Too Much Magic, Too Little Information There is a tendency among young writers to become overwhelmed by the power of their art and to overuse that power without regard to the feelings of their readers. As writers we must realize that we have the ultimate control. We know everything about the story. The readers know only […]
Wizard’s Heir by Devri Walls
The Wizard’s Heir is, as the title suggests, the story of a young man (Tybolt) who discovers that his heritage is quite different from what he thought it was. As he learns more about his background he begins to question the wizard-hating tenets of the regime he has been enthusiastically supporting, and the story takes off […]
“Welcome to the Madhouse” by S. E. Sasaki
This is a real old-fashioned space opera, except the setting is an orbiting medical facility instead of a battle cruiser. It has the usual cast of alien or semi-human creatures – in this case, animal/human genetic adaptations used as soldiers – the usual high-tech background and solution to problems, and the usual slightly stereotyped characters. […]
“Blood Omen Book 1: The Vampire Wars” by Katie Ruth Davies
I must state from the start that this is not a stand-alone book. It is not really Book 1 of a series. It is Episode 1 of a serial. So don’t be surprised and disappointed, as I was, when you turn a page in the middle of the action, and there isn’t any more. The […]
“The Seventh Sentinel” by Yolanda Ramos
Somewhere hidden in “The Seventh Sentinel” there is a great story. A story about good and evil, about youngsters growing up to accept life, death and faith, and learning to find their place in the world. The plotline is too complicated to give here, but it involves heaven, earth, hell, humanity’s place in that mix, […]
Raven’s Heart by Shawna Reppert
The question has to be asked; is Raven losing his edge? He even asks it himself. There he is, in the middle of the final battle with the diabolical William, and he finds he just doesn’t have the jam he used to. Where is the hate? Where is the anger that used to drive him? […]
“The Kestrel” by K. F. Sewell
“The Kestrel” is a historical novel based on the conflicts between the Royal Navy and the pirates (and between the pirates themselves) in the Eastern Atlantic in the early 1700s. The hero is the son of a pirate captain who was hanged four years before this story starts. Alex tires of life in the slums […]