Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Speculative Fiction/Science Fiction
Approximate word count: 105-110,000 words
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Author:
R.H. Watson has studied mime in Paris and driven a cab while studying dance in New York City. A graphic artist, he currently designs websites and lives in the Midwestern United States. Watson did an interview on Kip Poe’s blog I liked that had a take on the choice between pursuing a traditional publishing deal or taking the self-publishing route.
I looked at the options, and decided to go with self-publishing. The difference was either spending my time marketing to publishers and agents, or spending my time interacting directly with readers and potential readers. With the changes in the publishing business, it seemed more exciting following the example of independent musicians, and going directly to the readers…
Although I suspect this same rationale applies to other self-published authors, this is the first time I’ve seen it articulated so well. For more, visit Watson’s website.
Description:
Lucy Star is the rookie sensation in Blood Battle, a sport made possible by a medical procedure allowing females up to age twenty-five to be reborn after serious injury or death. But Lucy’s secret history threatens her current relationships and even her life.
Appraisal:
When William L. K. wrote the guest post for us on character driven science fiction, Gladiator Girl was the kind of book he was talking about as a positive example. The world R.H. Watson set his story in is futuristic, with cars that drive on their own, person-to-person communication that put today’s cell phones to shame, and medical practices beyond anything imaginable in our current world. Yet, when reading Gladiator Girl, the foreignness of this world fell away as I focused on the characters, especially the protagonist Lucy.
Despite Lucy’s almost superhuman skills when playing her sport, it is her human frailties and the fight to overcome them that make her likeable. Lucy’s past makes her leery of meaningful relationships. Her temper often threatens to get the best of her. It is these very human struggles that make Lucy’s story so good, and Gladiator Girl a worthwhile read.
FYI:
The acknowledgements section contains the clues for sensitive types who might want to stay away from this book. One acknowledgment thanked a friend for many things including “advice on girl-girl sex.” Although not a large part of the book, there are a few sex scenes between Lucy and members of both genders. The author also thanked another friend for his “mastery of the f-bomb” which “informed the cadence of Lucy’s profanity.” Again, this isn’t overdone, but if you’re bothered by any strong language, now you know.
Format/Typo Issues:
There were a small number of typos and wrong words. The most common error was using the wrong word choice for homophones (sound alike words). Examples are “waive” instead of “wave,” “fare” instead of “fair,” and “pealed” instead of “peeled” along with the common “your” versus “you’re” issue.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words
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Author:
Philip Hickey has been a practicing attorney for more than thirty-five years. Like the protagonist of The Concrete Rocket, for much of that time he specialized in lawsuits stemming from construction projects. He lives in Seattle with his wife and enjoys spending time with his three children and three grandchildren.
Description:
Knocked unconscious while researching the scene of a construction accident for a pending lawsuit, attorney Gus Foxxe finds himself trapped on the top floor of a partially completed skyscraper. Overhearing voices of men who don’t belong there, he realizes they plan to blow up the building unless the owner pays a substantial ransom. Can he foil their plan and escape with his life?
Appraisal:
This book is a diamond in the rough. The plot, which might sound implausible, is better than you might think from the description. Most thrillers are unrealistic in some ways – The Concrete Rocket isn’t anymore than most. If terrorists can hijack a plane and fly it into the World Trade Center, this doesn’t seem so farfetched.
Where The Concrete Rocket goes astray is not in the overall storyline or plot, which is good. The characterization is also fine. However, there is too much unneeded description, which bogs the story down, especially in the beginning.
Some people might attribute the over description to the old saw about telling instead of showing. Although I think this expression is overused, it applies here. For example very early in the book Gus is talking on the phone to Tom, a construction manager who had been a witness for him in a previous lawsuit. Tom remembered Gus and says, “I guess you won …” Gus replies, “That’s the case Tom. Your testimony helped us a lot.” Gus should now shut up. Instead, he continues for another eighty-five words summarizing what Tom’s testimony said and details of the settlement. This is both unnatural, Tom knows what he said, and unneeded. That the two have previously worked together is all the back-story we need.
Another example is describing something in too much detail. “Next to the door was a short counter with a coffee maker on the top shelf. A coffee can, creamer, sugar and cups were arranged around it in no apparent order.” Why does the order or lack thereof matter? Do we need to know every single item inside the job shack the author is describing or exactly where each item is? This situation happens repeatedly – every time we encounter a new place, it is described in detail. Many of the details don’t matter.
As the book continued this over attention to unimportant details became less of an issue for me. Possibly, there was less description. In some cases, I think the detail was actually pertinent. Maybe I adjusted in some way. Regardless, I found myself drawn into the story in spite of the extraneous description. Although reading The Concrete Rocket was rough going at first, when I finished I was glad I hadn’t abandoned it.
FYI:
Contains some sexual content, best for those 17+.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: *** Three stars
Genre: Paranormal/Mystery
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words
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Author:
Although born in England (she still has the accent to prove it) Linda Welch has lived throughout the western United States. She currently lives in a mountain valley in Utah along with her husband and dog. Along Came a Demon is the first of her Whisperings paranormal mystery series. Two others, The Demon Hunters and Dead Demon Walking, are currently available in both paper and electronic formats. For more, visit her website.
Description:
Tiff (don’t call her Tiffany) Banks can see the dead. Not their bodies and not everyone, but what she calls the “shadows” (kind of like a ghost) of those who died a violent death at someone else’s hand. These shadows are stuck at the place of their death until the killer dies or is brought to justice. At times Tiff can view what happened when the person died, as though it is through their eyes. She can also converse with them. Additionally, Tiff can detect beings among us who look human, but are actually paranormal. Although she calls them “demons,” these beings are not all the same. Tiff’s gifts are valuable in solving murders and she tries her best to help the police. This book involves the murder of a woman who lived in the apartment building next door to Tiff.
Appraisal:
In the last year or two I’ve probably read more books with some kind of paranormal twist than I had all the remaining years of my life combined. I’ve been amazed to discover the number of ways authors have to give a novel a paranormal twist. Along Came a Demon is among my favorites. I was happy discovering they aren’t all glittery vampires.
As I evaluate the reasons Along Came a Demon was an enjoyable read for me several things come to mind. Part of it is the mystery portion. Ignore the paranormal part and this book is like a police procedural or private investigator mystery, which are genres I’ve read and enjoyed for years. Unlike the typical paranormal book, Tiff’s skills and the existence of paranormal creatures aren’t treated as if they are normal. Tiff assumes most people wouldn’t acknowledge or accept her talents or paranormal beings exist, so she hides the true nature of her abilities and the existence of the paranormal. This adds a different twist to the story. Hiding certain things like that, most notably two “dead” people who reside in Tiff’s house, adds plenty of humor to the book.
There is one thing about Along Came a Demon that was an issue for me, although it wouldn’t be for most readers. When a story is set in a specific non-fictional place, I’ll apply any knowledge I have of the area as I’m imagining what is taking place. If I read something that doesn’t fit, I notice. I found myself getting disoriented in the beginning of this book because it takes place in a very specific area of Northern Utah, with town and highway names that make it easily identifiable, yet Clarion, the town where much of the story is set doesn’t exist. Once I accepted that it was okay most of the time, but sometimes I still found myself slipping out of the fictional world into the real world I am familiar with.
FYI:
Although the author lives in the US and uses corresponding spelling and slang (if any), there is one aspect of her English usage common to authors writing to UK norms. This is a tendency to drop certain words like “of” and “to” in some situations. An example from the book is “I needed to identify the killer so Mike and SLCPD could get everyone out the mall” instead of “… out of the mall.” This was infrequent enough that it shouldn’t be a concern for anyone.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues
Rating: ***** Five stars
Genre: Historical Suspense
Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words
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Author:
Suzanne Tyrpak resides in Colorado and works for an airline. This has given her the ability to visit Rome and Italy and see first hand the scenes and countryside she uses for the backdrop in this book. She has some writing experience with Dating My Vibrator, a collection of short stories. Ghost Plane is a short story available on her blog and will be epublished in September of this year in another short story collection, Ghost Plane and Other Disturbing Tales. For more information, visit the author's blog or Facebook page.
Description:
Education, privilege, and reverence come at the price of 30 years of celibacy and service for Vestal Virgins in Ancient Rome. Suzanne Tyrpak's debut novel Vestal Virgin takes us through the emotional conflicts of Elissa Rubria Honoria as she faces forbidden love, family tragedy, treachery, and betrayal. While traversing the daily tasks and obligations of a young woman in this challenging position she begins to question her faith in the very Gods she is bound to honor.
Appraisal:
By using fewer characters and delving deeper into their psyches, Ms. Tyrpak easily drew me into the drama and challenges of life in a different time and place. Nero's greed and psychosis were the perfect opposition to Elissa's virtue and hope for a happier life. She also perfectly captured the teen angst of Flavia, as she struggles in that ackward phase, poised on the brink of adulthood but not yet allowed to make her own decisions. Writing through the eyes of each major character gave the author the ability to slowly, but dramatically, increase the tension of the story as she moved the plot along by introducing related themes that gave the book a robust feel. This story had it all! It was obviously well researched. I found the timelines, architecture and historic details all in keeping with what we know about ancient Rome.
The only negative I have is that Tyrpak leaves the reader hanging just a little by not completely resolving the progression of the subplots surrounding the other female leads. If she is planning to write a sequel or offshoot with one of these characters, it is a perfect set up though. Also, due to the nature of the main character, the specific time in history, and the setting, there are many religious references. It was a positive aspect of the story in my opinion.
FYI:
There is quite a bit of sexuality in this book. It's more suggestive than explicit. I would not recommend this book to anyone under 17 for that reason.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five Stars
Genre: Romance
Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words
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Author:
Romance author Adelle Laudan is a mother of four from Southern Ontario, Canada. Many of her books, including this one, were traditionally published previously. Laudan has now republished them independently. The Iron Horse Rider series has three books currently available. Laudan also writes spicier romances as Elle Laudan. For more, visit her website.
Description:
After his wife Kelly is involved in a fatal motorcycle accident, Shane is devastated. Running away from the life he lived with Kelly, Shane befriends an Indian chief and, despite resisting, finds himself falling in love again.
Appraisal:
It seems to me that the romance genre has more conventions than most. Since there isn’t an official organization approving and codifying these, not every romance reader will agree on what they are. Some, like the happily-ever-after ending, is one which most would agree is required. Iron Horse Rider has the required ending. Author Adelle Laudan describes Iron Horse Rider as romance and I agree. However, the male lead or hero, to use the label typical among romance readers, is the focus of the story rather than the heroine. I don’t know if this violates an unwritten genre convention. I do know it makes for an unconventional romance novel.
Iron Horse Rider has some other elements that are, if not unique, at least uncommon in the typical romance novel plot. One of these is that Shane is a motorcyclist, the iron horse in the title. This is a big influence on Shane’s life and lifestyle. It also figures prominently throughout the story. A large portion of the story takes place at an Indian camp. (Substitute your preferred term - Native American or, since the story takes place in Canada, First Nation, the term you’ll sometimes find used there for the native population.) Indian culture is a significant part of the story with some of their beliefs helping Shane eventually come to terms with Kelly’s death.
Romance fans should find Iron Horse Rider a different kind of read while still fitting what many would want in a story. For romance readers who love cruising on their Harley it should be an easy decision.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues. I did find a couple minor story inconsistencies. These were insignificant to the overall story, but might temporarily confuse you when you read a line in the book that disagrees with the rest of the story.
Rating: **** Four stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Thriller
Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words
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Author:
A resident of Ashland, Oregon, John Yunker is co-founder of Ashland Creek Press, a publisher specializing in books with travel and environmental themes. He is also an expert on “web globalization” and has written three books on the subject. For more, visit Yunker’s website or the website for Ashland Creek Press.
Description:
A research biologist who is studying penguins in Patagonia, a computer geek, and an environmental activist become involved in a battle over the world’s oceans.
Appraisal:
As a rule, I read nonfiction to learn. Fiction is for entertainment. In The Tourist Trail, I found what I wanted and expected. It contains adventure. There are characters you'll quickly start caring about and a lot of conflict to overcome. You'll find plenty of romances to spice things up. All the elements of a good thriller are here and, if that's what you're looking for, you should come away satisfied.
Fiction, however, can also teach you things that nonfiction can't. It can help you understand a point of view that, given your life experiences, would be difficult. By putting yourself in the shoes of another, you can better understand them. This was the case with The Tourist Trail.
As in Edward Abbey's environmentalist classic The Monkey Wrench Gang, the group at the center of this story, the Cetacean Defense Alliance (CDA), is out to sabotage their foes - the scene has just moved from the desert to the ocean. They object to whaler's who continue indiscriminate harvesting of what they believe is an endangered species. They oppose long-line anglers who they think kill too many birds and other seagoing life as "incidental catch.” Their philosophy was summed up in this quote:
When you raise cattle, you at least feed them. However, anglers don't feed fish. They just take. They even take the food the fish eat. Sheer avarice.
Not everyone agrees with the CDA's methods, calling them "eco-terrorists.” That's what the FBI thinks (although the FBI agent chasing them is conflicted). You'll have to decide for yourself. Regardless of what you decide, you'll come away with a better understanding of the ocean-environmentalist movement and a good read.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Literary Fiction
Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words
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Author:
A playwright and screenwriter, Sam Havens lives in Houston, Texas with his wife. He has done voice-over narration for radio and TV commercials and taught playwriting, screenwriting, and drama at two Houston area universities. For more visit his website.
Description:
Eddie Tipton’s widowed mother has moved them from town to town, as she’s chased a higher salary as a teacher. His senior year of high school they land in oil-rich Farr Point, Texas.
Appraisal:
Small towns like the imaginary Farr Point have a strange dynamic. It is only a slight exaggeration saying everyone knows everyone else and everybody knows everyone else’s business. They can also seem insular, with few outsiders moving in and out. Sixty years ago, when this story takes place, this would have been even more true than today. Drop newcomer Eddie Tipton into a school where he’ll be looked on suspiciously, not only for being a newcomer, but also the son of the new teacher in town, and that conflict alone is the basis of a decent story.
Small towns also have secrets. Eddie becomes obsessed with one of the mysteries of Farr Point, the unsolved murder of his landlady’s oilman husband. As he uncovers clues to the mystery Eddie is forced into making some tough decisions and learns several life lessons. Farr Point is an enjoyable coming-of-age story and strong debut novel.
FYI
It was insignificant to the plot – only a single line in the middle of the book – but if you read Farr Point see if you can spot the anachronism.
At first glance, this book appears suited for a young adult audience. Some sex, not explicit, but also more than just implied, is enough to disqualify it for that genre. It would be suitable for older teens who read adult novels.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words
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Author:
Adrian Stephens lives in Las Vegas with his wife and two children. You can find out more, including what book Stephens is currently reading, by visiting his website.
Description:
Jake is teenage boy, and Nicole is the girl of his dreams. When Jake attempts asking Nicole for a date, she shoots him down and is quite rude while doing so. Jake vows that if he were a girl he would never treat a guy like that. Maybe Jake will get a chance to prove it when the next morning he wakes and realizes he’s in Nicole’s bed and inhabits her body. Nicole now has possession of Jake’s body. Can they find out how to swap back and not ruin each other’s lives in the meantime?
Appraisal:
My initial reaction to the premise of this book was, “it’s been done.” The idea of swapping places with someone goes back at least as far as Cyrano de Bergerac who did a low-tech version. The book Black Like Me wasn’t a full-fledged swap, but did mine the same territory. Freaky Friday is an even better touchstone. I’m sure there are many more I’m forgetting or don’t know. Then I read the Stephen’s bio on Amazon where he says he wasn’t much of a reader, rarely reading for fun, until about five years ago. I wondered if someone with so little experience as a reader could do a competent job as an author. My concerns turned out to be unfounded.
The reason certain story types are used and reused is the basic premise has a lot to offer. The cliché about walking in someone else’s shoes, the obvious inspiration for the title, has endless variations. The variations on this theme that are most likely to make a good story are those with two people prone to misunderstanding who find it difficult to imagine what the other person’s life is like. The parent child swap in Freaky Friday is a natural. So is swapping a teenage boy with a teenage girl.
As you’d expect Nicole and Jake find living the life of the other is more complicated than they realized. Stephens thought a lot about what it would take to make a situation like this work. Jake and Nicole gave each other extensive debriefings so they could learn to act correctly, otherwise they could damage relationships with friends and family for the other. Jake, in the body of Nicole, had to learn how to apply makeup and stop walking like a man. I was impressed at how well Stephens handled the details; especially the difficulties Jake had being Nicole.
A potential pitfall of a novel like this is keeping track of who is who. If Jake does something, is it Nicole in Jake’s body or Jake in Nicole’s body? Most of the time Stephens managed to keep this clear. Any uncertainty was limited to the confusion the characters were also feeling.
This is a fun read for teens and many adults. It should give either gender an appreciation for the challenges of the other – I know it did me. Or you can choose to overlook the lessons and concentrate on the humor in the situation. It’s funny, as long as it isn’t you in someone else’s shoes.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Literary Fiction/General Fiction/Mystery
Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words
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Author:
A native New Yorker, Marion Stein has two Masters Degrees, one in creative writing and the other in social work. She moved around the US and Mexico before returning to New York in September 2001. In addition to this novel, she has a novella, The Death Trip, available for your favorite eReader.
Description:
Set in New York City’s East Village in the late 80s, this is the story of those outside society’s mainstream. The neighborhood, also known as Loisaida, is composed of artists, junkies, dreamers, anarchists, and hustlers. It is also a neighborhood on the cusp of gentrification as developers are gutting buildings and displacing much of the population. The story focuses on those who lived there and events going on around them.
The plot centers on a beautiful dancer wannabe who is murdered, and her corpse dismembered. Rumors about how the body was disposed and who was involved in the murder are rampant. A freelance journalist sees a potential book deal and starts digging deeper.
Appraisal:
Loisaida can be viewed two ways. As a work of literary or general fiction, which was the authors intent, or as a mystery.
As a work of literary or general fiction, Loisaida is excellent. Written from the point of view of different characters and constantly switching from one character to another is an approach that can be difficult for the reader to follow, but I didn’t find this to be a problem because Stein’s characters are finely drawn when first introduced. Despite having a large cast, keeping track of the current point of view and how each character connects with the others was rather easy. Although this approach is hard to execute well, Stein did just that. The characters, their stories, and the flavor of the place and time were entertaining and held my interest.
As the story progresses one person emerges as the central character. Peter, an actor turned journalist sees a possible book deal if he can uncover the full story behind the murder and dismemberment of Ingrid, an aspiring dancer. The mentally unstable suspect in custody was almost certainly involved, but rumors that indicate others were involved swirl around. The mystery of who was involved in Ingrid’s murder and exactly what happened ties most of the characters together. While there are other significant plot threads, solving the murder was the most significant.
It is the mystery, central to the plot, where evaluating Loisaida gets tricky. Avoiding spoilers while explaining is also difficult. The book description doesn’t imply you’re reading a mystery. Yet, to the reader, there is a point where it will begin feeling like a mystery. How the story ends and the way the mystery is resolved may be disconcerting for some readers. It was for me. Yet, there is nothing inherently wrong with the ending. Given the story arc, it is more realistic than the ending you might anticipate. That my preconceptions were shaken up when the story took an unexpected turn was a good thing. Understanding why the ending felt wrong … well, that was tricky.
Format/Typo Issues:
A small number of typos.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Genre: Short Story/Horror/Science Fiction
Approximate word count: 1-2,000 words
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Author:
A fan of the over-the-top pulp horror and science fiction of days gone by, William Vitka aims for the same in his fiction. An author and journalist he lives in New York City. Vitka has written another short story, Bodily Harm, and The Boneyard: A Novelette, both available for your Kindle. His debut novel, Infected, will be published in June 2012.
Description:
A communist worker on a strange planet questions why the colony must work so hard for food. Then monsters arrive, killing her coworkers with shooting flames.
Appraisal:
At just under 2,000 words, this quick read rapidly pulls you into the protagonist’s world. She’s hungry and frustrated at first. Hunger turns to terror and a fight for survival when monsters attack.
As I was reading Vitka’s tight, descriptive prose I was continually cycling from disoriented to thinking I had a handle on his story world. Then something major would happen, disorienting me again. The final twist turned my perceptions upside down, as the world came into focus in a way I never imagined.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant errors
Rating: **** Four stars
