This month's CSFF Blog Tour Book:Offworld by: Robin Parrish

(Giveaway details below)

Christopher Burke and his crew of NASA astronauts are the first human beings to walk on the surface of Mars. Their return to Earth was supposed to be a momentous day. But a surprise is waiting for them there that's beyond imagining.

Safe after a treacherous landing in Florida, the crew emerges to find the unthinkable: every man, woman, child, and animal has vanished without a trace.

It's not a dream.

It's not a trick.

It's real.

Alone now on their home planet, the crew sets out to discover the extraordinary secret behind the disappearance of mankind. And whether or not everyone can be brought back.

But they may not be as alone as they thought.

For this month's review of "Offworld," I'm offering a free copy of the book that will be rewarded to anyone who posts upon this blog. Your chances will increase for each additional comment upon another blog post of mine. Last month, no one won the award as no one commented upon my blog albeit the author. Please read and comment!! My blog's been rather lonely as of recently.
Winners shall be announced on Thursday morning's post, which I'm planning to share my thoughts, concerning Angel and Buffy.


I've been reviewing an innumerable amount of books today. Probably due to the amount of book blog tours which coincide with each other this month. This month's CSFF Blog tour book is "Offworld," by Robin Parrish.

From the start of the book, we are introduced to a diverse cast of characters whom are returning from a mission on Mars to Earth. And Robin Parrish ease us slowly into the story with some conversational dialogue between all the passengers of the ship. I really love that sort of approach to the story and it reminds me distinctively of a Joss Whedon approach with Firefly. Both seem to have a motley crew of various people all crammed upon one vessel. Actually this beginning sequence reminds me of the beginning of "Event Horizon." For within both stories we are thrust right in the midst of a normal conversation between a band of travelers. And right from the beginning, Robin Parrish allows us to gain insight of the personalities of the characters and their pasts. He succeeds with an approach that's an anomaly among this genre. Because most stories begin immediatley with action instead of dialogue.

As the astronauts arrive on Earth. They are confounded by the absence of Earth's population Just as the cover shows a lone bike amongst a bare street; there's no remnaint of any living soul upon the Earth's surface. Parrish's way of shifting the story from space exploration to a post apocalyptic story greatly impressed me. Every part of the story seems natural and the emotions of the astronauts are accurate upon finding that the Earth's vacant. It's this mystery element of this segement of the story that's the most gripping element of the story. Robin Parrish shrouds the reasons in mystery and hopes the readers follows along with him, as we and the astronauts slowly divulge the reasonings behind this sudden event.

Just as with Robin Parrish's other stories, the faith elements do not feel preachy or seem like they were tacked on in order to meet the requirements for being incepted within the Christian market. Instead we are left with a story that matches and even surpasses books within the secular market. For me, Robin Parrish and Karen Hancock both set the precedent for Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction. Both are from Bethany House and prove that this particuliar publisher knows what stories are able to seep into both markets simultaneously. And it's both these books that have really raised my expectations for furture Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy books. With the quality of both books, they deserve to be marketed within the general Fantasy and Science Fiction section's.

Other Links of Interest:
http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr
http://jimfictionreview.blogspot.com/"> Jim Black
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://www.AdventuresInFiction.blogspot.com/"> Keanan Brand
http://uponreflectionblog.blogspot.com"> Gina Burgess
http://canadianladybugreviews.blogspot.com"> Canadianladybug
http://www.aweakrose.blogspot.com"> Melissa Carswell
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.kcreviews.blogspot.com"> Karri Compton
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://lindarg.wordpress.com/"> Linda Gilmore
http://bethgoddard.blogspot.com/"> Beth Goddard
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://cloakanddaggerfiction.blogspot.com"> Katie Hart
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://momofkings.wordpress.com/"> Dawn King
http://forstrose.blogspot.com/"> Melissa Meeks
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://www.questwriter.blogspot.com/"> Eve Nielsen (posting later in the week)
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://residentialaliens.blogspot.com/"> Lyn Perry
http://ansric.blogspot.com/"> Steve Rice
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.captivated00.blogspot.com/"> Stephanie
http://www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/"> Rachel Starr Thomson
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/"> Steve Trower
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.fantasyandfaith.com"> Dona Watson
http://kerani-in-the-world.blogspot.com/"> Elizabeth Williams