Two modern Sci-fi enthusiasts are whisked away on an adventure to other worlds. ‘Black Table’ by Anttimatti Pennanen introduces us to Jon and Gus, friends since school with a love of all things sci-fi. When a trip to Portland Comic-con to see their hero speak ends dramatically, their convention getaway becomes a road trip that transports them further than expected. This is a great story for readers of Young Adult fiction and beyond that are fans of sci-fi and adventure. Although you learn a lot about Jon and his past in the military, I would have liked to learn more about Gus and hope to learn more about how his life on earth provided him with the skills he needs, in later books. This is a great start to a series, there’s lots of action, new characters and worlds that are sufficiently detailed to be immersive and peril that requires our wandering friends with a love of fist bumping to provide answers. There’s plenty of modern cultural references as well as lots of unique science-fiction features to keep all sci-fi fans entertained. There’s a fast-flowing and enjoyable plot that I think would appeal to fans of the genre.
Jon and Gus, science fiction fans from Finland with a penchant for fist bumping and pop culture references, travel to the Portland Comic Con where tragedy strikes. Their hero, Dr Wells, suffers a heart attack. With his dying breath, the doctor exhorts Jon to “find the …” as he pushes a book into Jon’s hands. Following clues inscribed in the book, Jon and Gus discover an alien structure with a mysterious Black Table which they accidently activate, transporting them to an alien world. Jumping from world to world via the Black Table galactic transportation network, Jon and Gus embark on the adventure of a lifetime where they encounter monsters, alien tech, giant vessels made of water and make new friends. But those friends are facing an unstoppable and mindless enemy. An enemy that is destroying the galaxy, and Earth is next in its path. Can two fans from Finland save the day? Black Table is a rollicking yarn of two likeable, wise-cracking friends who like nothing better than pranking each other. That is, except when they are not doing something more serious, like saving the universe.
Anttimatti Pennanen is an indie Author who lives in Finland and Spain. He keeps his readers hooked with humor, cliffhangers, and thrills, leaving an enjoyable experience for all. While drinking an excessive amount of coffee, he is writing stories from his experience as an engineer, green-beret and an athlete, mixing them together with an imagination and a thorough research. The Black Table series is his ?rst science ?ction debut, with the first and second books already out.
