I admit that when Aaron Denenberg queried the LLBR with his book Dark Oz, I was going to turn it down without even reading the preview or attempting to learn more about the book. Like most adults my age, I grew up looking forward to seeing the Wizard of Oz each year on television back in the 80’s. That movie, along with the original King Kong helped shape hours of my imagination each summer in a house that only got seven TV channels, so I’m apt to be against changing anything about those memories or seeing Oz from a new perspective.
First, I have to admit I haven’t read (and thoroughly enjoyed) any space opera-type Science Fiction since Restaurant At the End of the Universe which I read back in grade school. Though I loved the movies, I’ve never been a fan of the mass market books that supported the Star Trek and Star Wars enterprises. So, Ken McConnell’s Starstrikers was both a surprise and a pleasure for me.
I was excited to receive a hard copy of Richard Garfinkle’s Exaltations in the mail to read and review because it is the first hard cover book I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing produced from Lulu. The physical quality of this book is outstanding so I’d like to share a few of my own photos of it for other authors who might be considering a hardcover edition of their own work.
It’s interesting that Life’s a Gas was published on the 25th Anniversary of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy because it will appeal to the same, slightly ‘off’ sense of humor as the Guide but it includes more modern innovations as cell phones and Eminem. It also has a bit more implied (and actual) sex, usually with holograms or shape shifting aliens, so don’t say that I didn’t warn you.
Do you know the picture of the little fish about to get eaten by the bigger fish, himself about to become dinner for a larger fish, and so on? Turn the fish into a variety of mutants and aliens held together by nanobots, and you have a pretty good starting point for reading Elysian Fields. Typically I try to give you a plot summary, a few quotes, and an idea of what you’re getting yourself into by reading the book I am reviewing. In this case I’m going to have to send you in without the wisdom of my council because there’s just way too much for me to try to make it make sense to you.
I first came across Dawson Vosburg in the Lulu Forums and, like many, I found it hard to believe that Dawson is only 14 years old because he is so well spoken. At 14, I was filling up pages of my journal with short stories and poems and dreaming that I might one day be a published author. Thanks to computers and the self publishing technology of today, Dawson has far surpassed my dreams from way back when. Lulu helped me to eventually achieve my own dreams, but had I known Dawson back then, I have to admit I would have been totally jealous.
Summerworld, by Serdar Yegulalp, is one of those books that landed on our “Pick me” tab quite a while ago. Serdar was one of the very first authors to query his book to us here at LLBR when we were getting started, and we almost passed on it. I’m so glad we didn’t. It’s philosophical journey, mixed with fantasy and realism and set in a world created somewhere between our own and whatever else is out there, is one I am now happy to have taken.
I know what you are thinking.
“Check out that book cover!”
Maybe you like it; maybe you don’t. Maybe you think it’s lacking. Maybe it is. I think it’s perfect.
Out of Reality, by Charlene Wilkins, is one of those books that shouldn’t need a good cover to sell it. Sure, if a traditional publisher ever picked it up they’d hire an artist to do it justice, to give it the potential it would surely deserve if accepted by the traditional market.
With my recent issues concerning the creation of the book cover for my own next book, it seemed only fitting that Todd Fonseca’s The Time Cavern would be my next book review. Todd used 3D software and Photoshop to create his cover, and I must say it is outstanding. I have only seen it online, so I can only imagine how spectacular it must look in hand. Congratulations, Todd, on your excellent achievement.
Today author Chris Gerrib can celebrate the two year anniversary of having published his SF novel called The Mars Run with Lulu.com. I have to admit I’ve never been a huge SF fan, but Chris’s book was a fresh break from the genres I usually read. Astronauts, space travel, pirates, and a bit of sex….what more could you ask for!
Do you love to read?
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If so, we'd love to hear from you. LLBR is looking to add a few more reviewers to its team. Email us at llbookreview@gmail.com for details.
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