Reader Views

The Moonhawker

Article first published as Book Review: The Moonhawker by George A. Fox on Blogcritics.

A new book by George A. Fox, “The Moonhawker,” is definitely a top-of-the-line action mystery that comes fully loaded to provide an edge-of-your-seat reading experience. Fox tells the thrilling tale of complex and unpredictable protagonist Atticus Gunner who is hurled from the pages almost as soon as you open the book. From that point on, the story unfolds at breakneck speed, with the reader hard pressed to keep up. But despite the book’s length and pace, most readers will be left wanting more.

“The Moonhawker” is hard to summarize. It’s easier to tell someone what it’s got, than what it’s about. And what the story has is more than meets the eye. Fox understands the thriller genre and all its sub-genres. He has created a classic “every man” protagonist possessed of both good and evil, with the capability to use both to overcome any obstacles which the story’s villain-driven plot presents. And Fox has made certain that an abundance of villains populate the pages. Intriguingly, these are not the villains one would expect to find in a small island fishing and summer community off the shores of Lake Michigan. So, in addition to his current island responsibilities as school administrator and part-time cop, (or is he much more than just the local law?), Atticus must also face these unforeseen nemeses.

But Atticus Gunner is up to the challenge. Although Fox skillfully renders him as a real person with genuine flaws and weaknesses, he seems believably larger than life. As daunting and insurmountable as many of the obstacles he faces appear to be, and as unimaginable and suspenseful they might be, we believe Atticus will succeed - because, we want him to.

Fox has concocted his story with traditional thriller-action ingredients, including adventure, heart-stopping action, suspense, stress, exhilaration, mystery, and romance. But the key ingredient is a secret. Indeed, at times the reader might wonder if everyone on the island has at least one secret. The literary device of creating reader engagement through speculation adds yet another enjoyable element to the story.

George A. Fox had a long career in public school teaching and administration. He began the manuscript for what would become the “The Moonhawker” many years ago, during his time in school administration at a small island school community in Northern Lake Michigan. It was fifteen years after his retirement that he dug out the old manuscript, reworked it, and transformed it into this book.  The quintessential thriller-action novel, “The Moonhawker” will be a challenge to top for Fox. But I hope he is up for that challenge. I know Atticus Gunner would be.


The Moonhawker
George A. Fox
iUniverse (2011)
ISBN 9781462046485
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (2/12)

A Pocket Full of Voices

Article first published as Book Review: A Pocket Full of Voices by Alfred M. Albers on Blogcritics.

In author Alfred M. Albers’ newest novel, “A Pocket Full of Voices,” his appealing and adventurous main character, John Michaels, is at it again. For those not familiar with Albers’ series, Michaels is a semi-retired, world-renowned, American magician with a penchant for playing an off-the-record “private investigator” when friends are in need. This time, the tale is about a very old, dear friend from the entertainment business, veteran ventriloquist Gary Eagan.  The book begins with the seemingly implausible arrest of Eagan for his alleged involvement in a scam that has resulted in numerous thefts of money and valuable items from the rooms of visiting celebrities to the East coast gambling mecca of Mount Hope City. All of the thefts occurred while the celebrities and their entourages were attending Eagan’s popular, long standing show at the high profile Placid Hotel and Casino. When Eagan’s attorney asks him who he can contact as a character witness, the call goes out to John Michaels. And with that, the story explodes.

A constant sense of urgency propels the story forward at breakneck speed. Gary Eagan is released on bail and permitted to perform his daily shows, but all the while, he’s preoccupied by the possibility that his innocence might not be provable. “Little to go on,” an initial absence of seemingly any logical explanation, and a rapidly looming trial date, establish the need for speed. And the faster the story moves, the more unexpected and surprising become the plot’s changes in direction, detours and dead ends. But methodically and meticulously, Michaels begins to fit together the pieces of this intriguing mystery. His effectiveness as an under-the-radar sleuth can be directly traced to his magician’s mind – nothing’s impossible if you think it through and plan it properly.

Albers has a passion for magic. He has studied the art of the craft for over thirty-five years. He has been a part-time professional magician since 1981. He has taught, mentored and shared his knowledge with others. The result is a close, intimate relationship with his character, John Michaels. At times, Michaels is more than Albers’ alter-ego; they often seem one and the same. Albers builds similar bonds with the rest of his core cast of characters. As a result, the reader accepts them as real people with whom they too have a relationship. But this sense that the reader is given that they are not separate from the story, they are participating in it, starts with the character John Michaels. Given Michaels’ persona and presence, one easily can understand his appeal to readers.

The pace of the story never wanes. Even near the end, which I initially regarded as anti-climactic, I ultimately realized that Albers was performing one more writer’s slight-of-hand. He had convinced me that I dare not fail to read every last word lest I miss one more significant detail. In many ways, “A Pocket Full of Voices” by Alfred M. Albers is the quintessential mystery novel. You can put it down for a bit if you must, but you won’t be a happy reader if you do so. This book was conceived to be read non-stop, just like the story happens. If you can keep up with them, Albers and Michaels will become your favorite PI/ magicians.


A Pocket Full of Voices
Alfred M. Albers
Infinity Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780741469205
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (3/12)

Spy Family: Book 1

“Spy Family: Book 1” by James Rahfaldt is about when thirteen-year-old twins Elizabeth and James took a vacation with their parents from Illinois to Italy to see the sights.  But, as they were going through airport immigration in Italy, Luke, the dad, was taken into a room and handcuffed to the table with no explanation.  Finally, CIA agent Tom Howard entered the room.  Luke had met Tom once years before in Washington, DC when Luke and his family had been touring the White House. Tom took him aside and asked him to go to a dinner and talk to a man named Silvano.  Luke and his wife Bianca went to the dinner and that was that.

But, now in Italy, Luke learned that the man named Silvano was a counterfeiting crime boss.  At that dinner long ago, Silvano invited the Wards to meet again for dinner someday.  Now the CIA was eager to contact Silvano and the Ward family was their key.  Tom asked Luke to serve his country and use that long ago dinner invitation to contact Silvano.  It all sounded so simple.

I’ll tell you it wasn’t that simple!  It was hair-raising, action-packed and exciting.  It was one of the best books I’ve read.  There were a bunch of characters and I felt like I got to know them all.  I suggest that readers don’t get to like the bad guys too much.  The plot was well developed and very suspenseful. 

The book is only 180-pages long but the type is small and the margins are narrow, so the book took longer than I expected to read.  The book has some violence so people that don’t like that sort of thing might not like the book.  But, I savored every word.  I will recommend “Spy Family: Book 1” by James Rahfaldt to everyone I know.


Spy Family: Book 1
James Rahfaldt
Matcole Properties (2011)
ISBN 9780984927807
Reviewed by Evan Weldon (age 10) for Reader Views (3/12)

Traces of Bliss

Article first published as Book Review: Traces of Bliss by Cecilia Velastegui on Blogcritics.

When Claire, a personal massage therapist, who devotedly caters to the seniors in the rich neighborhood of Los Feliz in Los Angeles, changes the oil she uses to a formula suggested by her grandmother, strange things began to happen. All of her clients, elderly and well-off, began to experience extremely vivid memories, really more like flashbacks, of their ancestors from centuries ago. While nobody knew quite what to make of this, and all of the caretakers for those elderly people were quite worried about their charges, Alma Ruiz, their less than reputable neighbor, saw the opportunity to become rich by impersonating a doctor of holistic medicine. Alma’s plan was deviously simple – she would make them believe that she can help them continue re-living those memories by staging sessions of memory retrievals. Such a plan of course required at least one accomplice, and Alma found an ideal one in the rather unscrupulous Soledad, the Filipina caregiver of Dr. Nunez. Everything seemed to be going according to their plans, but Alma was not counting on the ever watchful Octavio, the immensely intelligent and powerful gardener, who used to be a powerful shaman in Ecuador. He remained intent on protecting Claire and her clients, and did so in a very efficient and rather surprising manner.

“Traces of Bliss” by Cecilia Velástegui was quite unlike any other book I’ve ever read. Her ability to seamlessly weave the past and the present together in a fashion that defies description, coupled with a great sense of language and meticulous research, resulted in a story which at times read like historical fiction, bordering on fantasy, and at others was a very insightful view of class and race issues in the contemporary California. Some of the scenes from the past, as well as the ones from Octavio’s childhood, were almost dreamlike, and some of the ones happening in the seedier parts of contemporary Los Angeles or to its seedier characters were downright disturbingly harsh, yet brilliant. The incredible cast of characters was rich and drawn with lots of detail, and each one of them turned out to be more complex than what one would expect of them at a first glance. There is a heady mix of Moorish invasions, Basque Witch trials, duende, prehistoric caves, flamenco dancers and gypsies, cross-dressing military officers fighting for the Spanish crown in the 17th century, mermaids, missing teenagers, Sephardic Jews, poets, shamans, involuntary memories, magic mushrooms, violent husbands, crying babies, impersonators, gigolos, and more... and somehow it all makes sense in the end.

“Traces of Bliss” is a hauntingly beautiful book, which will certainly appeal to readers of intelligent fiction, particularly those who are truly interested in history and not opposed to some novel views. While happiness might not be found easily in this story, it definitely exists, and reminds us time and again what really and truly matters.


Traces of Bliss
Cecilia Velástegui
Libros Publishing (2012)
ISBN 9780983745877
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (12/11)

The Parsifal Pursuit: A Winston Churchill Thriller

Article first published as Book Review:The Parsifal Pursuit: A Winston Churchill Thriller by Michael McMenamin & Patrick McMenamin on Blogcritics.

Father and son writing team, Michael and Patrick McMenamin collaborate in “The Parsifal Pursuit,” a new approach to the genre of historical fiction. This is the second in their series of Winston Churchill Thrillers. Mattie McGary, photo journalist, with the Hearst newspaper empire, and Bourke Cockran Jr., a New York law school professor and former counter intelligence agent, protagonists from the “DeValera Deception,” are found deeply involved on separate assignments in a Grail quest commissioned by Winston Churchill.

The year is 1931. A conspiracy is underway to assassinate Germany’s President Hindenburg. Their assignment is to find and recover a stolen ancient Christian artifact, the Spear of Destiny, which was used to pierce the side of Christ on the cross. Time is of the essence as Hitler and the Kaiser are in a race to recover the Spear for their own personal purposes.

Cochran’s specific assignment is to represent an heiress, victim of Nazi tactics in an extortion and protection racket. Germany is in a state of political struggle. Reactionary industrialists are backing Kaiser Wilhelm II, and racist radicals are promoting the Nazis and Adolf Hitler.

In the background another conflict is taking place in the search for the Spear in the Austrian Alps. Mattie’s life is endangered, as well as her romance with Cockran, when an unscrupulous, handsome guide recuses Mattie and determines to seduce her.

I appreciate the personal insight I gained into science of Eugenics, the dangers of injustice to individuals when government attempts to legislate the practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of its citizens. I gained a new perspective on the political feelings in Europe in the years leading up to World War II.

Michael McMenamin’s careful attention to historical accuracy while interjecting fictional segments into factual circumstances gives credibility to the background for the story. Patrick McMenamin’s creative imagination adds a flavor of excitement, adventure and romance to an important era in world history.

“The Parsifal Pursuit” is informative and entertaining – a new approach to the genre of historical fiction. The story is packed with suspense, adrenaline-producing drama, and fast-moving action right up to an unexpected, over the top, climatic conclusion.


The Parsifal Pursuit: A Winston Churchill Thriller
Michael McMenamin & Patrick McMenamin
Enigma Books (2011)
ISBN 9781936274239
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (2/12)

Death’s Crooked Shadow: A Novel

Article first published as Book Review: Death's Crooked Shadow: A Novel by Gordon N. McIntosh on Blogcritics.
 

This is one mystery that will keep your attention. The main character, Doug Sutherland, is a real estate developer that gets wrapped up in a fifteen-year-old murder investigation at his late father’s office building. Since the building needed extensive repair and renovating Doug hired a company to fix it up.

While they were working on the building, the foreman of the crew discovered a human skull and bones that were embedded in one of the stone columns. The skull and bones belonged to a politician that was killed fifteen years ago and his body cemented into the column of the building. Doug takes an interest in the investigation when the dead man’s notebook and videotapes happen to show up. The dead man was “Danny Delaney”, who was the town alderman. It seems that Doug’s father had some dealings with the man and happens to be the prime suspect now.  Sutherland fears for his life and his business when he discovers that his father had more secrets than he ever realized. He is relentlessly harassed for what he might know and must prove to everyone that he had nothing to do with it. In final desperation, Sutherland collaborates with an ambitious reporter and his calculating sister to help him clear it up.

I enjoyed “Death’s Crooked Shadow” by Gordon N. McIntosh and was not surprised that it had won the “Editor’s Choice" award from his publisher, iUniverse. It is a fast-paced book that will keep you glued to the pages. The plot and characters are very well built and presented in a professional manner that puts it a cut above the rest. Mr. McIntosh presented his novel with a rare flare for a mystery; it was captivating and thought-provoking and earned one of my highest marks of an A.


Death’s Crooked Shadow: A Novel
Gordon N. McIntosh
iUniverse (2011)
ISBN 9781462048519
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (2/12)

2012: A New Maya Nation Emerges

Article first published as Book Review: 2012: A New Maya Nation Emerges by Edward D. Curry on Blogcritics.

Edward D. Curry’s intuitive nature, vivid imagination, and extensive research are evident in “2012: A New Maya Nation Emerges,” the dramatic climax to the third novel in his Maya adventure series.

Through the use of a short but comprehensive prologue, Curry provides a synopsis of the earlier books in the series: “Temple of the Two Jaguars” and “2012 Maya End Date: A New Beginning.” This synopsis introduces new readers to the series and serves as a reminder to his followers of the main events leading up to the current book in the series, “2012: A New Maya Nation Emerges.”

Representatives from the Mexican government, Mayan leaders, and the Smithsonian Institution convene in Mexico City to consider presentations on the Celestial Awareness Program, the Maya end date projection, the future of Mesoamerica, and the advancement in plate tonic and remote sensing technology, (specifically LiDar and ALSM) for penetrating jungle foliage.

Plans are set in motion for a new Maya culture with a strategy for formation and relocation of the Maya to a newly created town, Nuevo Ciduad, in Guatemala.

A cast of over forty “real-as-life” characters, intricately interacting, add a unique dimension to a masterful character-driven plot which includes intrigue, suspense, adventure, and romance. Curry baits the reader with dialog that includes the promise of action and danger just ahead to build suspense, tension, conflict, and resolution.

Ryan Keshaw’s first person narration, sometimes overtly casual, helps the reader identify and become engaged in his characters. His stimulating dialog also helps move the story forward and establishes important background information. A behind the scenes look into life with his precocious young daughter, Lynn , their new baby son Ryan, his own work with Ryan Keshaw Consulting firm, and his wife Allie’s position as lead archaeologist at the Smithsonian, helps the reader relate to their personal hectic lifestyle, balancing parenting with successful careers.

Chapter titles add a touch of humor and lightness to a subject matter that might otherwise be wholly academic even as a work of fiction. Ryan’s humorous quips and uncanny wit left me quietly guffawing with a lingering smile right on through to the next chapter.

In a narrative beautifully describing the customs and simplicity of a Maya wedding, an emphasis on harmonious interaction with Mother Nature, and glimpses into the sacred book Popol Vuh, the introduction of demons residing in underground caves, psychic talent and crystal balls add another dimension to the range of topics considered in a storyline filled with the unexpected.

Curry’s writing is compelling. Rather than painting a doomsday scenario, he draws a picture of a world on the verge of change as a result of the 2012 Maya end date, which will impact the populace and economy extending beyond Mexico, Guatemala, and United States. This is intense, believable, historical fiction reflecting day-to-day living in a contemporary setting. The reader is transported to the highlands of Guatemala. Graphic descriptions of ancient rituals, rites, and ceremonies add to the colorful history of the Maya.

Curry combines information and insights from the studies of anthropology, Latin American history, ancient religion, mysticism, and astrological forecasting in the fictional account of the Mayan Civilization, its history, culture, art, architecture, symbolism, mythology, superstitions, and contributions to civilization

"2012: A New Maya Nation Emerges” is compelling, scholarly, entertaining creative fiction with a unique twist of wry humor. This is a must read for astrology followers, archeologists, and anthropologists, and just about every one else.


2012: A New Maya Nation Emerges
Edward D. Curry
Merlin & Associates (2012)
ISBN 9780981468433
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (2/12)

The Return

I have previously read Maggie Allen’s “The Revival,” which was actually a sequel to “The Return,” so I was extremely curious to see the beginning of the story of Virginia Wilson, her visit to the fictitious country of Totoba, and her relationship with Nick Oskar. “The Revival” left me somewhat confused, which I’ve attributed to the fact that I jumped into the story in the middle, and was therefore lacking knowledge of the basics of Totoba and the Totoboan religion, and I was hoping that “The Return” would enable me to understand the story better.

“The Return” begins with Virginia, who is about to start college, persuading her parents to go with her on a trip to Africa, mostly because she is so keen on seeing Nick again. Nick was the trip leader on the previous year’s trip to Costa Rica, and Virginia definitely has feeling for him.  Shortly after their arrival in Africa, Virginia starts getting really weird vibes from their local guides, and just after meeting Nick the entire group gets kidnapped by some very mysterious and evil force. While in captivity, most of their group members begin to behave in the worst possible ways, and mayhem and violence quickly follow. Is there a way out?

Once again I enjoyed the author’s vivid imagination and the way she captured how young people speak and behave, but I simply could not get myself to care for the heroine or really understand the story. Virginia’s unending teenage angst and her manipulative ways simply did not endear her to me. To quote Virginia herself, “I thought about all the times this week I was contemplating how to manipulate and control him, how I promised myself that now that I had controlled all my friends into liking me that I would move onto Nick.” The story was confusing, dragging along at a very slow pace with the exception of a number of extremely violent scenes, and it made very little sense until the last chapter in the book, which dealt with the Totoboan religion. There the matters did not get much less confusing, since for some strange reason the author decided to call people who committed the crimes against their religion “the punishers,” which would lead one to believe they were the ones inflicting punishment on others, and not being punished themselves. This was just one example of confusing writing style, which included mixed metaphors, wrong words, sloppy punctuation, and a slew of other issues.

I am certain that a younger reader would have probably had more fun reading “The Return” by Maggie Allen, but even they would have probably preferred a more streamlined and better edited story.  There are a couple of explicit sexual scenes and comments about sexual activities, as well as extremely graphic violence throughout a large portion of the book, so I would not recommend it for a very young audience either.


The Return
Maggie Allen
Outskirts Press (2010)
ISBN 9781432762605
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (2/12)

The Analyst

Article first published as Book Review: The Analyst P.T. Dawkins on Blogcritics.

P. T. Dawkins draws on his career in the investment world as well as his unique insight into human nature in crafting his book “The Analyst.” Protagonist David Heart lands a job as a stock analyst at an off Wall Street investment firm. The opportunity came about for David to move from his job at a small town bank to the investment firm as a result of a family connection with the firm’s management.

David is motivated by a strong desire to make good financially so that he can provide subsistence for his widowed mother and to pay for the care of his aging grandfather.

Naive and untrained as an analyst David is unprepared for the insatiable greed, and unethical, sometimes illegal conduct of many unscrupulous operators prevalent in the financial industry. David soon finds himself verbally abused and bullied by the head trader, Blackie, and befriended, but used, by attractive Sandy Allen, an investment saleswoman with the firm. David becomes entangled in an illegal plot of extortion involving insider trading. He has been set up and is being threatened with being found guilty of felony charges for his complicity.

I found Dawkin’s characters so believable that within the first two or three chapters I was emotionally reacting with contempt, empathy, compassion, and loathing. These colorful characters, the fast-moving action, and distinctive dialogue all add up to the potential for a successful movie adaptation. (Note: as a word of caution, excessive strong language may be a distraction to some readers as well as in a movie script.)

Dawkins writes with an uncanny attention to detail to plot development as well as tying up loose ends. Along with the dark side of his characters, he develops an interesting perspective on business ethics, adds a touch of alt ruism, and a strong message of integrity. I found his descriptions of SEC regulations and investigative procedures informative as well as adding a significant note of intrigue and suspense to a spellbinding plot.

Avid readers of Wall Street adventure novels should find “The Analyst” by P. T. Dawkins is a riveting read that is highly recommended.


The Analyst
P. T. Dawkins
Llumina Press (2011)
ISBN 9781605947235
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (1/12)

Color My Horse

Article first published as Book Review: Color My Horse by Bev Pettersen on Blogcritics.

I’ll be the first to admit that I know next to nothing about the world of horse racing, and I never thought that a romance novel set in such a world could hold my attention for very long, yet I found myself truly hooked after the first few pages of the story. In some strange way all those details about the life in the stables and on the racetrack turned out to be fascinating, and very quickly I found myself caring for a good few of the characters in Bev Pettersen’s “Color My Horse,” which turned out to be a truly fun mixture of rather hot romance and intriguing mystery with international elements.

Jessica Boone was born into a rich family, but she decided to forge her own way in the world. After an accident in her chosen career at the time she was forced to abandon it, but she was determined not to give in to her rather tyrannical grandfather. She had a plan, but she needed just a bit of financial help to put it in motion, so she was forced to ask him for help. Needless to say the old man was less than impressed with her idea, and quite determined to have her work for him, so he devised a challenge. If she would work as a groom at the racetrack for a certain period of time, he will finance her venture. If not, she would come and work for him. Jessica found herself in a totally new world, one of which she knew absolutely nothing about, yet she was determined to make it work for her. After all, she was born into a rich family, but she has never been lazy or afraid to work. If the daily challenges of her work were not enough, there was also the fact that her new boss, Mark Russell, was very attractive, if not always pleasant. Could Jessica tough it out? Will the romance sizzle or fizzle? And who are those sinister people lurking around the stables?

I’ve greatly enjoyed both the romantic and the mystery components of the story. I found the characters believable and very diverse, and some of the minor ones actually became my favorites, particularly Maria and her “charge,” of whom I do not want to say too much here to protect the mystery. The daily life and travails of the people taking care of the horses proved to be far more interesting and engrossing than expected, and I was pleasantly surprised at the twists and turns of the storyline, as well as at the rather surprising ending. I would highly recommend “Color My Horse” to any lover of solid, intelligent romance and mystery, as long as they do not object to sometimes rather explicit sexual content.


Color My Horse
Bev Pettersen
Westerhall Books (2011)
ISBN 9780987671721
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (1/12)