Book Review – The Road to Grafenwohr

The Road to Grafenwohr – One of my favorite Patterson Novels

Rating: 5 of 5 stars, TMBOA Recommended!

Author: Edward C. Patterson
Format: Kindle, Paperback

Traveling to his unit in post war Germany, Quincy Summerson finds the locals, their heritage, language, architecture, and culture fascinating.  They too, find him of great interest given the unique birthmark displayed prominently on his cheek which legend portends it to be a harbinger for both great evil and good.  Quincy’s journey takes him further and further into heart of Bavaria as visions begin to plague him.  As they increase in frequency and violence Quincy learns he has been called not just to serve the United States but an even higher purpose.

Readers may be initially turned off by the title of Patterson’s latest work.  But I must say, this was one of my favorites from him.  Patterson takes his expert prose and characterization skills and infuses them into an intriguing setting of a young man stationed in Germany during the height of the cold war with an eclectic group of roommates where everyone prays to avoid reassignment to Vietnam—except for one man.  Sprinkle in some fantasy elements and Patterson has created a genre I’ve not previously experienced but very much enjoyed.

The plot is very tight and the storyline moves.  If you already are a Patterson fan, I think you will definitely enjoy The Road to Grafenwohr.  If you’ve never read him and you are looking for something different, give this one a try – you won’t be disappointed.

Book Review – Blood Opal!

Blood Opal – The Curse of the Blood Opal!

Rating: 5 of 5

Author: Carole Sutton
Format: Paperback
Tags: crime fiction, murder, mystery, Cornwall, Goodreads author
After a long day at work, Pug Germaine returns home only to find it in complete disarray.  Convinced her husband has tossed it during one of his more and more frequent foul moods, she cautiously searches for his whereabouts only to find him in the arms of another woman both of them covered in blood—murdered!  Horrified she contacts the police and soon learns not only has he been cheating but he has leveraged all of their assets on bad investments.  In a heartbeat, she’s lost everything—her husband, home, and business.  Determined to start anew, she sails off.  But Pug’s troubles are only beginning.  Her husband’s killers haven’t found what they are looking for and they are convinced Pug has it.

In Blood Opal, Carole Sutton once again demonstrates her prowess in creating rich characters, describing beautiful settings, and formulating an engrossing and complex plot.  So drawn was I to her unlikely heroine Pug, that I easily felt her fears and frustrations and wondered as she did who to trust.  The legend of the Blood Opal and its curse and back story were fascinating and with the prodding from Celeste—Pug’s friend and confidant—one can not help but wonder if there is some truth to the curse as death  follows in its wake.

Sutton’s knack for storytelling quickly engrosses the reader in this well crafted murder mystery and doesn’t let go until the final page is turned.  Fans of this genre should quickly add this to their shelves.

Book Review – Libertas

Libertas – An Epic Journey into Roman Hispania

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended!

Author: Alistair Forrest
Format: Paperback, Kindle

High atop the Iberian Peninsula Mountains in the small somewhat forgotten village of Munda, young Melqart struggles in his sword play practice against the much larger and athletic Arsay.  Though boys will be boys, their early conflicts of brain versus brawn escalates as the two boys age.  Arsay becomes increasing jealous of Melqart who along with the help of a young girl – Leandra – ingeniously trap and kill wild bore for their village infuriating Arsay.  As the tension grows between these two, so does the faraway conflict between generals warring for control of the Roman Empire; Munda suddenly finds itself a very strategic location for these generals.  Melqart, Leandra, and Arsay’s lives are never the same as they all struggle to find their way in a rapidly changing dangerous world.

Alistair Forrest’s novel, Libertas, is an epic journey through Roman controlled Hispania in the First Century BC.  Forrest develops the characters, their desires, their motivations, and all that they are forced to give up as a result of the world events that so disrupt their lives.  One wonders what life would have been like in this quite small mountain village had the bloody Roman civil war not occurred.  Clearly their lives would have been much simpler and less painful, but would they have reached their potential for leadership, ingenuity, love, honor, and in some cases evil?  In this way, Forrest subtly explores a truism that it is in the times of genuine hardship and struggle that one’s true self and character comes forward.

I enjoy historical fiction probably for the same reasons I enjoy traveling.  Both immerse one in the local culture, an experience which greatly impacts one’s view of the world and as such broadens the mind.  Libertas was such a journey for me.  For those who enjoy this genre you will not be disappointed!

Book Review – Primal Wound

Primal Wound – Engaging, Compelling, Disturbing…

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Ruth Fransisco
Format: Kindle

A naked, pregnant, teenage, American Indian girl is found floating face down – dead; detective Val Piccard is brought in to lead the case.  As the investigation unfolds, the pieces don’t add up.  The young girl, though she had a troubled past, was clearly on the path to recovery and making a life for herself.  Piccard finds dead end after dead end while trying to uncover who would commit such a brutal murder.  Was it just fate?  Could it have been simply her being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Across town, Cecily Scott desperately tries to save her father who is in dire need of a kidney transplant.  After having herself tested to see if she is a match, she learns the shocking truth – not only is she not a match, but genetic tests confirm she isn’t even related.  Thus begins her journey to find her biological parents.

Ruth Fransisco Primal Wound is a compelling read of two interweaving stories lines.  Clearly the reader knows that these arcs must at some point intersect – but how?  Fransisco expertly gets the reader into Cecily’s head in her quest to find her biological family.  She slowly shows us how Cecily step by step goes from investigating, to stalking, to interfering, and how all of it could seem quite reasonable as events escalate as the chapters unfold.  Frankly, I could not turn the pages fast enough.

While some actions seem a bit out of character for Cecile, I think this was Fransisco’s point – that the primal wound she endured is so embedded in who she is she isn’t even aware of its impact. The ending was definitely satisfying, but I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension and the unraveling of Cecily’s psyche.  Primal Wound is a gripping, compelling, and disturbingly good tale.

Review – The Skinny On: The Art of Persuasion

The Skinny On: The Art of Persuasion – I’m Convinced!

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Jim Randel
Format: Paperback

What I like about Jim Randel’s The Skinny On books, is that they are like hiring an excerpt consultant to come and spend a couple of hours teaching from their extensive research and experience, all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee.  Written in a power point type fashion with wonderfully simple but effective and well illustrated characters, Randel teaches through fictional case studies.  Peppered throughout these studies are the wisdom of experts who have been well researched and quoted by Randel along with an extensive bibliography for those wanting to delve deeper.  Usually when I attend a conference or listen to an expert speaker, I consider it well worth my time if I can learn one new factoid or item that I can put into practice.  While I have read a number of the references Jim uses in his books, I still found multiple take-aways to use going forward making reading The Skinny On books well worth the time.

In The Skinny On: The Art of Persuasion, Randel uses the example of selling real estate as a way to teach the art of persuasion.   However, the ten rules presented apply to all persuasive settings.  While one can be successful in the short term with false sincerity, the true key to persuasion is integrity and truly understanding what the motivations of the party you are attempting to persuade.  In order to master this skill, one needs to learn to be observant.  Randel uses the phrase “Think big ears, big eyes, small mouth” in order to drive home the importance of really “hearing” the other person through all your senses than talking the to death to drive home your point.  In fact, Randel warns not to go to far once you’ve already persuaded someone – know when to stop talking.  He provides a nice anecdote of a real estate deal almost lost when the persuader didn’t know when to stop.

A few other items he highlights are that people want to be consistent.  In other words, it may be easier to have people agree to small incremental items than going for the big sell all at once.  Once you have someone agreeing with you, the process to move along the “sale” becomes much easier; for this Randel uses a story where people eventually agreed to have giant signs placed in their yard asking drivers to be careful while driving.  Frankly, I found this result fascinating.  The discussion on creating a sense of reciprocity was interesting; while I knew of this concept, I think it may be one of the most powerful opportunities in any persuasive undertaking.  Finally, being persuasive isn’t about manipulation but truly understanding the motivations of others and aligning yours and their agenda together to achieve a collaborative end result.

Regardless of the methods you use, Randel’s book contains a lot of information packed into a small and engaging package.  Perhaps not all ideas will resonate with everyone, but there is so much good content here, everyone will gain a key take-away or two.

Review – The Skinny On Willpower!

The Skinny On: Willpower – Literally, Where There is a Will There is a Way!

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Jim Randel
Format: Paperback

What I like about Jim Randel’s The Skinny On books, is that they are like hiring an excerpt consultant to come and spend a couple of hours teaching from their extensive research and experience, all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee.  Written in a power point type fashion with wonderfully simple but effective and well illustrated characters, Randel teaches through fictional case studies.  Peppered throughout these studies are the wisdom of experts who have been well researched and quoted by Randel along with an extensive bibliography for those wanting to delve deeper.  Usually when I attend a conference or listen to an expert speaker, I consider it well worth my time if I can learn one new factoid or item that I can put into practice.  While I have read a number of the references Jim uses in his books, I still found multiple take-aways to use going forward making reading The Skinny On books well worth the time.

In The Skinny On: Willpower, Randel uses an example of eating properly (fewer marshmallows!) and losing weight to impart lessons regarding willpower.  Given the number of dieting books, exercise videos, and overall size of this market, use of this example should resonate with many readers.  Randel reiterates common lessons with respect to willpower which include goal setting.  Important in this exercise is the specificity of the goals – how much, by when, etc.  Generic goals – be happier – eat better, etc. are prone to failure because there isn’t anything objective to hold oneself accountable to.

Of even greater interest to me, however, was Randel’s focus on preparing for challenges.  Inherent in needing to exercise willpower is the fact that one’s will will be challenged.  For example, in dieting, one will be challenged with emotional stresses that could trigger unhealthy eating – before setting off on a new goal, one needs to anticipate what the potential challenges to the goal and one’s will will be and create a “willpower plan”.  The idea is to think through these future stresses and how to manage them before they happen.  By making a plan before the issue comes up, one is able to effectively plan a response and practice this response before the challenge comes.  This way, when the eventual challenge comes the stress of the challenge itself does not break one’s will and success is easier to obtain.  Randel provides some research suggesting that this practicing improves one’s willpower similar to training a muscle in athletics or the mind in intellectual pursuits.

Finally, I enjoyed the discussion on self discipline.  Randel’s writes “self discipline is about doing things today that may not be your first choice for the pleasure of experiencing bigger and better things tomorrow.”  Well said.

Regardless of the methods you use, Randel’s book contains a lot of information packed into a small and engaging package.  Perhaps not all ideas will resonate with everyone, but there is so much good content here, everyone will gain a key take-away or two.

Review – The Skinny On: Time Management

The Skinny On: Time Management – Practices What It Preaches!

Rating: 5 of 5: TMBOA Recommended

Author: Jim Randel
Format: Paperback

What I like about Jim Randel’s The Skinny On books, is that they are like hiring an excerpt consultant to come and spend a couple of hours teaching from their extensive research and experience, all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee.  Written in a power point type fashion with wonderfully simple but effective and well illustrated characters, Randel teaches through fictional case studies.  Peppered throughout these studies are the wisdom of experts who have been well researched and quoted by Randel along with an extensive bibliography for those wanting to delve deeper.  Usually when I attend a conference or listen to an expert speaker, I consider it well worth my time if I can learn one new factoid or item that I can put into practice.  While I have read a number of the references Jim uses in his books, I still found multiple take-aways to use going forward making reading The Skinny On books well worth the time.

In The Skinny on: Time Management, there were a number of items that resonated with me.  First off is the idea of inertia, that is to say an object at rest stays at rest which is why it is many times easier to do nothing because it takes so much effort to get going; but one can also take advantage of inertia in that once something is moving it tends to stay moving.  Therefore, getting things done becomes much easier once one gets started.  One of the keys to getting started is when creating to-do lists is to not just list the item to get done, but also the first few key steps that must be taken to accomplish the task. In this way, it is much easier to begin a to-do item because most of the energy required to start is the forming of the action steps, especially the first, to be taken.  That way when one gets to the fourth or fifth item on the list for that day, instead of staring at the item and thinking through how to attack it – which likely includes remembering what the item was to begin with, it’s implications, etc. – one skips all these steps because that work has already been done and the first few actions to be taken are already there!  On a related note, the author quotes an interesting statistic that one immediately increases their efficiency 25% just by creating a to-do list because of the focus it provides.

The idea of batching similar work is also good because it forces planning, increases focus and as a result increases efficiency; Randel quotes “effective beats busy every time”.  Lessons on prioritization are also good.  What has worked for me is to use index cards for to-do lists: one to-do for each card.  This way I can list the item, its key action steps on the left side of the card, and status on the right side.  Each morning I take my list of index cards and prioritize them in order of greatest importance and impact.  When each one is done, I collect them in an every growing pile of accomplishments which provides positive reinforcement and feedback in the short term (which helps to keep inertia) and for the bigger items these finished cards serve as reminders of what I’ve accomplished when writing my self review at performance cycle time.

Regardless of the methods you use, Randel’s book contains a lot of information packed into a small and engaging package.  Perhaps not all ideas will resonate with everyone, but there is so much good content here, everyone will gain a key take-away or two.

Book Review – Completely Restored

Completely Restored – An Unassuming Jewel!

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended

Author: Robert Kerr
Available: Paperback

After years of putting their blood, sweat, and tears into renovating a Victorian era home in small town Iowa, Joe and Linda Murphy, along with their two children, celebrate the final touch of their restoration – hanging the original front door.  Kept for years in the basement, the door needs professional help to bring it back to it’s former glory.  Fortunately, Joe finds a local craftsman able to complete the work.  The same night the door is hung, a thunderstorm moves through the area.  The next morning, when the Murphys awaken, they find themselves transported back in time to the year 1909.

Robert Kerr’s Completely Restored, starts as a very unassuming book.  I read the opening pages and was immediately engaged by the characters but was unprepared for how engrossed and special the story would be for me.  I suppose what appealed to me was how the story enfolded so effortlessly and the magic of going to what would have initial appeared to be a simpler time and less complicated life.

After multiple failed attempts to return to their own time, the Murphys resign themselves to finding ways to adapt to life in 1909.  Because very little technology such as televisions and such do not yet exist, the sense of community and family really starts to grow for the Murphys.  They spend time with their neighbors sharing lemonade and cookies on the front porch; they spend time with the kids playing family games and sharing their days experiences; they make friends with locals and find hard but rewarding work; they become a closer and loving family.

But Kerr is careful not to turn this into a simple romantic view of the past by interjecting a number of plot arcs which also convey how different the rule of law, child protection, and the limitations of medicine were one hundred years ago.  I encourage readers to pick a copy.  The book evokes a feeling of nostalgia and desire for simpler times while at the same time making one appreciate the things they have today.

Book Review – Nyphron Rising

Nyphron Rising – Great Addition to a Great Series

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended
Author: Michael Sullivan

Available: Paperback, Kindle

After crowning an unwitting empress, the Church of Nyphron quickly sweeps over the land amassing amazing power.  The only thing stopping their advance are Alric’s kingdom of Melengar and a group of Nationalists led by Degan Gaunt.  Alone, both will eventually be swallowed by the imperialists.  But an alliance could save them both.  Setting out to find and forge such a partnership, Arista once more turns to Hadrian and Royce for help.  But is the church already too powerful to deny and will the empress eventually awaken from her stupor to save them all?

In Nyphron Rising, Michael Sullivan once again brings back all the elements that made The Crown Conspiracy a great book except this time, the world is a little darker, a little more desperate, and not all is well with our duo of thieves.  Hadrian has tired of their lifestyle and wants out certain he was meant for greater things but knows not what they are.  Royce knows Hadrian’s destiny but dares not share it for fear of what might happen.  As in the first book, Sullivan sets up scenarios where our protagonists face capture and certain death but find ingenious ways of saving themselves and others.  Multiple parallel story arcs are introduced with the empress, Hardrian, Royce, and Arista, all while the depth of this world continues to be painted.

I especially enjoyed Arista’s journey into unlocking the power of The Art and her realization that it is just that – an Art.  The mechanics can be taught and learned, but to truly understand and use The Art, one must make it their own.  Unfortunately, she must learn to deal with the responsibilities and consequences of such power and this volume only hints of what may be to come in later editions.  As with its predecessors, Nyphron Rising serves as a complete novel even though it is midway through the series.  The end, however, left me wanting even more as so much is certainly left to be told.  This has been my favorite in the series thus far, just inching out The Crown Conspiracy.  Readers of Sullivan’s work will surely be clamoring for the next installment.

Book Review – The Crown Conspiracy

The Crown Conspiracy – A Rollicking Good Fantasy Tale!

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended

Author: Michael Sullivan
Available: Paperback, Kindle

With no particular affiliation to crown or guild and known for their cunning and creativity, medieval thieves Royce and Hadrian specialize in accomplishing tasks others would believe impossible.   Forgoing their usual background checks and thorough planning, they take on a what appears to be a simple heist and what they believe is ultimately a good deed.  Unfortunately, their kindness lands them accused of murder and suddenly they find themselves at the center of a conspiracy for the crown. Their actions will not only determine their own fate but that of their land.

Michael Sullivan’s The Crown Conspiracy is a rollicking good tale.  Sure, it is a fantasy novel, but it will most certainly appeal to a very wide audience.  At its core, it is just great story telling.  Filled with intrigue and a fair number of twists and turns, Sullivan weaves the tale such that the reader is drawn through a wonderfully engaging experience.  The main characters, Royce and Hadrian are well crafted with a wry sense of humor and, though they are thieves, have their own code of honor which many of the royals of their day could learn from.

The world Sullivan creates through beautifully descriptive passages quickly draws the reader in.  I especially enjoyed the character’s journey to find an ancient and powerful wizard held captive for a thousand years.  Finding and penetrating a very uniquely crafted prison and the events the subsequently transpire showcase Sullivan’s creativity.

While the first in a series, The Crown Conspiracy is a complete and very satisfying offering.  I’m already reading book 2 – Avempartha and book 3 Nyphron is on my kindle waiting it’s turn!

Review – Circles of Mercy

Circles of Mercy – Fargo Meets Witches of Eastwick

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended
Author: Gerry Bacon

Available: Paperback

George Bogart was indifferent toward most folks in the small town of Glaston, Michigan.  He preferred the serenity of tending his garden over the chit chat most folks enjoyed.  His new neighbor Mercy Horstman was nice, though a little different, and was often seen around the town trailed by her many cats.  George was rather indifferent to cats as well that is until he came upon Mercy’s prized “Precious” destroying and relieving itself in his garden.  Well, nothing a little shot to the head wouldn’t cure.  And the next thing you know, Precious used up her nine lives and George’s garden was safe from further destruction.  But Mercy was no ordinary neighbor and soon not only George but many of the town’s folks learned the true meaning of the phrase “what goes around comes around”.

Gerry Bacon’s Circles of Mercy is an unassuming treasure of a read.  In the small town of Glaston, he creates a unique set of down home quirky characters whose insights into the world are universal though displayed in almost caricature like fashion.  Ironically the one person who stands out as different in the town – Mercy – is in reality likely the most “normal”.

The banter between many of the town’s folks are hysterical.  There’s an entire sequence debating why a meeting’s notes are referred to as minutes and who Robert was from Robert’s Rules of Order and why anyone should be following his rules anyway.  This novel begs to be made into a movie by the Coen brothers.   It’s a wonderful cross between Fargo and Witches of Eastwick.

Run out and pick up a copy today.  You won’t be disappointed.  This is a unique and entertaining read that will have talking about it around the water cooler.  One of my favorites this year.  Enjoy!

Review – Sorceress

Sorceress – Even Better than Book 1 in the Series!

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended
Author: David Korinetz

Available: Paperback

After defeating the powerful sorceress Magdalen and stripping her of her power to save their world from the evil Halfling emperor, the small and brave band of Balorian Knights along with the wizard Aldus make their way home to their families.  Unfortunately, the emperor does not give up so easily and soon he regains control of the talisman Aedon they worked so hard to retrieve.  Haunted by his love for the sorceress, Rodney is driven to take his knights once again into harms way to free his once nemesis Magdalen and recover Aedon or all they have worked so hard to obtain will be forever lost.

David Korinetz’s Sorceress is book 2 in the Chronicles of the Daemon Knights.  This offering is even more developed and the action and characters more compelling than in his wonderful debut novel.  In Sorceress Korinetz sets up multiple parallel story arcs – each one which could have been an independent and compelling story unto their own.  He masterfully weaves in each as the tension builds in each arc to its ultimate climax where all arcs eventually join.  I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.  Korinetz’s writing is further refined and one of my favorite sub stories from the first novel involving the transformation of humans and animals into were-beasts is revisited.  The heros set out to take on the witch Angelina and save their fallen comrade has one wondering how they could possibly take on such a powerful witch and band of powerful were-beasts and come out alive.  This is where Korinetz shines – setting up what should be an impossible scenario involving a rag-tag group of underdogs who must find a way to overcome overwhelming odds.  I’d like to consider myself a fairly creative person but in each and every case where the impossible scenario was setup, I was convinced Korinetz had written himself into a corner leaving no reasonable solution out of the situation.  Not only was I wrong, but I found myself more than satisfied by Korinetz compelling story telling.

My only complaint, is Korinetz ends this book with a huge cliffhanger.  When I finished reading it, I felt the same way I did in my younger years after seeing the end of The Empire Strikes Back in theaters.  I couldn’t wait to see the next movie.  In similar fashion, I have to know what happens next.  The good news is, Korinetz is hard at work on the next chapter of this series.  It’s already on my list…

Review – Look Away Silence

Look Away Silence – A Beautifully Written Novel

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended

Author: Edward C. Patterson
Available: Paperback, Kindle

Every Christmas, Martin Powers found love.  Unfortunately, it rarely lasted beyond New Years day.  That is, until he met Matthew Kieler – a southern transplant, complete with  cowboy hat, drawl, and enchanting blue eyes.  Theirs was a love that transcended the moment and as time marched on, their love grew deeper and deeper and Martin realized he’d found the love he’d always longed for.  But just when everything seemed it couldn’t be any better, their world was turned upside down as both come face to face with the specter of AIDS.

Look Away Silence by Edward C. Patterson is a beautifully written novel.  Honestly, I’m not sure I can write a review that will do it justice.  As in all of Patterson’s novels, his characters are incredibly well developed.  In Silence the reader is taken on a journey of Martin and Matthew’s romance, from their “meet cute” first encounter in the department store, to the tragedy that befalls them during a family Thanksgiving dinner.  Patterson lovingly describes the very real and conflicting emotions of commitment, hardship, anger, anguish, and love one must manage while watching the person they love slowly die in before their very eyes.

Holding out hope for a cure all the while intellectually knowing it unlikely torments the soul and anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, especially one stricken by a chronic disease or cancer that robs them slowly of their former self, experiences the very heartache that this book so eloquently conveys.  I remember the 1980s when AIDS was very much a part of everyday discussions and life, but honestly this has not gotten nearly the press it once had and Patterson’s book is a great reminder of a tragic disease that is still in need of a cure.  However, Patterson does not play to politics or get preachy in any way.  This is really a story of Martin and Matthew, of love, of tragedy, of commitment, and of hope.  Few books can touch such a strong emotional chord and I would put Look Away Silence up there with books by Nicholas Sparks such as The Notebook.

Well done Mr. Patterson, well done indeed.

Review – YGOR

YGOR – A New Masterpiece Added to the Frankenstein Lore

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended
Author: Lee Murphy

Available: Paperback

Seventeenth Century: Orphaned at a young age due to multiple physical deformities and a dim wit, Ygor found himself raised under the harsh hand and tutelage of the village Abbott.  Learning to raise crops and forge and form metal, Ygor helps the villagers in many ways though they continue to shun him due to his appearance.  After years of living on the town’s outskirts, the Abbott pays him a visit requesting he refurbish an ancient castle previously owned by the church and recently purchased by a physician from a far away land.  Ygor embraces the opportunity and works day and night for months in anticipation of the castle’s future occupant.  When the ingenious and troubled doctor arrives, Ygor becomes his aid.  Finally having a purpose and plenty of work to do, Ygor helps the doctor though he wonders what exactly the “New Man Project” is.

Written entirely in first person from Ygor’s perspective, Lee Murphy has created a masterpiece in the “Frankenstein” genre.  It is always a challenge to reflect the personalities of others, their thoughts and emotions when writing entirely in the first person, yet Murphy captures not only the “heart” of the good natured Ygor who searches for purpose and belonging throughout his life, but also the madness and brilliance of the doctor.  I especially enjoyed Murphy’s wonderful description of Ygor’s projects ranging from the building of the castle’s bridge to creating the lighting tower which would feed the large underground makeshift battery designed to serve as the power source for the “New Man Project”.

Murphy also captures Ygor’s torn loyalties between the doctor and what he believes is right.  Unfortunately, the doctor’s frequent abuse continues to forge Ygor’s self image and forces continually into a life of servitude.

This is one of the best reads I’ve had all year.  It had me turning pages well into the night and after reading had me thinking about it’s characters and themes.   This is my first Lee Murphy book and I’m looking forward to reading more.

Author Spotlight – Carole Sutton

From WWII London to climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, what an Inspiring Life…

I frequently wonder what inspired someone to write from a certain local, or how they were able to create an ingenious and creative plot device.  I’ve come to find the answer lies in the wonderful experiences authors have had that shaped their lives.  Many times, these stories are just as engaging to the reader as the author’s books.  With this in mind, I started the author spotlight.  This month’s spotlight author is Carole Sutton.  Enjoy!

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TMBOA:   Ferryman’s setting is Cornwall England and sailing the English Channel. You currently reside in Australia. Tell us a little about where you’ve lived, why you choose Cornwall as the books setting, and how you’ve landed in Australia.

Sutton: Born in London in 1938 and evacuated to Exeter at the start of WWII, my earliest memory is the wail of sirens during the Exeter blitz in 1942. After the war, I remained in Exeter. In 1960, I married Bill, a man I had known for many years. His job took us to Cornwall. We lived in a small village near Falmouth where we raised our three children. I’ve always loved Cornwall.

They say ‘write what you know’ and after twenty years of working, sailing and living in the area, Cornwall seemed a natural setting for my first published book.

My parents and siblings had all migrated to Australia over the years. High unemployment and low payment rates in Cornwall was a worry, and thinking of our children’s future, we too applied for residency in Australia. But, by then Australia had closed its borders to migrants and it took us five attempts before they finally accepted us in 1981. We bought a retail business, a post office and news-agency, and ran it as a family with our now adult children. No time for writing in those days!

TMBOA:   Competitive sailing is one of the major backdrops for your murder mystery. From the detailed descriptions in the book, it appears you have quite a passion for this sport. When did you take up sailing and what first interested you in this sport?

Sutton: In the late 1950s I was lured into sailing by Bill, who was trying hard to woo me at the time. He’d joined a club and bought a sailing dinghy. It was a 12’ National, badly in need of repair. This we did together and once out in the water, I was hooked. Bill’s next dinghy was a Hornet, a slim racy boat. We joined the clubs’ racing programs in the River Exe.  

After we were married and moved to Cornwall, the years sped by, our boats grew bigger to accommodate our growing family. Eventually, unable to pay big prices for new boats we bought ours in kit form, and built them ourselves. The first was a four berth 27ft Cutlass, we followed that a few years later with a six berth 32ft Rival. (This boat was the model for Touché, Pengelly’s boat in ‘Ferryman’.) I went to night school and learned coastal navigation before we started cruising with the family. Our sailing trips extended to the Channel Islands, Brittany and down to Bay of Biscay. The only racing we did was the annual cross Channel race from Falmouth to L’Aberwrache, and that was more for fun than any idea of winning.

TMBOA:   The book’s protagonist has an ingenious way of parading his prisoners about in public without anyone being the wiser. Without giving too much of the plot away, how did you come up with such an original idea?

Sutton: In the early 1960s, I attended a well planned Elizabethan Pageant. It was magic. At the time I was into photography. I still have a hundred, or so, 9’x 6’ b/w photographs I’d taken that day of men, women and children posing in Elizabethan costumes, of horses and jousting, and prisoners in stocks. It was obvious to me that people enjoyed acting out their roles. I remembered this when writing the Ferryman scenes. I could see that people had suspended their disbelief, and accepted as part of the show whatever was going on. I realised in that atmosphere my antagonist would be able to get away with something that, in a normal situation, would have been questionable.

TMBOA:   What do you want readers to feel, think, and say after reading your work?

Sutton: I’d like them to feel satisfied, dwell a few moments on the bits they liked best, close the book with a grunt  and say, “Well, that was a good yarn – when’s her next one coming out?”

TMBOA:   Have you had any formal tuition in writing, if not have you had help from another source?

Sutton: No formal training, but I have attended a creative writing course, joined a writers’ workshop, where a group of us met in a local pub. We’d sit in a quiet corner to read and discuss our chapters. Great fun, especially when it came to the sexy bits and we had to read quietly so as not to alert other customers!

I joined the Internet Writing Workshop.  From the Novels-L section, I learned almost everything I know about writing, both how to, and how NOT to. On this site you submit chapters to your peers and critique theirs in return.  See them at: http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/.

I also joined YouWriteOn.com back when it first started. My books reached the Top Ten through peer reviewing and two of them were awarded professional critiques. Again, it’s a free site for writers. http://www.youwriteon.com

Currently, I meet fortnightly with two other professional writers where we drink tea, and ruthlessly edit each other’s chapters. We find it very helpful to have other eyes peruse our work.

TMBOA:  Finally, what’s next for you? Do you have a new novel in the works and if so what can you tell us about it?

Sutton: My next book, ‘And the Devil Laughed’ has been released this week, June 2009.  Set in Australia on the banks of the Parramatta River, ‘And the Devil Laughed’ was short-listed for New Holland Publishers Genre Fiction Award 2007.

Briefly: Undercover cop, Hannah Ford, is eager to return to work after trauma leave. She takes on a drug surveillance job in Draper’s Wharf. But when she arrives there, the town is in shock after the rape and murder of its local barmaid. Hannah, a rape victim with a career to salvage, needs to prove to herself and her boss that she can hack it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1849238332/ref=pe_5050_12366570_snp_dp

Down the track, book #3 is on its way. We are back in Cornwall, though not with the Ferryman characters. It’s a cracking story and if you liked Ferryman, you’ll love this one. You can see more detail on both these books on my web: http://casutton.tripod.com/

How many other books . . . who knows?

As my daughter once said: “You flew a plane on your 50th birthday, you climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge on your 60th, saw your first novel published for your 70th . . . What will you do for your 80th?”

Ah, that’s anyone’s guess!

_______________________

You can read my TMBOA recommended review of Ferryman here.  I encourage everyone to pick up a copy!

Review – Griffin’s Shadow

Griffin’s Shadow  – An Ancient Evil Grows in Power!

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended    
Author: Leslie Ann Moore

Available: Paperback

Deep in the bowels of The Black Tower, the elfin magic imprisoning an ancient evil is weakening.  Using it’s power of projection, the evil finds an accomplice to help in recapturing and releasing the key to it’s power.  Jelena Preseren, the half-elf and half-human unwitting vessel of the key, begins her training to unlock the power of her long dormant magically Talent.  Because of her newly acquired position in elf society  she also become a beacon of hope for the half breed elfin people who crave equality with the pure blood elves; though not all elves accept her and an secret conspiracy begins forms.  Meanwhile, humans and elves prepare for war and Ashinji – a pure blood elf and Jelena’s love interest – struggles to survive and return to his people.

Leslie Ann Moore’s Griffin’s Shadow picks up where Griffin’s Daughter left off.  I enjoyed the first book, but this chapter in the trilogy is even better.  While the first installment introduced the foundational elements of the story, it’s focus was primarily on the love interest between Jelena and Ashinji.  However, this novel injects considerably more fantasy elements such as the ancient evil sorcery as it grows in power.  The treachery and betrayal of family, politics, power of the ruling class, cruelty of prejudice, remorse of lost love, and overall action and tension is ramped and builds throughout the multiple story arcs.

Griffin’s Shadow is a masterfully crafted fantasy adventure which immerses readers in it’s characters and wonderfully created universe.  Once again, Moore seamlessly weaves in issues of prejudice while advancing the story.  My only complaint is I have to wait for the next book to see how this all resolves!  Most of the story arcs are left open at conclusion of this novel.  It left me with the same feeling I had at the end of The Empire Strikes Back when I first saw it as a kid having to wait for the release of the then final chapter of the series.

Griffin’s Daughter is an award winning novel and Griffin’s Shadow is more than worthy of additional national acclaim.

Review – Griffin’s Daughter

Griffin’s Daughter – Award Winning Fantasy!

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended
Author: Leslie Ann Moore

Available: Paperback

Being half-elf and half -human, Jelena Preseren lives life ridiculed and looked down upon by others.  Though her mother, who died giving birth to her, was the sister of the Duke of Amsara, this does little for Jelena who is forced to live her days working in the castle scullery.  Her only friend is her cousin Magnes who sees beyond her lineage.  Though she accepts her lot in life as a servant, Jelena draws the line when her uncle the Duke decides to sell her as a concubine.  She decides to flee and search for her Elven father.

Having learned of his own arranged marriage to someone other than his true love, Magnes joins Jelena.  While on their quest, Jelena discovers a strange power locked deep inside her.    Little does she know, that she is the vessel containing the magic from an ancient evil sorcerer banished centuries earlier but whose soul lives on searching for the key to his release.

Ashinji Sakehera, second son of an Elven Duke, is troubled by continued dreams of a girl he has yet to meet.  Once he and Jelena’s worlds collide, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another.  But how can a half-elf woman who is ostracized by both human and elf society ever have a romantic future with nobility?

Leslie Ann Moore’s Griffin’s Daughter is the first novel in a three part series.  It sets up a number of story arcs only one of which is closed at the books conclusion.  So be prepared to run out to purchase book two (which is also very good – see my review for Griffin’s Shadow).  Moore’s prose is refined and sets the tone and mood for the novel.  Apart from the good story telling, and wonderful fantasy elements, I really enjoyed the way Moore  weaves in the personal impact of prejudice.  Jelena is mistreated in both human and elven societies belonging to neither.  What is so sad is Jelena believes herself inferior because of the way others see and treat her.  No matter how much her cousin Magnes tells her otherwise or even her love Ashinji, Jelena truly believes she is not worthy of the love and friendship from those around her – all because of how she is treated by the majority.  What a wonderful glimpse into how prejudice is felt by those who experience it.

Moore’s debut novel earned her the 2008 Ben Franklin Award for Best First Fiction and it’s easy to see why.  This is a good book and the second installment is even better.  Please note, this may not be a suitable read for some younger readers as there are some adult themes presented occasionally throughout the story.  For those who enjoy a good, well written fantasy, pick up a copy of Griffin’s Daughter.

Book Review – Ferryman

Ferryman – Murder on the English Channel!

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended
Author: Carole Sutton

Available: Paperback

After scrimping and saving all his life, Steven Pengelly flies to Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, to buy a beautiful thirty-foot sailboat to live his dream.  Preparing to take his new boat – Touché – back across the Channel to Cornwall, Steven’s luck further improves.  The young attractive blond that had shown him the boat – Angela Dupont, asks him for a lift to the mainland.  Not one turn down a free crewmember or a pretty face, Steven takes her on and their trip across the channel sparks a romance.  All is well until Steven learns Angela to be more opportunistic than partner willing to dump him quickly in search of a greater fish to hook.  Suddenly, she turns up missing and Steven’s world crashes down around him.  Convinced she has been murdered, investigator’s believe Steven to be the main suspect.   Though there is no body, the evidence against Steven mounts leading to his conviction.

Two years later, Angela’s body turns up.  Forensics, however, prove her murder to be recent, confirming Steven’s innocence.  After his release, all Steven wants to do is move on with his life, but another young woman searches him out seeking his help in finding her recently missing sister.  Believing there is a connection between her missing sister and Angela’s murderer, she convinces Steven to help find those guilty.

Carole Sutton’s Ferryman pulses with action, intrigue, and mystery.  Those who love sailing will appreciate the passages describing the thrill of racing, the battling with the elements, the danger, and the teamwork needed to survive and thrive in competition.  The novel’s locals are wonderfully described from the ports on Guernsey to the frequently visited sailing haunts.   Sutton also seamlessly alternates between the novel’s 1970s present day events and the events that unfolded years earlier during Angela’s abduction.  She introduces each subplot carefully wetting the readers appetite throughout keeping the mystery moving forward.  Sutton also shows great care in building the sociopathic foundations for the book’s antagonist.  This ensures credibility and realism to this character that in lesser books would have been flat and unrealistic.

I really enjoyed this book.  I found myself turning the pages at a rapid pace and staying up late to make my way to the end’s climax.  Ferryman is one of this years favorites for me.  I’m looking forward to Sutton’s next release.

Review – The Third Peregrination

The Third Peregrination  – The Relics Re-awaken

Rating: 5 of 5 TMBOA Recommended
Author: Edward C. Patterson

Available: Paperback, Kindle

After vanquishing the evil empress Wu Tze-t’ien, Rowden Gray and Nick Battle believed the Jade Owl to be forever tamed.  But both are wrong.  One year has passed and Nick receives an artifact, an opal ring, which awakens these ancient relics.  Once again The Jade Owl and Joy of Finches are drawn to one another but this time things are much different.  Interacting with a silken banner depicting life of long ago China, they unlock a hidden message.  Learning this banner is one of seven sisters, they set off on an adventure to find the remaining sisters and solve yet another China mystery.

However, it is not only the relics that have changed, but Nick and Rowden as well.  Something is happening to them.  Haunted by dreams and mental glimmers which direct their path forward, they soon realize they are not just solving a mystery but are carrying out an ancient prophecy – a prophecy which could destroy the world.

In The Third Peregrination, Edward C Patterson continues The Jade Owl series.  This installment brings back the wonderful characters introduced in the first book but also offers some new comers including Rowden’s ex-wife.  These characters add to the adventure by providing appropriate emotional conflict and story arcs to augment the driving fantasy mystery they are to solve.  Where the first book was more cerebral and even paced, this 600 plus page novel really amps up the action and fantasy elements.  As always, Patterson’s accomplished technique and writing style are spot on.  His characters are real and descriptions vivid.  Similar to the first novel, I enjoyed the historical fiction and cultural lessons imparted throughout this novel.

This is the second of a multiple book series and while the ending is completely satisfying, Patterson introduces the thread which teases at the next installment.  The Third Peregrination is a great read – 5 stars!

Review – Numenon

Numenon – A Collision of Native American Mysticism and Corporate America

Rating: 5 of 5, TMBOA Recommended

Author: Sandy Nathan
Available: Paperback

Leading Numenon, the largest and most powerful corporation on the Earth, Will Duane carries a secret.  Haunted for years by the memory of his demanding and verbally abusive father, Will compensates by driving for ever greater success at all costs.  Ethics, faithfulness, relationships, all take a back seat to his overriding lust for power.  But the success he achieves leaves him empty.  Forever stalked by a dark presence creating a pall over everything in his life, Will finds solace by retreating within himself by physically punishing his body through excessive exercise.  Nearing exhaustion, something special happens.  A heightened state of awareness occurs through a glowing column of light beginning at the base of his spine.  Will achieves what mystics call – Kundalini – here he is safe; here is where he finds peace; here is where he finds answers.

From his lean-to in remote New Mexico, a Native American shaman-known by many names but by his followers as “grandfather”-senses the gathering of evil.  It will be at the annual gathering of his spirit warriors, simply called “the meeting”,  where this darkness will descend and collide with grandfather’s spiritual forces and the corporate power of Numenon.

In Numenon, national award winning author Sandy Nathan takes the reader through the parallel journeys of two very different worlds – that of corporate deals and greed juxtaposed with that of Native American Indians on the reservation.  Alternating between these two realities, Nathan explores each of the characters histories – their lives, choices, and experiences which have led them to the present conditions.  Nearing the spiritually charged ground where the meeting is to occur, each of the characters feel the intensity of what they are about to experience and each must choose their path forward.

This is the first book in the Bloodsong series by Nathan.  Those expecting a tidy closure to all of the plot’s elements will instead find a continuously building pressure cooker leading to a climatic meeting of forces to be resolved in future volumes.  This is a very enjoyable read and those interested in mysticism and Native American Culture will thoroughly enjoy Numenon.

Watch the Numenon Trailer Here!