This is a story about what goes on inside the head of a victim of brainwashing. “Traitor” is a prisoner in an end-of-the-line penal colony on a remote space station in an empire that is about to be overwhelmed. The mission his team is being groomed for is the empire’s last chance, a suicidal stab […]
“Missing on Orbital 4” by Cory Wilcox
This book has all the requisite elements of both a Noir Detective Novel and a Space Opera. We have a former cop turned private investigator, trying to make a living with his wits. Because of the nature of the game, he plays both sides, having friends in the police and administration as well as contacts […]
“Missing on Orbital 4” by Cory Wilcox
This book has all the requisite elements of both a Noir Detective Novel and a Space Opera. We have a former cop turned private investigator, trying to make a living with his wits. Because of the nature of the game, he plays both sides, having friends in the police and administration as well as contacts […]
“Inventory of Doubts” by Landon Godfrey
You have to keep your eyes open when you read these poems, or you’ll miss something: the mis-order of words, the capitals of titles, or the meaning of a blank space. An innate playfulness permeates the book, a unique sense of whimsy that helps us stand on our heads and look at the world differently. […]
We All Have Our Demons” by Gerrard Tyson
“Demons” is a novella of about a hundred pages, Paranormal Fantasy with a touch of humour. It involves two separate settings: a college campus in the real world, and hell. The main strength of this book is the balance of the writing. We get just enough description to orient us and pull us in, but […]
“Our Trespasses” by Michael Cordell
“Our Trespasses” has two things going for it. First, it’s a well-written novel. Second, it’s a darn good horror story. The minor glitch here is that the two aren’t completely compatible. As a novel, the strength of the story is in the characters. Everyone in the story is vividly portrayed, from the most positive love […]
“The Wakeful Wanderer’s Guide to Disillusionment” by Jim Infantino
All fantasy writers are sociologists, creating societies that contain elements of our own world and exploring the possibilities for change. For most of us, the social and political setting is background for the development of the characters. “Wakeful Wanderer” has it the other way around. The philosophies of the various groups are the main elements […]
“Lost in the Vast” by Chelsea Thornton & Travis Brown
This series is a modern YA take on Indiana Jones, an Alternate Reality about three twenty-somethings who act more like teenagers. Of course, that’s the target readership, so no one will complain. The writing style pops with colour and detail, appropriate to the jungles and ruins in which the action takes place, although it goes […]
“Wolfe Trap” by Matt Cost
I have reviewed Mr. Cost’s work earlier this year, and find myself repeating those comments and applying them to this novel. However, for those of you who missed “Mainely Money,” here goes. Generally, this author writes a great action novel but tends to fall in love with his research, and expects us to do the […]
“The Awakening of Artemis” by John Calia
This is a standard political action-adventure novel involving the usual different levels of the US administrative and military conglomerate, demonstrating the various ways ambitious individuals can screw up the system by inserting their own personal agendas. It’s been done before many times, so the author must attract our attention through interesting characters and a creative […]