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Philip Raymond Brown lives in Colorado with his fabulous wife, four beautiful children, and two good dogs. He has a B.A. in History and Political Science from Le Moyne College and a J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law.
Brown is the author of the “Strength” trilogy which follows retired Major turned bootlegger Mike Kelly and alien anthropologist Tashan Zho through three of the most tumultuous decades in American history. IT GIVES YOU STRENGTH is a mashup of science fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy set in prohibition-era New York.
In Book Two, “Harvesting Earthlings for Fun and Profit” it is 1934 in America, the height of the Great Depression. Dr. Zho is a refugee from his once idyllic planet Dagan. The planet run by a dictator who uses an alien form of the Roman coliseum to distract the citizens from the deterioration of their basic civil rights, while he consolidates his control over the planet. When the dictator learns that the Daganians are running low on gladiators, he implements The Harvest Project. The Daganians will capture Earthlings to fight in the New Coliseum. Zho and Kelly oppose Arixn’s plan and enlist the assistance of historical figures Jack Dempsey, Edith Cavell, and J. Edgar Hoover.
Writing fiction is Philip’s lifelong dream, and his second career. In 2017, he left a successful career as a trial attorney to pursue this dream.As a trial attorney, he received numerous accolades, including being named to Best Lawyers in America.
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite
Stories about aliens and how they are secretly walking among us continue to hold a special place in our imagination. It Gives You Strength by Philip Raymond Brown is one such story, and it offers more. Welcome to the 1920s, where hooliganism is rife along with turf wars, speakeasies, and battles for black market businesses, most notably bootlegging. Ryan Costello is an alcoholic bootlegger and a former veteran of World War 1. A near decade of alcohol abuse has made his body emaciated and much older than what a twenty-six-year-old physique should be. The bottle had taken his life, and moments before he received his last rites in preparation for his passage to the great beyond, he now sits up straight in bed, with his eyes open, apparently staring up to heaven. But Costello is no longer what he used to be. He has been re-animated and his corporeal self is being used as a vessel by an alien anthropologist named Tashan Zho, who is on a mission to rescue the crown princess of their surviving race. But the life that Costello had once lived will put Zho in harm’s way.
The Day the Earth Stood Still meets The Untouchables in this searing sci-fi tale against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Tashan Zho may be an alien in disguise, but the human skin he occupies overrides his alien nature and he becomes relatable and perfectly fits into the time where he has been transported. Philip Raymond Brown touches more on the human aspect of the plot rather than depending on the elements of high-tech gadgetry and jargon to elevate the conflict. The socio-political condition of the 20s is captured well, and it adds a strong sense of realism to the narrative. The writing craftsmanship here is top-notch. Brown’s skill at showing and not telling adds further dimension in ways that will astound you. It Gives You Strength is definitely a reading experience worth the journey.
