K.N. Salustro's Blog, page 21
March 30, 2017
Review – Time’s Divide
[image error]This is the final novel in the Chronos Files series. Overall, I liked the series a lot. It had some hiccups in my opinion, but I thought it was well done, engaging, and excellently plotted.
The nice thing about this series is that it doesn’t end with a neat little bow on top. So many things happened that a definitive ending to every thread would have felt contrived. Here, though, there’s certainly closure, but also a few threads that have ambiguous endings. And just as Kate will need to be co...
March 21, 2017
Review – Time’s Mirror
[image error]Amazon | Goodreads
This is another bridge novella in the Chronos Files series. I enjoyed it far more than the other novella.
This story brought a huge amount of depth to Pru as a character, not all of it likable, but very well done. She’s smart, stubborn, and more than a little mean, but she does have a good moral compass, much as she may try to hide it. Overall, she’s a great character, and I really enjoyed seeing new sides to her. And learning more about her motivations.
I wasn’t a fan of h...
March 16, 2017
Review – Time’s Edge
[image error]Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
This is the second novel in the Chronos Files series by Rysa Walker. I enjoyed this installment even more than the first book.
Reading the bridge novella Time’s Echo probably did help clarify some things in this story, but I think that bridge novella also destroyed the tension surrounding (Keirnan’s possible betrayal) towards the end of the book. Unless something really unexpected happens, I think the novella made the outcome of that conflict fairly easy to...
March 8, 2017
International Women’s Day #BeBoldForChange
Happy International Women’s Day, everyone.
While this isn’t the only day a lot of us take to remember, thank, and cheer on the women in our lives who embolden us, support us, and love us (Thanks, Mom!), it is a day that–and especially in light of recent events–carries more weight for a lot of us.
In the spirit of the day, take a moment to give a shoutout to your favorite female science fiction and/or fantasy writers. Or just your favorite female authors, if they write outside of those genres....
March 7, 2017
Star Federation Database: Mezoran Species
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For the indigenous planet, see Mezora [database entry coming soon].
A species that was self-isolated from the galaxy until recent trade establishment, Mezorans are a large and physically imposing species. In spite of this, they place great value on their ability to keep peace on their own planet, and enforce their policies through strict justice systems. Those unfamiliar with Mezoran culture will find all the rules and regulations of Mezoran society difficult to process, and visitors to Mez...
March 2, 2017
Review – Time’s Echo (Chronos Files 1.5)
[image error]Amazon | Goodreads
This is a bridge novella between Timebound and Time’s Edge. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I don’t think it added too much to the series.
The novella follows Kiernan, one of Kate’s potential love interests from the first book, and follows him from the time when his version of Kate disappeared to when he finds the younger Kate and narrator of the first novel. It’s nice to get a glimpse of “other Kate” but it’s really just that… a glimpse. I didn’t get to see as much of...
February 21, 2017
Review – Timebound
[image error]Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble
When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.
Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and her genetic abili...
February 16, 2017
Review – Sorcerer to the Crown
[image error]Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes & Nobel
I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads, but it has 3.5 stars in my mind.
I liked this book a lot, but ran into some trouble when it came to the overall tone. It treads the line between comedy and dramatic intrigue, which sometimes made it hard to accept how a scene was written. The climactic battle, for instance, came off as very flippant rather than funny, and it was jarring for me. It didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the book, and I preferred the intrig...
February 7, 2017
Review – Storm Without End
[image error]This is a really, really hard review to write. I like the writing style of the book and found it clear for the most part, if muddied by missing words here and there and some not great senses of distance and time. The actual content though…
I had so much trouble understanding what was going on throughout the book. In all honesty, I wanted to shelve this under Did Not Finish and call it a day because I wasn’t enjoying it. I wish I hadn’t jumped the gun and bought both this book and the sequel a...
February 4, 2017
UNBROKEN LIGHT is a Semi-Finalist!
A few days ago, I found out that Unbroken Light, my second novel and the sequel to Chasing Shadows, is officially in the running for a First in Category position in Chanticleer Review’s Cygnus Awards. This is very exciting, and now I’m waiting with bated breath to see who the five winners are, along with the grand prize winner in the scifi category.
As a reminder, you can pick up a copy of Unbroken Light (and Chasing Shadows!) from Amazon, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, and the Appl...