Reflection

Book Summary: Reflection by Adam Ostaszewski

Stories that take you on a mysterious journey to Mars and a planet inhabited by descendants of humans and aliens. A book describing Europe during an epidemic, with an all-powerful European Security Service keeping the peace.

Tales of an investigation into a suspicious death on an orbital platform, a daring action by Polish forces in Iraq and the Last Hero of the Kingdom.

The “Reflection” and “Ares Mission” stories were recognised at the 1st and 2nd Clarke-Bradbury International Science Fiction Competition and published in English as part of collections of prize-winning works.

Book Review: Reflection by Adam Ostaszewski

Reflection is a brilliant collection of science fiction short stories combines elements of humour and tragedy to show us how much man must learn, as such a very dim view of human society is evoked in these pages. It comprises half a dozen, almost self-contained, short stories that tell a broader, chronological story of human colonisation of Mars, and the consequences for individuals and societies on both planets. In these short stories Adam Ostaszewski questions human existence and the futility of its explorations. They each carry a powerful moral message.

In Reflection by Adam Ostaszewski, you’ll discover stories that take you to Mars and a planet with humans and aliens living together. A story describes Europe during the outbreak of an epidemic, with an all-powerful European Security Service keeping it at peace. In another story, we join the investigation of a suspicious death on an orbital platform and in one story we witness adventurous action by Polish forces in Iraq.

The stories in the book not only all vary greatly in length but also showcase the full range of human experiences. They tell tales of exploration, curiosity, leaving the old to start fresh in the new, war, cultural/philosophical/emotional conflicts, of hopes and dreams and the nightmares that can result from that. I loved that while they are all standalone, they formed a great narrative about this strange and yet fascinating place and how humans respond to it.

When the final page is closed, what echoes and stands out is how beautifully unique this work is. Reflection by Adam Ostaszewski is clever and much more layered. There is not only one central story or one central theme, but a showcase of journeys and stories throughout different ages. Author Adam’s heart seemed to be in dystopian and twisted futuristic fiction that shows man ruins societies and worlds he tries to improve.

With perfect pacing, each short story that shows a different view and time piece flies by, all leaving an impression without a single dull moment. Sometimes I had to pause between pieces to mentally fathom the emotional jabbing. There is no one larger-than-life lesson or story here, for the pieces are too varied and artistic to come together.

Science fiction and Mars, as well as the futuristic technology Adam Ostaszewski uses, make this book a science fiction piece. However, Adam is an accomplished writer who has a command of the language and writes beautifully. Whether Mars is another world, or a fantasy world, it doesn’t matter, Adam has envisioned an alternate reality to explore psychological ethos. His writing is poetic and lyrical, often dreamlike, with almost a musical quality to it. He often straddles the line between cautionary and moralistic, but mostly succeeds at not crossing over to the unpleasantly preachy side. He manages to create a memorable, beautifully flowing, sophisticated story without a steadily progressing plot, without a main or even a major character, without even a consistent setting.

I think what impressed me most is how the surreal feel and epic imagery with the talented writing made me picture certain scenes so clearly. This is a great collection of science fiction stories that, together, speak louder than they do alone. Whilst each is individual, they are, of course, meant to be read as a collection. This provides a comment of the nature of man, and a highly entertaining reading experience. I’d recommend it to sci-fi fans and fans of good writing in general.