CJ Darlington is a young author with whom I have quite a bit in common. She’s a homeschool grad, a multiple genre author, and a newcomer in the indie publishing world with her company, Mountainview Books. She contacted me about reviewing her latest book, sci-fi entry Jupiter Winds.
Kathy Tyers, author of the Firebird series and widely regarded as the top writer in Christian space opera/sci-fi today, says of Jupiter Winds, “A fast-paced, character-driven space adventure that’s reminiscent of science fiction’s golden age.”
Jupiter Winds opens on a windswept, barren landscape in 2160: the American west after wars have rendered it desolate. Cities are now under the control of Mazdaar, an evil empire, and the desert landscape where seventeen-year-old Grey Alexander lives with her sister Rin in a hidden silo is the domain of outlaws, renegades, and wildlife–all hiding out in the North American Wildlife Preserve, where rich folks go on safari and drones rarely search deep enough to catch the outliers. Everyone in Mazdaar is “connected,” joined to a network of information and personalities through brain implants. But connected means controlled. Grey and Rin, like their parents before them and the ragtag group of smugglers and black marketeers in the wilderness around them, survive by staying independent.
But things are about to change. When a smuggling exchange goes awry, Grey is tracked down and captured by Mazdaar drones–a kidnapping that begins to lift the lid on all sorts of secrets. Like what really happened to her parents, presumed dead years ago. Like the true identify of the outliers in the Wildlife Preserve. Like the horrific plans of Mazdaar for the world and its people–and the place the mysterious planet of Jupiter plays in the destiny of all.
Jupiter Winds, to echo Kathy Tyers, is a fast-paced space adventure that younger readers especially will enjoy. It’s a “Book 1,” so fans of Grey and Rin have more to look forward to. Personally, I look forward to seeing more from this author, who shows a lot of promise, in this genre. Get Jupiter Winds here.
Oh, and one more comment: the book itself, I mean the physical product, is really nicely done. It’s a professional entry in the indie world, with fabulous cover art and one of those lovely matte covers.
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