ABOUT:

Jon Marshall is a Brisbane dermatologist who lasers bananas as well as he does skin and has a penchant for making even simple situations more complicated. From Ash–his running buddy–to Katie–his coffee friend–to Lily–his daughter known affectionately as the Bean–Jon tries to keep the women in his life in neat compartments but ultimately finds that poetry readings, errant cats, and the Lemonheads all make life what it is–messy and blurry and vibrant.

As he copes with the loss of his wife, attempts to avoid the dating scene, and puts off registering an obnoxious computer program, Jon is going to learn that the most important woman in his life will always be his daughter, and fatherhood is going to make him grow up–if not old.

REVIEW:

Perfect Skin is a slice-of-life contemporary novel about Jon, a dermatologist, who suddenly finds himself raising a baby girl all by himself after his wife dies during child birth.

Unlike the age spots and skin cancer that Jon can meticulously remove with laser precision at work, its the blunders in real life that he embraces and accepts.

We see Jon’s daily routines for what they are and for how they are different (or not) every day in some way – checking his email, running, walking the dog, hanging out with his coworkers, dating, and the interaction with his baby girl.

Ultimately it is the baby, nicknamed Bean, that comes first as it should be. Jon has plenty of pictures of her to prove it!  But it is the life happening in between the bouts of parenthood that give this book color.

Jon finds a running partner in his new neighbor next door, Ash. He goes out for coffee with Katie. He hangs out with his male coworker friends for “book club” night, though no book discussion ever really happens. He finds himself caught up in each of their daily lives, but always returns his focus to Bean.

The reader shares in the everyday habits and routines that make up Jon’s life, right down to that “Weasel” of a computer program that greets him every morning when he goes to check email.  But it is these mundane details of every day that also make up our own lives, and like Jon, we just have to laugh at ourselves and make the best of it…and take lots of pictures.

Though the book lacked a certain element of drama and conflict for me, I still enjoyed slowing down a bit to savor a nice light-hearted comical read. This was Earls’ first book I had read and I look forward to more.

Tell us a little about your book.

Small time drug deals, touring with the Grateful dead, and a passion for growing pot filled my world before I met Greg. But the first time I got off a flight, strolled over to the baggage claim in my carefully chosen new outfit and picked up two brand new flowered suitcases filled with eighty pounds of Mexican swag pot, I felt like I had found my true calling in life. The adrenaline rush of getting away with something big along with the money I would make was a new kind of high I’d never before experienced. I was instantly addicted. Making money organizing drug runs around the country was intense. Greg and I were a money making duo like none other. Life with Greg was exciting for a while but it wasn’t long before it became a cat and mouse game – then a complete nightmare.

What inspired you to write this book?

After years of debauchery, addiction, bad choices, and confusion I found recovery and began a life consistent with someone who would be considered a productive member of society. This was painfully weird for me at first and still is a bit awkward. In pursuit of a legal means to support my son, I went back to school and attained a few degrees. Soon it was time to get a job. One of my first interviews was with Sovereign Bank. They showed me the cube in which I would be working. It was a solitary dark space with high confining walls around it. I cried all the way home.

I did find work in a reputable investment company in a cube that was a little less dark with walls a little less high. It was, however, positioned down a back cold alleyway filled with stale air. Despite this I commence to assimilate into the corporate environment working my tale off learning as much as I could as fast as I could, accomplishing a lot. My boss was a tall well connected man. Before long his deep rooted low opinion of woman was unmistakable. This wore on my spirit. I thought to myself, no matter how much money I make for this company, and I had made a lot, I’m never going to get anywhere under this man. So I began to write my story, something I have wanted to do for a long time.

What are you doing to market your book?

I’m learning constantly about different ways to market and promote SICK. I’m building out my online platform through my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/JenSmithSICK my blog http://jensmithsick.com/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/JenSmithSICK. I do guest blog posts and I’m active in author communities. My favorite is Indies Unlimited http://www.indiesunlimited.com/. I’m active in Kindle Boards, Goodreads, and Whattpad, and I’m looking at doing a promotional frenzy via the KDP Kindle Select program, coupled with some advertising. I’m also busy writing the second book to the SICK series.

How are readers/reviewers reacting to your book?

I’ve had several say they “couldn’t put it down.” This has given me the motivation to keep going with this project. I’ve had a few great reviews and have had several more reviewers who have promised to read the book. SICK is full of insanity and causes deep emotional reactions from readers, this is not for everyone. I’m still learning about my target audience.

What was the biggest challenge you faced writing this book and how did you overcome it?

When it came time to write about the abuse I started having nightmares and had to take a break from writing but overall the process has been healing.

Any advice for other writers/indie authors out there?

I have learned a ton but still have a long way to go. Getting involved in author communities has definitely been the most beneficial experience so far. Get involved, learn social networking, read other Indie authors, write reviews, and be a part of the awesome author communities out there. Best of luck to you.

Tell us a little about your book.

The novel opens in June 2026, in an alternate future in which the Soviet Union has won the Cold War and occupies most of the former United States, now known as the Soviet States of America. Two MIT professors have discovered a subatomic particle that can accelerate matter to speeds faster than light, thereby opening wormholes in time. Working with fellow resistance leaders, they try to figure out where it all went wrong, and devise a plan to go back to the early 1960s to change decisions made in what the reader is told was JFK’s first term. But, of course, as in all thrillers, the plan goes kaplooey, not everyone is who they claim to be, several characters’ loyalties lie elsewhere, and the time-traveling revolutionaries have to make up their Plan B, and then C and D, on the fly. It all comes to a head in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

What are you doing to market your book?

For the first year not much at all. Now I’ve started to circulate the book to potential reviewers and websites like this one, but most of the readership so far seems to be coming from ebook readers who just stumble upon my book in the Kindle store.

How have sales been? Where have you had the most success?

Slow. Based upon e-mail feedback I’ve received, its niche so far is among readers who like historical novels and alternative history novels, and to some degree among older readers who remember the assassination.

How are readers/reviewers reacting to your book?

[Laughing] For the most part by remaining silent. I love personal feedback, either positive or negative about my own writing. I wish more readers would write. I often contact authors after reading their book, and I think that in every case they have personally responded. I certainly am never overly critical of anyone else, but I will sometimes mention issues that occurred to me as I read their work. I think most writers appreciate that.

What was the biggest challenge you faced writing this book and how did you overcome it?

First and foremost is that despite the premise of my book, I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am probably one of seven people in the United States who actually believes the Warren Commission version of the Kennedy assassination, or at least believes that they got it mostly right. So, writing this version was kind of fun, but also a bit of a personal challenge.

Have you published anything else?

It’s been an odd journey for me. My first book was Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax, a non-fiction, true crime analyses of the so-called Lindbergh kidnapping case. It got written more by accident. In 1990 I had stumbled across an old article about the case. Of course, reading about the child’s disappearance, and the subsequent investigation and trial, some fifty plus years after the fact, gave me the advantage as a modern criminal defense lawyer of being privy to forensics, motivations and knowledge of intra-familial crimes that law enforcement officials did not have in 1932. Over the years the case had been looked at by journalists or others who had never tried a criminal case to verdict, and therefore lacked that perspective. What started out as a hobby ended up evolving into the book, which I co-authored with a police criminal investigator. And I’ve been rewarded with the number of contemporary investigators, victims rights advocates, etc., who have contacted me since its publication and said how obvious the solution to this perplexing crime had been. Obvious today, perhaps, but unthinkable in 1932. I had an agent, and Crime was published traditionally. It had a bit of literary and commercial success, and I started thinking hey, maybe I could write after all.

Any advice for other writers/indie authors out there?

Don’t have an ego! If there is a criticism that you receive, don’t become defensive. Think about it and try to figure out how you can improve, or at least address the criticism. And for God’s sake, get an editor. Don’t assume that your agent or publisher will help you – or for that matter be especially good at it. It does not have to be a professional editor (they can be expensive and I really don’t know how good they are anyway) but with the advent of Kindle and e-publishing I am seeing a lot of books with awful and multiple mistakes – missing grammar, missing quotation marks, missing words, misspelled words that spell check often won’t catch (“than” for “that,” etc) so get someone else to comb through it, again and again and again. And then again. Every book, no matter where published, has two or three typographical errors per book – but I am seeing strong e-book sellers with one or two per page!

Fractured Persona

Richard Fornek wakes up in a hospital after a car accident a completely different person.  Literally.  His mind is still his own, but he is in the body of Daniel Curtis, who was hospitalized after his wife attacked him.  Richard is in a different city (actually an entirely different state), has a different wife, different friends, a different family, and a different body and life.  He realizes that he must learn to live this new life, but runs into several problems along the way.

Daniel Curtis is suspected of murdering a woman with whom he was having an affair.  Only, Daniel is Richard, so he must piece together who Daniel really was, and where he was at the time of the murder.  What he learns is that Daniel’s life was coming apart at the seams, and he must figure out how to put it all back together so he can live his life- as a free man.  It is not an easy task, as Richard really has no idea who can be trusted, or if Daniel may have actually been the murderer.  Richard must also find out what happened to his body, and if this madness can all be righted.

There are a few times while reading that the pace lagged with just a little bit too much detail that was not relevant in the end, but the story being told outweighed those times.  While the ending may leave the reader staring at the book, hoping it may change, it quickly becomes apparent that it could end no other way.  There is no way everyone gets a happy ending, so those that can should take it.

Fractured Persona is a story of losing sight of who you are, learning through someone else’s eyes, and putting a life back together from the pieces that you find.  There are times when life seems as though it is living itself, and Krebs cleverly cloaks the idea of feeling like you are not yourself in a metaphor of switching bodies.  It is also a story of understanding that you never really know anyone else until you have lived in their shoes- an opportunity that is nearly impossible.

Krebs delivers a story that is part mystery, part fantasy, and entirely introspection.  Although the idea of switching bodies has been done before, there is something that is just enough different that will draw one in until the end.  He is able to delve into a world of despair, loss, and confusion, and bring the reader out on the other side with a feeling of hope, gain, and discovery.  Fractured Persona offers a different look into the lives of others, and will keep the reader turning the pages wanting more.

The book is a unique compilation of examples of pop culture, history, social media, business, sports, and education all explained through an economic lens. It uses current market trends and examples that can be applicable and enjoyable for anyone. It is written in a narrative non-fiction format so it flows easily and does not read similarly to a textbook. Economics is part of daily life, and this book challenges readers to question how and why people make decisions by adding a simple twist on normalcy.

What inspired you to write this book?

I love economics, and I majored in it during my undergraduate work at Indiana University. As a student, many of the examples in my textbooks were irrelevant and made the subject one that many students did not enjoy. I wanted to change the negative connotations associated with the topic. I wanted to make it something that people understood and relished learning about.

What are you doing to market your book?

To market my book, I have been asking hundreds of bloggers to put the book on their website with a review. I have also been marketing it on GoodReads.com, Amazon.com, and I created a website for it as well.

How have sales been? Where have you had the most success?

Sales have started off quite slow, but they are picking up as the book gets reviewed more. I have had the most success through word of mouth. My book was also featured in my local newspaper and I had a lot of great publicity from that. It was important to get the word out and that helped tremendously.

How are readers/reviewers reacting to your book?

I have gotten fairly good reactions thus far. Most people seem to enjoy it, and the rating on Amazon is quite high so far. I am happy about this because you never know how someone will react to your writing. It is a great feeling to know that people are learning from what I wrote. It has been an excellent experience.

What was the biggest challenge you faced writing this book and how did you overcome it?

Like all writers, I get writer’s block where I just cannot think of the next words to fit the page. When this happens, I know that it is time for me to take a break and indulge in some of my other favorite hobbies. It helps if I go for a run, hang out with my friends and family, or go to a sporting event. It helps me to come back to my writing and make it better. It’s always good to take breaks and brainstorm off the paper.

What are the future plans for you and this book?

The only future plans I have for the book are to sell, sell, and sell some more. I would like this book to become introduced into school systems, and I am working on that process currently. It is definitely not a textbook, but I think it could help people, students, and readers learn more about the subject.

What is your next project?

My next project is actually a compilation of stories about people that I meet on airplanes. Everyone that I know has had at least one unique experience with this. I figured it would be funny, enjoyable, and also relevant to write a book with this information.

Any advice for other writers/indie authors out there?

Never give up.
Challenge yourself.
Edit, edit, edit, and edit again.
Reach out to other authors and ask questions. People are willing to help.
Write about a subject you enjoy and that you are passionate about.

Aladdin’s Samovar

Genies are way cooler than vampires and a whole lot more fun.

Amber finds a genie named Jasper standing in front of her fireplace having just extricated himself from the samovar on her mantle. Think about that for a second. The book is full of stuff like that. Things go downhill from there in a hurry. Many of the world’s best comedians say that comedy is the hardest art form. Lauren Sweet has made it look easy. The book is funny throughout. She makes some of the jokes pay multiple times without their seeming tired. I laughed on almost every page. Some of the jokes work on multiple levels and pay on all of them.

The plot holds together well and I give it 4 ½ stars. The half star has to do with the number of times I thought “Tell me she’s not going there,” and she went there anyway. There were totally predictable parts and lots of surprises. It almost all worked. The bits that didn’t really didn’t matter.

I give five stars on characters. All the major characters are well thought out and intriguingly complex. Amber is the deepest with her conflicted emotions and shattered sense of reality. Jasper is nicely done as well. Indigo verges on stereotype, but she pulls away from the precipice in just the right level of insanity. Even the minor characters are clearly defined. To reveal any more would spoil the fun.

Style is four stars. Lauren has a habit of lumping action and dialogue together in the same paragraph. I find that confusing and sometimes it is hard to follow who is speaking. So, folks, I have just said the worst thing I can say about this book. How big a deal is that? Not very. If I were not also a writer, I probably would not have cared, but they asked my opinion, so there.

So the worst things I can say about this book are its paragraphs and its occasional obvious entanglements. For me that is high praise. I loved this book and recommend with only one caution. Do not drink coffee or tea while reading it. You will embarrass yourself.

My favorite quotes are at the end of the book, but to put them in the review would spoil the fun. Here is one from early on. Amber’s mother, Indigo, meets Jasper the Genie for the first time immediately after Amber has rescued Indigo from the police or the police from Indigo depending on your point of view.

“Stop cooking,” Amber said. Her stomach growled. Jasper remained focused on the gravy, though she thought she saw his lips twitch. “You have to get back in your samovar before someone sees you.” There were assorted thumps from the front stoop, and the doorknob rattled. “Right now!”

Jasper added flour and stirred. “I can’t go back in the samovar until you make a wish. I have to service you.”

“Service me?” Amber repeated, sure she had heard wrong. Her mind skittered off into various scenarios involving sculpted abs, adult themes and questions of whether genies were anatomically correct.

As if his clothes could read her mind, Jasper’s outfit suddenly grew smaller…and smaller… Amber watched in horrified fascination as it morphed into a stripper version of a tuxedo: jacket, bow tie, and thong. Yeeps. Amber thought she might be getting heart palpitations. She backed up another step. “Did you say service me?”

Jasper gave the gravy another stir and turned back toward Amber. She found herself staring at the front of his thong, which sported a red satin heart. Hot flash. Amber dragged her eyes to his face. “Oops,” he said, all innocence. “I meant ‘serve.’ My bad.”

“I don’t want you to service—uh—serve me!” Amber managed to squeak the words out while trying to find somewhere to look that wasn’t a satin thong pouch or nearly naked genie flesh. This was definitely not in the fairy tales. “My mother’s here, for God’s sake!” The doorbell rang. Impatiently.

“Excellent,” Jasper said. “We can ask her what she thinks you should wish.”

Not in a million years. Amber probably couldn’t even imagine the things Indigo would want her to wish for. Strike that. She’d just imagined a number of the things Indigo would want her to wish for. “Oh, no you don’t,” Amber said. “Serve—later. Go—now!” She pointed towards the dining room and the samovar.

“Can’t. That’s not the way it works.” Jasper half-turned, giving the gravy another quick stir. Then he leaned forward and raised the spoon to her lips. “Taste that.” She tasted automatically, realized that she was submitting to this ridiculous farce, and batted the spoon away. He tasted it himself, with a considering frown. “A little more salt, I think.”

“Go!”

Jasper put the spoon down. “Make your wish.”

“I’m not ready!” There was no way she could think under this kind of stress.

He shrugged. “Then I have to stay in your home and serve—” he drew out the word, silently adding the final syllable to turn it into ‘service’—“until you are.”

Amber stared at his lips, so mesmerized she didn’t hear the footsteps in the foyer until it was too late. She whirled around. Indigo was standing in the kitchen doorway, spangled caftan waving in the breeze from the front door, her hair wisping out like an aureole around her head. Of course. Why should a mere locked door stop the Mistress of the Universe? Indigo’s hands were clasped ecstatically to her breast, and she was gazing past Amber at Jasper, her mouth pursed in the same round ‘o’ of surprise and pleasure as when she first saw Amber at the police station.

Amber’s two worlds of insanity collided in her brain, causing synapse overload. She just kept looking from Spangly Mom to Stripper Genie and back again, mouth opening and closing, no sound coming out. How did one explain? Where did one start?

Indigo bravely stepped into the conversational breach. “A friend of Amber’s!” she exclaimed. “And a pot roast!”

Lauren will later make the “serve – service” pun work with a reference to the science fiction classic “Serving Man” in much the same fashion as she gets lots of mileage out of all the jokes.

And when was the last time you heard a vampire or a genie for that matter say “My bad.” And mean it?

I enjoyed the book. It is suitable for high school, but it is targeted at the mainstream adult reader. Read it on the airplane so everyone will wonder what’s so funny.

On a final note, I am so over vampires and it is nice to see the Genie angle work so well. In another era, this is what Barbara Eden should have been.

Author Dave Becker

Plymouth Rock is bleeding. Day has turned to night. Hundred-pound hailstones level buildings. The small town of Clement seems cursed, and the residents know who’s to blame: the new kid, Tony Marino.

After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

What inspired you to write this book?

The biggest inspiration for The Faustian Host was the approach of 2012 and all the excitement surrounding the possible end of the world. I wanted to create a unique spin on the idea, and give a group of kids the chance to stand up against it. The actual writing of the book began with a single image: a trail of blood trickling out of Plymouth Rock. From there I just let my imagination run wild.

What are you doing to market your book?

Currently over 60 reviewers are reading The Faustian Host, and the book has been featured on a number of book blogs and websites. I produced ten paperback versions of the book which are being made available to winners in exculsive giveaways. I’m also active on Goodreads and Facebook.

How are readers/reviewers reacting to your book?

Reactions to The Faustian Host have been positive so far. The book has a four-star rating on Amazon and Goodreads.

What are the future plans for you and this book?

This is just the beginning of the Apocalypse Signs series. The second book is scheduled to be out next summer.

What is your next project?

In November I’m releasing an adult, psychological thriller entitled Mindfront.

After uncovering a universal code in the brain waves of all living things that could revolutionize psychology, Martin Keller wakes one morning to find himself covered in blood, surrounded by his butchered family. Convinced he’s being framed by a diabolical organization set on stealing or sabotaging his work, he dodges a multi-agency manhunt that pursues him from the seediest corners of DC to the highest offices of government. Struggling to stay alive and find his family’s killer, Marty soon finds himself lost in a maze of conspiracies and paranoia, and eventually begins to doubt his own sanity. How can he find the truth when he doesn’t know what’s real?

Any advice for other writers/indie authors out there?

Discover the story that only you can tell, and then tell it the best you possibly can.

Reviewed by Author C.V. Hunt

5 out of 5

ABOUT:

Featuring fallen angels, demons, lycanthropes, monsters and a disembodied hand (or is it), Outside the Wire is a collection of six previously published short stories about things we don’t want to let in, all anthologized for your reading pleasure.

REVIEW:

Richard Farnsworth presents us with a collection of short stories in Outside The Wire. Two of these are just snippets of larger stories, Succumbing To Gravity (everyone who knows me, knows I will force you to read this book), and Gift Of The Bouda. Both of which show how well Farnsworth can write the internal struggle.

I found all of the other short stories just as engaging as Richard’s previous works. One story, B.E.K.s is about ??? The writer created some terrifying creatures. Who, or what, they are remain a mystery to the reader and the characters in the story. In other stories, it’s same with the mysterious creations. The Sacrifices Of Automated Tabulation a woman starts a new job, only to find out things are not what they seem.

The Long Road To Sanctum feels familiar. The rules and aspects of the story seem to coincide with the were-creatures of Gift Of The Bouda.

I absolutely love Farnsworth’s gift for writing the dilemma of the internal struggle, and he showcases the highlights of this in Dougies’s Hand. The story is about a young man with an uncontrolled hand, which reminded me of Idle Hands, or the fight Ash puts up in Evil Dead.

The last story of the collection, Virtual Huntress, brings the horrors of the very possible to light. I think I’ve already stated this a million times, but the real monsters are always the scariest.

Richard Farnsworth has proved yet again, whatever genre, or path he takes in his writing, he will always have my attention.

Tell us a little about your book.

Guilty Pleasures is about couples who fulfill their wildest fantasies without thinking about the consequences. For example, Hasan Walker is a married man who falls in love with an exotic dancer. He starts a blown out affair while his wife has an affair of her own with her female boss.

What inspired you to write this book?

The line in Jay Z’s song  “like your favorite color Giuseppe’s your guilty pleasure is me.”
I wanted to play with addictions of lust.

What are you doing to market your book?

I’m using social networks like facebook, twitter, and Tumblr. I also attend book club meetings, interviews with blog talk radio. I’m planning my first book tour right now.

How have sales been? Where have you had the most success?

Sales have been cool. I’ve had the most success with Amazon Kindle.

How are readers/reviewers reacting to your book?

I’m getting so much love and feedback. I’m told they are in love with the characters and how face paced the novel is.

What was the biggest challenge you faced writing this book and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge is still with getting the word out there. Its like a slow leak. I’m still working on it.

What are the future plans for you and this book?

Like I mentioned, I’m planning on going on a book tour to see and grab more readers down south and attend some book expos.

Author Niyah Moore

I’m working on Chocolate Flava with Zane releasing summer of 2013 and a few more projects that I don’t want to jinx. I’m going to show everyone that I’m not just an erotic writer, I have many dimensions.

Have you published anything else?

Bittersweet Exes was my first novel in 2008 and I’m working on re releasing that. I’m in Mocha Chocolate series, The Heat of the Night, anthologies. I’m also in Souls of my Young Sisters.

Any advice for other writers/indie authors out there?

Follow your dreams if your passionate about writing. I write every single day because I love it. Don’t do it for the fame, do it because you love it.

An electronic copy of this book was sent to me in response to a review request on the LLBook review site. I liked the book in spite of its flaws. The author posted the following teaser on LLBook:

THE 5 MOONS OF TIIANA is a kick-butt story and rollicking adventure.

Captain Rez Cantor is a diplomacy officer in the Imperial Army, and personal attaché to Princess Leanna, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the Emperor, and sole heir to the Melelan throne.

On the eve of a treaty signing ending the twelve-year-war between the alien-hybrid Relcor and the Empire, Rez Cantor learns that the Imperial family has been slated for death. Under orders from his Queen, Rez is given his final command–save the Princess at all costs.

Overcoming incredible odds, Rez abducts Leanna, and the two flee Melela along with others of the Imperial guard. Unfortunately, their ship is nuked as it enters warp creating an event horizon that sends the ship 128,000 light years across the galaxy to the Moons of Tiiana. It is on one of these moons that Rez awakens on a beach–injured and alone–without the Princess.

So begins the sojourn of Rez Cantor upon the Moons of Tiiana: Five moons stagnating from a 2000 year-old war that has left its alien races in limbo and decay. Five moons that crave a hero bold enough to lead its people out of the darkness. Five moons that hold the future of the Melelan Empire deep within the ashes of war.

I give the book four stars all around. Four stars for plot, four for characterization, and four for writing style although the technical execution was flawless. I found no typographical or spelling errors.

The story moves relatively well in spite of its frequently wordy and awkward sentence structure. It is a classic tale of the valiant good soldier rescuing the princess and saving the empire (can you say Star Wars?) but since it is told in the first person, it has a more personal feel than most space epics.

For those who follow the Joseph Campbell philosophy of plot structure, this is close but not slavishly adhered to the “hero” format. The story holds together as it moves from place to place and the hero faces one test after another. The tests make sense. The obstacles provide needed experience for the final outcome to work.

Characterization is erratic. Rez, being the first person narrator, is deep and well-thought through. While Princess Leanna is reasonably well drawn, I would like to understand more of her motivations. The line about Rez not understanding the thinking of a thirteen year old girl in love helps fill in her character, but it is not enough.

Let me digress to clichés. There are lots of them. How much do you care? Ahska, the wise old woman and Oolat, the Wookie-like companion, are classic characters. The Dolla are an analogue for the earthly dolphin. I guess I would have hoped for something more original. I lost track of how often “time was of the essence” at one critical juncture or another.

The character I most wanted fleshed out was Philip Golan. His character is tantalizing in the details given, but he remains an enigma even in the end. This is a very interesting complex character and I think he deserves more time than he gets.

The most serious failing in this story is its wordiness. The author uses too many passive sentences where active sentences would be better. The following quote is an example:

My hands were sore from climbing over piles of rock, but I was almost to the docks. I could hear the roar of the ocean, the waves beating against the shoreline–I wondered if I would find anything there. I was not overly optimistic. There had been nothing two years ago, why would it be different now? I ascended a hill of rubble, pulling myself up over the loose rock, hoping for a better view. Suddenly my attention was drawn to my rear. I heard an old familiar sound–a cascade of scurrying rat noise followed by low growls and yelps. I looked behind; it was like déjà vu. On the debris-laden streets below was a large pack of rodent dogs converging together into a cohesive unit. There were perhaps forty to fifty of the filthy, slathering vags following my trail. I pulled my blaster from my hip–I’d waited a long time for this.

 Without wasting a second I fired, centering my aim on the densest portion of the pack. I was eager to repay the disgusting wretched creatures a hundredfold for the pain they’d inflicted on me. My first shot obliterated at least half of them, and sent the rest scattering like leaves in the wind. I looked at the smoldering, burnt carcasses that lay in the dirt. Seeing the bulk of them dead felt good. I put my blaster back in its holster and made my way further up the hill–I knew the others would be back. I certainly hoped so. I wanted to kill every last one of them.

The best part is that I believed it. I believed in Rez and what he was doing. Except for the mass migrations toward the end, it retained my suspension of disbelief, and for me, that is hard to do.

I hope I have not dissuaded you from reading this book. I enjoyed it, but it’s not Azimov.