From a Kirkus starred review to editorial selection for Best Books of 2018 — a record of independent critical response across a publishing career spanning 2012 to the present.
Literary Press
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is one of the oldest and most respected independent book review publications in the United States, founded in 1933. A starred review from Kirkus — awarded to books of remarkable merit — is among the most coveted distinctions in publishing. Editorial selection for the Kirkus Best Books list is independent of the review program and reflects the editors' own judgment of the year's most notable titles.
Starred Review2026
Modern Prometheus: Emergence
A starred review — Erickson's world-building is meticulous and his characters feel genuinely alive.
Starred review. Erickson's Future Prometheus series delivers a richly imagined dystopian future where the echoes of Conrad's Heart of Darkness reverberate across the red plains of Mars. The world-building is meticulous, the characters feel genuinely alive, and the political tensions driving the narrative are uncomfortably plausible. A standout entry in contemporary science fiction.
Kirkus Reviews — Starred Review
Time Is for Dragonflies and Angels
2018
A speculative compilation that acknowledges humanity's long struggle ahead.
Erickson's collection of sci-fi stories explores parallel worlds, rogue planets, alien intervention, and more. Primarily set in the Boston, Cambridge, and Merrimack Valley areas of Massachusetts, these tales often follow a male protagonist who finds that humans don't understand the laws of the universe as well as they think. Throughout this collection, Erickson connects his tales in surprising and delightful ways. A speculative compilation that acknowledges humanity's long struggle ahead.
Kirkus Reviews — Issue: Dec. 1, 2018 | Selected: Kirkus Best Books of 2018, Vol. LXXXVI No. 23, p. 208
Hunting Armed Men
2026
An SF saga that's equally rousing and poignant.
Outer space Confederates in the 22nd century are hot on the trail of a rebel in this installment of Erickson's SF series. Erickson's kinetic SF tale evocatively contemplates a queasy slide into ruin and decay reminiscent of the fall of the old South in our real world. The author leans heavily on the dialogue at times, which does threaten to bog down an otherwise fairly brisk pace, but the character insights that such digressions provide more than make up for any loss of forward drive. Those characters are all searching for the Promised Land — be it at the Martian equator or somewhere else. An SF saga that's equally rousing and poignant.
Kirkus Reviews — Review Posted Online: May 1, 2026
Heavy Weight of Darkness
2024
A page-turning cautionary tale providing a glimpse into a world in which greed, racism, and hate shape our future.
Set in a near future, Erickson's SF novel — a reimagining of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness — follows an alleged terrorist on Mars and the man tasked with killing her. The cast of deeply developed characters and the impressive focus on worldbuilding are obvious strengths, as is the relentless pacing, but the novel's real power comes from its timely thematic punch. Erickson ends the novel with a tantalizing revelation, which could easily be expanded into future installments of the series. A page-turning cautionary tale providing a glimpse into a world in which greed, racism, and hate shape our future.
Kirkus Reviews — Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Endless Fall of Night
2024
A gripping SF tale that explores themes of humanity and loyalty.
In Erickson's SF novel, a young woman who's lost everything is forced into service investigating a Martian colony that's seemingly vanished. Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1899), Erickson's space yarn doesn't shy away from carrying on the themes and imagery of its source material. This dystopia, in which racism and slavery prevail not just on Earth but throughout the galaxy, is packed with vivid details and rare instances of humor. Cassie's explanation for the explorers' downfall ('Madness killed them. Weakness killed them. The heavy weight of darkness killed them') manages to be simultaneously eerie and inspirational — a fitting achievement for a book that unflinchingly explores the depths of human depravity.
Kirkus Reviews — Review Posted Online: June 4, 2024
Future Prometheus: Emergence & Evolution
2013
Dystopian literature at its finest.
In Erickson's dystopian sci-fi novel, a cryogenically frozen scientist wakes up in the year 2155 to find that he's the only man in a matriarchal military state. Erickson artfully raises profound ethical and philosophical questions regarding class systems, gender equality, neurodiversity and what it means to be human. He draws on classical references, and especially literature, in his work, and readers will likely appreciate the way he beautifully weaves in references to Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells and other masters of science fiction. Overall, it's dystopian literature at its finest.
A truly original sci-fi series with strong ideas and even stronger characters.
Erickson has crafted a fascinating series with complex characters and an incredibly rich premise. It's rare and refreshing to find such female-driven drama — particularly in the context of militaristic sci-fi — that never resorts to stereotypes. Creating full-bodied characters is as important to Erickson as sci-fi philosophizing, which is crucial to the book's success. A truly original sci-fi series with strong ideas and even stronger characters.
Kirkus Reviews — Issue: Jan. 15, 2015
Raven: Birds of Flight — Book Two
2013
An ambitious thriller that looks at the gray areas between vengeance and justice, law and morality.
This fast-paced second book in Erickson's Birds of Flight series continues the story of fugitive Alexander Burns and his family. Erickson depicts government agents, spies and rogue operatives as well-rounded characters with discernible inner lives. The novel improves on 2012's Albatross, the first book in this series, in Erickson's ability to handle a somewhat convoluted plot without losing the reader. There are just as many explosions and gunfights here, but the overall mood of the work is tenser, and less triumphant, as Burns and his family risk not only their freedom, but their lives. An ambitious thriller that looks at the gray areas between vengeance and justice, law and morality.
Kirkus Reviews — Review Posted Online: March 1, 2013
Albatross: Birds of Flight
2012
Some rough plotting, but the solid action is driven by dense characters.
Erickson's debut novel explores personal development through love, explosions and terrorist plots. Erickson competently portrays the sometimes violent tactics, though it's clear that his real interest lies in his characters' emotions and psychology. Some rough plotting, but the solid action is driven by dense characters.
Clarion Reviews is the starred-review imprint of Foreword Reviews, an independent trade publication covering small and independent press books since 1998. Clarion reviews are editorially selected and written by professional critics.
Albatross: Birds of Flight
2012
Erickson elevates the premise beyond the Bourne-again shtick with an interesting twist and taut, engaging writing that will keep even jaded readers hooked.
Albatross: Birds of Flight has a spy-thriller premise familiar to fans of the Bourne franchise that will appeal to those who enjoy Mission Impossible and TV's Leverage. But author J.M. Erickson elevates the premise beyond the Bourne-again shtick with an interesting twist and taut, engaging writing that will keep even jaded readers hooked. The plot sounds a bit implausible, but Erickson rolls out his narrative with no-nonsense storytelling and no wasted words. It's easy to get caught up in the story without questioning the details, because we trust the characters — Erickson writes believable dialogue and creates logical bonds between them — and because the plot moves so fast we don't have time to doubt them.
This is a science fiction aficionado's science fiction story — interplanetary and culturally colorful, with high-stakes action.
Two species prepare to meet in Intelligent Design, J.M. Erickson's action-packed science fiction story. Earth and Terra are twin planets, though Earth has no idea of Terra's existence yet. The book leans heavily on military imagery, with several core characters functioning as members of elite special forces units. Their exploits plausibly satisfy the book's need for derring-do. The book's characters are well written, engaging, and generally carry the book. Intelligent Design is a science fiction reader's science fiction book. It spans several planets, a handful of lushly illustrated alien cultures, high stakes, and well-executed action.
Independent reader and blogger reviews represent the organic critical response from engaged genre readers — distinct from trade press coverage but valuable as evidence of genuine reader engagement.
The following review is from an independent book blog. It is presented here as reader response, not press coverage.
Jose Melendez is one of my favorite characters in futuristic sci-fi reads to date. The level of research done in the book was obvious — the best sci-fi is written using scientific fact as the backbone, and this book did that very well.
Future Prometheus is definitely an interesting story and an original twist of the iconic 'future world' premise of most Sci-Fi books. It's full of strong characters, rich prose and entertaining spins. Jose Melendez is one of my favorite characters in futuristic sci-fi reads to date — this is probably because of the fact that he has Asperger's. Being that I'm an autism mother, this is near and dear to my heart. I felt as though the author executed his personality in such an amazing way, bringing him to life perfectly. The level of research done in the book was obvious in the amount of details given — from quotes of old literature, to specifics in science and cryogenic sleep, as well as the technological bits. The best sci-fi is written using scientific fact as the backbone, and this book did that very well. Overall, The Review Board gives Future Prometheus 8.5 out of 10 TRB Stars.
