Endless Fall of Night

By: J.M. Erickson
Publication Date: June 1, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-942708-51-3
Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles
Review Date: September 12, 2024

Endless Fall of Night, a science fiction story reminiscent of Robert Conrad’s book Heart of Darkness, is an interesting story revolving around a look at a possible future on Earth. The story is creative, well-developed, and has a powerful impact on the reader that will leave them thinking long after the last page is read.

In Endless Fall of Night, we meet Cassandra, a young woman who grew up as part of the patrician class. The patricians are from the best families and they grow up learning that the races must be separated at all times in order for the world to be “pure.” The opposite group of the patricians would be the lowly plebs and slaves. As Cassie grows older, she begins to understand that these “classes” are not good for her world and she takes it upon herself to start sharing books and her own ideas with the lower classes. She is quickly caught and put on trial where, being found guilty, Cassie is sent to prison and loses her social status and her standing in her family, as well as her internal artificial intelligence program, a fabulous character named Aletheia.

After spending a year and a half in prison, training to become stronger, and finally regaining access to Aletheia who was removed from her head after the trial, Cassie finds herself being put on an Earth Navy flight to a Martian colony that has suddenly stopped all communication with Earth. The only thing besides images of slaughter that have been transmitted to Earth to be found in the colony is a message created with rocks that reads “Bring Cassandra Kurtz.” As Cassie joins the group going to Mars, she tries to ignore the fact that she is about to be given in marriage to a man she despises. Along this journey, she finds clues to horrifying experiments and disappearances of slaves from long ago, as the action takes off and never stops.

Endless Fall of Night is an action-packed and riveting science fiction story. The plot is different, the story well-written, and the characters are so interesting that the reader cannot help but immerse themselves into every bit of the book. Cassandra is an excellent protagonist. She is such a truly caring character as we see her interactions with the slaves and lower classes that surround her, regardless of the amount of trouble this creates, and with no thought to the possible loss of her own life. No reader could question her determination to change what has been happening. This is also, however, an extremely strong woman who will fight her family, the government, and anyone else who gets in her way while attempting to help. The incredibly well-developed relationship between Cassie and her AI counterpart Aletheia is so much fun to read. What humor, and yes there is some, that comes into the story is brought to us from Aletheia and it is a perfect addition to this tale. Her wit is something that is needed in the story and I loved it.

Endless Fall of Night is an excellent book and I recommend it to science fiction fans everywhere. With so many twists in the storyline, so much action, and the wonderful characters and their relationships, it is a perfect way to spend an afternoon and send yourself to another time and place. Do not miss it!

Quill says: While artificial intelligence has become a huge part of our lives today given where we are with technology right now, books about this topic are not always written well and do not always hold a reader’s attention. Endless Fall of Night is not like that at all. Every part of this story will keep you interested and entertained.

For more information on Endless Fall of Night, please visit the author's website at: jmericksonindiewriter.com