More reviews from Barry

WARRIORS OF THE FOUR WORLDS, Ronald T Jones, Mocha Memoirs Press, $5.99 ebook, 297 pages, ISBN: 9780615481135, reviewed by Barry Hunter.

Years ago the Human Race was welcomed into the Vingin universe and was allowed to settle on four worlds. The Vingin had evolved into beings that were genetically incapable of violence and were protected by the Ziran, a brutish violent race. As the Human population grew, they also became protectors of the Vingin and all was well in the Four Worlds and the Vingin Universe.

Into the peaceful universe came the Tacherins who were out to conquer and subjugate or destroy everything in their way in order to control the known universe. Lev Gorlin becomes the hero of a major undertaking and is promoted to planning and strategy and is instrumental in ending the war.

Gorlin retires after the war into a security consulting firm as the battle cruisers and military are downsized into near non-existence. After an assault on his home and nearly being assassinated, Gorlin discovers a plan by the Ziran to wipe out the human race. He joins with his old crew and other advisors who maintained a secret cache of ships and soldiers.

Jones has written a Space Opera in the classic tradition of massive battles, human ingenuity and super science. The story reads like one of E.E. “Doc” Smith’s or one from the pages of John Campbell’s Astounding of the 1940s.

Kudos goes to Jones for a job well done and to Mocha Memoirs for making this one available. It will appeal to the older readers with a sense of nostalgia and to new readers with a fast moving, action packed tale.

THE WIZARDS COMING, Juliet E McKenna, Solaris Books, free ebook, 42 pages, reviewed by Barry Hunter.

In this short story that introduces us to the author’s new series, The Hadrumel Crisis. Lord Halferin’s men are on the coast waiting for the arrival of the wizard that will help them prevent being overrun by the Corsairs.

It appears that they are spies everywhere and the majority of his men are disposed of in various ways while trying to relay the message to Lord Halferin. Lord Halferin tries to prevent implementation of the Corsairs plans by having their representatives thrown into the dungeon until the wizard arrives.

A Corsair stronghold is discovered and Lord Halperins land and he, the wizard, and his men set out to wipe them out. But here is where things don’t always go as planned.

McKenna has written a great teaser to start off her new series. After you read this, you will want August to get here faster. Go to www.solarisbooks.com for more details.