Book Review: What We Left Behind by Peter Cawdron

Posted by tjhapney on May 27, 2015
Posted in: Book Review, Fantasy, Science Fiction. Tagged: , , , , , , . 5 Comments

behindDescription/Blurb:

Everyone has a different term for zombies. I call them Zee because that’s the term my mother used before she turned, speaking about the whole horde as though it was just one individual. Grammar has no place in the zombie apocalypse…

Hazel is a regular teenager growing up in an irregular world overrun with zombies. She likes music, perfume, freshly baked muffins, and playing her Xbox—everything that no longer exists in the apocalypse.

Raised in the safety of a commune, Hazel rarely sees Zee anymore, except on those occasions when the soldiers demonstrate the importance of a headshot to the kids.

To her horror, circumstances beyond her control lead her outside the barbed wire fence and into a zombie-infested town.

“Five, Four, Three, Two—count your shots, Haze,” she says to herself, firing at the oncoming zombie horde. “Don’t forget to reload.”

Review 5 of 5 Stars

Those who read these reviews may notice that I’ve never reviewed a zombie book. That’s because I don’t like zombies. I don’t like horror movies and I generally don’t like dead things unless they’ve been seared and are being served to me on a plate. I can count on one hand the number of zombie films I’ve watched without using all of my fingers. So, how do I find myself giving this book five stars? I have to tell you that I’m as shocked as anyone who might know me in real life.

I have generally enjoyed Peter Cawdron’s work in the past so I got a copy from Kindle Scout and decided to see what was up with this zombie book. There are many things I enjoy about Peter Cawdron’s writing. One of those things is that his characters are often introspective. They not only analyze the situation around them, but their reactions to the situation as well. I didn’t know that was what zombie stories were missing until I read What We Left Behind.

Enter Hazel, a young woman living in a commune designed to protect survivors from the zombie apocalypse. She is feisty and fearful all at the same time. In a world without fast food, movies and shopping with her friends, she is forced to grow up ahead of her time and must undertake a dangerous mission to save someone she loves. Fortunately, Hazel has three very good friends that decide to join her on this perilous trip. Jane, Steve and David fill out the foursome that braves almost certain death to complete their mission.

I really liked that the author gave a new reason for zombies and how they would be created. He is usually pretty good about explaining his theories and there’s even some in an afterward about how he came up with the idea. Needless to say, it was nice to see someone take a fresh tangent for how zombies come about. The characters were well written and I was absolutely sucked into the book. It’s a great story, but not terribly lengthy. I read it in under four hours, but please be aware that I read faster than the average person (crazy fast) so maybe double the time for normal folks. There is plenty of action to keep the story moving along. This book did a great job of dealing with things that I didn’t think of when settling in to read a zombie book. The violence is described in a fair amount of detail, but they are killing zombies after all so what else would you expect?

Anyway, another great story by Peter Cawdron. Sometimes I feel like he should write a terrible book so I can give him a low rating, but it’s not going to be from this one.

Tales of Tinfoil: Stories of Paranoia and Conspiracy

Posted by tjhapney on May 21, 2015
Posted in: Book Review, Mysteries and Thrillers, Science Fiction, Short Story. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

tinfoilDescription/Blurb:

It is a dark reimagining of every conspiracy theory that ever lived. It is the JFK assassination, Area 51, the moon landing, the surveillance state. It is a French spy posing as Abraham Lincoln, it is a video game designed by the CIA, it is “Suicide Mickey.” It is Adolf Hitler and it is Elvis Presley.

In this short story collection, today’s top fiction authors pull back the curtain on the biggest conspiracies of all time. Who really killed JFK? What happened in Roswell, New Mexico? Is Elvis still alive? With stories that run the gamut from touching to thrilling to utterly deranged, Tinfoil will take you on a tour of paranoia you won’t soon forget.

Twelve short stories, twelve conspiracy theories, twelve twisted rabbit holes.

Review 4 of 5 Stars

I decided the easiest way to come back from my vacation was to read some short stories to get back in the flow. Unlike some of the previous short story collections I have reviewed, this one was more of a mixed bag for me. There was one story that kept my attention so that I could have read an entire book about it, a couple of others that I found pretty interesting and some that just fell flat in my opinion. I’m going to go through the stories I enjoyed the most and leave you to explore the rest on your own.

Under the Grassy Knoll (Richard Gleaves)

I’m not usually much for conspiracy theories, but I decided to put that aside and just enjoy this book as a collection of stories. Mr. Gleaves did a good job with his main character. I felt the main character’s hopelessness and despondency over what others considered to be him wasting his life for many years. This story was an interesting look at people who become so obsessed with a topic or trying to solve a mystery that it takes over their lives. It was also a story that weighed the needs of many to have an answer over the life of one man. On the whole this was an interesting story and I enjoyed the ending.

The Long Slow Burn (Ernie Lindsey)

Unfortunately, with short stories and especially those in this collection, it is difficult to talk about the shorter stories without giving too much away. Our main character, Bo, is the criminal sort and finds himself in some unusual circumstances and faced with an equally unusual task. Though the item he is asked to find seems innocuous at first thought, it turns out to be a more far-reaching problem than he could possibly believe. Plenty of twists and turns in this story to keep things interesting.

Chukotka (Lucas Bale)

I loved this story. The story is told from two perspectives, a man from the U.S. and an old Chukchi hunter. This story is about so much more than the conspiracy theory that shapes it. The characters are vibrant and real. This is a story of different cultures, language barriers, fear, compassion and bonding together to help one another even when we don’t understand. I could have read an entire book based upon the characters that Mr. Bale created. This was a beautiful story. I read a lot of stories, but this one truly touched my heart. The language barrier between the characters led to misunderstandings and somewhat harsh judgments, but it was interesting to see the characters move toward understanding and having compassion for one another as the story progressed. I’d add this story to the must read list and am looking forward to checking out some of Mr. Bale’s other work.

That’s a Wrap from the Sea of Tranquility (Eric Tozzi)

That’s a Wrap from the Sea of Tranquility was definitely an interesting take on why the original moon landing would be faked. It’s very much got that feel of the movie, Wag the Dog, if any of you have seen that. I enjoyed the story, it was written well and the reason for the faked moon landing was handled pretty well. All things considered this was a good story and I’d be interested in reading other things from this author given what I’ve seen thus far. It was definitely a different take on the reasoning behind why we would fake a moon landing.

The French Deception (Chris Pourteau)

The French Deception took an original turn and created a new conspiracy theory for Abe Lincoln. This is a story I could truly ruin by saying too much. Let’s just say that things aren’t quite the way you would expect with Abe and that Booth is only an afterthought of this story. The conspiracy here is so much bigger than just assassination. A pretty good story and I definitely liked the direction it took from an entertainment perspective.

Manufacturing Elvis (Jennifer Ellis)

This was a cute story. Dolores, our main character’s grandfather’s girlfriend, is an avid Elvis fan and convinced that he is still alive. This belief leads Dolores and Anna to the Bermuda Triangle to investigate Dolores’ leads. I had never investigated it, but there seems to be quite a bit of complexity to the Elvis theories. In addition to their search for Elvis, there is some soul-searching and a little romance for Anna. Altogether a pretty good story and I was interested by some of the real life tidbits that I learned along the way.

This collection is full of interesting stories and, once again, I found some new authors to explore, which is really my favorite part of reading short fiction. I’ve read several anthologies edited by David Gatewood and they have all been pretty good. As I stated earlier, I’ve never been one to be interested in most conspiracy theories, but very much enjoyed the fictional stories presented in this collection. Happy reading.

Book Review: The Steelbound Sun by Ken Lim

Posted by tjhapney on April 4, 2015
Posted in: Book Review, Fantasy. Tagged: , , , , , , . 3 Comments

SunDescription/Blurb:

Civilisation clings to the ribbon of life in the shadow of gargantuan towers that hold the world together.

Caught between the loyalty to his friends and his thirst for revenge, Florus walks the thin line between government and rebellion. On one of the largest assignments of his career, Florus marches towards betrayal — whose? Only he can choose.

After her family was killed, Terielle was abandoned by a ruling House. Languishing in the slums, the young puppeteer cultivates a shadow-talent that will change the world.

Cultists run rampant. The Houses are profligate. There are no heroes.

Review 4 of 5 Stars

Sorry so long since the last post. I was sick and then hit a string of really bad books I couldn’t even manage to finish. It’s rare, but happens. Fortunately, next on the list was The Steelbound Sun. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review quite some time ago. I was torn on this one for a couple of reasons, but I want to begin with the good portion of this review before I get into the picking it apart portion.

This was a really good story. Some characters were more complex than others, but overall they were well done. This story had some pretty interesting and original ideas, which I really enjoyed. The story follows two main characters and their points of view. Terrielle is a young shadow puppeteer who finds herself thrust into major events between the Houses. Florus is an auditor with a secret. Both have colorful and competent companions along the way. Plots abound in the fantastical land where aetern can be drawn from the very structures we use to build life in order to create shadow constructs and cultists are determined to bring down the star in the sky. Obviously you would have to read the story to get the references related to the characters’ professions and the aetern used to produce shadow constructs, etc.

There were some problems with the copy I received. I generally deduct a point for missing words or wrong word usage throughout a book because I feel that proofing and editing are an important part of producing independent books. In this case, I am not deducting the point for several reasons. The story rose above the mistakes as far as I’m concerned and I hope to see more stories in this world from Ken Lim, but I would like to see more attention given to proofing.

Book Review: The Legacy Human (Singularity #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn

Posted by tjhapney on March 17, 2015
Posted in: Book Review, Fantasy, Science Fiction. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LegacyDescription/Blurb:

When transcending humanity is the prize, winning the Game is all that matters.

Seventeen-year-old Elijah Brighton wants to become an ascender—a post-Singularity human/machine hybrid—after all, they’re smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and above all, achingly beautiful. But Eli is a legacy human, preserved and cherished for his unaltered genetic code, just like the rainforest he paints. When a fugue state possesses him and creates great art, Eli miraculously lands a sponsor for the creative Olympics. If he could just master the fugue, he could take the gold and win the right to ascend, bringing everything he’s yearned for within reach… including his beautiful ascender patron. But once Eli arrives at the Games, he finds the ascenders are playing games of their own. Everything he knows about the ascenders and the legacies they keep starts to unravel… until he’s running for his life and wondering who he truly is.

The Legacy Human is the first in Susan Kaye Quinn’s new young adult science fiction series that explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world… and how technology will challenge us to remember what it means to be human.

Review 5 of 5 Stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had hoped to read this by the March 2nd release date, but that certainly didn’t happen with my schedule. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book a great deal. I’m not generally into young adult books, but Ms. Quinn is extremely talented. Her stories are thought-provoking, her characters come alive on the page and her writing style is easy to enjoy. This was a great story. The author did a fantastic job of exploring the possibility of storing the essence of what makes us human in an artificial body. Although the ascenders consider themselves to be superior to the legacy humans that they keep in the legacy cities, they have not let go of the petty squabbles of human life. This story also explores feelings about religion and how it would be affected by such a society.

The driving force in this book is Eli. As a character, he is easy to become involved with. Eli is an artist with an unusual creative process that he cannot control. His ascender patron, Lenora, does her best throughout their early association to help Eli to come into his own as an artist. Once Eli is in the Olympic village though, things take an unexpected turn. There are several good characters in this book aside from Eli. His friend Cyrus is there from the beginning and is an equally likable character, as are some of the others that the reader meets along the way. Despite the technology in this story, Lenora and the other ascenders are every bit as human (if not more so) than Eli and the friends he makes along the way. Both the legacy humans and the ascenders in this story are searching for the answer to the Question of how the individual spark that makes us individuals could be transferred to a machine and whether it really exists as something separate from our consciousness. The answer to the Question is something you’ll have to find out about for yourself should you choose to read this very well-crafted story. I couldn’t find any detracting points in the story and it was an easy read that kept my attention without effort.

I haven’t picked what the next book will be, yet. I guess it’ll be a surprise for all of us.

 

 

Pearseus: Vigil (Book 3)

Posted by tjhapney on March 13, 2015
Posted in: Book Review, Fantasy, Science Fiction. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

VigilDescription/Blurb:

It’s a difficult time on Pearseus. Teo Altman has assumed control of the Capital and has his eye on Parad’s children. Pratin and his monsters have laid siege on Malekshei. The Old Woman has forsaken Lehmor and the First. And Sol is preparing for the Capital’s inevitable invasion.

As Malekshei’s defenders fight for their lives, they realize they need an army to stop Pratin. To raise that army, they must do the unthinkable: wake up those who have been sleeping under Pearseus for the last hundred thousand years.

Review 4 of 5 Stars

I received a copy of this book for beta reading and a fair review. I’ve become particularly attached to this story as time has gone by. I read Rise of the Prince and Mad Water some time ago. After a while, I found myself reading the prequel to the series because I didn’t have any continuing story to turn to. Fortunately, Nicholas Rossis is a diligent writer and we now have the third full book in the series.

Compared to the other books in the series this is an all-out action adventure story. The political games have all been played and in this volume the characters are forced to fight for what they believe in or lose it all. The author did a good job of wrapping up the outstanding story lines–even some that I didn’t realize would need wrapping up–and that added a great deal to the overall story.

All of my favorite characters were back in the action. There was plenty from Moirah, Lehmor, David, Sol, the Old Woman, etc., as well as the host of opposing forces. The action carried on right to the end. I enjoyed it very much and was happy to not be left with a bunch of lingering questions with regard to what became of the characters. Overall, this was a satisfying read and I look forward to more stories from Mr. Rossis in the future. The whole set is bundled for under $4, which should make it easy to catch up if you haven’t read the previous volumes in the series.

Next up is The Legacy Human by Susan Kaye Quinn. I missed the March 2nd release date that I was hoping to get a review in for, but I’m excited to read this new book from Ms. Quinn. I enjoyed the Mindjack Trilogy that she wrote previously and thus far The Legacy Human is shaping up pretty well. I’m glad that I’ll have some time to curl up with it and read this weekend. Anyway, I hope everyone is having a great week and has a great book somewhere handy.

 

The Alien Chronicles by Various Authors

Posted by tjhapney on March 6, 2015
Posted in: Book Review, Science Fiction, Short Story. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

alienBlurb:

Intelligent life on other planets: it’s the brass ring of space exploration. Do extra-terrestrial species exist? Will we ever make contact? Perhaps, have we made contact already?

In the latest addition to the Future Chronicles series of sci-fi anthologies, the answer to all of these question is a resounding yes. From first contact to last stand, these original short stories range from quiet tales of personal connection to adrenaline-infused inter-species space conflicts. Each tale promises to present you with a different look at what intelligent alien life might be like — and how we Earthlings might respond to it.

The Alien Chronicles features stories by bestselling authors Hugh Howey (WOOL), B. V. Larson (the Starforce series), and Jennifer Foehner Wells (Fluency), plus twelve more of today’s top authors in science fiction.

Review 4 of 5 Stars

Once again I got sucked into a book of short stories, of which many were just what I was looking for. As I’ve done previously, I’m just going to highlight the stories I enjoyed the most, aside from Second Suicide by Hugh Howey. I previously reviewed Second Suicide separately while I was on my Hugh Howey kick and see no reason to repeat what I’ve already said.

Guests of the Chitterer Liberation Force by Blair S. Babylon

This story was well told. I did see the end coming before the reveal, but definitely not at the beginning where it would have made the story less enjoyable. This was a great story to start out this anthology and I enjoyed it. The narrator introduces us to Blake right out of the gate and what a story Blake has to tell. Blake was a “guest” of a rebel force of aliens and our narrator is obviously entranced by her story. I’ll leave you to figure out why, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am interested in reading more by this author.

The Kholorian Conspiracy by Geoffrey Wakeling

There were elements of mystery and suspense in addition to the story’s main characters being aliens. All around this was a fun read. The main character, Seralah, is part of an archaeological dig where an ancient artifact is stolen. Seralah. The author did a great job of making the reader feel at home in this alien culture and I really enjoyed it. Seralah ends up in precarious circumstances as she investigates the theft. I believe The Kholorian Conspiracy was five chapters, which is one of the longer stories in the anthology. The story well written and the characters are engaging. I very much enjoyed my time spent in this universe. The author states in the afterword that The Kholorian Conspiracy loosely ties into his CRYO series, which I am interested in checking out when I have some free time.

318 by Autumn Kalquist

This story is an exploration of some of humankind’s less flattering characteristics. It is a story about destroying and using what you don’t understand and rationalizing that behavior. It is also about the desire of the human spirit to be free; uncontrolled by others who may think what they are doing makes them above the law so to speak. I was drawn into this story right away. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Hanging with Humans by Patrick Fitzgerald

This was really a fun story and I enjoyed it. Glendorp Freundzap is an alien who wins a trip to Earth in disguise as part of a game show. In some ways this was a silly story, but that was part of its charm. I think to explain too much about it would take away the fun of reading the story so I’m going to have to stop here. In my opinion this is one of the better stories in the book.

Alien Space Tentacle Porn by Peter Cawdron

I found this story to be quite humorous. Imagine if you were to find that your neighbors were aliens on an intergalactic mission. What would you be able to tell people about them? Would anyone believe you? What would you say? What would you do to help your alien friend? These questions and more are explored by the author in this entertaining tale.

Second Suicide by Hugh Howey (see previous review)

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I read and reviewed Second Suicide previously. It is the last story in this anthology and a great way to finish off this collection of stories. Please see the review from February 2015 if you would like a more in-depth review of this story.

Once again, a good anthology with David Gatewood as the editor. I’ve enjoyed the future chronicles series of anthologies and have found some excellent new authors to keep an eye out for along the way. I have only highlighted a few of the stories in this anthology as I’m always afraid of explaining too much when it comes to shorter fiction, but I enjoyed the book greatly. Short stories are one of my favorite pastimes and I hope you take the time to enjoy these stories as much as I did.

Busy Month – Reviews coming for three great books.

Posted by tjhapney on March 4, 2015
Posted in: Random Thoughts. Tagged: , , , . 2 Comments

February is my birthday month and I was especially busy last month trying to incorporate beta reader comments into my own book. I have also been doing some beta reading for friends. Never fear, though, I read a ton of stories and just have to report back now.

I have reviews coming for new books from Nicholas C. Rossis (the latest Pearseus volume, Vigil), Susan Kaye Quinn (The Legacy Human (Singularity #1)) and The Alien Chronicles, which includes a host of works by other authors including Peter Cawdron’s story, Alien Space Tentacle Porn and another personal favorite of mine from this anthology, Guests of the Chitterer Liberation Force by Blair S. Babylon.

I’m hoping to have the first of these up later today if my real life cooperates. Thanks to all of you for your patience and continuing support of this blog.

-TJ

Short Story Review: Second Suicide by Hugh Howey

Posted by tjhapney on February 5, 2015
Posted in: Science Fiction, Short Story. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

SecondDescription/Blurb:

Eight days to planetfall, and I’m being transferred to Gunner. My tentacles slime in disgust.

Or is it fear?

If this is the last planet we ever conquer, I’ll be glad. Be nice to settle down somewhere, get off this ship, own a square of land, learn to love all that open sky.

Eight more days before planetfall. Eight days before we reach planet Earth.

Review 4 of 5 Stars

This short story from Hugh Howey was a fun piece to read. Despite some of the alien invader’s more serious issues, the story did not take itself too seriously. I found myself smiling at more than one point. The main character, Hyk, is an invading alien who finds himself transferred from a cushy intelligence job to a combat unit. Hyk is an entertaining character and I enjoyed reading about his experiences. Unfortunately our main character’s roommate, Kur, is essentially a 12-year-old with regard to his mentality, especially with regard to humor. I truly felt for our main character because of this, but not enough to want them to invade Earth. Although this story has a complete story arc, it is a short story and I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun. I enjoyed reading Second Suicide, got a few juvenile laughs from it and liked that it was told from the tentacled alien’s perspective. I won’t say it is Hugh Howey’s best story, but it was entertaining. If you have a spare dollar then you might want to take a look.

 

 

 

Book Review: Light in the Gloaming by J.B. Simmons

Posted by tjhapney on January 31, 2015
Posted in: Fantasy. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

gloamingDescription/Blurb:

“The Gloaming was worse than the grave…”

Or so Tryst believed when he banished the former prince to this secret and brutal exile. Now Tryst sits on the throne of Valemidas. He feasts with nobles and prepares an army to conquer the world.

But things are never as stable as they seem. Old loyalties remain. The people of Valemidas groan under Tryst’s heavy yoke and his network of spies. While the seeds of rebellion are planted, Tryst’s own family is divided. His sister has ambitions exceeding her brother’s, and their half-sister wants vengeance for the disappeared prince she loved. No one escapes the Gloaming, but perhaps the fallen prince is different. What would happen if a man emerged from a place worse than the grave?

Alliances will crumble, battles will rage, and souls will transform in the Gloaming.

Review 2 of 5 Stars

I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review. I had started to read this book once before, but couldn’t get into it. I put it down for a really long time, but it was at the top of the list when I was clearing out those books on my list that I had not yet reviewed simply because it was the oldest one on the list. So I decided to settle in for a good read and give it a chance.

Light in the Gloaming started out pretty well in the Gloaming, which is an advanced dungeon. In fact the way they dropped people in was very Chronicles of Riddick. I actually thought about Riddick almost as soon as the book started in the Gloaming. Don’t worry though. It’s not a Riddick remake. It only follows that path with regard to the start of the story and it does not continue in that vein. I will say that there was a rather unrealistic escape made at the beginning. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it. Despite all of that, I would have been interested in learning more about the struggles of those who had been cast off from society to inhabit the place, but the majority of the book isn’t spent in the Gloaming. It’s spent in the outer world.

The story was okay, but I didn’t really “feel” anything for the characters. I wasn’t invested in them or the world building. There were some interesting parts to the story, but for the most part it read like a watered down Game of Thrones book with a good helping of religious philosophies thrown in. The good part is that I didn’t have any problem finishing the book so it’s not that it is poorly written, but I did find some typos in the version I was provided by the author (I have to put a disclaimer here because it’s been quite some time since the author requested I review the book and there may have been updates since then with regard to proofing).

Tryst is the bad guy, but he’s only so frightening. Ramzi is supposed to be a bad guy, but once again he didn’t feel too frightening. I didn’t get the true feeling of dread you ought to from the bad guy. Andor is the good guy, but most days he is pretty inconsistent as a character and seemed to just be going through the motions. I really thought there should have been more time spent developing Andor as a character since he’s the hero of the story. In my opinion, the best characters in the book were Wren and Jon who I did enjoy reading about. They were the only two characters that came across as real people to me or that interested me enough to want to know what they were up to not only during the book, but afterwards.

So the final rundown is that the book was okay. The writing was okay. There weren’t a bunch of typos and I didn’t have a hard time getting through it based on the writing. In the end though, this book left me with a kind of blah feeling. I wasn’t excited about the story and have no interest in the continuing tale. I read a lot of books of this general type so I don’t think it had anything to do with the genre. That’s it for January. I hope everyone has a great weekend. I’ll be back with more book reviews next week.

There were some good parts to the story. I was very interested in the Gloaming and what took place there given its very dystopian feel. It’s possible that the next book delves into that more, but I doubt I’ll be reading the second book in the series as I still wasn’t really interested in this book even at the end.