Title: Monitors of Mayhem
Author: Darleen Hayball Johnson
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing LLC
ISBN: 978-1949006773
Pages: 338
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
The question of observation versus action comes into play in full force in author Darleen Hayball Johnson’s novel Monitors of Mayhem, a blend of sci-fi and apocalyptic storytelling like no other. As Graham Chapman once said, “All ideas come about through some sort of observation. It sparks an attitude; some object or emotion causes a reaction in the other person.” When a group of otherworldly visitors come to observe a natural disaster on Earth, the lives of two peoples intersect and with it the emotions that it brings to the forefront.
Taking the guise of a middle-aged couple, Monitors Ruth and Gabriel arrive to observe the impending disaster of the eruption of Yellowstone’s Mega Volcanoes, and how humanity reacts and attempts to survive such an event. However things become complicated in their preparations when their neighbors become involved in their lives and their intellect is overshadowed by their naiveté regarding human interactions and customs. As the doomsday event approaches, readers will witness the apocalypse from two sides of the narrative: that of the alien observers witnessing the event with newfound eyes, and the humans working to survive and recover from a devastating event.
The author does a wonderful job of exploring several themes in this novel. From mankind’s reliance on technology for everything in life to the value of teamwork and family to overcome the odds and humanity’s failure to change their ways to prevent natural disasters from destroying all that has been built. The narrative shifts beautifully between Ruth the Monitor’s POV as they grow accustomed to life on Earth to human neighbor turned survivor Anne as the two parties meet, get to know one another and finally prepare and survive the momentous and catastrophic event.
This is a book for anyone who loves the unique blend of genres like the literary fiction, sci-fi and apocalyptic genres blended together in this novel. As someone who enjoys this style of storytelling, this was a fantastic combination of genres that really engaged me and created a narrative that drew attention to the characters and their struggles, making this a truly memorable read.
Overall this was a wonderful story filled with some detailed and exciting twists and turns in the book that readers will enjoy throughout. An evenly paced read, the novel does a great job of making the readers invest in the characters and their lives as they struggle to survive this event, and makes the readers think about their own lives and how they would face such an event. Now is the perfect time to grab your copy of Monitors of Mayhem by Darleen Hayball Johnson.