Shape of Memories - Kristofor Hellmeister

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The Shape of Memories begins where Alpha Tyler Grisham calls his wife from space and informs her of an important decision that he has made.  Moments later, he and his crew are on a flight for their lives as a debris field around planet UP-117 threatens to destroy their vessel –aptly named the Mayflower.  The crew are sent out in their pods, evacuating the vessel, leaving Tyler with the vessel until he too is ejected by the safety system of the vessel.

When Elizabeth and the crew return to the Mayflower to salvage what they can, they encounter an alien entity that threatens the lives of the crash survivors.

Meanwhile, Tyler wakes up and finds himself in a jungle but can find no life other than the plants on his bio scanner.  He starts his trek toward the wreck of the Mayflower, which is visible as a faint trail of smoke off in the distance.

Tyler travels through the jungle of UP-117 towards the Mayflower and his crew.  Through what he experiences, Tyler comes to grips with a childhood tragedy and his troubled relationship with his father. What follows is an emotional and thought-provoking journey.

When it appears that his crew is dead and the Mayflower is destroyed, Tyler has to work through his emotions regarding his wife and their failed marriage.  Ultimately, when there is a chance of being rescued, Tyler has to look into his actions and understand that Love is a verb and sacrifices need to be made for a marriage to work and resemble the sacred union God intended.

Kristoffer Hellmeister writes an exciting sci-fi novel that makes your heartbeat in your throat in the first few chapters as he builds tension and keeps it suspended throughout the story.  You never know when something will go wrong, and when it happens, you still feel that you should have seen it coming.  What I liked is how the author treated the theme of Christian marriage throughout the book.  Never did I feel uncomfortable with what was said or the way it was presented. The theme of Christian marriage is essential, and the message conveyed in this novel needs to be spread as far as possible. The format in which the message is delivered is a pleasant pill to swallow, and I am sure any Sci-Fi fan will enjoy this read. 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.