EULOGY, D.T. Conklin, Evolved Publishing, $19.95, 432 pages, ISBN: 9780615608853, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
It’s not often I read other reviewers opinions of a book before I set mine down on paper. Conklin has been compared to Robert Jordan, Patrick Rothfuss, and Terry Brooks. I seem to differ in my opinion – I see more of Peter Straub and George R.R. Martin. You may have a different opinion after you finish EULOGY.
I went into EULOGY expecting an unsettling horror novel but found a high fantasy containing horror and magic and imagination as we follow the path of Villeen from the caves beneath the Kurin Mountains to the castle of the Mad King of Rippon and on to the battlefields that lead to the final EULOGY.
I was often reminded of the works of James Branch Cabell and Lord Dunsany with the characterization and mode of storytelling. This is an unusual novel that leaves you thinking about the adventure you have just read and the characters you have met.
Showing posts with label barrys reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barrys reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
New Reviews from Barry
TROUBLE ON HIS WINGS, L Ron Hubbard, Galaxy, $9.95, 132 pages, ISBN: 9781592123360, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Johnny Brice is a news photographer and is sent, along with Irish Donnegan – his pilot, to retrieve photographs and film of a disaster at sea as well as take aftermath shots for World News. Normally this is all part of a day’s work, but this time he meets up with a real live jinx that brings him nothing but trouble for the rest of the story.
After obtaining the film and rescuing a girl, he finds that all of his footage is ruined by sea water and the girl seems to be trying to keep hidden from someone. Johnny’s next assignment takes him out West to capture a forest fire that is destroying the countryside. The girl again joins them and true to Johnny calling her the Jinx, it happens again. The plane crashes and the film is destroyed in the fire.
Brice is fired but after filing a verbal report that makes the front page news, he is rehired and sent to catch the Oriental Clipper to do a story on the Chinese ambassador. The Clipper is shot down by a Japanese plane (the story was originally published in 1939), and the group is captured by the Japanese, who also seize their film. After the Ambassador is killed “while trying to escape”, Johnny and his friends manage to escape without the film. Jinxed again.
I’ll leave it up to you to discover the surprising conclusion of the story. This is some of the pulps at their best and this series from Galaxy makes it available to a new generation.
THE CRIMSON BATTLE AXE, Curtis Oddo, 17.99, Lulu.com, 224 pages, ISBN: 9781257381630, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
There’s a lot going on in this book. While it is not your usual/Conan/Elric/Bran barbarian story, there are portions that will remind you of those who come before.
Gnarl is the wielder of THE CRIMSON BATTLE AXE and used it to remove his people from slavery to the humans years ago. Now he is being sought to help the four races of his world to stop the attempts of Dark Lord Nobis to gain control of the Axe and cross the dimensions to rule this world of myth and magic.
The four representatives go to Thelady and ask her to contact Gnarl to help them in their quest. Gnarl must decide whether or not to seek vengeance on those who once enslaved his people or help them find just got all the races.
It’s the classic story of good versus evil with all the twists and turns you expect and some you don’t. Plus how many first novels have a Boris and Julie these days?
A GAME OF THRONES: The Graphic Novel, Volume One, George R.R . Martin, Adapted by Daniel Abraham, Art by Tommy Patterson, $25, Bantam Books, ISBN: 9780440423218, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
The circle is complete. From its beginning as an outstanding novel, to the groundbreaking HBO series, and now as a graphic novel, this phenomenal creation is available in all forms for everyone to collect and enjoy.
While some of the story may move too fast on television, the graphic novel allows you to have long lingering looks at the action and intrigue. Highly recommended.
THE OPENING, Ron Savarese, Home Planet Publishing, $12.95, 217 pages, ISBN: 9780615460765, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Joe St. John is having a bad year. His investments are faltering, his properties are mortgaged to the hilt, his wife has cancer, he is alienating his children, and the only place he can find solace is at the bottom of a bottle.
His wife convinces him that they go to his hometown and celebrate Christmas with his family. They return home and the weather presents them with the worst snow storm in years. Joe and his brother go to the local pub to meet up with friends’ unseen in years.
Joe ends up being the last one to leave the bar and decides to walk home in the snow. He hears a child’s voice in the storm and goes to save him and ends up falling into a crevice where he has the chance to rediscover the choices he has made that led him to where he is now.
Savarese has written an enlightening novel of spirituality and the choice one must make as to follow the light or not. This is an interesting first novel that will cause you to look at your life with a new light.
Johnny Brice is a news photographer and is sent, along with Irish Donnegan – his pilot, to retrieve photographs and film of a disaster at sea as well as take aftermath shots for World News. Normally this is all part of a day’s work, but this time he meets up with a real live jinx that brings him nothing but trouble for the rest of the story.
After obtaining the film and rescuing a girl, he finds that all of his footage is ruined by sea water and the girl seems to be trying to keep hidden from someone. Johnny’s next assignment takes him out West to capture a forest fire that is destroying the countryside. The girl again joins them and true to Johnny calling her the Jinx, it happens again. The plane crashes and the film is destroyed in the fire.
Brice is fired but after filing a verbal report that makes the front page news, he is rehired and sent to catch the Oriental Clipper to do a story on the Chinese ambassador. The Clipper is shot down by a Japanese plane (the story was originally published in 1939), and the group is captured by the Japanese, who also seize their film. After the Ambassador is killed “while trying to escape”, Johnny and his friends manage to escape without the film. Jinxed again.
I’ll leave it up to you to discover the surprising conclusion of the story. This is some of the pulps at their best and this series from Galaxy makes it available to a new generation.
THE CRIMSON BATTLE AXE, Curtis Oddo, 17.99, Lulu.com, 224 pages, ISBN: 9781257381630, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
There’s a lot going on in this book. While it is not your usual/Conan/Elric/Bran barbarian story, there are portions that will remind you of those who come before.
Gnarl is the wielder of THE CRIMSON BATTLE AXE and used it to remove his people from slavery to the humans years ago. Now he is being sought to help the four races of his world to stop the attempts of Dark Lord Nobis to gain control of the Axe and cross the dimensions to rule this world of myth and magic.
The four representatives go to Thelady and ask her to contact Gnarl to help them in their quest. Gnarl must decide whether or not to seek vengeance on those who once enslaved his people or help them find just got all the races.
It’s the classic story of good versus evil with all the twists and turns you expect and some you don’t. Plus how many first novels have a Boris and Julie these days?
A GAME OF THRONES: The Graphic Novel, Volume One, George R.R . Martin, Adapted by Daniel Abraham, Art by Tommy Patterson, $25, Bantam Books, ISBN: 9780440423218, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
The circle is complete. From its beginning as an outstanding novel, to the groundbreaking HBO series, and now as a graphic novel, this phenomenal creation is available in all forms for everyone to collect and enjoy.
While some of the story may move too fast on television, the graphic novel allows you to have long lingering looks at the action and intrigue. Highly recommended.
THE OPENING, Ron Savarese, Home Planet Publishing, $12.95, 217 pages, ISBN: 9780615460765, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Joe St. John is having a bad year. His investments are faltering, his properties are mortgaged to the hilt, his wife has cancer, he is alienating his children, and the only place he can find solace is at the bottom of a bottle.
His wife convinces him that they go to his hometown and celebrate Christmas with his family. They return home and the weather presents them with the worst snow storm in years. Joe and his brother go to the local pub to meet up with friends’ unseen in years.
Joe ends up being the last one to leave the bar and decides to walk home in the snow. He hears a child’s voice in the storm and goes to save him and ends up falling into a crevice where he has the chance to rediscover the choices he has made that led him to where he is now.
Savarese has written an enlightening novel of spirituality and the choice one must make as to follow the light or not. This is an interesting first novel that will cause you to look at your life with a new light.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
ARCHON
ARCHON, Sabrina Benulis, Harper Voyager, $22.99, 400 pages, ISBN: 9780062069405, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this fascinating, well written first novel, Sabrina Benulis has created a world where it’s hard to tell the demons and angels apart. Be prepared to read this one in one sitting because it’s one of those rare novels that grabs you and doesn’t let go.
Angela Mathers is a bloodhead (she has red hair) and is sent to Luz where the Vatican runs West Wood Academy. This is a secret enclave wherein the bloodheads are encouraged to discover any special abilities or powers that they may have. The question is who really has control at West Wood? Is it the coven run by Stephanie? Is it the demons or angels that walk the streets?
It seems that they are all interested in the arrival and identity of the ARCHON (a human who possesses the soul of a pissed off Angel), who is to open The Book of Raziel and assume the throne of Lucifel in Hell.
Angela has had a hard life and is unable to kill herself and her last attempt caused the death of her parents. She is the new girl and Stephanie has plans to bend Angela to her will because Stephanie is certain that she is the ARCHON.
Sabrina Benulis has created a magical world where things are not as they seem and keeps the action flowing and leaves it open for a sequel. This is one of the best first novels I have read and Sabrina is off to a wonderful start. I want to see more from her and after reading this, I’m sure you will too.
In this fascinating, well written first novel, Sabrina Benulis has created a world where it’s hard to tell the demons and angels apart. Be prepared to read this one in one sitting because it’s one of those rare novels that grabs you and doesn’t let go.
Angela Mathers is a bloodhead (she has red hair) and is sent to Luz where the Vatican runs West Wood Academy. This is a secret enclave wherein the bloodheads are encouraged to discover any special abilities or powers that they may have. The question is who really has control at West Wood? Is it the coven run by Stephanie? Is it the demons or angels that walk the streets?
It seems that they are all interested in the arrival and identity of the ARCHON (a human who possesses the soul of a pissed off Angel), who is to open The Book of Raziel and assume the throne of Lucifel in Hell.
Angela has had a hard life and is unable to kill herself and her last attempt caused the death of her parents. She is the new girl and Stephanie has plans to bend Angela to her will because Stephanie is certain that she is the ARCHON.
Sabrina Benulis has created a magical world where things are not as they seem and keeps the action flowing and leaves it open for a sequel. This is one of the best first novels I have read and Sabrina is off to a wonderful start. I want to see more from her and after reading this, I’m sure you will too.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Chronos Prophecies
CHRONOS PROPHECIES, Tom Ciolli, Kindle, $4.00, 78 pages, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In CHRONOS, the first book in the series we were introduced to a world ruled by The Mining Syndicate and the battles fought by The Wolverines led by Zach Murphy. It was a battle filled action packed volume.
In this second installment, there are still action packed adventures, but, Ciolli has shifted the story to the fulfillment of the prophecies that have been passed down for a thousand years. Murphy and his team are also instructed in developing their mental telepathy and other powers.
We also see more of the planet where dinosaurs have been allowed to evolve; meet ages old human and Amalthean telepaths; and, are finally told more of how the Amaltheans and humans are linked together.
Ciolli has a grand plan in place for further adventures (at least I hope he does) and I’m sure after reading CHRONOS PROPHECIES, you, too, will want to find out more of the secrets that the two races share.
In CHRONOS, the first book in the series we were introduced to a world ruled by The Mining Syndicate and the battles fought by The Wolverines led by Zach Murphy. It was a battle filled action packed volume.
In this second installment, there are still action packed adventures, but, Ciolli has shifted the story to the fulfillment of the prophecies that have been passed down for a thousand years. Murphy and his team are also instructed in developing their mental telepathy and other powers.
We also see more of the planet where dinosaurs have been allowed to evolve; meet ages old human and Amalthean telepaths; and, are finally told more of how the Amaltheans and humans are linked together.
Ciolli has a grand plan in place for further adventures (at least I hope he does) and I’m sure after reading CHRONOS PROPHECIES, you, too, will want to find out more of the secrets that the two races share.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Apologies and reviews
My apologies to the authors and publisher who have been waiting on reviews of books I received a while back. Here are some reviews to try to make it up to some of you.
ONE WITH THE SEA, Richard Daniel O’Leary, Jetty House, $27.95, 256 pages, ISBN: 9780982823651.
This is the story of a man’s dream and the opportunities given to the son of an Irish immigrant by following the American Dream. It is a rags to riches story of determination and hard work resulting in creating a company that grew from one man’s idea into a company that provides jobs for over 2500 employees.
O’Leary grew up in Maine and his career in the Navy, Merchant Marines, and assistant general manager of the port of Norfolk prepared him for his creation of Cruise Ventures, Inc. and its growth and success.
Most readers may not remember the Horatio Alger stories of the 1920s and 1930s, but O’Leary’s story could have come out of the pages of one of those books. This is an interesting and uplifting story that will make you feel good about yourself and The American Dream.
THE INVENTOR’S FORTUNE UP FOR GRABS, Suzanne G, Beyer & John S. Pfarr, Book Publishers Network, $16.95, 168 pages, ISBN: 9781935359531.
Here is a legal thriller of a different color, it’s based on the true story on the efforts of a group of cousins who band together to obtain their share of a fortune that is left in limbo when the last survivor of an intricate Trust died.
This is the story of Art Hadley and his invention of the expansion bracelet that evolved into the expansion watchband used the world over today. At his death, his fortune passed to his two children, Thomas and Sarah, and various trusts that remained in effect until Sarah’s death in 2002. Here begins the story of a six year court battle among cousins that had never met that resulted in a $1.8 million dollar settlement.
Pfarr is the attorney who took the case after being found on the Internet. Beyer is one of the cousins who hired him. They present a story that is made so much more interesting in that it is true and told from the participants’ point of view.
FROM THE CAULDRON, Fred Phillips, Hippocampus Press, $10, 136 pages, ISBN: 9780984480265.
Here is a slim volume of enchanting and horrific poetry. Phillips has been writing poetry since his high school days and this collection features sonnets and verse that a mastery that calls to mind the works of Clark Ashton Smith and Lovecraft’s Fungi from Yuggoth.
The poems are grouped by interest. Be they medieval fantasy like those of Clark Ashton Smith, sword and sorcery reminiscent of Robert E Howard, or the horrors of H P Lovecraft, Phillips has mastery woefully unseen in the poets of today.
“The House”, “The Street”, “The Pit”, “They Also Rule, Who Only Stand and Baste”, and “Ode to Asbjorn Gustavsson Haarfagr” show the depth of his wording and expression. Hopefully, this volume is still available for those with interest in poetry and the Mythos related style.
A WEIRD WRITER IN OUR MIDST, Early Criticism of H.P. Lovecraft, edited by S.T. Joshi, Hippocampus Press, $20, ISBN: 9780984480210.
This is a unique volume in the canon of works about Lovecraft and his writing. Herein we are given the commentaries on his work by those who knew him best and those who discovered his writings and saw fit to pass their opinions on to others.
From “Recollections of Lovecraft” by those who knew him; “Criticism in Lovecraft’s Lifetime” from those who were there as it happened; “Comments from Readers” featuring the fan letters to Weird Tales and other publications; “Criticism from the Fan World” feature articles by fans of his writing; and, “Notices from the Literary Community” are articles about his works after his death.
There are many familiar names ranging from Robert Bloch, Henry Kuttner, Don Wollheim, J Vernon Shea, and other members of the Lovecraft Circle to John Brunner, Sam Moskowitz, Vincent Starrett and other critics.
While not for everyone, this is an essential book for the Lovecraft aficionado and historian. As the former, it’s interesting to read how Lovecraft was thought of during his lifetime and shortly after his death. Congratulations to Hippocampus and Joshi for an interesting and informative book.
DID NOT SURVIVE, Ann Littlewood, Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 260 pages, ISBN: 9781590587454.
Here is an interesting murder mystery that is written by a former zookeeper and she has used her experience to create a very realistic and quirky novel. One can look for motives and reasons behind a murder in humans, but can an elephant have one?
Iris Oakley is a keeper at the Finley Memorial Zoo in Vancouver, Washington. Being pregnant and trying to rebuild her life since her husband’s death is hard enough without having to deal with an elephant killing her boss. She ends up in charge of trying to find a motive. And find motives she does; from the keepers to the veterinarian and animal rights activists to an ex-lover with an axe to grind and animals in an enclosed environment make for an interesting novel.
This is Littlewoods second Zoo Mystery and it is a fun quick read that entertains. What more could you ask for?
THE SEVERANCE, Elliott Sawyer, Bridge Works Publishing, $23.95, 238 pages, ISBN: 9780981617534.
Sawyer was a Captain with the 101st Airborne and served in Iraq and Afghanistan and this adds the real nitty gritty in his storytelling. His story telling is so realistic, you feel like you are there with Captain Jake Roberts.
Roberts and his band of misfits are a sort of “dirty dozen’ (sorry I know that is a cliché, but it fits) who are given the jobs no one else wants. On a patrol in the Afghan mountains that come across a trunkful of US currency that turns out to be hidden by a corrupt contractor. They plan to hide it and then smuggle it out of the country as their “severance” package from the Army.
The only problem is that someone finds out about the hidden booty. Jake and his men fight the Taliban by day and the other enemy at night. But who can it be? Is it one of their own, another soldier or contractor on the base or even Jake’s Nurse Girlfriend? These are the problems facing the Jake and his men as they try to survive long enough to get THE SEVERANCE home.
This is a good look at the war currently being fought and it reminds me of Vietnam where you had to be on constant vigil as someone may be a friend during the day and an enemy at night. You can almost feel the Post Traumatic Stress in this one.
ONE WITH THE SEA, Richard Daniel O’Leary, Jetty House, $27.95, 256 pages, ISBN: 9780982823651.
This is the story of a man’s dream and the opportunities given to the son of an Irish immigrant by following the American Dream. It is a rags to riches story of determination and hard work resulting in creating a company that grew from one man’s idea into a company that provides jobs for over 2500 employees.
O’Leary grew up in Maine and his career in the Navy, Merchant Marines, and assistant general manager of the port of Norfolk prepared him for his creation of Cruise Ventures, Inc. and its growth and success.
Most readers may not remember the Horatio Alger stories of the 1920s and 1930s, but O’Leary’s story could have come out of the pages of one of those books. This is an interesting and uplifting story that will make you feel good about yourself and The American Dream.
THE INVENTOR’S FORTUNE UP FOR GRABS, Suzanne G, Beyer & John S. Pfarr, Book Publishers Network, $16.95, 168 pages, ISBN: 9781935359531.
Here is a legal thriller of a different color, it’s based on the true story on the efforts of a group of cousins who band together to obtain their share of a fortune that is left in limbo when the last survivor of an intricate Trust died.
This is the story of Art Hadley and his invention of the expansion bracelet that evolved into the expansion watchband used the world over today. At his death, his fortune passed to his two children, Thomas and Sarah, and various trusts that remained in effect until Sarah’s death in 2002. Here begins the story of a six year court battle among cousins that had never met that resulted in a $1.8 million dollar settlement.
Pfarr is the attorney who took the case after being found on the Internet. Beyer is one of the cousins who hired him. They present a story that is made so much more interesting in that it is true and told from the participants’ point of view.
FROM THE CAULDRON, Fred Phillips, Hippocampus Press, $10, 136 pages, ISBN: 9780984480265.
Here is a slim volume of enchanting and horrific poetry. Phillips has been writing poetry since his high school days and this collection features sonnets and verse that a mastery that calls to mind the works of Clark Ashton Smith and Lovecraft’s Fungi from Yuggoth.
The poems are grouped by interest. Be they medieval fantasy like those of Clark Ashton Smith, sword and sorcery reminiscent of Robert E Howard, or the horrors of H P Lovecraft, Phillips has mastery woefully unseen in the poets of today.
“The House”, “The Street”, “The Pit”, “They Also Rule, Who Only Stand and Baste”, and “Ode to Asbjorn Gustavsson Haarfagr” show the depth of his wording and expression. Hopefully, this volume is still available for those with interest in poetry and the Mythos related style.
A WEIRD WRITER IN OUR MIDST, Early Criticism of H.P. Lovecraft, edited by S.T. Joshi, Hippocampus Press, $20, ISBN: 9780984480210.
This is a unique volume in the canon of works about Lovecraft and his writing. Herein we are given the commentaries on his work by those who knew him best and those who discovered his writings and saw fit to pass their opinions on to others.
From “Recollections of Lovecraft” by those who knew him; “Criticism in Lovecraft’s Lifetime” from those who were there as it happened; “Comments from Readers” featuring the fan letters to Weird Tales and other publications; “Criticism from the Fan World” feature articles by fans of his writing; and, “Notices from the Literary Community” are articles about his works after his death.
There are many familiar names ranging from Robert Bloch, Henry Kuttner, Don Wollheim, J Vernon Shea, and other members of the Lovecraft Circle to John Brunner, Sam Moskowitz, Vincent Starrett and other critics.
While not for everyone, this is an essential book for the Lovecraft aficionado and historian. As the former, it’s interesting to read how Lovecraft was thought of during his lifetime and shortly after his death. Congratulations to Hippocampus and Joshi for an interesting and informative book.
DID NOT SURVIVE, Ann Littlewood, Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 260 pages, ISBN: 9781590587454.
Here is an interesting murder mystery that is written by a former zookeeper and she has used her experience to create a very realistic and quirky novel. One can look for motives and reasons behind a murder in humans, but can an elephant have one?
Iris Oakley is a keeper at the Finley Memorial Zoo in Vancouver, Washington. Being pregnant and trying to rebuild her life since her husband’s death is hard enough without having to deal with an elephant killing her boss. She ends up in charge of trying to find a motive. And find motives she does; from the keepers to the veterinarian and animal rights activists to an ex-lover with an axe to grind and animals in an enclosed environment make for an interesting novel.
This is Littlewoods second Zoo Mystery and it is a fun quick read that entertains. What more could you ask for?
THE SEVERANCE, Elliott Sawyer, Bridge Works Publishing, $23.95, 238 pages, ISBN: 9780981617534.
Sawyer was a Captain with the 101st Airborne and served in Iraq and Afghanistan and this adds the real nitty gritty in his storytelling. His story telling is so realistic, you feel like you are there with Captain Jake Roberts.
Roberts and his band of misfits are a sort of “dirty dozen’ (sorry I know that is a cliché, but it fits) who are given the jobs no one else wants. On a patrol in the Afghan mountains that come across a trunkful of US currency that turns out to be hidden by a corrupt contractor. They plan to hide it and then smuggle it out of the country as their “severance” package from the Army.
The only problem is that someone finds out about the hidden booty. Jake and his men fight the Taliban by day and the other enemy at night. But who can it be? Is it one of their own, another soldier or contractor on the base or even Jake’s Nurse Girlfriend? These are the problems facing the Jake and his men as they try to survive long enough to get THE SEVERANCE home.
This is a good look at the war currently being fought and it reminds me of Vietnam where you had to be on constant vigil as someone may be a friend during the day and an enemy at night. You can almost feel the Post Traumatic Stress in this one.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Conan, Vampires and Frankenstein
CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Robert E Howard, Del Rey, $7.99, 286 pages, ISBN: 9780345531230, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
There is a new Conan movie on the horizon that may reboot the franchise for a new generation. But for the purists that may still be out there, Del Rey has released a volume containing the six major stories from Weird Tales that made Howard and Conan so popular in the 1930s and has kept him popular for 80 years.
Here are “The Phoenix on the Sword”, “People of the Black Circle”, “Red Nails”, “The Tower of the Elephant”, “Queen of the Black Coast” and “Rogues in the House” in their original form. All of the adventures feature fierce fights, strange creatures, sorcery and nonstop action.
Here, too, are his companions – Red Sonja – who would not allow a man to touch her unless he defeated her in battle, Belit – the pirate queen, Valeria – the thief, and the others who aided him on his quest to become the best warrior and ultimately a King over his own lands.
The stories hold up well and it is a tribute to Howard and the other writers of the pulps that created the model of what has become the fantasy genre that it is today. Pick this one up and see if the image Howard reveals in his writing is not better than the movies that have been inspired by his words.
V IS FOR VAMPIRE, Adam-Troy Castro and Johnny Atomic, Harper Collins, $16.99, 64 pages, ISBN: 9780061991868, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this follow-up to Z IS FOR ZOMBIES, Castro gives us the run of the alphabet with a breakdown of vampiric lore and illustrations to help us sink our teeth into the subject matter.
From arterial spray to eternal youth and hypnotism to tombs of the budget-conscious, Castro and Atomic give us a comic and informative look at our blood sucking friends. Leave this on the coffee table next time Bill (or Eric) and Sookie come over. It will surely get a conversation started.
ANNO FRANKENSTEIN, Jonathan Green, Abaddon Books, $9.99, 334 pages, ISBN: 9781907519451, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Imagine if you will a steampunk world with a time traveling secret agent who goes back to stop modern technology from being given to Hilter. Now imagine that he meets his father and ends up at Frankenstein’s castle where Nazi scientists are “building” the perfect soldier.
Add Jekyll and Hyde, a vampire, characters named Hercules, Jinx and Cookie, a werewolf and other assorted folk to create a marvelous romp in an alternate universe that seems like it might be a fun place to live.
This is another adventure of Ulysses Quicksilver in the Pax Britannia series that is an absolute hoot to read. I know I’m being vague on the story line, but suffice to say it’s more fun going into this without too much foreknowledge is a good thing. Just take my word for it that it is a rare treat and one to be savored page by page.
There is a new Conan movie on the horizon that may reboot the franchise for a new generation. But for the purists that may still be out there, Del Rey has released a volume containing the six major stories from Weird Tales that made Howard and Conan so popular in the 1930s and has kept him popular for 80 years.
Here are “The Phoenix on the Sword”, “People of the Black Circle”, “Red Nails”, “The Tower of the Elephant”, “Queen of the Black Coast” and “Rogues in the House” in their original form. All of the adventures feature fierce fights, strange creatures, sorcery and nonstop action.
Here, too, are his companions – Red Sonja – who would not allow a man to touch her unless he defeated her in battle, Belit – the pirate queen, Valeria – the thief, and the others who aided him on his quest to become the best warrior and ultimately a King over his own lands.
The stories hold up well and it is a tribute to Howard and the other writers of the pulps that created the model of what has become the fantasy genre that it is today. Pick this one up and see if the image Howard reveals in his writing is not better than the movies that have been inspired by his words.
V IS FOR VAMPIRE, Adam-Troy Castro and Johnny Atomic, Harper Collins, $16.99, 64 pages, ISBN: 9780061991868, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this follow-up to Z IS FOR ZOMBIES, Castro gives us the run of the alphabet with a breakdown of vampiric lore and illustrations to help us sink our teeth into the subject matter.
From arterial spray to eternal youth and hypnotism to tombs of the budget-conscious, Castro and Atomic give us a comic and informative look at our blood sucking friends. Leave this on the coffee table next time Bill (or Eric) and Sookie come over. It will surely get a conversation started.
ANNO FRANKENSTEIN, Jonathan Green, Abaddon Books, $9.99, 334 pages, ISBN: 9781907519451, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Imagine if you will a steampunk world with a time traveling secret agent who goes back to stop modern technology from being given to Hilter. Now imagine that he meets his father and ends up at Frankenstein’s castle where Nazi scientists are “building” the perfect soldier.
Add Jekyll and Hyde, a vampire, characters named Hercules, Jinx and Cookie, a werewolf and other assorted folk to create a marvelous romp in an alternate universe that seems like it might be a fun place to live.
This is another adventure of Ulysses Quicksilver in the Pax Britannia series that is an absolute hoot to read. I know I’m being vague on the story line, but suffice to say it’s more fun going into this without too much foreknowledge is a good thing. Just take my word for it that it is a rare treat and one to be savored page by page.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Barry's Reviews
LAZARUS: A Gary Drake Mystery, Michael LaRocca, Mocha Memoirs Press, $5.99 eBook, 232 pages, ISBN: 9780984609376, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
This is the sequel to VIGILANTE JUSTICE that was reviewed several years back and it is nice to find familiar characters in new and unexpected situations, LaRocca has several other titles available as well including CONUNDRUM (reviewed last issue) featuring Gary Drake in one of his incarnations.
This time out Gary wakes up in a prison hospital after being killed in an ambush. The only problem is that Gary has lost the last twenty years of his memory and has no idea how he ended up in prison. Dr Nicholas has used an experimental drug named Lazarus to save Gary’s life.
Nicholas is unsure as to the origin of the drug and what side effects will follow. Gary finds out that all of his family is dead and the reason he is in prison. He learns that his wife died from Aids, but the Lazarus injection may have cured him.
As the story goes on, an old friend comes to help him come to terms with his situation, but not before becoming an experimental subject in the Lazarus field tests. Government involvement, murder and gruesome experiments fill out an interesting tale that lays the ground for other volumes in LaRocca’s series about Gary Drake.
LaRocca is an interesting writer and Mocha Memoirs is a new imprint with the motto, “offering new flavors in fiction” that fits well together and leaves you with a pleasant taste and a craving for more.
REVELATIONS: Osguards, Book Two, Malcolm Dylan Petteway, Rage Books, 294 pages, $14.50, ISBN: 9780984364510, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this addition to the Osguards saga (two others follow), we learn more of the history of the Osguards and their actions on Earth during the Civil War and a police investigation in the present. This is going on as Kie Ritchen of the Kulusk has released a virus on Millmum Capitol Station.
It is up to Juanita Genesis-Clark to find the one person with the cure – and he is on the Kulusk home world. Juanita discovers events hidden at the turn of the century and while concerned with the FBIs search for her 5 year old cousin’s killer on Earth, must choose sides in the Kulusk civil war.
Petteway seems at his best writing about the events on Earth and fills it with historical accuracy and makes it interesting. The characters are all well drawn and interesting and will draw you into the story and create interest in the following titles, ARMAGEDDON and REVENGE. Check out www.ragebooks.net for all the details.
ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN AND ZOMBIE JIM, Mark Twain and W. Bill Czolgosz, Gallery Books, $15.00, 274 pages, ISBN: 9781451609783, mentioned by Barry Hunter.
I can’t really call this a review. Huck and Tom and all the characters that Mark Twain created are childhood friends of mine and hold a special place in my heart. By the same token, George Romero and his Night of the Living Dead and other films in the series have a spot there. Romero was the first one to really bring zombies to life (lol) and scare the crap out of me.
This novel idea of bringing both of them together and presenting them together is a fun read sort of scrambles the memories of the book and the movie together to make it a “Duh” moment.
There are other “Blood Enriched Classics” out there. Be on the lookout for them and see what other classics get the treatment.
THE HORROR HALL OF FAME: The Stoker Winners, edited by Joe R. Lansdale, Cemetery Dance, $35.00, 336 pages, ISBN: 9781587670268, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
There are not enough adjectives and adverbs available to describe the stories in this collection. The writers and the stories are all tops in the field and after you read them, if you haven’t before, you will know why. Jack Cady’s “The Night We Buried Road Dog”, Harlan Ellison’s “Chatting With Anubis”, and “Orange is for Anguish, Blue is for Insanity” by David Morrell are some of the finest writing ever. Robert Bloch, George R. R. Martin, Jack Ketchum and Nancy Holder are other wonderful tales.
There’s not a bad story here. It’s easy to see why they were award winners and it’s a great volume filled with Glenn Chadbourne illustrations and a cover by Alan M. Clark. Don’t let this one get past you.
VINTAGE CONNOR: The Blonde in the Lotus Elite, Robert Baty, R.J. Buckley Publishing, $19.00, 324 pages, ISBN: 9780981965475, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Ray Connor was a cop in Oakland and is not into classic cars. An old friend asks him to investigate the death of her daughter at a classic car show. The death was ruled a suicide, but it might have been a murder.
This book is in the vein of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett and is a modern day tale written in the noir style of the forties. It is a fun ride in a classic car while following clues in the world of the elite collectors, money flowing like water, and California settings to make it authentic.
Baty knows the scenery and the background and this makes this an intriguing read. There should be more to come from Baty as there are still plenty of classic cars and stories out there.
This is the sequel to VIGILANTE JUSTICE that was reviewed several years back and it is nice to find familiar characters in new and unexpected situations, LaRocca has several other titles available as well including CONUNDRUM (reviewed last issue) featuring Gary Drake in one of his incarnations.
This time out Gary wakes up in a prison hospital after being killed in an ambush. The only problem is that Gary has lost the last twenty years of his memory and has no idea how he ended up in prison. Dr Nicholas has used an experimental drug named Lazarus to save Gary’s life.
Nicholas is unsure as to the origin of the drug and what side effects will follow. Gary finds out that all of his family is dead and the reason he is in prison. He learns that his wife died from Aids, but the Lazarus injection may have cured him.
As the story goes on, an old friend comes to help him come to terms with his situation, but not before becoming an experimental subject in the Lazarus field tests. Government involvement, murder and gruesome experiments fill out an interesting tale that lays the ground for other volumes in LaRocca’s series about Gary Drake.
LaRocca is an interesting writer and Mocha Memoirs is a new imprint with the motto, “offering new flavors in fiction” that fits well together and leaves you with a pleasant taste and a craving for more.
REVELATIONS: Osguards, Book Two, Malcolm Dylan Petteway, Rage Books, 294 pages, $14.50, ISBN: 9780984364510, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this addition to the Osguards saga (two others follow), we learn more of the history of the Osguards and their actions on Earth during the Civil War and a police investigation in the present. This is going on as Kie Ritchen of the Kulusk has released a virus on Millmum Capitol Station.
It is up to Juanita Genesis-Clark to find the one person with the cure – and he is on the Kulusk home world. Juanita discovers events hidden at the turn of the century and while concerned with the FBIs search for her 5 year old cousin’s killer on Earth, must choose sides in the Kulusk civil war.
Petteway seems at his best writing about the events on Earth and fills it with historical accuracy and makes it interesting. The characters are all well drawn and interesting and will draw you into the story and create interest in the following titles, ARMAGEDDON and REVENGE. Check out www.ragebooks.net for all the details.
ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN AND ZOMBIE JIM, Mark Twain and W. Bill Czolgosz, Gallery Books, $15.00, 274 pages, ISBN: 9781451609783, mentioned by Barry Hunter.
I can’t really call this a review. Huck and Tom and all the characters that Mark Twain created are childhood friends of mine and hold a special place in my heart. By the same token, George Romero and his Night of the Living Dead and other films in the series have a spot there. Romero was the first one to really bring zombies to life (lol) and scare the crap out of me.
This novel idea of bringing both of them together and presenting them together is a fun read sort of scrambles the memories of the book and the movie together to make it a “Duh” moment.
There are other “Blood Enriched Classics” out there. Be on the lookout for them and see what other classics get the treatment.
THE HORROR HALL OF FAME: The Stoker Winners, edited by Joe R. Lansdale, Cemetery Dance, $35.00, 336 pages, ISBN: 9781587670268, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
There are not enough adjectives and adverbs available to describe the stories in this collection. The writers and the stories are all tops in the field and after you read them, if you haven’t before, you will know why. Jack Cady’s “The Night We Buried Road Dog”, Harlan Ellison’s “Chatting With Anubis”, and “Orange is for Anguish, Blue is for Insanity” by David Morrell are some of the finest writing ever. Robert Bloch, George R. R. Martin, Jack Ketchum and Nancy Holder are other wonderful tales.
There’s not a bad story here. It’s easy to see why they were award winners and it’s a great volume filled with Glenn Chadbourne illustrations and a cover by Alan M. Clark. Don’t let this one get past you.
VINTAGE CONNOR: The Blonde in the Lotus Elite, Robert Baty, R.J. Buckley Publishing, $19.00, 324 pages, ISBN: 9780981965475, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Ray Connor was a cop in Oakland and is not into classic cars. An old friend asks him to investigate the death of her daughter at a classic car show. The death was ruled a suicide, but it might have been a murder.
This book is in the vein of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett and is a modern day tale written in the noir style of the forties. It is a fun ride in a classic car while following clues in the world of the elite collectors, money flowing like water, and California settings to make it authentic.
Baty knows the scenery and the background and this makes this an intriguing read. There should be more to come from Baty as there are still plenty of classic cars and stories out there.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
New Reviews from Barry
SOMEONE’S WATCHING, Sharon Potts, Oceanview, $25.95, 352 pages, ISBN: 97816080901366, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In her first novel, IN THEIR BLOOD, Sharon Potts introduced us to an interesting group of characters and a thrilling plot line. With this second novel, she continues in that vein with some of the same characters making an appearance in another plot driven novel of murder, blackmail and relationships.
Robbie Ivy has left her past behind working as a bartender, taken on a new boyfriend, and discovers a family she never knew existed. Her father, who she hasn’t seen in eighteen years, comes to her for help in finding her sister, Kate who has disappeared along with a friend in South Beach. The friend turns up dead and they fear the worst has happened to Kate. Seeing her father and finding out she has a sister plunges Robbie into an adventure that will involve Jeremy Stroeb and others from IN THEIR BLOOD.
As Robbie searches for Kate, see becomes involved in the club scene and starts becoming a nuisance in a scheme that involves sex slaves and blackmail. She and Jeremy find and follow clues on their own and become suspects as well.
Potts has written another fast paced novel with enough red herrings for a family fish fry. This is another satisfying suspense novel showing how normal people can get in over their heads to help out their family. Lookout for this one, it’s a winner.
TEN YEARS OF HIPPOCAMPUS PRESS, 2000-2010, Derrick Hussey, S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, Hippocampus Press, $7.50, 80 pages, ISBN: 9780984480289, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In my formative years, books from Arkham House, Gnome Press, Avalon, and the other small presses were only available in libraries, and it was only the progressive libraries that bothered with them. It was a discerning reader or one recognized by the head librarian that managed to see these titles. Fortunately, our library had these on the general reader shelves in the horror or science fiction section. These were the first sections I went to during my weekly visit.
I’m guessing the authors of this title and founders of Hippocampus Press had the same type of librarian to help them fuel their curiosity and sow the seeds that took root and have helped it grow into what it is today.
This is more than a list of books they have published, it is a history of the past ten years in weird fiction and nurturing authors whose writing are not exactly mainstream. Arkham House was created to save the writings of Lovecraft and Hippocampus Press was founded to follow in those footsteps and continue to break new ground.
From Joshi’s scholarly works on Lovecraft, to new Mythos stories, studies of Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E. Howard, novels by Adam Niswander, and collections of stories from new writers, Hippocampus fills a very necessary place in keeping Eldritch Horror alive and well.
This is a history and a checklist that fills a place of honor on the bookshelves. I can’t wait to see what they came come up with in the next ten years to fill the second volume.
BLOTTO, TWINKS AND THE EX-KING’S DAUGHTER, Simon Brett, Felony & Mayhem Press, $14.95, 211 pages, ISBN: 9781934609699, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this satisfying first novel in a new British mystery series, we have the Wimsey of Lord Peter, the banter of Nick & Nora Charles, and the charm of Hercule Poirot. It is a fun easy read that takes the reader on a rousing ride across Europe with Blotto and his sister, Twinks.
The Ex-King of Mitteleuropa is visiting Tawcester Towers where one of his guards is murdered. This puts our two siblings into detective mode as they seek to solve the case. As normal life, including a fox hunt, goes on, another body is discovered as well as a plot to kidnap the ex-king’s daughter.
When the kidnapping occurs, Blotto and his devoted valet set out for Mittleuropa to save her and try to regain the throne no matter what the obstacle. Besides they have a really great car.
This is a terrific read and should be a hit with those who remember The Thin Man, Nick & Nora Charles, and the other soft boiled gumshoes of the 1940s. This is the first of a series and I hope it is not too long before another volume is available.
In her first novel, IN THEIR BLOOD, Sharon Potts introduced us to an interesting group of characters and a thrilling plot line. With this second novel, she continues in that vein with some of the same characters making an appearance in another plot driven novel of murder, blackmail and relationships.
Robbie Ivy has left her past behind working as a bartender, taken on a new boyfriend, and discovers a family she never knew existed. Her father, who she hasn’t seen in eighteen years, comes to her for help in finding her sister, Kate who has disappeared along with a friend in South Beach. The friend turns up dead and they fear the worst has happened to Kate. Seeing her father and finding out she has a sister plunges Robbie into an adventure that will involve Jeremy Stroeb and others from IN THEIR BLOOD.
As Robbie searches for Kate, see becomes involved in the club scene and starts becoming a nuisance in a scheme that involves sex slaves and blackmail. She and Jeremy find and follow clues on their own and become suspects as well.
Potts has written another fast paced novel with enough red herrings for a family fish fry. This is another satisfying suspense novel showing how normal people can get in over their heads to help out their family. Lookout for this one, it’s a winner.
TEN YEARS OF HIPPOCAMPUS PRESS, 2000-2010, Derrick Hussey, S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, Hippocampus Press, $7.50, 80 pages, ISBN: 9780984480289, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In my formative years, books from Arkham House, Gnome Press, Avalon, and the other small presses were only available in libraries, and it was only the progressive libraries that bothered with them. It was a discerning reader or one recognized by the head librarian that managed to see these titles. Fortunately, our library had these on the general reader shelves in the horror or science fiction section. These were the first sections I went to during my weekly visit.
I’m guessing the authors of this title and founders of Hippocampus Press had the same type of librarian to help them fuel their curiosity and sow the seeds that took root and have helped it grow into what it is today.
This is more than a list of books they have published, it is a history of the past ten years in weird fiction and nurturing authors whose writing are not exactly mainstream. Arkham House was created to save the writings of Lovecraft and Hippocampus Press was founded to follow in those footsteps and continue to break new ground.
From Joshi’s scholarly works on Lovecraft, to new Mythos stories, studies of Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E. Howard, novels by Adam Niswander, and collections of stories from new writers, Hippocampus fills a very necessary place in keeping Eldritch Horror alive and well.
This is a history and a checklist that fills a place of honor on the bookshelves. I can’t wait to see what they came come up with in the next ten years to fill the second volume.
BLOTTO, TWINKS AND THE EX-KING’S DAUGHTER, Simon Brett, Felony & Mayhem Press, $14.95, 211 pages, ISBN: 9781934609699, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
In this satisfying first novel in a new British mystery series, we have the Wimsey of Lord Peter, the banter of Nick & Nora Charles, and the charm of Hercule Poirot. It is a fun easy read that takes the reader on a rousing ride across Europe with Blotto and his sister, Twinks.
The Ex-King of Mitteleuropa is visiting Tawcester Towers where one of his guards is murdered. This puts our two siblings into detective mode as they seek to solve the case. As normal life, including a fox hunt, goes on, another body is discovered as well as a plot to kidnap the ex-king’s daughter.
When the kidnapping occurs, Blotto and his devoted valet set out for Mittleuropa to save her and try to regain the throne no matter what the obstacle. Besides they have a really great car.
This is a terrific read and should be a hit with those who remember The Thin Man, Nick & Nora Charles, and the other soft boiled gumshoes of the 1940s. This is the first of a series and I hope it is not too long before another volume is available.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Zero Gravity, Conundrum and Man's World
ZERO GRAVITY: Adventures in Deep Space, edited by Alva J Roberts, Pill Hill Press, 266 pages, ISBN: 9781617060007, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
There is beginning to be a renewal of stories that I like to call “Space Opera”. Back in the beginning years of my reading Lester Del Rey, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Robert Silverberg were filling that niche along with others that filled the pages of the magazines of the 1950s and 1960s. The magazines began to dwindle in size and number and the short stories started becoming novels and trilogies. There was little to fill the small gaps of time after homework and before bedtime. You could always read a chapter or two of a novel, but not a lot to conclude quickly.
In this volume, I was able to remember the joy of instant gratification. Rosemary Jones opens the anthology with “Junkers Fancy” wherein collecting space salvage becomes a rescue mission. “Leech Run” by Scott W Baker tells of those with the ability to drain power being transported to a new life don’t always follow the rules. Paula Freeman takes a computer virus, mixes it with a bit of HAL and turns it into “A Space Romance”. Alethea Kontis has a story about a world of children wondering who will be left to lead them in “The Unicorn Tree”.
This is a pleasing collection with a talented group of writers that share a look at old fashioned space opera in a new way. Kudos go to Alva J Roberts for assembling such a winning group.
CONUNDRUM, Michael LaRocca, DoubleDragonebooks.com, 135 pages, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
This too short, highly irreverent work brings back Barry Drake who has appeared in other LaRocca works. This time he has been cryogenically preserved and is a member of the crew of the starship Valkyrie/Pegasus/Reagan, depending on which elsewhere he is in.
This is a funny irreverent, mad satire of the field of science fiction with touches of everything including the kitchen sink thrown in. If LaRocca can use something for a laugh, he does so. From Star Trek to Cheech and Chong and all points in between, there is something there to cause you to pause for a minute.
This is not one of those books to be read once and put away. It is meant to be read several times and each time something new will spring off the page.
Thanks to Michael for a very unusual book. It’s a rare writer that can turn out something like this in a world that is taking itself too seriously. If you can’t laugh at yourself, what is there left to do? CONUNDRUM is the very apt title for this story and hopefully, the reader won’t be left in one.
MAN’S WORLD, Angela Caperton, Circlet Press, $5.99, 157 pages, ISBN: 9781885865---, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Circlet Press is well known for its various and expansive works of erotic fiction. Check out the website, www.circlet.com, to see a current listing. They have recently added a selection of erotic science fiction and this volume is a marvelous fit into the space opera slot of the genre.
Stella Blue Darter is a courtesan on the Shangri La, a galaxy hopping vessel. Stella has decided to buy out her contract and go to an out of the way planet and make a new start. It’s a good idea, but you know how things usually turn out.
She goes to the planet Moulton and arrives in the capital city, Scion, but barely gets off the ship before she is drugged, kidnapped and placed in the “Cotillion”. Moulton is ruled by a few families that allow only the first sons to have any power. Second sons either leave; if they can afford it, or live in Second City where women are only available during a “Cotillion”. Daughters either marry or are sent to the Sister City.
There are those in both cities that would like to see the status quo changed and Stella Blue ends up as a sexual pawn in the struggle to change the way Moulton is run.
Angela Caperton has created a wonderful character and a storyline full of adventure, erotic and otherwise. Put a feather in her cap and add another winner for the folks at Circlet Press. It is available at www.circlet.com and at the Kindle store on Amazon.com.
There is beginning to be a renewal of stories that I like to call “Space Opera”. Back in the beginning years of my reading Lester Del Rey, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Robert Silverberg were filling that niche along with others that filled the pages of the magazines of the 1950s and 1960s. The magazines began to dwindle in size and number and the short stories started becoming novels and trilogies. There was little to fill the small gaps of time after homework and before bedtime. You could always read a chapter or two of a novel, but not a lot to conclude quickly.
In this volume, I was able to remember the joy of instant gratification. Rosemary Jones opens the anthology with “Junkers Fancy” wherein collecting space salvage becomes a rescue mission. “Leech Run” by Scott W Baker tells of those with the ability to drain power being transported to a new life don’t always follow the rules. Paula Freeman takes a computer virus, mixes it with a bit of HAL and turns it into “A Space Romance”. Alethea Kontis has a story about a world of children wondering who will be left to lead them in “The Unicorn Tree”.
This is a pleasing collection with a talented group of writers that share a look at old fashioned space opera in a new way. Kudos go to Alva J Roberts for assembling such a winning group.
CONUNDRUM, Michael LaRocca, DoubleDragonebooks.com, 135 pages, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
This too short, highly irreverent work brings back Barry Drake who has appeared in other LaRocca works. This time he has been cryogenically preserved and is a member of the crew of the starship Valkyrie/Pegasus/Reagan, depending on which elsewhere he is in.
This is a funny irreverent, mad satire of the field of science fiction with touches of everything including the kitchen sink thrown in. If LaRocca can use something for a laugh, he does so. From Star Trek to Cheech and Chong and all points in between, there is something there to cause you to pause for a minute.
This is not one of those books to be read once and put away. It is meant to be read several times and each time something new will spring off the page.
Thanks to Michael for a very unusual book. It’s a rare writer that can turn out something like this in a world that is taking itself too seriously. If you can’t laugh at yourself, what is there left to do? CONUNDRUM is the very apt title for this story and hopefully, the reader won’t be left in one.
MAN’S WORLD, Angela Caperton, Circlet Press, $5.99, 157 pages, ISBN: 9781885865---, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
Circlet Press is well known for its various and expansive works of erotic fiction. Check out the website, www.circlet.com, to see a current listing. They have recently added a selection of erotic science fiction and this volume is a marvelous fit into the space opera slot of the genre.
Stella Blue Darter is a courtesan on the Shangri La, a galaxy hopping vessel. Stella has decided to buy out her contract and go to an out of the way planet and make a new start. It’s a good idea, but you know how things usually turn out.
She goes to the planet Moulton and arrives in the capital city, Scion, but barely gets off the ship before she is drugged, kidnapped and placed in the “Cotillion”. Moulton is ruled by a few families that allow only the first sons to have any power. Second sons either leave; if they can afford it, or live in Second City where women are only available during a “Cotillion”. Daughters either marry or are sent to the Sister City.
There are those in both cities that would like to see the status quo changed and Stella Blue ends up as a sexual pawn in the struggle to change the way Moulton is run.
Angela Caperton has created a wonderful character and a storyline full of adventure, erotic and otherwise. Put a feather in her cap and add another winner for the folks at Circlet Press. It is available at www.circlet.com and at the Kindle store on Amazon.com.
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