Slow-Burn Sci-Fi Fantasy With Serious Payoff

4.5 out of 5 stars

Bellosio: An Age of Miracles by John F Shekleton, narrated by Ray Montecalvo, hit me with that weird dreamlike vibe right away. The kind where everything feels familiar for no logical reason. The world of Bellosio is alien, ancient, and politically messy, and somehow it all feels like stepping into a memory I never actually had. I loved that sensation more than I expected.

Princess Danaba is our anchor in this strange place. Her story… its tragic start. The death of her brothers, the sudden shift in succession, the uneasy way the world tilts around her. It all sets the tone for a story that’s more thoughtful than frantic.

Honestly, Shekleton’s world-building is the highlight here. Bellosio’s scale is huge, layered, and textured. I kept finding myself picturing entire corners of the planet long after I stopped listening (further enhancing that dreamlike familiarity).

This is definitely a slow burn. The descriptive style is rich, sometimes a little rich for my usual tastes, but it works here. It reminded me of some of the longer-winded horror and epic fantasy I dip into sometimes, except this isn’t exactly epic fantasy. It’s more of a bold sci-fi/fantasy hybrid with political drama threaded through it. Once the threads pull tight and the story finally locks in, it delivers. Hard.

Ray Montecalvo absolutely nails the narration. With a slower, more methodical book, the narrator becomes the deciding factor, and Ray hooked me fast. His performance adds tension and texture, and it kept me invested through the denser and methodical early chapters. By the end, I was fully immersed in a world that felt both strange and strangely homey.

I always go into a book with an open mind, but they can still catch me off guard. This was one of them. A surprise, and the best kind!

Book Description:

Bellosio was a finalist in the Foreword INDIES Book Of The Year Awards 2024 in Fantasy.

Bellosio is where destiny and divinity collide on a terrestrial planet where life was seeded by an ancient, ethereal being. This creator, known as the “Cog,” has nurtured three distinct primate species, each with their own path and purpose. Yet, as the unseen Cog is revered by many, skepticism brews among the human-like species, threatening to unravel the fabric of their shared existence.

Set against the backdrop of a civilization teetering between the late middle ages and the dawn of enlightenment, an inept emperor’s reign is challenged not only by external threats but also by the internal turmoil of succession. His daughter, the unexpected heir, grapples with her destiny, her duty, and the shadow of an assassination plot that could have changed the course of history.

Bellosio by John F. Shekleton
Narrator: Ray Montecalvo
Length: 17 hrs and 46 mins
Published by mo keijuk press on October 15th 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction
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