Arcadia by Iain Pears

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Arcadia'-A Sci-Fi Fantasy by Iain Pears.

Arcadia by Iain Pears is a work of time travel, but not in the traditional sense. It creates alternate times and parallel places that are accessed by an incredible machine built by a mathematician named Angela Meerson. Secretive and elusive Angela holds the secrets and buries them in various places of the past and future, and then she goes about disappearing herself.

Unwittingly others are a part of her story, as Henry Lytten in the 60’s lives his world of teaching and espionage, while Rosie Wilson feeds his cat. She is entranced by the stories he writes, but she is also a curious girl who stumbles into a place she doesn’t know.

Then there is Jay, he lives in a very quiet and peaceful setting unrelated to the others. However, through the mode of this machine and the necessity of keeping it secret these characters find themselves intertwined with each other as Angela’s old company and enemies think they have found her in her new life.

Looking for clues in both the past and future, they have stumbled on what they think is the answer. Can more than one world exist in parallel time?

Pears has given us a Sci-Fi fantasy that keeps you looking for answers. It carries mystery, danger, suspense, and an overall array of genres to keep even the most die-hard reader engaged. His characters are charismatic and the ideas feel radical with a bit of realism. He makes the elusive Angela a strong and abrasive character. She knows she is hunted, and is haunted by her findings. She tries to align her characteristics with the different places she moves through in order to move with impunity. She knows there are those who would see her dead and use her discovery for evil, yet she must continue on her quest.

She must find a way to perfect what she has discovered before it is too late. By moving throughout the past and present as her enemies draw near she is able to stay clear of their manipulation. Henry, Rosie and Jay are all a very important group as they are catalysts to various moves and as the hunt reaches threatening proportions the characters find themselves in an array of dangerous happenings.


If you enjoy literary fiction, Sci-Fi and fantasy, mystery, suspense and danger you have found the right material to keep you interested. Creating a set of worlds and creating such an interesting array of lives Pears takes us into the unknown and shows us magic and danger in a way that makes it fun.

Rating 4/5

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Maze Runner' by James Dashner.

What would happen if you found yourself in a strange and dangerous place with no memory of your past? What if the only thing you could remember was your name?

In The Maze Runner by James Dashner, you are introduced to a world where death is often just around the next corner. A group of boys find themselves in a strange place they call the glade, trying to survive, and if possible escape back to their home. Yet, while they know they have a home, they have no memory of anything prior to the maze. With above average intelligence they have found a way to build a society of sorts in order to survive.

When Thomas finds himself in a box with no memories, he is terrified when the box begins to move, and stopping abruptly opens to his vision of a strange group of teens he does not know. They pull him out of his trap only to treat him unkindly, and in fact seem somewhat threatened by him. His fear only further increases as he slowly learns more of this place where he finds himself. As the danger of his situation comes somewhat clearer, he tries to find any memory, even a small speck to help him understand. There is nothing there.

There are dangerous creatures outside the walls of their protection called grievers. Within the walls they are safe, except from each other, but the world outside the walls is treacherous. The society each has a task to do to keep the peace, and one of the most dangerous tasks is that of the runners. They must find the secret of the maze hidden outside their walls in order to return home. Every day the maze changes and every day the changes are mapped for some form of answer.

Strange things appear to be happening, even more so since Thomas was discovered in the box. Although that is how everyone arrived, his presence seems to cause a shift. That distrust only becomes clearer when a new inhabitant is introduced through the box. This time it is a girl. Initially uttering strange phrases, shock emanates from the team when she immediately recognizes Thomas and calls him by name. Yet as she is pulled from the box she too no longer remembers. The tension only thickens as they realize she is the last. No more members will be coming through.

When Thomas breaks the rules by rescuing two of the runners from outside the walls he causes a rift, and yet creates believers as well. Is he their doom or their resurrection? The time of the maze is closing. Can they save themselves or will they perish, never knowing the answers.

Dashner creates a world of danger and suspense. His creatures are a cross between technology and the ugly things that go bump in the night. He has done an amazing job of creating characters that are likable, and those who are the bullies and jerks, just as we see in the real world. The fear is pervasive, creating uneasy hysteria and nervous inhabitants. The intelligence of those selected helps them to form a society, one necessary to sustain them and to help them come up with answers. The danger feels real and the fear follows you as you begin to understand the characters. The confusion keeps you guessing, cheering and hoping.

This is a great work full of danger and fear, and riddled with suspense. While a great YA novel, adults will also be interested in the depth of the story. This would be a great addition to your book shelf, as well as that of your teen.

Rating 5/5

 

Review and Giveaway: Untimed by Andy Gavin

Article first published as Book Review: Untimed by Andy Gavin on Blogcritics.

Have you ever felt alone? Possibly even invisible to others, while the world goes on around you? Does your name elude those who you have just been introduced to, followed by blank stares of puzzlement?

In Untimed by Andy Gavin, we find such occurrences that seem out of place and time. When a young boy sees a curious figure, mechanical in nature, he decides to follow.  Charlie has been one of those that seemed to be invisible all of his young life. Even his mother had difficulty remembering his name. His father was never home, his work kept him occupied, so Charlie felt like an odd outcast.  When he sees this strange anomaly, he is fascinated but also very scared. Looking much like a living clock, he begins to refer to it as the Tick-Tock man.

As Charlie follows him, he finds himself in another dimension, a different time. What he has just accomplished is impossible, or is it? Immediately upon arriving in this new past, he is robbed by a pickpocket, a young girl who appears more vivid than anything else in the entire landscape. He must follow her for his belongings, but the vibrancy also calls to him. When he finally finds her, he realizes she is very much like him. Only she knows more about time travel, and the entire traveler’s history than he could even dream about. The Tick-Tock men are dangerous to those like them, and as they escape through time, they set off a chain of events that threaten the ruin of the world as they know it. His father has found a way to leave him a message, he has been captured, and it is up to Charlie and his new friend to make things right.  Can they pull off a feat that not even the most seasoned and knowledgeable time travelers have been able to accomplish?

Gavin has given us a fun and energetic romp through time, littered with history, unforgettable characters and charm. He draws different scenarios as history is changed in blundering fashion by this young duo, as they attempt to undo the damage they began.  The characters are engaging and the clock men become a strange enemy. The interesting retakes on re-made history are fun, and the emergence of the shadow selves adds interest.

Be prepared to leap into adventure with Charlie and his friends, working against the clock and the Tick-tock men to save the world though the ability they are born with, of traveling through time. Meet the most interesting of people throughout the past, as history is changed in an effort to divert disaster.

If you enjoy mystery, adventure, time travel and science fiction you will enjoy this work. A young adult novel, it will also cater to those that are young at heart and history buffs.

This is a fun and unique take on time travel and you will enjoy the trip.

Untimed Book Summary:

Charlie’s the kind of boy that no one notices. Hell, even his own mother can’t remember his name. And girls? The invisible man gets more dates.

As if that weren’t enough, when a mysterious clockwork man tries to kill him in modern day Philadelphia, and they tumble through a hole into 1725 London, Charlie realizes even the laws of time don’t take him seriously.

Still, this isn’t all bad. In fact, there’s this girl, another time traveler, who not only remembers his name, but might even like him! Unfortunately, Yvaine carries more than her share of baggage: like a baby boy and at least two ex-boyfriends! One’s famous, the other’s murderous, and Charlie doesn’t know who is the bigger problem.

When one kills the other — and the other is nineteen year-old Ben Franklin — things get really crazy. Can their relationship survive? Can the future? Charlie and Yvaine are time travelers, they can fix this — theoretically — but the rules are complicated and the stakes are history as we know it. And there's one more wrinkle: he can only travel into the past, and she can only travel into the future!

Link to excerpts from Untimed:
http://all-things-andy-gavin.com/untimed/sample/

Andy Gavin's Bio:

Andy Gavin is a serial creative, polymath, novelist, entrepreneur, computer programmer, author, foodie, and video game creator. He co-founded video game developer Naughty Dog and co-created Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. He started numerous companies, has been lead programmer on video games that have sold more than forty million copies, and has written two novels.

His first book, The Darkening Dream, has been well-received by fans and critics alike. Publisher’s Weekly called it “gorgeously creepy, strangely humorous, and sincerely terrifying.” Untimed is an even more ambitious follow-up. It is a lavish production with a cover by acclaimed fantasy artist Cliff Nielsen and twenty-one full page interior illustrations by Dave Phillips.

Prices/Formats: $5.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $24.00 hardcover
Publisher: Mascherato Publishing
ISBN: 9781937945053 ebook, 9781937945046 paperback, 9781937945039 hardcover
Pages: 325
Release: December 19, 2012

Amazon paperback buy link ($14.99):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937945049?tag=tributebooks-20Kindle buy link ($5.99):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQN4OZS?tag=tributebooks-20

Please enter for a chance to Win a copy of Untimed by Andy Gavin. Sign up using the rafflecopter below. This givaway is sponsered by Tribute Books.

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Lodestone, Book Three: The Crucible of Dawn by Mark Whiteway

Article first published as Book Review: Lodestone, Bood Three: The Crucible of Dawn on Blogcritics.

In a world of Science Fiction, what seems unbelievable at first glance seems to come to fruition some years later. Many of the gadgets we are familiar with today, first found credence in the mind of a writer.

In Lodestone, Book Three: The Crucible of Dawn by Mark Whiteway, we follow the continued exploits of a group of Kalani who are trying to save their world, and release their people from oppression. The humans have found a cache of Lodestone, a substance from a different universe, located on Kalani, and have enslaved much of the population, forcing them to mine the ore. Using the powerful Keltar to force obedience, life for the Kalani has become a hopeless drudgery. Lodestone is highly sought for its use in weaponry, although the Keltar have used it for generations as a tool to help them quell the Kalani. Assigned to take charge of the mining, the Keltar do not realize the treachery of the humans. While the Keltar feel they are in charge, the humans have found a way to hide their real purpose.

A spirited young female Kalani and a group of ten unlikely heroes set out to cross the Sea of Storms, ready to use the four components of Annata, to save their world. Having secured the components necessary, Shann and Rael, two of the carriers are lost at sea, with their fate unknown. Lost on an island, Shann and Rael find themselves right where they need to be. As time winds down, and with the help of a strange and legendary Chandara, Boxx, can they overcome the internal conflicts and work together to find a way to find to disarm or destroy the human’s strange new weapon?

In their quest to find the answers, they find unique and remarkable truths about themselves. As the time grows short and all is at stake, will the Chandara make a stand? What is their place in the interplanetary dispute? With the strange abilities of Boxx, and his odd way of speaking in riddles, can our group of heroes convince the Chandara to help them in their final quest?

Whiteway has done a remarkable job of staying true to the Science Fiction of old. He has developed a world full of promise and passion, and peopled it with a race of beings, unique in appearance. Along with the Kalani, and the Keltar, the planet is also home to some dangerous beasts, such as the murghal and valthar. Also making their home on this planet are the strangely enigmatic Chandara, once thought extinct. By weaving technology and learning, a superior avionics division, and a hostile world full of strangely barbaric inhabitants, Whiteway has given us an unusual twist to the credibility of his world and characters.

Described in detail his world is easy to envision, and his characters have the ability to come alive and leap off the pages. A fun and exciting read, the story is also full of angst and personal demons. The flow is exceptional, and the story is quite enthralling.
I would recommend this to the science fiction aficionado, but the story would also be appropriate for the YA reader. Full of fun and danger, action and adventure, and characters that either charm or repel the story holds an unforgettable appeal. This would be a great book for your library, and while you are contemplating the purchase, you might check out his previous novels. He just gets better and better.

Rating 5/5

I received the book free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Vallar by Cindy Borgne

Article first published as Book Review:Vallar by Cindy Borgne on Blogcritics.

In the never-ending road to power and control, other countries, states and continents continue to want what belongs to others. Not at all unique in any way this has been the way of the world for countless centuries. Yet the same control ensues in space, when others have more. The big and mighty look for ways to take what the other worlds have.

In Vallar by Cindy Borgne, Ian Connors and his friend Nate Forshay are seers and have visions of things that are about to happen. Well, the expectation is that they both have visions. Nate has been very adept with his, and they have been instrumental in helping their fleet on its missions. Ian is still struggling with his visions, and yet it is known that he will be able to help in the same way as his best friend Nate. This ability is not common, and they are held in the highest regard. In fact they are elites, giving them strong standing in the army. They report their findings to Admiral Beacon, the man in charge of all missions.

Marscorp has control and intends to keep it so when others begin encroaching on the horizon; they shoot first and ask questions later. There are only a few others, but they will risk it all to gain enough to live by. Marc, though is a bully and wants it all, although not everyone is aware of this. Ian finally begins to have his visions; they are not what he expects. They begin about a girl. As they progress, he gets more information and in an effort to do what is asked, he finally gives Beacon information about a mine in the area, one being sought after by the Genners. As usual, Marscorp goes in with guns blasting, killing and maiming, while the Genners only want to work together, the Marcs want it all.

Worried about the girl in his vision, Ian is also disillusioned by it all. He begins to hide his visions and makes an effort to use them to track down his vision of this girl. What does she mean to him? He feels something but he is not sure. When he has a vision of one of the Marc ships blowing up and those aboard being killed, he takes his concerns to Admiral Beacon. The information makes no difference; the Admiral will not stop in his effort gain control. He does not believe a ship can or will be destroyed, but if it is that is part of this war.

Ian is in disbelief and further hides his visions, not wanting to be a part of what he sees happening. Using his own ship, with his friend Nate along, he decides to go where the action is and try to save those at risk. Little does he know that not only does he risk his own life, but he has also just risked the life of his best friend. When his ship is destroyed, one of the Genners saves Ian, but his friend Nate has disappeared. How does life go forward in such a brutal and hostile environment?

Borgne has developed some great characters, and made them quite human. Ian and his friend Nate are the quintessential teenagers, those we know and see every day. Nate is a bit ahead of Ian in the game, but girls are one of their primary thoughts. Then there is action and adventure, but foremost there are girls. It is interesting to watch Ian develop and become something more, to step beyond the youngster he was to become the young man he is soon to be. His thought process and feelings are quite admirable.

Admiral Beacon is cast as the evil villain, and while he talks a good game of what is right for them as a culture, his cruelty shines through his civility. He is not able to hide the underlying ruthlessness that has put him at the top of his game. He will do what it takes regardless of the consequences, and it will take everything Ian has and more to survive.

Even his foster mother, while you can tell she has feeling for Ian, her fear of Beacon overshadows that love. This is a quick paced and action packed YA Science Fiction adventure that keeps you hopping.

For the young adult reader, the Science Fiction buff, and even those that just enjoy a good action adventure, this is an interesting and quick read. If you are looking for a story to interest your young reader this may be just the thing to keep them reading.

Rating 4/5
Vallar

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Riser by Becca C. Smith

Article first published as Book Review: Riser by Becca C. Smith on Blogcritics.

Recognizing death by the black swirling holes located at the center of each corpse she can see, Chelsan Deree finds she has the ability to manipulate the dead. However, not only can she manipulate these once live bodies, but she can also see those that are re-animated by others of her bent.

Chelsan learned at a young age that she has a strange and macabre talent when she killed her brutal and malevolent stepfather. Using her own talent of re-animation, she has maintained the facade not only for her mother but also in order to live a seemingly normal family life. Finding she could not be very far from the corpse though, she found herself quite restricted, including in her choice of schools. The only school close enough to keep up this charade, was a wealthy private school. Understanding she would be out of her element, she is accepted to attend.

Living in a trailer park, barely eking out an existence, she and her family do not have the type of money that those from her new school find necessary. Befriended by two different students, Nancy and Bill, she is relieved. They like her and are not ashamed to be with her. Nancy, because she can and does not care what others think, and Bill, while he has the same motivation, is also one of the richest kids, and makes his own rules. It is Ryan Vaughn though that really intrigues Chelsan. While he tutored her, he was kind and considerate, and just a bit shy. Once the tutoring was completed though, he then barely seemed to acknowledge she existed.

In Riser by Becca C Smith, we follow the lives of Chelsan and her friends. When Chelsan’s life is turned upside down by the death of her beloved mother and her already dead stepfather, she feels as though she has nowhere to turn. In an odd dream like state her mother is able to communicate to her how she was killed as well as how Chelsan became the way she is. It is only now that Ryan makes a stand to stick with her, but Bill and Nancy rally around as well. However, one student in the school, Jill, continues to mimic and create problems for Chelsan, setting her up for trouble at every turn.

Now hunted by the man responsible for her mother’s death, she must make some decisions, and utilize the help and ingenuity of her friends. Death and danger seem to follow them everywhere, and Chelsan finds she must take a stand. Can she and her friends end the killing and find a way for others to hold those responsible, accountable for their actions? Using her skills and talent, can she overcome one of the most powerful men in the world?

Smith has found an interesting and unique talent to highlight her heroine. She brings us a futuristic world, and yet maintains a realistic verve, by creating a very life like rendition of high school as a backdrop. She introduces many of the same games and hazing that occurs in schools everywhere, an used this spring board to catapult our characters into danger and despair.

The characters are wonderful, very much like those we encounter at school and at home, although coming from a high-end lifestyle. They have the same fears and prejudices that create many of the same problems world over, and it is easy to understand the insecurities. Even Jill our protagonist engenders a bit of sympathy at times, based on the information we learn about her own background.

This is a fast paced book full of energy, but with a unique blend of both the believable and unbelievable. We have a form of zombies, a bit of transference, a futuristic world, great friendships, and romance.

This is a fun and frenetic YA read, and if you are your family enjoy fantasy with any of the above mixtures this will be a hit. The action is exciting, the story is both sad and yet a bit strange and the romance is fun. Throw in some re-animation of not just dead people, but bugs and plants as well, you get a generous helping of this unique and strangely credible talent. Smith has written a distinctive and compelling story full of generous and interesting characters, with just that blend of evil and destruction that keeps you guessing.

Rating 4/5
Riser

This book was received through the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Training of Socket Greeny by Tony Bertauski

Article first published as Book Review: The Training of Socket Greeny by Tony Bertauski on Blogcritics.

Having been involved in the destruction of the Duplicates, those copies of the human race, out to destroy the human population, Socket Greeny is back. In The Training of Socket Greeny, Tony Bertauski has further developed his story of Socket Greeny and brought us another installment of a great science fiction tale. Socket is the protagonist and now very involved in the training program for the Paladin Nation.

The training is harrowing involving many techniques we associate more with martial arts and mind control than actual physical power. Socket struggles to understand why his trainer, Pon, continues to use Duplicates as targets. Eradicated during the first war, why are they still considered the enemy? Trying to clear his mind of such questions, he must concentrate to win this latest round, which involves a replicate of his mother.

This exercise is to get him to a level where he can destroy the Duplicate before it murders his replicated mother. Even as Socket continues his attacks, the program learns his process making it more difficult to beat. Trying to use the different techniques learned through his trainer, he hopes this time to win. His day is not complete until he beats the program. He must be ready for the Realization testing, which will determine whether he becomes a Paladin.

After succeeding at saving his replicated mother, Socket takes the time coming to him to return to his home and look up his friends Chute and Streeter. As he relaxes, he realizes that he feels different. Is the stress of training causing his entire system to break down?

When he struggles to locate his friends, he finds that Streeter is going through an addiction, one he must control himself, and that Chute has made a life of her own, one that does not involve her friendship with either Streeter or himself. Yet the connection is still there. As usual, unable to leave things alone, Socket ends up using his new skills when he and his friends are threatened.

Punishment for using his skills is swift restricting further leave until after testing. Socket Greeny is returned to base to continue his training. When Pon steps in as a sparring partner, anger sparks within Socket, which unleashes a power that creates major damage to Pon. But Socket cannot remember what he has done or how. After he heals, Pon continues as trainer but only with instruction, Socket no longer sees him. What did happen and how did Socket cause it?

Pon is hiding a secret; one the Paladin Nation must see themselves. When the discovery occurs, a new war breaks out. Can Socket help the Paladins save the human population a second time?

Socket has grown and developed new and frightening abilities while working and training with Pon. Chute and Streeter too have grown, creating a chasm in their relationships that will be difficult to redress. As Socket tries to bridge the gap, he continues to break rules initiated by the Paladin Nation, which puts him at odds with everyone involved. He is beginning to lose himself, beginning to become invisible to those he is close to, which is a result of becoming a Paladin.

Pon has become a force in Socket’s life. He is trustworthy and loyal, and yet Socket is not sure of him. He does not understand the forces behind Pon, which drive him. Pon is a strong and charismatic trainer; he brings to mind the training received by David Carradine in Kung Fu. Pon is elusive, brave and above all, full of wisdom.


The characters continue to grow and develop, and while you miss who they were, you enjoy watching the changes. They are still the same group of kids, but have developed more into separate individuals, and with Socket being the pivotal character, he keeps them safe and together.
The Paladin Nation seems a lot like boot camp with the officers and rules. It has its positives as well as negatives, and sets high expectations for its recruits.

Tony Bertauski has done an amazing job building a world full of characters that you can relate to. He has put together a race of Duplicates that can be anyone at any time. I would recommend this book for the young adult reader that enjoys action and science fiction. It is full of both, a read that is hard to put down.

Rating 4/5
The Training of Socket Greeny

This book was received as a free download from the Author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Expert Assistance by Robert Collins

Article first published as Book Review: Expert Assistance by Robert Collins on Blogcritics.

Going from being broke and having no opportunity to redeem yourself to having two opposing gigs is something that can really throw you off stride. When one job entails protection of a seriously spoiled Diva, and the other entails helping a rebellion to succeed on a compromised planet, how do you choose the one most important. Or do you?

Jake Bonner is a down and out spaceship pilot. He is in hock and only has a ship because it was abandoned in space where he was able to connect to the ships computer, Odin. Without Odin, most of what Jake has accomplished would not have been possible. All the same, Jake is in trouble. He is unable to pay his debts so when Odin is able to secure him not just one job but two; he is ready to take charge.

Evvie Martini, a young pop star, is his initial workload. He is to chauffeur her and keep her safe during her tour. When her tour just happens to coincide with his second opportunity it seems like luck is smiling with him. Daniel and Clarissa Rosen need help overthrowing the dictatorial ruler of their planet. This is more to Jakes liking and abilities, but the money is necessary from his chauffeuring gig. In between concerts and tours, Jake is hard at work helping the Rosen’s along the way on their rebellion. Keeping the two jobs separate is really becoming an issue, and when Evvie finds out what he is up to there is no stopping her. She is now convinced that the publicity she would receive by being involved in helping in the rebellion will give her better standing with her fans, and when her parents and publicist agree, Jake is in for the time of his life.

Expert Assistance, by Robert Collins is a funny and perverse look at putting together a rebellion on a shoestring. Using his interesting team, which now consists of Odin, his computer, Evvie, and the Rosens he is in just a bit over his head. Can they come together in such a way as to help Antioch Two succeed from its leader, and free those living in oppression?

Collins has written a fun and somewhat absurd science fiction that tickles your senses. Evvie is the quintessential teen, full of drama and full of herself. She is amusing and like any other teenager works at breaking the rules. When she has an opportunity of a lifetime to become part of a rebellion she is in it up to her neck. She jumps in with both feet and her presence is part of what makes the whole situation possible. She is like many other teens you run across, and it was unexpected to find she was actually pretty sharp.

Jake Bonner is a self-starter, long on brains and abilities, but never quite up to snuff at staying ahead of the money game. His ship is really all he has and when he realizes the constraints his finances have landed him in, he is game to jump into the fray. He seems to have an innate sense of humor, and is able to roll with the punches. Oden, his shipboard computer rounds up his personality with witty and fun as well as challenging repartee. This dialogue keeps the humor and action going at a quick pace.

The Rosens are just a nice couple who want changes on their planet. They are looking to help free their people from oppression, and have many ideas but most of them are just quite absurd and they look to Jake for answers.

If you are looking for a fun read with interesting characters this book will be up your alley. It will also resonate with the science fiction buff, but be prepared for just a bit of slapstick humor. The pace is quick and the action is continual. A fun and interesting read.

Rating 3/5
Expert Assistance

This book was received as a free copy from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Pilgrennon's Beacon by Manda Benson

“Freak” It is a word Dana hears often at school. But what is it that makes Abigail consistently go out of her way to bully and hurt her. Using her ability to make technology work for her just by thought, she finally finds sanctuary in Pauline and Graeme’s rambling home. Her brother Cale ignores her as is his wont but she knows he understands and cares about her. He too is autistic, and she has to suppose that this difference in her is what draws Abigail’s ire.

Because of the constant bullying at school she hates it, and it extremely uncomfortable going. To make it even worse this time she has closed herself in the bathroom, and when Abigail finally gets in, a tremendous fight breaks out. Dana holds her own and actually smashes Abigail’s nose in the process, but as she falls backwards, she loses her balances and smashes her head on the porcelain. The next thing she remembers it being in the hospital having x-rays taken of her head. She is not afraid of the hospital, the machines and their interface’s sooth her, but when the x-rays show a piece of metal in her head, all of a sudden her life begins to change.

Trying to get away, feeling for the first time like the freak she is, she sneaks out of the hospital only to be found by a woman who claims to know about her, named Jananin. She knows about her abilities, and actually claims to be her mother. Convincing Dana that she can help her, she tells Dana stories about her own past. She also gives Dana a rendition of how she came to be. Ivor Pilgrennon features heavily in the story, and as the tale continues, Jananin includes her own plans to use Dana to destroy him.

As Dana is drawn into the scheme and finds Ivor, she finds him to be everything that is opposite of what Jananine suggests. Not wanting Ivor to know of her duplicity she nevertheless hangs around and finds a comfort that she has been missing. Ivor has realized the damage he caused in his youth and is doing what he could to reverse the damage.

Using Jananine’s computer Dana finds an interesting game called Cerberus to keep her occupied while on Igor’s island. Somehow, this game is the center of everything that is wrong in the country and once Cerberus realizes Dana is somehow able to react in ways it does not understand she then becomes a threat to its existence. Now not only is Dana in jeopardy but everything and everyone she holds dear is no longer safe. She has become the Pandora of modern times and released an evil, which is unrelenting. Can she stop it before it is too late? She is unable to undo what she has done. Will she be able to stop the consequences? Can Jananine and Igor come together in time to help Dana before it is too late?

In Pilgrennon’s Beacon, by Manda Benson we meet an unusual cast of characters. Dana is a young girl, autistic in nature but with extra abilities added through early experimentation by Pilgrennon. She is a product of some genetic splicing as well as the plate being added, which gives her the capability to speak with computers of all kinds. She can work with cell phones, GPSs, and Satellites to name a few. It is interesting to watch the interaction. This also brings her added attention, which at her age in school makes her a freak. This too weighs heavily on her. She is drawn into a life unlike anything she has ever known, and she has to change her concept of reality.

Igor Pilgrennon and Jananine are like an old married couple who hate each other, and yet also find they must work together to save the world from a technological menace. They are a great foil and bring a balance to the story.

This is a fun and fast-paced story, and if you or your child enjoy science fiction, it will be right up your alley. Well written, the characters are strong, and it is easy to visualize the scenes as they progress. This would make an interesting book for a reading group with many things to discuss.

Rating 4/5
Pilgrennon's Beacon

This book was received as a free copy from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the information.

My Superhero Sister By Toni LoTempio

In the tradition of comic book heroes everywhere, Toni Lotempio has put together a fun and energetic young adult fiction dealing being an outcast in a family of superheroes. Holly Hamilton is a normal young teen and takes after her mother. Now many would not find this to be an issue, but Holly does not live in a normal family. Her father is Invincible Man, an incredible Super Hero. Again, this is kind of cool unless of course your sister takes after that side of the house. In her case, Ellen was the recipient of the super power genetics. Her super name is Suprema. Holly’s friend Mona thinks she is jealous of her sister, but Holly knows that is just ridiculous. I just does not seem fair that she does not have even a bit of superpower herself.


In school, she also has to compete with her sister who is also super cool, even without her powers. She is on the cheer squad, and well-liked by both the students and the teachers. Holly is not good with the same types of studies, but she does excel in science. During lunch, she notices that two new students have started at school. Eddie is kind of a geek but Holly’s friend Mona thinks he is dreamy. Holly on the other hand finds Tad the other new student to be quite attractive. He appears to be attracted to her sister Ellen.

When the family finds out that Anti Hero has escaped Space Station Prison, they are deeply concerned. Invincible Man was retired because during the capture of Anti Hero, he had lost most of his super powers. He had almost lost his life. When a new hero shows up, Holly wonders if it is possible that Anti Hero has found a new way to finish the job on her dad. Can she figure it out before it is too late? Can she, with her scientific mind be the one to save her family?

In My Super Hero Sister, Toni Lotempio has taken a normal family with all the interactions of any that you meet, and yet added another dimension with the super powers. There is sibling rivalry, and jealousy, and yet there is love and caring as well. Holly is a fun character, full of deviousness and energy. Her friend Molly is a great foil to her personality and brings out the devil in her.

Holly gets into all kinds of scrapes, and wants so much to be a part of everything. When she tries to find Magna Boy’s alter ego, she puts herself in danger. Can she find the answers in time to save her father and sister? Will she finally be the hero of the hour?

This would be a fun book for the young adult on your list. It is a cross between a novel and a comic book. It is fun and exciting with characters that have super powers. As usual, they are trying to save the world from evil. It is well done and quick paced. The conflicts and personalities feel like those you find in school and with friends. This is a nice and light read, with a twist of fun.

Rating 4/5
My Superhero Sister

This Book was received as a free download from the author. all opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning

Article first published as Book Review:Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning on Blogcritics.

The nightmares continued night after night, Tom Oakley was always someone else in the dream. The faces were not any that he recognized and the time was somewhere in the past. Each occurrence dealt with the death of the person whose body he inhabited during the dream sequence. If that was not bad enough he was having issues when he was awake as well. He would seem to lose time, or find himself in a different place with no memory of how it happened.

He begins to think he is crazy, he is only eleven years old and his friends as well as the other kids are starting to look at him strangely. Even his parents are concerned. It is during this time he meets Septimus Mason and his life changes forever. Septimus hooks him up with Professor Neoptolemas, of the Hourglass Institute. It appears that he would like Tom to join the Tomorrow's Guardians.

When Tom declines, the Professor offers to take away his powers so that he can live a normal life, but first they need his help. He needs to help them rescue the three that he dreamed. Each of them is also walkers, out of time. In each instance, while they died in history no body was ever found. To the Professor this was proof that they must be saved.
Tom finally agrees, he wants to live a normal life, even though the time walking is cool, and he is very good at it. Making the plans to get the deeds done, Septimus agrees to help. There are other factions at work. Redfield is one of those who want Tom to fail. Tom is a threat to the course of history and there are those who feel he should have never been born. When he finally moves on to his next task he finds that Redfield will do anything to make trouble for him.

As Tom returns to his home, he finds he no longer has a home; his parents were killed in a fire before he was born and so he should not even be there. Yet he is. Because he was already in the future, he is still alive but has no parents or past. Can he go back to the past and save them? What will it take to rescue his parents and keep them safe in the future?

In Tomorrow’s Guardian, Richard Denning has put together a story of events out of British History. The time walking is done with an eye to reality, and the characters are engaging and sometimes wicked. Drawn from real life, the events are real, and Denning makes each rescue an adventure. There is danger and cunning inherent in each incident, keeping the action sharp and engrossing.

Denning’s characters are unique and fun, each with their own story. Tom is a great heroic figure for being a child and yet time after time he uses his ingenuity to outsmart the bad guys. He does not always understand the undercurrents of the episodes as they occur, but he invokes trust in those around him. He is mortified that he is the cause of his parent’s death, and will do anything to undo the terrible wrong that occurred.

Each of the other characters is a foil to Tom’s courage and ability. They are capable of acting on their own and yet when teamed with Tom they become major players.

I would recommend this to parents and young adult readers. It is an interesting and speculative look at time travel in a bit of a different light. It is adventurous as well as fun. The characters are interesting and the story will resonate with the young at heart. This would be a great addition to your child’s library.

Rating 4/5
Tomorrow's Guardian


This book was recieved free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Promise Kept by Brandy Hunt

Article first published as Book Review: Promise Kept by Brandy Hunt on Blogcritics.

In a history set in 2187, Lila Howell works as an archival historian. She works for the Security ministry, a part of the New Dawn Government also known as N. D. Her psychic abilities as well as her youth in a Crèche make her a commodity. She takes the autobiographies of those that lived through the passing. While the ministry continues to try to manipulate her, she has vowed she will never use her psychic abilities to hurt anyone. Her recent assignment leaves her concerned and confused. It is a bit unlike her previous orders, and signed by three different people, and unusual occurrence.

The woman she is to read is Susanne Newton, a woman in her nineties who worked and helped to found the New Dawn government. Someone is looking for information on the Southern Dragon. This is information suspected to be known by Susanne and is important to someone in the ministry. Lila finds herself intrigued with Susanne from the start. She is charismatic and has lived and amazing legendary life. Susanne is a farmsteader, whose best friend Larissa is with her in the home where she lives. In fact, Larissa has been involved with Susanne over the years, in both fortune and war. The stories from Susanne open her resolve and have her thinking about her own life and relation-ship with her family.

Second-guessing the quest, she finds that she herself has come under scrutiny by the very government she works for. She is being followed and her every move is being questioned. Who is the one known as the Southern Dragon and why would this very entity also aged into the nineties create such and effort at search. Lila finds herself at risk and yet as she continues her job, the more she learns the less she understands. Can she still get the information and protect Susanne, or will she have to disappear before her very life is no longer of value?

In Promise Kept by Brandy Hunt, the story is set in a world far in the future. A future that has changed and evolved over the millennium, and yet the farmer, or farmsteaders are those that maintain their freedom. Part of the change and yet able to withstand the winters and changing landscapes, even now they offer both hope and fear for the masses. Well developed, her characters are endowed with strengths as well as flaws, which draw you to them. They are likable and real, or the alternative, looking out for number one, not caring about others. This is much of what we see every day and it appears as though humanity remains much the same in this futuristic world.

Lila is a young woman with a gift that is valuable to the government. It lifts her from a life of drudgery, which is what many can only aspire too. The thing that the Ministry does not understand about her is that she has a strong sense of ethics. They can only push her so far. Susanne and her life brings out a spark in her that she did not know was missing.
Susanne herself is a wonderful and charismatic woman, a storyteller. But what interesting and amazing stories she tells. It is easy to forget her age as she brandishes her sword and battles the reevers and other dangers in the earlier times. Her friend Larissa is by her in every instance and story, both of them strong and courageous. Something we can all aspire too. The story is interesting and full of love and surprises, with an ending that will invoke envy.

I would have to recommend this book for reading and book clubs. It is both interesting and insightful, a book to grace anyone’s library, especially those that enjoy this genre.

Rating 4/5
Promise Kept

This book was recieved as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Talisman of Elam: Children of Hathor-Book I by Jim Mastro

Article first published as Book Review:The Talisman of Elam: Children of Hathor-Book I by Jim Mastro on Blogcritics.

Something is happening in young Jason Hunter’s life that he does not understand. He is seeing some very odd things and when he discusses them with his parents they just nod and smile. He is determined that he is being followed and is in danger, but he is not able to get them to believe him. He finally talks to his friend Kevin Hayashi with whom he now shares everything. They are the best of friends ever since Jason saved Kevin from being beat up at school. As Kevin is trying to get more information from Jason about an object he found in the woods, another student shows up, Amelia Reis. She too is a friend of Kevin’s and although has heard all about Jason, she has never met him.

Amelia does not fit in with the in crowd in school and is more like Jason and Kevin than anyone else. When Kevin invites her to listen in on the stories he is hearing from Jason, she is intrigued. Because she constantly has her camera with her and is a very curious person she is a good fit for adventure, and has the making of a great new friend.

Once she has left, Jason gets Kevin to come over so that he can help him follow his neighbors, whom he has dubbed the freaks. These are the very same people that seem to be following him, so he and Kevin decide to follow them into the woods. As night breaks, and the freaks leave their house for the woods, Kevin and Jason are right behind, they have every intention of finding out what is happening. When they run into Amelia in the woods, Jason is a bit upset, but she is adamant. She too is following these freaks, and will not leave.

Finding a hidden space ship is the very last thing that any of them expected. Even worse, they find that not only have these neighbors been following Jason, but that his real parents have been kidnapped and only he can save them. He must travel to space and find an ancient talisman, both to prevent destruction of the earth and to save his parents from death. As his friends finally agree to help him in this quest, little do they know that they will learn secrets about themselves unknown to all, and that not only the earth is in danger but the entire galaxy itself is in jeopardy. They find strengths within that make them the perfect foil for Jason, who discovers that he is the Heir of Elam. With the help of Shalan, one of the freaks as he calls them, he becomes someone he does not recognize, and yet it is what he needs in order to survive.

In The Talisman of Elam, Jim Mastro has put together a story of adventure and suspense, a tale that can only be dreamed of. The story is strong and bold, delivering an impression of realism, with characters that walk right off the pages. Jason has to grow up quickly, and he steps up and takes the challenge. Kevin is bright and very much into gaming, and with his background he is able to guide the space ship through dangerous situations, saving the group on several occasions. Amanda, with her background in languages, is very adaptable and picks up new languages easier, but is also the most human, wanting to be home, while the boys are enjoying the situations as they occur.

Shalan starts out as an unknown and while she is still very introspective throughout the first part of the book, when she finally breaks out of her shell she is courageous and very intelligent. She knows the information that will be needed, and when she is injured and almost killed, it takes everything that Jason, Kevin and Amanda have to keep her alive. She is their only link to both where they are going as well as their homes on earth and they need her.

The pace is quick and flowing, with strange and unique individuals, different and dangerous travel, and an exciting type of magic, which is imbued only to the owner of the Talisman.

This is a great young adult book, but with a strong story for anyone that is an enthusiast of science fiction. This is a first in the series of this young group of travelers, and I look forward to hearing more about them.

Rating 4/5
The Talisman of Elam

This book was received as a free copy from the Author. All opinions are my own based of my reading and understanding of the material.

The Discovery of Socket Greeny by Tony Bertauski

Article first published as Book Review: The Discovery of Socket Greeny by Tony Bertauski on Blogcritics.

As technology takes hold in the world of today, imagine a world of tomorrow where virtual mode is used in every school system in the land. Leaving skin behind and entering into the internet, taking on a sim as a body, being who or whatever you want. But certain areas are approved through the schools and yet as with any rule, these are made to be broken, and other areas are hacked into, and small private wars are fought with other schools. Socket Greeny’s best friends are Chute, and Streeter. Streeter is the one with the computer savvy, and also the hacker extraordinaire. Chute is kind of like Socket’s friend, but also like his girlfriend as well.

On a day like any other, as they find themselves in their hacked universe, a small war ensues with the rival school. Socket’s sim is damaged beyond repair, and as his team covers him, protecting his simulated body from further damage, he makes an amazing discovery. He can feel, and touch, which should be impossible in virtual mode. This is only simulation and not real and yet, it feels real. No pain but definitely real. He sees a shadow of someone familiar, and yet his friends have no idea, they cannot see or hear anything unusual. But they do know that Socket is acting odd, talking to no one that is there. As they are attacked once more, Socket pulls from deep inside and causes time to stand still; giving his team time to get together, but with the stand still, the earth begins to split, right up the middle, enclosing everything in its path. He blacks out and when he awakes he is back in his chair at school, the virtual mode is down and all hell has broken loose.

And he feels wrong somehow. Everything is different, as he and his friends Chute and Streeter are escorted to the office for creating problems, he finds that his mom has called and will be picking him up. Now he knows that trouble has found him, and yet, when she picks him up she does not comment on his day. She takes him to her place of work. Here she introduces him to some of the people that she works for, and he finds that he will be tested and probed for his experiences and his thoughts.

His life as he knows it has just taken a huge curve, and he will be tested beyond endurance, and learn things about his parents that he never knew. He is in danger at every turn, and he continues to outpace his guides, in a game of life and death. Will he be able to help save the human race, or is it too late. Has it all been left too long? Will he ever be able to see Streeter and Chute again?

In The Discovery of Socket Greeny, Tony Bertauski takes us deep into the virtual mode, to a world of imagination. Everything you want to do and whoever you want to be is possible. He sets up a group of heroes, shining knights if you will, a group of those with extraordinary powers who have chosen to save the human race. Time is of the essence and Socket has become a part of a larger picture, one he is not ready for. The time has come for him to fulfill his destiny, and to step into his father’s shoes.

But who is he to trust when it is known that there is a traitor in their midst. He is pulled away from everything he knows and from his friends from home. His mom is acting like she does not know him most of the time, and he is never on his own. Everything he does is poked and prodded, and he is not ready to be what they want. An yet, he knows deep down that it is exactly what he wants, but will it be too late?

His friends stand by him even when he disappears for a length of time, and forgive him for much. They love him and will do whatever it takes to bring him back to who he was. Little do they know that they too are being sucked into a war that is soon to happen.

The characters are interesting, and at times quite brazen. I have problems understanding his mother, but she does have some redeeming qualities. When Socket needs her, he finds that he cannot always rely on her. The bad guys are deep from within the virtual mode itself and are ready to use it to take over the earth. There are some fun creative animals which show themselves to be quite useful, but are also very serious and yet frolicsome.

This is a great novel for the Young Adult, or even those that are just young at heart. It is fast paced with incredible insight. The friendships are close and the interplay among Sprocket, Streeter and Chute is just plain fun. This is just what I remember about being young, but Sprocket has to grow up fast, and I believe that there is just the right amount of adventure to keep you reading. I recommend this book for your young reader, and believe that they will enjoy the adventure.

Rting 4/5
The Discovery of Socket Greeny

This Book was received a a free E-Book from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Incredible Origins of the ONYX SUN by Christopher Mahoney

Zack Godspeed is a pretty normal  ten year old kid, he has a mom and dad who love him and he lives in a normal neighborhood. He loves baseball and he hopes to make friends. What sets him apart from the other kids is that he is very smart and he has a a very abnormal Grandfather. His grandfather is  not just odd but even looks odd. He is extremely tall and thin, bald except for a tuft of white hair that sticks out from the front of his head and he wears nothing but white. No other color whatsoever. Due to the oddity of Zack's grandfather whom he loves very much he is constantly picked on at school. Today was no different, when Tom Riley the school bully shoves him down and takes his beloved baseball. This time however he is rescued by the strange new student Angelina Maximillion. She is known as Max, well respected by the other students although she only has a few friends, mostly just the boys. She lives with a foster family and has been moved around frequently.

 When Zack turns to thank her, she has disappeared.

Zack's grandfather frequently disappears for days and sometimes months and no one knows were he goes. He often shares secrets with Zack and shows him things he is working on. During his most recent visit he shares a huge secret with Zack. he has discovered a large power source he calls the Onyx sun and has made a Onyx powered aircraft. "Kalamazoo" and off they go. When his grandfather drops him off he makes him promise to keep this a secret.

Zack is grounded for being gone so long with no good explanation and as he sits in his room he notices lights in the woods behind his grandfathers house. In the light he can see his grandfather disappearing into the woods. Just as Zack is ready to sneak out he gets a surprise visit from Max, the girl from his school. she too has been watching his grandfather and they decide to follow him.

Little do they know that in making this simple decision, they will be thrust into the depths of the earth, ride a rocket to the moon, face numerous life threatening situations and finally save the earth and the future of all mankind from destruction. What Zack finds are very good friends and that being abnormal like his grandfather is a very good place to be.

This is a wonderful read. It is zany and absurd and incredibly fun. The characters are engaging and the story is just short of amazing. This is a great read for the YA and will keep them entertained for hours. The action is fast paced and incredibly well thought out. Christopher Mahoney has hit this one out of the Ballpark.

Rated 4/5

I received this book as a free copy from Goodreads First Reads. I am not receiving any compensation and all opinions are my own based off my independent reading of this material.