Review - My Sparkling Misfortune

My rating: 4/5

Laura Lond has written an absolutely delightful novella about a villain who finds himself plagued with a goody-two-shoes helpful spirit who's determined to make him a better man. This is one of the most thoroughly charming stories I've read in a long time.

Lord Arkus is a sword-wielding villain with a castle in a pestilential swamp and a bloodthirsty army ready to do his bidding. He's doing his best to terrorize the local kingdoms, kidnapping royal heirs for ransom and generally being thoroughly evil. Then a series of misfortunes puts him on the run and ready to risk everything to capture a gormack, an evil spirit of great power.

It goes wrong, though, and he accidentally captures a sparkling. The sparkling, to Arkus's considerable embarrassment, thinks Arkus is a great guy, somewhere deep down inside. Most of the book is a hilarious battle of wills as Arkus tries to corrupt the sparkling, and the sparkling takes Arkus's every evil scheme and turns it into something noble and good. Arkus, determined to inspire dread and terror, instead finds himself showered with gratitude and admiration. Every gift, every thank-you, every banquet in his honour, just drives his blood pressure higher.


There is depth to the story as well. Arkus is forced on a difficult journey of self-discovery. Arkus, and several other characters, face excruciating choices. There are moral dilemmas with no easy solutions. Friendships are forged, tested, destroyed. It's powerful storytelling.

It's not a perfect tale. There are minor proofreading issues, and the book could really use a good editor. Nothing is seriously wrong, but there are sentences that are awkwardly phrased or that come out a bit clumsy. None of this detracts much from my enthusiasm for the story. It's such a terrific, fun, entertaining story that I forgive every minor technical issue.

As an added bonus, the book is illustrated by the highly gifted Alla Alekseyeva. Her beautiful black and white pictures are a great addition to the story.

My Sparkling Misfortune was great fun to read, and I will be picking up the sequel.

Buy it on Smashwords.

Review - Road to Wrath

My rating: 4/5

Ty Johnston's Kobalos trilogy continues with book 2, Road to Wrath.  At the end of City of Rogues, revenge-obsessed Kron Darkbow transferred his rage from Belgad the Liar to a fantastically powerful wizard named Verkain.  Now he's on the road to Verkain's kingdom of Kobalos, accompanied by Adara, master swordswoman, and Randall, Verkain's son who has become a healer.

The action never stops.  Kron thinks he's done with Belgad for now, but Belgad isn't done with Kron.  Along the road they'll meet savage mountain tribes, superstitious villagers out to murder Randall for using magic, and a tribe of cannibals who've escaped from prison.

Then there's Verkain.  He has summoned indestructible war demons and sent them out to find Randall.  If Kron and his companions can somehow survive this gauntlet of enemies, they'll have to face Verkain himself, a wizard of such mind-boggling power he could swat them all like insects.

My reaction to this book was similar to my reaction to City of Rogues.  The story is irresistible.  It drew me in completely.  There was no question that I would keep reading, and I'll be reading the third book, Dark King of the North, as well.
The writing is flawed.  Things are phrased in clumsy ways.  And the number of typos is distressing.  Yet the power of the storytelling trumps all of that.  It's irresistibly entertaining.

The emphasis in these books is on action.  The world-building is moderate at best, as is the characterization.  Kron himself is almost ridiculously wooden at times.  None of the characters are especially complex.  Still, there are some interesting relationships and some tricky moral dilemmas that give the book some depth.

The wealth of action is one of the book's strong points, although it leads to one of my minor complaints.  There is an appalling body count among the bystanders, in this book and in City of Rogues.  Sometimes I almost wished the heroes would be killed, because they kept escaping at such a dreadful cost to the local population. 

Overall this is an excellent adventure story with loads of action, and definitely recommended.

Read Road to Wrath on Smashwords

Book Review - In Our House

In Our House is a captivating, fascinating, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining collection of eight short stories from award-winning author Peter Balaskas.  If you had to assign a genre to the collection it would be horror, but the collection is much too complex to classify easily.

If there is a recurring theme running through In Our House, it's an exploration of the nature of a man, the choices we must make, for better or for worse, because of what we are, and the consequences we may face as a result.

Duet begins the collection, the least-spooky story in the collection.  The narrator is a writer.  His art is fundamental to who he is.  But in order to create, he may have to destroy the most precious relationship in his life.  She will not thank him if he keeps her around at the cost of his life's work.  He must make an impossible decision, and the results are... unexpected.

Auld Acquaintances, Id, and Wash Cycle are more ordinary.  In these three straightforward horror tales a thoroughly bad person gets his comeuppance.  Each story involves a man trapped in some way by his own nature.  One man can no longer keep his darker nature suppressed.  Another man, after a long life of cruelty and corruption, must finally pay a terrible price.  They are entertaining, if not deep, and if I had stopped reading there I might have been disappointed in the collection.

The stories veer into deeper waters, though, with Crossing the Styx.  Martin is a healer.  It's what he does; it's who he is.  He helps the living cope with the aftermath of tragedy.  Then he finds a very special victim, one only he can help.  How can he refuse, when the price he must pay is so small?  But others come.  Their need is great.  The price is rising, but how can he turn them away?  Martin is going to find out just exactly how much one man can give.

WIth In His House, the collection veers into allegory.  An artist is trapped in a house, surrounded by a tempest, afflicted by some very strange housemates.  It's all real... in a way.  Only a profound journey of self-discovery can set him free.  It's a tense and deftly-written story, and it packs a tremendous emotional wallop.

These stories will stay with you long after you're done reading them.  Don't miss In Our House.

Review - Grease is the Word

My rating: 4.5/5

George Berger's brain doesn't work like yours and mine.  He's one of those people who makes you glad the Internet and indie publishing have caught on, because his work is totally unpublishable and yet so completely worthwhile.  You simply have to check out one of the most unconventional, quirky, and irresistible voices out there, and this short story is an excellent place to start.  First, it's short.  Very short.  Not much time investment.  And the fiduciary investment is even less.  It's free.

Grease is the Word is a thrilling tale of ex-special forces operatives working in the private sector, on a covert mission with stakes that are - well, exaggerated, frankly, but certainly unexpected.  This will be one of the funnier things you'll read this month.  Check it out.

Watch for George's ground-breaking epistolary novel, as yet untitled, coming out some time in 2012.

Grease Is The Word, Free at Smashwords

Review - The Weight of Blood (The Half-Orcs)

My rating: 4/5

I have mixed feelings about this book.  It contains some of the most powerful storytelling I've seen in a long time.  The story has fantastic impact, and I can't wait to learn what happens next in the series.  It's a deeply affecting story that will get right under your skin.

Yet it's hampered by writing that's a bit clumsy and by a need for decent proofreading.  The story overall, the big picture, is mind-blowingly good.  Line by line, sentence by sentence, it is reasonably okay, and that's all.  Now, if I had to choose between a lame story told with consummate skill and a brilliant story told in an unpolished way, there is no question which I'd choose.  And despite my misgivings, this is certainly a book I recommend.

Harruq and Qurrah Tun are half-orcs living in a human city.  They're the ultimate outsiders, abused and distrusted by everyone around them.  They only have each other, and the bond between them is tremendously strong.  Then Qurrah meets a powerful magician, a necromancer, who can elevate him beyond his wildest dreams using some very dark magic.  Harruq is where he's always been, at his brother's side, disturbed by the unpleasant things he must do to support his brother's magic, but unwavering in his support.

The tension mounts when Harruq meets an elven woman who is as decent and kind as the necromancer is dark and twisted.  He would choose his brother over his enchanting new friend without hesitation, if not for the growing rumbles of his conscience...

The Weight of Blood is a complex tale full of action, moral ambiguity, and gut-wrenchingly tough choices.  Harruq is a surprisingly charming, likeable protagonist, despite the ugly things he does to support his brother.  It's a very dark story of complicated people trying to find the right path in the most difficult circumstances imaginable. 

The orcs, elves, and humans are to a large extent lifted straight from Tolkien.  The book is fairly light on world-building, with most of the author's attention going to the exploration of characters and relationships, and to plenty of sword-swinging action.  The book is bursting with adventure.

Did I mention that David Dalglish is a very bad man?  He gives the book away for free, knowing that you will become hooked (you will, trust me) and have to buy the rest of the series.  You can save a buck or two, though, by buying the first three books in an omnibus.

The Half-Orcs is a five-novel series.  Watch this blog for reviews of the remaining titles.

Check it out on Smashwords.

Review - eFiction Magazine October Issue

I've been trying to get to this all month.  It's too good not to recommend, but it's nearly time for the November issue and I give up.  Not that the magazine is hard to read; far from it.  I was out of the country for two weeks and hideously busy the rest of the time and I've only had time to read about three stories so far, so here is my unofficial review based on what I've seen.

October was the Halloween-themed issue, and it's a good deal spookier than the usual eFiction fare.  Marcin Wrona's #Baphomet is worth the price of admission all by itself.  It's a compulsively readable, indescribably creepy story about a teenage boy getting himself in WAY over his head.  It's a really excellent piece of writing, and it's enough all by itself to make a subscription to eFiction totally worthwhile.

I read a few more stories.  Quality levels varied, but each story was worthwhile in its way.  eFiction Magazine is a non-professional magazine, with corresponding weaknesses and strengths.  I don't mean it's unprofessional or sloppy or lacks standards, just that not a lot of money changes hands.  There are stories that wouldn't quite cut it in a pro magazine, but they're still quite meticulously written and edited.  There are also stories like #Baphomet, which is as good as anything you'll find online or in print.

eFiction is put together by writers and staff who clearly love what they're doing, and they've created something that's well worth your time.  Some of the writing is a little rough around the edges, but there are unpolished gems you just wouldn't find in a shinier, more expensive magazine.  I would be proud to have my own writing in eFiction, and I'm planning to submit some stories. 

I'm looking forward to the November issue.  Read it online for free at eFictionMag.com or subscribe on your Kindle.

Review - This Brilliant Darkness

My Score: 3.5/5

This Brilliant Darkness by Red Tash is a dark, pretty scary, quite original, and wholly unpredictable horror novel.  It's so chock-full of unconventional characters and truly weird plot elements that it's almost impossible to summarize, but I'll try.

Christine Grace is an American college professor.  A whole batch of weird things happens to her in short order.  A strange unmoving star appears in the sky, and it's only visible over Bloomington, Indiana.  A dark immortal creature is hunting her.  A man she's never met but has long felt connected with has come to Bloomington.  A mysterious young religious pilgrim is seeing her in visions.  And one of her students is exhibiting strange powers.  It's all connected, and somehow Grace is at the heart of it.

I liked the complete absence of familiar tropes.  I couldn't tell you what book this book compares to.  It's startlingly original.  It's also pretty well-written.  There is mystery, romance, rising tension, complex and compelling characters, and an ever-present sense of dread.

Some things I didn't like.  It's almost too weird at times.  Two of the characters are so deeply odd that the scenes written from their point of view are nearly incomprehensible.  Also, I must warn you - this book has some pretty gross imagery.  It's not TOO bad, but there is a scene early on, I'll just say that it involves a blood clot and leave it at that.  Not really a problem, but you should know that this book is not for the squeamish.

There is brilliance in This Brilliant Darkness.  If you're tired of the same old paranormal cliches, this will knock your socks off.

Read This Brilliant Darkness on Amazon.

Read This Brilliant Darkness on Smashwords.

Recommended Reading - A Kingdom's Cost

Read A Kingdom's Cost
James cradled his pounding head in his hands. He owed his father--something. Not vengeance. There wasn't enough vengeance in the world for what the English had done. But he'd at least get back what they'd stolen. Somehow, he'd do that. "I swear it," he whispered.

The year is 1300 and James Douglas is living in France, poaching deer and attending school.  When he loses his father to the wars between England and Scotland, he returns home to fight for Scotland's freedom.

Naturally things get worse.  He rallies behind William Wallace, then watches helplessly as Wallace is executed.  A new Scottish hero emerges in the form of Robert the Bruce, but the British hold Scotland in an iron fist and the Bruce is forced into hiding.  Meanwhile, the woman that James loves is imprisoned.

James becomes a cunning and ruthless guerrilla fighter.  Can the British ever be defeated?  Will James be captured and hanged?  Or, even worse, will he become as savage as those he fights against?

J. R. Tomlin has written a fascinating, layered, thoroughly entertaining historical novel about a violent and crucial slice of Scotland's history.  Packed with drama and adventure, written with skill and assurance, and true to the events of history, it's a novel I can recommend without reservations.
Read A Kingdom's Cost

Recommended Reading - Trouble with Trinkets

Buy Trouble with Trinkets
Buy The Jonathan Kaye Adventures 1-3

"Upper window it was, with the possibility of escape through the back or even the kitchen if need be. People mostly gave way before a drawn blade. But if he could get in and out without causing a stir, so much the better."

Trouble with Trinkets is a thoroughly engaging short story by M P Ericson set in a fantasy version of 18th-century London.  Jonathan Kaye is a professional burglar who gets more than he bargained for when he steals a trinket box which is the key to some powerful magic.

The story will hook you from the first page, where you learn that a kindly, motherly woman selling ribbons door to door is actually casing the neighbourhood for her son, the cracksman.  The characters are engaging and the situation is filled with mystery and menace.  You will want to reach through your screen and grab Jonathan by the shoulders so you can shake him and say, "Don't steal the shiny bauble!  You have no idea how much trouble you will be in!"

This is top-quality writing.  Sometimes indie books make me cringe a bit, and I find myself thinking, "This book was self-published because no professional publisher would ever touch it."  Trouble with Trinkets is not like that.  This is an excellent, polished, irresistible story.

There are three Jonathan Kaye stories.  You can buy Trouble with Trinkets independently ($1.99) or as part of a story collection ($3.99).

Buy Trouble with Trinkets
Buy The Jonathan Kaye Adventures 1-3

Recommended Reading - The Morcyth Saga

Check Out the Morcyth Saga

The Morcyth Saga is no-nonsense fantasy epic from indie author Brian S. Pratt. There are seven volumes in the Morcyth saga, each one stripped of flowery prose and crammed instead with action. They're nice, thick books, most of them running to well over 400 pages. If you're looking for sword-and-sorcery adventure with the emphasis on excitement, Pratt is your man.

Brian Pratt started writing in a serious way when he got tired of waiting for certain other fantasy novelists to finish their multi-book epics. Robert Jordan in particular was exasperating him. Not only were years passing between instalments of the Wheel of Time series, by the middle of the series the books just weren't to Brian's tastes. He headed for the keyboard and set to work rectifying the problems as he saw them.

First of all, Pratt is very prolific. He writes his books rapidly, and he finishes the entire series before he releases them. There's no waiting around to find out what happens next.

He wrote with certain priorities. There is action in every chapter. There is one main character and he is in every chapter. There is no more description than absolutely necessary.

His books are certainly not for everyone. The Morcyth series is written in the present tense, and the writing distinctly lacks polish. You won't have any doubt that you are reading an indie author. This is not the kind of prose that you'll get from Tor.

However, Pratt has thousands and thousands of dedicated fans. Clearly he's doing many things right. If George RR Martin's books seem fancy and pretentious to you, if you think the Wheel of Time turns too slowly and could use more mayhem, then Brian S. Pratt could be just what you're looking for.

The best part is, you can check him out for free. The Unsuspecting Mage, book 1 in the Mocyth Saga, is available from Smashwords at no cost. Yes, it's a marketing ploy to get you hooked and make you buy the entire series. If it works, you won't mind in the slightest.

Check Out the Morcyth Saga

Recommended Reading - The Journey

Buy The Adventures of Jecosan Tarres. Book 1: The Journey



Today's recommendation is another series by the talented Laura Lond.   The Adventures of Jecosan Tarres starts with The Journey, a heart-warming story of a boy and his dog.  It's also a pretty cool adventure story with a plucky orphan, magic, a kingdom in peril, and a growing threat of war.

In The Journey we meet young Jeco, an orphan who fends for himself, gathering mushrooms in the forest and selling them in the local village.  His only friend is Gart, a loyal and remarkable dog.  Gradually Jeco is drawn into the society around him.  It's a coming-of-age story, a tale of a boy learning who he is and what his place is in the world.  There's no stuffy navel-gazing here, though.  He's soon off on a dangerous journey to see the king and try to prevent a war.

It's an engaging, entertaining story with an irresistibly likeable young hero.  It's cheap, too.  Just a buck.  Check it out.

Actually, right now is a great time to pick up The Journey.  Surf over to http://excusememissptd.blogspot.com/p/99-cent-ebooks.html and check out the "Buy one, get one" blowout.  Buy a book for a buck and get a second title free.  My book Lord of Fire is there as well.


Buy The Adventures of Jecosan Tarres. Book 1: The Journey

Recommended Reading - Vengar the Barbarian

Buy Vengar the Barbarian


I challenge you to read the opening paragraph of this brilliant heroic fantasy parody and not keep reading.  Here it is.  I dare you.

"It was the third week of the Hyperbolic Age and things were going just terribly. In fact, if the previous two weeks were any indication, the Hyperbolic was a real stinking crap heap of an age, rife with senseless wars, vicious earthquakes and great belching, burping volcanoes. It was pretty much the worst thing to grace a calendar since the abominable eighth day of the week, whose vile name is best left forgotten."

I laughed out loud on pretty much every page.  I recommend this outrageous, hilarious tale to you without reservation.  It's short, a couple of dozen pages, in that grey area between long short story and short novella.  It's cheap, too.  A buck.  You can't go wrong.
Buy Vengar the Barbarian

Recommended Reading - A Dance of Cloaks

Buy A Dance of Cloaks


Don't get started on this trilogy if you have plans for the day.  These books are hard to put down. 

David Dalglish has created a fascinating, complex world in this series, with characters who are complex, ambiguous, and evolving.  It's also crammed full of cool stuff.  Assassins.  Thieves.  Torture, poison, and betrayal.  Here is the author's description:

“I cut off his hand, yet he thanks me for not doing worse. That is the power you must one day command. Let them think every breath of theirs is a gift, not from the gods, but from you.”


----
Thren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. Marshalling the thieves' guilds under his control, he declares war against the Trifect, an allegiance of wealthy and powerful nobles. His son, Aaron, has been groomed since birth to be his heir. Sent to kill the daughter of a priest, Aaron instead risks his own life to protect her from the wrath of his guild. In doing so, he glimpses a world beyond poison, daggers, and the iron control of his father.

A DANCE OF CLOAKS by David Dalglish


Assassin or protector; every choice has its consequences.

It is clear that Dalglish takes the profession of author seriously.  His writing is polished and assured.  Every element is handled well, from a fast-paced plot to elaborate, logical world creation, to characters who feel like real people and speak with distinctive voices.  He populates the book with familiar elements from the sword and sorcery genre, but most of it feels fresh and unpredictable. 

The writing could benefit from a little bit of polishing.  There are some ambiguous pronouns and a few phrases that feel clumsy.  Overall, though, it is an excellent novel that will keep you turning pages. 

Buy A Dance of Cloaks