M. Joseph Murphy's Blog, page 11

Review - Kingdom of Heroes by Jay Phillips

Kingdom of Heroes by Jay PhillipsI love me some superheroes. I've been a comic book geek pretty much my entire life. It started with the X-Men in the 70's. During the 80's I walked to the comic store every week, usually spending over $300 a month to feed my addiction. The only reason I'm telling you this is to help you realize I'm a bit of an expert on the 'genre'.

SYNOPSISKingdom of Heroes is takes superheroes out of comic books and mixes in elements of film noir and old-style murder mysteries. Similar to the George R. R. Martin's Wild Card series, a virus hits the planet and gives some people superhuman powers. Phillips skips ahead several years and gives us a world very likely to exist if this did happen.

Our hero is The Detective. A He is contacted by The Seven - a group of superpowered beings now running the United States. They want him to track down a killer.

WHAT I LIKED
WorldbuildingAt first I was a little nervous because that's how many in the DC universe refer to Batman. However, The Detective is a fully realized character nothing at all like Batman. The start of the novel is similar to the start of Watchmen - brutal murder of a member of the supergroup followed by an investigation into his death.

However, Kingdom of Heroes is not fan fiction. There is careful worldbuilding that makes it a unique universe. You have a sense of what is happening all over the planet without Phillips spending page after page in exposition. Instead, Phillips uses newspaper clippings, recordings of video, and diaries to fill out the world.

Crisp WritingThe writing is very professional: well-edited with strong proofreading. The pacing is quick, the very definition of a "page turner". I read the entire book in 24 hours. That meant no sleep, little time eating, and no writing. But I couldn't stop.

Information is carefully given to the reader. We know what's going on before The Detective which creates extra tension.  Phillips doesn't dumb it down for us. He tells his story and expects us to keep up. I couldn't be happier.

I did notice a few wrong word choices and have sent my suggestions to the writer.

Jay Phillips author of Kingdom of HeroesCharactersI firmly believe that character trumps plot. When you finish Kingdom of Heroes, you'll find the plot is very smart. The hero realizes the big picture a little too late which creates even more tension. But it is the characters that sell the story.

The Detective is a smarmy bastard. He's cocky and paranoid and, more importantly, a hero. I feel like I know everything there is to know about him.   Writers should look at his work as an example of how to create personality. There is nothing one-dimensional about The Detective.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKEPhillips does not use Chapters. There are very obvious breaks in scenes that replace the start of a chapter. I've seen a few ebooks attempt this.  Phillips manages it better than any other I've seen  However, I'm old school. I want to see chapter endings. It helps increase tension.

My other dislike is something typical of the genre. All the women are very attractive and love flirting with the hero. I've been criticized for the same type of sexism in my own work so, as I'm pointing the finger at him I'm also owning up to it myself. If you've seen any film noire, you know this is an expected element. Comic books are also guilty of this. What I'd like to see in Phillips new work is more realistic female characters.


CONCLUSIONKingdom of Heroes is a very enjoyable read. If you love a good mystery, you will enjoy this. If you've grown up on comic books and want a story that treats you like an adult and doesn't hold any punches, you will also love this book.

Links:
Kingdom of Heroes on Goodreads
Kingdom of Heroes on Amazon.com
Kingdom of Heroes on Amazon.ca
Interview with Jay Phillips
Note: I could not find blog or twitter information on Jay. If anyone has it, please leave the info below in the comment section.


I usually review about three books a months. Sometimes those reviews are part of beta reading so the review only goes to the authors. Others are for promotion. If you are interested in helping out authors while also getting lots of free books, please consider joining one of the following groups on Goodreads.
Modern Goodreads
Authors Helping Authors
Making Connections

Review - As The Crow Flies

As the Crow Flies is a solid, entertaining epic fantasy.  It hits all the right notes at exactly the right time. I can easily recommend this took to anyone who likes the fantasy mixed with comedy, tragedy, magic, dangerous heists and, yes, a dragon.

I received As the Crow Flies in exchange for a review. That means I have to read the book whether I like it or not. I read through fairly quickly mostly because I couldn't put the book down.

Brief SynopsisCrow is a thief pulling one last heist before he retires with the lover of his live, Tarsha. Unfortunately for him, realizes after the fact that he stole from a wizard, Baron Duzayan. Tarsha is captured and Crow is poisoned. To free her and get the antidote he must do the impossible: steal a dragon's egg. Duzayan doesn't trust Crow, of course, so he sends along Tanris, a member of the city guard who has hounded Crow for years.

What I likedLet's start with characters . As the Crow Flies is written in first person subjective. We hear the story through the mind of Crow. He is a fully rendered, complete character. He's humorous and witty as befitting a thief. However, he's also not as strong and ruthless as he likes to think he is. He's flawed but incredibly likable. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him I love him. I dare you to feel differently.

The plot is handled well. Like most good fantasy stories it is a classic tale told through fresh eyes . Pacing is also handled well with no real "dragging" points. As a writer, I also appreciate the way Lythgoe follows Chekov's "Gun on the Mantlepiece" . It states that if you introduce something early in the work it MUST be important for something later on. Without giving any spoilers I can promise you every single thing that is introduced it important. She also occasionally reminds the reader of items that will become important later just so you don't forget them.  It never feels overdone or unnatural. Instead it helps build tension and remind the reader of the stakes.

The ending is also completely satisfying . Every significant question raised in the book is answered and every character has a well-defined ending. That doesn't mean everyone lives happily ever after but you definitely know what happens. It also asks a few other questions which leaves me hungry for more Crow stories in the future.

Lythgoe also expertly works in worldbuilding information. She never veers into endless paragraphs of exposition. Instead, every time she reveals worldbuilding information it is believable and in context. She reveals enough to give you the scope and flavor of the world without turning it into an almanac.

What I didn't likeSome of the writing, specifically in the first 1/4 of the book, could use another edit. Several paragraphs are not as tight or cohesive as they could be. I noticed two spelling errors and there were a few formatting issues. The formatting issues could be related to the method in which I received the book and may not occur if purchased directly through Amazon.

However, none of the issues were significant enough to bring me out of the story and diminish the experience.

In ConclusionI strongly recommend As the Crow Flies to any fans of fantasy. I also recommend it to writers of fantasy to use as an example proper worldbuilding, pacing and execution of Chekov's Gun.

Robin Lythgoe - Author of As the Crow Flies
Links:
Author's Website:  www.robinlythgoe.com
Goodreads: Author Page on Goodreads
Amazon: Amazon.com or Amazon.ca
Twitter: @RobinLythgoe
Facebook: Facebook Site Here

Have We Become Too Nice?

Here's my ranting video on the state of reviewing indie authors and the need for more honesty.


Have reviewers become too nice? Are we suffering from Paula Abdul syndrome? You saw her on American Idol. How often did she turn to someone and say "That hurt my ears."

Let me back and say this: I'm a teacher. It's my job to look at people who suck at something and help them get better. When my students make a mistake I force them to say "Yeah!" instead of "Shoot!".  I encourage to look at their mistakes and missteps as a learning experience, a "what-not-to-do".

And then I look at the indie writing community.  I've seen several books that are very poorly written receive several 5 star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.  I've seen lots of high fives for ridiculous cover art.

So I have to ask myself: Have we become too nice? Should we be more like Simon and less like Paula?

P.S.
I have also read many good indie authors. David James, Helen Boswell, Chris Strange, Travis Luedke, etc. I could go on. I always post reviews for the books I liked but I haven't been posting reviews for the ones I hated. Hence this post.

Review of To Catch a Spirit by Carrie Pulkinen

I received this from the Modern Good Reads group on Goodreads. If you're not familiar with it and you love books, you should seriously consider joining. You receive free books in exchange for providing honest and prompt reviews.  Sometimes you get a real stinker. Other times you get a gem like To Catch a Spirit.

Synopsis:Allison Dupuis is a psychic who runs a small healing clinic out of an antique store in Detroit. She is also terrified of ghosts due to an unfortunate encounter that left her scarred.  While at the home of a Detroit's Most Eligible Bachelor of the Year, Logan Mitchell, she meets a ghost. More importantly, she meets Logan. The two form an immediate connection despite both of them, for different reasons, wanting to avoid commitment. When Logan becomes aware of the increasingly violent spirit haunting his house, he reaches out for help. In the process, Allison and Logan deal with their undeniable attraction to each other.

What I Liked.I liked many things about this book. First off Logan . At first he appears to be a typical romance hero. He's a rich playboy with a fear of commitment. He also has a heart of gold. He focuses on charities and investing in troubled business to help save jobs. One thing that makes him unique is the excellent manner Pulkinen handles his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . I'm more than a tad OCD myself. Not quite to Logan's level but close. So many authors deal with mental illness incorrectly. Pulkinen does it justice.

I also think this is an excellent example of the Paranormal Romance genre done right . It has just the right about of ghostly/psychic elements and more than enough romance to keep those fans interested too.  This one is not for children as it does have several detailed sex scenes. I have no talent for writing sex scenes. I have great respect for those who can carry the emotional impact of the activity without wallowing in description of body parts.

As far as Allison is concerned, she is immediately likable without being overly perfect. She is flawed and makes bad decisions. What I was most impressed by was how fully realized she was. I was completely engrossed in the story by the end of the first chapter.  

On another note, I also enjoyed seeing Detroit portrayed in a positive light. I live right next door to Detroit (in Windsor, Ontario, Canada). Looking at the empty buildings or listening to the reports of violence in the news, it is easy to forget there is a positive side to the city. There is also a lot of money in the state. So kudos to Pulkinen for shining a bright light on the good side of  Detroit.

Carrie Pulkinen
What I Didn't LikeThe last 40 pages.  It honestly feels like the last few chapters were unnecessary for the story. I won't give more away to avoid giving spoilers but there is a section that could very easily have been the end. Then the story took a detour adding, to my mind, unnecessary entanglements. Having said that, those more interested in the romance side of Paranormal Romance may find this section one of their favour sections.

I did like the last chapter. The book has a nice, solid ending that is completely satisfying.

In ConclusionI recommend this book wholeheartedly. Pulkinen's writing is spot on, the character dynamics are perfect and the plotting/pacing is very tight.  I will definitely put her other books on my "to read" list.

Important Links
To Catch a Spirit on Amazon.ca
To Catch a Spirit on Amazon.com
Here's the Book on Goodreads
Carrie Pulkinen's Official Blog

Review - Mythology by Helen Boswell

I first met Helen on Twitter (@HelenBozz ). I admired her sense of humor and genuineness long before I read her book.  At the time I met her I had a string of 10 other books to get through, mostly indie authors who gave free books in exchange for review.  I purchased Mythology 3 months before I finally got around to reading it. 
It was well worth the wait.


I read Mythology right after reading Divergent and Insurgent by @VeronicaRoth. In comparison, I found Mythology significantly better written and more interesting than Divergent. No disrespect to Veronica Roth. It’s simply a sign of how well-constructed and entertaining this book is.
On Boswell’s website, she lists the following synopsis for Mythology:
Born with an unusual power to see the dark memories of those around her, Hope just wants to be a normal teenager. But on the first day of her senior year of high school, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a transfer student named Micah Condie. At first glance, Micah seems like a boy that most girls would dream about. But when Hope's powers allow her to discover Micah's darkest secret, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of mythical entities she never dreamed existed. 
It sounds like typical YA subject matter. However, this is not your typical high school paranormal romance novel.  Hope is a perfectly flawed and genuine young woman. There is nothing idealized about her. She makes cringe-worthy mistakes and deals with real-life problems with a believable mixture of strength and fragility.  Ten pages in, Hope feels like a real person rather than a caricature.
I had a similar experience reading Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. The main character of that book, Rachel Morgan, is a perfect character because she is so far from perfect. She makes mistakes. When she fails, it makes you root for her all the more.  The same goes for Hope Gentry.  Near the middle of the book, you learn she has survived a horrendous experience. It is refreshing to see the topic deal with in such empowering honesty in a YA novel.  Judy Blume would be proud.

Needless to say, I am hooked on Helen Boswell. I look forward to whatever her next project is.
Links for Helen Boswell:Helen Boswell: Author of MythologyLinks to Purchase Mythology Books and SwagHelen's Goodread's Author PageHelen's Amazon Author Page

Viral Marketing Checklist - Restricting Access is Ridiculous.

A key rule for marketing: Keep It Simple.

Protecting your tweets is stupid. I understand you are trying to avoid bots; what you are actually doing is annoying real people.  If you want to have private conversations with friends, create a separate twitter account. Your author twiter account should be open for everyone to see, whether or not they follow you.

Having someone sign up or provide an email address for your campain MAY work if you make it worth their while. A smart way to do this is sending free ebooks through email. However, that is not viral marketing.

A virus should be contagious. You need people to spread it like the common cold. They need to be able to give (or share) the video with everyone they meet. So put the video where everyone can find it. To be viral, it needs to be on YouTube and you must allow embedding.

Also, like a virus, viral marketing is most effective BEFORE people realize it is viral marketing campaign. you want the video shared quickly. The buzz you generate should be about how interesting or entertaining the campaign is. If people are saying "Good marketing", the symptoms are visible and it is less contagious.

Viral Marketing Checklist - Comments Are Our Fan Letters

If someone takes the time to comment on your blog or respond to one of your tweets, respond. Thank them. These types of comments are as close as many of us will come to fan mail.

The real use of a viral marketing campaign is to build or strengthen the relationship between you, your product and your customers. For writers, your customers are people who read what you write.

After a long day of working at your day job, writing, editing or whatever else keeps you busy, you may not FEEL like responding. Tough. Suck it up.  If you want to be a professional, then treat your fans with respect.

You can even turn this into another viral marketing campain. Consider responding to comments by video. You could also consider responding to emails/comments like Joe Konrath does (Joe Answers Your Questions).  This turns responding to comments into a media event. Very smart.

If you are truly too busy to respond to comments, consider shifting your priorities. For any small business owner (which is what you are), ensuring your customers are happy is more important than anything.