Assessment:

Plot: Death has come to The Garden, as the complicated ebb and flow of the stream is disrupted and a new evil has come to take over NeuralTech, a small group of heroes and villains must transcend reality and make a stand. But while "the greatest hive mind ever created" is in peril, love, lust, and loyalty is tested to overcome an even more terrifying enemy.

Prose/Style: Vaughn's prose is descriptive, and mysteries of The Garden and its descriptions are evocative of sci-fi in that there is little explanation, simply a world that exists and the reader must fill in the blanks. However, there are personal and tender moments, even within The Garden, that help keep the story grounded and interesting.

Originality:While original elements exist in Vaughn's story, overall the idea of a hive mind controlled by a single entity is not new to the world of sci-fi. Perhaps if The Garden could be more developed and fleshed out, it would add more depth and originality to the story.

Character Development/Execution: The characters are interesting and lend the story a humanity that is sometimes lacking in science fiction stories. From the masochistic bully DoD agent, Mack, to the evil mastermind in search of perfection and world domination, Brenna, there is a varied and descriptive cast of both heroes and villains.

Date Submitted: April 02, 2021