Kae Cheatham's Blog: Whoa! Another Author?, page 12
July 1, 2011
No Hero - Review
Publication date: ~19 July 2011
Publisher: Night Shade Books
From the publisher: "What would Kurt Russell do?" Oxford police detective Arthur Wallace asks himself that question a lot. Because Arthur is no hero. He's a good cop, but prefers that action and heroics remain on the screen, safely performed by professionals. But then, secretive government agency MI12 [MI37] comes calling, hoping to recruit Arthur in their struggle against the tentacled horrors from another dimension known as the Progeny. But Arthur is NO HERO! Can an everyman stand against sanity-ripping cosmic horrors?"
I really liked the first-person non-hero, Arthur Wallace. Jonathan Wood has written this character with style and personality that grabs the reader from the opening page. The supporting cast are also well written, from the loquacious science guy to the steampunk cyber authority, and the "Let's stick to business" leader of MI37. No Hero is an action Sci Fi adventure akin to the movies Men in Black and, Arthur's favorite, Big Trouble in Little China. In No Hero the aliens are seeping through from another reality—an updated version of the usual "world is doomed" scenario. This is also a popular theme in SF right now, with true science speculating on different universe dimensions with different physical properties. The idea is that our universe has a membrane that secludes us from different entities and physics.
I especially like Wallace's continual shock that he is in a real "save the world" situation—sometimes he is exhilarated, but most often is aghast at his position in it all. His frustration at not really knowing what is happening is palpable. The whole idea of another dimension is as alien to him as the aliens.
But, there were story problems—or actually, elements in action adventures that usually gripe me. Jonathan Wood wrote from the accepted rules of the genre and did a fine job, but I am always bummed by the ineffective "good guys" who have limited skills, power, etc. while the "bad guys" (in this case the Progeny) seem invincible. I suppose this is to get the reader to cheer for the underdog. I could accept the underdog role of Wallace and his MI37 team, but the supposed Keepers of the Status Quo Between Realities (the Dreamers) were a bunch of duffs. And while Wallace was frustrated with inadequate information, the final action scenes left me frustrated with the continual deflection of any real answers or presentation of what was really happening. I still can't figure why the Dreamers were so ineffective. Nor could I figure out how people like The Sheilas (and a few others) came to be.
The potential for further books with Arthur Wallace and MI37 fighting anomalies of the universe is clearly set up, and for all that I don't often like some of the devices of this genre, I know I'll grab the next Wood books and enjoy the action and unique situations.
June 17, 2011
I Married You For Happiness - Review
When composing the book review of Lily Tuck's I Married You For Happiness I found myself in a conundrum. The writing style is easy to read, good word choices, and the tone fulfilled the overall thrust of the book. I reread several parts of it, trying to determine why I felt a bit dissatisfied.
I was quite pleased with the unique setting of telling about a 30+ year relationship. There is a death. An unexpected and unexplained death. Philip comes home, says he'll lie down a bit before dinner, and that's his end. Nina finds him on the bed...dead. No sign of convulsion, or distress. Just—gone. The story is the new widow in mild shock, and remembering select moments in their life together as she sits by the bed all night.
As often happens with memories, they come erratically, triggered by sound, a glimpsed object, a taste. The memories tell of their meeting in Paris, parts of his background and hers; her concerns for things she never really knew about him, and her own secrets she kept from him. This montage of the past is laced with mathematical theory and content. That was his life, a mathematician. The well-researched comments from the profession are interesting, yet also show the distance in their relationship (even the cover image shows this). Nina didn't understand most of it, and didn't seem to want to understand.
For me, learning their story through memories (essentially flashbacks) became tedious. Another problem was the present-tense narrative that became intrusive; I found some of the transitions between past and present (both told in present tense) a bit rough. There were also scenes that Nina couldn't have known about, such as what Philip said to his class at various times—even in their last session.
I really didn't care much for Nina. I had empathy for her situation—the suddenness of lifestyle change—but she seemed too withdrawn even in the memories. Referred to as a redhead, noted for fiery character, hers was bland. The title "I Married You for Happiness" could have had an addend "But Didn't Find It." The scenes of possible happiness were tainted by the smell of garbage, a prowling cat, a lost dog. It seemed more she married him for direction and was irritatingly content to be the house frau on the fringe of his busy life. Only once was her art work referred to as completed, in reference to a piece she gave to their daughter; the rest was scrapped, unfinished, and sources of dissatisfaction. Perhaps this was Lily Tuck's design for the book. If so, I think she succeeded. If not...
Herein is one of the book's strengths: it's propensity to induce contemplation (consternation?). I Married You For Happiness will be a great title for book clubs and reading groups because of the varied opinions and reactions that will come forth.
June 6, 2011
Short Story Shorts - Reviews
I have always like short stories; I appreciate the skill it takes to develop characters and a story in a limited number of words (something I have trouble doing). Here are two authors who write both short and long fiction, and have used their short story talent to showcase their work. I "met" both of them through social networking, where I also learned about the following titles.
Craig Lancaster's This is Butte, You Have Ten Minutes contains three short stories with three very different settings and characters. In the title story is "the man with the Blackberry" who is busing home after his car broke down. He is a "modern guy" and while he sends text messages to her significant other (they are at odds), he imagines names and lives of his fellow bus passengers. One of these people offers up more than he imagined, and possibly changes his life. This story is upbeat and with moments of comedy.
In the second story, we meet Alyssa ("Alyssa Alights"), a runaway from an abusive home, as she attempts to get a new life on the streets of Billings. The third, "Star of the North", is set in the Montana State prison, with lifer inmate befriending a new con, and then learning stupefying circumstances about the buildup to his own crime.
In each of these three, very different stories, the characters of the protagonists and supporting characters are clearly drawn. Realistic dialogue fits the circumstance of each story, showing the broad range of Lancaster's abilities.
Craig Lancaster is a Montana journalist. His first full-length fiction book, 600 Hours of Edward, was a 2009 Montana Honor Book and the 2010 High Plains Book Award winner. His second book, Summer Son was chosen as an Amazon Encore book.
Velda Brotherton writes from a very different perspective and place. A native of the Ozarks, she presents the regional history with great insight. The two short stories in Going To Freedom reflect her passion for history. The title story (first published in The Whitest Wash, Lost Creek Press) is set in the Depression era, with an unlikely circumstance of a family having a Bengal tiger. Ina has a particular fondness for the big cat; her husband, Lee, does not. These differing views show the relationship in the marriage as well as situation of the times.
The second story, "Blue Ribbon" (first published in Echoes of the Ozarks, Ozark Writers League), spans several decades, beginning in 1883, as we see Lena as a young romantic girl intrigues and in love with the adventure of the passing train and the young railroad man who always waves. Then Lena is old, with only her memories and dreams. The depth of passion and remorse in this story is excellent.
Brotherton has developed two different protagonists and their lifestyles. The era of each piece is well-drawn, and the rich language evokes vivid pictures of the Ozarks.
Velda Brotherton has received many awards, which include being a 2008 finalist for the WILLA in creative non fiction. Her historical newspaper columns have earned three merit awards from the Arkansas Press, and a collection of the columns is scheduled for publication as a book.
June 3, 2011
Trip Stories - Rainy Day
The intermittent patter of rain during the night assured me we were in for a rainy day. My daughter had made plans accordingly, that's why she had scheduled the whale tour for the first, and possibly the clearest day, of our visit to San Juan Island. Although the rain drummed on the hotel siding and rattled along the gutters (next to my window), by the time we had coffee and enjoyed the Bird Rock Hotel's continental breakfast, the sky was brightening. A light mist occasionally gusted as we packed into the car and headed out.
First stop, American Camp, along Cattle Prod Road on the south end of the Island. The wind was quite brisk. We talked to the ranger in the visitor center, and although she was eager the point out the historical sites, we were interested in flora and fauna. My daughter bought a little stuffed animal--a fox (She has several of the animals in her neighborhood in TN).
We piled back into the car and headed toward the beach area, hoping to site Orcas out in the bay.
I always check out the information signs and plaques, and as I pulled up to one, my daughter was grabbing her camera saying, "Stop the car. Oh, look! Stop!" I did, and was rewarded with one of the best photo ops of the trip.
A healthy, handsome fox. All three of us were out of the car taking pictures. For nearly twenty minutes, it posed and stared, and never seemed upset.
Maybe a fox den down that hill, and it was patrolling to keep us away (Be nice to the two-leggeds and maybe they won't bother the kids [kits]).
As we continued to the beach, this fox was sitting on a large boulder. Great picture, and I stopped the car--reached for the camera. But I think Fox #2 was expecting a handout, and jumped off its perch and ran to the car. This critter wasn't nearly as attractive as the other one. It was in the middle of the road, and cars were coming from the other direction. They stopped and Fox #2 was certain he was going to get a treat. He pranced around while we took pictures. Small island community: the people in the car had been on the whale-boat tour with us the previous day. :)
The second car contained a park ranger, and I quickly assured him we had NOT fed the foxes (A fed fox is a dead fox). I wasn't certain he believed me, but we saw him later and he was chatty with all kinds of info. The fox species is "red fox" (and my daughter did see a red one in the bushes when we were driving) and they aren't native to the island. They also have no predators. I wonder how many there will be in another 20 years? :O
Even with the misty day, the scenes were spectacular. I felt a sort of euphoria after the fox encounters. What would be next? We went back to town for lunch and to regroup.
Next up, Lime Kiln Point State Park. Looking down into the cove, this group of Harlequin Ducks gave a spot of color to the gray-sky day. There were five of them, and after a minute or so, they took off across the water. My daughter got a picture of that. My picture only showed their tails. :(
Seals were out from the shore, but only the tops of their head showed. We spotted them with binoculars; too far off for photos, especially since they blended in with the flotsam in the water.
The rain dampened my daughter's spirits. She and her hubby went back to the car.
The rain continued steadily. But I was in my slicker, and the camera was dry in a special rain jacket. I persevered.
I hiked nearly to this lighthouse before the rain turned me back--I was more than a half mile from the car park. When I reached the car, the kids reported they had seen eagles and had pictures. They were also dry, while I was dripping water everywhere.
That evening, the precip was back to a mist. After dinner, we visited the Rumor Mill, a nice place with live music and only two blocks from the Bird Rock. We listened to some bluesy jazz and ate some of the best carrot cake I've ever had. A nice ending to the day.
May 31, 2011
Trip Stories - Whale Watch
I've been on vacation and thoroughly enjoyed San Juan Island (SJI), Washington. Last week Monday, I drove to Seattle (~9 – 10 hours) and met my daughter and her husband (they flew in from TN). On Tuesday we were up early, drove to Anacortes and caught the State Ferry to SJI, arriving in time for a quick lunch and then boarding another boat for a whale watch tour.
I'm not really a water person--preferring my high, dry plains, but this was really special. I'm always up for something different.
By five that evening we were back in Friday Harbor and checked into our very comfortable rooms at The Bird Rock. We were on SJI through Thursday. Here are some pictures from Day one.
The Columbia River where I-90 crosses. One of my breaks on the drive over.
Taken at Anacortes harbor while awaiting the Ferry loading, with sea gulls on their perches.
Once on the ferry, I had an nfinite view--just like on the plains (I tried not to think about how deep the water beneath us).
After an hour, we arrived at SJI. Friday Harbor is a great little town. The boat in the docks on the right in this pic is the Odyssey, our vehicle for whale watching.
Another shot of the Odyssey before we boarded her.
From the deck of the Odyssey. I couldn't stay inside, even though the cool wind was strengthened by the speed of the boat. But I'd dressed appropriately; it was invigorating.
So many photo ops I've never before had!
Seals lazing around on the rocks. We weren't very close and my telephoto didn't get the full slobby effect of them.
This privately-owned island was set up to be a game farm in the 1960s. That fell through, but some of the exotic species still live there.
These are Mouflon Sheep, offspring of the exotics brought in 50 years ago. Their native habitat is in the Mediterranean, and the males have impressive horns. The informative Odyssey crew said that Fallow Deer and Sika Deer also remain on the island.
It had been a quiet whale day, and as time eased on, I thought we wouldn't see any. The pilot was in contact with whale spotters and other tour boats, and finally said some had been seen--in Canadian waters. He opened the throttle and off we went.
An Orca! One of three traveling together. A "Transient" group, not part of the three "resident" pods in the San Juan Straits. I have many pics of just a fin, but this one shows what's attached to the fin. :)
The transient's are a bit shy, whereas the resident pod members do more breaching and rolls. I guess they're used to the boats and like to show their stuff. This pic, with the orca near another tour boat, gives perspective to show how big they are.
Several tour boats were in place already. I imagine the transients were wondering what was going on.
This was another whale watch boat -- Boat? Yikes! A dinghy when compared to 25' Orcas. Definitely not my style.
We arrived back at Friday Harbor after four hours on the water. But I saw whales (among other things). That evening, We headed off to the west side of the island, hoping for sunset pictures. Rain was forecast for the next two days, and I figured this was the only chance. But alas, the cloud cover only offered interesting colors, but nothing truly spectacular.
More official info about the San Juan islands.
May 23, 2011
Rafe - Review
Frank Roderus's Rafe: A Tale of Redemption has all the elements of a classic western—bank robbers, shootouts, ambushes—with the added element that protagonist Rafer Allard finds faith. It opens as Rafe sets things up for a bank robbery—that's what he does: he's a professional thief. But the bank deal doesn't go as planned, and Rafe finds himself severely wounded and in the home of a stranger. Begin redemption.
How Rafe becomes Born Again is nicely written without being pedantic. His skepticism doesn't dissolve overnight, and his transformation is presented with realistic emotions.
The action in this story is masterfully written, as those familiar with Roderus's dozens of titles would expect. The land and lifestyles in the late 1880s West rings true. The dialogue is right for the times. All the descriptions of weather and barrooms are drawn well, as Rafe scours Rocky Mountain dales and towns, looking for the person who made the bank robbery go wrong. But wait! He doesn't have revenge on his mind! Honest!
I found the ending scene a bit rushed, and the Kindle edition had a few proofing problems (such as "Large Print Book" still on the cover), but if you want a well-written Christian western, this is a perfect fit.
May 21, 2011
The Sixth Discipline
Carmen Webster Buxton's The Sixth Discipline is a far-future story that has strong elements of world building—a feature that always interests me. A distant planet is called Haven by the people who settled there. Several factions formed at land fall; they dispersed to different parts of the hospitable planet.
Ran-Del Jahanpur is part of the Sansoussy, who believe in living with the land. By design, their development in the forests remains basic to needs; but they also have a variety of psi abilities. While out hunting, Ran-Del is kidnapped by some technologically-advanced people from the progressive city of Shangri-la. His captivity remains a mystery to him as he is treated well and introduced to the contrary marvels of the city.
Here enters a Romance side of the story, as we meet Francesca Hayden, whose father engineered Ran-Del's kidnap. He intends for Francesca and Ran-Del to marry. Romance, yes; but not heavy-handed with the expected genre standards of distrust, jealousy, and misunderstandings. Instead, the story of why Ran-Del is the perfect husband choice for Francesca, and the politics of Shangri-la guide the story.
The story shifts back to the Sansoussy Forest and Ran-Del's family—especially his great-grandfather who sees what is in Ran-Del's future. Movement between these two regions on the planet shows the cultural development of each in realistic fashion. All the characters are sharply drawn and believable, from the dock-side workers who become Ran-Del's friends, to Ran-Del's grandmother who is unsure of the very modern Francesca. The final resolutions include Sansoussy rituals and political maneuvering in Shangri-la. Tension is high and the outcome satisfactory. A good read (great cover, too).
May 19, 2011
Power Ballads - Review
On the Goodreads site, I marked that I'd finished reading Power Ballads six days ago. Why the delay of the review? Because I read several of the stories again. I also know I'll reread many of them in the future.
The ten short stories in Will Boast's award-winning Power Ballads are tied together by the lives of musicians. Not the headline makers or anyone of notoriety, but the everyday person who is compelled to play and perform, even when they know they'll never achieve the success of Boney James or Joni Mitchell. Some belong to the corner tavern polka band ("Sitting In"); or the hometown boys gone big ("Dead Weight")—sort of; or the choir director whose musical past is reflected in the equipment he's kept, and the passion he can't bury ("Mr. Fern, Freestyle ").
Boast also tells stories of the people who are part of musicians' intimate lives—the friends, a spouse, a sibling who—who are affected by the lifestyle in ways the musician often doesn't realize. Together these ten stories have drama and insight. My own family has handfuls of musicians; I have musician friends, and I have even done my stint in late-night jams. These stories are real.
The stories are also excellently written. The voice rings true with each character, especially the drummer, Tim, whose stories bookend this collection. Excellent writing as in "Heart of Hearts".
...When Kate saw Holly close her eyes onstage and lose herself completely in song, a shudder when through her, and she despaired that nothing, not work, family, or even sex, could ever exert such a tidal sway over her own life."
And from the title story, "Power Ballads"
I remember them, barely—a last-gasp eighties band that had lingered into the nineties like a stubborn stain before being erased by grunge and "alternative."
Lyrical language floats through each story, along with intense wording of emotional scenes. The tension in the last two stories, "Lost Coast" and "Coda", is gripping. They close the book with strength and energy. Power Ballads is a Must Read for anyone who enjoys excellent short fiction and fine writing. For the musicians out there, the connecting theme is a bonus. I am pleased to have this book in my library.
May 13, 2011
Bet Your Bones - Review
Partial Overview (from the publisher): "A wedding on the lip of a Hawaiian volcano sounds risky to Dinah Pelerin, the bride's best friend and maid of honor. The bride, Claude Ann Kemper, has bet her heart that she's found the right man at last. The groom has gone all in on a real estate deal he believes will set him and his new wife up for life. A group of Native Hawaiians claims that the sacred bones of an ancestral king are buried on the land the groom plans to sell and one of them has vowed do whatever it takes to stop him...."
These are just some of the situations in this in second mystery of a series (reading the first isn't a prerequisite). I was attracted by the Hawaii setting and the mention of myths. Myths are protagonist Dinah Pelerin's specialty as she studies for her anthropology degree.
Her undaunted curiosity (a given for most scientists) had Dinah in the Philippines, so she didn't have too far to go to get to her friends wedding. Her deep concern for her best friend Claude Ann draws her to the Big Island. But Dinah's trip carries a lot of baggage—and not just her own. She worries over Claude Ann's sudden marriage to a man she's known for only six weeks; she broods over the events surrounding Claude Ann's first marriage and feels she needs to clear the air with her friend; then she is alarmed by protests about the business activities of Claude Ann's intended, Xander. Dinah's curiosity kicks in and she tries to learn more about Xander and the protesters, and whether Claude Ann is blundering into a bad, maybe even dangerous, marriage. Events escalate to a murderous state, and Dinah even becomes a suspect.
Along with Dinah, Claude Ann and Xander, this third-person presentation has strongly written characters. Each is distinctive, from the remonstrative protest leader, Eleanor, to Xander's grown children, his business partners, and Claude Ann's born-again daughter, Marywave. There was a point midway through that I grew a bit impatient when new people were introduced, but each was necessary to the whole story; I had a few nice A-ha! moments as things fell into place. The great dialogue also had some witty bits as well as down-home vernacular from Claude Ann and Dinah (They grew up in Georgia).
I also found it refreshing to increase my education while reading this mystery. Matthews does an excellent job of weaving actual mythology into the story (She lists the sources of the myths in the Acknowledgements). These pieces of factual information are sprinkled throughout the book, and always relate to Dinah's thoughts and next actions.
While Dinah's manner of flushing out the bad guy felt a bit occluded, Bet Your Bones is an intricate mystery woven neatly into the lava, smoke and culture of Hawaii. A satisfying and interesting read.
May 11, 2011
Older Title Continues In Form
Every now and then I remember to slide through KDP and take a look at my sales stats. Nothing glorious, but steady: a tank of gas here, a nice lunch there. Since it cost me nothing to produce the ebooks, I'm happy.
Interestingly, the last book I put up just this year, (my children's title Spotted Flower and the Ponokomita) has quickly zipped to the top of my sales charts, I'm sure this is in part due to my getting in on the ground floor when Paula Haataja launched Cheap Daily Reads – Junior, a neat site set up for kids to easily navigate and with books just for them.
But the book has always garnered sales since it first came out a few decades ago. Now in a third printing, I have to chuckle at its longevity. Perhaps that's because it's a history story, although I have two other history books not nearly so popular. Spotted Flower was my first published book, and I couldn't be more pleased to see it still doing well.
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