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Kevin J. Howard was born in Mission Viejo, California, moved to Seattle at the age of twenty-one, and now lives in Puyallup. He hand wrote his first novel in the fifth grade and has been writing ever since. His first published novel, Faithful Shadow, is a return to the classic horror novel. Since writing Faithful Shadow he has completed four additional horror novels that will soon be published. In 2012, he won an award in the Las Vegas International Film Festival and the Beverly Hills International Film Festival for his screenplay, Identical Opposites. Kevin's latest novel, Precipice: The Beginning, is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The sequel, Precipice: The Retrieval, was released in May of 2013. Kevin looks to publish his next novel, Closed Cell, in early 2014.
Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite
“Precipice: The Beginning” by Kevin J. Howard is proof positive that his “Faithful Shadow” was NOT just a one-time hit; Kevin is an exceptional writer. “Precipice” begins by introducing us to a young couple enjoying a cruise, but not for long. Then we move on to Mars, to join a small military unit working with over 300 miners, helping to make Mars into an Earth-like inhabitable planet. Then we visit a scientific research vessel at sea, monitoring an apparent major shifting of undersea tectonic plates. Soon, the Earth is littered with an abundance of humongous “cracks” in the crust, many miles long, and seemingly bottomless. After that, things start going downhill.
“Precipice” is, in a word, awesome. Under ordinary conditions, when I see the words “to be continued” at the end of a book, I get cranky. I don’t want to wait for the story to conclude. In this case, though, I was delighted to see those words. This is a story I don’t want to end! There is way too much going on, still needing resolution. Kevin Howard has an uncanny ability to make you believe he has actually been to Mars, and worked in the mine, to be able to create such vivid and realistic characters and situations. At the same time, you have to believe he also went through the engagingly incredible apocalyptic happenings back on Earth. Ironically, never once in the whole 476 pages was the word 'apocalypse' used. “Precipice” was not written as an apocalyptic dystopian novel; it is written more like a true account of some things that really happened. This is a stunning science fiction tale, with an overabundance of realism that will make your hair stand on end. I very definitely recommend this for everybody, not just for Sci-Fi fans. There is something for everybody in “Precipice”.
