Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Folly of Sweeney by Brian J. O’Sullivan

The Folly of Sweeney by Brian J. O'Sullivan

The machinations of a fractured mind can make for great literature, and in The Folly of Sweeney by Brian J. O’Sullivan, readers get a raw glimpse into a truly unusual brain. Touching on elements of the immigrant experience, mental health, alcoholism, family and self-preservation, this book may be erratic and unpredictable, but there are powerful messages lying beneath the surface of this drunken New York fairytale from a true seanchaí.

The central character of the novel, Liam, is an Irishman who now calls New York home, but he hasn’t lost the stereotypical penchant for alcohol. He is a difficult character […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T10:33:47+02:00October 16th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: McDowell by William H. Coles

In McDowell, tragedy and consequence lead an arrogant and narcissistic Dr. Hiram McDowell to examine his life and search for life’s meaning beyond winning and possessions.

Hiram is first glimpsed leaving his Mt. Everest climbing partner to die. If that’s not enough to establish his unreliability, he goes on to belittle his wife, trick a colleague and ignore his children. Hiram’s the quintessential egoist surgeon: busy, belligerent, brilliant, and self-absorbed.

Author William H. Coles paints a damning picture of the selfish Dr. McDowell. Married for the third time to Carole, he barely acknowledges her and openly cheats on her, […]

Greg Rideout2019-01-22T10:34:18+02:00October 15th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Daemon Rising by John William

Daemon Rising by John William

From the opening lines of this engrossing novel, it is clear that Daemon Rising by John William is going to be a meticulously penned and immersive adventure. Relying on some classic fantasy tropes, but carving out a corner of the genre all his own, William delivers a thrilling new world in Books 1 and 2.

As is so often found in fantasy novels, two unlikely heroes find their destinies and paths intertwined, despite the seeming impossibility of any connection or kinship between them. This deep fantasy dive centers on two primary characters, Dragan and Imlod, who are being controlled by […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-12-05T10:52:37+02:00October 11th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Autonomous Vehicles by C D Leonard

Autonomous Vehicles by C D Leonard

Autonomous Vehicles by C D Leonard is a well-considered, wide-ranging examination of self-driven vehicles and their implications for the economy, ethics, and everyday life.

This comprehensive guide begins by posing two questions: What is autonomous driving, and how does it differ from normal driving as we currently know it? Indications are that the development of the autonomous car will require further new technologies to improve, protect and finally eliminate the driver. There are six possible levels of autonomous driving, ranging from complete human control, through partial, conditional, high and finally full control by the vehicle. Vehicular control would require the […]

SPR2018-11-20T08:01:00+02:00October 5th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Winner Maker by Jeff Bond

The Winner Maker by Jeff Bond

English teacher and football Coach Bob Fiske disappears from Evanston Township High School, and a small group of former students who were “Winners” – a secret group of high-achieving students cultivated by Fiske over his career – attempts to solve the mystery in The Winner Maker by Jeff Bond.

Ten years on, jealousies, rivalries, and old feelings still rise up among Steph Reese, her husband and former quarterback Doug, computer nerd Eric Pinkersby, shy Lydia Brockert and now school counselor Becky Brindle. They all cherish their ties to Fiske, and set out to find him. As before, they don’t want […]

Greg Rideout2019-05-21T09:49:32+02:00October 2nd, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Mystery Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Selling to China by Stanley Chao

Selling to China by Stanley Chao

A Chinese American business expert presents his latest wisdom regarding how small trading companies can establish economic links with counterparts in China in Selling to China: A Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.

The primary tenet for an SMB (small to medium-sized business) to bear in mind, Chao states, is that Chinese and American entrepreneurs have the same goal – to make money. This is especially true since the older “Mao” generation is phasing out, being replaced with what the author calls the “Me Generation” (age 20-30), which is less traditional, and more prepared to make deals.

When Chao […]

SPR2018-10-27T12:22:57+02:00September 27th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Profit Wars by Mac Whitesides

Profit Wars by Mac Whitesides

Sometimes the near future can be far more terrifying than some far-distant dystopian hellscape, and in Profit Wars, author Mac Whitesides hits close to home with a tale set only a stone’s throw ahead of humanity’s present day.

In the year 2020, war has finally shed its façade and revealed itself as a game of profit. Victory goes to the highest bidder, particularly when you have the Global Force Protection (GFP) fighting in your corner. This massive global corporation can basically shift the tides of world power, selling its elite mercenary services for almost any cause.

Even those who […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T05:41:26+02:00September 25th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews, Speculative Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Nightmare Detective: The Skeleton King by Monk Inyang

Nightmare Detective: The Skeleton King by Monk Inyang

Terrifying nightmares and kid detectives hardly make for a likely duo but writer Monk Inyang, along with the artistic talents of illustrator, Elijah Isaiah Johnson, create a winning combination in Nightmare Detective: The Skeleton King, an imaginative and chilling middle grade adventure.

For two weeks now, twelve-year-old Uko Hill has been plagued by the same terrifying nightmare – that his house is being attacked by a bunch of skeletal hooded figures, led by an imposing reaper he calls The Skeleton King. In his nightmare, Uko tries to wake up his parents and his brother, Femi, but to no avail […]

Marta Cheng2018-11-06T09:55:59+02:00September 18th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Middle Grade Fiction Book Reviews, Paranormal Book Reviews|