Seed is my favorite type of horror, a story starring a demon that stalks a hapless man. Jack has been running from this creatMy Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Seed is my favorite type of horror, a story starring a demon that stalks a hapless man. Jack has been running from this creature for years, repressing memories and refusing to return to his childhood home. Until he can't run any more.
Poor Charlie, the six-year-old daughter chosen as the sacrificial lamb by this unnamed evil. I loved her terrible smile. I loved her frightening whispers. My heart broke as her father watched the little girl he knew and love morph into something terrible and sinister.
The prose weaves setting, emotion, and fear flawlessly. I felt the sticky southern heat; I experienced Jack's panic and disbelief; I understood Jack's wife's despair as she tried to understand and her anger as she cracked.
This was the second book I read by Ms. Ahlborn, and I can't help but compare it to The Shuddering. This was her first published novel, and although I liked it, I didn't like it as much as her later work. The characters have a back story, but they aren't as rich and vibrant as later works.
Don't get me wrong: The twists and turns of Jack's life took me by surprise, and the story made me smile in a wicked way. But it just didn't reach the high note that her later work does. Jack seems to have no fight in him. He allows this to happen, meandering back to his hometown in a last ditch effort to figure out why this thing is targeting him. But he does nothing to fight it. He doesn't consult an exorcist. He doesn't hang crucifixes in his living room. He doesn't sprinkle salt on his doorstep. He just watches as it is metaphorically and literally rips his family to shreds.
I also wanted to know why this evil chose Jack. When he returns to his hometown, we get a glimmer that perhaps this is a family legacy, but the idea is never explored further. Then again, maybe that's the point. Real horror has no basis in the logical. We are chosen by evil because it wants us. That thought is more frightening than a demonic pact because at least when we make a deal with the devil, we bring it on ourselves.
I'm glad I've discovered Ms. Ahlborn, and I look forward to her future work. This was a solid debut, and as she hones her craft, I'm certain the story will only get more dark and twisted. And I will love them.
furtl is funny and insightful, a tightly wound tale with more pop references than I probably picked up. Its political commentary was scathing, and itsfurtl is funny and insightful, a tightly wound tale with more pop references than I probably picked up. Its political commentary was scathing, and its humor made me laugh out loud more than once. This is what 1984 would have been if written in 2013 by a guy with a funnybone.
furtl chronicles the unceremonious unseating of the founder of the book's namesake company, a timid and weaselly fellow who has been swept away by people more politically attuned and financially motivated than he. After being ousted, he heads off into the Bhutanian wilderness to sulk, only to be reawakened by the intrusion of technology into his isolated haven. He plunges back into the political reality of the 2030's America, where he works to overthrow the stranglehold his previous company has on the government.
I can hardly do this book justice in this short review, but parodies and parallels abound. One group he runs into, the "Lefteas" plays off both the term "leftie," a derogatory term for a left-leaning idealist (and this sorry band of miscreants takes those beliefs to hilarious extremes) and the "Tea Party" grassroots movement currently underway. But the satire doesn't stop with the groups themselves. The entire culture of the country a short couple decades in the future is a logical progression from where we are today. I would go so far as to call this "a scathing but hilarious critique" of current Western society, if I were prone to sound bites in these reviews.
Mr. Witherspoon has done his homework, binding the story together with details and nuances that struck me as apropos, sad, and silly all at once. I found it confusing to get into the book because with first chapter is actually a prologue (since the main character isn't in it). It took several scenes before I realized Manny was the protagonist. I enjoyed his hard-put-upon demeanor, though it didn't quite reach the hilarious extremes that, say, Arthur Dent in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy did.
This book appeals to readers of satirical humor, conspiracy theorists who believe the government is tracking our every move (Hint: They are!), and anyone who appreciates a light-hearted look at the consequences of the choices we as a society are making.
The Shuddering takes a classic horror trope and brightens it up, adding both rich back story to its characters and a brieMy Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Shuddering takes a classic horror trope and brightens it up, adding both rich back story to its characters and a brief, fleeting sorrow for the creatures attacking our unsuspecting victims. Although it doesn't add anything to the old "cabin in the woods with terrible menace looking outside" story, it's a spellbinding, easy read that had me on the edge of my seat.
The characters' lives are so well-written that the knowledge this was horror made me wonder how the book would finish. That they might end up as dinner to the creepy demon things stalking them in the night made me sad because I wanted them to work out their differences and come to a happy ending. I won't spoil what happens, but this is a horror, after all. Things got pretty ugly.
And those creepy demon things: What the hell were they? We never find out, although Ms. Ahlborn hints that they are the natives to these woods, the ones that humanity has disturbed, made desperate because of the snowstorms. For a brief, glittering moment, I felt sorry for their emaciated, creep-tastic little selves.
This is gory rather than psychological horror, so it had its moments of off-putting-ness for me. One scene in particular was turning out to be so gruesome that I had to flip ahead. There's not a lot of gore, but some of the words jumped out of my eReader as my eyes glazed over them and made me hurry onward. The scenes involving strangers were the most horrible, and none of them actually came around to loop into the main story, so I feel like they could have been cut. Sorry, but I'm squeamish.
If you're looking for a clean, well-written horror story with memorable characters and a thorough back story, this is the book for you. It's my favorite of her current four releases, so if you only have the pocket change for one, this is the one I recommend.
Note: I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A Flight of Marewings is a solid fantasy with interesting ideas and a Note: I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A Flight of Marewings is a solid fantasy with interesting ideas and a fleshed-out world. Its namesake, the marewing, is a flying demon horse, created by a mysterious magical force called “the Wyld.”
The book follows several people’s points of view, but the story centers on Korinna, the illegitimate daughter of the newly deceased duke of Kyratia. In this world, mercenaries are used instead of a city’s own military force because being a soldier carries a stigma to these religious people. Korinna has been targeted for marriage by the leader of one of these mercenary forces, Galenos, who was never able to convince her father to solidify a marriage contract before he died.
I was a little bit nervous upon seeing the table of contents and how many points of view are actually used, but it worked well. Ms. Walker introduces the characters logically, and we got to know them and their quirks gradually.
Because the story is told from both Korinna’s and Galenos’ points of view, I was sympathetic toward them both. First toward Korinna, the poor peasant woman who is simply trying to hold together the farm for the small village she oversees; next toward Galenos, who simply wants to wrest control of Kyratia from an evil, scheming Council so that it may thrive.
The romance between Korinna and Galenos seemed a bit forced. Of course they’re going to end up together, but I would have liked to see some sparks fly.
I loved the magic in the book: A parasitic bug that burrows into humans to cause them to dance to death, a killer vine that strangles anyone who struggles against it too much, and the magestone underlying the city that should protect the citizen from Wyld magic… until one of the evil Councilors brings the Wyld into the city on purpose.
A few typos exist, but because it’s an ARC, those will likely be gone in the final copy. Even if they’re not, there weren’t a lot: The grammar itself was clean and any “oopsies” were definitely typos.
While I liked the marewings, their relationship with the rider-that-tamed-them reminded me of Anne McCaffrey’s dragon/rider relationship. The dragonlings introduced briefly follow all of her rules and are described identically. Whirling eyes, starving when they’re born, imprinting on the first person who throws meat down their gullets. However, enough new and interesting concepts exist that it only perturbed grumpy old me slightly.
If you enjoy fantasy and are looking for a new world to sink your teeth into, I would recommend A Flight of Marewings. Ms. Walker also has several other books out, so if you find her storytelling engaging, you can dig into more. This book is the first in a series, and I eagerly anticipate more of the Wyld magic that winds through her world.
Note: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Division is one of the best books I read in 2013, a year in which I read ParNote: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Division is one of the best books I read in 2013, a year in which I read Parasite and We Need to Talk About Kevin. (And the Divergent trilogy, but I didn’t actually like those books, so no competition there.) I liked it so much that I asked author Karen A. Wyle to write a guest post for the blog, which she did last Friday.
I read books to escape and be entertained, like everyone else. But more, I read books to be challenged intellectually, and Division does just that.
This is a story about a pair of conjoined twins. One twin wants to undergo an operation to separate them into two bodies, while the other wants to stay joined. This is set in the near future, where the twins must present their arguments in court because the procedure requires the use of clones and cloning is restricted. The book follows a variety of characters as they cope with the emotional atmosphere up to and after the decision.
I get swept away by books like these that explore what it’s like living in the skin of an unusual, unexpected person. Division puts us into the experiences of a twin who want to be free, showing us what life is like chained to another person. It shows us the struggle the other twin undergoes when he’s–in his mind–rejected by someone closer than a lover could ever be. It even examines how their struggle affects their mother, who’s loved them unconditionally from birth and must watch their relationship fall apart. It follows a girlfriend who believed she would, someday soon, marry two people in one body.
A variety of moral questions are opened without direct treatment, which was skillful and impressive. Should the twins be allowed to leave their body for clones? Should a court have the responsibility to decide the future of their lives? Can there ever be a “right” answer when both of them want something mutually exclusive? Yet the morality was never heavy-handed, but was instead a backdrop for the interesting and subtle character interactions.
This book is one of the beautiful pieces of self-published literature that inspires me. The author, Karen A. Wyle, has published several other books that I’m eager to check out. Not to get on my soapbox again, but meticulous attention to detail-–plot, character, premise, grammar–-is what makes people want to read books. You don’t have to be traditionally published, though you may have to work your bum off twice as hard to get noticed. I heartily recommend this book....more
Transcendent Tales: Volume I by Adam Train is a deviation from a typical book of short stories in a couple ways. First, it’s illustrated, which I enjoTranscendent Tales: Volume I by Adam Train is a deviation from a typical book of short stories in a couple ways. First, it’s illustrated, which I enjoyed: Illustrations are uncommon right now in books, and these enhanced the stories beautifully, catching the mood of the scene into which they were inserted. The second deviation I did not enjoy, which was that some of the longer stories had been chopped into parts, and not all the parts were included in this volume.
The storytelling itself is old school. The language and sentence construction is reminiscent of fantasies from years ago. One story, “The Voyage to Windward Atoll,” even reminded me of Edgar Allen Poe at the beginning and H.P. Lovecraft toward the end. Since I’m a sucker for both those authors, that story was one of my favorites.
Although not particularly heavy, the stories are nonetheless engaging. Whether fantasy, alternate history, or science fiction, they draw the reader into the world. I could feel the resolution of the Japanese samurai when faced with the Mongolian horde in “Saisho No Kamikaze.” I was drawn into the world of bureaucracy tainting the contact humanity made with a new species in “The Third Realm.”
Some of the extraneous words and grammar could be tightened up. I’m a stickler for dangling participles, one of the most frequent offenders in this collection. Possibly no one but professional editors and I would have noticed the problems.
My biggest frustration with this story collection is that at least one story, possibly two, were not wholly contained within. I was really into “The Treaty of Nine,” only to be told that the story continues in Part III, which is not included in the book. The last story, “The Third Realm,” was split into two parts, and I thought the end of the second part didn’t wrap the story up sufficiently. Is there more or not? I guess when Volume II comes out, we’ll find out.
Overall, the stories were engaging and enjoyable, but I’m disappointed in cliffhangers. If this were a regular periodical that came out perhaps quarterly, I would be less unhappy. I would have suspected and been prepared for missing story parts.
I gave this a 3.5 of 5 stars because of the somewhat meandering language and grammar, which could easily be fixed by an editor with a keen eye for detail. I also think this book should come with a disclaimer that the reader will be expected to pick up the next anthology to finish some of the stories. If like you science fiction, fantasy, and thorough world-building, you’ll enjoy this collection.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I, Walter is an excellent example of a book that has been well-researched, Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I, Walter is an excellent example of a book that has been well-researched, thoroughly plotted, and has voice yet doesn’t strike my fancy. To use a refrain I’ve used before, it was not written for me.
The book chronicles the life of a young boy who comes from a poverty-striken background, but through hard work and a humble demeanor, rises through the ranks of 1500′s England to nobility. Walter is writing his story at the end of his life, while his wife supportively looks over his shoulder and tempers his sometimes-too-hard-on-himself ruminations with her own perspective.
One of the reasons that this book caught my eyes was its strong voice in the opening chapter. I liked Walter and wanted to hear about his life. The voice continues throughout, as Walter examines his life. Both the good and bad aspects are examined, the things he worked hard for, and the mistakes that he made.
My biggest frustration with this book is its format is what I call “the Forrest Gump phenomenon,” a term I just coined but something I’ve seen in other books. For those who aren’t familiar with Forrest Gump (Lord, help me, I’m not that old, am I?), it was a 90′s movie that followed the life of a mentally handicapped man in the 60′s and 70′s as he overcomes obstacles and makes an impression on important historical events. Perpetually optimistic (blech), Forrest Gump nestled himself into the hearts of many movie-goers and won all kinds of awards.
Walter, while not mentally handicapped, is perpetually optimistic and leads a charmed life. The deviation from Forrest Gump is that everything turns up roses for Walter. He meets and falls in love with his future wife in only a few days, and nothing stands in the way of their marriage. Money seems to flow from everywhere into his pockets. His rise through the ranks of sailors in the British navy is quick and painless. Everybody loves him; he’s humble and kind.
Like I said, this isn’t for me. I like flawed protagonists, people making lesser-of-two-evils choices. I’d also call Walter “lawful good,” although that’s not precisely right. But he reminds me too much of Superman and his attitude, which has always grated on me.
If you’re tired of dark books and want something light with a fairy tale ending, this is the book for you. I enjoy dark books more often than not, so I found myself skimming, wishing more would happen to Walter, that his struggles would be deeper, harsher, grittier. I caught a few typos and copy editing issues, but overall, it didn’t detract from the book. A lot of good reviews have been posted on Goodreads and Amazon, so I realize I’m just an old grump. Check it out if this is the kind of thing you like.
This discussion delves further into the details of the book than most of my reviews because I have some issues with the ethical behavior of the authorThis discussion delves further into the details of the book than most of my reviews because I have some issues with the ethical behavior of the author of this book.
Though some might feel that a book recounting exorcisms is written on shaky foundation, I believe in the supernatural and, more specifically, the existence of evil spirits we call “demons.” I am not, however, a Christian, so I bring my own opinions to the reading of these stories, which is the impetus for this review. I believe that every spiritual explanation–from major religions to individual experiences–is like a blind man trying to describe an elephant. The observation touches on something true about the whole, but the interpretation misses the entire picture.
In Glimpses of the Devil, Dr. Peck, who is a psychiatrist and converted Christian, recounts two experiences where he acted as an exorcist. He holds these two cases up as proof of demonic possession. Enough evidence exists in what he presented that, if he has presented everything factually, I believe these are cases of true demon possession.
However, I disagree with his interpretation of events in two specific areas.
Glimpses of the Devil is described as a factual representation of events; however, it ends up as an autobiographical account of a man who decides, without religious or demonological training, to exorcise two patients. This becomes clear throughout the book as Dr. Peck wrestles with his decision. One of my chief concerns regarding all this is that he never asks, “Should I do further research into exorcisms beyond reading Malachi Martin‘s books?”
Mr. Martin is widely criticized in the exorcist community as writing sensational books full of half-truths and for decidedly un-Christian-like conduct, such as several affairs. Dr. Peck goes so far as to claim that no other handbook for exorcisms exists beyond Mr. Martin’s, which is patently untrue. Dr. Peck’s ignorance of the best practices in dealing with demons is evident from the beginning.
The first case is Jersey, a girl who has been possessed since she was twelve. Dr. Peck and his team exorcise her, which goes well. He then spends three weeks with her in psychoanalytic therapy, preparing her for re-entering the world.
After the exorcism, Dr. Peck is in contact with her over the years. During one visit, she explains to him that the demons still talk to her, but she is able to ignore them. In one instance, she told them to “shut the **** up,” and they did. However, out of curiosity, Dr. Peck asks to hypnotize her, as he did in the past, and to speak to the demons through her. She agrees and the resulting conversation is confusing. Nothing particularly demonic happens; instead, the entity speaking through Jersey identifies itself as a clerk living in Anaheim. He ends the hypnotic session and sees her rarely after that, though she, at press time, is happy, healthy, and no longer possessed.
I am appalled. Shame on you, Dr. Peck, for opening the door to allow a demon to speak through Jersey. I won’t be surprised if the ending to the story is that she ends up possessed again.
Look, I’m no expert, but I have read a few things and I have some common sense. One of the preeminent exorcists of our times, Father Gabriele Amorth, has given extensive precautionary information in An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories. These two books are not pea-soup-spitting horrors but are thoughtfully written tradesman’s books–discussions of the nuts and bolts and challenges facing exorcists. They could be about plumbing or IT development but are instead about exorcisms. At the time that Dr. Peck conducted his exorcisms, the books had not yet been written; however, I would expect a non-fiction published in 2005 to at least acknowledge the existence of Father Amorth’s books.
In his books, Father Amorth advises, quite sensibly, against engaging a demon in conversation. Assuming you believe demons are creatures of inherent evil and you aren’t interested in unleashing evil into the world, you can agree that you shouldn’t talk to them. Why? Because they lie. Even if they’re not lying about whatever you ask, how do you know that? You’re begging to be manipulated. What is there to learn, other than that they’re evil, which you already know?
It’s an exciting, gripping, fascinating world to step into. The lure of talking to something not human is immense. It’s no wonder the Catholic Church refuses to promote its work in the realm of exorcisms.
This deviation from “get the hell out of that woman” to “hey, guy, whatcha doin’ in there?” becomes prominent in the second patient’s exorcism. Dr. Peck is fascinated with the idea that Beccah is possessed by Satan, an evil creature millions of years old. He senses a giant, immoveable snake, as old as the world itself, coiled supernaturally around or inside of his patient. He wonders why it has possessed her. He asks it questions. He hypothesizes why it won’t leave her. He does everything except exorcise it.
I wasn’t there. I don’t know. Maybe it went differently, and his ruminations are for the book only. But the exorcism of Beccah took a subtle shift from the exorcism of Jersey. With Jersey, he very strongly orders the demons to leave for three days straight. With Beccah, he ends up falling to the floor weeping at one point and another team member must step in and complete the exorcism. Is it no wonder that it turned out the way it did?
I’m also uncomfortable with the conclusions that Dr. Peck has drawn, aided by Malachi Martin, about the reasons behind demonic possession. Both men claim that every possessed person is complicit in their possession, that to become possessed, one must open the door for that possession, even if only a crack.
When the first patient Jersey was twelve, her father molested her. She allowed him to do it because he claimed to be a medical doctor and was “examining” her after her appendix was removed. He held a PhD and was a practicing psychologist but was not a medical doctor.
Dr. Peck claims that at twelve years old, Jersey knew the difference between a psychologist and a medical doctor. Though he doesn’t outright blame her, he explains that in not protesting what her father did to her, she created a kind of cognitive dissonance that allowed the demons to gain a foothold. She willfully believed a lie, and therefore, she opened the door to being possessed.
Are you kidding me, Dr. Peck?
I have no idea why that poor girl was possessed, but the only proof the author had that her demonic interference started at twelve was her word while she was possessed. It could have been one of the demons speaking through her to hide the real timing and cause of the possession. Her bad behavior only starts manifesting in her twenties. Why did the demons wait so long?
And I just don’t agree with the idea of Jersey bringing this on herself because she was molested. “Oh,” Dr. Peck says, “you didn’t bring the molestation on yourself; however, you did bring the possession on yourself.”
In healing psychological trauma, it’s important to identify and acknowledge all feelings. Thus in a rape, a victim might say, “I feel that I brought this on myself.” While this may be a turning point for the victim, the turning point is because he or she is releasing that negative thought. A follow-up might be an acknowledgement that she didn’t bring it on herself or perhaps that she could have taken a different route home but had no way of knowing what would happen. It is not suddenly a fact that the victim brought the horrific tragedy on herself just because she thinks she did. It’s psychologically freeing–which we see in the case of Jersey–but that doesn’t make it true.
This preoccupation becomes even more apparent in Beccah’s case, and Dr. Peck’s search for the moment of her possession may have distracted him from being useful to her. Beccah was found wandering six streets away from her home when she was eighteen months old. Though little is known of her mother beyond that she was seen by Beccah as evil, this is exceedingly atypical behavior by a child in that age range, as asserted by Dr. Peck himself. Non-traumatized children nine months to several years old are afraid of strangers and cling desperately to their mothers. That Beccah ran away from home before she could talk says that she was already maladjusted, due to her circumstances, well before she had a choice in the matter.
While it is important to note that everyone has a choice and that choice is important in defeating a demon, we are all victims of our circumstances. A woman may end up being narcissistic because she was genetically predisposed and her mother modeled that behavior; she may free herself from it by taking responsibility for her actions. Going in is not a choice, but coming out is.
The very definition of a demon is a creature that preys on human victims. Have we forgotten what victims are? They’re victims. And it’s not a far stretch to believe that supernatural creatures intent on anguish and destruction choose innocents. It’s comforting to tell ourselves that we won’t ever be targets because we don’t do anything to invite evil into our lives, but that smacks of untruth.
I admire Dr. Peck’s open discussions, including failings that he freely admits. The books was fascinating, but I’m cautious about naming the elephant. Whenever we delve too far into specifics when it comes to religion, we become distracted and unable to see the entire picture. Though it’s obvious that “invoking “he name of Jesus Christ” holds sway over demons, that doesn’t prove that every piece of Christian dogma is correct. Exorcisms have been performed successfully for thousands of years across all cultures and religions, despite what the Catholic church might want people to believe.
I’m convinced that there’s evil in the world. And sometimes, we can do nothing to stop being swept away by it. Educating ourselves on all aspects of evil and opening ourselves to understanding beyond our own narrow worldview will aid in defeating it in our own lives and as collective humanity.
A Warrior's Path contains an interesting perspective on a different social structure than is present in other fantasy I've read. Although I had troublA Warrior's Path contains an interesting perspective on a different social structure than is present in other fantasy I've read. Although I had trouble getting into the book, the hierarchy and interplay of beliefs gave me something to think about.
This book's society is a strict caste-based culture, where every rank can only inter-marry within itself and all its members are prescribed certain careers and magical abilities. The story follows several people who discover that they have abilities--and desires--outside their own caste, as they fight a goddess bent on destroying humanity. The moral implications are intriguing: In a time and place when humanity should band together against its impending doom, people are squabbling over the color of skin and talents they believe shouldn't overlap between castes.
The different characters' perspectives on the caste system were varied. Some were traditional and believed that anyone operating outside of the rules was "tainted." Some are in between, not sure which way their loyalties lay. And some were open to accept people as people, despite their background or magical abilities. The morality was a bit heavy-handed, but the caste system unique enough that it kept me interested.
One of the best parts were the villains on the side of the mad goddess. However, a lot was left unresolved and open for a follow-up book, which left me disappointed that we didn't learn more about the plans and happenings of that sect.
I struggled to get into the book because of the excessive world-building and back story. Especially at the beginning, I felt I was reading an essay the author had written on how the society functions and who the characters are. Rather than revealing how the caste system worked bit by bit, it was dumped at the beginning and I found myself skimming, unable to follow everything and everyone. There were a lot of characters, and even at the end, I was only clear on a few of the main ones.
If you're interested in exploring implications of different societal structures, you'll be interested in A Warrior's Path. Note that the story doesn't wrap up at the end but is part of an on-going series.
Note: I received a free copy of Memes of Loss and Devotion in exchange for an honest review.
Publishing a short story anthology as a debut novel is a cNote: I received a free copy of Memes of Loss and Devotion in exchange for an honest review.
Publishing a short story anthology as a debut novel is a courageous decision. Somehow, reading a collection of short stories feels as though it requires additional effort from me, the reader. I’m in each one for a shorter amount of time, but because there are more stories, it feels like the book wants more from me. Yet in this book, every story is as strong as the next and none were included “just because.”
What I loved most is the voice. The title, Memes of Loss and Devotion, evokes a feeling that carries throughout. Each story is told in a breathy, haunting way. Each story made me feel. Each story made me consider something I had never considered before.
I had an issue with the grammar, which seems to deteriorate as the book progresses. Most of the time, the syntax issues didn’t bother me as much as usual--which is saying something for Mr. White’s storytelling ability, since I’m such a stickler for details--however, I got lost sometimes. Some of that was wacky dialogue tags, and some of it was the way the story was written. At times it got too ephemeral for me, and I wasn’t sure who we were focused on or what was going on.
I had a love-hate relationship with the way the stories ended. Almost every one finished too soon. I wanted more: More explanation, more story, more grounding. Yet every story ended at the right place for what Mr. White wants the reader to experience. He doesn’t give answers. He gives only questions.
If you enjoy the moral and spiritual implications of science fiction, I would recommend this book. If it had been professionally edited, I would likely have given it a 4 or even a 4.5, but I found the errors too distracting to fully get behind the book.
Each story gives you something to chew on long after you close the pages. I’m still sitting on the hill with that little girl and the elder alien, considering what it must be like for a primitive race whose wildest imaginings were made laughable by the arrival of space farers. And that’s exactly what good science fiction should do.
My dear book-loving friends, I want to take a moment to talk about something I never intended to discuss: Cover art. I am far fro*steps on my soapbox*
My dear book-loving friends, I want to take a moment to talk about something I never intended to discuss: Cover art. I am far from an expert on self-publishing, being that I’m currently staggering through the process for the first time; however, I can tell you one thing with certainty: Bad cover art will cost you readers.
Mr. Heldt was the first person to approach me to review a book. To be frank, if I’d waited a few more days to see the number of requests I’ve started getting for book reviews after listing myself on The Indie View and The Book Blogger List, I would have likely turned him down. Why? Because the cover is amateur, incorrect for the genre, and arranged in an unartistic manner. The thought that followed me as I prepared to read it was, “The inside is going to be just as amateur and unartistic.”
More experienced self-pubbers have written about this at length, so I’ll leave you with a link to get you started: The Book Designer’s e-Book Cover Design Awards. The phrase is “Don’t judge a book by its cover” because it’s what we all do. Find an awesome cover artist, such as Regina Wamba, with whom I’m currently working, and make sales.
*steps off my soapbox*
I’m happy to say that the story contained within the eyesore cover has voice and is well-edited. Mr. Heldt has obviously taken the oodles of wisdom available on the internet and applied it to his self-publishing career. (And, heck, maybe he likes that cover. So. I mean. If you like it, too, more power to you.)
As to the story itself, I’m going to go with an old refrain: This story was not written for me.
It’s a quiet book, one with researched details and the feel of the 1940′s. The characters were well-developed with believable motivation. The ending was touching, surprising, and pulled me right in. It kept me frantically turning the pages to see what was going to happen.
However, I’m not a huge fan of historical romance and that’s what this truly is. The only science fiction part of the novel is when our main character Joel slips between times through the mine shaft. I found myself skimming in the middle, wanting something to happen. Others might be taken in by the love story between Grace and Joel, but I wasn’t. I liked them both and needed to find out how their story would end, but I wanted more to happen. The story wasn’t big enough for me.
If you’re a fan of historical romance and enjoy slipping into another time period, I would recommend this book. If you’re looking for some science fiction / portal fantasy fare, I’d give it a pass.
Confronting the Demon is an impressive debut fantasy novella that feels as though it’s part of a larger body of work. It was short but action-packed, Confronting the Demon is an impressive debut fantasy novella that feels as though it’s part of a larger body of work. It was short but action-packed, and the short story “A Magical Melody” included at the end was a fun bonus. And this from a cynical grump who doesn’t usually like bonus material.
I loved the thoroughness of the world building. The summoned demons, the opulent citadel, and the fleshed out sorcery hinted at more going on beyond the pages of the story. I enjoyed the twists and turns of Alloran and Gisayne’s relationship with one another and the antagonist Ladanyon. So much was skittering under the surface that it made the character interactions real.
The descriptions of demons were fascinating, but you would expect that from someone who has a Pinterest page called Demons and Darkness. The demons in this book come from different levels of hell, each one increasing in power as the numbers decrease. The hellcats from the seventh level of hell are the weakest–but their claws still sting like needles. And the first-level demon fought in the climax, with tentacles tearing apart the city, made me want to scream, “RELEASE THE KRAKEN.”
It doesn’t take much for me to yell that, though. If I had a catch phrase, that might be it.
One of the best complaints an author can receive is that their work is too short, and this is one of the few drawbacks I can muster about this book. It feels like an extended short story, so it lacks sub-plots that one would normally expect in a full novel. (I don’t read a lot of novellas, but I assume this is usual.) I wanted to meet Alloran, Ladanyon, and Gisayne’s peers, pull back the curtain into their lives, and delve into their back stories.
Confronting the Demon is a quick, engrossing read, and I recommend fantasy fans to both buy it and keep an eye on Ms. Ballintyne. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store. I liked this novella so much I asked her to write a post for my blog Magic & Mayhem Book Reviews, so go check out her review of The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett from Friday....more
The Haunting Season is a spooky, fast-paced read. I love getting that "can't put down, must finish as soon as possible" feeling about a book, and thisThe Haunting Season is a spooky, fast-paced read. I love getting that "can't put down, must finish as soon as possible" feeling about a book, and this one grabbed my throat and forced me onto my couch when I should have been doing stuff.
Its four main characters arrive at a haunted house that's, even at first glance, hiding something. I love old mansions, and this one has sinister personality. I don't care what was lurking, I'd start combing through the endless rooms of the Siler House as soon as I arrived, which our main character Jess does. Awesome.
Jess soon realizes that her invitation to participate in a science experiment about her paranormal abilities is more than it seems. As she opens doors, she uncovers the secret of the evil child Riley and his dead nieces. This is how I imagined Riley, especially near the end:
Each chapter is paced well and left me flipping to the next to find out what would happen next. As each secret is revealed, the book leaves you doubting the motives--and sometimes sanity--of Jess's companions and hosts.
The grammar was clean and the language crisp; however, I felt at times that the writing voice was less mature than it should have been. Jess is eighteen, but the book sounds years younger. Additionally, Ms. Muto included a romantic sub-plot that I felt was unnecessary and jarring against its youthful voice. I would have loved to see it replaced with something more in the vein of the horror and supernatural, perhaps some further back story about our band of heroes.
The Haunting Season kept me on the edge of my seat. If you're looking for some fun Halloween fare, I'd recommend it.
Discoredia is the story of a rave gone awry, and I can’t decide what I think about it. While it’s well-imagined, it’s not well-executed. It’s visceralDiscoredia is the story of a rave gone awry, and I can’t decide what I think about it. While it’s well-imagined, it’s not well-executed. It’s visceral, but ugly. Pulse-pounding, but haphazard. I can’t decide if this book is what the author intended or if it’s something that got away from him.
First, I was distracted and dismayed at how grammatically error-ridden this book was: Misplaced commas, missing apostrophes, and incorrect homonyms (“heal” for “heel” is an easy one, guys). It distracted from the work, and sometimes I slogged when I should have glided. The blame for this I place squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Michael’s small press publisher, Books of the Dead Press. If this passed over the desk of a professional copy editor, which I doubt, I’d fire that person immediately.
*Steps on soap box*
I’m disappointed on behalf of authors everywhere, and on behalf of Mr. Michael, specifically. With traditional publishing more cut-throat than ever and self-publishing becoming a viable option, small presses need to work harder than ever to prove their worth. The non-existent editing in this manuscript tells me that this publisher isn’t serious about contending in the marketplace.
*Steps off soap box*
Besides that, I’m not the book’s intended audience. While I vehemently support freedom of choice in all hot-button political issues, I’m not interested in imbibing, swallowing, injecting, or snorting drugs. I will occasionally have one glass of wine too many, and the next day is enough to remind me why I do that once per year. This book was written to capture the adrenaline-laced, hallucinatory high that common rave drugs induce. I’m only mildly interested, mostly from an academic perspective. I don’t understand drug use, and consequently, drug users.
Ultimately, I didn’t like the haphazard storytelling. Too many things were left swinging in the wind: Unresolved back story, a plot that dragged for too long and ended too soon once things started getting interesting, dubious villain motivation, and a cacophony of characters that I couldn’t make sense of. Part of me wonders if those elements were purposeful, but part of me suspects it simply needed a heavy developmental edit along with its need for copy edits.
Despite the drawbacks, I never regretted reading this book. If, unlike me, you can remove the stick from your rectal orifice long enough to dive into the bad-ass shit going down, you’ll enjoy this book. The writer has voice and potential.
I’m a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings. The darker, the better. Scarlette doesn’t disappoint, although it wasn’t what I expected.
The story deviates fI’m a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings. The darker, the better. Scarlette doesn’t disappoint, although it wasn’t what I expected.
The story deviates from the fairy tale plot that we all know and love, but it doesn’t disappoint. In this book, the “wolf” is both real and figurative. Scarlette, our protagonist, lives in the mid-1700s France, in a small town that is frightened and shocked by animal attacks on the population. Her mother is terrible to her, her employer is a lecherous old man, and she’s struggling to feed herself and keep a roof over her head. Scarlette’s grandmother is the only light in her life… but poor granny doesn’t last very long.
As the attacks intensify, Scarlette becomes confused and overwrought. She makes friends with a rich nobleman, who isn’t what he seems. Or is he? Good ol’ Marquis de Sade gets a minor role–which is always a great way to solidify a place in my heart.
The woodcutter guild was an interesting aspect that I wish was explored in greater detail. Scarlette’s friendship with a woodcutter who saves her is on shaky ground–especially since the guild kidnapped her previously, adding to her disorientation and confusion. I would have loved to see the story finish on a darker note than it did, but, after all, it is a fairy tale. Happy ever after mandatory?
Scarlette blends paranormal, romance, and historical fiction into an interesting story. I’ve tried to decide if this is Young Adult or Adult, and because of the dark tone and theme, I would consider it Adult. The details of 1700′s France are fascinating. The older I get, the more I appreciate historical fiction, and Ms. Juroe did a great job creating that time period.
If you like fairy tale re-tellings or paranormal historicals, I would suggest this book. A solid four of five stars, and I’m looking forward to more of the author’s books.