Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

The AtLan, a race with advanced technology from a distant world, had been trying to pass their culture and technology on to other civilizations for centuries. They had colonized Tahryn’s world, and despite the strong rebellion from the native tribes, had forcefully assimilated them. However, years had gone by and their mission had failed. They were leaving, returning to their home world, Lan. But then, something terrible happens. Tahryn and his friend Sahla, a member of the K’dari, a rebellious native tribe, witness the cold-blooded murder of Droga, Sahla’s grandfather and a respected K’dari, at the hands of an AtLan official. It turns out a plot was underway by some AtLans to get rid of the Endelor, a native leader of one of the AtLan colonies. Droga had helped stop their plan. What are these rogue AtLans up to? What will happen to the Endelor, who is also Tahryn’s father, and his family? Find out in Ken Jackson’s The Maelstrom of Destiny: The AtLan Chronicles Book Three.

Lovers of science fiction will find Ken Jackson’s The Maelstrom of Destiny an enthralling read. Jackson whisked me away from reality and dropped me into a world of endless imagination with an interesting plot and intriguing conversations. The vivid depictions had me feeling like I was next to every character in every scene, slowly watching them unfold. The subtle tone of the storyline had me flipping through page after page. One moment I was staring in horror as Tahryn and Sahla watched Droga being destroyed by powerful AtLan technology. The next thing I knew, I was following closely as the Endelor and the AtLan leaders went hot in pursuit of an elusive and scheming perpetrator, who seemed to be a step ahead of them in everything. The Maelstrom of Destiny depicts the struggles that people undergoing invasion or being colonized go through. While the invading power thinks itself superior, and its actions beneficial to the natives, it brings untold pain and destruction to the latter. Although a standalone read, I strongly recommend reading the preceding installments in the AtLan Chronicles to appreciate this story.