Review by Wy_Bertram -- Containment Breach

Wy_Bertram · Post by **Wy_Bertram** » 16 May 2020, 18:18

[Following is a volunteer review of "Containment Breach" by Wm. A. Yandell.]

4 out of 4 stars

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A spaceship prepares to re-enter the earth’s atmosphere when bloodcurdling screams ring out through the vessel. An infiltration, a containment breach, is all the warning crew members can get to the planet before the unavoidable massacre of every human on board ensues. The dreaded ‘Creatures,’ cultivated by humans, but now hell-bent on the annihilation of the race, have struck again, and this time, it’s very close to home. Their reaching the earth is an unexpected and very unwelcome turn of events and the top brass can only panic as they flail for a solution. Walter Smithon, a telepathic scientist with expert knowledge of the Creatures, is pulled into the thick of it when he and his team are dragged into shuttles and forced into space. Believed to be able to resolve this crisis, he is not given any choice to do otherwise, and as the creatures attack from one end, and another dangerous telepath from another, it is unclear whether anyone will survive this voyage into space.

First off, I’d like to give a kudos to the author for the plot, and then another one for the story beneath the story. Along with being action-packed with a helping of mystery, this book was a subtle statement about humanity. And not in the sense of man playing God as you’d expect, but of man playing Satan. The narrative elusively nods to humankind’s continuing cruelty and the terrible repercussions that follow, all in gripping, page-turning narrative.

The author wrote neatly and straight to the point, without leaning too heavily on the philosophical aspects of the story. Despite the undertone of morality, this was still a quick-paced action thriller, and one with a satisfying climax.

In the way of negatives, I was a bit thrown off by some very loose scene transitions. A few times I had to reread a passage to understand that the scene had changed or a new character was narrating, and it didn’t help that most of the characters were not referred to by name but by title. In a military setting where many people bear similar titles, that was not the best possible route, but in the end, neither of these deducted from the general enjoyment of the story.

It was a bit touch and go at first, but once the story picked up, the narrative never loosened. With the ending, I suspect there might be more to come, but even if there isn’t, the climax was satisfying enough. My rating of Containment Breach by WM. A. Yandell is, therefore, a 4 out of 4. And with almost no profanity, it’s suitable for most readers, especially fans of science fiction.

Hope you enjoy!

******
Containment Breach
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