Title: Year 4115: The Sequel to My Dream
Author: James D. Ferguson Jr.
Publisher: XilbrisUS
ISBN: B018KXF5QM
Pages: 170
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Jennifer Weiss
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Year 4115: The Sequel to My Dream is a collection of stories rolled into one grander tale. It is an interesting set up for the book’s format as it felt more like a diary rather than a narrative. One would think this would make the read feel chopped and disconnected, but the story flowed well together. It is very easy to follow and the theme is clear and unambiguous to understand what was happening. It was, however, a little difficult to get use to this style, but once the pattern was understood it became a very enjoyable to read. One thing that was difficult was the constant use of the pronoun “she” rather than providing readers with an actual name of the character. Not knowing her name made it a little difficult to relate to the character. There are names given, but it was difficult to pinpoint who the “she” was referring too at times. The narration of the story tells the reader what happens rather than allowing the reader to feel and experience the descriptions.
The overall writing is straightforward and to the point. There wasn’t an excessive use of filler information. Even though this book is a combination of short stories, author James D Ferguson is able to paint a mental picture of the world he created. There were many interesting and unique elements included in this book, which does set it apart from many other books in this genre. At times the novel felt one dimensional, meaning it focused on one central plot and didn’t diverge from that main idea. Sometimes it is hard to follow along when there are too many threads going on. Year 4115 was easy to stay focused on. The pace is very steady, it doesn’t flow too fast, or too slow.
It is hard to say whether or not this novel is memorable. The way it is written is remarkable, but the story feels as if it falls short at points. It seemed to me some of the stories included did not match the quality of some of the other stories. Sometimes the challenging part of using a collection of shorter stories to tell a bigger one is readers will find disconnected timelines of each of the constituent elements. For example, the beginning sets the stage nicely for what is to come, while giving a short background to some of the characters. The end does wrap everything up nicely as it does not leave any questions, nor does it feel as if things are left unfinished. It felt to me as if there could have been more done with this book, or it could have been swayed towards another direction, but admitting these are personal opinions as others may view the collection differently.
Readers would find this book to a unique addition to their bookshelves. It is not the typical science fiction, it goes above and beyond. This would be a great book for someone who is just starting in the science fiction genre. It introduces these elements slow and eases readers into things rather than an information dump. It makes for a good way to spend a rainy day.
