Eva Pasco

Goodreads: 5-Stars

April 29, 2025

A Reality Check

Author Joseph Ferguson’s speculative dystopian fiction evolves/devolves from two hot shot mountaineers, John Alcott Higgins and George Patrick Rollins, coming across a eoraptor preserved in amber and ice on a mountain range in Antarctica. Their significant finding snowballs into garnering interest from paleontologists, one in particular, Pat Bronte; the military, one honcho in particular, Robert Threadhorn.

What ensues is a highly entertaining, thought-provoking, and affirming reality check for those of sound mind and those of sound mind not affected by the “dino virus,” thereby succumbing to the DD pandemic of infectious stupidity.

The reader is drawn into the story via the physical exertions of mountaineering with applicable terminology, courtesy of the author’s rock-climbing background. Each aforementioned central character, as well as Radnor Johnson and Rosy Ramirez have backgrounds conducive to their prominent role in the story.

Stemming from the intrigue and chicanery involving the eoraptor’s procurement, Ferguson incorporates plenty of facts, be they: crackpot ideologies, fake news, Darwin awards, political polarization, and more. The dumbing down of America is under the microscope.

Ferguson circles back to the beginning of the novel, leaving the reader to ponder if the world will end in a bang or a whimper as things stand. I highly recommended this well-written story enhanced by credible characters, astute dialogue, and unique metaphors.