Official Review: Shepherds of Destiny - Book 2

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LinaMueller
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Official Review: Shepherds of Destiny - Book 2

Post by LinaMueller »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shepherds of Destiny - Book 2" by Kiel Barnekov.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Shepherds of Destiny - Book 2 by Kiel Barnekov is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy book. Even though it is a continuation of the first book, it can be read as a standalone. The plot is not very complicated, and I understood everything after a brief reading of the book's description on Amazon.

The book is set in the future, more precisely, in 2041. All the characters live in a more technologically developed world than the current, where space travel frequently occurs. Commander Erik Richards suffered a serious space accident that killed the entire crew of the USS Elon Musk when they were returning from Mars. Even though he survived, all doctors were unanimous in saying that he would remain in his quadriplegic state for life.

With the cutting edge technology of the time, however, it is possible to give Erik a synthetic cyborg body. Not only will he recover his body movements, but he will become a more robust and faster version of himself. In his new condition, Erik will find himself in a dream with an entity called "The Guardian." He will discover that he will have to travel in time to prevent some events from changing, which would invariably lead humanity to its end.

The first thing that the attentive reader probably noticed is that the plot is incredibly similar to the Terminator movie, right? Yes, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Unlike the Hollywood film, "robots" do not want to destroy humanity. Body changing is just a technology invented to preserve the lives of people who are in critical condition.

What I liked most about this book was that time travel allows the author to describe historical events accurately. In this specific book, the reader learns about the "Missile Crisis" between Cuba and the United States. Besides, the author creates a "what if" scenario that makes the reader wonder what could happen to the world with a simple vice president change.

The book's main negative point is that no opposition will make the cyborg's life difficult. That's pretty obvious. If a cyborg (with all the advantages that his synthetic body provides) can travel in time and influence people's minds, how can something go wrong? The only way to create a balance of forces is to imagine a cyborg who, for some reason, decides to become a villain.

Since I only found six minor errors in a 200-page book, there is no doubt that it is professionally edited. There is moderate sexual content, but nothing too explicit. I couldn't find one single example of profanity.

All in all, Shepherds of Destiny - Book 2 deserves three out of four stars. It was a tough call because I enjoyed reading this book. It's a real page-turner, and it's well-edited. Sadly, I had to deduct one star due to the reason mentioned in the seventh paragraph. Even so, people who like a Sci-Fi/Fantasy book will probably have fun reading this one.

******
Shepherds of Destiny - Book 2
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Heart! We will forget him!
You an I, tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.

When you have done, pray tell me
That I my thoughts may dim;
Haste! lest while you're lagging.
I may remember him!

Emily Dickinson
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Priyanka2304
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Post by Priyanka2304 »

A plot similar to Terminator. That sounds interesting. Thanks for the amazing review.
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Post by Ivana Tomaš »

I’m not exactly a big fan of science fiction and books whose plot takes place in the future. Namely, I think most people might like the book! Thank you for the review!
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Post by A Y reviews »

A world of possibilities and full of cool gadgets. I am loving this book already. Great review too.
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Okrah Emmanuel
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Post by Okrah Emmanuel »

Wow thisbook has let me understand the reason why Erik Richard did the synthetic cyborg surgery.
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Elvis Best
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Post by Elvis Best »

The plot of this book sounds very interesting to me. Thanks for an informative review. Good job!
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
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Rodel Barnachea
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Post by Rodel Barnachea »

The first thing I noticed is the cover of the book. I think it could be better. Overall, I see that the narrative is interesting enough to keep the readers turning pages by pages.
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Post by NetMassimo »

Despite some inspiration to Terminator and the flaws you pointed out, this novel seems to have its own plot with developments. Thank you for your great review!
Ciao :)
Massimo
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warren75
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Post by warren75 »

I love the plot of the story, a futuristic genre with a twist.
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Post by gatuguta2030 »

Sounds interesting.Good review.
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Post by Menace Crypto »

I really enjoy time travel tales. I loved your review, it has really made me want to read this book. Thanks a lot for the well-detailed review. Kudos.
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