Progress Report by Roman Lando

A Science Fiction, Independently Published in 2022, 234 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

• Not sure where I stand yet on the voice. On one hand, the idea of writing out your final thoughts at the end is a popular one that could work. On the other hand, this narrator is being very descriptive for someone who thinks they’re running out of time to explain. 
• Very dry middle. The helper character had the possibility of adding in action and intrigue but instead fell to a dry explanation of philosophy that bored me. 
• Name dropping brands and people was a bit much. There were a few specific mentions of a specific brand AND person who are connected and those made me roll my eyes. 
• Anticlimactic ending. The things that should’ve been big felt small, like they ended too quickly. I wanted bigger payouts for some of the things, like the cool chapter headings. I felt cheated.

What I Did Like:

• I liked the idea of starting each “chapter” with the percentage of battery. Definitely focused the reader on that number and significance while also giving us sort of a count down.
• The integration of AI was interesting and made for the most interesting parts of the book. The technology is realistic and just outside of the realm of possible right now, making this an exciting concept.
• Reluctant hero trope (as mentioned in the book) is on full display here. If you’re a fan of that trope, you may really love this one!

Who Should Read This One:

• Fans of advanced technology and alien race books who are looking for something quick.

My Rating: 3 stars

• The pacing issues are a concern for me but the technology stuff made this pretty neat. I’d say for the right audience, this would be a great book.