiction and I also recommend his backlist as well as it is pretty awesome too. (5 stars) Stacy Decker—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

      What a great book! “Time Is For Dragonflies and Angels” (great quote) by J.M. Erickson is a wonderful compilation of spine-chilling, mind-blowing, science-fiction and psychology-inspired novellas, with a literary flair. I’ve read several short story collections in the past and while I usually enjoy them as I like the shorter length and the tighter focus on a singular plot, I really enjoyed this book as a whole, and thought each story was as good as (if not better than) the one before! It’s hard to pick a favorite from the collection, as each was good and unique in its own way, but I think that “The Gray” had the most tension, but “Recount our Dreams” was the most unusual and moving.  Great writing and characterizations and takes you to places you’ve never read about before . A must read for fans of science fiction and fantasy/dystopian. (4 stars) Essie Harmon—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

      I generally reserve my more effusive praise for long, epic novels that I feel have completely consumed me and hijacked my brain and soul for a time, not usually shorter stories or novellas that I read in an evening. But today I will be making an exception with “Time is For Dragonflies and Angels” by J.M. Erickson, a book of short stories/novellas that took me by surprise with its profound intelligence, creativity and originality, and how very well written it was (each one, actually) . Dark, disturbing, and complex, I was surprised by the amount of emotion and investment the author manages to pull from the reader in these shorter tales, but how much ‘story’ was packed in and got under my skin – in a good way. Science fiction isn’t even my favorite genre, but I’d say this was one of my favorite books so far this year (and we are in December!) I just really like when an author (and his/her book) can take my mind to new places and make me think about things differently and new possibilities and this definitely happened here. Sign of a gifted writer there. Will definitely be checking out works from J.M. Erickson in the future and some of his other published works, and will recommend to my friends. (4-5 stars) Marcella Gonzales—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

      As a huge reader of books, and most of them indie or small-press published, I’ve pretty much accepted the fact that there will be certain things that won’t be up to the same standards as the big press published books, usually in editing or the quality of writing. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the top-notch professionalism in this book, from the flawless editing to the strength of the narration and the complexity of the characters and engaging, thought-provoking and unpredictable storylines—a real challenge considering the shorter length of these stories. This sci/fi anthology is one of the better ones I’ve read, and kudos to Mr. Erickson for raising the bar. I wasn’t surprised to read that he’s published over a dozen other books and has degrees in the field of psychology (and related fields), as this influence is felt heavily in these stories, dealing with matters and possibilities of the mind (among other things). He will certainly be on my list of authors to watch. Recommend for readers of literary science fiction. (Suitable for mature teens on up- mild language). (5 stars) Laura Clarke—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

      What a refreshing change this book was for me! I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I was so into each story, and as soon as it was over I was so curious to see what the next one would be about. I admit I felt a bit lost at times and some concepts felt over my head (have hard time wrapping my brain around the parallel worlds, alternate existences, time travel, aliens, etc…,).While none of the stories were directly connected to each other (not sure why I thought they would be), they mostly all had the same similar intelligent, surreal, alternate-existence and mind bending possibilities thing going on,  and is written in such a way that you feel very engaged and a part of the story, like you really know the characters and are in their shoes. They are all good stories, but I think “Recount our Dreams” was my favorite (and I think it’s the longest). The coolest part was how these stories were realistic in a way, yet each had a surreal/mysterious/science-fiction/futuristic feeling to them, like there’s more going on in the universe (and our minds) than we ever really know. And the whole book had great flow and presentation. Well done. (4 stars) Gillian Hancock—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

      I think that J.M. Erickson may have made a Science Fiction fan out of me! I’ve always had a bit of an aversion to novellas/short stories them, mostly because I like to feel a deeper connection to the characters and stay in their world for a while, and most of the sci/fi I read feels contrived and frankly, not all that plausible. But I was surprised how effective the author was in totally transporting us to another time and place and where we can really experience another’s lives (or a brief segment of it) enough to really get inside my head and make me think and even freak me out a little! The writing was top-quality - a good amount of details and lyrical prose that added to the scenery without bogging it down any. Brilliant layers of storyline complexity that has a psychological edge wrapped with action and high stakes. For the most part the pacing was good in each story, but I did think there could have been more heightened tension more consistently, especially considering the subject matter and the shorter length. But still remarkable, memorable reading! (4-stars)  Tabitha Parks—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers