Book Review – Crater Trueblood by Homer Hickman

Book Three of the Helium-3 series takes readers back to the moon and a few years into the future. Crater has come a long way from the quiet Heel-3 miner boy on the way back of the moon. He has his own business now with his brother and a crowhopper. But his heart still lies where it always has, and his simple way of understanding things remains unchanged. He’s a worthy opponent to his adversaries, but an even better friend.

In this book, Crater is launched on yet another mission to rescue Maria, with stakes and obstacles higher than ever. It takes a whole team of friends and family, enemies and bystanders, to attempt the desperate rescue plan. But what will the reward be even if they are successful?

 

I did enjoy this third book of the series. Crater is one of the most loveable characters who can remain unchanged by fame, fortune or adversity. I did not, however, enjoy yet another dramatic saga with the selfish Maria. While she has her redeeming qualities with an admirable toughness and resilience, the drama of another plot of should they be together? was a bit much. Still, the rescue adventure was worth the read itself, taking me on a realistic journey across the moon and through space, where a deadly horde of asteroids awaits to take out Earth and all humanity. BookLook Bloggers® provided my review copy of this book.

Another year older...

Oops, didn't get around to updating during Camp NaNoWriMo, did I? Well, I'm happy to report I at least achieved my goal of 30K, but sadly, still have not finished the manuscript. Serious writing work has had me occupied.

A cool thing I'm trying now is, writing on my iPhone. I always have it with me and a nice little app called PlainText that's a joy to write on. Who knows? Maybe it will help me finish Book 3 in my "spare" time.

Camp NaNoWriMo and Book 3

Since my workload is lightened enough for me to breathe, and I'm itching to dive into a new manuscript, I decided to go to virtual camp. Camp NaNoWriMo. It's a little different from the regular NaNoWriMo (same awesome people run it though). The best part is I was able to set my own word count goal. I can't push it this month, so I'm going for 30,000. Day Four and I'm at 4,595 without having written yet today. So far, so good.


Book 3, Lost in the Stars, is underway.

In the Wayback of the Moon - Crater by Homer H. Hickam

A mining outpost on the moon, a protective gillie, a complaining brother-like best friend and an annoying boss’ granddaughter set things up for changes to come in the life of a mild mannered scraper kid named Crater Trueblood.

The story starts with the redundant but satisfying job of mining in the way back of the moon and escalates to an adventure across the most dangerous territory the moon has to offer. Crater is plunged into adventure and struggle for survival as he makes new friends…and new enemies, something foreign to the simple sixteen-year-old with a knack for genius.


Crater is one of those characters you can’t help but like right away. An orphan from birth, he never complains, never rubs anyone the wrong way, except in his wonderful honesty and innocence. His best friend/adopted brother, Petro, is quite the opposite, setting them up for conflict when things start to cross Crater in ways he’s never experienced.

For me, the story took a bit to get going and was heavily laden with science—not surprising, considering the author. And it is science fiction, I just personally prefer more fiction than science. Overall, though, there was plenty of action to keep the story moving from the way back of the moon to the point where earth and moon commerce intersected.

Even from a writer’s standpoint, the POV (point of view) shifts weren’t overly distracting. The dialogue felt real most of the time. I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the ending, but I’ll probably read Book 2 of this YA Helium 3 series when it comes out.

Crater is great book for getting an idea of what life might be like if the moon were ever colonized. The harshness and contrasting beauty paint a stark but intriguing picture.


~S.E. Sawyer

BookSneeze® provided my review copy of this book

Beckon by Tom Pawlik—Book Review

The lives of three people collide in the town of Beckon, each drawn there for a different but life changing reason.

The story opens with Jack, a young anthropologist who wants to find what happened to his father who disappeared when Jack was just nine. Teamed with his best friend and a Native American guide, they begin a search in the caves near Beckon, Wyoming.

Elina—an ex-cop—is searching for her missing cousin, and finds much more than she bargained for. But it’s her renewed and steadfast faith in God that brings things to a head in the end.

George arrives in Beckon on the lure of a cure for his beloved wife’s Alzheimer’s. At seventy-three, he still has plenty of life left in him to handle the truth of what really goes on with the “cure.”


This book is a page turner, one of those that kept me up past my fairly set bedtime. I’m not a huge sci-fi reader (strange, huh?), but this book felt normal enough to have me contemplating how this could actually happen.

Real characters, real drama, real action, real danger—Tom Pawlik combined all these things to make an excellent read. As a disclaimer for milder readers such as myself: There’s a bit of goriness which I generally avoid in reading or movies, but nothing I couldn’t skim over if I didn’t want to imagine the images too vividly.

Overall, a great thriller with themes of faith, family, and the realities of immortality.


For Him,

Sarah Elisabeth

Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book

Drop the Sci-Fi

Hmm, I thought I had written a post about why I'm not updating this blog.

Along about the time I finished up that last one, I spent days in on and off prayer. The answer to my questions about what I should do next shot out: Drop the sci-fi.

For a few months? Days? Forever? With no answer to those questions, I simply ceased and turned other directions. My LIGHT folder went into Archives and I forgot about the blog, the characters, and future (or not) stories.

I've started a new novel, Her Father's Eyes, and am totally in love with the story. (http://www.sarahelisabethwrites.com/)

Do I miss LIGHT? Yes. But it feels like I'm in a trial period. Like God wanted to see if I would really and completely abandon something I loved so much. I did.

Now, bits and pieces are coming back to me. After this novel, and publishing Third Side of the Coin, Complete Collection, I plan to edit the LIGHT material I have and publish it.

Unless God tells me otherwise.

~S.E. Sawyer

New Plans

It's so amazing. Not until I finish a first draft can I comprehend what the story is truly about, and all the elements that go into it. With book 2, I already see so much I want to add to enrich and round out the story. Also, I'm growing to love the stories and characters even more, to the point where I'm considering making each book a full novel instead of novellas.

And that's why I'm narrowing down my book list from eleven to seven. The other ideas will be melded into the novels or become short stories.

Oh, the joy of writing! And editing, and publishing. God is so good.

~S.E. Sawyer

P.S. Jael did a superb job solving the ice planet problem.