David Pearson’s, Orson presents a futuristic take on Earth. In this world, Earth’s natural resources are deplete, experiencing old age is rare and greatly desired, and pollution is so vast, you can’t breathe without the assistants of air purifiers.

Lured with the promise of paradise hidden on the Jupiter Eclipse, Orson Blake believes he has won the lottery. In exchange for work, Orson blindly follows the rules enlisted by the Lunar Mining corporation.

As dark secretes, corruption, and manipulation come to surface, Orson discovers the Lunar Mining corporation isn’t what it’s made out to be. Slowly he realizes that the promises of relocation and better circumstances are not as close or as easily attainable as he once believed.

With the help of three other confidants, Orson uncovers that the escape from Earth he one desired holds more dark secrets that’ll leave him and everyone around him repeatedly fighting for their lives.

Judging from the book title and cover art, I knew Orson was going to be something different. Different isn’t bad for me. I enjoy spicing my life up by impulsively eluding in new things every now and then, but when it comes to my books “different” or rending from topics that wouldn’t normally engage me didn’t intrigue me. However, author of Orson, David Pearson has an effective way of illuminating subjects with hidden beautiful sentences, which made “different” seem not as intimidating but interesting.

This books is placed in the future, where people follow dead promises, live in improvised broken communities and wear air purifiers to escape the poverty present day circumstances pushed onto the future. In this world people normally don’t live past their 30’s. Seeing graying hair and wrinkles has become a desire that present day can’t fathom admiring. For me, David Pearson’s take on the upcoming future was truly terrifying. I couldn’t help compare a lot of what was happening in the book to situations occurring now. For intense people’s mindset in following anything without fully understanding what they’re following. I found the ways in which David conveys this astonishing. It’s one of the many things that makes this book a true page turner.

“A mountain stood before Orson Blake, built of trauma and grief. Breathless and weary, he felt it to be insurmountable.”

– David Pearson

I have to say though, the plot wasn’t what I enjoyed the most about Orson. It was David’s ability to sprinkle beautiful heartfelt sentences through his novel, “The crowds full attention the flashing lights of the squad cars and the glimmer of hope that they might see something interesting.” This ability is both rare and surprising. Personally I didn’t expect to read so many thought provoking sentences in this novel and I’m glad I was wrong.

“Orson took a deep breath. Earth’s air was becoming toxic. Generations of pollution had brought the mother land of the human race to her knees.”

– David Pearson

I had to fully invest myself in this book. Like I said, I am now exploring new genres and wanted to make sure I fully understood what David Pearson wanted to convey. Main character Orson’s future began bleak. He played a small, insignificant piece in a world that has bigger plans for anything and everything around him. I wasn’t expecting to dive into this book as much as I did. I wasn’t excepting to thirst for more or be disappointed that it ended.

I also loved how the females were pretested as strong. While Orson was scared and at times weak. I was comforted by this. In novels i’m used to reading female characters as weak, helpless, and unable to care of anyone or fight.

I believe Orson is a diffident novel. One that forces you remain open when you read it. I think anyone that is used to reading certain genres should start branching out with Orson. It will have you hooked. The charters are likable and it doesn’t follow the same egotistic gender norms that most novels do. Its quietly powerful, astonishingly beautiful, and I can not wait to read and review more form this author.

Reviewed by:

Josie M. Hulen

Josie Monet Hulen is a writer with a Bachelors degree in literature. She’s passionate about the written word and often spends her time with her nose in a book or in the middle of writing one. Her hunger for knowledge and determination to learn, landed her a job as an office manager. She has also been an intern for 9 months with an online publishing company and works part time as a freelance writer. Josie one day hopes to be an inspiring writer.