Finally got the courage to get a professional review of my book and it was very good:
The Republic of Texas by Gary Bray is a science fiction book set in the near future. Texas has seceded from the United States of America and once again become a republic. The continued growth and overreach of the United Nations acting as a world government has stalled and hampered progress in many parts of the globe. The economic and personal freedoms experienced in Texas lead to unprecedented growth. Their continued growth and dominance of energy supplies and technological advancements have put them on a collision course with the United Nations. Energy mogul Steven Moses leads the way for Texas as the world’s richest man and, with much political and social influence, he will be key in their struggles with the United Nations!
My wife was born and raised in Texas and it is a place I have much love for. Reading through the book, there were so many wonderful and accurate references to Texas that it made me feel like I was there! The author sets the tone wonderfully and within the first few pages of the book informs the reader of what has happened in the world. With the stage set, he does not hesitate in exploring the new technologies of the world he has created. As with all great science fiction, there is a wonderful display of futuristic technology alongside a world that is just believable enough to connect with. The lack of unity and division in the run-up to the last presidential election makes Texas secession feel very believable and real. The book focuses on only a small cast of characters, which gives them each large page time to develop and understand them well. The story is well-focused and has two main strands based on either side of the border, which progresses the book well. One of the most enjoyable parts of the book is the author’s use of speech. Almost every main character, at one point in the book, delivers a rousing and well-received speech. Each of these is written to perfection for their character. It also serves as a great way to deliver information to the reader. The book was incredibly fun to read, with very few errors, and professionally edited.
I could continue with more positives but would run out of time! Fortunately, I found only one negative. The book was not long enough! The final quarter of the book progressed at a lightning pace and, whilst fun to read, I feel the author could have made it longer and included more detail. Perhaps, if he wanted, he could have made the book into a two-part series.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The author has done a marvellous job creating a realistic near-future filled with wonderful technology and believable politics. He does a great job describing the characters and creating a unique and fun story to read. As stated above, there is only one negative I found whilst reading the book, which is all that is stopping me from giving it full marks. I look forward to more of his work!
The book is mainly geared towards a male audience, and the perspective is mostly from male characters. The book does deal with some heavy political ideals which may feel close to home to those on either political spectrum. However, I would not let that put you off reading the book. I would particularly recommend the book to Texans and those with familiarity and love for the Lone Star State. Those that do will get greater enjoyment from understanding some of the jokes and references.
Cheers to you Bray