Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

A Light Revision by Phillip Johnson is a fantasy science fiction hybrid novella that revolves around Oliver, whose life shifts dramatically at eighteen, with a flood of disjointed memories blending real and presumably imagined experiences. His recollections are massively diverse, like roaming a desert, coping with strained family dynamics and supernatural capabilities, and confronting an alien threat from the Fulgids in a war-torn world. Amid drug-induced hazes and post-apocalyptic scenarios, discussions of an ancient family lineage materialize. This lineage faces imminent danger, and so does Oliver. Armed only with latent power, the wisdom of his grandmother, a hand-sewn poppet, and the support of his childhood ride-or-die friend Gavin, Oliver must accept his legacy and his responsibility at all costs. And the cost is very, very high.

For a story that does not appear at first glance to be particularly long, A Light Revision by Phillip Johnson sure does pack a huge punch. Johnson is able to really harness the character development of his teen protagonist through vignette-style revelations that come to light to readers at the same time that Oliver remembers or is made aware of them. Oliver is initially almost a textbook definition of an unreliable narrator, which Johnson skillfully manages in the third-person—a rarity in this context. But as the layers peel away, we realize that Oliver is not unreliable in the traditional sense, and it is this absolute disarray of memories where his life transcends time, space, and all things metaphysical that triggers the forward throttle of a plot that sometimes operates in reverse. Memories in real time. It's brilliant and executed perfectly. Johnson throws in some surprises, with one that delivers a huge blow, and there was not a moment throughout when I was not fully engaged. Overall, this is a thoughtful, well-rounded, and deeply immersive work of fiction. Very highly recommended.