Thursday, December 15, 2016

Book Re-Release/Review: Memory Blank by John E. Stith


Award winning author John E. Stith is re-releasing nine science fiction titles in 2016 and 2017! I will be featuring the books on my blog as they become available (this is the fifth book). So, check them out, especially if you enjoy Science-Fiction!

Memory Blank, by John E. Stith
Re-released 2016, 198p, Mystery/Science-Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: I received a complimentary copy, which did not affect my review in any way



Cal Donley wakes up covered with someone's blood. He's on the orbital colony Daedalus. And the last twelve years are a total blank.

His wife, Nikki, is a tantalizing stranger. His only ally is Vincent, a wise-cracking, AI Smart Watch. As Cal tries to unscramble his missing memories, people around him begin to have fatal accidents.

What disaster has stripped away so much of his memory - and why? And what about the dried blood on his hands...?

"In the realm of novels, John E. Stith's Memory Blank...is a good solid mystery, a good adventure, and even a good science-fiction novel--all between one set of covers."-- STARLOG


Cal Donley regains consciousness, not remembering who he is. He quickly realizes he's lost the last twelve years of his life. With the help of Vincent, his Smart Watch, he is able to figure out his identity and re-enters his life, not letting many people know the truth of his condition.

I enjoyed this book! Since Cal couldn't remember anything, the book centered around him figuring out why his memories were wiped clean and who he could trust. He could remember that he was on Daedalus, an orbital colony, and it was interesting to learn more about that. His Smart Watch, Vincent, was able to tell him his name, where he worked as well as his job title, and that he was married, among other things. Vincent was more than just a computer and they had some fun interactions.

I thought this was a good blend of mystery and science-fiction. I'm more of a mystery fan and liked how Cal worked to solve the mystery of who he was and what he knew. He met quite a few characters along the way and it was interesting to see where they all fit into his story. This book held my attention from the beginning and I liked how everything came together in the end. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!


Science fiction and mystery author John E. Stith writes across many worlds. His books have been translated to French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Russian and are even available in braille for the sight-impaired. His stories have been categorized as "Hard science fiction," a label given to those stories thoroughly researched to play fair with the rules of science; something any die-hard SciFi fan can appreciate.

It was during the summer Science-Math Institute for High School Students at Cloud State College, John served as editor for the school paper, but several more years would pass before the urge to write, strengthened by years of loving to read, was too compelling to ignore. His stories vary, but his books are packed with suspense, mystery, and humor.

Stith holds a B.A. in physics from the University of Minnesota, has served as an Air Force Officer, where he worked at NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex. The passion for science runs in his family, as his father George worked at the White Sands Missile Range on such projects like the rocket sled.

He has appeared on a live nationwide PBS broadcast or Science-Fiction Science-Fact (SF2) and his work has also been sold to film and television. His novel Reckoning Infinity was chosen as one of Science Fiction Chronicle's Best Science Fiction Novels, Redshift Rendezvous was picked as a Nebula Award nominee and Manhattan Transfer received an honorable mention from the Hugo Awards and a nomination from the Seium Award in Japan.

Stith is a member of Science-Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Writers Guild of America (WGA), International Thriller Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW), Colorado Author's League and Mensa. He currently lives in Colorado Springs.

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