Chris A. Jackson's Blog, page 10
November 3, 2011
Soul Thief will steal your heart!
Soul Thief by Jana Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The first in this series was a great hook, and now this one immerses the reader in so much intrigue, betrayal, lies, and heartwrenching misunderstandings that the reader just wants to scream! (In a very good way…)
Jana Oliver has a real passion for burying her characters in deep trouble, and Riley, the heroine of this wonderful YA contemporary fantasy, is no exception. Without spoilers, this is one you will not be able to put down, and will...
October 22, 2011
Game of Thrones, Epic and Engrossing!
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Yes, you can put this down as "one I finally got around to reading". With all the hype generated by the recent HBO series based on this book, and the casting of one of my favorite actors as Eddard Stark, one of the book's main characters, I felt it was my duty to dive in.
I have very little bad to say about this epic fantasy. The writing, plotting, characterization, setting and theme are masterfully done, which is what I expect f...
October 16, 2011
Gail Z. Martin's Days of the Dead Event!
Here's the little nugget: A deleted scene from the Foreword Reviews Gold Medal winner, Scimitar Moon. The chapter was vastly shortened for length, and so a five page feast was pretty much cut. I love food descriptions, and it really hurt to kill this one… but I throw nothing away.
Here's the file:Scimitar Moon deleted scene
Enjoy!
October 8, 2011
The Digital Deluge
I see real issues rising from the deluge of digital books (and not books) being published by the hundreds of new e-book publishers cropping up like sprouts in a cornfield. This first, and perhaps the most telling for new authors, is the potential for the same type of predatory "publishing" that hit with the first POD publishers, and that has now, mostly, gone by the wayside. (Yes, POD's still charge, but most have stopped touting themselves as publishers; they are printing services, the...
September 26, 2011
The Empress Sword: A Great YA Fantasy!
The Empress Sword by Paulette Jaxton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Read the ARC before release, and found this a delightful YA story with one really great twist (don't worry, no spoilers). Paulette brings the story forward at a good pace, with some great characterizations, and many real gems moments that have us all remembering the awkward days of our youth. Gender confusion and puberty are big players in this wonderful tale!
View all my reviews
August 27, 2011
Plague of Shadows is a rollicking ride
Pathfinder Tales: Plague of Shadows by Howard Andrew Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Solid four stars for Howard Andrew Jones on this rollicking high-fantasy story! Aside from a few characterization issues that are probably simple personal preferences on my part, no real flaw in the story, I truly enjoyed this fantasy "Quest Perilous" romp. Based in Paizo's world of Golarion, where the Pathfinder Tales novels all take place (it is a truly vast and rich environment, and one I have often played ...
August 26, 2011
Video trailer for When the Hero Comes Home
A brand new video trailer on YouTube for When the Hero Comes Home. Production by JM Frey and Erik Buchanan, co authors with me and the "all-star cast".
Enjoy, and many thanks to JM and Eric! Great job!
August 21, 2011
GenCon: Surprisingly awesome!
I must say that I was not expecting as much as I got out of GenCon. This traditionally gaming convention seemed to me to not offer much in the way of literary or straight fiction focus, but I was pleasantly surprised. First, the con had a dedicated author and artist area right in the middle of the exhibitor's hall, not stuck off into a corner where nobody would see us. Traffic was brisk and there were many people attending who were not gamers.
That being said, the focus was on gaming, and w...
August 14, 2011
Odd Hours is hours of fun!
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
With this, the fourth in the Odd series, Koontz is back in top form. He has gotten away from the unbelievable coincidences that plagued Forever Odd, and the mad scientist schtick that bothered me in Brother Odd. Granted, the hero stepping into a plot to nuke cities and assassinate the president are a bit of a stretch, but I still loved this book. Great banter, good bad guys, spooky happenings that have no real explanation or bearing on the...
August 2, 2011
Even Money, Dick Francis is the old master
Even Money by Dick Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While murder mysteries are not my stock and trade, this was a delightful read. A little predictable, but nice and clean. Dick Francis has been writing more years than I've been alive, and it shows. Also, it is so British, and I'm a bit of an anglophile, so one more star. I might have given it one more if not for the sappy, happy ending where everything goes right. Honestly, I've got a real sore spot for the hero getting everything they...
