#j.j. blacklocke

[seangetfreaky]

If you like sci-fi space operas with good world-building, characters that you genuinely enjoy, multiple awesome alien species, and an ever-expanding world, The Tradepoint Saga by J.J. Blacklocke is a series you will probably enjoy!

The first book in The Tradepoint Saga is Refuge, available now on Amazon!

Nine hundred Vennans undertake a cultural exchange to Tradepoint, a space station where aliens from different worlds meet to do business. A young and gyfted Speaker, Gredin, is translator and diplomat for the happy occasion.

But a horrific vision shatters her first night’s sleep on Tradepoint. Venna, their homeworld, has been destroyed. Now the safety of the delegation, the only Vennans left in all of time and space, rests on Gredin’s young shoulders.

Stunned and grieving, she navigates trade wars and political prejudice, bartering with other races—some friendly, some neutral, some outright hostile—for what her people need to survive. And the cost of failure is the unthinkable.

Extinction.

My rating: 4⭐

Page count: 528

If you’re looking for a character-focused space opera with a slow-burn plot, this would be the one for you. The story started off somewhat slow and gathered momentum as it went, the climax being both expected yet not happening as expected. The story mainly follows Gredin after she has a vision of her people’s planet having been destroyed and her having to navigate politics, trade wars, higher ups who refuse to believe her, and deal with her own grief over losing both her home and her world’s version of her soulmate. This book is a bit of a character study, and I really enjoyed it.

The first paragraph intrigued me about the protagonist’s race and their objective there. I wasn’t immediately hooked but my overall curiosity paid off because it became more and more interesting as I read on. There are no humans whatsoever in this book (and maybe the series?), which was refreshing. The world-building is well done, especially in regards to the ways and inner workings of Tradepoint. The main characters, Gredin especially, felt like real people, even the asshole Vennan that was Gredin’s superior. Their emotions and feelings came across so vividly; they all had their own motivations, goals, and hopes, and reacted to the news of their world being destroyed in different ways.

The different races were all very interesting: they all had their own customs, ways of communicating, race-specific tics. They were all described as being very different, despite the author not really describing any of them in much detail. I was suprised that there were so few races actually at Tradepoint (the station), considering it’s the place for races to make mass trades with each other. I found each of them interesting, though the knowledge of each of them limited to that of the characters that had points of view in the book. The interactions between the different species were cool to see, the side characters from these species helping to flesh out the world.

Not a lot truly happens in this story, but what does happen is not at all boring but almost captivating (if you like politics). The problems are often complicated and some are carefully walked and talked through, while others are dismissed only to come back worse than ever. The solutions are never morally black and white, and often take a lot to pull off; that was what really drew me in. I just had to know what happened, how they pulled it off, what the repercussions were. I was never disappointed.

The problem of there being different species who don’t speak the same language but needing a shared one to communicate is solved by the Tradetalk language. Due to some races not knowing it very well, when it’s used in the story, it’s oversimplified (ex: “You no talk. You talk one more, you go out. You not come back in”). Although it’s off-putting at first, it’s easy to get used to. It doesn’t take away from the seriousness and gravity of the situations it’s used in, either, which one would think would be very hard to do. I felt it really added another layer of complexity to the world of Refuge but it also was rather realistic. Language is complex and takes a long time to learn and the complexities of it can be forgotten or hard to memorize, so it makes sense that Tradetalk is oversimplified.

The story is a mix of point of views from different important characters, though Gredin is clearly the protagonist and has the most chapters. She is clearly overwhelmed by grief, though her grief isn’t solely focused on herself, but her people as well, how they’re going to survive. The change from her going from grieving to becoming the saviour her people need her to be was very sudden. Her main focus became her people and their survival, but she rarely reflected on herself and how the Power had changed her so significantly for the rest of the book. I liked her character a little less; I wanted to know how she felt about it— then again, she wasn’t really ‘feeling’ much of anything.

There’s not a lot of description of the five senses. Rather, the book is composed mostly of exposition and the inner thoughts of the characters. The author also wrote in such a way that a lot of explanation was left out in terms of the purpose of some things or what they are in general (like the Vennans’ hlao). Some of these things were explained at the very end of the book or not at all. That aside, I enjoyed the author’s writing style, which felt almost effortless. I never felt lost or confused; I always knew exactly what was happening. The world developed gradually, rather than all at once.

The complexities of the Vennan race’s customs and culture were really interesting and I’m looking forward to reading the free prequel (which can be found on the author’s blog) to learn more. The different Houses for each gyft type were cool but proved to have not been the best of choices in regards to survivability. I think Gredin realized this near the end. I think, however, that this will change in the next book, considering the choice of one of the main characters.

Overall, this was a good book that I really enjoyed, which was a surprise since I’m not one for politics or character study-type books. I’m looking forward to the sequel, Aftershock!

Interested in Refuge? You can buy it now on Amazon!

[worldupdate]

Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt calls punch by Ross Blacklock 'stupid, selfish' #blacklock #calls #houston #punch #ross #selfish #stupid #texans #watt https://world-update.com/houston-texans-de-j-j-watt-calls-punch-by-ross-blacklock-stupid-selfish/?feed_id=53137&_unique_id=5f693dafb24ae

[bijoychetia]

Texans’ J.J. Watt criticizes rookie for ejection throughout loss vs. Ravens — The Latest News Houston Texans star J.J. Watt criticized rookie defensive sort out Ross Blacklock for getting ejected throughout their sport in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

[junker-town]

Did the Texans do enough on defense to get back to the playoffs?

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Houston needed to address its pass rush and secondary so Deshaun Watson and the offense don’t have to do it all.

The Houston Texans had a pretty successful 2019 season. They won the AFC South and went on to beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime in the Wild Card Round. But then they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round, blowing a 24-0 second-quarter lead.

That alone probably should have been enough to get head coach Bill O’Brien fired, even though it wasn’t. Instead, the Texans promoted O’Brien to be general manager, replacing Brian Gaine, who was fired last summer. The good news for Houston is at least it still has quarterback Deshaun Watson. He can’t do it alone, though.

Houston Texans (10-6), lost in the Divisional Round

The Texans don’t have any first-round draft picks this year thanks to their trade with Miami to get offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Kenny Stills. However, they could get a lot out of free agency, especially with the $62 million in cap space they had going into the offseason.

Before free agency:

Defensive end: The Texans traded Jadeveon Clowney to the Seahawks right before the 2019 season started. J.J. Watt missed half of the season after suffering a torn pectoral, but he did return for Houston’s two playoff games. As such, the defense lacked some major production on the other side of Watt — defensive ends Angelo Blackson and Charles Omenihu combined for just three sacks on the year. Getting help during free agency or on Day 2 of the draft will be big for the Texans.

Cornerback: The Texans released Vernon Hargreaves III, whom they acquired from Tampa Bay in the middle of the season. No. 1 corner Bradley Roby is a free agent, as is veteran Johnathan Joseph.

Running back: The Texans’ offense could’ve been a lot more explosive with a consistent running game in 2019. Houston’s leading rusher was Carlos Hyde, who had 1,070 yards and six touchdowns. Its second leading rusher? Watson. While Hyde is a free agent this offseason, Houston could target a running back, such as LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins, in the second round of the draft.

What Battle Red Blog wants most this offseason: The needs for the 2020 Houston Texans are stark and unambiguous — cornerback and pass rush (likely via defensive end). If there’s a saving grace to having virtually no premium draft picks until 2064, it’s that there’s little doubt the only reasonable way to address these glaring holes is via free agency. O’Brien is going to have to be extremely aggressive when the gates open, or the Texans will be severely handicapped in their efforts to improve upon their 2019 campaign. — Tim McHale

After free agency:

Welp, O’Brien made quite possibly one of the worst trades in NFL history when he sent No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals. In exchange, Houston got running back David Johnson, a second-round pick for 2020, and a fourth in 2021. Not great! Later, the Texans traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, which was ... maybe fine? However, it cost them one of their second-round picks.

At cornerback, Houston re-signed Hargreaves to a one-year deal. The Texans also re-signed Roby, their best corner from 2019. They added Phillip Gaines, who will provide some depth for the position.

1. Defensive end: The Texans didn’t address this in free agency, so expect them to do this during the draft.

2. Defensive tackle: After losing top rush defender D.J. Reader in free agency, the Texans could use some more beef on the interior of their line.

3. Offensive tackle: Houston brought in Brent Qvale and re-signed Roderick Johnson, who will both be swing tackles this season. Still, the Texans could use more help along the line this draft to give Watson some more protection in 2020.

After the draft:

The Texans only had five picks in the draft, and they used all of them on positions of need. First up was second-round pick TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock, who should help the run defense. Next came Florida edge Jonathan Greenard in the third round. He could be the exact pass-rushing presence they need.

After that, Houston went with UNC offensive tackle Charlie Heck and Penn State cornerback John Reid, a former O’Brien recruit, in the fourth round. Finishing up the class was Rhode Island’s first draft pick since 1986, fifth-round wide receiver Isaiah Coulter. The biggest problem with Texans’ draft was that they just didn’t have many picks thanks to O’Briens maneuvering.

Dan Kadar’s draft grade: B

[paulbenedictblog]

%news%

New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

Fox news List of underclassmen eligible for 2020 draft - NFL.com

Fox news

One other college season has handed and that system one other slice of talented pupil-athletes are aiming for the subsequent diploma.

The checklist of 99 gamers granted particular eligibility for entry to the 2020 NFL Draft used to be launched by the NFL on Tuesday.

Every of the gamers granted particular eligibility has met the league's three-one year eligibility rule and has submitted to a written software in which he renounced his final college soccer eligibility. The closing date for receiving purposes used to be Jan. 17.

The 99 gamers granted particular eligibility for the 2020 NFL Draft:

» Salvon Ahmed, RB, Washington » Cam Akers, RB, Florida State » Grayland Arnold, CB, Baylor » Devin Asiasi, TE, UCLA » Trajan Bandy, CB, Miami » Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville » Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin » Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU » Lynn Bowden Jr., WR, Kentucky » Marcus Brown, DE, Missouri Western » Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington » Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin » K'Lavon Chaisson, edge rusher, LSU » Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU » Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise St. » Nick Coe, edge rusher, Auburn » Trystan Colon-Castillo, OT, Missouri » Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island » Kamren Curl, S, Arkansas » DeeJay Dallas, RB, Miami » Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi St. » Gabriel Davis, WR, Central Florida » Kyle Davis, WR, Florida Atlantic » Grant Delpit, S, LSU » A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College » J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State » Jacob Eason, QB, Washington » Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU » Jordan Elliott, DL, Missouri » A.J. Epenesa, edge rusher, Iowa » Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State » Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia » Jonathan Garvin, DE, Miami (Fla.) » Willie Homosexual Jr., LB, Mississippi St. » Yetur Wrong-Matos, edge rusher, Penn St. » Peter Guerriero, RB, Monmouth » Javelin Guidry, CB, Utah » K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn St. » Harrison Hand, CB, Temple » C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida » Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson » Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon St. » Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn » Austin Jackson, OT, USC » Trishton Jackson, WR, Syracuse » Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU » Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama » Dalton Keene, TE, Virginia Tech » Solomon Kindley, OG, Georgia » Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame » CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma » Javon Leake, RB, Maryland » James Lynch, DT, Baylor » Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M » Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii » Anthony McFarland Jr., RB, Maryland » Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama » Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU » Netane Muti, OG, Fresno State » Thomas Newman, DB, Virginia-Lynchburg » Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State » Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri » Colby Parkinson, TE, Stanford » Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan » Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU » James Pierre, CB, Florida Atlantic » Patrick Queen, LB, LSU » Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU » Debione Renfro, CB, Texas A&M » Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech » Kenny Robinson, DB, West Virginia » Kendrick Rogers, WR, Texas A&M » Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama » Cesar Ruiz, center, Michigan » Darnell Salomon, WR, South Florida » Stanford Samuels III, CB, Florida State » Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan St. » Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado » Arryn Siposs, P, Auburn » Geno Stone, S, Iowa » D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia » Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama » Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin » Tabyus Taylor, RB, Virginia-Union » A.J. Terrell, DB, Clemson » Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia » Jeff Thomas, WR, Miami » Michael Turk, P, Arizona St. » Michael Warren II, RB, Cincinnati » Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Omit » Curtis Weaver, edge rusher, Boise St. » Cody White, WR, Michigan St. » Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama » Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia » Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota » Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa » David Woodward, LB, Utah St. » Hump Younger, edge rusher, Ohio State » Toren Younger, RB, Iowa

The following 16 gamers salvage in timely vogue below NFL principles officially notified the league location of work that they've fulfilled their diploma requirements. They're eligible for selection:

» Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona St. » Oluwole Betiku Jr., DE, Illinois » Lloyd Cushenberry, C, LSU » Quartney Davis, WR, Texas A&M » Alohi Gilman, S, Notre Dame » Matt Hennessy, C, Temple » Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA » Keith Ismael, C, San Diego St. » Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah » Tony Jones Jr., RB, Notre Dame » Terrell Lewis, edge rusher, Alabama » Jordan Like, QB, Utah St. » Elorm Lumor, DE, Rutgers » Houston Miller, DE, Texas Tech » Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma » Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

The following 5 gamers inquired about their draft location and are eligible for selection without the need for particular eligibility:

» Deshawn McClease, RB, Virginia Tech » Carlos Strickland, WR, Texas-San Antonio » J.J. Taylor, RB, Arizona » Ty'Son Williams, RB, BYU » Johs Uche, LB, Michigan

[packernet]

New Post has been published on https://www.packernet.com/blog/2019/12/31/2020-nfl-draft-big-board-2/

2020 NFL Draft Big Board

My consensus big board for the 2020 NFL Draft is currently comprised of 20 big boards that have been updated in the last 30 days to create one giant big board that gives a big picture view of where each player is currently being ranked around the web.

  Rank Player Position Type School AVG 1 Chase Young EDGE DE Ohio State 1.12 2 Joe Burrow QB Pro LSU 4.06 3 Jerry Jeudy WR WR Alabama 4.65 4 Jeffrey Okudah CB CB Ohio State 6.24 5 Tua Tagovailoa QB Dual Alabama 6.53 6 Derrick Brown DL 3 Tech Auburn 6.76 7 Andrew Thomas OT LT Georgia 6.82 8 Isaiah Simmons LB SLB Clemson 9.06 9 Ceedee Lamb WR WR Oklahoma 9.24 10 A.J. Epenesa EDGE DE Iowa 11.06 11 Tristan Wirfs OT RT Iowa 13.00 12 Henry Ruggs WR WR Alabama 13.75 13 Grant Delpit S SS LSU 14.00 14 Javon Kinlaw DL 3 Tech South Carolina 14.81 15 Kristian Fulton CB CB LSU 18.35 16 Justin Herbert QB Dual Oregon 19.41 17 D’Andre Swift RB RB Georgia 19.88 18 Laviska Shenault WR WR Colorado 23.29 19 Jedrick Wills OT RT Alabama 23.53 20 Trevon Diggs CB CB Alabama 24.18 21 Jonathan Taylor RB RB Wisconsin 24.53 22 Tyler Biadasz IOL OC Wisconsin 24.75 23 Xavier McKinney S SS Alabama 26.13 24 Dylan Moses LB WLB Alabama 28.15 25 Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE DE Penn State 29.29 26 Creed Humphrey IOL OC Oklahoma 30.80 27 Kenneth Murray LB MLB Oklahoma 31.38 28 Raekwon Davis DL 3 Tech Alabama 31.47 29 Tee Higgins WR WR Clemson 31.94 30 Paulson Adebo CB CB Stanford 32.88 31 Travis Etienne RB RB Clemson 33.63 32 Curtis Weaver EDGE OLB Auburn 34.60 33 K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE OLB LSU 35.13 34 Marvin Wilson DL NT Florida State 36.17 35 C.J. Henderson CB CB Florida 36.47 36 Shaun Wade CB Ohio State 36.93 37 Terrell Lewis LB SLB Alabama 37.75 38 Julian Okwara EDGE DE Notre Dame 38.69 39 Alex Leatherwood OT LT Alabama 39.18 40 Jalen Reagor WR WR TCU 40.27 41 J.K. Dobbins RB RB Ohio State 42.81 42 Neville Gallimore DL Oklahoma 43.57 43 DeVonta Smith WR WR Alabama 44.15 44 Bryce Hall CB CB Virginia 44.21 45 Prince Tega Wanogho OT LT Auburn 46.67 46 Jacob Eason QB Pro Washington 47.93 47 Austin Jackson OT USC 48.93 48 Hamsah Nasirildeen S Florida State 51.64 49 A.J. Terrell CB CB Clemson 52.33 50 K.J. Hamler WR Penn State 53.85 51 Nick Harris IOL Washington 55.00 52 Jake Fromm QB Pro Georgia 55.19 53 Tyler Johnson WR SWR Minnesota 59.50 54 Trey Adams OT LT Washington 60.47 55 Jeff Gladney CB CB TCU 60.50 56 Chuba Hubbard RB Oklahoma State 62.00 57 Ashtyn Davis S California 63.07 58 Jordan Love QB Pro Utah State 63.57 59 Justin Jefferson WR WR LSU 64.40 60 Jalen Hurts QB Dual Oklahoma 64.71 61 Jaylon Johnson CB CB Utah 65.43 62 Lucas Niang OT RT TCU 65.57 63 Brandon Aiyuk WR WR Arizona State 69.27 64 Brycen Hopkins TE TE Purdue 69.86 65 Tylan Wallace WR WR Oklahoma State 69.86 66 Carlos Basham EDGE DE Wake Forest 71.38 67 Leki Fotu DL Utah 71.40 68 Josh Jones OT Houston 72.18 69 Jabari Zuniga EDGE Florida 73.62 70 Sage Surratt WR WR Wake Forest 74.44 71 Mekhi Becton OT LT Louisville 76.23 72 Cameron Dantzler CB CB Mississippi State 76.53 73 Cam Akers RB RB Florida State 77.15 74 Alton Robinson EDGE DE Syracuse 77.33 75 Brandon Jones S FS Texas 77.38 76 Darryl Williams IOL OG Mississippi State 77.58 77 Netane Muti DL Fresno State 77.90 78 Zack Moss RB RB Utah 78.91 79 Jonathan Greenard EDGE Florida 80.55 80 Anfernee Jennings EDGE DE Alabama 81.00 81 Samuel Cosmi OT Texas 82.00 82 Hunter Bryant TE Washington 83.57 83 Kenny Willekes EDGE DE Michigan State 83.85 84 Jack Driscoll OT RT Auburn 85.33 85 Troy Dye LB ILB Oregon 87.77 86 Justin Madubuike DL 3 Tech Texas A&M 88.30 87 Trey Smith IOL OG Tennessee 89.55 88 Najee Harris RB RB Alabama 89.62 89 Bradlee Anae EDGE DE Utah 89.89 90 Antoine Winfield S Minneosta 90.11 91 Darrell Taylor LB SLB Tennessee 90.36 92 Deommodore Lenoir CB Oregon 91.13 93 Michael Pittman WR Southern California 91.33 94 Malik Harrison LB OLB Ohio State 91.38 95 Richard LeCounte S Georgia 93.30 96 Collin Johnson WR WR Texas 93.42 97 Josh Uche LB SLB Michigan 94.67 98 Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB LSU 95.38 99 Jared Pinkney TE TE Vanderbilt 95.54 100 Shane Lemieux IOL OG Oregon 96.09 101 Rashard Lawrence DL 5 Tech LSU 96.09 102 Solomon Kindley IOL OG Georgia 97.09 103 Devin Duvernay WR Texas 97.80 104 Monty Rice LB Georgia 99.86 105 Jacob Phillips LB MLB LSU 100.44 106 Denzel Mims WR WR Baylor 101.22 107 Jake Hanson IOL OC Oregon 101.25 108 Albert Okwuegbunam TE TE Missouri 102.07 109 Zack Baun EDGE OLB Wisconsin 102.67 110 Donovan Peoples-Jones WR WR Michigan 103.20 111 Alaric Jackson OT LT Iowa 107.11 112 Walker Little OT LT Stanford 107.80 113 Khalid Kareem EDGE DE Notre Dame 108.00 114 Logan Stenberg IOL LG Kentucky 108.83 115 Markus Bailey LB Purdue 108.83 116 Shyheim Carter CB CB Alabama 109.50 117 Larrell Murchison DL NC State 110.29 118 Lloyd Cushenberry IOL LSU 110.88 119 Jordan Elliott DL Missouri 111.67 120 Kyle Dugger S Lenoir-Rhyne 112.57 121 Marlon Davidson EDGE DE Auburn 113.70 122 Eric Stokes CB CB Georgia 116.75 123 Ke’Shawn Vaughn RB RB Vanderbilt 117.88 124 Ben Bredeson IOL OG Michigan 120.00 125 Eno Benjamin RB RB Arizona State 120.38 126 Nick Coe EDGE OLB Auburn 120.88 127 Hakeem Adeniji OT LT Kansas 121.29 128 Calvin Throckmorton OT RT Oregon 122.00 129 Chazz Surratt LB ILB North Carolina 122.86 130 Zach Shackelford IOL OC Texas 123.17 131 Jordyn Brooks LB Texas Tech 123.83 132 Lamar Jackson CB CB Nebraska 124.73 133 Bryan Edwards WR WR South Carolina 125.00 134 Raequan Williams DL NT Michigan State 125.75 135 Damon Arnette CB CB Ohio State 126.22 136 Antoine Brooks CB SCB Maryland 127.89 137 Isaiah Hodgins WR Oregon State 130.75 138 K.J. Hill WR SWR Ohio State 132.89 139 Antonio Gandy-Golden WR WR Liberty 133.78 140 Jacob Breeland TE TE Oregon 135.10 141 David Woodward LB ILB Utah State 136.43 142 Lamical Perine RB Florida 136.63 143 Joe Bachie LB MLB Michigan State 137.00 144 Anthony McFarland RB Maryland 137.88 145 J.R. Reed S S Georgia 138.89 146 Alex Highsmith DL UNC Charlotte 139.50 147 Darnay Holmes CB CB UCLA 139.75 148 Ross Blacklock DL DT TCU 139.83 149 Robert Hunt OT Louisiana-Lafayette 140.00 150 Nico Collins WR Michigan 140.50 151 Kylin Hill RB 0 Mississippi State 140.63 152 Tommy Kraemer IOL RG Notre Dame 141.14 153 Julian Blackmon S Utah 141.29 154 A.J. Dillon RB RB Boston College 142.00 155 Trevon Hill EDGE Miami 142.00 156 Paddy Fisher LB MLB Northwestern 142.43 157 Justin Strnad LB Wake Forest 142.86 158 Anthony Gordon QB QB Washington State 143.57 159 Colby Parkinson TE TE Stanford 144.38 160 Davon Hamilton DL Ohio State 145.17 161 Gabriel Davis WR WR UCF 145.89 162 Jonathan Garvin EDGE Miami 150.14 163 K’Von Wallace S Clemson 152.20 164 Charlie Heck OT North Carolina 152.50 165 Harrison Bryant TE Florida Atlantic 153.63 166 Aaron Fuller WR Washington 155.25 167 Essang Bassey CB CB Wake Forest 155.63 168 D.J. Wonnum EDGE DE South Carolina 156.00 169 Justin Herron OT Wake Forest 158.20 170 Richie Grant S FS UCF 159.43 171 Evan Weaver LB ILB California 159.50 172 John Simpson IOL OG Clemson 160.40 173 Jamie Newman QB Wake Forest 160.60 174 Shaquille Quarterman LB MLB Miami 161.25 175 Myles Bryant S SS Washington 162.00 176 Isaiah Wilson OT RT Georgia 163.33 177 Tyler Huntley QB Utah 163.67 178 Myles Dorn S North Carolina 164.71 179 McTelvin Agim DL 3 Tech Arkansas 164.75 180 Lavert Hill CB CB Michigan 165.75 181 Kwity Paye EDGE DE Michigan 167.33 182 Jaron Bryant CB Fresno State 168.67 183 Jordan Mack LB Virginia 169.00 184 Levonta Taylor CB CB Florida State 169.00 185 Thomas Graham CB 0 Oregon 169.50 186 Terrell Burgess S Utah 171.00 187 Alohi Gilman S FS Notre Dame 171.67 188 K.J. Costello QB Pro Stanford 171.83 189 Benito Jones DL Ole Miss 172.25 190 Reggie Floyd S SS Virginia Tech 173.71 191 Nate Landman LB Colorado 173.80 192 Akeem Davis-Gaither LB Appalachian State 173.80 193 Kamal Martin LB Minnesota 175.25 194 Kendall Coleman EDGE DE Syracuse 175.25 195 Troy Pride CB Notre Dame 177.20 196 Jordon Scott DL Oregon 177.38 197 Patrick Jones EDGE Pittsburgh 179.33 198 Michael Divinity EDGE OLB LSU 179.67 199 Jason Strowbridge DL DT North Carolina 180.43 200 Charles Snowden LB Virginia 180.67 201 Tipa Galeai EDGE Utah State 180.71 202 John Hightower WR Boise State 181.00 203 Chase Claypool WR Notre Dame 181.43 204 Mohamed Barry LB Nebraska 182.67 205 Baron Browning LB Ohio State 182.75 206 T.J. Brunson LB MLB South Carolina 184.50 207 Joe Gaziano EDGE DE Northwestern 184.67 208 Quartney Davis WR WR Texas A&M 184.71 209 Jalen Elliott S Notre Dame 185.17 210 Carter Coughlin EDGE DE Minnesota 188.14 211 Kendrick Rogers WR WR Texas A&M 188.40 212 Tyler Clark DL 5 Tech Georgia 189.00 213 Cole Van Lanen OT Wisconsin 189.60 214 Jaylinn Hawkins S California 189.67 215 James Proche WR WR Southern Methodist 190.00 216 Cheyenne O’Grady TE Arkansas 190.00 217 Scott Frantz OT LT Kansas State 191.33 218 Yasir Durant OT Missouri 191.75 219 Robert Landers DL Ohio State 192.33 220 Kalija Lipscomb WR WR Vanderbilt 192.75 221 Jauan Jennings 193.00 222 Josiah Deguara TE Cincinnati 196.86 223 Nate Stanley QB Pro Iowa 198.67 224 Mitchell Wilcox TE TE South Florida 199.75 225 Cesar Ruiz IOL OC Michigan 200.67 226 A.J. Green CB Oklahoma State 201.20 227 Trey Sermon RB 0 Oklahoma 201.60 228 Trajan Bandy CB Miami 202.50 229 LaBryan Ray EDGE DE Alabama 202.67 230 Chase Lucas CB CB Arizona State 204.50 231 Jordan Fuller S SS Ohio State 205.40 232 Patrick Queen LB LSU 207.00 233 Matt Hennessy IOL OC Temple 207.33 234 Bryce Perkins QB Dual Virginia 207.40 235 Sam Ehlinger QB Dual Texas 207.50 236 Quintez Cephus WR WR Wisconsin 207.86 237 Brad Stewart S Florida 208.67 238 Jared Mayden S Alabama 209.00 239 Van Jefferson WR Florida 210.67 240 Cam Brown LB Penn State 212.00 241 J.J. Taylor RB Arizona 212.60 242 Ezra Cleveland OT LT Boise State 214.40 243 Jake Luton QB Oregon State 215.00 244 Daniel Bituli LB Tennessee 215.00 245 Sadarius Hutcherson OT LT South Carolina 216.50 246 Charlie Taumoepeau TE Portland State 217.50 247 Khaleke Hudson LB SLB Michigan 218.50 248 Glen Logan DL 5 Tech LSU 219.50 249 Tremayne Anchrum OT Clemson 220.00 250 Adam Trautman TE Dayton 220.00 251 Jeremy Chinn S Southern Illinois 221.00 252 Francis Bernard LB Utah 223.00 253 Matt Peart OT UConn 223.00 254 Colton McKivitz OT LT West Virginia 224.86 255 Reggie Corbin RB Illinois 226.50 256 Terence Steele OT LT Texas Tech 227.50 257 Levi Onwuzurike DL Washington 229.33 258 Kellen Mond QB Texas A&M 229.50 259 Michael Pinckney LB WLB Miami 229.50 260 Patrick Taylor RB RB Memphis 230.00 261 Stephen Sullivan TE LSU 232.00 262 Geno Stone S SS Iowa 234.00 263 Joe Reed WR WR Virginia 234.25 264 Nigel Warrior CB Tennessee 234.40 265 Shane Buechele QB SMU 241.00 266 Saahdiq Charles OT LT LSU 241.00 267 Stanford Samuels CB CB Florida State 241.00 268 Khyiris Tonga DL NT BYU 244.50 269 Chris Orr LB ILB Wisconsin 244.50 270 David Dowell S FS Michigan State 244.67 271 J.D. Spielman WR Nebraska 245.25 272 Erroll Thompson LB MLB Mississippi State 246.33 273 Lynn Bowden WR Kentucky 247.00 274 Dane Jackson CB CB Pittsburgh 250.00 275 T.J. Vasher WR Texas Tech 250.00 276 Lawrence Cager WR Miami 252.00 277 Michael Onwenu IOL OG Michigan 252.50 278 Stephen Carr RB USC 255.00 279 Rayshard Ashby LB MLB Virginia Tech 255.50 280 Gage Cervenka IOL Clemson 257.00 281 Alex Taylor OT South Carolina State 258.00 282 Robert Windsor DL Penn State 259.67 283 Khalil Davis DL Nebraska 261.00 284 DeeJay Dallas RB Miami 261.33 285 Salvon Ahmed RB Washington 262.50 286 Kyahva Tezino DL San Diego State 266.50 287 Cole McDonald QB Hawaii 269.00 288 James Smith-Williams EDGE NC State 271.25 289 Steven Montez QB Pro Colorado 271.33 290 Naquan Jones DL Michigan State 274.67 291 Tyler Vaughns WR WR USC 275.00 292 Charleston Rambo WR WR Oklahoma 279.67 293 Jeff Thomas WR Miami 280.00 294 David Reese LB MLB Florida 281.50 295 Joshua Kelley RB UCLA 282.00 296 Marquez Callaway WR WR Tennessee 284.33 297 Darius Anderson RB TCU 285.00 298 Carlos Davis DL Nebraska 286.50 299 Brendon Hayes DL UCF 291.00 300 Logan Wilson LB Wyoming 296.00 301 Damar Hamlin S FS Pittsburgh 296.33 302 Joey Magnifico TE TE Memphis 297.67 303 Asmar Bilal LB Notre Dame 298.00 304 Davion Taylor LB Colorado 304.00 305 Trystan Colon-Castillo IOL Missouri 304.00 306 Jaquarius Landrews S Mississippi State 305.00 307 Brian Lewerke QB Pro Michigan State 305.00 308 Ty Chandler RB RB Tennessee 308.50 309 Larry Rountree RB Missouri 312.00 310 Jay Tufele DL USC 314.50 311 Luke Farrell TE TE Ohio State 315.50 312 John Penisini DL Utah 316.50 313 Sean McKeon TE Michigan 325.67 314 Nyles Pinckney DL Clemson 328.00 315 Kindle Vildor CB 0 Georgia Southern 329.33 316 Shea Patterson QB Pro Michigan 330.00 317 John Reid S Penn State 334.50 318 Easop Winston WR Washington State 337.50 319 Tarik Black WR WR Michigan 351.50 320 Keith Taylor CB Washington 351.50 321 Mike Panasiuk IDL Michigan State 352.50 322 Christian Rector EDGE OLB USC 356.50 323 Moe Neal RB Syracuse 365.00 324 Jon Runyan OT LT Michigan 366.00 325 Emeka Emezie WR WR North Carolina 370.00 326 Steven Gonzalez IOL Penn State 370.50 327 Mason Fine QB North Texas 376.00 328 Juwan Johnson WR Oregon 378.00 329 Marcel Spears 378.50 330 Marco Wilson CB Florida 389.00 331 Greg Eisworth S SS Iowa State 390.00 332 Ray Lima 393.00 333 Juju Hughes S SS Fresno State 397.00 334 Tamorrion Terry WR WR Florida State 397.00 335 Tanner Muse S Clemson 406.00 336 Noah Togiai TE Oregon State 414.50

[seangetfreaky]

The Bereft is a great conclusion to the first trilogy in the Tradepoint Saga by J.J. Blacklocke! Gredin learns the meaning of sacrifice, and fights her former mentor to keep her position as head of the Vennan survivors.

As Tradepoint’s Director, Wyve has to obey his government’s commands, even if it means pressuring his Vennan friend, Burlon te Laith, to undertake a risky journey to Sprygale. If Burlon refuses to satisfy the government’s demand for geddel crystals, the Vennans risk expulsion from their haven on Tradepoint.

Agreeing to Travel the River to Sprygale to bring back geddel crystals will put Burlon on a collision course with Gredin’s edict against any Vennan Traveler leaving Tradepoint, but what choice does he have, if he wants to keep everyone safe?

A third of the Vennan survivors are ill, struggling to retain the gyftes that keep them sane… and one of those afflicted is Gredin. She puts up a bold front, hiding her weakness from friend and foe. But if Burlon openly defies her by leaving Tradepoint, Gredin’s hold over the Vennan community might crumble.

With an old rival eager to reclaim control.

My rating: 5⭐

Page count: 375

One thing that I’ve enjoyed in all three books is the careful explanations that occur between characters. The reader is never left out of the loop. There have been full chapters (which are never short) where all that occurs is a single long conversation. Like the first two books, every conversation, thought, and movement has a purpose (for the most part). Again, each individual’s struggle is highlighted.

The pacing was really good and made for an easy read; steady, with some ‘down time’ between explosive, high-energy moments. There were plenty of times where my heart was racing and I just couldn’t read fast enough! Blacklocke has this way of writing that really drew me in. I easily became attached to the characters, but I also continued to be attached to them right to the end of the series. I rooted for them, I sympathized with them, I shared their feelings in emotional moments, and that’s a huge part of the reading experience for me personally!

Some minor plot points from the previous books – such as obtaining more food, the geddel crystal sources, and the soured relationship with the Hesch – became the focus of the book. Other minor points, including growing their population and the inner workings of Vennans’ bodies, were brought up as well. I wish the latter had been expanded on more.

I was delighted to find that Gredin and the Hesch interacted more, considering how little the Hesch appeared in the previous book. Another race was introduced in the second half, though it was a surface-level introduction. Each race is so unique, with their different cultures and traditions.

I really enjoyed Gredin as a character in this final book. She had some great character development. She was still coming to terms with her role as First Speaker and leader of the Vennan community. Her unwillingness to fight back against Tetralanna served her poorly in the last book, but she really stepped up in this one. She went from overly cautious to taking necessary – and even unnecessary – risks that paid off in the end. There was one point where I think she actually took it too far, but otherwise, it served her well.

After taking Khest as her alliance partner, she still wasn’t entirely comfortable with being intimate with someone who wasn’t her Chosen. The time that Khest spent to help her relax and get more comfortable before actually sleeping together was very sweet, and also showed how he, in turn, was dealing with having had other partners since the first time they were intimate. When Gredin addresses the Bereft and explains their shared trouble, she didn’t cower or concede in the face of Tetralanna’s scorn. It was a big moment for her, having so many people trust her words despite her revelation going against everything they’d learned over the course of their very long lives. It was a big step forward for her as a leader as well.

Gredin had to make a very hard decision regarding Nitikikani (yes, I typed that correctly on the first time without checking the book and I’m very proud of myself for having done so) in order to ease tensions between their races. Nitikikani actually had his own POV chapter, which I enjoyed. The deal Gredin and Nitikikani struck was originally an apology on Gredin’s end. It became far more profound than a simple apology when Nitikikani revealed why he was so obsessed with the flame stone pendant that Gredin wore (which she received from her chosen at their Choosing). I think their interaction helped Gredin process some of her grief. I think it also helped put her in a better mindset in concern to what was required of her as a leader.

I actually disliked Gredin at one point, for a decision she made. Though the preferred choice of these Bereft would have led to them being severely debilitated, it was still their choice to make. Many of them followed the very vocal Tetralanna, but I think if they had been given the chance to spend less time listening to her and feel the impact of their gyfts fading, they would eventually see sense. They weren’t given that time to think without Tetralanna influencing their decisions on the matter. This isn’t one of those problems that are going to be solved by forcing people into the solution.

Also, Gredin’s stones were never fully explained. Why they were doing more than just casting a pretty pattern when she was dumping them on Keegan’s bed closer to the end wasn’t explained. What were they indicating in that scene? I was dying to know more about her connection with the stones as well.

I actually disliked Burlon for a good part of this book. He and Gredin disagreed on some things, but going against her express wishes without explaining why felt like he crossed a line in the sand. Instead of addressing this issue, Gredin immediately forgave him. He’s a bit of a hypocrite in that he backs Gredin up when Tetralanna speaks against her, and speaks in her favour to her face, but goes behind her back. I’m rather disappointed that I finished this book viewing Burlon in a bit of a negative light.

Keegan’s life on Venna is brought up and I quite liked learning more about him. I found him to be an interesting character that I looked forward to seeing Gredin interact with. Seeing him struggle so hard against Tetralanna – and succeeding – spoke to his strength as a person but also spoke of his character, solidifying the impression that he had a strong will.

Tetralanna, of course, proved to be the worst type of person you could come across. I didn’t think I could hate her more until she used her gyft against Keegan, and then moreso when she shamed a Bereft for their choice when they were reunited with their Chosen. It was hard to tell what could be attributed to Tetralanna being out of Balance because she lost her chosen, what was bitterness over being overlooked by the Power in favour of Gredin, and what was a combination of the two. I imagine she would have had a lot of pent-up rage towards Gredin regardless of whether or not she’d lost her Chosen. In the end, she got what she deserved.

One major plot point in the book was left unsolved, but it didn’t take away from the book at all. In fact, if it had, it would have felt like Blacklocke was trying too hard to wrap it all up with a nice bow on top.

None of the negative things had a negative impact on my reading experience (with the exception of Burlon at the end). I could hardly put this book down, and finished it in five days! I would have finished it sooner if not for daily life getting in the way, haha. Even though I’m sad it’s over, this is a great ending to the fantastic first trilogy of the Tradepoint Saga!

You can pre-order The Bereft e-book on Amazon here for a great price! It comes out on April 13 2021!

[seangetfreaky]

There’s a lot more at stake in Aftershock by J.J. Blacklocke, the much-awaited sequel to Refuge. The tension kept me on the edge of my seat & the character development will delight you!

Appointed by the Power in the wake of their planet’s destruction, Gredin struggles to lead her nine hundred grief-stricken countrymen, and provide food for their tables when the Vennans’ supplies were only meant to last for four short days on Tradepoint. How can she comfort them and win their trust, with Tetralanna contradicting and undermining her at every turn?

The Vokastra, owners of Tradepoint, want the nine hundred Vennans gone. Now. And the Hesch, a tall, surly, bird-like race, are furious with Gredin for accidentally injuring their leader, Nitikikani. No apology will suffice. They ban the Vennans from their maartza, ignoring the Vennans’ desperate need for supplies.

Something else is afoot, as well – a mysterious malady that threatens to rob the Vennans of the very gyftes that give their lives purpose and their hearts hope. And Gredin, exhausted and disheartened, fails to notice that she is being stalked by a more immediate danger, one determined to drag her down to ruin.

Or to her death.

My Rating: 4⭐

Page count: 435 (ebook)

Aftershock picks up right where Refuge left off. Now that her people know of the destruction of their planet, Gredin has to deal with the aftermath. The plot just doesn’t stop — there’s rarely a moment of rest. One step forward, three steps back; for every problem solved, new ones pop up, some caused by the solution of others.

In the aftermath of the surviving Vennans finding out about their planet being destroyed and the rest of their people perishing with it, Gredin makes her people a priority. The book also shows how draining it is for Gredin to sit down with hundreds of people each day to hear their worries and answer their questions.

In Refuge, immediately after she was changed by the Power, Gredin was somewhat robotic in how little she felt or showed in terms of emotions. In Aftershock, it seemed like the change brought on by the Power was no longer suppressing Gredin’s feelings & emotional turmoil. She was allowed to feel more. This helped with the big twist at the end. It was definitely a shocking revelation and while it didn’t come out of nowhere, more foreshadowing from other people would have laid the groundwork for it a bit better.

The power struggle between Gredin and Burlon is prominent in the book despite neither of them actively trying to seize control over the other. I actually enjoyed their little stand-offs; they’re both trying to do what’s best for the Vennan survivors, in different ways. They’re good parallels. Because of her role as First Speaker, voice and ear of the Vennan community, Gredin focuses more on the immediate concerns of the people, specifically their mental and emotional states. As a Trader, Burlon focuses more on the bigger picture and chooses long-term solutions. Gredin isn’t depicted as over-emotional or foolish and Burlon isn’t labeled as a heartless person. The reader can side with one or the other, but Blacklocke makes no effort to sway the audience to one over the other. Also, neither was forced to concede; instead, they compromised and found a way that worked in everyone’s favour, which wouldn’t have happened if either had conceded.

I would’ve liked to see more of Burlon dealing with his change of House. It was brought up only very briefly at some points. I’m hoping it’s addressed in the next book, as well as what it means for those who depart their original House. I liked Burlon as a character, though I definitely didn’t agree with some of his choices. Even when they’re at odds, Burlon and Gredin are at the very least confidants, if not friends.

One thing about the Tradepoint Saga that I really like is that every moment is important to the story. There’s one chapter that consists solely of a meeting between Gredin’s personal council. The chapter is a lot longer than the others, but there was not a second where I felt the conversation was either deviating from the plot, or didn’t hold some importance in regards to character development. I really enjoy Blacklocke’s writing style & how they highlight each individual’s struggle.

Other races were introduced, ones that the Vennans hadn’t interacted with in the first book. Each race is so different in their looks, culture, language, way of communicating, and in their way of trading. I would’ve liked a bit more physical description of them, as sometimes their looks are somewhat vague. Incidents that occurred between Gredin and other races in Refuge only flared up in this sequel. However, these flare-ups occurred in the third of the book. I would’ve liked to see more interaction with the Hesch and the Beng, but I expect both will have a more prominent presence in the third book.

One thing that bothered me a little bit was that some issues were brought up, such as the status of a Vennan-imported item that is essential to the Prett’s planet, since the Vennan homeworld was destroyed. The issue comes up once in the very beginning and again nearer the end. I felt like this would have come up again in the meetings with Wyve, but it seems to have been shoved aside despite the book’s events occurring over the course of about seventeen days.

I found the food testing scene to be a good addition, rather than just having it mentioned in passing. Showing the great care the Prett put into everything gave a clear view of their race’s values. The Prettian technology was also inventive and somewhat fascinating. However, I have no idea how their way of telling time works, exactly. It was explained in this book, but since Vennans don’t have the concept of hours and minutes, there’s nothing to really compare Prettian time to.

Tetralanna was somewhat less of an issue for the first half of the book but she became more prominent in the second. She’s always been an arrogant and condescending person but she’s taken her self-importance to a new level. I’m looking forward to seeing her personal grievances with Gredin come to a head in the next book.

It was hard to put this book down and I enjoyed reading it overall.

Aftershock is available now on Amazon. The third book in the Tradepoint Saga, The Bereft, comes out on April 13th! Read my review of it here!