New Persia: Before the Storm by John L. Lynch
There’s something in this novel for everyone, and this is my first military sci-fi read. I wanted to read John L. Lynch’s book after I heard about New Persia: Before the Storm on a Kirkus Reviews podcast, Fully Booked*.
History, romance, suspense, mystery, war, and action all play an essential role in New Persia: Before the Storm. This novel is a military sci-fi novel, and author John L. Lynch has a fantastic talent for world-building, writing characters to root for, and depicting military tactics and strategies between nations as well as man v. planet. In New Persia, citizens must procreate and populate the planet to manually manage the creeping invasive plant that threatens to take over the land and resources that support human life. The potential consequences of an on-coming seed storm make it a prime time for warring nations to expand their territories.
The women are well-protected, expected to fuel the workforce with offspring to destroy the wickedly fast-spreading plant. They literally carry the weight of the world, and yet, they’re supposed to suppress free will, action, or intelligence outside the home. And they should certainly stay out of matters of war. With skill, John L. Lynch demonstrates how war(s) can’t be won without women, and that societies must evolve.
Using Deep POV Voice, this novel is written from several points of view. Each character’s voice is well-defined, so it’s not confusing, and the multiple perspectives make this book come alive. I love it when I understand a character so well that I can begin to anticipate her/his actions based on other characters’ choices.
The fast pace, and suspense, made New Persia “unputdownable.” I read this novel on a flight between New Zealand and Hawaii, two islands that are very cautious about invasive plants threatening their ecosystems. The take of a plant competing with humankind for existence was quite relevant.
New Persia: Before the Storm was my first military sci-fi read, and as long as John L. Lynch continues to write, not my last. The sequel, The Tempest is now available for pre-order; out Feb. 29th. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes military sci-fi or is looking to expand their reading list and try a new genre! And I’ll be giving away one digital copy via Amazon. If you’re interested, comment or send me a website to be included in the drawing.
To learn more about John L. Lynch and what he’s working on now, visit his website at https://johnllynch.com.
Until next time, thanks for being you.
Teri Case
*Click here to learn how I met John L. Lynch and to listen to his podcast.
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