Legacy
The Biodome
Chronicles, #1
by
Jesikah Sundin
Narrator: Sunil Patel
Released: December 11th 2017
Publisher: Forest Tales Publishing
Length: 12 hours 30 minutes
Genre: Science Fiction
The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . LEGACY (The
Biodome Chronicles, #1) . . . Can I just say,
woooooooooooooooh. I don’t really know what say or how to say it. This was a
fantastical ride with adventure, action, intrigue, mystery with touches of
sci-fi, fantasy, dystopia, and fairytale. I found much here to make this a
fantastic adventure. I went on a ride with first Leaf and Willow, then latter
adding Fillion. There are many others that you get to know, some you like other
you just don’t care about and others you just right out hate. The world that
takes shape around each and every chapter change was intriguing. The writing
had an element of something more. There were things I did not understand and
other that I became comfortable with as the story went on.
I could
not just sit down and listen to this in one setting. After a few hours, I was
feeling a bit overwhelmed or underwhelmed it depended on where I as in the
story. I applaud those that were able to do this in one setting it just did not
work for me. There was much to take in with each session spent listening to
this world become more and the characters become richer in depth and concise.
Narrator Review of . . . LEGACY (The Biodome Chronicles,
#1) . . . Sunil did a good job. The richness of his voice. The diction. The accents. The pitch. All came
together to provide a listening enjoyment. I took the time to listen with more
than just my ears. This was a full senses experience. I was captivated by the
vivid imagery that was conjured with his voice.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jesikah Sundin. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
The Biodome Chronicles series:
Legacy –
The Biodome Chronicles, #1
Elements
– The Biodome Chronicles, #2
Transitions:
Novella Collections – The Biodome Chronicles,
#2.5
What if your life was just a game others
controlled? A sensible young nobleman and his fiery sister live in an experimental medieval village. Sealed inside this biodome since infancy, Leaf and Willow have been groomed by The Code to build a sustainable world, one devoid of Outsider interference. One that believes death will give way to life.
Their walled garden is predictable and peaceful––until the unthinkable happens.
With his dying breath, their father bequeaths a family secret, placing an invisible crown of power on Leaf's head. Grief-stricken and afraid, the siblings defy their upbringing by connecting with Fillion, a hacker who is linked to their lives in shocking ways. Their encounter launches Fillion into a battle with his own turbulent past as he rushes to decode the many secrets that bind them together––a necessity if they are all to survive.
Cultures clash when the high technology of the Anime Tech Movement collides with the Middle Ages in a quest for truth, unfolding a story rich in mystery, betrayal, and love.
Are you ready to discover what is real?
For fans of eco-dystopian fantasy and fairy tale re-tellings, The Biodome Chronicles spins the yarns of a psychological game that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!
Jesikah Sundin's Top 10 Reasons why readers who love Under the Never Sky will
appreciate Legacy
1.
Biodomes
2.
High-tech dystopian future
3.
Rustic fantasy world with environmentally
bio-engineered people
4.
A blend of future (scifi) meets the past (fantasy)
5.
Lyrical, romantic writing styles
6.
Intense worldbuilding of two fully realized worlds
7.
If you like Roar, you’ll like Fillion
8.
Old world experiencing technology for the first
time
9.
New world experiencing survival skills for the
first time
10. Star-crossed
love story
Jesikah Sundin is multi-award
winning a sci-fi/fantasy writer mom of three nerdlets and devoted wife to a
gamer geek. In addition to her family, she shares her home in Monroe,
Washington with a red-footed tortoise and a collection of seatbelt purses. She
is addicted to coffee, laughing, and Dr. Martens boots and shoes ... Oh! And
the forest is her happy place. Other Interesting tidbits: Jesikah
owns Forest Tales Photography, and boasts a varied background in business
administration and marketing, though her heart has always belonged to the arts
and sciences. In college, she pursued a degree in geophysics and oceanography.
And, as a teenager, she attended a performing arts school for musical theater
and opera, performing in several theater productions, while also serving as
editor-in-chief of her high school’s newspaper. She is married for over twenty
years to her high school sweetheart and raising three awesomely geeky children.
When not writing, she’s often found in her garden, hiking, gaming, baking,
fangirling over all things Star Wars and Firefly, or attending various conventions
in cosplay, notably Comicon and FaerieCon.
Author Links:
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Pinterest⎮Instagram
Q&A with Author Jesikah Sundin
·
Tell us
about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
o
Well, it was all rather simple. Sunny
did all the hard work and I got to enjoy the fruits of his labor with
commentary. Usually I’d see a notice in my inbox that another chapter was ready
for review. I’d squeal, plunk myself down in a comfortable spot, pull my book
up, read along as I listened to the narration, and take notes of any
discrepancies I found, or feedback on how I’d prefer something to be said
(emotional notes). That’s pretty much it. A fun process on my end!
·
Was a
possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
o
Ha! No, actually. Never even crossed my
mind. LEGACY was originally published in January 2014. It wasn’t until last
year that I even considered an audiobook and only because I had so many
potential readers comment on social media that they wished my book were in
audio format. Anything for my readers ;-)
·
How did
you select your narrator?
o
It was an involved process that included
far too many cups of coffee, sacrifices to the Audible gods, and sleepless
night wondering if I’d ever find The One. And then I did, which was rather
miraculous, as finding The One usually is. I honestly didn’t think I’d contract
a voice actor because of the language difficulties narrating LEGACY would
present (American and British English, Latin, French, and Japanese) and
different point-of-view writing styles (cyberpunk and classical fantasy style).
I’m pretty sure I cried oceans of grateful tears when Sunny sent in an audition.
·
How
closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording
process?
o
Did you give them any pronunciation tips
or special insight into the characters? I’m the type of individual who
enfolds any person who works with me into a partnership-like relationship, be
it cover illustrator, editor, beta readers, or audiobook narrator. I see it
like a production crew. We could be stiff and professional, but I prefer the
fluidity of ease and trust that comes only with allowing a bit of the personal in
with the business. It’s not just my art we’re producing, but theirs as well,
and I fully respect and covet their insight, feedback, and personal touches.
So, yes, Sunny and I worked close during the entire project, bouncing thoughts
off of each other as well as discussing feedback. And, also, yes, there were
times I did help with certain pronunciations, and only because my listening
audience is largely American and I feature American characters. But his grasp
of languages is beautiful and he left me very little to do other than comment
on his amazing narrating skills. #fangirl
·
Were
there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
o
I’m not sure if you mean “writing” as
fellow writers who have inspired me or “writing” as in the stories I write.
But, thankfully, the answer for both angles is similar.I read pretty much
everything, from westerns to poetry to crime thrillers to the classics to
everything in-between. Though, my main book diet is young adult science fiction
and fantasy. My brain is author and story alphabet soup at this point. I’ve
also lived in two vastly different states, in three vastly different
geographical areas, and traveled all over North and parts of South America.
These experiences make a great marinade for the imagination. Additionally, I
spent my formative years immersed in the liberal arts (dance, opera, theater,
competition choir) while studying for a degree in science (geophysics,
oceanography, and ethnoscience). The combination? Weird, genre-mash-up stories,
that blend the arts and sciences, and explore people, culture, geographies, and
their relationship with the environments they find themselves in.
·
Is
there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the
audiobook performance than in the book format?
o
Oh, the languages and dialects for sure.
Sunny Patel’s lovely British accent breathed life into my New Eden Township
characters. But I was floored when the written French and Japanese became real.
I sort of melt into a puddle whenever I hear him speak Leaf and Oaklee’s lines
in French or Fillion’s Japanese dialogue.
·
How did
you celebrate after finishing this novel?
o
Two of my friends rented a large banquet
room in a restaurant and turned it into The Crypt, an underground Seattle club
in the novel, complete with strobe lights and dance music, and told me to punk
out more than usual. So I did. We drank beer, ate pizza, and danced for several
hours … close to 60-75 people attended. The event was also open to the public.
My friends converted a table into a storefront for people to purchase signed
copies of LEGACY. It was a gloriously fun evening.
·
What
bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
o
(1) Write every day and consume large
quantities of books. Words going in make for better words going out. All experts
agree that the best writers are readers. Think of it as continuing education.
Reading stories (not your own) is like a writing dream-state that resets energy
and prevents the imagination from stagnating. (2) Don’t get caught up in word
counts as your motivator. Write as much as your story (and life) allows each
day, be it 50 words or 5,000. If the focus is on word counts instead of the art
of writing, your story will suffer. Writing is a craft, not a race. (3) Listen
to feedback and silence the ego. Your story is a raw stone. Beta readers are
the tumbler and your editor is the sand. It’s a rough, sometimes painful
process, but the end result is a beautiful, polished gem. (4) Self-doubt is a
cruel temptress. Ignore her cries for attention. Misery loves company and she’s
a terrible friend to entertain. (5) Put your measuring stick away. The only
person you should compare your work and process to is yourself. Pour energy
into bettering self, not trying to be someone else. (6) Lastly, remember your
writing community. Celebrate the success of others without inserting self, and
always be ready to spare an encouraging word or two for a struggling peer.
·
What’s
next for you?
o The final book in the The Biodome Chronicles series should publish around April 2018. Then, I plan to begin my next book (or series, I haven’t decided) titled, “The Last Forest Kingdoms.” Currently, I’m describing this as a scifi tale of pagan origins, blending cyberpunk/ecopunk with Celtic and Greek mythos. Here’s a rough-draft synopsis for a sneak peek :-) THE LAST FOREST KINGDOMS Avalon, a terraformed machine designed for bio-environmental warfare testing.Five Kingdoms separated by magnetic fields. A forgotten people. Until Rune Aveyard crashes on the uncharted moon and restarts Avalon’s program for permanent destruction during impact. A collision prophesied by woodland sibyls, the seers hunted and killed for heralding Avalon’s whispers. An event feared by one Kingdom, its ruler willing to annihilate all other Kingdoms to protect its secret. Sentenced by the Savages who found her, Rune follows an appointed hunter into untamed lands to track down Avalon’s computer origins. If she fails to locate the power source, everyone will die. If she refuses this quest, she'll be executed. On an engineered moon with biologically enhanced people time has forgotten, everything is not as it seems. Rune must survive the wilds of each Forest Kingdom and the war waged by one man to stop her, if Avalon doesn’t stop her first.
My name
is Sunil Patel and I am a professional British male Voice-Over artist. I was
born and bred in London, UK, and woke up with a deep, rumbling voice when I
neared adulthood. As a result I have pursued the lifestyle of a Voice Actor /
Voice-over artist, not wanting my unique voice to go to waste. I have recorded
for multinational companies like Herbal Life, and organisations like The Billy
Graham Evangelist Association. I have also narrated an audiobook called Legacy:
The Biodome Chronicles. I can also do voice-overs in other languages, which includes
Hindi and Gujarati. I have been voice trained by coach and mentor, Gary
Terrza (https://www.vomasterclass.com), a successful and and well-known voice
actor who has been doing his craft for over 25 years. I have also received
additional voice training by my acting mentor and coach, Gavin MacAlinden,
(https://www.actinggymnasium.co.uk/) Other interesting facts about myself:
I worked as a Police Community Support Officer for the London Metropolitan
Police for four years; Travelled to 16 countries; Climbed 3 mountains,
including a Himalayan peak; I speak 5 languages and most importantly I am also
pursuing a career in acting and have performed in local theater in Camden,
London.
Narrator Links:
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook
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