This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite
Jayson Adams' novel Infernum is a gripping science fiction story of humans and AIs, black holes, and a race to stop a catastrophic end to Earth's existence. The story is set in 2330. Captain Thomas Holbrook receives cryptic mission orders diverting his CentCom warship, the Avenger, to Sagittarius A Star (Sag A Star). It is a dangerous, one-way mission. Sag A Star is at the galaxy's center, with a black hole from which no one has ever returned. The aughts are AIs created by humans. The Collective is a network of sentient aughts independent of humans. Sentient aughts can exist as humanoids. Their brains and actions function at incredibly fast speeds. An aught starship is on its way to Sag A Star to mine Planck Matter for use in a destructive weapon to destroy Earth. Captain Holbrook's orders are to stop the aughts from acquiring Planck Matter. Physicist Dr. Rebekah Riesen, and a sentient aught, Tentek, join the Avenger's crew on their journey to Sag A Star. The action intensifies and the tension escalates as the Avenger speeds toward Sag Star A.
I was pulled into Jayson Adams' compelling and multifaceted novel from the outset. I enjoyed the story's diverse characters, and I loved the richly detailed and highly imaginative worldbuilding of deep space and black holes. I liked how the story's multilayers and different perspectives unfolded, particularly through the characters of Captain Holbrook, his executive officer Commander Paul Stephens, the AI Tentek, the physicist Dr. Rebekah Riesen, and the new young officer Ensign Jiménez. Each of these characters faced perilous situations. The dialogue, actions, and drama of their inter-relationships brought to life their strengths, weaknesses, and inner journeys. The characters who most captured my imagination were executive officer Commander Paul Stephens and the AI Tentek, both unflinching in the face of life-threatening situations. The story gained great depth through these two characters and became thought-provoking, with ethical questions about the rights and freedoms of AIs compared to humans. The book is as much an account of friends and enemies, connections, loss, remorse, and anguish, as it is a sci-fi story. It is a well-crafted tale with compelling characters and strong themes, intriguing and suspenseful to the end!
