Scott Spotson's Blog, page 12
March 22, 2014
Intriguing and Completely Original — “The Four Kings”
Intriguing and completely original, March 22, 2014By
Elizabeth
This review is from: The Four Kings (Kindle Edition)
I can honestly say that I had no idea what to expect from this book. I’m not usually a fan of anything supernatural or magic, but I was pleasantly surprised by The Four Kings. This is an inherently fun book. I’m always a fan of humour in a book, whether it be a comedic novel or some kind of dark crime piece, and this certainly has it.
Clever, witty; I have to say that I really enjoyed the style in which Scott writes. Also appreciated is the complete originality of this. While I’ve already admitted to not being a fan of this genre of book, I don’t think I’ve ever read a blurb on the back of a book that would even remotely remind me of this beyond the thread of magic.
The politics that the story surrounds is a hell of a lot more intriguing than I’d imagined before getting stuck in, and I’d advise any usual magic-haters to cast their predisposition aside for a moment and give this a go. Truly awesome.
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March 17, 2014
The Best that Self-Publishing Has to Offer
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1Q2UE74QXHJ33
5.0 out of 5 stars
By Denis Vukosav TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
‘Delusional’ written by Scott Spotson is the third book I’ve read from this author and it seems that each of them is getting better than the previous one; suspense thriller with addition of supernatural and romance will be interesting to a wider audience, and with its quality certainly deserves your time.
In the center of story is a woman named Patricia Fowler who will have an affair with her married co-worker Paul Blast but soon after they two will start seeing each other Patricia will start experiencing different hallucinations and delusions why she will no longer be aware of what is true and what her mind is playing tricks with her. Meanwhile, the FBI is trying to track down a thief who magically appears and disappears, taking away valuable pieces of art and gems.
These two stories begin to be merged into one and while the author skillfully leads the reader through his story it becomes harder to guess what actually the truth is and what is the illusion…
Scott Spotson wrote a book which can be seen as the best that self-publishing can offer – an original idea, interesting plot, lot of excitement and suspense, great ending. The author has made an excellent choice by introducing an omniscient narrator giving the reader the ability to understand the motivations of various characters that the story introduced.
And though the beginning of the story seems a bit slower and it might seem that sometimes the author goes into too much explanation, as the story progresses it becomes more evident that this decision was made with a reason – the pace is slowly accelerating, and when the story will come to an end the reader will actually be sorry that the last page had come.
If you read Spotson’s other books I definitely recommend to read this as well, and if you have not I suggest you start with ‘Delusional’, especially if you love a good psychological thriller, with a bit of romance and supernatural – an original concept that the author provided on his pages.
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March 9, 2014
Unstable Character…no Moral Compass
http://mindingspot.blogspot.ca/2014/03/delusional-by-scott-spotson-and-sue.html
I’ll admit when I first started reading this, I was bored. I was disappointed. I was dreading reading any more than the first few chapters. It was dry and dull and overly detailed. An art thief? Yeah, it’s been done. Characters I don’t care about? Yeah, that’s been done too.
So, a few chapters later, my attitude really changed. There are still a few spots in the book that are overly detail-oriented, but it really changes mood and fast. Imagine a train moving downhill. It starts slowly, then picks up speed and by the time it reaches the bottom of the hill, it’s really moving! That’s what this book is. I really started to care about the characters and their plight. The mystery of the art thief wasn’t such a big deal to me, other than trying to figure out how she did it.
This is one of those rare books where the author has realized that anything can happen and has taken advantage of it. Take an unstable character that doesn’t seem to have a moral compass, and you’ve opened a Pandora’s Box of delicious nastiness and shock. Several times I caught myself with my jaw dropping and saying ‘whoa!’
If you enjoy any type of supernatural, thriller, or just a good mystery, I’d definitely add this to your ‘to read’ list. I haven’t read anything else by Spotson yet, but if his other work is as captivating and heart-thumping, I’m all for it!
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March 5, 2014
Litpick’s Review of “Seeking Dr. Magic”
http://www.litpick.com/review/seeking-dr-magic-review-judge
Why would a person try to scare the whole world and then just disappear? Seeking Dr. Magic is about a former FBI agent and now a private investigator, who is trying to find a person who can move around the the world with in a blink of an eye. The private investigators name is Tony Hetfield or Detective Hetfield. The first event is when a person jumps off a 6 story building, does a somersault ,and then jumps back up, and gets away without even a scratch. All of this happens when Detective Hetfield is announcing that he is retiring from the FBI and opening his own business. This is a very exciting book that has a lot of suspense. What do you think will happen next?
Opinion:
Some books are just good but I think this as a great Book. This book seeking Dr. Magic is one of my favorite books and I am in 7th grade. It has suspense, a little action, and is overall a great story. This book’s genre is Fantasy. When I was reading this book I often lost track of time. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend and have already done so.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Content Rating: 
The post Litpick’s Review of “Seeking Dr. Magic” appeared first on Scott Spotson.
March 3, 2014
Really Enjoyable — Seeking Dr. Magic
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really enjoyable
By Hollie (MusicBooksandTea) – See all my reviews
If reading Harry Potter has taught me anything, it’s that I adore books with magic in them. Unsurprisingly, then, that I really, really, enjoyed Seeking Dr. Magic and its blend of sci-fi, fantasy and mystery.
Tony wasn’t my most favourite main character ever. He had his moments, but I honestly didn’t really like him all that much! He was almost driven solely by this bizarre hunger for fame, but soon learned that fame came with a price – it almost got him killed! He was very interesting to follow though – his obsession with Dr. Magic was the drive for the plot and he used all his FBI knowledge to solve the mystery surrounding Dr. Magic and his past.
Dr. Magic was an exceptional character. Seriously. I was not expecting to be blown away by his character, but I totally was. I just wanted to know as much as possible about him, and that definitely kept me turning the pages at a blistering rate! I liked his ending too. It veered very close to a cheesy happily ever after, but Spotson managed to reign it in enough to keep it satisfying without being too twee.
I’m not a huge sci-fi fan, particularly adult sci-fi, but this was one of the rare gems that grabbed hold of me on the first page and refused to let me go until the story was over.
The post Really Enjoyable — Seeking Dr. Magic appeared first on Scott Spotson.
Incredible Type-A Eccentricity
http://www.amazon.com/review/RWJQTUFLR3301
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Characters, Great Motivations, Slow Start
By The London Annie Press
This review is from: Delusional (Kindle Edition)
Sticking with it is well worth it. Scott Spotson does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention, it just takes him a bit to do so. The protagonist, Patricia, is developed beautifully and her character’s believability never comes into question despite her incredible Type-A eccentricity. From swimming laps at the start to the _____ at the end, you’ll never question that this is a woman you could find yourself meeting one day. The antagonist is as effective, but for more mysterious and downright eerie reasons. She is never developed like Patricia, and her background/abilities are never explained to satisfaction – they just are. In the real world where powers like the antagonist’s exist, the reader needs to understand why no one else has ever heard of such powers, and how the antagonist came to have them. That said, chills were never far away when she enters the picture and her actions and motivations are completely understood, if creepy beyond belief.
Hats off for taking a somewhat common plot and placing a special and unexpected mark upon it!
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February 24, 2014
“If I Ruled the World”– Review of “The Four Kings”
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2155B36CI3HQ7
5.0 out of 5 stars
By C. M. Lance
Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Four Kings (Kindle Edition)
If the world was completely messed up politically and economically (are we that far away?), and my friends and I had enormously powerful magic-how would we fix it?
The author has put a lot of thought into that unique premise. Numerous political/economic theories are laid out and reviewed for fit. I’m surprised “trickle down” wasn’t given play. The challenges involved in making a massive change over to a “fairer” system are explored. this book is educational as well as entertaining.
The character development is good, as it is revealed that wizards come from all walks of life, and their personas are shaped by their nurture environment.
The writing makes it a solid four, but because of the uniqueness, the way it made me think, and the educational aspects, I’m giving it a five.
The post “If I Ruled the World”– Review of “The Four Kings” appeared first on Scott Spotson.
February 21, 2014
“The Acolytes of Crane” on sale! (Book that I Edited)
Try this, on Noise Trade… a new concept where you tip the author to thank him for his work! How cool is that! The minimum is $1, but anything higher is optional.
http://books.noisetrade.com/jdtew/the-acolytes-of-crane
The book selected is “The Acolytes of Crane,” which is a coming-of-age science fiction adventure. If you loved “Ender’s Game,” you’ll love this book too!
The post “The Acolytes of Crane” on sale! (Book that I Edited) appeared first on Scott Spotson.
Wizards and Politics
http://www.amazon.com/review/RKVU7TZ0CUQF1
4.0 out of 5 stars
By Sunshine Somerville
Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Four Kings (Kindle Edition)
This was tricky to rate. I’d say 3.5 because of my personal tastes and thought processes, but it was enjoyable enough to entertain me and probably most people, so I’ll lean towards 4.
The premise here was quite unique. The world is a mess, verging on nuclear war, so what would it take to save it? If all-powerful wizards overthrew every government and took charge, would that be better? Wizards and politics aren’t things you naturally put together, but it’s an interesting combination. I really liked the way the Debate Days were used to flesh out political and philosophical questions in a way that let you think about your own interpretations of what would be right and wrong. The inclusion of famous quotes from several camps was nicely done. And I really liked that, despite this “perfect” system set up by the wizards, there were flaws and people left behind, which showed that no system is ever truly perfect.
The other big element of this book is, of course, the magic of the wizards. While they use their magic in an attempt to solve the world’s problems (which I would’ve liked to see more of), they also spend a good deal of time playing games. It’s these parts of the book that add a lot of fun action to the story, and the author is really creative in describing the magical games. The writing is simple and visual, and all of the games were easy to picture, many like something from Ninja Warrior. A part of me really, really wishes I could play life-sized, 3D Tetris.
As for Amanda, the human Mortal caught in the middle as Liaison, I thought the author used her well as things went along. At first, Amanda just suddenly appears in the story and you have no idea who she is as a person, what her motivations are for taking this job, or what she really thinks about the wizards’ takeover. All you know is that she’s a fan of Ayn Rand, which always makes me a little queasy. I would have liked to see her character a bit more fleshed out at the beginning, considering hers are the eyes we see through. I was often not clear on where she stood. She seems a blind optimist, and what she really thought of the wizards was hazy to me until the moment comes when she DEFINITELY has to pick a side. But, as her part in the story moves along, she becomes more humanized as she interacts with the wizards and, of course, falls in love. When things get really complicated, it turns out she is quite smart and capable, even if she mostly uses her feminine wiles to get the job done.
As for the wizards themselves, I liked the way the author exposed their mysteries as the story moved along and Amanda discovered more and more. There’s a nice, complex magical world here, and not all the mysteries are answered. The four main wizards seem like spoiled know-it-alls, which I suppose would be a side effect of being magically superior. Good-intentioned for the most part, they seem to think that their takeover is completely just. They are mostly likable characters, but they’re absolutely obtuse and can’t understand why people don’t love them – which is again interesting commentary on all-powerful, detached leadership, I think. I would’ve liked to see a bit more of the world as all this was going on, but I suppose the author’s focus was more on the wizards.
Overall, the writing is pretty good with only a few goofs here and there. I found this book entertaining and worth a read if you like to think about political “what ifs.”
The post Wizards and Politics appeared first on Scott Spotson.
“Wizards and Politics… an Interesting Combination”
http://www.amazon.com/review/RKVU7TZ0CUQF1
Wizards and Politics, February 20, 2014By
Sunshine Somerville
Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: The Four Kings (Kindle Edition)
This was tricky to rate. I’d say 3.5 because of my personal tastes and thought processes, but it was enjoyable enough to entertain me and probably most people, so I’ll lean towards 4.
The premise here was quite unique. The world is a mess, verging on nuclear war, so what would it take to save it? If all-powerful wizards overthrew every government and took charge, would that be better? Wizards and politics aren’t things you naturally put together, but it’s an interesting combination. I really liked the way the Debate Days were used to flesh out political and philosophical questions in a way that let you think about your own interpretations of what would be right and wrong. The inclusion of famous quotes from several camps was nicely done. And I really liked that, despite this “perfect” system set up by the wizards, there were flaws and people left behind, which showed that no system is ever truly perfect.
The other big element of this book is, of course, the magic of the wizards. While they use their magic in an attempt to solve the world’s problems (which I would’ve liked to see more of), they also spend a good deal of time playing games. It’s these parts of the book that add a lot of fun action to the story, and the author is really creative in describing the magical games. The writing is simple and visual, and all of the games were easy to picture, many like something from Ninja Warrior. A part of me really, really wishes I could play life-sized, 3D Tetris.
As for Amanda, the human Mortal caught in the middle as Liaison, I thought the author used her well as things went along. At first, Amanda just suddenly appears in the story and you have no idea who she is as a person, what her motivations are for taking this job, or what she really thinks about the wizards’ takeover. All you know is that she’s a fan of Ayn Rand, which always makes me a little queasy. I would have liked to see her character a bit more fleshed out at the beginning, considering hers are the eyes we see through. I was often not clear on where she stood. She seems a blind optimist, and what she really thought of the wizards was hazy to me until the moment comes when she DEFINITELY has to pick a side. But, as her part in the story moves along, she becomes more humanized as she interacts with the wizards and, of course, falls in love. When things get really complicated, it turns out she is quite smart and capable, even if she mostly uses her feminine wiles to get the job done.
As for the wizards themselves, I liked the way the author exposed their mysteries as the story moved along and Amanda discovered more and more. There’s a nice, complex magical world here, and not all the mysteries are answered. The four main wizards seem like spoiled know-it-alls, which I suppose would be a side effect of being magically superior. Good-intentioned for the most part, they seem to think that their takeover is completely just. They are mostly likable characters, but they’re absolutely obtuse and can’t understand why people don’t love them – which is again interesting commentary on all-powerful, detached leadership, I think. I would’ve liked to see a bit more of the world as all this was going on, but I suppose the author’s focus was more on the wizards.
Overall, the writing is pretty good with only a few goofs here and there. I found this book entertaining and worth a read if you like to think about political “what ifs.”
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