The New Book Review

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Showing posts with label Fiction: Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction: Fantasy. Show all posts

Monday, February 6, 2023

Carolyn Raffensberger Reviews Sharon Heath's Book of Eco-Fiction


TITLE: The Mysterious Composition of Tears
SUBTITLE: The Further Adventures of Fleur, Book 1
SERIES TITLE: The Further Adventures of Fleur
AUTHOR: Sharon Heath
AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: https://sharonheath.com 
GENRE: Literary Fiction, Eco-fiction with a touch of fantasy and sci-fi
AGE / INTEREST LEVEL: Adult, New Adult
PAGE #: 307
PUBLISHER: Thomas-Jacob Publishing, LLC 

Reviewed by Carolyn Raffensperger

Heres the review, excerpted from Carolyn RaffenspergerAnchoring Ourselves in Storied History:

This summer I searched for stories that would help make sense of the upheaval we are facing. I read three books that were wildly different, Lydia Yuknavitch’s novel Thrust, Sharon Heath’s novel, The Mysterious Composition of Tears, and Dick Sclove’s nonfiction book, Escaping Maya’s Palace—an analysis of the madness of modern civilization based on a close read of the Mahabharata. What they had in common was to take seriously what Ursula Le Guin calls the “carrier bag of fiction” (and I would add of nonfiction stories). Le Guin says, “I would go so far as to say that the natural, proper, fitting shape of the novel might be that of a sack, a bag. A book holds words. Words hold things. They bear meanings. A novel is a medicine bundle, holding things in a particular, powerful relation to one another and to us.” Nonfiction stories can also be carrier bags of essential medicines…

Carolyn Raffensberger Reviews Sharon Heath's Book of Eco-Fiction

Sharon Heath’s Mysterious Composition of Tears is a sci-fi/magical realism story set in the future that has physicists grappling with climate change. Heath incorporated…work on the precautionary principle in this fictional setting by describing scientists taking seriously the possible negative consequences of extremely novel technologies. I wonder when some future scientist might read her novel and change her approach to incorporate precaution. Medicine! 


More About the Author


A BIO OR CREDIT LINE FOR THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK: Sharon Heath, a Los Angeles native, is a Jungian analyst whos passionate about writing fiction and non-fiction exploring the interplay of science and spirit, politics and pop culture. Her books are available at bookstores and online including Amazon and B&N. Find her on Twitter #TheFleurTrilogy. 

More About the Reviewer'

 Carolyn Raffensperger is a renowned environmental lawyer and Executive Director of the Science and Environmental Heath Network who speaks widely on ecological healing and has delivered an inspiring TEDx talk as a leading expert on the Precautionary Principle. You can read about her work here: https://www.sehn.org/ecological-medicine/



More About #TheNewBookReview Blog


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 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. 

 Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. 

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Sunday, February 16, 2020

Book Review: Dragon Bone Soup, Anyone?

Title: Dragon Bone Soup
Edited by DW Brownlaw and P. C. Darkcliff
Publisher: Independently published 
Release date: December 9, 2019
Genre: Anthology Sci-Fi and Fantasy
ISBN-10: 1673703976
ISBN-13: 978-1673703979
Purchase on Amazon 

Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton originally for BookPleasures.com

When I reached the end of Dragon Bone Soup, I realized I had just finished my favorite short story anthology I have ever read. As a writer of sci-fi short stories myself, I knew I was going to have to up my game to compete with all these folks.  Especially regarding preciseness and word economy. 

I also realized trying to point out the highlights of the sixteen diverse fantasy and light science fiction stories would result in a very long book review. After all, writers from three continents take readers to dystopian futures  populated by dragons, witches, spirits, elves, trolls, and magicians. But no matter how non-human these beings might seem, every story explores the humanity of even the most exotic of characters. This includes the first-person narrative, "I, Dragon" by David Bowmore. 

 I would like to call special attention to the first two stories in the collection, "LA EMBRUJADX" by Carmen Baca  and "The Witch of Wickershaw" by Brandy Bonifas as they both hooked me into this collection straight-away. Other contributors include Steve Carr, P.C. Darkcliff, R.A. Goli, Shawn Klimek, Mark Kodama, Giuseppina Marino Leyland, Zhen Liu, Lynne Phillips, Sam M. Phillips, Daniel Craig Roche, Copper Rose, L.T. Waterson, and G. Allen Wilbanks.

For readers who like to know about the authors they experience, the editors added a section of interviews at the end of the book with each of the writers describing their craft. Some might think of this section as padding as each story is indeed short, most around 3,000 words or so. (The editors provide a word count for each story in their introductory notes. ) Well, if you're not that interested in all the biographies and writing approaches of the creators,  or maybe only interested in a few of the contributors,  the interviews are not essential reading. I wager, however, that most fellow writers will appreciate the opportunity to read sixteen windows into the creative process. For non-writers, you could think of the interviews  as icing on the cake, if you can imagine icing on bone soup.

If you like sci-fi or fantasy, you won't want to pass up this collection.  Perhaps not every entree will be your cuppa tea, to mix metaphors again, but there will certainly be enough offerings you'll consider special treats. 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Dr. Wesley Britton is the author of The Beta Earth Chronicles, is a frequent reviewer for The New Book Review and BookPleasures.com . Learn more about him with these links: 






MORE ABOUT BLOGGER AND WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM THIS BLOG


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.


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Sunday, August 12, 2018

Readers' Favorite Reviewer Gives Wilma Fleming's Middle Grade Novel Five Stars

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: The Curse at Lilac Waters
AUTHOR OF BOOK):   Wilma Fleming
GENRE OR CATEGORY: Middle Grades Fantasy
 ISBN: -13 9781540607720
ISBN:-10 1540607720
Library of Congress number: 2016919809 
Purchase at Amazon


Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite- *****Five Stars*****

The Curse at Lilac Waters is a fantasy novel for children and preteens written by Wilma Fleming. Troelina was used to having things her own way. She was the prettiest purple troll and the others treated her with a bit of deference when she wanted her pick of the berries or other wild goodies the trolls fed upon. That feeling of privilege quickly got her into quite a bit of bother, however, when she ran up against the goat called Krug. Krug didn’t like trolls trespassing on goat territory, not one bit, and he was not at all impressed by either Troelina’s fair features or her attitude. All it took was a few magical words uttered by the truculent old goat, and Troelina found herself in the body of a Gopher tortoise. All her dreams about marrying Fole were instantly shattered. A mockingbird came by and laughed at poor Troelina, but even so she knew in her heart that the tribe and Fole would find her. The mockingbird told her that there was one cure to Krug’s curse; a magic pearl that could only be found in a lily pad in the middle of the lake -- but Gopher tortoises can’t swim. Will Troelina find a way to end the curse and be reunited with Fole?

Wilma Fleming’s fantasy novel for children and preteens, The Curse at Lilac Waters, is an enchanting environmental fantasy that blends the story of Troelina with that of Eric, a young New Jersey transplant to the Florida wilderness that his botanist father calls home. I enjoyed seeing how Eric's and Troelina’s stories came together so well. Fleming’s story also introduced me to the Gopher tortoise and other endangered species living in the Florida wetlands, and her descriptions of the environment Eric finds himself in are first-rate. While the woods are not for everybody, that Florida wilderness Eric’s father found seemed like paradise to me. This well-written and exciting tale succeeds on so many levels, not least of which is as an enthralling fantasy. The Curse at Lilac Waters is most highly recommended.



 MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Wilma Fleming has written columns, articles, and musical reviews for various newspapers as a freelancer, and former lifestyles reporter. Her stories have appeared in several anthologies, and she has published credits from small press, and nationally distributed magazines. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, (SCBWI), a former member of the Creative Writers of Southern Tier, (CWST), and the Florida Children’s Author Team, (CAT). She is married, a mother of five, and currently writes from home. Learn more at
Reach her at )wilma2flem@yahoo.comR


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Author Scott Skipper Reviews Fantasy Set in Yellowstone

The Geyser Girl of Yellowstone Park
Myrtle Brooks
ISBN 978-1-61296-454-6
Published by Black Rose Writing
Genre: Fantasy

Reviewed by Scott Skipper, originally for https://scottskipperblog.com

Yellowstone Park is a magical place, more magical than we thought. When a young girl appears among the geysers, alone and helpless, she is immediately adopted by a bison cow and Old Faithful, and they name her Flower of the Steam Basin. Trust me. This is where you must suspend incredulity. In the microcosm of the park, all things are personified. All things possess great wisdom and speak in parables teaching the girl morality and spirituality. She communes with all the spirits of the wilderness, delights in running with the herds of bison, and cavorting in the eruptions of the geysers. She lives in the chasm of Old Faithful where the spirit of the geyser teaches her about all things, including the people who visit daily. When the rumor of a girl dancing aloft in the hot mineral spray begins to circulate, there comes trouble to paradise.

 I told you that you had to suspend incredulity. You also have to be a little patient. The beginning of this book is dedicated to animism, something akin to native spirituality. It consists mainly of the above-mentioned parables, and is written in a flowery prose that is almost Biblical in its near poetic construction. The characters speak in multi-paragraph monologues. Some readers will revel in the joy of language, others less so, but by and by, human beings sneak into the story. That’s when the trouble starts. This book was a departure for me. I generally go for something earthier, but I enjoyed The Geyser Girl of Yellowstone Park, and I recommend it for those who aren’t discouraged by what I said in the first paragraph of this review. One could see Geyser Girl being produced by Walt Disney, although as it is written, it is not a children’s story.

About the reviewer:

Scott Skipper is a California fiction writer with a broad range of interests, including history, genealogy, travel, science, and current events. His wry outlook on life infects his novels with biting sarcasm. Political correctness is taboo. His work includes historical fiction, alternative history, novelized biography, science fiction, political satire, and now a love story. He is a voracious reader and habitual and highly opinionated reviewer. Learn more atwww.ScottSkipper.com  Follow on Twitter@SSkipperAuthor and Facebook/ScottSkipperAuthor


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

World of Ink Network Reviews Middle School Adventure


 

Title: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur
Series: Book Two in The Chronicles of the Stone
Author: Fiona Ingram
Author's Web site: http://www.fionaingram.com
Genre: Middle Grad Fantasy Adventure
ISBN 978 1622492183
Publisher: The Educational Publisher / Biblio Publishing
Reviewer's Rating: 4 Stars
Available at 

 Reviewed by Ashley Renee at World of Ink Network
The Story of Two Boys’ Journey and Their Quest to Solve an Ancient Mystery

Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archaeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur.

Blurb from the book:

“The spectral figure drew his sword from its scabbard and held it aloft. It seemed to Adam that he saw every detail with strangely magnified clarity. It was the same sword from the museum, but it looked so different now. The metal gleamed with a peculiar bluish sheen. Curious characters embossed the length of the blade. At the top, just under the crossguard, was a small circle with a seven-pointed star inside it. Sparkling gems decorated the hilt and pommel, with two dragons’ heads facing inward on the crossguard. The stone between the dragons’ open mouths glowed brilliant red. Suddenly, a fiery, almost blinding light shot from the stone, dazzling him. The white horse reared on its hindquarters. The radiant beam lit up the forest as the warrior whirled the blade around his head several times.”

Review:

Just like the first book, the history is a fascinating element to the plot and I learned a lot about King Arthur and his legend. The author includes a well-organized, detailed guide with an array of information about the Dark Ages, King Arthur, and some of the symbolism of the time. "The Search for the Stone of Excalibur" is even better than the first book in the Chronicles of the Stone series. The story is fill with action and adventure, and I must say that I have always enjoyed reading anything having to do with the legend of Arthur or with Camelot itself. The author does just an amazing job and not only shares this legend but also adds in puzzles, ghostly presences and stalwart companions ready to face any and all perils that come their way.

Book extras include some historical background on King Arthur, the Dark Ages, warfare and weaponry during Arthur’s time, and details on Excalibur. A fascinating peek into the life and times of the real King Arthur, perfect for young time travelers and budding archaeologists.

Book Award Nominations & Wins:
2015 Children’s Literary Classics Award Seal of Approval and finalist
2015 Children’s Literary Classic Silver Medal (Pre-teen & Tween)
Book Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1622492188
B&N (Kindle) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-search-for-the-stone-of-excalibur-fiona-ingram/1120452451?ean=2940046210439

 About the Author 

Fiona Ingram (B.A., Hons. (Natal), M.A., (Wits)) was born and educated in South Africa, and has worked as a full-time journalist and editor. Her interest in ancient history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel has resulted in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in her exciting children’s adventure series—Chronicles of the Stone. Fiona is busy with Book 3 entitled The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.

About World of Ink Network

Virginia S. Grenier is founder and partner of World of Ink Network, http://worldofinknetwork.comOffice: 435-625-1743
She is also and author and director of the St. George Book Festival http://stgeorgebookfestival.org.  
Learn molre Facebook ond  follow her on  Twitter . 



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Reviewer Tracey Quintin Calls Fiction Emotionally Provoking


Title:  Bittersweet
Author: K.S. Thomas
Genre:  Literature & Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Inspirational, Romance, Women’s Fiction,
ISBN #:   B00TPBIC3M
Reviewer's Rating: 5 star

Reviewed by Tracey Quintin originally for Goodreads

What an OUTSTANDING EMOTIONAL, COULDN'T PUT DOWN, PAGE TURNING read. I was hooked from Chapter 1 on. I completely fell in love with Esi and Carter and was so emotionally invested in this "grab boxes of Kleenex" story.

Truly touched my heart and soul. Esi and Carter are absolute soul mates and have a love and connection like no other.

Their story didn't just tug my heart strings, I seriously fell in love with these characters. I felt everything going on and had a HUGE lump in my throat throughout most of the story until I HAD to let the tears just fall. If I wasn't in a public setting I'm sure I would have cried my eyes out...THAT'S how emotion provoking it was for me. THESE ARE MY FAVORITE TYPES OF STORIES!
So beautifully written, K.S. Thomas did an incredible job. This is the first book I've read from this author and I REALLY hope she has written more of this type. Outstanding and can't wait to read more of her work. I very highly recommend reading this. It is a story that will stay in my heart forever.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K. S. Thomas connections:
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Readers Favorite Reviews Can't-Put-Down Novel for Young Adults

Title: Novus
 Series: The Cresecren Chronicles, Book1
Author: Crystal Marcos
Web site: http://crystalmarcos.com
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0984389988
Links to buy eBook: Amazon http://amzn.to/1IGbLDd
Nook edition: http://bit.ly/1JDP56T
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1ho25me
Links to buy Paperback: Amazon http://amzn.to/1NiIIbG
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1Vmtvrm

 Originally reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers’ Favorite 
 Rating: 5 stars


I would recommend not starting Novus (The Cresecren Chronicles, Book 1) by Crystal Marcos if you have anything planned for the rest of the day, as you will most likely not want to put the book down!

Cayden, the main character, is a Cresecren, similar to humans, but made to serve them. Cayden ended up in a colony of Cresecrens who are either not fit to serve any longer or who have been outcasts for some reason. One day, Cayden's life changes completely. He meets an interesting human girl, and then is involved in a rather unpleasant chain of events (which I can't mention as that would be spoilers!) which lead to him and a group of others being on the run, and finding out that the world out there is full of things that are not as they seem.

 Novus by Crystal Marcos is one of those gems that make you care about the characters within the story, and while you definitely want to know what happens to them, you can't help but also not want to get to the end of the book. It's the kind of book whose characters you miss when you finish the book. There is good news though, it's the first book in a series and if Crystal writes as well in the second book then it will also be a fantastic read.

There still is a lot to explore, quite a few issues to be resolved, and I am sure that more interesting characters will be waiting for readers.

 ----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Former Reader's Digest Editor Gives Sci-Fi Book Huge Thumbs Up


 Title: Rarity from the Hollow
 Author: Robert Eggleton
 Author's Web link: http://www.lacydawnadventures.com
 Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
 ISBN: ISBN-10: 1907133062
ISBN-13: 978-1907133060
Reviewer's Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available in paperback or as an e-book. Purchase links:


Reviewed by Temple Emmet Williams originally for the Warrior Patient blog

The most enjoyable science fiction novel I have read in several years

Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton is the most enjoyable science fiction novel I have read in several years. Who could think of an intergalactic handbook for entrepreneurs? Who could turn a tree-hugger into a paranormal event of death-defying significance? Who could create characters so believable, so funny, so astonishingly human (and not)?

Robert Eggleton, that’s who.

I put this book on my iPhone, and it followed me everywhere for several days. Strangers smiled politely at my unexpected laughter in the men’s room toilet stall. They looked away as I emerged, waving the IPhone at them as if it might explain something significant.

Oddly, the novel explains a great deal that has become significant in our society. Rarity from the Hollow is satire at its best and highest level. It is a psychological thriller, true to traits of mankind (and other species). It is an animal rights dissertation (you will laugh when you understand why I write that). It celebrates the vilest insect on earth (make that Universe).

The characters created by Robert Eggleton will bug your brain long after you smoke, uh, read the final page. Thanks for the laughs, the serious thoughts, the absolute wonder of your mind, Mr. Eggleton. A truly magnificent job.


MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
Temple Emmet Williams is an author and former Reader’s Digest editor. He reviews books for the blog, Warrior Patient. 




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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Book Review: Imagine a Universe on the Edge

  • Title: Rarity from the Hollow
  • Author: Robert Eggleton
  • Web site link: www.lacydawnadventures.com
  • Genre: Nontraditional SF/F, Cross-Genre
  • ISBN: 9781907133060; 1907133062
  • Name of Reviewer:  Bryan Zepp Jamieson  
  • Journal: The Electric Review, A Universe on the Edge
  • Publishd 2012 by Doghorn Publishing
 
Reviewed by Bryan Zepp Jamieson originally for Electric Review.net


Lacy Dawn is a little girl who lives in a magical forest where all the trees love her and she has a space alien friend who adores her and wants to make her queen of the universe. What’s more, all the boys admire her for her beauty and brains. Mommy is very beautiful and Daddy is very smart, and Daddy’s boss loves them all.

Excerpt

Lacy Dawn, the eleven year old protagonist, perches precariously between the psychosis of childhood and the multiple neuroses of adolescence, buffeted by powerful gusts of budding sexuality and infused with a yearning to escape the grim and brutal life of a rural Appalachian existence. In this world, Daddy is a drunk with severe PTSD, and Mommy is an insecure wraith. The boss is a dodgy lecher, not above leering at the flat chest of an eleven-year-old girl.

Yes, all in one book.

Rarity From The Hollow is written in a simple declarative style that’s well- suited to the imaginary diary of a desperate but intelligent eleven-year-old – the story bumping joyfully between the extraordinary and the banal.

The central planet of the universe is a vast shopping mall, and Lacy Dawn must save her world from a menace that arrives in the form of a cockroach infestation. Look again and the space alien has made Daddy smart and happy – or at least an eleven year old girl’s notion of what a smart and happy man should be. He has also made Mommy beautiful, giving her false teeth and getting the food stamp lady off her back.

About the only thing in the book that is believable is the nature of the narrative voice, and it is utterly compelling. You find yourself convinced that “Hollow” was written as a diary-based autobiography by a young girl and the banal stems from the limits of her environment, the extraordinary from her megalomania. And that’s what gives Rarity From The Hollow a chilling, engaging verisimilitude that deftly feeds on both the utter absurdity of the characters’ motivations and on the progression of the plot.

Indeed, there are moments of utter darkness: In one sequence, Lacy Dawn remarks matter-of-factly that a classmate was whipped to death, and notes that the assailant, the girl’s father, had to change his underpants afterward because they were soiled with semen. Odd, and often chilling notes, abound.

As I was reading it, I remembered when I first read Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” at the age of 14. A veteran of Swift, Heller, and Frederick Brown, I understood absurdist humour in satire, but Vonnegut took that understanding and turned it on its ear.

In the spirit of Vonnegut, Eggleton (a psychotherapist focused on the adolescent patient) takes the genre and gives it another quarter turn. A lot of people hated Vonnegut, saying he didn’t know the rules of good writing. But that wasn’t true. Vonnegut knew the rules quite well, he just chose to ignore them, and that is what is happening in Eggleton’s novel, as well.

Not everyone will like Rarity From The Hollow. Nonetheless, it should not be ignored.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Marlon Brando's Nephew Takes on the Writing of Fiction

Title: The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality
Author: Gahan Hanmer
Author's book tour Web site link:  http://thekingdomontheedgeofreality.com/thekingdomontheedgeofrealitybooktour.htm
Genre:
Fiction, Fantasy, Action and adventure
ISBN-10: 937293645
ISBN-13: 978-1937293642
Graphics: http://thekingdomontheedgeofreality.com/images/book.png




 

The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality

Sometimes it’s funny how fast things can change, and sometimes it’s not . . .

Welcome to Albert Keane’s beautifully designed medieval kingdom nestled in a completely isolated river valley in the Canadian wilderness. Peaceful, happy, and prosperous, it takes nothing from the modern world, not so much as a single clock.

There is a castle, of course, and a monastery. There is even a pitch dark, rat-infested dungeon – because you simply have to have one if you are trying a rule a feudal kingdom!

Farmers work the land, artisans ply their trades, monks keep school and visit the sick, and nobody (well, almost nobody) misses the modern world at all.

So why has Jack Darcey – actor, wanderer, ex-competitive fencer – been tricked and seduced into paying a visit? And why hasn’t anyone told him that the only way to leave is a perilous trek across hundreds of miles of trackless wilderness without a compass or a map?

Because a tide of fear and violence is rising from the twisted ambitions of one of King Albert’s nobles, and Albert’s fortune teller believes that Jack could turn the tide – if he lives long enough . . .

Seamlessly blending medieval and modern elements, The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality serves up a heady brew of action, humor, romance and satire in a kingdom set apart in time and space where reality is the dealer’s choice.

 
The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality answers the question why the past holds the key to happiness that may be missing in our present day.  That community and connectedness is more important then we realize.  We could very easily leave the present and live in the past.
 

The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality is a modern classic that has an original story line.  The author's vivid storytelling transports you to a world of fantasy, actionl and adventure.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR'S PROCESS
 
When Gahan began writing he found the creative process, as so many artists will attest, mysterious. You make an attempt to create something, the project unfolds, and at the end you wonder, “Did I do that? How did I manage to do that? When writing Gahan drew on his previous experience as a method actor and his working knowledge as a trained stage duelist.
 
Although the novel takes the shape of a fairy tale, it is a serious book about the human predicament, and unlike so much of what is coming out nowadays, it has a philosophy and a moral point of view. The hard part for Gahan was leaving the characters, which became totally real behind. These characters were larger then life. They all had real personalities, quirks, hopes and desires, and their own opinions.
 

WHAT BOOK LOVERS ARE SAYING

"I love the twist on an old fantasy story. To have a modern-day kingdom that is ruled and ran as the original kingdoms of old is ingenious. This is a captivating fantasy story that I would recommend to all fantasy-lovers." Literary R.R.

 

EXCERPT

" I got to my feet and looked Pollux over while he stood there calmly, unconcerned with the dead men in the grass and with the violence that had erupted a short time ago. Embedded deep in the wood of my saddle, I found the second crossbow bolt. That was good—it would support my story. I was still thinking about investigations, and evidence, and criminal courts, as though I still lived in the twenty-first century. But that wasn’t true anymore. I was a knight living in the Middle Ages now. "

 ABOUT GAHAN HAMMER

Gahan Hanmer naturally gravitated toward the arts. He speaks French and Spanish and has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University. Under the guidance of his uncle actor Marlon Brando, Gahan developed his talent exclusively as a theater artist, working with many inspired teachers and directors. The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality is available at: Amazon, My Book Orders,, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and on his website.  Ask Gahan Hanmer questions by visiting his website at http://thekingdomontheedgeofreality.com/contact.htm.

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SUBMITTED BY
Yvonne Wu
Authors Support Services
The YP Publishing

http://theyppublishing.com
You have your own story to tell, our mission is to help you get the message out there.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.