Editorial Review: Dissonance: Volume II: Reckoning by Aaron Ryan

In the second installment, Cameron "Jet" Shipley continues his journey through the post-apocalyptic world following the life-altering events of the invasion and subsequent months. When gorgons invaded Earth, they didn't launch an immediate attack, opting instead to bide their time before unleashing an all-out assault on mankind. The gorgons - a moniker gleaned from their murderous method of holding humans paralyzed with a mysterious ability and then feeding on them while still alive – are everywhere and few human holdouts remain. After losing his brother to a berserker variant, Shipley's faith in the military command he serves wanes. As he uncovers more about the hidden reality, both for himself and humanity at large, his trajectory and determination undergo a profound shift. When everything you’ve come to believe and trust in shows itself to be rotten inside, finding those few who you can truly rely on is more vital than ever. Shipley has been lied to, used, imprisoned, promoted, and nearly killed half a dozen times - but now he’s had enough and with Ally, Fox, and Joe by his side he’s determined to find a way for the world to survive. To do that, though, he will need to navigate far more than the murderous alien invasion – he’ll need to dismantle the labyrinthine system of power and corruption that still runs most of the world. Aaron Ryan skillfully explores the theme of power and its grip on society through the lens of a makeshift military unit striving to avert annihilation. The novel presents a post-apocalyptic sci-fi military thriller with a meticulously crafted world, grounded in gritty reality and infused with chilling imagination. The ensemble cast of characters, each with their own quirks, meshes seamlessly to captivate readers' attention. Fans of gritty military thrillers and post-apocalyptic settings will find much to savor here, alongside a compelling narrative that probes the depths of power and the extremes to which individuals will go to retain it. Dissonance: Volume II: Reckoning delivers an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride, replete with epic battles and a relentless race against time that holds the fate of every person on Earth in the balance.