The Top 5 Reasons to Read Science Fiction Adventure Stories!

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   This piece ran a while back at Night Owl Reviews. We thought we'd share it here at our page as well. Please feel free to share these reasons with your friends and family who ask you why you read science fiction.

    1. People who read science fiction adventure are generally pretty smart people.

Readers who love science fiction aren't your average run-of-mill readers. They're savvy and sophisticated. They know the difference between a light saber and light speed. They enjoy reading about smart characters such as Olivia and Hernando in our Olivia's Escape trilogy (which also includes Olivia's Return, and Olivia's Decision). Sci-fi readers don't enjoy air-head characters who can't figure out how to tie their shoelaces. They like heroines like Olivia, a young woman who helps lead a rebellion against an enslaving race of vampiric aliens. She really knows how to kick you-know-what!
 

     2. You can hang out at cool sci-fi conventions and meet up with other smart people.

Since you enjoy reading about smart people, you'll enjoy hanging out with other smart people and discussing the smart characters you all enjoy. You'll enjoy discussing intelligent and beautiful airship captains such as Adena from Fire on the Sands. Dressing like Adena in a steampunk-themed cosplay outfit--complete with her sentient mechanical parrot--is a lot of fun, too.
 

  3. Technology is changing our culture faster than many might think, and you want to keep on top of things. Science fiction opens your mind to new possibilities.

What is fiction today will become fact tomorrow. Science fiction authors have predicted inventions such as cell phones and satellites long before they actually happened. Readers of science fiction adventure tend to keep an open mind about how the technology will influence the world of tomorrow, and they're ready for the changes we'll see. Who knows? You might be one of the first humans to transport to an alien world through a device such as the Portal described in our BloodDark series. Read more sci-fi and be prepared!
 
  4. Science fiction is a different and evocative way of exploring current social issues in a safe place.

Same as with technology, science fiction adventure provides a mental challenge to readers to consider the "what if…" in our world. What if one small thing changed in your life--how would you change? What if you were suddenly abducted by aliens and transported to a world that's permanently night on one side and forced into slavery, such as Olivia in Olivia's Escape and Greg in Fire on the Sands are? Would it bring attention to issues of injustices that humans are currently dealing with on Earth right now? Would it expand your thinking to how we could make our planet a better place for all?
 

  5. Everyday life is just way too boring. You crave adventure!

Perhaps this is the best reason of all to read science fiction adventure--who doesn't want to see the other side of the galaxy and experience fantastical escapades? It's definitely more exciting than walking the dog or doing housework. Spending a few hours on another world and experiencing adventure through an intriguing character's viewpoint (such as Olivia's or Greg's) is sure-fire cure for boredom. Be sure to check out the BloodDark series of books today!

Out now - Olivia's Return, Book Two of the BloodDark series.

It's good to return home--or is it? A year after Olivia Brown's abduction by vampiric aliens, she isn't sure where she belongs anymore.

Cover art by Gwen Phifer.

Olivia's Return
by Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews
Desert Breeze Publishing, February 2017
(Click on cover for direct purchase link)

On Earth, Olivia's told to forget her adventures and go to college. But evidence of wrongdoing by the Pure Bloods prompt fellow Resistance fighter Annara to concoct a plan to spy on Clan Alpha. Are the Alphans dealing with billionaire Roland Grundfest, a man willing to supply "vampire brides" for a price to serve their needs for fresh DNA on BloodDark?

To become a spy, Olivia must do more than dye her hair and change her clothing tastes--she must lie to both her parents and her Quadsang boyfriend, Hernando. A little white lie can't hurt, can it? Once again on BloodDark, Olivia realizes she needs friends like Valori, whose psychic powers can incapacitate hired killers. Will Olivia return to Earth ever again?

Also available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Olivias-Return-BloodDark-Book-2-ebook/dp/B01N9XRMZ2/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486166534&sr=1-4&keywords=Olivia%27s+Return

Excerpt

Something wasn't quite right. It was quiet aboard the small aircraft. Too quiet. A cold shiver of dread tingled up her spine. Olivia glanced around. Leaning across the narrow aisle, she whispered to Hernando, "Where are all the families? This is a holiday weekend, so you'd expect there would be more people than just us, your driver and those big beefy guys in the black suits and ties in the back... Oh, no."

Annara rotated in her seat and rose up slightly on one knee to gain a better view of their fellow passengers. "I wish they hadn't made me pack my bow and arrows."

Hernando frowned. "How many of them are there?"

"Counting your driver, six," Annara replied, returning to face forward. "These tight spaces will make it difficult to defend ourselves, especially if they have weapons."

"Don't forget we're in an airplane. Chances are they won't have guns. There's too much risk of shooting a hole through the fuselage which will endanger us all." Olivia swallowed a large lump in her throat and tried hard not to sound frightened. "The pilot is either one of them, or this is a hijacking."

"What is a hijacking?" Annara asked. "Does this mean they can make this aircraft go to where they want it to go without our say so?"

Olivia nodded. "Kidnapping ambassadors isn't unknown. You'd think all this extra security the government puts people through at airports would prevent something like this."

"Unless they are working for the government. It explains a lot." Hernando's grim tone didn't inspire confidence. Olivia reached out, took his hand and squeezed it. His expression grew darker. "We're at their mercy," he continued under his breath. "Should we announce ourselves? Or should we pretend we're oblivious to their plans?"

"The longer they don't suspect we're onto them, the greater the element of surprise when we turn on them," Annara suggested. Smiling, she stood up and turned around, pretending to re-arrange the seat pillow behind her back. "They're watching us. We should wait until we've landed to make our move. That way, we won't have to worry about dropping out of the sky."

"The soaring lizards of the deserts soar so high on BloodDark," Valori whispered, "and many years ago in the days of my youth the great ships lifted by hot air and the fiery gas..."

Olivia startled and turned to her seat mate. Valori stood, her petite height allowing her to turn about in her seat area and not hit her head on the overhead bin. Olivia had thought her friend was engrossed in reading the fashion magazine, unaware of what was happening. Was I ever wrong. How do you keep secrets from a psychic?

"They are working for an Earth organization friendly with Clan Alpha," Valori explained in a calm and reassuring tone. "I sense their loyalty is more to the money they are promised if they bring you to their employer unharmed, however, and not the honor of the clan or their organization."

"Valori, sit down, please." Olivia took her friend's hand and tried to pull her into her seat, but the older woman resisted.

"Their lack of honor will be their undoing. They're going to sleep now for a very long time." Valori closed her eyes and concentrated, her brow wrinkling.

What on Earth is she doing? Can she use her mind as a weapon? Olivia and the others stole quick glances at the rear of the plane and were surprised to see the men in black slumping in their seats. A couple of them began to snore. The limo driver, sitting several rows behind them, stood up. He looked at the sleeping men in astonishment. A nervous sheen of sweat dotted his brow.

"Where do you think you're going?" Valori addressed the quivering chauffeur in her typical calm manner. "This aircraft soars very high in the sky. You wouldn't want to open the door by accident and fall out of it."

Olivia's Return--Coming February 2017

Olivia returns to Earth, then travels back to BloodDark, sacrificing herself to make both worlds safe from those who would do evil.

Olivia's Return
by Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews
Desert Breeze Publishing
Release date: February 2017 

It's good to return home--or is it? A year after Olivia Brown's abduction by vampiric aliens, she isn't sure where she belongs anymore. On Earth, she's told to forget her adventures and go to college. But evidence of wrongdoing by the Pure Bloods prompt fellow Resistance fighter Annara to concoct a plan to spy on Clan Alpha. Are the Alphans dealing with billionaire Roland Grundfest, a man willing to supply "vampire brides" for a price to serve their needs for fresh DNA on BloodDark?

To become a spy, Olivia must do more than dye her hair and change her clothing tastes--she must lie to both her parents and her Quadsang boyfriend, Hernando. A little white lie can't hurt, can it? Once again on BloodDark, Olivia realizes she needs friends like Valori, whose psychic powers can incapacitate hired killers. But will Olivia return to Earth ever again?