Showing posts with label kindle book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindle book. Show all posts

The Oxford Book of American Short Stories Review

The Oxford Book of American Short Stories
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The Oxford Book of American Short Stories ReviewThis is a solid cross-section of time, authors, style, intent, and soul. I taught this to 50+ teenagers with a high degree of success and corporate enjoyment. The primary downfall of the piece is that Oates comments before each story, sometimes playing the obnoxious neighbor by actually giving away the resolution. Read her comments after you read the story. Otherwise, great work.The Oxford Book of American Short Stories Overview

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Peace Warrior (Peace Warrior Trilogy, Book 1) Review

Peace Warrior (Peace Warrior Trilogy, Book 1)
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Peace Warrior (Peace Warrior Trilogy, Book 1) ReviewFrom the moment I started reading this book, the author reeled me in. You are immediately thrown inside the mind of Sgt. First Class Grant Justice while he is leading his men on a combat operation. Unfortunately Sgt. Justice is savagely killed on the mission and his mangled body ends up in the frigid waters of a lake. This scene sets up the premise for the rest of the story.
Flash forward 600 years and the reader is propelled into a time when all the inhabitants on Earth are peaceful. There are no wars, no fighting or even any bickering. This utopian world is the perfect place for the savage and military race, the Minith, to invade and conquer. The Minith rule with an iron fist and the humans are easily enslaved because aggression and violent tendencies have been bred out of them.
I found the chapters dealing with the Earth Peace Council dragged a bit. Their names were complicated and dialogue was stilted, but as soon as Senior Scientist Tane Roland was introduced, I was eagerly turning the pages again. I would have liked it if the author had let us see more into Tane's inner thoughts. He is an anomaly among the humans and it would have been great if his character had been fleshed out more. I would have also liked more back story for the major prison characters. A few fell flat for me.
Tane receives permission from the Council to awaken the newly improved bioengineered Grant Justice and from the moment Grant opens his eyes I was back under his spell. Grant was given an impossible task, but relying on his 600 year old military experience might just save the planet. The author kept Grant true to his ideals and morals throughout the book and it clearly reflected the author's military experience.
Without giving the climax away, I can say that I couldn't stop reading. Page after page flew by during the final chapters. This is an impressive debut novel for this author and I look forward to reading more by him.Peace Warrior (Peace Warrior Trilogy, Book 1) Overview********************PEACE WARRIORIt's the mid-21st century when Sergeant First Class Grant Justice is killed during an ambush on an enemy tank column. Six hundred years later, his body is retrieved from the frozen, arctic lake where he perished. Re-animated by a team of scientists, Grant awakens to a civilization that has abolished war. A civilization that has outlawed violence and cherishes Peace above all else. A civilization that has been enslaved by an alien race called the Minith. Grant is humankind's final hope against the alien menace. He must be the... Peace Warrior.********************

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Stars Rain Down (Biotech Legacy) Review

Stars Rain Down (Biotech Legacy)
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Stars Rain Down (Biotech Legacy) ReviewIn Randolph's not too distant future, mankind has established a colony on Mars and developed space travel to a somewhat better level than we have today, but a lot remains the same. In the beginning of the book, we follow Jack Hernandez, search and rescue specialist, as he and his team makes extraordinary humanitarian efforts, and Marcus Donovan, astronomer and problem solver, who has spent years of his life searching for a mysterious object sometimes appearing in the asteroid field beyond Mars.
After getting an extraordinarily clear picture of the object that has been taunting him for so long, Marcus lies his way into an expedition to explore the asteroids. It's an adventure of a lifetime, the dream of a lifetime, and what awaits him is beyond anything he could have imagined. Oddly enough, there is no response from Earth when the group tries to report.
Meanwhile, Jack has been sent out on an emergency mission, and finds himself in a crashing helicopter. Once on the ground, there is nothing to be seen but dust and debris. The unthinkable has happened; the planet has been invaded, and all our weapons, cities, and technology are gone in the wink of an eye. Jack, who has always been a man of peace, a man living to help others, finds himself fighting not only for his own life, but for the survival of the human race.
Both men find themselves in for more than they ever expected, and in the end, purity of heart, faith, and empathy will decide the fate of both the survivors and the planet itself.
I have been looking forward to this book for quite some time, and I wasn't disappointed. Randolph paints out believable characters in a captivating and thought-provoking story. The first night reading the book, I kept telling myself, "Just one more chapter." Of course, one more chapter turned into another one, and one more after that, and I kept reading until my eyes couldn't stay open any longer.
The ending leaves some questions unanswered, and I'm hoping this means we'll see a sequel. "Stars Rain Down" is an excellent book by an excellent author!Stars Rain Down (Biotech Legacy) OverviewMeet Marcus Donovan; astronomer, day dreamer, and smart ass. He was just another researcher in a jumpsuit until he saw something that didn't fit. At the time, it was nothing but a blip on a sensor read-out, an asteroid that wasn't an asteroid, but it became his obsession. He named it Zebra-1, and now he's hurtling through the solar system on a mission to see it in person.Meanwhile, the Earth has its own visitors. Seven massive vessels appear out of nowhere and rain hell down from orbit, reducing civilization to a pile of ashes and rubble. Our world is conquered before anyone even knows we're under attack.Enter Jack Hernandez, a search & rescue specialist and true blue everyday hero. After crash-landing in the wasted ruins of China, he links up with the scattered resistance and begins to fight back. Having witnessed the invaders' cruelty first hand, he's driven to do whatever it takes to make them pay in blood.Neither Jack nor Marcus ever could have predicted it, but humanity's future now depends on them both. One will be bonded to an ancient warship and asked to lead, while the other is imprisoned, tortured and forced to submit; before it's over, they'll each face challenges beyond imagination in a savage war as old as time.When the stars rain down from the sky, who will rise up to meet them?

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Zero Day: A Novel Review

Zero Day: A Novel
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Zero Day: A Novel ReviewI don't read a lot of cyberthrillers. In fact, this might be my second or third. But the fast pace and compelling characters and scene descriptions in Zero Day kept me reading. I finished the whole book in a day and a half.
In my day job, I write about technology. But I don't think you'd need to be a student of IT or tech jargon to enjoy this book. I will say Zero Day left me more worried than ever about what could potentially happen if a cyber-attack like what's detailed in this novel ever happens. Russinovich's book brought home more than any news article or blog post has for me the very real potential for something like this to happen.
Russinovich had an early review copy of this book sent to me. (Thanks, MarkR!) I am really glad he did. It was an enjoyable way to lose myself for a weekend.Zero Day: A Novel Overview

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Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know Review

Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know
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Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know ReviewThis is collection of well known fairy tales by Grimm's and others, with an introductory on the history and importance of fairy tales for children. Most of them would benefit from illustrations, but if you just want the text, it's fine. Since I plan on handmaking a picture-book for my nieces, it suits my purpose. I do wish the Table of Contents was clickable, however.
The book includes:
One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes
The Magic Mirror
Hansel and Grethel
The Story of Aladdin
The White Cat
The Second Voyage of Sinbad
The Golden Goose
The Twelve Brothers
Tom Thumb
Cinderella
Puss in Boots
Blue Beard
Sleeping Beauty
Jack and the Beanstalk
Little Red Riding Hood
Jack the Giant Killer
The Three Bears
The Princess On The Pea
The Ugly Duckling
Beauty and the BeastFairy Tales Every Child Should Know OverviewThis book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

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Dragon's Oath (House of Night) Review

Dragon's Oath (House of Night)
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Dragon's Oath (House of Night) ReviewI have loyally followed this series and truly believe the House of Night books are getting better each episode. They are light weight YA books but they are fun and have been improving in their storyline and composition. When I heard this was coming out at first I thought it the next instalment. Wrong.
Based on the premise of giving the readers a view of how the professors became to be part of the House of Night these novella's were written. Novella's are typically around 50,000 words. What most people churn out during Nanowrimo for example. Having written a novella I was very disappointed with the way this book was presented. Where was the character development? The storyline? The 50,000 words!
Every chapter starts with a full page illustration, some of which are beautifully done, others not so much. Throughout the book, which is written in a large font, are more than just a decorative swirl, they are I would describe as a specifically designed illustrated paper waster. Pretty, but take up a lot of space on the page, decorative swirls. Once every chapter would be fine. Three in as many pages gets a bit ridiculous.
I loved how the story began. It immersed us into Dragons childhood, how he was marked, how he was guided onto a ship, and how he got the name "Dragon." Suddenly, as in two chapters suddenly (or so it seemed), we were with Anastasia, his love, and a little on how she became to be at the house of night. I think we learnt more about her family & background than we did his. Even if that part was very brief. This filled up more space as spells were cast and so forth. More pretty illustrations scribbled across the page. Nothing to do with Dragons years on his training, who was his mentor and the like. By now most of the book is over and you still know not a lot about the main character.
There is a slight reference to the Raven Mockers and Him under the Earth who is yet to be released. But honestly, this is a book about Dragon - I wanted to read about him. His life. It didn't even tell you about how he came to teach at the House of Night, how he felt about that, how he felt about Neferet, his students, his fighting, his warriors oaths and his beliefs. Just his oath to Anastasia.
It is a very skinny little novella that wishes to give you some insight as to how Dragon came to be a professor in the House of Night. This I thought would be a wonderful series, but it was like reading a chapter then going to bed. There was no substance. This could have been fleshed out to be a wonderful series in it's own right. I'd have loved that. I would rather have waited for that. Instead I spent $15.00 on a book that was as thin as my finger, not all that well written, was basically a love story, and I finished it in an afternoon.
If you're a fan of the series get this book. There are little references in it that you will appreciate. You will enjoy it, but know what you're getting and try not to be too let down.
To the authors. Please be serious about your writing or you will lose fans.Dragon's Oath (House of Night) Overview

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Public Enemy Zero Review

Public Enemy Zero
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Public Enemy Zero ReviewSince I bought my Kindle, I have dabbled in several self published authors with mixed results. It is always a crap shoot but at a $.99 and a handful of good reviews, I am willing to broaden my horizons to these uncharted isles.
And I am so glad to have discovered Andrew Mayne.
With Public Enemy Zero Mayne expertly handles a very original take on the whole X-Factor Zombie type of scenario. He begins by creating a very likable, morally centered everyman. Mitch is an aspiring broadcaster working the long nights at the wrong end of the radio dial. His girlfriend just broke up with him, he has under a grand in his checking account, and...oh yeah, he just found out that anyone he comes in contact with becomes snarling animals hellbent on ripping him apart.
From there, Mr. Mayne spins a fast paced thriller that reads better than most summer blockbusters. By placing his character in the very real dangers of being captured by police as a terroist suspect, being ripped apart by anyone he meets, or being captured by a shadowy government agency, we get a thrilling ride that you will rip through in a single sitting.
Unfortunately, there are a few items that keeps Public Enemy Zero from full marks. There is a rather unnecessary and rather silly use of an LSD Wild Man who communes with Mother Nature in a plot to destroy the world. While it is an interesting piece of theater, this charcter and the handful of scenes he has (including, unfortunately the opening one) serve no purpose to the story and takes away from the realism of the situation.
There are two police detective characters that are strongly portrayed who begin unraveling the mystery who are ommitted in the second half of the book. And finally, there are huge glaring editorial errors in the last third of the book; sentences have repeating words, the wrong word choice is used, multiple pronouns appear side by side. Mr. Mayne states in his Acknowledgements that the book was edited with social networking volunteers. He would be better served paying someone to fill this role.
The last concern I have for the book is that it is so timely that I wonder how it will stand the test of time. Not only are there multiple references to YouTube, Skype, i-Pads, etc. but they and Facebook/Twitter play a central role to the plot. I found this to be very clever and applaud its use, however, future readers or current readers unfamiliar with these technologies might be less impressed.
I will read everything that Mr. Mayne has out for the Kindle. But with a few edits, omissions, etc. I would probably find him published in my bookstore or even on the silver screen as well.Public Enemy Zero OverviewThe world is out to kill Mitchell Roberts. A strange virus is on the loose sending everyone he comes in contact with into a homicidal rage. From narrowly avoiding getting murdered at his ex-girlfriend's front door, to a crowded shopping mall turned one-man zombie apocalypse, he's got to stay a step ahead of everyone around him if he doesn't want to get ripped apart alive. He'll need to use every resource he has, from the advice of a paranoid late night radio host, to his Twitter account and find out why he's become Public Enemy Zero.A full-length 90,000 word novel.

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The Hawk And His Boy (The Tormay Trilogy #1) Review

The Hawk And His Boy (The Tormay Trilogy #1)
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The Hawk And His Boy (The Tormay Trilogy #1) ReviewJute is an expert thief, even though he's just a kid. He's one of the Juggler's children--think of Fagin in Oliver Twist with his posse of child thieves, and look at Jute as someone with the Artful Dodger's know-how and Oliver's innocence. Ronan, the Knife of the Thieves Guild, has borrowed Jute for a special job, sneaking into a magically warded house to find a box that a mysterious client wants. But Jute accidentally opens the box (actually, it opens for him) and his troubles snowball after that. The story uses multiple POVs and travels through several different locations to set up a fairly complex story about some bigger malevolent forces stirring in Tormay.
Jute is very sympathetic and I like that he's so streetwise, because his skills partly balance out his continual bad luck. While climbing a wall in the first chapter, he comes up against some sophisticated magic from ward-spells that can sense the thoughts of intruders, so he makes his mind a blank. This kid is smart and savvy, and you just know he'll rise to the top. Another character I really connected with is Levoreth, the niece of the Duke of Doran, who feels a call to go to Jute's town. She can talk to animals and she's got some kind of reincarnation situation going on, but she's surrounded by mundane details that clash wonderfully with her incredibly serious powers and history. Maybe it's because they were the first POV characters introduced, but I was more invested in Jute and Levorath's scenes than anyone else's. The other characters' chapters provide the reader with a lot of much-needed information that we couldn't get otherwise, but I kept wanting to get back to Levoreth (What is the extent of her powers? What destiny is she going to fulfill?) and Jute (Who is the voice in his head? Is he going to survive all these back-to-back traumatic events? Where does he go from here?).
The hardest parts for me to read where situations where children where suffering. It was downright painful to read about all the abuse Jute has to live through, stuff like being dropped down a chimney, then basically tortured for information, and later beaten and stomped on by a baker for trying to steal enough food to keep from starving. It's a realistic portrayal of a homeless kid's life in this sort of world, but it makes for hard reading. On the other hand, there's a good bit of humor in the book to lighten things up; Levoreth's aunt and uncle can chatter and derail a subject delightfully, and even the villains have some funny moments, depending on who they're talking to.
The Hawk and His Boy maintains its dramatic tension well, and it presents a plausible fantasy world with interesting characters. This particular story ends on a cliffhanger, but there are two more books to come, to flesh out the full story of TormayThe Hawk And His Boy (The Tormay Trilogy #1) OverviewThe Beginning of an Epic Adventure

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