Eric Balch's Blog, page 3

Trial by Tournament Cover Reveal

It is time to reveal the cover for Trial by Tournament. Proofreading is still ongoing, so no updates on when the book will be available. Here is the cover below

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Review: Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall

Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall Review

Title: Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall

Author: Thomas P. Hopp

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

About the Book

STAR WARS MEETS JURASSIC PARK!

Dinosaurs return to Earth from space! Now humans are the endangered species. Wildlife biologist Chase Armstrong and Montana rancher’s daughter Kit Daniels find themselves in the center of a battle between US military forces and intelligent dinosaurs returning to Earth after 66 million years of absence. 

This book is a tour de force of near-future military science fiction pitting current day tanks and helicopters against advanced alien invaders from Earth’s past! A human-sized, intelligent species of dinosaur, the Kra, strikes from a moon base, devastating our fighting forces with a powerful energy beam weapon. 

To make matters worse, the space invaders turn loose all the huge beasts of their time, including T rex, triceratops, and a host of other animals, giant and small, that make life interesting for humans to say the least. 

The two young heroes find themselves caught up in a last-ditch battle to save humanity from destruction. Fighting for their lives and the future of civilization, Kit and Chase discover that they might be falling in love—if they live long enough!

Review

Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall is a science fiction novel and the first book in the Dinosaur Wars series.  Taking place in modern day or near future, the story follows several characters, primarily wildlife biologist and conservationist Chase Armstrong and rancher’s daughter Kit Daniels.  Other notable characters include an old paleontologist, a NORAD general, a group of NASA scientists, and a high ranking member of the Kra, a species of intelligent dinosaur.  The story begins with a mysterious attack on Earth originating from the moon, devastating the entire world’s military forces.  While the remaining troops holding out in NORAD struggle to figure out the identity of this new enemy and desperately try to figure out a way to counter the attacks, Chase and Kit attempt to survive on her father’s ranch as dinosaurs return to the planet.

Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall is an interesting idea.  Intelligent dinosaurs from the moon is definitely a unique concept.  Chase and Kit are well developed characters and their relationship naturally throughout the story.  All the other characters are unique, well-rounded individuals with differing perspectives on the situation.  Even the members of the Kra we meet are complex individuals, with different opinions on how things should turn out.

Overall, Dinosaur Wars: Earthfall is a unique and engaging story.  It’s entertaining premise promises and delivers a fun journey for the reader.  Fans of dinosaurs and science fiction will be sure to enjoy this book and will be looking forward to reading the next installments. 

About the Author

Thomas Patrick Hopp routinely imagines the unimaginable. He writes science fiction and mystery thriller novels that draw on his background as a scientist and scholar of the natural world in all its glory and terror. His stories have won multiple literary awards and garnered him a worldwide following.   He is a member of both the Mystery Writers of America and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and served for several years as President of the Northwest Chapter of MWA. 

Tom is also an internationally recognized molecular biologist. He discovered powerful immune-system hormones and helped found the multi-billion-dollar Seattle biotechnology company Immunex Corporation. He advised the team that created Immunex’s blockbuster arthritis drug Enbrel.  He developed the first commercially successful nanotechnology device, a molecular handle for manipulating proteins at the atomic level, which is used by medical researchers around the world to study human cells and every major microbe known to science.

Tom’s NORTHWEST TALES are thrillers set against backdrops of disaster, whether natural or man-made. Earthquakes, eruptions, and epidemics are grist for these gripping adventures. Tom’s mystery stories follow Dr. Peyton McKean, a super-intelligent sleuth known as “The Greatest Mind Since Sherlock Holmes.” Viruses, microbes, and evil geniuses form the core of his opposition. 

Tom’s DINOSAUR WARS science fiction stories read like “Star Wars meets Jurassic Park.” Featuring laser-blasting space invaders and huge beasts from the past, they follow Yellowstone Park naturalist Chase Armstrong and Montana rancher’s daughter Kit Daniels, who struggle to survive in a world where dinosaurs live again. Most of Tom’s tumultuous adventures are suitable for readers young and old.

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Trial by Tournament Update and Cover Reveal Announcement

Trial by Tournament has been submitted to a proofreader, officially entering the final stage of editing. After that, all that is left is formatting and uploading. No release date as of yet.

In celebration of the above milestone, the cover for Trial by Tournament will be revealed next week on Tuesday January 4, 2022

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Review: The Carver

The Carver by Jacob Devlin

Title: The Carver

Author: Jacob Devlin

Genre: YA Fantasy/Fairy Tale Adaptation

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

About the Book

The past is in his carvings; the future’s in his hands.

Fifteen-year-old Enzo DiLegno never would have believed his father’s carvings were anything more than “stupid toys.” All he knows is a boring life in an ordinary Virginia suburb, from which his mother and his best friend have been missing for years. When his father disappears next, all Enzo has left is his goofy neighbor, Pietro, who believes he’s really Peter Pan and that Enzo is the son of Pinocchio. What’s more: Pietro insists that they can find their loved ones by looking to the strange collection of wooden figurines Enzo’s father left behind. 

With Pietro’s help, Enzo sets off on an adventure to unite the real life counterparts to his figurines. It’s enough of a shock that they’re actually real, but the night he meets the Girl in the Red Hood, dark truths burst from the past. Suddenly, Enzo is tangled in a nightmare where magic mirrors and evil queens rule, and where everyone he loves is running out of time.

Review

The Carver is a young adult fantasy novel and modern fairy tale adaptation and is the first book in the Order of the Bell trilogy.  The story follows Enzo DiLegno, a troubled teenage boy whose mother disappeared years ago.  When his father, Pino, is kidnapped as well, Enzo must team up with his neighbor Pietro, whose wife and son have also gone missing.  Together, along with a girl named Rosana, they embark on a search for their missing loved ones with only Pino’s carved figurines as clues.  Along the way, they encounter a variety of bizarre characters, both friend and foe, as they try to unravel the mystery of the disappearances and of themselves.

The Carver is an engaging tale filled with fun moments and fantastic peril.  Enzo starts off as an angry young man, troubled by his mother’s disappearance.  Enzo’s journey is one of self discovery.  He refuses to believe Pietro’s assertions of their true identities and Enzo is slow to come around to the idea.  Pietro is a kid-at-heart, trying to lighten Enzo’s mood while also searching for his wife and son.  All the characters who appear in the story possess distinct personalities and even those of fantastic origin have a unique twist to their stories.

Overall, The Carver is an excellent story and quite entertaining.  It presents a unique, modern twist to many fairy tales and classic stories.  Fans of fantasy and fairy tale adaptations will be sure to enjoy this book and will certainly be looking forward to reading the next two installments.

About the Author

When Jacob Devlin was four years old, he would lounge around in Batman pajamas and make semi-autobiographical picture books about an adventurous python named Jake the Snake. Eventually, he traded his favorite blue crayon for a black pen, and he never put it down. When not reading or writing, Jacob loves geeking out at comic book conventions and blasting Italian pop rock music in his car. He does most of these things in southern Arizona.

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Trial by Tournament Update and Cover Tease

Trail by Tournament has been submitted to an editor and has begun the first round of professional editing. I do not yet have a release date, but it will most likely be next year. I’ll post additional updates as I know more.

Cover reveal coming soon.

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Review: The Vampires of Whitebridge

The Vampires of Whitebridge by Jason Spitz

Title: The Vampires of Whitebridge

Author: Jason Spitz

Genre: Horror

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

About the Book

A quiet, 19th Century, Missouri river town reals from the unexplained, brutal deaths of their citizens. One group of strangers, brought together by loss and tragedy, will band together to fight this new evil that has descended on their town.

Review

The Vampires of Whitebridge is a horror novel.  Taking place in the small town of Whitebridge, Missouri in the 19th century, the story follows several townspeople as over the coarse of several months.  After one man is apparently killed by a large wolf, more strange deaths put the town on edge.  The events of the story get even stranger when several townspeople see what appears to be some of the people who were killed stalking them. As the attacks continue, the town blames the deaths on wolves and deranged killers, but a select few slowly come to realize the true danger and come together to fight back. 

The Vampires of Whitebridge is an interesting story.  The story is told through the perspectives of multiple charters, presented through diary entries, letters, and local newspaper clippings.  The book portrays the events as a compilation of all these documents combined later on.  The characters involved are well rounded and unique, each dealing with the events of the story in their own way.

Overall, The Vampires of Whitebridge is an engaging story.  The presentation of the diary entries is done very well, switching between the different characters with ease.  Horror fans will be sure to enjoy this book.

About the Author

Would you believe I’ve been writing since elementary school? My best friend at the time came into elementary school wanting to be a journalist. She and I used to write fake news stories about a fictional town. That was my introduction to writing about thirty years ago.

I grew up wanting to be a writer. I’ve always known that that was what I wanted, yet I never seriously pursued it. I went to college to study chemistry, ended up with a degree in philosophy, worked some dead-end jobs, then became a software developer. I spent my adult life doing everything except becoming an author.

Now here I am, finally giving it an honest try. Better late than never.

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Review: Imprisoned Online: Gaming the System

Imprisoned Online: Gaming the System by P. A. Wikoff

Title: Imprisoned Online: Gaming the System

Author: P. A. Wikoff

Genre: LitRPG (science fiction)

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

About the Book

Commit an online crime, go to an online jail. In this MMORPG penal colony, inmates PVP to gain EXP, loot, and most of all…survive. 

Seph has been sentenced to play in one of these virtual correctional facilities. Sounds fun right? Maybe for some, but there is no worse punishment for Seph, mostly because he isn’t a gamer. Will he be able to complete his sentence with all the trials and objectives thrown at him? Trapped in a virtual world he cannot escape, Seph now has to step outside of his comfort zone and align himself with the very thing he’s been rebelling against his whole life–the system.

Review

Imprisoned Online: Gaming the system is a science fiction LitRPG novel.  Taking place in the far future, the story follows Sephiroth Moore, Seph for short.  The environment of the planet in this time period is so bad that nobody can go outside without a respirator, so most people stay indoors and play highly advanced video games all day.  Seph, however, is not a gamer and enjoys going for rides on his customized sky bike.  When he crashes his bike on an outing on the way to pick up gaming equipment for his parents, he is arrested after a series of misunderstandings.  Sentenced to online prison where he must serve a multiple year sentence in a virtual video game.  Picking a fantasy massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG for short), Seph must figure out how to play the game to earn online currency to pay off his debt.  He must content with other players who enjoy making things difficult for new players while trying to learn how the game works.

Imprisoned Online: Gaming the system is an entertaining story.  The world of the game is very detailed and readers will enjoy discovering how the game is played.  Seph is defiant in his dislike of video games, refusing to listen to advice.  He slowly learns how to play the game over the coarse of the book as he forces himself to adapt to the situtation.

Overall, Imprisoned Online: Gaming the System is a fun and unique story.  It portrays the world of MMORPGs very well and presents a different take on science fiction.  Fans of this genre will be certainly be looking forward to future installments. 

About the Author

After surviving an almost fatal car accident directly in front of a bookstore, P.A. Wikoff decided not to ignore the sign and proceeded to self-publish his work. Mr. Wikoff kick-started his writing career by releasing the epic fantasy novel “Feylin Lore: Reflections.” When P.A. is not writing, he spends all of his free time with his beautiful wife and two fabulous kids who inspire him every single day.that whenever we’d go out he’d always spring for a couple of comic books for me.

While it wasn’t exactly the perfect beginning everything I’ve ever read or have seen has influenced me in some way and now is the time I’d like to share some of the ideas I’ve had over the years with all of you. I hope you enjoy my stories, they’re always fun to write and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

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Assault on Devil’s Den Anniversary Sale Announcement

On August 19, 2021, Assault on Devil’s Den will have been available for a full year. To celebrate, the Kindle version of Assault on Devil’s Den will be on sale for 99 cents from August 1st to August 31st. Thank you, everyone, for your support.

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Review: The Slasher Experience

The Slasher Experience by C.P. Bialois

Title: The Slasher Experience

Author: C.P. Bialois

Genre: Horror

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

About the Book

Casi is a gifted young woman who only wants to help others, but when her parents don’t allow her to help a grieving neighbor, her brother, Tom, decides it’s time to get her out of the house and let her live some.

For him, that involves the Slasher Experience, a who-dun-it weekend based on the low budget, smash hit slasher horror movie. Bringing his two best friends, he hopes to give Casi the time of her life, but when the horror turns real and there’s nowhere to run, her talents are put to the test.

Review

The Slasher Experience is a horror novel set in modern day.   Most of the story takes place at a summer camp before the summer season at a murder mystery weekend themed after a popular slasher film.  If follows multiple characters, including Casi, a shy young woman with special abilities, and her friends; Derik, the owner of the camp; and Tucker Cunningham, the star of the popular slasher film reprising his role at the event.  Along with other guests, Casi and her friends go to the event for a fun weekend getaway.  Unfortunately, unbeknownst to the employees and guests, a real killer stalks the campground, reenacting the kills of the movie.  Guests go missing and bodies pile up before the weekend officially begins, but the killer is stealthy and clever, hiding his deeds until the time is right.

The Slasher Experience is an entertaining horror story.  The campground is described very well, allowing the reader to feel the isolation of the setting.  All the characters involved are unique, well-rounded people who have their own reasons for being at the camp.  Casi is shy, but slowly comes out of her shell as the story progresses.

Overall, The Slasher Experience is a fun and unique horror story.  It is a clear love letter to 80’s slasher films and both follows the formula and adds unique twists to the genre.  It is a slow burn, gradually building up the tension as the story progresses and the atmosphere is perfectly developed.  Fans of the slasher genre will certainly enjoy this story and will be looking forward to possible future installments. 

About the Author

Where do I begin? Well first I guess it’s only fair to say that CP Bialois isn’t my real name. It’s a collaboration I made out of the three greatest pets anyone could ever want. My real name is Ed and I’m just an average person that has found a way to do what he loves.

For as long back as I can remember I loved to pretend. Whether it was with my Transformers, GI Joe, or He-Man toys I loved to create intricate plots and have them fight it out. As a fan of horror, science fiction, action, and comedy I dare say my taste in movies are well rounded. Some of my favorites were Star Wars, Star Trek, martial arts, and anything with Swarzenegger in them.

I’d write my own stories about the characters I saw in the theaters or TV or I’d just daydream about what I’d see myself as the hero of course. You can’t have a daydream without beating the bad guys, getting the girl, etc. It’s just not right to envision yourself as a flunky or sidekick.

As far as books I loved Sherlock Holmes, Treasure Island, Dracula, and the normal assortment. My early love was the Star Trek novels, I’d read them or the Hardy Boys relentlessly. For a time I could tell you the plot of over a hundred books not to mention comics.

I have to come clean and say that I learned to read because of comic books. I was bored, make that extremely bored when we started to read in school. Reading “the cat fell down” really didn’t interest me. My dad, who continues to astound me with his insight to this day, figured comics would work. With that in mind he went to the newsstand in town and bought issues of Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Tales From the Crypt, and Spider-man. He patiently read through them with me until I picked it up. Whether it was him or the comics I learned to read in about two weeks and for a while few were as good as I was. For years after that whenever we’d go out he’d always spring for a couple of comic books for me.

While it wasn’t exactly the perfect beginning everything I’ve ever read or have seen has influenced me in some way and now is the time I’d like to share some of the ideas I’ve had over the years with all of you. I hope you enjoy my stories, they’re always fun to write and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

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Review: Behind Blue Eyes

Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat

Title: Behind Blue Eyes

Author: Anna Mocikat

Genre: Cyberpunk

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

About the Book

In a future world ruled by warring mega-corporations, cyborg Nephilim believed she was fighting a righteous cause. 

As a powerful, genetically and cybernetically enhanced elite soldier her brutal and violent life is not truly her own – until one day, a simple glitch separates her from the grid.

For the first time in her young life, she is free…and she has doubts. Doubts that bury deeper into her psyche when she meets Jake, a mysterious, 100% bio-human.

He opens her neon-blue eyes to the lies she had been exposed to all her life. Questioning everything she has ever known, Nephilim resolves to take a stand. To hold on to this freedom, she has miraculously discovered. But can one person, no matter how strong, beat an all-powerful system of oppression? Soon, Nephilim finds herself hunted by her own people in a deadly game of survival…

Review

Behind Blue Eyes is a cyberpunk science fiction novel and the first book in its series.  The story is set in a dystopian future where the entire world is run by three rival mega-corporations.  Behind Blue Eyes takes place in the capital city of the mega-corporation Olympias and follows Nephilim, a member of the Guardian Angels: killer cyborgs tasked with rooting out and eliminating any threat to their society, including those who just want to leave.  Nephilim is just as ruthless as others until a chance encounter triggers something within her mind and she begins questioning herself.  When an encounter with an enemy cyborg from one of the other mega-corps causes a malfunction that cuts her off from the grid, she finds that she enjoys the freedom that comes with the occasional lack of oversight.  These combined events cause her to explore the city unseen by her commander and she begins to rediscover her humanity.

Behind Blue Eyes is an entertaining story filled with dark themes and advanced futuristic technology.  The city is lively and oppressive at the same time.  Nephilim’s character development as she begins thinking for herself and learning more of her past is very well done.  Her boss, High-Archangel Metatron, is vicious, cruel, and sadistic throughout and seems to have his own agenda in addition to his duties as a Guardian Angel.  All of the other characters are interesting people in their own right and well rounded individuals.

Overall, Behind Blue Eyes is an engaging story.  Science fiction fans will enjoy the futuristic technology of the city and the cyborgs, while those who enjoy dystopian stories will find the society of Olympias to be very interesting.  Both will certainly be looking forward to future installments

About the Author

Anna Mocikat is the award-nominated, internationally published author of “Behind Blue Eyes”, the “Tales of the Shadow City” series and the “MUC” series.

Before becoming a novelist, she graduated from Film School and worked as a screenwriter and game writer for over a decade.

Anna Mocikat lives in Greenville, South Carolina.

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