Book Review: DEBBI by George Ebey

Media Type: Ebook
Title: DEBBI
    *Series: Helen of Mars 0.5
Author: George Ebey
Publisher: Glass House Press
Pages: Ebook; 60
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Source: Publisher
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Genre: Science Fiction

HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers who are looking for a Sci Fi book with a lot of heart, and a lot of awesome robot battles.

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A game to end all games. On the line: her family’s future. Will Helen’s creation be enough to win the day? Or will she lose, and take her family down with her?

Helen Hunter’s father hopes to make his fortune by sending a robotic rover, controlled from Earth, to mine the surface of Mars for precious ores.

But there’s a catch. To do it, he’ll have to assume financial responsibility for the rover. And on the harsh and desolate surface of Mars, one false move can mean the difference between untold riches and utter disaster. It’s a risky move that could spell doom for the entire family … and their hopes for the future.

Unless Helen can intervene.

The company behind the mining system—MARSCORP—is holding a junior gaming competition at their annual convention, and this is her chance. Grand prize is a one-year lease on a brand new Mars mining rover. Winning would mean that her father gets his shot at the Martian bonanza without any risk to the family.

But it won’t be easy. Teens from all over the country have come to compete. Some are smart. Others, ruthless. And Helen’s not the only one who needs to win. The mission: use her personally designed robot to fight it out in a high-tech arena that can simulate any environment, real or imagined. Beat the competitors. Bring home the prize.

Luckily for Helen, gaming and robot design are her specialties.

And when she unleashes her newest creation on the competition, a miniature homemade rover she calls DEBBI, the world is going to see just how skilled she really is.

The question is … will it be enough?

Well now, color me interested! I’m a fan of Science Fiction at the best of times, but it takes a lot of talent to weave a really good story into a novella length piece. There’s a very short period of time to bring in characters, make them feel richly written, and lay out their fates. George Ebey doesn’t even blink an eye with DEBBI. He makes full use of all the time that he has, and it makes for one intriguing read.

This novella comes on strong. I was hooked on the idea of a lone robot, battling against the odds for survival. I actually didn’t read the synopsis for this before I started it, so I didn’t realize that Helen was even a factor. Once I understood that Helen was actually the mastermind behind everything, I was even more impressed. Now it wasn’t just about robot battles, which are cool enough, it was also about the heart and the passion behind the robot battles. Helen’s character was easy to fall in love with. Her motivations were true, and I can’t deny that I loved her fiery retorts towards the end. I’ll follow that girl into whatever happens next.

I was pretty excited to find out that this is a prequel novella, because I definitely need more. If you’re a fan of strong female characters, epic robot battles, and tension for days, you need to read this. Trust me, it’s well worth your time.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.