A Review of Three Very Different Books
The Devil You Know by Ninette Kelly
When does a cop get lucky?
When he’s really a vampire and he’s investigating a number of deaths at a party frequented by vampires.
How is that lucky?
Because he can interview one of the dead in the morgue and find out what happened.
How can he do that if the witness is dead?
Because during the revelry, she died and was turned into a vampire by one of the vampires.
Are you still with me?
Come on, keep up.
Of course she didn’t know she’d been turned into a vampire until she rose from the dead in a refrigerator in the morgue. It was then that she learned from the detective a few things about vampires. Like the fact that most new ones lisp – getting used to the fangs you see.
The new vampire refuses to confide in the detective until he bribes her with a bag of blood Then she spills. Not the blood, but what happened at the orgy.
The detective, having got what he wanted, tells the new vampire that her maker will be around to claim her, her maker being the guy that sucked her nearly dry of blood and then filled her up with his own. Strange hobby eh? And when he does turn up, she’ll be tied to him for eternity. The detective no longer sees her as his problem.
Anyway, the detective is not as free from her as he suspected, because when her maker does turn up, the story really swings into action, and the vampire, her maker, the cop and an old witch are involved in it up to their teeth – or fangs.
Never read a book about vampires before. This one, whilst respectful to vampires and their inter-relation with humans, is laced with a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek humour, which makes it all the more enjoyable. And enjoy it I did. A very short book at 63 pages, the story moves along at pace and could be categorized ‘a quick read’.
Order of the Dimensions by Irene Helenowski
This book starts innocuously enough with the fairly humdrum but happy life of Jane Kremowski. The introduction of a Dr Zelov, a work associate early on in the story heralds storms on the horizon and the author cleverly leads the reader into watching him suspiciously.
The work Jane is involved in is serious stuff and the damage that Dr Z. could do is pretty breath-taking, but the story is so layered that the reader does not panic too soon. He is led into mistrusting Dr Z by simple clues.
We are not talking about the threat that Dr Z may be into a bit of industrial espionage, such as stealing the latest invention of a new Dyson which changes the pattern of your carpet whilst cleaning it. That would be impressive enough, but we’re talking about something stratospheric by comparison. We’re talking about the existence of multiple dimensions, of people living multiple lives across multiple universes. And the intrepid Dr. Z is not just interested in progressing this theory and investing in it heavily, he is more concerned with harnessing it to seize ultimate control of infinity and beyond. A bit like the guy in Toy Story, but more serious. In short, he is on the mother of all power trips. He certainly stands watching, and he’s Russian as well.
The really interesting thing about this book is the multi-verse theory. This is where Charlie Bray, this book reviewer, for instance, is operating within many, many universes. Looking exactly the same, with the same name, his path through life actually moulded by the circumstances of the many different universes that he exists in. Are you beginning to see the effect someone as ambitious the Russian could have if he seized control of the motherboard controlling all these elements. By virtue of the multi-verser he could shuffle people from dimension to dimension, making use of their skills to suit his grand plan. Anyone who was of no use to him would be left in limbo, between dimensions.
Well he does seize control. Several times. Each time he experiences extreme resistance from the likes of the hero, Jane, and her partner. The same Jane and partner in every universe actually. But like every anti-hero, Dr. Z is tenacious and just keeps going. Is he as tenacious as Jane and her loved ones. Does he win? That’s for the reader to find out.
An excellent book. A debut novel that is well worth a read. In any universe!
Marketing your book on a budget 2012 by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones
This is an extremely useful little book, which ‘does as it says on the tin”.
It is packed with current ideas on book marketing, current meaning that it is bang up to date with everything happening in this day and age, such as eBook promotions, social media sites, blogging et al. It even covers the likes of me, under Book Reviews.
Only thirty seven pages, but jam packed with tips that will help you market your book. Many of us have sweat blood and tears to write and self-publish a novel, and then wondered how we could get it to sell. Well this book will really help.
Marketing Your Book on a Budget is tiny for a reason; any author can afford it. But be prepared for the endless information enclosed. You’ll never wonder again about the best ways to speak up about your book, get free advertising, or learn why postcards can help you get the word out faster and easier than any other way.
Plus, once you have downloaded the Kindle version, expect yearly updates for FREE. Just contact them to register via the email at the end of the book. Never be in the dark again when it comes to marketing your book. See what little or no money will really attract!
