Reader Views

Tales of Deserts and Demons

“Tales of Deserts and Demons” by Faiz Kermani is three fantasy stories. “The Demon and the Three Beggars” was my favorite.  It was about three disfigured beggars.  One was purple from head to toe, one had half the face of a monkey, and the last one had a snout instead of a nose. When three friends were once again kicked out of the town that they had been visiting, they wandered into the cave of a demon who said that he would kill them unless they told him their stories about how they were disfigured. Will they live to see another sunset or will they die in the cave?

Even though the title “Tales of Deserts and Demons” sounds scary, it is really more funny and clever than scary.  I would not classify this as a scary book, but many of the characters are demons or creatures.  All the stories had elements of trickery and just rewards.  I think even my mom might like this book!

I would recommend “Tales of Deserts and Demons” by Faiz Kermani to people who like short stories.  It is nice to pick up a good book and finish an entire good story in way less than an hour.  The entire book is less than 80 pages – but a very enjoyable 80 pages!


Tales of Deserts and Demons
Faiz Kermani
Faiz Kermani/Lulu (2012)
ISBN 9781105499937
Reviewed by Evan Weldon (age 10) for Reader Views (4/12)

Words & Graphics: A Collection of Works

Article first published as Book Review: Words & Graphics: A Collection of Works by C.O.B. on Blogcritics.

“Words & Graphics” is an extremely simple title for a complex collection of writings which includes poems, dialogues, short stories, statements and plays.  There are also artistic images that contribute greatly to this novel.  Some of the writings make brief and blunt statements; others are more in-depth and incredibly descriptive considering that they don’t take up many pages. The author also includes H.O.T.Ds - “Highlights of the Day.”  These are interspersed throughout the book and they focus on brutally honest and, at times, disturbing observances made by an employee regarding his day at work.  I really enjoyed reading these because sometimes I feel the same way.

Every important aspect of life is included in these writings. This includes parenting, religion, love, loss, and death.  Nothing is simple or joyful, yet the complexity of the writings left me with some very intense feelings. I also appreciated that the short stories and the screenplay left me wanting more. While this might sound negative, it is actually positive because I wanted to be able to sink myself further into what the characters were experiencing.  I admire the author for being able to draw me in and quickly connect me to the characters in the stories.  The artistic works also added a visual connection to the writings. They can also be enjoyed on their own.  Each one is unique and also made me pause to ponder them.

The author notes that it took ten years to create “Words & Graphics.”  I totally enjoyed every page and highly recommend it.  Readers will enjoy the uniqueness of how the works are presented and appreciate having the opportunity to get their hands on something different.  This book would also make an excellent gift for the person who has everything!


Words & Graphics: A Collection of Works
C.O.B.
Grey Line Press (20122)
ISBN 9780983002826
ASIN: B007K1EF9E
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/12)

Twice Upon a Prequel…& Three Shorts

Article first published as eBook Review: Twice Upon a Prequel And Three Shorts by Derald W. Hamilton on Blogcritics.

“Twice Upon a Prequel…& Three Shorts” by Derald W. Hamilton opens with two prequels: The Astonishing Elmo Piggins and The Rebirth of Reginald Dexter.  Readers of “The Call” will remember Elmo Piggins, the preacher’s son who completed his undergraduate work in three years and Reginald Dexter, the older Unitarian Seminarian. The three shorts are: Taken Up Before the General, The War Comes Home and A Litter Bit of Wisdom.

Elmo’s story details his childhood and adolescence growing up as a pastor’s son. Pastor Elwood Piggins is obsessed by a discipline standard determined by the expectations of the church members and the men on the deacon board. Elmo fits this model outwardly as he observes the wild rebellious antics of his older sister and the resultant punishment which triggered her decision to leave home. After his graduations from high school, Elmo joins the Navy.

While at sea, Elmo experiences a spiritual awakening similar to the Apostle Paul’s on the Road to Damascus; a new beginning for Elmo, which led to his enrollment at Parkins Theological Seminary.

Reginald Dexter’s story is of a tenured psychology professor forced to retire, advised by his friend, a pastor, to take risks, begin a new life, and find fulfillment.

Derald W. Hamilton skillfully crafts the art of satire to draw attention to the inconsistencies of obsession for dogma in the church, rigidness in academia, and pomp and parade in the military. His pointed humor clearly gets the attention of the reader, identifies the problem, and plants a seed for change. His characterizations are flawless as he contrasts the graduate degreed pastor with the fiery charismatic preacher with power of delivery but no formal training.

Although I frequently got glimpses of myself and my unique and “miniscule” flaws, I felt on occasion that the author sacrificed his mission to the point of losing the segment of a potential audience that he may be hoping to change. Anyone offended by an unwarranted repletion of profanity may look at Hamilton’s approach as irreverent or to be a personal vendetta resulting from his own personal disillusionment.


Twice Upon a Prequel…& Three Shorts
Derald W. Hamilton
D Hamilton Books (2011)
ISBN 9780984619214
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (3/12)

Through Whose Eyes: Rise Child of God

There are not enough words to describe the incredible insight and thoughts that Jacqueline Rainey has shared in "Through Whose Eyes: Rise Child of God." Many readers may find, through her writing and her approach, it seems she was in their minds.

The format of this book is alternating poems (I like to call them words of wisdom) and stories in which she covers topics such as throw-away children; prostitution; drug abuse; losing one’s self to drugs and alcohol. In addition, Rainey addresses loss of spirituality and loss of being in touch with God. I loved the way she approached these various topics; inner thoughts that one might feel given any of these circumstances.

Many readers will be able to relate to these inner thoughts. As a person in recovery, my favorite story was “I Use To Be.” Many of the thoughts expressed were things I learned in recovery and I still use today. Many of us who are in recovery are often mad at God because we think He let us down; yet we never gave up hope and some of us got out of that lifestyle and found ourselves again.

Even though some of Rainey's poems and stories relate to specific high-risk behaviors, most everyone can relate. As humans, we question who we are, why we present abnormal behaviors or lifestyles and sometimes beg God to help us each day.

As a psychologist, I am thrilled “Through Whose Eyes” was written because it will help so many that are lost in their journey of life. Rainey's wisdom is non-judgmental and does not give advice; it is a reflection of living life on life’s terms.


Through Whose Eyes: Rise Child of God
Jacqueline Rainey
Strategic Book Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9781612048550
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (8/11)

To Begin Again

“To Begin Again” caught my attention from the first page and held it to the last. With a combination of both essays and short stories, it made for a diversified read.

There was a cornucopia of stories dealing with marital infidelities and other betrayals, drugs, people in financial difficulty and stories of violent behavior. It definitely has a little something for everyone. For the most part, the plot and character development was complete and intriguing, as page after page brought new insight and fresh surprises. It was fast moving throughout most of the book with few parts that were boring.

One of many short stories was of a woman assaulted for no apparent reason. She was hit right in the mouth by an unknown stranger. Many people witnessed the assault but not a single person comes forth to lend a hand. Then there was the one about a rebellious teenage girl, caught in the turmoil of her parents’ divorce and the deep-rooted feelings she had. In another story, customers in a bar try to buy drinks with AA tokens. In “Composure,” a lady tries being nice to an upstairs neighbor that she is having a problem with and gets more than she bargained for. There is a strange twist in another story when a man thinks he is successfully cheating on his wife, but he is in for a rude awakening.

“To Begin Again” was a good general audience book that I gave a solid B mark to. It lacked a little in some areas; some of the short stories seemed a little too short. The quality of the book was good as was the appealing cover art - overall it was a worthy read.

To Begin Again
Jen Knox
All Things That Matter Press (2011)
ISBN 9780984629787
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (11/11)

Danced with the Devil

William Wilson is a gender identity confused man who uses his wiles to con men into sexual encounters with him and then he robs them.  One night, things get out of hand and he accidentally murders a woman who has been his nemesis for years.  Having someone who was almost his victim witness the act, William has to hit the road fast.  Deciding to both resolve his gender identity issue and find the perfect cover, he comes up with an incredibly ingenious plan.  To be able to carry it out, he has to get a large chunk of money fast.  So he robs a mobster.  This puts him on the lam from both the police and the mob.

Taking off to another country for the services that he needs to complete his identity change, things seem to fall into place for him until another man attempts to blackmail him for the money that he stole.  Once again, William has to take some drastic measures to protect his secrets.  After doing what he has to do to cover up his true identity, William could choose to settle down to a “normal” life, but his human nature steps in and he makes some choices that don’t turn out to be in his best interest, but they do make for an entertaining story.

In “Danced with the Devil,” the author Ronald Thompson has come up with an incredibly unique plot.  Not relating to the main character in any way, made me more interested in his story, because it was very far from being a run-of-the-mill mundane tale.  I could not guess what he was going to do next.  I also enjoyed how the main character was able to create a unique escape from a complicated situation.  While his ideas were ingenious, his downfall turned out to be his true human nature.  The contrast between his ideas and his final actions is what keeps the story interesting.  If everything were to work out perfectly it would seem too far fetched.  I also want to note that the book is beautifully bound, which will also help make it a great gift.

I highly recommend “Danced with the Devil,” especially to readers groups who will enjoy discussing the twists and turns in the storyline.  There will definitely be some stimulating conversation!

Danced with the Devil
Ronald Thompson
Eloquent Books (2009)
ISBN 9781606935699
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/11)

The Incendiary Man (Kindle Edition)

When a newsman stops a man on the street to ask him a celebrity related question, the man takes the opportunity to inform the newsman about the Incendiary Man who he believes is currently roaming the streets burning people up.  This man and a group of eccentric people have been on the run for about five days trying to escape from this creature.  Believing that there is no way to stop him, they feel it is best to keep running.  They can feel his heat when he approaches and he cannot move very quickly.  

Strangely enough, the newsman knows nothing about this fiery being who the group believes has burned up many people and places.  As they are talking, a group appears with signs that deny the existence of the Incendiary Man.  The interviewee takes this to be positive, because it means that people are hearing the stories about him, even if they do not believe it yet.

“The Incendiary Man” is a fun read.  Bob Frey takes us into the mind of a man who might just be totally crazy, and imagining everything. But in his world, it is 100% real.  So in his reality, the Incendiary Man does have an existence. As for his friends, perhaps they are only real in his world as well.  Reading this story lets you step into someone else’s world for a moment.  Not only does this give you a break from your reality, but perhaps it might also make you appreciate your reality more, unless of course you have a supernatural being running around burning people up in your world as well.

The Incendiary Man (Kindle Edition)
Bob Frey
Van Fleet Books (2011)
ASIN: B004IE9XPW
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/11)

Remnant: An Anthology

Roland Allnach’s “Remnant: An Anthology” consists of three stories within the science fiction genre. The stories are linked in theme by characters seeking self-truth and redemption through finding their true moral center.

The first of the three novellas, “All the Fallen Angels,” is the story of Stohko, a convicted war criminal and his attempt to make peace with his past. He is filled with paranoia, guilt, confusion, self-deception, hostility and hate.

In the second novella, “Enemy, I Know You Not,” a military officer, Lieutenant Hovland, is assigned a group of recruits for simulated training exercises. He is tortured with corruptive thoughts of rebellion, order, and the illusion of control while he tries to find his loyalty in paranoia of suspicion and mistrust.
 
The final novella, titled “Remnant.” continues with the theme of behavioral research and centers around the conflicted emotions of Peter Lowry, the survivor of a global pandemic. Peter is confronted with the prospect of making peace with past memories when, Jim MacPherson and Emily Lewis, two other survivors attempt to bring him back from self-imposed isolation.

Influenced by the writing of mythology and classical literature, Allnach follows a pattern in his writing using character driven themes. Although he writes primarily in the Science Fiction genre he develops depth and substance to his characters in situations outside of the realm of our “common world.”

Each of the three novellas in the anthology follows a pattern of a nightmare of “tangled, convoluted confusion.” Stohko experienced Hermium euphoria, chaotic eruptions of jumbled moments in time in “All the Fallen Angels.”  He was plagued by a trance-like weaving in an out of a delirious dream moving from guilt of the past, the realities of the present, and the hopelessness of the future.

Lieutenant Hovland lost his sense of purpose in “Enemy, I Know You Not.” When a malfunction at the simulator turned a training level exercise into an actual lethal fight for survival, Hovland found himself suspected of subversion. This created a feeling of paranoia, suspicion, exhaustion, futility, betrayal and retribution. In “Remnant” Peter Lowry becomes a prime example of traumatic stress syndrome as he works through the negative characteristics of blind obsession, mistrust, suspicion, guilt, and the positive qualities of genuine empathy, concern, discipline and loyalty.

I especially appreciated Roland’s literary style:

    * His vivid word pictures
    * His insights demonstrated through character driven dialog
    * His creative imagination
    * His use of foreshadowing

Allnach’s writing in “Remnant: An Anthology” is haunting, begging for an interactive response from the reader in an honest self appraisal; asking the “what if” questions created by identifying with the protagonist in well written literature. Roland Allnach is destined to become recognized for his contributions in whatever genre of writing he may choose.

Remnant: An Anthology
Roland Allnach
All Things That Matter Press (2010)
ISBN 9780984629701
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (6/11)

All Points North

“All Points North” is a collection of short stories that seems to miss the mark by varying degrees. The first story, which also happens to be titled “All Points North,” was a sad introduction that had a glimmer of unrealized potential. It recounts the adventure of two brothers taking part in a sailboat regatta during a storm. I believe the main problem with this particular story was focusing too much on sailing terms and minute details that really didn’t help move things along, and some things could have been made a little easier for non-sailors like me. This paragraph is encountered on the second page:

“Henry had just finished taking a big knot out of the spinnaker halyard and came back to take the tiller and tersely tell me to take the spinnaker down. As I grabbed the lower corners of the spinnaker under the port boom and pulled and gathered that jumbo sail, Henry, with measure, eased on the spinnaker halyard and started to let his pent-up hot head go.”

What? I know Henry removed a knot and calmed down a little, and something was done with a sail, but I was lost through the rest of it. Paragraphs like the one above fill the story and direct attention away from what could be an exciting plot. The reader is told about dark clouds moving in at the beginning of the race and we learn at the end of the race that eight or nine boats encountered tragedy, but we miss the storm. There’s no excitement, no danger; just a lot words describing the work that goes into operating a sailboat.

I would like to say things improved from there, but the first story was actually my favorite story in the book. The second story, “The Duck Hunt,” is a twelve-page story that would have greatly benefited from being shrunk down to the following statement – Young man is interested in going duck hunting because he thinks it will be exciting. He goes duck hunting with family friends and learns that he really doesn’t like duck hunting. The End. Now I’m sure something could be done to liven the story up a bit but the author once again spends time on trivial details instead of working to inject any excitement or drama into the ‘adventure.’

The remainder of “All Points North” is more of the same; bits and pieces of ordinary life told with so little excitement that they could be random snippets from someone’s diary. Ordinary life can be written in an exciting way, but that can’t be achieved by putting so much attention on the dull and routine aspects of everyday life.

All Points North
Shelby R. Lee III
Outskirts Press (2010)
ISBN 9781432755690
Reviewed by Marty Shaw for Reader Views (1/11)

Stories to Enjoy

“Stories to Enjoy” by Tom Mach is a collection of sixteen fictional short stories.  There is really no overriding theme as the stories move from subject to subject.  There are stories of murder such as in “The Crossword Puzzle Murders,” fantasy such as in “Stamp Prisoner,” and history such as in “The Plot to Kill Lincoln (Again).”   Each story is a few pages in length.  My favorite story was “Doll House” where the final scene caused me to gasp out loud in a disturbing sort of way.  I was surprised by the ending.

“Stories to Enjoy” can be picked up anytime you want to read a short story.  I really wanted the tales to stay with me, but few did.  While a couple surprised me, many were predictable with characters I did not connect with.  However, Mach has crafted stories with different characters and unusual premises that can interest short-story enthusiasts.

The large print makes reading easier and the edit is well done.  Whether reading on a car trip or before bed, “Stories to Enjoy” can take the reader out of reality for a bit.

Stories to Enjoy
Tom Mach
Hill Song Press (2010)
ISBN 9780974515915
Reviewed by Marissa Libbit for Reader Views (08/10)