This uses the scifi element in a way that I was hoping for and enjoyed the overall story of this book. It was written perfectly and enjoyed the way they worked with the overall concept of the book. Matthew P. Rosenberg writes a strong story and it left me wanting more from this world.

[Blurb goes here]

Liam lost both his parents to an accident. Respecting his father's last wishes, he goes to live with his estranged uncle, Dom. Dom works hard to help Liam get over his parent's deaths.

It soon becomes apparent that Dom has a secret; he asks Liam not to wander about the fifth floor of his house. What's an 18-year-old to do when confronted with such a request? Well, he obviously goes to the fifth floor to investigate (no surprise there).

Purely by chance, Liam opens a secret wall. Behind it, adventure awaits on the planet Verelion.

This is where all goes sideways: Liam gets superpowers, fights an evil empire, falls in love, and so on. I think we all read similar stories before. John Carter immediately comes to mind.

The story drags its proverbial feet often. This was reason enough for me to stop reading it. Then there's the science fiction issue: this is a fantasy novel, and science is explained as nothing short of magic. So...no science.

The characters hardly evolve. Liam suffers his parent's deaths too often, every chapter or so. Does this make him more genuine? Not in my opinion. If anything, it got old very quickly. Dom is also suffering a loss, which is thus repeated ad infinitum.

Both protagonists and antagonists are mere sketches of what a character should be. All there to perform a simple function: bad guy, love interest, faithful friend...

Sadly, this is one book I cannot recommend.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

Verelion swept me away on a thrilling adventure from the very first page. Liam Blake's journey from grief-stricken teenager to unexpected hero drew me in, and the discovery of the mysterious world of Verelion added an exhilarating twist to the story. What I enjoyed most about this book was its seamless blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, transporting me to a realm where technology and magic intertwine. As Liam navigates through this alien world, facing challenges and uncovering secrets, I found myself rooting for him every step of the way. Verelion kept me hooked until the very end and left me eagerly waiting for the next installment.

Hold onto your hats, folks, because Verelion is about to take you on the wildest ride of your life! Picture this: a grieving teenager, a mysterious uncle, and a hidden world beneath a Tennessee mansion. Sound like the start of an epic adventure? You bet your sweet boots it does! From the moment Liam stumbles upon the doorway to Verelion, I was hooked like a fish on a line. This ain't your grandma's fantasy tale; it's a high-octane thrill ride through a world where swords and energy weapons collide, and Liam discovers he's got superhuman powers to boot! So, if you're craving a story that'll leave you breathless and begging for more, grab yourself a copy of Verelion and prepare to be whisked away to a world beyond your wildest dreams! 🚀

Review: Conflicted, you are. Hmmmm? Well, I really liked the world building for this alien landscape although the story line was borrowed from John Carter. Like Carter, douche noz......er Liam, arrives on an alien planet with superman like powers and helps the sundered and war torn masses, blah, blah. Despite the obvious rip-off, I thought the author did a good job building unique characters.

Overall an average work that trended towards duplicative emotional inner-dialogue. I think every chapter had the brat crying over his lost parents, either in real-time or in nightmares. Wah. "Crash this, crash that". Fug. Repetitive instances does not a character build. Dom was also built with the tradgedies of his past. Again wah. Overuse of phrasing was in evidence with the "Rolling his/her eyes".

This author is on the cusp. Let us see if there is a rise to greatness.

Rating: 3.3/5

An action-packed adventure novel about a young man who stumbles into an incredible new world.

A new world. An unknown legacy. And within him... the power to change everything .

Eighteen-year-old Liam Blake doesn’t want to move in with his estranged Uncle Dom, but he also doesn’t want to defy his parent’s final wishes. Three months had passed since a car accident had killed them— one that didn’t have the courtesy to take him as well. Now, Liam was moving in with a man he hardly knew to finish his senior year of high school. Surprisingly, Liam takes a liking to him. Dom spent a period of fifteen years where he spoke to no one in their family, and Liam can’t help but wonder what secrets his mansion in East Tennessee hold.

That is… until he discovers a cavern beneath Dom’s house, with a doorway to another world.

Verelion— an ancient, alien world, with civilizations so old, none of its inhabitants know the origins of them. A world with technology that borders on magic, where swords and energy weapons rest at the hips of soldiers. A world that grants Liam superhuman strength and speed…

This was a very action packed, fast paced tale about a young man who finds himself going into a portal into a different alien world. I loved the world building in this story, and learning about the alien culture and technology was so interesting! If you like found world portal stories, or just action packed sci fi tales, this one should scratch that itch!