Chris M Male, 26. PA, USA

The Tento Saga is written with a tone that is straightforward and descriptive enough to draw the reader to what is relevant. The overall theme of mankind's carelessness on Earth - both in destroying the planet and destroying each other in a seemingly unbreakable pattern - is expressed through the human element. Each section takes on multiple perspectives, with the narrative jumping from one perspective to another. Fans of fast paced, direct prose will love the style Mr. Egroff utilizes.

Refreshingly, what I've often seen in works by first time authors (namely an overabundance of ideas that are not fully fleshed out, stale dialogue, and the use of tropes and clichés to move the story forward) were not present in the Tento Saga. Arguably, Mr. Egroff's greatest writing strength is his ability to craft compelling, yet realistic dialogue, complete with common military lingo and everyday language. If for nothing else, I am excited to see how this talent progresses in future works. There's also something to be said for the restraint he uses in leaving the science fiction technology only as understandable as is necessary, without forcing elaborate scientific explanations that would only take away from the story's true purpose.

And what an ambitious purpose it is: the story is nothing less than a mirror focused on the general psyche of humanity, touching on subjects as diverse as society, religion, warfare, and love. Mr. Egroff allows the events to speak for themselves, and does not break from the narrative to explain what it all means or what the characters necessarily think it all means. The story as a whole can be viewed as a cautionary tale on unchecked power, a Christian allegory (not as obvious), an exercise in future military and political tactics, or just a generally entertaining sci-fi action romp with memorable characters and situations.

The Tento Saga is an ambitious, frenetic, and downright enjoyable chronicle of what is, what can be, and what should be done if the human race is to survive into the foreseeable future. Hats off to Mr. Egroff, and let's hope that he continues to develop his writing talent in future works.

Horribly constructed prose, driven by an endless stream of cliches, and lacking any foundation in plot. I had to force myself to finish, reading here and there for a couple months, just because I don't like to leave books unfinished. I reiterate: if you have any standards, do not go near this book.