Chanticleer Book Reviews

Category: Reviews

  • An Editorial Review of “Candles in the Window” by Karl G. Larew

    An Editorial Review of “Candles in the Window” by Karl G. Larew

    Candles in the Window, by Karl G. Larew, follows a group of college students as they make their way through a year of school at the University of Connecticut in the 1950s. The military draft was in full swing, young women were pursuing college degrees in more than negligible numbers,  wives still had to have their husbands sign contracts for them, and homosexuality was considered a heinous crime.

    Candles in the Window is brilliantly told in a non-traditional manner rather like the storyline of the Mad Men TV series. (Keep in mind that Mad Men script was first aired in 2007 while Candles in the Window was originally published in 1999.) There is no typical plot line of rising action, climax, and quick resolution. Rather, the story takes place over the course of one academic school year at the University of Connecticut (or UCONN as it is called throughout the novel).

    This work chronicles what happens to a group of students who attend school there. The focus of the narrative is shifted regularly between eight to ten characters. The author makes the characters come alive with spot-on dialogue and pieces of reality from this era when society’s social norms are about to experience a great upheaval.

    There is one character who serves as the axis for the story, and that is the alluring character of “Silky” (aka Susan Schreiber). However, no one really seems to know her or her whole story, in fact, no one even seems to be able to agree on what her first name is. Nevertheless, she’s beloved by everyone despite, or perhaps because of, the mystery surrounding her.  Her story comes through in bits and pieces.

    When tragedy strikes part way through the school year, the students must learn to cope and several of them find they need to reevaluate what they hold dear along with how they define relationships and love. The conversations between them often wax philosophical, as conversations between college students are wont to do.

    Readers should be aware that the novel’s prologue sets the stage and framework for the story. We get the opportunity to see Silky through the different perspectives of the other characters as the story progresses.  Be advised by this reviewer to read Candles in the Window’s epilogue for a more satisfying conclusion and for tying up most of the threads.  Again, if you are a fan of Mad Men, (which I am) and how its characters grapple with rapidly changing realities and social norms, then Candles in the Window comes highly recommended.

    The novel cleverly documents the contradictory and conservative morals of the 1950s.  Readers will experience a world where female college students have curfews and male students don’t, unmarried individuals are expected to know nothing about sex, and religious tension is often swept under the rug. This novel intelligently and authentically explores the true nature of humans against the standard of this era’s “traditional family values” that come on the heels of the two great wars.

    Candles in the Window by Karl G. Larew is a captivating and intriguing account of young people who find themselves increasingly at odds with the dictates and mores of “The Greatest Generation” as they contend with new advents just on the horizon: civil rights, war protests, equal rights, and the sexual revolution.

     

  • An Editorial Review of “Fathers House” by C. Edward Baldwin

    An Editorial Review of “Fathers House” by C. Edward Baldwin

    Fathers House by C. Edward Baldwin is written for an uncommon reader: the thoughtful thrill-seeker. Often times the grotesque scenes are juxtaposed with people simply living life, dealing with paperwork, or stuck on a stagnate case they don’t understand. The villain’s motivations of power and control are clearly presented, and the number one antagonist holds at least one insanity card in his hand. The push and pull of villains in the shadows gives the reader a sense that the main characters lack free will and are rudderless. All these elements make this an engrossing novel, but some may find the horrific-ness of some of the scenes difficult to read.

    Fathers House centers on the dealings of a crime syndicate and its infiltration at all levels of what seems like a pleasant, law-abiding city in the South. The reader is quickly introduced to Fathers House, a halfway home for delinquent and orphaned youth in Duraleigh, N.C.

    Baldwin introduces a large cast of characters who will weave the plot twists and turns in his opening chapters.  Reading the first few chapters that set-up the story may be daunting, but do read on.  However, once the reader pushes through, the story picks up pace while the tension ratchets up at breakneck speed.

    Our protagonist is Ben Lovison, an assistant district attorney who is touted as a community role model, in part due to his humble beginnings as an orphan in Fathers House and a shining example of Mayo Fathers’ community work. Lovison, who was abandoned by his father, is now an expecting father of twins. The reader receives brief flashes of what Lovision tries to expect parenthood to be like without the benefit of parents to emulate except for Mayo Fathers.  Fatherhood in one way or another is a central theme throughout the work.

    The plot initially focuses on Lovison’s investigation of Cain Simmons, a teenage rapper at Fathers House indicted in the murder of another young man.  Lovison is half detective, half lawyer, and more than competent at his job. But after Cain’s apparent suicide, Lovison begins wandering without direction, unsure now that he has no one to prosecute.

    The narrative slides between adults working for Fathers Disciples, adults supposedly working for the good of society, adults working for the law, and finally the children who are at their mercy.  Each character is trapped in a world where no one is trustworthy once their illusions are shattered.

    Ben Lovison’s world is crushed as he discovers the dark truth behind his boyhood foster home, his mother’s murder, and the disappearance of his own father.  As the novel continues, it becomes clear that it is not about any one character, but the effects the Fathers Disciples have on those whose lives they try to control and wield power over.

    The Fathers Disciples’ development as a crime syndicate works well. The disciples decide which youths they will use for the syndicate and which are the ones who will go out into the world as Lovison did, thereby, keeping up the façade for Mayo Fathers, the owner of the house and its hidden torture chamber. Lovison somehow stays on the Fathers Disciples’ radar as a potential threat, but they deem Lovison as just a fly on the wall.

    The twists and turns of Fathers House will satisfy readers who find non-obvious connections connecting devilishly amusing. Juxtaposition of the bribery, murders, and power plays against Baldwin’s subliminal questioning of free will and what really drives all of our lives is not highlighted in an initial reading, but in the undercurrent subtext. This is yet another example of how Baldwin’s story engages the reader in unexpected ways. Parts like the end, which will not satisfy all readers (blink and you will miss it), are balanced by a well thought-out story arc, and the slow reveal of the darkness everyone is capable of holding in their secret heart.

    Fathers House is a bloody and suspenseful debut thriller by C. Edward Baldwin that deals with the brutal undercurrents of crime in modern society.

  • An Editorial Review of “The Immortal Game” by Joannah Miley

    An Editorial Review of “The Immortal Game” by Joannah Miley

    Love bursts forth like Athena from the head of Zeus after a shy college student meets Ash, a guy who plays chess at the local bookstore. Ruby, a quiet pre-med student struggling with her coursework at a university in Portland, Oregon, hangs out at Athenaeum Books to study and indulge in the barista’s irresistible ambrosia bars. When handsome Ash challenges her to a game of chess, she demurs. She has work to do, and chess stirs memories of her late father, a medic killed in the war. Ruby wants to follow in his footsteps, but she finds it hard going.

    She finally accepts the undefeated Ash’s challenge to play. When Ruby checks his king, Ash is baffled and is insistent to discover how she beat him. The aloof Ash finds himself attracted to Ruby’s intelligence, natural allure, and lack of guile. Although Ruby embodies all of these attributes, she doesn’t seem to know it. Their friendship blooms. Against her usual caution, Ruby accepts Ash’s compelling dares of outdoor adventures that push her beyond her comfort zone, and these experiences change her in an indefinable way. She’s finding courage and she is falling in love with Ash. He reciprocates and begins to open up to Ruby.

    Now it is Ruby who is baffled. Ash has a first-hand way of talking about historical events, and he has wounds that mysteriously appear and then strangely disappear as quickly. Also puzzling is his relationship to Sage, the barista and owner, and Langston, an aloof poet who also frequents the bookstore. When Ash finally reveals his true identity—he not only looks like a Greek god, he is one—Ruby hesitates, but not for long. After all, Ash—now Ares, the god of war—has promised that their marriage will stop all wars on Earth. Already peace is ensuing as Ares’ obsession for war is replaced by his love for Ruby.

    Ares transports Ruby to Olympus, where he declares his love for the mortal Ruby and they petition Zeus to allow them to marry. It is here that the story’s rapid unfolding and unveiling of secrets is taken to a new level when Ruby is introduced to the various gods and nymphs and the opulent splendor of their homes and adornments. Here Miley has created an intriguingly flawed Olympus, one where vainglory and selfishness prevail; where Zeus is lecherous, Apollo scornful, Persephone apathetic. She makes these characters and their interactions come alive on the page.

    The story gathers speed when Ruby discovers that Zeus has forbidden the gods from meddling in the affairs of mortals or with mortals, for that matter. Zeus sets about thwarting Ruby’s marriage to Ares by going back to his old ways—he starts making deals with the other immortals. The immortals intervene, once again, in mortal affairs and stirring up the ages-old status quo amongst themselves. Before long, mankind becomes the expendable pawn in the immortals’ plots and schemes as the immortals form alliances for dominance of Mount Olympus.

    It is up to Ash and Ruby to save mankind and to restore order. Their quest takes them to Tartarus, a sunless abyss, where they encounter ordeals and the most fantastical creatures from Greek mythology: Charon and Cerebus, Chimera and the fifty-headed Hecatoncheires. The heroes’ ordeals are suspenseful and their journey adventurous as they experience challenges that lead to a thoughtfully crafted conclusion. This reviewer is looking forward to reading Miley’s next work in the End Game series.

    Adults, new and otherwise, will be entertained with Ruby’s experiences as she negotiates the intertwined worlds of mortals and immortals. Miley takes you from Portland, Oregon in a war-torn future to opulent Mount Olympus to the darkest halls of Hades as she keeps you turning the pages in this entertaining novel that successfully intertwines ancient Greek mythology with a contemporary story line that has just the right amount of romance, action, and adventure.

    A mythic twist on New Adult college romance and a rousing tale of personal courage, The Immortal Game has deservedly earned a place as a First in Category in the Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction 2013, a division of Chanticleer Writing Competitions.

  • An Editorial Review of “Caregiving Our Loved Ones” by Nanette Davis, Ph.D.

    An Editorial Review of “Caregiving Our Loved Ones” by Nanette Davis, Ph.D.

    With its compassionate, yet no-nonsense approach, Caregiving Our Loved Ones will be appreciated by anyone who must navigate the turbulent waters of looking after an ill loved one. I count myself among them, having served as caregiver for my mother, who has suffered from dementia since 2004. Dr. Nanette Davis discusses numerous caregiving topics, from transitioning into the role of caregiver and advocate to dealing with medical misdiagnosis and overmedication, even survivors’ guilt. She offers expert advice intertwined with practical tips and strategies that she has gleaned from her own caregiving journey, along with relating the experiences of sixty other caregivers who have shared their experiences with her.  Each chapter ends with key ‘Lessons Learned’—helpful takeaways for the reader.

    What I particularly appreciate about Dr. Davis’ guide is that she covers the complexity of family dynamics and its inherent conflicts. It was especially heartening for me to know that I am not alone in feeling (sometimes) less-than-altruistic in my caregiving role. She identifies the stages and transitions that caregivers go through (or may remain in), and in doing so, explores the forces that form our thoughts, actions, and reactions. She also reminds us of the emotions that our loved one may be experiencing, so we may have a better understanding of their perspective.

    Dr. Davis doesn’t shy away from the dysfunctional free-for-alls that can and do take place when siblings and family members are in conflict over what to do when they find themselves in the trenches of caregiving.

    Her suggestions for “parenting the parent” are particularly invaluable. Dr. Davis also discusses more taboo subjects that most of us would feel awkward about broaching, such as the difficulties of becoming a caregiver for one’s spouse. And she takes the time to inform her readers about the symptoms of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer, and other ailments, so they can be better prepared for their journey.

    From my own personal experience and reading, I would emphasize that Dr. Davis’ accounts and insights of the complex relationships between caregivers and their loved ones are right on target. Caregivers could gain much from her tips for dealing with the ongoing emotional, financial and health toll of taking care of someone who will never get better.

    Caregiving Our Loved Ones is a positive tome that left me feeling more empowered and energized in my role of caregiver. It has helped me set boundaries and given me new tools that I can implement today and in the days ahead. Dr. Davis’ reminds us that chronic diseases tend to have two victims—the patient and the caregiver—unless steps are taken by the caregiver to prevent losing herself and, ultimately, her health.

    I highly recommend this informative and compassionate book to anyone who finds herself at the crossroads of taking on the caregiver mantle.

  • An Editorial Review of “Fatal Induction” by Bernadette Pajer

    An Editorial Review of “Fatal Induction” by Bernadette Pajer

    Set against the backdrop of a national tragedy—the assassination of President McKinley—Fatal Induction by Bernadette Pajer follows Professor Benjamin Bradshaw as he scrambles to catch a killer. The year is 1901 and Seattle is a vibrant and up-and-coming city. Bradshaw, a professor of electrical engineering and a passionate inventor, has entered a new invention competition for a  device that will carry the sounds of a musical theater production through telephone wires to listeners in the comfort of their own homes.

    Bradshaw is unaware that a seemingly trivial domestic concern at home is about to sweep him into the underworld of Seattle. With the needling of his housekeeper, Mrs. Prouty, Bradshaw inspects a peddler’s cart that has been abandoned near his house. “Ralph’s Redeeming Restorative” is emblazoned across the side and upon further investigation, Bradshaw discovers a small and well-loved doll inside the cart that must surely belong to a young girl.

    Bradshaw turns to good friend Detective James O’Brien for help in locating the girl and her father. He discovers the missing peddler’s body in his own neighborhood and quickly realizes that the only witness to his murder may be his missing daughter, Emily, which puts her in grave danger.

    When Bradshaw finds that solving the murder of a roving peddler is not high on the police department agenda, he must rely on his own skills of deduction to locate Emily. Bradshaw finds himself delving into the seedy underbelly of Seattle, the wicked tenderloin district. Death threats are quick to follow and Bradshaw finds himself embroiled in something much larger and more far-reaching than he ever suspected. Bradshaw has something else to cope with as well—his growing affection for a young woman named Missouri, the niece of his best friend and a woman Bradshaw feels he can never be with.

    Pajer’s vivid writing takes readers to this exciting time that is in the crossroads of scientific investigation and innovation, when automobiles and horse drawn carts compete for the same streets, and the United States reels with political unrest and social upheaval. Readers will warm to the curmudgeonly and reserved professor who has a heart of gold and a penchant for investigation. All four books in the series have earned the peer reviewed Washington Academy of Sciences Seal of Approval for scientific accuracy.

    Like all important novels, this mystery has wider implications for the larger world than the story is set in. We posit that the Professor Bradshaw series is on its way to being considered a classic in the mystery genre.

    “Fatal Induction” by Bernadette Pajer was awarded the Overall Grand Prize for Best Book in the Mystery and Mayhem Awards 2013, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

     

  • An Editorial Review of “Unbroke Horses” by D. B. Jackson

    An Editorial Review of “Unbroke Horses” by D. B. Jackson

    I read the early pages of D.B. Jackson’s Unbroke Horses with a heavy heart. If anything could be considered even partial mitigation for the senseless evil, cruelty, and disregard for life displayed by Jackson’s first-carved characters—Civil War deserters Brevet General Ike Smith and his dull-witted brother, Private Raymond Smith—one might seek an explanation in the gruesome experience of the war itself. Yet General Ike shows no inclination to change his postwar life. He seems to have no different thought for their future than living off the blood of others. After killing two farmers for fresh horses and an elderly man for his purse, the two take on a partner, a silent mulatto named Sandoval—thenceforth, Private Sandoval Smith.

    The murderous violence reaches its apex when the monstrous Smiths kidnap the slightly built, fair-haired Matthew Stanford, whose preacher father they had senselessly murdered on the trail. Though only fourteen years old, Matthew grows up all too quickly in their cruel hands.

    On one hand, this is a coming of age story of a boy, Matthew, who must survive by his wits when he is kidnapped by the three vicious men. It is also an epic account of the heroic battle waged by one of the trio’s badly injured victims, J.D. Elder, who must fight a deadly wrenching conflict as he tries to rescue the boy from the sadistic threesome. It is a powerful, un-blinking telling of the hard-fought war between the bravery of J.D. Elder who refuses to give up against the cunning cruelty of the malevolent trio.

    Caught up by his own part in the violence, Matthew is convinced that he has become as evil as his captors. Matthew’s destructive attitude becomes his worst enemy. The question becomes, will he find a way back from the darkness that has taken over him or will he be forever doomed to the cold, ugly life of violence and killing?

    While Jackson’s excellent prose and poetic sketches help balance the harshness of the first part of his story, in the second part these are played to advantage in portraying the majestic beauty of Montana’s mountains, the peace of a flowered meadow, the fury of the white-water streams, the camaraderie of cowboy life on a cattle ranch, the dangerous power of “unbroke horses,” and the spiritual wisdom that an old Indian draws upon.

    D. B. Jackson’s Unbroke Horses has carefully chiseled characters and is written with unflinching clarity in short, powerful chapters dominated by taut dialogue and hard hitting action.  If you’re a Cormac McCarthy fan who appreciates western literary thrillers, this masterfully written novel is a must-read.

    Unbroke Horses by D. B. Jackson was awarded the 1st Place for Western Literary Category in the Laramie Awards 2013 for Western fiction, Pioneer, and Civil War fiction, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

  • An Editorial Review of “The Black Pelican” by Vadim Babenko

    An Editorial Review of “The Black Pelican” by Vadim Babenko

    Vadim Babenko is a master of delving into the mind and heart of post-Soviet Russia with his contemporary literary works. The Black Pelican, his first novel, transcends genres with its complexity of story and supernatural elements. It was nominated for Russian Big Book Awards and the National Bestseller Awards.

    Told in two parts, The Black Pelican, utilizes a borderline stark narrative style that does not follow a traditional plot driven storyline. Written with intermittent lush and beautiful turns of phrase, Babenko  describes his hauntingly bizarre world. Readers may find themselves wondering if there really are mysterious men randomly running through restaurants or if animals with unsettling purple eyes really do exist. Rest assured, every bizarre scenario where the narrator finds himself in is one hundred percent real.

    The story centers on Vitus, the narrator, who is journeying to the mysterious and enigmatic City of M., in pursuit of Julian, a former co-worker. Vitus cannot forgive Julian his sins: his success at work, his charisma, and perhaps worst of all, his triumphant wooing of Vera back from Vitus. Vera is one of the few women Vitus has connected with on an emotional level.

    When Vitus arrives in the City of M. he is paranoid, on the border of nihilism, and at a tipping point in his life. The one thing he holds dear is his secret–his plan to kill Julian and get his revenge.

    Soon after his arrival, Vitus meets the menacing hotel-keeper Piolin, and Gibbs, a man with only half a face that he says is due to an encounter with the Black Pelicans—birds that live only in myth for most of the population despite their very real and incredibly violent existence.

    Unable to find Julian, Vitus fears that he will fail to carry out his murder. Piolin and Gibbs quickly come up with a plan to help him track down Julian. Vitus finds himself going to the surreal landscape of the Dunes with Gibbs and a motley crew: Sylvia and Stella. He soon realizes that the group itself has an ulterior motive. Meanwhile, the Black Pelicans loom menacingly on the horizon.

    Inevitably, Vitus finds himself face to face with one of the Black Pelicans. His encounter leaves him scarred both mentally and physically. After the occurrences in the Dunes, Vitus takes time to heal and begins to contemplate his life.  What happens next is something neither the reader nor Vitus expect.

    Marked for life after his encounter with the Black Pelicans, Vitus must face several choices.  Shall he return to the Capital and his old way of life?  Should he go back to the City of M.?  And most importantly, what should he do about Julian?  At the heart of the novel is one man’s quest for fulfillment and meaning in an often cold and irrational world.

    Those who take pleasure in contemplative literary works will find Vitus’ scenes of self-reflection, philosophical conjectures, and observations of others satisfying. This novel reflects the emotional turning point in Babenko’s life where he, indeed, met his own Black Pelicans face to face. His writing draws you into the construct of this treacherous and threatening landscape and engages you with its twisted and gripping characters.

    The Black Pelican is a sagacious novel that is powerfully written. You will find yourself reflecting on the philosophical questions Babenko puts forth long after you have read the last page. We look forward to reading Babenko’s next work.

    “Each book is a separate universe, a cosmos with its own metrics. The only thing that makes sense in my life is nourishing these universes in my mind for years, and when they’re mature enough, converting them into written narratives, fixing their inner logic, setting the laws of their physics.” – Vadim Babenko

     

  • An Editorial Review of “Petroplague” by Amy Rogers

    An Editorial Review of “Petroplague” by Amy Rogers

    If you’re a fan of techno-thrillers, you’ll want to read Petroplague by Amy Rogers just for the breath of fresh air it brings to the genre, especially by its characters—all realistic scientists behaving like real scientists would–and a fresh plot that avoids some of the tired clichés—lots of murder, mayhem, and a protagonist who performs a series of almost superhuman feats, one after another, and emerges unscathed. If you don’t usually read techno-thrillers, this one’s definitely worth picking up for the same reasons—it’s different.

    Christina Gonzales, the protagonist, is attractive and has a pleasant personality. However, she doesn’t wear make- up, and she dresses with comfort in mind. She’s investigating a strain of petroleum-eating bacteria, like those used to assist clean-up efforts after the Exxon Valdez disaster, for her PhD thesis at UCLA. Her bacteria, Syntrophus, are different in that they are anaerobic, and they work in concert with other bacteria deep in crude oil deposits to produce methane, the principle ingredient in natural gas. She is also helping her thesis adviser, develop a strain of E. coli that will produce isobutanol, a good but expensive substitute for gasoline.

    Christina shares an apartment with her cousin River and River’s boyfriend, Mickey, which is near the UCLA campus. The real action begins when we learn that an eco-terrorist bomb, which exploded in an underground storage tank of an abandoned gas station in South LA, destroyed Christina’s pilot project and thesis. The tanks, loaded with instrumentation, were filled with low-grade crude oil infected with Christina’s oil-eating bacteria. It quickly becomes clear that Christina’s bacteria were also released by the explosion and have evolved into aerobic organisms that are gobbling up gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel. Also, out of their underground anaerobic environment, the bacteria are producing, not methane but acetic acid and hydrogen, an odorless, invisible and extremely explosive gas. This is the beginning of the LA petroplague.

    Cars, trucks and planes grind to a halt as Christina’s bacteria consume their fuel, while free hydrogen gas causes explosions and fires around the city. In an artful twist, Christina realizes that she has inadvertently passed information to the eco-terrorist. As the cast of characters continues to grow, Rogers weaves them into an intricate plot as the science becomes intriguingly more complex.

    Amy Rogers, a Harvard educated, M.D., and Ph.D.,  writes thrilling science-themed novels that pose “frightening what if? questions.” She grounds her thrillers in fact until the last possible second. Then she blurs the lines between fact and fiction. This is where Rogers well-crafted explanations maneuver her readers to become wrapped up in the story-line and with its compelling characters.

    In the interest of scientific literacy, Rogers added five-pages of technical notes at the end in which she explains the scientific details (with references, bless her heart) and distinguishes between and the  parts where, she admits, “I made this stuff up.” I can recommend Petroplague without hesitation to readers fascinated by real science as well as to my most science-phobic friends. The revelations in her writing will make readers feel like they are insiders in a field that only an elite few understand.

  • An Editorial Review of “Mistress by Magick” by Laura Navarre

    An Editorial Review of “Mistress by Magick” by Laura Navarre

    Alejandro Angelo de Zamorra—better known as Lord Calyx, the captain of the pirate ship Arcangel—is the Scourge of the Spanish Main.  The other captains in the Spanish Armada resent and distrust him, and not only because his mother is English.  His charge to lead the Spanish attack against Tudor England, under the orders of the royally appointed timid “Admiral of the Ocean Sea,” doesn’t sit well with him. But Calyx is a pirate, a mercenary who sells his sword and his ship to the highest bidder.

    The daredevil captain of the Arcangel, known for his amorous diversions, has more than the English to fight. Control of his ship is challenged by the conservative Spanish dons in his ship’s hold and, to his confoundment, in his own quarters—where he is outmaneuvered by the mysterious beauty his crew considers his latest mistress.

    His “mistress” is none other than the enticing Comtesse Jayne Boleyn, banished from court and country by her own cousin, the jealous Tudor Queen. Queen Elizabeth has taken Jayne’s son and given his wardship to her own favorite, Lord Robert Dudley. Jayne is coerced into infiltrating Spanish King Phillip’s royal court—and his royal Armada—as a spy in exchange for her son’s safety.

    Mistress by Magick, the concluding volume in Laura Navarre’s Magick Trilogy, captivated me from the beginning with its intriguing story line, along with Navarre’s lush writing style that makes every scene come vividly alive. She deftly interweaves the suspense of the impending Spanish invasion, the intrigue of two royal courts, the fantasy elements of fallen angels and the Fae, and deliciously pure seduction in this riveting tale of rivaling powers, deceit, and passion.

    And as if that wasn’t enough to tantalize her readers, Navarre’s cast of characters makes for a fascinating read.  Jayne has Fairie magick she can barely control, a legacy of her Boleyn heritage; Mordred of Camelot has returned from beyond the grave to reclaim his throne as the Faerie King, in secret accord with Spanish King Philip; Behometh—the captain’s black cat—has an uncanny ability to be everywhere and nowhere; lucky Lord Calyx charts his stars and reads omens; Arthurian legend is given a new twist—with fallen angels and the Nephilim thrown into the mix; and the fate of England is threatened.

    I was conflicted between the desire to languish in the smartly coy interplay and romantic liaisons between Calyx and Jayne, or sink into the sumptuous descriptions of the era, or turn the pages faster as Navarre deftly builds the tension around the impending battle that looms on the horizon.

    One would almost think these are too many story lines to weave together, but Navarre deftly does so with aplomb. She also navigates her way around sailing ships enough to please this diehard Patrick O’Brien fan.  Laura Navarre is a wonderful story teller who takes romance novels to a new level with her diligent historical research that enhances her stories. Her romance novels are a secret pleasure for those—do I dare say—who consider themselves not the typical romance novel readers.

    Make no mistake about it, the Magick Trilogy series are not YA novels. You may want to have your own Venetian lace fan close at hand when devouring these rapturously delicious books.

    “They were captor and captive, Spanish and English, ruthless pirate and reluctant spy….There was only tonight. Then they were enemies once more.”

     

  • An Editorial Review of “The Honest Look” by Jennifer L. Rohn

    An Editorial Review of “The Honest Look” by Jennifer L. Rohn

    In The Honest Look, Jennifer L. Rohn has given life, as only a writer can, to one of the most important aspects of scientific research and science itself—the human aspect. For that reason alone, it is a significant novel about science, but it is also a very beautiful and touching story. The Honest Look could dramatically change the way readers who are not scientists understand the scientific method and what scientists must do in their pursuit of ground breaking research.

    When Claire Cyrus arrives in Amsterdam to begin her job as a senior scientist at a biotech start-up called Neurosys, she is immediately perceived as an interloper by her peers. She quickly falls in love with Amsterdam, only to realize after she takes an apartment there that, while the city is a great tourist destination, it’s not a comfortable place for most expats.

    Undaunted, Claire, perceived as an offbeat prodigy, responds to her outcast status by disappearing into her work, putting in long hours and often sleeping overnight in an armchair she commandeers for her lab. Enterprise and hard work seem to  pay off. She demonstrates that she can ready the company’s only drug to begin its Phase I clinical testing. Simultaneously, a most unlikely romance develops with one of the firm’s principals. But then, just when the success of her contributions promises to solidify her place in the company, she accidentally finds something that doesn’t fit into the working hypothesis on which the company’s only drug is predicated.

    What makes Rohn’s book so noteworthy is that it turns a negative result into a vivid human drama. Most of the time scientists focus on finding evidence that “supports” a general hypothesis, theory or principle, but they also understand that a single negative finding can ruin the generality of every principle and theory in science.

    When a slip of Claire’s thumb takes a sample outside the cells she’s studying, her curiosity and belief in the scientific method lead her to run the incidental sample through her apparatus instead of disposing of it. To her surprise, the analysis doesn’t come out the way the Universal Aggregation Principle predicts it should. And if the principle isn’t true, then Neurosys’ only drug shouldn’t work.

    Now what?  This is where research can get either nasty or exciting, and for Claire, it is both.

    Rohn’s sensitive and perceptive handling of characters’ feelings, a complicated love triangle,  evocative descriptions of Amsterdam, and a realistic glimpse of the daunting years that young scientists must endure to make their reputations add up to a compelling  and engaging read.

    The Honest Look by Jennifer L. Rohn is a thought provoking and riveting  “Lab Lit” novel that draws you into this specialized world and the competitive environment of research scientists.  Highly recommended.