BOOK REVIEWS ~

Celestial Body 1074.1
             © Authored and Illustrated by Giovanni Caliendo

Description:
         This is Giovanni’s ninth published book, which has been made recently available to readers across our planet.  His original tale is unlike any other, and will no doubt keep its readers in a constant spellbinding mode.
          Quoting from this latest fiction story, “. . . Celestial Body 1074.1 is considered to be a cloaking planet which has been simultaneously orbiting in the shadow of our planet within our galaxy. This planet has been known only to the elites. It has bodies of water and recognizable life-forms . . . “

     ------------------------------------
     *-   N O I T C U D O R T N I   -*
    ------------------------------------

         "This introduction, is about how Celestial Body 1074.1 came into existence, from the same interchangeable material that went
into it.  . . . With additional original illustrations, maps and diagrams."  ~!~

* * *

         Not long ago I questioned a number of my younger contemporaries about common occurrences which included historical and recent events. It didn’t take long to realize, how they lacked the basic information anyone should perhaps have known, when residing in any self-proclaimed free society. To be sure, my peers as unique individuals, were well read, favoring fictional literary works filled with adventure mysteries, occasional supernatural heroes, and endless pages dotted with wonderful romances.
         The idea then occurred to me to write a fictional extended  work, with characters - representations of our younger contemporaries - who live on a distant planet with important day to day issues similar, but not exactly like ours. The principal character has been chosen by the elite ruling class, to travel and explore a recently discovered life-sustaining planet, suitable for colonization - a most plausible idea under these imaginable circumstances.
         The story evolves as a journal within a series of notes. Or as a memoir written in impressionable sentences, inspired by the protagonist, during his 30 solar cycles / days’ or chapters, prior to the departure from his home planet - Incidently, this is also the point in the story, where I allow the adventures to begin!
         Set in a futuristic environment, this is a coming of age story, about a young male named Sumer. Intertwined there is a love story which takes place where love / evol, is no longer permissible. Yet this story it’s at once tender and pleasing to the mind with the emotional sensitivity often felt by the readers. The sprinkled subtle humor, makes lite of the harsh conditions on the distant planet, while the often secretive opaque characters, slowly divulge to the reader their most private thoughts and life experiences.
         This story has a Homer-like journey quality while we follow the main characters through a series of riddles filled adventures and self analyzing abstract thought process. From the beginning, Sumer had to devise secret codes to better protect his notes and the lives of those he evol. These secret codes, significantly create the illusion that this story had actually taken place on a distant Celestial Body. A planet different from the one we are familiar. Yet in many instances, it parallels our past, present, and hopefully what will never become, our future.
         The similarity, of the two planets, its not well defined. Their duality, however, will at once become apparent when the secret coded messages peppered throughout the text have been recognized. Only then, will the deception of reading two tales at any given point in the story - fiction / nonfiction - occurs while the reader’s personal thoughts and beliefs continue to re-enforce this illusion.
         As mentioned earlier about how I had been inspired to create Celestial Body 1074.1, my objective was to spin an entertaining tale, while in part question ourselves about our perpetually changing contemporary society. Most important, however, it is my modest attempt to arouse our nearly forgotten disciplined critical thinking process of gathering information from observation, skillfully evaluate, and resolve some of our most pressing global problems.* * * G.C.

Please click here for more information about this title.

BOOK REVIEWS ~

Downtown / Uptown

© Authored and Illustrated
by Giovanni Caliendo

Description:

Arousing Events + Emotions = “Downtown / Uptown”

      Life's experiences seldom change without a human struggle and a nudge is often needed to move everyone along to where we can freely admit, "We have made a tangible progress in our lives . . . "

      In this novel we find the principal character, Tom Martin, who is that individual who has been nudging his fellow man with various levels of success. In Tom Martin's case we perhaps see ourselves and how we would like the world around us.

     There is, however, an exception that manifests itself  throughout Tom’s life, while he struggles to be true to himself while providing the basic comforts for his family. Outside forces from his distant past constantly remind him of his vulnerability while disrupting his community and threatening family members.

     Tom Martin is no stranger to us. To meet Tom Martin it would be like meeting one of our neighbors. He's always well liked, at times; he's always faithful to his religious beliefs, at times; he never speaks ill of anyone, at times. Tom Martin only has a few requirements that he expects everyone to follow as he does each day of the week.

      Tom Martin is in his retirement years has returned to live at the old family farm. In his rural community he is at once beloved for being stubbornly fair-minded, despised for abiding to his personal perception of justice and common law. There is also lots of subtle humor sprinkled throughout while certain issues will challenge the readers to reflect about the past and current events. As in all human calamities, eventually things do get out of control for the characters and for life as they have come to accept. And by the way, at this point it's also when Tom becomes aware that death is, inevitable and irreversible  . . . then all hell breaks loose! ~

     ~ I loosely took the liberty to set this story in a rural setting after spending several summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. At the time – and being originally from Italy – I soon became infatuated by the wonderful people I met deep in the local backwoods' and those many others who lived in town. Their guarded hospitality contrasted with my background as they made each of my summers a most welcomed experience away from the multi cultures of south Florida and New York City, where I first spent my early years in the United States.

      I hasten to say that this story it's with all due suspect, not morbid. In fact, once you read the first few pages many of you may find yourself saying, ". . . Tom, that is exactly what I would have done!" Or after reading further some will find the need to pause and reflect, chuckle, and ask, ". . . Is that how it really was not so long ago? . . . " ~ G. C.

 Please click here for more information about this title.