The Nexus was an engaging book, and one I will enjoy reading again.
Sykes is a remarkable, pleasant fellow; suffering from dreams that
retell past. The sci-fi, suspenseful plot kept me reading until the end.
He story flowed smoothly but at a fast clip, keeping the mystery alive.
-Pamela Craft Jenewein
The
Nexus was my first GoodReads "FirstRead" free book. It's a
science-fiction novel set in contemporary New York, speckled with bits
of metaphysics, conspiracy, and danger.
The main character, Balthazar Sykes, embarks on a personal quest to
discover what is going on with his mind, leading him to discover how he
became the way he his while building stronger relationships. The quest
is experienced through the eyes of many characters. The antagonists'
point-of-view is revealed in a few segments, quite effectively giving
the shadowy insights that tease the reader until resolved later.
A few of the characters such as Sykes' love interest, Alex, and co-worker Madge,
develop to be well-rounded. Others do not get quite the same
development time out of necessity: helpful side-characters for lack of
importance; antagonists to avoid ruining the suspense.
The story's epilogue works quite well in closing the few open ends
left. It is just the right length of story, both in terms of book size
and timelines. You get just enough in terms of introducing characters
as events begin to unfold, and not too much after the resolution, just
bits of closure regarding relationships.
This debut from San Francisco novelist Richard Fazio is a most formidable piece of work. A young, gay New York City ad man discovers that he has psychic and extra-human powers, and his search for their origins lead him to dangerous places; most ominously, links to certain Secret Government Agencies.
It's altogether a thrill ride that will appeal to fans of gay-oriented fiction (albeit tastefully non-explicit), as well as fans of science fiction featuring gay characters. Ultimately, though, THE NEXUS is a worthy read for anyone whose primary preference is for a tale of paranormal intrigue with an engaging and believable cast, snappy dialogue and a nonstop, compulsive page-turning momentum.
With only two books to his credit thus far, Richard Fazio is already shaping up to be a quality fiction writer and fantasist; one genuinely deserving of a wider audience.
-Fog City Mike