Our Contest (Bystanders #4)

 

Author Phillip Murrell Provided a print copy of Our Contest : Bystanders #4 for review.

The final book in the Bystander series certainly does not disappoint. 

Too many main characters to focus on here, many individual storylines interwoven with the main story. It is difficult for me to even call it a good versus evil story. From the Earth peoples viewpoint certainly the "Malignant" are evil. But taking a view of the ongoing "contest" between the combatants lead by Father and those lead by Mother kind of erases those distinctions for me. 

Great for fans of technology, mythology, over the top action and intricate story-telling. So, Father and Mother seem to be playing out this contest throughout the universe and the final conflict is to take place on earth. Lucky earth. 

With six weeks to go before that battle, we see all the various characters prepare and continues to works towards their individual goals while they can. For me, the story started a bit slow. Probably because I hate waiting. But when the stuff actually hits the fan, WOW! The action is intense and nonstop. Loved it. 

Author Murrell does a good job of tying up all the loose ends. I like that. I had no "But what about ..." questions. A very good conclusion to a wildly inventive series. I recommend it if you want a lot of action, crime, drama, politics, well, you name it genre wise it is probably here. Enjoy!

Mike

Gabriella Gigabyte: Secret of the King Cobra

I won a print copy of  Gabriella Gigabyte: Secret of the King Cobra in a Goodreads Giveaway.

This book is directed at young teens or earlier and hits that mark well. Our heroine Gabriella is, among other things, a computer wiz. She often spends time in her father's shop solving computer problems no one else can. 

As with most books of this genre, Gabriella Gigabyte: Secret of the King Cobra highlights the abilities of the children over their parents or other adults. The positive difference for me is that adults in this book are not ineffectual clowns. Dad isn't a buffoon, mom is not a clueless socialite. They are both quite the opposite. A good balance. There are quite a few twists that surprised even an adult reader like me.

Gabriella, in true heroine fashion, does find clues and answers using her own gifts and abilities. Over all a fun and uplifting story that does not denigrate the family but supports it. Very refreshing. I give it top marks as a book targeted to a younger audience. Enjoy!

Mike 
 

Rico Stays

Author Ed Duncan provided a print copy of Rico Stays the third book in the Pigeon-Blood Red series.

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series; Pigeon-Blood Red and The Last Straw, I was glad to get to check out this new chapter in the story of Richard aka "Rico" Sanders, the hit man with his owns set of morals.

Rico is definitely not the man to mess with, as we learn again. This time he is protecting his girlfriend from the idiot son of a local mob boss. Even the boss knows better than to cross Rico. Of course if he left Rico alone we wouldn't have much of a story would we?

Lots of mafia-style action and violence. We meet up with characters from the previous books. There is a romantic story line (actually two). Basically a story of right versus wrong within a setting of organized crime. I had more than a little of a noir feel to me.

Author Duncan does an excellent job of fleshing out his characters and if not necessarily endearing them to us, at least engaging us to root for them. Some of the characters' machismo overrules their intelligence. Kind of like the old Bugs Bunny cartoons where Bugs would say, "If I do it, I get a whipping, ...I do it" These characters say "If I mess with Rico I die... I mess with him." You can guess the outcome. But a good twist at the end keeps us on our toes. 

All around, a good example of mafia noir crime action. Enjoy!

Mike

The Fair (Time box #2)

 

Author John Heldt provided me with an e-version of The Fair (Time Box #2) for review.

This second entry in the Time Box series brings back all the things we have come to expect in a John A. Heldt work. We get history, romance, action and adventure wrapped in a tightly crafted story.

The Lane family continues to evade the evil Robert Devereaux who wants to exploit time travel for his own wicked ends. The family, with help in the present time continues to foil plans to kill them all.

Sounds dark but the author (as always) has the ability to keep a dark story line in check by endearing the main characters to us. We join a family dealing with love and loss, new friendships, historic events (This time the Chicago World's Fair) first love and the problems of being 21st century people trying to adapt to 17th century society. A lot of humor is mined from these social differences. 

What I enjoyed most about this installment was the repartee. Heldt does not shy away from dialogue, and he shouldn't, he is a master at the banter between lovers, the teasing between siblings, serious talks, and colorful ancillary characters.

The depth of emotion he brings to the page is tremendous. He has the gift of bringing his characters to life and engaging the reader to really care about the Lane family. We feel their sadness and joy equally. At one point I was shouting at the characters in my mind, "Don't go there! It's bad!"  I don't often catch myself talking to characters in a book. 

We also get a healthy dose of history, mostly around the Chicago World's Fair including serial killer H.H.Holmes (that's as close to a spoiler as you'll get from me), but we also get a peek into Virginia City, Nevada.

In keeping with what I see as Mr. Heldt's evolution as an author, we get more violence (not particularly graphic) and, more sexuality (again, not graphic but some of it disturbing). The Fair is not an adult oriented book per se, but it is following a trend of more mature content in Mr. Heldt's work. I personally see this as a good thing because, for me, it makes for a more realistic read. My opinion, take it with as many grains of salt as necessary. 

Fans of John A. Heldt's writing (and I am definitely one) will find more of what we read his books to get. History, romance, action and adventure, in a well written, clean (big plus), engaging and entertaining read. Enjoy!

Mike

Hella

I won a print copy of Hella by David Gerrold in a Goodreads Giveaway. I was given an uncorrected manuscript. It goes on sale officially 6/16/20, aka tomorrow. The only difficulty in reading for me was, no chapters. When I take a break from reading, I like to use chapter breaks as convenient stopping point. Didn't have that option here. Worth it to get to read this story prior to release.

I really enjoyed this book. Told from the point of view of a teenage (on Earth) boy who used to be a girl. Kyle appears to have a disorder of some sort, perhaps autism or Asperger's or the like. He has an implant which helps him function more "normally", but some people are put off by his lack of emotion.

Hella is an Earth colony on a planet that is larger than Earth, has a weaker gravitational pull and higher levels of oxygen in the atmosphere. Everything grows to incredible size; Hella-big. 

We follow Kyle as he navigates life in the colony. Aside from the inevitable political conflicts and machinations which are well developed and interestingly voiced, the author paints a vivid picture of the flora and fauna of the Hellan landscape. 

Because of the severe weather patterns of the planet, a major part of the story is the trek to Winterland, the site for colder weather living. 

We wind up with an interesting take on the Scooby Gang taking on the bad guys.

Although many references to, shall we say alternative lifestyles and sexuality, there is no real sex. 

Gigantic animals, humongous plants, young love, more mature love, wicked politicians and technology that is at times very useful and at times stifling to actual societal growth. All on a planet that can be openly hostile to human occupation.

Altogether a Hella-fun fantasy read. Enjoy!

Mike

The Silliest Stories Out Of Bustleburg America's Worst City

I received a copy of The Silliest Stories Out Of Bustleburg America's Worst City for review.

For starters, this is the most appropriately titled book I have read if not ever, at least in a long, long time. 

Bustleburg is indeed America's Worst City. It is so dystopic that they can't even see dystopic from their houses. The city has no redeeming social value. 

The denizens of this plane crash, train wreck, volcanic aftermath of a city are well equipped to live in this (insert your own horrific descriptor here). 

Told by various citizens of the city, life is described in a series of short stories. Misery, discomfort, and danger are the status quo. 

You may be thinking to yourself that this must be a dark dreary book. But you would be thinking incorrectly. The stories are so bizarre as to make the reader laugh at the incongruities. 

Talk about escapist fiction, no connection to reality here folks. Check your sense of logic and justice at the door. This book is tongue planted firmly in the cheek fun.

I found it to be a refreshing break from more serious reads. Enjoy!

Mike

The Cold Hearth (The Atheling Chronicles #3)

Author Garth Petterson provided an ecopy of The Cold Hearth Book 3 of The Atheling Chronicles for review.

This was quite a story, of course action and adventure, violence and mayhem; but also tenderness and caring, duty and honor and living with integrity.

Set during early history in "Engla-lond", we have the story of Harald, son of King Cnute, and the love of his life Selia, trying to live a life out of the politics of the throne. Lots of political intrigue for sure, action and violence enough, but what spoke to me was the depth of characters development. None of the main characters fall into the easy trap of one dimensionality. They are developed with such depth that the story could be a primer for adult development. Harald and all his cohorts live by a definite creed of integrity and even when provoked, do not vary from it. 

In fact, I view the story as more of a comment on this personal integrity than on the political situation at the forefront. Several characters come to confront past wrongs committed and found their own redemption. Author Petterson does a great job painting a mental picture of the physical locations and of the people that inhabit the story. Just a fabulous story of personal honor and integrity in hard times. 

The Cold Hearth is a great story to get lost in. The times, the people and the location will wholly draw the reader into a comfortable, magic (without magic) land you won't want to leave. Enjoy!

Mike

Sleepers and Scouts (Bystanders #3)

Back to escapist fiction

Author Phillip Murrell provided a print copy of Sleepers and Scouts (Bystander#3) for review.

This third installment of the four book Bystanders series continues the saga of a world changed by the activities of the "Augmented" people who have suddenly developed superpowers of all kinds. As is the way in the real world, their are some augments with good intentions and some with less than good intentions (probably wouldn't have much of a story without this dichotomy). 

Lots and lots of action and as Iv'e said before; acknowledgement at least of most every social justice construct you can think of. Thankfully not preachy, hit you over the head indoctrination just part of the story. 

Still some secrets to be revealed to bring satisfactory conclusion to the story (I guess that's why there is a fourth book).

I'm still liking the overall story line which is coalescing more as the books progress. If you are not up on your mythological characters, you will be after reading this series. This is a big part of what I enjoy about this book and the whole series, the interplay between mythical characters from differing eras acting as though they have always all been together. 

The only real drawback for me though is the over abundance of augment characters. There are getting to be so many of them that they are getting hard to follow. But that could just be my tired old brain. I was glad to see that Papa Nutmare mellowed out in this book.

The one description that defines this book and series for me is; over the top. All the aspects of this story are over the top; story lines characters, situations, action, violence. You name it, it's over the top. But that is what is keeping it fun, at least for me. Realistic? Not even close. Escapist? You betcha Red Ryder. Enjoy!

Mike  

The Unseen Realm

The same friend that loaned me Reversing Hermon loaned me The Unseen Realm By the same author, Michael S. Heiser.

The focus of The Unseen Realm is to read the Scipture with the understanding of the time in which they were written. In other words with an understanding or at least acknowledgement of the supernatural (read divine) realm. Spoiler: (yep actually doing one) The heavenly Realm is not just God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is huge, all the various beings which also inhabit this realm are many and varied.

The author posits that very few pastors have given a sermon based on Psalm 82. The first verse which states : God stands in the divine assembly; He administers judgement in the midst of the gods (Lexham English Bible). HUH? 

Therein lies the focus of this book. Big "G" God vs little "g" gods. How God chose the Jews as his people and how the rest of us are brought back to Him. There is so much in this book that illustrates how reading scripture with our current world and universe view lets us miss much of the message. Indeed how viewing history through the lens of current mores rather than the ethos of the historical time are detrimental to understanding.

My favorite part? The discussion of Armageddon. It blew my mind but made perfect sense. Again, not an easy read. You have to pay attention closely to what is being shared. The author backs up his claims with the usual dedication and academic integrity. 

So, there you have it; my first, and hopefully last, spoiler. For Christians with questions, The Unseen Realm by Michael S. Heiser is worth your time and attention. Enjoy!

Mike

Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ

A friend loaned me a copy of Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ. The purpose was to expand my Biblical knowledge, not necessarily for a review, but I thought I would share my reactions anyway.

Dr. Michael S. Heiser has authors many books on Biblical topics. He delves deeply into Scripture helping illuminate the meaning to lay-people such as myself.

Reversing Hermon focuses on Genesis 6, 1-4; The "Sons of God" mating with the Daughters of Man". Though this reference is short (4 verses) the author goes into great detail (a whole book) about how this carries on through history and the problems it continues to cause. 

I don't consider myself Biblically illiterate, but I experienced so much more depth to my understanding. Heiser offers levels of understanding that are rarely examined in the usual Church sermon. and "The Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ" is something I had never been taught or considered.

The author provides an abundance of references to back his ideas. All of his claims are well defended and documented. 

Sharing even his main thoughts here would be a disservice to potential readers because you really need to follow the thread of his logic to fully understand what he's teaching here. So spoilers would be more detrimental than usual here.

Reversing Hermon is not designed to convert the non-believer, but to enhance the understanding of the Christian believer. As my friend told me before I read the book "You'll never look at your bible the same way again" She was right. Enjoy!

Mike

The Lane Betrayal

Happy day, it's here! The Lane Betrayal first entry in the new Time Box series. Author John A Heldt provided an ecopy for review.

John Heldt has become one of my favorite (actually, my very favorite) authors. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all his previous works. 

The Lane Betrayal is no exception. As usual Mr. Heldt has surpassed previous works with this new entry. Not surprising, he seems to do that with each new series he writes. He keeps setting his personal bar higher and higher. Okay, enough gushing.

This new series does present a bit of a departure from Heldt's usual work; more emphasis on suspense and action. His work continues to be directed at a more mature audience. Not "R" rated by any means, think "G" moving to "PG-13". We still have his trademark attention to detail, on both the historical level (Civil War) and personal level. His characters are well developed and sympathetic. We are drawn into their lives immediately. There are also serious bad guys this time around; life and death serious.

Time travel of course, but presented with a different feel, more serious and less light-hearted than earlier works. The gist of the story: The Lane family takes to the past (the closing days of the Civil War) in an effort to thwart the unethical plans of his partner in a tech firm that has developed a time travel device. Of course the family's actions do not completely derail the dastardly schemes of his former partner (wouldn't be a very long book if they did now would it?) and they have to contend with being pursued by a hit man out to get them.

This leads to a much more suspenseful story filled with great detail and focus on historic figures without losing the family dynamic we have come to enjoy and expect in Heldt's work. I have to say, one of the best parts of the book for me was the tip of the hat to John Jakes North and South. It was a fun addition to the story.

As I said, more mature themes; war (I mean c'mon the Civil War?), adult relationships (Yep, someone actually has sex, tasteful of course) politics, intrigue, suspense, it's all here. Can't wait to continue this series. Enjoy!

Mike

Bystanders II: Trophy Hunters

Trophy Hunters is the second entry in the Bystanders four book series. The author provided the full series for review.

A good followup to the first book in the series. Still over the top action (violent action), more development of main characters and more clarity as to the motives of Votary and their team. I submit to the social justice pronoun convention here because the gender of Votary has not yet been established. This demonstrates the observation I made about the previous book; an abundance of social justice themes. We have gays and lesbians, straight people, strong women, toxic men, yada, yada, yada. Fortunately the story takes precedence over any social justice moralizing or I would be out of here. Even with social topics I may agree with, I read for entertainment not moralizing. Thankfully, while the inclusion of these themes is noticeable, I don't find them overly preachy. The main story is action.

I have to say, the first chapter is probably one of the best single chapters I have ever read in a book. It laid the foundation for the twists and turns to come. There are many different characters woven into the story and we can readily identify their place. Although there is one character whose inclusion still has me perplexed: Papa Nutmare. This character is the most offensive (or funny, depending on your particular viewpoint) "shock jock" ever. Makes Howard Stern look like Billy Graham. But I am looking forward to how he fits into the overall mosaic. 

As a 64 year old reader, there are things I have to get past (Papa Nutmare, sheesh) and probably the current thing would to be to say 'Trigger warning" (hate that warning), but it's fiction, grow up.

So, is this old coot enjoying the Bystanders series, including Trophy Hunters? You betcha. Enjoy!

Mike

Bystanders

Author Phillip Murrell provided the first three books in the Bystanders series for review. Apologies to him for taking so long to get to them. I wrestled with the decision to read all three books and review them as a series or to do them individually. I am currently half way through the second book, and even though they are not stand alone books I think individually is the way to go. 

After reading the first chapter of Bystanders I seriously thought my testosterone levels had probably increased. The action while not completely nonstop, it was darn close. We start with a superhero (maybe?) suddenly making an appearance in the small town of Colberton. 

Many interweaving story lines with pretty well developed characters, quite a complex story. This would be my complaint about this book: too much. It seems like the author doesn't want to leave out any social group almost too much of a nod to inclusivity. There are strong females able to kick male butt, sensitive males, hardcore toxic males, gays, mental disorders, military style tech, females fighting the patriarchy, teenage angst and parental dysfunction, the usual assortment of good guys and bad guys. I was overwhelmed by the diversity of the characters and their own stories. By the time I finished this first installment I came to the conclusion that there really weren't any of the characters that should be edited out of the story. It just requires a bit more attention on the part of the reader.

Good start to the series, we aren't given much in the way of backstory for our semi-superhero which was another argument in favor of completing the three books as one. But I have since learned that the series extends beyond three books so that pretty much ends the argument.

Overall really enjoyed the book and looking forward to continuing the story. But I am hoping for more answers. Over the top in all aspects (that's a good thing) taking the reader on a very wild ride. Open the book, start reading and hang on! Enjoy!

Mike

The Dane Law (The Athelin Chronicles book #2)

Author Garth Petterson provided an ecopy of The Dane Law for review. 

Although this is the second book in the series, and I have not read the first, I didn't feel as though I was missing much. Which I take to mean the story is written to be a stand alone. 

Set in Engla-lond, we have a story of Viking political intrigue. Very good character development. Great action sequences, just the right amount of humor and even a bit of sex thrown in for good measure. 

The author did a good job of keeping me guessing as to who would eventually align with whom. Broken loyalties, shifting alliances, ruling class politics blended into a readable and engrossing story. 

I would definitely like to read more from this author. I'm not really an expert of the whole Viking genre, but I did enjoy Pettersen's take. Enjoy!

Mike

The Gift of the Quoxxel

I was provided an ecopy of The Gift of the Quoxxel  by Richard Titus for review. I had a hard time deciding into what genre this story should be categorized. The best comparison I can come up with is if Dr. Seuss woke up in The Twilight Zone.

The story itself is fun and light hearted. It is set on an island nation ruled by a truly eccentric monarch and inhabited by a truly Seuss like menagerie of people and animals. When I gave up trying to "figure out" the meaning or purpose of the story, I just sat back and enjoyed it. 

The gift of this story, at least for me, is the opportunity to just enjoy a fun story. Good job Richard Titus. Enjoy!

Mike

2020 When Hindsight Becomes Foresight

Author Amy Joy provided an ecopy of 2020 When Hindsight Becomes Foresight for review. I have reviewed several of this authors works and she is a personal friend. That said : I HATED THIS BOOK!

Those of you who pay attention to star ratings may be asking: Why then did you give it 5 stars? I'll tell you, because it is very well written. The main character, Dodge, is very sympathetic and endearing. Other characters are equally well developed. The premise is intriguing, waking up as your much younger self with the mental capacities of your adult self. This is all the foreknowledge I had before beginning this book, the way I prefer it. Without going into an explanation that would require spoilers, suffice it to say, the book went into a completely unexpected direction. 

After I read the book I told Amy Joy that had she given me more info on the story line I would have declined the opportunity to read the book. I had such a visceral reaction the the story that I was upset for days (recalling the story to write this review is raising my blood pressure). This is actually a testament to Amy Joy's writing ability. To be able to elicit such a reaction demonstrates ability.  

The topic itself is the problem for me, and I freely admit it is my problem. Most readers do not share my personal emotional buttons and will not be so affected.

So, as usual, Amy Joy is a terrific talent. 2020... is probably the best book I have ever hated. Enjoy, (you probably will, I didn't)!

Mike