This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
In the sci-fi novella Liquid Gambit by Bonnie Milani, Rick is a bar owner at the Bogue Dast Station, a talon-less, broken-hearted Lupan with just enough self-motivation to run his bar every day, dealing with rough crowds and authorities. He turns down his Lupan kinsmen’s offer to go home with them. With his wife and children gone, there’s no longer a real home for Rick. When a mysterious woman named Emma walks into his bar, asking for a job, Rick never expected that she would evoke his past and bring an unforeseen trouble.
It took a while to familiarize myself with the world-building. That said, the narrative is very engaging and has a slight noir-esque feel to it. I kept wondering about what would happen next, and it got more interesting when Snicket, a young thief, hid a vial of Home World water－a clean vial of water from the old Earth herself－in Rick’s bar. This prompted the antagonist, Bayliss, to search the place. The plot is well structured and well executed for this novella, even better in some aspects compared to a few lengthy novel plots that I’ve read.
Milani also makes the well rounded characterization seem effortless. It’s easy to relate to the characters, particularly the protagonists Rick and Emma. I would love to see Liquid Gambit come alive visually on screen. The ending is nicely done, but I hope there’s a continuation for this story since its concept and premise are excellent. On the whole, this is a short but substantial and enjoyable read from Milani.
