Veteran Reviewer Recommends Sci-Fi Thriller

Blue Gold 

By David Barker

Paperback: 360 pages

Publisher: Urbane Publications (June 1, 2017)

ISBN-10: 1911331655

ISBN-13: 978-1911331650

Purchase at https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Gold-David-Barker/dp/1911331655

Reviewed by: Dr. Wesley Britton originally for Book Pleasures 

Blue Gold is one of those fast-paced thrillers that demand focused reader attention. That’s because there are so many moving parts including changing global settings and Barker introducing a wide cast of important characters.

Set in the not-so-distant future, as they say, this addition to the “cli-fi” (climate fiction) genre revolves around two major protagonists, British agents Sim Atkins and his partner, Freda Brightwell. Atkins is a relative rookie whom the experienced Brightwell doesn’t accept with much enthusiasm. She’s distinguished by an ornate walking stick which doesn’t discourage Sim from an ongoing study of his “boss’s” legs. Sim is doubtful this pair can accomplish what is asked of them; Freda believes just a few brave souls can do what inactive masses won’t, even preventing World War III. 

   

Their investigations begin by looking into the projects of very sophisticated worldwide terrorists and rogue governments who destroy satellites over Iceland, blow up airships, and infiltrate the most sensitive of governmental military computers all over the world.  In fact, side stories and parallel plot lines occur in England, America, Ethiopia, Egypt, Israel, India, Pakistan, Japan, Canada, and China, among other locations. All the events and back-stories in these places aren’t presented in a linear flow but do establish just how turbulent the world order has become. 

Easily speculative fiction if not overtly sci fi, Blue Gold occurs in a world with acute water shortages due to global climate changes.  Most of the international conflicts are responses to the growing crisis. There are also riots and terrorism based on economic inequality, especially the workers of the world unhappy about corporations not paying their fair share of taxes.   The rich are leaving behind their land based citizenships to live on the sea where they owe no taxes to anyone.

Futuristic elements include a reliance on AI (artificial intelligence), hyper-sonic surveillance drones, and a moon base mining for minerals. Through it all, the author says the point of the book is to expand awareness of what might happen to our planet’s water supply if we don’t address the growing problems of global warming.  In addition, the author says he is using Blue Gold to help raise awareness for the charity, WaterAid, one of the organizations he describes in one of his lengthy appendices.

I highly recommend Blue Gold to pretty much every reader who likes intelligent fiction.     It can be classified, if you need labels to determine your reading list, as an espionage thriller, speculative fiction, science fiction, a mystery, sometimes a political thriller, certainly “cli-fi.” Happily, while the book has a polemic point to make, Barker doesn’t preach to us and doesn’t hit us over the head with his themes. This is an entertaining, action-packed, vividly descriptive tale with memorable characters and, sadly, a more than plausible future for us to worry about. Speaking of the future, while I wasn’t crazy about the final scene on the last page of the main text, I was delighted to see Blue Gold is the first volume of a new trilogy. In the teaser chapter for book 2, I see why Blue Gold ended the way it did. So I have two more books to look forward to.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER 

Dr. Wesley Britton is the author of Beta-Earth Chronicles

www.drwesleybritton.com/books/ and blogs at 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/295635.Wesley_Britton/blog

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. 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 ). 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.

California Book Watch "Very Highly Recommends" California Author's Newest Book

Title: How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically

Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career.

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Third in the #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers
Author's Website: http://howtodoitfrugally.com
ISBN: 9781536948370

Available paper and e-book.

$17.95 PB

$9.95 Kindle

Reviewed by Diane Donovan originally for California Book Watch 

"Writing and Publishing Shelf"

Photo by Joy V. Smith

How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally 

and Ethically should be on the reading lists of anyone interested in gaining and, even more important, using book reviews. It informs both self- and traditionally-published authors of the ins and outs of getting and utilizing reviews; but most importantly, it discusses some of the tips and tricks for doing so - and reveals many approaches to avoid. From making the most of the best review from the most authoritative source to knowing what to do if the review process goes awry, this outlines the entire process of media promotion in the course of explaining the difference between a good and bad review, how they can be effectively utilized, and what to avoid. Very highly recommended!

MORE ABOUT CALIFORNIA BOOK WATCH

This online journal features a regular feature "The Writing/Publishing Shelf." It is a good place to find reviewers who specialized in different genres and--of course--great reading, too.   http://www.midwestbookreview.com/calbw/jun_17.htm#Writing/Publishing

California Bookwatch
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review

278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575 

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. 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 ). 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.

Immigrant Shares Spiritual Path in Memoir

Title: What I Gain Through His Pain

Author: Nicole Benoit-Roy

Author's website link

Genre: Autobiography

ISBN: 978-1548481117

Reviewer's website: http://www.lorekeeperpublishingservices.com

Buy the Book: goo.gl/dvfv7S

Reviewed by Patricia Renard Scholes originally for LoreKeepersPublishingServices

Do you ever feel like God isn't listening? Do you feel alone, discouraged, or abandoned? In this poignant self-reflection, Nicole Benoit-Roy shows how God is very active, no matter what we go through. 

Jesus gave his life so we could have a personal, fulfilling relationship with Him. Follow Benoit-Roy through her struggles to find where God was during each struggle, from an abusive work situation to the death of her brother, from separation from her husband through renewing their relationship, and much more. You are not alone.

Nicole is an amazing woman. She immigrated from Haiti, has overcome language and cultural conflicts, is highly educated, and is a woman fully devoted to God. Her book will inspire you.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Patricia Renard Scholes is the author of the Lorekeeper series.


MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Learn more about Nicole Benoit-Roy's new book at  http://nicoleroyministries.org/what-i-gain-through-his-pain. She is the award-winning author of Jesus Loves Everybody: Especially Me and you can lear more here:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0YbSSxO4Ftdz97P_14MeqA

Donate: paypal.me/nicoleroy52

Website: http://nicoleroyministries.org

Blog: http://www.praisingjesusweb.com

Bookstore: http://nicolebenoitroy.com 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG 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. 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 ). 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.

Tulane Ph.D. Candidate Reviews Poetry about Immigrants

Les Lettres de La Nouvelle-Orléans

By Bouchaib Gadir

Paris: L’Harmattan, 2017

ISBN: 978-2-343-110172

Author's Website

Amazon link

Genre: migrant poetry

Reviewed by: Erika Mandarino, Ph.D. Candidate in French Studies at Tulane University

In his Lettres de La Nouvelle-Orléans, Gadir liberates the language of his culture to redefine himself and overturn the stereotypes of the Arab-American. The poet abandons himself in the city of New Orleans, embracing its eccentricities, immortalizing its characters, and relating it to Paris: the city of lights, freedom and love. Along his illuminated path he drops breadcrumbs that allow him to revisit those dark corners of his memory; it is in the ever-present darkness that Gadir finds the Morocco of his childhood. In the poem “My Language and the Enlightenment,” he recalls the language of religion scribed onto the tablets in Koranic school that would threaten to bind him and his sisters in the same destiny, and he compares it to the language of culture that would allow him to buy flowers for the mother of his children, or to appreciate an art exhibit. It is culture that untethers the individual from the burden of religion, and Gadir’s poems are an ode to culture and individuality, where the interplay of light and darkness is the current that carries the reader from one poem to the next.

The first poem in the series titled “Ballet” begins with an invitation to know the dynamic character underneath the cumbersome name “Bouchaib”:

“Call me Bouchaib”

Between bursts of laughter

She signals for me to speak

To another secretary

My given name is Bouchaib

A name that I carry

Like a sin

The reader instantly recalls the great American novelist Herman Melville’s famous opening line of Moby Dick, “Call me Ishmael.” But for the secretary—and therefore all of those who represent an official verdict—the rich literary heritage that identifies the individual goes unnoticed, overshadowed by the Muslim name.

In his poems Gadir shucks the connotations of difference from his Arabic name, but instead of discarding the shell, like a true New Orleanian artist he creates from it reclaimed art. “Why don’t you change your name?” asks the ballerina, to which he answers:

Through it I dreamed

Through it I tore myself away

Through it I found happiness

A name can only define you to an extent; it also provides the means to break away and redefine yourself. New Orleans, on the other hand, did not have to carve a piece out of itself to make room for Gadir; it had always had a place for him. The very essence of the city depends upon those wayward artists who dare to indulge in tempestuous, uninhibited expression. Gadir’s portrayal of the city highlights this affinity with New-Orleanian artists. In the poem “A Paintbrush… A Canvas,” the poet evokes the painter Frenchy who captures the musicians of Rebirth Brass Band (depicted on the cover of the collection) in a celebration of synesthesia. Like Frenchy, for whom “The paintbrush brings forth the wound from the darkness,” Gadir’s paintbrush is his pen, at once uncovering and healing the wounds inflicted upon him by the past.

But in applauding the living legends of New Orleans, Gadir does not overlook the onerous—and often fruitless—labor for success in the city. In “The Saxophonist” we empathize with the ambulant, nameless artist whose music tells a different story than that of the famed Louis Armstrong, and in “Life Has Disappointed Him or So It Seems,” we see a young cook excluded from that jovial culture he works so hard to proliferate.

The Lettres de La Nouvelle-Orléans are a reminder of the constant task of defining oneself in a world that tries to do it for you, and recognition that our differences are what unify us. To the struggling saxophonist, to his past and future self, and to his reader Gadir leaves this heartfelt advice:

Play your piece

Rise up in your skies

Be different

Resemblance is in pain

Difference is in playing

Resemblance is in redundancy

Difference is resemblance

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. 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 ). 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.

Five Stars for Book on Mind Control, Sexism, Supremacy

Title: The Truth About White Supremacy, Sexism, and Mind Control in America

Author: A. L. Bryant

Publisher: BookBaby

ISBN: 9781543900026 

EBook: $4.99

Available as an e-book on Amazon  

Enter to Win a Free Book (for a limited time)

 Reviewed By Sefina Hawke for Readers’ Favorite - 5 Stars -  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Truth About White Supremacy, Sexism, and Mind Control in America (Astonishing Discoveries, Unearthed Secrets, and How to Heal) by A.L. Bryant is 
 non-fiction inspirational book that would appeal most to an audience of adults interested in learning about the true facts of white supremacy, sexism, and mind control in the United States of America. A.L. Bryant examines the truth behind how racism and sexism began, and how it evolved into what it is today. She goes on to scrutinize what mind control is, who uses it, and how. Are you ready to open your mind to the truth of these dark aspects that have been plaguing America for years?

The Truth About White Supremacy, Sexism, and Mind Control in America by A.L. Bryant is first and foremost an interesting book that provides a whole new perspective on some of the critical issues that are plaguing America. I liked how the author delved into the psychology of the issues as the author presented not just the proven facts, but also the impact of the mind on them. I found the examination of mind control to be my favorite part as it had the most psychology involved in it. Overall, this book taught me more about these issues than I ever knew. I truly hope the author decides to continue to write more on such issues as the way the information was explained and portrayed made for excellent reading material! Here's the reviewer's link:

Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest

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. 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 ). 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.

Micro Press Introduces New Book on Spirituality

 Title: Dwelling In The Mirror
 A Study of Illusions Produced By Delusive Meditation And How to Be Free from Them
Author: Abbot George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri)
Genre: BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / Mindfulness & Meditation
Publisher: Light of the Spirit Press
ISBN-10: 0-9985998-2-4              
Paperback        $11.99
Kindle ebook asin: B073V3QSYX  on sale at $0.99
Available at Amazon here: http://a.co/3iyX1b8

Review by Sandra Carrington-Smith, author of Housekeeping for the Soul

BLURB:

“The old adage is still true: All that glitters is not gold.”

“Over and over people have mistaken trivial and pathological conditions for enlightenment, written books, given seminars and gained a devoted following. I have encountered quite a few myself, including people who believed they were the Divine Mother, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint Francis of Assisi, Archangel Michael, Lucifer and assorted famous masters of the past. One called our monastery and left lengthy narratives on our answering machine about herself because, she said, she did not want to die without anyone knowing about her experiences and attainment. Another one wrote me a note that simply said: ‘I am the Goddess!’”

“I have known more than one person who believed all their dreams were revelations of truth. And I have known some that continually predicted their imminent death for decades. Others told me how  they were, including the one that had whiplash from ‘crashing into the divine light.’ What did they all have in common? They had an experience! Not of one of them was an intentional fraud. They believed their delusions based on their experience.”

“Most of these unfortunate people were completely unreachable with reason. Yet there are those who can have an experience and realize that it really cannot be real, but a vagary of their mind. Some may not understand that on their own, but can be shown by others the truth about it. For them and those that may one day be in danger of meditation-produced delusions I have written this brief study.”

The above is from the author in the book's preface."

Review

In Dwelling in the Mirror you will learn: 

     • Different types of meditation and the experiences they produce, and the problems and delusions which can arise from them.

     • How to get rid of negative initiation energies and mantras.

     • What are authentic, positive meditation practices and their effects and aspects.

     • An ancient, universal method of meditation which is both proven and effective. 

  

I am very grateful for this book, and for the clean, honest wisdom it dispenses, and I would eagerly suggest it to anyone who’s on a path of spiritual discovery. It was certainly not what I expected when I started reading, but by the time I reached the last page, I knew it was exactly what I needed to hear.”

– Sandra Carrington-Smith, author of Housekeeping for the Soul

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. 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 ). 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.

Interweavings 
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
Author: Carol Smallwood
Publisher: Shanti Arts Publishing, Brunswick, Maine, 2017
SBN 978-1-941830-46-8, paperback
$16.95, 
162 pages
Available on Amazon


Reviewed by Vera Gubnitskaia originally for Literary Yard

Interweavings: Creative Nonfiction is a mosaic. There is a gentle ebb and flow of threads of with children, cancer, marriage, friends, losses. And yet, you catch yourself, while reading and after you finish, thinking about your own life. Not comparing, no, just thinking, remembering, feeling. As if reading these lines, sentences, paragraphs, wakes something up, lifts a corner of a drape with a gentle breeze. Softly reminds you of pieces and interweavings of your past, of wonders of the present, of anticipation of the future.

This is a collection of shimmering bits and pieces of excellent prose. It is written by an accomplished poet, and sometimes it feels like it is written in verse. It is tempting to read it in one gulp, the collection is small and is deceptively easy to glide through; resist the urge to finish it in one sitting. Sip it slowly, reflect, put aside, reflect some more, come back. Take another taste, repeat as necessary. Enjoy the music, smile at the recollection of an episode from Columbo. Climb library steps. Grieve about a lost friend. Feel alive.


MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Vera Gubnitskaia is a  Reference Librarian for Valencia College in Winter Park, Florida. She reviews for Literary Yard. 

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. 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 ). 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.

Short Story Collection Called "Enchanting"

Title: The Quest - A Collection of Short Stories

Author: Yannis Kyrlis

Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers

ISBN 9781786932099 (Paperback); ISBN 9781786932105 (Hardback): ISBN 9781786932112 (eBook) 

Purchase from Amazon 

About the book and reviewers' ratings:

http://www.austinmacauley.com/book/quest-collection-short-stories

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1786932105

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34740724-the-quest---a-collection-of-short-stories

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-quest-a-collection-of-short-stories/yannis-kyrlis/9781786932099

Reviewed by Maria Georgala

I wish I had written this book! However, I have been so lucky to indulge myself reading the manuscript in Greek and to be so deeply involved in the text, that I decided to translate it into English. I was enchanted by the depth and the richness of diverse meanings, the dream-tinged, surreal and weird writing style. Every time I read the story “THE THREAT” it blows my mind. Any time I read it again, I want to cry and laugh at the same time, excited about its imperceptible irony. 

Although his every story is surprisingly different from the others, they are all immersed into a dreamy atmosphere. In a conversation with the author, Yannis Kyrlis, I asked him about the role of dreams in his writings and I was touched by his reference to our inner scriptwriter, whom we often ignore, but who has something to tell us. The writer’s use of dreamy imagery initiates the reader into this surrealist scriptwriter and self-knowledge.

The book covers a wide range of situations and feelings, from lack of awareness and conscience, to despair and remorse, from a child’s innocence to the lack of personal responsibility and the psychology of the mass, since in many cases a crowd is similar to a herd of animals (this is the subject of the short stories “THE QUEST” and “THE COURSE OF A CRISIS”). 

The author has not given names to the heroes of his stories (most of the time), emphasizing the timeless nature of human behaviours and emotions. The hero of the short story “THE QUEST” is in pursuit of his internal integration through self-knowledge. In “THE LITTLE GIRL WITH CLOTH LEGGS”, the path towards the hero’s internal integration passes through the restoration of harmony and balance between the two parts of a human being, the male and the female energy. The little girl with cloth legs symbolises a man’s undeveloped female energy (compassion, empathy…)  

Twelve strangely brilliant stories: The more I read and go deeper into them, the more I get enchanted by them.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Author and artist of painting Maria Georgala was born in Greece. She studied Philosophy and Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Yoga of Bihar Yoga Bharati system. Her art has been exhibited in Greece and Germany. She also contributes to Greek magazines in Athens, Duesseldorf and Chicago. Her work as an author includes fiction, plays, screenplays and children’s literature. Learn more about her at: 

https://www.amazon.com/MARIA-GEORGALA/e/B01DTFGJUC

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND BOOK 

Purchase from Amazon 

About the book and reviewers' ratings: 

http://www.austinmacauley.com/book/quest-collection-short-stories

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1786932105 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34740724-the-quest---a-collection-of-short-stories 

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-quest-a-collection-of-short-stories/yannis-kyrlis/9781786932099

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. 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 ). 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.