Eva Pasco

Goodreads: 5-Stars

October 24, 2024

J.S. Frankel takes his storytelling to another level—the underground tunnels of Asteroid Number 835, a.k.a. Harry. Protagonists Gilbert Perlman and Samantha Carver attempt to “carve” out a living, earning credits by mining a rare ore (tishirium) coveted by world powers.

Sam and Gil find themselves between a rock and hard place for their short duration on the asteroid, under head of security, Mr. Carver, Sam’s father. Potential cave-ins, claustrophobia, inability to get along with others that often led to rage-roid fights, overdosing on illegal drugs and cut-rate alcohol or, the worst—going space-happy!

Matters become progressively horrendous:

Space-happy miners are killing each other.

Others are brutally murdered by an unknown demonic assailant who seemingly passes through walls to escape detection.

There are potential, dangerous side effects from tashirium exposure, and there’s a conspiracy to keep it quiet.

As always, Frankel’s main characters are at the forefront. In order to step things up for doing the right thing, Gil is put to the test to overcome his claustrophobia and fear of flying in this well-written, vivid venture with a realistic ending. Highly recommended!