Dark Theory

Giving this my personal 2023 Indie Book of the Year Award.

Holy cow this was outstanding! This may be my favorite self published book I've ever read. Literally the only reason I gave this a chance was because of the cover. I have too many books to read to spend my time with self published books but when the cover is this nice, I will gladly give it a shot.

I think the main reason I liked this so much is because it really feels like a fantasy novel with sci-fi elements to it vs just a sci-fi novel, but boy when he gives you the elements he gives you the most mind boggling, otherworldly information that no human other than Welker can fully understand. In fact Welker tried his best to dumb it down as simply as you possibly could and I still couldn't grasp it. It's like if an astronaut told you how to fly a ship in step by step instructions you're still not going to get it. He incorporates time traveling, astronomy, black holes, how gravity effects time, and much else. Even though I didn't understand a lot of the science it didn't take away the fun I had with this novel in the slightest.

My favorite parts of this story are the characters and the little cliffhangers at the end of every scene!
The story follows Beetro, an AI robot that doesn't remember anything about himself other than he needs to find Galiaro but he has no idea who or where or what Galiaro is. He becomes friends with several people who are all memorable in their own ways. They later find out the whole galaxy is in danger and must work together to save it.

Well done Wick. I am very excited for the next installment!

I do not even know where to begin. I wish I had an amazing vocabulary and could eloquently express how good this book really is. Unfortunately, I'm just a country bumpkin from Tennessee, so I'll try my best.

I'm sure all readers have that one moment and book that forever changed their life. When I was a kid in Junior High (I'm 38 now so it was a bit ago), I read Stephen King's The Stand. That book left a profound mark on my life. Then, as recently as a few years ago, I discovered and read Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings and that book had a huge impact as well. I claim that it changed my life. The Way of Kings showed me that there is so much more to books than just the story. Journey before Destination, right?

Both the books I just mentioned showed me that not only could books be incredible stories but that they could have a ton of heart, make you emotional, and create new best friends for life even though these new friends aren't real. They were so much more than just a book. The feeling I had when I finished The Way of Kings is the same exact feeling I got after finishing Dark Theory. In short, this masterpiece is my favorite book... EVER!

“Technology is so poor these days, tyrants can only use the weapons of the past-weapons they dig up-combustible engines that they patch back together. Mankind has proven that they cannot wisely wield the technology they develop and that's the era in which we now live. May as well be the stone ages.”

“What makes a person who they are? Is it their thoughts? Actions? What they would've done? Don't be afraid of who you were. Be afraid of never learning enough to change for the better.”

EVERYTHING

3.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews

Summary
At the dusk of the world, two trash scavengers find a functional robot. That discovery sets off a complex journey across lands and cultures to find a way to escape the end of everything.

Review
There's a host of interesting ideas in this book. Probably too many, in fact. They never feel very fully explored. There's obviously more to see in future volumes – some of the intriguing cultures mentioned barely get a look in here, but clearly will later in the series – but I found myself wishing that there was less to see and more to focus on. The problem is somewhat exacerbated by a moderately large cast of characters. There, however, Welker does a good job of keeping them straight for despite a dizzying array of permutations and settings.
Despite being far, far in the future, gender roles seem to have reverted to those of the late 1900s – not just in one culture, but broadly. There are strong female characters, but they're clearly operating largely in patriarchal societies. To be fair, there are some indications that there may be other societies in future volumes.
Perhaps because we're rushed so fast through so many situations, there are a number of weak points and downright gaps that aren't well papered over. A valuable robot in an impoverished, desperate society gets few looks and no attempts to take it. A sizeable army approaches without anyone really noticing. Some (re)inventions appear to come out of the blue, very conveniently. The robot is extremely human in his (yes, his) emotions and introspection. A miner in an isolated community somehow has context and even terminology for a host of surprise discoveries, including advanced science.
Keeping in mind that this is an ARC, the book needed substantial proofreading, including some consistent errors that made me worry a bit what the final, polished product may look like. While the prose is broadly smooth, there are some semantic errors that caused me concern. I did like some of the moments of humor that helped leaven a pretty long book.
Overall, I liked the accoutrements, but found the overall story too thin and patchy, with too many weak points, too many convenient saves, and too little patience. I think the book would have benefited from several more rounds of editing, and a little more narrative discipline. Promising, but not quite ready.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.