Official Review: The Defender of Babylon by Allen W. Pease

[mmm17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Defender of Babylon" by Allen W. Pease.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Defender of Babylon, written by Allen W. Pease, is a sci-fi adventure for teenagers and young adults. In this imaginative story, the fourteen-year-old protagonist, Rhyan Ivars, and his fifteen-year-old best friend, Michael Francis, find themselves up against an alien threat.

It all starts when a UFO in distress contacts them and asks for help. It has the shape of a perfect sphere and a System of Artificial Mentality, aka Sam, runs it. The teenagers learn that Sam came from planet Babylon, which has been at war with the Syreans for more than a hundred years. The UFO sustained damages in the war and thought it could find help on Earth. But the Syreans come after him and threaten to wage war on Earth, too. In the following eleven days, a lot happens! To avoid a hostile alien invasion, Rhyan must dominate advanced technology, travel through space, and overcome many threats and dangers.

The protagonist is a lovely and well-developed character. What I liked the most about this story was how the author developed Rhyan’s interaction with Sam – it was the crux of the plot. Their minds could be linked together. While connected, they can see everything that the other sees, which empowers them mutually. Sam’s powers reach their full effectiveness only when it becomes one with its operator, and Rhyan finds a way to do it, which transforms them into an unbeatable force. Rhyan grows as he learns to link into Sam’s systems, so this is also a coming-to-age story.

It’s hard to explain another aspect I enjoyed without giving away any spoilers. What I can say is that Sam’s connection with Rhyan results in a life-changing discovery for the teenager. I also appreciate closing in a narrative, and the author does a great job of tying everything neatly. Additionally, the book carries great lessons of friendship, conflict resolution, and resilience. I believe it bears a heartening message, especially for young readers.

In closing, I found no negatives worth mentioning. The sci-fi background and the coming-of-age story go together beautifully in this engaging novel. It has an energetic arc, and the characters are well-developed. Also, there is no profanity or anything offensive in it. It is a fun read that I would highly recommend for teenagers and young adults. The only reason I’m taking a star away, rating it 3 out of 4 stars, is that I found several minor editing mishaps in it. After another round of editing, I would gladly give it the highest rating.

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The Defender of Babylon
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[Cynthia_Oluchi]

It's obvious you really enjoyed this book. I wish I could too! Science fictions get me too scared to narrows, but I agree with you, this book sounds interesting.

[mmm17]

Yes, I did enjoy this one, indeed. I has such a nice message. Thanks for commenting!

[SunVixen]

This looks like a interesting book. However, I do not understand one thing. How could an alien planet be named "Babylon"? This is the name of an ancient city on Earth, in the territory of modern Iraq.

Anyway, thanks for the great review.

[Amberlily]

Now that is some high praise. Seems that another round of editing and this book would be golden.

[NetMassimo]

Probably I'm too old for this kind of novels, but it seems well suited for young people who are starting with science fiction. Thank you for your informative review!

[mmm17]

This looks like a interesting book. However, I do not understand one thing. How could an alien planet be named "Babylon"? This is the name of an ancient city on Earth, in the territory of modern Iraq.

Anyway, thanks for the great review.

That is a great observation! They wanted a name that would convey strength, so they looked through information collected about Earth and decided to take their name from what they believed to be Earth’s greatest empire.

[mmm17]

Now that is some high praise. Seems that another round of editing and this book would be golden.

Absolutely. Thank you for reading and commenting!

[mmm17]

Probably I'm too old for this kind of novels, but it seems well suited for young people who are starting with science fiction. Thank you for your informative review!

Thank you for commenting. I appreciate it.

[Nisha Ward]

I like that the names of the planet and the aliens are clear allusions to ancient civilisations here on Earth. It gives it a nice, familiar feel amidst the alienness of everything else. I also like that Rhyan and Sam are able to work together. It sounds like a great book.