Daughters of Terrafauna by Tanya Cousins

October 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DAUGHTER
Daughters of Terrafauna by Tanya Cousins
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (237 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

“Daughters of Terrafauna” follows the exploits of fifteen year old twins Sasha and Lilly. They are shocked to learn about a forgotten past, where their lives are intertwined in an ancient prophesy. A prophesy that, if fulfilled properly, will save not only one, but two worlds!

Moving to a new area and a new home can be challenging, but for Sasha and Lilly, fifteen-year-old twins, the challenges become even greater as they uncover a portal into an entirely alien world. They soon discover that they have a long forgotten past and that they are destined to fulfill an ancient prophesy which, if they manage it correctly, will save both the alien world and their own human world.
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Tanya Cousins has written an exciting story filled with wonder and terror. She has created an alien world that is fully realized and her descriptions of the terrain are rich and vivid. I really like both Sasha and Lilly, and I was quickly caught up in their discoveries. The differences between the human world and Terrafauna bring many challenges to the twins, and they were lucky that they met Wikan when they entered Terrafauna, a world where the slugs are large enough to eat the humanoids, and where they have to stay under fern fronds to avoid the birds.

The story is very engaging and the demon is truly scary and evil. The twins must kill the demon in order to save both worlds, and the task is by no means easy. Wikan and the twins soon discover that there are family secrets and the twins’ father knows a lot more than he is letting on. I would have liked more depth to the character of the father, since he turns out to have such a pivotal role, and I also would have liked at least a brief mention of what happened to the twins’ mother. They call their father’s wife Maria, so I figured she was a step-mom, but that is not really clarified until the reader is well into the book. In fact, for much of the book, the parents seem to be nothing more than a nuisance, which is totally in keeping with the adolescent mind set, but the nature of the father’s secrets are such that I would have expected more information.

The plot is very fast-moving and exciting and the dangers are real and terrifying. The conclusion is most satisfactory indeed, all the way up to the last sentence in the book. And that sentence is a real cliff-hanger that has me hoping that another novel is on its way! Fantasy readers are sure to enjoy this wonderful adventure.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Dame Topaz Treasures by Carrie S. Masek

August 28, 2013 By 1 Comment

DAME
Dame Topaz Treasures by Carrie S. Masek
 A Collection of Spirits, Ghosts and Magic
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (128 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Spirits, Ghosts and Magic: Five fantastical tales from the treasure chest of Dame Topaz.

The Topaz Locket: A stolen locket haunts an antiques dealer’s dreams and leads him to a woman in a coma and true love.

Special Delivery: A woman joins St. Nicholas on a very special Christmas Eve.

Trick or Treat: Two children, one witch and a magic “trick” that turns the worst Halloween ever into the most exciting…and terrifying…night of their lives.

Topaz and the Lucky Seven: In a world ruled by luck, true love may be the most powerful magic of all.
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Cybergeist: A haunted computer drives a tormented teen toward the ultimate act of violence.

There is a bit of everything in this anthology. You can end up in Hell, find a locket and love, meet St. Nicholas, get tricked by a witch or find true love that’s hard to keep. It’s all fantasy and the stories are interesting reading.

The author creates stories that are different. Each one has a plot that is fascinating and captivating. They all flow well, you hope the story will turn out pleasantly, and the last story is about being in hell and trying to escape the devil.

Ms. Masek creates stories that contain magic, love, life after death and more. They are entertaining and captured my interest quickly. My favorite story was Topaz and the Lucky Seven. A young princess is to choose her mate and potential suitors come to visit. Someone is making people sick and putting them to sleep and it’s not apparent which suitor is doing this. It seems there is no hope for a happy ending, but more than one person is joyful at the end of the story. Another tale I liked: Special Delivery. An old woman visits a graveyard and sits on a bench to wait for the next bus. She gets picked up by a unique individual in van. She also finds herself able to play guardian angel with young ones.

I found all the stories easy to read and liked the variety. I’m going to buy a copy of this anthology for my personal library because I was impressed by the tales and will enjoy reading them again.

Why not give them a try and see if you can figure out how the stories will end before you get there? She teases you with the story line and I had to see just how she ended them.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Necromancer 2012 by Robert Blum

August 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

2012
Necromancer 2012 by Robert Blum
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (256 Pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Plunged unwittingly into the events predicted by the ancient Mayan civilization, the thirteenth and final cycle in the aging of the Earth, preceded by great cataclysmic changes, David must solve the riddle of mankind’s demise before the sands of time run out on December 21, 2012. He is incredulous in learning that it was pre-ordained thousands of years ago, that he match wits against his ancestor’s enemies, the son of Og, the nephalim, wizards and witches. Aristopos, the ancient necromancer, is rivaled only by his arch enemy The Wizard of Irem, whose task it is to prevent the sealing of the netherworld.

David Kahane, an American Jewish archaeologist, suddenly finds himself in the middle of a riddle which he must solve in order to save all humankind. He has discovered Mayan artifacts in an Egyptian pyramid. Another scientist has discovered an Egyptian artifact in a Mayan pyramid. These discoveries are linked to the end of the Mayan calendar cycle on December 21, 2012, and unless the riddle is solved and acted upon, the world as we know it will end. David needs the help of a number of people so that he can defeat the son of Og, the nephalim, wizards and witches. He is aided by Aristopos, an ancient necromancer, and together they must fight The Wizard of Irem, who is determined to prevent the sealing of the netherworld.

General professionals don’t analyze growth – a pro does that – and the same ought to be valid for sildenafil for women buy an emotional sickness. People should take these issues into consideration as a serious problem and should go for an urgent cure for it. sildenafil canada Well, the issue is not always been a common topic of discussion; this includes food like chocolates, side effects levitra pistachios, ginger, pomegranate and many others. Massage your male organ on a daily tadalafil 20mg uk basis have seen much improvement in their sexual life. This is an exciting and engaging story with a lot of historical background. David seems very human and real, and I enjoyed watching him wrestle with two girlfriends, Israeli and Egyptian agents, and other assorted characters. I also found a number of the secondary characters to be interesting and enjoyable, especially Dalia and Aristopos. Robert Blum’s knowledge of the history and mythologies of the Middle East, ancient Mayan civilization, Japan, and an assortment of major religions is amazing. His descriptions of the various locations in the book are so detailed that it is easy to feel a part of the action. I did find that the pace slowed slightly when Blum had to detail a lot of history, but overall, the plot was action packed and fast moving.

Blum vividly brings the past to life. I found it fascinating to read about the cyclical nature of the Mayan calendar. Having just witnessed all the speculations surrounding the end of the three thousand year old cycle, it was fun to read this story about just what might have been going on behind the scenes.

Readers of fantasy, especially those readers who like ancient history, will enjoy reading this account of why the Mayan calendar cycle was able to begin again without causing the end of humankind.

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Frozen Treasure by Sean E. Thomas

July 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FROZEN
Frozen Treasure by Sean E. Thomas
A Robert Sable Mystery
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (323 Pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

An archeology professor, Edward Stone, and a friend stumble onto Aztec tablets in the Alaskan Wilderness that have the potential to lead to a vast treasure. They pay for it with their lives. Sable and his team are assigned the case, which becomes dangerous immediately. Sable finds corrupt elements of the Mexican government who will use any method to get to the gold first, killing anyone in their path. Sable and his team must bend the law by using extraordinary measures to stop the killers.

Two professors stumble across Aztec tablets in the Alaskan Wilderness, leading them to suspect that the Aztecs had hidden a vast treasure somewhere in Alaska. Unfortunately, thugs from the Mexican government come after the professors, torturing and murdering them without getting any information. Robert Sable is placed in charge of the murder investigations and soon a number of law enforcement agencies are involved in a search for the man behind a growing number of murders.

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Thomas’s use of Indian names and speech adds authenticity to the characters and the story. His use of technical jargon also lends credibility to the various enforcement officials. I did get a bit tired of all the anacronyms but I do understand that they are used in such situations. I also wasn’t entirely convinced that foreign governments would actually mount large invasions into Alaska, but it fits so well with the story that I was perfectly happy to suspend my disbelief. While I definitely wanted the evil doers caught, I would hope that the methods used would never actually happen. The law was definitely bent if not broken.

I liked the way the bonds between various characters, especially between Sable and his nephew Kyle, are explored as that deepens the experience for the reader. These people seem very real and I held my breathe every time they were in danger. If you are looking for an exciting mystery which explores the possibilities for Aztec involvement in Alaska, I recommend you try Frozen Treasure.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Secret Society of Sugar and Spice by Carol J. Larson

July 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SUGAR
The Secret Society of Sugar and Spice by Carol J. Larson
 Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Historical, YA
Length: Full Length (191 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Her name is Mace. Like the spice. And the weapon. At sixteen, she is the leader of the Secret Society of Sugar and Spice, a group of girls who are inmates of the Home for Abandoned and Orphaned Children and whose lives are only made bearable by their mission to rescue runaways from the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota. But now, in 1883, when the Secret Society is called upon to rescue Claire Sargent, a rich privileged girl who is being abused by her stepfather, their world is turned upside down and nothing is what it seems. When Mace’s father reappears at the Home and a gang of thugs searches for Claire, Mace, too, becomes a runaway and flees into a world where she must learn that enemies can become friends and hatred can turn into forgiveness.

It is never easy to be abandoned, but being abandoned as a child is incredibly painful. Carol Larson has written an excellent historical novel which revolves around abandoned and orphaned children in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1883. The story centers on the Home for Abandoned and Orphaned Children where several of the girls have set up the Secret Society of Sugar and Spice in order to rescue runaways and provide them with a safe haven. Naturally, since these girls are all living in poverty, they seek to help those in their same position. Mace, the leader of the group, is then severely tested when Claire, a rich girl, runs away, seeking asylum from her abusive step-father.

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Mace hasn’t had any chance for a lot of learning, but she is definitely “street smart” and very savvy. She is a natural leader but has a hard time when others disagree with her. She definitely has a chip on her shoulder at the beginning. Claire, on the other hand, is terrified and it doesn’t help that she has an injured shoulder after her step-father’s last abuse. Nevertheless, her father, before he died, had been a doctor and she helped him in his rounds. She too is a leader, and the girls only survive through some pretty harrowing adventures because of the skills she learned from her father. Larson shows a lot of sympathy for both of these girls, and she makes them very believable. I was definitely caught up in their story, pulling for them through each adventure.

These two characters play off each other well, and Larson has developed a solid plot with some nice twists and turns. The historical details are well-researched, and readers unfamiliar with this time period will not only enjoy a good story, but learn a lot about the time period. The ending has everything tied up neatly and satisfactorily. Mace and Claire both succeed in what they wanted to do and all ends happily. I had my questions in places, such as how the blacksmith managed to have so much money and how Claire’s shoulder managed to heal so quickly, but overall, this is an excellent historical novel which I can certainly recommend to lovers of that genre.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Speed of Dreams by Anna L. Walls

July 3, 2013 By 1 Comment

SPEED
The Speed of Dreams by Anna L. Walls
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (270 Pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

When all hopes of peace were shattered, Pilot Aaitt’Kaz was assigned to a new style of ship. It was built for speed and maneuverability, but Kaz had no time for admirations. Everyone was scattering, scrambling to get back to their command before being shot out of the sky. The ship had coordinates for him—and then she had sleep for him—a very very long sleep.

A hundred thousand years later, after leaving his refugees to their best devices on a green and blue miracle of a world, Kaz woke again. The last thing he expected to do was fight to protect the descendants of his refugees from the carefully-cultivated warlike nature that had led to the destruction of his home world. The only way he could protect them was to prevent the military scientists from learning the secrets of his DNA.

What if humans hadn’t developed evolved from other life forms, but instead they had arrived on Earth after a space journey of five hundred years, traveling in stasis from a planet that had destroyed itself in continual warfare? Anna Walls proposes this in her spellbinding novel The Speed of Dreams. After off-loading their passengers, the ships then were parked on the dark side of the moon for another one hundred thousand years, until humankind had developed to the point where they could make use of the alien technology.
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This story is absolutely fascinating. The plot is well conceived and developed. The pace is fast and exciting, with only a few spots where I thought it was a bit sluggish. I really liked watching the characters in this novel develop as the two cultures met. Kaz and the others from the distant planet are incredibly strong and come from a world with a caste system and a strict hierarchy. Watching them not only adapt, but also teach humans about what is really important was powerful.

Walls is able to portray the interaction of two very different cultures in a totally believable way. The fact that they are both human, or at least both started out from the same genetic pool, gives them a lot of similarities. Even so, the cultural differences are significant and Walls handles those differences with grace and tact. There is no stereotyping and the villains are not flat, but fully fleshed out characters as well. Each culture is shown to have both strengths and weaknesses, as it true for all societies.

I couldn’t put this novel down and in fact, I read it in one sitting. If you like science fiction and are interested in social dynamics and the achievement of peace, I highly recommend The Speed of Dreams.

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Phantom Harvest by C. R. Richards

May 30, 2013 By 1 Comment

PHANTOM
Phantom Harvest by C. R. Richards
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (369 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed Cyclamen

Gideon, a half-breed mutant with a surly temper and rotten luck, struggles to scrape a living as a tracker in the desolate territory near the gateway to the human world. Business seems to be picking up when Gideon is approached by a powerful dark elf with deep pockets and a serious problem. Human miners at the dark elf’s plant are being taken by an elusive predator. Gideon is pressured to find the killer before word of the disappearances reaches the human world, endangering the tense relationship between their two races. But, nothing is simple this close to the conduit between worlds. Archangel, a ruthless mercenary operating in the secret sectors of mutant society, has set his own deadly game in motion.

Surrounded by savage wilderness and cut off from contact with civilization, Gideon must find a way to protect his friends and survive to collect his bounty.

A dimensional rift, called “The Calamity,” shattered the veil between the human and mutant worlds. The mining city of Hawthorne is located close to the Hawthorne Conduit, the connecting passage between Hawthorne in the mutant world and Kansas in the human world. Gideon, the best tracker in the Mutant Guild, finds himself in Hawthorne on a hazardous assignment which has him eventually working for not one but three powerful and dangerous employers.

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As the quote from the opening paragraph demonstrates, Richards has created a complex character in Gideon. She continues with the other main protagonists, Hiroshi, Gideon’s self-proclaimed father who is also a werecat, and Maialen, a powerful bio-interator capable of destroying human minds with a touch. These three characters are both appealing and engaging as they race through the novel from one hair-raising adventure to the next while trying to solve the mystery and also stay alive.

It took me a little while to sort out all the names and species at the start of the novel, but that didn’t stop me from turning the pages as quickly as I could. Soon the characters fell into place even as the mysteries surrounding them deepened. Richards explores the relationships between the various species while at the same time keeping the plot careening forward. I didn’t discover the truth behind all the happenings until the end. Richards plays fair with the reader, but she doesn’t reveal anything until she has to.

I found Phantom Harvest to be a most riveting and exciting novel, and I am sure that those who enjoy fantasy will not be disappointed. I hope Richards writes more about this world she has crafted with such skill.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Portals by Barry M. Vass

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PORTALS
Portals by Barry M. Vass
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (268 pages)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In the year 2075, overpopulation has grown to unprecedented levels and unemployment is approaching 50%. Oil and most other natural resources on Earth are long gone, and forced colonization to other galaxies becomes the law of the land. In the midst of all this, a group of would-be prospectors crash-land on a distant planet, in another galaxy, and, with no real hope of rescue, begin to explore their hostile new world. And what they find amazes them.

The solution devised for an overpopulated resource-depleted Earth is forced colonization to other galaxies. The Colonial Work Force ships the unemployed poor off to colonize other worlds. However, their ships are old and out-of-date, and so it isn’t surprising that passengers have to board the emergency escape pods when the Perseus suffers a rupture. Danny and others scramble into one of the pods which then crashes onto a planet that is replete with dangers of all kinds.

Portals is an engaging novel with an interesting premise. I enjoyed reading about another civilization with the technology to construct portals capable of transporting people to different worlds. Barry Vass has an excellent imagination and the descriptions of the various diverse worlds are rich in details.
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I did find the characters to be a bit flat, reacting in predictable ways. Each character seems to represent a standard character type, such as the computer nerd, the gung-ho adventurer, and so forth, but without any real depth. I also felt that the complaints about the Colonial Work Force and its lack of resources were repetitious and overdone, causing the plot to drag in places.

Nevertheless, the story is ingenious and entertaining. I was definitely interested in the civilization which had designed the portals and wondered why they had picked this particular world for their base. I liked how Vass described other species in the portal worlds who were non-human, but very intelligent and productive. Vass also allows his characters to speculate on the nature of the civilization which produced this technology. I found it fascinating that some of the portals went to worlds that seemed to be vacation spots while others went to worlds where research was carried out.

All in all, I enjoyed this novel and I think Vass gives his readers both a good story and food for thought about the nature of not only our Earth, but the Universe as a whole.

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Blue Lights in a Jar by Brick Marlin

May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

JAR
Blue Lights in a Jar by Brick Marlin
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (192 pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewer: Astilbe

A villain called the Shepherd has lost one of his flock, a soul who he has collected and has stuffed in a jar, placing it in his room in Purgatory. A kind-hearted, plump fellow named Vergil is the flock’s only hope not only to escape the Shepherd, but to find the way to Heaven. Follow along as the world shifts into odd scenery of the afterlife where one encounters the dead – but not long forgotten.

Death isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. Whether that new start will be beautiful or horrifying is something the characters in this tale have more control over than they might think.

Vergil Grey has not had an easy life. As a child and teenager he was horrifically bullied by his classmates. In early adulthood he marries the first woman he ever loved, Wendy, and she slowly becomes verbally and emotionally abusive. By the time this story begins Vergil has long since accepted her lies about his worth as a human being and no longer thinks of himself in very complimentary terms. A chance encounter with a small child running away from danger forces him to act quickly. With no time to consult his wife or second-guess his choices Vergil must rely on his conscience to protect those who cannot protect themselves. His transformation was slow and sometimes difficult but it was quite rewarding to see Vergil step up to challenges that he had been browbeaten into believing he wasn’t smart or good enough to undertake.
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I have only one criticism of this tale. It would have been nice to see an explanation for Wendy’s atrocious behaviour. Was she continuing the cycle of abuse after a traumatic childhood? Was she severely mentally ill? Perhaps she was living with a brain injury that prevented her from functioning in an emotionally healthy manner? I can’t imagine anyone treating his or her spouse in such a controlling, punitive, cruel manner without the interference of at least one of these factors.

Luckily the fast-paced storyline quickly distracted me from that question. Vergil and Charlie, the boy he rescues, leap from purgatory to to an otherworldly graveyard and beyond with barely a second to catch their breath. Charlie’s true origins are revealed in deliciously slow increments that pushed the plot forward while simultaneously whetting my appetite for more of his backstory.

Blue Lights in a Jar was so engaging I inhaled it in one sitting. This is the kind of story that’s impossible to walk away from without knowing how it ends and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves cross-genre adventures.

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Beauty is the Beast by Karen Wiesner

May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Beauty is the Beast by Karen Wiesner
From the Woodcutter’s Grim Series-Classic Tales of Horror Retold, Volume II
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (39 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review by: Poinsettia

The final in a four-book miniseries within the Woodcutter’s Grim Series dealing with the curse on the Shaussegeny family. Very loosely based on Beauty and the Beast. The Shaussegeny family curse came with one final pronouncement: “And now there is but one manner in which this curse can be broken and obliterated entirely: That beauty falls in love with the beast and vice versa, that evil loves good and good loves evil. If this should happen, your family shall be released from each aspect of my curse and your alliance with evil shall be ended.”

When Ransom Shaussegeny attempts to cure the family of the curse they live under, he becomes a werewolf trapped in his beast form and isolates himself inside the family fortress. When he meets Tess Moore, a beautiful enchantress, and falls under her spell, Ransom no longer knows who or what is real—or whether the evil in Woodcutter’s Grim is about to have the last laugh by dooming him, the woman he loves, and his family for all time…

Will Ransom be set free by science or magic?

I’m glad Ransom finally got his own story. In the previous three stories in the anthology, he remained a bit of a mystery. I only knew that he was a scientist desperate to create a potion that would cure his family of the werewolf curse, and that he’s never left his family’s property for fear of contaminating anyone else, especially his chosen mate, with his curse. As I read, I discovered that Ransom is much more than a scientist. He’s a caring, sensitive man with amazing willpower. While the rest of his family embraces the curse of the werewolf, Ransom has been fighting it for over twenty years. It would have been so much easier for Ransom to embrace the curse, but he took the more difficult path. I admire his perseverance and dedication to his principles.

When a strange man stumbles onto the Shaussegeny property, his situation bears an eerie resemblance to the tale of “Beauty and the Beast.” Since Ransom is such a scientific and logical person, I did find it a bit odd that he would suddenly decide to go where the magic was leading him. After all, he’d spent his whole life resisting the magic and evil that surrounded Woodcutter’s Grim. However, this led Ransom into the interesting predicament of having to acknowledge that science might not hold the key to everything after all.

Tess brings out the best in Ransom. Though they met under less than ideal circumstances, they quickly begin to fall in love and have great chemistry. Like Ransom was at the beginning, Tess is very mysterious. The truth of her past isn’t revealed in full until the end of the story. I can’t give away any details without spoiling the ending. However, I will say that Tess’s history is a truly interesting twist that I didn’t expect.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Beauty is the Beast. Ransom’s happy ending with Tess is sweet and well deserved. Ms. Wiesner’s take on the classic fairytale was the perfect ending to this miniseries within the overall Woodcutter’s Grim Series. Anyone who enjoys fairytales that are a little different should certainly read Beauty is the Beast as well as the other stories in the anthology

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