M.L.S. Weech's Blog, page 50

Betrayed’s First Draft Is Under Way

Greetings all,

As you can see in the title, I’ve started the first official draft of Betrayed.

[image error]My Process: Just last week, I talked about getting that first draft down. I’m so aware of the issues with mustering up the courage to put a story on paper that I’ve developed what I call the discover draft. It’s my way of cheating the system. When I’m writing this draft, I’m just getting the story down, and I’m not held up on anything because I don’t really think about it as a draft. That discovery draft is a very rough version of the story (some are more rough than others).

So what I did was get Betrayed’s general story down. Then I started re-reading the story. I made notes. Some were just me telling myself to check certain details. Most, because this is an area I struggle in, of my notes are just me telling myself how much more description I need. I also take a close look at the plot points and the characters to be sure everything is satisfying.

So without giving too much away, my biggest (non-description-related) notes were about making each scene more satisfying. There’s definitely one character who needs more screen time. I also need to push in on  some of the relationships and how they’ve evolved.

I’m pretty happy with this draft, and I’m excited to see what people who liked Caught think of how the story progresses.

The horror element is dwindling, but that’s by intent. This is much more action and drama oriented than Caught. The struggle is making the opponent seem worthy when Oneiros is a group of psychically enhanced people. I think I’ve done that.

Betrayed features Dom. Sal is still there, and Kaitlyn begins to take more of a lead role. I explore the relationship between those three characters and Kira. There’s a lot of friction in there, and poor Brandon and Chris have to try and keep things together. The government has finally decided to react to Oneiros and its vigilante operations. An old friendship gets shattered, and (as always in this series) more secrets are uncovered.

Betrayed currently has a prologue and 31 chapters, so I expect it will take 1-2 months to get this draft done. Then I’ll put out the call for Alpha Readers. With my family life, it could be some time before I finish the final draft. I have to take the time it requires to make this a quality story for you, but I promise I’m dedicating whatever time I can to the project.

[image error]If you haven’t read Caught, I’m hoping you’ll give it a shot. Repressed is a short story based on Kaitlyn, and it’s a nice little update on things. I have free Audible download codes if you’d like to give one or both a try (seriously, I have 100 for each). You can email me for those.

I’ll get Betrayed out as soon as possible, and I’m outlining Discovered, which will complete the trilogy.  Please be patient as I continue to adjust from being a single guy with little to do but write, to a married man and a father. I will figure it out. Things might not get out as quickly as I’d have liked, but they are coming.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Book Review: Pipe of Wings by Sarah K.L. Wilson

[image error]The book’s cover image was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes.

Spoiler Free Summary:  Pipe of Wings by Sarah K.L. Wilson  is the fifteenth book in the Dragon School series.  Amel gets tricked into obeying her new prince. This new leader has her reaching out to old friends for aide. The mysterious pipe she’d found holds a secret that my prove to be a move valuable weapon than she imagined.

Character:  Right up front I need to state that this is Book 15 in a series that’s designed (based on my reading) to be read in order. On one hand, it’s unfair to judge on book in the middle of a series. On the other hand, most authors of a saga should realize that people are going to jump into their series in the middle, and those readers will need some help catching up. I’m not going to be too hard on Wilson, but it’s a challenge to get into a story when you came in on the 15th part. Why did I do this? Well, this book was a Book Cover of the Month winner back when I ran those brackets.  

That said: Amel is a sympathetic character. I’m fascinated by her disability (something about her leg, though I’m unclear what it is). As sympathetic as she is, she didn’t strike me as very proactive or competent. Now, this is YA fantasy, so there was bound to be a lot of decisions an older person like myself doesn’t necessarily feel were the best. Amel was interesting enough that if I had the time, I’d probably go back to book one and check things out, but she wasn’t so cool that I feel compelled to go back. For me, that’s telling. Heck, I didn’t even really know Amel’s name until the last third of the book. (I listened to the audio version, and she didn’t leave a lot of tags for readers to track who was who or even who was saying what.)

Exposition: Honestly, this might be the first book where I feel I didn’t get enough exposition. I was clueless through pretty much the whole book. Sure, I came in late, but readers who come in late don’t have a chance at gaining enough context to enjoy what might be an amazing story for those who started in book one. I think it’s a shame because every book should be an opportunity to invite readers to your other books.

[image error]Image of Sarah Wilson was taken from her Amazon author page for review purposes.

Worldbuilding:  The pipe was an interesting element as is the relationship between the dragons and their riders. I don’t understand it too well, but it was interested. I’ll assume the world, politics, and societal issues I was lost on in this book are a result in my ignorance.

Dialogue: This felt pretty rough. This doesn’t have anything at all to do with context or what book I was in. The conversations felt a bit formulaic. There were points of conflict that I felt deserved to be dealt with that were instead glazed over or even just ignored, which made the scene hard to believe.

Description:  This was very good. While I didn’t know who was who, I still saw and sensed a lot. I like picturing dragons of different colors flying around. This was easily the strongest area of the book for Wilson. One reason I’m not such a fan is probably because its best attribute is my least-favorite story element. That said, the worldbuilding and description in Dune were also amazing, and I didn’t very much care for that book either. Dune is mandatory reading for SCIFI fans and Wilson is a best seller. I wouldn’t let my singular opinion stop you from checking this series out, but I would strongly urge you that, to give it a fair shot, you start on book one.

Overall: While this is obviously part of a series, this book doesn’t provide any context or background to help readers starting in the middle. If you’re going to give this series a try, start at the first book. That may seem obvious, but some books do a fantastic job of helping the reader (or listener) catch up. The story is fast paced. The characters are hard to connect with, but the premise is very interesting. This series as a whole has a very interesting premise with a lead character with the opportunity to be inspirational.

Thanks for reading

Matt

Sonnets For My Savior 49

Why I Need Him

I can’t do enough on my own.

I dive into the mud every time You wash me.

There is nothing good in my flesh or bone.

This is why your sacrifice is the key.

Born into an imperfect body,

I could never claim or attain perfection.

However, the flawless grace You embody

is what gives me justification.

By myself, wrath is all I deserve.

By Your side, forgiveness is what I will receive.

I am alone, if my self is all I serve.

I gain life if in You I trust and believe.

His righteousness is the cloak I wear.

Alone, all of my deeds done without Christ wouldn’t receive a single care.

 

 

My Desperate Need

They pile up on me;

another comes even as I cast the first out.

I’m drowning in a filthy sea;

I can’t find any pure water in this drought.

Like skittering insects they crawl over my skin.

Sin seeps out of every pour.

I realize there is no way I can win.

For every sin I avoid, I commit a hundred more.

Indeed I do do everything I hate.

I fail to do that in which I would take delight.

My sin piles up on me, and I can’t bear the weight.

There is no part in me that is right.

Only Christ can take it all way,

which is why I seek him each and ever day.

 

The Distance

The sun is closer to the moon.

A flower’s petals are closer to the top of a tree.

Midnight is closer to noon

than your glory is to me.

A deep sea fish is closer to a vulture in flight.

The street is closer to the top of a tower

than my ability is to your might

or my strength is to your power.

Filthy rags are cleaner than I am

when compared to your holiness.

The worst criminal is more blameless than I am

when compared to your righteousness.

But you still sent Christ to die and pay my price

so that I might be saved and worship you in paradise.

 

 

Wonderful Gifts

A wife who loves and respects me.

Sons who listen to and obey me.

A roof to offer shelter to me.

Food and water to sustain me.

Family and friends who love me.

A job I enjoy through which, You provide for me.

Brothers and sisters in Christ who offer fellowship to me.

A church home to educate me.

Your Holy Word to feed me.

Your mighty power to protect me.

Your Grace to forgive me.

Your Glorious Son, who bled and died for me.

All these good gifts, You have given me,

but the greatest is the last, for it is what set my soul free.

 

 

My Safety

My sprit is secure, Lord, in your mighty hands.

My body is safe, Lord, for it is where you live.

Where others build on soft sands,

my home is built on the foundation you give.

You are my shelter, and with You, I am secure.

I fear nothing, for You are with me.

No matter what happens, I can be sure,

You will never leave or forsake me.

Creator of nature and man,

my trust is in Your sovereign plan.

The things I fear I can’t do, with You, I know I can.

You walk with me no matter how far my journey may span.

Whatever trials or threats come to me,

I can be brave, for You are my safety.

 

 

The Low Door

The door to Heaven is low.

One must crawl to enter.

To the humble one, God’s blessings flow.

The door won’t permit those who feel like the world’s center.

The haughty and prideful don’t understand.

They can’t compare to God’s righteousness.

They think they can earn inheritance of the land.

They are blinded by their foolishness.

Only God is truly good.

All fall short of His perfection.

None who would justify themselves to God could.

The only path to life everlasting is confession.

The high door leads to destruction.

But the humble who enter the low door will find salvation.

 

 

All I Need

I do not pretend I don’t desire more.

There is much I’d like to see.

But I have already received so much that I’ve asked for.

I don’t know how much happier I could be.

The Israelites were taken from Egypt and set free,

but they grumbled and complained so quickly after.

Their hardened hearts had a brief time of glee,

but they demanded and rebelled thereafter.

I pray that won’t be the course I take.

For I seek to remember what I’ve been given.

The LORD God filled my heart, which was empty with ache.

With him to provide, I need not be so driven.

Dear God protect me from a heart of greed.

Let me remember always that I already have all that I need.

Your First Draft Will Never Be Perfect

[image error]Stock image from Pixabay.

Something that slows down or even completely stops an aspiring writer is the idea that the book is finished when he or she completes the draft. I see it with my students. They spend far too much time trying to make the first draft their last draft.

That’s an unfortunate misconception that only serves to devastate someone. I’m not saying it never happened to me. The first thing I ever wrote, I proudly presented it to a few friend’s and even a published author. I wanted them to lavish me with praise and compliments. That’s just not how it went.  

My friend pointed out all of these plot holes, and the author I showed it to just told me why it didn’t work. I was absolutely devastated. I had just spent about a month typing some thousands of words, and the story wasn’t any good.

What saved me in that moment was my sheer stubborn nature. All my youth spent having to do something over and over again until it was right instilled in me the determination to keep at something until it’s done. I’ll admit, that same youth put me in a mindset to completely hate having to do something again. I still do.  The thing I learned, and the thing I want others to know, is that the first draft is only a draft.

If your stuck because, “I just can’t get this chapter right,” rewrite your definition of “right.” A first draft should have the general plot and major character events in an order that makes a pretty good amount of sense. I overemphasize this statement. JUST. KEEP. WRITING.  First of all, there is no such thing as a perfect story. Someone is going to find a plot hole you didn’t think of. Someone is going to find some copyediting error you didn’t even know existed. For the first draft, don’t even worry about it. Write to get the story out. Hunger for people to point out the holes. Crave criticism.

Now those are things that are still against my nature. “I love this story! I couldn’t bear it if someone didn’t like it!” Do yourself a favor: Never publish that book or show it to anyone. Someone is going to hate your book. It’s the world, and the people in the world will find things they don’t like. Use that feedback to make the book better. By all means, stand behind decisions you make, but do so knowing what some readers might think of those decisions.

[image error]The Journals of Bob Drifter was my first book. I have six reviews that are two stars or lower between Amazon and Goodreads. That mans six people just flat didn’t like my book. It hurts to think that. I really want people to enjoy my book. However, if I really did let that stop me from publishing, I would have missed out on the 50 four-star-or-higher reviews. At least 50 people loved the book! That’s the nature of entertainment. (I have 63 reviews for Bob between its two editions and the review from Amazon and Goodreads.) However, the final draft of that book looks very different from what I originally wrote. The order of the book was very different. Some of the decisions were different (particularly with Richard). The criticism from editors and beta readers truly helped shape the novel into what it became, and I still love it.

Every single one of my titles has the same story from that point of view. Sure, when I get criticism, I feel defensive. Who wouldn’t? But a published author has to push through the fear of criticism and see it for what it is, a valuable tool to get better.

When I sit down to write my discovery draft, I have zero regard for anything. I just pound the story out. Sometimes I leave little letters to myself. However, nothing keeps me from finishing the draft. Nothing stops me from getting the story out.

[image error]Stock image from Pixabay.

You can’t revise an incomplete story. Anyone who tells you otherwise has figured out something I’ve personally never seen. I’ve heard the same from Brandon Sanderson and James Patterson. I do know that Sanderson had written about 13 books before an agent he’d been soliciting flat told him, “I’m trying to get this book where it needs to be,” or something to that effect. Sanderson said he didn’t want to revise and that he’d prefer to just move on to another book. He eventually came to understand the value of revision.

I type this bit of advice to convince aspiring authors to forget about what people may think or say about your first draft. Just get it written. Embrace the feedback. Don’t ever stop drafting until you’re done with that draft. Then, and only then, you can revise, and revise, and revise.

Don’t be afraid. Some people might not like your story. There might be many more times the number of people who love it. Sure, there is a universe where everyone who reads your work hates it, but it’s statistically unlikely. But in my days of doing conventions and talking to aspiring writers, I continue to hear the same set-back. I just keep going back to rewrite it. Sure, rewrite it after it’s complete. But if you never finish the book because you’re revising it, realize that you’ll never finish your book because you’ll never be done revising it.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Book Review: Heyshayol by Joshua Robertson and J.C. Boyd

[image error]The cover for this book was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine. 

Spoiler Free Summary:  Heshayol by Joshua Robertson and J.C. Boyd is the second book in The Blood of Dragons series.  It’s been a thousand years since Tyran and Drast have killed the Horned God, but their actions didn’t bring them eternal life; they brought the brothers imprisonment and the world in chaos as the old gods have returned. To remedy the situation, Tyran and Drast embark on a quest to recover the Horned God from the underworld.

 

Character:  Tyran and Drast are why I enjoyed the first book in the series. While I didn’t get the same connection to them in this book that I got from the first, they’re still the stars of the show and the strongest part of the book. Their dependency and dedication to one another adds a degree of sympathy a lot of fantasy stories lack. I’m not actually sure why they have made the decision they made (rescuing the Horned God).  This element of confusion is something I tried to understand throughout the book. Yes, it’s a question I had, but it didn’t ruin the story for me because Tyran is pretty headstrong anyway. Whatever his reason, he won’t let anything stand in his way once he’s chosen a course. 

Exposition: The bulk of exposition that slowed this story down was actually in the dialogue. I think there was a bit more in this story that I’d like. Any time a story feels slow to me or I catch myself losing focus, I suspect exposition to be why. The story does slow down a time or two, but the authors offset this with compelling, well-written action scenes.

[image error]Image of J.C. Boyd from Amazon.com for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Worldbuilding:  This is another strength for this series. This particular series is part of a deep saga called the Thrice Nine Legends. The meticulous attention to detail and deep mythology make this story a wonderful one for any who like expansive scope in their stories. While the pace might be slower than I like personally, people who want to study and immerse themselves in a different world will love this book.

 

Dialogue: This was better than the last book. Yes, above I mentioned a lot of loosely hidden exposition, and there was. However, there was also some adorable and witty exchanges. One of my favorite parts of the book was Drast’s interactions with another character (spoilers). I don’t remember much of the dialogue from the first book, but this book had some wonderful banter that built on the characters and revealed them even more.

Description:  I know this book had solid description because I have a clear mental picture of the characters and some of the scenes. In this case, if I think there is a bit too much, it’s probably just about right. This book has several cinematic scenes that the authors really bring to life with solid, punchy description.

[image error]Image of Joshua Robertson taken from his Amazon page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Sure, it slowed me down a bit as a reader, but that’s because I personally hate description.  No, the book isn’t as well pictured as some other books I read, but it definitely activated all the senses.

 

Overall: This is action packed. I’m not such a big fan of the cliffhanger ending, but I liked seeing the characters. I think the first book was better, but this was fun to read. The action kept my attention, and I really wanted to learn more about the characters. The overall concept is pretty interesting, and I’d recommend it to any fantasy fans who like deep worlds and epic battles.

Thanks for reading

Matt

Stealing Freedom is Officially Available for Preorder!

Greetings all,

[image error]I’m happy to announce that Stealing Freedom, the novella originally published in The Power of Words anthology, is officially available for preorder in its own ebook edition.

Here’s the book blurb:

Ardelia Sabine is about to attempt the most legendary heist in the solar system. The anti-communication laws that have been ruthlessly enforced for the last five years have gone too far, and the collar around her daughter’s neck, which shocks anyone if they try to speak, must come off.

The one time monitor of law enforcement has now assembled the greatest collection of thieves, con-men, and hit men in history. Together, with her husband, once the greatest hacker on the planet, must take on a job that will surely get at least one of them killed.

Survival is not the objective. The goal is to shut down the servers that operate the entire system. Can they get into one of the most guarded areas on the planet? Can they steal back their right to speak from the government that silenced it?

END BLURB

This title will be only 99 cents from today until Oct. 16, when it will go up to its normal price of $2.99.

I’d say this book is a Scifi cyber heist version of Leverage. So if you like stories like that or Ocean’s 12 and you also like scifi, I think you’ll love this story.

You can get to the preorder page either by clicking the link all the way at the top or right here.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets For My Savior 48

Cling To Them

More precious than any gem or stone,

his promises are the truth we cling to.

Countless times You have shown

the glorious things that You can do.

Peace, joy, salvation, and provision,

all these things you’ve granted to us.

Great is your power, and perfect is your vision.

All these you use to sanctify us.

We can cling to these when we feel stagnant.

We can rely on them when we want to grow.

His promises are found within His words and commandments.

From his promises, His blessings will flow.

Trust in God, and always hold tight.

This is the path to a life that is right.

 

 

His Love For Us

He healed and bore our illnesses.

He taught us the proper way.

His power increases with our weaknesses.

The good shepherd came to find us when we went astray.

He gave us everything

when we deserve only punishment.

He endured our suffering

so God’s will would come to fulfillment.

He humbled Himself for us.

He became sin for us.

He bled for us.

He died for us.

He returned for us.

All this, He did to demonstrate the love He has for us.

 

 

Be Still And Wait

The storm raged,

but the trusting servant was still.

His enemies had him caged,

but he had faith in the LORD’S will. 

As wicked men flaunted their treasure,

he wasn’t jealous or envious.

For the wicked are always punished in God’s measure.

God always helps the faithful become victorious.

While others were mocking and seeking to do harm,

the righteous trusted in God and did good.

The Lord will surely use his mighty arm

to aide all those who have done as they should.

Those who delight in the Lord will walk in God’s ways,

and all such servants will inherit the land in the coming days. 

 

 

Wisdom’s Call

Embrace the call of wisdom.

Cherish it more than silver or gold.

Those who would enter God’s kingdom,

should seek to make wisdom his to hold. 

Do not spurn it

or hide from its gentle admonishment.

Earnestly seek it,

for from God, it is sent. 

Those who have it are blessed,

and their treasures grow.

Those who rely on it will find rest.

Those who have it should share what they know.

Those who fear the LORD have it.

Those who turn from evil demonstrate it.

 

 

To Whom All Things Belong

All that you have, he gave to you.

All that you have, he can take from you.

The things you cling to never belonged to you.

The things you covet will never belong to you.

He created all things.

He owns all things.

For His purpose, are all things.

By His grace, he provides all things.

God entrusted these things to us.

We are his chosen stewards.

If we care for what He’s given us,

He will certainly increase our rewards.

Indeed care and nurture all He gives to you,

but never forget whom it all belongs to.

 

 

What You Consume

If anger is what you consume,

anger is what you will produce.

The habit you assume,

is the characteristic you will use. 

What you plant in your heart

is what your heart will grow.

If a meal of frustration is in what you take part,

then frustration is all you will know.

Instead consume God’s Word,

for it is the bread of life.

Do not let God’s truth go unheard,

for ignorance brings only pain and strife.

Consume the good food that brings truth and love,

Let His Holy word be the only thing you’re full of. 

 

 

The Way

No ceremony can make me clean.

No words can redeem me.

Only Christ can intervene.

Only Christ can set me free.

No good deed can erase my wrongdoing.

No amount of money can save me.

Only Christ is worth pursuing.

Only Christ can lead me.

My heart must be pure.

Appearances are meaningless.

Only Christ can ensure

a life that’s peaceful and endless.

I rely on Christ to cleanse me.

I rely on Christ to sustain me.

Star Wars: Fact and Feeling.

I’m going to limit this to about 1,000 words. Since the official movie poster for Episode IX, I’ve seen a lot of comments. I have my own feelings and opinions on the matter. You are all welcome to your opinions and feelings, but I just can’t sit down and listen to opinions stated as fact. I’ve already talked about how unfair the criticism for Star Wars is.

Instead of just ranting (this is absolutely a rant, it’s simply not limited to ranting), I decided to address some of the comments I saw about the poster and the movies in general and supply the facts. If you hate the movie, you hate it. However, if the reasons you hate it are simply not true, then why do you hate it? Let’s begin:

[image error]Comment: “Palpatine’s return undermine’s Anakin’s sacrifice.”  This is only true if Anakin died to kill Palpatine. He didn’t. Anakin didn’t sacrifice himself to kill Palpatine. He’s motivation and goal was to save his son.  Remember? Remember Luke crying in agony for his father to help him? I do. It happened during the movie many people are screaming was ruined by this current trilogy. But if Palpatine’s death was the objective, Luke’s life was optional.  Therefore, if saving Luke’s life was the objective, the death of Palpatine was, in fact, optional. The fact that his death was a bonus may be a bit of a bummer, but it in no way undercuts Anakin’s sacrifice because the cause for which he died is still true. Luke lived. Also, we’re jumping the gun on the whole, Palpatine is alive thing aren’t we? Is Palpatine “alive?” Remember, this was the Sith Lord of Sith Lords here people. He even told Anakin a “more rounded view” (or something close to it) was necessary. Couldn’t this just be a Force ghost the same way Obi-Wan operated? What part of the original cannon trilogy provides any sort of rule stating a Sith Lord can’t. In fact, that same original trilogy proves they can. Anakin (redeemed or not) was still a Sith Lord, and he returned as a Force Ghost.  Frankly, I’m surprised we haven’t seen him yet. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Anakin appear before Rey.  So, you can hate the movie if you want, but you can’t hate it for undermining Anakin’s sacrifice because Luke lived.

Comment: “Rey is a Mary Sue.”  SIGH!  First off, people who don’t do this for a living really shouldn’t use terms they don’t understand. A novice calling any character a Mary Sue is like a fast food junkie walking into a five-star restaurant and calling the chef a Gordon Ramsey ripoff.   So, before we can bust this myth, we need to first define what a Mary Sue is. A Mary Sue is a female characters who is depicted as unrealistically lacking in flaws or weaknesses. There’s a simple per se counter to this comment, but I’m going to hold off on that. Let’s start with a more nebulous argument. “Lacking in Flaws.” Rey is absolutely overeager. That overeagerness gets her into several bouts of trouble. This flaw causes conflict, and some of that conflict doesn’t happen without that flaw. Examples? She reaches straight for the dark side of the force like a 2-year-old reaches for a pot on a hot stove. Right after doing that, she goes behind Luke’s back (another flaw) to do it again. Why? Well for yet another flaw. She’s overly invested on her heritage.  The whole “who are her parents” thing is still unresolved because BAD GUYS LIE! Kylo is a seriously POOR source of information. But assuming that statement (not fact) from Kylo is true, the entirety of the first two movies are hinged on Rey desperately seeking her parents. This truth is so pivotal, the possibility that her parents abandoned her (abandonment issues, also a flaw) tempts her to side with Kylo.  Some of you may argue that’s pretty thin.  Ok. So let’s talk about the whole “and weakness.”

[image error]Maybe while I was on the edge of my seat worried she might die, I missed the part where Rey broke Snoke’s hold of her and chopped of his head while she quoted Shakespeare and developed an entirely new connection to the force. I mean, I could have missed that. I saw the movie twice in a row, and maybe I wasn’t paying attention like the rest of the people who helped the movie profit $477.5 million just so they could turn around and bash it. But I could have SWORN that Rey was helpless as a kitten while Snoke mocked her and laughed at her. I would have testified in court that Kylo had to save her. But I guess I just fell asleep and dreamt that scene because everyone else seems to want to ignore that and call her a Mary Sue because they read an article on Reddit and they’re suddenly qualified to use terms they don’t understand.

While I have another hundred or so words, I have to stop somewhere, and this is a good point. Listen, you can feel however you want about Star Wars. But if those feelings are based on ignorance of a term or a perspective that changes the original series, aren’t you guilty of doing the very thing you claim to be mad about? I just had to provide a bit of perspective on some pretty toxic language I’ve seen out there. Yes, you have a right to speak. I’m doing so now, but it hurts me as a creator to see something get this much outrage. I mean, I’ve talked to fellow creators about books and decisions I hate. There’s one popular author I’ll never read because of a Star Wars book he read. But I don’t bash him every opportunity I get. I don’t have time. So instead of investing time in your day bashing something you don’t like (for reasons I don’t think make a whit of sense), why not just go watch something you do like?

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

Book Review: Chimera by Mira Grant

[image error]The cover for this book was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine. 

Spoiler Free Summary:  Chimera by Mira Grant is the Last book in the Parasitology series.  As the rise of parasite-controlled zombies increases, and the self-named Chimera are working to take over as the master-species on the planet, Sal is stuck in the middle, trying to return to her family and protect them. Can she find a solution that doesn’t end in one species eliminating the others?

Character:  Sal is who got me interested in the series as a whole (I have read the whole series). She’s a very interesting character. I can’t say I appreciated every decision she made, but she’s a compelling character. She’s a solid example in how to build a first-person-narrative story around an interesting main character. 

Exposition: I have to acknowledge that any first-person-narrative story is going to have more exposition than other stories. That said, as compelling as Sal is, I felt the story slowed down several times while Sal contemplated her place in the world and how humanity works. This created an odd sort of frustration for me. I enjoyed Sal, but I felt myself getting tired of her musings. I think the story would have moved a lot quicker if at least four of Sal’s inner soliloquies were removed.

[image error]Image by Carolyn Billingsley was taken from Grant’s bio page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Worldbuilding:  This was well done. I’m not sure how solid the science is, but as a reader who’s not ever going to look up the data and compare for feasibility, I had what I needed: a reasonable set of rules that helped me reliably understand how the world worked. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it “believable,” but if I shut off my logical mind, I was perfectly fine with a world where tapeworms can take over humans or create zombies. The in-world boundaries were consistent.

Dialogue: This fell a bit short for me. There were some parts where it really felt like each scene of dialogue were really just opportunities for each character to present his or her manifesto. It got a bit tedious for me. The conversations didn’t really feel natural. There’s one scene that relies heavily on Sal convincing another character to do something, and I just couldn’t buy it. This was because the character development wasn’t there for me any more than the dialogue.

Description:  I got what I wanted out of this area. It wasn’t vivid, and it didn’t really activate many senses for me, but I could picture the settings and characters well enough.

Overall:  This book is a great example of just how much I love character. I can’t say Sal was a “great” character. But she was good enough to carry a story that wasn’t as entertaining as others. It’s also a good example to demonstrate that an author doesn’t have to do everything well if she (in this case) does a few of them very well. The worldbuilding and character of this book carries the rest of the story. This was a decent ending to a pretty decent saga. I’m glad I read this book to see how it ends, and that ending was reasonably satisfying. l

Thanks for reading

Matt

Sonnets For My Savior 47

Clean

To touch the dead makes a man unclean.

But Christ’s touch brings life from death.

There is not part of him dirty or obscene.

Any could be cleansed by his Holy breath.

The Lepers’ were given clean skin.

The blind were given sight.

His death freed man from sin.

His resurrection made the wrong things right.

The animals served to demonstrate the price,

but His gift was so much more.

His blood is more than enough to suffice.

And we are the ones he did it for.

Blood was always the price for our iniquity,

and His blood is all we need to set us free.

 

 

Grow In Grace

If the seed is in you, let it grow.

The Word is your soil, and Christ is your living water.

Study, so that when you are asked, you may know.

Don’t place yourself in position to falter.

Little sapling, stretch up to the sky.

The LORD is the light your flowers need to live.

Keep his righteousness fixed in your eye.

Seek to know Him better, and knowledge of Himself, He will give.

Little children, learn diligently.

Talk of His word when you sit in your home.

Wait, and watch for Christ’s return vigilantly.

Open your heart, so that He may be with you wherever you may roam.

Your heart has the seed, but who you are is not who you shall be.

Study, learn, and grow, for this is how any seed becomes a tree.

 

 

The Scales

Blinded by misguided zeal,

The scales covered his eyes.

Only the grace of Christ could heal,

the damage done by pride’s lies.

Prayer and contemplation brought perspective.

With his baptism, the scales fell away.

Only Christ’s truth proved effective,

in showing the chief of sinners the way.

Like Paul, any unredeemed person has scales.

They prevent a person from truly seeing.

But the grace of God never fails,

to redeem a heart that seeks believing.

The truth of Christ gives sight.

It washes away the scales, so one can see the light.

 

 

Is It Really Love

Should a child measure his father’s love

by what a parent lets him have or do?

Should a child measure his father’s love

by how the father tolerates whatever evil thing the child may do?

Is forgiveness the result of ignoring transgressions?

Is love nothing more than giving gifts?

If a child disobeys, does he not need to offer a confession?

Is it really love if a lack of gifts causes love to shift?

Do you deny God because you lack a single desire?

Do you deny God because he executes punishment?

Isn’t one who only gives love for gifts a liar?

Is it really love if it changes from moment to moment?

If an earthly parent expects trust and obedience,

why then would you demand of God, but only offer grievance?

 

 

Help that is real

If you saw a man who was hungry,

would you not give him some bread?

If you saw a man exhausted and sleepy,

would you not give him a place to rest his head?

We toil and plead for earthly things,

but why don’t we work for one’s spirit?

We petition for the attention of presidents and kings,

but we hold back the truth and fail to share it.

Why do we seek to save a body, which is temporary,

but make no effort for the soul, which is forever?

Why do we keep back words that can make one free,

but we strive to help in any earthly endeavor?

Aide a body to serve and be kind,

but seek more the chance to aid every soul you can find.

 

 

Know The Body

How would the foot walk

If it didn’t know to ask the knees to bend?

How would a mouth talk

without the voice box on which it did depend?

If we only were an eye, we could not hear.

If we only an ear, we could not smell.

We are all parts of the body, be we far or near.

We are the body of Christ, and in each of us, he does dwell.

Each part must know the other,

or we won’t work together very well.

Thus we must know one another,

so that together, for Christ, we might excel.

Just as no one part of the body can live without the whole,

it is as one body do our God we do extol. 

 

 

Proclaim Christ

Tragedy strikes

The deceiver leans in to whisper.

These are the moments in which the evil one delights.

He seeks to use this moment to create a fissure.

Don’t let sorrow blind you.

Don’t let the tempter fool you.

Let the Spirit of God comfort you.

Let the love of Christ fill you.

Faith isn’t displayed in times of happiness.

Any can be glad when their cups overflow.

But blessed are those who proclaim Christ in times of sadness,

for their great blessings will be reaped from the faith they show.

Tragedy comes to both the saints and lawless,

but those who seek God’s love will always find solace.