Review of Caldera

[Samuel Songs]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Caldera" by Edy Kubiak.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Life has a way of happening to the best of us. We plan our lives and tend to foresee how certain things will go, or, should I say, we tend to wish for certain events to remain on a particular course. But life is life! It will always show us its unexpected side.

A volcano had been sitting pretty and brewing at Yellowstone for years. It has, in fact, become a source of tourist attraction to the region as the volcano is viewed as a natural wonder. But a volcano is only a sleeping giant that can awaken anytime. What if the giant is awakening? Dr. William H. Dyer was the resident geologist and leading scientist at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. He was quite furious because he was doing his job quite well and had a prediction about the volcano that could not reach the public without proper backing. The Department of Interior had assigned Adrian Critenhauer to oversee what should or shouldn't be posted about the volcano on the Survey's public website. This was mainly political to avoid panic and to keep the tourists coming. But when the experts warn of impending danger, will the politicians heed?

As Dr. William observed that the volcano might erupt soon, he called on his former student Jimmy (James) Thunderhill, who had built IGAR (Integrated Geologic Aerial Reconnaissance), a robot that was good at prediction and very useful for Dr. William's work. However, Jimmy's movement was delayed as he was smitten at first sight of Elle, even though she was with her kids and obviously married. With Dr. William waiting for Jimmy and his robot to arrive in order to conclude his prediction, will he have all he needs to prepare people for what may be coming? With the characters' lives interwoven by fate and the sleeping giant, what outcome can be most destructive to their lives? Love or volcano? You definitely need to read Caldera: The Dragon Awakes by Edy Kubiak to find out.

I had to read further about Yellowstone on Wikipedia to ensure I wasn't reading a true story. The author is a talented writer who makes every event, action, and character appear so vivid in the mind's eye. I love how well-developed the characters are and how easy it is to connect with them. The storyline can be related, and the plot is well-developed too. Even the romance part of the book is uplifting and left me looking forward to the scenes. After reading the book, the only word I could think of to describe the story was "spectacular!" I have absolutely no reason to rate it anything less than 5 out of 5 stars. I didn't want to rush writing this review after reading the book. I stalled for as long as I could for the memory to remain fresh and to reread some of my favorite parts.

I love the way the author started the book by introducing each key character in separate chapters. This helped me get to know them individually and see how their lives may be interconnected. It also helped me keep track of them, and I never got confused. The author was able to string along different characters' lives, including animals' lives, while a natural disaster was looming. I also love how the author wrote about everything that led up to the sexual content but left out the explicit details of the act itself. Romance lovers will have no difficulty going wild with their imaginations over what transpired between the characters.

This book shows scientists' and researchers' frustrations as politics always gets in the way. Most things we see or hear about certain research have been run and filtered through political eyes and packaged in the lightest way possible, mainly to control and avoid panic. The public only hears generic stories—the parts the government wants them to hear. I would recommend Caldera: The Dragon Awakes to those who like reading books about robots and technology. They will love Igar. I like the sound of cars powered by just plain water and hydrogen engines. If you like reading books about natural disasters, then this one is also for you. There was absolutely nothing I disliked about the book. It was professionally edited with just a few minor errors.

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Caldera
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[Ejimma Chika Promise]

It is quite interesting how a volcano will serve as a center of attraction. A natural disaster will always show its strength. Nice review!

[Kavita Shah]

A volcano is a sleeping giant, noted. It sounds like adapted from a true story. Great review!

[NetMassimo]

The typical disaster story starts with politicians not listening to scientists. The presence of robots and hydrogen engines makes this story even more interesting. Thank you for your great review!

[Amy Luman]

This book reminds me of a movieI recently watched. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name. I enjoy these kinds of stories; where an expert is all but ignored. “Unlight” by Chandra Shekhar has the same kind of feel.

[Samson Dawari]

Your review explained that this book is like any real-life human thriller story, with politicians summoning arguments to support their different motives, even in the face of a foreseeing danger. Different groups strategize and fight to stop a coming problem. And human nature takes over Dr. Williams; falling in love in spite of the signs of devastation. It shows it's an interesting story, thanks.

[Ray Thompson]

This book had some great moments, especially when it came to the interactions between the characters. A few scenes felt unnecessary, but overall, it was a fun read.