Location: United States
Member Since: May 21, 2015

Phil Lembo

Smashwords book reviews by Phil Lembo

  • Flying the Storm on June 05, 2015

    Really terrific story. Really. Terrific. The advanced tech (like the powerful repulsors displacing the weight of giant flying warships -- which I first imagined as massive, armored dirigibles, but later realized were using this advanced technology) is woven into and supports the narrative, but doesn't overwhelm it. I usually steer clear of distopian future or apocalyptic themed novels, but this one caught my attention and drew me in. The Caucasus setting for most of the book is strikingly realistic. The pictures on the author's blog of the actual site he chose for the first battle, which I did not see until I finished the story, are exactly how I imagined the place when I was reading it. I really hope the author decides to write a sequel, because I'd really enjoy visiting this world again.
  • Beneath a Blue Sun on March 31, 2018

    Good, solid, all-too-short story. Really enjoyed it.
  • Mars Encounter on April 01, 2018

    Solid hard scifi journey of discovery with believable situations and characters. Good world building, both at home and in space, particularly in conveying the oppressive nature of the authorities who value secrecy above human life (while rationalizing that it's in the interests of humanity). The sense I got was similar to I felt about the society in Heinlein's _Starship Troopers_. Appreciated that the story didn't end in a cliff hanger, but did leave the door open for further adventures.
  • Mars Encounter: Prequel Stories on April 01, 2018

    I really felt that these shorter tales were a valuable addition to the main story in _Mars Encounter_, but can more than stand on their own. These stories are enjoyable whether read before or after the novel, and I'd highly recommend them if the reader is on the fence about whether to invest in _Mars Encounter_. Once again, a great scifi adventure and world building.
  • Running the Rift on April 04, 2018

    Really enjoyed this book, and I'm not even a young adult! An action-adventure story that takes you on a fast-paced ride of discovery and danger. The characters, especially the young guardian who risks it all to protect his charge, are better developed than those in many novellas of this length, as is what often seems like the main character: the planet itself. The aliens who share the planet with the human colonists are totally alien, and sinister. What I really liked about the author's approach was that he didn't feel everything had to be spelled out, spoon fed, to the reader. He lets you come to understand this often hostile world naturally, through the eyes of the characters.
  • The Worlds Within on April 04, 2018

    Another great hard scifi story from Mr. Broatch. It starts out with a bit of interesting archaeological discovery, but picks up quickly when it turns out that the civilization they'd though was long dead wasn't "quite dead yet". Our alien enemies -- and allies -- are realistically alien, and we humans are initially clueless about the big picture, but with a little help get with the program soon enough.