A word about the length of a book. While components such as the amount of descriptive detail help to determine how many words a book should have, the main factor is the complexity of the ideas and actions to be covered. In Sci-Fi especially, the key element is the sophistication of the science. If the […]
“Heartcoil” by Daniel Sheley
This book is a challenge to review. It is not for everyone. It shouldn’t even appeal to me. But I loved it, and I am in awe of the writing style. This is essentially an epic prose poem in a personified Steampunk setting, the ultimate “man versus environment” conflict, because the city itself is a […]
“The Call of Abaddon” by Colin Searle
This is epic Action/Adventure Sci-Fi with an emphasis on action and military technology. It aspires greatly and mostly delivers. The multi-level plotline involves several groups of people at varied levels of the society, with a different point-of-view character in each. This, plus the wide scope of the action, makes it a bit difficult to follow […]
“19 Doors” by Rob Roy O’Keefe
Reading this book is pretty much like binge watching the old Outer Limits TV show. It is a series of short stories about people in weird situations, trying, as we all do, to make sense of the senseless. This writer has a pleasant, humorous writing style in the manner of Terry Pratchett, involving personification of […]
“Zephyr’s Flight” by Ray Strong
This novel is an interesting departure from most Dragonrider stories. For one thing, the dragons don’t speak clearly or act reasonably, so we are forced deeper into the thoughts and feelings of Astria, the main character. The attraction of the book is watching her grow and mature. Unfortunately, the author uses the alien nature of […]
“The Saldaran Nebula” by Eddie Owens
This is a book that wants to do too much and doesn’t quite pull it off. It can’t decide whether it’s serious Sci-Fi or Space Opera, and tries to be both. Since several elements considered flaws in one sort are the main strengths in the other, it has a chance to offend fans of both. […]
“Light of Hand” by Geth McCrimmon
This is a YA fantasy that will resonate with teenagers. It has a marvelous tone, especially the dialogue. The two main characters have a wonderful relationship, realistically presented. While the vocabulary is advanced, the level of wit will also appeal to adults who influence the purchase of the book. Some of the parenthetical asides are […]
“Splinter: Onyros Chronicles Book One” by D. K. Thorne
The story starts out with far too much technical explanation. The setting and the science are too complex for the average reader to understand. We are bombarded with surrealistic landscapes, or perhaps mindscapes. We are inundated with psychological technobabble. Switches from second person to first person and past to present can give an added edge […]
“Womansplainer” by Shakil Somani
There is a strange contradiction in the writing of a Fantasy or Science Fiction novel. The setting, both social and physical, is more or less a function of the author’s imagination, but somewhere in it there must be an element of truth, or readers don’t connect with the story. One of the traditional truths is […]
“The Starship from Speculari” by Tom Briggs
This is a light-hearted, fast-paced Space Opera with no particular concern for scientific accuracy or plot logic. It is more concerned with personalities, relationships and entertainment. The hero is Joe Hanson, a farmer with an interesting background that makes it almost plausible that he might cope with being kidnapped by an alien and, through a […]