Official Review: Phoenix One by Chase MacLeod

Lg_99 · Post by **Lg_99** » 16 Jan 2018, 23:15

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Phoenix One" by Chase MacLeod.]

2 out of 4 stars

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Phoenix One, written by Chase MacLeod, is the perfect book for those who like Sci-fi, aliens, and action-packed scenes. When I started reading the book, I thought I was not going to like it. However, I later realized how wrong I was; this book was a pleasant surprise. This is a story about creating bonds in unexpected places, betrayal, love, hope, and survival. Fair warning: The book covers a lot of mature topics and has very graphic scenes, so I would not recommend it to younger audiences nor to people who are sensitive.

Planet Earth is dying. Due to the presence of toxic gases and mutations, humanity can no longer live on the planet’s surface. So, humans, or what is left of them, are forced to live on floating platforms in the sky. However, that is just a temporary solution. The lack of oxygen and the toxic environment are becoming a problem impossible to ignore. Everything seems lost until two alien races, the Troovians and the Calvorans, decide to offer a helping hand. Humans and aliens join forces, and technology, to create a new environment in which all people, regardless of race, can coexist. The name of this project is “Phoenix One”. Phoenix One is the key to preserve both the human and the alien race, and time is running out. Finally, humans will find salvation, or so they think.

The book has 314 pages filled with a lot of violence, action, and funny remarks. Although it has several points of view, the story mainly revolves around two characters: Devin Slade and Elaina Perry. Devin is part of a group called the Scavengers, a group rejected from society. People discriminate them, and only the lucky ones stay in the sky to do labor work. Unfortunately, Devin was not one of them. He lives his days below the floating cities, collecting antiques, trying to survive, and escaping from the Bandits, which are Scavengers who turned into savages. After Devin is suspected of treason, his somewhat “peaceful” life changed forever. Elaina, on the other hand, is privileged. She is good looking and smart, lives in the sky, and has a great job. However, there is more to Elaina than meets the eye. After seeing something she should not have, Elaina is forced to flee. Now, she must deliver an important message that would change everything.

I liked how the author transitioned from one character’s point of view to the other. I found this to be quite helpful since each character had a specific mission to fulfill, and they were in different places, doing different things. Although there were different storylines, or subplots, the author managed to bring these stories together in the end. The plot was interesting, and it was easy to understand. The author was consistent from beginning to end; I think that Mr. MacLeod tied all the relevant loose ends. However, I thought the ending of the book was a little bit rushed. The author spent too much time building up the story to the final battle and when it finally came, it ended too fast. I was expecting something more remarkable.

When it comes to the characters, they were, probably, the main reason why I enjoyed reading this book. Devin, the main character, felt like a real person with strengths and insecurities; his character was portrayed realistically. He has always been alone, and he never cared for anyone but himself. Now, he is forced to take care of others. He was reluctant at first, but the reader can see how he changes throughout the book. Elaina was an interesting character, faced with personal demons. Initially, I loved her, but her character became a bit plain afterwards. There are some romantic interactions between this character and another. I thought this was unnecessary to the story, and it felt out of place because of the circumstances Elaina was in. The romance was really uncalled for. As for the other characters, they were great. I really liked this Troovian soldier named Ryve. He was my favorite.

The biggest downside of the book was the grammar. I noticed that it was not professionally edited. I saw so many mistakes that I lost count. The author confused the singular form of a verb with its plural form quite often. For example, he wrote that a person “were” able instead of “was” able. Also, I noticed that one sentence used both present and past tense, which made me feel really confused. I found run-on sentences, comma splices, wrong punctuation, and so on. Basically, there was a little bit of everything. However, I did not see awkward wording, surprisingly. The language used was concise and clear, and the author used lots of details in his writing; in my mind, I could perfectly see the chaotic world portrayed in the story. If the book hadn't had so many grammatical errors, the writing style would have been so smooth and easy to follow along.

Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I had a hard time deciding on a rating for this story. However, due to the amount of errors and the rushed ending, I could not give it three stars. To be honest, my ideal rating would be somewhere in-between of two and three, but I am not allowed to give half stars. I think that this book has a lot of potential, but it needs some polishing. If the book were better edited, I would totally recommend it to almost anyone.

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Phoenix One
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Sahani Nimandra · Post by **Sahani Nimandra** » 19 Jan 2018, 04:02

According to the summary, I started to like the way how the character's get shaped throughout the story but after I read your entire review, I am not surprised of you liking it as well. Strong characters make a story, it also turns better according to the way they behave or react according to situations based on individuals soul characteristics. About the romance not in accordance to the story, I think the author must have tried to snap the readers attention or probably may have tried to make the plot juicy. I think I can find out about that after reading the book. Thanks for the review!

CommMayo · Post by **CommMayo** » 19 Jan 2018, 17:01

It sounds like rating this novel was really hard for you. I'm glad you erred on the side of being strict. There really is no excuse for poor editing. I wish we had a larger star scale, but I think we would end up rating too many books perfectly in the middle!

Kat Berg · Post by **Kat Berg** » 19 Jan 2018, 20:38

This book sounds interesting, although I do try and steer clear of the more graphic novels (as far as language and sex are concerned). I would want it to have a good edit first, before considering it.

Lg_99 · Post by **Lg_99** » 21 Jan 2018, 00:18

CommMayo wrote: ↑19 Jan 2018, 17:01 It sounds like rating this novel was really hard for you. I'm glad you erred on the side of being strict. There really is no excuse for poor editing. I wish we had a larger star scale, but I think we would end up rating too many books perfectly in the middle!

You are right. Poor editing does not have an excuse! Yes, this book was hard to rate, and I am kind of glad that this site does not allow half-star ratings. If so, then most of my reviews would be rated in the middle! Thank you for your comment.

Lg_99 · Post by **Lg_99** » 21 Jan 2018, 23:18

Sahani Nimandra wrote: ↑19 Jan 2018, 04:02 About the romance not in accordance to the story, I think the author must have tried to snap the readers attention or probably may have tried to make the plot juicy. I think I can find out about that after reading the book. Thanks for the review!

I thought that, too. I wish he hadn't added it to the story, though. The book was already interesting enough without the romance. Thank you for commenting!

Lg_99 · Post by **Lg_99** » 21 Jan 2018, 23:24

Kat Berg wrote: ↑19 Jan 2018, 20:38 This book sounds interesting, although I do try and steer clear of the more graphic novels (as far as language and sex are concerned). I would want it to have a good edit first, before considering it.

Yes, the book does need a lot of editing. Since the story has a sequel, I hope the author improves on that aspect. Thank you for your comment.

Kieran_Obrien · Post by **Kieran_Obrien** » 22 Jan 2018, 08:51

If there's one thing that bothers me in a story it's an unneeded romance! I feel like an author shouldn't include a romance sub-plot unless they are committed to making it a part of the larger theme of the novel.

I do like like the idea of characters falling in love under dire circumstamces, but unless this improbability is adressed amd made part of the big picture it can really feel like the author is wasting your time!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 22 Jan 2018, 09:00

I'm unsure of this one. I do love a good science fiction book, and you make this sound intriguing. However, the type of grammatical errors you mention would drive me nuts. I think I might just wait until some more editing is done. Thanks for the information, anyway!

Lg_99 · Post by **Lg_99** » 23 Jan 2018, 00:44

Kieran_Obrien wrote: ↑22 Jan 2018, 08:51 If there's one thing that bothers me in a story it's an unneeded romance! I feel like an author shouldn't include a romance sub-plot unless they are committed to making it a part of the larger theme of the novel.

I do like like the idea of characters falling in love under dire circumstamces, but unless this improbability is adressed amd made part of the big picture it can really feel like the author is wasting your time!

I agree with you. Romance is not mandatory in a novel. Unless it plays a major role in the story, it is not necessary. In this case, it felt forceful and out of place. Anyway, thanks for the comment!

Lg_99 · Post by **Lg_99** » 23 Jan 2018, 00:47

kandscreeley wrote: ↑22 Jan 2018, 09:00 I'm unsure of this one. I do love a good science fiction book, and you make this sound intriguing. However, the type of grammatical errors you mention would drive me nuts. I think I might just wait until some more editing is done. Thanks for the information, anyway!

The amount of errors almost made me stop reading the story. However, I managed to finish it because the plot was interesting. The book has the potential to be awesome, but it needs a better editing. Thank you for your comment!

Donatelloo · Post by **Donatelloo** » 23 Jan 2018, 03:45

I am a huge fan of fictional books.But sadly, this one doesn't seems like a good piece to read.
great review though

inaramid · Post by **inaramid** » 29 Jan 2018, 20:22

Too bad how poor editing ruins a good story, especially for the sci-fi genre that relies on detail-oriented storytelling to make everything sound and feel plausible. It seems that you were able to enjoy it still, which does show that the book has promise. I do think that the 4-star system we have is quite difficult to manage sometimes, but it does function as a forced-choice mechanism to make people decide if it's good or bad and never in between. Thanks for this in-depth review.