Author A. J. Vega provided a print copy of Soul Census for review.
Soul Census is the first installment in the Soul Census Trilogy, and a fantastic first installment it is. A. J. Vega is another indie author keeping the quality of indie writing at the highest level. He has set himself a huge task in continuing this story. It is that good.
It is difficult for me to find a genre with which to label Soul Census. It is fantasy, spirituality, reincarnation, love, suspense, history and much much more. Parts of the story are told in the spirit of 50's noir, part in contemporary suspense, at times humorous, horrific, romantic and redemptive. There is just so much going on here. You are starting to see why it is hard to pigeon-hole.
Suffice to say, Soul Census firmly has a place in the category of "darn good book".
As for the story itself, we enjoy the eternal conflict of good vs evil, eternal love, eternal creation (are you sensing a theme here?). Soul Census touches metaphorically on spiritual, religious and political topics. A very intricate tale with characters whose existences are intertwined across the ages. The story actually spans approximately 1.5 million years and countless lifetimes.
Although not a cliffhanger ending in the classic sense (thank you A.J. Vega), Soul Census does leave the reader hungry to continue the story. There is action, sometimes graphic, At times in the "real" world and at times on the etheric plane. To try and condense the flavor of the story into a few sentences would be an injustice of mythic (perhaps even Biblical) proportion. A complex and intricate story yet surprisingly easy to follow.
Soul Census by A.J. Vega is a fantastic read which I believe will have you waiting as eagerly as I am to continue the adventure. I strongly recommend checking this book out. Enjoy!
Mike
Monday, September 4, 2017
Monday, August 28, 2017
The Dark Crystal (The Adventures of Xanthus Book 1)
I was given an ecopy of The Dark Crystal (The Adventures of Xanthus Book 1) by Francis Mills for review.
The Dark Crystal is a light fantasy adventure. Although it deals with a heavy theme, it still reads as a light adventure. We have good and bad guys, some who want to rule the world (there is always somebody who wants to rule the world, right?)
The Dark Crystal is the first installment of the Adventures of Xanthus trilogy. At only 118 pages it is a quick fun read. The story is set up fairly well for continuation in the next two books. The story line is not all that complicated, generally a quest tale. For the most part I would say The Dark Crystal has good middle grade or YA appeal. The problem with that classification however is the adult oriented part of the story.
While the quest has been well established, the story seems to evolve into a sex fest (not a problem for me, in case you were wondering). The sexual activity is not a problem in itself, but the way it is presented is. We have two very passionate (read: horny) characters, yet when they do get together we don't feel the passion. The action is graphic but in a more clinical way. More like a report of what the characters did than allowing the reader to feel the passion of the moment. I just didn't get caught up in the action.
I did enjoy The Dark Crystal by Francis Mills over all. It is not an epic story full of twists and turns and plot complications. But that is okay it doesn't have to be. It is a good, quick, light, fun read. But as is, it is an adult read. Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. Enjoy!
Mike
The Dark Crystal is a light fantasy adventure. Although it deals with a heavy theme, it still reads as a light adventure. We have good and bad guys, some who want to rule the world (there is always somebody who wants to rule the world, right?)
The Dark Crystal is the first installment of the Adventures of Xanthus trilogy. At only 118 pages it is a quick fun read. The story is set up fairly well for continuation in the next two books. The story line is not all that complicated, generally a quest tale. For the most part I would say The Dark Crystal has good middle grade or YA appeal. The problem with that classification however is the adult oriented part of the story.
While the quest has been well established, the story seems to evolve into a sex fest (not a problem for me, in case you were wondering). The sexual activity is not a problem in itself, but the way it is presented is. We have two very passionate (read: horny) characters, yet when they do get together we don't feel the passion. The action is graphic but in a more clinical way. More like a report of what the characters did than allowing the reader to feel the passion of the moment. I just didn't get caught up in the action.
I did enjoy The Dark Crystal by Francis Mills over all. It is not an epic story full of twists and turns and plot complications. But that is okay it doesn't have to be. It is a good, quick, light, fun read. But as is, it is an adult read. Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. Enjoy!
Mike
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Becoming the White Wolf
I was sent an e-version of Becoming the White Wolf by author R. H. Neil for review.
Becoming the White Wolf is another of those books that demonstrate just how talented the indie author field is. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.
The basic story is one of the police building a vigilante crime fighter hero by "bending" some of the facts of a criminal case. Author Neil does a masterful job of creating an almost anti-hero hero. The story is well crafted and kept me engaged through out.
Plenty of action, violence, suspense and terror to keep avid readers of the genre satisfied. The White Wolf is definitely the man you want on your side. If he is aligned against you, you might want to consider relocation (if not repentance).
The characters are well developed and presented. We dislike the bad guys, and they are BAD GUYS, but they are not cartoonish or comic book bad guys. Given this type of story I would think it easy for an author to fall into that type of depiction. So kudos to the author for avoiding that pitfall. There are technologies that I didn't know about presented, but they sound plausible enough to be real, so again not a comic book fantasy.
Becoming the White Wolf by R. H. Neil is a well rounded, action packed crime thriller with enough punch to satisfy the most jaded action reader. I recommend you check this one out, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!
Mike
Becoming the White Wolf is another of those books that demonstrate just how talented the indie author field is. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.
The basic story is one of the police building a vigilante crime fighter hero by "bending" some of the facts of a criminal case. Author Neil does a masterful job of creating an almost anti-hero hero. The story is well crafted and kept me engaged through out.
Plenty of action, violence, suspense and terror to keep avid readers of the genre satisfied. The White Wolf is definitely the man you want on your side. If he is aligned against you, you might want to consider relocation (if not repentance).
The characters are well developed and presented. We dislike the bad guys, and they are BAD GUYS, but they are not cartoonish or comic book bad guys. Given this type of story I would think it easy for an author to fall into that type of depiction. So kudos to the author for avoiding that pitfall. There are technologies that I didn't know about presented, but they sound plausible enough to be real, so again not a comic book fantasy.
Becoming the White Wolf by R. H. Neil is a well rounded, action packed crime thriller with enough punch to satisfy the most jaded action reader. I recommend you check this one out, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!
Mike
Friday, August 11, 2017
The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller
Hi everybody, I'm Baaaack!
Still recuperating from five level neck fusion, but getting back into it. I actually finished this book before surgery but was unable to post a review.
I read a print copy of The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller by J. B. Michaels.
This was a really fun read. In the flavor of the books I read as a young reader, kids doing the smart, heroic stuff without those pesky adults getting in the way.
Make no mistake, The Order of St. Michael is a middle grade/ YA book but even old guys like me can enjoy the action adventure, suspense, and age appropriate depictions of violence. Our hero Bud is of course not your average kid who has to foil the plot of a wicked adult trying to exploit his genius work.
The paranormal setting is a great vehicle for telling the story. The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller is an all around fun read which will keep you hooked throughout. It is a quick read, great as a palate cleanser between the more serious or intense works that I usually read. A great change of pace.
If your looking for such a change of pace, or want to feel good with what your younger reader may be looking at, The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller by J. B. Michaels fills the bill nicely. I recommend it. Enjoy!
Mike
Still recuperating from five level neck fusion, but getting back into it. I actually finished this book before surgery but was unable to post a review.
I read a print copy of The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller by J. B. Michaels.
This was a really fun read. In the flavor of the books I read as a young reader, kids doing the smart, heroic stuff without those pesky adults getting in the way.
Make no mistake, The Order of St. Michael is a middle grade/ YA book but even old guys like me can enjoy the action adventure, suspense, and age appropriate depictions of violence. Our hero Bud is of course not your average kid who has to foil the plot of a wicked adult trying to exploit his genius work.
The paranormal setting is a great vehicle for telling the story. The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller is an all around fun read which will keep you hooked throughout. It is a quick read, great as a palate cleanser between the more serious or intense works that I usually read. A great change of pace.
If your looking for such a change of pace, or want to feel good with what your younger reader may be looking at, The Order of St. Michael : A Bud Hutchins Thriller by J. B. Michaels fills the bill nicely. I recommend it. Enjoy!
Mike
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Tongues
I was provided a print copy of Tongues by Sam Joyce for review.
Tongues is a horror story from the beginning. It does take a bit to understand what exactly the focus of the horror is. The story moves from one anti social group to another before telling us what the real evil is. The horror is a practitioner of a voodoo-type spirituality, Palo Mayumbe. Carmen (the practitioner) unleashes a sinister spell in a small Texas town.
I have to say I was a little disappointed in how this story played out. I'm not sure if I received a galley or uncorrected proof. There weren't typos but there were issues of continuity at times. For example: in one sentence the heroine jerks a gun out of the bad guys hands. Two sentences later she struggles with the bad guy to take the gun away from him. That kind of continuity issue.
The story itself was scary enough and I did like it over all. Serious evil running rampant with no way to stop it. But some of the depictions of the evil people were doing just seemed too jarring. Not just graphic (which I have no problem with) but seemingly included more for shock value than story progression. Graphic violence, graphic sexuality (at one point bordering on the absurd). A six hour or so road trip took up a major portion of the book, bogging it down for me.
The ending didn't really resolve the problem and didn't really set us up for any future books. I always strive to be positive in my reviews, and Tongues by Sam Joyce, is an o.k. book, but for me it fell a bit flat. If you like horror stories about evil spirituality, and can get past a few continuity issues, you'll probably like Tongues. Enjoy!
Mike
Tongues is a horror story from the beginning. It does take a bit to understand what exactly the focus of the horror is. The story moves from one anti social group to another before telling us what the real evil is. The horror is a practitioner of a voodoo-type spirituality, Palo Mayumbe. Carmen (the practitioner) unleashes a sinister spell in a small Texas town.
I have to say I was a little disappointed in how this story played out. I'm not sure if I received a galley or uncorrected proof. There weren't typos but there were issues of continuity at times. For example: in one sentence the heroine jerks a gun out of the bad guys hands. Two sentences later she struggles with the bad guy to take the gun away from him. That kind of continuity issue.
The story itself was scary enough and I did like it over all. Serious evil running rampant with no way to stop it. But some of the depictions of the evil people were doing just seemed too jarring. Not just graphic (which I have no problem with) but seemingly included more for shock value than story progression. Graphic violence, graphic sexuality (at one point bordering on the absurd). A six hour or so road trip took up a major portion of the book, bogging it down for me.
The ending didn't really resolve the problem and didn't really set us up for any future books. I always strive to be positive in my reviews, and Tongues by Sam Joyce, is an o.k. book, but for me it fell a bit flat. If you like horror stories about evil spirituality, and can get past a few continuity issues, you'll probably like Tongues. Enjoy!
Mike
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Edge of End: A Novel
I received an e-version of Edge of End: A Novel by H. G. Suren aka Suren Hakobyan.
I have read this author's work before and enjoyed it immensely (since I have seen the name Suren presented first and last, I don't know whether it is his first or last name, I am proceeding with the belief that Suren is his surname). For me Edge of End far surpasses what I've read from him in the past, and that is saying a lot since as I recall, I rated The Silent City five stars.
Edge of End reads like an extended Twilight Zone (and that is a very good thing). Our main character is caught in an incomprehensible situation. He has to learn as he goes along and the consequences for making a mistake are dire indeed. Edge of End is presented as a horror story, and no doubt it is, but it also is extremely suspenseful. Graphic, gruesome, violent, action, almost graphic sexuality, intrigue, romance, heroism and psychological mind games.
Edge of End begins in a life or death struggle and continues non-stop (literally) for the entire book. There is no let up in the story at all. It kept me riveted (I even had a dream set in this story, and that does not happen to me often). Though I was not able to read it in one setting, I was able to pick up the story with no problem when I came back to it.
A very scary thought to even imagine this story in anyway approaching reality (talk about scared straight). But there is no denying the spiritual aspects to this story. It is a story of right and vs wrong, good vs evil, redemption, and selfishness vs. selflessness.
Edge of End : A Novel by H. G. Suren (that's how his name is presented on this book) is an awesome story to get lost in and scare the snot out of yourself with. Enjoy!
Mike
I have read this author's work before and enjoyed it immensely (since I have seen the name Suren presented first and last, I don't know whether it is his first or last name, I am proceeding with the belief that Suren is his surname). For me Edge of End far surpasses what I've read from him in the past, and that is saying a lot since as I recall, I rated The Silent City five stars.
Edge of End reads like an extended Twilight Zone (and that is a very good thing). Our main character is caught in an incomprehensible situation. He has to learn as he goes along and the consequences for making a mistake are dire indeed. Edge of End is presented as a horror story, and no doubt it is, but it also is extremely suspenseful. Graphic, gruesome, violent, action, almost graphic sexuality, intrigue, romance, heroism and psychological mind games.
Edge of End begins in a life or death struggle and continues non-stop (literally) for the entire book. There is no let up in the story at all. It kept me riveted (I even had a dream set in this story, and that does not happen to me often). Though I was not able to read it in one setting, I was able to pick up the story with no problem when I came back to it.
A very scary thought to even imagine this story in anyway approaching reality (talk about scared straight). But there is no denying the spiritual aspects to this story. It is a story of right and vs wrong, good vs evil, redemption, and selfishness vs. selflessness.
Edge of End : A Novel by H. G. Suren (that's how his name is presented on this book) is an awesome story to get lost in and scare the snot out of yourself with. Enjoy!
Mike
Friday, June 9, 2017
Cannibal Moon
Cannibal Moon is the 77th book in the Deathlands series under the house name James Axler.
First and foremost, I am a fan of the Deathlands series, it is one of my guilty little pleasures. I say "guilty" because they are pulp, formulaic, predictable, violent, often misogynist and anti-social. Thank goodness they are not racist. Apparently the nuclear holocaust eliminated racism (guess it's not all bad).
Cannibal Moon is focused on (you guessed it) cannibalism. Cannibals often play a part in the deathlands saga. Until this book however, they were usually loosely organized, poorly equipped and easily dispatched by the companions. In Cannibal Moon this is not the case. The cannibals here are organized, very well outfitted and threatening to take over.
Books in this series often focus on different companions as the main character being affected by the story line. In Cannibal Moon it happens to be Mildred. What struck me with this story was how little the rest of the companions contributed. Since Mildred and J.B. have a romantic connection it was surprising to me that he had such a small impact here. Also Jak seemed to be almost a disinterested party to what was happening.
Although I read Deathlands books expecting just what I get; over the top violence, machismo, dystopian societies, and heroes that emerge victorious no matter the odds. I don't expect high quality writing, lofty prose. I expect down and dirty, gritty, in-your-face descriptions of the horrors of the "hellscape". I was a bit disappointed in Cannibal Moon. It struck me as a little flat. I still enjoyed it, but not as much as others in the series. I guess that is to be expected with such a large series; not every book is going to thrill every reader.
Deathlands is still my not so secret pleasure, and Cannibal Moon may not be the pinnacle of the series but it was enjoyable enough. Fans of the series will still like it. Enjoy!
Mike
First and foremost, I am a fan of the Deathlands series, it is one of my guilty little pleasures. I say "guilty" because they are pulp, formulaic, predictable, violent, often misogynist and anti-social. Thank goodness they are not racist. Apparently the nuclear holocaust eliminated racism (guess it's not all bad).
Cannibal Moon is focused on (you guessed it) cannibalism. Cannibals often play a part in the deathlands saga. Until this book however, they were usually loosely organized, poorly equipped and easily dispatched by the companions. In Cannibal Moon this is not the case. The cannibals here are organized, very well outfitted and threatening to take over.
Books in this series often focus on different companions as the main character being affected by the story line. In Cannibal Moon it happens to be Mildred. What struck me with this story was how little the rest of the companions contributed. Since Mildred and J.B. have a romantic connection it was surprising to me that he had such a small impact here. Also Jak seemed to be almost a disinterested party to what was happening.
Although I read Deathlands books expecting just what I get; over the top violence, machismo, dystopian societies, and heroes that emerge victorious no matter the odds. I don't expect high quality writing, lofty prose. I expect down and dirty, gritty, in-your-face descriptions of the horrors of the "hellscape". I was a bit disappointed in Cannibal Moon. It struck me as a little flat. I still enjoyed it, but not as much as others in the series. I guess that is to be expected with such a large series; not every book is going to thrill every reader.
Deathlands is still my not so secret pleasure, and Cannibal Moon may not be the pinnacle of the series but it was enjoyable enough. Fans of the series will still like it. Enjoy!
Mike
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