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The Struggle for Probana
The attacks are more frequent. More deliberate. More precise. The Shrouds are ruthless. Stubborn. Unknown.
And beyond deadly.
Born into the fuming battleground of Probana, Kaene Young is caught in the same battle that claimed his brother six years earlier. This puzzling war has replaced the world he once understood. It's transformed peaceful people into warring machines and wedged them into a slaving state of survival. His world has betrayed him. His dreams are not far behind.
This is routine. This is life.
Mystery and adversity surround the isle of Probana. Situations have come to light. Scrutiny of the Council is increasing. A new war calls for more recruits to continue the Guard’s rapid expansion. Their advances are seemingly ineffective against the Shrouds.
Kaene is stuck in the middle. He must overcome this besieged world or have his life devastated by it. His heartfelt motivation and equaling persistence could be Probana’s only hope in ending the struggle. The nation is burning. Communication is failing. Will there be peace for Kaene and Probana? Or will the disasters created by this war leave everything shattered?
An emotionally equipped saga of Kaene’s intense journey into reality, The Struggle For Probana brings excellent richness into the fictional dystopian genre. A new twist on a never-ending story. We learn that war carries significant loss yet uncovers true priorities. Whose resolve will change it for the better?
And beyond deadly.
Born into the fuming battleground of Probana, Kaene Young is caught in the same battle that claimed his brother six years earlier. This puzzling war has replaced the world he once understood. It's transformed peaceful people into warring machines and wedged them into a slaving state of survival. His world has betrayed him. His dreams are not far behind.
This is routine. This is life.
Mystery and adversity surround the isle of Probana. Situations have come to light. Scrutiny of the Council is increasing. A new war calls for more recruits to continue the Guard’s rapid expansion. Their advances are seemingly ineffective against the Shrouds.
Kaene is stuck in the middle. He must overcome this besieged world or have his life devastated by it. His heartfelt motivation and equaling persistence could be Probana’s only hope in ending the struggle. The nation is burning. Communication is failing. Will there be peace for Kaene and Probana? Or will the disasters created by this war leave everything shattered?
An emotionally equipped saga of Kaene’s intense journey into reality, The Struggle For Probana brings excellent richness into the fictional dystopian genre. A new twist on a never-ending story. We learn that war carries significant loss yet uncovers true priorities. Whose resolve will change it for the better?
305 pages, ebook
First published February 3, 2013
1 person is currently reading
64 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 16, 2014
If you love The Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium or any other dystopian or fantasy novel then you will enjoy reading this book. This is an imaginative, wild-ride and for the low price you won’t regret buying it.
The premise of ‘Shattered Advances’ is very interesting and original. The author takes us into Probana a place where war has become the norm. We get to see the struggles of life in Probana through the eyes of Kaene a new recruit into the military.
The setting is described in great detail and there are certain scenes where you can almost imagine yourself in that place with the characters. The characters appeared to be well developed and it was easy to become a part of their lives. I loved each of the characters and it was easy to understand the struggles that they were facing. They responded appropriately in every circumstance that arose, which allowed them to be even more relatable.
The characters in the book also deal with many thought provoking questions about the meaning of life, the atrocities of war, love of family and standing up for their beliefs against higher powers. You feel genuine emotions as you wrestle along with the characters.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding the antagonist in the story, which makes it all the more interesting! I kept reading more and putting the pieces together as the characters did. I cannot wait to continue to discover more as the series continues.
This was definitely a page-turner and I could not put the book down! The end surprised me, which made me want to read the next installment all the more. I have already bought the second book—The EXiSLED—and cannot wait to start reading it.
Buy it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Advan...
The premise of ‘Shattered Advances’ is very interesting and original. The author takes us into Probana a place where war has become the norm. We get to see the struggles of life in Probana through the eyes of Kaene a new recruit into the military.
The setting is described in great detail and there are certain scenes where you can almost imagine yourself in that place with the characters. The characters appeared to be well developed and it was easy to become a part of their lives. I loved each of the characters and it was easy to understand the struggles that they were facing. They responded appropriately in every circumstance that arose, which allowed them to be even more relatable.
The characters in the book also deal with many thought provoking questions about the meaning of life, the atrocities of war, love of family and standing up for their beliefs against higher powers. You feel genuine emotions as you wrestle along with the characters.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding the antagonist in the story, which makes it all the more interesting! I kept reading more and putting the pieces together as the characters did. I cannot wait to continue to discover more as the series continues.
This was definitely a page-turner and I could not put the book down! The end surprised me, which made me want to read the next installment all the more. I have already bought the second book—The EXiSLED—and cannot wait to start reading it.
Buy it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Advan...
November 10, 2013
Brilliantly written book - I appreciate the great skill, devotion and trouble the writer put into this book, it is apparent from the first page. Rich descriptions and a well-developing storyline compliments fantastic character growth and easy-flowing dialogue.
War and battle are now a way of life for those in Probana and Kaene finds himself deep in a world of fighting and insecurity. Having lost his brother years before and having his family in danger all puts the reality of the situation into perspective for him - this is the reckoning for not only his family, but everything he knows.
A small but resilient flame, Kaene is determined but also realizes what a huge loss the war has brought upon his land. Difficult times are coming, will Kaene and Probana survive? Read to find out - you won't be disappointed!
T.C. Squires has managed to create a completely believable tale and world in his writing - as a reader you are able to relate with the characters and be taken along on an emotional and often exciting, nail-biting ride.
I am looking forward to more from this author.
War and battle are now a way of life for those in Probana and Kaene finds himself deep in a world of fighting and insecurity. Having lost his brother years before and having his family in danger all puts the reality of the situation into perspective for him - this is the reckoning for not only his family, but everything he knows.
A small but resilient flame, Kaene is determined but also realizes what a huge loss the war has brought upon his land. Difficult times are coming, will Kaene and Probana survive? Read to find out - you won't be disappointed!
T.C. Squires has managed to create a completely believable tale and world in his writing - as a reader you are able to relate with the characters and be taken along on an emotional and often exciting, nail-biting ride.
I am looking forward to more from this author.
January 29, 2014
Review of {THE STRUGGLE FOR PROBANA: SHATTERED ADVANCES}, by {T.C. Squires}
A comprehensive review by {John Adams Theibert Jr (The Kindle Book Review). “The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.”}
Review: {A Heart Wrenching Story of Heartlessness} [4] stars out of 5 stars
/ ****- /
/(visual indication of stars) * = star - = no star/
The Primary Elements: Idea, Plot, Characters, Setting, & Theme
The Idea - hook and world: {The idea of the story was somewhat interesting. The hook of the story took a while to develop but yet ultimately was successful. The world of the story also took quite a while to develop yet ultimately was satisfying.}
Stars for the idea: [0.5] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The Plot - conflict and climax: {The plot of the story was somewhat haphazard and unbalanced. There did not seem to be a clear conflict between an antagonist and the protagonist. The climax was somewhat confusing and unfulfilling.}
Stars for the plot: [0.0] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The Characters - development and dimension: {The characters of the story were interesting and dynamic. The characters seem to be well developed and have a good sense of relationships, backgrounds, and personalities. The characters seem to have fully rounded dimensionally transformative characteristics that responded appropriately and dynamically to changing circumstances.}
Stars for the characters: [0.5] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The Setting - scenes and senses: {The setting was somewhat of a mixed bag. The scenes of the story seemed hastily described and inadequately detailed. However, the story utilized senses in an interesting way mostly for describing pain, discussed, or uncomfortableness.}
Stars for the setting: [0.25] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The Theme - lesson and epiphany: {The theme of the story seemed to deal with this senselessness of killing innocents during more. The lesson of the story seemed to be: war cannot justify the killing of innocent people. The story seemed to teeter on the edge of an epiphany but did not quite acquire one.}
Stars for the theme: [0.25] stars out of 0.5 stars.
Subtotal stars for the Primary Elements (rounding up), [2] stars out of 3 stars.
The Secondary Elements: Style, Substance, Grammar, Essence, & Impression.
The style - logic and pacing: {The style of the story seemed fairly consistent. The story seemed to have quick and accurate logic. The pacing of the story was fluid and well thought out.}
Stars for the style: [0.5] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The substance - skeleton and teeth: {The story seemed to have good solid substance. There did not seem to be a lot of unnecessary information or fluff, meaning that the story had a good skeleton. The story’s premise seemed to be controversial, summed up in the syllogism: killing innocents is senseless; war kills innocents; therefore war is senseless, meaning that the story had sharp teeth.}
Stars for the substance: [0.5] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The grammar - sentence structure and word usage: {The grammar of the story seemed to be hit and miss. The following are some grammatical typographical errors that I found: (Kindle locations provided for the author.)
Then you will have to continuing fighting for the privilege to keep living, (Kindle Location 2892)
… an armed base with ten thousand solders, (Kindle Location 2210)
I rush to door and feel the cool metal of the knob. (Kindle Locations 627-628)
This war has ravaged the lands and wrecked most family to some extent. (Kindle Locations 592-593)
Words are not be worth much. (Kindle Location 581)
It’s so been hard.”(Kindle Location 245)
I climb only find myself sliding further into the abyss that has opened below. (Kindle Locations 42-43)}
Stars for grammar: [0.25] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The essence - emotion and memory: {The essence of the story seemed fully immersive and consuming. The story seemed to be full of emotion in that the main character was dripping with near constant anxiety and anguish. The most memorable part of the story was the part of the fire in the house.}
Stars for the essence: [0.5] stars out of 0.5 stars.
The impression - opinion and talent: {My impression of the story is really good. In my opinion the story could use a hefty rewrite to make it excellent, in which rewrite an antagonist should be drawn up to counterbalance the protagonist. The author seems to have fairly good talent in describing a character’s tribulation.}
Stars for the impression: [0.5] stars out of 0.5 stars.
Subtotal stars for the Secondary Elements (rounding down) [2] stars out of 2 stars.
Conclusion: {In conclusion this story seems to be missing some fairly important elements yet does not suffer severely because of the others being very well executed. I believe the story would require a rather large edit in order to add an interesting and believable antagonist into the vacuum where none exists. The protagonist was quite the method actor of this story, and truly carried it single-handedly which both benefited and detracted from the story.}
Grand total stars for the story - primary elements and secondary elements: [4] stars out of 5 stars.
August 9, 2014
Kaene's life centers around his family and friends - Mom and Dad, older brother Daiv, younger sister Aery, and best friend Jacob - until the war with the Shrouds.
The Shrouds invaded the northern territory years before. Every attack since is the same: their ships show up suddenly, wipe everything and everyone out, then disappear without a trace. No one knows where or when they'll strike next. The rare survivor can't help understand because they're always found in a coma-like state from which they never awaken.
But a coma might be better than death. Sixteen year-old Kaene, along with buddy Jacob, are preparing to enter service in order to prepare for the next Shroud attack - whenever that might be. And Kaene's only hope is to make it out alive, unlike his brother Daiv six years earlier. No matter how long it has been, Keane is still haunted by dreams of roaring flames and choking smoke. Is that the fate awaiting him too?
Shattered Advances started out promising but soon became a convoluted tale without direction, making me feel as if Kaene was the one in the coma. Once Kaene and Jacob head to their training facility, the storyline became disjointed, with scenes thrown in here and there that didn't seem to have anything much to do with the overall story. It nearly felt like separately written short stories with the same characters were simply thrown together to create a full-length novel.
Kaene meets Cassi and falls immediately in love with her, even though she acts repulsed by him. Every chance he gets, Kaene tries to woo Cassi only to stumble over himself in the process. Then Cassi is gone until the end. Jacob and Kaene have fights and arguments over strange and mundane topics, with reactions so over the top they inadvertently are comical. Communications are knocked out at the training facility, wait they're back on, no they're back off - off, on, off, on - sequencing and flow were so far off at times I wanted to scream in frustration.
Then several times in the midst of fighting, when the small, rag-tag survivors are completely surrounded by Shrouds with no hope of escape, Kaene passes out and then when he comes to the group miraculously has safely escaped. The spatial jumps were erratic, jarring, and rather off-putting.
Then there are the Shrouds and this mysterious Council. The Shrouds are supposed to be the antagonists but we really never see them, never get any sort of idea about why they attack - so much happens with no real sense of motivation. This Council of Probana is referenced yet never shown either, the elites running the show apparently but so far off in the periphery they don't seem to have any purpose here except for the occasional mention. I realize this is planned as a series, but if this Council needs to be mentioned in the first book at all, I'd have appreciated a little bit more foreshadowing. Otherwise, it feels more like blips of filler.
The novel could use some additional editing. Several times near the beginning Kaene's name was spelled Keane so that I wasn't sure which was correct. There were constant missing small words within a sentence (a, and, but, the, etc) and some not-so-small missing words or incorrect words (like where instead of went). There were several moments of telling but for the most part the action sequences were shown in real-time as they were happening, which I did appreciate. Point-of-view was a constant, with Kaene being the POV character throughout the novel, though there were a few tense shifts that could easily be corrected with simple wording changes.
Once I wrapped my mind around the fact that Shattered Advances was written more toward the middle school age range, I actually enjoyed the early part enough that I was thinking of offering up four stars. It was once the characters traveled to the training facility, however, the disconnect grew so severe and the character actions, reactions, incidents, and involvements became so convoluted I simply wanted to finish reading so I could move on - and this made me want to give it one star. Maybe Kaene is one of the coma victims, and he's actually only dreaming, which would explain a lot here. Ultimately, I have no interest in continuing with the series. For the promising beginning, I'll compromise and give it two and a half stars.
The Shrouds invaded the northern territory years before. Every attack since is the same: their ships show up suddenly, wipe everything and everyone out, then disappear without a trace. No one knows where or when they'll strike next. The rare survivor can't help understand because they're always found in a coma-like state from which they never awaken.
But a coma might be better than death. Sixteen year-old Kaene, along with buddy Jacob, are preparing to enter service in order to prepare for the next Shroud attack - whenever that might be. And Kaene's only hope is to make it out alive, unlike his brother Daiv six years earlier. No matter how long it has been, Keane is still haunted by dreams of roaring flames and choking smoke. Is that the fate awaiting him too?
Shattered Advances started out promising but soon became a convoluted tale without direction, making me feel as if Kaene was the one in the coma. Once Kaene and Jacob head to their training facility, the storyline became disjointed, with scenes thrown in here and there that didn't seem to have anything much to do with the overall story. It nearly felt like separately written short stories with the same characters were simply thrown together to create a full-length novel.
Kaene meets Cassi and falls immediately in love with her, even though she acts repulsed by him. Every chance he gets, Kaene tries to woo Cassi only to stumble over himself in the process. Then Cassi is gone until the end. Jacob and Kaene have fights and arguments over strange and mundane topics, with reactions so over the top they inadvertently are comical. Communications are knocked out at the training facility, wait they're back on, no they're back off - off, on, off, on - sequencing and flow were so far off at times I wanted to scream in frustration.
Then several times in the midst of fighting, when the small, rag-tag survivors are completely surrounded by Shrouds with no hope of escape, Kaene passes out and then when he comes to the group miraculously has safely escaped. The spatial jumps were erratic, jarring, and rather off-putting.
Then there are the Shrouds and this mysterious Council. The Shrouds are supposed to be the antagonists but we really never see them, never get any sort of idea about why they attack - so much happens with no real sense of motivation. This Council of Probana is referenced yet never shown either, the elites running the show apparently but so far off in the periphery they don't seem to have any purpose here except for the occasional mention. I realize this is planned as a series, but if this Council needs to be mentioned in the first book at all, I'd have appreciated a little bit more foreshadowing. Otherwise, it feels more like blips of filler.
The novel could use some additional editing. Several times near the beginning Kaene's name was spelled Keane so that I wasn't sure which was correct. There were constant missing small words within a sentence (a, and, but, the, etc) and some not-so-small missing words or incorrect words (like where instead of went). There were several moments of telling but for the most part the action sequences were shown in real-time as they were happening, which I did appreciate. Point-of-view was a constant, with Kaene being the POV character throughout the novel, though there were a few tense shifts that could easily be corrected with simple wording changes.
Once I wrapped my mind around the fact that Shattered Advances was written more toward the middle school age range, I actually enjoyed the early part enough that I was thinking of offering up four stars. It was once the characters traveled to the training facility, however, the disconnect grew so severe and the character actions, reactions, incidents, and involvements became so convoluted I simply wanted to finish reading so I could move on - and this made me want to give it one star. Maybe Kaene is one of the coma victims, and he's actually only dreaming, which would explain a lot here. Ultimately, I have no interest in continuing with the series. For the promising beginning, I'll compromise and give it two and a half stars.
August 10, 2014
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
The world is at war with something it doesn't understand, nor do we yet have complete reasoning for WHY they've attacked in the first place. All we know is we need more soldiers to train, to fight, to protect what we have left at all costs. Kaene finds himself as one of these soldiers, following in his late brother's footsteps, probably a little too closely if you asked his mother. His best friend Jacob is with him, and while they both get used to this life that's vastly different from the one they were living a few short days ago, they learn very quickly how it can all go to Hell in a handbasket.
This is quite an interesting idea for a novel, and it reminded me a tiny bit of "Edge of Tomorrow": enemies from seemingly nowhere, no idea why they're attacking or how to stop them. However, this book twists that my enlisting teenagers to serve as soldiers, and following Kaene's story throughout adds a bit of depth and humanity to what's going on around them. You can get inside his head and understand his feelings about the situation: the pride in his country, the willingness to step up and do his part to avenge his brother, but then the fear and confusion that sets in once he actually gets to base and sees that not everything is rainbows and butterflies. The ending definitely left me wanting more, and I will be very excited to read the sequel.
4 stars
The world is at war with something it doesn't understand, nor do we yet have complete reasoning for WHY they've attacked in the first place. All we know is we need more soldiers to train, to fight, to protect what we have left at all costs. Kaene finds himself as one of these soldiers, following in his late brother's footsteps, probably a little too closely if you asked his mother. His best friend Jacob is with him, and while they both get used to this life that's vastly different from the one they were living a few short days ago, they learn very quickly how it can all go to Hell in a handbasket.
This is quite an interesting idea for a novel, and it reminded me a tiny bit of "Edge of Tomorrow": enemies from seemingly nowhere, no idea why they're attacking or how to stop them. However, this book twists that my enlisting teenagers to serve as soldiers, and following Kaene's story throughout adds a bit of depth and humanity to what's going on around them. You can get inside his head and understand his feelings about the situation: the pride in his country, the willingness to step up and do his part to avenge his brother, but then the fear and confusion that sets in once he actually gets to base and sees that not everything is rainbows and butterflies. The ending definitely left me wanting more, and I will be very excited to read the sequel.
4 stars
March 22, 2014
Shattered Advances (The Struggle for Probana) by TC Squires is a YA sci-fi adventure told through the eyes of a young man, conscripted by the military to ward off invasions from the mysterious enemy known only as Shrouds. It takes you on an emotional train ride as Kaene suffers through loss, responsibility, and the escalating pressure put on him by his new position in the military, as well as his own determination to see the war end.
The writing was detailed and consistent, giving a refreshing taste of a narrative being told through dialogue rather than an off-page narrator, which helps you stay immersed in the story as well as the world. It stays well-paced, revealing only what needs to be revealed at the time, and never skips a beat in unfolding the narrative.
However, some of that dialogue was difficult to navigate as well as read. Everyone talked so formally—and I mean everyone. It made things a bit dry and boring occasionally.
Some of the interactions felt really forced as well; it felt like the author felt obliged to include a romantic subplot, and that was fine, but it was put together rather poorly. At one point Kaene’s advances start to come off as really creepy, though I don’t think that’s what the author meant for.
All in all, Shattered Advances is an excellent set up and beginning to what very well may play out like Ender’s Game.
The writing was detailed and consistent, giving a refreshing taste of a narrative being told through dialogue rather than an off-page narrator, which helps you stay immersed in the story as well as the world. It stays well-paced, revealing only what needs to be revealed at the time, and never skips a beat in unfolding the narrative.
However, some of that dialogue was difficult to navigate as well as read. Everyone talked so formally—and I mean everyone. It made things a bit dry and boring occasionally.
Some of the interactions felt really forced as well; it felt like the author felt obliged to include a romantic subplot, and that was fine, but it was put together rather poorly. At one point Kaene’s advances start to come off as really creepy, though I don’t think that’s what the author meant for.
All in all, Shattered Advances is an excellent set up and beginning to what very well may play out like Ender’s Game.
April 13, 2014
A cross between Star Wars and The Hunger Games, perfect for readers who want action, action, ACTION!
I will say that military sci-fi is not a genre that I usually read, but since this was young adult I thought I'd give it a go. It was missing a lot of emotion for me and some things in the plot happened too quickly for my pace, but those are personal things that are going to be different for every reader.
This is a well-written first person perspective of a young person forced to go to war for a mysterious cause. If you like a lot of action then this book will satisfy that need. It's a very quick read with interesting twists and a very intriguing cliffhanger at the end!
I will say that military sci-fi is not a genre that I usually read, but since this was young adult I thought I'd give it a go. It was missing a lot of emotion for me and some things in the plot happened too quickly for my pace, but those are personal things that are going to be different for every reader.
This is a well-written first person perspective of a young person forced to go to war for a mysterious cause. If you like a lot of action then this book will satisfy that need. It's a very quick read with interesting twists and a very intriguing cliffhanger at the end!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews