Hi
lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host James R. Hardin and his new
book, “Softlife”! For other stops on his
Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of
the images in this post.
Be sure
to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes and
Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily
to interact with James and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks
for stopping by! Wishing you lots of
luck in this fabulous giveaway!
Softlife
by James R. Hardin
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GENRE: Science
Fiction
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BLURB:
Everyone thought
the terrorist had completely destroyed the space station where the first
faster-than-light spaceship was built. Actually, the survivors were implemented
as softlife in the computers, and years later they and their virtual
descendants live in a thriving but isolated community. Jason1, one of the few
who used to be flesh and blood, doubts that this incorporeal existence really
qualifies as life. But Iooi, a young native softlife, considers her kind an
evolutionary step beyond biology, and three-dimensional space an annoying
abstraction.
A
spaceship arrives, and the two of them stow away in its computer, intending to
establish ties with the rest of humanity. But the ship’s crew is evasive about
why they came and what their plans are. And the experimental spacecraft, lost
since the attack on the space station, has returned, carrying an unexpected
threat the softlife may be uniquely qualified to fight. Working with other
softlife, an old friend, and the intimidating Space Force general Heather
Lacey, Jason1 must take on terrorists, truly malicious software, and his own
self-doubts.
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EXCERPT
ONE:
“History
will be made today,” Jason Sangretti said, “and you two are going to miss it,
glued to that computer.” He floated in the air positioned as if he were sitting
in an invisible easy chair facing the large monitor on the wall, even drumming
his fingers on the nonexistent chair's arm. He didn't really mean to be showing
off his expertise in zero gravity—OK, maybe he did. As young as he was, his
Space Force training still put his capability far ahead of even the experienced
spacecraft construction workers here on the Starbase.
Amos
gave Jason a brief look, but William's eyes never left his monitor as he said,
“This is not unique. Since history is the accumulated sequence of past events,
history is made every day.” He drifted in a contorted position beside his
computer, clinging to it with one hand and awkwardly correcting for the
reaction as he typed on it with the other. Jason had never seen William in
normal gravity, but he was sure William would be awkward there as well.
“You
know what I mean. Isn't it great to be alive on a day like this?”
“I
have no experience being in a state other than alive, so I have no basis for
comparison.”
With
two precise flips of his arms, Jason rotated his imaginary chair to face
William. “Now you're just being annoying on purpose.”
William
finally looked up and grinned momentarily, then just said, “Yes, I am,” and
returned to his typing.
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REVIEW:
Wow! There is a lot going on in this book! The author has fascinating ideas and this
book concept was very intriguing!
The author
did an impressive job on world-building as his attention to detail was
immaculate.
Jason1, the
main character, who was once flesh and blood, is somewhat of a hero in this
book. Jason1 became softlife when his
space station was attacked by terrorists.
As Jason1 and the spaceship crew knew time was running out and they had
no other way out they decided to take a risk and download themselves into a
computer system. Jason1 and the other
survivors created a unique community as softlife while they waited for the next
step. Now, trying to establish a
connection with the rest of humanity, Jason1 must team up with Space Force
General Heather Lacey to battle the terrorists once again.
There is an
interesting dynamic between the softlife that used to be flesh and blood and
those born in captivity. Oh yes –
regardless that they’re now computer programs they can still have sex and
create offspring!
I found
this book to be interesting for the most part.
However, there were times I was bored and got lost or confused. I definitely had to put this book down
multiple times and it took me over a week to finish it. I kept coming back because I wanted to know
how it ended, but it wasn’t a book I was glued to.
Even though
I enjoyed reading this book, but didn’t love it, I would still recommend it to
sci-fi readers as this book truly was an interesting read.
Did you find this review helpful?
If so, please, please, please mark it as
helpful on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R3MGEDX1WAAMH6
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AUTHOR
BIO:
James R. Hardin received
his first rejection from a major publisher when he was 11 years old and has
been writing fiction intermittently ever since. Softlife is his first novel,
though certainly not his last. James supports himself and his family as an
engineer in the R&D department of a major turbomachinery manufacturer,
where he engages in aerodynamic design, computational fluid dynamics analyses,
and battle with temperamental computers. When not writing or engineering, he
often plays or composes music, usually on a piano or synthesizer. James lives
in western Pennsylvania with his wife, a varying number of sons depending on
who's home, and a lazy dog. You can find out more about James and his writing,
as well as download a few of his musical compositions, at his website
www.jamesrhardin.com.
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CONNECT
WITH JAMES:
Website:
Facebook:
Goodreads Author
Page:
Goodreads Book Page:
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK
BUY LINKS:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
Book Depository:
Smashwords:
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GIVEAWAY
INFO:
James will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to
a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just
helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and
Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not
Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are
solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Congrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteA bright and sunny good morning to you! Thanks for the giveaway and all you do.
ReplyDeleteIt was gray and kind of soggy here at first, but now it's bright and sunny here too. Maybe it's your good influence.
DeleteThank you for the giveaway. The excerpt was interesting!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and thanks. Have a look at my 8:00 post for where to find much bigger excerpts.
DeleteThank you, Ally, for hosting this tour stop. And thanks to everybody who stops by today. I'll be in and out checking on comments. Oh, and let me sneak in the marketing stuff now: ebook versions of Softlife are on sale for $0.99 during April, and you can get big (up to 5 chapters) free samples at my web site www.jamesrhardin.com, Goodreads, and most places Softlife is for sale (Amazon, B&N, others).
ReplyDeleteSorry for my late virtual arrival. Maybe something is glitchy with my machine (nothing new there); this is the first time I've been able to see everyone's comments. Also, Goddess Fish tells me Ally hopes to get a review up once she gets past some of her own technical difficulties. So check in again later! And Ally, hang in there--aren't computers annoying? (This from an author whose book is about people in computers.)
ReplyDeleteIn my time zone, considering when I need to get up, it's time for me to turn in. So good night, all, and thanks for coming by.
ReplyDeleteSounds really exciting. loved the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. Please go have a look at the bigger excerpt mentioned above. And thanks for visiting.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the entire post today. This is a new author for me so thank you for the reveal!
ReplyDeleteI loved todays post and I want to read your book.
ReplyDelete