Tag Archives: literature

A review of White Fang (Submitted by Saunved Mutalik)

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This review was submitted by Saunved over at saunved.wordpress.com

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Book Title: The White Fang
Author: Jack London
ISBN 10: 8129120526

Summary from Goodreads:
Jack London’s tales are more than epics of hardship and survival — they are morality plays in which good wins over evil. In WHITE FANG, virtue takes shape in a young prospector and his fiercely loyal wolf-dog. It’s a timeless tale of courage and survival as well as a touching friendship between man and animal.

My review:
Jack London takes you on a wonderful adventure with one of the most frightening, intense and hard to understand characters. When I read “The White Fang”, it seemed as if I had a mutual understanding with White Fang.
I shed no tears as I read this book although opportunities presented themselves at frequent intervals of time. I knew that White Fang would never have liked it. The story of White Fang, is to say the least one of the most simple and yet, extremely complicated stories.

Jack London does a marvelous job with this classic and he turns it the way he wants to turn it without much trouble. The effortless descriptions, the well-written narration and the beautifully crafted thought-process of White Fang and his “laws” told me just why a dog could be so loyal to his master.

My recommendation:
If you love dogs or wolves then you should pick up the book from the nearest book store and commence reading.
One the other hand, if you aren’t such a big fan of dogs or wolves, I WANT you to read this book.

I rate the book on the following points:
Plot: 9.5/10
Suspense: 9.5/10
Action/Thrill: 10/10
Character(s): 10/10
Predictability: Next to none

Overall rating: 9.75/10

A classic, and a touching tale, which leaves its marks deep upon your heart even after you have turned the last page.

Author of the week:)

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    My very first Author of the Week is the lovely Sarah Cradit. Sarah is smart as a whip, funny and has been one of my very favourite bloggers ever since I started this blog.

 

She is also an author and has written a series that you will not want to miss.  You can already find St. Charles at Dusk and will soon be able to get your hands on the second book in the series.

For more info on how to find Sarah’s books or if you just want to go say hello to her, click here:

http://sarahcradit.wordpress.com/an-introduction-to-the-house-of-crimson-and-clover-series/

The Travelers’ Club – Fire and Ash (The Travelers’ Club #2) by Michael Bradley

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The Travelers’ Club is back!

As 1880 draws to a close, the members of the secret British adventuring group known as The Travelers’ Club are back in the saddle and looking for trouble.

After spending more than fifteen years away, former Confederate sharpshooter Ash Cooper reluctantly returns to Maryland. This time, Ash’s best friend Lord Reginald Harcourt is the fish out of water as he deals with “Colonial” culture.

With new members along for the ride, the intrepid team will take on international spies, wily women and the ancient Altantean threat at the very Gates to Hell in the Territory of Arizona and the untamed American West.

 

Paperback, First, 363 pages
Published November 3rd 2012
ISBN13
9780985450816
edition language
English
You can find Michael Bradley here: http://mbtimetraveler.com/
You should go say hello to him. He posts a lot of really interesting things and he is very smart–a great guy to have a discussion with.
My review of Fire and Ash:
“The Traveler’s Club: Fire and Ash” by Michael Bradley is a quirky, exciting and altogether unique book. One of the things that I found enjoyable about this novel was the over-the-top personalities of the characters. This author has a clear and defined sense of how to write interesting characters that you will grow to love throughout the story. Nobody in this book is average or the slightest bit boring, so the adventures they go on seem very appropriate for the way they are represented.

The plot moves at a good clip and the historical aspects were well planned and worked for this style of writing. I think this book could easily fall into the classification of being a bit “steampunk.” No matter which exact genre you place this in, the fantasy elements of the book were not only interesting, but were also original. I didn’t feel like I was reading someone else’s work with a different wrapper over it, which made me happy. It has been a while since I found a book that could fit into so many different genres and do well in each one. Clearly this author is talented at making his writing stand out from the crowd.

The main character has plenty of quirks and there are a lot of opportunities for laughs as the novel is laced with good humor. This book is a true adventure, with airships, villains and heroes that really understand the meaning of the word. I could visualize the author’s words in my mind during reading and it played along in my head just like a movie. The descriptiveness of the writing was at times, my very favorite thing about this book. There were a few places where I felt the author was a little wordy, but it wasn’t anything that brought the pace to a standstill and it was still enjoyable.

If you are looking for a book to settle into that will keep you wondering at every turn, give you a reason to smile and make you want to tell the other people around you all about it, this would be perfect!

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust by Emilie Richards

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Somewhere Between Luck and TrustWhere Luck Meets Trust, Miracles Can HappenChristy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she’s free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that’s the least of her hurdles.

Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way?

Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed. A place where two very different women might bridge the gap between generations and education, and together make tough choices.


Somewhere between the townships called Luck and Trust, at a mountain cabin known as the Goddess House, two very different women may even, if they dare, find common ground and friendship.–Description from Goodreads

 

 

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust by Emilie Richards

Paperback, 496 pages

 

Expected publication: June 25th 2013 by Harlequin MIRA (first published June 18th 2013)

 

ISBN
0778314510 (ISBN13: 9780778314516)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Somewhere Between Luck and trust” by Emilie Richards is a much deeper and more thoughtful book than I had expected. While many titles in this genre put the romance at the forefront of the novel and make it the focus, this author handled it different and it was a nice change. There are a couple of romantic threads in this novel, but it wasn’t the more prominent part of the story.

The main character has been through a lot, and unfairly accused of a crime she did not commit. She must now learn to adjust to life after her incarceration and find her place in the world.

This book deals with some very serious issues related to family, justice and dyslexia. It was interesting for me to see an author approach this subject (dyslexia) in a fictional novel. She did an excellent job of painting a portrait with words of the struggle and sorrow that comes along with this disorder. I really enjoyed her descriptions of the Goddess house and the people there. The characters are warm and compassionate and welcome the reader into their lives and homes.

Reading this book, you get a real sense of how important family is to the author and it shines through in the way she crafts her intricate characters and their histories. I was absorbed in this novel after the first chapter and became very involved in the story without effort. The innocence of the main character has you rooting for her success immediately.

The end wasn’t my favourite part. While I do see how the author came to the end and it was logical, it wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for in the terms of resolving all of the underlying issues of the characters and giving me a satisfactory result. Still, it answered all of my questions and didn’t leave me hanging, so I can’t really complain. The rest of the book was great regardless.

Overall, this was definitely worth a read, and although it was fiction, it made me stop and think about things. I look forward to reading further works from this author. If you are a fan of stories that have many layers and are well thought out, may I recommend this book.

This review is based on a digital review copy from the publisher, Harlequin–Mira.

* May I just say she has my respect—author and mother of four–Just saying:)

About this author

 

 

 

 

http://emilierichards.com

I’m the author of seventy novels, both women’s fiction and mystery. I’m excited about my newest series, Goddesses Anonymous, which debuts in August 2012 with One Mountain Away.

I’ve lived all over the country, and right now I’m a vagabond, along with my husband, searching for the next place to move. Florida seems to be taking the lead, the state where both is us were raised and met. I’m an avid gardener and quilter and the mother of four children, whom I regard as my greatest creative endeavors.

Valley of Thracians by Ellis Shuman

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Valley of ThraciansValley of Thracians by Ellis Shuman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Peace Corps volunteer has gone missing in Bulgaria and everyone assumes he is dead, everyone except his grandfather, who refuses to give up hope. Retired literature professor Simon Matthews launches a desperate search only to be lured into a bizarre quest to retrieve a stolen Thracian artifact—a unique object of immense value others will stop at nothing to recover.

Matthews travels through a Balkan landscape dotted with ancient tombs and fortresses, unaware that his grandson has been confined to an isolated mountain cabin, slowly recovering from a severe head injury. Nothing can be taken at face value, as the woman assisting Matthews in his quest and the nurse caring for his injured grandson may have ulterior motives in helping the two reunite. Even when Matthews succeeds in joining up with his grandson, departure from Bulgaria is only possible if the missing relic can be found.–Description from Goodreads

Paperback, 428 pages
Published February 21st 2013 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN
1482552442 (ISBN13: 9781482552447)
edition language
English

My Thoughts

When I first read the description for this book, I thought “Bulgaria?” That is certainly an unusual setting. It really is, and that, I believe is part of this book’s charm. I get tired of reading stories that are set in the same place over and over. I like it when the author not only uses a different setting than the norm, but also knows something about the setting they choose, and this author clearly does.

The descriptions are beautifully penned. You can see the colours before your eyes and feel the atmosphere as you read. There were actually a couple of passages in this book I went back and read again after finishing, simply because I enjoyed them so much.

Another thing that impressed me about this author is how smooth his writing is. He does not add any extra fluff that does not need to be there and reading his words are as easy as breathing. You understand from the very first couple of sentences that the main character finds himself in his current predicament because he cares deeply for his grandson, and that theme never loses momentum.

This novel has a good flow and a lot of twists and unexpected turns. I liked the plot and was impressed by the way Ellis Shuman took his characters to the extremes of their abilities without losing realism. The adventuresome spirit in me was clapping for his genius. If you think you know what to expect from the beginning, I bet you will be wrong.

This author interweaves a fictional tale with the history and culture of his setting to create an intense, original story with a lot to offer the suspense lover.

There were a couple of places where I felt the author could have let the characters show more through action rather than displaying things through dialogue, but this did not in any way ruin the story for me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery, thrills and a book that takes you on a serious adventure.

http://ellisshuman.blogspot.com/

Unpredictable Webs by Darlene Quinn

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Unpredictable WebsUnpredictable Webs by Darlene Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

2013 Bevery Hills Book Awards Best in Fiction

Betrayal, rebellion, jealousy, and a kidnapping gone awry are at the core of this fourth novel in Darlene Quinn’s ensnaring series. Unpredictable Webs picks up the Webs series five years after Twisted Webs.About to turn sixteen, Marnie Taylor is rebellious–fighting often with her mother, Ashleigh–and jealous of her more even-tempered and popular twin sister, Callie. Lonely, Marnie finds a compassionate listener in Brad, whom she meets online. Spinning a web of lies to throw her parents off, Marnie arranges an in-person meet-up with Brad. But she realizes too late that she has been targeted in a sinister scheme for ransom.

Quinn’s vivid cast of characters returns in this high-tension, stand-alone sequel. Though their actions are plausible, none of them behaves as others might predict in this tale that discloses the darker behaviors people are capable of. Cougar Viviana De Mornay takes Chicago’s fashion world and ”Italian Stallion” Gino Cabello by storm. Tony Wainwright, who has paid his dues for a past crime and appears to have turned his life around, is catapulted to the top of the list of suspects. PI Ross Pocino is on the scene with his surprising insights into criminal behavior, and Paige Toddman’s mother, Helen, seems to grow younger every day. While some mothers can unintentionally do unspeakable harm to their children, Ashleigh’s steel-magnolia efforts to wrest her daughter from her captor redeem the sacredness of that role.

Paperback, First Edition, 451 pages
Published May 1st 2013 by Greenleaf Book Group Press
ISBN
1608324249 (ISBN13: 9781608324248)
edition language
English
literary awards
Bevery Hills Book Awards Best in Fiction (2013)
My Thoughts:

I’m happy! I haven’t read any of the other three previous books in the “Webs” Series–this was my introduction, but after reading this I wouldn’t mind backtracking and reading the others.

This novel has a lot of chapters, but they are short and it is easy to find a place to stop so you can do normal daily activities, which I appreciated. From the beginning the story is really interesting and not like other novels. There is dimension and depth to the plot even at the first chapter. I found that I fell in love with these characters effortlessly and it made me want to stick around to find out what happened with them.

The mother in this story has real reactions. She isn’t a fluff character that seems to say “okay” and just accept everything at face value. I love it when characters speak more through their actions and reactions than they do through miles of dialogue. This author has done a brilliant job making you believe that what you are reading has actually happened.

There is very little sexual innuendo in this book and the scenes aren’t graphic in the slightest. I thought it was wonderful that there were no sidelines into extreme sex that detracted from the story. It really bothers me when that happens and it doesn’t seem to fit into the pace or plot of the story. This author kept her focus from the beginning and never shifted gears unexpectedly.

The mystery element of this book was done supremely well. You can guess, but you can’t quite grasp the entire story until the end. The family bands together through drama and trauma and is really the heart of the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone, a very good, very surprising read.


An Interview with Bianca Sloane, author of Live and Let Die

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Live and Let Die - Book Cover

Today I am happy to chat with the very talented and beautiful author Bianca Sloane. I read this book a few months ago and I have to tell you, it was one of the best books I have had the pleasure of enjoying. If you love puzzles and you like it when the author fools you all the way to the last page, you can’t go wrong with “Live and Let Die.”

Please welcome Bianca!

Head Shot

Bio

Bianca Sloane is a freelance writer living in Chicago. When she’s not writing, she’s watching Bravo TV, Investigation Discovery, reading or cooking. “Live and Let Die” is her first novel.

A Lovely Interview With Bianca Sloane

Tell us a little about your background,  your current life and your most recent book.

              I’m originally from the South – I was born in Little Rock, Ark. and lived in Texas when I was younger.  However, I’ve lived in    Chicago off and on for the past 20 years and consider it my home, blizzards and all.

“>In terms of my professional background, I worked in the PR and advertising industry for about 12 years before striking out on my own a few years ago to try my hand as a freelance writer.  I work mostly with corporate clients, writing a variety of materials such as press releases, bylined articles and speeches.

Currently, I live on the north side of Chicago, am single in a sea of marrieds with a raging shoe addiction, a love of monthly brunches with my girlfriends and an unhealthy obsession with all things Real Housewives.

My debut novel, “Live and Let Die,” which I released in 2012, is a psychological thriller about a woman who disappears and is later murdered.  Her sister, who was out of the country at the time, starts to realize there are a lot of things about her sister’s death that don’t make sense and the more she digs, the more sinister things become.   

                When did you first realise that you were interested in writing and what inspired you to write?

I’ve always been a writer – I was that kid pecking out fanfiction for TV shows, movies and books on an ancient typewriter.  I was always writing stories in my head, jotting things down on random scraps of paper or in a notebook.  I wrote for the school paper in college and even now, when writing press releases, it’s interesting to figure out the best way to tell the story.

I’ve always drawn inspiration from everything around me, from a TV show to a conversation overheard on the street.  You just never know where a good story will come from.

               Did you have any reservations about publishing your work?

I did have some reservations about publishing my work.  Writers, like all artists, have fragile egos, so it can be daunting to open up your soul to scrutiny from the public.  Also, “Live and Let Die,” is quite different from a lot of what is available in the suspense/thriller genre— it’s not about a quirky detective, a police procedural or even romantic suspense.  I worried people wouldn’t “get” it.  However, readers have really responded to it because of how different it is, which has been so exciting for me.

 What has been the most difficult part of marketing your work?

Probably the most difficult part of marketing my work has been training myself to think differently about promotion and marketing.  Since my background is in public relations, I’m used to writing a press release and pitching it to a reporter or inviting a reporter to cover an event or doing any number of “traditional” PR activities.  I’m finding that “PR” works a bit differently in the eBook world – things like blog tours, blog hops and podcasts are huge.  I’m learning more everyday about these methods and am always thinking of ways I can combine them with more “traditional” PR. 

One thing that doesn’t change, is the power of relationships; relationships with your readers, other authors, bloggers, reviewers, etc.  The package may look a little different, but the gift is the same.

What are you working on right now?

Right now, I am actually working on two new releases, both suspense novels; “Every Breath You Take,” is about a man’s obsession with an old girlfriend and the other, title TBD, details an extramarital affair and its deadly consequences.

Why did you choose the genre you picked for your novel?

 I have always loved reading mysteries, stretching back to Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew, right up to Gillian Flynn and Kate Atkinson.  So, when it came to my own writing, I was naturally drawn to stories about crime and mystery.  However, rather than serial killers or straight whodunits, I like to explore the dark side of love; in other words, how people are driven to commit heinous acts, all in the name of this extremely complex emotion.

What is the last thing you read and did you enjoy it?

I actually didn’t care for the last book I read, a mystery novel by a favorite author – it wasn’t their best work, so I don’t want to say – but I will say that I’m currently reading “What the Dead Know,” by Laura Lippman, and it’s just terrific.  She really knows how to get inside the heads of her characters and their motivations. 


What do you think the future of publishing is? Will there always be traditional houses?


I think the future of publishing is exciting; we’ve entered the realm where the reader can decide, vs. gatekeepers in New York, about what is an interesting/commercial viable work, and as a result, some really fresh and original voices have emerged.  Without this brave new indie world, they – and other writers – might not have ever had the opportunity to share their work. 

However, new gatekeepers are in order and I think book bloggers will begin to fill that role.  They are much more accessible and a lot less jaded than the old guard, but are still quite discerning about what they like. 

I think we’ll see more “big name” authors break away from traditional publishing as we know it now and take greater creative control of their careers.   I think way off in the future, traditional publishing houses will function more like distribution houses, rather than production houses.  They have the relationships and muscle to get books on the shelves, because, despite the rise in eBooks, I don’t think print books are on their way out anytime soon.  People still love the feel of a book.   

Any advice for other writers who have not yet taken the plunge and published?

Do your homework and don’t take shortcuts.  Publishing is a confusing business with a lot of nuances and you have to educate yourself about its ins and outs.  At the same time, we’re living in the information age – the resources are yours for the taking.  There’s no excuse to claim ignorance.   J.A. Konrath’s book, “A Newbie’s Guide To Publishing” is a comprehensive and powerful guidebook and I recommend all aspiring authors start there – and read all of it.  Stephen King’s “On Writing” is an invaluable book on the craft and should also be required reading.

Finding a good critique partner and honest beta readers is also key.  Really listen to what they have to say and keep your ego out of it.

I would also say, find the money and hire a professional proofreader.  It’s just not a good idea to proof your own work, because you will miss something.  Also, unless you’re a graphic designer or really good at formatting, hire professionals to handle these tasks.  With a little bit of research, you can find reasonably priced experts who will give you great value for your money.

Be nice to your readers, reviewers and other authors.  Not everyone will like your work and that’s okay.  Resist the urge to send them nasty messages or track them down and slash their tires.

And always, start writing the next book.

  If you could be one of the characters in your book who would it be and why?


Even though she is the total opposite of me, the character of Sondra in “Live and Let Die,” is just such a badass, that I wouldn’t mind stepping into her shoes for a day.  She’s a smoker, a nail-biter and a slob; she’s also smart, tenacious and just cool.  I dig her.

Where can we find you and any final thoughts?

 

Readers can find me at any of the places below; I’m an active tweeter and have been known to waste copious amounts of time on Pinterest.

 I love to hear from readers! 

 Finally, I’m really grateful for the indie author movement and the opportunities it has opened up for so many, myself included.  I’m having a blast.

 

http://www.biancasloane.com
www.twitter.com/biancasloane
www.pinterest.com/biancasloane

*Bianca–Thank you so much for agreeing to the interview with Readful Things. I am super excited to read your next book. You have a permanent residence on my bookshelf!

The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic

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A woman must leave her island home to search for her missing sister-and confront the haunted history of her family.

Magdalena does not panic when she learns that her younger sister has disappeared. A free-spirit, Jadranka has always been prone to mysterious absences. But when weeks pass with no word, Magdalena leaves the isolated Croatian island where their family has always lived and sets off to New York to find her sister. Her search begins to unspool the dark history of their family, reaching back three generations to a country torn by war.

A haunting and sure-footed debut by an award-winning writer, The First Rule of Swimming explores the legacy of betrayal and loss in a place where beauty is fused inextricably with hardship, and where individuals are forced to make wrenching choices as they are swept up in the tides of history.–Description from Goodreads

Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by Little, Brown and Company
ISBN
0316217387 (ISBN13: 9780316217385)
edition language
English
My Thoughts:
This book is the kind of read that you will either find to be one of the most beautiful pieces of literature ever written, or you will find it intensely boring. I would say that I found it of the former variety and really enjoyed it, although it does not have a fast pace or a ridiculously twisted plot, which seems to be the new thing in mainstream literature.

What this novel is, in my opinion, is a book that has a quiet eloquence. The beauty of the passages rather set me back at times (in a good way.) Whereas many of the books I choose are rivers full of exciting rapids, this book is more like a gentle creek. The calm, passive writing pulled me into the story and the simplistic elegance of the author’s words kept me there until the last page.

If you are looking for a book that you can relax with, and get away from everything, I would strongly recommend this novel. The characters have a lot of depth, and each come with a history deeply rooted in the place they live and the generations that came before them.

This is a book about family, sisterhood, love, loss and the bonds that we share as humans. The story may not be flashy and fast paced, but it was thoughtful and the descriptions were beautiful and in the end, that was enough for me.

I love it when the beauty of the novel matches the beauty of the cover, and I am pleased to say, this one did. I would read another book by this author happily, and I look forward to her future offerings.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

 

Carmilla: A Critical Edition by Joseph Sheridan le Fanu

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First serialized in the journal “The Dark Blue” and published shortly thereafter in the short story collection In a Glass Darkly, Le Fanu’s 1872 vampire tale is in many ways the overlooked older sister of Bram Stoker’s more acclaimed Dracula. A thrilling gothic tale, Carmilla tells the story of a young woman lured by the charms of a female vampire.
This edition includes a student-oriented introduction, tracing the major critical responses to Carmilla, and four interdisciplinary essays by leading scholars who analyze the story from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Ranging from politics to gender, Gothicism to feminism, and nineteenth-century aestheticism to contemporary film studies, these critical yet accessible articles model the diverse ways that scholars can approach a single text. With a glossary, biography, bibliography, and explanatory notes on the text, this edition is ideal for students of Irish and British nineteenth-century literature.–Description from Goodreads

 

Paperback, 196 pages
Published March 15th 2013 by Syracuse University Press (first published 1871)
ISBN
0815633114 (ISBN13: 9780815633112)
original title
Carmilla
http://syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu/spring-2013/carmilla.html
setting
Austria
My Thoughts
I am divided over this book. I can’t really decide if I respect it for being a pioneering work of its time or if I think the author should have kept this one private.

The draw for me was the idea of a vampire novel created 25 years or so prior to the much more well known Dracula, and a Gaelic Gothic novella at that. I’m not sure I was exactly expecting what I found in this book. I’m not only referring to the content of the story, but also the length of the critical thoughts. The discussion of Le Fanu’s work in this book is actually longer than the work itself. Although the introduction was very interesting and the later analyzing of the work was also interesting, if you are looking for a book for simple entertainment I certainly wouldn’t recommend this edition.

If you are instead looking for a breakdown of the story and would like to further study this subject, this would be the book to choose. This critical edition is filled with fact, historical information and theories on how this story came to be and what influenced the author to write it the way he did. The discussion of the effects of those novella on society at the time gave me pause and reason to stop and consider other aspects of this work I might have ordinarily overlooked.

So, here is my breakdown:

The story itself I loved and hated. The idea of a creature of such magnificent beauty with an underlying current of such grotesque evil has been done many times, both before and after the writing of this work. The visually appealing creature of vampiric nature that does not distinguish between male or female victims was interesting and complex.

For the Victorian Era this book concerns, the idea of an older woman preying on a younger woman in a lesbian fashion must have been shocking to the readers of the time. This being said, there are a lot of ideas in this book that have been used in more modern literature to create the vampire image that we are now familiar with and perhaps not enough credit has been bestowed upon Carmilla for changing the face of the vampire that we know today.

If I were pressed to choose a favourite part of this story, it would be the overall mysterious quality of Carmilla herself. She is guarded toward the other characters in the book as well as toward the audience. One is never entirely sure how she came to be what she is and why she behaves as she does. I was intrigued by the idea that she was as much a mental vampire as she was a physical one.

This is a book that must be left for the reader to interpret and draw conclusions from. Did the author have some type of agenda? Possibly. There are psychosocial and political elements to this story that the reader can certainly spend days evaluating and still not have a perfect sense of the author’s intentions.

I personally enjoyed the critical view of the book more than the book in and of itself. I agreed strongly with the author on many points and found it didn’t take much persuasion for me to side with the connections that were made in reference Le Fanu’s work. This study text was thought provoking and not only made me consider the way the world has changed from the 1800′s to now in a literary aspect, but was also aroused my curiosity on a number of other levels.

One things is for certain, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was certainly bold in his writing of this tale. The novella debuted at a point in history when sexual deviance among men was quite common and spoken of freely, but the idea of women engaging in such acts was unheard of and a taboo in society. I wonder what he would think of the world today.

Immortal Wars: the Summoning by Charles Edward Yallowitz

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I am happy to present this book review of Immortal Wars by fellow author, friend and wordpress blogger Charles Yallowitz. This book was written and published when Charles was 16 years old. He thinks it is a dirty secret, but I think it is great. He should be proud, the stuff I wrote at 16 looks like rubbish when held in comparison to this. I quite possibly bought the last copy of this book that is available for sale on this planet (I think Charles is still hiding a few) but I am willing to share if you ask really nicely. You can go visit Charles and give him a big pat on the back here

He is back to writing again and you can find out more about his projects and see for yourself how much fun he is. As for me, thank you for visiting me all these months, please leave a bouquet of flowers near my coffin because I am pretty sure he is going to kill me for this:)

You can come out from under the couch now Charles the Cheerios are gone.

Hardcover, 208 pages

Published August 28th 2001 by Xlibris Corporation (first published August 2001)
ISBN
073886479X (ISBN13: 9780738864792)
edition language
English
original title
Immortal Wars: The Summoning
My Thoughts:
“Immortal Wars: the Summoning” by Charles Edward Yallowitz is one of the only sci-fi novels I have ever found entertaining enough to make it all the way through without skipping sections.

If I could award a book for being outstandingly creative, this would win hands down. The world that this author has created for his characters is completely original. The weapons they use, the food they eat and the obstacles they must overcome are unique and showcase the imagination of Mr. Yallowitz.

One of my favourite things about this book was the humour. You can scarcely get through a page without finding something that makes you laugh. As I am not normally a huge sci-fi buff, this was much appreciated. I didn’t feel that this book was overly technical, and the characters were allowed to take center stage.

From the beginning there were certain characters that I really liked, such as Edward and Solix, and others that I loved to hate–most specifically Delila. The contrast of liking certain characters and despising others gave this novel an interesting edge that it would not have had if the characters were similar in nature. The varied group of personalities was one of the best parts of this book. I appreciate unpredictable characters.

I was also a fan of the author’s use of present tense. While I agree that it does not work for every book, for this one it did. I would rather feel like I am getting to experience the story as it is happening, than have someone tell me about what happened in the past. I felt closer to this book since I didn’t feel like I was learning about things that happened before I got there.

There are also some fabulous quotes in this novel, here are a couple of my favourites:

“Don’t rub it in, you glorified microwave.”

“Nice armor, but you really have to work on that pickup line. An evil force could be anything from nuclear war to my mom’s cooking.”

Immortal wars puts a new spin on immortality and fantasy/sci-fi that went beyond my expectations, particularly since I read on the dust cover that this book was written and published by the author when he was still a student in high school. There are a couple of grammatical errors here and there, but in the end it didn’t matter to me at all. They were few and far between and the excellence of the author’s storytelling ability more than made up for any fault.

Charles Yallowitz has a hell of an imagination, and I look forward to anything else this author comes up with. I happily recommend this title, even to those who usually don’t love sci-fi.