IndieReader’s reviewers are tough, but fair
Our Reviewers won’t judge your book as compared to other self-published titles, but against other books, period. Our ratings are based on the following criteria, although reviewers are able to award partial stars (i.e. a 1.3 or a 4.7), rather than rounding up or down to a whole or half number.
1/5
Really bad
Work on it.
2/5
Mediocre
1-2 bright spots.
3/5
Good
Worth reading.
4/5
Very Good
1-2 spots that need work
5/5
Excellent!
Must-read.
* IndieReader receives compensation for most of the books it reviews, along with copies of those books.
Although a somewhat incompletely drawn protagonist and a notably ambiguous approach to its main themes detract from the story, C.G. Fewston’s CONQUERGOOD AND THE CENTER...
Steve Kenney’s GLITCHING SOULS has an intriguing conceit and asks some interesting questions, but it feels like setup for a plot that never arrives.
Jeffrey Michelson's ANTICIPATION DAY boasts an ambitious premise based on immersive virtual experiences, though it runs into some predictable choices and overwriting.
The capstone of Emmaunel M. Arriaga's Foundra trilogy is vast, detailed, and ambitious. While it does occasionally sprawl a bit too wide to maintain perfect...
Antanas Marcelionis's MASTER VERSION 1.1 engagingly tackles some fascinating and prescient subjects, though its confusing messaging and thin set-up can make for a difficult read.
Though well-imagined and well-voiced, Deborah Mistina’s IMBER doesn’t quite cohere as well as it should.
Jeff Shaw's ECHO SIX is an enjoyable, fast-moving time-travel tale that works as no-frills, old-fashioned sci-fi.
Lena Gibson’s ongoing Train Hoppers series demonstrated that she is adept at conjuring gripping and entirely believable narratives set in the aftermath of disaster, where...
Michael B. Duff’s TIMOTHY’S DEMON is a richly imagined, agile debut with a satisfying blend of magical worldbuilding and smartly conceived action.
Though its punchy, present-tense prose gives it some enjoyable momentum, Mathew L. Brengman’s THE MAYHEM VIRUS doesn’t distinguish itself well from better-known cyberpunk forebears.
Readers new to the series may have a bit of difficulty grasping much of what has come before, but Costi Gurgu's PINK CORROSION is science...
Robert F. Glahe's ESCAPE FROM DESOLATION, Book One: Inclusion is a solid opening volume in a new space trilogy. It’s always engaging, and, by the...