This is a project near and dear to my heart, not only because it’s a wonderful novel but also because of the people who have worked on it. When our mutual friend, Zach Hill, passed away suddenly, he left a manuscript that just begged to be completed. Some truly wonderful and creative souls did just that and it all benefits Zach’s widow. The book is now available for purchase and I can’t recommend it more highly.

You can find out more on Amazon. Click Here.

And here is my full review, posted below the cover image:

The novel Sakura: Intellectual Property lands like a power chord from a world-class rock opera. There’s power in the words. Power in the characters. Power in the story. From the first chapter, we are card-carrying members of the Sakura fan club. Sakura is a “vocaloid,” an android robot designed to sing hard and thrash a guitar even harder. While millions of fans watch, Sakura’s programming is hacked, turning her into the most sophisticated and dangerous assassin ever created. Sakura kills. And she becomes a woman divided. She is just as revolted by the escalating death around her as she is thrilled by her musical performances on stage. From the first note, we have a front-row, mosh pit, best-seat-in-the-house experience that’s completely compelling and relentlessly captivating. Our emotions are thrashed by riff after riff of excellent storytelling. Every chapter is a new verse in a deepening LP of plot. Every character adds to the unforgettable chorus of good or evil or, in some cases, a mixtape of both. The story behind the story is just as engaging with author Zachary Hill’s unfinished symphony being completed after his unfortunate death by two equally-talented composers of words, Patrick M. Tracy and Paul Genesse. You should know their story for their sake—but buy this book for yourself. There’s no chance of disappointment in this epic track of music, ideas, and hardcore adventure. More than any other genre of music, heavy metal acknowledges the nihilism and chaos that exist in the world. Sakura feels those tremulous notes inside her, and she fears she will need to embrace the philosophies of destruction to not only defeat her enemies but merely survive. The story is tighter than a lead guitarist’s E String. Will Sakura find a way to play her song to the climax or will she break before the final chord sounds? Science fiction is the literature of humanity’s future and this is one book any sci-fi fan will relish. Just press “play.”