“Gritty, poignant, in the tradition of Bladerunner with the nostalgia of New Orleans. With crisp and beautiful prose, AFTERLIFE blurs the line between the living and the dead to ask life’s ultimate questions.”—Tosca Lee, author of Havah and Demon: A Memoir
“Merrie Destefano led me on a gritty page-turning journey of life, death and resurrection. I was riveted from the first page to the last and personally can’t wait for her next one.”—Tracey O’Hara, author of Night’s Cold Kiss
“Life, death and AFTERLIFE–a haunting story that seamlessly blends the hard-boiled twists of cyberpunk with the noir flavor of a Southern Gothic thriller.”—Marc Giller, author of Hammerjack
“A seamless combination of mystery, science-fiction exploration of a future based on cloned survival after death, and a fantasy struggle for the survival of good in an evil world.”—James Gunn, Science Fiction Grand Master, author of The Immortals
“Absolutely my favorite book of the year. Destefano’s raw, poetic prowess is haunting and gritty, reminiscent of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell. AFTERLIFE has all the marks of becoming a classic in it’s own day.”—Christopher Hopper, author of The Lion Vrie
From the first chapter, Destefano’s AFTERLIFE drops you into a jazzy New Orleans netherworld where you’ll be both delightfully disoriented and splendidly spooked. AFTERLIFE will whisper to you between readings and sizzle in your mind like liquid light.”—Wayne Thomas Batson, author of The Door Within Trilogy
REVIEWS:
A real thrill ride...fast pacing and skillfully eked out clues keep things moving. Locus magazine
“Merrie Destefano has crafted a premise that’s powerful in its simplicity. The perfect blend of urban fantasy and science fiction, there are characters to cheer for and settings that spook. From the City of the Dead to the Underground Circus, from gen-spikes to liquid light, from dogs to their human counterparts, AFTERLIFE has so much to love, and the second Resurrection Chronicle can’t come soon enough! (No cliff-hanger ending, though – it’s a gorgeous standalone.)”—Tez Miller at Tez Says.
“I’ve struggled with the best way to describe AFTERLIFE by Merrie Destefano. Simply speaking, it’s the tale of a girl and her dog, star-crossed lovers, and second chances. In a broader sense, it’s existential, hopeful, beautiful, and dark … Afterlife is everything I love about fiction - there’s danger, romance, a despicable villain, and room for a sequel. A strong start to a new series!”—Jackie at Bitten by Books
“The plot is complex and inspired. The mood is dark and suspenseful. It’s rare when I’m so impressed by a debut. And this science fiction novel definitely took me by surprise. The narrative is fast-paced, jumping around among several key characters’ point of view. So readers see what’s coming a bit before Chaz, building suspense and excitement. The mystery builds to a climactic ending, offering several surprises. And I finished the book with a smile, loving every bit of Destefano’s thought-provoking tale.”—Angela from SciFiChick.com
"Destefano’s first in The Resurrection Chronicles provides plenty of food for thought by creating a world divided by those who choose resurrection vs. those who decide not to tamper in God’s domain. The antagonist is sufficiently strong to balance the protagonists without overwhelming the story and the climax leaves an interesting opening for more adventures. With lots of action, technology and a strong antagonist, this series is one to watch."—Monsters and Critics.com
"Death is a natural phase of life; creation follows death as death follows creation, it's a cycle of fact. Merrie Destefano takes the fear of dying to the next level in AFTERLIFE by throwing readers into another apocalyptic universe where the race to immortality becomes unavoidable and chaotic with the technology of resurrection in the works."—Fresh Fiction.com
"I found this story to be highly unique. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it before. It has an edgy feel to it that is definitely going to appeal to those that like Mad Max. It has adventure, violence, betrayal and loyalties. Things aren’t always what they appear. I couldn’t imagine the ending yet it’s excellent. I’m not sure where this author will be going next but I’m sure where ever it is, it will be fantastic."—Terri at Night Owl Reviews.com
"The first Resurrection Chronicles is a terrific New Orleans science fiction thriller that rotates first person viewpoints with the prime star being Chaz, who fumbles, stumbles, and grumbles with keeping the newbie safe from those who want her dead. Fast-paced, readers will relish this dark New Orleans drama as the hero has no idea what he has stepped into by doing his job except he knows that Angelique is the cause that threatens him and his family."—Harriet Klausner at Genre Go Round Reviews
“AFTERLIFE is a unique debut with beautiful descriptions by an insanely talented author who is not afraid to try something new. This novel was refreshing and exciting, and I am eagerly anticipating Merrie's future releases. If you enjoy urban fantasy,and if you want to see a new take on what life would be like if humanity could be almost immortal, then you definitely need to check this book out. You'll regret it if you don't!”—Tori at Book Faery
“Merrie doesn’t “lay out” her theme but weaves it into the fabric of the story as a skilled writer should. The reader, then, is left to connect the dots, to ponder the issues, to ask the questions, and to seek for the answers, if he so chooses.”—Rebecca Luella Miller at Speculative Faith
“The language is exceptional, and the story is distinctive. They both flowed in and around each other. Reading AFTERLIFE was like peeling back the layers of an onion. Things weren’t explained, they were hinted at, then revealed slowly and the reveal was like finding a missing puzzle piece. Not one part of this book was boring, not one paragraph, not one sentence. I usually do a 5 star rating. This book earns 6 stars out of 5 for me.”—Mydnight Reader
“Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles by author Merrie Destefano hit book stores this week with a bang! Holy freakn undead sheep I devoured this book. Afterlife marks this authors first sci-fi novel and if this one is any gage on the rest …the series will be fantastic.”—Katie Dalton at I Smell Sheep
“Merrie Destefano has created a unique page turner in her novel Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles. The writing style is clever and imaginitive with a ambience that will catch the readers attention. There is plenty of mystery and suspense that makes Afterlife a bookshelf keeper. Ms. Destefano has created an epic tale fantasy lovers will simply devour.”—Brandi at Nocturne Romance Reads
“It’s #UFchat’s* recommended read for the end of 2010 and we can’t wait to speak to Ms. Destefano about how she built and crafted this wonderful novel, with its very real and complex characters, twisted mysteries, wonder-full urban darkness and the cities of the dead. I only have one question: can we have more please?!”— Ink Gypsy on The UFChat Blog