Title: Lights Above Cass
Author: Marilyn Brokaw Hall
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 1796078336
Pages: 274
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington
Pacific Book Review
Light Above Cass should be in every sci-fi enthusiast’s stock. Author Marilyn Brokaw Hall created a unique story that comprises a range of characters in their true forms tying together technology, invasions, and diversity in communities. The book starts on a high note, and still builds up the reader’s urge to follow the story. The suspense at the beginning is high as one keeps wondering about the significance of the craft and how the effects of the crash would transform things. One notable characteristic in the author’s style of writing is how she accelerates the plot. This is a good thing as several events happen in a short while; making the story breathtaking and more interesting to follow.
An unidentified craft speeds towards the military base. The person in charge of the control tower immediately knew that the craft was foreign and not one of their drones or spy planes. Being a restricted base, an alien craft flying towards them meant that something was amiss. Corporal Brett Anderson observed the aircraft and made calculations and concluded it had electromagnetic fields to enable it to move in that manner. He then made a call to his colleague, Captain Jamal Bryant. As a reader, I was not fond of the captain at first, as the author portrayed him as an uptight individual who disliked being bothered as the call was late at night and it was disrupting his schedule. The captain eventually went to the base and the urge to read more elevated. What was to happen next?
I like how Marilyn Brokaw Hall gets the reader by surprise. One would read assuming a certain order of events would follow only to be surprised by a different turn of events. Lucia, the smart Quantum computer salvaged from the Roswell crash was taken to the secret military base. Amidst all the commotion, chaos, investigation and confusion, tons of secrets get to be revealed. Have people been living in a bubble? We get to see how ugly life can be in America. Impunity, social injustices, inequality and all evils are uncovered. Through the victims, the reader gets to see life from a different perspective. It is not easy living normally knowing that your kin went missing. Some of the empathetic stories in the book include the stories of Eve, the farm girl, who could not speak nor hear; Rita the army nurse; and the gay teacher, Jacqueline.
Reading Lights Above Cass takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions. You get to be happy when the truth is revealed but soon realize that you were not ready for the truth. I liked the military concept and the use of technology in the book. The characters are excellently developed and are outstanding in their roles. Marilyn Brokaw Hall’s writing is engaging throughout the book. At no point does the story become bland or flat as the events in every chapter get to be more stimulating and intriguing. The entire plot was great, despite the author rushing some scenes as I believe some characters deserved longer stories as their roles were distinct. All in all, I immensely enjoyed the storyline and the themes in the book and I recommend this book to thriller, military action, and science fiction lovers.​