The results of the 2016 International Book Awards have been announced. The SHIVA Syndrome has been honored as a an award-winning finalist in the “Fiction: Science Fiction” category of the 2016 International Book Awards.
military conspiracy
From the UK: Review of The SHIVA Syndrome
A mind bending, philosophical, science fiction thriller, The SHIVA Syndrome is the debut release from author Alan Joshua and it’s sure to grab your attention. Books like this don’t find their way onto the shelves very often and when they do they tend to stand out because they don’t fit the usual genre paradigms and people take notice. Joshua’s release is certainly in that vein. With rich narrative threads that he exploits to the fullest it’s riveting from the start, whilst Beau Walker is one of those eclectic protagonists who readily resonates with the reader. Pace and plot feel exactly right, which given the scope of his theme is quite an achievement, and when the last page is turned it’s likely to leave you deep in thought. More importantly there’s a wholly pervading sense of authenticity which in the main comes from Joshua’s exacting eye for detail. He revels in the complexity of his tale as he weaves converging plot lines together, but every piece of information is there and flawlessly meshes together as he leads us toward a powerful and well-crafted denouement that will linger in the memory for days to come.
One of the most engaging, thought provoking and genuinely entertaining books you’re likely to read this year, The Shiva Syndrome is a must read for fans of this ever popular genre. More importantly though, it heralds the arrival of Alan Joshua and raises high expectations for his future releases. It is recommended without reservation.
Amazon (discount), B&N, KOBO
The SHIVA Syndrome in Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Indie Editors selected The SHIVA Syndrome review to be featured in Kirkus Reviews 3/15 issue (p. 141). One of only 35 reviews in the Indie section, it is sent out to over 5,200 industry professionals (librarians, distributors, publishers, agents, etc.).
Less than 10% of Indie reviews are chosen, so this is a great honor indeed.
Their review follows:
A professor and parapsychology researcher discovers a key to mankind’s evolution or destruction in this debut thriller.
Beau Walker is a man without a field. Teaching at a backwater university after being dismissed from a government project because of his ethical concerns and bureaucratic maneuvers on the part of a one-time friend, Walker is an academic pariah until two soldiers appear one day. His former friend needs Walker’s expertise, and the professor—who is haunted by both his empathic abilities and the memory of the one time they failed him—has little choice but to cooperate. In the Russian city of Podol’sk, a project partially based on Walker’s work has gone horribly awry, killing thousands and leaving traces of mysteries that threaten humanity’s scientific understanding. Discovering what occurred, and how to prevent it from happening again, falls on Walker and his new friends, who are initially perplexed (in a meeting, Walker confesses, “There’s something I can’t grasp, like trying to grab a slippery ball in a swimming pool. Always just out of reach”). But as secrets and revelations accumulate, the team’s combined knowledge and abilities may be inadequate to stop what’s coming. Throughout the investigation, Walker, a complex intellectual, struggles with the duality of his heritage—African-American mother, Mohawk father—as well as the divide between the rigorous scientific experiments in neurophysiology and psychopharmacology and the intuitive, imaginative aspects of his psychological and cultural studies. Joshua writes with a sure hand, managing to squeeze in many discussions and esoteric concepts, ranging from mythic structures to neuropsychology to remote viewing, while keeping the dialogue realistic and sharp. Although the author leans on slang a bit heavily at times…the pace rarely flags, and Joshua allows the surfeit of information to proceed naturally from the characters’ words and thoughts.
Because of this fluidity, the characters react in believable ways even when the plot developments, which borrow from quantum physics, anthropology, and psychology, inspire incredulity. In addition, Joshua has crafted an appealing protagonist in Walker. Short-tempered, kind, thoughtful, yet impulsive, he is a flawed but ultimately heroic character and serves as a narrative linchpin throughout this absorbing story.
Deft dialogue, crisp plotting, and a likable central figure make this multidisciplinary scientific adventure an exuberant and involving read.
Now a finalist in the 2016 EPIC science fiction award competition.
Available at Amazon, B&N, KOBO and others in eBook and paper formats.
Alan Joshua, Author 
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