Book Review of The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Wizards by Steve LeBel

About the Book:

Gods vs. Wizards ~ an epic struggle for survival

Bernie fixes broken universes for a living. Unlike other gods, who tend to take a hell-fire-and-brimstone approach to problem-solving, Bernie prefers a more gentle approach.

Bernie’s job is to restore production on the planet Photox, but he soon discovers a world caught up in a civil war. With a hard-to-please boss breathing down his neck and a personal life in desperate need of relationship advice, Bernie’s chances of success are dwindling fast. The gods on Bernie’s world are no help. If he fails to restore production, they will destroy Photox’s entire population.

Bernie is desperate to keep this from happening, even if the murderous wizard causing all the problems is powerful enough to hurt a god…

My Thoughts:

 In this next book of ‘The Universe Builders’, Bernie now has a job and he is working on creating universes to please their customers. This book takes off from where the last left off, with the main characters now out of school and trying to find their footing in the commercial world. It is wonderful to see how the characters have grown and changed. If you have read the previous book(s), you’d understand this. If not, here is a brief idea of the basic plot.

Bernie and his friends are young gods. They have just completed God school where they learnt the art of creating universes, how to create life and how to find out what are the elements that when combined, would sustain life. In this book, Bernie has to restore the production of a particular plant on a planet. When Bernie arrives on the planet, he finds that there is a lot more going on. As he teams up with his friends to try to figure out a solution, he is faced with problems from the people of the planet. This story is also one of discovery and understanding, of strong bonds and friendship and trust. We watch them grow and mature a little, while Bernie’s cloud becomes naughtier by the minute!

A well-written novel, this book proves to be fun to read and is more mature in the nature of the plot as compared to the previous story. There the focus was on introducing the characters and making us familiar with them and the world. Now, it is more focused on the emotional depth of the characters and the plot. The story moves quickly and it is nice to read about a developing relationship between Bernie and Susie, which most of you would have seen coming. An entertaining concept, the author brings out a different perspective on life and creation.

Everyone who enjoys a good read in the fantasy genre would really enjoy this book and the others in the series!

Bernie and the Wizards by Steve LeBel – Releasing soon!

The mail just brought in my very own signed copy of Bernie and the Wizards (sequel to The Universe Builders – Bernie and The Putty), written by Steve LeBel!

It was an honor to be a part of his Beta reading program which was an interesting experience.

About the Book:

Gods vs. Wizards ~ an epic struggle for survival

Bernie fixes broken universes for a living. Unlike other gods, who tend to take a hell-fire-and-brimstone approach to problem-solving, Bernie prefers a more gentle approach.

Bernie’s job is to restore production on the planet Photox, but he soon discovers a world caught up in a civil war. With a hard-to-please boss breathing down his neck and a personal life in desperate need of relationship advice, Bernie’s chances of success are dwindling fast. The gods on Bernie’s world are no help. If he fails to restore production, they will destroy Photox’s entire population.

Bernie is desperate to keep this from happening, even if the murderous wizard causing all the problems is powerful enough to hurt a god…

 

Find out more on the website

Look out for my review of the book which will be posted soon!

In the meantime, do check out my reviews for The Universe Builders – Bernie and the Putty and Bernie and the Lost Girl.

 

Enjoy the ride with Crossline by Russ Colchamiro

About the Book:

Hotdog pilot Marcus Powell has been chosen to test Taurus Enterprises’ prototype craft Crossline and its newly developed warp thrusters. But during the flight something goes incredibly wrong, forcing Powell into a parallel universe.

Soon after he lands on that strangely altered Earth, Powell reluctantly teams up with a trigger happy rebel leader, a pot-smoking shaman, a crafty pie-maker, and a weary solider who hates his guts — all to survive an epic battle he may have been destined for all along!

Meanwhile, back home, reclusive oil tycoon and Taurus CEO Buddy Rheams Jr. — who sent Powell on that very mission — has a mysterious past and a secret agenda, one that could prevent Powell from ever making it back to his wife and little girl.

From author Russ Colchamiro, CROSSLINE is the exciting tale of two ambitious men — and two mirror worlds — linked across time and space in a way neither of them could ever have imagined.

Because once you’ve crossed the line, can you ever really go back?

For the CROSSLINE book trailer, visit: youtu.be/mJ8fey7_4VA

My Thoughts:

Crossline will introduce the reader to a world of space travel, wormholes and parallel universes. A well-written novel, it proves to be entertaining as well as interesting in concept and nature. The story revolves around the concept of adventurous time travel and warring communities.

How does a person deal with an alternate reality to his original one? How is one sure that the people they have left behind are still waiting for them? How do we deal with the existence of someone just like us, just in a different reality?

Marcus Powell, who takes off in a space ship, out to test the new technology of warp thrusters, finds himself entering a wormhole and ends up on an “Earth” that’s not his “Earth”. We are then taken along on his journey of understanding and acceptance as he tries to wrap his head around the unimaginable. In parallel, we are introduced to Buddy Rheams Jr., a man shrouded in mystery and responsible for the existence of the space ship – Crossline. The story brings out the similarities and differences between many of the characters central to this plot.

The author brings to us highly advanced technology, in this delightful story, with well developed and complex characters who do know how to “CHILL” ! A lot happens in the story running with parallel lines and situations, culminating in the end. Jesse, Powells’ daughter is an entertaining child who adds color to the story and brings out how the concept of spirituality and belief can make a large difference.

Overall interesting and entertaining, Crossline is worth a read!