An ambitious tale of epic proportions, Carlozzi’s debut is set in the far-future where survivors live on a partially destroyed but rebuilding Earth led by an autocratic governing body.

Ravaged by an apocalyptic event, Earth is mostly destroyed and ruled by the Reeves Corporation and Planetary Governing Union (PGU). When Jayden Vaut is banished from Earth and arrives on Oijult, a desolate planet that The Reeves Corporation uses to transport mystics and criminals, he takes refuge with the Nein, a dark mystic guild responsible for millions of nonmystic deaths. But an unfortunate incident forces Jayden to leave the Nein. He must find new allies if he wants to stay alive. Carlozzi has created a believable post-apocalyptic world: his darkly clever worldbuilding creates scenarios that seem far from unthinkable, from the fatal virus killing millions to oppressing political climate, severe socio-economic division, and paranoia, fear and greed running rampant, pushing humankind to the brink of complete destruction. The characterization is solid, with a large cast of characters navigating relevant issues of intolerance, acceptance, prejudice, violence on behalf of perceived insurgency, and how good people combat evil. There are multiple plotlines, but the multilayered storyline immediately becomes intimate, with readers experiencing the grand-scale action-packed events through the eyes of the characters. A deeply engrossing, mesmerizing, and thought-provoking novel that fans of post-apocalyptic sci-fi won’t want to miss.

A relentlessly paced, action-packed, and character-driven tale… Un-put-downable.

Carlozzi’s debut is a mind-blowing fusion of science fiction, thriller, and apocalyptic fiction. It’s been two hundred years since a cyclone of asteroids pummeled Earth. Led by the mighty Reeves Corporation and Planetary Governing Union, the planet is in the rebuilding stage. When Jayden Vaut gets thrown out of the planet, he has no option but to falls into servitude with the Nein, a dark mystic guild responsible for millions of nonmystic deaths. But when a conspiracy forces him to get banished from the land of Nein, survival becomes his only priority. The suspense of the plot, driven by the relentless action and political intrigue, never flags. Although the novel has its dark and despairing moments, there’s also a certain amount of positivity in the story, which eventually proves to be about survival, friendship, and the grueling resilience of those who survive against all odds. With its magnificently built post-apocalyptic world, authentic characters, and tense plot, this book is poised to become a surefire hit.

Mystics of Fortune is a science fiction book by Mike Carlozzi. It is an engrossing book that takes a reader into the world of mystics and space odyssey.

This book is gripping science fiction that captures a reader's attention down to the end. It is a sci-fi genre that presents imaginative content based on science. It is a book brimming with narratives combined with weaponry, space, and warfare.

I love the genre of the book, to begin with. The book also contains elements of suspense which I find very compelling. For example, I love the suspense between Jayden and Nencia. He loved her very much even though she was a smuggler and very dangerous. Their spark of romance made the book quite interesting. I also love the plot, setting, and characters. Phaedra and Bella were my favorite characters. They were very courageous and did not hesitate to use their ability to save those around them. I also fell in love with Jayden's ability. He was not a mystic, but he did more than what a mystic could do to save those in trouble. And that rewarded him when he was supposed to face judgment by Syrus.

Despite the vast characters in this book, they did not assume the role of another character but followed theirs down to the end of the book. There's nothing I disliked about this book. Nothing disrupted the flow while reading. But some readers may find it hard to keep track of the characters.

Based on my reading experience, I would like to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I strongly believe that the book deserves it. It has a few errors; hence, it was professionally edited.

I would love to recommend this book to readers who find science fiction books very captivating and engaging.

In Mike Carlozzi's MYSTICS OF FORTUNE, humanity has been ravaged by a deadly virus that leaves its few survivors—known as "mystics"— with superhuman abilities. When conflict erupts between mystics and the powerful Reeves Corporation, the fate of civilization hangs in the balance.

Mike Carlozzi's science fiction novel MYSTICS OF FORTUNE envisions a far-future human civilization that has been decimated by a lethal virus. The virus kills most of its victims, and the few who survive emerge with extraordinary abilities. These survivors, known as "mystics," have been exiled to the planet Ojult, a penal colony operated by the powerful Reeves Corporation. When a young mystic, Jayden Vaut, falls in with the Nein, a dark mystic guild that seeks dominion over humanity, he is caught in the middle of an escalating power struggle that will determine the fate of all humanity.

Packed with enough characters and background lore to fill a half-dozen novels, the dense, sprawling MYSTICS OF FORTUNE is an impressive feat of world-building. Carlozzi's meticulously detailed future history pits factions of humans against superhuman mystics who are ideologically divided between those who seek to serve humanity and those who view themselves as humanity's rightful rulers. It is an intriguing premise.

IR Verdict: It's impossible not to admire the enormous effort that author Mike Carlozzi has invested in his energetic and intricately drawn work.

Mike Carlozzi’s engrossing interplanetary space odyssey, Mystics of Fortune, takes readers on a wild, Western-esque ride.

A prologue sets the stage: Asteroids that hit Earth in 2029 transmitted a deadly virus to people; survivors gained extra powers and became mystics. Following a war, mystics were exiled to the newly discovered planet of Ojult. The Earth and its planetary settlements are now controlled by the evil Reeves Corporation.

Ojult is something of a penal colony, divided into opposing groups, including mystics; mafiaesque mercenaries linked to the Reeves Corporation; and those just trying to survive in this harsh environment.

Jayden Vaut enters this mix in 2389, sent to Ojult because his late parents had too much debt. The novel traces the lives of Jayden, who eventually becomes a mystic’s slave assassin and then independent gunslinger; Elasus Reeves, the malevolent head of the Reeves empire whose daughter flees to Ojult after he kills her fiancé; Syrus, the harsh mystic ruler of one of the groups, and Markus, the kind, wise, unofficial mayor of a tiny Ojult town.

While this is a science fiction novel, the evocative Ojult setting—barren, harsh, with an everyman-for-himself atmosphere—seems out of a Western novel: “Thoba slaves regularly cleaned the mundane hall, but today, beads of blood soiled the concrete floor… pooling at the feet of a callous-looking bearded man. The man, a gunfighter, wore a wide-brimmed black hat, faded dark overcoat, burly dark pants, hand-crafted boots, and a broken-in revolver resting inside a thigh holster…”

While much of the novel is told through the main characters’ eyes, several chapters are related from other characters’ viewpoints. In less able hands, this could be confusing, but Carlozzi expertly weaves this gritty tale of good and evil. Despite the novel’s length, readers will remain engaged throughout.

The epilogue, told by the evil Elasus, hints at a sequel. Meanwhile, fans of sweeping space odysseys and Westerns will enjoy the wild yet skillfully plotted Mystics of Fortune.

Also available as an ebook.

The world is complex and interesting. It took the first 7 chapters to get hooked, but now I have to finish it. I highly recommend this as an exciting and interesting read.

FANTASTIC Read! The story line and character development is amazing- and the author really put a lot of effort into each one. As I was reading, I was envisioning what the movie would be like. I can totally see this on Netflix! I like how Carlozzi explained, in detail, this complex world and how all the different characters fit in. You can really imagine what they may be going through-to some degree.

I read over 100 sci-fi's a year. I was not expecting the amazing character development by the writer. This is not the run of the mill sci-fi or fantasy. This world several hundred years in the future controlled by big money and corporate greed but a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy makes for a page turner. All because of the characters and their stories. Hopefully a sequel for Jayden to continue is coming