Full disclosure – I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own
Contract to Die
Axel Rivers has always drawn the short end of the stick. After having lost his parents as a youth the memories of them are fuzzy at best. Growing up orphaned with no real grounding Axel’s only constant companion is his best friend Malik. It was not until he met Shoshana that he felt as if he had finally found a grounding force. Building a life with Shoshana and their son became his entire world, until the bad day took it all away. Now, he is lost in a deep depression of suicidal thoughts and lethargic actions. When he is offered an opportunity to join the clinical trials of Kindred Eternal Solutions he figures he has nothing to lose. The trial, only to be referred to as a “sleep study” to those on the outside will involve Axel being killed and resurrected several times over the course of a week. Once the trial is complete, Axel will stand to be a wealthy man if he lives that long. As the trial commences, Alex experiences the world beyond death, but is this the afterlife as it currently exists or a construct that has been created by Kindred as a sort of eternal playground for the rich and powerful. Axel doesn’t care if it offers him the chance to see his wife and child again. As he wanders through the Deathscape nightly, he learns more and more about the dynamics of this strange place and about those who have created it. But with the revelations comes consequences and after Axel gets kicked out of the program he goes through extreme measures to return to the Deathscape to help those dear to him gain peace even if it means his own demise.
Ending Forever is a speculative science fiction novel by author Nicholas Conley. The story is short but does not lack depth or substance. The premise revolves around a clinical study that has been bankrolled by some of the wealthiest persons on the planet to study what happens after (and during death). What if death was not the end and the afterlife was just a layover of sorts to the next adventure? Would people be able to make a home in the Deathscape or could it be utilized for other purposes? If you could “die” to enter this world to visit your loved ones again, would you? What can go wrong with taking a seeming natural part in the life cycle and capitalizing on it for financial gain?
With Ending Forever, Conley has penned a story what will have the reader thinking. I finished this book months ago and I still find myself thinking about certain scenarios. This is a well thought out story that deserves another readthrough as I feel that I missed so many little nuances in the first pass. If you like Sci Fi that is hauntingly thought provoking and mildly disturbing. Ending Forever is one that will stick with you long after the final page has been turned.
Jennly Reads 