As an ethnobotanist who has foraged Hawaii’s forests for the past decades and a sci-fi fan, I was excited to read When Earth Blinked, but I was pleasantly surprised that all the edible and medicinal plants were described in perfect and enthralling detail.

When the protagonist uses aloe for wounds, identifies edible limu, or recognizes kava’s medicinal properties, I recognized someone who knows these islands.

The neurodivergent protagonist thinks in equations rather than emotions—an approach that felt genuinely authentic. Kaplan (a Honolulu psychologist) has written something that works: a thoughtful character study, a meditation on connection, and a genuinely engaging journey through a Hawaii I recognized.

A solid debut that leaves me looking forward to more thoroughly engaging books from him.

— Dr. Nat Bletter, Honolulu ethnobotanist

 “When Earth Blinked” is a truly captivating read. Aaron Kaplan builds an amazing world that makes us think about what defines humanity. A question well worth asking.

This book will leave you thinking long after you finish reading. The characters are well developed and unique. An immensely enjoyable read, I couldn’t put it down.

— Dr. Peter Weiss, Physician and fiction writer

This was a captivating and thought-provoking read! Impossible to put down and striking on so many levels. What struck me most about When Earth Blinked was its psychological depth. Kaplan invites us inside the mind of a protagonist wrestling not only with external catastrophe, but with the complex, often painful dynamics of human connection. The relationships are nuanced, imperfect, and achingly real. In a world stripped bare, the need to belong becomes the most powerful force of all.

— Dr. Adam Dorsay, Author and Clinical Psychologist

Aspiring to find salvation by escaping post-apocalyptic Hawaii in the hope of joining an expedition to Mars, the protagonist of Aaron Scot Kaplan’s new novel relies on his mastery of math and science to withstand the elements along with the guidance of voices to compensate for a sizeable blind spot for navigating social interactions.

During his journey, he encounters a motley cast of characters who remain on the island in the wake of a devasting plague. As a psychiatrist, I can’t help but recognize each of them as a case study, running the gamut of “normal” post-traumatic survivorship to more definitive psychopathology.

Although When Earth Blinked stakes out science fiction territory, the real terrain of the story is none other than the human psyche. The protagonist, and those he meets along the way, are all atomized and trapped—each in their own way—while striving to find meaning, connection, and freedom in a world with little remaining social order.

— Dr. Joseph Pierre, Psychiatrist and Author

When Earth Blinked is a gripping dystopian story in post-plague Hawaii. Aaron Scot Kaplan, a trained clinical psychologist, populates his story with characters that are incredibly vivid and unforgettable. Like humanity itself, each is uniquely imperfect, yet resilient, as they find a way to survive. The internal clashes between Ubervoice and Mazie become personalities that linger. Kaplan’s descriptions of native fauna are detailed and accurate, transforming a familiar paradise into a landscape being overtaken by the wild.  The result is a fast, engaging read worth the investment of our most valuable commodity: time.

— Ken Sansom, Author of Dark Cloud

Set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world, When Earth Blinked is an intimate study of solitude and the fragile architecture of the human heart. Dr. Aaron Kaplan traces the interior life of a protagonist who struggles to bridge the space between himself and others. This is a thoughtful and compassionate exploration of vulnerability that honors difference without simplifying it.

— Dr. Isabelle Morely, Author and Clinical Psychologist

When Earth Blinked is a mesmerizing post-apocalyptic novel, driven by the protagonist’s restless inner life and his pursuit of an absurd goal. Spellbinding and beautifully written, it is a literary work meant to be savored and thoughtfully absorbed.

— Leo M. Hill, Award-winning author of Why: Earth 2278