Review by lavenderbooks20 -- The Decision
Posted: 22 Aug 2020, 01:25
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Decision" by Michael D. Komeshak.]
When the news about the UFO arrival in New York broke out, the world has shaken. The internet was rife of conspiracy theories and doomsday prophecies. Many expected the world would fall that day. So it was confounding when the aliens said they came in peace; and as a matter of fact, they meant to offer the human civilization help in achieving greatness. But only if the humans would concur. As a result, a mix of thirteen representatives was chosen all from across the globe to make the decision. These “chosen ones” were composed of six UN ambassadors and seven ordinary civilians each with varying ethnicities, religions, sexes, and economic backgrounds. On the first day, they must decide on the most dangerous man-made threat on Earth. They could choose one thing, and the aliens will get rid of it, or they could choose nothing, and the aliens will leave the planet for good. Whatever decision they make determines what happens the next day and its consequences.
The Decision by Michael D. Komeshak is a sci-fi novel that talks about the problems of the modern world in a philosophical lens. It has a raw portrayal of human nature. It shows how human beings, when pushed in a desperate situation, have both the ability to harm and help, to rectify, and as well as be detrimental to the world.
There were so many things I liked about this book. Aside from being something deep and morally serious, I particularly liked the voice of the protagonist—Jason. He was so ordinary, and very much a flawed human being. He’s not so righteous. At times, his opinions were malleable. He had his own beliefs and morals but occasionally finds himself questioning everything he knew as well. The rest of the characters were much nuanced too, and they had realistic dialogues.
The author’s vast knowledge of different religions and belief systems was evident in his work. It had proverbs, verses, and quotes that are fitting to a certain narrative. I found the debates interesting as they were written based on all angles—history, faith, logic, and empirical data.
As the story progressed, it gets more intriguing. I’m almost always at the edge of my seat—even found myself covering the next few lines with my hand just for the thrill of it. Everything was neatly wrapped towards the end. All my questions were answered, and the ending, to me, was justified enough.
Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There was nothing I dislike about it. It was brilliantly written and well-edited. I only found a couple of minor typographical errors. I heartily recommend this to anyone who might not be much of a sci-fi fan but into stories with thought-provoking premises. It contains profanity—even a handful of racial slurs spewed for the sake of characterization. It has sexual innuendos and minimal erotic scenes so I do not recommend this to children. Also, beware that this book had indications of self-harm and suicide that might not be suitable for those who are sensitive to it.
******
The Decision
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
When the news about the UFO arrival in New York broke out, the world has shaken. The internet was rife of conspiracy theories and doomsday prophecies. Many expected the world would fall that day. So it was confounding when the aliens said they came in peace; and as a matter of fact, they meant to offer the human civilization help in achieving greatness. But only if the humans would concur. As a result, a mix of thirteen representatives was chosen all from across the globe to make the decision. These “chosen ones” were composed of six UN ambassadors and seven ordinary civilians each with varying ethnicities, religions, sexes, and economic backgrounds. On the first day, they must decide on the most dangerous man-made threat on Earth. They could choose one thing, and the aliens will get rid of it, or they could choose nothing, and the aliens will leave the planet for good. Whatever decision they make determines what happens the next day and its consequences.
The Decision by Michael D. Komeshak is a sci-fi novel that talks about the problems of the modern world in a philosophical lens. It has a raw portrayal of human nature. It shows how human beings, when pushed in a desperate situation, have both the ability to harm and help, to rectify, and as well as be detrimental to the world.
There were so many things I liked about this book. Aside from being something deep and morally serious, I particularly liked the voice of the protagonist—Jason. He was so ordinary, and very much a flawed human being. He’s not so righteous. At times, his opinions were malleable. He had his own beliefs and morals but occasionally finds himself questioning everything he knew as well. The rest of the characters were much nuanced too, and they had realistic dialogues.
The author’s vast knowledge of different religions and belief systems was evident in his work. It had proverbs, verses, and quotes that are fitting to a certain narrative. I found the debates interesting as they were written based on all angles—history, faith, logic, and empirical data.
As the story progressed, it gets more intriguing. I’m almost always at the edge of my seat—even found myself covering the next few lines with my hand just for the thrill of it. Everything was neatly wrapped towards the end. All my questions were answered, and the ending, to me, was justified enough.
Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There was nothing I dislike about it. It was brilliantly written and well-edited. I only found a couple of minor typographical errors. I heartily recommend this to anyone who might not be much of a sci-fi fan but into stories with thought-provoking premises. It contains profanity—even a handful of racial slurs spewed for the sake of characterization. It has sexual innuendos and minimal erotic scenes so I do not recommend this to children. Also, beware that this book had indications of self-harm and suicide that might not be suitable for those who are sensitive to it.
******
The Decision
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
