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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

About John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Providing exceptional writing, editing and publishing services to hundreds of international clients, ranging from nutritional copywriting and long-form ghostwriting to substantive editing, assessment/analysis of academic texts and structural/content editing for bestselling novels.

Review: Empty Quarter: The Heredity of the Sands by Baltasar

Empty Quarter: The Heredity of the Sands by Baltasar

Attempting to achieve something profound through a graphic novel is a major challenge for many artists and writers, namely because so much has to be expressed in such a short and condensed amount of space. In Empty Quarter: The Heredity of the Sand, a new graphic short by Baltasar, there are plenty of ideas on display, but the book struggles at times to keep the flow of meaning clear.

Based on the Empty Quarter area of the Arabic Peninsula, this is a simply illustrated book, primarily visualized with stock-posed characters over photographic backgrounds and speech bubbles. The premise is […]

2020-02-21T06:31:50+02:00March 4th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
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Review: Routine Patrol by Bart Ringer

Routine Patrol by Bart Ringer

In today’s troubled times, the idea of the police has changed dramatically, and the old image of small-town cops has all but disappeared. However, as author Bart Ringer is happy to remind readers in Routine Patrol: Memoirs of a Small-Town Cop, the Wild West is still alive and well, particularly in the small towns of Wyoming. In this collection of stories taken from his more than 35 years on the tiny but mighty force of the Riverton Police Department, the tales swing from tragic and moving to downright hilarious, told with gentle skill and undeniable honesty.

What strikes a […]

2019-03-11T12:45:24+02:00March 4th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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Review: Radioactive Evolution by Richard Hummel

Radioactive Evolution by Richard Hummel

In Radioactive Evolution, a new iteration of a dystopian world, is painted in graphic detail by debut author Richard Hummel. After humanity has destroyed itself through nuclear destruction, the wealthy have fled to their safe havens in the sky, leaving the rest of humanity behind to fend for themselves in a world all too eager to destroy them.

The focal character of this novel, MC, is not your typical dystopian hero; in fact, in many respects, he is quite the average protagonist, but with endless potential. This lends itself well to the style of the book, which reflects a […]

2019-03-26T07:35:46+02:00March 4th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |
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The Missing Spirit by P.J. Maia

The Missing Spirit by P.J. MaiaSet in a prehistoric, paradisiacal world of adolescent gods and nebulous powers, The Missing Spirit is a remarkably detailed and unpredictable fantasy novel by P.J. Maia.

At the center of this story is Keana, a young woman who has spent most of her life eagerly awaiting her entrance to divinity – her reawakening as a god. Before her powers can fully be developed, however, this mystical realm is disrupted by external forces, and in the form of new, dangerous ideas. Aided by her adopted parents and her closest companions, Keana must leave the only home she has known, with magical […]

2019-03-11T09:39:22+02:00March 3rd, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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Review: The Siegfried Contingency by Steven Laskin

The Siegfried Contingency by Steven H. Laskin

The Siegfried Contingency by Steven Laskin is a gripping novel that will satisfy thriller fans and book lovers alike. With a dangerous book containing a world-changing secret sitting at the core of this fast-paced thriller, the author has leaned into an old framework, but also twisted it within a new setting and time period that features definitively unique characters.

When bookstore owner Carl Traeger is accosted by some no-nonsense German mobsters in his Seattle shop, demanding that he turn over what they seek – despite not being clear on what the object is – Carl realizes that he is in […]

2019-03-01T12:57:19+02:00March 1st, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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Review: Urban Justice (Vigilante Justice Book 2) by John Etzil

Urban Justice by John Etzil

Things can change fast in a small town, and a few weeks after Jack Lamburt handles the initial drama at The Red Barn and the violent fallout from the mafia, trouble is still lingering on the horizon. Urban Justice, the second novel in the Vigilante Justice series by John Etzil, picks up right where the first left off, welcoming back eager readers to Lamburt’s unique form of justice.

The sister of the Sheriff’s bartending lover is still missing, and despite using all the formidable tools at his disposal, Jack keeps coming up short. Inevitably, he has to leave the […]

2019-05-02T06:37:54+02:00February 27th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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Review: Silent Spring – Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War by Patrick Hogan

Silent Spring - Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War by Patrick Hogan

As one of the darkest periods in America history, the Vietnam War continues to fascinate new generations. In Silent Spring – Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War, author Patrick Hogan pulls back another curtain on that brutal conflict, and the battles that it is still causing today.

Many people are cursorily familiar with the devastating use of chemical weapons in Vietnam by the American military, including the widespread application of napalm and Agent Orange in defoliation campaigns. Savagely effective, but relatively untested, this attack strategy by America remains one of the dark marks on US history.

In this book, […]

2020-02-21T06:17:45+02:00February 23rd, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |
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Tropical Doubts by David Myles Robinson

Tropical Doubts by David Myles Robinson

In Tropical Doubts, the third legal thrill ride from author David Myles Robinson, the lovable Pancho McMartin is back in the courtroom, and back at the heart of a tangled murder mystery.

When old friends come begging him for legal help, it’s hard for this down-on-his-luck lawyer to refuse, but this case of medical malpractice is anything but normal. As the body count begins to rise and lies become muddied with truth, this unlikely hero will have to do his own investigating to discover where the guilt should lie. With a well-balanced plot and plenty of moving parts, this […]

2019-02-11T12:10:05+02:00February 10th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |
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