The Review by Sefina Hawke for Readers’ Favorite

At: https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/artifice

Re-titled: Neuromantic Subversion.

Artifice by Lutz Barz is a dark science fiction, fantasy and horror novel that will appeal to a mixed audience of mature young adults and adults who enjoy reading dark science fiction with horrifying twists mixed in. Artifice takes place when the Soviet Union occupies Afghanistan in 1979, strange murders happen in Australia, and the occult is both real and dangerous. Artifice is a novel that combines the occult, aliens, and the time stream all in one plot line.

Artifice has a slightly confusing beginning in that Lutz Barz puts the reader right into the middle of events; there is no gentle send off, but a launch into the unknown. However, I kept reading, and as the story continued, things began to make sense in this world of fiction and fantasy. The plot began to come together as I learned more and more about the world state; in fact for me the story felt a bit like an adventure and a mystery to be solved as I had to find and put pieces together for myself. I enjoyed the fact that Lutz Barz did not hold my hand and give me each piece of the puzzle on a silver platter. Instead, I had to find and understand it myself, which felt more like an accomplishment. The end of Artifice was not something I expected, but I really enjoyed the way Lutz Barz ended the story.

Review by Laura Tolomei

Review/Intro of Alien Animus by Lutz Barz

Alien Animus totally subjugated me!

It isn’t quite what I expected. It isn’t all good, either. But it has fascinating aspects that have kept me hooked and made for a real page-turner.

Alien Animus by Lutz Barz begins in the middle of a war between two alien races. The struggle is fierce. The prize is universal domination.

At Sumtek Monastery, Kathmandu Valley, ca. 1979, we’re introduced to Amithama, a deeply meditative monk, to Adibuddha, the lord of all Buddhas, and to the black mandala.

The action then switches to Australia, where university student Martin has to grapple with a mystery buried in a seemingly sleepy town of the Napier Valley. Not just the town. It appears that the entire valley hides dark secrets somehow entangled with the aborigines and their ancient myths.

From then on, things get even more complicated with the Hindu couple, Savarna and Rana, who pursues power and knowledge via blind submission to Kali’s bloody cult. There’s an archaeological expedition in Nepal and Afghanistan that wants to uncover a purported alien artifact. There’s a ring of international conspirators that include both German and Russian personalities with an agenda of their own.  There’s the traveling back to an all but forgotten Indian past of proud traditions. There’s the impending Soviet-Afghan War that attracts an abundance of spies, double agents, and double dealers. Throw in the good old paranoia of hidden truths and a considerable dose of splatter horror, and you get a pretty fair idea of what the ca. 600 pages of Alien Animus are all about.

If you think this is confusing, wait till you read it!

Seriously, though, I do like it, but let me point out the pros and cons of this book.

My first issue is, what genre best describes Alien Animus?

My opinion is that it defies categories.

You’ll find it’s a mix of sci-fi, paranormal, time-travel, horror, current history, and religious zeal. Mostly, it’s fanta-politics, with its imaginative reconstructions of past worlds and critical assessments of the ‘70s experience.

My second issue is with the structure.

Like it’s evident from the above summary, the many sub-plots tend to hinder the reader’s comprehension of the overall story. To the author’s credit, however, he manages to connect them all to my complete satisfaction. More than that, he turns them into layers that you have to peel off in order to get to the truth of things. Like in a maze where each corridor can lead you both in or out, so these various threads intercept and reveal what’s hidden behind the accepted appearance. And I think it’s a damn brilliant way of exposing the truth!

Mr. Barz’s crisp, no-nonsense style wins me over from the first page. It keeps you interested and thirsty for more. The only shortcoming is his less intelligible approach to matters he’s obviously not familiar with. The Australian thread, for instance, is by far the best-written part of the entire novel. It is also the most credible, heartfelt, and genuine. Which isn’t the case of the alien universe or the Russian cover-ups. Still, it hasn’t detracted from my enjoyment of the narration.

The strength of Alien Animus lies in its skillful and fascinating descriptions of the Hindu’s rich culture. The author does an excellent work of weaving strong religious elements inside his fanta-politics. It’s not easy, yet Mr. Barz pulls it off, and it makes perfect sense in the grand scheme of things. No, make that utterly enthralling! I just couldn’t get enough of all the stuff about the black mandala, the rituals, and the deities. Although mythical, they become vibrantly alive and coalesce the attention more than any alien business.

Another plus is the way the original theme evolves.

It seems to me that the book’s leitmotif is: Time to subjugate Earth. Interestingly enough, this isn’t the exclusive prerogative of the alien races that have been contending the universe between them since the beginning of time. Earth’s subjugation seems to be everybody’s priority. From the innocent monks to the invading Russians, from the Hindu fanatics to the rebellious aborigines, from the curious archaeologists to the international conspirators—everybody has a stake in submitting Earth to its own devilish plans. This is so Philip K. Dick that I absolutely love it!

In the end, I feel compelled to recommend this book to all fans of sci-fi, history, and horror with particular attention to anyone willing to go beyond the appearance of things while seeking the concealed meaning behind the long-established truths.