The Crystal Shell


Fiction - Science Fiction
257 Pages
Reviewed on 09/19/2024
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

Everything was moving so fast for Joey, a teenage wrestling champion, and the evil detective Harnwell seemed to have sealed his fate. Harnwell had previously arrested Joey on possession of hard drugs, which Joey genuinely had no idea about. Joey’s grandparents had bailed him out using their land as collateral. Now scheduled for a court hearing, the stakes were high. If he jumped bail, his grandparents would lose their land. If he showed up, chances were that he was going to prison. While contemplating his dilemma, the strangest of things happened. Joey finds himself on an alien planet called Levara. It turns out Joey had been teleported to Levara by Fursdohr, an alien of Greggan descent, using a powerful machine called the Crystal Shell. Unfortunately, the Crystal Shell stops working shortly after Joey’s arrival. It is the only thing that can send Joey back to Earth. Joey has to help Fursdohr fix it. However, a hostile race of aliens called the Hanori is planning to attack and kill a peaceful race called the Thimdalun. Fursdohr drags Joey into the war. Will Joey survive the bloodbath coming his way? Is he ever going back to Earth? Find out in Herb Hughes’ The Crystal Shell.

Herb Hughes’ The Crystal Shell is a must-read for lovers of action-packed young adult sci-fi. Hughes whisked me away from reality and dropped me smack dab into the middle of a world of magnificent imagination with an intriguing plot. The colorful evocative descriptions breathed life into the scenes, making me feel like I was next to the characters, watching everything unfold. One moment I watched Joey being harassed by a crooked cop on Earth. The next thing I was holding my breath as I watched Joey fight for his life in a raging war. I was treated to epic adventure, high-octane action, heart-pounding suspense, drama, humor, and thrills, among much more. Hughes brings out the cast’s emotions while juxtaposing their complex traits. This, alongside the use of dialect and the voice of introspection, strengthened the story and allowed me to connect with the cast. Joey is many things but not a criminal. With a cop hellbent on destroying his life, and a detour to a planet engulfed in war, he has to prove his innocence. You won’t be able to peel your eyes off this space opera until you’ve turned to the last page.