OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Who Are Fracony?" by Eliade Moldovan.]

...the history of galaxy recorded no civilization that disappeared because of a self-inflicted apocalypse.

And yet, in less than two generations, mankind comes close to self-destruction twice through nuclear and biological disasters. They are saved by the Fracony, a high-tech alien nation who established a human surveillance camp, Vera Loko, on Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Who Are Fracony? by Eliade Moldovan is the third book in the Fracony trilogy, following The Rise of Esperanto and The World Ends Tomorrow.

This sci-fi work is a stand-alone piece and introduces us to a philosophical blend of cosmic and earthly perspectives co-mingled with scientific and religious beliefs. Inspired by the Kardashev theory which classifies civilizations by technological advancements and energy use, the author explores the different types of civilization. Type I can harness their own planetary energy while Type II controls the energy from their solar systems. Type III civilizations possess energy from the entire galaxy, and so on until we reach Type VII which belongs to the realm of the gods.

The year is 2427. Humankind, a Type 0 civilization, is on the brink of a third self-inflicted apocalypse. An elite group of scientists and politicians from Earth join Fracony. A Type V civilization, Fracony engineered human clones and used them as vessels for their Fracony souls, thereby creating the country of Esperanto. Together, they have witnessed the rigidity of human behavior — the stubbornness against evolving to a higher level of conscious understanding and scientific knowledge. Will humans learn from their past mistakes and “reset” their beliefs? Or will they still be guided by their egocentric tendencies? Will they ascend the ladder of civilization and join the galaxy family, or will they stagnate because of their traditional dogmas?

In this relatively short work of approximately 165 pages, I was completely hooked by the author’s intelligent reflection on the two cycles of humanity — the Cycle of Consciousness and the Cycle of Correction. Each character depicted played a critical role by bringing a unique contribution to the storyline. Quinn is a hard-core believer in Scripture and the head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. With his influential status, Quinn fiercely defends the human God in the face of the heretical, polytheist beliefs of Fracony. Arram is the leader of Hy, a secret society formed by the Freemasons, the Illuminati, the Bilderberg, and other shadow organizations. Octav, the Fracony soul in a human body, is the Vera Loko’s Ambassador — the bridge between Earth civilization and the Fracony mother planet nation. Clara, the secretary of the Esperanto, is the only person with extrasensory perception, which allows her to have direct, telepathic communication with the Fracony religious authority.

The original personalities and distinct roles of these characters, including their weaknesses and strengths, are unveiled as the plot moves forward in a suspenseful manner, putting them in difficult situations that we can relate to. The reader might connect with some current events and conspiracy theories among the political, religious, and social strata reflected in the book. In one emotionally intense scene, Quinn struggles to defeat his inner demons. By contrast, an intriguing discussion about Euclidian geometry brings you center stage with eminent figures from the secret organization of Hy.

I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian stories. Although there are some futuristic, scientific concepts, this book might not quench the thirst of those sci-fi fans deeply attached to high-tech, robots, cyber, or other common features of this subgenre. Moldovan’s simple and natural writing style made the storyline flow easily, yet with enough plot twists and turns to keep the reader in suspense. Do you know those gripping books that are page-turners that you can’t put down? I experienced that while reading Who Are Fracony?

The editorial team did a wonderful job in “shaping the story,” as the author said, but I would kindly suggest polishing the grammar. I found several errors regarding some unnecessary commas, determiners, and hyphens, which forced me to rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. However, this didn’t distract me from a profound reflection on the future path of humankind. There are less than five words that might be considered expletives or slightly profane language as well as a few brutal scenes. This book conveys a fictional perspective of a gradual evolution of scientific knowledge and the spiritual progress of humans in the unknown cosmos. But to what end?

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Who Are Fracony?
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I feel it is becoming a norm to write very short books. I usually love long reads which allow sufficient room for character and story development. Nevertheless, this sounds like an interesting read.

I like that the book stands on it's own, but I think I would actually like to read the whole trilogy. Might be being married to a mathematician, but the discussion of Euclidian geometry within the book intrigues me.

I haven't heard of the different types of civilizations before; it sounds interesting. I'm not surprised humans are on the brink of self-aniliation... Again. It sounds like quite the book. I don't have time for it now, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks.

Huh. Thia sounds rather interesting and I'd love to learn more about the Kardashev theory and how it's used in the book.

MrunalT wrote: ↑09 Oct 2019, 06:23 I feel it is becoming a norm to write very short books. I usually love long reads which allow sufficient room for character and story development. Nevertheless, this sounds like an interesting read.

I agree that long reads, usually, has the ability to create a detailed scenario and gives the reader a reasonable time to get to know and grow with the characters. But, I must admit that this short read, despite the length, had the power to build a gripping storyline and reveal the strength and weaknesses of the characters. I couldn't help notice that this compression denotes a fine quality. I hope you'll give it a chance. Thank you for taking the time to read my review, MrunalT!

esp1975 wrote: ↑09 Oct 2019, 11:09 I like that the book stands on it's own, but I think I would actually like to read the whole trilogy. Might be being married to a mathematician, but the discussion of Euclidian geometry within the book intrigues me.

Yes. Although is a stand-alone piece, I think the first two books contain a common thread that connects them together. I do plan to read the whole trilogy. Usually, I like to start from the beginning, but the description of the book was too tempting, and I decided to break the rules this time. The Euclidian geometry was a bit complex for my simple mind, but I'm glad the book send me in deeper research about it. I hope you'll enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by, esp!

kandscreeley wrote: ↑09 Oct 2019, 12:39 I haven't heard of the different types of civilizations before; it sounds interesting. I'm not surprised humans are on the brink of self-aniliation... Again. It sounds like quite the book. I don't have time for it now, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks.

This theory about all these types of civilizations was something new for me too. It was not only captivating but educative too. Thank you for your honest comment!

Nisha Ward wrote: ↑10 Oct 2019, 05:32 Huh. Thia sounds rather interesting and I'd love to learn more about the Kardashev theory and how it's used in the book.

Despite the fictional line, the author's perspective seemed quite a possible perspective regarding humankind's future. Happy reading!

I love books like this that make us reflect on the tendency of human nature to court disaster by self-destruction. Well-developed characters are a plus as well. I'm glad it is a standalone book. I will have to add it to my reading list. Thanks for a great review, as always!

Sounds interesting for futuristic-fiction readers. Hope they like it.
Thanks for the review Instoree

Prisallen wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 07:58 I love books like this that make us reflect on the tendency of human nature to court disaster by self-destruction. Well-developed characters are a plus as well. I'm glad it is a standalone book. I will have to add it to my reading list. Thanks for a great review, as always!

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, Prisallen!

Aniza Butt wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 11:28 Sounds interesting for futuristic-fiction readers. Hope they like it.
Thanks for the review Instoree

Thanks for stopping by, Aniza!

I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian stories. Although there are some futuristic, scientific concepts, this book might not quench the thirst of those sci-fi fans deeply attached to high-tech, robots, cyber, or other common features of this subgenre. Moldovan’s simple and natural writing style made the storyline flow easily, yet with enough plot twists and turns to keep the reader in suspense. Do you know those gripping books that are page-turners that you can’t put down? I experienced that while reading Who Are Fracony?

Then, this is just my kind of book!
I'm not much into the classic sci-fi tropes, such as robots and the like, but I'm quite intrigued by the questions this book raises about human nature and the future of our civilization.
A very original book and an amazing, insightful review, Christina. Thank you!

MrunalT wrote: ↑09 Oct 2019, 06:23 I feel it is becoming a norm to write very short books. I usually love long reads which allow sufficient room for character and story development. Nevertheless, this sounds like an interesting read.

I prefer long reads too. Anyway, this look like very good book.

Lunastella wrote: ↑21 Oct 2019, 18:55

I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian stories. Although there are some futuristic, scientific concepts, this book might not quench the thirst of those sci-fi fans deeply attached to high-tech, robots, cyber, or other common features of this subgenre. Moldovan’s simple and natural writing style made the storyline flow easily, yet with enough plot twists and turns to keep the reader in suspense. Do you know those gripping books that are page-turners that you can’t put down? I experienced that while reading Who Are Fracony?

Then, this is just my kind of book!
I'm not much into the classic sci-fi tropes, such as robots and the like, but I'm quite intrigued by the questions this book raises about human nature and the future of our civilization.
A very original book and an amazing, insightful review, Christina. Thank you!

Happy reading, Andrea! Thank you for your kind words and honest comment!

I enjoy a good science fiction story and this sounds like "just the ticket" for me. I will be reading this one and thanks for a brilliant review.

I like reading science fiction. They easily grab my attention. This one also sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing this detailed review!

Falconcrest wrote: ↑25 Oct 2019, 20:39 I enjoy a good science fiction story and this sounds like "just the ticket" for me. I will be reading this one and thanks for a brilliant review.

Thank you for your lovely comment, Falconcrest! Enjoy your reading!

Ekta Swarnkar wrote: ↑26 Oct 2019, 03:06 I like reading science fiction. They easily grab my attention. This one also sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing this detailed review!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Ekta!