I’m a big fan of Australia. Not only do they have kangaroos and koalas, many of my favorite actors and actresses are Aussies. I hope to go there someday. Do you suppose I’ll meet Hugh Jackman or Cate Blanchett or Margot Robbie? Probably not. But it turns out that Aussies have great taste in science fiction, as well.
An Australian SF magazine called Aurealis has just reviewed my novel Sunborn. This is amazing. How often does a book get reviewed almost 15 years after it was published? Never, that’s how often. Well, hardly ever. But in this case…I think it’s time for me to count my blessings. Reviewer Terence MacManus has just given a thoughtful (and favorable) review of the fourth book of The Chaos Chronicles, and concluded with this:
Sunborn is a wonderful synthesis of the best classic science fiction elements with the novel and unique storytelling that sets Carver’s work apart.
A little over a year ago, a writer and reviewer named Bria Burton posted a very nice podcast review of the audiobook of my novel Sunborn. Well, now that review has itself been turned into an animated video by Patzi, whose site hosted the original. It’s pretty cool. If it doesn’t show up for you on this page, you can see it here: https://www.facebook.com/RadioJoyonPaper.
My previous post notwithstanding, 2022 has gotten off to a pretty rocky start in the Carver household, due to some family members going through tough times. I’ll not go into details, for reasons of privacy. But several pieces of (professional) good news have come along to brighten the days, and I want to share those.
The first, I believe, was a lovely review of The Reefs of Time from Scribble’s Worth Book Reviews. They liked the book a lot. On their list of Pros and Cons, they gave it 9 pros and 0 Cons.
The second was my first review on TikTok, by a young man named Anthony Avina, also of The Reefs of Time. He too liked it lot.
The third was a wonderful short review of the Sunborn audiobook, on an internet radio segment called Sci-Fi Bookbuzzes with Bria Burton (scroll down to the little audio player to hear the review). That led to a subsequent on-air interview with PatZi, the host of the parent radio show, Joy on Paper. You can listen to the interview here.
Here’s some good news: Two small, but highly regarded, SF magazines have published glowing reviews of The Reefs of Time and Crucible of Time.
A little perspective might be in order. One of the hardest things about shifting from traditional publishing to indie is trying to get your books reviewed in traditional review circles—even from publications that have been reviewing you favorably for years. This goes for mainstream press as well as most SF publications. Well, finally some reviews for Reefs and Crucible have come in! Here are some choice bits…
“There are giant, and brilliant, concepts in these books… If you haven’t read it you’re in for a whale of a ride! I, personally, will have to pick up more of Jeffrey Carver—not just this series—because I’ve become a fan of his world/galaxy-spanning imagination! I highly recommend these books.” —Steve Fahnestalk, Amazing Stories Magazine
And from Australia’s Aurealis Magazine:
“Jeffrey A. Carver’s long-awaited return to The Chaos Chronicles underpins its stunning science fiction and character-driven narrative with a strong theme of ‘coming home’… As narratives intertwine at separate ends of the timescale, Carver’s talent for weaving incredible technology and worldbuilding with meaningful character moments is a standout.
“Each location and the alien race that lives there feels tangible and diverse, with a realism that supports the underpinning themes of being lost, searching for connection and juxtaposing expectations against reality.
“[A] compelling narrative that combines the best of science fiction’s flair with its unique capacity to dissect the human condition. Fans of Carver’s Chaos Chronicles won’t want to miss this latest installment, and new readers will find it an easily-accessible entry to a fascinating, well-told universe.” — Terence MacManus, Aurealis
And finally:
I learned this from a friend, who sent me a screenshot—Locus Magazine apparently listed Sunborn Number One for SF ebooks at Smashwords in December. Not sure what it’s based on—but I’ll take it.
