*Cover and Synopsis from Goodreads
I was lucky enough to read this book before it was released, thanks to a fun little giveaway hosted by the incredible author Jacob Gowans and I just want to say thanks to him for giving away such an awesome prize. I literally thought I was going to die of suspense waiting to see what was going to happen next in the Psion Series.
Sammy, a fourteen-year-old fugitive, accidentally discovers
he has the powers of a Psion.
A six-month journey of incredible trials has brought Sammy back to Capitol
Island, but things aren't what they used to be. There are more demons to face
and new challenges to overcome. Looming over it all is the war. To make matters
worse, big changes are happening in Psion Alpha and Psion Beta—changes Sammy
doesn't like.
Katie Carpenter, once the great Queen of Anomaly Thirteens, has fallen from
grace, and Sammy is the key to regaining her status.
Commander Byron investigates the depths of Victor Wrobel's treason, and the
deeper he searches, the more danger he finds.
The Silent War is at a tipping point; even one boy can be the difference.
But to do so, he must survive.
My Review: 5-Must Devour!!!!!
I have been a huge fan of the
Psion Series since I first discovered
Psion Beta earlier this year, instantly falling in love with the main character Sammy and all the psion's at beta headquarters.
And this book only increased my love of them. In the first two books Sammy literally went through hell. In fact I spent many days asking myself, what more could the author possibly put Sammy through? I mean this kid has been through more crap than most characters go through in an entire series, and that was only in the first two books. And what's more is that not only does he live to tell the tale, but he becomes more determined to live by the oath that he first stated upon signing up to be a Psion.
One thing that all the
Psion books promise to deliver on is action! And like the last two books this one does not disappoint! Literally picking up right where
Psion Gamma left off we are immediately reminded of Sammy's last adventure and his close brush with the in-famous Katie Carpenter, and a certain promise from Jeffie. And I couldn't help but think, finally, finally something good is going to happen for Sammy! I mean something besides being the best beta there ever was!
I held to hope and as Sammy begun his life at headquarters again it was easy to see that things were different. Sammy wasn't the same person he was when he went on his mission to Rio and it pained me as I realized that simplicity was just not in the cards for Sammy. Which of course if you have read the first two books you know that life for Sammy hasn't been simple for a very long time.
As for the other characters at headquarters life seemed to be pretty much the same, they had the same basic problems they always had; rankings, who was better at gaming, and who was dating who. But it is these characters and these seemingly normal moments that make you realize just how fragile life really is.
Besides being action packed this book gives us a wonderful glimpse into the history of the anomalies, the
Silent War, life as an Alpha and many of the characters that we have grown to love.
The world that Jacob Gowans has created is incredibly descriptive and I can't help but feel as if I am actually there as the words transform into a movie in my mind. I feel as if I really know his characters and what it means to be a psion.
Psion Delta is an incredible ride on both the roller coaster of emotions and action and is one that you absolutely can't miss. It will move you to tears, make you cheer, make you scream and of course make you question everything!
Favorite Character Moment:
I had many in this book in fact one of them is almost an entire chapter, but the one I am going to share with you here is one that I think really represents the kind of person that Sammy is!
Dr. Rosmir stared hard at him. "I wish," he cast his eyes away for a moment, "that I had your strength. You are remarkable. And there's no anomaly for that..." (kindle, loc. 3622).
Now on to the next portion of this review....the awesome author interview!! That's right, Jacob Gowans graciously agreed to answer all of my ridiculous questions, and the only place you are going to see them is right here! Due to the length of the interview and the fact that I can't bear to cut out any of Jacob Gowans answers I have decided to release this interview into two parts!! Read part 1 now and tune in Tuesday for the second installment! So without further ado I give you an insight into Jacob Gowans!
Writing:
1) When did you decide to start writing?
--I
took a storytelling class in college that opened my eyes to how much I loved
writing new stories. While most of the people in my class told fairy tales and
fables, I wanted to write something new each time. Eventually I got an idea for
a novel, something I’d always wanted to try but never did.
2) What was your original inspiration for the Psion Series?
--I
had a dream about several kids with different powers battling each other. It
was very much an X-men type story. As I started plotting out the story, it
evolved into a tale where kids all have the same power. The idea of that
intrigued me because I hadn’t seen anything like that done before. It made
setting rules for the powers more interesting.
3) Where did the inspiration for Flight from Blithmore come from?
--Before
college, I worked at a calling center selling family friendly movies. I got so
bored there that I started mapping out a story. After I wrote 3 Psion books, I
was burned out and turned to something else. I found my old notes for this
novel and started re-plotting the books. The core of the story stayed the same
as it had been 4 years earlier.
4) What kind of research do you do for your books?
Does the research differ based on the type of book you are writing?
--The
research I do depends on the subject matter. For example, I started writing a
story set in an alternate history where the Roman Empire had never fallen. I
spent a lot of time researching different emperors and Roman culture. I read a
lot about post-traumatic stress disorder and torture for Gamma. I studied up on
computer hacking for a couple parts of Delta. Lately I’ve been researching the
Amazon rainforest for another book. I want feel and sound competent about
anything I’m talking about in a book. On the other hand, I don’t want to spend
so much time becoming an expert that I’m not writing. I don’t have a ton of
free time.
5) Some authors say they can’t write without music,
while some need total silence. While one writes at a desk another writes on a
laptop propped on their lap. So, what does your writing process look like? Do
you sit at a desk while you write, like in your profile picture?
--I
rarely write at a desk. Laptops are my thing. As for music, I do listen to
music usually when I write. Mostly classical and instrumental soundtracks.
Occasionally I’ll have something on by blink-182, Angels and Airwaves, or +44.
However, I often find lyrics and fast beats to be too distracting. Once in a
while, I’ll search for a track that captures the mood I’m trying to write and
let that influence the tone of my writing.
6) I absolutely love the amount of detail you put in
your books. From the world you created, the characters and the stories
background. How do you remember it all? And better yet, how did you come up
with it all?
--I’ve
always had a big imagination, and I love stories with lots of mythos behind
them. Dune, Ender’s Game, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings … all these stories
influenced me to create a world that slowly unfolds the more you read them.
Each book offers more nuggets of what events led to what we’re seeing “today.”
As I’ve plotted and spun my yarn, I’ve kept a detailed chronology (4-5 pages)
that I use as my master cheat sheet to make sure I have all my events correctly
aligned. I also refer back to the other books to make my continuity is
accurate. I get asked frequently about how I come up with these things, and the
truth is a lot of it unfolds during the writing process.
7) I can’t read two books at the same time and manage
to keep the stories straight. How do you write two different series and keep it
all straight? Do you ever accidentally put Henry from the Storyteller Tales into the Psion
series or vice versa?
--It’s
actually not hard for me. I usually focus on one book at a time, so I don’t
have a problem with mixing characters from different stories. The settings are
distinct enough and my notes are clear enough that I have no trouble
remembering the details to write the story.
8) Which series do you find more challenging, Psion or The Storyteller’s Tale? Why?
--The
Psion series is much more complex than the Storyteller. Likely, the Storyteller
will be just three books and then finished. Meanwhile, the Psion series is five
books, plus several more planned in that universe. I find it more difficult to
write books in the future than in the past. Inventing and using new
technologies can be tricky, especially trying to keep things in check that you
don’t make the stories in accessible for people who may not be huge fans of
sci-fi.
9) Who is your favorite character to write for in
the Psion Series? And The Storyteller’s Tale?
--I
love lots of Psion characters. I guess I’d have to pick Sammy b/c I feel like
he has so many layers and nuances. He’s a complicated guy and sometimes I feel
badly for putting him through so much garbage. But if I didn’t I wouldn’t have
quite the same story. For Storyteller, it has to be Ruther. While the series
revolves around Isabelle and Henry, they’re already really great people.
Ruther, on the other hand, is very … unpolished, to say the least. He comes a
long way in Flight, and still has a
ways to go to figure things out.
Before
I go, I want to shout out to my fans. They are so awesome and have helped this
series grow into a very respectably following. I’m grateful for their support
and enthusiasm. I hope the Psion series is everything they want it to be. Long
Live Sammy!
Tune in Tuesday for questions related to Jacob Gowans characters and Personal life!!
"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."
