Samyann's Blog, page 20

Penn Cage Series by Greg Iles – Audiobooks

As of this writing, there are seven books by Greg Iles featuring the lead character of Penn Cage. These comments encompass the entire series. All books are lengthy, full length novels. The exception is The Death Factory, a three hour novella – written mid-way in the series. Frankly, my opinion, skip this book as it adds nothing to the series. There are many, many reviews, so I will skip synopsis – you’ll have no trouble finding more details on each book.

Briefly, the lead protagonist, Penn Cage, is the ultimate ‘good-guy’ in the series. Although Iles refrains from explicit physical description, it isn’t difficult to imagine him, i.e., the tall-dark-handsome-sympathetic widower. Cage, an attorney, returns to his childhood home of Natchez in hopes that the environment will ease the grief of his wife’s death – particularly for his little girl. In short order, Cage is mayor of Natchez and the adventures begin. The novels are sprinkled with unique characters, i.e., an opportunistic black attorney, a jack-booted thug sheriff, innocent victims, a kind hearted doctor, unbridled racism, people to trust, people to fear – secrets – something for everyone.

No explicit sex, no language inappropriate to the scene or character. Worthy listens, albeit long books. But, I like them long.

   

  

The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Cathy Byrd – Audiobook

The full title of  this book is The Boy Who Knew Too Much: An Astounding True Story of a Young Boy’s Past-Life Memories – a bit misleading in that much of the book details the past-life memories of Cathy Byrd, the author of this book and the mother of the ‘young boy’.

The book is non-fiction, ergo a factual representation of reincarnation. The boy is the reincarnation of Lou Gehrig – Byrd the reincarnation of Christina Gehrig, Lou’s mother.

Pros: There are many ‘what-if’ scenarios for the believer and skeptic alike. Reincarnation is considered a reality by far more people than one would think – a few billion … many more believe than dis-believe. There are many details in this story that are difficult to debunk and hard to answer in any way other than a past-life. Easy to believe.

Cons: The ‘stage mother’ comes to mind in Byrd’s behavior several times and in the overall presentation of this book. On the one hand, she indicates a desperate desire for her son to be a normal boy. A few chapters later she’s dragging the kid to Lou Gehrig’s childhood home, Cooperstown, chasing down her own reincarnation as Gehrig’s mother, and encouraging his child-memories. The book comes across as a media hog self-indulgently taking advantage of her son. Criticism is also given for Byrd’s lack of detail regarding her own hypnotic vulnerability – she falls into her previous life immediately – also, the name-dropping is a bit overdone and annoying.

These comments are from a person with a very open mind to the possibility of reincarnation. However, with The Boy Who Knew Too Much, my cons stretch the credibility of the entire book and for these reasons, I disliked it. You may find it peachy.

Another review of Yesterday – Thank you!

Yesterday by Samyann

Amanda Parker happens to be in the right place at the right time to save Officer Mark Callahan from certain death. As they take refuge in Ed Morgen’s antique store to assess their injuries, neither of them can shake the feeling that they have met before. This feeling only strengthens with Amanda’s acquisition of a smoked damaged grandfather clock which chimes St. Michael’s bells on the hour. Hoping to solve the mystery, she agrees to a past life regression session but is unprepared for what she discovers.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Both the present day story and the regression segments were well developed. The characters were full-bodied and realistically flawed. The scene descriptions were detailed and believable. Mark’s occasional departure into Irish brogue and Amanda’s colloquiums added depth to the dialogues. Even the issues Amanda experiences because of undergoing the past life regressions were tenable. I was disappointed when the book ended. I would have loved to explore more of Amanda and Mark’s past lives. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

The story was full of innuendos and hidden coincidences, some of which were explained in the past life regression segments. Those sections were so complete they could have been taken and made into a separate novel. I’m not a believer in reincarnation yet this book made me want to suspend my disbelief for a time. It was a thoroughly romantic read.

I enjoyed the inclusion of historical facts. St. Michael’s Church, where the St. Michael’s Chimes originate, is a real church in Charleston, South Carolina. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which damages the grandfather clock, was an actual event. Officer Callahan is a mounted police officer. Chicago has a mounted police force. Many of the places pivotal to the story can actually be visited. The author even includes instructions for making a Confederate candle and Idiot’s Delight, a Civil War era treat, demonstrating the depth of research that went into crafting this book.

If you are looking for romance, this book is for you. If you are looking for a great story, this book is for you. If you are looking for historical fiction full of vivid color and action, this book is for you. This is a perfect book for rainy days or sunny beach days or well, any day. I’m sure that you will get as caught up in the many lives of Amanda and Mark as I did.

Review

Thank you!

Samyann

Terrific review of Yesterday – Thanks!

“Samyann is a Chicago native, who has a lifelong fascination with the rich history of her city, coupled with an abiding curiosity about the intersection of past, present, and future”, states the biography. With a central focus around the American Civil War and the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the genre presented is that of a historical novel. But, it is also ‘a tender love story’, a romantic tale of reincarnation, and a story with considerable insight into the savage quagmire of being human across the ages. The dialogue highlights the context, with characters that come alive across telling cameos.

The author engages readers with psychotherapeutic Past Life Regression, historical heart-breaking facts and anecdotes, interspersed with a burgeoning romance. Intriguing anecdotes are skillfully woven together with an antiquarian theme that resonates during the rather hypnotic chime of the grandfather clock. One is literally drawn back to heroine Amanda’s baby-blues during the stor(ies) that morph throughout the novel.

Certain symbols form intriguing sub-text or sub-stories that captivate the reader, with the odd dash of Irish Celtic expression and nostalgic tales of bells that apparently sing like angels. These side-liners make a colourful context possible, and aid the imagination in creating strong visuals as the central story unfolds. Readers connect with topics that are controversial or hard-to-believe, and at times seem fantastical, although they are, in fact, grounded in reality and possibility. Thus, the book slides into an unexpected page-turner.

When Mark and Amanda meet under dire circumstances, Mark feels irrevocably drawn to Amanda – almost as if he already knows her. The two show definitive character appeal early on – they subconsciously represent different sides to the same coin, mediated by lovable godmother Mary. They also fight for the possibility that love can be found and expressed in unique and individual ways.

With an interesting vernacular that adds a distinct element of humanness in the dialogue, recreated through Southern charm and the relationships between the local negroes and their white charges, the atmosphere around the Civil War is scarily brought to life. There is a tangible and authentic presence of the ‘other’ story within a story – and a great post-modern tilt.

All of this sounds intellectually driven. It isn’t. These observations are about the elements through which this novel can be appreciated, with impressions about the ways in which the author’s intent and artistic inspiration reveal a carefully constructed story well worth reading. If you liked The Time Traveller’s Wife, you’ll find yourself drawn in, and equally captivated but for different reasons, as there is less ‘science fiction’ and more grounding in realistic principles of a subject that has proven research and a great deal of heart and mind combined behind it.

This novel has clearly been edited as there few errors, if any, and this is much appreciated as it helps the story flow and avoids distractions. I therefore rated the book 4 out of 4.

Review

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Wow, wonderful review. Thank you!

Samyann

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The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – Audiobook

Narrated by Christopher Hurt, a long book – over thirty-two hours of listening. This unabridged audiobook was released in 2007 by Blackstone Audio – the original printed version goes way back to 1943.

To get full value from The Fountainhead, read up on Ayn Rand. Consider where she comes from and the original release date – 1943, the height of WWII. The Fountainhead is a platform for the fundamental beliefs of Ayn Rand, which is conveyed via the trials of Howard Roarke, the lead character. Howard is an architect who bucks the system to maintain his design integrity – like most ‘artists’.

Although on board with most of Ayn Rand’s beliefs, I take umbrage with the author portrayal of the Type A male being the end-all choice for women, even in 1943. I got the impression the Ayn Rand lived vicariously through the character of Dominique – creepy as hell given Roarke raped Dominique – and Dominique was not only ‘okay’ with it, but liked it. Yuk.

Should you opt to listen, be prepared for long-winded diatribes conveying Rand’s philosophies on individualism and objectivism. Lots of them.  In fact, I’m of the belief that the novel is much more philosophy than literature. Although I finished the book, simply to say ‘Yeah, I read The Fountainhead’,  it’s a way too preachy for my taste. You may think it’s just great.

No issues with narration.

You either like Ayn Rand, or you don’t. Do some research before you jump in!

A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett – Audiobook

Narrated by Michael Page, over sixteen hours of listening. This unabridged audiobook was released in 2008 by Blackstone Audio – although the original print version goes back to the late 90s.

A Dangerous Fortune is a mystery – however, you understand who the bad-guys are throughout. Not a thriller, rather a family saga riddled with black sheep and spoiled brats. Takes place in England, beginning in the 1860s through the 1890s.  All topics from rags to riches to homosexuality to illegitimacy to prostitution to elicit affairs to high stakes banking. A plethora of topics,  including noble ethical standards, kindness, greed, debauchery, murder. Something for everyone! The story begins with a school drowning, the ramifications of which traverse the pages to a somewhat predictable ending.

Typical of Follett, settings in A Dangerous Fortune, are wonderfully defined. The era, costumes, class system … you feel as if you are there, in that place, at that time – cinematic scenes. It took me a while to get hooked on the story … but after struggling through a few chapters, the soap opera aspect pulled me through to the conclusion.

Michael Page does a credible job, female voices included. No trouble discerning who-says-what-to-who. Tempo, pacing fine. A production issue with the repeat of a few paragraphs in the recording, not a major issue … still.

No gratuitous sex, but there are several such scenes relevant to the plot/character.

Overall, a worthy listen. Enjoy!

Amazon Review of Yesterday – Thank you!

 Review of Yesterday, February 10, 2017


By
Celeste Groenewald



This review is from: Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation (Kindle Edition)
Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation by Samyann is a romance novel set in contemporary Chicago. The narrative is a dialogue between the present and the past, wherein the theme of reincarnation is explored in the deepening bond between Amanda Parker and Mark Callahan and their memories of their 19th century past selves.

They meet when Amanda saves Mark’s life from a derailing train in the city. Among the debris and the chaos of the disaster, they experience a strange feeling that they have met before. An antique clock Amanda is inexplicably drawn to motivates the couple to investigate what they suspect are past life memories of their relationship during the late 19th century. During her past life regressions, Amanda relives episodes from her previous life as Bonnie, a girl who endured a traumatic escape from the American Civil War-ravaged South before finally settling in Chicago.

Reincarnation is definitely an interesting theme to encounter in a work of fiction because theories and beliefs about it are normally found in serious esoteric texts. Samyann’s fascination with reincarnation and cyclical time is apparent in the novel, and I enjoyed her use of symbols to keep the narrative tied to the theme: her symbols range from the literal grandfather clock to the arcane ones she leaves for the reader to discover. The author’s research is impeccable (the author’s note at the end was a nice touch). Samyann knows her setting and it shows in her writing. Her Chicago is not a backdrop but a living world. The transitions between past and present and vice versa were smooth and well-timed. The past-life segments of the narrative integrated historical facts and fiction seamlessly and I read them with interest – the author has the imaginative flair needed to breathe life into historical accounts. The inclusion of history lent weight to the story as a whole and not only as a support for the reincarnation theme. I would have liked to read more from the 19th-century perspective, but this wish of mine is simply a reflection of how well the author handled the narrative from Bonnie’s point of view. Yesterday is elegantly written.

What concerned me is that the characters are worryingly classifiable into stereotypes. Despite the twist – Amanda’s act of heroism in the beginning of the novel – the characterisation remains a tad flat throughout the rest of the story. Something else that bothered me about the character web is that the other characters cater to her to an unrealistic degree. The romantic development between Mark and Amanda was quite syrupy and slowed the narrative down – despite the excellent aspects of the novel, it was a very slow read for me because of this. Amanda is too perfect for me to identify or empathise with.

I rate Yesterday 3 out of 4. The novel is redeemed by the quality of the writing and the integration of historical events into the narrative – if I were to recommend it to anyone, it would be to enjoy the writing. I can’t give it a 4 because the characterisation detracted too much and the romance genre as a medium limits the visionary or philosophical scope of the reincarnation concept.

Amazon Reviews

The FBI Thrillers by Alexandra Sokoloff – Audio

This review addresses four novels comprising The Huntress/FBI Thrillers Series by Alexandra Sokoloff. The entire series is approximately 40 hours of listening in the unabridged format, pretty close to equal in length. Book 1, The Huntress Moon indicates publication by the author – the remaining three by Brilliance Audio. A self-publishing success story here? The audio formats were released over a two year period, 2014-2016. With a little research you’ll find Alexandra Sokoloff is the recipient of numerous awards, as is the narrator of all four novels, R. C. Bray.

The FBI Thrillers Series are crime-thriller dramas, the same characters traverse these novels, ergo suggest starting with Book 1, The Huntress Moon. Early in Book 1, an entire family is brutally murdered. Except Cara, five years old.  Cara is shuffled through a system of group homes, shelters, eventually living under the radar on her own. Matthew Roarke is an FBI agent on the hunt of a female serial killer. Cara has been a vigilante killer from the age of 14. She has never targeted anyone that hasn’t deserved it – but, ya don’t want to get in her way. Is Cara psychopathic, psychotic? She sees and hears evil – bad people and situations will cause horrible pain and tragedies. She protects innocents and commits murder. Thus is the thrust of the series.

Why I liked? It’s not difficult to root for Cara – it’s not difficult to root for Roarke. Both main characters are sympathetic, you want them to succeed. But, the success of either may well result in the destruction of the other. What a thought provoking dichotomy!

Why I didn’t like? Well, Cara doesn’t go looking for trouble, but it finds her – virtually everywhere. You must stretch the imagination a bit to believe that evil exists – everywhere. But, hey, it’s fiction.

Narration throughout the series is excellent – R. C. Bray well deserves the accolades he has received for this series. Great pacing, voicing of male/female, etc., excellent.

Overall, well worth the investment. Enjoy!

      

Trauma by Michael, Daniel Palmer – Audiobook Review

Audiobook narrated by Xe Sands, approximately eleven hours of listening, released in 2015 by Macmillan Audio. Trauma is marketed as being written by Michael and Daniel Palmer. Daniel Palmer is Michael’s son and Michael has been dead since 2013; this book was written by Daniel Palmer. Personally, I object to Daniel using his father’s name for promotional purposes. Daniel is talented enough to pursue writing on his own without the use of a familial crutch and should take a page from the playbook of Joe Hill. Joe Hill, author of such terrific stories as Nos4a2,  is the son of Stephen King. Message to Daniel Palmer: Stop using Pop’s name to sell your books, not fair to his memory, not fair to your own talent.

That said … Trauma is a medical  mystery/thriller and is the story of Carrie Bryant, a neurology resident, who makes a horrendous error in the process of prepping a gentleman for brain surgery. She flips, reverses, an X-Ray, resulting in brain surgery being performed on the wrong side of the brain. Big oops, huh. Hard to believe this sort of stuff actually happens, but it does. Carrie’s mistake results in her resignation and a complete lack of confidence moving forward with her medical career. In a short time, through a friend of her father, she is recruited as a neurosurgeon to participate in a new method of treating PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) at a VA Hospital. Problem is the patients keep disappearing. Thus is the thrust of Trauma.

Why I liked? A decent mystery, I’m an easy touch for a good who-done-it … and, in Trauma, we’re not sure who the bad-guy is until the end – I didn’t guess – which is always fun. Narration is fine, Xe Sands does a credible job. Pacing/tempo is good, male/female voices good, basic production good, no trouble with who-is-talking-to-who.

Not so hot? Credibility with regard to the PTSD surgery experiment. Stretch your imagination a bit to swallow the possibilities suggested. The end results is certainly realistic. No spoilers.

Overall, a good story, well read. Enjoy!

Arcadia’s Daughter – by Charles H. Griswold III – eBook

This review addresses Arcadia’s Daughter by Charles H. Griswold III. The catalyst for this story is an old photograph. Anyone intrigued with Victorian or pre-Civil War death photography will find the basis for this story completely fascinating. Briefly, the lead character, David, finds an old photograph of a girl in her late teens, cradled by her parents. She is dressed in her Sunday best – pretty – and dead. Photographs were expensive in this time period, ergo most people couldn’t afford the birth-to-death-pictorial-histories that we do today. Often, the death photograph might be the only evidence of a person’s existence – it was a treasured part of a family history. The entire concept is gruesome by our standards, but a common practice for grieving families, if they could afford it, prior to the 1870s. You can find many examples on the internet – just ‘google it’.

Arcadia’s Daughter is many things – a mystery, thriller, character study – a terrific SciFi, at minimum. But the story is also a historical novel – a mythological fable –  a tale of familial love. This book has something of interest for everyone. Although David’s obsession with the photograph is the impetus of this story, it is only that. This sad photograph gets the ball rolling through a sweeping adventure to the dark side and back. Wonderfully told, descriptive – a true page turner and terrific introduction to a new author.

Enjoy!