After the attack came the invasion, when the men, women and teens were scooped up by black-fatigued men and shipped off to prison camps. The children left behind, however, have found a way to survive, and a leader to follow. Young James is not only an excellent storyteller, but also a fierce warrior, a natural survivor, and a pretty good leader, especially because he never expected to be at war as a 12-year-old in […]
“The Visions of Antonio” is a kaleidoscopic ride through the alcohol-soaked and story-filled mind of a bartender, one who has lost more than his fair share in life, but is too often stuck on the listening side of the bar. This romantic and heart-wrenching novella ends with a twist […]
A rookie ATF agent and a ruthless mercenary who was “born without brakes” team up to unravel a deep and deadly mystery in Black Rifle by Alex Davidson. This jaw-dropping novel could only be set in America, and takes steady aim at the national obsession with firearms, as well as the battle over gun rights. Through a twisted, transcontinental plot and a mismatched pair of protagonists carrying their own concealed secrets, this novel is riveting and unrelenting. With rapid-fire dialogue, larger-than-life characters, and a sinister but believable conspiracy, Black Rifle hits the mark as a high-powered thriller with some trenchant […]
A young boy named Elijah loses his last real connection to family on the way to a new life during the early years of the Revolutionary War. What he encounters in his new home leads to a riveting and unexpectedly good ghost story. This occasionally gory and fast-paced piece of historical fiction is engaging from the first page, as readers are introduced to a savage mercenary who has since become a headless legend, thanks […]
Ray Keating takes a new angle on his long-time hero in Past Lives, the latest installment of the Pastor Stephen Grant series. A mysterious enemy from the past comes back to haunt the warrior priest in this uniquely styled first-person story. As the clues mount, so does the body count, giving Grant yet another baffling and high-stakes case to unravel. This quick read is an enjoyable diversion from Keating’s normal narrative style, but it often feels rushed, and the diary structure has limitations, making the prose inconsistent when it leans towards more traditional storytelling. That said, this condensed mystery […]
Timeless forces and fearless warriors collide in Foundra, a spectacular first installment of a new sci-fi series by Emmanuel M Arriaga.
When Neven Kenk, a genius-level engineer, is invited for a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with an ancient Founder at a legendary science institute, he has no idea the adventures that lie ahead of him. He is offered the chance the join the Founders’ Elite as a chief engineer, an incredible stepping-stone towards his aspirations of scientific glory. However, this job offer comes with some inherent risks to life and limb, not to mention having to be accepted by a crew […]
A riveting reflection on life, loss, service, and sacrifice, Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service is an original and intense memoir that shakes up one’s assumptions of a soldier’s life before, during, and after a conflict.
The majority of this book takes place during Service’s time in the military and while stationed in Iraq, but notably, most of the action takes place in his mind, in the gritty details of his internal monologue, the dark patterns of his thoughts, and the brutal conversations he has in the solitude of service; a soldier may not be allowed to speak his mind, […]
Pairing the writings and wisdom of Frederick Douglass with the dynamic events and political structures of our modern world, The Frederick Douglass Project by Steve Amoia is both educational and rousing. Composed of short essays and articles written in 2007 and repurposed for the collection, this is a well-researched homage to one of America’s most impactful abolitionists. Today, in an era when those same claims of racism and injustice are ringing loudly across the country, Amoia’s accessible and inspiring pieces resonate greatly. Some of the articles do feel unnecessarily condensed, and more expansion on certain ideas or subjects would be […]