Straight Reading from the Library: The Water Sign by C.S. Samulski

C.S. Samulski's The Water Sign was read at The Library as part of his virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. He will award an ebook (international) of science fiction novel REVISION 7 by Booktrope author Terry Persun at each stop to a randomly drawn commenter, and a grand prize of a $10 Amazon or B&N gift card will be awarded to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. You can see the other stops on the tour here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/07/virtual-review-tour-water-sign-by-c-s.html

READ THE BLURB

The teachers taught us how to kill and made us dream for death. It is the only place the Struggle leads. And even it was a lie.

I am too old to be a child. Still too young to be a soldier. But I am trapped as both.

My name is Ayax, though some call me the Water Sign – and this is the story of how I died so that the world might live.

In a future torn apart by catastrophic climate change, biological warfare, and geopolitical upheaval, corporations have taken over the role of nation states. Protected by the re-purposed United Nations and their dreaded Peacekeepers, these corporations and their mercenary armies wage endless wars across all that remains of civilization. And hidden in this chaos, someone or something is stealing children and programming them to fight. The warriors that emerge at age fourteen are vicious and unlike any the world has ever seen.

Exploited by his teachers, and pursued by others who would use him for their own ends, Ayax must navigate our dystopian future filled with treachery, unlikely allies and forbidden AI technology. Is he the Water Sign as the Kafkari believe he is, or merely another experimental weapon?

READ THE REVIEW

A bright new star has burst upon the science fiction scene--C.S. Samulski has created a world in our future that is very very dark and very very different from anything we have known. The scariest thing about it is that given what's going on in today's world--it's not very far-fetched. Samulski takes the reader and puts him right in the middle of the action and intrigue--and the reader needs to hold on during the ride to come.

This isn't a particularly quick read--there were parts I had to stop and reread to make sure I was understanding what was going on. The religious terms are familiar, but --like the re-purposed United Nations-- don't mean quite what they do in our time. While we are in The Water Sign, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

The interactions are complex as is the world building-- I'm reminded of a cross between Herbert's Dune series and the Enderverse of Orson Scott Card--both series I thoroughly enjoy. I'm looking forward to the next episode of this series.

5 Stars

MEET THE AUTHOR

Casey S. Samulski, born May 31, 1985, is an American author - The Water Sign (2013) is his debut novel.

Casey studied literature as an undergraduate at Sarah Lawrence College before moving to New York City. There he worked as a freelance journalist covering the arts, local and national news, and public policy while continuing to work on his fiction. In 2009, Casey moved to Los Angeles where he currently resides. He has also studied applied Jungian psychology, the superflat movement in the arts, and quantum physics.

Casey began writing fiction at age seven and claims to have failed to complete more than one hundred novels before finishing his first, which he sold one month later to Booktrope Publishing.

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