A fantasy in which the author, through her divine cast, maintains a slow-boiling narrative.
In this fantasy sequel, the godlike Sakrosians disagree among themselves about whether or not the humanoid Fledglings should embrace violence to survive.
The Sakrosians, beings who manifest themselves and their city from a communal energy source, have taken up residence on Gaia. Those who wanted to explore the planet, both physically and through biological senses, decided to enter the evolutionary chain and become humanoid Fledglings. One group of Fledglings has succeeded in traversing the Great Divide and is now poised to start a new village in the wilds of Terrenor. This pleases El, the Sakrosian Seer, as well as the rest of the Council. And yet El and Lita the Prophetess begin to suspect that some Council members may be thwarting the Directive of keeping the Fledglings safe. For example, El uses her power to witness the Sakrosians Kostr and Ved give bladed weapons to a Fledgling. Worse, Council Leader Ak seems willing to manipulate anyone for reasons that are unclear. Meanwhile, the Fledgling Raf survived his battle with Telek during the Great Divide’s crossing—but Telek didn’t. Raf meets the forest dweller Behra, and together they encounter a burned village. Eventually Raf reunites with his Fledgling companions, and he joins them in the village of Newyk. But whoever torched Behra’s home remains at large. DeLaurentis adds heat to her tale of meddlesome deities and noble humanoids slowly but steadily. The Sakrosians, who can create clothing and furniture with a gesture, often come across as emotionally reserved, like Vulcans in the Star Trekuniverse. Indeed, they push the Fledglings toward greatness via expressions of love, which is, according to the Directive, “a more profound experience than what Sakrosians can achieve.” Yet danger lies in humanoid arrogance, which readily bleeds into Ak’s secret mission (“Some may need to be sacrificed to save many”). Though Ak plays El, Lita, and others like puppets, resulting in fatal chaos, he doesn’t possess the capacity for true villainy. The narrative splits evenly among Sakrosians and Fledglings, but the author keeps all under tight control. The next volume may call for looser, more emotionally charged plotting.
A fantasy in which the author, through her divine cast, maintains a slow-boiling narrative.Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73379-203-5
Page Count: 486
Publisher: Writing Studio LLC
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.
With only a month left until the world ends due to a swiftly approaching black hole, Don and Rodney, a retired gay couple, road-trip from Maine to Washington to spend their final days with their son.
After reports that a planet-swallowing black hole is making its way toward Earth, Rodney and Don—who have been together for 40 years and survived everything from homophobia to the HIV crisis—decide to pack their belongings into an RV, say goodbye to their neighbors, and travel from Camden, Maine, to Washington to uphold a promise to spend their final days with their son. They can’t wait any longer, since there’s already chaos around the country: “Military vehicles in the streets of most cities and towns. Looting, rioting, the burning of cars and buildings and people, all of it had already happened.” As they make their way west across the country, they encounter fellow travelers ranging from close-knit families to free-spirited hippies, some of whom have come to terms with the impending end of the world and others who haven’t. While the story seems to be asking readers what they would do if they had 30 days left to live, and reflects on what different kinds of acceptance might look like in the face of unavoidable tragedy, it loses some of its poignancy in a series of thinly padded monologues about the meaning of life. Clearly intended to pack an emotional punch, it’s failed by an abrupt ending, and the way the journey’s mystery—which will be obvious to many readers—is revealed by an info dump in the last chapter.
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781250881236
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.
In Green’s inspirational novel, a journalist boarding the wrong train discovers the right moment to speak the words that matter.
Daniel arrives at the Beacon station carrying a leather notebook filled with an unfinished eulogy for his still-living grandfather, only to be swept onto the mysterious 5:07 Gratitude Express, a steam locomotive that appears “for those who want to express gratitude.” His uncanny journey sends him through vividly rendered moments from his own life, where he witnesses the ripple effects of kindnesses he has offered and reunites—sometimes for the first time—with people who were permanently shaped by those actions. Each stop brings a new encounter: A childhood classmate says, “That morning, you altered the course of my life”; an elderly woman confesses, “Your simple act of kindness saved me that day”; a mentor tells him, “You need to figure out what you’re good at and what you like to do. Because when you do that, your potential is limitless.” By the time Daniel reaches Cedarville, intent on seeing his grandfather—the person who most profoundly shaped him—his reflections echo the conductor’s warning that “Time is unpredictable, and unsaid words bring pain and regret.” What follows is a moving affirmation of connection that honors the story’s central message: Appreciation should be expressed to the living. Green structures the narrative as a fable, with emotional clarity and cinematic pacing. The train’s dissolving walls, the recurring whistle rising “high into the dark sky,” and the symbolic briefcase filled with long-kept letters lend the tale a gentle magical-realist texture. While the storyline remains linear and accessible for all ages, the themes—regret, legacy, and intergenerational love—invite adult reflection. The prose is simple, intentionally so, grounding the fantastical elements in an earnest emotional register. This is not a plot-twist-driven story; it’s a quiet parable urging readers to act before time steals their chances. Readers who appreciate heartfelt, uplifting narrative journeys will find resonance in Green’s message.
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9798891385252
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 13, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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