Sinai
by William Smethurst
(4/5 stars)
When a German tourist dies of dehydration in the Sinai desert in only hours, Dr. Richard Corrigan begins to suspect something odd is going on. He joins forces with an American scientist, who shows him the body of an Egyptian boy recovered in 1973 but believed to actually come from the time of the Biblical exodus. Thus Richard begins to look for answers.
If you ever wanted a da Vinci Code involving physics then this is your book. It's lacking a little in terms of chills and thrills, though it has its moments. Mostly what holds this book back are the ancient Egyptian scenes. These weigh the narrative down considerably and for what they contribute to the end, it could have been compressed into a prologue. Really, we didn't need to hear the entire Exodus when all that mattered was what happened around Mount Te.
Another problem was the author clearly did not reference his military aircraft. At one point he mentions an American Sabre going down; Sabres became obsolete by the mid-1950s. Another point someone is flying in an SR-71 Blackbird; the last of those was retired in the 1990s. Then he mentioned something being tested on a Phantom; I'm pretty sure the Israeli's stopped using those a while back as well. In this age of Wikipedia it's pretty easy for an author or editor to research details like that. And as I always say, if you don't get the little things right, it worries me about the big things, especially in a book that involves so much history.
Anyway, as I said if you liked the da Vinci Code and like physics then this will be a great book for you.
That is all.
Here you will find all the reviews I've written for self-published and small-published books over the last four years, collected from Amazon and Goodreads
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Chet Finley vs. The Machines of Fate
Chet Finley vs. The Machines of Fate
by Eric Filler
(5/5 stars)
Fans of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" or especially fans of "Futurama" should enjoy this smart-alec sci-fi adventure. The eponymous Chet Finley is an ordinary schlub in Newark until the day he uncovers a galactic conspiracy to control--and profit from--humanity. From there Chet enlists the aid of a surly robot named Ziggy and a shapeshifting assassin named Sadie to find the root of the conspiracy and free humanity. The journey takes Chet from Newark to a freighter loaded with bootleg DVDs to Monaco and then into the stars. From there Chet and company visit a library operated by giant birds, a casino in the Horsehead Nebula, to a planet where time itself has stopped.
As with any book of this type you might not get all of the jokes or think they're all very funny, but there are far more hits than misses. The book is loaded with geek culture references and a good dose of locker room humor to make it fun for grown-up sci-fi fans. It won't make you forget Douglas Adams, but it's still a fun read.
That is all.
by Eric Filler
(5/5 stars)
Fans of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" or especially fans of "Futurama" should enjoy this smart-alec sci-fi adventure. The eponymous Chet Finley is an ordinary schlub in Newark until the day he uncovers a galactic conspiracy to control--and profit from--humanity. From there Chet enlists the aid of a surly robot named Ziggy and a shapeshifting assassin named Sadie to find the root of the conspiracy and free humanity. The journey takes Chet from Newark to a freighter loaded with bootleg DVDs to Monaco and then into the stars. From there Chet and company visit a library operated by giant birds, a casino in the Horsehead Nebula, to a planet where time itself has stopped.
As with any book of this type you might not get all of the jokes or think they're all very funny, but there are far more hits than misses. The book is loaded with geek culture references and a good dose of locker room humor to make it fun for grown-up sci-fi fans. It won't make you forget Douglas Adams, but it's still a fun read.
That is all.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Superhero (An Action Thriller)
Superhero (An Action Thriller)
by Victor Methos
(4/5 stars)
This is definitely in the mold of grim and gritty 80s style comics like "The Dark Knight Returns" instead of the more traditional Golden Age of comics. The plot is sort of like "Robocop" meets "The Greatest American Hero" in that our hero Jack is pretty much killed, but thanks to alien technology is able to be rebuilt into a cyborg with superpowers. He uses these to go after Agamemnon, the guy who nearly killed him and who has pretty much the same abilities as Jack.
Overall it's a pretty serviceable superhero tale if you like the grim and gritty stuff. Unfortunately an M. Night-style twist at the end ruins what would otherwise be a 5-star yarn. I do appreciate that the author at least tried to create a different hero with his own backstory, as so many other authors seem content to just mimic Superman or Batman or Iron Man, etc. and set them in play.
For the price I got it for on Amazon I'd have to say it was worth the money.
That is all.
by Victor Methos
(4/5 stars)
This is definitely in the mold of grim and gritty 80s style comics like "The Dark Knight Returns" instead of the more traditional Golden Age of comics. The plot is sort of like "Robocop" meets "The Greatest American Hero" in that our hero Jack is pretty much killed, but thanks to alien technology is able to be rebuilt into a cyborg with superpowers. He uses these to go after Agamemnon, the guy who nearly killed him and who has pretty much the same abilities as Jack.
Overall it's a pretty serviceable superhero tale if you like the grim and gritty stuff. Unfortunately an M. Night-style twist at the end ruins what would otherwise be a 5-star yarn. I do appreciate that the author at least tried to create a different hero with his own backstory, as so many other authors seem content to just mimic Superman or Batman or Iron Man, etc. and set them in play.
For the price I got it for on Amazon I'd have to say it was worth the money.
That is all.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sale Day at C-Mart
Sale Day at C-Mart
by Joe Basara
(5/5 stars)
The best way to describe this book might be to say it's the absurdist class struggle of "Catch-22" fused with the retail comedy of the movie "Clerks." I found this combination to be very entertaining and a step up from his debut "Cypress Lake."
This story takes place in Cypress Lake, though it's set a few years later in the mid-80s. C-Mart is a big box chain store not unlike KMart and like KMart it has a hated rival known as T-Mart. The management of both stores have the brilliant idea of a Christmas in July sale. The book takes place during this sale day (hence the title) through the points of view of the store's employees.
The employees spend much of their time hopping around working (or trying to avoid working)to meet management's impossible demands. The Powers That Be in Atlanta decree to "spread 'em thin" to avoid paying too many salaries, which often leaves stock piled up and displays a shambles and frustrated customers going across the street. Three new employees are inserted into the chaos of C-Mart and things get off to a great start when their training person calls in sick because of a night of partying. Thus they're left to fend for themselves.
The customers become increasingly nutty, sometimes to an exceedingly surrealistic extent. There are a few times when the author problem should have toned it down, but for the most part it makes for an entertaining story as the employees struggle to meet management's crazy demands and the craziness of the customers. But it never manages to get as dark as a "Catch-22." In fact there's even a happy ending. Well, it is Christmas after all...or Christmas in July.
Basara's writing is as good or better than novels you would pay many times more for, which makes this a really good bargain for anyone who wants a well-written tale of absurdist humor. Or maybe if you work at a C-Mart type place and want a little catharsis.
That is all.
by Joe Basara
(5/5 stars)
The best way to describe this book might be to say it's the absurdist class struggle of "Catch-22" fused with the retail comedy of the movie "Clerks." I found this combination to be very entertaining and a step up from his debut "Cypress Lake."
This story takes place in Cypress Lake, though it's set a few years later in the mid-80s. C-Mart is a big box chain store not unlike KMart and like KMart it has a hated rival known as T-Mart. The management of both stores have the brilliant idea of a Christmas in July sale. The book takes place during this sale day (hence the title) through the points of view of the store's employees.
The employees spend much of their time hopping around working (or trying to avoid working)to meet management's impossible demands. The Powers That Be in Atlanta decree to "spread 'em thin" to avoid paying too many salaries, which often leaves stock piled up and displays a shambles and frustrated customers going across the street. Three new employees are inserted into the chaos of C-Mart and things get off to a great start when their training person calls in sick because of a night of partying. Thus they're left to fend for themselves.
The customers become increasingly nutty, sometimes to an exceedingly surrealistic extent. There are a few times when the author problem should have toned it down, but for the most part it makes for an entertaining story as the employees struggle to meet management's crazy demands and the craziness of the customers. But it never manages to get as dark as a "Catch-22." In fact there's even a happy ending. Well, it is Christmas after all...or Christmas in July.
Basara's writing is as good or better than novels you would pay many times more for, which makes this a really good bargain for anyone who wants a well-written tale of absurdist humor. Or maybe if you work at a C-Mart type place and want a little catharsis.
That is all.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Yoshimi and the Shadow Clan
Yoshimi and the Shadow Clan
by Tony Laplume
(4/5 stars)
My assumption is this has less to do with the Flaming Lips album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and more with old kung-fu movies and modern updates like "Kill Bill." There is a girl named Yoshimi who has to train in martial arts, but sadly pink robots are sorely lacking...for now.
In the meantime, the orphaned Yoshimi trains by escaping 36 different foster families until at 15 she's finally released into the world. Her first stop is at the Peers academy, where she gets a book and a sword and gets some vague preparation for a battle against the evildoer who killed her parents. First she has to take on the Shadow Clan led by a guy named Bill, which seems an obvious "Kill Bill" reference despite that I haven't actually watched most of those movies as I have yet to embrace the genius of Quentin Tarantino.
Most of the book is entertaining enough and it's fairly short so it doesn't take a long time to read. I would have preferred a little more detail in the beginning about the foster families and at the end after Yoshimi's confrontation with Bill it might have been nice for things to slow down a little to get more detail about her travels.
There is a decent promise of more to come, though perhaps pink robots are not in the offing. Dang it.
That is all.
by Tony Laplume
(4/5 stars)
My assumption is this has less to do with the Flaming Lips album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and more with old kung-fu movies and modern updates like "Kill Bill." There is a girl named Yoshimi who has to train in martial arts, but sadly pink robots are sorely lacking...for now.
In the meantime, the orphaned Yoshimi trains by escaping 36 different foster families until at 15 she's finally released into the world. Her first stop is at the Peers academy, where she gets a book and a sword and gets some vague preparation for a battle against the evildoer who killed her parents. First she has to take on the Shadow Clan led by a guy named Bill, which seems an obvious "Kill Bill" reference despite that I haven't actually watched most of those movies as I have yet to embrace the genius of Quentin Tarantino.
Most of the book is entertaining enough and it's fairly short so it doesn't take a long time to read. I would have preferred a little more detail in the beginning about the foster families and at the end after Yoshimi's confrontation with Bill it might have been nice for things to slow down a little to get more detail about her travels.
There is a decent promise of more to come, though perhaps pink robots are not in the offing. Dang it.
That is all.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The Carnival Papers
The Carnival Papers
by Patrick Dilloway
(5/5 Stars)
In every life there are those critical moments that leave their mark on us forever and shape the course of our lives. These are the moments that are contemplated in "The Carnival Papers," a collection of short stories focusing on a variety of characters facing life-altering situations.
The first story is "Learning to Fly," where a young girl fed up with small town life decides to set out on adventure. This adventure doesn't go quite as she plans when her car breaks down.
"Antiques" follows a similar pattern to "Learning to Fly," only in this a young girl in a small town uncovers her mother's dark secret.
"Far As You Can Go" focuses on a woman leaving her abusive husband who has to decide just what she's willing to do in order to escape.
In "Flight," a suburban man is trapped in the urban jungle and finds the most dangerous foe might just be himself.
"Walking Away" features a young man making the decision to leave home for the first time.
"Your Missed" (the title is a deliberate typo) deals with a young man in his first real job and first real relationship.
"Carnal Knowledge" focuses on an Internet loudmouth who leaves the virtual world to confront an author who tormented him in high school.
In "Tartarus" a man's idyllic XMas with his family is shattered by a dangerous foe.
"Coming Home" deals with a washed-up baseball player returning home and starting a new life.
Baseball is also at the center of "The Kryptonite Heart," in which a minor league baseball team, its mascot, and the mascot's son are all changed forever by a game to decide the championship.
In "Safe Harbor" a dying author seeks solace in the works he created.
"Spring in the Land of Broken Dreams" is another literary-themed adventure where a young man goes in search of his favorite author.
"The Carnival Papers" focuses on a young man and his brief affair with the "mermaid" of the visiting carnival.
In "Sunset Limited" nature photographer Frank Hemsky's life takes a dramatic turn on a train bound for home.
Frank Hemsky returns in "The Ridgemont Marathon," where a stop in rural Michigan prompts Frank to consider a change of life.
"Swimming Lessons" focuses on a deformed man's first meeting with the equally deformed father who abandoned him long ago.
In "Here I Am," folksinger Josh confronts writer's block and a new love.
Josh returns in "Folksinger's Blues," where he and his band meet the end of the road.
Finally, in "Meet Cute," a man's business trip to Toronto takes an unexpected turn and demonstrates that life isn't like the movies.
These stories are of varying length. Some feature sexual situations and bad language, though nothing too explicit.
That is all.
by Patrick Dilloway
(5/5 Stars)
In every life there are those critical moments that leave their mark on us forever and shape the course of our lives. These are the moments that are contemplated in "The Carnival Papers," a collection of short stories focusing on a variety of characters facing life-altering situations.
The first story is "Learning to Fly," where a young girl fed up with small town life decides to set out on adventure. This adventure doesn't go quite as she plans when her car breaks down.
"Antiques" follows a similar pattern to "Learning to Fly," only in this a young girl in a small town uncovers her mother's dark secret.
"Far As You Can Go" focuses on a woman leaving her abusive husband who has to decide just what she's willing to do in order to escape.
In "Flight," a suburban man is trapped in the urban jungle and finds the most dangerous foe might just be himself.
"Walking Away" features a young man making the decision to leave home for the first time.
"Your Missed" (the title is a deliberate typo) deals with a young man in his first real job and first real relationship.
"Carnal Knowledge" focuses on an Internet loudmouth who leaves the virtual world to confront an author who tormented him in high school.
In "Tartarus" a man's idyllic XMas with his family is shattered by a dangerous foe.
"Coming Home" deals with a washed-up baseball player returning home and starting a new life.
Baseball is also at the center of "The Kryptonite Heart," in which a minor league baseball team, its mascot, and the mascot's son are all changed forever by a game to decide the championship.
In "Safe Harbor" a dying author seeks solace in the works he created.
"Spring in the Land of Broken Dreams" is another literary-themed adventure where a young man goes in search of his favorite author.
"The Carnival Papers" focuses on a young man and his brief affair with the "mermaid" of the visiting carnival.
In "Sunset Limited" nature photographer Frank Hemsky's life takes a dramatic turn on a train bound for home.
Frank Hemsky returns in "The Ridgemont Marathon," where a stop in rural Michigan prompts Frank to consider a change of life.
"Swimming Lessons" focuses on a deformed man's first meeting with the equally deformed father who abandoned him long ago.
In "Here I Am," folksinger Josh confronts writer's block and a new love.
Josh returns in "Folksinger's Blues," where he and his band meet the end of the road.
Finally, in "Meet Cute," a man's business trip to Toronto takes an unexpected turn and demonstrates that life isn't like the movies.
These stories are of varying length. Some feature sexual situations and bad language, though nothing too explicit.
That is all.
Forever Young (Children of Eternity #1)
Forever Young (Children of Eternity #1)
by Claire Lachance
(4/5 Stars)
Did you ever watch that M. Night Whatshisface movie "The Village?" Neither did I, but there is somewhat of a similar premise involved in "Forever Young" by Claire Lachance. Maybe also a little of "Tuck Everlasting" or something too; it's been a while since I read that.
Anyway, the story begins with a 10-year-old girl washing up on an island. When she wakes up, she has no idea who she is or how she came to be on the island. The kindly Miss Brigham gives the girl the name Samantha Young. Why that and not Jane Doe? Hurm...
One Samantha is able to get up and around, she notices something very strange about the island. There are about 50 other children but only three adults: Miss Brigham, the nasty Mr. Pryde, and the head man Reverend Crane. The children do most of the work on the island to grow food, take care of the livestock, cut firewood, and so forth. Their technology is pretty much on par with the Amish, with no boats no phones no motorcars--not a single luxury. That seems odd to Samantha, but she can't understand why at first.
Samantha quickly makes friends with Prudence, a shy fat girl who handles all of the island's sewing. Prudence helps Samantha understand the strict code everyone lives under, called The Way by Reverend Crane. Try as she might, Samantha can't seem to avoid getting into trouble with the reverend and his rules. Making things tougher is that Samantha is the only one on the island with darker skin, making her an immediate target for bullying.
But as time goes by, Samantha begins to remember some things. This helps her to see that there's something not quite kosher about Reverend Crane or what he's doing on the island. But what's his secret? Hurm...
Anyway, this is a pretty short book that moves along at a good clip. Since a reverend is the bad guy it's probably not for devout religious people, which was fine with me. The writing is nothing special, but there aren't too many errors, which is always good. And even though she's only 10, Samantha kicks a lot more ass than Bella Swan. I'm just saying.
That is all.
by Claire Lachance
(4/5 Stars)
Did you ever watch that M. Night Whatshisface movie "The Village?" Neither did I, but there is somewhat of a similar premise involved in "Forever Young" by Claire Lachance. Maybe also a little of "Tuck Everlasting" or something too; it's been a while since I read that.
Anyway, the story begins with a 10-year-old girl washing up on an island. When she wakes up, she has no idea who she is or how she came to be on the island. The kindly Miss Brigham gives the girl the name Samantha Young. Why that and not Jane Doe? Hurm...
One Samantha is able to get up and around, she notices something very strange about the island. There are about 50 other children but only three adults: Miss Brigham, the nasty Mr. Pryde, and the head man Reverend Crane. The children do most of the work on the island to grow food, take care of the livestock, cut firewood, and so forth. Their technology is pretty much on par with the Amish, with no boats no phones no motorcars--not a single luxury. That seems odd to Samantha, but she can't understand why at first.
Samantha quickly makes friends with Prudence, a shy fat girl who handles all of the island's sewing. Prudence helps Samantha understand the strict code everyone lives under, called The Way by Reverend Crane. Try as she might, Samantha can't seem to avoid getting into trouble with the reverend and his rules. Making things tougher is that Samantha is the only one on the island with darker skin, making her an immediate target for bullying.
But as time goes by, Samantha begins to remember some things. This helps her to see that there's something not quite kosher about Reverend Crane or what he's doing on the island. But what's his secret? Hurm...
Anyway, this is a pretty short book that moves along at a good clip. Since a reverend is the bad guy it's probably not for devout religious people, which was fine with me. The writing is nothing special, but there aren't too many errors, which is always good. And even though she's only 10, Samantha kicks a lot more ass than Bella Swan. I'm just saying.
That is all.
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