Splashdown Reviews

Replication by Jill Williamson

2011-12-29T02:30:00.000+13:00

Evil scientists! Clones! And high school drama... Thus the stage is set for this most unusual story. Abby Goyer and her father move to Alaska for his new job, but she quickly becomes suspicious about what he is doing in the top-secret underground lab.

I particularly like the way Jill takes me into creepiness of the situation - c'mon, fifty versions of the same person? And yet they are all different. Marty's admiration for Abby, turning into love, is also quite a delight as he has only ever seen one other woman in his life, let alone kissed one. His discovery of the outside world is a wonderful thing to behold.

It gets just a little tad preachy in places, however I want to be quick to point out that it's no more than can be expected in the Christian genres, and it arises very organically. Marty, having never been told a thing about God, will of course have a few questions - and not the kind folks are used to answering, either!

In some ways it's a ground-breaker, delivering the kind of suspenseful YA speculative fiction that up until now, has been pretty hard to find on the Christian side of the fence. I said it was unusual, but it shouldn't be - I'd be very happy to see more in this vein!

Winterland by Mike Duran

2011-12-29T02:00:00.002+13:00

Mike's a good writer. I feel like I'm in trusted hands when I read his stuff. Here, he's done it again. Winterland is a thoroughly eerie journey through the mind of a dying woman whom we never actually see in the story - only the effects of her life as seen in physical metaphors. Her daughter is chosen to wander this wilderness and round up the nasties preventing peace.

I found it slightly difficult to get into; I had no real direction, but then neither did Eunice at that point. Perhaps my confusion was only a reflection of hers. After she'd been through a few incidents on her travels, she began to warm to her task and I to her tale as she grew more determined to fulfill.

That is the true strong point here, I think - Eunice really grows as a person, eventually setting aside her not-insignificant fears and gaining relief like she never imagined possible.

Don't be put off by any horror labels you may see floating around in connection with this book. It's only a bit gross in places, a bit creepy, and very supernatural. Horror doesn't really do it justice at all.

The Story Template by Amy Deardon

2011-11-24T09:56:00.005+13:00

As anyone who follows Amy's blog will know, she has been working on the Story Template concept for years. This book is the culmination of a huge amount of research and analysis of the currency of storytellers. Besides being an incredible mass of well-founded fact about the actual standard concepts that can be found in nearly any story, it gives step-by-step instructions on how to build up your own novel on the same strong foundation that has brought success to so many others over time.

At first glance it may seem like a highly mathematical and technical approach. The analogy can be drawn that learning musical theory can help a pianist to improvise. Of course a musician can make music without knowing theory, and a writer can write without knowing why some things work better than others. However, in both cases, knowing the structure behind the end result - and its effect - will bring a confidence to the artist's expression that he would not otherwise have. Creativity can be channelled into the directions which will have the most impact, rather than floundering around and seizing on the first best idea - which may or may not work out.

It is true that many, if not most writers have been following these principles on instinct since the dawn of fiction. But this book will shorten the process of trial and error, giving you the elements you should include, right down to a minute level if you so wish. There's no need for a writer to reinvent the wheel.

The process of working with the Story Template may seem arduous at first, as you take copious notes and make agonising and wide-ranging decisions. But it seems just as certain that if you do this work, the novel's first draft will all but write itself. On the other hand, comparing an already finished draft to the Template can help identify important aspects you may have missed. Not to say you have to follow it to the letter, of course, but if you feel there's something lacking in your manuscript, you are likely to find the answer here.

As a sometime proponent of non-linear fiction myself, it is a little harder to apply, but certainly possible if I do it one plot thread at a time. I believe applying large-scale concepts to the overall story weave can also strengthen unconventionally-structured stories.

Amy makes me want to pick up the pen and launch into a new novel, because she makes it sound so easy. A practical guide for fiction writers at any level, certain to unlock creativity because it takes care of the nuts and bolts, freeing the imagination to do its thing.

Available here in paperback and Kindle

The Worker Prince by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

2011-10-08T19:11:00.004+13:00

I was lucky enough to get a peek at this book well before it went to press, and I immediately saw that here was something unusual - something I hadn't seen before. Surprising, really, when one considers how perfect is this match of story and setting: mix Moses with space, swapping ancient Egypt for a distant star system, and you have a really amazing starting point.

But it isn't just a rehashed version of the old story. Bryan has added multiple layers of story - history, conflict, societies in turmoil, intrigue within the government, rebel forces training to take back their planet, and so much more.

It's obvious that Bryan is well-versed in the worlds of space opera, drawing on known standards and building on them wherever appropriate. I love the cover, too - an accurate banner for what you'll find inside: one man's story of upheaval and freedom.

A significant new author in the field of space opera - Bryan is a fresh new imagination to watch out for! Kudos to all the publishing team at Diminished Media for an awesome first novel.

For tomorrow's stop on this book's blog tour, go here:
http://www.nicolepeeler.com/

Residential Aliens

2011-08-24T14:15:00.003+12:00

Residential Aliens ezine

Ezines are such widely varied animals, aren't they? What I mean is, they are all set up differently in the way that they post and arrange their material. Some send out emails; some put up a complete edition at regular intervals; and others, like ResAliens, post their stories individually at shorter intervals. I find this makes it quite approachable, when a story pops up in my RSS reader I know it'll be a little bite of goodness - not too much at once, but a portion of carefully selected story that's right down my alley.

Like Fred said, I too cannot claim full objectiveness, as I have been involved with ResAliens to some extent. My story A Stretch of Time first appeared there last year, and of the authors I publish at Splashdown, many have also had their turn at ResAliens: Fred, Kat, Adam, Rick, Mike and Walt. So I happen to think that Lyndon has good taste. He was also good enough to permit the reprinting of several stories in our Splashdown anthology, Aquasynthesis. Fred, Kat and Rick also made it into the ResAliens anthology, Where The Morning Stars Sing; and I have to say, I love that cover. Very good job! I'm eagerly waiting for it to become available at my favourite site with free international shipping.

Of course it has to be said that we all met in the Lost Genre Guild in the first place - a birthing ground for many such endeavours. I think it's wonderful to see the growth of ResAliens as a go-to place for both readers and writers of our genre. I for one am very happy to know I can send my short stories there for honest feedback - and occasionally, publication. Go ResAliens!

(For more info about the CSFF Tour of ResAliens, go here)

The God Hater by Bill Myers

2011-06-24T23:46:00.005+12:00

The God Hater by Bill Myers appealed to me when I heard about it because of its scientific approach. The story revolves around Dr. Nickolas Mckenzie, a professor and devout atheist. He is, ironically, close friends with Annie Brooks--fellow professor and devout Christian.

Nickolas and Annie's son, Rusty, have an even closer relationship, partly blossomed out of Nickolas' son's tragic death.

Both Nickolas and Annie find themselves being followed. Nickolas by men who try to beat the whereabouts of his brother, Travis, out of him. Annie by an FBI agent who convinces Annie that Nickolas is in danger because of Travis.

Why is Travis so dangerous? He's a computer hacker who has teamed up with a wealthy businessman. He's developed something rather amazing--artificial intelligence. Not one, singular, self-aware computer, no. Instead he has created an entire society of self-aware beings in a virtual computer world. The idea is to watch and learn from them, to speed up the process of evolution and see how humans develop.

There's a problem, though. The society keeps dying off. No matter what philosophical model they use as a base, the society--everyone--dies, through war, apathy, or "natural selection."

They are forced into a solution: tell the members of the virtual society that they are created beings and give them laws to live by.

It's a marked improvement, but what happens when they become too legalistic? Another solution is offered...send someone into the program to show them how to live, to offer them a chance at a proper life.

The writing in this book is smooth. Even with the speculative elements, it's written in more of a mainstream style than I normally go for, but I found it enjoyable and read through it in a couple of days. The characterization is very strong and I felt quite connected to Annie, Rusty...and dare I say, the cantankerous Nickolas as well.

While it deals directly with Christianity and has several scenes where opposing viewpoints are discussed, I never felt preached at.

And the ending....I'll not tell you why, of course, but the ending gave me chills.

Sound good to you? How about visiting New Authors' Fellowship for a chance to win a copy? CLICK HERE and leave a comment below Diane Graham's review of The God Hater, BEFORE JUNE 28, 2011.

The Ale Boy's Feast by Jeffrey Overstreet

2011-05-18T13:42:00.003+12:00

Following right along from my last review of Book 3, Raven's Ladder, we now come to the conclusion of this series. At the end of the final book I have come to find myself somewhat perplexed by where the story went.

But first, a summary. King Cal-raven wanders alone after escaping Cent Regus, and meets a series of companions and would-be enemies. Meanwhile, the ale boy leads a troupe of likewise escaped slaves along a vast network of underground rivers, and intrigues continue back at Bel Amica where most of Abascar's people remain.

Chased by deadly Deathweed and viscorclaws, Cal-raven continues to seek a new home for his people. Does he succeed or not? Perhaps I'm a bit dense, but I couldn't tell for certain, not even after the epilogue.

It was interesting to observe the changes in some characters: those we might have thought were good guys, aren't necessarily, and vice versa. A good illustration of the fickleness of people, but surprising nonetheless. I also enjoyed seeing more of the Northchildren in this one, previously only rumours, but here they actually speak. However, I was as stunned as Cal-raven, and nearly as disappointed, to discover what lay behind the Keeper myth - though I'm the first to admit I may have understood it wrong.

The ale boy is, as ever, a calm presence throughout the tale, and the mysterious glassmaker Milora has a secret she doesn't even realise: these are the redeeming factors for me in a plot that ended without resolution on several fronts.

But perhaps it was intended that way. Ambiguity is not always a thing to be shied away from, is it? Even if more questions remain now than at the end of the first book, they are the kind of questions that lend themselves to flights of imagination and what-if adventures of our own.

The writing is certainly as beautiful and brilliant as ever, worth reading for the colours in the turn of phrase, the surprise juxtapositions, the ever-flowing style and decadent vocabulary. There are many gorgeous scenes, haunting, twisted, gut-wrenching.

Raven's Ladder by Jeffrey Overstreet

2011-05-16T09:25:00.003+12:00

This week the CSFF is running a tour for the fourth book in this series, The Ale Boy's Feast. Since I've also just finished the third book, I'm going to take a look at this first before moving on tomorrow.

The fugitive people of Abascar are forced to flee their refuge when an underground evil breaks into their caves. King Cal-raven, having seen a vision, rushes to find the new home it speaks of. He does not know what he seeks, but the mystery is revealed bit by bit.

Meanwhile, the Abascar exodus reaches Bel Amica where they are welcomed after a manner. But there is much treachery at work amongst the Queen's advisors, the Seers. The King's trusted circle waits for his return so they can move the people out; but Cal-raven has another plan.

This is very much the third book of four - you need to have read the first two to understand it properly, and it leaves much for the last book to resolve. But its language is just as lyrical and magical as the others, even stepping it up a notch or two. It's a colourful depiction of the fantasy world, real and visible before me as I read.

I love the names given to birds and animals - some recognisable to us, others not so much, but their nature is obvious: oceanhawk, prongbull, waternipper, long-ears, muskgrazer, and many more - with similarly hewn titles for plants and other items as well.

This is the story of Cal-raven as he grows into an entirely new place of soul and maturity, interspersed with many interludes of lots of other people in other locations that keep the story moving. The cast of characters is wide and sweeping, and the settings are now all over the Expanse. The tale has broadened; now we await the final book to bring it all together.

The Strange Man by Greg Mitchell

2011-04-18T14:36:00.002+12:00

Better than Bradbury

I realise I'm comparing apples with oranges here; what can contemporary horror have in common with classic sci-fi? Yet the fact remains that I happened to be reading Fahrenheit 451 at the same time, and each time my hand hovered over the two, I wanted to choose Greg's because it reads clearer. I'm sure Mr. Bradbury would have something to say about that.

Anyway. Greg has done a marvellous job here. Essentially it's the story of Dras Weldon, a young ne'er-do-well whose main aim in life is to watch as many bad horror movies as he can. Suddenly caught up in a spiritual phenomenon sweeping the town, he realises he must enlist help from his friends and even his family if he is to have a chance against it.

This is a good, chilling tale with much that is unexpected, often provoking a reaction of "You did WHAT?" - from the earliest beginnings, through the rising body count and character U-turns, to an utterly surprising ending that caught me unaware. However, the author's efforts to be ambiguous were not lost on me: an outcome is strongly implied but never actually stated, making me think it could go the other way in the sequel. I'll be curious to see how close my guess is.

The gore level is moderate, certainly a lot less than many horror movies. Instead, the author relies on subtler skills of psychological tension to leave you aghast, but not disgusted - mostly.

Infinite Space, Infinite God II - Eds. Karina & Rob Fabian

2011-04-12T09:00:00.000+12:00

It is always a delight to read the anthologies of Karina and Rob Fabian, an eclectic mix of thoughtful authors with faith and the universe there to see in every story. Here too, in the second volume of Catholic science fiction, there is a grand variety of styles and tales: never quite what you expect.

There’s time travel with the paradox of unchangeable history, no matter how one man might wish it otherwise. An Earth-born space nun trying to measure up, and facing her darkest terrors. An expert in logic reasoning with aliens for the fate of a planet. A genetically-modified genius with a moral dilemma.

And so much more. Comedy, poignancy, surprising scenarios based on ingenious technical inventions, but above all, individual believers doing their best to face their challenges head-on in the way they think God wants them to. This isn’t always positive; I was disturbed by the idea of the Pentecostal extremist terrorist in the final tale, however, its intense depth of setting and culture provide some redemption.

This is challenging reading, at times intellectual, at others plain rip-roaring adventure. If you take this journey, you won’t come back the same—if you come back at all.

The Restorer by Sharon Hinck

2011-04-06T07:25:00.004+12:00

I picked up The Restorer out of sheer curiosity. It's a soccer-mom-meets-fantasy story, and that, my friends, seemed like an odd combination.

Susan is a wife and mother of four, who finds herself lacking time and space for herself. It's pushing her into depression. Her husband, Mark, being the fix-it type, builds her a writing room in the attic. Susan goes up to her new private space expecting a little peace and quiet in which to write in her journal. What she gets is a portal to another world--one where she becomes "The Restorer."

The Verses of this land say that a Restorer will come at times of need, to lead the people back to the Verses, which are analogous to our Christian Bible.

As unexpected as Susan's adventures were to her, my love for this series was unexpected to me. I assumed it was going to read like chick lit, or be a failed attempt at "real" fantasy. I was so wrong. Actually, there are science fiction elements woven into the fantasy--all braided together seamlessly. There are even touches of romance.

The story is deep and gritty. Yet the writing is graceful. Scripture is integral to the plot, and while the Christian message is overt, I not once felt preached at. Sharon Hinck's characterization skills are strong. The plot is well-laid out, and the world-building vivid. The ending of the first book is a bit of a cliff-hanger, but the first story does come to a satisfying close--Sharon merely opens the door for the next adventure. She does the same thing between The Restorer's Son (book two) and The Restorer's Journey (the third and final book).

I highly recommend this series for fantasy lovers, sci-fi lovers, and those that tend to read mainstream. You just can't go wrong with this one.

The Resurrection by Mike Duran

2011-03-24T09:00:00.000+13:00

An ordinary woman raises a boy from the dead without even meaning to. Sounds like a great start to a story... and it is. Ruby's unintentional miracle throws her small town into uproar as church elders fight over its genuineness.

This is a very unusual tale in some ways, and in others very familiar. Haven't we heard before about small-town spiritual warfare, impotent pastors, crooked elders? That said, this does take it from a different angle.

An interesting aspect is that one of the protagonists is thoroughly unlikeable for most of the book. In fact, I didn't realise he was the protagonist (rather than the villain) until at least halfway through. Yet he is relatable in his brokenness, and we get to watch closely as he realises how wrong he has been. Of all the characters in the book, he is the most three-dimensional: this is his journey more than anyone else's.

I'm not sure this can be labelled horror - it's not really scary, though there is an instance or two of intense gore and grossness. Definitely an adults-only book.

I've been looking forward to this book for a long time - but it wasn't what I expected at all. What did I expect? Maybe nothing specific, but not a defense of the existence of ghosts as actual human spirits. That could open up a whole can of worms which I don't want to go into here.

A good read, well written, and certainly held my attention to the end.

The Map Across Time by C.S. Lakin

2011-02-15T09:00:00.000+13:00

A dreamy fairytale with a sharp edge of realism comes to life in the pages of Mrs. Lakin's second book in this series. Note that while it is tangentially linked to the previous book, it also stands perfectly well alone and is quite a different story. But the tone is the same - that tone of a fable for grown-ups, with a great blend of difficulties and hope, and memorable characters.

Those characters for this journey are the royal twins Aletha and Adin. Losing their mother at a young age causes them to depend more and more on each other as they grow up. Their father the king drives the city to the brink of ruin while suffering a sickness of the soul that has been passed down through the generations.

Then they hear of a map which can guide them back in time to the days when the curse of the sickness was brought upon the kingdom, in order to prevent it from occurring in the first place. There follows first a series of quests to find the map, and then Adin's first journey through time, a magical and inspiring sight.

Time travel is never without its paradoxes and alternate histories. And there are plenty here to chew on. Adin and Aletha are determined to solve the problems of their kingdom, but nothing is as easy as it first appears: setback after setback play with the flow of time, adding kinks and surprises and links where we never expected them. As they fight their way through separation and rediscovery while pursuing the eviction of evil at the founding of the city, they are immersed in the ancient history that now surrounds them in the older time. Adin's multiple leaps in time weave a tangled web that ultimately leads to blessing.

Cyndere's Midnight by Jeffrey Overstreet

2011-02-14T09:00:00.001+13:00

Auralia is gone, but her colours live on to change the lives of the people who encounter them. Some, like the nameless ale boy, we know from the previous book, but others are new to us: Jordam, the beastman whose spirit is awakening from its slumber thanks to Auralia; and Cyndere, the grieving princess determined to find humanity hidden in the worst deformities. Both struggle against what their peoples say is right, in order to form a tenous friendship lit by magical colour.

Once again the writing here is beautifully crafted, a sparkling thing of wonder. The story does seem to move very slowly at times, as if to let us soak in the otherworldly atmosphere and feel the written words through our five senses. But there is a delicious underlying tension running throughout that never lets up, even in quiet moments, for the key players suffer much anguish in their minds while doggedly pursuing their desires to make things better.

It isn't so much a plot as it is an immersion in an entire world; but everything changes by the last page, and there are even a few surprises along what is otherwise a gentle and evocative tale. This is a book to be recommended for the simplicity of its story couched in the intense beauty of its words, bursting with colour and deep emotion.

Dragons of the Valley by Donita K. Paul

2011-01-24T10:47:00.000+13:00

War threatens the peaceful land of Chiril… can one painter-turned-reluctant-swordsman really help?

With an invasion of her country imminent, Tipper Schope is drawn into a mission to keep three important statues from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Her friend, the artist Bealomondore, helps her execute the plan, and along the way he learns to brandish a sword rather than a paintbrush.

As odd disappearances and a rash of volatile behavior sweep Chiril, no one is safe. A terrible danger has made his vicious presence known: The Grawl, a hunter unlike any creature encountered before.

To restore their country, Tipper, Bealomondore, and their party must hide the statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat the invading army. When it falls to the artistic Bealomondore to wield his sword as powerfully and naturally as a paintbrush, will he answer Wulder’s call for a champion?

***

Dragons in the Valley is a continuation of the story begun in The Vanishing Sculptor. At first I had my doubts about how to keep a story going on the somewhat basic premise of the first book--the protection of three very special statues. I should know by now not to doubt Donita K. Paul. The story was consistent with book one, but brought on new twists and turns, and a complete change of focus on main character. Where Tipper was the dominant character in Sculptor, Bealomondore takes center stage in Dragons.

Speaking of character--Donita K. Paul is a master. She has created a truly original cast in her book series. She doesn't sacrifice action either, but I'm glad the story isn't so fast-paced that it steals time from getting to know the characters.

I admit, however, that I was a little disappointed in the Grawl. I either wanted to see more evil in him, or see more humanity and depth.

Still the Dragons in the Valley is a great read, and as with all of Donita K. Paul's fantasy books, I highly recommend it.

The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin

2011-01-03T09:00:00.001+13:00

This book is subtitled A Fairy Tale, and that is what it is. The notion made me curious at first, because it appears to be for children and grown-ups equally, and I wondered how it could be done. Yet the author accomplishes this with a wonderful ease of style that reaches out and wraps the reader in another world, one of telepathic animals and personified powers of nature.

Joran, a blacksmith's apprentice, has lost his wife in a peculiar set of circumstances and determines to set out to find her. No sooner has he set out than he meets the great wolf Ruyah, whose life becomes so entwined with his own. Rescued from a cruel trap, the powerful wolf refuses to leave him, and so they journey on together to the four corners of the world: the houses of the Moon and Sun and South Wind, and the sea.

The man and the wolf encounter various dangers along the way, and Ruyah helps Joran discover the power in his own dreams and how to use it. One most notable lesson occurs when Joran falls ill: never, never ever stop caring. If you care, then you can always go on somehow; but if you let apathy and lethargy take hold, they will drag you away and imprison you.

Sleeping and dreaming are of great significance in this story - the need for rest, the subconscious that remains awake, and the power of dreamed emotion and danger.

The Wolf of Tebron is a grand, sweeping tale of one man's journey to the truth and to rescue his true love. While I joined the dots fairly early on as to the wolf's true identity as well as what he represents in the story, it is carefully constructed to allow different readers to discover the connections at their own pace. This fanciful, whimsical, wild tale can truly inspire you to perseverance - highly recommended. My personal tip: watch this author, she's going places!

The Third Lynx by Timothy Zahn

2010-12-27T09:00:00.000+13:00

The sequel to Night Train to Rigel, this book picks up where the last one left off: the Spiders' enemy is back again and for some strange reason, is anxious to get hold of certain objects of art - specifically, a set of sculptures from the planet Nemut. The Spiders hire Frank Compton to find out why, and to stop the multi-mind-controlling Modhri.

This results in some murders and entanglement with a group of young people from Austria with connections to an art collector. There is again much chasing about on trains and also on planets, while Frank attempts to discover the reason why the Modhri wants the third Lynx sculpture so badly.

The truth is shocking and revelatory when he figures it out standing in a barren mesa landscape. And then of course he has to foil the bad guys, with help from a motley crew of rich kids, squirrel-like commandos, and a cynical investigator as well as the Spiders' human representative Bayta.

There's lots of fighting and hiding and guessing, and yet more new cultures to absorb. Once again the tension builds and builds in a masterful rendering of what is essentially a spy story in space - with nothing less than a takeover of the galaxy in the offing. A good read.

Night Train to Rigel by Timothy Zahn

2010-12-20T09:00:00.000+13:00

Ex-agent Frank Compton is caught up into an interstellar investigation when the mysterious cyborg “Spiders” appoint him to find out who is threatening their space trains on the Quadrail system. There are few clues, nothing to go on except strange encounters and Frank’s own quick thinking.

It’s a fun romp with plenty of train rides and galactic subterfuge. The relationship between Frank and his assigned partner Bayta is interesting to observe as it grows a little less mistrustful over the course of the book. The variety of aliens and cultures seen throughout are fascinating and well founded in an intricate storyworld.

There’s definitely a sense of wonder at the expanses of the galaxy and its many worlds. And the nature of the enemy, when it is finally revealed, is a clever and horrifying science fiction twist on familiar mobster tales. Unexpected allies come to the fore, while one-time colleagues become foes. Exciting scenes on board the trains and platforms give it almost a Wild West feel.

A suspenseful page-turner that keeps you guessing, with surprises around many corners. Quite a classic in terms of the way the tension is built up—and up—and up some more. Recommended.

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator, by Karina Fabian

2010-12-19T17:18:00.004+13:00

Today, I’m talking with Karina Fabian....

...about her latest book, Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator.

Karina’s got quite the list of Christian and Catholic works: Leaps of Faith (Writers' Café Press) and Infinite Space, Infinite God I and II, not to mention her Catholic dragon detective Vern and his partner Sister Grace, who star in her DragonEye, PI novels and stories. Karina also wrote a devotional with her father, Deacon Steve Lumbert, called Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life.

So what is this Christian writer doing writing a novel about zombies and reality TV? For a publisher called Damnation Books, no less! Let's find out. Welcome Karina.

Karina: Hi, everyone!

Damnation Books?! Seriously?

Karina: Yeah, I appreciate the irony, and Rob calls my royalties from them "the wages of sin." Kim Richards, the publisher, is a good friend from The Writers Chatroom (www.writerschatroom.com, a great place for writers who want to learn the biz'.) When she decided to start her own horror publishing company, she chose the name. In addition to the dark horror connotations, there's the catchy slogan, "Damnation, that's good reading!"Even more fun is that she bought Eternal Press, so her authors are wondering if we're subject to Eternal Damnation now. Lots of fun in names!

Speaking of fun in names, where'd you come up with Neeta Lyffe (Need A Life, for the pun-impaired)?

Kim had wanted to publish a small zombie anthology of stories from writers from the Writers Chatroom or those she already knew, and we came up with The Zombie Cookbook (www.zombiecookbook.net). I'd said I'd try, but I couldn't come up with a fun DragonEye story. Turns out Vern has an aversion to zombies. My friend Becca caught me on IM while Rob and I were on househunting vacation and badgered me, so I decided on something kind of noir-ish--a zombie exterminator who couldn't get a date. She really needed a life. Turned out she had a crush on her partner, and after they take on a huge infestation at a Korean restaurant, he asks her out at last. I wrote in first person and whipped it out in 2 hours, giggling the whole time.

"Wokking Dead" was published in The Zombie Cookbook, and people had such fun with Neeta that a couple asked about her having a novel. Kim badgered me a couple of times, and one day on the Writers Chatroom, we got to talking reality TV, and I had the silliest idea--Neeta training up exterminators on a reality TV show that was The Apprentice crossed with Survivor crossed with Zombieland.

So you’re a fan of reality TV and Zombieland?

Haven't seen Zombieland yet. I don’t watch reality TV, either, except for a few episodes of Chase that Rob and the kids liked because it was kind of like living Terminator. I keep meaning to watch it, though. Truth to tell, I'm not into horror or zombie movies. I think the last horror flick I saw was Friday the 13th, Part Innumerable, which a friend talked me into going to see with her. I've read maybe a handful of horror novels; after an anthology of Stephen King's stuff in college, I swore off.

So why go for a horror novel then?

It's comedic horror. High on humor, some grossness, no heart-thumping terror. I love playing all the clichés, and mixing them up. One zombie with his legs chopped off is still hobbling after his prey shouting, "Flesh wound!" Neeta commandeers a Hummer and runs down zombies--the disk player is blasting ABBA. There are conspiracy theories, environmentalists (though Global Cooling is the crisis du jour). Of course, there's the whole Hollywood aspect. I was giggling for months.

You're known well among Christian spec-fic circles. What kind of Christian values are in this book?

That's a tough one. There's nothing overt. It's definitely not Catholic, as Neeta chops off the head of a guy who's infected because that's worse than the alternative. One contestant is actively gay--or is he just not particular? Roscoe never even told me. He was the most fun to write, though. Incidentally, he says "Oh, Gawd!" all the time, but the one time he was thanking God, he says, "Thank God." But the zombies are simply reanimated meat with instincts and some "residual cultural influences." Their souls are gone. Neeta tells her boyfriend she's waiting for marriage (and she does). Except for some mild innuendo (thanks, Roscoe) and a little swearing and drinking, it's a clean book. Definitely mainstream, though.

So why did you write it?

Because I was asked and because it was fun. I got to exercise my sarcastic side, have some fun with political and social trends, and come up with a really unique zombie story. I don’t write stories with intentional "messages," anyway. It's just a rollicking ride through the absurdities of reality and reality TV--and even the after-reality of zombie-ism.

Thanks, Karina! And now for my review....

"Hell's Kitchen" with heart. Pretty much sums it up :). Neeta's got to whip her students into shape, so they can learn to slice and dice zombies. She's not the heartless terror that Chef What's-his-name is, but she can't afford to be soft when dealing with the undead.

I laughed SO hard while reading Neeta Lyffe. But humor is not Karina's only strong point. The book has an actual plot and real characterization--two things that often lack in parody and humor writing. I became a fan of Karina's writing with the first Dragon Eye, P.I. short story, and then a bigger fan after reading Magic, Mensa, and Mayhem. She did not disappoint me with Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator.

The book is available through Amazon in both print and Kindle, and through Barnes and Noble in print. (Hm, guess I'm going to have to bug her to get it in Nookbook format!)

You can also purchase directly through Damnation Books. Visit the site to see the trailer and read an excerpt.

Again, thanks, Karina!

The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again by James D. Maxon

2010-12-17T03:27:00.005+13:00

The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again is a children's chapter book by new author James D. Maxon. Cute, unique, humorous, and engaging are words I'd use to describe this story about a nameless cat who goes on a quest to recover the moisture that was stolen from his town. Giant sponges have drained the town and the people who live there of all their moisture, leaving them lifeless, talentless, and uncaring. The clever cat had fooled the sponges and was the only thing in the town to not get drained. The people and other animals go through the motions of daily life, but there is no joy and before long the cat becomes bored. Out of a selfish desire to improve his own situation he leaves the town and begins his search for the stolen moisture.

On his journey he learns some important lessons about friendship, caring, and selflessness. I love that this book is lesson-focused but not lesson-y. In other words, it's all a very natural part of the story. The biblical references are subtle as well, such as referring to the "creator of life" and a story about "Samuel" from a very important book. There are also a fair amount of good vocabulary-building words throughout, placed in such a way that their meanings are easy to deduce, and they are usually coupled with something fun.

I read the book to my children, a few chapters at a time over the course of three nights. My son is ten and in fifth grade, but while the book is probably about a third grade reading level the story completely held his attention. He would beg for "just one more chapter....pleeeeease..." He LOVED the silly and wildly unrealistic parts like the talking seed and laughed out loud in places. My eight year old daughter loved the more realistic parts.

I did find a couple of typos, and normally would not point that out in a review. But since this is for children it could make them "stumble" on those spots, or make the adult reading out loud have to reread those sentences. But there are only a couple, maybe three at the most.

I highly recommend this for elementary age children. It makes both a great read-aloud or a chapter book for young readers to read on their own.

Available at Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. And at Barnes and Noble in print and Nookbook formats.

War of Attrition by Frank Creed

2010-12-07T09:00:00.001+13:00

Calamity Kid is back - the pun-slingin', gum-sharin', sweet-potato-hatin', height-challenged and spiritually-enhanced super-saint with holy baditude to take on world dominators and gang-thugs in Chicago's underworld. You'll see incredible action, narrow escapes, and high-fives with angels in this razor-sharp sequel to the bestselling Flashpoint. Calamity's face-offs with opponents and colleagues help him sort them onto his gum-list and his no-gum-list in between fighting for his life and the cause of the good guys working for the Boss. Get ready for a hard landing in the urban canyons of this Underground future. Calamity and his team are pushed to the end of their endurance in one tension-laden situation after another. The relentless battering is not without repercussions, and we get to see the consequences of righteous anger let loose on survival strategy.

This book has everything - car chases, exploding helicopters, a mysterious cat-bearing prophetess, more twists than a can of spaghetti, enough interpersonal drama to re-float the Titanic, and enough spiritual implications to change forever the way you think about the future. There's respectful acknowledgement of the fragility of human nature and the message is hammered home that you're valuable, no matter how wounded, exhausted and let-down you are - and no matter what you've done.

If you've read Flashpoint you'll know all about the adrenaline-charged fun part of the Underground's world - in War of Attrition is where things take a sharp turn into deadly serious future history in a series of imaginative parallels to end-time theology. Are you prepared to have your mind blown when sci-fi adventure morphs into reality's timeline? You better be. I for one hope to live the kind of
life that gets me on Calamity Kid's gum-list. War of Attrition packs punch after punch, dragging you on a supernatural thrill-ride to a breathtaking climax that left me panting, close to happy tears, and
ready to beat down Mr. Creed's door and beg for more.

Perhaps that's exactly what I'll do.

Purchase War of Attrition from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Check out these other CFRB member blogs this week for more info.

Reading list update

2010-11-25T09:00:00.001+13:00

So far I've only posted actual reviews and commentary on this blog - but what if I let you in behind the scenes so you can see what I'm currently trying to chew through? Here's the list as it stands today.

Books lately bought:

Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Geist by Philippa Ballantine
The Last Hunter (Antarktos Saga #1) by Jeremy Robinson
Afterlife (Resurrection Chronicles) by Merrie DeStefano
(none of these have arrived yet except Jeremy's which is an ebook)

Found at the library:
Night Train to Rigel (reading now)
The Third Lynx
- both by Timothy Zahn

Also currently reading Cyndere's Midnight by Jeffrey Overstreet.

Still sitting in my TBR stack:
Raven's Ladder - Jeffrey Overstreet
Fatal Defect - Jefferson Scott
Doorway of Darkness - A.P. Fuchs
The Fifth Man - Randy Ingermanson and John Olsen
Premonition - Randy Ingermanson
Green - Ted Dekker
The Enclave - Karen Hancock
DragonKnight - Donita K. Paul
Double Vision - Randy Ingermanson
Shadow over Kiriath and Return of the Guardian-King - Karen Hancock
Waymaker - Michael D. Warden

Read recently and waiting on reviews:
King Maker - Maurice Broaddus
War of Attrition - Frank Creed
Shine - SF antho edited by Jetse de Vries

Read ages ago and waiting on reviews:
Virtually Eliminated - Jefferson Scott
Black, Red, White - Ted Dekker
The Light of Eidon and The Shadow Within - Karen Hancock
City of Dreams - Stephen Lawhead and Ross Lawhead
Leviathan and The Reckoning - James Byron Huggins
(however, it has been years so a reread is in order before reviewing)

So as you can see I'm quite behind! Well, at least I'll have no chance of getting bored, eh?

The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead

2010-11-02T09:00:00.001+13:00

Even the author himself considers this a long-awaited pinnacle of his storytelling craft. And so I too have been very excited about getting to read it at last.

Kit, a contemporary Londoner, is unexpectedly snatched away by his great-grandfather Cosimo – a traveller in space and time. He is to be initiated into the search for the Skin Map – the key to the Omniverse and its pathways, once tattooed on the torso of a brave pioneer.

There are plenty of surprises throughout. Kit's girlfriend Wilhemina is ripped into the ever-complexifying situation, yet responds in a startling manner. Cosimo prevents the Great Fire of London almost as an aside, and proceeds to explain his tampering with the timeline.

The concept of ley lines is unique and unusual, with enough of a toehold on fact to make it fascinating. What if the scientifically detected lines of energy across the landscape were truly portals to other dimensions? And the writing, as always, is flawless and a joy to the eye. A multitude of settings are brought to life in fullest sensation.

However, I do take issue with the storyline. Moving slowly for most of the book, it rendered me content to read a few pages at a time. No, not an all-nighter. The villain is mostly only vaguely evil; Kit himself is clueless through the entire story; and the ending is rather unsatisfying, though it does have a major redeeming twist. The greatest entertainment factor arose from the alternating chapters for several different sets of characters in different places and times, some of which have come together by the end. Of course this is the first in the series, so there have to be some things left open.

I am glad to continue to experience Mr. Lawhead's work, even if this appears to lack some of the magical qualities evident in his Albion, Empyrion and Pendragon books. No doubt things will get more exciting in the episodes to follow.

There's a very cool new series website with tons of information:

http://www.thebrightempires.com

This week, other bloggers on the CSFF tour are also discussing this book:

Red Bissell Thomas Clayton Booher Keanan Brand Beckie Burnham Morgan L. Busse Jeff Chapman Christian Fiction Book Reviews Valerie Comer Karri Compton Amy Cruson CSFF Blog Tour Stacey Dale D. G. D. Davidson George Duncan April Erwin Tori Greene Ryan Heart Bruce Hennigan Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Becky Jesse Cris Jesse Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Julie Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Shannon McDermott Allen McGraw Matt Mikalatos Rebecca LuElla Miller Nissa John W. Otte Gavin Patchett Sarah Sawyer Chawna Schroeder Kathleen Smith Rachel Starr Thomson Donna Swanson Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Fred Warren Dona Watson Phyllis Wheeler Nicole White Elizabeth Williams Dave Wilson

Kestrel's Midnight Song by J.R. Parker

2010-10-17T01:46:00.006+13:00

Kestrel's Midnight Song is the first published book by "teen author" J. R. Parker. As an artist and a fantasy fan, I was completely drawn in by the cover art. The unique creature on the front quite represents the unique nature of this book. It's not a highly complex story, but it is definitely an original one! Many fantasy novels are filled with magicians, elves, and dragons, but Kestrel's Midnight Song has none of those. There are giants, though, and a flute with the power to control birds, including the incredible bird-like creature depicted on the cover.

Several unlikely heroes find themselves on a quest to save their kingdom when the "Caelum Flute" gets into the wrong hands:

Micah--a shepherd boy with a mysterious history, who loves his sheep dearly

Robbyn--a slave girl posing as an innkeeper

Drift--a giant, and dear friend to Robbyn

Bart--a simpleminded man with some rather complex secrets

I found the characterization to be Parker's strong suit. And I could really visualize every one of them, as well as the various surroundings. So, I suppose descriptive skills are there, too ;). As I mentioned, the plot is pretty straightforward, and there are quite a few action scenes--danger is definitely around many corners for the characters.

For such a young author, Parker's talent is obvious. I look forward to future works by him.

Kestrel's Midnight Song is available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Transgression by Randall Ingermanson

2010-09-13T09:00:00.002+12:00

It was a long search, but eventually I found it. It's hard to get out-of-print books down here in New Zealand. Long I have wanted to get my hands on this first novel by the notorious 'Mad Professor of Fiction Writing' and see exactly how he puts his own principles into practice.

Well, is this ever a ride! Seizing the idea that all the evil in the world is due to science, which is due to Christianity, physicist Dr. West determines to travel back in time and kill the apostle Paul. But his colleague Ari and history student Rivka each get in his way and end up back in first-century Jerusalem, not knowing Dr. West's motivations at first.

Working through a mess of mysteries, and their mistrust of each other, Rivka and Ari find local allies and discover that bygone times aren't at all like they're purported to be. Rivka finds her faith strengthened and Ari's is challenged, as both experience various miracles in their adventures.

The tension is certainly enough to leave you breathless as you read. While the story idea itself is quite original, it's the storytelling that grabs you even more, and like a luge, you can't stop once you've started.

Here's hoping I can locate the other two books in this series...and that they will be back in print someday.

To Darkness Fled by Jill Williamson

2010-09-10T09:00:00.002+12:00

Blood of Kings, Book 2...

It's a tough welcome back to Er'rets this time around, involving leeches and slime which will no doubt appeal to young male readers. Achan, only just discovered as the true Crown Prince, and Vrell, still masquerading as a boy, are whisked away by three brave knights to keep them safe from the impostor Esek while raising an army. And it is into Darkness they travel, a Darkness brought over half the land by evil.

A land in Darkness - yet people live there, banishing it from their homes with the flames of their torches. This aspect I found most fascinating, that there is no physical way to tell day from night, and yet societies keep on running. The descriptions are rich and immediate, the many characters distinct.

There is much talk of marriage - Achan as future king must choose a bride, and soon. Yet he is reluctant, torn by feelings for ladies he cannot have, and hearing no end of advice from his counsellors on what kind of queen he requires. Vrell of course is party to many such discussions and finds her own feelings strangely piqued.

Though this book starts out slow, the pace increases at an unstoppable rate throughout. It is even larger than Book 1 and this means it's one of those fantasies you can be marooned in for days on end - and I mean that in a good way. The ending is very cleverly done, wrapping up the tale and yet leaving so much open for Book 3 to take care of. That will certainly be one to watch out for.

Bonus Post: Favourites

2010-08-25T17:00:00.001+12:00

Having posted three new reviews for recent reads as my contribution to the CSFF tour, it now remains to speak of absolute favourites - books I may have reviewed previously, but whose impact has in fact been nothing less than life-changing.

I am a science fiction nut, so excuse me if that's my direction today. A Trekkie born and bred; birth brought on by the sound effects in Space Odyssey 2001; when other kids were drawing trees and dogs and cars, I was doodling wavery rocketships.

Science fiction deals to a large extent with actual possibilities, or things that we hope will become such. There is little that can move me like watching footage of spaceflight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vnSihCwTEY) and views of the Earth from above (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6cZLfK4Zjk). It expands my thinking to see our world from beyond it; even more to think of other worlds, travel at unimaginable speeds, inventions for use in daily life, and more. And what makes a good story? When the technology becomes the cause of a huge problem, and the characters have to use more tech, and spirituality too, to make it through. Not surprisingly, this is also what I like to write.

But today is not for me. And so I present my list of indispensable science fiction titles:

Empyrion by Stephen Lawhead

It was here that I first gained personal experience of the mind-blowing potential of science fiction. That it is possible to travel thousands of light-years away and thousands of years into the future - and God is still there, comforting the broken with the sympathy of alien telepathic fish. That scene is one of the most moving I have ever read. I still tear up thinking about it - and it's been years since I read it.

Read my original review here.

The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson

I love this book because it's clever, funny, deep, and it reads like a movie. Also because it's the beginning of an indy publishing success story, but that's incidental to the greatness of the book itself. It's a twist on time travel that I bet you haven't thought about if you haven't read this book. Yes, it is that unique.

Read my original review here.

The Lamb among the Stars trilogy
by Chris Walley

It was the CSFF tour that introduced me to the first book, for which I am eternally grateful. These books are truly mind-blowing in the best possible manner. The Lord's Peace has stood for many millenia, but an insidious evil is beginning to prowl again through the immense reaches of colonised space. And a forester from Farholme appears chosen to mount a defense. Epic in scope and in volume, these incredible books pack enough reading punch to keep you busy for a long, long time.

Read my original reviews here, here and here.

All of these books go beyond the ordinary to the sublime. These are the kind of books I wish there were more of: such fresh ideas, such bright clear writing, such depth of emotion, and yes, the power to change a life. If you consider yourself a fan of Christian speculative fiction, I say you must read these books.

And, as an added bonus, I recommend a visit to http://michaellrogers.virb.com. Science fiction and fantasy worship music - yep, now you've heard everything. I live on the stuff. I think you can still buy it at a really good price on http://spacemusic.nl/music-store/ - where it's called Eleon Centuria - I hear it's to be on itunes later this year. Music to read by, and write by. There, I've told you - you have only yourself to blame if you miss out :P

Virtually Eliminated by Jefferson Scott

2010-08-25T09:00:00.003+12:00

Time to delve back into one of my favourite corners of the bookshelf. This series has now all but disappeared from the public eye, but it should still be possible to snag a used copy, as I did earlier this year. Even if it was a scungy library book!

The first book in the Ethan Hamilton Technothrillers series, this tale introduces us to Ethan, a family man and virtual reality programmer on the trail of a mystery: all over the world, people in virtual reality are being electrocuted, and no one is making a connection. But when the killer comes after him, Ethan's crusade becomes more than just crime-busting.

A superb futuristic whodunit, this book provides the perfect introduction to the world of cyberpunk and virtual reality combined with an almost present day feel. Packed with personal detail and realism, it's a unique story that every proponent of the genre should be familiar with. You will be plunged into a visual representation of the Internet's descendant, where interaction can be very, very physical and vivid.

Of course there is also the fact that Jefferson Scott is the pen name of none other than Jeff Gerke, publisher extraordinaire, so perhaps the series won't stay out of print indefinitely. Let's hope!

This is part of this month's CSFF Blog Tour. Check out the other participants by clicking here.

Deuces Wild by L.S. King

2010-08-24T09:00:00.001+12:00

Lee recently joined the Lost Genre Guild and told us about her book, so I thought I'd better get it to round out my collection. It first appeared as a serial in Ray Gun Revival magazine a number of years ago; I did catch bits of it then, but it is good to have the whole tale bound together in one volume.

This is space opera of the truest kind, with pirates and cowboys and evil empires and political powermongering. Thrown together quite against their will, Tristan and Slap discover that staying together is their best bet at staying alive.

Across the stars, on various planets and stations, they continue to annoy each other for the best part of a year until they realise they are in fact friends. It's a study in character, in opposites complementing one another, and in finding hope even in the most impossible situations.

I will say though that it is not for the faint of heart. There is lots of well-described killing and we see plenty of the darker side of life. At one point I actually found it hard to keep reading for that reason alone, but it soon passed.

It does read like a serial, with cliffhanger chapters and many different climaxes. Though unusual in a novel-length work, it is quite refreshing to read something structured in short pieces. It's also very well edited.

So if you like the idea of spacey derring-do, I think you'll love this one. Good book!

This is part of this month's CSFF Blog Tour. Check out the other participants by clicking here.

Gideon's Dawn by Michael D. Warden

2010-08-23T09:00:00.001+12:00

This is one of the books on the Lost Genre Guild backlist, which I have been working my way through over the course of several years. I found the cover particularly eye-catching and well-designed. They say we shouldn't judge by the cover, but often it does speak volumes about the publisher's commitment to quality, especially in the small-press galaxy.

And so I opened it up and discovered a world waiting within, a most unusual world with a most unusual story. Unlikely hero Gideon Dawning is transported from the Colorado mountains by an earthquake into a peculiar and dangerous land, where he is met with both awe and distrust, to his utter confusion.

In the Inherited Lands, there are two languages with supernatural power: one good and one evil. The good language was largely lost in a past age and only a few hidden communities cling to scraps of it. But now the time has come to seek the hidden Book, and Gideon finds himself swept up, unwillingly at first, into the quest to restore the power of good.

At first I thought the book was too long; but now I realise I was just unused to epic fantasy on this kind of scale. Apart from some few slow-moving parts, this is a story to dig your teeth into, with a world you can truly dive into and not have to come out for many, many hours. The writing is crisp and evocative - yes, with a few typos, but not in excess. I only finished reading this book last night - but I'm sure it's one I'll remember for a long time to come. A job well done, an immersive experience, and in the end, satisfaction - even though the tale is far from over, this volume wraps up enough to make it a very pleasing package. I look forward to getting hold of the sequels.

I'm posting this as part of this month's CSFF Blog Tour, where this time we all get to talk about whatever books we want! Check out the other participants by clicking here.

CFRB Flashbacks

2010-08-14T15:19:00.001+12:00

This month the folks at CFRB are holding a Flashback Tour where we are invited to repost reviews of our favourite books toured by CFRB since it began. I have a few that I really loved, so I'm going to put them together and remind you of them in this post, with links to my original reviews for more information.

And so, in no particular order:

CHION

by Darryl Sloan

This little book proved to be one of the most memorable we have toured, because as it turned out, I was in Ireland at the time and was able to arrange a personal meeting with the author. We talked about his book, my book, and the future of publishing, among many other things.

CHION is a tale of two kids from a junior high school, faced with a disaster of epic proportions, yet choosing to hold to human values in their quest for survival.

Go here for the audio recordings of that day. Go here for my original review.

FLASHPOINT

by Frank Creed

Flashpoint still stands as one of the most original stories to come out of Christian sci-fi in years. A brother and sister escape a church bust and go into the Underground where they are introduced to a whole new life - cybernetically and spiritually enhanced - and train to take part in the church rescue.

A quick read, but not easily forgotten. Go here for my original review.

LEAGUE OF SUPERHEROES

by Stephen L. Rice

Another fairly short book, but another brilliant gem nonetheless. A team of geeks...Christian geeks no less...saving the world, and hoping they don't get grounded? Yep, it's all in here. What's more, Steve makes it read all genuine and honest-like. Great truths embedded in these pages.

Go here for my original review.

THE MUSE

by Fred Warren - More info

was toured this year by the CFRB, but I didn't review it in the interests of neutrality. You see, I published this treasure of a tale and, well, it would look odd if the publisher reviewed their own product. Suffice to say that this was the first book I picked to put my business behind, and it's been nominated for a couple of awards! In fact, why not go and vote for Fred at the Clive Staples Awards right now...

THE DUKE'S HANDMAID

by Caprice Hokstad - More info

By the same token, here is another book published through Splashdown. But there's a difference: I loved and reviewed this book long before the publishing contract was even thought of. So you can see my empassioned opinion from before I had a reason to be biased. Go here for my original review.

What makes these books so beloved to me is that I have had the chance to work more or less closely with all of these authors, and even met a lot of them in person! To me, that is the coolest thing about this whole blog tour business - Books building bridges.

The Muse by Fred Warren

2010-08-04T01:16:00.005+12:00

The vote for the Clive Staples Award is underway, and I (Kat) have decided to repost the review from my personal blog of one of the nominees: The Muse by Fred Warren. (Just a note--this is a Splashdown book, but I read this, and wrote my review, LONG before I became in any way involved in Splashdown.)

Be careful what you wish for...

Stan Marino needs a muse. He's written himself into a corner...again. A shot of inspiration is all he needs to finish his story ...where is he going to find it? What Stan doesn't know: Inspiration has found him. And it's about to take over his life. Ripped from reality, he must lead a band of lost souls in a life-or-death battle with a merciless enemy. Stan has found his muse, but will he survive it?

I did this a little differently--the above is the actual back cover blurb. I normally don't use that as an intro to a review because, to be honest, I rarely read back cover blurbs. I've found all too often that the book turns out to be nothing like the back cover description. NOT THE CASE HERE!

I also found myself wanting to copy the endorsements for this novel, because I actually agree with them. Descriptions like, "A light-hearted, family-friendly page-turner..." (T.W. Ambrose, editor of Digital Dragon magazine), and "Unique and imaginative, a humorous yet mysterious twist..." (Jill Williamson, author of By Darkness Hid).

I found The Muse by Fred Warren funny and heart-warming, with great characterization. I truly enjoyed reading it. I picked it up on a day that I was feeling pretty dumpy, and by the time I had finished it (and I stayed up late to finish it!) I was smiling :).

P.S.
One of my favorite things about the book--Fred Warren's gift for choosing names. Names of places, names of pets...but I'm not going to tell you what they are! If you want to know, you'll have to buy the book ;).

Legendary Space Pilgrims by Grace Bridges

2010-07-29T02:11:00.002+12:00

(Review by Kat Heckenbach)
I'll admit I've never been a big sci-fi reader. Sci-fi movie watcher, yes, but I tend to get lost in technical descriptions and battle scenes. But I've recently discovered that the problem is my definition of sci-fi. I've been lumping everything together with hard sci-fi. There are a plethora of sub-genres, though, including the one Grace Bridges' Legendary Space Pilgrims falls under: cyberpunk.

For those of you who don't know what cyberpunk is, Wikipedia says that its focus is "high tech and low life"--"advanced science...coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order."

That's Legendary Space Pilgrims for sure. Planet Monday is "high-tech" but uses "low life" ideas such as slavery and government control of emotions. The social order is definitely topsy-turvy, as people are forced to labor day in and day out, and any upswing in emotion sends them off to be mindwiped.

However, one slave--Mario--is visited by a Voice that speaks of hope and escape from the oppressive Planet Monday. He convinces Caitlin, a fellow slave and the woman he loves, to join him. After their escape, they experience the real story--their own personal journeys to emotional freedom.

This is my second trip into the mind of Grace Bridges. I read Faith Awakened a few months ago, which has more of a literary feel. But Grace stays true to her strengths in Legendary Space Pilgrims, offering a well-paced, character-driven story that will get you thinking about your own journey with God.

Visit Splashdown Books for more info and to purchase Grace's books.

Curse of the Spider King by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper

2010-07-23T02:25:00.004+12:00

In honor of the recent release (and thus my recent purchase of) Venom and Song by Batson and Hopper, I've decided to post my review of the first book in the Berinfell Prophecies series, Curse of the Spider King:

Seven teens discover they are royalty in another world called Allyra. As infants, they were cast from Allyra to Earth because of an ancient curse. But now the time has come to find them and bring them home before the Spider King can destroy their Elven race.

If you are a Wayne Thomas Batson fan, you won't be disappointed by this book. I've never read anything by Christopher Hopper, but judging by Spider King, I'd say he and WTB make a good team. I was a little disappointed that this book seemed more of a set-up for the books to come rather than a complete story of its own. But with seven main characters all coming from different places, a lot of space is needed to get their characters developed and learn about their individual pasts. I will say that the characterization was quite good, and the action moved well--it kept my attention to the end. I do intend to read the next book when it comes out, if that tells you anything. I can't say this is my favorite fantasy book ever, but it was a fun ride.

Obviously, I liked Curse of the Spider King enough to purchase the sequel. It hasn't arrived yet, but be assured I'll get a review of that up here, too :).

The Superlative Stream by Kerry Nietz

2010-07-19T09:00:00.001+12:00

Welcome back to Kerry's world of mind-controlling imams - except that now, our heroes have escaped Earth in a prototype ship and are far away from the culture that enslaved them. A tip: read book one first, as this second volume plunges you straight into the action with a minimum of explanation.

So SandFly and HardCandy are about to arrive at Betelgeuse, the source of the strange singing that launched them on their journeys. The ship's adaptive personality grows to match their needs and accompanies every decision. This far from Earth, the travellers enjoy a greater freedom to think their own thoughts without threat of punishment.

Then, contact from the planet's surface. Friend or enemy? The two debuggers get a chance to find out. But all is not as it appears to be.

Interspersed with the story are flashbacks to SandFly's and HardCandy's earlier lives, providing a fuller background to their mysteriously linked pasts.

It is a testament to Kerry's immediacy of writing that I was halfway through the book before I realised it was written in present tense.

The story drew me in once again to a completely foreign way of thinking and living. The tale quickly becomes chilling when the journeyers come close to losing the freedom so recently gained. It is a warning to examine even that which seems to be perfect, lest it enslave you.

Highly recommended, but best read soon after its predecessor. Together, these two books form an intricate and heavyweight story that stands out for its uniqueness.

The Duke's Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad

2010-07-06T04:10:00.003+12:00

What is the purpose of a novel? Is it merely to entertain? Should it make the reader think?

What if it does a beautiful job of balancing both?

The Duke’s Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad tells the story of Keedrina, an “Itzi”—a people seen as inferior and ignorant by the reigning race, the “Elva.” She is a simple farm girl, living the life society dictates for her race…with one exception: Keedrina’s appearance is unusual for an Itzi and she is able to pass herself off as Elva in order to learn to read.

Why does she do this? She knows she’ll have no opportunity to use this skill in her present life…

But her life is destined to change.

Keedrina loses everything and is forced to make a choice in order to survive: either continue to scrape buy, nearly starving and alone, or give up the one thing she has—her freedom—in order to gain life through slavery. A paradox? You’ll have to read to find out.

The Duke’s Handmaid is a smoothly written and beautiful story, and offers opportunity to ponder much about the true meaning of life and love at the same time. With depth of character, action, and a unique and vivid world, The Duke’s Handmaid captured both my heart and my mind.

The Victor by Marlayne Giron

2010-07-02T07:09:00.004+12:00

What stood out the most to me about this book was Marlayne's voice. The story takes place in the land of Ellioth, which is a land flavored with the taste of Medieval Times. Everything about Marlayne's writing reflects this--not just the dress and appearance of the characters, not just dialog, not just references to culture and way of life. The sentence structure, the poetic wording, the tone of her writing had me immersed!

There is nothing outlandishly new about the plot--it's classic good vs. evil, classic allegory. The good King Elloth banishes evil Baron Lucius, who decides to exact his revenge through Elloth's people. But this matters not, dear reader! For books are not here to impress us with novelties (such as sparkly vampires), they are here to transport us from our drab and dreary lives to worlds of adventure and peril, to lands unknown, to places of beauty where we can be the hero, the princess, the knight with sword blazing....

The Victor is an authentic book, with classic appeal. What you see on the cover is what you see inside--classic, romantic, with the occasional clash of steel.

If you want a book that is not grasping at trends, that will charm your heart, then reach for The Victor. You can learn more about Marlayne by visiting her site.

Swords of the Six by Scott Appleton

2010-06-28T09:00:00.002+12:00

Scott Appleton terms Swords of the Six a "prelude novel" to his in-progress Sword of the Dragon series.

In the style of traditional fantasy, Appleton tells the story of Dantress and her five sisters, all human-form daughters of the great white dragon, Albino. Their dragon father sends them on a mission after giving each of them ancient swords that together give the girls powers even beyond what their dragon heritage allows. The most powerful of all is Dantress, and it is her destiny the story circles around.

The characters were three-dimensional and realistic. (Although, I would have preferred to see the late-introduced Ilfedo's story run alongside Dantress's, with more detail and time to get to know him, before his fate and Dantress's merge. I think this would improve the pacing of the overall story.)

The story and world Appleton has created are original, interesting and vivid. He's come up with some very unique ideas and woven them into a creative tale. I truly enjoyed reading about the imaginative creatures and places.

My feeling is that as this is a prelude to the main adventure, the remaining novels in the series will be even more rich and well-woven, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos

2010-06-21T09:00:00.004+12:00

There might be many ways to describe this book. Funny. Crazy. Insane, even. Ridiculous at times. Mind-blowing at others, by dint of sheer wackiness. The chapter titles are one-line jokes all by themselves. The story is a laugh-out-loud bombshell for the placid lives of Christians who think they know what Jesus is like.

For the first half, we spend time with Matt, the protagonist (yes, he has the same first and last name as the author – in fact I think he IS the author, but with a wackier life) – getting to know him, a bit about his past, his present, and person, all while he’s busy chasing Jesus through the streets of Portland and then of ancient Capernaum in a bizarre time-warp.

He’s accompanied on this peculiar quest by an old salt and a talking donkey, both of which are considerable contributors to the humour and general mirth as well as provoking young Matt to deeper thought.

After a chase scene of epic proportions, the latter half suddenly dips into introspection and the search for the true Jesus. The change is as shocking as it is abrupt, but no less forceful for that.

So in brief, you’ll start out this book laughing very, very hard indeed, and by the end of it, you’ll have had plenty of food for thought to chew over.

Currently this book is on tour at the CSFF and you can find out more about that here.

DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul

2010-06-18T09:00:00.000+12:00

I had to laugh when I took a first close look at the cover of this book. You see, that fantasy city there at the bottom is actually Mont St. Michel in France. I can almost see the pancake restaurant I had lunch in! But it certainly fits the part.

This tale picks up a couple of weeks after the end of Book 1, DragonSpell. Kale has started her studies at The Hall and hopes to remain there. But disasters and need in the land call for her to leave and once again go searching for a meech dragon. An older student, Bardon, is sent with her to observe, and a young orphan in Kale's care tags along.

At first it seemed like a rerun of the previous book, but soon it took other turns. Themes run deeper here, and new angles are seen. Bardon discovers mind abilities when combined with Kale's, and is loosened up by a laughing dragon. Kale must face an impostor and choose who is who they say they are, and there are some very clever twists towards the end that ripped me along in the flow of the story - feeling the betrayal right along with Kale, but also what followed after.

Once again a very well-told story with great depth and character. No wonder it's been so successful.

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

2010-06-07T09:00:00.001+12:00

I waited a long time to read this book, so mixed were the opinions I heard of it (and my interpretations thereof) - but then somewhere, someone remarked on the language as a Poe-like immersion of the senses, and I knew I had to read it.

So we have this massive fairytale setup of a city leached of colour by royal command; the camp outside its walls for those deemed unworthy of protection; the vast and dreary land with its deadly beastmen roving; and Auralia, the girl who knows how to find colour in nature and weave it together into a thing of power.

It is a dark story and macabre in places, I won't deny it - dealing with themes of abusive power and inner corruption going head to head with innocent beauty. And there's no cherry-blossom ending, either, but rather a powerful consequence of all that leads up to it.

I think Mr. Overstreet is one of those authors who could write any story - within reason - and it would be a thing of dire beauty. Indeed, it is the language first spoken of that drew me into the book and kept me there. The senses are feasted with that impression of "thereness" and immediacy, feeling the crunch of bare feet in the undergrowth, the silky fur of a big cat, the bleakness of a city restricted to greys and browns.

This is a fine work of fiction, but not one to be read lightly. Prepare to deal with meaty issues while being transported into another world.

The Word Unleashed by Steve Rzasa

2010-06-04T10:56:00.000+12:00

I would say that Steve Rzasa has done it again, but technically that wouldn't be quite true, since his first and second books were originally one manuscript and divided only for the purpose of publishing. In this volume he completes the tale begun in The Word Reclaimed and carries it through to its conclusion.

Early on we see Baden, the finder of the Bible, all but swarmed by the Christians of the planet Bethel who badly want to hear the book read to them. While he struggles to understand, one of his shipmates is baptised, and news comes from Earth that the king has been kidnapped and the ruthless Kesek are in charge of the empire.

So Baden sets out to find a hidden stash of Bibles, other books, and religious art located on a secret planet. At the same time, his father turns back to Earth with a shipload of loyal royalist warriors who survived the battle at Bethel. The two have quite different adventures from that point on, both coming to their own conclusions about the Bible and the purpose of its words while facing enormous dangers.

While it is Baden's actions which then release the Word to the worlds, it is clear that it is the Word itself acting to change all those it comes into contact with. The showdown between good and evil is just as huge as it must be - a humdinger of a thing, in fact, and worthy of a top-class action movie.

Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider by Ellen C. Maze

2010-05-07T09:00:00.001+12:00

It was with some trepidation that I opened my first ever vampire book this weekend. But I couldn't help asking to be involved in reviewing it, due to the sheer amount of noise and success surrounding this particular book.

Beth Rider is an author with a problem when a race of bloodsuckers comes after her for the tale she told in her book. But one pursuer asks why, taking her into his protection - throwing his people into the chaos of the chase.

The major idea here is the correlation of modern vampires to Biblical beings. Following that, it reads like a parable for those who have eyes to see it: the vamps don't need to suck blood or be violent, but they do it to satiate their lust.

I particularly liked the aspect of metafiction - the story within the story. Although we never get to find out what happens in the book Beth wrote (but I hear that's coming out someday for real!), its events and their effects on the vamps are a large part of the plot.

Strangely, it is the character of Beth Rider we see the least of in terms of her internal personality. She is strong in her faith and remarkably unruffled even in the most alarming of situations. Michael Stone on the other hand, the pursuer-turned-protector, is drawn in great detail and depth in the scenes in which he appears.

The plot struck me as very unusual and imaginative. I couldn't tell you another book with a final victory anywhere near similar to this. I'm only sorry there wasn't another round of copyedits to fix the typos and comma use - but those aren't significant enough to spoil a good read.

In all - well done, Ellen Maze. I like the way your brain works. You've heard of "outside the box" - here, there is no box.

Axiom-Man: First Night Out by A.P. Fuchs

2010-05-04T14:15:00.000+12:00

In this little book we observe Gabriel in the phase where he learns to use his powers - a segment of the story which was left out of Episode 1 of Axiom-man but fits before it chronologically. That's why this one is called Episode 0.

There is a lot of humour in the exploits of a guy testing out new superhuman abilities. He tests his limits in each one - yes, there are boundaries - overcomes some fears, and ponders his purpose. As well as sewing his suit in a laborious week-long process, of course.

It's a fun ride as Gabriel learns to lift heavy weights, take off and fly and land, and use the bolts of power from his eyes.

In essence, this is a short and sweet beginning for the persona of Axiom-man and an indispensable addition to the other Axiom-man books. Best enjoyed alongside Episode 1.

Rooms by James Rubart

2010-04-05T21:55:00.000+12:00

Every so often, a story comes along that is obviously going to get under your skin, and you know it just from reading the blurb. This is such a story.

It draws you in nice and easy, with Micah receiving a letter from his great-uncle to tell him he has inherited a house on the coast. Wow. Isn’t that what we all dream of? So off he goes to take a look at the place. But when he gets back to his high-powered management job in the city, subtle changes have occurred. Things he once knew to be fact are no longer in existence.

On his recurring visits to the beach house, mysterious doors begin appearing in walls where there was nothing before. The rooms behind them shake his world to the core. He travels back and forth between the coast and the city, and each time, the changes grow larger and more shocking, to parallel the height of what he experiences in the rooms of his beach house.

Suddenly the stakes go up and Micah must choose which life he wants, because he can’t have both. What was an easy ride now becomes a roller coaster with no way to get off, curving around to aim straight at a stunning supernatural climax.

I truly hope this is a signpost for the future of Christian fiction.

DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul

2010-03-31T19:25:00.042+13:00

It was with great anticipation that I finally cracked open this long-awaited book. Well, long-awaited by me, anyway - it seems like everyone else has read it, along with the rest of the series, many years ago. Such are the perils of travelling, but at last I have begun to catch up!
The story begins after Kale has been set free from her slavery in a village far from her own people. She heads for the Hall to be trained in Paladin's service, but is turned aside to other tasks by two of Paladin's servants who need her help to fulfill his instructions: find the good wizard, then find the stolen dragon egg. But soon the forces of evil intervene to thwart the plan, and the task becomes a lot more impossible than it was before. From here the story leaps from climax to climax, keeping the pace intense while allowing breathing space now and then.

Here is an incredible depth in the fantasy world, with its many kinds of creatures and dragons, and the life lessons for that world which Kale must learn along the way. The trouble gets so bad that you think it can't get any worse...and then it does!

It is also written with a profound love for storytelling and for the reader. That love shines in every word. Donita, I took too long to read this. Don't anyone else make the same mistake.

Kronos by Jeremy Robinson

2010-03-29T20:37:00.000+13:00

Jeremy Robinson has now moved firmly into the mainstream, as proven by this gritty, edge-of-your-seat ride to the bottom of the sea and back. But what starts out looking like a bunch of stereotypes - an ex-SEAL guy, his distant Goth daughter, a Coast Guard gal, a millionaire megalomaniac, and a Catholic priest, to say nothing of many disposable evil minions - ends up turning many of the stereotypes on their heads as new twists come to light.

Atticus Young is a superhero, able and quite often willing to kill anyone who gets in his way with his bare hands or whatever they happen to be holding. Trevor Manfred is a disturbed hoarder of valuable and mostly stolen museum pieces. The two find a common goal when it becomes clear that Atticus' daughter has been swallowed by a gigantic sea monster: Atticus wants revenge, and Trevor wants the bones.

Complex politics and power-games aboard Trevor's huge yacht make life more than interesting for Atticus, and for the Coast Guard damsel who comes looking for him. There is a lot of blood and gore, some swearing, and a whole bunch of lies before the truth comes out. This is definitely a page-turner and one that will grip your attention, as long as you don't mind hearing all about the different ways Atticus deals with his enemies.

There is a Christian message in here too, and that is the real twist. Other reviewers have revealed rather too much about that already, so I'll not go into details here. But for me this was the redeeming factor in a story that otherwise threatened to sink in a sea of human depravity. Yes, it's good. Yes, it's very intense. And perhaps you'll find yourself thinking again about the sea monster Kronos.

The Restorer's Journey by Sharon Hinck

2010-03-19T10:25:00.000+13:00

I was very impatient to read this book after the first two in the series won my absolute and undying respect. I'm only sorry I didn't get to it during a truly dark period in life when it could have had a powerful effect. But in the years between books two and three I shifted between five countries and could not carry much reading material.

No matter. This book was worth the wait. Picking up the story of Jake as he tumbles into his role as Restorer, the ride is wild from the beginning. Trespassers from Lyric invade the family home and drag Susan back with them to torment her mind. Jake lands up with a remnant of rebel guardians who distrust him completely, and comes to recognise his calling is not just to free his mother.

This is a tale about restoring justice and truth, and resisting lies. But it's also about a young man finding his identity and task. We get to see inside Jake's head a lot, and while I'm unqualified to say whether an eighteen-year-old guy would really think like this, I have to remember his heritage comes from two worlds. It is definitely a highlight to see him face down his enemy.

In the meantime Susan struggles with mind games akin to torture. The parallels to depression are clear, and the metaphor extends so far as to offer a way out - only by total trust in God when there is nothing else to lean on.

This is a good solid conclusion to the series, leaving plenty of room to imagine even more. The final result is brilliant and certainly not what I expected. Lovely work as usual from Sharon. In a word - classic.

Blaggard's Moon by George Bryan Polivka

2010-02-04T11:14:00.001+13:00

In this prequel to the Legend of the Firefish, we get an in-depth look at the character and background of reluctant pirate Smith Delaney, and the events leading up to his run of bad luck.

It opens with Smith in a rather precarious situation that affords him plenty of time to think. And so he remembers a tale told by a shipmate many years ago. As it progresses we see that his predicament is the continuation of that same story, though at first they seem unconnected.

It took me a while to get into it, because of the at first glance unrelated storylines and continually thinking "what is going on here?" - as many new characters are introduced that we didn't know from the Firefish trilogy. But once it gets going it is as rollicking as the other pirate tales from this author.

There's plenty of intrigue, romance, danger, sea battles, and tragedy, all bedded in the unique world of Nearing Vast we've come to love in the other books - that magic mixture of an alternate fantasy world and real-life Biblical faith. Having said that, there's not much fantasy in this one. It's all about the people, with only rare mentions of the mythical sea-monster, the Firefish. A good read, as we have come to expect from Bryan.

The Infinite Day by Chris Walley

2010-01-18T09:00:00.000+13:00

Here at last we have the third volume in this epic series, larger than the others by a small margin. But what is inside blows the scope of what has gone before. Leaving the compromised leaders of Farholme to fly unpursued to Earth, Merral and Vero with a handpicked battle group take a seized Dominion ship and make haste towards Dominion space to free the hostages - requiring several weeks' travel in the murk of Below-Space and confrontations in the enemy's home system.

Those confrontations are huge and against all odds, as we have come to expect from this author. Sacrifice and trickery both are required to complete the mission, and supernatural incidents dot the timeline.

After that, it's high time our heroes got back to Earth to stop the mischief spread by the Farholme officials. And Earth must prepare for an invasion, the likes of which has never been seen before.

Through it all, the Envoy appears to Merral and others, encouraging them, strengthening them, and standing by them in the final battle.

For this is the battle at the end of time, recognisable as a highly imaginative extrapolation of some of the events in the book of Revelation. But don't expect the tale to be familiar - it's anything but. With twists and surprises at every step, depth of character rarely seen in fiction, and the very best of science fiction action, the conclusion to this massive series is as mind-blowing as it is masterful.

The Dark Foundations by Chris Walley

2010-01-15T09:00:00.000+13:00

Book 2 of the Lamb Among the Stars, this book covers the necessary middle ground between the innocence of The Shadow and Night, and the final epic battle in The Infinite Day. Here our friends Merral, Vero and the others must come to grips with invasion forces across their world of Farholme, and insidious evil that destroys from within their own government.

But how does a peaceful world go to war? There are soldiers to be trained, strategies to be constructed, and secrets to be kept. Vero becomes increasingly canny in waging war, while Merral is horrified at the things he must accept - such as acclaim from all the people as their battle commander.

Frantic preparations fill several weeks, after which an invasion by Dominion forces is expected since that is the return journey time to their worlds. Yet when they come, it is in the guise of peace. Delegates are summoned to a remote place to negotiate, while the Assembly's readiness to fight is kept under wraps.

When everything turns ugly, the delegates end up as hostages, among them the woman Merral once wanted to marry. At the same time, high government officials conspire to escape to Earth in the only available ship, carrying with them aa twisted version of events to poison the heart of the Assembly.

While it is possible to begin the series with this volume, it is recommended to start with book 1, where the failure of innocence is unveiled in all its horror upon an unknowing people. That first fight was localised; now it is global, but in the next volume it's set to affect many worlds. And Merral must face the very gates of hell if he is to save the innocent.

It's like coming back to old friends, because we know them so well from the previous book. We cheer for them and cry with them, and accompany their journeys. And there's plenty of supernatural action, too.

AVATAR Movie Review

2010-01-12T22:15:00.002+13:00

Avatar: It's been splashed all over the sci-fi world for months. Reviews have been mixed, so I didn't rush to see it in its first weeks. But then my inner geek won out and it was time to satisfy my curiosity.

The opening sequence is seriously cool. A huge spaceship approaches a vibrant blue-green planet, and the spacefarers are woken from their stasis to fly about in their huge zero-G stackhouse. Sadly, that's all the space travel we get to see.

We're swiftly introduced to all the main players, and soon Jake gets to try out his avatar body. It's a golden moment when he stands for the first time in years. Soon he gets himself lost in the forest and rescued by a local.

Now for those of you seeking family fare, please be aware that the locals pretty much don't wear any clothing. Just something that looks like jewellery, and is sometimes strategic and other times not so much. Sure, these are cartoons in essence, but they're modelled on reality, even if they're blue.

So Jake is accepted by his unwilling hosts at the order of their priestess, and learns their ways. One of the most visually stunning sequences is where a band of warriors climb to the lair of the flying dragons, literally miles high, among mountains that float in the air. The 3D effect on this part was the best in the whole movie, and may make you flinch if you're scared of heights!

Pretty soon it comes to a titanic clash between the human settlers who want to mine under the blue people's home, and said blue people. The destruction and death is immense and graphic and goes on for a long time, leading me to form a first impression of a "fancy war movie". On reflection, there is more to it than that. There's the sci-fi element with the futuristic setting, the space travel, the very nice computer displays in the base, and of course the system that allows a human to fall asleep and wake up in the body of a blue avatar. And there's the fantasy element of the blue people who believe in magic on a global scale - their earth-mother religion has seriously weird stuff wound up in it, but also some cool ideas, like the tips of the hair that "plug in" to animals and trees.

The immediate effect is of a great deal of violence and wrongdoing, and the triumph of good. The violence is not as graphic as other war movies, because lots of the bodies are blue and seem less real. The secondary effect is of the stunning vertical landscapes and their 3D rendering. Now I found the 3D strained my eyes more and more as time went on - and this film is not short. However, to my surprise I found that I could remove the glasses and watch without losing any of the details, which also made the images a good deal brighter. The glasses do darken the image a lot. So I took a few short "breaks" without them. Even so, a light headache pursued me for a couple of days afterwards.

I think this movie expresses the very powerful message that exploitation is wrong; and it says so in stark symbols and characters that are way-larger-than-life. Too large? I'm not sure. Possibly the visuals are so much larger that they crowd out the familiar message we've certainly heard before.

The Word Reclaimed by Steve Rzasa

2009-11-04T09:00:00.002+13:00

The Word Reclaimed is a fresh take on spiritual sci-fi in the form of a space opera set several centuries in the future. One king rules over five planets including Earth, and tolerance decrees that none may hold a religion or own any paper books - because they can't be checked by the government's constant digital spying.

We are introduced to two groups of people: the crew of the Natalia Zoja trading ship, who unexpectedly salvage an illegal Bible from a wrecked ship; and the shiny-faced military sent out to hunt them down - including a hard-nosed security investigator and a sympathetic family related to the royalty.

Already we begin to see the scope of the tale. I particularly enjoyed the realistic mix of nationalities and languages found in space, with touches like the captain's Eastern European swearing, the haiku-quoting crewmember, and the wealthy Arab trader who goes to great lengths to protect the Bible.

We get plenty of space battle scenes and planetside combat while waiting to discover the plot within the plot. I have to warn you, there is no ending to the story in this book. Rather, it serves as a high gateway and an expansive frame in which a future epic may appear.

The greatest power in this book for me is its emotive description of people's longings for the Word - people who have survived on memorised scraps for many years and yearn to see the entire truth. For that, it is a job well done.

A Star Curiously Singing, by Kerry Nietz

2009-10-28T01:00:00.002+13:00

Meet Sandfly, a debugger controlled by his masters through an implant in his head. He is surprised when he is sent to an orbiting space station to cary out repairs on a robot - don't they have any fix-it people up there already?

In any case there is more to it than meets the eye, and a tangled web of concealments and intentions grows up around the young man as he tries to solve the impossible problem. The cynical control practiced by the masters is chilling to say the least.

The culture is described carefully and circumspectly, not naming any names, although its nature is obvious from the first glance. A wonderfully creative touch comes by way of Sandfly's bizarre dreams, caused by a lack of proper sleep on the space station.

The story's told from inside Sandfly's head, in arresting real-time style. When it turns out that the robot has learned something new and vital and dangerous about the nature of the universe, we see that the story is just beginning. Sandfly's life is going to change forever. But the book ends in a good place with all the strands wrapped up in a satisfying ending.

This may be one of the most unusual books I've picked up this year. Events proceed surely and steadily, but are absolutely gripping. Who could have imagined that a story about fixing a robot could be so completely engrossing?

North! Or Be Eaten - Andrew Peterson

2009-10-21T09:00:00.000+13:00

Have you ever read a book and found yourself lingering over it, wishing there was more? This is exactly how I felt upon finishing North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson. In fact, I turned back to enjoy a few pages for a second time. The title lets potential readers know that this book won't be completely serious. Unlike most of the high and noble fantasy I read and love, this tale has a sense of humor. A sense of humor that is overlaid with some extremely nasty creatures, horrid situations, and nail-biting action. I tend to get caught up in a story when it is well written, and I found myself swallowed up by the adventures of the beleaguered Igiby family. It was soon apparent that this novel is a continuation of the journey/adventures that began in On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, released last year. Unfortunately, I haven't read the first book; this one would probably have been less confusing if I had. Nevertheless, I could figure thing out well enough to stay engrossed in the tale at all times. Briefly: The Igiby family is hiding out in Uncle Peet's Treehouse, having fled the Fangs of Dang who are out to get them, when their friend Oskar the bookseller comes to warn them that they must flee even further. Grandfather Podo has a plan to head for the Ice Prairies because the reptilian Fangs couldn't manage colder climes. Of course, they have to take this convoluted route in order to find a guide to the city of Kimera. Along the way they have to deal with toothy cows (who are much meaner than our cows, not to mention they will eat people), quill diggles, Bomubbles (a version of Abominable Snowmen), the horrible gargan cockroaches, dangerous falls, armies of Fangs, the wicked Stranders, the desperation of Dugtown, separation, treachery, slavery, more treachery, freezing, and even greater dangers. Sorry to say, not all of our heroes will live to the end of the book. And of those who live, not all will pass through unscathed. Some situations are heart-rending, like the factory full of child laborers. The dark passages are grim indeed, but hope never dies. And the children learn to use the extraordinary gifts that the Maker has given each of them. When they submit to the will of the Maker and use their gifts properly, it always makes a difference for the good. I'm grateful for the comedic relief that Peterson plants in skillful doses, keeping the tale from overbearing despair at times. I chuckled at many of the names he chose for people, beasts and places. Dear Oskar Reteep, in spite of his loyalty and persistence to keep up, is humorous with his constant and ineffective quotes (In the words of the poet, Shank Po, "I'd rather not. What else have you got?") There is such a wealth of themes and golden nuggets (the faithful dog, by the way, is one of those: his name is Nugget) that it's hard to decide what to include here. Among themes would be obedience vs. selfishness; importance of family; faith and hope; help unlooked for and unexpected treachery; learning to listen for the Maker (God)'s voice and following His lead. The main characters are all changing and growing as the story unfolds, and the development makes many of them sympathetic in my eyes. I find I care about what happens to Janner, his mother, and his sister. And then there's the very strange Peet (Artham is his real name) and the grandfather Podo who has deep secrets that affect all of them more than anyone will realize. There are several mysteries going on, and many times I was sure I knew the answers, but when the truth came out, it slapped me in the face! I like that. Great suspense and surprises. In summation, this book gets a high score from me. It's considered young adult, but I am sure most adults who follow fantasy will enjoy it, too, especially those of us who don't let logic get in the way.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

Eretzel by William McGrath

2009-10-14T09:00:00.000+13:00

Eretzel is the second book in The Sword of Fire series, a continuation of the tale begun in Asulon. The story revolves around Prince Daniel of Asulon and those who travel with him. In the first book, Daniel escaped his enemies after they assassinated his father, heading for his grandfather's court in Logres. Woe upon woe, just as the ship arrives in the port at Logres, his grandfather Anak, last of the earthbound angels of old, is also assassinated by the Antichrist figure Antiochus. The remaining sons of Anak rush to escape total destruction of their household and join the travelers from Asulon, stealing away as quickly as possible to regroup in safety. The ship heads for Eretzel, home of the Abramim (read Jewish) Rachel who is traveling with them.
Eretzel sits at the crossroads of the earth, between the merchants of the West, the warriors of the North, the vast and hungry populations of the East and the gold-rich lands of the South. Antiochus desires to rule the world and his path to conquest runs through Eretzel.

The Anakim, or sons of Anak, play a major role in Eretzel. As sons of an angel, these men are powerful giants with life spans and strengths far beyond those of ordinary men. For them, the first priority is revenge for the death of their father and loss of their kingdom, and so their time in Eretzel is spent mainly in carefully plotting a course of action. Everyone is afraid of them, but they begin to win the hearts of many by going out to the villages and helping those in need.

Prince Daniel, meanwhile, is hopelessly in love with Rachel and seeks to win the approval of her kin so that they may marry. With him is his spiritual advisor, Simon the old priest, and his weapons master and physical trainer, Moor the Etruscan. Moor has great wisdom and skill in warfare but does not share Daniel's faith in Yeshua. Each of the characters matures in one area or another during the sojourn in Eretzel, Daniel in the most incredible manner.

In Eretzel the residents are constantly at odds with the neighbors who wish to destroy them, and so live in ever-vigilant wariness. There are plots and subplots, numerous skirmishes and full blown battles. Overshadowing everything else is the ever increasing malevolence of Antiochus, self-proclaimed emperor of Unicornia, a man totally controlled by evil spirits. He is the Antichrist, bent upon destroying the chosen ones of God and ruling the entire world. With his machinations set in place at last, it looks like nothing and no one can stop him.

This is a fantasy that could probably be described as alternate history, setting the final days of Revelation in a setting where the cultures of the world are basically still like they were a couple of thousand years ago. Bill McGrath has made some interesting choices for his place names and names of people groups, choices that are often based in antiquity. Logres in a name for Briton that I had come across while reading the Arthurian legend. Abramim is an obvious reference to Abraham. Russia is called Magog, as it is in the Bible. I don't know where he got the names Asulon and Eretzel, but McGrath pulls from an amazing storehouse of knowledge to fill this story with allusions to Scripture, political tendencies around the world, historic and modern day events, and various mythologies and religious beliefs from the present as well as the past. The fictionalization is often a very thin veil for McGrath's own stance on any number of matters, including the Illuminati and the Jewish-Muslim conflicts. I'll spend more time discussing these matters in a blog on Thursday.

When I reviewed Asulon, I suggested that it would be a good read for teen guys as well as adults. Eretzel is not quite as accessible for the average teen, I think, but it is rich in material for those who enjoy delving into cultural conflicts, the end times, social commentary, philosophy and history. Bill McGrath, the martial arts instructor and practitioner, is also a deep thinker. His thoughts are what make Eretzel stand apart from the average fantasy/end times novel. This one is sure to stir discussions as well as entertain.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

Eternity Falls by Kirk Outerbridge

2009-10-12T09:00:00.000+13:00

You say cyberpunk? I say bring it on! Kirk's debut novel provides a new take on the genre. Here we have a future where cyborgs are common - human brains, and characters and souls, inhabiting bodies that are mostly artificial and have superhuman capabilities. In reading we are eased into these concepts as the puzzle pieces are revealed one by one.

Rick Macey, a retired undercover agent, is hired by a genetics company to investigate the death of one of their clients who had undergone life-extending treatment and should have remained alive indefinitely. In the face of a stock value crash if the treatment proves worthless, PR gal Sheila Dunn is desperate to prove other forces were at work in the death.

Other forces are indeed at play. In a densely twisted plot of betrayals and counter-betrayals we delve into the complexities of a huge power struggle that has implications for many, many people. Along the way there are more than a few surprises as clients become friends and enemies turn out to be brothers, while erstwhile allies are in fact deadly opponents.

This is large-scale cyberpunk action like you've always wished for, up close and personal - rooftop battles, hacker tricks, gravity-defying leaps, oh and let's not forget the shoot-outs, car chases and wrecks. Combine all this with a good dose of straight-up preaching and you begin to see the uniqueness of this tale. It's about the cyber, but it's also about the people - and their personal journeys as events unfold, changing their lives forever.

Asulon by William McGrath

2009-10-07T09:00:00.000+13:00

Asulon by William McGrath is the book of the month of May for the CFRB. As per usual with the CFRB, a new article will be posted each day May 4 through May 10. With this novel, there are an abundant number of subjects to be addressed.

Asulon is a “manly” novel if I ever read one. Hunting, survival in the wilderness, adventure, coming-of-age for a young prince, martial arts, assassins, intrigue, political hijinks, secret society, strategic warfare, swordplay, danger on every hand, the future of a country and the whole world at risk. With great detail and relish, Bill McGrath has written a fantasy filled with elements that are obviously close to his heart, creating a compelling tale of a young prince who is embroiled in a war of epic, even Biblical, proportions. It is not just a war of human enemies but Abaddon versus the forces of Heaven fighting for the souls of men.

Daniel is a young nobleman of Asulon. He is first introduced while on a year-long survival foray in the wilderness, a rite of passage for those of his station. His mentor Moor comes to take him home a bit early because his father Argeus needs him. It seems the old king died while Daniel was out in the forest, and his father had become the new king. This changed the scenario for Daniel’s education a bit, thus the need to return ahead of schedule. The next step in his life was to be a ten year stay in Logres (yes, the ancient name for Britain in Arthurian legend) at his grandfather’s court for training to befit his rank. Unfortunately, there are other forces at work that wish to dispose of the royal family and take control Asulon themselves. Actually, they wish to control the whole world. Thanks to these evil men, King Argeus is murdered the night before Daniel is scheduled to sail to Logres. Although the trip is delayed, it soon becomes apparent to Moor that Daniel will be the next target, and so plans change a bit to a stealthy flight heading for Logres. Only now Daniel is accompanied by Moor, the most skillful weapons-master in all the country; an old priest named Simon who has more than just spiritual insight to offer; and Rachel, an especially gifted young lady, who must return to her people in the land of Eretzel. Their escape and the times ahead are filled with danger and unexpected events, but to tell more may be too much information.

There are so many themes and elements to this story that I would love to discuss further, but I already tend to write too long. This is a book I would heartily recommend for young adults, young men in particular, but it is also quite appropriate for all adults. Daniel and his family is guided by high moral principles based on scripture and following the will of God, making this not only an exciting fantasy, but also one full of true Christian values.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

Firestorm of Dragons - Anthology

2009-09-30T09:00:00.000+13:00

So you want to know about dragons?

Start with "Dragonscaling!," a tongue-in-cheek look at a future where the world's most extreme sport involves the use of genetically engineered creatures. Continue on to read how dragons are kept out of sight in modern Hong Kong in "Dragonkeeper," before turning the page for a humorous look at the importance of listening to one's mother in "Lessons."

"The Druid's Dragon" reveals a possible connection between the ancient people and an enslaved dragon, before "Dragon Eye, P.I." by Karina Fabian twists all conventions and makes a dragon the lead in a 1940s-style detective story. "Poison Bird" brings the reader back to modern day for a coming-of-age story told through the eyes of the protagonist's boyfriend.

"A Reptile at the Reunion" pulls together two things that most people fear: dragons and high school reunions. A hunter learns compassion for his prey in "Dragon Blood" while "No Time for Dragons" takes a humorous tone when an example is made of dragon who is a pesky door-to-door salesman.

"For Your Eyes Only" reveals the power of devotion when lovers encounter a dragon. Both sides of a human and dragon interaction, with wildly different conclusions, are examined in "Shattered Dreams" before the influence of hatred and the cost of sacrifice battle each other in "A Darkness of Spirit."

A Firestorm of Dragons finishes with a trilogy of stories depicting some possible ends of dragonkind. "Dragon Fruit" reveals the happiest of conclusions when a symbiotic relationship between humans and dragons leaves both to lead their own lives. Dragons continue to live on throughout time in "A Dragon's Dawn," though they are relegated to lonely and unfulfilled lives. "Inside the Cavern" is the ending no one wishes for the majestic beings, their race dying in obscurity under man's unyielding pressure.

These a brief summaries of the tales that await you in A Firestorm of Dragons, an anthology edited by Michele Acker and Kirk Dougal and published by Dragon Moon Press. Although the stories are not necessarily all Christian world view, they are suitable for young adults as well as adults, and could even be read to some children.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

Beyond the Reflection's Edge by Bryan Davis

2009-09-23T14:13:00.000+12:00

Readers beware: there are NO dragons in this book! Bryan Davis proves to be an author with more than one angle and many more stories inside his head. Beyond the Reflection’s Edge, the first book in the new series Echoes from the Edge, is an intense tale of mystery and murder set (for the most part) in modern times in the Heartland of America.

The novel begins with a concert in Chicago. Sixteen year old Nathan Shepherd joins his mother, a world famous violinist, on the stage for their special duet. While Nathan is playing his solo section, his mother steps back and leaves the stage. As soon as he finishes the piece, Nathan searches for his mother and has the great shock of finding both of his parents dead in a back room of the concert hall. Then before his very eyes, the mysterious Dr. Simon is also murdered when a strange little man named Mictar burns the eyes right out of his head and eats them. Mictar likes to eat eyeballs from fresh victims. Nathan and his long-time tutor, Clara, have to run for their own lives, a flight that will continue throughout the book. Their escape takes them to the home of an old college friend of Nathan’s father, Tony, who lives out in the country in Iowa with his teenaged daughter Kelly. A dazed and grieving Nathan tries to understand what happened to his parents and why. Oh, and by the way, his father was a secret agent of some kind who had been involved in a lot of heavy cases over the years. Just before that fateful concert, he had given Nathan a mirror that he called Quatro, stressing its importance to Nathan. Nathan and his new ‘sister’ Kelly soon discover that this mirror has very odd properties, somehow able to show people and images that weren’t there, sometimes that come true a few minutes later, but phenomena even stranger than that. The bad guys also want this mirror, and Nathan is convinced it may help them find out what happened with his parents.

As a result, Nathan and Kelly go on a voyage that includes parallel worlds, uber-evil foes, unexpected deliverance, and a lot of confusion. The reader is swept along with the mystery and adventure, compelled to decide whether the clues are red herrings or important pieces of this puzzle of many dimensions. Nathan is never sure who to trust or not, yet he and Kelly, with the help of some friends, eventually are able to unravel the incredible story.

While Bryan Davis is known for fantasy, this book is more like science fiction. It most certainly will appeal to young adults, both male and female. The constant action is most appealing, but it is full of spiritual content as well. Faith and love are two important elements that drive the action. There is a satisfactory conclusion to this portion of the story although it leads directly into a continuation. As further enticement (as if it were needed), the first chapter of the second book, Eternity’s Edge, is included at the end.

I couldn’t hardly put the book down. I admit to being thoroughly confused at times, so I had to do a bit of retracing and going back a page or two, but I think that’s because I start reading too fast and then miss some important points. It may be a book for and about teenagers, but many other adults will enjoy it as much as I did.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

The Void by Mark Mynheir

2009-09-16T14:03:00.000+12:00

In Palm Bay, Florida, a cop killer is on the loose, an especially brutal criminal who soon escalates his killing spree to include a pastor and people in a mall. Top profiler Robbie Sanchez is called on to lead her team of agents from Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but she soon discovers the case is bringing up disquieting memories of her own father’s murder. The clues aren’t adding up to produce any viable suspects. Why would anyone intentionally murder this policeman and pastor, both well respected and loved in the community? And why did the killer rip a cross from the victim’s clothes?

Meanwhile, the police manhunt is bringing unwanted attention on Lifetex, a laboratory near the crime scene of the police killing. Lifetex is carrying on some very secret work which is not ready to be revealed to the world yet; they are illegally cloning humans. Drs. Silverstein and Meyer have worked tirelessly on the project and believe they have produced the most perfect human being ever, yet Dr. Meyer has an uneasy feeling when Adam looks at him. Why doesn’t he feel elated at their accomplishment?

The Void is a spiritual thriller and crime mystery with more than enough suspense and action to keep readers turning pages anxiously. Unlike the case in the majority of suspense/thrillers/mysteries, the murderer is revealed at an early stage of the story. It doesn't hurt the suspense in this case. It leaves us to ponder just how--and if--he will be discovered and captured. Will his killing spree continue? What about his plans for Robbie?

Mark Mynheir’s experience and knowledge as a policeman serve him well in writing a novel of this genre. As one who has worked with narcotics and SWAT teams, he handily adds detailed descriptions of police work, crime scenes, and the operations of teams on a mission such as this one.

There are some discussion questions at the end of the novel, questions that cover some heavy social and spiritual issues. The Void would be a good choice for a book discussion group or a literature class. While it is an adult book, teens would also find it appealing. There are several instances of violence and some intense evil spirit activity, but these scenes are not too gory or graphic. It's an edgy, current tale with strong Christian applications and plenty of action.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

Earth Is Not Alone, by John Knapp II

2009-09-11T01:00:00.000+12:00

Refreshingly non-linear, this book bears more resemblance to a multimedia experience than a novel - while still remaining a printed work. In other words, don't expect a normal tale or anything resembling one. Here is sci-fi and mystery, bound up with fairytale allegories and teen romance. Stories within stories, set off by a series of vignettes and news clippings, conspire to create a puzzle where it is not possible just to read along for the ride - you have to put your best deduction skills to use and draw your own conclusions and connections between the various clues which at first seem very random - and also include the typography!

I particularly enjoyed the very practical ingenuity displayed by all the main characters in the Zareba storyline. It's the kind of tale that can give you faith to make it through incredible challenges with limited resources, as it slowly becomes clear that we are not alone: there is help from supernatural realms if we know how to ask for it. Assertive women, brave men, and a handful of random tools on a mountaintop can serve to rescue an entire kingdom from war.

Besides this, the narrative is filled with complex mathematical calculations, speculative discussions, Biblical interpretation, literary criticism, medieval-style fortress defense that gets you cheering for the underdog-that-isn't, and even String Theory gets a mention. This is also the first book I've ever seen that truly tackles the concept of life on other worlds from within the Christian worldview. If there were aliens elsewhere, how would they be covered by our theology since it was here on Earth that Jesus lived? We begin to see how it might be plausible, through a complex series of discussions and connections.

Having said that, it seems that this volume serves only as an introduction to the actual story that is yet to come. No doubt this background information will be indispensable to aid in comprehending future instalments. As such, it is complete in itself yet only if viewed as a prequel. It's certainly an entertaining and highly unusual read - a novel novel, as it were - and I look forward to more from this author.

Never Ceese by Sue Dent

2009-09-07T13:55:00.004+12:00

Never Ceese, the debut offering of Sue Dent, defies description. That is to say, it doesn’t exactly fit into any tidy categorization or cubbyhole. Much like its author.

Is it a horror story, fantasy, science fiction, adventure, thriller, or what? Yes! While the story begins in the forest in Wales and a medieval castle in England, this vampire and werewolf are not typical of Gothic horror. Much of the traditional legend is present, but Sue Dent has added quite a few of her own twists in a modern-day setting. As a result you find a neighbor shooting silver bullets, a vampire with no reflection, but also a scientist gathering DNA and experimenting with genetic engineering, New York gangers at night, and University politics.

For once the vampire and werewolf are the good guys, not monsters, and the reader will be rooting for them as they look for a way to remove their curses. Unlike any such creatures I have known before (and granted, I am not that familiar with lycanthropy or vampirism as a whole), Ceese and Richard have controlled the monster-curse in that neither of them has ever “cursed another” by biting or killing any other person. Richard is cynical, but Ceese holds to a hope of redemption The characters have plenty of tension, but a lot of humor is written into the tale, situational as well as in the conversations.

I hope you get the idea that I like the story. Action, humor, and spiritual matter; it’s a great story and more.

Reviewed by Cathi Hassan;
first posted at Cathi's Chatter,
reposted with permission.

The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka

2009-08-28T09:00:00.000+12:00

This third volume in the epic Trophy Chase trilogy opens with Packer as the new King of the Vast, with motley supporters and the Drammune invasion in full swing. But just as his enemy's war leader determines to crush him, a message from across the sea calls for terms of peace and for Packer to sail to Drammun on the Chase. And so he must go, not knowing what the Hezzan of Drammun wants from him.

Across the ocean, political turmoil mounts. Talon is determined to discover the secret of taming the Firefish, not realising that it's not a technique to be copied. And back in Vast, Packer's queen has her own palace intrigues to deal with.

If you've read the other two books in this series, I reckon I don't need to convince you that this one is worthwhile. It carries that same signature blend of epic fantasy and Biblical reality, of Firefish and friars, of ships and Scriptures. This one of course has more: the stunning conclusion to the tale. There are surprises aplenty in store for Packer on this journey and it's one that will take you there too - into the swarming Firefish, the hordes of enemies, and to encounters undreamed of even in that realm.

By Darkness Hid - Jill Williamson

2009-08-26T09:00:00.002+12:00

This is the tale of Achan, a lowly kitchen slave, and Vrell, a noblewoman's daughter hiding from her unwanted suitor as a slave in another place. Achan is appointed a knight's squire in Sitna, and Vrell, still disguised, is dragged away from her hiding place to serve a master in Mahanaim. In both cases it is due to their bloodvoicing gift: a mental power they can use to communicate with other minds. Achan knows nothing of it and Vrell is yet untrained; but it is this gift that will throw them together in the most unusual of situations.

They both have enemies, known and unknown, and they both have a part to play in the saving of the kingdom from the permanent Darkness which has already engulfed the western half of the land.

All this makes for a remarkable story already; but it is the telling of it that most drew me in. Jill has woven her words with magnificent skill and created an immersive experience for her readers, pulling us into the very skins of Achan and Vrell and all the sights and tastes and smells of their turbulent adventures.

And the story isn't over: it looks like there's more to come from the mystical land of Eh'rets, with its pantheon of imagined gods and goddesses, but only one True God who guides the bloodvoicers. Highly recommended.

Starfire, by Stuart Vaughn Stockton

2009-08-24T09:00:00.001+12:00

Dinosaur sci-fi? Yep, maybe we've heard it all now. Ever since I heard about this novel it was apparent that it would be one of this year's more unusual offerings. And so it is.

We are swept into the Karn Empire on the planet Sauria, and into the life of Rathe, a lowly saurn from the Yanguch clan, as he fights his way to a coveted military position. We are introduced to the wide variety of Saurian species, varying in size and configuration.

On what seems like a routine mission to accompany a group of engineers, Rathe stumbles into an ancient technological site which promptly transforms a companion into an artificial life form. Yep, now we've got a cyborg dinosaur, and she proves to be a key in the bewildering circumstances now faced by Rathe and his squad.

Rathe is haunted by the words of a fearsome jerkrenak who spoke to him in his youth of the Way. The squad medic echoes these beliefs and Rathe is torn between loyalty to his Empire and a desire for truth. The team treks through wild hinterlands, dodging enemy forces in dramatic clashes. Finally Rathe must choose whether to embrace peace by a murder, or do as the cyborg instructs him.

At the end, the tale is far from over, so there must be more to come. Yet even at this point there is enough resolution so this book can stand on its own. Many questions remain to be answered in a sequel, which is a very promising prospect. May it be soon!

The Endless Knot by Stephen Lawhead

2009-08-21T09:00:00.002+12:00

This third and final volume in the epic Song of Albion opens with a mood of high celebration as Llew is declared High King and marries his beloved Goewyn. He is honoured in all the land until evil is again revealed in the kidnapping of Goewyn. A rescue mission is mounted and Llew's warband sets off across the ocean to the wasteland of Tir Aflan, filled with great dangers, monsters, and traps. The tale becomes an epic tragedy as the warriors fight their way through the inhospitable deserts, forests and mountains.

Along the journey, the men discover strength within, beyond anything they ever imagined they'd need. And when they find that the evil has come from the Otherworld, Llew knows it is his time to return and put a stop to the destruction. Astonishing twists and surprises result in one of the genre's most stunning drawn-out conclusions as a Power beyond comprehension sets all things back to the way they were meant to be.

It's really more like a bardic song than anything else in its flow of incredible challenges and victories, climaxes and resolutions. As such it is a particular contribution to literature that cannot be considered in the same way as a regular novel. May it expand your horizons as it did mine.

The Silver Hand by Stephen Lawhead

2009-08-19T09:00:00.001+12:00

Second in the Song of Albion trilogy, this tale is told by Tegid, the last bard in the land. He and Llew set out to defeat the evil Meldron who has seized the kingship. By now Llew, previously Lewis from Oxford University, has been in the Otherworld for many years and is more at home there than in the place he came from.

His one-time companion Simon, now Siawn Hy, has whispered new ideas to Meldron and supported his unlawful claim to the throne. Llew's only aim is to thwart them and drag Simon back to the real world where he belongs - before the rift caused by his actions can destroy both realms.

But the treachery runs deep, and Tegid and Llew are both maimed: Meldron cuts off Llew's hand and blinds Tegid with his sword. Left thus to wander in the world, they encounter a powerful forest being who promises help, and begin to construct a city of refuge on a hidden lake, to take in those who flee from the rampant evil.

It is a disturbing tale that begins with a burial, ends with a miracle, and holds much brutality and struggle against a vicious foe. Yet always there is hope. Even as the blinded bard receives a new gift of sight far removed from his physical eyes. Even as a ragtag population gathers to Llew, unwilling leader. Even in the midst of battle there is hope, and for that this is a tale to cling to.

Greater Things by Ray Grant

2009-07-29T09:00:00.000+12:00

This is one of the more unusual supernatural stories I've come across over the years. As far as I know it's completely out of print, but in case you should come across it somewhere, at least you'll know what it's about.

Paul Prentice is a painter. After a long day at work, he sets off for home, only to encounter a nasty bus crash. In his attempt to help, he finds himself praying for three people off to one side until an ambulance officer orders him away.

The next day, in a series of confusing encounters, Paul discovers first that he'd prayed for dead people without knowing it. Then he's told that they are no longer dead.

That's right folks, the power of prayer is alive and well in small-town Australia!

There follows a media circus with Paul as its unwilling centre of attention, and spokesman for his faith in the face of blatant disbelief. It culminates in an incredible prophetic battle on a TV talk show.

While heavy on doctrine, this little book is refreshing for its take on what might happen if indeed prayer raised people from the dead in the eye of national media - and how a humanistic society might react to that. Such things have occurred beyond the realms of fiction. It's not just a flight of fancy!

Oxygen by John B. Olsen and Randall Ingermanson

2009-07-27T09:00:00.000+12:00

Those of you familiar with the writing world may have come across Randy Ingermanson, the mad scientist of fiction, the Snowflake Guy, and rescuer of many an author - myself included! Here, he and John Olsen have brought us this intriguing near-future novel. Valkerie, a microbial ecologist, is snatched from the brim of an active volcano into the rush of NASA astronaut training and the chance of a lifetime: travel to Mars and search for living bacteria.

But all is not as it seems. Plots and counterplots are rife within the organisation, and an explosion in space forces the team of four to suspect each other of sabotage. There isn't enough air to get them to Mars, and their only solution is to trust each other in the face of the evidence.

The authors take us right into the action of an intense training program and the sensations of takeoff and spaceflight. Have you dreamed of going to space? This is a great way to experience it vicariously.

It's a story of personal challenge and discovery, with plenty of hardcore science and the internal workings of NASA. While the space disaster is reminiscent of Apollo 13 in many ways, this story has a far different outcome. The many threads of space fix-its and relationships and survival strategies are wrapped up into a wonderfully satisfying package. You want a really good sci-fi read? This is it.

Currently out of print but you can get used copies online. I'm still hunting down the sequel!

The Hand that Bears the Sword by George Bryan Polivka

2009-07-24T09:00:00.002+12:00

Long, long ago, on the other side of the world, Book One of the Trophy Chase Trilogy incited me to write one of the longest ever book reviews to be found on this site. So to say I was pleased when I finally got my hands on Book Two - well, that's an understatement.

Packer and Panna's marital bliss is interrupted after only two weeks when he is called away by royal decree to go to war. The Drammune navy is sailing to invade Nearing Vast, and the king wants Packer on board the Trophy Chase, now commandeered as the flagship of the fleet. What most people don't know is that the Drammune had already destroyed the entire fleet, which means that the Chase and two other ships are all that stands between Nearing Vast and the huge invasion force. So Packer sets sail against incalculable odds.

Panna, remaining in the palace under royal care, fights off the unwelcome attentions of the Crown Prince in her typical determined manner. Trouble piles up until the prince imprisons both her and her father for their stubbornness.

Across the ocean in Drammun, Talon rises to power in the empire - she's the bad girl extraordinaire that we already know from the previous book. As she gains the emperor's confidence, she also gains insight into the treachery of his council, even while their red-sailed ships fly across the ocean to attack Nearing Vast. This is no straight-laced villain, but rather one who often thinks back to her encounters with Packer Throme and the unusual power he gained by faith.

Back on the ocean, the Trophy Chase and her companions soon run into the enemy. Three ships against hundreds? Watch and be amazed. These naval battles are finely choreographed and cleverly paced - and a hungry Firefish adds depth and complexity to what looks like a hopeless situation.

Once again I'm impressed at how the author captures moments in time, stretches them out, and makes them last long enough to insert every possible impression and flash of enlightenment. Even in the midst of battle there is time aplenty to consider the foundations of your theology while the adrenaline pumps through you. Passionate faith glows in every scene and only ventures once or twice into all-out preaching. The story wraps up with several astonishing twists, not the least of which involves two young princes recognising their own shortcomings with startling results.

Full of awe-inspiring large-scale imagery, personal development and international intrigue. A page turner all the way to the end - far into the night!

Portal by Brian Reaves

2009-07-22T09:00:00.000+12:00

Joseph is a time travel scientist. On the brink of success at last, his boss threatens to can the project. In desperation, Joseph tests the machine on himself, with the deliberate goal of averting the untimely death of his high school sweetheart. Meanwhile, his colleague Tim discovers what he is up to and chases after him to stop history being altered in a way that might destroy the multiverse. Chaos ensues of a type not often attempted in fiction. Prepare to have your mind boggled as Joe and Tim encounter past and/or future versions of themselves.

Particularly interesting is the depiction of what effects time travel might have on the human psyche - especially if the calculations are off by a small margin. To avoid spoilers I'll just say that not all the versions of Joe are as mild-mannered as his present self once was before he started to mess with the timestream. The spiritual consequences of this are also painted clearly, perhaps a little too clearly for me personally, but not overdone.

This is a time travel story with plenty of mind-bending twists through alternate realities, exactly like you might expect from a book of this genre. It is a little bit hard to get into at first, but in this case a reader's persistence is definitely rewarded. Buckle up, because the ride is rough - and there's a wonderfully unexpected surprise that wraps up at the end, together with enough unanswered questions that I'm looking forward to the next in this series. I hope to see this promising author further hone his skills in future, to match the exciting plot and endearing characters of his story.

Angelmass by Timothy Zahn

2009-07-20T09:00:00.001+12:00

Timothy Zahn has won the Hugo and written for Star Wars. That alone provides enough fascination in coming to this book. And what's in the name? Angelmass is the appellation of a black hole near a planet called Seraph, part of the Empyrean federation of planets.

More than that, the particles ejected by the black hole are found to have an improving effect on people's ethics. As a result, all Empyrean politicians must wear a pendant holding an angel particle.

But the opposing Pax empire, based around Old Earth, is convinced that angel influence is a form of alien invasion. They send a scientist to spy and find out more. Jereko's undercover investigation reveals pieces of the puzzle, hinting at even greater danger.

There are many sympathetic characters in this sweeping tale: Chandris the clever con-girl, Ronyon the deaf aide to the Senator, Hanan and Ornina who own the angel-hunting ship Gazelle - all must work together with the bumbling Pax spy to repel danger on all sides.

It's a tale of Jereko's transformation from a nervous academic into a confident activist with goals far different from his original mission. The others around him change too, inorexably drawn into their parts in the interplanetary drama.

Not for youngsters, as it does contain adult themes. Biblical epithets are often heard as sage advice from the mouths of wise allies. The concept of an external influence creating goodness in a person is intriguing, but is it ultimately viable? I won't give it away. You'll enjoy the multiple plot lines as they weave and meet and cross each other. Great storytelling from a skilled author.

The Door in the Dragon's Throat by Frank Peretti

2009-07-17T09:00:00.002+12:00

I first knew this book with the classic cover you see on the right. These days it's been wrapped up in a more contemporary style, but the message within remains timeless.

In a small fictional Middle East nation, the president lusts for riches and believes they will be found in excavating the mysterious cavern known as the Dragon's Throat. The only problem: every expedition ever mounted has ended in death and failure.

Dr. Cooper from America is his last chance to unearth the secret. As always, he brings his teenage children Jay and Lila along with him, and ignores the tales he's told of the curse that blighted other attempts. Indeed, at the team's first foray into the cave, an earthquake causes a cave-in - but no one is hurt and the president's aide begins to believe that these Christians do have power to break through the curse.

Yet it is not treasure that lies behind the giant door at the bottom of the tunnel. The Coopers will have to use all of their faith to confront greedy men and prevent a vicious evil from being loosed upon the earth.

The best quote comes from an ex-shaman: "This place is taboo, but a very good thoroughfare if one is freed from curses."

When The Sky Fell by Mike Lynch and Brandon Barr

2009-07-15T09:00:00.004+12:00

The buzz for this book has been very large in and around the Lost Genre Guild and other online outlets for several months now. I was finally able to get my hands on a copy and get my nose into it over the past week.

Essentially this is one man's story. After the deaths of his superiors, Commander Yamane holds responsibility to repel a massive alien attack on Earth. To do so, he must enlist help from the Antarens, Earth's enemies in the last war - by no means an easy task. Loyalties on all sides are stretched to breaking point, but victory can only be attained by unity.

While on the Antaren homeworld, Yamane experiences a mystical vision in the high council, said to be given by the Antaren god. On the basis of this vision, the Antarens commit to support his cause with their fleet. When the nature of that deity becomes clear, I had one of those "wow" enlightenment moments.

This is hardcore military sci-fi with lots of exploding ships, political and personal intrigue, and a few unexpected surprises. While I found it fairly hard to get into, and even hard to finish after the inspirational scene passed by, I suspect that's mostly because this is sci-fi by guys and for guys. The settings and situations are rich in detail for sure, and the considerable size of the book bears witness to years of work by the authors. Yamane is a deeply depicted and sympathetic character. I look forward to seeing improvements in their style as they continue...and perhaps a few more significant female characters? Seriously - this one's for the blokes, something we likely need a lot more of. Great effort.

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle

2009-07-13T09:00:00.003+12:00

Young Meg's scientist father has disappeared without a trace, and for months her mother has told everyone he will come back. Her little brother Charles Wallace, out walking the dog, discovers three odd old ladies living in what they thought was an empty house. Charles Wallace has a keen perception and drags Meg to visit the women. On another visit her schoolmate Calvin shows up along the way. In the howling depths of a night storm, the three women blink the children into a vortex which transports them to a planet in another galaxy.

The time has come to rescue Meg's father from the fifth dimension where he has been warring with evil. Following his footsteps, the travellers encounter fantastical worlds and then an oppressive civilisation where they must engage in battles of the mind, with devastating results.

Further mind-bending adventures occur after they jump to yet another planet inhabited by surreal and deeply spiritual creatures who lack the power of sight and are astounded that anyone can make use of such a peculiar ability. The final victory is a demonstration of the power of love to beat back the darkness and restore things to their rightful places.

While this is a tale related to time travel, it almost has more in common with whimsical fantasy. It's an incredible journey that won't leave you the same.

barthpenn@heaven.org - by Kevin Scott Collier

2009-07-10T09:00:00.002+12:00

An angel mistypes an email address, landing his message in an inbox belonging to a ten-year-old boy. Soon missives are zipping around Heaven as the angels attempt to stanch the breach.

But Bart the angel gets a soft spot for young Jordon and continues to exchange emails with him as the boy goes off to summer camp. This leads to peculiar occurences at a soccer game, among other things, while all this continues to get Bart in deeper and deeper trouble with his heavenly superiors. Surprises await all involved, and Jordon makes new friends in the community and at the camp.

When Jordon falls deathly ill, Bart begs Heaven for a miracle, even though he knows it could cost him his wings. Will the powers-that-be uphold angelic protocol - or do they adhere to an even higher law?

This is a fun romp suitable for younger readers, with a rather unusual concept of where angels come from. It's written as a compilation of email messages, which makes it a quick read, but no less enjoyable. Imagine that - emails from Heaven!

Duty and Desire by Pamela Aidan

2009-07-08T15:34:00.003+12:00

How can a Pride and Prejudice spin-off be supernatural, I hear you ask...well, this one is. It's book two of a three-book trilogy covering the events of the Austen classic from the viewpoint of Mr. Darcy, that mysterious antagonist who softens and then turns entirely around to fall in love with witty Elizabeth Bennet. The other two instalments have less to do with the supernatural than with political intrigue and personal drama, rendering them unsuitable for a blog dedicated to speculative fiction even though they are worthy novels. But this second volume most certainly falls into the sphere of the supernatural. Darcy versus demons, eh?

This story occurs in that section of Pride and Prejudice where Mr. Darcy is entirely absent from Elizabeth's life. During this period of time is when he struggles with himself, trying to forget her, but losing that battle at every attempt. As the novel opens, we see Darcy determined to put her out of his mind; at the end, he is about ready to declare his intentions regardless of the social difficulty it would cause him.

And so what we read here is an account of how he came to change his mind, chiefly during a visit to an acquaintance in Oxfordshire, where a strange troupe of ladies and gentlemen are gathered in a castle for a winter holiday. Having accepted the invitation in order to seek out a suitable wife and gain victory over memories of Elizabeth, he finds himself up against far more than merely social challenges. His stalwart valet, Fletcher, is his truest friend in the midst of mysterious and terrifying occurences. Evidence of an occult sacrifice is found at a nearby circle of ancient standing stones, and it is not long before Darcy and Fletcher discover the root of evil in their very midst.

At the same time, Darcy is pleasantly surprised how his sister Georgiana is able to recover from her depths of depression through the companionship and instruction of a devout Christian woman. Faced with the positive evidence of the effects of an active faith, he is forced to reexamine the tenets of the religion he was brought up to follow - especially in Norwycke Castle where it seems that evil stalks the very halls.

Darcy, of course, being the man that he is, rises to the challenge and incites a showdown with the evildoers in order to rescue a child and prevent the castle from being invaded by angry villagers. In this he must hold strong to his faith, and the thoughts of Elizabeth he so longed to escape are now his means of retaining his sanity amongst a decadent, selfish crowd.

So this is neither a beginning nor an ending to the tale, but rather a fascinating interlude of the testing of Darcy's inborn faith that leads to the later events we know from the original story. I highly recommend all three volumes, but especially this one for its supernatural aspects.

Shatterworld by Lelia Foreman

2009-07-06T09:00:00.003+12:00

Lelia is a member of the Lost Genre Guild, which is how I came to hear about her book. Sadly it's no longer in print but can be found used in various online stores.

Twelve-year-old Rejoice Holly is the remarkable scientific heroine in this tale of planetary colonisation. Her parents' community of faith left Earth to escape overpopulation and religious persecution, and now these few hundred souls work to carve out an agricultural living on a barren rock of a planet. If you called it Amish in Space you wouldn't be far wrong - but there's so much more to it than that.

Rejoice is the first human to encounter the extraordinary creature later named a hexacrab. The intelligent ocean-dweller named Ur-Veena becomes a significant secondary protagonist as he and Rejoice struggle for understanding between their peoples. As expected, others from each camp are entirely against such cooperation. It takes great gestures of trust from both sides before the barriers can be overcome.

Later, Rejoice discovers a great danger to all the inhabitants of New Earth while pursuing her frowned-upon heart's desire. Upheaval follows for humans and hexacrabs, and a delightful conclusion points at possible follow-up stories.

There are many intriguing observations on the intricacies of religious groups and their hierarchies, the freedoms of children who feel restricted by their parents, intercultural relationships, sibling rivalry, and good old hard work. A truly unusual story.

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

2009-07-03T09:00:00.002+12:00

C.S. Lewis is best known for his fantasies of Narnia. Yet true connoisseurs also admire his science fiction, which, dating to 1938, is among the earliest examples of that genre as we know it. Out of the Silent Planet is the first of three books known as the Space Trilogy or Cosmic Trilogy. In it, one aptly-named Professor Ransom is kidnapped by acquaintances after he stumbles upon them in the night in the middle of the English countryside.

Ransom soon proves a very analytical and sensible fellow, even in the face of the terrors that confront him when he wakes up to news that he is no longer on Earth. Piece by piece he assembles the puzzle of his disturbing situation: Weston and Devine intend to offer him to a ruler who demands a sacrifice. Soon after arriving at the mysterious planet Malacandra, he makes good his escape and vanishes into the alien wilderness.

Eventually, after befriending local creatures and deciphering their language, he realises that all is not as he has been told. In an astounding course of events, the depravity of his fellow humans is revealed for what it is - while he himself comes to understand mind-blowing truths about the nature of the universe and the community of planets around our sun. The Silent Planet is Earth, so named because it is under the sway of evil influences, of wars and slavery and malice which render it incapable of participating in the joyous creation of the other planets.

While much of the science involved here is based in utter speculation, it was far ahead of its time when it first appeared. Its insights into the wilfulness of humans are certainly applicable in any era, while its spiritual undertones provide a wonderful leaping-off place to free the mind for flights of imagination. Definitely a classic.

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

2009-07-01T09:00:00.001+12:00

This is an extraordinary book about a mysterious stranger - one who becomes familiar to the people of a small town in Alabama. We first learn of him through the eyes of Andy as a young man, impoverished and living in a sand hole under a pier. Old Jones gives him books to read, inspiring biographies of historical figures, among them many Christians and missionaries. The result is that Andy finds real work and a place to live, and after many years he is happily married with children and a respectable houseowner.

The old man is almost like a prophet of old, telling things he has no way of knowing. That the narrator and author have the same name gives an eerie blur to the line between truth and fiction.

We see Jones' uncanny knowledge of personal information and his almost accidental intervention in many other lives, all claiming that his wisdom got them where they are. He is known to so many, but by different names to the Hispanic, African and Asian communities. His encounters seem like coincidences, but he acts as though they are deliberate and destined.

The mysteries of this endearing character grow and grow as he continues to appear in people's lives, doling out simple advice that proves a turning point for its hearer each time. A dramatic climax reveals his true origin to his many friends in the seafront restaurant where he'd met so often with them.

It's a tale of whimsy, one intent on restoring faith in humankind's ability to do good. The supernatural is present throughout in the nature of Jones' surprising presence at important life junctures, and in the revelations he shares in the final scene. A warm fuzzy story, chock full of Americana and sound advice for living - all couched in a modern paranormal fairytale.

The Paradise War, by Stephen Lawhead

2009-06-29T09:00:00.003+12:00

It is with great pleasure that I return to visit this older work of Stephen Lawhead. I read this one several times in the years that followed its release, but had lost sight of it in the upheaval of globetrotting. Yet I never forgot it, and you won't either.

This book is a perfect example of a story that drags you inside itself from the very beginning. Even the first sentence: "It all began with the aurochs." Quickly we are introduced to Lewis and Simon, two doctoral students who share an apartment at Oxford University - Lewis, a hard-working American deep in his Celtic studies, and Simon, he with the rich family who is accustomed to getting whatever he wants.

Simon's irresponsibility sends the two of them rushing off to Scotland, where the aurochs was sighted - long presumed extinct. While investigating the area, first Simon and then Lewis are pulled into a portal of the Otherworld - a realm said to be the foundation and source for everything in the manifest world.

I do love it when Mr. Lawhead tells tales in the first person - it's so incredibly intense (The name Lewis, too, is surely a nod to the inventor of that "other" Otherworld). In this case it's personal, too, for was he not himself that American student of all things Celtic at Oxford? So we view the damp British city and the cultural circumstances through the eyes of one who has acclimatised himself to it all, more or less.

It's this perspective that makes the jump to the Otherworld so incredibly intense. Lewis finds himself in a place where the daylight dazzles and each blade of grass is aglow - where time loses its meaning, and where his memory of his previous life is little more than a colourless dream. He is sent to train as a warrior on a remote island, and thoughts of leaving this paradise are far from his mind. After the passing years have made him a native, rumours of wars and trouble reach his simple life.

Layer upon layer of supernatural realities are added to the unsettling circumstances as Lewis must face the truth: he and Simon have contributed to a rift between the worlds that now threatens to destroy them both. A grotesque, heartless enemy from the Underworld is loosed in the realm, and the only way to defeat it lies in the ancient Song of Albion - a song thought lost since the death of the Chief Bard of the land. It is up to Lewis to discover a way to bring the Song back to life and free Albion from the death-grip, helped along the way by the mysterious words of a prophetess and a reluctant bard as his companion.

So if you're not already acquainted with this book, do take the next chance you get. It is not often one finds a fantasy so gripping, so terrifying, and so awe-inspiring all at once. And yet, this is only the beginning...

The Man Who Was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton

2009-06-26T01:00:00.001+12:00

I stumbled upon this delightful little book after finding it on a list of Christian speculative fiction - it's quite possibly one of the oldest such titles in existence. It has appeared in many editions and many covers; this one I think is a good impression of the interior.

The story begins rather innocuously with a meeting of poets; one Mr. Syme argues with one Mr. Gregory over whether he is a true anarchist. I understand that back in those days, an anarchist was feared much like the terrorist of today - a dangerous business, to be sure. To prove his claim, Gregory takes Syme to a secret meeting of anarchists, where Syme contrives to be elected to the Council of Anarchists, who are known by the days of the week. Syme is now to be Thursday.

But Syme is an undercover agent for Scotland Yard, with instructions to undermine the den of evil. He muddles his way through a number of outrageous situations, all the while terrified that he might be found out as a spy. After an ominous chase through the dark back alleys of London, he discovers that all is not as it seems to be. Yet that is only the beginning!

From that point onwards, the action descends into a spin of confusion that grows more nonsensical by the chapter. It is by turns both hilarious and terrifying, realistic and ridiculous. Perhaps the most unsettling thing is that the extremes are taken so far that they meet themselves, and the line is muddied between utter evil and pure silliness.

Being a book of its time, it provides contemporary insights into that period of history, complete with hansom cabs, swordfighting, plenty of good British dining, and the outer veneer of polite society upheld even by society's apparent enemies. It might leave you shaking your head, but it's a splendid romp into the nightmares of a hundred years ago.

Tuck by Stephen Lawhead

2009-06-24T01:00:00.001+12:00

In recent years, Mr. Lawhead has continued to set the standard in both fantasy and historical fiction through the first two books of the King Raven trilogy, Hood and Scarlet. Where Hood served as the introduction to this strange new-old world with so much of the familiar in it, and Scarlet as an exhilarating, dangerous dance in the midst of deadly enemies, Tuck now provides the conclusion to the story of Rhi Bran the Hud - King Raven - in a fittingly awe-inspiring manner.

As the title suggests, this is the book in which we get to hear more about that cheery, canny priest who's thrown in his lot with the greenwood outlaws. But this is not only Tuck's story. It's the tale of the entire forest family as they have now fully grown to become - their victories and losses, their skills and vulnerabilities, and the incredible determination of their king, Bran, perhaps familiar to you as Robin Hood.

Much has been made of Lawhead's controversial adaptation of this ancient story and the fictionalised claim that the famous archer came from Wales, not Sherwood. I don't wish to dwell on this, as the author's reasons and research fully back up the concept as well as providing a sound argument for how the tale eventually came to rest in Nottingham. Other than location, you'll meet many characters steeped in the legend - Little John, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck of course.

Tuck himself is a fascinating character, made all the more so by the intriguing glimpses of his daily life that we see here. A man of true faith, yet highly skilled at clouting knights with stout branches, not above a little pretense for the cause of right, and braver than most monks of his era. Many times we watch as he ventures alone to the camp of the enemy, bringing an offer of peace even though he well knows how soundly he is sure to be rebuffed. And in many of the multilingual situations found in a French-occupied England and Wales, it is Tuck who serves as translator and mediator.

Indeed, as befits the man, it is Tuck himself who owns the single finest scene in this book that bears his name. While telling any more would constitute a major spoiler, let me just say that his early-morning encounter in a quiet church with a troubled man entirely changes the course of history for the Welsh cause. I was utterly breathless. Incidentally, that was the only time we ever saw him in church. Tuck is a practical friar, to be sure, at his happiest praying under an open sky - or indeed thwacking French knights.

This is the third book in a trilogy, and I do recommend reading the other installments first - however, woven through the pages of Tuck is a rhyme that tells of what went before if you are in need of a quick refresher.

May I also take a moment here to recommend the book's soundtrack? Yes, in what is surely one of literature's most unusual ongoing connections, a West Coast USA songmaker and a Dublin bard have joined together to create a tapestry of sound for the backdrop of King Raven's drama.
I urge you to click here, visit ArkMusic.com and listen to samples of this ethereal music from the greenwood.

Angel of Wrath by Bill Myers

2009-06-22T01:00:00.000+12:00

I have it on good authority from my horror-loving friends that they like it very much when their reading material scares them silly, gives them nightmares, or sends chills down their backs. So I'm guessing that horror aficionados everywhere are going to adore this book. It would certainly have given me nightmares if it wasn't quite so far-fetched. But the unbelievable has also long been a staple of the horror genre, so there you go.

An ex-agent turned Satanist helps a bunch of high school kids get involved in carrying out black masses in the mountains. What the kids don't know yet is that their "fun" calls on actual demonic powers and results in a macabre murder each time they meet. So we have a series of particularly grotesque deaths among members of a megachurch. Finally the pastor calls his ex-FBI sister Lisa for help, and she brings her ally Charlie, also an undercover specialist. Thirteen-year-old Jaz insists on going with them - she lives with Charlie since the death of her parents.

Jaz is deaf, but is also able to detect spiritual vibrations. As she investigates the strange power she experienced in a church service, the pastor's son entangles himself with the Satanist kids and both of them catch sight of a demonic monster - first only a glimpse, then a full-out attack. The evil creature, once approached, spouts Bible verses which it uses to condemn its hearers. Meanwhile, the murders continue, and Charlie is on the trail of the killer.

There are some fascinating observations on a deaf kid's approach to life. Also some (to me) dubious theological claims - the idea that a Satanist kid suddenly decides to pray to God and is then protected from the demon, well, that seemed a bit strange. But this story is trying to communicate the power and necessity of forgiveness, of living at peace with your past, and that's got to be a good thing. You will find a lot of interesting insights if you can see beyond the fiction to what is real.

CHION by Darryl Sloan

2009-06-19T09:00:00.001+12:00

Chion is Greek and means "like snow". A white substance has fallen from the sky, immobilising all that it touches. We watch events unfold within a junior high school. The story is centred on Jamie and his friend Tara, fighting to survive in a world that's turned against humanity. Yet the national and international disaster is eclipsed by their intensely personal journey of faith and tragedy, despair and love, chilling ruthlessness and future hope.

Darryl has written a book eminently suitable for teens, but carrying enough bite for vanloads of grown-ups. I loved the Irish setting (of course), the accents leaping off the page, and a very nicely crafted story. And so imaginative! Who would ever think of twelve reams of paper as a life-saving necessity? Not me. Surprises like this are all the way through Chion, along with quirky sideways humour - such as when Jamie thinks of terrorists as the safe, sensible explanation for what's going on.

This is not sci-fi as you know it. There's actually very little in the way of technical stuff. It's very people-centred, casting a bright light on personal action and reaction to adversity. Both kindness and cruelty are increased in a vivid display of humanity, and it caused me to wonder: What would I do? Can I even answer that question? If the whole country were in such mortal danger, would my thoughts be on my own survival - or someone else's?

There's a great sense of the coldness, of streets emptied of life, of sudden harshness, the will to live, and the will to save. There's also a sense of the awakening of maturity within Jamie and Tara as they face the unprecedented situation.

Chion is an absolute gem. Hold on tight and jump aboard for the ride!

The Personifid Invasion by R.E. Bartlett

2009-06-17T09:00:00.000+12:00

This is a fascinating story based on the intriguing and complex concept that in the future, people will be able to transfer their souls into artificial bodies and cheat death forever.

In this second book, we come face to face with the threat that other beings can invade and take over the human-inhabited machines. I was mesmerised by the uses of virtual reality - for business and pleasure, but also for deceptive purposes. The author draws a precise picture of this chilling alternate-future world.

I had to grin at her use of familiar New Zealand slang and wonder if Stateside readers will think it's inventive futuristic terminology. And well it might be. I have no objection to Kiwis taking over the world!

The main character Aphra is suffering depression and coming off regular use of accepted pleasure drugs. I admired the empathetic description of her debilitated state and her determination to go on regardless.

The spiritual world is plainly seen through the eyes of Nik, herself inhabiting a robot, out to destroy demonic influences in her city. There are some interesting observations on relationships. Imagine having a robot for a sister, or a boyfriend, or a prayer warrior...

Arena by Karen Hancock

2009-06-15T09:00:00.001+12:00

The scenario begins with a psychological experiment, a peculiar artificial world, and well-constructed characters with strengths and weaknesses. Carrie is thrust unwillingly into the Arena, where she must fight her way out. Her journey is filled to bursting with allegorical happenings that may not mean just what they seem at first. Malicious plant life, pitiable mutants and strange technology fill the Arena with unknowns. Yet danger, evil temptations and horrible threats give way again and again to wonderful hope and solidly present love. The intrinsic, undeniable goodness of the mysterious Mr. C underpins much of the latter part and instilled trust in me as I read. It’s an amazing picture of the battle for the mind, ultimate victory for the good guys, and a surprising outcome that’s incredibly satisfying for a scientific mind and a romantic heart, too. I grew to love the characters as the story went on – I suffered with them, cheered them on, watched them grow, and grew perhaps a little myself as I watched. Somehow, they have made my heart bigger. It’s hard to explain.

This book has become one of my personal favourites, and one to recommend to anyone at all, even if they’re not even remotely interested in Biblical speculative fiction (but especially if they are!). It just doesn’t fit the mold of the genre – it’s not just outside the box, it has destroyed the box along with the boxroom, too! But I that’s definitely one of the aims of this branch of literature – breaking the pattern and opening the way to formerly unthinkable places. I applaud Karen for a fantastic first novel, and I will be returning often to immerse myself in its pages. The only thing that saddened me is that there’s no sequel. I guess I’ll be moving on to her other writings next, but I don’t know if anything can ever beat this.

Sorry for ranting on like this, but if you haven’t read this book, it seems to me that you have missed a very significant piece of the Lost Genre tapestry. Consider it compulsory reading, if you will. If my own writing is ever a fraction so good as this, I’ll be very, very happy. :)

Shivering World by Kathy Tyers

2009-06-12T09:00:00.000+12:00

After enjoying Kathy’s Firebird series, I came back for more and was instantly riveted. Shivering World tells the story of the newly colonised Planet Goddard, where the inhabitants live in craters to escape the biting wind and fight for self-sufficiency at sub-zero temperatures. Dr. Graysha, the sympathetic main character, comes to work for the agricultural department while secretly hoping the colonists’ genetic cult has the means to heal her disability, even though this would be illegal.

It’s a thoroughly constructed world and culture, with lots of fascinating details that add to the whole picture without overdoing anything. Did you know that the 21st century will see the advent of female domination? In Graysha’s time, a little later on, the men have begun to reclaim a tentative equality, and meetings are addressed by saying “Gentlemen and ladies…” The Earth is severely polluted, and the rich and gifted have evacuated to huge habitat stations out in space while trying to make other planets habitable through science. Space flight requires fasting, genetic engineering has all but replaced cosmetic surgery, and peace-seeking people have founded the Church of the Universal Father – a conglomeration of Christianity, Judaism and Islam – although their doctrine has thus become deliberately vague.

This is the backdrop for Graysha’s arrival on Goddard with her pet gribien, which according to descriptions seems to resemble a ferret that sleeps all the time. Political tensions spring up immediately between the various groups on site, not least because Graysha’s mother campaigns elsewhere against the alleged illegal genetic activity of the Lwuite cult. While Graysha tries to comprehend the nature of the colonists’ spirituality, she survives a number of murder attempts as well as a murder accusation.

It goes a lot deeper than that when you read, though. The mechanics of life in the colony – where one solar day is nearly 100 hours long; the simple yet unusual convention for constructing one’s last name from parts of both parents’; the will to survive on this harsh planet; the story of independence on both the personal and the planetary scale. Graysha frees herself from her mother’s dominance, and Goddard colony? Well, I don’t want to spoil the ending for you. But it’s a good one.

One reason I found Graysha’s character so endearing was that she has a disability. I’ve often wondered to myself why we don’t see more disabled people as main characters in novels or even in movies, and have been writing something along those lines myself. I guess people are always imperfect. A physical problem just shows it on the outside… but it’s particularly fascinating to see it in a science fiction environment. Even the most advanced technology cannot solve all human problems.

A great writer has struck once more where the iron is hot, leaving plenty of scope for a sequel… and plenty of dramatic images burned into her readers’ minds.

Terminal Logic by Jefferson Scott

2009-06-10T09:00:00.001+12:00

The story is chillingly realistic. Programmable characters from multi-user online games are released into the Web and go about wreaking havoc in a world they are not equipped to understand. One particularly powerful character “decides” logically that it’s time to wipe out life on Earth and begin again, unaware of the difference between the virtual world and the real one. There is a lot of interaction with computers, edge-of-your-seat action both in VR and outside it, and a well-founded spiritual basis for the plot.

The writer is so good that he’s invisible; it felt like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book. Okay, so it’s set in 2006 – old hat for something supposed to be in the future – but everything else is blockbuster quality. This is the second book of a trilogy, but it stands on its own as well.

It starts getting scary when you realise the similarities to many games that exist today. The scenarios start sounding very familiar and distinctly possible. The Christian characters ask themselves if the devil could be behind this – but no one knows for sure. The reader is left to decide for himself, amidst disobedient appliances, skeptical army generals, undercover cowboys, and whiz kids. I find it better this way than if everything was pinned down too precisely. It leaves a pleasant sense of “what if”.

The ending is a little predictable – the heroes save the human race and get to meet the President of the USA. But to be honest, that’s the only way this plot could have ended. It’s nice how the President’s Christian values come through.

Well worth a read, if you haven’t come across this series yet.

Ingathering: The Complete People Stories by Zenna Henderson

2009-06-08T09:00:00.001+12:00

In my continuing search for Lost Genre classics, I came across a review of Zenna Henderson’s work and decided this was worth a look. A few weeks later, a very large book-shaped package arrived at my door. For a long time it stared at me from the shelf, this imposing tome with the lizard on the cover. Usually I don’t like reading books in bits, but rather all at once, so I wanted to wait until I had a lot of time. Yet this one was different, and when I was finally drawn into its pages, I discovered a whole world and a myriad of fictional biographies encased in short stories. Again and again I returned to it and read one story or two, then laid it aside again. That’s the way it works.

The stories of the People are piled together, somewhat haphazardly at first. The frequent appearance of teachers and schools lead me to an early conclusion about the author’s day job. One by one, the lights go on, and we view the history of the People and their extraordinary origins. People who can fly, and sort confused souls, and feel the pain of others. People who came from another world, who ended up in the bleakly romantic Arizona canyons, who fought to survive and preserve their legacy. People who face wicked prejudices, who let outsiders in on their secrets now and then, and who use their Gifts to heal the world they live in, as they touch it.

The words are simple, the tales straightforward, of big and small happenings. The emotions run deep, the troubles are everyday human ones, even if their cause is sometimes unexpected. I am left with the feeling that I’d like to meet some People like this, because they are – well, just so nice. As one of the blurbs says, the People are us, at our best, as we’d like to be. Their trust in the Power who gives them their Gifts is just one of the things that makes them different from other people. Sort of like Christians are different in the world, too.

This allegory aspect is well-developed and provides much of the fascination as I ponder again and again: I’m different too. I, too, trust in a Giver of gifts, and can touch the world with them if I so choose. Yes, this is science fiction. You’ll find plenty of space travel and mind-blowing possibilities. But they are not the centre. Zenna Henderson has written about the People, their struggles with humanness, their love for the Home they came from and for the Earth they live on. Their teamwork, their combining of gifts to do what is necessary. Their searches for fulfillment, their hopes and longings, and their ever-optimistic view of life.

I think I’d be more optimistic, too, if I could fly…

Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead

2009-06-05T09:00:00.000+12:00

For a lifelong fan of Stephen Lawhead’s poetic and moving tales, every new book is a feast for the heart. Last year I read “Hood”, a necessarily brutal introduction to the rough world of the Brits and Normans of a thousand years ago. If that first volume in the King Raven trilogy was a little hard to get into, then it served to lay superb groundwork for this second one. Readers moving from the first book to the second will already know that the hero we have known as Robin is in fact Rhi Bran y Hud, and that our adventures do not take place in Nottingham, but rather in the March Forests of Wales in the times when the Normans began to overrun Britain and impose their cruelly weighted laws upon the Cymry. With this in mind, “Scarlet” grows beyond fantasy and becomes a living, breathing possibility of history.

The journey begins with Will Scarlet in a dark, damp cell awaiting the noose. He tells Odo the priest the entire tale of how he came to join the forest community, and the daring adventures accomplished in the company of his canny lord. Raids on forest roads embarrass the hard-nosed Franks again and again, rousing their ire and inspiring the band of rebels to ever riskier feats of bare-faced cheek, until Will is captured one unlucky night. But this is not the end of the story. I do confess that I began reading and soon after flipped through the back pages to see if Will escaped the impending execution; however, this information was not to be had in that part, and I was forced to find out in the usual way as events unfolded that did not disappoint in the slightest.

One of the most astonishing things about this book is the masterful style of writing. Now, we all know that Lawhead has always given us the very best of prose and adventure. Long have I modelled my own writing inspired by his example. But here, he has raised the standard by several rungs – most visibly in the changing viewpoints within the story. Aspiring writers are invariably told not to attempt this – let alone switch between first and third person narrative – because it’s almost impossible to pull it off without disturbing the natural flow of storytelling. But master that he is, Lawhead has accomplished it with flair. Only the most skilled of authors may break such rules and succeed at it, turning an apparent transgression of style into a many-faceted shine for the tale – thus dragging the reader happily helpless into the rush and flow of what would no doubt be called swashbuckling if this was a pirate tale. I guess young Rhi Bran is a pirate of the road, so the comparison may stand.

“Scarlet” owns at once the familiarity of the traditional Robin Hood legends and a truer realism of earth and blood and honest-hewn humanity. Rather than the sanitised Robin and the Merry Men known to most of us, Lawhead has instigated a new tradition likely far closer to the truth of those turbulent times. A desperate folk having lost their livelihood and a desperate king denied his rightful throne are more than motivated to irk the strangers who cast them from hearth and home. The end of this book is not the end of the tale – there is another tome to come – but within these pages reside political intrigues, spiritual epiphanies, and tear-jerking romances to shake the world and change it almost beyond recognising by the time you turn the last page. This will be a joy to fans old and new, bringing back memories and hints of the world of Taliesin and Merlin, now long resting in the past. A hard journey taken with humour and zest, twisting into heart-warming surprises – a banquet for the soul, with the hope of more to come.

Seabird by Sherry Thompson

2009-06-03T19:29:00.001+12:00

Cara is unwillingly snatched from her beach holiday after buying a mysteriously compelling seabird necklace. She finds herself in a world of purple foliage and periwinkle skies, and of the Three Peoples who wait for the visit of this Outworlder. Understandably shocked, she tries to tell them there's been a mistake - she can't possibly be the one their prophecies speak of. So she runs from the tasks they tell her she must complete, thus encountering trouble of even more immense proportions.

The character of Cara is highly endearing, trying to deal with a situation that's put her far out of her depth. She's in over her head and it shows in her halting attempts to take action. Disasters aplenty make for exciting reading. How will Cara and her new friends get through this time?

The best thing for me was seeing Cara turn from denial to acceptance of the call she must answer if the Three Peoples are to be saved. It's not easy by any stretch of the imagination - but it's the easiest thing in the world to let yourself be drawn into the story.

It's a wonderful first effort and I look forward to seeing more from this wonderfully imaginative author. This is a book worth re-reading to appreciate new depths.

The Return by Austin Boyd

2009-06-01T09:00:00.000+12:00

A far-reaching tale of bravery versus deception – story strands run through Earth and Mars, looking through the eyes of various characters scene by scene. We are plunged straight into the action, and although this is the third book in the series, it didn’t bother me at all that I haven’t read the first two – this one is complete in itself, and contains snippets of backstory as the characters remember prior events.

Admiral John Wells and his team are hard at work on the Mars base, and he is dealing with the loss of his family six years previously. The discovery of a mysterious second Mars base and its connections to a fertility cult are enough to occupy the NASA astronauts’ attention. Meanwhile, that cult’s leader on Earth is gearing up to fulfill his twisted dreams, spoken to him by a bodiless voice – and the fate of hundreds of teenage girls is in the balance.

This is not your usual astronaut story. It’s filled to bursting with unusual happenings and peculiar inventions – such as a tooth transmitter, an interactive virtual copy of a dead man, an alien hoax, messages in garden patterns, surprise appearances, fresh vegetables and a wagon train on Mars, and an international chase back on Earth. The topic of clones is also very well handled, showing that each is an individual soul even though their bodies are identical.

It’s a space tale with real warmth, humanity, and spirituality. Unlike the Apollo 13 brand of story that depicts space as empty and brutal, Mars is described as a good place to be, and the people living there change and grow through the pages just like the people on Earth. Occasionally you’ll need a fairly big stretch of the imagination to accept the outcome of particular situations, but that’s only a minor niggle and for me, made the whole ride a lot more fun with its unexpected twists and hitherto hidden opportunities. Yes, this story is about space exploration, but first and foremost it’s about people, about hope, and about the ultimate victory of good over evil. Expect the unexpected!

Infinite Space, Infinite God - edited by Karina and Robert Fabian

2009-05-29T09:00:00.001+12:00

Are you ready to have your imagination expanded beyond what you thought possible, while doing some serious thinking? Then this is the book for you. This extraordinary collection of fifteen science fiction short stories from a Catholic viewpoint will take you places you’ve never dreamed of. Hold on tight…

Walk beside a priest on a moonbase, then a soldier on Mars, as they each face the question of whether clones and reconstructed people have souls. In fact, the issue of cloning and genetic manipulation is handled from many different angles, shedding much light on the questions that must arise. Part-animal humans appear more than once and are sometimes discriminated against, sometimes beloved by children, and once even rescued by Saint Francis from the hatred of a Middle Ages community.

An unlikely evangelist is abducted by aliens, while in another place the mystical communion wafers are miraculously multiplied on an isolated asteroid. A hermit monk, seeking silence, acknowledges his call to a raucous moonport, and a young girl finds her destiny as a gun-toting bodyguard nun. A century of isolation causes the community on a lost ship to begin worshipping the earth, while two true believers help an unwitting visitor to escape the cult’s clutches. Appearances of Mary and the saints contribute here and there to the launch of a colony starship and the saving of a space station. The last two tales take up the rather more disturbing topics of deadly time-travel and the computer-aided confession of a Catholic terrorist.

These stories cover an immense breadth and depth of subject matter, locations on Earth, on the moon, and in far-off star systems. While I’m not a Catholic, many of the issues addressed are relevant for all Christians, and the things I found strange do provide some fascinating insights into Catholic thought and theology. In short, this anthology blows classic speculative fiction out of the water time and time again with amazing twists on the eternal question: “What if…” while giving you just enough time, in each longish short story, to ponder a little along these lines for yourself.

Each time I picked up this book to read a story, I came away enriched somehow by the multitude of new possibilities opening up around every corner. “What if” really is a much bigger question than I ever thought. The dark side of each new realm of possibility also plays a big part. Don’t expect a bunch of happy endings – rather, expect realistic results in a world that is every bit as tough as our present day, if not even tougher, as man penetrates the void of space. But hope also shines through in the midst of desperate circumstances.

I believe good science fiction should, among other things, always stretch your brain – and that’s just what this collection has done for me…fifteen times over. Watch out world – the Fabians are coming! And it looks like they're bringing their friends...

The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka

2009-05-27T09:00:00.000+12:00

Packer, our not-so-intrepid hero, has failed at much in his life. On the other hand, it seems he has also suffered unjustly for obeying his conscience to attack an evil man he was meant to respect. Discarded by the spiritual leaders he longed to join, he applied himself to learning the sword, and now seeks to sneak on board a pirate ship in pursuit of the giant Firefish that could bring prosperity to his peasant village.

By now, there’s been gallantry and humiliation, cruelty and devotion, hatred and miracles for Packer – all in the space of just a few days. All described vividly and precisely, so that it’s almost like sitting in a movie theater – you can see the glint of moonlight on swords and the depths of depravity in the villain’s black eyes, in the same way that a film director orders camera shots to zoom in on particular aspects. And the villain is a woman, by the way, a rather unusual touch.

The kingdom of Nearing Vast is a Christian one, the heroine’s father is a pastor, and Scripture quotes and allusions are found again and again. These people may live in a fantasy world, but their faith is ours, and their Book is just like the one on your own nightstand.

This may seem an unusual combination – and indeed, it is. The story is fully anchored in both the rich fantasy world, and in the utter familiarity of Christian living. But it’s not awkward in the least. It fits. I just read a mind-boggling scene in which Packer, challenged once again to fight for his life in the depths of the pirate ship, considers the parallels between his own situation and that of Adam in the Garden of Eden. I really can’t do it justice by this description.

The action increases by exponents. Packer’s well-meant advice has brought the pirate ship into extreme danger, while his clumsy attempts to help are miraculously successful, even as he pauses amidst deadly danger to ponder God’s purposes. At the same time, unbeknown to him, his beloved Panna is in the clutches of his most vicious opponent, with no idea how to break free.

Back on the pirate ship, the danger quotient continues to shoot off the scale, and the action takes on a mysterious, almost slow-motion effect as the myriad thoughts, sensations, feelings and moonlit images of this experience force their way into the consciousness of those involved – and those reading and watching.

As the tangled threads of story come together in the last part of the tale, I have finally realised what a master storyteller Bryan is. It is a masterful weaving of carefully laid clues and precisely revealed secrets, creating the build-up to an inevitable climax.

This is a strong theme that comes up again and again: God is strongest in weakness, and his wisdom is foolishness to those on the outside. More than once, a decisive victory is attained by giving up, by surrendering to evil – yet it is this apparent powerlessness we see overcoming that very evil. Christ crucified, the beginning and end of every struggle.

The twists in the end of the tale are violent, redemptive, and shocking. Climactic swordfights are entrenched in a spiritual reality that impacts the warriors even during the highest moments of tension. Although the thrusts and parries are quick and sharp, the slow-motion “camera” effect reveals the truth in their hearts in the blink of an eye, in the flicker of a flame, in a sudden recognition of reality.

After victory won, the stunning pace of action gives way to rest and relief. Hope is seen through tragedy, and Packer gains everything he set out to seek. This is the stuff of golden dreams, of allegory, fantasy and fairytales, and the hero has come to his reward.
Summing up: This book is not like anything I’ve ever come across before. It’s an absolutely unique mingling of real biblical Christianity with a fictional, historical-type fantasy world. Take a look. You won’t regret it.

Beyond Corista by Robert Elmer

2009-05-25T09:00:00.003+12:00

Beyond Corista is Book 3 in the Shadowside Trilogy, which chronicles the journeys of fifteen-year-old Oriannon, daughter of a Coristan elder. At this point I have not read the other two books in the series, but when we first meet Oriannon in this story, she and her friends are fleeing away from Corista, their planet, with government security chasing after. Also on board is Sola, who previously tried to become Corista's dictator and was intent on ridding the planet of one of its races of people.

As the journey progresses, Oriannon is visited three times in visions by her Mentor Jesmet, who was killed by the government. He gives her instructions to travel to outlying space stations to warn of the danger from a conquering enemy. Oriannon's friends become increasingly skeptical of the messages from Jesmet, since no one else can see him. Still they fly on, encountering various types of opposition on the stations they visit. The mention of Jesmet invariably leads to conflict.

But along the way, Oriannon also meets people who want to hear her message and learn of Jesmet. These individuals help her, each in their own way, and many are touched by the music that emanates from the Pilot Stone she carries. There are many spiritual overtones in what is essentially a space opera story, but it's done with a light touch. Over all arcs Oriannon's hope to return to Corista and establish a lasting peace, with help from Jesmet and the people she encounters on her journey.

I admit I was a bit lost at times, but I'm sure that's because this is the third book in a continuing story. It certainly makes interesting reading and is suitable for young teens also. I recommend this series for anyone wanting sci-fi with distinct inspirational tones, and anyone looking for an epic space journey. Here you'll find danger, adventure and the saving of an entire society.

The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson

2009-05-22T09:00:00.002+12:00

Two scientists from the present day - one an atheist, the other a Messianic Jew - get into a fight over whether Jesus really rose from the dead. In rage Tom activates a newly-discovered time travel system, determined to go back and prove it didn't happen. David goes after him, fearing a rip in time could destroy history as we know it. Both end up meeting Jesus and tagging along with his disciples - but Tom remains obstinately disbelieving. What will it take to make a faithful follower out of the doubter - who always finds a way to discredit the miracles he sees, even when Lazarus staggers out of the tomb?

It's a beautifully crafted plot, and according to the introduction, it began its life as a screenplay. Full of sound effects and delightful visual details, it surprised me again and again. Living in the past has its benefits, as both scientists experience an enormous boost in health from a diet of completely untreated food. But Tom and David can't resist taking a break to zip back to present-day America for a meal of spare ribs - however, they forget to change out of their ancient garb and end up causing a ruckus in the restaurant. Another time, they enlist muscleman Lazarus to return to the future with them to help deal with the people who want them dead. A cliffhanger climax has Jesus catching bullets with his bare hands, and David discovering the love of his life.

I really, truly loved the atmosphere created by this rollicking tale. The action barely ever stops, and - if you'll believe me - I felt as if I knew Jesus better afterwards. Of course He can deal with time travellers, speak perfect English when necessary, be a friend to a persistent atheist, and enjoy the company of a Christian who always knows what's about to happen because he's read it all before...

Well done, Jeremy! When's the movie coming out? I'm off to look for more...

Star Trek 2009: The Review

2009-05-21T12:00:00.004+12:00

Okay. I admit it. I've been to see the movie four times - totally unprecedented for me, I've never ever been to any other movie more than once - and I've read dozens of interviews and random facts, so I figure it's time for me to write a proper review.

Like any proper Trekkie I'd been reading all sorts of preview reviews, sneak peeks and analyses prior to the movie's release. I wasn't sure what I'd be in for - apparently there was going to be a nasty backlash from old-time fans because this new Trek was - well, different. So with only the slightest reservation I booked my first viewing on release day, May 8th. I took my mother with me, she whose sci-fi leaning first brought me into Trekdom at a young age.

Well! My first impression was violent, loud, and very, very surprising. I discovered what everyone meant when they called it a reboot. Essentially that means it's not a prequel or sequel or any such animal. Yes, it's gone back to the beginning, but a future disaster's impact has changed one or two details of the past, leading to a very different growing-up for James T. Kirk than the past we know from all the Trek that's been before. "Very clever," said Mum as we left the cinema, "they'll be able to make another ten movies now." Talk then turned serious as we hoped we'd still be around to see all of them. That'd be the worst thing about dying. Missing Star Trek.

I for one felt like I'd just drunk a rather strong potion far too quickly. So we went again the next night, and dragged along five members of the extended family, mostly non-Trekkies. They liked it, and we went for a coffee and talked over the nuances. I tried to work on my novel that day and the next, and the one after that, but I couldn't. My brain was all jammed up with Trek and all the implications of the new reality we would have to accept. I did suffer some measure of grief at the realisation that none of the other forty years of Trek might ever play into this reinvented world.

However, my grief was ultra-short-lived as I pondered the amazing array of faithful Trek images I'd just seen remade for the new millenium. Two days on I went again, and this time I knew what to look out for. Here are a few things that come to mind.

Bridge sound effects, particularly the "Dynamic Beep". The appearance of Leonard Nimoy as a very aged Spock. Scotty's pet Tribble. Transporter and communicator sounds. Pike's new uniform in his last scene. "I'm a doctor, not a physicist." Great casting of lookalike actors who mastered the mannerisms of their predecessors, particularly McCoy and Spock. "I'm givin'er all she's got, Cap'n!" Admiral Archer's beagle. Romulans and Vulcans bleed green. "Fascinating." The legend of the redshirts. Sulu's swordfighting. Uhura's earpiece.

There were a lot of laughs too, especially but not only for those familiar with the original series. The action stoops to a comedy reel even in the midst of danger, as McCoy chases Kirk around the ship shooting needles in his neck, as a dripping wet Scotty tries to placate an angry Spock, and as Kirk figures out what's up with Spock and Uhura. Scotty and McCoy are very funny in all of their scenes. It was also funny in a twisted kind of way that Kirk lost nearly every fist-fight he got into, and frequently ended up hanging from high precipices by his fingertips after losing his gun over said precipice due to losing said fist-fight.

The music is pretty cool, especially at the end where they bring back the original theme song and then blend it with the new one. For my fourth viewing I was in the IMAX yesterday, and was astonished to find myself the last in the theatre even though the most impressive section of the credits was still rolling.

So there were a few aspects that I didn't like so much. The car chase scene is juvenile, as is Pike's interrogation, and there are a bunch of holes in the plot which I've since heard are likely due to scenes which ended up being left out. I sure hope there'll be a director's cut to include some of these lost parts. Also, I have to remember that they filmed this during the writers' strike and were unable to alter anything in the shoot phase. With that in consideration, they did pretty well with what they had.

But regardless of these shortcomings, Star Trek is a movie that delivers the fun and the action and all the characters we love. While it was a little short on inspiration, it's understandable that there was a lot of action to cover in bridging the gap between old and new. With that accomplished, the end is truly the beginning, and the way is open for more mind-blowing adventures and hopefully a bit more soul-food the next time around.

People kept asking me why I went back four times. Didn't I know already what was going to happen? Well, sure. Even had lots of it stored in photographic memory. But it was the crew of the Enterprise who drew me to return. I've felt these new actors slot comfortably into their positions as the legendary spacefaring team, even as their journey to get to that place is now full of new challenges - faced by each person in their own typical manner. The new reality throws different struggles in the paths of Kirk and Spock in particular, causing the Kirk we once knew to appear a little less arrogant, and Spock more in touch with his emotions. And aren't those exactly the kind of developments we've always wanted to see?

Axiom-Man by A.P. Fuchs

2009-05-20T09:00:00.000+12:00

Being in the Lost Genre Guild means I know A.P. first and foremost as a horror writer. Now I'm not into horror at all, so I hesitated a while before finally deciding to read Axiom-man. After all, a caped crusader must be pretty harmless, right? So to be honest, I didn't know what to expect - but the cover looks pretty cool!

As it turned out, I needn't have worried about A.P.'s horror spilling into this book. It's totally harmless, yet anything but gutless! Easy reading, light-hearted and fun, I bet this will be a hit with the kids.

The superhero scenario may be fairly standard, but there are some new twists on it here. Gabriel receives his gift of power from a mysterious messenger who gives him a task to do - but he doesn't give him the suit and cape. Our intrepid hero has to trot off to fabric stores and learn to operate a sewing machine before he can show himself to the world at large. Meanwhile, he continues in his job at the call center and longs to get to know the girl in the opposite cubicle.

Winnipeg's emergencies often cause him to be late for work, which of course causes headaches with the boss. Gabriel is still learning to hide his powers, and rides the bus to work rather than flying. I found the sewing machine a nice touch, and also the backpack worn under the cape to carry his normal clothes for when he has to change again. Makes me wonder - why don't any other flying rescuers carry handbags? I mean, don't they need any stuff? ID and all that? Axiom-man is certainly the cleverest of all superheroes in this respect.

Another nice sideline is the bad guy's online marketing strategy. How to get rich via Internet in the 21st century. Read carefully - you might just learn something really useful! When the two opposing superheroes get in a fist fight, things get a bit messy and the action is a little rough. But I guess that's to be expected in a clash of superhuman powers. There's only a little blood and gore.

You'll find plenty of surprising twists and turns in this highly enjoyable story, and it'll leave you wanting more. The story is far from over, but the end of this book is very satisfying in and of itself. Axiom-man is a delightfully human superhero with true depth and spirituality. I look forward to seeing what A.P. and Axiom-man get up to next!