Ashme’s Songby Brad C. AndersonPublished by Shadowpaw PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $26.99 ISBN 9781998273164 When a Brad C. Anderson book drops into my life, I know I am in for an entertaining ride! I loved his last book, Duatero, so my expectations for Ashme’s Song were high. And it absolutely delivered! Ashme is the main character in this dystopian science fiction novel. An “indigo child” with the ability to manipulate technology to her will, she lives in New Mesopotamia, a futuristic world shaped by control and conformity. She spends much of the story protecting her twin brother, who is quirky and neurodivergent—traits that are not prized in their society.  For me, this is ultimately a story of one’s calling versus one’s loyalty, a struggle that people have faced throughout history. Seeing this theme play out in the future kept me glued to the pages. Ashme is fiercely protective of her brother, yet equally drawn to join the resistance against the regime ruling her country. Those competing pulls wage a constant battle within her. It’s an age-old conflict, told through a fresh lens.  Even as AI and genetic modification become more common in our everyday world, I couldn’t quite imagine a…

Duateroby Brad C. AndersonPublished by Shadowpaw Press RepriseReview by Toby A. Welch$23.95 ISBN 9781989398395 I must admit that sci-fi isn’t my go-to choice for fiction. Sure, I loved the X-Files TV show and thoroughly enjoyed reading Ender’s Game and Dune but that was about the extent of it. Duatero changed that – science fiction will now be a genre I regularly reach for.  The title of this book confused me at first – what the heck is a duatero? Is it a sea creature with two legs? Some kind of two-sided crystal? Wrong on both counts. The title of this book is the name of an abandoned Earth colony. The fantastical world that Anderson created in Duatero is a fascinating place to be during the hours it takes to read the book. The main character, Majstro Falchilo Kredo, works furiously to protect Duatero from Malamiko, an ecosystem that is causing the colony’s crops to fail. Malamiko is threatening their way of life in every way; the possibility of Duatero having a future is dire. This well-written ecological apocalyptic tale is spellbinding. It is obvious that Anderson put a tremendous amount of thought and research into Duatero. It is flush with…