From the author of Lost Helix:
Stuck on an asteroid mining facility, DJ dreams of writing music. His dad is a corporate hacker and his best friend Paul intends to escape to become a settler in a planet-wide land rush, but neither interests DJ. When his dad goes missing, DJ finds a file containing evidence of a secret war of industrial sabotage, a file encrypted by his dad using DJ's song Lost Helix. Caught in a crossfire of lies, DJ must find his father and the mother he never knew. When the mining company sends Agent Coreman after DJ and his guitar, DJ and Paul escape the facility and make a run for civilization. Will DJ discover the truth before Coreman catches him?
Lost Helix is an exciting adventure that has a little bit of everything! It is a complex coming-of-age drama that finds the main character DJ in terrible danger because of circumstances beyond his control. He begins the story as an ordinary teenager who loves his family and loves playing music. His biggest challenges are getting along with his father and trying to choose a profession. However, his life changes in a flash. To survive, he must take risks that could get him locked up—or worse—if he gets caught. Luckily, he is not alone. His friend Paul encourages him and helps him along the way. DJ’s vulnerability makes him relatable, but he is courageous, too. I liked how he didn’t just give up when his whole world fell apart.
DJ’s father was a fascinating character, and I felt sorry for him from the beginning. The environment in which the story takes place was bleak and ominous, and he was basically stuck there with no good options, trying to provide for his son and getting pushed around by his employer. DJ’s mother was interesting, too, and the reason for her disappearance surprised me! I liked how the author immediately established the mystery around her and slowly allowed the truth to unravel. As far as the other characters, Coreman was awful. I hated him! Hochstein was a lot more complicated, and I wasn’t sure what to think about him at first. I actually grew to like him more as the story progressed and I discovered his strengths and his flaws.
The plot of Lost Helix was extremely easy to follow, and the story had a perfect balance of character building and action. The tension continued to build even into the final chapter, and the conclusion was heart-warming. Even though Lost Helix is larger than life and slightly outlandish, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It took me on a wild adventure that was fast-paced and surprisingly touching. As a reader, I would be happy to read a book like this, and as an author, I would be happy to write a book like this. I highly recommend Lost Helix, especially for readers who enjoy family drama and sci-fi mystery.
FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of the book reviewed above.
Scott Coon is an award-winning short story writer and former U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst. He served for six years, including a tour in Kuwait where he received the Joint Service Achievement Award. Now a software developer for a major bank, Scott brings his computer and military experience into his work, along with a sense of spectacle. See his website for links to his published shorts and his papers on the art and business of writing, as well as his debut novel, Lost Helix. You can also connect with Scott on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube or learn more about Lost Helix on Goodreads!
Author photograph by Stephanie Dribus
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Help Me is the prequel to the Silvertree Series, now available on Amazon!
