Happy birthday to our Pal, ?wazithinkin (or as she's known in some circles, SuperWazi). I tried to get enough candles on the cake, but these guys showed up before I could get them all lit.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Happy Birthday ?wazithinkin
Happy birthday to our Pal, ?wazithinkin (or as she's known in some circles, SuperWazi). I tried to get enough candles on the cake, but these guys showed up before I could get them all lit.
Strangely Sober / Essa Alroc
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Mystery/Humor
Approximate word count: 110-115,000 words
Availability
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Author:
An Orlando,
Florida based freelance writer, Essa Alroc has two additional books available: The Apology (a novella) and Asymmetric Angels, the sequel to Strangely Sober.
For more,
visit the author’s blog.
Description:
“Angelica
Salvatori, aka Sal, is anything but sober. As a hard partying and even harder
living criminal, she considers her status as mastermind not just a job, but a
calling. Between running her crew, trying to burn down her bar, and dealing
with her occasional breaks with reality, she has enough on her plate. When she
finds out that she has a twin she didn’t know about, one that may be in serious
danger because of something she did, Sal reacts by doing what any good
delusional sociopath would do. She goes on a violence packed, cross country
crime spree to find out who’s hunting them and why.”
Appraisal:
A
hard-boiled mystery where the main character as well as the secondary
characters surrounding her are full of personality quirks, major flaws, and at
times, downright evil dispositions. Despite this, often because of it, the
reader (at least this one) still wants them to come out on top. Partly that is
because they are the way they are for a reason. Their wicked ways usually only
hurt those deserving of retribution and at least some of the time the main
character, Sal, is almost Robin Hoodish. An over-the-top, fun, and quirky story
that fits the characters well.
However,
just as the characters have major flaws, the execution of the story abounds
with problems. The biggest issue is the lack of adequate copy editing, with
typos, homophone mistakes, and grammar errors throughout. There is also one
tangent, explaining an aspect of the Holocaust, that while interesting, gave
way more detail and drug on too long for what was needed as backstory. If your
inner editor is the forgiving type, Strangely
Sober is a fun read.
FYI:
Adult
language and situations.
Format/Typo Issues:
A large
number of copyediting errors and typos. These included incorrect words (often
due to an extra or missing letter), homophone errors (their/they’re and
your/you’re errors were especially prevalent), and a confusion in the proper
use of bring versus take.
Rating: *** Three stars
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Tales from the Longcroft 2 / Darren Sant
Reviewed by: Keith Nixon
Genre: Crime
Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Darren
Sant’s childhood was spent living between two large housing estates. The
locations and characters provided the inspiration for Sant’s stories.
To learn
more about the author visit his website.
Description:
An
interlinked series of short stories about the less than law-abiding residents
of the Longcroft Estate.
Appraisal:
Tales from the Longcroft 2 is an another group of stories that
has a degree of overlap and follow on from part one.
First is a
prologue where a girl’s body is discovered, she’d overdosed on drugs.
Then the
scene switches to Ken Hargreaves, a bent copper, but someone is watching him.
The scene then moves to Ernest Wilson, a Second World War veteran about to bury
his grand-daughter.
Ernest
ultimately confronts the local hard man and drug dealer Mark Wilson. His
organization supplied the gear that killed his grand-daughter. There’s also a reference
to Shona Cullen and Andy Rowan, whose tale was told in the first volume. This
is a neat stand-alone story that gives some more information and a degree of
closure to the story. Personally, as I liked these characters so much, I would
have liked to have seen more.
Devil Gate Drive is about local alcoholic, Pete. The
narrative is split between the now and the past in a series of flashbacks,
explaining why Pete is what he is. It’s a somewhat sad, but inevitable, story
about how unforeseen events catch up with a person and irrevocably alter them.
Open All Hours has a degree of similarity to the
story Community Spirit which was in
the first volume. An Asian family takes over a corner shop. The children
struggle to fit into the local school and they’re subjected to racial abuse.
However the community steps forward to protect its own in this timely story.
This is
another good series of stories that flesh out the characters living on the
Longcroft Estate. The first half of the book is stronger than the second half,
in my opinion, perhaps because I’d have liked to have seen more of the
Cullen’s. But, strong story telling with compelling characters.
FYI:
Some
swearing.
Format/Typo Issues:
None.
Rating: **** Four Stars
Tales from the Longcroft / Darren Sant
Reviewed by: Keith Nixon
Genre: Crime
Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Darren
Sant’s childhood was spent living between two large housing estates. The
locations and characters provided the inspiration for Sant’s stories.
To learn
more about the author visit his website.
Description:
An
interlinked series of short stories about the less than law-abiding residents
of the Longcroft Estate.
Appraisal:
Tales from the Longcroft Estate is an interesting group of stories
which I enjoyed reading.
The first
is A Good Day, written in the first
person by a self-confessed drug addict and thief who, in the course of his
daily habit of stealing to gain a fix, actually does the right thing by
stumbling (almost literally) onto a paedophile ring and in the process saving a
four year old boy. Ironically it’s his nose for a dodgy deal that helps the
protagonist save the day. Despite the basis being an unpleasant subject Sant
handles it very well, never allowing sensationalism to drift in and distract
the reader.
The title
of the next short, Community Spirit,
gives a clue as to the theme. Tracy owes a nasty (and cowardly) loan shark
money. She recently moved to the estate and isn’t happy. She feels her
neighbours will do nothing to help her as Taff Hargreaves comes to reclaim his
money (or payment in kind). However, Tracy soon learns the perception of her
neighbours is incorrect. A good story that raises the spectre of debt over a
family and is a position probably many find themselves in today.
Rowan’s Folly is a grouping of stories about the
local hard guys, the Cullen family. Andy Rowan is a self-employed electrician.
He carries out some gratis work for the Cullen’s (no-one would dare charge
them!) but gets involved in a relationship with the daughter, Shona. The
problem is her boyfriend is Mark Temple – gangster and lunatic – and he finds
out about the affair, with drastic consequences.
This was
the best of the tales, it hangs together very well. The characters are
excellent, the events they’re involved with are ordinary, yet not.
Tucked in
the middle is a funny two page short – Mrs
Jones Gets An Unexpected Treat. Two scallies rob the old lady, but she
catches them red handed and ties one to a chair, letting the other go. She gets
some personal satisfaction from the captive (he doesn’t).
Tales From The Longcroft feels like a personal journey, as
if the author has an experience of the events and people. Although the majority
of the characters are unpleasant, Sant displays a touching affection for them
which gives each a broader appeal. A short, but very satisfying read.
FYI:
Some
swearing.
Format/Typo Issues:
None.
#Free for your #Kindle, 5/30/2013
The author of each of these books has indicated their intent to schedule these books for a free day for the Kindle versions today on Amazon. Sometimes plans change or mistakes happen, so be sure to verify the price before hitting that "buy me" button.
A Deserted Place by FH Bachelor
Author's interested in having their free book featured either here on a Thursday or a sister site on a Monday, visit this page for details.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
How Not to Murder Your Grumpy / Carol E. Wyer
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Humor/Non-Fiction
Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words
Availability
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Author:
“Carol E.
Wyer is an award winning author whose humorous novels take a light-hearted look
at getting older and encourage others to age disgracefully.”
Wyer has
two novels, Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines
and its sequel, Surfing in Stilletos.
For more,
visit the author’s blog.
Description:
Are you a
woman of a certain age with a retired spouse who is now home all the time and
driving you crazy? The solution, find him some activities to get him out of
your hair.
Appraisal:
The premise
of this book is simple. Just like mothers with kids out of school for the
summer need to find fun activities to prevent boredom in the kids and maintain
their own sanity, retired husbands need the same attention. Wyer lists ideas
arranged from A to Z for hobbies and other activities that could potentially
keep hubby busy and out of the way of their poor, suffering spouse. The book is
a quick, light-hearted read, with the primary goal of getting a laugh, but
still with enough information that it might spark an idea and sometimes point
you in the right direction for more information. It’s sprinkled throughout with
interesting and entertaining trivia and the occasional joke.
Although
the book has a definite British-bent, most of the ideas will be familiar to
those anywhere in the world. A few may not be, which when I was reading only
served to get more laughs. One example is “Molly Dancing,” where the
participants “wave hankies and bells ... and shout a lot.” Those wacky Brits.
FYI:
Uses UK
spelling conventions and slang.
Format/Typo Issues:
Read a
pre-release beta version. Unable to comment on finished product in this area.
Rating: **** Four stars
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
A Voice in the Thunder / Kevin McCormick
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Science Fiction
Approximate word count: 115-120,000 words
Availability
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Author:
A
California native who now lives in the Pacific Northwest, Kevin McCormick is
now working on The Silence and the Light,
the second of four books planned in his debut science-fiction series.
For more,
visit his blog.
Description:
“Master
thief Christmas ‘Crazy-Eyes’ Parker has robbed and murdered a path from one end
of the galaxy to the other, earning a solid living as a hired gun for the
Galactic Coalition, the singular government controlling all planets inhabited
by mankind. When an armored truck job goes sideways on the planet Eridan,
Parker’s next move puts her at odds both with her government liaison, Horace
Murchison (who betrays Parker thanks to a convincing religious experience), and
her boss, industrial magnate Atusa Navarro, a woman who is equal parts generous
philanthropist and ruthless killer.”
Appraisal:
Imagine a
distant future. Much of the known universe is settled and civilized, with a
central government having control, at least of the civilized part. But at some
distant outposts, the government’s hold is weak and (despite vastly improved
technology) it feels much like the old west, or at least how it is often
portrayed. That’s the setting for A Voice
in the Thunder. But the story (some crime thriller with a bit of political
thriller tossed in the mix) is one that would work in many settings, with
corrupt government, ruthless (some might say evil) corporate overlords, and
difficulty deciding who the good guys really are. A good read for science
fiction fans.
FYI:
Some adult
language.
Format/Typo Issues:
A small
number of typos and other copy editing issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Monday, May 27, 2013
The Story of Rachel / K.D. McLean
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Erotica/Romance
Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words
Availability
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Author:
A mother
and grandmother, this is Canadian K.D. McLean’s first book. She wrote it after
catching “the writing bug” and calls it the “most intensive and difficult
thing” she’s “undertaken in life outside of childbirth.”
Description:
“Oh Lord
Kill Me Now, thinks Rachel tossing back another bottom feeder of the internet
dating Pond. Enter Michael (yes, Mr. Right), a writer with a bag of tricks
sparking her interest. Until Michael, Rachel thought vanilla was only a baking
ingredient. Together they trip along in a sometimes hilarious journey of
sensuality. Will gun-shy Michael allow himself to free fall in love yelling
Geronimo?”
Appraisal:
I think the
best description of The Story of Rachel
would be erotic romance. It’s much spicier than most romance novels, possibly
as much as some erotica, yet has a story arc that fits the romance genre and a
plot with more meat to it than most straight erotica.
The hero
and heroine are complex characters, each with a history and experience much
different from each other that provides both contrast and works well with the
story. Some interesting minor characters also add a lot to the story. There
were occasional rough spots, primarily telling us something not important to
the story (“Over garlic bread and pasta, a friendship germinated, which would
continue to grow for the rest of their lives …”) or that we should figure out
on our own (“It wasn't a complete lie, but Annik wasn't ready to disclose
everything about herself”). Yet, even the rough spots weren’t that rough.
FYI:
Adult
language and sexual situations.
Format/Typo Issues:
A small
number of copyediting and proofing misses.
Rating: **** Four stars
Sunday, May 26, 2013
The Dirty Secret / Brent Wolfinbarger
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Political Thriller
Approximate word count: 110-115,000 words
Availability
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Author:
“Brent
Wolfingbarger has been practicing law for almost two decades, representing both
Democrats and Republicans in closely contested, high-profile election law
battles. He spent five years as a prosecutor in West Virginia, handling the
full spectrum of cases including murder, sexual assault, and computer-related
crimes, and actively focusing on cutting-edge issues related to the
acquisition, analysis, and use of digital evidence in criminal cases.
Wolfingbarger
lives in Washington, DC where he continues to work as a prosecutor, handling
white collar financial crimes and violent crimes committed against elderly and
disabled victims.”
For more,
visit the author’s website.
Description:
“The
difference between victory and defeat in the Electoral College comes down to
259 votes in West Virginia.
A state
senator desperately fights back against a lawsuit that is pushing his family’s
company toward bankruptcy.
A vice
presidential candidate’s adulterous affair threatens to explode in his face and
burst into the world’s headlines with devastating consequences.
A ruthless
billionaire will stop at nothing to avoid facing justice for his crimes.
A small
town prosecutor stumbles upon a plot to win the election by any means
necessary: high-tech manipulation of electronic voting machines, creative
interpretation of arcane election laws, bribery, blackmail, and even murder.
And Rikki
Gudivada and Dave Anderson – two star-crossed former lovers from opposite sides
of the political fence – are drawn back together as the battle rages for West
Virginia’s 5 electoral votes, racing to solve a crime that imperils the very
heart of America’s constitutional system while each struggles over the same
question:
Is anything
more important than winning the White House?”
Appraisal:
The U.S.
Presidential election is over. Your preferred candidate either won or lost.
What at one point appeared to be a nail-biter turned out to not be so close in
the numbers that mattered, the electoral college votes. But what if it had been
closer and your candidate had lost by a relative handful of votes in one of the
swing states? Would you have been concerned?
The Dirty Secret is a tense political thriller that
has all the elements of a good story: conflict, a touch of romance, heroes and
villains. However, as the author points out in the introduction, it doesn’t
stray from the reality of the laws governing U.S. Presidential elections,
including some of the more obscure regulations. Fans of political thrillers
should eat this up. Those who are politically engaged and unaware of concerns
with the integrity of the voting process, especially as it pertains to the use
of electronic voting machines, should consider this a wake-up call. Without
meaningful election reform, Wolfinbarger’s fiction could easily become reality.
Possibly, it already has.
FYI:
Some adult
language and mild adult situations.
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Satan Loves You / Grady Hendrix
Reviewed by: Ryan Bracha
Genre: Comedy Fiction
Approximate word count: 70,000 – 75,000
Availability
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Author:
Grady Hendrix’s
fiction has appeared in Lightspeed
Magazine, Strange Horizons, Pseudopod and the anthology The Mad Scientist's Guide to World
Domination. His nonfiction has appeared in Variety, Slate, Playboy, Time Out New York, the New
York Sun and the Village Voice.
You can follow every little move he makes at his website.
Description:
"Satan
hates his job. Managing Hell is the worst job ever invented and after several
millennia of listening to the constant whining of damned souls, Satan is
completely and totally burnt out. But there are no holidays in Hell, and now,
in the face of a power grab by the officious and smarmy Heavenly Host, Satan's
got to reach deep and find a way to save his home from corporate takeover.
Featuring hat-wearing Chihuahuas, hyper-violent nuns with poor impulse control,
and metaphysical wrestling matches, Satan Loves You is the book for everyone who hates boring books. Do
you love romance? Do you adore fantasy epics about anorexic elves who sing? Is
your idea of a perfect evening curling up with a cozy mystery and a nice cup of
tea? Then go away! Satan Loves You is
a high-octane injection of literary adrenaline that annihilates romance, kills
elves, and makes hot tea explode into a massive fireball that will melt your
face!"
Appraisal:
Jerry Springer: The Opera, The Book of Mormon, The Life
of Brian. All controversial works of comedy which focus upon religion,
Heaven vs. Hell, and the like, which take themselves far from seriously but
have courted controversy over their subject matter from those which do take
those kinds of things seriously. Satan
Loves You is a book which falls firmly and unashamedly in the same arena as
the aforementioned works, and when read by the wrong eyes, may provoke a
similar reaction from an audience.
This is the story of Satan,
the overworked and under-appreciated lord of the depths of a Hell which hasn't
had a fresh idea for new torture for years. The fires are not much more than
weak wisps of heat, the lakes of sulphur are reduced to puddles, and the demons
are having words with the union about their working conditions. Heaven is enjoying
record profits from those that pass through the pearly gates, but as more and
more of the world become Godless sinners, Hell is struggling to keep up. To
complicate matters further Satan has inadvertently impregnated a nun, attracted
a class action lawsuit on the basis that a woman named Frita Babbit allegedly
suffered abuse at the hands of Satanic followers, and to top it all off, The
Heavenly Host is making a move for a corporate takeover of Hell, by fair means
or otherwise.
I have to say, this is a very
funny book. Grady Hendrix effortlessly weaves a surrealist yarn that floats
atop a sea of undertones. The Heaven vs. Hell theme reeks of a corporate world
satire, the courtroom drama is a fantastic commentary on live-on-TV court
cases, with a 'Well, he's the Devil, he must be bad," attitude that voids
any valid points that Satan, or his lawyer, the Emperor Nero, can make. His
descriptive prose is spot on, and the jokes well placed and consistent. Hendrix
also displays a marvellous Devil may care attitude (pun entirely
intended) with his subject matter, and has absolutely no remorse whatsoever
with who he might offend in the process. For this, he deserves, and gets, the
utmost of respect from me.
Of course it will not be
for everybody, and is bound to divide the opinions of those that pick it up. My
advice is to almost forget the religious undertones, and get carried away in
the absurd world that Hendrix creates, the humour falls into the bracket of
'childish' at times but to be honest, I'm a massive fan of childish humour when
it's executed in the right way, and in Satan
Loves You, Grady Hendrix gets it just right. Just a snippet to give you an
idea of both the vibe that the book has, and the kind of thing that had me
snorting milk through my nose in laughter.
"Your hooves are
getting poo all over the carpet."
Surreal. Laugh out loud
funny. Controversial. Thought provoking. A must read.
FYI:
Some of the subject matter may cause offence.
Format/Typo Issues:
None.
Rating: ***** Five Stars
Friday, May 24, 2013
The Hunters / Martin Stanley
Reviewed by: Keith Nixon
Genre: Thriller / Crime
Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Martin
Stanley studied to be a graphic designer. A love of crime fiction at an early
age led Martin to start writing. He has since released The Gamblers and now The
Hunters.
You can
learn more about the author at his blog: http://the gamblersnovel.com
Description:
Rose Bennett
is a woman with a grudge. Her ex-husband, Mike McGarvey, is a car dealer with a
variety of very dubious connections and half a million pounds tucked away in a
safe. It’s money no-one knows about, or so he thinks.
Rose
believes she was cheated in their divorce settlement so she approaches an old
school friend and local Teesside criminal, Stanton, to rob McGarvey. It’s
planned to occur when he’s having one of his regular poker games with several
criminal friends. For Stanton there’s some money in it and the potential of a
grateful Rose.
It should
be simple, but it isn’t…
The take
down goes well, the aftermath doesn’t and the Stantons get ripped off. Rose
finds out and threatens the brothers – recover the cash or she’ll put Raffin
onto them, a man so bad he scares even them.
Appraisal:
This is a
very good, fast moving, at times violent story with a range of excellent
characters, the latter being the strongest aspect of The Hunters.
There’s the
Stantons themselves, tough guys, one clever, one the muscles. Rose, stunning
and alluring, is a dichotomy – she was jailed for attacking a girl with a high-heeled
shoe and killed another girl in prison. Is she redeemed? Or just pretending?
There’s a litany
of bad guys – Hollis, Eddie Miles and Raffin to name but a few. All well
painted, all evil in their own way. One intriguing aspect - the author doesn’t
reveal the Christian name of either Stanton brother. It works well.
The Hunters is written in the first person by
the narrator - Stanton himself - delivering an immediacy to the plot. It clips
along at a fair pace, the brothers drawn into one problem after the other. The
prose is terse and Stanton’s character shines through in the language. Stanley
creates excellent tension and a strong motivation for the reader to keep
turning the pages.
Here’s an
example of the writing:
I decided not to crack wise with
Eddie. Despite the tension in the room he was Zen personified – his voice may
have sounded rough, but his tone was calm and collected – and that made me
nervous. He looked like he was already planning new and interesting ways of
disposing of our corpses.
Thoroughly
enjoyable and with a cliffhanger at the end, presumably ready to explode at the
beginning of the sequel. I’m looking forward to finding out.
FYI:
Some
swearing. Violent scenes.
Format/Typo Issues:
None.
Rating: **** Four Stars
Witches and Bandits and Swords (Oh, My!) / Dominic O’Reilly
Reviewed by: SingleEyePhotos
Genre: Fantasy
Approximate word count: (varies – this is a
create-your-own adventure)
Availability
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Author:
Dominic
O’Reilly lives in Manchester, England and has many temporary jobs, all
including the typing up of very mundane, and totally uninteresting, information. When he needs to escape from the mundane, he
writes. The genre depends on his mood at
the moment. Dominic has a blog you can visit and also a page at Deviant Art.
Description:
A
sea voyage to trade spices with a distant land promised great fortunes for you
and your friends. However, a vessel flying a pirate standard had other
ideas. How well can you deal with the
unexpected? Find out in this
create-your-own adventure!
Appraisal:
Anyone
remember Zork, one of the first
interactive computer adventure games? I
do. I played it while I was in college
on one of those ancient Apple computers – back before they were Macs, back before
they came in colors. Way back… And I loved it. It was my first experience with just how
addictive a computer can be. Well, I
think that this author probably grew up with Zork, and loved it, too.
I
spent about 45 minutes gleefully building my own adventure and snickering to
myself and thinking “Boy, this is just like Zork!” OK, I admit it… I
wasn’t able to accomplish much except to wander around in a circle picking up
herbs and offering a guard some very odd bribes. But neither was I ever able to do much of anything
in Zork, and that didn’t stop me, nor
did it dim my enjoyment.
This
book has the same snarky, tongue-in-cheek humor – usually at your expense. The baddies aren’t really bad – just offer
them a potion that you were able to have mixed up by one of the witches on the
heath using herbs that you picked up while walking in circles, and they’ll be
your friends. The pirates steal your
cargo, but they don’t kill you – it’s much more fun to watch as you walk in
circles picking up herbs and encountering odd characters. There are bandits with spiky clubs, but their
aim isn’t any better than your prowess with a sword is. Everything’s all in good fun.
The
book has 3 chapters, and if I understand it correctly, you can ‘save’ your
adventure, when you inevitably end up getting killed, by jumping to the next
chapter (as opposed to starting over).
So, in effect, you get three ‘lives’.
I’ve read a few ‘create your own’ adventure Kindle books, and this is
more elaborate, with a greater number of options than the others I’ve read (not
to mention having a much more wicked sense of humor).
Highly recommended, if you have a good
sense of humor, and even more so if you can remember playing Zork.
FYI:
This is very
family-friendly. The humor is snide, but
not mean. The ‘baddies’ are bad in name only.
Even getting killed is an opportunity for the author to poke fun at the
reader.
Format/Typo Issues:
In all the
jumping around I did during my game, I saw only one minor typo, so I’d say
formatting is excellent. On the Kindle, the
links to select the next scenario work perfectly, and some are worth a laugh in
themselves.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Bangkok Wet / Simon Royle
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Thriller
Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words
Availability
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Author:
“Simon
Royle was born in Manchester, England in 1963. He has been variously a
yachtsman, advertising executive, and a senior management executive in software
companies. A futurist and a technologist, he lives in Bangkok, with his wife
and two children.”
Royle has
two other books available: Tag, a
technothriller set in the future, and Bangkok
Burn, a thriller set in contemporary Thailand, the first book in the
Bangkok series (Bangkok Wet is the
second).
Description:
“As Bangkok
barricades itself against a rising flood of toxic waste, Chance has got some
wet work of his own going on. He'd rather be on honeymoon with Pim; that had
been the plan.
But the
plan didn't include the untimely death of a Godfather's son, being blamed for the
theft of a billion baht, and a move by a rival gang on Big Tiger's territory;
now there's a new plan - war and retribution.
Funny thing
about guns and plans - everyone's got one.”
Appraisal:
Bangkok Wet continues the story of Chance, the
farang (a Caucasian, in Thai), who is being groomed to take over his adoptive
Thai father’s crime family. With his childhood friend and bodyguard, Chai, in
tow, Chance searches for his new bride (kidnapped before they could leave on
their honeymoon) and runs afoul of multiple groups with their own agendas. In
the end, he uncovers some unexpected history and plenty of nefarious goings-on.
I view the
Bangkok series as akin to a Thai version of The
Godfather. The interaction between the members of the crime family, other
crime families, police, politicians, and civilians is similar in some regards,
yet not in others. The setting in Thailand and the cultural differences add
much to the story and its feel. It also occurs to me that Chance, although in
theory on the wrong side of the law, is a character who I pull for because he
lives by a code that, while crossing lines that might make him seem bad, is
actually more ethical and moral than the corrupt government officials he often
has to deal with. Just as with Bangkok
Burn, this latest installment of the Bangkok series is a fast paced thrill
ride through the Thai underground, and should keep you on the edge of your seat
right up to the shocking end.
FYI:
Some adult
language.
Although
the second book in the Bangkok series, Bangkok
Wet can stand on its own. However, there are some advantages to reading Bangkok Burn first, primarily a fuller
understanding of the history between the characters and a more complete
back-story.
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
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