PORTFOLIO (1)
BIO
JRN CALO (Galicia, Spain, 1962-Plastic Artist and Digital)
Member of the International Galleries: The Saatchi Gallery London-Picassomio-Artelista-Absolutearts-ArtsCad-myartspace-Allinto-ArtSlant-Artístamundo-Artprocess and ArtNobel
"His work is created through ideas and thoughts. Born of experience, literature and art"
The Artist defines his work as "imaginative expression"
"It shows hidden parts of reality, showing images exits the artist's mind"
The combination of thought, imagination, idea and mind, form the artist's work by giving it a real personality and original!
(Imagination is the ability to generate images from experience, is also the projection of desire and the vision beyond the reality. The artist as individual creator, creates his works from the imagination, "Source:" The soul is in the brain "by Eduardo Punset, page 319)
The expressionism is an artistic movement that seeks the expression of feelings and emotions of the author and the representation of objective reality.
(Each work offers the viewer the reality hidden messages, the viewer / observer is the intellectual charge of deciphering the enigma of the work)
QUOTES:
With each work I try to have a literary history, as applied to art digital-I would like the reader of the work, could see or imagine issues further.
"The digital art is the art of the future. The future is in the 21st century. My work delves into the spiritual, the paranormal, and the imaginative, and born of Expressionism"
"Create" Applying imagination, is what makes me happy in the world.
Artist Reviews:
The Fountain of Richard Mutt or what is the same, the idea of Marcel Duchamp on the repositioning of a urinal, and transform that idea into art, is equal to the transformation of the shark in formaldehyde Demian Hirst. Imagine the future with Demian Hirst formaldehyde in a cylindrical auctioned at Sotheby's.
The 21st century will be remembered as the century of the digital revolution, all will be in a nano digital file. Extensive libraries filled with thousands of books will be within the nanoarchivo, and over time will be millions of files. A digital library collection in Alexandria nanoarchivo, a digital work always perennial, new ... continuous time in space.
Classical painting is in museums, again and again is retouched by art restorers. It is not the original paint, dead and dry in principle by the passage of time no smell ... time was responsible for killing his freshness, his brilliance, so their original reality. Formerly one could know that this picture was painted by a great artist, but the freshness of the box lasted only a few hours, a moment when it was painted by the artist-himself realized after a few days work is no was the same ... had lost its luster, freshness, the expression was dry and the smell of paint was gone. If this work had been scanned at the exact moment of his birth, would have been the true form, its meaning and exploration of the work, remain intact in the eye and the senses of observers and analysts of the work. But time has passed and the classic is retouched again and again, conservation treatments have been superimposed over the original, killing its spirit.
The digital work as of today has no odor, but has the message and essence of being or not. "To be or not be in the play", is determined by the artistic knowledge.
Without culture artist no one can express knowledge of art. The same applies to the language, can emit guttural sounds, the issuer is like a baby to demonstrate their knowledge through these sounds, but "being" does not agree with his expression. Pointing to a glass of water obviously offer it, but that does not qualify them to be possessed of a critical spirit.
The importance of digital art is determined by the immediate future, the day to day after this. We live in the information age, digital technology and therefore portray the way of classical or impressionist art no longer makes sense, because all that has been painted, valued, and displayed and admired today, observed, analyzed and studied, in museums, encyclopedias, books and libraries. An oil painting, an acrylic, a watercolor or gouache, withering day by day, lose heart, odor, freshness, brightness ... the spirit of the work is being diluted in the air like a ghost.
The art and artists are defined. The history of art will enter only the work of art, the unique, the exalted, the sublime and magnificent that keeps the meaning of artwork. Speculation (in art) go down in history as a mercantile and little action ... we will as a shark and a cow were later placed in formaldehyde in a glass bowl and auctioned at Sotheby's. Today they are thinking about putting a live Apes; sentenced to death ... and I call artwork. Here he entered the dark age of science fiction.
The work is not only a painting "is an idea born from the mind of the creator, the artist. Human civilization must advance and be built elsewhere in the solar system Just as new life-history of mankind needs to advance to disappear-not the history of art evolve over time. The XXI century brings new tools and new stories to tell. It is not overcoming the past, and to teachers of the past, it comes to finding true artists, not speculators art, art must reflect the lessons of history and evolve through time, to be future. Some of the teachers born between these two centuries: Siglo XX and XXI century, are in art history, therefore in the History of Mankind ... In a way. Today we have evolved tools: software design, software tools and I use them ... It is "the Digital Age." Future thinking will be the most important tool and sophisticated human being applied to art. (Imagination).
Prices and the art market as the stock market fluctuates, sometimes up and sometimes down-A work of art is priceless, but money becomes a work of art because there is "the world capitalist market" and within it there sellers, buyers, investors, speculators, opinólogos, opportunistic and art critics.
His works are printed in the Giclée printing technique:
The Giclée process is synonymous with high-end printing and enables digital images or scanned in high resolution to print on various media including canvas, cotton paper and photo paper. Through this technique of printing is access to a better management of color and black and white, surpassing all known traditional processes. Giclée prints have become the industry standard for printing and reproduction of art.
The quality of giclée prints is recognized in all professional fields, museums, galleries, publishers and collectors exhibit and sell works on paper and photographic paper in this process. At international auctions, Giclée prints have achieved high prices, which proves the acceptance of this process as a carrier for graphic work and means of artistic expression.
Return Policy: The buyer has seven days, make your purchase is risk free. If for any reason not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it, with the full reimbursement of the cost of the work.
The artist donates 50% of the value of each single work to Humanitarian Causes: Unicef and Doctors Without Borders Greanpeace. The buyer will receive confirmation of payment of 50% through proof of the organization that will be targeted. And a certificate, signature and authorship of the work by the artist. With the guarantee of repayment of the full amount by a space of 7 days if not satisfied.
Member of the International Galleries: The Saatchi Gallery London-Picassomio-Artelista-Absolutearts-ArtsCad-myartspace-Allinto-ArtSlant-Artístamundo-Artprocess and ArtNobel
"His work is created through ideas and thoughts. Born of experience, literature and art"
The Artist defines his work as "imaginative expression"
"It shows hidden parts of reality, showing images exits the artist's mind"
The combination of thought, imagination, idea and mind, form the artist's work by giving it a real personality and original!
(Imagination is the ability to generate images from experience, is also the projection of desire and the vision beyond the reality. The artist as individual creator, creates his works from the imagination, "Source:" The soul is in the brain "by Eduardo Punset, page 319)
The expressionism is an artistic movement that seeks the expression of feelings and emotions of the author and the representation of objective reality.
(Each work offers the viewer the reality hidden messages, the viewer / observer is the intellectual charge of deciphering the enigma of the work)
QUOTES:
With each work I try to have a literary history, as applied to art digital-I would like the reader of the work, could see or imagine issues further.
"The digital art is the art of the future. The future is in the 21st century. My work delves into the spiritual, the paranormal, and the imaginative, and born of Expressionism"
"Create" Applying imagination, is what makes me happy in the world.
Artist Reviews:
The Fountain of Richard Mutt or what is the same, the idea of Marcel Duchamp on the repositioning of a urinal, and transform that idea into art, is equal to the transformation of the shark in formaldehyde Demian Hirst. Imagine the future with Demian Hirst formaldehyde in a cylindrical auctioned at Sotheby's.
The 21st century will be remembered as the century of the digital revolution, all will be in a nano digital file. Extensive libraries filled with thousands of books will be within the nanoarchivo, and over time will be millions of files. A digital library collection in Alexandria nanoarchivo, a digital work always perennial, new ... continuous time in space.
Classical painting is in museums, again and again is retouched by art restorers. It is not the original paint, dead and dry in principle by the passage of time no smell ... time was responsible for killing his freshness, his brilliance, so their original reality. Formerly one could know that this picture was painted by a great artist, but the freshness of the box lasted only a few hours, a moment when it was painted by the artist-himself realized after a few days work is no was the same ... had lost its luster, freshness, the expression was dry and the smell of paint was gone. If this work had been scanned at the exact moment of his birth, would have been the true form, its meaning and exploration of the work, remain intact in the eye and the senses of observers and analysts of the work. But time has passed and the classic is retouched again and again, conservation treatments have been superimposed over the original, killing its spirit.
The digital work as of today has no odor, but has the message and essence of being or not. "To be or not be in the play", is determined by the artistic knowledge.
Without culture artist no one can express knowledge of art. The same applies to the language, can emit guttural sounds, the issuer is like a baby to demonstrate their knowledge through these sounds, but "being" does not agree with his expression. Pointing to a glass of water obviously offer it, but that does not qualify them to be possessed of a critical spirit.
The importance of digital art is determined by the immediate future, the day to day after this. We live in the information age, digital technology and therefore portray the way of classical or impressionist art no longer makes sense, because all that has been painted, valued, and displayed and admired today, observed, analyzed and studied, in museums, encyclopedias, books and libraries. An oil painting, an acrylic, a watercolor or gouache, withering day by day, lose heart, odor, freshness, brightness ... the spirit of the work is being diluted in the air like a ghost.
The art and artists are defined. The history of art will enter only the work of art, the unique, the exalted, the sublime and magnificent that keeps the meaning of artwork. Speculation (in art) go down in history as a mercantile and little action ... we will as a shark and a cow were later placed in formaldehyde in a glass bowl and auctioned at Sotheby's. Today they are thinking about putting a live Apes; sentenced to death ... and I call artwork. Here he entered the dark age of science fiction.
The work is not only a painting "is an idea born from the mind of the creator, the artist. Human civilization must advance and be built elsewhere in the solar system Just as new life-history of mankind needs to advance to disappear-not the history of art evolve over time. The XXI century brings new tools and new stories to tell. It is not overcoming the past, and to teachers of the past, it comes to finding true artists, not speculators art, art must reflect the lessons of history and evolve through time, to be future. Some of the teachers born between these two centuries: Siglo XX and XXI century, are in art history, therefore in the History of Mankind ... In a way. Today we have evolved tools: software design, software tools and I use them ... It is "the Digital Age." Future thinking will be the most important tool and sophisticated human being applied to art. (Imagination).
Prices and the art market as the stock market fluctuates, sometimes up and sometimes down-A work of art is priceless, but money becomes a work of art because there is "the world capitalist market" and within it there sellers, buyers, investors, speculators, opinólogos, opportunistic and art critics.
His works are printed in the Giclée printing technique:
The Giclée process is synonymous with high-end printing and enables digital images or scanned in high resolution to print on various media including canvas, cotton paper and photo paper. Through this technique of printing is access to a better management of color and black and white, surpassing all known traditional processes. Giclée prints have become the industry standard for printing and reproduction of art.
The quality of giclée prints is recognized in all professional fields, museums, galleries, publishers and collectors exhibit and sell works on paper and photographic paper in this process. At international auctions, Giclée prints have achieved high prices, which proves the acceptance of this process as a carrier for graphic work and means of artistic expression.
Return Policy: The buyer has seven days, make your purchase is risk free. If for any reason not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it, with the full reimbursement of the cost of the work.
The artist donates 50% of the value of each single work to Humanitarian Causes: Unicef and Doctors Without Borders Greanpeace. The buyer will receive confirmation of payment of 50% through proof of the organization that will be targeted. And a certificate, signature and authorship of the work by the artist. With the guarantee of repayment of the full amount by a space of 7 days if not satisfied.
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Corpus Pretereo - Edited by Patrick Jennings-Mapp & Alexandra J. Ash
Title: Corpus Pretereo
Author: Various (Edited by Patrick Jennings-Mapp & Alexandra J. Ash)
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
“Corpus Pretereo” is an anthology of sixteen short stories by various different authors that span several different genres under the speculative fiction umbrella. This includes genres such as fantasy, horror and science-fiction with the overall subject of the stories being that of escape.
As is normal with anthologies such as this the stories are a bit of a mixed bag in terms of quality and entertainment. For example, some of them are enthralling complete stories that provide well thought out endings whilst others just come across like an opening chapter in a much longer story. However, overall there was more than enough enjoyable stories contained here to make me feel that the anthology is well worth the price.
As there is such a large collection of stories in the collection I will not comment on all of the stories, but will pick a sample of both the positive and negative to give as balanced a review as I can. The Devil and Neil Armstrong: This clever and thoughtful story was probably my favourite story in the collection. It involves two concepts I find interesting, space exploration and time travel to create an interesting concept that had me contemplating the way in which the past influences the present.
The Carnival: Whilst I found this story to be very atmospheric and had me very intrigued, however it was let down by a terribly inclusive ending. This story more than any other struck me as being the opening chapter in a novella rather than it working as a satisfying standalone short story.
Crash: A superb dystopian story in which a group of children try to survive and find a place for themselves in a hostile world. Even with the stories’ short length, the author has managed create well developed and interesting characters that suck the reader in. This is supported by a strong narrative voice and interesting depth to the world. The ending was conclusive but I would still love to learn more about the characters and their world.
The Curl of the Wave: I found the writing to be perfect in evoking an entertaining and strong image of what the author was trying to portray. However, I think it was let down by a lack of characterisation that just made it hard to fully become engaged with the characters and therefore the story as a whole.
This is just a short taste of what the collection contains and there are further stories that I enjoyed and others that just didn’t appeal although as you can see from my comments above the negatives didn’t always necessarily ruin my interest in a story. However, overall I found that there were enough interesting, enjoyable and entertaining stories within the collection to make me more than happy to recommend it. So if you are a fan of speculative fiction and would like to sample the work of various authors that they may not normally read then this anthology more than fits the bill.
Terminus - Paul Melhuish
Title: Terminus
Author: Paul Melhuish
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2012
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords
Kobo
Amazon UK
“Terminus” by Paul Melhuish is a rather interesting blend of Science Fiction and horror that I found thoroughly entertaining although there were a few minor issues. The plot itself is based around Sii Terminus, a man whose past with scarred by an encounter with a strange alien species. Now though, he is captain of a space craft that has been tasked with the simple sounding task of taking an important bureaucrat out to another planet named Thanatos One. However, upon arrival it becomes obvious that the task is not that simple and soon Sii and his crew encounter horrors and danger they could never have imagined in their darkest dreams.
The first thing I noted about the book is that it does start of quite slowly, which isn’t helped by the use of specialised slang which I will discuss later on. However, upon arrival at Thanatos One itself the pace really does pick up with various twists and turns keeping the reader on their toes. I really found myself desperate to turn each page and discover what was coming next. The overall feel of the novel is quite dark as the horror scenes themselves can be quite graphic and there is a pervasive level of corruption and decadence within the society that Melhuish has created. Yet, the novel does also have some rather amusing elements of dark humour which cleverly ensures that it doesn’t become subsumed by the more depressing and morose elements.
The writing was clever and descriptive which really helps the reader envision both the characters and the world they inhabit. Melhuish has also tried to show the evolution of his society by including a form of slang that has resulted from the slow corruption of English. Whilst I found this quite interesting and clever, I did think it could detract from the novel as the reader tried to understand what the words actually meant. Basically, I found myself getting bogged down early on in the novel as I tried to both understand the new slang and put up with the slow initial pacing.
In regards to the characters, the majority of them fit in with their rather decaying society very well with various flaws and issue visible for all to see. Despite this however, I couldn’t help but find myself liking most of them with Sii Terminus himself being the ultimate anti-hero. The fact that I found myself caring about the characters really helped to enhance the power of the horror elements. This was nice to see as I find that too many horror stories rely on gore alone to thrill the readers.
Overall, this was an exciting and interesting horror story that uses its futuristic setting incredibly well. I think I would recommend the book to lovers of several genres as fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, dystopian, horror and even space-opera should find something in the book that appeals.
Star Trek: Republic (My Brother's Keeper Book 1) - Michael Jan Friedman
Title: Republic (My Brother's Keeper Book 1)
Author: Michael Jan Friedman
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 1998
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
Kobo
Amazon UK
“Republic” by Michael Jan Friedman is an interesting Star Trek novel that forms the first part in the “My Brother’s Keeper” trilogy. This trilogy explores the relationship between Kirk and Gary Mitchell, a character that died during the second pilot episode of Star Trek entitled "Where No Man Has Gone Before".
The plot of this first book in the series starts with a framing story which details the final events of "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Then upon Mitchell’s death the reader get to explore some of the psychological impact of the tragedy upon Kirk who opens up to Spock and relates the story of how he and Mitchell first met back in the Academy. The novel then follows Kirk and Mitchell through the birth of their friendship and the first real adventure together aboard the USS Republic when it is diverted to a planet so Starfleet may provide support in securing a peace deal between two long warring factions.
The core story was entertaining and interesting as the reader gets to witness the development of Kirk & Mitchell’s friendship and how they rub off on each other in various ways. However, the USS Republic planeside portion of the story felt a little bit stale at times as it was neither very original nor that interesting in my opinion. It just felt like Friedman had inserted this section of the story into the book so there would be some sort of action etc. rather than it all just being about the character interactions.
As an additional note, I found the treatment of “Where No Man Has Gone Before” to be excellent. I have not yet read James Blish’s originally novelizations of the TV series episodes but it would have to be something really special to better what Freidman has done with the framing story in this novel. It captures elements of the TV show well but also adds to and enhances the aftermath in a well thought out manner that ensures people who have seen the show will actually read something a little bit more in-depth.
However, whilst I did enjoy learning some more about Kirk and Mitchell’s history, the characters just felt a little bit off to me at times. I found it hard to believe that Kirk was such a failure with the ladies as we witness here, nor could I believe that Mitchell would suddenly decide randomly to take on a mission to “loosen” up Kirk. In addition, Mitchell’s psychic abilities seemed a little bit too developed and the way in which he used them to solve every problem without an issue seemed a bit too far-fetched for me. Luckily, none of this was a major issue as their core personalities were pretty much as I would have imagined them at that time.
Overall this was an interesting and enjoyable look at the relationship between Kirk and Mitchell and how it was formed. The overall storyline isn’t anything special, but the real plus points in the novel are in relation to the characters themselves and how they develop through knowing each other. After reading the book, I am more than curious to know how different the TV series could have been had Mitchell not been killed off as he is a rather interesting character. Either way, I am now looking forward to the next book in the series so Kirk and Mitchell’s enjoyable relationship can be explored even further.
Visionary of Peace (Vallar Book 2) - Cindy Borgne
Title: Visionary of Peace (Vallar Book 2)
Author: Cindy Borgne
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2013
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK
"Visionary of Peace" by Cindy Borgne is the 2nd novel in her “Vallar” Science Fiction series. I loved the previous novel which I reviewed here so was looking forward to reading this as soon as I received it. Whilst it didn’t grab my attention as much as the first novel, this was still an enjoyable, action packed adventure story that appealed on many levels.
Plot wise, we once again follow the escapades of Ian Connors on Mars who is now living a new life using his psychic abilities to assist the GenTech Corporation following his defection from MarsCorp as seen in the previous novel. However, after several years of stalemate, it appears that MarsCorp have obtained a new ally and seem intent on finally finishing off GenTech once and for all. And so Ian must once again work towards defeating his old faction and secure the future for Mars once and for all.
Once again, Borgne has delivered a quick-paced read that combines enjoyable action and adventure along with a tale of romance as Ian and Kayla try and make their relationship work despite the various obstacles created by distance, war and politics. Borgne has used this relationship and other elements of the story to really try and develop the characters further that what we saw in the previous novel and I appreciated this.
In addition It was also nice to see that the villains in the novel weren’t just evil, cruel caricatures. There is a depth to them as the reader can see and understand their motivations and reasons for doing what they do even if we may not always agree with them. Too often recently I have bemoaned the rather black and white nature of villains so I really appreciated that little extra shown here.
One issue I did have with the novel is in regards to the alternating first-person perspective between Ian and Kayla. It could get a bit confusing at times, especially when Ian and Kalyla were together and it would shift perspectives. To be honest, within a couple of pages I was normally back in the right frame but it did get annoying getting thrown out of the moment as I tried to re-adjust for each chapter.
Overall, this was a riveting sequel that expands well upon the world introduced in the previous novel “Seer of Mars”. The action is fun and the characters are developed further so if you enjoyed the first novel then I don’t think you will be disappointed with this entry in the “Vallar” series.
Calm Before the Storm (Stewards of the White Circle Book 1) - JT Brewer
Title: Calm Before the Storm (Stewards of the White Circle Book 1)
Author: JT Brewer
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Kobo
Amazon UK
“Calm Before The Storm" is an interesting urban fantasy novel written by a husband/wife duo known as JT Brewer. The interesting thing about this story was that I had originally been asked to read it under a different title which was “Omega’s Shepherd” but before I got onto it the authors asked me to hold off as they were re-working the novel. Anyway, the novel as it stands now is going to be the first in a series of novels known as “Stewards of the White Circle” and after reading this book I am looking forward to reading the future novels.
The plot itself follows a famous Biology professor known as Dr James Omega who is drawn to a University in Colorado as he searches for someone known as the Shepherd who appears to have some sort of special destiny regarding life on Earth. Of course, he isn’t the only one searching and a demon has been unleashed from hell to try and thwart the aims of Dr Omega and his fellow Stewards of the White Circle.
The story itself does involve an interesting premise and I was very curious about where the overall plot is heading in the long run. In addition there were some really interesting references to a deeper history that I am sure will be further developed in future novels. However, a problem I did have is that the novel suffers from being dedicated to the overall set up with little real tension or excitement. The authors do try to include something in regards to an avalanche at one point but this just doesn’t work for me as the other characters involved were just random people that were never introduced and were never mentioned again.
The writing itself was tidy, descriptive and easily captured the imagery that the authors were trying to invoke. In addition, I actually found the pacing to be more than competent enough to stop my mind drifting off which was nice to see considering the issues I had with the lack of tension etc.
The biggest issue I probably had with the novel however is in relation to the characters who just felt a little bit too flat for me which made it hard for me to really connect with them. They were all just so black and white and lacked any meaningful depth or complexity which would have really drawn me in. This is epitomised by the romantic relationship between two of the protagonists which was quite simply bad. I found it to be clichéd, unimaginative and obvious to the point that it actually irritated me a little.
Despite this review sounding rather negative, I did find the book to be an interesting and enjoyable introduction to a new series of fantasy novels. However, I do think it is missing a real sense of tension and I hope we can see some real development in the characters going forward. Personally, I am still looking forward to reading the next book in the series which is a good sign for any introductory book such as this.
Parallels: The Black-Eyed Susan (On Dark Shores Prequel) - J.A. Clement
Title: The Black-Eyed Susan (On Dark Shores Prequel)
Author: J.A. Clement
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2012
Formats: Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords (Free)
Kobo (Free)
Amazon UK
“The Black-Eyed Susan” is a short story that serves as a prequel to JA Clement’s “On Dark Shores” series (for the review of book 1 in the series please click here). I decided to read this short story as I have enjoyed the series so far and I did have some time to waste as I wait for the 3rd book in the series to be written.
The story is set ten years prior to the events contained within the first book in the series and it details the meeting between the Captain of a ship called the Black-Eyed Susan and a moneylender known as Copeland. Basically, Copeland has set up events to ensure that the Captain would be unable to repay his debts and would therefore forfeit the ship and this short story details the initial outcomes of this.
This really is a very short piece of fiction and therefore for someone new to the series I am not sure there is enough time to really detail the characters that will go on to influence the series of novels. However, the basics fundamental morals of the characters are there to see which should pique the interest of any reader. In addition, the writing is concise, descriptive and formatted well which is of course a good advert for the series as a whole.
To be honest, I believe that this book will appeal most to those who have already started reading the series and are familiar with the characters and rich setting. It really does fill out some of the key characters and further explains some of the motives for their future actions. However, there is still be enough here for new readers to gain a nice quick introduction to what is a varied and interesting world. So I can only advise that people go and pick this up, especially as it can usually be found for free on various websites.
Star Trek: The Children of Kings - David Stern
Title: The Children of Kings
Author: David Stern
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2010
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Kobo
Amazon UK
“The Children of Kings” by Dave Stern is the latest book in my challenge to try and read all the Star Trek novels in chronological order. To be honest, I am not that sure if I read this novel in exactly the correct place as it more or less lives in its own continuity. Either way though, the story does offer the reader a rare insight into Pike’s era as Captain of the Enterprise.
The story follows Captain Pike and his crew as they investigate a remote Federation base that appears to have been attacked and destroyed by Klingons. Whilst most of the crew are quick to condemn the Klingons, a few of them suspect there is something else afoot and begin to question some of the findings. Things get even worse however when they pick up a distress call from an Orion ship and their attempt to assist results in several of the crew being captured and the apparent death of Pike himself. Before long, tensions begin to escalate and the risk of war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire is a real possibility.
I found the whole novel to be an enjoyable adventure that really did capture the cowboy diplomacy style of Star Trek’s original series. Yes this did mean at times the story was a little formulaic, but it was still fun to follow and I really appreciated the chance to learn a little more about the Orion’s culture and some characters that we know little about. One weak point in the story though was the lack of real tension. The reader always knows that Pike can’t really be dead and any potential surprises are lost by the fact you get to follow both the crew on board the Enterprise and those that have been captured.
As I mentioned earlier in the review, the book does appear to be in its own continuity which did at times cause a little bit of confusion as I read it. There are various inconsistencies with canon and for some reason the author’s note stating that the story is set as prequel to the 2009 JJ Abrams movie doesn’t appear until the end of the novel. Even with this clarification, I was still a little perplexed when I put the book down as during the move it is stated that we were witnessing the maiden voyage of the Enterprise so couldn’t understand how I was seeing earlier voyages. However, since finishing this book I have started to read the graphic novel series that serves as a prequel to the 2nd JJ Abrams movie and those stories contain information that there was a previous ship called the Enterprise previously captained by Robert April so I have just assumed that this story was set on that ship.
It is just unfortunate that the author’s note about which universe the book is set appears at the beginning of the story as it could have stopped some of the confusion about things that didn’t fit right with standard canon. Also, it would have been nice to see a form of clarification that this wasn’t the same Enterprise as seen in the movie assuming that I am right in my belief that it didn’t. In addition, the cover itself appears to show the prime universe Pike & Spock which really doesn’t help with a reader trying to understand the overall setting.
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable Star Trek adventure although I can imagine that some of the canon inconsistencies could irritate some readers even with the caveat that the story is set in the JJ Abrams universe.
Flidderbugs - Jonathan Gould
Title: Flidderbugs
Author: Jonathan GouldGenre: Humour
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook
Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords
“Flidderbugs” by Jonathan Gould is an enjoyable novella that on the surface appears to be a fun little children’s story. However, underneath this there is a satirical element that should appeal to most adults as it pokes holes in both the democratic process and the rather arrogant ivory tower of academia. Without doubt, this really is a book that can be read to your children and enjoyed by them and yourself.
The story itself follows Kriffle, an insect who is heir to his father as potential leader of the Triplifer tribe. As leader of his tribe, his main job would be to debate with the leader of the Quadrigon tribe about if the leaves on the tree they inhabit have either three or four points. This is the fundamental question that governs their lives and decides who is in power via elections. Kriffle finds it hard to understand how the Quadrigons could disbelieve the evidence that is before their very eyes and therefore undertakes an adventure to investigate and prove that there really are only three points on a leaf.
The plot itself is simple, but the way in which Gould uses it to explore and satirise various elements of our society was highly entertaining and at times quite clever. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the political process in the novel at work as it really highlighted some of the rather “sad” aspects of our own democratic party based systems. In addition, here were various university professors that Kriffle meets on his journey who have spent years debating the philosophy of leaves etc. during their academic lives but couldn’t actually tell him any real facts.
The writing itself is concise, entertaining and incredibly well paced which was needed due to the story being contained within a novella rather than a full length novel. I was impressed to see that Gould managed to include a fair number of encounters and adventures as Kriffle explores his society without having to cut out any of the required detail. Don’t get me wrong, there are some elements of the society the reader learns very little amount but there is enough there to ensure it all makes sense and is believable on some level.
In regards to the characters, it was nice to see that the Flidderbugs all had such distinct and fleshed out personalities. I could understand very quickly what the various individuals were all about which was vitally important when the story is being told in the form of a novella.
Overall, I found this to a quick and fun political satire that provided me with a hopeful ending rather than the usual depressing finales seen in many other novels that touch on the same satirical subject matter. If you enjoy satire then I suspect you will like this novella, I know that I was happy to find myself laughing at myself when I realised that I had fallen into some of the same traps as the Flidderbugs.
Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot Book 1) - Christine Amsden
Title: Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot Book 1)
Author: Christine Amsden
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published: 2013
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
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When Christine Amsden first spoke to me about reviewing “Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective” she warned me that it might not be my cup of tea as the novel was a paranormal mystery novel with a hint of romance thrown in. However I decided to give it a go anyway as I loved her earlier novel, “The Immortality Virus” which I previously reviewed here and was willing to gamble that I would enjoy this one as well.
The story itself follows Cassie Scot, the oldest daughter in a family of powerful sorcerers. Unfortunately Cassie herself has no magical gift and has been forced to find a place for herself earning a regular living like everyone else. Alas, her attempt at becoming a private investigator is not working out as she planned with very little business coming her way. However, when the first real case hits her desk, she finds herself drawn into an investigation involving spells, potions and vampires that results in her finally having to decide if she truly wishes to live in either the magical or the more mundane world.
My first comment on the novel has to be that I really did enjoy the story and am now looking forward to the promised sequel. The mystery itself was entertaining to follow and whilst I did work out the “bad guy” before the official reveal it wasn't blatantly obvious and didn’t affect my appreciation for the story in any real way. In addition, there is an interesting overall mystery that has been begun in this novel regarding Cassie, her family and other members of the magical community that has me well and truly hooked.
The characters all seemed to have their own vivid personalities although I am not sure the reader learns much in depth about any of them beyond Cassie herself. In regards to Cassie, I found her to be engaging and fun to follow with her insecurities and issues really adding to the realistic feeling that surrounds her. I just have to assume and hope that the other characters will be developed in greater detail as the series progresses.
The only real issue I had with the story was in regards to Cassie’s romantic relationships. For example, Cassie and her boyfriend have an open relationship, but suddenly out of the blue he seems to be giving up his other women and is proposing marriage because he is now moving away. Now I don’t pretend to understand the psychology behind open relationships but this didn’t feel right to me unless I just happened to miss something in the narrative. In all likelihood I am probably being a little bit picky but I found it hard to take the romantic elements to the story that seriously.
The final thing I want to include in this review is a question to any of you read this blog; “Can you tell me the difference between Paranormal and Urban Fantasy novels?” The reason I ask is that personally I would classify this novel as being urban fantasy and not paranormal which is how Amsden herself described it to me. I mean, a magical world living alongside the regular world in a partially secret manner sounds like most of the urban fantasy novels I have read. I think I have only classified a few stories as paranormal and these usually involve psychics and ghosts rather than magic and vampires.
Overall, this was an enjoyable novel that kept me interesting and entertained as the mystery unfolded. I really wasn’t that sure about the romantic elements within the novel but this didn’t really affect the story in any perceivable manner. If you enjoy urban fantasy/paranormal novels with a hint of mystery and crime then you should give this book a try as I am sure you will find something to appreciate.
ps. I feel that I have leave a comment on the cover which I think looks superb. As someone who had the book prior to the release of the cover I can easily say that it was well worth the wait.
Gynocracy (The Phoenix Chronicles Book 4) - K.J. Blaine
Title: Gynocracy (The Phoenix Chronicles Book 4)
Author: K.J. Blaine
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2012
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
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When I first agreed to read “Gynocracy” by K.J. Blaine I didn’t realise that this was actually the 4th novel in series known as “The Phoenix Chronicles”. However, despite a few issues related to this that I will get onto later, I still found the book to be perfectly readable as a standalone novel. So don’t worry to much if you haven’t read the other books as it isn’t required to enjoy this story.
In the story, a young man called Steve is kidnapped and taken to the Juno Colony on the moon where he is forced to sign himself into slavery. Juno Colony is quite unique in that men on the colony have no rights at all and are the property of whatever woman owns them. Of course some men are there by choice, especially those who appreciate the BDSM lifestyle, but others like Steve do not share that viewpoint. When his friends and colleagues aboard the spaceship Phoenix discover his predicament then soon put a plan into place to get to Juno undercover and find a way to get Steve back, all the while trying to avoid a diplomatic incident.
I was a little bit worried when I first started reading the book as the plot line sounded like it belonged in the mind of some teenage boy and the cover didn’t do much to dissuade me from that opinion either. However, despite my reservations I actually found the story to be an enjoyable light and easy going science fiction adventure. I was also happy to see that whilst the story did delve into BDSM it is not portrayed in a disturbing manner and there were no descriptions of sex at all. So don’t pick up this book expecting it to be the new “Fifty Shades of Grey” because this is definitely not an erotic novel.
Overall, the story flowed well although it did find it could stutter at times due to various references to events that I assume occurred in other books. I will admit that this does help to ensure a new reader has a vague understanding of why the characters may act in the way they do, but it does break the flow and I suspect someone who has read the previous would rather have seen this left out.
As I said earlier, there are a few issues with the novel in regards to it being the 4th in a series. These are mainly centred on the large quantity of characters present in the story. They are all introduced very quickly and I did find it quite hard to keep everyone straight in my mind. In addition Blaine also refers to them in different ways as the story progresses, at first it might be their first name, then their surname and sometimes also their stage name on the colony. This just added to my overall confusion as I tried to follow and understand who was doing what.
Despite this I still found the characters to be incredibly likeable with their honesty, loyalty and determination really shining through. It did feel like a tight knit family who would do whatever was necessary to save one of their own. I don’t think there was one character I disliked out of the “heroes” and I can’t remember the last time I ever said that about a book.
In summary this is a light and fun Science Fiction adventure that doesn’t try and come across as hard or serious. The range of characters can be a bit confusing for a reader that is new to the series but this is easily overlooked because they are all so likeable. Personally, I will probably now read the other books in the series just to see what other adventures that the crew of the phoenix get up to.
Star Trek - Alan Dean Foster
Title: Star Trek
Author: Alan Dean Foster
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2009
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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“Star Trek” by Alan Dean Foster is a novelisation of the enjoyable and action packed 2009 JJ Abrams Star Trek movie. For those of you who aren’t aware the story follows a young James Kirk who, after a chance meeting with a man named Captain Pike, decides to join up with Starfleet. Whilst at the Academy, an emergency at Vulcan forces the various cadets to be called up to work on various starships. And so Kirk is called into an adventure that leads him to face off with an enemy that was involved in the death of his father on the very day he was born.
I am happy to say that in the written form this story is just as entertaining and action packed as it was when I watched the movie. However, if you have seen the movie already then the overall story won’t offer you any surprises. That isn’t to say that Foster hasn’t added anything to the story because he has. There are a several little enhancements that flesh out and compliment the story such as in regards to the Spock/Uhura moments and in how the rest of Nero’s crew react to the decision to try and destroy Earth.
Some of the issues that I do have with the book however are with the overall plotline which was present in the movie itself. The story was exciting and enjoyable but some of the plot points were just rather weak. Even now, a few years later I still find it hard to come to grips with the face that Kirk seems to be propelled from cadet to captain due to one single mission.
Foster is an experienced writer when it comes to novelisations, in fact he was involved in converting the Star Trek animated series to book. As I have come to expect from him, the writing as competent and he captures the events of the movie very well. I do think that he maybe tried a little bit too hard at times though as some of the additions to dialogue seemed to make it feel a bit clunkier that it did in the movie and actually spoils some of the impact.
Overall this is a competent novelisation of an enjoyable Star Trek movie. Alan Dean Foster has captured all the various scenes well and has also fleshed out some areas which does enhance the storyline. Personally, I preferred the movie experience due to the less clunky dialogue but I still think most Star Trek fans will enjoy reading this book to see some of the more positive enhancements included by Foster.
King of Trees - Carmen Webster Buxton
Title: King of Trees
Author: Carmen Webster Buxton
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2013
Formats: Ebook
Available at:
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“King of Trees” is the latest novel by Carmen Webster Buxton, an author whose previous works I have thoroughly enjoyed. Due to the book’s title and synopsis, you could easily make the same mistake that I did in thinking that this would be a fantasy novel. However, it is more Science Fiction with Buxton utilising the principle of travel between alternate realities to provide her with the backdrop of a pre-industrialised society for more technologically advanced travellers to influence.
The story itself begins with several people ranging in age and skill set who decide they no longer enjoy the time line in which they live. Therefore, they find a way in which to travel from their own polluted world to an alternate Earth that failed to industrialise like their own. After making contact with the local people, they decide to try and “improve” the world in which they now live.
Several generations later, the people they influenced in the country of Albion have removed their King and now utilise a parliamentary system. Bardolph, the current heir to the lost throne now makes a living as a village Blacksmith. However, Albion is thrown into chaos when Chinese invaders arrive utilising guns, tanks and other advanced weaponry. Before long even the descendants of the original travellers known as the outsiders realise that they require the help of the King to inspire the people of Albion to stand up against the invaders.
This was another enjoyable story from Buxton that explores an alternate Britain that never got to embrace the industrial revolution. The plot itself had a good blend of excitement and action interspersed with politics, diplomacy and discussion. In addition, the writing was competent and flowed well which is something I have grown to expect from Buxton.
Whilst the story was entertaining there are still a few weak points in the plot to be honest. A fundamental one in regards to the unfolding of the plot is to do with the outsiders agreeing that Bardolph would somehow be the best option to extract a kidnap victim. I didn’t fully understand why they would agree to this over anyone else as they didn’t know anything about the King. Whilst it did turn out that being King did actually help, this more due to happenstance than anything concrete. This didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story but it did feel to me like Buxton was grasping at a way to introduce the King back into the governance of Albion.
In regards to the characters, Bardolph is on the whole a likeable person who tries to be noble and do the best for Albion. He does have some character flaws such as his obsession with a girl that causes him to betray his word. I liked the fact that Buxton tried to ensure her hero was not 100% perfect. However, this very flaw also irritated me a little as it is in regards to a relationship that I found rather childish. Considering, the rest of the time Bardolph was sensible, mature and noble it seemed a little bit far-fetched that he would act in such a manner as he does over the girl. I suppose love can drive people to do very strange things but it felt more like infatuation to me.
Overall, I found this to be a entertaining and fun story that introduces some interesting characters who on the whole are likeable even if at times they can make some rather frustrating choices. The odd minor weak plot point is also easily forgotten as you read the novel and I appreciated seeing that the story was nicely tied up by the end of the novel. If you are a fan of novels that explore the mingling of technologically advanced people with pre-industrialised societies then I suspect this book will be right up your street.
Quotable Star Trek - Jill Sherwin
Title: Quotable Star Trek
Author: Jill Sherwin
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 1999
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
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“Quotable Star Trek” by Jill Sherwin is an interesting reference book that should appeal to many fans of Star Trek. It is basically a collection of quotes taken from various Trek TV shows and movies produced over the years.
The book quite simply details some of the wonderful words of wisdom, thought and hope that have been present within the Star Trek universe from the beginning. Reading over this collection of dialogue really did highlight some of the subtle and not so subtle ways in which the various writers tried to portray the message of having hope in our future and ourselves as a species. It was enjoyable seeing some of these truly memorable quotes contained and I also appreciated the way it helped me remember some that I had actually forgotten.
As this is a form of reference book I wouldn’t say this is something you just want to read from start to finish. It is a book that you should just pick out a section and immerse yourself in it for a while or read some interesting quotes out to anyone who may want to listen. Sherwin has assisted in trying to allow the reader to do this by splitting the quotes into various chapters dedicated to elements such as love, religion, war and freedom. Therefore you can pick and choose which chapters to read depending on how you feel.
Whilst some of these quotes do work wonderfully when read standalone a fair amount of them are enhanced by an understanding of the scenes in which they were set. Sherwin does try to assist the reader by including commentary with some of the quotes but I still think that it is only going to be fans that have seen the specific scenes who will really appreciate the quotes utilised.
In summary as someone who fondly remembers hearing some of the dialogue used throughout Star Trek I found reading this collection to be an enjoyable experience that helped to refresh my memory. It really something that only a Star Trek fan is going to appreciate although I do think I may enjoy reading some of the more profound quotes out to my wife to show her that Star Trek isn’t as geeky as she likes to pretend.
Finally, I just want to note that as this book was originally written in 1999 there is nothing from the Star Trek universes created since then such as the “Enterprise” TV series or the JJ Abrams movie. flag
Open Season - Linda Howard
Title: Open Season
Author: Linda Howard
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published: 2001
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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“Open Season” by Linda Hamilton is the type of novel that I would normally never read. However, as part of the 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge I needed to read a Romantic Suspense book. Therefore after several hours of scouring Goodreads and reviewing the local library stock I ended up deciding to read this book.
The plot follows a local librarian called Daisy who has an epiphany on her birthday and realises that she needs to make some drastic changes in her life in order to snare a man. Therefore with the help of her mother, aunt and a supposedly gay antiques dealer she slaps on the make-up, gets a haircut and changes her entire wardrobe. At the same time she meets the local police chief, Jack Russo who finds something attractive in Daisy even before her makeover. Unfortunately, Daisy can’t stand the man and isn’t afraid to let him know it. However, when she accidently witnesses a crime, she gets forced into spending even more time with him and a relationship begins to develop.
As I said above, I am not an expert in this type of novel but the entire plot seemed a little bit cliché. A woman having a makeover and then getting the guy really didn’t sound very original to be honest although maybe I am mistaken. However, this didn’t bother me that much because for me it was something different to the norm and therefore I just sat back and actually found myself enjoying it a little. It was a nice and light read that didn’t tax my mind and there was a good amount of humour present throughout. I even laughed out loud at one point during a sex scene involving a Party Pack that Daisy had picked up from a local pharmacist.
One of the biggest issues I had with the story was in regards to the lack of actual suspense. Howard’s decision to show the villain’s viewpoint throughout the novel meant that there were never any surprises and I never once did I feel that Daisy was actually in any danger as Jack had the threats identified very early on. To make it worse, towards the end one of the villains just hands himself in at the police station which ensures the police have to do pretty much no additional investigation work. As for the novel’s epilogue, the less said the better but I was left speechless by the ridiculousness and needlessness of it. Without doubt, this is a book that has been tailored to showing the development of a romantic relationship rather than providing a thrilling and suspenseful plot.
In regards to the characters in the story, I have to admit that I found Daisy to be rather irritating at times as she was quite a rude person. Jack Russo may have found her to be sassy, but to me she almost seemed downright bigoted at times, especially in regards to her feelings on him being a Yankee. In addition, when you look at society today I found it hard to accept how naive she was and couldn’t understand her outright desperation that she must have a husband. When I now consider how much of the book is dedicated to her relationship with Jack, I am shocked at times to realise that I did still enjoy the book. I think that some of my enjoyment sadistically enough came from the incredulous way in which I viewed Daisy and her antics.
Overall, this is a very quick and easy read that I did find reasonably enjoyable, mainly due to the lashings of humour that Linda Howard has seeded the book with. The mystery and suspense elements of the novel are rather weak so I think this would more likely appeal to people who are bigger fans of the romantic elements. Personally, reading this hasn’t ignited a burning desire to read more books in this genre but at least now I won’t just ignore them on principle if someone either suggest a novel to me or requests a review.
Starfleet Academy: The Assassination Game - Alan Gratz
Title: The Assassination Game
Author: Alan Gratz
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2012
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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“The Assassination Game” by Alan Gratz is the fourth book in the Young Adult Starfleet Academy series set in the continuity of the JJ Abrams Star Trek movie. The novel’s title is a reference to a game played by some of the cadets in which they try and “assassinate” various other cadets via the use of Starfleet sporks. However, the game soon takes a backseat when someone attempts to assassinate various dignitaries for real during a medical conference. All evidence points to a hated alien species known as the Varkolak but Kirk who is acting as an escort to the leader of the Varkolak delegation doesn’t believe it and begins to investigate himself.
As with the other books in the series the story is rather predictable and I worked out who the “bad guy” was very quickly. This is made even worse due to the fact that out of the four books released so far in the series, some of the people involved in the various troubles that occur during the novels have been women that either Kirk or McCoy are interested in. Despite this I still found myself entertained as the story is fast paced, action packed and at times quite funny.
What I really do appreciate in this series is that they do try and provide some type of continuation between them even though there are different authors involved. It is nice to see some of the various minor characters popping up here and there to show at least a little bit of linkage between the novels in the series. In addition, Gratz has continued the good work seen in the previous novels in regards to the characters. They are all well-written and I could once again easily envision these characters being the same ones as seen in the Abrams movie.
One aspect to the story that made me either smile or groan was in regards to the various homages to other aspects of the Trek universe. Some of them were used brilliantly but others just irritated me and there is even one part of the novel that seems to be a blatant word for word copy of events that happened in the TOS episode, “The Trouble with Tribbles”. Sometimes I think the elements of homage within a Star Trek novel can be too much and this was definitely a prime example of this.
Overall this is an enjoyable novel that has been written by a fan of Star Trek who really knows his stuff. It isn’t the most complex of plots but this seems to quite standard for Young Adult Star Trek novels and seems to have been competently written.
The Lost Stories: A Series of Cosmic Adventures - Karl El-Koura
Title: The Lost Stories: A Series of Cosmic Adventures
Author: Karl El-Koura
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
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“The Lost Stories” is an amusing collection of episodic short stories written by Karl El-Koura that all end in various witty puns. These stories were written over several years and it therefore provides the reader with an interesting look at way in which the author’s writing style changes as the collection progresses.
The overall plot of this collection is the on-going adventures of Captain James Kollins, the rather self-obsessed captain of a spaceship called Deville. Throughout the collection he spends most of his time obsessing about a weekly “holodrama” entitled Captain Courageous and the Women who love him and it is only due to his loyal XO that his ship appears to function in a decent manner. Unfortunately his XO can’t protect him from himself all the time and he constantly manages to cause all sorts of havoc throughout the galaxy.
My first comment on the stories is that there is a religious sub-text to them that I didn’t find very subtle. However, I will say that I didn’t find it preachy and what El-Koura does is try and use a Christian twist in this collection of humorous stories to try and get across some of the messages of his faith.
Outside of this Christian element to the stories, they are all quite amusing and there is a definite Star Trek parody vibe to the entire collection. The use of puns towards the end of each story was quite an enjoyable little quirk that ensured I was always looking forward to the reveal. I will admit that some of the puns did make me groan out load, but this was always done with a smile on my face.
Overall, this was an enjoyable collection of fun Science Fiction stories that showcase some of El-Koura’s talent as a writer. I will admit that I probably enjoyed another of his collections entitled “Ooter's Place and Other Stories of Fear, Faith, and Love“ more but there is no doubt that “The Lost Stories” is an entertaining and amusing collection that should appeal to most fans of Science fiction provided you are not bothered by the underlying Christian messages.
Starcaft II: Flashpoint - Christie Golden
Title: Flashpoint
Author: Christie Golden
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2012
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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Back in the late 1990’s I discovered a PC game called Starcraft that I loved from the moment I installed it. Since then it has become a video game franchise that has continually entertained me although I never seemed to find the time to read any of the related novels. However, as the next game in the series was being released today I decided that I would read Christie Golden’s novel entitled “Flashpoint” which serves as a link between the newly released game and its predecessor. I probably did this mainly because I had to find some way to calm my anticipation that was running in overdrive.
The plot picks up directly from where the single player campaign in “Starcraft 2 – Wings of Liberty” concluded with Jim Raynor carrying Sarah Kerrigan out of a cave on Char following her transformation back into partly human form. From then on, the reader gets to follow Jim & Sarah as they attempt to firstly flee from Zerg infested Char and then escape the continued machinations of Emperor Arcturus Mengsk who is more determined than ever to ensure their deaths. Of course there are hidden dangers as well, especially as some of those who help them in their journey are after more than just simple gratitude.
The writing and pace seemed tidy and competent which I was happy to see in a video game tie in novel like this one but unfortunately I felt that the plot itself was a bit limited. For example, whilst there are some interesting developments and revelations in the book, they are all rather minor and I can’t say that any of them really surprised me. In addition, due to the book needing to tie in with the games there was no real sense of drama or risk as I knew that all the main characters were going to survive. I will add that Golden does try to deal with this by killing off a secondary character but this just felt a little forced and therefore it didn’t really work for me.
Whilst the story itself may have been a little bit lacking I found that the characters themselves were captured perfectly. Golden has done a great job in making it feel like all the major and minor characters have stepped out of the game and onto the page. The main character element of the book however is probably the relationship between Raynor and Kerrigan and how both of them react to Kerrigan’s return to humanity. I specifically appreciated seeing how Kerrigan was no longer the same woman she had been before infestation as she was now troubled by desperation, guilt and rage. These elements have all combined to create a highly damaged persona which is very understandable considering the billions of lives she has on her conscience.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable appetiser for the new Starcraft game that captures the characters perfectly. However the plot itself was probably a little bit limited in scope which I suspect this may be due to the constraints enforced by the games it is linking. Without doubt, this book’s appeal is limited to fans of the Starcraft franchise only and I couldn’t imagine someone enjoying it without any of the background that playing the games can provide. However, even for fans I am not sure if it will add much now that the latest game has actually been released which will probably cover most of the limited points revealed in this book anyway.
Starfleet Academy: The Gemini Agent - Rick Barba
Title: The Gemini Agent
Author: Rick Barba
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2011
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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“The Gemini Agent” is Rick Barba’s 2nd novel set within JJ Abrams’ alternative version of Star Trek. The plot once again is mainly set within Starfleet Academy itself as the cadets begin their preparations for the Zeta mission, an opportunity for them to go out into space on a starship and take on various officer roles in a fictional assignment. Kirk, as expected is hoping to take on a captain’s role, but his chances are dealt a blow when he suffers from a health scare involving blacking out for several hours. Before long Kirk is accused of committing various inappropriate and illegal acts during the blackout period and his very place at the Academy becomes under threat. So together with McCoy, Uhura and the usual gang of friends he tries to find a way to prove his innocence.
As with the other Starfleet Academy novels this book is aimed at the Young Adult market so the plot does move along at quite a fast pace and isn’t the most complex of plot lines. It was very obvious who the “villain” is and therefore there wasn’t any real sense of surprise or curiosity as I read the book. I still found it to be a fun and enjoyable adventure but it was probably the most simplistic mystery story out of all the books in this series so far.
The characters came across in a manner that did tie in with how they appeared within the movie which is one of the continually good aspects of this series. In addition, I appreciated how Barba has tried to use the book to further develop the characters beyond what we have seen on the screen and in other books. For example, whilst the interactions between Spock and Uhura weren’t critical to the plotline they did enable Barba to show the way in which their relationship was continuing to grow and develop.
Overall, this was another solidly enjoyable Star Trek novel aimed at the teenage fans of the JJ Abrams movie. Whilst it was rather an obvious plot, fans of the series will probably appreciate the way in which the book focused on developing the characters and their various relationships.
Ally (The Wess'har Wars Book 5) - Karen Traviss
Title: Ally (The Wess'har Wars Book 5)
Author: Karen Traviss
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2007
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“Ally” is the fifth and penultimate book in Karen Traviss’ science fiction series known as the “The Wess'har Wars”. As with my previous reviews of the books in this series I once against advise people to avoid reading this review unless you have read the previous books. This is because most of my commentary on the plot will in all likelihood spoil some aspects of the previous books. If you are interested in giving this series a try however, then feel free to read my review of the first novel which is entitled “City of Pearl” and can be found here.
The story basically continues the events unveiled in the previous novel, “Matriarch” with the Eqbas continuing to prepare for their future journey to Earth alongside trying to rebalance the Isenj home world. As a civil war between the Isenj drags on the Eqbas soon realise that unless something different is done, they may be stuck dealing with the Isenj for the long term when their main goal was to get to Earth. Therefore, a new alien species known as the Skavu are called in to help deal with Isenj and free up the Eqbas so that they may start the journey to Earth. These fanatical ecological warriors soon cause more issues and before long the Wess’har and Isenj realise that they may need to set aside some of their differences and come to an agreement on the future to ensure that the Skavu can be removed from the picture. Meanwhile Lindsey Neville has unleashed the C’naatat virus into the remaining Bezari population which causes a whole new range of issues for the various alien species to deal with.
If the initial sentence in the above description of plot sounds rather similar to what occurred in “Matriarch” then this would be because the first half of the novel doesn’t actually progress the story much. The first few chapters mainly seem dedicated to discussions, inaction and contemplation to the point that the whole thing could drag a little bit and it didn’t offer anything new. Luckily, though as the novel progresses the storyline does pick up and I began to feel like there was some development in both the main plot lines and the rather interesting sub-plots. I am now much more confident that in the next novel I will finally get to see the Eqbas arrive at Earth which I have been looking forward to throughout the previous two novels.
The characters and their development continue to be one of the most interesting and engaging aspect of the series with Aras’ internal struggle against his guilt and other personal demons being a particular plus point in the novel. However, I do have to add that some of the character interactions do appear to have become a little bit repetitive. For example, I don’t know how many more times I can stand reading about Shan’s outright hatred for Rayat or her firm belief that Lindsey Neville is quite simply an idiot. It just means that whilst I got to see some interesting progress in the development of some characters such as Ade, Eddie and Aras there are others like Shan & Lindsey that seem stuck in a rut.
Overall, whilst a lot of this review does come across as being slightly negative, I still enjoyed the novel and was happy to see that there is some real progress being made in the plot by the finale. It really is a book of two halves, both in relation to the initial slow plot progress and in how some characters are developed well whilst others have become quite stagnant in relation to their growth. Personally, I enjoyed the book and am now looking forward to the final book in the series although I have no idea how it is going to conclude as I am finding it hard to envision any sort of happy ending.
Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake Book 1) - C.J. Sansom
Title: Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake Book 1)
Author: C.J. Sansom
Genre: Historical Mystery
Published: 2003
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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“Dissolution” by C.J. Sansom is a book that my wife read a couple of years ago and really enjoyed. So when I found out that I needed to read a Historical Mystery novel as part of the 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge I decided that it was about time I found out if the book was a good as she had implied.
The plot itself follows Mathew Shardlake, a lawyer in Tudor England and a strong believer in the religious reforms that have spread throughout the country. As one of Thomas Cromwell’s trusted followers, Shardlake is sent to the fictional abbey of Scarnsea to investigate the murder of a commissioner who had been sent there to try and find a manner in which to persuade the monastery surrender its properties and dissolve itself. Whilst there he unveils many other secrets and mysteries but continues with great determination to both find the murderer and ensure the monastery is closed for good.
I found this book to be a well-crafted and entertaining Tudor mystery, full of enjoyable twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end. As someone who doesn’t read a huge amount of Historical Fiction, I was more than happy to see that Sansom strikes a good balance between the historical setting and entertaining fiction. Basically, he doesn’t get bogged down in trying to showcase various elements of Tudor England; at its heart the novel is an enjoyable mystery with a historical element that is used to add extra depth to the plot.
In regards to the historical setting, I found that the world created by Sansom seemed to pulse with life; there is brutality, despair, fear and turmoil aplenty as the society tries to survive the great sweeping changes that King Henry has unleashed. In addition I found Shardlake himself to be a character who consistently acts like a man of his time period, full of bigotry, prejudice and a belief in the different levels of society. At times this can make him a little bit hard to like, but as long as you accept the fact he has been shaped by his society and he is zealous in his belief that he is helping to build a better future then you should be able to accept him for who he is.
I found the world he has written about pulsed with life, the brutality and degradation, the despair and fear, the struggles and unrest all whirled round in a great turmoil of a society being changed irrevocably. The reign of Henry resulted in far more changes than just a wife or two and this rumbling underground, gradually heading towards the surface is well captured by the prose and plot of 'Dissolution'.
In regards to the language, I did note that whilst there were a few nods to the period in question overall the writing all felt relatively modern. I wish to highlight this as I know that some readers dislike this less authentic feeling when reading a period novel. Personally however, I would much rather be able to easily jump into the story than get bogged down trying to work my way through the language as it may have been used during that period in our history.
Overall, I found this to be a really enjoyable and interesting mystery novel that does a good job in trying to capture the world and characters of the Tudor period. As someone who doesn’t normally read this genre of book, I can’t honestly say if regular readers will enjoy the book. However, if you are someone wanting to try out the genre then I can’t recommend this book highly enough as an entertaining introduction to Historical Mysteries.
Starfleet Academy: The Delta Anomaly - Rick Barba
Title: The Delta Anomaly
Author: Rick Barba
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2010
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
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“The Delta Anomaly” by Rick Barba was the first novel released in the Starfleet Academy series of novels which are set in the JJ Abrams’ alternative version of Star Trek. However, it actually takes place after the events that occurred in the 2nd novel to be released which was entitled “The Edge” and therefore I read that book first.
The main plotline is based around the investigation of a rather strange serial killer who seems able to kill people without leaving a single mark on the bodies. Kirk, McCoy and Uhura get dragged into the investigation when one of Uhura’s friends is attacked and Kirk manages to step in an save her. Of course, before long the cadet’s themselves are at risk when the killer appears to make a move on them.
In addition, the book also delves into some of activities and tests that the cadets are undertaking as well as taking an interesting look at the growing relationship between Uhura and Spock. If you think this all sounds a little bit busy for such a short book, I can confirm that you would be right. Barba has crammed a lot into the book which results in a breakneck pace with actions and thrills aplenty. However, I did find that this attempt to include a lot in the book meant that at times both the details were lacking and it could feel a little bit rushed.
I am happy to say that the main characters did feel correct compared to how they have been portrayed recently on the screen. What I really liked though was seeing how beneath Kirk’s youthful and rebellious exterior lies a good man with the potential to be a great leader. This was visible in the other characters as well to an extent, but it was Kirk whose potential you could really see.
One thing I would like to note is that whilst this book is set after “The Edge” there isn’t any particular advantage in reading that book first as the stories are pretty much self-contained so don’t worry if you read this one first. However, there are a few inconsistencies I noticed when reading this book that may have occurred due to the books being written out of order. For example, in “The Delta Anomaly” there is a Doctor present at the Academy as an instructor who I believe would have been thrown out following certain events that occurred during “The Edge”. There are few other little niggles like this that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the novel but were noticeable.
Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable Star Trek novel that shoul appeal to any teens out there who enjoyed the JJ Abrams movie. It could be a little bit light on details and rushed at times, but the fast pace and thrill packed storyline should more than appeal to the books intended audience.
The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer - Nicole Sheldrake
Title: The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer
Author: Nicole Sheldrake
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
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I will admit straight away that “The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer” by Nicole Sheldrake wasn’t a book I initially though I would want to read. The simple reason is that even though it had a rather colourful cover, the title itself didn’t really hook me in and it took the author’s description of the story to get me reading the novel. Now I have completed it, I can say that I am glad I did agree to read it as I found it to be a light and fun adventure story set in a fantasy world I found to be quite unique.
As the title implies the plot of the story is based around the escapades a young man known as Benjamin Skyhammer. Benjamin is not a regular person as he is unable to use magic and in his world that makes him a very rare individual. However as magic only functions within a limited area, he spends his time roaming the countryside going to where most magic users won’t go attempting to locate various relics and artefacts that he can sell to the highest bidder Things soon change go him however when he is accused of attempting to stop a process that would allow magic to be used anywhere on the planet. Before long he is on the run trying to find the real perpetrator and unlock a conspiracy that may threaten the use of magic everywhere.
Whilst I have to admit that the heart of the story isn’t that original, there was actually quite a range of complex strands within the plot that kept me entertained even if it could feel a little bit convoluted at times. It was rather impressive how Sheldrake managed to actually keep the story making sense when you consider all the various different elements that were introduced as it progressed. In addition, the twists and turns throughout the novel kept me guessing right up until the surprise ending and the pace of the novel was just right to ensure that the adventure progressed at a good rate and yet also took time out to reveal some aspects of the world itself and Benjamin’s backstory.
One element of the book that really impressed me was in regards to how the magical system functioned. The manner in which magic was limited to being usable only within a certain proximity to the king was something I had never seen before. It was quite an interesting way in which to limit the immense power that people could possess and I enjoyed how it sometimes enabled the tables to be turned in regards to who had the upper hand depending on where an event might be taking place. In addition, the various races on the planet were all very different in how they actually utilised magic. For example, whilst humanity used a slate made from a mixture of blood and glass to form a picture of what they wished to occur, there was another race whose magic seemed to be based completely around the ability to control other creatures. Overall, it was a very complex and original magical system that really intrigued me.
The characters themselves were well developed but whilst I loved Benjamin’s partner named Higgins who was a fun and enjoyable character to follow, Benjamin himself was difficult to like at times. There were many points in the novel where he comes across as being self-centred and obsessed with finding a specific relic to the point that he will commit any crime to get it. The fact that he also seems to whinge throughout the novel doesn’t help either and this all just meant that I found it hard to really sympathise with him.
Overall, I found this novel to be a fun adventure story that explores a complex and rather original magical world. The fact that the main character was at times quite unlikeable does spoil the enjoyment a little bit, but there are moments of redemption and the interplay between him and Higgins was entertaining. Basically, if you are a fan of fantasy looking for something fun and different to read then I am more than happy to recommend this book.
Isadora DayStar - P.I. Barrington
Title: Isadora DayStar
Author: P.I. Barrington
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook
Available at:
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“Isadora Daystar” by P.I. Barrington is a rather dark and bleak Science Fiction novel that feels surprisingly different from a lot of the books in this genre that I have previous read. There are no great heroes, space battles or alien invasions here; it felt like a complex story of redemption that was set in a Science Fiction environment.
The plot itself follows the title character herself, Isadora Daystar who seems to screw up everything she attempts in both her personal and professional life. This is compounded by a drug addiction that has caused her to make some rather terrible choices over the years. However, when she takes on an assassination mission she unknowingly begins a journey that forces her to finally face her own demons or lose everything, including her own life.
I have to be honest and say that there were times that I struggled to get through the rather bleak and depressing life I was witnessing as I turned the pages. This isn’t because the book was badly written or un-interesting; it was because Barrington has done such a good job at portraying a broken and at times incredibly unlikeable character that seems to just be ghosting through a drug addicted life. Luckily I did stick with it and by the end of the novel I realised that she did feel real to me and there was some level of connection. I could appreciate the disaster that her life had become and understand her remorse and feelings of guilt as she struggled on.
The story is also quite action packed and fast paced which should keep most people entertained once they get over the darker aspects of the story. However, the real driving force is Isadora herself alongside her history and the various interactions with the other characters. In particular her interactions with a youngster named Iphedeiah soon enable the reader to finally accept Isadora as a form of anti-hero.
The only issue I did have is that the final revelations in the novel seemed a little bit forced and unbelievable which was a shame considering how good a job Barrington has done in creating a believably flawed Isadora. I won’t go into it in any depth as it would spoil the story, but I particularly couldn’t accept how easily some of the characters were willing to just accept various things. I suppose the problem is that Barrington wanted to at least create some sort of decent ending for Isadora which wasn’t going to be easy to do considering the rather depressing life we had seen before. It didn’t ruin the story for me but it did rather weaken what had been a well-crafted and clever plot.
Overall, this is an interesting novel that looks at redemption and guilt but it really isn’t for the faint hearted as you get to witness some rather grim and unhappy scenes. The ending itself was a bit of a let-down to me and did probably spoil some of the clever narrative that had previously been driving the tale. Despite the ending, I still found the book to be entertaining enough and if you can face the bleak and depressing life that Isadora endures there is a well written story of redemption that most people should enjoy on some level.
Starfleet Academy: The Edge - Rudy Josephs
Title: The Edge
Author: Rudy Josephs
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2010
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook
Available at:
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“The Edge” by Rudy Josephs is actually the first Star Trek novel I have read that is set in Star Trek’s “Abramaverse”. As this is a Starfleet Academy book it is targeted at the Young Adult audience just like the earlier Academy novels that were set in the Prime universe. However, I do feel that this book was of a higher standard than the Prime Universe series of novels. I suspect that this is because YA novels have come on quite a way in recent years and there is a huge variety in terms of content to the point that the quality of both plot and style needs to be at a level that people are willing to actually pick up a book out of the large selection available.
The story itself follows the first few months of Kirk, McCoy & Uhura’s time at the Academy which doesn’t start off to well when a fellow cadet is found dead in his dorm room. Before long, other Cadet’s begin to show strange symptoms and it becomes clear that someone has been offering gene therapy and micro surgery to give cadet’s an extra edge during their time at the Academy. Whilst Star Fleet conducts its own investigation with the assistance of Commander Spock, Kirk and McCoy get dragged in themselves as they attempt to ensure that no one else suffers or turns up dead.
As I said earlier, I actually found this book to be of a higher standard that the other YA Star Trek novels I have read. The plot itself has a decent level of complexity and intrigue that will ensure most people are entertained even if it still isn’t as deep as an experience adult reader would have preferred. An interesting element of this novel is that it was actually quite slow paced, which was quite surprising to me when I compared it to the action packed fast paced movie that it is based around. Personally, I wasn’t bothered to much by this though as Josephs used the slower pace to actually explore the characters and the way they interact with each other and the academy life itself.
In regards to the characters, I found that I could easily envisage them as being the same to those I saw on the movie screen. Uhura is the best example of this as she comes across strongly like the Zoe Saldana version rather than Nichelle Nichols’s take on the character. For a big fan of Star Trek I really appreciated being able to read the book and feel like I was specifically reading about the alternate Universe.
One minor comment I do have with the book is in regards to my own knowledge of Star Trek canon. In a lot of the other books and TV episodes I have seen, people from Earth tend to show a real fear and hatred of genetic engineering due to events that occurred in the past such as the Eugenics Wars. However, in this book I felt that many people were very nonchalant and glib about the gene therapy that was going on. This isn’t a major issue and it probably won’t matter to someone who isn’t a big fan of Star Trek but it insured that the book felt a little bit wrong to me.
Overall, this was an enjoyable Star Trek YA novel that does a good job in capturing the feeling of the characters people witnessed in the “Abramaverse” version of Star Trek. The plot itself is a little slow paced at times but there should be enough there to keep most fans entertained.
Almost Home - Frank Marcopolos
Title: Almost Home
Author: Frank Marcopolos
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook
Available at:
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I started reading “Almost Home” by Frank Marcopolos under the assumption that it would be a very sports centric novel and was therefore surprised to find out that it was actually much more than this. The plot has several twists and turns and explores the overall drama of college life with particular attention being paid to the more seedy aspects.
The novel follows the conflict between two protagonists, Barry Budiski and Enzo Prinziatta which occurs from the moment they meet at a Halloween Frat party. Things get worse at the part when a stripper appears to die from a drug overdose and Enzo is thrown out by a few of Barry’s fraternity brothers. Barry, who is president of the Frat house soon realises that he should try and keep his potential enemies closer and therefore joins the same baseball team as Enzo and even invites him to be a honourary fraternity brother. Before long the two of them are more or less working together but there is still a level of conflict that continues to bubble along beneath the surface, enhanced by the involvement of two women named Jenny & Shannon.
I found the book to be cleverly written, fast paced and interesting in the way it explored multiple elements of University life, from the wild parties to life in the dorms. I also appreciated how Marcopolos gives the readers a narrative that alternates between the viewpoints of both Barry and Enzo. This alternating viewpoint ensured that I could attempt to understand the way in which the characters were acting to the point that at times I couldn’t actually decide if I actually liked or disliked them. There really was no good or bad guys in the story, these were meant to be characters with both negative and positive aspects which I enjoyed seeing.
However, I did have some issues with the characters and that was in regards to their maturity. I will admit it was 10 years since I was at University myself and it was based in the UK but I don’t remember myself or my friends acting in such an immature manner. Maybe I am misremembering it as being much more highbrow that it really was or perhaps my friends and I were not the norm but either way it ensured that I struggled to really relate with the characters as much as I wanted to.
Overall, this was an interesting book and I enjoyed seeing characters in both a positive and negative light even if I did feel that they were a little bit immature for University students. Personally, I suspect this book will appeal to people in their mid-teens as that is the age group of people I think who would really relate with the characters and perhaps therefore gain more from reading it.
