Review of Mindshards

Mutai Marshal · Post by **Mutai Marshal** » 15 Aug 2022, 13:35

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mindshards" by Brian Burt.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Mindshards by Brian Burt is a collection of fictional stories. A combination of horror, fantasy, and science fiction make up a dozen stories in this novel.

‘Phantom Pain’ is the first story. Despair is like frostbite. Mr. Freeman has lost his lover Celie and will stop at nothing until he finds the culprit. Unfortunately, he loses his job as a cop. He seeks the assistance of a witch, Mama Lucille. But for him to gain, he must incur a loss. Will Mr. Freeman bundle out his ghosts and face the Voodoo gangs with an arm less?

A serial killer is on the loose: Twenty-year-old Jeffrey Caulder has been committing maternity murders. Mrs. Rochon is the hapless victim this time. Caulder was Professor Elias Rochon’s protégé. Why would he kill the professor’s wife? ‘Time Bomb’ will answer that and let you know if Professor Elias secured another timeline for his wife’s safety. In ‘Lianham Shoe,’ we are introduced to an ancient magician. She successfully lures her victims–men ruled by their passions–to secluded places, where she devours them. Daniel and Jamie fell into her trap. What happens when she meets a strong-willed man, Phelan?

It was clear from the first page that this wasn’t similar to the typical fantasy/sci-fi books I’ve read. Brian Burt pursued an intricate and mysterious route in crafting all the stories. Readers of this novel will be happy to know that the author incorporated an award-winning narrative: ‘The Last Indian War.’ This is an intriguing story as we witness a ‘marginalized’ group of individuals staring at eviction from their motherland. Burt deployed Hawk, a man who had partly lost touch with his Cherokee heritage, to fight for these people. Ironies and mystery spice up the stories in this book.

However, my favorite story happened to be titled ‘Special Forces.’ Osama bin Laden is an enigmatic individual. American Special Forces are pursuing him. Colonel Driscol is incredulous about one of his men, Farooq Mfarasi. What unfolds at the Afghan mountainside changed his mind. Such contributions from a ‘sleazebag’ appealed to me.

I also loved that all the stories had a unique texture. Cyber security/attacks, dystopia, culture, and vampires are some themes in this book. It was easy to unravel the contributions of most characters as each story focused on the main characters and their contributions. The creativity was upbeat and spellbinding despite the author’s sophisticated craft. However, I will not lie and say I liked all the stories. The events that unfolded at and outside Munson Hospital were too complex for my liking.

I will rate this book four out of four stars. It would be unfair for me to drop a star based on the difficulty of connecting to the story. I believe sci-fi enthusiasts may have divergent views from me concerning that part of the book. On that same note, I recommend this novel to lovers of fantasy and science-fiction with labyrinthine and convoluted storylines. The editing was done by a professional. The errors I flagged were minor and didn’t interfere with the novel’s readability.

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Mindshards
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