THE SKY CHRONICLES WHEN THE SKY FELL, a review, BLOG DAYS OF SUMMER by KM Wilsher

BLOG DAYS OF SUMMER
THE SKY CHRONICLES WHEN THE SKY FELL by MIKE LYNCH AND BRANDON BARR
A review by KM Wilsher

My synopsis: A couple hundred years in the future, Earth is on the brink of destruction at the hands of an evil alien race like you have never seen. The only man brave enough to stop the annihilation, is Commander Frank Yamane. And Yamane’s only hope lies in an enemy he defeated a few years prior. Can he trust his old rival to aid him in Earth’s salvation?

After a heart pounding prologue (see my review of the prologue/first chapter here) I connected with THE SKY CHRONICLES: WHEN THE SKY FELL characters right away. The two main characters Yamane and Kershaw were the kind of men I like to think hold high ranks in our very own US Military. They are reflective men with a strong sense of patriotism and a great love of duty, their country, and their crew. Whereas most characters I’ve encountered in these roles are driven by dark revenge, these two are light characters driven by purpose, duty and the greater good. Refreshing.

I could really relate with Yamane’s adoration for the planets and stars and all of creation. I could also relate to his adoration of ships and star fighters – I have been a somewhat muscle-car junkie my whole life and I love to put the pedal to the metal.

I liked how the authors explored what I called the character’s "alien/space theology". I mean the age old questions of: What is over the next rise? Who is on the other side of the mountain? And who can lay claim to territory?

Mike Lynch and Brandon Barr are brilliant minds. I am fascinated by their technical jargon that reminded me of algebra and geometry. I trusted them with every parabolic curve, and longitude and latitude. Mike and Brandon can give you a space battle – for sure!

Faith is evident through the whole book. In fact, in the later middle, When the Sky Fell’s spiritual elements blossom, pulling from the New Testament of the bible. The authors took a few unexpected, entertaining turns that truly did make me smile.

The only negative thing I would have to say is that I couldn’t get a handle on the big battle plan. I know there was a big picture (battle plan) in the mind of the characters as they moved toward the climax, but I couldn’t follow it. Meaning some of the skirmishes were reduced to fireworks, blasters, and questions about how much power does the ship have. To be fair, this could have just been my reading skills.

I hope lots of science fiction fans get a hold of this book. I think faithful sci-fi fans will love this space opera. Lots of Skyjackets, unique aliens, and great spaceships! I know I did. And, though I’ve said it before, I say it again, “You got to buy this book.” (I know Mike and Brandon have more novels on the way! Keep an eye out!)

(Click here to purchase THE SKY CHRONICLES WHEN THE SKY FEEL by MIKE LYNCH and BRANDON BARR)

Thank you Mike Lynch and Brandon Barr for such a wonderful ride.