"Home is a place that makes you feel safe and accepted, a place that can make you feel warm even when it’s cold."
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The Last Hope for Peace by Joshua E. Starr Trafford Publishing
book review by Staff
Jessie Landon finds himself searching, battling, and uncovering an untapped inner strength in Starr's Sci-fi novel. Jessie travels from his home on earth to the planet called Peace. Peace is not a serene place. Instead, Jessie discovers that the inhabitants live in underground bases where they are not able to enjoy the beauty of their planet. This world is in the grips of being taken over by Jessie's brother Francis and his army of unknowns.
Jessie never knew his father and mother, or that he had a brother until he is brought to Peace by his mentors Angie, Stef, and Jim. Through hidden messages and a hologram, Jessie's deceased father sets him on quest. While Jessie learns that he has the power to control objects with his mind, he encounters his ruthless brother with the same abilities. In Starr's futuristic story, people wear oxygen inhalers that filter out the hydrogen and carbon dioxide, so a they can breath underwater. Simulator uniforms are worn while training for combat, so the person never really dies when they fail at defeating their opponent. And, a portable food processor can be programmed to make any kind of meal.
The novel begins like a car that sputters, but once it warms up it runs smoothly and gains momentum. The core of Starr's story centers on Jessie's struggle to understand why his brother wants to kill him. Starr does a good job of making the reader root for Jessie as he embarks on a heroic odyssey where danger permeates every crevice. The reader can only hope that Jessie finds a safe home where he can overcome his harsh destiny and live in peace.