What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Mariah: A Calling
Who is Black Mariah? Jeri Asher and Chris Dixon are recruiters for the BLACK MARIAH program. They are the best at what they do, but Jeri has grave doubts about what has been hidden for years - the truth behind who is being sacrificed so the world can be saved. "BLACK MARIAH - A Calling" is a SF-Thriller novel created by the author of the "DEMON DAYS" and the "RELICT" book series. Original and compelling, readers will discover this new book series is a narrative roller coaster ride filled with wicked twists and unpredictable turns. The saga begins with the mysterious question -- Who is Black Mariah? The answer is at the heart of this first book and will end up resonating with readers who believe our future is at a moral crossroads. "I hope to read anything Finney writes in the future. His arrival is a welcome event!" - Ray Garton, Author of "Live Girls"
- GenresScience Fiction
234 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2013
12 people want to read
About the author
Richard Finney
29 books17 followersThe amazon bestselling "DEMON DAYS" Book Series was launched in 2009. Originally, the three sequels to "DEMON DAYS" were published as one book – “DEMON DAYS: Angel of Light," but have since been re-published as "DEMON DAYS - Book Two;" "DEMON DAYS - Book Three;" and "DEMON DAYS - Book Four."
I am also author of the PS Series of e-books on Professional Screenwriting.
All the books have become amazon.com bestselling books!
I reside in Southern California because this is where my three dogs have decided they want to live.
I am also author of the PS Series of e-books on Professional Screenwriting.
All the books have become amazon.com bestselling books!
I reside in Southern California because this is where my three dogs have decided they want to live.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 29, 2015
Since Richard Finney wowed me with his release of Drawing Blood in 2012, I was naturally eager to read more of his stuff. I’m not a science fiction expert if the story or premise is complicated – worlds which are too rarified have intimidated me to the point where I just “haven’t tried them yet,” but this turned out to be a clear cut sci-fi theme for the everyday reader. Perhaps it helps that I enjoy a side of horror or chills with my science fiction. And while this one wasn’t scary, it does hold mystery with it that has the potential to be.
The story is easy to follow along with and holds plenty of curiosity on what’s happening next without crossing the cheesy line of leaving too many obvious “read more” cliffhanger carrots dangling. I can’t say much about the plot safely, fearing to accidentally give too much away, but I can say it is a slow, delicate revealing of a bigger picture.
Richard Finney holds a knack for creating convincing, likeable characters without having to put a lot of excess wording in or use explained back history to do it. Of course Black Mariah stands as the most intriguing of the characters. Even if there is a surprising revelation about him at the end, he stands embraced in mystery most of the time. He gets less page time than one would expect, but this makes him more interesting when does appear.
The focus is on another strange man who has something wrong with him. (What it is exactly also remains a bit of a mystery, one I’d love to solve in the next novel.) The cliffhanger on that side story certainly intrigued. I enjoyed the humor of two other mains, Chris and Jeri, and the author purposely keeps the reader in the dark on their exact intent until the perfect timing.
Overall a clean, quick read that holds interest from the beginning, leaves a dusting of questions making you want more when it’s over and done with, but not so much that you’re left feeling frustrated. There’s plenty left to be learned regarding the characters, many questions raised, and all the mains personalities endeared them to me. Recommended for everyone to give a try, whether you’re a strong sci-fi fan or a mild one (like me.)
The story is easy to follow along with and holds plenty of curiosity on what’s happening next without crossing the cheesy line of leaving too many obvious “read more” cliffhanger carrots dangling. I can’t say much about the plot safely, fearing to accidentally give too much away, but I can say it is a slow, delicate revealing of a bigger picture.
Richard Finney holds a knack for creating convincing, likeable characters without having to put a lot of excess wording in or use explained back history to do it. Of course Black Mariah stands as the most intriguing of the characters. Even if there is a surprising revelation about him at the end, he stands embraced in mystery most of the time. He gets less page time than one would expect, but this makes him more interesting when does appear.
The focus is on another strange man who has something wrong with him. (What it is exactly also remains a bit of a mystery, one I’d love to solve in the next novel.) The cliffhanger on that side story certainly intrigued. I enjoyed the humor of two other mains, Chris and Jeri, and the author purposely keeps the reader in the dark on their exact intent until the perfect timing.
Overall a clean, quick read that holds interest from the beginning, leaves a dusting of questions making you want more when it’s over and done with, but not so much that you’re left feeling frustrated. There’s plenty left to be learned regarding the characters, many questions raised, and all the mains personalities endeared them to me. Recommended for everyone to give a try, whether you’re a strong sci-fi fan or a mild one (like me.)
August 6, 2016
First of all, this author knows how to write. Each novel he creates is an adventure in itself, whether part of a series or not. Each one features different worlds, unique, interesting characters, and exciting locales. "Black Mariah - A Calling", the first book in his latest series is no exception.
Whether it’s an alien artifact located in a Brazilian jungle, a South Carolina Red Wolf Preserve, a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, or a secretive government operative center in Washington D.C., there are plenty of plot lines to keep the reader's interest, no matter the preferred genre. This novel crosses genre lines with elements of Sci-fi, action, suspense, drama, mystery, even a little humor. Add to the mix a humanoid/reptilian alien creature who is able to mysteriously appear and disappear from one location to another, intervening in situations to help humanity like some sort of scaly superman. This leads us to the pivotal question in this book: Who is Black Mariah? Certainly not an invincible superman, for it has died before, more than once to be exact. In fact, there have been 11 different Black Mariahs…
One of things I love most about the way this author writes, is that the written word plays out in your head as if you were watching a movie. A 3D, in your face, IMAX experience type of movie. Take a smooth as satin plot, add action and suspense, stir in a wide variety of captivating, believable characters and you have “Black Mariah A Calling”. Make no mistake about it, even though the story runs as smoothly it does, the reader is not spoon fed; there is plenty of room for the imagination to work. The author has skillfully laid out the framework in this novel for future books in the series. The characters may not have been fleshed out quite to the extent which some readers like, but there were plenty of attributes and more than enough humanity applied to allow the reader to connect.
(Since this is the first book in the series, I’m sure from having read other works by this author, that in the remaining books our questions will be answered, with more revealed about the characters we love, hate, and want to know more about).
So I leave you with the question, "Who is Black Mariah?". This is where you, the reader, are a major participant...recruited into the mission to discover who or what exactly Black Mariah is.
It's a loaded question, and I'm not telling. You'll just have to read it yourself.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and publisher for purposes of a fair review. (Thank you Richard Finney and Lono Entertainment for the opportunity to read this book). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Whether it’s an alien artifact located in a Brazilian jungle, a South Carolina Red Wolf Preserve, a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, or a secretive government operative center in Washington D.C., there are plenty of plot lines to keep the reader's interest, no matter the preferred genre. This novel crosses genre lines with elements of Sci-fi, action, suspense, drama, mystery, even a little humor. Add to the mix a humanoid/reptilian alien creature who is able to mysteriously appear and disappear from one location to another, intervening in situations to help humanity like some sort of scaly superman. This leads us to the pivotal question in this book: Who is Black Mariah? Certainly not an invincible superman, for it has died before, more than once to be exact. In fact, there have been 11 different Black Mariahs…
One of things I love most about the way this author writes, is that the written word plays out in your head as if you were watching a movie. A 3D, in your face, IMAX experience type of movie. Take a smooth as satin plot, add action and suspense, stir in a wide variety of captivating, believable characters and you have “Black Mariah A Calling”. Make no mistake about it, even though the story runs as smoothly it does, the reader is not spoon fed; there is plenty of room for the imagination to work. The author has skillfully laid out the framework in this novel for future books in the series. The characters may not have been fleshed out quite to the extent which some readers like, but there were plenty of attributes and more than enough humanity applied to allow the reader to connect.
(Since this is the first book in the series, I’m sure from having read other works by this author, that in the remaining books our questions will be answered, with more revealed about the characters we love, hate, and want to know more about).
So I leave you with the question, "Who is Black Mariah?". This is where you, the reader, are a major participant...recruited into the mission to discover who or what exactly Black Mariah is.
It's a loaded question, and I'm not telling. You'll just have to read it yourself.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and publisher for purposes of a fair review. (Thank you Richard Finney and Lono Entertainment for the opportunity to read this book). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 15, 2013
I've received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"BLACK MARIAH - A Calling" is the first book in the BLACK MARIAH series. Think of it as the pilot episode of a tv show. We get to meet the characters and plunge into the mystery of Black Mariah, the alien hero... who turns out to be not so alien.
This is the kind of book where I can picture what I read with clarity - it's like a movie in my head.
I found the writing style very "clean", just perfect for this story. And the little bits of dry humor inserted into some scenes were great.
Another thing I found very interesting: the psychological games played by some of the characters. Psychology always fascinated me.
I would have liked the characters to be more fleshed out, but as this book was a kind of introduction into the action, we just get glimpses... My favorite was Chris, and I found Jeri intriguing. Rick left me a little cold, maybe because he was so perfect, but I know we are shown just the tip of the iceberg in his case. Martin Rhodes and Dr. Keller Bryant were very interesting.
I was a little sad when the book ended so quickly and I realized it was just the beginning. I knew from the start it was a series, but it's never pleasant for a reader not to be able to finish the story. Now I can't wait to know what happens... but I'll try to be patient.
"BLACK MARIAH - A Calling" is the first book in the BLACK MARIAH series. Think of it as the pilot episode of a tv show. We get to meet the characters and plunge into the mystery of Black Mariah, the alien hero... who turns out to be not so alien.
This is the kind of book where I can picture what I read with clarity - it's like a movie in my head.
I found the writing style very "clean", just perfect for this story. And the little bits of dry humor inserted into some scenes were great.
Another thing I found very interesting: the psychological games played by some of the characters. Psychology always fascinated me.
I would have liked the characters to be more fleshed out, but as this book was a kind of introduction into the action, we just get glimpses... My favorite was Chris, and I found Jeri intriguing. Rick left me a little cold, maybe because he was so perfect, but I know we are shown just the tip of the iceberg in his case. Martin Rhodes and Dr. Keller Bryant were very interesting.
I was a little sad when the book ended so quickly and I realized it was just the beginning. I knew from the start it was a series, but it's never pleasant for a reader not to be able to finish the story. Now I can't wait to know what happens... but I'll try to be patient.
July 18, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It had my attention from the very beginning and had me wondering what was going to happen next. I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait to find out what happens next.
May 4, 2017
This one never did grab me...?
January 25, 2019
Okay. Not great. Short. I'd maybe read more. Or not. Weird.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews