Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Action & Adventure

THE HIDDEN LIBRARY: Book 2 of the Isle of Dragons Series by L.A. Thompson – Steampunk, YA Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Isle of Dragons: The Hidden Library by L.A. Thompson is a breathtaking race to seize the reins of destiny and find a magical library that was once the subject of stories and lore. Jade and Kaylen, once friends, oppose each other in search of this hidden library and its world-changing secrets.

Demoted and dejected, Kaylen reels from her valiant but failed attempt to bring back the final item that King Jarrod needs to fulfill a prophecy. The iconic stone remains out of reach. Kaylen is summoned for an audience with the king. A glimmer of hope for the future flickers, but the king demands an even more ambitious mission of her. He will restore her rank and honors if she finds for him the mysterious hidden library that can open a gateway between worlds. It’s a deadly challenge that will once again pit her against an old friend.

Jade summons all her strength and courage with others who stand against the king who has made her family suffer. When she and Kaylen clash, sparks will ignite as hot as a dragon’s roar.

The king’s final, harrowing order troubles Kaylen as she embarks on her quest. She is to kill her shapeshifter friend Drey after he’s helped her find the hidden library. Is Kaylen willing to sacrifice so much for her king? Can she even find what she seeks for her people and for herself, or will Jade find a key to winning the war against King Jarrod?

The spirit library of The Isle of Dragons was once in water dragon territory, but the guardian spirit has now moved to a secret location on the isle. Jade and her small band search for this new location. They might have to sacrifice the magical stone they use as a tool in taming dragons, but it will be worth the brilliant goal they seek, a better world.

Kaylen hopes to release new magic from the library to birth an era that she believes will be free forever of famine or plague. From two different directions, Kaylen and Jade pursue the vision of a beacon of hope, but at cross purposes how can this quest end?

Author L. A. Thompson tells a soaring adventure on the backs of towering dragons full of personality. This fast-paced story proves a dramatic sequel in the Isle of Dragon series.

Determined, inspiring characters battle on despite their sorrows, setbacks, and weaknesses. They accept terrifying challenges for the good of their people. The Isle and its people are imaginative and fleshed out, bringing the world to life. The characters’ kindness in moments of desperation, and their bravery in facing the unknown will stir empathy and concern in readers. Can these intrepid heroes stay resolute, and unite to see a brighter future?

January 4, 2023
FRUIT Of The POISONOUS TREE: Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series Book 1 by Norm Harris – Global Thriller, International Mystery, Action Adventure

A string of riddles awaits Military heroes in Fruit of the Poisonous Tree – a mystery that unravels into an adventurous and jarring epic of divergent national issues by Norm Harris.

JAG officer Faydra “Fay” Green opens a new investigation when Marine war hero Simon Lee is charged with the murder of Navy SEAL Paul Charma. Fay tries to demonstrate her worth as an investigator and prove that she is more than just the daughter of a former United States President. As she works her way through this challenging case, she will reveal a shady picture of government and military intrigue.

Despite Fay’s duty restricting her investigation, she can’t leave any inscrutable stone unturned.

Fay, believing Linn to be a victim of circumstance, turns to a clandestine mission to discover the true murderer. Constant roadblocks prove that forces are pushing back against her questioning Simon’s guilt. Among other mysteries, Fay couldn’t get her hands on Charma’s autopsy records and his remains are released by a Navy personnel who does not appear in any records.

On another canvas of the thriller, the sinking of the frigate USS Jonathan Carr in North Korean sea territory shakes the peace between the two countries; one sailor died under questionable circumstances.

In the midst of unraveling the Charma case, Fay becomes embroiled in this other investigation. Several questions loom as she departs for Seoul to examine the “accidental” death of the sailor: what was that ship doing in North Korean waters? And how is this incident related to the escalation of biological warfare between multiple nations? As Fay struggles to make sense of two mind-boggling cases, the question arises: Are these cases somehow connected?

Across the sea, Egan Fetcher, Navy sailor and commander of Nalon Vet, the Navy’s ghost ship, is on sea trials for 28 days, unaware of the storm that awaits him. As Fetcher’s journey intersects with Fay’s, the hazy fate of the ghost ship becomes obvious. They embark on a voyage that will decide the peace of nations on the verge of war, among intrigue, shady politics, and death threats.

Fay is a modern-day heroine.

In her bearing, she displays strength and determination with a powerful independent streak that adds to her knowledge and confidence. Clever, charming, and lovable as well as professional, Fay strikes a personal balance. In advancing the book’s theme, she faces the dystopian elements of today’s world, where power triumphs over truth, and the daunting struggle against it.

Author Norm Harris offers a detailed picture of military personnel’s style and demeanor, reflecting his experience in military service.

This thriller’s tone is as exciting as it is serious. Its plot comprises a casual sequence of behind-the-scenes dark deals under an outwardly tranquil civilization, with complex politics, rackets, and black ops agreements. However, this mixture of mystery, political intrigue, and crime thriller does not obscure the plot’s humorous and romantic undertones. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree features the delicate romance between Petty Officer Pearce and Navy Captain Fletcher, as well as Fay’s delightful and hilarious relationship with her sister, offering refreshing and cheerful moments.

Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is a nail-biting military thriller that will captivate enthusiasts of national conflicts and military operations. Its intricate plot resembles George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four in its themes of control of information and diabolic misuse of technology.

November 21, 2022
REQUIEM For A QUEEN by Kaylin McFarren – Paranormal Suspense, Action & Adventure, Occult Fiction

To what lengths will a person go when ultimate power is within reach? Requiem For A Queen by Kaylin McFarren explores the depths of greed that propel a daughter to defy her father, the Devil himself.

Lucinda uses evil means to pursue an equally dark end, the crown of Hell. How can this woman be stopped, and an innocent child she’s stolen away be saved? Is there anyone willing to step forward, and muster the strength to stand up against the destructive battle between the Devil and his daughter?

Samara, a hybrid between angel and demon, can only save her abducted son by stepping into that battle.

Though she feels alone and powerless, Samara is determined. She refuses to reveal her location or seek help after escaping brutal imprisonment by the Devil, who raped her. Pregnant, and now in labor, Samara secretly delivers the Devil’s son and remains in hiding. Her baby is the most precious being to her; she’ll do anything to protect him, and she celebrates him as he grows. As she finds happiness, Samara becomes interested in an intriguing, handsome being who rescued her from drowning.

That joy is torn apart the day her son disappears. Lucinda has found him and decides to eliminate the only other living heir to their father’s throne.

Samara has now lost all she loves. She cannot seek help from her own family, or the Devil will execute his threats against them. So, she begins an anguished search alone, but Lucinda is devious and cunning, keeping a step ahead of her.

Samara has a terrible decision to make. Will she return to the Devil, seeking his help to find their son? What life will that leave for them both? Or, as a half-demon herself, she could try to stoke her powers, in defense of her family. Can she find her son and win him back before he is destroyed? Or will he manage to break free on his own?

Author Kaylin McFarren has created an emotional clash of wills in this third installment of the Gehenna series.

In this book, the three fervent opponents fight to win regardless of the consequences. They utilize every weapon available, unwilling to back down, in this incredible fight to discover the true value of family devotion and personal redemption. The reader is thrust into the midst of a page-turning journey, examining the darkest crevices of the nature of evil, particularly in the Devil’s actions.

Yet, Samara is part demon, and Lucinda is the Devil’s daughter. Both women struggle with their emotions, and their choices to act on the powers available to them. McFarren artfully creates a Lucifer who struggles as well, in his case, against glimpses of sweeter desires that do not fit his devilish and demonic self. These characters do not fight only external foes, but also internal forces, creating a compelling story of good versus evil that springs from within as well as from without.

November 9, 2022
TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan by Blue Spruell, illustrated by Miya Outlaw – Japanese Mythology, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

Adventure, classic tales, fantasy, and exciting action combine in TARO: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan, a well-poised debut novel by award-winning author Blue Spruell.

In the turbulent final decades of the sixteenth century, feudal Japan reeled in mayhem as the central hereditary dictatorship collapsed, and tyrannical powers fought to control the empire. TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan is the story of how one man revolutionized a nation by taking its reigns and forging a new destiny through his depths of compassion and determination.

The story begins with Taro as a young boy. As an heir to the Takeda family, Taro enjoyed reading, much to his father’s disapproval, as he wanted him to follow in his footsteps as a skilled Samurai. Tragedy changes Taro’s presumed destiny when his parents are murdered in a fierce power struggle, leaving him an orphan. Shortly after, a witch saves him from drowning and begins Taro’s new life of adventure, introducing him to a world of mythical creatures. On this new journey, Taro discovers shocking secrets about his lineage, and with them, his ultimate purpose in medieval Japan.

Author Spruell has written an enrapturing novel that brews literary art and imperial Japanese culture with the complexities of human life.

Imbued with historical elements, this novel is tightly plotted to recreate three famous Japanese folktales that will hold your attention to the last sentence. The graceful and precise prose careens readers through a unique period and place in history, with universal appeal.

Clearly, Spruell did thorough research before writing this novel. His enthusiasm and attention to intricate historical detail shape the plot, shedding a light on this period of Japanese lifestyle, society, and, tradition. Allowing the characters’ warmth, frustration, and hope to speak, TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan becomes a collective attestation to the fortitude of a people and a reflection on the initial stages of a nation’s history.

The feather in the cap of this novel is Miya Outlaw’s grand and enlightening illustrations, which bring out the spirited and energetic life of the Samurai, a world that is uncommon and unknown to many.

The atmospheric representation of disillusionment and yearning that pervades the novel makes this story emotionally resonant. Further, its crystalline writing and flow are cinematic, resulting in a narrative that defies the limitations of any targeted genre.

Indeed, TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan is a remarkable literary feat. Themes such as betrayal, deceit, zeal, and self-sacrifice are vividly evoked and provide a panoramic view of what it took to restore balance in power in a country that was almost torn apart by years of war and ruthless ruling families. Brutal and intense, this work is an excellent addition to its genre.

Taro: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan by Blue Spruell and illustrated by Miya Outlaw won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction.

August 10, 2022
The CRYSTAL SKULL: A Sentinel 10 Novel by Daniela Valenti – Thriller and Suspense Action Fiction, Romantic Action/Adventure, Psychic Thriller

Med student Amanda Griffith can see the supernatural world in Daniela Valenti’s supernatural thriller, The Crystal Skull: A Sentinel 10 Novel.

Over a year ago, Amanda joined a secret group of people with similar gifts, becoming a Sentinel 10. They fight the evil that normal humans can’t see. As a Sentinel 10, she strikes fear in entities seeking to harm her world. With the support of her fiancé James, a fellow Sentinel, Amanda has defeated every challenge – until now.

Someone or something kills lower-level Sentinels around the globe, draining them of their powers and their lives.

Wrongly accused herself, Amanda debates whether she wants to help the Committee. However, when the entity attacks her and her mentor, Basil, Amanda knows she has to fight. She finds an unlikely ally who bears a striking resemblance to her dead fiancé, Alain. He makes Amanda question her feelings for her current fiancé.

With her emotions in tatters, Amanda has to protect her best friend, Lydia, a Sentinel 4, when she becomes the next victim. Uncertain whether or not she can win and doubted by those she cares for most, Amanda decides to take the fight to the one responsible. But will she be enough to save humanity?

The relationship between Amanda and James presents a strange duality, fraught and uncertain.

James, a war veteran with his share of emotional scars, has an innate need to protect. His physical strength belies a significant emotional weakness. The ravages of war in the Middle East have left behind a neediness that far outstrips his prowess.

He often projects this neediness onto Amanda and disguises his over-protectiveness as love. James wants a wife raising his children at home, not saving lives in the hospital or with her psychic power. He becomes upset when she saves him, threatening the traditional male-female roles.

Amanda, though not physically potent, wields abilities incomparable to any other Sentinel.

Though she has doubts at times, Amanda possesses a mental confidence in her power. She knows her role in the group and her duty to the world. However, she still needs to feel loved and comforted. She needs that from James even if he can never give her exactly what she desires.

With a shared loss of their first fiancés, Amanda and James understand loss in a way most couples do not. They both know that their current love can never reach that of first loves. For a time, the relationship between the two creates its own balance. The two lovers metaphorically complete each other, not soulmates – never that – but the “next-best” thing.

Betrayal becomes a major theme in Amanda’s story.

At every turn, Amanda feels that harsh sting. Her initial betrayal begins in the first novel of the series with the death of her fiancé, Alain. Alain and Amanda shared a unique, eternal love. He was the first man to show he loved and needed her, and his loss causes a resonating pain.

The darkness within Alain takes him from Amanda when he takes his own life. Her soul-deep love suffers, and throughout this novel, she continues to feel it.

When she reunites with a resurrected Alain, she again endures betrayal at his refusal to acknowledge her. He denies any memories of their life together and physically pushes her away. This resurgence of love for a dead man makes her feel as though she betrayed James, an arguably worthier partner than Alain had ever been.

She spends her days trying to force away a love that cannot be.

Worse yet, Amanda’s feelings of betrayal extend beyond her love life. When the monster attacks the Sentinels, Amanda becomes a possible suspect. Despite Amanda’s shock and disgust, her beloved mentor Basil does not defend her. In the short time that Amanda has been a Sentinel, Basil has become a father figure to her.

His lack of protection when others attack her integrity makes Amanda question her own loyalty to the Committee and its goals.

After she clears her name, Amanda’s fellow Sentinels betray her with lack of trust in her ability. Even James doesn’t think she can defeat the creature who attacked them. The Committee’s twenty-four-hour deadline doesn’t bolster confidence in the others. Only Amanda knows that she can defeat this evil and overcome this betrayal.

December 3, 2021
SPIRIT of the RABBIT PLACE (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins – Native American Literature, American Western Fiction, Historical Action & Adventure

When gold miners discover Choestoe Valley, Jebediah Collins must fight for his family – whether blood-related or not – in J.R. Collins’ historical adventure, Spirit of the Rabbit Place

Fourteen-year-old Jebediah Collins lives in paradise, also known as Choestoe Valley, or to the Cherokee as the “land where the rabbits dance.” The Collins consider Dancing Bear, a Cherokee elder, and his relatives as family. They share with and help each other in good times and bad.

When Jeb’s grandfather settled in the valley after immigrating from Ireland, he quickly learned the benefits of befriending the Native Americans living in the area. Now Jeb’s father, Thompie, gives freely of his farm’s bounty to the Cherokee, who help work the land and teach the Collins how to survive in this beautiful but deadly landscape. Cain, Jeb’s older brother even marries Rose, Dancing Bear’s daughter, and becomes a full-fledged Cherokee warrior in his own right. Dancing Bear symbolically adopts Jeb, who shares an age with his own son, Wolf. Jebediah and Wolf become blood brothers, learning to be Cherokee warriors together and taking on any and every adventure that comes their way.

Their adventures take a darker turn with the arrival of gold miners to their sacred valley.

These unscrupulous men threaten their very way of life. The ruthless miners capture Wolf and force him into slavery, pushing Jeb to risk himself for the chance to rescue his friend.

The third novel in the Choestoe series builds on a theme of unity. Jeb’s family and nearly all of the settlers in the valley honor and respect the Cherokee who inhabited this area long before the settlers arrived. From plowing fields to hunting game, the Collins family and Dancing Bear’s clan work seamlessly, easily with each other. Under the age-old adage, “treat folks how you want to be treated,” Jeb understands that what he does and says will be returned to him tenfold. Though the white man’s greed threatens to change his home forever, he would never make an enemy of the Cherokee, a people so much more knowledgeable than his own. He trusts implicitly and without question, and with that comes the need to protect and love his family.

The people of Choestoe take responsibility for one another.

Their hearts beat as one; their minds think as one. When any neighbor needs help, neither the settlers nor their Cherokee brethren forsake them, chasing down murderous outlaws and helping free slaves. More people than just Jeb’s family show this amazing generosity of spirit. Throughout the valley, families return in kind the goodness shown to them. Mrs. England, for example, takes in orphaned children, especially those with disabilities and special needs.

The settlers not only want to fight for their way of life, but also for the ancient ways of their Cherokee neighbors, who the gold seekers and US government treat more cruelly every day. This community defines the emotional journey of Spirit of the Rabbit Place.

Spiritualism plays an important role as well, with a mixture of and deep respect for Cherokee and Christian beliefs.

Jeb’s faith often brings him comfort and strength, and many times, the Cherokee turn to prayer for direction and guidance on huge decisions. Though he fears evil when he comes face-to-face with it, Jeb knows the Great Creator protects him and finds solace in the idea that no evil can hurt someone who is protected by the Peace of Jesus. All of the Cherokee warriors repeatedly assure Jeb, whose Cherokee name is Spirit Filled One, that he should trust in and heed the voice of the Spirit that comes to him; that very faith not only saves him and George Black Oak, Wolf’s blood uncle, but also shows them some much-needed information in the midst of an important emotional struggle. This faith shines through in Jeb’s loving nature and brings light to all those around him.

Spirit of the Rabbit Place (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins won 1st place in the 2019 CIBA Laramie Book Awards for Western and Americana fiction.

Click on these titles to read our reviews of the first two books in this powerful series, The Boy Who Danced with Rabbits and Living Where the Rabbits Dance.

November 23, 2021
The IMPROBABLE JOURNEYS of BILLY BATTLES: Book 2, Finding Billy Battles Trilogy by Ronald E. Yates – Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction, War, Literary

Ronald E. Yates continues the robust adventures of a lawman, gunslinger, and journalist in The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles, the second volume in his trilogy about the title character.

As in the first volume of the trilogy, William “Billy” Battles addresses the reader, but Ted Sayles, Billy’s great-grandson, is the one who compiled Billy’s life story through studying his great-grandfather’s journals, letters, newspaper articles, tapes, and other materials. And what an adventurous life it is! Living a full one hundred years, William Fitzroy Raglan Battles was born in Kansas in 1860 but eventually travels the world. Readers familiar with the first volume will no doubt want to continue William’s journey with the second book which begins in 1894. The Improbable Journeys, however, can function as a stand-alone volume because Yates takes great care to bring the reader up to speed with what has already taken place.

The opening chapters of Book 2 find William aboard the SS China, bound for French Indochina although the ship will make stops along the way. He is grieving the loss of his beloved wife and seeks to assuage that grief with travel, leaving behind his mother and young daughter, Anna Marie. However, the Pinkerton Detective Agency is hot on his trail, investigating William’s part in the deaths of members of the Bledsoe family back in Kansas.

His future is also set in play when he meets Baroness Katharina von Schreiber, a brilliant intellectual who, despite her aristocratic German title and surname, was born and raised in Chicago. Like William, her spouse is dead but the circumstances involving Rupert’s death are suspicious, and she takes great pains to avoid questioning by the authorities. William learns that some officials believe she’s in possession of top-secret German documents that she confiscated from her husband. There’s much political intrigue, but Katharina and William delight in each other’s company, and he feels the first stirrings of romance since his wife’s death.

William’s journeys bring him face to face with the realities of late 19th-century colonialism. As an American traveler and journalist, native peoples expect that he will sympathize with their struggles against colonial powers. After all, America set the example for the rest of the world by throwing off the chains of England more than one hundred years earlier. In the Philippines, Katharina’s brother, Manfred, supports a secret organization that seeks to overthrow colonial rule and establish independence for the nation. And while William has great admiration for the Philippine revolutionary leader, Aguinaldo, William is coaxed into military service. He fights alongside American soldiers from Colorado and Kansas – even though he knows all too well that McKinley’s “Proclamation of Benevolent Assimilation” is not truthful; the U.S. ultimately annexes the Philippines not as “friends” but as invaders and conquerors.

These fascinating chapters are narrated with an experienced journalist’s objective and encompassing eye. Yates, also a journalist, does an exemplary job of having William note every angle of the despotic nature of colonialism and the vast and complex difficulties involved in native peoples achieving independence.

The book is not without humor. William is witty and candid, occasionally sliding into cowboy-speak, and he knows a cast of characters, real and fictional, who provide surprising hilarity throughout the book. Bat Masterson is on hand, as is Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith. We leave William anticipating more dangerous exploits, one involving Francisco Villa, better known as “Pancho Villa.” Thank heavens this is a trilogy because it’s clear Billy Battles adventures are far from over.

Ronald E. Yates won first place in the 2016 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Somerset, Literary category.

May 24, 2018
AIR of VENGEANCE: WINDHOLLOWS, Book 1 by Trayner Bane – Children’s Book, Action/Adventure, Fantasy & Magic

Fantasy takes you to worlds that never were or never could be. Good fantasy lets you live in that alternate reality while linking you seamlessly to the realities, the frailties of the human condition.

Air of Vengeance is the first of a series of novels for middle-graders and young adults and succeeds on both levels.

In a faraway land called Windhollows, two races live side by side, symbiotically producing different gasses, or Essences necessary for sustaining their lives together. The ability to produce Essence also determines everyone’s place in society. As the book begins, with no ability to produce Essence, nine infants become pariahs or Bare Pants literally from the moment of their birth.

Their inability to produce Essence is no accident. Rip Stinker, a brilliant but twisted scientist, invents a weapon that destroys the babies’ ability to produce Essence as revenge against the father of one of them for acts he felt destroyed his life.

What is fantasy soon becomes tragedy. Billy, one of the children, grows up in a household where his mother all but despises him for being who he is. She divorces his father, who loves his child despite his issues and sustains him through his miserable childhood.

The other eight are all abandoned by their parents at birth and shuffled off to an orphanage. The fateful eight band together at the orphanage and form a friendship that protects them from the worst societal prejudice yet still suffer the effects of their parents’ abandonment because they were different. They call themselves The Spent.

When Billy finally meets The Spent, he discovers the love and friendship circumstances denied him, even as they are jealous of him because he actually had parents. What they cannot foresee is the reappearance of Rip Stinker into their lives, whose plan is to take control of these emotionally and physically fragile young beings and turn them into monsters who will wreak havoc on society at large while staying under his control. Billy, who is initially overjoyed to join with them, sees Stinker as a Pied Piper and refuses to go along with Stinker’s nefarious plans.

Following the geography and the terminology of The Land of Windhollows is made easier by a map of the land, which resembles a bear claw, and a full glossary explaining the customs and languages of the various peoples who live there.

Bane treats his readers to various monsters, sci-fi weaponry, and a unique story that delivers an impact as its characters find themselves, variously, as outcast, then friends, and finally, divided by their version of what constitutes a better life: a path of goodness or a descent into darkness.

The novel ends on a cliff-hanger, with everyone’s destiny hanging in the balance.

Follow the links to read our reviews of Darkness Falls, and the third in the series, Axe Breaker.

November 29, 2017
THE LAST OUTRAGEOUS WOMAN by Jessica Stone – Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Life is meant for living – outrageously in Jessica Stone’s latest novel, The Last Outrageous Woman.

Eighty-six-year-old Mattie’s life is dwindling away at Florida’s Restful Palms Retirement facility but she has a plan—an outrageous plan. And it just might work. Taking advantage of a crisis situation, Mattie tricks a staff member into signing a release paper that will be their ticket out.

Each woman has a secret longing to be fulfilled. For Mattie, it’s a sea voyage as described to her by a long-lost lover; food-obsessed Dolores wants to honor her Irish heritage by kissing the Blarney Stone; quiet, easily dominated Edna has a dream of riding a camel—in Egypt; Rose never got to say goodbye, her way, to her deceased brother buried somewhere in Wisconsin; and Helen remembers how her two sons, both killed in military service, loved Australia, leaving her with the desire to go there and pet a kangaroo.

To accomplish their mad scheme, the women who will become known to the world as “the grannies” enlist the help of Edna’s young bohemian niece Katie, who will make connections for them—not just on flights, but with people in all the places they touch down. Sneaking out of Restful Palms with passports and very little luggage (they share necessities and take only one change of clothing each) the grannies head first for Wisconsin.

By the time they reach Ireland they have become a phenomenon on Facebook, and once their trek takes them to Australia, they have hundreds of thousands of “friends” who watch their exploits and cheer them on via YouTube. They become so admired by global social media fans that a dance is invented in their name, hoisting them to overnight Facebook fame—even though none of them quite understand what Facebook is, or even exactly how to use a cell phone.

But not all their adventures are fun. The grannies are hunted by a pair of greedy sisters trying to make sure their aging mother does not waste “their” inheritance and are swindled by con men who see them as easy marks. Their ramblings wind down in Cairo, but the reader senses that for Mattie, the “last outrageous woman,” the trip will never really end.

Each woman finds what she seeks, but in ways very different than anticipated, in this rollicking tale of spirit and spunk. One of them enjoys true love for the first time; one will get long-sought revenge; one will find herself while getting lost; one will let the experience of reunion with her departed loved ones carry her away; and Mattie will discover that the sea can have a far different look and meaning than she had expected.

Told by best-selling author (Doggy on Deck) Jessica H. Stone, The Last Outrageous Woman transports the reader along with the grannies, to exotic locales that Stone herself has explored. Both a skilled and imaginative writer, the author surely knows that her own exploits, borrowed for this amusing, fast-paced yarn, would give her the well-earned title of “outrageous woman.”

She also deserves extra kudos for showing that older folks are still fully human—capable of dancing, loving and celebrating life—while not side-stepping some of the undeniable pitfalls of aging—aches, fears, and memory loss.

Five run-away grannies prove that dreams are worth pursuing, life is worth celebrating, and you’re never too old for true love in Jessica H. Stone’s engagingly fun and poignant tale of women pursuing their hopes and dreams in spite of society’s so-called best intentions.

August 1, 2017
The GRAVITATIONAL LEAP by Darrell Lee – Post-Apocalyptic, Time-Travel, Action Adventure

In a grim, cold future world, a small elite group guards a treasure from another time in hopes they can somehow rewrite the past, even at the cost of their own lives.

Timo is a sharpshooter who, with his wife Alyd, guards the Tower, a bizarre ancient building in the center of their small realm where rulers live and ancient secrets are kept.

When Timo shoots down a nomadic intruder trying to penetrate the fortress, he finds an unusually beautiful knife among the dead man’s possessions and chooses to steal it for himself. When the knife’s true owner is revealed, Timo is not in danger as he and Alyd feared, but instead will be invited into the Tower’s elite circle.

Timo, Alyd and her mother Wen move into the Tower where he will work for the chief government official, Maldor. He is assigned to transcribe books from a time more than 500 years before, when their planet was not desolate and desperate—1963. This work, and what Maldor reveals to him privately, will shatter Timo and Alyd’s illusions; “the Great Plague” that they were taught about in school was something far more cataclysmic and sinister, bringing widespread death to a once-thriving planet.

Meanwhile, the nomadic tribes tired of being without electricity amass outside the Tower’s fortress, led by Maldor’s estranged son who rules by visions, signs and the immediacy of weather-related food shortages, to plan a surprise attack. They will storm and possibly destroy the Tower, little knowing its potential for the preservation of mankind. The masses blame Maldor’s crack-pot scientific theories for their plight and are insistent on battle. Only the sudden bursting of a distant star and the skills of Timo’s marksmanship can save the world…but to save it, everything Timo has ever known must disappear.

A debut novel by author Darrell Lee whose experience in the International Space Station informs the science behind this action-packed story, The Gravitational Leap is a bold but rational foray into the worlds of science and pseudoscience, a mix of nuclear weaponry, Einstein’s theories, and the always intriguing notion of time travel.

It is important to note that this is a post-apocalyptic story and not a dystopian. With believable characters and a mind-tickling premise: What if history could be reversed to avert a worldwide apocalypse?

Lee’s book also encompasses a touching romance, and the question of personal religious belief and its place in a society that longs for salvation. The characters recite Bible verses throughout the work. More could have been done to delineate presumed ethnic differences in the future world, quicken the pacing of the battle scenes, and there are long passages from a twentieth century submarine’s log that would have been better presented as dialog or broken up in another manner. There are instances where characters are introduced to further the plot, then disappear again. Yet, this is an intriguing work with logical concepts balanced by plenty of excitement and a surprise ending.

In a gripping tale that blends historical fact and scientific speculation, the hero of The Gravitational Leap must risk all to end the desperation of a failing civilization and spark the chance for a global reawakening.

April 19, 2017