Man of Steel Review

I think I've only done one other movie review. Star Trek 2009 reboot. In that one, I noted some plot holes that didn't invalidate its popularity. Man of Steel also had what I would call plot holes, but I think those affected its popularity due to other issues being weak as well.

First, I'll give my spoiler-free review.

I consider it to be a mixed bag. Good points? Action scenes were well done. Lots of stuff happens. The motivations for Zod were decent, even if inconsistently applied. If you're someone who likes a lot of fights and exciting stuff happening, you won't be disappointed.

Some people didn't like the more "brooding" Clark compared to the comics and previous movies. I thought it lent a little more realism to Clark's personality. There is certainly more "gray" morality presented. It does create some inconsistencies with previous incarnations, however.

Purist will not like this aspect. While I appreciate the more human element Nolan attempts to give Superman, there is a valid argument to be made that some heroes should stay super. That is, super means "above and beyond" something. In this case, above and beyond a mere man.

One theme emphasized is that Clark came to offer mankind hope. Yet, more people die and more destruction is dished out than any other Superman movie. In the end, few people would have lost their lives if Superman hadn't come to Earth. So much for hope.

The message I derived is that Superman can't save everyone. In one scene, a helicopter goes out of control (Hum, where have we seen that before...Mr. Reeves?), one person falls out. Superman saves that one person while the rest die as the helicopter crashes. This isn't about Superman "saving the day" for everyone, but forced to make decisions that stretch his ethics, so we can share in his emotional turmoil.

Acknowledging the problems with all that, it was certainly a fresh view of Superman, despite how well it paralleled Nolan's Batman story.

On the negative side, there was limited and inconsistent character development. How some people are portrayed starting out, like Lois Lane, shifts as the movie progresses. Clark's earthly dad gives him conflicting advice.

There is some character development, unlike the first Transformer movie, but the constant flashback scenes through the first part of the movie end up putting it on hold too many times to let it develop properly. Tell the flashback stories in chronological order and getting to know the characters would have been more complete.

I also felt the dialog was unnatural at spots. Sounded more like the director needed to get information to the viewer than something the characters would naturally say. Likewise, motivations were not always clear why a character did what they did.

Emotions were often not natural in the face of death or such. How Superman defeated Zod made no sense. Examples to follow.

Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars on a 5 star scale. Worth watching, especially if you are in it for the action, okay on character and plot development, but nothing that stands out. Conflicting theme points between dialog and actions. Purist will have problems that Superman isn't as super as previously.

Spoilers!

Here are a few specific examples of what I discussed above. Stop reading here if you haven't seen it and don't want any spoilers of significance.

This

is

space

to

give

you

a

chance

to

veer

away

before

seeing

anything

you'll

regret.

Okay, here we go. Plot/character issues I noticed:

1. Clark's earthly father confuses Clark by giving him contradictory advice. One minute he's telling him he's come to give humanity hope, the next telling Clark to always keep his powers a secret, even at the expense of lives. Even saving his own father's.

2. Clark's father's motivation is suspect. The concept is he was willing to sacrifice his own life rather than Clark's secret be revealed, and people treat him differently. If true, however, that is some seriously messed up thinking. Not only because people's lives are more important than Clark's anonymity, but also to avoid putting Clark in the position of knowing he could save people, but not allowing him to. That's got to do a number on your guilt and esteem. This may account for the next issue.

3. Superman seems uncaring about the damage and deaths he is causing, except for Zod's. Fighting Zod and his companions in both Smallville and Metropolis plows through buildings with people in them, topples skyscrapers with people in them, saves some but lets many die, with nary a twinge of emotional reaction, compassion, or an attempt to move the fights to less populated (but not nearly as dramatic) landscapes. Only when he kills Zod does he show any remorse.

4. Lois is chosen by Zod to be taken up to his spaceship with Superman for no apparent reason other than plot convenience. Once there, Zod has her immediately locked away, though later we learn Zod went into her mind (Nolan failed to show that part) to get info on Superman. But conveniently Superman passes her the little "S" data bank, which oddly once she is locked up, she finds an access panel where that "S" stick fits, and despite it all being alien technology that she'd have no clue whether this is a good idea, sticks it into Zod's ship, saving herself and Superman from certain death. Kind of cool, but only due to some luck and coincidental correct guesses by Lois.

5. Killing Zod made no sense. Most people focus on the ethical situation of Superman killing someone in cold blood. Most movies tend to get around this by the hero showing compassion when they could kill the bad guy, but the bad guy invariably takes that opportunity to get the hero, which either forces the hero to kill in self-defense, or the bad guy ends up killing himself (as in Spiderman jumping out of the way as Goblin's glider hits him instead of Parker). But this is consistent with the movie's themes of Superman being forced to make decisions on who lives and who doesn't. However, in reality he didn't have to make that decision to break Zod's neck:

a) The people Zod threatened to kill had a clear path of escape. Obviously Superman was restricting Zod's neck movement to a slow crawl toward the people. They had time to run the opposite direction. Yet they don't take the obvious escape nor does Superman tell them to run. They acted trapped, but they weren't.

b) If Superman had the strength to snap Zod's neck and kill him, he had the strength to keep Zod from inching his heat vision ray toward the people. Superman acted as if he couldn't stop Zod from moving his head, yet has the power to twist his neck in half.

c) Zod's neck suddenly becomes very fragile. For long fight scenes, the two are pounding each other in the face, plowing through buildings, pretty much smashing into each other. Despite all that beating and strength shown in previous scenes, Superman is able to hold Zod in an arm-lock, and then snap his neck. Not believable.

Bottom line, aside from the ethical questions, Superman didn't have to make that decision, nor could he have snapped Zod's neck, given what had immediately proceeded that scene.

6. Superman supposedly would be made weak by the gravity rays transforming Earth. Initially, he seems to be negatively affected by them. Then, suddenly for no explained reason, he was able to go down into the actual gravity ray and fly right up, in, and through the ship. Theoretically, inside the ray should be the worst place for him. If there was an explanation, I didn't hear it.

I could nitpick at others, but those are the biggest issues I noticed on plot and character development. Maybe you saw other issues? Let me know what they were.

Hot New Reviews on Mind Game and Hero Game

I've recently received two new reviews, one on Mind Game and one on Hero Game. Check them both out and if you've not had the chance, I encourage you to get and read the books and offer up your own honest reviews.

The Mind Game review comes from a professional review site: Reader's Favorites. Here's an except of what they had to say:

This is a well-written, exciting story with lots of adventure. It appeals to all ages of science fiction/fantasy fans, new and old. There are references to new technology for younger readers along with references to older popular science fiction/fantasy movies for older readers. The characters are very relatable.

Not too shabby. Today I received word that author Lisa Godfrees, who had reviewed Mind Game previously, giving it high marks, just reviewed the second book in the series, Hero Game, at her book review site, and among other things, had these comments:

Anyone that likes sci-fi would enjoy this book. I believe that middle-graders especially would love it, both guys and girls. I plan to buy copies for our elementary school library.

Bottom line, if you like fun sci-fi, you can't go wrong here! Thanks for checking them out, reading, and reviewing.

---

Read more about Mind Game and Hero Game, along with sample chapters and where they can be purchased.

How to Identify and Write Honest Reviews

Often when viewing a product I'm thinking about buying, I will read the product reviews by users that often accompany online retail sales pages. When I find a product that doesn't have many or any reviews, I'm hesitant to buy it, feeling like I'm going to be the guinea pig for the product. On most products, it seems such reviews are generally helpful in making a decision to buy something or keep looking.

But when it comes to books, the situation changes dramatically. The reason is somewhat obvious. Items like underwear, clocks, record albums (in most cases), and the like are produced by a company. Said company usually produces a lot of products and doesn't have the manpower or extra cash to get their best friends and family to go post positive reviews on the 1000 different items they sell. The few who actually pay someone to do so risk making that obvious and losing credibility. So most companies are content to let the users of the products make their honest comments. Maybe doing clean up on any particularly damaging complaints, especially if they are a small company with limited product lines.

But authors who do most of their own promotion, whether they are self-published or traditionally published, usually have a handful of product to sell, and usually have family and friends who want to see them succeed with their books. So they are willing and ready to go to bat for the author by posting positive reviews, no matter the actual quality of the book. You don't tend to find that dynamic as often in other product lines like you do with books. This tends to stuff a book's review list with overly positive reviews by people who are as wishful thinking as the author is on the sellability of the book.

Also some authors—because it is their one and only book or series to date and they fear its failure will doom their long-term success—are willing to take the more shady routes to get their book to sell. Some create multiple email accounts and Amazon accounts to pretend to be other people and give rave reviews to the their own books. Others will pay a review company to do essentially the same thing, often without reading anything more than the blurb. Using key words like "page turner" and "couldn't put it down" give the reader the impression they've read it and it was good, when it may not be the case.

Because of these differences, the value of books reviews on these sites tend to be diluted, and honest reviews get buried in the list of 1 or 5 star reviews. So I have two questions for my readers.

When buying a book, do you use the reviews as one element in your buying decision?

If not, would you if you trusted that the reviews were mostly honest?

My guess is, out of those who answered no to the first question, a majority would answer yes to the second. In other words, the main reason you don't read reviews to help make your decision is that you generally don't trust them to give honest opinions. And the ones that are honest are hard to find. That said, there are elements of an honest review that enable you to spot them in a list of fluff or attacks. Likewise, if you are writing a review, there are some items you want to include if you want your review to be accepted as honest.

One, an honest review answers the question, "Is this book worth my money and time to buy and read?" While an entertaining review is a plus, the reason people read reviews is to help them decide if the book they are examining is one they'll enjoy reading. People generally don't like plunking down hard earned money to read books they don't like. If the reviewer answers that question, then the review will be perceived as helpful. If the reviewer has other motives, that will tend to emerge from the writing, and the reader will more likely ignore the review.

Two, an honest review contains both positives and negatives. It is rare that a book will not have any positives or negatives. Few books deserve to get totally glowing reviews with no negatives, or all negatives with no positives. Readers innately know this. So if a review has no negative, or likewise, no positives, those types tend to get discounted and ignored. For a review to be read and used, it should contain both positive and negative points.

Three, an honest reviewer rarely gives out 5 or 1 star reviews. Like extreme positive gushing reviews and angry sounding rants, books given 5 or 1 stars tend to be discounted. The exceptions to that rule are when a reviewer usually doesn't give out 5 or 1 stars, then it means something when they do; or if a book is really so good that the reviewer is ready to rank it with the classics; or there are thirty or more reviews and the bulk of them are 1s or 5s. Sure, getting that 5-star review makes the author feel good. But whether the reviewer is being honest or not, the reader, if they see 5 stars and a glowing review, will likely figure the author's mom or another friend/family member wrote it and dismiss it as too biased.

My rating system on 5 stars is: 1 equals, "I couldn't make it through the first chapter or two, it was so bad"; 2 equals, "Not that great, it has some redeeming values and I appreciate what the author was doing, but overall, too many negative issues to make it work for me"; 3 equals, "Though it had some problems, overall the story was worth reading, recommend"; 4 equals, "I really liked this book. Some issues here and there, but really worth my time to read it and I would highly recommend it"; and 5 equals, "Wow, just wow! This book knocked my socks off and I would rank it with the all time greats in publishing history!" If a reviewer marks every book a 5 that they review, then the ranking doesn't mean anything. Especially if "every" equals one or two reviews.

Four, an honest review avoids using marketing catch phrases like, "page-turner," "couldn't put it down," "stayed up late to finish the book," "threw the book across the room," "reading it was like watching paint dry," etc. Even if true, using those types of trite phrases will tend to make the review read more like marketing text. The moment it sounds like a sales pitch to the reader, that's the moment they discredit it.

Five, an honest review gives a brief, spoiler-free summary of the book. This not only indicates that the reviewer read it and know the basic character names and plot, but allows the reader to see the gist of the story from another person's eyes than the publisher's. Reviewers who haven't read the book will generally not give much, if any, of a summary beyond what can be found in the blurb. But don't make this too long. One or two paragraphs should be all you need. A review is much more than regurgitating the plot and saying whether you did or didn't like it.

Six, an honest review gives an opinion on the main elements of the story: plot, pacing, characterization, settings, writing style, grammar and typo issues (readability), what stood out to the reviewer as good or bad about it. The more a review casts a critical eye to the various elements of the story, the more honest and authentic the review will ring to the reader. If all a reader gets is, "it was a great story," the more likely the reader will assume that the review isn't worth factoring into their decision.

Seven, an honest review gives an opinion on what kinds of readers will and won't enjoy the book in question. Even if the reviewer indicates he or she didn't care for the book, saying who will or won't like a book lets readers know the reviewer is trying to be objective. Even the negative can help. Warning men who like action novels that a specific book isn't action/plot driven can be a service to the reader, whether or not the reviewer is glad or not that it is or isn't present.

Eight, an honest reviewer personalizes his or her review. Such a review relates not only the technical aspects and how well the author did or didn't pull them off, but any aspects that spoke to the reviewer personally, made a difference in how the reviewer views an issue, people, problem, or other life experience. When the reviewer answer the question, "What did I take away from this story?" it shows the reader that he or she interacted with the story, digested it, and gave it thought. An insincere review isn't likely to provide such feedback.

The next time you read reviews to decide whether to buy a book, consider the above guidelines as a means to spot the more helpful and honest reviews. Likewise, if you wish to write a review on a book, give consideration to those elements, and you're more likely to get readers to give due consideration to your review in their buying decision.

Winterland: A Dark Fairy Tale by Mike Duran

The author provided this book for my review.

Alice in Wonderland, in reverse, is what this story reminds me of. Not as crazy as Alice in Wonderland, though it has its moments, and not as humorous or satirical, though it zings a few here and there, but the flavor reminds me of that story. Not only for the very other-worldly setting, but also the interesting characters the protagonist meets.

Eunice embarks on a journey few would enjoy: a trip through her own mother's tortured soul. She traverses a surreal landscape and is guided by a man who was the only part of the picture that remained mysterious. I'm guessing he was an angel of some sort, but who knows? But this stranger helps her through the strange world, seeking to save her mother's soul, and in the end, face her own demons.

This isn't a high action book, more of an allegorical trip through one's life and soul. A vision of what monsters and characters we face within our own psyche. Some crazy, some scary, some devious, some dangerous. As you journey with Eunice, you may even learn something of your own journey as well.

The writing is good. There are spots I saw where it could be tightened or strengthened, but those were few and far between. The reader is not likely to notice them or be that concerned about them if they do. The story flows well, the pacing is good, easy to follow, and the formatting is well done (I read it on a Kindle). I spotted one typo through the whole novella, so the grammar and spelling are clean. There is no hint of the stereotypical "self-published" novel. The cover appears professional and the writing is as well.

While the ending wasn't "mind blowing," it was very interesting and good. It is a journey worth taking and enjoying. There was enough mystery and wondering what would happen next to keep a person reading and wanting to see what the next chapter would hold. I enjoyed the story and the trip. If you are the kind of reader who likes "dark fairy tales," this is a good one to grab and settle in with. You won't be disappointed.

If there was one trouble I had with it, it was the strange setting of the world. It took a while for me to get my bearings and felt too abstract, despite the author's descriptions. As I went on, this feeling lessened, and the world came more alive.

I think this is a common problem with alternate universes, simply because the reader doesn't have a good idea of the rules of such a world. Even more true when you get into worlds that are not grounded so much in our world, like traveling through a soul. Most stories have a whole novel to get the reader adjusted to the new world and learn it. That Mr. Duran was able to do that within the short space of a novella would actually be a plus to his skill. But the reader does need to be aware that it may take a little getting used to the world they find themselves in with Eunice.

If you're looking for high action, face-paced adventure, this may not be the story for you. If you are wanting a more allegorical romp through someone's mind, in search for answers to questions we all face, then I'd recommend you grab a copy of this one and enjoy the challenging world that Eunice explores to save her mother. A definite recommend from me.

Book Review: The Worker Prince by Brian Schmidt

Worker Prince

ISBN-13: 978-0984020904

This review is part of a blog tour for the introduction of Brian Schmidt's debut novel, The Worker Prince.

If Moses had led his people out of bondage in the future rather than the past, it might look something like this story. While at several points the story touches upon elements of the classic Biblical story of Moses leading his people out of Egypt, it doesn't stick to that story, nor is that the only plot line running through this science fiction, space opera style tale. One of the problems when people depict, either literally or by analogy, a Bible story is the predictable ending. That's not a worry here. The second half of the book bares little resemblance to the story of Moses. More like Joshua going to war.

Three elements of this book make it worth reading. One is the world Mr. Schmidt has created. In this world, a group of planets is ruled by a limited king and legislative councils of the main races. Except one race is not represented because they are called "Workers." They mostly live on one planet which appears to be the only planet in the system with agricultural products of any significance, and the rulers treat them as slaves, exporting food to the rest of the system.

Mr. Schmidt doesn't succumb to the tendency to dump a lot of back-story about this world on the reader, but it is worked through the story naturally. The only glitch for me is the rationale for why the Workers existed left me with more questions than answers and was hard to envision its evolution based on how things are now. Some could even take offense, to what could come across as an artificially generated political division, as making a statement beyond the story about our current religious situation. I took it as simply the way history worked out in this world, but did leave me with more questions as to how that could have happened. I'd say more, but I don't want to give away too much.

The second reason I enjoyed this story was the plot itself. The king fears a prophecy that a worker will rise up to release his people from bondage. Like Moses, to avoid the king's decree that all worker's children under a certain age be killed, his parents arrange to ship him off to another world where he ends up being raised by the king's sister as the prince destined to rule the kingdom. The story proper picks up when Prince Davies takes his first assignment away from home, discovers his real birth, and the story unfolds from there.

Like I said, while it touches at points on the story of Moses, it was different enough to keep my interest and avoided being a pure repeat of that story. I enjoyed the way Davies grows and develops into the leader, and his loyalty to the truth. And if a reader likes sci-fi battle action, there is plenty here especially through the second part of the book. Mr. Schmidt does a decent job of describing the action, though there was a time or two I didn't follow him too well.

The third is the characters are for the most part well drawn. One becomes attached to the main character, Davies, early on. Each character has a unique feel about them. And they are introduced slowly enough that the reader doesn't end up getting too lost on who is who, though that danger gets a little stronger toward the second half of the book. Still, I never struggled with that despite a rather large cast, and the characters came across as believable on the whole.

The only two instances his characterizations stretched it for me was Davies' secondary antagonist felt a bit too much of the stereotypical bully to me and the source of his antagonism to Davies was never clearly defined, though hinted at, but seemed stronger to me than merely family jealousy. And the girl Davies ends up in a relationship with seems to lose her initial antagonism toward him too easily. On rare occasion, the dialog felt unnatural. Despite that, I found the characters interesting and believable.

There are three things that could detract from the story, depending on the reader. One, the writing style, while good, does get a little telly at points. While not bad, there is room for improvement. However, this is much better than many I've read in that regard, and I doubt the lack here will throw too many out of the story.

Two, also related to writing skills, Mr. Schmidt has yet to get a solid grip on executing point of view flawlessly. There is a little head jumping in places. Occasionally he would mix one person's dialog with another person's actions, keeping you on your toes as to who is actually speaking. One scene break in particular, the shift in point of view wasn't established until I read about four or five paragraphs into it, so I had to backtrack to discover if I'd missed something. Most of the time I didn't have too much trouble tracking who talked and what point of view I was in, but occasionally it did become distracting.

Third, if a reader isn't a Christian, they may not realize until halfway into the book that this story contains some Christian themes. A non-Christian, getting to that point, may feel "tricked" if they are not aware of that up front. The Christian elements were natural to the story, and didn't feel forced. That said, it offered more of a complimentary plot line than anything essential to the main plot. Other than the stated reason for their existence, religion could be extracted from the story and the plot would still work. But truth be told, much science fiction is artificial in not portraying religion to be active and valid part of society into the future. While not getting too preachy about it, Mr. Schmidt does a decent job of integrating it into the storyline. That said, a non-Christian could feel tricked into reading a Christian novel if they aren't aware of that before they put down the money to buy the book. This review is written prior to seeing any official blurbs that will introduce the story to potential readers, which may make it clear it is a Christian story. Still, it seems many buyers miss that information, even when clearly stated.

I didn't feel those shortcomings reduced my enjoyment of the story or prevented me from finding Davies and the other characters interesting. Mr. Schmidt provides an engrossing story, believable characters, an interesting world, and decent writing. Because of that, I'm giving this a recommended read, holding onto a four out of five star score.

To continue following this blog tour, the next posting will be: October 12, Mary Pax - Guest Post: Coming Of Age & The Quest To Belong/Book Blurb

Note: R. L. Copple received a electronic copy of The Worker Prince from the author in order to review it for this blog tour.

Book Review: Dark Side of the Moon by Terri Lynn Main

Dark Side of the Moon

ISBN-13: 978-1-926931-19-7

Terri Lynn Main offers up an impressive debut science fiction, mystery novel in Dark Side of the Moon. Carolyn Masters, an ex-FBI profiler, has a history. A history she's trying to forget. In an attempt to distance herself from that past, she takes a teaching position at the lunar university at Armstrong City.

But the manipulated atmosphere of the doomed city creates a mask hiding the less controlled elements of the lunar independence movement. It isn't long before Carolyn's past catches up with her and she finds herself waist-deep in a murder investigation. What at first appears a cut-and-dried case becomes a complex mystery that threatens even Earth.

The mystery is a good, old-fashion who-dun-it. Even a what-dun-it. Carolyn gets saddled with an abrasive ex-cop, Michael. Between the two, peeling back one layer of the mystery leaves them with yet another puzzle to solve. Mystery lovers won't be disappointed in this offering. The only potential downside would be for mystery readers who want quick action. Main focuses on character and world building for the first few chapters. Don't expect the murder in the first chapter or two.

And it really is in the world and characters that Main excelled. Both are not only believable, but have depth and richness usually found in more seasoned authors. There are only two hiccups to that believability factor.

One, Main has obviously done her homework on the science. Much of it follows hard science in potential near-future abilities. But the inclusion of a common myth, that exposure to a vacuum causes one's body to expand and blood to boil in seconds, wiggled its way into the manuscript. Other than that one scientific miss, I found the science very believable, so overall she gets a high score on that account.

Two, there is room for improvement in the dialog. While overall not bad, some of it occasionally didn't ring true in explaining sometimes intimate detail to strangers, or saying things that most people would tend to avoid saying. These instances didn't lessen the richness of the characters, but improvement there could greatly supplement them.

One of the characteristics that impressed me was Main's natural way of integrating her character's faith into the storyline. Main portrayed a Christian character authentically, rather than the caricatures one tends to find on either side of the fence. The reader won't feel preached at, though the character does give her opinion on occasion. Both Christian and secular readers have little to fear here.

Another area that the reader will enjoy in this book is the descriptions. I had no problem seeing in my mind's eye the trip she took from Earth to the Moon, or the domed cities. The beginning has a touch of 2001: A Space Odyssey to it as we follow her on the trip to the Moon.

This is an outstanding first novel, and I would easily recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction and/or mysteries set in an interesting world filled with well drawn characters.

Note: I received an ebook from the author upon which this review is based.

Book Review: Tales of the Dim Knight by Adam and Andrea Graham

Tales of the Dim Knight

ISBN-13: 978-0986451751

Pull on your tights and hang that cape around your neck, we're going for a ride. What kind of ride, you ask? A superhero spoof ride, a dysfunctional family ride, a marital struggle ride. A ride into redemption.

When mild-mannered Dave Johnson ends up with a alien symbiont enabling him to imagine reality, what does he do with this power? Years of reading comics comes to his aid, as the kid at heart and his naivety lead him to take on the persona of a superhero. Dave is a little dim, but his heart is in the right place, despite the temptations of power and the best ways to use it, especially when the symbiont intends to use Dave to take over the world. Yet, Dave isn't stupid either. He has a head on his shoulders.

But despite this fact, he finds success as a superhero, but not a lot of success as a father and husband. While superhero action abounds, there is minimal tension created by his fights. His power allows him to dispense justice all too easily that few villains have a chance, though a couple of times they make some valiant attempts. But the superhero part is mostly for spoofing anyway, not for creating a thrill ride.

Rather, the the real tension of the story evolves from the complications Dave's secret job has for his wife and children, not to mention his enemies. The heart of the novel revolves around family, right and wrong, the misguided ways we tend to deal with our hurts, and grace, all wrapped in a light-hearted story that will have you chuckling and smiling.

The writing is solid. The characters while at first appearing stereotypical (what do you expect with a spoof?) take on depth as the story progresses. The personal struggles are easy to identify with and provide the strength of the story. It is an easy and enjoyable read.

I found two areas primary that I felt the story could have done better. First, the superhero adventures themselves didn't feel like an integral part of the full plot. They felt somewhat random at times, appearing to exist more to cause problems with the wife and kids than to be an complete story arc themselves. Mind you, I'm not saying they didn't have some story arc. One of the villains who comes in and out of the course of the book has his own character arc, and some stories have their own mini-arc, but as far as each adventure fitting into a complete novel arc, it was hit and miss. I think the story would have been better if that could have been developed as a more complete story arc.

The second is that while the resolution is believable, and the motivation of the characters not totally absent, I felt the resolution to be a little too quick and needing a slower development, especially on one of the characters. What happened is not unrealistic, and happens in real life. But for a story, it appeared to arise abruptly.

Despite those two issues, this book was a fun read. If you like spoofs of superheroes, with a story of redemption against the evil Dave faces not only on the streets of the city, but also in his family and within himself, then this is the book for you. The story gets a solid 4 out of 5 stars for me. I enjoyed it.

Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book by the author.

Dealing with Reviews

I have a confession. I'm not keen on what it appears most people think is great fiction. Oh, I'm sure our paths will cross. Sometimes what is at the top is also something I enjoy. But I find many times when the writing community votes a short story or novel at the top of their list, whether it be a contest or someone's list on a blog, eight times out of ten I will find the story boring and not worth my time. Or maybe it will be just okay for me, but certainly not something I'd list as highly entertaining or moving me to an emotional reaction.

But that says more about me than anything. What it does say is that what I find appealing, interesting, exciting, is often not going to be what most people find appealing, interesting, and exciting. Next to big authors, many may feel my work pales in comparison. And because of that, it means my writing will, for many, not be that "impressive." For those who like an interesting plot, and/or interesting characters, I would hope what I write fits the bill. But if you're looking for prose that in and of itself is astounding, I'm probably not that author. I have my moments, mind you, but that's not what I find important in writing a story. And if my writing improves in that regard over time, great. But that is just icing on the cake, not what I'm primarily shooting for. I simply want to tell a good, fun, entertaining, and hopefully in some manner, meaningful story.

What this means is that I'm naturally going to have reviewers read my work and have negative reactions. Each reviewer has their pet peeves, those things that bother them. Each reviewer will have a different idea of what is trite, what is impressive, and what is boring. There's no way I'm going to please all of them. And no writer will, for none of us are perfect. There are stories that people praise with glowing reviews, but when I read them I'm bored to tears and I wonder what on earth people are gushing about.

Due to my last post on a review I received that wasn't an enthusiastic endorsement of my work, I felt it would be a good time to review how we as authors deal with reviews, especially negative reviews. Here are my suggestions.

1. Whatever you do, if you receive a negative review, don't go badmouthing the reviewer. Sure, maybe he/she got it wrong. Maybe it is obvious they didn't even read the book closely. Maybe they missed key elements that would have made sense of it, or they just flat missed it. Or maybe they simply don't have the good taste you'd hoped they had. Or it is also possible, just barely possible, that they have some valid points about your book that a reader would want to know about going into it.

Whatever the case, it never makes good sense to publicly try to tear down either the review, or the reviewer. For several reasons. One, it makes you look unprofessional. Two, you'll appear to wear your feelings on your sleeve, and other reviewers who are aware of that will be hesitant to review your book. Three, if an unfair negative review is out there, whatever sympathy you might have had from your readers may evaporate in seeing you on attack mode. Four, you'll burn bridges that you may later need. Five, in the heat of the exchange(s), you may hurt another person, unfairly tearing them down, and being guilty of causing them to stumble. Six, you'll give more publicity to the review than if you'd said nothing, and give more people reasons why they shouldn't buy your book.

Bottom line, it never makes sense to respond to a negative review. Keep it to yourself. Ignore it. Move on. The lost sales you are looking for are not here.

2. If they post a negative review on Amazon or other sales platform, where it could affect your sales, instead of violating #1 above by personally responding in defense, find reviewers who liked your work and encourage them to post their reviews on the e-store's website. Negative reviews are offset by having positive reviews, not by trying to tear down the negative reviews or reviewers. If you can't get any reviewer to give you a positive review, that could be an issue with the book itself. Learn from your mistakes and work to not make them on the next novel.

3. Just because a review says some negative things about your book, doesn't mean it is a negative review. Most reviews, if they are done honestly by the reviewer, include both positives and negatives about the book they read. What makes a negative review negative is when there are few if any positives listed. It is a subjective line, but when the negatives rise to a certain level in relation to the positive statements, it crosses over from a positive review to an unenthusiastic review. The book was decent for them, but nothing to write home to Mom about. They're not going to say to their friends, "Hey, I read this great book the other day..." But neither is it bad. It is lukewarm. Which is also bad, yes, but we need to take the review in its totality and just because they have some negative things to say, doesn't automatically make it a negative review.

As an author, I've always felt that I really want a certain amount of negative statements in reviews of my books. "What? Are you crazy!" No, being practical.

Key point #1: Reviews are (should be) written to benefit the potential reader, either to recommend a book or warn them of a book they'll regret buying.

While a good review is a good marketing tool for authors, they are not primarily written to market the book. Or they shouldn't be. But when a review has only good things to say about a book, it comes across to the reader as just that, a review written to sell a book, not to tell them whether they would really like it or not. Such reviews many readers will ignore or give only passing weight to in their decision to buy. It takes a large number of all positive reviews to convince the potential reader that this book is that good.

But if you have a review that list whatever negatives are there as well as positives, and mentions the types of people who will most likely enjoy the book, that is a review the potential reader will give more weight to. They feel because the reviewer is telling them the negatives, which they know most all books will have as no book is perfect, it means they are not acting as sales representatives but as fellow readers who want to give the reader honest information so they can make a decision whether this book is right for them. When the reader perceives that such a review is in that category, they give much more weight to the recommendations of that reviewer than they would several wildly glowing reviews that gush all over the place.

A review with some negatives in it is worth more in sales than the review that only has positive things to say about a work, except in the case when a specific reviewer known for his honest reviews does give a glowing review. Now, like most authors, I love the latter types. I want to hear that people adore my writing and my stories. I don't mind a little gushing. But I know those reviews, while they may stroke my ego, are not the best for sales or helping the reader to know whether my book is right for them.

Those are my top three things to be aware of when you get what you perceive to be a negative review of your book. What are other pitfalls to avoid when getting a negative review?

Review: Earthbow: Volume 2 by Sherry Thompson

Earthbow: Volume 2

ISBN: 978-0982508787

As the name suggest, this book picks up where Earthbow, Volume 1 left off. And the reader will be confused if they start with this book. Things will make a lot more sense if you get a copy of Volume 1 to read before reading Volume 2. If you haven't read either, the full story is worth the purchase price.

Why? Because this story continues to track the personal journeys of Harone, Coris, and Xander as they struggle to fight the evil threatening to consume the Narentia lands. And the situation does appear hopeless. And that's where the real battle plays out. For our heroes, this is a tale of self-sacrifice of the highest kind.

And this is not a book for the feint of heart. People die, sometimes in ways that make you wince. You don't get gory detail, but the evil is real, and threatening. You feel their struggle, and you sense their despair. And you watch them rise to the occasion, even when all seems lost.

It is a book of inspiration, that even in our darkest hours, we are not without hope.

I enjoyed the characters in this volume, as I did in the first. I liked seeing Xander discover his place in the story. The interaction is well done between the characters, and each had a story to tell.

As in the other books, the writing painted good pictures for me to see clearly what was happening. The descriptions gave a solid sense of setting and mood. There's a lot going on in this story, though it gets pulled together more in this volume than in the first, as threads come together, and the story boils down to the final face off with the enemy. The tension runs strong through the book, and culminates in a satisfying manner, that not only leaves you with a sense of resolution, but the meaning behind it sticks with you, and I found myself thinking about those events for days after reading it.

I gave the first volume a five star rating. After reading Volume 2, I found my five star rating wasn't wasted on a lackluster ending, and I can confidently give this one a corresponding five star rating as well. Which means, if you like a great fantasy story, you'll not go wrong in reading the whole set of these books, beginning with Seabird, Volumes 1 and 2, and Earthbow, Volumes 1 and 2. You can thank me later.

And I hear there is more stories in this world coming out. Your time in this world will give you a return, both in entertainment and enlightenment.

Note: The author gave me a copy of her book to review.

Book Review: Alpha Redemption by P. A. Baines

Alpha Redemption

ISBN-13: 978-0986451744

I've always enjoyed a good story about people exploring space. When I heard that P. A. Baine's book, Alpha Redemption, was about a man traveling to Alpha Centauri, naturally it perked my interest. I also heard about the computer aboard this ship, called the Comet, and rumors of similarities to Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. As I read it, indeed there were similarities, as well as major differences. I believe it would be of help in deciding if this is the book for you, to list those.

Similarities revolve around a computer on the trip developing sentience and a sense of self-preservation. Another similarity would involve giving away the plot, thus giving you no reason to read for yourself. And of course both are set in space, and above all, while both have some elements of tension to them, neither is what you would call a high action type book. Rather, like 2001, it has a decidedly "inner space" philosophical/theological journey as the book progresses.

Indeed, one of the striking similarities is in the style of writing. Baines isn't quite as descriptive as Clarke was, but the pacing and feel of the book is very similar to 2001. The reader gets to experience the day-to-day life on the ship, and the cycle of life in space. I'm not an expert on such things, but the details felt very authentic to me, given he's using the science fiction conventions of artificial gravity.

Where it differed with Clarke's 2001 is the direction Baines takes the story. Whereas Clarke's story headed into a more secular "we'll all evolve into a god-like creature," Alpha takes us into a different direction—in a decidedly Christian direction—and in an very unconventional manner. And does so convincingly. Though toward the end the changes happened a little too fast for my taste, overall it provided a believable story on one man's inner journey to escape his past, only to run headlong into the future.

Likewise, whereas Hal, the computer from 2001, went berserk and attempted to kill everyone on board, Jay, the computer running the Comet, works to save the life of his passenger. The book is about Jay's journey as much as Brett's, and is one of the more interesting elements of the story.

Another area of difference is this story adds a plot element not found in 2001. For Brett, in signing onto this mission, is as much running from something as he is trying to go down in history. And Baines introduces a parallel storyline that slowly reveals Brett's past in a manner that relates to what he experiences on the trip to Alpha Centauri. Watching as Baines weaves this alternate storyline into the main one, very deftly I might add, provided another of the interests as I read.

If there is one thing that stands out to me about this book, it is the interesting relationship between Brett and Jay, as well as Jay's own growing awareness not only of himself, but God. Like a child learning truths for the first time, this prototype computer ends up stealing the show, in more ways than one.

It's for those reasons that I can recommend this book if you are someone who enjoyed Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Personally, I had a hard time with 2001, due to the slow pace. So this one was a bit of work for me, especially at the beginning. I'm addicted to tension in a story, and while this has some, it isn't the standard kind of tension. The tension in this story revolves around the relationship between Brett and Jay, and while it starts out slow, the tension grows until it hits big in the end.

So while personally I'd give this a three on a scale of one to five for my own preferences, for those who enjoy a story with the style and pacing of 2001, this falls into a solid four, even a five for many.

Note: This book was given to me by the publisher for the purpose of reviewing it.

Book Review: The Duke's Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad

The Duke's Handmaid

ISBN: 978-0986451737

Have you ever read a book that refused to be pigeonholed? In some cases, that can be a negative, in that the author shoots all over the place and so hits nothing. In other cases, as we have here, the author creates her own unique story that accomplishes several things.

Is this a fantasy? Well, not really. Yes, it is a different world than our own. Yes, you'll encounter some odd creatures, and a caste-like society where the author explores the different reactions from both sides of the servant/slave issue. And yet, once you're in the story, it really doesn't seem too different from our world. Difference circumstances, same issues and people. You'll not find magic, elves, dwarfs, or dragons in this story. Not even hobbits. Instead, you'll find some well developed characters.

Is it science fiction? Hum, it is set on another planet, with two suns. Yet, that's about the extent of it. The society is less developed technology-wise than our own, still using horses for transportation. The feel is more Medieval.

Is it a romance? We're getting warmer. There is a romance involved, but if you're thinking boy meets girl, they fall in love, but encounter problems they overcome in the end, it's not really a romance as such. Indeed, while the story is focused primarily on the relationship between Keedrina and the Duke, the servant-master relationship it is filtered through creates a very highly unusual romance story. Indeed, even knowing this, the ending is a bit of a surprise. It is a romance, but not the standard variety. It will challenge your assumptions on those grounds.

Is it an action/adventure? You could say that. Early on, there is action and difficult situations that must be dealt with. We come into the story after Keedrina has lost her family and she is the only surviving heir. The Duke quickly gathers a gang of town folk and they ride off to deal justice to the perpetrators. While there are big gaps where guys who want action will find scenes more focused on the romance angle than moving the story forward action-wise, you will find political intrigue, back-stabbing, and a conclusion that will keep you glued to the page till the end.

So, what do we have here? The story of a girl who loses everything, and willingly gives of herself to serve the man she loves. You have a story of amazing loyalty, convicting humility, and graceful love, despite the cruelties she faces.

Indeed, the book is more about her love than the Duke's. He's a man that causes revulsion one minute, and admiration the next. He can be extremely cruel to his enemies, but faithful and loyal to his friends and servants. He is a flawed man operating in a flawed culture. And yet, finds a woman in Keedrina that convicts him and changes him. Indeed, will not let him go.

While the book speaks of great violence and the depravity of the society, Ms. Hokstad delivers it in a PG-13 manner. She doesn't gloss over evil, but neither does she wallow in it. The writing is easy to read and pulls you into the well-developed world. The characters are interesting and engaging.

A most unique story of loyalty that provides a stark contrast against the harsh realities of a slave society. Prepare to wince, cry, and laugh. Easily a recommended read from this reviewer.

Note: The publisher gave me a copy of this book to review.

Review: Earthbow, Vol. 1by Sherry Thompson

Sherry Thompson's Blog
ISBN: 978-0-9825087-3-2



Any fears that Seabird and its sequels would end up mimicking The Chronicles of Narnia are dispelled with this first volume of Earthbow, by Sherry Thompson. Indeed, in feel and focus, this book departs from Seabird while still living in the rich universe created there.

First, while Seabird remained in Cara's point of view the whole time, this book has several. The storyline is more complicated, with various threads spinning around each other. Some threads touch others, some tie together, others remain lose, waiting to be wrapped up in Volume 2. The reader sees and experiences more of the world, the culture, and the darkness than in Seabird.

Second, Cara doesn't return for this story, rather her brother, Xander, is introduced into this world. And instead of experiencing Xander's entrance into the world and his acceptance of his mission, we jump into the story two weeks after he's been in the world, already carrying the Earthbow, and apparently ready to find out what he was sent there to do, and do it, though it's obvious he isn't ready.

Third, Xander, while the Outworlder, isn't the central character or focus in this volume. Harone, a key character from Seabird, acts as Xander's guide and we frequently find ourselves in his point of view, and realize he's struggling with his own journey and growth as an Enchanter, facing the dark evil that he wrestles to fight back. Another thread follows Coris, serving an evil king influenced by the dark evil that is working to enslave the lands, and his ethical struggle both to do what is right in the face of possible death, and his struggle with faith in someone greater than himself. Many other characters interact or take the points of view, but relate to one of these two threads in one way or another. As a matter of fact, while Xander is an interesting character, in this volume he is upstaged by the rich and varied cast of characters. This volume isn't as much his story as it is Harone's and Coris'.

I admit, when I first dug into this book, I was expecting Seabird II, and it threw me a bit when I didn't get that. But once past that realization, I found a greatly expanded and darker view of Narenta and the lands in this world. The characters are well drawn, complete with their own histories, flaws, and struggles. The silent enemy working behind the scenes, and those he controls, provide definite and constant tension as the story progresses. Earthbow, while in the Narenta world, is its own book. The feel is more like Lord of the Rings. Not so much in the plot, but in the scope of the story arc. The book takes on a more epic ambiance than Seabird contained.

But unlike Lord of the Rings, and more like The Chronicles of Narnia, the allegory runs deep. Alphesis still is present and guiding, but hidden. This makes the volume a great read for the non-Christian who may not bother with seeing allegorical relationships to Christian characters or principles, and simply enjoy the story for what it is: an engaging story any fantasy fan would love to sink their teeth into. At the same time, the Christian reader can read it and derive valid Christian thoughts and applications to their lives, if they wish. For either reader, they will find Earthbow a gem of a story.

The writing is well done, easy to follow most of the time. Sometimes the jumping around to different points of view takes some getting used too, and for my taste, happened too frequently in spots. Yet, it wasn't so bad that it distracted me from the story. More like shifting gears on a manual transmission. Most of the shifts are established well enough and the reader will be able to keep up with who's who and where they are. I also found many of the descriptions rich without being overbearing, and the action easy to follow.

One other note, mentioned above but bears pointing out: this is volume 1 of a two volume book. It contains books one and two. The second volume, yet to come out as of this writing, will have books three and four and an epilogue. Consequently, while there is a thread that is tied up and a climax to this book, there are also a lot of threads yet to be woven to a conclusion. I'm told that Xander will play a greater role in the next volume, and a lot of the story lines will be completed there, including Coris'. It's your traditional middle book problem. You have to wait for the next one to get the ending.

That said, don't wait for the next volume to come out to read this. I highly recommend this book. And though I rarely do this, I'll give it five out of five stars. If the follow-up fails to deliver, that would be a shame. But I have every expectation that it will deliver. And I look forward to discovering how these stories conclude.

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the author.

Review: By Darkness Hidby Jill Williamson

ISBN: 978-0-9821049-5-8
Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I love it when I read a book that has great characters, an unpredictable plot, and clear writing that doesn't get in the way of the story. And by all accounts, that's what you can expect to find in By Darkenss Hid, by Jill Williamson.

Jill creates an interesting and well developed cast, both with the two protagonist and the supporting characters. They read and feel like individuals with their own history and motives, and the chemistry between many of them simply works. The reader won't find themselves bored with the interaction between these characters and will cheer on the protagonist.

On the face of it, the plot could have been, and may feel to some, as trite. My first impression of young Achen, the primary star of the show, was similar to Harry Potter's situation. He has a gift of which he is unaware: bloodvoicing, which is a telepathic ability to listen into another's thoughts and experiences as well as communicate with other bloodvoicers within a given range. Achen's "guardians" work to keep that ability hidden from him, of which he is particularly gifted, using a "tonic" he has to drink everyday.

But the similarities end at that point. Not only because this alternate world of Er'Rets is set in a Medieval culture, but the reason behind this charade becomes the primary plot revelation toward the end of the book, and thus the thematic climax. This book details the events which transpire to bring this revelation into the open. I feared for a while that we would get a "Luke, I am your father" moment, but that didn't happen. The revelation actually is intricate and well played, and makes sense of the situation where we find Achen when the story starts. Not that some couldn't guess the outcome, but when it hit, I wasn't looking for it, though I did guess correctly on some key parts. What could have been another trite plot, however, was developed by the author and made her own unique contribution that kept me interested in what would happen next.

The alternate thread of this plot involves a young girl, who in an attempt to avoid being married to the selfish and vile prince, goes into hiding as a boy named Vrell Sparrow. While this part of the story wasn't as intriguing as Achen's, I did find her growing on me and sucked into that part of the story as well. My only complain there was the trip to Master Hadar, who trains her in bloodvoicing, felt a little long. Some interesting things happen along the way, but I was ready for it to end before it did.

Yet, her story plays into Achen's as the story progresses, and their paths naturally cross. Her secret, which the reader knows, doesn't get revealed to the rest of the characters except for a select few who figure it out. And her story isn't fully resolved on that point, obviously to be revealed in the next book. I did find her interesting, however, and her plot line adds to the story.

There are two areas concerning the plot that the reader needs to be aware of. One is that the end of the book is a good cliffhanger. You will be wanting to read the second book once done with this one. While there are some things of great importance you learn, there are several threads that are left for another book or two to resolve. The reader simply needs to be aware of that going in, and plan on getting the rest of the series if you want the full story. This is not a self-contained story.

A second issue is once the revelation was revealed, there was an aspect of it I found a little hard to swallow. An attempt is made well enough to account for it, but it still sounded a little unlikely to me. What is the plot hole? Well, if I told you that, you'd have no reason to read the book. Then we'd have to mindwipe you. That taken into account, I was willing to give the author the benefit of doubt on it, and suspend disbelief, but it did feel unlikely to me. Most people will probably not even notice it or be bothered about it if they do. Indeed, the book is so well done, by the time you get there, you're invested in the story and that isn't likely to throw you. It is possible it could have happened that way, so I'm willing to give that to her. Just not probable.

The world setting was well developed. There is political intrigue behind the story, and competing factions. One interesting aspect of this world is that part of it is set in "Darkness," apparently a very thick mist that blocks out the sun. This book doesn't get into the reason for this darkness, but apparently there are whole cities in it.

One seeming inconsistency I noticed are among those who live in the darkness. One race of men have been driven mad by it, so they appear to act and react as animals. Achen is warned not to go into it, and they appear to fear being driven mad themselves by it. Yet there are whole cities that exist in the darkness that don't seem affected by it. Achen meets some of them, even appearing to nearly fall in love with one of the ladies who comes across as kind and noble. It could be in the next book we'll learn more about the world and why this disparity exist between these two races living in the darkness, but it would seem just being in the darkness doesn't necessarily make one mad, though it can. Why one group does go mad and the other doesn't is yet to be revealed.

But the world itself is real and believable, even if unique. Yet there is still much more to learn about it that isn't revealed in this book. Most readers will find the setting interesting and fun.

On the writing front, the author does a good job of staying out of the way, letting the words build pictures and develop the story rather than calling attention to themselves. She writes in a way that is easy to follow and leads to little, if any, confusion as to what is happening. Action scenes are described in a clear manner. The text contains very few typos; only two jumped out at me.

I liked her descriptions, but felt on one point they were overdone. To continually be describing what everyone is wearing was too much for my taste. Sometimes that was needed, but other times I wondered why I even needed to know that information. Most of the other descriptions felt appropriate and painted the scenes in vivid color.

The bottom line? I fully enjoyed reading this book. The characters, the interesting plot, the writing style, all come together to give the reader a story they can lose themselves in. I'm ready for book two, To Darkness Fled. You will be too once you dig into this 490 page volume and spends some hours in Er'Rets with Achen and Vrell. I recommend this novel and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Check out these other sites participating in the CSFF Blog Tour:

Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Gina Burgess
Beckie Burnham
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Sarah Flanagan
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Joleen Howell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Leighton
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

The Shaman and the Roseby Bill Haynes

This is a book sent to my by the author for free, to review. I've sat on it for some time. In part because I've had several other books I wanted to read, in part because I didn't have a lot of time, and in part because being a self-published book I feared the worst.

Unfortunately, my fears were not put to rest once I dug into it. Actually, we started out having my wife read it to me and my two sons in the car. We made it through two chapters, and the kids didn't want to hear any more. The problem from their perspective? A bunch of seemingly unrelated and random events happen. Stuff just happens. Vortexes appear, one minute we're saving a drowning boy, the next we're fighting vampires, then next we're in a cave, brought there by none other than a vortex, which seems to be a common vehicle in this world.

Their basic problem was they couldn't make much sense of what was going on. It was hard to follow. There was simply no connection with the story at all for them. And I had to agree. Some things simply didn't make sense, like when their car stopped working, and instead of walking down the road, for some unexplained reason, they felt they had to climb down a cliff to escape something (they ran as if fleeing for their lives, but no danger was given). Why they would risk life and limb when they could simply walk down the road to the nearest station was never explained. Or why they suddenly found themselves in a cave.

Tonight I decided I would pick it up at chapter 3 while I roasted coffee, to see if this redeemed itself. It didn't. More random events, though at least they're sticking to the theme of vampires. But that was preceded by freeing one of the characters from some bone prison (have no idea how she got there, maybe I missed something in all the mayhem) and I don't really know what was going on. One second you have her talking to a dragon, the next you're in another head, and the next another character inexplicably appears riding  a dragon and frees her.

I read part way into chapter 4 before giving up. This book simply wasn't worth my time to read further. Why was it so bad? Several reasons that I could pick up from reading these first four chapters.

One, the author uses a camera/omniscient view point, but pulls it off very poorly. A lot of the problems with it involve head jumping that is jarring and not smooth. It ends up being all over the place, one point looking at things from a narrator's view point, then into one head and then another, sometimes all three in the same paragraph. Following the author in this story is akin to chasing a rabbit through the woods.

His writing style doesn't help either. Often the actions, dialog, and/or thoughts of two or more characters are combined into one paragraph, making it hard to know who's head and view point we are supposed to be following. His action descriptions contain no feeling, no sense of tension. I felt more like someone observing the scene, but observing while a strobe light was flashing, making the actions jerky and difficult to follow.

Due to the above, we are introduced to at least six main characters in these four chapters, all of them seem to get equal time and none of them appear to be the primary point of view. Because we're jumping around in their heads so much, we can never settle in and get a sense of who they are. As a matter of fact, the characterization of these people didn't distinguish them much from each other. There simply was no way to really connect with the characters.

While maybe there is a plot to this novel, and if I was willing to wade through all this till the end of the book, maybe it would all come together and make sense, I was totally lost as to what was going on. Where it started out didn't seem to point to where it went in the few chapters I read. None of the events appeared to be related to each other save the barest of links. Some scenes appear totally pointless. Nothing happens and there's no attempt to move a story forward. As my sons said, stuff just happens randomly, and without any apparent reason other than it just does. Situations are introduced which don't seem to play a role in the story, like saving the boy from the lake. It's as if the author said to himself, "Hum, I need some excitement here, I think I'll have someone drowning and they can save him. Yeah, that will be cool." Whether that boy ever plays another role in this story from here on out is unknown to me, but my guess is that's the last we hear of him. But neither would I be surprised to find out he returns at some point as some powerful wizard that pulls their rears out of the fire, which such events have already happened.

Aside from an omniscient view point that isn't executed very well, a non-existent or hidden plot line/story, difficult to follow narration, head hopping, irrational decisions and dialog by the characters, one also finds overused and trite plot devices and dialog, an occasional typo (missing question mark, "trioka" spelled differently at times, .38 pistol spelled out in one paragraph and then use numbers two paragraphs from that, are three I recall off the top of my head), "as you know, Bob" dialog, deus ex machina resolutions, the old "look in the mirror and describe yourself" device, and a heavy reliance on adverbs, sometimes telling me what he just showed me, so a good bit of redundant narration.

Needless to say, all this made it very hard to connect with the characters or a story to hook me in. Maybe the story comes together later, but if it can't hook me within three chapters, it doesn't matter. Very few will get far enough to find out if it comes together. But I had the fear of wasting a lot of time reading it, only to discover it had left a trail of smoking gun plot devices that were never fired or resolved. Most people are going to feel the same way.

My suggestion for the author is to hone his craft more. Get it good enough to sell to a publisher rather than taking the shortcut route of self-publishing, because the inexperience shows here big time. If I could describe this novel in one sentence, it would be the author's attempt to throw everything but the kitchen sink into one book before he's taken the time to learn the basics of fiction writing.

And for the reader, this is not a book I would recommend, obviously. I wish I could, because I don't like giving negative reviews, but I have to be honest in my review of the work, and since the author sent it to me for that purpose, I feel I have a duty to give it. But I cannot recommend this book.

Flashpointby Frank Creed

If there is one thing that can be said about Flashpoint, it's this is not your father's Christian apocalyptic tale. This first book in Frank Creed's series (the next book is coming out soon, I understand), introduces us to a world controlled by a group referred to as "One-State Neros." This group attempts to subdue a rebel alliance of Christians who refuse to submit. It is into this group that Dave and Jen are thrown when their own church comes under attack and is captured.

But the world Dave and Jen find themselves in is nothing but unique. Reality finds enhancements with mind downloads, superhuman abilities, and fights that have a decidedly Matrix feel to them. Dave becomes Calamity Kid and Jen, E-girl as they take their places in this showdown and attempt to save their church family and parents from reformation by the Neros. What you end up with is a near-future world that is nevertheless significantly different, but very real.

The positives of this book are several. It has an originality few books have, especially in this sub-genre. The voice of the author itself is unique and compelling. The story and the world will keep you on your toes, and creates a very enjoyable ride through this intriguing world. If you like action, the book is packed with it. If you like cool abilities and science, this is for you. If you like all that with a dose of a distinctive Christian worldview, look no further.

But there are some areas a reader will need to be aware of going in. One, this book uses a lot of slang. If you have no idea what it means to slag something, that should give you an idea. I could usually figure out from context what the words meant, but even then, such terms tended to jerk me out of the story a bit until I became used to them, and I often had to recall what a specific term meant. Some terms I never was sure what they meant. The book is full of such slang, so if that kind of thing bothers you, take note and make your decision to read going in. If you're comfortable with that level of current slang, then you should have no problem.

The other issue that jumped out at me is the overuse of metaphors. He uses them frequently. That is not always bad in itself, but frequently the metaphors caused me (and my wife and kids) to pause the story trying to figure out what he was trying to say with it, because it was a bit obscure. And a few times the metaphors simply felt too much, overdone to the point of not directly linking with the thought being conveyed. The story even ends on one such metaphor we had to stop and figure out.

If you like such metaphor puzzles, this will not bother you much. If you just want to read without having to pause and think about what was being said, it might be an issue for you. I personally didn't mind them as much, but my kids and wife seemed to stumble over them more. We still enjoyed the story, however.

Due to the above, I sometimes had trouble following what was going on. I followed the basic plot all right, but in scenes I had this feeling of being a bit unsure if the picture in my head was what it should be, as if I might be missing something that would make it complete. Sort of like a puzzle with two or three pieces missing. I could make out the bigger picture, but I really would have liked to see it complete, and I'm not sure I did. But in fairness, I sometimes have trouble following narration/story with certain styles, and this felt that way to me. So it may be more me than the author on that point.

And any reader should know this is a Christian book. There is no attempt to claim it is anything but, yet some people may miss that point until they get to the first Bible verse mentioned in the text. They are sprinkled throughout. And while integrated well with the characters and the plot, those of the non-Christian variety, while appreciating the story itself, may find such things annoying. That said, I don't find here an attempt to preach, even though one will find a point made here and there. But generally it is more a showing than a sermon.

Myself, I found the book to be enjoyable. If the above issues don't bother you, I would certainly recommend the book. If they do give you pause, I would still recommend the book. I don't think they make the story inaccessible, and while you may have to work more than you'd like, you'll still find the ride enjoyable and interesting as I think there is a lot to be said for this author's vision and execution. Despite the road bumps I had personally with it, I still am glad I read it and would recommend it to anyone desiring to live a very different life though interesting characters.

Book Review: Seabirdby Sherry Thompson

One might be tempted to think a story where a character gets whisked away to a strange fantasy world would be full of trite fantasy plots. You'll find none of that here. No elves, no dwarfs, wizards, dragons. Instead, you get enchanters, young ones, seabirds, and various people set in a well-crafted world, deep in its own history and cultures. Just exploring this new world with Cara is its own reward as Sherry Thompson does a great job of putting the reader firmly into this new world with detail and descriptions that paint a picture, but don't get in the way of the story.

But it doesn't stop there. While Lewis-like in its basic premise, the allegory, while there, is with a lighter touch. The Narentian god, Alphesis, is obviously an analogy to Jesus Christ. The character only appears at key moments and doesn't devolve into a deus ex machina solution to the dangers faced, a problem Lewis had in some of his Narnia novels. Nor would the secular reader feel they were preached at.

What you do have is a modern fantasy along the lines of Lewis, Tolkien, and Williams, but with Sherry Thompson's own stamp firmly on it, making it her story. Cara Marshall is pulled into this new world, where she goes from being the scared teenager, to reluctant hero, to finding in herself the ability to sacrifice her own desires for those of others. The character arc is well built and satisfying.

The writing is well done. It has a big of a choppy feel to it at times, but this is due to the character's thought patterns being on the fragmented side. Less than a handful of times I had to stop and think where she was going, but those were far and few in between, and didn't distract me. While you might spot a typo here and there, the grammar is clean, the writing in most cases clear, and the story well-told.

The story does get a little slow at the beginning as Cara fights her calling to save these people, but it quickly accelerates and the action grows intense. There is a good touch of humor and pathos to the story. Death is a reality, and Cara faces her own doubts and deals with them in multiple ways. The struggle feels real, and I found myself rooting for her.

This is an enjoyable read with an original story, a rich world, and a solid cast of characters, both the main character and the supporting cast. The story is great for young adults, even young teens, but will be appreciated by adults as well who enjoy a solid fantasy that isn't like everything else out there.

I recommend reading this book if you enjoy a good fantasy story.

Review: "Seven Archangels: Annihilation"by Jane Lebak

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Seven Archangels: Annihilation
by Jane Lebak
ISBN: 0979307945

If you like angels and demons, this may be the book for you. Whereas the TV program "Touched By an Angel" played out in this world, this book primarily allows one to experience the world of angels and demons.

Certainly a difficult subject to pull off, simply because so many people have very set ideas of what angels and demons are like, as well as a theology about them. And one should be warned, this is not your daddy's angel book—unless you give it to him for Christmas. If you come at this book thinking this needs to conform to your theology of how angels are and act, you'll have a problem. Not that this book doesn't conform to a theology of angels, but one does have to keep in mind that this is fiction, not reality. The author isn't saying, "this is how angels really are and act." So if one comes at it giving the author some leeway in defining that world and knowing it may not sync with one's own theology one hundred percent, you'll enjoy this book.

The premise of the book is interesting. It boils down to what if Satan could kill an angel? In this story, he believes he can, and makes the attempt. And it appears he has succeeded in annihilating Gabriel. Can the other angels do anything to save Gabriel? Is one of them next? And what about God? Why did He allow this? The story follows the various angels and demons attempting to come to terms with Gabriel's annihilation.

If you're looking for an action packed book, this may not be for you. There is action to be had, but there are also chapters of dialog and waiting. Not that nothing is happening, but the pacing as far as action goes bogs down through the middle of the book, sandwiched between some well written action sequences in the beginning and the end.

But if you're wanting character interaction, look no further. A strong cast of angels and demons interact with one another, with well defined personalities and characters. I would suggest that the strong point of this novel is the cast of interesting characters and how they interact with one another. If that type of novel appeals to you, get this book and have at it.

If there is a weakness to the book, it would have to be the difficulty getting into the story. I think there are three reasons for this. One, while the cast of characters is the novel's strong point, they also contribute to the time it takes to get into the story. There are simply so many of them that it takes a while to match names with angels/demons. I almost felt I needed a program as in baseball to keep the players straight. But after some time, I had no trouble knowing who was who. It simply took three or four chapters to reach that point. And I'm on the slower side than others in that regard, so not all will have that same experience.

Two, the angel/demon world is so new and unlike our own that I was never sure what all the "rules" were as to how it operated. The strangeness of it kept me from sinking right into the story, attempting to acclimate myself to the world setting. Eventually I got there too, but it contributed to the delay. And each time a new power was revealed, I had to readjust the world's rules in my mind.

Three, while the point of view was well done and seamless in its execution so that I wasn't distracted from the story by it, it is written in a more omniscient view. Sometimes it sank into a close limited third with several of the characters, other times pulling back to a more omniscient perspective. While that point of view was necessary to tell the story, it did add to the time it took to get comfortable with the characters and their world.

I would say that by the fifth to sixth chapter or so, I didn't think as much about these things. If you're willing to spend a little time getting to know the characters and the world, if you like seeing a well developed setting, the story is worth the effort.

For the reader who enjoys a new world and a cast of interesting characters dealing with deep issues that we humans have faced for thousands of years, you don't want to miss out on this book. Despite the new world, and the angelic/demonic powers, what strikes me most is the very human issues it touches upon as this tale unfolds. And in that, it can teach us a lot about ourselves.

Review: League of Superheroesby Stephen L. Rice

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League of Superheroes

By Stephen L. Rice

ISBN: 193428405X

Radiation explains so many superhero powers, it's refreshing to see a more unique method of creating them. And to find a superhero book that classifies as science fiction instead of fantasy is even more rare. If that interest you, you're likely to find this book a refreshing read.

It is an origin story, no doubt. But Mr. Rice does a good job of keeping it interesting. A mysterious girl named Genie starts talking to Clarice in a chat room. She ends up bringing in her brother Allan and his friends into the discussion. Next thing you know, this mysterious girl is shipping them suits that enable them to do as much and more than what their favorite comic book superheroes can do.

But the real questions are who is she, how can she do this, and why is she doing it? The answer to those questions leads them to discover whether being a superhero involves more than super powers.

This book is a fun read for people of all ages even though it is directed toward young adults. It is well written, and the characters are fun. The plot keeps you wondering what will happen next. On the book as a whole, I'd have to say I enjoyed it and would recommend it hardily to anyone seeking a book to give to a child, teen, or even an older "child" who enjoys superhero stories.

If I were to fault the book for anything, it would be sometimes the story gets too bogged down in the technical details of how everything works. For the geek, this is interesting. And I don't mind some of that myself, but I found at certain points wishing we could skip the explanations and get on with the story. And to that end, it seemed the distribution of the suits dribbled out. In some ways, that would be truer to life, yes. But it slowed the story down. Despite that, Mr. Rice kept the pace overall on a good foot. So while I had those problems, it didn't mar the story significantly.

It should also be mentioned that this book has Christian characters written by a Christian. Mr. Rice does a good job of not doing a lot of preaching through this story, though you will find some messages coming through here and there. However, those are natural to the characters and the story. Most people whether religious or not, will enjoy it for what it is: teens from various backgrounds dealing with the moral dilemmas of gaining such powers and how to use them.

I enjoyed reading this story. It makes a great stocking stuffer for the reader in your family. And who knows, you might find yourself picking it up and getting sucked into it. I look forward to more stories about these kids in the future from this author.

Buy League of Superheroes at:

Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Writer's Cafe Press (publisher), and other online and bookstore outlets.

The Muse: A Fun Read

The Muse, by Fred Warren, takes the reader into the world of muses, thus the title. Stan is a writer who's having trouble figuring out where to go with his story. His writer's group, consisting of Davos and Jilly, are also struggling. Then along comes Leila, and suddenly they're able to not only get their stories back on track, but find buyers and break into the big time. But how? And more importantly, why?

That's the engine for this story as the seemingly innocent events grow to dangerous proportions. Our trio, along with Stan's wife, Charity, and his daughter, Hannah, are thrown into the world of a Muse intent on destroying them along with many others.

There is a Christian element to the story, but that is due to the characters being Christian, not an attempt to preach. Most anyone would be comfortable reading this, no matter what religion or non-religion they are. But you'll not find an attempt to deliver an overt message or belittle anyone else in these pages.

The strength of the story lies in Mr. Warren's well developed characters. He has a great cast, and they are well written. Their interaction provides much of the story's spark. The only character I felt who could have used more nuance was the antagonist. She starts out interesting enough, but by the end, she evolves into the typical, arrogant villain. But the rest of the cast had depth and interesting interaction, and was what kept the story vibrant.

I read this rather quickly. On my limited schedule, reading a book takes a month or more, but I found myself sitting in the chair, late into the night, with a cup of tea or coffee, reading yet another chapter. I finished it within four days of starting. Would I call it a page turner? Plot wise, not really, but the writing and characters were so well done, I had to find out what would happen to them, and that kept me reading.

Which is good, because for me, it was a slow burn on discovering that there was a danger to confront. Mr. Warren takes his time building to the point where we fully realize the danger Stan and his friends are in. I found myself wanting to "get there" much sooner than we actually did. That coming from a guy who likes fast-paced narrative. Your mileage may vary.

Related to that, I had watched the book's trailer. I knew at some point, our heroes would end up trapped in an alternate reality and have to fight their way out. If I hadn't been looking for it, I may not have felt this way, but the entry into this alternate reality doesn't happen until the last third of the book. I not only grew impatient waiting for them to get there, but wasn't ready to leave when they did. Mr. Warren introduces several characters once in the new world who I would have loved to learn more about. If I had my say, I would have preferred more time in the alternate world and less in the real.

The plot is a mixture of both original concepts and predictable moments. It isn't complicated, and I did feel more could have been done with it. Yet, the world of the Muse held interest, and I can tell Mr. Warren had invested the time in their back story. While the plot had a couple of holes, I had fun reading it. He paints the world, both real and alternate, so you feel you're there. The plot adequately displays his strength: the characters. If you don't need cliff-hanger action on every page, and prefer characters who you find interesting, my bet is you'll enjoy this novel as well as I did.

Can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other bookstores.

"Deuces Wild: Beginners' Luck" Review

On the surface, Deuces Wild: Beginners' Luck by L. S. King is a good, old-fashion, space opera story full of adventure with a touch of humor that most, if not all, will enjoy. Are there are explosions? Yes! Battles? A plenty! Spacey technology? Yep, but the story doesn't get bogged down in it. Aliens? You bettcha, including their cultures and a believable world.

But there are two other details needed to make a book of any kind interesting: plot and characters.

On the plot front, the story consist of the two main characters, Slap and Tristan, who confront the Mordas, a Mafia-like group controlling Slap's planet. The Mordas attempt to steal the settlers' land, even if it means killing. Slap's loss of his wife and children at their hands leads to meeting Tristan at the beginning of the story. Their two fates become intertwined with interesting results as they attempt to avoid capture, or are busy rescuing one another from capture. Along the way, they meet a respectable cast of secondary characters and adventures that adds spice to the tale and moves the story forward. In the end, they return for a final confrontation with the self-appointed organization controlling Slap's planet in a satisfying battle.

The plot is standard fare, but L. S. King puts enough of her own spin on it to keep it interesting. However, if this was the extent of the book, it wouldn't be enough to make it stand out. What really causes this to rise above your average space opera tale are the two characters. King has taken pains to paint two very three-dimensional characters who you'd never expect to become friends. They don't even expect themselves to become friends. But by the end of the book, they know it and the reader knows it. But what does a mercenary with a hidden past and agenda, and a moral cowboy-like family man have in common? On the surface, not much, but the fun is in watching them find out that real friendship has roots that dig under the surface of differences and bind them to one another. Then when events force them to make a decision, they discover their bond brings them to one another's aid—because they care.

The real joy of this book is in watching that friendship unfold and tested between these two endearing characters. For me, it is what makes this book worth reading. The interesting plot, the space and planetary backdrop and cultures, the adventure and explosions, are all icing on the cake, making this book one well-rounded story that few would regret plunking down the money to read.

There are some minor drawbacks to note. For me, it took a while to get into the story with the switching between the two main characters frequently. One character per chapter would have made it easier. That said, the confusion was temporary. Once I read further in and the two story lines became more solidified in my head, I had no problem. Most of the time the switches were done well, but I think it was the frequency of them that made getting a handle on the story more difficult, at first.

There were also spots where it was too easy to lose who was talking, but that didn't happen frequently. And a minor info-hiding toward the end of the story. It could be justified and was minor enough it didn't distract from the story, but it was info hiding.

Positives aside from what I've mentioned above is solid writing—it never distracted me from the story but pulled me into it. The printing is of good quality, and a snappy cover that while giving a picture of the two characters and is a cool graphic, doesn't accomplish much more, but fun to look at.

I recommend this as a good read for most anyone. While set in a science fiction world, the story itself is one anyone can identify with. For space opera lovers, this is a must read—a prime example of an exciting but well-rounded adventure. I fully enjoyed it, and I bet you'll not regret picking this one up.