Thursday, January 31, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Review: Crystal Deception by Doug J. Cooper
Crystal Deception by Doug J. CooperMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
An alien craft parks in Earth skies and the manufacture of AI via crystals commences. All seems peaceful, but there are undercurrents that will lead to treason and betrayal.
This is a clever piece of work; intricate with layers in layers. Also, I found this believable, the kind of science that may be lying around the corner of our futures, and the chase across the spaces in various craft? Awesome! Breathlessly I waited for the endgame!
Yet this is only the beginning. There is so much more to this saga and I can’t wait to find out what comes next. A must read. Definitely recommend this to readers of sci-fi!
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Review: My Brother's Keeper by S.S. Bazinet
My Brother's Keeper by S.S. BazinetMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
From the get-go this story intrigued me (a teenage girl lifts a guy as if she’s Wonder Girl? Right, have to find out why!), but I was also soon horrified by the past this is based on (experimentation and torture of kids? Insert colourful expletives here), and therefore I found myself utterly hooked and needed to find out the why, what for, and also how could this dilemma be resolved. The premise is excellent and the story itself is an imaginative read. For my part, once finished, I actually sighed. My brother’s Keeper indeed!
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Review: The Slow Kill by Nancy Smith
The Slow Kill by Nancy SmithMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
No rain. Drought. No water. No food. This is the Slow Kill, death by degrees. Someone has to step up and find a solution, and someone does, but it leads to the Haves and Have-nots, and the result is catastrophic.
I do like a good dystopian scenario read, and this does not disappoint, particularly because the author has weaved in an intricate family dynamic, which drives the story on an emotional level also.
A thoroughly thoughtful read and well worth it!
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Review: Rear-view Mirror by Joanne Sexton
Rear-view Mirror: Spring Wrath by Joanne SextonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
As the final instalment in Joanne Sexton’s Sinful Seasons, this one particularly drew me in. Without giving anything away, just know that looking in the rear-view mirror and hoping your terrible past doesn’t catch up with you makes for nail-biting reading. Excellent, and a fitting end to this series indeed!
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Review: Cold as Ice by Joanne Sexton
Cold As Ice: Winter Pride by Joanne SextonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Yes, this one is set amid snow and ice and makes you shiver, but in a pleasant ‘I-am-lost-in-this’ way. A hockey player and a figure skating duo that literally freeze each other out when all gets wintry. Must read!
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Review: Cowboy Daze by Joanne Sexton
Cowboy Daze: Autumn Lust by Joanne SextonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this story! Totally lapped it up. A reporter who thinks cowboys are idiots and a cowboy who thinks reporters are a bane … until they meet and sparks fly. Loved it!!
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Friday, January 18, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Vannis' Beyond
When the valley Torrke goes supernova, three men die. One of
those is Vannis Valla, but death is never an ending.
This is Vannis’ Afterlife; where does he reopen his eyes in
his Beyond?
Amazon
Saturday, January 12, 2019
"... a story of conflict ..."
An absolutely fantastic review for The Infinity Mantle
The Infinity Mantle – by Elaina Davidson
The Infinity Mantle is the third
novel I’ve read by Elaina Davidson, the first two being stand alone titles, The
Tinsal Deck, and Ilfin of Arc. The Infinity Mantle is different, the
first book in a Tetralogy called Lore of Arcana. The subsequent
books are The Kinfire Tree, The Drowned Throne, and The Dragon Circle. And if
that weren’t an ambitious enough project, it is just the first of three
tetralogies, the other two being Lore of Reaume, and Lore
of Sanctum. In addition, there are related short stories.
I mention the above because the epic
scope of this work is impressive; a twelve-book series of high fantasy, taking
place on worlds that stir the imagination.
Every chapter begins with an epigram.
Some are humorous or quirky, others are profound, and each is attributed to a
fictional text that is part of this universe. It’s always pertinent,
and adds a great depth to a universe that already feels so very
real.
The Infinity Mantle takes place on
multiple worlds, primarily Valaris, over a vast period of time. There are so
many ideas explored here, but the story is never rushed, just patiently laid
out, layer upon layer. Many different cultures interact with each other. Some
of those encounters reflect humanity at our best; others at our worst. At one
point we learn the origin story of Valaris and how later explorers of this
planet claimed this world for themselves
“Discovery does not mean ownership,”
Saska states. Rayne of the Mantle answers, “Perhaps we humans should harken to
that.” It reminds us of our own history, echoing the ‘discovery’ of the New
World by Europeans.
Another facet Davidson adds are names
and titles derivative of Valaris. The original people are the Valleur. The
title of their leader is Vallorin, and the name of the one holding that title
now is Vannis. All these things make us feel we are reading a work of
historical fiction and Davidson instinctively understands these careful details
are necessary. When we read stories that take place on earth, we may already be
familiar with some aspects of culture. But on a different world, in a different
time and place, these things are important to know.
This is the story of journey of a
group of fourteen different members, bringing unique strengths, from different
societies, cultures and species, who embark on a quest to solve various
puzzles. It’s part of a perverse game that holds their world hostage
to a threat of invasion by beings from another dimension.
It’s a story of inspiration and reminds us that
although truth is often learned from external sources, it’s also something that
comes to us on a more personal level.
Dreams are real; dreams exert influence ~ Anonymous Valarian sage - is the
epigram from Chapter 4. The characters in this story learn much from dreams,
and one character, Averroes, realizes at one point, “There are no rules in
dreams.”
That was an epiphany to me.
That was an epiphany to me.
It’s is a story of conflict; of those
who want peace and prosperity battling against those forces who would bring
greed, chaos and darkness.
It’s a story of friendship, loyalty,
alliances, and trust. Amazingly, Davidson juggles three different protagonists,
Taranis, Vannis, and Rayne of the Mantle. It’s different, but it works, and
we’re excited to have these three all on the same side, knowing how powerful
they are together. Some of the fourteen have minor roles, but they
are all well drawn, fleshed out and three dimensional.
And lastly, it's a story of self
discovery; of learning who we are, sometimes remembering who
we are.
As I said at the beginning, this is
the first of twelve books. I’m sure there is much more to learn of this world
and its characters. By the time we reach the last page, we feel a part of this
quest and we care about the outcome. Davidson invites us to continue and I
accept the invitation. The adventure has barely begun.
Five out of five stars, without
question.
Thank you, Jeff Blackmer!
Friday, January 11, 2019
Review: Remembering Skye by Denise Liebig
Remembering Skye: A Time Travel Novelette by Denise LiebigMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A woman suffers nightmares from childhood and until she meets a past life regression expert, she has no way to deal with it. This is about time and memories, and love also, and I found myself utterly intrigued!
This is a short read, but intense, and the strange situation is filled with so much emotion, everything from near surrender to the will to never give up. That’s a contradiction, but a life of nightmares will do that to you, and I found myself needing to know how it would be resolved.
Beautifully written and clever, too, with surprise twists I did not see coming. I will definitely be reading more from Denise Liebig. Highly recommended!
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Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
The Glittering Darkness
In another realm, scaled beings of might and majesty go to
war. They are dragons and a Dragon is as nothing if he is not king of his
domain.
This short story tells more about the great reptiles which
appear in the LORE series.
Now available on Amazon
Monday, January 7, 2019
Medieval rocks!
The most viewed post over all (blog) time is ...
Your Medieval Name with almost 2.5k views!
Thank you!
xxx
