Indie Book Reviewers' Reviews - 5 to 8

Time is for Dragonflies and Angels

    What a refreshing change this book was for me! I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I was so into each story, and as soon as it was over I was so curious to see what the next one would be about. I admit I felt a bit lost at times and some concepts felt over my head (have hard time wrapping my brain around the parallel worlds, alternate existences, time travel, aliens, etc…,).While none of the stories were directly connected to each other (not sure why I thought they would be), they mostly all had the same similar intelligent, surreal, alternate-existence and mind bending possibilities thing going on,  and is written in such a way that you feel very engaged and a part of the story, like you really know the characters and are in their shoes. They are all good stories, but I think “Recount our Dreams” was my favorite (and I think it’s the longest). The coolest part was how these stories were realistic in a way, yet each had a surreal/mysterious/science-fiction/futuristic feeling to them, like there’s more going on in the universe (and our minds) than we ever really know. And the whole book had great flow and presentation. Well done. (4 stars) Gillian Hancock—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

       I think that J.M. Erickson may have made a Science Fiction fan out of me! I’ve always had a bit of an aversion to novellas/short stories them, mostly because I like to feel a deeper connection to the characters and stay in their world for a while, and most of the sci/fi I read feels contrived and frankly, not all that plausible. But I was surprised how effective the author was in totally transporting us to another time and place and where we can really experience another’s lives (or a brief segment of it) enough to really get inside my head and make me think and even freak me out a little! The writing was top-quality - a good amount of details and lyrical prose that added to the scenery without bogging it down any. Brilliant layers of storyline complexity that has a psychological edge wrapped with action and high stakes. For the most part the pacing was good in each story, but I did think there could have been more heightened tension more consistently, especially considering the subject matter and the shorter length. But still remarkable, memorable reading! (4-stars)  Tabitha Parks—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

      Eye-opening and engrossing, this compilation of tales of dystopian & sci/fi  as told by prolific and talented author J.M. Erickson will have you on the edge of your seat, turning the pages as fast as you can, and leave you wanting more! In fact even though the first story “Recount our Dreams” wraps up well enough, I would love to know what Jack’s ultimate fate is. (Would be cool if this had a follow up or something) I was surprised to finish this whole book so quickly, but I didn’t want to stop reading once I started! And I found the individual story length to be perfect to take in smaller doses, do something else for a bit (and gather my wits), then read another story. One thing was that I thought when I read the author’s biography was that this man is fascinated with the powers and (limitless) possibilities of the mind and our existence and it shows. Enjoyed exploring these ‘alternative’ realities with him and it makes me really wonder if some of this could be an actual reality….. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others to read as well. (4-5 stars). Nicola Flood—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers

       TIME IS FOR DRAGONFLIES AND ANGELS is a must read for lovers of literary science fiction and dark drama and fantasy. This book falls into that rare group that tells unexpected and original stories that don’t rely on cliché’s or overused plot devices – nice, especially in the Sci-Fi genre where it is hard to find really unique plotlines and genuine character development. Although there are familiar tropes here in these stories (parallel worlds, alternate dimensions, AI and aliens, etc…) Erickson does an incredible job treating each story as an individual entity with a flavor and message all its own. The shorter story length keeps you hooked from beginning to end, and if you are like me you’ll find you just want to keep reading all the way through to the last one. I found a few of the stories to be more impactful personally, but each were well-executed in their own right. A solid effort from J.M. Erickson and I’m eager to read more of his published works. (5 stars) Stephan Beacher—Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers