Blog Tour : Conquergood & the Center of the Intelligible Mystery of Being by CG Fewston

Posted on by LibrAriel Book Adventures
 

 

CONQUERGOOD & THE CENTER
OF THE INTELLIGIBLE
MYSTERY OF BEING
by
CG Fewston
 
 
Science Fiction / Dystopian / Steampunk
Date of Publication: October 17, 2023
Number of Pages: 381 pages 
 
 
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One of resilience and transformation, Conquergood’s life-changing discovery explores the depths of family, memory, love, and the mysteries that lie at the heart of the universe. 
 
In 2183, Jerome Conquergood is an outcast roaming the abandoned and crumbling skyscrapers of Old York City outside the Korporation’s seductive and dizzying headquarters, a post-apocalyptic security-city for the mega-rich. Despite his hatred for the techno-optimism and the Korporation, Conquergood is compelled to save his mysterious twin brother Vincent by joining the Korporation, a mega-corporate and governmental entity in a world oppressed to peace.
 
 
 
 
 
Photo credit: Thor
The American novelist CG FEWSTON has been a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome (Italy), a Visiting Fellow at Hong Kong’s CityU, & he’s been a member of the Hemingway Society, Americans for the Arts, PEN America, Club Med, & the Royal Society of Literature. He’s also been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) based in London. He has a B.A. in English, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership (honors), an M.A. in Literature (honors), and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Fiction. He was born in Texas in 1979.
 
Fewston is the author of several short stories and novels. His works include A Father’s Son, The New America: Collection, The Mystic’s Smile ~ A Play in 3 Acts, Vanity of Vanities, A Time to Love in Tehran, Little Hometown, America, A Time to Forget in East Berlin, and Conquergood & the Center of the Intelligible Mystery of Being.
 
 
Review

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Lone Star Literary.

Conquergood begins with Jerome Conquergood reflecting on pieces of his past in Old York City. He remembers moments with his brother and mother, the past of a once thriving city now overrun with the Korporation. He either joins the Korporation or starves. Jerome accepted a job in the Turnkey Department of the authoritative Korporation. He must navigate his new normal even though he hates the Korporation and what it has done to the world he once knew. Jerome must put his best foot forward to unpack his own forgotten past, the secrets surrounding his brother Vincent, and the leveled secrets of the Korporation. Will he figure everything out or die trying? 

Conquergood and the Center of the Intelligible Mystery of Being is a captivating novel that grabs the attention of the reader right from the beginning. The author uses a variety of descriptive words throughout the text, creating a novel with multiple levels. The book is something you start and finish in one sitting. The author does a great job with his writing style, making it readable for all. I am typically interested in historical fiction, and this book captivates me with in-depth world-building and references to present-day people and events. The text reflects that author C.G. Fewston took his time developing every aspect of this novel to make it inviting to all readers. 

Jerome is a character that is developed with depth, integrity, strength, and his personality unfolds as he becomes a part of the Korporation in an attempt to locate his brother. Jerome is faced with many challenges throughout the novel, forcing him to challenge his own moral compass to achieve his goal of solving the mysteries of his lost brother Vincent. The author allows the reader to be transported into the story, interacting with the different levels of the Korporation, discovering the past and the goals of the Korporation, and deciphering between truth and lies. The ending had me yelling at the screen in shock. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in thought-provoking science fiction. This book encourages the reader to think critically and challenge themselves while reading.

 
 
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Blog Tour : Blue Running by Lori Ann Stephens

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BLUE RUNNING
by
Lori Ann Stephens
Dystopian Fiction / Coming of Age / Suspense
Publisher: Moonflower Publishing
Date of Publication: November, 2022
Number of Pages: 334 pages 
 
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In the new Republic of Texas, guns are compulsory and nothing is forgiven. Blue Running is a gripping coming-of-age thriller set in post-secessionist Texas. A fast-paced, page-turning book, it looks unflinchingly at what the future could hold, and finds hope there.

 
Fourteen-year-old Bluebonnet Andrews is on the run across the Republic of Texas. An accident with a gun killed her best friend but everyone in the town of Blessing thinks it was murder. Even her father – the town’s drunken deputy – believes she did it. Now, she has no choice but to run. In Texas, murder is punishable by death.
 
On the road she meets Jet, a pregnant young woman of Latin American heritage. Jet is secretive about her past but she’s just as determined as Blue to get out of Texas before she’s caught and arrested. Together, the two form an unlikely kinship as they make their way past marauding motorcycle gangs, the ever-watchful Texas Rangers, and armed strangers intent on abducting them – or worse. When Blue and Jet finally reach the wall, will they be able to cross the border, or will they be shot down in cold blood like the thousands who have gone before them?
 
Some things are worth dying for.
 
PRAISE FOR BLUE RUNNING:
“Brilliant.” —Heat Magazine
 
“A fast-paced story that races along, and stays with you long after you’ve finished it.” — The American
“An important and unforgettable read.” — Armadillo Magazine
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Novelist, librettist, lecturer Lori Ann Stephens grew up in North Texas, where she developed an addiction to the arts. Her novels for children and adults include Novalee and the Spider Secret, Some Act of Vision, and Song of the Orange Moons, and her award-winning work has been noted by Glimmer Train Stories, The Chicago Tribune, and the English National Opera. She teaches Writing and Critical Reasoning undergraduate courses, as well as creative writing graduate courses, at Southern Methodist University. She lives in Texas and is a bit mad about her cat.

Review
Rating 5 out of 5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Lone Star Literary.

Blue Running is a well-written thriller-style story that takes the reader on a wild ride from the beginning. I received a gifted copy of the audiobook, narrated by Ashley Kaplan Rose. Blue Running is the first book I’ve read by the author and the narrator.

The book is a dystopian novel set in the future. Bluebonnet, Blue, Andrews is the main character in the story. Blue lives alone with her deputy Dad in Blessing. She doesn’t have a strong memory of her mother, and her father isn’t keen on sharing any stories of her mother. Blue only has one memory of the moment when her mother left and that memory often turns into a nightmare as she lives on. She knows that her mother is still alive and outside of the borders of Texas. Blue’s character is a 14-year-old girl who sees herself as an outcast at her school during a time when patriotism is high and gun usage is even higher. She struggles to make friends until she meets a new girl in town. The two girls quickly become inseparable. Then the new school year starts and her best friend takes a seat at the popular table while Blue watches from afar. Blue finally gets the courage to confront her friend at home, during her visit an accidental death causes her life to change completely. Blue must learn to survive on the run with an unlikely acquaintance. Jet, Blue’s new running partner, is also escaping a life that no longer belongs to her. Both girls will face many trials, tribulations, and challenges, and have to make split-second decisions to survive.

The author does a phenomenal job with this novel. The writing style is both captivating and informative. The narrator allows the reader to be transported into the story and feel like they are a part of the action unfolding. Blue Running had me angry, sad, upset, and in tears, as I listened to their lives unfold. I felt such a strong connection to Jet and Blue and enjoyed Blue’s genuine curiosity. I was angry at the accusations made towards Blue and felt the girls’ loneliness; the author’s writing allowed me to be fully immersed in Jet’s and Blue’s emotions. It is a rare occasion that a book has me so awestruck. Bravo to the author for writing an amazing book and bravo to the narrator for doing such a great job with telling the story.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in a dystopian thriller novel.

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Continue reading Blog Tour : Blue Running by Lori Ann Stephens