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Praise for Scorched Earth:

“Others have attempted to blend the genres of an investigative detective piece with sci-fi, but few achieve such a seamless integration as do McFall and Hays … a compelling saga, edgy and different, thoroughly absorbing.” 

—Midwest Book Review

Purchase: Amazon

Ah yes, Ye Olde Dilemma of how to review the second book in a series without spoiling the first book. My thoughts on Gates of Mars are here. And still apply to Scorched Earth:

The imagination of McFall and Hays must have been running at light speed while writing this book! Well-developed worlds, believable characters, and prescient ideas have me anxiously excited for the next installment of The Halo Trilogy.

What I really enjoy about this series, and Scorched Earth in particular, is the mash-up of hard-boiled detective with science fiction. Crucial is detecting and crime solving across two planets! If you are asking yourself how is it possible to mash together two very different genres, let me provide some examples.

On the hard-boiled detective side:

• Over on Mars, Crucial is tasked with solving the murder of one of the First Five Families. And oh yeah, his ex’s fiancée is charged with the crime. No conflicts there, that’s for sure!
• Also, what’s with all the brains in blue goo?
• Back on Earth, who are the ‘fake’ resistance fighters? And what are they doing in the Sunbelt – that dried out middle of the continent?

On the Sci Fi side:

• Halo, the sentient AI in the series, is still there, tracking every movement, every thought, reminding me more of Thunderhead from the Scythe series this time around. I love this quote from Essential:

“AI is built by humans, an as long as we can control it – which isn’t necessarily for much longer – it’s anchored in human values. And right now, those values are defined by the Five Families.”

• Sanders, the cybanism (cybernetic humanoid type), is learning to be “more human”, including drinking alcohol. He even tries switching his blue blood (so no one thinks he’s human at an accident) to red.
• Nanites. So many nanites.
• We meet the Saurians, a race of humans who were genetically crossed with lizards and now live in the Sunbelt. With tails, scales, third eyes, and the ability to camouflage themselves, they are thriving while Halo cannot see them.

McFall and Hays show some serious writing skills in blending these genres and ideas.

On a personal note, I’m on the fence about having an OCD (ocular communications device). Sure, it would be cool to have the internet ALWAYS there. But also, always there seems loud and invasive. If the recent pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that I do not always need to be connected to the internet. I need a break sometimes. And the interesting fact that we learn in Scorched Earth about the OCDs – they are implanted on day two of a baby’s life. DAY. TWO.

The pacing of Scorched Earth is fast and page turning. From the opening scene (a shoot-out, btw), I was engaged and following along, like I was there with Crucial. From the baking heat of the Sunbelt to a q-rocket that somehow MISSES Earth on the way back, I was turning pages as fast as I could. I read most of the book in one day because I HAD to find out what was going to happen next!

I genuinely like the characters in these novels. They are well-written, believable, and flawed. I found myself attached and worried about each one of them when they are put in peril by the authors. Crucial is cranky, disillusioned, and a brilliant detective. Essential is the activist we all want to be. I absolutely love Sanders and his attempts at being human.

Scorched Earth is the second novel in a series but could be read by itself. McFall and Hays do a great job in the first chapters of the novel summarizing the plot points of Gates of Mars (book #1 of The Halo Trilogy) for new readers. But not so much recap as to be dull for someone who read the first novel. But honestly, you should check out Gates of Mars. It was recently named a Foreword INDIES Finalist!

Amazing writing, fast-paced, fab world-building, authentic characters, and outstanding crime solving had me turning the pages as fast as I could. Scorched Earth fits right in with my pandemic sci fi obsession. Hopefully my review has intrigued you to pick up this series. I know I’m excited for the next installment!

Thanks to authors Kathleen McFall and Clark Hays and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity to review Scorched Earth I received the novel free in exchange for my honest review.

Clark and Kathleen wrote their first book together in 1999 as a test for marriage. They passed.  Scorched Earth is their ninth co-authored book.

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