Kindle Book Review - The Blandford Fly by D. N. Moore

The Blandford Fly is a ninety-five-page book containing four bewitching novellas that take the reader on a voyage of discovery. Every tale has a different theme, so the reader is always on the edge of their seat and keeps turning the pages to discover what the next story has in store for them; each tale is distinctive and captivating. The anecdotes arise from the science fiction, futuristic, ghost, and horror genres. Why is Danny Carson so obsessed with bugs? How does a doll save Davie McDaniel? Who puts sardines and ice cream together? Furthermore, who is the ghostly presence in "Radio Sweethearts"? Read The Blandford Fly by D. N. Moore to find the answers to these questions.

The cover of this book is beautiful and makes you want to find out what the stories inside are like. D. N. Moore writes exceptional narratives with full-bodied characters and exciting locations, which immediately become real, which I thoroughly relished. Each tale is unique, with unforeseen twists,  which kept me enjoying the story to the end and beyond. Readers will recall them for a long while after they have been read. Although these tales are short, each is fulfilling, well thought out, and well characterized. I believe the story "Sardines and Ice Cream" would work well as a stand-alone book, as Moore could follow so many more avenues.

The story I liked least was "The Living Boy: A Very Strange Christmas Story" it is a futuristic/science fiction story that leaves a lot to the imagination. This novella revolves around a human mother and son who are the slaves of doll people. It was too short; compared to the other stories in this compendium, it needed more substance.

I rate The Blandford Fly, 5 out of 5 stars as it is a compelling selection of stories. Unlike most compendiums, all the stories are very different. There were a few grammar errors, but they did not spoil my enjoyment.

D. N. Moore suggests that The Blandford Fly would best suit young adults. I recommend it to anyone who likes short stories, particularly fans of sci-fi, horror, supernatural, and futuristic genres. I would not recommend it to anyone younger than older teenagers, as there are some swear words but no sexual references. The Blandford Fly is the first book I have read by D. N. Moore. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more books by this author.

I want to thank D. N. Moore for a copy The Blandford Fly in exchange for my honest and impartial review. You can see more of my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill

 

Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill begins by introducing us to Kim, the book's main character. Kim lives in a world where only the gender-neutral colors beige, pale blue, and pale green are allowed. Kim's is a world where robots called house bots are the norm and help people's lives run smoothly. Kim has been working for the Artificial Intelligence Company training automatons. When she joined the company five years before, she wanted to prove herself and get promoted. 

Outside of work, Kim lives in a nondescript house in this world where there is no freedom or private life. She is expected to abide by many rules, covering all aspects of life, from food choices to childbirth, conversational topics to entertainment choices. Everything is monitored and evaluated; not sticking to these rules results in quick and savage punishments. Kim has begun to find that her work has turned repetitive and boring, and she has realized that her so-called perfect world is deeply flawed. How can Kim break away from the controlling world she lives in? Who or what is Kimberley, and why does she increase Kim's frustration with the life she has? Furthermore, how does an incident with a friend change Kim's life forever?

I thoroughly enjoyed Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill. He handles the subject of a world where nothing is questioned and every day is the same as the day before brilliantly. The story has been well thought out and planned. There could have been some confusion between the robots and the humans, but Stanfill describes the personalities of every character and robot so well that I could easily picture each one. Stanfill's writing expertise makes understanding all areas of this dystopian world easy. In some ways, the living conditions are similar to the world now; there is still a divide between the rich and the poor, but machines rule Stanfill's world. My thoughts about my own world's future were challenged, which I also enjoyed.

There is absolutely nothing I disliked about Terms of Service, the debut novel by Craig W. Stanfill. I recommend it to adults who enjoy science fiction and fantasy. There is no swearing in this book, but there are a lot of erotic and descriptive passages about intimacy and sex. Moreover, much of the sex is fuelled by excessive alcohol and drug taking, which makes this book inappropriate for a younger audience.

I want to give Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill 5 out of 5 stars. I did not find any spelling or grammar errors; the book has been edited and proofread perfectly. 

I would like to thank Craig W. Stanfill for giving me a copy of Terms of Service in exchange for my impartial and honest opinion.

You can find more of my reviews here : http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

Book Review - Angel Falling by A.D. Landor

 

A group of angels led by Archangel Prince Anael is known as the Seventh Flight. It has been their job to clean every planet of false idols and to leave them peaceful and calm. However, they had not counted on the Succae, a race of immortal vampires who live on the planet Cerule. Years before, the Seventh Flight had fought many bitter battles with the Succae, which lasted over one hundred years. The Seventh Flight was systematically reduced in number, but the Succae were able to replenish their ranks with freshly possessed bodies. Eventually, this led to an uneasy truce between the angels and the vampires. Azshael is a fallen angel. The rest of his race shuns him because he fell in love with Ischae, a Succae diplomat. Angel Falling by A. D. Landor tells the story of Azshael, who is asked to investigate the murder of a Succae elite on Angel's soil. He soon realizes that the murder is like that of his dead lover. To get answers, he teams up with the Succae's Serrate Lytta, and together, they discover a conspiracy that could destroy the uneasy truce and once again ignite a war, fighting good versus evil. Azshael has enemies on both sides. Will he survive to find out who the murderer is?

I loved so much about Angel Falling. The art used for the cover of an angel in battle armor, ready to fight, is precisely how I pictured Azshael. I particularly liked Landor's writing style; some of the sentences are beautiful and poetic; for example, on page eighteen, "He was the Succae Warlord incarnate, and all around him light diminished as inevitably as the dusk devours the day." A.D. Landor uses unusual names for the characters, which are relatively easy to pronounce. I liked this as it allowed the story to flow well. Landor describes a fantastic fantasy world of angels and vampires that is the perfect environment for Azshael and Serrate Lytta's murder investigation. The diverse mix of characters is well-defined and gives the story great depth. Many plot twists kept me turning the pages to find out whether this unlikely angel and vampire duo found out the truth behind the murders!

There was absolutely nothing that I did not like about Angel Falling by A. D. Landor, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to adults who enjoy fantasy and science fiction stories with the added element of a murder mystery.

I want to give Angel Falling 5 out of 5 stars. Apart from one grammar error, the book was well-edited, well-written, and absorbing. I look forward to reading more books by A. D. Landor.

I would like to thank A. D Landor for a free copy of Angel Falling in exchange for my unbiased review.  You can see more of my reviews here :  http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

Review of WatchDogs Abnormal Beginnings by Michael L Junior

 

WatchDogs Abnormal Beginnings by Mike L Junior is a science fiction story. It tells us about Drake Nathan's cybernetic chip, which alters a human's DNA, healing various ailments, including cancer and blindness. Over time babies are born with the altered DNA without the need for a chip. This is the start of the demise of Earth as we know it. Technology comes to be so developed and sophisticated that ordinary people need to learn how to use it. This is the Technology Era which soon dies, and then the Apocalypse Era begins, and civilization as we know it dies. Ordinary couples start giving birth to babies with strange skills. These newborns are known as Abnormals. The Abnormals are segregated and hunted like animals. Kaarina and Monty are two orphaned Abnormals making their way to Xenora to enroll in the Berserkers Guild. Here they hope to find understanding and a feeling of family. Kaarina and Monty are being hunted. Will they ever get to Xenora? What are Kaarina's and Monty's special powers? What is the Berserkers Guild?

Mike L Junior has used great descriptions to give the reader a feel of the different scenarios. Much thought and careful planning have gone into the storyline, and Junior skillfully builds the layers of each character until we know them like a friend. The chemistry and interaction between the different characters are captivating. 

Despite the good points, there were a lot more things that I did not like about WatchDogs Abnormal Beginnings. Every chapter finishes with xyz in lowercase, but there needs to be an explanation as to why this is. For example page one hundred and fifteen, "The group happy to finally get a chance to eat decent food began to kick it into high gear, leaving the Snowy Mountains behind. xyz". The missions are named after the alphabet, for example, A-class, C-class, and S-Class. I got confused about what they all were and what their point was. I think there needs to be more information given so that readers can understand how they differ from one another. I was disappointed that despite all the thought which has gone into this book, there are areas where there has been no thought at all, which let the book down. One sentence is beautifully descriptive but is spoilt by adding the words "bag full of stuff" for example, on page seven, "The night sky filled with flakes of snow off the hills of a brown snow boot worn by a youthful Middle-Eastern scarlet-haired female running through a forest carrying a bag full of stuff." Furthermore, the lack of editing spoilt my enjoyment of the book, there are grammar and spelling errors on most pages, and this spoils the flow of the story! 

I would be delighted to recommend WatchDogs Abnormal Beginnings by Mike L Junior once it has been revised, but in its current state, I would not be happy to recommend it. However, if you enjoy post-apocalyptic, science-fiction, action, and adventure stories and you are not a person who is irritated by grammar and spelling errors, then you would enjoy this book. There are a lot of strong swear words and some sexual passages that are very descriptive and leave nothing to the imagination, so I recommend that only open-minded adults read it. Also, if you are religious, you may not appreciate parts of the book which question whether there is a God. 

WatchDogs Abnormal Beginnings by Mike L Junior could have been an outstanding read. The idea and planning that have gone into it are fantastic, but the execution and lack of editing badly let the book down. Unfortunately, as the book is at the moment, I can only give 2 out of 5 stars. This book needs editing and proofreading by a professional to deserve more stars! 

Review of Ubiquita by Gary Winstone

 

Ubiquita by Gary Winstone begins with Daniel fighting his way through a forest. He is exhausted, has various injuries, and is wet through. We do not know why he is there or where he is going, but it will soon be sunset, and he is not safe! Daniel builds a fire to ward off animals and keep him warm; he removes an unusual golden necklace with a triangular medallion from around his neck, which he inherited from his grandad. Daniel is taken back to when he was eight and his grandad was dying. His grandad gives him a journal in which he has written down all his adventures, and he makes Daniel promise to continually explore and try new things. Daniel became a palaeontologist fascinated by nature and travelled the world. He is so wrapped up in his own life that he loses touch with his father until a telegram arrives saying his father has had a severe decline in health and he needs to come back to England. Daniel's dad is dying, and while he sleeps by his bed, Daniel is woken by a strange light as the medallion glows and moves and gives life to three golden, winged creatures. What is this magic? Why did Daniel's father hide the medallion and journal from Daniel and pretend it was missing? What will Daniel find when he explores what happened in Peru a hundred years before? Furthermore, who or what is Ubiquita?
 

Ubiquita is Gary Winstone's first foray into writing science fiction. I was fascinated by the adventures in this well-written and well-thought-out novella. I loved how Gary Winstone describes death and how eight-year-old Daniel understands it. This is beautifully descriptive and pulls at the heartstrings. Winstone is very poetic when he waxes lyrical about the medallion, for example, location ninety-six "Before long a rippling sphere filled the centre of the medallion, gently rotating, swirling, casting warm light across the room." I particularly like this sentence which I think should be a mantra for everybody, location six hundred and ninety-three "The more you know, the more you know you don't know." Gary Winstone shows an excellent knowledge of physics and astronomy. This book has a slow build-up to an exciting ending which I did not expect.

The cover is the one thing I dislike about Ubiquita by Gary Winstone. It looks like someone has drowned, and it does not give the reader an insight into this brilliant science fiction story which takes the reader on a mysterious adventure.

I recommend this to adults who enjoy science fiction, adventure and mysteries. There is some swearing in the book, which is inappropriate for a younger audience.

I absolutely love Ubiquita by Gary Winstone. There are several grammar and spelling errors, but these do not detract from the story, and I rate it a resounding 5 out of 5 stars! The book is brilliantly written and beautifully captivating right from the start, and Ubiquita is a novella I will remember long after reading it. I look forward to reading more books by Gary Winstone!

Book Review - Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book One) by Janet McNulty

 

Solaris Seethes by Janet McNulty begins by introducing us to Rynah. Rynah works as a Security Officer at the Geothermic Center based in an underground laboratory on the planet Lanyr.  Once a year, all systems are shut down for fifteen minutes to be cleared of unnecessary data. Today just as everything is shut down, Rynah is appalled to see people from the Lunyra Movement break in, led by Klanor, her fiance! Klanor steals a crystal that controls Lanyr's magnetic fields. Without the crystal, the magnetism becomes misaligned. It causes, amongst other things, volcanoes to erupt, earthquakes, and disruptions to the weather. Rynah escapes through a secret tunnel to find that her planet is dying. All around her is carnage. She remembers a hangar where her grandfather had hidden an antiquated ship. This ship is the mysterious Solaris. It is over fifty years old but in fantastic condition. Escaping the destruction of Lanyr, Rynah must put her trust in Solaris while following an archaic story that has come down through the generations of her people. Together with four humans, each from a different time in Earth's history, Rynah tries to track down Klanor before he can find the other five crystals. Why are the crystals so important? How are humans able to help Rynah? Will the antiquated Solaris be up to the job? Furthermore, what was the argument that cut her off from her grandfather? 

I liked that hidden moral lessons show the reader how to become a better person and understand their friends, seeing them for who they really are, not just the side they show the world. It was clever to make Solaris intelligent and sassy. I read about the growing friendship between Solaris and Rynah with interest. I particularly enjoyed their arguments. I love all the colorful descriptions in Solaris Seethes. For example, on page eighteen, "Rynah sat up, allowing her emerald hair to flow over her lavender-colored (a very light shade at that) skin; specks of gold accentuated her waves of dark emerald tresses, forming highlights that even the dim lighting failed to hide." Janet McNulty's descriptions, especially of Rynah, are beautiful.

Solaris Seethes is science fiction. However, I would have found it more enjoyable and interesting if it had been believable. The story is based on another planet, meaning they have different words for things, yet when Rynah is in pain, she takes aspirin. As aspirin is a word used on Earth, I think it would be unlikely that another planet would also have aspirin in its vocabulary! Also, Rynah teleports four people from Earth who have no concept of her world even existing. Solon from 751 BC, Alfric from 1163, Brie from 2014, and Tom from 2099. They are supposedly intelligent, grounded people but ask a few questions after being teleported, then go with the flow. If I had been suddenly zapped up to another ( and very different) planet, I would want to know: Why have I been chosen? What can I expect? and when will I go home?

I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars due to the dislikes mentioned. The idea for the storyline is brilliant. However, the author executes her ideas poorly, from the long-winded sentences, which make the book boring, to the unbelievable and two-dimensional characters. As this is the first in a four-part series, I hope the books get more interesting as the author progresses!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fast-paced science fiction, particularly younger adults or older teenagers; there is some swearing but nothing sexual.

Thank you to Janet McNulty for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

 

Book Review - Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G Baker

 

Zona: the Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker is written in three parts. The first part introduces Grant Taylor, a 32-year-old single man who works part-time at the University of Chicago and conducts paleogeography research. It is 2015, and Grant has just arrived in Russia. His scientist Uncle, an explorer, whom Grant was close to, disappeared a year ago while on an expedition to an area usually off-limits and has been pronounced dead.

Grant has inherited his Uncle Randall's house, wealth, and belongings.      While sorting these out, Grant finds secret hiding places containing an envelope full of money, several unique keys, a loaded gun, and ammunition. Furthermore, a letter in a bank safe deposit box is only marked for Grant's eyes, highlighting Randall's enormous concerns about the trip. Why did Randall have a loaded gun? Moreover, what do the keys open? The book's second part describes Grant taking part in a further expedition to Zona, and the third part takes us to the heart of the Camp at Zona itself. Along the way, Grant meets many intriguing characters. Grant puts himself in danger to discover what happened to his beloved Uncle Randall. Is Randall dead, or is he very much alive?

There is so much that I love about this book. Fred G. Baker is a very talented author who thinks of
everything to give readers the best possible experience from his book. I found it very useful that at the front of the book are maps of traveling to Zona and a map of Zona itself together with a diagram of the campsite. These are handy additions and helped me to follow the story better. I enjoyed Baker's similes in this book. For example, on page fifty-four, "I felt like a peanut in a vise, and the squeezing was just going to get worse." I enjoyed learning about all the characters who come to life on the page, in particular Boris Ustinov, Randall's Lawyer, who had much more than a passing interest in Randall's expedition to Zona. Trina Ustinov, a niece of Boris, is a beautiful legal aid trained in science and law. Grant starts a relationship with her but still does not feel she is to be trusted, and Captain Oleg Godunov, a fellow scientist, warns Grant that there is more to his Uncle's disappearance than is being told!

I did not find a single part of the book which I did not enjoy. Zona: the Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker is a fantastic story that is well edited, I did not find a single mistake in spelling or grammar.

I want to rate Zona: the Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker 5 out of 5 stars. It is a fantastic and absorbing read which I thoroughly enjoyed!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books involving science fiction, mystery, romance, adventure, and intrigue, as Zona: the Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker has all of these in spades. There is a reasonable amount of strong swear words, so I would suggest it is aimed at an adult audience.

Thank you to Fred G Baker for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

Book Review - We are Voulhire : A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz

We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is an exciting fantasy story. The author starts by setting the scene and tells us that the King of Voulhire has four sons. As the boys grow older, the King realises they are competing with one another in anticipation of the future and claiming the throne for themselves. To diffuse the situation, the King bestows a gift of an island to each son and all the money they will ever need. Unfortunately, this plan does not work, and a controversial civil war leads to a precarious truce.

Matthew Tysz does a brilliant job of creating different characters who are very well described so I could picture them in the story. Nearly all of the characters have magical power; e.g. page seventy, "Some schools of magic teach their students to dance to become in tune with their abilities, and they go on dancing in all practices of magic."

The main character in this story is Galen Bray, a young man who has grown up on one of the war-torn islands. His Uncle, a Master Blacksmith on Voulhire, fell out with his family years before. When he realises he does not have long to live, he tracks down Galen and sends money for him to travel to Voulhire and begin a new life. The story is mainly told through the eyes of Galen and his new friend Rowan who is the executor of his Uncle's will. We see Galen's disappointment when he arrives in Voulhire to find his Uncle has died. We see how Galen's character grows in confidence as he becomes immersed in his attempts to bring prosperity to the town, pursuing his aspirations to learn the blacksmith's trade and take over his Uncle's blacksmith in Voulhire. Always lurking in the background is Meldorath, a powerful and greatly feared wizard. Matthew Tysz cleverly uses the characters to help you visualise the geography, context, and politics of Voulhire.

I was fascinated by the adventures in this book. It is a well-written and well-thought-out entrance into the new and mystical land of Voulhire. Many characters have fantastic and magical powers, which intrigue the character development and storylines. It is a complex but exciting tale which draws you in and ends on a cliffhanger, hungry for more.

I was not too fond of how the book jumped between different characters and storylines. This made the story very disjointed and confusing in places. The reader needs to stick with the book to discover how everything marries towards the end and the links between the different characters and plots. I felt this should have happened far earlier in the novel, as not every reader is prepared to wait that long.

My rating for this book is 4 out of 5 stars. This is a fantastic book but confused and disjointed in areas. 

Anyone interested in Fantasy and Magic would enjoy this book. There is a lot of swearing in the book and sexual references, so I suggest older teenagers and adult readers.

 

Thank you toMatthew Tysz for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

 

Book Review - Unlight by Chandra Shekhar

 

A massive cloud of dust has blanketed the Earth, causing the temperatures to drop to minus 127 degrees centigrade. Unlight by Chandra Shekhar is the story of Larry Brandon's forward-thinking vision to build a shelter he calls the Shell, which will keep his family safe while the Earth repairs itself. The story is told, in part, through diaries kept by the family, and we see different ways the situation is affecting them. From Elizabeth, the gentle, calm grandmother in her 70's. Her daughter Nicole  a top surgeon in her 40s. Teenage daughters Anna and Jessica; Anna who is thoughtful and kind, and Jessica, who is prone to criticising just for the sake of being critical. To Larry, Nicole's fiancee, a self-made billionaire and well-known engineer who has masterminded the Shell. We not only hear of their life now but get background stories telling us about their life before. While most of the world had ignored the threat until it was too late, with humans unable to survive such inclement weather conditions, the world's inhabitants froze to death. Believing they are the last people left on Earth, the family must work together to keep their shelter working for them because their lives depend on them working as a team.

It was refreshing to read a book with no swearing, and although sex is touched upon, it is all left to the reader's imagination. I liked how Chandra Shekhar works the characters so that they all influence their new life. There is not one person in charge dictating to the others. I liked that Unlight is a gentle but thought-provoking book; it is science fiction but has no strange life forms or made-up words. The people in it could be you or me, just in a new life in a changing world.

I feel that Unlight would have been more realistic if there was some confrontation between the characters, in particular Jessica, who begins by being a stroppy, very opinionated teenager, but within a few chapters, her character completely changes, and she is considerate, helpful and wants to please. People do not change that quickly in real life. I also did not think it was believable that Larry had a large team of people helping him to build the shelter and they were all happy to walk away once the shelter is finished knowing they would die? I feel there would have been at least some of the people who would have been able to create their own Shell or would have fought to access Larry's. 

 This book is very readable but needs some conflict to balance the harmony, there is no excitement, and this makes the book bland at times. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

As this book has very mild sexual content and no swearing, I would recommend this book to adults and teenagers. I think it would be enjoyed by readers who like science fiction stories which make you think -  this could happen!

Thank you to Chandra Shekhar for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

Book Review - Tales From The Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick

 

After watching The Twilight Zone, Curtis Stephen Burdick was inspired to write Tales From The Gray Area. This book contains seven intriguing novellas which take the reader on a journey of discovery. Every story has a different theme which means the reader is constantly on the edge of their seat, turning the pages to find out what happens next. Curtis Stephen Burdick is an author who has researched the subject matter of the tales he tells, and each novella is unique and spellbinding. Each story investigates an aspect of universal life that remains unqualified, hidden in the depths of what Curtis Stephen Burdick terms 'the gray area' despite being questioned and theorized throughout human existence. His tales stem from the science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian genres. Each has its fulfilling ending yet leaves questions for further inquiry. In my opinion, the stories Vacation From Hell, Alien Addiction, and Sorceress could easily be made into full-length books as the endings are real cliffhangers.

In Tales from the Gray Area, Curtis Stephen Burdick writes excellent descriptions of the people and places, and they instantly become real, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are constant twists in the tales, which kept me wanting more up to the end of the story and beyond. These are the stories the reader will remember for a long time after they've been read. The story I liked best was a tale called "Vacation from Hell." This novella revolves around fallen angels who agree with the Devil to go on vacations on Earth. They inhabit the bodies of those who have sold their souls to Satan. A fallen angel named Dwayne begins to love the family of the man whose body he uses as his vessel, and the story is all about his struggles. I like this tale for its fascinating plot and fantastic ending.

The only thing I disliked about this fantastic book was that I was left wanting more at the end of every story! I rate Tales From The Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick a well earned 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this to anyone who likes short stories, particularly sci-fi and horror fans. I suggest it is marketed at adults as there is a lot of swearing in some of the stories. This is the first book I have read by Curtis Stephen Burdick. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you to Curtis Stephen Burdick for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.