Review: "Buried Hope"... a terrific start to a new series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 27, 2013
"Buried Hope (Spes)" in a short work that is the first part of a serialize fantasy adventure by author XJ Selman. This Kindle e-book was approximately 84 printed pages and sold for $0.99 at the time of writing this review.Please Note: the author provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.Spoilers (general theme)After an ancient apocalyptic event had made Spes' surface uninhabitable, life had been forced to retreat underground. The ruling government, through time, have become totalitarian and brook no dissent. But to keep the restless population placated, a person from a specific human lineage (called a Number), immune to the harsh environment up top, is periodically sent up to the surface to see if the conditions have become more supportive of life. Of course the answer has alway been no... until now. The lie, spreads like wildfire throughout the underground colony and as the old saying goes, the natives have become restless.End SpoilersSome thoughts on "Buried Hope"...1.) the writing has a professional quality to it... prose from a truly gifted writer.2.) the sense of pace and timing is spot one, making this by book's end, a real page turner.3.) several main characters that the author has spent some time developing, giving the entire story a sense of realism and depth.4.) an epilogue that will whet your appetite for the next installment.Impressions:A tale that started slowly but picked up pace as it went along, getting better and better as it neared the ending. A book that makes you realize the difference in the quality of writing skills between authors... and XJ Selman has that elusive attribute.As it is... 5 Stars.Ray Nicholsonraynicholsonsreviews@hotmail.com@ralannicholson