FacebookXInstagramPinterestTumblrLinkedInRss

Lead Story

Lead stories from SPR’s ever-growing independent book portal

Review: The Colonials by Tom Durwood

★★★★ The Colonials

The Colonials by Tom Durwood is an exciting and ambitious work of historical fiction for young adults, where teenagers come of age during a violent time, ultimately changing the course of history.

The year is 1775 and a large number of complex characters are at play: young Will Oldenbarnevelt is the second-born son to a wealthy Dutch shipping merchant, Jiayi Wei Ying is Yunhe jiating of the Chinese Grand Canal clan, Countess Clotilde Ushakov is the eldest niece of Ekaterina Alexeevna, Empress of all Russia, Leo Krummensee-Grabmaler is heir to the House of Hohenzollern…and many others, giving a sense […]

2017-12-15T10:34:29+02:00December 14th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
Read More

Review: Sundown by Carl H. Mitchell

★★★★½ Sundown by Carl H. Mitchell

When the world stops working and the oil runs out, no one is exactly sure what sort of chaos will unfold, but author Carl H. Mitchell has a pretty good idea. Sundown: Engineering Gives the Devil a Sunburn is an ambitious and entertaining peek into what lies ahead for the world. A corrupt Supreme Leader is pulling the world’s strings in dangerous directions, the fabric of American democracy has crumbled, and survival is becoming more important than maintaining any semblance of society.

The novel begins with a bang – or rather a strangle – of the vice president of […]

2021-06-14T04:56:07+02:00December 6th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
Read More

Review: Soul’s Fury by Sattar Memon

★★★★ Soul's Fury by Sattar Memon

Blending spirituality, philosophy, suspense and engaging literature can be a tricky challenge for some authors, as it can lean too far in either direction – pedantic prose to promote a belief system or a convoluted narrative that doesn’t espouse a clear message. However, in Sattar Memon’s second novel, Soul’s Fury, the balance is surprisingly well done.

While the author has written a number of books in the past, the majority of these have been directly related to spirituality, healing through faith, or other alternative philosophies. That being said, his 2012 book The Ashram was another fictional narrative and […]

2017-12-06T06:34:38+02:00December 6th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
Read More

Review: Free Will Odyssey by Larry Kilham

★★★★ Free Will Odyssey by Larry Kilham

In Free Will Odyssey, author Larry Kilham imagines a not-too-distant future where humans are able to have complete control of their lives. By enhancing one’s free will, and preventing one’s body from dictating the choices you make, this new technology could usher in a new generation of human achievement and happiness.

Upon that fascinating premise, this short novel weaves the intricate and thoughtfully crafted tale of Peter Tesla, the brilliant young inventor and engineer that is responsible for creating this revolutionary new technology. The plot is highly dependent on certain elements of VR and AI, extrapolating some of […]

2017-12-06T05:48:03+02:00December 6th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
Read More

Review: Shot Down by Steve Snyder

Shot Down by Steve Snyder

In Shot Down: The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth, author Steve Snyder tells his father’s story in World War II in a riveting and unforgettable peek into the past. When Lieutenant Snyder and his crew are shot down over Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, hope of survival is grim, and the brutal nature of wartime is fully revealed.

Based on hundreds of unique accounts, letters, interviews, and intensive research, Shot Down pieces together a profoundly compelling story of survival and perseverance. With such a strong body of material and […]

2019-02-11T09:22:42+02:00November 13th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , , |
Read More

Review: City of Angels by K. Patrick

★★★★ City of Angels by K. Patrick

City of Angels by K. Patrick commands a reader’s immediate attention with a riveting story about the triumph of the human spirit.

Almost eighteen years old, Michael Connolly is a product of the Los Angeles child services system after the untimely death of his beloved father and sister had sent his mother on a downward spiral into depression and suicide seven years earlier. Unlike many young men in his situation, Mike has risen above his tragic circumstances and has carried on his father’s legacy as a boxer. Thanks to the devoted ministrations of Jerry, his coach, Mike has earned […]

2017-11-02T12:04:30+02:00November 1st, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
Read More

Review: Past Obsession by Richard Keith Taylor

★★★★ Past Obsession by Richard Keith Taylor

In Past Obsession by Richard Keith Taylor, a number of surprising twists, and an entertaining hero, make this novel stand out from other books in the genre. Taylor creates a powerful mood throughout the novel, and readers will be inevitably drawn into this time travel thriller that doubles as a shadowy L.A. noir tale.

Jim Mercer, freelance writer for the LA Times, is handed a puff piece on a gifted artist – Emily Torrance – whose life was snuffed out seven decades earlier. While the story isn’t out of the ordinary, given his professional realm, his instant captivation […]

2019-01-22T05:49:15+02:00October 31st, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , , |
Read More

Review: Sanction by William Hunter

★★★★½ Sanction by William Hunter

Sean Garrett is a British agent on an unsanctioned assignment to retrieve intelligence from a distinguished Cambridge professor, Mohammad Ahmad. It’s not all for the job – Garrett has his suspicions about his target’s involvement in a terror attack that claimed his grandfather’s life and his sister’s health.

Everything goes FUBAR, however, when his target is unexpectedly killed by an assassin – a rogue element in a calculated risk soon to come sharply into focus for every major player in world intelligence. As Garrett begins a desperate struggle for survival against an unknown enemy, old allies become brand […]

2019-05-16T10:44:31+02:00October 26th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
Read More
This site uses cookies. Read our Privacy Policy. ACCEPT
Go to Top