Book Review- Sea of Greed by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown

“A Cussler novel is like a ride on a roller coaster: it's no secret where things will start, where they will end, or what's going to happen along the way, but the ride is thrilling nonetheless.”

Check out the full review at New York Journal of Books...

Book Review: Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep

Jennifer Estep’s engaging style and a perfect balance of action and intrigue make this a strong first

installment of a promising new fantasy series.

“The day of the royal massacre started out like any other.” And with that hook, so begins Kill the Queen, the first installment of Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series...

Read the full review at New York Journal of Books

Review: Shadow Tyrants by Clive Cussler and Boyd Morrison

Boyd Morrison and Clive Cussler are back with Shadow Tyrants, the 13th book in the Oregon Files series. The series follows the exploits of Juan Cabrillo and his crew, who work under the moniker of “The Corporation,” and draws its name from Cabrillo’s ship, The Oregon.

Shadow Tyrants begins in typical Cussler fashion, with a prologue set in the past that lays the groundwork for the conflict that drives the story...

Read the full review at New York Journal of Books.

Review: Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott

I picked up the audiobook version of Murder in an English Village on a whim. (I think Audible might have had it on sale but I can't remember). It's not my usual fare, but I enjoy the occasional mystery novel, I like history, and I love British mystery shows like Foyle's War, Hinterland, and Broadchurch, so I thought I'd give it a go. I was not disappointed.

When two old school friends reunite in post-World War I England, their investigation into a young woman's disappearance leads to murder. Their search uncovers a variety of secrets, some dating back to the war years.

The pacing is slow and steady, but seemed about right for this type of story. The characters are interesting and the mystery intriguing with just enough twists and surprises to keep the pages turning. Like any good mystery, there were several times I was fairly certain I knew who the killer was (and I was wrong every time.) When I  neared the end of the book, I was particularly proud of having figured out that one particular person was no good, but then it turned out that I'd only figured out a tiny fraction of the real story. The conclusion wrapped everything up in a satisfying way that didn't leave any loose threads.

I particularly enjoyed the dialogue. The characters' vocabularies, idioms, and manners of speaking were appropriate to the time, place, and their respective social classes. In one of my favorite lines, one of the characters bemoans her friend's cooking skills, thinking that, "What had been done to the sausage was a bigger shame than the fate of the pigs that had provided it." I could almost see the Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey making such an observation.

The narration by Barbara Rosenblat is solid and her performance added to my enjoyment of the story.

Murder in an English Village is an engrossing tale certain to please cozy mystery fans.

This is the first book in the Beryl and Edwina Mysteries series, with the second book, Murder Flies the Coop, coming out next month.

Review- Apocalypse Nyx by Kameron Hurley

A former government assassin battles to survive in an apocalyptic world ravaged by war and infested with giant bugs in Apocalypse Nyx. Kameron Hurley has crafted a memorable anti-hero and set her loose to wreak havoc in a nightmarish world...

Click here to read the full review on New York Journal of Books

Review- Hope Never Dies: An Obama-Biden Mystery by Andrew T. Shaffer

Hope Never Dies: An Obama-Biden Mystery

Joe Biden is unhappy. Since leaving office, he spends his time doing projects around the house, adding inches to the spare tire around his midriff, and missing his best friend. At least, he thought they were best friends. Eight years and now Barack doesn’t even call. Meanwhile Barack Obama is busy partying on yachts with celebrities, tooling around in his aftermarket upgraded Escalade...

Check out the full review on New York Journal of Books

Audiobook review: Screening Stephen King by Simon Brown

Screening Stephen King: Adaptation and the Horror Genre in Film and Television
Written by Simon  Brown, narrated by Peter Lerman.

Screening Stephen King is an analysis of Stephen King's works with an eye toward how they have been adapted for the screen.  As a fan of Stephen King and an author who is curious about how novels and short stories are adapted for other forms of media, when this book showed up on AudiobookBoom I decided to give it a shot.

The author's approach is academic in nature, and very analytical. I didn't care for the first two chapters. They read like a grad student's report, and there were moments I felt the author had broken out the thesaurus a few too many times. A couple chapters in, though, the writing smoothed out. I woudln't go so far as to call the style engaging, but it was accessible and didn't detract from my enjoyment of the subject matter. The narrator does a solid job with what he is given, but there is only so much life that can be breathed into a book written in this particular style.

The parts I found most interesting regarded the subject of branding. Whether or not to present a particular adaptation as horror or another genre. At what point did Stephen King himself become a "brand" and in which instances was a particular film promoted more as a Stephen King project and not promoted on the merits of the story?

This book isn't for everyone. Even a Stephen King enthusiast will need to have an interest in the business side of the industry to really enjoy the book. I think the ideal reader/listener is a Stephen King fan who is interested in screenwriting, the process of adapting longer works to the screen, and marketing. If it sounds like your thing, check it out!

Book Review- Ready Player One

I finally got around to reading (listening to the audiobook version of) Ready Player One by Ernest

Cline. I wasn't expecting much, but wanted to see what all the hype was about. It turned out to be a fun read.

In a future world where society is in decline, people spend most of their time in the OASIS, a virtual reality world that offers endless entertainment and educational opportunities. There are elements of RPG, and heavy doses of geek culture and 1980s nostalgia. Imagine Sheldon Cooper created a version of Caprica's "V-World" and you won't be far off the mark.The creator of the OASIS left a scavenger hunt embedded within his massive virtual universe. The first to complete it will inherit massive wealth and gain control of the OASIS.

The book proceeds in typical YA fashion: underprivileged, outcast youth living in dystopia escapes into the OASIS. Eventually, with the help of a diverse cast of characters, he finds himself on the hunt for the prize, facing off against dangers within the OASIS and without, driven by the big, bad corporate entity that threatens to claim the virtual world and focus on maximizing revenue, thus squeezing out people like Wade (or Parcival, as he is known in the OASIS.) The plot plays out much like you would expect if you read a lot of YA literature.

The story is rife with nerd/geek and 1980s pop culture references: video games, board games, television, movies, music... I'm not much of a gamer, and there are many aspects of geek culture that don't interest me, but I still enjoyed the many references, and the allusions to things that aren't in my nerd wheelhouse didn't leave me feeling disconnected. In some sections, particularly in one early chapter, the story bogs down as Cline engages in some massive info-dumps. I can understand why some people gave up on the book at this stage (it's really that bad in a couple places) but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did.

The story poses a few questions that, as a former English teacher, I think would have made for interesting classroom discussion:
-Are virtual-world (online) friendships less "real" because the people haven't met in real life, or are they more real because they are primarily "mental" connections, our judgment unclouded by things like race, sexual orientation, or physical appearance, which tend to color our judgment (no pun intended)?
-Do the negatives of a virtual world outweigh the positives?
-Will the continued development of technology, and our many options for entertainment distract us from caring for the real world or even engaging in it?

There's nothing deep or profound here, and some of the diverse aspects of certain characters are treated as afterthoughts. ("Oh, by the way, now that the story is almost over, I should let you know my actual gender, race, and sexual orientation,  and then we'll pretty much forget I mentioned it.") Some critics have accused Cline of writing a wish-fulfillment story. Maybe it's true, but that's a criticism that could be leveled against many, many books. I've read plenty of other criticisms, which you can find via a simple web search if you're so inclined.

Overall, Ready Player One is a "by the numbers," yet entertaining novel. Wil Wheaton's narration of the audiobook is solid. This was the first of his narrations I've listened to, and he's very good.  I'll definitely give Cline's next book, Armada, a try.

Review- Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

I'm a huge fan of Mark Lawrence, and Red Sister is my favorite of his books so far! It tells the story of Nona Reeve (eventually Nona Grey), a girl saved at the eleventh hour from execution. Nona is
taken to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where girls are trained to be killers. That's right: warrior nuns, espionage nuns, poisoner nuns, and nuns who command elements of the supernatural. The story is set on a planet orbiting a dying sun, almost completely encrusted in ice save a narrow band between the ice walls where the remnants of humankind survive.

The book invites inevitable comparisons to the Kingkiller Chronicle or the Harry Potter series for its "school" setting, but Lawrence successfully puts his own mark on the familiar trope. The result is a book that's accessible to mature YA readers but wholly satisfying to an adult audience. There is so much I loved about this book: the characters, the setting, the hand-to-hand combat, the intrigue, mystery, betrayal, and surprising twists. The story comes to a satisfying resolution of the main arc, but leaves the reader eager for the next in the series. Oh, and the epilogue made my head spin.

Though nowhere near as grimdark as Lawrence's Broken Empire series, the book is dark in tone, with a few mature elements. There's some gritty violence, particularly graphic in the final showdown. There's also one scene of animal abuse (by a villain) which serves the story, but might be upsetting for some. If you fall into that category, go ahead and give this terrific book a chance, and when you see the scene coming (you'll know what's about to happen) just assume the worst and skip a few pages.

Red Sister is the beginning of a fantastic new series. I can't wait for book two, and am crossing my fingers for a television series!

Book Review- The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

From the publisher:

Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A high school math genius, he’s secretly fascinated with a series of children’s fantasy novels set in a magical land called Fillory, and real life is disappointing by comparison. When Quentin is unexpectedly admitted to an elite, secret college of magic, it looks like his wildest dreams have come true. But his newfound powers lead him down a rabbit hole of hedonism and disillusionment, and ultimately to the dark secret behind the story of Fillory. The land of his childhood fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he ever could have imagined. . . .

Read a review of The Magicians and, odds are, the reviewer will make a comparison to Harry Potter. Don't buy it. Yes, the story begins with a young man learning he's a magician, heading off to a magical university, making friends, and developing his powers. I emphasize "begins with" because all of this happens in a few hundred pages. Imagine Harry Potter if: all the years at Hogwarts were compressed into the first half of the first book; then Harry and crew move to New York, where they spend their time drinking, having sex, and feeling depressed. Harry spends a lot of time brooding over how sad and pointless live is, how he doesn't really have feelings for Ginny any more, and magic hasn't made his life any better. Voldemort makes a very brief appearance early on, one which no one really understands or thinks about until he shows up again at the book's climax.

This is not to say The Magicians is a bad book. Just don't go into it looking for Harry Potter. I tried reading it shortly after its release, and didn't finish it, possibly because I was looking for something like HP. After trying The Magicians television series on NetFlix, I decided to give it another try, and found I enjoyed it for what it is. (I confess I prefer the show to the book.)

What I found most interesting about The Magicians is its main character, Quentin Coldwater. He's unhappy, dissatisfied with life, seldom heroic, not easy to like, but easy to root for. He's probably the most honest representation of the introverted fantasy novel lover that I've seen in fiction. Many of us find ourselves wishing Hogwarts (or insert your favorite fantastic setting) was real, and daydream about what it would be like if we could live there. Let's get real: if the average bookish, introverted, depressed person got to go to Hogwarts,  (s)he might enjoy aspects of it, but would still be the same shy, unhappy person on the inside, and would spend a lot of time in her/his dorm room or the library, reading and daydreaming about the magical world outside of school. That's Quentin. He's a bit of a downer, but his struggles are real, and he's the same jerk even after he discovers magic.

Overall, I liked but didn't love The Magicians. It was a bit slow, but good enough to keep me reading. I didn't, however, enjoy it enough to dive into books two and three, though I might read them one of these days.

Buy The Magicians here

On Writing by Stephen King

One of my all time favorite books on writing is the fittingly-titled On Writing by Stephen King. It is subtitled A Memoir of the Craft, which is fitting, because the book is heavy on memoir and light on writing tips. That's not a bad thing, though.

King takes us on an autobiographical journey, beginning with his early childhood. We learn about life experiences that informed or impacted his development as a writer and his journey to publication.

Along the way, he shares his philosophies on writing, and there are lessons to be gleaned, both explicitly and inductively. Some of his perspectives, such as the notion that stories are "found objects" that the writer unearths from her/his subconscious, are not universally agreed-upon, and might not work for everyone, but they're interesting nonetheless. The actual "writing advice" section is more for beginners, but still useful for a writer at any level.

I'm a fan of the audiobook, which King narrates, but On Writing is available in print and ebook if you aren't an audio junkie like me.

Buy On Writing from the Google Bookstore.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

A truly dark, gritty fantasy! Book 1 of the Broken Empire trilogy.

Synopsis:
Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.

From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Mark Lawrence's debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, and sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne.

My Thoughts:
I stumbled across this book while looking for a beach read, and I'm so glad I found it! Prince of Thorns drew me in from the outset. The main character, Jorg, is... not a nice guy. He's an anti-hero, and he and his band of rogues are hardened criminals and commit terrible depredations from the get-go. Like many great characters, though, Jorg has many facets, some admirable qualities, and a slowly-unfolding back-story that helps you understand how he became the (very young) man he is today. Though some people might be turned off by such a seemingly nasty piece of work, I couldn't wait to find out how Mark Lawrence was going to make me root for this character. I won't tell you how he did it; only that he succeeded. Lawrence utilizes twin narratives: some chapters deal with the present-day story, while others tell Jorg's "origin story." The two stories complement one another and build to a satisfying climax. Highly recommended, though not for the faint of heart.

Buy it on Google Play

Resurrect by Kane Gilmour

Resurrect is an action-adventure that follows hero Jason Quinn as he, along with Dr. Eva Rayjek, races to foil a madman's plot to topple the Catholic church and plunge the world into war.

Synopsis: 

In the 1850s, a madman proclaims himself the Son of God and raises an army, taking over half of China. A century and a half later, his descendent and legions of devoted followers plan to take over more than just China. 

When alpine engineer and mountaineer Jason Quinn, a man with a past mired in tragedy and violence, meets archeologist Dr. Eva Rayjek after a plane crash in the high Himalaya, neither of them are expecting wave after wave of Chinese assassins. Pursued to America, the frozen ice of the Gulf of Finland, and the heights of Hong Kong, Quinn and Eva connect her investigations with the machinations of charismatic shipping magnate and cathedral-builder, David Hong.

As a scheme to obtain a private audience with the Pope at the Vatican comes to fruition, Hong’s fanatical followers are preparing for global warfare. If Quinn fails to stop Hong’s plan, the entire Catholic Church just might crumble. 

My thoughts: 

Resurrect is teeming with action-adventure goodness: an intriguing historical mystery, a tough, resourceful hero, a dangerous villain, and a globe-hopping adventure filled with chases, escapes, and action to spare. Kane Gilmour has collaborated with and edited Jeremy Robinson and you can clearly see parallels in his solo work. The action is non-stop, and he even includes the Metal Storm weapons that are a favorite in the Chess Team books! The Clive Cussler influence is also evident (which I consider a very good thing.) The plot structure is much like that of a Dirk Pitt adventure, and Jason Quinn is reminiscent of Pitt, not only in his toughness and resilience, but in some of the little details as well.

Recommended if you enjoy authors like Cussler, Robinson, James Rollins, Andy McDermott, Sean Ellis, or David Golemon.

Stone of Fire by JF Penn

Stone of Fire is JF Penn's debut novel, with an engaging, Dan Brown/Indiana Jones/Lara Croft vibe.

Synopsis:

A power kept secret for 2000 years. A woman who stands to lose everything.

India. When a nun is burned alive on the sacred ghats of Varanasi, and the stone she carried is stolen, an international hunt is triggered for the relics of the early church.

Forged in the fire and blood of martyrs, the Pentecost stones have been handed down through generations of Keepers who kept their power and locations secret.

Until now.

The Keepers are being murdered, the stones stolen by those who would use them for evil in a world transformed by religious fundamentalism.

Oxford University psychologist Morgan Sierra is forced into the search when her sister and niece are held hostage. She is helped by Jake Timber from the mysterious Arkane, a British government agency specializing in paranormal and religious experience. Morgan must risk her own life to save her family, but will she ultimately be betrayed?

From ancient Christian sites in Spain, Italy and Israel to the far reaches of Iran and Tunisia, Morgan and Jake must track down the stones through the myths of the early church in a race against time before a new Pentecost is summoned, this time powered by the fires of evil.

The first in the ARKANE series, Stone of Fire is a fast-paced thriller that explores the edges of faith against a backdrop of early Christian history, archaeology and psychology.

My thoughts:

Stone of Fire is a fun action-adventure story in which the main character, Morgan Sierra, is on a quest to recover the Pentecost Stones- stones collected by the disciples from the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. Morgan is joined by members of the covert group ARKANE, and hounded by the sinister group Thanatos, in a race against the clock to recover the stones and save her hostage sister before Pentecost.

Stone of Fire is a light read, and very fast-paced, with shades of Dan Brown and James Rollins' influences evident. My favorite element is the concept of the Pentecost Stones. I love a good MacGuffin, particularly one that has a Biblical tie-in. The stones are purely of Penn's creation, yet entirely believable. Penn also includes jaunts to fascinating locations, another "must" for me in a good adventure story. I did find myself wishing for more, especially in the first half of the book. There were many places in which I wanted greater detail, deeper exploration, or a few more bumps in the road. In all, Stone of Fire is a thrill ride for adventure fans. I'll definitely give Penn's next book a try. 

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The List by JA Konrath

The List was my first JA Konrath novel and remains my favorite. Action, humor, science, and history blend for an entertaining read. 

The Synopsis

A billionaire Senator with money to burn...
A thirty year old science experiment, about to be revealed...
Seven people, marked for death, not for what they know, but for what they are...
The List by JA Konrath
History is about to repeat itself

My Thoughts

The Listis a riveting mystery-thriller with a sprinkled with a generous dose of humor. When police office Tom Mankowski investigates the scene of a grisly murder, he discovers that he and the victim have something unique in common. As he digs deeper into the mystery, he encounters deadly killers, a heretofore unexpected miracle of science, and history come to life.

It's difficult to say much more without spoiling the story. Suffice it to say, The List kept me up late for a few nights running. Konrath's humor comes through very naturally, and adds to the characterization without detracting from the story or diminishing the intensity of the deadly situation in which the characters find themselves.

The List contains a smattering of graphic language and violence, and some of the humor is far from politically-correct. Personally, I didn't take offense at the content- I choose to write "PG" books, but I don't mind reading books that are the equivalent of an "R"-rated movie. If you're looking for an exciting thriller told at a blistering pace, check out The List.

Review- The Lost Island by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

The Lost Island is book 3 in the Gideon Crew series. While I enjoyed the previous installments of this The Lost Island might not be up there with my favorite Pendergast books, but it's by far my favorite of this series.

series, they fell short of the duo's Pendergast series.

Here's the synopsis:

Gideon Crew--brilliant scientist, master thief--is living on borrowed time. When his mysterious employer, Eli Glinn, gives him an eyebrow-raising mission, he has no reason to refuse. Gideon's task: steal a page from the priceless Book of Kells, now on display in New York City and protected by unbreakable security.

Accomplishing the impossible, Gideon steals the parchment--only to learn that hidden beneath the gorgeously illuminated image is a treasure map dating back to the time of the ancient Greeks. As they ponder the strange map, they realize that the treasure it leads to is no ordinary fortune. It is something far more precious: an amazing discovery that could perhaps even save Gideon's life.

Together with his new partner, Amy, Gideon follows a trail of cryptic clues to an unknown island in a remote corner of the Caribbean Sea. There, off the hostile and desolate Mosquito Coast, the pair realize the extraordinary treasure they are hunting conceals an even greater shock-a revelation so profound that it may benefit the entire human race . . . if Gideon and Amy can survive.

My thoughts:

The Lost Island is a true adventure story, with a treasure hunt, elements of history and mythology, mysterious creatures, mystery, and action. It has the feel of classic adventure stories, but with modern pacing. All in all, great fun! Highly recommended for adventure lovers!

Buy it on Google Play